gilded stone

don’t you cry for the lost, smile for the living. get what you need and give what you’re given. life’s for the living, so live it, or you’re better off dead.

[cut-to-the-chaser]

Having A Blast [Chase/Gil]

[cut-to-the-chaser]

[Stares at Gil as the man reappears in the doorway, having watched him exit with his own stammering awkward words following him out.]

[Doesn’t move until the lumpy package is thrown at him, catching it with a fumble and frowning at it for a few seconds before heaving a huge sigh of relief and relaxing with an awkward, short laugh.] Ahah— heh, thank the goddess. Er— thank you. Heh. [Smiles awkwardly up at him, flipping the package over and looking down at the wrapping paper with another huff of amusement.] I never know how to react to— gifts, given or taken. Never know when I need to get something back or when to act like it’s something I’ll actually use—

[Pauses, staring at the package for a few seconds as if he already recognizes what might be inside, before quietly pulling in a deep breath and tearing the paper open.]

[gildedstone]

[Stares at Chase blankly, carefully deciding to (mostly) withhold comment on the slow dawning realization at just how awkward of a person the other man is.] Uh. Okay.

[He watches long enough for the chef to unwrap the lumpy pair of socks - reindeer embroidered into the ugly green-and-red stitching. At this he snickers, discarding the tea bag from his mug onto the brick outcrop of the fireplace to pick up later and takes a small sip of the tea.]

Heh.

[mollygoodgolly3]

Gil Smells [Molly/Gil]

[mollygoodgolly3]

*She watches him in silence, jumping slightly as he closes the binder with the ad and shoves it away. Scratching the side of her cheek, she remains silent as he produces the necessary paperwork and provides her with a pen. Her eyes dart across the paper, simultaneously reading the contract while listening to him as he gives her a lecture on why she shouldn’t just outright buy pay for it up front; something she’s heard multiple times.*

So let me ask you this…*Glances up from the paperwork momentarily, before continuing to skim through* say I do take your advice and go with the mortgage; how do you know I’ll pay you back? Are you going to run any background checks? Ask for my financials? There’s no time frame, so I’m assuming you wouldn’t be badgering me to pay you back. I mean, what if I put all my money into renovating the house planting crops and come time to start reaping what I’ve sowed, I’ve produced nothing but empty fields and a home I can’t afford to pay for? Isn’t that bad for your guys, especially when someone else comes around who could do a much better job but you couldn’t give them the opportunity? 

*Picks up the pen, writing out her full name and dotting her i’s with little hearts.* I mean, I’m not here to question how you guys run things, and I’m certainly not going to go into erm- foreclosure? Or whatever the word is. I just don’t like being in debt, really.

*Pushes a piece of hair behind her ear, before giving him a small smile.* But I’ll take your advice, if you want. But in exchange, I’d rather you give me a date to pay it off by. That, and to let me buy you a cup of coffee some time to replace the one I made you spill…Oh and your name; I never caught your name… 

[gildedstone]

[Listens quietly to her spiel, slowly rubbing the side of his index finger back and forth across his forehead, as though to alleviate an oncoming headache.]

The answers to that are in the contract you just signed. Suffice to say, we withhold the right to terminate your tenancy if we feel you're manipulating the system and profiting at our expense. [He picks the contract up, tears the yellow carbon copy from the back, and slides the copy back across his desk to her. The original goes into his own desk drawer.] I'll let you peruse the details on your own time. 

[He stares at her blankly for a moment - before shrugging listlessly.] Three years is the typical turn around time before my father begins to look into whether a rancher is a good fit for our plan - so I suppose as long as you've paid off a substantial portion of the mortgage within the next three years, you're fine to remain on the ranch.

[He stands up, offering a hand for a handshake.] I'm Gil. As you probably could tell, I'm the mayor's son. Office administrator and deputy mayor. I can show you to your new ranch, unless you'd rather wait for my father to bring you instead. He'll be in in-- [Checks his watch.] --approximately seven minutes.

[cut-to-the-chaser]

Having A Blast [Chase/Gil]

[cut-to-the-chaser]

[Shrugs, smiling blandly at the fire as he thaws in front of it, extending his palms toward it with the fire poker lolling heavily over the thumb of one hand.] Yeah, yeah— I get your point. trust me, you’re not the first person who’s given me that talk, either— heh.

[Smirks over his shoulder at Gil as he approaches with the mugs in hand, watching him with a slighter smile.] I get on just fine, either way— [Blinks, eyes looking up to the other man with a brief lapse in thought before his expression pulls into confused guilt as he tries to piece together why Gil would get him a gift.] Er— what?

