E003I2
Ah! It's the Bongyguards from District 10!
<Just what the hell are these things...? Why do they explode into a bunch of what looks like... casino chips?>
Ooh... Did you pick any of them up?
Yesh! Thiiiiis much chips!
Ishmael confidently unloaded a whole bag of casino chips on the table.
Ooooh... Shiny!
Did I do good, Miss Yuri? Capain din't even get half of half of me!
Mmhm... I am... ashamed, Yur - Miss Yuri.
Yah? Yah?
So I'm da reeal Cheery Chickies captain material then him, right~?
Right right? Sinclair, agree wif me.
Uh... Thas... Huh?!
Heh heh! Is mine!
Out of nowhere, Heathcliff appeared and, after shoving the chips on the table into his own bag, ran away.
Huh!? Hey, staaahp!
... And before I could even make an attempt to reconcile them, Ishmael leaped up and chased after Heathcliff, knocking over various knick-knacks in the chaos.
... Still... ashamed, Dant - Big Teesh.
<Don't be, you're doing your best...>
<Speaking of which, what's the point of collecting all these chips? They're not ingredients, are they?>
Oh, you don't know? See, once we unwrap these chips...
Miss Yuri flipped the chip one way and the other, and upon finding purchase, pulled the wrapping apart - revealing a small, thin coin of chocolate within.
Whoa! Whoaaa!
Bwo, you know this befo?
Ha ha. Indeed. I mean, yah.
You did so good, Cheery Chickies! You know all about the District 10 Bongys, huh?
Hmm... Looks like you only have two teammates left to cook. Is that gonna be okay?
Trul - Uh, yah.
'Cuz I have a super top secret recipeh.
Super top secret recipe...?
Lil' Youth, first, the Bongy is to be...
Then...
Ah, it is done... zo.
... Phewie!
<This is...?>
Diwwide up Bongy, add water, mix in carrots, potates... gronions and garlic...
Gawnish wib lotsa caseeno chips - then iss ready for eats.
Heh. Behol - lookie, "Whole Bongy Stew."
I thought I glimpsed the sorrowful indignation of a Bongy underneath the viscously boiling, bubbling surface of melted chocolate...
<Are you sure this is edible?>
Uhh... Is it... unideal...?
... At my blunt assessment, Yi Sang's eyes began to tremble as though he was about to start tearing up.
<N-no, it's... I mean...>
Mmm~ This looks so yummy, Yi Sang!
Twuly...?
Oh yeah. The broth looks so thick and flavorful, and all the ingredients are perfectly simmered down!
It can't have been easy to do with just the two of you, but you've done such a wonderful job!
Heh... Hehe...
Iss ideal...
Miss Yuri quietly walked up next to me as I watched the two children cheerfully celebrate their culinary success.
Principal Dante, what really matters is that these kids managed to work together toward a goal, not the flavor of the dish.
Honestly, I'm just relieved and happy that they did so without getting hurt.
<Wow, I hadn't thought about it like that... I've still got a lot to learn.>
Of course, Bongy so thoroughly infused with chocolate can't not be delicious!
<Oh, okay.>
As they say, everything tastes better smothered deep in chocolate. Even shoe leather would, I bet.
<I've heard that one, but pretty sure it was something about deep-frying...>
Well, no point in arguing about quotes and attributions I only remember vaguely.
It's a bit too late to question the way things are in this institution.
In any case, Miss Yuri will finally get the chance to tast -
Hey! Stop runnin'!
Hehehe! *giggle*
Just then, the sound of hurried footsteps came rushing in from the distance...
... with Heathcliff bursting into the cafeteria from the opposite hallway.
Trailing behind him was a seething Ishmael, her yells ringing out in anger.
Ugh... I said staaahp!
Without warning, a slipper shot out of the darkness, aimed at Heathcliff, who was still on the run.
And the said slipper happened to land...
*crash* *shatter*
…….
... Oh.
Heheh! Missed! Missed!
... right on the Cheery Chickies' "Whole Bongy Stew."
... Big Teesh Dante...
Tears welled up in Yi Sang's eyes, threatening to spill over.
*huff* *huff* You... Huuh...?!
Nuh-uh... this... is not ideal...!
... That wasn nice at all, Ishmael!
