A Night On The Town (Collaboration with Hooded Pitohui)

Sitting in a booth in a Middle City restaurant, Elsa Kanzaki scans through a menu packed with dishes inspired by cuisine around the world. She'd never visited this particular establishment before, and she seems more intently focused, with her narrowed eyes flicking back and forth from right to left as she flies through each page, on finding a dish that catches her eye than she ought to be. Those around her can see easily that she's tuned out the world, though, given she'd had exchanged the puffy coat she'd walked in with for a less-toasty hood in the restroom before talking her seat, she had little reason to care about any nearby gawkers. Anyone who wanted to recognize her would have to get close, first, so she ignored the rest of the establishment without concern, wholly occupied with her peculiar mission. Her focus is taken away from the menu, however, when she catches sight of an approaching figure in her peripheral vision. With only a barely-audible snort of irritation at having her time cut short, Elsa lowers her menu to look over at Kanade Amou as the other idol settles into the seat across from her. She disguises her irritation well, but she nevertheless purses her lips, clearly not having expected Kanade to have arrived right at the agreed-upon time, before she could finish her preparations of this unorthodox battlefield.


Nevertheless, she relaxes herself and puts on a sweet smile once Kanade is seated, genuinely appreciative to have some casual time with the other idol. Her comfortability with both Kanade and the setting reflects in her voice, her tone unchanged but her choice of words far less formal than usual when she went out in public as Elsa. As often was the case with her, her words seamlessly blend truths and lies. "So you made it. I'm glad we're doing this. It's a lot nicer than having to cram some time in together before a show. Gotta admit, this is a pretty nice place. I'm guessing you've been here before? I've been here a couple times myself. Pretty much scoped out the best dishes, here, too. I know exactly what's worth getting."

Kanade stretches as she sits down, rubbing her arms to warm them up. Elsa figures pretty quickly that Kanade is less adjusted for the cold outside than she is, and the redheaded idol confirms it by only taking off the outer jacket she's wearing. Underneath is a thick sweatshirt, quite the change from the relatively freeing outfits Elsa has usually seen Kanade in. "Woo! Cold out there!" she says, smiling sheepishly. "This restaurant? I've been here... twice. Both times by myself, too - the first time I was just wandering around the city, and I decided I'd grab a bite at a place that caught my eye. It looked interesting when I checked the menu, so I walked in and gave it a try. I'd say it's definitely good, but I've only tried a couple things. I'd be interested to know what you recommend, especially with how long it took to set this up."

Elsa raises an eyebrow as Kanade strips out of her jacket, clearly enjoying seeing Kanade's form in a different style of clothing. She smirks at the sight, suppressing her expression a moment later so as not to arouse suspicion on Kanade's part. Unable to help herself, though, she speaks in hushed whispers more befitting of her public image as she teases her companion. "Is the cold getting to you, little bird? Oh, but a fledgling like yourself, so blessed with the beauty of youth and yet too mature to still have your down. One as lovely as yourself shouldn't be allowed to suffer. I understand that they have some sting to them, but I may know a fearless bird who would wrap you in her embrace and cover you with her feathers, if you are willing to endure some pain from them." "But I get ahead of myself. Such discussions can wait for dessert. That is, after all, when we're supposed to treat ourselves to something sweet. For now, we should order, yes? I've already settled upon what it is I want. But, here, I'd highly suggested you get this. It's among the very best this restaurant offers." As she speaks, Elsa places her menu down in front of Kanade, ensuring it's visible to the other idol. She points out a particular dish - a curry, leaving its price and name visible but subtly covering its description through careful placement of her fingers. What she knew that Kanade didn't, though, was that the particular dish she pointed out was an extremely-spicy curry, one inspired by Indian cuisine and packed with capsaicin. Having never tried it, she has no gauge on whether it's truly as spicy as it sounds, but she points it out to Kanade in hopes that the dish might make her malleable, might have her so distracted by the heat that it softens her up. Not to mention, of course, she hopes to get a laugh at Kanade's expense with a harmless joke.

