Kabuki judged that her tactics had been highly successful: the elevator was moving and although she wasn't in a great position to see what her efforts had revealed of Surf, she got the idea it would be something crowd-pleasing. On the other hand, other elements were not so great: Frio seemed to have gone a little cold fish, based on how Surf was testing him and Dart was ignoring him. Worse, Dart was planning to hit her with some kind of tranq dart, which she figured would be slightly painful, mildly annoying, but most importantly, disruptive to efforts both to win clues and to move the elevator.
"What is the MAT~TAR, Dart? Afraid you won't cut the MUS~STARD on a close IN~SPECK~SHUN?" Kabuki teased, mostly to keep earning points, although most people's sexy talk didn't involve wailing the word "mustard." It also only just occurred to her that she was sorely missing the opportunity to bust out poses; the elevator was a little small for any wheel kicks, elaborate arm flourishes, or wild hair tosses.
Instead, she focused on the task at hand. The actress flicked her wrist and began to drag her fan horizontally in the air, making a wave-like motion. The navis would feel short bursts of air coming from the back of the elevator, propelling whoever was in the back corner (Frio) forward through small pushes towards those in the front (the girls).
She wasn't sure if that was going to be powerful enough to actually move him, but she hoped he would get the hint about not being a bystander. In this situation, Kabuki and Surf were going above and beyond; what would decide the winner would be the participation of their other teammates, she figured.
On that note, though, she didn't want Dart to participate and even less so if it meant using her namesake to stop the plan. She couldn't see Dart from her position, but the bounty huntress seemed to be a very, painfully literal person and very tonedeaf to how her rigid behavior hurt her in this competition. That meant that she really wasn't bluffing about the dart.
Hopefully, Frio could think up something to do about the dart. Just in case she couldn't, Kabuki continued to try taunts that might guide things in a way that would show the darter that her dart was a non-starter. "If you don't like your SOU~VAN~NEER towel you should just drop it! I was actually wearing armor earlier that I got rid of because I am CON~FEE~DENT about my body! Are you wearing that because you have something to hide, like you missed some TRAY~NING days and have a CHUB~BEE BELL~LEE?" she asked, knowing it wasn't the case. Expecting someone's pride to yield to reverse psychology was a little cliche, she admitted, but it might be a decent backup in case Frio didn't intervene.
---
Yoshitsune's eyes were doing some darting as well, as the young man briefly ogled Layla's open suitcase, before returning to the girl's face. He was too deep into this to go for small prizes any more, and while he'd love to see every detail of how a foreign girl dresses, he had already learned much more interesting details about this foreign girl that overshadowed any such knowledge. Plus, he didn't want to risk another judo toss.
As Layla approached, he watched her like a deer in headlights. He was at once pleased and satisfied with her apology, then a little guilty that she had to apologize after he had been the transgressor... then satisfied again. After all, he had hurt her pretty badly, and physical pain was number one on the list of daily occurances he had molded his lifestyle to prevent.
As Layla cleaned his bleeding nose and pressed her softness against her, he couldn't hide a small, audible sigh of happiness. [I]This is it... This is the life of a true man,"[/i] he thought to himself joyfully, as Layla helped him like a mom treating a child's injury after a scuff at recess.
Her next words made his eyes bulge, which would be hard to hide from this distance while not wearing his black veil. There were two ways he could read the statement. The first: that he was being invited out to eat, at a place of his choosing, at a table alone with a beautiful girl, on what could really be called a date-like event. It was a grand prize; an opportunity too good to be true, but near impossible to pass up.
If that was the grand prize, then the second possibility was the high-risk, high-return mystery box... What if he read into the statements further? She didn't want dinner (other plans for tonight, perhaps?). She wanted him to clean up (a bath, perhaps?). Then she wanted to know if there was something in the surrounding area (her VIP bedroom, perhaps?) that catered to his interests.
[I]"An impossible choice! I am Benkei on the bridge: I must choose to flee and live well or stay and die gloriously,"[/i] he thought to himself, sweating bullets. The blood was running from his nose again, despite Layla's best efforts. He decided to edge into the conversation carefully, like a driver trying to judge if their car's hood is going to scratch the vehicle in the next slot as they pulled in.
"Ah, yes... well... you are new to the area and... there are many things I would like to show you. Many things that have my interest, as you put it earlier. Perhaps we could... walk over here for a moment... and I will point them out to you?" he asked stiffly, pointing towards what could either be interpreted as the bed or the window. The bed was luxurious for this environment and just waiting for two bodies to do whatever one does in a VIP suite. The window, on the other hand, overlooked the trees enough, here on its mountain perch, that one could see out to the small town close by and even pick out some of the names of restaurants and stores. If she headed to the window, he would be able to point out restaraunts he had always wanted to try but never had the zenny... If she headed towards the bed, well...
