"Yukihira…Kumi." said Alice. She looked down at the small, pale hand in hers before looking up at the young girl, who was staring at her in quiet amusement.
"Yes. Yukihira Kumi." she said. "I'm assuming you have no idea who I am? Although, by the look on your face, I assume you're at least somewhat familiar with my namesake?"
Alice didn't speak. She couldn't speak. The child in front of her…this dark haired girl…she was…
"Alice is well aware of who you are, imouto." said Sōma placidly. "She's known about you for a while now."
Kumi's eyebrows rose in surprise and she looked over at Sōma, whose expression hadn't changed.
"Really now? And just why is that?" she asked. Sōma shrugged.
"She needed to know." was all he said in response. Kumi eyed her brother critically before sighing and shaking her head.
"We're really going to need to get you some help when this is all done, nii-chan."
Sōma shrugged again, unconcerned, before returning his attention to Alice.
"Kumi will be assisting me. Kanon will be acting as your partner for this trial."
The brief exchange between the siblings had given Alice time to compose herself. She'd closed her mouth and her expression had settled into one of barely restrained surprise as opposed to the open shock it had been. She looked between the both of them before turning to look at the crowd around her. Most had missed the small exchange, wrapped up as they were in conversing with their partners and preparing for the challenge.
She turned back to face the duo before her, closing her eyes and taking a deep breath. Once she let it out, her eyes reopened and she fixed a stern gaze on Sōma.
"I spoke to Fiji-baa-san and Kanon-chan on the way over here, so I'm well aware. She informed me that Ta-kun fell ill and wasn't able to make it in today." she said.
"And if you were to speak with Ta-kun or his parents, they'll tell you that they received a missive from one Yukihira Sōma, informing them that you'd dropped out of the running and no longer needed a partner." said Kumi.
"I see." said Alice evenly. "And why exactly would he do that?"
"I wouldn't." said Sōma. "There was no need."
"According to you, nii-chan." said Kumi. "But then, this entire debacle with you and the Nakiri family tells me you're not the best at properly differentiating needs, anyway."
Kumi's sharp statement was made rather calmly but the effect it had on Sōma was noticeable. His eyebrows drew down and he gave her a heavy look that would've sent lesser men to their knees but just made Kumi roll her eyes.
"Yes, yes. Very scary." said Kumi, waving her hands mockingly at him. "Let's just get this over with, nii-chan. You and I have a lot to discuss."
"Maybe you should've thought of that before you took the initiative to come all the way here from Niigata." said Sōma.
"I wouldn't have, if someone had bothered to give us his new number when he changed cell phones months ago." she responded heatedly.
"I told you I would be out of contact and you know exactly why that was." said Sōma with a flicker of irritation. "Nothing and no one can be considered beyond Azami's reach. Tapping my phone is the least of what he would do."
"Oh yea, I'm sure. It was for my protection. Of course it was. It's not because you're overly controlling or anything. Of course not."
Kumi's sarcasm didn't faze Sōma and he responded as if her statement was made sincerely.
"Yes. That's exactly it." he said evenly. "He's a very dangerous a man, as we've told you so many times before."
Kumi scoffed, turning away from Sōma.
"You're just like her, I swear. Running around with your tail between your legs, afraid of big, bad Nakamura Azami. Where's your spine, nii-chan? Did he take that from you too?" she asked.
"It's easy to say that from where you're standing, isn't it?"
Kumi paused at the unexpected interruption. She looked over at Alice, who was giving her an even, somewhat sad look.
"You've never so much as met the man and you want to presume you have any idea what he's like or what he's capable of." continued Alice, folding her arms.
Kumi didn't snap at Alice the way she had at Sōma. She drew herself back and folded her arms, mirroring Alice's stance as her face settled into a cool, dignified expression.
"I'm well aware that he's a dangerous individual, Alice-san. I know quite a lot about Nakamura Azami. More than you probably do." she said sharply.
Alice shook her head, her shoulder length bang swaying with the motion.
"I highly doubt that, Kumi-chan. I know you may have facts and figures and stories. But I've seen what he's done first hand. Those he's hurt. Those he's damaged…"
Alice's mind conjured unbidden images of a young Erina, her tear streaked face projected across a wall as she yelled for her father to bring her out of the cold darkness he'd left her in. Sōma with his head in between his knees, yelling and screaming as the negativity instilled in him by Azami overtook him.
"That man…he's done things that I can't even begin to imagine doing to a complete stranger to his own family. His own daughter. And the scariest part of it all is that he believes it's worth it. He believes what he's doing is right. To Azami, he's the undisputed hero of his story and his actions are synonymous with what's right. Things like morals, rules, love, restraint…"
Alice clenched her fists tightly, looking down as even more memories rose up.
"None of that matters to him."
Kumi looked perturbed by Alice's sudden speech but, before she could comment, a bell was rung at the front of the room.
"Alright. You've all had enough time to get acquainted with your partners." said Hideki, refusing to look towards the left side of the room where he knew Sōma's group to be gathered. "Those of you children without partners are free to go and join the other spectators on the side lines. Participants, please proceed into the next room and claim a cooking station."
Hideki gestured them forward and the competitors began filing through the double doors on either side of the classroom, proceeding into the attached kitchenx. Hideki continued speaking over the quiet shuffling.
"Each station is stocked identically and you'll be receiving a further fifteen minutes to determine what's available to you. If there's anything special you would need for your dish, please inform any of the uniformed staff members on either side of the room. They'll be happy to retrieve it from the storage facility. In addition, as mentioned in the announcement, you would've been free to bring any outside materials you require."
The participants filed in, accompanied by the children that would hold their continued fate in the Elite Ten trials in their hands. The atmosphere wasn't quite tense but it was also far from relaxed. Quiet discussion was being had as the chefs of Tōtsuki tried to adapt to the unorthodox circumstances, some with more success than others.
"You seem like a pretty cool kid." said Genti, patting the girl that had been assigned to him on the head. She frowned petulantly at the treatment, glaring at Genti, which only cause him to laugh and pat harder. "Spunk. I like it!"
"Um…Subaru-sensei, is this really necessary?" asked the short, blond haired boy quietly. He was another one of the DEF kitchen students and he was currently pantomiming the motion of stirring a spoon in a bowl. Subaru was crouched, watching his hands with an almost disturbing intensity as he muttered to himself, jotting things down in the small notepad he always carried.
"Um…Subaru-sensei, is this really necessary?" said the tall, dark skinned chef, his voice pitching high in an almost exact imitation of his partner. The child leaned back, eyes wide. A pose Subaru almost immediately copied. Without changing his expression from the wide eyed look of fear he was imitating, Subaru responded in a completely serious voice.
"Yes, completely Li-kun."
"But…but I thought you'd be done copying me since today's the event and all." said Li hesitantly.
Subaru's expression didn't shift.
"My Ultimate Perfect Trace is never truly finished."
"You're a quick study. I'm sure we'll do well." said Isami, smiling beatifically at the quiet girl that was his partner.
"But the…um…the thing." she whispered, glancing around. "The thing you want me to make is so hard. We only got it right on our last try yesterday!"
"I've got faith in you." said the large boy, patting her on the back. "We'll do great."
Hideki looked around, biting his lip as he saw the conversations percolating through the room. As he watched chefs swap partners left and right as they found children that matched their preferences better than the assignations that had been designated for them by the combined efforts of Azami and Momo. He looked down at the list he held in his hands before looking up, watching their carefully constructed plan fall apart. He resisted the urge to glare at the individuals that were the catalyst for such a change.
