"I'm back…" (Me)
I did not bother to hide my exhaustion, or rather I had no energy to spare to do so, but the busy kitchen drowned my utterance out anyway. In fact, it is unusually busy, so much so that no staff member is spared from it.
For about an hour earlier than usual, the kitchen is already in an upheaval preparing food ingredients, and the dining area for the customers had waiters and waitresses rushing around with decorative ornaments. Cheff himself is jumping around the different sections of the Ocean Swarm directing orders with such intensity it made the heat outside look tame.
Before I could ask around for the situation and my duty, Cheff turn around to me.
"Just in time Ray! We need the meat for… What is that!?" (Cheff)
His question was so loud, the Ocean Swarm echoed his voice and got the attention of everyone. In no time at all, everybody's attention gathered on me – no, on what is on top of my head.
"I asked for meat Ray, but I didn't recall asking for one this fresh, live even." (Cheff)
Everyone is gaping at the organism lying on top of my head silently. There is a rise of imaginary pressure and truly, the escalating tension suffocates me. I am no good with crowds, but I am worse with attention drawn upon myself. The furball on top of me seems to have no such problems though as I felt it giving a yawn of ignorance.
"Sorry Cheff, things happened…" (Me)
"Get it out of the kitchen now!" (Cheff)
Looks of dismay appeared on some faces of the staff members. I guess tiny furballs do capture hearts to a certain degree, even if they aren't clean. But this is not my establishment. Ocean Swarm is Cheff's. Hence, he is the one with the word, and as staff members we have no say over certain matters. I asked quickly for confirmation.
"Out it goes?" (Me)
"Yes Ray, now! It is not allowed entry until it's clean! I don't want fucking hygiene officers coming up to my front door knocking! When you're finished get back here and help, it's a fucking emergency here!" (Cheff)
"Yes Cheff." (Me)
I placed the groceries down and headed out immediately. As the doors closed behind me, I could hear the angry yells of Cheff to prepare the meat immediately and for some staff to clean up after my tracks. There were probably sighs of relief but I did not let my thoughts dwell on them. For now, I will quickly finish up my business here so I can head back to help with Cheff's urgent situation.
Well, it is true that with my current state, hygiene practices would be breached in the Ocean Swarm. My moderately short hair is dirtied by soil and mud from the little friend on my head, and my hands browned from handling it just minutes ago. Thankfully, I had handkerchiefs with me to wrap around my hands before carrying the groceries, but this also meant unfortunately that they are soiled as well.
Behind the Ocean Swarm is a small backyard that consists of pails, buckets, hoses, a huge stone table and an array of knives. The grass on the ground has patches of being trampled as well as a few scratch marks here and there. There is even a small crater at a far end that hasn't been patched up. To a newcomer's eye, this looks like nothing but a battlefield or an arena.
In actuality, the backyard of the Ocean Swarm is a place used for dismantling giant ingredients, alive or not. At certain times of the year, there are several different seasons that restaurants, inns, eateries and the like would note of. For instance, hunting seasons, fishing seasons, and even digging seasons. It is a common sight to see adventurers or hunters drag gigantic hunts to our eatery asking for great dishes. Or there could be mercenaries or merchants bringing humongous catches from the sea from afar, specially preserved with magic just to reach the Ocean Swarm.
Why us? Why not famous restaurants where they could stand to gain a better monetary deal?
If I have to borrow Cheff's words: It's goodwill.
Asking Cheff to dismantle and then cook for them is a joy and happiness to spread about, starting from Cheff himself. It is simply because he is a previous adventurer, and simply due to his friendliness between people or on the market.
Once, a giant sea creature was brought to the Ocean Swarm by a person who named Cheff his benefactor. Apparently, this weird looking animal is considered a delicacy in other places closer to sea, and it is precisely its level of danger that brought about a high price for it. The small crater in the backyard was a result of unsealing the sea creature from ice magic, followed by Cheff and a few of his staff members wrestling it down to the ground. As for me I was entrusted with the dismantling.
As for now, the backyard is peaceful and quiet excluding the shouts of Cheff from the kitchen. I grabbed a round basin and head towards where the hose is. I begin filling the basin with water after leaving the hose in it, then proceeding to wash my hands with another hose.
I hung my waiting coat after removing it and rolled my sleeves up. Thereafter, I gently reached up and grabbed the yawning furball on my head. My young and boyish thoughts are tempting me to dump it into the basin of water, but I held myself back and slowly lowered it into the water.
