EHEG (IC/Open/Anime/Slice-of-life)

[Unified Free Lands]

Akuma grinned, calming down some. "That's really cool! You look like a character from one of the animes I watch," she said. "My power is water and storms, it sounds nice but it leads to... Conflicted personality sometimes," she added. Thank God she's not Japanese... Otherwise she would've ran for the hills as soon as she heard my name, Akuma thought with a slight smile.

Miia laughed, being compared to an anime-esque character for the first time. "It's not as great as it sounds, I've hardly interacted with anyone my age until now, so I have to get used to that. But hey, if you ever need help because you're feeling angry or something, just come talk to me, I could try and help calm you down and you could help me practice talking to people, if that's alright.."

"Yeah, that sounds good!" Akuma said brightly. "I haven't really had many friends either, my schoolmates are all scared of me because I accidentally made some storms and almost took down the school once," she explained. "I guess that puts us in the same boat so to speak."

[Shyluz]

Thanksgiving Day, Edwin Uther Boarding Academy

Thanksgiving.

A North American tradition initially about giving thanks to god and other stuff, but in reality, it's more about food. Not that the food at the Academy was something to scoff at. But when it's being made by the students themselves, well...

...let's just say regular families have their own reasons to dread Turkey Day, but the students and staff at EHEG have their own reasons.

Reasons like the infamous pranks from the SBG. Reasons like the gunpowder turkey. Reasons like how the students have to cook. Reasons like how Edwin has to taste test everything personally. Reasons like how ten percent of your quarterly grade depends on how well you cook today. Reasons like how there's a vicious time limit to how long you have in the kitchen.

Reasons like how En was being a sneaky prick and swapping salt with sugar, and sugar with salt.

Thanksgiving's day at EHEG may as well be a war for supremacy.

Oh, and did I forget to mention that the class with the highest marks on T-Day get priority class requests, meaning you can escape Hark's PE class without doing anything illegitimate?

And the pizza party you get instead of eating your cooking?

High stakes.

The three classes stood, the air was thick with tension. So thick that the students of the three classes, 4A, 4B, and 4C could cut it with a knife. Edwin stood in front of the colossal outdoor kitchen, a breeze gently wafted through the tense atmosphere. The students were poised for the greatest battle of their lives. Dirty tricks would be used. Dishes would be served. Revenge would be had. Turkeys would explode. Stuffing laced. Drinks spiked.

Edwin raised a hand. In it, he clutched a starter pistol.

He remained still for a seeming eternity.

Bang.

The students charged. Each class screaming a battle cry. Each class would face their greatest challenge yet.

This was not Thanksgiving Day.

No, this was T-Day.

This was war.

[Charlia]

Well, to be more accurate, most of the students charged.

When one hasn't celebrated Thanksgiving in at least five years... one tends to be unsure of what one is doing.

Anyone who wants to shoot me now, do it, because I don't have the faintest idea what the heck I'm supposed to be doing right now.

---

Sage, on the other hand, was already getting started on the 'sabotage' part.

She did, after all, have a fox tail.

And what's the one thing you don't want to find in your food?

Well, other than poison, of course...

Hair.

[Unified Free Lands]

To anyone who wasn't educated, it would look like there was a tiger sleeping in Xander's bed... And in reality, there sort of was. Xander was the tiger, at least until he woke up and shifted back to his normal human form. I'm glad I don't have a roommate to get scared by this, he thought, grinning as he got dressed. Then again... It would be nice to have someone to talk to. He looked up at the drawing he'd hung on his wall, made by himself... It displayed the French flag and in the middle it read 'C'est la vie'. "Fitting..." he muttered as he left his room.

---

Meanwhile Akuma hadn't woken up yet, she was having a dream that was more of a flashback. A flashback to the time she had been basically exiled by the rest of her school.

The rain set the scene perfectly for what was happening. It was like one of the sad scenes from a movie, and the mood felt like it too. Akuma was hurrying to get off of the school campus and to get to the train station to head home, but someone grabbed her from behind and pushed her against the wall. "What are you doing?" she asked, looking at the girl who had pushed her, with wide eyes of fear. She recognized the girl, who's name was Rie. She was part of the popular clique that basically ran the school.

