Ch 2
With two mouths to feed, the supplies that Caleb had picked up from NeOzette began to dwindle. The doll sighed and reported it to Altessa. The dwarf stared at him for a moment, then shrugged it off, telling him to restock in Sybak and place an order for additional materials for his work. The Elemental Carriage had been refitted to operate without the Exsphere. The trip would help test its capabilities. Cheered at the idea of not having to walk the whole way to Sybak, Caleb immediately ran off to ask Wren if he would care to join him in the venture. Wren had been working in the kitchen, cooking up a storm. The two friends alternated the role of chef at times and it was soon discovered that Wren was a master at cooking.
"Sybak?" Wren echoed after Caleb told him about the trip, "That sounds familiar too. Why do I picture a magazine rack when I hear that name?" In the end he agreed to go along and they headed out on the trip the next morning.
They drove the carriage through the Ozette Ruins on the path to the Gaoracchia Forest and Wren reacted to the wreckage of the village, muttering about animals that looked half out of place. The forest itself had presented them with a challenge in the way of monsters and feral animals. Caleb was surprised to find his friend scrambling on top of the vehicle with a pot and spoon, slinging hot chili at the creatures' faces with a yell.
"What are you doing?! Get down from there!" Caleb shouted as he rushed the carriage through the woods. The creatures weren't too thrilled with the spicy dish searing their faces, and spread word however they did to avoid the machine and its utterly hazardous cargo. The trip became much easier after that.
"This should be an interesting experience. I feel like I've been there before, but I don't know when or why I would be there." Wren remarked as the carriage finally pulled out of the woods and made its way towards Sybak. He leaned forward on the dashboard and closed his eyes with a smile. "I can remember they had a great stock of quality ingredients for cooking. I think I may have been there to help someone learn a recipe."
Sybak loomed before them all too quickly as they passed the time talking about various ways of preparing healthy meals and exchanging recipes. The bazaar and markets were busy with activity, and Caleb was eager to get his errands done, leaving him with ample time to enjoy the visit and show his new friend around the town. Wren, on the other hand, suddenly went very quiet and thoughtful, stopping at random times to stare at several cooks being escorted from various restaurants and inns. He jumped when the sleeve of his white and green shirt was tugged and uttered a small yelp of surprise. Caleb gave him an odd look once the chef had calmed down.
"What's wrong? You looked like you were angry about something." the redhead told him. Wren blinked and shook his head before forcing a smile for his companion's sake.
"It's nothing. I just had some weird feelings, that's all." he answered and peered into Caleb's shopping bags, "So what did you buy? I want to teach you how to make that chili I used in the forest, so I hope you got some really good ingredients." He helped carry the bags back to the Elemental Carriage and winced once they were safely packed away. "Those were heavy! My arms are killing me!" he complained as a pair of blue-clad cooks walked up to them from a nearby shop. The two had been talking idly when the sight of Wren and Caleb walking by drew their interest. They stood before the two visitors, bemused expressions on their faces.
"Hey. You two look new to the city. I bet you haven't heard the fabulous news of the end of the Wonder Chef Family. Obviously, you must know that the true masters of the kitchen are members of the Dark Chef Alliance." the first of the pair told them smugly, "So if you want to be good chefs, you'll place your eggs in our basket and spread the teachings of gourmet cooking!" Caleb looked blankly at the two chefs as Wren scowled.
"Excuse me? What are you people talking about? Do you need professional help?" he remarked blandly, "And what kind of hidden threat is that? 'Place your eggs in our basket if you want to be good chefs'... I don't know whether that line should make me laugh or slap you."
"The Wonder Chef Family isn't broken. Leave this one be; there is no place here for your kind." he growled in a low voice. The three men stared at him in surprise. Caleb remained speechless as the two Dark Chefs retaliated to his words.
"What makes you so sure?! Haven't you heard? The Wonder Chef is dead! Without him to pass on the Ultimate Recipe to the next Chosen Chef, the Family and the Wonder Organization collapses!" the first chef shot back as the second peered at Wren more closely.
"Strange..." he muttered as Caleb recovered his wits and stepped forward threateningly. Wren continued to stand his ground.
"Okay, that's enough out of you clowns! Now get lost! Go on! Beat it!" the doll snapped at them angrily. Both Dark Chefs smiled cruelly at each other, nodded, then leaped back from them, a mixing bowl, whisk, and various ingredients suddenly appearing in their hands.
"Beat it? That's what we do best! We are the Dessert Chefs of the Soufflé Brigade, proud members of the Dark Chef Alliance! Prepare to meet your Baker!" they declared as one cracked open eggs into the bowl and the other immediately began to mix them with a handful of a strange shimmering powder. Wren's eyes widened in surprise before he dashed into the carriage for safety. Caleb made a face.
"Oh, that was completely idiotic. I should have slapped you the minute you opened your mouths..." the doll began to grumble before being interrupted by Wren's yell.
"Get down!" the blonde shouted and Caleb ducked the incoming splash of egg that splattered onto the side of the carriage. He looked back and gaped at the hole that was eaten into the vehicle by the fluffy yolk. Wren jumped out of the Elemental Carriage with a bowl of his own, glaring at the chefs as they reloaded the lethal mixture. "Leave us alone! We're not joining the Dark Chefs!" he added and hurled the contents of his mixing bowl at the incoming second round of egg. The flour and yeast mixture collided with the egg, throwing the resulting sticky dough back onto the Dark Chefs and netting them in its mess. "Caleb! Get in the carriage and let's get out of here!" Without a word, the redhead scrambled into the vehicle and they rushed out of Sybak, leaving behind two very angry Dark Chefs.