"Hmmm... I wonder, is that particular bird a certain one you know very well?" Kanade asks, a blush visible on her face. A couple months of totally genuine advances from the idol has allowed Kanade to grow used enough to them to avoid completely losing her cool... though, it's clear from her expression that she's still not prepared for legitimate compliments of the short, considering how much surface level flattery she's experienced in the past. Ordering is a good excuse to distract them, and perhaps it causes Kanade to observe the dish a little less closely than she might otherwise. Regardless of how much attention she paid, though, she nods happily and allows Elsa to place the order. "I've been a fan of curry for a long time. It's hard to find a place that does it the right way, but when they do... well, you know how much positive press our names can bring. Good restaurants are something I'm happy to support by using that power!"

Despite her teasing not producing quite the reaction she hoped for, Elsa still chuckles at the sight of Kanade's blushing. She had anticipated that Kanade would eventually get used to her advances, but she planned to continue as long as she continued to get a rise out of her. As the duo waits for their meals, Elsa makes small talk, following up on Kanade's comment. "If there's any benefit to our careers beyond the cash, that's it. Haven't tossed my name around here as much as I could. Guess I've had some special treatment at the hotel and the concert hall, and I did toss my name behind that baker girl. Did that one on a whim, but I might've jumped on that bandwagon more if I had known back then that she was so buddy-buddy with that little champion she always seems to be with. I knew they knew each other, but I didn't realize just how much the two of them hang out. Guess it's only blindingly obvious to everyone but them that they're a thing. Either that or I'm the only one who's brave enough to say it. I can't deny that that boxing gal has some spirit, though. I'd love to see her take a shot at the Brawl. Can you imagine the trail of destruction she'd leave?" Once the food arrives, Elsa eases up on the conversation, starting on her meal right away in hopes of encouraging Kanade to do the same. She watches eagerly as the other idol takes her first bites of the curry dish, waiting to see Kanade overwhelmed by the heat.

Kanade digs deeply into the curry, taking out a fully laden spoonful of the food. To Elsa's delight, she opens wide and shoves it right into her mouth. Kanade's eyes widen as she gulps down the bite and sits there. "...Woah." And then, as Elsa watches, Kanade begins to take a second bite. And a third, and a fourth, rapidly digging into the curry. She's not expecting Kanade to suddenly look up and ask "Hey, can you check if there's any paparazzi right now?"

"You...? Ah, I mean, yes. Yes, you're all clear on that front."

"Awesome! Then I can just skip right to this!" Elsa's surprise shifts to actual shock as Kanade picks up the bowl of curry, brings it to her lips, and begins to chug it like a bowl of soup. It's not long before Kanade sets it down, the curry already over halfway finished as the redhead takes the chance to drain an entire glass of water, and then reaches over to Elsa's untouched water. "Do you mind if I have this?" Kanade asks, face flushed and sweaty but her eyes shining and grin wide.

As Kanade downs her curry, Elsa's face hidden to her by the bowl, Elsa's eyes widen with shock and she sits up straighter in her seat. She hadn't expected Kanade - an idol who still seemed to behave with some restraint, even if she didn't go quite as far with the act as Elsa herself did - to so eagerly tear into the dish. And she certainly hadn't expected the other idol to handle the spicy dish so easily, either. Resisting the urge to slip into a full-blown session of pouting, Elsa composes herself by the time Kanade sets the dish down, actively working not to betray her disappointment. From Kanade's reaction and her appearance, she can tell the dish wasn't entirely devoid of spice, but it didn't seem to have the kick she had hoped. She reasons that her prank failed because she placed too much faith in the restaurant. Of course an establishment catering to tourists and a well-off Olympian clientele wouldn't drive customers off with an unbearably hot dish. The dish was probably pretty mild, the establishment able to pass it off as "authentic" foreign cuisine with just a hint of spices. Disappointed but keeping her voice even, Elsa hands her glass of water over to Kanade without complaint. She wants to prod, but she's too taken aback to consider whether or not she might overplay her hand. "Go ahead. Take it. So, it's as good as I told you, right? It's got a little kick to it, but, come on, you know I like a challenge. You took it pretty well yourself. I shouldn't be surprised. I know what you're capable of. So, what'd you really think? Aromatic? Just the right amount of heat? Good blend of flavor? Go ahead, tell me in detail what you tasted."