"You ruined my car with that little storm of yours, bitch," Rie told Akuma, who began to cry softly.

"It was an accident! I would have replaced it if I had the money..." sobbed Akuma, as more girls came over.

"It being an accident doesn't make up for what you did... That car cost twelve million Yen, what the hell am I supposed to tell my parents?" snapped Rie, exasperated. She slapped Akuma hard across the face, before kneeing her in the groin, a move that made her collapse to the ground in pain. Rie bent down to her level, pulling out a very large switchblade.

"W-w-what are you going to do with that?" asked Akuma, her eyes widening even more. Rie replied by yanking her up by her hair and slicing off much of the hair on the left side of her head. Not something that would hurt, but something that would make her a social outcast until it grew back. Something that would ruin her reputation, she'd be remembered for being the girl who came to school with the awful haircut.

"Next time it's going to be your face," Rie told her, standing up and delivering a brutal kick to her stomach as she was trying to sit up.

"Hey Rie, why don't we take her with us? You know, really make her pay for what she did?" asked one of Rie's friends.

"What do you have in mind?" Rie asked, and as her friend approached her and whispered something into her ear, a sadistic grin spread across her face. "Sure, let's do it..."


Akuma snapped awake and fell out of bed, sighing. "I just want to forget that day," she muttered, wrapping up in the covers again, not feeling like getting out of bed. It was Thanksgiving, but she decided to sleep in instead of celebrating with her friends... Being Japanese, she didn't get this holiday, really, maybe later some of the American students could show her how it was done.

[Sonitusia]

Harriet had paired up with Maria in the kitchen. There was a feeling of insanity between the two, as they tied aprons around their waists. A dark aura could be felt by anyone else inside the area, and an evil laugh emanated from both the boy and girl. Being the two students who could make something appear out from unexpected places, they had their own way of 'cooking'. Harriet had no intention of using any utensils with his ingredients laid out in front of him, while Maria had a sketchbook and several watercolor paints along with her pencil in her station.

You wanted them to cook a normal green bean casserole and mashed potatoes? Too bad.

Maria began drawing with the best detail she could get, and Harriet held onto the edge of the station while focusing on all the atoms inside each ingredient. And voila, within 5 minutes, a rather delicious looking casserole before Maria, and a very soft and delicious cauldron of mashed potatoes in front of Harriet. With a touch, Harriet helped heat up the atoms in both dishes, and the two marveled at their work. "Now we just have to put this at the table!" Maria said, her cat ears perking up happily. Harriet nodded as well, sniffing the potatoes. "Beth'll love these!~"

[Charlia]

Poor Charlotte.

All she was amounting to at the moment was the person who tried to stay out of everyone's way. At the same time, though, she couldn't help but look at what was already finished, and her mind started whirling with possibilities. Presentation was almost as important as the food itself, after all...

---

Fox tails were very handy for kitchen sabotage. Sage had finished liberally applying fur to the other team's dishes(when they weren't looking, of course), so anyone who tried to eat those would get a mouthful of foxfur.

So then she tried her paw--er, hand--at cooking... the turkey, to be precise.

Allez cuisine! Her keen nose was perfect for cooking things, as it could tell almost exactly when they were ready. She took care of the bird quickly, and then was her favorite part--cranberry relish. In her opinion, the best dish of all.

Unfortunately, she wasn't so good at measuring ingredients due to her hyperactive demeanor, and she ended up with a few too many cranberries in comparison to the orange peels, so she added some more of those. Then she needed more cranberries, so she added some more of those. And then... well, in the end the relish would taste fine, but there was enough to feed ten of her, and... her appetite was... enormous, to put it mildly.

She grinned and pushed her glasses up her nose, clapping. This was fun!

