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RP: YSS Kaiyō Pre-Mission Thirteen: NEO-Birb Returns

club24

Everything Is Magical
YSS Kaiyo II
Gym

Thump. Thump. Smack. Thump. The fleshy sounds of a worn punchbag being laid into, worn down after years of use. Seinosuke’s sunrise-toned wings billowed behind him like a blaze, the vest-clad man using the feathery sails to build momentum before each punch.

He’d only just arrived the day before, the doctor and his wife immediately retreating to their accommodation to get settled in, thus he admittedly hadn’t had time to introduce himself to a lot of people. The ship was eerily quiet this early in the morning, Seino’s sleep cycles were hardly regular so usually he ended up doing whatever he felt like, when he felt like it. Schedules just slowed people down, he pondered, giving the bean-filled bag a harsh elbowbash.

The newly returned Neo-Caelisolian was not the only one up that early morning as a small neko stalked the quiet halls in search of entertainment, hearing the faint sounds emanating from the gym her ears perked up. “Well well, who do we have this morning.” Moving swiftly down the hall she poked her head into the gym with an inquisitive look on her face.

The Iemochi’s longish blonde hair was wild and unkempt as she looked on, his black vest darker in some areas than others from his exertion. With a roundhouse kick that reverberated through his lean body as it connected, a single orange-red feather from his lower wing dislodged, floating gently on the very slight breeze towards her.

Tail swishing slightly her gaze was drawn to the feather as it drifted, leaping silently she snatched it from the air and landed softly moving back around the corner. Shasse had of course seen the other Elysians on the ship before and was no stranger to feathers, but the colouring of these specific ones had caught her attention. “Now this is quite an interesting colour” she spoke to herself but with no attempt at concealing it.

Sein steadied the somewhat repair-worthy gym equipment between his two bandage-bound hands, panting a little. He’d sworn a faint, female voice murmured nearby, perhaps someone had walked past? Turning his head, Sein’s emerald eyes danced around the room with a questioning look, his cheek seemed to have a small paper bandage running up one side. “Hello?” Mochi inquired calmly, tilting his head to one side a fraction to better hear any reply.

A pair of fuzzy ears poked slowly around the door once more twitching shortly followed by the small face of Shasse as she looked over at the birb, “Yes?”

Mochi blinked a few times at the near-instantaneous appearance of the Neko, it was as if she had been waiting by the door for some reason. A smirk spread across his lips at her gradual, dramatic reveal, “Hey there, slowcat.” He raised a hand in greeting, one eyebrow still raised above the other in confusion. “Is there uhm, anyone else back there? I heard talking?” The question hung in the air, maybe he was just unused to the strangeness that was the Kaiyo II.

Blinking slowly at him several times an awkward silence followed his question before the face slowly retreated from view much the same way it had appeared. In a flash she had floated up behind him and poked his wings while staring intently. “These are not normal are they?”

Mochi watched on with some incredulity as the blue-tinged Neko seemed to slip away in slow motion, having said only one word. He opened his mouth to respond but before the unsuspecting Elysian knew, a very private area of his was being poked.

“Wha-?!” Seino sprung forwards like he’d just been stung by a bee, sunrise wings flapping once with indignation as he spun around. “Hey!” He seemed more shocked than upset, settling down rapidly other than the slight blush that had touched his features. “They’re sensitive!”

Shasse ducked as he turned and slid behind him again staying out of his sight and poking him in the leg, “Something is off about you, not like a normal Elysian at all” she mused bending over slightly to poke him in the chest as he continued turning.

“Stop that! Hey!” Mochi began to chuckle a little at her curious pokes, Shasse’s snowy locks being the only thing he could keep in his vision at any one time. “Who even are you?!” His jade eyes seemed to twinkle like a child’s for a moment, “Alright, enough, enough, c’mon.”

Stopping and looking at him quizzically she put her hands behind her back and did as she was told but continued to inspect him. “I’m Shasse Emiko.” The blue neko grinned madly as though her name was something greater than life and puffed out her chest. “And you are not what you seem to be, Mr Iemochi I presume?”

