She'd been so, so patient. So responsible. So good. Ever since they'd first started appearing she'd held back, but now the allure of the mushrooms was simply too strong. Fable prided herself on being a student, a scientist! She had to know how they would taste - if they were safe to even eat. Because she wasn't entirely foolish, she'd made her way to the Ashen border and called for Oki, begging him to accompany her on this mad endeavor. At least he could get help if something went awry. They'd travelled to a midway point between their territories where she'd stashed some of her clayware bowls..

Fable wasted no time in nesting some sticks between two larger stones, then dragging a thin, flat rock to perch between them. It created a bridge, underneath which she began to stoke a fire. In no time at all they had a merry blaze burning. She turned to inspect the falls which, like the rapids of her home, shimmered with unnatural light. Cautiously, she grabbed a medium sized earthenware bowl and dipped it into the water. Sparkling liquid filled it quickly. She'd drank from the rapids and been fine - in fact, it was hard to find water that didn't glow lately. Some measly fungi had to be fine. Fable placed the bowl atop the flat rock and waited for the water to boil. Would it look any different once it began to bubble? "Now I just need to find some mushrooms..." she murmured.

Kuroki squinted as he watched Fable get to work, the dark of his eyes barely visible against the black of his face. His last venture out with her wasn't anything he wanted to talk about, ever, so he'd kind of hoped this one would set a better precedent. Fable was a whole lot of things, but Kuroki was pretty sure she wasn't a bad omen. That her rocking up at Ashen wasn't a sign of worse things to come. Probably. Either way, it was nice to get out. to leave behind all the wolves back home who seemingly were losing their shit about all of this. Even Hattori seemed squinter than usual, his ears tipping as though he was hearing shit no one else could. Whatever it was, Kuroki hoped it weren't catching. As she went to fill a bowl with water, Kuroki raised his paws as though to stop her but soon thought better of it. What was the point? She'd already dunked her muzzle right into the falls and pulled back apparently no worse for wear. Water was one thing, it was flowing and mostly clean but mushrooms? Nah. That shit was dodgy, Kuroki felt it in his bones, and knew enough about foraging not to eat something for science. Especially if it was strange and glowing. "Yeah. But not those. Or those. Or these." He jabbed at the clusters in turn with the pointed tip of a talon. Now that he looked there were everywhere, pulsing with mounting anticipation.

"Oki..." she whined, her tail lashing impatiently. "That's the whole point! I need to find out what they taste like. And if they're safe. What if they're not?! They've started growing everywhere." That was true enough. What if they were dangerous and constantly releasing spores? Again, the water had been safe - or it was so far. By association, the mushrooms had to be fine as well. They had patently not discussed the elk-ghost-demon creature they had taken down together, and Fable was just fine with that. She still had nightmares. But they'd made a good team, hadn't they? "I brought some herbs to make me throw up if I start having any adverse reactions," she gestured towards one of her earthenware bowls. It was filled with dried lobelia and licorice root she'd plundered from Abaven's stores. Her studies into cooking and preparing meats and vegetables had not often led to perfect results. Fable had a rough working knowledge of what herbs helped evacuate and also soothe the stomach; she was nothing if not prepared. "I thought of everything! I think."

Bla bla bla, Fable could waffle on till her jaw ached and her tongue dried up. Kuroki still wasn't convinced. Nothing about any of these weird goings-on was sane or right, what made her think that normal medicine was gonna do a lick of good? He really hated being a buzz kill, least of all liked telling people what to do or how to live their lives, but this? Nuh uh. Stepping over to a cluster of mushrooms Kuroki yet again raised a paw in thought, his black eyes following the curve of his talons as he considered. Quiet and contemplative. Suddenly and with no warning he slashed at one, slicing it right down the centre. He sort of expected some level of resistance, like it would meld back together just to spite him, but nope. It just flopped, shredded without a fight. So naturally he had to stomp it into the ground, smush and grind it under foot till it was a nasty, inedible paste. "Well good luck with that then. Shame there won't be any left for you to use. "

"Ugh!" she blurted and leaped to her paws. In no time flat he'd already eviscerated one of the larger, tastier looking ones. A freaking unicorn had told her not to try eating this stuff, but she was just... too curious for her own good. Fable grunted and tried to shoulder him out of the way. The mushroom he'd destroyed was too far gone. Frankly, the way it glowed in the dirt even as a smashed-up paste was disturbing. Maybe he was on to something about not eating this stuff, but she felt like she'd already come so far. So close. The water in the bowl behind them began to boil over. Fable had neglected the fire enough that it was leaping up in great flames, sizzling and hissing where the sparkling water overflowed and touched the hot stone. "Oh!" Maybe she wouldn't be able to cook them now, but that wouldn't stop her. With a determined grin, she skittered to the edge of the waterfall and gobbled up one of the smallest mushrooms there. Her eyes widened. It tasted like...?

