Stone World's Chef

Chapter 1; Good Morning

Jyūoku Ishigami was a smart girl. Nowhere near as bright as her baby brother, but she had some street smarts to her. She squinted her eyes hard at the blurry hand outstretched to her.

She had woken up to stone cracking and leaves rustling and birds singing their gentle tunes. She had passed out in her kitchen while taking her online college class. How did she end up outside and where were her glasses?

"Good morning. You have been reborn into a world that has no owner. No one owns the planet and nature provides us with a veritable bounty."

Jyūoku - "What? What happened?"

"Three thousand, seven hundred years ago, the world was turned to stone. Now, we are living the way nature intended without the greediness of the adults who owned everything. Join my Kingdom of Might and provide us with your useful talents."

Jyūoku - "Hate to break it to you, but I'm near sighted as hell. I can't really do anything without my glasses."

"Tsukasa, she's useless. Leave her here to be eaten by the wolves. We don't have the resources to spare for another useless mouth."

Jyūoku's eyes widened in disbelief and fear. That voice didn't sound much older than herself, and to hear that more contempt for another life terrified her.

Tsukasa - "Hyoga, be polite. Nearsightedness is an obstacle, however that is no reason for this young lady to be killed. Come now, miss. I have some clothes prepared for you."

Minami - "Hey Jyūoku! Long time no speak!"

Jyūoku - "Senpai?"

Minami Hokutozai was Jyūoku's senior back when they were in school. Minami was popular and often paid Jyūoku to cook and bake for her parties or to have her dear younger brother for tutoring.

Minami - "Okay boys, time to leave us be. No need to watch a lady change."

The sounds of the group leaving the area filled Jyūoku's ears.

Minami - "I know this is gonna sound strange, but the entire human populace has been petrified for over thirty-seven hundred years. That kid you knew, Ishigami Senku, was killed for wanting to use his science to bring back all of humanity or whatever, so don't worry too much about it."

Jyūoku - "Senku...was killed?"

Her eyes started watering immediately.

Minami - "There we go. A cute maroon dyed leather dress. Let's go show you around. I can't talk freely right now. I'll explain more later."

The last bit was whispered so quietly that she barely heard it, but she trusted her old friend enough to rub her eyes to vanquish the tears. Jyūoku was lifted to her feet, popping bones and joints she didn't even know she had. Minami guided her to a large open area where people were digging massive holes, a few fires were crackling away, and a loud voice kept screaming.

Minami let Jyūoku slump her weight on her. Try as she might, her voice refused to work and her limbs felt like jelly. She was petrified in stone for thousands of years and the second she wakes up, she's told her baby brother was murdered, so forgive her for not being able to function properly.

Tsukasa - "Minami, when I had asked you to find a cook, Miss, Jyūoku was it, was your first and vehement suggestion. May I ask why?"

Minami - "Jyūoku was a prodigy in the culinary arts. She took college level cooking classes in grade school and became club president of our high school cooking club. Before the petrification, Jyūoku got a full ride scholarship to three of the top ten culinary academies around the world. Le Cordon Bleu in Paris, C.I.A in America, and Bangkok Thai Cooking Academy in Thailand.