[Frowns slightly, pushing his hand back into his hair as he tries to correct his ungrateful expression to something less embarrassed and awkward.] You didn’t have to do— I don’t usually do gifts, I never— get— I mean, I didn’t get you anything. Anyone— anyone anything. You don’t have to do that—?

[gildedstone]

[Makes a talking motion with his hand, rolling his eyes. If Gil had a G for every time someone told them they'd heard one of his lectures before, he could probably afford to buy all of Castanet and then some.]

[Sighs slightly - for no reason other than he now must push himself back to a standing position after just haven taken a seat on the floor. He dusts himself off as he wanders aimlessly into his bedroom, ignoring Chase's awkward protesting before returning with a lumpy package adorned with cartoon Santas. He tosses the package to the other man before re-taking his seat.]

Don't start that with me. It's hardly anything, and I didn't get it to exchange it for something. In fact, it's more of a gag gift than anything else.

[mollygoodgolly3]

Gil Smells [Molly/Gil]

[mollygoodgolly3]

*Purses her lips as her eyes fixate on his frown, before her own lips twitch down momentarily. Looking down at the binder, she scratches the side of her cheek thoughtfully* Oh good, options, you don’t get those in most places. *She quickly glanced up, hoping a little humor would lighten his mood. She listens to him carefully, brows quirking as the name rings a bell.* Oh! *Opens her pocket, reaching inside and pulling out a crumpled ad.* That’s what brought me here, actually! *Flattens the ad out on top of the binder, pushing it closer for him to see.*

I mean- I can certainly afford one of the houses not apart of the Happy Ranch thing, but I was more keen to the idea of having a ranch, you know? It’d be something really interesting to try out.

*Rubs the back of her neck, chewing on the inside of her cheek before giving him a shrug.* Well- as long as it’s safe to live in, that’s fine, I mean, I can always get it to look better, right? *Nods her head, adjusting in her seat as she finds herself a bit more excited at the idea of owning a ranch.* Okay, yeah, I want to do the Ranch thing; and I can pay the mortgage up front too if it saves you the hassle of paperwork.

[gildedstone]

[He listens quietly as the stranger produces the ad, frown slowly deepening as the question of finances comes up. Someone who's clearly financially independent showing up to take on a run down ranch? For what reason? The hell of it? This woman doesn't exactly seem like the farming type. Gil spends a few moments in silence, chewing the inside of his cheek and imagining the resources that the land could be effectively used for in the hands of an amateur - the farm slowly struggle into bankruptcy at the hands of an inept city girl.]

...

[In the end, he decides he doesn't particularly care either way, shrugs, and snaps the binder shut - crumpled up ad and all. He shoves the whole thing unceremoniously back into his desk, before pulling out the paperwork for the Happy Ranch Plan. He slides the contract across his desk toward the prospective rancher, uncapping a pen and placing it down on top of the contact for her to sign with.]

You should probably keep your money and put it into renovations. Since there's no time limit on the mortgage, you can always come back and pay it off after you've invested as much as you're going to in making the ranch house itself more liveable and in purchasing crops and animals for your ranch.

[His voice slips into monotone as his lecture clearly becomes more robotic and automatic. He's made this speech a thousand times.] Remember to spend money wisely. The less money you spend paying up front, the more you'll have month to month - and the more you'll have in case of emergencies, as well. If someone gives you the opportunity to keep more money in your pocket, you ought to take it. That's Mortgage 101, you know.

[cut-to-the-chaser]

Having A Blast [Chase/Gil]

[cut-to-the-chaser]

[Blinks, frowning slightly and looking over the floor around them for the dirt that he could be tracking inside - and seeing nothing but some wet areas where traces of snow were carried in, shrugs slightly and looks back to Gil with a small grin.] I guess that makes sense, though I’ve never noticed much of a difference before. I clean maybe— once— or so a week—? [Scratches the side of his head, eyeing the building fire with a longing gaze.]

Heh— yeah, yeah. [Shudders slightly at the reminder of the cold, grinning after Gil playfully.] You’re thwarting my attempts to get frostbite and a fever, you fiend— [Settles down and crosses his legs under him, taking up the poker to shift the wood idly as he watches the fire rise over it.] Y’know, you’re awfully concerned with my clothing. I’m as dressed as I ever am, the only time I wear more or less is at home. Consider it a— tradition of my own. … or something.