Slicing and crushing another cluster, Kuroki watched on in unabated alarm as Fable took full advantage of his distraction and did the bottom of the barrel, stupidest thing he'd ever seen. With not a speck of self-preservation, she scuttled to the water's edge and gobbled up a small mushroom all smug and happy, like she'd won a fucking prize. He stomped over and smushed the rest of that bunch, grinding it to paste, before she could dip in for seconds or thirds. But it was too late, the damage was already done...maybe? "Are you dying? " Aw man, how would he explain this to Abaven? Would they even believe him if he told the truth? Probably not, knowing his luck.

Fable

You swiftly eat one before your companion can ruin it. It tastes sweet on your tongue, but turns your stomach sour. Perhaps it would've settled better if you had boiled it first?

Maybe you shouldn't have done that...

Kuroki

You feel heavy very suddenly, with each step as the mushroom paste seems to seep deeper into your toes, your paws drag as if it's sucked all your energy from your body. If only there was someone here who could make you a tasty meal to restore your energy.

"Oh, it's really sweet..." she said dreamily. She would do this - for SCIENCE! The mushroom slid down her throat, leaving a film behind. Once it hit her stomach she felt... not so great. Her stomach roiled in protest. "Not dying, not dying," Fable replied, but she could feel the tell-tale drool building in her mouth. Any second now and it would all come up again. Ugh, it had tasted so sweet! Why did have to hurt like this? Fable scrambled towards the edge of the water and made a few embarrassing, strangled wet noises until she horked up the single, thin glowing mushroom she'd eaten. It flopped into the water and floated there limply.

"Speech"

It was like a sudden weight was foisted atop Kuroki's shoulders, making his posture slump as the prospect of squishing more mushrooms suddenly became very daunting. Like his paws were too tired to lift even an inch off the ground. Kuroki barely found the energy to turn his head and watch Fable blow chunks, whatever those mushrooms were it didn't take a genius to realise this was a consequence of smushing them. That they'd' somehow sapped his strength, right from the tip of his toes to his ears, he was tired all over. Ready to sleep for three days kinda tired. Nothing about this shit was natural, but at least Fable wasn't dying? He'd take her word for it, since he didn't have the drive to press her any more. Flopping to the ground in an undignified slouch, Kuroki made a point of flicking off whatever remains lingered on his paws. Maybe it would help. "Ugh. I'm beat. Make yourself useful and cook something edible will you?" For as things stood he wasn't sure if he'd be able to make it back to Ashen on his own. Not when all of his bones felt like wobbly jelly.

Firefly Shoppe- Fable

A firefly draws your attention nearby to reveal a cloaked figure with a small wooden table in front of him. On the table lay three items, with their prices beside them. "Choose wisely, and only choose one," the figure says. "If you can afford it, that is." Perhaps he accepts cŕ̷̕y̵̍͊stals and mushrö̸́̀ō̴̉ms... or perhaps its worth bargaining for something greater...


Inventory:

• Ghost Bath Bomb- 2/
  It’s a see-through orb. The seller assures you it’s good for styling your ears or tail exactly how you’ve always wanted.
  
• Opaque Sack of Mushrooms/Crystals- 1/
  Running out of event currency and not sure what else to spend it on? Gamble on this mysterious pouch and potentially find more mushrooms/crystals within it! Or perhaps something else!
  
• Pungent Potion- 1/
  This tiny bottle contains a green globby liquid, the label claims it was made from local mushrooms.
  

It Continues for Kuroki...

Huh? It doesn't seem like anything happened... Well, maybe that's for the best...

A sparkling glow beckoned her eyes towards a cloaked figure. Choose wisely... if you can afford it... Fable squinted from where she laid prone by the waterfalls. Her stomach had that awful, hollow feeling that often accompanied throwing up. Like she was emptier than she had ever been. She took a deep drink from the water and rinsed her mouth before going to investigate this strange travelling salesman. "D-do you see this, Oki?" she asked. He mumbled about how drained he was, needing some kind of nourishment. She suddenly felt immeasurably guilty for putting them both in this position. Nevertheless, the wares were intriguing. Fable perused them briefly, then looked up to try and meet the salesman in his many flickering eyes. Each one posed different questions, but she got the impression he wouldn't take well to wheedling. "I... I can't choose," she admitted bashfully. "I'd like to make you a deal, if I could. In return for all of this, I'll cook you a delicious dinner tonight. And every year after, I will cook a splendid meal for you if you appear to me again!" Fable said it all in one great rush, mustering excitement even if her stomach was still sore. There were plenty of experiments she could run with the goods on his table... she wanted everything.

