Noodles and Sake

     Goblintown, early evening

Goblintown is the part of Alexandria that never really sleeps. Oh, it calms down a little as the sun dips down, but the activity never quite ceases. Even with the light rain falling, there's still people navigating the winding streets, humanoid and goblinoid. The district thrums with a chaotic and untidy energy, but life is like that.

Harshad paces through, his expression oddly pensive. Pausing to watch an oruch family go past, his green eyes locking on them for a moment before averting, and he tugs the hood of his cloak down against the rain. Then he's walking again, fetching up against a Gobber's stall selling bowls of fried noodles. A double take, then he pulls out a few coins to buy a bowl.

A number of ratty old stools are arrayed out front of the stall, protected (barely) from the rain by an ancient awning. It used to be red, but is now a very faded pink, stitched up more times than a patchwork quilt. Only one of the stools is occupied, a small form who's completely covered by a blood-red cloak, and a wide-rimmed hat. They hover over a large bowl, chopsticks shoveling rice and stir fried chicken like the world might end in the next few moments. There's a moments pause and half-hidden eyes shift sideways, to take in the Half-Oruch briefly, before the consumption of food continues in earnest.

Nothing is really 'out of place' in Goblintown -- well, almost, but certainly not right now -- and so Harshad fits in. Now that he's under the awning, he pushes his hood back, taking the bowl and sticks carefully. He begins to eat his food slowly, but... after a moment, he pauses, staring at the bowl. There's nothing wrong with the noodles at a glance, but he's stopped all the same.

Catching that glance, his eyes flick to the half-hidden form perched on the stool, brows lowering, before he goes back to eating.

A light scratching sound might draw the ear before the movement draws the eye. A small, brown hand pushing a small, metal-capped bottle Harshad's way. The metal cap has several holes punched in a neat radial pattern, while the glass bottle is lightly stained red, from the liquid inside. A small label is affixed to the bottle: a cartoon drawing of a Goblin's head, its maw open with flames spewing forth. Definitely spicy hot sauce.

The Goblin winks then, fast enough to be missed, before the noises of food inhalation continue.

Harshad kind of stares at the bottle for the moment, before looking at his noodles again. Then there's an almost reflexive grab for the bottle, and Harshad briskly adds a few shakes of hot sauce onto the bowl's contents. Then he puts the bottle back down, stirring the sauce into the noodles, before starting to eat again.

The heat is immediate, as beads of sweat begin to appear on his brow and temples, but he refuses to stop. Like he's eating through the experience of hitting his food with gobber hot sauce. "Thanks," he mumbles around a mouthful.

"Perhaps it's a reminder of home.", the scratchy, female voice says. "You're most welcome." A small hand deftly twirls up the remaining noodles from her bowl, and she shoves an almost-too-big bundle of noodles into her mouth. The noise she makes for the next few minute is the sound of awkward chewing. She wave a hand at the noodlemeister, some signal passing between them, and a small sake service is set before her: A bottle of sake and a few delicate cups.

"Mmmph. You're welcome. Long way from home."

"Home," Harshad says, pausing in his eating again. "Eh. Wasn't all it was cracked up to be. Just..." He stops again, before continuing. "Memories. They don't always stay in the back of your head when they should."

Harshad blinks as he finds his chopsticks scraping the bottom of the bowl. Evidently he was hungrier than he realized, and the hot sauce is now a pleasant warmth in his belly. He squints at the flask and cups. "What's that?" he asks bluntly.

Another gesture from the Goblin... and she then points at Harshad a moment. The proprietor busies himself then, while Choler pours a slightly cloudy , and lightly steaming, liquid into two of those delicate cups. "Sake. Rice wine. Best to drink on a full stomach. Has a kick, and is best had warm."

Harshad's presented with another bowl of noodles, as is Choler. "Drink. It'll put hair on your chest."

Harshad actually peers at Choler. "I -have- hair on my chest, thanks." But he doesn't turn down the drink, nor the second helping. "Why's it served hot? Granted, the weather being so crap, it's probably better this way." He takes the opportunity to eat some more of the noodles, before picking up the cup cautiously.

"Geez, this thing must be expensive as hells." He turns it a little back and forth, careful not to spill the contents, before taking a sip of the sake within.

"Noodles are cheap, the sake, not so much.", she says with a little bark of a laugh.

"Oh, you do? So do I, would you like to see?" Choler makes as if to remove her cloak, before she has a fit of giggles. Her cup of sake is quickly finished, and she pours herself another, leaving the bottle within reach of Harshad, an open invitation.

