Yakisoba Journey to the West

1: What Puts Yukari-sama in a Good Mood?

After the Tagitsuhime incident, the members of the elite guard began working as the Special Defense Team under Origami Akane. During one of those days...

Yomi: Shidou-san, all of us have arrived. What was it you wanted to discuss...
Maki: Actually, when Suzuka and I were coming back from a mission today, we saw Yukari-sama for the first time in a while.
Yume: Ehh-, I wish I'd been there-. How's Yukari-sama doing? What'd you talk about?
Suzuka: About that, she seemed busy with something, so we never spoke to her.
Maki: She looked pretty tired too; maybe from the stress building up. I wonder if she's doing alright...
Yomi: That is worrying, isn't it.
Suzuka: And, because of that, we thought of gathering us all together to discuss if there wasn't anything we could do to help her.
Maki: Yume, Yomi, do either of you have any good ideas?
Yume: Nnn, then, how about we all go out together? If we go have fun somewhere, it'll cheer her up.
Maki: Yeah, I'm sure that would give her a change of pace, but...
Suzuka: Given the current situation, it it may be difficult for her to go outside.
Yume: Boo-. I thought that was a good idea too-.
Yomi: Then, what if we brought her something good to eat to raise her spirits?
Suzuka: Oh, that's a fine idea. If we bought her her favorite dish as a present, I'm sure she would be delighted.
Yume: If we're doing that, wouldn't it be better if we made it ourselves? We'll cook it together and put our hearts in it!
Maki: That sounds like it'd make her happy. Alright, let's put our skills together and cook up something so good it'll surprise Yukari-sama!
Suzuka: No objections here.
Suzuka: Why don't we move right to selecting a menu? Do any of you know of which dishes are Yukari-sama's favorites?
Yume/Yomi/Maki: ........................
Yume: What does Yukari-sama like to eat, anyway? I don't think I've ever asked her.
Maki: Me neither... Sigh, what do we do now. Just when I thought we were really onto something.
Suzuka: I know! At times like these, why not consult Akane-sama? As sisters who were raised together, she must be aware of her favorites.
Yomi: I thought that too, and sent Akane-sama a message just now.
Suzuka: Quick thinking, Yomi-san. You always do work fast.
Yomi: It seems she's replied. According to Akane-sama, she likes light Japanese meals, such as fish simmered in soy sauce.
Maki: Alright, light Japanese meals. Then, we'll go with the ultimate dish of fish simmered in soy sauce...
Yume: Wait a minute, shouldn't she be eating tasty Japanese type meals every day? If she's eating that and she's still not happy, wouldn't something else be better?
Suzuka: I see, you do have a point there, Yume. Apart from light Japanese meals, what else has Yukari-sama chosen to eat...
Maki: Ah-- Come to think of it, a few times, when we were working as the elite guard, there would be this strange smell like junk food in her office.
Yume: You mean the smell of sauce?
Suzuka: If that's what you mean, I was curious about it myself.
Maki: I didn't think the smell really had anything to do with Yukari-sama, so I just assumed Yume snuck in to eat croquette or something...
Yume: I wouldn't do that!
Yomi: Um, I might have seen it wrong, but once before, I did see Yukari-sama eating instant yakisoba...
Yume: That's it! Maybe Yukari-sama likes yakisoba?
Maki: Nah, there's no way. You think Yukari-sama likes such a low class kind of food?
Suzuka: Though, thinking on it further, for some reason, there were always yakisoba stalls whenever we we would go flower viewing.
Yomi: I was also confused why, in the storehouse among the emergency rations stockpile, there are lots of cups of instant yakisoba.
Yume: Ehh-, then, doesn't that settle it? Yukari-sama likes yakisoba!
Maki: True, when you lay it all out like that, it's hard to call it a coincidence.
Maki: Alright then, starting now, while we work on our usula missions, the Special Defense Team will plan to treat Yukari-sama to the best yakisoba!

