Wake up! mjashfjgjhfkd Shake up! [Calypso/Kenichi]

"Huh... you know, I thought it was a little more impressive than that. I thought his arm got punched off, he got up, said "It didn't hurt much" and got on his motorcycle and drove off. What a silly thought, eh?"

Blissfully unaware of Calypso's thoughts regarding his culinary attempt, Kenichi maintained a consistent ear as Calypso recounted the meeting. Hvit likely told her about the event. No surprise there; he could still recall the time she humorously talked at length about the man who gave Mirja a love letter, how it brought Ulv such humor that several copies were made just so others in the world could know of his falling. His expression retained the same awe it held the moment she finished.

Considering the strength of that woman, that was still an incredible feat. Demon or not, to survive against strength of that magnitude was no small order. He knew it all too well himself, challenging Ulv to many battles only to find his body a shell of itself in terms of composition due to an array of broken bones.

Reminiscing on her for too long would have dampened his mood, though. Thus, he devoted the whole of his attention towards finishing the meal. When the rice was finished being prepared within the rice-maker, Kenichi focused the remaining efforts on seasoning the strips of beef as they were being prepared on a pan, adding a a small flourish of vegetables to form a pleasant combination between savory and crunchy. For someone who could easily be considered a beginner with this sort of thing, he was handling himself well. When everything had been prepared in full, he grabbed onto the pots, paying no heed to the heat as he properly plated everything before her, finishing the act with a flamboyant bow.

"Voila. Beef strip stir fry and rice. Only the finest for Gandr Royalty."

He humored her, clearly aware that she likely consumed something far more fulfilling and high-class than this, but he nevertheless felt confident it would at least taste good. Seating himself, Kenichi took a moment to mix around meat and rice as he shot a finger toward her for another question.

"Hvit probably told you all of that, yeah? How has she been? Judging from my spirit sense, I don't sense any of her presence within you anymore..."

"The best for Calypso Gandr, then. Whether nobility or royalty, I just hope you find it pleasant to your pallet. Since I've been told it's dangerous and unhealthy to live on instant ramen and carryout for the rest of my days, I've been learning how to cook. For my future wife, I've decided I'll be a triple threat! A culinary expert! A breadwinner! And most importantly, one of the greatest martial artists that have ever lived!"

Kenichi flexed his arm with playful zeal following those series of declarations. Judging by Calypso's expression, she appeared to find the meal adequate at least. Proof enough, at least, that his efforts hadn't been in vain. Filling his mouth with a spoonful of his stir fry, he tilted his head curiously at the revelation. No surprise, there. Hvit always struck him as a mercurial woman. He couldn't say he expected her to leave Calypso considering her physical condition, but she seemed to hold up well just fine. She traveled from her homeland to here. That was a shining symbol of proof if there ever was.

"Anywhere the wind blows, huh? Well, I guess I can't say that was totally unexpected. From the looks of it, your body seems to be holding up pretty well."

Kenichi didn't have any particular reply on hand concerning Hvit's reasoning. After all, it stood to reason that perhaps Calypso would understand the hollow more than he ever could. Time and again, whenever she graced his presence, she proved an enigmatic woman. One never truly fathomed the depths of her mind, let alone the thoughts that occupied her mindscape. She was an anomaly in the truest sense of the word. Somberness threatened to settle in his spirit until he heard Calypso mention a cookbook and Ulv in the same breath.

"Hah? Culinary book? Really?"

Any inkling of unpleasant emotions was promptly snuffed out by the timeless adoration he held for the deceased woman and the possibility of attaining that culinary guide for himself. Mentioning her to any degree never failed to set his spirit ablaze. When one food was applied to the equation, the blazing emotion would undoubtedly increase by several orders of magnitude. There was another book to attain on the horizon now.

"For every martial art!? Ahh, she truly was a woman after my own heart! I still study her Nine Yin manual to this day, but I'll gladly add the martial menu to my collection if I can attain it. A diet tailored to my particular skillset would do wonders!"

"She was a warrior worth her weight in gold. Her martial prowess oftentimes made me feel like I was an amateur at best, and a neophyte at worst. Even now, I've rarely come across opponents who can consistently keep me on the back foot, let alone force me to rethink my entire approach. With her, it was always a cycle of trying to match each of her techniques. If I faltered, it was already over before I knew it. One hell of a legend, I tell you. I'm grateful I got to meet her. I've no doubt the other four were equally formidable, though. They're in the history books for several accomplishments or another, after all."

Maintaining his steady pace, Kenichi continued to enjoy the food he prepared for the both of them. It was amusing to reflect on the woman he admired even now. Had they held this conversation in the past, he no doubt would have found reflecting on this quite unpleasant even with his disposition of overwhelming exuberance. Instead of lamenting what was lost, enjoy the time that was shared. Honoring the memory by living one's life to the fullest. That was what his sister had told him, that was what Hvit reminded him of, and so many others... Truly, it was nice to see Calypso again.

"In any case, now that you're back on the scene, what are your plans moving forward, Caly?"

"No fault in that point of view. I'm not exacting much of the type to plan too many steps ahead, either."

Finishing the rest of his meal, Kenichi sighed happily as he stretched his arms. He didn't find anything disagreeable with her answer. Much of the beauty of the journey in life was living life in the present, savoring the experience of every moment this realm offered. The future was a beautiful thing to expect, of course, but part of living life to the fullest was enjoying interactions like these. His philosophy had never failed him then, and he assured himself that it wouldn't fail him now.

"I'm really glad you came to visit me, Calypso. It was nice to see you again after so many months."