Kanade looks at Elsa, and despite how well Elsa's trying to hide it, something is clicking in her mind. Between the way Elsa just pushed the curry at her, and the way she seemed surprised when Kanade was looking at her mid-food... her mind clicks the pieces together. A mischievous smirk makes it way onto Kanade's face, one that might seem familiar to Elsa if she checks the mirror in the middle of her teasing. "Well, it was a lot better than you implied. A lot. I haven't had curry this good in years. In fact, I think it'd be an injustice to just try and describe why it's so good. How about..." Sliding the curry bowl over to Elsa, Kanade provides her with a spare spoon. "You should try some for yourself! You'll really get why I like it so much."

"Oh, but you're enjoying it so much. Sounds like it's a really good batch of it tonight. You might as well eat every single bite of it. Besides, I've got all this in front of me. It's easier not to eat that much if I'm not getting some battl- ...exercise… in. You know how it is. The tabloids catch every pound. Least when it's not lean meat, if you understand."

"Ahaha, that won't be much of a problem in this weather." Kanade gestures to the thick coats they both brought with them. "You'll be far too covered up for them to notice any changes before you have the chance to work anything off. Besides, I can always order a second helping - I was already considering it so I could take some with me. C'mon, give it a try - you won't regret it!"

With Kanade insisting, Elsa tugs at the collar of her shirt as she realizes she can't find a way out of the situation. She had fallen into a trap of her own creation, and that burned her up more than any amount of spice that could be in the dish. Mentally, though, she chalks up the move as an impressive victory on Kanade's part, the other idol impressing her by actually managing to gain the upper hand. As she thinks it over, she realizes that a win for Kanade need not be a loss for her. She could handle this dish just fine. Besides, she'd already figured out it really wasn't all that spicy. And if Kanade could handle it, then she certainly could, too. As a matter of fact, there's no way she could turn it down, now. She was stronger than Kanade, no doubt. She'd prove it. In a span of a few moments, the matter becomes an issue of pride for Elsa, and she puffs herself up as she takes the spoon in hand and grabs a heart scoop. "I guess it is one of my favorites here. How could I say no?" Elsa sticks the whole spoonful in her mouth at once, confident she can handle whatever mild spices pepper the dish. With her bravado, she makes no attempt to swallow right away, the helping she took too big to gulp down right away, anyways. It only takes seconds before she feels an excruciating heat on her tongue. Her face flushing red and her eyes watering, she hurriedly swallows the curry, drops the spoon back in the bowl, and, with no water to turn to, begins picking off what few pieces of bread are in her dish and stuffing them in her mouth. Once she downs all the available bread, she turns her attention back to Kanade. She tries to change the topic of conversation, so as not to linger on her difficulties with the dish long enough for Kanade to comment, but her words are punctuated by stifled coughs and sputtering disguised as the sounds of her clearing her throat.

"Yep. Sure is… good. This really… is one of their... best batches. Mhhmm, you should definitely get a… second order if they're making it li… like this tonight. So, anyways, you… you said it's been a long time… since you've had curry like this. You, uh? You ate stuff like this before?"

Turning to Kanade, Elsa gets to see the other idol trying to suppress laughter... and failing. "HAAAAAAHAHAHAHAHA! I'm sorry, I'm sorry, but your faaaace! You had no idea it was that spicy, right? Ehehahahaha! I'm sorry, I normally wouldn't do that, but... that was your plan for me, right? So it's all fair! Ahahahahahaha! Hahahaaaaa!" Kanade's able to get herself under control, her laughter fading to slight giggles at the slight of Elsa's sheer inexperience with spice. She hadn't been planning to force it on Elsa originally, but when she'd realized that Elsa was trying to prank her with an unexpectedly spicy dish, she couldn't resist turning it around on the other idol. "Aaaah... whew. I won't do that to you again, I promise. But, yes, my uncle makes curry this spicy every time he eats it, and he'd always serve it to me, even when I was a little kid. Not that I discouraged him, every time I saw him sweating bullets I just wanted to prove I could handle it. The spice tolerance stuck hard, but it's so hard to find a place that makes it as spicy as I like it now!"

