Chapter Text
“A customer wishes to speak with you about their food.”
Morgan sighed, wiping her hands on her apron. She looked over at her coworker, one of the waiters serving tables that night.
Morgan has always had the ability to see others’ emotions. They floated around people’s heads, like animated shapes of color, words or faces. When she looked at her coworker, she saw blue, trembling ghosts with a sunken face floating around their head.
Today was just going to be one of those days, wasn’t it?
With a nod, Morgan followed the waiter outside the kitchen and to one of the tables.
Making food and watching the smiles on people’s faces after they eat it (and their satisfied, white fluff balls floating around their head) was the biggest reason Morgan had gone to and graduated from culinary school.
Dealing with annoying customers who only wanted to complain about her food was not supposed to be part of the picture. And she felt she shouldn’t be the one to have to deal with them, either.
But this was one of the best paying jobs she’s ever had, and she had complete control over the menu. Plus, she still had school loans to pay off. She needed this job, whether she liked it or not.
The waiter led her to a table with a skeleton monster sitting at it.
Monsters were a common sight to see, as she was working in a 5-star restaurant in the heart of Ebott City. The restaurant had been founded by the robot celebrity, Mettaton, so monsters would often frequent here.
She still had to get used to monsters’ violent, stubborn attitudes, though.
The skeleton monster’s frown deepened as she approached.
“This gentleman here wished to speak with you about his food,” the waiter said. Then they scurried off, not wanting to deal with whatever yell fest was about to happen.
Turning to face the monster, Morgan put on a bright smile. “Hello, sir. You wished to speak with the person who made your food?”
The skeleton growled. He pointed at his empty plate. “The food you made was disgusting and unsatisfactory.” However, despite his rude words, Morgan watched as white, fluffy balls of satisfaction floated around his head. The fluff balls looked to be drooling and held up a sign that read, “Delicious…”
“What dish did you order?”
“The lasagna!” he shouted.
Some nearby human customers jumped, but quickly went back to their food when they saw just who was yelling.
Morgan’s smile brightened. “I’m afraid ‘disgusting’ and ‘unsatisfactory’ don’t provide me with areas of improvement. Could you elaborate on what exactly was disgusting with my dish?” She tried to keep her focus on the customer’s skull, but she couldn’t help but notice the sign the fluff balls held up now read, “Need more lasagna…”
“The lasagna was inedible! I tasted no vinegar! My teeth didn’t crunch down on any strengthening glass or nails! The portion size was far too small of someone my size!”
“Hmm…” Morgan pulled out a notepad and pencil from the front pocket of her apron. She pretended to write down his suggestions. “I haven’t quite heard of this method of making lasagna before (although the portion sizes are a common complaint we get here. I can’t control those.) Are these ingredients typical in monster lasagna?”
At this, the skeleton faltered. But only for a second. “It is something of my own invention! It’s the perfect recipe for lasagna, unlike this trash that was fed to me.”
Morgan tapped her pencil on her lips. “You know… I do find it interesting that you ate the whole plate…”
She watched with delight as his fluff balls turned white, scrunched up their little faces, and blushed.
“I dislike wasting food, even if it was horribly unsatisfying,” the skeleton said with a straight face. She did catch a slight pink hue to his cheek bones, but that was only because she was really looking for it.
“I see. Well, I’ll take your suggestions into consideration, although there's no guarantees that they’ll be implemented.” She put her pencil and notebook back into her apron pocket. “Would you like to try something else on our menu? I can give it to you on the house since you’re not satisfied with your meal.”
Morgan hated rewarding whiners with food, but Mettaton believed the customer was always right. Always. And she supposed it was his food and money, technically, so she always did her best to make the customer happy.
The skeleton shook his head. “No, I just wanted to provide a pathetic human like you with tips from the Great and Terrible Papyrus.”
“I’m honored.”
“As you should be. Now bring back that scaredy pants waiter, so I can leave this pathetic establishment.”
With a smile and a small bow, Morgan turned and headed back the way she came. She dropped her annoying customer service smile. She found the waiter and suggested they check in with “Papyrus,” who was now impatiently tapping his foot at his booth. The waiter took off. Morgan slunk back into the kitchen, ready for her shift to be over.