Description: The Empress of Ezo is finding difficulty adjusting to the life she'd always dreamed of. And a frosty reception from a dear friend is just the cure! Wait, what...?
Yun Lee is the coolest thing on four wheels right now. Well, at least when he's in a restaurant. With all of the crazy shenanigans that are happening right now, he's making sure that he's skating through and giving everyone everyone their meals as quickly as possible. "And, as usual, Free Drinks for the hottest girls at this table." Yun skates past one table of hotties. "And this table." More hotties. "And this tab-- whoa. Nevermind." And he skates away from the latest table. What? There was a chick with coke bottle glasses! It happens!
Anyway, Genhaten is popping for a little bit at this moment. At least well enough for the place to not be in trouble of going out of business. Even when everything is going to hell and back in the areas around here. Luckily, this village is being protected by the TWIN DRAGONS.
The good news: The bells on the door jingle, and no other customers are leaving -- so that's a good thing. Another customer, right? The bad news, at least for Yun: It's a couple of dudes. They're both wearing royal blue uniforms, impeccably tailored and practically spotless. It's not just two guys, either... once a signal is given to those outside, four more approach in similar uniform. They all seem to be foreigners -- American, most likely -- and fairly young ones at that.
The reason why may become clear as the door is held open for Her Majesty, the Empress of the Republic of Ezo. The woman formerly known simply as Honoka strides in, glancing around at the tables. She meets Yun's eye for a moment, but she seems much too distracted to talk. And one of her imperial guard walk up instead. "Table for seven," states the guard in a quiet voice.
Today, Jira finds herself in the kitchen, expressing one of her talents. Cooking almost as well as Yang. Like her mentor before her, and true to tradition, she doesn't bother with a hairnet. Pots and pans sizzle and bubble with pre-prepared stocks and other accoutrements that are staple at Genhanten. And everything else is easy enough to nab from the prep table or the fridge when requested. It's not -too- busy back there, aside from the sound of polyurethane wheels all the time.
"Right, yeah, uh my section is full." Yun responds to the uniformed fools and then spins around on his skateboard, pushing off with one foot to send him off into the direction of another one of the tables full of hotties. He does pause by the door to the kitchen and sticks his head in. "Yo! Jiralicious!" Yun doesn't even pay attention to who he's talking to. "You got some losers from the Fashion Police here! They need a table! My section's full!" Yun beams and then skates back off towards one of his many tables full of women! None of which want to give him the time of day but at least he's hooking them up with free drinks!
Despite living in the relative lap of luxury for the past week or so... the Empress came from a humble upbringing. She understands the plight of the working man, and she has compassion for the citizens of Ezo. Which is why she doesn't order her guards to plaster Yun up against the wall at his casual disregard for the outfits she helped design -- indeed, outfits she'd designed to be noticed.
Instead, the Empress shakes her head in dismissal. "The price I pay to get a good meal in this city," she comments, leaning closert to one of her guards, but... well. Yun's smile gets a faint smile out of her as well.
The Empress and her guards move away from Yun, gravitating towards the only empty table. The cook has to wait tables too? Bothersome.
The Empress peeks into the kitchen as she walks past the service area. Recognizing 'Jiralicious', she comments softly, "Ahem. What must an Empress do to get service here, mmm?"
Jira's in her work uniform, and it's inappropriate size is overwhelmingly apparent as she steps out from the kitchen, setting the heat on the cooking surfaces lower and out to the... damnit, seven people. This is going to back up service a little.
With notepad and pencil in hand, Jira gives a polite bow to the group at the table, purposely avoiding gaze to the elaborately dressed one. She did not care for makeup, and fostered distrust in its practicioners.
"Hello, welcome to Genhanten. I am Jira, cook and your server today. How may we serve you?" she states in practiced tone and poise. To Honoka, Jira might seem an entirely different person- with her chest no longer bound by her vest and her hair's recent shift to white colour.
The next time that anyone sees Yun, the delivery waiter is chilling at the table with the girls. His skateboard kicked up next to the booth and his feet on the table. "Hey, Jira-Jira Binks!" Yun can't stop himself from making with the random nicknames. Especially since, "I'm on break! Grab me some noodles? You're a doll!" He grabs somebody's drink and takes a sip from it!
The Empress allows Jira to lead her and her guards to the nearest table. While the former performer had been a little put off by Yun's attitude before, but seeing how he seems to be more focused on girls than on doing his job... well, that's just the kind of person he is. It shouldn't affect the food much, as long as Yun can keep his hands off her drinks.
She is a little unnerved by the fact that her quip just bounced right off Jira without any sign of acknowledgement. White hair... that's a change, too.
