Fried Rice, Extra Spicy [Open]

[Shawn Rabuburēdo]

Taking his last bite of whatever food remained Shawn sat back and let out a pleasant sigh, That was delicious, almost makes me want another but I think just sitting back and relaxing would do me some good at this time. Leaning back in his chair he manages to catch the woman from earlier moving over to someone and speak to them with her mouth full, around this time the chef comes back in and apologizes for her drink being stolen, that he will get her a new one. Looking over to his left (which is the opposite direction Ailene, Ambrose, and Kaminari) Shawn notices said bottle in the middle of a group of Pluses, already halfway gone, sighing he gets up and moves toward them.



The biggest one of the group of four notices Shawn coming towards them before speaking up, "What'cha want *Hic*, lookin for a drink, *Weezy Laugh*, well to bad, this one 's for us, so scurry off." Shawn will then proceed to plant himself in front of this fat guy, when he does so the man in front of him looks him up and down before laughing. "Look at 'im, this scrawny pale punk seems to want our drink boy's." When the man states this his group gives a chuckle, Shawn would follow up by creating a couple of class 8 Advanced Air Arsenal: Air Strings that attach to the mans face. Doing this he would proceed to speak, "I may look pathetic but I'm still strong enough to beat you down if need be, It's one thing to drink and have fun, It's another to steal that drink from a paying customer and have a laugh about it. So, if you don't give me that bottle well, lets just say I hope you won't miss your eyebrows too much."



Hearing Shawn's threat, the big man in front of him and the other three immediately shut up, almost turn pale upon Shawn's hand being raised at the "Leader", the leader on the other hand froze after feeling the thin threads attached to his forehead, specifically where his eyebrows are. Taking this moment to scoop up the bottle before releasing his strings, after this Shawn would walk over to the chef and hand him the bottle. Shawn is usually pretty shy, but the idea of someone stealing an item and then celebrating it in front of the true owners irked him, and so he acted a little rash and instead of calmly taking care of it decided to just get it done, not worrying how he actually dealt with it as long as it was smart and correct. "I believe this is yours? It was apprehended from the group over there." Shawn would hand the bottle over to the chef and see if he accepts it, while there he would finally get a good view of the loud women and who she was attempting to talk to.

[Ailene Haschiro]

While Ailene rested against the wall and read her book, she would look up every now and then to take note of who was surrounding her. She saw what she could only assume were multiple Shinigami. Among the hungry patrons were also most likely souls of this district of the Rukongai. In some ways, the different setting and new set of faces was a welcome change of pace. Then again, this was most likely her risky plan yet, no matter her intentions. There were numerous people who would have most likely been happy to see her dead. It was imperative for her to keep up her guise for as long as possible. It seemed that her efforts would in vain, however.

Despite her attempts to remain inconspicuous, a woman was approaching her. She stumbled with a staggered cadence that reeked of intoxication. It wouldn't take a genius to figure out that she was drunk. This was even more obvious as she began to talk. With a sigh, Ailene opened her cloak just a little to put her book away. She did her best to not reveal her white robes as these were the hallmark clothing of an Espada. It was almost as much of a red flag as a Sinners' chains. Then again, the mask on her forehead would also be a dead giveaway along with her hollow reiatsu, but then again, Ailene was taking precautions to shroud all of them. 

"Meeyyy, mould you mlep me whiff thisz?" Ailene raised an eyebrow and sighed. She guessed that at this point she couldn't avoid social contact. In some ways she was a little annoyed. Couldn't others just leave her alone on what was essentially her off-day. Much like Kyo, she just wanted to be a nobody today. With a smooth and calm voice, Ailene responded as she looked at the bottle of alcohol that she raised. "Sorry. I don't drink. Perhaps you could ask someone else to help you with it. Alternative, you could also put the bottle away and rest. You look as though you are about to keel over." As always, Ailene was going about it rather logically. It was just the way she was. There would be emotion in her voice, but more of the wanting to direct her attention elsewhere kind of attitude. 

