(Flashback) Ginger Men (Kendall)

[Aello]

"Yes, yes, and yes," Aello replied as a small smile crossed her lips and her eyes sparkled. "But hopefully, that can be worked out long before any students are taken on. If not, they may not stick around for very long. After all, who wants to be taught by someone who can't so much as hit the target?" Aello asked, her tone playful, for she knew she was far better with a bow than she was with flicking flour across Kendall's kitchen. But then again, if she practiced, she may be able to become as skilled with flicking flour between her fingertips as she was with shooting an arrow out of a bowstring. Although, there would be no point in training herself to be good at such at thing, considering that flicking flour would not be able to help her out in a fight the way being able to shoot an arrow well would. In fact, it wouldn't help with much of anything other than making a huge mess. Aello sighed, and as soon as her friend began to leave the kitchen, she followed. Everywhere Kendall went, Aello went too. "Well we could always start it now, or gossip and then start the frosting, or do both all at once?" Aello suggested, although there was question in her voice. It was apparent, then, that Aello didn't mind what they did, and was largely, leaving it up to her friend to decide. "We can talk about anything you like, as long as we move on from boyfriends, we have talked about those more than enough today, don't you think?" she asked her friend before erupting into a small fit of giggles. She knew Kay'lan was pretty much all that was on her friend's mind of late, and that surely, she would be reluctant in finding something else to talk about. "On second thought, perhaps we should find out how long it takes to make the frosting," Aello said, as she held up a single finger, and walked back into the kitchen. "You know, before we decide," she called out to her friend as she rummaged through the messy Saarinen kitchen until she found Mrs. Saarinen's cookbook. She dragged it over to the table, and opened it up, flipping through the recipes until she found one for frosting, which she read off to Kendall. "Cream Cheese Frosting Yield: Makes about 2 cups Ingredients: 8 ounces cream cheese, room temperature 8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, cut into pieces, room temperature 1 cup confectioners' sugar 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract Directions: Place cream cheese in a medium mixing bowl. Using a rubber spatula, soften cream cheese. Gradually add butter, and continue beating until smooth and well blended. Sift in confectioners' sugar, and continue beating until smooth. Add vanilla, and stir to combine." When she had finished reading, Aello glanced over the page again, following the words with her fingers. Something is missing here, she told herself, as she called out to her friend. "Well that's convenient," Aello began, as she realized what that was. "The recipe doesn't list a prep time," Aello muttered. "What kind of bloody cookbook is this... doesn't even mention a prep time?" Aello whispered, before her voice grew a little louder. "Whoever wrote this thing was seriously slacking Kendall. Leaving everything to the cook's best guess. But that's ok, that makes this all the more fun doesn't it?" she went on, rather sarcastically. "You know what Kendall, this really is ok, because we could always get your mother a new cookbook for her birthday or something, a better one!" the girl went on, her eyes sparkling. "But being that this one isn't the awesome one that we shall one day get her, that actually lists the prep time, maybe we should get started? Considering we don't know how long it will take, and probably want the frosting to be done by the time the cookies are finished chilling and everything..." OOCThe recipe is directly from the Martha Stewart web site. Also, I left it open to where your pc was just in case you don't want her to come back to the kitchen right away... slash Aello is oblivious since she is mad at the cookbook. Also, the last bit, about getting a better one... is spoken like Jack Sparrow in the first movie when he tells Annie he will get her a better boat... ship! I meant ship!

[Kendall Saarinen]

"Starting now seems good. Better to get it finished up and ready for frosting I suppose!" Kendall was not trying to race through their cookie making session. She just could not wait to try the cookies. Kendall had proven time and time again that she could talk while doing just about anything. It had gotten to the point where it was not even multitasking anymore. She just hated a room to fall into silence. "No, enough about boys. Let's talk about something else." Soon after she turned down the idea to talk about boys Aello spoke up again. "Yes! Good idea." She followed quickly behind her friend as she skimmed through the cookbook. She assumed Aello knew what she was doing since Kendall barely had any cooking skill of her own. When Aello alerted Kendall to the shortcoming of the recipe a discontented pout came to her lips. "Oh great. Leave it to my mom to have a cook book with missing steps." She really did not have much to compare prep time with. "Have you made frosting before? Do you know of a time we could compare it to? I suppose we could just… pick a number and hope we get lucky." A joking grin came to her lips, hoping that Aello would know she was kidding. After the cookies were all ready and baking, Kendall started to pull out the ingredients for the frosting. "I think it would be nice to get my mom a newer cook book. Knowing her, it was probably her mother's." She giggled slightly as she placed the ingredients on the counter. "I swear, I don't think she can get rid of anything. She is so overly sentimental." Kendall began to measure out the sugar and soon after, the vanilla. She sang quietly as she stirred, trying her hardest to add in little hints of the Vani that Kay'lan had taught her. "And as you walk through death's dark veil. The cannon's thunder can't prevail. And those who hunt thee down will fail. And you will be my ain true love." She smiled lightly as she moved from the sugar to the vanilla. "Well, we have been talking nonstop about me and my family. What about yours? How is your family doing lately?" OOCThe italics are in Vani.