"Speech"

Firefly Shoppe- Fable

The figure seems to pause for a moment, then with a wave of his hand, the items and shop stall vanished and a well-set table of glowing ivory wood took its place. "Very well," it echoed as it brushed off its coat before sitting in an ornately carved chair and tucking a starched napkin under its supposed chin. "What will we have, little wolf?" The cloaked man was abuzz with excitement- literally. The fireflies in and around him danced jubilantly as they awaited their promised meal.


Instructions:
Please roll 1 D10 in the Discord and tag Event Staff.

"What will we have, little wolf?" Fable blinked in surprise. He'd taken the bargain. Taking a deep breath, she stilled herself and tried to focus above the roaring in her ears. Her heart was beating so fast she was sure it would tumble right out of her mouth. "You won't be disappointed!" she assured, dipping her head deeply. "And thank you for the opportunity!" She looked around the clearing, trying to assess what was available to her. She'd brought her earthenware bowl filled with some spices, but none of them were particularly helpful. They were mostly medicinal. There was, however, a thin layer of salt coating the bottom of the bowl leftover from what it used to contain. Wagging her tail, Fable set to work.

She meticulously picked out the medicinal herbs and then set to work on building a small fire. First, she gathered spare kindling and set it up in a pile before seeking out the place to set her fire. There were a few rocks lining the falls. Fable scanned them, then found a good spot to set the fire - two rocks lay kittycorner, creating a space where she could rest her bowl between them and set the fire to heat it front below. Quickly she reassembled the sticks in the place she'd spied, then used the flint that she had carried along beneath her bowl. The fire caught. Fable breathed out and realized, with a sinking feeling, she had no idea what fireflies ate. Was it... he... even a normal firefly? She felt faint. Her hollow, empty stomach didn't help the matter.

Did it matter what kind of creature he was? She knew what tasted good. That was universal. Right? Trying to ease her humming nerves, Fable took a deep, deep breath and just focused on what mattered: the flavors. She dipped the bowl into the base of the waterfall, just enough to get an inch of water in the bottom. Salt swirled into the water along with flecks of glowing bacteria. It was beautiful, in its own way. Fable set the bowl aside and harvested some different types of mushrooms - glittering black trumpet mushrooms and elegant, sparkling chanterelles. After assembling four or so of each, she carefully placed them in the water. Just a little bit more now. She didn't want to complicate the flavors of the mushrooms - they had to shine, just like they were glowing before her eyes. The dish had to sparkle in the same way.

There! Gathered at the edge of the pool, drifting in the contained current generated by the waterfall, was a patch of watercress. That delightful, peppery plant that the unicorn had pointed out. Fable's tail shot straight up into the air at the sight. Grinning, she dragged it out of the water and carefully separated a small amount to add some dimension to her dish without overshadowing the mushrooms. Fable placed the plant into the bowl and nudged the container from side to side, mixing the residue of salt with the glowing water, mushrooms, and watercress. A simple but pleasing dish, sure to delight any palate. Careful so that she didn't spill a drop, Fable balanced it over the fire until it merrily bubbled away. The water thickened just a little until the broth simmered, the mushrooms and watercress having cooked down but not lost their shape. With a deft movement, she removed the bowl from the fire, wincing as it licked at her chin for a second. For a final touch, Fable garnished the edge of the bowl with a artful touch of fresh, crunchy watercress.

"Here you are," she panted, presenting to steaming, warm bowl to the wares peddler. "I have much to learn. Every single year, your meal will get better. I'll be prepared next time," she said assuredly, her tail and ears rigid with anticipation.

Idiot Sandwich

The cryptid watches as the young wolf dabbled about, putting undoubtedly all her effort into this dish. She dashed to and fro, and eventually brought a bowl of steeping hot soup. Bone Apple Teeth.

The swarm-shaped hand grasped the bowl and took a moment to allow the beating of the firefly's wings to cool it off. The wolf explained that she had much to learn, and that she would get better. He took what appeared to be a sip, as the liquid disappeared into nothingness in one def movement. It was... not pleasing- a 2 out of 10 at best. If the man could have grimaced, he would have.

The being stood abruptly, his figure wavering as he removed his napkin and, with a whisk of his hand, de-apparated the table set. "And get better, I hope you do, for this particular flavor disgusts and offends." He paused a moment, looking keenly at the young woman. "I am not angry, just disappointed. Perhaps you need a reset of your own palette," he said before vanishing completely, leaving only the bowl with the slightest bit of soup left in the bottom.

Maybe you shouldn't have done that...


You Lose:

• Your Sense of Taste- Taste nothing for 2 OOC weeks.
  
• 10 Int Points- You forgot that one ingredient that made that one dish taste that one way...