RP: YSS Eucharis [Post Mission 20.1] Dinner at the Princess Dunes Restaurant

Chieko looked over at Sienna after the Nepleslian's comment roused her from her plotting. She was not quite sure if she liked or disliked being caught, but the young scientist smiled anyway. As the discussion about the wine continued she noted a moment she could comment.

"Wine is definitely an acquired taste," the Minkan offered, "Even then, there are various levels of quality to be found between styles, vineyards, grapes, years. Perhaps some day I'll make a hobby of it when I have the resources.

"As for the party, things are just getting started. The tone is being set and everyone is working on getting comfortable. Soon - as we drink more, eat some, then drink again - the tatemae should drift away more and allow a little honne to shine through."

The mention of 'true intentions' caused the academic to give Kale another quick stare before returning to the girls with whom she was talking. She took another sip of her drink, then noticed that it was getting terribly low.

"Speaking of drinking, I should look into procuring another soon," Chieko smirked.

The Princess Dunes

Sune listened to Hanako and wondered. This room was in a public establishment, yet she wanted to drink until she passed out.

"Hanako, my intent for this party was for everone to have a good time. If for you that means drinking until you fall asleep, that is fine. As your friend I will see that you get safely back to your room. If you would rather have an after party that is fine too.

I plan on having a good meal, a number of drinks, share some stories, then perhaps dance, or we can play some party games."

Sienna felt at least a little relieved that Chieko seemed to understand. She shrugged a little and looked at her glass. "It ain't that it's bad," she reiterated, her comparatively coarse accent again at harsh odds with her fancy appearance, "I bet there's a lot to appreciate. I just don't know enough about it to tell what the hell I'm supposed to be looking for." She pursed her lips again when the swear word slipped out.

She idly swirled the wine in the glass again as the scientist continued, narrowing one eye in heavy consideration of the mixed Yamataian words Chieko used. She knew enough of the language to vaguely grasp her message, thanks in part to deducing it from the context, but she wasn't certain enough to reply. Knowing it probably showed, she brought the wine glass up to her lips again and took another small sip. Each sip was a smidgeon less off-putting to her, but the dryness in her mouth she still wasn't getting used to. Her eyes wandered over to the bar across the room, wondering what they had on hand once she had nursed Hanako's wine sufficiently long.

Bar

Mitsuko nodded at the captain as she approached to speak with Sune, smoothly moving out of her way, trying to avoid bothering her. "Outclassed..." She glanced at the other girls, before frowning. "No, I don't know where Misato-Heisho went." The Neko glanced around the room, counting heads. "...it seems most likely she's out with her new officer friend." She didn't seem to have much more to say about that, turning back to the bar. Murakami attempted to order a frozen margarita, unsure if they had one of those machines here.

Natsumi shrugged. "Well, this is the first formal affair I have been to on this scale" she commented, "Save for my graduation. Last big party, truthfully, I ended up pretty drunk..." she trailed off, remembering the dare lottery and all the drinking at thee last major holiday party, almost a year ago now. It made her blush, thinking of that party.

"Anyways!" she said quickly. "I'm sure there will be food and dessert soon enough!" she smiled and waved her arms.

The idea of Natsumi stumbling around drunk was more than a little amusing to Sienna, and her face showed it. Even more surprising was the idea that she seemed to imply that such a thing could potentially happen again in such a swanky establishment, although she wasn't completely certain she was reading between the lines correctly. Taking another nursing sip of her wine, she surveyed the room again, noticing that Takeyu had arrived, dressed smartly in a very striking suit with two smaller girls in tow. Her eyebrows raised as she watched him; by the looks of the girls, they weren't slaves or servants. By the way he subtly reined them in the direction he seemed to want them to go, she surmised that they were family or someone similarly dear to him, perhaps daughters or younger siblings. A slight, wistful grin crossed her lips. She hadn't pegged him for the soft type.

