You know, it was strange. I can fight a massive thug after being stabbed with no issue, but for some reason, I couldn't bring myself to knock on a stupid door. I just stood there, with my hand raised, looking like a jackass.
But who could blame me, knowing what fate awaits me on the other side. A night of pain and misery, most likely to be spent on the toilet, with nasty things coming out of me from both ends. Who would willingly walk into that?
A crazy person, that's who!
So what does that say about me? I'm here willingly, even though I'm nervous as hell. I've been standing in front of the door for nearly ten minutes, trying to gather the courage to knock.
But I just couldn't do it. I wanted to, I really did, but I just couldn't. Actually, that was a lie. I didn't want to do it, I just had to. And now I'm sweating. Great, just what I needed.
Taking a deep breath, I gathered my fortitude, and prepared to knock.
"Are you just going to stand there all night?" questioned a voice behind me. I turned around, startled, fists raised and ready to open up a can of whoop ass. Only to see a familiar face, hands raised in surrender, as she gave me a mocking stare.
"Woah there killer, it's just me. Calm down," she said.
I let my fists fall to the side, realizing it was just Tatsuki. I sighed in relief, and got my beating heart under control. I was way too damn jumpy. This whole situation really has me on edge.
"Geez, don't you know better than to sneak up on a guy?" I asked her, only to receive a cocky smirk in return.
"Who's sneaking? Not my fault you weren't paying attention. What's got you so rattled anyway?" she questioned.
I gave her a look, not wanting to answer, and that's when I saw what she was wearing. Tight jeans, emphasis on the tight, with a form fitting orange shirt, and a black jacket. She even looked like she was wearing a bit of makeup.
That Karate gi really was doing nothing for her figure except hide it. Because this… I mean, hot damn! That is one sexy tomboy!
I couldn't help myself, and let out an appreciative whistle. Tatsuki gave me an embarrassed look, "What?" she asked.
I mentally slapped the wolf back into its cage. Not now you horny fool. Later, I promise.
"Uh, nothing. It's just… You look nice," I managed, not letting any of my inner thoughts out. Otherwise, I fear I would be forcefully entered into another sparring match.
+2 Affection to Tatsuki Arisawa (24/100)
"Oh, yeah. W-well, you don't look too bad yourself," she said with a small stutter. I almost snickered at her shy look, as she tried so hard to appear confident. She must not get a lot of compliments, which I can't imagine why. She was fine with a capital F.
"Thanks. I picked out my best outfit, just in case they need to bury me in it," I joked, and was relieved by the laugh she gave me.
"Is that so? Sure you didn't get all dressed up for your not so secret admirer," she teased me. I rolled my eyes at her. It's not my fault she has a crush on me damn it! Would I ever be able to live this down?
"Hmm, maybe I wore it just for you," I said, receiving another atomic blush for my efforts.
+1 Affection to Tatsuki Arisawa (25/100)
I chuckled, she was just too easy. I've known her for all of one day and her Affection was already a quarter of the way there. At this rate, she'd be mine by the end of the week.
"W-whatever! Let's just go inside already!" she shouted, face red with embarrassment. I snickered as she walked past me. And let me tell you, the back was even better than the front.
Now don't get me wrong, I like a nice perky pair of tits just as much as the next guy, but I was always a bit more of an ass man. And if you could see the ass in front of me, you would be too.
She opened the door with a huff, without so much as a how do you do. I followed her inside and closed the door. We walked down a familiar path, heading for the kitchen.
Of course, that's when the smell hit. I wasn't sure what it was, but it stopped us both in our tracks. It was spicy, with a hint of cabbage, mixed with just a dash of mint. And those were just the ones that stood out. There were tons more I couldn't recognize.
It was an odd scent to be sure, and the knot of fear returned to the pit of my stomach. That couldn't be my dinner, could it? There was no way the world would be so cruel.
Tatsuki turned back to me, with a look that said she would remember me when I passed. Well isn't that sweet of her?
We approached the kitchen with a feeling of dread. Well, I was feeling dread at any rate. Tatsuki didn't have to eat anything, so there was no reason for her to be afraid. Unless it was second hand dread, and I was passing my own fears right into her.
