A/N: Thank you so much for the support as usual! I am so close to 200 reviews! Keep it up! XD

Warning: Gross descriptions. If you have a weak stomach, beware.

Disclaimer: I do not own Ranger's Apprentice.

27. Foreign

It was that time of year again. The annual culture fair, where all of Araluen's allies gathered together in one big, festival lasting for days. Most people looked forwards to it, fascinated at all of the different cultures coming together and sharing food and traditions.

Will usually enjoyed it, always spending all of his money on various candies from different places over the world. Now, however, was entirely different. This year, he decided to go with Halt, who had immediately taken them both to the Nihon-Ja booth and ordered several delicacies.

Will looked down at the pile of food on his plate and then back up at the man standing in front of him, a look of pure terror on his face.

"You don't really expect me to eat this..." Will muttered to Halt, trying to keep his voice as imperceptible as possible in order not to draw attention.

"Yes," Halt said. "Yes, I do."

"But Halt... It's foreign..."

Halt glared at the young ranger. "I don't care. Eat your sushi," he growled.

"So that's what it's called," Will said, poking the little pieces of raw fish on his plate. Next to the raw fish was a small pile of... something. It was a pink blob, looking very similar to a small pile of twisted up rope.

"What is that?" he asked.

"You don't want to know," Halt commented.

"Ummm, yes I do," Will responded as the pile jiggled a little bit.

"Eat a bite and then I will tell you," Halt responded.

Will glowered at the older ranger, poking the piece of unknown food and raising the fork slowly to his mouth. "Do I have to?" he asked.

"Yes," Halt said.

Will put the bite of food in his mouth. The unknown food item was slimy and Will had to chew it for several moments before he could swallow. The taste nearly made him gag, and he shuddered, picking up the glass of water in front of him and guzzling it down.

"That wasn't so bad..." Halt said.

"Yes, but what was it?" Will asked.

"Pig's brain," Halt replied after a few moments of silence, sticking a bit of sushi in his mouth as he studied his former apprentice's paling face. Without speaking, Will stood, stumbling away into the nearby bushes, disappearing from sight.

Halt felt guilty as he heard his former apprentice retch. It was a few moments before Will appeared again, face pale, wiping his mouth on his sleeve.

"Never again," he muttered.

"But you haven't tried the sushi yet," Halt commented, raising an eyebrow.

"Never. Again."

A/N: Hehehe, I hope you laughed a little bit at that. XD I've never eaten a brain myself, but I imagine it would be gross. I think I almost puked a few times writing this.

Next chapter is 'Sorrow'. If I manage to get to 200 reviews, the next chapter will be dedicated to my 200th reviewer, who will get to choose what I write about. XD

Live long and prosper!

-Dawn