The three members of nobility sat down at the table Sophia upturned cups and poured tea from the little tea pot her smile warm the Captain facade had dropped now that she was around family it was like flicking a switch just like her father she had iron control of her face and emotions but the wall dropped as she smiled warmly placing the tea pot back down the three of them sat there for the moment taking in the loving presence of the other.
The Duke broke the silence first his voice hearty, "I do believe it has been almost a month or more rather since my Granddaughters birthday since I last saw the both of you." The other two nodded confirming that it had been the same for them as well as the Duke continued, "How is my Granddaughter I am afraid I can't say I have heard from her in a long while albeit that may be because I was off doing my duty to our people doing battle with the abhorent unscrupulous Kusarian fanatics at our doorstep. They have truly fallen lower than animals and need a well deserved bullet, such violation and desecration of man woman and child that they come across."
"Grandfather!" exclaimed Sophia her words sharp and scolding, "Behave, what do you think Lafiel would say if she heard you denouncing the Kusarian people as a lower form of life, she would be heart broken and truly such jibes are far below a person of your level in society." Sophia glared at the Duke as he began to protesting as if to scold her but the Marquess intervened bringing an end to the arguement that was about to interrupt, "Last I heard of my dear little Lafie she had collapsed I believe that was a message from you hence for my brisk hurry to this establishment alas to no avail too late did I realise that the message was older than a few hours alas I had been away on a deep space assignment which required a more silent nature and was just returning. Do tell me daughter of mine is she well."
Both of them fell silent as Sophia turned to look at her father, "Well the little charmer managed to pull curtains over my dear Uncle's.. I mean Oliver's eyes she collapsed from a severe bout of Influenza though she was quickly treated when she left for Rheinland she still wasn't a hundred percent the poor little thing. I did speak briefly to her over a transmission once she got there safely and was still crook but looked a lot better. One must concede though that if one was to imagine her as you explained to me then it is remarkable she got it or maybe it was something else that we know not made her collapse."
The Marquess contemplated for a moment pulling strings so that he might land a position at the embassy and visit her. He stopped entertaining this line of thinking realising that the Duke was now talking. The Duke had obviously known the absence of his son's mind as he began again, "As I was saying when I called in at home I found numerous messages waiting for me. She sounded rather panicked by the end of the that she couldn't get in touch with us... I did try contacting her for the past few ours before meeting Sophia with no luck she was rather busy which is understandable but she would of returned the transmissions.... So I am convinced something isn't quite right her Chief of staff practically leapt over the moon when I got in contact with him regarding my inability to reach her apparently the lack of family appeared to be taking a toll on her health. I am not quite sure but as Grandfather Granddaughter relationships go she did seem to want to try to tell me something or she at least hinted at something important apparently it was one of those things that she couldn't tell you Sebastian though truly it would only be on a matter were she thought it might harm your pride of her."
The Marquess frowned concern creasing his brow, "She is a silly girl surely she must no nothing would harm my love or pride of her... I can see maybe it is time for one of those more interesting father daughter talks." Sophia grinned broadly showing her perfect white teeth she knew just how paternal their father got having had many such lectures and discussions herself. Sophia spoke an idea popping into her mind to bring a close the worry, "Let us celebrate my dear sister and her fine accomplishments with the Embassy and to family for this has been the first time any of us has seen each other in a very long time." Here here both men acknowledged her in agreeance.
The Duke spied what he had been trying to find his entire visit an environmental filter he lit up his cigar Jovially and dipped into his jacket to pull out a decanter pouring a deep amber liquid his special Century Vintage single malt scotch into an old fashioned glass which nobody had quite realised he had managed to aquire for their table. Sophia saw the scotch and exclaimed shocked at her most senior relative, "GrandFather your drinking scotch in a pastry shop?" The Duke gave her a sidelong glance momentarily taking his cigar from his mouth, "You young missy are not depriving this oldman of one of the few delights still left to him. This is a celebration though and it is most called for though not for a young lady such as yourself at this hour." Sophia rolled her eyes at him which would of gotten her a slap across the face had she been in any other noble family but her GrandFather just smiled warmly around his cigar. Truly Sophia couldn't be genuinely angry at the warm hearted oldman he was thinking of her best interests for both public appearance and what would of normally affected any other human beings health.
