A Tale of Two Pizza's Ongoing Contest (WEEK 2)

The story so far (in order):

https://peakd.com/hivepizza/@dibblers.dabs/a-tale-of-two-pizzas-ongoing-contest
https://peakd.com/hive-161155/@wrestlingdesires/the-great-pizza-feast

Side storyline:
https://peakd.com/hive-147104/@jesustiano/el-adviento-de-la-pizza

Word of the Pizza Baron's great feast quickly spread as the various Barons, diplomats, and notable dignitaries returned home to their communities with the delectable taste of Pizza once again fresh on their tongues. The memory of that taste was enough that they found themselves praising the Pizza Baron's accomplishment to everyone they met as they travelled. In every community, town, and village the people were soon discussing the Feast of 10000 Pizza's and reminiscing about their favorite toppings from before the Fall:

"I wonder if the old Pizza Baron'll have his Chef make a Hawaiian! That was always my favorite!"
"Where's he gonna get Pineapple from? You answer me that eh?"
"I heard the pizzas at the feast were Supreme's! If he can get his hands on Pepperoni, Sausage, Onions, Peppers, and Olives I bet he'll find a way to get ahold of some Pineapple!"
"That may be... but why would he ever want to?! Hawaiian's the worst type of Pizza there is!"
"You take that back! There's nothing wrong with Hawaiian Pizza!"

Hundreds of conversations about pizza, and all because of one feast! Fights broke out when discussing the best crust, the best sauce, the best toppings! Half the continent was abuzz! And the name on everyone's lips, the man who had brought a taste of the modern world back? Danny Rupert, the Pizza Baron!

"The Baron wishes to congratulate you on the success of your pizza's Charlie. You should know that your hard work will help keep our people warm this winter. You've done us all a great service! He wishes to meet with you first thing tomorrow to discuss his plans. For now, I've been instructed to tell you to plan a weekly Pizza Menu and begin working out the necessary details to maintain a steady supply of ingredients." The Pizza Baron's loyal advisor, Otto, said as he and Chef Charlie walked home from the Baron's mansion to the more modest homes of his servants.

"But Otto, I'm already at the end of my rope! I barely managed to pull this feast off! I thought I'd be going back to the usual menu afterwards... Now you're telling me its going to be Pizza day in day out! I'm not cut out for it, I wasn't even a chef before the Fall! At least give me a minute to grow my damn eyebrows back!" The two passed between row upon row of solar panels as they walked, a reminder of what the previous Baron had achieved.

"Don't worry Charlie, the Baron has a plan! Do you think he would have gone to all this trouble unless he did! He has great faith in you Charlie! You seriously impressed him when you found the cheesemaker!" Otto chuckled as he spoke, Charlie did look ridiculous with his singed moustache and no eyebrows, the man would have to learn not to stand so close to the oven. "I can tell you this! You wont be doing it all alone. As I said, the Baron wishes to meet with you to discuss his plans first thing tomorrow! Get some rest! You look like you need it!" The two had reached the cluster of tiny houses just inside the massive wooden walls that surrounded the Pizza Barons compound. As Otto turned towards his home Charlie responded.

"I do need it! Not likely to get any knowing I'm responsible for feeding every Baron this side of the Rocky Mountains!"

"Think of it as a promotion Charlie! You know the Baron takes care of those that serve him well! Goodnight!"

"Yeah and disposes of those that don't!" Charlie muttered under his breath. He stepped into his small one room home, hung his Chef's hat and apron up on the back of the door, and collapsed immediately onto his bed. He was asleep before he hit the mattress.

"It was like my taste buds were in heaven!" Mrs. Preda exclaimed to the attendant helping her out of the formal gown she had worn to the feast. "I never cared for pizza before the Fall, but after all these years of simple meals just the sight of all those pizzas made me drool. I shall never forgive the Pizza Baron for reminding me that food could taste so amazing! Run along now and fetch the Baron to the library in half an hour! He and I have much to discuss after this feast!"

"Now Ma'am? Should I not draw your bath for you after the journey?" There was just a hint of sarcasm in the attendant's voice.

"Yes, yes, I can bathe and dress myself! We did make it through the Fall together after all!" Making a mental note of the sarcasm, she dismissed the attendant with a wave of her hand and muttered to herself, "A years worth of oil for a winters worth of wheat and a few Pizza's, what on earth were we thinking? And how did he know about our wheat fields?" It occurred to her that the Pizza Baron must have spies among her household staff! Thankfully she had known Chelsea, her attendant, since before the Fall and though they were now Baroness and attendant, Mrs, Preda trusted her deeply, nearly as much as her husband, the Oil Baron himself. Perhaps she would let the sarcasm go after all.

Thirty minutes later Chelsea returned to announce "The Baron is waiting for you in the library Ma'am." Mrs. Preda quickly put her book aside and rose from her comfortable sofa.

"Good, I shall go to him now. Be sure we are not disturbed, Chelsea, and that no one is eavesdropping. Set yourself up in the nook across the hall and report to me tomorrow if anyone so much as pauses on their way past!" The attendant looked at her strangely but knew better than to question her.

"Yes Ma'am, I shall." With that the Baroness and her attendant swept out into the hall and headed towards the library.

The rules for this week remain the same as previous weeks!

I'd like to continue building on the story of the Pizza Baron and his post apocalyptic world. Each week I'll pick a winner that becomes the next piece of the story and wins 20 $PIZZA and a 5 SBI sponsorship from me. I may award additional prizes if I feel multiple entries expand the story well.

Each week I'll write a post announcing the winner and then I will write another chunk of the story and open it up again for the next weeks competition. I'll compile the winning entry for each week. If we reach a conclusion of the epic tale of the Pizza Baron I'll divide another TBD amount of PIZZA among all the winning entries throughout the whole story and publish the finished story here on Hive with all the contributors as beneficiaries. If this goes well we might have the first open source blockchain novella on our hands! 😂

The first weeks contest established a secondary storyline that may be tied back into the main plot if you so wish!

Bear in mind this is an experiment as well as a competition so we will see how many entries I get and how well it goes!

Rules:

Entries must be more than 200 words but less than 1000.

Entries must use the hivepizza tag

Entries must comment on this post with the link to their entry

Entries must fit in the world/scenario that has developed from the previous weeks contest(s). You are free to develop characters, introduce new ones, invite aliens to the feast, I don't care as long it makes some kind of sense in the context! The Pizza Baron should remain relevant to the plot!
(I've named it a Tale of TWO Pizza's for a reason HINT HINT)