SailorStar9: After getting Chapter 38 out, this is Chapter 39 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 39: You're Through
"What's going on here?" Urara wondered. "The judges are reacting once again to Tadokoro Megumi's dish."
"I see..." Histoire realized. "In the center of the dorayaki: she put apple confiture in it."
"Though the apple is the star of this jam, it also includes ginger." Charme added.
"The vivid impression you get when the jam is combined with the chucks of apple and the dorayaki cake is wonderful. This ginger must be what Mister Aldini was chopping up, right?"
"Yes." Megumi nodded. "I chopped Takumi's needle ginger into even smaller pieces. I got the idea when I heard that Takumi was going to use ginger. I thought that maybe when you bit into the center after eating the mildly sweet shiroan paste, the tartness would fill your mouth, bringing out an even deeper flavor. The apple butter and confiture: they may look similar, but the difference in their flavors and the change they cause; that is the final trump card of my dorayaki."
On the sidelines...
"Who knew she had such a trump card like that up her sleeve?" Shōji cheered.
"It's because they look so much alike that she was able to pull off this surprise attack." Sakaki beamed.
"What an excellent flavor change technique." Hisako praised. "That should definitely help her in catching up with the enemy."
At the judges table...
"All right, let's have the judges give their results." Urara declared.
That was indeed a stealth punch to those enjoying the dish. Anne admitted. The finishing blow she was concealing until the very last moment.
"It's a... draw..." the praying Megumi opened her eyes to look at the scoreboard.
"You effort to put so many surprises in a single dorayaki was commendable." Histoire explained. "But Akanegakubo Momo's tart far surpasses yours in flavor. But it looks like Anne vote for Tadokoro."
"Indeed." Anne replied. "I had to give her credit for her cleverness and the possibilities she brought out. But it seem Charme didn't vote. Why is that?"
"Before I explain, Tadokoro Megumi," Charme started. "Answer me this, you did not use any sugar in the confiture, did you? And the water you used, it is not normal water."
"Yes." Megumi nodded. "I only used apple blossom honey in place of sugar as the sweetener. And because I know that confiture would come up bitter, so I used morning dew instead of normal water to alleviate the bitter taste."
"And that's why." Charme nodded. "She foresaw the major defect in her dish and took steps to alleviate it. While Akanegakubo Momo's dish may indeed be an masterpiece of art, Tadokoro Megumi's dish is like a sculpture where the sculptor adds improvements on the sculpture until it is complete. The two dishes are in par with the other."
"Anyway, this match is a draw." Urara declared.
"Megumi, good job." Souma praised. "Managing a draw like that!"
On the sidelines...
"Megu, come here." Ami drew her overwhelmed cousin in a hug.
"Thanks, Ami-chan." Megumi's muffled voice sounded from the older girl's shoulder. "Going up against a third-year from the Elite Ten and pulling a draw is an amazing accomplishment for me. You've go this, Takumi, Souma!" composing herself, she shouted out her encouragement.
"Takumi-cchi's finally preparing the beef, the ingredient he was assigned." Yoshino noted Takumi frying up his beef.
"He's slowly sauteing the thinly-sliced beef in sesame oil, bringing out it aroma." Mito added.
In the arena...
Once the meat's cooked enough, I'll add the ginger and reduce it. Takumi mused.
On the sidelines...
"It looks like he's making shigureni." Sakaki noted.
"A Japanese dish that has a rich, sweet flavor with a little spice from the ginger that delights your tongue." Marui remarked.
"The complex variety of flavors was inspired by the coming and going of shigure showers." Hisako explained. "It's a dish with many layers."
"Way to go, Takumi-cchi." Yoshino grinned. "You've even got Japanese cuisine down."
"How is he going to use the shigureni and to what heights can he take the shigureni?" Isami wondered. "I wonder what answer nii-chan came up with."
In the arena...
Takumi was already kneading his pizza dough.
