Chasing Dreams (Dropped)

Chapter 113: The Test

"I can do this..."

"I can do this..."

Irene repeated the same words to herself several times over. With each saying slowly building up her confidence.

Irene looked down at the task before her, the first task assigned to her by Kazuto. To cook dinner for the family, but in particular make food good enough to satisfy Natsumi. Irene looked down at the cutting board with uneasy eyes.

There were several fruits and vegetables spread across it. Some of which she hadn't ever seen or even sure how you'd go about making a meal with it. Irene poked at the potatoes with a knife playing with the food rather than prepping it. "What does he even expect me to do with all of this...?" She questioned "I'm not a chef or anything..."

Several ideas coursed through Irene's head at the sight of the food. Dishes she had seen in other countries, as well as dishes she had seen here in the United States. Irene then thought about what she used to eat for breakfast back at the temple and soon an idea came flooding in. "That's it I can make her a stew!" Irene mumbled to herself excitedly, thinking back to the time when a bear stumbled into the temple grounds and Itsuki killed it with a single kick.

With the strange vegetation growing on those mountains as well as the endless array of animals occupying it the temple residents spent most of their time eating stew. Normally created with whatever plants were available and whatever beast decided to stroll into their home.

With those memories in mind a thin smile traversed Irene's face. It had been so long since she had made her famous "Dragon Stew". Irene remembered how Little Erica would practically break out in a dance whenever having it, or how Itsuki would only smile when eating it.

Irene's smile deepened as the vivid memories of her childhood flowed in. She could almost picture Erica holding a bowl to her begging for more. Irene could remember it all, how her cheeks would swell from how much food she stuff into them. Or even how her precious voice sounded.

It was times like these Irene really did miss her little sister, and everyone else at the Dragon Temple. She missed having Wan Fei and Yao tease her whenever they played games. She missed training along Zhu Li, running up and down the meadows and climbing the highest of mountains. She missed hearing Issho's wise words, and the life lessons he'd instill on all the children regardless of their age. She missed Itsuki's brooding nature no matter how toxic it may seem.

But most of all Irene missed the view of Vermillion City from the mountain's highest point. She missed talking to Zhu Li about Vermillion City, as well as her dreams. How she'd finally leave this place and join the hero association, just so she could see the rest of the world.

And fortunately for Irene she did see the rest of the world, although it wasn't nearly as beautiful as she originally thought it to be.

There were many good memories Irene created throughout the years at the Dragon Temple and it was because of those memories that the place of her childhood burned strongly in her heart. It was a place Irene desperately wanted Natsumi to see, but with Kazuto's controlling nature something like that wouldn't be possible.

***

"Finally..." Irene muttered swiping sweat from her forehead. The prepping for the meal was long and rigorous, but well worth the wait. Irene could smell the sweet aroma flowing from the pot immediately reminding her of her home. Irene partially expected to hear the voices of children running down the hall, practically tripping over one another just to get a taste of her famous stew.

But all Irene heard was one. A single voice, a yawning voice coming from the hall. "Erm..." Irene peaked to the side to see Natsumi coming down the hall. Her blue hair was messy and unkempt, while her expression was steady and unchanging. She still looked to be half asleep considering when she looked at Irene in the kitchen the girl did a double take.