"Akanegakubo-san. I implore you to reconsider this decision. Reinstate the original assignments. Please." he said urgently.
As the crowd of children had entered and dispersed, Momo had clambered down from his shoulders and stood at his side near the centre of the room as they watched the students prepare themselves.
"Nope. I don't think I will. And you can't make me." said Momo simply, turning her back on him.
Hideki grit his teeth, pulling his cellphone from his pocket.
"Fine. I see you leave me no choice then. Nakiri-sama won't be pleased at this interruption. Not in the least."
Hideki found his hand gripped in another, much larger hand. He turned to face the imposing figure of Somei Saito.
"Why don't you and I go enjoy Momo-chan's challenge from the side lines, Hideki-san." asked the fifth seat politely. Despite his tone, it was clear he wasn't asking at all and he used the grip he had on Hideki's wrist to steer him towards the crowd of spectators.
"Unhand me at once, Somei-san." said Hideki angrily, tugging ineffectually at the tall teen's hand. He looked around the room, raising his hand to signal his men but found none of them in attendance. He looked again, confused as to why he didn't see any of the dark suits and shaded glasses that would denote members of his security team. He had at least four of them stationed with him at all times!
"I'm afraid I've sent them on something of an errand, Hideki-san." said Saito. He leaned over and casually plucked the phone from Hideki's grip and dropped it into an empty pot at a passing station. He set the pot under a faucet and turned the knob, leaving the confused pair of participants to watch him walk away, the security aide in tow.
"My apologies for dropping your phone like that, Hideki-san. It seems I'm rather clumsy."
That was the last the students heard of their conversation as both the fifth seat and the security aide got out of earshot. The buck toothed child looked curiously at the pot, where the mobile had floated to the top of the slowly rising water, its screen flickering and dying as it shut down.
"Should we…turn the water off?" he asked, looking up at his partner.
Ikumi didn't respond to his question. She simply stared after Saito's retreating form, watching him intensely and thinking back to the conversation she'd had with him weeks prior.
"Saito-kun needs to borrow Nikumi-chan for a quick second, ok Sōma-kun?"
"May I ask why?" said Sōma, raising his eyebrows slightly, his tone neither confrontational nor conciliatory.
Rindō put her finger over her lips, smirking conspiratorially.
"Nope. It's a secret. Go on now, Nikumi-chan."
Ikumi looked to Sōma who simply nodded at her. The swordsman gestured for her to follow him and turned on the spot, exiting the kitchen at a brisk pace that Ikumi struggled to match, the door slamming shut behind them.
"So what exactly did you need me for, Saito-senpai?" asked Ikumi, walking faster in an attempt to keep up with his much larger stride. Saito didn't respond immediately but, when he did, his words were enough to make Ikumi stop walking completely.
"I'm considering nominating you for the Elite Ten Council."
Ikumi stared after him, confused and thrown by his statement. He continued walking and, when it was clear he wasn't stopping, Ikumi jogged to catch up to him.
"Wait! What exactly do you mean Saito-senpai?" she asked.
"Azami-sama requires each of the graduating seat holders to nominate a student they feel is fit to take a seat on the council. It will come into play during this year's Selection process. I've chosen you as a possible nominee." he said simply.
Ikumi processed the words in her mind, considering what he'd said. She knew the Elite Ten Selection was coming, of course, but she'd had no idea of how it was g ` oing to be done. But she could see the value in what Azami was doing; his top soldiers were leaving but he could game the system to ensure they had control over exactly who got to be on the council next year. He couldn't make it completely arbitrary, this was the Elite Ten after all, but putting his thumb on the scale was well within his power. But that thought only brought Ikumi to a very pertinent question.
"All due respect Saito-senpai, why me?" she asked, panting lightly as she began to feel the toll of keeping pace alongside the towering older student. "I mean…I wasn't even in the top 8 for the Autumn Elections. Shouldn't you be choosing someone like Yukihira or Kurokiba?"
As if he'd been summoned, Ryo rounded the corner in front of them. He held a wrapped bento box in his hands and his expression was fixed in its usual, tired stare. He stopped in front of them, prompting them both to stop as well. He nodded at them.
"Hey there, Mito-san. Saito-senpai." he said, raising a hand.
"Good day, Kurokiba." said Ikumi. Saito simply nodded.
"I presume you received my message, Kurokiba-kun?" he asked. Ryo nodded, pulling a folded piece of paper from his pocket.
"Yup. Yukihira slipped it under my door earlier today. Speaking of which, either of you have any idea where he's at? Ojou wants me to deliver this to him."
Ryo held up the bento box, which was wrapped in a bright pink cloth.
"Oh, yes. He's actually just up ahead. It's the third kitchen down from here." said Ikumi, pointing behind them. Giving her a nod of acknowledgement, Ryo walked past them.
"I'll be joining you shortly, Saito-senpai." he said, idly waving farewell.
Saito began walking again, prompting Ikumi to spin around and do the same.
"As I'm sure you could've guessed, Kurokiba-kun is here today for much the same reason you are. He's also a potential candidate for my nomination." he said. "I'll be testing all of you today."
He stopped walking as they made it to a door that Ikumi knew led to one of the smaller shokugeki arenas.
"And to answer your previous question, Mito-kun. You're right. You were not particularly remarkable to me before. You were somewhat formidable but overshadowed by the true heavyweights of your generation, such as Yukihira Sōma or the pair of Nakiris your year boasted."
He turned to face Ikumi fully for the first time and his steel grey eyes looked into her own.
"But then you started training with Kobayashi. And survived. Thrived, even, if half of her bragging is to be believed. That made you much more interesting."
Saito opened the door, gesturing for Ikumi to enter. Through the opening, she saw a small group of other students standing near one of the stove tops in the distance. Some, like Mimasaka Subaru and Hayama Akira, she recognized. Others, she did not. She saw an array of cooking implements, far more than was usually provided, arrayed on the counter tops.
"The one who's left standing at the end of my test will receive my nomination. And most likely a seat on next year's council. That person could be you, Mito Ikumi."
Ikumi gulped before stepping, as if to enter the room. But right before her foot crossed the door's threshold, she paused. Things still weren't adding up to her. Why go through all of the trouble of making sure you could influence the Selection, only to leave it up to chance like this? Azami had specifically gone out of his way to manipulate the system and ensure he had a say in who got on next year's council. Why would he allow Saito to essentially roll the dice with it?
"Saito-senpai. All due respect but I find it hard to believe that Azami-sama would make a decision like this."
Ikumi's tone was measured and she kept her gaze straight ahead, where she could see the gathered crowd of potential nominees conversing amongst themselves and occasionally glancing at them. She heard Saito sigh softly.
"Nakiri Azami is not who I thought he would be. I've made an error in judgement and it's too late for me to correct it on my own. This here," he said, gesturing out to encompass the open room and the crowd of students. "Is all I can do for now."
Ikumi noted the distinct lack of Central affiliated students in the room.
"I see." she said evenly before marching decisively through the door.
She'd doubted Saito's words, as she'd seen no evidence that he was anything but fully loyal to Central since their brief conversation. At least not until she'd seen him accost Azami's head of security. He couldn't think that would do anything more than delay things, however.
But, then again, a delay could be all they needed. Fixing the match was one thing but even Azami would be hard pressed to change the actual results once the trial itself had been concluded. Not after the results were broadcasted live for anyone to see.
"Who's that girl?"