Hidden Seas Shopping Center
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Kabuki's fan waved in front of her face, Frio could feel the pulses of wind behind him. Each one seemed to give him a nudge forward. He could have resisted if he wanted, but he could sense that he needed to participate in the elevator festivities, less he risked losing favor of his companion, but now... he risked crossing a comfort boundary with another. Dart prepared to fling a projectile of the same name towards the wind bringing actress. The lion's eyes slanted as he caught sight of the weapon in her hand. "That's not very playful if you ask me." He grunted, then placed a palm on the floor.
His NCP program had time to recharge from it's earlier usage, and he didn't hesitate to use it's power once again in the elevator. A thick, cold, sheet of ice burst from his hand, and covered the elevator floor in it's entirety, even the the walls had some ice on them due to the close quarters situation. Frio walked with confidence towards Surf, who was playfully luring him in. The ice proved no issue for him to walk perfectly normal over, once he was close enough the Lion Navi bent froward slightly, only to thrust his pelvis area forward in a hard fast motion attempting to make contact with Surf's bathing suit clad booty, and send her slipping and skating into her partner in an attempt to both play, and fix the issue of the weapon.
----
Layla took his words, and started walking slow, in the direction of the bed. It would look as if she was about to take a seat on the edge, when all of a sudden a slight roar could be heard from somewhere in her area. It was her stomach... letting the room know that before anything else happened, the lady needed to be fed. "Oh... excuse me. I'm hungry." Layla blushed as she was sure Yoshitsune had heard the aggressive sound her body had let off. Instead of taking a seat she headed to the window instead. She glanced out over the trees, and her eyes fell upon the small mountain town, tracing the name of a few buildings here and there. "Again, pick whatever it is you want to eat. Don't hold back on my behalf." She turned to wink at him, and motioned him to join her at the window.
His NCP program had time to recharge from it's earlier usage, and he didn't hesitate to use it's power once again in the elevator. A thick, cold, sheet of ice burst from his hand, and covered the elevator floor in it's entirety, even the the walls had some ice on them due to the close quarters situation. Frio walked with confidence towards Surf, who was playfully luring him in. The ice proved no issue for him to walk perfectly normal over, once he was close enough the Lion Navi bent froward slightly, only to thrust his pelvis area forward in a hard fast motion attempting to make contact with Surf's bathing suit clad booty, and send her slipping and skating into her partner in an attempt to both play, and fix the issue of the weapon.
----
Layla took his words, and started walking slow, in the direction of the bed. It would look as if she was about to take a seat on the edge, when all of a sudden a slight roar could be heard from somewhere in her area. It was her stomach... letting the room know that before anything else happened, the lady needed to be fed. "Oh... excuse me. I'm hungry." Layla blushed as she was sure Yoshitsune had heard the aggressive sound her body had let off. Instead of taking a seat she headed to the window instead. She glanced out over the trees, and her eyes fell upon the small mountain town, tracing the name of a few buildings here and there. "Again, pick whatever it is you want to eat. Don't hold back on my behalf." She turned to wink at him, and motioned him to join her at the window.
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“There will be no close inspection,” Dart insisted, still lining up her shot. “My immobilizing venom is designed to render even the fastest and hardiest of criminals helpless. You won’t be lifting so much as a feather any time soon.”
“Haha, that’s so funny, why would you have venom for stopping criminals, dude?” Surf muttered without humor, too busy with her own situation to try and keep her partner in line. Neither she nor her partner, however, were ready for the next moves of the other contestants, who, thinking on their feet, prepared further environmental hazards to create new developments.
Kabuki started by changing which way the wind was blowing, which was intended to move Frio into action. In action, it really served more as a call-to-action for Frio, reinforcing a direction he’d already had in mind to go. With his target still enticing him with her racy bikini, Frio advanced and gave a mighty pelvic thrust, intending to send Surf skidding… Only, that didn’t quite pan out. While the surfing Navi wasn’t quite as suited for the terrain as Frio himself, she shared his properties: she kept her footing with an effort, leaving the two of them standing awkwardly. Frio would have his business nestled against Surf’s for as long as he chose to do so, or at least until the elevator came to a stop. For her part, Surf didn’t say anything, a surprised variation of the previous grin she’d adopted holding on her face as she remained clenched in place.
Kabuki might be happy to see this development if it hadn’t been for her own. Dart was focused on her throw, and didn’t notice the wind or ice that had formed a new hazard around her. Once the wind hit her back, it easily sent her skidding forward, right into the wind generating Navi. Dart let out a cry as she inadvertently tackled Kabuki. The force of her impact wasn’t great, but it was plenty to propel Kabuki, who didn’t share her ally’s ability to retain friction on ice.
