victory_road | Bakers, start your baking!

Entry tags:

Bakers, start your baking!

Who: Everybody!
Where: Riegfried and Soy's mansion
When: January 15th; day time for the cooking part, evening for the mingle part.
Summary: Come one, come all to the newest contest hosted by Riegfried and Soy. Today's theme: cooking!

[Daytime - The kitchens]

Throughout the day, the kitchens will be open to all contestants, though any casual onlookers --human, pokemon, or otherwise-- will be shooed out to prevent any cheating.

Each contestant will be directed to a gleaming counter, where they will be able to find everything from your basic whisk and spatula to gleaming kitchen machinery fancy enough to make any cook feel faint with envy. Each counter comes complete with a small fridge (should you need to chill any of your ingredients), an oven, a stove, a microwave -- really, anything you can imagine and it is there. Riegfried and Soy clearly didn't want anyone to run into the issue of not having the right equipment for the job.

At the back of the room are the fridges: tall, imposing fridges made of gleaming metal stocked full of every sort of ingredient you could possibly think of. And next to the fridges, contestants can find rows and rows of shelves, each nearly bowing under the weight of the products placed on them -- from fresh fruit, to spices, to rice and noodles. If you need it, you can find it.

Riegfried and Soy will be flitting around the room like a pair of extravagant Butterfrees, happy to engage contestants in small interviews. Everything for the camera, baby! Because those are also there; they are clearly trying to stay out of everybody's way, but small, Rotom-powered cameras flit around the room for close-ups, while cameramen and women with heavy-duty equipment get the distance shots. Hopefully, you haven't got an issue with stage fright.

[Evening - The show]

And when all is said and done, and the last dishes have been cooked, it's time for the actual show. There is some time between the actual cooking and this part of the evening, during which contestants have a chance to change their clothing and freshen up, but before too long, the mansion's doors open to the guests, who are herded by the cheerful hosts to an enormous hall.

The hall itself is set up with all manner of comforts. There are some small tables and chairs for anyone who wants to sit down for a while. Long tables line the sides of the room, absolutely laden with all manner of refreshments. There is even a special table set aside where the dishes the contestants made (at least the ones that made it to this part of the evening) are displayed and ready for tasting.

The schedule for the night is rather straightforward.

After some meet-and-greet and time for every last guest to arrive, the day's events (cut and edited by a very exhausted camera crew) will be projected onto a huge screen for all to enjoy. The votes will be tallied afterward and awards and prizes will be handed out. The rest of the evening will give the winners a chance to celebrate, the losers a chance to commiserate, and everybody else to clear the buffet of everything edible.

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[Felix nods, first to Cecil, then to Lightbringer in greeting.] Agreed. Perhaps afterward. For now, I wanted to commend you for the way you used your Aegislash in your cooking.

[It's still eerie to think of a Pokemon called Aegislash. He presses the button on one of the pokeballs at his belt to release his own Doublade, who waves his own tassels in greeting, albeit with a bit of unnecessary spooooky theatricality. Felix rolls his eyes and takes a seat nearby, while the Doublade floats around in his general vicinity.]

I haven't tried doing anything other than battling with Zoltan. And yours is the first Aegislash I've seen. It's...strange. My primary weapon is the blade, of course, and I also wield my family's magical relic, called Aegis--a shield. I find the similarities uncanny.

Thank you very much. Unlike his 'sisters', Lightbringer has shown a great passion for cooking from the moment I caught him. These days, I can even trust him to prepare simple meals unsupervized.

[Lightbringer perks up at Felix's greeting, beams when Cecil praises him, practically glows when Zoltan comes out. Considering the personalities of some of his teammates, the affected spookiness is a harmless quirk, as far as he's concerned.]

How interesting. A shield of that name can also be found in my world, sold only by the Eidolons that inhabit the Feymarch. A useful tool when facing Medusas and their ilk, but not worth the title of relic otherwise. Weapon names often suit Pokémon well, but perhaps a future Aegislash named Aegis would have been too on the nose?

[Felix's brow furrows.] Strange. I don't know what this means. If it means anything, I suppose. It could be nothing but a highly unlikely coincidence.

Perhaps. But I didn't know what he would become when I caught him. I only knew he was a sword. Zoltan was the greatest weaponsmith in Fodlan. It's a rare treat to find weapons forged by his hand. I have one myself.

