How the Breadmaster Came to Be

     “Who, me?” the blue Kacheek asked, embarrassed to be caught in the kitchen by Samrin. He thought that everyone was too busy to notice him. He should have known that his best friend would find him, eventually.

     “I’m not named Benny,” Samrin said dryly, “Plus, there are only the two of us here. You were supposed to help me take care of the petpets.” He frowned. “I hope that they’re all right.”

     Benny smiled sheepishly, “Oh! I’m not doing anything- I’m just... washing the dishes. You know how chores can be. Give me a minute to finish them. You can step outside- it’s stuffy in here,” he said, pushing Samrin towards the door.

     Samrin looked at him weirdly. “Then why is the sink dry? And why are there frostings and flour everywhere?” Pausing, he surveyed the rest of the room, and then landed his gaze on his blue buddy. “And why do you have an apron? I can’t believe I missed that!” He smirked. “Kiss the baker?”

     Benny sighed. “Oh all right. You would find out sooner or later anyways.”

     “Find out what?”

     Benny grabbed a plate of cookies and offered it to Samrin. “Try this.”

     Samrin took one and bit into it tentatively. After a few seconds, he remarked, “Ifs fewy good!” He took another one, chewing happily. “Whaftsitcalled?” he asked.

     “What did you say?”

     Samrin swallowed, and said, “What is it called?”

     “White chocolate cookies,” Benny replied, beaming.

     “They’re very good,” Samrin repeated. “Where did you buy them? I’m sure my little petpet friends would love them. Angie the Angelpuss would surely like these.”

     “I made them.”

     Samrin nearly choked. “What?”

     “I made-”

     “I heard you the first time,” Samrin said. “You made these?”

     Benny replied proudly, “Yes I did.”

     “But you’re... you’re... Benny,” he said incredulously.

     “I know who I am, and like you said before, you’re not named Benny.”

     Samrin sputtered, “But... but... you don’t bake!”

     “I do bake,” Benny said defensively, crossing his arms. “Nobody just knew, well, except my parents, since they’re the ones buying the ingredients.”

     “You... told them before me?” Samrin pouted. “But I thought I was your best friend?”

     “You ARE my best friend,” Benny said. “But I didn’t tell you because I knew you would act that way.”

     “How would I act?” Samrin demanded.

     “Like how you’re acting now,” Benny said, pointing it out.

     Samrin exhaled. “Okay, fine. I was very surprised, that’s all. You didn’t seem to have any interest in baking before- you hung out with me all the time at my place.”

     Benny shrugged. “I’ve always had an interest in baking. I just didn’t show it- unlike Alicia,” he said, referring to the disco Aisha who always brought cakes and cookies to school and offered them to their teachers.

     “I like your cookies more,” Samrin stated, and seeing Benny’s surprised look, explained, “I swipe them in her locker when she’s in class.” He said proudly, “I’ve been doing it for years. My little petpet friends expect them every week. She knows that someone is stealing her food, but doesn’t know who.”

     “I never knew you were a thief, Samrin,” Benny said, chuckling.

     Samrin replied, “It’s for the good of my petpet friends. Though,” he said, “I think I’d swipe yours instead, since they’re better and all. I’d bet that Alicia would be happy, now that the food won’t mysteriously disappear.”

     “I don’t mind,” Benny said, smiling. “You guys could be my tasters.”

     Samrin asked warily, “You won’t like, put any gross things there, would you? None of those cookies with special ingredients which if I found out I would be puking for a week, right?”

     “None,” Benny said. “I’d even write down the recipes.”

     “Isn’t that like a rule- that a cook never reveals the ingredients?”

     “Well,” Benny answered, “I’m a baker, and we have to list down the ingredients and recipe for the contest.”

     “Contest?” Samrin echoed.

     “Didn’t I mention that earlier?”

     Samrin glared at him. “You know very well that you didn’t.”

     Benny sighed dramatically. “Oh all right. Since you asked so nicely.” When Samrin continued shooting daggers at him, he said, “The contest is about two weeks from now. It’s pretty basic; you must have your own recipe, the ingredients are already provided, and you must be done in under two hours.”

     “So what will you bake?”

     “We all have to bake one unique cake, one chocolate cake- because everyone loves chocolates, and a batch of cookies.”

     “Well,” Samrin said, “Cross out the cookie part- you’ve already got it down pat. Although I wouldn’t mind being your test pilot,” he hinted.

     “Contestants are allowed to have an assistant,” Benny began. “What do you think if-”

     “I’d love to!” Samrin exclaimed.

     “Great! Now all I need to do is to sign up and think of what cake I’m going to bake.”

     Samrin asked incredulously, “What? So you haven’t signed up yet? But I thought you said that the contest was in two weeks.”

     “It is,” Benny confirmed, “but I didn’t want to sign up yet because, well, Alicia would find out.”

     “So what if Alicia finds out? She’s been baking for how long now. I’m sure she won’t take you seriously.”

     “Care to make a wager?” Benny challenged. “If I’m right, you’ll help me clean the kitchen. If you win, I’ll bake cookies and cakes for your petpets for one month.”

     Samrin snickered and shook Benny’s hand. “Deal.”

     ~*~

     “HOW DARE HE!” a voice sputtered. “Does he think he can- he can, beat me?”

     Samrin beamed. “Hear that? What an easy bet.”

     The voice continued, “Where is he? I want to know WHY he signed up. Doesn’t he know that I am the best there is? I won all the time. Now, where is he?”

     When they heard the sound of footsteps approaching their direction, Benny smirked. “Won’t take me seriously, huh?”

     “YOU!” Alicia shouted, pointing an accusing finger at him, “How dare you!”

