Ashiya Futaba's Story (Part One)

Chapter Eighteen

In block B...

The screen shows the current rankings. With Ashiya Futaba taking the first place, 97 points, followed by Hisako with 92, Hojo Miyoko with 86 and Yuki with 86.

The next two that are going to present their dish is none other than the Aldini twins, with first up is Isami. 

"Woah, this is... A Calzone?!" Urara exclaims.

"Calzone is a dish made by wrapping up the ingredients in pizza batter by folding it in half. A dish that had different ways of cooking it, be it baking or deep frying, a unique dish to Italy" Futaba comments.

"Wouldn't you normally use pizza ingredients like mozzarella cheese as the filling...?" Lady Orie questions. 

"That means Isami has filled the calzone with curry!" says Futaba.

The judges quickly takes the first bite of Isami's dish and instantly bursting out the comments as Lady Orie tries to control her food orgasm. Isami then goes on to explain the process of his dish making. After hearing the process...

"Marvelous! He incorporated the idea of Japanese curry bread and make into a whole new Italian curry dish!"

"Contestant Isami Aldini gains 87 points! Tied with Contestant Hojo Miyoko!" Urara exclaims. 

Takumi went up next and his dish is a type of curry pasta. 

"I see we have consecutive Italian dishes"

"Bacon, pepper, mushrooms... These ingredients are like those of a Neapolitan but using curry sauce instead of ketchup" says Lady Orie. 

The judges then takes a bite of Takumi's dish and they noticed something different about the pasta when Takumi explains that there are three layers to the pasta, where the outer layers are kneaded with turmeric and the inner layer kneaded with parmesan cheese.

Takumi continues on to explaining further about this dish and Takumi scores 90 points, taking second place.

"Nii-chan... Is really amazing" says Isami softly. 

Futaba simply pats Isami's back.

"Don't worry Isami. You did your best" says Futaba.

Isami doesn't say a word, simply smiling, feeling proud of his brother.

"The preliminaries are coming to a close and the next contestant is--!"

"Here, please have a taste!" Alice says, not even waiting for Urara to finish talking. 

"Alice, at least wait till the Emcee announce your name" Futaba says bluntly while face palming. 

"Awww, I got tired of waiting" says Alice with a pout. 

"Wh-Wh-What is this?!" The judge exclaims.

"W-What's that...?"

"Is that really a curry dish?"

"I worked really hard on it. Now please try some~" Alice says with a smile. 

The audience begin to voice out their suspicions in regards to Alice's dish and it irked Futaba. She turns to the audience with a menacing glare which immediately stopped the commotion. 

"Fufu, everything on this dish is curry" says Alice as she casually hands one plate of her dish to Futaba.

"For me?" 

"I want you to try it Futaba. It's bee so long after all" says Alice and Futaba gladly accepts. 

Futaba and the judge takes the first bite. The judges froze with their eyes widen, gaining confusion from the students. 

"T-This... How should I describe it? It's cold and warm..."

"The curry sauce is made into espuma and it melts into your mouth"

As the judges struggles to describe Alice's food, the cook herself was about to explain when Futaba first voice out a thought. 

"It's hardened using sodium alginate after the spices were added" says Futaba and Alice chuckles. 

"That is correct Futaba" says Alice and she goes on to explain how her dish was made which sounded a little complicated. 

"I don't understand what she is even saying..." says Megumi. 

"Thermal sense. Alice's specialty make uses of the concept of molecular gastronomy. Incorporating like food science or chemical" Futaba explains. 

"S-So... Is it good?" Urara questions. 

"Of course it's great! However there isn't words to even describe this dish!" The judge exclaims in agony.

Alice is eventually given 95 points, taking second place after Futaba and Alice sighs in disappointment. 

"And I thought I could take over you Futaba. Guess I still need to work hard" says Alice. 

"We can our own food battle anytime" says Futaba and Alice smiles and turns to Hisako. 

"Look, I surpassed you Hishoko-chan!" says Alice with a smug face and Hisako sweatrops. 

"W-Who are you calling Hishoko-chan?!"

 The judges begin to say a closing speech when a soft, timid voice spoke but they couldn't hear her. Futaba decides to intervene. 

"Dear judges, there is still one more contestant" says Futaba.

"M-My curry... Is still left..." Megumi says as she raised her hand. 

"IT'S MEGUMI'S TURN!!!" A rough voice yelled. 

"MEGUMIIIIIII!!!!!!"

"Wha? Who are they?"

"Everyone?! Why're you here?" Megumi ask in her dialect, surprised upon seeing them.

"We wanted to see Megumi's hour of triumph! We left the fishing to the young ones"

Megumi smiles and she serves her dish to the judges, eventually one to Futaba as well. 

"Hm? I get a serving too?" Futaba ask.

"I-It's as thanks for always helping me!" says Megumi and Futaba chuckles. 

"This is a Goosefish Dobujiru Curry!" Megumi intoduces. 

"Dobujiru is a dish where goosefish is the main ingredient. A traditional dish passed down by the fishermen of the Ibaraki and the Fukushima prefectures" says Futaba.

The judges and Futaba takes a bite. 

"Mhm, the taste of Megumi's home. I can feel it" Futaba says with a wink. 

Meanwhile, Megumi was smiling upon receiving positive comments from the judges and she later explains of the ingredients she used which are from her hometown. Soon, the judges begin to give out their points and Megumi was praying hard. Futaba smiles. 

'Megumi, the day you shine... Is here and now' thought Futaba as the judges finish giving out the final score, 88 points. 

"She passed the preliminaries!!!"

"NO WAYYY!!!"

"Hojo Miyoko got eliminated?!"

A huge uproar fills the arena upon learning of Megumi's pass in the preliminaries and now, those moving onto the main tournament are Futaba, Alice, Hisako, Takumi and Megumi. 

After things had calmed down, Takumi, Isami, Megumi and Futaba made their way to the A block where they see that currently they are judging on Hayama Akira's dish.