A/N: This note is for those of you too busy/lazy/uninterested to read the longer, more feels infested author's notes below. TL; DR: Being First Seat for Reviews rocks and I love you guys for it! Hope you enjoy the chapter.

"This still feels pretty underhanded of you, Rindō-senpai."

"Nonsense Nikumi-chan! It's only cheating if you get caught." assured Rindō, her arm slung around the younger girl's shoulders. The blond looked up from the files she was looking over to give Rindō a flat look. "Besides, it's not as if knowing what's coming is going to be of much help. This sort of brutish challenge is right up Saito-kun's ally."

"True. But that won't be the case for the other challenges. Or so I assume." said Ikumi, looking up to see the central Tōtsuki administration building in the distance. They were a few minutes away from it, at most.

"Does that mean you want me to stop helping you then?" asked Rindō innocently.

"I feel a little guilty. That doesn't mean I'm an idiot. If there's one thing you've taught me, it's to take every advantage you can." said Ikumi. While she didn't fully agree with such a ruthless mentality, Ikumi couldn't deny that, with something of this importance, she truly did need every single leg up she could get.

"Correct! I'm happy to see that at least some of the things I taught you have stuck, Nikumi-chan. I'm eager to see the fruits of my labour in you." Rindō said teasingly, giving the girl a condescending pat on the head. Ikumi glared at Rindō, pointedly shrugging her arm off and stepping away from her.

"I'm sure I'll do fine. For all your annoying traits, you're a surprisingly competent teacher." said Ikumi, closing the folder and tucking it under her arm. Rindō bristled at the slight, giving Ikumi a flat look of her own.

"I remember when you used to be scared of me." she said drily.

"And I remember when I didn't know what a hangover was." she shot back.

Rindō frowned exaggeratedly.

"Oh come now, that night was so much fun! I'm happy I was able to give you your first real bar experience."

"I'm sixteen!"

"So that makes you legal! In France anyway." said Rindō, shrugging.

"We started our night in Shinjuku and woke up in a field!" responded Ikumi heatedly, glaring at Rindō, who looked entirely unrepentant. She shrugged again, glancing at her watch.

"Oh come now, Nikumi-chan. It wasn't a field, per se."

"It had crops in it. Crops! What would you call it then?" asked Ikumi, rolling her eyes.

"A garden." pronounced Rindō haughtily, eyeing Ikumi over the rim of her sunglasses. Ikumi resisted the urge to grit her teeth, a habit she'd been forced to develop around the frustrating older girl. She closed her eyes, choosing to put it out of her mind rather than dwell on it. Things were easier with Rindō that way.

"What. Ever. How long are you going to be stuck wearing those things anyway? It's been almost a week since Alice-san kicked your ass."

Rindō sniffed primly, pushing the large, dark frames further up her nose.

"Firstly. She did not kick my ass. We had an altercation that was of a surprisingly physical nature."

"One that you lost." said Ikumi with a smirk.

"Secondly," continued Rindō, ignoring Ikumi's remark. "My talents lie in other areas. Whereas it's clear Snowflake-chan is nothing but a simple, unrefined brute in sheep's clothing."

Ikumi choked down a laugh and ignoring the baleful glare she got in return for it.

"The heaven sent child of molecular gastronomy? An unrefined brute? Please. You just got beat. Accept your loss gracefully instead of making excuses."

"There's a distinction between reasons and excuses, you know." said Rindō.

"Are you really going to make an excuse to justify you making excuses?" asked Ikumi incredulously. Rindō's grin was all the answer she needed. The dark skinned chef felt the urge to grind her teeth return and it felt like an almost physical effort to keep them apart. She chose to instead channel all of her irritation into a powerful glare that had absolutely no effect on Rindō. Unless you counted the smirk it provoked from the maroon haired girl.

Their arrival to the steps of the Tōtsuki Administration building forestalled any further needling on Rindō's part. Ikumi handed the manila folder back to her, looking up at the building.

"I've been here a couple of times before. But this time just feels…different." said Ikumi thoughtfully.

"This is the point of no return. Once you go in and submit your name, you're locked in." said Rindō. She glanced at Ikumi's contemplative expression. "A bit late to be having second thoughts though, just FYI."

Ikumi rolled her eyes.

"I'm not having second thoughts. I'm just appreciating the gravity of the moment. Once I'm done here, that means that, in a few short weeks, I'll be on the Elite Ten Council."

"Or just in second year. Or expelled." added Rindō helpfully. Ikumi didn't give the jibes any attention; they both knew they weren't true. Rindō had already told Ikumi that, between her surprising amount of raw talent and the lack of competent chefs in the 91st generation, Ikumi was a shoe in for one of the ten seats come next year.

"Well. I guess I better get this over with." said Ikumi, taking a deep breath. She started up the steps, only making it up the first two before pausing at Rindo's voice.

"Actually. Before you head inside. I have a question for you, Nikumi-chan."

Ikumi turned to face Rindō, who was eyeing her with an unreadable expression. There wasn't a hint of Rindō's usual levity or mischief in her face. She removed the sun glasses from her face, the slight discoloration around one of her eyes barely visible.

She fixed her gaze on Ikumi.

"Why are you doing this?"

Ikumi looked taken aback at the seriousness in Rindō's tone.

"Doing what?" she responded, almost instinctively.

"This."

Rindō didn't bother to further explain what she meant but Ikumi understood anyway. She folded her arms, almost defensively.

"You know why. You know what Sōma-kun's plan is; I need a seat on the council to be a part of it."

"That's obvious, Ikumi-chan. I'm asking why go through this? Why go through deceiving all of your friends and subjecting yourself to my tender mercies for over a month? For some guy?" said Rindō calmly, as if she was talking about the weather or lunch plans.

"Sōma-kun's not just some guy." bit out Ikumi, glaring at Rindō. "He's different and you know it."