The Marquess declared in a whisper, "I shall involve the other guests in this celebration." He carried his tea cup and moved to the front counter were Christy was handed her his another thousand credits and turned to address the other guests. He spoke to be heard projecting his voice with authority that called all her heard it to regard him as his voice carried around the room, "I say may I have your attention please!"
The Marquess satisfied that he had everyones attention began a small announcement, "Ladies and Gentlemen that are present here in this establishment today I call upon you all to join in festivities of this day for rememberance of accomplishments of both family and friend a like. I praise my daughter Lafiel who has gone before us in courage and wisdom with her efforts doors have opened heralding a greater friendship and the securement of a stronger peace between our beautiful kingdom and the Federal Republic of Rheinland with the establishment and opening of Embassy and a focal point for our presence in Rheinland. I speak to you now also to honour the men women and children whom have fallen to this war of the utter destruction of our people and way of life. Honour to those that have gone before us and fought with courage in her majesties armed forces giving freely their loves for the protection of all free Bretonian people of who without we would be toppled and cast to the solar winds. In these next two hours I say eat up and drink till your hearts content and bask in merriment and company of your fellow person. Let us rejoice in our peace between Bretonia and Rheinland as our bond grows ever deeper let it be that in some day that all the great wars come to an end as does the suffering of all human kind at the hand of it." He paused saluting with with his cup as he spoke with reverance, "To family, friends, our loved ones and fellow countryman. God Save The Queen!"
He returned to his table satisfied and proclaimed a more personal toast, "To family, how I have missed you both." The free of them clinked their drinking vessels smiling.
Anthony was rather confused as to what this man was doing but he stood up and raised his cup anyway. He sat back down and began to speak with Vixen...
"Rather random, that man has a way with words though, I'll try and bump into him if I get the chance. So, you're not fully human? Quite interesting, I'd love to know more...You were saying you don't know Kiri at all and you felt like helping her out? Very generous of you. This implant you spoke of, where is it located, I want to take a peek at it. That is if Kiri ever comes out..."
Vixen looked around. They were in a very secluded corner of the building, nobody could really see her, except for Anthony.
"The implant," She started, "is in her right arm...i believe it must be something medicinal, she doesn't seem the type for wargear..."
Then she hunched down, and looked around. The tables that could have seen her were empty, and she sighed in a sense of relief. Her gloved hands raised to her hood, and she paused for a moment, before slipping it down around her neck. What was revealed was a woman with catlike features, and light pink fur covering her. She shook her ears, which highly resembled cat ears, to the point of flicking around with the sounds. On her forehead sat a neural connective band, like none other ever seen, and a black leather collar with a slightly rounded, flat blue disk, about two inches across. It pulsed slightly as her eyes did.
She smiled, and blinked at Anthony.
"Well, here i am...Hopefully Kiri is a lot less scared of cat-people then of hooded people with glowing eyes.
A million dollars isn't cool. You know what is cool? A basilisk.
Anthony picked a wrong time to be sipping tea. His surprise was so great some tea was propelled back into his cup. He blinked a few times and wondered what he had gotten himself into. Joining the BPA had already turned into quite the adventure.
"You weren't joking about not being entirely human...sorry about that outburst...literally." Anthony chuckled a bit nervously and continued, "So...I'm not sure I want to know how you ended up like that but you seem like a sensible "person" anyway. Lets hope Kiri likes cats..."
Anthony looked around expecting Kiri to be coming...
