Abyss - Cooking Lessons for the Abyss
Title: Cooking Lessons for the Abyss
Author: Jadax
Pairings/Characters: Main party, Asch, The Wonder Chef, Mimi the Wonder Baker
Prompt: Abyss, Symphonia/Legendia - Any character, but Asch or Jade would likely be the most fun - What if Mimi or the Wonder Baker were in this game and that was how they learned new recipes?
Rating: G
The group had just arrived in Grand Chokmah and were resting up before another long day tomorrow. Everyone had gone off to do their own thing in the city, which left Guy by himself. Deciding that he may as well do something useful with his time, he headed to the item shop to stock up on supplies.
It was always difficult for Guy when it was his turn to do the shopping. Item shops were often busy and packed, especially in such a large city. The women... they were everywhere. But Guy was used to this by now and had long since managed to navigate through a busy store without bumping into anyone. Oddly placed giant tea sets on the other hand...
Guy didn’t even time to realize he had tripped before smoke covered the floor. He turned back to see what he’d knocked over and was met be the face of a cute young girl.
“UWHAAAAAAAH!”
He backed away from her as quickly as he could but the girl followed him until he was trapped in the corner of the store with no way out but past her.
“How rude! When you knock someone over you’re supposed to say ‘Excuse me!’ or ‘Sorry!’ not scream and run away!” She stood over him, hands on her hips, looking none too pleased and waiting for an answer.
Guy only whimpered. He seemed unable to talk. But he did manage to stammer a question, “Wh-who are you?!”
“I’m Mimi, the 28th Wonder Baker!” she smiled brightly. “I’m supposed to teach you a recipe to increase your knowledge of the art of baking, but...” She leaned down towards Guy, who flinched and covered his face as if to protect himself, “I don’t know if I want to teach someone so mean.”
“Y-you don’t have to...” he chanced a look to see if she had backed off. It wasn’t a very good idea, he face was only inches from his. He screamed again.
“Hmph! I don’t have to take this!” And with that, she tossed a card into his lap and ran off, tripping on the way out. “Ow...”
--Learned Baguettes!--
How ridiculous. That stupid gynophobia. How much Guy didn’t mean it, it was hard not to be offended when he screamed like that. The recent display downstairs in the lobby of the inn just now reminded Natalia of last weeks incident.
That was ridiculous too. Guy had shown up babbling incoherently. From what they had pieced together, it seemed that a girl had popped out of a tea set and left him a recipe for baguettes. Clearly delirious. Perhaps it had been the heat.
She was so occupied with these thoughts that she hadn’t noticed a conspicuous statuette of a round, yellow, seemingly iconic figure with a rather large mouth and bumped right into it.
“Oh! I’m so sorry! I wasn’t-” Her apology was cut off by the sudden appearance of smoke in front of her. Behind it she see an outline of someone. Once the smoke cleared it revealed the most curious man.
“I am the mysterious gourmet, the Wonder Chef! Savor the-”
“Excuse me.” Natalia wasn’t stupid. The situation before her was way too similar to Guy’s. This man seemed just as eccentric as the girl had. Really, a cook with... a cape? And a giant fork? Ridiculous. “I am Princess Natalia Luzu Kimlasca-Lanvaldear, and I demand to know your real name. I think a friend of yours startled my friend quite badly just last week. I want to know what you’re up to!”
The Wonder Chef blanched as she spoke. Natalia just smiled to herself. It seemed that he didn’t expect to be caught by royalty. “Y-you’re Natalia?”
Frightened. That was good. “That’s Princess Natalia to you. Now answer my question.”
It took him a moment to regain his composure. “Ah, well, I was going to teach you the recipe for curry, but... I am glad you spoke up! Curry would have been disastrous in your hands! Now!” He coughed to clear his throat and began, “A return to basics! Sandwiches are delicious and nutritious! Just bread and some kind of meat is all you need!”
Natalia was indignant. “Are you insinuating that I can’t cook?!”
“Well, I have heard of your... abilities... before. Curry could go quite... amiss. Best to stick to sandwiches.”
“H-how? Hmph! I do not have to take this!” She went to move her arm behind her to draw her bow and arrow.