As Ambrose returned from his little break, Ailene's eyes immediately shifted over to him. She heard the lowly clanking of chains and was immediately intrigued. In her centuries of living, Ailene has encountered that familiar sound many a time. They were the chains of a sinner, but he seemed to be doing little to hide them. Now this was intriguing to Ailene. Not only that, but she was impressed. Deep in Shinigami territory without a care in the world for disguises. In some ways, Ailene hoped that she would get that luxury, but she presumed that she would not get the same treatment. Didn't matter too much anyway. Would just draw too much attention. 

As Kami continued to speak, Ailene focused her attention back to her until she heard Ambrose address Kami and a supposed companion.  Ailene would take this immediate opportunity in hopes to blend in with the crowd. Moving other with a relaxed cadence to the countertop which had several chairs set out for hungry patrons, Ailene cleared her throat and smiled. "Yes actually. Though I am not much of a companion to the other one. I only just met her." The Arrancar would just smile as she raised her head. The cloak while being able to hide most of her features, primarily her mask fragment, did not cover her eyes. If Ambrose paid attention, he would see her purple-colored eyes looking him over out of curiosity.

Studying others was able a nasty habit of Ailene's. As a researcher, she valued new experiences and this was certainly a new one. To avoid the risk of making Ambrose uncomfortable, however, she would sigh and think about something to order. As she spoke up, her she would make eye contact, but it would be clear that she wasn't studying him anymore. Just being polite. "I have to admit that I am new around here. Do you have any recommendations, Sir..." She was obviously fishing for a name. Ailene did always like to hear new names and meet new people despite the hate that her fellow Arrancar received. 

As she waited for Ambrose to give her some recommendations, she was glad that she was so fixated on Ambrose as had she not been then Kyo's reveal would have promised her a visible outburst of terror. "My apologies, Anthony. I shouldn't have hidden from you, of all people. Was trying to just have some downtime today, you know? Some time to be Nobody." Ailene looked over at Kyo as he said this sitting down. Studying his attire, she easily recognized him for a Captain though not aware of his noble heritage. Thankfully she was covered by her cloak as beads of sweat began to run down her forehead. She began to think to herself, "Great! I decide to go somewhere and not only do I run into a group of Shinigami, but one of them is a damn Captain!" She just had the best luck it seemed. She kept her composure. For now, she just had to keep herself as inconspicuous as possible.

[Kaminari Cinco]

"Sorry. I don't drink. Perhaps you could ask someone else to help you with it. Alternative, you could also put the bottle away and rest. You look as though you are about to keel over." Drinking? Kami's eyes wandered a Hella lot to even look for the drink that she was assuming to be drinking. No drink in sight. No booze in hand but the stack of small bundles of food that she kept poking at with her mouth. Oh well, no Grilled Eel for rosy here. But still, a drink would have been nice to help down the left over food she had to go through. Wasting food wasn't something that the Shinigami was really fond of considering where she grew up, so it was an eye sore. Plus, the rosy cloak wasn't really wanting to partake of the food that she was offerin' so that said a lot when it came to going to food stall, not ordering anything but read, and not really interacting with anybody. Smelled fishy than the Eel that she found herself nibbling on.

My sincerest apologies," he opened. "It appears your drink has been commandeered. If you would be so patient, I'll send out for a replacement immediately. In the meantime, may I offer you and..." his assessing study crossed over the rose-cloaked figure. "...your companion a place by the kitchen for your meal?" The sec that she was about to call the hoody figure out on her booze one of the cooks approached. Damn guy nearly gave her a heart attack despite being in an area filled with people. The guy was a bit smaller than her so it was easier to sneak up, and Kaminari was a bit preoccupied with the other individual to pay close attention. "Sure, but this ain't..wait what? My drink...

