The Palpagos Islands, a mystery archipelago hidden from the outside world. Home to creatures called "Pals". While life here can be both exciting and harsh, there's always time to slow down and smell the roses. Or plant a garden.
PalTales is an assortment of slice of life short stories that take place within Palworld.
It was a late morning. The early dew and coldness of the previous night was evaporating, as the sun was nearing its peak. At the top of a small, rocky hill near a marsh, was a desolated church. its foundation was ruined but still stood. Nature had retaken it as vines, moss and grass grew in every nook and cranny of what was left of the once holy structure. Close by, no more than a stone's throw away, was a walled encampment. The protective walls, made from many, many cut up logs, circled around a large, rectangle building of carved stone. on its side, was an elevated stone platform that held various workbenches and machines that had ongoing projects. Things were in full swing as colourful beings were hard at work at their tasks. These strange, odd-looking creatures, called Pals, were darting back and forth between chores set before them.
A Penking, a penguin like Pal adored in a deep and light blue captain's outfit complete with an Comically overly-large hat, was busy spraying water at a wooden wheel, milling flour in style. A tall, bipedal pink-scaled lizard with lustful eyes and purple skin coat tails, Lovander, was helping build spheres with a pair of cat-like and fox-like Pals, dressed in a purple witch's and red mage's outfits respectively. Both Katress and Wixen were trying to ignore each other. Meanwhile, a greenish blue unibolt with yellow edges was discharging a build up of electricity into a generator to power the equipment. Several other Pals were busy chopping trees and mining stone, ferrying the materials to any available container to put them in or were grazing in a manmade ranch enclosure.
One Pal, in particular, stood out from the others…in fact, it towered over them.
A walking, hulking of what appears to be a dragon of sorts. Known as a Quivern. her body, from the top of her head, all the way to a long burley tail, was covered in fur as white as snow, and just as soft. Tufts of it sprouted on both large forearms, neck and thighs, with one lastly perched on the top of the head, nestled between two long, light blue feathers. Behind, a pair of angelic wings, each adorned with long, fluffy feathers that seemed to gradient between different shades of blue. Holding in her talons, was several heads.
Of green lettuce. and a couple of red tomatoes.
Casually, the ginormous Pal lumbred towards an oversized bowl. Garden varieties like red berries, tomatoes and lettuce, filled the hollow cavity piled high above the rim line. Upon reaching the feed bowl, the giant Quivern simply put her load into the bowl, turned around and walked back to where she came. Among the conga line, other Pals were carrying their own handfuls. A Drepresso, a small koala like Pal with dark blue fur, purple tipped grey ears, complete with a perma-scowl, was half dragging-lifting a bundle of wheat over to the bowl. Funny enough, it and the others were moving faster than their behemoth friend. The white giant wasn't all that motivated in working hard. She was a slacker. She knew it, but simply didn't care.
In the meanwhile, over on the platform area, the sounds of sizzling and clanging of utensils could be heard. On the side of the building's wall, an orange and silver stove was being manned by, well, a man. He was nearly six feet tall, wild dark brown hair and beard was a sign of weeks, if not months, that a razor was ever used. Cladded in a refined metal armour outfit, complete with arm and shoulder padding and a chestplate with a strange sigil that glowed. A clothed hung from armour plating on the hip. His boots were well used from wear and tear but still held up.
The man's focus was what was in front of him. In his hand, a big iron skillet. With speed and precision, he was cooking up a storm and there didn't appear to be any stopping to his culinary onslaught.
Flavoured vapours whaff from the steam and smoke, riding the breeze around the grounds. One by one, each Pal slowed their work down, raising their snouts. Deep breaths took in the spreading aroma, a chorus of flavours danced within their nostrils as images of delicious meals flashed in their minds. The Quivern was no different, she too took in the fragrances.
Her keen nose was able to tell apart the different scents. Mushroom stew, chikipi kababs, rushoar roast and….and….wait…what's THAT one??? That sweet aroma…coupled with…could it be?!
