Kyandi: Hello, lovelies!
Ariadne: We've come baring a new chapter for you all!
Kyandi: Yeah, I did a little bit of a...bad thing.
Ariadne: I don't really think it was all that bad.
Kyandi: It kind of is. I slipped in a litte, itty-bitty, dirty joke in this chapter.
Ariadne: I honestly don't see why you think it's so bad. They've gotten eight chapters to see what my personality is like. It was bound to happen sooner or later.
Kyandi: Yeah, that's kind of true. She's likely to make more of them down the line.
Ariadne: So brace yourselves, people. They won't be that bad, but they will be there.
Kyandi: And with that warning, everyone, please enjoy and review.
Ariadne: Kyandi-sama does not own Shokugeki no Soma.
Chapter 9 Selections for the Autumn Election
"The Autumn Election?"
When Ariadne had started the day, she had never thought it would find her playing ping pong with her dorm mates, or finding out about the Autumn Selection.
"Yes." Isshiki replied.
"And Megumi was selected?" Ariadne asked.
"She was indeed." Isshiki confirmed. "Out of the six hundred and twenty-eight first years, over one hundred candidates were selected taking in account their results in the training camp and their future prospects. Out of those, we in the Elite Ten Council narrowed them down to forty. Inside those forty...there's Ibusaki-kun, Marui-kun, Souma-kun, and Ari-kun!"
Ariadne blinked in surprise, her head tilting to one side. She hadn't, in her opinion, really excelled at the training camp. She didn't see what she could have done in order to get herself selected.
"Wait, Marui!? I understand Ibusaki being there, but...Marui!?" Yuuki exclaimed.
"Wow...to think four Polar Star members are participating!" Ryoko added.
"We did it, Tadokoro! Let's do our best!" Souma insisted.
Megumi, however, was already freaking out, her body trembling as she thought about the selection. Ariadne hid a smile and laugh behind a single hand. Even after everything that happened at the training camp, Megumi would always be Megumi.
"I see, I...wasn't chosen." Yuuki said, disappointed.
"It's too soon to feel dejected, Yoshino-kun! Sixty people can participate in the election! The last twenty...will be decided in future meetings. Yoshino-kun and Sakaki-kun, you both are between the candidates that will fight for the remaining places!" Isshiki told them.
"Yuuki did you hear that?!" Ryoko asked, Yuuki already in tears. "Oh, my...it's too early to cry out of joy, you know?"
"I-I'm not crying!" Yuuki insisted.
"Honey, these salty little things trickling down your cheeks, say otherwise." Ariadne teased, swiping one tear up off Yuuki's cheek to stick the finger tip baring it into her mouth.
Yuuki waved her arms at Ariadne, her cheeks puffing out.
"I'm not crying!" she insisted, wiping her eyes. "Hehe...If you're in Totsuki, you just want to be in the elections. Megumi, Ari, Yukihira, I'll definitely go too, so wait for me!"
"Yeah!" Souma agreed.
"Hmm...looks like I need to consider some new recipes." Ariadne remarked.
"We haven't even found out what the theme is yet!" Yuuki replied.
"That doesn't matter. You can never be too prepared." Ariadne pointed out. "So I'm off to the market."
Waving over her shoulder, Ariadne headed out of the room, already humming to herself. Souma left not long after her, lost in his own thoughts. While out on his walk, Souma found himself being dragged to the school by a group of guys. There, just outside the closed doors of an office, he found Ariadne grinning up into the faces of two nervous looking boys.
"Ari?" Souma called.
Ariadne pulled her eyes from the boys in front of her, the two heaving silent sighs when she was no longer focused on her. When her eyes landed on Souma, she raised an eyebrow in questioning.
"Oh, they dragged you here, too, Souma?" she asked.
"Yeah. Know what's going on?" Souma replied.
"Not really. They haven't told me anything." Ariadne gave a shrug of her shoulders before turning to the boys she had been grinning at moments ago. "Care to tell us what's up, now?"
"He'll see you now." one of them said simply, turning to the doors.
Souma and Ariadne exchanged looks as the boy pushed the double doors open. The person sitting at the desk on the other side, looked up as the doors opened.
"You're finally here." he called, gesturing for them to enter.
