Rei nodded at Teien Eden and then looked to Princess Ketsurui Aiko before asking a simple question.
"What would you like to do?" the samurai questioned.
William stood off to the side of Rei and nodded to Eden as well before turning back to Aiko with a smile. He was dressed in his sleeveless vest with his swords hanging from his belt as always.
"There is so much to experience today," the princess remarked in her royally gruff way. "Our springtime visit showed me how spectacular and alive Yamtatai could be, but this is so much! I had not realized just how populous the Empire really is—our citizens were just a number to me."
The festival scene was truly overwhelming, though Aiko didn't seem outwardly overwhelmed by it. From the countless vendor stalls and entertainers to simple revelers, the streets of Yamatai were certainly in bloom for Bellflower Day.
"I am content to take in everything as it passes us," she said, whipping out a crimson and gold folding fan from her red-white-blue-and-bellflower purple kimono ensemble to cool herself as they stood under the early summer sun. "But I will not object to guidance from my trusted retainers."
Rei looked to William and then back to Aiko, saying, "There is no reason not to stick around here and enjoy everything 'as it passes us,' as you say."
William nodded. "That sounds nice actually. Would you like for me to fetch some food or something to drink, your highness?" he asked, before looking over to Rei. "Or you Sensei?"
"Something cool to drink would be nice, but you needn't go out of your way, Wil-kun," Aiko replied, batting her fan a little too quickly to be considered normal. She was more used to a cold, climate controlled starship than a planet's sunlight. "We will accompany you, of course."
"Of course, Princess." he replied, before looking to Rei. "Would you like one as well?"
"
Iie," Rei said. "Please get something for her, though."
The Nepleslian boy nodded and smiled to his mother. "Yes Ma'am," he said before walking off into the crowds to find a drink stand.
"I want to try,
eeto, one of those chewy drinks that are so popular with the commoners," the princess called after contemplating it for a moment, jogging after William when she realized he'd stepped off. "That kind of tea with little black orbs at the bottom!"
William froze upon hearing Aiko and turned. When he heard her request, he nodded and flashed her a small smile. "Yes, your highness," he said before disappearing back into the crowds of people.
He walked for a few minutes before finding one of the stands that Aiko was talking about. When he approached, the vendor smiled and asked, "What would you like, kid?"
William looked over the menu and described what Aiko had requested.
"Ah! That is pretty popular around here,” the Yamataian shopkeeper said. “How many?"
William flashed two fingers and the vendor went about preparing the drinks.
"Here you are, enjoy!" he said after William payed for the drinks, and began to walk back.
He approached Aiko and held out both, letting her choose which one she wanted. "Here you go, your highness. Which one would you like?"
Aiko extended her hand out and took one of the drinks, which was a light purple like the Yamataian Kikyo flower they were celebrating today, leaving the other for her Nepleslian friend. A thin, shiny line formed vertically down the princess' neck and rolled over her ample bust, just like the condensation already sweating down the side of her chosen cup.
She examined what could only be taro-flavored milk tea and the swarm of jelly boba bunched up at its bottom with a furrowed brow, wondering why anyone would want
this even though she'd asked for it herself. But still, the princess was curious about it, so she brought the oversized straw up to her lips and took a sip.
A shadow passed upward through the straw and into Aiko's mouth. It made her eyes sharp and the flow of her sipping stop, and she removed the straw from her mouth. Then, the princess stared over at her compatriots with a stern glare. First to William and then to Rei and then back to the Nepleslian.
Looking as if she had no desire in the world other than to grab the cup and fling it into the street by her expression alone, Rei breathed in sharply. She immediately looked to the boba tea and asked a quick series of questions.
"Are you feeling ill? Is it possibly poisonous? Should we get you to a hospital, Princess?" the samurai said in rapid succession.
William looked absolutely mortified...
He began cursing himself incessantly, his face turning bright red at his mistake. His eyes fell, not meeting either of their gazes. "I am so sincerely sorry Princess..."
"
Oishii desu yo," Aiko said, her voice still deadpan despite the positive declaration. Her eyes brightened a little and she snapped her fan shut before pointing it toward a group of passing Star Army enlisted who seemed to be enjoying their holiday.
"You!" the princess called in a lively voice that somehow still sounded more like an order than anything. "By order of the Ketsurui Clan, you must partake of
this!" she demanded, holding up her frosty plastic chalice because she didn't yet know what the concoction was called. "It is a warrior's drink, fit for any
uchuugun soldier! Go! Now!"
"Uhh..." mumbled one soldier while putting her hand up to the back of her head and scratching at it in confusion while another audibly laughed before Rei stepped forward, grimacing at their lack of respect. Realizing who was talking to them, a few of the group murmured out.
One was saying, "Is that...?"
"Hai! I think it is," said another.
One more put a hand up and said, "Wait, you're the last princess of the Ketsurui Clan, are you not?"
All of the color drained from poor William’s face at the declaration. Partly in relief, and partly at Aiko making a scene... again. It reminded him of the time they snuck out and he had to stop her from drawing attention to herself. This was a tad different, however.
He turned and looked to the Star Army soldiers and moved to stand next to Rei, setting his untouched drink on a table as he did. He sighed inwardly, remaining stoic as normal.
"If you know that much then you should bow, not pose questions!" Aiko told the Neko santo hei who'd asked about her heritage. "Your transgression is forgiven, however, as I am aware of the willpower it requires to contain one's excitement over
this," she said, making her drink obvious again.
The princess' attention quickly turned away from the soldiers she'd assailed with her Imperial demands and back toward the Samurai and her surrogate son. She was sipping on her drink again, this time with more measured pressure—they could see the boba rising through the straw at a crawl now—presumably so Aiko could savor it better.