The sight of him made her thoughts drift away from her surroundings, to her own older brother. For a moment she was lost in her own mind, her eyes unfocused and her face a blank mask as she absently, slowly swirled the red wine around the bowl, the residue to lazily running down the inside of the glass in a circular dance. If he could only see her now, wherever he may be.

Blinking, she snapped herself out of the brief reverie, looking around at Chieko, Natsumi, and Deziarra as if nothing were out of the ordinary. "Yeah, well," she replied to Natsumi, grinning mischievously. "Hopefully it'll be soon. It gets any livelier in here, a funeral's gonna break out."

She had known she was late, but the damned kimono wouldn't wear right. Well that and the fact that when she had worked on putting it on Misato Suzume had been pretty plowed. She had started drinking not long after she had separated from Junko. She was still a bit tipsy at this point, but luck would have it that she didn't buy any shoes to go with her white kimono.


So she was wearing a pair of laced up black combat boots, she had bought a while back. She came into the restaurant and found herself before Sienna.

"I'm glad you have made it Miss. Shelton." Misato reached a hand into the folds of her kimono and started to draw a pistol she had put there in a holster earlier for this very moment. "I have been really meaning to give this to you. You've been having it coming for quite a while now" Misato's face was a mixture of slight drunkeness and a blank smile.

The black grip of the 10mm pistol started to emerge from her kimono ans quickly it was followed by the rest of the gun.

Sienna noticed Misato approach, though it took her a second to recognize her between the kimono and her slightly erratic gait. When the soldier drew near enough and began speaking, the powerful smell of booze hit Sienna like a hammer, making her blink and lean away slightly. Was Misato already drunk?

She tensed slightly as the Neko put her hand into the folds of her kimono, watching the odd behavior warily, unsure of what to expect. A quick glance around her revealed nothing nearby other than the three other women she was standing with, and she didn't look at any of them long enough to gauge what they made of what was happening. The instant she looked back at Misato, she saw the gun.

Her eyes went wide and adrenalin flushed through her body as she realized what was happening. And she was unarmed with no means of cover or escape. Without thinking, she flicked her wrist, throwing her half-full wine glass and its contents straight at Misato's face, hoping the momentary distraction would buy her enough time. No sooner than the glass left her hand she leaped diagonally to the side, attempting to move out of her line of fire and grab the gun. However, her new finery ended her defensive reaction prematurely; as she took her step, her dress pulled taut and the heel of her shoe slipped from beneath her, rolling her foot to the side. She flailed wildly at Misato's gun arm as she toppled to the ground.

'TheFuq!!!' Was all Misato could think let alone had time to think before the two fold attack came. All she wanted to do was give this perfectly nice pistol to Sienna and welcome her as part of the living crew of the ship.

First the wine splashed across her chest and face, She could have been fine with that but then the dive at her and grabbing her arm. Which in fact really grabbed her sleeve and tore the top of the kimono, leaving with just half a top. The momentum that Sienna put into the grab cause Misato to topple right over after her. hitting the ground hard.

It took her a moment to gather what all happened. Taking a deep breath and trying to suppress the anger Misato spoke slowly. "Sienna.. All I was trying to say was I owed you a pistol, i said the other day I wanted to get you one... Here it is." She sat up and held out the pistol, now dripping with wine. Her out stretchered arm held what remained of the largest part of the right side of her top.

"I.. I have no idea how you give gifts... But I like to give them at special occasions..." She finally looked down at her outfit stained in wine and torn down the middle to the belt line. Her shoulder harness holster could be seen, along with the right die of her chest.

Tears started to well up as she looked back over at Sienna, "I also make it a point not to attack the gifter." Misato decided at that very moment that this had been the very worst day of her entire 3 year life. Including the day she died at the hands of the Rippers.

Sienna grunted and winced in pain as her hip clumsily absorbed the full impact of her fall, followed immediately by the rest of her crumpling in a tangled heap of limbs and gown alongside the drawn-out sound of cloth tearing as half of Misato's kimono went down with her. The Neko crashed alongside her with a thud.

