Rainblade-Ryalors Open Vulpinsula & Surroundings Westisle Cultural Appreciation Day

[Korya]

Korya's ears quirked sideways in confusion. Wait... who had taken advantage of her, exactly...? Oh, right! Mr. Clankerpads McClogginson.

The suggestion that Korya couldn't walk had her bristling from neck to tailtip - immediately softened by the offer of food, less so by the offer of money. Money, she had decided, was just an annoying middle-beast in the relentless search for tasty things to stuff in one's stomach. The world would be a better place if there was no money, and everybeast was just allowed to put whatever foodstuff they liked in their own maws. And then, without the drive for more money, she would have been snuggled more as a kit...

She was still spiky-furred. It was slow to settle.

"I can walk," she muttered. "I'm blind, not... not... my legs work. It's just been so packed and no one else looks where they're going..."

She took a deep breath to calm herself further, and sidled closer to the vixen, gently reaching out to feel for an arm and then just loosely held on to Anastasia's elbow.

"I can follow just like this. And sure, I can help... nothing better to do now... but I need some crunchy egg rolls as payment! The good stuff, light flaky crust, the good rice noodles inside, with the little bits of cabbage and carrots and shrimps all minced up, with lots of that sweet watery dipping sauce that's made with fish sauce but isn't fish sauce, you know? Hot enough that you need to wrap it in something else to hold onto to bite it! It just isn't a proper festival without a crunchy egg roll in your paw. A cupcake's got no crunch to it. Unless it's burnt, then it's no good. Or the icing is all dried up, and that's no good either... Er, so what's the job? I'm Korya, by the way. You may have heard of me. From my noodle shop, Korya's Spicy Noodles. We're workshopping the name, right now that's just the menu. Also, what's your name?"

 

[Anastasia Ryalor]

Anastasia internally froze for the slightest of moments at her own misstep. She knew her family considered her to be...prodigious...among other things, but she still made mistakes from time to time. Mistakes that she would have to ruthlessly minimize, if she were to achieve her secret goal of restoring the Ryalors to where they truly should be.

Clumsy and stupid of me, to assume her capabilities without first observing or asking them.

As she began to walk slowly towards some of the more properly Fyadoran stalls, at least as much as you could get them here, away from the street in which Korya had caused trouble, she replied, in a genuinely apologetic tone.

“It was not my intent to imply that you were not capable enough to walk on your own,” Anastasia replied softly “for that, I apologize. I merely wished to see if you would like assistance.”

Despite what her family thought about her, she was capable of genuine apologies, and emotions-the thing that irritated them was that those were outside of their control. Alwyn, unless this place had given him something of a spine, was painfully subservient to their mother, Ameliya, her sister, showed a bit more promise, but was still content to live in the golden cage provided to her, and her other brother dutifully played along as the administrator of Eastisle, its proper name. None even tried to break their chains, no matter how much they might rattle them from time to time in displeasure. It was, on the whole, more sad than anything.

Of course, I play along with what Father and Mother dearest request, at times, but only for my own goals. The mission today is to help stabilize the House’s power base here, which will be useful for future endeavors.

“All of that food can certainly be arranged, and, as compensation for my inadvertent insult, I shall introduce you to something we call sushi. It is more common in Fyador, but it is something of a delicacy here…” she kept her eyes open for a truly proper Fyadoran stall, and, seeing one, began to guide them both to it. She smiled slightly at the enthusiasm of the leopard-that was good-it even widened a little when she mentioned she had her own noodle shop. “As for the job...it is something that will fit your skillset quite well. I merely need you to make, deliver, and serve food at an address, and I need to be your assistant when you do. My name is Anastasia. It is a pleasure to meet you, Korya."

Approaching the stall, the owner, an older, grumpy-looking fox, spoke to her in Southern Fyadoran, jabbing a paw over to the sign in broken Vulpinsulan, that said “no for-ray-ner ah-loud, Fya-doran only”, before speaking in an irritated manner towards Anastasia, gesturing for her and Korya to move on.

“Ano hyō wa nani o shiteiru no ka? Koko wa kichinto shita miseda. Ojōsan , yabanjin o tsuretekuru nante , motto funbetsu o motsubekida. Kanojo ga wareware no ryōri no shitsu o hyōka suru hazu ga nai!"

