Contest Entree: Tygerlander. Valentine/White Day

Pandora walked into a shop in the world of the living. Sure, she could also have gone shopping in the soul society, but there they didn’t have all the stuff they had here. And even if she found all the ingredients there, it would be very difficult to make the stuff in the right way. So why do it that way, while she could simply by the product here, melt it and reuse it back home? And the stuff she was after; chocolate!

but just as she reached it, another woman also reached for it. the blue haired soul reaper looked at this other young woman who had brown hair and light brown eyes and, for some reason, Pandora had the feeling she had seen this woman before. the woman smiled, ‘miss Takano, nice to see you. here to buy chocolate too?’ Pandora nodded, ‘yes,… but who are you? I have the feeling we have met.’ The woman nodded, ‘yes, though unofficially. I’m sure you’ve seen me once or twice as you tried to kill my husband after he pranked you.’

Pandora knew only one man pranked her, that stupid walking rainbow! And he was married,… so this had to be, ‘Laura Akuma, right?’ Pandora asked. Laura nodded, ‘indeed. Buying chocolate for that boyfriend of yours?’ Pandora nodded, ‘yes, I am. You buying chocolate for that rainbow of yours?’ Laura giggled in response, ‘I am. With valentine’s day coming up, I want to make Atlas something special. Do you know what you’re going to make for Hatachi?’

Pandora shrugged, ‘sort of. I’m going to bake some cookies,… or at least try. I’ll melt the chocolate and dip half of the cookies in the molten chocolate. I hope he’ll like it.’ Laura nodded, ‘I’m sure he will. It’s the feeling that counts. And speaking of valentine’s day and chocolate, I remember what I once dreamed of doing when I was a teenager.’ Pandora wondered what it was and Laura leaned in closer, ‘go naked and cover myself in chocolate and have my boyfriend eat me clean.’

Pandora blushed at the thought, as she had imagined how it would be if she did that and Ranmaru would eat her clean! Laura chuckled, ‘of course I never did that. it remained a silly little dream. But it might be fun to try, don’t you think so?’ Pandora looked away and started to grab some boxes of chocolate, ‘I suppose.’ Her face was still red. Laura smiled kindly, but Pandora was thinking; she might just be as tricky as her husband,… though less annoying.

as the two women went back to the soul society, they went back to their barracks. As Valentine’s day was in a few days, Pandora still had some time to try and bake some eatable cookies. Baking cookies was a bit more difficult than she thought. She had to get the recipe right, she had to keep paying attention to what she was doing and she had to try and keep things clean.

on her first try she made a mess and flower go into her hair and the batter fell on the ground. Just as she dusted herself of, Ranmaru stepped in, surprised to find her covered in flower, shocked at his surprised visit, she tossed the cookie batter into his face. During the second try, she managed to keep things clean and got to form her cookies and she got them into the oven. But then she was called by Katrina, who wanted to talk about what they were giving their boyfriends for valentine’s day. And the talk went on, also discussing the music of prince of darkness. Pandora eventually had to hang up, as she smelled something burning; her cookies. On her third try she managed to get the cookies out right. She than started warming up the chocolate, careful not to burn it.

but as it came closer to resembling chocolate milk, she wanted to make it creamier and richer in taste; taking a cube of butter to do so. But as she held it, a knock on the door shocked her out of her concentration, making her drop the butter in the chocolate, splattering it over her. Ranmaru opened the door, once again surprised to find his girlfriend in the state she was. Pandora reacted by throwing the empty chocolate bowl in his face out of shock.

the next day, after work, she finally succeeded in making some cookies. She dipped them into the chocolate, which hadn’t been disrupted. She let both the cookies and the chocolate rest, finally having something to give to Ranmaru, tomorrow. But as it was time to head out to the squad 9 barracks and give Ranmaru his chocolate cookies, Pandora saw an image she feared; Yachiru walking out of the kitchen, happily munching on something. Pandora rushed into the kitchen, to find her box, which she had filled with her cookies; empty!

she really wanted to draw her Zanpaktou and go after Yachiru,… or just find Atlas and take out her anger on him! she sighed and sat down. With all the effort she had put into making those cookies yesterday and having used up almost all her ingredients, she couldn’t make something new now! Someone cleared his throat at the door and she knew it before she saw him. hearing him made her reach for her Zanpaktou. The sad part; she had left it in her room.

