Of Sweets and Feelings.
AN: Mornin' all! Just a ditty of a story that's been rolling around my head now for a couple days, this one is set a couple weeks or so after the final events of Gravity Rush 2, including the year of Kat's absence. Also, I'm crap at thinking up titles, so excuse it for now! Not much to say other than I hope you enjoy!
The skies over Lei Colmosna were as clear as ever. Taking in the sights and smells, Raven glided carefully over the many bustling stands, all bursting with stock of various shapes and sizes. She had decided to take the day off after a week straight of serious, but boring, patrols in both the cities of Hekseville and Jirga Para Lhao.
Eventually she came to a stop, high above the plaza. It was unusually busy that day, she felt, considering it was in the middle of the week. Was there a sale? A new store selling food? Either way, her intrigue caused her to land a short distance from a skewer store that she was a patron of. It was at this moment that she saw a familiar figure through the crowd ahead. It was Kat.
She wandered towards her, noting her uniform. She was in her delivery outfit, handing out papers to passers-by with a grin on her face. Her eyes lit up upon seeing Raven.
"Oh! Hey, Raven!" She chimed, handing her a paper. "Here, take one."
"Hey, Kat. Working today again?" she retorted as she flicked through the first couple of pages of the paper. Standard news, a weather report, the usual. She glanced over to her friend. Kat had dark circles under her eyes, looking slightly pale. "...Are you okay?"
She nodded in response, handing a couple more papers to people as they passed by the pair.
"I'm fine, I'm just helping out where I can. After we beat that giant Nevi, the smaller ones have calmed down a lot, wouldn't you say?"
"True, I haven't seen too many lately on my patrols," Raven replied. "But why the odd jobs? You can't be hurting for money that badly, right?"
Kat giggled as she took a deep breath.
"No, nothing like that. I have a nest egg, I assure you. I just want to help out however I can. It was this place that took me in, after all," she trailed, losing a little of the vigour that she had. Her smile reduced slightly. She shook her head a moment later. "I'm fine, but thanks for worrying, Raven!"
Not convinced, she waved as she left Kat to her devices. She could not help but feel a little guilty. There she was, having a day off and enjoying herself, yet Kat was working her socks off for everyone, yet again. She sat at a bench a little distance away, worriedly glancing over at her friend every so often. She opened the paper and began skimming for news. Then it hit her.
'I want to do something for her.'
The sudden urge felt somewhat unnatural. Although a stoic, hardened veteran of the field, she could not help but feel downright concerned about her companion. She turned the pages, thinking hard about what she could do to help.
'Maybe I could help her out in her jobs? No, that wouldn't work. If she really does need the money then I'd be taking it away by helping, even if I insist. If it really is money and she was just saying that to make me feel at ease then I can always lend her some...'
Her thoughts multiplying by the minute, she closed her eyes briefly.
'She wouldn't accept the help anyway! Stubborn girl...'
The pages of the paper had revealed nothing of use so far. She kept skimming, finally resting her eyes on an advert in the corner of an unremarkable page.
'For the next eight hours, the Lei Colmosna Bakery is proud to announce the store has baked a fresh batch of the world-famous Anti-Gravity cakes!
Hurry, come and get your own! First come, first served!'
That was it. The plan was already set in Raven's head. The enchanting smell of baked sweets and breads, the warm atmosphere. She was already in heaven and she was not even there yet. She hastily shook her head, reminding herself that this time it was not for her. She leaped out of her seat, noting the address in the paper before launching herself in the bakery's general direction.
'I'll get her one of those cakes. Hopefully that will cheer her up!'
The queue was tremendous. Even after the previous attempt to purchase one of these oft-thought-of mythical cakes, the wait had exhausted her both mentally and physically. This time, however, she had a reason. A proper one, she thought. She joined the back of the queue.
Many a tense moment passed. Raven was left to her thoughts, reminiscing about the past and all the events that had led up to this moment.
'Darn, why is it so hard to get one of these things?' She started tapping her foot on the ground. The queue budged an inch. The winds blew gently. It was going to be a long wait.
'...But still, after all she's gone through, I can't believe she's still working so hard. I wonder...does she know that I'm always here for her if she needs me?'
The line for the bakery was shrinking, steadily but excruciatingly slow. Her temper started to rise.