Her expression is thoughtful as she begins to twirl fresh noodles around her chopsticks. "I could lie, and explain how it's an age old tradition, full of custom and meaning lost to time. But the truth is sake tastes terrible, but by heating it, you enhance and improve the flavour." The noodlemeister clears his throat, a hard stare causing the Goblin to sigh.

"Alright, alright. /Cheap/ sake tastes terrible, but the good stuff, such as our man here serves, is much better. It's still improved by slow, patient heating, however. Someone serving you cold sake on purpose is intending insult."

Harshad doesn't cough on it, but he does grimace a touch at the taste. "Hnnnh. Hadn't had -that- before. But it's strong, I can tell that much." He bends himself to his noodles again. "Wonder who got the idea? Someone came along, figured 'hell, I'll just put it in the pot, maybe it won't taste bad'?" He snorts.

Harshad tips the cup back to finish the sake, before reaching for the bottle at the implicit invitation. "It's just been a while since I've had fried noodles," he says finally. Maybe the sake has loosened his tongue a touch.

"You know, when you think about it, there's a lot of stuff people eat that makes you wonder." She pauses a moment, a single noodle suddenly slipping free and dangling down into her bowl. "Who said... I'm going to eat the first thing that comes out of this chicken? How many times did they make noodles before they came out edible?"

Choler laughs. "Someone figured out that you could get alcohol from essentially rotting potatoes. How long did they wait to find out rice could make sake?" She nods then. "It is pretty strong, that's why it's good. You pour a couple of cups and you're feeling great, a little warm around the neck." Her noodles are noisily inhaled before she continues. A hand holds her cup to her lips, pausing there. "How long is 'a while'?" The Goblin downs her second shot, only the slightest grimace hinting at its strength.

Harshad snickers, the sound a bit brusque. "Well, I guess when you live day to day, you'll try anything that keeps you fed and distracted. Guess they figured they didn't have much to lose." He shrugs and grins. "Besides, if other animals eat eggs, can't be -all- bad, right?"

At the question, though, he pauses, his eyes falling to his noodles again. He takes a moment, picking up the cup suddenly but not drinking. "Since I was a child," he says shortly.

The Goblin's expression falters a little, a brief look of sadness before it is replaced by calm. A smile spreads across her face then, "Then I am happy to reintroduce you to them, and as well, sake." She nudges the spicy sauce bottle forward a little. "My name is Choler."

She pours herself another cup of sake, and refills the Oruch's. Holding up her cup, she smiles. "To sunnier days, and new friends, hmm?"

Harshad puts the cup down again, firmly, before picking up the bottle of hot sauce and adding some to his noodles. "Harshad," he says in reply. "And... thanks." He lets Choler refill his cup, before he picks it up again. "Sunnier days? On a day like this?" He gestures to the light rain still pattering down.

But there's no heat or recrimination in it. Indeed, a smile curls the corners of his mouth. "But yeah. You always need friends. Someone to watch your back if nothin' else." He does, however, complete the toast with Choler.

Her cup is tapped lightly against Harshad's, then tipped back, and her attention goes to her noodles. The Goblin nods. "Mmmhmmmm." She swallows a mouthful of noodles. "Sunnier days, in the future. A contemplation. It could be better, but here we are, sheltered, not freezing, eating delicious noodles and drinking sake. Does the rain really matter, right this moment? It could also be much worse."

Choler's eyebrows wiggle, a mischievous look in her eyes.

"You have a lot of back to watch. In a fight it will be difficult to keep it from sprouting arrows or daggers. But I'll do my best!"

The half-oruch shrugs a bit. "What's the point of worrying about tomorrow, though? Today's enough, good or bad." He knocks back his sake, and winces again. "That is... really strong." He picks up his noodles to start eating again, evidently intent on soaking up the alcohol with the food.

"Heh. Well, the couple oruch I've met are even bigger. I'm only half, so..." He smirks. "A little less bulk, a little more agility. Works for me, anyways."

"Pfff. You are all you. None of that half stuff." The Goblin gestures with a hand. "I've seen bigger and smaller. You're still bigger than most people in this city." She chuckles lightly, before inhaling another big mouthful of noodles. She looks at her noodles a moment, before reaching out to snag at the hot sauce bottle, nearly tipping off of her stool in the process.

Clinging tightly with the fingerclaws of one hand, she slowly rights herself. "Yesss, very strong. That'ss why I have sake with a big meal."

Harshad looks a bit bemused at Choler's insistent correction, starting to open his mouth, then evidently thinking better of it and just not commenting. Instead, he squints, finishing his noodles. When Choler starts to tip over, his hand immediately shoots out to grab her shoulder, keeping her from falling (even though she's grabbed the bar surface).

"Cripes, don't fall over or nothing. I know the stools aren't -that- high but it's embarrassing if nothing else." Harshad eyes the noodlemeister. "Maaaaybe we ought'nt have any more. Damn sake's worse than whiskey."

