AN: Hi all! I told you that my hiatus would be indefinite. While life has been hectic, I've managed to find a system that should let me post more regularly.
I hope you all enjoy this chapter and look forward to the next update, which will be for my Batman x Fire Force story.
CHAPTER 02: The First Course
Much to Bruce's surprise, the set had moved to the patio section of his penthouse. It is one the things about the building that he found himself taking a liking to when he bought it in the first place; stone granite pillars that held a glass shade with an array of potted plants that gave it a vibe akin to a lost ancient mega structure.
There was supposed to be a cafe table there in the center with several lounge chairs. But those had been cleared off to make way for the cooking stations as well as the rest of the set and equipment.
The two contestant chefs, Ikumi Mito and Mirae Song, stood ready by their stations while the judges stood on the small wooden veranda that led back into the main hall.
"Ikumi,…Mirae,…" Stephen addressed them.
"The two of you have been blazing through the competition like wildfire and now you have at last come head to head in a fight that'll put your skills to the test! At the end of this round, only one of you will move forward to the Semifinals."
Stephen continued on with the overly dramatic and scripted speech as Ikumi fought the urge to roll her eyes.
"Urgh, will he just get on with it already!?" she impatiently grunted to herself.
While the tanned busty woman tuned him out, she glanced over towards where the cameraman was and immediately took notice of the two people seated side by side behind the crew.
"Hm? Isn't that the Wayne guy sitting with Pheobe-san? Do they know each other?"
Although it didn't appear that way from just a glance, Ikumi couldn't help but feel his eyes on her.
She was partially annoyed but another part of her also felt kind of haughty about it. Ikumi had no problem flaunting her body so she was used to attracting stares and ogles. "This is me!" she had often told herself proudly. That persona of her's had made her feel powerful and confident and she had used it to both intimidate and charm those around her.
That was…until her defeat from Soma Yukihara.
The image of the spiky red-haired man and his infectious grin wafted into her mind, causing her cheeks to slightly tinge and her heart to thump.
But with it also came feelings of sadness and regret. Who was she kidding? For all her confidence, she didn't even have the courage to…
Had the camera not been rolling, Ikumi would've visibly shook her head and slapped her cheeks to snap herself out of it. So she simply just silently reigned in her thoughts.
"I-Iiya! Why the hell am I thinking of Soma right now?! C'mon Ikumi, get your head back in the game!" she chided herself.
Luckily, by the time she turned her attention back at Steven, he had finally moved on to the subject of their Shokugeki.
"Now, I'm sure you're both wondering why we decided to move the match out here on this beautiful patio. To answer that question, go ahead and lift up your Mystery Boxes."
At his command, both Ikumi and Mirae looked at their respective stations where a medium sized wooden box was placed on the top by their stoves. Lifting them up revealed a bucket contraption with a metal grill on top.
Basically, they were portable charcoal grills.
"It's a night time barbecue party!" Stephen said jovially. "For this challenge, you will be using these portable charcoal grills! But that's not all…"
Following his gestured hand, Ikumi and Mirae looked towards the far side of the patio where two shapes were hidden with draped sheets. Two crew members pulled away the sheets to reveal a set of prime beef carcasses hanging from a metal rack.
Both the contestant chefs eyes widened with their mouths agape at the sight.
"That's right, you'll have to make your own cuts of beef and use the provided ingredients to prepare a barbecue dish of your own style." Stephen told them. "You have only 45 minutes on the clock so I can't stress this enough: make effective use of the time you have!"
Stephen's words sounded far away to them as their blood began to run wild. It was a no brainer that the producers and judges were aware of their heated rivalry and hoped to capitalize on that. They did so by providing a battlefield where the two culinary warriors could test their mettle without holding anything back.
With fire burning behind her glasses, Mirae turned towards Ikumi while flashing a fierce grin.
"I'm going to destroy you, Mito!" she declared.
Ikumi returned the sentiment with a confident smirk.
"Heh, like hell you will. Because when I'm done, you'll experience the REAL pleasures of the flesh." she licked her lips tauntingly.
"Oooh, Fighting words! I like it!" Stephen chuckled before settling his voice back to a serious tone. "Contestant Chefs, are you ready?"
"Ne!" Mirae stood ready.
"Hai!" Ikumi did the same.
And so, Stephen slowly raised his arm up before dropping it forward.
"Begin!"
Immediately two contenders went for their respective sacks of charcoal that lay beside them and began loading the grill. After pouring an amount with lighter fluid, they lit them up with a lighter. Both of them were able to get a good blaze going with Mirae using her experience of arranging the charcoal with bits of paper while Ikumi utilized the secret heating technique she had learned from the old man from the mountains.
Meanwhile as the competition was underway, Phoebe leaned over to Bruce and whispered to him with an excited tone.
"This is going to be an interesting match up. You see, both Ikumi and Mirae are renowned meat specialists from their respective countries."
"That right?" Bruce asked, looking mildly interested.
Phoebe nodded and continued.
"Mm hm. Mirae has been called the 'Queen of Bulgogi' and her expertise just happens to be Korean style barbecue."
"Then that gives her an edge in this challenge, doesn't it?"
The young producer gives a knowing smirk.
"Not necessarily, Ikumi is in a class of her own. She's-"
"The 'Meat Master'. So I've heard." Bruce interrupted, recalling his earlier encounter.
"She's one of the top ranking students who graduated from Totsuki Academy and was the heiress of the Mito Group, the largest Wagyu exporter in Japan. Since then, she has been a rising star in the cooking tournaments all over the Tokyo prefecture."
He couldn't help but notice a certain detail in what she said.
"Was?"
Bruce briefly wondered if it was a slip of the tongue before thinking nothing of it. Instead, he homed in on another detail which he was curious about.
"You've been to Totsuki Academy too, right?" he asked.
"Of course. You helped me get in."