Souma and Ariadne stepped into the room, the doors closing behind them. The guy behind the desk, in Ariadne's opinion, reminded her of the yankee characters she would find in manga, all blinged out, wearing a leopard print under shirt and grin that could almost be considered sinister. He introduced himself as the Elite Ten ninth seat, Eizan Etsuya.
"Sumire's karaage roll, that was a pretty interesting dish." he said, making Ariadne and Souma share another look, this one of surprise. "I was the one who produced and did the branding for Mozuya's expansion to Tokyo. I've heard that you two rebuilt the shopping district. And this is why I called you. Work under me, if you do that I'll make it so that you never miss a meal."
Almost instantly, Ariadne had to snap a hand over her mouth as a sudden bout of giggles bubbled up past her lips. The grin on Eizan's face faltered for a moment as Ariadne waved a hand, getting her laughter under control. Straightening her back, a grin now on her face, Ariadne braced her hands on her hips.
"Pardon me if it sounds rude, but...you've got to be kidding us." she remarked.
"My goal is to succeed my family's restaurant, so I have no intention to work under anyone else." Souma said, agreeing with Ariadne.
"And I have no intentions, what so ever, to ever work under someone else. I have better things to do with my time." Ariadne added brightly.
"Haa...well, I thought you wouldn't join me...however, you say those kind of things too, huh. You're bound to your own little box, the kind of cook that is satisfied as long as they can proclaim their true artisan spirit. It's only a poor and boring shop, am I wrong? Was your will pulled down because you were born in such a house? Hey?" Eizan replied, obviously trying to provoke them.
"You're being awful assumptive, aren't you?" Ariadne replied. "You wouldn't say half of what you have if you only knew."
The last part was sadly lowly, as if she was saying it to herself, so only Souma really heard what she said. He ignored it, though, turning back to look at Eizan.
"That's some comments you're making, but aren't you a cook, too?" Souma asked.
"No. I'll subdue every cook. The scenery we're looking at is different. Sorry for taking your time, you can go back. I've decided already." Eizan said, getting to his feet.
"Decided?" Souma questioned, sharing a look with Ariadne out of the side of his eyes, the girl giving him a puzzled look in response.
"Yukihira Souma, Sinclair Ariadne," Ariadne glanced over her shoulder as Eizan walked past them. "The Autumn Election will mark the end of your "upstart". I won't forgive anyone who dirties my career."
Dirties his career...
Ariadne couldn't help the grin that curled her lips. Turning on her heel, Eizan stiffened as Ariadne was suddenly in his personal space, staring up into his face with grin curling her lips as she lowered her eyelids to half mast, peering up at him through the fan of long lashes. He only stiffened more when her hand came up, two perfectly manicured fingers tracing the under side of his chin.
"Say whatever you wish, but you are wrong about one thing," Ariadne purred, really turning on the charm. "I haven't even started my upstart yet. So give me your worst. I love a good challenge."
Giving Eizan a wink and tap on the end of his nose, Ariadne turned on her heel, flicking her hair over her shoulder and whacking Eizan in the chest with it. Eizan frowned as she strutted to the door.
"Souma, come on. You can help me with my ingredient shopping." Ariadne called.
"Yeah, I'm coming." Souma replied, shoving his hands into his pockets as he followed her to the door.
Eizan grit his teeth when he caught a glimpse of a grin on Souma's face, as if the younger boy found Ariadne's remarks towards him funny. The two could laugh it off now, but Eizan was going to make them regret they didn't take him seriously.
Starting with the Autumn Election.
-0-0-0-0-
With the end of the first term, the list of those selected for the Autumn Election was released. In the end, a total of seven Polar Star members were selected to take part.
Souma, Megumi, Ariadne, Shun, Zenji, Ryoko, and Yuuki.
The last of which was so happy, she burst into tears.
It also turned out that both Aldini brothers, Mito and Alice and her attendant, Ryo, had made the selection, too. Ariadne went to greet Alice when, smacking Ryo on the back while demanding he respect her more, the girl walked past.
"Alice!"
Alice greeted Ariadne as the blue-haired girl threw her arms around her neck. Alice was one of the few people Ariadne had met since coming to the school, that had, in a short amount of time, grown use to Ariadne's more "hands-on" affection. She let Ariadne hug her and didn't seem to be bothered by it in the least. Ariadne gave Ryo a pat on the head in greeting before she returned to her friends, blowing Alice and Ryo a kiss along the way.