The reason to my caution is because of my inability to discern the identity of the small organism. When I first met it in the dark alley, I could only discern its bleeding hind leg. Other than that, its entire body was covered with soil and hardened mud. Even its face was plastered with it so much that one of its eyes barely opened to stare at me.
Back then, I cut a small slice of meat and dangled in front of it, but it pulled back with obvious disgust. As such, I theorised it to be vegetarian and offered it a tomato instead. To my surprise however, when it happily bit into the tomato, I spotted sharp canine teeth that are characteristic only to carnivores. I have a certain level of confidence in anatomy due to the harsh lessons I received years ago, so I was sure that I was not mistaken in my observation. I was somewhat worried about it taking a wrong diet, but apparently it is fine until now. I am also thankful that there are no faeces on top of my head, but that could just be it not wanting to dirty its resting area.
After that, it climbed on my head and showed no signs of leaving, which was why I had no choice but to bring it back to the Ocean Swarm along with me.
"You're quite high-handed aren't you…" (Me)
I looked at the squirming blob of dirt I held in my hands. Its eyes looked straight back at me after I talked to it. After a while, I could not stand the mutual gaze we share any longer so I just lowered it into the basin of water.
Since its reaction showed no fear towards water, I ruled out the possibility of it being a member of the feline species. Then again, not all felines are afraid of water. After combing through its struggling body, I managed to get a feel of its rough body shape and rid of most of the hardened mud on it.
I poured away the revolting muddy water into the drainage area with one hand while holding onto the organism firmly with another. Then I managed somehow to turn the hose on again with my foot and wash both my hands and the wet ball of fur. Despite my actions of kindness, this ungrateful little animal shows no signs of calming down.
By now, I could see its appearance under the running clear water from the hose.
I rinsed the basin free of dirt, and put it back inside. Placing the hose in the basin, I let water gather inside so I could begin a second round of washing.
"Don't run, I'll be back." (Me)
I don't know if it understood my stern words, but thankfully it stayed in the basin soundlessly. Seeing that, I turn on the other hose and rinsed my hands. After they're clean, I quickly took off my clothes and roughly rinsed off any mud residue on my head. I hung my coat and my clothes somewhere dry since I still needed it for the night to come. In the midst of scrubbing my hair with some soap, I caught the little one staring at me motionlessly. Catching sight of my gaze, it turned its head to the opposite side with such speed I thought I saw its image flicker.
…I know it is just an animal, but somehow getting my bare body stared at still feels slightly uncomfortable.
Shaking off the weird feeling creeping up my back, I ruffled my hair to get off any dripping water. I grabbed the bar of soap I was using and headed back to the now filled basin. Without wasting time, I began to gently scrub the fragile looking body.
I opted against using a scrub in this case since the ones here in Ocean Swarm are not for scrubbing pets but washing ingredients. Hence, it is extremely rough and likely to tear skin. Looking at this small animal, using my own hands is certainly a better option.
However, it started to struggle again once I touched it. There are no reasonable explanations to its actions. It obediently stayed in the basin when I told it to, but it is obstinate on being washed. Yet, it is fine staying in water. There is just no conclusion I can come to and my headache simply returned.
Feeling annoyed, I put a little more force in one hand and held it down just above the surface of the water. Instantly, I felt the struggle disappear; strangely it did not feel like it was overpowered by me, but rather merely a sense of submission. Feeling strange, I just proceed to gently scrub its body thoroughly.
My hand holding it gradually relaxed. When I noticed it I also realised it wasn't struggling anymore. It is as though a certain message had been sent to it through some action of mine I had done unknowingly. My confusion only got worse.
…Well, if it is this cooperative then I shan't complain.
With that, I continued to gently scrub it and make sure its entirety is not left unattended. Bringing it to the hose, I ran the clean water over its body while being caution not to hit its face. Thereafter, I poured the soapy water away in the drainage area.
After this much cleaning, I can already guess what you are. Now I just need someone with wind magic to dry you. The towels here were used for wiping meat before so I'm sure you'd hate the smell of blood. Just bear with it for a while.
Before I knew it, the wet ball of fur has taken a comfortable position on top of my head once again. Heaving a sigh, I put on my clothes and my waiting coat, before calling for wind magic from the doorway.