[Scamvidia]

To anyone who wasn't educated, it would look like there was a tiger sleeping in Xander's bed... And in reality, there sort of was. Xander was the tiger, at least until he woke up and shifted back to his normal human form. I'm glad I don't have a roommate to get scared by this, he thought, grinning as he got dressed. Then again... It would be nice to have someone to talk to. He looked up at the drawing he'd hung on his wall, made by himself... It displayed the French flag and in the middle it read 'C'est la vie'. "Fitting..." he muttered as he left his room.

---

Meanwhile Akuma hadn't woken up yet, she was having a dream that was more of a flashback. A flashback to the time she had been basically exiled by the rest of her school.

The rain set the scene perfectly for what was happening. It was like one of the sad scenes from a movie, and the mood felt like it too. Akuma was hurrying to get off of the school campus and to get to the train station to head home, but someone grabbed her from behind and pushed her against the wall. "What are you doing?" she asked, looking at the girl who had pushed her, with wide eyes of fear. She recognized the girl, who's name was Rie. She was part of the popular clique that basically ran the school.

"You ruined my car with that little storm of yours, bitch," Rie told Akuma, who began to cry softly.

"It was an accident! I would have replaced it if I had the money..." sobbed Akuma, as more girls came over.

"It being an accident doesn't make up for what you did... That car cost twelve million Yen, what the hell am I supposed to tell my parents?" snapped Rie, exasperated. She slapped Akuma hard across the face, before kneeing her in the groin, a move that made her collapse to the ground in pain. Rie bent down to her level, pulling out a very large switchblade.

"W-w-what are you going to do with that?" asked Akuma, her eyes widening even more. Rie replied by yanking her up by her hair and slicing off much of the hair on the left side of her head. Not something that would hurt, but something that would make her a social outcast until it grew back. Something that would ruin her reputation, she'd be remembered for being the girl who came to school with the awful haircut.

"Next time it's going to be your face," Rie told her, standing up and delivering a brutal kick to her stomach as she was trying to sit up.

"Hey Rie, why don't we take her with us? You know, really make her pay for what she did?" asked one of Rie's friends.

"What do you have in mind?" Rie asked, and as her friend approached her and whispered something into her ear, a sadistic grin spread across her face. "Sure, let's do it..."


Akuma snapped awake and fell out of bed, sighing. "I just want to forget that day," she muttered, wrapping up in the covers again, not feeling like getting out of bed. It was Thanksgiving, but she decided to sleep in instead of celebrating with her friends... Being Japanese, she didn't get this holiday, really, maybe later some of the American students could show her how it was done.

Miia had been resting peacefully when she heard a rather loud thump, snapping her out of her dreams. She looked over and saw that Akuma had fallen out of her bed, but was quickly getting back into it. Miia climbed out of her own bed and went over to the girl, sitting by the side of her bed on her tail, which still made her about the same height as a normal person. She looked her friend over, and didn't see if she was hurt or anything like that. She gently put her hand on the girls shoulder and nudged her. "Hey, Akuma, you alright? I heard you fall out of bed and I was worried something happened.."

[Unified Free Lands]

To anyone who wasn't educated, it would look like there was a tiger sleeping in Xander's bed... And in reality, there sort of was. Xander was the tiger, at least until he woke up and shifted back to his normal human form. I'm glad I don't have a roommate to get scared by this, he thought, grinning as he got dressed. Then again... It would be nice to have someone to talk to. He looked up at the drawing he'd hung on his wall, made by himself... It displayed the French flag and in the middle it read 'C'est la vie'. "Fitting..." he muttered as he left his room.

---

Meanwhile Akuma hadn't woken up yet, she was having a dream that was more of a flashback. A flashback to the time she had been basically exiled by the rest of her school.

The rain set the scene perfectly for what was happening. It was like one of the sad scenes from a movie, and the mood felt like it too. Akuma was hurrying to get off of the school campus and to get to the train station to head home, but someone grabbed her from behind and pushed her against the wall. "What are you doing?" she asked, looking at the girl who had pushed her, with wide eyes of fear. She recognized the girl, who's name was Rie. She was part of the popular clique that basically ran the school.