He ignored the slight feeling of guilt that bubbled inside of him and continued his inquiry.
"Do you know Ikumi personally?"
Pheobe smiled.
"Yes, you might say that." she said before giving a coy wink. "But let's save that story for another time."
As Bruce and Phoebe were engaged in their hushed conversation, the Judges were giving their own commentary on the two chefs.
"Alright, looks like our two contestants are following the right playbook here: starting up the grill first." Stephen spoke.
Taiji hummed in agreement as he tapped his folded fan against his bearded chin.
"It should take 20 minutes for the heat to reach an optimum temperature. They should use this time to make their cuts. What kinds of cuts they end up with will determine their strategy from there."
Just as the elderly Japanese preached his zen-like creed, Mirae left her grill and zipped towards her beef carcass, ready to carve into the meat.
"And it looks like Mirae's already on the move! Whoo-hoo!" Sharon cheered with a hoot.
But then her expression morphed into confusion when she looked over to where Ikumi was.
"But…err…What's Ikumi doing over there?" she asked with a weird face.
Jeremy followed her gaze.
"Is she…? Is she boiling rice?" he voiced out incredulously.
Indeed she was. Rather than running towards her beef carcass, Ikumi instead fished out a cup of rice from one of the sacks provided to them and poured it into a pot. Since there was no running water in the patio, she had to use two plastic bottles of water; one to wash out the rice and one to use for boiling. She then laid it on the stove and turned the gas on.
"No, no, no, No! Why is she doing that!? That's just a waste of time!" Jeremy complained angrily.
While she was still in the middle of making her cut, Mirae glanced back at her opponent with a smug grin.
"Pfft! Predictable as always." Mirae laughed to herself.
Ikumi could hear the judges loudly criticizing and berating her but despite that, she concentrated on the task at hand.
"Ignore them." she told herself. "You know what you need to do so just focus."
Again, to the judges' surprise, she didn't go straight for the beef and instead fired up the stove's second burner. She placed a frying pan over the fire before then dumping a handful of sesame seeds into the pan.
She found it ironic in a way. In the past, she would've never wasted her time like this. All that mattered back then was the quality of her A5 beef, everything else was just an added bonus.
But she had grown as a chef since then and had learned to diversify her cooking. She knows now that the meat alone wouldn't be enough and that she needed to find ways to bring out the best of its flavors.
Bruce watched her silently as she roasted the sesame seeds before pouring some soy sauce into the pan. Then she left the pan to sim while she quickly chopped some garlic, ginger and green onions before dumping them into the pan as well.
When he had met her, the scantily clad woman came off as being someone who seemed full of herself but seeing the concentration on her face made him reconsider his earlier stance.
She seemed to be the kind of woman who knew what she was doing, the kind of woman whom he found sort of admirable.
It was distracting however, the way she splashed a bit of apple cider vinegar on her finger before sucking…a little too sensually for his liking.
Then again, when did he ever have a problem with that?
By then, Mirae had returned to her station with her cut of rib-eye and proceeded to work on her marinade: quickly throwing chopped onions, garlic, apples, brown sugar, soy sauce and sesame oil into a blender.
In a quick fashion, she made cuts of her rib-eye into thin strips before putting them along with the marinade into a peculiar plastic bag with a tube connected to a syringe. Folding an empty portion of the bag over the table with her elbow, she pulls the plunger up to create a vacuum seal.
"Now that's a smart move." Jeremy commented. "Marination usually takes hours but a vacuum seal will force those flavors into the surface of the meat"
Stephen nodded in agreement and added his own insight.
"Plus, because the cuts are thin, the marinade will be absorbed much faster. That's genius!"
Light gleamed off Mirae's glasses as she reveled in the judges' compliments although there was only one person she really wanted to impress. She looked towards Bruce and flashed a beaming smile at him like a child showing an A on their report card to their parents but Bruce didn't seem to notice. Then she snuck a glance towards her rival and could see that she still wasn't done with her sauce.
The Korean woman would've laughed maniacally if she could. It had been twenty minutes and Ikumi was still lagging behind. All Mirae needed to do now was to prepare some condiments while the meat gets marinated and finally start grilling. There was no way Mito could catch up.
However, it was at this point when Ikumi finally made her way over to the beef carcass.
Despite how much the judges commented that she needed to pick up the pace, Ikumi still took her sweet time. Her plump lips curled into a confident smile as she unsheathed both her knives in a stylish fashion before expertly slashing at the meat.
It was something that Bruce keenly paid attention to; he had seen such knifemanship usually performed by mercenaries and assassins, not so much by chefs.
"Hm, Tenderloin?" Stephen remarked, seeing the cut that Ikumi went with.
"Something you'd like to share with the class, Stephen?" Sharon asked him teasingly.
"No, it's just that…it's a lot leaner compared to what she usually goes with."
And it would be even leaner as Ikumi began to trim away most of the fat and cut the length of the tenderloin down to the center where she finally sliced them into half-inch thick cutlets.
They were vividly red with light marbling and while Mirae had already started grilling, Ikumi began to season them with Almond oil, freshly ground pepper and only a light coating of salt. Finally, she takes and lays the pieces over her grill where she had gathered the ashen coals.
The remaining time ticked by as she methodically rotated the meat at intervals to get an even sear on its surface. Her target was to get them all to medium rare. Poking the meat with a long needle, she brought it to her lips to feel the heat and figured it was about 38 Celsius; prompting her to move the pieces to the colder spot of the grill.
Seconds now ticked to zero and Mirae had long finished putting the final touches to her presentation.
"Time is up! Chefs, stop your cooking now!"
Stephen yelled out just as Ikumi quickly transferred the grilled meat to her rice bowl while pouring the sauce all over it. She nearly dropped her pan as her upper body sagged, panted in exhaustion as Mirae snickered at her.
"Cutting a little close there, Mito?"
