ON:
Tom was struck by what he had heard, but Yukari could not wait. She had an obligation to fulfill, and now a wonderful new thing to celebrate along with Miyoko's creation day. She snatched up a bottle of opened champagne, a dish of glasses, and walked out into the wardroom. (cont.)
"Everyone," she said, voice bouncy and full of unbridled joy. "Please, we must drink to this! The war is over, neh?" She approached Masako, Nyton, Yoroko and Takuma.
Miyoko had finished changing rather quickly; past that, she'd merely been staying in her room to work up her nerve and savor the last few moments of solitude she was likely to get tonight. Finally, though, the chosen time was imminent, and she had little choice but to leave. She walked into the wardroom, forcing herself to look relaxed and casual as she approached the group.
"Saito-Hei," a voice called out behind Miyoko. The voice, flat in tone and stiff as a board, belonged to Sanjuro, whom had caught sight of the freshly-changed sensors specialist just as she reached the entrance to the wardrobe. Sanjuro, himself still clothed in his green paneled uniform, narrowed his eyes as she came into focus. He immediately furrowed his serious brow ever so slightly as he put himself in hot pursuit. "Saito-Hei, why are you out of uniform?"
Masako paused as she looked up at Nyton and shook her head. "No, I haven't yet, why?" she asked curiously before glancing over towards an ecstatic Yukari with her bottle of champagne and glasses. "Um....sure," she said, a bit unsure of alcohol. Again, more commotion caused the young warrant officer to glance over towards Miyoko and Sanjuro. "Eh?" she seemed to glance over at Miyoko more curiously and tilted her head to point out her confusion even more.
Nyton's response was interrupted by the celebratory glass given to him by Yukari. He looked at the bottle of champagne and raised an eyebrow. "A celebration? And here I am still in uniform." he said in mock dismay.
Takuma saw that now that alcohol was broken out, things would start to get entertaining. He took two glasses and walked over to Sanjuro and Miyoko. "She's got the right idea," Takuma said, pushing the second glass into Sanjuro's hand. "Lighten up a little, have some fun! Won't be long till the next war!" With his last cynical thought, he quickly headed to his room to change out of his uniform.
Yoroko smiled. Well....the war is over, a little celebration would be good. Yoroko thought as she mentally asked Miharu to save the windows so she could read them later. "I guess I should go change as well." Yoroko said before leaving the room to jump into something a little more festive.
Yukari set the glasses and the still-full bottle down on a small table near where everyone was standing, and left a glass for herself. "Kimura-Heisho is correct. We must enjoy this time, immediately, for it could not last! Pardon me; I must change as well. We will have desert soon!" The human-looking Neko practically flew toward her room, stopping only to wave to Sanjuro and Miyoko before she slipped inside.
Miyoko blinked as everybody dashed off to their rooms, not entirely sure what to think of it. She turned to address Sanjuro's question. "Suzuka-shosa... er. Suggested a celebration tonight." She didn't want to allude to the birthday issue just yet. "I thought this would be more appropriate."
Sanjuro eyes the glass of liquid in his hand pensivly before wrinkling his nose and placing the glass, untouched, onto a nearby table. "Appropriate for what, might I inquire?" He queried as he dusted the front of his uniform off. "I certainly hope not your duties."
"Um...She just answered that Ashitaka-Heisho," Masako replied in a matter-of-fact tone. Crossing her right arm under her breast so that the elbow of her other arm sat upon the palm of its hand, Masako shifted her weight and raised the index finger of her left hand. "She stated that Suzuka-Shosa said their would be a celebration, which means casual dress would be more appropriate than a uniform." she said before moving her left arm to join her right so both were crossed her under her breasts. "Which means you can relax as well. I approve that dress protocol is important while on duty, but I don't believe there's much duty to be found in celebrating the end of a long war."
"There will never be a lack of duty to perform, but Takuma does have the right idea. How often do we get to celebrate the end of a several years long war? Let us celebrate now for all the reasons we could possibly want." Nyton said with a bit of a smile as he held up the empty glass in a toast. "I think I shall quickly change out of my uniform as well. I shall be but a moment." Nyton said and then excused himself to go to his quarters.
Takuma's speed of leaving the room was not only to get back, but to escape Sanjuro's wrath if he pissed him off. "Wouldn't be surprised," he said, taking a sip of the champagne. He threw off his uniform, while grabbing a simple green shirt and jeans. He threw them on and walked back to the wardroom. As he walked back into the room, he saw the untouched glass from Sanjuro and swapped it for his empty one. "The beverages were a little fast in arrival, is there another reason for this?" he asked Miyoko curiously as he walked in. "Can't say I don't agree to some relaxation, just seemed too planned."
