"I can't imagine any dish you make having any flaws in it." Her deep blue eyes comforted him. She took the next right turn, to head towards her house. "Buh-bye! See you later."
"Mmhmm, I'll pick you up tomorrow." The boy replied as he continued down the lonely alley to his house. "My cooking has just been off lately."
The boy peared around and stepped near a puddle of water to gaze at whatever reflection it gave me. Blonde hair dwindled in the wind of a sad looking face. The boy's clothes did not remind himself of Christmas, even though they were red and green, with white sleeves. His chef hat slowly began to fall from his head. But all together it said to him, my name is Atlas. Atlas Chefe. And I will become the greatest chef this world has ever seen.
Chef stood up and began to walk again. Apart from his usual day-to-day sights, there was a caravan in the dead centre of the alley. An old lady waited for his arrival in the front opening.
***
"Guardians, citizens of the long lost Di'nahn. That's what I am and I plan to find someone to guard today." A small Di'nahn guardian with a funny red mask and no apparent pants on said. "I'll find a hero, or my name isn't Marcle!" Something weird flew over his head. A bug? A bug that was following me yesterday!
Marcle floated out from the set up of items he had arranged in a tuft of grass he called home. And drifted around. School and work is out for everyone now, so I bet I can find someone walking home.
Marcle began to climb to the top of a building to get anyones attention. I am invisible to anyone without Di'nahn powers, so I can just shout a lot and if anyone looks, BINGO! I go for them. He crested over the top of the building and began to sing a song he was taught as a child. Surely someone will look if they hear me singing about flying in outer space. But something caught his eye before he could start. A boy, with his head slowly swinging away from an odd caravan, gave a strange reaction when he was tilting towards Marcle. Did he see me? And the strange bug is there! The bug crawled around, quickly bit the boy and flew into the old lady's knickers.
"What's that lady doing to that kid down there? What's that bug doing..." Marcle mumbled to himself and he flew in a little closer for inspection. She and the bug must be some kind of evil, and that boy definitely saw me. I better check it out!
***
"Come to me... Come here... Walk... Towards me... I can show you... Eternal glory... I can teach you... The ways of the Iron chef... Come..." Her voice sounded so soft in Chef's ear. It was as if she was a snake charmer and Chef was the snake. Follow... The voice... Become the best... Chef... Ever...
Chef was in a trance that he could not control. Nothing of his own will would break him free from it and there was no way he could stop from walking towards his eternal glory. CooOOoOo0Oomme toOo0 me. The old lady lifted her arm towards Chef's chest as he drifted into his final steps of what he couldn't even recognize as doom. I... No... Come... No... Walk towards me boy... No I don't think I will, thank you though... His thoughts broke free for a brief moment as he smelled something wonderful. Someone was cooking his favourite dish; curried rice. No boy... You will obey... You will come to me...
Chef was became relocked into the trance; the old lady began to reach. She began to reach into his chest. She dug around looking for something. "Where is it! Blasted boy, where did you hide it!" She snapped as her hand drifted inside his body. This hurts... Soo much... Stop... Please... It felt as if a thousand asteroids were bouncing against him from the inside. No... You will... Not take me... Chef's thoughts became wild pleas for anyone who could hear. For anyone who could see what was going on.
***
Marcle waited for the right moment. I have to make it to the boy without the old lady seeing me! He zoomed in just as she placed her hand inside the boy. YUCK! He clinged onto the back of Chef's shirt and began to listen to what he was mumbling.
"I can't... I cannot give up..." Chef said as his head slung itself back, almost knocking Marcle off. Marcle could see tears drifting wildly from his eyes. "Can't afford to lose now... My cooking... It was just one bit of plum..."
Marcle was almost unsure of what to do. This may be the person I have been looking for this whole time! I have to do something... Should I try to-! The old lady's hand wandered out of Chef's back, just a inch away from where Marcle clung too. Waahhhh! Marcle choked on himself for a moment.
***
"No... She has..." She has what...? Chef thought to himself. His distant self. I can't let her take whatever it... Whatever... Ughn... Something pulled against his hair as his head slowly swung backwards. "Ow..."
"Hrmm..?" The old lady looked at him as he made a brief noise. "Did you say something boy? No? Good. Not many people can survive such a thorough body search. I'm actually surprised you didn't moan earlier."
Chef's eyes began to grew. What is happening? I can feel myself again. "Whhhhhaaaaaaaaaaaaa!" The old lady began to scream. What's happening... Die you old wench!
***
"Go!" Marcle flew around to the front of Chef and quickly began to cast his Guardian attack. "You have hurt this boy's soul, and in exchange I will take yours!" Marcle torn and ripped away at the old witches life force. Stringing what he could back into Chef. He looked back as life drifted into Chef's face again. Marcle looked back and said, "I thought you couldn't afford to give up Chef. Heh heh."
The evil witch fell to the floor and Chef made an astounding recovering where he was standing. Heh heh, this is him!
***
No... He's right I cannot afford to lose. "Thank you for saving me. But..." Chef was fully conscious and in control, only a little confused at the one foot wonder.
"I... I am your new guardian!" Marcle lifted his red mask off to sit ontop of his head. "And this old witch tried to steal the Di'nahn shard that rests inside of you. I think."
Chef's face was covered in surprise. What? Am I dead... No... This is... News to me. He sat down and listened to the explanation Marcle gave about his planet and everything that was in his past. And in turn Chef told Marcle his real name, Atlas Chefe and his story. How he wanted to become the worlds greatest cook, one way or another. Both of them were in awe of each other.
And soon after they were done talking, the caravan poofed into dust, along with the evil witch and the bug fled from the pile of dust. Chef stood up and saw something lay in the dust. Hmm? He picked it up. "Is this yours Marcle?" He asked.
"No... It looks like a... A fork!" Marcle said "It is a fork! A fork with two buttons on it... Press them!" And so Chef complied and pressed the first button. It made a small pop noise and became the size of Chef.
"It's a lifesize fork!" Chef said and Marcle flew in to press the second button. "Wai-" The top of the fork began to spin and spin, until it no longer looked like a fork. But a spoon instead! A spoon?
A spoon. And a fork. A funny start to the beginning of Marcle and Chef's relationship. But a beginning none the less!