The Wonder Chef, his job done, noticed his opening to leave and raised his fork in the air. “Farewell!”
Smoke filled the area again. “Come back here! I am not done with you!”
--Learned Sandwiches!--
The last thing anyone had expected was for Natalia to storm back downstairs, clearly mad and nowhere near as eloquent as usual, spouting off nearly the same story Guy had just a week before. This time some man dressed as some strange sort of chef had stopped her, tried teaching her a recipe for curry, but stopped once he realized her identity and taught her sandwiches instead.
Guy was incredibly relieved that someone else had experienced what he had. Even with two stories about it now, Anise and Jade had just laughed, citing them too outlandish to be real. Tear agreed and suggested that Natalia may want to go lay down for awhile.
Only Luke believed her. He said that it sounded to him like she had given food poisoning to someone in the past and this was their way of getting back at her. That remark had earned him a smack to the face.
That was the last they heard of the odd cooking duo for awhile. Though for the next few weeks, Natalia didn’t hear the end of it. When it was her turn to cook she heard things like “Oh, Natalia, it’s your turn to cook tonight? Why don’t you make us some sandwiches.” or “Ah! Natalia, we were going to have curry tonight and it’s supposed to be your turn. Maybe you should let someone else?” It had the desired effect. Natalia had gotten so offended she hadn’t cooked since.
The next encounter was a few weeks later. The group had split yet again after reaching the next town. This time it was Flanoir and Luke was left on his own to explore. In his hurry to get out of the inn he bumped into a totally conspicuous giant glass of some fruity drink, complete with a huge paper umbrella. Who put these things out in the middle of hallways anyway?
“I am the mysterious gourmet, the Wonder Chef!” Toss and turn! For the venerable art of pizza-making-”
“What?” This was the same crazy that Natalia had been talking about. Fork, cape, everything. “Are you for real? I mean, really, you can’t be serious.”
The Wonder Chef looked surprised. “I am quite serious! Cooking is my greatest passion! It is not to be taken lightly.” Once Luke looked apologetic, he continued. “Now! For pizza, you need bread, tomato sauce, and cheese! Farewell!”
Before Luke could insult him again, the Wonder Chef had raised his fork and disappeared in a puff of smoke.
--Learned Pizza!--
Later, it was no surprise to Luke that no one believed him. Even Guy and Natalia, who had had previous similar experiences, were hesitant to believe that he wasn’t making fun of them again.
The remaining three, who had yet to experience it, were skeptical as well. It wasn’t quite a stretch to assume that it was an elaborate joke. Natalia going along with it seemed a little strange, but then again, the three had been childhood friends.
And soon enough, the subject was dropped. At least until Tear found herself admiring a cute, oversized stuffed animal just to have it disappear in a puff of smoke and be replaced with a young girl in a baker’s outfit. “Hello!” she said.
“Ah. H-hello.” Despite being a soldier, Tear was taken quite off guard. This was easily one of the stranger things she had ever encountered. But it wasn’t so bad as the other’s had made it seem. She stared at the girl’s clothes, “You’re so cute.” She blushed.
Mimi covered her face as it turned red. “Ohhh, you really think so? Thank you!” Tear nodded. “You’re so nice! Here, I know just the thing...” Mimi pulled a card out of her pocket and handed it to Tear.
She looked it over. “This sounds delicious.”
Mimi grinned. “It is! My family likes them so much, they named my baby brother after them!”
Tear thought that naming a child after pastries was stranger than people appearing out of smoke and teaching her recipes, but she just smiled. “Thank you.”
“You’re welcome! Bye bye now!” And with that Mimi ran off, tripping on the way. “Ow ow ow...”
--Learned Chocolate Cornet!--
Anise had to admit, the crazy story about these recipe people was easier to believe when someone like Tear swore it was true. That wasn’t to say that she believed it, just that it was more believable.
Jade agreed with her and they spent a lot of time making jokes about the others. Mostly over dinner while everyone was in earshot. Needless to say, they weren’t exactly the most popular members of the group.
Anise kept right on not believing. At least, until she couldn’t contain herself when she spotted an amazing gold-plated vase. It didn’t exactly blend in with the surroundings and she looked around curiously to see if anyone would notice her walk off with it. She decided they wouldn’t and went to pick the vase up.
