Written for the first ever Tin Man Grand Prix Challenge; a 10-week fanfiction writing challenge at tmchallenge on Livejournal. Authors were given secret codes in order to post their stories anonymously. The intent was to level the playing field between popular and less popular authors. Stories were to rated on a scale of 1 to 5. At the end of the 10 weeks, the scores were totaled and your's truly won 3rd Place! (I never expected that in a million years). So in the end, participating in the tmchallenge helps to explain why I haven't worked on my WIP, Let Loose The Dogs Of War.
Title: The Cook Off
Original Author Code: RU01AC004
Rating: T
Summary: DG organizes Central City's first ever cook-off
Warnings: None
Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters of Tin Man; only my originals.
Original Challenge Statement: According to Glitch in a deleted scene on the DVDs, muglug is a kind of soup. For this round, the word "muglug" must appear in the text of your story at least once.
The walkway leading into Central Park had been decorated with brightly colored flags, balloons, and streamers. DG, Cain, and two other royal guards walked underneath a large banner that proudly proclaimed,
WELCOME TO THE 1ST ANNUAL MUGLUG COOK-OFF
All proceeds benefit Charity Children's Hospital
As they continued deeper into the park they saw the clowns and magicians that had been brought in for free entertainment. A large crowd of both the general public and children that was well enough to leave the hospital gathered around them.
"Tee hee hee hee!" a voice giggled from behind them.
They all spun around and found a large man wearing an oversized, white chef's hat. His face was painted white and it looked like he tried to make himself even fatter by stuffing pillows underneath his plain white longjohns. A white ascot was tied loosely around his neck.
"Hello! Hello!" he said warmly as he held his hands around his bulging tummy. Spying some children off to the side he turned and waved to them. As he walked towards them, DG and Cain saw that the upper corner of the backdoor to his long johns had popped open.
In a very dry voice Cain asked, "DG, who was that supposed to be?"
She sighed and shook her head out of exasperation. But then she looked up and smiled at him. "He was supposed to be like the Pillsbury Dough Boy."
"Huh?"
"Look, he's jolly and warm, and the kids like him," she pointed out as the children hung around him. Okay, that didn't quite come out as planned. And the long johns have to go. Oh yeah, they're definitely going for next year. It was evident that even with drawing in hand, the local residents still came up with their own interpretations.
They continued over to the judging stand.
A tall, skinny man in a black top hat and long-tail tuxedo spied DG, Cain, and the guards walking through the crowd. He grabbed a megaphone from the table and announced in a surprisingly deep voice, "Welcome everyone to the first annual muglug cookoff!"
The crowd that had gathered around cheered loudly. As DG and Cain walked up on to the judging stand, he continued, "Let's thank our benefactor for this event, the Princess Dorothy Gale!"
Again the crowd cheered wildly and DG waved her acknowledgment to them.
From the other end of the judging stand four men struggled to bring up pots of steaming muglug. Each one put their pot down on the table and then left, wiping their brows from the effort. A woman emerged from the back curtain and laid out a spoon and some napkins next to each pot.
The emcee walked down in front of the pots and pointed to each number. Then with great flourish he pulled out from his inside pocket a sealed envelope. He announced, "Each pot has been numbered and in this sealed envelope…" He waved it in the air. "Contains the number of the pot that matches the name of the entrant."
He then walked over to DG and bowed to her. Then he handed her the megaphone and said, "Is there anything that you would like to say before we begin?"
DG nodded and took the megaphone from his outstretched hand and took a few steps forward. "Thanks everyone for coming today... I've never had muglug soup before so I'm looking forward to trying it... Be sure to visit all of the stands. Your support will help Charity Children's Hospital… Thanks again!" She handed the megaphone back to the emcee. The crowd shouted their approval.
DG whispered to Cain, "Did that sound okay?"
He leaned slightly forward and whispered back, "You did just fine princess."
The emcee announced, "And with that, let the judging begin!"
DG walked over to pot number one and lifted the lid. The broth was a deep rich brown color and thick like a stew. It smelled wonderful. Cain looked over her shoulder and in a barely imperceptible move, nodded his endorsement. DG picked up the spoon and took a large spoonful. She blew on it and then put it on her mouth. She smiled in approval and put the spoon down. The emcee declared, "It appears that the princess has liked her first taste of muglug soup!"
