SailorStar9: After getting Chapter 42 out, this is Chapter 43 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 43: The First and Second Seats
"So..." Tsukasa cut in.
"Can I help you, Tsukasa-senpai?" Isshiki asked.
"I was just thinking what a nice soup you made, Isshiki." Tsukasa admitted. "Impressive as always. So when I win this, would you agree to following Central and being my minion? I'll have them rethink the expulsion. You're absolutely amazing when it comes to Japanese cuisine, so I think you'd make a great assistant."
"I see nothing can change the way you think, Tsukasa-san." Isshiki chuckled.
"Just think about it until they finish my deliberations." Tsukasa advised. "And there we go." he added the finishing touches to his dish. "My dish is complete. Please enjoy." he presented his dish.
"Isshiki Satoshi from the rebels made a very powerful wanmono soup." Urara declared. "What did Tsukasa Eishi from the Elite Ten make?"
At the judges' table...
"Lièvre À La Royale'." Anne named the dish. "Or a 'royal way to serve wild rabbit. An iconic dish said to be loved even by Louis XIV. One of the most traditional wild game dishes from French royalty."
"A thick, aromatic fragrance..." Courage gushed. "There's no doubt that this is of the highest quality."
"How did he add his own flavor to such a classic dish?" Decora wondered. "He sliced the meat from the front legs, back legs and around the neck then wrapped it into a ballotine tube." she took a bite, realizing the parts. "Then he sauteed it in a frying pan, subduing the distinct odor but keeping the meat juicy."
"The sauce is a red wine reduction using wild rabbit bone fond and meat, then adding foie gras, chocolate, and the rabbit's own blood." Anne added. "It's perfection. This is without a doubt, a first-class dish. But Mister Isshiki's dish that was filled with playfulness and surprise still surpassed this."
"No, not yet." Decora squealed. "Underneath the sauce..."
"Another mysterious layer is hidden beneath the sauce?" Anne was stunned. "This is... royale?" The aroma of porcini mushrooms is filling my mouth. She gushed. It's silky texture is melting on my tongue.
On the sidelines...
"Doesn't 'royale' mean 'prepared in a royal way'?" Yoshino wondered.
""Yes, but they also call a custard of eggs with various fillings 'royale'." Erina explained. "You can call it the French version of chawanmushi."
"So, it is basically both types of royale, since it's a royal way to serve the dish and a Western-style of chawanmushi." Alice piped in.
At the judges' table...
"That isn't the only thing hidden under there." Azami added. "Fig, apple puree, chestnut confit; the mellow flavors of the royale resonate with the tartness and sweetness of the fruits, making the wild rabbit meat taste so light that it can be consumed immediately."
"All while making sure the initial impact is not lost." Decora remarked.
"How is he able to think of all of this?" Anne was astonished. "Even if an ordinary chef could come up with this idea, I'm sure it would be far too difficult to even attempt. You can truly call him a genius, dancing along the fine line to insanity."
"Tsukasa Eishi wins!" Urara announced happily after the results were displayed on screen.
On the sidelines...
"He's so strong!" Megumi was stunned.
"He's too invincible." Mito gaped.
"I can't believe even Isshiki-senpai lost." Sakaki sighed. "Eh..." she suddenly heard a sniffle.
"My calculations were..." Ami was shocked by the outcome. "How..."
"Ami-chan..." Megumi instantly panicked.
"I'm not crying..." Ami tried to hold back her tears. "I'm not crying at all!"
"Somebody!" Yoshino exclaimed in panic mode.
"Come here." Takumi sighed, letting the upset girl sob comically on his shoulder.
"Well Isshiki, did you think it over?' Tsukasa asked. "If you continue to stay with the rebels, you'll be expelled. That'd be a huge waste, don't you think?"
"No, I humbly decline." Isshiki stood his ground. "Even if I'm stripped down to just a loincloth, I refuse to give up on having fun with my cooking."
"I figured." Tsukasa sighed. "Yukihira declined before, too. I guess I'm really not cut out to stand above people."
"I guess we'll just have to leave the rest to the two of you." Isshiki returned to his group.
"This concludes today's match." Urara declared. "As for tomorrow's Team Shokugeki, only two chefs remain on Central. If one chef remains from each team tomorrow, we will conduct a sixth but."
"Nay." Senzaemon cut in. "The next match, the fifth bout, will be the final match of the Team Shokugeki. It will be the final bout."
"What does he mean?" Sakaki wondered.
"The next match will be the last?" Mito blinked.
"We're going to change the format." Senzaemon explained. "Both chefs on each team will present a dish. They will serve their dishes in order as a two-course meal. One chef will prepare the hors d'oeuvre, and the other will prepare the main dish."
At the judges' table...
"So, we'll be judging the dishes as a pair." Azami noted.
On the sidelines...
"That sounds fun." Rindō snorted.
"You may use any ingredients you'd like, but the overall theme will be 'a true gourmet multi-course meal'." Senzaemon laid down the theme. "Any objections, Director?"
At the judges' table...
"No, I believe that's a splendid idea." Azami concurred. "A musical suite of gourmet prepared by Tsukasa Eishi and Kobayashi, it'll be a treat to taste that at a competition. After all, the current Elite Ten consists of chefs that I believe embody the ideal of gourmet. But in her current state, Erina will not be able to create true gourmet food. I know that better than anyone."