"Kyōmibukai kotoda itsu kara shōnindomo wa , shakai teki chī ga hikuku , kin no tamenara onore mo kazoku mo shukun mo uritobasu yōna renchū ga, kokyaku o erabu kenri ga aru to kimekonda no ka?" Anastasia replied, voice calm, but her face scrunched up into a contemptous expression.

"Oi! Omae… !" The merchant began to reply, but was cut off by a sharp rebuke by Anastasia.

"Ka no ōjo sama e no aisatsu no shikata toshite wa, mattaku motte futekisetsude hanai ka? Koko demo, ittei no rūru wa mamorarerubekida. Teikoku no kōzoku o kōzen to bujoku suru to wa... sono bassoku ga nani ka wa , kimi mo watashi mo yoku shitteiru hazuda?" She gestured down to her daisho with the paw that was not connected to Korya, as proof of her status, and one paw leisurely strolled to resting on the hilt of her main blade.

The merchant quickly shifted his tone, sounding extremely apologetic, and gesturing for the two of them to sit.

"Hime-sama, fukaku owabi mōshiagemasu! Hime-sama, to go raihin no gaikoku no okyakusama wa, mochiron kochira e okoshi kudasai! Soshite ,mochiron, kochira ni aru mono wa subete hime sama ni wa muryōdesu! O nozomideshitara , dōzo sai jōseki o o torikudasai … kinu no makura ga okareta ano seki o!"

Turning to Korya, she spoke up in a cheerful tone.

"It turns out that we are just in time to get the best seats in the house here, and that this proper Fyadoran chef can accomodate us. The seats even have silk pillows on them. He does not speak Vulpinsulan, but I can translate for you, and when it comes to sushi, offer appropriate suggestions."

@Korya

Spoiler: Translation

Why did you bring that leopard here, miss? That barbarian will not be able to understand or appreciate the quality of our food!

Interesting, since when did merchants, so low on the totem pole and willing to sell themselves, their families, and their lords out for money, decide that they could discriminate in choice of customer?

Listen here, you-

That is no way to begin to address a princess of House Ryalor, is it? Even here, certain rules still apply. To publicly disparage a member of the Imperial family...you and I know what the punishment for that is.

Princess, my deepest apologies, you and your esteemed foreign guest are of course welcome here, and, of course, everything here is free for you. If you wish, please, take our best seats..the one with the silk pillows.

 

[Caden S. Freemont]

Caden instinctively held Daniil's arm in a protective manner. He was as keen to leave as the todd, and nearly responded in the affirmative to Daniil's request when Orina pre-empted him.

"Would you care to join us?" the squirrel asked. "We were heading to a lunch social meeting with several of my friends from Commerce. I'm sure they would be intrigued to meet the lost scion of the Freemont house, not to mention two Ryalors with such close connections to not only Innovation and Misanthropy, but indeed to the Empress herself."

 

[Mariel Rustyfangs]

Mariel simply stared in the direction of the doors through which one lone guard entered, peeked around and moved to the nearest crate. After opening it, he took one cupcake and devoured it rapidly, the delicious goodness disappearing into his muzzle. Mariel felt semi-offended. How dare the guard steal from the honest working beasts?! Completely ignoring the fact she was just doing that, but guards were meant to be better right? It must've been because they were male. As their mom have taught them, those always lacked on conscience, not Finn though, he was alright so far, even if he was a fox on top of that.

As soon as this specimen left, after waiting for a moment, the kitten climbed down slowly to get to the window and see what the situation was... she saw one very desperate flamingo shaped kit which was flailing.

And that is when the doors have opened again. This time with a baker in them who Mariel just realised was no longer with Finn. And she had exactly one second to hide... but it would be in vain, so instead she decided to do something else and kicked down the nearest crate onto the baker, trying to distract them while herself she was squeezing into the gap between the crates.

The situation was tense because if baker saw either of the girls in the room, the heist would now turn into a failure. She just hoped that the baker wouldn't seek too much into this... crates fell on people by accident sometimes right?

@FinnianBrightfur @Cricket

 

[Korya]

Korya toddled along with Anastasia, her fur gradually settling again. Sushi was... no eggroll, but as long as there were Future Eggrolls, it was a consolation of sorts. Though Korya felt no introduction was truly necessary - sushi and her were kithood friends, after all. But she kept this to herself, for now.

