Soupy

[Illuvia]

Tired of working in the clinic, Luvi decided to busy herself with other things to help Isonomia. Someone had told her that the soup kitchen needed help for the dinner time rush, so she decided that was what she was going to do with the rest of her day.

“How can I help?” she asked a woman who seemed to be in charge. Luvi had noticed her giving orders and how she stood with an air of authority. It was a look that Luvi was used to seeing in the Empire’s ranks.

The woman sized Luvi up and asked, “a mage, I see. You got any magic that you think would be of use?”

Luvi gave a nervous smile, “not unless you need me to beat someone up.”

The woman laughed and shook her head, “no, we won’t be needing you to do that. But I take it you’re good at fighting? How are you with a knife?”

Luvi shrugged, “pretty good, I could probably eliminate a group of bandits with one even on a bad day.” She tried really hard to deliver that joke without giggling.

“I meant for chopping vegetables!” the woman said, laughing at Luvi’s antics.

“I could probably do that,” Luvi said, finally calming down a little. She liked this lady. She was light hearted and seemed to be very good around people.

“Good, head back to the kitchens then and chop what they tell you to, and nothing else, mind!”
e good for the both of us and we could learn a few things too!”

[Goku]

Goku watched Luvi disappear into the soup kitchen, her decision to help out resonating with his own sense of duty. With her occupied, he found himself with an unusual amount of free time. The clinic work had been demanding but rewarding; now, the change of pace allowed him to relax. He would help her in a bit, but for now he wanted to walk around.

He wandered through the nearby dust quarter, absorbing the lively atmosphere and interacting with locals and merchants alike. The contrast between the structured life of the Empire and Scalvoris and the poverty in the dust quarter intrigued him. It was an area with a heartbeat of its own, each corner offering something new to discover.

Goku finished his walk and returned to the bustling soup kitchen nestled among the worn-down buildings. The aroma of hearty stew wafted through the air, mingling with the sounds of clattering pots and friendly banter. Stepping inside, he spotted Luvi among the volunteers, her focus on chopping vegetables.

Approaching the woman in charge, a middle-aged cook with a warm smile, Goku asked, "How can I help?"

The cook glanced at Goku, taking in his earnest demeanor. "Ah, another volunteer! We could use a hand unloading some crates from the delivery that just came in. They're out back," she replied, pointing towards a side door where several crates were stacked haphazardly.

Goku nodded and headed outside. Working alongside a few other volunteers, Goku fell into a rhythm, focused on the task at hand.

[Illuvia]

“I was told to come back here and cut some vegetables,” Luvi said as she walked into the kitchen.

“Great! There’s some potatoes over there, some carrots… basically any vegetable you can find, just start cutting them into bite sized pieces.”

Luvi inclined her head and grabbed an armful of vegetables before dumping them on a table. She grabbed one of the nearby knives and got to cutting. She was a terrible cook by any measure. The pieces she cut were oddly shaped and of dissimilar size despite her ability to cut well. She was also cutting way too large of pieces, which another volunteer helped her correct.

“This is why I don’t like cooking,” Luvi said, “I’d rather throw the vegetables in whole and then eat them like that. What’s the point in cutting them anyways?”

“Something to do with the flavor,” said another volunteer with a shrug. “And it’s easier to eat.”

Luvi grumbled under her breath but kept on cutting as she’d been shown. She could see people already starting to line up outside in anticipation for the kitchen to open for supper time.

“Looks like it’s going to be a busy evening,” she commented.

“It’s usually busy. Lots of hungry mouths in this part of the city.”

“That’s kind of sad, but at least there’s groups like this who do something about it,” Luvi said while dumping the vegetables into a large bubbling pot.

“We do what we can. Thankfully we get a lot of donations.”

[Goku]

Goku hoisted another heavy crate, the weight hardly a burden thanks to the runes glowing faintly on his skin. He navigated through the bustling kitchen, the air thick with the aroma of simmering soups and stews. The volunteers worked diligently, their chatter and laughter creating a lively atmosphere despite the hard work.

He didn’t think he’d ever seen Luvi cook a meal before so he didn’t know what she would be doing. He respected that kind of determination and sense of responsibility. Reaching the storage area, Goku set down the crate of goods he was carrying and picked up a fresh one filled with vegetables. He adjusted the rope handles he had tied earlier, ensuring the load was secure. With a grunt of effort, he lifted the crate onto his shoulder and headed back towards the kitchen.

The sight of people lining up outside for supper was a stark reminder of why they were all here. Each face in the line carried a story, a struggle, and a hope that this meal would ease their burdens, if only for a moment. Goku's heart swelled with a mix of compassion and determination. It was moments like these that fueled his desire to keep going, to keep helping.

