"but thanksgiving is more than eating, chuck;"

[gleamed]

Who: Residents of CH7 and anyone else who wants to come!
What: Thanksgiving!
When: Thursday, November 22!
Where: Dining area on the first floor of CH7!
Summary: Rapunzel has discovered a hodgepodge of what Thanksgiving is about, and so she has decided to throw a big dinner for anyone who wants to come!
Rating: T for Turkey
If they had Thanksgiving back in her world, Rapunzel had absolutely no knowledge about it, and even after spending over half a year in Luceti, she was still a little hazy on the details of various holidays. However, she loved an occasion to celebrate, and what she'd learned about Thanksgiving so far was certainly something worth celebrating: a day to share good food with friends new and old, and express your thanks for the wonderful things in your life? Sounds perfectly fantastic to her. So she decided to make the most of it.

She starts cooking in the kitchen on the first floor of CH7 nearly at the break of dawn, filling the building with enticing aromas throughout the day. If that's not enough to draw people out, she takes a moment between dishes to make a village-wide invite to the dinner on the journal. She even makes a sign to set in the window of the bakery, apologizing for the unscheduled closing and directing any interested parties to the nearby CH7 for promised good times and delicious food.

Of course, she would love to have anyone bring a dish if they so desire - there's only so much cooking one can do, even if they are a Disney princess! She'd love some help in the kitchen, too.

At the dinner itself, attendants can expect to find many of the traditional Thanksgiving dishes - turkey, mashed potatoes, vegetables, casseroles, stuffing, rolls, yams, et cetera. Of course, there are a few completely out-of-place dishes as well: popcorn, jelly beans, toast, pretzels. Where on earth could she have gotten the idea for food like that? It is a mystery. For dessert, there will be an impressive line up of pies of various flavors, pumpkin roll, pumpkin bread, cupcakes decorated as turkeys, cookies, and so forth.

So, come on in, meet some friends new and old, and most of all, be thankful!



[ooc: This log is open to anyone who wants to go to a Thanksgiving dinner but may not have a place to go! As mentioned, Rapunzel made an announcement on the journal earlier in the day inviting anyone who wants to to come, as well as set a sign up in the bakery directing people to CH7. This is basically a free-for-all mass log, so have fun, bring a dish, carve some turkey, do whatever!]

Comments

[z_jay]

Initially the first joke he thought of when spotting this... octopus flailing and talking was that it figured he would stumble on the guy with extra legs. He hadn't meant to approach him directly but while helping Rapunzel serve her feast he happened, by chance, to roll on over.

Doing a double-take twice-over he stopped midway, food in hands and looking utterly baffled.

"...Please don't be offended, but it might be dangerous for you to be here given all the food around." Forgive him if he was wrong, but typically octopus was not a preferred delicacy at Thanksgiving. Though he never did know, things around Luceti were not the norm.

But for the moment he would give the benefit of the doubt.

[eightlazylegs]

"Not me, dangerous for food," Hermes said, snickering.

He flicked the cans in the direction of the human's feet, no longer considering them his problem. "Pick up," he said, stretching his tentacles upward. "So can eat." He couldn't see what the human was carrying, but it was probably food. Delicious food.

[z_jay]

The moment it took him to parse the meaning of an octopus is actually talking, oh, good lord what is it actually saying was long enough that he should be ashamed. Though at the flicking of the can, perhaps his eight-legged friend would realize that combined, they only had nine to account for.

Raising a brow he dared to scan the gathered to see if he could spot Jack before setting the bowl of sweet mashed potatoes down. Bracing himself with practiced ease he leaned down and plucked the can off the ground, looking it over.

This guy-- thing? Was going to think humans were pretty slow. "You want me to open this?"

[eightlazylegs]

Three, four, whatever the number of limbs it's not Hermes' problem. He's lost a few tentacles himself but being more sensible than humans he simply regrew them.

"No. Want to eat real food. Don't like corn." He wouldn't have brought it over if he planned on eating it himself. When the hand is lowered Hermes immediately matches onto it, hoping to be picked up when the human rises up. He's only a foot high and not an immensely heavy mass of pulp. "Give potatoes. Also turkey. Where turkey?"

[z_jay]

How luxurious it must be to regrow some lost limbs. If that were the case, Eugene wouldn't be wasting his time rolling around on a rolly chair. But it did have its merit, he wouldn't deny that. Being latched onto did snap him out of the staring he was doing and instead he jerked his head back-- the surprise brief, but anything painful that could have happened... didn't.

Which was a point in this octopus' favor for not being flailed unceremoniously against the table.

"But corn is pretty good. Though if you want turkey, ah..." ...Well, why not? If he could meet a Disney princess, Spock, and a talking dog, why not a talking, sassy octopus as well? Sitting straighter he slid his hand back under the mashed sweet potato bowl and pushed off with his one leg. Generally in the direction of the centerpiece of the feast, the turkey.

