Ch.3 Divine Mercy (Hisako Arato and Erina Nakiri)

Seated in her usual spot at the front of the class, Erina Nakiri stared lazily out the window. Next to her sat Hisako Arato, her secretary. Miss Erina always looks so bored in here...poor thing. No Totsuki teacher could hope to match her knowledge and expertise on the art of cooking! Hisako's face formed a scowl.

"Hisako, is everything all right?" Erina's delicate voice interrupted her thoughts, as she appeared to have found something more interesting to observe than the shrubbery outside.

"EEP! Of course, Miss Erina, everything is splendid as always!" Hisako nodded over-enthusiastically, drawing a laugh.

"Please don't be afraid to share things with me, Hisako. We're friends, after all."

Friends? So graceful and compassionate...I'm certainly not worthy of being friends with the God's Tongue herself.

"Y-y-yes, if that is your wish, Miss. I, well I was just thinking that you should be the one to lecture us on cooking theory. I think it would be far more interesting to hear your ideas on the subject." Erina smiled at this.

"If you want me to lecture you, I'd be more than happy to oblige during our next study session."

"Oh, no! Not at all, I wouldn't want to burden you with..." Hisako was cut off by a loud BANG! as the door to the classroom slammed open. Standing there was a student, dressed in a white Totsuki chef's coat with the sleeves rolled up. He was clearly out of breath, and sweating rather profusely; he had to rest his hands on his knees in order to gather himself. Everyone in the room looked up to see what the commotion was.

"Uggh- just who is this ruffian?" Erina turned and whispered into her ear. "He looks like a train-wreck that somehow found its way into the kitchen! And baring his arms like that...how undignified!"Of course, Miss Erina is the definition of class and high standards here at this academy! Her first impressions are always spot-on. He's rather cute, though, in spite of the disheveled appearance.

The late bell had yet to ring, but most of the class was already seated. Their instructor addressed the new arrival. "Ah, you must be our new transfer student! Tormund Waldenpond, correct?" she asked jovially, while glancing at the class roster on her laptop.

"That's me...but please call me Torrey...sorry about the door," he managed between breaths. "Campus so big...still haven't figured out..."

"Don't sweat it! Class is just about to start. Please, make yourself at home." She performed a quick scan of the room. "It looks like there's an open seat for you in the back there, next to Ms. Sadatsuka," she gestured. Several nearby students snickered.

As Torrey moved towards his seat, he made eye contact with two very beautiful girls sitting in the front row. A smile was offered by the girl with short pink hair, along with a blush (which was returned in full). The honey-blonde with startling purple eyes simply crossed her arms and turned to face the window. For some reason, he was reminded of his gastronomy teacher and her assistant.

When he was out of earshot, Erina turned to Hisako once more. "How can she be so lax with him? Any chef worth his weight in knives knows to show up AT LEAST ten minutes early. My guess is that he won't last a week here."

"You're absolutely right, Miss. And very kind, too- one week is rather generous." Wow, he's really making a terrible impression on Miss Erina. Still, we haven't seen him cook yet...maybe she has a thing against transfer students, thought Hisako, as an image of Soma Yukihira popped into her head. The second bell rang.

As Torrey took the seat indicated by their instructor, he glanced over at the student next to him. She didn't pay him any mind; in fact, she seemed to be focused intently on one of the girls from the first row. This student was on the short side, and attractive in a shocking sort of way. Long, dark locks covered one of her eyes; the visible iris was blood-red, offering a sharp contrast to her pale skin tone. She was mumbling something...

"So pretty...Mistress...Hisakooo..."

"Are you talking about that girl up there?" Torrey couldn't help asking.

"WHAAA?!" The girl referred to as Sadatsuka nearly jumped from her seat, as the spell was broken. "Who? When? How..." she managed to ask with a look of bewilderment.

Torrey laughed. "I'm a new student, name's Torrey," he said, offering his hand. "And you're right; she is pretty," he admitted. She looked skeptical.

