It had been a few days of intense semblance training for Team JNPR. A pyrokinetic semblance like Jaune's had a lot of versatile options for combat and defense. This meant incorporating it into his new fighting style, and then into the team's fighting style.
Through a lot of often hilarious experimentation, the team had discovered that Jaune's semblance could in fact burn things, especially Grimm. He just had to concentrate, and will the flames to do so, since they were powered by his aura, they required an application of will to do more than serve as a heater.
It had been a long few days, especially when Team RWBY got involved.
"Have you tried cooking things on him?" Ruby asks as she gleefully ends another innocent cookie.
JNPR exchanges a look, staring back at her from across the lunch table, "Come again?" asks Jaune.
"Yeah! We totally use Yang's semblance to cook stuff! S'mores, popcorn, steak..." Ruby ends another cookie before its time, "Yeah. It's cooked by her semblance so it's all soul food."
Yang gives her sister a thumbs-up as Blake resists the urge to face palm, "That's not how soul food works." Blake mutters as she turns another page.
"Well," Jaune shrugs, "Anything for training, right?"
They are all startled by Ruby's sudden shout, "COOKING CONTEST!"
"Want to say that again, dolt? I don't believe they heard you in Atlas!"
"No guys, seriously," Ruby continues, as she happily munches another cookie, "We should have a cooking contest to help Jaune learn to control his new semblance. We get free food, plus we get to prove how awesome Team RWBY is!"
The other members of Team Ruby gave a firm nod at that. Team pride was now on the line.
"You're on!" shouted Nora, "Just don't cry to us when you lose!"
"We need a judge. Some third party that can be impartial." stated Ren.
Just then, Velvet appeared, eager to share some of her newest photos of some of the new transfer students with Yang and Blake. Purely for art appreciation, of course.
"Hello, everyone! Doing well?"
Ruby's grin became predatory, "Perfect."
XXX
This is how Team CFVY found themselves the judges in what Ruby was calling the first official "Soul Food Semblance Cookoff Extravaganza!" Well, Ruby called it that, but everyone was pretty sure Nora helped with the naming.
Velvet, Yatsuhashi, Coco, and Fox sat eagerly around their usual table in the cafeteria, eagerly awaiting their dinner.
In the kitchen, however, things were anything but calm. JNPR and RWBY were finding out just how difficult it could be to prepare a real meal with nothing but the power of aura.
Blake was putting her skills with knife work on display, as well as making liberal use her cloning semblance to do everything in her power to secure a win for her team. Ruby, who was surprisingly handy with a baking pan, was making dessert. Yang was of course the team's "designated oven". Weiss was venturing into new territory, having never set foot in the "Food Room" as she called it.
This actually turned out to be a blessing, as her constant complaints did a lot to keep Yang irritated, and their heating source stoked.
"I hate you guys so much right now," Yang grumbled, "Do you have any idea what this much heat is doing to my hair? Do you?! If I have any split ends because of this, you'll pay. You'll all pay!"
Ruby just giggled as she finished mixing together the cookie dough for her chocolate chip cookies. "Just hang in there, Sis! Split ends are a small price to pay for being the best team ever!"
Yang continued to grumble, but sat still as Blake added the mushrooms, and onions to her pan seared chicken.
On the other side of the kitchen, JNPR was taking their teamwork to new heights. Though this was originally just an exercise to help Jaune learn to control his semblance, they were still competitive by nature. They would not lose if Jaune could help it. Luckily, the nature of his semblance meant that Jaune could create fire in one hand, and chop vegetables with the other. With his experience cooking for his large family, they were making good progress.
Nora was peeling and mashing potatoes to use as a side. Jaune was helping Pyrrha chop veggies to use for the salad, and grilling meat. Ren, being their undisputed master of pancakes, was busy making dessert.
Their dynamic hit a wall when Jaune's flames weren't burning hot enough to cook the main dish. In a moment of inspiration, and delegation, Nora turned to Pyrrha.
"We need to stoke Jaune's flames, Pyrrha! Luckily, I was prepared," she states, gesturing to a bag she had set down in the corner, "You'll find the yoga pants you wore yesterday in the corner. Go change in the bathroom. Keep your man motivated!"
Both Pyrrha and Jaune blushed, but the redhead did as suggested, running quickly to the bathroom to change at Nora's urging. It was to be JNPR's secret weapon.
