[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]

"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.

[lotus_sister]

She starts giggling too - she can't help it. "I'd be upset if someone took my soup ingredients," she admits, when she can catch her breath. "Poor rat. I'll make extra and it can have some too."

[acrookedpath]

"Yes," he agrees, still caught in his own giggles. "I wonder what it's making with the pork ribs? And aiyo, the translation talisman -- "

[lotus_sister]

"Here, sit--"

Jiang Yanli clears a space at the counter and sets him up with lotus roots to peel and chop.

"It worked well enough," she adds, as she starts sorting the rest of the ingredients and preparing the pork. "You can fix it later." She knows his agile mind is already trying to figure out how to improve it.

[acrookedpath]

He wrinkles his nose at her as he picks up the knife.

"Later, you say, as if you know I'll try to rewrite the talisman in oil as soon as your back is turned." There's a deep fondness to his words as he begins chopping the lotus root. "You will be glad to know Lan Zhan looks after me that way, too. I do not stay up the entire night quite so often anymore."

[lotus_sister]

"You need your rest, so I am glad to hear it." Jiang Yanli gives him a teasing glance.

[acrookedpath]

Wei Wuxian does the only thing he can: he sticks his tongue out at Jiang Yanli.

"Someday, if this continues, I will become so lazy I never leave my bed at all," he says. "Then what will happen?"

[lotus_sister]

She wrinkles her nose at him. "I'm sure your Lan Wangji will think of something."

[acrookedpath]

His cheeks pink.

"My Lan Wangji, eh?"