The Order of the Slice

Chapter 4

Luigi looked at the scarce selection of meat at the grocery store. He picked up some discounted beef.

"What about this one?" He asked Cheryl "Its twenty-percent off."

Cheryl glared at him. "You're willing to risk you're life by using discount meat?" She asked. Luigi shrugged. He couldn't say no to a good deal. He gently placed the discounted meat in the cart. Luigi saw Cheryl move towards the isle the frozen pizza was in.

"Seriously?" He asked incredulously. She met his disbelieving look with another glare.

"Do you expect me to starve?"

"Do you only eat pizza?" He shot back.

"It's the only food worth eating," She replied. Luigi sighed and ventured to a different part of the store. So far he had buns, meat, tomatoes and lettuce. He already had mayo at home so he was only missing cheese and pickles. Luigi found a shelf full of different cheeses. He chose Colby Jack and put it in his cart. He met back up with Cheryl at the checkout line. She had a jar of pickles and a frozen pizza.

"Are you ready?" She asked. He wasn't ready. He was terrified, but it was either man up and try or cradle himself into a ball and weep. After a bit of thinking he decided.

"Yes."

***

Luigi spent the rest of the week practicing for the trials. He made burger after burger, each one better than the last. They tasted pretty good, but not perfect. He kept making them, he would keep making them until his hands were bruised and bloodied. He had to make them perfect. He would work on them all night long if he had to. Cheryl was watching some cooking show Luigi didn't recognize. And checking on him during the ads. He could tell she was nervous too. He tried to ignore her, but she kept checking on him.

"Do you think its good enough?" She asked. He looked at it. It didn't look perfect, it just looked normal. Luigi sighed.

"I don't know," He said. "H-how am I supposed to know if it's perfect?" Cheryl thought for a moment.

"When it tastes almost as good as pizza," She said. "That's how you know it's perfect." He glared at her.

"That doesn't help," He grumbled. Cheryl just shrugged and went back to watching her show. Luigi was still practicing for the trials when he heard the sound of shuffling feet. He went to his door and found another letter. In it contained information on the location of the Tomato Trials. He went to the kitchen to get his ingredients. Cheryl noticed him and paused her show.

"What's happening?" She asked. He handed her the letter, she looked up from the letter when she was done reading it. "It says that the Tomato Trials are going to be held at the old school." Luigi nodded. "Where is that?" She asked.

"On the other side of town." He said. "Hide you're pizza-chain necklace thing," He pointed at the golden chain wrapped around her neck.

"Why?"

He looked at her. "You're coming with me right?" She looked at him warily, then she sighed and tucked the golden chain under her shirt.

"Okay, let's go." She grabbed her coat and followed him out the door.

***

They walked down the street and into the old school. All the grass was dead, so there was only dirt on the front lawn. Luigi couldn't help being freaked out, and fact that they were arriving in the dead of night didn't make it any better. They walked into the school and looked for The Knights of the Burger.

"Where are they?" He asked.

"They must be in the cafeteria." She said. They walked into the cafeteria and found what looked like hundreds of robed figures standing there, like they were waiting for him. Luigi suppressed a shiver.

"Welcome Luigi Lazzaretto, to the Tomato Trials!" An uproar of cheers filled the room. Luigi stood stunned. The Knights of the Burger were dressed in black robes. Each Knight had a burger pin on their robe. "You're task is to craft the perfect burger!" He yelled. "If you succeed you will become one of us, if you fail... You will die." Luigi swallowed. He hated both of those options.

"Are you ready?" One of the robed figures asked. No. He wasn't ready. He needed more time.

"Yes."