[YOTB] Exquisite Taste

Klaude was admittedly not a very smart bun. Sure he had the fancy blessed water that he got from the head priest, but he didn’t have any other ingredients that could actually make good mochi. Hell, he didn’t even know what those ingredients were. Mochi was something rice-based, right? So there was rice in there? Something like that?

He thought about checking out the mochi maker’s shop, but seeing that it was closed until Mochi Moon, the bun was rather embarrassed to try barging in, especially since he wouldn’t even call himself a regular customer. Still, he didn’t want to waste the hard work he put into getting this, and it was not a guarantee that mixing this into any other recipe was going to work out, so what to do..?

As if Lady Luck smiled upon him, he saw a pale bun exit the shop, seemingly on a mission. He remembered that bun from the church – it was the one that the head priest had his eyes on at first before he was unceremoniously taken away by the jealous mochi maker (or so Klaude assumed). What he was up to, however, the nosy bun could only guess, but he had a good feeling that it was related to the mochi, which meant that it might be something he could put his blessed water into use!

To his surprise, the pale bun had made his way to the Wonderland Casino; a place he remembered acquainting himself with a few times and then never again, having to work under Angora after a devastating loss. Well, that had been quite some time ago, so he hoped that his face wasn’t remembered, and he was more curious about what the other bun was up to over his fear of becoming a servant to the gambling machines.

However, Klaude was dismayed to find that upon entering the building, he had lost sight of the pale bun. Wondering what to do next, a voice suddenly piped up beside him.

“You were at the church too, right?”

Klaude jumped and let out a surprised yelp before turning to see that it was the bun he was looking for. Truth be told, he had not expected that he was noticed, nor for this sloth-type bun to have picked it up. Perhaps this was for the best, though.

“Y-yeah. Actually, uh, I wanted to learn more about the mochi you were making, and I was wondering…if you needed some help with it?”

The pale bun’s eyes lit up, “That would be wonderful! I actually had three ingredients in mind, and it would be hard to get all of them by today, so having another bun around would be a great help. Though I take it that you’re also here to taste the final mochi?”

“Oh yeah, for sure. I know Dan’s Dango is one of the best in the Burrowgatory, so I must have that mochi for myself.”

“Hehehe, you’re right! Dan is the best. I’m Shibani by the way, what’s your name?”

“Klaude.”

“Nice to meet you, Klaude! I do have a friend here that we can go to first. Though maybe, uhm, do you happen to know the boss of this place, Angora?”

The bun visibly flinched. “Unfortunately so. I may have gotten stuck in debt here once or twice…”

Shibani nodded understandingly. “Well, at least that means you know her? I was thinking of asking her if I could borrow some of her matcha powder…maybe you can give it a try while I ask my friend?”

Klaude grimaced, finding that him being an underling once didn’t mean that he was on her good side. Wasn’t it the opposite? But the slothful bun had already bid him good luck and goodbye, walking to another part of the casino, so he was left to his own devices. He tugged on his hat, nervous and feeling a little irritated, but there was no helping it. He had to at least try that mochi after going out of his way with the head priest.

He really only had to follow the chorused yells of disappointment to find a richly clad bun in the center of it all, looking as calm and collected as ever. Praying that he wasn’t remembered, he would approach her and end up tugging on his hat again out of nervous habit. “Excuse me, Miss Angora?”

The bun would have to throw a few more meek greetings before she would finally turn to his direction, a wisp of smoke coming from her pipe lazily following her. “...ah. You escaped my debt, did you not?”

Shit, she remembered? “As far as I know, yes.”

She would show a small, small smile, but anyone with eyes could tell that it was mocking. “Then what brings you here, little bun? I thought you learned your lesson, unless…you incurred another debt?”

Thankfully not, Klaude thought, but her aura created a kind of pressure that he could not hope to compete against. “Ah, no, I’m actually here on behalf of…Shibani? If the name rings any bells?” he only realized now that he didn’t get to ask the other bun if they even knew each other personally. If the name didn’t stick, then Klaude was going to be in hotter water. There didn’t seem to be any other acceptable way to ask for a favor, after all.

“Shibani..? Ah, yes, I think I do remember that bun. So?”

The blistering noise of the casino, once music to his ears, was starting to grate at him. “It’s about Mochi Moon. He wants to help Dan create some mochi as an offering, but he was hoping if you could spare some of your matcha powder to–”

“My matcha powder?”

“–ah, yes, uh, I believe it’s because…it must be the most luxurious brand available, knowing you, Miss Angora, and he said he knew that you would probably have some. Not sure if it’s enough to share, because I’m sure it’s valuable, but maybe for him you could, uhh…”

There was no amusement in her gaze. At least, that was what Klaude assumed, but her smile only fell just a little. It was still there, perhaps because her authority was not being challenged in the slightest, but what he asked of her was a taller order than she expected.

“I suppose I am curious as to what Shibani has in mind, or the mochi maker, for that matter. But I will not part with it so easily. Its price tag will only make you faint.”

Klaude could only imagine, but he bit his tongue so as not to snark. “Then what do you propose?”

Angora smirked. “What do you suggest?”

The bun pursed his lips together. There was no way he could beat her at any of the casino games here, even with all of the luck in the world (for somehow she would always have more luck than him, he could feel it in his demonic fur). He needed to put something on the table that increased his chances, even if just a little.

“What of…a game of trivia?”

Clearly this was not the type of game that Angora had in mind, but it was a ‘game’, and the bun easily regained her composure. “Alright. Dictate your rules, little bun.”

✲

It was simply a matter of pulling up an online trivia game and beating her in a single round. It was actually a close shave since the questions ranged from anywhere to all types of vices to history to the most inane questions that seemed like a chance roulette. Nonetheless, Klaude managed to come out on top, and he hoped that his heart would stop thumping so fast that it felt like it was going to burst out of his chest.

Angora would let out a little huff, “Well, it was a nice distraction. A waiter will give you your pouch of matcha powder. Let me know when the mochi maker has finished preparing it, yes?”

“Y-yes, Miss Angora. Thank you kindly.”

“Oh, and if you want to be indebted to me again…”

“Ah, uh, I hope to be a more responsible bun..!”

She would cusp his chin and bring his face close. “Responsible in the Wonderland Casino? We can’t have that, but I admire your tenacity.” She then let him go, off to line her pockets with the carats of more unfortunate souls. Klaude frankly felt like his own soul left his body for a moment, but at least he was able to secure the powder. Supposedly.