A clash of ideals

Zuina glared and turned to face Rebelle.

"I will challenge you to a cook off," Zuina declared.

"Hoh? Are you moved-"

"I am not doing this for her, I'm doing it for myself. I'm tired of you dictating my life. I don't care if your methods improved our quality of living, I can't stand you!"

"So, it seems I will have to thoroughly domesticate you after this," Rebelle glared as she held her crop in her hand.

"I don't fear your whip."

"You are only so rebellious because I don't have significant blackmail material on you, well blackmail material that could completely ruin your life at least."

"I sing horribly in the shower. I also read some raunchy things, but I'm sure many people around the world do too."

"Zuina, while blackmail is my main method of forcing compliance, I would not be alive if I didn't have the strength and smarts to hold my own against deadly assassins," Rebelle glared as she flicked her crop out, sending a mighty gust of wind into Zuina's undeterred face.

"I've grown, now what is the dish?"

"The cook off shall take place entirely on this floor. We will not be allowed to leave, though I hear the kitchen can receive ingredients from below via a dumbwaiter. Therefore, we have no need to worry about not having the proper ingredients. This hotel like my restaurant only uses organic ingredients so there is no need to worry about their quality. As for the dish you may create anything as long as it is vegetarian. We begin in approximately 5 minutes."

                                                                               ...

Nino and Itsuki sat down next to the still bound and gagged Rika as Rebelle presented her dish.

"I made my prized rainbow quinoa salad, enjoy," Rebelle said as she removed Rika's gag ball.

"What am I supposed to-mmph!?"

Rebelle answered Rika's question by shoving a spoonful of her dish into Rika's mouth. Rika immediately began to tear up as she ate.

"Well?" Rebelle sneered.

"It's good, really good," Rika tearfully glared.

Both Nino and Itsuki agreed as well.

"I think my dish tastes quite good, don't you?" Rebelle sneered as Zuina tried some.

"It does taste good," Zuina conceded.

"Naturally. This hotel like my restaurant only uses high grade organic ingredients.Plus I even made use of the exclusive seasonal ingredients to raise the dish's status even more."

"And that's the thing I despise most about you Onee-sama."

"Hmm?"

"You're one of the largest pushers for mandating that all food sold at stores be organic and that all chefs only cook with organic ingredients."

"And how exactly is that a bad thing?"

"IT'S TOO EXPENSIVE! Your prices are too high for most people to afford. You also don't believe that organic food should be cheap either. Organic produce costs much more than regular produce. Only the rich would be able to afford to eat if you and Makihara got your wish of only allowing things to be made with organic ingredients, many smaller restaurants wouldn't be able to afford the cost!"

"That's the point. Only the elite would remain. The rabble that can't adapt don't deserve to cook. And if you can't make the effort to afford to eat organic and healthy, you don't deserve to eat."

"Our place has affordable dishes. We also make our organic dishes affordable," Rika glared.

"ORGANIC IS GOURMET! It sickens me that you would degrade the value of organic produce. Do you also serve truffles for 100 yen behind Ryono-san's back?" Rebelle glared.

"Why would you be so upset about organic food being affordable? Wouldn't that-"

"Because the rabble that populates our earth would then deem 100% organic food, "normal". ORGANIC IS ELITE! The high value is proof of it's status! Only a true gourmand should be allowed to appreciate it's value! I won't allow heretics like you to rob organic produce of their status!" Rebelle fumed as she shoved the gag ball back in Rika's mouth.

"Onee-san, I was just about to present my dish," Zuina glared as she presented everyone with dishes of red lentil sloppy joes.

Zuina stared angrily at the dish.

"And why are you degrading fine red lentil curry like this!?" Rebelle glared.

"You said I could create anything."

"Well, it gets you a FAIL in my book! This is something rabble would come up with!"

"I only care about the judge's opinion."

Itsuki was the first to try.

"I have tried this establishment's red lentil curry before, but never in this manner," she stated.

Much to Itsuki's annoyance, the messy dish ended up staining her bandages. Nino went next and seemed to enjoy it.

"Huh, I kinda like this better than the salad. Then again I don't like salad much anyway. How hard is this to make?" Nino asked.

"Not too difficult. Just pull up a red lentil curry recipe, follow it and put it on the bun of your choice," Zuina replied.

"Oh, and if you're going to eat it like that, deplete the stores of their non-organic filth to make it. Trash should be made with trash after all," Rebelle sneered as she removed Rika's gag ball and shoved her face into the dish.

"I should dock you points for forcing me to eat like this," Rika glared.

"Trash should eat like trash. Besides, is this TRULY better than my dish. Don't lie to save your ass."

"It isn't. I don't know Zuina too well so I have no idea why she'd go with that dish against yours, but considering she's risking becoming your slave, I'm guessing she's got confidence in it. I hope it's warranted, because sadly as you stated, I enjoyed your dish more. I'd argue the manner IN WHICH I WAS FED soured my opinion a bit, but the taste of your salad left a better impact on my tongue, so I'm regrettably giving you my vote," Rika glared.