Eating from a Chinese restaurant is hardly a new experience for the Empress, though. Her answer to Jira's introduction is a simple, "Charmed." She doesn't look charmed, though, and her purple eyeliner just makes it look like she's -mad- at the server. One brief look at the menu is all it takes to confirm her order. "Number 12. For all seven of us, if you please."
The Empress also orders a side of what the hell is your problem, but that order's placed directly into Jira's subconscious, the Empress maintaining a mildly disdainful look for her treatment thus far.
Jira's gaze back up at the empress is brief, glowing eyes a little muted. 'I'm at work.' is written all over her expression, behind the semi-fake smile. She jots down the order and sighs at Yun.
"While you're on your break, maybe you can remember that I still have a nice friend with your name engraved in them." she quips. She did tell Yun early on that she's got a bullet for him, especially. She straightens up and bows politely again. "And, I will be making your orders now." moving her way out to the kitchen. "And Yun, you can come in the kitchen for yours." before she vanishes behind the doors.
So that's what's going on. Honoka breaks into a smile once she notices the expression, shaking her head once more. Jira's sass is still present -- that and the even-handed expression are enough to set the Empress' mind at ease. SHe nods slowly, looking about the restaurant.
Conversation has fallen to a hush. Whatever was 'popping' before turns into quiet discomfort, unease that the one who'd claimed dominion over the island nation is sitting right here with them. And with a show of force, on top of that.
Honoka's smile fades. She's... used to making people happy. Or at least not being noticed at all. She even broods for a moment -- until she sees her reflection in one of the many silvered surfaces. Opting not to linger in the bad mood, she turns her attention to the guard on her left, the conversation kept too low to really be overheard.
Jira's a couple minutes in the kitchen before coming out, two servingg trays are held up. One in each hand, and both ringed by a pink light. She hurries over to the table and sets them down and sets out the dishes with practised hands around the table, to each of the places. Then she takes a small step back. "Anything else I can do for you?" she asks of the table.
The Empress looks away from conversing with her guard as Jira approaches. Pausing to allow Jira to place the entrees on the table, she leans forward to savor the aroma.
When the cook asks the question, the guards respond in the negative, but the Empress raises a finger. "Miss... Jira, was it? I do have one question. Would you say business has improved or declined in the last week?" She smiles, as if an afterthought, and adds, "Asking for a friend."
Jira gives a nod and hums quietly. "I haven't been in very much lately, familial issues, but whenever Yun's in the place always seems rather busy." she comments. "I don't have enough information to give you a proper assessment, I apologise." and spends the next few moments watching the table, waiting for reply or request.
Familial business, mm. "... I see." She considers for a moment, and then adds, "That will be all for now."
The Empress is normally a bit more talkative than this, but the mood just got so... quiet in here when she walked in. Closing her eyes, she savors the aroma once more... and takes about three bites of her meal. Slowly glancing around the room, she catches several people in the act of glaring at her, but they look away whenever her gaze falls on them. Her guards have a much more voracious appetite than her, finishing their bowls in record time. And once they do...
The Empress announces, "My apologies. I seem to have lost my appetite." Two guards accompany her sudden rise from the table, three more following behind as she begins striding towards the door. Eye contact is not made at all, as she is casting her eyes to the ground. Perhaps, she rationalizes, eating here was not a good idea after all.
The sixth guard seems ready and able to pick up the bill for their bill.
Jira does note the quiet, and the exit from the table. "Milady, if there's anything you need of me, I have more time to talk in the kitchen." she offers. Obviously, being at work doesn't apply where she doesn't have to maintain any sort of conformity to appearance. Then she slinks into the kitchen again.
In the kitchen. The Empress's attush is very expensive, and the elm bark fibers are pretty much grease magnets... but if this is the price she has to pay to have a conversation with someone she'd considered a friend, so be it.
A measure could be spared Jira for not wanting to drag her friend's business down by association, though. And having an empress in the kitchen...
"As a matter of fact, Miss Jira, your food was absolutely horrid," she notes with a haughty air, even raising her voice over the quiet she'd kept till now. "I -would- like to see your kitchen, to gain some -small- measure of appreciation for the filth I've just deigned to consume." Expression soured, she follows Jira into the kitchen, gesturing for her guards to wait just outside the kitchen door.
Once outside of direct earshot, she gives Jira narrowed eyes. "I... understand this is tough for -you-," she states coldly, "But..." Holding up a hand, she silences herself. "Your turn," she states, eyes closing. There is no accounting for the maelstrom of emotions she's feeling right now.
