Isaw! [O]

(((Continued from here)))
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Kanlaon was surprised Lyra hadn't heard of such a food! It was pretty common from the area of Solo she lived in.

"I don't know how to make it, but I think that the chefs will! It's really popular." The little girl said with confidence. She then giggled a little. "I don't think you'd want to make it *Ate-Lyra." She said between childish snickering.

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*Ate is a female term for someone who is older than whoever is speaking. The speaker would address someone this way to show both respect and admiration to her.

They stepped off the elevator onto the dining level. She laughed and said "Well you know I'm not all that current in the food world."

Slipping into the back of the restaurant and into the kitchen, they wormed through the bustling workers into the small area meant for the workers to eat.

The Dining area was almost completely empty except for a few workers who sat at the bar.  The time of night ensured that the tables were all washed and off limits until the next day.  The bar was almost always open though, serving drinks and appetizers to workers or guests that couldn't sleep.  

The bar tender was washing some glasses before glancing over to spot the little girl and beautiful performer woman.  

"How can I help you?" He asked, still washing out a glass.  

Kanlaon held Lyra's hand a little tighter and didn't say anything.  Her shyness was overcoming her.

Lyra squeezed her hand back reassuringly and cleared her throat, trying to push her own shyness down (so she still looked cool in front of Kanlaon). "Um hi... I-we were wondering if any of the cooks were still awake...." She trailed off.

"If they've all gone to bed already that's totally ok! We-I don't want to bother them...." She mentally smacked herself as her face slowly became the color of a tomato.

Oddly enough the way that Lyra seemed shy helped Kanla feel better about her own shyness. Lyra was a nice grown-up, and if even grown-ups got shy, then Kanla didn't feel as bad about herself. She leaned her face against Lyra's arm.

"Well we're not serving entrees right now, but we do have a few appetizers we could get cookin for ya. Did you have anything in mind? If not I can grab you a menu." The bar tender said, his tone friendly. He thought Lyra was really cute.

"Oh uh yes! We were hoping for....." She looked down at Kanlaon and searched for the name that escaped her, "Is.... aw...?"

Lyra looked back up at the bar tender and smiled sheepishly, "Something like that I think...."

Kanlaon nodded her head up and down.

"Yeah, Isaw!" She blurted, but then quickly hid behind Lyra in shyness for having a little excited outburst like that.

The bar tender laughed.

"Yes, I can grill you up some Isaw real quick. Two orders or one?" He asked, drying the cup off and placing it where it belonged.

Lyra patted Kanlaon's head as she hid behind her and looked back up at the bar tender, "Two please" she said holding up two fingers and smiling, embarrassed.

She guided Kanlaon over to the bar stools and helped her into one, getting into the one next to it herself.

"So... slow night?" Lyra was hoping to sound normal and friendly and not creepy.

Kanlaon muttered a little thank you when Lyra helped her up into the tall bar stool. She could have gotten up on it on her own, but it would have been a lot less graceful than it was with Lyra's help.

She was so happy to hear that they were selling Isaw. She smiled big at the thought, and grew slightly impatient. But she didn't let it show, she knew how to behave in some ways.

"Yeah, that's why I like the late night shift. I don't have to worry about all the crazy crowds." The bar tender said with a smile.

"Just the crazies coming in for Isaw?" She tried to laugh to keep it from sounding creepy.

"I understand the crazy crowds though", Lyra nodded understandingly, "they do get pretty hectic"

The bar tender laughed along with Lyra.  He didn't think she was creepy at all, just shy and a little insecure.  

"I'd think that a performer like yourself would enjoy a crazy crowd."  He said.  Yes, he knew that she was a performer.  Her dark skin and light wavy hair were pretty distinguishable, as well as the hole in her stomach.  Those who paid attention to the performances would recognize Lyra in a heartbeat.  

Kanla looked between the two of them with big eyes, taking in the way they interacted with one another.  She didn't say much.  

The bar tender went towards the back and pulled out a cooler with a bunch of large, white and long slimy things inside of it.  It smelt of salt, vinegar, whole pepper corn, and dried bay leaves.  Kanlaon smiled big and wiggled in her chair.  

He pulled out one of the lengthy slimy organ looking things and started cutting them up before skewering a bunch of them and setting them on a grill.  He basted the cooking Isaw with cooking oil, banana catsup, and soy sauce.  

Kanlaon took in a deep inhale to smell the grilling food, and let out a happy exhale.  Her stomach rumbled.

Blushing she gaped at him for a moment trying to figure out how he knew her name, she didn't even think about how her missing middle would make her stand out a bit. Quickly shutting her mouth she tried to unscramble her brain.

Lyra stuttered to a start saying, "O-oh no no no" She waved her hands in front of her, "Crowds are too much for me.... At least on stage you have the lights up at you so you can't really see them..." She rubbed her arm sheepishly.

Sense hit her like a brick and she said suddenly, "Oh! I'm so sorry! I don't know your name!"

"Hm, I never thought about that before. It never occured to me you can't actually see the crowd. That's really interesting." He said, turning the Isaw over so it grilled evenly.