"You ruined my car with that little storm of yours, bitch," Rie told Akuma, who began to cry softly.

"It was an accident! I would have replaced it if I had the money..." sobbed Akuma, as more girls came over.

"It being an accident doesn't make up for what you did... That car cost twelve million Yen, what the hell am I supposed to tell my parents?" snapped Rie, exasperated. She slapped Akuma hard across the face, before kneeing her in the groin, a move that made her collapse to the ground in pain. Rie bent down to her level, pulling out a very large switchblade.

"W-w-what are you going to do with that?" asked Akuma, her eyes widening even more. Rie replied by yanking her up by her hair and slicing off much of the hair on the left side of her head. Not something that would hurt, but something that would make her a social outcast until it grew back. Something that would ruin her reputation, she'd be remembered for being the girl who came to school with the awful haircut.

"Next time it's going to be your face," Rie told her, standing up and delivering a brutal kick to her stomach as she was trying to sit up.

"Hey Rie, why don't we take her with us? You know, really make her pay for what she did?" asked one of Rie's friends.

"What do you have in mind?" Rie asked, and as her friend approached her and whispered something into her ear, a sadistic grin spread across her face. "Sure, let's do it..."


Akuma snapped awake and fell out of bed, sighing. "I just want to forget that day," she muttered, wrapping up in the covers again, not feeling like getting out of bed. It was Thanksgiving, but she decided to sleep in instead of celebrating with her friends... Being Japanese, she didn't get this holiday, really, maybe later some of the American students could show her how it was done.

Miia had been resting peacefully when she heard a rather loud thump, snapping her out of her dreams. She looked over and saw that Akuma had fallen out of her bed, but was quickly getting back into it. Miia climbed out of her own bed and went over to the girl, sitting by the side of her bed on her tail, which still made her about the same height as a normal person. She looked her friend over, and didn't see if she was hurt or anything like that. She gently put her hand on the girls shoulder and nudged her. "Hey, Akuma, you alright? I heard you fall out of bed and I was worried something happened.."

Akuma opened her eyes, seeing Miia standing over her. "Huh, I'm fine..." she said sleepily. "I, um, had a bad dream, that's all," she added. A bad flashback more than a bad dream...
She sat up, rubbing her eyes. "I guess we should be getting up, shouldn't we?"

[Imperial Northern States]

Poor Charlotte.

All she was amounting to at the moment was the person who tried to stay out of everyone's way. At the same time, though, she couldn't help but look at what was already finished, and her mind started whirling with possibilities. Presentation was almost as important as the food itself, after all...

Edmund walked over to Charlotte, seeing her standing and looking at everything, "H-hey" he said, bringing a hand up next to his face as a wave.

[Charlia]

Poor Charlotte.

All she was amounting to at the moment was the person who tried to stay out of everyone's way. At the same time, though, she couldn't help but look at what was already finished, and her mind started whirling with possibilities. Presentation was almost as important as the food itself, after all...

Edmund walked over to Charlotte, seeing her standing and looking at everything, "H-hey" he said, bringing a hand up next to his face as a wave.

She jumped slightly, but that was all that happened; she had much better control over her wings now, and they didn't come out at inopportune moments anymore. "Oh. Hi. Um, who are you?"

Unfortunately, her socializing still needed a lot of work.

[Faal Lot Himdah]

Alek "Chrono" Spring

Chrono heard the gun go off and smiled. He wandered over to the kitchen seeing everyone busy, he sighed. Chrono couldn't cook.... Well he could, but what he made was best described as inedible, so he would just cheer his class on. And cause some mischief for the other classes. He smiled as he approached En, "So, what's the plan this year? Gunpowder? Ghost Chilli Pepper extract? Plastic toys?"

---

Ajax Lysander

Ajax was in the zone, his focus could not be broken easily as he grabbed what he need for the dish he was preparing. Something that many people wanted to avoid.... Roasted Brussel Sprouts with Bacon, Mustard and Walnut Vinaigrette, or a RBSBMWV. Once he gathered all of his ingredients, and cookware. Ajax was out to prove that he was useful. He was a great chef, and he was out to prove it.

