Disclaimer: I don't own Shokugeki no Souma or any of its characters!

Chapter 2: The She-Wolf

Ryou stared off into the distance, ignoring his milady's constant bickering with her cousin, Erina Nakiri. The God's Tongue turned her attention to him and chastised her cousin:" Alice, I can't believe you! You treat him like some dog! At least give him a break, he doesn't have to listen to our nonsense bickering!", Erina was embarrassed, Alice kept teasing her about a certain red headed cook.

Alice sighed heavily and said while waving her hand nonchalantly:" Alright, alright! Ryou, you can do whatever you want for the next three hours! My dear cousin and I have some spying to do!", the white haired Nakiri took her cousin by the arm and dragged her away, Erina all the while protesting at being handled so roughly and suddenly.

Ryou just shook his head at the two cousins and went on his merry way, his hands in his pockets as he headed towards the kitchen.

His eyes widened a fraction as his sharp nose picked up a spicy, delicious scent in the air, coming from the kitchen, which was only several feet away from him now. He rose an eyebrow in curiosity, before he walked towards it. His eyes narrowed slightly as he determined what spices were used and what meal that person was probably cooking.

There was curry, a healthy amount of it, peppers, salt, thyme, oregano, onions…

Onions? Thyme? Just what sort of dish is that cook preparing?

Thyme was commonly used as a spice for soups and sauces…it wasn't often paired with onions, or curry for that matter, since the spices don't mix well together concerning the aroma. The curry would overpower the thyme.

Ryou opened the door to the kitchen, a barrage of different smells bombarding him all at once.

That could only mean that-! He found himself smirking as he saw just who was preparing such a…intense meal. Aside from Yukihira and himself, as well as that spice bastard, he knew only one other person who intended to literally assault the taster's senses with their food.

He said:" Lyca.", while walking toward the female chef, who was wearing her cooking uniform, as opposed to her usual style of wearing pants, simple, mostly loose shirts and her trademark boots.

She was wearing her headgear, a long, dark red handkerchief, one he himself has gifted her while they were still children in that little port town in Denmark, a time before his milady Alice found them.

She turned around, a spoon in her hand as she was about to taste her cooking. Her brown eyes, usually warm and kind, were blazing with a fire that seemed to be inextinguishable as she narrowed her eyes at him.

"Ryou, what are you doing here?", though her tone seemed calm, she was seething. Nobody interrupted her while she was about to eat. Not even her oldest and closest friend Ryou.

"I've been nearby and smelled your cooking. Say, what have you cooked today hm?", he moved forward, unperturbed by the death glare she sent him as she tried burning a hole in his skull. He grinned when he saw what his friend was up to.

Bouillon, simple rice, curry with meat and diced pineapples, along with simple yet very beautifully decorated muffins. A unique combination indeed, he mused.

He rose an eyebrow as he commented:" I know you love to eat beef Bouillon due to its strong flavor but…curry? You never really liked curry before.", she rose a finger in the air as she pointed out:" Correction, I never really cooked dishes with curry before but I have to expand my cooking field Ryou!",

"It's for the Autumn Elections isn't it?", he asked knowingly, he saw the slight tension in her shoulders at the mention of the Autumn Elections. They would be competing against each-other, against Yukihira and Hayama. Ryou still wasn't sure if they would compete against everyone or if they will work in pairs and compete as a group.

The young woman sighed, adding a little salt to her soup. She held out a plate to him as she ordered:" Try it.", he couldn't help but smirk, she sure was bossy when she had that headgear on. He took the fork from her and tried her food, letting the various flavors assault him for a moment before swallowing and assessing the used spices.

He was right, curry, salt, pepper, vegetable soup spices and very little parsley just for show as he looked at her dish. It was a deep yellow, the carrots adding a deeper tone to the usual bright yellow it would have become without it, you could see the evenly cut pieces of meat, the oval shaped carrots along with spring onions, cut diagonally just like the carrots. He licked his lips.

He nodded at her and said:" Good.", she understood his praise, it was delicious. Her eyes flashed at the poor praise and suddenly he found the sharp, gleaming edge of a knife close to his throat. Her eyes were blazing as she asked teasingly:" Good?", he smirked and wrapped his own head gear on. Two could play at this game.

He grinned menacingly and said:" Good.", he expertly removed the knife from her grip and pointed it at her, though in no way intending to hurt her. They were playing, both were well aware of their dual personalities. However, with Lyca it wasn't as it was with Ryou. When you removed her headgear, she wouldn't "immediately" revert to her "usual" self just like Ryou, instead it would take her a few more seconds and she wasn't necessarily only a aggressive, lethal wolf with her handkerchief on. When she tied the red handkerchief around her neck or forehead, it would take a while for the adrenaline rush from the Shokugeki to leave her.

