"Speaking"
"thinking"
On with the story
Totsuki was no longer the same anymore
Nakiri Senzaemon was no longer in power of the academy as it now belonged to Nakiri Azami
Everything was changed by it, the dark storm that clouded the school
Nakiri Azami took over everything, he took the hearts of the students, took the trust of many trusted teachers. He changed everything there is about Totsuki
"Arato-kun, thank you for your work up to this point." Azami said to Hisako "I'm sure Erina's burden was significantly lightened by you, thank you very much"
"what?" Hisako looks in confusion as she wasn't understanding the situation
"Starting today you will no longer be needed by her" Azami said
"No that's-." Hisako looks in confusion and shock.
Hisako heard the door click and saw Erina was watching
"Erina-sama…" Hisako shivered.
"I want H-Hisako here…she's…" Erina whispered as she tried to beg her father for Hisako to stay, but the man was a tyrant
"There's nothing to worry about." Azami said "I will be at your side. I'll choose your clients, and put my efforts into making the most of your abilities. Let's work together."
Azami holds both of Erina's hands and smiled to her
"okay? Erina?" he asked as Erina slowly nodded
"yes…father" Erina responded like a robot as Hisako looks in shock
"what is this?" Azami asked as he saw the bracelet on Erina's wrist
"t-that's…" Erina stuttered out as her memories with Soma were everything with the bracelet
"something so low.." Azami said as he takes the bracelet off of her wrist
"wait! Please! Father! No!" Erina tried to get the bracelet back but Azami pushed her as she fell down
"this is not something you should be having, Erina" Azami said before he rips the bracelet apart
Erina's eyes widen in shock as tears started to form in her eyes
"I will be heading to the car, I want you prepared in 5 minutes" Azami ordered her as he leaves
Erina cried in tears as she holds the destroyed bracelet in her hands
"Soma…I'm sorry…." Erina cried out as her treasured bracelet was destroyed by her tyrant of a father
Soma looks outside the window as he stared directly at where Erina's mansion was at
The night, he saw Erina shaking in fear, he looks displeased or rather angered
Megumi and the others were in the middle of preparing dinner but they can tell that the redhead was in a very sour mood
"this is the calm before the storm" Fumio suddenly said
"what do you mean, Fumio-san?" Megumi asked
"before power at the institute had been divided individual interests, now a big chunk of it is all going in the same direction..anybody who goes against the flow risks getting pegged as an enemy of the institute and any enemy of the institute….is an enemy to the council of Ten" the dorm mother explained as Soma heads upstairs to his room
He reached to his room's doorknob and opened it
his room was apparently occupied by the former Dean of Totsuki and that is Nakiri Senzaemon who is in the middle of flexing his muscle
"Nakiri Senzaemon…." Soma called out the old man's name rather than the nicknamed as Senzaemon turns to look at the young man
"why are you here? Shouldn't you be at the Nakiri Mansion?" Soma asked the old man while leaning against the doorframe of his room
"I have something to speak with you" Senzaemon said to Soma who looks to him
"talk then" Soma said crossing his arms
"not here" Senzaemon said standing up while putting on his yukata top "outside"
Soma looks to him before sighing as he just followed what he said
Erina was now caged by her father
Every time, she would go to the school, the man would just prevent her from going and started forcing her to taste test many dishes who tasted perfect yet empty
He took her freedom and imprisoned her within the cage of his kingdom
"then I won't need such a useless daughter"
Azami's voice spoke out as a young Erina was in a trash bin and Azami looks down upon her with emotionless eyes
"Haaaa!" Erina woke up from the horrid nightmare as she was sweating nonstop
She sat up as she holds her arms and her body didn't stop shaking
"Erina! Erina!"