     “It’s a beautiful day, isn’t it, Alicia? How dare I what?” Benny asked innocently. “What did I do? I have been nothing but kind to you all my life. In fact, I have been kind to all. I even feed little petpets and petpetpets. I-”

     Alicia cut him off. “You know very well what you did. Why did you sign up for the competition?” she demanded.

     “I don’t know, maybe it’s because I want to join the contest?”

     Alicia gasped. “You? Don’t make me laugh. You have never even baked before. What makes you think that you could possibly win?”

     “What makes you think I could win? I could be joining just for the fun of it, you know.”

     Alicia glared at him. “No one ever joins just for the fun of it.”

     The bell rang.

     Alicia trailed on, “I don’t know why you think you can beat me. I have a new recipe this year. Good luck, I know you’ll need it.” And with that, she went to her classroom.

     Samrin breathed a sigh of relief. “Phew. Now let’s get to class before Professor P gets angry.”

     Benny nodded. “Don’t forget the about the bet. She did so take me seriously.” He mimicked her tone. “Good luck, I know you’ll need it.”

     Samrin scowled. “Fine. Now let’s get going.”

     ~*~

     The following days, Benny practiced while Samrin cleaned up, complaining every time, although he did stop when Benny made him taste the different treats.

     “What do you think of this?” Benny asked, offering Samrin a slice of his fifth batch of his chocolate cake.

     Samrin took a bite and chewed. “I like this,” he said, “In fact, I think that this is the best you’ve ever made. It’s even better than the third. I think you’ve got the chocolate cake part down pat.”

     Benny beamed. “So we’ll use this recipe, and for the cookies, the white chocolate cookies. Now all we need is the unique cake.”

     Samrin made a face. “Cross off your meat cake- it tastes awful. Even Larry didn’t like it, and he eats almost everything.”

     “What do you think,” Benny began, “of a sponge cake?”

     “Yum,” Samrin said immediately.

     Benny laughed. “That’s what you say all the time.”

     “Well, it is yum,” Samrin said defensively. “It sounds yum. I hope that it tastes yum, too.”

     “Of course it will. Now, what about the shape? An ordinary circle or square is boring.”

     “Heart?”

     “Nah,” Benny said. “Too... hearty.”

     “A one-hundred sided one! With lots and lots of icing!”

     Benny stared at him, “I think you’re on a sugar high. How about a nova-shaped cake instead?”

     “You just noticed it? Sure, good idea!” Samrin said, bouncing up and down with glee.

     Benny shook his head sadly. “I don’t believe there’s hope for you after all. Come on, let’s go to the grocery. I need more ingredients.”

     “Yay!” Samrin shouted with glee. “Let’s go. Food. Food. FOOD!”

     “Remind me not to be near you when you’re having a sugar rush.”

     ~*~

     “Didn’t Benny join the contest?” a high-pitched voice asked.

     “I heard Alicia challenged him,” another answered.

     “Does he think he can win?”

     “I hope he wins,” another said. “Alicia needs to get off her high horse.”

     “What’s the prize?”

     “Oh, the usual,” a bitter-sounding voice spoke up. “Recognition.”

     “They’re talking about you,” Samrin whispered loudly.

     “I know,” Benny said. “I can hear them. Now let’s buy the things and get out of here.”

     “Okay!” Samrin said gleefully, grinning broadly and skipped all the way towards the baking section.

     “Now that’s scary,” Benny remarked.

     ~*~

     “And now,” the host announced, “It’s time for the annual Baking Competition.”

     While the host was pointing out the judges and reciting the rules and prizes, Benny exhaled nervously. “I never realized how scary it was.”

     “Yeah,” Samrin agreed. “It’s a good thing I’m not going to bake. If I were in your shoes, I’d bet that I would be pale and clammy right now. And I would be down on my knees writhing in anxiety.”

     “You’ve been reading again, haven’t you?”

     Samrin answered sheepishly, “My mom wanted me to.”

     “And now, here are the contestants!”

     The audience clapped.

     “You all know what to do, right?” the host asked. When the five contestants nodded, he said, “Then let’s begin! Your two hours start now.”

     “Let’s do it,” Benny said and prepared the ingredients.

     ~*~

     “Okay, contestants, your time is up. Please proceed to the waiting area.”

     “I did very well,” Alicia announced. “In fact, I believe this is my best year.”

     A pink Uni rolled her eyes. “Whatever, Alicia. You’ll lose one day.”

     “Yeah,” Alicia retorted, “in the Loser Contest.”

     The Uni rolled her eyes again.

     “So, fellow Neopians, it’s time to announce the winner.”

     Immediately, they fell silent.

     “Good luck,” the Uni mouthed silently to the others, ignoring Alicia.

     “The winner is none other than Alicia the Aisha.”

     The audience clapped.

     “Congratulations,” Benny said, shaking Alicia's hand.

     “Was there ever a doubt?” Alicia said smugly. “I plan to open my own bakery one day. Daddy said that the owner who was thinking of selling his shop is here.”

     “Really?” Benny asked, surprised, “I’m also thinking of having my own store someday.”

     “You?” Alicia said, snickering, “Fat chance. You-”

     “I have an announcement to make,” another voice said into the microphone, “I’m sure you all know that I am planning to sell my shop. You also know that I am only going to sell it to someone who is worthy. I have decided that Benny the Kacheek shall have it. I will be training him. I am sure that the bakery would be better than ever!”

     Alicia gaped in astonishment. “Bu-but, I was going to buy it.”

     “Wow, dude. Congratulations,” Samrin said, patting his back. The other contestants echoed his statement.

     Benny smiled.

     ~*~

     And that was how he became the breadmaster.

The End