//------------------------------// // Chapter 4: Breakfast // Story: The Minstrel's Coda // by Kiniro //------------------------------// The Minstrel's Coda Chapter 4: Breakfast No matter what the case was, no matter what ailed me, or what was bothering me, there was one thing that I could always turn to. That thing was food, good delicious, and succulent food. However there was always one problem, Equestrian food wasn't always as refined as what I was used to in Midgard, but ever since Spike started preparing some of his new dishes a few weeks ago, I was finally starting to warm up to them. Breakfast of becoming his new specialty, at least for my tastes anyway. Especially since he could prepare breakfast dishes that were almost uncannily similar to some of those from Midgard, and if it wasn't the exact same, it was pretty damn close that it reminded me of it. Funny thing was, when I was a human, I was at least able to prepare some of the most basic dishes of Midgard cuisine, granted they wouldn't taste the best to just about anyone, but you could survive off it. Considering most of my childhood I was in the care of another person, and most of my teenage through young adult years, I spent it traveling Midgard or serving in the Rune Midgardian Military, or with my guild, even I figured I should know how to cook by now. Yet there are just some talents out there, in both Midgard and Equestria that are still foreign to me no matter how much I try. "Well this is the last time I try to cook ever again." I stated disappointingly. "Um... its not that bad..." Twilight tried to console me. "Really?" I asked removing my small sense of shame. "Oh..." Spike interjected. "Spike..." Twilight retorted. "It's that bad..." Spike commented. "Sigh... I'll never get cooking." I stated as I set down a burnt bowl of cold oatmeal on the counter. "I don't know how you do it, but you and cold breakfast item's just don't mix." Spike stated. "Spike!" Twilight responded quickly. "I'm just saying!" Spike defending himself. "But... but... I just put the oatmeal in the bowl and poured milk..." I stated. "And then... it went up in flames..." "Well maybe you can help Spike cook then." Twilight suggested. "Oh no. He's bad luck to breakfast foods all over." Spike retorted. "Oh he can't be that bad." Twilight commented as she looked over at me and smiled for support. "Yeah I can't have that much bad luck with everything you know." I added in and smiled back at Twilight. "Oh all right. I'm going to make some Canterlot Toast this morning. I've already got the sugar and cinnamon. Think you can pass me a few eggs from that carton there on the counter?" Spike pointed toward the counter with his claw. "Ok that I can do!" I eagerly answered as I trotted over the counter. "Ok... now... to... get this. How do I... AH! Got it." "Ok so bring it over!" Spike demanded. "Alright! I've got it!" I retorted quickly. I slowly brought my head over the counter and slowly opened my mouth to slowly and placed my teeth gently over the egg, pulling it out and over the egg carton. "Ee I ot it." I responded trying to speak mostly with my tongue trying to not place pressure with my teeth. I turned around slowly as possible to avoid putting pressure on the egg, but as I slowly turned began to turn my body, I brought my front right leg up and began to pivot and I heard a subtle crack. "Oh shit," I thought myself as I placed my leg down, only to hear multiple more fractures and egg fractured completely. I stood completely still with a face of disgust as the egg oozed into my mouth from its shell, tasting the bitter egg white and yolk. "Pfft... Now is that how you carry an egg?" Spike commented restraining himself from laughing. "Kini are you ok?" Twilight asked. "Eww..." I stated with the egg and the shell in my mouth. slowly trotted over to the sink just a few feet away, being completely careful to not taste more of the raw egg in my mouth. I carefully spit out the contents of the my mouth, feeling the egg ooze out, followed by the several bits of eggshell. "Yuck." I stated with complete disgust of what had just happened, slowly pushing the handle of the kitchen sink so that the water would run from the faucet. Quickly I dunked my head hectically under the faucet, getting my mane wet in the process. Quickly I opened my mouth filling it with water for several moments, then swirling the water around, and finally spitting out the water. "Ah... much better." I stated, feeling the water drip from my face and mane. "Ugh. You're such a mess." Twilight stated as she levitated a kitchen rag toward me and attempted to dry my face and mane off. "Better than having the taste of raw egg in my mouth." I retorted with a smile. "Who's a silly pony?" Twilight asked as she continued to wipe me down. "Applejack!" Pinkie Pie stated as she burst in from the