Elsa continues to struggle with the pain in her mouth, but she's at least able to compose herself enough to suppress her coughing fit. She flashes a weak smile at Kanade, a tacit acknowledgement of her victory this evening. The next few sentences out of her mouth have a bit of an edge to them - albeit not a hostile one - sounding more like Pitohui than Elsa for a moment before she settles back into her usual tone. "Right. Okay. You won. An L's an L. You don't change just because you've put the big fancy spear away, huh? Gotta say, that's pretty sexy, a woman with that much fight in her. Just don't expect me to let it happen again. I'm not gonna go easy on you just because I like you." "Your uncle, though? Sounds like a character. You hang out with him often as a kid? From the way you say it, I'd wager you two were together pretty often. Where'd he get a thing for spice like this, anyways? Was he some kinda food nut, getting dishes from around the world?" Elsa's questions come from a curious place, borne from a strange mix of genuine interest and a readiness for round two. She wants to know more about Kanade as a person, true, but, she reasons, intel on her past could prove useful for further engagements… and it would be a lot better coming straight from the sources who saw her grow up, too, rather than filtered through Kanade herself.

Kanade's still too entertained by her destruction of Elsa's composure to be flustered by the flirting - seems tonight just won't be Elsa's night. The question about her past, though, that puts a spark in her eyes. "Oh, he was all around the world! India, China, Japan, the Middle East... wherever you could find adventure, there he was. Papa always said he had too much of a wanderlust to ever settle down, and he was right - the longest he ever lasted in one place was six months. Even then, that was only because of how long his work there was... but no matter what Papa said, I knew he'd never want Lemeza to change. Otherwise, they wouldn't be best friends! He also had much more exciting stories than Papa. I could tell you a couple of them some other time." Elsa might pick up on the feeling that "some other time" isn't an actual invitation to just do it the next time they meet, considering the tone of Kanade's voice.

Elsa makes a mental note of the name Lemeza, pleased to have a start but frustrated to have so little to go on. He was interested in adventure, at least. Even with as little as she has, she resolves to look up the name when she gets a chance, just to see what she can turn up. A curious rat, she has to talk herself out of prying further, convincing herself - not without reason - that Kanade's tone indicated that the subject might not be an envelope worth pushing this evening. For all her forwardness, Elsa still worried about just how far she could push Kanade with the teasing and with her personality in general. The singer had been quite generous in giving her a second chance, going beyond forgiving her by giving Elsa chances to go out with her and strike up a genuine friendship. That it helped to keep her busy didn't hurt, either; Elsa had begun to realize that sitting alone with her thoughts for an extended period was about the worst thing she could do. Blowing it with Kanade wouldn't be a full-blown crisis, but she didn't have any intention of sinking this for herself after she had been so lucky to get it. Not wanting to let the conversation lapse into an awkward silence, Elsa weighs her options. Kanade seemed adamant that she didn't want to go into detail on her uncle's stories, and she didn't seem all that interested in talking about her father at length, but she still seemed okay with talking about her uncle in general. Never one not to take a shot, Elsa goes on with further questions, trying to tread carefully. "So, Lemeza Amou, then? Sounds like your uncle was a world-class traveler. How'd the two of you ever find time to spend together, if he was off jet-setting so much? And what else did he give you, anyways? Was it just some spice-tolerance, or did you get something else from that side of the family? Got a line of ginger-headed men to thank for suffering so you could get that fiery red hair?"

"Lemeza Amou?" Kanade looks at Elsa with legitimate confusion, before she snaps her fingers. "Ohhhh! No, no, he's not my actual uncle. I don't have any of those, just an aunt. No, he's my Papa's best friend in the world. They've been close ever since they met in university. Ha, I should have mentioned that! Em. Well, he liked to make time to visit, but also there was plenty of time I wasn't in Japan, either. Sheesh, I missed so much school as a kid, I'm surprised they actually let me pass. I mean, you come in a month after school starts... ah, but I'm getting carried away. The red hair's natural, yeah - straight from Papa. I've seen some photo albums, it's just a dominant Amou trait. Goes back several generations, at least as far as we have pictures."

Taking a few more bites of her curry, Kanade decides now's a good time to reverse the question flow. "So! You've told me about why you stick with being an idol, despite having all these extra restraints on you. How'd you become one in the first place, though?

Elsa gives her full attention to Kanade as the other idol speaks, taking note of every word so she can extract the greatest amount of information possible with which to begin her research. Kanade's comment about missing school piques her interest, and she prepares to ask more about it. As she tries to find an angle that she can approach from without potentially upsetting Kanade, though, she finds herself suddenly on the receiving end of questioning. With the question Kanade poses, she no longer has the time and focus necessary to consider a question about Kanade's schooling; instead, she grapples with herself for a moment as she tries to figure out the extent to which she should share her own story.

