We tune in on Christmas Eve at the AndvaResort. You've just split up from Ziz with some others, and the group you're with heads to the mall. Chouji notes that you guys are here and says it's time for the final checks. You are surprised by this since it's almost time to start selling, so Chouji tells you that Andvari told him he wanted to personally taste test them himself. You either ask Chouji if he has confidence in his summer Christmas food or say you're sure he'll be okay. C has an extra line where Chouji says you're kind and is confident he'll be okay since he's a pro. And anyways he says he'll show you his faith in himself, citing your enjoyment of his cooking as proof.
Ded and Itzamna show up a little later, and Itzamna asks you how Ziz's pastorela went. White says he'll be glad to partake of the dishes and says he's excited for this since he's usually the one giving things. Chouji is surprised to see them there and asks if they're also going to be taste testing his dishes. Andvari slides in to confirm that. He'd be fine doing it alone, but he figured he may as well include the contributors of the event since they were there already. Chouji asks if you'll help him out. The dishes are done, he just needs to set the table and put them out. Andvari suggests starting then and says their criticisms will be strict.
Chouji leads them to a table where you set things up as he instructs, lining it with dishes for the other three. There's cake, roast beef and chicken, salad, soup, and all the other standard Christmas classics. Andvari is baffled speechless for a second before he turns to Chouji and brings up telling him before to make something that suited a midsummer Christmas. This looks nothing like that.
Chouji tries to placate Andvari by asking him to hear him out to the end. The soup he made is a cold soup he made together with Tanngrisnir. The salad is a simple one with dressing and plenty of veggies in it. The popular roast chicken has been cut into pieces so you can pick what size portions you want. The roast beef has been paired with oroshi sauce to make it easier to eat. Chouji continues explaining that the fresh cream was put in controlled portions for the cakes, which has jelly and mousse for a refreshing taste. The bowls and plates being handed out are also cooled, among other ideas meant to counter the heat.
Andvari asks Chouji the reasoning behind that, so Chouji says that the image people have for Christmas isn't something that can be changed that quickly. So because of that, Chouji decided to do the classic dishes a little differently since they're things that remind people of Christmas. Andvari looks unconvinced, so Ded prompts him to try the food out. Itzamna notes that the food looks palatable in the heat, perfect for eating while talking with others. White offers Itzamna some sparkling apple juice, so Itzamna laughs and accepts it before toasting to the hopeful success of the event. Andvari reacts with total bafflement at how calmly the old guys are taking all this.
You try to ask Andvari what he thinks of the food, so he admits that the taste of the food is great since it is by the chef he picked out. That said, he says it won't be enough with to go with what's on offer right now. At the end of the day it's still the same old food as usual. Andvari starts ranting about how business needs to something that catches peoples' eyes, and that you'll need something that will get the attention of even people who don't care about food.
You turn to Chouji and says it's time to bring out That Thing now. Chouji smiles at that, then brings out something from the kitchen. Chouji then asks him to take a look at the main Christmas dessert from another culture for the season, the ~rosca de reyes~. He explains that Itzamna taught him about this dish, and there are various explanations out there, but the ring shape is based off a king's crown while the toppings are based on gems.
Itzamna is impressed with the presentation of the dish while White starts talking about all the cut fruits placed in the center and how the shine of the syrup in it looks like jewelry. Andvari seems slightly interested and compares the thing to a pizza, then notes that the hole seems small. Chouji explains that he made a bunch in different sizes, and this is the smallest of them. When it's made for a taste test, it's common to have only one hole. Chouji says he'll cut the cake now, and he tells the rest to be careful because Something Hard is inside.
Andvari is intrigued as he notices the cake isn't made of sponge, but bread dough. He also notes that oranges seem to be kneaded into it before saying it tastes good. White talks about the mellow sweetness with the brightly colored dried fruits and the Christmas colors of red, green, and yellow. Itzamna laughs at the nostalgia it gives him, saying he used to watch children eat it while standing far above them.
Andvari reacts in surprise when he bites into something hard, which he thinks is plastic of some kind before fishing out some figure of Ded. Chouji congratulates him and says fortune will be visiting him. Andvari asks about that and about the possibility only he had the Ded figurine. Chouji explains that one of the dolls is baked into the hole, though the original custom has a clay pottery doll put in. Andvari thinks on this and calls it a charm. It doesn't seem based on any fact, but he still has a happy feeling inside now.