Before she even touched it, smoke appeared and the strange man that Natalia and Luke had mentioned was standing there. “I am the mysterious gourmet, the Wonder Chef! In order to-”
“Where’d it go?!” Anise ignored the wonder Chef and looked over for a sign of the vase. Not seeing any, she got in his face, “What’d you do with it?”
He stepped back to get away from her, but she just followed until he was up against the wall. “I have no idea what you’re talking about!”
“You know what I’m talking about! That vase! It was right here! I was going to pick it up, but then you show up out of nowhere and it was gone. What’d you do with it?” Anise held her ground. She heard he could disappear and she wasn’t going to let him get away.
“Oh! My disguise!” The Wonder Chef relaxed as Anise backed off slightly.
He wasn’t joking with her was he? “Your disguise? You disguised yourself as a vase?”
He beamed, “Of course! Brilliant, no? No one would suspect it, except only the worthy!” He looked quite pleased with himself.
Anise was not amused in the least however. “So it wasn’t real? What a cheap trick! You can’t just go around getting people’s hopes up like that!”
It was obvious Anise was going to go on and on, so the Wonder Chef just nodded and let her continue. When it seemed she was almost done, he handed her a card, and smiled. “Farewell!”
“Hey I wasn’t done with you!”
--Learned Fruit Cocktail!--
“My, my, Anise. I may be an old man, but I’m not quite senile yet. I know a story when I hear it.”
Anise couldn’t believe he was just smiling at her while he said that. She was obviously upset that he didn’t believe her. “But, Colonel! I swear! There was a vase and that weird chef guy just came out of nowhere!”
Jade just continued smiling. It was terribly condescending. “What’s with the change of heart all of a sudden? Just yesterday you were swearing up and down that it wasn’t true.”
“But I hadn’t ran into him yet then!”
“Ah, I’m disappointed Anise. I thought you weren’t the type to fall for such obvious tricks.” He shook his head and sighed.
Anise thrust the recipe card in his face. “So, how do you explain this?”
He took it and looked it over, “Fruit Cocktail...Not exactly a difficult recipe.”
“Colonel! Boo! Why don’t you believe me?”
He shrugged as he handed the card back. “Why you agreed me until just yesterday. It’s quite a difficult thing to believe, after all.”
“I’m not going to convince you am I?” Anise looked quite resigned. At least everyone else believed her.
He smiled, “Not at all.”
Jade had, of course, been lying when he spoke to Anise. He’d believed it since Natalia had corroborated Guy’s story. It was strange, yes, but not impossible. He’d heard of stranger things. Yet, it was easier to deny the existence of such a thing until he could see it for himself.
He got his chance soon enough. It could have only been one thing when he spotted a complete roasting grill indoors. And unattended at that. He approached it carefully and was hardly surprised when smoke clouded his vision.
“Hello!” The smoke cleared and Mimi stood, smilingly brightly before Jade.
He returned the smile, “Ah, Mimi the Wonder Baker, I presume?”
She was caught off guard. “Ah, y-yes! You’ve heard of me?” She scratched at the back of her head. This was new.
“You’ve appeared to a few others that I’m traveling with at the moment.”
“O-oh! Yes! I remember them!” Mimi smiled again. Being recognized had thrown her out of her routine though and she just continued to stand there.
Jade noticed, “You don’t have a recipe for a poor old man?”
She looked startled, “Huh? Of course! Uhm, just a moment!” She began searching through her pockets frantically.
“It’s quite alright. Take your time.” She nodded her thanks and slowed her search. “You don’t mind if I ask a question do you?” Mimi shook her head. “Why do you do this? Hiding and handing out recipes.”
“Why?” she paused for a moment, looking thoughtful. Then she replied with a smile, “It’s just what Wonder Bakers do! Here!”
He took the card she handed him. “That’s all? There’s nothing more to it than that?” He looked skeptical.
“Nope! Bye bye now!” She smiled and ran off to leave. It wasn’t long before she was on the floor. “Ow ow ow...”
How curious. That wasn’t expected at all. He’d really been hoping to get a better explanation than that. He sighed, he might as well go back and tell Anise that he believed her now.