---

Isabella Cyba

"This is always fun to watch." Isabella said to no one in particular as she sat down to watch the classes at work. She was literally only there for the entertainment.

[Scamvidia]

Miia had been resting peacefully when she heard a rather loud thump, snapping her out of her dreams. She looked over and saw that Akuma had fallen out of her bed, but was quickly getting back into it. Miia climbed out of her own bed and went over to the girl, sitting by the side of her bed on her tail, which still made her about the same height as a normal person. She looked her friend over, and didn't see if she was hurt or anything like that. She gently put her hand on the girls shoulder and nudged her. "Hey, Akuma, you alright? I heard you fall out of bed and I was worried something happened.."

Akuma opened her eyes, seeing Miia standing over her. "Huh, I'm fine..." she said sleepily. "I, um, had a bad dream, that's all," she added. A bad flashback more than a bad dream...
She sat up, rubbing her eyes. "I guess we should be getting up, shouldn't we?"

When Akuma sat up, Miia pulled her into a hug. "I'm not sure what the dream was about, but I can feel that it's really bothering you Momo-chan. And since we are friends, I don't want you to be upset, because that makes me upset. So if you need anything you know you can come talk to me." Miia hugged her tighter for a moment before letting go. "I think everyone is in some kind of cooking thing, but I'm not sure if they need us. So we can take our time getting ready. Happy Thanksgiving, by the way."

[Unified Free Lands]

Akuma

"Well it wasn't really a dream, it was sort of a flashback, but it was about something in the past, there's no point in talking about it," Akuma said, her face brightening as Miia hugged her. "Thanks, but I don't know what exactly we do on thanksgiving," she added, laughing.

Xander

Xander was feeling kind of homesick, not missing Boston but missing Europe. The Real Madrid shirt he wore right now reminded him of that, and he would do anything to go back to Normandy for thanksgiving. Maybe cooking will make me forget about home, he thought, wandering to the kitchen.

[Imperial Northern States]

Edmund walked over to Charlotte, seeing her standing and looking at everything, "H-hey" he said, bringing a hand up next to his face as a wave.

She jumped slightly, but that was all that happened; she had much better control over her wings now, and they didn't come out at inopportune moments anymore. "Oh. Hi. Um, who are you?"

Unfortunately, her socializing still needed a lot of work.

"E-Edmund, cur-currently confused at the scale of everything" he replied, he brought his hand, the same hand he waved with, behind his head to scratch at it nervously. "Is th-thanksgiving really this big of a d-deal here?" he asked.

[Charlia]

She jumped slightly, but that was all that happened; she had much better control over her wings now, and they didn't come out at inopportune moments anymore. "Oh. Hi. Um, who are you?"

Unfortunately, her socializing still needed a lot of work.

"E-Edmund, cur-currently confused at the scale of everything" he replied, he brought his hand, the same hand he waved with, behind his head to scratch at it nervously. "Is th-thanksgiving really this big of a d-deal here?" he asked.

"Apparently, yeah... I'm Charlotte, also pretty confused. It's been a long time since I last observed Thanksgiving. It's been a long time since I last had anything to give thanks for." She frowned briefly, but then brightened up again. "So yeah, can't cook, so I'm just trying to stay out of the way--and imagine different presentations for the food..."

[Scamvidia]

Akuma

"Well it wasn't really a dream, it was sort of a flashback, but it was about something in the past, there's no point in talking about it," Akuma said, her face brightening as Miia hugged her. "Thanks, but I don't know what exactly we do on thanksgiving," she added, laughing.

Xander

Xander was feeling kind of homesick, not missing Boston but missing Europe. The Real Madrid shirt he wore right now reminded him of that, and he would do anything to go back to Normandy for thanksgiving. Maybe cooking will make me forget about home, he thought, wandering to the kitchen.

