The Forgotten Nakiri

chapter 17

"well it's obvious isn't it?...it is!..." i may not have any passion or care for cooking or baking but i do have all the love and compassion in the world for you...so of course if i going to make something special for someone i love AKA you!.. i'm obviously going to put all my love and passion for you into it". the more Ryo thought about it the clearer he saw what his dishes needed. indeed he had all the skill and passion he could ask for but he had no one to focus it on but now he had Raven who is his entire world and filled his heart with so much love. and more importantly he understood how he could bring her existence back to the rest of the Nakiri family.
he needed to cook his dishes to showcase her instead of himself. Ryo already knew he was a great chef and really didn't need much more of the limelight. and real reason he didn't need his bandana was because he had Raven. she ignited more passion within him then anything or anyone Ryo had ever encountered. he was brought back to reality when she suddenly kissed him making Ryo jolt before kissing her in return. "sorry...but are you ok Ryo?.. you seem to have spaced out on me".
"yeah...and you don't have apologise for kissing me cause i love it when you do...but i was thinking about how you want to start back with the Nakiri's...and well...your single non culinary voice won't get any attention from a group of pretentious and egotistical chefs".
"oh...then what do you think will?"...Me!.. let me get their attention for you?"...you don't have to go through any trouble for me Ryo"..."i want to...i don't need their attention...i want them to realise you still exist...and the only person's attention i want or require is yours...which i already have. don't i?"

Raven couldn't help but smile this was so sweet of him "yes of course you have my attention and always will...ya know the way you are now...that whole Mad Dog persona doesn't suit you at all...but i can see the real you now and he is no mad dog...and didn't say you were becoming more your true self...so do you know...who the real Ryo Kurokiba is now?"
but before Ryo could answer Raven brought her hand to his lips stopping him and told him sleep and think on it.

Later that night
as Ryo slept holding his beloved Raven. his mind wandered on what she asked him who was he now...in his dream.
he opened his eyes and for some strange reason he stood on a harbour wall standing in front of a young Miss Alice he was same height if not a bit taller than her when suddenly he was pulled down into the ocean by Alice using a great chain...deep on the ocean floor within a cave years seemed to go by...Alice had broken him into three beings a maddened wild dog his passion, and a gormless obedient zombie his loyalty but the dragon was locked away...but one night after his mistress had left to sleep the maddened dog and obedient zombie saw by light of the moon a gem crash into the ocean...and swam down to catch it...bringing it the cave where the dragon his true self could see Raven as she slept peaceful encased in the crystal and now after many years he had grown he towered above her. he looked around and stopped at his hands. they weren't human! they resembled the hands and claws of a dragon.
when he brought his monstrous hand to touch the crystal it showed him Raven's lonely existence...it broke his heart to see how someone so beautiful could be forgotten but through these visions Raven reached out to him eventually touching the chains that trapped him and breaking him free...allowing Ryo to pull himself together.
the dragon, the wild passionate dog and his loyalty came together into one being. a heavily armoured black knight the giant sword of the mad dog was thrown away when a trident with the power to commanded the very waves appeared before him.

Ryo awoke from his dream and sleep to see Raven sleeping by side him. he noticed the lonely tears that fell from her eyes. he rolled towards her and held her hand and whispered "you are not forgotten" in her ear as soon as she heard him she tightened her hold and fell back into a peaceful rest.
as Ryo watch her sleep he quietly made a promise to her as he stroked her hair and whispered. "your family will remember you...Raven i don't care how long it takes!.. and your grandfather will the first!"

at the fish market
there only a few more days before the finals when Soma had arrived at the fish market with Megumi and was easily distracted by all the great offers. "stop it!.. Soma we can worry about the other fish next time"...oh yeah guess your right!"...have you been here before or is this your first time"...oh yeah i often came with my dad...when comes to picking fish am good!"
Megumi thoughts were soon interrupted when she saw Ryo!.. but who was that with him because she clearly wasn't Alice?!
"Soma!...it's Ryo but who that's girl his with?!"...i don't know but she really cute!...Soma!" as Ryo and Raven got closer to the saury stall. she finally got to meet the famous Soma Yukihira and megumi tadokoro. "oh hello" said Raven as she gave a soft smile upon greeting them. "hi there...erm?"...Oh sorry my name is Shadow nice to meet you!"
"yeah you too...did you two come to check out the saury that's a coincidence"...Not a coincidence! Ryo said with a snarl i come down everyday to see what fresh!.. really?"

as Raven stood next to Ryo she see could he was a little tense about Soma being so close to her so quickly side stepped to him and stroke his arm causing him to instantly relax. Soma soon when on with trying to find the best fish. however the fish he chose although good it was far from the best.
"i have no doubts this is the best fish here!"...er..Soma i'm sorry to say but that fish would of been the best if you picked it last season"
Ryo watched as Raven made her way over to a blue box and saw the fish she was about to pick and it was excellent but before she could take it. he cheekily stepped forward and grabbed it first causing her to silently mouth "RUDE!" at him to which he simply smiled and kissed her head.
Megumi couldn't believe what she just saw and had gone a little red. she couldn't believe that Mad Dog Ryo had a girlfriend and was being so sweet to her. but as for the fish 'why do they bother with that one it's smaller than Soma's and stomach not as extended?'

"your face says you don't agree with our choice care to give them a try if we turn these guys into sashimi. it'll be clear which fish is better and who is better at picking fish?!" after apologizing to the stall owner it didn't take two seconds for the fish to be prepared. Raven took her place next to Megumi as she watched Ryo and Soma cut their fish.
Megumi on the other hand couldn't take her eyes off Raven she had never seen anyone so beautiful and yet Megumi couldn't help thinking Raven reminded her of someone.