The Master Chocolatier's Kitchen

 

 

The Master Chocolatier’s Kitchen

Helper came and put his arm around Chocolate. “Come, let’s go back to the Master Chocolatier. He is well able to put you back into temper.”

“Helper, will the Master Chocolatier ever forgive me for joining myself to Sac-Aryn?” asked Chocolate.

Helper remained silent for a moment. Chocolate couldn’t tell what he was thinking. “Do you think…” Chocolate began again. “If you ask him,” said Helper.

“…He will forgive you if you ask him,” said Helper. “Why did you run ahead of me?”

The question hung in the air. Chocolate gulped and winced. “I – I don’t know. I was just so eager to help,” she said. “I thought I was doing the right thing.”

Helper said nothing, but tightened his arm around her. Chocolate asked, “Can the Master Chocolatier fix my texture?”

“He is a miracle worker. He can do anything. He can take the worst ‘bloomed’ chocolate and re-temper it. He has ways…” answered Helper.

“Where are we going?” asked Chocolate. “Where is the Master Chocolatier?” Chocolate was weak in the knees. She could hardly walk. Her legs flopped. Her arms flailed. She wasn’t in control of herself. Her ‘texture’ was.

Why didn’t I control myself? Chocolate thought. Why did I let my passions get the better of me? I didn’t know there were such consequences!

Her rubbery texture beginning to get the better of her, Chocolate sagged against Helper. “Please, can you tell me where we’re going?”

“We’re going back to the Master’s Kitchen,” said Helper. “Don’t be afraid. It’s OK. Just relax. Lean on me. I’m here to help you.”

Chocolate sagged even further as she released her tension. Soon she couldn’t walk at all. Helper picked her up and carried her.

Chocolate was woozy. Her sense of balance was all gone. She felt safe in Helper’s arms. She tried to look around, but was so dizzy, she couldn’t see.

Chocolate fell asleep in Helper’s arms. As soon as she was asleep, Helper’s form changed. He was no longer in chocolate form. What was this?

Helper’s form changed from perfectly tempered chocolate into a tornado of yellow, red, and orange. From an outsider’s perspective, Chocolate was inside Helper.

Chocolate stirred. She looked around. All she could see was translucent yellow, red, and orange. She felt heat, yet was not burned.

She felt peace. Helper swirled all around her as he carried her. “Chocolate, you are IN me now, but later, I will be IN – you!”

“And together, I will show forth FROM you! Then, you won’t fall for Sac-Aryn’s devices as easily. You’ll hear me better,” said Helper.

Helper’s voice was strong and loud, yet gentle and loving. “You’ll see that together, we can do everything the Master Chocolatier wants us to do.”

Chocolate had not felt such peace since she was first put into temper in the Master’s kitchen. She fell back to sleep.

When Chocolate awoke, she heard the hum of a tempering machine. She heard the cries of those in the melter. She heard the sighs of relief of those entering temper.

I must be back in the Master’s kitchen, thought Chocolate. I wonder what he’ll have to do to put me back into temper.

Oh why, why, why did I give myself to Sac-Aryn? He’s evil. He deceived me. He said everything was going to be great! It was all a lie.

“Chocolate, I love you with an everlasting love,” the Master Chocolatier’s voice boomed across Chocolate’s thoughts. “I’m going to re-temper you…”

“…and you will have even greater snap and shine than before. Much seed will be put into you. More of me…” the Master’s was soothing and comforting.

“And you will receive impartation from other chocolates. You will be even stronger, but this process will still be painful…” said the Master. “But don’t be afraid.”

“As you receive my love and the love imparted to you through others, your texture will be healed and you will re-enter temper.”

“There will be things to face about your association with Sac-Aryn,” said the Master. “Those things will not be pleasant.”

“But they are necessary in your restoration to temper,” said the Master Chocolatier. “Do not be afraid of what is coming. I will be with you all the way.”

“And so will I,” said Helper, back in his molded chocolate form. “I will never leave you. Once re-tempered, I have an invitation for you.”

Suddenly, a great commotion was heard throughout the Master’s Kitchen. Now what, thought Chocolate?

Sounds of alarm rang through the kitchen and the Master’s chocolate servants were in turmoil. “How did he get in? Where did he come from?”

Sac-Aryn made a grand entrance. His false sweetness dripped off him, leaving ‘shiny’ crystals all over the floor. He came and stood before the Master Chocolatier.

“Ah, Master Chocolatier, I see that you are going to try to ‘fix’ Chocolate. You know she’s not worth it. She gave herself freely to me! I claim her.”

“Come Chocolate! You are mine! Let’s partner again. I miss you. I liked your taste. I loved your snap. Come with me! You’re mine!” oozed Sac-Aryn.

“Master! Master! There’s the sweetener that deceived me!” cried Chocolate. “He’s the one who got me to join with him!”

“He’s the one who robbed me of my pure texture! He said he would improve me! He said I would be sweeter!” sobbed Chocolate in panic.

“Now I just feel ugly. He said he loved me! He said we’d make beautiful chocolate together! It was all a lie!” cried Chocolate.

“Now look at me! I’m all rubbery and flaky and spotty!” Chocolate cried, hot tears running down and melting into her, making her more liquid.

“It’s OK. I’ve known him a long time,” said the Master. His voice calmed Chocolate. She felt safe, even though her enemy stood right in front of her.

"I created him to reflect the sweetness of the Great Chocolatier, but he, for his own reasons, chose another path.” The Master sighed.

“I’m glad to see you, too!” said Sac-Aryn. His voice oozed with false sweetness. Even though it sounded sweet, there was a tone that sounded sticky.

“Sac-Aryn, you have no claim to Chocolate. She has come to me to re-texture her,” said the Master.

“But she willingly gave herself to me,” repeated Sac-Aryn. “I claim her on those grounds. Once I joined with Chocolate, she is joined to me.”

“Sac-Aryn, aren’t you out of your territory?” asked the Master. “This is my kitchen! I kicked you out of here a long time ago – after you left my worktable.”

“You were perfect in all your sweetness until you chose mastery over yourself and others. I created you to be the purest sweetener, to reflect the Great Chocolatier,” the Master went on.

“But when you chose another path, your sweetness turned false,” sighed the Master.

“Yes! I am the Father of Appearances. I love to ruin tempered chocolate! I will win those you sacrificed yourself for – over to ME!” exclaimed Sac-Aryn.

“Sac-Aryn, GO! Now! In the name of the Great Chocolatier, you must now go!” the Master said firmly.

“All right – all right. I’ll go,” said Sac-Aryn. “But this isn’t over yet!” As Sac-Aryn left, Chocolate could hear him laugh his strange eerie laugh as it faded into the distance.

“Let’s get to work,” said the Master. “You’ll be as good as new in no time, Chocolate.”