"Perfect, Wil-kun," Aiko said as cheerfully as Aiko could say anything, moving closer to him while she eyed his cup on the table. "You must enjoy yours with me, too. As one of my
personal warriors, you are no exception to my order."
William gave a soft smile and turned to Aiko, giving a small bow. "Yes, my lady," he said before grabbing his drink and taking a sip. He closed his eyes as he enjoyed the ice cold drink hitting his palette. "It is very good," he replied.
Rei watched over them and then glanced to the onlookers, lifting her arms then pushing her fingers back and forth in order to shoo them away. They left but not without a few gasps of surprise and quiet muttering before, one by one, they bowed.
"Let's explore more of the festival," Rei said, walking away from the place where the Star Army soldiers had been and towards the palaces.
Aiko followed her
yojimbo's lead and strolled along, watching everything that was happening with an interested gaze. At one point, the trio came upon a flower shop tucked away along a shady stretch of Kyoto storefronts and street vendor stalls. There were many florists scattered about the city today, all selling Yamataian Kikyo. But the princess noted that this one seemed to have the freshest blooms, so honored its proprietor by choosing their flowers to replace the delicately-crafted Bellflower barrettes she always seemed to wear before moving on.
William followed behind the two silently as Aiko took in the sights of the festival. When she stopped to see the flowers, however, William peeled off from their group and snuck inside. He walked up to the florist, and asked, "May I have a few of those Kikyo flowers please?"
The young woman inside happily obliged, handing William a small bouquet before he took off to catch up with Rei and Aiko.
Once he had, he cleared his throat. "Excuse me Princess Aiko... I saw you looking at these." He held out the flowers to her.
Aiko stood up straighter and pulled back her hands from their practiced position clasped in front of her belly. William's gift didn't send her reeling, but her motions seemed motivated by a surprised reflex.
"Thank you, Wil-kun," she said gently, her fingers changing from their startled curls and back toward grace as she took the bundle from him. "You are most gracious..."
Her voice trailed off and she turned away almost immediately after taking the bouquet, almost hurriedly returning to the group's previous path. Something was obviously awkward for the young Neko and silence reigned for a few long moments.
"Do you enjoy having to follow Rei-san around as she serves me, Wil-kun?" Aiko asked after a time, not turning to address him or the samurai. William's bouquet rested along her left forearm with the tips of its stems in the palm of her hand as they walked and she looked down to the flowers while she spoke. "You have made a fine warrior already, and I welcome your presence, but you are not obliged to tend to my happiness."
Rei looked out of the side of one of her eyes as she heard Aiko's questions, but remained steadfast in her movements away from the Riverfront of Kyoto and said nothing.
"Thank you, Princess," William replied to her compliment. "I do enjoy this... I never saw myself, in this life, being adopted by Sensei Rei, or following around a Yamataian princess. I wouldn't change any of it," he said smiling softly at the both of them as they walked.
Aiko halted when William finished speaking, and her thick ribbons of hair swayed just a little when she stopped, but only for a moment before a warm summer gust carried them off her shoulders. With her free hand, the princess seemed to be toying with the Bellflowers she’d been gifted by the Nepleslian, though neither he nor Rei could tell what she was doing. Then she turned around to face him.
Her nose wasn't held as high as it usually was, and so her big crimson eyes remained unusually hidden under her lengthy bangs as she stepped up to him. The band of bright pink skin across her cheeks and nose made up for their absence, though.
"Then you must match me," she said, threading one of the flowers he'd gifted her through the top buttonhole on his vest. Aiko looked up to William and was still blushing even though her eyebrows remained crinkled with their usual stern expression. "It is odd if a Ketsurui Princess' companion does not match her."
William began blushing as well when she turned to him, and blushed even harder still at her touch. He looked down at her and he smiled. "Yes, your highness. I will wear it happily," he replied.
Rei had been close by, but understood that giving the two some distance would be a good idea, so had stepped to the side for a moment. Then, when William had replied to her, she had spoken out to the both of them.
"Let us keep going!" Rei said.
William looked back to Rei, and nodded. "Hai..." He then looked back to Aiko. "After you, Princess."
Aiko, of course, obliged and took the lead toward Kyoto's palaces once again. Only after shaking off the fuzzy, cloudy feeling between her ears, though. Head held high again and cheeks clear of any indiscretion, she moved along without delay, thankful that Rei was there as a constant reminder of her duty and demeanor as a Princess of Yamatai.
Soon, Rei was walking up the palace steps and said to the princess, "We should be visiting with your family on this day of festivity and enjoyment. Would you like to lead the way?"
The princess simply nodded at Rei's suggestion and proceeded onward as her first home towered ever-larger above them. Though the
Kaiyo was more familiar to her by now, she still held the place where she was born close to her heart.
William followed behind them as they approached the palace. He looked to Rei as the palace guards formed around Aiko. "Excuse me Sensei? I have something for you as well..."
"
Nani?" Rei asked. "For me?"
As they were left alone, William smiled and stepped up to her. "Yes, Momma," he said, holding out his hands and placing something in hers. As he removed his hand, she found William's most prized possession: his locket.
"I want you to have it, Momma..."
With wide eyes, Rei accepted the locket and looked up to William, a sort of gasp escaping from her mouth as she did. She put the locket on and then looked back up at Wil before looking back to Aiko and then to William again.
"
Arigatou gozaimasu," Rei said. "Thank you, Musuko."
It seemed as if Rei might say more. And if not that, perhaps she would express her own gift to William, but looked instead to Aiko and back to William, as she had just done. She only said, "Let us follow the princess."
"Yes Ma'am." he replied, following Rei and Aiko into the palace.
