Eliote and Aye's Vacation : Authentic Couscous

We are tomorrow. After walking a little bit, Eliote and Aye finally arrive in Shino Forest. The temperature has cooled, so Eliote and Aye put on their usual clothes. It's now 14°C with a sky... full of leaves.

-Hey was right, the colors of the forest are beautiful in this season! This mix of orange and green is a delight for the eyes!

-Aya, The air is so pure! Are we where air first aired, where pollutants were not in the air?

-It looks like it to me!

Eliote and Aye take a detour by going out of the path, to explore the forest. A thin fog is setting in. There is more relief than in Tonj and its surroundings. Hills interspersed with valleys, or even little cliffs can be seen. By the way, a little cliff just so happens to be in front of Eliote and Aye's way.

-Oh, a cliff! We are already far from the plain where we spawned!

-Look Eliote, there is even a cave in this cliff!

-Ah? Hmm... Ah yes! I don't know how many times I told you this, but you really have good eyes Aya!

-Thanks!

-So... Let's go in the cave!

Eliote and Aye are now in the cave. It doesn't go deep, it's more like a hole than a cave. However, there is a door at the end of this hole.

-Somebody lives here? I wonder what type of person could they be...

-Maybe it's a person that doesn't like society? Unless it is someone that really likes nature!

A girl is talking from behind.

-Oh no! Inhabitants of Kok Minb Ha found where their legend lives!

-???

-Ah but we don't come from Kok Minb Ha, we travel around the country!

-You are a legend? Could we know more about it?

-Phew, the mystery surrounding me is saved! In this case... My name is Fa Lez (ファレーズ), a legend of the folklore of Kok Minb Ha!

Fa Lez is a loli-type girl with long white hair and a bat hairpin on the left side of her bangs. Her left eye is red, while her right eye is grey. She was wearing sunglasses just before, but right now she took them off and is holding them in her right hand. She wears a white shirt with a red ribbon, and a overall black dress, something lolita-styled.

-A legend that really exists?

-Cool!

-Can we know what you do everyday as a character of the folklore of this city?

-If you want, as long as you don't talk about me if you go to Kok Minb Ha. But first, let's go to my home!

So they go in Fa Lez's home.

-People call me the spring water girl.

-The spring water girl? Why?

-In fact, on a certain rock not far from here, inhabitants of Kok Minb Ha drop food as an offering, and when it's the night I swap it with spring water with rejunevating properties.

-With rejunevating properties?! Is it true?

-Haha no it's bullshit! However, it has such a good taste that people make offerings to savor it! And it allows me to not starve!

-Not starve? Isn't there sufficient resources to feed ourselves in this forest?

-Laziness.

-Ah...

-Otherwise, I have a hot spring in the other room, do you want to watch yourselves? Because it stinks since you've been here!

-Well thanks for talking without a grain of salt!

-I have a sensitive sense of smell... Oh damn it, I'm going to wash with you!

Eliote, Aye and Fa Lez are now in the hot spring.

-It feels good!

-A nice bath after all this walking...

-By the way Fa Kez, have the inhabitants of Kok Minb Ha already seen you?

-No!

-We plan to go to the festival this evening, do you want to come? We'll just tell we are travelers!

-That's a nice idea, I've never been in this place before, with the festival, it's my time to go!

-Well, I'm leaving the bath!

The girls are now in front of the cave. Fa Lez is wearing her sunglasses. It is now cloudy though...

-Why do you wear sunglasses when there's no sun?!

-Uh I'm weak against the sun!

-Are you a vampire or what?

-What is a vampire?

-It's a legend of the folklore of where I come from. It's weak against the sun and mainly lives at night.

-Hey but that's me!

-It has fangs.

-Hey but that's me!

-And it likes couscous

-Hey but that's me!

-We can eat couscous in this country?!

-Yes, the couscous, my favorite offering! It's a really well spread dish in this country! Semolina, a stew, carrots and merguez, it's delightful! So in where you come from they would call me a vampire! Cool!

Aye thinks.
«It will be lively in the festival...»

The girls walked in the forest in the direction of Kok Minb Ha. It is now the afternoon, and they arrived in Kok Minb Ha.

-Here it is, Kok Minb Ha! That has exhausting to walk up here!

-We have to be on the top of a hill!

-There were 2 hairpin turns on this path!

In this city, the architecture is different from Tonj. We can see cottages, all in wood. But it isn't the cottages who picked the interest of the girls. It's the wooden tower of about thirty meters tall that is right in front of them!

-So many stairs...

-That's cool, this tower is higher than the surrounding trees!

-Since we are already high up, we could have an incredible view if we go to the top of it!

The spiral staircase is outside. 165 stairs are to climb up!

-Eliote, I'm starting to have vertigo...

-Acrophobia! Hmm... But you didn't have vertigo when we were flying!

