"How come I was the only one who had to pay?!" Ryouri complained after they had left a booth. Mooncake blew a raspberry.
"It's cause you're human - humans have money~!" she explained teasingly. Ryouri sighed.
"Yeah, whatever." He glanced up from the ground and caught a glimpse of a mist-captured silhouette. However, before he could step forward, an unknown hand grabbed him back.
"I wouldn't go there if I were you," a quiet male voice spoke. Ryouri turned to find a raspberry-red haired male with a flower encrusted, clear umbrella. He wore layers of scarves, the top one around his neck a shade of purple, and his eyes matched the petals on his umbrella.
"And who might you be?" Mooncake quipped. The stranger hesitated, and wore a startled expression.
"Right. I am Raindrop Cake. A Food Soul, like the most of you." Vanilla perked up.
"I know you! You're the Food Soul with the crippled legs! You lost them in a rainstorm right?!" Vanilla paused. "How come you can stand now?" Raindrop Cake had a pained expression.
Strawberry quickly understood his brother's error and spoke up. "Don't mind my brother. He sometimes doesn't know when not to speak." Vanilla kept quiet at that.
"It's alright, although an unwanted memory. Simply said, an Attendant's care can heal anything. Before I had no will to live, but my current Attendant changed that. It speeds up the healing process."
"Then . . . ," B-52 began. "What next?"
"Well," Raindrop answered. "We live in Nevras together, me with him, and him with me - pledged for life. I wouldn't want you five - er, six, - to lose yours."
"Then you know what's beyond that mist?" Ryouri hoped.
". . . I'll let my attendant explain," Raindrop responded, before turning and leading the way to his abode, his crystal clear umbrella opened overhead.
~
"Oh, welcome!" the boy in the hoodie exclaimed. "Raindrop~!" The boy went and hugged the Food Soul lovingly. He let go. "What brings you guys here?"
Mooncake booped the boy's nose. "Cute, but where's Raindrop Cake's Master Attendant?"
"That would be me." The whole lot - excluding B-52, Raindrop, the boy himself, and the quiet female eavesdropper - were surprised.
"But you're a kid! By yourself!" Mooncake exclaimed.
"I'm a teenager. Besides, I'm tall enough to be 18," the boy answered. Compared to the people of his parents' generation, he wasn't wrong. "And if I'm in danger, Raindrop protects me."
"I find it quite logical," the eavesdropper in the corner said with a yawn. "After all, age rules are for safety, and Raindrop is basically an adult. Where's the harm?"
"I have to agree with them," B-52 stated calmly. "Food Souls have lived many lives, and are wiser than most humans. Raindrop Cake taking care of these two is of no trouble."
"I'll have to correct you, Bifty. I don't live here. I stay with my Food Soul, Sanma Shioyaki, down in Light Kingdom. I'm merely here to pay my friend a visit," the ilucid girl spoke once more.
"Where's Sanma then?" Strawberry asked quietly. A meow came in response from the kitten in the girl's lap.
"He's out back," the girl answered. "Anyways, I'm Kuri, who are you guys?"
"I'm Ryouri!" the young attendant exclaimed. "These are B-52, Brownie, Vodka, the Double Scoop twins, and Mooncake!" He pointed to each respectively soul as he spoke.
"I know who your souls are. I merely needed your name," Kuri said in a mysterious way. "Muffin, will you be introducing yourself?"
The boy huffed. "That's my second alias. My first one is CatcakesLOL1, but Catcakes is fine."
"I don't see it fair you share your alias when everyone else gives their real names," Mooncake grumbled.
"Actually," Kuri spoke. " 'Kuri' is merely an alias of my own as well. It's not a lie though." She patted the kitten's head. "In this world, your alias is your real name."
Ryouri bit his lip. "Well, whatever!" he shouted. "What's up with the mist?" The back door opened, and a white-haired male with a sheathed katana entered, holding another cat, and several more scurried after him.
"Oh, more visitors? I'm Sanma Shioyaki, although 'Sanma' alone is fine," the male introduced softly without a question. Kuri smiled warmly.
"That's everyone!" she beamed with a smile. Catcakes gave a devious one in response.
"Anyways, take a seat," he offered. Once everyone except B-52, Sanma, and Raindrop was seated, Catcakes answered Ryouri's question.
"That's the old castle, from before the new one was built. It's abandoned, but Food Souls who enter the mist seem to vanish." Out of the corner of Catcakes's eye, Kuri silently sips a cup of tea. She picks up from there.
"Humans too. Basically anything not dead. Although, the bodies of Food Souls are never retrieved, while the bodies of humans are spewed out as warnings. I read about it during my time in Gloriville." She took another sip. "That's the main reason I returned to Nevras."
Ryouri held a hardened expression. His Food Souls instinctively glanced amongst themselves anxiously. It was surely going to be a journey.
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A Knight's Loyalty | Food Fantasy AU Fanfic
FanfictionThe world of Tierra is in its medieval era. Master Attendants keep their Food Souls close, especially after several souls go missing during explorations. One Attendant, however, is finding himself bound to the fate of curiousity and truth. With a ha...