"I wonder if that's actually true." Erina retorted. "I believe I've changed quite a bit. I'm sure my dish will not be something I could've made before. Your little Erina has become a delinquent girl who's run away from home. I am no longer your obedient little girl, Father."
On the sidelines...
"That's what I'm talking about." Alice grinned.
At the judges' table...
"Rebelling while going through puberty is quite natural." Azami relented. "I accept that fact as your father. And I will welcome you into Central after we've purified you. That is absolutely necessary, Erina. You and Hakuizumi-hime are the keys to leading chefs down the proper path."
"Let us gather again here tomorrow." Senzaemon ended the proceedings. "The victors will decide the future of Tōtsuki Academy. Give it your all, young chefs."
Later...
"Kobayashi-senpai." Takumi caught up to his former opponent. "May I ask you a question?"
"What's up, Aldini?" Rindō inquired.
"I apologize if I'm completely wrong about this." Takumi voiced. "But I wanted to ask about the uneasiness I felt during our last match. What are you so afraid, Kobayashi-senpai? "
"You dumb-ass!" Rindō snapped. "You're calling me afraid? I have no idea what you're talking about. Who do you think you are? You stupid brats."
"You've sensed it, too, then." Ami spoke beside the startled blond. "Someone with Rindō-san's personality, isn't one to bow to the likes of Nakiri Azami. Megishima-san," she turned to the ramen expert hiding by the wall's corner. "Can I leave this matter to you?"
"Megishima-senpai?" Takumi gawked as the large third-year exited his hiding spot.
"I understand.." Megishima nodded.
"What was that about?" Souma and the others came up. "Did you two piss off Rindō-senpai?"
"Well..." Takumi started.
Later that night...
"Let's go over this one more time." Souma pulled out his referencing cookbook. "I'm gonna go 'bam' and present this as the main dish, and 'boom' win this thing. So you just make an appetizer to go with that."
"Why do you never think things through?" Erina snapped. "I will give you a proper lecture on truly elegant course meals."
"It's rare to see two people disagree this much." Isshiki chuckled, standing on the sidelines alongside a bewildered Takumi and worried Megumi. Ami had begged off being present on the premise of finishing her report.
"We don't have any more time." Megumi went into panic mode. "What are we going to do?"
"Quail Stuffed with Risotto and Egg, Cheeky Youngster Style, New and Improved." Souma presented his two updated dishes. "My Countdown Mapo Curry Noodles, New and Improved. Both are my specialties."
"They aren't profound enough to be main dishes." Erina rejected. "They didn't get used main dishes at SHINO's, did they? There you have it. It's too difficult to work mapo noodles into a course. You clearly don't have any thought to any other dish in this course with these ridiculous dishes. Rejected. I'm not saying this as anything personal. This is strategy. As the one with more experience, I should be the one who decides this meal's main dish."
"No one ever decided you're better than me." Souma glared.
"I was the tenth Seat of the Elite Ten." Erina reminded. "You were just a normal student. It should be obvious."
"You gave up your Seat on the Elite Ten the other day." Souma retorted. "That means, you're just a normal student, too."
"You're just nitpicking." Erina fired back.
"How long are they going to continue this?" even Takumi's patience was wearing thin.
The next day...
"It's the Team Shokugeki's final bout." Urara opened the day's proceedings. "The crowd and the judges are all ready. I wonder what kind of fiery battle is going to take place. I can't wait to find out. Now, take a look at the Elite Ten's side. Tsukasa Eishi and Kobayashi Rindō have arrived."
"You okay, Tsukasa?" Rindō asked. "You weren't able to get rid of all your fatigue, were you?"
"Surprisingly, I'm not dong too bad." Tsukasa admitted. "I actually feel more alert. I might be in my best condition ever."
"How are you two splitting the course?" Urara inquired.
"I'm gonna do the appetizer and Tsukasa's gonna do the main dish." Rindō answered.
On the sidelines...
"So, the first Seat is doing the main dish, after all." Mito noted.
"I wonder how our two split up the tasks." now, Yoshino was worried.
"Megumi, how did things go last night?" Sakaki noticed the quartet entering.
"They seem super worn out." Shōji gaped at the heavy dark circles under Takumi's and Megumi's eyes.
"How'd the strategy meeting go?" Yoshino pressed Isshiki. "Who's making what?"
"You see..." Isshiki stammered.
"Here we go, Nakiri!" Souma glared.
"Indeed, bring it on." Erina accepted.
"First comes rock!" the two started using rock-paper-scissors. "Rock, paper, scissors! One more time."
"Somehow, I just know it'll boil down to this." Ami shook her head.
"They still haven't decided who does what?" Yoshino wailed.
"Damn it, I got the appetizer!" Souma cursed, "And I wanted to finish in style with the main dish."
"There was never any doubt." Erina huffed.
"Like it or not, this is it!" Urara declared. "The final bout begins!"
SailorStar9: Any OOC-nes is regretted. *Grins* Don't you just love plot bunnies sometimes? Reviews are much appreciated.