The cafeteria is buzzing with energy. Students fill the tables, talking and laughing after the excitement of the student tournament. Our group managed to snag a large table near the windows, and we're all squeezed in together.
Takeshi and Yuki sit on either side of me. Mira is across from us, gesturing wildly as she speaks. Sera, Rhen, Thora, and Darian fill out the rest of the table.
Everyone's talking at once, replaying matches and arguing about who had the best moment.
[Mira] "I'm just saying, my shadow fake-out was the coolest move of the entire tournament."
[Rhen] "It was good strategy, but you got hit anyway. I'd say Takeshi's fire and ice combination attack was more impressive."
[Takeshi] "Thanks, but I still lost to you in the finals."
[Rhen] "A good fight though. You pushed me harder than I expected."
[Thora] "What about when I dual-wielded my axes and created that spinning attack? That was pretty awesome."
[Darian] "It won you the first round but your opponent saw through the attack in the second round."
[Thora] "Doesn't make it less awesome!"
I laugh, watching everyone bicker.
My eyes drift to Sera's plate, and I do a double-take.
She's eating what looks like raw fish. Slices of pale pink flesh arranged neatly on her plate with some kind of garnish.
Sera notices me staring and smiles sheepishly.
[Sera] "Sorry, I know it might look a bit weird. It's what merfolk like to eat. Raw fish is a staple for us."
[Aiko] "Oh no, it's not weird at all! We actually used to eat raw fish back home too."
Sera's eyes widen.
[Sera] "Really? I haven't met many races that eat raw fish. Usually just merfolk and a few beast folk. What kind of fish did you have?"
I lean in to get a better look at the fish on her plate. It's beautiful. Deep pink color with perfect marbling.
Let me try appraising it.
The familiar sensation activates, and information flows into my mind.
---
[Appraisal]
Deepcurrent Riftmaw
Large predatory fish native to deep ocean waters. Known for explosive bursts of speed and devastating body slams capable of cracking bone. Its rich, fatty flesh aids in mana regeneration and is highly prized. Best consumed fresh within three days of catching.
---
This is basically high-quality tuna! The description, the appearance, even the fatty marbling. It's almost identical to the bluefin tuna we used to get at the restaurant.
[Aiko] "This is amazing. The fish you're eating is just like the tuna we had back home."
[Sera] "Tuna? Is that what you called it?"
[Mira] "Wait, you ate raw fish too? I thought that was just a merfolk thing."
[Takeshi] "It's pretty common where we're from. Aiko actually knows how to prepare it really well."
Everyone turns to look at me.
[Yuki] "You do? I didn't know that!"
I feel my cheeks warm slightly.
[Aiko] "Yeah, I worked at a restaurant that specialized in it before... before we came here."
It's true. The little sushi shop in downtown. Tucked between two larger buildings, easy to miss if you didn't know where to look. But the locals knew.
I was fifteen when I got the job. The institution didn't have much money, and I wanted to help out however I could. I'd heard they were hiring servers, so I applied.
The owner, Tanaka-san, was a stern-looking man in his sixties with rough hands and a kind smile. He hired me on the spot, probably because I was willing to work for minimum wage.
At first, I just served tables and cleaned. But I was curious. I'd watch Tanaka-san work behind the counter. His movements were precise and practiced. Efficient. Beautiful, even.
One slow afternoon, he noticed me watching.
[Tanaka] "Want to learn?"
I nodded so hard I thought my head might fall off. He taught me everything, slowly and patiently.
First, the rice. Sushi rice isn't just regular rice. It's short-grain rice seasoned with a mixture of rice vinegar, sugar, and salt. The balance has to be perfect. Too much vinegar and it's sour. Too little and it's bland. The rice has to be cooked just right too. Not too soft, not too hard. It should stick together but still have individual grains you can feel.
[Tanaka] "The rice is the foundation. Everything else builds on this."
Then came the fish. How to select it, how to store it, how to cut it. The knife technique was the hardest part to learn. You need a very sharp knife, and the cuts have to be clean and precise. Against the grain for some fish, with the grain for others. The angle matters. The thickness matters. Everything matters.