Ikumi spun toward her with a cartoonishly miffed expression while holding up to fist towards her.
"Oh, shut it! I had plenty of time!" she fired back.
The excited atmosphere slowly deflated and it would seem that the director decided to cut to commercial again.
"So, what now?" Bruce asked Pheobe.
"Now the judging starts." she replied.
It was close to midnight and fortunately it didn't take very long for the crew to relocate the equipment back into the living area. During that time, Ikumi and Mirae were escorted into separate rooms for their 'confessional interviews'.
Ikumi personally found the whole thing a little cringey but on the other hand, she never missed a moment to trash talk her opponent.
When the cameras began rolling again, the two competitor chefs each stood by a makeshift pedestal that held their respective covered dishes while the judges sat at their tables.
Once again, Bruce sat next to Pheobe behind the cameras and crew to watch the proceedings.
Finally, after a few compliments directed at the competitors, Steven called for one of them.
"We will now begin judgment. Mirae, please step forward and present your dish."
With a confident smile, the Korean brought her plate to the judge's table.
"I have prepared a Bulgogi platter with a side of salad, Gochujang and Kimchi." she said.
The judges 'ooohed' in awe as Mirae lifted the lid, revealing succulent strips of rib-eye that glistened with mouth-watering deep shades of brown. She had definitely put effort into presentation, as it was garnished with vibrant greens and reds in the form of chopped spring onions and red chillis.
Of course, presentation wasn't all it had going for it; the savory aroma alone gave them a preview of the flavors locked within.
"That smells divine!" Sharon closed her eyes in rapture as she inhaled in the wonderful scent.
Steven grinned and rubbed his hands in anticipation.
"I'll have you know, Bulgogi is one of my favorites so I'm really looking forward to tasting this."
Mirae felt her confidence grow; managing to hook the judge's interests. Now she just needed to reel them in.
Not waiting a second longer, the four judges each took a strip with their respective pairs of chopsticks and tasted it.
"OOOOOOOOOAAAAHHHH!"
In unison, the judges exclaimed in a loud enchanted "awe" before hurriedly taking another bite.
"Th-this is amazing!" Sharon said with her mouth almost full.
"Mmm! The meat is so soft and packed with juices that its creating a cascade of deliciousness in my mouth!" Stephen remarked.
"The smokiness from the charcoal only adds to the flavor profile. Invoking an image of ancient fireside feasts!" Jeremy commented.
"And the marination is masterfully done!" Taiji complimented. "The surface area is lavished with sweetness and soy sauce, yet keeping a uniform thin layer of ravishing meat in-between! Each morsel sings a deep, savory ballad, with caramelized notes like a midnight serenade!"
Mirae lips curled into a big 'U', trying to remain as professional as possible while she internally cackled with victorious glee. She imagined her and Mito in a boxing ring with her opponent being bruised, beaten, winded, barely on her feet and begging for mercy because she had already won. But no, Mirae wouldn't be satisfied until she finished her off with a resounding KO!
"If I may make a suggestion to the judges: I'd like you to please try a bite with the sides as well." offered Mirae sweetly.
With intrigue, the judges did as she said and her smugness only grew once she saw their eyes light up in delight.
"This is even better!" said Stephen.
"The Kimchi's tangy bite contrasts with the Bulgogi's sweetness, creating a harmonious discord." Jeremy hummed.
"But the Gochujang adds a fiery crescendo, a bold testament to the dish's layered complexity!" Taiji cooed in pleasure.
"Oooh! Which one do I dip with? I can't decide!" Sharon looked back and forth between the two sides.
As the judges continued to "ooh" and "aah" and say sweet nothings about Mirae's dish, Bruce sat quietly with a puzzled look; taking in the absurdity in their reactions.
"I don't get it. It's just food." he thought.
By then, the judges had finished and Stephen looked to Mirae in approval as he dabbed the sides of his lips with a napkin.
"Mirae, you've outdone yourself." he told her. "That was not only the best Bulgogi I've ever tasted but it's what I'd call a top restaurant dish. Well done! We're really impressed."
Mirae bowed and gave her 'thank you's' in a superficial display of humility before turning around to walk back to her makeshift pedestal. As she came by Ikumi, she flashed a grin that pretty much said "Try and top THAT, bitch!". The silent taunt that only made Ikumi roll her eyes in annoyance.
"Alright judges, I hope you have room for one more." Stephen said before addressing the next competitor. "Ikumi, please step forward and present your dish."
Undaunted, Ikumi carried her bowl with one hand and strutted over to the judge's table where she gently laid it down before lifting the lid off the bowl, releasing a gentle puff of steam.
The judges' eyes went wide with interest.
Inside, resting on a bed of light golden rice, were arranged cutlets that had its outer crust sensually glistening with sauce that was rich with tones of brown ranging from sepia to burnt umber. Sesame seeds were dotted over the meat like the bumps on strawberries. An arrangement of cooked vegetables laid just at the border where rice met the ceramic, adding a set of vibrant colors.
"This…" Ikumi presented with a coquettish smirk. "Is Mito style Yakiniku Don!"
It wasn't like she hadn't made Yakiniku before but this particular one was a concept she had come up with during her time at the Don RS club back at Totsuki.
Ikumi almost screwed her face in embarrassment; she could just imagine Konishi standing with the crew, cheering her on with that damn pompadour of his.
"Atta girl, Nikumi! Show 'em what you're made of!" he would cheer with weepy eyes, holding up his thumbs.
"Really, Mito? Another Donburi?"
The tanned blonde snapped out of her imagination and looked to her side to see that Mirae had decided to join her at the judge's table with more insults to throw her way.
"Why not? Unlike you, I didn't need to waste my time preparing sides." Ikumi told her condescendingly with her hands to her hips.
She curled her lips and pointed a finger at her.
"Everything you could ask for is right here." she said before circling her finger in the air. "One meal summed up in one bowl."
