17:14:56 [Chiyaden] Milea’s powers of knowing a guy who knows a guy prove to be quite strong – Kato Leyumi’s strange little drug den is hardly a reputable meeting place, but refugees can hardly be picky about where they want to go for help. The doorman, Aoda Katsu, is more than happy to lead the strange group to a spot that’s more or less out of sight and leaves them with a pot that smells more or less like tea. Its trustworthiness aside, he brings Milea along with him as he goes to fetch Leyumi (or at least alert her that someone who knows someone who knows her is here), leaving Shichiroji, Eloise, Azami, and Kino on their own to discuss… things… of great importance. Or, at least, for Azami to finish grilling Eloise about help, the price thereof, and what the exact handsign for ‘bribe me more’ actually is.
17:23:10 Azami got settled in at their new spot and eyed the teapot warily, her lips pursing. Her gaze turned to Eloise and the others, and she took a deep breath. “So. I believe we were discussing help…and how much that help might cost.” Her eyes settled on Eloise for the moment, though she was obviously ready to talk to everyone…in due time.
17:27:27 Eloise-Iscariot { “Thirty silver talents and your firstborn,” Eloise quipped at Azami; she sat crosslegged and poured herself tea without concern; no worry at all about her surroundings. “Maybe more if your friends keep slandering my good name with accusations of piracy most foul; my good and valiant crew are quite sensitive you know.” }
17:35:16 Azami arched an eyebrow at Eloise and then gave a subtle, amused roll of her eyes. “No to the firstborn, but we can certainly increase the amount of money.” There was a small, humored smile on her lips. She flashed a lazy grin at Eloise and shook her head. “And you and I both know that they’re not yet my friends. So.” She leaned forward slightly, her hands cupping a cup of tea once she’d served herself.
17:36:15 [Shichiroji] “Your price is awefully steep for someone who isn’t a pirate,” he said from his place distanced from the group to see them all in front of him, though obviously close enough to hear things and inject himself into the conversation with one of those rare moments of wit, though if he’d meant to be witty at all was debatable. For now he stood by simply watching, continuing his desire to understand what was going on. A royal wandering through the seedy underground was a rare and exciting thing, after all.
17:39:32 Eloise-Iscariot { Eloise clasped her hands around her cup. “No firstborn; deal, I dont like children anyway. What sort of help do you need? I have a ship and a crew; they can be at your disposal if you make a good offer.” Shichiroji didnt even get a glance; he wasnt offering Eloise large sums of money to be interested in him. }
17:42:47 [Chiyaden] Kino, for his part, seems to appreciate Shichiroji’s commentary. “And awfully sensitive, too. Are not-pirates always so worried about their crew’s feelings?” Which doesn’t change that he’s clearly interested in what Eloise has to offer. He lights up particularly at the words ‘ship’ and ‘crew’. Still no sign of Milea, Katsu, or the fabled Leyumi that supposedly runs the place…
17:44:53 [Chiyaden] There’s a bit of a commotion near the door: it looks like someone trying to bust their way past the doorman by force, a tallish man wearing military standard. He’s shouting something vaguely drunk and incoherent, it sounds like there’s a name (“Mariko”?) repeated throughout it several times. Jilted lover, maybe? Or just someone who sees himself that way?
17:47:33 Azami perked up considerably at the mention of ship and crew as well, and she glanced first at Kino and then to Shichi, giving a small, thoughtful nod before her eyes traveled back to Eloise. She rubbed the sleeve of her robe between her thumb and forefinger, thoughtful. She didn’t pull her coin out of the concealed pouch she carried, but mentally she was tallying how much money she would be willing to spend. “And how much would you say is fair for the acquisition of your ship and crew?” A calm, curious question.
17:53:21 Eloise-Iscariot { Eloise smiled craftily; it didnt necessarily look like a suspicious smile but it also wasnt exactly a not-suspicious one. “Well, now, thats a big question; it doesnt answer fundamentals; duration of service, locations to be visited, opportunities for profit orthodox or otherwise; morale of the crew has to be considered. I cant just fly in blind. Well, I can; but I dont want to.” }
18:02:04 Shichiroji Shichi managed a small smile from Kino’s weigh in; it was nice to feel acknowledged by someone. Azami’s glance his way was met with a quizzical expression; perhaps even a touch concerned. He considered the royal smart for not putting all her chips on the table; whoever put in a price first would likely end up in the uncmfortable position of aiming way too high or aiming way too low. However, Shichi wasn’t allowed to employ what he’d learned from his traveling companion (that sly merchant) thanks to ruckus at the entrance. Steps are taken to procure a better vantage point, and it comes to light that someone resembling military personel is trying to muscle his way in. “Is anyone here expecting company?”
18:07:07 [Chiyaden] “Hey! Hey! Mariko! Mariko I know you’re here!” The man shouts from the front entrance, even as a pair of doormen expertly keep him shunted to the outside with little actual force. “I’ll find you! I’ll get what’s mine Mariko!” He sounds rather insistent. And he’s causing enough of a scene that, by now, most every eye in the den is on the door and the commotion he’s stirring up.
18:07:37 Azami leaned forward for a moment, considering. She glanced to Kino, her eyebrows rising in a slight question. But she didn’t wait too long for any hint of his thoughts, and instead looked back to Eloise, gripping the cup tightly. “I would like passage to both of the people I wish to meet with. Unless news tells us otherwise and one of them turns up dead. I will not hinder your pursuit of work opportunities or other profits, nor your methods of boosting crew morale. So long as these things keep us on a fairly stable trajectory…” She smiled to Eloise faintly, trying not to fidget. She didn’t know if this was a good route to take or not, but she hoped. Her head lifted slightly, and she frowned at the shouting, her eyes narrowing slightly. “Mariko…?” She mumbled quietly.
18:08:21 [Chiyaden] Kino glances sidelong at Azami and mouths something along the lines of, I’ll be back. He then slips away from their little group and into the crowd and… that’s strange, he was there just a moment ago… but doesn’t seem to be visible anymore.
18:14:04 Eloise-Iscariot { It was inconveniently impossible to ignore the burgeoning conflict at the front of the establishment; it didnt concern Eloise, but it demanded some fraction of her attention. “Jorin Djose and Liana Rousseau; cant imagine a pair of less-pleasant people to talk to, but if you hire me you’ll make it to them unharmed; on my honour as a merchant.” Hand to her heart; Eloise took a moment to look back towards the front door. Military, exactly what she didnt need. Who was Mariko? “Its a long journey; I think ten per head sounds fair, dont you?” }
18:15:53 ( Eloise-Iscariot rolls 2d6+2 => 4, 6, + 2 = 12 )
18:20:56 ( Shichiroji rolls 2d6-1 => 2, 2, 1 = 3 )
18:23:46 Shichiroji did what he could to get the details of the situation from his position, but for him it was nearly impossible to gather more than there was someone at the door…and they were making a lot of noise. Despite this, he caught some minute details of the conversation still being had between the royal and the merchant (and the disappearance of the urchin has completely gone over Shichi’s head).
18:26:54 [Azami] Rolling a read on Eloise.
18:27:01 ( Azami rolls 2d6+2 => 6, 5, + 2 = 13 )
18:30:12 Azami considered Eloise’s offer. Ten per head for a long journey. She had lost the one person she seemed to trust out of their ragtag group. “I will pay for myself and Kino. If anyone else wants to join the two of us, they will have to broker their own deal. Do you agree?” She folded her hands on the table and bowed her head for a moment. “I have the sincere feeling I am being taken advantage of, at least a little bit.” She gave Eloise a wry smile.
18:34:21 [Chiyaden] The scuffle at the door quickly turns more violent, then quickly turns much less: the clearly drunk military man screams for Mariko one more time, pulls a dagger from his belt, and is promptly rendered unconscious by a sharp blow from a third doorman joining the fray. And then he is unceremoniously jettisoned out onto the streets. The crowd seems placated quickly enough – certainly, a distraction, but now that it’s gone, not nearly as interesting as the chemical happiness waiting in their cups.
18:35:35 Milea enters this room
18:39:05 Eloise-Iscariot { The situation at the door seemed to be handled; praise be to whichever god they worshiped here. “I sincerely feel Im taking on dangerous fugitives and tarnishing my sterling reputation; thats how you know its a good deal, nobody’s happy.” Eloise sounded nearly vindictive when she said that; she had a promise of a fine payday and the military problem at the door had resolved itself without needing her leverage; there were still a few more birds to kill though. The samurai, Shichi; the other samurai, Milea. They might be trouble still. }
18:44:51 [Chiyaden] Presently, Katsu returns from his jaunt to the back rooms. He stops by Azami for a moment, to deliver his news: “Kato-sama and your companion will be out shortly.” He heads out the front door, resuming his post and dismissing the others who’d filled in for him in his absence. There’s a sense of wounded pride as he does so.
18:46:55 [Chiyaden] He’s true to his word – a few moments later, Milea and a middle-aged woman emerge from the back. The woman, presumably Leyumi, is in her early thirties and drop-dead gorgeous – dark, slightly curly hair about her shoulders, complexion pale and pristine, eyes bright and alert. She’s dressed in high-society kimono, the sort of impractical garb one only wears when one has money, and a lot of it.
18:50:05 Shichiroji was visibly disturbed when the man, to whom few responded to (and no one was owning up to being Mariko), pulled out a knife and was then rather brutally knocked unconcious. He frowned, continuing his observation of the door, only to break away when Katsu returned, said his peace, and retook his position at the door, all the while scrutinzed by the golden eyed samurai. He wanted to follow him. He wanted to know who the man at the door was. He wanted to know exactly what kind of place this was.
18:50:28 Milea seemed rather plain when standing next to the woman, Leyumi, but that always suited her fine, looking as Leyumi did one attracted attention. As always the former samurai’s face was impassive and near impossible to read at a glance, her eyes seemed dull and gave the impression, a very incorrect impression, that she was only vaguely paying attention. As they approached the table she glanced briefly at the now dulled noise from the doorway and then back to the table. She was still speaking with the pirate, this could end only poorly if she was anything like most pirates. “Azami.” She inclined her head politely, it wasn’t to the level most would consider approriate to greet someone of Azami’s rank with but Milea hadn’t shown much care of rank up to this point. She also didn’t seem to mind letting anyone in ear shot know who Azami was which meant she either trusted Leyumi or something else was in play.
18:56:43 Azami gave a small nod to Eloise as she spoke, smiling as though she had a secret as she withdrew her hands from the table, hiding them inside her kimono sleeves and looking up as Milea approached, spoke her name. Her lips pressed into a thin line, and she eyed Milea with a look that suggested she was not happy the woman insisted on using her true name. “Milea.” She replied coolly. “What news do you bring?” She asked, keeping hush-hush on the deal she had brokered with Eloise for the time being. No need to go telling her everything until she knew what had taken place with Leyumi. The scuffle at the door, the following quiet, it didn’t earn much more than a cursory glance from Azami, but that wasn’t to say she wasn’t paying attention.
18:57:20 [Chiyaden] Rather brashly, Leyumi throws an arm about Milea’s waist, an open show of affection that’s hardly… polite. Certainly improper. “Mi-chan, darling, that’s a terrible introduction. Who are these fine people you’ve brought to my humble establishment? I want to know everything, do tell!” She bats her eyelashes at the former magistrate, head tilted askance just so.
19:00:34 Azami tilts her head at the display of affection, eyebrows rising ever so slightly. “Yes. Please do introduce us properly.”
19:03:00 Eloise-Iscariot { Eloise raised one eybrow then the other at Leyumi when she arrived; that was a very beautiful woman hanging like arm-candy off a very stoic samurai; the sort of person that made a career out of being exhaustingly uninteresting. She found it slightly confusing; didnt say anything much about it. “Yes, share your news!” Her attention was actually more directed at Shichi; he seemed to be the one not interested in what was happening at the table, which meant he might know something she didnt. Couldnt let that stay for long. }