Worlds can have very surprising things in common. I can think of half a dozen that share magic systems similar to mine... But yes, coincidences are even more likely.

[This won't stop him for noting it down in his dedicated journal, however. Coincidences are coincidences, but they can add up.]

Naming a Pokémon after someone you respect is an excellent way to honor them, especially if the person in question has forged a quality weapon. It's such a shame our blades have not followed us here! Considering the number of combattants that find their way to this world, we could surely behold some truly wonderful collections.

[Something shifts ever so slightly in Felix's eyes now that they're talking about blades. Oh, Cecil, you have gotten him started.]

Exactly. That Zoltan blade is my favorite sword, I never go anywhere without it. I had a levin sword that was perfectly balanced, too. And the Sword of Moralta, passed down through my family along with Aegis.

[He scowls.] Being without my weapons makes me...ill at ease.

[Well, yes, getting Felix started was precisely the point. Cecil can hardly gush over quality swords by himself, after all.]

There is no greater feeling that have enough quality blades to counter any potential enemy. Are they simply perfectly forged, or are they also enhanced by enchantments? I once had a sword- your namesake, Lightbringer-

[The Pokémon in question makes a noise that could indicate interest, or at least feigned interest. He's already heard about his namesake before, but if it makes his trainer happy...]

-that was not only blessed with holy power, but could also cast a powerful spell upon usage. Excellent for dealing with creatures that resist conventional weapons! ...And terrible for dealing with creatures that can bounce magic back at the caster, as I've painfully learned. During those rare moments when this world is turned upside down, I'd certainly feel safer with it.

[Felix nods in agreement--you can't have too many blades.]

The Zoltan blade bears no enchantment. Levin swords are common in Fodlan among those with some magical skill, they channel thunder magic with each strike. The Sword of Moralta is a holy sword, like yours. It heals its wielder--more so if they bear the right Crest. Most holy weapons align with one of the saints' Crests. Powers passed down through the blood of Fodlan's noble families. Both Aegis and the Sword of Moralta align with mine. That's why they're heirlooms in my family.

This Sword of Moralta... Does it heal you naturally, or does it steal your opponent's life? Back home, draining blades tends to be far from holy and entirely useless against the undead, but I imagine such things might work differently for you.

[Which, as far as he's concerned, would be even more fascinating than if everything matched.]

Having weapons that only your family can use is certainly an efficient deterrent against theft, though particularly determined collectors could still be tempted. It must also come with the caveat that, should your line die out, they'll be as useful in combat as paperweights. A terrible fate, for well-crafted equipment.

The sword heals naturally. Through some innate Faith magic, presumably. But another one of our group has a Crest that does drain an opponent's life energy to heal him, and it's just as holy as any of the rest of them.

[His face falls into a troubled frown.]

It's complicated. The Church insists that families with Crests are blessed by the Goddess to justify their nobility, but over time the blood has thinned in every one of them. So a child born with a Crest can become...little more than a commodity. A hint of steel flashes in his eyes.] But a valuable one, of course. While children born without a Crest are often overlooked or disinherited even if they're the firstborn, because they're less likely to produced Crested heirs.

[The whole explanation is tinged with a disgust that Felix doesn't bother to try to hide.]

Unfortunately, the relics are not just paperweights for those without the proper Crest. They're worse. Trying to wield them...has deadly consequences.

Such terrible pressure to put upon children, based on nothing more than luck and the last throes of a dying blood. That power of yours may have been intended to be a blessing, but it sounds poisoned to my ears. Even if that is only an effect of the inevitable passage of time, I doubt the situation will improve that blessing is renewed.

[Perhaps not advertising his own Lunarian blood is for the best, then, if a similar fate could await his own descendants. As Felix continues, Cecil's own frown deepens to match.]

Deadly consequences... Those who fail to master the dark sword often go mad or die, while those who conquer it offer up their own health and life to use its power. Would your relics have a similar effect, if anyone else tried to use them?

Hmph. The Church claims that Crests were bestowed upon the chosen heroes of Saint Seiros to fight a mad king. Whether or not that's true, it's clear that all of them are useful only in combat. Renewing the blood would just create more conflict. Not to mention more disgusting games of...auctioning off their children to the most beneficial suitor.