"Sucking up to me won't save you."

"I know, but if the man I love and two of my so called mortal enemies can respect a good dish over personal bias, I damn well better too."

"How respectful, but respectful won't save you from Shinohime-san's wrath. How say the other judges?"

"I like the burger," Nino stated.

"Well I shouldn't be surprised considering it's more akin to your primitive instincts."

"Wanna-"

"I have far more incriminating material of you and Ichika on multiple hard drives."

"Fuck you."

"And how does the final judge sway?"

"The meal was a sloppy joe so naturally it was quite messy. However, I must disclose something. Despite my elite upbringing and being constantly showered with gourmet meals day and night, I don't particularly appreciate their flavor as anything extraordinaire, though perhaps that is because those gourmet meals are the standard from my perspective. Thus, I am sorry to say, but that salad simply tasted like any other salad for me. Sure, there is some seasonal variety, but it failed to register a significant impact. The sloppy joe was a fresh take on the red lentil curry dish. Thus I am giving my vote to that," Itsuki stated.

"WHAT!? BUT MY DISH IS SUPERIOR!"

"Sure, it is more elegant and is made with precision. Had my father been sitting here, his pallet would have been more satisfied with your dish than Zuina's. But I am not my father. I may have been forced to be his puppet for a few years, but I am not the same. You should blame him for setting up your loss. Had he not constantly fed me high quality rainbow quinoa salads for the past few years as part of my brainwashing, I might have been more wowed by the taste of your dish. Now then Mimi, as per the rules, decide Miss Rebelle Adler's punishment."

"Not sure, but can I try making something?" Mimi asked.

"Very well, Miss Adler, remain here until your punishment is decided."

Rebelle merely shrugged and returned to her smug demeanor as she sat down in a chair. Itsuki then freed Rika as Mimi began cooking something.

"How bout I ensure you don't run off!" Rika glared as she dangled the gag ball before Rebelle.

"Oh, would bounding and gagging me soothe your wounded pride?" Rebelle sneered.

"You bitch! It's called payback!"

"Oh, well then pay me back. I'll happily allow myself to be bound and gagged knowing you'll never recover your pride, no matter how much you humiliate me."

Rika attempted to stick the gag ball in Rebelle's mouth, but stopped as she noticed Rebelle smugly opening her mouth.

"Well, I'm holding my mouth open. Are you going to gag me?"

Rika clicked her tongue and threw the gag ball at Rebelle's face. Rebelle caught it, and simply put it back in her bag. as Zuina confronted Rika.

"I want answers, what happened to Hinari?" Zuina glared.

"I'll tell you out of earshot of that blackmailing bitch," Rika said as she walked back up to Rebelle and bound and gagged her.

"Mmph, ngh mmph ngh mmph ngh," Rebelle smugly stated.

"Shut up, I'm doing this to keep you in place," Rika growled as she grabbed the headphones Waki had been using as part of her SPA treatment and put them on Rebelle to prevent her from hearing.

She then whispered what happened to Zuina.

"Self defense!? _______. Hinari truly was not in a good place after she was expelled. Her family treated her horribly and disowned her. No, they did worse than that, they tried to erase any trace of her existence. If she tried to get a job, they'd use their wealth and influence to get her fired immediately. They even went as far as to try and prevent her from ever staying in an apartment. I then offered to let her stay with me, but Onee-sama found out. I managed to rent her an apartment in my name, but she was so distraught she began lashing out even at me. I stopped checking on her and hoped that maybe giving her some space would help. Then she appeared at the remedial course better. I thought everything was alright, but then after we passed, she was reported dead from suicide. I can see some truth to your story, but then why lie about it being a suicide?"

"Because, if I said I killed her in self defense, the police would undoubtedly  learn when she died."

"When? _!? Are you saying-"

"It was before."

"But she was-"

"We'll just say it was a ghost to make it easier. If blackmail bitch finds out, you and everyone else that was there might be in danger."

"Are you really an assassin though?"

"Yes, everyone but Masaru and Benihime knows."

"So I was kept out of the loop?"

"I don't know you that well, and Waki said you were close with Hinari, and after everything that happened before, I got kinda nervous. Guess I should just tell you everything real quick."

                                                                              ...

"So your father put pressure on you. I can see why that would cause a lapse in judgement," Zuina sighed.

"So you would have been fine if I told you?" Rika asked.

"Probably not. I would have likely reacted similar to Itsuki. My anger was merely mitigated because of Onee-sama's presence."

"I see, if you want to leave you're free to, just don't tell Masaru or Benihime."

"And are you going to tell them?"

"I'm going to tell Masaru. Benihime, I don't know. If she's the more understanding type then sure, but if not, I'll probably hide it."