"Well I'm sorry that it happened to you, whatever it was. And if I had been there I would have helped you as much as I could. And well, uh, during Thanksgiving, we kind of just eat a lot.. But if you don't want to go join that competition thing I don't think it's required of us. We could just hang out here together all day..." Miia's voice trailed off and she blushed. "I wouldn't mind that.."

[Unified Free Lands]

Akuma

"Well it wasn't really a dream, it was sort of a flashback, but it was about something in the past, there's no point in talking about it," Akuma said, her face brightening as Miia hugged her. "Thanks, but I don't know what exactly we do on thanksgiving," she added, laughing.

Xander

Xander was feeling kind of homesick, not missing Boston but missing Europe. The Real Madrid shirt he wore right now reminded him of that, and he would do anything to go back to Normandy for thanksgiving. Maybe cooking will make me forget about home, he thought, wandering to the kitchen.

"Well I'm sorry that it happened to you, whatever it was. And if I had been there I would have helped you as much as I could. And well, uh, during Thanksgiving, we kind of just eat a lot.. But if you don't want to go join that competition thing I don't think it's required of us. We could just hang out here together all day..." Miia's voice trailed off and she blushed. "I wouldn't mind that.."

Akuma blushed and glanced around nervously. "Yeah, that wouldn't be bad," she said finally. "To be honest I was planning on going out and finding a bar where I can watch football all day, but it's not like I have to do that if you don't want to..."

[Scamvidia]

"Well I'm sorry that it happened to you, whatever it was. And if I had been there I would have helped you as much as I could. And well, uh, during Thanksgiving, we kind of just eat a lot.. But if you don't want to go join that competition thing I don't think it's required of us. We could just hang out here together all day..." Miia's voice trailed off and she blushed. "I wouldn't mind that.."

Akuma blushed and glanced around nervously. "Yeah, that wouldn't be bad," she said finally. "To be honest I was planning on going out and finding a bar where I can watch football all day, but it's not like I have to do that if you don't want to..."

Miia smiled wide and returned to her human form. "I'd love to do that with you, there's nothing I really wouldn't want to do as long as it was with you.. I'm really up for anything. But perhaps we should shower and all of that first, we can't really go out dressed in our pajamas, now can we?"

[The GAmeTopians]

Sam
Sam dashed over to a workstation in the kitchen, and started to work at once. She had taken cooking classes back before her powers had manifested, and was quite a good chef. She procured the necessary ingredients, and came up with her menu.
Main Course: Baked Turkey
Main Side: Stuffing, Bread Crumbs
Filler Side: Baked Potato, butter optional
Vegetable: Glazed Carrot Slices
Arrangement?
Struck with an idea, she called to Charlotte.
"Charlotte, can you help me with this?"

[Imperial Northern States]

"E-Edmund, cur-currently confused at the scale of everything" he replied, he brought his hand, the same hand he waved with, behind his head to scratch at it nervously. "Is th-thanksgiving really this big of a d-deal here?" he asked.

"Apparently, yeah... I'm Charlotte, also pretty confused. It's been a long time since I last observed Thanksgiving. It's been a long time since I last had anything to give thanks for." She frowned briefly, but then brightened up again. "So yeah, can't cook, so I'm just trying to stay out of the way--and imagine different presentations for the food..."

"I, I can do gravy, mostly... I think" he tentatively replied, looking side to side

[Unified Free Lands]

Akuma blushed and glanced around nervously. "Yeah, that wouldn't be bad," she said finally. "To be honest I was planning on going out and finding a bar where I can watch football all day, but it's not like I have to do that if you don't want to..."

Miia smiled wide and returned to her human form. "I'd love to do that with you, there's nothing I really wouldn't want to do as long as it was with you.. I'm really up for anything. But perhaps we should shower and all of that first, we can't really go out dressed in our pajamas, now can we?"

Is she... Flirting with me? Please no, of everyone who could be flirting with me, why does it have to be her? thought Akuma, nodding and getting up to go into the bathroom for a shower. Screw my luck...

Akuma really didn't like the idea of a girl flirting with her, because of... Certain events in the past. And now that her best friend was the one possibly flirting with her, she didn't really know how to react.

