This was the result of a fifteen-minute word challenge. The challenge word is stated at the end of the ficlet.
Picky Palate (Prince of Tennis)
By Haruka (email: haruka at ymail dot com)
Atobe Keigo eyed the spread laid out before him dubiously. He had been raised in the lap of luxury, and moved in high society. He was a gourmet of food meant to tantalize the tastebuds of the most discerning consumers in the world.
So why on Earth had he agreed to sample this disgusting-looking tripe called 'fast food'?
Oh, yes. It wasn't his idea.
His Hyotei Regulars were gathered around him with their own trays, but they all seemed far more interested in seeing him down this poison-disguised-as-something-edible.
"Now THIS," said Gakuto as he held up a stick of something that looked crunchy and salty, "is a French fry. Try it, you'll like it."
Atobe took the stick. "I doubt it," he replied and reluctantly ate it. "It's greasy," he complained.
"But isn't it good?" Gakuto said. "These are the downfall of my diet alone," he added mournfully.
"You don't need to diet, you're light enough," Yuushi chided gently and passed Atobe a small cardboard container. "Have a chicken nugget."
Their team captain looked at him in alarm. "What part of the chicken is the _nugget_?"
The other boys laughed, which only annoyed Atobe further. Yuushi reassured him, "It's not any one part exactly – it's made up of white meat."
Atobe tasted the nugget. "It's greasy, too," he remarked, scowling.
"Next!" Shishido plopped something round and vaguely bread-like in front of him. "This is a hamburger."
"It's ham?" Atobe asked. "So it comes from a pig, right?" He was pretty sure of that much.
"Hamburger come from cows, actually," Ohtori said slowly, sharing an uneasy look with Shishido. "But I think this restaurant might use a filler …."
Ham from filled cows? Atobe sighed and took a tentative bite. He made a face. "Also greasy. And tasteless, except for the stuff on top that's a shade of red not found in nature."
"The ketchup?" Gakuto said in surprise.
Jiroh yawned and pushed a cup toward Atobe. "Have some soda. It'll wash it down, anyway."
Atobe sipped it and shook his head in disgust. "It's nothing but sweet water!"
"Well, yeah," Shishido admitted. "That's pretty much what soda is."
"So far I think this Wet-Nap would be the tastiest thing in this so-called eating establishment!" Atobe declared and stood up. "Someday I'll buy this place, level it, and make a garbage dump out of it – it's half-way there already. But for now, I'm taking you all to a REAL restaurant for food that can actually be identified. Right, Kabaji?"
"Usu," their second-year teammate agreed.
"Suits me!" Gakuto jumped up. "For lobster or steak I'll gladly break my diet!"
"We may have to stop by the hospital first." Atobe scowled and rubbed his abdomen. "I feel the need for a stomach pump."
(Word challenge – Gourmet)
(2005)
Prince of Tennis belongs to Konomi Takeshi.