Supernatural: Chronicles of the Order 9
Chapter 37: Dean a la Carte
(DISCLAIMER: No, I don't own Supernatural because it belongs to Eric Kripke and Warner Bros. So, enjoy the show! Rated M for graphic violence, adult content, and adult language.)
It had been a week since we last saw James and Jeriba as we not only got Hugh here, but there were plenty of Korean ingredients that were given to us just in time for Thanksgiving. With Dean and his unit on call to go on missions and coming back, he was getting a lot better as I was hopeful for him in which I later spotted him on the beach. What I didn't expect was that he was worried about the double affairs that stemmed from dealing with the Zenith Vectors and the drama with the Four Steward Houses on Alecrast. He was also staring at the ocean waves crashing near the shore as he was having the first Thanksgiving holiday without Magda, for he also vowed to avenge her death if he ever saw her killer again. Still, I had to console him after reeling from the loss he took as he also found love again in the form of Ravenna, for she was more ideal to him than he thought.
"You're looking smug for a captain of the Hunter Corps," I said.
"And you're looking snarky for an Incubator," said Dean.
"After all the problems we were having, we have the holidays to consider."
"Yeah…, such fun times, right?"
"Last year, Dirk and Gyatso had fun shoving one turkey into another in which it turned out to be the infamous turkey dildo debacle."
"Dirk couldn't stop telling us about it 'cause that meal ain't for kids."
I saw Dean's hands trembling as he was also starting to feel depressed since Magda's passing. Even though he found love again, that didn't stop him from wanting vengeance against the Zenith Vectors for attacking the Harryhausen base in the Dabb Mountains on Shiganshina. All I had to show for was the empathy that I had as I was clutching at my stomach in which I had to be careful when it came to carrying the small parcels I had in me. I also noticed Dean shedding a tear as I had to comfort him in which he was still hurting inside, for he also vowed to take down the Zenith Vectors one at a time, but not now.
"Do you mind if I grieve alone?" he said.
"Sad people need comfort, not isolation," I said.
"You sound like your late mentor…"
"All those years, I've taken the full brunt that often had me steeped in self-loathing to no end. I felt that I had no right to exist after I was forced to be a servant instead of a soldier. I… wanted you to be a soldier in which you were older and suited to follow in Dad's footsteps. You needed all the glory more than I did in which I was just a lowly servant in the fort on Gehenna."
"You're more than just a lowly servant 'cause you also worry so much about everyone. I know this because you've up and saved our asses countless times."
"There you are!"
I saw Dunya rushing towards me as she grabbed me by the arm and took me away from the beach and into the castle. I was being forcefully put into the infirmary wing as I had no choice but to stay in the hospital room that had a bathroom with a walk-in shower in it. She was worried about me like the rest of us as she was mainly doing her job in the Medical Corps too much. I was also humiliated by being put in here as I also had no other choice but to stay put until the quadruplets were born, for this wasn't easy for me after all.
"I was only on the beach for one moment," I said.
"You're supposed to stay in bed, Sam," said Dunya.
"I was there mainly consoling Dean after he was suffering from the typical holiday blues. He's also having a tough time dealing with the loss of Magda in which this year's Thanksgiving is more than likely to be a somber one."
"I know what he's going through, but he also has to deal with Ravenna and her way of making pies that are different than what he's used to. As for your predicament, I suggest that you do the right thing and get some bedrest. You're eating for five, Sam, and you can't be up on your feet all the time."
And so, I was defeated by Dunya's iron demeanor as I had no choice but to climb into bed in which I was watching the fresh snow fall from outside. Still, I was stuck in my own predicament as I simply stared at the ceiling the moment I saw Dunya leave the room. I was also wondering how Dean was doing as I was still feeling a little depressed myself. I hated being in hospital rooms as I was no stranger in being the Order's resident guinea pig. When I got up from my bed again, I went towards a chair by the window as I sat down next to a shelf. What I didn't expect was that there was a cookbook that was there as I began to read into it. The book was known as the Greatest Winchester Cookbook Ever Made as it was very big with over a thousand pages of similar recipes that were collected from the popular Supernatural books. I also saw some recipes that were part of the Alecrian royal family as I noticed the author of it on the front in bold letters. The name, Aster Namdar, was someone familiar as I knew of her to be the leading culinary artist who loved cooking more than anything. When I was about to read it, I saw the door open as I noticed Ravenna coming here to examine me, for she caught me in the act of being out of bed.
