A/N: FILLER! That's right, this is another silly chapter so we can ease off all the heavy stuff for minute. Thank you guys so much for reading and reviewing on this fic. It makes my day every time I get a review, and I truly value all the regulars as well as those of you who pop in to show your support. Now, enjoy a cute, hopefully hilarious scene. ;)
Chapter 17: Everybody Loves Cake!
The Fairy Tail guild hall: as rambunctious as ever. The majority of the guild members were gathered outside in front of the guild café, because the weather was so nice. The newest guild member was serving coffee and pastries with a smile. She was a chubby young woman with purple hair and a green dress. She'd been helping Mira out as a server since she joined, shortly after Team Natsu returned from the Nirvana mission and Dreamer returned with Midnight.
"There sure are a lot of people in line for coffee this morning," Gray noted as he formed an ice cube in his hand to slide into his too-hot cup of espresso.
"I'm more of a tea person myself," Erza said with a refined sip from her tea glass, pinky out.
"Forget all that! Mirajane makes the best friggin' donuts!" Natsu currently had ten of them on his plate and crumbs were shooting everywhere.
"Aye!" Happy held up a donut that had been stuffed with a fish. "She makes mine special, too!"
"That's disgusting," Carla, the white flying cat scoffed.
"You want a bite?" Happy held it in front of her face. Her nose crinkled.
"Absolutely not!"
"You can have a bite of mine, Carla." Another newer member of the guild, Wendy, held a jelly filled donut to the cat.
"I appreciate the offer, but I'll be having a cup of coffee. Black. As soon as the line dissipates somewhat."
"You would drink coffee," Happy said through a mouthful of crumbs and fish.
"What exactly are you inferring, cat?" Carla snapped at him.
"Oh nothing, it's just one of the amazing things about you, Carla." He had hearts in his eyes.
Team Derelict Heart was at the little table next to them. They always came out to enjoy tea in the morning. It was a habit developed from Jezran, who swore that tea and honey in the morning prevented you from getting sick.
"Dear me, I do wonder what all the fuss is about," Jezran glanced up from his teacup at the café line.
"Yeah, what the hell?" Piper nommed on a donut hole. "I only seen a line like this when we got a new import at the bar."
"I'm going to go see," Dreamer said as she stood. "May I refill your tea, good sir?" She asked Jezran.
"Yes, dear me, I would quite appreciate it." He took off his top hat and bowed his head politely before offering her his teacup.
She hummed and stood in the long line at the café. As she got closer, she heard an array of exclamations.
"Wow! This is amazing!"
"Oh my god, I don't even like sweets but I could eat three dozen of these!"
"So manly!"
"Uh, Elfman, I don't think cake is considered manly…"
"Kinana, can I have another?!"
"Well… We don't have very many left…"
"Dreamer!" Mirajane's voice called her up. "Come here!"
She blinked and looked around the line of people to the café counter. Mira was waving happily at her to come forward, her white ponytail bobbing above her forehead. Dreamer glanced at the line once more and walked up to the front.
"Hey! No fair! Why does she get to cut?!"
"Hey, Mira." Dreamer leaned on the counter. "What's going on?"
"Isn't it wonderful?!" Mira clasped her hands together in excitement. "We got some new items added to our menu and people are going crazy about it! Take a look!" She gestured to a board behind her with a list of new cakes for sale.
Dreamer tapped her fingertips on the counter and read out loud. "Cookies and cream and… does that say Darjeeling? Like the tea? What kind of flavor combination is that?"
"It's so unique and exciting, isn't it?!"
Dreamer wasn't sure she'd use those words exactly. She kept reading.
"Chocolate, chai, and… artichoke? Ew!"
"Actually, it's a surprisingly delicious combination!" Warren yelled over with a chocolaty green cake on his plate.
"Blueberry, milk, and honey… That one actually sounds edible. But it still doesn't sound like a cake flavor…"
"Why don't you try the special?" Mira leaned over the counter and gestured at a chalkboard with a cake drawn on it with the words "Dream Special." "The chef says that it's an inspired creation!"
Dreamer narrowed her eyes. It was probably a coincidence. It wasn't like her name wasn't also a word or anything…
"Sure, I'll take one." She nodded in approval. Kinana quickly disappeared into the back room and came back with a round cake on a cute little white plate. It was adorable. Delicate lemon sponge cake with pink frosting. "What's in it?" she asked, as she took the plate from Kinana.
"It's lemon, raspberry, and chili powder!"
She winced at the strange flavor combination, but… Well, with a special name so close to her own, she just HAD to taste it. She took a plastic knife and cut through the center. A squeak escaped her mouth when the center of the cake suddenly oozed a dark red liquid which she assumed was the raspberry and chili combination.
"It looks like blood, doesn't it?" Mira asked smilingly.
"Uh… yeah, thanks for the imagery…" She lifted a piece of the cake to her lips and carefully tasted it. She closed her eyes and swirled the flavor over her tongue. Then, slowly, she opened her eyes again. "Oh my god…"
"Hey, Erza!" Gray yelled. "There's a strawberry cream cheese, peppermint cake too."
