” You have reached Lollipop Interchange, please proceed to portal 1 for the Yummy Forrest, portal 2 for Merlin’s Academy of Fine Magic or portal 3 for Lover’s Paradise. Once again thank you for choosing to board with Pancakes Express. Hope to see you again!”
I exited the train and headed for portal 1. Today is THE day, I wanted to make sure I was ready for it and a trip to Yummy Forrest was just the first step.
Yummy Forrest is my favourite go-to spot for eating, picking ingredients and just hanging out with friends. Everything in this place is so magical. The vibrancy of this place always lifts my spirits. I love this happy ambiance, it makes me want to dance. Unlike the bustling city full of people trying to haggle for the best prices, this place is so serene, just the sound of nature and the birds chirping really calms my down and makes me so happy.
Another attractive characteristic of the Yummy Forrest is that it houses a variety of food. They have Coffee trees (super fragrant),
lollipop bushes, cotton candy shrubs, cake watermelon, milk lake and many more. My ultimate favourite is the chocolate banana, especially the milk chocolate one.
The best part of all is that all the food in the forrest are FREE!! The forrest has a magical regeneration power which enable all its trees to grow new food everyday. The smell of this place is just heavenly. I don’t know how I am resisting the urge to eat everything in here. Just as I was immersed in my own world, the city bell rang. It was my cue to pick up my pace. I had other places to be today and I had to hurry. I went to a nearby tree to pick some chocolate bananas and placed them in my infinity bag ( of which contains a magical world on its own but I’ll save that story for another day ). I also grabbed some cherry cake pops along with a bottle of the purest peach honey and a part of the biscotti hut.
After about an hour, I was finally done with my fooding spree and made my way back to the portal station….
“Welcome back to Lollipop Interchange. To get home, please wait patiently for the arrival of Pancakes Express. To continue your quests, please proceed to portal 1 for the Yummy Forrest, portal 2 for Merlin’s Academy of Fine Magic or portal 3 for Lover’s Paradise.”
With a bag full of food collected from Yummy Forrest, I excitedly head towards Merlin’s Academy of Fine Magic to take part in the annual Shifu-Cookoff competition beginning in two hours’ time.
As today is the day of the Shifu-Cookoff competition, it feels especially crowded here. The queue to enter the kitchen snakes all the way from the entrance where there is a gatekeeper controlling the crowd.
Source: https://blublazerguy.com/2016/08/14/edinburgh-festivals/
As it reaches my turn, the gatekeeper stopped me. He said, “I’m sorry you’re not allowed to enter at this moment. I have just scanned your bag to find out that you do not have the required food item to enter. Please go back the Yummy Forrest to look for it.”
Gosh, it’s currently an hour and a half to the start, do I have the time?! I have to find out what the required item is and find it before I come back here to queue in time for the final call to enter. Urgh, I should have noted the quest details and done my research way earlier.
As I walk back to the portal station, I remember that within Merlin’s Academy of Fine Magic, people have the ability to x-ray whatever people have in their infinity bag when Power Eyes is activated. And so… I scan through the bags of people heading towards the competition venue. ALL OF THEM HAVE SOMETHING SIMILAR IN THEIR BAG.
Here comes the next problem to solve. The item looks rather unfamiliar. What is it? Where do I find it? Or… do I have another way of obtaining it? Hmm…
Looking around with my x-ray eyes… Ahhh!! I finally spotted the golden starfruit from a distant tree and ran towards it. Standing below the tree, I find myself marvelling at the sight of these majestic tropical golden fruit shining like stars under the dark green leaves. These fruits were not ordinary at all. They can shrink and enlarge their sizes which is one way of protecting themselves from the Moonsters.
Digging into my infinity bag, I found my trusty-dandy extendable hand net. Using the hand net, I waited for the perfect opportunity and swiftly caught one.
I better hurry back to the portal station and register for the Shifu-Cookoff. Only the best Shifu Master across all states are able to be undergraduates of the Ultimate Magic Foodie Degree which only accepts 10 enrolments each year. Only the cream of the crop, such as Ramsay Sensei and Robuchon Ultimate Shifu graduated from there.
Hugging my infinity bag and high hopes for this competition, I finally entered the kitchen in Merlin’s Academy of Fine Magic which is far north of Arlandia.
Woahhhh… The place was brimming with magical fragrance and energy from the food of previous contesters. A good thing to note, ingredients from the Yummy Forest are imperishable and would increase one’s chakra level too.
“Number 2323!!” My number was called. “Your task is to use the golden starfruit as an ingredient either as a main dish or dessert. You have 1 hour. Please begin whenever you’re ready,” the competition host said.
My first thought was to cook…
The Golden Starfruit?! Even though it has a unique power of its own no ordinary fruit can defeat, one cannot deny the pungent taste it emits. Once it enters the mouth, the taste is like the combination of a Rafflesia, Ammonia and Durian. It ruins every dish before one even begins to make it. How am I going to make a dish out of it?
