The sound of hungry lions filled the air of Zaphias, as a man with stubble, a mage with goggles on her head and a peppy girl with a pirate dress, were walking through the grand city. The girl with two lengthy blond braided pigtails, moving in the wind freely, turned to her companions whom seemed to be famished.
"Raven, Rita, is that you who is making that loud roaring, nanoja?" she asked wondering if it was their stomachs making a loud ruckus, or if it were a nearby wild animal ready to attack.
"Give us a break, Patty, we haven't had anything to eat in hours." The older man with stubble on his face said holding his stomach, talking so dramatically.
The mage with short light brown hair sighed at the sight of the man dramatically speaking of his hunger, "Stop complaining. We are almost at the Inn, we can get some food there." She said looking at the man with chestnut brown hair.
"Oh but, Rita, darling Rita, what is to say I can make it that long, better yet, what is to say that we will make it that long? Aren't you hungry too? Aren't you hungry for some warm, mouth-watering food?" questioned the man dressed with a long purple jacket, shaking the girl with a complex outfit, drooling just thinking of the word food.
The mage quickly reacted, not wanting to think of food, let alone have someone shaking her rapidly, while drooling over the thought of a warm meal. She quickly raised her hand, pushing him off of her, with a forward thrust of the hand on his forehead. "You do realize that every second you open your mouth to talk about food, we could have had some already at the Inn, for we would have been there by now!" she said in a loud, booming voice, angry at the fact that they could already be having a succulent meal.
The younger girl, with the cute pirate outfit, just watched as the two in front of her were going on and on about food, which they wanted desperately. Minutes turned into hours, and the sun was almost finished setting, however they were still bickering at one another as if it had only started. After turning to the sky to notice the sun setting, the girl finally decide to intervene, instead of standing around with a smile, happily waiting.
"Come on you two, if you don't to the Inn soon, we may be out of luck, nanoja. "the girl starting to hear her own stomach grumble.
After the mage and the older man had finished bickering, they too noticed the sun descending into the horizon, and the noise of their friend's hunger beginning to start. They quickly made their way to the Inn, which they had already spent two nights at. Once running and skipping through the streets of Zaphias, they had finally made their way back to the Inn. Opening the door with a large slam, the two eldest ran for the dining hall held on the main floor, while the youngest made her way behind, skipping.
"Load us up with tonight's dinner special, if you would, mam." Said the man with his hair held together in a wild pony tail, standing with tray at hand, and ready for the kitchen lady to place the meal on.
The kitchen lady just took one look at Raven who was impatiently waiting for food. The lady kept her eyes daggered at him, appearing as if she were about to give the man what he wanted, but before Raven knew it, the lady had planted a 'closed' sign in front of him. With a loud thud, the sign was placed, and Raven's jaw dropped, just as Rita grabbed a tray and joined him.
"What's with the stupid face?" She stopped to look at where Ravens eyes were, in what appeared to be disbelief. "What the hell! Raven what did you say to the lady, to make her close!" she said punching Raven in the shoulder hard.
"Rita, sweet, hurtful Rita, what makes you think I said anything!" he said rubbing his shoulder from the punch.
"You must have said something, otherwise the kitchen wouldn't have a dumb ass 'closed' sign here!" she said angry that the kitchen was closed and what she thought was all Ravens' fault.
The two started to bicker once more, as they did so, the peppy Patty finally caught up to her friends. She stopped skipping and just shrugged her shoulders, as if it were nothing huge, or that big of a deal. After all, those two often bickered about the most peculiar things. Patty continued to smile as the two continued on, and looked up at the sign for the dining hall.
'Dining Hall':
'Hours for dinner are from 5:00 – 8:30'
Patty looked over at a nearby clock hanging from the wall. And as she read the time of nine thirty, her stomach grumbled at the thought of missing dinner and having to go to bed on an empty stomach. After reading the time, she looked over at Rita and Raven who were still bickering, she then put her fingers together and gave off a loud whistle which filled the room, and made the two stop immediately like dogs obeying a command.
"Good, nanoja. Now that you have stopped, maybe we can think of a plan to get some food, nanoja." She said placing her hand on her chin, starting to think of an idea. She then jumped as a light bulb went off in her head, and with a thumb up held out in front of her she smiled. "I know nanoja! I have a recipe that I have wanted to try out ever since we visited Aspio, nanoja. If we are allowed to use the kitchen, and if they have the ingredients, I am sure I could make it, nanoja!" she said with a smile, excited to try out the complex recipe.
"Well, at least someone can do something right, unlike a certain someone I know." Rita said with eyes focused on Raven, then back at Patty with a small smile, happy to hear that she would be getting a meal soon, better yet from master chef Patty.