19:09:20 [Milea] The coldness of Azami’s tone elicts not a single response from Milea however the sudden arm about her waist causes the woman’s eyes to narrow slightly and a soft sigh to escape her lips. It was one of those things that Milea always had to deal with when dealing with Leyumi, she was good at finding things that irked people. She didn’t however make motions to throw Leyumi off as much as she desired too, she had learned long ago if you made things difficult on Leyumi, she would do the same so it was always best to let her have her fun. “I was merely alerting Leyumi to our presence, I bring no major news yet.” Milea answered Azami first and then turned her blue eyes to the woman hanging off of her waist. “I know only a few of them. As I am sure you were aware, since the moment we came into the city, before you is Ise Azami, Heir to the Empress. The others…I know very little.” She first gestured to Eloise, “This is Eloise Iscariot. Another young man, Sasaki Kino is here as well and finally..” 3, 2, + 1 = 6 )
19:52:47 Eloise-Iscariot { There was someone she hadnt seen before; helloooooooo Ikale! Eloise found her eyes drawn to him and lingering there for longer than mightve been healthy; she only realized in retrospect that she hadnt actually heard a word of what transpired between Shichiroji, Ikale, and Katsu. That hadnt been the plan; she refocused herself a little bit irritably; she certainly wasnt accustomed to being distracted by that. Who did that guy think he was? Why wasnt he offering her good times already? }
19:53:15 Azami watched the back and forth between Leyumi and Milea, and her eyes narrowed, a brief spark of irritation forming in their depths before it was smothered under the calm reasoning that Azami tried to use in wake of her irritation. “Leyumi-san.” Her voice was soft and yet the way she pitched it, the tone that followed it, was designed to draw attention. “I am afraid that I have very little time nor patience for the history that you and Milea-san seem to share. If you can help me, I am more than overjoyed to make use of your service. You would, of course, be compensated.” Her eyes were resting squarely on Leyumi, a small, far too pleasant smile on her lips. “If there is a personal matter between you two, might I suggest that it be cast to the wayside until my business is complete? I would be most appreciative.”
19:55:23 ( Azami rolls 2d6+1 => 4, 5, + 1 = 10 )
19:55:49 [Ikale] “Just had a question. You should leave questions to smart people, Shiro.” The merchant reminded, ushering him back through the door with both hands to shoo him. “I was headed inside—“ Ikale gestured to his friend as if to remind the samurai that he did have a life and acquaintances outside of his travels. He did, however, amiably accept Ando’s leave with promises to meet him inside in between. “What are you doing here is really a more important question-nevermind me! I didn’t know you had a spot for tea.” Poor Katsu was left, uninvited to the conversation (as if that were really the worst thing that could happen), on the sidelines.
20:00:35 [Chiyaden] Leyumi looks for the moment like she might start something – like she’s seen weakness in Milea and she’s ready to pounce – but Azami steps in, and she bows her head slightly. “Of course, Okami. I live to serve. I am not certain I can be of much help to you, truly, but I will do what I can. Naturally, a woman like yourself has access to resources… I could send you to someone who might be willing to trade ammunition and rations for fern, if you’re clever about it.” She keeps her arm planted firmly about Milea’s waist through it all, though she seems to have given up the games with her hair and most of the more outrageous flirting.
20:08:34 Milea showed no outward sign of emotion but she was…suprised at how well the young Empress managed to turn the tables upon Leyumi. It was…very impressive, with the aid of the sky pirate, the young boy and the samurai, the girl had a fair chance at her goal. “It seems you have buisness to discuss Leyumi. And i’ve a long trip home.” She reached down and removed Leyumi’s arm before Milea without further word strode out of the establishment, the woman didn’t even slow as she passed the group at the doorway. Milea removed herself and headed down the street and then..stopped after she had gotten a short ways from the establishment. She reached into her shirt near her throat and pulled out a locket on a chain, the front was broken unopenable but the backside opened and Milea looked down at it. …What would you have me do? Why must I…The girl has guardians, let me return to my life… Milea’s eyes closed briefly as she snapped the locket closed, her mind wheeling this way and that unable to settle<c>
20:08:57 [Milea] upon a decision. She is likely to turn out just like her mother…Why should she be the one…
20:09:06 [Shichiroji] The crack to his intelligence caused a deep frown to appear on Shichi’s face. Unfortunately, he was used to it by now. Still, the comment didn’t sting any less. Still, he managed to be swept up by the quick transition in conversation, little protest given to it at that. Ikale’s friend got a hard stare; a very thorough scrutinizing. Once he’d been deemed acceptable company (an act which required Shichi to lower his standards), he lightened his expression. “There’s a lot about me I don’t tell you,” he responded to Ikale’s inquiry, well aware the merchant avoided the samurai’s question. “Excuse me, sorry to have bothered you.” This serves an an apology to Katsu, hopefully sating whatever irritation he might have been feeling. The Kurado son soon moves back towards the group he was with initially, maintaining a distance, and then nodding in their way. “That’s why I’m here.”
20:15:05 Eloise-Iscariot { The scene at the door turned out to be quite anticlimactic except for the samurai woman sweeping past in a huff; perhaps things hadnt gone as she had hoped. If she didnt come back, that just meant one less samurai to be trouble for Eloise; a situation admittedly appealing to a woman of questionable ethics like Capitane Iscariot. Shichiroji and his new friend turned back inside; Eloise found she had little choice but to do the same. She rejoined Azami and now Leyumi; her attention remained on Shichi and his very pretty arm candy though. How did he get his hair to do that? Eloise wanted her hair to do that. }
20:17:43 Azami gave a gracious smile and nod to Leyumi, giving her an assessing look as she offered what she knew. When Milea made her way out of the establishment, Azami did not call for her to stop, nor did she send anyone after her. But there was a slight frown that formed. Her gaze shifted back to Leyumi, however, and she picked up the tea pot, deftly serving herself once more. “I would be willing to send one of my contacts to broker a deal through this particular means. How much fern would you suggest, and how much would you think may be needed?” There was a glint in Azami’s eye…brokering deals and managing various trade-offs in one evening was turning into exhausting work, but if she could secure everything she needed in a single evening, she would welcome the exhaustion. Her eyes briefly lifted toward Shichi, Eloise, and Ikale, eyes lingering on the newest entrant to the establishment…and then her eyes shifted back to Leyumi…all calm and business once more. She considered, briefly, sending someone -
20:18:26 Azami – after Milea, but finally decided that it was not her business if the woman came with them or not.
20:18:39 Milea exits from this room
20:18:41 [Chiyaden] Kino reappears at about this time, slipping back through the crowd as though he’s been there the whole time. The boy takes his place by Azami, leans close and whispers something to her. Then, he folds his hands behind his head and looks innocent. (He’s not good at looking innocent.)
20:18:48 Milea enters this room
20:19:02 [Azami] The second part of her question should be, “How much should I compensate you for the fern?”
20:20:57 Azami tensed slightly at Kino’s whispered words, and her gaze briefly shifted toward a different part of the room, then shifted back to Kino. She swept her tongue briefly across her lips and then leaned toward Kino, whispering a quick reply after shooting an apologetic look to Leyumi.
20:22:43 Milea moved away from the establishment and into a nearby alleyway and leaned against the wall. Those eyes fell again upon the locket and it was snapped open, Milea’s thumb ran over the picture within and for the briefest of moments, flickering of seconds the frozen samurai’s lips creaked into a smile. It was not a half smile or a tiny one but a smile of longing and joy all mixed into one and then, forced below her calm once again. So be it…for you I will see. And for you alone…if she answers correctly…she will have it, the first in almost two decades. She did not move from her spot, she needed to think about how to approach this situation, she needed the answer but only one could hear the question and the one who needed it wasn’t exactly what she called cooperative. Takada…Please don’t hate me. The locket snapped shut and was hidden once again, she turned and headed back to the Establishment, it was time to get her answer…
20:25:26 [Chiyaden] “It doesn’t take much, little Empress. A few leaves is enough to tide a strong man for a full week.” Leyumi’s grown very businesslike in Milea’s absence. “I would suggest you ask him how much he needs, though… his name is Sakai Tsuro, you can find him at the requisitions office. Be mindful that he probably won’t deal with you while any of his subordinates are about. Addiction is expected in the rank and file, it isn’t tolerated in officers.”
20:26:38 [Chiyaden] Kino, listening for a moment to Azami’s response, shrugs his shoulders and says aloud: “How could they not?” He sounds noncommittal about it, whatever he’s talking about.
20:36:44 ( Ikale rolls 2d6+1 => 2, 5, + 1 = 8 )
20:44:37 [Ikale] “Oh, look at that,” Ikale clapped a hand on Shichiroji’s shoulder with renewed life in his smile. “You made friends, Shiro. Good job!” The merchant scanned the group at the back for expressions, for details—for anything at all before he decided he intended to just meander on over with his larger friend. Before that happened, he tossed a glance around (following Milea’s storm out , captivated for a second longer than he’d later admit) and returned it to Shichiroji in some time with the same grin painting his face. “So I trust you’re going to introduce me to your lady friends over there?”
20:47:26 Azami studied Leyumi as she explained, considering. “And how much would a few leaves cost, Leyumi-san?” She turned her head toward Kino as he answered her and her entire body tensed briefly, then she gave a small nod. Her gaze swept back to Leyumi, and she smiled pleasantly to the woman. “What is the likelihood they will wait until we depart from this place to act?” She asked Kino, mostly because he was the one who would know best.
20:51:13 Milea finally returned to the Establishment, calm and placid again. She moved up next to Leyumi and in front of Azami, she left her weapon near the entrance knowing Leyumi’s men would know better than to steal it. She said nothing for now but she had returned, eyes scanning over the group including their newest little groupie, the young empress was apparently quite…good at attracting people. Whether this was good or ill was yet to be seen and…Milea doubted would be seen by her.
20:55:43 [Chiyaden] Leyumi clasps her hands in her lap. “A favor to me named later, little empress. Nothing more.” She produces a small paper box from within the folds of her kimono, and slides the container across the floor towards Azami. It’s deeply fragrant, with a loamy head to it. It smells, in fact, much like the entire establishment – though much more concentrated, much more pungent.
20:57:25 [Chiyaden] Kino shrugs at Azami’s question. He doesn’t answer verbally, but that can be an answer in and of itself.
20:59:42 Azami deftly takes the offered box, her eyes resting intently on Leyumi, seeming to be weighing whether or not a favor owed to the woman is a good thing or a bad thing…but she took a risk, giving a small nod to the woman and sliding the box into her own kimono sleeve. “Then we have reached an accord.” She said, giving the woman a nod. “I will let you resume your personal business, Leyumi-san. I have more business to discuss with my cohorts, if you do not mind me haunting your establishment for a little while longer.” A polite dismissal if there ever was one. She smiled, her gaze shifting to Milea and both eyebrows rising, and then to Shichi and Ikale, her gaze meeting both of theirs and her head tilting, a silent invitation to come closer…if they were paying attention, of course. “Kind of you to rejoin us, Milea-san. I presume that there is information you seek.”