A few hours out into the fields on the way back to the cave, Caleb stopped the carriage and stared out at the distant forest. Wren fiddled with a small fork, unsure of what was going to happen next. After a few minutes of uncomfortable silence, the doll finally spoke.
"Wren, what just happened back there... was that for real? I wasn't imagining the whole thing, right? We were really attacked by crazy cooks and metal-eating mousse, right?" Caleb asked, still glaring at the open field as if blaming the wild grassy ocean would help. Wren sighed and closed his eyes, a slight expression of displeasure crossing his face.
"That wasn't mousse, Caleb, but yes, we really were attacked." he replied irritably. The doll threw his hands up in exasperation, finally turning to his friend.
"I don't care what the culinary term for that goo is! All I know is that a pair of eggs ATE a hole in the carriage! How do I explain this to Master Altessa?! And I know that eggs aren't supposed to eat through metal!" he yelled. Wren glared at him, twirling the fork in one hand.
"I know that, too. But apparently eggs can eat through anything, provided you mix them with a special ingredient that allows it to do that. It's a waste of eggs and shows a lack of consideration for others in the scheme of things." he retorted and slouched back against his seat, "Can we just go now?"
"They mentioned the Wonder Chef, though." Caleb added in a softer tone, "He's the one who taught all those special recipes to the Heroes of Union, the ones that helped them in their quest. Is he really dead, or were they just blowing hot air?" Wren rolled his eyes and looked out the window in boredom, propping one cheek on his fist as he gazed into the distance. "What's going on? Cooks are being turned out of their work; people were getting snappy about food; ingredient prices are getting high... Could it be that the Wonder Chef really has passed away and these Dark Chef weirdoes are taking full advantage of it?"
"Caleb." Wren muttered.
"I think we stumbled onto something here, Wren. If the loss of the Wonder Chef affects all of this, then maybe the Wonder Organization really is falling apart!" the doll went on in growing excitement, "I should contact the Heroes of Union and tell them what's happening! Lloyd, Kratos and Zelos are away on Derris-Kharlan, but I'm sure that the others will be able to find out what's really going on!"
"Caleb..." Wren repeated, this time with a bit more concern.
"No, no! I'm on a roll!" Caleb exclaimed and yelped when Wren suddenly shoved himself against his side, "What the-?!"
"If we don't get out of here, we'll be under the roll! Those Dark Chef guys are back!" the blonde yelled in a panic. Caleb struggled to look around, then spotted a pair of large Elemental Carriages bearing down on them from the direction of the Grand Tethe'alla Bridge. Blinking once, he adjusted his eyes to work telescopically and studied the incoming vehicles. The cooks that had accosted them in Sybak were driving one of the carriages and Caleb blinked back to normality.
"They don't look happy to see us again." he remarked inanely as Wren squirmed around in the driver's compartment and tried to take control of the cart.
"How do you work this thing?!" the blonde cook demanded as he fiddled with the controls, "Make some chili and get ready! If I can't get this going soon, we'll have to outcook them to escape!" Caleb stared at him incredulously.
"You've got to be kidding me." Caleb muttered even as he searched his bags for the ingredients. A quick check outside showed the Dark Chefs had already closed in on them and blocked off their escape route on both ends of the Elemental Cargo. Wren retreated into the cargo area with Caleb and tried to plan out their next move.
"Now what?" Caleb asked worriedly, "Why are they after us? All we did was just gum up a couple of their guys! It's not like we're actively going out and fighting these guys! I'm just a servant!" Wren didn't seem to hear him, busy preparing yet another creation in a shiny new pot. He shook his head after a moment and sat back.
"This won't work. Our spoons are too small to launch this." he muttered and looked at his hands strangely, "I'm missing something very important to me. I can't do anything major without it, but what is it? And where is it?" The two started in surprise when a voice boomed out at them through the cart.
"Occupants of this carriage! Step out and face us! You are charged with acting against the Dark Chef Alliance and aiding a fugitive of the Wonder Organization!" the scornful tone grated on their ears. Wren frowned and cocked his head.
"That voice... I think I heard it before." he murmured and grabbed the pot, "Well, let's go, Caleb. Maybe we can make a run for it if we move fast and throw this soup at them." Caleb swallowed and nodded, then followed with a yell as both of them charged out of the carriage... right into an incoming assault of thick white goo. The redhead danced around in shock before getting hit by one clump and pulled it off for examination.
"Wait a second. Rice pudding? They're throwing rice pudding at us?" he asked in utter confusion and watched in sudden horror as the clump began growing rapidly, engulfing his hand and spreading up his arm. "Wren! What the-?!"
"Milk! Get milk!" Wren screamed out, ripping off chunks of the thick pudding as fast as he could. Caleb turned to run for the carriage, tripped when a clump hit his leg, and fell into a gathering heap of the stuff. Shrieking loudly, the redhead struggled to get free, watching helplessly as a massive ball of rice swallowed Wren completely, his hand reaching for the heavens the last thing Caleb saw before he, too, disappeared into the mess. Rice pressed against him on all sides and it was then that the doll realized the nature of the pudding.
"It's supposed to asphyxiate us! This gunk cuts off all air to people!" he thought in shock, "I'm safe because I don't breathe, but what about Wren?! He could die if he's trapped in this for too long!" Unable to move, see, or hear anything, Caleb could only hope and pray to his sister that his friend would be all right and that a way to escape the pudding would make itself known to him.