fandomhigh | Iron Fandom, Wednesday, period 3

The Danger Shop this week had shed its arena-esque look for a lovely event tent in a large, verdant field. The interior still had large individual cooking areas for each student, and the programmed sous chefs were waiting patiently by each student's station.

Pinkie's sous chef even still had the braids.

Raven and Kathy were at the front with their very special guest judge of the week, who was staring suspiciously at the sous chefs and giving Kathy a major case of side-eye.

"What do you think," Raven asked. "Should I turn into him, too? Or will that break his brain a little too much?"

"No, no," Kathy said, looking at least a little less panicked than she had before. "Less is more. Let's use the subtle approach." Because anything about this class could be considered 'subtle.' Sure.

"Just tell me they don't speak with horrible 'southern' accents," Eliot said.

"Don't be silly," Raven told him. "They don't speak at all."

Ignoring Eliot's expression at that tidbit, Kathy turned to address the class, swallowing back a laugh. "Welcome class, to your second week of Iron Fandom!" She paused for the obligatory sting--thank you, Raven--before continuing. "As today is your first real competition day, it's only fair that you meet the first guest judge of the semester! Cooking for over a decade now, he's the owner of Luke's Diner in town and best landlord ever, Eliot Spencer!" A blinking APPLAUSE sign was lowered from the tent's ceiling, encouraging the class to join Kathy and Raven in clapping for their guest.

And he'd had the nerve to think they didn't prepare for this class. Ha!

"Eliot will be assisting us in judging your three culinary creations today, which must all include. . . ." Pause for drumroll, dramatic tension, and close-ups of the contestants looking worried/excited/blankly off into the distance. ". . . Cherries! Black cherries, tart cherries, dried cherries, marischino cherries, doesn't matter. So long as it's a cherry, and it's in each of your three courses."

"Eliot," Kathy said, turning to him. "Did you want to introduce yourself, or would you prefer to do that later, while the class is working, more one-on-one?"

Eliot blinked at her, then looked between the two teachers. ". . . I mean, you kinda already covered that, darlin'. Name, bonafides, what else you expectin' me to say? I'm kinda just here for the food."

"You didn't prepare remarks?" Kathy asked, pretending to be shocked before breaking into another grin.

"Okay, since this is a competition class, you're going to need as much time as possible. So cooks, Get ready..."

"Get set. . . ." Raven added.

"COOK!" they said together, and then gave each other a not-at-all-surreptitious low-five. Eliot just rolled his eyes and folded his arms to watch the proceedings and make sure nothing got set inappropriately on fire.

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Sweetly!

Marvel at the continued heights of nerdity on display.

Three courses: an appetizer, an entree, and a dessert, all involving some sort of cherry. (If we don't end up with at least one "black forest" thing, it'll be a miracle.)

RNG (or a coin flip, in this case) has decided this week's winner will be . . . RINGO!

Kathy or Raven or even, when he's signed in, the super special guest judge!

Raven was still tempted to turn into Eliot. She was pretty sure they could actually make his head explode.

Eliot was pondering never letting Kathy talk him into anything ever again.

It wasn't going to happen, but he could still ponder it.

Things were a lot more fun when you weren't stressing over them. Kathy pondered trying to remember this more often--while grinning sidelong at Eliot and his expression.