Milea had managed to procure for the group a trio of horses and some basic supplies into the saddle bags, enough to get them to Minato, where one of her contacts was waiting for them. It was someone from her days in the magistrate, someone who owed her a whole lot of favors for over looking certain small crimes, in exchange for information on her marks. That person would be able to get the two on their way and Milea could go back to living quietly in the mountains, away from this dishonorable nonsense. The girl had not given her a name nor had she said she was Azami but to many things coincided for it to be simply coincidence, she was trying to flee as was this Azami girl, this girl was nobility surely and they just happened to pass her by? Yes…to many things leading into one another. She led the horse through the gates of Minato and then looked to the two behind her, shifting her weight slightly. “Were here. I can find someone to take you quite a ways from Kyokita here, if that’s the same goal you want.” She slowly dismounted from the horse grasping her blade off the saddle bag with one hand and fully turning to the boy and girl, neither of whom she had names for at this point. Milea had given only her first name to the two, she kept the name Nasano hidden from them both, best to let the world think the Nasano dead…not that the eldest daughter let such monstrosities happen without being able to stop it. “But it could be awhile before my contact is prepared to meet you. We should get supplies and sustenance while we are here. It may be sometime before you are able to stop like this again.”

Azami had given only a false name of “Ume” when pressed for something to call her by. She didn’t really want to entrust her name to anyone just yet, though she knew she would have to eventually. She was looking for the people on her mother and Junko’s hitlist, and if she started asking questions about them, eyebrows would be raised and there would be insistence to know why she sought them. But for now, she just wanted to get away from the city, from her mother…and then she would, perhaps, be a little more comfortable revealing her name. She glanced up at Milea as the woman looked back at them, giving a slight nod at her words. “Yes. Thank you. I think leaving Kyokita is the best course of action for me.” She smiled faintly and then dismounted, her riding habits showcasing a particular amount of skill. She landed on the ground with a soft “oomph” of sound and then smoothed her robes, moving around to the front of her horse and gently leading him toward the equally short woman ahead of her. “I think that is a good plan. Would you be so kind as to lead the way?” She had tried to make her language coarser, had tried to ruddy her face and hide the nice clothing she still wore…but pretending to be something she’d never spent much time around was proving quite difficult, and it seemed every time they encountered someone, she fumbled with how to act. The misfortune of being Amatsu, it seemed, was that she had no idea how the rest of society worked…in some very key ways.

Milea watched the woman dismount, she was fairly skilled on a horse well that was good, if she was going to flee the empire with this boy she would need all the survival skills she could get. Milea’s face was the ever impassive wall that it seemed to be, since they had met in that darkened street not once had her face or voice shown any emotion, cool…or perhaps more accurately cold to the world around her. The ex-noble woman looked down ‘Ume’ for a long moment and then turned and gestured for them to follow her. Whatever skills the girl had would be needed because blending in was not one of them, she stood out like a sore thumb and would be easily hunted and found by those who would surely come after her. Not Milea’s problem though. She led them through the streets at a very easy, casual pace even stopping on occasion to glance over stalls or various wares that were on display. At last though she led them into a small eating establishment very out of the way and hard to find, as they entered the woman waiting to seat the trio seemed to know Milea. There were no words exchanged but they were led through the crowded front room into a series of private rooms in the back, seated and then the woman left presumably to get them some menu’s or…something. “So…Ume…and company.” She turned her icy blue eyes upon the two of them before settling dead onto Azami’s…and she just flat stared as she spoke as if trying to discern any lie no matter how small. “I wish for you to inform me of whom you both actually are. I have brought you to Minato but I will not put you in touch with those I know if I do not know who I am dealing with.” Milea went silent once more and simply waited.

The boy shrugs with a wry grin. “Told you. Kino. Told you that daaaaays ago.” Nevermind that it’s only been a day and a half, as Minato isn’t actually that far from Kyokita. The boy – Kino – doesn’t seem to take the situation especially seriously. The establishment – known as Eikan Rose – is a small taverna, with little in the way of private amenities, but a spot out of sight of the bulk of patrons certainly isn’t so hard to find. Nobody pays the trio any particular attention at the moment, in any case – they’ve done nothing to draw attention to themselves. (Yet.)

Azami frowned when Milea turned on them, wanting to know who they actually were. She simply stood for a moment, gazing steadily at the woman with a calm, critical eye. “I’m Ise Azami.” She said after a moment, her voice very, very soft, her eyes narrowed and her lips pressed into a small line. “But I’m guessing you might’ve suspected that. Would you do us the same favor and give your full name?” Azami was polite, calm, but there was an edge to her voice that said she didn’t really like being called out…though the edge was probably irritation aimed more at herself than anything.

There was no alteration of her face, no change in her emotion or voice when the Amatsu revealed herself but Milea did gesture to sit before she drew attention to the group. She glanced momentarily to Kino perhaps a simple urchin she had picked up, thankfully she wasn’t wearing any formal dress and Azami was smart enough to wear something over her finery. “No.” Milea said flatly in response to wanting to know who she was and then she looked away for a moment, scanning the crowd before looking back to the two. “Here is how this is going to function, I shall put you contact with a woman, who can find you transport to…almost anywhere you wish. She owes me greatly, she will do so without asking price. Then we shall part ways.” Milea seemed to hesistate for a moment before speaking again, “I however have one question for you, Child.” She looked squarely down upon Azami but refrained from using her name, possibly because there were people nearby and they needed no risk. “What is your plan, why do you flee?” She turned to Kino, “Why do you flee with her?”

