eight >> audio

[awaitingalbion]

[Merlin clears his throat, steading the journal in front of him.]

I would like to say that the Lady Morgana has just arrived in Luceti. [He pauses, trying to begin again with less strain within his voice.] I would hope that people could try and help her adjust to captiv--life, here.

[It is perhaps a pointless formality, but Merlin is feeling guilty about a number of things. Chiefly, how he had last seen the Uther's ward before being dragged into this world. Luckily, it looked as though Morgana was from well before that day. But he was also feeling guilty about the kind of life Morgana was now thrust into--and without Gwen, although she had been here so recently.]

Also...[now more self-conscious than strained. Also, I was wondering if anyone could provide some kind of lesson or instruction for the devices that have recently appeared in the kitchen.

[He wants to provide a proper meal for the apartment's newest resident. Something beyond the bread and cheese that has been sustaining Merlin. He hasn't yet tried to conquer the stove.]

Comments

[emp3thy]

Probably.

[Your crush is showing, Merlin... Minato doesn't mention it, though. When they reach the door, he waits for Merlin to open it since his own hands are full.]

[awaitingalbion.livejournal.com]

[It's always showing. He's pretty rubbish at hiding it. Amazing that he's kept the magic secret for so long, really. Luckily, Arthur's mostly gullible.]

Is she enjoying the electricity, do you think?

[He grabs the door with a newly freed hand and holds it open for Minato.]

[emp3thy]

I think so. Cupil isn't.

[heading for the stairs now!]

[awaitingalbion.livejournal.com]

[Merlin assumes they're headed for the kitchen, first.]

He wouldn't. I could see that. After all, he's a creature of magic--isn't he? Cupil was bound to dislike these science devices.

[emp3thy]

He just didn't learn what not to touch.

[awaitingalbion.livejournal.com]

[Merlin sets the heavy bottle down once he enters the floor's kitchen.]

I think that might be an easy mistake to make. I was playing around with one of the...things earlier--just to test it out? I didn't realize the top of it would get so hot.

[emp3thy]

The stove's meant for cooking. [Merlin you didn't burn yourself did you.]

[awaitingalbion.livejournal.com]

Yeah. I eventually came to that conclusion, too.

[It was nothing that an excuse to go visit Fina couldn't clear up.]

[emp3thy]

I'll show you how it works. [CRUSHING YOUR DREEEAAAAMS- okay not really.]

[awaitingalbion.livejournal.com]

I'd quite like that. [He smiles, nodding towards what Minato has brought.]

So, Minato? What do you have in store?

[emp3thy]

[Minato sets the bag of supplies down on the counter, then opens the recipe book to one he has bookmarked.] Chicken - with fruit like you wanted.

[awaitingalbion.livejournal.com]

[Merlin runs his index finger across the recipe, puzzling out the letters that are just a little bit unlike those that he is used to.]

Oh, yum. That looks brilliant, Minato. [Picking up some canned or whole? pineapple because that's a weird sort of food he's never seen before.]

[emp3thy]

[Let's say whole because royalty deserves fresh fruit. Also it's amazingly delicious.] Then let's get to work.

[awaitingalbion.livejournal.com]

[Then this pineapple is really getting a funny look.

Well, it is until he holds it up to Minato.] What am I supposed to do with this?

[emp3thy]

We have to cut it. [and he looks around for a sharp knife...]

[awaitingalbion.livejournal.com]

You're telling me that you can actually cut this thing? It looks like a piece of Arthur's worst battle armour.

[emp3thy]

Carefully. [watch and learn, Merlin. He finds a knife, sets the pineapple on a cutting board and begins sawing off the top and bottom.]

[awaitingalbion.livejournal.com]

Carefully. [He echoes, watching. A look of gentle surprise hits his face when the interior of the pineapples looks so much more inviting that the spiny outside.]

[emp3thy]

[He continues slicing until he has a tower of yellow fruit, then starts to cut it into rings. But in the meantime...]

There's a metal pot in the bag, Merlin-san.

[He brought a rice cooker with him from the store, in case the kitchen here didn't have one already. No one should be without one, in his opinion.]

[awaitingalbion.livejournal.com]

[He'll retrieve that for Minato, examining it even as he walks it over to Minato.]

And you're going to put the pineapple in that?

[emp3thy]

[he shakes his head, while slicing the center out of each ring. Now there's a nice pile of pineapple.] It's a rice cooker.

[awaitingalbion.livejournal.com]

This? Just for rice?

[He was slowly getting used to rice. It was certainly a preferable grain to the kinds he had tasted at home.]

[emp3thy]

Yes. [after cleaning up the pineapple remains, he takes the cord of the cooker and plugs it into a wall outlet.] We eat a lot of rice in Japan.

[awaitingalbion.livejournal.com]

[He seems to be quietly investigating the device.] So, this machine must be common in Japan. Does everyone have electricity, then? Readily available?

[emp3thy]

[just don't touch the outlet.]

That's right.

[Now to remove the rest of the ingredients from the bag. He managed to find some boneless chicken breasts. Meat you don't have to pluck, Merlin!]