Time for dessert

Rika held her hand up to stop Masaru from complaining as the food dripped to the floor.

"Why? When it comes to disrespecting food like that-"

Rika began eating the food that fell much to everyone's shock.

"Quite vulgar. This is supposed to be a fine gourmet establishment, not the slums of a 3rd world country," Makihara sighed.

"Well, never fear. I shall insure this vermin goes viral for her unsanitary behavior and is exterminated," Takeda sneered as he pulled out his phone.

"Look at her! She smeared food all over herself and is eating off the floor like an animal!" Helga laughed.

Once Rika was done, she smiled at Itsuki.

"Terrible," Itsuki glared once more, though this time she shed a tear.

"Yeah, I can't blame you for calling me terrible. If I had acted sooner, you'd be here happily working with us and living your life instead of being a robotic slave," Rika said.

"Quite slanderous. Have you not forgotten you already have a court date set for tomorrow?" Takeda sneered.

"Not showing."

"Then you will be arrested for obstruction of justice."

"Besides, you lost. Masaru won," Helga sneered.

"Really? You two were clearly biased judges, nor did Itsuki even take a bite. Makihara's the only one who properly ate the meal as intended, and said himself that I had won the battle. Though if you're so adamant that I lost, how bout a 2 v1 cook off. You two can pair up, create complimentary dishes, or go solo. As long as one of you wins, I lose," Rika taunted.

"And do you think we'd agree to such a proposal?" Takeda glared.

"If I loose, I'll strip naked on the spot."

Masaru went red in the face as many of the male patrons roared with excitement.

"Whoops, now Masaru might want me to lose. Don't worry, I wont force you two to strip if you lose. Wouldn't wanna deal physical harm to our customers."

"YOU SAYIN I'M UGLY YOU WHORE!?" Helga roared.

Takeda glared in annoyance, but pulled out a legal document from his case.

"And what shall the exact LEGALLY BINDING TERMS be?" he asked as he set up his mini typewriter.

"How bout this. If I lose, I strip naked. If Helga loses, she loses all her hair," Rika smirked.

"THE HELL!?" Helga screamed.

"Don't worry. If I lose, I'll also let you shave me bald on the spot after I strip. Heck, you can even tie me to a chair and gag me if you want. Takeda will also receive no punishment should he lose, Hmm actually he'll have to drop his BS case against me."

"Nonnegotiable on that point," Takeda glared.

"Well screw you. So Helga, you in?"

Helga's angry scowl quickly turned to a sadistic smile.

"Sure, I've got nothing to lose," she sneered.

Takeda finished typing the document and presented it before Helga and Rika. Both signed it.

"*Sigh* You always are reckless. I will be judge for this. Itsuki, I believe you should also be judge as repentance for your tantrum," Masaru stated.

"It is fine. Your stomach should have enough room for sample sizes. I will take part as well in order to provide a tie breaking vote," Makihara nodded.

"My father commands me to judge. Thus I shall pass judgement upon the chefs and dishes," Itsuki stated.

Rika then stepped outside and yelled, "HEY! We're having a cook off if I lose I go nude and bald! The food is also on the house so come on in, we've still got seating!"

As a crowd began to form, each of the three chefs went to one of the cooking stations in the dining area.

"What rabble. Well, it shall be poetic for a great mass of the rubes to see you fall," Makihara thought.

"Since we do not have unlimited ingredients, I must first confirm one thing before proceeding. Is the team of two going to be making their own separate dishes?" Masaru asked.

"Correct. Though they may still compliment each other correct?" Takeda asked.

"Correct. However, considering the promise of "free" food, I will be requiring that you make a lower portion meal that can serve a party of 50. With that in mind, I feel it is my discretion as an owner of this establishment to dictate what my ingredients be used to make. Are there any objections?"

" ..........."

"Hearing none, you must bake a desert of any kind. Your time begins now."

As each chef began cooking, Makihara's eyes widened as he stared at Rika.

"What is she doing!? She's frying vegetable oil? Does she truly intend to serve slop as her dish? Is she trying to make it look like her loss will be due to that poor dish? Yet to create such an atrocity in an establishment under Masaru-kun's management... That heathen disgusts me. Well, I look forward to the repercussions you'll receive for your actions," Makihara thought.