She rejoined her dorm mates just as Yuuki pulled out her phone to call Fumio and give the old woman the news.
"Hm? That "A" and "B"...what do they mean?" Souma asked idly, making Ariadne look up at the board where the names of those taking part in the Autumn Election, were listed.
"I'm not sure. I'm sure they'll tell us sooner or later." Ariadne told him.
The information came sooner.
"Everyone. Hello!" Souma and Ariadne looked up as Kawashima Urara, the girl that usually announced at Food Wars, appeared above them in a flashy show. "I will be your host for the Autumn Election. My name's Kawashima Urara. Congratulations to all those participating in the election! You'll receive an official notification later on, but allow me to explain the competition format in a nutshell! It should be obvious if you look at the board, that the sixty chosen people are divided in two blocks, A and B. For the Election, we'll first have a preliminary for each block, those who get the highest rank on each block will earn the right to participate in the main tournament! Ermm, then, I'll give you a message from Eizan-senpai of the Executive Committee."
Ariadne and Souma's eyes met when Eizan's name was said, both quickly turning their attention back to Urara.
"For the Election, many VIP, that is, leaders of the culinary world, will come as guests. It's the perfect chance to demonstrate your skills, however, shall you display an unsightly dish, your future as a cook might as well be over. Well, do the best you can. That's it." Urara told them, bringing the explanation to a close.
"Well, that was brief." Ariadne remarked, perking up when Alice claimed a seat on a bench near them, Souma turning to look at her, as well.
"Nakiri's not participating in the Election?" Souma asked Alice.
"That's right. The Totsuki Elite Ten is in charge of the Autumn Election every year. In other words, Erina is one of the festival's organizers. Ah-ah...it will be a while before I can confront Erina." Alice complained.
"You'll just have to settle yourself with the rest of us this time, Alice." Ariadne replied, smiling at the other girl. "From what I can see of the list, there are quite a few interesting people lined up."
Alice simply waved that off. There were very few people on the list that she actually cared about. Souma and Ariadne just happened to be among those that caught her interest.
"Yukihira-kun, do you remember what I said on my way out, after the two hundred meals?" Alice asked, looking up at Souma.
"Yeah!" Souma replied.
"That's good. Did you know this, Yukihira-kun? That almost all of the current Elite Ten members participated in the main tournament of the Election. In other words...the Elite Ten successors will come from among these people!" Alice told him. "Of course, nothing will begin if we don't win here. I hope the day comes when you two, Erina, and I fight over the Elite Ten."
"I don't know about that." Ariadne said as Alice got to her feet. "I've never been one to like the limelight and the leadership position."
Alice looked back at Ariadne, who merely smiled back at her and gave her a wave. Alice, just like everyone else currently near her, couldn't tell if Ariadne was being serious, or if the girl really didn't care about making the Elite Ten.
And Ariadne preferred it that way.
With the announcement done, their summer break officially started, giving all those participating in the Election, a month in which to train and prepare. Ariadne headed back to the dorm with her dorm mates, and was greeted at the door by a naked Isshiki in an apron. By this point, Ariadne couldn't even bring herself to notice anymore.
One accidental flash was it took for Ariadne to no longer be curious.
All she would say was...Isshiki had a reason to be very comfortable and confident in his skin.
"Welcome back, everyone!" Isshiki greeted with a big smile. "Fumio-san says that today we'll have an anticipatory celebration! Now, go to the dining hall!"
Ariadne fell back with Souma and Isshiki as they brought up the rear.
"Isshiki-senpai! Umm...what kind of person is Eizan-senpai from the Elite Ten?" Souma asked.
"Eizan-kun?" Isshiki made a thoughtful look, considering the answer carefully before answering with an answer that Ariadne, herself, had come to. "He's a yankee."
Ariadne slapped a hand over her mouth, trying to hold in a laugh as Isshiki gave them a look that said he was proud of his answer. Souma raised an eyebrow at Ariadne who waved a hand. It was hard not to laugh at Isshiki sometimes.
"He's had a famous armed group since his days in the middle school section. He forces those who lose to him to obey, and so he's kept increasing in followers. By the time he entered high school, he already had one of the most influential groups in the whole academy." Isshiki continued. "However, his abilities are sound and solid...he's the exact definition of an intellectual-type yakuza, and he is merciless to those who go against him. But why are you asking about that?"
