Soresu
Well-Known Member
ON> Kyoto, Yamatai
Eve sighed as she brushed her fingers along a bottle of chocolate milk. She didn't recognize any of the labels as her favourite brand and the patrons at the store seemed to flow around her, except small children who would pull at the thing her mother had either been crazy to put on her, or cared in the strange way the young soldier never understood. Her uniforms were still on the way, and she had protested profusely how the length of a tail would be any more use in combat but, She just laughed again..
Wearing a skirt brushing her knees and a pale green spaghetti top, something had kept her from discarding the old rank of the 4th War Fleet, it's scythe pinned in a gold blossom to her breast. Her hair had been let out a bit longer (and was just violet with one blue jagged streak over her bangs), but the more disturbing thing to her was the Neko ears. No, she wasn't used to them, what Geshrin should be and being able to hear so much was troublesome. And after all that, mom didn't even change my eyes. She thought, taking a bottle at random and finally closing the bank of refrigerators.
Yuriko, having left Midori to think on what she had told her of the rescue mission left her home. The Taii wished to get out, and enjoy being home, even if only for a few short hours. After all, this was the first time she'd been home in months, not since she had gone to the Empress' Palace and spoke to the then Emperor Uesu himself. Yuriko nudged Saito slightly as they continued down the street. "Do you not see anything you wish to buy? My treat."
Saito blinked a bit as he walked along, having hooked up with Yuriko after happily seeing Michiko at the temple. "No, not particularly, I don't see anything I'd really want and I'm not really too apt at shopping." He chuckled a bit and walked with her with little Kanako on his shoulder. "Where are yours by the way?"
"Mother scared Rikun straight again, Naora is asleep, Yuichi reading, and Tai said she'd rather commit seppuku then come out of the house wearing a kimono." Yuriko sighed a little, she herself was wearing one of a light sky blue. "I had to guilt her into wearing one in the house..."
Yamazaki had finished paying with her KS card, wiped down save a little extra her mother had given her, she was dead for too long. The girl her tail around her hips and the band of her skirt, determined not to get any more attention from simply existing than she did years before. She remembered nothing about going to the galactic frontier. Sipping at the chocolate milk the girl prodigy lingered by the exit of the store, bowing when she spotted Saito- at a distance anyway. Others were doing it and she had never met any samurai to know they were all female by a rule.
Yuriko stopped just outside of the store, and looked to Saito. "Saito-kun, I'm feeling a little parched. I've been dealing with Taishos, the Empress, and now the Nepleslian government all day; frankly I haven't had time to eat or drink anything. That and keeping my children in line. So I think I will duck in here and get something, would you care for anything?" She asked her bodyguard politely. "Or would you like something little one?" She asked Kanako.
Saito blinked when he saw Yamazaki bowing to him as well as the others and looked around and rubbed the back of his head, looking embarrassed. He glanced to Yuriko and nodded. "Sure I wouldn't mind a little mint iced tea if they have it." he said. Little Kanako bounced up and smiled down at her and nodded happily. "I want ice cream!" she giggled.
"Alright then, I'll be back in a moment" Yuriko told them both. The Taii then moved smoothly towards the shop entrance, her kimono not hindering her as she walked right past Yamazaki, and into the interior of the shop.
Saito had noticed the others around and sighed. "alright people you don't have to bow, come on now. It's embarrassing." He said to the people that were still doing it. Kanako floated from her roost in his hair and sat on his shoulder and giggled. "You're popular 'tou-san.."
Eve watched Saito warily, then the woman as she passed through the doors. Maybe she was the one he was protecting, Why didn't I ever get a dress..? She thought plainly, raising her eyes without thinking to glance between the pair, then over her shoulder at Yuriko, the tip of her tail twitching restlessly against her side. He did look like a solider, maybe he could answer her questions. The girl was in no hurry to go back home to feel like another one of Alaena's experiments.
"Hiii!" Kanako waved after noticing the girl looking over at them in that almost discreet fashion. The little youngling was always glad to greet new people and had spotted her repeatedly glancing over and the small twitch around her waist.
Yuriko walked over to a case, peered at the contents before opening the glass door. She reached inside, and pulled out a bottle of mint tea, and then a juice for herself. She then managed to find a small bar of ice cream, and even a small cake for herself. She seemed torn on what else to get Saito at the moment.
Yamazaki looked down and took a drink of her milk, her cheeks pinking slightly at being spotted by what she thought was an NH-12. I wonder if they still sell those. The girl thought, finding her feet taking her over towards Saito. She bumped into someone without noticing, a standard NH-29 and bowed in apology before tugging at her skirt and walking out to the pair. It was easy to see that something was wrong when she lifted her eyes to the pair, the right one held a sapphire, the other an emerald tint just in varying shades. The tail, though. She thought she had hidden it very well. "Uh..hi." She paused, looking at Saito from Kanako, "...ssssir?"
Saito smiled a bit seeing her heterochromatic eyes and nodded to her. "Hello there." He said as Kanako giggled, sitting on his shoulder kicking her little feet. "I saw you glancing over this way. Can I help you with something Ms?" he asked her politely. "You have pretty eyes!" the little girl giggled merrily.
"E-eeve." Her voice was still youthful, and close up about everything about her seemed entirely awkward despite her height she was..well young. "Thank you." She was soon staring at the ground, feeling her cheeks burn. It was making fun of her! "I was jus-st wondering if you were in t-too."
Reaching out a gentle hand, Saito laid it on her shoulder gently. "Don't be so nervous." He said gently to her. "and if I was into what?" the silver haired Neko asked her calmly.
Reaching out a gentle hand, Saito laid it on her shoulder gently. "Don't be so nervous." He said gently to her. "And if I was in what?" the silver haired neko asked her calmly.
Kanako just watched her, tilting her orange-haired head cutely.
Eve's corresponding arm flinched badly forward, she had to repress the instant reaction to strike at the man. "Sor-ry!" She apoligized, assuming everyone would have known it wasn't just a muscle spasm of some kind. She had raised her eyes to about his calves, but was very stiff under Saito's hand. "The ah-...army."
Saito just perked a brow and withdrew his hand, seeing as the supposedly comforting gesture was taken wrong. He'd seen her flinch forward through skinvision in his forearm and shook his head. "Oh no no I'm a civilian." He said. "I'm just here with my daughter here and Yuriko-chan. My name's Saito, what's yours?"
"NS-S4-95 YSS Mik-..oh uh wait. Let me do that again! Yamazaki, Eve. 1X-321-666-42." She replied hollowly, not looking up. "Oh with your wife. I thought she was a Ketsurui..." The girl looked at Kanako, and as if not understanding still asked, "Where'd you buy her? I a-halways wanted one."
"It's nice to meet you Yamazaki-san." Saito said with a smile and shook his head. "Oh no I'm not married, Yuriko is the person I was hired to protect." he said and blinked. "Oh I didn't buy Kanako! she's my actual daughter, genetically." He said. Kanako smiled at her lightly and floated over closer to her and looked at her closely in an innocent way.
Eve leaned back, her eyes watching Kanako's movements while she spoke to Saito. "O-oh.." She went a little pale, the colour draining from her cheeks. She didn't know she should be embarrassed, just that he corrected her and didn't strike her so everything was probably okay. "I do better on ships- or until it exploded I did okay." The girl sounded sad for a moment, and took a long, slow sip of her chocolate milk to keep her mouth from going on worse. So I can make an NH-12...I get it.
She didn't.
"Oh I'm sorry to hear that." Saito said. Kanako pouted at how she looked sad and smiled again. "It's ok ms Eve...don't be sad."
Yuriko soon paid for her goods, which she carried in her arms as she exited. The Taii looked at Eve a moment before she lifted up her arm full of snacks and drinks. "I have your tea, and also a bag of Ajigonomi for you, spicy of course. Kanako, you have an ice cream sandwich bar."
"Ohh thank you Yuriko." Saito said, accepting it from her and blinked. "Yuriko, this is Yamazaki Eve." he said to introduce them. Kanako squealed and took the ice cream and settled on Yuriko's head to eat it happily.
Yuriko blinked, her eyes going up to Kanako before looking to Eve.
