TITLE: The Siren Call and Many Complications of Chocolate Mousse Cake
AUTHOR: Tiffany Park
CATEGORY: Humor, Fluff, Cooking
SERIES: The series is still untitled. The stories should be read in the following order: "Embracing Destiny," "Choosing Priorities," "Cooking Magic," "Like Sunshine." "The Siren Call and Many Complications of Chocolate Mousse Cake" and "The Further Complications of Chocolate Mousse Cake" can be viewed as side stories to this series. Fai is 10 years old in them, so they follow "Like Sunshine."
SPOILERS: Tsubasa Reservoir Chronicle Chapitres 150 through 172.
RATING: G
CONTENT WARNINGS: None.
SUMMARY: Somewhere in another world, one far, far away, young Fai and Yūi like to bake chocolate goodies. In any world, near or far, Ashura is appreciative of their efforts. Characters: AU!Yūi, AU!Real!Fai, AU!Ashura, Fai D Fluorite, King Ashura of Seresu
STATUS: Complete
ARCHIVE: Please ask first
DISCLAIMER: Tsubasa Reservoir Chronicle and its characters belong to CLAMP, Del Rey Ballantine Books, Random House Inc., Kodansha Ltd., Funimation, and probably a whole bunch of other people and companies I know nothing about. This story is for entertainment purposes only and no money exchanged hands. No copyright infringement is intended. The original characters, situations, and story are the property of the author. This story may not be posted elsewhere without the consent of the author.
AUTHOR'S NOTES: Just some fluff while I remember what writing about Fai and Ashura was like and try to get back into the writing groove...
SERIES ANNOUNCEMENT: This story is part of a still-untitled series. For those interested, the stories should be read in the following order: "Embracing Destiny," "Choosing Priorities," "Cooking Magic," "Like Sunshine." "The Siren Call and Many Complications of Chocolate Mousse Cake" can be viewed as a side story to this series, as it mentions Arimaspea. Fai is 10 in it, so it follows "Like Sunshine."
The Siren Call and Many Complications of Chocolate Mousse Cake
by
Tiffany Park
The twins had turned the kitchen into a disaster area.
Ashura stood silently in the doorway, watching with mingled amusement and chagrin while his boys slathered globs of chocolate mousse onto three layers of chocolate cakes and stacked them up on a large plate. When the topmost of the cakes started to slide sideways, Fai jammed in some toothpicks to hold everything in place. In the meantime, Yūi pulled the double boiler full of ganache off the stove and dunked it in an ice bath. Cold water and a few half melted ice cubes sloshed over the edge and onto the linoleum floor.
Ashura had reviewed the recipe before he'd given them permission to attempt the chocolate mousse cake, and he was pretty sure they were supposed to chill the cake and mousse for a couple of hours before applying the ganache. Apparently, that was far too long for two impatient ten-year-olds. Yūi was already spooning ganache into a piping bag. A few wisps of steam escaped. Yūi hadn't even waited for it to cool properly.
This should be interesting.
Yūi started piping, the picture of concentration. He gnawed his lips and narrowed his eyes as he drew shaky lines of ganache on the top of the cake. The ganache immediately slid down the sides and pooled on the plate, but some managed to coat the dessert in a thin layer of dark, chocolatey deliciousness.
Leaving Yūi to his battle with the ganache, Ashura's eyes passed once more over the demolition zone that used to be his dated but tidy kitchen. While the scents from all the different forms of chocolate were heavenly, the mess was not. Flour and powdered cocoa dusted every surface, and granulated sugar crunched underfoot. Gobbets of whipped cream and melted chocolate congealed on the counters and the floor. The sink overflowed with dirty bowls, pots, pans, and utensils, with even more stacked on the side counter. Dried batter coated the mixer, and blackened, cooked-on glop encrusted the stovetop.
And how, exactly, had the boys managed to get melted chocolate and raw egg on the ceiling? Ashura stared up helplessly, wondering how he would get all that off, even with a stepladder, a scraper, and industrial strength cleaning solutions. Feeling defeated, he turned his gaze back to the young culprits.
The boys' aprons were liberally coated with cake batter, mousse, and ganache, as was pretty much everything the aprons didn't cover of their skin and their clothes. The less said about their hair, the better. To judge by the plentitude of dark smears on their faces, as much chocolate had gone into their mouths as had into the cake.
Ashura figured he'd be cleaning for a week. He must have been out of his mind to allow the twins to attempt something as complex and fussy as a chocolate mousse cake. But honestly, who could resist those two pairs of bright blue eyes gazing up at him?