Her grip on the vixen's elbow loosened a little as the stall owner spoke, and Korya's ears flattened.

"I don't think..." she started, then shut her mouth with a light snap of her teeth as Anastasia answered in return. Her tail swished. Quick, angry little swipes at first, then a twiddly wriggle. She covered the grin festering at her lips with a fake yawn and a paw over her muzzle.

Plans of her own had begun forming...

She followed further inside the stall, patting along the serving counter until she bumped into a stool, and followed her sense of touch to find the softest of them all. She hauled herself up on it and patted the counter with her paws, humming.

"Well, this is nice," she said, perking up some. "I'll defer to your choice of this soos-shee, I like fishy things, crunchy things, spicy things... we'll still get eggrolls later, right? But business first!" Goodness, I almost sound like my mother... but she'd have slit someone's throat to be where I'm sitting, with who I'm sitting with... can't wait to hear the disbelief in her voice when I tell her about this!

"So, tell me about your customers! I've never actually done the serving before - oh thank you," - she didn't know who, if anyone, had placed the chopsticks nearby, but her patting paws found them anyway, and she toyed with them, making a show of running her fingers along the length and sniffing them. "I usually just make the food. Delivery, er, you can understand, also isn't one of Korya's Spicy Noodles' business practices... but I'm willing to make an exception for such a lovely Hime-sama!"

Korya's grin broke out in full force then, aimed still as it was towards the counter and not Anastasia, and she twirled the chopsticks in her fingers, weaving the sticks between knuckles until they became a blur.

"If I'd known I was going to meet you, I would have paid more attention to my lessons..."

 

[Mileya Ryalor]

Daniil froze at the invitation. He'd always been terrible at politely declining those; either he felt pressured to accept to his own detriment, or he made a mess of the refusal and caused offense. He looked at Caden, panic in his eyes and uncertain of how to proceed.

Fortunately Mileya was far more deft at these situations than her brother. Unfortunately, she was presently enamored with the idea of pulling her brother out of his comfort zone. "We would be delighted to join you, vice minister!" she confirmed, bowing deeply to the squirrel. She glanced a bit apprehensively at Aramaeus, and Daniil wondered if it was the presence of an unfamiliar todd that bothered her, or the resemblance to Mayor Freedom. It was probably the former; Mileya had been a bit too young to really remember Mayor Freedom, and she'd never been one to hold someone's fur color against them.

Mileya looped one arm through Asta's, inquiring, "Will the four of us disrupt the seating for your luncheon? I would hate to cause problems."

 

[Cricket]

Had Cricket herself been armed with anything about her person to throw, she might have considered so at the interloper eating their ill-gotten gains. He’d have deserved it, after all, and she liked to think herself strong in the arm (she was not) and accurate with her aim (she, also, was not).

What she was, however, was an adept climber. At first she groaned to herself when she heard a faint call from outside, unusual but unmistakably Finnian in quality. That had to be a flamingo. Before anything else one of the door was opening and the kitten was taking it upon herself to distract by use of the crates. Her concern now, though, was the interfering old creature heading further inside.

Mariel was younger, but taller and stronger: if either of them was going to be able to load up and get the most cupcakes out of the building now, it was going to be her. She needed cover. The clattering of crates provided the perfect distraction, and the little gecko quickly scurried up the underside of the beams, followed the purlins across the roofspace and descended the nearest rafter to the window. From there she squeezed herself back out and jumped.

Again, aim and accuracy are not the general hallmarks of a crested gecko. Cricket splatted gracelessly against the cobbles and picked herself up again with an embarrassed snort. Stumbling and tripping, she darted around the exterior of the building until she all but collided with Finnian.

“Oh! It’s –“ She had utterly forgotten the name of the older beast in the moment. She pointed to his back regardless, voice rising in volume and pitch in the hopes of capturing his attention. “It’s you! The - the baker! Oh, you was so kind to me an’ Finnian sir! I ‘aven’t forgot the fact you trusted a reptile like me! It’s so nice to see you again, sir!”