'Calm down, Raven. There's nothing you can do. Just a bit longer-'
A loud voice snapped her out of her thoughts. A guy wearing an apron was standing at the store front in the distance, megaphone in hand.
"Ladies and gentleman, I regret to inform you all that we've just sold our last Anti-Gravity cake! Thank you all for coming, we'll make sure next time that we bake an even larger batch!"
The air grew silent. Potentially hundreds of customers, Raven included, had been waiting for a very long time. Hours even. All for nothing. She was fuming.
'Gah! What good is 'next time'!?' She clenched her teeth. Her plan already showed signs of failure, but she was not giving up. The queue slowly dispersed, filling the air with groans and upset cries. A loud sigh alerted Raven, who pivoted to see Cecie behind her, a few paces back.
"Cecie? What are you doing here?" She spoke. Cecie raised her gaze, smiling as she walked towards her.
"Ah! Raven, it's good to see you," she casually eyed the bakery in the distance with a longing stare. "I really wanted to try one of those cakes. The last time I came I was too late. I rarely have a lot of free time now that I'm helping run Jirga Para Lhao, I thought maybe I'd get lucky..."
A lot really had happened in the past year. Cecie had really blossomed into a leader, a result that even she was a little unsure could ever happen due to her timid nature. It felt, at least to Raven, that everyone around her had grown up so much. Everyone, it felt, except her.
"...Yeah, I bet it's really busy. Say, are you free at all today?" She asked. She had a plan that she was hoping Cecie could help her. There was no harm in trying, right? Cecie shook her head.
"No, actually I'm free this afternoon. What's the matter?"
"Can you cook...?"
"So that's why you asked!" Cecie smiled greatly. Of all the people to ask for her aid, Raven was the last one she would ever think would do so. After hearing of Raven's plan, she immediately set out for the very same bakery that had sold the cakes but a moment ago. Raven was perplexed, but followed nonetheless.
"Why're we going in there? They're sold out."
"How do you think we make a cake, silly?" Cecie joked. Seeing the stern look on her companion's face shook her to her core. "U-um, sorry, I mean we need the ingredients to bake it. From what I can see on the picture of the cake on that window, we'll need lots of sugar. I have some of the raspberries and strawberries at home so it's just the flour and sugar."
A brief interlude later, the pair emerged from the bakery fully laden with all manner of baking goods. Raven used her stasis power to carry the bags, along with Cecie, back to her home on the nearby floating settlement of Banga. Although it was not her first time experiencing stasis, she enjoyed it nonetheless.
Upon entering Cecie's abode, Raven immediately caught the scent of lavender.
"It's a nice place you've got here," she quipped, looking around the somewhat cosy abode. The pair had set all the ingredients on the table nearby as Cecie donned an apron. She handed one to Raven, who merely stared back to her. "Hm? But I can't cook."
"Then how about giving me a hand? You do want to make it really special for her, right?" She bargained, seeing the fire ignite in Raven's eyes. "What good is a gift if you didn't put your heart into it?"
The time felt as if it was flying by. One by one, the spongy layers of cake were delicately rising in the small oven. The air was filled with the sweet smell of baking, overtaking the previous lavender tint. Raven was in heaven, even if it was not all for her.
"It's really this easy?" She laughed. She had thought all along that the preparation process was best left to the professionals, but seeing just how simple some of the aspects were to the cake in person made her realise otherwise. Her stomach was growling at regular intervals.
"Oh, it's nothing, really. You just have to keep an eye of things, and never over-mix," Cecie sung as she whisked a small handful of summer fruits into a bowl of cream. The colour changed to a deeper red hue soon after, much to Raven's amusement. "Would you mind if I ask a question, Raven?"
The sudden notion centred her attention onto Cecie, noticing traces of flour along her short sleeves.
"You're aware this probably won't taste anything like the cake in the bakery, right? Or look as elegant?"
The thought never crossed her mind. She was so intrigued with the process that she solely wanted to see it through to its completion. She blinked a couple times at her.
"But it will taste okay, like edible, right?" the child-like innocence with which she asked caused Cecie to giggle loudly. She nodded in response, carrying on with the whisking.
"Right...the sponges are in the oven, the cream is all made...we just need the macaroons now," she chanted as she worked her way through the ingredients on the table. "Can you work on the egg whites for me?"