As we finally entered the kitchen, I could see something truly terrifying. There was Karin, standing on stool and stirring a pot like she was a goddamn witch. A thick, purple miasma radiated from the pot, and I could see the souls of the damned, screaming from the vapors.
That's what I had to eat? I know I was entertainment for some cosmic dick hole, but come on!? Isn't this taking things just a bit too far?
So this is as far as you go. I can't say it was nice knowing you, but I still wish you the best in your next life.
Great, now even the game thought I was going to die. The hell? Was the game on Nightmare Mode or something? This is bullshit!
"Uh… Karin?" questioned Tatsuki as we approached her. Karin straightened up before she turned to face us.
Is that a gas mask? Why is she wearing a gas mask to cook? Isn't that just a little extreme?
"Oh Tatsuki. And Ushio. You're here," Karin said, as she jumped off the stool and walked toward us. She took her gas mask off with a happy grin, something that didn't belong on her face, considering the pot of death she was just stirring.
"Hey," I greeted, hoping she didn't hear the utter despair in my voice. Considering she never stopped smiling, I doubt she did.
"Yup, wouldn't miss it for the world," said Tastuki. Although, her look was far more nervous than it was earlier. She probably just thought I'd be eating something burnt and foul tasting, not literal death.
"Awesome. I'm almost done. Why don't you go take a seat next to Yuzu?" she suggested. We turned to the kitchen table, and sure enough there she was, head on the table, looking nauseous.
Yeah, if I had to smell this stuff for much longer, I'd probably look the same. And she's probably had to deal with it all week. Poor girl…
We made our way toward her, as Karin went back to her Mystery Food X. Well shit, looks like I was in Persona 4 after all. Naoto, here I come!
"Hey Yuzu, how you doin'?" asked Tatsuki as we neared her. She raised her head off the table, which looked like it was chore in and of itself, with large bags under her red eyes. She looked like an insomniac pothead.
"Oh, hey Tatsuki. Hey Ushio. I'm good," she said before laying her head back down against the table. Tatsuki and I shared a look.
"Uh, you sure about that? Cause, you look like you haven't slept in a while," I said. She really did look terrible. It wasn't just that her face was a mess, her whole appearance was disheveled.
"Yeah... I've just been trying to help Karin, but no matter what I do, it turns into that," she said pointing at the toxic fumes pouring out of the kitchen. A new shiver ran down my spine. Are you telling me she made that even with Yuzu's help?
How!?
What kind of gag manga bullshit was this? Am I in the wrong anime? Because it feels like I'm in the wrong anime.
"And uh, what exactly is she trying to cook?" I asked, fearing the answer.
"Curry," Yuzu responded.
Seriously, curry? Wait, isn't that what they actually made in Persona 4? I was joking about that damn it!
"O-oh, is that right… Well, I'm sure it tastes better than it looks," suggested Tatsuki. Both Yuzu and I gave her a disbelieving look as she laughed nervously. But the effort to keep her head up was too much for Yuzu to bear, and her head flopped back onto the table.
Damn, and here I thought for sure I would be the one to die tonight.
"So, where's your dad and Ichigo? He's not upstairs washing his hair again is he?" I asked, trying to bring some levity to the room. It seemed to work, as Tatsuki found it amusing at the very least, judging by her snicker.
"Dad had a meeting so he won't get home till later. Ichigo's in his room doing whatever it is he does in there. He spends so much time in there ever since he became a teenager," Yuzu said despondently.
"Yeah, I can imagine. Boys at that age need their alone time," I said, making Tatsuki chuckle again. Yuzu gave me a confused look, but there was no way I was going to explain the joke to her. If you know, you know.
"Does that include you?" she joked.
I raised my eyebrow at her, "Maybe. Why, you thinking about me washing my hair?"
That made her face turn red, and she began to stutter denials, "W-what!? Of course not! W-who would want to think about that?"
It was my turn now to chuckle at her expression. But Yuzu just gave me a confused look, "Um, but Ushio, you don't have any hair."
That caused the both of us to look at her in a panic. I would not be the one to ruin her innocence and get put on a list. That wasn't going to happen!