"COME AND GET IT!" Hollard the man, as he was putting the finishing touches to the last of his creations. Upon hearing this, everyone stopped what they were doing, dropped everything and made a beeline for the feeding bowl, knowing what time it was. As all the creatures were picking their places, some noticed a big, white missile was hurling towards them! Just nearly getting out of the way in time, the evading pals watched as the dragon plopped herself down, her tail wagging a mile a minute. Some gave a dirty look, as if saying "Hey, watch it idiot!". The little Depresso, stationed right next to the big lug, looked up at her and simply shook his head. Out of disapproval or something else, no one was sure.
She didn't notice nor care. Her mind was too fixated on what she knew was coming.
Waltzing down the stone steps, the man was, with careful care, holding a platter stocked high with various dishes and meals. Following him, Wixen and Katress were following behind with their own overfilled platters as well. Both trying their hardest not to drool. The hungry Pals watched in anticipation as the platters of feast neared closer.
As soon as the platters were set on the ground, it became a buffet rush! Big claws, little paws and sly tendrils snagged the first dish they touched. The chef had to jump back to avoid being trampled.
"Hey HEY!" He shouted " There's plenty for everyone here! No need to rush!...yeesh…" Sighing as all the creatures before him settled back down to their places after getting their fill. Still, he smiled at his handy work. Each platter was separated into different spreads: meat, greens and inbetween. The man had learned the dietary habits of his Pals and made sure there was plenty to choose from. This time, he felt trying out some fanicer recipes as a treat for his companions. He loves to spoil them from time to time.
However, not all were happily munching away. The fluffy dragon didn't move from her spot. From her high vantage point, she had a bird's eye view of the food. Her large, blue eyes formed furrowed brows. There certainly was much to choose from…but…where were the-
"Looking for these?~" a question sing-songed.
Pulled from her scanning, she turned her head towards where the voice came from. Looking down, the man stood before her. He smiled as he holded a fourth platter. The Pal's eyes grew larger than the plate itself.
On it, stood a stack of pancakes.
But these pancakes weren't normal, per say. They were big. REAL BIG. Each cake was at least a good two or more inches thick, their girth rounded nearly the whole plate. There were twelve stacked tall like a castle's spire. If that spire had a massive helping of dark-golden syrup oozing from the top, covering the tower like a ooie-gooie blanket.
The look on the giant Pal's face was priceless. Her eyes sparkled as she stared down at her awaited prize. Her tail wagged and swayed fast enough that it started feeling like a strong wind roared in. Carefully, the man moved closer, his friend's gaze never broke. Walking with a plate of huge pancakes was made difficult when said pancakes block your vision. Nevertheless, the tamer was able to bring the stack to his fluffy friend, setting the plate down before her.
"Alright Quill, dig in" The man said, after taking two steps back. Finally, Quill broke her stare and looked at her master, giving an excited nod, as her way of saying thank you. Seeing that all of his companions were busy enjoying their lunch, the man decided to go check on production progress and see if there was a need for more materials. And grab a bite himself.
"Finally…FINALLY, COME TO MOMMA!" The dragon giddily thought to herself. With great eagerness, she reaches for the yummy yum yums. Her claw wrapped around the top most patty, the grip causing the syrup to gush between each talon, also covering the fur on her mits. Bringing it closer to her mouth, salivation was in overdrive until her snout was within nom nom range. Taking a bite, her tongue was met with the most delectable taste. The first thing was the goopy syrup. Liquid sugar mixed with an unmistakable taste of honey splashed on the large tongue. Following behind, light and warm fluffy vanilla insides exploded from the firm form of the cake.
While the syrup and pancake were delicious by themselves, together though: they created something magical.
As Quill began to chew, the fluff of the pancake absorbed the sweet syrup, the combo enhancing the deliciousness even further. The goop that didn't land in the Pal's mouth was painted around it.
She. Was. In. BLISS.
The other set of claws reached for another from the plate as the first was being finished up. The dragon's tongue lapped the lips, feeling more of the sugary goodness. Instead of cleaning her mouth though, Quill opened it up to take a bite out of the next morsel. As soon as she bit down, her eyes shot open. Something new was dancing on her tongue! After being momentarily caught off guard, she slowly chewed and investigated. It was both sweet and tangy. It didn't take long to figure out what this invasive flavour was: RED BERRIES!
