It's a party for your taste buds. Or maybe torture. OTA (foreward date for tonight really)

[magnetic_magpie]

It's entirely possible the person who had caused this little challenge wasn't going to show up - that didn't matter. Really after the fun of having a third puberty - grant it only the second he remembered - he needed a distraction. So he'd been cooking more and when challenge to make something "really hot" he'd worked at it until he had something not only incredibly spicy - probably far more than most people could eat - but also flavorful. There was actual flavor, not just heat to the pasta he'd created.

And then he'd send word that this dish was ready and he'd put it together in Ten Forward. Over the last few days, he'd mentioned it here and there and towards the evening, he popped his cooktop into a girdle-type base and set up on a table to start cooking.

Winner gets bragging rights. It's only a moderately sized plate of pasta, how bad can it be right?

It's probably just food prep safety that has Magneto and Annie wearing gloves. Couldn't be the spice levels at all. And the cooler to the side that contains ice cream? Also not a warning.

Comments

[real_or_notreal]

If having two chefs and some food means the next thing you need a customer, or a contestant, Peeta may or may not actually be useful on that front. But what he is, is drawn to the area where they are doing this. Not so much toward the food, which smells oddly interesting, the kind of sharp spices you only got a whiff of every once in while in District 12 but never with any kind of even yearly regularity.

But that's not it at all.

Peeta's curiosity drags him over rather quickly with the question, "What is this?"

But unlike the other people who will ask later, Peeta isn't asking about the cooking or plated up spicy pasta. But the cooktop. Somehow now sitting on a table. Which has all of his attention and the food itself hasn't yet been looked at more than cursorily. He hasn't seen anything that cooked food on the ship except by replicator since arriving.

[treadswater]

"Oh, hi, Peeta."

Annie isn't pretending to be friendly and familiar - she was never any good at doing that - so her cheerfulness is genuine. Mostly, it's mischief. Mischief and delight and barely repressed giggles turning her usually fairly ordinary face lovely and lighting up her sea-green eyes.

Eyes which, currently, are sporting some rather fetching eyeliner in the style of a District Four woman. She's dressed pretty too, albeit district, although the prettiness of her blouse's short sleeves are a bit off-set by the gloves.

"I, um. I think I'll let Erik explain. And. I'll Serve people."

Mostly because Erik can explain it better.

A little because she's still not sure where she stands with Peeta just yet.

Okay. Maybe a bit more the latter, if she's being honest. (But it is good to see the boy around and looking curious.)

[magnetic_magpie]

A cooktop of all metal, sleek and shiny, with all metal pans that looked new. Magneto himself had been plating up a bowl and handing it over when he heard the question. So he turned back to Peeta, pointing to the bowls of pasta, sauce, cooktop, and other ingredients with his tongs. "Which thing are you asking about?"

[reincarnshaman]

There's a short kitty sized sneeze and then a hand reaching out and grabbing a cat before she can stick her nose into something very spicy.

"Oh, no you don't," Trever said. "You didn't like it when it you tried it last time what makes you think you're going to like it this time?"

[magnetic_magpie]

There's a blue spark - something else the kitty probably doesn't like - and a shield appearing around the food, vanishing when she's pulled back.

"Spice aside, I'm sure she shouldn't eat any. Onions are good for cats." 'She' was habit, he tended to call all cats 'she'.

[redarrowqueen]

Thea was perched in a corner mostly watching the show unfolding. She had gotten a whiff just from passing by and decided to at least watch if not eat. But a part of her was tempted since she loved Mexican food,"Think I'll watch and see if its worth risky fire to the taste buds." she decided, not knowing her musing aloud could be heard by anyone passing her direction.

am assuming party-style threading, so have an orion!

[writes_with_digital_ink]

"Depends!"

Gaila, dressed in an all-grey version of the Starfleet uniform that merely makes her green skin, blue eyes, and mane of red hair seem all the bright, has a bowl. And is happily eating it.

"I mean, there's human taste-buds, which sometimes can be weird, it depends on culture and biology, so, really, how much do you like hot food? I mean, they've provided ice-cream if you've misjudged."

