SailorStar9: Well, I've uploaded Chapter 13, and here's Chapter 14. 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 14: The Honorable Mark

"Step forward." Reika instructed. "Huang of Dung Jiang Kuan, your beef noodles were truly magnificent. Not only have you solved perfectly the theme of mock noodles, you also found a new type of taste and expressed it clearly and simply. The preliminary and final tests have proven your skills beyond any shadow of doubt. Huang, you have done very well indeed. You may go home now."

"What's the meaning of this?" Huang asked. "When do I get my Super Chef license?"

"Didn't you hear me?" Reika frowned. "You've failed the test. Now, remove yourself from the premises."

"Wait a minute, what is this about?" Huang demanded. "I defeated those two just like that. Look at the scores. Explain what this is about? Why have I failed?"

"You fool!" Reika barked. "Try to think of a reason why. There's a reason why we let you grade each other." stepping backwards, she gestured for an attendant who then unfurled the rolled up parchment in his hand. "This is how you graded each other." she stated, showing the three contestants the tabulated results. "Compare the grades each of you gave. Mao and Fei gave five points each to your dish, giving you ten points. And yet, Huang, you only gave one point for each of their dishes. Mao and Fei gave eight points to each other, so their total points added to nine. But this wasn't enough to surpass Huang's points. Huang, you let you greed get the better of you. You clearly failed to grade the two dishes properly. If you cannot properly assess the cooking of others, then you have no right to become a Super Chef. Try again in four years."

"Lan Fei Hung of Da Tung Kuan," Reika addressed to two remaining contestants after Huang left the arena. "Liu Mao Xing of Yousen Shuka, you've both done well in coming this far. We will now administer the final test. We now know that you are capable of assessing the dishes of others. For te last part of the exams, you must now assess your own dish."

"I have faith in my own cooking." Mao mused. "But how am I supposed to assess it?"

"You first, Mao." Reika cut Mao from his thoughts. "You grounded up catfish and mixed it with a dried squid core to overcome the inherent softness of the noodles. Your noodles are a wonderful answer to the theme of mock noodles, and is both bold and refreshing. Mao, grade your dish on a scale of one to ten, with ten as a maximum."

"My dish is worth ten points." Mao declared.

"Well, Mao-sama sure doesn't lack confidence." Ya Xue chuckled.

"Why does your dish deserve ten points?" Reika asked.

"I am young, and still have room for improvement." Mao admitted. "However, I make all my dishes using the very limits of my taste, skill and heart; believing them to be the very best there can be. How can I, as a chef, give myself less than ten points?"

"Fei, you used potatoes as the basis of a cold noodle of amazing suppleness topped by a slight sweetness." Reika turned to the older chef. "It's refreshing taste is like an iceberg floating in the ocean. Fei, how do you grade yourself."

"My dish is also worth ten points." the older teen declared. "The reason of my assessment is exactly the same as Mao's."

"We will now declare the successful candidate of this Super Chef Examination." Reika spoke after a short discussion with her attendants. "Lan Fei Hung of Da Tung Kuan and Liu Mao Xing of Yousen Shuka; your noodles were equal in both taste and skill: skills worthy of becoming a Super Chef. The final assessment was to test the most important aspect of being a chef: your pride. And both of you gave yourselves as perfect ten. Fei, Mao, I will make an exception this time and grant licenses to the both of you."

"Such a troublesome young master I've got." Ya Xue sighed in exasperation as Mao and Mei Li jumped for joy.

"Mao, Fei. We will now present you with the Super Chef Emblem." Reika told the two chefs as a pair of maid-servants pushed out a dragon carriage with the Super Chef uniform . "Try putting these on. Listen well, both of you. On its own, the Super Chef license is nothing more than a decoration. This test is merely a rite in passage. You must always endeavor to further advance yourselves."

"Fei." Mao turned to the older chef. "If we ever have another match, I won't lose to you. Not the next time."

"I've been waiting for you to say that." Fei nodded. "You're on."

"Nee-chan!" Mao waved at the doors opened.

"It's the Super Chef Emblem!" one of the chefs from Yousen Shuka spotted the emblem.

"Mao, you've done it!" Karin ran over and hugged her brother. "You've finally become a Super Chef."

Ya Xue graciously backed off to let the siblings celebrate as the others crowded around Mao. "Is it really all right not to see her?" she turned to Fei who was packing. "Karin-sama, I mean."

"It's fine." Fei assured as he bundled up his belongings.

"I see." Ya Xue nodded. "But surely it won't hurt just to pay Kikkaro a visit sometime, right? Karin-sama has been quite worried about you."

"I'll try to find the time." Fei replied.

"Alright." Ya Xue nodded again. "Just one last warning for you: be careful of the Underworld Cooking Society. They were the ones who killed Pai-sama. Now that both you and Mao-sama have been granted Super Chef status..."

"Mao, I have just heard." Admiral Lee addressed the newly-born Super Chef. "You've done well in passing the Super Chef Examination. Mao, the time has come for you to return to Szuchuan. You have passed the Super Chef Exam, as I requested. As agreed upon, I hereby appoint you as head chef of Szuchuan's Kikkaro."

"Admiral Lee, I'm not going back to Szuchuan." Mao informed. "Everything I've seen and tasted in Canton has been a new discovery. I met many people and was surprised to learn the depths of Chinese cooking. There is so very much I can still learn about cooking. I don't think my Mother would be happy, if I return to Szuchuan and succeed her in Kikkaro, without doing that."

"Then, are you saying that you'll remain here in Canton?" Admiral Lee asked.

"No," Mao replied. "I wish to go on a journey to train myself. China is huge. There are so many awesome dishes I haven't discovered and great chefs I haven't met. I'd like to go on a journey to learn more about everything."

"Yes," Admiral Lee smiled. "I suspected you to say something like this. Becoming a Super Chef is not the end of your destination of your culinary career. Mao, make sure you cherish your convictions and never forget them and feel free to study as much as you like throughout China."

"Thank you very much." Mao beamed. "Mei Li..." he blinked, seeing the older girl run off.

"Mao-sama is really very slow in realizing a girl's feelings." Ya Xue chided.

"Thank you." a sobbing Mao took the handkerchief that was passed to him on the junk after he read Mei Li's letter.

"I've been thinking about a lot of things, but..." Mei Li smiled brightly. "I wanted to go with you. I'm just worried about you two. So I'm coming with you."

"But does Chouyu-sama know?" Ya Xue asked.

"About that..." Mei Li muttered.

"Why am I not surprised?" Ya Xue sighed.

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