Seinosuke shook his head in surprise, “How..? Yes, I’m Mochi.. Seinosuke..” He lifted his arms, looking underneath them to locate where the smol Shasse had disappeared to. Spotting her, the Juni turned with almost exaggerated composure as if that would make up for his rather embarrassing reaction.

His raven-shaped wings seemed to retreat behind him instinctively, to protect from any more surprise pokes. “Well Shasse Emiko, you’re right though I assume you knew that if you know my name.” Sein’s words were obviously chosen to seem like he never lost grasp on the situation, though it was pretty obvious he was very much still off-balance.

The neko smirked at him, “Oh I know more than that, all those dark little secrets you wouldn’t want anyone else to know, what goes on in your lab and such.” Shasse floated up and adopted a pose as though she was lying on her side, “Just kidding of course, I only saw your name on a document somewhere or Miles mentioned it so I decided to just go with it.” She grinned at him again and continued floating around at head height.
When the playful catgirl began, the Juni’s mind suddenly switched to thoughts of his time in SOFT 501, some operations of which were still classified. Before he could assume the worst, Shasse floated up to his eyeline and he breathed a sigh of relief. “Miles, eh? I need to go say hi to him later on actually. Hmm-” Watching the little woman spinning around, a impish smile lit up Sein’s face and before he knew it the urge to poke her back was at the front of his mind - pokepokepokepokepoke!

Suddenly she scooted up so their faces were inches apart, “But you still haven’t said anything about what I said earlier. You’re clearly not a normal one so what are you?” Shasse’s wide, red eyes stared straight into his as she floated in front of him.

Pokepokepokepoke. Sein stared into Shasse’s eyes for a moment, then began to go cross-eyed as he spoke to see how she’d react. “It’s a long story but I’m a new race of Elysian.” He put on a super professor-esque voice, even as his sparking emerald irises scooted closer together. “Took me ages to get everything right, some things I couldn’t do much about though.” Mochi’s wings shuffled a little bit, as if he was subconsciously thinking about them. Then, suddenly, his pupils shot back to Shasse and a hailstorm of fingers shot forwards, pokepokepokepoke!

Shasse nodded along listening to his brief explanation, a look of confusion crossing her face as his eyes continued to turn inwards. “Kyahaha!” The small neko giggled as she was poked jolting backwards before falling onto the floor with a dull thud and a groan, she was lying face down and the only visible movement came from the soft twitching of her tail.

Oh shit. Whoops. “Hey, are you alright?” Sein bent down, blowing a few locks of golden hair aside as they fell into his eyes. He poked her again, softer, screwing up his features. “Ew, I think it’s dead. Someone get the brush.”

“Ha ha, very funny.” Came a muffled voice from the floor, “If this is how you treat a stranger I’d hate to be your wife.” She retorted rolling over and smirking arms crossed, the neko got to her feet and brushed off her uniform and performing the intricate task of removing the huge mass of hair from her face one clump at a time. “So your a new breed huh, explains the wings and the sort of clinical smell your body has.”

“Clinical smell?” Mochi seemed bewildered, glancing down at his dark vest. “Also, my wife and I horse about a lot.” He glanced up, grinning as he cast his mind back to Arbs and their wedding day, rubbing his ring with his thumb. “What do you mean, clinical smell? I mean, it looks like you just jumped into a bunch of laundry powder.” A cheeky smile showed Sein was playing around, feathered appendages curling back around his shoulders as the threat seemed to have passed.

The neko huffed and turned her nose up at him, “So what if I have? Doesn't change the fact that your body has an unusual…” Shasse waved her hands around in mild frustration. “Thing, about it. Which makes sense now that you told me.” She smirked again and watched his wings moving about slightly, a similar look coming over her as the first time.