He taught me nigiri first. The classic. You take a small amount of rice, shape it with your hands into an oval, then drape a slice of fish over the top. Sometimes you add a tiny dab of wasabi between the rice and fish. Simple, but it takes practice to make the rice compact enough to hold together but not so compressed that it becomes hard.
Then maki. Rolls. You spread rice on a sheet of nori, leaving a small gap at the top. Add your fillings in a line across the center. Cucumber, avocado, fish, whatever you're making. Then you roll it tightly using a bamboo mat, sealing it with the gap you left at the top. Slice it into even pieces with a wet knife so the rice doesn't stick.
There's temaki, hand rolls, where you make a cone shape with the nori and fill it. It's meant to be eaten immediately.
Sashimi, which is just the fish by itself, sliced beautifully and arranged artfully on a plate.
And chirashi, scattered sushi, where you put rice in a bowl and top it with various ingredients.
I practiced for months. My first attempts were disasters. The rice fell apart. The fish was cut unevenly. The rolls looked like they'd been through a war.
But Tanaka-san was patient. He'd correct my grip, adjust my technique, show me again and again until I got it right.
Eventually, I did.
By the time I'd been there a year, I could make nigiri that looked decent. My knife cuts were clean. My rolls were tight and even.
Tanaka-san started letting me take home the unsold items at the end of the night. Sushi doesn't keep well, so anything that didn't sell had to be thrown out or eaten quickly.
[Tanaka] "A chef has to know the taste of what they're making. Take it. Study it properly."
I knew it was an excuse. He knew I was from a group home. This was just his way of making sure we all got to try something special. I'd bring it back with me. The other kids loved it. None of us had ever tasted sushi before.
Those nights were special. Sharing food I'd helped make, seeing everyone smile and enjoy something different.
The work was hard, and the pay wasn't great, but I loved that job. I loved learning something new. I loved making people happy with food.
And now, here I am, looking at fish that's basically the same as what I used to work with.
An idea hits me.
[Aiko] "I could make sushi for everyone! If we can get the ingredients, I can prepare it the way we used to eat it back home."
Takeshi grins.
[Takeshi] "Aiko's really good at making sushi. She learned from a professional chef."
[Yuki] "Wait, really? I want to try it!"
[Mira] "Yes! I'm so interested in trying food from your homeland!"
Rhen, Thora, and Darian exchange glances. They look less certain.
[Thora] "Raw fish though? I don't know..."
[Darian] "Isn't that kind of... dangerous? What if you get sick?"
[Yuki] "It's totally safe! And it's really delicious! The flavors are so clean and fresh."
[Takeshi] "Trust me, once you try it, you'll understand. It's nothing like what you're probably imagining."
[Sera] "I think it's wonderful that more people are willing to try raw fish. Most people look at my meals like I'm eating something strange."
[Rhen] "Alright, I'll try it. But if I get food poisoning, I'm blaming you all."
[Thora] "If Rhen's doing it, I will too."
[Darian] "Fine, fine. I'll give it a shot."
I'm already thinking through what I'll need. Without a bamboo mat, rolling maki would be messy. Better to keep it clean and simple. Nigiri and sashimi.
For ingredients, I'll need the fish itself. Sushi rice or something similar. Rice vinegar for seasoning. Wasabi and soy sauce if they have it.
We finish dinner quickly, everyone excited about the plan.
[Rhen] "We can ask the cafeteria staff if they have the ingredients you need. They're usually pretty accommodating."
We make our way to the serving area where several staff members are cleaning up.
One of them, an older dwarven woman with kind eyes, notices us approaching.
[Staff] "Can I help you kids?"
[Aiko] "Yes, please! I was wondering if you have some specific ingredients. I'd like to make a dish from my homeland for my friends."
[Staff] "Oh? What do you need?"