I look around at the other participants, who look as confused as I am. However, in order to attain the Ultimate Magic Foodie Degree, most quickly come to their senses and begin working on whatever comes to mind. I scratch my head and thought hard. I peer into the infinity bag; none of the ingredients will be a good compliment.
Wait. The infinity bag. That’s right! THE INFINITY BAG! As its name suggests, the bag has no ending stitch and has infinite possibilities as to what it can be or hold. This means that whatever one wants to obtain, all he needs is to reach in the bag and he will be able to conjure it up. The infinity bag itself, holds greater power that will make the perfect compliment with the golden starfruit. I clasp my hands in excitement, thinking this will be an easy battle to win. The people around me must not have realize yet. They try to find suitable spices to cover up the strong taste of the starfruit.
I cut the infinity bag into slices almost like bacon strips, then chop the starfruit into cubic pieces, throw them into the fine magic pot…
“Your time is up, place your dish on the presentation table for the taste test,” the host says.
I confidently bring my dish up to the judges. The infinity bag “spice” works like a miracle. Not only does it cover the taste of the disgusting golden star fruit essence, it has a unique scrumpdilicious taste that adds a new flavor.
I realize this is no cooking competition but a test of our adaptability and reaction skills in using magic to overcome challenges. After all, this is an academy for fine magic, can’t do without a little fairy dust.
Finally! The Ultimate Food Degree is in my hands! With this, I can advance to the next level. However, now that my infinity bag is gone, it will be an arduous journey ahead…
^ complement**
I can’t wait to start the new school year at the academy. Obtaining the Ultimate Magic Foodie Degree has been my dream since young. But before I could do anything, I needed to buy new school supplies and of course obtain a new infinity bag to put all my stuff. I had so many things to buy. Top of my list will definitely be the latest workstation capsule pack, I had to stop by Marty’s Magic Capsule in town later. It will be good for practicing and prepping for class.
As excited as I was, the thought of having to get a new infinity bag kinda bugs me. Everyone in this place will be given a starter infinity bag when they are of age. For those who wish to get new infinity bags or the infinity bag expansion packs have to travel to Ice Cream Mountain to obtain them. Seeing as how the mountain is located above the first layer of clouds, usually I would use my (really expensive, one-time-use-only) teleportation map to get there since Pancakes Express does not go above the first layer of clouds. But I left it all in the bag and now with the bag destroyed, so were my maps. Guess I will have to take the long way there. Thank goodness money transaction here are not based on actual cash or anything along those lines. We have a special chip embedded into our wrist which when scanned, can link to our bank accounts directly.
So at least I have money to travel. Well, you would think I could buy a new teleportation map, but seeing as how this item is extremely precious, it is only sold on Thunder Mountain, which is on the third layer of clouds so……
After going through 4 different portals, switching across 3 Pancakes Express, boarding the Mystic Airways and spending a ton of money, I finally got to Ice Cream mountain. Got to love a long journey. It has been so long since I spent so much time and money on transportation. But the Ultimate Magic Foodie Degree is worth every trouble I am going through to obtain a new bag.
After spending yet another huge sum of money on a new bag, I was ready to head to town. I love the town. They sell so many intriguing things there and they have almost everything I would ever want/need. I carried my new bag and headed for town.
When I reached there, I could see that it was packed with people. Looks like I am not the only one who loves shopping in the town. Let the shopping begin!
Arriving at the town, I began my shopping spree with a visit to Marty’s Magic Capsule. As I entered the shop, I saw many varieties of the workstation capsule pack. The latest generation of workstation capsule pack alone already consisted of several models with a different price range. That made it a little difficult for me to make a decision on one.
The amount of money I had was enough to purchase the most expensive model actually. After considering the fact that I would eventually need to upgrade my workstation capsule pack after I gained more experience in the field of magic and weighing the pros and cons of each latest models, I decided to go for the most expensive model.
As I touched the “click to purchase” option on the price board, it told me that I was ineligible to purchase it. After reading through the fine print, I realized that I could only purchase the entry-level pack as a beginner.
Oh, how discriminating it was to beginners.
Anyway, I continued my shopping across the town upon the purchase of my workstation capsule pack and putting it into my new infinity bag.
As I hardly came to town due to the long journey it took to get here, I should make the best out of this trip and stocked up whatever I need before I had to come here again the next time.
Walking all around the town and getting whatever I need to get on my to-buy list into my inifinity bag, I came across this obscure newly added store to the town right before I was about to leave.
“Gona’s Crawlies Café,” I read the signboard.
Being the adventurer I was, I headed into the store to see what it had to offer me…
I headed into Gona’s Crawlies Cafe, I was greeted by a giant tarantula located near its entrance.
“Well, hello there…” the giant tarantula greeted me. “I’m Gona and welcome to my pet cafe.”
