Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

⫸ ⋆ ❤ ⋆ — ※ ⫷ BAKED BEGINNINGS ⫸ ※ — ⋆ ❤ ⋆ ⫷

Market and Shopping District, Valoran City - [ 8:15 PM ]

Cold.

The cool breeze, the calm streets, and high altitude. All these combined makes for a pleasant walk in the evening, one where you can be alone with your thoughts, where no one can judge you, or pester you, a chance to check up on yourself, to ask yourself… 

“What am I doing?”

Or…

“Why am I here?”

But a deeper question boggles her head, one whose answer she fears, one that sends chills down her spine.

She’s a Star Guardian protecting the world from the evil forces that threaten it. She’s a servant of the First Star, she remembers a time when it was whole, and she followed its orders to come to Earth. But she’s been thinking lately…

            What if there’s more she can be…?

                        Is there more she can accomplish…?

                                    Can she have her own goals and aspirations disconnected from her roles and responsibilities…? 

Or has her fate been decided from the beginning… sealed shut and locked away. Has her path been already paved for her, only moving forward in one direction. No cuts, no corners, just one straight linear progression with no end in sight, no control or a sense of individuality. 

A path that all Star Guardians lead;

            a life of stardust that will end in stardust. 

While walking along the steep-sloping streets, she pauses to take a deep breath. The sky seemed brighter than usual, the city lights were dim but not a single corner was dark as they were all illuminated by the Moon and the stars. Not a single cloud was in sight, it was as if the Moon and the stars cleared the sky to take a peek and watch over the cityscape. Maybe it was the First Star making its presence felt, that it is with her and she is with it.

Ever since she came to Earth and joined Ahri’s Team, not once had she felt the First Star’s presence, not in her dreams nor her visions, not while in meditation nor in prayer. But still, she had faith in it, she wouldn’t be here if she hadn’t, she believed that she was needed on Earth, that she had a purpose. 

Because what else does she have, besides it?

            “As long as there is evil in this world, us Star Guardians will always have a purpose!”

She recalls Ahri’s declamation at the end of one of their battles; her prep talks always included something along those lines. It was awe-inspiring given Ahri’s confidence, aura, and prowess. She was a leader and a model Star Guardian through and through. Those words gave her comfort and empowered her, but she can’t help but feel as if they were empty at times, like she wished there was something more.

While busy with her thoughts, a gust of wind came by, dragging dried leaves that have fallen off the ground and some litter along the sidewalk along with it. It wasn’t too crowded at this time of night, especially since she was in the less-populated areas of Valoran City. She was in one of the smaller shopping and market districts in town, it was already night time so most of the shops were closing down and everyone else was on their way home. 

She hasn’t been there long, but she can feel that it was a very open community, tight-knit, safe, and comfortable. There were multiple parks around, small markets and bazaars, places for coexistence where individuals from all walks of life can be seen with each other. From kids running around and playing in the playground, to impromptu concerts in the streets with people gathering to see local street performers sing, dance and possibly even both. 

She hasn't been the best at communicating with others, whether it be her thoughts, feelings or emotions and tends to keep to herself most of the time. Even with the people closest to her, teammates and fellow Star Guardians, she’s barely even had a conversation lasting for more than 10 minutes, and that’s with them doing most of the talking. Then again she hasn’t really had anyone she truly considers as a close friend… except of course her familiar, Shisa.

But that’s what made her excited to come to Earth, perhaps this can be a place where she can grow, where she can be accompanied not just by the stars but by people she can trust, friends she can laugh and bond with, allies whom she’ll do anything for, even sacrifice herself to save.

Maybe then, she’ll feel like she’ll have a purpose beyond that of a Star Guardian.

Her own motivations and her own choices...

After finally making it past the series of sloping roads, she arrives at the opening near the entrance of Valoran City’s Hill Districts. There she sees that magnificent sight once more, Valoran City’s local tourist destination and most famous natural attraction, Mount Targon. Her eyes light up, as the light of the moon sneaks through the Mountain’s outline, a view that reminds her of her time with the stars, shimmering and shining across the vast cosmos. The shadows cast by the mountain eclipsing the flashing light of the Moon and Stars echoing the age-old war of Light and Darkness.