window. "AH!" Spike, Twilight and myself screamed as we all jumped up in surprise. "Pinkie! You know we have a door!" Twilight yelled as she dropped the rag she was wiping me down with. "Oh I know, but you have to think outside the box sometimes. Unconventional entrances!" Pinkie Pie stated with immese excitement. "By the way... Kini, why are you so wet?" "Raw egg." I stated simply and then shivered. "Eww, why would you eat a raw egg?" Pinkie asked, as she pulled herself into the kitchen completely. "I..." I tried to explain but was interrupted. "He tried to bring me an egg to cook, but he broke it with his teeth." Spike explained "Oh... why didn't you just pick it up with your hoof?" Pinkie Pie questioned as she walked over to the egg carton and picked up an egg from the carton with her front left hoof. "See easy!" "Yeah... why didn't I think of that!" I responded as I walked next to her and attempted to pick another egg up with my front right hoof, but was unable to grasp the egg. "Ugh, why can't I do it?!" I said with a frustrated tone. "What's wrong? Can't you pick it up?" Pinkie asked. "I... I can't, ugh, ask me to play a guitar and I can perform miracles, but ask me to do something small and menial, and I can't. But yet I can do major things, like picking up my guitar with a single hoof, holding my strap, or even carrying thing with a single hoof at times, but when I think about it. I Feel like I can't. I was able to do these kind of things before when I was a human without a single forethought in my mind, but now I can't." I responded. "Well than don't think about it." Pinkie Pie responded. "Well then... how would I go about do...that." I interrupted myself as I noticed I had picked up the egg. "Well would you look at ... that." I stated as the egg fell from my hoof and cracked itself into many pieces on the floor. "See that's... kinda how it's done." Pinkie commented. "Great more mess for me to clean up and I haven't even started cleaning yet." Spike stated. "So... Pinkie... what was so important that you needed to bust through my kitchen window instead of going through the front door." Twilight asked. "Probably just Pinkie being Pinkie." Spike answered prematurely. "Oh it's for both of you. I was just at Applejack's and she wanted to ask you and Kini for a favor. So I'm playing messenger!" "So... what's the favor?" I asked. "Oh right!" Pinkie stated. "She wanted to ask if you two could help with a small Zap Apple Harvest, especially with the lightning clouds coming in from last night. She knows it will be later today, but the earlier you get there the better." "Oh good, maybe I can help by playing The Song of Lutie and buck some apple trees to help." I answered. "And I can help with getting some of the Apple Family organized!" Twilight responded. "I know how much that will help especially if we want to get the most out of the Zap Apple harvest." "Great! Good to know! I'm glad that Applejack and I could count on you both." Pinkie commented. "So what are you all making for breakfast?" "Well I am going to try to make some Canterlot Toast. Kiniro was going to make some... well..." Spike paused and looked over at the counter and eyed the burnt cold oatmeal. "Well yeah, and Twilight was about to make some, what is it that you're making again?" "Well I was going to make this new dish I've learned from researching called Crayapes?" Twilight stated having some trouble producing. "You mean Crepes?" I chimed in as the word sounded familiar. "Yeah. Is that how you pronounce it?" Twilight asked. "Yes, but, how do you know about that dish? It's a dish where you use egg and flour to make a miniature egg wrap filled with fruit correct?" I answered with another question. " Why yes...and I found it in a book I stumbled across. It was in a book called Recipes from the Equestrian Classical Era" Twilight answered. "That's... extremely odd. In my world this dish was recently created in the City-State of Lighthalzen, and when I say recently I mean the past few decades." I responded. "Hmm... interesting. Coincidence?" Twilight asked. "Hmm maybe..." I retorted. "You all are weird. It's just food." Spike commented. "That all sounds yummy!" Pinkie stated as she bounced once lightly in excitement. "You're more than welcome to stay for Breakfast if you want Pinkie." Twilight offered as she seemingly forgot about the oddity of the crepes. "I would, but I have to get back to help Applejack get ready. I'm just out and about getting some help for her. I've already asked Rainbow Dash and a few others and they are already heading over. Plus she prepared a big breakfast for every pony who came early!" Pinkie responded. "Could have saved me some time." Spike commented with a slight frustration. "But Spike, no offense to Applejack, but you do make the best breakfast I've ever had." I commented to Spike. "Aww...you're just