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// Chapter VIII: Breakfast 
// Story: A Love Beyond Worlds 
// by Viatorem 
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The kitchen had fallen in almost complete silence after Arceus had finished explaining the berries and gummies to Luna, and she had indicated what ingredients she wanted in her salad, but more importantly, after Celestia had sprint through and out of the kitchen to, according to Luna: “Make sure Equestria doesn’t enter in panic and collapses… again.” A stamen Arceus might have found amusing or even hilarious if wasn’t for the fact he was responsible for the whole situation to begin. 

Now, the only sound of the kitchen was the noise of the knifes Arceus was using to cut ingredients for his and Luna's food, although slower and with less grace that before, but delivering plates as beautifully made and delicious as before.

While cutting the ingredients, Arceus head was occupied insulting himself, the insults were as simple yet classic one world profanities such as “moron”, “idiot” and “stupid”. To more complex insults like “divine idiot”, “god of the screw-ups” and “the alpha imbecile”. Even a few jabs to his past: “well done you massive idiot, literally just yesterday, after years, you finally finish fixing every mistake you made over the last 2000 years, you can finally have some peace, but no, you can wait more than one day to star screwing things up again don’t you?”.  

Finally, after finishing preparing the food, Arceus and Luna sat down to eat; Luna immediately started to eat her salad, made with Sitrus, Pecha, Oran and Cheri berries, with Gold, White and Dark gummies. Luna, after taking the firths bite of her salad, turned to see Arceus hoping to start a casual conversation, however just by looking at his face, the princess knew that Arceus wasn’t in the mood for any kind of conversation.

Arceus look with distaste at his salad, made with every type of gummy and berry, but mainly made with White gummies and Sitrus berries, he was incredibly upset with himself to even eat, not that he needed to eat, or even sleep for that matter, after all, he was a god, he just did that because he found them to be enjoyable activities. 

Arceus, wishing not to ruin the food by eating it with such a sower mood, began to simply play with it, moving the pieces of berries and goonies around the plate using his fork.

“Celestia and we might have exaggerated a bit,” Luna said, bringing back Arceus from his trance.

“Excuse me, Luna, what did you say?” Arceus asked as he turned to see Luna, the comment of the princess might have taken him away from his trance, but that didn’t mean he knew what she had just said.

“Celestia and we might have exaggerated a little,” Luna said, “the days after hearth’s warming tend to be very slow, most of our subjects spend their time in their home with their family, we even remember hearing a member of the castle personnel mentioning how: ‘time seems to not exists the week between hearth’s warming and new year’, so we imagine that it would not be much of a problem if Celestia raised the sun 30 minutes late”.

Arceus smile, “well, that seems reasonable, still, I want to apologise with Celestia for distracting her”.

“Knowing my sister, that will not be necessary, she is very ccomprehensive,” Luna answer before using her fork to ate a piece of her salad. 

Arceus return his attention to his salad, he was starting to recover his appetite, however, he decided to not eat it until after apologising with Celestia, he was about to say something else to Luna when the doors of the kitchen open, revealing Celestia, who had a bunch of papers levitating at her right.

“I think I exaggerated a little,” Celestia said while walking towards the kitchen’s table.

Hearing that Luna turn to see Arceus, “see,” was all she said before Arceus left his seat and walked towards Celestia, Luna then return to her salad, eating it with enthusiasm.

“Celestia... I will like to apologise for distracting you of your duties,” Arceus said to Celestia.

“That won't be necessary Arceus,” Celestia answer before putting the papers on the kitchen table and turning to see him, “to be perfectly honest I was equally responsible, I got easily distracted back there, and like I said before, Luna and especially me, overreacted a little.”

“Still,” Arceus said before walking around Celestia, and behind the chair next to her, moving it back so Celestia could sit on it, “I will like to help you with anything you need.”

Seen this Celestia smile, Arceus had some of the best manners she had to seen in a long time, “thank you Arceus.” She then sat on the chair, and, after she made herself comfortable Arceus move the chair close to the table.

“Arceus, you know that you are supposed to be our guest and not vice versa, right?” Celestia said, now that she was sitting in front of the chicken table.

