-a little food experiment of hers involving her good friend and team leader, Minako Arisato. Now, Fuuka was by no means an accomplished chef. Not many people would even call her a passable chef. She herself knew that cooking was not one of her strong points, but she had a strong reason in wanting to learn how to cook.
As a member of SEES, Fuuka spent her evenings helping her comrades defend the city from the mysterious monsters known as Shadows. However, unlike her friends, she possessed no combat abilities whatsoever, and was instead only able to assist them in a support role, providing them with useful tactical analyses and warning them if any extraordinarly strong foes were near. These abilities of hers have proven invaluable in the team's efforts, but that didn't stop her from wishing she could help out more. And so, she had asked Minako if she would taste her cooking, in an attempt to find such a way to prove herself more useful.
About once every two weeks or so, Fuuka would prepare a meal she had been working on, and bring it up to the school roof so that she and Minako could test it in peace. After a disastrous first attempt that sent Minako screaming to the Nurse's Office, Fuuka had stuck to more simple recipes in order to practice the basics. So far, the results of these, while not amazing, at least ended with Minako able to finish the whole thing and providing an encouraging compliment. It was this steady progress that emboldened Fuuka to try a more complicated recipe for today's test.
The roof, as usual, was essentially empty during the lunch break. Only Fuuka was up there that day, sitting and nervously staring at the food box containing today's attempt, sitting in her lap. It wasn't long before Minako arrived as well.
"Thank you so much for coming, Minako-chan," Fuuka said as Minako made her way to join her.
"Don't sweat it, Fuuka-chan," she replied, giving a broad grin. "Always glad to help out. So, what's on today's menu? Is it chicken and rice, again? I think you've almost got that one down."
"Actually, I'm trying something special today, Minako-chan," said Fuuka as she opened the box.
"Um..." Minako uttered, her sunny smile instantly turning flat.
"It's a new recipe," Fuuka continued, noticing the girl's sudden change in demeanor. "I wanted to make something with a bit more... pep to it," she extended the dish to Minako.
"Well..." Minako said, accepting the dish and appraising the meal. "It certainly looks filling... *sniff* Whew! I guess that's the pep, then?" she asked, giving Fuuka a searching look.
Fuuka returned Minako's gaze, doing her best to remain calm. Every time Minako hesitated before a meal she would wonder if this whole cooking thing was such a good idea; but this dish especially was on a whole new level. If it was done properly, then today's food should be a stew that would re-energize everyone for when they got tired, which would prove invaluable for their late night adventures. The only problem with this was a severe one: the book had called for the use of several herbs whose names Fuuka did not recognize and were not carried in the grocery stores. But, having already come so far and not wanting to give up, she spent over a week finding similar substitutes and used them in the meal instead. At least, she hoped they were similar enough, herbs were still a bit of a mystery to her. But what was the worst that could happen? After all, the shops wouldn't sell ingredients that could accidentally make a deadly poison instead of a delicious meal, right?
"It's best while it's still hot, I think," Fuuka continued, becoming increasingly anxious as to how this trial would turn out.
Minako turned back to the still-warm container and took a deep breath, before taking a bite.
Fuuka watched intently as Minako ate, hoping and dreading to see a reaction to the food. The first bite went as it always did for the worst meals, slow and forced, almost as if she was choking it down. But as she continued, Minako settled into a basic, almost rhythmic pace for eating the food. It was great that it was all going down, but it did nothing to tell Fuuka what Minako thought of her food.
Minutes passed, and soon enough Minako had finished every last bite of the stew, letting out a small burp as she finished, followed by an "excuse me."
"How was it, Minako-chan?" Fuuka asked, desperately curious as to whether this was a success or not.
But, almost as soon as she asked, Minako suddenly clutched at her stomach, breathing in short, sharp bursts. "Urg! Ah! Ah..." she groaned.
"Minako-chan!" Fuuka cried out and rushed over, holding the other girl steady. "It must have been those herbs... Minako-chan! Are you alright?"
Suddenly Minako's body relaxed, and she looked at Fuuka with a blank, almost indescribable look.
As it turns out, Fuuka's choice of replacement herbs did have an extraordinary effect on the other girl, which was about to be unleashed to its fullest on the unsuspecting Fuuka. As a result of eating the Mystery Stew, Minako-
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