The teen MC took to the mike. "In memory of Ryo Kurokiba, the judges for final will be the top seven from the 92nd class's Autumn final- Akira Hayama…"

Akira entered the arena looking sexy in a dress shirt, and khakis.

"Hisako Arato!"

The purple haired woman entered in a long formal gown. "So not only did you have sex with Miss Erina you got her knocked up?"

"Takumi Aldini!"

The blonde man took his seat, adjusting his tie. "So nice to see you Hisako"

"Subaru Mimasaka!"

The man looked as brutish as ever, entering the arena on a loud, massive motorcycle.

"Oh come on!" Takumi grumbled, "You didn't even graduate!"

"Because I got the opportunity to cook in Hollywood, unlike you- do you still work at your Daddy's place?"

"Yes, my family is very important to me, which is why, unlike some people, I stuck around to raise my kid."

"Hi, Dad!" Jamie shouted from the audience. "Look, Mom's here!"

Nao looked at Subaru with her ghostly eyes. She wore a plain gray business suit. "Hello, my love."

"Oh God." Subaru covered his eyes. He turned to Takumi. "Is it still looking at me?"

"You call the mother of your child, 'it'?" Takumi asked.

"Look, I am always there for my son. He spent last summer with me in California. I just need an ocean between me and that!"

"Megumi Yukihira formerly Tadokoro." Megumi took her seat. "Welcome, Subaru, Soma and I were so honored you were able to fly in, to judge the finals."

"Alice Nakari!"

Alice, in her white pants suit, glared at Megumi as she sat down.

"And Principal Soma Yukihira!" Soma took his seat with a huge smile. "What?" he looked to his classmates. "I wanted you all to get reacquainted. The seating arrangement is certainly not because each and every one of you trapped me into being interim principal for the past six years."

"Oh God no!" Elena was frozen in place.

Prayikina rushed to her side. "What's wrong?"

"I don't want my mom here. She always makes me feel like such a loser."

"Elena look at me. Your mom judging the finals means 1 of 2 things. Either she admits you are an amazing cook or awards her vote to the daughter of her arch nemesis." Prayikina looked to the judge's table "The only loser here is Alice Nakiri!"

"Prayikina!" Soma shouted. "Do not make me disqualify you."

"My apologies Principal Soma."

"Ladies to your stations, you have until the moon passes over the arena.. so about an hour give or take, your time starts now!"

The MC walked over to Prayikina. "Kiki Hayama, what will you be presenting to the judges."

"Tamagoyaki," Prayikina quickly replied.

"A rolled egg?"

"A filled Tamagoyaki- ok. Get away from my station, I need to concentrate."

Elena looked up from her station locking eyes with Prayikina. "Hey P- I hope my dish blows Akria's clothes off. "

Prayikina raised an eyebrow. "What did you say?"

Elena licked her lips. "I want to see his muscular chest, his tight abs and his big, powerful…"

The crowd went silent.

Hisako snickered. "How does Ryo's underage daughter know it's big and powerful?"

"Tiger tattoo," Elena added. "The big powerful tiger that starts on his shoulder and ends just below his ribs- it's super cool. What did you all think I was talking about?" She shouted to the crowd. Elena was having too much fun.

The arena burst into laughter.

"Good one Elena," Prayikina said, "Fine, I promise no more jokes about playing with your dad's balls."

"You can play with my dad's balls as much as you like. I'll just lay in bed thinking about your dad's big powerful tiger. I bet when he works out those muscles become really hard, maybe even throbbing and your mom has to rub on him to release the deep tension."

Soma cleared his throat. "Ladies, please return your focus to your dishes," the man was struggling to maintain his composure; "Akria is turning a shade of pink I did not think was possible with his complexion."

"I love you Uncle Akria," Elena shouted as she started her batter for the 3d printer. Her batter was a mix of starches, and shrimp powder with the minimal amount of water.

The MC approached. "Elena Nakiri, are you making a three-dimensional shrimp chip?"

"Yes I am," she replied. "Hopefully they will turn out as good as they did in the lab of the Cutting Edge club."

Alice looked up.

"As I remember that was the club your mother won leadership of as a year 1 student."

"And my father, Ryo Kurokiba, defended when Azami Nakiri attempted to shut down all of the clubs," Elena added. "I love molecular gastronomy," she looked to Alice, "I always have."

"And what about your soup?"

"My soup is a seafood and tomato-based broth inspired by a recipe my late grandmother created."

"Ryo's mother?"

"Yup, the original Elena."

"The school paper already asked you about this, but you have quite the diverse cultural heritage."

"My grandfather was Japanese but my grandmother was Russian. My father was born in Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk."

"And your mother?"

"What about my mother? I'm winning this for my Dad."

24 hours earlier-

Elena's grandmother stood at the mic after Alice had been forcibly removed from the premises. "As students of the academy in addition to your tuition and living expenses, all food battle ingredients must be bought out of hand. This limits the types of student who could even apply for a place here. In fact had Ryo Kurokiba not been a member of my family he would have likely never made it here, much less graduated. So in honor of my son-in-law, I am establishing the Ryo Kurokiba scholarship foundation. This foundation will seek out talented young chefs from low-income areas of the world and invite them to our illustrious academy. Current students facing financial hardships are also encouraged to apply for grants. Ryo was a shining example of what an individual can achieve when given the opportunity. His memory will live on through this foundation and of course through his extraordinary daughter. Elena, will you please approach."

Elena could already see her grandmother's assistant holding Ryo's knife case. Her grandmother hugged her as they both cried. "Elena, prior to arriving in Japan your father told me to bring his knives with me when I arrived for the finals."

"Because he didn't want to risk having to check them in as luggage, and you have your personal plane." Elena assumed.

"Your father knew with my schedule I would be flying in just before the finals. Elena, your father never doubted you for a moment. The idea of you failing to make the top 2- It was never even a possibility. That is how much he believed in you. So to you, my beautiful, talented granddaughter- I present your father's knives. When you hold them, I hope you feel his spirit."

"There you have it, folks, the epic battle between the Nakiri cousins Elena and Prayikina."