Description: Jira and Hitomi both return from their respective matches and end up meeting eachother. But one of them is in need of a friend to scratch their back. Or, as the case might be, scrub mercilessly.
The knife whisks through another potato, the wielder quartering it with two clean cuts and sweeping the board clean with the flat of the blade. The motion repeating as one pot of peeled vegetables is piled up to be added to a still lightly steaming large pot. Hair tied in a ponytail that weaves and flows behind her as she turns back and forth between tasks. Humming happily to herself as she works.
Taking her time perusing a scrawled note she traces her way down the instructions with her index finger, not much of it done yet but the prep work was well under way! Thinking quietly to herself Hitomi glances left and right. The kitchen was empty but for her by herself, maybe it was okay to cut loose just a little. Mhmm! Bouncing an already washed tomato into the air at the same time she picks up a knife with her offhand and slashes through the floating object, letting the tomato fall to the cutting board and summarily split into six slices. She starts repeating the gesture with a martial level of focus.
"Ei! - Tei! - Hmp!"
The pile of slices growing as the bowl empties and the exercise continues, If she could keep up a the tempo like this then dinner should be right on track.
Seated outside in the hallway, nestled up against the wall, a certain old, battered and scuffed up Trunk is decorated with one more sticker. Back from its recent trip to Zimbabwe and minding/guarding the hallway, in the off chance someone were to trip over it.
Jira Kasagi had arrived a little late.. certain pinkettes had to be sent to medical, some preliminary bathing had to be done.. but not even the laundromat could get the smell out of her clothes, and the hotel soap was not plentiful nor abundant enough. She feels horrible, the smell is in her BRAIN, and her stomach is unhappy.
Jira peeks into the kitchen to see what's going on from the side entrance, waving at Hitomi briefly. "Hitomi-chan, hello. Do you have everything settled in here?" she asks, peeking around. "Where is mother?" she asks, not yet setting foot into the building in her current state.
The knife smacks the tomato out of the air where it lands amongst the piled slices and spatters Hitomi some with tomato juices. The sudden panic fades and she recovers from the startling with a turn and a nervous smile, a warm greeting.
"Jira-san! Welcome home."
Picking up a cloth she wipes some of the juice from her hands, leaving the preperation momentarily sorted to focus her attentions on carefully set down the knife and wipe some of the obvious juice off her face and then a slight frown at some of the spatter on the counter top.
"Uhm, she said she had to run out and get some things at the-"
Walking closer to Jira still all smiles and energy the girl looks to be in plenty good spirits despite her own leaving for foreign travels earlier in the week. The way she trails off quickly statement to the fact she has noticed the 'something amiss' in Jira's appearance and behaviour peeking into the building.
Jira's got more than a few stains oon her white sweater.. actually it lookks a bit dingy overall, a feww shades off. There's an implacable film or grease to her skin and her expression is sad... or queasy. Probably both.
"My fight stunk.. literally. It's like, in my brain even. It just isn't going away." she whines. "I think I'm going to burn this outfit and use my emergency double... after a long, long shower."
Momentary confusion as the German girl listens carefully to the explanation of unfortunate events, she wasn't even aware Jira was a fighter. She wasn't quite sure what kind of match could be that bad -- There was a sure knowledge however in her mind that the Saturday Night Fight crowd could certainly could and would come up with such a thing. Making her way to the sinks she runs the hot water, rinsing out the cloth she was using at the same time lathering it with some of the soap at the basin.
"Your Mother must have seen your match, she was going to the store for some cleaning supplies. "
The implication that said emergency run had been for some more shampoo's and soaps for the rooms and for her soon to be returning daughter. It wasn't lost on Hitomi even as she folded the wrung out cloth in half and passed it to Jira. The caring mother of an unmarried daughter and the owner of a local bunk house, was sure to take time out of an already busy day to help. The most aberrant things here were the still grimy Jira and the Guest working the kitchen.
Parents have similar insntincts where children are concerned, even if they are adults themselves.
Jira accepts the cloth and uses it to circularly rub it in circles over her face. This was priority, her nose had to be vindicated! Had to! She doesn't try to talk meanwhile, and other than nodding in mutual agreement to Hitomi's conclusion she's unresponsive. Until she pulls the cloth away and seems a bit healthier, facially. There is still sacrifice for the cloth.
"She probably did.. and always remember to be safe, even if you're fighting to win." she murmurs. "Arigatou, Hitomi-chan."