"Nao Sadatsuka," she said, without taking his hand. "Hey...you keep your eyes off of Mistress Hisako! She's all mine!" Her voice raised several octaves, and a few nearby students turned to give them curious looks. Staring Torrey down, she leaned in and whispered, "I'm serious, stay away or I'll have to cast a hex on you." Wow, I guess she does look a bit...witchy, he thought, still amused but now on his guard.

"Easy Nao, I'm not here to hunt for mistresses. Just to learn a few things about cooking. Besides, I think the girl next to her is cuter anyway." Though clearly not as friendly. He watched as Nao seemed to struggle between taking offense or feeling relief.

"Lady Erina, you mean? Hmm...yes I once thought the same thing. Very well, I can see that I won't have anything to worry about with you. Truce?" she asked, this time offering her hand.

"Of course," Torrey agreed while shaking her hand. "I won't get in your way of...Hisako, was it?"

"Yes, and remember the name well because Mistress Hisako is PERFECTION INCARNATE. SHE'S GOING TO RISE TO THE TOP OF THIS CUTTHROAT CULINARY ACADEMY AND WHEN THAT DAY COMES I WILL BE RIGHT BEHIND HER, READY TO FULFILL ALL OF HER DIVINE NEEDS!" She was raising her voice again, though the other students seemed disinterested now. They must have grown accustomed to these outbursts, but Torrey had to restrain his laughter. She's either the funniest person I've ever met, or the scariest!

The late bell rang a few minutes before, but the instructor was just now taking her place at the front of the room. She didn't seem as concerned with time as Alice Nakiri was.

"Hello everyone! Though I'm sure most of you heard his entrance, I'd like to properly introduce our new student, Mr. Waldenpond," she said while indicating the new transfer. "Is it true that you came all the way from America?" she asked, apparently having read his information.

"Umm...yes, that's right," he laughed nervously, still not used to being put on the spot.

"Wow, how exciting! Let's all do our best to make him feel at home here. You might have noticed, Mr. Waldenpond, but this is no ordinary school. Totsuki is the most prestigious culinary institute in the entire world! No expense is spared here- our students are continually supplied with the best instruction (and the best ingredients!) so that they can push themselves out of their comfort zones to really grow as chef's. In honor of this tradition, we're going to push you out of your comfort zone today!" WOW, just when I thought I had a chill teacher. As long as this doesn't involve crab...

The instructor turned her attention back to the class. "This is going to be a little different from what we usually do in here. Partner cooking! Each pair of students will create a dish that follows the chosen theme. One of you will be the head chef, the other the sous. It's up to you to decide the roles, although Mr. Waldenpond will have to be the head chef for his pairing. Sorry Ms. Sadatsuka, but I already have a pretty good sense of what you can do in the kitchen." Did her nose just quiver? What was that?

Torrey looked at Nao apologetically; she simply shrugged. "I want to see your skills, too." The instructor continued.

"Here's the kicker...I'm not even hungry! And I didn't prepare any themes." Everyone looked confused. "So I'm going to pick a random number from our hat full of numbers; remember how each of you has a number assigned to your seats? The chosen student will get to decide the theme with his/her partner and taste the dishes! That's right, if you're the lucky pair, you won't even have to cook! Once again, sorry Ms. Sadatsuka. If your number gets drawn I'll simply have to choose another."

Nao shrugged again. "Can we please just get started, already?" she implored.

"Right! So, without further ado..." she grabbed the white toque and began fishing around for a number. "Let's see...how about...this one!" she said as she removed a slip of paper with a flourish. "The student in charge of this assignment is...student number one!" Everyone looked to the front of the room, where the two beautiful girls were sitting. There was no doubt about it; Erina and Hisako were the chosen pair.

"Wow, what were the odds? Number one? Ho, I did say this was going to be a challenge, right? Ms. Nakiri and Ms. Arato will be the judges today. Best of luck everyone. Ladies, please take a moment to decide on the theme for today's dish." So there's another Nakiri, and it's HER? She doesn't seem anything like Alice.

"What do you think, Miss Erina? What does the Divine Palate wish to taste today?" Hisako deferred to her partner.