2: Let's Go On a Search for the Ultimate Sauce!

Yume: Today's mission was a piece of cake-. Huh? Are you onee-sans done already too?
Maki: Yeah, we finished up quick today, so we were moving ahead with our research into "that".
Yume: Hmm, so, did you find out anything good?
Yomi: We found that, while the noodles and other ingredients are important, it seems the most crucial part of yakisoba is the sauce. So, we were looking into finding the ultimate sauce.
Suzuka: It seems that popular sellers are employing various techniques, like adding fruits and vegetables to their products, or blending various sauces together...
Maki: During our research, we came across one major fact. It looks like a legendary yakisoba shop with the ultimate sauce is out somewhere in Kansai.
Yume: Then, if we get that sauce, we can make the ultimate yakisoba!? We should go there right now!
Maki: Well, we'd love to, but... There don't seem to be any clear details on which shop it is.
Yomi: There's a limit to what you can find online or in magazines, so our only option would be to visit the area and ask around. However...
Suzuka: With our usual stream of missions, traveling to Kansai simply to find a sauce would be difficult.
Akane: Oh, I see you're all here. This works nicely. I have orders for the four of you to go on an expedition together. Could you please all leave for the Kansai region at once.
Maki: At once? And, all of us!?
Yume: Akane-sama, is this really okay? This means, while we do our mission, we can look for the ultimate sauce too, right!
Akane: I'm not sure what you're talking about, but, so long as you see your mission through, I won't mind if you spend the remaining time however you like. Please have a safe trip.
Suzuka/Yume/Yomi/Maki: Yes ma'am!
Yume: We're still only in Shizuoka...? We could've gotten there right away in a bullet train, so why'd we have to take a regular train that stops everywhere?
Yomi: Our instructions for this assignment were to make our way towards Kansai, while eliminating aradama frequently appearing in various places along the Tokaido route.
Suzuka: Come to think of it, there was a town famous for their yakisoba in the area near here, wasn't there? Why don't we stop by for a bit?
Maki: We've finished our mission for today, so that's not a bad idea.
Suzuka: My, with the springy noodles in such rich sauce, this is exquisite.
Maki: Right? It's no wonder the town is famous for it.
Yume: Yeah, it's super yummy! With this, do we even have to go all the way to Kansai? Wouldn't giving Yukari-sama this yakisoba as a present be enough?
Maki: No, this yakisoba is good and all, but, after coming this far, we should track down the ultimate sauce!
Yume: Ehh-, but, we don't even know where that shop is supposed to be in Kansai.
Yume: And besides, since we got the chance to come out on an expedition, wouldn't it be more fun to find a lot of strong toji in different towns and fight them! Ah, there's some local toji onee-sans over there!
Maki: Ahh, Yume, wait! Seriously, the moment you take your eyes off her...
Suzuka: I suppose there's no helping it. Please leave this to me.
Suzuka: Yume, come on over here. I have something good for you.
Yume: Something good? Wow, that's such a pretty bracelet! You're giving it to me, Suzuka-onee-san?
Suzuka: Of course. It was given to me by Akane-sama, but I think it would suit you better. Here, I'll put it on for you.
Yume: Cool-! Thanks, Suzuka-onee-san. Ah, there's another local toji over there. I'm gonna go ask her for a match!
Yume: What's that sound? The bracelet's making a weird noise. How do I get it to stop? Suzuka-onee-san, what's with this?
Suzuka: Fufu, that bracelet has a device that knows its position with GPS, and, once it reaches a fixed distance away from me, an alarm begins to ring.
Yume: Huhh? What's with that? That's a violation of privacy-. I don't want this anymore. I'll give it back to you... Wait, huh? It won't come off! Why?
Suzuka: It's arranged so that the lock won't come undone unless I undo it myself.
Yume: What? Then, that means I have to stay right next to you my whole life?
Suzuka: Once we find the ultimate sauce, I'll remove it from you.
Yume: That's no fair-!
Maki: Suzuka... So heavyhanded. And, somehow, this reminds me of an old story...
Suzuka: I was inspired by Journey to the West. It's similar to the band worn around the Monkey King's head.
Yomi: Come to think of it, our assignment now is similar to that trip to retrieve scriptures from India in Journey to the West.
Yume: Hey, Yomi-onee-san, Maki-onee-san, stop being impressed with her and help me-!
Suzuka: There's no harm in it. So long as you don't stray away from me, it's nothing more than a lovely little bracelet.
Yume: Boo-.
Maki: Haha. Yume is the Monkey King, and Suzuka is Tripitaka; you're right, it fits perfectly!
Maki: ...Ah-! Wait, then does that make me Pigsy or Sandy!?
Maki: A pig or a kappa... Neither of them sounds great... Pig, kappa. Pig...
Suzuka: Oh, in the time we've spent here, an aradama appeared! Come along, Pigsy, this is no time for your grumbling. We're going!
Maki: I-I'm Pigsy!? The pig monster, Pigsy...
Yume: I think I lucked out getting to be the Monkey King! Ahaha, let's go, Pigsy-onee-san!
Maki: Pigsy... Me, of all people...
Yomi: Which would mean, I'm Sandy... Is that right...