As he re-entered the kitchen, he noticed the volunteers working tirelessly, chopping, stirring, and plating. Their dedication was infectious, and it spurred him on. Goku made his way to Luvi, who was still diligently cutting vegetables, albeit with pieces that varied in size.

“Here’s another crate of veggies,” he said, setting the box down beside her. “Looks like we’re in for a busy night.”

[Cazuth]

Smell of Ether in the Morning

The igelak had arrived back at the Community Center of the Dust Quarter, with a bundle of herbs and other foraged things for the stew they had going at the soup kitchen. Mostly hyssop and marshmallow, for spicing the meatier soups, and marshmallow for thickening it into a hearty stew. He'd also picked a few mint sprigs, and placed one of the twigs into his mouth, to chew on.

As he arrived, he noticed a man who appeared very strong, and positively dripped with ether. For a moment Cazuth was struck by the scent of ether on the air, but then resumed his walk, albeit with eyes bulging and staring at the man lugging crates single-handedly.

He could smell ether everywhere, and could tell there was a powerful source nearby, whether a mage or perhaps a wild fracture, he couldn't quite say. This was a new sensation for him, one he'd only encountered when seeing ghosts or spirits in Desnind. But ether? That was new, yet he understood what it was on an instinctual level.

Alice stopped him at the midpoint of the eating area, and clapped him on the back. "Caz! Nice to see you again. Got something for me?"

The igelak bobbed his head, "Yes, hyssop for spicing the meat stew, and marshmallow for thickening it into a heartier serving. Mint for garnish."

He held up his basket, for her to inspect. She nodded, and then pointed the way to the kitchen. "You can boil the water for the stew, and add ingredients as the others chop vegetables. Think you can handle that?"

The Igelak bobbed his head again, "I can and will serve! Yes, thank you."

This said, he entered the kitchen with the herbs, and began chopping them up himself into more palatable flakes and bits. Once he had them down to size, more or less, he gathered them back up in the basket and came to the cauldron where the stew was being prepared.

It was then, he noticed the obviously mutated person chopping vegetables. There was an undeniable aura of ether around her, something about her roared with powerful energy. The igelak's eyes bulged slightly, as he stared at her longer than was probably polite.

If she met his eyes, as he stirred the pot of stew, he'd ask, "Are you magic?"

While cooking the stew, the Igelak said grace of faith over it, to infuse a small trace amount of ectoplasm into it. For the Igelaks that were visiting the center would need that small consideration in order to enjoy the soup.

Then he added a dash of hyssop and marshmallow weeds to it. The roots of the marshmallow, he carried over to Illuvia, and said, "These are marshmallow roots. Good for flavor."

He sniffed the air around Illuvia, scenting the ether. It was quite nice to his igelak sensibilities! Ether smelled quite different from ectoplasm or ephemera, but not in a bad way.

[Illuvia]

Luvi looked up after chopping what had to be her hundredth veggie to see Goku had a whole box full of vegetables to cut.

“More!?” she asked exasperatedly, “thanks, Goku.”

“Make sure you wash them first!” came a shout from another part of the kitchen.

“Will do!” Luvi shouted back.

Luvi eyed a clean bucket of water and started dunking vegetables in them. It wasn’t as simple as that, however. She needed to rub them to get most of the dirt and soil off of them. Cooking was a lot of work!

After washing them she went back to chopping them, finally noticing the Igelak that had arrived. She did meet his gaze. She actually couldn’t remember the last time she had a casual conversation with one.

“Why yes, I am Magic,” she said with a smile. “Although my friends call me Luvi. Who’re you?”

She eyed the ingredients he added. “I suppose extra ingredients couldn’t hurt,” she said with a shrug. She’d never even heard of the term ‘marshmallow root’ before. “Do you come volunteer here often?” she asked, “it’s my first time here.”

This Igelak was the only one who’d taken time to strike up a conversation so she thought she might as well keep it flowing. Talking was sure to make the time pass by a little more quickly and to take her mind off of her hands that were already starting to get tired of the repetitive motions. She had to swap hands every few minutes in order to keep going.

[Goku]

Goku moved to the back of the soup kitchen, where a wagon laden with supplies had just arrived. He wiped the sweat from his brow, the physical exertion from the day’s work beginning to take its toll.

“Alright, let’s get these crates unloaded,” he said, more to himself than anyone else. The wagon was packed with all sorts of provisions: crates of vegetables, sacks of rice, a bunch of beans, and several large buckets of water.

Goku approached the first crate, bracing himself as he lifted it. His muscles flexed but despite the weight, he handled the load with ease, his movements fluid and precise. He carried the crate of vegetables into the kitchen, setting it down beside Luvi with a quick nod before heading back out for more.

Each trip back to the wagon was a test of endurance. The sun was relentless, and Goku could feel the sweat soaking through his shirt. But he embraced the challenge, knowing that every item he moved was one step closer to feeding the community.

