Iron Chef Symphonia: The Wonder Chef's Revenge

Summary: Direct sequel to "ICS: Aselia Cup." The Wonder Chef believes his battle against Lloyd Irving was unfair. Naturally, he challenges the Chairman's newest Iron Chef to a rematch.

Disclaimer: I do not own Tales of Symphonia, Iron Chef, or any of the characters involved. All characters are assumed to be speaking Japanese unless otherwise noted.

If memory serves me right, four months ago, Lloyd Irving won the first Aselia Cup Tournament.

I appointed him Iron Chef after he defeated the Wonder Chef, Martin Ellis, who had challenged Irving after kidnapping two of my Iron Chefs. But…

(flashback to tournament) "LLOYD IRVING!"

The result…Irving's victory. We had thought the duel was settled.

I recently received a letter from Chef Ellis claiming that the match four months ago was unfair—and that he now demands a rematch against Irving.

"It was a biased tasting. How could we expect the Iron Chefs to vote against the one who was trying to rescue their comrades? I refuse to believe that my food did not elicit praise from the Iron Chefs."

Surely Chef Ellis would not dare to challenge me a third time! But very well, I accept the challenge…so that Ellis can prove himself to live up to his self-proclaimed title as "The Wonder Chef."

Let's introduce him once again. The number one chef in Altamira: owner and head chef of Kyo-no Hanten, Martin Ellis.

He fuses Sylvaranti and Tethe'allan recipes to create his own style of worldly cuisine. At his restaurant, people are still talking about his loss to Iron Chef Irving.

"I really think he should've won. His food was obviously much better-looking than Lloyd's, and I bet it tasted much better, too."

This, my loyal fans, is the battle you have been waiting for! The resolution of the grudge match between the Wonder Chef and the Iron Chefs!

So now, you two chefs! Fight it out and settle your unsettled duel in this match today!

~料理の鉄シンフォニア~

"Somebody get me some mangoes and crabmeat!" Lloyd barked. "Two Crab Mango Royales needed at table seven! And get going on the Lobster Hot Pot, same table!"

Lloyd was glad that his fellow Iron Chef, Genis Sage, finally had the nerve to ask out the target of his affections, Presea Combatir. What he wasn't expecting, however, was for the two of them to come to his restaurant for their first date. And he really wasn't expecting the two of them to order one of the dishes that he used to win against Presea, especially when the thought of his grudge rematch with the Wonder Chef loomed in the next couple of weeks.

Genis, man, I love ya and I'll take care of you, he thought, but I hope you realize I'm not covering the bill for YOUR date…

The whole mangoes arrived at Lloyd's cutting board, which he promptly began to break down.

Rat-tat-tat-tat-tat.

Fukui would probably say something about how I'm "mowing them down"…I can hear his voice in my head, Lloyd thought. He had been an Iron Chef for about two months, still undefeated in Kitchen Stadium Symphonia despite having already fought seven battles. I guess that's what being an Iron Chef does to you…

Rat-tat-tat-tat-tat—

"Agh!"

His knife slipped and nicked his finger, drawing blood. He called his assistant over to cover the job for him as he retreated into the back room to fetch a bandage.

"What's wrong, Lloyd?"

The twin swordsman spun around to find his best friend and business partner, the familiar blonde Chosen.

"Nothing! Justcutmyfingerthat'sallnothingtoseehere…" he babbled.

"What?"

"Ijustcutmyfingerdammit!"

"Why are you talking so fast?" Colette asked, a little worried for Lloyd as she grabbed him by the shoulders. He immediately tensed.

"Just…" He took a breath to calm himself. "I'm nervous. I have to battle the Wonder Chef again in two weeks and I can't let down the Gourmet Academy! Who knows what will happen to them—never mind me and Genis—if he wins this time!"

Lloyd wrapped the bandage he found around his finger as Colette poured him a glass of water.

"You go home for now. I'll take care of the kitchen for today. I think you need some rest."

"But what about Genis and Presea's plates?"

Colette winked.

"Don't worry, leave it to me!" she said with a smile. With that, she disappeared into the kitchen, leaving Lloyd in the back room by himself. His heart rate was still a few notches higher than he wanted it to be.

I saved the world once before…why am I so worked up about a cooking contest?

The haunting image from two months ago, of Sakai and Chen tied back-to-back against each other as they ascended into view, and the Wonder Chef's equally eerie ascent into Kitchen Stadium kept playing in his head.

I saved Kitchen Stadium once before, under arguably more difficult circumstances…

Kaga's furious voice rang out in his head.

"What is the meaning of this? Silence, Fukui!"

Lloyd's breathing became more and more shallow as the final battle against the Wonder Chef started playing like a movie in his head.

I need out of here.

He bolted out the door, through the kitchen (bypassing an oblivious Colette), and stormed through the main dining room where a particular young mage and his little woodcutter ladyfriend were dining. He quickly disappeared, not even acknowledging his friend's presence in his restaurant.

"What got into him?" Genis asked, perplexed by his best friend's unusual behavior.

The pink-haired girl sitting opposite him could only offer a similarly confused expression.

"I haven't the foggiest idea."

~料理の鉄シンフォニア~

So he gave me fruit, seafood, and dairy before…what could be next?

Lloyd sat at the table in Dirk's house, sheets upon sheets of paper strewn all over the table and the floor. He had spent most of his time since coming home from the restaurant thinking up potential recipes for any theme ingredient he could think of, and it was already late into the night.

Vegetables…cabbage, maybe? The cabbage rolls will do the trick quite nicely…

"'Ow long 'ave ye been at those recipes, anyway?" Dirk finally asked him, looking up from the forge.

I should really be worried if Kaga pulls something completely out of left field…though what could he do?

"'Allo, Lloyd? What's gotten into ye?"

"Wha?" Startled, Lloyd finally looked up at his adoptive father. "What's up, Dad?"

"Ye 'aven't left the table since ye've been home," he said, picking up some of the papers on the floor. "What's on yer mind?"

Lloyd put his head down on the table and groaned.

"I'm supposed to battle the Wonder Chef in a week—"

"Well then, relax, my son!" Dirk said. "It's just like any other battle you've fought…I thought you were more up in arms about battlin' Colette before!"

"Dad, you don't understand!" Lloyd shouted. "The Wonder Chef kidnapped Iron Chefs Sakai and Chen, threatening to make them work under him! If I lose this one against him…he's probably going to take over the Gourmet Academy!"

Dirk sat down at the table.

"But I don't get it," he replied. "The Wonder Chef taught ye how to cook, right? Why would he be tryin' to take over another cooking organization?"

"The hell if I know!" Lloyd shot back. Before he could say anything more, he heard a knock at the door.

"I'll get it…"

He was surprised to see Colette at the doorstep with two other familiar figures—one, his Iron Chef brother-in-arms; and the other, veiled in shadow except for the luminescent blue glow of wings that disappeared as soon as he opened the door.

"What…what are you doing here?"

I'm sitting here re-reading this and I'm wondering, "What DID get into the Wonder Chef, anyway?"

This story is underway! Stay tuned…