"Look, Kai. Radishes!" Dai exclaimed.
"How about the little mouse makes us some dinner, right Dai?"
"Oh yeah, Kai. I'm really hungry."
"Okay." I said quietly. I grabbed a basket to go back to the shed to get something to make. When I got to the door, Kai grabbed me by the elbow and forcefully pulled me back.
"Where do you think you're going?"
"To get something to make to eat. I have a shed out back with all of my vegetables." I told him quietly. No matter how many ways I thought about how I could escape and get into the village to get any help, I just couldn't think of a good escape that wouldn't end up with me being caught and possibly killed.
"You aren't leaving my line of sight. I'm coming with you."
I stayed silent. I didn't care if he knew where I kept my harvested food. After all, it's just food. So we went out back to my shed. I toiled around with some ideas to do with spinach, but couldn't think of anything appetizing to go with the spinach. These thugs would want something heavy to help them sleep at night. Maybe if I make something heavy they'll go to sleep and I can sneak out and go get help inside the village! I thought. But they might be light sleepers even if I make something heavy. I thought again. That's when it hit me. Tsunade had me grow a variety of herbs last year. Although I trusted her completely, I did a little research on the herbs I planted. Valerian roots are known for their sedative abilities. So I could medicate them to sleep! I grabbed a bundle of valerian root. But what could I make it with so it won't seem obvious.
Stuffed peppers.
With all of the stuff that can go into stuffed peppers, no one would ever know that I drugged the peppers except myself and since I already ate, I won't have to eat any.
With a plan now formulated, I grabbed everything I would need. I didn't have any fresh ground beef, however. But I did have potatoes, which will work just as well. So I grabbed four large potates, four large red peppers, gouda cheese that I bought from the village a week ago, parsley, butter, and garlic.
When I exited the shed, I looked for Kai. Although, it didn't take long to find him. He was leaning on the side of the shed, waiting patiently for me to go back inside. He didn't mean mug me for taking so long and he didn't yell. Although he was repulsive to look at and to smell, he had at least a couple of manners. When we made it inside of the cottage, I noticed Dai had started eating the radishes that were still on my table from before I left to go to the barbeque place. I inwardly sighed. They were supposed to be washed up and sold for a profit, not for feeding thugs. Again, I didn't say anything.
"Um, Dai, is it?"
"What do you want?" He said gruffly.
"I was wondering if you could go fill this cauldron with water from the pipe out back. It's far to heavy for me to carry." I said timidly, afraid he would smack me for asking him to do such a thing.
Although he grumbled about it for a minute, he did as I asked. He grabbed the large cauldron and took it to the water spout that I directed him to. While he was out, I grabbed some fire wood and kindling and proceeded to start a fire in my pit inside my home. I wrapped the potatoes in aluminum foil and placed them near the blue fire, but not close enough for the flames to cook it. I needed to bake the potatoes so the insides will be easier to take out. A grate I use as a grill is already in place over the flames, the cauldron can hang over the fire to boil the water, without interfering with the make do grill.
"So, how long have you lived out here, mousy?" Kai asked.
"For two years."
"All by yourself?"
"Yeah." I stated quietly. Not that I didn't want to talk to him, but I was terrified. I was being forced to cook for some thugs that broke into my home. In fact I was surprised I was keeping together this long.
"What're you making anyway, Nezumi?" Apparently my name is Nezumi for mouse now.
"Stuffed peppers."
"Where's the meat?"
"I don't have any."
"What do you mean you don't have any meat!?" He asked astound.
"I don't usually buy meat unless I know I'm going to use it. It can go bad really fast, and as you can see, I don't really have proper refrigeration for raw meat."
"So what're you going to stuff it with?"
"Potatoes" I said simply.
There wasn't much said after that. About five or so minutes later Dai returned with the cauldron of water. I only needed a small pot of water, but I figured when the water started boiling they could drop the water in the tub and fill it with cold water and get a warm bath, since I don't have a hot water heater. Dai and Kai went on talking about this, that, and the other thing while I cooked, and I wasn't too interested to hear what they have to say.
I cut the peppers in half and I shredded seven ounces off the block of gouda cheese. I put the gouda cheese into a moderate size ceramic mixing bowl with seven tablespoons of butter with about a cup milk. While I was making the filling for the stuffed peppers, I grabbed my mortar and pestle and ground the dried valerian root to a fine powder and poured a bit into the mixture, saving the rest of the powder to sprinkle on top of the potatoes, in case the sedative property nullified with heat. I minced a little bit of garlic and tossed it into the bowl as well to try to drown out the nasty taste of the valerian root. I filled a smaller pot with some of the water Dai brought in for me and put it on a butane burner, so the water will boil faster. Once the water started boiling, I dropped the peppers into the pot for five minutes to blanch. I went to check on the potatoes next to the fire, and they needed another five or ten minutes til I could scoop the insides of them out. I can't believe I chose such a long recipe. I sighed to myself. I just want my home back. And hopefully, if I give them everything they want they'll leave.
"Nezumi." Kai called out and I jumped about a foot in the air. "When is dinner going to be done? These radishes aren't going to hold us over for long!"
"Um.. twenty minutes or so.." I stuttered out.
"Hurry it up!" He demanded.
I grabbed a set of tongs and pulled the potatoes away from the fire and set them on the counter to cool off a bit. I pulled the peppers out of the boiling water too. The potatoes would take at least fifteen minutes to cool down, but I got a spoon and a knife and started peeling away the skins of the potatoes anyways.
My hands were a light red when I was done peeling the potatoes. I felt myself playing hot potato with a few of them. I could feel the blisters starting to form on my hands. I threw the potatoes into the ceramic bowl with the other ingredients and mashed them until they were combined. I laid out the halved peppers and started filling them with the potato filling. I placed them on the grill grate over the fire and put a lid on over the peppers. They only needed a slight char on the outside of the pepper for flavor, which would only take five or ten minutes.
When the peppers were done, I put them on a tray and slapped a little butter on to and sprinkled a little more valerian powder and parsley on top, to give it a little color.
Satisfied with myself, I set the plate of peppers in front of the men that were at my table.
"How do we know these aren't drugged?" Kai questioned me.
"Whaaa- Why would I- I mean, they aren't." I stuttered.
"Well they why don't you eat one?" He asked quizically.
"O-Okay." I grabbed a pepper and took a big bit out of it. I'll just have to force myself to stay awake.
The pepper had a nice crisp to it, thanks to the grill, and the potato filling was chunky, yet creamy at the same time. I couldn't even taste the root that was throughout this dish. I was actually really satisfied with this dish. Too bad it's for a bunch of thugs. I couldn't help but think about Choji and Naruto and Sakura and Ino and Shikamaru. They would've liked this dish. And I could've felt really good about myself then, but I don't have the time to fawn over my food at the present moment.
"Okay, I guess it's safe to eat." Kai admitted after about five minutes to see if I'd fall down, dead.
"Oh boy." Dai exclaimed excitedly, preparing to dig in. "When's the last time we ate real food?"
Again, friends. I'd love nothing more than to know what you all think about how this is rolling. I can't makeit better if I don't know what to improve. Please review!