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[formervanguard.livejournal.com]

[Marta is bustling about in the kitchen. There's a cookbook open on the counter behind her, which she's checking every now and then. Mostly, though, she's busy making sure the huge pot of boiling... something... on the stove isn't about to bubble over. Which it almost does. Several times. She somehow recovers it before it can manage, though not without some panicked squeaking and flailing. When it's calmed down enough, she turns to read...]

"Cover the pot, and allow to simmer on low heat for ten minutes." Cover it with what...?

[She looks around for anything that might do the trick, but she can't find the lid that fits the pot she chose because it's just that large. So what's the best thing to do in a situation like this? Improvise! She grabs an oven tray and sits it on top of the pot before turning the heat down. She smiles, proud of herself.]

And now, we wait. Ohh, there's no way I messed this up!

[In summary: someone pink has taken over the kitchen on the Plane, and it may or may not turn out to be a very positive thing.

Ever smelled burning water? Did you not think that was possible? Meet Marta. In fact, she might need some help...]

Comments

[lamb_of_gold]

[Great. And he's blind]

Find the appropriate lid, Marta, or switch to another pot.

[formervanguard.livejournal.com]

[Which heightens the sense of smell! I'm so sorry, Mu.]

H-huh? [She frowns at him.] But, I couldn't find it, and I'm already in the middle...

[lamb_of_gold]

[He'll live]

What is in the pot?

[formervanguard.livejournal.com]

Rice and vegetables, with some broth.

[lamb_of_gold]

I see. If you cannot find the lid, then an appropriate sized bowl may suffice as a cover. The heat and steam need to keep for the rice to cook.

[formervanguard.livejournal.com]

[The frown returns.]

So, I can't just use the flat tray? ... Well, alright... [She begins digging through the cabinets for a large enough bowl.]

... Hey, Mu? [A pause, then she sighs. She really wanted to figure this out alone, but...] Is there anything else I'm doing wrong?

[lamb_of_gold]

A domed lid works better to keep in the steam.

If you follow what's written, I think you will be fine.

[sunkenlight.livejournal.com]

[ The smell has attracted an amnesiac zombie! It doesn't smell all that pleasant... but Roxas is curious anyway. So now he's standing near the opposite end of the counter and watching Martha preen. ]

[formervanguard.livejournal.com]

[She has to stop preening long enough to switch out the makeshift lid for a domed makeshift lid, but then she's right back to preening. She still has nine more minutes in which to do so!

Then she spots Roxas.]

Oh! You're Emil's friend, right?

[sunkenlight.livejournal.com]

[ Roxas tilts his head. Emil was the guy with the blanket, and he said they were friends, right? ]

Emil... Yeah.

[formervanguard.livejournal.com]

[She smiles a bit.]

I thought I recognized you! Roxas, right? How are you?

[sunkenlight.livejournal.com]

[ He nods at his name. That seems to be the right response... ] Um... okay.

[formervanguard.livejournal.com]

[Only okay? She never knows exactly what to do with an answer like that, but this time, she opts to smile pleasantly and tilt her head to one side.]

That's... better than not well, though, right?

[The stove may not have gone to low heat fast enough, and the bowl-lid might be bouncing a little under the pressure and the bubbles...]

[shadow-shot.livejournal.com]

[ONE OF YOUR FELLOW DEADLY CHEFS IS HERE TO SAVE THE DAAAAY--

except not. Because Haseo can't cook. But she CAN offer cleanup advice, sort of. As for why she's here, uh, the smell brought her over, yep.] .... I think you might wanna turn that thing off, or lower the heat.

[formervanguard.livejournal.com]

Lower the heat? But I just did! [She frowns at the stove.] Do you mean it needs to be like... almost off?

[shadow-shot.livejournal.com]

Oh - you did? [Looks at it intently.

... This can not end well.] Maybe.

[formervanguard.livejournal.com]

Maybe... [So she turns it down even lower. Derp.]

Thanks for the help. Are you a cook?

[shadow-shot.livejournal.com]

[Derp derp!]

Uh...no. But I do know to turn down the heat when it gets like that. The pans and so on get messed up for good otherwise.

[And then you get permabanned from the guild's kitchen.]

[formervanguard.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I know about that, too. I just wish I knew a little more... that's why I'm here to practice.

[pactum.livejournal.com]

[... WHAT IS THAT SMELL. OH GOD.]

M... Marta? What's... all this?

[formervanguard.livejournal.com]

[IT SMELLS WORSE THAN IT IS. REALLY. HONEST.]

What's-- Emil!! [She whirls around, trying to stand in front of the pot as if that's going to hide what she's doing.] W-what are you doing on the Plane?

[pactum.livejournal.com]

[That's not the reaction he was expecting.]

I-I'm sorry! Should I go away? I didn't mean to bother you--

[formervanguard.livejournal.com]

[She essentially cuts him off.]

No! You're not bothering me, I just-- I-I mean--...

[Heavy siiiigh] I was just trying to practice some...

[pactum.livejournal.com]

... Oh...

[Disaster averted.]

Do you... want some help?

[formervanguard.livejournal.com]

[Help? Well, sure, part of her wants help. If she accepted his help, though, wouldn't that be absolutely pointless?]

I... Emil, this was supposed to be... [Get it together, Marta. Spit it out.] I just wanted to get better at cooking for you.

[There, was that so hard? Must have been, because she's blushing and doing her best not to meet his eyes...]