Balut

"While it saddens me seeing the ends of people right before my eyes, I truly wish to have them live to the fullest."

## Background

A strange man with an interest in the subject of death, though, he does not enjoy it. He has the ability to foresee strange happenings and has scarily accurate predictions of the future, especially with someone's passing. People often stay away from him because of this. However, children seem to like playing with him, and he can be very father-like towards them.

## Food Introduction

Balut (also spelled as Balot) is a developing bird embryo (usually a duck) that is boiled and eaten from the shell. It originated and is commonly sold as street food in the Philippines. Often served with beer, balut is popular in Southeast Asian countries.

## Skills

* **Normal Skill: Chip Off**
Balut summons large, broken shards of eggshells and hurls them at the nearest enemy. It deals 100% of the Food Soul's Atk stat, plus an additional 50 points of damage for 3 seconds.
* **Energy Skill: Mad Father**
Balut calls forth a flock of ducklings. The ducklings attack all enemies, causing 50% damage of the Food Soul's Atk Stat, along with additional damage points of 268.

## Fondness Stories

* I. Children
* II. Daughter
* III. Attempt
* IV. Ignorance
* V. Balut
Children laughed and played on the empty street. I watched them from afar as they passed a ball to each other in a game of catch. I did my best to block out my visions, but unfortunately, small pieces still flash in my eyes. Some of them would live a good life. The other... not so much.

I hate that I can see it. That I can hear it.

Suddenly, the ball bounced and rolled near me. I dropped down from my floating egg chair, Angela making herself comfy on where I was sitting. I picked up the ball and looked back at the children. They looked curiously at me. I flicked my eyes back and forth from the ball to the children before I smiled. I made my way towards them, my chair floating behind me.

"Can I play along?" I asked. They looked at each other for a moment before nodding at me with big smiles.

I laughed softly. Playing with children… It's such an innocent thing.My Master Attendant is pregnant. She is pregnant with a new daughter.

"Balut?" She calls out to me. She looks at me, and I didn't even need to hear her.

"You wish to know if your child will live?" I assumed. Angela rubbed her head on my hand, wanting affection.

She nodded, "Will they?"

I gulped, trying to keep a calm face. However, I couldn't prevent the frown on my lips.

"I'm sorry, Master." I said. Her eyes widen and her face fills with dread. "She will not live a full life."

A sharp sting suddenly sprouted throughout my cheek. I can hear Angela quacking loudly and fuss in my arms. My Master looked at me with an angry fire in her eyes.

"Liar!!" She yelled. I speak up again.

"A fire will be her end."

"Shut up!"

I continued, "Turning away from my warning will be the cause of the fire. You must leave this village if you want her to live. If not, then the merciless flames will engulf her."

My Master still looked me with anger, but there was also a hint of fear. She turns away from me, and I kept my eyes closed until the sound of thudding heels faded and ended with a slam of the door.The baby was born. Her name is Sarah. My Master and her husband loved her very much. I do too.

But my Master refuses to leave the village.

"She will grow up here," my Master said sternly. "Maybe just this once, your foresight is wrong!"

I shook my head, "Turning away from my warning will be the cause of the fire. Master, at least for this week, leave the village."

"Drop it, Balut." She said with the baby in her arms.

I looked at Sarah for a moment before looking my Master in the eyes.

"... Fine. However, you have three days."

I heard Master scoffed as I went out of the room.

Days past by and eventually, the third day came. Master is still here in the village with Sarah. Her husband wasn't home.

I'm becoming restless now. I need to say something. I need to do something.

"Master, please! Why won't you leave the village?!"

She clicked her tongue, "We have no reason to leave. We have everything we need here, and my daughter is going to live a happy life. Your vision is wrong, Balut. It's been three days and no fire has started."

"So you choose to be ignorant?"

"I choose to be hopeful."

I felt an urge rise up within me. I stared at Sarah in my Master's arms. Staring back at me with innocent eyes. Something snapped.

"I'm sorry, Master." I snapped my fingers, sharp eggshells surrounding me and aiming at my Master. She clutched Sarah close to her, eyes widen with fear.

"Balut, get rid of those shells! You'll hurt the baby!"

Being a Food Soul, I'm supposed to obey my Master. But I didn't. I didn't want to. Not when this woman refuses to listen to me.

"Give me Sarah."

Before I could strike, Angela quacked out a warning. Suddenly, I felt a sharp pain on my head and my world went dark.

I forgot about the husband.I woke up outside my home. Or…can I even call it my home now?

I was out for a few hours, and night has fallen upon the village. Images flashed through my eyes. My head.

It hurts. It's hot. I'm burning. I need to get out of here.

I hurry my way out of the village, going deep into the forests. I kept Angela close to me, floating on my chair as fast as I could.

"I'm sorry, Sarah." I say. At that very moment, explosions sounded out from behind me. I turn around, seeing a merciless blaze past the tree line.

I can hear the screams. The sound of burning buildings. Hopeless pleas for help.

I can see my Master, clutching Sarah as her husband leaves them for dead.

I can hear her cries. Her regretful screech.

I watched with flowing tears, the destruction of my village.

"Do you like it?" A voice spoke behind me. I quickly turned my chair and came face to face with a man.

A gentle, yet sinister smile on his face. A flock of ducklings near his feet.

"No, I don't." Was the only thing I said to him before turning back to the fire.

Everything was silent now. It's deafening.Laughter filled the air as children played on the playground.

Balut watches them, sitting under the shade of a large tree. His duck companion, Angela, was playing with the older children. It was always like this nowadays. Find shelter, watch over children, talk with their parents sometimes, find shelter again. He had no real home now. As he watched the children play, the frantic quacking of Angela catches his full attention.

He looks over to the direction of Angela's quacking, seeing a larger boy kicking a smaller boy to the sand of the sandbox. Angela was calling him to stop it.

On his floating chair, he hurried over to the boys.

"Boys! Stop this fight this instant! Stop before I call your parents over!"

The larger boy immediately stops, allowing the younger boy to get up and run over to Balut. The small child hides behind the Food Soul's floating chair, watching the other child with tears in his eyes. Balut exhaled through his nose as he looks at the older child. Before he could say something, a two young women came up to them.

"Alex!" One of them exclaimed, going to the child behind Balut's floating chair. She brought the child into a hug. Balut assumes this was the smaller child, Alex's, mother.

The other woman grabbed hold of the other child's arm, rather harshly. She looked mad. "What did I say about bullying?! Apologize to Alex! Now, Aaron!"

Aaron frowned sadly before saying a small "sorry" towards Alex. Angela quacks at Balut, telling him to pick her up. The Food Soul jumps off of his floating chair to do just that. As he takes Angela into his arms, Alex's mother catches his attention.

"Excuse me? You're a Food Soul, aren't you?" She asks. Balut nods, giving the woman a smile, tired bags under his eyes. The woman smiles back, "Would you like some lunch? Think of it as a thanks for making our boys stop."

"That would be nice, thank you." Balut says. He wanted to make sure Alex was alright. This woman was good. Lunch, and maybe a place to stay, would definitely be nice.