[Day 1 LA] Greasing the Hands of Commerce (Kochako Fried Chicken, Expecting)

[Yūrei]

Yūrei puts down her empty soft drink can with a sigh, her tongue still smarting slightly from Kochako's 'Ultimate Shinobi Spice 3 Pack'. A small pile of crumpled napkins around her place at a table towards the back of the restaurant with an easy view to the door attested to a greasy battle well fought.

The mall was thrumming with activity from tourists and locals alike and the ronin stretches slowly, full and content as she people watched. The space opposite her was one of the few open in the store, but not many customers were willing to share a table with a ronin. Something the manager had noticed as he shot her the occasional glare she pretended not to notice.

[Matsu Hide]

One thing that Hide was always up for was fried chicken. Especially since she had been ship bound for a couple of weeks, she had some cravings for greasy fried food. Having ordered something quick to eat, Hide looked around for a place to sit.

Huh. Only one was opened. A ronin? Well, sure beat sitting next to a screaming child. Taking the free seat, because Hide is no coward, the Lion gives the wavewoman a nod.

[Yūrei]

One thing that Hide was always up for was fried chicken. Especially since she had been ship bound for a couple of weeks, she had some cravings for greasy fried food. Having ordered something quick to eat, Hide looked around for a place to sit.

Huh. Only one was opened. A ronin? Well, sure beat sitting next to a screaming child. Taking the free seat, because Hide is no coward, the Lion gives the wavewoman a nod.

Yūrei nods back respectfully, putting down a chicken wing it would now be a little gauche to start gnawing for the last shreds of meat.

"Lion-sama."
She debates making an exit, but that would just be even ruder than the gnawing. Instead the ronin decides to offer a polite.
"I got a few extra napkins there under the chili sauce dispenser if you'd like. Kochako's doesn't mess around with the grease."

[Matsu Hide]

“Eh? Oh, thanks for the warning. I take it you are a fan of greasy fried foods as well?” Hide didn’t seem all too bothered by the ronin. And she also seemed pretty oblivious to the avoidance everyone had given Yūrei.

[Yūrei]

“Eh? Oh, thanks for the warning. I take it you are a fan of greasy fried foods as well?” Hide didn’t seem all too bothered by the ronin. And she also seemed pretty oblivious to the avoidance everyone had given Yūrei.

"Sometimes it's the only thing that gets me through a long day. There's no shortage of it here on planet, pretty sure we've proved that anything can be fried, anything."

She tries her can again and gets a single drop of soda. Sadness.

"That and it's che- readily accessible. Sometimes it's all you can get."
Leaning back a little in the plastic chair and running her eyes over Hide.

"If you don't mind me asking Matsu-sama, are you new on planet?"

[Matsu Hide]

Hide looked down at her chicken and then back up to the ronin as she asked her question. She thought about it for a moment before tilting her head to the side questioningly. "Ah, yeah, I am. Just got here last night. Why you ask?"

[Yūrei]

Hide looked down at her chicken and then back up to the ronin as she asked her question. She thought about it for a moment before tilting her head to the side questioningly. "Ah, yeah, I am. Just got here last night. Why you ask?"

"Just curious, Matsu-sama. Newcomers stand out a little."

Holding her hands up reassuringly
"The way things are done here can be a little bit of an adjustment for many samurai."

[Matsu Hide]

"I... See." Hide looked down at herself. Was she really that out of place here? "Well, what kind of adjustments are we talkin' about, here?"

The Matsu hadn't really thought about it before, she was so used to being just another member of the samurai family with the most people in it. She didn't feel like she stuck out that much among the Matsu. It was an odd feeling.

[Yūrei]

"I... See." Hide looked down at herself. Was she really that out of place here? "Well, what kind of adjustments are we talkin' about, here?"

The Matsu hadn't really thought about it before, she was so used to being just another member of the samurai family with the most people in it. She didn't feel like she stuck out that much among the Matsu. It was an odd feeling.

Apparently straight-faced
"The planet is a wonderful destination for tourism, and fried food. There's a lot to hear and do."
Lowering her voice a fraction
"But outside of the tourist hotspots it can be a little....rough. Not that I think any ner-do-well would dare pit themselves against a vaunted bushi of your clan. But in the past some Lion samurai have..."

She peers down at her crumpled napkins
"...objected to law enforcement levels in certain areas?"

[Matsu Hide]

“Ah, I see…” Hide might not have fully understood, but at least she was following along. “Well, I’m not fully aware of that. But, I’ll keep that in mind and be careful.”

[Yūrei]

“Ah, I see…” Hide might not have fully understood, but at least she was following along. “Well, I’m not fully aware of that. But, I’ll keep that in mind and be careful.”