There's a moment there when Hitomi can recall dangling approximately fifteen feet in the air being held firming in the grasp of a powerful masked wrestler intent on dropping them both to the ground . That maybe hadn't been so safe, and thusly the reassuring smile /isn't very/. If she had missed Jira match during travels it was probably that Jira had likewise missed hers.
"Mhmm, you take a self-defence class. I should have guessed you might fight as well."
The two things had very little overlap and she had never seen or heard Jira practicing ... but there was no arguing with end results and being good enough that the match had been televised on SNF. Hitomi returns to the sink to wash her hands again before resuming prep work. The pots on the heat only just now beginning to boil and waiting on steps three through fifteen before they became the Guests nightly meals.
'Mhmm! Were you happy with how your match went?"
Curious even while still working to instructions and carefully following steps laid out on a piece of lined paper. Dinner does look like it might be a little delayed, Jira's mother had left fast enough that Hitomi wasn't even certain what these ingredients made when combined but she was sure to be home soon.
Jira pffts. "I don't take the club. I'm one of the assistant clubmasters." she replies. "I specialize in fight safety. Maybe you should stop by some time." she says, though it isn't too serious. But she does nod.... a little.
"On the plus side, I won and saved someone's life. The unfun part, was that it was in a sewer." she murmurs. "I feel... horrible."
A club huh? Now slicing beef into two inch wide slices Hitomi draws the knife back through the meat with practiced ease, it's a good knife and there's no squeamishness in handling the raw meat; at the same time as her head tilting her ear toward Jira and trying to hear over the steaming of the nearby pots.
"Jira! That's' amazing."
The emphatic moment where she forgets to even use honorifics; Part about the match being fought in a sewer was unfortunate and there was-that cloth was probably going to have to be burned or used elsewhere-wasn't much worth dwelling on there. But saving someone's life and winning the match however?
"You saved someone's' life! That's something to be really proud of even if you hadn't won. It's more important than any match."
She is proud of Jira, it's an amazing accomplishment, her hands still in cooking so that she might offer a half bow, shoulders and head lowering respectfully towards Jira. It would have been nice to celebrate an accomplishment somehow but the method of doing so escapes her. She can't even cook anything special since she is busy preparing a meal in someone else's kitchen.
Jira Kasagi chuckles. Amazing.. she felt lukewarm about it, but payout was decent.. and she's blushing at the lack of honourific. "Yeah.. one of the fighters.. got knocked into a rather flooded.. spot. When she stopped asking for help and went under, brought her back up." then she shudders. "I had to resuscitate her.. the taste was unpleasant." and she's sugar coating it even.
"So, what is for dinner? Maybe if I can scrub well enough I can be ready in time for cold remainders."
Again a confused head quirk.
A flooded part. Why was that sounding so unpleasant-her hands stop moving despite herself and she pales by a couple of degree. Too much information and putting all the pieces together left an unpleasant taste in HER mouth as she sympathized.
Spurred on the talk of dinner Hitomi starts reeling off ingredients, snow peas. Potatoes, onions and carrot, thinly sliced beef and onion.
" Bayrisher Gulash. I think this is a stewc the beef is cooked separately but added later. Uhm, Beef Stew? I'm sure you're fine Jira-san"
Back home she might have made a stew with potato dumplings but she had found tastes were very different here in japan. There is a small frown on her face as she considers probable cooking time, maybe an hour and a half to two hours while glancing at the clock. Especially in as large a serving as they was cooking.
Jira Kasagi nods. She knows what dinner is already, she just smiles. "So you have some talent yet, I see." in her best 'sensei' voice. And giggles after it. "Of course, if you read my meal schedule, you'd know exactly what dinner iis." she muses. "And when is mother coming back... this is unpleasant to the extreme."
Complimented so Hitomi does feel flattered but keeps up the work, there's no point being praised for something should stop you doing it. Jira's mother has to be home soon enough, she wonders absently whether she had looked at the meal schedule for this week.. Or was it the same every week?
Four days gone overseas and experiencing a little sightseeing in Zimbabwe after her match had been an amazing experience, the hand cupped in front of her mouth to politely hide inside of her mouth if not the yawning and sudden loss of attention. The jet lag however in flying about so much was something she was going to have to get used to.
"She said she wouldn't be gone long. I'll see what I can find."