"You found Astor's cookbook, didn't you?" she said.
"She must've been a genius in finding strange recipes over the years," I said.
"Aster was Rovadra's mum and she's also a lot more kinder and wiser than my own mother. Even though I'm no longer her daughter-in-law, I still visit her in which she's also Revata and Rohidra's gran. It's also said that she knew Emperor Henry of Alecrast before he was ousted from power in which some of the recipes stemming from kitchen sink stew to banana pizza."
"She must've been looking at every single pop culture recipe just to preserve it."
"She can do more than just pop culture recipes. Her signature grasshopper pie is simply to die for, but she uses peppermint extract and vanilla instead of crème de menthe and crème de cacao because she has a loathing for alcohol. I learned that recipe when I was carrying Revata and Rohidra at the time. I loved the taste of marshmallow crème , Oreo biscuits, green food coloring, and whipped cream added to the peppermint extract and vanilla. Oh I craved it when I was pregnant at the time."
"Speaking of which…" I clutch at my stomach as I felt my little parcels become restless.
"Let's have a look at you…"
I got up from the chair as I laid back down in my hospital bed. Even though I was crawling in my blankets, that didn't stop Ravenna from getting out a pocket ultrasound machine as she turned it on. With my robe partially open to expose my stomach, I felt a cold gel being spread as I noticed the scanning part of the ultrasound touching it. Ravenna noticed the growth of the quadruplets as they were adapting nicely and without any further stress in which she was aware of their heritage as Cetra due to the mothers of the ovum who gave their lives to protect the Skalvarg Archipelago from the wrath of Bertram Blackthorne's forces many years ago. She was also grateful that I wasn't in much panic as it was also necessary to keep me in bed until the quadruplets are born, for they are now part of our family after all.
"They're looking fine after what happened to you on Halloween night," she said as she wiped away the gel from my stomach with a cloth. "Dean told me how Neville and his cohort drugged, kidnapped, and even milked your seed to fertilize the ovum of the two fallen soldiers and later injected them into your body."
"Reiko is blessed that I have them because their mothers sacrificed their lives to protect their unit and the rest of the people," I said. "As for Neville and his accomplice, they're serving jail time for what they did to not only me, but to Minara as well. Even though we never wanted them in the first place, that didn't stop our meddlers from putting the perceived burdens in our bodies, but their presence is mainly more of a boon. As for the various gene banks of the Fallen, they house so many unknown genetics in which there are extinct bloodlines hidden in them like prizes in cereal boxes."
"Well, well; if it isn't the man who is destined to be Mom," said Dean as he entered into the room.
"Shut up…" I was blushing in embarrassment as I was staring at my older brother. "Nice try, Pepe Le Pew, but you should also focus on the Thanksgiving dinner."
"And look what Sam found," said Ravenna as she showed Dean the cookbook. "It's Aster's book of recipes in which her best ones are what's there."
Dean saw the pages of recipes that were in Aster's cookbook as they ranged from basic pantry staples to decadent desserts that came in the range of mostly pies than cakes. For the record, Dean loved pie as he saw some of them to be added in the cookbook that I found, for he wasn't alone in making things for Thanksgiving dinner…
Carly was busy in the kitchen bringing out the roaster as she was wanting to cook a turkey for tomorrow's dinner. She was eager to make what was there as she saw Aora and Ghimru getting into the bottom cupboards as they got out some pie pans. She didn't want any help from them as she wanted to shoo them out of the kitchen, but to no avail. Both boys were wanting to cook, but Carly wasn't having it as she had to deal with them being in the kitchen, for they were very persistent in being in the kitchen just to pester her.
"You can't be in here!" she yelled.
"But we see Mommy in here," said Aora.
"Don't you two need to be in the nursery?"
"We need to learn to cook just like Mommy does," said Ghimru as he got out a mixing bowl.
