Shokugeki No Soma: The wasteland truly is cruel
Chapter 2: A whole world of emptiness
Soma laid there on his bed sleeping nothing would wake him even when Erina and Alice would pull him on the ground causing everyone to run up, but Soma laid there lifeless it seemed the only thing giving them all hope was that he was still breathing fairly well. His body would not even move it was like he was in a shell and all that was left was his breathing and heartbeat as nobody knew what else to do every night Alice and Erina would lay next to him. It would soon change but nobody knew that what was about to happen would be the biggest battle any of them had ever known and all they could do now was hope and pray for him to recover because he changed all of their lives and he did not deserve to be alone after saving all of them.
Soma's mind
He stood there in the wasteland that he used to explore but his body itself was turning to stone and nothing he did could stop it yet in the distance he could here people calling his name and the voices sounded so familiar he wanted to get to them and find out who was calling him but seeing as both his legs and his right hand were all turned to stone it made it impossible for him to even move towards the voices all he could do was wait and slowly cry as the tornados came ever so close to taking him as he heard thunder creeping up ever so close. He could only think of what he would love to do if only he could go back to those he loves he even settle for disappearing and never seeing those he loved again just to have his body back but then again what would be the difference he thought smiling ever so brightly as finally one of the tornados barely hit his left hand and he noticed it didn't hurt maybe if this took him it would not be so bad maybe just maybe then he would be able to rest in peace and he wouldn't have to deal with his mind anymore as he just waited as the tornado slowly enveloped his body with only his right hand left he said his goodbyes in his head.
Reality
They had just put him back on his bed when his body had broken out into a massive fever as his old man just stood there watching knowing there was nothing he could do Erina yelled at Hisako "Can you help Soma please" tears started to falling as she clung to him with everything hoping that he would come back she needed him what was she without him his annoying, arrogant, egotistical, idiotic, stupid grin wearing self she needed all of him to come back to her as she slowly pulled him in closer to her as her friend came back with ice water and a towel while she went to try and make a remedy to save the man who had saved her friendship with Erina. Alice pulled herself closer to him on the other side not letting Erina take full advantage of the unconscious Soma as she also wanted to help but did not know of any recipes that could help him as she laid next to him slowly crying herself to sleep. The whole would seemed as if it was slowly slipping away that everything they could have ever wanted was disappearing. Everyone just sat there in the room looking at him lifeless as they all drifted of to sleep while Hisako made a remedy as she ran all around buying tea leaves and other miscellaneous items to help his body recover. Joichiro just sat there staring at him knowing what he was going through and knew that he might lose the only person he had left to the storm and he could not stop it he felt so powerless not knowing what to do when he felt something pull on him as he got up and left following this pulling into his room where he had his little shrine to his wife wondering why he was here knowing his son needed him by his side before he noticed Tamako's journal on her side of the bed forgetting about it completely after she had passed as he didn't want to relive the pain that she was no longer with him. He slowly walked over to the journal to open it just to see it was filled with his son's recipes he had forgotten about that his son kept tweaking and editing as he learned until he got to the last page.
Tamako's Journal last page
Hey Idiot,
I know you probably are not going to read this and if you are well our son might have gone down the path you went down and you might feel powerless but don't ever forget that I love you and so does he I don't want you to ever give up on him if you have to force feed him then do it I don't want our son to have a short life like I did and I want him to grow up to take over our diner one day and when he does take it over I hope he has a special woman right next to him that he can dedicate his life to like you did for me I might of said your food all sucked but don't forget that none of it really did even when you gave me your most heartless dish it was amazing but as you kept cooking and life came back into your eyes the food you made slowly started tasting better and better so thank you for all the delicious food that you made me and I hope Soma finds a girl that makes him cook for her like you cooked for me so I know you probably didn't get rid of any of my stuff I hope you could give Soma my two other headbands as he probably already took one of them to remember me and give him the ring and necklace that you gave me when you asked me for our life together.
He got up to grab the headbands that she always used knowing his son probably almost never washed his current one to keep his mother as close to him as possible and knew that he should wash it as he went in the drawer to grab the two headbands along with the ring and necklace as he walked back to Soma's room to lay them down on his desk so that when he wakes up he would not be alone leaving with them the journal from Tamako as he walks over hugging the three kids and lets Erina and Alice know that if they want the can read through the journal his wife left behind. Hisako finely finished her recipe praying that it worked for Soma, Erina, and Alice she loves them all dearly as friends and does not want to see any of them sad and everyone else also needs Soma back as he is the light in the world never faltering to anyone.
Soma's head
He was swallowed all he heard what the thunder roaring and the winds took over his whole body slowly his eyes closed his fight was over he had nothing left in his gas tank to fight with he was exhausted and his fiery will to fight was disappearing as if the winds were putting out the fire within him as he grinned knowing full well that his body was done for even if this wasn't his physical body he had an idea that his actual body was not going to wake up from this and all he could think of is how he wished he could see everyone's smile how he had wished he was stronger than this storm but he didn't know what to do as his eyes finally closed to let the storm consume him completely. Wandering in the storm she walked with two girls they did not know who she was but she had found them as they searched for him with cuts and bruises all over Erina and Alice wondered who she was but she only motioned for them to follow her into the storm the only thing they saw was a white band wrapped around their wrist like Soma always had but no matter what they said she would not respond all they saw as they followed was that they were heading towards a big tornado and it only seemed to grow as it went and the winds pushed them as they got closer when they thought they were going to be blown back they were grabbed by this mysterious person but what they could not figure out was why they were heading to the tornado just as they were about to be engulfed by it they all stopped as she yelled out "Soma its time to come back you have some people waiting here for you and I know you don't want the storm to eat anyone else up so you need to come back my beloved son" the two girls just stood there as she took off her hood watching as she turned to look at them grinning "Hi, I am Tamako and Soma is my son I am sorry he is doing this to you two but looks like I am going to have to get him so when you get his body can you get him out of here thanks and let him know how much I love him. Also when they talk about me can you two call me oka-san" she then let go of them as she walked away from them as the tornado engulfed her as she went to find her son as the sticks and rocks hit her body repeatedly but she would not rest until she had her son safely returned finally as she got to the center of the storm she found him as she grabbed him to pull him towards the two girls she felt herself slowly getting weighted down as if her body was gaining wait but she refused to stop with each step more and more of her was disappearing but she was not going to let him disappear in the storm there were people waiting for her little boy as she got to the edge of the storm she saw the two girls walking towards her "oka-san we want to help you' they said in unison as tears were falling grabbing the mother and son as they dragged them away from the storm even when she told them to leave her they ignored her words they wouldn't allow Soma to be without his mother and they refused to let the storm engulf them the would all survive this and Soma would wake up and his mom would forever live in all of their hearts.