[Felix glances elsewhere.] Something like that. The relic's power...consumes them. Transforms them into demonic beasts. It only takes about a minute. ...there's nothing to do then except end it, before it kills someone.

Yet if that blood has a religious significance, allowing it to die out entirely could upset your Church. Of course, the children that are auctioned off may feel that such cooled relations are worth it, and I can hardly say they'd be wrong to think so.

[Cecil is far too aware that a Goddess' actions and gifts should not be held on a pedestal or considered infallible. Dealing with Cosmos and Materia has taught him that truth well. But of course, he's not the one dealing with such information on a daily basis, so how can he-

-wait, what was that? What was that? Horrified, he close his eyes and presses a palm against his forehead.]

...Heavens have mercy. Holy weapons, spawning demons when wielded by the "unworthy"? What sort of power can they possibly offer, to stop you all from locking them away and praying they never see the light of day again? If all it takes is a minute of carelessness, a curious child or a soldier picking up the closest available blade...

I have no particular love of the Church, and others among my friends agree. If Crests disappeared tomorrow, most people I know would be better off. That said, the war that consumes our continent began when the heir to our neighboring country took the crown from her father and declared war upon the Church and the rest of the continent regardless of whether anyone might agree with her views or not. Which makes the Church our allies by necessity.

[He shakes his head.] It wouldn't be so bad without the current Archbishop. Her second in command is much more reasonable. But she's got everyone wrapped around her little finger with her insidious benevolent leader act.

As for the relics, no one knew about the consequences until recently. They were always kept under lock and key in the Church's vaults or kept safely by the head of a noble house. Everyone knew they were sacred. Besides, it doesn't happen immediately. Only while wielding one in battle. No one had the audacity to try stealing one until...

[He looks elsewhere.]

Until one of those disowned elder children without a Crest turned bandit and stole his family's relic.

The enemy of my enemy is my friend... Not the most solid of bases to ally with another power in a war, but better to fight two against one than to risk accidentally sabotaging each other's efforts and losing entirely. Besides, religious orders tend to have an excellent reputation among the people, which offers in turn better options for resupplying and acquiring information.

[A part of him considers divine favor as another advantage, but discards it. For all that he cares for Cosmos and Materia dearly, every boon they've given their champions were offset by their role in creating the initial problem.

Elder children turning against their families, though. That gets him to open his eyes once more and frown.]

I imagine the most obvious answer is the correct one, but did he do so of his own will? Out of anger at his own situation, not due to the influence of another, be it direct or through the manipulation of his mind?

[Felix nods.] It doesn't help that our country is the Holy Kingdom of Faerghus. When our ancestors broke away from the Empire, it was only by the Church's intercession that it didn't end up a much bloodier war than it already was. They've been holding it over the crown's head ever since, and the people are firmly in the Archbishop's pocket.

[He shrugs.] Most of the Knights of Seiros are just people doing their jobs. It could be worse.

[Felix scowls, though not at Cecil. The more he talks about Miklan, the tighter his voice gets.] He did. He was a cruel and petty bully already and always had been, ever since his younger brother was born with a Crest and pronounced the heir. That scum took it out on his brother instead of his parents where the blame belonged. I won't say he deserved his fate, because no one deserves that. But I won't say I'm not glad he's gone, either."

Ah, yes, that would make such an alliance even more important. With any luck, the assistance your kingdom offers now will repay that initial debt, so to speak. After all, while you need their help, they must in turn depend on yours.

[It feels strange to talk of debts repaid, when Baron might never repay its own. When Baron keeps adding more to its balance, unwillingly.]

Fighting one's sibling is a terribly painful act. For him to do so willingly, due to a quirk of the blood neither of them chose... Yet being forcibly turned into a monster is a terrible fate, one for which I've seen the effects. I'd not wish it upon even my worst enemy.

Hmph. Something tells me the Archbishop won't see it that way.

[Felix's jaw tightens the more Cecil talks. Why did he even bring this up in the first place? This was a mistake. He doesn't want to talk about Miklan, or demonic beasts, or painful sibling experiences. He really should have expected talk of relics to lead here, he supposes.

He grunts an acknowledgment of Cecil's words and then changes the subject. ...sort of.]

You said there were rare moments when this world is turned upside-down. You can't mean Team Rocket, they were nothing. What else has happened?

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Bakers, start your baking!

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