She grinned, it looked feral with the way her eyes flashed, she moved close to him and said:" Aren't we bold today?", Ryou smirked and said:" Look who's talking.", she smirked, reaching back to remove his headband. However, her eyes widened slightly as she felt a strong, rough hand wrap around her handkerchief, which was tied around her neck, though she noticed how he was careful with gripping the cloth and not her delicate neck. She was pulled forward, close to him, their bodies pressing lightly as he grinned in that way that usually made everyone else quake in their boots, but not her.

She smiled back, both removed their handkerchiefs at the same time from each-other. Ryou's wild appearance reverted back to his usual self, his eyes still glinting with mischief as he handed Lyca her handkerchief back and took his from her.

He relented:" It was delicious. A touch too spicy I would say.", he knew she liked her food slightly spicier than most, though not by much. She smiled at him sweetly and said:" Thanks Ryou.", he nodded and they both ate together her cooking, Ryou noticed that she had prepared two plates, before he entered the kitchen.

His eyes shot to her own as he asked:" Were you expecting me?", she absentmindedly stared off in the distance before snapping her eyes to him as she answered in surprise:" Wha-? Oh! No, no I completely forgot! I actually planned to meet up with Souma!", she rubbed her forehead in irritation.

"Yukihira? Why?",

"I asked him to help me with determining how I could perfect my cooking while adding curry. You know, to hone my skills and be comfortable with using so many spices in my food.", Ryou was slightly displeased, he asked:" Why didn't you just come to me?",

He felt a tug at his heart, they were best friends, the closest. Why didn't she ask him for help? Why that Yukihira boy? She smiled at him and waved her hand as she said:" Oh, no, no Ryou. Alice told me that you had a busy day today so you didn't have much time.", he felt his eye twitch in annoyance.

He was going to kill Alice.

"Oh, Kurokiba, you're here too?", both cooks turned their heads sharply, startled out of their conversation. Ah, his rival arrived.

Lyca smiled as she stood up and hugged the young cook, both of them grinning happily. She said:" Ah, Souma! There you are! Uh…I'm sorry I completely forgot that you were coming and Ryou came and then…yeah. I will fill you another plate!", she winked and quickly rushed to the cabinets.

"No, no it's alright Lyca. Really. I've been caught up with Tadokoro because she had trouble with the ingredients.", he looked at Ryou and nodded:" Kurokiba.",

"Yukihira.", the other cook nodded back in greeting. His eyes narrowed as he asked:" So, you're helping out Lyca huh?", the redhead nodded and said:" Yeah, she said you were busy with Alice so she asked me instead. Is that a problem?", if Ryou didn't know any better he would have thought the guy had ulterior motives, but he knew Yukihira wasn't that type of guy, so he just replied:" None at all.", he watched Lyca as she filled a plate for the redhead.

Lyca leaned against the counter, watching Souma taste her dish. She realized of course that it wasn't anything grand or special but she had a little secret which only Ryou, Souma and Alice know about, she had low self-esteem. It was a different story when she wore her handkerchief and when she cooked, just like for Ryou, the kitchen was a battlefield, a battlefield which could quickly turn into a blood bath if one wasn't considerate of the chef's cooking style and let his mouth run loose.

"Lyca, do you mind accompanying me later on?", the young woman looked at him curiously, cocking her head to the side in confusion. She asked:" Where to Souma?",

He grinned as he crossed his arms and answered:" I was thinking on going to the market and looking at some new ingredients, if you have the time. Megumi said she would stay at the dorm and work on her cooking.", his hand went to the back of his head as he scratched the spot in embarrassment.

Lyca smiled brightly and said:" Alright, that's fine with me.", she offered a smile at Ryou as well, who looked uninterested save for the brief twitch of his eye, indicating his annoyance.

Lyca didn't think too much on it, perhaps he was annoyed because Alice didn't have time? She didn't know, but she would make sure to have a Shokugeki with him once she returned.

Little did she know that the fish specialist was irritated over the fact that she went to the market with Yukihira and not him, her closest friend. He was better company after all. Hands stuffed in his pockets, he aimed for the exit, before Lyca stood in front of him, a pout on her lips.

"What's wrong Ryou?", she asked suspiciously, hands on her hips. He looked into her eyes before averting her piercing gaze and mumbling:" Have to train.", and leaving the room.

The kitchen was silent as Lyca contemplated her friends behavior, she wasn't about to allow her friend to be upset, she excused herself from Soma and went after him.

Well….the end for this chapter. How was it? I realize I made Ryou a bit more talkative and "friendly" than he usually is, but this IS his childhood friend and they are even closer than him and Alice! As you noticed, he shared a rivalry with Soma (just like in the anime) but Soma's feelings on the matter remain hidden, for now ;) Please review and tell me how you liked it! Thank you very much for all the previous reviews!