It worked spectacularly.
At the sight of his beautiful partner and girlfriend in yoga pants, Jaune's soul was rejuvenated, his flames now burning hot enough to evenly grill the meat he was cooking. Jaune smiled. They were almost done. Ren and Ruby would have extra time to finish the desserts, but the main courses were nearly done. All that remained was presentation, and service.
Once Jaune finished grilling the other side of the main course, he and Ren quickly began to plate everything. Nora made certain there were no 'dreaded evil lumps' in the mashed potatoes, before making sure each plate got a healthy portion. Pyrrha plated the salad, before following Nora out into the cafeteria to begin serving CFVY their dishes. They felt confident, since Yatsuhashi was a big fan of steak.
RWBY meanwhile was frantically trying to plate the chicken for their dishes. Blake was making frantic use of her clones to get everything assembled. Ruby was cheerfully humming as she put the finishing touches on dessert.
Yang glanced over at the furiously cooking JNPR and couldn't resist a bit of teasing.
"You guys okay over there? If you can't stand the heat, you can always leave the kitchen!"
Ren and Jaune manfully ignored her attempt to distract them as they gathered everything they needed to finish the dessert. Luckily, both teams had agreed on using a regular oven for baking, not wanting to take chances with dessert.
Ren turned to his team leader as Ruby made her way out of the kitchen for the beginning of the judging, "Go ahead out there for the first round of judging, Jaune. I can handle getting the cake out."
"Are you sure?" the blonde asked, "Cream cheese icing can be tricky."
Ren gave a firm nod, so Jaune exited the kitchen into the cafeteria proper to wait with his team.
Out in the cafeteria, Jaune stood with Nora and Pyrrha in front of CFVY's table and awaited the ruling.
Coco, Yatsuhashi, and Velvet had already finished their pan seared chicken dishes that RWBY had prepared. Fox was taking his time, thoughtfully chewing his final bite of chicken with a contemplative expression.
CFVY had excellent poker faces though and gave away none of their thoughts as they started on JNPR's entry of steak, mashed potatoes, and carrots. Once they were finally finished, CFVY held a brief, non-verbal conversation in the way only close team mates could, before turning to the assembled contestants.
Coco started things off, smirking teasingly at all of her gathered friends, "For me this really comes down to presentation of the dishes, hot stuff. Did it look good enough to eat?" She asked with a wink, "In this regard, I have to give my vote to the chicken. The color variation of the veggies added more flare to the presentation. The steak was good, but it just looked boring and bland."
Team RWBY smiled, as Coco continued, "The steak was excellently done, though. It was tender and flavorful, and the potatoes were rich and smooth."
Nora gave a fist pump at that, glad she had vanquished all the evil lumps.
"For me," Coco critiqued, "The chicken was the better dish, simply because I'm not a fan of red meat, no matter how perfectly cooked. The veggies really added to the flavor and presentation."
Team RWBY had high fives all around while JNP waited with bated breath. Yatsuhashi did not disappoint.
"The steak was excellent. As far as I am concerned, this contest was over after my first bite of it. You really know how to grill an excellent steak, and the potatoes paired perfectly," the giant warrior praised.
JNP were all smiles at that declaration, Jaune now a little less nervous about his chances.
"The chicken was very tender, and the veggies were perfectly cooked. Very flavorful." The giant swordsman finished.
Fox was the next to pass judgment. The blind Faunus steepled his fingers in front of his face, taking a moment to consider his response, "Both dishes had a lot going for them. The chicken was flavorful, with an excellent presentation. The steak was tender with an excellent flavor. This was cooked using your semblances, correct?"
Both teams nodded.
"You can tell," the blind Faunus asserted, "I can almost taste the emotions that went into the dishes. My senses are very keen to aura, and as a result I can taste the trace amount of it present in the food. This is very good soul food."
Ruby gave a triumphant giggle, even as Blake fought the urge to face palm.
Fox continued, "I could taste the desperation in the chicken dish. It also had a bitter layer of anger. For me it ruined the flavor. The steak on the other hand is a different matter. The flavor was succulent, and the meat was tender. I could taste the passion that went into it. The flavor was bold and left me quite thirsty. With that in mind, I have to say that the steak was the better dish."