Bwo and I did lotsa work on this! Lots and lots...
... Plis... scold her...
I let my gaze wander from one mess to the next. Bits of food were strewn all over the place, with Yi Sang on the verge of bursting into tears.
Stomping his feet, Sinclair advanced toward an extremely flustered Ishmael, while Heathcliff, smirking and giggling, was peeking in from behind the door.
Ahaha...
And there at the end of my line of sight stood Miss Yuri, who, somehow, still managed to keep a sweet and pleasant smile - though the ominous vein twitching on her forehead was somewhat worrying.
There was only one thing left to be said:
<Time-out chair!>
After some time...
<Do you still want to continue this cooking contest?>
<The other classes are practically finished. And I don't mean that in a good way. At this point, honestly, you'd win even if you served raw, unseasoned chicken just like that.>
Paus thinks Big Teach's comment is far fwom appropriate.
This is an important moment of core ability development for childre -
... Um, kids... havta gwow... gwow up better, and...
<... Sorry, but why are you suddenly changing the way you talk?>
Paus has realized that Paus's diction is rather too sofisticated to make conversation with those who - as in, other peeple.
<W-well, I like to think I can still get what you're saying... so... just be your usual self.>
Out of the question. Paus is the Class Captain of Early Elephants.
The Class Captain is responsible for ensuring that every registered membe - um, kids...
... can smoothly absorb every given piece of information and receive an experience-based education without obstacl - uh...
<You mean you wanna use simpler words so other kids can have an easier time understanding you?>
That is a cowect summary.
<... Right. Glad to know Early Elephants' Class Captain is so mature and dependable.>
Hmm.
Faust wasn't one to show her feelings openly, but I could sense a subtle hint of satisfaction on her face - and that was good enough for me.
Sorry. Charon is late.
<Hello, Miss Charon.>
Miss Charon is in charge of two classes on top of the children's pick-ups and drop-offs, so I don't get to see her most days.
<Are the Terror T-rexes not joining today's class?>
No. External learning program for T-rexes today.
I'm just back from dropping the class off.
<Always got a lot on your plate, I see.>
Which Sinnerlings were in Terror T-rexes again...? I sure hope they don't trip and hurt themselves out there.
No need to worry, Principal.
T-rex is super-duper strong.
<Oh, you're right. Dinosaurs are really strong.>
I was still in the middle of a conversation with Miss Charon when I saw a Sinnerling slowly making her way back, lazily swinging her elephant-shaped bag.
Hey, Captin.
D.A.Y.S. Those District-11 fings are swaming in.
Hmm. You did well.
Wowzers! That's weally cool, Captain~ Gwanny said Bongy Secuwity Agents never move fwom their spot, not even a step!
That should have been the case, yes.
But Paus knows it all.
Paus knows the one and only modus that would spur dem into action.
What's M.O.D.U.S., Captin?
I don't think it's an acwonym, Ryōshū~
... "the one and only way."
Don't make me ask W.Y.M. in the first place, Captin.
<... And what's that?>
... Break a Tab - no, um...
... Bweak promises by doing mean things.
<Ah. You mean break a Taboo.>
<But... are Taboos even meant to be broken in the first place...?>
No. Ubless you a S.I.
Ryōshū. You shouldn't speak to the principal that way. Twy again.
... *sigh* No, Pwincipal.
<D-don't mind me, I'm fine...>
Pretty sure this is the first time she's referred to me by my actual title...
<A-anyway... So how do you think we should break a Taboo...?>
Come here, Big Teach.
Faust clenched her sponge sword a little tighter, her gaze pinned to a spot.
Naturally, my eyes followed hers...
<Huh...?>
... and through the billowing haze of dust rising into the air,
<Oh. I think I get it now.>
Jussis!!!
I saw Don Quixote, sprinting toward us with her balloon lance held up high,
with something that looked like a tattered rag flapping from the tip of the spear.
Tearing away the tent that serves as the Bongy habita - as in, the tent where they live, would be a Tab... uh, a mean thing to do.
Don Quixote, Paus new you could do it.
Jussis!! Jussis!!
<Good grief...>
I pressed a hand to my "forehead" as I felt all sense of reason leaving me - but it did nothing to keep the coming chaos from crashing in.