"Put that back! We're the ones cooking, not the boys! Do you even know how to cook?!"
"Carly!" yelled Kanna as she entered into the kitchen. "You can't just leave them out when they're trying to help."
"But they'll make a mess!"
"No they won't," said Sona as she entered into the kitchen. "They've seen us making things in which they also have to learn when they get bigger. Anyone can cook, not just us girls."
Carly was defeated by Sona's words as she had no choice but to teach Aora and Ghimru how to bake and prepare meals. With some ingredients that were put there on the counter, Kanna was ready to teach the oldest twins how to make what was there in which there were the presence of graham cracker crusts that were in their metal containers and plastic film. What was also there were a few pantry staples that were there as they consisted from a jar of marshmallow crème to a can of applesauce. What they didn't expect was that Dean was coming there to check up on things as he noticed them improvising on how to make what was there in which he noticed the usual ingredients that were added into the grasshopper pie that Ravenna mentioned earlier, for he had to try in crafting what was there.
"You're a little busy for tomorrow's festivities," he said.
"We're making some different pies because of the cookbook we found in the infirmary wing," said Kanna. "Sona was busy reading into it before she put it into that shelf."
"You mean this cookbook?" Dean was holding it in his hands as he was showing it in front of them.
"That's the one. It has a lot of recipes that even has the one where Dirk and Gyatso uses in which they had to shove one turkey into another one."
"Are you talking about the turkey dildo?"
"What's a dildo?" asked Aora out of curiosity.
Dean was embarrassed to hear that as he also had to tell the boys in the kitchen about the harsh truth until Sona blocked him to do so. She may have been a connoisseur in collecting dolls, but she also didn't want my older brother to dish out what was there in which she was basically wise beyond her years, for she also had to make sure that no dirty details ensued.
"I know what a dildo is because Aunt Sadritha told me that it's mainly a grown-up's toy that none of us can't play with at all," she said. "Still, of all the dolls and other toys we play with, there are some of them that aren't made for kids in which they're mainly made specifically for grown-ups."
"You're very smart for your age," said Dean.
"And I also know what toys to play with because some of them are mainly kept out of reach. As for our dinner, we should make the desserts, for they're the stars of the holidays."
And so, Dean watched Sona wash her hands as she was getting ready to make a dessert for tomorrow's Thanksgiving dinner. What he didn't expect was that she was making a different type of pie as it consisted of what she had stashed. It was some of the chocolate she got from the candy shop as it contained peanuts and nougat. She also had some chocolate pudding mix as she opened it up and put it into a mixing bowl with two cups of milk. Dean never expected Sona to make dessert before as she was happy that she was eager to help out, for she was hard at work at making a cream pie that would even put any others to shame.
"What kind of dessert is that?" he asked.
"It's called a poo-poo cream pie," said Sona. "It doesn't have any real poop in it because the chocolate bars with peanuts and nougat in them are the ones that will be put into the pie."
"Where did you learn that?"
"There was an ancient movie that Aunt Sadritha had in which it takes place around a country club with a golf course. One scene that inspired me to make the dessert that I got was when one of the swimmers had a chocolate bar with peanuts and nougat in which it gets dropped in the pool and—lo and behold—everyone starts running out of it as if there was a floating piece of poo-poo in it like a they're running away from a shark near the beach."
"The movie was called Caddyshack and Aunt Sadritha told us that it wasn't for kids in which it's mainly for grown-ups due to its raunchy humor," said Kanna.
"And I wonder where you get your humor from…," said Dean as he was staring at Sona.
It wasn't long until Dirk burst into the kitchen as he was mainly reporting for duty. Even though he was still a cadet in the Hunter Corps, he basically gave Dean a salute as he later noticed everyone preparing for Thanksgiving dinner. He was missing the comforts of Thanksgiving dinner as he wanted to tell Dean about what was going on in the citadel in the Inland District, for he was mainly observing what was being made for tomorrow's festivities.
"What's with the long face?" he asked.
"Dahlia and Mizuki are making a mess again," said Dirk.