On his next run, Goku grabbed two large buckets of water, one in each hand. The weight was considerable, but he squared his shoulders and carried them into the kitchen. He could feel the burn in his arms and back, but he welcomed it. It was a reminder of his strength and the good it could do when put to use.

Setting the buckets down, he took a moment to catch his breath, glancing at who was talking to Luvi. “Hey there, I’m Goku.” He said. “Any ingredients you want? There’s a bunch in the back I could bring.”

[Cazuth]

Caz’s eyes bulged intermittently every time Goku came in, and helped out with lugging ingredients, water, and other neccessities. He could see he was not only mighty in magic, but also in body. Caz hoped someday he could boast such endurance and strength, but for now he was content to serve the needs of others. Self-improvement would only come with time and patience.

“Magic!” Caz exclaimed. And he could certainly sense the subtle roar of her etheric emanations. “You are mighty indeed, Luvi? I’m Cazuth Yän Long , but people here call me Caz.”

“I came from Desnind, and people here are much louder than there.” Cazuth smiled, “But I don’t mind. It’s refreshing.”

“It is marshmallow. You grind it up into paste, and add to the stew… It will thicken the broth.” He pointed toward a grinding mortar, and its pestle wand. “I can help with that, while you cut?”

That said, he turned to Goku when he came back again. The strong winged man asked if there was anything they needed, in terms of ingredients. “We can use some of that meat that came in. And also, some bowls to dish out soon, as people will be arriving very soon for lunch.”

Cazuth smiled at Goku, “You are very strong! How did you get strong? Lift a lot of things, or just born that way?” The igelak had to admit he’d never seen an avriel before in the House of Rivers, and didn’t know much about the winged people. He’d heard some troubling rumors of a city of avriel that captured slaves on the Sev’ryn Main, but didn’t like to judge individuals by the actions of their people, and so would give Goku the benefit of the doubt.

Having told Goku what they might need, Caz looked to Luvi, “I will serve the soup, if you keep up with the ingredients. Residents of the Dust Quarter will arrive soon, for checking the job boards and soup.”

He bobbed his head affirmatively at his own statement, and then bulged his eyes as he gathered some of the large trays that were set aside, for small carrying more than one small bowl at a time. These he would carry out to the people out front, and hopefully not spill them when they were full of soup.

[Illuvia]

“Mighty?” Luvi didn’t know if she would describe herself as that. She felt that she was far too tiny. Still, she shrugged and said, “I guess I can be at times. Desnind eh? I don’t know much about that place. Are there lots of Igelak over there?”

“Sure, feel free,” she said, passing over the mortar. “I don’t really know what I’m doing. I’m just cutting whatever they bring me.”

“You could certainly slow down,” Luvi said half sarcastically to Goku, “we can’t chop as fast as you’re bringing things to us.” She was starting to sweat too, not so much from the heat of the outdoors, but the kitchen was becoming sweltering in its own right due to all the cooking going on. It was getting to the point that she was becoming even more lazy with her cuts, wanting to just get her workload over with as quickly as possible.

If Goku did bring her meat, she would find that it was much different to cut than vegetables. It would be more like slicing through people, making it feel more natural in a weird way. She’d work on cutting them into cubes because that’s what she saw other people doing.

“I just hope we have enough soup to give,” Luvi said, glancing out at the ever increasing line. “It seems that this is quite the popular place to go for a free meal.” She eyed the soup, wondering if it even tasted good. At its core it was just water and vegetables, but she was sure that people like Caz had put other ingredients in it to make sure it didn’t taste that bland.

[Goku]

Goku chuckled, flexing his shoulders to ease the tension. “Well, I eat a lot of meat,” he replied with humor, “and I lift a lot, just like these crates. It’s part of my training routine. Plus, I guess I was born with a naturally large frame, which helps.” He gave a playful shrug. His diet and rigorous training regimen contributed significantly to his impressive strength, and he enjoyed seeing the surprise and admiration in others when they learned about it.

He adjusted the crate a little, its contents rattling slightly as it settled on the floor. Wiping his brow with the back of his hand, he added, “Meat, sure, just give me a moment.”

With that, Goku headed back outside to the wagon. He found a large box of chicken and hefted it onto his shoulder with ease. The weight was significant, but his training had prepared him for this kind of physical exertion.

Returning to the kitchen, he set the box down next to the other supplies with a satisfying thud. “Here’s the chicken,” he said, catching his breath slightly, his voice steady despite the effort. He glanced around, seeing the growing piles of food and supplies, ready to be transformed into meals.

“And I’ll grab the bowls next.” Everyone was in a rush to make last minute preparations. He could feel the urgency in the air as volunteers hurried about.

It was not long before people streamed inside eager for their meal. Goku also wanted some but he told himself that he would only have some if there were any leftovers.