A Knight's Loyalty | Food Fantasy AU Fanfic

Chapter 40 - Two Stories

Seaweed Soup dusted into particles in the air, surely returning to the Chamber Room once again. Caviar pulled his arm back looking towards his companion.

Milt was still in utter shock. She wasn't surprised by the battle, since she knew Caviar was a capable fighter. No, Milt was surprised by what had happened just prior - he had kissed her.

"You're fine, right?" Caviar asked, approaching her again, although stopping a few feet away. "You seem fine, but I just want to be sure."

Milt nodded. "I'm alright."

"Is something bothering you?" Caviar spoke. Milt looked away.

"No. Not really. It's just . . ."

". . . ?" Caviar suddenly came to the sudden realization. "Wait, was it too rushed or something? I'm sorry if you didn't like it or anything."

"No no no! That's not it. It was fine really."

There was some incredibly awkward tension for a few moments, and Milt jokingly coughed. Caviar then turned to the entrance of the Throne Room.

"We should head back to the battle," Caviar suggested. "We can't leave the others for too long, can we?"

"Of course," Milt agreed. "But first!"

". . . ? Yes? What is it?"

"Um." Rather than speaking, Milt just ran up to Caviar and hugged him. Then, she whispered, "Thank you."

Caviar hugged back with no hesitation this time. For a while, the two just stood in the embrace of each other, as if nothing else was more important.

Then, the Caviar picked up his head and looked towards the door. He then picked up Milt and returned to the center of action, where they were needed most.

~

"Not good. Not good at all," Kuri mumbled to herself, scurrying to cast another Support talent to cover Milt - wherever she was. When she saw her with Caviar, she couldn't help but let out a sigh of relief.

The two touched the ground and Caviar let Milt stand on her own, and she quickly began casting charms to heal the team - most had been beaten down quite a bit. There had yet to have been any casualties, but there was a chance that could change.

That meant the UR head count was still a nice and steady four. Kuri froze mid-step and counted again.

Double Scoop, Raindrop Cake, Milt, Caviar - where was B-52 again? Her eyes glazed the fight scene, looking for the now familiar browns and blues that made up B-52's color scheme. She couldn't find them.

She looked closer, amongst the crowd, hoping B-52 wasn't suddenly an enemy, but he wasn't on either side of the conflict. It had just vanished.

She had last seen him shortly before the battle began. He had cast an energy skill, and . . . Well, she couldn't remember more than that.

"First wave cleared!" Ryouri exclaimed with excitement as the last enemy disappeared into the air. "Let's check for Food Souls-"

"B-52's missing," Kuri interrupted. Ryouri froze.

"What? You're kidding."

"Dead serious. Unless you guys have seen him recently?"

No one looking around the room saw him, and it was clear they couldn't search forever. Someone would have to leave.

"I'll go," Vodka offered. Ryouri cringed.

"Are you sure you can handle it? I mean- What if we need stuns back here?" Ryouri laughed awkwardly at the end, whilst the whole time Vodka glared silently. Andre went on his own.

"Andre seems to be fine with it. I'll be back soon," Vodka spoke. Ryouri sighed.

"Alright then. Don't do anything stupid I guess . . ."

"That's easier for me than you would expect." Vodka then turned around and chased after Andre.

~

"You know, it's quite reckless to come alone," he stated. He was right, in such a dangerous place, B-52 had to be stupid to come alone.

"And yet I did," B-52 responded calmly, with the same straightforward time as always. "Unless my optics aren't working properly and my auditory functions are failing me."

"Oh, you and your . . . humor . . . Is that something you picked up after your creation? Or is it programmed, just like everything else about you?"

"I never said I was joking. However, it was a smart assumption on your behalf."

". . . Now, if you were any other robot, I would have had Borscht install some machines to emit an EMP or two to override your system, and we'd be good." Spaghetti began pacing around his circles. After a second or two, he stopped at smile at B-52. "However, your body naturally reflects outside electricity to prevent this. It's a bit of a pity, but that was insight on your programmer's behalf-"

"I was never programmed." Spaghetti froze.

"Really? I find that hard to believe."

"Well, just because it's hard to believe doesn't mean it's not true. There are plenty of things to prove that - like when Food Souls first came to be."

". . ." Spaghetti bit his lip, before resuming his pace. "Well, regardless, that doesn't change this. Rather, you've quite frankly fallen into a trap."

"Did I-" B-52 was cut off by the sudden slam of doors, and the click of the locks echoed throughout the room. "Oh. So it appears."

"Well, now that it's just you and I, let's see if you truly stand a chance." B-52 blinked.

Then, he drew his sword, pointing it towards Spaghetti. "Okay."

There was a silence, both of them waiting for the other to move first. The whirring of the room filled in the space, and there was hardly of speck of dust in the air. Each only waited, and waited, and waited until the sastifying sound of a water droplet clicking from the ceiling.

In an instant, B-52 had shot out burning blue flames from the tip of his wand, scorching half the room and dispersing quickly, leaving only ash. From behind him, Spaghetti had dodged and was about to jab the back of his fork into B-52's back, however, B-52's thermal sensors picked up on the movement and he managed to duck beneath the attack.

With one hand, B-52 grasped Spaghetti's fork and pulled it over his head, disarming Spaghetti momentarily, however, B-52 wasn't able to block the kick to the jaw Spaghetti dealt after, since both of B-52's hands were occupied.

He dropped both weapons, but grabbed his sword first, allowing Spaghetti to take back his fork. While B-52 was on the ground, Spaghetti pointed his fork outwards, and the spaghetti on it unwinded itself, squiggling off to the corners of the room.

B-52 stood up, but immediately caught up on the quiet gasp in the shadows. He did his best to focus on both the fight, and the distraction, but ultimately didn't have to - Spaghetti had noticed as well.

"Well, well, well . . . Appears we aren't alone after all," Spaghetti mused. "I wonder who it could be . . . ?"