Itzamna laughs and mentions that the Ded doll was designed and made by his students. They're still inexperienced, but they're serious kids. Even if their thinking patterns go awry, they keep on trying at it. Andvari thinks aloud about how Tokyo has surprising things, and as weird as this is it's still good since it's related to Christmas. He then declares the cake to be good and approves the rosca de reyes for sale. Chouji cheers about this to you and thanks Itzamna and Ded for their help.
Andvari then asks if Chouji has a plan to push the cakes out since they aren't just going to sell if he just plops them into the store. Chouji answers that he does since he'd like for a lot of people to try the cake out too. Itzamna doesn't say anything, and Ded notices that he looks anxious and asks if something is bothering him. He says no, though transition cuts him off before he elaborates if he does.
Some time later, narration starts to talk about Andvari's resort, the large multifunction beach house built within Kasai Coastal Park. It's built within the swimming area of the place, and business dips whenever it isn't summer. To counter this, Andvari had a shopping mall and accompanying hotel built there. Still, he predictably gave up on trying to attract customers at the end of the year. And now we have this summer Christmas incident happening. Suddenly the place starts booming again, which of course extends to the shopping mall too. The Christmas event that seemed ready to be abandoned due to the rumor of Christmas being cancelled is now back up and running. And over in the food court, a boy's voice rings out over the loudspeakers.
Chouji starts greeting all the people walking around the place, speaking a lot more excitedly as opposed to his usual calm manner. He thanks everyone for always visiting his cake shop, and when he mentions its name some randos get excited about it since the store is famous all over the city. Said randos also discuss how it's also a restaurant and not just a cake shop, and a fencer recommends their rice omelettes. The wolf in the group laughs to himself about having done his research and how he's totally going to grab their seasonal specials. Chouji then informs everyone that the store will open soon, so he asks for their patience as they wait.
Chouji walks out with a mic in hand into the specially set up area in the shopping mall. There's already a huge crowd for his store gathering up, and Chouji goes to make it into a more orderly line. You comment on Chouji taking a more active part in things and note that he acts differently when it comes to cooking, and/or say you like this side of Chouji too.
Itzamna is watching from a ways away and thinks this might be a bit much, so he suggests that they ought to stop Chouji now. White is surprised by this and asks him why he thinks so. Itzamna explains that he's heard that cake is indispensable for Christmas, and he doesn't have much confidence that people will take to the rosca de reyes. As such, he's not willing to have Chouji be crushed by this realization if things don't work out. He can handle taking on suffering himself, but he's not as okay with having his students suffer.
Ded thinks about Yule for a second, commenting in sympathy about how that feeling hits close to home. Itzamna says he once tried doing the same thing back in El Dorado, but that turned out to be in vain. The faith that's taken root in the world is a hard thing to change. The dark sun absorbed everyone, and the lives of the young were tragically cut short. You turn to Itzamna and call his name and/or stare at him. White prompts you to go to Chouji after a moment since it's almost time. He also says he'll take care of Itzamna, assuring you it'll be okay since he's an old man too. You nod to him and ask Itzamna to watch you guys. Itzamna is sad as he looks towards Ded, and Ded tells him he empathizes with him. But White suggests that he try stepping back a little and watching you guys because of those feelings, since maybe something different will happen this time. Itzamna relents and agrees to do so.
Over where Chouji is, he starts telling the crowd it's time to showcase some rare Christmas desserts. You call out to Chouji and say he looks good in his Santa outfit. Chouji thanks you and says Arachne did it up to handle summer conditions, and he's glad you like it. He comments that putting it on puts him in a Christmas sale mood. But anyways he gets back to revealing the rosca de reyes to everyone. Chouji describes how a standard Christmas cake is fluffy and spongy with a lot of fresh cream and bright strawberries, but a rosca de reyes uses bread dough instead along with dried fruits with concentrated sweetness and flavor.
Itzamna can smell the cake from wherever he's standing and is surprised at the fragrance. He says it's not a normal rosca de reyes, then realizes it's using modern day French techniques to make it nouvelle cuisine. He also comments on the spicy aroma, which is both familiar and also inventive that it surpasses new horizons. Itzamna then wonders who Chouji is to have such a genius level sense of things that still keeps traditions alive. Chouji just chuckles, and Itzamna's sudden rant piques the interest of the crowd.
Wrestler A wonders what a Christmas cake made out of bread dough is like for some reason, and Tribal B thinks a Christmas cake is supposed to have cream on it. Wyvern C screeches, which gets translated to it wanting to eat the thing if it's a cake. Chouji says he understands their feelings since he likes having a lot of cream in cakes too, so he suggests trying out the rosca de reyes along a more recognized cake. So on that note it's time for the cake sampling he declares, drawing cheers from the crowd who admits to being interested.