"He's still hopelessly in love with that snowflake, you know. He's not going to give you a second look. Not that he ever gave you a first one." said Rindō, her tone still placid.

Ikumi's glare sharpened and she took a step towards Rindō aggressively.

"What are you trying to say?"

"I'm saying that it's pretty pathetic for you to go to these lengths out of misplaced affection." said Rindō bluntly. "Sōma-kun's never going to like you in the way you like him."

"And just what way is that, Rindō-senpai? Please inform me since you seem to know so much." said Ikumi angrily. Rindō scoffed.

"Oh please. I could see you were in love with him from the second I saw how you acted around him. You'd have to be blind not to see it."

"And just why do you care? Why, after all this time, are you so concerned when you've never once asked me about any of this before?" asked Ikumi.

"I can assure you that I don't care at all." said Rindō dispassionately. "But I also can't stand stupidity. And you're being very, very stupid if you think any of this is going to get you any closer to Sōma-kun."

"And you think I don't know that?" asked Ikumi. "This isn't some ploy or manipulation to get Sōma-kun into my arms. I stopped thinking that was possible a long time ago."

"You did?" asked Rindō, her stoic demeanour broken by surprise. She was surprised that she, of all people, hadn't noticed the shift in Ikumi's affections but she hadn't exactly had ample opportunity to observe interactions between the two recently. Perhaps that was more purposeful than she'd thought? Ikumi sighed, looking away from Rindō's curious eyes as she thought back.

"It was a few weeks ago. I bumped into Sōma on the path home from school one afternoon and he had his chain off. He said it was because he wanted to really enjoy the scenery. We got to talking. Just chatting; casual conversation. We talked about classes and homework and the latest chapter of a manga I was reading It was…nice. To have a conversation that didn't involve politics or shokugekis or Central."

More of Ikumi's anger left her gaze.

"And then we got to the mansion gates. And Alice-san was waiting outside. I was looking straight at him when he turned to look at her and I saw his face change. It wasn't anything overt or cheesy, like in the movies. I just saw him smile this really small smile at her; this gentle, soft smile and his eyes…"

Ikumi broke off, looking away from Rindō entirely.

"That's when I knew I'd never get him. At least not while Alice-san is around."

"Then why not work around her?" asked Rindō curiously. Ikumi looked back at Rindō warily. The older girl shrugged.

"Nothing's set in stone. You have to fight for what you want in this world, Nikumi-chan."

Ikumi began to speak, eyeing Rindō carefully.

"You're telling me that I should've just tried and…what, seduce Sōma out of his relationship? When he was clearly in love with Alice-san already? That seems like a good idea to you?"

"Why not? It would be more likely to get you results than sitting around, doing nothing and pining after him like a lost puppy." said Rindō. Ikumi shook her head.

"I'm not pining after him. Not anymore. Between knowing he was head over heels for Alice and that he slept with you; I've come a long way towards moving on." she said. Rindō gestured to the imposing Administration building.

"Then we've come full circle to my original question; why do all of this? Why not back out when you saw that Sōma and Snowflake were well on their way to having a merry little time together?"

"Because Sōma-kun's still my friend. And I don't need anything in exchange for helping my friends." said Ikumi, turning to continue up the stairs. "That's where you and I really differ, Rindō-senpai. It pays to think about more than just your own selfish desires."

It wasn't until Ikumi had entered the building and shut the doors behind her that Rindō spoke.

"Why do people keep telling me that?" she asked the empty air.

"Something on your mind, Kobayashi-kun?"

Or what she thought was empty air. Rindō turned to face the blandly smiling face of Nakiri Azami. He was clad in his usual dark ensemble, a walking stick held in his hand for appearances more than anything else.

"It's nothing, Azami-sama." said Rindō. "Just doing some…self-reflection, I suppose you'd call it."

"I see. A valuable activity, to be certain. How can you truly know others without knowing yourself first?" said Azami politely. "It's surprising how often the way we view ourselves can change when we truly understand what we want and what motivates us."

Rindō shrugged disinterestedly, shoving her hands into her pockets as she descended the steps.

"I guess. That kinda stuff is a bit too deep for me to think about this early in the morning Azami-sama, I'll be honest."

Azami gave a soft laugh, moving past Rindō as he walked up the steps.

"I see. Well, have yourself a good morning then, Kobayashi-kun. I trust I'll see you tonight?"

Rindō threw a hand over her shoulder flippantly.

"Maybe. If I'm interested enough."

Azami watched Rindō walk away, tapping his chin in thought. The girl had been amongst his most avid supporters once upon a time but her enthusiasm had waned in the following months. He'd assumed it was simple boredom on her part but things had been anything but boring for her after she'd began amusing herself with Sōma.

Perhaps there was more than simple boredom here. Regardless, she would be a non-issue soon enough. Graduation was only a few weeks away.

Azami's phone rang and he glanced at the screen, accepting the call with a swipe of his thumb.

"Good morning, Azami-sama. You were trying to reach me?"

"Etsuya-kun. I require your aid. And the aid of a few members of that little ragtag group you command." said Azami.

"Of course, Azami-sama. Anything you need."

"I will have one of the servants alert you when Yukihira Sōma leaves the Nakiri mansion for Somei-kun's challenge this evening. I need him stopped. You will not let him go until I personally call you and give you the word to."

"I understand. May I ask what degree of force I can permit of my men?"

"That's a rather foolish question." commented Azami idly.

The silence that followed made Azami laugh, although he was careful to ensure that no sound escaped his lips. Etsuya Eizan. A competent man of finance in his own right but a pitiful excuse for even the wannabe Yakuza boss he was trying to emulate.

"Azami-sama…I don't presume that you mean-"

"I only need him delayed." commented Azami, his tone absent of any joviality. "I don't need him in the hospital. Are we clear?"

"Crystal."