"Ha, you're too kind, Hisako. Besides, I doubt that the newbie will manage to impress us, regardless of what dish we choose. I'll let you decide on this one," she said loudly enough for Torrey to hear, even in the back of the room.

"Are you sure, Miss?" How magnanimous! It's almost lunchtime, and I am pretty hungry. The teacher did say that he's from America, but everything's so diverse there. His specialty could be anything! Of course we'll be sampling everyone's work, but the whole point of this challenge was to test him. Should I choose something safe? Something out-of-the-blue?

"Hisako? Did you hear what I said?" Erina's voice cut into her thoughts once more.

"EEK! No, I'm so sorry Miss Erina! I was thinking too hard." Hisako said nervously.

"It's quite all right; I simply advised you to make haste with your decision. We don't want HIM to feel pressured by the clock." Torrey could hear the venom in her voice.

"Right. Then let's go with..." For some reason, whenever I think of America I picture a big, juicy burger. Yes, that's it! "Hamburgers! The theme for today is hamburgers!" she shouted with authority.

"Excellent choice, Hisako. Let's see if the American transfer student can satisfy us with a properly cooked American staple." Erina said smugly.

The instructor butted in. "There you have it, folks, the ladies have spoken! You have one hour to prepare and present your best burger! Why are you still sitting- get to cooking!"

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Class was nearing its end, and the only pair yet to present was Torrey and Nao. Thirteen dishes had already been tasted by the lucky ladies; not one had received a passing grade. As they approached the front, Nao leaned toward Torrey and whispered. "They call her the Divine Tongue... it's said that she has the most refined palate in the entire world. I didn't want to discourage you earlier, but I knew that our chances of passing were poor. I used to dream of making something that could please her palate..." she trailed off into her thoughts, before shaking her head. "No, that's a thing of the past! It's Hisako's tongue that I wish to..."

Torrey cleared his throat when he noticed that they were now standing in front of the judges. He set plates down for Erina and Hisako, who both eyed the dish with curiosity. The girls either didn't hear Nao's comments, or had simply grown used to them like the other students. Erina was, of course, the first to speak.

"Well, it would appear that you at least know what a hamburger is. What do you call this dish?"

"This is a Red Pepper Venison Burger with Mushroom and Aioli." He answered, confident in his cooking in spite of Erina's animosity.

"Red Pepper Venison..." Erina repeated, losing some of her edge. Is that drool on the edge of her lips? Hisako certainly looks ready for it, Torrey observed. The burger was halfway between the plate and her mouth, but she glanced nervously at Erina before attempting a bite. Erina finally composed herself.

"Very well, let's see if this dish is fit for the Totsuki name and worthy of Divine Judgment!" She nodded at Hisako, and they both dug in. MUNCH MUNCH MUNCH MUNCH.

While waiting patiently, Nao whispered to Torrey once more, "As long as it pleases Mistress Hisako, I'll be satisfied. Otherwise, I will NEVER forgive you." He gulped. Passing the assignment required both judges to give the OK, but since Erina hadn't approved a single dish, Hisako's opinion had been relegated to the backburners.

"GYAAAAH!" Both ladies cried out in ecstasy, their clothes exploding off of their bodies in a whirlwind of fabric. As if nothing happened, they continued to chow down and the burgers were gone in a matter of moments. Whoa! What the hell just happened? Is this how people eat in the far East? Torrey wondered.

Hisako's words failed her. "The flavor...no, the texture...I mean..." she sank down into her seat, her eyes closed in a blissful state. Erina managed to retain her faculties, at least.

"I think what Hisako means to say is that...it feels as if we're prancing through sunlit meadows on a quiet afternoon. A herd of deer is there with us, and we stop only to gather fresh mushrooms from the earth. Suddenly, a shot rings out- a shot of powerful, garlic flavor that hits us right in the vitals! It sends us crashing to the meadow floor, but rather than being fatal, the shot invigorates us with energy so powerful, it feels as if we could continue on our journey forever, and we wish to keep going of course..." She looked down at her empty plate, and a frown formed on her goddess-like lips. "Right, Hisako?"