Seino seemed to notice the look, their motion faltering for a moment, seeing she was interested on some level. Cautiously, the Neo-Caelisolian continued bringing them forwards, extending them a little so Shasse could get a better look. “These are the only Elysian wings in the universe with so many colours.” He commented, gently brushing on of them, clearing a stray hair that had been caught by a feather. “I’m also the only Elysian who wasn’t born Elysian..”

Shasse’s eyes flicked to his and then back to the wings, “Wow that’s so cool, are you some kind of robot with skin? OH or maybe you were grown in a tube like me.” Her eyes sparkled at the idea of another person like her, “Also, I didn't know you were married. Is your wife cute?”

The taller man seemed to blink a few times in bewilderment, if this was what it was going to be like having kids.. “Uhh.. I’m not a robot. Funnily enough, I technically grew myself in a tube so that’s a bit weird I guess.” Sein chuckled a little, he’d never thought of his genesis in that way before - what a weird way of thinking about it.

A lovestruck expression crossed Iemochi’s face as Shasse asked him about his wife, the affection in his eyes tangible. “You could see her later today if you wanted, she’s about.. This tall.” He smiled, lowering his hand to indicate the smol’s petite height. “How old are you by the way? I could never get my head around Neko ageing. Or is that rude to ask?” Sein finished sheepishly, rubbing the back of his neck.

“Well that is certainly short, being this size has its benefits but plenty of downsides too, as for my age I thought you said you were married.” The neko laughed and consequently inhaled a strand of her own hair having to spend some time trying to remove it. “As for my age, being grown the way we are it's sort of an accelerated growth, someone said that to me once but I have no idea what it means, technically I'm like 1? But considered 19 at this point.”

Mochi grinned as Shasse managed to do another thing that most people would do fine, having to check himself from laughing. “Hmm.” He replied coolly, ignoring the marriage comment, “Crazy, but then again I can’t exactly comment on growth and things.”

The warrant officer glanced around, then shrugged a little to himself mentally, now more interested in the conversation than what he had been doing. With a couple steps over to a nearby crash-mat, Sein let himself flop down onto it, wings shooting out instinctively to the sides as if he as gliding. Whump.

The small neko walked over and stood next to him peering down at the birb on the floor, “Surely you're not that tired from a little exercise? Some genetically improved body that is then.” She considered picking him up with one hand to prove her point on genetically altered bodies but hesitated remembering the last time she poked his wings.

“And what's up with your wings, I've never seen someone react so impressively to being poked before.” She flopped onto the floor next to him staring at him inquisitively with her big red eyes.

“Tired? Heh, trust me my dear, it’d take a little more than that. Jus’ getting comfy.” He spun around while lying down, quills making a peculiar noise as he did, lying as he looked up at her. “Oh.. Uh.. Wings?” Mochi seemed more than a tad embarrassed by the subject but remembered that he himself had once been just as clueless.

“They’re sort of.. Like..” He gestured openly and suggestively with his hands, glancing at the Neko beside him nervously. She probably needed more than that, he figured, gesturing motions gradually slowing to a halt. “Sort of like boobs I guess? Uh.. Sensitive.” A hint of blush touched his features, the man letting his hands fall down onto his stomach, giving up on any sort of analogy he’d been forming.

Silence followed once again as she simply blinked a few times, “well I don't really know what that is like but I think I get the idea… sorry for earlier then, aha.” She said sheepishly shuffling away from his wings eyeing them carefully. “I heard you served here before is that true?”

Wait, what? He must have heard that wrong - surely sex ed was part of the standard Neko education? It wasn’t his place to perform a in-depth tutorial in any case, the ring on his finger proved that. “Ah, it’s fine - Elysians all go through it once or twice when we transfer. Funnily enough I actually did the same to my wife when we first met.” Sein played it off sheepishly, tapping the mat beside him rhythmically to take his mind off it.

