Legend of the Tea Master (Chapter 1 - The Festival)

Originally posted on MSPA by BestTeaMaker.

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Ask for a sample of each, then discern which tea suits best.

Korin>Ask for a sample

You eagerly ask to try some of their sweets. The smells in the room quickly entice your nose as your mouth quickly waters. Peng lets out another loud guffaw.

Peng
<div style="margin-left:40px">Haw, don't worry, young Korin. I'm just about to finish my newest batch of mochi. Why don't you take a seat and I'll whip up a fresh sample for you! Sang, can you help get the fillings ready?</div>

Sang
<div style="margin-left:40px">Yes father.</div>

Peng then heads behind a counter and raises his hammer above his head. You notice that there is a rather...mischievous gleam in the man's eyes.

Peng
<div style="margin-left:40px">And now, I shall make some of my best treats! YEEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!</div>

The THUCK of the hammer meeting mochi thunders throughout the room, causing you to raise your hands to your ears. You wonder in amazement at how Sang is even whistling a simple tune amongst the cacophanous slap of the mochi, but then you realize why Sang seemed to take a lot of breaks. With a final grunt, Peng unleashes a final effort as the last pound reached its end. You look over and see a large, firm, yet pillowy mound of rice gluten, ready to be shaped and made into mochi. However, Peng continues his stupendous momentum as he turns to talk to his daughter.

Peng
<div style="margin-left:40px">Sang! Are the sweet red beans finished stewing?</div>

Sang
<div style="margin-left:40px">Yes, they're done. Here's the bowl.</div>

Peng
<div style="margin-left:40px">Now go get the mochi rolled out!</div>

As Sang begins to section off the mochi and separate them into small disks, Peng takes up another aggressive stance as he yelled out his war cry.

Peng
<div style="margin-left:40px">HERE I GO!</div>

Despite using a small spoon, Peng was quickly dolloping generous amount of warm red bean to the mochi disks his daughter was making just as fast. The whole process enthralls you, gluing you to your seat as you see the father-daughter duo work in tandem, Peng's vigor being especially overpowering. He repeats this process with another filling mixture, and then another. Soon, three groups of mochi emerged from the chaos, sugar and flour quickly dusted on in the meantime.

As he finished, Peng slowly stops and catches his breath. Wiping his brow with a towel, he gets up, grabs three mochi cakes.

Peng
<div style="margin-left:40px">Whew! Well, here they are! So, Korin, which one will you try first?</div>

Korin>Choose a mochi