fandomtownies | Ching Tai [Wednesday, July 15, Noon]

"I don't mind Chinese. And I'm so glad we got to do this today!"

Aphrodite took a seat across from Irulan. "I was going to wear my hat today, but . . . something happened over the weekend, and . . . well, I might just have to come in and buy another one," she said thoughtfully.

"So am I," Irulan said then sighed, "your hat turned human too? My whole hat collection turned human as well. It was fortunate most of them were well mannered."

"All of them? Wow." 'Dite considered as she opened her menu. "Hat was well mannered. A little naive, but well mannered. It's nice to know it wasn't just me, by the way." She tilted her head. "I had two books come into the shop. And they had turned into this old guy in a pointy hat and this really short old woman with a weird accent. I'd heard the island was 'weird' but . . . do things like this happen often?"

"All of them," Irulan confirmed with a nod. "I'm glad to hear your Hat was well mannered." She opened her menu then smiled, "Yes, it happens here a lot. There was one time one my hats turned into pie, I was forced to eat it lest it became spoiled."

"Pie?" 'Dite looked a little ill at the thought of eating her hat. "So, things come alive and turn into food. Okay."

She waited until they ordered then leaned back. "I suppose I should have listened better when I was talking to Dinah, one of the students at the school? She said it was a strange place, but since I've seen strange, I kind of just . . ." She waved a hand, "blew her off, I guess. But hats and books coming to life? That was a little new for me. Is that what most of the weirdness is about?"

Irulan nodded, "I've met Dinah. Well, there other things this island is also prone to invasions from ghosts to aliens and the last I heard something to do with mutated alligators."

"Invasions." Aphrodite continued listening, her eyebrows rising higher with each word. "Alligators?" She blinked.

"So, I should be prepared for my clothes to turn human, for things in the shop to become strangely shaped pie, and for my customers to be books, aliens and alligators?"

She was going to have to speak to someone about the definition of the word weird, because this town was way past that.

"You could try," Irulan said with a grin, "and yet somehow no matter how prepared you think you are the island will come up with something and throw you off."

"Somehow, I can believe that."

Their food arrived, and she tasted one of the appetizers. "So, tell me . . . you said you're from very far in the future. It must be a big change from what you're used to, especially since you changed planets." Which still made 'Dite boggle. "So, what's it like, this Akar -- Arsak -- Arkais?"

Irulan sampled the dumplings, she tried the chopsticks but found it a little difficult to use. She took the fork used it.

"Mmmm.... these are delicious, try this, Jackie," she said after tasting.

"Arrakis?" Irulan considered her answer, "It was a change especially when I realized I was in the past. It was the concept of time travel that I had to get used to more than living in another planet. As for Arrakis, before it became the Imperial Planet a lot of people considered it hellish. The whole planet is a desert, you see, and most people would rather live in Kaitan or Caladan before venturing to Arrakis. It took me sometime to adjust living there but in the end--" Irulan shrugged, "--it became my home."

"Ooh, you're right, those are good, and that dipping sauce is wonderful." A thousand years without food, and now she was a connoisseur of sauces.

"Desert planet?" Aphrodite made a face. "why would anyone want to live there? I mean, is the sand made out of gold or something?" She tilted her head, thinking. "I don't think I'd like to live in a desert. I hear hot air is harsh on the skin." Not that a goddess needed to worry about that, but she thought it was a valid concern for any mortal.

Irulan let out a rueful laugh, "Arrakis isn't my first choice either but you were not far off when you mentioned the sand being made of gold, or to be more accurate: Arrakis is the only planet in the whole Known Universe able to create the Spice Melange. And in my world, the Spice is the single greatest commodity in the universe. Whoever controlled the Spice, controls the throne.

"When Paul, my husband, became emperor he decided to move the capital from Planet Kaitan to Arrakis to better manage and safe guard the Spice."

Irulan felt a tinge of sadness when she mentioned Paul but pushed it away. It's been years and she has a new life now. She should look to the present and not indulge in the past.

"Wow, what kind of spice is this? I mean, saffron is expensive, and I know other foods people will pay a lot for, but -- single greatest commodity? Either you people love to eat or this spice is more than you're tellin' me."