Her partner's question roused Ikumi from her thoughts and she looked at where he was pointing to see a tall, dark haired girl standing at Sōma's station talking with him. Ikumi's eyes narrowed, wondering why the girl seemed vaguely familiar.
"I'm not sure, to be honest." said Ikumi but before she could ponder it further, she noticed Momo climbing onto a chair at the front of the class.
The fourth seat raised her hand, clearing her throat pointedly. As the room fell into silence, she held the cat doll in front of her face and held him out towards the crowd. Momo began speaking, her voice much lower than it normally was.
"Bucchi here! Momo-senpai asked me to inform you all that the challenge is about to begin. You've all had time to discuss your dishes with your partners, I trust?"
"Bucchi's" head rotated left and right, expectantly. No one responded and what seemed to be a large tic mark appeared on his forehead.
"Very well. Bucchi takes that silence as a YES. As was said in the announcement; you are to prepare a dessert dish. That's the only criteria. However you are not to do any of the cooking yourself, beyond the simple prep work associated with the lowliest of sous chefs. Your child partner will instead be in charge of the bulk of the cooking and it is your job to guide them as they prepare the dish of your choosing. The time limit is three hours but you are free to come and get judged before the time has expired. Is everyone ready?"
Looking around again for a response, "Bucchi" found his question met with silent nods from most of the participants, though a few were simply staring at the odd display in bemusement.
"Bucchi" looked around once more before nodding his head.
"Then without further ado, the time starts now. Go!"
At the command of the stuffed cat, the participants got to work.
"Let's get to it, Preppy." said Genti, kneeling down to the cooler he'd brought. He reached to the side of it and handed a grocery bag to his partner. She took the bag hesitantly, unloading its contents onto the counter.
She stared at the large can of pineapple juice and the box of instant vanilla pudding with wide eyed surprise. She looked into the empty grocery bag before looking over at her partner, who was continuing to rummage in the cooler.
"I…I thought you were kidding, Genti-senpai!" she exclaimed. "Are we seriously going to d-?"
"Yup. Get to it Preppy." he said, winking at his partner. Not that she could see it behind his sunglasses.
"But…senpai, that dish would be so simplistic. Are you completely certain?" the girl asked.
"As certain as I'll ever be." said Genti. "Less chance of you screwing things up for me this way, Preppy."
"My name's not Preppy!" snapped the girl. "And I'll have you know, I come from one of the most elite private schools in the country and am on the fast track for Tōtsuki's middle school branch! I'm skilled in Japanese, Italian and French styles of cooking and I've made over a thousand dishes. So you can stop treating me like an ignorant child."
Genti looked up at her, cocking his head at her. He beckoned her forward with one finger. The girl approached, confused. Gesturing for her to lean down, Genti gripped her ear firmly, placing his mouth near to it. He began speaking, lowly.
The girl's expression went from confusion to surprise to shock before finally settling on pale faced fear. She tried to turn to face Genti but he tugged on her ear insistently, continuing to speak. After a few more seconds, he released her and she took two steps back, staring at the trench coat wearing boy in wide eyed terror.
"Do we understand each other?" asked Genti mildly.
"Y-y-yes. Yes, Genti-senpai. I understand." she stammered, unable to look away from where she could feel his eyes boring into her own from behind his dark sunglasses.
"Great. Now get to it." he said, giving the girl a grin that only served to make her yelp and stumble over herself to begin opening the package of instant pudding powder.
Across the kitchen, activity had already started in earnest. Ingredients were being whisked, pans were being heated and fruits were getting sliced. The air started to take on a sweet, confectionary scent that only grew sweeter as time went on and the dishes progressed.
"Just like that, Li-kun." mumbled Subaru, shadowing the boy's every move from two steps behind, albeit with air rather than the tools and ingredients the young boy was using.
"Hai, Subaru-sensei." the boy said with a look of concentration. He finished whisking the ingredients, placing the bowl of egg whites down on the counter before reaching for another.
"Wait!"
Li froze, looking up at where Subaru's left arm hung over his from the older boy's impressive height. Slowly, the arm moved and Li followed it, his left hand moving from the bowl of cream to the bowl of egg yolks.
"Of course, it's the yolks that's up next, not the cream." said Li. "That way—"
"We don't have to wash the whisks in between." said Subaru, with Li echoing him in unison. The boy nodded, picking up the bowl of egg yolks and beginning to beat it in earnest. Subaru followed his motion exactly, drawing the attention of a nearby proctor, one of many Momo had assigned to ensure the Tōtsuki students didn't overstep their bounds.
"Hey! You there, what are you…"
The proctor trailed off as he came closer and saw Subaru holding nothing but air over his partner's head. With a timing that was more than off putting, they both rotated their heads to face the woman.
"Problem, examiner-san?" they asked simultaneously.
Yes. There was a problem. How creepily in sync they were. But that, in and of itself, was not against the rules so the examiner shook her head and continued walking past to inspect another station.
"A-ha!"
The examiner slapped her hand on the counter, startling the Tōtsuki student that was about to pour a bright yellow mixture into a sauce pan. The boy in question flinched, almost dropping the bowl he held.
"Ah…examiner-san. I was merely-"
"Merely nothing! Now you hand that mixture to your head chef right now. That's your first strike. Two more and you'll be booted straight out of this challenge and your partner will continue on alone. Do you want that to happen?"
"N-no ma'am." said the student fearfully. He looked to his partner, a young boy, who was shaking his head at the older teen. His expression made his next words superfluous.
"I told you so. Baka."
Hayama noted the interaction with interest. The strike system hadn't been explained to them prior to starting but he supposed it made sense. The line between head and sous chef could be blurry at the best of times and it would be unfair to be overly harsh with something so ambiguous.
His nose twitched, the sensation alerting him to a peculiar scent. He reached over and lightly grabbed his partner's wrist before it made it over the mixing bowl.
"That's cumin. Not cinnamon." he said simply.
The girl blanched, looking at the nondescript bottle in her hand.
"I'm so sorry Hayama-senpai! I'm still getting used to your marking system and I almost wrecked our dish because of it."
Tears began to well up in her eyes and she began that particular sort of breathing that heralded sobs.
"I'm s-sorry Hayama-senpai! I didn't mean to, I swear!"
Before she could continue, she was silenced by the hand Hayama clasped on her shoulder. He smiled down at the girl.
"Relax, Fuu-chan. You're doing well. I'll be here to guide you every step of the way, ok? So there's no need to cry."
With his other hand, he reached up and wiped away her tears with his thumb.
"I'll be right here beside you, every step of the way. Don't worry."
Fuu's eyes grew large and her cheeks grew red. Hayama's smile fell as he saw the way she began looking at him. In that moment, he would've sworn he saw hearts where her eyes should be.
"Thank you, Hayama-senpai."
The love-struck tone she used had Hayama stepping back slightly and he fought to keep the sudden fear he felt off of his face.
"We can do anything with you here to be my white haired knight." she said dreamily, clasping her hands together.
"Ah…right." said Hayama. "Shall we get back to it then?"
Fuu nodded and returned to the mixing bowl with new fire in her eyes. As Hayama watched her get to work, he wondered if he'd be forced to find some way to tell an eleven year old girl prone to crying that he was spoken for without it ending badly. The shivers that suddenly went down his spine at the thought told him that there really wasn't.
"Kanon-chan, you're doing great." said Alice, arranging the ingredients for the next step of the dish on the counter. "You'd think we'd been partners this whole time."
Kanon smiled at the praise, flicking one of her twin tails behind her haughtily.
