Sōma crouched down and peered closely at Alice's sleeping face. The girl looked so peaceful; eyes shut and face completely relaxed. Soft, little breaths entered and exited her nose with a soft, petite whistling of air that only barely rustled the hair bang sweeping the left side of her face. Sōma could admit that, like this, she was beautiful in a calm, serene way that was completely different from her usual, bubbly demeanour.
And then he poked her cheek.
"I know you're faking." said Sōma flatly.
Alice's face remained calm and at ease. Until she cracked one red eye open to look up at Sōma.
"What gave me away?" she asked.
"Your breathing." he said, grinning down at her. Alice sat up without a trace of grogginess, squinting at him.
"My breathing? Are you telling me that you could hear the difference in breathing between me being awake and me being asleep?" she said sceptically. Sōma shook his head.
"Nah. You just snore when you're actually asleep." he said casually.
"I do NOT snore." she responded hotly, glaring at Sōma.
"I have all but recorded evidence that you do." he said, chuckling. "It's not like sawing logs or anything. More like…sawing twigs, I suppose. Medium sized twigs."
"Sōma-kun. I. Do. Not. Snore."
"Then you do something that closely resembles it, I assure you." he said, outright laughing now at the annoyed expression on Alice's face.
"Sōma-kun...do you remember how I said that there are some moments where you're better off agreeing with me?"
Alice's expression had changed into a pleasant smile, even as she held Sōma's ear in a firm, though not yet painful, grip. His eyes tracked over to where her deceptively strong fingers had him in her grip and this time, his laugh was more nervous than anything else.
"So, Sōma-kun. Do I snore?"
"No. You most certainly do not."
"That's what I thought." she said with satisfaction, releasing his ear.
"Although, I have to point out. If, in some alternate reality you DID snore, then that would mean that Erina knew you were faking." he pointed out, wincing at the glare she levelled on him. Alice sighed, shaking her head.
"I highly doubt that. With the way Erina was caught up in her feelings, I'm sure she wasn't paying much attention to anyone but you in those last few moments. She was…she was so…"
"Yeah, she was pretty pissed." said Sōma, sighing as he rubbed at the back of his neck.
"That's not what I'm talking about, Sōma-kun." corrected Alice, frowning sadly. "I'm talking about what was beneath all of that anger and bluster. She was hurt. Really, genuinely hurt. I haven't seen her like that in so long..."
Alice trailed off, her expression morose.
"I'm guessing that's why you were 'sleeping' then?" he asked carefully. Alice nodded, biting her lip.
"It took all I had to not just tell her everything. Right then and there. She deserves to know Sōma-kun! I know we can't tell her, not yet, but…"
Alice sighed, closing her eyes tightly and pinching the bridge of her nose.
"How do you keep this up Sōma-kun? How've you done this for months on end?" she asked desperately, grasping at his sleeve. Sōma looked into the ceiling, staring at the wood panelling, his expression resigned.
"At cost. At great cost."
He sighed, running a hand through his hair before sitting back down and settling into the amorphous cushion. He held his arms out and it took Alice seconds to accept the implicit offer. She settled into his side, her head resting on his chest as she clutched him tightly, arms around his torso.
After a few seconds, Sōma spoke again, his tone heavy.
"I'm sorry for burdening you with this information, Alice. I really am."
"Don't be." Alice said shortly, shaking her head. "I asked for it. Literally."
"Yes but that doesn't mean I should've been so…unfiltered. I had no intention of telling you as much as I did. I still wonder if I made the right decision."
"Oh please. As if I would've let you make any other."
"Now, what do you need to tell me, Sōma-kun? What's the matter?"
The single tear that ran down Sōma's cheek shocked Alice more than anything he could've said.
"I kissed Rindō-senpai."
Or so she thought.
Alice blinked up at him, at the conflicted expression on Sōma's face. At the tightening of his lips, the conflict in his eyes and the chain around his wrist. She tilted her head at him.
"Sōma-kun…what exactly are you saying?"
Three words. Four, technically. A fairly simple sentence, all things considered. So why did she have so much trouble processing them? Why were they so difficult to understand?
Sōma opened his mouth. Then he closed it, before opening it again.
"She…she has information I need. Critical information. Information I couldn't…afford. So, in exchange, she offered me a chance. A chance to get by without it. She said that all I needed to do was kiss her and I-"
The slap to his cheek halted Sōma's words. His head swung to the side as he was forced back a step. Alice stared at her outstretched hand, at her stinging palm. How did it get out there? She pulled it back, cradling the hand to her chest. She would've sworn, in that moment, that it had moved on its own.
"Sōma-kun…you…I don't…"
She felt the beginnings of understanding. She felt Sōma's words really start to hit home. She started to grasp the magnitude of what Sōma was saying; of what his words actually meant.
Words. Such simple, little things. But absolutely devastating when placed in the right combination.
"Why?"
The utterance slipped unbidden from her lips. Sōma stared at Alice, his expression as close to devastated as she'd ever seen him with his chain on.
"I…as I said, she gave me a chance. I needed her support and I couldn't have it without-"
This time, the slap was more expected. But that didn't stop it from smacking strongly into Sōma's other cheek, sending him back another step. Alice's face had now firmly settled into a single, solitary emotion.
Anger. Pure, unfettered anger.
"No."
The word was more growled than spoken. She stepped towards Sōma, gripping him by his collar. Sōma wasn't surprised by the violent action. Sad and furious with himself for driving her to violence but not surprised by it at all. What DID surprise him was when Alice hefted him straight into the air as if he weighed nothing. His feet dangled over an inch above the ground in her hold.
The glare she was giving him could set fire to water.
"Not this time, Yukihira Sōma. I've given you everything. My trust, my friendship, my love, my help. And you've thrown all of that away. You've spit on what we had; what we've shared."
Alice's voice cracked and she dropped Sōma, turning away to rub furiously at her traitorous eyes. They were supposed to get with the program and be mad with the rest of her; not cry.