[gildedstone]

[Echoes:] "Once or so a week." Hmm. [Shakes his head - not judgementally, but simply quietly surprised.] Maybe it gets dirty in here faster because there's two of us living here. It must be nice to live alone.

[Glances over his shoulder at Chase, taken off-guard by this attempt at humor. It takes Gil a moment to decide how he wants to respond to it after being so thoroughly surprised by its source - before cracking a slight smile and returning his attention to the kettle.]

I know. I'm a monster.

[Pours the boiling water into two mugs that he pulls down from the cabinet - no longer looking around at Chase as he continues to speak.] That's not necessarily a good thing. It's a pretty foolish "tradition", too, if you ask me. Just because you do something all the time and always have doesn't make it a good idea. Or a smart one. Or a healthy one, even. I could go on, but I think you get my point.

[Ponders the mugs of hot water quietly for a moment - before deciding that his preparation has merited they be turned into tea, now. Chase probably isn't the sort of person who enjoys hot chocolate made from hot water and hot chocolate powder mix. Gil drops a tea bag in each of the mugs, and brings them over to the fireplace - setting both down on the brickwork to steep and taking a seat by the hearth a short distance from the chef, making sure to sit so that he's facing the bay windows still blossoming with the exploding fireworks.]

[It isn't until after he's sat down that he suddenly remembers with a start, and glances across the room.] Oh-- that reminds me. I have Christmas present for you. I forgot to give it to you.

[mollygoodgolly3]

Gil Smells [Molly/Gil]

[mollygoodgolly3]

*Frowns, glancing to his hand, then back to the pile of mail* Well, um- sorry for burning your hand…I just want to make sure it won’t be hurting you later is all…

*Smiles, standing upright, pile of mail in one hand, empty coffee cup in the other.* Actually it’d be a misdemeanor, unless you guys count it as a major crime here. But good, i’m glad you can help me!

*Watches as he crosses the room. When he tells her to pull up a chair, she nods her head, standing there a bit awkwardly in the middle of the room with both her hands filled as she debates whether she should pull the chair up now or empty her hands. Deciding that the latter might be a better idea as it would most likely not cause a flurry of mail scattering across the room from her attempts and further annoying the young man, she locates the garbage bin, dropping the cup inside before setting the mail down. With her now empty hands, she picks up a chair, setting it at the desk and sitting down.* Ok, I’m ready.

[gildedstone]

[Frowns at being corrected. Frowns at the young woman's attempt to clean up the mess she's made. Frowns at his white suit, stained with coffee. Frowns as he leafs through the binder, waiting for her to join him at the desk - before pushing the binder toward her so that she can see the page he stopped at.]

You have two options when it comes to buying property in Castanet. You can either buy one of the vacant houses we have for sale throughout the county, or you can sign on to our Happy Ranch Plan. [The phrase clearly tastes bad in his mouth - as he immediately pulls a face at how cheesy it sounds.]

It was my father's idea. In an effort to revitalize the town and bring in new people, he's offering farmland to prospective buyers with no money down. There's a mortgage on the property, of course - but there's no time frame in which you'll have to pay it back. It's a more affordable option if the other houses are outside your price range.

I won't lie, however. [Here he pauses, pressing his lips into a thin line.] The farmhouse on each property is not in especially good condition. You can live in them safely - I wouldn't be offering you the deal if they were dangerous to move into. But I'll be honest when I say they're not very much to look at. [He frowns hard at the young woman, crankiness set in every line of his young face.]

The term "fixer-upper" doesn't go far enough to cover how much of an eyesore these things are.

[cut-to-the-chaser]

Having A Blast [Chase/Gil]

[cut-to-the-chaser]

[Frowns back at the statement, sinking slightly at the thought.] Right… yeah, no good throwing a party with no attendants— just usually not my thing, is all— but I get it.

[Shudders, shivering as he slowly becomes more aware of how cold he was after standing outside so long - eyes drawn longingly to the hot kettle and only half paying attention to Gil until the other man begins lighting a fire.] Heh— heh, I don’t mean anything by it. I just— just never know when a house wants no shoes or not, you know? Everyone’s got their own— traditions. [Pauses to let a shiver pass, glancing back at the window still flashing with bright colors as he follows closer to the fire.] I guess I never thought about it— I usually wear them around, at least until I sit or something. Then I guess I take them off. [Stops a short distance away, wiggling his now tingling cold toes as he looks down at them with a smirk.] I never really think about them otherwise, heh— sorta why I like sandals, easy to forget they’re even on.

