“Luke! Get in here!” Cophin barked into the courtyard.

Luke hustled into the kitchen. “Yes chef.” He hastily pulled on an apron.

“It's time to sharpen tha knives.”

Cophin spread an array of cutlery out on the kitchen counter in front of them.

“Huh? But I thought you told me not to touch your knives before.” Luke hesitated.

“That's true. And now I'm telling you to do the opposite. So problem solved. Understand?”

“Yes chef. No chef.” Luke wavered.

“Just get over here.” Cophin made room at the counter.

Luke shuffled over to the kitchen counter. Cophin held out the handle of a chef’s knife out to him. Luke took it. Cophin placed two whetstones on the counter, one in front of each of them.

“Take the knife in your hand. Get a firm grip. Firmer. Firmer! That's good. Not follow my example. Use long smooth strokes. The rhythm is tha most important thing. You don't want ta jerk your hand. That's how you end up with half a thumb.” Cophin held up his hand. He curled his thumb so that Luke could see the shadow of a scar running along the edge of his knuckle.

Luke pressed his knife against the whetstone.

Cophin observed Luke's technique. “Good, good, you're a quick learner. Keep going until I tell ya to stop.”

#

“Sorry. I haven’t had a lot of practice braiding hair.” said Ave.

“What are you apologizing for? Your braids are very straight.” Rosy examined her hair in a small hand mirror.

“Thanks.”

Rosy turned around. “Now let's finish your hair.”

“Huh oh you don't have to do that.” Ave turned her face to the side.

“Come on. It's fine. We're not going to leave you out.” Rosy patted the ground in front of her.

Ave rocked on her toes, then sat down.

Rosy started brushing Ave’s hair out.

“Here, let me help.” Tasha moved to Ave’s left side and started pulling her hair into plaits.

“Wow. Ave, your hair, is uncommonly smooth.” said Rosy.

“She doesn't have a single split end either. And she told me she doesn’t use any product. How do you normally wash it?” asked Tasha.

“Soap?” Ave shrugged.

“Moons above I am envious of you right now.” said Rosy. “Every day when I wake up it’s just like Bleagh!” Rosy stuck her tongue out.

“And when it’s humid my hair will always go Fzzzt!” Tasha threw her hands up over her head.

“Mine tends to just go Wuuh.” Ave dropped her hands into her lap.

The three of them laughed together.

“What about me?” Eins hopped up and down.

“Your hair…” Ave picked the dog up. “Needs to go Scritch Scritch Scritch!” She suddenly flipped the dog over and scratched its belly.

“Hehehe.” Eins wiggled in her arms.

Tasha began layering Ave’s hair into braids behind her ears.

Rosy hummed to herself as she braided Ave’s hair.

“Tasha, you’ve traveled a lot haven’t you?” Ave asked.

“Sure. I’ve been all over the Kingdom.” Tasha nodded.

“And Rosy, you’re an adventurer right?”

“That’s right. It wasn’t my first choice of profession, but I’m trying to make the best of it.” said Rosy.

Ave chewed her lip. “Do either of you have any good ideas for how someone might walk on ice? Without slipping or getting stuck?”

Tasha grinned. With a flourish she pulled her Collectopedia out of a bag and slammed it down on the bed.

“Sister. I have nothing but ideas.”

#

*Snickt*Snickt*

The sound of knives moving in unison filled the kitchen.

*Snickt*Snickt*

Cophin held up his blade. “Good. Now examine tha knife. What do you think?”

Luke looked at the knife in his hand. “It looks like it was already really sharp. I'm not sure my sharpening did anything.”

Cophin looked over at Luke. “Probably not. But that's not why we sharpen tha knives.”

“It's not?”

“No, it is, but not this time.” Cophin shrugged. “Cooking is about intent. You have to be focused. Good food doesn't just happen. It takes hard work ta make a proper meal.”

With a quick snap Cophin picked up three more knives. He balanced them between his hands. Then he put them back down on the counter and fanned them out in a semicircle. The blades were adeptly aligned.

“In here, I have only one thought. Ta provide the best meal I can to my customers.”

Cophin twirled a knife in the air, then set it back down in the exact same spot.

“When I enter my kitchen I put everything behind me. All of my anger and my complaints. Anything that annoyed me during the day. I leave it out there.” He pointed a knife at the dining room.