She still remembers that fateful night, the battle with those shelled void monsters, the bioluminescent green spewing and splattering across the clearing, lighting up the battlefield. The horrible shaking and trembling of the ground as it ruptures and interdimensional creeps crawling through the cracks. She looks back on that moment and how she seemed to be playing a game of whack-a-mole trying to eliminate the bugs before they break the surface. But more importantly, she remembers giving first aid and applying healing magic to one of the amateur Star Guardians they came across at camp. Lux, was it? She remembers how brave Lux must have been to be able to sacrifice her body and risk injury just to save her teammates. 

            “I wonder… is that what having friends feel like?”  

She mutters under her breath as she reflects on that situation. She wonders if ever she was the one in that position and her teammates were the ones in trouble, would she have it in herself to give it everything, even her life just to save her friends. Normally she’d have no qualms in saving others, it's her specialty even, no matter how great the injury, she always finds a way to cure it. But is sacrifice something she can do? Or maybe a better question is

Who is she willing to sacrifice herself for?

*pitter-patter* *pitter-patter*

Pondering on these questions tends to keep her lost in thought. She hasn’t even noticed that it started to rain. 

            It was cold.

                        Not the rain, not the city nor the atmosphere.

                                    But it was cold.

                                                She feels it inside, a frost that sends chills down her spine.

But even while caught in this icy grasp, her gaze stays unfazed, fixated on the Moon and the Stars. The raindrops falling, reflecting the bright lights of the city, looked like starfall crashing down and coming to meet her, to keep her warm. The pitter-pattering of rain as it hits the ground illuminated, resembling shimmering stardust.

“When we look up to the heavens, do the stars look down upon us?”

Soraka jumps in retreat, startled by the bold and imposing voice behind her. She turns to be greeted by a man wearing a blue slim-fit woven long sleeve tunic, covered by a slightly worn out apron that looked like it was just recently stained. The man walks out of the door and onto the sidewalk. He wipes his hands with a towel, and puts it back into the apron pockets. He keeps his hands there as he settles in a nice spot to look up at the sky.

            “The skies were clear not long ago, but now the rains have come, and with it… a visitor”

The man turns to her. He wore a small grin on his face, a soft and welcoming expression in stark contrast to his sturdy, muscular build. He would’ve been more intimidating had he been a bit taller, but he was at a perfect height for Soraka to see his face, and examine his features, enough for her to feel safe, that he means no harm. That deep within that herculean frame holds a warm and gentle heart.

They met eyes for a moment, but Soraka was too stunned to speak. She stammers with her words but before she can say anything, the man turns back towards the entrance. He opens the door and gestures with his free hand, inviting her over.

            “Ela (come), the rains can be restless during this time of year”  

            “Oh- uhm… Okay, I’m coming, thank you.”

She hesitates for a bit, but even she can’t ignore the uncomfortable sensation of wet clothes against her skin, and promptly follows before she gets any more soaked than she already is.

Upon entering, she is immediately greeted by the faint but sweet smell of pastries, confections, breads and other baked goods. She was at a bakery, one of a reasonable size, not too many tables and chairs due to the majority of the space allotted for the kitchen, storage and other necessary appliances. Perhaps it was designed to be more of a take-out style than a dine-in and lounge cafe that she and her teammates usually frequent. 

Nonetheless, it was a beautiful place, tidy and well kept. Many elements of the interior resembled that of a bistro; brick and wood, dim lighting and memorabilia displayed on the walls. The dim lighting made it a bit hard to see the other sections of the bakery clearly but maybe that’s because the shop was already closing and most of the lights were off or set to dim.

But that dim light of the bakery against the bright lights of the display cabinet really made the products shine. Though most of the baskets have already been cleared or covered, and the only goods left on display were those that needed to be refrigerated like cakes and perishables.

            “Forgive the dim environment. Utility costs have been brutal and electricity is of no exception. But please. Make yourself at home. ”

            “No no… I don’t mind. You have a wonderful shop. It's very warm and welcoming.” Soraka blurts out, trying to reassure the man’s kind invitation.

The man heads into the kitchen through a swinging door in the counter, and flicks open a few switches, slightly lighting up the tables. Soraka takes that as a sign to take a seat. She pulls up a chair and promptly sits down and looks out the window. The rain doesn’t seem to show any signs of stopping soon. She’s lucky she was able to come across shelter before it really started to pour.