--Learned Curry Bread!--
What was this? Why in the world was there a huge, elaborate set of salt and pepper shakers on his bed? He sighed. The more things they pulled like this, the more Asch regretted hiring the Dark Wings. They’d stop at nothing to get him to “lighten up” as they put it.
He just shook his head. No sense in complaining about it. He’d move them for now and tell them off tomorrow when they came back. As he approached the bed though, smoke filled the room. It cleared and two people were standing on his bed.
“I am the mysterious gourmet, the Wonder Chef!”
“And I’m Mimi the Wonder Baker!”
What? What? Asch simply stared. He was at a total loss for words.
“Ah, speechless! Excellent! Now, Mimi?” The Wonder Chef grinned and turned to the girl beside him.
She smiled back, looking excited. “Right! Uhm... Spell your love with ketchup!”
“Experience the wonder of a fluffy-!”
“What are you people?!” Asch practically growled at the two still standing on top of his bed. How did they think they could walk right into someone’s room? He stared hard at the both of them waiting for an answer.
Mimi looked startled, but the Wonder Chef was unfazed. “We told you! I’m the Wonder-”
“Yes, the Wonder Idiots! I got that part. What are you doing hiding in my room? And get off my bed!” He had his hand on the hilt of his sword. This was obviously some kind of trap.
They made their way off the bed and stood before him. Asch scowled at them. The Wonder Chef turned to Mimi and whispered, “He’s a tough cookie isn’t he?”
“Yeah... Someone left him in the oven too long.”
The Wonder Chef turned back to Asch, who was looking quite irate by now. He’d obviously heard their whispers. “We came to teach you a recipe! Now, where was I? Oh yes! The wonder of a fluffy omlette!”
Mimi jumped in for her part. “All you need is rice and an egg!”
“Now, cook and enjoy!” The Wonder Chef grinned widely despite Asch looking increasingly annoyed. He grabbed Mimi’s arm and held up his fork with the other hand. “Farewell!”
“Bye bye!”
They disappeared with more smoke and left Asch standing there alone. That was too strange. If he could help it. No one would ever know about it either.
--Learned Omlette!
Author: Jadax
Pairings/Characters: Main party, Asch, The Wonder Chef, Mimi the Wonder Baker
Prompt: Abyss, Symphonia/Legendia - Any character, but Asch or Jade would likely be the most fun - What if Mimi or the Wonder Baker were in this game and that was how they learned new recipes?
Rating: G
The group had just arrived in Grand Chokmah and were resting up before another long day tomorrow. Everyone had gone off to do their own thing in the city, which left Guy by himself. Deciding that he may as well do something useful with his time, he headed to the item shop to stock up on supplies.
It was always difficult for Guy when it was his turn to do the shopping. Item shops were often busy and packed, especially in such a large city. The women... they were everywhere. But Guy was used to this by now and had long since managed to navigate through a busy store without bumping into anyone. Oddly placed giant tea sets on the other hand...
Guy didn’t even time to realize he had tripped before smoke covered the floor. He turned back to see what he’d knocked over and was met be the face of a cute young girl.
“UWHAAAAAAAH!”
He backed away from her as quickly as he could but the girl followed him until he was trapped in the corner of the store with no way out but past her.
“How rude! When you knock someone over you’re supposed to say ‘Excuse me!’ or ‘Sorry!’ not scream and run away!” She stood over him, hands on her hips, looking none too pleased and waiting for an answer.
Guy only whimpered. He seemed unable to talk. But he did manage to stammer a question, “Wh-who are you?!”
“I’m Mimi, the 28th Wonder Baker!” she smiled brightly. “I’m supposed to teach you a recipe to increase your knowledge of the art of baking, but...” She leaned down towards Guy, who flinched and covered his face as if to protect himself, “I don’t know if I want to teach someone so mean.”
“Y-you don’t have to...” he chanced a look to see if she had backed off. It wasn’t a very good idea, he face was only inches from his. He screamed again.
“Hmph! I don’t have to take this!” And with that, she tossed a card into his lap and ran off, tripping on the way out. “Ow...”
