Chapter 11: To the Finals! Part 1
Chandra's Hall
"Ladies and Gentlemen, welcome to the first semifinal match of the day. Our contestants will be "The King of Aromas" Akira Hayama against "Flavor Kitsune" Trina Furman-Nakiri, which will start in a few minutes" the announcer said over the intercom. The audience roared in excitement for the clash between two heavyweights, who were making their way to the stage.
"Trina Furman-Nakiri, it's been awhile since I heard that name" Taki murmured out loud.
"Eh? You know her?" Sonoka asked.
"Yes, we were childhood friends for a few years before I left for Tootsuki. She's an interesting cook to say the least" Taki boldly stated.
"Oh?" Sonoka mused.
"She cooks with a murderous intent, something I noticed in first cook off" Fuyumi spoke up, "She's probably one of the most dangerous chefs I've worked with."
"I see" Gin coldly noted, "So it's true you've taken her in as a part time sous chef."
"That's right, she gels with my line. I do hope she finds more time to work for me" Fuyumi noted, "She's even wearing her Ristorante F uniform for this battle." Trina overheard this and stopped to face Fuyumi.
"I've chosen to wear this uniform as a token of my appreciation, Master Mizuhara" Trina bowed before continuing her journey to the stage.
"Master?" Hinako chimed in.
"Yes...she really has a deep respect for me despite the overbearing formality" Fuyumi softly spoke.
"Oh, it looks like the match has just begun" Sonoka pointed out.
Within the first ten minutes of the battle, both chefs were rounding off their prep work. Hayama began his assault of leveling spices on the duck.
"Woah! Hayama is layering the duck with tons of spices!" a crowd member shouted.
"He really knows his strong points" Taki mused.
Pop, Pop. A noise was heard throughout the halls. Trina had opened two ginger beer bottles with the tip of her thumbs.
"I see, using duck to go for an outright assault on the senses. Clever" Trina praised her opponent. She poured the ginger beer into the pot and pulled out a tiny container from her apron's pocket. The combined smell of the ginger beer and brown dust substance slowly rose from the pot.
"Ginger Beer and brown sugar?" Hayama thought as he got a whiff of the invasive smell, "Wait, she's hiding something..."
Trina finished placing out and arranging her space with all of her non spice ingredients laid out.
"Ah, prep work is done. Now for the real fun" Trina said quietly, "Hey Hayama, I know I would spill some beans after the match, but I changed my mind."
"Huh, what are you talking about?" Hayama asked.
"You suspect something was off about me a couple of weeks ago, so I will show you what's off with a special demonstration" Trina exclaimed as she pulled off the yellow and red bandana on her wrist. She immediately tied it at eye level, blinding her sight.
"Wait, what? You're going to handicap yourself during a serious match?" Hayama muttered.
"I've done this hundreds of times at my shop, it's a Furman Hofbrau special: Blind Cooking" Trina nonchalantly stated. Hayama just shook his head before returning his cooking.
The match was a complete spectacle in itself, with both competitors going off all cylinders and neither backing down. Furthermore, both were really chaotic with ingredients, with Hayama seamlessly throwing whatever on the duck while Trina was sampling different spice blends before applying it to her cooking. The stadium was overwhelmed with smells, a result of two powerful senses clashing against each other. To many, this match was a bullet hell fight in the form of cooking. At some point in the match, Trina took her blindfold off after placing her food in the oven.
"Ah, it seems that Akira Hayama was the first to complete and present his dish" an audience member said.
"Ahfufu, the aroma alone is enough to make me melt" Sonoka stammered.
"I see, so he made a Canard Apicius" Dojima announced, "A perfect dish to display his talent."
"Well, let's taste it" Mizuhara simply stated. However, she suddenly fainted by sheer assault of spice.
"Woah, the alumni are all fainting in agony" the audience shouted.
"What incredible combo of spices, how many spell-cards does he have?" Taki complimented. She was being gripped by the claws of an eagle. Suddenly, the imagination shifted back to the bullet hell duel between the King of Aromas and the Flavor Kitsune. Hayama went for an all out attack.
"What a fearsome attack, can Trina really fight back after that?" one of the audience members said. Hayama smirked.
"Aromas will dominate cooking now. You will never reach me" Hayama arrogantly said.
"You talk too much" Trina simply replied. Once the smoke cleared, the audience gasped at the site: Trina stood tall and was unharmed by Hayama's attack. Sweat began to build up on Hayama's face, his cocky grin dissolving.
"I respect your talent, Hayama. However, there's more to cooking than just knowing your strengths" Trina replied as she was plating her dishes, "It's about refining and mastering every part of your being! It's about showing your face in every dish you cook, what we professionals call a specialty!" Trina finished plating and placed them on a waiter's tray. As she passed Hayama, she placed his portion in front of him.
"If you don't understand what I am talking about, then this dish will show you" Trina said with a firm face. Hayama did his best to hold his ground against her steely glare and dark aura that leaked from her body. Trina continued on to place the remaining five dishes in front of the judges.
"Esteemed Judges, I present you a new creation of mine: 'A Wild Ride through Europe" Trina politely said. Appearance wise, the dish held two squared bread blocks with an aromatic white sauce gingerly placed.
"Oh my, such a mysterious dish" Sonoka gasped. The four judges seemed to agree with that statement.
"What...did she make?" the audience members murmured to themselves.
"Is that...a ravioli dish?" Erina thought to herself, "But...with fresh baked french bread, I believe." Suddenly, Trina start laughing at the confusion in the room.
