Interlude 3 - Clubbed over the head
A few days before the Inter-Class Tournament...
"And that's the lesson for today, please remember to submit the assignment before midnight! Oh, and to not stay out in the rain too long if you're planning on practicing!"
"Yes, ma'am!"
Turning the computer in his desk off, Ryo cracked his neck as he stood up. He glanced out the window, at the rain gently pelting against the glass, and sighed. Walking over to Ephraim, who also was getting out of his seat, he put his hands into his jacket's pockets.
"So, it's raining." The green-eyed courier noted with an easy smile, prompting the tall blonde to chuckle. "Feels a bit chilly, doesn't it?"
"I'll say." Davion grumbled as he walked up to them, rubbing his exposed arms. "At least this isn't as bad as that time during winter."
Both Ephraim and Ryo exchanged amused glances, having been well-acclimated to the cold temperature of Japan and other places. "Yes, you had to wear that garish puffer jacket." The blonde shook his head with a smirk, idly waving at Cecilia and a few girls who called out to him.
He was the most fashionable, or at least the one that seriously cared about fashion, between the three of them, often being mistaken for a corporate worker high up in the managerial ladder prior to their enrollment. It cramped his overall style when Davion wore that eye-searing orange puffer jacket during winter.
Sure, no one had explicitly pointed and muttered about them whenever they went out to do something together, but he knew! He knew some motherfucker was shit-talking him on the internet!
The mechanic rolled his eyes as he pulled his hood up. "What're you guys up to?"
"I'm headed to the Culinary Arts Club for a test run." Ephraim shrugged, pulling out a lollipop so he could chew on it. He hadn't had a decent night's sleep lately, due to him trying to write down whatever memory came up prior to their awakening here.
Was it a risk? Of course, but he wrote it down in the form of a fiction. To anyone else, it was just some fantasy story that lacked a lot of elements.
"Hopefully they don't make me cook a cold weather dish, I'm not in the mood for any soup or broth type today." The blonde mumbled, glancing at dark rain clouds hovering above the island.
"Oh, so you're gonna be busy then."
The tall Neo-Type nodded. "And I assume that you'll be headed to Arzenal?"
"Yep." Davion then turned to the Ryo. "So where'll you go?"
"I'm gonna follow Ephraim." The green-eyed courier smirked. "I kinda want to see how the Emiya here works the kitchen."
Shaking his head, the aforementioned blonde popped the sweet in his mouth. "Let's go then...also, I'm not making you coffee in there."
"Aw..."
"See you guys!" Davion waved them off.
Tatenashi Sarashiki walked down the hall with a dignified air, her fan folded out before her mouth. The students, no matter their year level, made way for their President. Awed whispers filled the hall in her wake, and she took it all with grace.
"...mean, I don't doubt your cooking skills, but come on!"
"You are such a fanboy."
Red eyes gleamed at the familiar voice and she quickened her pace down the hall. Just hearing it sent a shiver up her spine, her mind already thinking of ways to mess with him so utterly!
"So? That still doesn't detract my earlier statement. He's the ultimate househusband, it even carried over to his Archer version!"
"Do you want to have your coffee privilege revoked again?"
Turning the corner, her grin grew as she snapped her fan close.
"Good Noon, boys~"
Ryo quickly paled as he took a few steps back...
Were it not for Ephraim holding his shoulder in place as a smug smirk grew on his lips. "Good Noon, Kaichou."
"I heard something about cooking?" Tatenashi tapped her chin, feigning innocence as she stared at the courier. "So I'll assume that you're either heading to the Culinary Arts Club or to the Cafeteria..."
"The former." The tall blonde nodded, squeezing his friend's shoulder 'reassuringly'. "I've been invited by Nakiri-senpai to demonstrate my skills."
"I see...and Murakumo-kun~?"
"He's just tagging along." Purple eyes gleamed with amusement.
Red eyes returned the mischievous glint with one of her own. "Well, that won't do! Chefs need their focus, after all! Let me take him off your hands, I have a few deliveries that needs doing."
Begrudgingly accepting his fate, Ryo stopped his struggling with a long groan.
"You two, I swear..!"
Knocking on the door to one of the multi-purpose rooms in the Engineering Bay, Davion rubbed his hands together before placing them over his cold ears. You would've thought that living in Japan for a good half a year would have acclimatized him to the cold, but no, he couldn't handle it just yet. If it was hot weather, he would have no problem, but given the country's position in the upper hemisphere, the place was just colder in general.
