12. A Rolling Stone Gathers No Mozz [Video]

[continuousgroaning]

[Tina's happily humming to herself as she turns the feed on. A notebook is lying on Maurtia Falls #003's kitchen table, and she zooms in on several labeled drawings of burgers as she slowly flips through the pages:]

Magnus Burnsides - mango salsa with "sideburns" of hot peppers
Wizard Of Mozz - Italian sausage patty, topped with pizza sauce and mozzarella
Merle Highchurch - Pan fried, topped with a few different kinds of greens
Detective Angus - made of Angus beef with a mystery cheese inside
Max - a long bun with two mini patties and fried pickle wheels, to look like a skateboard
Sharpedo - sharp cheddar cheese with "fins" made of nacho cheese Doritos
Pikachu - put pepperoni slices for cheeks, olives for eyes, and mustard for the face on the patty
Exeggutor - honey and egg bun with two fried eggs

[Tina then shuts the notebook and turns the camera on herself, looking quite proud.]

This has been my latest project- coming up with burgers themed after imPorts I know. I want to sell them, maybe at swear-ins, or something like that.

If you could make your own burger, what would you put on it?

Comments

video

[fauxmarth]

[positively charmed:] What a delightful idea you have there. A creative tribute to your friends, as well as being a delicious treat. I'd be happy to try any of them.

video

[continuousgroaning]

[Tina smiles bashfully in return.]

Thank you. I grew up helping in my dad's restaurant, and he came up with a different special every day, so it's kinda fun. And makes me think of him.

If I can, I think I'm going to set up a booth at the swear-in this month.

[fauxmarth]

I think that's a wonderful idea. I can't think of anyone who would refuse well crafted food made with such earnestness. That's a great talent to have and cultivate, after all...not just to make the food, but to present it in so many different ways? [with a chuckle in her voice:] It's almost like making art you can eat.

[continuousgroaning]

Dad definitely saw it that way, I think. He also came up with a different pun for each special, even if he was the only one who thought they were funny most of the time. It's harder than I thought it would be; I can't do it every day the way he does.

My superpowers do give me an edge- I can cook anything and it tastes amazing as long as I follow instructions- but food's a good way to connect with people.

[fauxmarth]

[eyebrows raised:] How fortunate this world gifted you with an ability so in tune with your family trade. I wonder if that was truly coincidence or not... But regardless, that seems incredibly fortunate; imagine all the fanciful confections you could create!

[continuousgroaning]

I definitely feel lucky. I'm not a fighter and won't ever be, so if I got a power like... super strength or speed or something, it would be useless to me. At least I've got an ability that lets me do something I'm good at.

I am trying to learn new things! Sometimes I get cookbooks from the library.

[fauxmarth]

Well... [mildly:] I think it's perfectly fine for you to be as-is. This world is better off not needing any more warriors. Let those of us who can wield weapons and fight battles do it for you. I like the idea of knowing you can spend your time making delicious things a lot better.

[continuousgroaning]

Oh yeah- I love being who I am. Feeding the world is an important job, even if I can't literally feed the world. I've always looked at it that way. I could get myself hurt trying to be something I'm not, and thankfully I've been surrounded by people who encourage me to just be Tina, too.

[fauxmarth]

[what a charming girl... Lucina's eyes crinkle, delighted.]

You've got quite a sensible way of things, miss Tina. I must say I'm impressed.

[continuousgroaning]

Thank you. I do kinda feel weird about not being, like, an actual superhero sometimes, but I don't mind most of the time. I'll leave that to the people who know what they're doing.

[fauxmarth]

To a very hungry stranger, I'm sure they'd see you in pretty heroic lights, I'd wager. [grinning.] The saying here is...not all heroes wear capes, yes?

[continuousgroaning]

[Tina grins back.]

Yeah, that's right. Food is required for most of us to keep going, and I know my housemates like my cooking, too. So what more could I need to do?

[fauxmarth]

Whatever you wish, truly. For as long as the rest of us are doing what we can to keep chaos at bay, of course.

[continuousgroaning]

Uh-huh. I'm kinda lucky that the rest of you are around to protect people like me. My housemates included in that- they're all warriors, and they helped care for me til my mom got here.

[fauxmarth]

You've family here, too? [and a mother, to boot...] How fortunate. The goddess of this world blesses you indeed, if she has any say in who is pulled in or not at all.

[continuousgroaning]

It feels like that to me sometimes, definitely. My dad and brother and sister are still back home, but my family has always been close, so being here without anyone was... weird. And difficult.

[fauxmarth]

I can only imagine. I'm relieved you have your mother with you; please do take care of each other for however long you remain. That's such a precious gift to have...

[continuousgroaning]

I plan on it. Mom wants to take care of me and the other kids who were brought here, too. She'll be great at it.

[fauxmarth]

[smiling small:] Were the goddess of this world more keen to deliver us a great deal more of her like, I think we'd be in much better shape...

[continuousgroaning]

I agree. Or at least brought less kids in... I'm 14, and I'm pretty sure there's more kids around my age who were brought here. I can't understand why.

[fauxmarth]

It's...needlessly cruel. [her eyes wince.] That's too young to be pulled from a safe home. If...a safe home is where many of these young people are coming from.

[she can't say she has, herself.]

[continuousgroaning]

I know I came from one, but some people here weren't so fortunate. That was... kind of a hard lesson for me to learn.

[fauxmarth]

Indeed. For many, this sudden abduction is troublesome. But for others...it can possibly be an unexpected blessing. [shrug.] I think it both for most, I believe, because that's the way of living, no matter where you are.

[continuousgroaning]

[Tina nods slowly.]

You never really know what's going to happen in your life. Well, I was pretty sure I'd never hop dimensions, but unexpected things happen all the time.

[like one's crush being a dirtbag. Not like she's fixated on that or anything.]

[fauxmarth]

[a soft chuckle.]

And that's almost as encouraging as it is foreboding, isn't it? Such things will always be out of our hands to some extent. Yet we'll always have the means to face it.

That's what I must believe, anyway.