@FinnianBrightfur @Mariel Rustyfangs

 

[Orina Emberkin]

Orina considered whether she should feel guilty for enjoying herself as she tried to determine just what it was that buzzed between this group of beasts who had collided with each other. Perhaps guilt was not the most productive in the situation, so the squirrel settled on allowing herself the pleasure of settling into the intrigue as a portion of her mind spun through potentials while she continued with the ongoing interaction.

"It will be no problem. Being a vice minister comes with its perks, after all." She caught the younger jill staring openly at her. Orina smiled and winked at Asta before motioning to the waiting Stealthblades. The pair fell into their positions at the front and back of the group, the cat throwing a pointed look at Caden before turning forward once more.

Caden nudged Daniil and whispered to his partner, "We'll get through this together. I think I remember all the etiquette I learned before I left, at least."

Asta hung on Mileya's arm, still gawking at the vice minister as they began winding their way through the crowds once more, though this time with far less jostling, as beasts readily parted for the group. Orina kept herself between Aramaeus and Mileya, and addressed the latter.

"I have been so busy with affairs in the Harbor, I haven't been to Amarone in over a month. Any news from within the palace walls that might be of particular interest?"

 

[Mileya Ryalor]

Mileya, at least, seemed to be having a grand time as she walked arm-in-arm with Asta. "Oh, always the usual court gossip," she chattered animatedly. "The youngest of the princes is on solid foods now, or so the kitchen staff say. Another taster was lost this month, and three of the serving staff were hanged for conspiracy to poison their graces. The Earl of Kenny's Bunk Pointe has petitioned Her Grave for leave to travel outside Amarone to marry the daughter of a land magnate, and the Empress is still considering it - I suspect she's having Misanthropy investigate to confirm he's not involved in any plots against her. The same old news every month, really. Amarone can be frightfully dull sometimes."

She tilted her head as she remarked, "The Empress keeps all of us courtiers insulated from the real news and working of power. What's actually happening in the ministries these days? My aunt says nothing much of value in her letters, I'm afraid."

 

[Anastasia Ryalor]

“Business first it is.” Anastasia concurred, finding it one of the few aspects of the Imperium’s culture she preferred over her native Fyadoran ones. The beasts here were direct when it came to such dealings, instead of the indirect and ceremony-bound dealings often common in her homeland. This, as a warrior, she could appreciate. She resisted the urge to nod, knowing it would be lost on the blind leopard, and continued. “They are...mhmm...as you would put it here, ‘salt of the Earth’ types that I am compelled to deal with. My family engaged in business dealings with them in the past that did not turn out so well for them, so they hold a bit of a grudge against us. I am hoping that we can craft them a meal that they will never forget as long as they are alive so that we can settle things with them once and for all. One moment, while I inform our chef of your preferences.”

Like most of the Ryalor family, every word she said rang absolutely true, but, there were, of course, multiple meanings behind those words. She had indeed picked up aspects of her mother, whether Dusk thought so or not.

She knew, of course, the other femme was flattering her, but she did appreciate the courtesy and respect, and was genuinely impressed when Korya was able to so deftly handle the chopsticks. Few barbarians knew how to use them, and even fewer could do so with such skill. She gained a little bit of respect for the feisty little leopardess. The serving fox, for his part, turned and stared in disbelief at Korya for a moment, before turning his attention back to preparing the sushi. She spoke up once more, addressing the cook in Fyadoran.

“Yabanjin no musume ga, anata yori wareware no shūkan ni kuwashī to wa kyōmibukai kotoda . Sate , kanojo wa mazu na ebi no tenpura rōru o konomudarō . tsugini , harumaki o tsukutte hoshī . kiminara dekirudarō?"

[For those who might know Southern Fyadoran] Interesting how the barbarian girl is more adept at some of our customs than you, no? Now, she would prefer the spicy shrimp tempura roll to start with. Then, I would have you make egg rolls-Harumaki, I believe. This is not too much for you to manage, is it?

The cook blushed, nodded, and hurriedly went to prepare the order as fast as he was able.

“I am grateful that you are to make such an exception,” she continued, picking up her own chopsticks and neatly arranging them before her “of course, you well be well-compensated for your time and materials, and perhaps you may make a friend today as well.”

Left unsaid was that friends in high places could be quite useful. So, too, for Anastasia could friends in low places. She needed more agents in the Imperium, ones her mother did not know about. Her family antics had to be watched.