Passing Raven the bowl, she cracked some eggs and separated the whites into the bowl, discarding the yolks as per the instruction. She began whisking with such power that the utensil had begun knocking about the bowl, loud thuds echoing. Despite being eager to help, the longevity of the whole process was starting to take its toll on her a little.
"How much longer do you think this'll take?" She plainly asked, staring at the thick, foamed egg whites.
"I think they're done already," she replied. Raven cocked her head to the side.
"No, I mean until we're all done?"
"Not too long now, we just need to cool the sponges, and then-" a knock at the door startled her. She placed the bowl down on the table before walking over to open it. Misai was standing there. A grin formed on his face upon seeing Raven, ever more so after seeing the apron.
"Oh, hey Cecie. Didn't realise you had company," he chuckled, letting himself in. Seeing the pair caused him to titter somewhat. Raven was not amused. "I only wanted to pick up another sack for the evening's mining trip, don't mind me."
An unsettled silence filled the room. Cecie cleared her throat.
"Um…I think they're in the back, over there," she pointed to the back of the room. He nodded, grabbing a hessian sack before making his way towards the door. He stopped as his hand came close to the door handle, turning to face the pair.
"So...is there an occasion?" He glanced between them, noting Raven's unwillingness to say anything. "Is it someone's birthday?"
"Oh no, we're just making Kat something as a thank you for all the hard work she does," Cecie spoke. Misai grew silent, the grin on his face fading as his face glazed over for but a brief second. By now it was apparent to nearly the entire Banga settlement just how much he had thought of Kat, and Cecie knew all the more, due to her various, almost comedic, run-ins with the two of them. He placed the sack on the side.
"I don't suppose there's anything I can help with?" He muttered. Raven could not help but notice the sudden change in him.
"I think we're nearly finished, actually," Cecie admitted, looking at the now downcast Misai. He had thought of a plan, however.
"Hmm...you can't just give her a cake and then go away. Where's the party gonna be?"
'A party? What does he mean?' Raven's mind pondered on the words he spoke. All she wanted was to get Kat something as a present. Although she had never thought of something as grand as a party, her curiosity was piqued.
"Oh come on, don't give me that look," he continued. "I don't think I've ever seen her enjoy herself. It's about time we held a party for her, don't you think?"
Cecie laughed into her hand, seeing through his act almost instantly.
"I bet you'd love to see her in a dress, wouldn't you?" She could not help herself. A small tear formed in the corner of her eye. Misai grew slightly flustered at her comment.
"S-shut up! I just think it's a great idea, what about you, Raven?" Ever eager to change the direction of the conversation, he stared at her with a pleading expression. She shrugged.
"I think it's a great idea," the words left her mouth without any hesitation. Cecie nodded vehemently. "It's about time we did something for her, she's been through so much."
He stopped for a moment, closing his eyes. Her words had resonated with him quite well. He was not exactly kind to her, either, on some occasions. A pang of guilt knotted inside him, raising his head once more.
"That does it then. How about a surprise party, maybe at her house?"
"That sounds wonderful! I bet she'd love that," Cecie spoke, turning to Raven. "Let's finish up here, shall we?"
The day had quickly turned to dusk, the cooler evening air blew dutifully through the settlement. The cake was finally finished. A square base, covered in a delicate red berry glaze. A small, quaint tower of various macaroons, all stacked perfectly and in various flavours. A small arch of chocolate, rising and then lowering at the corners of the sponge. Perfection, at least in Raven's eyes. She stared intently.
"It's...it's breath taking," she remarked. How she was controlling herself from devouring it was beyond her. "I can't thank you enough, Cecie, honestly. It looks much better than those Anti-Gravity cakes."
"You helped out too, Raven. Besides, that's what friends are for, right?" She replied.
'Friends? Of course,' Although generally not one to wax lyrical on any subject, she smiled at the thought. 'It's nice to have friends...isn't it?'
Cecie looked over, noticing her in a quiet trance.
"Are you okay?"
"Yes, I'm fine, thank you," she spoke softly. Cecie could not help but beam ear to ear.
"It's so nice to see you smile, I feel as if it's so rare."
The sudden realisation hit her. Raven looked down, resuming her outwardly stern exterior.
"Do you have a box we can put this is? To transport it, I mean," Raven spoke, looking around the room. Cecie rummaged briefly through the cupboards, pulling out a red box with a ribbon attached.