"Good. And Estuya-kun, I'd like you to be there in person."

"But Azami-sama, the Selection-"

"You don't need to be there for the full duration of Sōma's incapacitation. I just need you to ensure that your subordinates actually do a proper job this time. I will inform Somei-kun that you will be delayed. As long as you arrive before six o'clock, you will be fine."

Without another word, Azami hung up the phone, slipping it into his pocket. While a fiscal boon to the school, Eizan's more unsavoury tendencies were nothing but an annoyance to Azami. Not because of their nature but because of the extremely naïve manner in which they were executed.

When he'd heard of that farce of a forced eviction Eizan had engineered, he'd been seconds away from dismissing Eizan from Tōtsuki altogether. What was the fool thinking? If any of the dorm residents had gotten injured, the ensuing lawsuits would've been a severe blow to both Tōtsuki's pocket and reputation. The media scandal alone from such a thing would've been catastrophic. Only the knowledge that he still needed the support of his seat held him at bay from expelling Eizan on the spot. Especially when that smug dorm mother had come in to bill him for the damages.

Oh, Nakamura-kun. I always told you you'd end up a ghost if you didn't get more sun and now look at you! All grown up but still a boy where it counts. Oh, and be a dear and make sure you don't skimp on any of those repairs; I'll be watching the invoices like a hawk.

And then she'd patted him on the head. Him!

Azami clenched his fist even while his face remained completely calm. He hated anything that reminded him of what he used to be; even Saiba-senpai was no exception. Whenever he called him Nakamura, Azami had to resist the urge to lash out in a manner most unbecoming of someone of his station. And Fumio was nothing but one large reminder of what he used to be; of the child he'd been.

Becoming a Nakiri had been a crucial first step into the world he was supposed to be born into. And he'd only continued moving forward since then; taking step after step towards creating the ideal culinary world he'd always envisioned. A world of cuisine that excluded those without the power and wealth to be a rightful part of it. Those that didn't work hard enough to become worthy of being served the delicacies that only he could provide; the dishes that he would impart into the students under him.

Even Tōtsuki, for all its grandeur, was but a first step in an ultimately larger design. He would start with Japan's culinary industry; the influence he wielded as both Nakiri Azami, the businessman and Nakiri Azami, the Tōtsuki director, would be more than enough to pressure restaurants the nation over. He was no fool; he knew it would take time. Years. Decades, even. But it would happen.

As the value of his teachings became clear, Japan would become known as the food capital of the entire world. And his ideal would spread. The core values of Central that transcend things like country of origin and region specific dishes will permeate the rest of the cooking world as they seek to emulate the crown jewel that is the Japanese nation.

Sōma frowned, staring deeply into the full length mirror he kept inside his room. He tilted his head, glaring at the glass and poking his tongue out.

The reflection looked back at him flatly, its expression unchanged. It wore a dark black Tōtsuki uniform ensemble. A black jacket, a black shirt, black pants and black shoes. The only speck of colour on its form was the bright silver chain pattern tattoo on its wrist. Even Sōma's characteristic red hair was a dull black in the mirror while his eyes were a muted grey.

Sōma looked down at himself, at the plain white uniform shirt and dark blue pants he wore. He tugged a lock of his hair into view, noting the bright red sheen of it.

He knew his reflection didn't actually resemble a monochrome version of his chained persona. He was sure that, were anyone else to look in the mirror, they'd simply see Sōma frowning at himself. He knew what he saw was representative and associated with his divided mental state, more than anything else.

But all the rationalization in the world didn't make it any less unsettling.

Sōma waved but the reflection's arms remained folded. He simply continued staring at Sōma, unmoved. Sōma stopped waving and sighed, staring back.

"What exactly do you want?"

As usual, no response was forthcoming. Sōma pulled a chair up, sitting down and folding his hands beneath his chin. The reflection deigned to remain standing, silently.

"Come on man. We can't come this far just to fail now. What will the last few months have been about then?"

The only response Sōma got was a slow, languid blink. Sōma gritted his teeth, clenching his fists before shrugging and exhaling as the frustration he felt faded, unnaturally quickly. As had been happening ever since he'd regained control, his negative emotions simply kept being siphoned off into his other half. Not that he appeared any worse for wear as a result of it.

At first, it had been intentional. He'd needed to do it to ensure things remained unbalanced, in his favour. But, as time had went on, the process became more and more automatic. Now, even if he tried, he couldn't hold on to anything in that vein. Anger, fear, frustration, sadness, hate…it all just faded and trickled down. Out of sight and out of mind.

"Listen. I know you can't be completely okay with what's about to happen. We've got an obligation to Erina. And to Katsumi-san. I need you to play ball." he said, scratching behind his head sheepishly.

The reflection didn't move. He just continued to stare, as he always did when Sōma was unlucky enough to catch sight of a mirror. Sōma sighed again, rubbing at his face with his hands. He knew his eyes were probably bloodshot and the bags around them had probably come back in full force. He'd been at this for so long. He hadn't even slept the night before. He'd been talking to himself for hours without a break, unless you counted that little visit to Polar Star which had taken more energy than it should've.

Sōma looked over at the alarm clock on his bedside table. The red numbers indicating that it was five o'clock in the afternoon stared back at him, almost mockingly. Saito's challenge was due to start in less than an hour.

"There has to be something you want; something I want, I guess? Help me out here. What's the point of being able to hallucinate you like this if there isn't?" Sōma asked, throwing his hands to the air even as his minor bout of irritation evaporated like mist in the morning air.

The silence, while not unexpected, was just as perplexing as ever. Sōma wasn't exactly an expert but he knew that his other side was still him. He'd taken several parts but he was still intelligent and capable of speech. He still had feelings and the ability to express them. He was being mute by choice. And that wasn't very helpful.

"Sōma-kun, any progress?"

