Aru Village Specialty Tea

Telzhud sipped at the specialty tea, his jaguar lips a still as ever yet the slurping sound was produced as the tea was taken in. The Program downloaded the ingredients of the tea down to its molecular level, it compared and analyzed the specialty tea across all known herbal drinks. Telzhud sat there, still, tea cup still pressed against the android’s lips. The liquid raced through the android’s artificial system and hydrated its organic components to the highest levels.

Telzhud snapped back and looked at the tea cup as if to say, what was in that? The android rose to its feet, raised the cup in the air and celebrated.
“A magnificent tea! This may be the greatest tea in all of the Eastern Pastures, let alone the world?!”
Telzhud brought the cup back down and held it with both hands like something precious.

The android continued to analyze and investigate the tea, the cup and the ingredients individually, all from its seat. Then a familiar ki signature came across The Program’s sensors…


Gemmoonian Detected… PL. 31,000… Subject Gemmoonian Identified… Pursue Further Identification… Discover Tea Compatibility… Engage.


Telzhud rose to its feet once more and waved its arm to greet the recent ally. The android had picked up familiar greetings from South and East City citizens and so the android felt confident the alien would understand Telzhud meant no threat.

“Alien. Welcome to Aru Village, home of the world’s most exquisite tea! I must acquire your chosen designation? What is your name?”
Telzhud motioned its hand towards an empty seat beside the droid for Barracuda to sit.

“I am on a new quest of discovery, the culinary arts have captured The Program’s prioritized sequential directives. Please, try the tea.”

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Telzhud roared in response to Barracuda's questioning and ran a data validation check.
“The Program did not record your chosen designation Subject: Barracuda.”

Telzhud knew this was another perfect opportunity to practice its earthling social interactions. With the success of Yum-Yum noodle and future expectations of the co-owner growing with every bowl sold, Telzhud knew it needed as much practice as possible. The jaguar roared, it slammed the tea cup against the table like a glass of beer.

“The herbs that compose this tea… their origins are unknown, where do you gather these?”
Telzhud asked the old shop woman.

“Oh those were some of the last ones I could get. They’re found far outside the village on top of a mountain where at my old age I just can’t do the trip anymore.”
A tear dropped from her eye.

Telzhud ran to catch the tear and offered it back to her.
“You are leaking.”

The old woman laughed and hugged the giant muscular android, Telzhud roared.

“These herbs will be essential to the development of a new tea, these will be retrieved for you, do not worry!”
Telzhud roared.

“Oh! Oh my! That would do so much for the shop! How could I ever repay you!”

“You will teach me your excellent brewing techniques upon my return!”
Telzhud gave the old woman a firm and friendly thumbs up.

“Subject Barracuda, do you care to assist? We of course should have more tea first!”
Telzhud let out a roar and slammed his tea cup against the table once more.

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Telzhud ran through the origins of the ingredients once more to find any relevant information that would help locate the herb. After a few cross referential searches the android discovered the appropriate climate that the herbs should grow, when assessing the local terrain Telzhud determined Mt. Juku would be the mountain in question. The jaguar stood up and walked out of the shop without a word, only a slight gesture to catch Barracuda’s eye as it walked past.

Telzhud looked about the town, the children played, a few small pups ran across the street and the few folks that did line the street were all eyeing the jaguar and Gemmonian, their presences had become quite the news around town after only being at the shop for such a brief moment. Telzhud recorded it all, observing the new behavior of a smaller community was an experience to note and the android did.

“To Mt. Juku, Subject Barracuda. The herb should grow upon the south side of the mountain where the caves are moist.”
Telzhud announced to the alien and took flight by levitating into the air and zipping up and away as if without any effort given.

The mountain was many miles away and could be seen stretching into the clouds from Aru Village, it was the obvious choice. Telzhud, while in air, reached to his bag and pulled out a set of ingredients, a cutting board and a pot; Telzhud began to cook while flying. After some precise cutting, measurements of spices and application of ki energy to heat the pot the noodles were finished.

“Barracuda, please. Acquire the taste of my special Yum Yum noodle recipe!”
Telzhud, still flying forward, faced behind him at Barracuda and offered him a fresh bowl of hot Yum Yum noodles (Telzhud Air Variation)!

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The large mountain presented itself in grandiose as the two finally arrived to face it. They flew around towards the side Telzhud’s calculations determined to find the herbs and Telzhud slowly flew down to land upon a grassy cutout on the mountainside. The jaguar’s boots pressed into the rocky terrain and some pebbles slipped from under his footing, the ground was quite steep. Telzhud’s eyes became red as he scanned the foliage for the right herbs, the android started to walk along what could be seen as an overgrown path in the grass.