On one hand, something instinctual told her to keep what Kanade knew of her to a minimum. For Elsa, giving out such personal information so freely is tantamount to tossing a full magazine to your foe on the battlefield - simply not something you do. At the same time, she worries that if she rebuffs her too harshly, Kanade might take it as a sign of disinterest, and give up on trying with her. And, yet, something too makes her fear that she might drive Kanade away if she tells her too much, goes into detail about the things that had shaped her into such a volatile person. With so many competing concerns rushing through her head, Elsa takes a middle-of-the-road approach once she opens her mouth, telling Kanade some portions of her tale honestly all the while leaving out quite a bit.

"How'd I get into this business? I don't know. I guess basically the same as anyone else. I was able to cut a deal with a talent agency. Guess I was able to sing well enough to impress them, at least. My manager back then was kind of a creep, but the agency itself wasn't that bad. They worked me, that's for sure. Kept me singing heart out until I had everything exactly right, learned every last part of what it took to be an idol. Honestly? Sometimes I think the business is harder than anything else I do. At least I'm allowed to fight back everywhere else. But being an idol? You just have to lie down and take it most of the time, and there's a lot to take. But it payed off. Eventually was able to leave that agency, got to cut that manager out of my life for good. My new manager's a creep, too, but he's a good kind of creep. He's my creep, y'know? He knows he has to stay in line." Elsa shrugs her shoulders, looking off in the distance for a moment before continuing. She's very brief and straightforward once she picks up again, not smirking, not rolling her eyes, not expressing much emotion at all. It's an unusual stoicism for her. "But, really, I guess it started with my grandparents. They were the ones who told me I could sing, and I ran with it. Things all happened pretty quick. You get it? Can't really say I have much to say about the why or how. One day, I was singing for them. Soon after that, I was getting a call back from the talent agency. That's about it. That's my story. Nothing exciting, is it?"

Kanade gives Elsa a look. It's hard to communicate through a look, but the way she just skipped through the last bit... There's stuff missing, that's for sure. Yet from her past conversations with Elsa, even just the idle ones when they met backstage, it's clear that she won't be able to simply break through Elsa's defenses right now. So, instead, she scratches her head and smiles. "Yeah, I get it. School chorus propelled me to stardom, after all! Glad to hear about your manager, though. If any of my managers had gotten too creepy, they'd be out the door... then again, I guess that's what happens when I put all my pushback into contracts and good lawyers. Anyhow! I'm going to get us dessert, and myself a second serving of curry, this one to go. Do you want anything?"

"Why not? I'll take something. Something sweet could help get this lingering spice off my tongue." After a relatively uneventful dessert, the two idols slip on their coats - Elsa trading her hood for a coat which does more than enough to conceal her on its own - and make their way out of the restaurant. Standing outside the establishment's doors in the cold evening air, Elsa turns to Kanade just before they part ways for the night. She speaks more softly and more formally now that they're back outside, where prying eyes have an easier time sneaking up upon them. In her own way, with her own coded language, Elsa tries to tell Kanade what these simple, casual nights mean to her. "The evening has been a pleasure. It has been a time since I went out for an outing like this, you are aware? You are not only sweet and talented, but you present convincing arguments, too. I was not fully convinced that an evening spent this way could be so enjoyable - and it is true that there may be activities it cannot match - but you were able to handily prove me wrong. Why, were you not a shining star, you might have a career as a lawyer, so skilled you are at building a case."

"Aww, thanks... I think. This was definitely a nice time! I'd be interested in doing it again, although next time I miiiight not trust your recommendations.

Oh, hold on, though! I've got something." Fishing through her coat pockets, Kanade brings out two packs of Kit Kats. She unwraps one, breaking off a wafer and holding it in her mouth, while she hands the other, wrapped pack to Elsa.

"I remembered I picked these up earlier today and never ate them. Want them?"

"I would appreciate that, yes." Leaving ambiguous whether she meant only the candy or if she was referring to meeting for another evening like this one, Elsa graciously accepts the Kit Kat, smiling at Kanade all the while. She debates for a moment on whether or not to end the night with a more forward act, but, settling for the candy, Elsa declines to ruin the moment by pressing her luck any further. With a courteous bow and a wave, she departs, setting off for her hotel suite.