D6, Late Afternoon, Streets, closed] Lunch date

[Shiba Naomi]

At his touch, the red color only spread further. Like most who were unused to being touched so publicly, she felt like she went completely rigid in her spine.
"I... ah... I'm...fine..." she did her best to keep her composure.
Oh Fortunes, what if anyone sees us like this?!

"... You think I'd make a good Unicorn?" she tried to keep the conversation there at least, without reminding herself more of the embarressement she had felt at the meeting a few days prior.

[elonweis]

Haku hesitates, not liking the idea of losing his charges. Who knew what young people (conveniently forgetting he was young as well) would do with urges in a strange land.

[Iuchi Xiao Hua]

Seeing her redden even further, the man inquired again, worry ringing in his voice. "Are you sure you are fine? Should we go to a shadow?"

"You seem to get along with others." he nodded, smiling as he returned his hand to his side. "And you are not as... aloof as erm... some of your kin are." the man added, awkwardly. "So yes, you'd make a fine Unicorn. You may just have to learn to ride." A light chuckle escaped his lips, as he recalled her apparent reluctance to riding.


Turning to the Haku, he asked him. "So, what would you recommend then?"

[Shiba Naomi]

"No... I'm alright..." A small shake of her head. She glanced around briefly to confirm that no one from the ship was nearby.
"Just not used to such... in public. Touching, that is..."

[elonweis]

The man lifts a hand and gestures to a stand to the side. There a young boy sat tending a small pot of hot oil he was using to fry up some battered fish fillets. "Pakora, Iuchi-sama... Shiba-sama."

[Iuchi Xiao Hua]

"No... I'm alright..." A small shake of her head. She glanced around briefly to confirm that no one from the ship was nearby.
"Just not used to such... in public. Touching, that is..."

Understanding dawned on the Iuchi's face. Then he blushed a little. "I am sorry, Shiba-san... I shouldn't have... I got just carried away... sorry.." A sigh. "I should have known better."

As the dish is introduced to the duo, the man tilted his head to the side, as if asking Naomi if she was fine with the gaijin dish.

[Shiba Naomi]

The question of food made her forget the awkward situation for now, and she looked at the Pakora.
"It's fine."
For Xiao Hua, it might've been difficult to tell if she meant the meal or what just happened.

[Iuchi Xiao Hua]

Indeed, the man assumed she was referring to the touch. "Oh, that's good then." It seemed like they could get along, after all.
He was smiling.

"Very well, then. Could you kindly bring us few pieces of that?" Xiao Hua asked their guide/chaperon.

Turning back to the Shiba, the man tilted his head. "How are you with spicy food, Naomi-san?" he slipped again. "I have heard that the food here can... burn in your mouth." Xiao Hua was well travelled man, after all.

[Shiba Naomi]

"I'm alright with spicy food," a small smile formed on her lips. "Though, I don't know what the difference between the spicy food here and the spicy food of Rokugan is."

"Is Unicorn food spicy?" It was at least a rather neutral topic, that shouldn't be a danger to discuss.

[Iuchi Xiao Hua]

"Hee, really? That's good then. Our food is probably a bit more than the average." he nodded, smiling. "I even brought some spices with me, though I left them on the ship. I like my rabbit in spicy sauce. As well as..." Iuchi coughed. "..never mind."

He hoped she wouldn't push the matter. Veal wasn't the topic he wanted to discuss with her.

[Shiba Naomi]

Eating rabbits? Ugh... how disgusting.
Naomi smiled her disgust away.
"I have some with me too, as well as some other things. I talked with Ichiro-san and Agasha-san earlier today as we returned to the ship, and I've promised them I'll make something when we leave this place. Lift everyone's spirits a bit with some traditional Rokugani food and all. They agreed much that it would probably lighten everyone's mood after this place."

[Iuchi Xiao Hua]

Iuchi's face lightened. "That sounds like an excellent idea. I am sure everyone feels a little.. off after the time spent here."

Well, we DO have the heimin cook on board as well, but if it makes her happy...

[Shiba Naomi]

If Naomi could read minds, she'd argue that Cook was... well, not an excellent cook. A decent enough cook. After all, boiling rice and soup wasn't too hard.

"I know I do... I had some hopes after my visit to their temples, but everything after that has just gone from bad to worse."

[Iuchi Xiao Hua]

"Well, maybe everything will turn out better." the man nodded, smiling still, taking a piece of fish to his fingers before taking a bite of it. "Not that spicy... reminds me bit of karaage." Iuchu mused as he chewed the bit. "Pretty good, actually."

[Shiba Naomi]

Seeing that he had tried the first bite, and didn't fall over and faint right away, she dared a taste herself.

"Ah... you're right. It does remind me of karaage," Naomi agreed, and had another bite. This wasn't so bad. "Some spices I can't quite place... it's good."

[Iuchi Xiao Hua]

"I have had worse." the man nodded, chewing a second piece happily. "Back in the burning sands... well, you don't probably want to know." he chuckled.

[Shiba Naomi]

"..." She gave him a slightly curious look.

"... Depends. I do want to know more, but..." she didn't finish the sentence as she wasn't quite sure how to put it.

[Iuchi Xiao Hua]

"Let's just say that the elderly Iuchi we had with us... is still pondering if we actually broke the edicts or not." he chuckled.

"Grasshoppers... they served as fried grasshoppers as a delicacy. We couldn't refuse without offending them, so we sampled it."

[Shiba Naomi]

Her eyes widened, and she looked away from her own food.

"Uhm... I... don't know what the Tao says about grasshoppers."

Oh, father! Why a barbarian?! He's just missing the fur and leathers...

[Iuchi Xiao Hua]

Actually, a nice pair of leather boots sat on Xiao Hua's chest, back at his family's estates, a gift he had prepared for his wife to be. Naomi was unfortunately unaware of the matter.

"Nor do I... nor does the old Iuchi, whom by the way, had seconds. I guess he has been researching the topic ever since." XIuchi smiled.