After a few minutes, the man appears from the kitchen with a tray in hand holding two plates, a set of utensils, glasses and a pitcher each of water and milk. He delivers the tray to where Soraka was sitting, setting down her plate, glass and utensils in front of her, before setting up his side of the table.

            “Fortune favors your arrival, a fresh batch has just finished. This sweet treat is only a trial but… Pantheon’s Pastries is in need of new products. And so, I bake.”

On her plate was a humble rolled pastry covered in a sugary glaze, sprinkled with what seems to be more cinnamon powder, pistachio and candied walnuts. 

She’s seen it before in cafes and coffee shops, but never had the courage to order anything besides what the team usually gets. But she has to admit… that distinct smell of cinnamon, spice of nutmeg, the sugary glaze softening the pastry and the addition of toppings like candied nuts, pistachio, walnut, and chocolate chips; sometimes even being drizzled with additional caramel or dulce de leche. She’s often wondered what it was, and what it must have tasted like, and now, it’s right in front of her.

Her eyes light up, and before she knew it her normally reserved expression slowly cracks, forming a sweet and innocent smile, almost as sweet as the pastry before her. She was excited, almost embarrassingly enough in a very child-like opening presents on Christmas morning kind of way 

            “Cinnamon Roll! This is a Cinnamon Roll, correct?! It smells amazing!”

She looks up at the Baker with a wide smile on her face, fork on one hand and knife on the other. The man sits down on his chair and pours them both a glass of water. 

            “By all means, have at the pastry as you will. May this suffice as apology, for my disturbing of your stargazing earlier.”

Before the Baker could finish his sentence, Soraka’s already on her second bite. As she chews, the pastry melts in her mouth; she can taste the cinnamon and nutmeg mixing with the sugary glaze, bits and pieces of the pistachio and walnuts provides texture to the pastry, making for a decent bite. 

            “How is it?”  The baker asks as he takes a bite of his own.

To which Soraka enthusiastically replied,

            “Good! Very good! The pastry… It's like a croissant or pain au chocolat, very flakey on the outside but still very chewy on the inside. And the cinnamon and the nutmeg, mixed with the glaze as well as the pistachios and walnuts… It’s all so good!”

            “It brings me great pride to see that the trial was a success. I believe all is forgiven, yes?”

            “Yes, yes indeed. About earlier… I didn’t really mind, in fact, I should be thanking you. If you hadn’t called out, I may have been even more soaked in the rain. I have to admit… I'm a bit embarrassed… standing in the rain like that, and in front of your Bakery too. I must have spaced out. I’m sorry… a-and thank you! Thank you so much!”

The man chuckles a bit, amused at Soraka’s reaction. As a baker there’s nothing more rewarding than seeing the satisfaction on customer’s faces whenever they eat your goods. It’s a sight he holds dear, keeps him going. Though the chuckle was short lived after coming to a realization from what Soraka has mentioned. They just came from the rain, and right now, Soraka is still slightly soaked.

            “By Targon’s Peak! My head must be fogged for my mind is askew. You must be freezing with your clothes wet from the rain.

            Forgive me, let me grab a towel for you.”

The Baker quickly stands and heads to the storage, but just as he passes through the counter,

            “E-excuse me, but… is it too much to ask for a second piece?”

Soraka speaks from behind him with a hopeful request. The Baker chuckles a bit before turning his head towards the hopeful Soraka and nods. He returns shortly with a small towel and another serving of the Cinnamon Roll.

            “Thank you, ah-! uhm… may I ask for your name, sir?” says Soraka as she grabs the towel to wipe her head and drape over her shoulder. She awaits the Baker’s response. 

            “Atreus. My name is Atreus, but many refer to me as Pantheon. Baker and Owner of Pantheon’s Pastries. Now who might you be, Miss Stargazer?”

            “Soraka. My name is Soraka. I’m a Star- ah..! S-student, right, yes. I’m a student at Valoran High”

Soraka stammers, almost slipping up and revealing her identity as a Star Guardian. She recovers and tries to play it off by taking another bite of the Cinnamon Roll.

            “Valoran High, correct? Are you new here, Miss Soraka? If my memory serves me right, not once have I seen your residence in the city. You see, making deliveries around the area is part of the job. And after years of working in this field, you start to recognize thousands of familiar faces everyday. But yours, yours is a new face; one I hope to also be a familiar and friendly face one day.”