"You're good at that." Souma noticed. "Could you give me some pointers on how to make good pizza crust?"
"Go concentrate on your own dish, Yukihira." Takumi deathpanned.
On the sidelines...
"He's making pizza dough?" Sakaki wondered.
"Takumi-cchi's planning on making pizza with shigureni?" even Yoshino was puzzled.
At the judges table...
"Pizza with shigureni?" Charme echoed. "How eccentric."
"I can't wait to see the completely dish." Histoire agreed.
In the arena...
Shigureni, huh? Eizan smirked. You've must have crawled your way up here still harboring your frustration from losing to Mimasaka Subaru at the Autumn Elections. What a model chef. Very inspiring. Too bad for you, but I think your pride is going to take another crushing hit, Takumi Aldini.
"Only the first the third second matches remain in the third bout." Urara declared. "Please take a look at what's in Eizan-senpai's hand. Look at that volume. And it looks oh so juicy. Look at that beautiful slab of roast beef."
On the sidelines...
"That's no novice technique." Mito praised. "He heated the meat to its core. It's the ultimate roast beef."
"Horseradish..." Sakaki noticed Eizan chopping the root vegetable.
"Also fresh cream, yogurt and anchovies." Yoshino listed the other ingredients on Eizan's workspace.
"It looks like he's making a cream sauce to go with the meat." Ibusaki reasoned.
"There's no hesitation in his movements." Marui marveled. "No wonder he's in the Elite Ten. His preparation techniques are top-notch."
In the arena...
"They sure are counting on you." Eizan mocked. "Though I only did it due to the reform, I did end up doing a number on their dorm. People seems to f ind reasons to hate me quite easily. Would you be one of those people, too? Mimasaka's the one who challenged you to a Shokugeki at the Autumn Elections. I was just earnestly running the Autumn Elections. I don't think it's fair that I'm the one getting hated on."
"Hate?" Takumi scoffed. "That word don't quite sum up the feelings I have towards you. At the very least, I don't hate you. I'm just here to win. That's all."
On the sidelines...
"Takumi-cchi's now rolling out the pizza dough he was letting rest." Yoshino beamed.
"He's finishing his preparations." Hisako nodded. "He's lightly applying the sauce to the pizza dough."
"And adding the carefully sauteed beef shigureni as the topping." Sakaki added.
"As well as onions and mozzarella cheese." Mito remarked.
"Then, he'll bake it at 250 degree Celsius for 12 minutes." Isami listed down the next step. "He just has to bake it long enough for the crust to turn a nice golden brown."
In the arena...
"And into the oven." Takumi popped his pizzas into the oven. "Forno accendere."
"Your pizza seems rather delicate." Eizan chuckled. "It'd be difficult to add any more seasoning after it's done baking."
"And what if it is?" Takumi challenged.
"You're through." Eizan declared. "There's one more ingredient that goes with my special cream sauce. Artichokes. This vegetable has plenty of cynarine, which gives it a bitter flavor. Its more prominent feature is that it inhibits the taste receptors on a person's tongue which confuses the flavors and makes anything consumed afterward sweeter than it should."
On the sidelines...
"It can actually do that?" Yoshino exclaimed.
"It's possible." Alice went into lecture mode. "For example, if you're served dessert after eating a dish made with artichokes, it'll bring out its sweetness even more. There are many famous chefs who take advantage of that."
In the arena...
"Your shigureni is a dish that brings out a rich sweetness." Eizan stated. "What do you think would happen if you happened to eat a bunch of artichokes right before? You've still got about ten minutes before that pizza is done baking. My dish will be done first. Your shigureni pizza, which will be judged afterward, will transform into an overly sweet dish. Meaning it's flavor is going to go right into the gutter. Now then, time to finish up my prep. I'm gonna throw in a bunch of artichokes. Takumi Aldini, you're still way too naive. This time, as well as last time. The day where your mezzaluna was taken. If that guy was in your place, I'm sure Yukihira Souma would've able to overcome this. Unlike you! And it's complete. The Bewitching Roast Beef: Eizan Etsuya Edition." he presented his dish.