"I guess that once I collect Ravenna, we'll be on our way back 'cause they're gonna have to learn from one of the jokesters who pulled off the turkey—"
"—Don't even say that in front of the children," said Reiko as she came into the kitchen. "There are words that the little ones can't say until they're older and I suggest that you don't air any dirty humor in front of them."
Dean was blushing out of embarrassment as he didn't say another word. Even though he left the kitchen abruptly, he had Dirk following him as they went outside to where the beach was. What they didn't expect was that Gyatso was there as he was on his way back to the castle in which he was more than likely to give a few pointers, for he was also looking forward to the Thanksgiving feast tomorrow.
"I see that Reiko scolded you for talking about the turkey dildo again," he said.
"When it comes to children, Reiko always scolds us for talking dirty," said Dirk.
"She has been sheltered most of her life, but at least she cares about everyone."
"By the way, how's your training as a medium?" asked Dean.
"It's still very new to me, but spending my days near the spirit pool in the temple under the old lighthouse is no picnic. There are old memories of your past self in which I noticed him having his Thanksgiving dinner at an old motel room that consisted of a roast chicken and an apple pie."
Dean was astonished at what Gyatso said as he and Dirk followed him into the temple under the abandoned lighthouse. Even though it was a premature winter here on Skald Island, the spirit pool was very heated like a hot spring as Dean saw an image of what Gyatso told him earlier. It was an image from the Elder Days as his past self was there in which he was busy setting up the dinner that was mainly a roast chicken and an apple pie along with some mashed potatoes with gravy, macaroni and cheese, and some rolls with butter. It may have been a cheap way to enjoy Thanksgiving, but it was also a homely one in that image as Dean was stunned to see my past self still worrying, for this was when his own ended up making a demon deal that lasted for a year at the time.
"Happy Thanksgiving, Sammy," his past self said as he brought out a six-pack of beer onto the table.
"Where were you?" my past self asked as he put away his laptop.
"Me? I was just bringing back a little bit of a family dinner until my year is up."
"Is that what you're telling me?"
"Look, I know that you're still trying your damnedest to call off the deal, but all I want is to have our last Thanksgiving before my deal is up, okay?"
"Fine by me…, but the Thanksgiving spread is more like something that you get from KFC."
"C'mon, it's not a turkey dinner, but at least we can spend our Thanksgiving in style."
Dean watched his past self and mine begin to eat their dinner as they didn't have no more words for now. He never expected his past self to be more carefree, but it was an image from the Elder Days in which it was mainly lost in memory. Even Dirk saw it as he stared at Dean in which he was shedding a tear at the sentiment that he saw in the spirit pool, for this was something that was there to keep him from all the sadness and heartache he went through after the war ended.
"You okay, Captain?" he asked him.
"I noticed that now when my past self was trying his best to have a Thanksgiving dinner with all the cheap diner food that was there," he answered.
"He also had a habit for getting in on with the ladies back in the day; that's what Ben told me," said Gyatso. "He was also looking out for his little brother at the time in which he worries about him just like Sam worries about all of us in general."
"And he shouldered that burden when we were brought to the fort on Gehenna. Sam was mainly a servant while I had to do my work as a soldier. Most of his life, he dealt with hard work in which he was mainly doing his chores and taking care of the chicken house while I toiled in my studies to be a soldier in the Hunter Corps."
"He must've been working his butt off over the years. No wonder he puts himself last… As for what Reiko told me, I've seen one of the babies that Sam carries in which I found my future self a little older and wiser. I even noticed someone who looks like Ingmar, but with Carly's hair. Speaking of Ingmar, he's gotten wiser and not pulling any pranks or teasing everyone after he and Carly encountered a shtriga in the schoolhouse. He's also trying to cook for his family while his mom is busy working as a janitor in the Tsubaki District."
"That's good to hear… Still, everyone should get together to be with their families for Thanksgiving, regardless of what dinner spread they get."
Dean was brimming with optimism as he was more than likely to help out in which he had to live up to the expectations of not worrying too much. When he left the underground temple un the abandoned lighthouse, he rushed back towards the castle as he was sprinting to where the infirmary wing was. By the time he got to my room, I was resting comfortably as I was also having to deal with the four parcels that I carried, for dealing with quadruplets was no walk in the park right now.
