In his continuing quest to eat everything and give his nutritional manager an aneurysm on his return to Crane space, Hinata was at the chicken stall. He'd already ordered and was sat at a table, swinging his feet around as he waited.

Today's wardrobe choice was a blue trimmed sailor suit in white . . . . . . . . with bunny motifs all over it.

Asahina Hinata wrote: ↑

Wed Apr 20, 2022 11:23 am

Snip

A mumbled sad voice
"Sorry Crane-sama, do you mind if I join you? All the other tables are full."
It seems to come from a short ronin who has a huge order of fried chicken, sides and sauces clutched in a death grip, their respectfully lowed gaze means Yūrei hasn't yet seen the full power of Hinata's outfit.

"Oh! Hi hi . . . errr ronin-sannnnn! I've seen you around lately but don't know your name yet, sorry! I'm Asahina Hinata!!!"

He shifted up to give her space just as his own order was called out.

"Just a sec!!!"

True to his word he dashed over to get his food . . . which was an equally huge order with sides and sauces and staggered back remarkably without dropping anything.

"Oh . . . . I thought this was for one . . . . ?"

Asahina Hinata wrote: ↑

Wed Apr 20, 2022 1:24 pm

Snip

"It's the 'eat your sorrows' meal for uhh...well, eating your sorrows."
She smiles weakly at him as she sits, her gaze following the Crane as he collects the huge order.
"Wait..are you..."
Yūrei mechanically takes a bite, and then another, her mind slowly moving. A crane...bunny motifs, that face

"You're not...Asahina Hinata-sama, are you? The Hinata-sama?"
No, no almost certainly not...probably.

He blinked, piece of chicken half way to his mouth.

"Is there another Asahina Hinata? Someone was talking about one at the Expo and it certainly wasn't me. I didn't found the expo, I'm too bust singing for anything like that."

Asahina Hinata wrote: ↑

Wed Apr 20, 2022 10:26 pm

Snip

Yūrei slowly dunks a whole leg in some hot sauce before putting it into her mouth, there's a noise like a quiet buzzsaw and the bone comes out completely stripped.

"I..well there probably are others, Asahina-sama. But none who are famous members of Usagi Drop?"
Taking a swig of her drink.
"You're a big deal! I mean, I'm a huge fan...but, I'm just working through a couple different emotional traumas at the moment."
Shrugging apologetically

"I thought your concert was amazing, such a good sound."
She glances over Hinata and his order, clearly impressed at the Crane's workout routine.

A workout routine that would be getting a good deal harder once he returned to Crane space and they discovered he had put on . . . . a whole half pound of weight.

"Oh it was great fun. I loooooved singing with Yakumo-samaa. You were there Ronin-sannn? In the security crew?"

Wasn't that where all the ronin would be?

Asahina Hinata wrote: ↑

Wed Apr 20, 2022 10:37 pm

Snip

"Susumu-sama really is something, isn't she? So talented and powerful, yet kind."
Wagging a drumstick at Hinata
"And don't forget Kazumi-sama, they're amazing too."

Chewing on said drumstick
"I was in the crowd, actually. I sort of...know Kazumi-sama, and Susumu-sama suggested I attend so...you know how it is."

"Oh right, yeah when Yakumo-samaa says so then you should do it."

A chicken breast was dipped in spicy sauce and practically inhaled.

"But they let ronin in the Wicked Wasp?? So many places here seem to not let ronin in. I mean what did they ever do to deserve that?"

A very good question.

Asahina Hinata wrote: ↑

Wed Apr 20, 2022 10:52 pm

Snip

"Um."
It's Yūrei's turn to blink before starting to demolish a small pile of chicken bites.

"Some definitely have done bad things. But a lot...haven't. I think it's more the perception that they might have done something wrong, that you wouldn't be a ronin if you didn't deserve it."
Something about this strikes Yūrei as amusing and she has to choke back a laugh.

"And the Wasp doesn't want to cater to anyone less than the best. So for a ronin to get in you have to know people."
Relaxing a little and glancing at Hinata.
"You seem, and please tell me if I am being too forward, quite...decent. Most samurai don't care for ronin in the slightest."

He blinked, half way through a side of what appeared to be like potato wedges.