The crowd cheered.
Then they went on to pot number two. The emcee lifted off the lid for her and she saw a slightly runnier, brown broth. She took a spoonful and while not as good as the first pot, she smiled her approval. The emcee smiled at her and then declared to the crowd, "The princess has enjoyed her second bite of muglug soup!"
The crowd cheered again.
They walked down to pot number three. DG lifted off the lid herself this time, expecting to find brown colored broth. But she stopped in mid motion. Both Cain and the emcee looked quizzically at her until they leaned over to see what she was looking at.
The soup was a deep purple.
"Uhhh…" she whispered. "Is there something wrong with this?"
Cain took a sniff and then snorted his disgust. The emcee whispered to her, "It's fragglerian."
"Okay… what's fragglerian?" She gave everyone a nervous smile.
The crowd began to murmur.
The emcee waved his hands to quiet them down and then Cain whispered to DG, "You're going to have to try it."
She hesitantly picked up the spoon and put into the soup. It was so thick that the spoon stood upright. Oh you've got to be kidding.
She heard a slight gasp from some of the people standing in the front row. Some of them started to point at the spoon sticking up at attention.
She put on a brave smile and then pulled the spoon back out of the soup. She got a small helping to stay on it and then she put the gelatinous mass in to her mouth. She heard Cain let out a small snicker. What the heck did I just put in to my mouth? She gave an exaggerated smile to the emcee and even gave him the thumbs-up.
"The princess has… um…. enjoyed her third bite of muglug soup!"
The crowd cheered once more. She wondered if it was out of relief or her bravery.
She picked up a napkin and tried as hard as she could to make it look like she was daintily wiping her mouth. Instead she spit out the entire contents of the purple soup and rolled up the napkin before laying it back on the table.
They walked over to pot number four. It was similar to pot number one. She wanted to eat more of it so that she could get rid of the taste of the purple soup but she had to restrain herself.
The emcee looked at her and then announced to the crowd, "And the princess has had her final, but hopefully not last, bite of muglug soup!"
The crowd cheered again.
The emcee pulled out his sealed envelope and opened it. Then he announced, "Now it's time for the vote! Princess Dorothy who has won third place?"
She smiled and walked over to pot number two.
The emcee looked at the paper. "Congratulations to Foreman's Restaurant and Bar!"
The crowd applauded and cheered. A heavy set man with a grizzled mustache and beard waved his hand to the crowd and approached the judging stand.
The emcee then asked, "Princess Dorothy who has won second place?"
She smiled again and walked over to pot number four.
The emcee looked at his paper. "Congratulations to Mr. and Mrs. Peterman!"
The crowd applauded and cheered. A short stout couple in the back jumped up and down and some nearby patted them on the back.
The emcee then asked, "And now for the grand announcement, Princess Dorothy, who has won first place?"
She walked over to pot number one and smiled.
The emcee glanced at his paper for one last time, "Congratulations to the Pokey-Hokey Tavern!"
The crowd applauded and cheered once more. The emcee then made his final announcement, "Would all of the winners approach the stage?"
After the trophies were handed out and the pictures were taken, DG and Cain were left alone. The two other guards walked behind them.
"So what did you think of the first annual cook-off?" she asked him.
He paused to look around at crowded stalls, "For having never seen a cook-off before, I think that it's going well."
"Yeah… and…" she knew that he was not done.
He answered, "You might need a crash course in the various types of food here in the O.Z. before you plan your next one."
She smirked and said, "Like fragglerian?"
"Yeah, like fragglerian," he replied with a smile. He had to admit that he had had his doubts about this thing called a cook-off. But he once again admired her determination in bringing it to life.
She went on, "I think just for that you should help me taste test next year."
He rolled his eyes, "I don't think so."
She teased him, "Well, it's either that or you play Pillsbury Dough Boy."
He looked over at her and shook his head. "I think I'll take my chances with the food." Somehow he knew that going forward, being with DG was going to be one little mini-adventure after another.