Oh great, now whose ass did she have to kick. Eyes were already on the hunt before someone else came forward. "I believe this is yours? It was apprehended from the group over there." Huh, a little gangly scrawny man approached with bottle and drink in hand. Assuming based on what he said it was "her" drink. "Huh...thanks." The Chef mentioned someone already partaking of her drink while another dude came up to bring it to her. Considering that it somewhat already traded spit with someone, fucking cheater, the rules of the ghetto were often enforced by those that dwelled within it. The one who makes the rules are the ones who ended up winning in the fight, so perty much vigilante rules. If one didn't defend themselves, or their property, then they were just expecting to be targeted again.

Her eyes immediately bounced off from the group off to the other group that were shifting gazes up toward theirs. Clustered together trading peeks over from yonder the Shinigami could tell. "Thanks'fer bringin' it'ere. But can y'all do me a favor here and hold my food cuz someone needs muh foot up ther' ass." Taking a peek at the Chef and Shawn, Kami set her stack of foodies off to the side upon a occupied table beside them, marching herself through the crowded space to trade some words. Didn't take her that long to close the distance through the tight gaps in the crowd as she shoved her own way through the muck to reach the small group.

SPOILER: Click to show

{Expression}



then....

Her face turned from a complete bland and expressionless front to someone that just took her booze....oh wait, that did just happen. The Shinigami and trio only traded expressions before finding their collars being tugged, and dragged through the crowd. Taller, stronger than the Pluses, and trained, Kami didn't hesitate to drag the Pluses with herself past the rowdy group to the outside, but at least before running into someone that she didn't want to run it of all people. Considering that it was only in name, with only glimpses of the face in her Squad's Barracks, the Captain was someone that was near damn impossible to miss when up close. Kyomei Kuchiki, serving as her Squad's newest Captain, and the new Head of the Kuchikis too. Not sure what went on with them since that infamous Red Kuchiki went away, but he was made the new Big Shot of the group. So, when someone like that came around, more so being their Captain, it is gonna get anzy.

Although, he didn't seem to being pay attention to her but to something else considering he was looking to socialize with someone else. Still, she gotta make her introduce as cordial, and as pleasant as possible. Aw shet...[/color] Heyah Captain. Sorrycan'ttalkasskickinginprogressssss." she simply blurted out passing by with a down cast expression. Not one of her best moments but anything to make it short and sweet and to the point before her temper wouldn't be manageable. Even if Kami didn't like fighting in Rukongai there were some things that had to be done in order to make sure that it didn't happen again. Like protecting one's property, family, and booze. And fuck, Kami was thirsty from the dry food she'd been eating all day, and some pricks wanted to take it from her.

Her strength wasn't enough to fling them far away, but enough to throw their wobbling bodies outside so she could beat them to an inch of their life. Only when her hands were emptied could she really yank the clothed heavy Zanpakutou clinging to her bare backside. Nobody messed with Kami's food, and breaks the rules in Rukon. Nobody.

[Deleted]

Anthony watched as the man had walked off somewhere but given Shitoke was actually watching the cooking going on intensely he quickly let the thought return from where it came. “Well good to know came to the right place. And if your reaction is anything to go off of, then we’ve come to the shop that’s had everyone losing it. But please take a seat Shitoke, we did come here for a reason. And it wasn’t to get something to go.” Anthony gestured to the seat the man had just gotten up from to which Shitoke had quickly filled into. Anthony rolled up next to Shitoke and quickly ordered them some drinks, specifically Gyokuro tea. Anthony figured Shitoke would prefer something a bit more on the sweet side so this should suffice for the time being.

While they waited Antthony looked around and noticed there was another junior looking officer. He obviously wouldn’t recognize him nor should he but it was a curious thing to see more young shinigami around. There was another who seemed to be born and raised in a farm house and someone else in arguably the most flamboyant thing around, a pink kimono. It didn’t help when a lot of the current customers were shinigami and were wearing black. And last but not least their curious chef who’d just walked off Chains though? That’s. . . not normal. And for the life of me I should recognize what that means but I can’t seem to recall it now. . hmm. His thoughts were instantly dragged away from their curious host with Shitoke telling him their tea was here.