"Alice…"
"Just tell me why. What's so important, Sōma-kun? What's so important that you'd turn your back on us? On…on me…"
The anger was being beaten back swiftly by a cresting wave of sadness and hurt that threatened to overtake her. Alice held her chest, wondering why she felt such pressure there. She'd seen heartbreak in a hundred forms in the movies she'd watched; she'd had friends describe to her how it felt to lose that special person. She thought she'd understood. She thought she'd know what to expect, if she was ever unlucky enough to go through such a thing herself.
She hadn't the slightest idea.
The pressure continued to build and build. Alice felt her eyes start to fill and then overflow with water and she opened her mouth as a loud, wailing sob burst from her lips. A sob filled with all of the sadness, loss and hurt that one teenage girl could possibly hold.
She fell to her knees, holding her face in her hands as she continued to cry, as tears continued to leak from her eyes. The water coated her hands, running down them to drip to the floor with the soft patter of falling rain. The pressure didn't abate; it didn't ease. It just continued to sit on her chest and force cry after cry from her lungs and through her lips. Alice wondered if she'd ever feel alright again. She didn't want to feel this way. She hated feeling this way.
She felt strong arms encircle her and she instinctively leaned into them before realizing just who it must be.
"No, no. Get off of me, let me go!"
She fought against his grip, trying to stand and get away from him. Her struggles were fierce and they contained all of the strength she'd exhibited earlier. Her hands beat against Sōma's chest, her fists striking him solidly several times and causing him to gasp sharply. Still, he refused to let her go. Alice fought for a few seconds more before giving up and collapsing into his arms as another series of sobs overtook her.
She clutched at his shirt, tears and mucus flowing freely as she poured everything she felt into the air leaving her lungs. Her cries had none of the borderline inhuman elegance and poise that Alice was so known for. They were loud, unrefined and filled with a pain that was all too real and all too human.
Sōma simply continued to hold her, doing what little he could to bring comfort to the girl. The girl he'd hurt. With every cry that left her lips, he grew angrier. Angry at Rindō. Angry at Azami. And, most importantly, angry at himself. Behind all of the reasoning and excuses, he'd done this. He was responsible. He'd chosen to hurt the woman he loved for his own goals, selfless as they may be.
As Alice's wailing petered out into quiet sobs and hiccups, she clutched Sōma's shirt even tighter. Even now, after what he'd done, she still felt safe in his arms. She still felt cared for. Loved.
"I'm trying, Sōma. I really am. Was I not enough?"
That final, quiet inquiry broke Sōma's resolve and he spoke. For the first time since he'd entered Azami's service, he spoke freely. He told Alice about what he'd been through. He told Alice about what he'd once had with Rindō, the good and the bad. He told Alice about what had really led to the creation of his two halves.
He told Alice about the plans his father and Senzaemon had created; plans he'd been all too willing to become a part of.
He told Alice about Nakiri Katsumi and why she'd left Erina ten years argo.
He told Alice everything.
"I still can't really believe it sometimes." admitted Alice. "I mean…I'd heard what kind of man Azami was, once I was older and my parents thought I could handle such a…complicated issue. But I'd never even imagined just how deeply he had his hooks into my family. That wretch of a man shouldn't have been allowed to even approach the threshold of the mansion, let alone become a part of my family."
Even after what he'd done, Alice had respectfully referred to Azami as her uncle and a member of the Nakiri clan, for all that he'd been banished. But, after what she'd learnt from Sōma, she would never call that man her uncle or a Nakiri for as long as she lived.
"Azami, for all his amorality, is incredibly intelligent and skilled at deceiving others. Before he met Katsumi, he was a nothing and a nobody. Relatively, anyway. He saw a chance with her and he took it. Ruthlessly. As Azami does everything else." said Sōma, looking up at the ceiling as if it held answers, even though it rarely did.
"I just don't understand how Katsumi-ba was ever taken in by him or his lies. He's so…slimy. And fake."
Alice shuddered as a chill swept through her. The things she'd learnt from Sōma had done nothing to lessen her anger at Azami but they had added a healthy dose of fear and revulsion to go along with it.
"From what I understand, Azami was a completely different person back then. He was quiet, reserved, respectful. A bit blunt and unaware of others' feelings but overall, a pleasant enough person. Pops said he considered Nakamura a good friend for a reason, after all." said Sōma thoughtfully.
"That's because he was crushing on your dad." said Alice, rolling her eyes. Sōma laughed in response, ruffling Alice's hair and earning a pout in return.
"I wouldn't call it crushing. Not really."
Alice fixed him with a look and sat up, sweeping her arms dramatically.
"I will bring salvation to this rotten culinary world that ruined my dear Saiba-senpai!"
At the mention of Joichiro's former name, Alice made a ridiculous kissing face at Sōma, clasping her hands together. The expression caused Sōma to give her a flat look which was only made flatter by the way she waggled her eyebrows at him.
"That's not funny."
"Speak for yourself. I thought it was hilarious." she said cheekily, poking him in the stomach. Sōma glanced over at her.
"Not when you put it into perspective."
Sōma's dose of reality was enough to cause Alice's humour filed expression to fall. She huffed and flopped back next to him, wrapping her arms around him.
"Well. Whatever you call it, Azami definitely had more than a little affection for your dad. I'm not surprised he was a completely different person around him."
"It wasn't just him, though." interjected Sōma. "Katsumi, my mom and even Senzaemon-sama were all taken in by Azami. They all thought the same of him; a bit quiet and overly intense but a good person, overall. I can really only think that means one of two things."
Sōma held up a single finger.
"One. Azami was a genuinely better person back then. And he simply allowed his ideals to overtake him once he got in a position to properly pursue them. With the backing of the most powerful family in the culinary world, he allowed himself to be swept up into his desire to refine the cooking world into his vision until nothing else mattered. Or…"
Sōma held up a second finger. He didn't speak immediately, he just stared at the second digit he'd extended.