saying that." Spike blushed lightly at his compliment. "Well, I'm not just saying that. I mean it, you seriously rock at making breakfast. It's so good it reminds me of the old food back home." I added. "That's good... right?" Spike questioned. "From all the food's I've tasted in my travels in Midgard, you definitely remind me of the best of it. Breakfast wise anyway." I confirmed as trotted over to him slowly. "That's very nice of you to say Kini." Twilight said with a smile. "Spike you really are the best breakfast Chef on top of being my number 1 assistant." "Guys guys please, I can only take so much compliments in a day!" Spike stated blushing lightly holding his hands and pushed back, as if to physically push back the compliments. "Oh hush now Spike, just take the compliment Spike, admit it, you're amazing. And from guy to guy, that means a lot." I stated slightly nudging him with my front right hoof. "Anyway. I'll see you two at Applejack's in a little bit right?" Pinkie asked. "Sure." Twilight responded. "I'll be there. Just gotta finish breakfast and then we'll be on our way." I answered. "Alright we'll I'll see you all soon. See you later Spike!" Pinkie stated as she bounced out the kitchen window. "Laters Pinks!" Spike responded with a wave. "You know I've known Pinkie for months now... but is she always like that?" I asked. "Always." Twilight said with a giggle as she walked over to me. "Sorry, I still haven't gotten used to her sometimes, she's so random and..." I tried to state but was interrupted. "It's best we don't ask." Twilight stated as she placed her hoof over my snout to signal me to hush, then slowly lowered her hoof. "Right... got it." I said with a nod. "So are we going to make breakfast or what?" Spike said with light excitement. "Yeah of course." I agreed. "As long as I still get to make these crepes. I really want to try them out." Twilight retorted. "Still wondering how we both know of this recipe from two different worlds." I stated. "Hmm... that's a mystery isn't it..." Twilight agreed, "But perhaps that's for another day." I stated as my stomach rumbled heavily and smiled heavily to cover my shame. "Agreed, lets focus on making some food shall we?" Twilight commented. "Yes! Lets make some food!" Spike stated as he opened into one of the cabinets under the counter. "But first! I have to get my..." Spike commented as he dug in the cabinet momentarily only to pull out what seemed to resemble a bunch of fabric rolled together in an odd shape. "My chef hat!" Spike said eagerly. "If I'm going to be a good breakfast chef! I'm going to need a good chef hat! Don't you think Twilight?" "Of course." Twilight agreed with a smile. "How... have you had that thing in there for a long time?" I asked. "Well... I've always had it, but I never used it while cooking." Spike responded. "Why not?" I questioned. "Well... because well... sometimes I like to pretend I'm a much better cook than I am, and sometimes imagine I'm one of those chefs that attend the Metallic Chef competition in Los Pegasus every year I've heard about..." Spike said shamefully. "Well I think you're amazing enough as a chef." I reassured. "You really mean it?!" Spike jumped up from his shamefulness. "Of course he does Spike. I'm sure also that maybe someday with a little practice and some confidence you could be in that competition." Twilight added in. "I'm sure you'd do great Spike. I mean think of it, the first super star chef who is a dragon! You might be the first!" I complimented. "Aww... I doubt it guys, but thanks for believing in me." Spike stated. "I just don't think I'm good enough for that kinda thing." "Don't say that about yourself Spike! Tell you what Spike, how about next time that competition is held, we'll get some tickets and go together and we can scope out the competition and see what you're up against so when you want to compete." I suggested. "You'd really do that for me?" Spike asked eagerly. "Of course Spike, if that's what you like!" Twilight said with a smile. "I know I'd love to go there... anything with food..." I said as I licked my lips from the idea. "Oh you and food..." Twilight joked. "Hey I love food!" I retorted, only to have Spike chuckle lightly. "Hey can one of you get me the eggs so I can make this Canterlot Toast?" Spike asked. "Sure! So why do you need eggs for Canterlot Toast Spike?" I questioned as I inched over to the egg carton. "Well pretty much, you whip the eggs so they get all foamy, then dunk the bread in eggs, then pull them out and cover them in sugar and cinnamon, then lightly cook them over the stove." Spike explained. "Ah I see, sounds really good actually." I commented. "It is really good, Spike's only made them a few times recently, especially since the recipe is so new, but he does an excellent job at it." Twilight stated. "Well I can't wait to taste