Jira sighs and shakes her head at the scene outside, stepping into the kitchen and leaving the door open for Honoka behind her. She gets to the stove and works on it idly.
"It's nice to see you again, I suppose a lot has happened under my nose?" she asks. "Yeah, I have to keep the reputation here stable and neutral, not my restaurant to be suggesting an opinion of the business. Not sure I like the makeup." she teases innocently with a giggle.
Honoka keeps her eyes closed, letting her anger and frustration simmer off. She's not so naive to believe that Jira was actually mad at her, no... but there's more at stake than just a talk among friends.
Eyes finally opening, albeit slowly, to look at Jira, the Empress notes, "I'm surprised you've more issue with my eyeliner than the rest of the changes I've made. I suppose this is a good thing."
She glances about the kitchen for a moment. "If you're needed here, then I suppose it would be unfair of me to request more from you." There's still a touch of acid in her tone, but the Empress' nerves aren't what they once were. But she does add, "I... I'm sorry. The situation here in this city is... tense. It infuriates me."
Jira sets the stovetop to a low heat and turns around, her bust defiantly finding room to carry movement when she stops in the confines of her uniform.
"I reckon for a person I've done as much for as I have yourself, closing the restaurant until Yun gets off his break is worth the trouble. Talk to me, Honoka, I'm here for you. Just, don't mind if I'm a bit awkward, I have a thing about.. glamour cosmetics."
The Empress shakes her head slowly. "... It's a look. This is another stage." She starts to get frustrated and turn around to leave again -- but stops herself again, with an irritable grunt. It wouldn't do to punch a hole in the wall like she'd want to. "... No. It's not you, I'm just... it's... I remember this place being happy."
She glances back at Jira. "I didn't take charge just out of a power trip, you know. I took charge because I -saw- things -wrong-, and I knew I could fix them. I -can- fix them."
She looks back at Jira. Again, she catches the young woman's response to her... eyeliner. Why is Jira so hung up on that, she seems to plead, but doesn't voice it. "... Look. Anyway." Irritation fades away, as she clenches her fist, staring at Jira intently. "What do you know about the things going on in Metro City? Whatever that power is... that's what I need. To fix this world. To make it all right."
Jira tilts her head. She's expressing concern with her body language, a small fron creeping up. Makeup forgotten for now.
"Akabara has expressed interest in what they felt fromm Thailand and France, especially Thailand." she replies. "Look, if you want my help for whatever's the source of that, I'll drop everything at your request and put full effort to helping you. No questions. My partner has never made a request of me in this magnitude, and I'll do what I can to make it come true. If it also helps a friend, even better." she states flat out.
"... I... I don't know what to say. If you were going to do it anyway, then go do it anyway? I don't... think I need to be swaying you in that." She shakes her head. "I just want to know what it is. But I can't leave here. There are... reasons."
She takes a deep breath. "... Mukai has the power to change the world. I was not strong enough before, and despite this powerful eyeliner that makes even my friends cringe in fear, I doubt I'm any more capable of beating him now. So... if you do go... please don't challenge him -- them -- alone. Or with just your... partner."
Jira nods.. and gives a sigh. "I could use some friends to help and support me, if you could give me any assistance, it would be appreciated. I am going to see if I can bring my family to assist me, I'd hate to have them worry and be unable to help me if things went sour." she mentions, offering a smile. "Remember, Honoka, that there are people who care about you and support you. No matter what you end up doing." she adds.
The Empress bows her head, in genuine thanks. "Thank you. But... I... think you're in a better position to gather friends than I, Jira." Honoka nods her head to the crowd outside. "Wherever I go, people either clam up, or decide they want to take a crack at me."
"... Also, your food was very delicious, despite what I said. The part about my appetite was not false, however." Forging a smile, she adds, "The boys seemed to enjoy it."
Taking a step back towards the kitchen door, she notes, "I should let you go."
Jira sighs. "Anything you can provide will be appreciated, Honoka. You still owe me a couple." she teases, giving a wink aand a playful darting of her tongue. "Cooking is one of my talents. I have to be able to cook for whoever's helping me carry on the family." and nods. "Since it must be so, Honoka. Keep in touch."
"I'll... see what I can do." The Empress has few friends she can actually trust to help Jira... and they seem to have wildly different priorities. But, just the same. "You are a good friend, Jira. Thank you -- and please take care, and do the same."
Stepping out of the kitchen, she seems to be in an even more furious rage than when she entered the kitchen. "We're leaving!" she announces to her guards, her stride to the door taking on an overblown sense of anger. She's got to sell the part after all.
Log created on 18:05:35 09/25/2014 by Honoka, and last modified on 22:13:41 09/25/2014.