            “Y-yes, I hope so too. Likewise, I’d love to visit here more often, a-and eat more Cinnamon Rolls! I’ve just moved in a few months back so I’m still not that familiar with the area. I don’t go out much unless it’s with my… friends. But even then, I don’t think we’ve ever gone to this part of the city yet. Oh! I know! I’ll bring them here next time!”

Atreus finishes his plate and drinks a glass of milk to wash it down. 

            "I'll hold on to your words, Miss Soraka. Are you done with your plate?"

            "Yes, here. Thank you."

Atreus busts out their plates and heads towards the sink. The rains have started to calm down, Soraka looks out of the window and sees the clouds slowly dispersing, revealing the moon and stars once more.

She wonders if the First Star is really out there, watching over the city. She knows it would be very unlikely but the circumstances seemed too perfect to be coincidence, like the stars aligned just right for this moment. The Moon rising with the Stars after the rains, light after dark, maybe it was a sign? 

            *cha-ching*

And as if right on cue, a totally unrelated sound snaps her out of her thoughts and back to reality. She looks over at the source of the sound and sees Atreus on the counter, he seems to be fiddling with the cash register, possibly arranging bills or collecting today’s profits.

Then it hits her… she hasn’t even paid for the Cinnamon Rolls she stuffed down her mouth, and she even ate two! She panics and starts frantically checking her pockets for loose change or anything of value but comes up with nothing.  

She notices Atreus starting to notice her panicking from behind the counter, expressing a look of concern. She tries to play it cool and come up with an excuse but the cold sweat and her stiff movements aren’t helping.

            “Eisai kala? (Are you okay?) Is there something wrong?”

            “No-nothing… I think I just got the sugar rush from the Cinnamon Rolls. B-but it’s okay! I’m okay. It’s not your fault.”

            “Hmm… It seems the recipe is in need of looking into. But please, help yourself to some water, may it help with the sugar rush.”

Atreus returns his attention to the cash register. He looks focused as he starts counting bills, bands in one hand, and a calculator in the other. He bands up some bills and writes on a notepad from time to time. Even pulling out a pair of glasses to better see. He lets out a sigh from time to time, removing his glasses and gulps down a glass of water.

            “ Ehem… Forgive my ramblings, dealing with finances has never been the easiest of labors”

Atreus announces from behind the counter, noticing Soraka looking at him from her table. Now she feels even more guilty, it seems Pantheon’s is struggling financially and there she was eating two cinnamon rolls without paying, even staying at the bakery after hours. She couldn’t take it anymore, the guilt was making its way up her throat, making it hard for her to breathe and keep still. Until finally, she stands up and with a firm voice,

            “Mister Atreus! Ah- er… Mister Pantheon-sir! Thank you for the Cinnamon Rolls, they were very good and they tasted great!”

Atreus was startled at the sudden liveliness of Soraka. He removed his glasses, paying his attention from the calculator towards her instead. He had a slightly confused and dumbfounded look on his face. Their eyes met but before Atreus could say anything, Soraka continued.

            “Which is why it’s embarrassing for me to say this. But, I’m sorry, I don’t have cash on me right now to pay for the Cinnamon Rolls… b-but I promise no, I swear! I’ll come back tomorrow and pay for them, both of them, and I’ll bring all my friends with me! Once again… I’m sorry, especially since you seem to be struggling with finances at the moment and-”

            “Huwah- HAHA...! HAHA HA ..!” 

Soraka was stopped dead on her tracks by the sound of a deep bellowing laughter from the Baker. Now it was her turn to be confused and dumbfounded. He’s not angry or anything, she’s not sure if that’s comforting or scarier. After a solid few moments of laughter, Atreus stands up from behind the counter and walks towards Soraka’s table, still chuckling in his stride.

            “The Cinnamon Rolls were not for sale, Asteraki (Little Star). There is no need for payments nor apologies to be had. As I said, it was a trial… So this must have been the reason for your panicking earlier, and not the Sugar Rush. Halara(rest easy), no worries.”

At that point Soraka was bright red from embarrassment, gathering up that courage to speak up and apologize only to be shot down by the affirmation that she shouldn’t have worried so much. Upon hearing the Baker’s words and his bellowing laugh, the tension in her body loosens, and the guilt recedes, freeing her lungs so she can breathe easy.