them." I said as I reached out for the carton of eggs with my front right hoof, and picked them up lightly. "Alright I got the eggs." I stated only to have the carton fall from my hoof, land on the ground and hear multiple crack. "... Uh oh..." I quickly looked at the ground to see that all the eggs but one still stood unbroken in the carton. With the yolks and whites oozing out from the collapsed shells of the destroyed eggs. "Well... there goes that idea for breakfast." Spike said slightly frustrated. "So now what are we going to eat?" I asked. "Well we can all go to Applejack's and see if they have anything for us there." Twilight suggested. "Maybe... but didn't Pinkie say that Applejack only made enough for everypony who arrived early? Technically we wouldn't be early anymore by the time we arrive." I stated. "Good point." Twilight agreed. "So... we have one egg left." Spike commented as he looked at both of us. "Not enough to make those Crepes or Canterlot Toast." "I am so sorry Spike. I didn't mean to..." I tried to apologize but was interrupted by Spike. "Don't worry about it. So who gets the egg?" Spike asked. "Let Twi have it, she deserves it, plus I know she will want to make one of her Crepes to test out the recipe." I suggested. "Are you sure Kini?" Twilight asked. "Sure." I stated as my stomach grumbled loudly. I smiled to downplay the loud noise. "What about you Spike?" Twilight asked. "Nah you have it. I'm actually not hungry. I'm saving myself for lunch and some of that ice cream." Spike commented. "Ok Spike. And Kini, what will you eat?" Twilight asked. "I'm sure there is something else here I can have that's filling enough." I stated very sure of myself. "Well... we used all the eggs... on the floor, we are out of oatmeal... plus I've been meaning to run to the grocery store to get some more food..." Spike commented lightly. "So... we don't have anymore food except for what we had for breakfast?" I asked. "That's right, and Twi has the last egg." Spike answered. "You sure you don't want it Kini?" Twilight asked again. "I'm... sure..." I responded with my stomach grumbling. "Curse my chivalrous ways." I thought to myself. "So... what will you eat Kiniro?" Spike asked. "Yeah, what will you eat Kini?" Twilight chimed in as well. "Um..." I hesitated. I knew I had to eat if I was going to go work at Applejack's in a bit, otherwise I get extremely fatigued relatively quickly. I turned my head quickly around the kitchen to see if there was anything left at all to eat that would fill me up enough to last me till my outing with Spike for lunch. "Uh..." I commented aloud still scouring the room, until there it stood directly on the counter right in front of me, and I stared at it for a few moments. "You're not going to..." Spike trailed off. I eyed the burnt bowl of cold oatmeal, the proud breakfast dish that I had attempted to prepare various times, and only to have it succumb to the same fate every time. Denying any sense of reality of how it's come to be by my hooves. But there it stood, mocking me, tormenting me, telling me in the most subtlest ways saying, "Eat me... I'm all you have." I swallowed my pride, knowing that I may not be able to look at this destroyed dish the same way ever again. Slowly I placed my two front hooves around the bowl. "I think he is..." Twilight commented in the same fashion. I slowly picked up the bowl and brought it up to my snout and sniffed it several times. Taking in a whiff of the smell of burnt oatmeal, almost causing me to gag. "Eat me." It called out to me. "You have no choice... I'm all you have..." I closed my eyes and opened my mouth quickly and tipped the bowl's contents into my mouth. Feeling the burnt chunks rolling over my tongue and into the back of my throat. "By... Celestia..." Twilight commented in shock. Before I knew it... it was over, I had polished off the bowl's contents. I licked my lips to get what remained of the slop around my mouth, and that's where it hit me... the burnt after taste. But it was done... I had the food and nutrients I needed to start the day. "He... really... did." Spike stated also in shock from my actions. "...Ew... and I thought the raw eggs... tasted bad... I'll be waiting... in the library... for you to finish up Twi..." I stated with a sour face and slowly trotted into the next room. "I'll be... checking my mail..." Food was my comfort, it soothed me when I was in pain, it helped me through the toughest of times and my passion to eat of course. Ironically, the burnt oatmeal did just the opposite. It caused me that pain, and was the toughest thing I've had to do in my somewhat normal phase of life here in Equestria. But it did help me with one thing... it left me with the lasting impression of how horrible burnt food tastes. At least that would be on the forefront my mind for quite some time.