Chapter 81: Battle Terms
Dismissing the student chefs for the night, allowing them to get some much needed rest, Senzaemon and the two other two men retired to the longe car. However, upon settling down into the sofas the three men were brought out of their relaxation time by the 'ping' of an incoming message.
Sighing, Dōjima ran a hand across his face before nudging, a half-asleep, Jōichirō to make him aware that his phone had just received a message. Glowering as he shoved a hand into his trouser pocket to retrieve his phone, Jōichirō muttered an expletive under his breath as he realised that his brief down time was now over.
Having received a text message from Azami outlining the bare minimum details for the Team Food War which only infuriated the three adults even more, Senzaemon decided that they needed to hammer out a proper arrangement with the new director. Although once Gin and the former director read the message; outlining the initial plan for the team food war their glowering expressions were enough to peel the paint off the carriages interior walls.
Short, sharp and shrift.
Azami didn't mince his words or deviate from the arrogance from his already assumed victory.
"Smarmy bastard!" Gin growled as he stared narrow eyed at Jōichirō's phone in his hand.
Chef Saiba,
'Rebun Island - seven versus seven.
The current seats on the Ten (all of them) against whomever the four rebels manage to scrounge up to assist them.
We shall decide the actual format whence we all convene at the final site. Or if you desire an earlier pre-meeting then do so we shall.
I look forward to officially inducting you into Central. So until then enjoy your last days of freedom... old friend.
Director of the Tōtsuki Culinary Academy,
Azami Nakiri
It took all of Jōichirō's sapience to not respond with a cutting remark, thereby showing that he had been affected and roused to anger by his former junior dorm mate and former friend. Letting out a deep breath, Jōichirō sunk deeper into the plush armchair and then accepted a large double vodka from Gin; whom seemed equally put out.
"Please restrain yourselves..." Senzeamon interjected calmly, although he too seemed extremely peeved over Azami's words.
"This food war is for the students of Tōtsuki to decide for themselves..." he spoke plainly whilst toying with his moustache. "We are merely assisting them in their training as well as offering moral support and technical guidance".
Griping one last time through barely concealed hidden rage, Jōichirō downed his double vodka and roughly smacked the glass back down on the table beside him. Clenching his fists the elder Yukihira remembered the supremely annoyed expression on the director's face combined with gratification as he verbally put both Sōma and Megumi down.
"If Nakamura talks smack about my son or his girlfriend again, then I won't be held responsible for my action", he said through gritted teeth. Reaching forwards he took up his glass again and gestured to Dōjima for another refill.
"Don't you think you've had enough..." Gin responded cautiously. Frowning both the former director and the executive chef rolled their eyes, knowing that Jōichirō was deadly serious but at the same time proud of his son's culinary and emotional growth.
"I'll tell you when I've had enough!" Jōichirō replied waving his over hand inform tog his face. "This has been a shitty day. And I bet it's gonna be a helluva lot shittier".
Standing on one of the three empty platforms of the empty railway station outside the mountain town of Furano, the four first year chefs and the three adults waited for the arrival of Director Azami and the Council of Ten.
"Seriously?" Sōma sighed, "the rendezvous point for deciding the food war is here... it's the middle of fricking nowhere".
Noticing that Megumi was shivering from the cold, the redheaded boy moved towards her and wrapped his scarf around her neck before upturning the collar of his jacket around his own neck.
"Thank you..." Megumi replied pulling the scarf around her before lovingly embracing the redheaded boy, "but what about yourself?"
Sōma shrugged his shoulders as he kissed his girlfriend on the cheek. Dressed in black jeans with a thick knitted jumper over his 'Yukihira' t-shirt Sōma blushed as he caught sight of his father's cocky grin with a quizzically raised eyebrow resulting from witnessing his son and girlfriend kiss.
Stepping back and scuffing the snow-covered platform, the red head shrugged off his shoulders before booping his girlfriend on the nose. "I'll be fine Megs... you don't have to worry about me getting a cold. I'm very sturdy".
"How very cheesy of you son..." Jōichirō chuckled moving forwards and tousling his son's hair. "I still can't believe you got a girlfriend. She must be a saint if she puts up with you".
