A Taste of the Impossible

Dorothy’s Diner is a one-of-a-kind establishment located in the Monoceros Galaxy (Sometimes informally referred to as the Unicorn Galaxy). The Diner floats through space, constantly changing location. All types of alien species come from every corner of the solar system to eat unusual food and enjoy the homey atmosphere.

 The Diner has a vintage American aesthetic and futuristic flare. The Diner is decorated with neon lights, chrome accents, and fun signed posters depicting famous alien actors who have eaten at the Diner like Ted Spatula, the wooly muscle-man who starred in the feature VR production “1000 Lightyears From Home”. The floors are made of a shiny material that resembles linoleum with a checkerboard pattern, and the walls are adorned with space-themed murals and fun holographic projections. The Diner is quite large, with a spacious interior. The seating area is comfortable and inviting, with booths and tables perfect for groups of all sizes. 

As Akira walks through the Diner, the upbeat rhythm of “Fly Me to the Moon” by Frank Sinatra fills the air. The song is coming from the jukebox in the corner, a shiny silver and chrome machine flashing colorful lights that dance along to the beat of the music. The jukebox is an old-fashioned model, with a glass top displaying the record selections inside. It stands tall and proud, a nostalgic touch in the otherwise futuristic Diner.

 From the Diner’s main hall, you can see a beautiful view of outer space and the stars and planets passing by through the large windows. The Diner is equipped with a state-of-the-art kitchen, where the food is prepared and served by a team of the most skilled chefs from all different planets across the galaxy. The staff are dressed in nostalgic uniforms of light blue dresses and jumpsuits with white collars and hand-written name tags. Dorothy’s Diner has a long reputation of having the best home cooking for any species imaginable.

As Akira greets her customers, she cannot help but feel a sense of wonder and awe. She loves working at the Diner, it’s like nothing she has ever experienced before. The Diner is a melting pot of alien species, all looking for a taste of something new and unusual. There are always surprises around every corner, and she loves it.

“Welcome to Dorothy’s Diner,” Akira says with a smile as she leads her customers to their table. “We’re so glad you could join us today. Our specials today include Evil Eyeball spaghetti, Octo-pie, and magical Stardust Milkshakes which will blow your socks off!”

The customers look around wonderously, taking in the sights and sounds of the Diner. Akira wears a blue jumpsuit that compliments her short silvery haircut and dark blue metallic lipstick. Her nose ring and lip piercing sparkle in the light as she zips around the dining room on her rocket skates. 

“Wow, this place is incredible,” one of the customers exclaims. “I’ve never seen anything like it.”

“Thank you,” Akira replies. “We’re so proud of our unique and special Diner. Our owner, Dorothy, has worked hard to create a truly magical and wondrous experience for our customers.”

Akira is in the middle of taking an order when she notices two customers walk in. At first, she doesn’t think much of it, but as they approach the counter, she realises that they’re not just any customers… They’re the elite, highly-respected alien food critics Vonse and Vanse from a distant planet, known for their discerning palates and harsh critiques.

Vonse and Vanse are tall and mysterious figures, with skin that glows a deep purple color. They have elongated heads, with large, expressive eyes that seem to take in everything around them. They are dressed in long, flowing robes of a shimmering, iridescent fabric. They move with a grace and poise that is both intimidating and captivating.

As they approach the counter, Akira can feel her heart racing. She’s heard of these critics, and she knows that they have the power to make or break a restaurant. She takes a deep breath and tries to calm her nerves.

The critics look at her with their peering gaze, and Akira feels a sense of unease. She’s unsure if they’re impressed or not, but she knows that she has to make a good impression.

“Welcome to Dorothy’s Diner,” Akira says, trying to keep her voice steady. “Would you like a table for two?”

The critics look at each other and then back at Akira. “We’re here to review your establishment,” one of them says in a deep, rumbling voice.

Akira struggles not to stumble on her words. She can feel the pressure building, but she takes a deep breath and tries to stay calm.

“Of course,” Akira says, trying to sound confident. “Please, let me show you to your table.”

As Akira leads the critics to their table, she can feel their eyes on her every move. She knows that she has to be perfect, that she can’t make one mistake. She can hear her heart pounding in her chest, and she knows that as she serves them, she has to be on her game. Every movement, every word, every detail has to be perfect. 