The young girl's tail twitched again, she bit her lip on whatever she was going to say and fell silent, trying to keep her attention on the strange little spritish girl floating about. ..can I do that too..? She asked the youngling with a thought, very unintentionally. A week before by her figuring she was a Geshrin or really, whatever her mother and father had made her. She bowed when introduced, placing one hand over the other. Happy to hide her eyes from whomever the important woman was.
Yuriko's own eyes were not heterochromatic, but a deep shade of violet almost the color of amythest. "A pleasure to meet you...ano...you wear the rank pin of the Fourth Standard Fleet?" She asked, having stopped midway through having seen the pin.
"Fourth War Fleet.." That's what they told her when she joined, anyway. "They don't wear these n-now I saw it." Eve swallowed at the trip in her speech, "Most of them..." Her voice became empty, "...died."
Yuriko nodded. "Such are the costs of war." She said before sighing. "May I ask why you wear such a pin?"
sure you can, you're a 29 right? Just will yourself to float. Kanako said knowingly to her.
"So I won't forget." She replied, reaching up to brush a thumb across the insignia. "I guess..I'm in the fleet they transferred us to. The Expeditionary-oh there's more than the bad and good one now- the...First?" She asked herself, then nodded plainly. Like the girl was acting out a play of her own thought process, things were still a jumble in her mind and it took getting used to. Her entire body winced when Kanako spoke to her, but it had her staring eeriely at Yuriko finally. That was better than the ground, right?
"The First Expeditionary Fleet?" Yuriko asked. "I a part of the first xf." She said kindly.
A few more pieces clicked for the girl and she looked like she was afraid to say something. "Really..? I'm glad to hear that, Ma'am."
"I command the YSS Asamoya, I'm Taii Kakutama Yuriko. A pleasure to meet you." Yuriko introduced herself with a small bow.
Yamazaki winced again, bowing lower after an inappropriately long pause. Oh..I'll try later She thought back to the 'daughter' NH-12. "That's a pretty name, Ma'am."
"It's ok, you'll get it one day." Kanako giggled to Eve lightly, still enjoying her ice cream on top of Yuriko's head.
"Thank you." Yuriko said with a soft smile. "Have they assigned you to a ship as of yet, or are you still awaiting orders from Personnel Management?"
Eve's cheeks finally flushed again, that was a sore spot. "Well..yes. They said they were ssh-ort on officers so I could finally get promoted with someone who would take me but..." She looked back up, shaking her head. It wasn't the nice woman's problem, or the Samurai's.
"Well what's your specialty?" Saito asked her politely.
"Uh, well I did a lot of things.." Eve replied, ducking her head a moment. "I was supposed to be on the bridge but my assignments ended up in power armours to get me experience, that's what-..that's what they told me anyway. I was on Tami last we-..er, years ago." The young woman corrected herself, bowing slightly.
Yuriko merely nodded as she listened. "The bridge you say?" She asked, looking at the girl with an analytical eye. "What would've been your assignment there, or what were you trained for if I may ask?"
"Pilot, operations, or stand in command..I don't think I ever got on the bridge though." She replied, breathing a little harder. There was something she wasn't saying and it was written all over her face, lying never was her strong suit. "At least not for real."
Yuriko merely arched an eyebrow at the girl as she stood there, looking her in the eyes.
Kanako studied her face a bit from where she was, a bit of the ice cream falling and landing on Yuriko's nose as she did.
Yuriko twitched her nose, and brought out a handkerchef, she wiped at her nose then. "Be careful with your ice cream little one." She said kindly.
Eve cleared her throat, "No one wants me on their bridge. They said I was too young, but most of them were younger than me. I even got this..body and everything." The frustration she'd been enduring the last week had shown, she wasn't used to the gauntlet of officers all telling her the same thing. "They didn't care what I did at Tami."
"Well why not give her a chance?" Saito suggested to Yuriko, whispering to her for a moment.
Yuriko's ear twitched as Saito whispered into it. She pursed her lips as she called up Eve's personnel file. She was in need of another pilot, after Koharu departed. "Age is but a number. One's actions should be a major factor, but it would seem that is not the case in most instances."
The girl stared at the ground, hurriedly rubbing at her eyes. "I learned the new specs, it wasn't so hard with a mind like this." When she looked back up they were red, and a little moist but she'd maintained herself. Smiling nervously, "I wish you had been on the link to tell the others that, ma'am."
Yuriko surveyed the girl's personnel file, had taken note of the girl's accomplishment's, and her decidedly young age. She thought about this a moment before closing the file. "Well then, I am in need of a capable pilot, and member of my bridge crew. If you wish to join my vessel you may do so."
"Me..?" Eve pointed to herself dumbly, her tail begin batting a little. "Uh-, well..yes if you're sure ma'am." She finally smiled, it was strange like it didn't suit her. "I've felt so..strange with nothing to do for so long." So long, a week?
"In addition," Yuriko said soon after the girl quieted herself. "I will promote you to the rank of Shoi Kohosei due to your extensive records, and impeccable skills."
Yamazaki bowed as low as she could, spilling some of her milk on the ground. "Thank you ma'am!" Her heart beat a little faster in disbelief, and she waited to raise for a long moment. "I uh-I'll just-where should I report when my uniforms come in..?"
"I am currently awaiting permission to enter Nepleslian space, so we are stuck on Yamatai until then. However, my vessel will suffice." Yuriko told the girl. "You must familiarize yourself with the Asamoya, she is one of a kind."
“I'll go and see if they've come yet, then I need new things umn-it won't take me long I don't have any of my own things." Eve was excited, bursting and not noticing that her tail had unfurled from around her waist and was flicking at the tip. "Is there anywhere off limits when I get there? I'll do my best I promise!"
“The Asamoya has some experimental systems, but our MEGAMI will warn you if you should go near any off limit areas. Also, you do not have anything of your own dear?" Yuriko asked the girl, blinking.
"Uuuhhhhhhhh...." Eve looked down at herself, then at her new CO. "...I have this." Then she touched her outdated rank pin, "And this."
"Your new uniforms are on the way yes? And I will have a rank pin for you soon enough. Now, since you will be an officer, you will have officer's quarters. They are spacious, and quite comfy I am told from my previous pilot. If you wish, I can purchase somethings for you for your room. As a welcoming gift." She offered.
Eve rubbed at her cheek, willing the strange feeling there to go away then looked between Yuriko and Saito. "You'd really do that? I'll be careful not to break it! Ah..-uh. Yes please then.." Her voice cracked halfway into silence, and she put both arms at her side to fix her tail again. "I'm sure my uniforms came today. That's what the 'net said."
Saito and Kanako smiled to her and nodded. "Congratulations." Saito said to Eve. "And yeah, every deserves a chance to do what they're best at."
"Well then, did you have any place in particular you wished to shop at?" Yuriko asked Eve.
“No..I wouldn't really know where to go, ma'am." Eve admitted, bowing to Saito and his daughter to thank them for their congratulations. She was hoping that her commanding officer would know what to do, since she had been kind enough to offer her a posting.
"Well, I hear there is a small business that has some bed items." Yuriko said. "Star Pillows it is called I believe." The Taii added.
Down the road was a place with what looked to be a 6-7 year old girl playing outside the place, pushing a sign back and forth saying just that.
"Well, it would seem the place is just down the street." Yuriko said, a hand above her eyes as she peered down that way.
“Whatever might be best." Eve replied, hoping that answer would get her out of anymore questions. She had finished her milk, and turned to throw it into a recycling bin. It didn't hit the side, just fell into the center with the dull noise of hitting another plastic bottle inside.
Yuriko did just that after tossing the empty bottle in the same bin Eve dropped hers. The Taii then began walking towards the store.
The Asamoya's new pilot walked with her, letting Saito take the other side. "So..there are no more Mishhu anymore?" She asked, wondering if they knew better than she did about the state of the war that was fresh in her mind.
Yuriko felt someone patting her on the head, and turned around to find it was her mother, Yue. "Ano...mother, why are you here?" She asked. "What, I wanted to get out and have some fun, spotted you, and figured I'd come along for a bit." Yue said with a little shrug. Yuriko returned it before she spotted the little girl. Once they arrived, the Taii smiled at the girl. "Hello there little one, and what is your name?" She asked kindly, she did after all adore children.
