14963/Cleaning and Carbs

Cleaning and Carbs
Date of Scene:	20 April 2023
Location:	Big Belly Burger, Gravesend
Synopsis:	Three athletic people walk into a fast food restaurant...
Cast of Characters:	Colleen Wing, Iron Fist, Jughead Jones

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Colleen Wing has posed:
It was a tough job, cleaning out that Hand training camp in the middle of nowhere. A tough job that Colleen and Danny were up to, he in his Iron Fist garb and she as, well, herself, having eschewed the idea of being a "superhero" as being too laughable for her. So the long drive back home, although giving her a chance to bandage up the worst of the injuries (this being a training camp, the injuries weren't all that bad on their side: the trainees, however, met more gruesome ones at the edge of Colleen's sword when they refused to surrender and she refused to go away). It was while cleaning her sword that she spotted the sign through the pouring rain: Big Belly Burger.

"Stop here, Danny!" There's an edge to her voice. The edge she always gets when her blood sugar is low. Just this side of 'hangry'. "I was just thinking we needed to get food, and look what fortune dropped in our laps!"

Thus it is that the Iron Fist (in whatever garb he chooses to put on) and Colleen walk into the Big Belly Burger joint, she with the hilt of a samurai sword poking up over her left shoulder... ("I'm NOT leaving an antique blade worth more than this entire effin' town in the car!") ...looking for food.

Iron Fist has posed:
Danny's Iron Fist garb wasn't all that outlandish. He just looked like he was wearing green and gold athletic gear. It was the bandana that really set him apart from regular society. But he could always take it off, and just walk among the regular people, like Colleen was. He could also change in the car, which also helped. As he drove, he heard that Colleen wanted to stop somewhere, and so, he did. It was a bit junky, as he still wasn't that used to driving, having only recently learned, and frankly, living in New York, who needed a car of their own? But it was an automatic transmission, so that helped. And he had good hand eye coordination.

He would give himself a once over, making sure none of the blood had gotten on his clothes, not his of course, but the trainees. They did tend to bleed if you weren't careful. And he would join Colleen, heading into the fluorescent lit fast food burger restaurant. He really didn't understand why she felt so worried about the sword. The car was worth more than most people's homes, hers included. As he looked up at the menu, he tried to figure out what he would like, "what's good here, I haven't been to one of these since I was a kid, and back then, I'd get the kids meal, with the little toy."

Jughead Jones has posed:
The sound of a Harley is easily recognizable and yes he's riding and pulling up to the joint killing the engine dropping the kickstand and walking in finding a booth as thick heeled biker boots thud on the floor he adjusts the crown shaped beanie on his head and any who are observant enough will notice on the back of his leather jacket a top rocker reading SOUTHSIDE. A two headed snake in the shape of an S in the center and a bottom rocker that reads SERPENTS. Grabbing a menu he sits at a booth ordering a chocolate peanut butter milkshake.

Colleen Wing has posed:
"It's really simple. A greasy spoon in the middle of nowhere? You get burger, fries, hope they don't inflict a side of cole slaw on you, and you pretty much can't go wrong. The roadside diner hamburger experience is quintessential America. Now for dessert, you check if the pies are made locally or shipped in. If local, you get a piece of whatever's in season straight up, with a cup of coffee. Otherwise you get whatever pie and get it a la mode to hide the factory flavouring. Still coffee."

Lesson in modern Americana given, Colleen selects a booth such that her eye can be on the main door and Danny's can be directed at any staff doors when sitting across from her. Directing herself there, she unslings the sword's sheathe and lays it across the table, sliding into the seat and resting her hand on the hilt. The other hand picks up the menu.

"So, what are you going to order, Danny?"

Iron Fist has posed:
Danny listened, nodding his head, taking in Colleen's explanation of the American experience. "It sounds as though you've done a lot of research on this subject. I'm glad to have you with me, for yet one more reason." He had so many. He would follow her to the booth, taking the seat opposite her of course. It was only natural. Once in the booth, he reached for the menu, looking over the laminated sheets, reading so many variations of burgers, and he could feel his arteries hardening just reading about them. One of them even had pieces of chicken instead of bread. And portions, oh god, the portions were huge. "I... think I might have a sourdough bacon cheeseburger, fries, and a coke?"

And then he heard the man with the motorcycle. It could be heard even from inside the restaurant. And the leather gang like jacket didn't exactly clash with that image. He had to turn his upper torso to get a look, but he was curious, and so he did it, not staring, but glancing.

Jughead Jones has posed:
Jughead Jones smirks and looks around. "This place is nice but it ain't Pops." He says with a chuckle. "I'll have a triple bacon Chilli cheese burger, a plate of fries, hmmm let's see here and a regular bacon cheese burger, both burgers extra bacon, ooh and make the plate of fries bacon chilli cheese fries, and a coke as well as my shake." Jughead finishes his and waves to Danny and Colleen. "Yo what's up nice sword that is. What dynasty was it from?"

Colleen Wing has posed:
Colleen raises an eyebrow as her sword is commented on. By someone who actually knows at least a little about it. "It's a Masamune," she says, unwillingly, as she's just outed the blade as being worth more than the diner. And likely most of the town it's in. Put together. "Obviously not the Honjo, but same smith."

Beat.

"It was my grandfather's," she adds unnecessarily and with an odd note of defensiveness to her voice.

Her eyes flick over to Danny questioningly as her hand subtly tightens on the sheathe.