The Goblin lightly pats at his hand. "Thanks!", she says with a grin. "And the stools are very high. Like climbing a mountain." Choler laughs, and she leans her chin on her hand. Her hand suddenly flashes out, her chopsticks pressing against the small tray with a clack, preventing the stall owner from retrieving the tray. Her triumphant smile turns into a pout as the quick noodlemeister snags the bottle before she can.

The little frown, and pout, is turned on Harshad full force. "But I only wanted one more. My sadness is now immeasurable." So dramatic.

"I don't think you need it. Hells, I don't think I need it." Harshad shakes his head to try and clear the fuzziness, though he knows it'll persist for a bit. "Noodles are one thing, but that stuff is -potent-." He rakes his hand through his hair, before offers Choler a small, hesitant smile. "You're welcome."

"It's... weird here though. Most everyone looks like me -- well, goblinoid, you get the idea -- but I don't feel like I'm a -part- of it. Because I didn't grow up in a place like this."

"It's not about need, it's about want.", she says with a huff, and tries to turn the frown up a notch. But fails when he smiles after running a hand through his hair. "Hmmmph. Remind me I have to be annoyed with you later." The noodles still need to be eaten, after all.

"Ah, that will wear off after a bit. Maybe not entirely, but mostly. It will feel comfortable. Maybe a bit like home, a new home. You seem like a good guy, and you certainly look strong. You'll find happiness and purpose here. Just takes a bit of time. Enough to find your center, get your feet firmly under you, and stride into your life."

Harshad gives Choler a look. "It's not like that. This is..." He waves a hand at Goblintown. "I should fit right in, but I don't. I feel like I might as well be an elf or something." His lips turn down slightly. "A really floofy one at that."

He sighs. "It's better out on the docks sometimes. But I'm thinking of getting away from there. I keep getting reminded of why I came here in the first place and I'm trying to forget."

The Goblin goes silent, her ears tilting forward as she listens. "You are the most buff Elf in existence, Harshad. Other Elf must hide their faces in shame when you come walking by." She reaches out to pat at his hand. "You know, there's a great big city around you. If you don't feel like you fit in here, perhaps find another spot to live in? You could even move outside the walls. There are a few small towns close by, away from the docks... where you could make a place fo your own, yes?" Choler goes silent again, her expression one of puzzlement.

"Why did you come here, and why are you trying to forget? I commend you on not using drink to help you forget."

Harshad chuckles. "Well, I did hint..." He takes a breath. "I was in Myrddion for a while. Grew up there, really. But things... didn't go well. Proof that the gods do love to mess with us sometimes; we accidentally unearthed a Thulite cult and it just spilled out into the streets. City watch, temple guards, cultists, and us in the middle."

He sighs. "We grabbed what we could and ran. What else could we do? And I caught a boat to get away from there... and washed up here in Alexandria." He rubs the bridge of his nose. "Maybe someday we'll find each other again."

Her smile returns when he chuckles. "Just remember. The thing about the Gods? We can mess with them right back. They need our love. And you can remind them of that." She slaps at the stall's countertop with a giggle. Her expression grows more somber again.

"Oh. I see. It must be difficult, then. Far from home, from family, both blood and covenant. I have a feeling, though, Harshad, that you will indeed find them again. You just... have to want to go and do it. You... are scared of what you might find. Or, perhaps worse, of what you might not find."

"Don't even know where I'd start," Harshad admits. "And that sort of thing... it takes both time -and- money. Time I've got. Money... well, that's why I wound up taking weird-ass Guild jobs." He looks sour. "Even if they get stranger every time I pick up a contract. Giant frogs, Choler. That's just one."

"But yeah. I've been... on my own for a bit. Sure, the guild work can pay well but it's no substitute for a solid crew. You understand, right?"

"One thing I don't have much of is time. But I have some coin." She hops up onto the counter then, to the protest of the noodlemeister. The Goblin moves to settle cross-legged before the Half-Oruch. "As of today, you have a crew again!" Choler gestures with both hands. "It may be only a crew of one, but it's a start!" She wobbles precariously. "Now. Let's check out your hiding place. I uh.. I uhm need to see how suitable it is for a crew to hide out in." Her eyes droops and she leans forward suddenly.

Harshad reaches out suddenly as Choler starts to tilt over. "What is it with gobbers who try to drink bigger folk under the table?" he says to himself. Looking at the smaller goblin, he just chuckles. "Alright. C'mon, shorty, let's head back and sleep this off before one of us does somethin' stupid."

Making sure the noodlemeister is paid off, he scoops up the sleepy Choler and heads out for what passes for home for him.