[Floor 1/PP] A genius' absences

[Jinx 0]

The girl did feel a small amount of guilt for missing the street gang more than she missed her family. But it was simple. They spent so much time with her that they were basically family, even more since they had once saved her life when she was a young child.

Although she did feel annoyed he hadn’t put back her down when she’d asked. She squirming more to climb off his back “I said put me down” She whined, this time in Japanese.

When she finally was put down, she walked forwards slowly “You know, Vipers’ll liked you. Except you’re skinny, and not that strong. That’ll be an issue” she said, managing to stick to Japanese for now, without even thinking people could take offense of that “They were all about strong family…used to spend hours just watching them play games at home..” She smiled at as the memories.

Memories of a street gang and a young girl who wasn’t all there.

[Stryder 0]

Oh, she did want to get put down. He kneeled down, letting her go this time. He rubbed his head, saying sorry to her before listening to her, with her managing to stay in Japanese. He was weak was he? He was about to come back at her, but then remembered she hadn't seen him fight yet, so she didn't actually know his strength, so he decided to not have a defensive reaction to it, though he was glad that her... Gang? Would like him. He noticed she was starting to enter a zone, similar to him. She was smiling about the memories she had, but he didn't want her becoming upset beacuse she missed them.

"I'l make you a challenge, whoever survives the most spice wins!" He said to her, giving her a competative smile, wanting to win. If i win, maybe i can ask for a da... what the hell am i thinking! I mena... she is cute... but i shouldn't be thinking that

[Jinx 0]

The girls mind was captivated with the memories of the Vipers, and so the world around her stated to fade away again. The gang of street things she’d met, by mistake, when she was only 9 years old. She couldn’t remember how she ended up on the streets, but it had been dark and the girl had been very, very lost.

That’s when a group appeared around her, all of them men. She hadn’t understood at the time, but they were a gang of kidnappers. Ones with a rather violent reputation she had learnt, after the event at least…

The girl was dragged out of her memories at the word ‘challenge’. The girls focused was dragged completely, after all, she did have a competitive streak within her.

“You, wanna out-spice me?” She asked, before snickering to herself “You know I was raised on curries right?” She said with an innocent smirk as she walked in. She hated being arrogant, but confidence…when it was focused..

[Stryder 0]

She was raised on curries? He grinned, she may have been raised on them... But had she travelled across the world and eat dozens of other kinds of curries from various spices? He didn't know, but... at least he had the comeback.

"I'v traveled around the world, so i'v gotten accustomed to a lot of different spices, good luck winning!" He said to her. He then opened the door, holding it open for her. Once she was inside, he walked them over to the counter, seeing the player who was running the store. He had thought it was an NPC store, but apparently an player ran this. Made sense with the decor. 

"Two please, mind if we go out onto the platou?" He asked, following by the player allowing them to. He thanked the owenr, walking with Alisea out towards the platou. He wanted to win this so bad! He wondered what type of curry they should get... He wanted to win, so he had to get the spicyiest... 

 

[Jinx 0]

The girl grinned hearing the boy double-down on the dare on curries. She had been raised on the food, and while she hadn’t ever travelled the world, she believed she’d faced the toughest curries at home in Japan. After all, it was what her parents loved eating…?

Alisea followed him into the store, and didn’t focus on the fact it was a player-ran store, but rather, sniffed the air. The smell of curry, even if it was faint, flooded her nose. It wasn’t just her eyes and ears that were very powerful. Her mouth started watering at the idea of a curry, and for those moments, the bet faded away. All the girl wanted was to eat curry…after curry.

“They smell delicious, god I haven’t had a curry in two years…” She licked her lips as the smell seemed to focus her attention “I’m gunna destroy whatever I order…” The prospect of food was one of the best ways to grab Alisea’s attention.  

[Stryder 0]

Heh, she was going to destroy whatever she ordered? he simply grinned, she had some competative spirit, and right now she was starving. This was going to be beautifully fun. He sat down, two menu's already on the table they were seated at outside. There was no one around, it being a quiet day. Below them a few fish swimming, seen through the floor and around them. He looked at the menu, looking at there entire list of curries. He scanned through until he saw one that caught his eye. Kozhi Curry. He remembered it from the real world, it was appparently in the top ten spiciest curries in the world. He licked his lips, watering a little bit at the idea of trying it.