“True, but I have never been a big enthusiast of been served, it makes me a little uncomfortable,” Arceus answered, standing behind Celestia, “now, is there anything I can help you?” Arceus asked, as he leaned over Celestia right side, where all the papers she had been caring where.

Celestia smiled, although she wasn’t sure if it was for Arceus offering to help her, or because he was so close to her, “thank you for the offer, but, most of these documents touch on delicate elements of Equestria, so I will prefer to read them myself.”

“Do thou want any help, sister?” Luna asked from the other side of the table, she was still eating her salad.

“That will be lovely from your part Luna,” Celestia answer, before half of the papers next to Celestia began to levitate towards Luna on a blue aura.

“Well, I can’t help with the papers, is there anything else I can help with?” Arceus ask while moving Celestia’s plate with her salad and putting it in from of her.

“Thank you Arceus,” Celestia said, before eating a piece of the salad using her fork, “but I don’t think you can help us with anything, maybe you can write a letter to some very specific newspapers explaining that my alarm clock didn’t work… well maybe not that excuse, those newspapers can be very picky and will probably try to track down the company or even the pony that made my clock and will star to pester him.”

“Do not thou think, thou art exaggerating a little sister? We too know that some newspapers can be very ‘picky’ as thou said, but it is the Hearth’s Warming season, we doubt they took notice in something as minimal as the sum been late for 30 minutes.” Luna said with a piece of salad still on her mouth.

“True, but better be safe than sorry, remember that picture of you and I laying on the floor, that some photographer took after I trip and landed over you, and how some papers turn It into a story of us been in a more personal relationship?” Celestia said, causing a smile to appear on her face.

Hearing that Arceus chuckle, while Luna, who was also blushing hide her face behind one of the papers she was reading, “did thou need to bring that up, sister?” Luna asked, still hiding her face.

“At least you have to admit that it was an interesting week,” Celestia answered, causing Arceus to share a little laugh.

Hearing Arceus laugh Celestia quickly turn to see him, before quickly turning back to see Luna, “see Luna, even Arceus finds it kind of funny.”

Arceus cough, trying to hold his laugher bact, to talk, “excuse me princess Luna, but you have to admit that’s at least a little bit funny, although I must say that it was a move of very bad taste from that newspaper if you ask me”.

“At least we can agree on thy last comment, indeed it was a move of very bad taste, now can we please talk about something else?” Luna answer, lowering the paper she had been using to hide her face.

“Ok sister,” Celestia answer, before signing another paper. “What do you want to talk about?”

Luna, seen an opportunity to have a little revenge on his sister answered, “maybe we can talk about that time that newspaper accused thou of been in a relationship with prince Shining Armour?” 

Luna’s little trick work immediately, this time she was the one smiling while Celestia hid her face behind a paper, she was about to say something when Arceus began to laugh again, however, when he realised that Celestia was looking at him, he quickly tried to recover his composure.

Arceus cleared his throat, “the newspapers form your world seen to very fond of gossip, luckily for me; I haven’t had to deal with that, yet” 

“I’m jealous of you,” Celestia answer, “at least one of us has to deal with that kind of articles at least one time a year.” 

“But why?” Arceus asked, “it’s painfully obvious that all those articles are full of lies, why would anyone buy them?”

“Maybe is out of boredom? Honestly, I don’t know,” Celestia answered.

“Sister and Arceus, we beg thy pardon for interrupting; however I need to inform thou that Celestia is falling behind on her duties,” Luan said, gaining the attention of Arceus and Celestia, it was only then when Celestia realised that she, indeed, was falling behind, she had only signed 5 documents, while Luan had already signed 20 of her documents.

“Your sister is right Celestia,” Arceus said before separating himself from Celestia’s chair, it was only then when he and Celestia realised that he had been leaning right next to her for most of the time, Arceus then took a piece of paper and a pen, “you better turn your attention back to your work; I’m going to start writing the letter for that newspaper”.

Arceus sat down next to Celestia and began to write the letter while eating his salad, Luna kept on working while also eating her salad, Celestia did the same, and soon she began to catch up with Luna, although the two sisters were far from finishing with the documents.

To the surprise of no one, Arceus was the first one to finish, signing the letter off with a quick move of the pen, making a line under his sign, “done.” Arceus said to no one in particular, before folding the letter and putting in an envelope and closing it, “it’s there anything else I can help with?” Arceus asked as he left the letter on the table.