"T-that's right! And that's exactly why I don't take long showers, ahahaha…" I said, laughing nervously with Tatsuki joining in. Yuzu still seemed confused, so I had to change the subject before she asked any more questions.
"So, you ready to go back to school?" I asked. She just stared at me with dull, lifeless eyes, head still firmly on the table. She was starting to look like a dead fish.
"Yup, can't wait," she said. I can't tell if she's being sarcastic or not. This has really been a rough week for her, hasn't it? It was starting to make me feel bad.
"Ugh, why did you have to remind me?" said Tatsuki with a groan. I turned to her with a grin on my face, "What, you don't like school?"
She gave me a look of her own, "Do you?"
"Ok, you've got me there. School is nothing more than institutionalized slavery dedicated to the sole purpose of feeding the next generation government approved propaganda."
Both Tatsuki and Yuze were now giving me "WTF" looks. I raised an eyebrow at them, "What? Tell me I'm wrong."
But they just ignored me. Jerks.
"Orihime sure is looking forward to it. She's all 'Tatsuki, our high school journey is about to begin! Let's conquer the first step into adulthood together!' And then she tripped and fell into a garbage can. I love her and all, but she can be a bit much sometimes."
Yuzu tried giggling at that, but it just came out sounding like a chain-smoking bullfrog. Was she going to be ok to go to school tomorrow? I know I wasn't.
"Ok, it's ready!" shouted a voice from the kitchen. It was Karin's loud proclamation of the oncoming darkness. A bit melodramatic maybe, but at the same time, my butthole was clenched so tight it could make diamonds.
Come to think of it, that would solve my money problems, wouldn't it? And yet, I doubt it would be worth the pain and suffering. Not to mention it would probably be bad for my impending battle against diarrhea.
Karin came walking into the dining room with an altogether far too happy smile on her face. It was disconcerting how unconcerned she was about it. Did she really think her food would be good? What kind of blinders did one have to have to not see the cloud of death surrounding the pot she was carrying?
Hell, I think I can hear it wailing in despair. Food is not supposed to do that! I'm at least 95% certain of that. This was an anime, so there was always room for error, but in this case, I'm pretty darn sure I'm right!
She plopped it down on the table, right smack dab in the middle of it. Mine and Tatsuki's eyes watered a bit as the noxious fumes entered our noses. Yuzu seemed to be used to it by now, which was a whole other reason to be concerned, as her nose merely twitched as the purple miasmic mist penetrated her nostrils.
"There we go, all set. Hey, has anybody seen Ichigo?" Karin asked, as she placed her hands on her hips. She looked around the room for her brother, only to find no sight of him.
I was starting to think he bailed. Considering the sight I was looking at, I wouldn't blame him if he did. The large metal pot filled with curry (allegedly) boiled and bubbled ominously, like something was trying to escape.
And stab me. I just know whatever was in there wanted to stab me. Because that seems to be a trend lately. Fuck I'm tired of getting stabbed, and it only took two times to do it.
"He should be up in his room," said a tired Yuzu. She did seem to be more alert however, as she stared at the pot like it was a venomous snake. And she would be close, considering it was going to poison me.
Please note, being envenomated will lead to the same Status Condition of Poisoned.
Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the violation.
Oh, wow, thank you so much for the information. I feel so much better now that I know that.
Happy to help.
Stupid, stinkin' game system. Wasn't I going to suffer enough? Your assholeness is completely uncalled for!
"Seriously? Do all teenage boys spend all their time in their room?" Karin asked, staring straight at me, her accusing eyes staring straight into my soul.
"Hey, don't look at me like that. Besides, I live in a studio apartment, so my kitchen is also my room. It doesn't count," I stated.
"Whatever you say," said Karin in her usual bland tone. I get the feeling she didn't believe me.
"Anyway, I'm going to go find him. Be back in a sec," she said, before heading up the stairs.
Take your time, I don't mind.
"So, you live in a studio apartment?" asked Tatsuki. She was trying to look anywhere but the shaking pot, unlike Yuzu, who wouldn't take her eyes off of it. I could see a bead of sweat drip down her face, as she glanced at it from the corner of her eye.
"Yup. I'd invite you over, but my place is a major shithole. Every night I go to sleep in fear that this will be the night the rats take me away," I said, as she stared at me with a sweat drop.
