She had 2 tasks, staying alive, and thinking of a menu. All the girl could think about was staying alive. She tightened her backpack, "I guess if my job is staying alive, my first rule of action is to get outta this creepy room." She tapped her chin, "Hmm, if this is the Gourmet Pyramid, then the Mellow Cola is here. Maybe I can find some linking information." She continued to walk forward, and she heard the snarl of a beast coming down the hall. The girl immediately felt scared as the hairs stood on the back of her neck. She hid behind one of the columns and tried to control her heavy breathing. Her eyes were still very curious. With just 1 peek, her curious mind could be fulfilled. She leaned over to see the heavily breathing monster. Her heart pounded so hard, she could swear the beast could hear it. After it passed, the girl sighed, "Phew. I can't believe it didn't notice me."
She continued forward before another monster roared in her face. She was so close, she nearly thought she was already inside the mouth of the beast. Since Toriko was not an option for help, she decided to do one of the things she was best at, run. The girl sprinted for her life as she ran down the dark halls of the pyramid. Along the way, other beasts chased after her, and in no time she had a small party of animals hunting her down. She took off her backpack and dug through it. "It's about time I waste the last one! ~I don't wanna die again, so better safe than sorry." She swung her bag back around her back and ran into a corner. She stuffed her ears with ear plugs and pulled the trigger on her last Toriko Cracker. "They say 3rd time's the charm, let's find out!" The firecracker blasted off and the loud noise filled the vicinity. The girl put her hands over her head and looked away from the bright lights. The blast began to die down and she saw that the firecracker worked. The beasts backed off and ran away like expected. She ran away from the site before others showed up. "That was my last resource or protection. From now on, I am truly on my own."
She continued to run until she reached a fork in the road. "Okay, hmm. I guess I'll put my faith in the hands of a coin toss." She pulled a small coin from her pocket, "Heads is left, tails is right." She tossed the coin in the air and it came up heads, "I just hope this is right." She cautiously walked in and the room was dark. She didn't know if there was danger ahead or not. Her only sense of hope was a light at the end of the hall. She ran her hand against the wall so she couldn't lose her place. "This is so weird. I'm scared, but I'm not terrified. Hell, if I was still that girl from a few months ago, before I met Toriko~" She shook her head, "No one could pay me to be in this situation. Especially not alone." Being alone, it was one of her biggest fears in life. Being physically alone sometimes was fine, but she never wanted to feel emotionally alone. The fact that she knew Toriko and Zebra were actively looking for her could easily fill that void. There were a lot of flaws that she didn't want to admit, but this was one of the heaviest. She didn't want to seem needy by any means. But she never felt the love and appreciation she needed from her parents. She doesn't know how much her parents affect her life, but they are still a huge part of how she lives it today.
Finally she reached the light and she felt somewhat safer. There was another fork in the road. She sighed, "Really? Who built this place anyway? Coin toss it is." She tossed a coin in the air, but before she could catch it, she heard a growl nearby. She ran forward through the left side again and left the coin behind. "Oh, I hope this doesn't lead to a pool of lava or something!" She ran forward without touching the walls. She didn't want to chance the beast or beasts getting her. She came into another room with more sand and columns. A familiar footprint caught her eye, "Please tell me this isn't what I think it is." She shook her head and continued on. "I can't afford to get into any trouble. I don't have any means of survival left." Just as she pleaded to the environment, she heard slithering coming down the hall that she wouldn't be able to outrun. The girl looked and it was a Jowlcargot. "I'm not going out without a fight!" She attempted to outrun the monster but it was far too late. She looked behind her and the snail creature struck her down onto the floor. She looked at the arm where the damage should be, but there was none. It was confusing to her. She heard the voice of Zebra speaking to her. "Listen up girl. I'm only saying this once so if you miss it I'll kill you. I have clad you with Sound Armor and now my voice went hoarse~" She bit her lip, "Good to know he cares about my safety. Sorry Zebra, you'll just have to kill me for not listening, but I need to save my own skin right now." The girl backed up away from the beast as it continued to close in. Her nervous voice spoke, "It would be easier if I had my machete. That way I would at least have a fighting chance." The girl smiled, "Wait a second!" She pulled out her Melk blade, "How could I forget!"
She unwrapped it, "This is not just my machete. This is my kitchen knife, and a gift from the greatest sharpener in the world." Her mean blue eyes looked at the Jowlscargot, "You are just an ingredient in my kitchen. ~And I will not let my ingredients kill me!" She swung the blade and it was too powerful for her 2 arms. The beast ran off and the ground below her collapsed. She held on tightly to her knife as she fell through the floors. Though the fall would have been bone crushing, it was because of the Sound Armor she didn't feel much of the pain. She grunted as she stood up.
