DreamStoryVerse Story Arc Book 2

Culture Shock

After a while, the families packed up and headed home for dinner. Because the family reunion was in the Koopa Kingdom this year, Bowser Jr. wanted to make sure to keep it as traditional as possible. 

Everyone, including children and foreign family members, were required to wear yukatas and other traditional Koopanese (Japanese) accessories to dinner that evening. Servants helped the guests who had a bit of trouble working out the kinks of the yukata,  but eventually everyone got dressed. 

The adults' dinner table was large and rectangular with little pillows called zabuton for the guests to kneel on. 

The children had their own little kids table with little zabuton for sitting. Their table was a little ways away from the adults, enough for them to have a little privacy but also so they could keep an eye on their kiddos. 

Before his cousins had arrived, Bowser the Third had been appointed by his Papa as the children's host. Bowser Jr. told him to show his cousins the ropes and make sure they have a nice time and little Bowser was determined to live up to his Father's expectations.

"Alright everyone!" He began, turning to them. "You're in my kingdom, my territory now and you will have respect for me, my country and its culture and customs ! You all have been softened by da practices of foreign life, but you will wander in da dark no more! For I, Bowser da Tird, will awaken da Koopanese widin all of you!" He exclaimed triumphantly.

"Haha, 'Bowser da Turd'." Tatertot snickered. The other children snickered as well.

"Yeah, yeah, very funny. You all need to grow up but right now, it's time for bangohan, da evening meal. The servants have kindly set up zabuton and eating utensils for each of you. " He said, gesturing to the small kiddie table.

"Ugh! You expect me to sit on the floor?! I am a celebity and a princess! Princesses do not sit on the floor!" Rose Quartz exclaimed. 

"Well dey do here, and anoder ding, it's celebrity not celebity. I'm surprised you haven't eaten this way at home, other than Papa, Uncle Bully is da most in touch with his Koopanese side! Now sit! You're supposed to sit a special way but 'since you guys are novices, I'll let it slide!" Bowser ordered.

He took a deep breath before sitting down on his zabuton at the head of the kid's table. The children were seated in order of their representing parent's birth order. 

"Tonight, cousins, we're having hambagu for dinner." Bowser Jr. announced. Piño raised his hand.

Bowser sighed deeply. "Yes?" 

"U-um...I was pwomised a Happy Meal…" He said.

"I don't know why, because that's not what we're having. You have been wrongly deceived, my good man." Bowser replied curtly. Piño gasped dramatically, despite not knowing what deceived meant.

Soon enough, a few servants entered and set the children's food on the table. They were each served a plate of hambagu(Hamburg steak) along with two small bowls, one containing a serving of white rice and the other containing Koopanese clear onion soup. They were all given one soup spoon and a set of children's chopsticks. 

"EVERYBODY STOP EATING! I DID NOT SAY YOU COULD START YET!" Bowser yelled when his cousins began to messily dig into their meals with their hands. 

He took another deep breath, internally hyperventilating at the deplorable table manners of his cousins. 

"You have to use da hashi!" He scolded them, picking up his chopsticks from the chopsticks holder. 

"How are we supposed to eat with sticks?" Rose asked.

"Yeah, Mummy is always tellin' me not to put sticks in my mouth!" Piño chimed in. 

Just then, Matera Shariee entered the room, stumbling all over herself in her yukata, causing her cousins to snicker quietly. She took a seat in her spot next to Bowser, her cheeks flushing in embarrassment.

"Matera Shariee, you're late. But no matter, we haven't started eating yet, well some of us haven't." He said, eyeing Tatertot, who was trying to sneak a sip of his onion soup.

"Áfes moi, I had a little bit a trouble getting here…" She mumbled.

"Anyway, you all were supposed to practice with your parents before you came here!" Bowser scolded.

"I tried, but Mummy was havin' a hard time with the chopsticks when Daddy was tryin' to teach 'er, and then their little lesson turned into them feedin' each other and kissin' and doin' other grody stuff like that!" Rose explained.

Bowser sighed. "Then I guess It can't be helped. Everyone, you have permission to eat now." 

And so they did. Each of the children began to dig into their meals, idly chatting to the child next to them. 

Chester was having a hard time eating with the chopsticks even though he'd practiced a lot with his parents. Eating with utensils was almost always a struggle. 

"Hey Chestnut, look!" Piño exclaimed, tapping his best friend's arm. 

Chester sighed deeply. "Piño, we've talked about dis, I'm blind, 'member?" 

"Oh. Yeah. Anyway, there's this girl sittin' next to you that I've never seen before. You should say hi…." Piño giggled. The mysterious girl-in-question had tan skin covered with freckles, light brown curly hair, and dark brown eyes with long brown eyelashes.

Chester scoffed. "Níl! Girls are disgustin', you do it since it was your idea!" 

Piño clumsily reached his whole body across Chester, almost causing his friend to spill his food. This caught the mysterious girl's attention and she gave Piño a surprised look. 

"Hi…" He whispered.

She giggled shyly. " 'i…" 

"Wow, a foreigner! Where are you from?" He asked.

"The Waffle Kingdom (France), Belgian (Paris), specifically. And you?" She responded.

"Chester here is from the Acorn Plains (Ireland) and I'm from Sparkling Waters (Hawaii)!" He replied proudly.

"Wow, those kingdoms are so far away from 'ere! Oh! Where are my manners: I am Crown Princess Taiyaki Dessert." 

"Wow, that's a really cool name!" Piño said.

Taiyaki blushed shyly. "Th-thank you…"

"Piño, can you please get off of me! I'm tryin' to eat my food!" Chester exclaimed, annoyed. Piño was reluctant but he obeyed. 

Chester turned in Taiyaki's direction. "What are you doin' here anyway? You aren't part of the Koopa family."

"Oh, right. Queen Apricot is my Auntie, she invited 'er side of the family to the reunion as well. I-I was a little afraid to come, everything is so different here a-and I don't really know anyone…." Taiyaki explained. 

"Well yeah, it takes a little bit of gettin' used to but it's not all that bad here! And that second part is not true! You know us now, and we'll be your friends if you want!" Piño offered.

"Oh non, I wouldn't want to be a bother or anything like that…." She replied.

"Don't worry about it, you're not being a bother." Piño assured.

"I love how you're volunteerin' my time and energy to be someone else's friend…" Chester scoffed sarcastically.

Piño glared at him. "Don't worry about him, he'll warm up to ya in no time!" 

Taiyaki smiled warmly. "Ok then, I'd love to be your friend!