3: Onward, to the Town Where You Eat Till You Drop!

Maki: I'm the pig, Pigsy... I ended up the reincarnated pig, Pigsy...
Suzuka: Maki-san? Maki-san!!
Maki: Ah-! Sorry about that; I got lost in thought... Where are we now?
Suzuka: We've arrived in Osaka. As it's the heart of the Kansai region, I think it would smart of us to ask around.
Yomi: Maybe it would be best if we started by splitting up to find information on the ultimate sauce.
Yume: Okaaay. Though, I can't be away from Suzuka-onee-san right now.
Suzuka: That's true. So then, why don't we split into two groups. Yomi-san, could I ask you to pair with Maki-san?
Yomi: Understood. Then, the two of us will begin asking mainly in the area on the other side of the bridge.
Maki: Right.
Yomi: Sorry for the wait. Did your group find out anything?
Suzuka: I requested the assistance of a local toji, but she hasn't yet gotten back to me.
Suzuka: Hm? Yomi-san, I don't see Maki-san anywhere. Was she with you?
Yomi: Shidou-san is on the bench over there...
Maki: Urp, sorry. I should have known better...
Yume: Maki-onee-san, what happened!? Your belly's bulging out!
Yomi: As we asked around the various shops, she ate the takoyaki, yakisoba, okonomiyaki; whatever they reccomended her...
Maki: Yeah, I couldn't refuse, and then...
Yume: I know they call this the town where you eat till you drop, but you didn't have to really do it! You seriously are Pigsy, Maki-onee-san!
Maki: Kh... Still though, maybe you're right calling me that, Yume.
Maki: Alright, if this is what it comes down to, Shidou Maki's going to own up to it and take on the role of Pigsy!
Suzuka: Well now, as soon as you accepted it, your strength came back to you.
Maki: That's right. I'm the man with total destructive power, Pigsy. When I think that, how could overeating slow me down!
Maki: Watch me, I'll obtain the ultimate sauce that glitters like the holy scriptures, make the finest yakisoba, and defeat the Ox King Yukari-sama!
Yume: Weren't we going to cheer Yukari-sama up, not beat her up...?
Yomi: We were. And also, the Ox King is a villain in Journey to the West who gets in the way of the protagonists goals... I don't think that should be Yukari-sama's position...
Suzuka: Oh, this call is from the local toji I mentioned. Hello... Really! I see, thank you very much.
Yume: Suzuka-onee-san, what'd they say?
Suzuka: They went searching around, and seem to have found the stand with the ultimate sauce!
Maki: If we go to this stand, we can get the ultimate sauce for ourselves! So, where is it?
Suzuka: She sent me a map. Oh my, it's right near here. Let's go see!
Suzuka: This should be the yakisoba stand, according to the map. Pardon us.
Maki: There's something we want to ask you about. Actually, we want to take some of your shop's yakisoba sauce...
Shopkeeper: Huh? What're you ladies going on about? I'm not about to hand over my secret sauce just like that.
Suzuka: We would appreciate it if you found some way to. We've come all the way from Kanto searching for that sauce.
Yomi: If not the sauce, would it be possible for you to at least teach us the recipe? We'll of course keep it a strict secret.
Shopkeeper: I don't care where you came out from! There's no way I'm giving up this sauce, and I'm not telling you the recipe either.
Maki: Kh, we found the shop, but it looks like here's where the real challenge starts.
Suzuka: It appears our final adversary wasn't the Ox King Yukari-sama, but this shopkeeper all along...
Yomi: Should we retreat for now and work out a way to negotiate?
Shopkeeper: Damnit, those things showed up again. There's a limit to how much you can get in the way of my business!
Suzuka: Mr. Shopkeep, please leave this to us. Now, let's get the customers to someplace safe.
Shopkeeper: Ah, might you girls be...
Maki: We're toji who came all the way out from Kanto to exterminate aradama.
Yume: We're super strong too, so just wait and relax! Let's go, everyone-!