"Well of course. I'm the best in our class for a reason, Alice-sensei." she said, setting the oven timer before closing it. "Do you need any help with preparing the...um, Alice-sensei? What's that?"
"Silicone Plastique." said Alice, holding up the small blue ball of putty she held in her hands. She rolled it between her fingers, humming approvingly before setting it aside where she'd already rolled several blue balls. Kanon picked one up, sniffing at it experimentally.
"This doesn't smell like food, Alice-sensei." she said.
"That's because it's not." said Alice, opening a tub that contained a similar looking compound, though this one was white. She began rolling a ball of it together. "Silicone can be used to make custom moulds, which is what we'll be using in our dish. Once you put the blue putty together with the white, we can form them into whatever shape we desire and it will harden and become useable in less than an hour."
Kanon placed her finger on her chin, thinking, before snapping her fingers triumphantly.
"Ohhh! So that's how you and Ta-kun got all those pretty pictures on your stuff! I always wondered where you kept buying them; I never see moulds like that in the store. And I guess now I know why."
Alice nodded, placing another white ball down in a line near her blue set.
"Exactly. Now, I doubt they'll let me carve these myself so you'll have to do it. Ready to learn how?"
Kanon smiled confidently.
"Of course I am!"
Erina heard the exuberant exclamation and idly noted that it had come from her cousin's station.
"Are you ready, Ko-kun?" she asked.
Ko took a deep breath, closing his eyes.
"Ready, Erina-sensei." he said.
"Remember what we practiced." she instructed. "Remember all of the dishes I had you make; remember each and every one, failures and all."
Ko's eyebrows furrowed as he thought back to the dozens on dozens of things he'd cooked at the blonde girl's instructions. It was the same thing, over and over. An exercise in repetition. Each time, she told him to start again at the slightest misstep he made in her recipe.
"Think back. Focus on my voice. Answer my questions. What were each and every one of those dishes, Ko-kun? Even the failed ones and the half-finished ones?" she said, her voice low and calm.
"Opportunities to learn." he responded automatically, almost trance like.
"To learn what?" she asked.
"About me. About the kind of chef I am and could be." he said.
"And did you learn?" she asked.
Ko didn't respond immediately. He took another deep breath as each and every foray into the kitchen began replaying itself in his head over and over. He thought and thought, each experience passing through his mind, flickering and varying in intensity. Each success and each failure being weighed and considered, stripped down and used as fodder for his creative instinct. He felt as if he could hear his Chef's Soul working and purring as he drew on it, each and every minute in the kitchen contributing in its own unique way to the person and cook that was Ko.
After what seemed like hours, but was actually only a few minutes, Ko opened his eyes and his shoulders straightened. He set his eyes on the kitchen before him and felt something deep inside him practically purr at the sight. This was where he was meant to be.
"Yes. I did. I learnt a lot." he said assertively.
Erina smirked, stepping back and leaning against the bar. She folded her arms.
"Good. Then show me."
The instructions were simple but, as she saw Ko begin to work, Erina couldn't help but feel a sense of pride in her chest. She was sure it was her imagination but she felt as if she could see the very change in Ko's aura as he began beating eggs in a bowl with a skill and speed that belied his age.
"Wow. Look at Ko-kun go." said Ai, staring over the counter in wonder at the boy working. "And Erina-sensei's just standing there."
Erina stood apart from him, not lifting a finger to assist. In fact, her eyes were closed. She wasn't even watching!
"That's Erina-chan for you. She's confident that Ko-kun will succeed." said Megumi, steering Ai towards the range.
"Are you confident that I'll succeed, Megumi-sensei?" asked Ai, beginning to prepare ingredients automatically even as she felt her insecurity start to assert itself.
"Of course. I'm doubly confident, actually." said Megumi, smiling brightly. Ai looked down, blushing as she continued cracking eggs.
"But you'll still be here to help me right? Even though you're so confident?" asked Ai shyly.
"Of course, Ai-chan." said Megumi. The blue haired chef was holding a large melon before her and had one eye closed, eyeing the fruit appraisingly with the other. "I'll be right here alongside you the whole way."
Ai smiled, looking down again. Of course she would. Megumi-sensei was always there when she needed her and she would be today!
"Alright then. Let's do this Megumi-sensei!" said Ai.
"Hai, Ai-senpai." said Megumi teasingly.
"S-s-senpai?!" exclaimed the young girl, blushing brightly.
"You're the head chef here, right? Own it, Ai-chan." she said, winking. "I'll be in your care today."
Ai blushed even brighter but she gulped and nodded.
"Right!"
"Heh."
The scoff attracted Ai's attention and the girl looked at the adjacent station where a tall, dark haired boy from her class was looking at her.
"Weakling." he growled, looking over at her with half crazed eyes, his hair held in check by a blue bandanna with white flames emblazoned across it. Ai puffed her cheeks out, glaring at the boy.
"You shut up, Oro-kun!" she said, waving her spoon at him fiercely. The boy just grinned at her, pulling one eye lid down and sticking his tongue out at the girl before being thumped soundly on the head by his partner.
"How many times do I have to tell you the kitchen is no place for that kiddy crap, Oro?!" snarled Ryo. The boy rubbed his head, glaring at Ai, as if she'd caused his injury.
"Sorry, Ryo-sensei." he said, turning back to the range. "But some people should just give up when they've got no business being in the kitchen."
"You're absolutely right. In fact, I thought the same thing about Tadokoro there." he said, jerking his thumb at the blue haired girl. The boy looked up at Ryo in surprise before looking back at Megumi.
"But Megumi-sensei's one of the strongest chefs in your grade!"
Ryo grinned savagely.
"Exactly. Don't judge books by their cover, you little brat. Now back to work!"
"Sir, yes sir!"
"You know, it's almost scary just how much they've rubbed off on their partners, don't you agree Somei-kun?" asked Tsukasa from where he sat on the side lines. He was holding his head in his hands, looking around at the prospective chefs.
"So many children…do you think they're going to grow up, come here and be just as troublesome as Sōma-kun's generation? That would be so terrible…" he moaned.
"What do you care, Tsukasa?" asked Saito flatly. "We're graduating in a few weeks, after all."
At that, Tsukasa perked up.
"You're right. A few more weeks and then I won't have to worry about the prospect of these little mini Jewels giving me grey hair at nineteen."
Saito didn't comment, well used to his fellow Council member's neuroses at this point. Tsukasa looked over at the security aide whose shoulder Saito had firmly in his grasp.
"Hideki-san, good day. I'm happy you could join us." he said, smiling beatifically.
"Tsukasa-san, surely you can't be ignorant to what's going on here." said Hideki tightly, gesturing at the tall student's grip on his shoulder.
Tsukasa looked questioningly at the man.
"And what would that be?" he asked honestly.
Hideki blinked.
"Surely you jest?" he said. "Do you not see the rather stern grip Saito-san has on my shoulder? Or the way he's standing so that I can't move anywhere without getting past him? What about this situation looks consensual to you?"
Tsukasa tilted his head, still staring at Hideki in confusion.
"What are you saying, Hideki-san?"
Hideki resisted the urge to sputter. He simply gritted his teeth and responded to the inane question with a terse summary of the impromptu hostage situation Saito had created. Tsukasa smiled, waving his hand.
"Oh, that. No worries, Hideki-san. I'm sure your security team will be returning soon. I doubt they'd go far. And as far as your concerns about the change in assignments, I wouldn't concern myself."
