A Taste of Knowledge follows the manga till chapter 264. I don't own copyright on SnS (sadly, as I would love to) and related characters, I just wrote it instead of studying for my exams…
Who to know
It was a bleak winter's day in Japan. The wind biting any exposed skin and the icy rain felt as daggers on the poor souls forced outside. Only a fool would willingly traverse on foot in this weather. Still, a shadow crept its way towards the intended destination, thuds ringing out as it marched through a restricted area. A hoarse breath accompanied this beat, transforming into a duet of misery.
The silhouette halted before an eerie façade comprised of fence, ivy and balcony railing. This monolithic building was a stark contrast to the exterior environment. A soothing light shimmered through the curtains, and the walls couldn't hold back the loud, cheering voices from within. Would anyone be cruel enough to disturb this celebratory mood? Even so, the figure had made it this far and didn't intend to be cut off at the finish-line. A hand was hastily unveiled before rapping the front door.
It was a young man in his late teens who answered the knock "Oh you've made it back Naki…" the redhead stopped dead in his tracks for a second "Who're you?" he continued in broken English.
"Hello, might I have a word with Fumio Daimido-dono" Soma was taken aback by the stranger's proficiency in Japanese. His appearance all but screamed foreigner. The dirt blonde hair and the electric blue eyes of the Gaijin, fixing the young chef to the spot. It wasn't until the question was repeated he could muster an answer. "Sorry 'bout that. I'll get her now… My name is Yukihira Soma by the way"
It would be apparent to anyone that the stranger had interrupted some sort of celebration, and this surprising arrival had everybody on the edge of their seat. The last time an unexpected guest came, it had nearly ended in the expulsion of most of them.
As the Madonna of the Polar Star appeared the tension became palpable. Without uttering a word the newcomer handed her an envelope. She skimmed through the letter before commenting "I am sure you are well aware he is no longer headmaster, but the dorm will accommodate you… if you pass the test"
A thin smile adorned his lips "just show me the kitchen…" however he was interrupted by the voice of a female. "Absolutely not! I will not tolerate anyone associated with my father's way of cooking, on my school grounds. How did you even circumvent the security team?"
The smile widened to a knowing grin before he answered "Nakiri Erina-san, I can assure you that I am in no way connected to Nakamura Asami. The headmaster Fumio-dono referred to was your grandfather. As for your question, in this case I simply maintained my access privileges from my last visit… though there are glaring holes in your security system."
This left the headmistress speechless. Was there really an acquaintance of her grandfather she didn't even know the existence of? "Oh where are my manners? I haven't even introduced myself. My name is Benjamin Williams, though Ben will suffice"
With the resistance as spectators, Ben began cooking his entrance meal. It was apparent that he his way around a kitchen and though he lacked the speed of a professional chef, he still had precise skills. Erina eyed his ingredients and utensils; to her it was obvious what he was making. It was no complicated dish, but that in of itself was a dual-edged sword since it would leave no place to hide any shortcomings. He cut the meat before frying it on a pan; as he did a savory smell began pervading the air. Ben made the egg mixture as he waited for the noodles to boil. After they were done came the crucial part: any misstep here would ruin the dish and earn him an outdoor sleep. After adding the finishing touches he plated his dish "Oho, what is this?" the dorm-mother mused. "An Italian classic; Pasta carbonate" came the obvious reply.
There was dead-silent as Fumio taste tested it. Everyone anticipating an over the top reaction, but none came. After giving it some thought the Madonna remarked "you pass" That was it? You pass? No remarks, nothing? Takumi stepped up to the plate to try the dish and once again they were underwhelmed "Yes it gets a passing grade. It is clear he isn't a part of the culinary industry though" the only one unfazed by it was surprisingly the 'chef' himself as he was eating a portion of his own. A haughty voice cut through the air "shouldn't you be a little more affected by the judgment of your dish?" Erina couldn't contain the frustration over his nonchalant attitude any longer. "What? I am eating… this is my dinner you know. Besides its just food"
That crossed the line for the headmistress. How could anybody have such disregard for the art of food? She would try this dish herself. That's when it hit her; besides being a bit on the salty side, the main issue of the dish was there wasn't a trace of passion in it. It tasted okay, but it was meant as sustenance, nothing more. She had no idea what to make of him.
As Ben was invited in to be a part of the post Régiment de Cuisine party, they got to know a bit about their supposed new dorm-member. He was European, in his mid-twenties and he had spent a little over a year traveling before coming to Japan. There he learned of the latest news about Tōtsuki; and he had decided to meet with whoever was headmaster.
Erina in particular learned a little trick of his. Yūki had proposed that they played a card game, with Ben showing his reluctance to do so. He commented that it would be boring… or clichéd if they had a forfeit such as revealing a secret about themselves. This was then, of course, implemented to a game of old maid; to the supposed annoyance of Ben. In reality he had mind-gamed the others to follow his plan, like the story of the pied piper. Oh the humiliation the headmistress had suffered, as she admitted to have had a childhood crush on Saiba Jōichirō after a particularly crushing defeat. Nakiri Alice suddenly sauntered in followed by her aide. A moment of silence passed before she exclaimed "Ben?Hvordan har du det?*" and proceeded to hug him…
This is my first SnS fanfic, hoped you liked it. I intend to write at least three more chapters with some amount of a Sorina ship growing. If there are any remarks on my writing please let me know. On a related note I might have forgotten to write some words in a sentence please let me know where, and I'll try to fix it. I will at the bottom of each chapter include a list of translated sentences, though I'll try to keep them at a minimum.
*Ben? How have you been?
- One-of-Stone out