「a little birdie told me something special, something secret」

[descendend]

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[feistytrader]

We'll take the extras.

[Weavile licks his lips at the suggestion.]

[descendend]

[ ...Gross. ]

It's not a thing about extras, it's... never mind. How do you know these eggs aren't fertilized or anything?

[feistytrader]

Weavile's got sensitive ears. He checks the eggs.

We do this all the time at home.

[descendend]

[ Oh.

...She still scrunches her nose, but okay. ] Fine. Do you have any idea at all on how to make these, or are we going in completely blind?

[feistytrader]

Make batter, add berries, put it in a pot, and stir it really fast, but not too fast.

[That's all he's got.] So yeah, blind.

[descendend]

[ Cooking Milla: Nightmare Mode. ]

Wonderful. [ Honestly, that sounds like it'd be a lumpy mess... Maybe it'd be better to just add a syrupy reduction to the batter, or even just have a jam filling--and it sounds more like a "dough" than a "batter" actually...

Well. There's no use standing around thinking about it. ] You know how to use a stove?

[feistytrader]

I know how to cook over an open fire. [So uh, if she can get the stove on he'll probably be set.]

[descendend]

[ That's just great. He probably has about as much experience as Maxwell does, then. Maybe a little more. ]

All right. You're gonna do everything I say just like I tell you to do, and there's not gonna be any complaints, any questions, or any stupid commentary. Got it?

[ When he gives her the affirmative, they can get started.

Test 1 is going to find them covered in a fair amount of flour, watching dough rise while they wait on apples, and giving them the final product of... seven-ish oval-shaped buns. Milla decorates them with a few taps of powdered sugar through a sift and sits back, looking pleased. They don't seem like they turned out too badly... It's a matter of taste, though. ]

It's not exactly like your recipe described, but I thought we'd get this trial out of way so I can figure out if they're as bread-like as I thought they looked.

[feistytrader]

[They look yummy! And Silver (and Weavile) split one to give it a taste.

...Well.] It's good, but-

[Weavile shakes his head and waves his paws around in an x shape. No way. Nothing like poffins. Delicious, he's totally finishing this, but this definitely isn't the tasty treat he's had a couple of times. He motions with his paws in different gestures to try and describe what's different.]

Yeah. [What Weavile said.]

[descendend]

[ ......................... ]

You know I can't understand you, right. [ SHE'S.... NOT GOOD AT THIS, GUYS.... PLEASE... ]

[feistytrader]

[...Right. Whoops.]

The texture was different from the second he bit into it and the flavor's supposed to be the same all around. [So no filling. Silver mimics Weavile's handgestures as he explains what his buddy was trying to get across and looks back at him to make sure he's getting it right, and Weavile nods in approval while finishing off the test poffin because even if it's totally off, it's also totally delicious.]

[descendend]

It would've helped to know that before we made these.

[ Ugh... Maybe she should've thought to ask him instead of assuming he'd know to tell her. She brushes some flour off her apron and sets to washing dishes. They're going to have to reuse them after all. ]

What's the texture like? Are they soft? Firm? Do you have to break them or can you just tear them apart? Stuff like that. Give me a few hints and don't spare any details, 'cos we're not gonna get anywhere throwing ourselves around like fish out of water.

[feistytrader]

They're soft and you can break them apart. [...] They're almost like a cookie, but softer.

[And while he considers more details, he goes ahead and helps with washing dishes. He helped make the mess, he can help clean it up.]

[descendend]

Dry or moist? Crumbly or not crumbly? [ SPARE NO DETAILS, SILVER. She doesn't want to hold his hand through describing this. (Milla, not everyone's going to think about it like you....) ]

[feistytrader]

Not crumbly. I think they were closer to moist?

[Weavile makes some arm gestures again.] Some of them were dry since some Pokémon prefer a dry taste, like Feraligatr. Since these are gonna be for people, moist is probably better. [...That sounds about right. Kind of.]

[descendend]

[ Moist, not crumbly, soft. Able to be broken apart. Flavor's all around.

...this is ridiculous. She dries off their cookware with a small towel, setting them back onto the counter once she's done. ]

Then we're going to make a syrup to mix in with the batter and see if that works out. [ Uh. ] I'll handle that. You can make the batter. It should be... not like what we just used. Maybe more pancake-like?

[feistytrader]

I'll do my best. [He is not exactly kitchen material, but he might as well try, right? Wet ingredients first, then mix in the dry ingredients.

...What's a pancake batter like?

Figure it out.]

...Uh, Milla? [Whoa. He's pulling out the names.] Could I ask you something?

[descendend]

[ He has got to have had pancakes before. Even she had pancakes and her childhood was a total 0/10 would not recommend to anyone. ]

That's my name. What's up? [ She's picking through their berries. Hm.... Strawberries are good. Let's do them. Into the pot. ]

[feistytrader]

...Alvin said he'd let me have a job at your resturant. [Which. Which is good! He won't run out of money, he won't have to steal and stuff- it sounds like a pretty solid deal.

One problem, and he's reluctant to say it out loud, but- he can't get any help if he doesn't ask.]

I don't know the first thing about working at a job.

[Uh. ...Flour. Pancakes probably have flour. -Wait, you don't start with flour. You start with eggs and stuff. Eggs and what?...]

[descendend]

[ Ahhh, that's nice. As long as Silver doesn't start fights over monster bounties, that's a-okay with her-- ]

It's not that hard. Be honest, be nice, smile a lot. You'll probably be out front as a waiter, so all you'll do is lead people to their table, take their order, report it to the kitchen, and go back with it when it's ready. [ She pauses to dump some sugar into the pot along with a little water, then turns to... what... is he... ] ...Well, that's not all there is, but you'll get it explained to you and we'll probably have a few days of training. Please tell me you've made pancakes before.

[feistytrader]

[Be honest, be nice, smile a lot. Lead people to tables, take orders, report them to the kitchen, go back with the food.

Sounds easy enough. If it's that simple, he can't mess it up, right?

...Unlike this batter.]

I've never had a pancake before.

[descendend]

[ ............

Well, it's going to take a while to get those strawberries going, so she can help him out. Scoot over, kid. ]

Watch carefully, 'cause I'm only showing you once. [ And she will. (This probably won't be the only time she shows him but she has a reputation to keep, dammit.) ] Have you never cooked for yourself?

[feistytrader]

[He's watching carefully! He can learn this. He can try not to forget anything.

He will probably forget a couple of things, but at least he'll mostly get it on the first watch.]

I don't have a home. Most of the time I make eggs and sometimes I throw stuff in a pot with noodles.

[descendend]

[ She'll point out what he misses, so no worries there. ]

Guess I'm doing wonders feeding you actual food then. [ That's a good feeling. ] You're so skinny, I was almost afraid you'd go flying off that Therom when we were flying with it.

[feistytrader]

[Like Milla's one to talk. She's pretty thin herself, and he's pretty sure she was the only one afraid on that flight...

But Silver isn't complaining about getting actual food every day. Not a chance. No issues here.]

I've had worse rides. [She's calling him a Therom now? ...No, he's definitely still sticking with Big Bird.]