"Exactly right, Miss. I couldn't have phrased it any better," Hisako said, still slumped in her seat.

"Umm, okay..." Torrey sounded perplexed. "That's one way to put it, I guess." The rest of the class was even more shocked than he was. Suddenly, Erina regained her royal demeanor.

"This dish...passes! And just what do you think you're doing, presenting such inferior food to me!" She addressed the room now. "You should be ashamed to call yourselves Totsuki chef's! This new student's Venison Burger is the embodiment of haute cuisine!" Everyone else was absolutely terrified; Torrey held back his laughter. Nao nudged him on the elbow, and they exchanged grins. No one in the room expected this turn of events, especially not Erina Nakiri.

Realizing that she'd just given the ultimate praise to a student who was, only moments before, the target of her venom, her cheeks grew red. "I think class is almost over," she said softly. The unnamed instructor took her place at the front of the room.

"Well that was certainly something! With all due respect to Ms. Nakiri, I'm sure most of those dishes would have been able to pass the test of a more...unrefined? palate. So don't be discouraged you guys! Of course, rules are rules, so it looks like Mr. Waldenpond and Ms. Sadatsuka are the only ones who pass this assignment. Maybe I'll offer some extra credit next week. Regardless, I messed up big time by letting you ladies judge! After seeing THAT reaction, I definitely need to try his cooking for myself! Oh well... good work today kids. Class dismissed."

As Torrey and Nao left the classroom together for lunch, Nao was absolutely beaming. "Did you see Mistress Hisako's reaction? That was incredible! She looked soooo happy."

"How could I miss it? Does that sort of thing happen a lot here?" Torrey asked.

"What sort of thing?"

"The whole 'GYAAAH! And the 'fwoosh' with the clothes thing," he tried to explain.

"I didn't really notice before, but yeah, it actually happens a lot. If the dish is good enough, that is" Nao explained. Erina and Hisako were already in the hallway chatting, but they stopped abruptly as the winning duo neared.

Nao suddenly tensed up. "Oh, uh, I'd better get going...can't be within 50 meters of Lady Erina. Only exempt during classtime. Nice meeting you, hope we can cook together again soon!" she said quickly as she ran off in the opposite direction, stopping only for a moment to look back at Hisako. This girl's a hardcore Yandere...

When she had left, Hisako waved him over. "Hey Torrey! That was some dish you made! Miss Erina and I were just talking about it. I couldn't figure out how you eliminated the gamey taste of venison. Erina thinks you minced the meat with something."

"It must have been bacon. That would explain how you obtained such juiciness from one of the leanest cuts of meat. I detected a hint of sage, as well as bread crumbs." Erina offered, looking embarrassed that Hisako mentioned her name.

"Wow, that's three hits!" He really wanted to make a Battleship reference, but thought better of it. These girls seemed classy, after all. "I'm sure I don't need to mention the qualities that comprise a good burger, but I did use the red pepper as a substitute for pickles."

"A wise decision. And the bagel bun was... a nice touch. The subtle cheesiness of the bread paired well with the garlic aioli, and it was sturdy enough to handle the meat juices without absorbing too much. Not to mention the perfectly sautéed mushrooms," Erina continued, once again with reddened cheeks. Wow! thought Hisako. What a contrast to her first impression; I've never seen her hand out praise like that. It was a great dish, sure, but something seems different about Miss Erina today...

A loud rumble echoed through the hall, and the girls looked startled. "What was that?" Hisako worried.

"Oh, uh, please forgive my aching stomach...you see, I've been cooking all morning but still haven't had anything to eat," Torrey said sheepishly. Both girls laughed. Even Erina? thought Torrey, his defenses up as he anticipated another insult.

"Hisako, I believe it is our duty as Totsuki student's to show our new classmate the way to the cafeteria. Wouldn't you agree?"

"Yes of course, Miss Erina. Don't worry, you shan't be hungry for long," she said to Torrey, grabbing his arm and leading onward. Though she probably wouldn't have grabbed him herself, the thought DID cross Erina's mind.