            “Oh… oh! Ahahahah. I see, thank the stars, I’ve been worrying about nothing. (phew) ” Soraka sighs in relief as she calms down.

She puts a hand on her chest, it was still beating pretty fast, but is already starting to calm down as well. She looks at the Baker who still wore a loud grin on his face, still chuckling and laughing at Soraka’s botched apology. They lock eyes for a moment before breaking out into another fit of laughter together. Atreus is the first to break the laughter,

            “But… you are right about one thing, Miss Soraka.”

Soraka listens intently, wondering what that one thing she was right about this entire time.

            “It is true that Pantheon’s is struggling, but not financially, not yet at least, and if fate favors it, may it never. You see, running a Bakery is no easy task. From the preparation, baking, sales and promotion to more daunting affairs; finances, management, so and so…  As such, I have been mulling over at the thought of looking for another set of hands as it would be of great help in running the shop. And so…”

Atreus tries to gesture with his hands what he is trying to imply. Soraka leans forward, waiting for the Baker to continue his sentence. She remains puzzled for a moment. Atreus gestures again and finally she connects the dots.

            “Oh! It’s me! I’m the other set of hands?! You… want me to help?”

            “Not for free of course, and only if you are up for it.”

Soraka was speechless, but she was seriously considering taking the Baker up on his offer. Was this it? A chance for her to be her own person? Would this be for once, a choice of her own; one devoid of the First Star’s influence? 

Atreus sits down.

This time, it’s his turn to wait for her response. She wants to speak but the words get caught up in her throat. She wishes there was someone somewhere out there to make this decision for her. She’s never had to think this hard for herself, only following the First Star’s command, and walking the path paved for her.

            “Uhm… ah- erm… I- uhhhh… ”

Soraka rambles in her seat, not knowing what to say. She doesn’t want to keep the Baker’s hopes up, but at the same time, she’s not sure if she has the capabilities to work at a Bakery, all the while juggling High School and being a Star Guardian. She can feel the cold sweat trickling down her skin once again. 

            “You need not answer today. Give it some thought, consult the stars if you wish.

            Then, when you are ready….

            The door is always open, along with a fresh batch of Cinnamon Rolls. And depending on your answer… the next batch may be of your creation.”

Right. She doesn’t have to decide right away. Once again her overthinking got her all worried over nothing. The Baker already told her he can wait for her decision, there’s nothing and no one pressuring her. She’ll have time to think things through, maybe even take up his suggestion of consulting the stars, they were her closest companion for so long after all, maybe they’ll know what’s best. 

            “I appreciate the offer, I really do… But I think that I might need some time to think things over, if you don’t mind waiting.”

            “Kanéna próvlima (No problem) Take as much time as you need, Asteraki. No need to hurry, entáxei?(okay?)“

Soraka nods in agreement, thanking the Baker once more. She felt relieved, and somehow excited and anxious at the same time. This was an opportunity for growth, one she’s been looking for since she came to Earth. It was a new experience, a chance to widen her horizons.

But still…

She’s terrified. She’s not used to making her own choices, never had to concern herself with whether or not the choices she’ll make were the right or wrong decision. Never had to worry if she’d made a mistake, or a miscalculation. But this was it, handed to her on a silver platter. A learning experience and everything that may come with it, good and bad.

A new and exciting part of her life totally unrelated to a Star Guardian’s calling. But instead, one that’s entirely her own. A calling that-

            *Kringgg!* *Kringggg!*

Speaking of calling, Soraka’s phone rings from her pocket. She pulled up her phone and saw that it was Ahri calling her.

            *click*

            [ Hello, Ahri? ]

            [ SORAKA, WHERE ARE YOU!? ]

            [ Oh…  I’m at Pant- ]

            [ YOU CAN TALK ABOUT THAT LATER, WHAT MATTERS IS THAT YOU GET HERE A.S.A.P! SOMETHING CAME UP AND WE NEED YOUR HELP! SENDING THE LOCATION, COME QUICKLY! ]

            [ I see, I’m co- ]

            *click*

Before she could get another word in, Ahri dropped the call. There seems to be a problem that they’re dealing with at the moment, and they need Soraka’s assistance. Ahri sounded very intense over the phone call, this must be important.

