Dream

(Soma's Dream)

"Wake up, My child." A chilling voice spoke. Its words floated in the void that was Soma's dream, and it brought his attention. The voice belonged to a figure, garbed in tattered black clothes. A dark cloak and rags covered the body, as did a mask that was decorated like a demon.

Soma was unresponsive at first, having felt a similar experience in the past.

"Child, I call you to the realm of your mind. Awaken!" The voice boomed this time, startling the teen into action.

Soma sat up, alert as he had a slight ringing in his ears.

"Sheesh, mom, could you lighten up? And pull your mask down, it's still scary as last time." Soma shouted, making the figure sweatdrop.

Soma turned around as the figure pulled its disguise away, revealing a feminine form. She was slender and fit, with red flowing hair pulled into a ponytail, a plain white apron that she wore on top of a light purple sweater, a long brown dress skirt and plain shoes.

This was Soma's mom, Akane Yukihira.

"Oh my, my big handsome baby boy is yelling at his kaa-chan." Akane fake cried, anime tears fell freely from her face as she feigned sobbing into her sleeve. Soma rolled his eyes.

"Oi, stop with the crocodile tears, mum." Soma said, snapping Akane from her attempt to guilt her son. She smiled warmly at him, and outstretched her arms.

"Come here, Soma-kun. I want a hug!" She spoke in an upbeat tone, which some shaked his head with a smile.

"Yeah yeah, mum." Soma wrapped his arms around his mom, squeezing her tightly as she did the same. She placed her head a top of Soma's messy hair, rubbing his back. Soma felt at peace.

"I miss you mom." Soma said quietly, his voice muffled in her apron. Akane only laughed.

"Oh, Soma. You always were the most clingy between the two of you. How's your twin sister doing, sochi?" She asked, stroking the top of his head.

The dreamscape warped, the void shimmered as the scenery changed. Grassy plains sat atop of a hill, with a tree overhead as Soma and Akane were placed under it, a picnic blanket and basket to the side.

The duo rested under the shade as a simulated breeze blew by. It didn't matter to Soma, it all felt real with his mom around.

"Aya's doing her idol job like always mum, except she took on a stage name." Soma said wistfully, liking how her fingers raked through his wild locks.

"Oh? Aya's took on a different name? What's she called now?"

"...Aya Star." Soma said, deadpanning. Akane could only sputter before she broke out laughing loudly.

"OH! Oh that's rich!" She laughed harder. Aya looked exactly like Soma but with purple color hair, save for the scar and wild locks. She has a angular, pretty face with delicate eyebrows. Her hair reached the middle of her back and there was a small streak of red highlight in it.

"...When are you gonna visit again, mum?" Soma asked, somber. This was always the hardest part for him, when the two had to separate.

"I'll visit again soon, Soma. But don't worry, I'm always right," She placed her hand over his heart. "Here." She concluded. "Or did you forget? I'm a god remember?" She giggled into her sleeve.

"Yeah, I know. Albeit, a poor one, but a god nonetheless." Soma teased, making her pout.

"Hey! Blame Kami-sama for that, it wasn't my fault! She always did like my cooking though…" Akane thought, before having an epiphany. "Maybe that's why I'm the God of Cookery! ...Even if I'm not one of the major gods, I'm a god nonetheless!" Akane said with fierce determination and pride.

Soma only looked dumbfounded. She only got to that conclusion now? Jeez…

Indeed, Akane Yukihira is the Goddess of Cookery. The cooking deities (Kamado-no-Kami and Kojin, and all the other lesser gods) were all really alternate personalities of her. Soma inherited her cooking skills, while Aya inherited her physical traits.

All in all, Soma won the cream of the crop when he was born. It was because of that reason that Aya had decided to pursue a career away from cooking, because that was her brother's forte.

"It's time for me to go, Soma-kun. I've used up my weekly visit time with you, and I promised I'd visit your sister every other week. So, I'll see you soon. Tell your idiot of a father that I love him dearly, ok?" Akane said with a smile. Soma nodded, before giving her one last hug.

The two embraced, before Soma could feel his mom start to vanish. After her presence was gone, Soma sighed.

He could feel something stirring him, making him slowly become awake. Soma big a last goodbye to the traces of his mom, before he was brought back to the land of the living.