"Quit fricking grabbing me!" Sōma growled protested, albeit not with any proper angry intent towards his father. "And yes I love Megumi, dad, so quit being so bloody embarrassing!"
Watching the father and son argue over nothing and still be able to show affection with one another, with Megumi standing in between the two of them trying to act as a mediator, gave Erina a renewed sense of vigour and purposefulness to fully break away from her own father and assert herself as her own person.
An independent chef with Hisako, her best friend and girlfriend beside her.
"Over there!" Takumi suddenly exclaimed sprinting past the still arguing Jōichirō and Sōma, to point upwards at the closest mountain ridge. "There's people coming down the mountain".
"Also..." Dōjima interjected, "I am beginning to hear the sounds of a train approaching Furano station".
Looking upwards, all those present acting against Central's dictatorial rule over Tōtsuki could begin to make out three individuals skiing, snowboarding and sledding down towards them. And as the three persons got closer and closer into view the rebel chefs realised that the three individuals were Azami, Tsukasa and Rindō.
And then moments later the train, which the executive chef had heard, slowly arrived into the station before pulling up at the second vacant platform, out of which four more Council members exited; the only member of the Ten noticeably absent was the third seat.
Upon reaching the platforms, Azami, Tsukasa and Rindō left their modes of winter transport behind them and joined the others on the second platform, leaving a row of empty train tracks between central and the rebels.
"It's good to see everyone here looking so determined and refreshed. And that you've arrived on time" Azami smiled pleasantly, although the glint in his eyes showed his merciless nature.
"It's soo bloody cold..." Rindō shivered blowing into her hands in a vain attempt to keep warm. "Can we get this over with".
"Hey there Chef Eizan!" Sōma grinned waving to the new eighth seat, oblivious by the gnashing of teeth and fuming scowl that Eizan sent back at him. Only after three minutes of non verbal abuse did the ninth seat interject into the conversation with a vicious response.
"You shut your mouth you smarmy bastard! I hate you so much and I will crush you to bits!"
With a disdainful glower on her face, the sixth seat, Nene Kinokuni wiggled her nose as disdain flooded through her at Eizan's degenerate behaviour. Pushing her glasses further on her face with her hand muttering something about Eizan's 'pure murderous intent' - aimed solely and squarely at Sōma - she was about to speak in defence of the redhead boy when the Director turned towards her and handed over a thick bound folder.
"Nene..." Azami spoke candidly, "if you would be so kind as to read the articles of competition to those foolish rebels" he stated plainly, ending her withering scowl at the Alchemist.
Nodding her head Nene opened the file and piece of paper from her jacket pocket and began reading from it.
"Once the final exams for the other first years has concluded we will head to the southernmost tip of Rebun Island ..." she explained carefully. "Aside from it's natural beauty, Rebun Island will act as the final location for the Team Food War, were a specially constructed stage is being put together".
Turning over a page, Nene noticed the glowering expressions directed at her by both Sōma Yukihira and Takumi Aldini but she paid them no heed.
"As the advancement exams progress", she continued coyly, "all the remaining first year students, whom pass the advancement exams, will also head north where they shall suit the role as audience to Central's final victory over you rebels".
"So you are trying to make a spectacle out of us being defeated" Sōma immediacy replied tersely, not even giving Nene, or Azami, time to put forwards their versions of the truth.
"Yeah they already assume victory will be easy for them..." Takumi added bitterly clenching both fists as he recalled Isami and Ikumi's defeat. "Theyre just as arrogant as the Director they installed by coup".
Moving forwards and placing himself in between both first year boys and the growling Azami, Senzaemon Nakiri addressed his former son-in-law directly.
"We agree to these terms..." the old man stated plainly. "At the end of the team food war the team with the most wins will assume control of the Council of Ten, is that correct?" The former director started coldly.
Smirking broadly, even as he nodded his response, Azami added another point of order to the terms of challenge.
"Let us also refrain from not restricting the number of combatants as well..." turning or look at his former friend, Azami addressed Jōichirō. "As Chef Saiba once faced fifty opponents. Central retains the right to call as many as one hundred opponents as may be needed. And we of course extend that opportunity to our opposition too..." he grinned happily.