"I know that you're gonna be helping out with the Thanksgiving dinner," he said.
"I would, but I can't get past Reiko due to the strict bedrest that I have to go through," I said.
"I saw our past lives in which all they ate and lived were nothing but fast food and cheap motels."
"That was how they lived in the Elder Days, but in our predicament, we spent our years living in a frozen wasteland."
"I know that you keep worrying about me in which there were times that Sylvanus broke you just for my sake. You did your chores while I played soldier in which you often ended up in the infirmary wing or in that cold room that hardly has any firewood in it to keep you warm. Those were also the times that you ended up getting sick in which your raw power protected you from death, but you keep putting me first instead of you and it hurts so badly."
"And all those years, I wanted you to excel in which I see a lot of Dad in you. Still, we see a lot of royalty and royal blood in us, but afraid to kick the hornet's nest when it comes to the Four Steward Houses trying to cling to power."
"Yeah, and that ship ended up sailing all the way to an iceberg for our troubles. It's also a shame that neither one of us would take the throne on Alecrast."
"Hugh will take the throne. He's here for safety reasons after he was ambushed by the Four Steward Houses the moment James and Jeriba shepherded him to safety."
"Where is he?"
"He's in one of the hospital rooms, but he's not being cooperative right now. He's afraid to take the throne in which our other three half-siblings are on our homeworld operating in the shadows. According to the correspondence I received, they're holed up in an underground bunker in Shilla, which is the home of the Farragut Clan. Getting back to Alecrast has gotten difficult, but we all know that the Four Steward Houses are slowly falling out of favor after the Zenith Vectors attacked the capital."
Dean was aware of Hugh's whereabouts as he would soon give him a piece of his mind when it came to restoring our family to prominence. Even though we were part of the Alecrian royal family, that still didn't stop our enemies from wanting a piece of us, for our fight for the throne was already beginning as we speak…
Hugh was in his quarters as he was still recovering from his injuries. Even though he had his arm in a sling, he wanted to rest in a real bed instead of a hospital one as he also didn't want any visitors at this time. After what he went through, he didn't want to be stuck in the infamous tug-of-war between the Four Stewards and the opposition as he went through enough trauma already. He was ready to fall asleep again as he was also smelling the aroma of food cooking. That was when his stomach was growling as he later heard the door open up to see Reiko coming into the room with a tray of lamb stew and rustic bread along with a glass of water, for he had to have something to eat after all.
"I hope that you're doing okay," she said as she gave Hugh his dinner.
"After what I went through, I don't want to go back home," he said as he took a bite of his food.
"Tomorrow's Thanksgiving and the children have been in the kitchen making desserts for everyone."
"Good for them, but let's hope that we all enjoy it while it lasts."
"You've been slated to become Emperor of our homeworld, aren't you?"
"You heard everyone talking about it in which the Four Stewards have sages all over the capital in which one of their prophetic divinations proved right in which I had my ass handed to me. And to top it off, Desdemona Arkhelios issued a death warrant against me in which my entire unit turned against me, only for me to be hunted down like a wild animal. House Arkhelios and the other Steward Houses kept hunting me for a long time now in which I had to hide in the region of Shilla where my brothers have hidden themselves while crafting hunting supplies and protecting the resistance. That was when I had to take matters in my own hands to protect some of the citizens who feared the wrath of House Arkhelios. Even after the Second Galvanic Uprising ended nearly a year ago, the Four Stewards still hold sway until those terrorists attacked the capital. That was when the people were demanding them to step down to no avail. With me chosen to be Emperor of Alecrast, I've been a walking target in which James and Jeriba had to get me out of there."
"You're afraid of taking the throne, aren't you?"
"I don't want the fucking throne, okay?! I just… want to be left alone after what happened. I lost General Thorndike. I nearly lost my older brothers. I won't take a throne that is meant for the ones who refuse to relinquish power. I won't be a ruler that is meant to be targeted with a bull's eye on my back like a deer blinded by bright headlights. If the rulers want more power, then I'll let them have it because I'm giving up my right as ruler of Alecrast starting now."
"Enough!" I yelled as I entered into the room. "I heard you yelling about giving up your birthright in which you're not only running away from your responsibility as the future ruler of our homeworld, but you're also condemning it in the process."
