Banjo-Whooie?! (A Banjo-Kazooie Origin story/ IN PROGRESS/ UNDER EDITING 😁)

Sevenie

It was almost nighttime outside... but the amount of bright yellow in Banjo's living room almost convinced Kazooie it was 12:00 noon.

The entire house was one room. A large-ish bed to her left, an easy chair and a fireplace to her right, and the colors blue and yellow everywhere. Tooty was in the "kitchenette" (which was really just a stove with a few pans and spoons hanging around), stirring a scrumptious smelling substance in a beat up pot.

"Hey guys!" She greeted. "Glad you're feeling better, Kazooie."

Kazooie was dumbfounded. This house was in worse shape than she was. It looked like Banjo had built it himself...

"So whaddaya think?" Banjo asked. "I built this place with my own two hands! Isn't it cozy?" A proud smile graced his face.

"Cozy! Yeah, that's the word..." she agreed.

"I know it isn't much. To look at or to live in... But this house has always kept us warm and safe. I've tried to fancy it up a bit over the years, but you can only do so much before you start looking desperate, if you know what I mean... Not that there are really any neighbors to be looking desperate to. Which is better for us because-"

"You're gonna make her leave if you keep blabbering about boring stuff like that." Tooty interjected.

Banjo turned pink with embarrassment. "Oops! Sorry. Sometimes I get a little carried away talking about our home. It just means so much to me."

"Don't worry about it. I think I could get used to this place. It's got a... rustic charm about it." She said.

"...don't worry, Kazooie. I badger Banjo about this house constantly. It's safe to live in, trust me." Tooty assured, handing Banjo her spoon. "He did invite you to stay, right? I knew it. He's so nice, it's predictable." Kazooie laughed, thinking such a bossy attitude coming from a little girl was cute.

"So. Did you remember EVERY ingredient this time?" Banjo asked, tasting the stew Tooty had begun.

Tooty straightened her spine. "Yep! Every spice and every vegetable. I even remembered the paprika this time!" She smirked, confident.

"You did! Great job, sis. But..." he trailed off.

Her smirk melted away. "But what?! Lemme see..." She jabbed a finger into the stew and tasted it.

"Salt and pepper." The siblings said simultaneously.

"No way!"

"Ah, you'll get it next time, Toots." He noticed Kazooie's beak hanging open as she tried to peer into the pot. He chuckled to himself. "It's potato-rosemary stew. An original recipe."

"It smells amazing..." Kazooie said, inhaling the heavenly aroma.

"Don't you birds eat worms? I'm sure anything would smell amazing to you!"

"Maybe you should give yourself some credit, Banjo."

Banjo gave a humble hm. "It's only a recipe. Anyone can cook, it's not like I'm a fancy chef or anything."

She shook her head. Banjo sure was a timid guy. He might have been a big bear, but his size sure didn't match his personality.

"I'm serious!" Kazooie insisted. "You've got a real gift! I haven't even tried your food yet and I'm sure of it!"

Banjo had never received such praise before. Cooking came naturally to him. It was nothing special... but Kazooie seemed to think it was.

"Well..." he began bashfully, "I have been doing this for a while. I've been cooking for us since Tooty was little."

"Yeah, he's a genius when it comes to food! He might be a dummy with just about everything else, but I'd eat Banjo's food over a fancy restaurant's any day!" Tooty exclaimed.

"Well gosh, Sis. I'm flattered..." Banjo deadpanned.

Kazooie glanced around the house again, taking in the peeling wallpaper and ripped up upholstery covered in patches. She smiled.

"Well, if you can't cook, you can definitely fancy up a house, Banjo."

Banjo smiled secretly.

"Alright, dinner's ready!" He proclaimed. "Set the table, Toots."

"On it!" She replied. She zipped off to a small corner of the house.

"Table...?" Kazooie wondered aloud. "There's no-"

Tooty suddenly returned with a small folding table. She opened it, set the table, and pulled up some chairs faster than you could say, "Oomanacka!"

Kazooie suddenly found herself being sat down with hot stew being poured into a beat-up bowl in front of her. Her beak began watering all over again.

"...table."

"All right..." Banjo began, putting his hands together out in front of him. Tooty mirrored his actions.

"...GRACE!" They said together. And they dug in.

Kazooie's head was spinning. Everything had happened so fast!

How convenient that these bears suddenly get speedy when food is involved... she thought.

"Aren't you gonna eat, Kazooie?" Tooty said, interrupting her thoughts. "If you don't get to it fast enough, Banjo might eat it instead!"

"Tooty!" Banjo whined, pink for the umpteenth time.

"Well... of course I am!" She replied, slightly embarrassed. She picked up her spoon with her good wing, and inhaled the savory aroma one last time before digging in.

Yeah, this definitely beats worms, she thought.

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Yay! Finished another chapter! Since things are calming down, I'm finding more time to work on these stories. Let me know if you like the story so far, and thanks for ALL the reads!!

                                                                    Chia⭐️