“Anthony, Hello? I know you get lost in your thoughts a lot but we are here to eat and if you can’t even drink the tea you ordered then we’re going to be here awhile just waiting for you to eat.” Anthony quickly saw the tea was still steaming lightly in front of him meanwhile Shitoke had nearly finished half of his already and gauging from the smile he had on his face he was clearly enjoying it. Anthony started to slowly sip at his tea as Shitoke began to talk. “Thank you by the way. For even bringing me here, let alone getting us this tea. The more I’ve been thinking about what you said the more you’re right. We really don’t know one another do we? It’s sort of crazy to realize that despite having lived with one another all I really know about you is your personal pet project and that you’re bound to a wheelchair. I don’t even know WHY you’re in a wheelchair. Isn’t that crazy? And likewise I’m certain you don’t exactly know much about me either. . . though I’ve been trying to not speak much of it. . it’s not exactly something I want to talk about 9 times out of 10.”

Anthony simply nodded as he put the tea back on the table. He’d not realized how little Shitoke knew. He actually thought the entire squad by this point realized why he was in a wheelchair and hence didn’t talk about it to avoid upsetting him. Then again since when did the morally ambiguous care much about one another? Unless it of course involved their experiment or something that could aid in their experiment. Which also made Anthony wonder, just what had Shitoke been deciding to do for his subject of study? He just knew the other woke up earlier now than he did a few months back due to whatever he was studying. This needed to be rectified. Preferably now. “Precisely. So to formally introduce myself my name is Anthony Kuchiki. I’m currently trying to study the soul. Not just any one soul but all kinds of soul. The fact I’m in a wheelchair is actually part of the reason why I’ve chosen this field of study. Prior to my injury I actually managed to have a large pool of reiatsu, not unlike yourself. However I had very little control over it and at most could throw globules at another with it. However shortly after joining Squad 1 I got crippled by a Beast-clan.”

Anthony’s features grew darker, substantially darker as he nearly growled out the name. “Said Beast-clan severed my spinal cord. Completely and with a lot of damage to the surrounding tissue. Healing kido only worked so much and when I had come to the hospital I’d begun to notice a lot of different things. One I cannot hear you. I’m just good at reading lips and can do so via a special hmm. . technique of mine. Two I can sense energy incredibly more clearly now. I had NO energy sensory faculties prior. And lastly I gained immense control over my spiritual energies. As you saw when we first met. This caused me to wonder how I changed so drastically. And I concluded that the only way I managed to do so was because my soul changed. Something about it was altered and thus I am the way I am now. Speaking of studies, what are you studying? You’ve been getting up earlier but haven’t said much of anything. Though you have been coming back covered in dirt and grime.”

Shitoke flushed a bit as he realized he really had been coming back more grimy than ever. Well not nowadays but definitely when he was in the process of building the greenhouse he’d been doing hard labor and having to haul all the plants was not an easy task. He was a bit surprised Anthony hadn’t picked up on it yet. Perhaps he was just being nice enough to let him explain even if he knew the answer. “Ahh yea so about that. Don’t laugh but I’m studying agriculture. I just. . I’m not ready to go into certain areas of study. . . let alone studies that require live specimens. Even just the creation of new drugs scares me. So I picked a very safe study that still has big implications assuming I get ANY breakthrough. But admittedly it’s also just incredibly relaxing. If you recall the space that opened up on the 33rd sublevel, that’s where my greenhouse is. It’s quiet, barring some radios with background noise, and my plants have been doing well of late. I got some help from some of the other members studying agriculture when I was building it up, which is why I came back grimy and covered in dirt. Hehe. But it’s worth it. Even now I still aim to aid others which is why I get up earlier so I can have my time with my plants and then help around.”

