The year was 2005, it had been three years since the Ultimate World Wide Food Eating Contest. Hugo and Margret Marlo were sweltering in the hot lounge room.
"Why today of all days?" Hugo complained. His red shirt was drenched in sweat as he lay upon a brown couch. Hugo Marlo was his full name, and he was 1.7 metres tall when he stood up and he usually had spiky hair, but the heat and his sweat had turned it into a drooping mess. His hair colour is brunette. He was also wearing tan pants. "The A.C is broken and the pool is being cleaned. Why can't we be rich like our cousin!"
There was no reply to his question, it was like he was all alone. But he wasn't alone. His sister was in the house too. She was using the bath, the only bath in the house. The door to the bathroom was thick. It would be impossible to hear her big brother complain.
"How can I ever get my goal if all that I ever feel for three months is summer heat?" Hugo Marlo continued to complain. He was too hot to even move off his seat. "That aircon is either always on the fritz or not working 100%. It's annoying!"
The house was quiet, you couldn't even hear a fly buzz. It was so quiet that Hugo could hear the mail as it falls through the mail slot.
Hugo got up and did some stretches. His sweat-covered clothes felt like they weighed a ton. But he pushed forward and endured it. He already had a change of clothes waiting for him in the bathroom, so he didn't mind bearing the weight of his own sweat for the time being.
Hugo soon reached the mail slot. There were some bills and some junk mail. But what really caught his eyes was the newspaper. He dropped all the other letters and opened the newspaper. 'My sister will collect those latter.' He thought as he rushed into his room.
As he entered his room, he felt a wonderful cool breeze. He had kept his door shut as the device that cooled his room did its work. He and his friend worked on it together. Hugo was not really a science wiz like his friend but he could really cook up a storm. In fact, the only trophies he had in his room were from cooking competitions he participated in. He never got anything less than 1st place.
He switched on the light and closed the door, he didn't want any of the coolness to escape. The outside was a scorching desert compared to his room.
He opened the newspaper, sure enough, there was an advert for an upcoming event. The Feast of Power Battle Royale. Where single contestants or a team of two (a chef and a fighter) fight other teams or single contestants using the powers they gain from food to battle each other.
Hugo was already aware of this, he was interested in the prize though. $100,000 US. Top 4 get invitations to the seekers guild. "Perfect!" Hugo exclaimed, clutching the page so tightly that it wrinkled. "Not only will this be a chance to show off my cooking skills and my sister's amazing use of abilities, but we'll also win quite a handsome sum. This will be better than the chump change I get from the local cooking contests. I don't really know how much money $100,000 US is since I use Australian dollars, but it has to be enough to fix the aircon once and for all!"
Hugo laughed. He then heard the bathroom door open. His sister opened his room and she was wearing a beautiful pink dress with a short skirt, she was interested in anime and manga, so it wasn't a surprise that characters from sailor moon adorned her shirt. There was also Japanese lettering on her shirt. Hugo didn't understand the letters himself, but Margret knew them well. Their father had tutored her in the language even though he himself wasn't Japanese, but he learnt it so Margret could too. Margret was fluent in Japanese. She was short and only ten years old. In the family photo where she and her brother stood next to each other at the end of 2004, her ear was next to her brother's chest. This was without her standing on anyone's feet or standing on her toes. Of course, she hadn't grown in the last two days.
Margret's hair was brunette, just like her brothers, it was longer too. She hadn't styled it yet as she was waiting for it to dry. "Wow, oni-san! This room is freezing! Are you sure you won't get frostbite?"
"Why are you here?" Hugo inquired in a nice tone.
"I heard you laughing about something." She replied in her sweet angelic voice. "Besides, you told me to tell you when the fuyu was free." She smiled with delight.
"I know that you are fluent in Japanese, but I sincerely request that you stop saying Japenese words. I don't know exactly what you're saying, but I can always guess from the context." Hugo replied.
"Wow, you almost sounded professional there. I do believe you'll become a great chef. By the way," She pointed at the machine that cooled Hugo's room. "When is my one getting an upgrade?"
Hugo had made two of these devices, however, he created the one in his sister's room all by himself. This won't surprise you, but the device he made by himself was of a much poorer quality than the one that was in his room.
"Well my friend isn't coming over anytime soon." Hugo stated, as he got up from his bed. "He knows about our sweltering home and will not visit us until we get that aircon repaired for good or until this dreadful summer season is over."
"Well it's only January." Margret said with a smile. "So only two months to go."
Margret looked at the newspaper and she noticed the competition written inside, the same one her brother was pursuing just a second ago. "Oh, so that is what all that training was for wasn't it, Hugo?"
"Yep, right on the money. Could you imagine how that money could change our lives?" Hugo grinned from ear to ear.
"Do you really want the money that badly? What about Mum and dad? They have to share this sweltering house with us. Besides if you need money, why not ask our cousin, he's loaded as the older kids say."
"It's bad manners to disturb 'the king.' You know that right?"
"Nevertheless, you have to head to the bathroom, that bath isn't going to get any colder."
"Wait, you seriously washed in cold water. I know it's summer, but you didn't have to do something that drastic."
"Calm down Hugo. I swear it's just like a swimming pool, just splash around for a bit to warm up."
"Fine then!" Hugo stated frustrated and started storming off. He soon returned. "I believe this is my room!"
"Oh, sorry. You mind if I burrow your mini aircon, I'll seal of the door so the cool air doesn't escape." She stated.
Hugo snapped his fingers. "Of course! Why didn't I think of that!"
"I'm guessing you're going to state something that is unrelated to my suggestion."
"Our mother is an engineering expert! She can upgrade your device!"
"True. But your forgetting something again aren't you?"
"What now?"
"The air con."
"Right, she's so busy nowadays that she never has any time to repair the air con in this wretched house. But the mini air-cons are much simpler than that, adjustments should take just a minute. When she gets home, I'll tell her your suggestion. Now off to the bathtub."
"Enjoy your cool bath."
'That's right.' Hugo thought. 'She made the bath water cold.'
"I know what you're thinking Hugo. I already replaced the water once, don't you dare drain it out and put in hot water. You know I'm very considerate for even filling the bath up after I finished!" Margaret shouted as Hugo closed the door.
'She's right.' Hugo thought. 'Looks like I'll have to grin and bear it.'
Later Margret heard her brother's scream as he entered the ice cold bath water. "Maybe I made it too cold."