I was putting my foot down as I didn't want Hugh to shirk his responsibilities in which he was slated to be Alecrast's future ruler. Still, he wasn't budging after what nearly happened to him in which he was refusing to cave to pressure from those who are wanting the return of the Alecrian royal family to power. Even though I was going against my decree of bedrest, I also had to put my foot down as I didn't want Hugh to abandon his duty, for the fate of our homeworld was at stake.
"Sammy, what are you doing out of bed?" asked Reiko.
"Sorry, but I couldn't stand by and let Hugh shirk his responsibility as Alecrast's future Emperor," I said. "We can't let that stand, for this is also our future that's at stake right now."
"You have no idea of what I've gone through, Sam!" yelled Hugh. "You don't know the real meaning of suffering!"
"Really? If you want to know more about suffering, than I'll tell it to you! After Dad's death, Cynthia and our other half-siblings were placed into hiding on our homeworld while Dean and I had to spend our years living at the fort on Gehenna! For years, Dean strived to be a soldier while I had to spend my days as a servant waiting on hand and foot for the other grunts who came and went. There were times that I thought to myself of how worthless I was until I finally left and started to work my way up the ladder. I even had to train with Ippei Mitani to sharpen my body and mind so I wouldn't fall under the surface. There is one lesson that I learned and that is the things that we don't want that make us more resilient than we think. I never wanted to spend my years living on Gehenna just like you don't want to return to Alecrast to claim the throne." Hugh sees me touching at my stomach as he was alarmed at what he saw. "I've been put through the ringer more than you have and I had to endure what got thrown at me."
"And yet you want me to sit on a throne that is meant for my usurpers…"
"If you don't take the throne in three years, then our homeworld will become like Gehenna and it won't start there, for Drakonus, Westeros, and Valinor will also suffer an eternal winter. The power that the Four Steward Houses have is weakening and it's up to you to step up to the plate and return to the throne. If I were you, I suggest that you get your head out of your ass and listen to reason, for the future of our homeworld is in your hands now!"
I was ready to vent at Hugh a little longer until Reiko stopped me in which she didn't want me to add stress on the quadruplets I had in my body. Hugh was stunned to see me in reverence as he didn't say another word. He also never expected me to be with child before as the work of it was mainly reserved for women only. Still, I had to get through to him as he was now worried about the future of our homeworld and those who housed the Order's main headquarters, for he had no other choice but to adhere to what got put in front of him to begin with. What also got through to him was that a vision enveloped us in which we were in Kanto Village in which we saw some of the townsfolk who lived there become frozen to death as we saw the permanent winter not letting go until we returned to reality. Hugh was scared at what he saw as the vision was a wake-up call that he couldn't escape from, for this was something that he was saddled with for the rest of his days.
"You keep touching at your stomach as if you're more like a pregnant woman," he said to me.
"It wasn't by choice this time," said Reiko cautiously. "The little ones he has in him were crafted by his own seed, but the ovum belonged to the soldiers who gave their lives to protect the Skalvarg Archipelago from the wrath of the Blues."
"It's true," I said. "For the record, the lesson that is learned the most is the harshest one of all. As for the ones who foisted the foreign ovum that were fertilized by my seed and injected into my body, they have been arrested, tried, and sentenced to a long prison term for what was not only done to me, but to Minara as well. He was also subjected to having his seed milked just to fertilze the ovum of an Ancient and later injected into his body. We both wanted to get rid of what was put into us until we were stopped at the last minute and the ones who steered us away from the awful decisions to betray our children also happen to be mothers who accepted them as their own."
It wasn't long until Hugh saw Dean enter into the room as he grabbed me by the long silver hair and pulled me out of there with Reiko following me. He wasn't having it as he led me back into the infirmary wing again and put me back into the room that I was in, for he had to return me to my bedrest as soon as possible.
"You just had to jump the gun, didn't you?" he said to me as he led me back into the room.
"You're supposed to be with your unit," I said as I was put back into my bed.
"Sorry, but Brother says that you need your bedrest, Sammy," said Reiko.
