[pfsb] happy halloween!

[acrookedpath]

It's that time of year again.

The inn is bustling. All manner of strange outfits have been donned (some more willingly than others). Lanterns flicker ominously in the corners, pumpkins stand sentry at either end of the bar, and every order comes complete with a handful of wrapped candies.

And -- if you're Wei Wuxian -- Madam Bar has also gifted you with an enormous array of tiny cakes, each one with a little candle stuck in its center. His second birthday at the inn has arrived, and he could not be more pleased.

(He's also wearing a red T-shirt that reads, simply, I'M THE CHAOS. Just like last year, he has set his mild confusion aside in favor of delight at the bounty Madam Bar has given him.)

Comments

[acrookedpath]

"Because I dress in red and black," he says. Lowering his voice conspiratorially: "And because tanghulu is delicious."

[lotus_sister]

Jiang Yanli eyes him with the look of a sister who's very used to his tricks. "A-Xian." Sternly, as much as she can, anyway - which isn't very. "You didn't try feeding tanghulu to rabbits."

[acrookedpath]

"Of course I didn't!" says Wei Wuxian, mock-affronted. "Lan Zhan and I have taken very good care of them. He knows all the best vegetables to bring for our visits, after tending to all the rabbits of Gusu Lan."

[lotus_sister]

"He does?" she asks, as they reach the inn's door. "But I thought pets weren't allowed in Cloud Recesses."

[acrookedpath]

"Ah, but technically," he says, as he opens the door and steps aside for Jiang Yanli to enter first, "they are not pets. They roam free, and Lan Zhan just happens to visit them with fresh greens."

He grins.

"But Lan Zhan has also become more willing to bend the rules of Cloud Recesses lately."

[lotus_sister]

"Oh, I see," she laughs. "Very smart of him."

There's real curiosity in her glance. "He has?"

[acrookedpath]

"Oh, yes."

His eyes sparkle merrily.

"I have been a terrible influence on him, shijie. He'll even stay awake past hai hour now."

[lotus_sister]

"A-Xian!" She can't keep herself from laughing. "Perhaps he just wants to spend more time with you, did you ever think of that?"

[acrookedpath]

"Surely not! It must only be because he enjoys breaking the rules nowadays!"

He's laughing, too.

"That is how I sounded for years, wasn't it?"

[lotus_sister]

Jiang Yanli smiles at him. It's enough.

"Come with me to the kitchen," she tells him. "You'll have to introduce me, won't you?"

[acrookedpath]

He snorts, amused by his shijie's silence, and leads on toward the kitchen.

"Of course! Though here, I think I will mostly be introducing you to the waitrats," he says.

[lotus_sister]

"Oh, this inn is so strange. Do they talk like the rabbit-wangye did?"

[acrookedpath]

"Not that I have heard, but..."

He pauses, struck by the realization.

"Do you know, I have never thought to try a talisman? I have assumed for so long that they could only squeak."

[lotus_sister]

"I wouldn't have either," she reassures him. "If it does, it could make explaining easier."

By this time, they've reached the kitchen door. Jiang Yanli steps through just as if she belongs there, and looks around, eyes wide.

"Oh."

[acrookedpath]

Wei Wuxian drifts to a halt behind her. His smile returns: smaller now, and warmer.

"Isn't it amazing?" he murmurs. "Gaeta-qianbei showed me a little of how the stoves work, and where to find all the ingredients we might need. I am still a poor cook -- " here, he chuckles, " -- but I can show you the most important pieces, at least."

[lotus_sister]

"A-Xian is three," she teases. "He can't be expected to reach the stoves or handle hot things." Smiling, she adds, "We'd better get started if we want your soup to be ready any time soon. Show me."

[acrookedpath]

"Xianxian gets into trouble when you're gone," he teases back, before drawing her along to one of the giant refrigerators along the side of the kitchen. "Here -- ah, and the pots are over here -- "

Together, they set to work gathering everything they need.

[lotus_sister]

They've just finished locating the lotus roots, and pork ribs, and the ginger and other spices she needs, when a rat marches up to them, squeaking furiously.

This rat is wearing an apron and waving a wooden spoon. Jiang Yanli bites her lip and offers a polite bow. "I don't know if you can understand me," she tries. "I'd like to make soup for my brother."

[acrookedpath]

Uh-oh. Usually the waitrats aren't this... vehement about humans being in the kitchen.

Wei Wuxian circles his arms and mirrors his sister's bow. "We mean no harm," he says. "Here, perhaps -- "

A bead of red energy glows on his fingertip, and quickly, he sketches out the same translation talisman he used for El-ahrairah.

[lotus_sister]

"Squeak squeak squeakity squeak!" the rat scolds them. As the talisman flashes, it transmutes to "squeak n'est pas for just anyone, I was using those pork ribs for a recipe!"

"I'm so sorry," Jiang Yanli tells the rat. "It's A-Xian's birthday, and I wanted to do something special for him."

[acrookedpath]

"Non potevi prenderlo from the Bar?" the rat demands.

Wei Wuxian blinks in confusion. Clearly, the translation talisman does not work nearly as well with waitrats as it does with El-ahrairah; he squashes the urge to dive straight into further research, picking apart which radicals and sigils might have caused the difference.

"Er," he tries. "If you wish, I could see if Madam Bar could provide us both with more pork ribs..."

"That's what I just said!" the rat snaps. Honestly, it's rather impressive how its tiny features can convey such a scowl.

[lotus_sister]

"A-Xian," she tells him. "Go. Bring back more." Jiang Yanli turns to the rat and gives it a hopeful smile.

"He'll take care of it. May I offer help, to make up for our trespass?"

"Ei bine, treci la el," the rat snaps at Wei Wuxian, before turning to look at Jiang Yanli. "It's okay. At least you apologized. You wouldn't believe the meirg I have to put up with here. Thank you anyway."

[acrookedpath]

Between his shijie's gentle instruction, and the rat's -- well, less-than-gentle glower, Wei Wuxian does not need telling twice. With one more swift bow, he dashes from the kitchen to Madam Bar.

Mere moments later, he skids back inside with an armful of not just pork ribs, but all of the other ingredients he and Jiang Yanli scooped up as they hunted through the kitchen.

"Here you are!" he chirps, his good cheer only a little strained.

[lotus_sister]

The rat eyes him, then looks at Jiang Yanli. "No es tan malo after all, I see. He's a good boy, isn't he?"

She beams at the rat. "He is."

The rat waves its spoon at the counter. "Put the ribs back where you found them and go ahead. All yours."

[acrookedpath]

"Thank you, my friend," says Wei Wuxian, relieved, as he dumps the armful of ingredients on the counter. "You are very generous to let us share your space."

The rat gives a sharp, satisfied nod, then turns and scampers off.

Three seconds after it has disappeared from sight, Wei Wuxian looks at his sister, looks at the soup ingredients, and bursts into helpless giggles.