“I am impressed by your skills with the chopsticks. Tell me, from who did you use to learn them so well?”

@Korya

 

[Orina Emberkin]

"To live at the whim of the Empress on a day to day basis is a privilege many of us will never know," Orina said wryly. "As for news from the Ministries, I could certainly see your aunt keeping details from you--it is her way, after all. But hmm, what is there to tell?" She tapped at her chin, thinking.

"Well, Minister Kilaris will be throwing a very extravagant birthday party for himself at the Opera House. There's a great fuss about security that I am trying to sort out with Misanthropy. It should be an interesting alliance between the Unsmudgables and MAUL, to say the least. War is on the move on the Southern Continent, if you hadn't heard. To what end remains to be seen, but Niceties has a few beasts with them to press the cultural advancement of our glorious Empire, of course."

The squirrel motioned to Aramaeus. "And we have a beast from Justice here who may have word on that Ministry."

 

[Korya]

"You gotta be careful though," Korya mused, "with salt-of-the-earth types. Salt in the earth means you can't grow stuff there. So I get it. You want to make them less un-growy by giving them a great meal! It's very wise, and you've picked the perfect noodle chef! No one who has tasted my noodles has ever forgotten them. Except for No-Brains Billy the Blunderer, who is an outlier and should not be counted."

Korya wriggled on her seat, still playing with the chopsticks, now drumming with them on the edge of the counter.

Something did feel a bit off, she couldn't place her paw on it. Was it the tone... the words? "Once and for all" was very final-sounding... Hm. Must be they just wanted to bury some axes in the woods, air out the turkeys, and just forget about these salty earthbeasts entirely, without further trade deals. She'd been to a few dinners like that. A cute kitten in a bonnet always softened the blow when business partners went their separate ways.

She just couldn't shake the feeling that something wasn't being said, like that time she'd caught her father talking quietly in his study hours after a dinner, about making sure their partner's boat rides home were very warm.

Her ears flicked, and the thoughts vanished as she chanted:

"Haru-maki, haru-maki! Make-me-some! Haru-maki!"

Followed by:

"Yay, friend! I haven't made many of those yet. Especially not with any princesses! I wasn't allowed to play with princesses, I think they thought being born blind was contagious." She snorted, blowing some of her mane out of her face. Her tail swept side-to-side as she continued her chopstick drumming, reminiscing about her kithood.

"Hard to say. I think I picked them up myself, like most things... Lots of tutors, you know, being rich, um - again, not that I am rich, or... fie, it's too hard to lie, isn't it? So, aye, the Preykova part does mean I'm related to the hag who runs Preykova Trading..." Another snort. "Their only daughter. They've had lots of Fyodoran guests, so I got a taste of noodles and sushis and egg rolls and things... I guess I was something of a princess myself, getting to ask for food like that any time I wasn't being dolled up for a business dinner..."

She leaned back a bit and tossed the chopsticks in the air, catching them - perhaps a little clumsily - as they tumbled back into her paws.

"Tutors never figured out how to toot me, though. They either forget I'm blind, or think that being blind means I'm too stupid to learn properly and treat me like a mewling. It's just life, isn't it, learning to do things your way? You can stick your paw on someone else's, but you'll never feel what their fingers feel in that moment. Especially if they have long fingers!"

Korya bit her lip. She could tell she was babbling now. But how often do you get to tell your life story to a princess who is buying you crunchy sushi and egg rolls?

She shut her eyes as well, and quivered in her seat, concentrating really hard, just in case she still had shrimp summoning powers. It was worth it to test out now and then.

 

[Aramaeus Lemon]

Aramaeus nodded in what he hoped was a sagacious fashion. "The Ministry, as always, continues to pursue cases of the utmost importance to the rule of law," he stated. "Of course, as they are ongoing and highly sensitive, I cannot discuss these openly. However," he added, lifting his chin, "I feel confident in saying that one day soon, we will see the blight of organized crime wiped free of this city. I am quite certain that the arrest of the Furotazzi Siblings, once sufficient evidence is accrued, will bring the Empress's clenched fist of justice crashing down upon the entire criminal underworld."