Sōma looked backwards at where Alice was poking her head into the room. He shook his head, glancing at his reflection to find that it hadn't moved in response to Alice's voice. He'd tried asking her for help once or twice but he'd seen no noticeable change and the uncomfortably sad expression on her face as he kept talking into the mirror hurt him to see.

"Nothing. I'm still trying a few things but…"

Sōma trailed off, unsure of what he could say. He'd tried all he could think of, if he was being completely honest. Nothing stuck and nothing worked. He was out of options and out of time, and he knew it. Based on Alice's expression, she knew it too.

"We should leave now, if we want to make it to the hall in time." she said softly. What she didn't say was whether it even made sense for Sōma to attend at this point. Sōma gave his reflection one last, baleful glance before getting to his feet. He shrugged on his Tōtsuki jacket, giving Alice a grin.

"Don't worry, Alice. I've always come through, even if it's at the very last minute, right?"

Alice gave Sōma a weak smile, not nearly as optimistic as he was. This wasn't the same and they both knew it.

Sōma strode past her, tugging at her sleeve playfully.

"Well, let's go then."

Alice followed after him, wanting to protest his optimistic nonchalance but not sure how it would help. She decided to simply be silent as they exited Sōma's room and headed towards the entrance. Through the hallways, they passed several members of the regular serving staff, going about their duties as normal. They didn't notice the single maid that watched them through an upstairs window, carefully noting which footpath they were taking as she dialed into a phone.

Sōma and Alice continued down the path towards Tōtsuki; discussing idle matters while both tacitly ignoring their larger issues. Sōma was in the middle of pointing out a set of blossoming tsubaki flowers when he noticed the group of young men approaching them. The expressions on their faces made warning bells ring in the back of his head. And when he saw the rope in one's hand and the bat in another's, those bells turned into sirens. He didn't notice the way his other side stirred in response, reacting for the first time in days.

Etsuya Eizan rounded a tree, smirking at Sōma from across the small pathway as he came to a stop, blocking his path. The four other delinquents fanned out on either side of him, completely blocking the way.

Sōma came to a stop, stepping in front of Alice as he took note of the leers the opposing group was giving them. The low chuckles emanating from them were also anything but friendly.

"Etsuya-senpai. Good day. How can I help you?"

Despite his current state, Sōma still managed to produce the flat, emotionless tone that he'd become known for. Eizan shrugged languidly.

"Following orders, Yukihira. Azami-sama asked me to detain you for a while; he seems to think there's no need for you to attend Saito-senpai's trial."

Sōma arched an eyebrow, his expression unchanging, even as he wondered just what this was about. Was this a punishment for the loss to Polar Star? Was Azami suspicious of him and what he was doing? It wasn't impossible. But it also wasn't very likely.

He didn't bother responding to Eizan directly, instead going for his phone and dialling a number.

"Good day Sōma-kun. How can I help you?"

"Azami-sama. Etsuya-senpai informed me that you would prefer I wasn't in attendance for the trial tonight."

"Ah, that. I'd forgotten to inform you, please accept my apologies. I don't think it's necessary for you to attend Somei-kun's challenge."

"Do you doubt my skill?" asked Sōma calmly, even as he glanced around at Eizan's subordinates, who seemed to be inching closer and closer.

"Quite the opposite. I have no doubt you would perform well. However I would prefer to use this opportunity to allow those who haven't had the chance to prove themselves to take a step forward. Between your current seat and Kobayashi-kun's nomination, you are all but assured to have a seat on the Council come next year."

"You could've simply asked me to sit this challenge out." said Sōma, testing the waters more than anything else.

"You and I both know that you're much too competitive for that, Sōma-kun."

The smugness in Azami's voice was almost tangible. Sōma gritted his teeth, feeling the phone creak under his fingers. Azami knew. Or at the very least suspected enough to be willing to sacrifice Sōma's progression as Central's premier enforcer.

"I would urge you to reconsider, Azami-sama."

"I've never been one to listen to my urges, Sōma-kun. Give Etsuya-kun my regards and do try and cooperate. It will be easier for everyone that way."

And with that, the line went dead. Sōma placed the phone in his pocket, sighing to himself. He felt like he should've been more frustrated or angry or even afraid but all he could muster was a sense of tiredness as his emotions drained away to his other side.

"Hey, boss. What about the girl?" asked the thug closest to Eizan's right. Sōma tensed as he realized he meant Alice. Eizan looked over at the Nakiri, who was still standing behind Sōma. She had a calm, serious expression on her face and seemed entirely unconcerned with the situation.

Eizan looked at Alice curiously. Azami hadn't left any orders regarding his niece. Eizan could simply let her pass. He was about to order his men to let her do just that but then he paused to think. Alice was one of the best chefs in her generation; especially recently. He'd heard the rumours that the first seat himself had helped tutor both her and Yukihira. And while she may not be as absurdly monstrous as him or her cousin, she was a powerhouse in her own right. A potential obstacle and opponent to his progression for next year.

And Eizan wasn't in the habit of leaving loose ends.

"Detain her as well." said Eizan. The only reaction his order got was a nod from his men and a raised eyebrow from Alice.

He turned to face both of them, crossing his arms smugly. He didn't bother to resist the urge to smile a bit too widely at them; he'd been told it looked quite intimidating.

"Now. As Azami-sama said, if you cooperate, things will go smoothly. You can stand here and have a nice chat with my men while I go on to the challenge. Once Saito-senpai announces your disqualification, I'll send a text message to Hyo-kun here and you'll be free to enjoy the rest of your evening. Alright?"

Eizan turned without waiting for acknowledgement, continuing down the path towards Tōtsuki.

"That's not how this is going to go down, Eizan-senpai."

Eizan turned to face Alice, who was glaring at him from where she had stepped out from behind Sōma.

"Your goons are going to move out of our way. Or we're going to move through them."

