Mochi At Midnight

Mochi was not something he knew how to make.  Despite this, Landon prowled about Dan’s Dango in order to watch how it was done.  Such careful measuring of ingredients!  The fact there was a mallet!  He stopped by so often that it was incredibly conspicuous that, indeed, the bun wanted to try something himself.

All he had to do was get some ingredients, right?

The store was filled to the brim with buns of different colours, tattoos and all.  Landon nearly kicked another, but he had restraint today.  All he did was give a dirty, dirty look as he went about filling his little basket with rice flour, sugar, holiday themed mochi and more.  Marshmallows, regular flour, strawberries and peaches and…

The list went on.  In the end, he needed to push his cart to the front.  A little embarrassing, but perhaps it will pay off in due time.  Due time being tonight, that is.  Oh!  Right, the little book and magazine section did remind him that he should pick up a guide.  Another spend to add to the carats that he practically bled once he left the store.

A tragedy.  He did not intend to spend so much, but anything in the pursuit of a new hobby.  He has been quite bored lately, after all… Maybe this will be a fine addition to his other ways.  And the numerous visits to friends and one little bastard that he does not even like.  Slimy, tentacled, purple and obnoxious.

Regardless.

When he had hauled it all home, Landon set about ensuring that Dice was leashed and incapable of tearing through the home again.  Again.  The Freign, darling, timid thing, was smarter than to follow the Impup’s example of being a menace.  Landon knew that captivating such a thing was a worthwhile endeavour; they were so well-behaved.

He sat on the counter with a mortar and pestle and other tools set in front of himself.  To make the dough… he flipped through the book he had purchased a few times.  Do not do this.  Do not do that.  Landon browsed with purpose, guided by the sweet red bean filling of the red-and-gold mochi that he had bought from the store.  It was a little more dough than filling, but it was sweet enough to make up for it.

So, he ought to pay attention to his portions too.

When he felt he was ready, he had already munched through two containers of mochi.  Now and then he tossed bits and pieces of sesame ones to his imps.  Dice was thoroughly impressed with the generosity, Slice was eager to swish about in that large tank of its and the little darling deer sniffed about before it partook of the treat.  That was all it was going to be, too.

The mochi process was one that Landon was distinctly unfamiliar with.  He was not sure if there was to be more or less pressure when he pounded the dough and tasting it now and then was unpleasant.  Not sweet enough, too sweet.  One time he had his ears stuck to what was more a goopy paste than actual dough.  Washing it all out was a troublesome process, especially in the kitchen sink.  A sink he wanted to bathe in instead, but having fur in the kitchen was a problem in and of itself.

Back to the grindstone and, subsequently, the pounding of the dough.  He had to be careful.  Measure it out properly, Landon!  He bitterly wept at the ache in his little bun body as he continued to go on and on to pound what he felt was a better dough.  At least, for a beginner.  A beginner with only a little guide book and carats to spend.

The sound of the mallet melted into the quiet of the background.  Touch and test the dough.  Get back to kneading and pounding and beating it.  Carefully, with a purpose.  Nothing was coincidental.  It had to be right.

It took many, many tries.  He lost count, actually.  In the end was a slightly misshapen mochi, filled with an assortment of booze-soaked strawberries that he found in the fridge.  It was placed, carefully and with the utmost respect, on a plate edged with gold.  Landon put his hooves together in respect before he allowed himself to crawl to bed on the floor.  The carpet in the living room was plush enough, after all.

Hopefully it was well received for a beginner’s attempt at being perfect.