“She said she needed fleeing. I happen to be an expert in that,” Kino replies, leaning back, folding his hands behind his head. “Also an expert in not getting killed by empresses. I don’t know why empresses want to kill her, but I figure empresses have their reasons and noone ever gets to be empress without killin’ someone, right? Anyway, usually I don’t get asked for help running away in public, so the novelty was as much fun as anything else. Now why are you so sure someone’ll do something for you without asking anything in return? I know how things work, and that’s not usually how things work.”

Azami her eyes narrowed and her gaze seemed to sharpen as she regarded Milea and her simple “no”. If Milea wanted to be difficult, Azami was all too happy to be difficult as well. So when she asked Azami to answer her question, Azami simply arched an imperial eyebrow and tilted her head. “Seeing as I have potentially put myself in danger simply by offering my name to you, and you will not provide me the same courtesy, I see no reason to answer either of the two questions that you have asked.” She turned her head slightly, glancing at Kino as he made his reply and giving a small nod. "As it stands, because of your reticence to provide any name beyond “Milea”, I’m also not sure I feel comfortable using the method of transit you offer." Her voice was so calm, so steady…The fact that she was actually terrified Milea worked for her mother was not evident in her at all, though deep, deep inside, she was concerned.

Milea eyed the urchin for a moment and the nodded, the answer was…fine for the moment, there was more at work there, like why anyone wanted this Kino boy dead, but she had other issues which was Azami being exactly what she feared. The Amatsu was being rather annoying and time wasn’t exactly on their side as things stood by now the Empress knew her little….bundle of joy was gone and would be searching and it wouldn’t take much for the Magistrates to check Minato it being so close. How could one little girl possibly do anymore damage, aside siccing Tsuruchi’s lackey’s upon her…but perhaps an honorable death while claiming the life of her families murderer might well be worth it. “Very well, Amatsu. You wish my name, you shall have it. I am Milea Nasano.” Milea didn’t even waver but there was a…a hint of something in her eyes, “Now answer my question, What is your plan? Do you seek to just flee and hide from the Empress? We shall go no further and you shall find no others willing to aid you.” Milea turned her head briefly to Kino, “The indivdual in question will aid us. If there is a cost it shall be to me, not to you two. Beyond that, I will say no more.”

Kino is silent for the moment. Eikan Rose, however, is getting quite a bit more active – all as a group, a small cadre of men and women dressed up in raggedy black clothes walk in. The foremost among them shouts out, “A round of yer finest drinks, keepa!” And the lot of them – there looks to be twelve or thirteen – saunter their way to places, taking up a full half of the little establishment.

At the tail end of the procession is a woman, smaller and more finely dressed than the rest of the black-clad crew; she wore corset and roughly cut-off skirts in a Marsellan style with a tanjuu pistol at her hip. “Keep yer pants on Junichi,” Eloise took a seat alongside the apparent leader of the group; she set her pistol on the table in front of her, “no time to haul yer drunk ass back to Madrigal.”

Azami gave a slight nod to Milea and seemed to relax a small amount once she had heard her full name. She didn’t comment on her being a Nasano, namely because while Azami knew some Nasano history, she didn’t know enough. When Milea repeated her questions, she gave a small nod. “I do not intend merely to flee. I intend to find the people that she and…Junko…wish eliminated alongside me. I do not know why I am being targeted, or why Sasaki Kino or any of the others are being targeted. But I want to find them all…and see if there is something we have in common that makes my mother and Junko want to kill us.” Her words were already soft, but as the people in cloaks entered the room, she became even quieter, her eyes narrowing on them for a moment. “I do not intend to hide for the rest of my life, nor do I intend to be perpetually hunted. I will fight back when I have established the logic behind my mother’s actions.”

“Logic’s simple. You’re a threat, threats get eliminated.” Kino pipes up, almost cheerily. “Don’t know why you’re a threat, but empresses wouldn’t have any cause to try killing you if you weren’t. I’m probably a threat too. I don’t feel threatening, but I guess I am pretty amazing.” He stretches, catlike, and flashes a brazenly cheshire smile at Milea.
__
Junichi growls at Eloise and leans back in his chair. “Yes’m. No need to worry bout that. Boys need a day to rest is all, drop of good sake does a tired body good.” He’s sullen tonight, but Junichi’s most always sullen. It’s as though he never quite outgrew his teenage angst. Then again, many of his crew seem to have similar problems – perhaps it’s a thing with sky pirates.

Milea sat quietly as the loud group entered but for the moment, she gave them no mind, the names meant naught to her and the fact they were armed meant even less. The tavern was close quaters if one of them began trouble with a gun, Milea would remove the grasping appendage before they had time to blink. Milea closed her eyes in quiet thought for a moment before answering again, the girls answer had been…enough to get her to aid them this far but nothing to compel her to go with them on this mad quest, the entirity of the Empire would be arrayed against them, the only natural end was death. “My Contact, Kato Leyumi has an office here in Minato. We should go to her as quickly as possible and arrange transport for the both of you, perhaps south or west…” She looked to Kino and nodded to his smile, “Likely. My interest is in more why you two are threats. After all…the girl is her heir.” Milea shook her head none of this matters, the girl and her mad quest were pointless and none of her concern and yet a voice nagged at the back of her head. She couldn’t quite hear it yet, “Once you two are ready, I will take you to Leyumi.” Milea grasped her staff a bit tighter, the loud mouths are a concern, after all…Azami was in youth and quite beautiful and they were…drinking heavily, not a good combination for men like that. Milea had no such concern and had never considered herself that lovely and she was no longer in the prime of her youth either.

Azami smiled at Kino’s words, then gave a slight nod. “Logic was…not the right word to use. More I want to know why we are considered threats. I am her daughter, and the heir…The only thing that seems to be a common trend right now is…elemental attunement, since I can tell that you have a very high attunement…” She glanced from Kino to Milea, sighed, and shrugged. “The pieces will come together as we progress, I hope.” She frowned and then her gaze shifted to Eloise and Junichi, her lashes lowering demurely over her eyes before her gaze flicked back to Milea. “I am ready to depart. The faster I can put distance between myself and my mother’s…helpers…the better.” She wrinkled her nose, then glanced at Kino, taking a deep breath and closing her eyes.

“Little drop o’ poison for all my favorite gents and ladies, of course of course,” Eloise coolly replied; her voice sweet and sensuous. Never argue alcohol with a crew of pirates; not even Junichi, bless his loyal soul; not if she wanted to live past thirty. “Rest n make merry boys, we heave away again at dawn; been far too long since Ive flown round friendly skies.” Eloise snapped open the revolving tanjuu, and checked the ammunition; then she snapped it closed again. “Do tell me if anyone interesting shows, wont you Jun?”

Kino tilts his head and waves a hand dismissively when Azami brings up his elemental talent. “Perish the thought, Ume, I’m just a normal boy from the normal streets. You haven’t never been to Asakura, I don’t think, that’s all you’re smelling off me.” Asakura, it seems, smells of cloves and ozone in the estimation of the strange boy. “If it’s away from all the helpers, the distance you wanna go is Marseilles. Independent you see. Asakura might be a good plan too, ‘cause the treaties. The treaties are still binding, right? That’s what mum always told me, anyway.”
__
Junichi lets roll a deep throaty laugh. “‘course I will, cap’n. Hand on me heart, mate’s honor.” This isn’t an uncommon sort of promise for a pirate to make, the blackbirds are hardly an exception. When it comes from Junichi, though, and is made to Eloise – he’s absolutely loyal. It sounds in his voice, even through the sullen sarcasm. He promptly tips back his cup of sake, drains it, and pours another.

Milea was listening to the conversation going on nearby and was not liking it, friendly skies, she was an ally of Chiyaden then though she hardly seemed the type. Then again she had used the womans kind in her work all those years ago, “Elemental attunement? I see. Let us depart, the less I know the better off I shall be I think.” Milea contiuned with her trend, for all intents and purposes it did not seem the woman planned on moving past Minato with them, she was delivering them to her contact and leaving. The former magistrate stood up and brushed herself off picking up the double bladed weapon next to her. “Treaties,Netruality mean nothing in this kind of flight, Sasaki Kino. The Empress will send the Magistrates after you…and you two do not hide well.” Milea said quietly and then gestured for them to be off leading the way around the group of drunken idiots. However Milea also stayed very close to the two of them and put herself between any of the men and Azami and headed for the exit. While she had no doubt that she was in little danger from them, the other two seemed…fairly poor in combat skills. She somewhat doubted Azami had anything beyond basic combat training if any from the Empress but…she could have been wrong and painting that in a bad light, biased and all.

Azami gave a slight shrug at Milea’s questioning tone, then glanced sharply at Kino as he tried to play it off. She did smile, however, as he referred to her as Ume. “Yes well…that is probably for the best that you stay uninvolved beyond this. I am sure you have your own business to attend to.” The statement was not, in fact, a veiled question. Azami was too exhausted to try and puzzle out the mystery of Nasano Milea beyond what she already knew. The woman seemed disinclined to provide more answers than she had to, and Azami was happy to accomodate the woman’s privacy…for now at least. She did admit some curiosity, but she wouldn’t push. Not unless she could persuade Milea to join them, which at the moment seemed unlikely. “The best place to start is to track down Liana Rousseau or Jorin Djose. Both, preferably. Or at least get myself into contact with either of them.” She frowned, seeming to be weighing how she could manage this as she moved with Milea and Kino toward the exit, aware of Milea’s strategic positioning, but not commenting.

