Walking down the street, Reika couldn't help but feel a wave of disappointment wash over her. Not only had she lost her job, but she didn't even manage to learn the secret to making spirit food. *Maybe I've been in the wrong business this whole time?* She sighed, already wondering if she should just give up and try something else. Spirit food chef? Yeah, that was turning out to be a major flop.
Meanwhile, not far behind her, Zephyr Nightbane watched with an amused smile tugging at his lips. This girl is something else he thought, leaning casually against a wall in the shadows. Wherever she goes, chaos seems to follow.*
Seeing spirit food misbehave like that? A first for him, and even with more important things on his mind, he couldn't help but be entertained. Folding his arms, he watched her like someone enjoying their favorite drama series.
As night fell, the soft glow of the paper shop came into view, looking cozy and warm from the street. Pushing open the door, Reika was met with the sight of Faron lounging in his chair, sipping on some spirit tea, his eyes twinkling with warmth when he saw her.
"You're back already?" Faron grinned, giving Reika the once-over before his gaze landed on the person behind her. His brow lifted as he sized up Zephyr. "And who might this be?"
Reika awkwardly cleared her throat, knowing there was no avoiding this explanation. "Uh, this is Zephyr Nightbane. We worked together at… um… Five Flavors and Drunken Moon. He's kind of a… colleague?"
Faron's eyebrow lifted even higher. *Colleague?* He wasn't buying it. His eyes flicked between them, clearly intrigued by the unexpected new addition. Zephyr, for his part, stood there looking all cool and composed, but Faron could see something deeper—an air of refinement that didn't come from just anywhere.
"Oh, a colleague, you say?" Faron stroked his beard thoughtfully, casting Reika a look that said, *Really? You expect me to believe that?*
"Well, actually…" Reika shot a quick glance at Zephyr, who didn't seem to be in any rush to stop her, so she went for it. "It's kinda complicated… Long story short, he can't leave my side."
Faron nearly spat out his tea. "Can't leave your side? And why on earth is that?"
Reika sighed heavily, already feeling embarrassed. "It's because of his family's furnace. I, um… accidentally became its core. So yeah, I kind of have to be near him for it to work."
For a moment, Faron just sat there, blinking in disbelief. "You became the core of a furnace?!" He finally managed to get out, his voice halfway between a laugh and shock.Zephyr stepped forward with a polite nod. "It's true, sir. Our family's furnace somehow bonded with her, and now… well, I can't use it unless she's nearby."
Faron shook his head, chuckling as if he'd heard the most bizarre thing in years. "Well, I've seen a lot in my time, but never this! You, girl, really know how to find trouble, don't you?"
Reika could only shrug in defeat. "It's not like I asked for this!"
Still chuckling, Faron patted her on the shoulder. "Alright, alright. Trouble or not, you've always been good at getting into… interesting situations. Well, Zephyr, I guess you're stuck with us for a while. You might as well stay. This girl could use someone to keep her out of trouble."
Zephyr smiled faintly, offering a respectful bow. "Thank you, sir. I'll do my best."
While his expression was as polite as ever, inwardly, Zephyr was focused on something much more pressing. Staying in Springwood City wasn't just about the furnace. He had bigger fish to fry—like solving the mystery of his father's death. The Voidclaw Brotherhood and their shady dealings with Obsidian Crystals would eventually come to light, but for now, keeping Reika and Faron in the dark was essential. Especially the part about the Nightbane family's involvement.
Reika side-eyed Zephyr, getting the distinct feeling that this guy wasn't telling her everything. But whatever—she had enough on her plate as it was. Stuck with him or not, she could only hope this "rich boy" wouldn't make her life any harder.
Just as things were starting to calm down, Faron casually asked, "So, have you two eaten yet? How about trying some of Reika's *new and improved* spirit dumplings?"
Reika's eyes widened, realization dawning on her. "Oh! Right! I almost forgot—I picked up some new tricks today! Let me whip up a batch of those dumplings I've been working on!"
With that, she dashed off to the kitchen, excitedly preparing ingredients. Faron and Zephyr sat nearby, watching her as she buzzed around the kitchen like a whirlwind.
"You really don't have to worry, sir," Zephyr said after a moment, his tone unusually sincere. "I'll make sure she's okay."
Faron raised an eyebrow. "You really plan on sticking around with this girl, huh?"
Zephyr chuckled softly. "For now, it seems I don't have a choice. But honestly… she's kind of fun to be around."
Faron laughed warmly, his eyes full of fatherly affection. "She may be a handful, but her heart's in the right place. If fate has you two stuck together for now, I'm glad she's got someone like you watching her back."
As if on cue, Reika poked her head out of the kitchen, her cheeks faintly flushed. "Hey, enough of the mushy stuff. The dumplings are ready!"
She proudly placed a tray of glowing spirit dumplings on the table, each one practically pulsing with spiritual energy. Zephyr leaned in, intrigued by the scent, but just as everyone was about to dig in, the dumplings started to wiggle. Then, as if possessed, they floated off the plate and began spinning in the air!
"Not again…" Reika groaned, trying to use her spirit energy to pin them down, but the dumplings seemed to have a mind of their own, floating even higher.
Faron was laughing so hard he could barely breathe. "What did you do this time? Are they supposed to fly?!"
Zephyr, still grinning, waved his hand, sending a gentle pulse of spirit energy to guide the dumplings back onto the plate. "Your dumplings never fail to entertain," he teased, his eyes sparkling with amusement. "Maybe next time add a grounding charm?"