Atlas shook his head, ‘so violent a reaction. I came here to warn you; Yachiru’s going by all the barracks to get her mouth on any and all the chocolate that she can. But it seems, I’m to late.’ Pandora stood up with a scowl, ‘well isn’t that obvious you stupid rainbow! Are you here to gloat over the fact I have no gift anymore?!’ Atlas shook his head, ‘tsk, tsk, tsk. Here I come to warn you and I get attitude. But, according to Laura, you really wanted to make Ranmaru something. So, how about we bury the hatched just this once, so I can help you.’

Pandora frowned, she didn’t trust him, ‘why would you help me? what’s in it for you?’ Atlas shrugged, ‘well it’s the day of love, ain’t it? all gals give their man something, if they have one. And I don’t mean a piece of cookie batter or a chocolate bowl to the face.’ Pandora nearly jumped out of her skin, ‘YOU WERE WATCHING ME?!’ Atlas smiled, ‘I simply saw how passionate you were about making something for him, not wanting him to intrude before you were finished. So, to help the two of you get closer; I’ve decided to help you, just this once.’

Atlas stepped up to her, holding out his hand, ‘truce?’ Pandora sighed and shook his hand, ‘truce.’ Atlas nodded and put on an apron and a hair net. Pandora, already finding his multi-colored outfit weird, found it only became weirder. Even so, she too put on an apron and a hair net. The two of them gathered the ingredients and started working on new cookies. After making the batter, Atlas formed it into cookies. And as they baked in the oven, the two of them heated the chocolate Pandora had left.

as the cookies were finished, they quickly dipped them into the chocolate and Pandora let her Shikai hover above them to cool them down quickly. But as they had cooled down, she noticed the forms these cookies had and she wondered why. Atlas smiled, picked them up and looked at the clock, ‘oh, it’s almost time to go.’ Pandora looked at the clock and back at him, ‘go where?’ Atlas nodded outside, ‘Laura’s gone to get Ranmaru, so you two can have some alone time as you, “hand” these chocolate cookies to him.’

she nodded and Atlas stepped up to her with the cookies, which looked like rings with hearts on them. Atlas quickly put them on her fingers and attached two smaller ones to both her ears. Pandora tried to stop him, but keeping up with his speed was difficult. Finally, as he finished placing a cookie necklace around her neck, he picked her up and flash stepped to a hill, dropping her off, saluting her, before vanishing. Just as Pandora wanted to take of the cookie rings and ear rings, Ranmaru arrived atop the hill. Pandora smiled on the outside but knew; Atlas had planned all of this!

Ranmaru smiled as he stepped up to her, ‘hey Pandora. The rainbow’s wife told me you’d be up here, wanting to give me something.’ Pandora nodded, ‘yes, I do. but first; sorry for throwing something at you, twice.’ Ranmaru scratched behind his head, ‘no problem. It’s still better than how things were before we,… you know,… became a couple.’ Pandora nodded and held out her hand. Ranmaru now had a better look and saw that the rings, the necklace and the ear rings were all cookies, covered in chocolate. Pandora smiled, ‘happy valentine’s day Ranmaru.’ Ranmaru smiled, ‘he was certainly happy with this.

he took her hand, bowed his head and kissed her hand, eating the first cookie of her hand. After he placed a second kiss, he nibbled away at the second rings. After he finished the rings on her right hand, he kissed Pandora’s left hand and started eating the cookies on that hand. Pandora blushed, as this brought back the image she had gotten when Laura had told her about her teenage dream. She was still wearing clothes, but her boyfriend was eating chocolate cookies of her body.

after Ranmaru finished with her left hand, he stepped closer with a smile, thinking this was all Pandora’s plan, what she wanted. It was certainly something he enjoyed. He started nibbling by her neck, bit by bit eating the cookie necklace, before munching down on the cookies decorating her ears. As he did this, Pandora’s face became red. Embarrassed by it, as well as enjoying it.

back down in the Seireitei, Yachiru encountered Atlas, ‘hey Rainbow, thanks for telling me where I could get some yummy cookies.’ Atlas nodded, ‘no problem lieutenant.’ He looked at the hill where those two love birds were. He hoped they were both enjoying themselves as much as he was,… at their expense.