My name's Yuriko!" She chirped and smiled at them. "Are you looking for something in specific? We have everything you could want for your beds and couches." she smiled and waved them in. Inside was a biiig floor space with various comfy looking beds, all things like that and even a plushie rack near the back with all sorts of little things in it. On one of them was an older looking man with long wild brown hair with a muscled barrel chest, something in his hair twitching as they came in.
Saito smiled at Yue as Kanako eeped at her hand, having finished her cone. "who're you?" the little youngling asked, surprised.
"I'm the mother of the person who's head you're sitting on." Yue told Kanako before eying the interior of the shop. Yuriko just smiled at the girl as she was shone inside. "Anything spring to mind you may want Eve?"
"Welcome." Ritsu said, slowly sitting up from where he was, rubbing a golden colored eye. He was an old vet from the original YSS Yui, having long sense retired. Sitting on the counter off to their left was a little boy with black hair and dog ears on his head twitching idly as he watched them with aggressive blue eyes.
Eve looked around, quiet as a mute while the others chatted on. She impassively looked around, to see if anything would catch her eyes between the other. "Umn, I guess not really ma'am. I don't know what to get." She put her hand down on a bedspread, pushing a little against the top of it.
Eve would almost instantly feel hos soft it was and could easily sink down a bit as it reacted with her body weight.
Kanako smiled at Yue and floated up looking her over. "I'm Kanako." she smiled
Yue however had caught sight of the boy, and looked dead at him. His aggressive stare locked with the enigmatic one of Yue's from behind her rose tinted sunglasses. "I'm Yue, dear." She told the youngling, not taking her eyes off of the boy.
Rath perked his ears forward a bit then flattened them, growling cutely at her.
Yue growled back, her own more imposing.
"Rath, stop that." Ritsu said in a rolling, veiled threat, making the boy back off. "Hmph." He said, crossing his arms. "Forgive him miss, he's always been like that, feel free to look around. If you find anything please let me know"
The strange girl wandered to the next bedding, and pressed down with both hands, gasping in surprise at it's response. Beds simply didn't feel like that! "What's..what's IN this? It must be really expensive.." Eve announced, talking to herself more than anything. "Uh-huh..?" She looked at Ritsu. "..yeah."
Yue took her sunglasses off, giving the boy a good long look into her blood red eyes, they'd seem feral, the eyes of a berserker. "Not a problem sir." She told Rath.
Rath seemed totally unintimidated by her, feeling confident being at home. He just sat so Yue wouldn't see his tail swishing back and forth in a relaxed way.
"Ano...who is the little boy?" Yuriko asked the small girl, leaning down to whisper in her ear. "He seems quite grumpy."
Yuriko giggled. "That's my twin brother, he has more demon blood than I do."
Eve's tail pointed straight back when she tripped at the edge of a bed, and fell face first into the fluff with an amusing, if attention drawing noise. "Nhhfhhffff!" She called, the violet waving back and forth until she could roll onto her back. "This feels funny.." She decided, panting lightly.
Yue just eyed him like a cat would a delicate morsel, before smirking, and looking away. "The boy has balls." She told Ritsu. "I see...my mother is a ano...demon blood?" Yuriko asked the girl curiously.
Ritsu chuckled, shrugging a bit. "He's always had slight aggression problems. though it makes for amusing times when he tries to attack holo projections." he said, making the boy huff and turn away. His eye still following Eve. "that's our new material for bedding, meant to provide maximum support and pressure point relief."
The girl smiled.
All of a sudden tentacles would wrap around Rath, and dragged him into Yue's waiting arms. He would be facing out, and then feel knuckles dig into his head, giving him a noogie. "Mean little pup aren't you?" She asked him as she continued. "Oh dear..."Yuriko said as she eyed her mother. "Mother is a berserker...and well they are usually gruff...seems she's taken a liking to your brother. "
Rath acked and acrobatically avoided the first couple his tail swishing madly. "lemme go dammit!" he growled and acked. "Gyaaaah stop that!"
Yuriko chuckled lightly. "Daddy's a berserker too." she said.
Sounds of protest would come from outside, a girl's voice grumbling, and a woman's cooing at the other voice. Soon Remi appeared with Yuriko's oldest daughter, Tai, still in her white and gold kimono with the red cherry blossoms printed on it. The girl huffed, grumbling darkly as she was scooted into the shop. Yue cackled and did it again before letting him go, and swatting him on the rump.
Eve sat straight up, shifting her eyes to the commotion. "Oh.." She said, putting her hands on her thighs. There was a slow crushing feeling inside of her, like she wasn't meant to see any of it for some reason. "Maybe..I should go check on those uniforms." She murmured to no one in particular, rubbing the material with her hips by swaying very lightly.
Yuriko then looked to Eve, smiling as she let the others go about their business. "They will be fine dear, come, let us pick out your bedding." She said, as she moved over to the girl.
Rath turned around in an instanta nd tackled Yue to teh ground with a forceful shoulder attack. "payback!" he smirked and grabbed Yue in a headlock and noogied her back.
"Hello." his sister said to Remi and Tai.
“Are you sure? I can just..uh-..hhnmn. Come back. Yes, come back." Eve slid from the bed, smoothing out her skirt with a few bats at the fabric. "Anyway I'm not sure what I want."
Tai just crossed her arms, looked away muttering about Remi. "Hello dear, we're with them." Remi said, pointing to Yue and the others. Yue however was now in a headlock. The woman grinned darkly. "Boy, you just screwed yourself." Yue said.
"You're fine dear, no need to be shy. After all, we will be seeing a lot of each other now." Yuriko told Eve before looking to Ritsu, and ignoring her mother. "Excuse me sir, could you help us?"
Rath blinked surprisingly innocently at her but poked her chest firmly. "impossible, my anatomy isnt' THAT big." He grinned. Ritsu glanced over at Yuriko. "Yes? whatcha need?" he asked.
The same tentacles as before snagged the boy, dangling him upside down now, Yue smirking, a fang showing as her eyes gleemed. "Young'un, that's if I let you keep it." She chided as Tai walked over, looking at Yue with a dour expression. "Grandmother, act your age." Tai said looking at Rath before sniffing. The girl was only about two and a half feet tall, her white and violet hair cut short. Like a boys. "Something for the young lady here, she cannot decide. Perhaps you could suggest something?" Yuriko asked.
Ritsu looked at her for a moment. "Well it depends what she prefer, firm or soft or really soft." He said. Rath squirmed and slashed at the tentacles with the claws on his fingers, not seeming afraid of the threat. But when Tai said something and got their attention, his black ears perked up again directed at her, probably looking cute, in a moment, the boy flushed dark and looked away.
Eve shrugged, looking up at Yuriko. There was no way she really could tell, after all. Normal was a standard issue bunk to the girl, she had an idea the softer material was..everything that they sold. The altercation that was erupting was still unsettling, she stayed only at the commander's assurance.
Too bad for Rath the tentacles were coated in iron. They gleamed dully. Yue looked down at Tai and snorted. "Girl, I've been dead for three years, I think I've earned some time to act this way." Tai sniffed again, looking Yue dead in the eyes. "You act like Rikun."She said flatly, knowing it was a low blow. Yue mean while went slack mouthed.
"The bed is queen sized..." Yuriko told Ritsu before looking to Eve. "Would you prefer something soft, or silky, or both?"
Rath hung there and snickered a bit at Yue, still blushing a bit himself.
Yue grumbled. "You really are that samurai's kid. Too bad whether you like it or not you have a little bit of me in you too." She said, smirking as she turned her attention to Rath. "Careful there boy, all the blood will rush to that head of yours, and is. Blushing huh?" She asked smugly. Tai just snorted.
"...both?" Eve replied, giving Yuriko a 'how should I know?' look.
Saito snickered lightly from outside. Rath squirmed a bit and did a sit up and held it for a few moments to keep the blood from rushing to his head too much. "What? I got a great view hanging upside down like that." He said, not wanting to say he though Tai was cute as that'd probably provoke Yue more.
Ritsu smirked a bit. "She can have that soft mattress and then pick out her own sheets and blankets as well as pillows." He said and brought over a few samples of material ranging from synthetic cotton to pure silk.
Yuriko looked to Eve. "Well, see if it is to your liking." She told the girl.