“Yuh-huh, I served all the way back to the first mission of the original Kaiyo.. I’ve even got a ring and a sword made from its hull. Started off as a Santo Juni, now I’m this.” Pointed to his uniform, across the room, showing the triple ocean-blue stripes and assortment of ribbons with some pride. “After taking a bit of a trip to Elysia for diplomatic reasons, of all things. It’s been quite a journey.” So many memories, so many more to come. He could talk all day about what the Kaiyo had gone through but he was more eager to find out what had happened in his absence!

“Woah thats, a long time ago. I don't even know what it's like to grow up so I can't imagine that at all…” She trailed off seeming to lose herself to thought before snapping back. “Well I've only been here since the end of the station attack and missed out on the temple due to some medical issues, and I got drunk and tore off my arm in Ayenee, that wasn't so fun, and later on Miles decided to copy me and got his leg ripped off.”

“You.. tore off your arm? As in, you pulled it off yourself?” Mochi seemed befuddled. If this had been a few months ago, he probably would have understood immediately yet
it had been a good while since his last chat with a Neko of her.. character.

“Oh no I flew into a tree and crashed badly, hurt for a good while but Darwin and Sacre saved me, Miles was a bit useless but I still like him he's such a goof.” She smiled happily talking about her friends and made a low humming sound.

Mochi raised a hand, holding it up before him so its shadow was cast upon his eyes, simply because he felt like it. “That’s rough - at least you got it back though, huh? I got shot in the face myself a few weeks ago, losing an arm must have sucked.” Turning his palm, those emerald eyes of his glanced to Shasse’s crimson red. “I know Miles - nice lad, very bright.”

“Mhm! He can be kinda dumb though, but he means well and he cares about everyone.” Shasse closed her eyes and lay there for a moment, without opening them she spoke. “So why did you come back after leaving, and with a family too.” The tone was a little more serious than her usual playful one and she had lost her smile.

Sein sighed, curling and uncurling his fist as he thought of how to express what had gone into the decision. Detecting the change in tone, Mochi didn’t brush off the question or joke like he might have done a moment ago, rubbing his cheek as he replied. “An attempt on my life, which my wife was caught in as a hostage. A lack of safety which I’ve felt everywhere but aboard this ship, which I need for my children. A personal request for the two of us from Eden..” It was a bit of an info dump but it was this or have rumors circling around the ship regarding their return for however long it would take.

She sat up with a shocked expression and gawped at him, “But if you weren't in a battle why were they trying to kill you? Only battles is when you can fight and kill people it's what they told us…” Her face scrunched into a sad frown as she realised she didn't actually know how the world outside of a ship worked.

He smirked but not in a snarky fashion, the little Neko was rapidly growing on him. “That’s right, bad people sometimes kill people when they don’t fight back or they’re just trying to live. They do it for silly reasons, like anger or money. Luckily for me, I have some super special training that saved us both.” Without realising it, the scientist had once again reverted to explaining things like he would to a child, a small smile touching his lips.

“Woah, that's awesome but I had no idea people fought outside the military, we were told never to use weapons to hurt civilians. But it’s good you could protect her, your wife that is.” She started idly floating through the air on her back hair spilling down below her, “So what's it like being out of the military, and having a family.”

Sein smiled warmly, glad she had the empathy so many lacked in this great universe. “Thank you for saying that.” He reached down to one side of his body, feeling for his hip where he would have mounted his xiphos. It felt good to have, being without it for so long just made him want it more. “Being outside? Totally different, alien. I lived out there for most of my life, getting my doctorate but I always moved from place to place. Staying with family is.. Difficult but rewarding. I can teach you about the outside if you want?”

“Really?! That would be so cool!” Shasse was practically bouncing around despite hovering around the room with her excitement plastered across her face in the form of a huge smile and wide eyes. “I know about some types of things outside and certain roles people fill but I've never lived out there.”

The young man bolted up, blinking at how Shasse had suddenly begun spinning around the gym room from behind beside him a moment ago. “Jeez, you are fast. I bet you’d be an awesome roommate, heh.” He kicked back again, rubbing his wings against the mat to preen them. “I could even show you things from the outside I’ve brought with me, hmm? Tell me something about yourself.”