"She is an incredibly prideful woman, considering Onee-sama decided to use telling her as a punishment instead of threatening to tell Masaru, suggests telling her might end poorly for you. As much as I morally believe she has the right to know, I would not push you to tell her if doing so would lead to more carnage. I'm not the closest with her, but I do know she trains daily with a sword."

"Great, now I gotta worry about her."

"I'm not getting friendly with you either. Though, you are at the least a better person than Onee-sama."

"So what's your story? I know that blackmailing bitch is an organic elitist, but I don't know much about her past either."

"We grew up on a poor farm in the UK. Our father was British while our mother was Japanese. Both were farmers. One day, they were killed by hoodlums for failing to pay a debt. When Onee-sama found out, she resolved herself to ascend to the high class world."

"So what was the history with your dish?"

"I despise Onee-sama's elitism. Since our family was poor, we couldn't afford to grow high quality crops. The local shop would buy them, but Onee-sama wanted to rise to elitehood after being mesmerized by a demonstration by Makihara whom was doing a gourmet tour. Ever since she tried some of his high quality food, she's been a gourmet elitist since. The blackmailing only started as a way to make the capitol needed to spring start her gourmet chef career. I strongly believe food should be affordable, but Onee-sama believes high class food MUST be expensive in order to be "high class". My dish was simple and not as extravagant as hers, but I wanted to hammer home the point that fancy doesn't always mean better."

"I should have gotten to know you better at Tabemono, you sound like someone I'd have meshed well with."

"Sometimes you have to live with regrets. I won't forgive you for what happened with Hinari, but I will respect you as my employer. Thus, I will not cause any workplace drama," Zuina huffed as she walked away.

"Thank you, but hopefully we can see eye to eye someday," Rika thought.

"And I'm done!" Mimi smiled as she presented a dish before Rebelle.

"So I am to eat this? And I assume you put laxatives in it?" Rebelle mused as her gag ball was removed.

"Yup, you're gonna shit like crazy," Mimi smiled.

"Well aren't you an idiot. Well, no matter, I was prepared for something like this," Rebelle sneered as Mimi fed her.

Once Mimi was done, she showed Rebelle her phone.

"You got a message from one of your fans," Mimi grinned.

"Hmm, Totalsimp3469? Ah, you naive soul. He is one of my most loyal followers and provides me with many of the videos and photos I use to blackmail- HUH!?" Rebelle screamed in shock.

On her phone was a message from Totalsimp3469 that read, "I have stolen all your servers, now I'M the blackmail king. Totalsimp3469's account is also mine. - Dastard."

"WHAT'S THE MEANING OF THIS!?" Rebelle fumed.

"My friend said he knew this cool thief, so I asked him to steal all your blackmail material," Mimi grinned as she stuck her tongue out.

"Who are you!?"

"Codename: Laks, the blackmail buster."

"Code-MMPH!?"

Mimi then put the gag ball back in Rebelle's mouth as Rebelle's stomach began to rumble.

"Wah! Wouldn't want to make a mess near the pool, oh good there's a trash can," Mimi smiled as she took the lid off and shoved Rebelle and the chair she was bound to in it.

"Guess you weren't so immune to humiliation after all," Zuina glared as she whipped out her phone.

                                                                             ...

Once the staff had dragged Rebelle and the stinky trash can away, Benihime woke up.

"Quite the rejuvenating- huh? Why does it feel like I missed something?" Benihime said as she removed the cucumbers from her eyes.

"Wait, did I seriously miss something too!?" Matcha shouted as she too got up.

"Oh, I just made some Tarte tropézienne everyone likes it," Mimi smiled as she handed the two pieces of the laxative free version of the dish she made.

                                                                               ...

After changing into a new dress and pair of sneakers, Rebelle put on her beanie and exited her room. She immediate stormed up to the rooftop lounge. Upon seeing that it was closed for maintenance, she headed for the elevator and descended to the basement level. She then approached the underground bar and sat down, as the female bartender that had previously been manning the rooftop lounge, approached her.

"So you've been relocated Miss Benise?" Rebelle mused as he was served a glass.

"Yes, unfortunately some rowdy guests caused a ruckus. I've also heard your servers containing all your blackmail material have been confiscated by the dastardly thief," the bartender stated.

"Just the servers, I've got that shit hidden on multiple flash drives and other media, even have some on me now," Rebelle smirked as she placed a micro SD card on the counter.

"Hmm, it seems you are not completely useless, though I'm still going through with my original plan."

"Gonna sell me? Well, pretty sure I can convince whomever you try and sell me to to let me walk free. I've got blackmail material on tons of people, you included," Rebelle smugly declared as the sleeping drugs that had been placed in her drink kicked in and rendered her unconscious.

"Well, sorry to disappoint, but if you think this is one of those quiz shows where you can escape if you guess the right answer, you're wrong.  The lovely women whom paid top dollar for me to deliver them a cute girl will not be swayed," the bartender declared as two women from the demon queen cult appeared and began dragging Rebelle away.