Raven quickly hustled over to Patty, with a large smile. "Patty, oh magnificent Patty, you are the best to go and think of a plan, and in the end be the one to make us something to eat!" He said in a grateful tone of voice before turning to Rita, "Rita dear, what was that? I am sorry I didn't fully hear you over the fact that Patty is going to cook us a delectable meal." He said looking back at her with a phony smile, causing yet another bickering spree between the two.
"Oh boy, nanoja." Said Patty laughing slightly at the two, before walking to the kitchen doors.
Patty opened the doors to find the chef of the kitchen, finishing up his cleaning for the night. Patty skipped up the man, and smiled.
"Excuse me, nanoja. My friends and I have missed dinner, and we are starving, nanoja." She said as her stomach began to roar. "So I was wondering if I could make something nice for me and my friends, I promise that we will leave the kitchen the way it was found, nanoja.....Please, nanoja." She said with a big smile, and large puppy dog eyes.
The man stared down into the girl's large, adorable eyes, and couldn't resist the cuteness. He smiled and allowed permission to use his kitchen, as long as everything was as it was before they left, it would be considered okay. Patty shook the man's hand in agreement before handing over some funds that the three of them had, to re-pay for the groceries that she was planning to use.
After the man had finished drying and storing a pot underneath the counter near the other pots and pans, the man left for the night, to rest up for the morning. As the man left, Patty began to gather all of the ingredients she needed in order to make the recipe. After gathering the groceries, the pots, pans and other tools one would need, she peered around the corner to see how Raven and Rita were doing. It didn't surprise her that they were still ranting on about, well, whatever those two could or would rant about for hours on end. She giggled, and then went back to the kitchen to begin cooking.
After thirty minutes or more, Patty had finally finished everything on the recipe. The meal was ready, and was cooked to perfection. Patty loaded up a dining cart, which held three dishes, covered by a metal bowl, three sets of cutlery, and some water. She wielded out the dining cart, with a large smile, happy that she was able to make yet another recipe, especially when it was from Aspio, for they are known for having some of the most complex recipes out there. After she made her way out of the kitchen and into the dining hall where, Raven and Rita were still bickering. Patty placed the three warm and eatable dishes on the table, with cutlery, and chilled water. Once everything was set, Patty gave another great whistle, which echoed throughout the room.
"Time to eat, nanoja!" she said raising her arms up in the air, waving them around, excitedly.
Raven and Rita stopped at the loud whistle, to notice Patty standing in front of a table saying the words, 'time to eat.' The two who behaved like little children, quickly ran over to where the youngest one was, and took a seat, grabbing a fork and knife in either hand pointing up, ready to dig in.
With both of their mouths open wide and ready to start eating, Patty lifted the metal dishes off the plates, "My dear friends, I present to you, Beef Wellington, nanoja." She said with pride.
The two looked at the meal presented in front of them, a nice display of beef, mushrooms, truffles, wine, and pate cooked in a delectable pastry. With mouths, ready to start drooling the two began to dig in. Patty's smile grew, once she saw the two of them, eating the meal with such great joy and amazement.
After the a few minutes, the three had finished the meal, leaving nothing more then the plate scrapped clean. Leaving smiles on all but two faces. Patty's smiled had faded, and instead grew a misunderstood look upon her face.
"What's wrong, nanoja? From the looks of the plates, and the expressions on your faces earlier, it looked like you loved the meal, nanoja?" she said puzzled.
Raven and Rita looked at each other, then the plate, then at Patty, "It isn't that we did like the meal, dear Patty, we thought it was quite amazing." Said Raven, "It just that the meal was just....just" unable to say the rest, trying not to hurt Patty's feelings.
"What Raven is trying to say, is that it wasn't enough. It was such a small portion and we need something more filling." Said Rita trying to be as honest as she could, but not trying to seem harsh in anyway.
Patty looked at the two, then back down at the plate, then at her stomach, which was ready to release another grumble. "I am just glad that you loved the meal, if you want I can make us another meal, nanoja!" she exclaimed, not hurt by what the two said, she was just happy that they loved the meal and that they were being honest. "I have another recipe I really want to try out from Aspio, nanoja!" she said willing to try out another recipe, with a smile.
Raven and Rita looked at one another, not really in the mood to have another fancy meal like the one they just had, they wanted something more filling, something that had the potential to shut up their load roaring stomachs. It took them a moment, before they responded, each holding something in there hands. They quickly turned their heads to Patty with the thought of an idea. And with a quick ,rare moment and a loud shout.
"How about Kraft-Dinner?" they both asked together, while holding a box in both of there hands.