            "Uhm… Excuse me but I have to go, something came up and my friends need my assistance. Thank you again for everything Pantheon-sir. I promise I’ll be back!”

            “You seem rushed, it must be impo-”

Like a flash Soraka gathers her things and promptly leaves out the door before Atreus could say another word. He tries to follow suit, but as soon as he got outside, not a trace of his Stargazing Visitor is left to be found. 

            *purring noises*

            “Shisa, you’re awake! Just in time, I have a feeling our assistance will be needed.”

            *purring intensifies*

            “Oh I hope it’s not too big of a problem, but I know that you’ll have my back no matter what, don’t you Shisa?”

            *enthusiastic purring*

            “Right, no matter what happens… we’ll be ready!”

Soraka takes flight, soaring through the air and leaving a trail of green starlight behind her feet. She’d transformed into her Star Guardian Uniform mid-flight, wielding her Celestial Staff in hand, getting ready for whatever problem she might encounter. 

There’s a fire inside her and it’s burning bright. Her bright glow emanates, coursing through her veins, staving off the icy grasp of the night, and the chills down her spine.

She’s a Star Guardian protecting the world from the evil forces that threaten it. She’s a servant of the First Star, she remembers a time when it was whole, and she followed its orders to come to Earth. But she’s starting to realize that there’s more she can be, that she has the chance to accomplish so much more and that she can have her own goals and aspirations.

Star Guardian.

Protector.

Servant.

Student.

Baker?

And countless other things she can explore.

But before that, she’ll do what she does best…

Protecting the World and aiding her friends, vanquishing evil, one Interdimensional Fiend at a time. 

◚ • ⟪ end ⟫ • ◛ 

⫸ ⋆ ❤ ⋆ — ※ ⫷ BAKED BEGINNINGS ⫸ ※ — ⋆ ❤ ⋆ ⫷

Chapter Text

Pantheon's Pastries, Shopping and Market District, Valoran City - [5:50 PM]

            “Soraka, where are you taking us?!” Ahri cries out as she follows suit.

            “I’ve never seen her this lively before” says Sarah, trailing behind the two girls rushing in front.

            “I know right? It’s like- like she’s a whole new person!” Ezreal comments, acknowledging Soraka’s sudden liveliness.

            “Let her be, she’s done a lot for us these past few weeks, it’s good to see her excited over something” replied Syndra as she walked with them.

            “It must be something good if she was so adamant that you joined us as well, Syndra.” 

            “Exactly. I wouldn’t have come otherwise.”

            “Soraka, wait for us!”

            “Oh, I’ve heard of this place before! Apparently this Bakery’s quite popular around the area.”

            “Pantheon’s Pastries? Is this some sort of cafe?”

            “Everyone, come quick!” Soraka yells, as she reaches the Bakery’s door.

Soraka rushes forward into the bakery, holding the door open for all her friends. Pantheon was obviously shocked as Soraka bursted into the scene, along with several individuals. He was just about to lock the doors.

            “These mus-”

            “Mister Pantheon! We’re here! We made it like I promised! A-and here are my friends! I’m sorry it took this long and it… seems like you’re already closing, but we’re here!”

Soraka was panting and sweating. She seemed like she was in such a rush to get here, and was obviously very excited. 

            “So… ‘this’ is the place you wanted to take us to?”  the girl with a foxy attitude commented in a somewhat irksome tone.

            “Ahri…!” another girl with vibrant amber hair scolds her

            “This is a cool place you took us to Soraka” says the boy with blonde hair and a charming smile

            “I can’t put my finger on it, but it gives a certain home-y vibe. That’s not half bad.” says the tall girl with purple hair as she drags her finger along a nearby scaffolding, examining the bakery.

Mixed comments and chatter came from the lively bunch Soraka brought with her, but she was smiling brighter than ever.

            “It is a pleasure to meet you all. If I am not mistaken, you must be Soraka’s friends, correct?”

Akin to how he greeted Soraka the night prior, Pantheon removed his oven mitts and put them in the special pocket on his jacket. 

            “Yes we are. Sir Pantheon, right?”

            “Pantheon would suffice.”

            “You’ve got a cool place here Pantheon! I can see why Soraka digs this place!”