"Tsukasa-san." said Hideki lowly. "I know you, of all people, would know why those assignments were important."
"Oh, but of course." said Tsukasa, nodding. "It's why I called Azami-sama immediately once Momo-chan announced the change."
Hideki grunted as he felt Saito's grip tighten sharply on his shoulder. The swordsman was looking over at Tsukasa guardedly. His grey orbs met Tsukasa's white ones and the first seat smiled beatifically at the fifth seat.
"Well, of course. And I must say, Azami was very interested in just how off script Momo-chan went. It wasn't too surprising, really. She was never one for politics. But when I asked him if I should step in, he told me it wasn't necessary. He'd be coming himself to handle things."
At that, Tsukasa paused, looking at the clock on the wall. He frowned.
"In fact, now that you mention it, Azami-sama should've been here by now."
"What exactly is this, Saiba-senpai?" asked Azami.
Tōtsuki's headmaster stood in front of his personal town car. He was looking across at Joichiro, who was smiling cheekily at him from where he stood in the middle of the road. He had a bright yellow construction worker's hat on and had orange barriers placed across the road. Orange cones and signs advertising messages such as "Construction Ahead" and "Men at Work" were strewn about like driftwood, instructing cars to turn around.
Beyond them were several Polar Star students who were going at the road with pickaxes. Satoshi led them in song, the fundoshi and yellow construction hat being the only thing he wore. Hisako had a hard hat as well but, instead of a pickaxe, she held a clipboard, from which she was giving orders to a beleaguered Marui. The skinny, glasses wearing boy struggled under the weight of the large, black barrel he held in his arms.
"Sorry about this, Nakamura. Just some unscheduled maintenance. Got a few complaints, ya know? Potholes and the like. Nothing too crazy but it's gonna take some time to fix. About three hours or so, I'd say." he said.
"I see." said Azami placidly. "And may I ask why professionals weren't contacted for this particular project? Much as I appreciate their enthusiasm, Tōtsuki's not generally in the habit of contracting its students for something like that."
"No contract needed, Azami-sama!" shouted Daigo cheerily, his pickaxe constantly in motion.
"Yup. We're more than happy to volunteer, Azami-sama!" sang Shoji, his pickaxe moving and tearing at the road one bit at a time.
"Less chatter, more work!" yelled Hisako sternly.
"Yes Hishoko-sama!" shouted the two young men, before resuming their work with renewed vigour.
Joichiro held his hands spread, shrugging.
"Trust me, Nakamura. I'd prefer professionals as well. But who are we to deny the eager bounties of youth right? Students should contribute to their school, don't you think? Giving back and all that good stuff?"
Azami glanced around the impromptu work site, noting the condition of the road. It wasn't in any significant state of disrepair; his car would be able to cross with mild discomfort at best. But the issue was more the barriers in his way. Both the literal barriers and the implied human ones. He was no Eizan. He couldn't simply tear through them. It wouldn't do.
He looked up and noted the position of Tōtsuki in the distance. It was far. If he deigned to walk, by the time he arrived, the trial would be long over. It wasn't exactly surprising. Such a transparent diversion would be remiss if he could simply walk around it.
Azami found himself chuckling internally, just the slightest bit, as he recalled that it had been just last week that an administrator had suggested commissioning a second road that connected the highway to Tōtsuki. He'd dismissed the idea as an unnecessary expenditure, considering the road they did have was well connected with multiple lanes. There should be no need for a second road. Unless those opposed to you decided to block the first one off, of course.
"What exactly is your plan here, Saiba-senpai?" he asked mildly, pulling out his phone. He tapped out a brief text message before replacing the handheld device in his pocket.
"Like I said, Nakamura. Road maintenance. Giving back. Etcetera." said Joichiro. "Why don't you just relax in your fancy car for a while? Or better yet, head out on the town! Maybe grab some lunch or catch a movie, I always said you should relax more, ya know? Don't worry about a thing. I'll give you a call when we're done here. Promise."
Azami folded his arms, smiling hollowly at the man opposite him.
"No. It's a beautiful day. And you're right; Tōtsuki is a fine mistress. We who take part in her bounty could afford to give back with our own two hands every now and then."
Azami reached up and loosened his tie, slipping it over his head and handing it to Joichiro, who took it with some confusion. The tie was soon joined by a pair of black gloves and Azami's blazer. Joichiro watched with no small amount of shock as Azami loosened his sleeves, rolling them up.
He reached over and plucked the hardhat from Joichiro's head, placing it firmly on his own.
"It's a beautiful day for some manual labour, don't you think Saiba-senpai?" said Azami, strolling past him. "Let's get to work, children."
The students stared at Azami in shock. All but Satoshi, who stepped forward, holding out his own pickaxe. He smiled benignly at the headmaster.
"Always good to have an extra pair of hands."
Azami returned Satoshi's smile, taking the tool from him.
"My thanks, Isshiki-kun."
"Anytime, Nakamura-san."
Azami's pale hands tightened on the pickaxe at the address.
"I see you've been hanging around with Saiba-senpai a bit too long. Don't mind him; I've been a Nakiri for many years now."
"And he's been a Yukihira for years as well, right? I'm only following my illustrious headmaster's lead." said Satoshi. The sincerity in his voice was as genuine as it was out of place.
Azami didn't respond to the barb. He simply moved past the former seventh seat, stepping around him and past him before he raised his axe and brought it down, the tip biting deeply into the road. Hisako watched him work warily but, after a few moments of silence, she turned to face the others, who were still staring in amazement at the sight of Nakiri Azami swinging a pickaxe among them.
"Back to work, everyone. Nothing to see here." she said. She could practically taste the lie on her lips.
"It seems our first server has arrived." said Haru, smirking at the approaching pair from his position at the table. The large chair only made him seem even smaller, for all that he acted like an adult.
"Yea, yea." said Kida, still tapping away at his game. "I'll leave this one up to you guys."
"Lazy dummy." commented Mimi snidely. Kida ignored her, save for the eye roll he gave her.
"And what is your name, miss?" asked Haru courteously.
"Sadatsuka Nao." said the dark haired girl lowly. She was smiling at them from behind her unkempt, black hair and the single red eyed look she gave Haru made him want to lean back even further in his chair. Her partner seemed just as off put by her, although that fact didn't particularly comfort Haru.
"I…see." he said. "And what exactly have you prepared for us today?"
Nao took the covered plate from her partner's hands, placing it in front of him.
"Oh, I think you'll all be quite happy with what I've done." she said, giggling. "I've put every ounce of dark power I could into this dish; I'm sure it will impress."
Nao raised the cover to unveil several black sticks, arranged tastefully in the kanji for "witch", on the plate. They were drizzled in a dark, almost pitch black sauce.
Haru leaned forward, picking one up.
"Now what's this, Sadatsuka-san?" he asked.
"Pocky." she said gleefully. "Simple, ordinary…pocky."
The cackling she let out made it clear that they were meant to be anything but. Haru eyed the dark sauce on the stick he held with some interest. He sniffed at it but couldn't detect any noticeable smell. He shrugged before placing it into his mouth.
Instantly, his cheeks bulged out and he threw himself back, one hand held to his mouth. The sudden movement startled Mimi, who yelped and flinched away from him. Nao only smiled wider and kept staring as she watched Haru's eyes start to water.
"Well. What do you think?" asked Nao.
"It's…it's…"
Haru felt the taste sink its claws into his tongue in the worst way possible. It seized every single taste bud he had and sent it on a practically stomach turning thrill ride of taste.