She uses her communication necklace embedded with a magical alien eye to communicate with them and understand their native dialects. As she takes their order, she makes sure to pay extra attention and get every detail down perfectly.

Akira takes their orders and heads to the back to give them to the kitchen. As she walks, she can feel her blood pumping in her ears. If she can impress these critics, she can save the Diner from reputational destruction. But if she fails, it could mean the end for Dorothy’s Diner for good….

As she enters the kitchen, she sees Dorothy busy at work. Akira approaches her and says, “Dorothy, those customers that just came in, they’re alien food critics from that distant planet. We have to make sure that everything is perfect.”

Dorothy looks up from her work and rolls her eyes. “Oh, those pretentious critics. They think they’re so special just because they can write a bad review and ruin a restaurant’s reputation.”

Akira can feel her nerves starting to get the best of her. “Dorothy, this is serious. We have to make sure that everything is perfect. We can’t afford to mess this up.”

Dorothy gives her a reassuring pat on the back. “Relax, Akira. We’ve been doing this for years. We know what we’re doing, some snobby critics don’t change that. I’ve been flipping Jackrabbit Cakes since they were in diapers.”

Akira takes a deep breath and tries to relax. She needs to focus on doing her job and let Dorothy handle the rest, despite Dorothy’s notorious track record for telling critics to shove it where the sun don’t shine.. 

Akira puts the order in with priority and heads back to the dining room and continues to work, checking on her other customers and making sure that everything is perfectly tidy for the critics. As she rounds the tables towards where the critics are seated, sees Dorothy in front of her about to reach the critics’ table. 

“Oh no” She panics “Why is she out of the kitchen?”

She can tell by the look on Dorothy’s face that she’s about to make some sarcastic remark. Akira holds her breath, hoping that Dorothy doesn’t do anything to ruin their chances forever.

“Well, well, well.” Dorothy smirks as she approaches the critics. :” Look who decided to grace us with their presence. The Big………..”

Akira covers her mouth in horror as she is watching a solar storm hurl towards her and can’t do anything to stop it. 

Just as Dorothy begins to finish her disastrous sentence, Glipper, Akira’s pet amphibious alien, jumps out of Akira’s pocket and lands on the table in front of the critics. The critics look surprised, but Glipper starts to perform a cute little dance, making chirping and trilling sounds. The critics can’t help but laugh and seem to forget about Dorothy’s sarcastic remark they were about to hear.

Akira interjects, finishing Dorothy’s sentence with a positive spin “The biggest and most prestigious critics on this side of the galaxy! What a true honour to be serving you today. We’re delighted you’ve decided to join us. Please enjoy the show while your food is being prepared hot and fresh.”

Dorothy looks taken aback, but Akira can see a hint of a smile on her face. She knows that Glipper has just saved the day. She watches as the critics continue to watch Glipper, their attention now entirely on the little alien bringing child-like grind to their face and away from Dorothy. Dorothy grabs a Meteorite Menthol E-Smoke™ and heads outside to take her break.

The critics are enjoying themselves, and Akira can see that they are pleased with the entertainment. She hoped the food would leave the same impact… 

Akira nervously walks back to the kitchen, hoping that the food for the critics will be ready and well-made.

 The kitchen is bustling with activity, with a team of alien chefs working together to create the perfect dishes for their happy customers.

The head chef catches Akira’s eye. He is a tall, lanky alien with slimy green skin and a long, prehensile tail. He has a wild shock of purple hair and a wide, toothy grin. This is Chef Bumpy, a notorious troublemaker and prankster who has been working at the Diner for years. The only thing that keeps him employed through his antics is his incomparable cooking.

“Hey, Akira!” Chef Bumpy calls out. “What’s up? You look like you’ve seen a ghost!”

“It’s the critics,” Akira says, trying to keep her voice steady. “They’re here, and I need to get their food.”

“Critics?” Chef Bumpy says, his grin growing wider. “I love it! Why didn’t you say so? Let’s show them what we’ve got!”

Chef Bumpy plates the steaming-hot dishes with a flourish. He adds a dash of this, a pinch of that, and a sprinkle of something else, all the while making jokes and puns. 

Akira can’t help but laugh despite the tension she feels. 

However, as Chef Bumpy is plating the dishes, he accidentally spills a pot of hot sauce on one of the dishes. Akira’s heart sinks as she sees the ruined meal.

