interfaith dinner mingle!!

[stefanged]

Who: Interfaith Center regulars & the not-so-regulars (party crashers are welcome too!!)
Broadcast: Nope
Action: Interfaith Center on the Iskaulit
When: Forward-dated to November 4th

[The Interfaith Center sounds far more bustling and busy than usual - and anyone peering inside would quickly figure out that a communal dinner is underway! Take off your shoes and walk in: the lounge has extra tablecloths on the floor as well as buffet tables with non-alcoholic beverages and all sorts of food, including Jordanian cuisine (or the outer space equivalent of Jordanian food).

The board games are out of their hiding nooks; the furniture's arranged for the maximum seating possible; and even the teddy bears donated by Kitty & Winn are out for cuddling, should anyone want them.

The kitchen's bustling with helpers - Stefan's running around at vamp-speed to make sure everything's a) done on time and b) cooked to perfection - but he sure wouldn't mind an extra hand. And if you're still not up for some food? Well, the prayer rooms are open as usual. There's always a quiet moment to be found, even if the laughter's louder and the scent of freshly-baked mansaf's wafting through the long corridors.

Anyone and everyone who's ever been inside the Interfaith Center has been invited (via text message - and Stefan even used the fancy emoji). If you're not particularly faithful or devout? Well, drop by anyways. There's more than enough food to spare.]

Comments

[huaaaaagh]

[Kirito lifts a hand to half-cover his mouth, chewing hastily to finish his current mouthful.]

Probably, yeah, but I've never heard of most of 'em. It looks good, though, doesn't it?

[Food this nice-smelling can't possibly be bad!]

[bythewaves]

Ah, so you are more like to experiment. [ Maglor smiles ]

They do, but I was wandering if anyone knew what they were. Ah well. It does not make them taste any poorer.

[huaaaaagh]

If you want details on what everything's called, then Stefan's your man. Most likely you'll find him in the kitchen. I saw him cook a lot of it, though, so if you just want ingredients I can probably help a bit.

[bythewaves]

Stefan did? Ah, I should thank him, later.

[ Maglor nods ] Just that would be helpful, in truth! I simply do not recognise most of these dishes. Is there anything from your own world here?

[huaaaaagh]

Pretty sure most of it is, actually. There's a few dishes from the place Stefan's from, so I don't know what the names are- they're, uh. Kind of hard for me to pronounce.

[Sometimes the auto-translator is unhelpful. Anyway, he starts pointing out dishes.]

I know this one's rice, meat, and... I think yogurt? And there's these deep-fried fritter things with hummus- it's like this pea-bean dip thing, it's pretty popular. I can personally vouch for the tempura and stir fry, that stuff's amazing. Especially the pumpkin.

[Of which he is currently filling up his second plate. The pumpkins on the planet were enormous, so there's a lot of it.]

[bythewaves]

[ Maglor nods, copying him, although Kirito might notice he only takes small samples ]

I notice a lot of pumpkin dishes... do you know if that was because of what was available or is there some significance to it?

[huaaaaagh]

Oh, it's probably Halloween. On Earth, several major countries celebrate a fall holiday by dressing up in costumes and carving pumpkins.

[bythewaves]

Is there any reason for pumpkins in particular? [ Maglor blinks, curious ]

And why costumes?

[huaaaaagh]

Mm... not really sure, actually. Halloween's more of an adult thing where I'm from, so I've never celebrated it. I think the pumpkins are just easy to carve faces into? And costumes... lots of people like an excuse to dress up.

[bythewaves]

I suppose that would make sense, although I confess curiosity as why one would wish to carve faces into pumpkins... or anything really! At all.

But I can understand that last, I suppose... the urge to pretend to be someone else, even for a little while...

[huaaaaagh]

Yeah, I get the appeal, too. Some people do that kind of thing whenever they get the chance, not just on a holiday like this.

[Hell, it's what he used to do before SAO. Sometimes he still does it with the avatars, even here. It's more out of comfort and convenience than necessity, these days.]

[bythewaves]

[ Maglor shakes his head, caught somewhere between bitter wistfullness and amusement ]

It can be freeing, I think, which would be the main appeal. Although I suppose this is all in fun, after all, so it does not matter what one is... I am rather surprised by the number of... well. Monsters, I suppose.

[huaaaaagh]

Monsters? Oh, have you seen people in costume?

[bythewaves]

Aye - I fought many of the beasts they represent, and I cannot help but wonder... why?

[huaaaaagh]

Mostly because it's fun, I think. Lots of people enjoy dressing up as things they're not. Sometimes they don't even need a holiday for an excuse.

[bythewaves]

[ Maglor shakes his head, eyes dark ]

Fun... at least I suppose they find it so. There is too much blood between the Shadow and I to ever enjoy such things I think.

[huaaaaagh]

Ahaha... yeah, it's not for everybody. There are some monsters I wouldn't want to mimic for the same reason.

[That Fatal Scythe and the Skull Reaper comes immediately to mind.]

[bythewaves]

You are a warrior too yourself then. [ Maglor sighs softly - too young, he thinks privately, but Men grow up swiftly, and it is not entirely surprising ]

[huaaaaagh]

That kind of title might be a bit too heavy for the current me.

[A warrior sounds serious, professional, even. Someone who's devoted their life to the art of battle, something out of serious fantasy.

Those days are done for him; he's had enough of it already.]

I am a swordsman, though.

[bythewaves]

A swordsman who has stood in the gap enough to recognise Shadow and withdraw from it. [ Maglor points out dryly ]

That is warrior enough for me.

[huaaaaagh]

[He offers up a wide shrug.]

Well, call me whatever you want, I'm not picky.

[bythewaves]

[ A soft chuckle ]

I will not, if it makes you uncomfortable. Although I confess I would enjoy seeing what you can do with your blade, one day.

[huaaaaagh]

I'm not uncomfortable, just.

[Well, it's a little weird. Anyway.]

Do you fight with swords, too?

[bythewaves]

Aye - I have trained with several weapons in the past, but I do seem to keep coming back to the blade.

[huaaaaagh]

Yeah, I was like that too. Any time I picked up another weapon, something about it just felt wrong.