"So bitter!" he said, blinking tears from his eyes. "But it's so good too…I don't understand…"
Haru shoved the remainder of the pocky stick in his mouth, chewing fiercely. This only served to make his eyes water more but he continued chewing. With each bite, he began to regain his composure and he pulled a monogrammed handkerchief from his pocket, wiping at his eyes.
By the time he'd finished, he'd completely regained the reserved air of calm he had. He coughed into his hand, shaking his head firmly.
"That was certainly something else. Such a strong, bitter flavour. It's like the blackest of black coffees, fresh from the fields. But it's so strong that it's also invigorating. How remarkable."
"It's dark chocolate. Emphasis on dark." said Nao, chuckling. "And the sauce is even darker yet. I was able to isolate the parts of the cocoa bean that gave dark chocolate its characteristic rich, bitter flavour and brought it to even darker depths. It's truly a work in culinary black magic. Some of my best, in fact."
Mimi picked up a stick of the pocky, eyeing it with some trepidation. She, too, sniffed at it before placing it in her mouth. The second it hit her tongue, she retched and placed the stick down.
"That's terrible! Who would even like that?" cried Mimi, wiping desperately at her tongue with her napkin.
Haru gave the girl a look of haughty disdain before looking back at Nao.
"My apologies, Sadatsuka-san. Children rarely appreciate the finer things in life, I must say."
Nao didn't seem fazed by Mimi's rejection; she simply nodded her head in response to Haru's statement before turning to face Kida, who hadn't looked up from his game.
"And you, Kida-kun?" she said. "Won't you try my dish? I promise it won't…bite…ku ku ku."
Kida didn't even deign the older girl with a glance.
"Yea. Pass." he said simply.
For the first time, Nao looked surprised.
"Pass? But…Kida-kun, I assure you. This dish is quite extraordinary. Do not let its appearance fool you." she said.
"Nah, I'm good." he said. "Thanks anyway though."
Nao looked nonplussed at the complete dismissal but Haru took it in stride.
"Well, alright then. Let the judging commence. Remember, my compatriots, we judge from one through to twenty. That being said Sadatsuka-san, what exactly will you give me in exchange for my favour?" he asked. "I mean, your dish is rather unique and thrilling in its own right, so it gets a ten there from me. But you'll have to buy the other ten, I'm afraid."
Now, Nao was beginning to look panicked. She looked between the three tempestuous children before settling on Haru. She gulped nervously, her dark demeanour fading as she realized just what she was up against.
"Um…"
Nao dug in her pockets desperately but the only thing she unearthed was a loose hairpin and a picture of a girl with short, purple hair that she quickly placed back in her pocket.
"What was that?" asked Haru, his sharp eyes catching the quick movement.
"Nothing, nothing Haru-kun. Just a picture." assured Nao, smiling weakly.
"Hmm…I see. And do you intend to curry favour with me with that bobby pin?" he asked, raising one eyebrow calmly. "I'm almost certain I'd have more use for the picture, whatever it may be."
Nao gulped, looking at him with frightened, red eyes. She simply shook her head. A few measly points were not worth the only picture she had of Hisako. It had been enough trouble getting this one; who knew how much trouble it would be to acquire another!
"I see." Said Haru simply, picking up the marker and whiteboard tablet that he'd been issued by Hideki. He wrote down something on to the tablet before looking at his fellow judges. Mimi was holding her tablet in her hands and Kida had his shoved haphazardly in the direction of his fellow judges.
"Well, everything seems in order. Shall we?" he asked, rotating his tablet to show Nao the score. "You get a ten from me, Sadatsuka-san. Full points for your dish but I'm afraid your hairpin was found lacking in value to me."
"Thirteen." said Mimi, showing her tablet. "Your dish tasted really bad. There's a reason kids don't like coffee, you know. Bitterness wasn't the way to go here and you lost sight of that. You're lucky Haru's obnoxious enough to play along. But your dish would also probably make Momo-nee pass out. So I give you some points for that."
Kida yawned, holding up two fingers.
"Two from me." he said. "And even that's only because you look pretty cool and creepy with your weird hair and eyes."
"Alright then. In total, that's a score of twenty five." said the nearby proctor, marking the clipboard she held. "Sadatsuka-san, you and your partner are free to leave or join the spectators on the side-lines."
Nao didn't move until her partner began tugging insistently at her sleeve. Even then, she walked away in what seemed to be a daze.
"I see they really weren't kidding." commented Takumi. He'd stepped away from his station for the moment to observe the judging process, wondering just how biased the judging would actually be. Nao's performance made it clear that it was just as bad as he'd expected.
"Yea. This is gonna be a rough one." said Subaru. The Perfect Tracer stood at Takumi's side, arms folded. He'd watched the judging just as keenly as Takumi had.
"You sound worried, Subaru-san." said Takumi, smiling cockily.
Subaru scoffed, turning to head back to his station. He continued speaking as he walked away.
"Please. My semifreddo will tear apart their childish predilections."
Takumi glanced sharply at Subaru's retreating back, the dish's name catching his attention.
"A semifreddo, you say…" said Takumi to himself. "Then this definitely will be interesting, Subaru-san."
The Italian walked back to his station, where his partner awaited him. He began speaking to the girl in low tones and she nodded, saluting him, before getting to work. The blonde looked over at Subaru's station, grinning competitively at the dreadlocked chef's distant form.
"I've waited a long time for this rematch, Subaru-san." said Takumi. "We'll see whose score is higher. Nina-chan, I'll began preparing the lemons!"
At Sōma's station, the two Yukihiras worked alongside one another, matching each other's motions and speed with an ease that spoke of long practice. Sōma prepared ingredients with lightning like efficiency but not a single sliver was wasted or prepared before it was needed. Kumi manoeuvred through the kitchen, her hands whirling. She seemed to be accomplishing tasks at speeds that should've been impossible for any one person, let alone someone her size.
Eggs broke and were swiftly separated; chocolate was placed into pans to be melted; butter was sliced and placed into the appropriate bowls at speeds so quick, the yellow chunks were still spinning around the rim of their containers as Kumi moved onto another stage of the dish.
"Woah, check that girl out." said a spectator in awe. "Hey, look at the girl helping out Central's Dog. She's ridiculous!"
"Holy cow; for real! I can't believe she's so fast, and she has to be only like ten at the most right? Cuz of the rules?" said another, watching her hands fly across the ingredients in wonder.
"She has to be some kind of prodigy. Some sort of specially prepared ace in the hole that Azami-sama called in to help out his premier enforcer." said a third student. "No way Yukihira was just that lucky."
Tsukasa listened to all of the gossip in silence from his position at the head of the crowd. He watched the two chefs work in perfect unison with each other, not a single movement out of place. They were harmony in motion; practically a single person that just happened to have two bodies.
"They really are impressive, don't you think Saito-kun?" asked Tsukasa. "Yukihira's really outdone himself once again. His prospects for next year's seats are looking better and better by the minute."
Saito didn't respond verbally to Tsukasa's statement. He was preoccupied with staring over at the shaded form of Mori Gentian. The boy was whistling, chopping at fruits with a calm ease. His knife technique was effective but simplistic. So mundane, it was almost noteworthy. His partner stood nearby, hesitantly stirring a small pot.
Something wasn't right but Saito couldn't place exactly why he felt so uneasy. It had started with the fact that the boy had gotten a perfect score on Saito's trial. He was the only one to receive such and the very fact that he did made Saito suspicious but he couldn't deny the quality of Genti's soup dish. By all rights, someone like him should've been a top competitor in his year but Saito knew he'd never so much as heard of the boy before meeting him that day.