Anthony nodded as he finished his tea. Admittedly this made a lot of sense. Being on the dissection table would do this to someone at best. At worst they’d be forever mentally broken. Hopefully he’d get something more than just personal peace out of his garden but if not at least he got something important out of it. As Anthony was going to respond to Shitoke he heard another voice. A voice he’d recognized instantly, Kyomei Kuchiki, his personal rival and one of the only family who even realized he existed. He quickly turned his head in his family’s direction and chuckled to himself, visibly relaxing at the sight of him, let alone that he sat on his other side. Another quick glance around and it appeared the original chef was back and they had a new person joining them. The flowery sore thumb. Curious. Turning his attention back to Kyomei Anthony simply responded casually, “Well well, how long has it been Kyomei? I can’t even recall the last time we saw one another. That aside there’s no need to apologize to me. I understand wanting the freedom of being a nobody. It does have several perks especially when you want to breath. I can’t imagine you get that much as the captain of a squad, let alone the squad that fixes whatever new portion of the Seireitei that gets broken. Speaking of how has that been? I heard we’ve had a saika running around causing havoc multiple times over now. I can’t imagine that made your job any easier.”

[Ambrose Grail]

As Ambrose walked back into his kitchen, he passed a shinigami headed in the opposite direction, taking the boozy delinquents with her. He figured it was better for them to fight outside the rice shack. Inside, they had better things to do. Such as making some more rice. Speaking of which, that smoke was done, and he didn't just mean his cigar. The chains around his wrists and ankles jangled, signaling his approach to the erstwhile head chef. He was doing well, Ambrose mused. Low and slow on those eggs, just as he'd been instructed. The chef waited until they were dry and then added in the other ingredients.

Ambrose waited and watched. When the man was done, the hellion clapped him on the shoulder, startling him. The way his feet left the floor communicated his clear focus on the task at hand. Ambrose grinned under his mask. "Good work," he complimented his assistant. A brief and positive conversation later, and Ambrose was back in the saddle.

Clean wok, a little oil. Apply heat until the oil shimmers. A real open flame works best, as it creates the heat zones the wok works its magic with: hotter at the base, and cooler up the sides. You want the wok to be blazing hot so that none of the rice sticks. Remember your basics. Start with cold, medium-grain rice, no short-grain or sushi rice. Don't crowd the rice with too much rice, or too many extra ingredients, and keep it light and easy on your sauces. A bit of his signature dark mushroom soy sauce, mirin, and oyster sauce would go a long way to a good bowl of rice, added again in small portions to ensure that the rice did not begin clumping or sogging. He whisked up another egg, turned down the flame, added it in equally small parts to the rice, and let it dry completely.

While he worked the wok, Ambrose instructed his sous chef to chop the lightly-smoked pork belly ends into small pieces. As soon as the lid came off the smoker, a bittersweet scent filled the rice shack. He could have sworn he heard a belly grumble in anticipation. The tattoos on his body began to glow, and the chains around his wrists jingled merrily and mightily.

Adding snow peas to rice was a bit of a tricky prospect. They were best when whole, but that meant they couldn't be reduced into small pieces to cook with the rest of the ingredients. He waited until the rice was dry again, and then played his ace. A bit of the nigorizake and the butter-- together, and then the snow peas. The alcohol in the sake snapped to steam and cooked out nearly as soon as it touched the surface of the wok. The smoky gradient in the air was joined by another similar, but wholly different smell. The sweet cloudy sake. He was working magic in the kitchen.

Blackened garlic, spring onions, caramelized onions, and fresh curry leaves. These were the aromatics he chose for this new, special dish. Once they began to express, he added the chopped pork belly and a bit more of his mirin-oyster-soy sauce. Cooking the rice became a simple loop: work in flavors, wait for drying, and add in the alternate flavor.

When the snow peas started to wilt, that's when he declared his work done. He cupped the rice out of the wok, and plated it for his customer, but didn't call out the order up just yet. There was still some pork belly ends to address. His sous chef cut them into thin strips. Oil, butter, and nigorizake went into the wok again. The butter browned, and the sake blossomed. Then, his strips of pork. They fried in the mixture for a minute and a half, and then he extracted them from the wok, set them atop the fried rice, and called out the order to the rose-cloaked figure who had requested it.

Out of Hell posts: 5/15

[Leonie Dallmann]

112 paragraphs counted total, meaning 33,600 Ryo for all participants!