Celestia stopped reading a report on regards to the taxes of in Ponyville, and turn to see Arceus, “maybe… wash the dishes?”

Arceus frowned after hearing that, not because he had a problem washing the dishes, he was planning to do that anyway, after all, even when he considered himself to be very organised, cooking always tended to make a small mess and, he had the idea of cooking on the firths placed, he had a problem with that because he wanted to help in a more meaningful way. “Isn’t there anything more important I can help with?” Arceus asked.

Celestia simply smile at Arceus, it was obvious to her that he wanted to make it up for his early screw-up, but, there wasn’t a thing he could help them with, “look Arceus,” Celestia said to the pokemon sitting next to her, “I don’t what to sound rude but, as I had said before, these are documents that require of our attention, so, unless you have a way to make us finish with them faster, there’s no way you can help us”.

Celestia was expecting for Arceus to accept defeat and go wash the dishes, instead, the alpha pokemon smile, “you know Celestia, I think I can help you with that”. Arceus said, before closing his eyes.

“Wait, what do you mean with that?” Celestia asked Arceus, intrigued by the conversation, at the same time she lowered the document she was reading and turn to see Arceus.

“Just give me a second and you will see.” Arceus answer to Celestia, before starting to shine on a white toned light. “I hope Faust doesn’t mind if I do this.” Arceus thought to himself before he stopped shining, he then open his eyes and look around him, before smiling and turning to see Celestia, “I hope this helps you,” Arceus said with a smile.

“Arceus?” Celestia said with a concern tonne, “what did you do?”

“A 'gap in time,” Arceus answer before turning back to the table and taking a blank paper and a pen, and then turning back to see Celestia, “allow me to explain, a gap in time is something that Celebi and Dialga came up with to protect the temporal tower from humans.”

Arceus then quickly draw a circle on the paper, “the basic idea is that you have this space, this area separated from time,” Arceus said while poiting the center of the circle, “this area is it is basically located between the parts of a split second, inside of this area time flows while on the outside not even a second has passed, I just put up a miniaturised version on the kitchen so you and Luna can take as much time as you want with this papers”.

Celestia and Luna turn to see each other, not sure of what to say, however, Celestia decided to take the initiative and do what one will usually do after doing something that might help you, “thank you, Arceus?”.

“It was noting, Celestia,” Arceus answer, not taking notice that the tone of the princess, was more doubtful that anything else.

“Excuse us but we have a question,” Luna said, getting the attention of Arceus.

“Yes, Luna? What is it?” Arceus asked.

“Thou said that time has stop, yet that clock behind thou its working normally,” Luna answer, pointing with her fork to a clock on the wall.

Arceus turn to see the clock, before taking it off the wall with telekinesis and turning back to see Luna. 

“That is quite simple Luna,” Arceus said before levitating the paper he had used for his explanation, “as I said before, we are in a space separated from time itself, however, that doesn’t mean that time is not flowing relatively normally inside of this space, meaning that things like clocks can work in here, although the time they mark is wrong, so at best they are useful to keep track of how long we had been here.”

Arceus then walked towards the door of the kitchen and open it, the outside of the kitchen look normal however a thin like-membrane of energy was visible at the margin of the door. “Let me show you what I mean.” 

Arceus then levitated the clock outside of the kitchen, with its face facing the kitchen allowing the princess to see that, indeed, the moment Arceus took the clock outside of the kitchen the Second-Hand stop working as well as it characteristic noise. “See?” Arceus said, proud that his little trick had work.

“Indeed,” Luna answered, before stopping to think about what this ‘gap in time’ meant, “wait, do this means that we do not need to worry about finish these papers on time in order to get to the train station?”

“Well, this is a miniaturised version of a gap in time, so it won’t last more than a few hours, but is not like I can’t put up another one, so yes.” Arceus answer.

“Huzza!” Luna said with enthusiasm, before putting the papers aside. “Thank thou Arceus, we art not found of going paperwork while eating”.

“You are welcome Luna,” Arceus answer, before taking the clock inside of the kitchen and closing the door, he then put the clock back on the wall and return to his seat.