Yue gave Rath a predatory look. "Ya started blushing when my granddaughter came in runt. You're sweet on her aren't you?" She teased.
Rath's eye twitched and he crossed his arms. "You're too young to be a grandmother." He pointed out. "And what's wrong with me thinking she's cute." He asked in a defiant tone to Yue.
The Midshipman begin to brush her hands over each of the samples, sometimes holding one up to rub against her cheek. "This is nice." She motioned to the silk, "But thin and it might make you sweaty I don't know really.."
Yue pointed at Yuriko. "That's my daughter she's proof." She said before chuckling at Rath. "Her other mother, not my daughter is highly protective of her daughters. Last guy who pissed her off so I hear she gutted like a fish."
Yuriko patted Eve softly on the back. "Well Eve, you will have to get used to making decisions, you're an officer in training now." She said smiling softly.
Ritsu smiled at her. "silk's actually quite breathable and light so I doubt that." He said to Eve, glad to see she was enjoying how it felt. Rath crossed his arms swishing his furry tail. "I'm not a fish though so I'm not worried." he said. "But either way I'd never do that to a girl, it's just wrong."
"I don't..somehow think this is the same. Unless the crew will die on my fabric choices." Eve replied, freezing when she realized how flip she had been. "Ah-I'm sorry! This is ff-ine!" She pushed together a few samples, then picked one. A mostly silk blend, something that was designed to be all perks and no drawbacks.
Yuriko just laughed. "It is fine, no need to be so nervous, take your time, choose what you like, what makes you happy."
"Oh she'd likely skin you alive." Yue smirked. Tai just rolled her eyes. "If mother tried that I'd never forgive her." She said darkly.
Rath looked at her with defiant blue eyes still. "Can you let me go...I'm starting to feel light headed..." He whined a bit.
"Say please." Yue said. Tai looked at her grandmother darkly. "Oh all right." Yue sighed, turned the boy up right, and put him on the floor, her tentacles returning.
“Thank you." he said and stumbled a bit. Ritsu watched eve poking at the fabrics and paddings. "most of this stuff is actually handmade."
I don't know what that's supposed to mean. Eve thought with a frown, wringing her hands on the tail around her waist. She wanted it to be over, it wasn't decisions that bothered her just how she had so openly been snarky to the only officer in the fleet willing to give her anything close to a chance. She poked at the display, working between fabric samples and the little form. "I don't know what to do for colours." Finally the nerve was there to look back at the Asamoya's CO. "Would you help?"
Tai just rolled her eyes at Yue before walking past Rath, and towards her mother. Yuriko nodded. "Well, do you have a favorite color Eve?" She asked.
Saito, outside smirked at Yue and chuckled a bit; finding it amusing. "Having fun with the children?" He asked. Yue just snorted at Saito.
"Yeah I love you too Yue-sama." Saito sniggered a bit to her, teasing somewhat.
"Not really." Eve said glumly, never having been comfortable with the colour of her eyes, blue and green of any kind had struck out. More feminine colours had never entered into her life from bland, colorless or grey starbases to the camp, to another ship. "Well that looks neat." She pointed at Yuriko's eye, and kept pointing. "But I don't know really."
"Purple?" Ritsu asked and produced a bit of purple, refined silk for her to feel on her skin.
Yuriko blinked. "Violet?" She asked. "My eyes are violet dear."
"Violet, right I know but.." She pressed her fingers to the fabric. "That's not really the right colour, is it?" She made as if to grab her tail, to say, "Right like this!" But thought better of it after she felt the length, recalling the attention it drew and the children at the store who had pulled on it earlier.
Yuriko looked at it, and then to Ritsu. "Do you have anything in that shade?"
“Let me go check in the back." he said and headed off, whistling a bit as he checked.
Eve didn't think anyone would realize her bed was the colour of her commander's eyes, but it seemed like the safest thing for her to say. And...well they were kind of pretty. "Sorry it's such a trouble."
"It is quite alright." Yuriko told the girl. "Besides, your room will look lovely."
"I don't really know how to decorate." Yamazaki sighed, scratching at the side of her neck. She tried to think of the biggest room she could, and her sleeping in a bed that seemed small compared to it. Already downloading the specs she was cleared for on the Asamoya, she got a better idea for where the woman was talking about.
Ritsu soon returned, and said they did have the color in stock. Yuriko nodded at this. "Eve, would you like a full bedset? Blankets, sheets, pillows?" She listed these things off one by one.
"Okay." The Nekovalkryja nodded, she would probably agree to anything Yuriko suggested. There was no reason not to for the time being, and she did just happen to be smiling very slightly as she saw the stock Ritsu had retrieved.
Ritsu soon left to retrieve the nessesary things, leaving Yuriko there with Eve. "Enjoying yourself?" She asked kindly.
"What's that for?" She asked without answering, pointing at one of the racks she spied when they came in. "Ah-, uuun, yes ma'am. But I feel better not having to call and beg another commander too."
"I believe those are plushies on the rack." Yuriko told Eve as she examined it. "Well, I want you to feel at ease around me Eve, I won't bite." She smiled. "Besides, I think you will enjoy the Asamoya."
"Oh." Eve replied, eyeing them for a moment, "I bite, but only if I don't have knives left and they're not in armour. It worked on my instructor once but they got mad at me later." The girl obviously wasn't the most appropriate storyteller. "Really? Well, I like the shape..like a...razory. Razor..flower." Looking at the fabric she murmured, "That sounded prettier when I thought of it."
Yuriko just chuckled. "I once disobeyed an order from Taisho Irim and came out alive, and still with all my limbs attached. I had been ordered to hand over a ship and her crew immediately, I did not, and in the end convinced her it would be better not to use her standard tactics. The crew is now safely on Jiyuu, and the ship I believe is still in SAINT custody." Yuriko sighed a little as she sat on the bed. "Asamoya is a beautiful ship, and her name means 'Morning Mist'. I got to choose."
"I hope I'll just add to that luck, then." Eve replied, wondering how the crew would take her. Her commander seemed positive about it, and she owed the woman the benefit of the doubt. She was trying to impress her still, after all. Just like she had with Bowman..he was dead probably, she didn't have the heart to check who had made it off the assignment she had died on. If they sent her a ribbon for it the junior officer knew she wouldn't wear it, how shameful was it?
"I have faith that you will do just that, and become a fine officer." Yuriko said as Ritsu returned. He then moved over to the register. "Is there anything else you want Eve? A plushie perhaps?" She asked.
"P-...pick one for me." The girl mumbled, going in just that bold personal tenant Yuriko had been prodding at her about since they met. For the first time ever, Eve was looking forward to settling into her quarters, before it was just where she went when there was nothing else to do, or she had to, had to sleep.
Yuriko smiled, and walked over to the rack. The Taii surveyed what she saw, and finally picked something out. She then came back to Eve, holding a cute bunny plushie, pink in color, with a little flower sewn right by one floppy ear. "Will this do?" She asked, holding it out for her.
Eve looked around for the CO's family, then nodded rapidly at Yuriko, a little more of a smile coaxed to the edges of her lips. She wasn't like Bowman, that much she knew. It didn't look like a really bad thing either, and something about the bunny made her happy. "It's just that, right?" The weird girl thought to herself.
"Do you like it?" Yuriko asked.
"Yes..." The midshipmen replied with a hint of suspicion in her voice at first, "Would you get that for me?" Trying to keep her eyes from going back to the bunny. Her cheeks felt warm again, burning a little for some reason. "I'll have to visit the doctor when I get on board maybe I'm sick from changing bodies." She thought.
Yuriko just smiled. "Are you blushing?" The Taii asked as she handed Eve the bunny, and moved to the counter to pay. She swiped her money card through a reader, and soon had the bags in her hands. "Well then, ready to go?"
"Am I what? No-...I thought I was smiling." The new crew member replied, tucking the Bunny under her left arm so she could poke at the edge of her lips. "Right?" Not understanding that really, she knew the word 'blush' but that was about it it seemed. It was better that way, so the Samurai didn't see her carrying around her new prize. "I'm ready if you're sure nothing's wrong with me?"
"Blushing is normal." Yuriko told her. "We typically do so in moments of heightened emotion." She said before walking out the door. “Now, let us see you to your quarters." Yuriko added.