"Or…Azami was always like this. And he was just very, very good at hiding what he was until he got into a position to get what he wanted. And then he finally revealed his true nature when there was nothing left to stand in his way. When he finally had enough power, in his opinion, to show his true self."
Alice stared at the two fingers that Sōma had extended, humming thoughtfully.
"So you're wondering if he's more Darth Vader or Palpatine then?"
The room was silent for a beat. And then two.
Sōma turned his face downwards to look at Alice, who was staring up innocently at him.
"I'm not sure what surprises me more; that that's a very accurate comparison. Or that you know enough about Star Wars to make said comparison."
Alice shrugged casually.
"Ryo likes those movies. I can only make him sit through so many romantic comedies before he expects repayment in some fashion, after all."
Before Sōma could comment, his phone beeped. It was a custom tone, an animated cat's purr. He dug it out of his pocket, checking the screen.
Change in plans. E10 trials start tomorrow afternoon instead of next week Monday as it says in the notes I gave you. I'll speak with Ikumi-chan. I suggest you and Snowflake-chan get prepared. Fast. Good luck Sōma-kun.
Sōma's eyes widened as he stared down at the screen.
"Oh no…"
He got to his feet abruptly, startling Alice and causing her to roll to the floor unceremoniously.
"Ack! Sōma-kun!"
Alice stood up, dusting herself off. Before she could speak, Sōma handed her his phone. She looked it over, her eyes widening as well.
"This can't be random."
Alice looked up at Sōma, surprised at his words. His eyes were narrowed as he placed a hand to his chin, thinking.
"The work needed to do this…the strings he'd have to pull with Tsukasa-senpai alone, let alone the administrative board and the rest of the Council. What does Azami hope to gain by shifting this up by a week?"
"Maybe he's looking to catch people off guard. Exams only just ended; no one's really had time to prepare. Well, except for those Azami warned beforehand, I suppose." offered Alice, folding her arms.
"I'm not certain. A week isn't enough time for anyone to get that much more skilled; at least not without serious assistance. We could do it because we're just that good." He grinned cockily at Alice, who returned his grin with equal measure. If there was one thing neither of them lacked, it was confidence.
"True, true. And anyone who's a worthy contender for a seat would be just as capable, so perhaps he's hoping to prevent that?" said Alice thoughtfully. "Perhaps there are Central chefs he already has lined up for seats that have been training for weeks on end already."
"Not likely." said Sōma, thinking back. "Outside of those of us on the Elite Ten Council, there are only a few chefs in Central's ranks that would be able to bring that sort of offense to bear. I helped train some of them myself. They're second years; competent second years for certain but they're not on my level. To be honest, they're not even on Tadokoro-chan's level anymore, if what I've seen of her abilities is any indication. A week's difference wouldn't change that…is something on my face?"
As Sōma was speaking, Alice had begun staring at him with a slowly growing smirk. She giggled behind her hand, as if she knew something he didn't.
"Oh…I think I know just what Azami was trying to prevent." she commented offhandedly. When it became clear she wasn't going to say more, Sōma rolled his eyes and walked away. He didn't make it three steps before Alice fell in beside him, pouting.
"You're supposed to ask me what I've deduced!" she said petulantly.
"Why, you're just going to tell me anyway if I wait long enough. And we don't exactly have the time to waste." said Sōma as they both walked through the halls towards his room. Alice huffed but conceded the point.
"It's you."
Sōma cocked his head at her curiously.
"It's me what?"
"Azami saw what happened to you; he saw what happened to you after your match with Erina. He probably thinks you're still shaken up from everything that happened. He has no reason to think differently, considering the time frame."
Alice's conclusion, rather than set Sōma at ease, seemed to cause him concern. He opened the door to his room, allowing her inside before shutting the door behind them and walking to the desk where the folder sat. He picked it up and flipped through it, deftly pulling a few papers from it and handing them to Alice.
"Here you go. Details for the 5th task. I'd suggest you study up." he said tightly, snapping the folder shut and setting it down on the desk. Alice took the papers from Sōma but didn't look through them. Instead she stared at Sōma in abject confusion.
"Is something the matter, Sōma-kun? This is good news. Azami thinks you're still injured; he won't know what hit him! He'll have gone through all of this for nothing."
"That's not exactly the case, Alice." said Sōma hesitantly. "This may have actually been the best possible move that Azami could've made, even though he doesn't know it. A week could've made a world of difference for me."
The way Sōma spoke told Alice that he didn't mean a week of training in the kitchen.
"What…what exactly do you mean, Sōma-kun?" she asked, just as hesitantly. Sōma looked at Alice with a mixture of embarrassment and frustration, running a hand through his hair. He looked away, biting the inside of his cheek before sighing.
"Alice, do you remember what I explained to you? About the advice Tsukasa-senpai gave me?"
Alice nodded, wondering what Sōma was getting at. Sōma continued speaking, his gaze locked onto something unseen.
"The truth is…I'm still working on reconciling everything that's in my head. I may seem like I've done a pretty good job so far but that's only because I shoved all of my likability, social skills and happy thoughts, basically, into one side of myself. This…this person you see before you, this Yukihira Sōma, is only a part of me. This is all of my happiness, my joy, my love for you and the rest of my friends, my compassion...all of that and more."
"So…it's like how you were before, when your chain was off?" asked Alice hopefully, even as she realized that what she'd said didn't really line up. She'd interacted with both sides, frequently. For all their differences, they'd also been similar in ways; where it mattered. They were truly two sides of the same coin. What Sōma was talking about sounded very, very different from the sort of symbiotic situation he'd had before.
"No. It's not like that. Superficially, on the surface? It seems that way. But…there's no connection. No bridge. Not yet, anyway. There's not nearly enough trust here for that. Instead, based on Tsukasa-senpai's advice, I've done some…rearranging."
