Whispers of the Sky (Hunter X Hunter)

Cooking X Is A X Challenge Too!

Even the simplest of talents takes years to perfect,
Underestimating others is the root of every defeat...
-*-

"You seem happy, Yllina."

Yllina looked up from her simmering pot and saw Rhode glancing down on her with curiosity written on her face. Yllina's smile only grew wider at Rhode addressing her by her name causing the reddish-violet haired woman to sigh in defeat at never getting an answer from her ward/sister.

It couldn't be helped. Yllina was on cloud nine right now and no one was going to ruin that for her.

To think it was finally a challenge that didn't require them to do anything life-threatening to complete. Even Hisoka didn't look like a mad murderer right now when Yllina saw him mixing random ingredients into his unknown dish.

Okay, maybe they did risk their lives trying to kill the now simmering Great Stamp in her pot but Gon had been a life-saver so she could overlook that little mishap. Had he not told them of the boar's weakness then she wouldn't be this giddy right now.

Rhode continued to stare at Yllina like she had grown two heads, wondering where the source of her happiness had been coming from. It's not like there was anything to be happy about since they still hadn't passed the exam.

There were two people they had to please during the second phase and one of them looked ready to fail them all. Buhara looked like a forgiving man but his partner had attitude and by the looks of things, Menchi obviously didn't like the way the other participants looked down on Gourmet Hunters.

Rhode could tell that Menchi would do whatever means necessary to fail them and she hoped that her cooking could at least save her and Yllina from that fate. They've made it this far so they couldn't afford to be lax now.

Skewering the Great Stamp meat that she had diced and marinated a while ago, Rhode then set them onto a plate and began making her way far from the stations to set up a fire pit. Since they were near a forest, lumber had been easy to acquire, so she had easily set up her station far from the eyes of the other applicants.

Grabbing a huge leaf she could use for a makeshift fan, Rhode then ignited her fire pit and started to cook her home made Great Stamp barbecue.

"Smells delicious." Rhode couldn't help but turn to see Kurapika and Leorio approaching her, both of whom were eyeing her makeshift station by the river.

"Thank you. Although there is a station already made for roasting, it's still better to make the station yourself. The traditional way may be difficult but the results are usually better than the conventional ways," She thanked them before explaining her reason for the pit, her eyes darting to the few hunters who Menchi turned down due to their poorly prepared and presented meal.

It looks like Menchi would be a tough one to crack.

"How did your evaluations go?" She quickly added, hoping to keep the conversation running seeing as she'd be stuck with her dish for a while.

"Please don't remind me. I can't believe she even compared me to Leorio..." Kurapika sighed at the memory, earning him a look of hurt from Leorio and an amused smirk from Rhode.

"Hey! It just goes to show that we're equals now."

"As if..."

"Stop looking down on me!"

The bantering between them made Rhode chuckle, earning her confused stares from the two while she gathered the barbecues and laid them on the plate.

"So this is what it feels like to have friends." She mutters to herself, low enough for them to miss, before handing them each a stick of the barbecued boar.