Maybe he could spring for a cleaning service, just this once? He wasn't made of money, but he wasn't flat broke, either. He'd just gotten paid the other day. He ran the budget numbers in his head and decided he could afford to splurge.
In the meantime, Fai had opened up the freezer compartment of the fridge and started shoving various food items aside to make an open area in the center. Carefully carrying the ganache-drenched confection, Yūi tottered over to join his brother.
Oh. That was how they were going to chill the cake, was it? The speedy method. Ah, the impatience of youth...
But would it fit? That was a real concern. Ashura imagined the cake scraping the top of the freezer and ganache smearing on everything else, and mentally added freezer-cleaning to his growing list of tasks. Despite his trepidation, the boys managed to fit the whole thing in, albeit with many contortions and much rearranging of everything else in the freezer. Ashura noticed some things got transferred to the refrigerator. He supposed they could have whatever thawed for dinner.
"Uncle Ashura!" Fai had finally noticed him lurking in the doorway, and now stood with arms akimbo and looking decidedly huffy. "You shouldn't be in here!"
Yūi joined his brother, exclaiming in preadolescent indignation, "You promised you'd let us do this by ourselves! It's not done yet!"
Past them, Ashura could see the piping bag slowly leaking ganache all over the counter. It was pretty dark brown, almost black. Would that stuff stain Formica? And would bleach get it out? "I was just curious," he said, biting his tongue and not mentioning the mess. He held up his hands in an attempt for peace and forgiveness. "It smells wonderful, boys..."
"It'll be even better in half an hour," Fai said. "You can wait."
The boys came over and each took one of Ashura's arms in their grimy, chocolate coated hands. They steered him to the living room. "You watch TV while the cake cools and firms up," Yūi ordered, rather officiously.
Ashura vaguely hoped the cake wouldn't freeze solid, but then again, half an hour wasn't long.
The boys guided him to the sofa. Defeated and trying desperately not to laugh, Ashura cooperated and sat down. Fai picked up the remote.
"It's just half an hour," Fai said. "I know you're a terrible chocoholic, Uncle Ashura, but honestly, it's not long to wait. Here, this should keep you occupied." He clicked the remote to turn on the TV and changed it to the cooking channel—one of Fai and Yūi's favorites. Ashura himself had always been an indifferent cook, though he'd improved significantly since he'd adopted the twins and had to feed them. Growing boys needed decent nutrition and shouldn't survive on take-out like he had in the days when he'd lived alone, but he couldn't deny that sometimes he struggled with cookbooks.
Maybe that was why his boys had taken up cooking and baking as hobbies? It was self-defense.
Yūi said, "We'll bring you some cake when it's done. It won't be very long now." He waggled a finger in Ashura's face, saying, "Don't come back to the kitchen until we say so." Ashura nodded obediently, still suppressing laughter. Fai handed him the remote. Satisfied that he would behave, Yūi and Fai retreated down the hall to the bathroom, from which came a great deal of splashing and laughing.
Gad, they were cute, but really, did they have to be so bossy? And they certainly had him pegged, didn't they? He always kept some chocolate in the house.
There was a noisy cupcake baking competition running on the TV. Ashura had no interest in it aside from the fact that some of those professional bakers made messes almost as bad as Fai and Yūi. The remote had a smear of chocolate on it. He couldn't help wiping it off with his sleeve before clicking it. After a bit of surfing, he landed on an oldies channel broadcasting an ancient Western. It was mindless entertainment and he didn't really pay attention. Afternoon programming was, as usual, a wasteland of inanity.
A crawling sensation at the back of his neck made him look up and around. It was creepy, like someone was standing close behind or above him—watching him. He shifted nervously. The notion was ridiculous, of course. There was no one in the house but him and the boys. Even the laptop was currently off, so the webcam couldn't be active. Maybe there was something to those internet conspiracy theories about the Xbox One spying on its owners. Ashura eyed the quiescent game console and shook his head, annoyed with himself for even considering the idea.
He was just bored and worried about the kitchen. The twins had returned there. The water was running and pots banging, and he heard what sounded like the dishwasher door slamming shut. He winced, wishing the boys would take it a little easier, and consoled himself with the thought that at least they were trying to clean up their own mess.
Then the sound of the freezer door opening and closing came to him, along with the clink of plates and silverware. Had it been half an hour already? He checked the wall clock, but since he hadn't been timing his boys, he couldn't really know. On the TV, a new show had begun, some old idealized family comedy which he found about as interesting as the cupcake show. He clicked off the television.