"Yeah! You tell her, Nikumi! I'm so proud of you!" the imaginary Konishi cheered.
"WILL YOU GET OUT OF MY HEAD!?" Ikumi internally roared at him with such intensity that the 'image' was blown away like scrap paper.
"It certainly looks tasty." Sharon noted, staring at the bowl curiously.
"Hmm."
Taiji hummed, tapping his folded fan against his beard before pointing it at Ikumi with a stern expression.
"Mito-san, as a fellow Nihonjin, know that I take Japanese cuisine very seriously so expect no quarter from me!"
Ikumi remained silent, her face and body tensed. She did all she could, everything else from here would be up to the judges.
"Well then,…let's have a taste shall we?" Stephen urged his colleagues.
And so they each brought their chopsticks out and took turns holding a mix of meat and rice in their grips before bringing it to their lips and tasting it in unison.
"HMmm!?" their eyes popped wide open.
The sensation hit them like a lightning strike before a blissful atmosphere settled over them. They were left in a stunned stupor, the chopsticks on the verge of slipping from their fingers. The pupils of their eyes dilated as the nonexistent chorus of angels sang into their ears.
"This…this taste." Stephen mumbled.
In a sudden frenzy, Sharon dove back to the bowl and took more mouthfuls, seemingly unable to stop herself.
"W-why…can't I…stop eating!?" the helpless tone of her voice was muffled as she continuously ate.
"Oi! Leave some for the rest of us, will you!" Jeremy scolded her as he pulled the bowl out of her reach.
Jeremy took another bite himself and involuntarily hummed in ecstasy.
"It…it simply melts on the tongue like velvet and the pastiche of flavors is caressing my palate like a sinful temptress." he gushed.
At the mention of the 'sinful temptress', the image of a naked Ikumi hovered over his mind's eye; her tanned tantalizing body covered in red rose petals, two particularly over the forbidden bits of her large mounds, as she gives him come hither looks.
With a nervous gulp, he begins to push the bowl away. But Ikumi sensed the man's weakness and while sporting a malicious grin, she walked up to the judges' table and leaned over with a palm atop of its surface. Her boobs bounced like water balloons before his enlarged eyes.
"Aw, what's wrong, Jeremy? Don't want some more?" she purred.
With beads of sweat, Jeremy veered his face away guiltily.
"I'mamarriedman!I'mamarriedman!I'mamarriedman!" he chanted in his mind over and over.
Scowling in outrage, Mirae marched up and pulled Ikumi away before pointing a finger at her accusingly.
"This has got to be some kind of trick! You were barely at the grill! There's no way you could've-"
Mirae was interrupted by a cry of realization from Sharon who had apparently managed to sneak in and take another bite from the meat cutlets.
"This is,…Filet…" she spoke, ending the last syllable with a falsetto squeak. "Mignòn!?"
"Filet Mignon?" Mirae whispered before exclaiming in disbelief. "On a Donburi!?"
"Sokka." Taiji's eyes lit up. "On top of the meat being so tender, she seasoned it with almond oil which has a high smoke point. But the fact that she managed to get them to a perfect medium rare in record time shows a great deal of skill."
"But we all saw her season it with less salt, yet it's perfectly balanced." Stephen commented.
Jeremy chimed in with his own insight.
"Ah! It's the rice! She cooked it with a little bouillon powder. That's why it goes down so easily! And because of the natural saltiness from the Yakiniku sauce, she compensated for the meat so it wouldn't be overwhelming."
Stephen nodded.
"Like a layered sandwich of sauce, meat and rice."
"And the sesame seeds are roasted to perfection. Along with the almond oil, they add a nutty depth that imbues the meat with a subtle richness." Sharon coos in delight after taking a smaller bite this time.
With chopsticks still in her hand, the woman then crossed her arms and hugged below her shoulders, swaying back and forth as she cries out in orgasmic fashion.
"Oooh, yeesssss! Take me! Take me to more sinful delights!"
Taiji takes a helping for himself and he closes his eyes with rosy cheeks and a smile of rapture. Lost in his own world, the serene image of Ikumi decked out like an Edo era courtesan playing with a Samisen floated in his mind.
"This dish is a symphony of flavors, a songstress that whispers sweet nothings to our taste buds. The nutty undertones of the almond oil and sesame seeds provide a delightful counterpoint to the richness of the beef, while the rice provides a gentle, soothing melody."
All the while, throughout the judges' the over the top antics of poetic accolades and orgasms, Bruce continued to look flabbergasted at the whole proceedings.
"They're still talking about food, right?" he wondered.
Eventually, the craziness settled down and thick tension hung over the set as the judges' quietly deliberated amongst themselves. When they had finished, Ikumi and Mirae stood on edge and waited anxiously for their verdict.
"There is no doubt that Mirae's Bulgogi was amazing…" Stephen began.
For a moment, a flicker of hope ignited in Mirae's eyes but it was quickly doused as she realized the framing of Stephen's speech. Given the judges' lavish praise for Ikumi's dish, the outcome was inevitable. Disappointment washed over her face and her heart sank. It was over for her.
"But this Yakiniku Don…"
Taiji spoke up with a fond smile and his eyes shimmering with pride.
"It is a dish that's both familiar and innovative, a harmonious blend of traditional Japanese flavors with a modern twist. The use of filet mignon and almond oil adds a luxurious touch, elevating this humble dish to new heights."
Jeremy added his take with the same level of fondness.
"This Donburi is a masterclass in balance and restraint. Each component, from the tender beef to the flavorful sauce and fluffy rice, works in harmony to create a dish that's greater than the sum of its parts."
And finally Sharon, who was looking disheveled as if she just had a wild night in bed, topped it off with her own words.
"And…I would happily beg for more." she sighed with tinged cheeks.
"Then our decision is unanimous?" Stephen glanced between his fellow judges.