--Learned Baguettes!--
How ridiculous. That stupid gynophobia. How much Guy didn’t mean it, it was hard not to be offended when he screamed like that. The recent display downstairs in the lobby of the inn just now reminded Natalia of last weeks incident.
That was ridiculous too. Guy had shown up babbling incoherently. From what they had pieced together, it seemed that a girl had popped out of a tea set and left him a recipe for baguettes. Clearly delirious. Perhaps it had been the heat.
She was so occupied with these thoughts that she hadn’t noticed a conspicuous statuette of a round, yellow, seemingly iconic figure with a rather large mouth and bumped right into it.
“Oh! I’m so sorry! I wasn’t-” Her apology was cut off by the sudden appearance of smoke in front of her. Behind it she see an outline of someone. Once the smoke cleared it revealed the most curious man.
“I am the mysterious gourmet, the Wonder Chef! Savor the-”
“Excuse me.” Natalia wasn’t stupid. The situation before her was way too similar to Guy’s. This man seemed just as eccentric as the girl had. Really, a cook with... a cape? And a giant fork? Ridiculous. “I am Princess Natalia Luzu Kimlasca-Lanvaldear, and I demand to know your real name. I think a friend of yours startled my friend quite badly just last week. I want to know what you’re up to!”
The Wonder Chef blanched as she spoke. Natalia just smiled to herself. It seemed that he didn’t expect to be caught by royalty. “Y-you’re Natalia?”
Frightened. That was good. “That’s Princess Natalia to you. Now answer my question.”
It took him a moment to regain his composure. “Ah, well, I was going to teach you the recipe for curry, but... I am glad you spoke up! Curry would have been disastrous in your hands! Now!” He coughed to clear his throat and began, “A return to basics! Sandwiches are delicious and nutritious! Just bread and some kind of meat is all you need!”
Natalia was indignant. “Are you insinuating that I can’t cook?!”
“Well, I have heard of your... abilities... before. Curry could go quite... amiss. Best to stick to sandwiches.”
“H-how? Hmph! I do not have to take this!” She went to move her arm behind her to draw her bow and arrow.
The Wonder Chef, his job done, noticed his opening to leave and raised his fork in the air. “Farewell!”
Smoke filled the area again. “Come back here! I am not done with you!”
--Learned Sandwiches!--
The last thing anyone had expected was for Natalia to storm back downstairs, clearly mad and nowhere near as eloquent as usual, spouting off nearly the same story Guy had just a week before. This time some man dressed as some strange sort of chef had stopped her, tried teaching her a recipe for curry, but stopped once he realized her identity and taught her sandwiches instead.
Guy was incredibly relieved that someone else had experienced what he had. Even with two stories about it now, Anise and Jade had just laughed, citing them too outlandish to be real. Tear agreed and suggested that Natalia may want to go lay down for awhile.
Only Luke believed her. He said that it sounded to him like she had given food poisoning to someone in the past and this was their way of getting back at her. That remark had earned him a smack to the face.
That was the last they heard of the odd cooking duo for awhile. Though for the next few weeks, Natalia didn’t hear the end of it. When it was her turn to cook she heard things like “Oh, Natalia, it’s your turn to cook tonight? Why don’t you make us some sandwiches.” or “Ah! Natalia, we were going to have curry tonight and it’s supposed to be your turn. Maybe you should let someone else?” It had the desired effect. Natalia had gotten so offended she hadn’t cooked since.
The next encounter was a few weeks later. The group had split yet again after reaching the next town. This time it was Flanoir and Luke was left on his own to explore. In his hurry to get out of the inn he bumped into a totally conspicuous giant glass of some fruity drink, complete with a huge paper umbrella. Who put these things out in the middle of hallways anyway?
“I am the mysterious gourmet, the Wonder Chef!” Toss and turn! For the venerable art of pizza-making-”
“What?” This was the same crazy that Natalia had been talking about. Fork, cape, everything. “Are you for real? I mean, really, you can’t be serious.”
The Wonder Chef looked surprised. “I am quite serious! Cooking is my greatest passion! It is not to be taken lightly.” Once Luke looked apologetic, he continued. “Now! For pizza, you need bread, tomato sauce, and cheese! Farewell!”