She thinks I'm joking, but that last one I saw was a big as a fucking capybara.
"And why would you want to invite me over to your place, huh?" she asked, giving me the sultry eyes. Or trying to at the very least, because she wasn't very good at it. Kind of just looked like she was squinting at me.
It was both sad, and adorable.
"Oh you know, so we could do homework and stuff," I said, giving her a smirk.
"What kind of stuff?" Tatsuki asked, taking a step closer to me.
"Well, I could help you… wash your hair. I've got a pretty big… shampoo bottle you know," I said, also taking a step closer, staring down at her with dark, half lidded eyes.
+1 Affection to Tatsuki Arisawa (26/100)
"Is that right? You know, it takes more than a big shampoo bottle to properly wash someone's hair," she stated, a saucy grin on her face. Damn, she was better at this flirting thing than I thought. And her Affection wasn't even that high!
It must be because of my Big Dick Energy. I couldn't think of another reason. Not that I cared.
"Really? Guess you'll just have to show me," I told her with a deep growl. The two of us were fairly close now, and I felt myself leaning down towards her. To do what I wasn't sure, I was just letting instinct guide me at this point. Tatsuki looked to be the same, as she leaned forward as well, staring up at me with a blush on her face.
But as we grew closer, so close I could feel her breath against my skin, a loud bang interrupted us. Like being snapped out of a trance, we jumped away from each other, faces beat red.
What were we just about to do? And in front of Yuzu no less? Boy am I glad she's so distracted by the pot.
That's the problem with puberty, it removes all of your common sense. Like a spell cast by a dark wizard, you're robbed of all your faculties. Thinking becomes nearly impossible in the face of such horniness.
Something that wasn't aided by the fact that Tatsuki was a damn good looking woman.
"W-what was that?" she asked, looking anywhere but my face. Her own looked like she had spent too much time in the sun. He could practically feel the heat radiated off of it.
"Don't know. It sounded like it came from…" I started to say, only to be interrupted by another loud bang. This time, seeing as I wasn't distracted by a pair of beautiful eyes, I could tell exactly where it came from.
And to my utter horror, it came from inside the pot. It sounded like something was trying to escape. Don't tell me it was alive?
"...There," I finished. The three of us could only stare at it, wondering what kind of eldritch abomination was going to pop out and devour our souls. Yuzu actually looked like a cat who couldn't decide if it wanted to swat the weird thing in front of it, or run like hell.
"You're not actually going to eat that, are you?" asked Tatsuki, who finally managed to get her blush under control. Now, instead of looking at me like she was about to devour a big, juicy steak, she was staring at me like I was about to die.
Which was fair.
Before answering her, I brought up the Quest once again.
-Quest-
Eat up!
In order to prove to her sister that she can cook, Karin has decided to make a dish and use you as the guinea pig. And she expects a 5 Star review.
Reward
-Gain 100 Exp
-Gain 2 Vitality
-Gain 10 Affection with Karin
-Poison Resistance
Failure
-Lose 30 Affection with Karin
-You make a little girl cry
Well, I wouldn't be gaining a Level from this, considering I needed 500 Exp to do so, but I definitely wanted the Vitality. Also Poison Resistance. I know there's a few assholes in my future that like to use that shit.
But the most important thing was preventing Karin from crying, even though she doesn't seem like the type. I knew that tough exterior of hers was mostly a front, used to hide the pain and fear she held inside. I didn't want to be the one to add to it.
"Sure am. I'm not in the business of breaking little girls' hearts," I said.
+1 Affection with Tatsuki Arisawa (27/100)
"Aw, you're just a big softy aren't you?" teased Tatsuki, but I could tell she was glad for my response, even if she was afraid for my life.
"Like a big old teddy bear. Just do me a favor, don't write that on my tombstone," I pleaded.
"And what exactly am I supposed to put on it?" She asked.
"Hmm, let me think… How about, 'Here lay Ushio. He was brave and bald, with a rocking body, and he was great at washing girls' hair'. Something like that."
Tatsuki rolled her eyes with a bit of red back in her cheeks from the 'washing girls' hair' remark. "Wow, humble aren't you? Should I write about how handsome you are too?"