"If you place it in here, it should be fine" she passed it to Raven. "Please be careful though, the cake is extremely delicate!"
"Thank you, Cecie. For everything," Raven spoke as she gingerly placed the cake in the box. The glaze around the edge of the cake had caught her hands slightly, leaving a thin, ruby-red streak. "Don't forget, let's meet at eight this evening, on the bridge overlooking Kat's house, okay?"
Cecie nodded, watching Raven leave the premises with the carton.
There was a knock at the door. Cecie had just finished cleaning up after the afternoon's baking session. She wiped her brow, then opened it. Misai stood, once more.
"It's all good, then?" He whispered, seeing her nod.
"Yes, we're to meet at the bridge above her house in Auldnoir, Heskeville. It's on the east side of the town."
"Got it, I'll let the others know," he grinned, before leaving the Cecie to herself.
It was nearly time. Raven had painstakingly carried the red box in her hands with such care and attention that her fingers were beginning to seize up. She did not want to risk anything happening to it with her shifting, so instead opted for conventional transport. Thank goodness, she thought, that they were all running on time. She finally arrived at the port in Auldnoir.
'This is it, Raven. Not far to go. I wonder if Cecie and Misai made it?' Many things flashed through her mind as she made her way to the overlooking bridge. What she witnessed there shocked her.
"Ah, there you are!" Cecie waved. She was standing with a good crowd of people, all smiling towards her. Raven shook her head, rubbing her eyes with a single hand at the sight. "I hope it's alright, it seems we're not the only ones who want to see Kat!"
Among the gaggle of people stood Syd, itching the side of his head. Aki was also there, along with Pandora. Vogo and Fi were also there, the former grinning at his stalwart brother. Raven even spied Aujean, complete with an unopened bottle of wine, dawdling amongst the crowd. Misai was present, fidgeting. She simply smiled, walking over to greet everyone.
"There she is! Raven, how're things?" Syd started, looking towards her with those large, yellow eyes of his. "I couldn't stay away when I heard from Cecie. It's just a shame Lisa couldn't make it, she's so busy with the Hekseville politics. She does send her love, though, as hard as that is to believe."
Cecie stepped forward, a slight frown on her face.
"Hey! Lisa does care! She's just got a lot on her plate," she started. Syd merely patted her on the head. She pouted in response.
He chuckled, smiling. Aki stepped forward, her puppet close to her chest.
"It is so good to see you again, Raven," she raised Pandora to face her. Raven felt uneasy. She never could feel comfortable around it.
"Pandora is happy to be of assistance!" it chirped, its large, empty eyes staring into her soul.
"I-it's good to see you both too, thank you for coming," she replied, looking towards Aki.
"I saw in a fortune what was unveiling tonight, I hope we're not intruding at all," her voice filled with slight concern. Raven merely shook her head. "I do look forward to seeing her, it feels as though it has been a long, long time."
Raven meekly smiled as a small ruckus caught her attention. She saw Aujean and Vogo locked in an arm wrestling match, with Fi watching as the referee. They were using a nearby crate as a table.
"I told you I was just walkin' by and saw everyone. I thought I'd come over and see what was goin' on," Aujean protested. The once sealed bottle was now opened, and from the looks of things, half empty too. Vogo scoffed.
"We know you're really here to see her! It's written all over your face!"
"Shut up! I don't even know who you are. Who are you to judge me?"
"Liar! We know how she helped you out many a time! Aki over there told us who you were a little while ago!"
"J-just shut up alright!?" The tension grew heated. Fi merely sighed, as if to show he was used to his brother's antics. He glanced over to Raven.
"Hello, Raven. I hope everything's in order?" He spoke bluntly. She suddenly realised the time was drawing ever nearer. She nodded. He closed his eyes, smiling to himself.
Misai stepped forward. He prodded Raven's arm.
"You think she'll really be here tonight?" He questioned, looking about the place.
"It's her home, Misai. Of course she'll be back."
"Of course, of course, sorry," his voice cracking for a moment. He walked back towards the group. Raven followed suit, turning to the crowd and grabbing their attention with a shout. All eyes were on her.
"All right everyone, it's nearly time. I'll bring you all down to the wall beside her house down there in groups. I want you all to hide until I say the key word, okay? When I do, we'll all surprise her," she spoke with control. Syd raised his hand.