[Aello]

A small smile crossed Aello's lips as well. "No, nothing at all to compare it to really," Aello replied as she pulled out the butter and cream cheese they would need for the frosting. Not knowing how to measure an ounce or tablespoon of a solid object, Aello did nothing further to prepare it; simply leaving the slabs of each item as they were, silently hoping that Kendall didn't know what she was doing either, and would not notice her shortcoming. Hopefully this isn't too much or too little of anything, Aello thought as she placed the cream cheese in a bowl before plucking a spatula out of a nearby drawer. She held the spatula's handle tightly in her right hand, her fingers winding around it as her left hand braced the bowl. Gently, she began to push the end of the spatula into the cream cheese, crushing it slightly beneath its weight. As time wore on, Aello began to push more forcefully, before she attempted to stir the mass, gradually adding the butter and mixing it in as the directions told her to. "Leon is doing well. He is growing taller every day; but none the wiser for each year he matures," Aello commented as she continued mixing. "He has taken to the dagger, and practices with it every day. Sometimes with our father, who can still beat him even when he is unarmed." There was a slight pause, "mother is the same as always. Still quiet, somewhat reserved, always cooking something up. Sometimes that's a good thing, and sometimes it's not. She's still learning... but at least it ensures that all of us and the local birds are fed," the girl finished with a small giggle. Her arm was growing tired, forcing her to stop mixing, "would you mind mixing this? It gets a little rough after a bit," Aello commented, as her cheeks turned a light pink shade. "I'll go check on the cookies while you finish that up?" Aello suggested as she headed over to the oven, pulled down the door, and peered inside. The cookies were starting to rise, although you could tell that they were still soft in several sections; where the batter wasn't quite as dark and gooey looking. "They still need some more time," Aello commented as she closed the door to the oven and returned to the counter to check on Kendall. OOCI assumed Kendall sang so quietly Aello could not hear her. Or assumed she was talking to herself. One of them.

[Kendall Saarinen]

Kendall watched as Aello was putting the ingredients together. She assumed that her friend knew what she was doing with the cream cheese considering, the brunette hadn't the slightest clue. She chuckled slightly at Aello's words. "Yeah, well that's boys for you. My brothers are in their twenties and they still have not seemed to have grown up." She rolled her eyes with a chuckle. It was nice to hear about Aello's family. Kendall loved her own and it was always interesting for her to get to hear about other's. Perhaps her view was a little cloudy since her family really did not have too many problems except for Suanna's more… friendly behavior with the men she met. "Of course." Kendall took the bowl and spoon from Aello and began to mix the ingredients. She was right, it was tough and Kendall was already feeling the strain after only a few chimes of stirring. She kept up the rhythm though. She did not want to seem like she could not do her fair share of the work. Kendall kept stirring as Aello went to check on the cookies. She hoped to the Gods that they were finished. She did not want to stir anymore. When Aello said they still needed more time she smiled lightly as she forced herself to keep stirring. "Aww, okay. Hopefully they will be done soon." Looking down at the bowl she bit her lip. "So, how long are we stirring this frosting again?" Her arms ached to stop but she would not leave her friend to finish the job. She needed to learn how to cook and bake somehow.

[Aello]

"Until whenever it starts to look less like a mushed up pile of butter and cream cheese, and a little more like frosting," Aello replied simply. "You know how frosting is don't you? Nice and smooth and creamy looking... it should stick to the spatula if you lift it up, over the bowl, and let it dangle. I think..." Aello commented as her eyes swept nervously across the counter. She hated not really knowing what she was doing. She hated having to guess at everything, and wait for the mixture to so much as begin to look like something she had seen before. "It should be done soon," Aello commented absently as she watched Kendall's arm wind itself around and around, forcing the spatula into every inch of the bowl, so that everything would be stirred in together nicely. She remained silent, resting her arms up against the counter as she stood on her tippy-toes, trying to see clearly into the bowl by leaning over it. She watched the mixture thicken, as the rough edges were worked out. "Just a little more... done!" Aello announced when the wispy bits of wannabe frosting had dissipated. Aello pushed down on her arms, forcing her body away from the counter, and her feet back down on the floor. "Now that the frosting is done, maybe we should check on the cookies," she suggested as she sniffed the air. "They smell like they're ready," she added with a small smile.