Before Luke could insult him again, the Wonder Chef had raised his fork and disappeared in a puff of smoke.
--Learned Pizza!--
Later, it was no surprise to Luke that no one believed him. Even Guy and Natalia, who had had previous similar experiences, were hesitant to believe that he wasn’t making fun of them again.
The remaining three, who had yet to experience it, were skeptical as well. It wasn’t quite a stretch to assume that it was an elaborate joke. Natalia going along with it seemed a little strange, but then again, the three had been childhood friends.
And soon enough, the subject was dropped. At least until Tear found herself admiring a cute, oversized stuffed animal just to have it disappear in a puff of smoke and be replaced with a young girl in a baker’s outfit. “Hello!” she said.
“Ah. H-hello.” Despite being a soldier, Tear was taken quite off guard. This was easily one of the stranger things she had ever encountered. But it wasn’t so bad as the other’s had made it seem. She stared at the girl’s clothes, “You’re so cute.” She blushed.
Mimi covered her face as it turned red. “Ohhh, you really think so? Thank you!” Tear nodded. “You’re so nice! Here, I know just the thing...” Mimi pulled a card out of her pocket and handed it to Tear.
She looked it over. “This sounds delicious.”
Mimi grinned. “It is! My family likes them so much, they named my baby brother after them!”
Tear thought that naming a child after pastries was stranger than people appearing out of smoke and teaching her recipes, but she just smiled. “Thank you.”
“You’re welcome! Bye bye now!” And with that Mimi ran off, tripping on the way. “Ow ow ow...”
--Learned Chocolate Cornet!--
Anise had to admit, the crazy story about these recipe people was easier to believe when someone like Tear swore it was true. That wasn’t to say that she believed it, just that it was more believable.
Jade agreed with her and they spent a lot of time making jokes about the others. Mostly over dinner while everyone was in earshot. Needless to say, they weren’t exactly the most popular members of the group.
Anise kept right on not believing. At least, until she couldn’t contain herself when she spotted an amazing gold-plated vase. It didn’t exactly blend in with the surroundings and she looked around curiously to see if anyone would notice her walk off with it. She decided they wouldn’t and went to pick the vase up.
Before she even touched it, smoke appeared and the strange man that Natalia and Luke had mentioned was standing there. “I am the mysterious gourmet, the Wonder Chef! In order to-”
“Where’d it go?!” Anise ignored the wonder Chef and looked over for a sign of the vase. Not seeing any, she got in his face, “What’d you do with it?”
He stepped back to get away from her, but she just followed until he was up against the wall. “I have no idea what you’re talking about!”
“You know what I’m talking about! That vase! It was right here! I was going to pick it up, but then you show up out of nowhere and it was gone. What’d you do with it?” Anise held her ground. She heard he could disappear and she wasn’t going to let him get away.
“Oh! My disguise!” The Wonder Chef relaxed as Anise backed off slightly.
He wasn’t joking with her was he? “Your disguise? You disguised yourself as a vase?”
He beamed, “Of course! Brilliant, no? No one would suspect it, except only the worthy!” He looked quite pleased with himself.
Anise was not amused in the least however. “So it wasn’t real? What a cheap trick! You can’t just go around getting people’s hopes up like that!”
It was obvious Anise was going to go on and on, so the Wonder Chef just nodded and let her continue. When it seemed she was almost done, he handed her a card, and smiled. “Farewell!”
“Hey I wasn’t done with you!”
--Learned Fruit Cocktail!--
“My, my, Anise. I may be an old man, but I’m not quite senile yet. I know a story when I hear it.”
Anise couldn’t believe he was just smiling at her while he said that. She was obviously upset that he didn’t believe her. “But, Colonel! I swear! There was a vase and that weird chef guy just came out of nowhere!”
Jade just continued smiling. It was terribly condescending. “What’s with the change of heart all of a sudden? Just yesterday you were swearing up and down that it wasn’t true.”
“But I hadn’t ran into him yet then!”
“Ah, I’m disappointed Anise. I thought you weren’t the type to fall for such obvious tricks.” He shook his head and sighed.
Anise thrust the recipe card in his face. “So, how do you explain this?”
He took it and looked it over, “Fruit Cocktail...Not exactly a difficult recipe.”