<END
Eve sighed as she brushed her fingers along a bottle of chocolate milk. She didn't recognize any of the labels as her favourite brand and the patrons at the store seemed to flow around her, except small children who would pull at the thing her mother had either been crazy to put on her, or cared in the strange way the young soldier never understood. Her uniforms were still on the way, and she had protested profusely how the length of a tail would be any more use in combat but, She just laughed again..
Wearing a skirt brushing her knees and a pale green spaghetti top, something had kept her from discarding the old rank of the 4th War Fleet, it's scythe pinned in a gold blossom to her breast. Her hair had been let out a bit longer (and was just violet with one blue jagged streak over her bangs), but the more disturbing thing to her was the Neko ears. No, she wasn't used to them, what Geshrin should be and being able to hear so much was troublesome. And after all that, mom didn't even change my eyes. She thought, taking a bottle at random and finally closing the bank of refrigerators.
Yuriko, having left Midori to think on what she had told her of the rescue mission left her home. The Taii wished to get out, and enjoy being home, even if only for a few short hours. After all, this was the first time she'd been home in months, not since she had gone to the Empress' Palace and spoke to the then Emperor Uesu himself. Yuriko nudged Saito slightly as they continued down the street. "Do you not see anything you wish to buy? My treat."
Saito blinked a bit as he walked along, having hooked up with Yuriko after happily seeing Michiko at the temple. "No, not particularly, I don't see anything I'd really want and I'm not really too apt at shopping." He chuckled a bit and walked with her with little Kanako on his shoulder. "Where are yours by the way?"
"Mother scared Rikun straight again, Naora is asleep, Yuichi reading, and Tai said she'd rather commit seppuku then come out of the house wearing a kimono." Yuriko sighed a little, she herself was wearing one of a light sky blue. "I had to guilt her into wearing one in the house..."
Yamazaki had finished paying with her KS card, wiped down save a little extra her mother had given her, she was dead for too long. The girl her tail around her hips and the band of her skirt, determined not to get any more attention from simply existing than she did years before. She remembered nothing about going to the galactic frontier. Sipping at the chocolate milk the girl prodigy lingered by the exit of the store, bowing when she spotted Saito- at a distance anyway. Others were doing it and she had never met any samurai to know they were all female by a rule.
Yuriko stopped just outside of the store, and looked to Saito. "Saito-kun, I'm feeling a little parched. I've been dealing with Taishos, the Empress, and now the Nepleslian government all day; frankly I haven't had time to eat or drink anything. That and keeping my children in line. So I think I will duck in here and get something, would you care for anything?" She asked her bodyguard politely. "Or would you like something little one?" She asked Kanako.
Saito blinked when he saw Yamazaki bowing to him as well as the others and looked around and rubbed the back of his head, looking embarrassed. He glanced to Yuriko and nodded. "Sure I wouldn't mind a little mint iced tea if they have it." he said. Little Kanako bounced up and smiled down at her and nodded happily. "I want ice cream!" she giggled.
"Alright then, I'll be back in a moment" Yuriko told them both. The Taii then moved smoothly towards the shop entrance, her kimono not hindering her as she walked right past Yamazaki, and into the interior of the shop.
Saito had noticed the others around and sighed. "alright people you don't have to bow, come on now. It's embarrassing." He said to the people that were still doing it. Kanako floated from her roost in his hair and sat on his shoulder and giggled. "You're popular 'tou-san.."
Eve watched Saito warily, then the woman as she passed through the doors. Maybe she was the one he was protecting, Why didn't I ever get a dress..? She thought plainly, raising her eyes without thinking to glance between the pair, then over her shoulder at Yuriko, the tip of her tail twitching restlessly against her side. He did look like a solider, maybe he could answer her questions. The girl was in no hurry to go back home to feel like another one of Alaena's experiments.
"Hiii!" Kanako waved after noticing the girl looking over at them in that almost discreet fashion. The little youngling was always glad to greet new people and had spotted her repeatedly glancing over and the small twitch around her waist.
Yuriko walked over to a case, peered at the contents before opening the glass door. She reached inside, and pulled out a bottle of mint tea, and then a juice for herself. She then managed to find a small bar of ice cream, and even a small cake for herself. She seemed torn on what else to get Saito at the moment.
Yamazaki looked down and took a drink of her milk, her cheeks pinking slightly at being spotted by what she thought was an NH-12. I wonder if they still sell those. The girl thought, finding her feet taking her over towards Saito. She bumped into someone without noticing, a standard NH-29 and bowed in apology before tugging at her skirt and walking out to the pair. It was easy to see that something was wrong when she lifted her eyes to the pair, the right one held a sapphire, the other an emerald tint just in varying shades. The tail, though. She thought she had hidden it very well. "Uh..hi." She paused, looking at Saito from Kanako, "...ssssir?"
Saito smiled a bit seeing her heterochromatic eyes and nodded to her. "Hello there." He said as Kanako giggled, sitting on his shoulder kicking her little feet. "I saw you glancing over this way. Can I help you with something Ms?" he asked her politely. "You have pretty eyes!" the little girl giggled merrily.
"E-eeve." Her voice was still youthful, and close up about everything about her seemed entirely awkward despite her height she was..well young. "Thank you." She was soon staring at the ground, feeling her cheeks burn. It was making fun of her! "I was jus-st wondering if you were in t-too."
Reaching out a gentle hand, Saito laid it on her shoulder gently. "Don't be so nervous." He said gently to her. "and if I was into what?" the silver haired Neko asked her calmly.
Reaching out a gentle hand, Saito laid it on her shoulder gently. "Don't be so nervous." He said gently to her. "And if I was in what?" the silver haired neko asked her calmly.
Kanako just watched her, tilting her orange-haired head cutely.
Eve's corresponding arm flinched badly forward, she had to repress the instant reaction to strike at the man. "Sor-ry!" She apoligized, assuming everyone would have known it wasn't just a muscle spasm of some kind. She had raised her eyes to about his calves, but was very stiff under Saito's hand. "The ah-...army."
Saito just perked a brow and withdrew his hand, seeing as the supposedly comforting gesture was taken wrong. He'd seen her flinch forward through skinvision in his forearm and shook his head. "Oh no no I'm a civilian." He said. "I'm just here with my daughter here and Yuriko-chan. My name's Saito, what's yours?"
"NS-S4-95 YSS Mik-..oh uh wait. Let me do that again! Yamazaki, Eve. 1X-321-666-42." She replied hollowly, not looking up. "Oh with your wife. I thought she was a Ketsurui..." The girl looked at Kanako, and as if not understanding still asked, "Where'd you buy her? I a-halways wanted one."
"It's nice to meet you Yamazaki-san." Saito said with a smile and shook his head. "Oh no I'm not married, Yuriko is the person I was hired to protect." he said and blinked. "Oh I didn't buy Kanako! she's my actual daughter, genetically." He said. Kanako smiled at her lightly and floated over closer to her and looked at her closely in an innocent way.
Eve leaned back, her eyes watching Kanako's movements while she spoke to Saito. "O-oh.." She went a little pale, the colour draining from her cheeks. She didn't know she should be embarrassed, just that he corrected her and didn't strike her so everything was probably okay. "I do better on ships- or until it exploded I did okay." The girl sounded sad for a moment, and took a long, slow sip of her chocolate milk to keep her mouth from going on worse. So I can make an NH-12...I get it.
She didn't.
"Oh I'm sorry to hear that." Saito said. Kanako pouted at how she looked sad and smiled again. "It's ok ms Eve...don't be sad."
Yuriko soon paid for her goods, which she carried in her arms as she exited. The Taii looked at Eve a moment before she lifted up her arm full of snacks and drinks. "I have your tea, and also a bag of Ajigonomi for you, spicy of course. Kanako, you have an ice cream sandwich bar."
"Ohh thank you Yuriko." Saito said, accepting it from her and blinked. "Yuriko, this is Yamazaki Eve." he said to introduce them. Kanako squealed and took the ice cream and settled on Yuriko's head to eat it happily.
Yuriko blinked, her eyes going up to Kanako before looking to Eve.