The line was shoved back by Erza forcing her way to the front. "I will happily be the judge of these cakes." She had requipped into a chef's uniform. "Give me the strawberry cake at once."
"Coming right up!" Mira slid the petite pastry across the counter toward her. Erza eyed it suspiciously, took the tiniest slice, popped it into her mouth, and closed her eyes.
The air was silent. A buzzard cawed overhead. Everyone waited in mute apprehension for her verdict. And suddenly…
"Bring out the baker, immediately."
"Yes, ma'am!" Kinana ran into the backroom. She came back out and bowed low before Erza. She was followed after a long moment by none other than…
Midnight, wearing an apron, a hair net, and covered in flour.
He and Erza narrowed their eyes at each other. Every person standing nearby slowly started to inch backward. Freed was already tallying up approximate cost of damages from where he sat on a bench nearby.
"Are you the man responsible for this?" Erza asked. Her face was like unmovable steel, jaw clenched.
"That's my cake, if that's what you're asking." Midnight crossed his arms over his chest and met her glare with his own.
Another long moment passed.
Then without warning… Erza threw herself at Midnight. She crushed him in a full bodied hug, nearly popping his head off with her arms around his neck. She buried her face into his hair.
Midnight, and everyone else for that matter, looked totally stunned.
"Midnight… That was possibly the best cake… I've ever tasted."
"Is she crying?!" Natsu asked.
"Ooooh, she loooooves him!"
Dreamer threw her fork at Happy.
"It seems I had misjudged you." Erza leaned back and clasped her gauntleted hands hard on his arms. "You are a good wizard, and an excellent baker."
Midnight sneered and looked away, but he was brightly blushing.
"Well, I don't see what the big deal is," Natsu said loudly, ruining the moment. He had the rest of Dreamer's cake in his hand and was chewing thoughtfully. "This is nasty! Who puts chili powder in cake anyway?!"
"What did you say?" Midnight was suddenly right in front of him. They locked eyes, the sky growing dark above them.
"I said, this is terrible!"
"You'd better watch it, dragon slayer. I can make your worst nightmares come true." His teeth were bared, red eyes glaring.
"The joke's on you, sleepyhead! The only thing I'm scared of is your cooking!"
"You'll pay for those words, Natsu. I didn't get the chance to kick your ass on Nirvana, but now's as good a time as any." He threw his hair net on the ground and began to undo the floral-patterned apron.
"You threatenin' me, transgender freak?" Fire engulfed Natsu's fist.
"Wow, I didn't know Natsu knew a word that big!" Happy praised.
Midnight's hand began to glow with dark magic that made a strange mechanical sound. He waved his hand to smack Natsu with an invisible force, but instead of Natsu being hit at all, Midnight's entire body shook as purple electricity jolted him. He collapsed to the cobblestone with a thud, still twitching as the purple script faded. Freed 'tsked' under his breath.
"That's what he gets for trying to use magic with that ankle bracelet on," Macao commented.
"I kind of feel bad for the guy. I remember being shocked by Freed's enchantments," Wakaba said with a puff of his pipe, thinking back to the battle of Fairy Tail.
"Macbeth!" Dreamer ran to his side, afraid that he'd been hurt, just to find that he was… Sleeping.
"Oh no! Did it knock him unconscious?" Mira asked worriedly.
"No. I don't think so." Not by the way he was drooling peacefully.
"I got it." Piper groaned in frustration and knelt down to pick Midnight up. "Let's get you back to the room, bud."
"Oh dear me, they seem to have gotten closer, don't they?"
"I heard that pops! Shut the hell up! Somebody's gotta cart this lug around if we don't wanna trip on 'im!" He grunted and scooped Midnight up so that his legs were wrapped around his waist, head snuggled into Piper's chest.
"They're kind of a cute couple, aren't they?" Mira whispered to Dreamer, who blushed uncomfortably. "I ship it!"
"He loooooves him!"
"Would you STOP saying that, you imbecilic child?!" Carla smacked Happy right out of the air.
"H-hey, don't get any dumb ideas!" Piper snapped at all of them. "This is the easiest way to carry 'im when he's out like this, so shut the hell up and mind yours own business!"
Midnight mumbled unintelligibly and nuzzled against Piper's chest, much to the gambler's increasing horror.
"Tell me when he wakes up again, Piper! So I can kick his ass!" Natsu was still fired up.
"You will do no such thing." Erza was suddenly holding Natsu by the collar, a dark shadow over her eyes. "Piper, when Midnight awakes, I want you to escort him immediately to the café and instruct him to make 100 strawberry peppermint cakes, do I make myself clear?"
"Yes, ma'am." Piper grumbled incoherently, something about this 'asshole' and 'bastard' and 'hope he never wakes up,' on his way off with the snoring Midnight.
Activities resumed shortly after. Dreamer stared grim faced at the remaining half of her cake. "So… this was inspired, huh?" The "Dream" special, made by Midnight… She didn't know whether to be flattered or terrified, given the way the viscous red jam stained the lemon cake like blood.
He probably intended for her to feel a little bit of both.