With their affirmed nods, Stephen extended his arm towards Ikumi who smiled confidently in triumph.
"In that case, I pronounce Ikumi Mito as the winner of this round!"
Applause and cheers echoed through the penthouse's converted living room, bouncing off the high ceiling and mezzanine above. Even Bruce, who wasn't as invested as everyone else, politely clapped along.
Mirae's shoulders slumped, her gaze downcast until a lacquered bowl appeared in her line of sight. She looked up to find Ikumi holding it out, chopsticks balanced perfectly across the rim and her trademark smirk in place.
"Aw, don't look so down Mi-chan." Ikumi's voice dripped with sweet victory. "Here, I made some for you too."
With a scowl, Mirae snatched the offered bowl. She grudgingly lifted the chopsticks and sampled the meat-laden rice with its glistening sauce. Her body stiffened, cheeks blushing in arousal as a barely contained sound of pleasure caught in her throat while she pressed her thighs together; being overcome by the dish's perfection.
"I told you I'd make you experience the REAL pleasures of the flesh." Ikumi's laughter trailed behind her as she sauntered away.
Snapping out of her culinary trance, Mirae shot daggers at her rival's retreating form.
"Damn you, Mito." she growled.
Eventually the excitement winded down as Bruce watched the crew efficiently break down and rearrange the set probably for the final portion of the episode. Phoebe was back on her feet, directing her team seamlessly with practiced precision and each member moved with efficiency like they were a component in an intricate time piece.
She soon rejoined him beside his seat when the camera began to roll again. The four semifinalists took their positions at their stations, each standing proudly beside their winning dishes. They made for a striking image: Rocco's confident stance reflecting his Italian-American heritage, Venkat's calm demeanor speaking to his South Indian roots, Ikumi's fierce presence representing Japan, and Christophe's elegant poise embodying his French background.
"So Bruce, what do you think? Seeing your first Shokugeki?" Phoebe asked, her eyes gleaming with curiosity.
Bruce paused, searching for the right words to describe what he'd witnessed. The spectacle had been unlike anything he'd expected when he'd agreed to sponsor this show.
"Well, I did like seeing them work the grill. It's kinda relaxing, actually."
"You find THAT relaxing?" Phoebe's eyebrows shot up, her lips curving into an amused smile.
"As long as I never have to do it myself." Bruce replied with a slight smirk, earning a shared chuckle between them.
Stephen, the lead judge, stepped forward with his signature showman's flourish.
"Rocco, Venkat, Ikumi & Christophe. Against all the odds, the four of you have fought well and are now one step closer to being our Ultra Chef International Grand Champion and getting that sweet, sweet check for $500,000."
He paused for dramatic effect.
"Tomorrow, you will all face each other off in the Semifinals. But right now? The night is still young and we have just one more surprise for you."
While the other three finalists reacted with interest, Ikumi remained stoic. Her arms crossed and her green eyes sharp with impatience; she was here to cook, win, and claim her prize. Not participate in reality TV dramatics.
"The sponsor of our show, Gotham's very own Bruce Wayne, is here in the building with us and he is going to taste your winning dishes as our guest judge!"
Bruce's practiced composure slipped for a moment as he turned sharply to Phoebe.
"I wasn't told about this."
"Erm, Surprise?" Phoebe offered with a sheepish grin.
"Phoebe…" Bruce's voice carried a warning tone.
She clasped her hands together, fixing him with her best pleading expression.
"Oh come on Bruce, please? It'll be a fun closing segment and it'll be good for the ratings too."
Bruce maintained his frown, but Phoebe's puppy dog eyes were wearing him down. He'd faced down Gotham's worst criminals, yet somehow this producer's hopeful expression was proving harder to resist.
"Fine. What do you want me to do exactly?"
"All you have to do is greet our winners, taste their dishes and give them your feedback. Oh, and don't forget to smile."
"That's it?" Bruce asked, uncertainty creeping into his voice.
"That's it."
The undeniable fact was that he was being put on the spot and there was certainly no way of backing down now. In the end, he told himself to 'Just get it over with'. A few more minutes and then he can excuse himself and put this whole obligation behind him.
With a resigned sigh, Bruce smoothed his features into the familiar mask of Bruce Wayne: billionaire playboy.
"Jeez, that's a lot of pressure you're putting on me. I hope I don't faint." he joked with a wry smile
Phoebe giggled, giving his shoulder a friendly pat.
"You're a big boy. I'm sure you can handle it."
Bruce rose from his seat and made his way to the set, adjusting his tie almost automatically. Stephen bounded over to him with the enthusiasm of a game show host.
"Ladies and gentlemen, the man who made this all possible: Bruce Wayne!"
The two men shook hands and clapped each other on their backs as Stephen's fellow judges clapped at the Billionaire's arrival, with Sharon in particular eyeing him like a hungry cougar.
"As some of you may know, Wayne Enterprises has funded numerous small businesses throughout Gotham: restaurants, cafes, even bars." Stephen spoke. "Tell us Bruce, as an entrepreneur, what do you look for when it comes to good food?"
Bruce felt a flicker of discomfort at the question. What was he even supposed to say?
Stephen was referencing the establishments he'd helped rebuild after the devastating attacks from Gotham's rogues gallery, a detail the host couldn't possibly know was a source of private guilt rather than pride. Still, decades of maintaining his public persona had made Bruce an expert in diplomatic non-answers.
"Well, Stephen,…" Bruce replied with his trademark casual charm. "What I look for the most is the people of Gotham enjoying themselves. Something to find comfort in these trying times and good food is definitely one of the ways to experience that. This city is more than just business and industry. It's about culture, creativity and the human experience."
"Well said." Stephen's grin widened as he gestured toward the first station, seamlessly moving the segment forward.
"Let me introduce you to Venkat, whose Mutton Rogan Josh with Naan earned him his spot in the semifinals."
