The adventures of Tokiya Mikagami and the cookie jar
Tokiya was hungry.
Tokiya slowly drew his blanket aside, inch by inch so as not to awaken his sleeping wife, Fuuko. His lay still for a while as he waited for his eyes to adjust to the darkness of his room. After deciding that he could not get back to sleep, he decided to succumb to his hunger pangs. A lo, behold, he remembered that he bought a large jar of cookies two days ago. And the jar was just sitting on the kitchen counter begging to be eaten. It was his favourite lemon cookies too.
Slowly, he sat up and swung his legs off his bed and onto the floor. After snatching another look at the sleeping Fuuko (and leaning over her to make sure she was truly asleep), he slowly stood up and a took off at a slow walk at a half-crouch, stepping on the balls of his feet to ensure that no sound was made by his footsteps.
Stealth mode on.
He reached his first obstacle: closed door.
Hand on door handle. Breathe in. Quarter turn. A slight creak. Freeze. Head turn 45 degrees to the right. Wife still sleeping. Breathe out. Continue. Breathe in. Half turn. Slight pull. Door open. Inch by inch. Slick out. Attempt to close. Pull door back in place. Relax arm muscles. Slowly let handle turn back. Slight click. Breathe out.
Objective cleared!
Tokiya was hungry.
His first obstacle cleared, he scanned the living room, trying to remember where all the furniture was. Two days (and half the time at work) was definitely not enough time to get used to the layout of his home.
Random encounter!
Tokiya spotted a pair of green eyes in the darkness ahead. Surprised, he drew down into a defensive half crouch, hands ready for anything that may come his way. He stared at the pair of eyes, imagination wandering as his cookie-starved-half-asleep brain tried to determine what the heck was in his home. He wished for an instant that he still had his Ensui with him. Just an instant though, as he remembered that the nearest water source was in the washroom, which was between him and the pair of glowing eyes.
He stared at the eyes, daring it to do something.
The pair of eyes stared back.
He stared at them.
They stared back.
He continued to stare at them.
The eyes continued to stare back.
By now, Tokiya was starting to feel impatient.
The eyes actually moved this time round. Closer and closer. Tokiya was about to give the pair of eyes his kick of doom when a soft meow came from the direction where the eyes were.
Tokiya nearly slumped down onto the floor, realising that it was just their pet cat, Garfield.
Encounter averted!
He glared at Garfield and resolved then and there that he was going to throw Garfield in a box before he went to bed. He did NOT want to get scared by Garfield again. Tokiya managed to shoo Garfield away and continued on his quest to satiate his hunger. He recalled a famous children's TV programme from back when he was a kid. Something Street. He remembered that the programme featured muppets. His favourite character was a blue muppet that absolutely loved cookies. He even remembered the blue muppet making up a song about cookies.
'C is for cookie, it's just enough for me'
Humming the tune softly, Tokiya marched on. After what seemed like a hundred years, Tokiya reached the kitchen and met the final obstacle blocking his path.
Final mission: cookie jar lid.
Tokiya put one hand on the jar and another on the lid. This was going to be tricky. The lid had to be turned slowly as to not make any noise. Flexing his arm muscles, he slowly turned.
And turned.
And turned.
And turned.
And opened.
It seemed as though as he had the power of the Tendou Jigoku in his hands that very moment. Nothing could stand between him and his prize.
Final mission passed!
Tokiya put his hand in and carefully picked up a cookie, marvelling at the wondrous perfection of the mixture of lemon extract, flour, milk, eggs and who knows what else. He lifted the cookie level with his eyes and opened his mouth.
Suddenly, the lights turned on.
Tokiya turned round, surprised to see that Fuuko was standing, one finger on the light switch. Tokiya paused, looking guilty, looking at Fuuko.
Their eyes met.
It was a contest of wills. Neither wished to be the first to back down. After what seemed like an eternity, Tokiya looked down, despondent, and uttered one word.
"How?"
Fuuko grinned and said, "I'm hungry too".