The young girl's tail twitched again, she bit her lip on whatever she was going to say and fell silent, trying to keep her attention on the strange little spritish girl floating about. ..can I do that too..? She asked the youngling with a thought, very unintentionally. A week before by her figuring she was a Geshrin or really, whatever her mother and father had made her. She bowed when introduced, placing one hand over the other. Happy to hide her eyes from whomever the important woman was.
Yuriko's own eyes were not heterochromatic, but a deep shade of violet almost the color of amythest. "A pleasure to meet you...ano...you wear the rank pin of the Fourth Standard Fleet?" She asked, having stopped midway through having seen the pin.
"Fourth War Fleet.." That's what they told her when she joined, anyway. "They don't wear these n-now I saw it." Eve swallowed at the trip in her speech, "Most of them..." Her voice became empty, "...died."
Yuriko nodded. "Such are the costs of war." She said before sighing. "May I ask why you wear such a pin?"
sure you can, you're a 29 right? Just will yourself to float. Kanako said knowingly to her.
"So I won't forget." She replied, reaching up to brush a thumb across the insignia. "I guess..I'm in the fleet they transferred us to. The Expeditionary-oh there's more than the bad and good one now- the...First?" She asked herself, then nodded plainly. Like the girl was acting out a play of her own thought process, things were still a jumble in her mind and it took getting used to. Her entire body winced when Kanako spoke to her, but it had her staring eeriely at Yuriko finally. That was better than the ground, right?
"The First Expeditionary Fleet?" Yuriko asked. "I a part of the first xf." She said kindly.
A few more pieces clicked for the girl and she looked like she was afraid to say something. "Really..? I'm glad to hear that, Ma'am."
"I command the YSS Asamoya, I'm Taii Kakutama Yuriko. A pleasure to meet you." Yuriko introduced herself with a small bow.
Yamazaki winced again, bowing lower after an inappropriately long pause. Oh..I'll try later She thought back to the 'daughter' NH-12. "That's a pretty name, Ma'am."
"It's ok, you'll get it one day." Kanako giggled to Eve lightly, still enjoying her ice cream on top of Yuriko's head.
"Thank you." Yuriko said with a soft smile. "Have they assigned you to a ship as of yet, or are you still awaiting orders from Personnel Management?"
Eve's cheeks finally flushed again, that was a sore spot. "Well..yes. They said they were ssh-ort on officers so I could finally get promoted with someone who would take me but..." She looked back up, shaking her head. It wasn't the nice woman's problem, or the Samurai's.
"Well what's your specialty?" Saito asked her politely.
"Uh, well I did a lot of things.." Eve replied, ducking her head a moment. "I was supposed to be on the bridge but my assignments ended up in power armours to get me experience, that's what-..that's what they told me anyway. I was on Tami last we-..er, years ago." The young woman corrected herself, bowing slightly.
Yuriko merely nodded as she listened. "The bridge you say?" She asked, looking at the girl with an analytical eye. "What would've been your assignment there, or what were you trained for if I may ask?"
"Pilot, operations, or stand in command..I don't think I ever got on the bridge though." She replied, breathing a little harder. There was something she wasn't saying and it was written all over her face, lying never was her strong suit. "At least not for real."
Yuriko merely arched an eyebrow at the girl as she stood there, looking her in the eyes.
Kanako studied her face a bit from where she was, a bit of the ice cream falling and landing on Yuriko's nose as she did.
Yuriko twitched her nose, and brought out a handkerchef, she wiped at her nose then. "Be careful with your ice cream little one." She said kindly.
Eve cleared her throat, "No one wants me on their bridge. They said I was too young, but most of them were younger than me. I even got this..body and everything." The frustration she'd been enduring the last week had shown, she wasn't used to the gauntlet of officers all telling her the same thing. "They didn't care what I did at Tami."
"Well why not give her a chance?" Saito suggested to Yuriko, whispering to her for a moment.
Yuriko's ear twitched as Saito whispered into it. She pursed her lips as she called up Eve's personnel file. She was in need of another pilot, after Koharu departed. "Age is but a number. One's actions should be a major factor, but it would seem that is not the case in most instances."
The girl stared at the ground, hurriedly rubbing at her eyes. "I learned the new specs, it wasn't so hard with a mind like this." When she looked back up they were red, and a little moist but she'd maintained herself. Smiling nervously, "I wish you had been on the link to tell the others that, ma'am."
Yuriko surveyed the girl's personnel file, had taken note of the girl's accomplishment's, and her decidedly young age. She thought about this a moment before closing the file. "Well then, I am in need of a capable pilot, and member of my bridge crew. If you wish to join my vessel you may do so."
"Me..?" Eve pointed to herself dumbly, her tail begin batting a little. "Uh-, well..yes if you're sure ma'am." She finally smiled, it was strange like it didn't suit her. "I've felt so..strange with nothing to do for so long." So long, a week?
"In addition," Yuriko said soon after the girl quieted herself. "I will promote you to the rank of Shoi Kohosei due to your extensive records, and impeccable skills."
Yamazaki bowed as low as she could, spilling some of her milk on the ground. "Thank you ma'am!" Her heart beat a little faster in disbelief, and she waited to raise for a long moment. "I uh-I'll just-where should I report when my uniforms come in..?"
"I am currently awaiting permission to enter Nepleslian space, so we are stuck on Yamatai until then. However, my vessel will suffice." Yuriko told the girl. "You must familiarize yourself with the Asamoya, she is one of a kind."
“I'll go and see if they've come yet, then I need new things umn-it won't take me long I don't have any of my own things." Eve was excited, bursting and not noticing that her tail had unfurled from around her waist and was flicking at the tip. "Is there anywhere off limits when I get there? I'll do my best I promise!"
“The Asamoya has some experimental systems, but our MEGAMI will warn you if you should go near any off limit areas. Also, you do not have anything of your own dear?" Yuriko asked the girl, blinking.
"Uuuhhhhhhhh...." Eve looked down at herself, then at her new CO. "...I have this." Then she touched her outdated rank pin, "And this."
"Your new uniforms are on the way yes? And I will have a rank pin for you soon enough. Now, since you will be an officer, you will have officer's quarters. They are spacious, and quite comfy I am told from my previous pilot. If you wish, I can purchase somethings for you for your room. As a welcoming gift." She offered.
Eve rubbed at her cheek, willing the strange feeling there to go away then looked between Yuriko and Saito. "You'd really do that? I'll be careful not to break it! Ah..-uh. Yes please then.." Her voice cracked halfway into silence, and she put both arms at her side to fix her tail again. "I'm sure my uniforms came today. That's what the 'net said."
Saito and Kanako smiled to her and nodded. "Congratulations." Saito said to Eve. "And yeah, every deserves a chance to do what they're best at."
"Well then, did you have any place in particular you wished to shop at?" Yuriko asked Eve.
“No..I wouldn't really know where to go, ma'am." Eve admitted, bowing to Saito and his daughter to thank them for their congratulations. She was hoping that her commanding officer would know what to do, since she had been kind enough to offer her a posting.
"Well, I hear there is a small business that has some bed items." Yuriko said. "Star Pillows it is called I believe." The Taii added.
Down the road was a place with what looked to be a 6-7 year old girl playing outside the place, pushing a sign back and forth saying just that.
"Well, it would seem the place is just down the street." Yuriko said, a hand above her eyes as she peered down that way.
“Whatever might be best." Eve replied, hoping that answer would get her out of anymore questions. She had finished her milk, and turned to throw it into a recycling bin. It didn't hit the side, just fell into the center with the dull noise of hitting another plastic bottle inside.
Yuriko did just that after tossing the empty bottle in the same bin Eve dropped hers. The Taii then began walking towards the store.
The Asamoya's new pilot walked with her, letting Saito take the other side. "So..there are no more Mishhu anymore?" She asked, wondering if they knew better than she did about the state of the war that was fresh in her mind.
Yuriko felt someone patting her on the head, and turned around to find it was her mother, Yue. "Ano...mother, why are you here?" She asked. "What, I wanted to get out and have some fun, spotted you, and figured I'd come along for a bit." Yue said with a little shrug. Yuriko returned it before she spotted the little girl. Once they arrived, the Taii smiled at the girl. "Hello there little one, and what is your name?" She asked kindly, she did after all adore children.