Chouji stops for a second to note that the cake needs to be cooled for a moment since it's fresh out of the oven. So while they wait for that, Chouji says he's going to make a demonstration with the rosca de reyes. Kengo and Ryouta are brought out front to their surprise as Chouji introduces them as his classmates who will be helping him with the demonstration. Kengo complains about being treated as a prop or show assistant all of a sudden, but since it doesn't happen much he'll just deal with it. Ryouta wonders where Touji went since he was with them earlier, then wonders if he had to go to the restroom. You either keep optimistic or act like someone on a game or tv show and ask if they see you. In A, Ryouta laughs saying he's not worried since it's Chouji. In B, Kengo is shocked at how unfazed you are, which he actually admires.
Chouji declares it's time to have the rosca de reyes cut into pieces for him and his friends, and at his signal Touji walks up. You are either surprised to see him there or ask in trepidation what he's doing. He admits he's doing this in exchange for some special Christmas youkan, which is enough motivation for him to stand in front of so many people. Chouji thanks Touji for being there and asks him to do the cutting as he holds the cake up and puts it in front of him. The next moment Touji pulls out his sword a special long bread knife which gleams in the light. He announces that he'll cut the cake into five pieces for him, Kengo, Ryouta, Chouji, and you, then dramatically zandatsus the thing.
After the cake is cut, Chouji prompts for the crowd to give Touji some applause, talking up about how he easily divided the rosca de reyes into five equal portions. Itzamna is impressed and talks about how you can say the basis for modern art is a performance that draws in attention. He also thinks that the showy cutting was fun to watch and a creative, exciting idea. More randos walk by wondering what the crowd is for and asks if something fun is happening, and Ryouta asks if the division of the cake like this means they're doing a speed eating contest. Chouji tells him it's yes and no, but they won't be getting the rosca de reyes just like that. The gang are confused by this until some engine revving noises turn up.
Nomad turns up and declares the rosca de reyes belongs to the Mysterious Biker now. You either react in shock at Nomad being here, ask what he's doing, or casually roll with things. Nomad says he's finally got his bike back from the pawnshop, and he challenges you to catch him if you can as he throttles his engine. Kengo scoffs at Nomad stealing bread now and says he's underestimating you guys to be coming alone.
Nomad tsks at him and says he knows about your guys' abilities, and Goemon and Jiraiya pop up. Jiraiya calls himself Bodyguard A and chivalrous thief as he comments on how fun things seem to be. Goemon introduces himself as the world's biggest thief actor, and while he doesn't get what's happening he's going to be flashy out there. Kotarou pops up in between them and says he's just here for the money and says he's Bodyguard C.
Jiraiya immediately bowls past Kotarou and attacks Goemon demanding to know why he's here, then says he'll cut him first. Goemon freaks out at having to block a sword again and tells Jiraiya he's actually Shukaku as he begs him to get that through his head already. He even undoes his human transformation to stress the point. Kotarou has to remind them to knock it off and get to work if they want money for New Years mochi. You either comment on how their teamwork is already in tatters or ask what the poor ass ninjas are doing. C gets an extra line where Kotarou laughs and says he just has to do this to get food money for his underlings.
Chouji acts like a game show host as he narrates and asks if his classmates can get the rosca de reyes back. He announces his plan to have the sampling be open to the public once all of you guys get the cake back, causing Ryouta to protest that this isn't really a speed eating contest. Also he says this is escalating far too quickly for him. Chouji just prompts him to go after Nomad and the ninjas because they really will run off with it all. This demonstration is going to be the big thing today, so he asks that everyone make it as eye catching as possible. Nomad laughs about putting his engine full throttle and dares you guys to catch up with him, then demands the ninjas do their work right. The three of them nod obediently, and Chouji says he'll join in too as he declares the start of the battle. Itzaman squeezes in a thought wondering what Chouji's goal is before the battle starts for real, and more happens after that.
After the battle, things pick up midway with Nomad taunting the party asking if you guys are just that amazed by his sick driving skills. Kengo laughs at how fun it's getting now and says speed isn't everything. Jiraiya also laughs as he comments on Kengo understanding the situation, and he says if the crowd gets excited then that's good. Goemon says that's why they were brought in, then says he can handle doing anything entertainment related. Ryouta sees what the point is and tells Goemon it's time for his rope running act. Kotarou points out that ninjas aren't supposed to stand out, but he shrugs it off as an occasional thing and a Christmas show. Chouji continues with the host bit commentating on the excitement and whether the party can get the cake back.
