voidtreckernet | Following that other one... [video]

Sarai...the usually cheerful Au Ra does not look happy right now. If anyone speaks to her, she will acknowledge, but her first order of business is...baking.

Baking cookies. Obsessively mixing together oatmeal, vanilla, sugars, eggs, raisins and cinnamon, flour, and smashing it together rather viciously. Taking all the anger she can't take out on its proper victim on what will, eventually, be cookies.

By the time she gets the first tray into the oven, she seems a bit more resigned, if not more calm.

"I am sorry these are not chocolate chip, but...I did not have the presence of mind to come with chocolate chunks."

The scent of baking cookies had him wandering to the kitchen. There, he found an angry lady doing nice things, which was kind of odd. He trotted in and with little effort he hopped up onto the counter, away from the ingredients, and watched her with tired, sad eyes.

"They smell good though. Even without chocolate chips."

She's a bit less angry now, and also a bit startled by a talking cat. But said cat is respectful and not poking his nose into the bowl, so he's a good kitty.

"I'm glad you think so. I hope the others do, too," she admits. Taking a clean spoon from a drawer, she scoops out a bit of cookie dough and places it before him.

"The first batch still needs to finish and cool, but you don't need to wait." As for the next batch, she's already spooning blobs of dough on to another cookie sheet.

Maru leaned over, and instead of putting his head down to lick from the spoon, he grabbed it up in his little paws, with a happy expression on his face. Oh, he might start to like this person. He licked at the cookie dough with a happy little purr. Yes, the cookies were going to turn out very nice if the dough was anything to go by.

"It's good. You're a really good baker." Being something of a connoisseur of the snack, Maru knew greatness when he saw it. And he could imagine the cookies would be some of the best he could ever have the pleasure to try.

"Well, I'm glad you think so. But watch the tray, I prefer neither of us get burnt!" She chuckled then, a bit dryly, but the sentiment was appreciated. "I did a bit of culinary training back on Hydaelyn." Not so much as her husband, but enough.

The Au Ra pulled the oven open, closing her eyes a little as the heat blasted her in the face, switching out the cookie sheets as she did so.

"If you don't want to wait for cookies either, I could make you something with bacon, too. Just for you." Bacon might be comforting for some, but it was a little late--and really, there'd been quite a bit of it this month. She wouldn't even blame him if Mr. Kitty didn't want it, either.

"I'm Sarai. Who do I have the pleasure of addressing, then?"

"I think I'll wait for the cookies!" Now they were out of the oven, the smell was even stronger and his stomach gave an eager rumble. They smelled delicious and he couldn't wait to try one. Bacon didn't hold a candle to the allure of trying one of those cookies.

He looked away from the tray to the woman and blinked a bit, taking a second before he answered. "I'm Maru. Hi." And then he would wave one of his little paws in greeting, because why not?

"Well, they've got to cool a little, but that's what the racks are for. Give them a minute or two, then they'll be perfect--crisp on the outside and gooey on the inside, and begging for a glass of milk to wash them down with!" Chuckling at that--she shook her head. "I sound like a hawker in a market in Ul'dah. Gracious!"

Sarai finished putting the cookies on the rack, and scraped the sheet she had out over the sink, giving it a few swipes with a sponge to make sure the crumbs were off, and a cursory rinsing before fetching a clean towel to wipe it down with. She spooned more cookie dough on to this sheet, putting it in the oven when it was ready. She checked the other set, decided it needed a few more minutes, and closed the oven door.

She wouldn't be terribly surprised if she caught Maru filching a cookie--though it wasn't truly filching. He seemed the sort.

Oh no, Maru was actually a good cat. He was happy to wait now he'd been told to, and because waiting promised him a cookie. There was also the fact he didn't know that this woman wouldn't mind if he'd taken one without despite her saying no, what if he took one and she yelled? Threw him out without any cookies? No. The risk was too great! He would sit and patiently wait the few minutes until he could have one.

So, instead of staring at them like some dog, Maru's gaze had followed the woman and watched what she was doing. She was very efficient. And now the kitchen smelled of cooking and cooked cookies and it was just plain delicious.

"... I don't know where that place is. Sounds fancy."

"Oh, it's a place on my world. One of the city-states. It's in the Sagolii desert and is a big trade center, so it's not strange to find people hawking wares there."

He had permission! Though she'd pour him a saucer of milk AND give him a few cookies for being a patient sort.

"I don't suppose you'd be accepting of a scratch behind the ears for being a good kitty? Or is that too much of an imposition on your person?"

Some cats only wanted affection on their terms, after all, and he wasn't her cat so she'd know!

Maru looked down at the saucer of milk and looked back at the woman. This was the risk of being a cat, he supposed. So he picked up one of the cookies with a paw.

"... If the milk could be in a small cup, I don't mind pets." In fact he actually liked them. At least since coming to the train. People seemed more inclined to want to pet him here than back home and that was fine with him.

"Of course. I wasn't sure what would be easier--saucers are usually the preferred method for cats back home." She chuckled, then, a bit awkwardly. "Sorry!"

Waste not, want not, so she carefully poured the milk in the saucer into a small cup and topped it off with some more milk before handing it over. Sarai let him enjoy a cookie first before moving in to scratch behind his ears--carefully, well aware that she has claws!

"So, do the cookies pass muster?" She had to ask.

He wasn't a usual cat, as proven by how he was eating the cookie with his paws. But he was happy when the milk was put into the cup, one that looked like he could probably lift. And then she pet him. And, of course, Maru gave a happy little purr when she did.

"Uh-huh, they're really good!" He replied after swallowing his mouthful, and then scooted forward to dunk the rest in the milk to monch on that.