Still as uptight as ever. When is he going to learn to relax? Yoroko thought as she walked back to her room. Once there Yoroko unhung her only other piece of clothing and started to strip. The war is over, but I guess our job isn't. Well, I guess this just means that I should enjoy tonight as much as possible. Yoroko thought as she finished dressing and began to walk back to the Wardroom.
Yukari almost slid out of her room. Every fiber of her being was alive with joy. What she wore reflected that — one of her black, sheer-fitting turtlenecks and a pair of white boy-cut shorts that left her legs utterly bare, save for the sandals on her feet. As she came out, she smiled and slid an arm around Miyoko's shoulder. "Saito-san, do not be so tense! This is an order. You as well, Ashitaka-san!" Yukari already seemed beyond the formalities she usually followed. "Please, drink! We will have cake soon!" She walked toward Masako, already laughing at nothing at all, and she'd not had a drop of booze yet.
Sora stretched with a yawn as she exited the quarters she shared with Serizawa. She toyed with the loose strands of her hair that hung free from the rest of her that was tied back in a ponytail. She walked towards the wardroom in a black mini skirt, a white halter top and a comfortable pair of black boots. There's just so much new studying to do! And, I should catch up on what Grandma and Aunt Hanako are up to!
"Er." Miyoko scrambled to find an excuse for Takuma, but failed to produce one. "Well. It happens to be the, ah, anniversary of mine and the Shosa's creations, so she suggested a party. ... a small one."
Sanjuro turned a blank, unamused face as the events before him played out. He continued to watch the glasses of champagne drift around the room, not making any move to claim one for himself. Sanjuro merely crosses his arms. "I do not drink or use inhibiting drugs. They are a hindrance and danger to my proffesion...and a good medical officer remains ready at all times, no matter whether peace or war reigns. Alcohol dulls the senses and hinders coordination. It is an unfit beverage for a doctor at any time, as well as his or her assistant," Sanjuro finished, casting a gaze in Miyoko's general direction before letting it fall back onto the rest of the room.
Masako frowned a bit at Sanjuro. She could understand about not wanting to drink alcohol, though her reasons were more along the lines of she had never felt like drink it before. But Sanjuro was just being a stick-in-the-mud by attempting to force someone else to not drink by example and persuasion. "...Ashitaka-Heisho." she began with her hands upon her hips...which didn't look very intimidating or impressive in the exercise uniform Yamatai assigned it's female personnel. "Technically, she is the Science Officer and a Bridge Operator on Miharu more than she is your assistant. So please try not to .... persuade her in such a manner. It's in bad taste." she finished her defense of her fellow crewmate with a foreboding frown upon her cute face.
Nyton arrived at his quarters and set down his glass on the reorganized desk. Changing quickly out of his uniform, he tossed it on his bed and grabbed some clothes. Putting on a pair of jeans and plain grey t-shirt he opted to wear his shoes rather than run barefoot. For a moment he almost hesitated to leave. The events that had unfolded were driving him to learn more but he needed to spend time with his crew. Like he said, there were not many opportunities to celebrate like this. "Miharu, please set a file detailing all the events that have occurred during our absence. I will review them later at my concenience. Thanks." he said before grabbing his glass leaving to return to the wardroom.
Yoroko walked into the wardroom and looked around for a bit, before deciding to converse with Sanjuro and Masako. "Why do you look so upset? Parties are supposed to be happy yes?" Yoroko asked, taking a sip of some champagne she had grabbed on her way in.
The red haired Ketsurui entered the wardroom with a bright smile, seemingly oblivious to the tension in the room. "How is everyone this afternoon?" She asked cheerfully. "What sort of party are we having?"
"A party of peace!" Yukari cried, handing Sora a glass. "The war is over! Over! The Mishhu are gone!" The Shosa laughed and flew up into the air, then back to the kitchen. Soon she was bringing out a large cake, of chocolate and raspberry, and setting it on a table. "It is Peace and Creation Cake now." She giggled.
Miyoko snagged one of the glasses of champagne, pointedly glancing to Sanjuro as she took a sip from it. She sunk toward the back of the group as Yukari returned, trying to prevent the Shosa from drawing attention to her.