Patty fell back in her chair, blown away that they both agreed on something for a change. Patty thought for a moment, then jumped up, off of the ground, with a large smile, and peppy as always.
"Okay, nanoja! Just give me the recipe, and I shall do my best to make you thi Kraft-Dinner, nanoja!" she said with her hand ready to receive the recipe that went along with the two boxes of Kraft-Dinner in both of their hands.
Raven and Rita busted out laughing, thinking that Patty was kidding about the whole recipe. They both continued to chuckle until they saw that Patty was dead serious, 'Has she really never made Kraft-Dinner before?' they both thought, thinking it was quite strange.
"Patty, there is no real recipe to make Kraft-Dinner. All you have to do is cook the noodles, then add butter, the cheese package and a bit of milk, stir it together and there you have it." Said Rita explaining it to the best of her ability.
Patty took mental note of what Rita had said, but was amazed that there was no exact measurements, and that it didn't involve a lot of work or many ingredients.
Raven took notice to what appeared to be Patty's confusion, he stood up and handed her the boxes of Kraft-Dinner, and pushed her forward towards the kitchen. "Don't worry, Patty, you are the best cook there is! You will do fine, just follow what Rita told you, and if you get stuck, just read the box." He said calmly, while helping her along.
And with a push, Patty flung into the kitchen, with two boxes of Kraft-Dinner in her hands, and confusion still running through her brain. But she stood up, and held up a fist to the air, "Okay, nanoja!" she said ready to go and full of energy.
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Patty came out of the kitchen, with the dining cart, with three bowls and three spoons, and some fresh water. She wheeled out the cart with a disappointed face, over to where Raven and Rita were, eyes shut, as if they had been asleep for more than two hours. But the smell of the cheese imbedded meal quickly awoke them, with a yawn or two in-between. Once the two sleepy heads arose from their slumber, they looked over to find the once peppy Patty not so peppy.
"What's up, Patty?" asked Rita, wondering why Patty was in such sadness.
Patty placed the three meals, and cutlery in front of them, before taking a seat. "I am sorry, nanoja." She said with a pause. "I tried my best, but it still didn't go well."
Raven looked at the clock to find that two hours had went by, ever since Patty had gone to make the Kraft-Dinner. He was shocked by the time it took Patty to make such a simple meal. He turned his attention back at Patty, "Did everything go alright?"
Patty shook her head no, "First, I let the water boil for too long, so it all evaporated in front of me, nanoja. Then, when I finally got the water to boil for the third time, I put in the noodles from the first box, but since there was no set time to cook the noodles for, I left them to cook, however I cooked them for too long, and......" Patty continued on about her incidents in the kitchen, listing everything off that happened in the two hours that Raven and Rita were waiting for her. "And on my thirtieth box of Kraft-Dinner, the same thing happened to the other twenty-nine boxes, it just didn't turn out right, nanoja." She said with a sigh.
"Th-th-thirty boxes of Kraft Dinner?!" Raven stuttered, "That was our whole supply!?" he added, shocked that someone like Patty who is great at cooking, could screw up that many times.
Rita sat there with a blank expression on her face, unsure of what to even say, which was a first for Rita.
"I am sorry if I disappointed you, nanoja. This was something you guys looked forward to, I am sorry, nanoja" she said with a pause before standing up to lift of the covers off the bowls, before adding, "Well this was the last box, and attempt of the Kraft-Dinner, I hope it isn't too bad, nanoja."
The bowl was lifted and the dish of Kraft-Dinner was shown. Rita and Raven both dropped their jaws with big bulgy eyes.
Patty watched Raven and Rita's face were in shock, and she sighed once more, "You guys don't have to eat it, if you don't want to, nanoja."
"Patty, how many times did you say you screwed up the Kraft-Dinner like this?" said Rita over at Patty.
"Twenty-nine times, nanoja." She said wondering why Rita wanted to know again.
Rita looked over at Raven, and Raven looked over at Rita, then together back at Patty.
"Patty, dear Patty, do you realize you cooked this right twenty-nine times, right~?" he said, jaw still dropped.
"I did, nanoja?" She asked with a smile beginning to shine on her face once more, "That's great, nanoja! That means we can have seconds, thirds, even tenths, nanoja!" she said jumping out of her chair with glee, happy that she didn't lose to a simple box of Kraft Dinner.
After Patty calmed down from her excitement, and the three of them had two large bowls of Kraft-Dinner, Patty went up stairs to her room, while she left Raven and Rita to clean up the catastrophe that Patty had made with thirty boxes of Kraft-Dinner. Cursing and anger filled the air that night, due to the fact that they only had 10 hours to clean up the kitchen, but most of the time they were bickering and complaining at each other, so they really only had 2 hours to clean before the chef came for breakfast detail.