            “Soraka told us great things about this place, and judging from the owner, we can see why”

            “We’d heard you took her in last night in the rain, we couldn’t thank you more. She’s been quite adventurous these past few days, we worry where she’s been and what she’s up to from time to time”

            “ I can see where Soraka gets her liveliness, she has great friends by her side. I assume all of you are students of Valoran High, yes?”

            “Yes! In fact we are… ‘clubmates’ of Soraka’s if you will. She’s never been this excited about anything so we couldn’t deny her request and come here with her.” Ahri explained

            “Then it seems Pantheon’s must not disappoint. Please, take a seat, and let me grab something for you”

As the rest of the team settles on a larger table, Pantheon heads to the kitchen and promptly returns with a large wooden tray filled with baked goods and pastries.

            “Woahhh!” 

                        “Oooooh!”

                                    “This looks so good!”

                                                “Now this looks promising”

The group exclaims as the tray was set down on their table. 

            “Before you is an assorted tray of Pantheon’s best sellers as recommended by its patrons. By all means, help yourselves to these treats. It seems everyone, not just Soraka, is a bit winded from your travels. May these treats invigorate your spirits.”

            “This looks CRAZYYY GOOD! Thanks Pantheon!” Ezreal couldn’t contain himself and grabs an eclair. Everyone else follows suit and grabs a pastry of their choosing.

            “I’m trying to lessen my carbs lately… I’ll just take a croissant”

            “This pretzel looks interesting” 

            “Hmm… what to choose…? Peach danish it is then“

While everyone is settled on a pastry of their choosing, Soraka can be seen actively scouring the tray, running around in circles looking for something.

            “Soraka, just pick a pastry. Here, this danish is pretty good.” Syndra picks up a danish and passes it to Soraka. 

            “Thank you.” Soraka retreats in her chair and takes a bite of the danish. She looks to the counter, trying to catch Pantheon’s attention who seems to be fixing something up for the group. Soraka’s eyes meet his, and he signals her to come over.

            “Excuse me.” Soraka whispers to the group as she heads over to the counter with the danish still in hand.

Pantheon was making hot chocolate for everyone. He chops up some peppermint candies, chocolate shavings, arranges a spice mix and puts them in separate bowls.

            “What’s this?” Soraka asks inquisitively as she observes Pantheon working.  

            “I am unsure what toppings your friends enjoy in a Hot Chocolate. And so, why not offer all that I can?” Pantheon responds confidently as he prepares the tray of hot chocolate for service.

            “So… have you consulted the stars yet? About the offer.” asks Pantheon jokingly as he wears his oven mitts.

            “I…”

Soraka looks over to her friends. They were laughing together, enjoying the treats Pantheon made. There was a warmth in their laughter and carefree smiles. They were complete, no one was arguing or bickering with one another, no one was hurt or in pain. They were all here, and they’re happy.

It was calm and peaceful.

She thought to herself,

I want to protect this happiness

This momentary calm, a respite from the dangers they face on the daily as Star Guardians.

I want to protect this warmth

One that the vast cosmos could not give, a warmth unique from others, one she can never have all alone.

            “You must know, this job is no easy endeavor. There are good days, and there are bad. Waking up at dawn, rising before the Sun; and going home as the Moon shows its head. Stale Breads, failed pastries, and spoiled ingredients, few of the many demons that a Baker must face…

            And believe me when I tell you, there will be days when these demons bring you to your knees, bury you with the crushing weight of a mountain. Then… Just before you fall under,

(points to table)

            The spark in their eyes and smiles bright like a flame. It hits you… like lightning coursing through your veins, granting you the willpower to stand! And bake once more!”

Pantheon offers a few words, describing what it’s like to work in a bakery. The ups and downs, and what keeps him going. 

            “I… I want to see everyone like this again.

            I want them to keep smiling… to be happy, and spend more time together.

            And I want to oversee that happiness!” 

Soraka declares valiantly.

She returns her focus to the Baker eagerly waiting for her response. 

            “...When can I start?”

As his response, Pantheon grabs an extra pair of oven mitts and an apron, telling his new apprentice to put them on; to which Soraka promptly complies.

            “You can start by serving our Patrons their Hot Chocolate”

Pantheon hands the tray to Soraka, leading her towards her friends’ table. 