"Order whatever you want, i'v got the bill" He said, smiling as he locked down his order, deciding to get some water, and some more water. He knew how hot this might get, and wanted to be OVERLY prepared, in case it was too intense for him.

[Jinx 0]

The girl sat herself down at the table and kicked her legs back and forth. While she was an old teenager, the child within her was always out to play. She glanced around with her single eye, taking in the scenery and shifting side-to-side in her seat, almost as if she was listening to a song. In reality, she was singing inside of her head. And unable to prevent it, she was ‘dancing’ lazily to the song.

Looking at the menu, she lazily looked at it before placing it down. Honestly, it didn’t matter what was on it. She had been challenged, and there was only a single way to prove a point in her mind.

“I’ll take what you’re having” she said simply, looking at him in the eyes with the unspoken words singing in her mind. 'Whatever you can do, I can match you. Then I’ll beat you up!...wait, beat him up..?'

[Stryder 0]

Oh, so she wanted to try this thing to? He simply gave her a smile, nodding alright and calling over a waiter. The player walked over, getting ready to take the order for the two of them. Sky felt a heavy hit of Nostalgia, they were running this place like a real world cafe. It made him feel a little homesick, but also relaxed. When the Waiter got over there, he simply asked him for two dishes of Kozhi Curry, along with two big jugs of water. Looking at Alisea, he asked 

"Anything else you wish to get?" He asked her, a competative grin on his face. Once she gave the rest of her order, the waiter would walk away, giving a bow and telling them it would be ready soon. He knew you could make food yourself in this game, he wondered if that was how they did it. He didn't question it to much, instead, he focused back on his competition.

"So, want to add a prize or something to this competition?" He said to her, grinning as he got a little overconfident. He was pretty sure he could win this, he didn't have to many doubts. Going over to India, and having some of there food, as well as other places around the world taught him just how hot some things were, and he was pretty sure he could do this.

[Jinx 0]

The girl shrugged. It didn’t matter what he ordered, she’d beat him. As she sat, she sniffed the air. The smell of curry overwhelmed her noise and the watering from her mouth was starting to become a slight issue. Currryy!

“Huh…? A, competition?” she asked in French, frowning a little at the boy. She enjoyed a competition at the best of time, but…? Wait, what was the symbol next to his…ohhh.

“I want in” she said, swapping to English as she pointed to the guild symbol that appeared in the air near his head “I wanna…try and be strong, fight…win!” She rocked in the chair back and forth, before, very suddenly, dropping her head onto the table and yawning “When I win, I get to be party of your party…guild, thingy” she waved a hand lazily, not even considering the idea that she could lost this bet. Curries are her kingdom, and she was not a merciful god!

[Stryder 0]

She started randomly pointing to his head. He didn't know what she was doing, his health bar was there, but he didn;t know... wait, she said she wanted in. Then he remembered his guild symbol, he had forgotten it even showed. Then, she finished it, confirming it. She wanted into his guild...? He didn't know what to really say to that. He found it a little flattering, and it made him kind of glad. He thought for a moment, thinking about what he would want if he won. He didn't really know. He had heard some french, but had zero idea, as with most things she said.

"If i win, i want you to jump into the lake" He said, grinning after a little bit. He wanted to be a little mean to her, but it was also because this curry was going to be spicy as hell, and some cool water might help take her mind off it when she lost.

It wasn't to long until the curries were brought out, two replica's of the third spiciest curries in the world. 

"May the better eater win!" He said, smiling. Right now, he was completely distracted. He had managed to snap out of his depression from earlier, for now. It would come back, but for this moment he was lost with the girl he was with, eating a spicy curry.

[Jinx 0]

The girl started laughing when he said jump in the lake. It was such a silly suggestion! Why would she….actually. She bit her lower lip, why wouldn’t she? The lake looked nice…The thought was met with the obvious. She didn’t know how to swim…She shrugged. Oh well?

