Taste of Terror

"Presea?"

"It looks… terrible."

"Regal? How about you?"

"Sorry, but is it edible?"

"……."

"Ah! Zelos?"

"No! Just offer that crap to Lloyd… ouch! Why did you slap me?"

"One word, professor, NO!"

"Sheena?"
"Please don't make me use any of these." She held her cards defensively, rather scared. Her face was like she about to cry.

"Collete? I think you can try some?"

"M-maybe a bit…"

"Collete, No!" Yelled Lloyd.

"Geez, no, Raine, no! Please, spare me!"

Raine stood, placed her hand to her hip. "Come on. We mustn't let good food get wasted." Lloyd buried her face to his hand." I'd prefer not to let my life get wasted." He murmured. Raine raised her flushed face, her tone rising. "It's. Just. Curry." She said threateningly. "Yeah, Raine's curry." repeated Genis.

They sat gloomily, with the angered Raine at the center. She just finished her 'lunch meal' for the group. "Remind me. Who said the one to cook is Professor?" whispered. "I thought it's Regal to cook!" Regal dawned his body." I lost at the paper-rock-scissor game, so…"

It was the critical time. One of them must sacrifice his or herself or else all of them would be doomed for this lunch.

*CHOMP!*

Everyone surprised. "What was that?" They looked back and Genis screamed. "Noishe?!" Sheena examined the protozoan's body, and her face became paler every second passed. "He…ate the curry…" At the end of the sentence, Noishe fell to the ground.

"NOISHE!!!"


"It's professor's fault. If she didn't make that thing, Noishe is still healthy now." Growled Lloyd. Raine replied. "It's not. Nothing wrong with that food. It's your fault forgetting his food." They waited impatiently at the gate of Iselia. "I hope Sheena and Presea could get back soon. Noishe looks so…" Collete couldn't finish her words. She was too frightened. She looked around every now and then. "I wonder why some food could harm him?" She innocently said. "It's not food, Collete; it was counted as poison, no matter how you view it." Lloyd's last comment was rewarded with a slap from Raine.


"What's the problem with my dog?"

The doctor examined Noishe, grunting and commenting unheard for a minute. He clapped his hands. "It's hard to say. What kind of food gotten inside his body? He was poisoned; I'm sure, and by a very proficient poison maker."

They set their sight on Raine. "What? He might have eaten something on the way." The doctor continued." I, however, have determined the components of the poison, so we can undo it. Please find the ingredients for me." Lloyd asked," Tell me."

"We only need the Desert Rose of Triet," Lloyd ran halfway to the gate." Good. It's near." The doctor cut in." accompanied with Luin's Moon Grass, Herbal Lore from Ozette, Palmacosta's Honeydew, and boiled water from Thoda Geyser, all of them in three hours. His lifespan is limited."

"Can we split?" Lloyd said helplessly.


"I'll take Ozette with Presea." Regal moved.

"Guess I'll choose Luin."

"If my hunny go, me go too!"

"No! You go to Palmacosta!"

"Sheesh, you're no fun, kid."

"Genis, can I trust Thoda to you?"

"Of course!"
He counted. "So that left us for Triet, Collete."

A neat 30 minutes after Lloyd wandered at the desert with Collete trailed behind. He walked and walked, but no rose could be seen. "Lloyd…" Lloyd stood. "I couldn't stop! It's for Noishe!" he sighed. "But it's too hot…"


Nearly three hours from the conversation, the group has gathered at Dirk's house where Noishe still laid weakly. "All of this... was caused by a plate of curry? "Asked Sheena. Regal answered tiredly." I admit Raine's skill is … plausible."

Presea handed the Herbal Lore. Their journey was not as hard as Lloyd, Collete, Sheena, and Zelos'. Indeed, Genis' was the simplest journey. He got the water just as soon as he stepped on Thoda.

The moon grass bloomed in midnight only, in a fixed humidity and wind. The only way to get it in three hours was with the help of the summon spirits. But it was hard thing to do in a fully occupied city. She managed to evacuate everyone after Chocolat heard her story.

The honeydew was located near Palmacosta's outskirt. It was almost easy to acquire, if only the Queen Mantis, the guardian of the area, wasn't in her offspring season. She became ferocious toward every non-monster being near her lair.

At last, Lloyd's Desert Rose, was one of the biggest misunderstanding on the local tales. What they called Desert Rose actually was a kind of weasel's fur, but at the ancient times, it was so hard to find so when travelers find one, they considered it as the most valuable thing after the oasis so they name it Desert Rose. They managed to fetch one after Collete asked an old merchant passing by.

Anyway, the ingredients were finally found.


"He could open his eyes in some more time. I think this is enough." Everyone was relieved. That was a long and tiring day.

When Noishe has been fully recovered, the doctor was about to leave. He walked toward the group minus Raine and Collete, who were waiting inside, and told them," Goodbye, then. Your, err, dog is okay. I have asked the white haired lady inside to make him some soup. "He waved and made his progress through the gate.

It struck them a minute after.

Their face paled in horror.

"He asked who?!"

A/N: Poor Noishe? Ha-ha. I love Raine's cooking. Must be a good thing to give to my brother, who said mine isn't edible. In the end it wasn't much for a humor story, huh?