"It's an honor, Mister Wayne." Venkat greeted with a respectful nod, his eyes bright with pride as he presented his dish.
From her station, Ikumi watched as Bruce tore a piece of naan, folded it over the soft mutton and plucked a bit before taking a bite.
When she had first met him in that corridor, she had wrote him off as one of those self-important tycoons. Her work in the meat industry had brought her face-to-face with plenty of their kind, wealthy men who carried themselves with that particular brand of condescension masked as moral superiority.
But there had been something in those intense blue eyes of his when he'd grabbed her wrist, something that had made her pause. It wasn't the usual look of judgment or disapproval she got from authority figures.
Instead, there had been genuine concern, an unexpected flash of…understanding? She couldn't quite place it, but it had intrigued her enough to pay closer attention to him.
On the surface, nothing seemed out of the ordinary but something about the way he ate just bugged her and her trained eye began to key in on a few details.
The mechanical way he chewed, the emptiness in his expression, the practiced tilt of his head that masqueraded as consideration. There was no spark of pleasure, no moment of discovery, no genuine reaction to the complex flavors that she knew Venkat had masterfully crafted.
"It's very good." Bruce said, his voice pleasant but hollow. "Love the blend of spices and the meat's got a wonderful texture."
The words were technically correct but devoid of any real appreciation. They might as well have been read from a script. Venkat's slight frown told Ikumi she wasn't the only one who sensed it.
Ikumi then watched Stephen bring Bruce over to Rocco's station and the same charade of appreciation continued.
She felt her fists clinch and tremble. It…irked her. No, it downright infuriated her! It was all so empty. All so fake!
"Shut up! Don't give her gifts like these ever again! The successor of the Mito Family has no need for such things!"
"Listen Ikumi, your sole focus must be on getting stronger and better. Understand?"
The memory of her father's voice cut through her thoughts like a knife. She was nine again, standing before him, the torn fragments of her beloved teddy bear scattered at her feet. His face had worn that same mask of false conviction as he spoke of strength, of legacy, of the weight of the Mito name.
"Y…Yes, Otou-san." she had answered; fighting back tears, believing his lies because she had to, because he was her father, because surely he meant what he said about making her stronger.
"Liar." she whispered under her breath.
Her memory shifted to a more recent one and she remembered how his eyes had remained cold, how his words rang hollow even then. The same way Bruce Wayne's did now.
"Everything I have done up till now has been for your own good and for the sake of our company. Don't you understand?"
"Yes,…'Tou-san…"
"Liar!" she whispered again with grit teeth.
"And here we have Ikumi Mito!"
Ikumi blinked as Stephen's voice yanked her back to the present and she found both him and Bruce in front of her.
"Her Yakiniku Don was quite the showstopper earlier." Stephen said.
"Miss Mito." Bruce greeted warmly. "That was quite the performance."
Ikumi remained silent, her green eyes fixed on him with barely contained fury. Much to Bruce's confusion, the atmosphere between them grew tense.
"Ah…well." Stephen tried to salvage the moment. "Why don't you try her dish, Bruce?"
Bruce sampled the donburi with the same methodical precision he'd shown before, each movement precise and studied, yet devoid of joy.
"Excellent job." he said. "This is exactly the kind of dish I'd expect to find at the top of a five-star restaurant's menu."
With her eyes hidden behind her blonde locks, Ikumi's lips curled into a smile, but there was nothing pleasant about it.
"So, you really like it, huh?" she asked, her voice carrying a dangerous edge.
With a slow, deliberate motion, she picked up the bowl with one hand, causing Bruce and Stephen's eyebrows to rise in unison.
"Then have some more!" she yelled as she hurled the bowl at Bruce!
Pure instinct took over and Bruce pivoted out of the way as the bowl sailed past him, shattering against the floor in an explosion of rice and meat. Gasps rippled through the set like a wave.
"Ikumi, what are you doing?!" Phoebe burst onto the scene, frantically signaling the cameraman. "Cut! Cut!"
"Are you kidding?" the director's voice cut through the chaos. "Keep it rolling! This is good stuff!"
Quickly recovering from his surprise, Bruce sharply rounded on the tanned woman.
"What the hell is wrong with you!?"
But Ikumi met his fury head-on, closing the distance between them. Her green eyes blazed with an intensity that made him pause.
"Every single chef here poured their heart into their food!" she thrust an arm toward her fellow contestants. "And you insult them with this fake-as-shit act!"
The accusation hit Bruce like a physical blow. He retreated a step as Ikumi advanced, jabbing a finger toward his face.
"I would NEVER serve food to someone who can't even appreciate it!" she snarled. "And frankly, you can keep your prize money! In fact, you can roll your check into a tight little wad and shove it up your-"
"Batman!"
A cry from one of the crew members cut through the tension like a thunderclap, surprising both Ikumi and Bruce; the latter's mind was instantly alert for obvious reasons privy to him.
The set was now abuzz with murmurings as crew members, along with some of the contestants and judges, gravitated toward the floor-to-ceiling windows to gawk towards the dark city landscape.
"What's going on now!?" Phoebe bemoans in distress.
Like transfixed spectators, they watched through the glass to see a massive, dark shape with tell-tale long ears flapping through the night sky, its membranous wing span highlighted against the moonlight.
"Is that really him?" someone whispered.
The shape banked towards them and flew closer, its silhouette growing larger with each approaching wing-beat, its features a far cry for Gotham's protector…and far less human.
"It's getting closer…" another voice trembled.
"It's not stopping!"
Panic erupted with everyone scrambling out of the way as glass exploded inward. The figure crashed through, hurtling straight for Ikumi! Bruce moved with unexpected speed, tackling her clear of the deadly shower of debris and the figure who tumbled past them and crashed through the set, making a mess.