"I think it's best to let the dish speak for itself, but first-" Trina commented before pulling a knife from her sleeve and striking one of the blocks on Taki's plate.
FWOOOSSHH! An explosion of smell flooded the room.
"Gah! You reused the idea of an aroma bomb?!" Hayama exclaimed. Trina smirked at him.
"Of course, it was a good idea back then and it's a good idea now. As you should know, controlling a food's aroma is one of the most important aspects in cooking. Any professional chef worth their salt understands this" Trina answered with a devilish smile.
"What...a pretty display" Hinako whimpered. Inside the bread squares was a bright red sofrito sauce and sausage slices, all of it surrounded by a thin layer of mozzarella cheese.
"The presentation so far has been spectacular, but how does it taste?" Dojima thought.
CHOOOOOO! CHOOOOOO! The judges were suddenly sitting in first class on a blue speed train, rushing through the countrysides of Italy, Germany, France, and Spain.
"This is your conductor speaking, please buckle your seat belts as there are no breaks on the Furman Express!" Trina said over the intercom. The judges did so and sat in complete awe of the sights passing by them. First they went through the lowlands of Italy, the inspiration for the dishes design: Ravioli. Next came Germany, home to some of the best sausages in the world. In this particular case, home made weisswurst cooked in ginger beer was selected; perfect to combat the spice loaded duck meat in Hayama's dish. Moving through the Rhineland and into France was the french bread and white wine sauce, which held everything together. Finally, the sites of Spain passed, represented by the sofrito at the center of the dish. However, the sofrito held a hidden honey-like flavor.
"There is saffron in the sofrito" Hayama murmured.
"Correct, this was a last minute inclusion to this dish, which I have been working on all week and even during the match. A natural habit for a palate like mine, restless and always evolving." Trina explained.
"May I ask what inspired you to include sofrito in this dish?" Taki spoke up.
"Ah, well a marvelous chef stopped by our dorm sometime before the summer break and held a banquet for us. One of the dishes was a splendid paella, which reminded me of the time I spent with you, Taco-senpai" Trina recalled with joy, "By the way, you owe me a rematch after throwing the last one we had."
"You really do hold grudges, Tweena!" Taki jested back to her childhood friend.
"Trina Furman-Nakiri and Taki Tsunozaki are friends?!" everyone in the stadium shouted.
"What a cute name, Taco-Senpai" Hinako teased.
"Only I/she can call her/me that!" Trina and Taki exclaimed in unison, holding the same scowl face. Hinako sweat-dropped at the two spitfire chefs.
Slam! Hayama hand slammed on the counter, which caused all eyes to focus on him.
"So that's the secret behind the aroma bomb...Holy Basil" Hayama said with gritted teeth.
"Yes...I stole your idea of inserting Holy Basil in a dairy product for this dish. Tis another experience of being a professional: Stealing from other professionals" Trina answered with a crooked smirk.
"How? Where?" Hayama questioned. Only the Shiomi seminar had access to that, right?
"That's not important, as it a common herb found in India and other parts of the Southeast Asia. In fact, a lot of spices found in western cuisine come from the far east" Trina lectured. However, Hayama really didn't catch that last sentence, as he was lost in his own mind.
"Saffron and Holy Basil...Two clashing spices that shouldn't work together and yet it does." Hayama thought while breathing heavily, "Is this a dueling combo Trina found with her tongue?" Hayama continued to consume more of the dish, where the world around him faded to black.
Slash...Slash...Slash...SSSSSSS. In the darkness, a white figurine slashed at a frozen Hayama, tearing his clothes asunder. Naked, he felt chains snare his body and hold him still. Suddenly, he heard a bone chilling laugh.
"Ihihihihi, it seems I have entrapped you with my cooking" a demonic female voice said.
"Who goes there?" Hayama asked, wincing at the pain the chains placed on him. A tall figure appeared in front of him: Trina Furman. Or, something that resembled the white hair woman.
"What are you, Trina?" Hayama questioned.
"Me? I'm just a chef" Trina teased, "Oh, you mean my appearance? Well, this is my spirit. A sadistic demon who sits on the edge of insanity, a dangerous person that has been tamed." She slowly approached, her red-pink hands lifting up his head. She was a sight to behold, even if it was an hallucination. Red-pink skin, horns, black wings, black and gold bikini, white hair, her trademark smile with elongated fangs, and her reddish-purple demonic eyes. She moved her luscious lips to his ears.
"You lose, Akira Hayama" she whispered before kneeing him in the stomach. Back in the real world, Hayama was flat on his back with Trina towering over him.
"Trina Furman-Nakiri is the winner of the first semifinal match!" the announcer said.
"Get up" Trina politely said with a hand extended out. He begrudgingly took her hand and let her pull him up.
"Hayama" Dojima said. Hayama turned his attention to the man in front of him
"Your dish was an excellent display of your talent, however, Trina's dish showed a higher degree of refinement, originality, experience, and more importantly...it was a specialty. These were the deciding factors of this match" Dojima said matter of factly. Hayama only nodded in response.
"Ah, the sweet smell of victory" Trina said while sniffing a cinnamon stick, "I look forward to our next match...I look forward to seeing your first specialty. Smell you later, Hayama" Trina tossed the cinnamon behind her, which Hayama caught. He took a whiff of it himself before leaving the arena.
A/N: And there you have it, Trina is moving on to the finals. Don't worry, Hayama will avenge his loss later on. Anyway, who will be Trina's opponent in the finals, Ryou or Soma? Find out next time!