Chapter 32: Royal Family Dinner

(Setting: Crystal Kingdom: Royal Palace- Dining Hall)

(Scene: Baku and his mother enter the large dining room)

[Butlers]: *in unison* Presenting, Madame Nicolatrice and young master, Baku Cree!

*Baku and his mother appear to the royal family whom await for dinner. They were all dressed impeccably for the meal, per the kings standards.

[Princess Savannah]: *Flirtingly* Sit next to me, Baku.

[Baku Cree]: *Cough* *Nervous* O-okay…

*The maids and servants present all of the delicious foods made for the royal family.

[Baku Cree]: *Surprised* Holy what!? There's food on top of food! Just like this morning... Geez, being a royal is really something else...

[Butler]: Ahem... Excuse me, young master Cree… Please allow me...

[Baku Cree]: Uuhhh... Wh-What are you doin'? ... Wh-wh-what the hell this!?

*The butler makes Baku's plate with less meat proportions and consisting of a lot of healthy foods like fruits and vegetables, including celery and asparagus.

[Baku Cree]: ... I-Is this some kind of joke?

[Butler]: I'm sorry my young lord, but if you wish to excel on your studying, test taking and training. It is important to balance your diet with healthy substitutes and brain foods that promote muscle growth.

[Baku Cree]: *Angrily Shouting* DOES IT LOOK LIKE I CARE!? IF I WANTED TO EAT LIKE A FREAKIN' RABBIT I'D DO IT MYSELF, YOU JERK!

[Butler]: *Bows* I apologize my young master, but it was under the order of the royal Prince Majorku.

[Prince Majorku]: *munching on celery* It's for your own good, little brother. Make sure you eat all of your greens, too. *Smiling* It'll make you big and strong just like me!

[Baku Cree]: *Thinking to himself* Yeah, because anyone can be as perfect and handsome as you…

[Princess Savannah]: You should listen to your big brother, Baku. You'll need to be at your peak physical strength if you want even a hair of a chance to defeat Prince Majorku in the Crystal Dome Games. Also, after your display at today's P.T. test, you could lay off the cheeseburgers... Just think of this as a step in the right direction!

[Baku Cree]: That was a low blow, Savannah... Besides, you weren't even participating in it! At least I tried my best! *Ugh* Geez, this is gonna suck... *Takes a bite of asparagus* ... *Sniffling* .........

[Butlers]: *in unison* Now presenting, her royal highness, Queen Anastasia Cree!

*The queen enters the dining hall and takes her seat beside the king. She looked just like the princess, but she was taller and clearly more mature. Her eyes the color of moonlight, and her skin as smooth as pearls. She was all woman with long silky jet black hair and even more well endowed than her daughter. The queen was wearing a black sundress with extra fine threads that curved all around her body, revealing only her chest and the crest of her back.

[Baku Cree]: *Thinking to himself* Holy crap, that's the queen! I haven't actually meet her up till now! She's… absolutely gorgeous... Now I see where the princess gets her looks…

[King Jeremiah Cree]: Good evening, my queen... I'm glad you could find the time to join us for dinner... I trust you've had a truly productive day?

[Queen Anastasia Cree]: *Tiredly* Yes darling, I spent most of it in the palace's library researching everything I could on Planet Eternia, its current happenings, and the journeys of the previous World Guardians in order to understand what ours will have to prepare himself with… So far, nothing out of the ordinary. But… It certainly won’t remain that way for much longer...

[King Jeremiah Cree]: We appreciate your effort, but do make sure you get plenty of rest and don't overwork yourself... Now then, let us take the time to discuss our plans for tomorrow and the weekend... Prince Majorku, please start…

[Prince Majorku]: Yes father, tomorrow the World Guardian and I will wake up early in the morning so we may begin his training... It will likely go well into the afternoon, depending on how much work we'll need to do.

[Baku Cree]: *Sigh* ... Great…

[King Jeremiah Cree]: Excellent, I'm excited to see the results of your training... Now, Princess Savannah, may you please…

[Princess Savannah]: Yes, daddy. Tomorrow morning, I'm going to watch Lady Yamabushi's kendo match. Then, I'm going to the library with Master Medellon to study for our exams, you can join us after your training if you'd like Baku!

[King Jeremiah Cree]: Don't worry, I already setup tutors to assist Baku with his studies tomorrow afternoon once his training with the prince is completed. So you need not to think about that. I hope you have a great day with your friends.