[Charlia]

"Apparently, yeah... I'm Charlotte, also pretty confused. It's been a long time since I last observed Thanksgiving. It's been a long time since I last had anything to give thanks for." She frowned briefly, but then brightened up again. "So yeah, can't cook, so I'm just trying to stay out of the way--and imagine different presentations for the food..."

"I, I can do gravy, mostly... I think" he tentatively replied, looking side to side

She nodded awkwardly. "That's cool..."

Sam
Sam dashed over to a workstation in the kitchen, and started to work at once. She had taken cooking classes back before her powers had manifested, and was quite a good chef. She procured the necessary ingredients, and came up with her menu.
Main Course: Baked Turkey
Main Side: Stuffing, Bread Crumbs
Filler Side: Baked Potato, butter optional
Vegetable: Glazed Carrot Slices
Arrangement?
Struck with an idea, she called to Charlotte.
"Charlotte, can you help me with this?"

Her head snapped up. Sam! There she is! She moved over to the other girl quickly. "I'll try, but I should warn you... can't cook to save my life."

[The GAmeTopians]

"I, I can do gravy, mostly... I think" he tentatively replied, looking side to side

She nodded awkwardly. "That's cool..."

Sam
Sam dashed over to a workstation in the kitchen, and started to work at once. She had taken cooking classes back before her powers had manifested, and was quite a good chef. She procured the necessary ingredients, and came up with her menu.
Main Course: Baked Turkey
Main Side: Stuffing, Bread Crumbs
Filler Side: Baked Potato, butter optional
Vegetable: Glazed Carrot Slices
Arrangement?
Struck with an idea, she called to Charlotte.
"Charlotte, can you help me with this?"

Her head snapped up. Sam! There she is! She moved over to the other girl quickly. "I'll try, but I should warn you... can't cook to save my life."

Sam smiled while cooking busily, sliding a prepared turkey into an oven.
"That's fine, but I thought of something you can do - help me arrange the turkey slices and sides! Pleeeeease?"

[Atlannia]

One week ago..

*thunk

"So, let me get this straight," said Amber, wrinkling her little nose as she looked up from her book. "Not only are we obliged to celebrate a ridiculous holiday I care nothing for, we're actually expected to cook the food for said holiday?"

*thunk

"That's about the gist of it," replied Natalia from her bed, catching the soft rubber ball she had bounced against the roof and then tossing it upwards again.

*thunk

"Correct me if I'm wrong," begin Amber, her mouth set in the firm line Natalia had begun to recognise as prophetic of one of the younger girl's signature tirades. "But we are students rather than staff at this fine establishment right? There was no mix up where our application forms got mixed up with the resumes for the new kitchen staff?"

*thunk

"Nothing you've said so far has been incorrect," hedged Natalia, wary of provoking an argument.

"And to be absolutely clear," continued Amber, starting to build momentum and a certain rhythm to her rhetoric. "We aren't being paid a cent for this ridiculous waste of our time?"

*thunk

"I think you're being a little melodramatic," said Natalia, her gaze doggedly fixed on the small mark on the celling the ball was leaving by hitting the same spot every time.

*thunk

"So essentially what we are engaged in here is slave labour!" said Amber matter of factly, utterly unperturbed by her conversation partner’s lack of enthusiasm. "Is this really legal in this day and age?"

*thunk

"Now you're really being melodramatic," said Natalia, sighing. "Just think of this as charity work or something.

*thunk

"It's not charity work if you have no choice!" insisted Amber. "That would be community service. An since none of us have committed any crimes..."

*thunk

"Well none of us been convicted of any crimes," corrected Natalia thoughtfully. "I'm pretty sure most people here have committed crimes, in any case-" Natalia suddenly pushed her self up and sat cross legged, catching the ball as it fell. "I figured your reaction would be something along these lines, fortunately I took precautions against this very eventuality," she said, a devious grin twisting her features as the last words.

"...Precautions?" repeated Amber, her eyes narrowing with suspicion.