Collecting her wits she pushed herself up with one arm, hoping to seize the chance to disarm Misato while she was on the ground, but the Neko's body language -- along with the stunned and very irritated scowl on her face -- made it clear that an attack was not on her agenda. Bewildered and still charged with adrenalin, Sienna glared back, still lying on her side sprawled across the floor, propped up on her clenched fist.

As Misato explained herself in a barely-contained fury, Sienna's survival instincts slowly began to subside, giving way to a different kind of horror. Her face fell more with each word and she felt her skin get hot and tingly as she turned bright red upon realizing what Misato's actual intentions had been. Completely at a loss for words, she stared slack-jawed down at the now-wine-covered pistol that the partially-disrobed Misato was offering to her. She felt like such a fool. Staring in dumb silence for a few seconds as Misato finished her explanation, her embarrassment started to shroud itself in annoyed ire of her own. Looking back up at Misato, her eyes focused in a slight glare as she began to shake slightly.

She snatched the pistol crassly. "Well," she said in a low voice through clenched teeth, her rough accent thickening in her heightened emotional state, "if that's not what you want, maybe you should make it a point to be a little more frakking clear about what you're giving, especially before drawing a gun when you're shit-faced drunk."

She wasn't sure if she sounded angry because she actually was, or if she simply wanted someone onto whom she could channel her crippling embarrassment. Clumsily she tried to get up, but her dress and shoes made it far more difficult than it otherwise should have been.

Quickly Tanking the initiative Msiato used her float skills to left herself up, then with all the grace of a grunt in the field she reached down and grabbed Sienna's arm, not tightly mind you, but gruffly nonetheless. "I'm not shit-faced drunk. Politefuly numb is the term I would use. Also I would not ever change what I said there, I meant ever bit of it."

She helped Sienna up to a standing position. "I also wanted to apologize for actions of the crew today, but I think I shall save that until you are less likely to drive a dinner fork throw me." She winked hoping the sarcasm in the statement got through.

"Any ways there is the gun and," she reached into the obi and pulled three mags full of rounds, "The loads for it. It's unloaded... I have a case of rounds for them too, but I figured bring that along would have been a bit much..." Her anger had washed off but she was still upset, she had hoped to make someone jealous of her, and maybe be treated by a few of the guys like a girl and not a weapon of mass-destruction, but that was far out of the window now.

Inside, Takeyu glanced about the place with a nod of impression; before his eyes were drawn to Hanako and Sune, Sakura and Layven both smiled and hugged Hanako back before they looked around the place and for an area to sit, there seemed to be enough seating at least right now anyway. "Thank you ma'am," Takeyu said and glanced over at those who were currently there, and then down at his siblings. "I think it'll be awhile before the rest come," he told them as he looked back up and out a window toward the ocean.

After looking for something to paint all day, Akane decided to meet up with some of her crew mates for dinner. As she looked at the view from The Princess Dunes, the artistic infantrywoman knew she had finally found the best location to inspire her. Her mind tried to copy the scene so she could sketch and eventually pain them.

"Hello," Akane said as she approached her comrades. "Sorry for being so late."

She wore a kimono, red with black trim and slight floral patterns. Slight matching shoes slipped onto her feet and she kept her hair bound up to better show off her clothes.

It took a moment for Takeyu to realize the commotion that had gone on, with Sienna and Misato at it although it appeared that Sienna had misunderstood Misato's gesture. With a sigh, he removed his coat that he had on and walked over to Misato and placed it on her so that she wouldn't get cold from the sudden downpour of wine. "Do you have a spare Kimono?" he asked her curiously, while his sisters looked on with grins.

Bar

Mitsuko looked up from trying to order her drink, just in time to see Misato approaching Sienna. Her frown remained firmly in place as she turned back to the bar. Her drink was just being placed on the counter as the fireworks started. She twisted back towards the action, confused for a moment, before her eyes widened behind her glasses as she caught up to the situation. "Suzume-chan!" The Neko hurried over, right behind Takeyu. "Are you okay? What did she do to you!?" She wasn't sure why the civilian had a weapon now, or why it looked like Misato had been handing her more ammunition when she looked over, but she didn't like it.