Jaune and Pyrrha laughed nervously. Nora just giggled.
At this point, RWBY was once again nervous, while JNP were quite happy. They were in the lead!
It all came down to Velvet.
The bunny Faunus took a moment to stare at her friends contemplatively, eyes locking with each contestant, before smiling brightly at them. "Well, everyone. I'd like to start off by saying that this has been a very fun contest. You all put forth some great efforts, and I really enjoyed having the chance to help judge your contest."
The contestants smiled brightly, bolstered by their friend's words, and put at ease.
So they were naturally caught completely off guard by her rapid shift in expression, going from serene and gentle to looking apoplectic with rage the next. WHICHEVER ONE OF YOU BLEEP-ing IDIOTS COOKED THATBLEEP-ing CHICKEN SHOULD BE ASHAMED! IT WAS EVEN MORE RUBBERY THAN YOUR TEAM'S TOY COLLECTION YOU MISERABLE BLEEP-ing BLEEPS! THE VEGGIES WERE AS BLAND AND USELESS AS A PITY BLEEP FROM A BLEEP COATED IN MUSCLE RELAXATION CREAM!"
RWBY and JNR looked on in confusion, and not a bit of fear as their normally bright and happy friend transformed into a rage fueled destroyer of self-confidence and dreams. As she gathered her breath to continue her rant, the contestants looked over to discover that Yatsuhashi was the source of the bleeping noise that was saving them from the worst of Velvet's diatribe.
The giant swordsman gave them an apologetic glance as his fingers continued to hover over his scroll, ready to censor the worst of his partner's critique, "Sorry, everyone. She watches a lot of Gris Forneau. He's her favorite celebrity chef."
Yang, Weiss, and Blake were currently cowering behind Nora, who was busy cowering behind Jaune, in the absence of her partner. Jaune remained surprisingly stoic as Pyrrha clutched his hand in worry. Ruby was just confused.
"What toys is she talking about, guys? The only toys in our dorm are the Grimm figures on our shelf."
"Now is not the time, Sis!" Yang responded before ducking back behind Nora.
They were interrupted by Velvet's steely gaze focusing on JNP, next. Now Pyrrha joined the que lining up behind the still stoic Jaune, as Ruby continued to look adorably confused.
"AND YOU THREE! STEAK IS SUPPOSED TO BE BLEEP-ing MEDIUM RARE YOU BLEEPS! THIS IS STILL BLEEP-ing BLOODY! IT'S SO BLOODY IT REMINDS ME OF THE GIRLS' LOCKER ROOM BATHROOM ONE WEEK A MONTH!"
Jaune winced at that, his professional pride stung. He looked on though as Velvet continued, voice resuming her normal cheer. The mercurial mood swing was honestly one of the most frightening parts of the whole diatribe. "The carrots were perfectly cooked, and even seasoned just right. For that alone, JNPR has my vote."
"That means we are going to need the tie breaker," Coco stated, smirking at her audience, "It all comes down to dessert."
Ruby gave a happy squeal, before rushing off in a burst of semblance, and returning with a tray of cookies. Or rather, what used to be a tray of cookies. There were only four left, just enough for the judges, and the team leader's cheeks were suspiciously full when she came back.
She gave a loud gulp before proudly displaying the tray to Team CFVY, who eyed the cookies suspiciously.
"I prefer oatmeal raisin, though these cookies smell delicious," Yatsuhashi said quietly.
Ruby gave a startled gasp, face paling as the tray slipped from her hands and clattered to the floor. Luckily, there was nothing on it, CFVY having taken their cookies already.
The next moment, Ruby went from shock to near frothing at the mouth rage. Her cloak billowed around her as she tried to bodily launch herself at Yatsuhashi. Luckily, Yang and Blake were ready for this, having anticipated her reaction to Yatsuhashi's comment.
The reaper fumed in almost inarticulate rage, "Let me go! We must burn the witch for his crimes against cookies! Jaune, start the pyre! He's a heretic I tell you! Heresy! Heresy!"
Yang rolled her eyes as she hoisted her sister over her shoulder like a sack of potatoes, muffling her cries with her back, "Sorry about that, Ruby gets a little…defensive when someone mentions oatmeal raisin cookies. She thinks they're evil."
At that point, Ruby managed to raise her head enough to shout, "DEATH TO THE GREAT DECEIVER!"