“AHHHH BUMPY WHAT ARE WE GOING TO DO WE’RE OVER WE’RE GOING TO LOSE OUR JOBS” Akira exclaims, making it clear that this is a code red disaster.

“Don’t worry,” Chef Bumpy says, winking at her. “I’ve got this”

Chef Bumpy reaches into his pocket and pulls out a small, slimy creature.The creature looks like a small, amphibious creature with a long, slippery tail and a pair of beady eyes. Chef Bumpy holds it over the dish and gives it a gentle squeeze. The creature sticks out its tongue and blurts out a mysterious blue liquid onto the dish, instantly neutralising the spicy flavour and giving the food a fancy, bluish glow.

Akira’s eyes widen in surprise. “What the heck is that?”

“It’s called a Flavomat. It’s a flavor neutralizer,” Chef Bumpy explains with a chuckle. “I’ve been keeping it in my pocket just in case something like this happens. It’s a rare creature that I found on a distant planet and I’ve trained it to squirt a special juice that neutralizes any unwanted flavors. Only Chef’s who pass a special series of trials on the planet can obtain one and its honestly really hard”

Akira can hardly believe her eyes. She gives Chef Bumpy a stern look and picks up the dishes, her heart pounding with nervousness. “You better hope this works!” she exclaims with a scowl. 

 As she sets the disk down in front of the critics, she can see their eyes light up with curiosity. They take a bite and let out a chorus of murmurs of appreciation.

“This dish is extraordinary,” one of the critics says, taking a bite of the glowing blue dish. “The flavors are incredibly complex and the texture is absolutely perfect.”

“Yes, yes,” agrees the other critic, “and this blue glow, what is it?”

Akira smiles, “That would be the work of our chef, Bumpy. He has a… Secret ingredient.”

The critics’ eyes widen in surprise. “Remarkable,” says one. “We’ve never encountered anything like this before.”

“It’s just one of the many unique and special touches that we pride ourselves on here at Dorothy’s Diner,” Akira explains.

“Indeed,” says the other critic, “we will be sure to mention this in our review.”

“Thank you, we are honored,” Akira says with a smile. “Bumpy will be thrilled to hear that.”

Akiras anxiety is mounting, as she knows that the final course is the make-or-break moment for the Diner. She’s almost in the clear… But not yet.

“How was your experience so far?” Akira asks, trying to sound confident.

The critics look up at her, their large, expressive eyes scanning her face. “It was quite satisfactory,” one of them says in a deep, rumbling voice. “However, we have a request for the final course. We would like to try the Nebula Souffle.”

Akira’s heart sinks. The Nebula Souffle is missing from the menu, and for good reason. 

The Nebula Souffle is a dish that is said to have the power to transport people to another dimension with each bite. It is made from the rarest and most exotic ingredients from across the galaxy, including stardust, nebulae, and a special type of cosmic cream. It requires a rare ingredient that can only be found in the heart of a dying star. When preparing the dish, it is said to be so temperamental that even one nanoparticle of pressure change within the oven can destroy the dish instantly.

The dish is said to have a unique magical effect on those who eat it, allowing them to experience a different reality and see things in a whole new light. Some say that it can even grant temporary psychic abilities and heightened senses, allowing the Diner to see and taste things beyond this world. 

However, few know the truth because the Souffle is extremely difficult to make and requires a great deal of skill, knowledge and patience to prepare. It is so rare that only a select few chefs in the galaxy have ever had the chance to even try the recipe, let alone master it.

“I’m sorry,” Akira says, trying to hide her disappointment. “The Nebula Souffle is an off-menu item that we don’t serve here. Can I recommend the Cosmic Crisp Apple Pie? It’s our specialty. “

The critics look at each other and then back at Akira. “We understand,” one of them says. “But we have heard that Dorothy’s Diner is a unique and one-of-a-kind establishment, and we expect nothing less than the impossible. We expect you to serve us the Nebula Souffle.”

Akira nods, her mind racing as she tries to come up with a solution. She knows that she has to find a way to make the impossible possible, and she has to do it quickly. Chef Bumpy is NOT going to be happy with her.

Akira enters the kitchen and sees Chef Bumpy. He’s covered in flour, and he’s whistling a tune as he works.

“Chef Bumpy,” Akira says, trying to sound calm. “We have a problem.”

Chef Bumpy looks up, his eyes twinkling with amusement. “What’s the matter, Akira? Are the critics giving you trouble?”