[gildedstone]

Mhm. [Nods, that matter having been settled. He sees no reason to expound upon it, so he falls silent - until the topic of shoes arises, instead.]

You'll track dirt that way. Don't you live alone in that house of yours? Flute Fields, right? [He continues, tending to the fire - not looking up at Chase as the other man draws closer to the fireplace.] So you know what it's like to do all the cleaning. I try to minimize the cleaning I have to do as much as possible, since I do most of it around this house. It's got nothing to do with traditions.

[The wiggle of Chase's toes catches the corner of Gil's eye, and he spares the feet a passing glance - before wrinkling his nose in distaste. Gil turns away, trying to ignore the bare toes - and returns to blowing on the flame to encourage it to spread across the log.] I suppose. Here, come watch this. [He climbs to his feet and steps out of the way - gesturing for Chase to take a seat by the now building flames.] Just keep an eye on it while I finish making tea. It'll do you good to sit by the fire, on account of how woefully under-dressed you are for the cold.

[With that, he returns to the stove - sharing a smirk with himself in amusement at his own remark.]

[mollygoodgolly3]

Gil Smells [Molly/Gil]

[mollygoodgolly3]

*Watches as he moves to retrieve a wash cloth, lips forming into a line at his response to her question.* No, that’s not what I meant, I was asking if you were burnt. If you are, go run your hand under cold water to help it. 

*Pushes herself off his desk, a paper or two following her as she does so. She sets the coffee cup up right on the ground to prevent whatever bit of liquid left from further spilling, before picking up the mail that had fallen from the young man’s hands.* 

Well, you can call me intruder if you’d like, I guess; you’ll have to forgive me, though, it’d be normal business hours where I’m from now. My sleep schedules all messed up, and I didn’t have anything better to do than wait here, but I’m here to buy a house or something. 

*She looks up at him at his question, looking back to the door than back to him* I picked the lock, how else? 

[gildedstone]

[Still grumbling with irritation.] Yes, my hand has been burned. But it's fine. Completely fine, don't worry on my behalf. I'm far more concerned with how it is you came to be here.

[Glances up as a few of the papers scatter off of his father's desk - and he rolls his eyes up toward the ceiling, quietly asking the goddess for strength in dealing with this one. It's not as though he cares if the paperwork is displaced - but it's especially frustrating knowing he'll have to be the one to clean it up. He mumbles to himself under his breath:] More work for me. Excellent. I'm so glad, on account of how much I love this job.

[He frowns as he glances back to her, standing up again and stretching his back after wiping up the rest of the spilled coffee. Echoes her:] "Buy a house or something." Okay. [Frowns deeper still at the confirmation that she picked the lock, pausing with a long-suffering sigh.] Well, I can help you purchase a house in town - but you can't go around picking locks and letting yourself into buildings that aren't open. That's-- probably a felony, or something. Not to mention you'll get me in trouble with father if he finds out.

[Sighs, opening the side door to toss the wash cloth in the sink, before trudging to the tiny, almost child-like desk in the back of the room that Gil has clearly been shunted off to, away from the more professional and impressive counter that his father sits at. He sinks into his chair, his knees knocking against the underside of the desk, before pulling out a binder full of pamphlets and documents.]

Pull up a chair, please. I'll show you the homes we have available.

[gildedstone]

What A Lovely ... Door [Carl/Gil]

[bowtiedbaker2]

[Follows the motion with his head, turning to look in that direction as if he may be able to see the town off in the distance - all the while beaming with a slight nod.] Ah— goodness, that is sort of far! But then we are neighbors of sorts, hmhm— [Grins back at him, half-shrugging with some embarrassment.] I am fairly new, yes, though I’ve been working at the local Moonlight Cafe for the last few months previously—♪ Though you don’t seem the sort to like a nightlife place of that sort, hmhm!

[Bows slightly with his grin renewed as he sets his hands to the edge of his vest.] Right! If I happen to go that way I will definitely drop in, though you are always more than welcome to come by!♪ [Lowers his voice as he steps forward to help with the door, giggling slightly.] It was a pleasure to meet you, Mr. Gil, and I’m sure Katie would agree, hmhm— thank you for stopping in!♪

[gildedstone]

[He raises his eyebrows at the comment about the Moonlight Cafe, his eyes automatically turning in the direction of the bar he'd never been to before, despite knowing of its existence. He adds in a low monotone without missing a beat:]

Truth be told, neither do you.

[Glances back at Carl with one eyebrow lifted over a small smirk, continuing in those low, teasing tones.] But I suppose we all have our secrets, hm?