Still sitting on the toilet, Kiri released her arm, she took a deep breath and wriggled off the seat, standing up she took her uniform off the door just in time to catch her bottom half from falling to the floor, she moved her right hand quicky to catch her trousers as they fell, she took a sudden gasp as the pain from her arm echoed through her body, moving her arm so quickly was never an option, she looked down and held onto her trousers waiting for the pain to slowly fade a away.
The pain gradually dissapated, Kiri placed her right arm slowly back into her uniform, and then her other arm followed, still soaking wet, she shivered as the wet uniform met the base of her spine, pulling her hair out from under her uniform Kiri opened the door to the cubical walking into the open sink area.
She stared at herself in the mirror, looking at her uniform, she asked for the smallest size but still it was far too big for her, Kiri's guardian mother -Shizuma Sakuragi- had promised to mend her uniform so it didnt fall when kiri walked and actually fit her propperly, but hadnt gotten round to it, kiri's fingers just about reached out from the arms of her uniform jacket, and her waist didnt come nearly to the standard buxom roundedness of most Bretonian Women, of course there were reasons for this, and so Kiri just delt with it.
"it..cant be helped.." She said to herself
Kiri faked a smile in the mirror in an attempt to bring herself to leave the toilets, she looked over at the door then she remembered the discarded capsule she dropped and turned around searching the floor with her eyes, such a large thing could surely not just vanish? Kiri knew she was thinking of things to make herself stay longer in the restroom.
She stopped searching, holding her trousers with her right hand she walked slowly towards the door and placed her left hand on the door handle, slowly she twisted it trying to avoid the creaking sound, she looked around slowly, she could not fully see the table where she was sat with the young gentleman, a bolt of lightning cracked outside pretty close to the shop Kiri yelped and closed the door, still maintaining a tight grip on the handle, a slight cheer from inside the shop was heard as the officers commented on the lightning's ferocity.
Kiri opened the door again, soothing her arm she stepped out of the restroom.
Kiri displayed a much braver smile than before, feeling gradually better as her medicine began to work she quivered as the hooded woman still sat at the table where she left, the hooded woman bowed her head slowly at Kiri as she approached them, Kiri closed her eyes and took a deep breath, exhaling slowly she smiled a big smile inside she was still very fearfull of this person, but she didnt want to make enemies, or hurt the feelings of this person through her socially unfounded actions.
"g..gomenasai..."
Kiri blushed profusley, quickly correcting herself
"I..I mean. um, im s..sorry for running away"
Kiri stroked her arm gradually more intensly as she awaited a response from the hooded figure, the young man was cleaning up some tea from the table due to his surprise at the hooded woman's true nature, "he must have jumped when the lightning struck just now" Kiri thought..
Vixen: "Are you well, Kiri? You look sick..."
Kiri did indeed look pale with a hint of redness to and around her eyes, she fidgeted, stuttering trying to be brave and not sound like a child, she nodded as she spoke trying to look as cheerful as she could.
I..I..I'm ok...... im ok...
she moved round the back of the young man getting to her seat, she sat down and wriggled into the middle of her chair, still a very cautious of the hooded woman. the tea before her was cold and untouched, Kiri pulled her sleaves back a little, freeing her fingers she picked up the cup...
Vixen smiled from under her hood.
"You're kusarian. I thought so...don't worry, the two may be at war, but it doesn't mean that the two cannot still mingle...you yourself are an image of that, an icon..."
Vixen blinked, hiding her eyes for a fraction of a second. She looked around, her felinic features catching the light for a bare second before returning to the veil of darkness...
"You needn't fear that you are different...different is good."
She laughed for a second.
"I myself am...'different' to say the least...tell me, Kiri, you're afraid of my hood, aren't you? My eyes? It is shown through your reaction...and...i do not blame you..."
She straightened.
"So, Kiri, would you like me to take it off? I get the feeling that it'd make you more...at ease...but what you see may...confuse you a little. Well?"
A million dollars isn't cool. You know what is cool? A basilisk.
Without looking kiri smiled and nodded, as the woman explained Kiri's own fears too her, it was mildly comforting hearing at least one person say "its ok to be different"...
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