Jira probably wouldn't want to use her inside shoes so the best she could do was, procure two small handtowels and set them on the floor inside the door. It wasn't much but it could be enough to get to the Bathroom upstairs. There wasn't really any more ingenious a method she could think of other than carrying Jira, Hitomi considered herself a nice person... but that didn't appeal, she liked these clothes.
It is almost on cue that Jira's mother, the inkeeper, stepped quietly into the kitchen from the hallway without a sound. Apart from her setting a cluster of bags by the doorway into the east hall as she entered and giving a quiet greeting to Hitomi and a very knowing look to Jira. She was a few centimeters shorter than Jira, with a smaller frame overall and longer (and more intact) hair. Her eyes are mostly closed, and it generally gives her a sincere look. But the sincerity has skewed into threatening, daggerlike malice.
"I'll continue with dinner, thank you Hitomi-chan." she says. Her voice is a bit deeper than Jira's, matronly. And the inflection that's hidden there has Jira cringing and whimpering.
"I will go now. Thank you mother." she murmurs with a bow and settles out of her shoes, and socks, and onto those proffered towels and carefullly slides along to retrieve the left-out bags and head off. Then she stops and turns around.
"Hitomi-chan, would you be willing to help me with my back?" she asks briefly.
Setting down the knife Hitomi turns to welcome Mrs. Kasagi home with a pleased smile and short bow. Briskly moving to wash her hands with relief at the prospect of getting some rest; scrubbing away the beef juices. Shaking off the excess water and completely missing the exchange between mother and daughter, she pulls the thick white strip of cloth out of her hair letting it hang loosely once again, adding it into her pocket she tucks the hachimaki away for safekeeping.
Looking around as Jira addresses her she raises a finger to lips considering, if it seemed dinner was going to be delayed anyway...
"Ah, Hai! A bath before dinner would be nice."
It might help was away some of her fatigue as well as the sweat worked up by her recent activites. And thusly moves to follow Jira, it would be ideal for everyone if Jira had some extra hands to get the towels and-
And another bag. Even while she's folding her sleeves back, Jira's mother is hasty enough to ensure none of the provisioned supplies she's gone to procure are missed. Leaving Jira to fall further into her sadness of her current state. With a defeated posture she slowly shuffles her way up the stairs and hangs her head.
"T-thanks in advance, Hitomi-chan." she murmurs. This is gonna suck..
Now toting a SECOND bag filled with yet more product in both arms, face peering down into it she examines the varied and colourful array of bottles. Floral, citrus fruits and lavender body washes; a few different shampoos and conditioners. More than she was ever used to seeing outside of a supermarket or a pharmacy. Trailing along behind Jira she follows quickly but her nose wrinkles when she gets too close at the top of the stairs. For the first time smell gets to her and she immediately snorts, opting to breathe through her mouth and retain the same pleasant smiling demeanour.
"You'll feel a lot better once you've had a bath and been able to change clothes."
She had to hope it was the clothes that retained much of that smell; they might very well need to try a few of these different products for Jira's long luxurious hair however. A girl should have pride in her appearance and making a sacrifice like that to save someone; Jira just needed a little help and pampering to help forget the unfortunate circumstances.
Jira certainly does hope she feels better, her hair is screaming in protest. Or is that death? They are probably the same thing in the current case. Once the stairs are tackled she heads into the pre-bathroom and sighs.
"Well, it looks like there should be enough.. let's get this over with." she mutters.
Having set down the plastic bag Hitomi has her jeans at her feet, shirt pulled up over her head even as Jira's resigned sounding comment echoes through the small room. Selecting two bottles shed noticed earlier, extra strength and gentle on skin? She pops open the lid to smell the content, more like a medicinal product than health or beauty. But it would make a good start; another one with a nice scent maybe, a couple more that looked interesting to try annnnnd one more for luck! With an armful of several bottles just from the one bag.
"It'll all be over shortly."
Huh? No mercy? Was Hitomi as intent as Jira's mother in scrubbing her until she was pink skinned and pristine? The sentence handed down by the warden had been passed and the executor was waiting to begin with bottles of product ready to go. The bunkhouse would have its cherished daughter back and the hero of the day would be back to being so squeaky clean that the new smell might invade her brain.
The executor smiles happily and showcases the array of multi-coloured bottles held and pressed into her bare skin.
"These will do for a start!"
No mercy is to be found here.
Log created on 01:52:19 12/15/2014 by Jira, and last modified on 19:04:16 12/17/2014.