Tony found an empty table near the bar balcony, the way he liked: near the beverage. He found the small chair strange at first. Very low, close to the ground. After a few moments he found a confortable position. A waitress approached the table.
"Greetings, traveller. Welcome to Kyoto. May I bring you something?"
"Thank you, miss... I shall taste you fine Sake, please."
"One moment, sir." The girl said, going to the balcony to get the drink.
'Pretty girl' Tony was thinking while he watched the waitress going to the bar and walking back with his drink. She brought a small ceramic cup, and a small ceramic bottle with the sake in it.
"It is a little warm, sir, as is the tradition. Some foreigners prefer it at ambient temperature. I can get another bottle for you if you wish, sir."
"No need, my dear. While in Kyoto, do as the Dragons, no?" He smiled.
The girl bowed, the typical kusarian respect signal, and went to anothe table to attend to another customer.
"Well, lets prove it..." Tony said. He took a small sip, he knew that the beverage was strong. The warm liquid was strange to drink, but very good. "Hmmm... Good indeed. One shall take care to not drink too much of this stuff!" He continued drinking, when suddenly a loud voice could be heard: it was the waitress.
"Watanabe-dono! What a wonderful surprise!" She was saying. Watanabe-dono? That was the Shogun himself, sitting there as any other normal person would do. Tony couldn't actually recognize the man, they have only talked via direct ship-to-ship comm link, and both were using pilot helmets. He had barely seen more than the Shogun's eyes.
The girl quickly passed in the direction of the bar, and came back at the same accelerated speed with what appeared to be another bottle of sake, he couldn't be sure. When she returned he signaled to her.
She approached: "Yes, sir? Need anything else?"
"Actualy..." Tony started "... I accidentaly heard your surprise expression when you realised who your last customer is. Can you please ask the Shogun if he would give me the honor of meeting him in person? Tell him I am the Zoner pilot that was flying escort the day the Shogun showed us the way to Kyoto last week. And also tell him I ask his forgiveness in advance for interrupting his drink."
The girl was in doubt at first, but when Tony mentioned that the Shogun himself had showed him the location of Kyoto she said: "Of course, sir... Just a moment." She then went in the direction of the Shogun's table.