[Princess Savannah]: *Smiling* Thank you, daddy! What will you be doing tomorrow, mommy?

[Queen Anastasia Cree]: *Tiredly* The king and I will be preparing the Main City with the promotion of the Crystal Dome Games which will be celebrated in about two weeks. We'll have to start early if we want everything to be perfect, my love.

[King Jeremiah Cree]: *Sigh* Yeah, I know... But this year should be quite interesting to say the least. The stakes are pretty high and only seem to be getting higher with the more participants that are being confirmed to participate this year.

[Princess Savannah]: *Smiling* And what will you be doing tomorrow, my second mother?

[Nicolatrice Cree]: *Surprised* Oh! Umm... I suppose I'll partake in the assisting of Baku with his training and studying tomorrow.

[King Jeremiah Cree]: You don't have to stress yourself about that, Nicolatrice, my sister... If Baku wants to become stronger and smarter, he must do it himself, without the assistance of his mother holding his hand along the way.

[Queen Anastasia Cree]: *Smiling* You can come with the King and I to set up the games. I imagine it's been quite a while since you've been in the Main City, it will be refreshing to get back in touch with the common folk.

[Baku Cree]: I'll be fine, Mom. You go have a good time!

[Nicolatrice Cree]: *Giggling* Okay, Baku. I hope you have a wonderful day as well!

[Baku Cree]: Oh, I'll try to…

[King Jeremiah Cree]: Excellent, now that all of that is out of the way... Oracle Oladion, this weekend, we also will-- ......... Wh-where's the Oracle?

*The chair where the Oracle was meant to sit at is empty.

[King Jeremiah Cree]: Uhm... He was told that dinner is ready right?

[Butler]: Yes, my lord... He told me that he was on his way to the dining room now... That was thirty minutes ago…

[King Jeremiah Cree]: ............ Okay, with that, let's call it a night and go to bed before he gets here. That way we won't have to listen to him monologue about old people stuff. Goodnight everybody!

[Everybody]: *in unison* Goodnight, everybody!

*The royal family leaves the dining room and separates into their bedrooms for the night.

*Later that night.

*Fluuuussshhh.

[Baku Cree]: Ugghh... Geez I never had to brush my teeth so hard in my life... Brussel sprouts and asparagus sucks royal butt...

*Baku notices Princess Savannah silently walking through the hall.

[Baku Cree]: Hm? Is that the princess? I... have to talk to her... Um, excuse me, Princess Savannah!

[Princess Savannah]: *Smiling* Oh, good evening Baku! How are you? Did you eat well?

[Baku Cree]: Uh, I guess you could say that... But princess, I have to ask you something.

[Princess Savannah]: What is it, little brother?

[Baku Cree]: ... At the mall, when we were leaving...... Why were you letting Julio treat you the way that he was?

[Princess Savannah]: What are you talking about?

[Baku Cree]: You know what I'm talking about... Why'd you let him touch you and stroke your face like you were an object!?

[Princess Savannah]: Who the hell are you raising your voice to?

[Baku Cree]: ... Sorry... I was just trying to--

[Princess Savannah]: I don't need you to protect me. Understand? If I needed any assistance I would've had Lady Yamabushi take action faster than she did. But I didn't, do you want to know why? Because I was in control the whole time. You do not decide who I interact with and how I do it. Worry only about yourself, and don't you dare ever try to overstep your boundaries with me again. Am I clear?

[Baku Cree]: ......... Crystal.

[Princess Savannah]: Good. Enjoy the remainder of your evening.

[Baku Cree]: ...... You too…

*Baku returns to his bedroom. With a sewing kit ready, he tends to his doll’s damages. He stitches up the button eye and repatches all of the spots the cotton was exposing from. One of the ears were slightly ripped, when he resewn it, it became offset compared to the other ear.

*Baku found the spot where the sisters slipped a small silver crystal into the doll. Upon closer inspection of the crystal, it was cracked badly and its glow was faint. It must’ve broke when Julio initially stepped on it. Baku would never forgive him, after what he said about his mother and his friends.

*He slips the crystal back where he found it. Maybe he can get it fixed later. All of the damages were repaired, but compared to the way Lulu and Lucy had it, it simply isn’t the same. The only thing remotely similar to the way it was before is the dolls sewn in smile.

*Baku spends some time slightly washing the dirt off of the doll and cleaning its dress as well as brushing the feathers on its back to be a little more neat. The doll is now seemingly as good as new. Baku falls asleeps for the night with the doll on his nightstand beside his bed.