Sōma took a piece of paper up from his desk and folded it outwards to show Alice the drawings there. He pointed to two intersecting circles.
"Think of these two circles as my two sides. Right now they're split because I don't…I can't trust myself. Basically. We simply diverged and disagreed way too much. The more we diverged, the more unstable I became. My…breakdown was more or less inevitable but my loss to Erina and Tadokoro hasted the process and acted as the catalyst to it. It split me in two; two overlapping circles became two completely separate circles."
He pointed to another drawing that had two completely separate circles. One had been shaded in completely while the other was free of any markings at all.
"So now, with the distance between them, my sides can't get along. At all. Hence why I was so lifeless for those two days. I spent most of that time locked in disagreement with myself. But Tsukasa-senpai's advice gave me an idea. He suggested ways to slowly build back up the trust between myself but I…"
His face fell and the hand holding the paper trembled, just slightly.
"That's not an option right now. At least…not a fast one. And I needed fast. So I used his idea as a springboard and I did something else. I reprioritized. I shifted things around. I poured enough of myself, specific parts of myself anyway, into my unchained side until my other side just…quieted down."
"What do you mean quieted down?" asked Alice, wondering why she felt, on the very edges of her awareness, a feeling of foreboding. Maybe it was Sōma's tone or just the esoteric nature of their conversation but she felt a strong sense of unease when Sōma had said those particular words.
He looked at her, conflicted.
"Alice…"
"No more secrets. We agreed." she said firmly, tone brooking no agreement. Sōma closed his eyes, sighing again as a completely new emotion took over his face. Shame.
"Alice…I'm split into two halves. It wasn't as easy as putting everything into one circle and hoping the other circle goes away, unneeded. There simply isn't enough…"
Sōma gestured vaguely, frustrated.
"I don't really know how to describe it. Calling it space would be a bit of a misnomer. There's just parts of one circle that aren't compatible with parts of another. I've taken what I can from the chained version of myself but there are things that I can't take for myself while still being me. And things I had to give up in exchange to take that which lets me have the control I do."
"Sōma-kun. What does that mean?" asked Alice, glaring at him. She still felt that he was withholding information from her. Important, vital information. Sōma continued to speak, guilt tainting his tone.
"I took a lot. A lot. Eventually I took enough that my other side simply stopped…caring. He's completely apathetic. He's not asleep or unaware or hidden or sealed. He's there. Always watching, always listening. He just doesn't care to try for control anymore. Or to do anything really. And he…"
Sōma bit his lip, turning away from Alice's intense gaze.
"To make the exchange, to have control, I had to give up something important; something that was as important to me as being my own person. Something that is as fundamentally Yukihira Sōma as the ability to be an actual person in the real world."
And suddenly, Alice knew. She wanted to reject her realization completely but she couldn't. It simply fit with everything she'd heard since Sōma started speaking. It explained why Sōma would be so concerned by Azami's rescheduling; it explained why he would seem so guilty by what he'd done to himself. Her mouth fell open and she suddenly felt faint.
"Sōma-kun…you didn't…"
"Alice…I can't cook."
Sōma's expression was despondent and the heartbreak in his face was clear.
"I can do simple things. I can boil rice and make eggs. Cook pasta. But anything even sort of complex…anything that takes even an ounce of actual skill or talent…"
Sōma threw his hands in the air.
"Nothing. Not a damn thing. I can barely cook a passable child's lunch as I am, let alone anything worthy of Tōtsuki. Every time I try, it just doesn't work. None of the knowledge, none of my skills are there to be used. It's just...blank. I know that I know three different ways to clean and prepare salmon but when I try to, I just…I can't do it."
"Sōma-kun…"
Alice's face was completely and utterly taken aback. She wanted to assure Sōma that things were fine; that his being sane and healthy was more important than his cooking skill. In an ideal world, she would say just that and comfort him. But this wasn't an ideal world. This was reality.
Cooking was a fundamental part of who they were. They were chefs, first and foremost. It was their goal to be the best of the best. Attending Tōtsuki without having a passion for cooking in your very blood was a one way ticket to being expelled in your first week. The school demanded nothing less than excellence and it showed in its expulsion rates and the exorbitant amount of money invested in it by those of the culinary world. To be one of the best in a school of the best showed that, to you, cooking was something more than a pastime or a hobby. It showed that you had already devoted your very life to the expansive world that was the culinary arts. And that you were not only willing but eager to continue doing just that.
To have all of that, your life's work just…gone…
No. Alice wasn't sure that she could tell Sōma that what he'd done had been worth it. Because she herself wasn't even sure if she would be lying or not.
"Is…is there nothing you can do?" she asked desperately. "If this persists…Sōma-kun, you won't last the week."
Alice didn't say mention that the problem was bigger than that. Right now, Sōma stood at risk of losing much more than his tenure at Tōtsuki. Sōma gave her a tired smile, taking her hand.
"It's fine. It's not as catastrophic as you would think. I…I can fix this. I know I can. I just have to figure out how to make him actually give a damn about doing something. From there, I can start working my way back up properly, the way I was supposed to from the beginning. To get back on track to becoming a somewhat normal, whole person. That's the long term goal, anyway."
"What's the short term goal then?" asked Alice, more to distract herself from her thoughts than anything else.
"To get him interested enough to actually participate in tomorrow's challenge for me. Otherwise I'm screwed."
"Good morning, dear students. I'm so glad you could join me today."
Nakiri Azami sat behind his desk, hands folded. The smile he gave the camera that was broadcasting him throughout Tōtsuki's network would've seemed genuine to any that didn't know him.
"Now, firstly. I must apologize to all of you. Due to a few changes in the administration process, I've been forced to make a few changes to this year's Elite Ten Selection. Nothing too overt but, the reason I'm speaking to you all today as opposed to just sending out a written notice as is the norm is due to the time frame of this year's Selection. But I'll get into that a bit later; first I shall detail the process for you."
