Not so Ordinary World

[Liddo-kun]

"Stop being so melodramatic," Urui tells you with a roll of her eyes, as she busily works on a mouthful of stir fried chicken.  A shovel of rice soon follows.  "So what would you call it then, eh?"

[Kwokinator]

"I'd call it feeding a small nation, myself," he answers with a smirk. "You must have an extended family of tapeworms in there or something, because you're eating enough to feed all those starving kids in Africa."

[Liddo-kun]

Shia bursts out laughing, pointing at Urui at the remark.

Urui, to her credit, doesn't react to your barb or Shia's laughter.  She gives you a wide, cheerful looking smile that doesn't quite reach her eyes.  Looks like your aim was true if you were looking to hit a sore spot.

She promptly returns to her meal, though this time lacking the previous gusto.  You feel her familiar strands of hair tighten, almost painfully, around your wrist that you had held underneath the table.

It's not a vice grip by any means, but similar to a not so tender pinch girls are known to deliver to unruly men folk.

You've obviously never learned the things you never say to a woman....  It's okay though because I'll repay you KINDLY for your words soon enough.

[Kwokinator]

Maki grimaces as strands of Urui's hair takes on a life of their own once again and pinches him hard for his offense against its master, and he realizes he's going to pay dearly for the wisecrack.

Err... sorry? he thinks, wondering if the connection for thought transmission goes both ways.

[Liddo-kun]

At your apology she laughs, but covers it in a most feminine manner.  She gives you a simply devilish sidelong glance that spoke volumes of the mischief that she must have cooking in that mind of hers.

"Oh, I'm not one to hold grudges, Maki-chan," she coos, giving your cheeks a pinch.  "Now you're going to want to eat up before your food gets cold.  Here, let me help you," Urui says, taking a chopstick and quickly cramming a serving of food in your mouth.

Faster than you could say - "No that's quite alright!" - you found yourself chewing, while under the collar of her well muscled arm that holds you securely.  For your benefit, of course.

"Plenty more where that came from," she says, wearing that big grin of hers.  "The starving children of Africa are waiting after all."  Urui pats your belly, giving you a sinking feeling on where exactly Africa was in this case.

[Kwokinator]

Maki's eyes widen as he finds food shoved into his mouth, and chews it as best he can.

No good can come of this...

Deciding on trying a risky maneuver, he swallows the food without chewing it properly to see if he chokes, and if Urui will let up if he does.

[Liddo-kun]

Had you a fortune cookie, it would most likely say - Choking not in the future for you.  Your lucky number is 31.  ^_^

The unchewed food you pass through your throat sits heavily in the pit of your stomach.  The starving children of Africa inside you give a cheer and begin dancing to the beat of tribal drums, which oddly enough sounds similar to the gurgling of indigestion.

"Play nicely," you hear the familiar voice of Shoga Isegami tell Urui with a hand placed on her head.

"Yeah, yeah," she replies deflatedly, letting you go.

[Kwokinator]

Maki smiles at Shoga, silently thanking him for the save.  Although he can tell his stomach is probably going on to finish the job Urui started...

"Don't worry," he said to the girl, trying to appease her so she doesn't carry on further, and worse, plans of vengeance. "Even though you eat quite a bit of food, you've still got a great body."

Realizing that can be taken the wrong way, he quickly amends, "Err... slim and in shape and stuff, I mean."

[Liddo-kun]

Shoga returns the smile affably with a nod before moving on.  The wisdom that comes with age and experience shines through as he seemingly overlooks your comment to Urui, choosing instead to greet all the other people in the dining hall individually by going straight down the side of each table.

Said great bodied ninja girl gives you a rather flat look, but rolls her eyes instead of pushing forth any further action against your personage.  "You really need to work on the compliments," she informs you as she lazily pillows her head on her palms, giving you a sidelong glance.

[Kwokinator]

"Does he do that everytime?" he asks, ignoring his current companion's jibe against his compliments, "Greeting everyone one by one, I mean."

[Liddo-kun]

"All the time," Urui tells you, lifting her head up to watch his progress.  "He'll go to each and every person - no matter how old or young they are.  As the leader, he feels responsible for knowing each person under his care and to remind them that their well-being important to him."

"It's just how he is," she tells you with a shrug.

[Kwokinator]

"Must be tough..." Maki wonders aloud. "To feel responsible for so many people.  It's such a big responsibility..."

"Hell, I can't even take care of myself right now, let alone anyone else,"  he moped.

[Liddo-kun]

"It's that willingness to take on that responsibility that makes him a leader to all of us," Urui says.  "To keep everyone together when the situation around us is the way it is...."

"He's strong, Maki," she tells you, staring at the broad back of the man as he bends down to talk to an elderly woman.  "Maybe not in terms of fighting, but he's strong where it counts most.  Everyone draws strength from his confidence and follows his example."

[Kwokinator]

Maki nods, he can already tell a lot of people here look up to Shoga.

"One day..." he says to himself. "One day, I'll become like him and be someone people can depend on."

[Liddo-kun]

"I hope so," Urui comments, spearing a carrot with her fork and popping it in her mouth.  Chewing noisily, "If you become irresponsible and undependable, I'm going to have to flex my muscles and kick you in the right direction."