"Still with most rebels having been expelled, I'd expect that would be rather difficult for you people to achieve".
With angry retorts ready to bloom once more from their mouths Sōma and Takumi were again stopped just in time by Dōjima. "You're in an awe fully good mood, Azami. But don't forget if you lose then everything you've achieved thus far will be reversed and you'll no longer be Director..."
"That may be true.." Azami reps ponded with a sigh, "but should I win then I shall have my daughter back at my side, and as an cherry on top, the great Jōichirō Saiba shall also be bound to me and Central as well".
Pulling several small blue passport sized books from his inner jacket pocket, the Director proudly showed off the schools ID's of the expelled residents of Kyokusei as well as those of Alice, Ryo, Ikumi and Hisako.
"These ID's are symbolically important..." the fifth seat, Sōmei Saitō, interjected stoically. "They are proof of ones status as a Tōtsuki student, and therefore we shall consider ours with the same respect as our positions on the Ten".
Moving forwards Saitō swiped the stuffed toy cat doll out of the forth seat's hands and opens the zip up pouch in its back before placing his own ID inside. Immediately, the other councillors began doing the same; as Momo crouched down bemoaning the treatment of her doll.
"You are in no place to comment on how I treat your doll" Eizan replied both sourly and snarkily. "You're the one who always rips it apart whenever you cook".
Glowering up at the taller boy, the smaller forth seat, kicked Eizan in the shin before stamping down on his foot. "Shut up Eizan-nyan!"
"This battle that should not be taken lightly..." Saitō returned to the conversation, "besides demonstrating our will to win through our superior skills is the true essence of a warrior".
"If you want these back then come get em", Tsukasa stated turning away hiding his forlorn expression from both his fellow council chefs as well as and Director Azami.
"That's right!" Eizan angrily yelled. "We'll fight you with everything we've got!" Holding out his hands, the new eighth seat held the eleven other student ID's given to him by Director Azami. "But in the meanwhile you don't mind if we hold on to these. They certainly won't be needing them, as capable as they were they are still failures".
Takumi physically bit the inside of his cheek to force himself to not resort to Eizan's level of antipathy, besides from being held back by Sōma. Despite his clenched fists, the only indication of his fury, the Italian boy remained stoic.
"Say whatever you want, Eizan, but I'd like to point out that right now our only thought is getting back our friends and nothing more than that. That is why we're doing this food war!" The blonde boy spoke through gritted teeth.
Stepping forwards, Sōma and Megumi each backed up Takumi's declaration. "Yeah! You tell em Takumi! We're came to get back what you took away" the redhead boy scowled at the Director and the present members of the Ten. "We will not be cowed by you!"
Immediately realising what she'd just yelled, Megumi turned pale as she saw the withering glowers she began receiving from Eizan, Momo and Nene.
"By the way..." Azami interjected, distracting the Ten from Megumi's words. "For the regimental food war, you will be a member of Central. Erina".
The already tense atmosphere dropped even further as the rebel chefs turned around to face Erina, who suddenly appeared pale. "Wait a damn moment!" Sōma yelled.
"Yeah! You can't just decide that..." Takumi added furiously moving past Senzaemon to stand in between Azami and Erina.
Levelling an incredulous expression at the two boys in question, Azami simply waved off their question. "I'm not sure what you find confusing, because if I'm not mistaken the Director and the Ten occupy the top positions of Central. And as Erina is the tenth seat, she is therefore a member of Central and obliged to join us against you".
Now facing his daughter Azami pointedly commanded her to "come home".
"Please father..." Slowly looking up from her shoes and the snow covered platform, Erina took in several deep breaths before levelling her father with an equally pointed stare.
"I understand all that you have said", she stated plainly. "Which is why I relinquish my seat on the Council of Ten. I no longer want to be defined by my position on the Ten. And if I don't do this then I can no longer call myself a fellow first year and friend to these so-called rebels".
"I see..." Azami replied grimly. "I never thought that you'd challenge my ideals with your very own; going against everything that I have taught you" he then narrowed his eyes sternly. "Very well then but if you lose, you will agree to rejoin Central and never again disobey me. For the remainder of your life, agreed?"