Eloise gracefully stood and interjected herself in the conversation; she had very good hearing by the looks of it. “Oh, you dont want to track down either of them; Djose hates Chiyadenese you know. Liana just hasnt got shit for a sense ah humour,” Eloise specifically didnt step too close, but, leaning on the back of a chair just by the door, she smiled to the three of them. “Magistrate troubles?” Eloise sounded sugary sweet; but the tanjuu rested back at her hip; she was poised like someone very ready to make a move if necessary; wound up catlike and ready.

Shichiroji casually walked in through the front door and took a deep breath once in the establishment, relishing in the scent of both of his favorite things: food and booze. With his pouch filled with coin, and an appetitie that could rival any monster of the deepest, darkest forest, the beaming smile on his face served as the only indication of the plans he had for the watering hole. “Ah!” he bellowed as he exhaled, taking in his surroundings, briefly observing the present faces to ascertain their disposition, which would surely tell him if the food and drink here was good. Granted no one seemed to have particularly grim faces on (which were the only two expressions Shichi was currently tuned to notice) he decided that this…would be a good place to fill his gut. He quickly made a beeline for a table and sat himself down, expecting prompt service.

Shichiroji’s beeline brought him past a rather tense situation at the front door, with a pretty blonde woman casually faced off with a boy that smelled of cloves, a lovely girl with an aire of nobility, and… an elder woman with a staff. He did, however, receive very prompt service – a waitress was at his table in moments, providing a pot of tea and a cup, and watching him expectantly, waiting to fill in his needs as they came.
__
Kino quirks a brow at the sudden intrusion, first by Eloise, then by Shichiroji, and takes a step back, laying a hand on Azami’s shoulder. “…could turn ugly…” he whispers, before saying, a little more audibly, “Jorin’s in Lillehamr. That’s an old House, and they don’t like the Empire much.” He muses for a moment, before whispering again, “…which could actually play to your advantage, if’n he doesn’t just take your head for the principle of it, which he might…”
__
Junichi sighs as Eloise inserts herself into the one possible wasp’s nest of trouble in the whole damn tavern, and he stands up as well, grudgingly, to take a place next to her. Important to protect his captain, in case anything untoward goes down. Fff. Coulda been drinking more sake, what is this shit…

This…was unfortunate and Milea had been in enough battles and bar fights incidentally, you would be amazed how many people tried to lose her in a bar fight, to know that the woman in front of her was not some thug and the weapon was not for show. Milea stared at her blankly for a long moment and then another man joins her and another enters into the tavern, this one…a large man, earth elemental if Milea had to guess, they were easy to spot most of the time, big. The woman in front of Milea was also larger than her but that..wasn’t hard with Milea and had never given anyone an advantage so far. Milea just…stared for a moment before turning to Azami, “Please take your…companion of the night home, M’Lady Ume. I shall be outside momentarily to escort you.” Milea dripped into a very,very graceful half bow to Azami, something one would find in a court of nobles or something similiar and then turned back to Eloise. “The troubles of her ladyship are no concern of anyone’s. You should return with your men to their drinking and merriment, one does not often stop in a port for very long. There is no reason to trouble yourself with us.” Milea’s voice was flat and emotionless throughout her entire speech, the woman was good at hiding the truth…she’d had enough practice.

Azami frowned as Eloise approached, her words making Azami a little uncomfortable, though they didn’t dissuade the girl from her chosen course of action. Of course, Azami got the feeling they weren’t really intended to. Her eyes shifted to Shichiroji as he entered the building, and she inhaled slowly, then jumped as Kino laid a hand on her shoulder. She turned to face him slightly, listening to his words even as Milea told her to wait outside…and called Kino her companion. Azami went rigid for a moment, and she very nearly lit Milea on fire…the thought did cross her mind. Anyone looking could probably see her bristling at the suggestion Milea had made. But she calmed herself, keeping a bit of control on her temper, and turned her gaze instead to Kino as he whispered in her ear. She gave a small nod to him, her eyes moving to meet his for a brief moment. “Thank you.” She said quietly. She turned her gaze to Eloise and Junichi, studying them, and then glanced at Milea as she spoke to them. She had directly ignored the other woman’s suggestion, of course. “What more do you know about Djose and Rousseau. I can perhaps make it worth your while.” The implication of some sort of reward was very evident in Azami’s words, and she genuinely meant it. She would make the trade of information worth Eloise’s while.

Bless her crooked little heart; Eloise eyes lit up when Azami bit her hook and baited it back in turn, “Oh, Djose, nothing very new Im afraid; you see, he’s still sounding his war drums, doesnt like your little empire at all I fear,” as she spoke she looked to Junichi; giving her first mate a hand-sign that said more or less ‘stand down’. This was going well. “Rousseau, though, poor Liana; I know her quite well.” Eloise fondled the pocket watch-locket hanging from her neck; she smiled viciously. “Wasnt too happy when I lifted this off her; poor girl, wound up Lady Regent ah Saint-Augustine since noone else wanted it; not after what happened ta poor Bernard.”

Milea could almost feel the daggers being stared into her by the Amatsu but quite frankly at this point she didn’t care, the more she saw of Azami the more she saw how little she understood about the real world…and then she offered to pay the woman for information and Milea almost slipped. Almost. The woman’s face didn’t change but when Azami spoke Milea’s arm muscle tensed if only ever so slightly ready for anything that might happen to go down. However beyond that for the moment Milea would remain silent, she would have a talk with Azami…no wait, she wouldn’t…why should she, wasn’t her problem. That voice was back, nagging her…reminding her of things she wanted to forget, things that no longer mattered. Why. Why didn’t they matter? Why did honor and duty not mean anything anymore? Why did they mean anything before? Because it is what makes you a Nasano… Milea could almost hear her father and quietly cursed her own mind for it.

Shichiroji was quick to order himself something to drink – something strong with enough kick to put some hair on his chest, and then order nearly everything on the menu (if there was a menu, otherwise he went completely off the cuff). Once he’d accomplished this task, he went to serving himself up some tea from the offered put and the cup set before him. Meanwhile, his ears were tuned into the conversation happening closer to the door, because he wasn’t so oblivious as to not notice interesting people – interesting people who looked a whole lot like royalty. With his order made and tea in hand, he stood up and rather forwardly strode back to the group gathered. “Should her highness really be consorting with pirates?” he asked plainly, and on hip as he took the first and last swig from his current cup of tea. “This doesn’t seem like the place for royalty, especially dealing with…” He paused and turned his head to give Eloise and her companion a once over… “Yeah….”

Kino makes a face at Milea, and not the prettiest and most pleasant face that ever was. It’s fleeting, though. Huff. Night’s companion? Well, actually, he supposed there were probably worse ways to get tagged for a death penalty than seducing a crown princess, but… you know. One step at a time, gotta escape first. He chirps in on Eloise and Azami’s conversation. “Wasn’t Bernard poisoned last winter?”
__
Junichi makes a rude gesture at Shichiroji. He looks somewhat annoyed at being called a pirate. However, at the hand-sign from Eloise, he stands down, taking a few steps back. He pointedly doesn’t sit again, as his captain, it seems, is getting herself into all sorts of potential trouble. Again. “Why’s the pretty ones always so fucking dumb?” he asks one of the other pirates, off to the side. He gets a shrug in response, clearly beaten out by alcohol in the ‘interesting to his crewmates’ department.
__
The waitress returns some time after Shichi rises to insert himself in the growing scene at the door – she simply sets down his warm flask of shochu, a plate of sticky rice balls, a plate of roast eel, and a grilled fish on a stick. And she quietly, quietly backs away, wanting nothing to do with this shit.

Azami ignored the way Milea tensed and reacted to Eloise and Junichi, instead listening to Eloise’s explanation about the two people who, aside from Kino, were the top of her priority list. She closed her eyes and thought things over, her fingers clenching gently inside of the sleeves of her robe, gripping her cloak a little closer. It was, of course, at about this moment that Shichi walked up, and Azami lifted her gaze to him with a very calm and serene look. “I need information, they can provide it. I am not concerned with what their occupation or status is so long as they treat with me and provide me good information.” Her gaze shifted back to Eloise, regarding her thoughtfully. “And since I have offered to sweeten the deal, there is little reason to provide bad information…but time shall always tell.” She offered Eloise a faint smile, though it was clear that Azami didn’t actually trust anyone. She wasn’t that naive or that unaware of the world. But she would do what she had to.

“Astute l’il bastard arent you?” Eloise purred at Kino. “Bernard Lamstrand was poisoned last winter; hemlock, n the ones what did it; they never did get caught ‘n hanged like they should. Now we got Liana; right unreasonable thing, I mess Bernard; when he got angry, there’s this vein on his forehead, it pulsated n throbbed like it was something alive.” Arms crossing, Eloise practically whirled upon Shichiroji; her face alight with shock, shock. “Pirate? You wound me sir; such an accusation! I am but an honest merchant; a simple traveling entrepreneur; an innovative trade specialist. I shant have my good name besmirched like this in public!”

