4Gina and Felicia bring out the big guns. Ylgr and Helbindi try to find Gina. Nowi and the Kanas try to stay up for the countdown.
This isn't my best work, but I'm going to write it anyway to break my writer's block.
Gina winced when the door slammed open, someone tripped over a doorstopper and fell on the floor. Pots, pans and a pair of daggers bounced onto the floor with a harsh clang. Gina stood up and clenched her fists, but stopped when she heard a faint groan.
"What the- " Gina groaned as she pulled the Nohrian maid to her feet. "Felicia, are you alright!?"
"I'm fine, Summoner. What are you doing up at this hour?"
"Thinking over things. " Gina huffed to herself and lifted her head to meet a pair of ice-blue eyes. "You must have followed the smell of my morning brew." The summoner groaned and rubbed the back of her head.
"Wait, you mean the morning brew?" Felicia shuddered and stared at the summoner with a concerned look.
"Of course, I mean the morning brew!" Gina shook her head and pushed the maid towards the coffee pot with a determined look in her eyes. "Before you ask, the rumors are true. I'm going to show you how to make the morning brew and not just because this is too easy to screw up." She set down the coffee bag in front of the pot and took a deep breath "Here's what you need to do."
"Good morning, Ylgr. Good morning, Helbindi." Sharena bent down to Ylgr's eye level. "How are things?"
"I like it here. Have you seen Gina?" Ylgr asked.
"The coffee demon promised the kid an' I that we would make sparks fly," Helbindi grunted with crossed arms.
"Actually, no." Sharena shook her head. "But if nothing else, you're more likely to find her in the kitchens."
"So she's making her infamous 'mornin' brew'..." Helbindi frowned. "Are the rumors true?"
"Helbindi, why's Gina a coffee demon?" Ylgr piped up. "You make it sound like she's a bad person."
"The coffee demon ain't so bad, kid. I just call her that because she smells like it all of the time, as far back as when I was under the asshole's service."
Sharena covered Ylgr's ears and yelled, "Language!"
"I ain't the only one doin' it. 'Sides, the summoner an' the lady with the demon horse do it too." Helbindi shrugged with a chortle. "Even if she ain't as smart as the porcelain prince or any of the tacticians, she's earned that title in Muspell for a reason."
"Does this mean I can drink her morning brew?" Ylgr asked with a hopeful look.
"No." Both Helbindi and Sharena replied.
"Why not?" Ylgr pouted.
"It's a grown-up drink and it tastes really bitter," Sharena answered. Helbindi shuddered as he felt the color drain from his face. "Helbindi, are you alright?"
"None of your gods-damned business. I mean-" Helbindi shook his head and picked up the youngest Niflese princess. "I know a spot where we can burn effigies."
"Yay!" Ylgr cheered. "Wait, what are effigies?"
"Effigies are dolls of people you hate." Helbindi craned his head towards the Askran princess. "You comin'?"
"I'll pass. I'll find someone to keep me company for the countdown." Sharena shook her head. "Have fun, you two~"
"If only the Summoner's here." Kana sighed while playing with her scarf. "She and Mama are in the kitchen for a long time."
"I'm sure Felicia will be fine. "Nowi patted the half-dragon girl's head with a smile. "Besides, wanna stay up for the countdown with me?"
"Sure." Kana nodded. "How are we going to do that? All the candy from the harvest festival's gone."
"Why not check on the summoner?" Nowi offered. "Maybe she's made desserts by now."
"Let's go!" Kana cheered before pulling Nowi with her.
"So, this is how you make the morning brew." Felicia turned to the Summoner with a fearful chuckle. "It explains so much and now I'm scared for my life."
"It's not a lot of coffee in that cup, but the whole batch should be diluted enough for everyone to drink." Gina sighed and poured the coffee into a small cup, enough to fill the bottom third. "If anything happens, there's a whole pitcher of water with your name innit. Lemme know if it's too strong, alright?"
Felicia took the teacup and saucer from Gina and stared at the dark brown brew. As promised, it filled up a third of the cup. Felicia looked up to see the summoner staring intently at her. She gave a determined nod at the summoner and took a tiny sip.
Felicia shuddered as she felt a jolt run up her spine. Her eyes dilated and the world around her sharpened for a moment. Specks of ice magic danced around her twitched fingers. The world grew silent, an internal pounding beating louder and louder.
"-cia. Felicia, are you alright? Is it too strong?" Felicia locked eyes with a pair of concern-laced brown eyes.
Felicia looked around with a faint pounding in her head. She sat down on the stool with a sigh until she lifted her head to see a glass of water in front of her hands.
"This is the last of the morning brew." Gina sighed and crossed her arms. "How bad is it?"
"It's strong, but I can handle it." Felicia finally replied after taking a deep breath.
"Good. I'm glad you like the coffee." Gina opened the door to reveal a smiling Nowi and Kana. The latter ran past the summoner to hug the maid.
"Summoner!" Nowi looked around the kitchen. She looked up at Gina with a perplexed look. To her surprise, neither her or Felicia were covered in flour, sugar or purple haze. "There you are."
"Aren't you a little old for hugs?" Gina asked.
"No. No, I'm not." Nowi pulled herself into the summoner's waist and ignored the exasperated sigh.
"How did- never mind. You both have better senses than me." Gina sighed.
"Have you and Mama been in the kitchen this whole time?" Kana asked.
"We haven't made cookies yet if that's what you're asking." Felicia frowned while her daughter pouted. "Gina, how long have we been in the kitchen?"
"Morning already?" Gina groused as she took a quick glance at the window. "Thanks for helpin' me out, Felicia."
"It's no problem at all, Gina. You work hard for all of us." Felicia nodded. "Are we still making anything else?"
"For now, no. I don't want to hoard the kitchen all to myself." The summoner yawned into her fist and crossed her arm, "Let someone else bake something for a change. Go an' have fun- I'll find someone else to help me carry this to the mess hall."
"Are you sure?" Felicia asked.
"Why don't you stay up with us for the countdown?" Kana asked.
"...Sure, I can do that." The summoner shrugged.
"Is this it, Mr. Helbindi?" Ylgr asked as she dropped some sticks into a large pile.
"That's the last of 'em." Helbindi smirked and wiped his mouth. The first pile in front of him looked to be constructed to resemble Surtr... with a makeshift rocket. Another pile of sticks resembled Hel while a third looked unfamiliar, but it was clearly someone the former general hated.
"So, are we making fireworks or effigies?"
"Both. The first part is for burnin' the effigy, then when the fire runs out, it'll send this thing-" Helbindi patted the rocket twice and continued, "flyin'. Ain't sure if Askr has 'em, but I know that Muspell has 'em an' the summoner has 'em in 'er world."
"What about these?" Ylgr raised up a bunch of "sticks".
"Sparklers. I can ignite 'em for ya while we watch 'em rot an' burn." Helbindi faced the effigies with a shark-like grin and laughed maniacally while resting his hands against his sides.
Anna entered the Great Hall to find Felicia, Kana, Nowi, and Gina asleep.
Nowi and Kana lay on opposite sides of Felicia. Felicia slept with Gina's coat draped over her.
She smiled to herself and took out the snapshot tome.