Sanjuro drew up slightly at Masako's reply, and held it as he watched Miyoko drink from her glass. His expression was, as usual, impossible to read, and his tone gave no quarter as well. He just sounded...passive, and very matter-o'-fact. "The safety of each crewmember on the Miharu is everyones jobs, Kurohoshi-Juni. Not just mine, or Ketsurui-Kohosei, or Saito-Hei...not a single person. Each individuals safety should be the concern of all those...aboard..." His voiced trailed off slightly as the Yukari brought in the cake.
Sanjuro then sighed a little, letting his gaze linger for a moment on the pastry before letting it return to his shorter superior. " ... You all may celebrate as you wish, but I do not approve of the alcohol, and will not participate in it."
"I'm not saying you have too," she replied with a snort. "I'm not much into drinking alcohol either, but I'm just saying don't force your opinion on others." she finished her explanation as she looked around at everyone filtering into the Wardroom. "I guess I will follow suit with the casual wear as well." she replied as she looked at her exercise wear. "I'd rather not celebrate in something like this." With that final bit, Masako took her leave to find something more appropriate to wear for a celebration.
By the time Nyton returned he had already missed the alcohol and prohibition discussion. His entrance was calm and composed as he wanted to enjoy himself but not appear like some drunken lush. "Now then what have we to celebrate with besides champagne and that cake I see? And how shall we liven up this impromptu festival?" Nyton then asked in Yukari's general direction.
Yoroko sighed before she took an extra long drink from the champagne glass. "Relax, at least join the party. You don't have to drink." Yoroko said before walking away from Sanjuro. "Claymere-Shoi" Yoroko said with a little formality as she walked past Nyton to look at the cake. "This looks delicious, let's hope the peace lasts longer than the cake." Yoroko said.
"Ashitaka-kun, you should relax a little. It's better for your mental well-being to have fun every once in a while. A half ounce of champagne isn't going to impair you- typically as a Yamataian, you'd have a higher toxin or alcohol tolerance than a Geshrin," Sora commented helpfully. She looked at Yukari curiously, a little stunned. "R..really? How did we do that? I mean.. wow. We really won?!"
"We celebrate two things this day," she said, leaving Sora with a lingering smile as she turned away from her and gathered all around the cake, speaking in a soft, but serious tone. A tone that barely contained her joy. "First, we must celebrate the end of the war. A war we have suffered so long for ... and are finally free from. Then, we must celebrate one of our own for surviving this war." She gestured to Miyoko, smiling wide as she then bent down to light the candles — 3 of them, in an isosceles triangle in the large, round cake. "Saito-san is 3 today, this day of the end of the war. We celebrate these two things, Claymere-san."
Miyoko flushed as Yukari did, indeed, turn attention to her. She reacted, a bit too quickly. "I, ah, would also point out that it is the Shosa's birthday as well... So. Three things."
"Congratulations," Sanjuro said, switching glances between the two. Although he didn't exactly look overjoyed, it could be said that he was at least attempting to look happy for them behind his dull poker-face. A failure of an attempt, but an attempt none the less.
Arriving at her own quarters, the young Masako began to strip off her exercise uniform as soon as the door closed. "It has been a while since I wore some of these things," she mumbled to herself as she pondered the list of clothing she had collected over the years she had been alive. "Casual....casual....ah..." she said as she pulled out her black silk skirt. "This will be nice," she stated as she pulled out some simple white undergarments and a forest green shirt. As she began to dress, Masako began to realize how much she actually liked skirts as opposed to the tight uniform jumpsuits she had worn before. "It gives my legs a breather," she commented as she tugged a bit on the mid-thigh length skirt a bit before spinning once and exiting her quarters again to join the party.
"Oh a birthday for two on top of the war's end. On Nepleslia a person's birthday is held as a very important event. Let's have a toast then for being alive to see this war come to an end." Nyton said as he watched everyone from around him. He noted Masako's return and motioned her over to him.
Yoroko was surprised to hear that it was both Miyoko and Yukari's birthdays today. "Wow, this will indeed be a memorable day. Not only did the Misshu war end for us, but it ended with two birthdays to boot." Yoroko said. Seems ironic, that this would occur, Yoroko mentally chuckled a little to herself before speaking again. "What a fitting end to the war. Happy birthday to both of you," Yoroko said. Which reminds me...I need to get them a gift.
"Happy birthday!" Sora said brightly, "Yes, this is definately a good reason for a party! We can do dancing or games or something as well to keep things interesting!" she tried to imagine Ashitaka at a Dare lottery party and couldn't help but chuckle.
PAUSE