Azami gestured off screen and stood to his feet. A large whiteboard was wheeled in behind his desk as he moved to stand beside it. It had five boxes, evenly spaced apart across its surface. Each box had a number and a name associated with it. Azami picked up a marker from the base of the board, pointing at each box in turn as he spoke.
"This year, the Elite Ten Selection will be a series of five challenges, all designed by our graduating Elite Ten Council members. Each has chosen a style of challenge that embodies both their personal cooking style and philosophy along with Central's core ideals concerning what a true chef should be. The tests will emulate the courses of a five course meal."
Azami uncapped the marker, writing in words above each space.
Soup
Dessert
Appetizer
Salad
Main Course
"As you can see, the courses will be served out of sequence, but that's mostly immaterial, as each challenge will be spaced out over the course of the next several weeks regardless. Instead, we'll go in descending order of the seats in question. Thus, we shall be starting with Somei-kun's challenge, which will be based in the soup portion of the meal."
Azami turned to face the camera, placing his hands on his desk as he leaned forward.
"What the actual challenge will be is a mystery to even myself. I've informed all of the Council members to be as discreet as possible with this information, in the interest of fairness. Thus, only the necessary information you would need to compete in the challenge will be divulged to you beforehand. Those interested are encouraged to come forward and submit their name to my offices before noon today for consideration for the Elite Ten Selection."
Azami's smile fell and his expression grew serious as he stared directly into the camera's lens. It was as if he was looking directly into the eyes of every single Tōtsuki student that was currently watching the broadcast.
"However. I simply must warn you, this is not a decision to make lightly. You will be judged by the Council member in question, along with a panel of judges of his or her choosing. You will earn a specific number of points, much as you did in the Autumn Election preliminaries. And each challenge will have a certain minimum you are expected to meet. And if, by the end of the series of challenges, your score is below a certain threshold, you will be expelled. Regardless of any previous prestige you may have held, up to and including a seat on the Elite Ten Council."
Azami pulled his desk chair out, taking a seat in it once more as he folded his hands and continued to speak, his tone empty but heavy at the same time.
"No one's safety is guaranteed in this coming set of challenges. A true chef should be willing to risk it all to claim a seat among the best. That being said, this doesn't mean that all of you need to compete. Remember, times have changed. This is no longer the Tōtsuki that is concerned with sending students home by the dozens to prove a point."
Azami's smile seemed more genuine now and he held his hand out beseechingly.
"Those who want to simply sit back and enjoy the festivities are encouraged to. Your tenure at Tōtsuki is ensured; there's no need to risk yourself. So I would encourage those who feel they have even more to learn from both myself and Central to simply join me as a spectator of those that will step forward to prove their worth. Somei-kun's challenge will be at 6:00 pm tonight in block A of the West hall kitchens. If needed, blocks B through D are also available for his use. If you submit your name, please be present at Lecture Hall B of the West hall no later than 5:30. Come dressed in chef's attire but please leave any personal tools you have at home; you won't be needing them. Those who would like to spectate are welcome to join me at the kitchens directly. I will be there to watch the fireworks myself. Have a good day."
The smiling figure of Azami was the last thing seen before the screen faded to black. Erina reached forward and turned off the TV with a tap of the remote. The room was silent.
She turned to look at the rest of the room. The entire Polar Star Dormitory had gathered to watch the address. Erina had gotten a text from Alice earlier that morning to let her know about the incoming announcement. She had no doubt many of them may have missed it otherwise; the Tōtsuki channel was little else but Central propaganda these days. They never bothered to watch it anymore.
"Noon…that's only four hours away. And then the starting challenge itself is six hours afterwards." said Marui, adjusting his glasses. His striped pajamas contrasted oddly with the wizard nightcap perched on his head. "That just seems very rapid. I don't remember last year's Elite Ten Selection being this hurried."
"It wasn't." confirmed Satoshi, who was still staring thoughtfully at the screen. He was clad solely in a bedsheet that he had hitched around his body like a toga. "Last year, we had a week's notice to submit our application for consideration and then a week afterwards to prepare for the first phase. Just what is Azami-sama playing at?"
"Do you think it has anything to do with Sōma-kun?" asked Ryoko. Her sleepwear consisted of a tank top and shorts that looked as if they'd been purchased in middle school, if the way they clung to her was any indication. Satoshi turned to face her, eyebrows raised.
"It's possible, I suppose. There's no way he could expect Sōma to be in top form after only three days. But then, the question becomes why Azami would want to stonewall the advancement of his Premier Enforcer."
"Who knows why that crazy bastard does anything?" commented Daigo, folding his arms. "The better question is if we're gonna do this or not."
"Definitely!" chimed in Yuki, extending a fist in the air. She was clad in a dark, long sleeved shirt that seemed eerily similar to the one Shun was wearing. "This is our chance to get on the Council, why wouldn't we?"
"Did you not hear what my father said, Yuki-chan?" asked Erina seriously. She folded her arms, her pale pink nightdress rustling with the movement. "There's a very real chance of expulsion. I mean, there always has been, with Elite Ten Selections, but I can only assume the risk is even greater with my father at the helm."
"You make a good point, Erina-chan." said Satoshi. The bedsheet had fallen and seemed to be held around his waist only by the sheer virtue of him being seated. "Although it can't be too blatant. Azami-sama seems to be going out of his way to at least appear inclusive and considerate to the student body. If the threshold of expulsion is really that high, then it will be clear to everyone that it's a farce. Not to mention the risk to Azami's own competing soldiers."
"That's true, I suppose. Although I wouldn't put it past my father to have informed his people beforehand about just what's going to happen. I don't believe for a second that he was being truthful about not knowing what the challenges are." said Erina, narrowing her eyes. Megumi yawned listlessly from her place next to her. She'd always been terrible at waking up in the mornings, especially if Satoshi didn't drag her out into the garden where the sun and fresh air could get her started.