Daniil caught Mileya looking a bit askance at the golden fox, and he subtly shifted so that he and Caden could fall into step between the pair of young femmes and the squirrel and her companion. "Really," he commented, a slight barb to his voice, "I'm surprised that they survived the reign of Mayor Freedom. Given the lengths to which he went to punish other perceived transgressions, I would have thought he'd have stopped at nothing to eliminate the criminal element from Bully Harbor."

Aramaeus stiffened, falling out of step for a moment, before regaining his pace and catching up with Orina. His tone changed notably from pompous to slightly indignant. "Yes, well, he was working with the resources he had available at the time. In fact, it was he who proposed the creation of a ministerial position solely dedicated to the domestic enforcement of the law, rather than leaving its application devolved to the city and provincial governments. He actually authored a memorandum on the topic detailing how such could be implemented, many of which were indeed core elements of the creation of the Ministry of Justice. Sadly, he did not live to see his ideal come to fruition."

"Yes," Mileya responded, her tone so frigid it should have fogged the air before her. "What a tragedy." Daniil glanced over and saw her glaring at the golden fox, and as her eyes slid to his, they shared a moment of silent commiseration before Daniil looked to his partner to offer the same.

 

[Callisto Bluemoon]

“Vice Minister, I really do think you should take things slower. The walk was quite a way and so soon after-”
“I’ll be just fine, Fearne. It’s no hard walk.” An immense paw pressed the cane back into the stoat’s grasp with a gentle insistence impossible to ignore. ‘Gates be damned but he was going to stretch his legs today.

Callisto was glad to be out of Amarone, if only for a brief while. Having spent the recent months in recuperation it had become a maddening sentence to serve within the city with little to do save watch the days tick by. Court gossip had become the only tenuous link to sanity, and even then the incessant bleating of unimportant news had grown tiresome without suitable dramatics. This being his first journey outside of the city walls since recovery the wolverine was determined to make the most of it.

The timing, it seemed, could not have been better. His barrel chest swelled to take in the Harbour air, savouring both his health and the prospect of a good day. Callisto hadn’t visited Westisle’s shores in many a season and even then it had always been fleeting. Today would be a pleasant one, an opportunity to see what news and culture (and imports) were coming to Bully. More importantly it was an opportunity to get to reconnect with other Ministries and get himself back to speed after his absence. Teetering, as he had, on the brink of losing his job (until the fox who raised such a prospect became, themselves, mysteriously ill and passed. Shame, that), the wolverine was keen to make his presence and energy known.

Flanked by the young stoat aide and his main Commerce connection in Bully, an older, dour-faced ferret, Callisto made his way towards today’s meeting point: the Bee in the Bonnet. It was an ample establishment, exclusive enough for such company as he was expecting but relaxed in nature for an informal luncheon.

Arriving at the doors, Callisto paused only long enough to reach down and adjust Fearne’s spectacles for her, askew as they were, and smirked. “Relax, girl: you’re not here for business and Niceties doesn’t bite. Hard. Just follow me and Juneau’s lead.”

 

[FinnianBrightfur]

Mr. Larsen hemmed for a minute as he ransacked his brain for a task to give the foxkit, but his train of thought was derailed. "...paint the building? Are ye daft, Finn?" he asked, walking past the kit towards the building.

"AAAHAAWWWW! AAHAWWWW No, I'm not daft, HAAWWWWW! That... that's just a joke I picked up on the Hide! ~AHawWw!~" he said, laughing very... ...very strangely like a distressed flamingo.

Finn clenched his teeth as he hurried after the bakerfox, tail poofed out in fright behind him as he imagined the trouble he'd be in. "Y-yah and... and y'know yer right, this kee-moh-noh thing really stinks. It's like... did they even try to wear it before selling it? I already had a wardrobe malfunct--OOFH!"

The foxkit stumbled forwards as Cricket ran into him, and wheeled around wild eyed. Gates, what on earth was she doing?

"...ah, yes! You're the lizard girl that was with Finny that morn'... gates, I'd thought that'd be the last I'd see of ya -- or the buns for that matter..." he said, a kinder smile spreading over his face. "'m afraid I misjudged ye, gal. Ol' Biddy -- ermherm! Miss Babinshaw said you lot had them delivered in time for her afternoon tea," he said, with a gentle nod. "Thought ol' Finny here was startin' ta get some questionable friends, but... ...ye did right, by me."