At the judges table...
"Look at this beauty." Charme lifted a slice of roast beef. "This elegant rose-red color. My tongue is rejoicing just from the sight of it."
This deliciousness will go down in history. Histoire shivered.
"Amazing." Anne gushed. "I don't think I've ever eaten a dish with so many artichokes in it."
"And I just want to eat more and more of it." Charme agreed.
"This is all due to the cynarine working its magic." Anne explained. "It gets rid of any unnecessarily sweetness in the dish and helps bring out the cream sauce."
On the sidelines...
"Cynarine directly impacts the taste receptors." Marui explained.
"It coats the top part of the tongue, which senses sweetness." Alice agreed. "This is what the judges are feeling right now. The sweetness is subdued, and the bitterness is sharpened. And if they eat another dish afterward, the cynarine gradually comes off as they chew, so the taste receptors start functioning normally. But because their sense of sweetness has been surpassed, even the slightest sweet taste becomes magnified. If there's a lot of cynarine left on the tongue, even water can taste sweet."
"So, the sweetness in Aldini's shigureni is going to be magnified, too?" Mito was worried.
"By the time the judges finish eating his pizza, all the cynarine on their tongue would have worn off." Marui added. "So it won't affect the deliberation on any of the following dishes. Eizan-senpai knew all about those effects and used it fully to his advantage. He is truly the epitome of wisdom and wealth."
At the judges table...
There's a chemical reaction happening on my tongue. Anne shivered. A miracle of taste. This deliciousness... is a large-scale magic trick!
On the sidelines...
"Takumi-cchi's pizza is done baking." Yoshino heard the time go off.
In the arena...
"Aw, Aldini." Eizan mocked. "Why the long face? I know. Why don't you have the judges drink some water? It might lessen the effects of the cynarine a little bit."
"No, we can continue as planned." Takumi stood his ground.
"It's good to know when to give u..." Eizan gloated.
"That won't be necessary." Takumi cut him off. "I will still win."
"What?" Eizan frowned.
Those pizzas... Souma noticed the two toppings on the pizza.
On the sidelines...
The star topping should be the beef shigureni. Isami wondered.
Or at least it should be... Megumi mused.
"But the shigureni is only on half the pizza." Yoshino gawked.
"The other half is just cheese?" Shōji gasped.
"What's Takumi thinking?" Sakaki inquired.
At the judges table...
"Buon appetito." Takumi presented his dish.
"I see." Charme mused. "The toppings are clearly split down the middle. This is very similar to Japanese delivery pizza."
"Is it alright to eat this pizza using our hands?" Histoire inquired. "In Italy, they often use forks and knives to eat pizza."
"Please eat it however you prefer." Takumi assured. "How you eat the pizza does not affect its taste. But I do hope you'll grant me this one request as the chef of this dish. The side to your right, I'd like you all to eat the side with the shigureni first."
"Then, we shall start with the shigureni side." Histoire picked up a slice.
"This shigureni is brilliant." Charme noted. "I'm sure it would've tasted amazing under normal circumstances."
"This is a matter that can't be helped in a competition." Anne remarked and took a bite. "This has an amazingly refined deliciousness." she gaped in surprise.
"The yuzu miso sauce I used for the pizza; I made sure to adjust it ahead of time." Takumi explained. "Since the sweetness is magnified due to the cynarine, I used the minimal amount of white miso, sugar, and mirin that I normally use and I used more of the yuzu fruit to bring out tartness. I even grated the yuzu zest to add in some bitter and acidic notes. I made sure the flavors would still work, since you'd eat Eizan-senpai's beef roast first."
"Because of this arrangement, the flavor is more complex than eating the shigureni alone." Charme was astounded.