The neko stopped zooming for a moment and thought, coincidentally this somehow caused her to float slowly around as though it was zero G while turning over and over. “Well there isn't much to tell, born in a tube, told to fight and stationed here. Although…” she absently brought a small hand up to her face and traced ofer the three crimson tears imprinted on her cheek. “I still have these.” Shasse spoke softly.

Mochi tilted his head slightly to one side, squinting to get a better look at the scarlet droplets a s she flipped gently through the air. While he loved being an Elysian, some things about being a Minkan he missed - floating was up there, even though he could fly with the wind in his wings now. “I noticed them earlier, they’re quite beautiful though I’m sure they have a story, hmm?” The way Mochi had turned, the bandage on his face was more visible than it had been, a few red splotches of his own visible, by some coincidence of chance.

The little neko hummed thoughtfully and almost sadly, “I guess they do more or less, It was the first thing I learned in basic training and combat sims. I'm a machine made for war and the only tears I cry are the crimson tears of blood surrounded by the dying people of war. We weren't made with the intention of emotions and feeling but we were given them anyway, and some days it only makes it worse when you know that all you were made to do is kill.”

She noticed his own bandages and blood patches and assumed they were from defending his home, or getting shot in the face depending on which was more violent. “Yeah, I was called strange and told I was from a faulty batch by some of the others for thinking this way but, be honest here what purpose do I have other than war?”

The Elysian’s eyes grew kind and understanding, taking a moment to bow his head as he came up with a way to put it. “My dear.. Purpose is a box we put ourselves in, it’s not something we’re defined as. I almost died when I was born, my purpose to become ash and dust. I decided not to let things go that way. You can decide your own purpose - but know the road to realising your purpose is not a straight or easy one.” Perhaps he was preaching but the resignation in Shasse’s tone called him to action. Things like this are never straightforward.

“Dying huh, the other thing they take away from us, no one gets out until the contract is served and despite all the talk of us no longer being just a piece of military hardware this is still how it works. I don't look or sound like the one who'd be saying this I know, but it's so tiring having to act the way I'm supposed to.” Shasse touched down on the floor still in a sitting pose as her head slumped forwards and rested on her knees.

“I'm sorry I've tainted your return to the Kaiyo with my crappy thoughts on the matter, but I've not been able to talk to anyone about it but Miles.” Shasse brought her knees in to her chest and sat quietly.

Mochi watched her sink dejectedly, glancing at the floor for a moment as he sat up. “Hmm..” The blonde man seemed to think to himself, then scooted over to the glum Neko’s side and wrapped a lean arm around her. “Look, things never seem as good from your own perspective.” He smiled, squeezing her lightly as he continued.

“There are people out there right now, starving, enslaved, dying without hope of resurrection. You have your comrades, friends, comfort.” His jade eyes twinkled, “You could get out of here a few years from now and start a family, watch as your children grow before your eyes, hmm?” Then, he nudged her a little, “Maybe learn a little sex ed and you’ll probably see things differently.” Sein chuckled knowingly, gazing at her with fatherly eyes.

Shasse didn't budge but there was a soft purring sound coming from her small body, “A family would be nice, but that's a thought for another time. Now, let's fight!” She hopped to her feet with a wild grin and tossed him a pair of boxing gloves from nearby giggling and working the kinks from her neck.

The Juni plucked the gloves from the air as they sailed towards him, taking his time to get up, slipping each foot under himself one at a time. “Alright, alright.” He wasn’t exactly looking forward to the ordeal as Neko strength was always a difficult thing for sparring partners. “I’m coming.” He smiled, bracing himself for some cracked ribs if she didn’t know how to pull punches as he stepped into the fight area.

Shasse grinned at him like a schoolboy and hopped into the arena and bounced lightly on her feet bringing her hands up in front of her, “I promise I won't break too many bones, but try not to lose too easily that would be boring.” The neko spoke confidently signaling she was ready.