A cooler breeze blew by them, causing the baker fox to pause. Fall had not yet come, but it was coming sooner than anyone expected. And Vulpuz knew the winter was hard on the cold blooded types. With a gentle sigh, Mr. Larsen looked down at the gecko. "And what'd you say your name was again, little missie?"

Finn was a tense little thing. Any minute, this whole operation would come crashing down on their heads, he just knew it! But for now... Cricket seemed to have earned a mite of respect from the bakerfox. Finn hoped she wouldn't lose it in the next five minutes!

 

[Anastasia Ryalor]

It was not implausible to believe that Korya did indeed have shrimp summoning powers, as a large amount of carefully prepared and crafted spicy shrimp tempura rolls were placed before her. The carefully prepared cooked sushi, something of an oxymoron but often used to introduce foreigners like the leopard to the concept, did indeed look delicious. The roll’s exterior was layered with special, crunchy tempura flakes and a flavorful orange sauce, the precious imported rice held together by exquisite dried seaweed sheets, which itself protected the succulent interior shrimp and cucumber added for an additional crunchy texture.

Anastasia was quiet as she actively listened to her companion with a mixture of amusement and interest, which were two emotions that were fairly rare for her. She was quirky, but not unintelligent, and surprisingly innovative and perceptive. It turned out, too, that they had something in common-rebellious daughters of families that tried to mold them into what they thought they should be, rather than the other way around. Of course, her own ambitions which likely much larger than Korya’s, but was not business similar in many ways to warfare and politics? Anastasia desired to create an empire, Korya desired to create her shop, the only real difference between the two was the scale at which they operated. That was something she could understand, and relate with. Wanting to build something of your own.

“Itadakimasu,” Anastasia stated gracefully, before speaking to Korya “if you could this repeat after me, it is what we are always supposed to say before eating. A thanking to the chef and to the Kitsune, although, sadly, my family often forgets to say such.”

Just as gracefully as Korya, she picked up her chopsticks, and carefully, with precision, ate some of the tempura. It was good enough-not, of course, like anything prepared by the traditional experts and masters in Westisle and Fyador, and this particular dish was something of a kit’s dish before they could handle real sushi, but it brought back fond and pleasant memories. When her family was still whole on Westisle, operating in the fashion and dignity that they should have kept, instead of...whatever bastardization they were now. Where her mother and father bothered to actually show up, too.

After finishing off a roll, she continued, voice genuine this time.

“It is unfortunate that they treated you being blind as something that should infantilize you. While it does make certain things more difficult, as you said, we must all learn to do things our own way regardless. My family still does not understand that about me.”

Anatasia shook her head, and even offered an exasperated sigh.

“I do not judge you for it. It is who you are, and to wish you were not, would wish you were not you, which would be the greatest crime, would it not? Besides, there are many stories in Fyador of spectacularly talented blind beasts. It is said there was once a blind warrior who was what we call a kensei, a warrior of legendary renown. He had trained his hearing and reflexes to such a degree it was said that none could stand against him. And, perhaps, more relevant to your interests, many a master chef has likely been so, able to detect subtle flavors and quality in ways beasts with sight could not.”

She thought some more as she ate another roll. She would have to eat quite a bit, after all, for the exertion to come.

“Preykova...yes, I have heard of them, though they are often only seen in Westisle as an intermediary, and indeed they often do business with Northern Fyadorians. Did you know the name is actually one from there as well? It must be an interesting tale somewhere in your family.”

She paused, taking a sip of water as she needed to have a clear mind, before continuing.

“My parents...well, I have four other siblings, so although I am a princess, I did not get quite as much attention. I had to learn to fight for what I could get from a young age, but, in a sense, that was freeing. You must’ve felt smothered at times, being the only kit. As for my own mother…”

Anastasia snorted a little.

“Believe me, I can understand your feelings all too well.”

Mother is...a self-centered, neurotic control-freak, always insisting on trying to control and plan for every outcome for her own ends and trying to one-up everyone else. She cannot stand being second in anything. No wonder the current...situation...that my spies here have reported galls her to no end.

She took another sip of the water, before speaking once more.

“How do you find your sushi?”

@Korya