“My apologies, your highness.” He attempted to ammend the forward manner in which he’d injected himself into the situation, bowing his head respectfully to the much shorter royal before turning his attention back to the accused pirate. Unfortnately, his assumption failed to stick, and his conviction in thinking her a pirate wavered with her admittedly convincing performance (or convincing to him). “My apologies to you too,” he said, continuing to save face. “The company you keep… I’m sorry I thought they looked a little on the ignoble side.” That said, he could admit that this woman and her cadre may not have been pirates, but they still wreaked of being untrustworthy, though there was the lingering possibilty that the group pitted against this wily woman was well equipped to deal with her, a thought solidified with the notice of the very unique scent and feel coming from her highness and the urchin with her. It was at this point that his nose caught the scent of his food, and he turned ©
22:25:23 [Shichiroji] attention onto his previous seat. “If her highness is sure she has the situation handled…” And then he took slow steps backwards, eyes fixed on Eloise, not yet convinced she wasn’t playing the royal and her companions.

Kino glances towards Shichiroji as he withdraws, paying particular attention to the man’s armor. A rather well-equipped giant, with a good enough eye to pick out Azami’s distinct features. Also… “He could be useful,” he murmurs to Azami. “Smells like loam from here… sense of chivalry on top of it. Doesn’t look like a Magistrate…” He quickly turns his attention back to Eloise, though, apparently quite amused by her rebuttal to Shichiroji. Sky pirate or not, she has spirit. It’s clear enough he’s developed a bit of appreciation.
__
Junichi sits down, finally, when Shichi backs away a bit. The boss seems to have it handled, but he does dispense with a sign to the rest of the blackbirds. He wants them all ready, just in case a fight does happen to break out. Though, fortunately, it’s looking less likely just now.
__
The waitress, seeming to find her courage, returns to the front with a nervous sort of smile. “Is there… anything else I can get for anyone? We have fish coming off the grill right now…” And almost as though it’s fate, just as she says that, the rather savory scent of grilled trout and curry wafts through the main room of Eikan Rose. She looks very much like she’s hoping noone will kill her in the face. So many dangerous people tonight…

Milea remained at the ready, the woman was a sky pirate, she knew enough from her band,words and demeanor to put that together. However her worry lied opposite of the giant mans, sky pirates could be honorable sorts and Milea had always known them to do exactly what she assumed in the past, the problem was…that was rarely what you needed them to do. The scar on Milea’s face throbbed painfully as she thought about this and banished it from her mind, this was a poor place to discuss this and so Milea broke one of her cardinal rules, she was going to risk her neck on a stupid stunt that might not lead anywhere. “Ume. This is a public location and probably unwise to speak of this here. I know of a more…private location not far, I can send word to my friend…and you can discuss buisness in safety.” Milea only hoped the girl was wise enough to put her personal dislike of the old woman aside and see the wisdom, by now they would have Magistrate’s on their tail and not much had been done to disguise it yet. If they were any good at their jobs…and Milea knew a damn chunk of them were, they would be in this city within a few hours, if they were lucky and the Empress was feeling lazy. She really didn’t want to be spotted with the girl by the Magistrate, they’d have a garrison down their throats if this was as bad as it seemed. She ignored the rest for the moment verbally anyway, she had marked and was watching everyone of them for any kind of hostile move. The offer of food is however rejected, at Kino’s mention of the giant not looking like a Magistrate she can only close her eyes quietly in frustration. As if Magistrates went around loudly announcing who they were when they were hunting for people.

Azami stood, looking thoughtful, quiet and watchful while Shichi and Eloise spoke, and while Milea and Kino provided their thoughts and suggestions. She gave a small nod to the both of them, frowning and then turning her gaze to Milea. “Yes. I think that best.” Her eyes moved to Kino and she gave him a nod as well. “I agree. Perhaps we should…ah…invite him along?” She smiled faintly, then looked to Eloise and Shichi, and then the waitress. She politely declined any more food, giving the woman a polite smile and a very calm, almost reassuring gesture. “We shall be departing soon.” Try to soothe the fears to those not involved and not rough and rowdy enough to deal with what was happening. Her gaze moved to Eloise, and Shichi before he walked away. “If you would care to join us, we can perhaps continue this conversation in a more secure location.” The offer was extended to both parties, to Shichi if he was interested, to Eloise because they had struck something of an arrangement.

Its not like Eloise couldve actually blamed Shichiroji for his suspicion; she did have the looks of a shifty sort and she was a stranger with what looked an awful lot like a pirate crew. Good that he backed off about it though; best if it didnt turn ugly. “Be delighted to accompany you, miss; absolutely and utterly at yer service. Juni, you have the bridge my love; do be a dear n keep the quiet while Im away.” She spun about on the heel of her boot and fell in right next to the royal girl; Eloise knew opportunity when she smelled it, wasnt any doubt about that.

An early summer night, warm and humid: Kyokita never truly slept, but the rattle and hum of early morning was instead replaced by the soft buzzing of twilight. The factories churned day and night, and the industrial district by Azami’s Cove was always warm and lit with the glow of the great furnaces. Near the shore, a pair of musicians sat by a makeshift fire, one playing softly on a koto, the other singing some shanty to the sea. Just to the south, the aerodrome sounded the bells signaling last call for the final departure of the evening. For all the normalcy of this summer night, there was a tension in the air, a sense that something was off, unmistakable to any of the city’s many thousands of residents. Tonight, something was going wrong…

Milea had long since left the confines of the city proper, she no longer had the patience for the people within it or those who lorded above the common folk. It was simply to much hassle and to much…shadowy subterfuge, there was no honor left within the Empire and Milea for one was sick of it. She had grown sick of it years ago to be honest though and now she was in Kyokita for but one reason, a message asking for help. She had no idea what the messenger needed help with but she had long been friends with the woman who had sent her the message, she was not about to ignore Iyo now they had been friends since Milea had been young. Airi had taught her how to smith weapons and armor, without her Milea never would have forged her families ancient weapon, which was now disguised as a simple walking stick though Milea put no weight upon it as she walked through Kyokita’s industrial district. It did not take her long to arrive at Airi’s smithy and she let herself into the building, looking about for the other woman. Milea was all in all looking her age, streaks of silver had begun to appear amongst the black, perhaps a little early but she attributed that to stress. “Airi, are you here?” Milea called into the smithy, her voice void of emotion as it always was, she had not lived as long as she had by permitting emotion to influence anything she did…well almost anything.

Escaping the palace wasn’t easy for any person…and it was especially difficult for the crown Princess, the true born daughter of the Empress, Azami herself. No, for Azami, escaping the palace was very difficult. It had been a necessary step, however, after Azami’s uncovered a most…terrifying…piece of information between Junko and her mother, Sanihiko. She still felt sick to her stomach about it, still felt utterly and completely as though the world were falling apart around her…but she couldn’t dwell on that right now. She focused, instead, upon what she had to do. Which was get free, find the people her mother and Junko were conspiring against, and then unite them…or at the very least learn more as to why her mother wished them dead. She could have stayed in the palace, true, and tried to learn more about the situation before she ran, but she knew someone had seen her when she left her mother’s antechamber that evening, and she knew that her safety in the palace was not guaranteed anymore. So she fled. While she could have taken an easy, fast route, and firewalked to a distant location, she opted instead for a more common way of sneaking out. Her mother’s skills with the fire element were greater than Azami’s, and she had no desire to be tracked out of the palace. And so there she stood, clad in a very dingy looking cloak by comparison to her usual finery, the cloak hiding the fineness of the robes beneath. She hadn’t known where to go to get more simplistic clothing, but she had pocketed as much money as she could to buy herself something more basic later. The cloak would have to do in the night. She glanced around, biting the inside of her cheek as she used what skills she had to form an illusion…Something basic to distract the guards while she slipped out one of the servant’s gates.

“Oh? Yes! I’m here!” Airi called out, from somewhere in the back of the smithy. The clattering sound of things being knocked asunder followed, and it was a few moments before Airi made it back out to her storefront. Airi was a bit older than Milea, perhaps fifty or sixty, with long silver hair tied back tightly, and skin cracked and broken from the long years over the furnace and anvil. But she had a pleasant face when she smiled, as she did now. “Come in! It’s good to see you again. Come, come…” She motioned insistently, drifting back to the back of her establishment. “I’ve tea steeping in the kitchen. I had soup as well but I’m afraid I upended the pot… you caught me a bit off-guard.”

Off to the north, by the palace, Azami slipped past the guards without incident – it was a plan some time in planning, after all, and the guards were not exactly on the lookout for her. The streets in the South Square were clean and quiet this time of night, save for the occasionally patrols passing through, Magistrates walking in pairs to ensure the streets stayed clean. Only the statue of Ise Chiyoubi still boasted any visitors – a boy of some sixteen years, a little unkempt, an urchin in all likelihood. The unclean and the homeless often congregated about the public squares, for lack of any place better to go.