The boys trooped into the living room. Thankfully, they had removed the crusty aprons, changed clothes, and cleaned up a bit. They had even brushed most of the flour from their hair. Most. Fai carried a small plate in hand and Yūi had two. Yūi handed one to Ashura. "Here you go, Uncle."
On it was a mounded heap of chocolate—there was no better way to describe a scoop of mousse cake that had not been allowed to chill and set properly—and a dessert fork.
His boys plunked down on the sofa on either side of him, watching him with anticipation. "Try it," Fai encouraged. "Is it good?"
"That's a silly question," Ashura said with a smile. "It's chocolate. I know it's going to be delicious."
Yūi slid a forkful in his mouth and made sounds of delight. "It turned out really good. Try it, Uncle Ashura."
The smell was absolutely enticing. Ashura inhaled deeply, enjoying the many levels of chocolatey goodness in the scent.
"Just try it already, you chocoholic, you," Fai said, laughing at him.
Ashura poked at the mound with his fork. Thankfully, all the toothpicks had been removed. Or rather, at least none were in his serving. Reassured, he scooped up a healthy portion, making sure to get cake, mousse, and ganache in the sample.
The intense layers of chocolate exploded in his mouth. The different textures were a wonder, with the rich, luscious cake, creamy mousse, and smooth, intense ganache all vying for dominance yet also blending in an incredible way. His nasal cavities filled with the chocolate essence, and his taste buds tingled, almost overcome with ecstasy. Ashura swallowed and leaned his head back, closing his eyes as his mood lifted and all his worries about the mess in the kitchen lazily floated away. He hummed his approval through what he knew was a stupid, idiotic smile.
"Oh, this is the best thing I've ever eaten, boys," he told them. "Seriously, the very best."
"Really?" Yūi's bright eyes gleamed up at him. On Ashura's other side, Fai echoed, "Really, truly?"
"Really, really, truly, truly," Ashura told them. He set his plate down on the coffee table and gave his sweet children a hug. "You two are amazing bakers. You can make this cake anytime you want."
King Ashura of Seresu woke with a smile on his face. He lay in his luxurious, curtained bed for a long time, basking in the kind memories of that other-place. Dreams didn't always have to be frightening or terrible. Sometimes they were wonderful.
This one had shown him that there were other worlds, other realities, where life might not end in despair, desperation, and horror. Unlike Seresu with its doomed future, that other world's existence had been pleasant and hopeful. There he—or rather, his alternate self—had both twins, Fai and Yūi together. They had been living like commoners, without wealth, political power, servants, or even magic—though they'd had many conveniences that seemed nigh miraculous, but which his other self clearly considered ordinary and mundane.
So they were unmagical commoners, and living on "a budget" besides. Ashura shuddered. Apparently, money was a concern and his counterpart had to work at some kind of banal job for it, just like the people he ruled. Why else would his other self be so concerned about cleaning up the kitchen and what it would cost to hire a "cleaning service" to help take care of the awful mess?
Ashura felt more than a little miffed by his counterpart's station in life. He would not have expected alternate versions of himself and the twins to be so...average. Ordinary. They weren't royalty, or even nobility. They had no worldly or magical influence beyond their own small lives. They were just regular members of the common masses, working at a routine living, not particularly notable in any way.
And yet, none of that had mattered a whit to them. The twins were both alive, both the same age as his own Fai. They lived in reasonable comfort. And they'd seemed happy. All of them, himself included.
What a miracle.
True, even in that other world, life still held its share of tragedy. The twins had somehow lost their parents. They wouldn't have been with Ashura's counterpart, otherwise. That alternate Ashura had thought of the twins has "his boys," as well as recalling that he had adopted them. It obviously wasn't a temporary arrangement, and he wasn't just babysitting. Ashura knew the other version of himself wasn't their father, but their repeated use of that "Uncle Ashura" had felt very nice indeed. He experienced an upwelling of warmth when recalling the happy family life with his boys in that delightful world.
Ashura wondered if the children were related to his other self at all—were they nephews by blood, or distant cousins, perhaps?—or if the title of uncle they had bestowed upon him was strictly honorary. What circumstances had led to their joining as a family?
And how amusing was it that the twins had been cooking? That was one of Fai's favorite hobbies—well, Ashura knew that his Fai was really Yūi going by his deceased brother's name, but in that other reality both twins had been happily making a mess of his kitchen.