Mochi smiled back cooly, his emerald eyes narrowed to slits as he concentrated, crouching down a little into an exotic stance. “Confident, aren’t we?” A quick wink to the cute Neko signalled he was ready, “I’ll try not to lose.” His posture was nothing like Shasse’s, very low to the ground with very little in terms of guard, he wondered if his recent brawl had been enough to keep him in form.

The blue neko eyed her opponent carefully noting his interesting stance, she was a trained fighter but not a professional competition fighter and wasn't sure why his guard seemed to be down. Slipping quickly forwards she moved to bring her right hand into his midsection but quickly sidestepped around him pulling her hand back to test her theory and his stance defence.

Mochi’s stance shifted and morphed as Shasse watched, his back bent low, glittering eyes almost inline with his neck. With the veritable viper’s strike of a punch the crimson teared girl threw, the Elysian shot his flamelike wings around in a cloaking fashion, obscuring him from the punch as she drew away. Impressive, she was as intelligent as he’d suspected. Yet, he still didn’t move to strike, watching her like a hawk. Calculating, it looked like, unnervingly.

Hopping back several steps she put distance between herself and the elysian noting he had indeed been waiting for her and now appeared to be doing so again, “Interesting defence you have there, mind if I take a look?” In what could only be described as playing dirty she shot in close again while his wings were still up and began to poke them several times before zipping to the opposite side to the previous dodge and swinging with her left at his side.

He knew better than to reply, his wings beginning to unfurl in preparation for whatever technique she would employ to get around the instant, though cumbersome, shield. Just as he was about to be able to regain eye contact, the sudden barrage of lewdness caught him off guard, the mix of adrenaline and the sudden pleasant feeling opening his defense. With a solid thump, Shasse’s fist connected with a bloom of pain shooting up his side, Mochi hopping back in the direction of force.

With that, his feathery sails flipped upwards behind him like a cobra, wincing. Something felt snapped, his ribcage aching harshly as he moved. That really fucking hurt, Seinosuke switching to a higher stance, though not the same as being boiled alive.

Shasse smiled feeling the impact as her gloved hand connected with his side and promptly dropped to the floor rolling backwards in a ball before springing up again with distance between them once more. “Never underestimate a sniper, especially one who remembers everything you tell her.” Shasse locked eyes with him and saw the obvious pain he was feeling giving a smirk in response, “Told you not to make it boring and so far you disappoint me.”

Mochi gave the blue Neko another cheeky wink, though the twinge in his eyes was evident. This high guard was strange, his sunrise wings now constantly moving up and down, making it hard to focus. His hands were open palms, positioned as if he were praying before his chest. “The question, my dear, is how much you remember. Sorry if I’m not spicy enough, maybe I’ll try a roll too!” He smiled, their eyes not leaving each other.

The strange, colourful flurry of feathers shimmering and reflecting the lights above them continued its dance. Sein began to pace meaningfully closer, small step at a time, hands still in that unnerving praying position as he drew closer.

Shasse watched his eyes rather that his hands looking for and telltale signs of an attack. Trying to make herself an opening the neko ducked down and scooted around behind him with lightning speed and made a jab at his knees with her foot.

Taking the hit and staying off the offensive all this time had given him the intelligence he needed. Mobility was her asset and this time, Sein was ready. Spinning with her movement in almost a perfect mirror, he brought one hooked hand in a short outwards arc, catching the crook of her little foot. Continuing with the fluid motion, Mochi slid with force towards the Neko, pushing her attacking foot back over her head.

Shasse realised too late she hadn’t managed to fool him a second time and quickly felt her foot lifting up higher than usual. With a thud she fell to the floor for the second time but she wasn’t out yet, grunting she tensed her arms and shoulders before pushing upwards towards Mochi with her feet.

Pouncing on the opportunity, the older soldier slipped to the side a fraction as the smol Neko’s feet shot up towards him like a viper. The flesh of her leg brushed the against his hip as her momentum carried through, Mochi’s arms coming down as the rustle of fabric on fabric reached their ears. It looked to be as if he would execute a pin.

