Hi guys! so sorry it took so long to update! so continuing on with the story i'm going to tell you guys that there's some spanish on certain things that would mean differently in other countries so some of the terms that i type in would be normal for me (i'm born and raised in puerto rico) but for others it would mean different, i wanna clear it out now just in case if further along the story some things might not be the same as some would know. Anyway onto the story!

Chapter 12

" It seems you're all here, in my class, you'll be working in pairs." Hinako explained " You'll be paired as in your first practicum of the semester. So please go to your workstations."

"Luna-san, I guess we'll be working together again." Reo said

" Y-yeah…"Luna said her eyes glanced seeing Soma and Megumi in the room.

"Don't be so nervous."Reo said "All we have to do is pass."

"I know." Luna said

Soma turned his head and smiled. "Hey, Luna-chan! Good luck!"

"You too." Luna replied with a soft smile.

"Yukihira Soma, is it?" A voice said

'That's...Takumi.' Luna thought seeing the blonde boy. 'That means that..'

"Luna-san!" Luna turned her head seeing the dark-haired boy.

"Isami-kun! So you're here with us too?" Luna asked

"Yeah! How are you doing?" Isami asked

"I'm okay..so…"Luna said turning her gaze back at the blonde who was stepping on Soma's foot. "What's up with your brother? Why is he stepping on Soma-kun's foot?"

"I know, he's being silly." Isami bluntly said watching his brother. "He's excited."

"That's excitement?" Luna tilted her head.

"I get your point so get off my foot!" Soma fiercely said

"Okay, everyone!" Hinako said loudly getting everyone's attention, she sat on the bench and opened up a bag. "I'll be sitting here so feel free to ask me any questions you might have."

'What?' Luna thought blinking a few times.

"Um...so...what are we going to do?" Luna asked

"Oh, I almost forgot!" She said "Let me see…"

'She's pretty laid back…I wonder what would happen if she's serious?' Luna thought

"Hmm, my task for you is…" she stretched her hand towards the table with the windows opened on the clear bright day. "Use the ingredients here to make a dish that could serve as a main dish in Japanese cuisine."

"J-japanese cuisine?" Luna repeated.

"Yes, Japanese cuisine." She nodded with a smile.

"But there's nothing here." Another student muttered.

"Of course there is! We're in a glorious nature right next to a clear stream!" Inui replied "There are ingredients galore! We have in the room spices, condiments and oil. Not to mention cooking utensils. You're also welcomed to use other tools such as fishing poles. We are on a private property, which is encircled by a fence if you cross that fence, you will be disqualified. Secure your ingredients from this limited space and prepare them."

'We have to forage and hunt for ingredients? Like...farm to table? I've hardly done that…' Luna looked out the window then glanced at the Chef.

"You will pass if you create a dish that I find satisfactory. You have two hours." She said she clasps her hands. "You may begin."

At that moment all of the students were in a panic except for Reo, Megumi, Soma and the Italian twins, Luna on the other hand felt very nervous about this test. The rest of the students ran off to get the tools.

"It's face-off time, Yukihira!" Takumi announced

"Oh, yeah? A face off?" Soma tilted his head.

"Let's decide who's the better chef." Takumi said he coolly walked to the instructor.

"Huh? Better chef?" Luna muttered

"Chef Inui, I'd like you to make the call." Takumi said very confidently "Please exercise your rigorous judgment and decide whose cooking has the better taste!"

"Huh?" Inui stopped eating her snack. "That has nothing to do with my task, so I would prefer not to."

Suddenly all the build-up tension quickly died away leaving an air of awkwardness. Takumi took a step back caught by surprise on the Chef's answer.

Soma chuckled and smirked slightly. "Hey, what're you gonna do?." He continued to chuckle. "Because you got on your high horse, you're making everyone uncomfortable ."

"That's really lame, bro!" Isami laughed

"Shut up! Don't laugh too!" Takumi snapped Isami continued to laugh Luna let out a soft giggle.

" No te pongas asi Pollito!" Luna chimed in. (Don't be like that little chicken! )

"Don't you laugh too!" Takumi said already feeling himself heat up. He shifted his blue eyes and pointed at Soma. "I-in any case, I cannot lose to you! I will make a dish that tops yours! Got it Yukihira!"

"C'mon, let's go! I'll see you later Luna-san!" Isami said dragging his brother, Takumi still shouted on other things.

"Megumi-chan, Soma-kun good luck!" Luna said walking towards the door feeling her heart beat rapidly in her chest.

'Calm down...calm down Luna…'Luna swallowed a dry lump and walked out with Reo.

"So what should we get?" Luna asked Her friend.

"We could get fish." Reo suggested "But I think we'll have to cook it differently."

"Fish? I feel like that would be too simple to get.." Luna muttered

" Japanese cuisine mostly use fish." Reo said holding a fishing pole. "Just pick whatever fruit or anything edible to use, fish would be good grilled or braised..we don't have flour or panko to bread it.."

" It sounds too simple...everyone would still be doing the same." Luna said looking around the trees. "What if we do something different?"

"Like what?" Reo asked

"I don't know yet…"Luna said in deep thought.