He'd checked Tōtsuki's records and found that everything was in order. Genti was a mediocre student and chef that sat firmly in the average population of the Jewels generation. He'd attended Tōtsuki middle school for three years like the vast majority of his grade. He should've been fodder for the many trials the freshmen of Tōtsuki had faced but he'd always managed to squeak by, if just barely. And Saito wasn't sure why he was so concerned; it wasn't like he knew every freshmen that roamed Tōtsuki, especially someone so lowly placed. But still…his instincts had been nagging at him for days about the mystery that was Mori Gentian.
He was distracted by the approach of a pair for judging. He recognized the contestant approaching the table.
"Your name?" asked Haru, who seemed to have appointed himself spokesperson of the trio.
"Mito Ikumi." said the dark skinned girl. She held two covered platters in her hand while her partner held the third. They placed their plates in front of each judge, stepping back.
This time, Mimi took the initiative and uncovered her plate first. She gasped softly.
A small, triangular piece of cheesecake sat at the centre of the platter. It had soft white frosting on its surface and edges but the cut showed the inner layers of the dish. A single strip of red ran through the centre of the piece, neatly separating it into three layers. A strip of something was perched in the centre of the cake, sticking almost straight up.
Mimi reached forward, picking up the strip, gazing at it with some interest.
"What's this, Ikumi-san?" she asked.
"Cheesecake with Bacon." said Ikumi simply.
Mimi blinked. And then looked at the strip of material in her hand and realized that it indeed resembled bacon, albeit very overcooked bacon.
"You're aware this is a dessert challenge, not a breakfast challenge correct?" asked Mimi, deadpan. "I'm tempted to give you a twenty right here and now because I can only imagine how Momo-nee's head would explode at seeing bacon in a dessert."
"Just go ahead and try it. Trust me." said Ikumi with a small, confident smile.
Mimi shrugged, breaking a piece off of the stiff piece of meat. Using her other hand, she picked up the spoon, scooping up a piece of the cake and placing the little square of bacon in her hand atop it. She placed the spoon into her mouth.
The warm taste of brown sugar was the first thing she noted before the full, sweet savouriness of the cheesecake overtook her. Mimi closed her eyes, almost squealing as she felt the sweetness blend and meld with the still present and meaty taste of the bacon. It seemed to have a presence in the dish that one single strip couldn't account for.
"What's this…this greasiness, Ikumi-san?" asked Mimi. "And this…this sweet flavour!"
Mimi took up another spoonful, placing it in her mouth. Instantly the savoury taste of the cheesecake overwhelmed her once again and this time, she did squeal, almost hopping up and down in her seat in amazement.
"This is…so good!"
"It's candied bacon." said Ikumi, smiling proudly. "The bacon's been caramelized with brown sugar, giving it a sweet coating that would be hard to resist on its own but, for extra punch, the thinnest, sweetest part of the sugary bacon grease was saved and diluted before being added into the mixing bowl for the cheesecake, suffusing the entire dish with a meaty flavour while never straying from its strong, sweet confection based roots."
Mimi had finished her entire piece by the end of Ikumi's statement. Haru had followed her lead and was wiping his mouth, hiding a pleased smile. Kida had taken one spoonful from his but was in the process of finishing it; his gaming console put to the side
"I must say I'm impressed, Ikumi-san." said Haru. He held up his tablet, where a bold seventeen was written.
Mimi held hers up, revealing a score of eighteen. She looked over and frowned, kicking Kida, who was still in the process of finishing his piece. Kida looked up, cheeks bulging.
"Chevenyeen." he said around the cheesecake filling his mouth.
"Ew! Chew your food first, dummy!" shouted Mimi, kicking him again. Kida didn't seem fazed by the physical violence but he did swallow before repeating himself.
"Seventeen. This cake kicks ass. Good job Chichi-san."
"Thank you, Kida-kun. I—"
Ikumi halted as she processed just what the scruffy boy had said. She looked down at the star spangled bikini top she wore, her standard cooking attire, before looking back up at the boy with fire in her eyes.
"What did you call me brat?!" she snapped, glaring at him. Kida ignored her, having gone back to playing his game. "Hey, don't you dare ignore me, you little perv!"
"Come on, Ikumi-sensei!" whined her partner, pulling at her elbow. "We got a really good score; don't mess this up for us."
Ikumi continued glaring at Kida but she allowed herself to be led away.
"How can you say that, Shika-kun? Did you hear what he called me?!" she shouted angrily.
"Not like it isn't true." mumbled Shika quietly, his cheeks red. He'd not been quiet enough however.
"WHAT DID YOU SAY TO ME?!"
This time it was Shika being led away as Ikumi kept a firm grip on the back of his shirt as they marched towards the spectator area. She was loudly berating him, punctuating each sentence with a violent shaking that rattled the boy's head.
"She certainly is spirited. They must have gotten a good score." said Megumi, watching the two stroll past her as she pushed the small cart towards the judging table. "I wonder what has her so angry though?"
"Maybe Shika-kun finally gave her that compliment he wanted to give her." said Ai thoughtfully from where she stood at Megumi's side.
"What compliment?" asked Megumi curiously. Ai shrugged.
"I dunno. I just heard him whispering about it with Ko and Li. They were telling him that, even if he said it really nicely, it would probably make Ikumi-sensei REALLY mad."
"Huh." said Megumi thoughtfully. "That's strange. Compliments don't generally work that way."
Mentally dismissing the oddity, the port town chef stopped her cart in front of the judges table where Ai began serving the plates to the judges.
"Would you do us the pleasure of introducing yourself?" asked Haru politely. Megumi bowed in response.
"Tadokoro Megumi. I hope you enjoy what Ai-chan and I have prepared for you." she said.
Haru uncovered the plate, looking down in interest.
"Ah, a pastry. Interesting." he said. "I must say it appears to be rather…straightforward."
Megumi's dish did seem rather unassuming. It was a yellow, round pastry. About the size of someone's palm. It had a light dusting of confectionary sugar across the top as its sole adornment. There wasn't any frosting; it was clearly the inside of the pastry that would hold its flavour. Haru wondered at the mystery that was the invisible center; he was sure there was more to this simple cake than meets the eye.
"Ah, before you continue. Would you like some tea?" asked Megumi, smiling. "The cake is best served as an accompaniment."
Haru blinked in surprise at the consideration but he nodded. Megumi reached to the bottom of the cart, bringing up the kettle that sat there. Ai had already placed a cup in position in front of Haru and Megumi began to pour.
Haru looked her over with appreciation, noting her impeccable posture and the positioning of her hands.
"My word, Megumi-san. Your tea pouring form…it's impeccable! Who trained you?"
Megumi finished pouring the cup and stood up, replacing the cap on the kettle. She waved away Haru's praise, blushing lightly.
"Oh, thank you Haru-kun but you don't need to flatter me. It's just something I picked up from serving customers in my family's ryokan. It's no big deal, really."
Haru disagreed but he didn't protest any further. He picked up the small yellow pastry, feeling the way it almost crumbled in his fingers, its warmth and freshness apparent. He took a sniff of the light steam rising from it, the scent carrying with it a whiff of something he recognized. Something familiar and…warm. Haru raised it to his mouth and bit down.