[fishermansweater]

Of course, where Annie is to be found, Finnick is, in general, not far off. It's been less the case in recent weeks than it had been when they'd first arrived. Since the scare they'd both had when Finnick had regressed to childhood and Annie had deliberately infected herself so she could be young again with him, he's been sticking closer to her again.

He does, to an extent, trust Erik, at least enough that he's no longer uncomfortable leaving Annie alone in their shared room with him overnight.

That doesn't stop him appearing, not long after Annie does, and appearing to one side of their table.

"So how worried should I be?" he asks.

(He knows that look on Annie's face.)

[treadswater]

Annie hasn't really dressed up like this since she arrived. Not that she's overly dressed, nor is she looking at all Capitol. District, she is, complete with the eyeliner and the ruffled skirt. Her waistcoat - navy today - is more fitted than normal, with gold buttons, and the sleeves of her blouse are short.

It offsets the gloves. The glove are not stylish. Maybe slightly ominous.

"We-e-e-e-ell," Annie draws out, attempting to look innocent and ending up delighted and wicked, "you're not having any."

In other words: very worried, Finnick.

[southernreaper]

Kevin despite knowing the trolling that mutants do to each other, is going to eat whatever it is they are cooking. He can smell the heat on the food, and just doesn't care. He'll dissolve some of it eating it anyway. It won't be nearly as hot as it would be for others.

He tucks his hands into his pockets. He's leaning against the wall in the back, waiting his turn to get something to eat. He knows that Erik, at least, knows he's here. Anyone else can come talk to him, though.

[element_wizard]

"Are you going to try it?" Alec asked. Seeing the guy standing in the back leaning against the wall he wandered over to say hello.

Alec isn't sure if he'll try it.

And if he does try it... he'll probably cheat anyway.

[treadswater]

Annie is not one of the universe's natural saleswomen. She is, generally, shy to the point of uncertain speech and irregular eye-contact, and, really, doesn't like a lot of attention. But today she's dressed pretty - eyeliner expertly applied in a cross between a pirate's kohl and a cat eye, waistcoat fitted instead of loose with gold buttons, skirt ruffled - and she's amused enough that she doesn't look uncomfortable at all.

(And, once upon a time, she'd been confident. Sometimes, it shows.)

Mostly, she's leaving things to Erik, but if anyone wants to try a bowl, well.

She'd more than happy to help out.

She's nice like that.

[loiseau_ou_la_cage]

Elizabeth can't resist food that's sitting out. It's a familial trait, and one that served her well in Rapture. She bounces up to the table, smiling at Annie and Erik. "Oooh, that looks delicious, can I have some?"

[magnetic_magpie]

His own shirt was trim, skimming his body, cuffs folded up just enough to keep them clear of the food, but not so much as to show his tattoo, a deep, rich red color and a softer deep grey for pants. He looks polished, but it's casual. He could be nothing more than a grandfather cooking for his family.

The chili heat from the bowls spoils the illusion, but it's still there.

"I do appreciate your help."

[writes_with_digital_ink]

It smells like the food of her people, and so Gaila drifts over. She's on a meal break, so she's still dressed in her acting ensign grey, but all the colour does it make everything else pop out. Green of her skin, blue of her eyes, red of her hair. The white of her grin, because, gods, that smells nice.

"Do I have to do anything to get a plate, or can I just flutter my eyelashes and ask pretty please?"


Later:

Gaila is perched on table, happily eating the pasta and giggling to herself as she watches the delayed reactions of the (mostly human) crowd.

Really, she's tempted to go for seconds.

[magnetic_magpie]

There's a difference between people who smelt food and thought it was interesting and people who smelt food and had some idea of what it was, something he'd seen in India - Gaila looked like she knew what she was asking for.

"For you? A pretty please is all it takes." And a minute or two for him to plate up the pasta - fresh not dried, so he's constantly making small batches of it from the pasta nests he has already made, deeply yellow from the egg yolk and sprinkled with dark specs from the black pepper, and topped with a rich ragu that's turned a deep, brick red from the peppers. "Enjoy."

[effingblind]

Danny isn't sure how he got roped into helping in any way with this, probably because he likes hanging out with Erik. Even after the weird kid thing. He'd definitely said no when any pasta had been offered his way.