"Wow, what a dumbass. She makin french frys? Well, I heard she bungled a simple millefeuille. I bet my tiramisu will take her out. Though why do I have to make so much just for some snobs?" Helga thought.

"I heard Masaru kicked her out of the kitchen when she tried to make a millefeuille. I guess I'll twist the knife and best her with my own," Takeda thought.

                                                                          ...

"And time is up. Present your deserts first to me and Itsuki. Then distribute samples to everyone," Masaru ordered.

Helga scoffed as she looked at Rika's dish.

"What is that? You poured batter in the oil and created a large hunk of dough, but when you cut it up, it looks like crumbs."

"You two can go first. Everyone, try the challenger's deserts first!" Rika shouted.

Everyone did as they were told.

"Excellent. both the Tiramisu and Millefeuille were properly made. And they both compliment each other well," Makihara stated.

"I concur Makihara-san," Masaru agreed.

"As do I father," Itsuki concurred.

The other patrons seemed to enjoy the dishes. Then it was time for Rika's dish.

"And what exactly is this abomination supposed to be?" Makihara glared.

"A mini fruit funnel cake. They're popular at North American fairs and carnivals," Rika smiled.

"C- Carnival food!? You dare taint an elite gourmet establishment with fried filth from an American fairground!?"

"UMAI!" Masaru blissfully moaned.

Makihara, Helga, and Takeda all turned in horror. Masaru had a look of pure bliss as he consumed the funnel cake. Rika smiled and gave him a larger portion she'd been saving as the other patrons tried the cake.

"U- u- UMAI!"

"This really does taste good."

"It really stands out compared to the other two dishes."

"Terrible. I hate you. I'll never be able to eat more of this ever again," Itsuki cried.

"Sure ya will. I saved some for you as well," Rika smiled as she plopped the other large portion she'd been saving onto Itsuki's plate.

Itsuki beamed with joy and gobbled it up.

"NO! YOU ARE TAINTING HER!" Makihara yelled.

"Yes! This is poisoning!" Takeda snarled.

"This shit's fried trash ya know!" Helga shouted.

"SHUT UP!" one patron glared.

"My, to think I'd indulge in such a sin," a more gourmet elite esque patron smiled as he licked the powdered sugar off his fork.

"Try it," Rika smirked.

The three begrudgingly took a bite.

Helga tearfully glared as she tasted and swallowed.

"I hate you. I HATE YOU!" she cried.

"Damn you heathen. You played my faction for fools. You made your filth taste drastically different then theirs so it would leave a greater impact. But why!? Why is even Masaru digesting this filth with a smile!?" Makihara demanded as he finished his piece.

"Well, I bet someone like you who does all the cooking and only married to breed a gourmet superhuman wouldn't know. The secret to winning a man's heart is through his stomach. And Masaru just fell head over heels once he tried it. Now it's his favorite guilty desert," Rika smiled.

Takeda spit his piece into a napkin and grabbed the legal document.

"And what say you judges!?" he demanded.

"Rika," Masaru replied.

"Rika," Itsuki cried.

"The challengers," Makihara seethed with fury.

Takeda clicked his tongue and ripped the document in half. He then burned it on the stove much to Rika's anger.

"Hey! Don't use our property to destroy flammable material! And that's legally binding! I win, so Helga-"

"Need not bother herself. There was no legally binding contract."

"BULLSHIT! WE SAW YOU WRITE IT!" an angry patron yelled.

"Yeah! She lost, she gets the punishment!" another chimed.

"BATSU BATSU!" the patrons all began to chant.

Takeda then whipped out his phone in annoyance.

"You'll all be tried for unlawful rioting and have your date in court. Oh, and I've sent word to have your travel privileges revoked so you don't try to flee peons!"

Everyone angrily yelled and tried to attack Takeda, however he simply pepper sprayed them and walked out.

"See you tomorrow in court," he snarled at Rika.

"What a rude fellow," an elegant mustachioed gentleman smiled as he paid his tab and left.

Helga glared as she and Makihara dragged a kicking and screaming Itsuki to the limousine.

"Hey Masaru, can you clean up in here? I gotta go run an errand," Rika asked as she left the restaurant.

"HUH!? Rika! We're still open for another hour!"