Otterly Fantastic Dinner (D8 EE)

[Makime Ayano]

(expecting)

With a lot of the day out of the way, Ayano heads to the dining hall for some quiet time...surrounded by people who probably aren't hellspawn. Today had been for the most part a pretty insane day.

[Chai Kotsume]

(expecting)

With a lot of the day out of the way, Ayano heads to the dining hall for some quiet time...surrounded by people who probably aren't hellspawn. Today had been for the most part a pretty insane day.

Kotsume, for her part, had been away from the castle for most of the day, and was still trying to get the hang of what exactly the absurd things that happened were. She was quite restless, and apparently so were the critters on her basket - so much so that it was obvious what she carried on her back was living.

The curious and apparently anxious chirping and gurgling were a bit distracting, but on seeing Ayano, she did stop in front of her and bow properly. "Makime-sama... I had been hoping to see you." She looks at the food displayed. "It... looks like a good time for some food after what seems to have been a... rather unique day." That was an understatement if there ever was one - but then, Kotsume might not have fully understood just how strange the day was, not having been there when it all happened.

"Would you mind if I join you to talk while at it?"

[Makime Ayano]

Ayano looked up and squinted at the Ki-Rin, then she blinked, "Oh...yes you look familiar. Akodo-san's sister yes?"

She smiled, "Please feel free to take a seat. You said you wished to speak with me? I hope I can help, but I must warn you my mind is a bit all over the place given the day's events."

[Chai Kotsume]

Ayano looked up and squinted at the Ki-Rin, then she blinked, "Oh...yes you look familiar. Akodo-san's sister yes?"

She smiled, "Please feel free to take a seat. You said you wished to speak with me? I hope I can help, but I must warn you my mind is a bit all over the place given the day's events."

The girl had a friendly, if worried smile on her face all the time... even though she blinked a couple times as well as Ayano seemed to take some time assessing her. Nee-san mentioned... rules! I should just take care and abide, she thinks. She then bows again with a friendly, but respectful smile - as respectful and polite as she knew how to be, at least!

"Thanks, Makime-sama! And hai... I'm Akodo-sama's sister. I apologise for the timing... I've been hearing reports of what happened", she says, shaking her head. "It's most worrying... I hope Makime-sama is alright, though?"

After sitting down and keeping her head down in thought for a while, she nods to the girl again, the worry still visible on her face but her lips showing an honest smile again, almost emotional in fact. "Before anything else, Makime-sama... I'd like to thank you for your support to the request Onee-sama and I presented to Tenno-heika. It means much."

[Makime Ayano]

"Akodo-san had asked for my help," Ayano smiled slightly at that but her expression turns serious, "When your passion overwhelmed you I thought it best to show my support publicly. Without upstaging you two of course."

"As for this morning...I spoke at length to both the creatures and never even knew what lay beneath the pleasant smiles or hide in the honeyed words. It was...an unnerving revolution."

"There is no need to be so formal...well I mean in your movements, it is probably for the best to keep proper terms of address." Ayano's smile returned reassuring.

[Chai Kotsume]

"Akodo-san had asked for my help," Ayano smiled slightly at that but her expression turns serious, "When your passion overwhelmed you I thought it best to show my support publicly. Without upstaging you two of course."

"As for this morning...I spoke at length to both the creatures and never even knew what lay beneath the pleasant smiles or hide in the honeyed words. It was...an unnerving revolution."

"There is no need to be so formal...well I mean in your movements, it is probably for the best to keep proper terms of address." Ayano's smile returned reassuring.

After a quick shake of her head, Kotsume manages to hold back the emotion, a fair bit at least, keeping kind smile, but a more proper one now. "Of course, Makime-sama. And... I imagined onee-sama might have spoken to you. I still owe you my thanks for the support, regardless - it is an important matter, to myself and the Ki-rin, as well as for Onee-sama."

She then looks around at the food available, as her eyes become a bit darker. "As for the happenings of the day... I didn't know you had dealt with them so closely, Makime-sama. I'm glad to know they did you no harm, then!" She looks at the girl a bit worriedly. "I wonder... has there been talk of... the influence of such beings possibly having spread elsewhere?"

She then shakes her head slightly again. "Ah... but also, that is not the only, or the main thing I had hoped to talk about. Onee-sama has mentioned your honoured clan has your eyes on some important projects. Having talked about possible cooperation along the Great River, and having heard from the Ki-rin that Shinjo-no-kami-ue has been hoping to strengthen bonds with the people of her siblings, I have been wondering ..."

She looks at Ayano's eyes for a quick moment as she speaks.
"Makime-sama... do you think the joint efforts in the river could be the start of an opportunity for tighter cooperation between our peoples?"

[Makime Ayano]

"...it is almost a certainty that those two were not the only ones." Ayano frowned at that, then she waved it off. "But we know now, we can be prepared for the next time. We just have to be careful not to descend into paranoia."

Her smile returns, weary but present, "I hope such a project would yes...one of the reasons I proposed a road network for the Empire is that it helps unify us. A shared project to bring everyone together."

"But you mean the proposal you and Akodo-san meant in particular. Well I think that it could lead to closer relations. It shows that efforts together are stronger then separate."