“You won’t win” she said softly as the curries were placed in front of them. She sniffed, taking a long wiff through her noise. The smell was intoxicating, almost like a drug, and the girl was addicted from the second it was placed in front of her.  She stared at the food, taking it all in with her single red eye.

She looked up as he spoke, and the girl smirked. There was a confidence her smirk, and she leaned back a little “I’ll give you a head start. Mum always said I shouldn’t play with my food, so when I start eating…I’m not stopping. This’ll take me, a few minutes?” She shrugged.

The Kozhi Curry was…somewhere up there. It was formidable, but there was one slight issue, one Stryder had no way of knowing. Alisea Dariem had, as a child, accidentally eaten a Ghost Chilli. And had tried to eat a second.  

[Stryder 0]

She was a cocky little bugger. She said it would only take her a few minutes? He simply sat there, folded his arms and stared at her. He wasn't about to take it easy on this girl, and he wasn't about to take her headstart. He waited until she started herself.

"A few minutes? That as fast as you can eat this? I'l finish before you, and last longer without touching water, or milk, or wahtever we have here to drink, my parents always told me to treat everyone as equals" He says, smiling with his cocky attitue. He looked at it, he knew he could eat this. It was nothing. He simply miled, waiting for her to start. He had eaten food a lot like this in the real world, so he wasn't to worried. When she grabbed her food to start eating, he quickly dug in, trying to eat as fast as possible. It only took a few seconds for him to realize that even with his experience with spices, his eyes had been a little to big for his stomach, though he pushedthrough, enjoying the beautifully spicy curry that was laid in front of him.

[Jinx 0]

She started snickering, and that small snicker turned into full laughter. But it wasn’t a mocking laugh, it seemed to emulate from amusement. She nearly fell of her chair as she slowly came down from her amusement, but managed to keep herself up and she covered her mouth. Her single eye started to sharpen, but nothing like it was when she was having a full conversation.

“A few minutes” she said, echoing him as he echoed her “And I won’t need the water….Also you know water doesn't help right? You need milk” She said as she grabbed the bowl, and with sticking her tongue out at him, started to eat. This lifted the bowl to her mouth and started ‘drinking’ the curry, stopping only to chew the large chunks of meat that came with it, and went straight back to drinking the curry as if it was nothing more than a soup.

She was in heaven. She adored curry, and a Kozhi was the perfect ‘welcome back to spice’ dish she could think of. “God I’ve missed this soo much” she muttered as she stopped eating for a breath.  

[Stryder 0]

He was dying. This curry was more than he had thought it was. It was deadly, it hurt, his mouth burned. She had kust burned him to, saying that milk helped, not water. He had already gotten water for this! He dug in with her, but he didn't stop to say anything. He just simply ate none stop, trying to get it down as fast as possible. Though when he looked at her, she was simply... DRINKING IT DOWN! He was going to lose... wasn't he. 

He was enjoying it though. It was a very nice throwback to his worldy travels. He missed them... But he still wouldn't change anything. Well, excpet the 'if you die, your dead' part. That he would change. That way Eatos woulds till be alive... A tear fell off his face at that thought, landing on his lap, but he ignored the need to continue crying, instead just focusing on eating this curry, though due to his mind going back to that, he slowly slowed down his eating, only around half way done.

[Jinx 0]

The girl didn’t seem to notice anything other than the curry she was rapidly consuming. She opened her eye, and was a little sad to notice that around half the curry was gone. It didn’t stop her from continuing to slaughter the curry that was in her hands, a small humming deep in her throat as she ate.

After only a few minutes, she placed the bowl on the table and licked her lips. She had greatly enjoyed the curry, and part of her was craving another one. That’s when she looked at him, and she paused. He looked…like he’d been hit by a truck. He couldn’t handle his spice! She was completely oblivious to his sadness.

“Ahh, this was delicious. But, a competition is a competition so…” She was speaking English, and called over the server, where she ordered another Kozhi curry, before turning to face him and frowning as the waiter walked away.

