December/spring catch-all

[feralheart]

WHO: M-21 and anyone!
WHAT: Open + catchall
WHEN: All spring
WHERE: All over the island
WARNINGS: none, TBA if needed. Plotting here!


i. what do you mean 'consequences'

[ On one specific, highly cursed day this month, M-21 can be found lurking forlornly outside the island's little clinic. An internal war seems to be going on; he takes a grudging step towards the doors, then stalks away again. As if unaware he's doing it, he reaches down to rub irritably at his lower back. Maybe someone's a little less suited for farm work than everyone else? ]

This is so stupid.

[ He shoots a mutinous look up at the sky like he'd like to direct a complaint right to the management but doesn't quite dare. Then he's back to his pacing, with an occasional sideways glance thrown in towards the vet. Or he can be found draped somewhat pathetically over the nearest fence-shaped thing he can find, apparently no longer willing to move.

Help. ]

ii. like herding cats

[ On days when the weather is sunny and cooperative, despite all complaints, M-21 is hard at work in his fields. Reluctant concessions to farmcore have been made to spare what's left of his suit, and a sturdy pair of farming gloves covering his hands well past the wrist spare what's left of his palms from the sub-par farming tools. Things are coming in pretty nicely, especially the new stand of trees. They're full-grown and leafy and already showing a crop of... one fluffy orange kitten with oversized paws perched on a branch, chirruping furiously. ]

You got yourself up there.

[ Rescue? Or wait another few seconds to catch M-21 sighing and stripping off his gloves as he goes to climb a tree for what appears to be the five hundredth time that day. ]

iii. wildcard

[ Catch me on my planning link or PM if you want a starter! I welcome any and all bingos or just chaos. Or just hit me with anything, he'll be Around. ]

Comments

[framestory]

[ This is his best dish, as penned by his creator for no particular reason. Ellis prepares his own things as he occasionally looks at M-21's side of things... he wonders if all that will fit into the dumpling papers. ]

[feralheart]

[ M-21 will just have to show him that... his doubts are actually 1000% justified. The first few dumpling folding attempts are overstuffed and won't stay closed to begin with. How did Seira do this. ]

...maybe there's a special noblesse skill...

[framestory]

[ A noble skill? Ellis wonders if he interpreted that wrong. After watching the first attempts, Ellis taps M-21 on the shoulder so that he can try it out. ]

[feralheart]

[ Hm? Oh, probably a good idea. M-21 moves a little out of the way to let Ellis give it a shot. ]

Go for it. [ ... ] Worked better when I did it before.

[ He doesn't want Ellis to think he didn't put effort in! ]

[framestory]

[ Ellis just gives M-21 a small smile. It's fine, it's fine. Ellis washes his hands, dries them and tries to copy what M-21 did earlier, but with much less filling. When he closes the ends, it fits nicely! Though it could use a little more filling... Looks like Ellis was too careful about the amount.

... ]

[feralheart]

[ ...It's kind of a puny little dumpling, but it's also intact. M-21 chuckles. ]

That one shouldn't burst. I'll try it.

[ Somewhere in the middle, he's got this. ]

[framestory]

[ Ellis nods excitedly and goes back to cooking his steamed eggs. It's honestly not so hard... after he puts a lid on the small pot to leave it simmering, he goes back to looking over M-21's progress. ]

[feralheart]

[ Behold! Dumplings! Of varying sizes and structural integrity, but this represents a victory(?). M-21 will just get another pot going. ]

Not bad, huh?

[framestory]

[ You know what? Yeah. M-21 is taking steps forward and that's already admirable for Ellis, so he does a small applause for M-21. You did it!! ]

[feralheart]

[ You know what? Compared to being applauded for opening a door, M-21 feels like this is warranted. He'll preen a little. ]

Heh. Pick your ramen, I'll show you that too.

[ Is making instant ramen something to be proud of? Totally. The options on the counter are spicy, beef, cheese, and curry. Look at the breadth of M-21's culinary experience. ]

[framestory]

[ Honestly, Ellis had never eaten ramen before. He technically has in his fake memories, but he hasn't really personally experienced much, so... hm.

He points to curry. ]

[feralheart]

Good choice. I'll put more onions in it.

[ But dumplings first, unless Ellis is a weirdo like Rai who likes soggy noodles. Back to finishing those and eyeing Ellis' egg creation, ]

[framestory]

[ Nothing wrong with more onions if they're appropriately chopped. Ellis nods.

The steamed eggs are still... steaming inside the pot. Can't really get a good look at them due to the lid, but it's meant to stay closed. ]

[feralheart]

[ M-21 will refrain any impulse to sabotage by checking. The dumplings need to steam anyway. RNG took pity on M-21's hard work and they even don't fall to pieces while he chops onions so can make the ramen fancy. ]

We're pretty good at this.

[framestory]

[ Ellis nods. People can be creative if they're allowed to—as the number of personal freedom, he thinks he should encourage that sort of thing. No skin off his back and the results often intrigue him.

He also hands M-21 a clean cloth so that he doesn't accidentally rub his own eyes with hands that touched the onion. ]

[feralheart]

Huh? ...Oh, yeah. Thanks.

[ He stares at the cloth in brief confusion before the lightbulb goes off and he wipes his hands down. There may have been a few tragedies in the training runs that he's now remembering with a thousand yard stare. ]

[framestory]

[ Ellis figures that his dead stare is possibly related to rubbing his eyes with hands that touched onions prior, so Ellis tries to give M-21 comforting pats on the back. There, there. ]

[feralheart]

[ Ellis... soft and kind. M-21 accepts these with a sigh. ]

Kitchen's got all kinds of hazards. Seira made it look easy.

[ Seira also accidentally flicked a hole in a cast-iron pan so maybe that should have clued him in. ]

[framestory]

[ He's sure anyone who knows what they're doing makes it look easy, so honestly. Ellis gets it. He looks down at the ramen pot. How's it going? ]

[feralheart]

[ Ramen is happening! And probably will overcook entirely too quickly, so M-21 goes to grab bowls, reminded. ]

Almost done. Unless you like the noodles soggy. What about yours?

[framestory]

[ Ellis shakes his head no to soggy noodles and lifts the lid with an oven mitt over his hand. Just little bit of green onions to top it for appearance and voila. When he shakes the bowl after moving it from the pot, it jiggles a little like flan. Hehe. ]

[feralheart]

[ Oh, hey. He knows that one actually. He can't help a small laugh at Ellis jiggling it like that. ]

Fancy. Alright, let me just get these.

[ There are way too many dumplings and Ellis is getting lots of them in the bowl that's going to him because M-21 thinks he probably needs to eat more. It's fine. ]

[framestory]

[ Ellis is actually a little overwhelmed by all the dumplings in his own ramen bowl. It's so much!! Help. He looks at it wide-eyed before looking up at M-21.

????? ]

[feralheart]

You can handle it.

[ Is this really the kind of thing that can be fixed by a shonen powerup speech...? ]

...I'll take them if they're bad.

[framestory]

[ Ellis isn't really worried if they're bad... this is so much. Help. He shakes his head and sits on the dinner table with the food on it. Let's eat!!! Ellis and M-21 get forks. There are no chopsticks in this household. ]