All rights go to Yūto Tsukada, Shun Saeki, Yuki Morisaki, and Elex.

For the biography of the OC Food Soul introduced in this chapter, check my user profile.

Prologue

Dis. Gus. Sting.

The redhead chuckled darkly at the revolting taste of the latest creation made by his newest companion.

"I know, it's horrible," the chipper voice of said companion laughed. "Nothing hurts just trying random stuff in bread."

"You are learning faster than even I could have guessed." A black loaf of bread with pieces of olives and sardines revealed from where the bread was cut laid discarded on the plastic wrap. "The bread is fluffy, but the sardines soaked in honey throws it into a bitter flavor, and not a savory bitterness."

"You just wait, I can probably make olive cookies next time." The youthful Food Soul pointed to herself proudly. "You'll be the first on the list to try it out, Attendant Sōma."

"I'm actually going to look forward to that."

Cookie was her name. A Food Soul that came into the life of a boy named Sōma Yukihira when he summoned her. How the boy who worked at a family diner in a lively town could get access to summoning crystals was, as Cookie would put it, the moment of truth, if he was powerful enough to summon a companion. That was almost a month ago.

An elderly stranger had come into the restaurant after the boy's father, the owner of the diner, had closed early for the day. Sōma's dad explained that the man was an "old friend" that wanted to meet his son in person. After being served by Sōma and his dad, the stranger paid with money and a tip to the boy: a bag of crystals to summon a Food Soul. The owner of the diner was against the idea of his son becoming a Cooking Attendant, but the man pushed him to allow Sōma to at least try. The result was a Food Soul that none of the men had ever seen before.

"Cool! A new face! I'm Cookie, collector of new ideas!"

The cheerful, red-violet eyed Food Soul with beige skin that appeared before Sōma was quickly accepted by the man in charge, as she had a similar ideology to his family's own. The stranger took his leave, promising to meet Sōma again and see how he's changed now that he had a Food Soul to call his own. As of that night, Sōma Yukihira had become a Cooking Attendant with his first Food Soul and assistant.

True to her nature of being a Food Soul, Cookie hadn't changed since she was summoned. Her chocolate brown headband with white sprinkles did little to keep her bangs from falling over her left eye. A majority of her long, honey blonde hair was tied back in two ponytails with white meringue cookie charms on the hair ties. Her ears were pierced on her lower lobes with chocolate chip shaped studs and helix copper earrings shaped like peanuts. She wore her funky, flowy golden brown tank top with the yellow ribbon around the hips that secured the folds. Her black capris leggings with several colored pom poms fitted nicely under her knee-length khaki shorts with powdered sugar-like dust on the pockets. She still wore those ankle high boots that were mixes of pale red, yellow and green with cream white soles as well.

Outside of the kitchen, Cookie also wore a black porkpie hat with a white ribbon and mint leaf shaped adornments. The hat was currently hanging on the doorknob of the backdoor to the family restaurant along with her cream yellow cape with its jam cookie button and white pom poms. Her cape was an interesting accessory because it magically dropped sprinkle-like confetti whenever the Food Soul had it on.

The backdoor opened up and the Cooking Attendant and Food Soul turned towards the entrance. A man with messy, pale red hair stepped halfway through the doorway.

"Sōma, it's time for our cook off," the man told them. Sōma instantly smirked and got to his feet.

"Cookie, wrap up your bread and watch the fireworks." The girl companion sprung to her feet with the black bread already wrapped in the plastic wrap as she fetched her hat and cape.

"Oh, by the way," the man continued, "we brought in a newcomer for the judging. Cookie can step down for this one."

"What?" Cookie whined with a small pout. The man chuckled.

"Don't worry, there will still be plenty for you."

"You better hope so, Jōichirō."

"How many losses is that again?" Cookie asked as she stole a bowl of her Master Attendant's fried rice after the tasting at the mouth of one of Sōma's classmates before the rest and Jōichirō's batch were served to the customers for free. Once again, the younger redhead lost.

"Don't rub it in, Cookie, but I will accept the loss today," Sōma pouted.

"In order for you to say that, you'd have to defeat me at least once," Jōichirō chastised his son. "It's a winning streak of around 500 on my end." The bright redhead gawked and turned at the older man angrily.

"Don't get cocky! It was only 489!"

"Um, Sōma…" a timid voice called. Cookie turned towards the girl who was the judge this time for the common cook off. She believed her name was Mayumi, as Sōma had called her by name earlier. Her form trembled a little as she spoke to the younger chef. "Yours was really good too. I've never had fried rice like the way you made it before."

Cookie looked at her Master Attendant, who was sulking in the doorway to the fridges and ingredients. Then, she smirked with Mayumi unable to see the mischievous look on her face.

"Would you like to make him feel better?" she asked.

"Oh, are you, uh, Sōma's Food Soul that he's been talking about?"

"That's right, and I made something around noon before he got back from school. I'm sure he would feel better if you try some yourself."

"Sure. If it's anything like Sōma's fried rice, I'll try a bite." Poor naivety. Cookie could feel the girl's smile without looking at her face. Slowly, the Food Soul unwrapped her black bread and tore off a chunk.

"It's a blackened corn bread with honey glazed sardines and olives." The blonde almost let out her laughter at the dumbfounded face she turned to.

"Huh? That's a thing?"

"It's a new recipe I made that would make you cringe all over." A shadowy aura came upon Cookie as she creepily stepped towards Mayumi.

"Ah, she's doing it again," Jōichirō commented like it was no big deal. Several of the occupants turned and watched in horror of what's going to happen.

"Oh no, not again!"

"Why did they teach a Food Soul to do this?!"

"U-um, I-I think I'll-" Mayumi began to panic, trying to pick her distance with the Food Soul. Cookie however closed the gap taking advantage of the brunette's open mouth and shoved the bread in. Immediately, Mayumi felt like she was drowning in the vinegar-tasting, disgusting mix, buried in grains and being attacked by sardines.

"Hey, what do you think you're doing?!" another of Sōma's classmates yelled as she held Mayumi up from the floor.

"It tastes terrible…"

"Not bad, Cookie, but I've made worse with sardines," the head chef bragged. "Remember the one with the puree strawberry jam, Sōma?"

"How could I forget?" the redhead replied smugly. "That one should've been banned."

"I know, right?"

"I may have not been there for that, but I doubt it beats Attendant Sōma's peanut butter squid," Cookie threw in, remembering the horrible concoction that was the first gross dish she had been exposed to under her Master Attendant.

"Are you kidding? Have to admit, your black corn bread nearly made me keel over," said Attendant argued.

"Please! Sardines and jam!"

"No way! The peanut butter squid is so much worse!"

"The sardines in honey top it all off!"

As the three began to debate on the worse dish, the patrons watched with blank stares with the same two thoughts.

Yes, he is definitely his father's son.

No wonder she's his Food Soul.

Please give a review! I will be bringing in canon Food Souls and more OC Food Souls. If you have an idea for an OC Food Soul, please private message me with their description (appearance and personality), rarity, and type. Also, notify if you want to create their backstory or give me liberty to it.