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‘You know, I was thinking the other day Qori, it’s unusual to see Au Ra here, let alone one from the Steppe!’ N’yami smiled broadly as she leant over the counter at the Bismarck, ‘What’s got you here so far from home?’
Qoribucha beamed broadly, his soft pudgy cheeks flushing a light pink as he heaved the heavy wok over the burner and began to fry. ‘Our clan likes to sample everything the world has to offer, so our khan sends a few of us out into the world and bids us to return only when we have found something astounding to share for the benefit of our clan. And well, food and cooking by extension is my passion, so where better than the Bismarck?’ He reached over and threw in some leafy green veggies and sliced mushrooms before adding a thick light brown sauce that filled the air with a sweet scent.
N’yami watched him cook. He was young, but anyone could tell looking at him that he was extremely talented with the way he cared so lovingly for his ingredients. Her mother always told her never to trust a skinny chef, after all. ‘This smells incredible, is it a dish from the Steppe?’ she asked curiously, watching him add a few more ingredients. ‘I’ve never seen food like it!’
The Au Ra went to grab some small jars from the shelf and rested them in his apron as he seasoned, occasionally shaking the wok. ‘It is, sort of. It’s a hearty stir fry that we would make that was brought back to the clan by one of my predecessors who ventured to the Far East, but we then added our own things to it like our local produce to make a dish that is by and large a whole new creation. You must try some, I insist!’ Qoribucha grabbed a bowl and began to ladle some of the stir fry into it, before sprinkling it with some small dried mushroom flakes.
‘Qori this looks incredible!’ N’yami all but squealed and clapped her hands together, eagerly taking the bowl and chopsticks. She gave the bowl a sniff, sweet, spicy, earthy; her mouth was watering just thinking about eating it. With a practiced hand she swirled some around the end of the chopsticks, before taking a large bite. Almost immediately, her soft pink fluffy ears pricked up as did her tail, and if it were possible for her eyes to sparkle like a glowing crystal they would have. All grace and decorum fled as quickly as it had arrived and she devoured the bowl concerned someone may try and steal it from her.
Where most would be offended by the way she was eating as if the final days were upon her, Qoribucha was delighted that his food was received so. He beamed, tail swishing loudly from side to side, and as he chuckled at her display his stomach rose and fell softly with the movement. ‘I’m so pleased you love it, can’t face the world’s problems on an empty stomach after all. And there’s no job harder or more difficult than a historian on her feet all day every day. You really must pack a more nutritious lunch if you’re following the Warrior of Light around all day and night…’ he scratched his chin scales and hummed in thought. ‘You need someone to make sure you eat properly, I’ve heard the Warrior of Light barely stops to sleep let alone eat! Why don’t I come with you? I’d get to see the world, learn new recipes, and I’d get to help the hero of the realm. Oh, N’yami, please, won’t you ask him? I’m too shy to but…’ His big round pinky-purple eyes glistened as he pleaded with the Miqo’te before him. ‘I’ll pay my way, I promise.’
N’yami wiped her mouth with a napkin, ‘Let me take some of this to Miah. Once he tastes your incredible cooking there’s no way he can go without your tasty morsels.’
He began to put some in a packed box, and tied the lid on with some twine. ‘It’s still hot, if you make a run for it, it should still make it to him at the perfect temperature. Please let me know Yami, won’t you? I will have some Crimson Bark cookies for you on your return, I know how much you love them.’ And with that, she was gone, a flash of pink and blue disappearing into the crowd of Limsa’s upper deck. ‘She’ll do herself a mischief one of these days…’