Luna looked around seeing all the wild herbs and trees with different fruit that are ripe for the picking.

'Japanese cuisine...I've only had a bit of it but I hardly ever cook it...fish would be too easy...but it's the quickest way to get it yet if Chef Inui sees and taste everyone's dishes using fish she might get sick of it...what should I do?' She thought worriedly searching around. 'What should we do?'

Lost in thought she snapped out of it when she heard rustling sounds and a loud sound.

" I think that sound was over there.."Luna said

Meanwhile with Reo…

'It's been half an hour….and I haven't had any luck.' He thought waiting patiently holding his fishing pole. 'Not even a nibble...but i think Luna is right about the fish, even if we do find a way to make our fish dish to stand out Chef Inui might dislike it because we aren't being creative enough. ' Reo let out a sigh.

" What if we use a different protein? But which one? I mean does this place have any animals here?" Reo muttered to himself.

"Hey! Reo! What if we use this instead!" Luna yelled while running straight to her partner. Holding a small cooler in her arms, she opened the cooler to let Reo look at the contents.

Reo's eyes widened seeing the container. "H-How did you get that?!" Reo exclaimed.

Luna grinned. "Mi amigo me ayudo, el fue tan dulce en ayudarme!" Luna smiled. ( My friend helped me! He was so sweet in helping me!)

'I have no idea what she said…' Reo thought his eyes glanced at the cooler. 'But I'm sure we can make something good with this.'

"I even got a few other ingredients to make something good." Luna said "What do you think if we grill it?"

"I was thinking the same." Reo said "Maybe with a twist."

"We better go before time runs out!" Luna spoke up looking at her wrist watch.

Back at the test kitchen on their way Luna and Reo saw that The Aldini twins, Soma and Megumi arrived as well.

Luna noticed that all the other students are using fish to cook, she glanced at Reo who seemed a little calmer.

"Man, everyone's going for fish because of the Japanese cuisine theme." Takumi stated getting the students attention. "Isn't that narrow-minded?" Most of the glared at the italian blonde.

'I didn't pick fish..I was lucky I got something different.' Luna thought glancing at her cooler.

Takumi held out a whole raw duck, the other students were surprised at seeing a different protein , The Blonde stated that there were other animals too other than just fish. Takumi walked over to his station.

"Isami!"

"Okay." Isami said he held the knife , Luna watched him in action breaking apart the duck just like how she first met him, easily separating the meat from the bone without damaging it.

"Wow...Isami that's a great job...even better than the rabbit ." Luna complemented

Isami smiled at her, "Thanks Luna-san, but my brother can finish this three times faster than me."

'That's what he said last time too...he should have more confidence in his skills.' Luna thought slightly frowning.

Isami passed the tray to his brother, the twins working in synch following each others work flow. Luna stared at the Blonde Aldini so focused in his work leaving Luna in complete awe. The Aldini twins officially introduced themselves to Soma and Megumi, after a few minutes they continued their cooking.

The students gasped watching Takumi take out a double handed knife. "Mezzaluna." Takumi said using it to chop the herbs rapidly and quick.

"Mezzaluna? So cool…"Luna said softly "What does it mean?"

"Mezzaluna means half moon."Isami replied "It's used mostly for pasta and chopping herbs."

"Ive never seen a knife like that ." Luna said watching takumi pass the Mezzaluba to Isami, his expression changed just like last time.

Takumi opened the oven , the aroma in the air was making Luna sigh in content. The twins finished their dish presenting it to the chef.

"Grilled duck with herbs." Takumi said placing the plate down , seeing the beautifully cut duck layered in a fan topped with green sauce. Edible flower on the side along with extra sauce in a small cup.

Chef Inui took one bite, seemingly enjoying the duck dish until one of the students pointed out on the green sauce but Inui corrected them that it wasn't the Italian salsa verde improvising with the ingredients they have to make a Japanese version of it, with that they both passed.

'Wow...combining different ingredients to make something that's closer to their italian roots. These guys are something else.' Luna thought

"Luna-san, here try some."Isami said holding the second plate "Remember when we talked during our breaks that you never tried duck before? Here have some!"

Luna looked at the plate then back at Isami, she reached up to take the plate seeing the duck, she smiled brightly at him.

The moment that Luna ate the piece she felt that she was in flavortown. The aroma, the sweetness and acidity of the sauce along with the duck meat made her smile enjoying it.

'So good...it's giving me ideas for more flavor combinations.' Luna thought 'Maybe I should make something close to my own roots?'

"This is delicious! Isami-kun, Takumi-kun you guys are amazing! Breaking down the duck and using different ingredients that you found in a time limit...it's amazing!" Luna honestly said with a smile.

Luna turned to Reo, she held out the cooler.

"I know what we should cook." Luna announced.

"Let's start." Reo replied with a calm smile.

That's the end of this chapter! Also when i mention Pollito is a friendly petname for someone like your best friend and such, please leave a review and tell me what you guys think! any ideas or suggestions feel free to Pm me! Also check out my other stories too! my newest story is a Merlin story! it's called A Crystal's Power.