That isn't to say he doesn't like pasta. Seriously, he comes from a huge Italian family in an Italian neighborhood. He likes pasta. He doesn't like things that burn his nose off his face though, and that stuff is dangerous. So, while most people are cheerleading, Danny isn't.

Danny is here when people eventually, and most of them probably will, wuss out and can't take the heat. So he's got creamsicles in a cooler of ice between his feet. He's also got a hell of a commentary if you come over to him for one. Cause, seriously. All of you came up like this was no big deal and now you're crying about it? Fine, have one.

It won't help the burn of failure, though.

[engineermage]

While Trever is preventing his cat from repeat mistakes... Kale has plopped himself down nearish to the cook, holding a small, well worn notepad and pencil.

"So... he's using the really, really spicy ones. And I'm told that there's no difference between replicated food and not... so we shouldn't make any leeways for that... do you think?" He's only half talking to himself and half talking to Danny, if only because Danny is right there.

[tanteiotaku]

Eh? What's all this? Far be it from Shotaro to not stick his nose in something drawing a bit a of a crowd. "Hey there, pretty little red thing," he started. Clearly old habits die hard. It does not do well to call girls pretty while one has a boyfriend. "What's going on over here?"

[treadswater]

While she'd never call herself beautiful, Annie is aware that she's cute and can be pretty. She's been flirted with. She's even been flirted with in that kind of style, but normally by men at least two decades her senior.

From someone who looks around her own age? And here? After years of mostly keeping to herself and select company?

Annie stares at him, not quite sure how to react.

"Um?" she manages. "I. Chilli and pasta. Competition."

Pretty little red thing?

[itmeanstruth]

"Hey, did someone say food? What are you guys cooking up?"

Thanks to Guinan, Minoru learned that there were all kinds of strange new tastes to explore, as varied as the planets, species and philosophies that the Enterprise had encountered so far.

"Can I have some?"

What could possibly go wrong?

[magnetic_magpie]

He'd just handed a plate off when he heard a question behind him. "Fresh pasta with a spicy ragù. If you like spicy, you might like it, it's very hot. If you don't, then it's probably too spicy. But you're welcome to try it."

That - and the gloves he wore making it - was the only warning he was going to give.

[magneticxman]

Lorna can smell the spices from a table away. She looks up curiously to see what her father and his roommate are up to. It looks delicious but she knows her limits and this dish smells like it exceeds them.

She wanders over, drink in hand (synthehol tonight, but she can pretend to herself that it's real), waving her hand in front of her nose. "I think my sinuses are singed."

[magnetic_magpie]

"Oh it's not that bad." Yes yes it is, and his grin says he knows it. "What are you drinking this evening?" He'd been debating getting a glass of wine - synthehol as well, but something to drink - but hadn't decided yet.

[diamonds_are_forever]

Faith makes it to the table before Emma. The little girl remembers her mother's friend and he has food! She's hungry and it's dinnertime so that's even better.

Emma is just in time to stop Faith from grabbing a fistful of pasta and shoving it in her mouth. "Sweetie, remember to use your words and ask."

Then the smell hit Emma and she shook her head, lifting Faith up onto her hip. "Why are you conducting chemical trials on the poor passengers?

[magnetic_magpie]

Emma was split seconds behind Magneto, who moved the food up higher. That would had not been a good reaction. The pasta has pepper in it, but with a cheese sauce, probably would have been something an adventurous eater would have liked, even a child. But not the ghost chili ragù currently on it. "Hi Faith. These plates are very hot, don't grab them ok?"

'Hot' indeed as he looked up at Emma, and then gestured to one of the crew, chugging a glass of milk, red faced - and possibly crying - "He didn't find my Bengali fish curry was spicy enough, so I made him something spicier." And he might have been a little mean about it.

But it was humorous.

[didnotwant]

Marion is following her nose. She had been hungry and had surfaced from her room to be around people while eating. The scent of food had of course caught her attention right away.

She tilts her head to one side looking a bit more like a wolf than a person with that little head tilt. "That... smells very good."

Also like the best worst idea ever.

[magnetic_magpie]

"Hello!" He calls in answer to her comment, the deep red of his shirt matching the deep red of the ragù, which might have been on purpose. "I think it tastes good as well, do you like chili heat?"

It was the best worst idea ever. He was proud of it.