Isshiki watched as Souma and Ariadne exchanged looked before both of them shrugged. A grin curled Ariadne's lips as they continued down the hall.
"No real reason! It's nothing important." Souma told Isshiki, though the older boy had a feeling that that was a fib. "Whoa, that banner...it's huge!"
Ariadne let out a little chuckle as she caught sight of the huge banner that stretched down the hall. It was almost big enough to put a billboard to shame. It was easy to tell that Fumio was proud of those of them that had been picked for the Autumn Election.
"I guess Fumio-san is in the kitchen?" Isshiki muttered, leading the way past the banner and towards the kitchen.
Ariadne and Souma followed. When they entered the kitchen, Ariadne came to a stop, blinking at the man standing in the kitchen. Even when he turned to Souma and demanded that he help out in the kitchen, Souma didn't stop to think, merely did as told. Ariadne stood in the doorway, hands on her hips, wondering how long it would take Souma to stop and question the situation.
A minute later, she got her answer.
"Wait, I just started helping without thinking, like at Yukihira, but...! What the heck are you doing here!?"
Ariadne heaved a sigh, giving her head a shake as an amused smile curled her lips. Leave to Souma to be the one that spaced.
"What? You know him?" Fumio asked, looking between Souma and the man.
"W-who is he?" Megumi asked.
"An old boy of Totsuki Academy and the Polar Star Dorm." Fumio replied.
"A Totsuki old boy!?" Souma repeated.
"Must be because of the generation gap...to think you wouldn't know Saiba Jouichirou, the second seat of the Elite Ten." Fumio said, heaving a sigh.
"Sa-Saiba?" Souma repeated.
"Ah, the rice should be done soon, Souma." the man called.
"Shuddup! Just explain this, Pops!" Souma demanded.
"They're father and child!?"
The last part came from Fumio, Ryoko and Yuuki all at the same time.
By this point, Ariadne was in the background, bracing a hand on the wall as she fought not to drop to the floor in laughter. She was barely managing to keep her laughter to herself, trying hard not to draw attention to herself.
After making sure that the food was good, they all relocated to the dining hall, Ariadne remaining by the door, trying to deploy the method of "out of sight, out of mind". Souma, on the other hand, was trying to process what he had just learned and wasn't fairing too well.
"Pops is one of Totsuki's old boys, he was in the Polar Star Dorm, and he was in the Elite Ten, too...I'll really need...some more energy to take all of this in at once..." Souma said, looking like he was burnt out.
"Oh...Yukihira is shaken up for once." Yuuki remarked.
"Should I say...as expected from Yukihira-kun's father?" Ryoko asked.
It would stand to reason that his father was the only person that could really shake Souma up.
"Saiba Jouichirou." Isshiki called, stepping up to Souma's father.
"Hmm...you know about me?" Jouichirou asked.
"Yes...I have seen your name in previous years' documents. The "Wandering Chef" who used his skills in many different famous restaurants around the world! It was a name so famous it was plastered across every cooking magazine at the time. However, he suddenly disappeared from the business' front lines. For those who know of him, he's a legend." Isshiki replied. "I am Isshiki Satoshi, the current seventh seat of the Elite Ten. It's an honor to meet you, Chef Saiba."
"Yeah...I currently go by the last name of Yukihira, so just call me Jouichirou."
Jouichirou took Isshiki's offered hand and gave it a shake Ryoko and Yuuki standing behind him, amazed that he was not fazed by Isshiki's naked apron. Yuuki turned to Souma, then.
"Yukihira! You really didn't know anything about this?" she asked.
"Well...I only recently found out that he was working overseas. Ah, but, come to think of it, when I was little, we sometimes received calls from people talking in foreign languages, and there was a time when a lot of pictures surfaced of him with foreign people." Souma replied.
How this boy was able to come up with new recipes and solutions on the fly, was beyond Ariadne.
It was then that Jouichirou's eyes found Ariadne by the door. The moment his eyes landed on her, he perked up, opening his mouth, but stopped when, with a grin on her face, Ariadne silently raised a finger before her lips, giving him a wink.
"Something wrong, Pops?"
Jouichirou turned to Souma when the boy spoke. For a brief moment, his eyes returned to Ariadne, before he turned back to his son and gave a shake of his head.