The Chef turned and looked at Luke. “I want you ta do that. Leave everything else outside. Do you think you can do that? For me?”

“Yes chef.”

#

“Is that what you’re going to wear for this evening?”

Ash looked down at the costume he had on. “I hate to admit it but this is currently the nicest set of clothes that I own.”

Plinth shrugged his shoulders. “If you’re comfortable with it then I’m comfortable with it. Like we mentioned before, our restaurant has no theme so you’re free to wear whatever you want.”

Support creative writers by reading their stories on Royal Road, not stolen versions.

Plinth put on a half apron and a loose vest. He applied some cologne to his wrists.

“Do you like wearing costumes Ash?”

Ash shrugged. “I don’t know. It’s my first time wearing one really. It’s just different clothes isn’t it.”

Plinth straightened his vest. “Not at all. Wearing clothes is an active statement. How we dress is an indicator of how we choose to present ourselves to those around us. In the theater this choice is more pronounced. But I find that personal appearance is as important in daily life as it is on stage.”

Ash stood up a little straighter. “I suppose.”

“Cologne?” Plinth held out a bottle.

“Nah.” Ash waved him away.

Plinth pulled out a little comb and tidied his hair.

Ash rocked on his feet. “I see that Luke and Cophin are getting the food prep done. All of the tables in the dining room are already set. Does this mean that we can relax until we open?”

"Pwa haha ha ha!" Plinth failed to stifle a laugh. "No no no. Come over here.” He waved Ash over to a wooden tray.

“Remember this day Ash. I’m about to introduce you to your new all-of-the-time hobby: rolling silverware.”

#

“Is there any way to get him off?”

Tasha held up her arm. Ave and Rosy stared at the circular creature that was there attached. The three women looked down at Eins.

Eins held up a paw. “Don’t look at me. Tripillli has always been… lethargic. I don’t know of any guaranteed way of waking up a sleeping god.”

Ave reached down and picked up Eins. She ran her hands through the dog’s fur.

“I have seen something like this before.” She scratched Eins’ ears. “When a spirit wants to, they can be very… stubborn. If we can’t pry him off by force we need to find something else that he will respond to. We could try using boiling water?”

Tasha frowned. “Not my first choice.”

Rosy tilted her head towards the hilt of her sword, then straightened back up. “We could try singing.”

“Singing?” Ave frowned.

“What like: ♫Wake up, wake up♫. Like that?” Tasha hummed.

“Sure. But more soothing. Try to imagine a low vibration. Humming through your whole body.”

Eins licked its nose. “That might work.”

Rosy clapped her hands. “Great. Let’s try it. Do you two know Rabbits Rabbits?”

“The children’s song?”

“That’s it. Good. Now harmonize with me.” Rosy closed her eyes. ♫♫♫♫

Tasha and Ave abashedly complied. They hummed together for a few moments before everyone found the right key.

♫

Rabbits Rabbits, dig your little burrow

Don’t let out your light

Woof Woof Woof

And we all go to sleep

♫

Chicken Chicken, sit on top your egg

Don’t look up at night

Peck Peck Peck

And we all go to sleep

♫

Mother Father, spin them round and round

Shut the door real tight

Drip Drip Drop

And we all go to sleep

♫

♫♫♫♫

As they finished the song the three of them paused.

“Ave I don’t know if anyone has ever told you this before but your pitch is perfect.” Rosy said.

“Oh, uh, thanks.” Ave brushed at her hair.

There was a *Clicking* as Tripillli’s front segment peeled back.

“... where are we…*Yawn*... is it morning already…”

Tripillli uncurled. The spirit’s segments slowly slotted into sync until Tripillli was palm sized again. The trilobite rolled down Tasha’s arm and into her hand.

“Well, everyone, I guess… meet Tripillli.”

“Hello.”

“Hello.”

Tripillli flattened out until it was as circular as a tea saucer. Its three eyes scanned the room. The crab waved a little claw. “... elllo…”

Eins poked its nose over the corner of the bed. “Hello again Tripillli.”

“... Eins? Is you?... I thought that I heard… someone else…” Tripillli’s eyes scanned the room

“Don’t worry. We’re all friends here. Did you hear them singing to you?”