4: What We Found at the End of Our Journey Was...

Aradama: GUOOOOO...
Maki: Didn't take an instant to deal with them. Everyone, it's safe to come out now.
Shopkeeper: You girls were toji, were you? Thanks, for keeping shop and the customers safe.
Suzuka: No, we only did what was expected of us as toji. What matters most is that the shop and everyone were unharmed.
Shopkeeper: Sorry about before. Here, as thanks for what you've done today, would you want to take this?
Maki: This is the ultimate sauce!
Yume: Can we? Really!? Nice-! We actually got the sauce!
Maki: At last, we've defeated the Ox King and gotten our hands on the scriptures...
Yomi: We seem to have eliminated all the aradama in this region, so our expedition assignment is finished as well. Let's hurry back to the Origami estate.
Suzuka: Yomi-san, I cooked the noodles and other ingredients.
Yomi: After we season it with the sauce, it will be done.
Maki: Now, for the ultimate sauce!
Yume: Wow, it smells so good! Yukari-sama'll be happy with this for sure.
Yukari: That's true, it does have a nice smell to it.
Maki: Y-Yukari-sama!
Suzuka: What brings you here?
Yukari: I happened to be passing by, and I heard your voices.
Yume: Boo-. I thought we'd get to surprise her, but she found us out right in the middle of making it.
Suzuka: Isn't that still fine, Yume? This means she'll be able to savor it right as it's freshly cooked.
Maki: Yukari-sama, we all made the ultimate yakisoba for you. Please, have a taste.
Yukari: For me...? You didn't need to go so far. Then, without delay.
Yukari: Mm... This is... What is this flavor!
Yume: Yukari-sama's really digging into it. Ah, she's already done.
Yukari: Phew, that was a first rate delicacy. Thank you, honestly, for preparing it for me. Though, I have business to attend to, so, if you'll excuse me.
Yume: Yukari-sama cheered up a little, didn't she!
Yomi: Yes, her expression was more relaxed than usual. Her complexion looked slightly better to me as well.
Maki: So you're saying our strategy was a total success!
Suzuka: Good work, everyone. This truly turned out for the best.
Yume: So, Suzuka-onee-san, you're going to take this bracelet off now, right?
Suzuka: That's right, thank you for all your help, Yume. I'll undo the lock for you.
Yume: That's a relief-. I'm a free girl again!
Akane: All of you, you did well on your expedition assignment. And, on top of that, thank you for offering Nee-sama a wonderful present.
Akane: She seemed happy with the yakisoba, but she was also glad you were able to refresh yourselves on your trip.
Suzuka: That we were able to refresh ourselves?
Akane: Yes. To tell the truth, Nee-sama and I planned this assignment for you four as a change of pace; with how you've been so wrapped up in your daily duties and unable to to leave on expeditions.
Maki: Wait, you don't mean... You're not saying Yukari-sama letting us see her looking down was a part of your plan, are you?
Suzuka: And giving me that bracelet as well...
Akane: Yes, Nee-sama suggested I offer that to you, so that you might enjoy your trip like in Journey to the West.
Yume: Ehh-, then, that means she knew from the very beginning that I'd split up from everyone?
Akane: She did. Even I was a little surprised to see your trip play out just how Nee-sama envisioned.
Yomi: We went on that trip thinking it was for Yukari-sama's sake, but we were in the palm of her hand all along.
Maki: So Yukari-sama wasn't the Ox King after all; she was playing the role of the Buddha!
Suzuka: Fufu, just as one would expect of Yukari-sama.