"What's the key word?"
"It'll be 'apple'," a subtle murmur filled the group.
"Why apple?"
"I'll tell you later. Come on, we need to get in position. Who's first?"
Everyone was ready. The small ledge adjacent to Kat's house could hold a fair few people. A nearby wall provided ample cover, although the sheer drop below caused Aujean to squeal at the sight briefly.
"Hush, everyone!" Raven commanded. She checked the skies high above from the ledge with the others. No sign of her yet. She walked out, box in hand, towards the ladder at the entrance.
"I'll be waiting inside, now remember, it's 'apple', got it?" She turned one more time, seeing everyone nod in agreement. She carefully climbed the ladder, spying the small, chipped table in the centre of the living arrangement. She placed the box onto it, before leaning against the wall. It was not long until a tell-tale meow echoed throughout the area. Kat was finally coming home.
Kat landed just outside of the pipe, stretching in her uniform. She turned to Dusty, breathing a sigh of relief.
"It's been a long day, eh?" He meowed in response. She climbed the ladder, noticing the red box shortly before Raven. She blinked in disbelief. "Raven? What're you doing here?"
"Good evening, Kat," she stood up straight. The words that she wanted to say eluded her at the very moment they were needed. After a brief silence, she gestured to the box. "I...uh, I really wanted to get you something."
Now slightly worried, Kat paced towards the table. The box was a deep red, with a few scuffs on the sides. A ribbon was draped around it. She looked towards Raven once more.
"But you shouldn't have!" She laughed, noting Raven's usual serious expression. "What am I going to do with you..."
She started picking at the ribbon, pulling one end to unravel the knot. Before she could lift the lid of the carton, Raven placed her hand on the top of it. Kat took a step back.
"W-what's the matter?"
"It's...just that it's not just from me, although I wish it was. It's from everyone," Raven muttered, looking to the outside of the pipe. She had just realised how in the world she was going to fit the key word into the conversation without it sounding odd. Subtlety never was her strong point. She walked towards the entrance. "I guess what I'm saying is thank you, Kat. Ever since you came to us, you've done everything to help and with no regard for your own safety."
Kat was growing more tense by the moment. Her friend seemed to be having an attack of conscious and she had no idea how to tackle the situation. She approached Raven, placing a hand on her shoulder. That was the moment Raven was waiting for. She took a deep breath.
"Apple!"
The sound of rummaging filled the berth below. Out from the woodwork crept a host of people, much to Kat's confusion. Syd looked up, cheering with a fist raised. Cecie was clapping, her eyes closed in happiness. Vogo had his arm gently around Aujean's neck, the pair jeering while finishing the bottle of wine from earlier between them. Fi was standing silently, beaming towards her. Even Misai was present, trying his best to wave towards her without staring uncomfortably. He found it quite hard.
She was at a loss for words. To see that Raven and all these people were there purely to see her instilled her with a sense of joy, one which she had not felt in a very long time. She nudged Raven, causing her to look towards her.
"So...you all just wanted to come and see me?" She grinned, staring at her friend. Raven stood motionless, smiling. Kat turned to face the crowd.
"Thank you all so much for coming! I certainly wasn't expecting this, but thank you all, from the bottom of my heart!" She felt a sudden swell of emotion rising within her. She glanced back to Raven, seeing her holding the red box from the table. She motioned towards Kat to open it, to which she happily obliged.
A look of pure shock rippled through the crowd below, and more so to Raven.
The cake was ruined. Whether it was in transit or by some unknown force was irrelevant. The cake was a former shadow of its former self, as Raven slumped to her knees.
'B-but how!? I was so careful bringing it here! Right up to the last minute-' her thoughts were shattered by the soft sound of sniffling. She looked up to see Kat with her head buried in her hands. She bolted back onto her feet.
"Kat? Are you okay, Kat!?" Raven placed the ruined masterpiece on the table, rushing back to Kat's side. She placed her hands on her shoulders, dedicating her whole attention. A few moments passed, the air filled with soft sobbing. Kat finally raised her face. "I'm so sorry about the cake."
"N-no, it's not that, I mean...It's just that..." She could not find the words. "It's not the cake, it looks wonderful, truly."
"Then what is it?"
