S: It is good that I have the place to cook, but I don't have what to cook.
Kai walked up to Sunny and greeted him.
K: Morning, Sunny. What are you doing so early in the morning?
As he said it, he sat down on the bench of a sort.
S: Well, I was just finishing cleaning this place. I want to make a restaurant here. The only thing I need is something to cook, you know. Some ingredients, as well as some stuff to cook with. But for now, I can just use stuff from here. Maybe make something from those scraps.
K: Didn't Nephis say you are good at cooking?
S: Well, I would say I am pretty good. Still, I will let you be the judge of that.
Kai stood up and said slowly. I will go and hunt for something.
S: Try to be back in an hour at most.
K: Sure. Do you have something specific in mind?
S: No, just something that can be eaten or that you would want to eat and obviously that you can carry.
K: No worries, I will figure something out.
Effie stretched from the building and asked what was going on.
K: Well, Sunny said he would make something to eat if we hunt something.
Effie smiled brightly and asked.
E: Oh? How much time do we have, Chef Sunny?
S: 1 hour. Max
E: Alright. Be right back. Better it be worth it.
Sunny watched them leave and sight with a smile on his face.
Seeing his friends happy and full of energy brings him joy.
After a while, Nephis walked out of the cathedral and walked up to Sunny.
N: Do you need help?
S: No, I am just getting ready to cook whatever Kai and Effie will bring from their hunt.
N: If I am being honest, I would eat anything you make. Even you.
S: Sorry, but I am not on the menu, Nephis.
He looked at her.
Nephis was looking at him with a pleasant smile on her face.
N: Do you need this scrap? Or fire at all?
S: Oh, yeah, if you could get rid of it, it would be very helpful.
Sunny pointed at the massive pile of wood and other useless junk few steps away from the restaurant he had made.
N: Leave it to me.
Nephis walked up to it and lit it on fire with her flames, turning everything to dust in a couple of seconds.
N: done.
S: Yeah. I hope that Ash won't get blown across the training field.
N:....I didn't think of that.
She looked around and grabbed something like a broom and swiftly got rid of it.
As they came back, Sunny looked at the tile of meat they brought, and as he was looking at it, Gloomy stepped out of his shadow and said.
Gl: Yeah, let's just do this.
His staff was folded and set on his waist.
S: This is nice. What about the others?
Gl: They are…well, they can't cook.
Happy was leaning against the wall of the restaurant and smirked. His weapons were still on his forearms, the scythes were replaced by kunais now.
Ha: you picking a fight, brother?
Gl: no. I am just stating what's obvious.
Ha: if you say so. Haha. Well, show us how great of a cook you are.
S: Are you bickering on purpose?
Creepy just tossed Sunny one of the meat pieces, claws on his gauntlets were as if subtracted like those of a cat.
Kai, Nephis and Effie were just watching this interaction of theirs. They all looked quite similar but were still vastly different.
E: So that's how you look?
Ha&Cr: Who?
Gl: me, you morons.
Cr: shut up.
Gl: I would but your creepy tone is pissing me off so I have to say something.
Cr: tch. Whatever, man.
Sunny and the other 2 were preparing food with no care about the world around them.
Gl: Yeah, and?
E: Nothing. I just thought.
Gl: Yeah, stop doing that. Your thinking doesn't match.
Kai looked away, trying to cover his laugh. Nephis did the same. Only Sunny started to shake from laughing.
E: Why don't you say that to Nephis or Doofus? Why me?
Gl: They know how to wield their weapons. Kai is a nice human. You are...well, yeah. The meal is ready. So eat up.
Effie stared at Gloomy, and after she started eating, she was stunned by how good it was. As she finished her meal, she stared at Sunny because all 3 of his shadow helpers had already gone back into his shadow.
E: Can he hear me?
S: No. But yes.
K: What does that mean?
S: Well, he can hear only if he is here in corporeal form. But he hears my thoughts. Well, some of them at least.
S: Why are you asking?
E: I just want to thank him.
Gloomy was now standing behind Sunny, facing away from them and said.
Gl: save it. I don't care.
E: Would you mind sparing?
Gl: What's in it for me?
E: Anything you want.
Gl: What I want you can't give me.
E: Well, I could do whatever you say.
Gl: Alright.
Gloomy stepped into the ring and was swiftly followed by Effie.