[Aiko] "I need rice. Short-grain, if you have it. And something sour made from fermented grain. Sharp, but a little sweet. I'll also need sugar and salt. And if there's any kind of spicy root paste, that would help too. Oh, and I need a dark, salty liquid for dipping. Something made from fermented beans or grains, with a rich, savory taste."
The woman thinks for a moment.
[Staff] "We have Crystalgrain rice. It's short-grain and sticky, used for some of our desserts. For something sour and a little sweet, we carry Sourberry vinegar. It's brewed from fermented rice. Sugar and salt are easy. As for spicy root paste, we have Fireroot paste. It's made from a root vegetable that grows in volcanic soil. For the dark, salty liquid, we have Nightbrew. It's made from fermented beans and has a deep, savory flavor."
[Aiko] "That sounds perfect! Could we have some of those ingredients? And a few portions of the Deepcurrent Riftmaw if you have extra?"
[Staff] "You kids really do have a hearty appetite! Strong bodies need good food if you want to keep growing. Give me a moment, I'll gather everything for you."
She disappears into the kitchen and returns with several baskets filled with ingredients. The Crystalgrain rice is in a cloth bag. Several bottles of Sourberry vinegar. Small containers of sugar and salt. A jar of bright orange Fireroot paste. A bottle of dark Nightbrew. And several fresh fillets of Deepcurrent Riftmaw on ice.
[Staff] "Here you go. There's a kitchen in the common area of the dormitories if you need to cook the rice and prepare everything."
[Aiko] "Thank you so much!"
We carry the baskets together back to the dormitories, everyone chattering excitedly about what sushi will taste like.
---
The common area kitchen is small but functional. A fire pit, some counter space, basic utensils, and cutting boards.
I get to work.
First, the rice. I measure out the Crystalgrain rice and rinse it thoroughly until the water runs clear. This removes excess starch and prevents the rice from being too sticky. Then I cook it in a pot with the right ratio of water to rice. Rhen tends to the fire, keeping the heat steady so the rice cooks through evenly.
While it cooks, I prepare the seasoning mixture. Sourberry vinegar, sugar, and salt in a small bowl, stirred until the sugar and salt dissolve completely.
The rice finishes cooking and I let it steam for a few minutes with the lid on. Then I transfer it to a large wooden bowl I found in the cupboard.
I pour the vinegar mixture over the hot rice and begin folding it in gently with a wooden paddle. You don't want to stir it roughly or the rice will become mushy. You fold it carefully while fanning it to cool it down quickly. This gives the rice that glossy sheen.
Everyone watches.
[Mira] "It smells amazing already."
[Yuki] "The vinegar scent is so nostalgic."
While the rice cools to room temperature, I turn my attention to the fish.
I lay out the Deepcurrent Riftmaw fillets and examine them. Beautiful. The marbling is perfect, and the flesh is firm and fresh.
I activate my purification magic, letting the gentle white glow spread across the fish. Just a precaution to remove any potential parasites or bacteria. The magic washes over it and fades.
Then I start cutting.
I use a sharp knife from the kitchen, wetting it slightly so the fish doesn't stick. I cut against the grain in smooth, confident strokes. Each slice is about a quarter inch thick, cut at a slight angle to maximize the surface area.
The slices come out perfect. Smooth, even, beautiful.
[Sera] "Your knife work is incredible."
[Aiko] "It took a lot of practice. My teacher was very patient with me."
I set aside some of the best slices for sashimi. For those, I want to showcase the fish itself without any rice. I arrange them carefully on a plate, fanning them out in an overlapping pattern. The deep pink color contrasts beautifully against the white ceramic. I add a small garnish of thinly sliced vegetables on the side for color.
With the remaining fish slices, I start making nigiri.
I wet my hands slightly and take a small amount of rice, shaping it into an oval with my fingers. The motion is practiced, automatic. I've done this hundreds of times. I add a tiny dab of Fireroot paste to the rice, then drape a slice of fish over the top, pressing gently to make it adhere.
One piece of nigiri, done.
I repeat the process, making enough for everyone to have several pieces.