She paused when she heard Irulan speak of her husband. "Did I know you were married? That's right, you have step children, I remember you saying something about them. Where is your husband? He obviously didn't come with you to Fandom."

"Spice is a... it's a drug," Irulan said and if Jackie looked she might see that Irulan's eyes had a tinge of blue. "In its most basic form it helps prolong life but if consumed in its purest form it allows people to see into the future, or for some, able to navigate through the folds of space enabling space travel. One of the drawbacks is that it causes addiction and withdrawal means death."

Irulan took her time before answering the matter of Paul Atreides.

"Forgive me, I didn't mention him but yes, I was married. Paul died a long time ago." The way she said it, she could for a brief moment pretend her marriage to Paul was more than political. Again, she pushed that fancy away. She reached for another dumpling, "Perhaps we should order more dumplings."

Changing the subject, Irulan? Of course not, she was just hungry!

Aphrodite could be a total ditz. She was selfish at times, arrogant at others. But no one could say she was deliberately cruel without reason. If Irulan didn't want to talk about Paul, 'Dite wouldn't ask.

"So, Spice is a drug, not a something you put in food, and it somehow helps in space travel." She shook her head. "You'd think I could get used to the strange pretty quick, but it's just not happening yet."

With a smile, she grabbed the last dumpling. "More is good." And she raised a hand to flag down their waiter.

Irulan was grateful Jackie didn't pursue her line of questioning about Paul.

"We do also season our food and drink with Spice," Irulan said with a smile, "trust me, Jackie, other worlds are stranger." She looked at Jackie curiously, "How about you? What's your home like?"

"My home?" The question surprised her, and she stalled by taking a large bite of her lemon chicken and chewing slowly. Seeing Irulan waiting for an answer, she swallowed and took a breath.

"Well, my home is . . . a long way from here." And a long time, as well. "But, it's big. Though there aren't too many people left there." True enough. Olympus was very large, but only Ares, Aphrodite, and a few minor deities like Cupid still had temples and homes there.

"It's beautiful, though." Her voice grew soft. "When the sun is shining, and there's cloud cover below, and the waterfall flows over the rocks, like music on the wind . . ." Her face had taken on a radiance and her smile was soft. "It can be a magical place."

Irulan sipped her eyes tea, listening to Jackie and smiled. "Your home sounds like paradise, Jackie. It must be a really wonderful place."

"Yeah." Her thoughts turned inward for a moment, but she shook off the memories and smiled at Irulan. "But I've found there's a lot of wonder and magic in the mor-- uh, in this world as well. I've been enjoying it."

She sighed and leaned back, water glass in hand. "This has been wonderful, Irulan. Thank you for joining me."

"You're very welcome, I enjoyed myself as well." Irulan said, "Perhaps you would like to join me for tea at my home some time?"

Aphrodite blinked. "Wow, that's so nice of youuuuu. Thank you, I'd love to!" She leaned forward a little. "I'm glad we've become friends, Irulan. Even if you are a little uncomfortable with my store." She winked.

Irulan ducked her head, "I apologize for that." She laughed, "My stepdaughter loves teasing me about being too proper."

"I'd love to meet your step kids sometime. They sound fun. Would they blush at my 'decadent delights'?"

"They are and a handful too!" Irulan shook her head, "Ghani and Leto? No, I would wager money that they'd find it amusing. If they discovered your shop first I am quite certain they'd trick me into entering your shop. They love pulling pranks on me, those two."

But she sounded very fond and not angry.

"Well, you could backwards prank them. Bring them into the store on your own." She laughed. "And if you want, I could try to shock them for you -- if it wouldn't make you blush too badly."

'Dite was teasing, in a non-teasing kind of way.

Irulan was intrigued despite herself. "It would be difficult to pull a trick on them."

"Ah, but I'm --" She stopped, biting her lip. Jackie Blue. Not Aphrodite. No powers. Under cover. Oh, yeah. "I'm pretty tricky." It was lame, but stopped her from admitting things she shouldn't.

"You should bring them in anyway. Show them their stepmom is more hip than they think she is."

Irulan grinned, "I think I shall do so one of these days."

She would be lying if she said she never thought of playing a trick or two on her stepchildren once in a while.

"Irulan, it has been my pleasure. I hope we can get together again sometime."

Ching Tai [Wednesday, July 15, Noon]

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