Nodding
"There was one guy, this Akodo. Ended up in a fight with a local gang. Things got pretty nasty. Mainly for them, he was a trained bushi so..."
She mimics furiously slicing with a drumstick
"Nearly became a diplomatic incident, had to head back to my place through the backdoor for a week since that whole alleyway ended up a crime scene."

What a bore that had been, not like magistrates cared when ordinary folk got hurt.

[Matsu Hide]

"That sounds badass, though." Hide looked more than a bit disappointed by the story. "I mean the 1-v-Entire gang situation, not being unable to get into your place the normal way. That sucks."

[Yūrei]

"That sounds badass, though." Hide looked more than a bit disappointed by the story. "I mean the 1-v-Entire gang situation, not being unable to get into your place the normal way. That sucks."

"Badass? Yeah...yeah I suppose it kinda was. Nobody messes with the gangs down there."
Tapping the cheap table.
"If combat is more Matus-sama's preference I can recommend a number of new stage plays and films with similar concepts? One against many, heroes against villains, gratuitous reasonably well shot violence. That sort of thing."

[Matsu Hide]

"Action flicks and stuff? Yeah. I could always use a suggestion of what to watch." The Matsu leans back, relaxed in demeanor as she takes a bite of her chicken. Which it was obvious she enjoyed quite a bit.

[Yūrei]

"Action flicks and stuff? Yeah. I could always use a suggestion of what to watch." The Matsu leans back, relaxed in demeanor as she takes a bite of her chicken. Which it was obvious she enjoyed quite a bit.

Yūrei's stomach growls, as if it hadn't just finished its own chicken.

"You ever watched the Jotaro Wak series? I couldn't afford tickets but I sometimes managed to sneak into late screenings when nobody was paying attention. It's all about this samurai who has retired, but the death of his wife and a cruel slight to his honour bring him back on a rampage of revenge. The action is really good, they got actual Scorpion samurai in to do the choreography."

Animatedly
"Then there's the latest Bushido movie from that big expanded universe they're doing. The Phoenix shugenja accidentally unleased an evil spirit a couple films ago so they're following on for that. Word on the street is that the character is going to die since the actor wants to move on."

[Matsu Hide]

"Ah, yeah. I actually caught one of the Jotaro Wak films while staying in a hotel on a station on the way here. Good taste." Hide looked between the serving counter and the ronin. "Well, I've been meaning to actually watch the Bushido films and all the other material, but it's such a time sink. Maybe I can start in on it while I'm here and finish on my own time? I did really enjoy both of the Yojimbo of the Universe, though."

With another glance towards the serving counter, Hide turned back to the ronin with a smile. "Hey, wanna split another meal? I'm still pretty hungry from my workout I had this afternoon but I can't eat a full thing."

[Yūrei]

"Ah, yeah. I actually caught one of the Jotaro Wak films while staying in a hotel on a station on the way here. Good taste." Hide looked between the serving counter and the ronin. "Well, I've been meaning to actually watch the Bushido films and all the other material, but it's such a time sink. Maybe I can start in on it while I'm here and finish on my own time? I did really enjoy both of the Yojimbo of the Universe, though."

With another glance towards the serving counter, Hide turned back to the ronin with a smile. "Hey, wanna split another meal? I'm still pretty hungry from my workout I had this afternoon but I can't eat a full thing."

"Oh they're great! Such an odd collection of Clans but the way they're almost musicals, now I feel like a need to rewatch them."

Yūrei looks back from the counter menu and beams
"You read my mind Matsu-sama. I'd be honoured to share another round. You look like you take your workouts seriously, I'd kill for arms like that."

[Matsu Hide]

“Ah, wait here, then. I will go get another. Shouldn’t take long, there’s no line currently.” The Lion stood up as she offered smile to Yūrei before she took off to the counter.

It didn’t take terribly long for Hide to come back, hot food in hand. She placed the plate a bit closer to the ronin, as to let her take a piece for herself first.

“So, what other kinds of films do you like?”

[Yūrei]

Snip

Yūrei picks a drumlet and considers eating daintily before tucking in with gusto. Fried chicken never stood on ceremony.

"Well."
Leaning in and lowering her voice
"Don't tell anyone since it's bad for my reputation, but I have weakness for romance films. Not...not like the bad ones, but you know, some of the good ones where folks end up happily together. Probably not your cup of tea Matsu-sama."

[Matsu Hide]

The Matsu couldn’t help but chuckle. “I don’t mind them. I kind of ended up that way myself. Though, it was like that and an action flick rolled onto one.”

Hide took a piece of the chicken, watching the ronin curiously. “So… Got any personal favorite romances, then?”