[Kendall Saarinen]

Kendall sighed as she kept mixing. Every few moments she would pull the frosting out of the bowl, testing it on the spatula to see how it was sticking. After a few attempts it was finally starting to look like frosting. "For your information miss, I have never made frosting before, thank you very much." She stuck her tongue out at Aello before finishing up on the frosting. When the frosting was finished, Kendall smiled at Aello. "Mmmm, yes. They smell good." She walked over to the oven humming quietly to herself before opening the door. When she saw the cookies she let out a scream. "Aello! Aello! Oh my Gods. The cookies are on fire!" She seemed to leap backwards from the oven as she squealed. She started to panic. Her parents would kill her if she burned the kitchen to the ground. "Laviku, Makutsi, help…" She seemed to cry out the prayers even though in truth, they would not help. Praying to Ivak may have been a better idea since it was fire that was the problem. Kendall would not fathom ever praying to Ivak though. Her parents were followers of Laviku and Qalaya. Never once would the Saarinen family think of praying to the God of fire. It's not that she disposed the God but what would her parents think? "Aello, what do we do?" She looked to her friend for help in hopes that she had more experience in putting out fires. "A bucket… a bucket could help put out the fire right?" She through the kitchen looking for a bucket. When she finally found it she ran quickly to fill it with water. "Oh my Gods, oh my Gods…" The girl was still panicking. "Oh no, please don't let my parents walk in and see this." When she reached the oven she quickly splashed the water over the cookies. The fire had been put out but the cookies were ruined. "Oh…. it has all been ruined. All of our hard work…" She looked to her friend sadly. "I'm so sorry Aello…"

[Aello]

"Why are you calling on Laviku? You wish to douse our cookies with salty water?" Aello hollered. "Salty water that's good for nothing? We can't even drink the stuff! And who is Makutsi?" she asked, as she sniffed the air, catching her first good whiff of the thick grey smoke that billowed out of the oven. Her eyes could just make out a flickering orange light past her friend's worried form. The shadows it cast in the corner of the room. "We put the petching fire out before your parents come home and smell this stuff. Or the fire spreads and we burn your whole house down!" Aello replied. "They'd never let us hang out again if we burned the cottage down. If they didn't kill us for doing so... maybe we could hang out if we were ghosts, they couldn't stop us then." Aello stopped talking when she noticed the flames licking the edge of the oven. The fire was roaring, crackling, getting larger. Well there go our cookies, she thought. "Fill the bucket with water. Throw it on the fire?" she suggested, as she stared stupidly at the sight from her end of the counter. Not moving any closer to the oven. When Kendall had done as Aello had suggested, the smoke seemed to grow, filling the room. "It's alright," she whispered. "But, we should probably open a window to get the smoke out," she added, with a small cough. "It's um... probably not so great to breath that much in, and it smells just plain awful," she added as the smoke thinned enough for her to catch sight of their cookies. Now black as coals. Aello remained silent for several moments, before pulling the bowl of frosting towards her. She cradled it in her left arm, pulling it towards her chest as she curled all of her right fingers into her palm, with the exception of the index. She dipped her right index finger into the frosting, scooping up a small portion. At least we have the frosting, she thought, as she raised her finger and parted her lips, forcing her finger into her mouth and sucking the frosting off, leaving a small, smeared trail of white and saliva on her pale flesh. "The frosting came out nicely," Aello commented with a wide grin, as she pushed the bowl over to her friend. "Try some!"

[Oracle]

Name: Aello

XP Award:

• Cooking +4
• Socialization +2

Lore:

• Recipe : Gingerbread Men
• Using a Sieve
• Childhood Dreams - Jobs (Archery Instructor)
• Childhood Dreams - Ginger Men
• Recipe : Cream Cheese Frosting
• Setting the Cookies on Fire
• Successfully Making Frosting

Name: Kendall Saarinen

XP Award:

• Singing +2
• Cooking +4
• Socialization +2

Lore:

• Recipe: Gingerbread Men
• Avanthal Holds (poor)
• Childhood Dreams - Jobs (Writer)
• Childhood Dreams - Ginger Men
• Recipe : Cream Cheese Frosting
• Practicing Vani Phrashes
• Setting the Cookies on Fire
• "Praying" to Laviku and Makutsi
• Successfully Making Frosting

Notes: Oh wow, great job guys. Sorry about your cookies though. It's a sad day when a cookie dies.

Secret :

Here ya go:

If you have any concerns with this please PM me and let me know.

A.S. Oracle