[Without pausing:] The pleasure was all mine. [He gives a small wave as he walks backward another step, quietly dismissing the comment about Katie as teenage boys are apt to do when teased about girls - before turning on his heel and making his way down toward the beach.] Take care, Mister Carl. I'll be back shortly.

[sonata-seamstress-deactivated20]

[Candace/Gil]

[sonata-seamstress-deactivated20]

[She relaxes her hands on her lap, smiling.] I’d like that…

[Looks up at Gil curiously] …Would you like me to bring anything? [She pursed her lips anxiously,] I… um, I don’t want to cause too much trouble for you… bringing a light lunch for me and all…

[gildedstone]

Oh-- it's no trouble at all, really. I do a lot of the food preparation at home, anyway - I'm quite used to it, I assure you. I thought I might do sandwiches - do you have any objections to cucumber and tomato, perhaps? [Small smile.] Though if you really wanted to bring something too, I wouldn't mind. Something of a pot luck lunch, hm? That could be fun.

[cut-to-the-chaser]

Having A Blast [Chase/Gil]

[cut-to-the-chaser]

[Hesitates at the gate, glancing over the garden in front of the house and shoving his hands deep into his pockets before following Gil inside as the other man removes his shoes - eyes watching the motion for a few seconds before curling his own toes in his sandals and looking instead to the windows.] Ah… right. No— no, either way is fine. I wasn’t really up in town to watch the show anyways, I was just passing through…

[Trails off squinting at the window before wiping his sandals against the doormat with an awkward pause, taking in a deep breath and sighing as he tries to feel comfortable in the large - rather cold - house.] Heh, at least it’s not as cold as it was outside. A fire’d be nice, though— [Glances to the nearby shoes as he steps tentatively off of the mat.] Er, should I be removing my sandals too or is that just a thing you do?

[gildedstone]

Just passing through, hm. Well, you really ought to stick around and watch. Father goes to great lengths to put these festivals together, you know. I'm not saying it's mandatory to attend or anything, but it's a little-- depressing when no one shows up. You know?

[He glances over his shoulder at Chase as he says this, his face carefully blank.] I'm not attempting to put that on you, of course. I only mean to say that I feel better knowing people are enjoying them. Establishing a sense of community, and all that.

[Once the kettle is on, Gil crosses the room to the fireplace next - hefting half a log of wood into place and digging for a bit of paper in a box by the brick structure to light the log with. He glances up as he holds a flaming bit of paper to the wood, frowning slightly at Chase in mild confusion.]

Just a thing I do? No-- I-- what? No, you can leave your sandals on-- it's just a habit, I suppose. [He looks back to the log, frowning at it as the corner finally begins to catch.] Don't you take your shoes off when you walk into your house?

[mollygoodgolly3]

*While waiting for someone to arrive, Molly had taken to pulling out one of the many papers she had been lying on top of, reading it in order to give herself some sort of entertainment. Upon hearing the door open, she sets the paper down, watching as the young man seems to go through an experience Molly would never even wish on her own worst enemy. A grimace quickly comes to her face, staying silent as she watches the finale of this great disaster she had inadvertently caused.*

Uh…*Sits herself up on the desk* Who am I supposed to be? I’m not sure, actually, but you can call me Molly…*Purses her lips, eyes looking him over briefly before fixating on his hand* Are you okay? 

[gildedstone]

[Gil huffs in irritation at her seemingly snarky response, missing the genuine quality of the introduction and instead mistaking it for sarcasm. He responds in what he assumes is in turn, grumbling to himself in irritation as he storms through the office to retrieve a wash cloth from the other room to wipe the floor with.]

Oh yes, yes, it's fine. Fine and dandy. I always start my day drenching myself in scalding hot liquids, you know.

[Returns to the scene of the incident, rolling his suit pants up an inch or two in order to crouch down to mop at the coffee with the wash cloth.] Alright, then, Molly - though I'd prefer to call you an intruder. I'm not sure what business you have here, but surely it could wait for business hours before you entered the building? For that matter--

[He pauses, crouching as he wipes the coffee from the floor - turning to glare suspiciously at the strange woman.] How did you get in? I had to unlock the door as I entered, and father won't be in for another thirty minutes.

[farmersara]

Tours and Tourists | Sara and Gil

[farmersara]

"Heh, I know!" She chuckled, grinning. "I wasn’t expecting it either- but you know what they say, seize the day before your boss finds out, and all that." She laughed out loud. "Seriously, don’t tell him. Even though this is technically business I’m supposed to clear all visits off Island with him and it takes forever. So I sorta just left."

