Episode 5: Delicious Varieties
"Okay, now we just sprinkle on a little powdered sugar, and..."
"Finished!" Grim and Ace both exclaimed, finally relieved they were done with making the tarts. Right on queue, Deuce and Enma also seemed to finish their shopping.
Deuce entered the kitchen with a look of disbelief. "Fin...ished..."
"Did something happen to him while you were shopping?" Ace questioned while eyeing the slouching boy.
"He's still in shock. Better let him work through this one himself."
"For sixteen years, I was so sure..." He kept mumbling things that were inaudible to the others which earned him confused looks and stares.
"Yeah, whatever. I'm pretty beat. Making tarts sure takes it outta you."
Cater and Mirana soon entered the kitchen together. The girl had just finished feeding and cleaning the flamingos so she's also pretty tired. "Hello, how is everyone doing?" She asked with crossed arms.
"Hey fam! You look wrecked. Are the tarts done? Ooh, those look sooo cute! Lemme snap a quick pic for Magicam!" Cater beamed before taking out his phone.
Grim saw the girl and went up to her. He hopped onto her arms which startled her a little, but she soon let him rest on her arms while cradling him. How lucky, most of them thought as they eyed the cat.
"What, NOW you decide to show up?" Ace exclaimed to his senior.
"I just came to see how hard my little newbs were working."
"It's tough work if you're not used to it. But there's no better cure for the ails of fatigue than something sweet from the oven! Help yourself to some of this tart." Trey placed a pan of fresh baked tart on the table infornt of the group. The delicious aroma surrounded them as everyone lit up.
"Mmmm... That smells so good. Glossy chestnuts on top, fluffy cream below, I can't wait another second, I'm going in!"
Grim looked up at the girl with a mischievious smile, Mirana took notice of this and gave him a questioning look.
"Feed me a slice, henchman no. 2."
"Oi! Don't go ordering Mira around, you lazy bum! Go get a slice yourself." Ace and Deuce both yelled at him. Mirana carefully took a slice of tart and brought it up to Grim's mouth. As soon as he took a bite, he felt as if he was in heaven. How can a tart taste this good? He though as he smiled contently while chewing his food.
The other boys went silent as they watched Grim being babied by the girl, feeding him some more dessert from time to time. She took a bite of the tart herself and looked at the group with a smile. "It's rich in flavor, yet not too sweet. It's like chestnuts are dancing across my tongue."
"Is that... a good thing?" Trey asked.
"Oh, Trey! You gotta do the thing." Cater exclaimed.
"The thing? Oh... That."
"Uh, wanna fill me in here?" Questioned the confused Ace.
"What's everyone's favorite food?"
"Me? Probably cherry pie. Or hamburgers."
"Canned tuna's at the top of my list. Then maybe cheese omelets, roast meat, pudding..."
"Hmm, I'd say taiyaki." (Since I don't know Enma's favorite food, I just put a random one)
"If I had to pick, I guess I'd say... omelet rice?"
"Probably cheesecakes."
"I like a nice lamb chop with diablo sauce."
"All right, you've got it,"
"Doodle Suit."
"Huh? What does that mean?"
"Take another bite of your tart and see"
Everyone did as he saod and took a bite of their tart. The flavor was not what they were expecting at all. It tasted like their favorite food/s.
"Huh? How- Now it tastes like cherry pie!" Ace exclaimed.
"It's just like canned tuna! *munch* *munch* Now it tastes like a cheese omelet! And grilled meat! And pudding!" Each bite Grim took of the tart Mirana fed him kept changing between his favorite foods which made him want more.
"Neat trick, eh? That's gotta be a hit when Trey's having tea with the ladies." Cater said.
"It's very impressive. Is changing flavors your unique magic, Trey-san?" Enma asked as he took another bite of his food.
"Technically, it's "overwriting characteristics." I can change taste, color, smell, whatever. It only lasts for a little while."
"If I had magic like that, I could be eatin' canned tuna every meal of every day! That's way better than Riddle's stupid collar magic!"
Just hearing Grim badmouth Riddle made the girl frown unnoticably. "Hey, his unique magic is not stupid. That's just in a whole other league, considering that his unique magic is a weapon." She defended the boy.
"Mira's right, mine's just childish prestidigitation. Speaking of Riddle - it's too late to give him these now. Let's call it a day and do it tomorrow. Don't forget that tomorrow's the unbirthday party. You don't want to be late." Trey reminded the group, earning a low groan from Ace.
"Yo Enma can I crash with you again? It doesn't sound like I'll be allowed back in my own dorm tonight." Ace faced the prefect with a pleading look.
"Uhm, well..."
"Again, seriously?" Cater sighed.
"It isn't right to keep mooching off of Enma, Ace." The girl scolded him.
"Yeah, it ain't! If you wanna stay tonight, you gotta pay for the privilege! Ten cans of tuna!" Grim demanded before getting off of the girl's arms and running towards Ace with a pissed expression.
"What?! Guess I'm sleeping outside, then." Ace slouched with a defeated look.
"Why don't you go and stay at Enma's dorm too, Deuce, so you can keep an eye on him? As vice housewarden, I can issue you a sleepover pass." Trey suggested.
"That's our Trey, always spoiling the newbs. What fun for you. Ooh, maybe I'll come too! What do you say, Enma-chan?" Cater beamed at the boy.
"No pass for you." Trey said to him.
"Sorry to dump them all on you, Enma. At least it's just for tonight." Trey gave him an apologetic smile.
"It's no problem, see you all tomorrow then."
"Tomorrow's the unbirthday party. Finally, I'm gonna get rid of this stupid collar! Just you wait, Riddle!" Ace stated.
"Have a pleasant sleepover you four." Mirana said before giving them a goodbye smile to which they replied with a blush as they left to return to ramshackle.
"Mira-chan, won't you also wish me a good night?" Cater turned to her with a hopeful look.
The girl chuckled before granting the boy's wish. "I hope you have sweet dreams tonight, Cater-senpai and Trey-senpai too."
"Ah, I feel like I'm going to have the most wonderful dream tonight now that you've said that!" The orange-haired boy happily exclaimed while Trey just gave her a thank you smile. The three soon returned to their own dorm with Mirana going to her room first to rest early and prepare for the party.
"Trey! Cater! You're finally back! We've been looking everywhere for you!" A heartslabyul student approached the two with a distraught look on his face.
"What happened?"
Ten dorm members were caught violating rule 256... "No drinking honey-sweetened lemonade after 8 p.m." Housewarden Riddle collared them all!" The student exclaimed.
"I can't take it anymore! I can't live like this! Everything we do violates some insane rule! I want to transfer to another dorm..." He quietly sobbed with his face hidden with both his hands.
"It'll be okay. We'll go talk to the housewarden. You go back to your room." Trey reassured the boy and gestured for him to go rest in his room to which the student did as told.
"Guess I'd better go make some tea or something, as a show of deference to the Queen."
"Thanks, Cater. Oh, but make sure it's herbal tea, not black. You know what rule 153 says about drinking tea at night." Trey reminded him.
"...Yeaaah, sure. Of course."
Mirana who was listening to their conversation this whole time let out a sigh as she walked towards her own room. "He should really go easy on these poor students, especially the freshmen..."
𝕋𝕠 𝕓𝕖 ℂ𝕠𝕟𝕥𝕚𝕟𝕦𝕖𝕕...