"It's...I'm just so happy that people care about me. I've not had a lot of time to think about things lately, and it was getting me down. I felt..." She toyed with the words, hoping to find ones to properly convey how she felt. "...I've felt useless since we saved the city last year, that's why I've been taking on more jobs, hoping to feel better."
Raven's brow furrowed. She wiped a tear from Kat's puffy eyes with her hand, staring at her.
"You're not useless. You never have been useless. We'll always be forever grateful for all the things you've done," she urged, looking down towards the group below. "Isn't that right, everyone?"
A rousing cheer spontaneously filled the air. All the faces were happy, rooting for her and her alone. Kat smiled meekly through the tears.
"We've all come here tonight to celebrate with you, Kat!" Cecie shouted, as Syd followed.
"The cake's not that bad, surely!" He joked, as Cecie prodded his arm.
"Yeah! You can't let this get you down!" Aujean waved his bottle around in the air. "You don't visit my ice cream shop that much any more! I miss ya!"
She couldn't help but chuckle as she closed her eyes and drew a deep breath. A sudden voice from the crowd caught her attention, and of everyone around her.
"I-uh, I mean, we all love you, Kat!" Misai stood, growing ever more red in the cheeks with each passing second. He suddenly turned away from the crowd as Cecie started to giggle.
"Do you see now, Kat?" Raven released her hands from Kat's shoulders. Smiling as much as she had ever done before, Raven turned to face the crowd. "We love you."
Kat did not know how to respond. She was overwhelmed by emotions. She turned back towards the ruined cake, lifting it as she faced the crowd below.
"I understand now, thank you, everyone. I'll keep doing my best! I hope you'll be there for me in the future also!" Her voice was a little raspy. As she started to descend the ladder, she missed her footing, throwing the cake into the air behind her. She quickly regained her composure, turning to see the aftermath. Aujean was covered in a sticky, sweet layer of fondant glaze and broken macaroons. The stunned silence was broken with a hail of laughter.
"Kat! Why you-" He started, yet before he could finish she walked over and took a piece of macaroon from the remains perched atop his head.
"Everyone! let's eat!" She declared, taking a big bite out of the macaroon piece. Not everyone was entirely enthused by the thought.
The evening's festivities were coming to an end, much to the chagrin of Raven. She felt as if she wanted the night to last forever, just to keep her friend smiling. As the people gradually left the pipe house landing, Kat was thanking them each with a fervent hand shake and hug. Syd approached Raven, holding in his hand a particularly dark glass bottle. The label was emblazoned with a black cat insignia. He passed it to her for safekeeping.
"I know our Gravity Queen there isn't quite...uh...able to hold her own with drink yet, but keep this for her for when she does," he grinned, glancing over to Kat in the distance. "Let her know how rare that is, too – took me forever and a day to get hold of it!"
Raven smiled in response, taking it and placing it to the side of the ladder to Kat's house.
"I will. Thank you Syd, for coming," she trailed, before being blind-sided with a hug from him. She initially squirmed, but relaxed after a couple seconds.
"Don't think she's the only one who's loved, Raven!" He whispered, releasing her from his confines. The faint trace of alcohol lingered on his breath. She shook her head, but was thankful for the thought. She took the last of the guests back towards the bridge, dropping them off and thanking them for coming along. She returned once more to the pipe house.
Kat was perched on the lip of the pipe, staring into the distance. She turned to Raven as she approached, beckoning her inside. Following her lead, she took a seat on the nearby wooden stool. Kat lay down on the bed, stretching once more.
"You know, I really didn't know what to do back there," she spoke, facing the ceiling. "...It was all so...sudden! I was really worried at first."
Raven smiled, tracing her eyes around the dwelling. Not much going on, she thought, but at least, hopefully, she was happy. She glanced over to see Kat now standing, running her fingers through her hair in the small mirror to the bed's side. She turned once more to Raven.
"That cake was lovely, too, by the way. Cecie told me how it was your idea," she hummed, eyeing the empty, sticky carton that was now resting on the table. She walked over to Raven and embraced her in her arms. With eyes wide, she did not know how to react.
"...Thank you, Raven, for caring," she softly spoke. "I don't know where I'd be without you."
Unbeknownst to her, Raven shared the same sentiment. She reciprocated, with her arms hugging her back.
"No, thank you, Kat...for everything."