My name's Yuriko!" She chirped and smiled at them. "Are you looking for something in specific? We have everything you could want for your beds and couches." she smiled and waved them in. Inside was a biiig floor space with various comfy looking beds, all things like that and even a plushie rack near the back with all sorts of little things in it. On one of them was an older looking man with long wild brown hair with a muscled barrel chest, something in his hair twitching as they came in.
Saito smiled at Yue as Kanako eeped at her hand, having finished her cone. "who're you?" the little youngling asked, surprised.
"I'm the mother of the person who's head you're sitting on." Yue told Kanako before eying the interior of the shop. Yuriko just smiled at the girl as she was shone inside. "Anything spring to mind you may want Eve?"
"Welcome." Ritsu said, slowly sitting up from where he was, rubbing a golden colored eye. He was an old vet from the original YSS Yui, having long sense retired. Sitting on the counter off to their left was a little boy with black hair and dog ears on his head twitching idly as he watched them with aggressive blue eyes.
Eve looked around, quiet as a mute while the others chatted on. She impassively looked around, to see if anything would catch her eyes between the other. "Umn, I guess not really ma'am. I don't know what to get." She put her hand down on a bedspread, pushing a little against the top of it.
Eve would almost instantly feel hos soft it was and could easily sink down a bit as it reacted with her body weight.
Kanako smiled at Yue and floated up looking her over. "I'm Kanako." she smiled
Yue however had caught sight of the boy, and looked dead at him. His aggressive stare locked with the enigmatic one of Yue's from behind her rose tinted sunglasses. "I'm Yue, dear." She told the youngling, not taking her eyes off of the boy.
Rath perked his ears forward a bit then flattened them, growling cutely at her.
Yue growled back, her own more imposing.
"Rath, stop that." Ritsu said in a rolling, veiled threat, making the boy back off. "Hmph." He said, crossing his arms. "Forgive him miss, he's always been like that, feel free to look around. If you find anything please let me know"
The strange girl wandered to the next bedding, and pressed down with both hands, gasping in surprise at it's response. Beds simply didn't feel like that! "What's..what's IN this? It must be really expensive.." Eve announced, talking to herself more than anything. "Uh-huh..?" She looked at Ritsu. "..yeah."
Yue took her sunglasses off, giving the boy a good long look into her blood red eyes, they'd seem feral, the eyes of a berserker. "Not a problem sir." She told Rath.
Rath seemed totally unintimidated by her, feeling confident being at home. He just sat so Yue wouldn't see his tail swishing back and forth in a relaxed way.
"Ano...who is the little boy?" Yuriko asked the small girl, leaning down to whisper in her ear. "He seems quite grumpy."
Yuriko giggled. "That's my twin brother, he has more demon blood than I do."
Eve's tail pointed straight back when she tripped at the edge of a bed, and fell face first into the fluff with an amusing, if attention drawing noise. "Nhhfhhffff!" She called, the violet waving back and forth until she could roll onto her back. "This feels funny.." She decided, panting lightly.
Yue just eyed him like a cat would a delicate morsel, before smirking, and looking away. "The boy has balls." She told Ritsu. "I see...my mother is a ano...demon blood?" Yuriko asked the girl curiously.
Ritsu chuckled, shrugging a bit. "He's always had slight aggression problems. though it makes for amusing times when he tries to attack holo projections." he said, making the boy huff and turn away. His eye still following Eve. "that's our new material for bedding, meant to provide maximum support and pressure point relief."
The girl smiled.
All of a sudden tentacles would wrap around Rath, and dragged him into Yue's waiting arms. He would be facing out, and then feel knuckles dig into his head, giving him a noogie. "Mean little pup aren't you?" She asked him as she continued. "Oh dear..."Yuriko said as she eyed her mother. "Mother is a berserker...and well they are usually gruff...seems she's taken a liking to your brother. "
Rath acked and acrobatically avoided the first couple his tail swishing madly. "lemme go dammit!" he growled and acked. "Gyaaaah stop that!"
Yuriko chuckled lightly. "Daddy's a berserker too." she said.
Sounds of protest would come from outside, a girl's voice grumbling, and a woman's cooing at the other voice. Soon Remi appeared with Yuriko's oldest daughter, Tai, still in her white and gold kimono with the red cherry blossoms printed on it. The girl huffed, grumbling darkly as she was scooted into the shop. Yue cackled and did it again before letting him go, and swatting him on the rump.
Eve sat straight up, shifting her eyes to the commotion. "Oh.." She said, putting her hands on her thighs. There was a slow crushing feeling inside of her, like she wasn't meant to see any of it for some reason. "Maybe..I should go check on those uniforms." She murmured to no one in particular, rubbing the material with her hips by swaying very lightly.
Yuriko then looked to Eve, smiling as she let the others go about their business. "They will be fine dear, come, let us pick out your bedding." She said, as she moved over to the girl.
Rath turned around in an instanta nd tackled Yue to teh ground with a forceful shoulder attack. "payback!" he smirked and grabbed Yue in a headlock and noogied her back.
"Hello." his sister said to Remi and Tai.
“Are you sure? I can just..uh-..hhnmn. Come back. Yes, come back." Eve slid from the bed, smoothing out her skirt with a few bats at the fabric. "Anyway I'm not sure what I want."
Tai just crossed her arms, looked away muttering about Remi. "Hello dear, we're with them." Remi said, pointing to Yue and the others. Yue however was now in a headlock. The woman grinned darkly. "Boy, you just screwed yourself." Yue said.
"You're fine dear, no need to be shy. After all, we will be seeing a lot of each other now." Yuriko told Eve before looking to Ritsu, and ignoring her mother. "Excuse me sir, could you help us?"
Rath blinked surprisingly innocently at her but poked her chest firmly. "impossible, my anatomy isnt' THAT big." He grinned. Ritsu glanced over at Yuriko. "Yes? whatcha need?" he asked.
The same tentacles as before snagged the boy, dangling him upside down now, Yue smirking, a fang showing as her eyes gleemed. "Young'un, that's if I let you keep it." She chided as Tai walked over, looking at Yue with a dour expression. "Grandmother, act your age." Tai said looking at Rath before sniffing. The girl was only about two and a half feet tall, her white and violet hair cut short. Like a boys. "Something for the young lady here, she cannot decide. Perhaps you could suggest something?" Yuriko asked.
Ritsu looked at her for a moment. "Well it depends what she prefer, firm or soft or really soft." He said. Rath squirmed and slashed at the tentacles with the claws on his fingers, not seeming afraid of the threat. But when Tai said something and got their attention, his black ears perked up again directed at her, probably looking cute, in a moment, the boy flushed dark and looked away.
Eve shrugged, looking up at Yuriko. There was no way she really could tell, after all. Normal was a standard issue bunk to the girl, she had an idea the softer material was..everything that they sold. The altercation that was erupting was still unsettling, she stayed only at the commander's assurance.
Too bad for Rath the tentacles were coated in iron. They gleamed dully. Yue looked down at Tai and snorted. "Girl, I've been dead for three years, I think I've earned some time to act this way." Tai sniffed again, looking Yue dead in the eyes. "You act like Rikun."She said flatly, knowing it was a low blow. Yue mean while went slack mouthed.
"The bed is queen sized..." Yuriko told Ritsu before looking to Eve. "Would you prefer something soft, or silky, or both?"
Rath hung there and snickered a bit at Yue, still blushing a bit himself.
Yue grumbled. "You really are that samurai's kid. Too bad whether you like it or not you have a little bit of me in you too." She said, smirking as she turned her attention to Rath. "Careful there boy, all the blood will rush to that head of yours, and is. Blushing huh?" She asked smugly. Tai just snorted.
"...both?" Eve replied, giving Yuriko a 'how should I know?' look.
Saito snickered lightly from outside. Rath squirmed a bit and did a sit up and held it for a few moments to keep the blood from rushing to his head too much. "What? I got a great view hanging upside down like that." He said, not wanting to say he though Tai was cute as that'd probably provoke Yue more.
Ritsu smirked a bit. "She can have that soft mattress and then pick out her own sheets and blankets as well as pillows." He said and brought over a few samples of material ranging from synthetic cotton to pure silk.
Yuriko looked to Eve. "Well, see if it is to your liking." She told the girl.
