Almost But Not Quite Human

Let Them Eat Cake

In the week of Dream being MIA, Ranboo and Niki has made full use of their time catching up with Eret and exploring the castle.

Of course, they too visited the masked mutated, but understandably not as much as George and Sapnap. Whenever Niki went to visit him, she thought that Dream seemed to be more and more agitated each day. That, too, was understandable. It was probably just because he was stuck in bed in a brightly lit room right all day? When Niki asked, Ranboo said he'd thought the same.

three days into the week, the duo were looking through old newspapers spread on Skeppy's table - well, Niki supposed it was technically their table too now. It was a spruce-coloured wood, yet the distinct lack of spruce forests around here made Niki wonder if it was genuine or not.

Speaking of the devil, Skeppy walked into the room wearing gloves and carrying some sort of box under his arm.

"Hey Skeppy, what's that?" Ranboo called to the sparkly mutated.

"Oh hey guys!" Skeppy called, before registering what Ranboo had asked. "This? Oh it's to cover the diamonds on my face. Last time I went out with them uncovered while it was this sunny, I blinded at least two people."

"Oh goodness" said Niki as Skeppy pulled the box over his head. It was a surprisingly good fit for its shape, and had a comical face on the front with two little dot eyes and a mouth that looked like a sideways 'p'.

The door opened, "Don't worry Niki, only one of them was blinded permanently~" and Skeppy was gone.

"Well, that was something." Ranboo remarked. Niki nodded absentmindedly, noting one of the  letters by the door had slid off its perch. She crossed the room and put it back with the others. Why hadn't Skeppy opened any of them?

It wasn't really Niki's business, so she left it alone.

"Hey Ranboo?"

"Hmm?"

"Do you want to go... Somewhere?"

"Like where?"

"Maybe there's a nice bakery we could go to... Oh It's been so long since we've been to a shop, and I did always miss the smell of freshly baked bread and cakes."

"Oh man, I didn't even think of that. But like, we don't have any money to actually buy anything-"

"Who cares?" Niki laughed, "I just want to see it Ranboo. I know you do as well~" she finished slyly.

Niki was right, of course, and the enderman mutated was quick to join her by the re-opened door.

"After you, madam." he smiled and said gracefully.

Niki giggled, "My pleasure."
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Sight-seeing, one of the many joys of tourism, was not usually spent running down the roads as fast as one could to win a game of 'who could find the bakery first'. Nevertheless, this is exactly what Ranboo and Niki did with gleeful bursts of laughter between them.

Of course the game was hard to win when they were both running the same way, and so when a bakery by the name of The Bread basket was spotted, the game had to be settled with a good old first-to-three of rock, paper, scissors.

"Ranboo! How do you win every time?!" Niki exclaimed after losing 14-0. How does one win a first-to-three by fourteen you ask? They lose repeatedly then ask for a rematch of course.

"I think it's just luck Ni- Holy crap Niki look!"

Niki followed Ranboo's wide gaze to the bakery window, "What? What is it?"

"They. Have. Cinnamon rolls!" he practically squeaked in reply, and Niki smiled at her brother's excitement. But then she frowned,"we don't have any money remember, we can't buy any."

Ranboo's excitement drained a little, "Aw come on we can still go over there right? We wanted to go inside anyway."

"Aaaaall right then Ranboo." Niki let herself practically be dragged over to the window, yet inside she was almost excited as the enderman mutated that dragged her.

The bread basket's display window was chock full of delicious pastries, breads, and of course the infamous cinnamon rolls. There were tiny fairy cupcakes to large chocolate masterpieces, and cookies of every size. The loaves looked like the crust would crackle at the slightest touch and the insides were fluffy as clouds.

It was a mouth-watering sight.

A little bell on the door of the bakery dinged as the door was opened, and a tall man with greying stubble and an imposing figure walked out. He was also wearing a plain white apron, so Niki assumed he was working in the bakery.

"Hey you two, if y'see something you like y'have to come inside to buy it."

Niki and Ranboo backed away from the window. "O-oh we're sorry sir, um, we were just looking."

"Sure about that? It looks like he'd rather be eatin' than lookin'" the man nodded at Ranboo who, embarrassed, took a step further from the display window.

"We don't have the money to buy anything even if we wanted to." He shrugged.

The man looked down both sides of the street then nodded his head towards the door, before walking inside. Niki and Ranboo looked at eachother before shrugging and following him. The little bell dinged again welcomingly.

The two stood awkwardly in the middle of the small bakery as the man disappeared behind the counter. Luckily for them the bakery was currently empty. When the man emerged again, he was holding two wrapped parcels that he presented to Ranboo and Niki. They were a suspiciously similar shape to cinnamon rolls.

He winked, "Free of charge guys, but don't tell anyone, got it?"

"Oh my thank you! What's your name anyway sir?" Ranboo said while Niki nodded profusely.

"I'm Stanley. What about you?"

Niki jumped in and introduced herself and then her brother. Stanley shook their hands.

"Well, it's nice to meet you Niki and Ranboo."

The three chatted a bit longer, before the younger two headed back out onto the cobblestone streets with another round of 'thank you's' and hearty goodbye.

In the shop, a younger man poked his head out from behind the staff door. "Do you gotta give away free pastries to every new person in town Stan?"

Stanley laughed, "Come on Conner, isn't it nice to make people smile?"

Conner walked out, dressed in his Sonic hoodie and blue trousers, "Eh I guess. I have to take an early night tonight by the way."

"No problem, it's pretty slow today anyway."

"Later man," Conner said as he walked out the door, making a peace sign with one hand.

"G'night Conner. Oh, and say hi to Karl for me!"
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Oh guys I had oreos today and I realised its been so long since I've been to any sort of sweet foods shop  and I'm totally not projecting or anything no no no.

Sorry for the late update!

Sincerely, a faded old flag