Eizan blinked in surprise at the threat in her tone before almost immediately laughing.

"Alice, I don't think this is a good idea…"

Sōma turned to look at Alice, his tone filled with warning. She brushed past him, waving off his concern as she faced Eizan, who was still chuckling. He adjusted his glasses, his smile not lessening in the slightest as he gestured towards his men, who were also laughing at her words.

"I'm sorry; should I be frightened? Do you think your little boyfriend is enough to take on four of my best men?" he asked.

The fierce smirk on Alice's face made Eizan falter. As did her following statement.

"Sōma-kun is the least of their worries."

Ryo checked his watch, noting that it was already five twenty five. He'd tried calling Alice several times, and he'd even tried to call Sōma once, but neither of them had picked up. For not the first time, he regretted leaving the mansion early to get a feel for their competition. He'd asked Alice if she'd wanted to come but she'd simply told him to go ahead without her. She hadn't said it but Ryo was sure her delay was related to Sōma, somehow.

He stood in lecture hall B of the West hall. He was propped up against a desk, idly watching the other gathered students circulate and converse. There were just over a hundred students present, by his estimation. They all sat in pockets of twos and threes, the tense atmosphere of the room lending itself to conversations had in whispers. He recognized most of the participants, although there were a few that he didn't.

"Good day, Kurokiba-kun."

Ryo turned to face Tadokoro Megumi, who bowed shortly at him. He simply nodded in return.

"Yo."

Megumi smiled cheerfully.

"How are you doing?" she asked politely. "Are you excited for today's challenge?"

"Not really. It should be pretty easy for me." he said. Upon hearing a noise, he craned his neck to look over to the entrance doors of the hall but it was simply another pair of students. Second years by the look of it.

"Oh, I see. So then…you…"

Megumi looked over her shoulders before leaning in, whispering conspiratorially.

"You know what the challenge is going to be as well then?"

Ryo nodded.

"Yup. Alice-ojou told me. It shouldn't be a problem for me, considering what I've had to work with in the past. Although I do wonder how some of you smaller cooks will fair."

The pointed, lazy look he gave Megumi made her flush. She fiddled with her fingers nervously.

"Well, I wouldn't underestimate me just yet, Kurokiba-kun. I'm stronger than I look." she said.

Ryo was sure she was. After all, not just anyone could heft around a goosefish the way she had in the Autumn Election preliminaries. He'd heard that the specimen in question was almost her size and he had to admit that, port town chef to port town chef, he was impressed.

"Whatever." was all he said, although his tone wasn't condemning. "Tadokoro-san, out of curiosity, do you have any idea where Yukihira is?"

Megumi tilted her head questioningly at him.

"Um…no. I assumed he'd be with you and Alice-san, since you all live together. I was actually wondering why I hadn't seen them yet."

"They're coming. Alice-ojou isn't always the best with time but I'm sure they'll be here." said Ryo, choosing not to mention that Alice, for all her supposed carelessness, was never late when it counted. And this certainly did. "Who else out of our year is competing?"

Megumi turned to scan the room, pointing out each person she recognized as she spoke their name. Ryo took a mental note of each one as he followed her finger.

Hayama stood alone, leaning against a far wall. His eyes were closed and a cinnamon stick was held beneath his nose.

The Aldini brothers stood against a wall speaking to, of all people, Mimasaka Subaru. The dreadlocked chef was laughing at something Isami said that left Takumi shouting and glaring at his younger brother.

Shun was conversing with Erina, near the back of the lecture hall. Ikumi sat near them but she wasn't involved in the discussion. Her eyes were closed and she tapped her empty hip, conscious of her cleaver's absence.

A chime from the clock on the wall drew everyone's attention. It was five thirty. The doors at the back of the hall opened almost immediately after, admitting entrance to Saito's broad shouldered, looming frame. His eyes appeared to be closed, even as he walked down the center of the aisle towards the front of the room. He needn't worry about obstacles, as every student even remotely in his path ensured that they weren't post haste.

He stopped at the desk, his back facing the assorted crowd. The large sword he held over his shoulder clanked softly as he took it from his shoulder and set it down on the desk. He turned around to face the crowd as he sat against the desk, crossing his arms.

"What does it mean to be a chef at this school?"

The question was spoken softly but it travelled throughout the silence of the room easily. No one responded immediately; instead choosing to turn around and see if someone else would prefer to speak first.

"It means that you're among the best of the best. And that you seek to be even better than that."

The person who'd spoken up was Nakiri Erina. She stood near the back of the room, looking down on the rest of the hall.

Saito didn't say anything at first; he simply kept his eyes closed and his head down, as if in thought.

"A good answer. Anyone else?"

"A chef's duty is to please the customer. To satisfy their needs, whatever they may be. The fact that we're students doesn't change that."

This answer was spoken by Megumi, who was looking back at Saito with a determined expression on her face. He didn't react to her answer, other than to nod in acknowledgement.

"The kitchen is a battlefield; where chefs put up or shut up."

This answer was Ryo's.

Slowly, one by one, other students responded to Saito's inquiry. He sat silently, listening to the various answers given until he simply raised one hand. The room quieted almost instantly at the gesture.

"You all have a variety of opinions. Now let me tell you a truth. You are all adequate chefs already; good chefs, even. As you are, you could go out into the world and work at a number of restaurants and do a much better job than the chefs around you, as I'm sure you all learnt in the Stagiaire period."

Saito's eyes opened and steely grey, hawk-like orbs stared back at them with an intensity that belied his relaxed posture.

"But to truly shine; to truly be one of the best of the best, you must be able to face adversity of any kind; you must be able to put your best onto the plate, no matter the circumstances. Nothing short of hospitalization should stop you from wielding your full strength in the battlefield that is the kitchen, and that is what my challenge will embody today."