"Nothing." Jouichirou replied, raising to his feet. "Now, then! The food will keep on coming, so let's have a toast!"
With that, the celebration started. Everyone dug into the dishes, the taste so amazing that even Ariadne ate more than her stomach could reasonably hold. They also got a look at where Souma got his tendencies for horrible dishes from.
Hint...it wasn't his mother.
Ariadne even got to see a picture of Jouichirou and Doujima from when they were second years in high school, the picture showing the two sitting on the front steps of the Polar Star Dorm. Fumio painted them a picture of the two as the ones that single-handedly built up the Polar Star dorm and all of it's connected lands. The old woman even went on to compare Doujima to a loyal dog and Jouichirou to a stray cat because, where Doujima sent letters and cards and never failed to do so consistently, Jouichirou would just show up out of the blue, stay for a short while, and then vanish once more.
Ariadne had to agree that it was a fair comparison.
When the celebration was over, the students scattered to their respective rooms. Ariadne helped with clean up before she headed up to her room. By the time she passed through the lobby to the main stairs, everyone else was already in their rooms. She had just stepped onto the bottom most step when she heard her name being called.
"Ariadne Sinclair." Ariadne came to a stop and turned to find Jouichirou standing in a nearby doorway, his arms crossed as he grinned at her. He was speaking English instead of Japanese. "I didn't know you were going to come here, too."
Ariadne smiled back at him, bracing her hands on her hips as she gave a shrug of her shoulders.
"Yes, well...I wasn't given much choice. Given how things have been the last few years, I would have preferred to stay in Marseille." Ariadne replied. "But, you know how everyone back home is. Reputation this, image that."
Jouichirou chuckled as Ariadne rolled her eyes.
"You haven't changed one bit. Well...personality wise. Still flirting with the girls?" he asked.
He watched as one of her cheeks puffed out and she braced her hands on her hips, acting like she was offended, when she wasn't.
"You're one to talk, un chat errant." she retorted.
"Oh, come on. You're going to start with that stray cat business, too?" Jouichirou asked as she called him "stray cat" in French.
"You have to admit, it's a pretty fair comparison. How many times have you visited in the last four years?" Ariadne shot back.
"Uh..."
"Exactly."
Jouichirou ran a hand through his hair, chuckling sheepishly. She had caught him, and she knew it. The girl, he knew, had always been a rather clever one. Even when she had been nothing more than a toddler clinging to his leg, demanding his attention. Ariadne grinned at him, like she knew where his thoughts were.
"It's still great seeing you again, but, do me a favor." Ariadne said, making him raise an eyebrow at her. "Don't tell anyone that you know me. Especially don't tell anyone how we know each other. I'm trying to keep a low profile, and if anyone knew I was connected to a former second seat, I'd have all sorts of people nosing into my business."
He could understand not wanting others to stick their noses where they weren't wanted. He had no reason to spill her secrets, so he agreed.
"Got it." he told her.
"Thanks. Now, I have a bunch of trail dishes I have to get started on tomorrow, so I'm going to bed. Have to hit the market early, right? I assume you'll still be here tomorrow?"
"Yeah. You get on to bed. Don't forget to call Tallie." Jouichirou told her.
"I never do." Ariadne replied, turning to head up the stairs, waving a hand over her shoulder.
Ariadne stretched her arms over her head as she reached the top of the stairs and started off down the hall. It was always nice to see a familiar face, but, for the time being, she had other things to concern herself with. She would be up early the next morning to hit the market as soon as it opened. She planned to take advantage of the break as much as she could.
After all, who knew what the Autumn Election would bring.
END
Ariadne: I told you the joke wasn't that bad.
Kyandi: I suppose not, but you have to admit, for him to be that comfortable walking around like that, he's got to be confident in what he's got.
Ariadne: That, or he simply doesn't care or notice.
Kyandi: Yeeaaahhhh...Isshiki, despite how he acts sometimes, doesn't seem that stupid to me.
Ariadne: No, but he is that care-free.
Kyandi: I suppose. Anyway, I have another story to update, so...
Ariadne: We need to wrap this up?
Kyandi: Yes. Everyone, please enjoy and review.
Ariadne: We'll return as soon as possible.
Kyandi: Bye-bye!