"My name is Jun. And I'm sorry but I can't remember your name exactly. Is it Lira?" He asked, feeling bad for letting her name escape him.

Kanlaon licked her lips and placed her hands on her tummy to make it stop growling.

"Yeah it's a real life saver..." She watched him cook, "So what are those made of...?"

Lyra smiled sheepishly, "It's really nice to meet you Jun, I should've come up to talk to you sooner... and yes I'm Lyra, I perform down in the theater every Tuesday and Friday night. Sometimes a couple nights in between if they're running low on entertainment." She laughed and twiddled her thumbs.

Jun placed the grilled Isaw on a plate, and put some dipping sauce with it. There were four skewers all together, making two for each lady. Kanlaon quickly snatched one up and started nibbling on it, letting out a happy little noise as she did.

"Oh... you don't know what it is?" Jun asked, smirking. "How about you try it first and then I'll tell you~?" He suggested, his voice playful.

Lyra looked from the man's face to the skewers on the plate making a thinking face. "Hmmm...." She glanced over to Kanlaon who was devouring the food so happily. "Well... ok..."

She tentatively picked up one of the skewers and examined it. Nibbling off the end of it she chewed it slowly. "Um... It's good... I think.... but what is it...?" She took a bigger bite of it and chewed it while looking up at him.

Jun smiled.

"I'm glad you enjoy it. It's very popular street food you know. I'm guessing a pretty lady like yourself doesn't walk the streets much." He said, and then glanced at Kanla. She was enjoying the food a lot.

"It's grilled chicken intestines. Don't worry though, our staff make sure that they're 100% clean before serving them." He assured her, and he wondered what her reaction would be.

"I lived on the docks so I wasn't close to the streets..." She trailed off as he explained what it was. Lyra's eyes widened as she quickly shut her mouth. She gently placed skewer back onto the plate, nervously making sure it was parallel to the other.

She cautiously scooted her plate over so it was in front of Kanlaon. Moving her hands onto her lap she looked up at Jun, embarrassed, "Um thank you.... Can I have a glass of water, please?"

Jun laughed out loud at Lyra's reaction. She was being so polite, but was clearly shocked.

"Okay okay." He said, pouring her a glass of water. "But I recommend a nice cold beer instead. It goes great with Isaw." He teased, handing her the glass.

Kanloan looked up at Lyra with big confused eyes. "You don't want it?" She asked, looking back and forth between the woman and the plate.

"Oh no-no please you have it! I am way too full." She said to Kanla, gesturing to it and conjuring up an embarrassed smile.

Lyra looked back at Jun and took the water muttering her thanks. Taking a few gulps she shook her head and calmed down a bit.

She set the glass on the bar and laughed, "Yeah no thank you, alcohol and I aren't too good of friends," Lyra looked up at Jun sheepishly.

"Is isaw a popular food?" Lyra watched Kanla before looking back up at Jun, "I guess I don't get out much"

"Wow, thank you!" Kanloan said gleefully, taking another kaboob and dipping it in the spicy vinegar sauce before nomming away.  

Jun looked surprised at what she said.  "What?  You don't like alcohol?  How can you not like a good drink?" He said, his tone friendly as ever.  The smile never left his face.  

Kanlaon pipped up.  "Isaw is really popular where I come from.  A lot of people sell it for not too expensive." She chirped, before going back to her feasting.  It may not be too expensive, but it had been too expensive for her.  She decided to save some money aside so that she could pay the street vendor back, now that she had a job.

She laughed at Kanla's reaction and said, "You're welcome!"

Lyra turned back to Jun, "Oh no I like alcohol but, you know, I just can't handle it too well," She shrugged and looked back down at Kanla and laughed, "I guess you'll have to be my tour guide then and show me all the things I've missed in this city!"

Jun let out a soft "ah" sound in understanding. Not everyone could hold their liquor, and a bar tender would know that better than anyone.

Kanlaon kept munching away and didn't look up at Lyra when she spoke.

"I don't think you'd like the part of the city I come from." She said in a soft voice.

"Hey now," Lyra patted Kanla's shoulder gently and smiled, "I like all parts of the city!"

Looking back up at Jun she said, "Yeah, I know, not too original," She laughed. "Kind of a bad characteristic for a performer, right?"

Kanlaon thought of where she lived.  She thought of how cramped the dilapidated apartment buildings were and how people tried to dodge the leaking pipes that littered the alleyways.  She thought about all of the children that ran around naked because their parents couldn't afford to clothe them.  She thought of the seedy figures that hung around and tried to get those children to follow them to some dark building, or the men that would harass women, or the people who were violent all the time.  She thought of all animals ran around the streets looking as skinny as the people did from being underfed.  And most of all she thought of the stink that the ghettos air was thick with.  It smelt like rot and death and sewer and fish.  It was nothing like this beautiful bathhouse she had started working at.  

She looked into Lyra's eyes and shook her head no.  "You wouldn't like the part of the city where I come from." She said again, more sure of it this  time.  

Jun furrowed his brow, but turned his attention from Kanlaon to Lyra.  "Oh, because performers drink a lot?" He asked her.