Reika huffed, clearly embarrassed, but seeing Zephyr's casual help made her feel a little better. "I swear, next time they won't fly or explode. Just you wait."
Before they could finally dig in, a heavy knock came from outside, followed by a rough voice yelling, "Old man! Time to pay up your protection fee! Get out here!"
Reika's brows furrowed instantly, and even Faron's usually kind face darkened. "Them again?"
"Let us handle it this time," Zephyr Nightbane said casually, standing up and heading towards the door with Reika following closely behind.
At the door stood a bald brute, sporting not one but two thick gold chains around his neck and dressed in a flashy red outfit that screamed "look at me." He swaggered into the shop with a smirk, his eyes scanning the room before he sneered, "What's this? No payment again today? You think you can just skip out on us?"
Reika's eyes lit up with a sudden idea, and she quickly plastered on her best innocent smile, hurrying over. "Now, now, no need to get upset, gentlemen! We've got something even better for you than spirit stones today. How about trying our freshly made spirit dumplings?"
The thug leader raised an eyebrow, clearly suspicious. "Spirit dumplings? You think a few dumplings are gonna get us to leave you alone?"
Reika, undeterred, held out a steaming plate of her latest creation, grinning like she'd just solved all their problems. "Oh, but these aren't just any dumplings! One bite, and you'll feel like you're floating on air!"
The brute was clearly doubtful, but the smell wafting from the dumplings was enough to make his stomach grumble. His goons exchanged glances, hunger evident in their eyes.
"Smells pretty good…" one of them muttered under his breath.
The leader's face twisted in suspicion, eyeing Reika carefully. "There's no poison in these, is there? Don't think you can pull one over on us!"
Reika raised her hands in mock surrender, her innocent smile never wavering. "Of course not! These are our shop's special paper-crafted spirit dumplings—100% natural, no side effects! Eat them, and I guarantee you'll feel stronger than ever!"
After a moment's hesitation, the brute finally grabbed a dumpling and shoved it into his mouth. Seeing this, his lackeys immediately followed suit, greedily snatching up the remaining dumplings and stuffing their faces.
For a few moments, everything seemed fine—until it wasn't.
Suddenly, the brute's face turned bright red, and his expression twisted into one of utter confusion as his body began to heat up. "W-What is happening?!" he gasped, as a surge of uncontrollable spirit energy began to swirl wildly inside him. He looked like he'd been set on fire, heat radiating off him in waves.
"Oh, gods! I'm burning up!" he yelled, jumping to his feet and stumbling towards the door, leaving a trail of scorched footprints behind him.
The other thugs weren't faring any better—one of them had started running in circles like his pants were on fire, while another was rolling on the ground, laughing uncontrollably as if he'd seen the funniest thing in his life.
Reika stood frozen in shock, staring at the chaos. What the hell is going on with these dumplings? she thought, panicking. I swear I adjusted the spirit energy this time!
Zephyr, however, stood off to the side, watching the scene unfold with a calm smile. He'd known Reika's "special" dumplings weren't your everyday spirit food, but this… this was something else entirely. Watching a gang of tough guys get taken down by dumplings was honestly hilarious.
"Looks like your dumplings come with a built-in fire effect," he teased, his voice laced with amusement.
Reika groaned, her cheeks flushing pink as she mumbled, "I had no idea they'd turn out like this…" But quickly recovering, she cleared her throat and put on her best customer service smile. "So, gentlemen, how are you feeling? A little extra spirit energy is normal, right?"
The brute, now drenched in sweat, pointed a shaky finger at her, eyes wide with rage. "What the hell did you feed me?!"
Reika clasped her hands together, blinking innocently. "Come on now, no need to be so dramatic! You ate the dumplings, so maybe we can, y'know, call it even on the protection fees for today?"
The room fell into a tense silence.
Zephyr stepped forward with his signature easygoing smile and clapped the brute on the shoulder. "Now that you've had a taste of our famous spirit dumplings, why not forget about the protection fee for today? I mean, you're full, you're energized—no need to stress over money, right?"
The brute blinked, momentarily stunned by Zephyr's sunny smile, while his lackeys all nodded in agreement behind him, eager to leave. "Yeah, boss, maybe we should just… go?"
"Fine!" the brute growled, clearly humiliated but not willing to push his luck. "We'll be back!" With that, he and his crew shuffled out of the shop, still smoldering from their fiery experience.
As soon as the door closed, Faron burst out laughing. "Hahaha! Reika, these dumplings of yours are a miracle! You've outdone yourself this time!"
Reika's face flushed, and she looked at the ground, embarrassed. "I swear I didn't mean for that to happen…"
Leaning against the wall, Zephyr shook his head, still chuckling. "You really are a genius in the spirit food world, Reika. Who knew dumplings could double as a thug repellent?"
Reika glared at him, puffing her cheeks out in frustration. "Stop laughing! I almost messed it all up, and it's your fault for smirking the whole time!"
Zephyr's grin only grew wider. "Messed up? You handled it perfectly! Besides, wasn't that whole situation kinda… fun?"
Rolling her eyes, Reika sat down with a huff, but as she glanced at Zephyr, she found herself smiling a little. Maybe bantering with him wasn't so bad after all. Even if he was a total tease, there was something about their back-and-forth that made her heart race in the strangest way.