"Oh why shouldn't I be? Ronin are samurai too, aren't they?"

The rest of the wedges disappeared, helped by a sweet chilli dip.

"I mean, Akuta-sannn had a scary stare but apart from that he was fine, and you . . . what was your name again?"

He looked embarrassed to have forgotten it, despite not actually having been told it.

Asahina Hinata wrote: ↑

Wed Apr 20, 2022 11:10 pm

He blinked, half way through a side of what appeared to be like potato wedges.

"Oh why shouldn't I be? Ronin are samurai too, aren't they?"

The rest of the wedges disappeared, helped by a sweet chilli dip.

"I mean, Akuta-sannn had a scary stare but apart from that he was fine, and you . . . what was your name again?"

He looked embarrassed to have forgotten it, despite not actually having been told it.

"Oh I'm sorry Asahina-sama, long day."
Wiping a greasy hand on a napkin before laying it across her heart.
"I go by Yurei. It's an honour to meet you. And Akuta-san certainly can be quite...foreboding."

She remembers there she has some wedges of her own and offers them to Hinata before plucking a few for her own dipping.

"I hope you've had the most exciting Winter Court? Or relaxing, I'm not sure what you would prefer?"

By the time the wedges were offered a drumstick was being stripped.

"Oh these are really spicy! Nice!"

He waves off the wedges.

"No, you have those, I think I have some more here. Sorry for mistaking you for security, Yurei-sannn, that's what I hired Akuta-sann for."

That reminded him the male ronin hadn't been paid yet, the Embassy would take care of that . . . probably.

Asahina Hinata wrote: ↑

Wed Apr 20, 2022 11:22 pm

Snip

"Think nothing of it, I've been mistaken for worse."
The poor wedges do not last long under such a furious assault

"The spice here is excellent, there's a whole thing about picking the right names for the different heat levels. I think that one there is Burning Revenge, which is meant to be way hotter half a minute after you eat it. I got some Deadly NXghtShXdE here which they're not even allowed to serve to anyone pre-gempukku. Figured I needed some distractions. Do you want to try it?"

"Can't be served pre gempukku???? Wow, that must have some real spice in it then! I didn't see that on the menu."

He picks out a large piece of chicken and rather foolishly dips straight into the Deadly NXghtShXdE pot and then takes a bite.

At first there is no effect but he blinks slowly and covers his mouth as his face slowly reddens.

Asahina Hinata wrote: ↑

Wed Apr 20, 2022 11:38 pm

Snip

"Oh that's...that's a lot."
She quickly puts the Asahina's drink his his hand.

"Just breathe, focus on your happy place, small controlled sips, blunt it with some of the ranch dip, we can get you through this, okay?"

He does open his mouth but only indistinct gasping came out as his eyes started to stream tears. He does exactly as Yurei recommends, blinking away tears while his face turned redder than a Scorpion kimono on 'Red is Best' night.

Asahina Hinata wrote: ↑

Wed Apr 20, 2022 11:48 pm

He does open his mouth but only indistinct gasping came out as his eyes started to stream tears. He does exactly as Yurei recommends, blinking away tears while his face turned redder than a Scorpion kimono on 'Red is Best' night.

"You're okay, you're okay you're...actually that's a very bright shade of red, but you're okay."
Smiling supportively.
"In a couple seconds your body will think its been overloaded and then is gonna numb your tongue, and then it won't be so hot anymore. You should be proud I've never see anyone take that much on their first go."

Or 2nd...3rd...really, ever.

Eventually he reached the peak and the trip to food jigoku began to recede.

"Oh . . . "

More tears were blinked away.

"Oh . . . that was . . . . wheeze . . . that was . . . quite something."

Asahina Hinata wrote: ↑

Thu Apr 21, 2022 12:00 am

Eventually he reached the peak and the trip to food jigoku began to recede.

"Oh . . . "

More tears were blinked away.

"Oh . . . that was . . . . wheeze . . . that was . . . quite something."

"Yes it is. I think they make it with the venom of some kind of fire ant? It's...unique. But now you can say you've tasted it? Conquered it?"
She salutes Hinata with her own cup.

"A new experience to share later?"