She was the most responsible of farmers, it was her.

"Anything at all, huh? You really do know how to make a girl feel special." She smirked. "Ok, it totally sounded canned, but your execution was good. I liked the bow. Made me feel like the Queen." She nodded enthusiastically. "I know! The perfect day! That’s why I came out, ya know. I’m so excited!" She couldn’t help a little bounce. "Yeah, yeah! I’m ready for a tour! Let’s go!"

[gildedstone]

Gil's smile invited a small laugh at her joke, his eyebrows raising with amusement as he attempted to relate himself to it. "Is that what they say? And what do they say when the boss is your father?" He chucked along at this, finding her laughter a little contagious - before waving a hand. "No, no, I won't tell a soul. That'd be awfully counter-productive of me to attempt to get you in trouble, you know, when I'm glad for you to visit and all."

The blond gave a short nod of appreciation as she smirked at him, folding his arms behind his back in a butler-ly sort of way as he returned the grin. "Why, thank you, Your Highness. I do so appreciate the compliment. Now.."

He paused to glance around, before nodding in the direction of the stairs leading up to the church - waiting for Sara to walk with him as he began the tour. "Well, we're currently starting our tour in Harmonica Town, the center of commerce for Castanet County. Most of our town's shops are here, as well as our clinic, inn, and dining options. Up here by the church, however--"

He paused to take a deep breath as they reached the top of the stairs, before gesturing to the railing running along the overlook. "--here is the best view of town one can find without leaving the Harmonica District." He nodded toward the horizon - the ocean sweeping up against the cliffs of town and glittering in the sunlight, the colorful rows of roofs descending down from the outlook in an almost stair-like formation - and sweeping around to connect with the docks and the lighthouse. "I'm sure a lot of this is visible from the ferry, of course - but this is my favorite place in town to view it from. The breeze from the ocean is wonderful, though admittedly a little biting this time of year."

He gave Sara an apologetic smile. "You ought to come by in one of the warmer months for the full experience."

[gildedstone]

Did I Order This? [Allen/Gil]

[allen-is-right]

This inn certainly wasn’t anything like Clement’s restaurant. Every time he would enter the restaurant, the bustling chef would recommend everything on the menu to him, telling him how delicious it tasted and how he only used the finest ingredients; Allen had even picked up a few cooking tips from the man. But more than that, the restaurant felt homey. Well, it was when Michelle wasn’t causing a ruckus with her magic shows. He could see how Clement would find it good for business (what other restaurant had dinner and a show?) but Allen didn’t care for all the noise.

So it was on one of his day’s off from the salon that he found himself in Castanet (because staying in Echo 24/7 would drive him insane) and, subsequently, inside the inn’s restaurant. It never hurt to broad your culinary palette, and Allen was hungry. After telling the waitress exactly what he wanted - genovese pasta and, please, use fresh herbs and soy milk - he leaned back in his chair and waited for his order. 

And then he began one of his more favorite past-times; noting how everyone in the vicinity could improve their look with a little help from yours truly.

The waitress, for one, could definitely use a different hair style and outfit that didn’t make her look like a twelve year old. She had been a little too bubbly for his taste, but that wasn’t something you could fix with styling.

And then his eyes landed on a man sitting in the corner. Allen was surprised to find that he was well-dressed and his hair neat. It was rare, but this seemed to be one of those moments where Allen approved of someone else’s appearance. Well, it wasn’t like the world would always be full of inept idiots.

Just then, the waitress came back with his food and he looked down with a small smile.

Only for it to turn into a frown. This was not his pasta.

[gildedstone]

It was always most difficult to study right before a meal - and Gil definitely noticed this now. He'd flipped straight through a page or five, barely looking at the words - his attention drawn instead to everything around him. Pondering the red-haired stranger and wondering (based on his appearance, the well dressed gentleman that he was) if he came from the big city. Pondering what life in the big city was like, after having lived so long in a small town. Pondering what on earth someone like that would be doing in Castanet - if indeed, he was from the city at all.

The stranger was served first, and Gil averted his attention. Let's not be rude, he thought to himself - you wouldn't like it if someone was staring at you as you ate. That certainly wasn't the type of hospitality someone who worked for Town Hall was supposed to show. No, it was better to go back to his studying-- and flip back a page or five to find the place he'd last been paying attention to the words.