Yang gave a nervous chuckle as she intentionally jostled her sister, making her stop.
CFVY looked on with expressions of bemusement as they chewed their cookies.
"This is quite good," Fox stated, "You can really taste the care and passion that was put into the cookie."
Yatsuhashi gave a thoughtful nod as he nibbled on his cookie. He wasn't really a fan of chocolate, but it was okay.
Coco thought that it tasted good, but cookies over all were so bland from a presentation angle.
Velvet was just disappointed. She had really been hoping for something else for dessert…
'What is that delicious smell? Could it be!?'
The sound of a staccato rhythm startled the group practically shaking the floor with its beat, a steady Whump! Whump! Whump!
Yatsuhashi gave an exasperated sigh as he reached over to place a calming hand on his partner's shoulder. It worked, marginally. Velvet stopped the thumping of her leg long enough to turn to her partner with a manic gleam in her eye, "Yatsu! They have it, my precious!"
The giant swordsman's placid demeanor melted away, replaced by shocked apprehension. He exchanged a nervous look with the rest of his team. This was happening.
Yang and Jaune felt the immediate shift in the atmosphere, elder sibling senses screaming at full alert. They exchanged their own wary glance and mentally braced themselves. Something was about to happen…
Their senses were proven to be just as sharp as ever when Ren finally exited the kitchen carrying Team JNPR's dessert entry.
The cake was a thing of beauty, and JNPR's secret weapon in this cooking challenge. The entire carrot cake was made from scratch, even the cream cheese icing was a combination of Ren and Jaune's own recipes, guaranteeing that the cake would be rich, moist, and delicious.
The whump! noise became even louder, the rhythm more rapid as Ren got closer to the table. When Ren finally deposited the cake on the table, the noise was an almost low hum, each whump! being indistinguishable from any other. The table as well as the judges' chairs had even begun to shake as though Beacon were experiencing an earthquake.
Once Ren set the cake down, the group turned to find that the mysterious phenomenon was courtesy of CFVY's Faunus team mate. She was rapidly tapping her feet on the ground like an overexcited toddler on a sugar high.
Velvet's eyes were fixed on the cake with a laser like intensity that was very similar to Ruby staring at an unguarded plate of chocolate chip cookies. Once Ren rejoined his team, she was quick devour her slice, and turn to the two teams to pronounce judgment, "THIS CAKE IS A BLEEP-ing GIFT FROM OUM HIMSELF! IT'S SO MOIST AND SOFT IT REMINDS ME OF MY BLEEP RIGHT NOW! IT'S BLEEP-ing BLEEP! JNPR WINS!"
Yatsuhashi wiped away the nervous sweat from his brow. He almost hadn't caught that in time.
The two teams exchanged uncertain glances, "Uh, shouldn't the other judges get a chance to vote?" Yang asked.
Coco smirked as she took a bite of her carrot cake, "Nah, Velvet is our undisputed expert when it comes to carrot cake. Like Ruby is for cookies."
The bunny Faunus gave the competing teams a smile before reaching for the remainder of the cake on the platter, quickly setting it in front of herself. Nora was just opening her mouth to protest when Velvet reached into her satchel and retrieved her camera.
Team CFVY immediately turned away, closing their eyes to prepare for what would happen next, "Hey! No fair!" Nora exclaimed, "There's enough cake there that we can all get a piece!"
Velvet smiled as she lifted her camera to her face, making sure that both teams were in her shot, "NEVER!" she exclaimed, "THE PRECIOUS IS MINE! BUNNY VANISH!"
The next thing teams RWBY and JNPR knew, the room was filled with blinding white light, and they all had to shield their eyes. When the spots finally cleared from their vision, the two teams looked around in confusion.
Both Velvet and the cake were long gone.
While Ren and Pyrrha did their best to console an upset Nora, Yang and Jaune turned to the remaining members of Team CFVY for the final judgment.
The upperclassmen shared a few silent glances before the ever stoic Yatsuhashi turned to address the assembled contestants, "I haven't seen Velvet that excited over food in quite some time. I think it's safe to say that JNPR wins."
The victorious team was quite thrilled with their victory, and eager to celebrate with their friends. So, of course teams RWBY and JNPR decided to celebrate by grabbing dinner in Vale. All that cooking had worked up quite an appetite…