“Gah” exclaimed the small neko as she was dodged again and suddenly pinned, “You certainly have some interesting training I’m not usually stopped when I move as fast as that. Small size and speed and all that.” Shasse spoke laughing as she gave up knowing she had been beaten and expecting it to finish there.

Seino grinned, securing the pin by clambering so he was most definitely on top of her, gazing down. “Hehe, thanks! That hook punch really hurt, though, ya minx.” His plumage billowed down beside them like a waterfall of rippling flame, quite impressive really. With a wink, he booped the petite Shasse on the nose, “You’re very agile and you know how to use it, keep that up.”

Untangling himself from her limbs, Mochi went to straighten up with a little groan and a wince. ‘Yep, that needs a checkup.’ He decided, glancing to where the pain was thumping mildly for now.

“Eheh, sorry but I did warn you” Shasse chuckled blinking in surprise at being booped without any idea of why, the small neko rolled over and got to her feet brushing off her uniform. “Well thanks for the sparring session that was good fun, although I apologize for the hit I’m sure miles will have something for you in the medbay.” Shasse glanced at the feather which had been discarded on the floor she moved over to it and plucked it from the floor. “Oh you dropped this earlier, do you need to like, glue it on or something?”

“Mhm! It was my own fault, your speed and uhm.. Unconventional techniques, were very effective.” Was that a glint of a blush on his cheeks? “It was super fun and I think I will have to- ow- see Miles sooner rather than later, hehe.” Seino’s emerald eyes had an exhilarated and appreciative look about them.

He brushed some dust from the floor off his sweat-darkened vest, glancing up as she mentioned something he’d dropped. “Oh? OH! Thank you so much for spotting that! Elysian feathers are very valuable, I’ve been trying to get enough of mine so I can make a pillow for the kids’ birthday.” A fatherly look twinkled in his eyes, holding out his hand, “If you ever get given an Elysian’s own feather, it’s something very special.”

“Oh is it? I didn’t know they were worth so much, well I hope you can make some for your kids but why don’t you just pull out a few?” The inquisitive neko asked cocking her head to the side wondering why he didn’t just do that. “Seems like that would be a lot easier than waiting for it to happen.”

“Ehh.. If you pull them out and other Elysians see the marks, iiiiit’s not a good thing. Plus, it really hurts and it hurts for a long time. Sorta like if someone cut y-.. Nevermind. Say, like pulling out your fingernails.” Mochi shook his head, remembering how his earlier comments of that nature had flown over Shasse’s head. “It wouldn’t feel right to put those sorts of feathers in there anyway, it’s the thought behind it that counts.”

“They’re super soft, if you want to feel it?” Sein’s hand hovered over hers, waiting to see if she’d accept before returning it. There was a reason there was a black market for the soft plumage and poking didn’t quite give them justice.

After looking over the the feather again noticing the interesting colouring she returned it to the outstretched hand, “I think I’ve felt them plenty already ahh… yeah sorry about that thing, earlier.” The blue neko said thinking back to the several times earlier when she’d unceremoniously poked them.

“Heh, don’t worry.. Just caught me by surprise but that’s exactly what you need in a fight.” Mochi nodded, accepting the red-orange feather and tucking it under one of the bands of his vest - no pockets. “Arbles does it occasionally to make me jump, never fails.” The scientist chuckled at the memory, raising his eyes to the heavens for a moment.

“Well, it’s been fun meeting you Sir and I’m sure we’ll meet again in future but I have to go and get ready for the rest of the day so I’ll bid you farewell, and you should probably go see the medics.” Shasse waved to him over her shoulder as she moved off to head back to her cabin.

“It’s been great meeting you too, Shasse Emiko - I’ll see you around!” Mochi beamed, raising a hand in farewell, the other pressed lightly to his aching side. ‘She had a point.’ He decided, padding over to where his uniform jacket lay, scooping it up over one arm. Time to see Miles again.
 
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