Even now, wide awake, Ashura could still taste that heavenly concoction—chocolate mousse cake? An interesting creation, full of amazing textures and intense flavors. Eating it had been a near euphoric experience. His other self had understood the term "chocoholic" perfectly, and as a result of living for a short time in that blessed other life, so did he. It fit. Though he'd never tasted chocolate before, he found that his dream had left him with a craving for it. That was as amusing as Fai and Yūi's cross-world penchant for cooking.
He considered whether the castle cooks could produce such a thing as chocolate mousse cake. They baked a variety of other sweets: cakes and puddings, candies and comfits. Many Seresians had a sweet tooth, and so desserts had become a high art form. Surely his cooks could make something similar to that unusual cake. Most of the ingredients were available in Seresu. Finely milled wheat flour, cream, butter, eggs, sugar, and rare spices like vanilla, saffron, and cinnamon, though he didn't recall tasting those latter two seasonings in the cake. They were accessible to the royal court, despite any expense. All but chocolate. Chocolate was a mystery. He really must discover if chocolate was available anywhere in his own world.
And if it wasn't, well, he could travel between worlds. It shouldn't be too difficult to sneak off and find some chocolate. Perhaps even in that splendid world where life was simple and pleasant, and the future looked bright.
Ashura was even more amused, later at breakfast, that Fai should happen to bring chocolate into the morning conversation. How convenient.
Though when one was a dream-seer, convenience and coincidence generally were not involved in the timing of visions found in sleep. One usually dreamed what was necessary. Obviously, chocolate was necessary. Ashura almost laughed out loud at the idea that his dreams could take such frivolous turns.
"It's this new foodstuff," Fai explained earnestly. "I hear we can import it from one of the southern kingdoms."
"Indeed?" Ashura queried, smiling inside but keeping his outward expression politely interested.
"It comes from Tartessos. They're very secretive about where they get it from, though everything I've read about it says we can buy it from them."
"Sounds interesting," Ashura said, because Fai had paused and seemed to expect some response.
"I'd really like to get some and try using it, but the chief steward and the head cook both said you have to authorize the purchase."
"Why is that?" Ashura asked, though he thought he knew. The price must be very dear to require his personal authorization to expend funds on dessert ingredients.
Fai confirmed Ashura's suspicions. "It's really costly," the boy admitted. "Even more expensive than saffron. And the Tartessan king also uses it as a gift when he makes treaties and sends ambassadors, it's that important. But I hear it's worth whatever it takes to get it! Oh, please, can we get some? I'd really like to try it. It sounds so wonderful from what I've read, though I guess it's tricky to cook. I've done a lot of research on it, and it takes a lot of hands-on practice to get it right. You can't just make a really fancy dessert from it without any experience using it. That's why I need to practice."
Ashura correctly assumed that he would be buying a lot of very expensive chocolate that was destined to be ruined and thrown away. He opened his mouth to ask a question about just how much "practice" was required, but Fai's nonstop stream of excited babble prevented any conversational intervention.
"I've read it burns easily," Fai gushed out breathlessly, "and you have to do something called 'tempering' to get it smooth and even, and it does something called 'seizing' if water gets in at the wrong time, oh, and there are other oddities, too. Oh, yeah, it's not a common trade item yet, even in Tartessos, so we'll have to make special arrangements, but with all the magicians in the castle, surely someone can teleport to—"
How amusing, Ashura thought, that he was every bit as vulnerable as his counterpart to beseeching blue eyes.
He held up a hand. "Yes, I'll authorize it, Fai. We should always be willing to try new things." Even if it meant opening special trade relations with Tartessos. And that should be quite a feat. Tartessos was very, very far away, and though Fai hadn't mentioned it, the Tartessan culture was not terribly accepting of magicians. Seresu had always kept contact to a minimum and through convenient third parties. The Tartessans weren't as actively hostile to magicians as places like Arimaspea, and at least the upper classes and the royal court of Tartessos were cosmopolitan enough to understand that the cold, northerly kingdoms accepted magic as a way of life. Nevertheless, the Tartessan king wouldn't appreciate having Ashura's wizards and ambassadors just teleport to his country or his court and announce they wanted to procure chocolate from him. No, this would take some careful preparations and series of diplomatic negotiations.
Naturally chocolate would be difficult to obtain. Of course. Why should something so wonderful be easily accessible?
But the light in Fai's eyes—and his own dream memories of chocolate mousse cake—made it all worthwhile.
*** end ***
December 2015