Even if Gil did find it quietly amusing that the red-headed stranger had ordered the exact same meal that Gil had.

He hadn't even had time to find where he'd left off in the book before his own meal was delivered - and it took Gil a moment, frowning at this odd pasta dish (and wondering what on earth had been heaped on top of it), to realize the mistake. Gil glanced up to say something to the waitress, but she had bounded off with all of her typical enthusiasm - leaving Gil staring blankly around the room with his jaw hanging open a bit daftly.

Well, he certainly wasn't going to eat this. He was good friends with the wait staff - it wouldn't be too much of a faux paux to simply pick the dish up and bring it to the kitchen, would it? After all, these people had known him all his life. Gil shut his textbook and pushed back his chair, lifting the dish carefully in both hands and trudging toward the kitchen - only pausing long enough to hover next to the table that the stranger was currently sitting at.

And noticing once again with a slight twitch of irritation that the red-head did indeed have a bowl of food matching Gil's order exactly - down to the very specific, very nit-picky instructions regarding the preparations of the meal's vegetables. Yes, yes - all the waitress's typical enthusiasm, all right.

"Excuse me," Gil found himself addressing the stranger before he'd even realized what he was doing. He lowered the plate to show its contents to the other man. "Does this look like something you might have ordered? Or did you just by coincidence happen to order the exact same Tomato Risotto With Overcooked Vegetables that I did."

[mollygoodgolly3]

*Steps up, holding two cups and placing them on the table before the judges*. 

Hello! I’m Molly Cappelli and this is my entry. *Scratches the side of her cheek as she rocks on her heels.* Um- it’s called Cioccolata Calda, which is the same name as Hot Chocolate, but it’s a bit different. It’s more of like- that stuff, er- *taps on her chin for a moment in thought* Pudding! It’s like pudding because it has a thick consistency, but it’s still hot chocolate! 

For the Ingredients I used…

1 ½ cups of whole milk 1 Tablespoon of fat free half & half (or cream) 4 ounces of good quality chocolate  2 teaspoons of sugar 2 Tablespoons of corn starch

In a saucepan over medium heat, warm the milk and cream to hot but not so hot that it would boil. Next I added in the chocolate and sugar and whisked it until the chocolate melted. Then, I removed the pan from the heat momentarily to take about 1/2 cup of the liquid and whisk together with the cornstarch until it was smooth. After, I put the pan back on the heat and added the cornstarch stuff back into the rest of the chocolate, whisking constantly. I cooked it for a couple minutes longer, whisking constantly, until the mixture had the consistency I wanted.  Once it was done, I put it into mugs and added a bit of whipped cream and then brought it here.

So…um, enjoy…

[gildedstone]

[Listens to the entirety of Molly's pitch before lifting one of the sample mugs to his lips. What was intended at first to be a small sip for judging purposes turns into a longer sip, and Gil quirks his eyebrows thoughtfully as he lowers the mug again - trying to decide whether or not he enjoys it. He waits in silence for a moment, tilting his head this way and that - before jotting down notes on a judge's card. He waits until Allen has completed his judging and handed over his own card before adding:]

I really enjoy the taste, though the consistency would take some getting used to, I think. Not in a bad way, however. The novelty is really quite nice. I'm a little dissapointed that citrus wasn't incorporated more heavily in the recipe, however - I saw the orange slices used for presentation here on the side-- [He nudges one with the tip of an index finger.] --and was hoping for a mix of orange and chocolate in the taste, and was a little let down. I completely agree with Allen that the aesthetic is clearly lacking any sort of festive theme, so I can't judge the dish very well for that - but all in all, this is clearly a very well made cup of hot chocolate.

Or, erm-- Chickolotta Caldah?

[He hands over his card, which reads:]

Festive Theme: 2 Taste: 7 Preparation: 7

[bowtiedbaker2]

Hello!♪ My name is Carl, I’m the owner of the Callaway Cafe in Flowerbud. Here are my entries for the hot chocolate— served in the cutest festive mugs of my collection!♪

[Holds up a tray of two mugs with candy-cane handles, beaming proudly.]

The recipe I chose is a personal favorite, and a little more like a beach christmas, hmhm.♪ It’s a coconut tres leches hot chocolate, topped with chocolate whipped cream, gingerbread-cut marshmallows - and some regular, and of course, some chocolate pieces, as well. Hmhm, why stop at just marshmallows?

