Noodle Shop - That Pest Lune
by Axel Alloy
Lambi rolled her eyes as a big fat customer entered ‘Noodle Shop’. He was wearing a big red shirt and had big dark patches under his arms where he was sweating under the weight all those rolls of flab.
He lurched his way to the counter and perched on the nearest stool. Lambi honestly thought it was going to snap like a toothpick, but was somewhat relieved when it didn’t. Although, she had to admit, it was making some rather nasty grating sounds.
“The poor stool must be in so much pain”, she muttered under her breath before grinning wildly at the customer, “Geia sou! And what is it you would liiike!?” The brute screwed his face up over the volume of her voice and just grunted a few words. “Okay! One house special comin’ up!” She turned to wave at the cook and swiveled back to face the lump. After a while of waiting and Lambi grinning nervously over how long it was taking, the food was finally done and so she handed it over. He snatched it off her, grunted and stomped his way out the door.
“Oh my poor stool.”
Lune, who was busy watching the events unfold from in Lambi's hair, chuckled to himself as he manifested in front of her with a sly grin.
"Want me to go end him?"
Lambi screwed her nose up at Lune and stuck out her tongue.
"Don't be nasty. I can replace the stool."
"Don't you mean I'LL be replacing the stool. It's my magic that keeps this place going after all."
Rolling her eyes, Lambi turned on her heels and gave the fire genie a little defiant wiggle from her wooly tail before going to join Luigi in the kitchen.
"Oh, yes. Fine. Be like that!" Lune cupped his hands around his mouth to project his voice in a playful manner. "I think I'll go make that tub of goo my pet!"
"I CAN'T HEEEAR YOOOU!" Lambi chirped, pretending not to hear Lune's nasty, yet hilarious threats.
Luigi, the noodle chef, shook his head. He knew they were only playing, but his nervous disposition made him feel like something bad would come of every mock arguement the pair had. It never did, of course, but there was always that 1% chance that it could happen. Luigi didn't like chance. Chance was his enemy. Especially the 1% chance that Lune would get so hot-headed that he'd cause Lambi's wool to ignite with a simple click of his fingers. It hadn't happened yet, but he wasn't willing to risk it.
"Shattap you two! Can't a man work-a in peace?!" His Italian accent always grew more prominent the more stressed out he got. "Cara mia, would you kindly tell that genie to stop-a threatening our customers?!"
Lambi raised an eyebrow at Luigi's request and turned her head sharply to face Lune to see his reaction. Unfortunately, he had vanished. "Ah well," giggled Lambi, who was checking inside her bell and in her hair to make sure he'd not gone back home, "At least you'll get some peace now."
Luigi was just sorting out a Noodle pizza they had on special order. He put the pizza on the tray and then turned to face Lambi. "I doubt it. I just know he's around here somewhere up to no good."
"You worry too much."
"I worry the right amount!"
Lambi swatted a hand at him, before heading inside the main restaurant to check on her bent stool. It was not long before she was interrupted by a high-pitched, girly shriek from in the kitchen. Luigi had opened the pizza oven to find Lune inside it wearing a big grin on his face holding up a dog lead. "Would you prefer I made you my pet instead? EHEHEHE!" Luigi ran out of the kitchen in terror and hid in the toilets.
"LUNE!" Lambi strided in and stared at Lune, who was still crammed into the pizza oven. "THAT WASN'T NICE! Go and say you're sorry this minute!"
"Aw, chicky-chick. I was having fun, is all." Lune put on his puppy eyes and slowly slid out the oven.
"Hmph." The 'I'm Serious' look formed on her face to counter his puppy eyes.
"OK, OK. Fine. I'll go say sorry to the worry-wart."
With that he manifested a simple flower made from spectral flames, handed it to Lambi and floated off towards the toilets.
"About time he did something nice..." Lambi twirled the flower around in her hand and sniffed at it, just in case it smelled of anything.
In the toilets, Luigi was sobbing uncontrollably into a big pile of tissues he had in his hand. Lune, or something else always managed to reduce him to tears. It's why he was never hired by any of the high-class restaurants he so longed to cook in. He had just manged to regain his composure, wiped his eyes and nose and flushed the tissue down the toilet, when all of a sudden, Lune popped his head out of the toilet bowl.
"AY UP, MATE! I'm sorry about before!"
"ARRRRRGGGGH! THAT PEST!" Luigi raced out of the toilet and out the back entrance.
Lambi put her head in her hands.
"LUNE!!!"
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'Noodle Shop', Lambi, Lune, Mini-Lune, Lugi and this story is © Axel Alloy (Deborah Taylor) Any unauthorized use, sharing, reproduction or distribution of these materials by any means, electronic, mechanical, or otherwise is strictly prohibited. No portion of these materials may be reproduced in any manner whatsoever, without the express written consent of the publisher.