"Oh, so you think I'm handsome, do you?" I said with a shit eating grin on my face. I'm pretty sure she wasn't thinking about what she was saying, but I couldn't pass up the opportunity to tease her.
Tatsuki's face lit right back up in embarrassment, as she stuttered out denials, "W-what!? No, that's not what I… Wipe that smirk off your face!"
"Oh, you don't think I'm handsome? I'm crushed," I said, holding my chest in fake pain. Tatsuki growled as she approached me, fist shaking in embarrassed rage, "You will be!"
Thankfully I was saved by the return of Karin who managed to find Ichigo. That took longer than I thought, but the timing couldn't be better.
"Karin, your back! And you found Ichigo," I said, making my way towards them, leaving the red-faced tomboy behind to simmer in her rage.
"Yeah, sorry it took so long, I had to threaten Ichigo to get him out of his room," Karin said. Ichigo grumbled something I couldn't make out, making his way past us toward the table.
"Let's just get this over with. Tatsuki? What are you doing here?" he asked. Her ire quickly turned to Ichigo, as she leveled a glare at him, "What? You got a problem with me being here?"
"Geez, what crawled up your ass and died?" he asked, which only seemed to make her angrier. She approached him with a growl, a flaming aura of feminine fury radiating from her every pour, "So you have chosen death…"
But before she could carry out what was sure to be a brutal murder, another loud bang, louder than the previous two, startled her from her rage. She jumped in fright, right into my arms, which I instinctively wrapped around her.
I knew she was rather petite, but to feel it was another matter entirely. I felt myself grip her slender waist even tighter unconsciously, pulling her even closer to me. She wasn't looking at me at all, her attention solely on the pot, so I don't think she even realized where she was exactly.
Once she figured out there was no immediate danger, she finally looked up at me, first in relief, then in confusion, then in embarrassment, and finally, in rage. I should have let her go and ran for my life, but remember those pesky hormones?
Yeah, they wanted me to stay right where I was. You can imagine how well that went.
"Y-you pervert!" Tatsuki yelled. She immediately broke out of my grip, which wasn't that hard. It wasn't like I was trying to force her to be there. And if that's where that ended, fine.
But it wasn't. Tatsuki immediately took up a Karate stance, and before I knew it, there was a small fist lodged into my stomach.
Critical Hit!
-72 Hp
Yup, why not be a Crit? That seems to be the way tonight is going. But at least I didn't lose any Affection with her, so that was something. What I did lose, however, was my ability to stand. I found myself hitting the floor, face first, holding my stomach.
It was so much worse when you weren't expecting it.
Standing there with a red face, Tatsuki seemed to realize what she did, "Uh, whoops…"
"Ushio, you ok?" said Karin as she came to kneel next to my body. I turned to and gave her a shaky thumbs up. She sighed in relief, as she rubbed my back in comfort.
"You're as violent as ever," said Ichigo, watching the whole thing with a sweat drop.
"Oh shut up! Like you're one to talk!" she yelled.
"I'm not the one who laid the guy out," he said.
The two began to bicker back and forth. But the most surprising thing of all was the fact that Yuzu was completely oblivious to the whole thing. She was still staring at the fucking pot! I don't even think she's blinked since it came out here. Her diligence was as admirable as it was disturbing.
Eventually, I recovered enough from the surprise gut punch to stand up. Tatsuki and Karin helped me to my chair, while Ichigo took up his own spot. He seemed to pale a bit, sitting in front of the cursed pot as he was. I'm a bit shocked he didn't break part of the table with how hard he was gripping it.
"So, why am I here again?" he asked, looking directly at Karin, who was standing next to me.
"Yuzu wasn't the only one who doubted my ability to cook," Karin said, her and Tatsuki depositing me in my seat. After making sure I was nice and comfy, she made her way around the table to her own seat next to Yuzu.
Who still hasn't blinked.
"Also, dad told you to."
Ichigo grumbled again, something about evil sisters and chicken shit dad's. It made me wonder if Isshin purposely scheduled his meeting for tonight, just to get out of it. I figured he'd want to see me in pain, but maybe there were legal reasons to consider, since he was a doctor.