Goodness, well, the recipe itself is fairly simple—

2 cups Milk (I prefer whole milk, but any type will do!) 1 (14 ounce) Can of unsweetened coconut milk 2/3 cup Sweetened condensed milk (half of a 14 ounce can) 2 tablespoons Unsweetened cocoa powder 1/2 teaspoon Vanilla Marshmallows, whipped cream, and chocolate toppings optional!

First, you combine the milk, coconut milk, and condensed milk into a medium saucepan and whisk well, bringing the mix to a simmer on a medium-low heat. Always make sure to stir occasionally so that it won’t scorch on the bottom! Once it’s simmering, you whisk in the cocoa powder until it’s all smooth.♪

Then you remove it from the heat and stir in the vanilla. That’s when the flavour really pops! Pour it into your favorite cute mugs and top it with whatever yummy goodies you like, and voila!♪

Hmhm, this usually makes about 4 servings, though if you’re like me and you like to drink in the big mugs it’ll only make 2 servings, hmhm♪ Here you are - please enjoy!♥

[gildedstone]

[Listens quietly as Carl explains his process, chewing his lower lip as he occasionally glances at the mug of hot chocolate. Once the pitch is finished, Gil takes a sip of one of the sample mugs - which is made incredibly awkward by his seeming inability to not have one of the marshmallows bat into his lips or nose. Once he's finally able to take a sip of the liquid, however, he pauses - before scooping one of the gingerbread-man marshmallows out with the provided spoon and chewing it thoughtfully. He waits until Allen has completed his judging and handed over his own card before weighing in:]

This is a very professional looking cup of hot chocolate, and also a very professional tasting cup of hot chocolate. It's festive and delicious - and not too sweet. Using unsweetened ingredients and adding in the sweeter stuff in smaller portions really shone through here.

My biggest issue is with the presentation, actually. [He pokes at the thick layer of half-melted marshmallows with his spoon.] It's very cute to look at, but this many marshmallows makes it very difficult to drink from the mug. I'm assuming that this spoon is here to assist you with eating the layer of marshmallows first, but you've put quite a lot of hot chocolate in this mug - and if I eat the marshmallows first, it's going to be something of a gauntlet to finish the entire drink with no marshmallows to break up the flavor.

[Pauses, thinking.] I probably would have thought much better of this in a smaller serving size is what I'm saying, I suppose.

[His card reads:]

Festive Theme: 8 Taste: 9 Preparation: 6

[sonata-seamstress-deactivated20]

[Stiffly walks up to the judges, holding the two cups on a tray. She set the tray on the table with shaky hands and awkwardly stepped back, lightly clearing her throat. Several times.]

H-He-He-H-llo-[Stops, clears throat again, and takes a deep breath.] Ah, um, e-excuse me… sorry…

[Starts over, mumbling,] Hello, my name is Candace, and I made… well, I… just made hot chocolate with cinnamon. The ingredients I used were…

- Two cups of milk,

- Two three-inch cinnamon sticks,

- Four ounces of chopped milk chocolate,

- Whipped cream, and

- A pinch of ground cinnamon.

Um, first, I melted the chocolate with a bit of the milk in a small pan at a medium-low heat, stirring it until it was all melted.

I… chopped up the chocolate so that it was easier to melt, though that doesn’t really make much of a difference…

A-Anyway, I added a bit of cinnamon to it once it was finished melting. I didn’t put much cinnamon into it… just in case. Then, I, um, increased the heat and added the rest of the milk, whisking it until it was hot enough… After that, I put it into the cups, put whipped cream at the top, sprinkled a bit more cinnamon, and put a cinnamon stick in the cup…

[Fidgets, shuffling her feet. Her red face was radiating enough heat to melt snow.] Um… I hope that you like it, though it’s not much… Thank you for listening.

[gildedstone]

[Listens patiently as Candace stammers through her pitch - his cheeks occasionally flushed pink with sympathy whenever she seems to blush particularly hard. Once she finishes, Gil takes a sip of one of the sample mugs - then takes another, savoring it quietly. He waits until Allen has completed his judging and handed over his own card before weighing in, clearing his throat and adding:]

It's a simple recipe, but the balance of chocolate and cinnamon is good and it tastes wonderful. I especially love the dollop of whipped cream - really evens the whole thing out, doesn't it? The aesthetic is perfect, very cozy and warm - it almost warms you up to look at it even before you take a sip. My biggest complaint is that the whole thing is all a bit on the simpler side. I would have liked to see you step outside your comfort zone a bit more.

[He hands over his card with a gentle, apologetic smile. The card reads:]

Festive Theme: 7 Taste: 8 Preparation: 7