5: Hiyori and Sanae's Golden Week

Hiyori: I thought about maybe going out shopping alone for once, but now that I'm here, the crowds are as big you'd expect from the long holiday...
Sanae: Huh? Juujou-san!
Hiyori: Iwakura-san. I didn't think I'd see you here.
Sanae: I know. I was here buying kashiwa mochi from the dumpling seller over there.
Hiyori: Kashiwa mochi, huh... That's right, it's almost Boy's Day. [Boy's Day is one of the several holidays during Golden Week. Kashiwa mochi are traditionally served then.]
Sanae: Last year, with it being just before the tournament, I didn't have any time get kashiwa mochi, so I thought, this year for sure!
Sanae: It happens so fast, doesn't it. It's nearly been a full year since that tournament.
Hiyori: Yeah, the tournament is as soon as Golden Week is over...
Sanae: Come to think of it, do you remember, Juujou-san? We met around this same time last year, by accident just like this.
Hiyori: We did?
Sanae: Remember, we were both tired out from finishing practice, and we happened to bump into each other.
Hiyori: Not much longer before the tournament. It's not enough yet... I have to do everything that I can...
Sanae: Huh? Juujou-san. I don't often run into you around here. Are you on your way back from practice?
Hiyori: I was.
Sanae: I just finished up with my practice too. I was thinking, I might have lost to Juujou-san in the qualifiers, but I want to somehow catch up to her by the main tournament...
Hiyori: I see... ...Nn? What's that long herb you're holding...?
Sanae: Oh, it's an iris. Bathing in a bath with iris petals on Boy's Day is supposed to cleanse evil spirits, and they say it's good for victory too. [Boy's Day was also known as Iris Day, as it's when the irises go in bloom. The kanji for iris can be read as shoubu, for contest, and bathing with iris petals is a tradition for the reasons Sanae listed.]
Sanae: I thought I would use it in the bath at the dorm, as a little superstition for the tournament, but also to pray for everyone's safety.
Sanae: You should be sure to bathe with them too, Juujou-san, to help ward off evil.
Hiyori: Ahh, that did happen, didn't it.
Sanae: I'm glad you remember now. By the way, back then, did you actually bathe with the iris petals?
Hiyori: I did. The fresh grassy fragrance helped unwind my tension; it was a nice break.
Sanae: I see. So long as it helped you out.
Hiyori: Thinking back, a lot of hard things came up this past year, but the power of those irises then might have been part of what helped me stay strong through it.
Sanae: Fufu.
Sanae: That's right, for the coming year too, so that everyone can stay safe and do their best as toji, should we buy irises and bring them back?
Hiyori: A prayer for a safe year, huh. Not a bad idea.
Sanae: Then, let's get right to it and stop by a florist.
Hiyori: Sure. Let's buy lots, so we can fill up the dorm's bath, before we go back.