[MINGLE] Harvest Feast 🍂

[sixthiteration]

WHERE: 6I Inn
WHEN: 10 November, all day
OPEN TO: ALL - MINGLE POST
NOTE: Details can be found here.

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In the wee hours of November 10th, before even the earliest risers have roused themselves for another day, items begin to appear in the front room of the Inn. Decorations first — Boughs of autumn leaves in their reds and golds, wreaths of dried flowers and silken ribbon, flickering candles among the goards and berries and acorns. The food arrives next, the decadent aroma slipping up the Inn stairs to tempt those lingering in bed — Every imaginable harvest time delicacy, from roast turkey and ham to smoked salmon and oysters; fresh, soft bread warm from the oven to plum pudding and ice cream. And did we mention pie?

Once again, it's time for a feast. The bar is stocked, the coffee is brewed and the tables are groaning with food. Indulge, there's more than enough for everyone — That is, if you don't lose your appetite worrying about what it will all cost.

Comments

[majorlyugh]

"Oh, dang, okay. You're not super, fresh-out-of-the-fountain new, but you're still pretty new, I gotcha," Major says, taking for himself another piece of pumpkin pie because pumpkin pie. "I sorta lost track of how long I've been here because I got too reliant on my phone telling me the date, but I think it's been like, half a year? Maybe a little less? It was summer when I got here, that much I know."

He hesitates for half a second at the mention of poison, but he decides that if he's gonna die, this is exactly how he wants it to happen: over eating, stuffing his face, super happy.

"Yeah, I, uh. I'd heard some stories of folks getting sick in the past, but honestly, given how little we get of all this, it seems like a worthwhile risk." A pause. "Of course, I'm an idiot when you put good food in front of me, so maybe I'm not the best person to take advice from." He takes a slice of apple pie that he puts next to the pumpkin. "It's kind of a weird question given the circumstances, but how are you adjusting? To being here?"

[cleptes]

She takes a seat nearby while he's talking, eating some of the ice cream. Bela is listening to him of course but she doesn't want to deny herself dessert. Oh, apple pie would go perfectly with her ice cream too. Putting down her spoon, Bela cuts herself a slice of the pie and slips it into the bowl before turning her attention back to Major.

"How am I adjusting?" Two weeks didn't seem enough time for Bela to get a full picture of this place and yet she knows that she really doesn't want to stay here. The lack of technology was jarring, she had no idea how to fish or hunt, and she'll probably freeze to death come the winter.

"It's a lot to take in. Ideally, I would much prefer to be at home, and I haven't the foggiest idea on how to operate technology that existed before the year 2000. But I think I'm okay."

She really isn't.

To distract herself, Bela eats some of the pie and makes sure that there is a generous dollop of ice cream to accompany it.

[majorlyugh]

"Good choice," Major says with a nod towards the apple pie she's gotten herself. He hesitates, looking at the pies that are left, before deciding that he'll wait for now - go back if he decides he wants to really over-indulge more than he already has to get a few more slices of what's available. He joins her at the table, figuring it'd be weird to just up and go somewhere else in the middle of the conversation, even though she hasn't technically invited him to sit with her. Hopefully she'll just tell him to scat if he's bothering her.

"You and both me," he snorts with bitter agreement. "I mean, I'm just outside of the Millenial group, I think, by a couple of years. I grew up with technology, to some extent. Computers, cell phones, smart phones, iPods, whatever. What I wouldn't give to just .. have a TV, even. I wasn't even a big TV watcher to begin with, but not having the option to watch it is killer. Not to mention the lack of video games," he groans, slightly pouting as he spears his fork into one of his slices of pie a couple of times with resigned frustration. "It sucks, the lack of technology. I'm with you on that." He finally breaks off a piece but, before shoving it into his mouth, looks over at her. "You do kinda get used to it, to some degree. You don't like, stop wanting to have all those technologies - or at least I haven't yet - but you adapt, you know? You sorta have to."

[cleptes]

If he does bother her, Major would soon learn about it. Bela isn't exactly shy with voicing her displeasure at people and the things that annoy her. However, she is going to make an effort to converse with other people in the village and find out if they could prove useful at some point in the future. It wasn't necessary for them to become close friends either - acquaintances would be just fine.

She busies herself with eating more of the apple pie while he speaks, ladening it with ice cream. At some point Bela will probably feel a sugar rush (only to crash hard later on) but it seems to be the last thing on her mind at the moment. Sugar was making everything tolerable right now, however brief. "I think I'll miss my phone the most. And my car." Even if she did have access to a car she probably couldn't go anywhere.

"Not so bothered by television or video games - I prefer to read anyway." Bela adds, eating the final piece of her pie with the last bit of ice cream. "And I figured that I will need to adjust to living here with everything that comes along with it. I just want to bitch about it to someone who will listen." A half-smile. "Which, at this moment, happens to be you."

[majorlyugh]

"Yeah, I miss my phone a lot. I miss listening to music, too. My car was kinda a piece of crap, honestly, so I don't think I really miss it so much, but I miss what it represented. The freedom to go places, the choice to be able to go places. I remember when I first got my license as a teenager and the like, insane amount of freedom I felt like I had, because I could just get in a car and go wherever I wanted. Needed something at the store? Go and get it. Wanna just cruise around, listening to some mix tapes? Go and do it." Major hasn't honestly and earnestly talked about how difficult it's been being in the village to .. almost anyone, though he's vaguely talked about it with Ravi before. He's an optimistic guy who doesn't like the focus on all of the things missing in his life, but it does feel nice to have a bit of a gripe session with something over a mutually annoying thing.

"Ha, I was just thinking the same thing. It feels good to get it out, honestly. I don't wanna focus on it because then I think you get into this ... black hole of being pissed off all the time, but it doesn't hurt to complain a little every now and again, I don't think." He digs into some of the pie before pausing to ask, "So, where were you from? Before you wound up here? Did I ask you that already? If I did, pretend I didn't."

[cleptes]

"Colorado." Bela says. "And no, you didn't ask me." This was alright though. Talking about something other than the lack of technology around and how it ticked them off. "It wasn't where I was born though. I'm from England, if the accent didn't already give you a clue."

She eyes some pudding for a moment before looking back at Major. "Anyway. I was driving cross country and reached Colorado, checking into a hotel to rest for the night. Everything was fine until I woke up in the fountain instead of a bed."

To hell with it, Bela is taking some of the plum pudding.

"What about you, darling?" Calling him that, until she got his name. "Where were you before you were dragged to the dark ages?"