"Sorry again, Ushio," Tatsuki apologized, as she took a seat beside me. And she actually looked like she meant it. I wasn't particularly mad about it, but it did give me another opportunity to tease her.
I completely ignored the fact that teasing her was part of what led to my current situation.
"If you're really sorry, why don't you kiss it and make it better?" I asked. It took her a moment to process what I said, but when she did, her face turned crimson.
"Huh!? K-kiss!? W-what the hell are you talking about!?"
I grinned at her, rubbing the spot where she punched me, "It hurts real bad… I don't think I can last. Please Tatsuki?" I said in an overly dramatic voice. I even gave her the pouty lips for added effect.
"I… You…" she stammered, torn between flustered and angry, switching between the two, as she imagined herself doing exactly what I asked. She bit her lower lips as she stared at my stomach, contemplating what she should do.
"Ahem!" interrupted us. Turning towards the sound of the voice, it was none other than Karin, giving us the stink eye. It was now my turn for my face to heat up. How did I keep forgetting there were other people here?
"If you're quite done?" Karin continued. Tatsuki and I looked at each other, before turning back to Karin, giving her a nod.
"Good, then we can begin. You ready?"
"...As ready as I'll ever be," I responded. Looks like this was it, time to pay the piper. I hope whoever is watching this is enjoying the fucking show. Sick bastard.
"Great! Then without further ado…" she said, placing her hand on top of the pot, gripping the lid. My butthole was once again clenched tight.
"Wait," said Tatsuki. I felt my butthole unclench in relief. If things kept going like this, I would have rock hard glutes by the end of the night.
"What is it?" asked Karin. Everyone turned to face Tatsuki. Everyone, except for a certain person.
"What about Yuzu?" questioned Tatsuki. We all turned to stare at the girl who was still laser focused on the pot.
"Oh yeah. One second," Karin said, before loudly clapping her hands in front of Yuzu's face. The poor girl jumped about a foot in the air.
"Huh!? What!? Karin!? What's going on? Where am I?" she panicked, looking around, head looking like it was attached to a swivel. But her gaze eventually settled on her brother, "Oh, Ichigo! When did you get here?"
We all had a sweatdrop as we watched the poor, confused girl. "He's been here for a while now. Just how out of it were you?" asked Karin.
"Oh, really?" Yuzu responded.
"Yuzu, what's the last thing you remember?" I asked. She adopted a thoughtful look on her face, " Lets' see. I remember you and Tatsuki getting here. We were talking about school… Then Karin came in with dinner… Then everything goes blank."
Yeah that checks out. With how hard she was glaring at the pot, it doesn't surprise me she was blind to the rest of the world. Not sure if it was healthy to blank out like that though… Well, as long as it doesn't happen too often, it should be fine.
And if it wasn't, well… It's a good thing they own a clinic.
"Well it's good to have you back," I said, which only seemed to confuse her more. But she seemed happy by it, so, all's well that ends well.
Speaking of things ending well… Or not in this case.
"Great, now that Yuzu's here, we can finally start the taste testing," Karin said with a grin.
And there goes my butthole again.
She reached for the pot lid, all of us staring at it in dread, wondering what would pop out of it. Would it be a demon? A tentacle monster? Cthulhu? The suspense was killing me!
Just as her hand reached the lid, she immediately retracted it. "Oh wait! I forgot the rice! Hang on a sec." She then raced toward the kitchen, oblivious to the tension she left behind.
I felt myself slump back against the chair, "Oh God, I can't take it. The anticipation is killing me! I just want to get it over with!"
The other gave me a look of pity, and Tatsuki even patted my shoulder with a, "There, there," to try and console me. It didn't work.
After a few seconds, Karin returned, holding a rice cooker. Well at least there was no way she could screw this up right?
The looks on Yuzu's and Ichigo's faces did not instill me with confidence.
"There we go. Ta da," Karin said as she removed the lid on the rice cooker. Steam poured out of it, obscuring my vision for a moment. But when it cleared, I felt my heart stop.
"Um, Karin?" I asked.
"Yeah?"
"Why is the rice red?"
Where I was expecting to see beautiful, pearly white rice, was instead, nothing but red. Every single grain looked like it was glowing an angry crimson.