"So, tell me. My name's Eugene, what should I call you? You'll have to bear with me, the only octopus I've ever been up close and in person with was... well, let's not talk about that." Better thought about not detailing about the texture and taste of it.

[eightlazylegs]

Hermes clung as he was lifted up, spare tentacles dangling underneath him. His tentacles were surprisingly strong for how squishy he looked, and he held on until he was close enough to the table to plop off.

"Am Hermes. Uninterested in seafood preferences." It didn't immensely bother him but he was tired of sushi jokes. But ah! Turkey! Hermes raised up on his tentacles and waddled over to the delicious carved beast.

[z_jay]

The bluntness of this little guy was actually endearing-- his (its?) propensity for going precisely for what it wanted was however, detrimental to the feast at large and he intercepted Hermes before he could get even one tentacle upon the turkey. And watching a guy on a rolling chair pluck Hermes from the table was probably humorous at best.

"Actually, allow me. I'll cut off some for you. Not sure how offended Miss Rapunzel would be, y'know? Looks like she worked hard to make everything look just right..."

Taking the knife and fork provided in hand he cut as he spoke, giving Hermes a rueful smile as he did so. "It would be my pleasure-- how much do you want?"

[eightlazylegs]

"All of it." He did ask. Hermes shifts around, surveying the turkey from multiple angles. The humans would take their share, unfortunately, so he'd have to figure out exactly how much he could get away with.

"Cut into cubes is best. Give big piece. Also bone." Bones required a lot more reasoning skills if you wanted to get all the meat off them and Hermes was always a fan of playing with his food.

sorry for the delay, my life has been crazy

[z_jay]

"You can't have all of it, people would fight you for that." Finishes off the slices, pausing briefly to reconsider if they typical large slices were appropriate for an... octopus for consumption. Thankfully he clarified without Eugene having to ask and thus, he sliced them into cubes.

Side-eyeing, he wondered how he would even judge whether or not that Hermes was pleased or not or... how to even read the responses Hermes might be sending him. Didn't he read somewhere that they flash colors? Oh, there was a freshly exposed bone and he tugged it loose, setting it on Hermes' plate.

"So tell me-- what sort of world are you from, Hermes?"

[eightlazylegs]

"World?" Hermes picked up a cube and exampled it before tucking it underneath him into his eating beak. "Real world." Obviously. He had no idea where everyone else thought they were from, but he was from the sort of world that made sense. And lacked excess wings.

The turkey was lightly seasoned but not overly salty. Hermes' skin turned a pleased navy blue and he picked up a few more cubes. Good turkey they got here. He should have tried Thanksgiving earlier.

[z_jay]

"By world I mean, mine, for example, I couldn't converse with an octopus-- squid-- what should I call you?"

He figured he was well on his way to being rude but sometimes (and Jack must be rubbing off on him) his words were simply tumbling from his mouth. Though his eyes did widen at the brilliant navy blue that Hermes turned. And since he wasn't being attacked, it must be... an adequate sign?

Somehow he reckoned that it would take a lot to impress an octopus, given that this one had overcome the shortcomings of water and people likely trying to dine on him.

[eightlazylegs]

The words were interspersed with squishing noises as Hermes happily munched down the meat. Little chunks meant less work for his radula and beak, which meant more time to talk. "Am octopus. Am Hermes. Squid is different--longer shape, different tentacles, does not go out of water."

Other octopodes don't either, technically speaking. Apathetic investigation hasn't turned up any records of things that can do what Hermes can do. He doesn't know if he's special or if there's an entire colony of his kind out there with their own apartments and Mr. Potato Heads and Bosses to feed them.

Not that he's eager to find out. They might steal all his toys.

lol this is amazing I have to say <3

[z_jay]

"Octopus," the distinction was important, moreso than merely knowing what to consider Hermes, but also because of... other things. He was a fan of food preparation and tasting and cooking... not that he was considering Hermes as any ingredients for a dish, but...

"You know, Octopi generally don't leave water, either." And yet here he was, munching on turkey and having a chat. He really ought to focus on something else or it might become rude.

"Are you here alone?" Which, come to think of it, would be really depressing. Thanksgiving was for family, both of them-- primarily before food, but most of the time people gathered for the food...

he's hella unique, at least

[eightlazylegs]

"Am. Don't know where Boss is, probably Chicago." Munch munch. Hermes drew the bone over and began to examine it. He didn't get bones often, besides those yucky greasy chicken bones that the Boss brought in on occasion. "Am special octopus, can leave water. Unique biological traits." With a sudden jerk he snapped the joint, sending bits of cartilage flying.

"Special in other ways too," Hermes said in the same vaguely disinterested tone. He brought the bone to his mouth for tentative gnawing.