“... singing. Yes. Vibration… in whole of body. Curious. Wanted to see what it was…”

Tasha nodded. “That worked very well. Thank you Rosy.”

“You’re welcome.” Rosy nodded back.

“Okay. Now that that’s over. Tripillli, no more clamping onto people and then not letting go. Do you understand?”

“... but I am so small… how will I get around…?” Tripillli waved its little legs.

“I’ll put you in my pocket.” said Tasha.

“... but I am afraid of the dark…”

“Then I’ll think of something.”

Ave walked to the door. “Looks like everything is fixed for now. We should get back to the restaurant.”

“Hold on. We can't have you working up front looking like that.” Rosy called her back.

“Why not?”

“Is this your first service job?”

Ave fell into rest position. “Sort of. I've been in the guard for four years.”

“You might not be prepared. A job where you patrol the city is different than a job where you wait on people and collect their drink orders.”

Ave’s eyebrow twitched. “You might be surprised.”

“Did you do anything before you were in the guard?” asked Rosy.

“I was a blacksmith's apprentice.” Ave stated.

“I know that Cophin is up his own butt about making a restaurant without a theme but people like it when the place that they're eating at looks nice.” Rosy stepped over and opened her luggage.

“Have you worked a lot of service jobs Rosy? I thought you were an Adventurer.” Tasha asked.

“That's right. It’s given me a lot of experience dealing with people. But I had other jobs before that.” Rosy briefly looked off into the middle distance. “I was even a teacher once.”

Rosy rummaged through her luggage. “But for all of us, this is our first real day in our new position. I think we should make it special.”

#

“So, I guess we should be getting back to the Gambling Hall.”

Jack folded his towel and set it on a table.

Plinth waved a hand. “Don't say that. There's no need for you to rush out the door so soon. You should at least stay for dinner.”

"That's very kind of you Mr Plinth. We could stay for a little bit. Isn't that right Jack." Ted looked sideways at Jack.

"Well, I guess we could stay for a minute." Jack shrugged.

“I insist. Ash, find a table for our first guests of the evening won’t you.” Plinth said.

“Right away sir.”

Ash walked Jack and Ted over to the door leading to the courtyard. There was a small table wedged into the corner.

"Here you go. Best table in the house." he said.

"This is the back corner of the restaurant." Jack frowned.

"Sure is. It’s very quiet. There's no one that will bother you back here."

"We're right next to the kitchen."

"You're right next to the food. No waiting for your order when you're back here."

"It's great. Thanks so much Ash." Ted took his seat.

"Thanks." Jack sat down next to him.

#

“Order up!”

“I’ll get it!” Luke rushed out of the kitchen and grabbed a plate out of the window.

He hustled over to the table and set down a plate of skewers with roasted vegetables on them.

Jack looked at the plate, then back at Luke. “Is this all? Don’t you have any dipping sauces?”

“Ah no, it’s served without sauces.” Luke said.

“I see.” Jack looked around the table. “Do you have any salt or pepper at least?”

“That is… a delicate question.”

Jack grabbed a skewer. He started leisurely chewing on the vegetables. “I’m not trying to insult your restaurant, but we appear to be the only customers.”

Luke and Ash looked up. The dining room was empty. Tourists could be seen strolling past through the front windows. Across the street there was a line around the corner for the Galaxy Lip. The only noise was Cophin chopping ingredients in the kitchen. Plinth polished a wine glass in the empty dining room.

“Is it always like this?” Ted asked.

“Damn. It might be.” Ash twisted a roll of silverware in his hands. “They don’t even look concerned that no one is coming in.”

Jack picked his teeth with a skewer. “Not a smart way to run a business.”

Luke shrugged. “If they’re not bothered then we-”

Ash shouted. “This is some bullchips! You become a chef and we don’t have any customers.”

“Still only an assistant right now-”

“How are you supposed to learn anything if you don’t practice?”

Luke nodded. “You’re right. We need to get more people in here. Ash, go annoy us some customers.” Luke slapped Ash on the shoulder.

Ash tilted his head to the side. “Luke, you know I don't like using my powers for petty reasons…”

“Hahahaha ha ha…”

“Ha ha ha!”

All of the boys had a good laugh.

“Okay, let me see what I can do.”