Satoshi went to speak more but then the doorbell rang. He looked around curiously. The Aldini brothers, clad in their uniforms, were present, as was Hisako. He couldn't think of anyone else that would be visiting at such an oddly early hour.
"That's odd. It's like eight in the morning, who could that be?" asked Ryoko, looking out towards the foyer.
"I'll get it." said Satoshi helpfully. He went to stand up and the sheet began to shift…
"NO! That's alright!"
Almost like lightning, Megumi had stood and slapped her hand onto Satoshi's shoulder, forcing him back into his chair and keeping the sheet in position. He looked up at her questioningly and she laughed, slapping him on the shoulder again, red faced.
"Don't strain yourself, senpai. I've got it."
Megumi left the room before he could protest. She sighed to herself as she walked towards the front door, rubbing at one eye. That had been too close for comfort. She really wished Satoshi would be at least a little more self-conscious sometimes. She yawned as she made it to the front door, opening it.
"O…Ohayo. Welcome to Polar Star Dormitory. How can I help you?"
As her yawn ended and Megumi opened her eyes back up, she was surprised by the two people standing before her.
Sōma and Alice stood on the steps. Sōma's expression was light hearted while Alice's was serious. They both wore their Tōtsuki uniforms, with the noted addition of Central pins to their lapels. Sōma gave Megumi a small smile and a wave, the sun glinting harshly off of the golden accessory.
"Hey there Tadokoro. Sorry for dropping in unannounced. Can we speak to you, Erina and Isshiki-senpai? It's kind of urgent."
Megumi was still too surprised to respond verbally. Sōma tilted his head at her and leaned forward, tapping her softly on the forehead.
"Tadokoro? Anyone home?"
Megumi started, stammering embarrassedly at her lapse.
"U-um. Yes, that's fine. Just…wait right here. Or come in. Whatever you like is fine."
Megumi left the door open and walked back to the main room on shaky legs. She stood in the doorway and gestured to Satoshi and Erina, who both noticed her and came forward. She explained in a rushed whisper what had happened and, soon, the three Polar Star residents stood across from Sōma's group in the front yard.
Despite the fact that they were all friends and fellow students, there was a definite air of tension. Perhaps it was because of the general lack of communication between the two sides. Perhaps it was because of Central's recent loss to the Dormitory. Or perhaps it was because of the pin that Alice now wore so prominently.
"Morning, everyone." said Sōma cheerfully, waving.
"Good morning to you as well, Sōma-kun." said Satoshi just as cheerfully. It seemed both of them were unaffected by the tense atmosphere. "How can we help you on this fine morning?"
"Well, I trust you all saw Azami-sama's broadcast?" he asked, looking between each of them with interest.
Satoshi nodded, smiling.
"Indeed. It was quite informative. The Director's usually not so involved in the selection process, after all."
"Well, we all know Azami-sama has a distinctly different style of management than Senzaemon-sama did." said Sōma. "I'm sure what this way will lead to a better and brighter-"
Alice cut Sōma off with a harsh elbow to the side.
"Would you cut it with the propaganda? It's not like you need to fake it anymore. Isn't that why we're here?"
Sōma laughed, rubbing at his side.
"Old habits, sorry. You're right Alice. That is why we're here."
Sōma locked eyes with Satoshi, his smile dropping.
"We're here so that I can formally ask the three of you to compete in the Elite Ten Selection."
Satoshi raised an eyebrow at him.
"Interesting. I wouldn't imagine Azami-sama would want me back. Considering the trouble he went through to get rid of me in the first place." commented Satoshi idly.
"Azami doesn't. But there's only so much power the Director has. And he's already exhausted a lot of the favour and reach he's had. Between creating Central, abolishing the independent societies and singlehandedly releasing three Elite Ten Council members, there's only so much more even he can do. Tampering with the Elite Ten Selection process…I doubt he has the clout left." said Sōma.
"However, that's not my main concern. What is my concern is getting Azami the hell out of our school. And I would need your help to do it."
The proclamation took Erina and Megumi by complete surprise although Satoshi just hummed, as if Sōma had made a particularly interesting suggestion for dinner.
"Is that so?" asked Satoshi, his smile unwavering.
"I won't mince words; things have changed. I thought I'd have more time to develop a stronger footing for my coup but…that simply wasn't in the cards, I suppose. So I've come to request your assistance in ousting Azami, in the same manner he was brought in. A majority vote by the Elite Ten Council."
Erina and Megumi looked at each other, the surprise clear in both of their eyes. They hadn't had the opportunity to ask Sōma just what it was he was trying to do but now it seemed all too obvious. He'd been working from the inside; trying to destroy Azami's regime from the inside out by playing the loyal solider.
Satoshi tilted his head, narrowing his eyes at Sōma. Sōma didn't flinch under the scrutinizing look.
"I see. I must say, you've taken a rather roundabout way of going about it. There were certainly simpler ways to accomplish this." was all the former seventh seat said.
Sōma shrugged one shoulder.
"I prefer to think of it as unexpected. Friends close, enemies closer and all that."
"So that's what all this was for? You wanted to gain enough support on the Elite Ten to vote Azami back out?" asked Satoshi, his smile still in place.
"Pretty much." said Sōma, grinning at Satoshi.
"Hmm. I see. Well, be that as it may, I'm afraid I must decline."
Satoshi's swift refusal took Sōma by surprise and it showed on his face.
"Uh…Isshiki-senpai, what do you mean? Don't you want to get back onto the Elite Ten Council?" asked Megumi, looking over at the elder student. He looked down at her with a serious expression and shook his head.
"Once, maybe. But that is no longer the case, Tadokoro-chan. I've had my time in the sun. I've no desire to lead, at least not in that sense. Not anymore." he said.
"But why?" asked Sōma, stepping forward. "You've seen what Azami's doing; how can you simply sit back and allow this?"
"Because I have faith, Sōma-kun."