Akira takes a deep breath and tries to steady her nerves. “The critics have asked for the impossible. They’ve asked for a Nebula Souffle.”

Chef Bumpy’s expression changes, and he looks at Akira with a mixture of surprise and concern. “A Nebula Souffle? Are you sure?”

Akira nods. “I’m sure. They’re expecting us to make it for them. I don’t know how we’re going to do it, but we have to try.”

Chef Bumpy rubs his chin, deep in thought. “A Nebula Souffle is… Impossible! We don’t even have half the ingredients for that!”

Akira nods. Chef Bumpy is the best in the galaxy, and if even he believes he cannot make this Nebula Souffle, it seems like all hope is lost. 

As Akira and Chef Bumpy stand in the kitchen, staring at the empty souffle dish, they can feel the pressure building. They know that they’re running out of time, and they’re starting to feel desperate.

Just then, Dorothy walks in. “What’s the problem, guys?” she asks, looking at the empty dish.

“The critics want a Nebula Souffle,” Akira explains. “But we don’t know how to make it and even if we did, we don’t have the ingredients.”

Dorothy laughs. “Oh, that’s easy,” she says. “I’ve been making Nebula Souffles for decades. It’s one of my specialties.”

Akira and Chef Bumpy look at each other in surprise. They had no idea that Dorothy had talents like that aside from smoking too much and somehow still maintaining business while being overtly-abrasive.

Dorothy rolls up her sleeves quickly geting to work. She opens a special gilded pantry at the back of the room that is always locked.

Dorothy continues gathering the ingredients and whipping up the souffle. She works with precision and skill, and soon the kitchen is filled with a heavenly aroma unlike anything that has even been in the kitchen: the Nebula Souffle.

As she slides the souffle into the oven, Dorothy turns to Akira and Chef Bumpy with a grin. “Ya’ll were really panicking for nothing,” she chuckles, e-cig handing out of her lip. 

When the souffle is done, they all gather around to look at it. 

 “It’s… Magical…” Chef Bumpy whispers, jaw dropped.

The souffle is tall and fluffy like a cloud, with a glowing sheen that shimmers and sparkles.

Akira picks up the souffle, eyes glowing with delight. She carefully glides it out to the critics with some extra help from Glipper to avoid dropping it.

The critics take one look at the souffle and their eyes light up.

As Akira sets the dish down in front of the critics, she can see the look of surprise and delight on their faces. The souffle is a beautiful, ethereal color or shiny pastels and whites, and it gives off a soft, glowing light from its core. It’s presented in a delicate glass dome that is lifted off by Akira to reveal a fluffy and airy souffle that sparkles and jiggles like it’s weightless.

“This is the Nebula Souffle,” Akira explains. “It’s made from the rarest of ingredients and requires a delicate and precise cooking technique to prepare. It’s a dish that almost no one in the galaxy can make.”

 “This is incredible,” one of them says. “I’ve never seen anything like it. I didn’t think you would be able to…”

The other critic nods in agreement, mesmerised by the swirling fluffy glow. “We normally just give this to restaurants to see what they come up with. We never expected you to actually be able to make it. This is truly a masterpiece,” he says.

As the critics take their first bites, they close their eyes in pleasure. The souffle is light and airy, with a delicate, ethereal flavor that is out of this world.

“The flavors are so complex and unique. The texture is light and airy, it’s truly a masterpiece.”

The other critic nods in agreement. “This is truly a rare and unusual dish. The chef who created this must be a master of his craft.”

Dorothy rolls her eyes as the critics rave about her souffle. She turns to Akira and Chef Bumpy with a wink. “I told you I was good,” she says with a smirk and walks away with crossed arms.

The renowned critics Vonse and Vanse leave the Diner with bellies full, delighted with their magical experience, and leaving Akira relieved. Weeks later, the critics give Dorothy’s Diner a glowing review in the Star Gourmet, the galaxy’s most popular cuisine magazine. The Diner remains the hottest spot in the Unicorn Galaxy for another day!

“Well, Glipper, I guess we can finally say we’ve passed the taste test with flying colors,” Akira says with a chuckle as she scratches Glipper behind the ears.

“Glorb Glorb!” Glipper glops in agreement as the two of them walk off into the galaxy, ready for whatever adventures comes to Dorothy’s Diner next!.

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