"Oh! Well since curry is supposed to be spicy, I thought, 'Why not make the rice spicy too?' So I cooked it in hot sauce."
What kind of brain did she have to make her think that was a good idea? It was so wrong, I couldn't even put it into words. Pretty sure no one else knew what to say either.
"Is that so…"
"Yup! Here, let me get you some," she said, before taking a large, wooden spoon and scooping a heaping portion of it onto my plate. The potent, spicy aroma hit my nose like a punch from Mike Tyson, making my head spin.
If that was just from the scent, what would it do to me once it was inside?
"There you go. And now for the curry," she said, before finally taking the lid off of the curry pot.
A deep, purple mist flew out of the top like it was steam escaping a boiler. If I thought the hit the rice gave me was something, it was nothing compared to this. Instead of a punch from Mike Tyson, it was more like a gorilla came up and started beating the shit out of me.
I don't understand. It wasn't this bad earlier. I mean, sure it was strong, but this was something else. Is it because of the pot? Did that somehow increase its potency?
But that wasn't the only thing. As the lid was removed, I could once more hear the wailing of the damned. Like a rock ballad from the personal collection of Hades himself.
Just what kind of curry is this?
Karin used a ladle to scoop some of it out. I thought for sure the ladle would melt, but by some miracle, it held up. What, was it made from Beskar or something?
As she flopped the slimy, gooey substance on my plate, I could swear I saw mouths forming in the chunks. I stared at the purple substance that was supposed to be food, as it slowly moved toward the rice.
As the two of them touched, I could swear I heard it go, "Om nom nom," as the curry began to encapsulate the rice. Guess those were mouths after all. I was suddenly reminded of that movie, Hotel Transylvania, when the hot vampire girl was eating the scream cheese.
Only, I didn't have the choice to flee like Johnny.
The curry began to glow, having somehow leveled up from eating the rice. As if I didn't have enough problems.
"There you go. I-I hope you like it," said Karin, who was now giving me a nervous, yet hopeful look. Damn it, that face killed me every time. I gave her the most convincing smile I could muster, "It looks good."
And lied right through my teeth.
+1 Affection to Karin Kurosaki (26/100)
And now I feel bad. Karin gave another grin before she walked back to her chair, and then just stared at me. No pressure, right?
I picked up the spoon and stared at the bubbling monstrosity before me. I carefully placed some of the so-called curry onto the utensil and lifted it from the plate. I could hear it screaming angrily at me.
I looked at the others, beside Karin. No need to see that expectant face again. Not right now anyway. Yuzu was giving me a look of fear. Not that I could blame her. If it wasn't for the fact that I would be shitting my pants later, I would do it right now.
Tatsuki looked like she was actually contemplating what she would put on my tombstone. And while her consideration was appreciated, I had no plans to die today.
But then again, who does?
Ichigo was slowly shaking his head no, his eyes screaming at me, "Don't do it!" they said. "You'll die!" Too late my dude. The piper was calling, and it was time to pay him his due.
But before I took the first bite, I decided to scan the thing.
$#!*%$#
Error… Substance not known. Supposedly food.
A concoction made by Karin Kurosaki for Player to taste test. It will never spoil.
Effects
-Food Poisoning
Well, isn't that just fantastic. Even the System didn't know what the hell that thing was. And how could it never spoil? Just what did she make?
I gave the thing on my spoon one last look before gathering all of my courage, and with shaking hands, placed it into my mouth.
At first, there was nothing. No taste at all, just a peculiar texture. Slimy, yet gritty, clinging to every part of my mouth. Confused beyond all measure, I took my first actual bite.
The chunk of what I assume was meat burst open, providing a whole new gooey sensation. Like it was filled with olive oil and grease. The meat itself was chewy and crunchy, taking all of my jaw muscles to get through.
After several seconds, I was finally able to chew it up enough to swallow. I looked down at my body in confusion. Was that it? Was I worried for nothing?
"S-so? How was it?" asked Karin. I turned to face her, gazing into the hopeful, expectant eyes of hers. I opened my mouth to speak, but was hit with a sudden case of vertigo that nearly sent me to the floor.
You have been Poisoned
Oh…
There it is.