Perhaps he just wasn't suited for cold climates.
The door opened with a muted hiss, and he was face to face with one Alektra Loewenherz.
She was actually as tall as him, with black hair done up in a high ponytail. Her uniform consisted of the standard set, but her addition was a collared white cape with a red lining and a pair of cavalry boots that stopped just under her knees. It gave her the look of an officer, a commander, and it somewhat reflected in the natural authoritative gleam of her purple eyes.
'...Seriously, what is with purple-eyed people and having this aura of command?'
The 3rd year smirked as she looked him up and down. "Finally took me up on my offer, eh? Come on in, you look like you're about to freeze your fingers off." Without waiting for his response, she turned around and walked back into the room.
Following close behind, Davion squinted his eyes in the dimmed lightning of the room. "What's with the darkness?" he asked, glancing around for any sign of...anything, honestly. It was just inky darkness that surrounded them and it made him wary. His pit fighter instincts flared up every now and again, seeing phantom movement in the shadows that caused him to tense up.
On top of that, he and the Neo-Types had enhanced senses after all, allowing them to see in the dark far better than the mundane. So being surrounded by this...unnatural darkness was uneasy. It reminded him of the time he and Ryo...
..?
The time he and Ryo...
[...]
'W-Wait, why can't I...remember?'
"We were in the middle of reviewing some footage from the 2nd Mondo Grosso Championship." The German IS Representative answered, clapping her hands loudly. As she had her back to the Neo-Type, she couldn't see the deep-seeded panic wash through his entire body.
"Lights on! We have a guest!"
Click!
The mechanic closed his eyes at the sudden onset of light, shielding them with his hand as he slowly adjusted to the illumination. Whatever chaos was wracking through his mind was pushed down in favor of survival instincts. Blinded he may have been, his other senses picked up the slack.
"That darkness earlier was the result of one of our members' experiments." Alektra's voice seemed to both go further and nearer. "She typically does that to newcomers for fun."
"Thanks for the data, muscle boy~!"
"Uh...welcome?" Davion answered with uncertainty, slowly calming down as he finally adjusted to the light. Grey eyes then widened as he looked all around the room.
Various computers and holographic projectors were scattered about, forming separate 'clusters' where several groups of girls were typing away or simply watching the simulations play out. On the far side of the room was a large screen where a video played of several IS', of which he knew none of, battled against one another. Plenty of papers and blueprints were scattered about, and several trash bins were absolutely full of the things. Off to the side were a couple of arguments happening, having devolved into shouting matches as the girls raised whatever gizmo they had on hand in apparent comparison.
"Whoa..." He turned in place, watching as various formulae were scribbled on the holoboards and as wire frames of IS parts both traditional and novel flashed on them. Hell, he even saw some designs that were from other Mecha franchises. In fact, there was even-
'IS THAT A JAEGER?!'
"Welcome to Arzenal, Kumpel." Alektra spread her arms, with Davion just noting the brace that covered her right arm the elbow down. The dark-haired girl grinned confidently as she gestured around. "Otherwise known as the Think Tank. This is the IS Academy's premier madhouse of new inventions and upgrades." Just as she said that, a small explosion erupted from the corner of the room.
Nobody panicked, nobody even batted an eye as they continued whatever they were doing.
From the smoke came two stumbling 1st-years, lab coats covered in soot as they coughed and hacked.
A wild grin grew on his face as he turned his head this way and that just to take in all the innovation and craziness that was just his brand.
"I think I'm going to like it here."
"Oh my God~!"
Ephraim did not like it here.
The Culinary Arts Club was normal.
The members were normal.
The President was not.
Erina Nakiri squirmed as she struggled to not let the plate of Chicken Parmesan drop from her hand. Haku merely smiled at him apologetically as the tall blonde stood behind his kitchen counter, outwardly keeping a calm mask. Inwardly, he was perturbed by the climaxing woman.
He really should have realized just who she was when she drank his coffee.
Who the hell moans loudly when they take a sip of Hacienda La Esmeralda?
'Didn't expect that stupid habit from Food Wars to follow her here.' The Neo-Type grumbled in his mind, having wiped his hands dry just after washing them.
The other club members were either in the same boat as Haku, or were watching the wobbling plate on their president's hand. It was on the edge of falling off, and their bodies were tense as they prepared to catch it in the event that their president let go.