“Aren’t you gunna take a second curry?” She asked, curios why he wasn’t matching her.

 

[Stryder 0]

She.... was on a second one? Byt the time it had arrived, he had only just finished his. He ordered a second, along with some milk to ease the burning, getting her some as well. He looked up, giving a warm smile, the tears still falling off his face now, caused by both his loss and the spice in which he wasn't handling as well as he could. 

"I can.... keep going, don't worry" He said to her, closing his leaking eyes as he gave her a warm smile, his second curry arriving. He quickly dug in, trying to catch up to her, as she just had a huge headstart with his second coming after hers had arrived. He wished that Eatos had been here.... That wasn't what he should call her, she wasn't just an avatar. Katherine, he wished she had been here to experience this food with him. They had never gone and had lunch together... He had never taken the time to just hang out without doing some kind of quest... He wasn't going to ever make that mistake again.

[Jinx 0]

The girl rocked back and forth in her chair, impatient for her second curry. She knew it would come the moment it was ready, but she wanted it now! She was craving curry, she was craving spice! She watched, curious, as the boy ordered a second. Was he mad? Or just stubborn?

“You’re gunna hurt yourself” she says in Japanese, unaware that his mind was thinking of his dead friend “You can’t do nothing when hurt, and pride is hardest to heal I think…” She perked up as her meal was placed in front of her, and she picked up the bowl much like last time.

“Stubborn or pride…” she muttered quietly as she smelt her food “which one was it that lead people astray?” she couldn’t remember, the wording sounded familiar, but she couldn’t create the sentence that was astrange in her mind. Right before she shrugged, and starting to drink her second curry. She hadn’t even touched the milk.

[Stryder 0]

The second curry arrived, and he dug right into it. She had a head start, and he was going to try and match her. He was going full speed, managing to slowly catch up, though when he got to the half way point of his meal, he broke out in a coughing fit. A bit had gone down his wind pipe, burning his lungs. Badly. He quickly grabbed the milk, drinking it down, not even caring about the competition, just wanting to sooth the burning of his lungs, though before long he realized what had happened, swearing internally as he put the milk down, finishing his curry.

"You really have one tough stomach on you, don'tcha" He said in pants, before finishing his curry, sighing in relief. She was done before him, but he had gone as fast as he could. He had to use some milk, so... he knew he might have lost already. 

"I'm a fighter, i always get myself hurt... This is nothing" He said, smiling as he wiped away the tears, his face blushing from the head that was burning in his mouth and lungs.

[Jinx 0]

The girl had slaughtered her curry long before Stryder had gotten into his. As she placed the empty bowl, he broke out into a coughing fit, and she felt panic erupt within her. If he got hurt because of her…! She leaned forwards in the chair, but thankfully, it seemed he was ok. Part of her was celebrating his drinking of the milk, it meant she was in the guild! Although part of her did feel bad, she beat him at something that was her domain…

“Ah-huh, I had one of the ghost things when I was a kid” She said, unaware she hadn’t called a Ghost Pepper by its proper name “It was nice, but everyone else freaked out and said it should have burnt my stomach…” She shrugged as she leaned back.

“Nothing? The miilk~” She points at his glass “I winnn~” She squirmed in her seat, clearly pleased with herself and her dominating victory!

[Stryder 0]

Wait, she had outright eaten a Ghost pepper? A GHOST PEPPER? Those things burned. People had gone to hospital for eating just parts of those, they were ruthless. He was actually impressed by her. She then pointed at his glass, which was empty. Then, he looked at hers. She had made it through two plates, and not used any milk. She won, outright. He was disappointed in himself. As a guild leader, he should be able to do better... But, his mind had been eslewhere. If it wasn't, he might have had a chance.

"Yeah yeah, good job" He says to her, with a clean Japanese. "Want anymore to eat? Its my treat after all" He said to her, opening up his menu, and his guild, and sent her an invite. She had won, and that was what she had wanted. It was almost perfect timing... He had wanted to put on an expedition soon, to try and move past the pain they were all feeling right now... He took a deep breath, smiling at her.