Pulling the jacket tight around her she looked around at both Takeyu and then Mitsuko. Her stomach tightened, she looked back at Sienna. "thank you Sir, no... but I can run down stairs and grab something else at the nearest store..."

Her gaze was directly on Sienna's eyes as she spoke the next. "She didn't do a thing, besides not being use to heels. I'm far to clumsy in them also, hence my choice of boots, but she of coarse is far more adventurous then I." she turned to Mitsuko and gave her standard half cocked smile, "I'm sure she could use a new drink since I have apparently taken ownership of her first. Would you care to escort her over for a drink. Maybe treat her to one of those lovely frozen drinks Miss. Klein got us addicted to last time we were here?" Misato fought hard to keep this new mask on her face. Maybe that jerk of an NCO was right, maybe she was ready to become leader.

Suzume turned to Takeyu, "Sir would to escort me down to the shop? I would feel vulnerable in my current state." She blushed a bit before flashing a truly genuine smile at Sienna.

"Of course," Takeyu said all gentlemanly as he looked up and over at his sisters. "You two stay here ok?" he said and they nodded.

Unbeknownst to him, Layven had a grin on her face. "Aha... so big bro really does like her," the grin turned into a big, almost child-like smile.

Foyer

Sienna begrudingly accepted Misato's assistance in standing up, no longer feeling particularly glamorous in the dress she wore that now felt more like bindings. She brushed herself off with one hand, the pistol held in the other, fuming in silence as she accepted the magazines the short-haired Neko offered her.

She said nothing still as Takeyu tended to Misato, tugging out places in her dress where the fabric had bunched up in her fall, and looked up in time to see Mitsuko running up to them in a fuss. It was impossible to miss the daggers in her eyes when she glanced her way. But when Mitsuko demanded to know what had happened, Sienna bristled at her choice of phrasing.

"What did I do t--?" she said quietly, her expression and clipped tone positively incredulous. At a loss for words, and yet feeling no reason why she should have to explain herself, least of all to Mistuko, she merely closed her mouth and scoffed. Grasping the pistol and one of the clips in one hand and her now empty wine glass and the other two clips crisscrossed in her fingers in the other, she cleared her throat and opened her mouth to say something, but Misato spoke first.

However, her drastic change in demeanor left her baffled. She listened with a nonplussed expression as a seemingly different person spoke through the Neko's mouth. As Takeyu escorted Misato out of the room, the two of them walking now with a stiff, prim stride, she looked back over at Mitsuko, still furiously blushing and still looking just as confused.

Near Bar

"I suppose this is why gifts are better in boxes or wrapped," Hanako commented to Sune, after being surprised by the commotion. "Sienna is used to fighting for her life perhaps more than we are. I do not blame her for being jumpy around guns. She has only had a little time to learn to trust us. More and more, I also feel like this planet would be better if guns were prohibited here," she told Sune. "They really interfere with the planet's atmosphere, in the emotional sense of the word. That is why I left mine for tonight. I think we had better move on, to give everyone something to do other than gawk. Perhaps we could start the dinner. What is on the menu for the evening? Also, what sort of party games did you have in mind?"

Her brow was furrowed, still confused and upset by all of this. Misato's explanation hadn't really helped. Before she could ask her roommate for any more details, she was already leaving with the other officer. "...yes ma'am, Misato-Heisho." Mitsuko forced herself to calm down, taking a deep breath as she was left facing the outsider. She wasn't going to smile, but she did her best to keep from frowning. Her orders had been made clear. "Sorry." She gave a little bow to the civilian, before guesturing towards the bar. "Please, follow me."

She didn't give Sienna much time to consider the offer, turning to head back to the bar. Her frozen margarita was waiting on the counter for her, now. The Neko glanced at Hanako and the others nearby, before pushing the untouched beverage slightly away from her, towards an open spot, where she assumed Sienna would land if she wound up following. "I'll order another." She nodded to the bartender.