SailorStar9: After getting Chapter 33 out, this is Chapter 34 of this fic. (Sighs) Guys and girls, is it too hard for you to leave a review, instead of just putting this fic up on your favorited list and story alerts? So, please be a dear and read and review. Seriously guys, we need more obscure Sailor Moon crossover fics!
Disclaimers: Shokugeki no Souma and Sailor Moon belong to Tsukuda Yūto-sensei and Takeuchi Naoko-sensei respectively. Me, on the other hand, own absolutely nothing, except the pairings in this fic and plot, I hope.
Pairings: Unofficial!Takumi/Ami, Souma/Megumi later, established!Isami/Makoto
Chapter 34: The Basis for Strength
"He's stir-frying it!" Yoshino squealed.
"What, is it bad?" Alice was confused. "But yakisoba's made by pan-frying the noodles."
"That dish may be called 'soba'." Erina supplied. "But the noodles used in the dish are made from wheat. It's a completely different genre."
"In kawara soba, the regional specialty of Yamaguchi prefecture, the soba noodles are grilled after they're boiled." Sakaki explained. "But they're made from cha soba, which isn't typical."
"If we were to go to a traditional Edo-style soba restaurant for our Stagiaire, and try to pan-fry soba like Yukihira, we would've been thrown out right away." Takumi added. "That's how eccentric it it."
"Speaking from experience?" Ami smiled lightly.
"You would know, won't you?" Takumi huffed.
"But it smells so good." Megumi gushed.
"It looks like she finished boiling her noodles." Erina noticed Nene had finished cooking her soba. "And here comes the final step: kakiage tempura."
"That looks good, too." Daigo remarked.
"Is that..." Ami frowned. "Sakura shrimp?"
"I can't stop drooling." Shōji whined.
"She's a true virtuoso with exhaustive knowledge of soba." Marui was impressed.
"He's at an disadvantage for sure." Ibusaki noted.
"Well, Hayama?" Alice turned to the spice master. "What's your nose telling you?"
"Her dish is not so easily overcome, but..." Hayama answered.
"Don't lose, Yukihira." Kurokiba demanded.
The other side still has third-years, too. Megumi mused. Souma, hang in there. She prayed.
In the arena...
"The third match contestants in the first bout are about to wrap up their respective dishes." Urara declared.
On the sidelines...
"The snow is getting heavier." Mito noted.
"The temperature has dropped." Hisako agreed.
"This arena's really big, too." Sakaki added.
"I'm getting shivers from both the temperature and my anxiety both." Yoshino shivered.
In the arena...
"I'm done." Nene put the finishing touches on her dish.
"Our Central's Kinokuni-senpai is the first one up." Urara declared. "Just look at that soba's shine. It takes your breath away. Behold the power of the Elite Ten."
At the judges' table...
"Kinokuni-style 9:1 ratio soba with sakura shrimp kakiage tempura." Nene presented her dish. "Please enjoy."
"This soba is sexy." Charme remarked. "It's like a gracious woman's velvet skin."
"A long line of chefs in the Edo-style soba tradition, I see." Histoire noted. "Impressive. She has mastered the techniques that has been nurtured through generations."
"Let us begin deliberations." Anne nodded. "Let us have a taste. The light, yet rich fragrance of bonito stock..."
"I heard that slurping noodles is considered the refined way to eat them in Japan." Histoire stated.
"Let us follow tradition, then." Charme commented.
What a smooth throat feel. Histoire slurped down his noodles. It's hard to believe it's a 9:1 ratio soba.
The soba's light flavors bloom like flowers. Charme mused. What delicate flavors.
What a light kakiage tempura. Anne bit into the sakura shrimp tempura. The batter is so airy, the sakura shrimp so crunchy. The unami and texture of each shrimp is so distinct.
It compliments the noodles' throat feel. Histoire added. What a great contrast.
Even after you swallow, the sakura shrimp lingers. Charme let himself immerse in the sensation.
One more bite then. Both male Bookmen opened their eyes to find their share of the soba and shrimp tempura gone.
"It's all gone." Charme blinked.
"Who took my soba?" Histoire demanded.
"You savored all of it." Nene answered. "I have more, if you'd like."
"Yes, please." Histoire nodded.
On the sidelines...
"Nene, I want some, too!" Rindō called out
"Rindo, you can't." Tsukasa pulled her back.
At the judges' table...
The moment I tasted this soba and kakiage tempura, I was so filled with sublime deliciousness that... both Charme and Histoire savored their next portion. "It's gone again. What's going on?"
"I see." Anne realized what was going on. "It appears the sakura shrimp serve a major purpose." snatching a book from her book pile, she flipped to the relevant page. "According to the Book, a certain restaurant, well-known for creating the tempura soba dish, gained renown by using a kakiage tempura featuring the shiba shrimp as the main ingredient. Miss Kinokuni selected the sakura shrimp's uniquely elegant, sweet flavors instead of the shiba shrimp's strong unami so as to link and harmonize the shrimp's flavors with the soba's delicate flavors. That's why you can't stop eating once you begin. The heavenly throat feel of the soba and the accompanying flavors of the sakura shrimp which as also lauded as fairies of the sea, envelop the diner so much that they won't realize they've finished their serving."