The answer stopped Sōma cold and he paused, wondering if he'd misheard the older boy. Satoshi looked back at him.
"I have faith in you. And Megumi-chan. And Erina-chan. And Alice-san. And all of the rest of you. My time to fight has past. I will do what I need to in order to protect these walls and those in them."
He gestured towards Polar Star.
"But beyond that, I leave Tōtsuki's fate to you and yours, Sōma-kun."
Satoshi turned, walking away from both pairs and up the stairs towards the dormitory. The door closed behind him with a definitive note of finality. Sōma stared at where Satoshi had made his exit in disbelief. He'd been certain that Satoshi would get involved. He was one person that Sōma had counted on; someone he knew was more than strong enough to earn a place on the Council next year and someone he could trust to make the right vote when the time came.
"It's fine, Sōma-kun."
Sōma turned to face Alice, who smiled up at him, not perturbed in the slightest by Satoshi's refusal, despite knowing the stakes.
"There's seven of us, after all. That's more than enough to force a majority vote against Azami." she said cheerily. Sōma glanced over at where Erina and Megumi stood. Megumi looked concerned and she kept glancing in between the closed Polar Star entrance and the group from Central. Erina's face was more composed; Sōma had no idea what was going through her mind.
"I mean, that's if, of course, my dear cousin and Megumi-san see fit to compete. You will, won't you?" asked Alice, turning to face the two girls. Erina didn't respond immediately; she simply continued looking back at her cousin with a stoic, reserved look. After several seconds of tense quiet, Erina turned to Megumi.
"It's your decision, Megumi-chan." stated Erina.
"My decision?!" exclaimed Megumi in surprise. Erina nodded, placing a supportive hand on her shoulder.
"I won't try and convince you of anything, Megumi-chan. If you want to try for a seat on the council, I will try right alongside you. But, if you don't, then I'm more than happy to try on my own. My father needs to be stopped, one way or the other, and I, for one, am sick of having others fight my battles."
She glanced over at Sōma, who hadn't reacted to the oblique reference, other than to raise an eyebrow at her.
"I would love nothing more than to have you by my side but I more than understand if you don't want to take the risk." she said.
Megumi looked even more worried and she took Erina by the sleeve, pulling her aside.
"Erina-chan…are you sure about this? Your father…I know we've made progress but…"
Erina took Megumi's hand in hers, threading their fingers together. She closed her eyes and placed her other hand on her chest.
"Megumi-chan. As long as I have you, as long as I have this feeling…there's no room in my mind to be afraid of my father. Not anymore."
Megumi looked up at the serene expression on Erina's face and saw something there that allowed her to come to a decision. She turned and faced Sōma, who'd been watching their exchange in interest.
"We'll do it, Sōma-kun. We'll put our names in and help you take down Azami-sama."
Sōma gave them a deep nod and a grateful smile.
"That's wonderful news. In that case…"
Sōma dug into his jacket, pulling out a few pieces of paper that he handed to them.
"Here are the details for the coming task. Based on the setup, I don't think this'll be of much help. But it's better than nothing."
Erina took the pages, leafing through them. Her eyebrows went up and she nodded.
"A bit unorthodox. But certainly doable. There's not much we can do, as you said, but there are a few things we can prepare for. Come, Megumi-chan. We should get started immediately."
Erina turned to start walking back into the dorm but Megumi placed a hand on her shoulder, stopping her.
"But shouldn't we go and register ourselves first?" asked Megumi questioningly. "We only have until noon, after all."
Erina didn't turn around but Megumi could just barely see the tips of her ears flush red.
"Man. That would've been pretty embarrassing, huh Erina?" asked Alice cheekily, making no effort to conceal her chuckling. "Showing up all gung-ho only to not be on the list of competitors?"
"Quiet Alice!" snapped Erina, turning to face her. She stomped past her petulantly, heading towards the gate with a single minded determination.
"Erina-chan, you're still in your nightclothes!" called Megumi worriedly. Erina paused, before turning around and walking back towards them. She stopped briefly to pull Megumi alongside her, holding the blue haired girl like a shield between the laughter in Sōma's eyes and the straight up laughter coming from Alice's lips.
"Ah…goodbye Sōma-kun! Alice-chan!" shouted Megumi, only barely finishing her sentence before Erina slammed the door shut so hard that the entire porch rattled with the force. Sōma laughed, turning to head out of the gate.
"Well, that was interesting. I suppose we should go and submit our names too, huh Alice?" he asked cheerfully. When he got no response, he turned to face Alice, who was staring at the doorway with a contemplative expression. "Something wrong?"
Alice turned to face Sōma, fixing him with a serious look.
"Do you think it's fair to not tell her, Sōma-kun? If she gets back onto the Council, there's no way she can avoid Azami for long. And your father's protection expires once the school year ends."
Sōma's cheery expression faded slightly and he sighed as they began walking down the forested path away from the dormitory.
"That won't matter if we can get him out before then. It's not how I planned things to go, not at all, but Pops forced my hand by letting them bet his tenure. At the very least, getting Azami out of the school will make it that much harder for him to get to Erina. We can work with that."
"That's assuming we succeed. Despite my optimism earlier, this isn't exactly the most coordinated of plans. We have no guarantee that we can all get onto the Council. We still have Nene-senpai and Eizan-senpai to worry about. And those other second years you mentioned." said Alice, biting her thumb.
"They shouldn't be a problem. The second years on Central's side won't be enough of a threat to any of us, not after the training we've received. Although I'm really going to owe Shinomiya-senpai a ton of volunteer hours once this is all over." said Sōma, frowning at the thought. The alumnus' help had not come cheaply. For every hour he'd spent training Hayama and Ryo, he demanded that Sōma volunteer in his restaurant for four hours once there was time for him to do so.