They hit the floor together, his body curved protectively over hers, one hand cushioning her head while he balanced his weight on his elbows and knees, sheltering her.
Ikumi's anger evaporated in an instant, replaced by a rush of… adrenaline? or something else? Her face flushed hot at their proximity, feeling his solid warmth over her and her heart thundered against her ribs from the way he'd moved so instinctively to protect her.
"Th-thank you, I…"
But Bruce was already on his feet and making a run away from the scene. Ikumi watched his apparent cowardly retreat incredulously before her momentary warmth curdled into contempt.
"Asshole." she spat.
A low animalistic growl drew everyone's attention back to the intruder. Amid the wreckage of shattered glass and upended furniture a creature rose unsteadily on all fours. Its massive form, easily the size of a bear, was a grotesque amalgamation: The head and shaggy torso of a wolf twisted with the ears and wings of a bat, all stretched over a mockery of a human frame.
Screams filled the penthouse as the thing's head swiveled toward them, its lupine muzzle split into a snarl that revealed rows of gleaming fangs and its glowing predatory eyes locked on to Ikumi who froze on the spot.
The sounds of panic and chaos faded behind him as Bruce's run mellowed into a controlled stride, hurried but not frantic. His face hardened as his socialite facade melted away with every passing second, replaced by something darker…more focused.
He turned left into a long corridor which led to his private study. Once inside, he made a beeline towards the opposite wall from his desk where a painting of Wayne Manor hung. Sliding his index finger along the frame's side edge, a hidden scanner read his print with a soft blue glow accompanied by an almost inaudible beep of confirmation.
Three feet adjacent, a section of mahogany paneling sank inward with a pneumatic hiss, allowing him to push it open and slip into a hidden room.
Motion sensors triggered LED strips overhead and illuminated the room inside.
A high-tech workbench dominated one wall, its polished surface reflecting the glow of the large monitor above it.
The opposite wall displayed his arsenal: Batarangs, smoke grenades and an array of gadgets nestled upon display pegs. His utility belt also hung ready, each compartment ready for his to customize his load-out.
But it was the central feature which he approached first: a cylindrical glass case where inside, the Batsuit awaited him in all its frightening glory. The glass slid open obediently as if sensing his presence and the cowl's empty eye sockets stared back at him with an intensity that matched his own.
The monstrosity lurched towards Ikumi with its wings stayed tucked close while powerful hind legs propelled it forward. Its opposable thumbs, each tipped with a hook-like claw, scrapped the floor in a sort of shambling motion; part wolf's lope, part bat's scramble and yet somehow brutally efficient with its awkward mechanics.
Ikumi scrambled away from its snapping jaws with her usual swagger replaced by raw terror. Her heart slammed against her ribs as she made a desperate break for the exit, where panicked crew members bottlenecked around the elevator and fire escape.
But with inhuman speed, the Wolf-Bat burst in front of her and cut her off from her path with its intentionally open wingspan. She backed away slowly as it hunched its shoulders and looked squarely at her, the flews of its snout raised up to uncover its gums and interlocking teeth. Ikumi felt a chill up her spine, seeing those pupilless golden eyes locking on to her. The message was clear: this creature was particularly targeting her!
The tanned woman turned and darted between the ravaged cooking stations as the Wolf-Bat made another lunge at her. Feeling the beast right behind her, she quickly grabbed a bag of flour from the table and swung it into its face. The impact bursts the bag into a choking white cloud.
With its face coated white, the creature coughed, shook its head and smacked its lips while Ikumi ducked behind a steel prep table. As she huddled against the metal surface, she clamped her hand over her mouth to prevent herself from breathing too loudly. Her thoughts spun widely with questions: Why her? Why was that thing after her?
As the Wolf-Bat cleared its senses, the remaining cast and crew pressed themselves against the walls like scared cattle. Venkat, Hardy, Rocco and some of the other chefs were frozen in terror. Stephen cradled a swooning Sharon while others fled toward the fire exit and elevator which didn't seem to work. In a corner, Phoebe had collapsed into herself, hyperventilating, the irises of her eyes quivering and glazed with trauma.
Ikumi began to hear sniffing sounds on the other side of the table before she noticed a monstrous shadow fall over her and extend over the floor below. She looked up to see the Wolf-Bat looming over her like a nightmarish gargoyle.
Thinking fast, she lunged for the burner controls and cranked them to full. The creature yowled as flames burst to life beneath its claws.
The tanned blonde makes another run for it but unfortunately this time, her foot catches against a trailing camera cable. She hit the ground hard, rolling over just as the beast bore down on her like an avalanche of fur and fang. In a split second, Ikumi uses her only means of self defense and unsheathes her kitchen knife to slash in an arc.
Like a screeching tire sound, a lupine cry of pain erupted from the Wolf-Bat as blood gushed out from the cut from the bottom of its snout to its cheek.
Emboldened, Ikumi slashed again but the beast surprised her by clamping its powerful jaws over the flat of the blade, trapping it in its teeth.
Ikumi fought and pulled against the handle but the beast bit down harder, the metal creaking, until finally the blade snapped off from the tang. As Ikumi's eyes widened in shock, Mirae's words floated back to Ikumi's mind: "No matter how sharp it is, it'll eventually fail. Just…like…you!".
Of all the times for it to…
Taking advantage of Ikumi's stunned state, the Wolf-Bat spat out the blade before pinning her wrists down with its clawed thumbs. Trapped under the creature, Ikumi looked up in horror as it brought its snarling teeth closer to her.
Its hot slobber dripped over to her bikini, making the thin fabric wet and cling against the roundness of her huge globes even more so. The white portions turned see-through and exposed more of her dark honey skin and the contours of her nubs poked from under the red flame pattern. The salival fluid flowed around the curvature before dipping into her cleavage.
Suddenly a pair of strong arms wrapped around the creature's creature's neck with a bear-like grip. Three fin-like blades were arranged up to the elbows on each arm, glinting in the studio lights.
