Kei-Kei Yuki: I'M BACK AND HAPPY NEW YEAR'S! So I've already completed the manga, which was some time last year, and recently I just started watching the fourth season. Gotta say I don't like how the manga portrayed Azami towards the end. It felt out of place to me and weirdly enough, I like him better during the Central arc.

22nd Plate: Battle of Seasonality

It was now the finals for the Autumn Elections, and standing in the finals was none other than Kurokiba Ryo, Hayama Akira, and Yukihira Soma. Yet before the big match, Yukihia caught herself in between one of the strangest and offensive arguments ever. "If anyone is gonna beat her, it's me!" growled Ryo, which caused Hayama to scoff.

"It's obvious the contenders of the finals will be me and Yukihira," confidently said Hayama. The displeasure this brought Ryo was very obvious, judging by the heated look his eyes were displaying. The temperature between the two chefs was very intense; the flames of their rivalry were so fierce that Megumi and Soma politely took a step back.

Early this morning Megumi had decided to accompany Soma to the fisher-market, and along the way, the twin-tail girl found herself amazed by Soma's knowledge of seafood, mainly pacific saury. "Wow, Soma-chan, how do you know so much about fish?" asked Megumi.

"Back when I was still a waitress serving at our family dinner, we used to have this old fisherman who used to always drop in for a visit. Being a waiter, the mood of the customers is the most important. So while dad did the cooking, I used to strike up a conversation with him and man, did he tell me a lot!" Soma explained to Megumi before they encountered Hayama and Ryo.

The two chipped in their own two cents towards the subject as Ryo found himself impressed with Soma's knowledge of seafood. "Not bad, Yukihira. Don't be a let down in the finals. I expect you to at least put up a challenge... before you lose to me." The challenging tone Ryo used caused, sparked a fire to ignite in Soma's eyes, only to be cut off by Hayama. He was not happy at how he was being so bluntly disregarded and this was how the whole debate started.

Soma and Megumi watched the two go back and forth for a minute before Soma bought her fish and decided to leave with Megumi. "Soma-chan, should we leave so abruptly like this?" Megumi didn't feel right with leaving without at least informing the duo, looking behind her to see Hayama and Ryo still arguing with each other.

"Maa, I highly doubt they'll even notice," smiled Soma.

Twenty Minutes Later

"Where did Yukihara go?!" shouted the two finalists, finally taking notice that the person they were arguing over had already taken her leave.

After being amazed by Yukihira's knowledge and understanding when it came to specific types of seafood, both Kurokiba and Hayma had a lot of expectations riding on the carefree chef. Who merely walked towards her station with a little skip in her step, ignoring the booing and mocking words others were throwing her way. Giving a thumbs-up, she sent a sunny grin towards her own cheering fan group.

Before the final battle could begin, Isshiki announced the judges and of course everyone was stunned by the beautiful appearance of Nikiri Leonora, Alice's mother. Though before the other judge took her place on stage, the woman made her way over to Soma and smiled. Soma, despite feeling confused and being reminded of her first meeting with Alice, returned a bright smile towards the woman.

Everyone in the building had their eyes pointed towards the duo, anxious to see what would take place. "Ah, so this is the girl my Alice-chan has fallen in love with. Maa, how cute~! I'm expecting lots of great things from you, Yuki-chan!" cheerfully said, Leonora. Soma, on the other hand, was shocked speechless and so were many others but this time it was not because of the woman's enchanting looks, no it was from the woman's horrible use of Japanese!

"Ah, kaa-chan's Japanese has gotten better!" Alice happily clapped her hands.

"You call that getting better?!" exclaimed Yuki.

When it came time for the competitors to present their pacific saury, Yukihira's corroded looking pacific saury did not look as savory as Hayama's and Ryo's who stared blankly at the red-head. Ryo was the first to break the silence, yelling. "Idiot, what the heck do ya thinking you're doing?!" His angry booming voice covered the building as Soma almost felt as if the other teen was trying to blowout her eardrums.

"Jeeze, Kurokiba, just calm down! Patience is a virtue, my dear!" She shot him a wink, which only enraged him. Feeling the questioning gaze of Hayama on her, Soma said to him,

"I know a lot of questions must be passing through your head. But just watch, I'll present you with a meal that you'll never forget," vowed Yukihira. Those molten golden orbs were lit with burning fierceness that was ready to strike her enemies down without remorse.

Omake:

Searching around the mansion for her aide, Alice finally found him in one of the rooms doing push-ups. "Mou, Ryo-kun, you stink of sweat!" fussed Alice, holding a spray can of air freshener.

After spraying down the room, Ryo wiped the sweat from his muscle toned body, using the towel that was so kindly thrown towards him by his ojou-sama and said, "Ojou, you seem mighty calm after your defeat to Yukihira. Usually, you'll be crying and whining," said Ryo, recalling Alice's many reactions towards each defeat she lost to him.

When Alice recalled her match with Soma, the beautiful Nikari blushed and held her cheeks. "Ah, Soma-chan was dashing towards me! She even gave me a kiss, mou! I want another one! Ryo-kun's new goal, after defeating Erina-chan once and for all. I'm making Soma-chan mine!" declared Alice, already imaging in her head a half-clothed Soma tied up to her bed in a very erotic position.

This caused Alice's blood to boil in excitement, a bunch more naughty fantasies flashing through her head. Ryo stared blankly at her and said, "Ojou... I don't think this is the reaction one should have towards defeat."

End of 22nd Plate: Battle of Seasonality