A simple red-berried fruit, given its namesake, that grew all over the Palpagos Islands. Since they were in abundance, you could go for days just eating them until you got sick of them. Great for snacks and especially when you cook them or add them in with other meals. Sauces, fillings, sides, you name it. Plus, they're easy to homegrown also, which makes sense, as almost every settlement have their own berry gardens in them.
This was utterly…DELIGHTFUL! Quill had pancakes with syrup made from the little fruits before but never thought of adding them IN the pancakes. Her sense of taste could tell they were cooked beforehand, making them even tastier. Somehow, the sweetness of the other flavours didn't overpower the berries or vice versa. They melded together into a melodic fusion, but still taste each one separately. Refreshing and fruity would be the best way to describe it. From the part that was chomped, little red spots could be seen buried within.
Right after polishing off the last bite, the hungry Pal's nose sensed something that caught her attention. It was…savoury…and…it was coming from the pancakes themselves. Intrigued, Quill grabbed and brought the next patty to her snout. A couple of sniffs confirmed it. However, it carried a…familiar, meaty smell also. Determined to solve this lil mystery, She did the only reasonable thing to do:
NOM!
Nothing…could have prepared her for-
BACON!!!
To be more accurate, belly meat from a Rushoar. A large tusked pig Pal that will pick a fight with anyone and anything within its sights. A pack of them went on a rampage several days ago causing the Tamer and his pals to put a stop to them, resulting in a stockpile of pig meat currently cooling in the fridge.
Quill was curious when her master would use the meat, but she never expected something like this! Even though her mind and body were stunned, her jaws still moved. Slowly, she took in everything.
Crunchy, bite-sized bits of bacon hide amongst the fluffy expanse of the pancake. The savoury profile of meat, with a hint of salt, tangled with the sweet aroma. This…this combo was a big display of heavy contrast. Hard and soft, sweet and savoury, light and crisp ,salt and sugar…This was a meeting of two very distinct flavours that shouldn't have worked. But it did.
Before she knew it, she felt her throat GULP, sending the morsel to its new home. Returning from her thoughts, the big Pal excitedly snatched up one, no, TWO cakes. She's wanted to experience more!
After cake after cake, she realised that the stack repeated with those three flavours: regular, red berry and bacon. This was a new experience for her and, by the wilds, she was enjoying every bit of it!
As the Quivern munched away, her snowy white fur was an unfortunate casualty. More sugary goop was being smeared more and more on her snout. Each addition caused more to dribble down her chin and sides. Her paws and talons were practically covered from the sharp tips down to the wrists. It looked as if she was wearing a pair of gooey mitts. Droplets rained down onto the Pal's abdomen like sparkling fragments, dotting more of the fur. Once the final piece of the stack was packed away, the now happily filled dragon let out a sigh of content. Suddenly, she felt something rush up her throat as a loud belch escaped her mouth. Now fully content, Quill took in the moment of the fullness. Noticing the syrup still splattered on her snout, her dragon tongue began to lick and lap.
As the Pal groomed and cleaned herself, The tamer, having finished his own plate, couldn't help but chuckle. Ever since he introduced the Quivern to pancakes, he noticed how excited she gets whenever he whips them up. Although, he only does so every once in a while, mainly because the big lug always makes a mess of herself like a toddler in a highchair. Often having to get one of the water type Pals to spray her down. Still though, he always gets a sense of satisfaction seeing the Quivern enjoy her treats with gusto. And from the look of things, the clean up detail was being handled without needing a bath. Until next time.
All the other Pals cheered in their own ways now getting back up and returning to their duties. Fetching the now empty platter plates, the Tamer made his way over to Quill, who was finishing lapping up the last bit of gooey goodness from her claws. "Enjoy your treat girl?" He asked. Wanting to try something different, the man remembered back in the outside world of the blueberry and bacon filled pancakes he used to eat at his favourite restaurant. Since the ingredients are more or less the same in this new world, he thought he would give it a shot. The now clean dragon gave a happy smile and cheerful yip as her answer, rubbing her belly in satisfaction.
Nodding in a job well done, the man then told his Pal he needed help setting up some refined chests, as he picked up the sticky plate and was making his way over to get them cleaned. Quill got up and made her way over to an open tool box, reaching in and grabbing her own tools to help with building.
All the while thinking: "I wonder what other yummy things the master will put into the pancakes for next time? I can't wait!"
