Kivotos buzzed with life, its streets filled with students sporting unique halos—glowing rings, jagged stars, and intricate shapes hovering above their heads. Yet, among this vibrant chaos, some students stood out for their uncanny resemblance, sharing identical faces and halos as if crafted from the same mold. This is the tale of Mash Burnedead, Schale's enigmatic Sensei, and how his love for cream puffs sparked an unlikely friendship.
RUMBLE RUMBLE RUMBLE
Mash stood resolute before Cream Puff Heaven, a quaint shop tucked in a lively Kivotos alley. The pre-dawn sky cast a soft glow over the city's towering buildings and cobblestone paths, but Mash's focus was unwavering. His muscles tensed, his eyes burned with determination—he was ready for battle. Not for glory or survival, but for something far more sacred: a limited-edition jumbo cream puff.
"…Sensei, are you sure about this?" Arona's voice crackled through his device, her holographic face etched with worry.
"Sorry, Arona-chan, but I can't back down," Mash replied, his tone steely.
"But this is wrong!" Arona protested, her tiny fists waving in the air.
"Even if it's wrong, this is my fight," Mash said, his gaze unyielding.
"But—!"
"It's for the limited-edition cream puff!" Arona blurted, exasperated. "Camping out all night in front of the shop is insane!"
Mash's battle wasn't against delinquents or corporations—it was for the rare, oversized cream puffs produced in limited quantities each day. He'd missed out five times before, and today, he was determined to claim victory.
"Limited quantity… jumbo-sized cream puffs. I've failed five times. Today, I'm getting one," Mash declared, his eyes blazing like a warrior facing a dragon.
"Your eyes are scarier than when you fought for Abydos!" Arona exclaimed, her hologram recoiling.
"…It's almost time," Mash muttered, glancing at his watch. 5:00 AM—the shop's opening hour.
The robotic shopkeeper, its metal frame gleaming under the shop's neon sign, appeared behind the counter. "Alright, time to get to work—'Limited cream puff, please!' Whoa! Who're you!?" it yelped, spotting Mash's imposing figure.
"Limited cream puff… please," Mash repeated, his intense stare practically glowing.
(Those eyes are terrifying!) the shopkeeper thought, its sensors flashing. "Okay, okay, I get it! I was just about to make one. Wait there!"
"Lucky?" Mash asked, tilting his head.
"We're down to the last bit of ingredients. Only one left to make," the shopkeeper explained, already mixing batter in the back.
"Really lucky. Staying up all night was worth it," Mash said, a rare hint of relief softening his features.
"…Wait, that munching I heard outside—was that you? You've been here since last night?" the shopkeeper asked, its voice tinged with disbelief.
"Since 7:00 PM," Mash replied, unfazed.
"That's creepy! What's with that obsession!?" the shopkeeper laughed, though its sensors flickered nervously. "But I can't keep a guy who waited that long hanging. Hold on, I'll whip it up quick."
"Thank you," Mash said, his voice calm but resolute.
(He's… radiating some kind of aura now,) the shopkeeper thought, unnerved by Mash's presence.
While waiting, Mash decided to make use of the time. "Might as well do some training," he said, dropping into a squat. His legs moved with such speed that they blurred, creating a faint whoosh in the quiet morning air.
Minutes later, the shopkeeper returned with a massive cream puff, its golden crust glistening. "Here you go! Your—WHOA!?" it gasped, seeing Mash mid-squat, legs a blur of motion.
"Done already?" Mash asked, pausing effortlessly.
"What are you doing!?" the shopkeeper shouted.
"Squats," Mash said flatly, as if it were the most natural thing in the world.
"I can see that! Why are you squatting while waiting!? And so fast!?" the shopkeeper exclaimed, its sensors spinning.
"It's big. Perfect," Mash said, eyeing the cream puff with reverence.
"Listen to me!" the shopkeeper groaned. "Whatever, as long as you're happy."
Mash paid and left the shop, his steps light with triumph. He tucked the cream puff safely in his jacket, muttering, "Gonna eat this at Schale. If Yuuka finds out, she'll steal it and savor it slowly."
