Parfait/Stories
Parfait's got Alk utterly obsessed with Monster Cuisine! At Light's behest, the chef tells the story of the first monster she ever cooked, high up on a lonely mountain.
Man: AHHHHH! SOMEBODY! HELP!
Man: S-stay back! STAY BACK! Please... I don't wanna die!
Parfait: Never seen that monster before. Into the frying pan you go!
Man: Th-thank you! I don't know who you are, but you saved my life!
Alk: Eh, don't worry about it. We're just looking for new ingredients.
Parfait: Hey, Alk! This blood ain't gonna drain itself.
Man: Ingredients? Uhh... You realize those are monsters, right?
Parfait: World hopping's the best!\n I wonder what you're gonna taste like, my little noodley friend. Ooh, the anticipation!
Parfait: *siiigh* Today was a good day. Thanks for coming, guys!
Alk: Man, did you see the look that guy gave us when we were like, "we're gonna eat the monsters"? No matter what world we go to, people think we're crazy.
Light: As they should. Monster Cuisine is unnatural.
Parfait: That just means more hearts for me to win over.
Alk: The glass is always half-full for you, isn't it?
Parfait: Always. And don't forget, Alk. After dinner, we're taking those new ingredients for a test-drive!
Stella: That was delicious, as always.
Nimbus: Your cooking just keeps improving, Alk.
Alk: It's 'cause Parfait's a good teacher.
Parfait: Aww... Right back atcha. You're the best interstellar guide a girl could ask for.
Light: Those who learn more than they teach are the best teachers of all.
Light: When Parfait joined us, I feared our tables would be flooded with the meat of monsters. I am glad that has not come to pass.
Nimbus: Come to think of it, you haven't served us monster at all... Right?
Parfait: Of course not. I'm still trying to wrap my head around all these new monsters, spices, and recipes.
Parfait: I won't serve something until I know exactly how to cook it.
Nimbus: Spoken like a pro. Perfect or bust.
Parfait: There's that, but also the fact most monsters are poisonous. If they're not prepped right, consumption could kill you.
Parfait: Look, I know you guys are on the edge of your seat, but you're just gonna have to wait until Alk and I are done experimenting.
Light: I'm willing to wait forever.
Nimbus: Cooking monsters sounds like more trouble than it's worth. I don't get why you're so addicted.
Light: You prospered even as an ordinary chef. What set you on this outlandish path?
Parfait: Wait, I haven't told you yet? Okay, so all this happened pretty recently, but...
Parfait: One day, I was up in the mountains, looking for an ultra rare ingredient for this new dish I was creating.
Parfait: And I found a bunch of cool stuff, so I just kept picking and picking...
Parfait: Until, before I knew it, I was completely lost. Whoopsie, right?
Alk: That is so much more than a "whoopsie."
Parfait: Yeah! I was totally freaking out then!
Parfait: I managed to survive for a while on foraged food and emergency rations I keep with me. But it wasn't enough. I was on the brink of starvation when...
Light: So it was a matter of life or death.
Parfait: I'll never forget the taste of that monster. I didn't have any salt or seasonings, but even roasted plain, it was... *siiigh*
Nimbus: They say hunger's the best sauce.
Parfait: I mean, I'm sure that was part of it, but it definitely wasn't the whole story. In that meat, I tasted... infinity.
Parfait: It had this flavor and texture unlike anything I'd ever known. I started thinking about how I could prep it, what other ingredients it would go with, and THAT'S when I realized... My world would never be the same again.
Parfait: It was like I'd been living in the dark, and now, I saw the light for the first time. And the vision revealed to me was the future of flavor!
Parfait: So, yeah, that got my engines churning, and I somehow made it down the mountain, got into Monster Cuisine, and never looked back since.
Alk: Well, I'm glad you're alive...
Parfait: *gasp*
Parfait: INSPIRATION STRIKES AGAIN! Must've been all this reminiscing.
Parfait: So, who's ready for a reboot of Chow Down Showdown?!
Light: What? You just made a case for NOT serving us Monster Cuisine!
Parfait: Yeah, well, I changed my mind. I'm just BURNING to give everyone a taste of the future!
Parfait: Come on, Alk! To the kitchens! We're gonna whip up a culinary revolution!
Parfait joins a cooking contest, where a judge praises her tentacle-laden entry for its flavor and texture, but lambasts the chef for its presentation. This honest critique inspires Parfait to work twice as hard and make Monster Cuisine accessible to everyone.
MC: Welcome to Season 17 of Dream Cuisine—where top chefs crank up the heat to prove they're the crème de la crème!
MC: What sizzling showpieces will impress our judges? And which of these culinary virtuosos is going to take home the crown? THIS is Dream Cuisine.
Audience: WHOOOOO!
Nimbus: Man, I thought she wanted to come to Endless Blue for fishing. Who would've guess she joined a cooking contest?
Light: Parfait has no small skill with the ladle. If her ingredients were less grotesque, her victory would be assured.
Nimbus: Yeah, well, she's a Monster Chef. All we can do is kick back and enjoy the show.
Alk: She's got this. All she needs to do is get them to take one bite.
Nimbus: Don't be too sure...
Stella: I believe in you, Parfait!
MC: Next up is entry number seven, representing... Huh? What is this place? Pal... Palpebra?
MC: Oh well. Give it up for our mysterious contender, PAAARFAIT! Will her cooking live up to her mystique?
Parfait: Guess you'll have to lift those lids and find out.\n Bon appetit!
Judges: A-AAAH! MONSTEEER!
MC: Parfait?! What in the great blue sea is THAT?!
Parfait: It's food!\n Hehe. Surprise! I'm a Monster Chef!
Light: I know all too well how the judges are feeling.
