04 Dessert

a/n: After a big celebratory dinner, there is still one important task: deciding on dessert. Lin has it covered.

Yes, there will be a "let's eat Tatsu" joke.

All the good things belong to Monolith Soft, but in my NLA Lin has cooled it a little with her 13 year old sense of humor.

"I couldn't eat another bite," announced the contented BLADE.

"Not even if it was chocolate?" Lin asked sassily.

Doug playfully shoved Cross slightly off balance. "Don't worry, Lin. I can eat theirs."

The first speaker sat up straight. "Dessert is a whole 'nother planet. What did you come up with?"

Lin smiled. "Actually, you get a choice. You're looking at the first possibility already." She pointed at the centerpiece. It had been a weird choice, but everyone had accepted it as one more of Lin's endless "Tatsu is food" jokes. It was a sculpture of the young Nopon, about the size of a large platter and reclining on a bed of minty herbs. His green cap had been replaced with pink bunny ears, but otherwise it was a very good recreation. His mottled fur was made from what everyone had assumed (rightly) were different types of chocolate, with fondant vest and swirled lollypops for his glasses.

"Uhhhh, not to be a critic, but I don't feel right about ripping into Tatsu's face just to have dessert. Maybe we have some ice cream in the freezer," Doug suggested. Cross nodded slowly, although their eyes were more calculating.

"No problem! I figured people might be squeamish, so I made it so it comes apart." Lin reached over and lifted the top of decoration. Doug would have sworn there wasn't a seam, but in an instant there was a simple chocolate dish, still vaguely Nopon shaped but no longer with a face. Removing the lid revealed a treasure trove of tiny colorful candies. Simplistic marshmallow littlepon in pastel colors, chunky caramel wedges printed with saltat wing eyes, tiny foil wrapped chocolate eggs.

"Wow! Lin, that's amazing." "Absolutely boss, kid."

"Thank you," Lin said proudly.

"Meh, candies from store," Tatsu said critically.

Doug paused as he reached for a second nopeep. "You're okay with this though, right?" The young Nopon, normally insatiable, hadn't taken a single candy.

"Tatsu waiting for second option. Pure homemade excellent dessert. Tatsu helped design."

Lin giggled. "Yeah, Tatsu was a real help. Best bowl licker I ever saw, which explains why he's a little sticky."

"Tatsu washed."

"Not well. Let me get the other surprise." She pulled something from the fridge, and returned to the table, giggling even harder.

Soon everyone was laughing. It was a cake, frosted pale peachy pink, with additional dark chocolate glaze on one half. The way the chocolate fell across the top of the cake looked almost like bangs, especially with the addition of tiny red marzipan hair barrettes. Additional swirls of dark chocolate and a marzipan smile completed the face.

Tatsu fell asleep after his third slice of Linlycake, which made it easier for the rest of the crew to start sneaking bits of the chocolate version of the leader of Team Tatsu.

a/n: As a kid, and for a while as an adult, I knew stores that made elaborate chocolate eggs you could have filled with whatever treats you wanted. Maybe I will find one again.

Next up: I really need to get a prompt list. Or some suggestions.