Crossing her arms as she narrowed her eyes, Erina nodded as she curtly responded to food war addendum. "Yes, fine".
Without saying anything more Director Azami spun around and walked towards the second Tōtsuki train, a grin upon his face as he stepped aboard. After glowering one last time at Megumi, Chef's Momo and Eizan about turned before making their way over to the train.
"We shall settle this once and for all on Rebun Island..." the Alchemist growled "you won't survive much longer. Sōma I will beat you black and blue!"
Just as the rebels were about to turn towards their own train, Sōma caught sight of a letter drop from Rindō's hand into the furrowed snow platform. He was about to shout to her about loosing her phone, when he noticed Tsukasa shake his head and surreptitiously point at the half obscured envelope.
As he boarded the train, last, Tsukasa glanced back at the rebels and sighed. Then just as Central's train began to pull out of the station, Sōma rushed towards the letter digging it out from the snow, ignoring Takumi's angry and confused rant.
"What the hell are Rindō and Tsukasa playing at!" Takumi spluttered. "They agree with Central but at the same time are helping us?"
As Erina, Megumi and Takumi gathered around him, peering down at the now opened letter in Sōma's hands they all couldn't help but frown as they read the words written.
'We're sorry.
Our selfish wish allowed us to believe that Central would be the best way for us to stay together. But as we slowly began to learn more about Director Azami, we realised that he was simply using us.
Isshiki knew and tried to dissuade us but we were blinded by our wish to never again feel overworked, overwhelmed and frustrated by the expectations of our professors, benefactors, clients and culinary leaders.
Mayhaps it would have been better if we had dropped out of Tōtsuki in our second year... but by then we met Kensuke, who knew exactly how we felt but far worse than us. Friends we became, and never would we be separated.
However, because of our arrogance and selfishness we now find ourselves apart. We can't not participate in this team food war but neither can we forced to win.
Isshiki is right.
We cursed Tōtsuki and brought misery to the many students whom love being at the academy. We will make right our mistakes.
By quitting Central, Azami won't have the top three seats of the Ten backing him and without us Central will lose its connections with culinary and industry figures whom will abandon him.
We're sorry for all the trouble we have caused,
Rindō Kobayashi, Eishi Tsukasa and Kensuke Tadokoro
Looking up from the phone screen, the four first years immediately glanced at the train in the distance. "No way! They're just gonna quit!"
Strolling forwards, Dōjima yanked the letter into his hands glancing at the missive frowning. "It won't work..." he stated sadly. "Whilst I can at least applaud them for realising their mistakes and trying to make amends; having the first, second and third seats all simultaneously quit wouldn't damage Central in way that Rindō and Tsukasa think".
"I agree", Jōichirō added. "In the short term, yes Central will be damaged and loose credibility but I have no doubt that Azami would find a way to recover. Long term anyway".
"Indeed", Erina echoed. "I know my father. He's cunning and quite skilled in sophistry. He will have no trouble bending new talent to his whims".
Sighing, the god tongue sat down on a bench and rested her head against her right palm. "I still believe that the best way for Tōtsuki to be restored is through the current plan".
Grinning wide, Sōma walked forwards and slung his arms around Erina's neck. "I was hoping you'd say that! So we will rack up the victories in our team food war, dissolve the current Council of Ten and roll back all of Centrals plots!"
Frowning as she moved forwards and pulled Sōma off a blushing Erina, Megumi took out her own student ID and passed it Erina. Doing the same, Sōma and Takumi each handed over their ID's smiling as they announced that Erina was the reason they had all reached this point.
"Very well then", Takumi grinned, "we will entrust our Tōtsuki future to you".
¡Happy Platinum Jubilee to Queen Elizabeth II !
And: R.I.P -
Vangelis. Composer and film score producer
Patricia Brake. Actress from Porridge and Going Straight.
Ray Liotta. Actor. Forever remembered for Goodfellas and his voicing of Tommy Vercetti in GTA: Vice City.
Lester Piggott. Champion Jockey.