“Colonel! Boo! Why don’t you believe me?”
He shrugged as he handed the card back. “Why you agreed me until just yesterday. It’s quite a difficult thing to believe, after all.”
“I’m not going to convince you am I?” Anise looked quite resigned. At least everyone else believed her.
He smiled, “Not at all.”
Jade had, of course, been lying when he spoke to Anise. He’d believed it since Natalia had corroborated Guy’s story. It was strange, yes, but not impossible. He’d heard of stranger things. Yet, it was easier to deny the existence of such a thing until he could see it for himself.
He got his chance soon enough. It could have only been one thing when he spotted a complete roasting grill indoors. And unattended at that. He approached it carefully and was hardly surprised when smoke clouded his vision.
“Hello!” The smoke cleared and Mimi stood, smilingly brightly before Jade.
He returned the smile, “Ah, Mimi the Wonder Baker, I presume?”
She was caught off guard. “Ah, y-yes! You’ve heard of me?” She scratched at the back of her head. This was new.
“You’ve appeared to a few others that I’m traveling with at the moment.”
“O-oh! Yes! I remember them!” Mimi smiled again. Being recognized had thrown her out of her routine though and she just continued to stand there.
Jade noticed, “You don’t have a recipe for a poor old man?”
She looked startled, “Huh? Of course! Uhm, just a moment!” She began searching through her pockets frantically.
“It’s quite alright. Take your time.” She nodded her thanks and slowed her search. “You don’t mind if I ask a question do you?” Mimi shook her head. “Why do you do this? Hiding and handing out recipes.”
“Why?” she paused for a moment, looking thoughtful. Then she replied with a smile, “It’s just what Wonder Bakers do! Here!”
He took the card she handed him. “That’s all? There’s nothing more to it than that?” He looked skeptical.
“Nope! Bye bye now!” She smiled and ran off to leave. It wasn’t long before she was on the floor. “Ow ow ow...”
How curious. That wasn’t expected at all. He’d really been hoping to get a better explanation than that. He sighed, he might as well go back and tell Anise that he believed her now.
--Learned Curry Bread!--
What was this? Why in the world was there a huge, elaborate set of salt and pepper shakers on his bed? He sighed. The more things they pulled like this, the more Asch regretted hiring the Dark Wings. They’d stop at nothing to get him to “lighten up” as they put it.
He just shook his head. No sense in complaining about it. He’d move them for now and tell them off tomorrow when they came back. As he approached the bed though, smoke filled the room. It cleared and two people were standing on his bed.
“I am the mysterious gourmet, the Wonder Chef!”
“And I’m Mimi the Wonder Baker!”
What? What? Asch simply stared. He was at a total loss for words.
“Ah, speechless! Excellent! Now, Mimi?” The Wonder Chef grinned and turned to the girl beside him.
She smiled back, looking excited. “Right! Uhm... Spell your love with ketchup!”
“Experience the wonder of a fluffy-!”
“What are you people?!” Asch practically growled at the two still standing on top of his bed. How did they think they could walk right into someone’s room? He stared hard at the both of them waiting for an answer.
Mimi looked startled, but the Wonder Chef was unfazed. “We told you! I’m the Wonder-”
“Yes, the Wonder Idiots! I got that part. What are you doing hiding in my room? And get off my bed!” He had his hand on the hilt of his sword. This was obviously some kind of trap.
They made their way off the bed and stood before him. Asch scowled at them. The Wonder Chef turned to Mimi and whispered, “He’s a tough cookie isn’t he?”
“Yeah... Someone left him in the oven too long.”
The Wonder Chef turned back to Asch, who was looking quite irate by now. He’d obviously heard their whispers. “We came to teach you a recipe! Now, where was I? Oh yes! The wonder of a fluffy omlette!”
Mimi jumped in for her part. “All you need is rice and an egg!”
“Now, cook and enjoy!” The Wonder Chef grinned widely despite Asch looking increasingly annoyed. He grabbed Mimi’s arm and held up his fork with the other hand. “Farewell!”
“Bye bye!”
They disappeared with more smoke and left Asch standing there alone. That was too strange. If he could help it. No one would ever know about it either.
--Learned Omlette!