Mochi Munching 3

Although Vivian had, by and large, cut most ties to the old life she had led after arriving in Burrowgatory, it didn’t mean she eschewed all of it, particularly not the celebrations.  Her old life had just bored her, that was all - it hadn’t been bad.  She loved the same foods, the same drinks…

And boy did she still love mochi and dango.

Mochi Moon was one of the rare times she felt closest to her old life, especially when she set foot into Dan’s Dango, hooves tapping across the floor.

Really, the only new thing about this visit was how early she was in the shop.  Usually, before, she would have come with the late night rush after most buns had finished work.  Now…  She was there at opening, one of the first buns in the shop.

“Welcome to the shop,” Dan greeted.  “What’ll you be having?”  She wasn’t exactly a frequent enough customer to be remembered by name, but he at least recognized she wasn’t new.

Unlike some customers, at least, Vivian needed no time to think.  She supposed she might be boring, but she preferred to think of it as knowing herself well.  (Ironic to think, given how she had dismantled her old life due to finding it boring, but she was here to get mochi, not contemplate existence).  “One ice cream mochi, please,” she replied.  A moment’s pause, and then she added, “Also two kinako dango and one mitarashi.”  Her imps could have some treats for Mochi Moon too, and she knew well what they all liked.

Dan grunted and began pulling the dango out from his display, putting them into a bag for her.  The mochi was a bit different - due to the ice cream center, he packed it into an insulated box.

Once she had handed over her carats, he spoke again.  “Enjoy, thank you for your business.”

“Thank you,” she said brightly, taking the bag and box and heading out of the shop.

The walk home made her grateful for the insulated box.  Without it, she was certain it would have melted before she reached her home towards the outskirts of the city.  With it, it would just need a few minutes in the freezer to firm up to the proper consistency.

She let herself in, giggling as she spotted her imps’ heads all popping up over the back of her couch.  “Kitchen,” she called to them, as she went to put her mochi into the freezer.

They rushed over, Honor and Triumph flying above the head of Victory, and obediently lined up at the mat where she gave them their treats.

“You’re all so good,” she praised, pulling the dango out of the bag.  The mitarashi dango went to Triumph, who began tearing it apart immediately, chirping as her beak absorbed each…  Well, it couldn’t be called a bite or mouthful since imps didn’t have mouths, but that was the best language Vivian had to describe how Triumph ate.

A kinako dango went to Honor, who, like most imps Vivian had met, just absorbed each ball of the dango, distorting his shape to absorb it.  Victory ate her kinako dango in the same fashion as Honor, although her tail wagged the whole time, which Vivian thought was terribly cute.

When they all finished - which took a bit, as Triumph was a slow eater - Vivian got her mochi back out of the freezer, figuring it would be finished firming up by now.

She sat at her table with it, while her imps, knowing their snack was finished, went back to napping on the couch - minus Triumph, who decided to sit on her head and preen.

Vivian lifted the first ball of mochi to her mouth and bit, sighing with pleasure as she felt how the ice cream began to melt in her mouth.  It was the perfect consistency, too - not too soft and melty, but not the hard level of frozen that made her teeth hurt.  It was incredibly decadent and sweet, and a true feast for her mouth.

Before she knew it, though, her mochi was completely gone.

It had been so tasty, and her mouth missed it.

Maybe…  Maybe she’d pick up more at some point…  Mochi Moon might be but a night, but the celebrations lasted a while before it at least.  It would be worth it…

She’d figure that out, though, after her sword practice and actual breakfast, she decided, standing up and heading towards her room to change into workout gear.