"In Italian meal courses, they give you a first plate that goes before the second and main dish to help build anticipation." Histoire remarked.
"In order to make his dish the main plate, Mister Aldini made his enemy's dish the first plate." Anne stated. "Meaning, he made Mister Eizan's magic the opening act."
"You can't be serious!" Eizan barked. "You rearranged the sauce recipe? I decided to use the artichoke to mess with your dish after I saw the shigureni. Extremely carefully, so you wouldn't catch on. So how did you figure out I'd use artichokes?"
"I knew from the start." Takumi replied. "I knew as soon as our theme was set that you'd be using artichokes. There were a few things in the food storage facility that could've surpassed sweetness. For example, the fruit that makes sour things taste sweet, miracle fruits. But the effects of the component call miraculin found in this fruit last about two hours. But that would interfere with other dishes later on. The only ingredient that wouldn't do that is artichokes. I continued to observe you and traced your thinking. You let yourself be led to the one ingredient I needed you to pick. Just like I planned."
So he wasn't just glaring at me because he was concentrating so hard on getting revenge? Eizan recalled the confrontation in the storage. He's been observing me ever since the third bout started?
On the sidelines...
"I think I feel a very strong sense of vengefulness..." Mito gaped.
"He seems different from the usual Takumi-cchi." Yoshino nodded.
"I never thought he'd be the type to hold on to a grudge." even Ibusaki was surprised.
"You're sorta the same way." Marui pointed out.
"He's almost like Mimasaka." Sakaki blinked.
At the judges table...
To think he's use the effects of the cynarine to his advantage. Anne was impressed.
They both hate each other and tried to undermine the other. Charme mused. It's as if they're exchanging magic tricks.
The deliciousness of this pizza is just... Histoire tried to find the right words.
"But I'm not done with the courses of this meal just yet." Takumi stated. "Italian meals don't usually have a third plate, but the remaining half of this pizza is my way of taking all the Italian cuisine I've made up to this point a step forward. My terzo piatto: the third plate."
On the sidelines...
"Doesn't that pizza look like two half-moons put together, Isami?" Ami inquired.
"Mezzaluna!" the younger Aldini twin gasped.
At the judges table...
"Now for my actual dish: the Doppio Mezzaluna Pizza." Takumi named his dish. "This is its true flavor."
"The other half only has cheese as a topping." Histoire noted. "The topping is actually four different kinds of cheese." he realized after a bite. "Mozzarella, parmigiano, gorgonzola, and ricotta. Which makes it a quattro formaggi pizza. This is a popular pizza topping in Italy, but he used the just right amount for each."
"It matches perfectly with the crispy crust and the black pepper adds just the right amount of kick." Charme remarked.
"The contrast of this and the rich sweetness of the shigureni creates an irresistible depth of deliciousness." Anne moaned. "From the bitterness of the artichokes to the sweetness of the shigureni, and finally, the saltiness of the quattro formaggi."
"I was confident that with all the experience I had baking countless pizzas, I'd be able to create the ultimate quattro formaggi to complement the shigureni. That's not all. This shigureni pizza would never been born without my Stagiaire experience. Without my battle against Mimasaka, I would've never thought about tracing my opponent's thought process. The countless tests I've faced with the bitter failures I've tasted; that's what created this dish. It's all thanks to you siccing Mimasaka Subaru on me. That made me go down this path and led me to these heights."
He saw through my plans, even using them against me, and then presenting the most electrifying dish to the judges. Eizan hissed. Just as Mimasaka Subaru had done to him in the past, I was helplessly rolling around the palm of his hand. "Curse you... first year brat!"
"And the winner of the second match of the third bout is, from the rebel forces, Takumi Aldini." Anne declared.
SailorStar9: Any OOC-nes is regretted. *Grins* Don't you just love plot bunnies sometimes? Reviews are much appreciated.