Celestia, who had been silent during the whole exchange, took a look at the paper she had been reading before putting at her side following Luna’s example, after all now that the time wasn’t passing, she could take things a little bit easier; Celestia then turned her full attention to her salad and sunk her fork in it before taking it to her mouth, finally been able to fully enjoy the unique flavour of the dish, “I think I already said this but Arceus this is delicious”.

“Indeed”, Luna said with excitement, “thy cooking prowess is excellent Arceus, it has been long since we had tasted a dish as good as this.”

Hearing Celestia’s and Luna’s compliments towards his cooking, Arceus smile before making a small reverenced, “thank you, but its just a simple combination of the ingredients, I really didn’t do that much”.

“Oh, Arceus you don’t need to be so humble,” Celestia said before taking another piece of her salad.

“I’m not been humble Celestia,” Arceus answered, “liked I said before, it’s something really simple”.

“Yet it’s delicious,” Celestia said in response,” plus you need to remember that you combine ingredients from 2 different worlds, as simple as the combination might be, this can be considered an accomplishment”.

After hearing Celestia’s complement, Arceus began to blush, he turned his head to the left trying to hide his blush, before taking his right leg and starting to scratch the back of his head. “Thank you, Celestia”.

“You are welcome,” Celestia answered with a smile.

After a few seconds, when the light red colour disappeared from Arceus checks, he began to eat his salad; after a few minutes, Luna was the first one to finish eating her salad, she staring at her dish before turning to see Arceus, “excuse us Arceus,” Luna said turning to see Arceus. 

“Yes, Luna?” Arceus asked as he turned to see the princess.

“Do thou think thou can make more salad, please?”

Arceus was about to say yes to the princess, but Celestia entered the conversation before he was able to say anything. “Luna, remember that we are going  to Twilight’s castle today, she is probably going to give us something to eat, so it will be better if we don’t eat a lot”.

Luna look like she was about to protest, however she knew Celestia was right, it will be mean to show to Twilight's castle and not eat any of the food she has to offer, and Luna also has to admit that the food Twilight and Spike always cooked was good, “good point sister,” Luna answered, before turning to see Arceus, “we will like to retire our requests for more salad”.

Hearing that, Arceus smile at Luna’s particular way of talking, before answering, “Very well then, no more salad”.

“Although,” Celestia said entering the conversation, “snacks for the train ride will be nice, maybe some cupcakes or sandwiches”.

“Excuse us sister, there’s still some food left from Hearth’s Warming, it will be better if we finish it all first,” Luna answered, trying to get back at Celestia for denying her extra salad.

“True,” Arceus answered to Luna’s comment, “however if I remember correctly you have been eating that for 3 days, so I’m pretty sure that not only you two are tired of the flavor, but something also tells me that you two want some fresh food, instead of something that has been re-heated who knows how many times”.

Luna went silence for a few seconds after Arceus comment, before finally saying, “Thou art correct Arceus”.

Upon hearing that Arceus smile, “in that case,” he then began to levitate the recipe books he had consulted to cook the salad for Celestia and Luna, “you better start choosing what kind of sandwich you two want.”

Celestia and Luna spend around 5 minutes checking several of the sandwich ideas in the recipe books before the two finally choosing an elaborate variation of the famous daisy sandwich.

After looking at Celestia’s and Luna’s choice, Arceus began to levitate ingredients from the chicken’s cabins to star making the sandwiches, “well, while I make the sandwiches, you better get back to finish that paperwork”:

Upon hearing that, Celestia and Luna expression change to one of sadness, it was rather obvious that both Celestia and Luna had completely forgotten about the paperwork, seen the princess like that, and especially Celestia, Arceus tilted his head. “Cheer up Celestia, it’s not that much, you can take as long as you want.”

Celestia simply sighed, “I know, to be honest, I’m been kind of over melodramatic”.

“Well, stop been over melodramatic,” Arceus answered, “you don’t look as beautiful with that depressed face”.

“Eh- tank you, I will,” Celestia answered feeling a little flutter after Arceus called her beautiful, even when it was in a more casual tone, although it was obvious that Arceus was also feeling a little flutter, it was very evident that he didn’t really think what he was saying, Luna took notice of the situation, before going back to reading the paper she was levitating in from of her, Celestia follow Luna’s example while Arceus began to prepare the sandwiches.