The tension in the room had noticeably increased by the time Saito had finished his statement. But it wasn't a tension borne of fear or nervousness. This was one of excitement and ambition; the passion embodied by those that strove to be part of the one percent.

"In the spirit of overcoming adversity, I've provided you all with the utensils and ingredients you are permitted to use, set out across the cooking stations of blocks A through C. Each station has an identical array of materials. Some will be subpar; some will be even below that and a select few of that subset will be what I've deemed Hazardous. Ingredients and utensils that are in such poor condition, the use of them in any professional kitchen could be potentially hazardous to a person's health. Any use of Hazardous materials will earn you an immediate expulsion from Tōtsuki."

Saito's words surprised many of the students and it showed on their faces. His eyes narrowed and he glared at the room collectively, managing to impress the full weight of his gaze on each of them simultaneously.

"Make no mistake. Any chef foolish enough to use something like that in a dish is more than just incompetent; they're a danger. To both those that eat their food and those that hire them. Do you know how easy it is for one simple, ill prepared cut of meat to ruin a reputation that a restaurant has been working towards for years, if not decades? There's no place in Tōtsuki, let alone in the Elite Ten, for such a person."

Saito stood, swinging his sword back over his shoulder.

"The challenge is soup. It doesn't matter what kind of soup you make, as long as you only use the materials I've provided for you. Any attempt to use outside contraband will also earn you an expulsion. The time limit is two and a half hours. It's now five forty. Feel free to make your way to the kitchens and use the remaining time to examine what exactly you will have to work with. Although, be warned, any attempt to start preparations before six will also earn you an expulsion."

"Geez, what wouldn't earn you one?" muttered a student seated near the front in a baseball cap and shades.

Saito glanced down but didn't comment, instead choosing to walk towards the kitchen doors.

"I am the sole judge for this challenge. When you are done, simply signal to me and I will taste your dish and give you a grade from one to twenty, though I won't be sharing the results with you. It is only at the end of the Elite Ten Selection process that your respective ratings will be made known. Dismissed."

Saito continued walking, hearing the shuffle of students behind him as they got on their feet and prepared to follow him through the doors.

"Ah, wait Saito-senpai!"

Saito turned to face Megumi, who looked nervously up at him.

"Did you need something, Tadokoro-san?" he asked placidly.

"Um…it's just that a few of our friends who are participating haven't arrived yet, I was wondering if it would be possible for you…to…wait…on…."

Megumi stopped talking, cowed by the look that Saito was giving her. He'd opened his eyes once again and was simply staring down at her with a face of stone.

"Um…that is…"

Megumi tried to continue but her tongue practically tied itself when he arched one slim eyebrow at her. She looked around for help but saw that her friends were still near the back at the room. She tried to speak a third time but was cut off by Saito's low chuckle.

"Relax, Tadokoro-san. I won't eat you. As far as your tardy friends; while it is my inclination to disqualify them, I'm under orders from Azami-sama to allow Etsuya late entry. As long as they arrive before six, I will admit them as well."

Saito noted the confused expression on Megumi's face.

"I won't extend my deadline any further than that, even if you beg." he said bluntly.

Megumi waved her hands frantically, shaking her head.

"N-No! Of course not, Saito-senpai, that's not it! It's just…I don't really understand why you would extend my friends the same courtesy as Eizan-senpai." she said hesitantly. Saito hummed in understanding and began to speak.

"It's because my arena is, among many other things, fair. I can't evaluate your true worth as a chef without ensuring that you are all on the same playing field."

"Oh, I see. That's wonderful, thank you so much, Saito-senpai." said Megumi, bowing to the older student. She turned and walked over to Ryo, who was sitting alone at the same desk that he'd been at for Saito's address.

He looked up at Megumi with his usual, bored expression but his eyebrows rose once she told him just what the fifth seat had told her. It surprised him. Somei Saito didn't seem the type to offer concessions but he shrugged, simply accepting the stroke of luck. He went to check his watch again but then the double doors at the back of the room opened and he turned to look.

"Ah, there they are!" said Megumi excitedly. She stepped past Ryo, waving to Alice and Sōma before stopping.

"Oh my…Sōma-kun!"

Ryo's eyes sharpened at the tone in Megumi's voice and he stood to face the entrance. His eyes widened.

Sōma was standing at the entrance to the room. His clothes were dirty and scuffed; his jacket hung open with half of the buttons torn clean off and his shirt was rumpled, the collar pointing erratically in one direction. His hair was also a mess; even more so than usual and his knuckles were bruised.

Alice, by contrast, didn't appear dirty at all. But the expression on her face was one Ryo wasn't used to seeing. It was a look of caution, discomfort and fear. All directed at the red headed boy beside her.

Ryo felt himself moving forward, a familiar rage taking hold as he walked up to face Sōma. He didn't bother paying attention to the glassy eyes the other boy turned on him or the fact that he stepped in front of Alice protectively.

"What did you do to her?"

Ryo's tone was more snarl than spoken word. Sōma didn't respond, except to take another step putting himself firmly in between Ryo and Alice.

"Answer me Yukihira."

Ryo felt the edges of his self-control fraying as his mind raced; what could he have done now? What could this mentally fucked up asshole of an ex-boyfriend have done to her to have Alice looking at him like that?

Ryo stepped forward and found his way barred by Sōma's hand. He'd barely seen the motion but a hand was almost gently resting against his chest.

Ryo noted the damage on the knuckles; the kind of bruising that could only be done by hitting something. He looked past Sōma's head to where Alice was looking over his shoulder and noticed a glaring detail he'd managed to miss in his initial assessment. Something that had been hidden behind Alice's bang.

The angry red and purple mark on the left side of her face.

Ryo saw white.

The familiar looking boy with the angry eyes leapt forwards, slipping past Sōma's hand. Sōma crouched, thrusting his shoulder into his chest to arrest his momentum and turn it to the side, allowing the red eyed young man to fall past him and to the side.