The Wolf-Bat reared back, choking, as Batman viciously hammered blows into its temple. It bucked and twisted, trying to dislodge him, while Ikumi watched in stunned amazement.
Finally, the beast slammed backward and rammed Batman against the nearby wall, causing him to lose his grip with a pained grunt.
With the vigilante winded and on his knees, the Wolf-Bat dove at him teeth first but Batman quickly reacts by deploying a smoke grenade. The creature coughs and laps at its nose, desperately cleaning out its olfactories.
"Over here!" The vigilante's gravelly challenge cut through the smoke.
The beast whirled to find Batman standing several yards away, his cape drawn around him like gathering shadows. With a snarl of hate, the Wolf-Bat charged but the Dark Knight was ready for him.
With his hands concealed behind his cape, Batman armed himself with a pair of electric knuckles. Just as the Wolf-Bat's jaws were within snapping distance, he delivered a shocking uppercut at its lower jaw which discharged arcs of electricity from the impact.
Yowling in agony, the Wolf-Bat reeled as Batman leapt up and brought down a powerful blow upon its head, followed by a right hook after he landed and then a left hook. While the creature was seeing stars, Batman reached both his hands out and grabbed fistfuls of fur from its chest before falling backward while planting a boot against its midsection; impressively throwing the large form back in a Tomoe Nage throw.
Batman flipped himself up into a stand while the creature writhes and flails until it twisted its body to re-orientate itself, propping itself back on its fours. It bristled and growled again as it began to slowly circle the vigilante, ready to attack again as Batman put his fists up.
But then suddenly, the predatory light behind the Wolf-Bat's eyes began to dim and strained gasps spluttered from its mouth as if asphyxiated. Its limbs wobbled from its own weight until it abruptly fell over on its side, cycling its limbs frantically until finally, its body shuddered before stiffening with one last gasp.
Rushing to it at once, Batman checked its vitals.
It was dead, just like that.
Clenching his jaw, the detective part of Batman's mind was already spinning wildly. The creature's sudden death suggested an underlying cause, perhaps poison or some other agent. But that investigation would have to wait. His priority now was the safety of the civilians, particularly the intended victim.
Putting his knuckles away, he turned and walked toward where Ikumi still sat on the floor with her usual fierce demeanor stripped away by shock. In that moment, she looked so small and vulnerable. A far cry from the firebrand that he had been so 'acquainted' with not too long ago.
"Are you alright?" His deep voice seemed to snap her back to reality.
"Y-yeah. I'm… I'm fine." she mumbled, her usual confidence wavering.
Batman extended a gloved hand toward her. She blinked at first, as if not knowing what it was, before her eyes flashed white and angled downwards in ire as her pride got the better of her.
"I-I can stand on my own!" she snapped, pushing herself up with trembling arms that belied her words.
Impassive as ever, Batman silently withdrew his hand. He noted that she was mentally a lot tougher than he'd given her credit for. After what she'd just experienced, lesser individuals would have broken down completely.
"Hey! Something's happening to it!"
The shout from one of the chefs drew their attention back to the creature's corpse where the remaining cast and crew were gathering around it, maintaining a fearful distance.
The Wolf-Bat's body was…changing. Its ears shrank and collapsed, fur receding into skin like water into sand. The wing membranes contracted with wet, sucking sounds as the elongated fingers shortened to human proportions. Most disturbing was the snout, it compressed and reformed with subtle cracks and pops until a human face emerged from the bestial features.
What lay before them was a bronze-skinned man, naked, in his thirties with curly black hair and a neatly trimmed beard.
"Lazarou?" Hardy's voice cracked with disbelief. "Oi Ikumi, didn't ya face him back in the last round?"
Ikumi only stood frozen, stunned as she recognized her former opponent in the creature's human form. The silence that followed was broken by a soft 'ding' from the elevator at the far end of the living hall.
The doors slid open to reveal a simple remote-controlled rover, its rubber wheels carrying a white box across the marble floor. The whirring of its tiny motor seemed unnaturally loud in the suffocating quiet.
"Wh-wh-what is that?" Rocco's voice trembled with dread, the unspoken fear of a bomb hanging heavy in the air.
"Everyone stay back!" Batman's command cut through the tension as he strode toward the toy vehicle.
The rover stopped obediently at his feet. Kneeling down, Batman scrutinized the vehicle thoroughly to ensure there were no triggers or traps. Then, with practiced caution, he steadily lifted the lid of the box.
"A pie?" came Steven's confused voice.
It was. Just a simple, innocent-looking pie with a golden-brown crust.
But Batman couldn't ignore the sick sense of dread that crawled at the pit of his stomach. And so, brandishing a Batarang, he used the bladed edge to carefully cut through the top crust, lifting it away with surgical precision.
Sharon's scream pierced the air as the horror beneath was revealed.
It was a face. A man's face, nestled in place of the pie's filling, twisted in a final expression of terror.
"Wait, that's…that's Matt Tucker! Hey Ikumi, wasn't he also…" Hardy's voice trailed off as the implications sank in. Both victims had been Ikumi's defeated opponents.
As one of Matt's eyeballs pushed past his eyelid and fell off from its socket, the room descended into chaos. Sharon collapsed in a dead faint while Rocco bolted for a corner, retching violently. Ikumi stood paralyzed, looking sheet white despite her skin tone.
Only Batman maintained his composure, though his grip on the Batarang tightened imperceptibly.
Seeing a corner of paper that peeked out from beneath the grotesque dish, he extracted it carefully before unfolding the note.
It read:
A simple dish I have prepared,
Has no peer and can't be compared,
2 tsp of ambition, 4 ounces of greed,
Will there be a generous amount to feed?
-Said Simon the Pieman.
Batman's eyes narrowed beneath his cowl.
TBC