On the sidelines...
"Wow, scary." Yoshino gawked.
"It's that addictive?" even Megumi was stunned.
At the judges' table...
"Is the oil used also a factor?" Anne inquired.
"Yes, I fried the kakiage tempura in white sesame oil." Nene replied. "The oil is cold-pressed, so it does not have the typical fragrance of sesame oil. It is colorless, and odorless, but has an elegant, understated unami. By using that oil to fry the kakiage at high temperatures for a short time, it develops a light finish that does not interfere with the soba or the sakura shrimp flavors."
On the sidelines...
"She makes it sound so easy, but it's terribly difficult." Alice noted.
"Pairing two delicate and light flavors means neither flavor can be empathized." Hayama agreed.
"She isn't just an expert in soba, she knows everything about seafood, too." even Kurokiba was impressed.
"Even seasoned experts would be hard-pressed to achieve a delicate balance of flavors." Hayama remarked. "What's making it possible..."
In the arena...
Is the time invested by Kinokuni-senpai into the practice and power of the Edo-style soba tradition. Souma realized.
At the judges' table...
"Let me have another round." Histoire requested.
"We'd like to ascertain the flavors anew." Charme added.
"Help yourselves." Nene presented a third portion.
How magnificent. Histoire gushed. The soba noodles and the shrimp create an infinite loop.
It's gone again. Charme noticed his shrimp tempura was gone. This is like time travel.
Indeed, this soba is far from the standard soba dish with broth or grated yam. Anne agreed. This soba leaps through time itself.
"It forces you to recognize the potential of Japanese cuisine." Charme admitted.
"We have tasted a first-class dish." Histoire agreed.
In the arena...
"Well done, Kinokuni-senpai." Urara gushed. "She's invincible."
"My turn now." Souma stepped up. "Hey, Kinokuni-senpai. I have it too, you know. Something I've sunk a lot of time into. Now, please look at my soba."
On the sidelines...
Don't lose, Yukihira. Takumi warned.
You defeated me. Alice reminded. I know you can do it.
You were equal to me in our match. Kurokiba mused. You can win. There's no doubt.
I believe in your passion for your cooking, Yukihira. Hayama noted.
Please, God. Megumi prayed. Help Souma.
At the judges' table...
"Enjoy." Souma presented his dish.
"Now, we have the rebel, Yukihira Souma's dish." Urara leered.
On the sidelines...
"I get it now, Yukihira." Alice noted. "His soba doesn't look remotely like soba at first glance."
"That's your insight, Alice-cchi?" Yoshino gawked.
"But seriously, didn't he ruin the soba's flavors by tossing it into the wok?" Marui wondered.
"Can Souma's soba..." Megumi started worriedly.
"Surpass Kinokuni-senpai's?" Takumi noted. "You look like you know something." he noticed Ami's knowing smile.
"Just watch." was Ami's mystery answer. "If my guess is correct, Yukihira didn't use ichibanko flour like Nene-nee-sama did, but sanbanko flour."
At the judges' table...
"Time to taste the dish." Urara taunted. "Please proceed, honored judges. So, how is it?" she mocked. "I'm sure the flavors have been lost..."
"They're still here." Histoire refuted her claim. "The soba's aromas and flavors are still intact."
"The noodles toasted by the wok are now crunchy, creating a contrasting texture." Charme was devouring his soba.
"The duck's clear fat is providing a rich depth of flavor, yet..." Histoire added.
"The soba's flavors are coming through loud and clear." Anne swooned.
How is that possible? Nene was stunned. "Did he use sanbanko flour?" she realized.
On the sidelines...
"Sanbanko?" Alice echoed.
"Buckwheat flour can be sub-categorized into ichibanko, nibanko and sanbanko and so forth, according to which part of the kernel was used." Erina explained.
"Ichinanko flour only uses the buckwheat's endosperm." Ami took over. "This results in noodles with a smooth throat feel and refined flavors. Nibanko flour is produced when the endosperm and germ are milled. This creates noodles with a great balance of aromas and texture. Sanbanko flour includes the parts that are very close to the outer shell. While the noodles created from that do not have a good throat feel, but the flavors are much stronger than those created from ichibanko and nibanko."
At the judges' table...
"Miss Kinokuni used ichibanko flour." Anne added. "It has a soft sweetness, good elasticity, chewiness, and refined throat feel. Mister Yukihira chose sanbanko flour. It lacks smoothness and it feels coarse to the tongue. But the flavors of the noodles will be at their strongest. That's why cooking them in the wok didn't ruin their flavor."
If using sanbanko flour was your choice, you'd normally think of making something like country-style soba or yabu-style soba. Nene wondered. Why this? "Where'd you come up with the idea to stir-fry soba?"
"I already told you all that I'm making instant yakisoba." Souma reminded.
"Instant yakisoba?" Anne echoed. "That's a type of instant noodles, right?"