-We are not in the sky Eliote! You need to have your feet on the ground to feel vertigo!

-In this case, hold on tight to me Aya!

Eliote thinks.
«This embarassed face... It's too adorable...»

The girls arrive on top of the tower. The fog is no more. A magnificent view of Shino Forest. On the north side, we can see mountains about 1200 meters high, that makes up the north border of the country.

-So that's how my forest that I love so much looks like... It is beautiful!

-We discovered a pretty viewpoint!

-Hey, but the central plaza of the city is in the shape of a roundabout with a covered market in its center!

-Ah yes! The inhabitants must easily find their way to this plaza! By the way, have you seen? We can get off the tower with a rope! I'm going first!

-Wait Fa Lez!

-Yesss!!!

-Too late...

-We just have to join her!

-You too Eliote?!

-Woohoo!!!

-I suppose I don't have the choice...

Aye doesn't have the same reaction as Eliote and Fa Lez...

-Ahhhhhhhhhh!!!

The girls are now heading towars the covered market of the roundabout, where the festival takes place to celebrate the beginning of autumn. Aye talks to a local.

-Hello! Do you know when the festival takes place?

-Ah the festival! It's this evening! Meanwhile, I advise you to eat at the inn «The good couscous at Jeff's». You will eat couscous like it should be!

-Thanks a lot for you recommendation! Have a good day!

Meanwhile, in Aye's back...

-Couscous!

-Couscous!

-Merguez!

-Carrot!

-Yum!

-Yum!

-Decidedly, the relationship between Eliote and Fa Lez boils down only to food...

Eliote, Aye and Fa Lez are now at the inn «The good couscous at Jeff's». There's a delicious smell of the Maghreb that enters the olfactory receptors of the girls.

-This smells so good!

-Welcome to The good couscous at Jeff's! I am Jeff (ジェフ)! Please sit where you want!

After Jeff finished talking, someone called Eliote and Aye.

-Eliote, Aye! Come and sit next to us!

-Hey Hey! What are you and Che doing in Kok Minb Ha?

-I'm friend with Jeff, and in addition he cooks the authentic couscous merguez carrot, so I come regularly here!

-Ah! Otherwise, do you come to the festival this evening?

-No, unfortunately I have things to do in Tonj!

-Good luck!

-Thanks! Oh, Jeff arrives!

Jeff brings a gigantic couscous to the table.

-And here it is! The authentic couscous merguez carrot! Treat yourselves!

-Thanks!

-Yum yum, me who am gluttonous this makes me really want!

The grammar is already dead.

-It is delicious!

The girls just came out of the inn. The night has fallen.

-Che and me are going to left, bye!

-Have a good way back!

-Look! The inhabitants are queuing in a circle around the roundabout! Let the festival begin!

The girls join the queuing. We can hear a traditional music of the city. After this moment, everybody went to the covered market and drank a typical alcohol of this city. An elixir made from plants found in Shino Forest.

-Hey, you are not from this city!

-In fact, we are travelers!

-Do you want to try the Wug Puf (ウーグプフ) elixir?

-No thanks, ethanol is bad for your brain!

-With pleasure!

-Yes please!

So the Wug Puf elixir, since it's a homemade alcohol, the alcohol content can be very very very high. That's why the inhabitants of Kok Minb Ha are used to mix it with... nothing! It's like that in Kob Minb Ha!

-It's strong but delicious!

The alcohol doesn't seem to affect Fa Lez. But Aye on the other hand...

-Eliote... My dear Eliote...

-Yes?

-We are a couple since one month right?

-Uh... Yes?

-So when do you want to take it a step further... Don't you want to do... things... to-ge-ther?

-You what?!

-Oh look, a black cat! He's so cute!

Eliote thinks.
«What is this attention span?!»

-Come back here!

-Aya wait! Fa Lez, stay here! I will look for Aya!

-Uh, okay!

Eliote is chasing Aye, but not for long as Aye just fell on the ground.

-Aya!!! Are you okay???

-Could be worse...

Eliote thinks.
«She's already not drunk anymore?!»

-However Eliote, I have a headache...

Eliote thinks.
«She already has a hangover?! I suppose her metabolism does everything at high speed...»

-Take my hand Aya, we are gonna sleep in an inn, you will feel better with me!

-Okay, thanks Eliote...

Eliote and Aye come back to Fa Lez.

-Fa Lez, does it bother you if we already go to sleep? Aya needs to rest.

-Ah no no of course don't worry I understand! I will join you later!

-Cool! Good night then.

-Rest well!

Eliote and Aye come back to the inn «The good couscous at Jeff's» to take a room to sleep.

-Jeff, I would want a room for three prople, someone will join us later this evening.

-Okay!

Eliote and Aye are now in bed. They hold hands...

-Good night Aya!

-Good night Eliote...

They give an affectionate kiss...