Milea raised a brow as she heard her old friend clambering outside, while it was true the two hadn’t seen each other in many years, not since before Milea had left the Empire for the wilds, it wasn’t like she should have been caught so unprepared. It wasn’t like the Nasano was ever late when called, she was always prompt it was one of her qualities. Milea dipped her head and awarded the old friend with the tiniest hint of a smile before it faded back into the look of utter netruality. “It is pleasant to see you again as well, Airi. You are doing well it seems.” Something was off here and Milea didn’t like it, she had worked very hard to stay hidden, as far as the world knew after all the Nasano were a dead clan, all slaughtered that one fateful night and the few who knew otherwise, she hoped wouldn’t consider her a threat…she merely wished to be left alone now. The Empire would with any luck kill itself soon enough, it had become like a cancerous tumor and it desperately needed to be removed. “Off guard?” Milea questioned quietly as she took a seat and waited for the tea to be poured. “Airi. When have I ever been late when called? Are you feeling alright?” Milea was mildly concerned for her old friend. The woman straightened her clothes a bit, a pair of simple cotton pants and a matching black shirt adorned her form, black hair done up into a pony tail today. If anyone looked they would not see a former Samurai of such station as a Nasano, though the woman before her knew well enough her former station. “I will join you for tea but then I must insist you tell me why I have been called here.”

Azami breathed a sigh of relief when she made it to the square, though she had the distinct feeling that she wasn’t in the clear yet. The entire air around her felt wrong…off…and she was utterly terrified of being discovered as she made her way toward the statue of Ise Chiyoubi. She moved quick and quiet, soft and light as a feather. She encountered the urchin at the statue and almost squeaked and started to dart away…only to calm herself and instead turn to the boy, asking him softly for a bit of direction. To where? Well…she was not sure…She was looking for a safe but…discreet…place to stay for the evening, and in the morning she would figure out where to go from there…maybe…Or maybe she should just start working to flee the city now. Indecision warred within her, even though she had worked out the logistics of her plan ages ago.

“Mi-tan? You’re an hour early…” Airi simpered and slid into the kitchen, where she poured out two cups of tea, and offered one to Milea, before setting down on the matted floor. She patted the floor beside her, looking up at the younger woman. “Sit with me, and we can talk. Alright?” There’s a sense of urgency in her voice, the sort that a woman of her experience and verve rarely shows when it isn’t called for. Lifting the cup to her lips, Airi drank slowly, then sighed. “Things have changed, Mi-tan. This isn’t the country it was when you left, not at all.” Notes of nostalgia, clear and easy on her voice.

The boy by the statue nearly jumped himself at her unexpected approach, scrambling back a couple steps – for a brief moment, a sharp and powerful scent of spices and ozone. Then it faded away. “Ayy… I don’t know where you’re going. Directions, directions to where?” His head canted curiously. He was rather tall, for a boy his age; the eyes and the scent and the height all spoke to an Air elemental of some ability. The manner of dress, though, a little different. It was faded and frayed at the edge, but the hakama he wore showed the colors of Asakura. “Little late to be going anywhere, really, don’t you think? Nothing still awake. Nothing except guards. Fishes. Rats, I suppose, rats are always awake somewhere.”

“I did not see a time upon your letter, Airi San, I simply came upon receiving it. You have not contacted me in many years, I assumed this was urgent and could not be delayed.” The truth was that Milea had just wanted to get it done with. She took the cup of tea from Airi and slowly sat upon the mat before looking over at the older woman, her face betrayed nothing but her eyes were betraying her concern, it wasn’t like Airi to be so…worrisome, of the two the smithy woman was assuredly the less…tense of them most the time. “Things were not well when I left, Airi. This country has been stagnating for a long time, filled now with the corrupt and dishonorable. Justice,Law,Honor,Duty. These words have no place in this Empire, this is why I left you know this. Still…proceed.” Milea took another sip of her tea, she had little to say, there was something going on here and it sounded like Airi had called for more than just…a chat. She wanted something, something big to bring up the Empire as a whole. “How have things changed, Airi San?”

“I don’t think you ever understood what we’re building, Mi-tan… certainly not now.” Airi shook her head sadly, finishing her cup of tea. “But it doesn’t matter. I told you I needed your help, it’s true. You aren’t a well-known face. You can be subtle when you need to. There’s a girl who’ll need your protection. I don’t know where she’s going, but I know she’s leaving tonight. There are forces at work that would see her dead, and that can’t be allowed to happen.” Setting the cup aside, Airi leaned back on her arms. “I can pay, a little, if you need it. But I don’t think you will. Money wasn’t ever what motivated you. Even if I had a thousand koku to my name, I’d be surprised if you asked for a single sen.”

Milea shook her head at Airi, “I understood, Airi San. Once upon a time I saw what was being built here and I…endorsed it, I put my all into defending it, nuturing it. As did my family…” Milea’s face did not change but her voice had a definite edge to it, “I will not repeat those events. But you know what happened.” Then the favor came out, a girl who needed protecting, Milea owed the woman in front of her, without her she would never have been considered a true Nasano warrior. Milea exhaled softly and set the empty tea cup down, “Money never motivated me or the Nasano. You always seemed to understand what drove us, what drove me. So I will accept this request but you first must answer three questions. Do this…and I will do what I can for her.” Milea settled her eyes upon Airi, there was…something to her, those eyes threatening to swallow even the tiniest lie and expose it to the world. “Who is this girl firstly. Secondly why is it so important she not perish?”

Airi tilted her head and shrugged a shoulder. “Perhaps. But this was never about tradition. It was about common law. Opportunity. Breaking the old ways. There’s a reason most of the Samurai clans stood against Okami, and the Eta took to her cause.” A moment passed, then Airi looked away. “Her name is Ise Azami. She’s the heir to the throne – one of them, at least. Ise Junichiro is another possibility. But most of us, we’d rather Azami hold that position. She can’t, if she gets herself in too much trouble.”

Milea said nothing, her family lay dead at the hands of assassin’s, her clans killer permitted to walk free because of political favor or schemes hatched by those in power. The name made Milea’s eyes narrow dangerously at her old friend, “You ask a great thing of me. You ask me to aid the child of one I would see punished for denying my family justice. What most of you wish is irrelvant to me, Airi San. I live in the wilds, I do not need the Empire or it’s crumbling foundation to survive now.” Milea did not say it but she knew she would not live much past the reigning Empress’s regime anyway, so what happened after that was none of her concern…and yet…the ex-samurai stood up slowly and took a deep breath. “I will escort her out of the city, I have a contact in a small farming village some days travel who can get her further. My aid after that will be based on her and what I take of her character. This is all I can offer, even for you, Airi San.”

“I wouldn’t ask more.” Airi inclines her head slightly. “Thank you. Since you won’t accept money, I’ll do you a favor if you ever need it. Is that fair?” Outside, there was a sound of commotion a few dozen meters away. It started quiet, but raised in tenor quickly – and a shout of alarm followed before long. It seemed that something was going down…

Azami blushed a bit at the boy’s questions and the way he phrased things, shifting her weight slightly and then glancing at him through her lashes. Where he was exceptionally tall, she was exceptionally short…which seemed odd for a fire elemental, who usually were only shorter than fire and void elementals. Her scent displayed her as a fire elemental of some skill, however, which may raise questions in and of itself…just like a boy with a high air attunement living on the streets may raise some questions. “I…well…No I know it is.” She took a deep breath, glancing around. “I’m trying to escape…” She murmured simply, hoping that the urchin she spoke to would be understanding of her plight. “I’m not sure where I should go…this is the first night I’ve ever been able to…” She waved her hand in a silent gesture, the topic of her departure from the castle a terrifying thing, and also something she was trying very hard to keep from being common knowledge to any potential spies. She was taking a risk just confiding in this boy, truth be told.

“You owe me nothing, Airi San. I have owed you a debt for many years, in teaching me the art of smithing a weapon. Without you, I could not have finished my task and I would be dishonored in the eyes of all my ancestors. We are even now…take care of yourself, old friend.” Milea disliked this aiding the child of her enemy, of the leader of those she condemned but Airi San had asked and for her, for her then Milea would grant it. She was always good at forcing mind over emotion and she would do so now. She was about to turn to leave but then the commotion and Milea’s grip on the walking stick tightened. “It seemed things may become complicated…” She mumered quietly and moved into the front of the store to look outside and see what was going on outside.

The boy grinned, wide and bright. “Escape? Escape isn’t much of a place, if you ask me. It’s more of a thing. If you’re going to escape, you usually want to know where you’re going, don’t you? Unless there’s guards at your heel and you’ve got plums that aren’t yours tucked in your coat. Even then, really, ‘cause if you don’t know the where they usually catch you.” He folded his hands behind his head, then paused slightly. “Trouble brewing.” And sure enough, the sounds of conflict… from the south. He made a motion with his hands, then scampered off, southward. “This way!”

As Milea rose to leave, to get a look at the commotion outside, Airi called after her – “Be careful, Mi-tan.” But she didn’t rise off the kitchen floor. Airi was no fighter. As she made her way outside, Milea saw a scene unfolding by the waterfront – one guard lay dead on the rocks, another two were fighting desperately against a three men, armed with swords and cloaked in dark clothing. The dark-clad assailants seemed to have the city guards pinned in a bad spot: behind them, a hundred-foot drop to the jagged rocks and the sea in Azami’s Cove. In front of them, men bent upon causing their death

Azami simply sighed and shrugged at the boy, studying him. “I’m new to this.” She said, a slight note of exasperation and uncertainty in her tone. “I didn’t know…where to run, honestly. I just know there are a few people I need to find.” She frowned, sucking her bottom lip between her teeth and then releasing it as he mentioned there was trouble brewing. She turned slightly, eyes widening a bit before she began to follow after the boy, letting him lead the way in the direction of the sounds of conflict. Why were they running toward the trouble?!