I arrange everything on plates. The nigiri lined up neatly alongside slices of sashimi fanned out.
[Aiko] "Okay, everyone! It's ready!"
I distribute the plates and pour small amounts of Nightbrew into little dishes for dipping.
Everyone picks up their pieces hesitantly. Except for Sera, who dives in immediately.
[Takeshi] "Just eat it in one bite if you can. And dip it lightly in the sauce first."
They follow his instructions, starting with the nigiri.
The moment they taste it, their expressions change.
[Mira] "Oh wow. This is... this is incredible! I've never tasted anything like this!"
[Yuki] "It's so good! The rice has that perfect sweet and tangy flavor, and the fish just melts in your mouth."
[Rhen] "I was skeptical, but this is actually amazing. The texture is so different from cooked fish."
[Thora] "The spicy paste adds such a nice kick to it!"
[Darian] "I'm genuinely surprised. This is delicious."
[Sera] "Aiko, this is wonderful! You've made something that honors the fish while adding so many complementary flavors. The merfolk elders would approve of this preparation!"
Then they try the sashimi.
[Mira] "Wait, this one doesn't have rice?"
[Aiko] "That's sashimi. It's just the fish by itself so you can really taste the quality of the meat."
[Rhen] "The flavor is so pure. You can really taste the richness of the fish without anything else."
[Thora] "It's even more delicate than the one with rice. I can taste a slight sweetness in the fish itself."
[Sera] "This is closer to how merfolk traditionally eat it. Just the fish, nothing else. But the way you've cut it and presented it makes it feel special."
[Darian] "The Nightbrew really brings out the umami flavor. I didn't think raw fish could taste this good."
My cheeks warm from all the praise.
[Aiko] "I'm so glad you all like it! This was one of my favorite things to make back home."
We eat together, everyone savoring the sushi and asking questions about how it's made and what other variations exist.
[Rhen] "I'm really excited that you all are going to be joining the academy."
[Yuki] "Oh, I'm actually going to a different academy. Arcanis Academy."
[Sera] "Really? That's too bad. But academies sometimes host special events where students from different schools visit each other. We'll keep a lookout for those and try to visit you."
[Yuki] "I'll do the same! I don't want to lose touch with everyone."
[Takeshi] "I'm going to train hard and get stronger. Next tournament, I'm beating Rhen."
[Mira] "Oh yeah, Rhen, didn't you say you were going to try out for the main tournament next time?"
[Rhen] "That's right. There wasn't anyone around strong enough to make me go all out. But now Takeshi will be at the academy, and we've already promised to fight in the next tournament."
He smirks at Takeshi.
[Rhen] "Though I should mention, I'm graduating soon. So next year's tournament will be my last as a student. If you don't beat me then, you'll have to wait until you're strong enough to compete in the main tournament with the adults."
Takeshi's competitive fire ignites. I can see it in his eyes.
[Takeshi] "Then I'll just have to train even harder. I'm not waiting years to beat you."
I laugh.
[Aiko] "Takeshi's always so competitive. Ever since we were kids."
[Mira] "That's what makes fighting him fun."
The door to the common area opens and a few other students wander in, drawn by the smell and the conversation.
[Student] "What are you guys eating? It smells interesting."
[Sera] "Sushi! Aiko made it. It's raw fish prepared in a special way."
[Student] "Raw fish? That's what merfolk eat, right?"
[Aiko] "Would you like to try some? I made plenty."
They approach cautiously but curiously. I make a few more pieces quickly and hand them out.
The reactions are similar. Surprise, then delight, then asking for seconds.
More students filter in, word spreading through the dormitories. Soon I'm making more sushi, showing people how it's prepared, answering questions about the technique and the ingredients.
The common area fills with laughter and conversation.
Takeshi catches my eye and gives me a warm smile. He knows how much this means to me. He was there at the group home when I'd bring back sushi from work. He knows how much joy it brought everyone.
And now I'm doing it again. In a different world, with different people, but the feeling is the same.
I'm happy. This is where I want to be.