Gona jumped off the ceiling and transformed herself into her human form. She led me through her shop introducing each pet of crawlies and gave me a cup of her famous butterfly honey tea. The vibe she gave of was similar to my mother, warm and comforting. I’m sure to come here again.
Before leaving the store, small shuffling was heard. A tiny creature stopped between my feet, using two of its leg to stop me. Its four big eyes stared up at me, seeming to convey some sort of message.
“Oh dear. It seems one of my pets had set its sights on you to be their familiar.” Gona said cheerfully.
“Me? A familiar?” I asked. I was surprised that I was chosen as one. It was rare for people like me from Fondue Mountain to have one. Familiars are able to assist and gather the finest ingredients from any forests.
With a new infinity bad and Atticus (my familiar), I headed back towards Merlin’s Academy of Fine Magic to start a new day of school.
*infinity bag*
The first class was a lesson about casting spells. We were given a handbook of over 10,000 spells, each one with a different name and unique power. The first step to mastering all art of magic for junior apprentices would begin with memorizing these spells. I placed down my infinity bag and opened up my workstation capsule, ready to take in all the knowledge encapsulated in this book of wonder.
Kalizum-baberdef-hjtruffyt gehajk
Filishker-dishnenjopwer
Portra-nhujgry
These were the spells that were hardest to remember. Their power ups were extraordinary tasks that would require years of experience and they could come with great amount of danger. Filishker-dishnenjopwer, for example, was a spell that could only be cast by Master Apprentices (those who obtained the Ultimate Grandeur Food Degree). Those who use this spell would be able to increase their power by combining souls with their familiar (if they had some sort of advanced power capability)
I looked at Atticus who was not even half of my body size. With its small body build, it was almost impossible to imagine it battling against fellow apprentices. What’s more, crawlies were said to not have any abilities; they only guard and protect their owners. I sighed as I looked at other classmates who had pet familiars that looked far cooler and menacing. Some of them were even up to 30 feet tall.
Embarrassed, I quickly shoved Atticus into the infinity bag, hoping my classmates would not question whether I had found a pet familiar. Atticus retreated back into his body a little, his large eyes reduced to beaded-like eyes, as if expressing sadness at my decision. I couldn’t help it. I carried on with my memorization of spells, pretending as if nothing had happened.
Then to my amazement, Atticus started skittering within the infinity bag. It started pulling something from the gland of its leg, then ran around, creating a geometric silk like cobweb. Even though it was not a spider, it did the most intricate and beautiful cobweb within seconds. I was shocked. Then as if it was by luck, the pages of my spell book turned to this page about crawlies, of which one section covered spells for breeds like Atticus. It talked about a very special power arising from the things they make; cobwebs spun would create invisible dimensions that only the owner of pet familiar would be able to see.
I looked at the rarity specie level. 5 stars. Only 3% of the people in Merlin Academy have encountered them before. I could not believe it. Atticus had such power within despite its appearance, I was wrong about it the whole time!
I realised that the most powerful magic in Merlin’s Academy was not derived from the type of spell used but from the believe in the magic of impossibility.
The second class was a class on dessert making. Cakes, tarts, waffles, puffs, they teach it all. Dessert making is also a specialty in this academy, students who graduate from this place creates the finest dessert in the entire land. Its also part of the reason why I chose to enroll in this school. Back at home, I loved making desserts for everyone. The best part is, I can get fresh ingredients for FREE! At the Yummy Forrest that is.
During class, as practice, the professor gave each of us a recipe invented by a successful senior for us to practice and to test our skills on dessert making. By the end of the class, we had a whole table of delicious desserts of various kinds. They all looked and smelled so good. Best part of all, we get to taste whatever we made so lucky me! There were so many and I just wanted to eat them all.
The third and last class of the day was the art of cooking and magic. This is also a highly anticipated class where students were thought how to combine magic into their food. In class, the professor gave each of us a special cookbook which consists of all the recipes for the magic food. Some examples were invisibility lasagna, mood corn soup, flying pie. Magic food are food which grant the consumer temporary special powers. All these recipes sounded very fun to eat and make, but rare and special ingredients were needed to make each specific food. For example, invisibility lasagna required a special kind of invisible grass and mood corn soup required the sunlight captured from the reflection of a mood necklace, both of which are slightly harder to obtain on our own. Luckily in school, these ingredients were provided so we didn’t need to source them ourselves.
I aspire to be able to open my own Cafe one day, serving all kinds of desserts and magic food.
But for now, I am just glad that I manage to enrol in this academy to study what I want. School on the first day is super fun. I learnt so many new recipes and even discovered new things about my new familiar. I can wait to explore more of what Atticus and I can create together and also try out more recipes. If there is only 2 things I love the most in this world, they are food and magic. I can foresee that my stay here in the next 6 years will be very enriching and fun.