K: sunny. Your cooking is amazing. Thank you.
S: No worries. Just happy you are happy.
Nephis stretched and leaned next to Sunny and turned on her seat to look at Effie fighting Gloomy.
Sunny was sitting next to her, and now he is facing her back while he is still looking at Kai, only looking at Nephis and others from his peripheral vision.
N: How good is he?
S: Great.
Nephis, at that comment, focused on the actions of Gloomy.
Gloomy was standing in the middle, his stature was a bit leaned forward. Not very good for how close their proximity is.
Effie summoned her spear and said.
E: Summon your weapon.
Gl: I can't summon anything. I don't have whatever you have.
Gllomy picked up his staff, unfolding it and put it around his neck, again. This time, he stretched a little, cracking his back against his weapon.
Gl: Attack anytime you want to.
Effie did not hesitate and lunged her spear forward, only for it to fly away from her hands, crashing against the stony training ground with a clang of metal.
Effie's hands were shaking as if they were struck by something hard. She looked at gloomy, but his weapon did not seem to be swaying at all.
Gl: Are we done now?
Effie picked up her spear and attacked again.
She lost her weapon again, and again, and again.
Time after time, she was losing her weapon.
Gloomy sight after her 10th time.
Gl: You are not paying attention. You are just attacking with the same speed same pattern. If you attack me like that, you will lose every time. I ma just wasting my time, and you are wasting yours.
Gloomy turned his head to Kai.
K: Go ahead and try to shoot. It's not gonna make a difference.
S: Hey, try a different approach.
E: I am trying.
S: I wasn't talking to you.
Gl: ...sure. I will tell you what I will attack. They have to defend it.
E: Alright.
Right wrist.
Before she could react, she was clutching her right wrist.
Gl: right shoulder.
The same thing happened
GL: left shoulder.
This time, Effie just moved her body on instinct because she was unable to think what to do and blocked it with the shield on her left hand.
As Gloomy's weapon crashed against her shield, it made a loud clanging sound, vibrating the air around them
Gl: end of the duel, less, call it whatever you want. Before he left.
E: Thank - thank you.
Gloomy looked back at her and walked back to Sunny. Before he disappeared, he said.
Gl: She has potential.
With that, he was gone.
Nephis held Sunny for a bit longer and sighed solemnly.
N: I really hate going back to that cabin now. I want to stay here, with you.
Sunny touched her arm and stood up, and faced her.
Nephis bit her bottom lip in frustration. She didn't want Effie to know she and Sunny were a thing, yet. Her teasing would be relentless, and it might even ruin their plan.
N: I am leaving now, thank you.
After that, she and Effie walked away, heading towards the camp.
S: Man. I really want this nightmare to be over already. Time feels so slow when I am without her; those few days I had with her flew by like seconds. This sucks, but I still have a lot of things I need to do and since I have 3 members in my clan I should also start thinking about what their positions should be right? Your thoughts, Luna?
She just nodded and meowed, agreeing with him while jumping on his shoulder. Sunny looked at the building he was sitting in and said.
S: This will be a great cafe or restaurant. Well, I haven't seen anything besides monster meat and some plants for seasoning. I will have to look into the kitchen after we overthrow the Bright castle.
Kai looked at Sunny and asked.
K: Being honest, I don't think I have ever eaten anything this good. Sunny, why aren't you opening a restaurant?
S: To be honest, I wanted to rebuild this building into one, but I…
K: When do we start, and how do I help?
Sunny chuckled.
S: We can handle it tomorrow or the day after, but what's next? I don't have enough resources to make it big, you know, not to mention how to advertise it.
K: I know someone who could help. What do you need?
Sunny listed items he would like mostly for sweets as well as some vegetables, potatoes and so on.
K: Her name is Aiko. She runs a casino in the Bright Castle. She is great with money.
S: Sure. That would be great. Also, how do you know about casinos, Kai?
K: Oh, you know.
S: You know what, don't answer.
K: Thank you. Back to the subject.
K: tho I don't think I will be able to convince her, after all. She is doing rather well for herself, and I don't think I saw her outside the Bright castle once.
S: No need to worry about it. We can just eat meat for the time being. I don't really mind.
K: Hey, Sunny, those ingredients aren't for sweets?
S: Yeah. I love making them.
K: Hmmmm.
S: What is it?
K: I was just thinking about overthrowing Bright Castle.