Present
Hisako finally got the tea down into Soma's system, but nothing had changed like it should have but what was worst was his heartbeat was growing weaker as his breathing was shallower with each breath and the two girls laying on his side would not wake up either. She sat there crying as she not only couldn't save Soma but now it looked like she was going to lose Erina and Alice also after everything they all went through she didn't want to lose any of them she wanted to save them all slowly everyone was waking up to her tears except for Soma's father they saw him knocked out by the desk knelling over while he was grabbing his heart in pain but was not responding like the other three it was like they were all trapped in the barren wasteland. They all just sat there fear in there eyes it has been 3 days since Soma went unconscious and nobody knows how long for the other three but nothing would help that if they all let themselves be brought down also so they went down to the dinner to make some food reminiscing all the adventures that they had and hearing other adventures from each other laughing and smiling knowing that they would all come back there was no way that those four would leave them.
The Barren Wasteland
They all walked the four of them trying to get out of the storm but it was gaining speed and they knew it would soon devour them all but they refused to leave her behind it did not matter to the girls if she had already passed away or not they would not leave her behind after she lead them to him and they vowed to get them all out of the storm as they trudged forward trying not to fall just when it seemed not to matter anymore as they all tripped he showed up the Asura himself knowing better than anyone on how to get into the wasteland he was wandering for far to long her found out how to enter it. "Yo, lets get out of here" he said grinning as he grabbed Soma so the three girls could walk with no hinderance from his weight and the two girls picked her up the family would not lose anyone to the storm as they all finally got further and further away and Soma and his father were behind the girls to make sure they would get out finally the storm seemed to have stopped chasing them as he looked at the girls and his wife telling them to picture the real world again and the things that keep them going as he was going to get Soma home a different way and the two girls listened and soon they vanished from the barren wasteland mindscape that they were in as the three members just sat there waiting as slowly Soma was regaining his body as his parents would talk until finally Soma woke up as his mother came and hugged him "You should have never come here Soma this is not the place to my son to be especially when he leaves my two daughters-in-law back worrying about him" she said as she hit him in the head now you go back with your father and stop doing reckless things like me she was grinning the signature grin that she passed on to Soma. "I love you mom/Tamako" they said in unison as she walked away from them only turning to grin " I love you both too and I will always be with you two wherever you go" she said before leaving them in the wasteland as his father helped him remember and imagine himself back home.
Soma's room
Alice and Erina woke up startled as the fell off the bed with a sleeping Soma crashing into the ground as everyone turned to run up the stair to see what was happening only to find the girls there holding on to him even tighter as they cried. Everyone looked at them as they looked mentally exhausted beyond belief as they went to get the girls attention, they heard a loud groan from Joichiro as he scratched his head "my idiot son wake up yet?" he said while grinning the same dumb grin his son gives everyone the girls could only wonder if she also did it as they all wait for him to wake up they girls recounted how they met her and how she led the girls to Soma and just when they thought the storm would take them all he showed up pointing to his father as he looked as them before asking "anyone wanna try my new recipe" he said grinning the same grin Soma did when he had a terrible dish to give everyone as they all moved away from him but the two girls pulled some with them but he still went over to them only to force it into Soma's mouth it was his new and improved anchovies with strawberry jelly, habaneros, chocolate sauce, and mint sauce as he laughed everyone just stared at the lifeless body shoot straight up gagging as he glared right at his dad "Man that was so disgusting I think that's the new top dish for disgusting dishes" he said laughing. His dad only pointed to his desk and showed him the stuff that his mom left him as Alice and Erina followed him. "Soma we decided we are sharing you sorry but you don't get a say in this and no more reckless crap you worried everyone here especially us BAKA!" the two girls yelled in unison as they walked with him to his desk to make sure he was ok if he fell they wanted to catch him after all they had their 3rd year to finish together with Soma at the top of the school besides Erina who was the director of the school now Soma just stared at the desk before turning around and putting a headband on each of their wrists smiling as he went behind Erina putting the necklace around her neck as the purple gem on it matched her eyes so beautifully and went over to Alice to place the ring on her finger as it slid on so perfectly as if it was meant for her hand and to her surprise the white gold metal had small ruby in it. "Soma why do you have these" the two girls asked. Soma only stared at them as if he didn't hear them turning to his dad "I never realized it before now but you sucked at picking out matching jewelry" he said laughing at his dad while his dad just grinned at him "Just you wait till you have to do it" he shot back at his son as they were now glaring at each other as if they were about to fight before all four stomach started to growl leaving everyone to laugh at the four of them.
To be continued I hope you all enjoy