The fellow purple-eyed blonde set the plate down on the table before her with a bit more force than usual. She was panting, cheeks red and trying to contain her drool.
'I don't wanna be here anymore.'
"...So," He started, placing his 'waiter/chef' mask on and giving her a calm smile while he was anything but calm. "How was the dish?"
"It's...ahem," Erina cleared her throat, composing herself in the blink of an eye. "It's quite delicious." She smiled back at him genially. "For such a simple dish, the flavor is equal to that of a 5 star restaurant."
Ephraim narrowed his eyes slightly.
'Laying it on pretty thick there...'
"Well, I did work in a few before I enrolled here." He admitted, cleaning his counter of what little leftovers remained. "I learned a fair number of recipes and special techniques in cooking from the staff." The blonde could really only thank his unnatural talent for cooking, which he attributed having come from their boss. It was what allowed him to wow the chefs into letting him work and learn under them in the first place.
Haku walked closer to his dish, pulling out her own chopsticks and taking a slice to eat. Taking a bite, her golden eyes practically shone as she cupped her own cheek, prompting her to quickly finish the meal in a few bites.
"Wow, I haven't tasted anything like this ever since I left home! You could almost rival dad's cooking!" She grinned as the other club members began to take their own samples.
"I am honored you consider me so." He gave her a genuine smile, as he considered being compared to a parent's skill a great honor. Everyone remembered their favorite dish as a child, and those memories were very vivid, especially in the gastronomic front.
Well, that and being compared as almost as good as what was possibly Shirou Emiya in cooking? That was high praise if he has ever seen one.
"Wow, this tastes so good!"
"Sahaku-san, you should open your own restaurant when you graduate!"
"Yeah, and all of us could be the staff!"
That...actually was an idea he was willing to do.
If he and his friends were allowed to stay, that is, and not just get randomly plucked out of there.
...And if he didn't die before he even a chance of graduating.
"...Perhaps." Clearing his throat, he wiped the somewhat melancholic thoughts away. Upon seeing their eager gazes, he chuckled as he picked up the tupperware that held an extra serving of chicken parmesan. It was for his superior, and he should make sure to change her drink just for tonight.
Coffee and Chicken Parm didn't mix well.
"So, did we pass your 'test', Sahaku-san?" Haku asked, an expectant smile on her face. Beside her, the other club members practically vibrated in excitement, all of them eager to get to know one of the 4 boys in the whole school.
Erina crossed her arms, looking quite dignified for a woman that was boldly moaning earlier. "We would be honored to have you in our ranks."
...On one hand, joining the club would mean having to deal with potential clichés and tropes.
As well as the President.
But on the other hand...
He glanced down at the tupperware.
...He was making Chifuyu dinner.
...
"Of course." He sighed with a strained smile, swearing that this was for the greater good. "Please take care of me."
Kanzashi blinked.
"Murakumo-san?"
Ryo turned to her with dead eyes.
"Yeah?"
"...Why are you here?"
They were in the student council room, in the President's office to be more exact. The younger Sarashiki was the Manager of the Student Council, and it was her business in knowing what was going in and out of said council. The sudden appearance of the courier was a great surprise for her, that's for sure.
"I got snatched up by your sister."
"...Oh." She immediately understood.
"Murakumo-kuuun~!"
'Speak of the devil and she shall appear.'
Ryo turned to see Tatenashi waltz into the room, carrying a box full of documents without any strain whatsoever.
"Oh God..." He muttered with a grimace.
"I need your help delivering these papers to various teachers. But with this rain, it's going to be tough~!" She winked at him, a vulpine grin on her lips. "It's so cold too. Can I borrow your jacket while you hold an umbrella up for me~?"
Kanzashi's eyes widened.
Ryo merely wanted to sink into the ground.
'The tropes...why...WHY?!'
AN:
A real short Interlude that skims over how the trio got into their clubs. The session that spawned this was a wild one, that's for sure.
Nothing much else happening aside from the mechanic suffering his own bout of memory loss.
What does this entail, you ask?
That's a secret!
And hot damn, nearing 50 Follows and having 40 Faves for this story! 4k plus views too, ya'll are great! I can only hope that it would continue to grow, since there's still a lot of chapters that need polishing and publishing.
Episode 4 will be published next week, and hopefully the way I handled said episode would be more that satisfactory to a lot of you.
Cipher out!