Away from her.

Sōma turned, swivelling until he stood in between them again. His hands were held out in a threatening stance now; he'd been fine with simply standing in close proximity but now he'd proven to be aggressive and Sōma wasn't taking any chances. He would disable him, just as he did the others.

"Yukihira!"

The red eyed boy sprung to his feet, before immediately moving forward in a stance that seemed practiced but sloppy. His anger was inhibiting him. Sōma could use that. He stepped forward, matching the boy's advance. He blocked the first blow with both arms; leaving a large hole in the defense of his non-dominant side as he shifted, seemingly to get his bearings.

The red eyed boy saw the opportunity and struck, committing to a straight punch to Sōma's left side that impacted solidly against his ribs. The surprise on his face made it clear that he'd been expecting some sort of reaction. Sōma had tensed his torso muscles in preparation; the boy's fist meeting hardened muscle as opposed to soft flesh.

"What the fuck?"

Sōma stepped in, almost intimately close. He thrust his right arm forward and upwards; the palm of his hand rushing to meet his opponent's nose. He felt his hand hit but only barely; the other boy had stepped back reflexively, a move that had saved him from what would have undoubtedly been a broken nose.

Sōma's follow up jab with his left arm to the boy's solar plexus caught him completely off guard. The red eyed boy stepped back, anger warring with pain as he struggled to catch his breath. Sōma noted that, despite the blow, he still stood. He hadn't even fallen to his knees, which indicated a troubling amount of resilience. He would have to be more thorough.

"What the- Yukihira! Kurokiba! What's going on?"

Sōma ignored the voices around him, other than to glance quickly at where Alice stood. No one had stepped towards her in an aggressive manner; the closest was a blue haired girl and the concern on her face was hardly a threatening move. He felt comfortable taking the time needed to deal with the current, sole aggressor.

Sōma stepped forward, crossing the short distance between them in two quick steps, even as the other boy continued to wheeze. He lashed out, striking at him with a palm thrust that he only barely dodged. Sōma stepped forward again, another palm thrust causing the angry eyed boy to take another step back, still struggling to catch his break.

"Yu…Yukihira, you're going to-"

Sōma rushed forward again, uncaring of the words he was speaking. He could listen when this was over. His aggressive maneuver caught the dark haired boy off guard and he stepped back a third time, stumbling into the chair that Sōma had been leading him towards. Sōma glimpsed the briefest expression of surprise on his face as his leg caught the chair's and then Sōma was on him, turning the boy's brief stumble into a throw, slamming the boy into the floor as he wrenched an arm behind his back.

"Oh my god! Sōma-kun, stop it, let him go!"

Sōma glanced over, hearing Alice's voice. She stood nearby, that same expression of terror on her face that Sōma had seen in the forest. He faltered, briefly, his desire to protect her conflicting with his desire to make her happy.

"He'll be fine, Alice. I'm perfectly capable of dislocating his shoulder without causing any undue damage."

"Sōma-kun, no! Don't you dare!" shouted Alice.

Sōma felt the boy struggle beneath him and he applied more pressure, eliciting a cry of pain. He really should just go ahead and do it. The longer he held him like this; the more likely it became that he would struggle in just the wrong way and end up hurting himself even further. An unfortunate outcome but one Sōma would accept, if needed.

"He wasn't trying to do anything to me; he wasn't trying to hurt me. He would never do something like that and you know it!"

Sōma thought back; the red eyed boy's actions did seem targeted specifically to him. He hadn't so much as glanced as Alice.

Sōma's grip eased, just slightly. Such proactive measures may not be needed. He could handle being hurt because he misjudged a situation and was a bit too lax in how he approached his own safety but he wouldn't allow such a thing to happen to Alice. But if Alice's assessment was correct, then this boy was no threat to her. Only him.

Sōma could deal with that.

His grip eased even further but, as the other boy began to struggle, he suddenly doubled the pressure, the movement ceasing as quickly as it began as the angry eyed boy grunted in pain.

"I will release you on the count of three. If you take any motions to harm myself or Alice, I cannot guarantee your safety. Do you understand me?"

"Fuck…Fuck you, Yukihira."

Sōma looked to Alice, who sighed sadly, shaking her head at him.

"Take that as a yes, Sōma-kun. It's fine, I promise."

Sōma shrugged, accepting. He would be here anyway. And he would have no trouble restraining the boy a second time.

"One…two…three."

Sōma released the dark haired boy, getting to his feet in a smooth motion. He idly adjusted his jacket, absently noting its condition. The brief scuffle had not done the damaged material any favours. Alice went to move past Sōma but he stuck his arm out.

"Alice, are you certain of-"

"Yes. I am, Sōma-kun." she snapped impatiently, moving past his arm to crouch beside the dark haired boy. Sōma didn't argue further, although he kept a careful eye on the young man as he got to his knees, shaking his arm out as Alice talked softly to him. He glared daggers at Sōma but Sōma paid it no mind. There weren't any weapons in convenient range of him and Sōma was confident of his ability to handle him in close quarters.

Sōma glanced around at the crowd that their confrontation had drawn for any signs of aggression. He noted the looks of fear and curiosity absentmindedly but saw nothing of concern to him. That was good. Perhaps he could-

"Yukihira-kun?"

Sōma turned, striking out with a fist. His hand impacted the solid wood of a sheath. Sōma drew back, stepping backwards into a defensive posture as he stared at the tall male before him. The sword and odd hairstyle seemed familiar to Sōma; just as the other boy's angry eyes had.

"Can I help you with something?"

Diplomacy was preferable; the other party was armed. And armed well. The swordsman looked over at where Alice was helping the dark haired boy to his feet. She had her arm comfortingly around his shoulder and Sōma noted that the aggression he'd witnessed seemed to have left; the boy wasn't a danger, currently. Although he had clear potential to be.