“You’re probably wondering,” the boy managed to chitter between deep breaths, now breaking into a proper dash, “why we’re running towards the trouble. Simple. So we know what it is.” He seemed quite pleased with his answer, and after a few seconds, they turned a corner and came upon quite a scene of violence – it was some distance away, but plainly visible, a deadly little brawl on the cliffside above Azami’s Cove. By the looks of it, city guards being beaten down. The reason… hm. Uncertain.

Milea stepped outside and her eyes scanned for the sound of trouble. City guards being pushed towards an assured death, the former magistrate stared for what felt like a year but in reality it was but a manner of seconds. In a swift motion she swung her weapon around, two of the ends flying off to reveal that at either end of the staff weapon, were curved blades each razor sharp and honed with decades of practice and training. She had forsaken the Empire, let them deal with their own problems…but honor demanded that she aid the city guardsmen, honor demanded that cowards who had to use such tactics be removed. Milea did not hesistate her body launched forward, silently as death itself across the rocks, arms angling, flashing steel and the first blow aimed at the closest of the three men. The strike, aimed to cut right through his throat at the space where most armors did not cover, a lethal blow if it struck.

Azami made a soft sound in her throat at his words, giving him a slightly amazed look and then a shake of the head. “I suppose that makes sense in its own way.” She was only slightly winded. Azami was, at the very least, in good shape. When they emerged close enough to see the scene of violence, Azami frowned, her lips pressing tightly together before she glanced at the boy. She shifted a few steps forward, her hands grasping the inside of her cloak tightly. “Should we do something?”

Violence ensued rather quickly as the former Magistrate sprung into action, catlike. Her blow struck home – she didn’t miss his armor entirely, but cut straight through it. He went down with a gurgling cry, even as the other two turned their blades upon Milea. It was, however, rather quick from there: a glancing blow caught her arm, painful but not especially bad, and the no-longer beleaguered guards promptly felled a second of the three cloaked men from behind. The third, clearly no longer in a winning position, dropped his weapon and threw up his hands quickly, in surrender, glancing about as though he was looking for an escape.

The boy tilted his head. “Maybe. Should we?” The violence went down quickly, more quickly than they could have crossed the distance, and suddenly rather than three armed men threatening to kill another two guards, there was one unarmed man, cornered between two guards and a new combatant on the scene, with a very…. unusual… weapon. The boy scampered closer to the scene. “I want to get a closer look, anyway!”

Milea felt the blow strike armor but it parted with ease, like water attempting to stop a rock plunging into the depths, his neck offered no resistance to her sharpened blade. The air turned crimson for a moment before she saw him go down, a flash of steel and her body twisted to the right stepping away from Azami’s cove though caught on the arm she just grunted and ignored it. She had no time to strike as the guards fell upon the second and killed him. The third seemed interested in surrender, Milea would have killed him but now it was out of her hands, however she quickly placed the point of one of the blades against the man’s neck. “If you so much as twitch a leg muscle, I will remove your head from it’s shoulders. Now…speak, Who are you and why are you attacking city guards?” She was unaware of Azami and the boy standing so close, her mind focused on the battle in front of her.

The guards, at first, seemed immediately interested in killing him, but when Milea but a blade to his shoulder, they backed off. Samurai business, after all, was usually above the paygrade of the city watch. The surrendered man, behind his cloak and mask, glanced left and right quickly (though notably without turning his head). He spoke quickly. “M’names Ando. They were inna way. Wasn’t nothing personal. Just inna way. We hadda stop them from raising more alarms.”

Azami blinked at the boy and then gave a small nod in reply to his question. She began to move after him, heading off down the way toward the fight, simply following in his footsteps. She wasn’t so sure about this, but at the same time, what more could she do? At worst, she’d be caught before she’d even really gotten anywhere…but maybe, just maybe, she could meet someone of import down amongst these fighters. Stranger things had happened.

Milea glared, she didn’t trust the name but she let it go for the moment, frankly knowing his name was irrelevant, she was…mildly thankful that the guards had recgonized her weapon enough to leave this to her, however as they went to leave she whistled for them to remain for a moment. “I’ve got three questions for you…just three, you will answer each of them honestly…or..I will end you. First, What were they in the way for? Second who are you working for. And thirdly are there any more of you?” Milea asked and by now…was aware of the two others but she hadn’t turned around yet, the wonderful thing of her blade is that it was easy to spin around and fight multiple foes at once.

“I think she’s samurai. Look at the weapon. City watch don’t use those. Not military either, nuh. Wouldn’t be any good in a formation.” It was hard to tell if he was actually talking to Azami or just chittering for the sake of carrying on a conversation with himself, but either way, he seemed to be rather loquacious tonight. “Who’re you running away from, anyway? Never told me what you were trying to escape. Escape’s easier if I know who you want to go away from, you know. That way I don’t accidentally make you not escape instead.”

“In the way of where we were supposed to go. Boss told us to come here, and we hadda make sure the street was clear, so hadda get rid of the guards. There’s more of us. Lots more.” His eyes went wide. “No end to us. You can kill me but we’ll sweep down like a storm outta heaven and purge you from the earth. We can’t be stopped, not by you or anyone else.”

Azami glanced at the boy as he talked, and talked, and talked…but she found it kind of endearing, really…and it meant that she didn’t have to do the talking…at least until the conversation turned to who she was running from. “Ah…well…I’m trying to escape from the Empress’ eyes…she…she wants to have me killed.” She said simply, sound sad, hurt, and angry all at once. Which was a pretty easy combination of emotions to have going on, when you thought about it. “I have a list of names…of other people she wants dead…and I…I was hoping to warn them.” She sighed heavily. “Ah it sounds so dumb when I say it out loud.” She muttered, looking harassed as they drew closer to the samurai woman. Azami paused, frowning as she studied Milea from a distance. She didn’t recognize the weapon, nor the woman, which made her wonder if she was samurai, or if she was once one and now no longer….

“Well I figure that’s what Empresses do. They make lists of names of people they need killed. That’s usually how you build an empire, I’m pretty sure.” The urchin sounded remarkably cheery about the topic. “The good news is empresses are easy to avoid, ‘cause they don’t like to leave palaces. The bad news is empresses have people that leave palaces for them. The other good news is I’m a certifiable expert in avoiding the people that empresses send out of their palaces.”

Milea eye’s narrowed at the man, “I see. Do you recall what I said?” And it was done in a heart beat, Milea’s hand put force on the weapon and she brought the blade into the man’s throat with a single easy push, leg lashing out to kick him and send his dying body hurtling off the cliff. Milea turned to the two remaining guards, “Tell your Captain to beef your patrols up. Increase the number to six men per patrol if he doesn’t wish to lose any more men. Inform him also that the numbers of these…thugs is limited and he should be free of them soon but he should investigate their origins. And…inform the family of your dead comrade that his killers died.” She nodded to the guards and turned to leave and fetch the sheathes of her weapon when her eyes fell upon two people watching, two of them in fact a young woman and a young man. Milea moved towards the two of them slowly, fresh blood still dripped from the blade of her weapon though she held it loosely at her side with but one hand. “It is dangerous here, you should not remain.”

Azami laughed softly at the boy’s explanation of what Empresses did and didn’t do. She almost told him what she would do, but then decided opening up about her heritage right now was a terrible idea. So she instead looked around and then glanced sideways at him as he mentioned he was an expert in avoiding the people that did the empress dirty work. “Does the empress has a particular interest in you, then?”

“Yes, yes she does. I assume it’s naturally because of my wit and charm. Or something to do with magic and… I don’t know. Why do they want any elemental?” The boy turned his attention suddenly to the Samurai, now addressing them, even as the two surviving guards bowed their heads and murmured thanks to Milea before excusing themselves from the scene. There was quite a lot of blood, now, with three dead at the cliff face and a fourth tumbling to the sound below. The boy looked at Milea with a quizzical expression. “Always dangerous. There’s terrible empresses afoot. Are you working for one of them?” The question was remarkably flippant, considering it was addressed to a woman wielding a terrible blood-drenched weapon.

Azami shrugged at the boy’s questions, sighing heavily. “That’s what I am trying to determine.” She said simply. Her gaze shifted to Milea as the woman approached and spoke to them, and a flush rose to her cheeks as the boy spoke up. She glanced at him and shook her head, then looked back to Milea, her cheeks still flushed darkly. She was a little surprised at all the blood shed near the cove that bore her name, but she couldn’t say anything other than, “We are…looking for a place to go for the night.” Azami was probably a little too proper and cultured sounding for the tattered cloak she was wearing, her features just a little too refined and well cared for…but she was doing her best to mask it.

Milea didn’t so much as blink at the boy as he remarked flippantly to her, the girl however seemed unaware of her or wasn’t willing to direct commentary towards her. It didn’t offend Milea if the positions were reveresed Milea might have done the same, however the boy had remarked and asked a question. “I do not work for the Empress nor the Empire. I owe neither allegiance. I really must insist you both depart, I do not have time to remain here and watch out for either of you and there are more of those men afoot. I have other tasks in this city tonight.” Milea turned and then stopped, she just realized she had no idea what this damned Heiress looked like! And she didn’t wish to bother Airi again, her head turned back to the two young ones she had been speaking too. “…A strange questions, Do either of you know what the Empress’s child looks like, Azami I believe is her name…I have been away for some time.” She had nothing to lose by asking them, they were after all just kids. The girls statement had Milea stand there for a moment before speaking again, “I’m afraid I cannot help, as I said I have my own task this night. I might suggest perhaps seeking an inn or…similiar establishment.”