Someone called out to her outside the window as Erina turns to look and sees Alice trying to climb up the balcony
"Alice!?" Erina exclaimed in surprise as she went out and helps her cousin climb up the balcony while Ryo was down below on a ladder
"what are you doing here?" Erina asked her
"isn't it obvious!? We're getting you out of here!" Alice said to her
"hurry! Alice-sama!" Hisako called out from bellow as Erina was surprised to see her
"Hisako?!" Erina looks in surprise before she and Alice got down the balcony
"Hisako!" Erina hugged Hisako who gave her hug back
"looks we can do this later, right now..!?" Alice said before hearing the sound of footsteps coming from near the garden
"security" Ryo said looking to the lights that were coming
"Hishoko-chan, take Erina away with you! Me and Ryo will handle them" Alice said as Ryo puts on his bandana and turned into his berserk mode
"Alice.." Erina looks to her cousin who looks back to her
"go now!" Alice exclaimed as Hisako pulled on Erina's hand
"let's go, Erina-sama" Hisako said as they started running away
Erina looks back as Ryo growls at some security guard while Alice started nagging at them while scratching them with her nails
"this way!" Hisako said as she pulled Erina and started running into the woods
Soma and Senzaemon were currently doing some jogging as the old man was running quite fast even for his age
"apologies for making you follow my jogging routine" Senzaemon told Soma as he was keeping pace with the old man "it is a great burden off my shoulders now that I'm not Totsuki's dean anymore"
"I get that you're not a dean anymore, but why did you appeared in my room?" Soma asked as they stopped jogging and Senzamon started doing pull ups to a nearby park
"what we are discussing is about Erina" Senzaemon said as he spinned around the bar before jumping down
He told Soma everything that Azami had done upon Erina, corrupting her innocent mind and bend her will to his as he turned Erina into a mere puppet
"I banished him..but he returned" Senzaemon explained "I would've never thought that the Elite Ten would incite a rebellion against me….i was an utter fool"
Soma who listened to this story of his had a rather unpleasant look as utter anger was written in his eyes
"you were the only one" Senzaemon spoke out as Soma looks to the old man "the only one who was able to take back Erina's smile, her happiness"
"young Yukihira, I beg of you"
Senzaemon turns to Soma before bowing his head to the young man
"save my granddaughter, Save Erina"
The old man begged Soma as he had done everything to save Erina from Azami's grasp but he could no longer
"when did all of this happened?" Soma asked the old man while looking to the sky
"pardon?" Senzaemon asked as he looks to the young man who suddenly grabbed his shirt
"I'm asking when the hell did this all happened!?" Soma shouted at the older Nakiri "when did this so called Training of his began!?"
Senzaemon looks in surprise as he can see tears pouring up in Soma's eyes
"t-two weeks after you and Joichiro departed upon your travels" Senzaemon replied as Soma's eyes widen a bit before the man gritted his teeth in anger
He let go of Senzaemon's collar before he stands up
"why didn't she tell me?" Soma said while clenching his fists tight "I would've come back!"
"Azami intercepted everything from the outer world and confined Erina in a cage" Senzaemon explained "he even shredded Alice's letters from Denmark"
"when this is all over, you better promise me something," Soma said as Senzaemon looks to the young chef before a sudden raindrop upon them
Erina and Hisako were running away in the rain as they keep on running
"Hisako! Where are we going!?" Erina asked as they had been running nonstop
"just a bit further!" Hisako replied before she heard dog barks from their sides
"duck, Erina-sama!" Hisako and Erina kneeled down as a security guard with a dog came passing by
"this won't be easy after all" Hisako looks out as she sees two more security guards on patrol
"Hisako, we have to go back..father will expel you" Erina said to Hisako but she shook her head
"I would rather be expelled rather than not helping my best friend" Hisako said with a smile before looking out as the guards were gone
"let's go!" Hisako said as the two continued on running
They keep on running before they stopped to take a quick rest
Erina leans to a tree as Hisako breathes in and out
The two rested on but they see flashlights coming from the forest and heard more dog barkings
"they're persistent," Hisako said as she looks to Erina who was still resting and still tired
Hisako looks to her before to the lights as she planned an idea
"Erina-sama, you need to run" Hisako said
"what?" Erina said as Hisako went towards the lights
"keep on running straight from here" Hisako told her "I will give you time"
"but Hisako!" Erina tried to retort but Hisako looks to her and gave her a light push
"go Erina-sama" Hisako told her as she started going to the lights
"Hisako!" Erina tried to stop her but Hisako gave her one look and that look means that her actions were solid
Erina looks to her before she started running with tears pouring down from her eyes
Hisako smiled to Erina before she was confronted by 10 security guards
Erina didn't know where she was going, she just keeps on running just like Hisako said
Running….running…..running
She didn't stopped before she suddenly slipped and fell into a mud puddle
Her clothes now dirtied as she gets back up
Erina winced in pain but she got back up and continued on running
Tears keep falling down as it mixed with the rain pouring down upon her
"Alice…..Kurokiba-kun…Hisako….."
Her mind thought about her cousin and her aide and that to her best friend as they sacrificed themselves for her
"someone….please help!"
Erina keeps on running before she fell again as she was extremely tired and the rain above was making her body cold
She tried to get up, muster up the strength to keep on running, but could not, her heart, her will to fight back is still caged by Azami
"Soma…help…" Erina muttered out in tears as she wanted to see him again, she wanted to hear him again, she wanted him to save her
A footstep was heard from behind Erina as she turns to see who it was
Her eyes softened a bit as it was the very person who she needed
"Soma…" she muttered out as Soma stood in the rain before kneeling down and carried Erina in her arms
"I'm sorry….Erina…..i'm sorry that I didn't came to save you" Soma said as he started walking away with her in his arms
That's a wrap!
Bye bye