"That's right." Souma presented two bowls of condiments to the judges. "Use this if you'd like, too. Seasoning spices. They're basically sprinkles. Ever since I was a kid, I've always thought instant noodles were amazing. It's all in a container, but there are so many kinds. That's why I would think of ways I might be able to use them in my cooking or ways to make instant noodles taste really good. It took soba noodles made of sanbanko flour for solid flavor, then made a special strong sauce by diluting kaeshi with strong bonito stock. Add ingredients like duck and green onions, stir them together in the wok, which stands in for a cup, and it's done. I name the dish, Yukihira-style Seared Soba."
"It is true that the instant noodle genre which is created in Japan has rapidly advanced since its beginnings." Histoire stated. "It can be said to have its own history and traditions. The Japanese pepper is the star of these spices." he gushed, after adding the offered condiments and giving the soba another taste. "Great flavor."
"Ginger." Charme added the second condiment bowl. "It's ginger in these. If you mix it in, it's even better."
"It's piping hot and delicious." Anne gushed.
"So, who's the victor?" Urara posted the important question.
"But..." Charme started.
"Why?" even Histoire was puzzled.
"Indeed." Anne agreed. "This concludes our evaluation. We will now cast our votes."
"First bout, third match, Kinokuni Nene versus Yukihira Souma." Urara declared. "Who will emerge victorious?"
"There was a consensus." Histoire spoke. "This dish gets our votes."
"Miss Kinokuni." Anne started. "I've heard that Japan has a saying 'Proof is better than argument.' There is enough left for another serving, right? Please try it."
"Why would I eat his soba..." Nene was puzzled.
"No, I want you to eat your soba." Anne corrected.
What's this about? Nene gave her dish a taste. I made my usual, the best soba possible... what? She gasped.
"It's not the same as usual is it, Miss Kinokuni?" Anne asked. "Compared to your usual soba, there is less aroma. How about Mister Yukihira's soba, then?"
"It's true." Nene took a bite of Souma's dish. "It has more aroma than my soba. But why? My preparation was without fail."
On the sidelines...
"Nene-nee-sama forgot to take into account one important factor in this match." Ami stated plainly. "The ambient temperature."
"Soba's aroma is mainly derived from the volatile aldehydes, noanols, decanols, and other compounds." Alice went into lecture mode. "It has been reported that they become less volatile at lower temperatures. Isn't that right, Hayama?"
"Yeah." Hayama concurred. "The volatility refers to how many aromatic compounds are airborne. This is a critical factor in food, especially for foods like soba where aromas are key."
"You knew?" Kurokiba asked.
"Just as a hypothesis." Hayama admitted. "It's highly likely that, in this arena, there were many factors that limited the aromas of soba from being expressed."
At the judges' table...
"That's right." Histoire agreed. "This arena is the cruelest hell in terms of allowing soba to shine."
"Miss Kinokuni's soba was designed for savoring the soba's light, delicate flavors." Anne stated. "That made it even more susceptible to environmental factors. As for Mister Yukihira's soba, however: by deliberately exposing it to heat and adding the aroma of oil and seared noodles, were all converted into the dish's strength, which further enhances the soba's flavors."
"That was just coincidence." Nene argued.
"No, it wasn't coincidence." Isshiki corrected. "Souma saw this coming right from the very beginning."
"I guess." Souma admitted. "I was thinking when I was choosing which flour to use that the aromas weren't really coming through. That's why I decided that I wanted to stir-fry it in oil. I wanted to emphasize the soba's flavors, but ichibanko flour might not be able to withstand the heating process., so I had the idea of using sanbanko flour, with its strong aroma. That would let the judges really appreciate the soba's flavors."
"Tell me." Nene voiced. "How'd you manage to go this far? This is a Shokugeki, a serious contest. Even putting the usual amount of effort poses a significant strain."
"What ate you talking about?" Souma was confused. "Every day is a serious contest when you're serving customers. Of course, you have to be able to do this stuff."
"In this 'cup' is something only he can express." Anne added. "It represents a new potential for soba dishes."
"The victor of the third match of first bout..." Charme started.
"Is Yukihira Souma of the rebel team." Histoire declared.
On the sidelines...
"Anyway, all we now have two wins." Kuga bragged.
"There's only one more match in the first bout." Megumi nodded. "If we win this too..."
"Don't get ahead of yourselves, rebels." Urara growled.
"Urara-chin, you're gonna get wrinkles." Kuga teased.
"Shut up!" Urara snapped. "Listen, our Kaburagi Shoko-senpai is in the first match. She is the true ace in the hole, having won the fifth Seat in the battle royale."
"Yeah, thanks for the explanation." Kuga nodded. "But that fifth Seat's going up against the former third Seat."
At the judges' table...
"We have a consensus on the first match, too." Anne beamed. "The victor is Megishima Tōsuke of the rebel team."
On the sidelines...
"Everyone, we will now have a short break." Azami informed. "After which both teams will resume the fight with new topics in the Team Shokugeki's second bout. Then, good day."
SailorStar9: Any OOC-nes is regretted. *Grins* Don't you just love plot bunnies sometimes? Reviews are much appreciated.