"But what about the second years that aren't on Central's side? There's at least sixty five second year students this year and Central only has about twenty. That still leaves about thirty to forty unaffiliated students. Unknowns. It's not farfetched to think that one or two of them may be skilled enough to slip through and beat one of us out of a seat."
Sōma laughed in response to her concern, which only caused her to turn and pout at him.
"How is this funny, Sōma-kun?! I'm being serious!"
"I'm sorry, I'm sorry. You're right and it is! It's just…ok, did you ever wonder how Erina was able to get her seat on the Council? At the beginning of her first year, no less?" asked Sōma.
Alice shook her head, her bang swaying from side to side.
"Not particularly. Loathe as I am to admit it, Erina's skills are of a top notch and quite frankly ridiculous nature for our age. We've caught up, at least I'd like to think so, but still…she was on a completely different level from anyone in our age bracket, me included." Alice swivelled to point directly into Sōma's face. "And if you ever tell her I said that, I will deny it to my grave."
Sōma pulled the finger from in front of his nose but deigned to ignore her threat in favour of continuing his statement.
"Be that as it may, this is Tōtsuki. The Elite Ten should represent the ten best students of the year. Didn't it strike you as a bit odd that a starting freshman, albeit an immensely skilled one, could attain a seat of her own?"
"Not particularly. But then, I've always been used to Erina getting special treatment, so nothing seemed amiss to me. Are you trying to say she didn't deserve her seat?"
"Not exactly." said Sōma. "Erina was skilled. There's no question of that. But she was also aided, unwittingly so, by the 90th generation, Tsukasa-senpai and Rindō-senpai's class. Do you know what the 91st generation, Isshiki-senpai's generation, is called?"
Alice thought for a moment, tapping her chin ponderously, before shaking her head from side to side.
"No. I wasn't even aware that they had a particular title at all, actually." said Alice.
"Tōtsuki's 91st generation is known as the Cannibalized generation." said Sōma in a stage whisper, as if he was imparting some great secret. Alice glanced over at him, eyes wide.
"It is?" she asked in surprise. "I've never heard of it referred to as such."
"That's because it's not a very positive name. It's actually quite offensive to those that remain, as it reminds them of what they've lost. You see, the Cannibalized generation earned their moniker due to what the 90th Generation did to them during the 91st generation's freshman year."
"What did they do?" asked Alice, wondering how she could've not heard about something that had been drastic enough to brand the entire second year class.
"The 90th generation went out of their way to challenge and eliminate as much of the talent from the 91st as they could. Ostensibly, it was to sharpen their skills and make them better chefs but…"
Sōma sighed, scratching the back of his head.
"Really, it was more out of selfishness than anything else. Rindō-senpai and Tsukasa-senpai had a lot to prove and they used the 91st to do it. In a similar way to how Isshiki-senpai's generation tested ours once the Stagiaire period had ended. Except they were playing for keeps. They'd offer exorbitant prizes; Council seats, money, whatever they could. Rindō-senpai even offered herself as a prize. More than once."
"Herself?" asked Alice, arching an eyebrow at her. "Why does that not surprise me?"
"Not like that, Alice." said Sōma, laughing. "She just offered a full day spent in her 'illustrious company', or so she says. She had quite the fan base before she…well…expelled them all. So, after all was said and done, the 91st generation was left as a skeleton of its former self. You had people like Isshiki-senpai and Nene-senpai who were smart enough or skilled enough to survive. And then you had the people who were too weak for the 90th generation to care about expelling but strong enough to survive things like the training camp and the Stagiaire period."
"Wow. I had no idea." said Alice thoughtfully. "I mean, we've beaten our fair share of second years but I always assumed there were more waiting in the wings that didn't feel like bothering to fight the fresh meat until we'd proven ourselves against the others."
"Nope. That's not the case here, luckily for us." said Sōma.
"And unluckily for them, I suppose." said Alice. It was a shame, really, but that was just the nature of Tōtsuki. Survival of the fittest. Kill or be killed. Eat or be eaten.
And soon, in just a few hours time, the process that would determine just who sat on the top of the food chain next year would begin. And Sōma still wasn't able to do so much as chop onions properly. Alice glanced over at him but he appeared perfectly at ease, humming as he looked around the forest path.
"I hope you can figure something out by 6:00 pm, Sōma-kun. Or else a seat will be the least of your worries." said Alice softly.
"What was that, Alice?"
"Nothing, nothing…" she said, following along behind Sōma and wondering, with a heavy heart, if this would be one of the last times she'd be able to.
A/N: Woohoo! So there was more I could've done here but I didn't want to unnecessarily bloat the chapter. Also, if any of you are looking at Sōma and going 'Hmmm. He seems really cheerful. Even for Sōma.' then that's good. You should be asking yourself why that may be, not that the answer's very difficult to deduce. You have all of the pieces.
Something else to note: It's always bothered me how straight up inept the 2nd years have been made to look in the original manga. Pretty much every 2nd year outside of the Elite Ten is wrecked by the main cast. And I mean wrecked. The Survivor's Purge guys, the people that challenge Sōma post-Stagiaire, etc. I mean, Ryo and Megumi are one thing (as Top 8 Autumn Election candidates) but Ikumi? For canon Ikumi to beat a 2nd year, one specifically chosen by Central for his "strength" is ridiculous. Especially considering there were 30 other RS and Seminar heads that were beaten by the Central chefs in their own specialities. As we know, most RS leaders are current 2nd years. So this directly implies that the Central 2nd years are among the strongest, outside of the Elite Ten members. In addition, it also stretches my disbelief that a first year, fresh from middle school, would be awarded the tenth best spot in the school, God's tongue or no.
And so I've made that a plot point. There's a reason they seem so weak, even considering the admittedly impressive talent of Sōma's generation. It's because their strongest were culled by Rindō, Tsukasa and their ilk on their ascent to the top during their second year, while Isshiki, Nene and the rest were cocky, little freshmen. Hope you guys enjoyed the chapter, please let me know what you think and I'll see you all next week!