“The experience of collecting these herbs is like the thrill of a match Subject: Barracuda!”
Telzhud roared and raised his fist with excitement.

They followed the path up into the core of the mountain, Telzhud bent to collect herbs and samples as they walked. With each flower, herb, grassy stalk and branch that the android collected they were carefully vacuum sealed, digitally logged and recorded, as well as had smaller samples taken from them to store within Telzhud’s own vessel. The android calculated further recipes with each new sample.

“We are getting closer Subject: Barracuda, the herbs I have collected all have trace elements of the primary herb in question. The trail will lead us directly to it!”
Telzhud roared again, creatures in the sky circled and called out from above.

The road opened up to a rocky clearing with natural stone walls that extended upwards, a few prehistoric vultures flapped their wings and flew up and away. In the center of the stony clearing lay a body, a large animal body multiple times the size of Telzhud and Barracuda combined. Telzhud approached, it seemed decomposed, its innards were exposed but mostly eaten so it was quite empty. The android’s sensors would determine that the body had been here for 7 days, the decomposition process well underway. As the droid scanned the body further it noticed a flower growing from inside the body cavity itself.

“The herb!”
Telzhud roared as he reached in, collected the flower and scanned it to confirm it was the herb they were after.

As Telzhud examined it the flower opened up and a powder sprayed the jaguar in its face causing temporary blindness and uncontrollable sneezing. Telzhud dropped the flower and it landed upon its roots like feet. The flower slowly started to grow larger and larger, its roots turned from veins to tree roots and its stalk became thick like a log. The head of the flower, dull and green at first, was now a vibrant red with polka dot white spots all over it in an unorganized pattern.

The flower turned to Barracuda and launched a ki attack from its petals!

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“Must… collect… entire specimen…”
Telzhud clawed at its eyes in an attempt to clear them from the powder.

Telzhud accidentally dodged a number of attacks from the flower as stumbled about blind. Just as it finally cleared the powder a set of giant floating spores smacked the android directly in its jaguar face. The spores were large and fuzzy and just a couple covered his entire field of vision once more; they stuck to the droid like velcro.

Telzhud fought with the spores but continued to stumble about, his back bumped into a ready Barracuda and upon contact Telzhud swung around and locked in waist control! Telzhud’s arms were securely locked around Barracuda’s waist and almost instantaneously the android launched Barracuda backwards with a vicious German Suplex.

Telzhud regained his footing and cleared the giant fuzzy spores from its face to reveal a downed Barracuda.

“Oh! My apologies, friend. Let me offer a special one time deal for Yum-Y-”
Telzhud was cut off from speaking by a giant vine batting it aside.

The android rose to its feet and let out a great roar, flexed its muscles and readied its wrists. The flower stomped its roots and mimicked Telzhud to the tee. Telzhud rotated its arm and ran full speed at the herb beast launching its shoulder into the flower’s trunk. Telzhud took the beast to the ground in full mounted position and began to ground and pound the flowers ‘head’ into to a pulp. With each strike pollen and flower petals flew to the air, the innard of the flower grew juicy and pulpy.

“There… I believe that was it!”
Telzhud pronounced as it turned back to give Barracuda a thumbs up, the android remained mounted as it collected its samples from the goo.

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Telzhud viled the sample and began to conduct the experiments. The plant body that lay underneath the android shrunk rapidly and returned to its original state. Telzhud gathered the withered flower and pocketed the herb. The jaguar rose to its feet and continued to experiment with different herbal recipes involving the newly acquired monster flower.

“The shop’s tea may be replicated in the future but the designated goal will be to discover a new herbal blend using rare ingredients from all over for the perfect health concoction. This herb is the first of many that will continue towards that goal.”
Telzhud poured a mixture of herbs into a bowl and heated it as they walked.

The two reached a landing along the mountainside and Telzhud stopped to pour Barracuda a cup.
“Subject: Barracuda, hydrate and meditate. Please try my new MIGHTY KAIJU FLOWER HERBAL TEA!”
Telzhud announced with all the bells and whistles, literal bells and whistles.

Telzhud sipped the tea, the tea pouring into his never moving mouth and kind of went down its throat, much of it ran out the sides of his jaws. Telzhud jumped up with glee, its fists pumping back and forth in excitement. The android knew it had discovered a new flavor, a new designation of herbs that rivaled the old woman's. Yum-Yum Noodle House was about to receive a new recipe, but the droid was curious about Barracuda's response…

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