Soraka approaches the table with a determined look on her face. She sets the tray down and starts serving her friends their hot chocolate.

            “Woah-ho-hooo! What’s this, Soraka?” Ezreal exclaims as he finishes another eclair and grabs his mug to take a sniff.

                        “Just when I thought things couldn’t get any better”

                                    “This smells amazing!”  

                                                “Did you make this, Soraka?”

            “Oh- uhm… no, I jus-”

            “No. Not yet. But the next time, she just might.”

Everyone grabbed their mugs and added their own toppings. Ezreal put everything in his: marshmallows, peppermint and some extra whipped cream. Sarah tried adding some of the spice mix on hers, while Ahri and Syndra opted not to add anything, wanting to appreciate the base flavor of the hot chocolate.

At this point, the group’s just relaxing with their hot chocolate after finishing the tray of treats. Soraka’s still wearing the apron and oven mitts as she drinks from her mug. Pantheon shares a few stories to the group, and even answered some questions the group had about the bakery, and himself.

            “That’s crazy! Baking for 10 years! That explains why you’ve mad skills, Pantheon!”

            “And to run this bakery alone all this time… you must be very dedicated to your craft. That’s amazing!”

            “It has not been the easiest, I must tell you. To bake bread you have to break a few eggs, as they say. But what matters is that we learn from our failures and our mistakes. And to rise up even better than we were before. What is a hundred… a thousand… a million eggs. No cost is too great when chasing a dream. This, I promise.”

The group listens intently to Pantheon's words. It was awe-inspiring, hearing him talk about his passion and love for baking. That behind each pastry was hours and hours of hard labor and love to make sure they were of the best quality.

            “Oh! It’s getting late, Soraka mentioned that you were closing when we got here. Thank you so much for welcoming us and we’re sorry if we imposed too much of your time” says Ahri after checking the time on her phone.

            “Oh right, how could we forget. How much did everything cost?” says Sarah as she gathers her things and pulls out her wallet.

            “That would not be necessary. All staff orders will be deducted from their wages. Tax and employee discount included.”

            “Staff? Ahahaha. I’m sorry, but there seems to be a misunder-”

*ceramics and utensils rattling*

The group looks behind them and sees Soraka cleaning up their table. She stops as she notices all their eyes are on her.

            “It seems you have news to break, Soraka”

            “Oh! Uh- yes! Everyone… Mr. Pantheon offered me a job at the Bakery, and so… I accepted!” Soraka announced excitedly.

            “Well that’s a surprise.”

                        “Ain’t no waaay!!!! Is that for real!?”

                                    “Wow…! T-that’s great Soraka, we’re proud of you. It’s good to see you putting yourself out there!”

                                                “I did not expect that when we first came here. So that’s why you were so excited.”

            “Uhm… I wanted to try something new, I’m sorry if I hadn’t mentioned it to all of you sooner.”

            “All good Soraka! You got this! We support you all the way!”

                        “What Ez said”

                                    “Totally.”

                                                “So… this means we’ll have bread every now and then, right?”

Soraka’s face lights up, she’s been nervous of making this decision for the duration of the time she had to think about it, but seeing all her friends support her and be happy for her, she can’t help but feel relieved, in fact, she feels even more excited, to show her friends what she can do, to show Pantheon that she can help, and show herself that there’s more to her than just a Star Guardian.

Warm.

It was warm.

The hot chocolate, the setting sun, the ambience at this time of the afternoon, the lights of the Bakery, and the smiles of her friends.

            It was like a fire lit up inside her heart, casting all her fears and doubts aside

                        Like a light guiding her very being, paving another path for her to take.

She took this job to put a smile on everyone’s faces, but it seems like they’re the ones putting a smile on hers.

What can one do except reciprocate this warmth, with a bright smile of her own. One that shines brighter than a glistening sugary glaze, or that of the sunlight. 

            “Yes! Yes of course, as much bread and as much pastries as I can make! Thank you all for the support, I’ll do my best!”

This was it.

What she had been looking for.

Another purpose, one that’s entirely her own, one devoid of the First Star’s influence, one disconnected from her duties and responsibilities as a Star Guardian. 

This time, she’ll be able to create her own happiness, not just protect it.

A happiness birthed from the heat of her heart and of the oven.

A happiness she can call hers.

◚ • ⟪ end ⟫ • ◛