You're doing fantastic I love it XD

[z_jay]

Chicago-- that city's mention brought Maxine to the fore of his mind and he suddenly missed her. Quirking his lips he quickly shifted the nostalgia aside and grinned a little. What sort of odd experiments were they performing in Chicago? Obviously something to do with mutli-purposed octopi. The sudden and sharp sound of joints snapping, briefly looking sick to his stomach before he managed to reel that in.

"Leaving water certainly is a unique trait to have for an octopus." The special in other ways comment made him even more curious, but if Hermes didn't want to elaborate he would respect that. Glances around the table, eyes darting from dish to dish before he plucked some cranberry sauce and placed it over top one of the cubes of turkey. "Ever tried that combination before?"

[eightlazylegs]

Hermes picked up the cube and inspected it as the cranberry sauce ran down his tentacles. "Have not. What is?"

He ate it anyway, letting his radula scrape the sauce from the turkey. His skin color shifted to a deeper purple and he made a small, pleased noise. "Like!"

[z_jay]

"Cranberry sauce. Comes from a berry and is particularly handy at bringing the flavor out in hams and other meats. You should try ham-- you haven't haven't you?"

Preemptively he was already rolling toward the ham and cutting it up into those same sized cubes he just had for the turkey. "You really shouldn't just focus on one thing. There's a lot you can do to stimulate the pallate in order to really enjoy your food to the fullest!"

Who cares if he's sharing food tasting tips with an octopus? He's having fun while doing it and Hermes is learning a thing or two about culinary delights!

[eightlazylegs]

"Have. Boss has cheap tastes." And not much money if he cared to indulge expensive ones. Hermes pulled himself over to gobble up the ham, practically rolling in his opulent meal.

"How match sauce with food?" Usually he didn't like sauce at all, it was greasy and got in the way.

[z_jay]

"You find a way to compliment the flavor of the meat with a sauce that will bring out the best flavor. For turkey, generally anything is pretty good, it's versatile, but ham is good with a brown-sugar glaze... and cranberry-- or I think so. There's a method to it, but it changes for a lot of reasons..."

This 'boss' kept being mentioned and it made Eugene quirk a brow.

"So, what kinda guy is your boss?" here, have some stuffing, and green bean casserole, and a helping of sweet potato casserole, while he was at it.

[eightlazylegs]

"Pothead. Lazy, unobservant. Gets excited about dumb things." Green beans were attempted, and then spit out again with a pale yellow skinchange of disgust. Hermes flicked the squished greens back toward the human. "Has hair like..."

And he held up his tentacles around his mantle, doing an admirable pantomime of dreadlocks.

[z_jay]

The snort of laughter at hearing those sort of descriptions coming from Hermes was cut short on purpose, trying valiantly not to laugh out loud. Covering that up, probably unsuccessfully as a cough he... diligently cleared away the green beans and took a bite of them himself. He liked them, so it was a good thing they wouldn't go to waste.

"Potheads tend to be lazy when they're high," he added unhelpfully around a bite of green beans. "But that is a really impressive impersonation of dreads. My b-- I know someone who does impersonations really well, too. But he might flip out if he saw you talking."

Licking his teeth from the inside he drew his brows together again. "So... he was observing you and you... I get the jist you don't like him too much. So are you glad you're here instead?"

[eightlazylegs]

Hermes picked up another cube of ham and dipped it in the remaining cranberry sauce. Time for delicious science.

"Like fine. Is useful. Feeds, gives toys, does not notice pet is sentient and talking. Wish I had one here." He pulled the ham to him and leaned back to give it a few careful flicks with his radula before popping into his mouth. Hm. Sweet but not as good as it had been on the turkey. "But smelled funny."

[z_jay]

"...You wish you had a pet or a boss here?"

It was becoming less and less novel now that he was talking to an octopus. Maybe he was going mad, but if it was this easy then he wasn't going to fight it. Taking some of the cuts for himself he sat across from Hermes and started to chow down on his own plate.

"Potheads tend to smell funny."

[eightlazylegs]

Hermes ate messily, but tried to keep it all to himself. Wasting food was the highest of octopus crimes. "Wish had Boss. Boss fed, cleaned tank, bought toys. Now have to walk around by self and do all the work."

And in weather turning colder it was a real pain in the hindmost tentacles.

[z_jay]

"You probably don't have that many friends here, do you?"

Okay, now that was just downright heartbreaking. Everyone needed friends here, even the odd and unusual. And Hermes wasn't so different from a hungry kid who was experimenting with new food. Giving him a thoughtful look over, seriously, how did he change colours like that? he finally came to a conclusion.

"I won't be your boss but... I could come over and clean your tank. And make sure you're fed. Toys-- I don't know what you consider toys, but... yeah, you'd be on your own for that."