"Look on the bright side, Sammy; at least you're getting a lot more of it due to what you're carrying," said Dean. "You also had to put the fear of God into Hugh earlier in which you literally let him have it, especially with the kitchen sink."
"He's Alecrast's last hope, but he'll adjust when the time is right, but for now, we have Thanksgiving to think about."
"You should come over and visit. Besides, Ravenna's making a pie that you never tried before in which it can put any other dessert to shame. As for your own predicament, I suggest that you keep your ass in bed, you got that?"
I obeyed Dean's orders as I had no choice but to stay put while I was carrying the quadruplets in my body. Still, I had to be on bedrest as I also wasn't about to put too much stress on what I had in me the moment I was covered up with the blankets, for it was necessary to do so. With Thanksgiving coming tomorrow, I was mainly ready to stay in bed as I couldn't say no, for it was a way and mean for me to do so after all…
The next morning, Dean was at the citadel in the Inland District as he was busy helping out with the dinner that consisted of turkey and all the trimmings. With the recipes that were in the cookbook that guided him, he was mainly preparing the main course as he was staring at the oven that had the roaster in it. To his surprise, he saw Ravenna enter into the kitchen as she was setting out some of the desserts that she made earlier in which some of them happened to be pies. What really caught his eye was that there was the grasshopper pie in which it was topped with whipped cream with chocolate curls on top of it. What he also noticed was that there was a crème pie that was different as it had whipped cream and cinnamon dusted on it, for the pie itself was very new indeed.
"There's a new one," he said.
"If you're talking about the applesauce crème pie, you're looking at it," said Ravenna.
"You must've learned from that cookbook, didn't you?"
"Applesauce crème pie is the most challenging in which it consists of applesauce, cinnamon, sweetened condensed milk, and whipped cream in a graham cracker pie crust with some of it on top. Once you mix those things together in the pie crust, you chill it for a bit and afterwards, you serve it."
"I can't wait to try it…"
Dean heard the timer go off as he was checking up on the turkey. The smell of it was more alluring as it was in the oven roasting for a few hours. With a pair of oven mitts, Dean took out the roaster as he placed it on the counter in which he revealed it, only to be a surprise that ended up becoming a repeat offender for Thanksgiving. Even Ravenna was stunned to see what was in the roaster as she knew of the dirty joke very well, for it was also something that also didn't sit well with the rest of the unit.
"Son-of-a-bitch!" yelled Dean as he saw the infamous dirty joke in the roaster.
"It's the turkey dildo, isn't it?" said Ravenna.
"You knew about this?"
"I remember Aster making it out of two turkeys in which she wasn't fond of stuffing that's often put into the bird. Therefore, she owns a poultry farm and garden in her home on Essos in which she once had two fresh turkeys to cook, but there was no other roaster than the one she had. In the end of that debacle, she got creative by breaking down the other turkey, seasoning it, and tying it down with cooking twine in which she stuffed it into the cavity of the other one while she baked it for a few hours. When she took it out of there, the meat was nice and moist instead of dry in which the two turkeys were a success."
"She must've gotten the dirty joke a little too much 'cause I also know who cooked our turkey."
Dirk entered into the kitchen as he was checking up on the dinner. The sight of the infamous turkey dildo was beginning to be a repeat offender on Thanksgiving Day as he checked on it very well. He was glad that it was well-done as he tasted a piece of it in which the seasonings made it nice and moist just in time for Thanksgiving dinner. Still, he had a crafty way of cooking dinner as he was happy that he pulled it off, for this was something that stuck with him since last year.
"I outdid myself," he said.
"At least there isn't stuffing in it," said Ravenna.
"You're not big on stuffing?"
"Not really, but every Thanksgiving and Christmas, a turkey gets stuffed with stuffing, but no one eats it enough."
"One time, Sam was cooking a turducken he caught at the time when we were living in the Dabb Mountains on Shiganshina. It was so big that he had to cook it in the smelter room where the volcano was."
"The volcano…," said Dean as he was remembering his days at the base.
"Is something wrong?" asked Ravenna as she saw him starting to feel sad again.