"Oh it's nothing really," replied Natalia, feigning nonchalance. "I just asked to be in charge of the pie is all."

"..Pie?" Amber's ears perked up at the word although she remained on guard.

"Mmm," nodded Natalia. "Pie. I'm thinking a classic apple pie. With cinnamon and a handmade crust of course...I don't know why I'm telling you any of this though, it's fine if you don't want to help out but you'll have to miss out on dessert."

"I...I don't care about that!" insisted Amber hotly, turning around and folding her arms across her chest. "This is a matter of principle!"

"No I agree," nodded Natalia with a serious tone. "In fact I admire you for holding to your convictions. I certainly couldn't do it, sitting there with an empty stomach while everyone around me dug into a delicious, golden brown, flaky pie full of fresh apples and cinnamon..."

Amber retained her rigid posture, arms still folded, although one of her eyebrows twitched noticeably.

"And knowing that that wasn't even the only dessert," continued Natalia. "Knowing there was gonna be all kinds of slices and tarts...Maybe even a cheesecake..."

Amber gave a defeated groan and slumped back in her chair, crestfallen.

"You win," she said bitterly. "Just stop already!"


Presently...

Amber Townsend

Despite her initial reluctance Amber seemed to be fired up as everyone began to take up positions in the kitchen. She had come equipped with stiff white apron that seemed a few sizes too large for her and, absurdly, a towering chef's hat whose origins remained a mystery. Perched on her shoulder was Vivienne who was dressed in am watching apron and chef's hat (albeit doll sized) and waving around a tiny rolling pin with the vigour a general commanding her armies.

"There's no point in doing things in half measures," she said in response to Natalia's raised eyebrow, before rolling up her sleeves and turning to face the pile of vegetables arrayed before her.

So basically they have to be chopped, seasoned and roasted thought Amber, frowning in concentration as she recalled the simple instructions Natalia had given her. She gave a flick of her hands and suddenly several knives that had been lying nearby rose into the air and began attacking the vegetable with precise slashes.

Natalia Kyrov

Natalia began her own task, mixing together flour, sugar and salt to form the dough and keeping a wary eye on Amber. Natalia didn't like the idea of so many sharp, pointy implements flying around the girl she was supposed to be protecting but reasoned that she'd never hurt herself with her powers before.

Actually it looks like she's having fun thought the older girl, hiding a smug grin by looking down at the dough she was kneading. Not that she'd ever admit it.

[Scamvidia]

Miia smiled wide and returned to her human form. "I'd love to do that with you, there's nothing I really wouldn't want to do as long as it was with you.. I'm really up for anything. But perhaps we should shower and all of that first, we can't really go out dressed in our pajamas, now can we?"

Is she... Flirting with me? Please no, of everyone who could be flirting with me, why does it have to be her? thought Akuma, nodding and getting up to go into the bathroom for a shower. Screw my luck...

Akuma really didn't like the idea of a girl flirting with her, because of... Certain events in the past. And now that her best friend was the one possibly flirting with her, she didn't really know how to react.

"Talk to you in a bit then." Miia crossed her hands in her lap for a little while, listening to the water of the shower running. She always thought the sound of water was incredibly calming. Miia got up and got some clothes ready for her own shower and waited a little longer before hearing the water in the bathroom turn off. Miia figured Akuma was dried off and getting dressed by now so she walked to the bathroom door and opened it, not seeing Akuma immediately she started to walk into the bathroom, but her foot caught the door frame and she stumbled into the bathroom and fell, landing on something rather soft, actually.

She didn't move for a few seconds, enjoying whatever it was that she was laying on, before remembering what she had come in here for and began looking for Akuma, but didn't find her as she surveyed the room. Then it hit her, and her cheeks turned a scarlet red as she slowly looked down to see a very much nude Akuma underneath her. She quickly got up off of the girl and rushed out of the bathroom. "I-I'm sorry! I didn't mean to do that! I thought you were already d-dressed! A-and then the door and the tripping, and then y-you were there.. I'm so sorry!"