SailorStar9: Well, I've uploaded Chapter 4, and here's Chapter 5. So, read and review. Come on boys and girls, is it so hard for you to leave a review other than putting this on your favorited lists and alerts?

Disclaimers: Me no own, you no sue.

Chapter 5: Destroy Old Tradition

"I know!" Mao realized, after the teens were chased out of the Yousen Shuka kitchen. "Let's open a restaurant here. We can't give up yet. All we need is water and fire to cook. We can open a stall here and sell some delicious Green Pepper Steak. We can get people to come, and it'll become popular. Then, Master Chouyu would surely forgive us."

"It's started." Ya Xue grinned impishly. "Another one of Mao-sama's out-of-the-box ideas."

"That's a good idea." Mei Li beamed. "Let's do it!"

"Is this gonna work?" Sanche wondered.

"Sanche, if we work together, we can make a delicious Green Pepper Steak." Mao insisted. "All right, we did it!" he beamed after they set up a rather simple store front.

"Where will we get the ingredients?" Sanche asked.

"I can ask some friends." Mei Li offered. "I have lots of connections."

"So, the rest is up to us." Mao beamed.

"The standard Green Pepper Steak combines the crispness of vegetables with the tenderness of meat." Sanche mused, firing up the wok. "Both factors must be balanced well."

"It's important to cut the vegetables properly." Mao related. "Bamboo shoots!" he started slicing up the bamboo. "Next are... the green peppers. Then, the meat. All sliced must be of the same size. That's how we ensure a good dish. Season the meat properly, then we're all set. I pass it on to our star, Sanche. We'll do the bamboo shoots first, since they take longer to cook."

"Add lots of oil, and put in the sliced bamboo shoots." Sanche took over

"Next comes the sliced meat." Mao continued.

"He's great." Mei Li gushed. "He doesn't even need to use chopsticks to cook."

"We strain out the oil," Sanche put the bamboo shoots and sliced meat aside. "And add the green peppers. Quickly toss back into the wok and season with sauce. We'll have to fry it quickly."

"They're having so much fun." Mei Li muttered. "Mao cuts well, and Sanche cooks well. If they work together, they can make the perfect Green Pepper Steak. It looks great!" she beamed after Sanche dished up.

"Let's taste it." Sanche readied his chopsticks. "This is good!"" he gushed. "It has a distinct taste when chewing. And that's all because the vegetables are all evenly cooked."

"You're right." Mei LI agreed, taking a taste. "The way you cut the vegetables definitely makes a difference. Sanche, this is great. I'm sure my Dad will definitely forgive you. Mao, Ya Xue, try it. So, is it delicious?" she pressed after the two Szuchuan natives gave the dish a taste test. "What's wrong?" she blinked, hearing Ya Xue's barely audible sigh.

"You realized it, right, Mao-sama." Ya Xue looked at her young master.

"Yeah," Mao nodded. "I forgot the most important thing. This Green Pepper Steak won't do at all."

"What do you mean, Mao?" Mei Li asked.

"This Green Pepper Streak has a weakness." Mao replied. "Master Chouyu will not accept this."

"What's wrong with it?" Sanche pressed.

"It's well-made, it tastes good and all the basics are there." Mao answered. "It's cooked in the proper order, too. Therein lies its weakness."

"You're right." Sanche realized the same thing.

"What's wrong with this Green Pepper Steak?" Mei Li was confused. "I can't find a bad point. Doesn't it taste good?"

"Green Pepper Steak at Yousen Shuka can't just be 'good'." Sanche explained.

"We'll have to start over again." the two boys chorused.

"Perfect synchronization!" Ya Xue gaped in astonishment.

"Damn it, the sun is rising!" Mao cursed, when the sun shone on his face.

"Can't we think of any good ideas?" Sanche hissed.

"I think the Green Pepper Steak you made was delicious!" Mei Li snapped. "I don't understand what's wrong. What are you guys talking about? What kind of standard should Yousen Shuka's Green Pepper Steak have?"

"Mei Li, you really shouldn't..." Ya Xue warned, seeing the enraged girl about to kick the persimmon tree. "Oh dear..." she winced when the ripe fruit rained on the redhead.

"This is disgusting!" Mei Li whined. "It's mushy and I'm all sticky."

"That's it!" Mao exclaimed when an idea came to him. "I have an idea."

"What is it?" Sanche asked.

"Look." Mao turned to Mei Li.

"Why don't we have a taste of your Green Pepper Steak?" Chouyu asked, taking a seat.

"Yes..." Mei Li nodded. "Mao, Sanche, three servings of Green Pepper Steak."

It's very mild. Chouyu mused, tasting the dish. A new taste. A sweet taste that adds deeper flavor. What's the secret ingredient? "I see." he spotted the persimmon tree and the basket underneath it. "You added persimmons in it."

"Yes," Mao nodded. "We used the ripe persimmons left on the tree."

"And how do you use the persimmons?" Chouyu asked.

"Persimmons are at their sweetest when ripe and almost spoiled." Mao explained. "We made a paste from them and used them instead of sugar. We added soy sauce and other flavors to create a very mild taste. It deepens the taste of the Green Pepper Steak that we made."

"Ripe persimmons have a natural sweet flavor that goes well with vegetables." Chouyu added. "It helps deepen the overall flavor. This is a great Green Pepper Steak dish."

"Dad, it seems to be very popular." Mei Li stated.

"Can you please forgive Sanche?" Mao requested. "Please give him another chance."

"Nothing beats a seasonal ingredient, right, Chouyu?" Master Lu joked. "It takes skill to use ripe persimmons, crush them into paste, and use them in a dish to enhance the taste. It's all about how you use your ingredients. And they came up with the idea in just one day. They might just be better than any seasonal ingredient."

"You're right." Chouyu conceded.

"Well then, Sanche, Mao." Master Lu turned to the boys. "I ask both of you, what is Yousen Shuka's tradition?"

"That's..." Mao stated.

"To break tradition!" both boys chorused.

"Well said. "Master Lu beamed. "We don't have a fixed flavor at Yousen Shuka. We break tradition all the time, constantly experimenting with new tastes and ideas. Therefore, this Green Pepper Steak is suitable for our restaurant. I also need to break tradition in Sanche's case, isn't that right, Chouyu?"

"Yes," Chouyu nodded. "Effective immediately, the staffing limit is abolished. Sanche, we'll take you back. See you tomorrow."

"Yes!" Sanche nodded.

Later that night, Sanche had brought out his knife, a chopping block and a white radish. Making the first chop, he halved the carrot and started slicing. "I did it!" he beamed, a slice floating under the moon. "A hazy moon slice!"

"You sure overcame your Aichmophobia real fast." Ya Xue remarked.

"You're still up." Sanche blinked.

"You've decided then." Ya Xue stated plainly.

"Yeah." Sanche nodded.

"Have you told Mao-sama?" the bond-servant asked.

"Do you really think he'll let me leave?" Sanche deathpanned.

"Good point." Ya Xue admitted. "Here." she tossed a flask to him.

"This is..." Sanche frowned.

"I figured you'll need more of my healing paste." Ya Xue replied.

SailorStar9: Now that's done, read and review.