Haru blinked and found himself in someone's arms. He was small; so very small. The arms he was in felt like the arms of a giant. He felt himself rocking from side to side slowly and he could smell them. Smell their scent. A scent that he felt like he should've recognized. It was the scent of lavender and fresh fruit. But even more than the scent, it was the feelings in his chest that had him taken aback. He felt safe. Warm. Loved.
Mama…
Haru blinked again and found himself back in his seat. He held in his hand nothing but crumbs. His tea cup was empty and he could still feel his tongue tingling from its heat. He looked at his fellow judges to find that they were staring at him, their tablets held out to show their scores. Similarly empty dishes sat in front of them. When had they had the time…?
Haru reached out with shaking hands, picking up his marker. He attempted to write but found his normally steady hand was shaking too much.
"Twenty, Megumi-san. You get a twenty." he said, wondering if they noticed the catch in his voice. How long…how long had it been since his mother had held him like that? It had been years now. He couldn't even remember. In fact, it was so long ago that he shouldn't have been able to remember.
Haru got to his feet abruptly.
"Excuse me for a moment. I'll be back shortly." he said rapidly, not addressing any of the confused looks he received as he walked away at a fast clip, exiting the room.
Mimi blinked, wondering just what could've startled the rich kid so. She turned to the clipboard wielding woman at the right of the judges table.
"Well, um…examiner-san?"
The suited woman nodded and made a notation on her clipboard.
"With Haru-kun's twenty, Mimi-chan's eighteen and Kida-kun's seventeen, that gives you a net score of fifty five, Megumi-san. The highest we've had yet. Congratulations."
Megumi smiled excitedly.
"Thank you so much, examiner-san!"
She turned to Ai, who was smiling brightly up at her. She took the little girl's hands, barely resisting the urge to pick the girl up and swing her around.
"We did it Megumi-sensei!" shouted Ai happily, jumping up and down. Megumi's smile grew even wider.
"We certainly did, Ai-chan. Thank you so much for taking care of me."
Ai blushed at the praise, looking away from Megumi's beaming face.
"I-It was nothing." the shy girl said. "Let's go find some good seats, Megumi-sensei. We have a whole bunch to save."
"You're right, Ai-chan. Let's go." said Megumi, heading towards the side lines, where several rows of chairs had been set up to facilitate the spectacle that was an Elite Ten Section trial. Megumi looked over the seats considerately before her eyes landed on a particular clear row, next to someone she recognized.
"Ohayo, Tsukasa-senpai." she said, walking over.
Tsukasa looked up from the papers he held in his hand, giving Megumi a somewhat awkward smile.
"Hello there…um…Takano-chan?"
Megumi blanched at the blatant fumbling of her name.
"It's…ah…Tadokoro actually."
"Oh, right. My apologies, Tadokoro-chan." he said. "Can I help you?"
"Well, I was just wondering if the seats around you were free. We were hoping to save a few." she explained.
"Ah, I see. Well, I do seem to have an abundance of empty seating. Most of our fellow students seem a bit shy." he said, waving his arm around to gesture at the empty seats. He didn't notice the way that entire side of the crowd flinched in response to the movement.
"Well, I'm sure they're just trying to be respectful." said Megumi, settling into the seat next to Tsukasa. "You're the first seat of the Elite Ten, after all."
"Not for long." said Tsukasa, smiling softly. "That's what we're all here for, after all, right?"
"Well yes, but still…" said Megumi. "We'll probably always look up to you, Tsukasa-senpai, even after you graduate."
"Even though I'm part of the very organization you and your friends are trying to dethrone?" he asked lightly. The atmosphere changed as the kindness faded from his face. He gave Megumi a level stare that was suited to the man they called the White Knight of the Table. "I'm a part of Central, Tadokoro-chan. I am an embodiment of everything you and your friends are fighting against. And you would still sit here and claim that you look up to me?"
Tsukasa's delivery was calm and stern, with none of the first seat's usual affability. It was a tone that he rarely employed and all the more intimidating as a result.
Megumi's eyes were hidden by her blue bangs. Ai was shivering, trying to hide as much of herself behind Megumi as she could, away from the cold, white eyed stare that Tsukasa was giving them both. Tsukasa didn't speak further; he simply kept staring at Megumi. He noted that she was trembling and he idly wondered if he'd frightened her to the point of speechlessness.
"I'm telling the truth, Tsukasa-senpai."
Megumi's voice was strong. She clenched her fists and looked up, meeting his eyes. There was fear in her gaze but it was overpowered by the sheer determination in it. Her yellow eyes practically shone as she looked back at him.
"We do respect you. We look up to you. That hasn't changed just because we're standing on opposite sides. You're still an amazing chef. A lot more amazing than I'll ever be, probably."
Megumi placed her hand over her heart, her tone sincere for all that it was firm.
"We'll fight you to the end, just the same, because as long as you stand with Azami, you are our enemy. That fact will not change. But I also doubt any of us would ever stop respecting you as our senior, Tsukasa-senpai."
Tsukasa's expression didn't change in response to Megumi's words. He continued looking at the girl with calm, pale eyes. He lightly clucked his tongue before turning away from her, breaking the impromptu stare down.
"I see. You certainly sound honest. Alright then."
And with that, the tension left as suddenly as it had come. Tsukasa turned away from Megumi.
"That's great to hear, Tadokoro-chan. Enjoy the show."
And with those words, Tsukasa became reabsorbed in watching the cooking floor. Megumi wondered if she should say more but the brief burst of confidence she'd experienced left her and she couldn't bring herself to speak more. So she simply settled for alternating between speaking with Ai in quiet tones and watching the remaining chefs cook alongside the young girl and the Central aligned first seat.
A/N: Well. Another mega-chapter. It's almost like I'm trying to make up for something. Like a super long absence or something. O.o
Ok, so the plan was for Momo's trial to conclude in this particular chapter but, as you can see, that didn't happen. Saito's challenge was a lot more streamlined; he was a fairly silent judge and that reflected in the pacing of his challenge. Also the students in question were working within fairly stringent guidelines ingredient-wise, so it would've been boring to go through everyone's dish.
But here we have a lot going on. Three unique OC judges I created just for the occasion, in what has turned out to be a somewhat miniature echo of the Autumn Elections. I should've known what I was getting into but alas, I didn't T_T.
Oh well, hopefully you guys liked it! Next chapter will see the conclusion of Momo's challenge, along with a few more juicy tidbits. See you then!
P.S I checked the reviews in the fandom and I gotta say, props to my fellow authors Laury Rose and Zancrow for their fics' progress! I'm surprised I only fell to third after a year away but the gap between third and second/first is huge! That being said, I'm determined to take my spot at the top back. I'm coming for you two! :)
Genti - Preppy (Creamy Fruit Salad, instant pineapple juice and vanilla pudding, crops from her garden, meant so P. can't mess it up)
Erina - Ko (Molten chocolate lava cake, straightforward, executed perfectly)
Megumi - Ai (Pineapple cake, Chinese, winter melon, served with tea)
Alice - Kanon (Cake balls, ribbon, mini faces, individuality!)
Sōma - Kumi (Souffle, chocolate with vanilla-white chocolate- streaks)
Takumi - Nina (Semifreddo, 1st, improved 7 layer, walnuts, tangy ice cream, lemon curd, genoise, coconut curd, whipped cream frosting, macademia nuts)
Subaru - Li (Semifreddo, 2nd, single layer, coffee, impactful, made up of toblerone, cream, caster sugar, brandy sub. = melted hard candy of several dark flavors )
Ikumi - Shika (cheesecake, candy bacon garnish [brown sugar], candy bacon grease in cheesecake!)