Chapter 28: Sushi Strip


Outside of Soumei's Booth

"Phew, what a day" Trina sighed as she sat down and pulled her case of cigarettes out. After taking a quick drag, she took time to appreciate the clear, starry night.

"It's been awhile since I could relax like this and enjoy the night" Trina thought to herself. Today was her last day working with a fellow member of the Elite Eleven, earning her keep in knowledge.

"Aren't you too young to be smoking?" Soumei stated. Trina smirked before taking another drag.

"Probably, but I've been smoking since I was 13" Trina nonchalantly answered.

"And you've been reprimanded?" Soumei asked. Trina leaned back, using her hands as a brace.

"Nope. My father taught me people should be free to make their own choices as long as they understand the consequences." Trina explained.

"Hmmm, an interesting viewpoint" Soumei thought. Trina took a long puff, thinking of something.

"So, you're undefeated in Shokugeki?" Trina suddenly asked.

"Yes" Soumei answered before grinning, "I can feel your aura flair out. Are you looking for a fight?"

"Sure, if you're willing to fight at this time" Trina challenged.

"You're certainly a reckless one" Soumei stated with an arrogant smile, "Fine, I will take you up on a fight."

"Alright" Trina replied while taking a final drag, "Hmmm, how about a sushi battle?"

"You want to fight on my turf? Fine, but tuna is a required ingredient." Soumei answered calmly.

"Ok" Trina nodded, "If I win, will you lend me your rarest recipe book until you graduate?"

"Sure and if I win, you must become a lay Buddhist until I graduate" Soumei countered.

"I...Ok" a stunned Trina answered.

"Alright, now we need a third party official and odd number of judges" Soumei summarized. Suddenly, two figures appeared near them.

"Oi! Erina and Hisako! Can you come here for a minute?" Trina called out. Both girls were startled by the shout out before moving towards Trina.

"What do you want Trina?" Erina asked in annoyed tone.

"We need an official and a judge for a shokugeki between Soumei and I. Can you be the moderator and Hisako the judge?" Trina asked politely.

"Just Hisako?" Erina inquired.

"One is an odd number" Trina argued. Erina sighed before turning to Hisako.

"What do you want to do Hisako?" Erina asked.

"I can be a judge" Hisako simply stated.

"Alright, I will recognize the shokugeki as an official match. I will see you both at Chandra's Hall in a bit." Erina said before flicking her hair back and calling for a driver.

"I guess we should head down soon" Trina noted. Soumei nodded and stood up from his spot. Both of them walked to Trina's car.


Azami's Hotel Room

"Alright thanks" Azami said as he hung up his phone. In the last few days, he was busy making his final preparations for his takeover of Tootsuki. He just got off the phone with Eishi and how the inner workings of Central would go.

And of course, the best candidates to replace the three elites who were scheduled to be kicked out: Tosuke, Satoshi, and Kuga. One of them being Megumi Tadokoro, who had manage to strip him back down to his abandoned Tohoku dialect.

For him, that spoke of the untapped potential in her and he wanted to draw it out. And more importantly, he wanted to watch her transform as his ideals grew in her mind.

She was to be a beautiful culinary butterfly, one that drew more people to his utopia.

And above all else, she would be the person to anchor down the demon that was Trina.

Trina was a dangerous one, who admitted to being volatile in her opinion. This meant she could betray him if she stopped believing in his plan; she would become a target of elimination. However, he noticed her undying loyalty to Megumi Tadokoro, a woman more stern in her convictions. Once Megumi was firmly loyal to him, then Trina will remain an ally.

With Erina, they would form the triple crown of his culinary empire.

Pzzzt!

"Hmm?" Azami hummed to himself as his phone vibrated.

Shokugeki Alert: Trina Furman-Nakiri vs Soumei Saito

"Oh? The two Elites are clashing it out at this time? What are the conditions?"

Match Requirements: Sushi that makes use of Tuna.

What's on the line: If Miss Furman-Nakiri wins, Saito will lend her his rarest recipe book until he graduates. If Saito wins, Trina must convert to Buddhism until Saito graduates.

"Why would he want Trina to become a Buddhist?" Azami thought while raising a brow.


Chandra's Hall

Clash. Figuratively, it was a clash between two skilled swordsmen in the battle of Tuna Sushi. Pirate Hunter Trina struck with her Triple Tuna California Roll. Unfortunately, Hawkeyes Soumei effortlessly parried her strike.

"Not bad, but not enough to beat my Spicy Bluefin Tuna Maki Roll" Soumei complimented before handing her portion. Without showing signs of being outclassed, Trina grabbed a pair of chopsticks and dipped it in the sauce.

On the first bite, Soumei's sword struck her and stripped her, both in the image fight and in real life.

"Woah! Trina just stripped like her grandfather!" a few members in the crowd roared.

"Is that suppose to happen?"

"Eh? What happened to my clothes?" Hisako screeched as she finished her analysis of Soumei's dish.

"Because Trina bestowed the Nakiri trademark strip for you temporarily, which in itself speaks of the power of the dish" Erina said with a straight face.

"Huh?" the crowd roared.

"Blood members of the Nakiri family have the power of stripping when they taste excellent dishes. The first level is burst, which is the one grandfather shows the most often. What happened here was I bestowed, which is a whole new level of bursting and causes others who try the dish to burst too." Trina explained.

"...To be honest, I thought that was only a trait only the men did" Erina muttered low enough that only Trina, Hisako, and Soumei could hear.

"Me too, but I guess us girls can strip too. I look forward to seeing you and Alice burst" Trina teased as her clothes became visible again.

"Tch, not going to happen you pervert" Erina growled. Trina just stuck her tongue out at her aloof cousin.

"Seeing as you loss the match, here's a book on Buddhism" Soumei said in a calm smile. Trina looked up at the scoreboard then back towards Soumei.

"Thank you" Trina said with a bow, "Um, what should be the first thing I study?"

"The Five Precepts, these are the moral guidelines. Anyway, I need to head off for the night" Soumei said before leaving the arena.

"The Five Precepts huh?" Trina thought while opening the book. As she began reading what those precepts were, her face became pale and her body quivered.

Abstain from killing

Abstain from stealing

Abstain from sensual misconduct

Abstain from lying

Abstain from intoxicants

For a demon like Trina, practicing Buddhism was going to be her biggest challenge yet.


A/N: Ah, Trina now will be moving from a life of theft, adultery, lying, and substance abuse to the life of a lay Buddhist. For her, it will be torture until Saito graduates, but maybe she will come to enjoy a cleaner life.

Also, I am glad the Nakiri stripping has lore to it LOL. But I am also sad Hisako (and Alice) are expelled until further notice :(