Éclair looked at her new surroundings, "Water?" She dipped her hands in and splashed her face, "Did I do this? Goodness I'm thirsty, but I don't want to drink this ancient water. I'm almost certain it's not clean anymore. Ugh, I need that Mellow Cola. I don't have a single clue what it tastes like, but I want it!" She stood up and continued to search. An open archway caught her eye and she took a peek inside."What's this? A Sarcophagus? Yikes, I don't know if I'm in the mood to see a mummy today." She continued to walk ahead and sighed, "I'm so incredibly lost. I bet I would have met up with Toriko and Zebra already if I just stopped moving. I can't promise that if I want to survive, but I should probably slow down my pace." Just as she put her new rule into effect, she walked forward admiring the ancient walls. The girl wrapped up her knife and put it in her backpack, "I better keep that in my backpack. I don't want to fall down another story of this place." She looked back at the ancient pictures, "Now looky here. This is extraordinary. I wonder how old these are. ~An ancient beast, and poachers?"
She walked ahead and noticed an open book on a stand. "Let's see what the old royals used to read." She smiled as she looked at the book. "Wait a minute, I think I get this." As her hand reached to flip the page, she heard footsteps coming behind her. She turned around and saw a thin birdlike creature. It was nothing like the one she saw in Vegetable Sky. This one was very malnourished and skinny. It attacked the girl and sent her body flying. She quickly crawled away and tried running from the beast. It hunted her down and tried to devour her. She put her hands over her head, "I picked a bad time to put away my knife!" It pecked away and tried to penetrate the armor. "I won't just sit here and let you kill me!" She ran away from the beast and into another one. She fell back on her butt as she stopped herself from running into the Monoclops. The girl looked as the pale skinny bird bit into the Monoclops. "Even if it is a small window, I've gotta get outta here!" She looked back, "Better take this book with me." She held onto the book and ran as fast as she could."Dammit! I don't know how I'm gonna get outta this one! I don't know where I'm going, I'm scared out of my mind, I've been alone for hours! Toriko! Zebra! Where are you guys!?"
She ran into a room and hid up against a wall. She sighed in relief as all seemed safe, for now anyway. She heard a growl like none before. It was deep and menacing. Éclair turned around and before her stood a large behemoth of an animal. It was the Salamander Sphinx, and it was not in the mood for company. The girl screamed a piercing scream. "How does this keep happening to me!" Her knees shook and her hands could barely hold onto the book. She heard the voice of Zebra challenging the Salamander Sphinx, but just as quickly as he came, his voice disappeared. It was scary to hear the Salamander Sphinx, but Zebra's voice was somewhat comforting, even for that moment. Another loud noise could be heard above her, and the ceiling started to crumble. A large rock fell above her head and the girl looked at her certain death. There was no way she would stop this. "Knife!" The large rock split in 2 and behind it was the blue haired man himself. Éclair jumped on the man, "Toriko! I've been so scared without you!" The man smiled, "I'm glad you're okay." She embraced him tighter, "You have no idea what I've been through today!" Éclair waved at Zebra, "Without you, I'd be dead. Thanks Zebra." The man looked at her, "Hmph, seems your little heat beat is still ticking." She nodded, "Yes. I'm just happy you guys are here now." Toriko set the girl down, "And it's not over yet. Get back Éclair!" The Salamander Sphinx roared and was ready to go toe to toe with the men.
The girl ran behind a fallen rock and opened the book, "Let's see if I really understand this book." She flipped through the pages, "There are things in here I've never even seen before." The girl squinted her eyes and looked closer, "These are ingredients. Is this~ Is this a cookbook?" An undying grin claimed the girl's face. "Oh my! The royals definitely knew how to keep their stomachs happy." A piece of rubble fell on the girl's head as she read. She looked behind her at the fight going on. Both Toriko and Zebra were fighting tooth and nail. She brushed the rock from her head and continued to read. "These pictures look like the ones from the walls. The ones by the Sarcophagus. They're all special preparation, I get it now!" She flipped to the page with the Salamander Sphinx and snapped her fingers, "Eureka!" She laughed, "I love it when I have those moments!" She looked behind the rock and yelled to the men, "Toriko! Zebra! Wait, I found a solution!" The men continued to fight and the girl raised her voice "Guys! Hey, I know how to get the Mellow Cola! ~Hello! Listen to me!"
The men were blown back by the powerful claws of the beast and into the direction of the frantic girl. "It's about time I get your attention!" They still focused on the Sphinx and the girl exhaled forcefully. She walked over to the men and grabbed a handful of their hair. She pulled back, "It's the tears you idiots!" The men turned around and looked at the girl, "Ouch Éclair, why'd you do that?" She opened the books, "Finally you guys listen to me! Now look at this! Before I found you guys, I came across this book. Every ingredient in this book is special preparation." "You understand the book?" She shook her head, "Not exactly. But trust me, I've read more cookbooks than 20 stay at home moms will in a lifetime. The pictures are very clear. I get them. I know how to get the Mellow Cola, and it's not through blood. It's through the tears." Toriko smiled, "Way to go Éclair! The ingredients have really taken a liking to you. If it weren't for you, we wouldn't have found it." Éclair sighed, "Yeah, they like me alright. They just wanna eat me up." She held the book up and looked at them seriously. "Toriko, Zebra, I will instruct you on how to get the Mellow Cola, okay?" Zebra gave a thumbs up, "You better give good directions or I'll kill you." "Don't worry, I will. Now get ready boys! We have some Mellow Cola to taste! So let's get cooking!"