A devilish pair

Ichika maliciously grinned at Rika as she began cooking.

"Wow, can't believe this is supposed to be a discipline. All this is is just throwing food around on a hot plate and slicing it into sizeable chunks," Ichika thought.

"She isn't even trying. Well, not like she needs to. Rika's completely under her spell. She's going to cook exactly what we want her to," Nino thought

Rika screamed internally as her body began acting against her will.

"That bitch, she's forcing me to cook something nasty. Dammit! I can't break free of her hypnosis," Rika thought as she was forced to smugly smile.

"So how much did you torture her?" Nino whispered to Ichika.

"A lot. She's now in arrogant before the downfall mode. Making it so she couldn't blink out a distress signal was a bit tricky though. Everyone else is fine, though they can't leave until the spectacle is over," Ichika whispered back.

"And what about you?"

"Huh? Well of course I put myself under just like I always do. Makes my heart go waku waku."

"Well, I'm going to actually put in the effort. There is a chance she can break free."

"Yeah, I'm expectin her to in about 10, maybe 5, nah 2:37 on the dot," Ichika sneered as she gazed at the giant countdown clock hanging on the wall.

"Dammit! I need to break through! I can't cook this slop. If I do, it's humiliation and imprisonment. Worst of all, my hand's reaching for the cleaning solution. That bitch wants me to kill Masaru, Helga, and that patron. Think! How did I break out of her hypnosis before!?" Rika frantically thought.

"And breaking free in 3,2,1," Ichika counted down in her mind.

"GAAH!" Rika screamed as she burnt her hand on the stove.

"What's wrong, slipping up?" Ichika taunted as she stretched in a seductive manner before snapping her fingers.

"You BITCH!"

"Well, go wrap up your hand. We aren't stopping the clock for this,"

"But her hand-"

"Relax everyone, standard rules say clock doesn't stop unless the injury's really bad. My hand'll be fine with a little ointment and some bandages," Rika painfully smiled.

"No, something is not right. I'm pausing the clock. Everyone leave your stations," Masaru glared.

Ichika shrugged and left the cooking station with Nino as Masaru rushed to Rika.

"What happened? You uncharacteristically shifted emotions. Plus, you were barely putting forth any effort. Don't tell me you're an imposter!"

"Heh, glad you're staring to pay more attention to me, but it's actually something different. Ichika frequently dabbles in hypnosis," Rika winced as she clutched her hand.

"Hypnosis!?"

"Yeah, remember that gold medallion she brought out? That's her trick. She's really good at it and basically force someone to do anything. Like forcing the loser to comply in a bet, forcing someone to cook a crappy meal, or forcing someone to eat whatever slop she's making and say it's good."

Masaru's expression changed to one of pure hatred.

"That woman is a complete disgrace to cooking. Even some of the Nouveau neo chefs have more honor than her. When she present's her insult to me, I will reprehend her."

"Good, she's the type of trash that truly deserves to be barred from the culinary world," Rika smiled.

                                                                                 ...

After receiving medical treatment, Rika returned and the cook off resumed. This time, Rika had no trouble going for overkill with her dish. She then happily presented her dish to the judges.

"Might not be perfect, but I'm not exactly in perfect condition," Rika smiled as she flashed her bandaged hand.

"It's good!" the first judge said as he ate.

"*Tch* I hate you," Helga glared as she ate the entire dish.

"Obviously, this is not your best, but it is by far satisfactory," Masaru declared.

Rika smiled warmly, but quickly scowled when Ichika placed her dish before the judges. Eggshells were prominently sticking out of the dubious slop she called a dish.

"Well, eat up," Ichika sneered.

The first judge's body moved on it's own as he began shoveling down the dish.

"It's the best food I've ever eaten! *ACK* *BLEH*!" he stated as he began crying, gagging, and going green in the face.

"Like hell I'm eating this!" Helga shouted as she slammed her dish into Ichika's face.

As the plate and slop dripped down, Helga's eyes widened as Ichika appeared to not have a speck of slop anywhere on her clothes or body.

"Well, guess your opinion's invalid, now how bout we hear from- oh?" Ichika gasped as she saw Masaru glaring at her with pure hatred.

"I will NOT eat this insult to cooking. You have wasted fine ingredients simply to make this insult. I also heard you've been using hypnosis to force people to enjoy and praise your slop against their will."

"Huh? But I hypno- oh!" Ichika gasped as she whipped out her medallion.

"Ichika Komachi, By my authority as a Tabemono gakuin alumni, protege of Makihara-sama, and former top ranked chef of the 20 elites of Tabemono, I am hereby blacklisting you from the culinary world."

"B- BLACKLISTING!? Bu- But-"

"If my word isn't official enough, I will sent it to those that most certainly do have such authority. You are also disqualified from this cook off."

Rika smirked as Ichika began to fake cry.

"Waah! So mean! But you know that doesn't mean Ri-ri-ka's won. Great things always come in pairs. I should know, I'm a twin after all," Ichika maliciously smiled as Nino placed her dish before the judges.

Nino's dish looked far more normal, though not as complex as Rika's. She probably wouldn't be beating her, however...

*Thump*

Rika's heart began to beat faster.

"Why, why are all my alarm bells going off? There's no way she can beat me with that, so why- _!"

Rika attempted to open her mouth, but was unable to break free of her forced smile.

"YOU BITCH!" Rika thought as she was forced to smile smugly towards a maliciously grinning Ichika, whom was tauntingly dangling her medallion in her hand.

"My dish is a simple Eggs Benedict. I hope you enjoy," Nino bowed.

The first judge wearily took a bite.

"Better than the last one. Has my vote," he wearily groaned.

"Well, least it's edible," Helga grumbled.

"It is basic, but it just barely passes. Rika far outclasses you in skill, but this dish would get a minimum passing grade were it served at Tabemono," Masaru stated.

"Thanks, I guess? Home EC, wasn't my forte, but I did pass it with an A back in high school," Nino smiled.

"And with that, it is time to give our verdict. My vote goes to Rika's dish," Masaru stated.

"The eggs saved me!" the other judge groaned as he fell to the floor with a thud.

"Someone please get him to a hospital. Helga, what is your verdict?"

Helga paused as Rika's heart beat faster and faster.

"I hate you, and would happily screw you over to watch you go bald. But, I'd probably get a lynch mob after me if I screwed you solely for personal pleasure, so I vote for your dish," Helga huffed.

"And with that, by a 2-1 vote, Rika wins the cookoff," Masaru declared.

Everyone began to cheer as Rika's heart continued to beat faster and faster.

"No, somethings wrong. Why the hell are Ichika and Nino smiling like they've won!? _! That's it, those evil bitches, I've been strung up in their palms this whole time. If my secret weapon doesn't-"

"GAHACK!"

Rika's thoughts were interrupted by Masaru suddenly clutching his chest in pain. Helga also began to act the same as she collapsed into the table.

"Sorry Ri-ri-ka, but this match didn't end when the judges declared their verdict. That wasn't the true game. You might have made a better dish, but now your friends are going to die from the poison in Nino's dish. Must be hell, to be forced to smile when you might have been able to save them. If you went last, you could have slipped the antidote in your dish. If you were able to talk, you could have warned someone, but even when I allowed you to speak, I made sure you were incapable of saying or alluding to poison. Once they die, you'll lose. Guess you won't need to worry about your ex-boyfriend seeing you go nude and bald, but you'll have to stare at his corpse for the whole thing as everyone mocks you, Ri-ri-ka," Ichika thought as she maliciously smiled.