Zora's Domain, Hyrule. Thurdsay [12/27 FT].

[in_sidon_we_trust]

After the long, somewhat dangerous, undeniably scenic journey back from Rito Village to Zora's Domain, it was the final day for the Hyrule trip, and Sidon had arranged for his friends to arrive to a wonderful party held in their honor. He and the other Zora had hung up bright and colorful banners and he'd convinced someone from the Wetland Stable to come up to the Domain to prepare a feast: Fish Pie and Seafood Paella, but also non-fish meat dishes, like Poultry Pilaf and Spicy Pepper Steak. And, of course, Creamy Heart Soup to celebrate the closeness of their friendship! There was Fruitcake and Nutcake, fresh bread and Honeyed Fruits. Some of the Zora had tried their hand at a little cooking themselves, but the results were a little dubious. Either way, the royal guests would certainly be eating well tonight!

And then relaxing in the peaceful Domain over stories of their adventure out into Hyrule, or perhaps some excitement to return to Fandom, or whatever else, as their final evening settled into a crisp, clear night,

[[ and the final Hyrule post! No OCD on this one, and a big gigantic thank you for everyone making the slog through the holiday fog to make for another great adventure in Hyrule!]]

Comments

[intotheout]

Tip, on the other hand, was examining one of the more dubious dishes. You didn't spend as much time as she did being friends with a Boov without developing a rather high tolerance for dubious meals, but this was still impressive even by those standards.

Maybe it was an sapient-amphibian thing?

"What do you suppose gives it that color?" she wondered, leaning in to Norman so as not to potentially offend the creator of the dish. "I don't think I've ever seen it on a food before."

[always_someone]

"It's a very... specific kind of shade, isn't it?" Norman eyed the dish speculatively. "I... I guess that would be..."

He paused, at a loss.

"I mean..."

He squinted.

"I mean, not being familiar with the local ingredients, I suppose we'd be at a disadvantage when it comes to guessing."

That was a very diplomatic reply, right there.

[intotheout]

Impressively so!

"That must be it," Tip decided. "It's amazing how culture and place of origin can, um. Change things."

She was doing pretty well there for a while, but she rather lost it at the end, didn't she.

[always_someone]

That was fine! Norman was going to try to cover for the both of them.

"Change things impressively," he enthused. "The creativity it would take to make these really unique," oh god, "dishes when you're used to a very focused diet otherwise is impressive. Is that a carrot?"

He really, really hoped that was a carrot.

[intotheout]

"Is it? I thought it might be a beet."

At least it was probably a root vegetable?

Or just a root.

[always_someone]

Norman wasn't entirely sure it wasn't just a tree branch, actually.

"Maybe it's a beet." He glanced at his soup. "This has beets in it. It's pretty good, if you want to try some..."

Or get her own bowl, Norman? This was a feast, after all.

[intotheout]

Tip was planning to try some of just about everything, actually. But Norman offering her some from his bowl made her blush and smile.

"Yeah, that'd be cool, thanks."

[always_someone]

And there was Norman, biting the inside of his cheek a little and smiling right on back, and if the tips of his ears were just the slightest bit more pink than usual... maybe that was the lighting? Hard to say, right?

He was still sliding his bowl her way for her to sample from, anyhow, ducking his head a bit.

"Any time."

[intotheout]

Tip took a spoonful and blew on it self-consciously. "So, uh. You getting a new sib next week?"

[always_someone]

"Maybe," Norman replied, lifting a shoulder slightly. "I mean, I put my name in the hat, just in case. I kind of like playing big brother, you know?"

And some new students probably needed whatever guidance they could get, really.

[intotheout]

"I totally do. I didn't sign up this time around, but whenever I do, it's always an adventure."

[always_someone]

"Yeah, I got Nell last time around," Norman replied. And paused. And then just kind of lifted his shoulders. Because that sort of said it all.

He worried about Nell.

"This place really doesn't believe in attracting anybody boring."

[intotheout]

"If it ever did, it would be such a surprise that they'd manage not to be boring after all."

[always_someone]

"Everybody would crowd around the boring kid, trying to figure out how they manage it. Just sitting around, doing homework, eating peanut butter and jam sandwiches. Or maybe not. Maybe they're allergic."

What even was 'normal,' anyway?

[intotheout]

"Ohhhh yeahhhh," Tip said, only exaggerating a little. "Homework is a thing at normal schools, isn't it."

[always_someone]

"Yyyyyyyyyup," Norman confirmed, popping the 'p' sound at the end of that. "I'm pretty sure I'm not going to have any idea what's supposed to be normal by the time I graduate, you know?"

[intotheout]

"Normal's overrated," Tip said, waving her hand. "Normal people almost never survive alien invasions or the rising of the dead."

[always_someone]

"Oh, that's what would happen if someone normal were to show up around the island, then," Norman mused. "We'd basically just have to wrap them in bubble wrap and hope for the best."