Yue gave Rath a predatory look. "Ya started blushing when my granddaughter came in runt. You're sweet on her aren't you?" She teased.
Rath's eye twitched and he crossed his arms. "You're too young to be a grandmother." He pointed out. "And what's wrong with me thinking she's cute." He asked in a defiant tone to Yue.
The Midshipman begin to brush her hands over each of the samples, sometimes holding one up to rub against her cheek. "This is nice." She motioned to the silk, "But thin and it might make you sweaty I don't know really.."
Yue pointed at Yuriko. "That's my daughter she's proof." She said before chuckling at Rath. "Her other mother, not my daughter is highly protective of her daughters. Last guy who pissed her off so I hear she gutted like a fish."
Yuriko patted Eve softly on the back. "Well Eve, you will have to get used to making decisions, you're an officer in training now." She said smiling softly.
Ritsu smiled at her. "silk's actually quite breathable and light so I doubt that." He said to Eve, glad to see she was enjoying how it felt. Rath crossed his arms swishing his furry tail. "I'm not a fish though so I'm not worried." he said. "But either way I'd never do that to a girl, it's just wrong."
"I don't..somehow think this is the same. Unless the crew will die on my fabric choices." Eve replied, freezing when she realized how flip she had been. "Ah-I'm sorry! This is ff-ine!" She pushed together a few samples, then picked one. A mostly silk blend, something that was designed to be all perks and no drawbacks.
Yuriko just laughed. "It is fine, no need to be so nervous, take your time, choose what you like, what makes you happy."
"Oh she'd likely skin you alive." Yue smirked. Tai just rolled her eyes. "If mother tried that I'd never forgive her." She said darkly.
Rath looked at her with defiant blue eyes still. "Can you let me go...I'm starting to feel light headed..." He whined a bit.
"Say please." Yue said. Tai looked at her grandmother darkly. "Oh all right." Yue sighed, turned the boy up right, and put him on the floor, her tentacles returning.
“Thank you." he said and stumbled a bit. Ritsu watched eve poking at the fabrics and paddings. "most of this stuff is actually handmade."
I don't know what that's supposed to mean. Eve thought with a frown, wringing her hands on the tail around her waist. She wanted it to be over, it wasn't decisions that bothered her just how she had so openly been snarky to the only officer in the fleet willing to give her anything close to a chance. She poked at the display, working between fabric samples and the little form. "I don't know what to do for colours." Finally the nerve was there to look back at the Asamoya's CO. "Would you help?"
Tai just rolled her eyes at Yue before walking past Rath, and towards her mother. Yuriko nodded. "Well, do you have a favorite color Eve?" She asked.
Saito, outside smirked at Yue and chuckled a bit; finding it amusing. "Having fun with the children?" He asked. Yue just snorted at Saito.
"Yeah I love you too Yue-sama." Saito sniggered a bit to her, teasing somewhat.
"Not really." Eve said glumly, never having been comfortable with the colour of her eyes, blue and green of any kind had struck out. More feminine colours had never entered into her life from bland, colorless or grey starbases to the camp, to another ship. "Well that looks neat." She pointed at Yuriko's eye, and kept pointing. "But I don't know really."
"Purple?" Ritsu asked and produced a bit of purple, refined silk for her to feel on her skin.
Yuriko blinked. "Violet?" She asked. "My eyes are violet dear."
"Violet, right I know but.." She pressed her fingers to the fabric. "That's not really the right colour, is it?" She made as if to grab her tail, to say, "Right like this!" But thought better of it after she felt the length, recalling the attention it drew and the children at the store who had pulled on it earlier.
Yuriko looked at it, and then to Ritsu. "Do you have anything in that shade?"
“Let me go check in the back." he said and headed off, whistling a bit as he checked.
Eve didn't think anyone would realize her bed was the colour of her commander's eyes, but it seemed like the safest thing for her to say. And...well they were kind of pretty. "Sorry it's such a trouble."
"It is quite alright." Yuriko told the girl. "Besides, your room will look lovely."
"I don't really know how to decorate." Yamazaki sighed, scratching at the side of her neck. She tried to think of the biggest room she could, and her sleeping in a bed that seemed small compared to it. Already downloading the specs she was cleared for on the Asamoya, she got a better idea for where the woman was talking about.
Ritsu soon returned, and said they did have the color in stock. Yuriko nodded at this. "Eve, would you like a full bedset? Blankets, sheets, pillows?" She listed these things off one by one.
"Okay." The Nekovalkryja nodded, she would probably agree to anything Yuriko suggested. There was no reason not to for the time being, and she did just happen to be smiling very slightly as she saw the stock Ritsu had retrieved.
Ritsu soon left to retrieve the nessesary things, leaving Yuriko there with Eve. "Enjoying yourself?" She asked kindly.
"What's that for?" She asked without answering, pointing at one of the racks she spied when they came in. "Ah-, uuun, yes ma'am. But I feel better not having to call and beg another commander too."
"I believe those are plushies on the rack." Yuriko told Eve as she examined it. "Well, I want you to feel at ease around me Eve, I won't bite." She smiled. "Besides, I think you will enjoy the Asamoya."
"Oh." Eve replied, eyeing them for a moment, "I bite, but only if I don't have knives left and they're not in armour. It worked on my instructor once but they got mad at me later." The girl obviously wasn't the most appropriate storyteller. "Really? Well, I like the shape..like a...razory. Razor..flower." Looking at the fabric she murmured, "That sounded prettier when I thought of it."
Yuriko just chuckled. "I once disobeyed an order from Taisho Irim and came out alive, and still with all my limbs attached. I had been ordered to hand over a ship and her crew immediately, I did not, and in the end convinced her it would be better not to use her standard tactics. The crew is now safely on Jiyuu, and the ship I believe is still in SAINT custody." Yuriko sighed a little as she sat on the bed. "Asamoya is a beautiful ship, and her name means 'Morning Mist'. I got to choose."
"I hope I'll just add to that luck, then." Eve replied, wondering how the crew would take her. Her commander seemed positive about it, and she owed the woman the benefit of the doubt. She was trying to impress her still, after all. Just like she had with Bowman..he was dead probably, she didn't have the heart to check who had made it off the assignment she had died on. If they sent her a ribbon for it the junior officer knew she wouldn't wear it, how shameful was it?
"I have faith that you will do just that, and become a fine officer." Yuriko said as Ritsu returned. He then moved over to the register. "Is there anything else you want Eve? A plushie perhaps?" She asked.
"P-...pick one for me." The girl mumbled, going in just that bold personal tenant Yuriko had been prodding at her about since they met. For the first time ever, Eve was looking forward to settling into her quarters, before it was just where she went when there was nothing else to do, or she had to, had to sleep.
Yuriko smiled, and walked over to the rack. The Taii surveyed what she saw, and finally picked something out. She then came back to Eve, holding a cute bunny plushie, pink in color, with a little flower sewn right by one floppy ear. "Will this do?" She asked, holding it out for her.
Eve looked around for the CO's family, then nodded rapidly at Yuriko, a little more of a smile coaxed to the edges of her lips. She wasn't like Bowman, that much she knew. It didn't look like a really bad thing either, and something about the bunny made her happy. "It's just that, right?" The weird girl thought to herself.
"Do you like it?" Yuriko asked.
"Yes..." The midshipmen replied with a hint of suspicion in her voice at first, "Would you get that for me?" Trying to keep her eyes from going back to the bunny. Her cheeks felt warm again, burning a little for some reason. "I'll have to visit the doctor when I get on board maybe I'm sick from changing bodies." She thought.
Yuriko just smiled. "Are you blushing?" The Taii asked as she handed Eve the bunny, and moved to the counter to pay. She swiped her money card through a reader, and soon had the bags in her hands. "Well then, ready to go?"
"Am I what? No-...I thought I was smiling." The new crew member replied, tucking the Bunny under her left arm so she could poke at the edge of her lips. "Right?" Not understanding that really, she knew the word 'blush' but that was about it it seemed. It was better that way, so the Samurai didn't see her carrying around her new prize. "I'm ready if you're sure nothing's wrong with me?"
"Blushing is normal." Yuriko told her. "We typically do so in moments of heightened emotion." She said before walking out the door. “Now, let us see you to your quarters." Yuriko added.
<END