Suddenly, a shout cut through the morning calm. "Hey, you! Stop right there!"
"Or we'll shoot!" another voice added.
Mash turned. "…Delinquents," he observed, his eyes narrowing.
Three delinquent girls blocked his path: a blonde with a machine gun, a ponytail-wearing girl with an SMG, and a third with a sniper rifle, her jacket emblazoned with "羅布羅布鬼憂云" (Robu Robu Oni Yuun). Behind them stood four more girls, not delinquents, but visibly tense.
"W-We're really fighting!?" one stammered, clutching her weapon.
"Maybe we should talk it out!" another suggested, her voice shaky.
"Talking won't get us anywhere! Sure, it's scary, but we gotta do it!" the blonde delinquent snapped.
"Let's show 'em our strength and take it!" the ponytail girl declared.
"Hasumi-senpai's gonna kill us if she finds out…" a timid girl whimpered.
"B-But I really want that cream puff…" another mumbled, her eyes fixed on Mash's jacket.
"That outfit… Arona-chan?" Mash asked, glancing at his device.
"Those are Gehenna and Trinity uniforms!" Arona replied. "But they're a bit different."
"Different?" Mash asked.
"Yeah! There are students from Gehenna's Pandemonium Society and Trinity's Justice Task Force!" Arona explained.
"Two from Gehenna, two from Trinity, and three delinquents… What's going on?" Mash wondered aloud.
The group consisted of seven girls: a short-haired Gehenna student with an SMG, a Pandemonium Society member with a sniper rifle, a Trinity student with an SMG, and a small Justice Task Force member with an SMG, her eyes hidden. All seven aimed their weapons at Mash, though the Trinity and Justice Task Force girls looked more nervous than eager.
"Uh… you want money?" Mash asked.
"Nope!" the blonde delinquent replied.
"My life, then?" Mash asked, unfazed.
"Nope!" she said again.
"Then what?" Mash asked, his tone steady.
"Obviously, that limited cream puff you've got!" the ponytail girl shouted.
"You're after this too?" Mash said, his hand tightening around his jacket.
The cream puff robbers closed in, guns ready. "We line up for it almost every day, but there's only a few each time! Someone always buys them first," the blonde explained.
"So we're taking yours and sharing it," the ponytail girl added.
"Sorry, Sensei! We want it too. Hand it over!" the sniper delinquent said.
"We'll forgive you for messing with Pandemonium Society!" the Pandemonium girl declared.
"U-Um, please share it!" the Trinity girl pleaded.
"Sorry about this!" the Justice Task Force girl mumbled.
"…Alright," Mash said, his voice low.
He pulled out the cream puff, its golden crust gleaming in the morning light. "Whoa, it's huge!" the blonde gasped.
"No bag? Just… straight out of your jacket?" the ponytail girl blinked.
"That's weird, right? I'm not the only one thinking that, right!?" the sniper said.
"It shines like a treasure pagoda, worthy of us!" the Pandemonium girl proclaimed.
"Leader, let's grab it!" the blonde urged.
"Yeah!" the ponytail girl agreed.
"Only us Trinity girls are sane here," the Trinity girl sighed.
"If you want it that bad…" Mash said, tossing the cream puff high into the air. "Here you go."
"What!?" the robbers gasped.
"I gave it to you," Mash said calmly.
"Idiot! What're you doing!?" the blonde shouted.
"Someone grab it!" the sniper yelled.
"Wait, where'd he go?" the ponytail girl asked.
"Huh?" the group froze.
Mash had vanished.
"Triceps Magic," Mash whispered, reappearing behind them.
WHACK! WHACK! WHACK!
"Knockdown Chop!" Mash declared, delivering precise hand chops to their necks.
THUD! The robbers collapsed in a heap.
Mash gently caught the falling cream puff. "Sorry, I really want to eat this too."
With the robbers defeated, Mash secured the cream puff. "…Whoops, hit them a bit hard. Gotta carry them," he muttered, hoisting the seven girls over his shoulders and heading to Schale.
As he walked, Mash glanced at the cream puff, wondering if sharing it might turn this chaotic encounter into the start of something new—a bond forged over the love of sweets.