"You seem like something of a snack aficionado, so I had to ask. I've had a bit of culinary training, but I'm not quite on my husband's level. Not that you can miss him, I think he's the biggest person on the train!" Sarai laughed at that. "It's always fun when Purple's turn to make food comes around."

Mostly because Sarai really enjoyed cooking and baking. It was fairly clear that her mood was turning around--and not just because Maru was cute. Though he certainly was that!

"I like snacks." Maru replied with a shrug. He wouldn't have used the same word as her, but it was alright.

"... I'm not a bad cook." He was just too damn lazy to do it usually. Instant foods were so much quicker and easier to deal with. But that this lady and her husband knew how to cook were good things. Even better that she could make really good cookies. He liked them a lot.

Fandaniel's haunt this month has been the kitchens, since that was their Chore Duty This Month and he was reasonably good at it.

He has pointedly not interrupted anyone else's comings and goings. If he heard, watched, or in any way noted the ... mayhem earlier, he's given no sign of it. Hasn't said a word about it, just scrubbed the pots and pans he'd been using in comfortable silence.

For a while.

"...Did you want chocolate chips?"

He's an ascian. It might be a trick question, or an offer, or the beginning of snide commentary, but for now it's neutral, pitched by way of tone and volume to not be terribly startling and give that earlier wrath a target.

"They seem to be rather popular in cookies here," Sarai admitted. After all, she at least had declared truce with Fandaniel; even in anger, she has no real reason to break it. Besides, she's simmering down a bit. She'd started, but even with it being the Ascian, she can't be anything more but perhaps vaguely annoyed. Like a well used muscle just repeating a familiar motion.

"I am sure oatmeal raisin would suffice, but I imagine with the younger set, they might prefer chocolate chunks. That said...care to try one?"

Even if he says no, she won't be offended. They're not exactly friends, after all.

"In some towns," the ascian observes, "Raisins in cookies are considered deadly sins." Honestly the hatred for dried up grapes eluded him. What did a raisin ever do, besides be wrinkly, tiny and good for snacking?

Maybe they belonged in trail mix, not cookies.

It's a mystery to work on when he had more time. And interest.

Nevertheless, he declines, with a slight shake of the head. "I believe there are more grateful audiences waiting." All those young mortals, packed in the dining car, pretending the world isn't as awful as it is. "Though coerced into helping with something more their tastes."

"Are you going to change them into chocolate chunks?" Sarai wasn't certain that even one with his powers could do that--though if she knew his thoughts, Sarai would agree; she didn't understand the raisin hatred, herself. They'd been a fascinating treat when she first came to Eorzea proper, after all.

She sighed a little bit. "Truth. I'll go feed the hungry multitudes, I suppose, and then be back to make more." But the cookies were worth it, she had to admit to herself.

Sarai just hoped that Dread hadn't snuck in, or there weren't going to be many cookies to be had!

"Transmutation isn't in my skillset," is the prompt, straightforward response. Whether or not it was possible, Fandaniel didn't dabble in such things. It was ever so much easier to just make something from scratch than try to turn one thing into some other thing! "And if it were, tampering with an ingredient after it's cooked could have unexpected consequences for the cookie."

There's something to debate. He'll have to bother one of his fellows about it, eventually, when there was time to waste.

Less for debate: the cookie-hungry hordes of people out there. A lot more than just children had arrived, and all of them would likely want snacks. The ovens are eyed balefully. He could outright assist. But why. "I'm unsure how much milk the train has chosen to provide but I'm certain it would be a welcome addition to the snacks."

There's a long, utterly still pause as the ascian clearly comes to some sort of alarming question or realization ... and then very deliberately does absolutely nothing about it. Some things don't bear thinking on.

She just offered Fandaniel a faint smile at his honesty. Things between them were still a bit tumultuous, perhaps, but they were still in a state of truce if this was his response, and she was grateful.

"You're right, but I'd need an extra pair of hands. I promise, it's not too altruistic if you take some out there." And if they ran out, oh well. In Sarai's estimation, a few days of skipped cereal and milk for breaking fast wouldn't harm anyone.

"So if you'd do that, I could keep baking. You don't even have to stay out there for long, you could come back and sass me. Critique my technique, you know. Be yourself."

Though Sarai was clearly giving Fandaniel a bit of sass, it sounded as if she was at least visiting her usual good humor. That was at least a hint of her playing with him, not trying to antagonize him, and...even if it didn't last, it was a good thing. Even more a shock that it was the Ascian who'd achieved it.

"If you want a fair critique, we'll have to pick something I specialize in. I'm no expert baker." He can offer his scorn and derision REGARDLESS, he's full of opinions on everything under the moon, including cookies ... but well, these ones are for a cause he can at least somewhat sympathize with.

Someone out there is really, really stupid. Or cruel. That show was a fantastic way to paint a target on oneself.

It is very obvious he has no great desire to actually interact with anyone out there though, by the frown that crosses his face. His sympathies only extend so far. After a long, loooong moment there's an exceedingly put upon sigh, said milk fetched, and the Ascian stalks off to deliver it as bidden.

Indeed it doesn't take long at all for him to return.

"Welcome back," Sarai said. By now, she wasn't very tart, as these things went. "And thank you. I know you were rather put upon by that, but this way we don't have to have anyone shoving in here and looking for milk, it's already out there," the Au Ra explained.

Not that she wasn't sure Fandaniel couldn't figure that out by himself...

"I'm not certain I'm very good at anything you are good at, though, so that might be something of a pitfall for me!" Not that she seems rather upset by that, really. Quite the opposite, it's just something that is, to Sarai.

Following that other one... [video]

[Action/OTA, angry WoL]

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