"May I ask why you attacked Kurokiba-kun?" the swordsman asked, seemingly unconcerned that Sōma had just attempted to do the same to him.

Sōma thought; he'd jumped to what may have been a hasty conclusion true, but that didn't change the initial impetus.

"He attacked me first."

The swordsman looked over at the red eyed boy, who was glaring daggers at Sōma from where he leaned against Alice's shoulder.

"Is this true, Kurokiba-kun?" he asked.

"…yes. It is."

The dark haired boy's response was grudging and muttered through gritted teeth. The swordsman looked at the clock on the wall.

"Be that as it may; my challenge starts in five minutes. And while Yukihira-kun escalated the incident, it was Kurokiba-kun that started it. I could just disqualify the both of you but I'm sure neither of you want that. So I will allow you entry, though a second incident will be met with harsh retribution. Now go and prepare."

Without another word, the swordsman walked through the doors leading to the kitchens. The crowd that had gathered trickled after him until only a few were left standing around them. Sōma looked around at the crowd, noting the many familiar faces he saw there. He knew these people; he was sure he did. But he just couldn't make the connection.

"Good afternoon. My apologies for the disturbance."

There. That should help do something about the concerned looks they were all giving him. He turned to look at Alice, who was conversing with the dark haired young man in soft tones.

"Alice, we should really go in and begin preparing."

She looked up at him hesitantly.

"Ah, right. Let's go then, Sōma-kun."

Alice moved to walk towards Sōma but the dark haired boy reached out and grabbed her wrist. Before Sōma could step forward and break his own, Alice slipped out of his grip, moving to Sōma's side. She held a hand out in warning, stopping Sōma from moving forward.

"You're just going to take this psycho's side, Alice?"

The red eyed boy's voice was incredulous. His fists were clenched and he looked almost hurt.

"Ryo-kun. This isn't the time. Please, let's just go inside. We can talk about this later."

Sōma looked down at Alice in concern; she still sounded more withdrawn and cautious than he was used to.

"This guy does that to your face and you're just letting it slide?" the dark haired boy asked bitterly.

Sōma looked over at the red eyed boy. Did he…would he really suggest that…

Sōma's feet began to move towards the red eyed boy and a slim, blond boy stepped in front of him, barring his path. A larger, stockier brown haired boy stood at his shoulder. The blonde looked at him warily.

"That's far enough, Yukihira. Just go inside. We can deal with this later, as Alice-san said."

"Yea, come on man. Just relax." said the brunette calmly.

Sōma glared between them at the red eyed boy who was himself being held back by a hand on his shoulder that belonged to a large, dark skinned boy with tightly curled hair. Sōma's mouth open, unbidden.

"To even suggest that I would do such a thing…you overstep. Mind yourself, dog."

Sōma wasn't sure where the insult had come from but it felt appropriate. Sōma saw him struggling against the grip the dark skinned teen had on his shoulder and Sōma wondered if it would be worth the trouble to navigate past the two…brothers (yes, they were brothers, for all their lack of resemblance) to deal with this slanderer.

With a start, Sōma stepped back. No. He refused to be taken in by simple words and insinuations. They were not worth his time or attention. He turned to walk into the kitchen, Alice trailing behind him as they took their places at adjoining stations. Sōma began opening the drawers, noting where exactly each tool was and mentally marking off materials that he knew were Hazardous.

He heard more than saw the rest of the group come in from the back, taking stations around them. He could feel the red eyed boy's gaze on him but he could also feel someone else's.

Sōma turned to where the stare was coming from and he met dark, black orbs in the crowd of spectators on the sidelines. Attached to a pale face crowned with black hair but for the single white streak running through it.

The spoon in Sōma's hand bent sharply. Sōma looked down at his hand curiously, wondering why he'd reacted like that. There wasn't anything overtly threatening about the man. But of course, that didn't necessarily mean he wasn't dangerous.

Before Sōma could ponder further, a bell rang out.

"Begin!"

And Sōma did, all other thoughts leaving his mind as he began cooking.

A/N: Well, this was an interesting one. Couple of things happened; some were probably kind of surprising while others were probably expected. I know this is super late, and I'm sorry to really pile it on but I have more bad news:

I shall be taking another break. There will be no Nisegami chapter coming out in the upcoming week. Writing this chapter really took a lot out of me and I realized it's because I've been rushing a bit more than I should and trying to really get these out for you guys and, as I've said before, I don't want to exchange quality for updating speed. We'll get there eventually, slow and steady wins the race!

Also I realized I never lived up to my promise to gush about having the most reviewed Shokugeki no Sōma fanfiction on the website so here it is:

Nisegami started as a brief, one off idea. The initial idea was literally "Man, Azami's such an asshole. Wouldn't it be awesome if Sōma just clocks him instead of letting him into the dorm in Chapter 150?" So, inspired, I started writing. I started thinking more about the logistics; what caused Sōma to punch Azami, how would Azami realistically react to it? How could Sōma possibly get out of it? And so on, and so on. Until I had a neat little one shot with oodles of continuation potential that I planned to never utilize.

And that, combined with the great feedback from the first chapter made me continue writing. And writing. And writing. I decided I needed a goal beyond simply finishing the story and that's when I decided to shoot for the "First Seat" of the SnS fandom. At least by reviews. And, lo and behold, that's where I'm at now. I never thought I could get here and I have each and every one of you to thank for it.

Even if another fic comes along later and dethrones me, I can say I'm happy I made it here at all and I'm so thankful to everyone that read my work, even those who hated it or grew to dislike it because they didn't enjoy where certain things headed (I'm looking at you Sorina shippers!)

You guys and girls are the best. I'm First Seat for reviews on a fandom that I love and that's freaking awesome.

Appreciate each and every one of you and I hope you guys enjoy the chapter. See you all in two weeks!