A quick flashback pops up as Chouji is informed that Itzamna has worries about whether something new will be accepted by the public. Chouji says he understands and comments it's especially hard when it comes to cooking. Still, he's sure it'll work out and calls himself a proper cook. If you try to force children who hate veggies to eat them, you'll just get rejected. In that case, the better thing is to get them accustomed to it. If he can join his outside the box knowledge with his experience it should work! You agree and say Chouji is slowly getting people accustomed to it in stages.
Back to the present, Ded talks about the posters that have been put up have already gotten the idea of what a rosca de reyes looks like and is called into the people in attendance, so all that's left is a demonstration and a tasting. Itzamna is surprised as he understands what's happening now, saying this is the creativity of Chouji and the others in combining opposites together.
By this point Kengo has grabbed back the cake pieces. Touji says this turned out to be more of a spectacle than he was expecting, but it did work in getting people interested. Ryouta decides it's time to start eating his piece then, excited since it looks good. You thank them as you grab a piece, get excited about the rosca de reyes, or comment on the sweet fragrance. Chouji announces that another rosca de reyes for sampling has been made, so anyone who wants to try can have some. Ninja mobs leap in declaring themselves the Fuuma Ninja work crew, then say they'll hand the cake out.
After the cake is distributed, Chouji asks if everyone's gotten a piece and warns them there might be something hard inside, then moves onto tasting the cake. Itzamna also has a piece as he tries it out, and the taste of it blows his mind as he yells about how creative the flavor is. Andvari comments on the show being a success and says the sales will be off the charts. Kengo talks about how if there are conservative people around, there should be people who aren't around too. And if those people say it's good, it should start getting the attention of the people around them. Touji says this is a perfect example of the 'grass is greener' idiom and nods to himself. Ryouta adds that having a doll inside adds to the elaborateness, and speaking of which he finds an Evil doll in his.
Narration notes that sticking varied and elaborate dolls into the cake is Chouji's other secret trick. Chouji says the dolls were made by the Akihabara Creators and the students in Itzamna's class, who agreed to help get the job done in a hurry. They all joined in when they heard Itzamna was helping with the event already, and they asked Chouji to help Itzamna since they all noticed he was feeling down lately.
Itzamna is surprised and touched by their concern. Touji says the rosca de reyes tastes great and considers buying some for Hougen. Ded notes that the other Christmas special food is a big hit and says the ninjas will be helping out with the sales. The more regular Christmas fare will need to be refilled soon too, so White has a good feeling the Christmas mood will be back on people's dinner tables.
Itzamna raves about the show being a total work of art, a very calculated performance that still moves people. He talks about the emotional preparation and impact was used to familiarize people with the cake and how it's such a modern artist move to pull. Rapid change can push past the cultural walls that exist now, and he wishes he could teach this to the children in his home world. Maybe there already are kids who are creative and artistic like his students in the Iguana House. He then expresses his surprise that he can still be inspired by creativity at his old age.
Chouji finds a good place to stop, then goes over to talk to you. He brings you another rosca de reyes that's been finished as he says you're going to Yasuyori next. He'll come over too after he finishes cooking up some more food, so in the meantime you and Yasuyori should have some together. He's glad he was with you, and your favorable impressions of his food helped support him. Once Christmas is back, he suggests celebrating together, preferably just the two of you.
White starts talking to Itzamna and says it's just like him. Itzamna asks White what he means, so White asks about him giving you guys some wisdom when he came to see you two the other day. White mentions that the Santa encyclopedia contained a certain description in it, saying that the day rosca de reyes is eaten is the day the three wise men from a certain faith gave their gifts. He starts suggesting Itzamna used his Authority in the same way as that tradition when Itzamna asks to stop the conversation there, saying he just wished that you guys had a chance.
Itzamna says his surprise was genuine and how he lived another day to see the creations of the children who will inherit the next age. He's deeply moved and surprised from outside of the box. To him, it really is the wise man's gift after he ended up being unable to believe in you guys. It's an unexpected joy he's received from outside his little world. He and Ded look up at the sun that doesn't set above them as they walk away from the commotion at the mall. Bright as it is it's already evening, and the deadline to take back Christmas draws ever closer. End of episode.
No comments:
Post a Comment