MC: A Monster Chef?! Looks like magical number seven is really here to amaze. Let's hear from our judges and see if they like the monsters she pulled from her toque!
Parfait: What do you think?
Judges: UGH! This THING was wriggling in my mouth! I couldn't even bring myself to swallow! Zero points!
Judges: Is this competition a joke to you?! We asked for food, not LIVING GARBAGE. I refuse to judge this!
Parfait: Heh... Guess I saw this coming...
Judges: Parfait, you are a talented chef. This dish is perfectly cooked and seasoned.
Judges: Scent? Whets the appetite. Flavor? Hearty. Texture? Delightfully tender.
Judges: And the more I chewed, the more umami seeped into my mouth. I don't think there's anything you could've done to make this taste better.
Parfait: Wait... So—
Judges: But.
Judges: Your presentation was absolutely awful! How can you expect anyone to eat something that looks literally monstrous?
Judges: You've proven yourself to have no consideration toward your diners. That's twenty points from me.
Parfait: ...Thank you.
Judges: I want you to think long and hard about how to help people accept the unfamiliar. You've got potential, Parfait. Live up to it.
Alk: Parfait...
MC: *cough* Well, it's time we brought on our next contestant...
Alk: Parfait? We're coming in.
Alk: Hey... I'm sorry about what happened.
Parfait: *sniff* *sniffle* Waaah...
Stella: I'm happy for you.
Parfait: STELLAAAAA! I... I...
Alk: Wait. You're HAPPY?
Parfait: *sniff* Sorry. Scared you, didn't I? But these are tears of joy.
Parfait: You've always been so accepting, Alk, but the truth is, I'm used to seeing people grossed out by Monster Cuisine.
Parfait: But... But...
Parfait: I finally met someone else who gave it a chance. He actually THOUGHT about my cooking... Both the good and the ugly...
Alk: Oh... So that's what Stella meant.
Parfait: Yep... *sniffle* I know I'm not a perfect chef. I might never be. But his critique motivated me to try just that much harder.
Parfait: I BELIEVE. One day, I'm gonna find a way to make Monster Cuisine accessible to everyone!
Parfait: But I can't do this alone. Can I count on your support?
Alk: Of course! Weren't we gonna start a culinary revolution?
Light: I only ask that you don't get over-zealous...
Parfait realizes she has roped Alk into Monster Cuisine too early. To help him notice he still needs to build a foundation, she challenges him to a cooking contest. Her plan works out too well, and before she can even say anything, Alk asks to go back to the basics.
Parfait: Alk! I finally found you!
Alk: Hey. Did you need me to help you with food prep? Lemme finish this bit of cleaning first...
Parfait: Oh, go ahead! I don't wanna get in the way of your chores! But I wasn't gonna ask for help in the kitchen.
Parfait: Let's face off.
Alk: ...Against?
Parfait: Each other. In cooking. We're gonna have a whole 'nother kind of...
Parfait: CHOW DOWN SHOWDOWN!
Alk: A... show down?
Alk: Wait... ARE YOU KIDDING ME?!
Alk: I still don't get why this showdown needs to happen...
Parfait: Nope! Zzt! Shh! Swear.... Swear on your LIFE you're gonna give this your all.
Parfait: Okay?
Alk: Okay.
Parfait: All right then! For this competition, we're gonna submit one monster and one monster-FREE dish each!
Parfait: Do the judges have any concerns?
Light: None at all. Are the combatants ready?
Light: Then... you may begin!
Light: Why would you want to compete against Alk?
Parfait: Um, so... I kind of regret just throwing Alk headlong into Monster Cuisine.
Parfait: Don't get me wrong. I'm glad he likes it!
Parfait: But it's just too soon. Alk still needs to master the basics—with the USUAL ingredients. Cooking's just like everything else, right? You need to learn to walk before you can run.
Parfait: This probably wouldn't be so big of a concern if I were a better Monster Chef and teacher...
Parfait: But the truth is, I'm still learning too.
Light: Have you told Alk this?
Parfait: I haven't. I guess I'm worried that words won't be enough. He has to hear the voice of my soul.
Parfait: And the language of my soul is food.
Nimbus: *sigh* Good stuff.
Light: Is everyone done eating? Then I shall announce the winner—
Alk: You don't need to. I lost.
Stella: I liked your cooking too, Alk.
Alk: Thanks. But the winner's obvious.
Parfait: Alk? There's actually something I need to say—
Alk: Sorry, Parfait. I think I'm gonna take a break from Monster Cuisine.
Alk: Honestly speaking, I've felt for a while now that maybe... I'm not ready to be a Monster Chef.
Alk: I mean, I'd love to make some monster food every now and then! But I need to learn the basics before I dive into a specialty, you know?
Alk: Uh, what's with the atmosphere? Did I say something wrong?
Light: A dish is worth a thousand words... You were right, Parfait.
Parfait: Yeah, but...
Parfait: What the HECK, Alk? You TOTALLY stole my thunder!
Alk: Huh? Why are you angry?!
Parfait: Oh my gosh, Light! Now it just seems like I planned the whole contest to julienne Alk's self-esteem! He must think I'm the worst teacher ever!
Light: I-I am sure he understands.
Alk: I'm sure I don't.
Parfait: Oh, whatever. If you wanna go back to the basics, Alk, I'm with you every step of the way!
Parfait: We're gonna turn you into the best chef you can be ASAP!
Alk: Sounds like a plan.
Parfait: Well, guys? This calls for a celebration! I'm pulling out all the stops tonight!
Alk: Wait, TONIGHT? Do we even have enough groceries left?
Nimbus: We still have time to go shopping. I want meat. Lots of meat.
Parfait: Roger that! We'll make it a family trip.