It wasn't long until Dean found himself being thrusted into a memory from the Elder Days as he found his past self in a slug roe home with my own. Both of them were saddened by something as they also had a meal that consisted of a roast chicken and mashed potatoes with gravy. Dean never saw anything like it before as he saw some candles and incense being lit in front of a table in which the meal was a Thanksgiving dinner that became a somber one, for it was a reminder of how things became sad real quick.
"Happy Thanksgiving, Sammy," said his past self as he opened up a bottle of beer.
"I'm hoping that it would be okay after the mess we got ourselves into," said my past self as he was looking at the scar on his hand. "We lost Bobby, we lost Mito, and we're mainly stuck in every single slug roe home and parts of Totsuka's collection of skeleton cars just to avoid detection from the Leviathans."
"We can't just cut and run, okay? We have each other and that's all that matters."
"Let's hope so…"
"Bobby said that 'family don't end with blood.' Besides, we need to keep going and not go under 'cause that's what made us what we are. You gotta know this lesson: it's the things we don't want that make us more resilient than we think. As for our dinner, it's not the Pepperjack Turducken Slammer at Biggerson's, but at least we're not acting like we're stoned or something."
Dean saw his past self and mine eat at their Thanksgiving dinner as he saw the somber atmosphere that filled the room. He also knew that the lesson that I was put into was the one that resonated within us the whole time as re later returned to reality. He was glad that he had family and friends at his side as he didn't want to stay sad during the festivities, for he had his reasons to move on and not be trapped by sadness.
"We should appreciate what we have now before it's too late," said Dean as he shed a single tear.
"What brought that on?" asked Ravenna.
"It was a vision in which my past self and Sam's were spending Thanksgiving in an old rundown slug roe home with nothing but a roast chicken and mashed potatoes with gravy."
"Well, we've also got mashed potatoes with gravy along with the rolls and the macaroni and cheese we can muster," said Dirk. "As for the turkey, it's all the meat and no stuffing or filler 'cause it's what's made for dinner."
"There's also some leg of lamb that's cooking in the oven outside," said Ravenna. "Our unit will have a good Thanksgiving dinner."
Dean was blessed to have everyone here as he also didn't want to spend the holidays being depressed all the time. As for what was about to happen next, it would have to wait as dinner was about to be served, for he was thankful for the wise words that came to him in a vision in the first place…
I was in the sitting room as I was mainly knitting before I had to go back into the infirmary wing to stay on bedrest. What I noticed on the table was that there was the turkey that was cooked with the stuffing instead of another one shoved inside as I ended up eating it to satisfy the hunger that my little ones were experiencing. After I ate the main course, I noticed Sona rush into the sitting room as she had an empty pie pan in her hand in which she wasn't too happy with what occurred earlier, for she was also upset that the dessert she made ended up getting eaten.
"Someone ate my poo-poo pie!" she yelled.
"Is it the one made with chocolate pudding and candy bars?" I asked.
"It is and I wanted everyone to get a piece!"
I was blushing out of embarrassment as I had to confess my guilt to Sona. Still, the ravenous appetite that my little ones are wanting was out of control as I had to keep them happy, for eating for five wasn't a walk in the park to begin with.
"I confess," I said. "I was the one who ate it."
"How could you do that?!"
"It was so good, but I'm also carrying quadruplets. Sorry about that…"
"I know because Carly told me about how you carried Kazuko and Giles when it is mainly the older women who do it."
"You shouldn't be worrying too much, Sammy," said Reiko as she entered into the sitting room with a plate of desserts in her hands. "Our little ones need all what you eat anyway. As for the pie you ate, there's been a replacement in which Kanna made one just like it."
"I know that pie very well," I said as I saw a slice of it. "It's a piece of grasshopper pie that's been made with vanilla and peppermint extract. I know of this because of the recipe that was in the cookbook that I found. This is a great Thanksgiving in which I hope that Dean's feeling a little better after feeling blue yesterday. He should have all the pie he can muster after what he went through because of—"
At that point, Reiko shoved a fork with a bit of grasshopper pie into my mouth as I didn't say another word. As for the rest of the day, I was hoping for the best as I was glad that all was well, for we need a bit of a reprieve from all the doom and gloom every now and then…
To be continued...