"I'll go for the double cheese, two, no fries, diet Coke."

Iron Fist has posed:
If, by some miracle, Colleen Wing could not keep her sword, which would be a herculean task in itself, with Danny Rand by herself, the task became many times more difficult. Few would be so foolish, but they were welcome to try. He caught the flick of eyes, and the waitress took their orders, including Jughead's massive order. "Just decided to slip in for a late night meal. Quite the order you placed." He was trying to gauge Jughead's age, and how likely his metabolism was going to have a chance with that. He had not yet heard of competitive eaters, so that wasn't something that crossed his mind. "I'm Danny, and this is Colleen," he offered, trying to be friendly. Hopefully Colleen wouldn't give him daggers for giving out her given name.

Jughead Jones has posed:
Jughead Jones chuckles and nods. "I always eat a lot. Call me Jughead everyone does, and no need to worry, I have an obsessive interest in swords and blade smithing, history and the beauty of the craft, but Im no thief. Besides you can't hope to truly get a Katana through stealing, it must be earned and presented." He shrugs again, he adjusts his jacket probably keeping his own weapon hidden.

Colleen Wing has posed:
No, Colleen is not going to correct Jughead by mentioning how many valuable katanas have been stolen by the Hand's operatives... Unless killing someone to get the sword counts as 'earned'...

"Yeah, Colleen." No daggers. Not even a kick under the table. It's how she introduces herself after all. "I'm a kendo instructor. I was ... showing some people my grandfather's sword." In use. Lethally. "They're ... aficionados of old-timey weapons, see."

And that's the closest to the truth that Jughead is going to get until the news reports start pouring in tomorrow ... if they ever do.

"I didn't want to leave it in the car. Don't worry, I won't pull it out." She chuckles a very false sounding chuckle. "I mean, what kind of maniac would pull out an antique like this for actual use?!"

A maniac who's hitched her wagon to the horse that is the Iron Fist apparently.

Iron Fist has posed:
It wasn't just the Hand. After the Second World War, a number of Katanas were illegally smuggled out of Japan, and found their way to America, as well as a few to other countries since. Technically, the Japanese government considered it a crime for any katana made before a certain date to go beyond its shores.

"A very good instructor," Danny adds, before suppressing a chuckle at the delicate way she describes the night's activities. "It's nice to meet you Jug Head," he said them as if they were two words, thinking that Jug was his first name, and Head may be the last. "Do you practice any martial arts yourself?"

Jughead Jones has posed:
Jughead Jones shrugs and he's aware of the thefts he is a history nerd but it doesn't change his idea on the honor and way one should be obtained. "Oh you Brickfu, Chain chi, knife Kwan do, Gatrate." He teases before becoming serious. "No not really, I came from a poor, destitute family that lived on the wrong side of the tracks literally." He says thoughtfully. "I grew up brawling and streetfighting no martial arts." And now his burgers fries, shake and coke are brough, he rubs his hands together. "Why do you ask?"

Colleen Wing has posed:
"Street fighting is martial arts," Colleen opines quickly. "In fact a street brawl is a crucible test of whether your martial studies were useful or are just weirdly weapons-fetished ballet."

Girl has opinions. Strong ones. And expresses them publicly without fear.

"I've seen a lot of 'black belts' get clocked by a 2 by 4. If you're fighting, it's martial arts. If you're winning it's good martial arts. If someone else takes you out, your martial arts weren't as good. Even if it's a 2 by 4 to the head. That's it."

That's a charmingly blunt assessment of ... well ... 99.44 percent of mall ninja graduates, isn't it?

Iron Fist has posed:
"Oh, interest in martial weaponry often coincides with an interest in the martial arts." Clearly, Jughead was at least well versed on a variety of styles, or he had just watched Bruce Lee films. It was so hard to tell these days. He also nodded in agreement with Colleen's assessment. Though when she describes it as a weapons-fetished ballet, he breaks. He just couldn't take it. He smiled, he blushed, he laughed. It just, it got him right there, in his gut. God, Colleen was so funny, inadvertently, sometimes. He turned to give her a smile, but was then directed elsewhere, as the waitress came with their orders. Deciding to add to the humour, he said, "I've often found that you can get more with a kind word and two by four, than you can with a kind word alone."

Jughead Jones has posed:
Jughead Jones chuckles and shrugs. "I mean no formal training or study." He says before taking a bite chew swallow sip sip. "But I wouldn't mind taking it up, the larger the variety the harder to pinpoint what one will do yes? So having multiple disciplines known is l good right?"

Iron Fist has posed:
"Formal training and study often results in formal techniques. But no battle, save for those in tournaments, is ever formal. And even then, formalities tend to get bent... a lot." He would unfold a napkin and place it in his lap, despite being in a fast food restaurant. He didn't seem to have a knife, fork, or chopsticks. So he began eating the fries with his fingers, chewed, swallowed, and then took a bite of his burger, chewed, swallowed, and finally, a drink to wash it down. "The more styles you learn, the less formal it becomes, as you pull from each of your known sources, and in some cases, create new ones of your own."

Jughead Jones has posed:
Jughead Jones finishes his burgers and fries and than he drinks the shake and soda. "Well now that was good but still not as good as Pops." He gets up and leaves bills more than enough to cover the meal and a generous tip. "Well it was good to meet you both of you, hope to run into you folks again." He moves to head out and to his bike is that the grip of a pistol under his jacket that he's adjusting, the jacket over ad he walks out the door.