The resulting crash left them in a pile at the front of the elevator: Dart was lying on top of Kabuki, her dart and her shades discarded on the ice where they’d been. The Navi’s revealed eyes were dark where the whites should be, a flickering display like a targeting display moving two reticles in a dizzy spiral as she seemed temporarily dazed. Her towel had opened up in the scuffle, but it was still draped over her from behind, so only Kabuki would have a view of what Dart had been eager to hide: the Navi’s pale, well-proportioned body was hidden by a red, one-piece slingshot swimsuit. The outfit seemed scant enough to barely cover what it absolutely had to, were it not for the peculiar accent that it included stickers below the swimsuit on both sides of the chest and across the front of the bottom, featuring a well-lit mall and an invitation to “Come and see!” in cheery lettering. It looked like it would take Dart a moment to get her wits back, forcing Kabuki to either move her or wait.
”Bahahaha!” their host’s grating laughter, which appeared to change by the laugh, rang out. ”You guys are too funny! Well, as soon as you all get untangled from each other, why don’t Kabuki and Frio help themselves to a couple of letters? Dart and Surf, you… hm… I’m thinkin’ I’ll give you two, also. This was a pretty hard ride for you, wasn’t it Surf?”
Surf still said nothing, blushing bashfully and hurrying out of the elevator now that she no longer had to move it. “Dart, you coming?”
“I… I’m not sure I can move,” Dart announced, frowning as she remained in place. “I… may have grazed myself with that dart. Wait… Give me a second.”
“Haha, that’s so funny, why would you have venom for stopping criminals, dude?” Surf muttered without humor, too busy with her own situation to try and keep her partner in line. Neither she nor her partner, however, were ready for the next moves of the other contestants, who, thinking on their feet, prepared further environmental hazards to create new developments.
Kabuki started by changing which way the wind was blowing, which was intended to move Frio into action. In action, it really served more as a call-to-action for Frio, reinforcing a direction he’d already had in mind to go. With his target still enticing him with her racy bikini, Frio advanced and gave a mighty pelvic thrust, intending to send Surf skidding… Only, that didn’t quite pan out. While the surfing Navi wasn’t quite as suited for the terrain as Frio himself, she shared his properties: she kept her footing with an effort, leaving the two of them standing awkwardly. Frio would have his business nestled against Surf’s for as long as he chose to do so, or at least until the elevator came to a stop. For her part, Surf didn’t say anything, a surprised variation of the previous grin she’d adopted holding on her face as she remained clenched in place.
Kabuki might be happy to see this development if it hadn’t been for her own. Dart was focused on her throw, and didn’t notice the wind or ice that had formed a new hazard around her. Once the wind hit her back, it easily sent her skidding forward, right into the wind generating Navi. Dart let out a cry as she inadvertently tackled Kabuki. The force of her impact wasn’t great, but it was plenty to propel Kabuki, who didn’t share her ally’s ability to retain friction on ice.
The resulting crash left them in a pile at the front of the elevator: Dart was lying on top of Kabuki, her dart and her shades discarded on the ice where they’d been. The Navi’s revealed eyes were dark where the whites should be, a flickering display like a targeting display moving two reticles in a dizzy spiral as she seemed temporarily dazed. Her towel had opened up in the scuffle, but it was still draped over her from behind, so only Kabuki would have a view of what Dart had been eager to hide: the Navi’s pale, well-proportioned body was hidden by a red, one-piece slingshot swimsuit. The outfit seemed scant enough to barely cover what it absolutely had to, were it not for the peculiar accent that it included stickers below the swimsuit on both sides of the chest and across the front of the bottom, featuring a well-lit mall and an invitation to “Come and see!” in cheery lettering. It looked like it would take Dart a moment to get her wits back, forcing Kabuki to either move her or wait.
”Bahahaha!” their host’s grating laughter, which appeared to change by the laugh, rang out. ”You guys are too funny! Well, as soon as you all get untangled from each other, why don’t Kabuki and Frio help themselves to a couple of letters? Dart and Surf, you… hm… I’m thinkin’ I’ll give you two, also. This was a pretty hard ride for you, wasn’t it Surf?”
Surf still said nothing, blushing bashfully and hurrying out of the elevator now that she no longer had to move it. “Dart, you coming?”
“I… I’m not sure I can move,” Dart announced, frowning as she remained in place. “I… may have grazed myself with that dart. Wait… Give me a second.”
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"Oh ho ho! A girl like you has to ward off plenty of would-be CRIM~MIN~NALS, I'm sure! Like MOLE~LEST~TARS!" Kabuki half-joked, trying to support Surf in her efforts to explain away Dart's bounty hunter equipment.
Once things got moving, her pink eyes lit up wide in their sockets, as she saw (and felt) the elevator suddenly covered in ice. "Ack! This could prove bad for those of us without pants! I just have to make sure not to fall over..." she warned herself, not wanting to imagine what the icey floor would feel like on her entirely bare legs. "I have the balance of a kabuki actress! I can stand and balance myself on the toes of one foot alone! It can't be that hard to-!" she tried to convince herself, before Dart muddied the equation by knocking into her, leaving them both in a pile.
Even as she was disoriented and her white skin darkened to brown, curiosity bit her, and she was unable to avoid staring for a while at Dart's interesting outfit. Her pink eyes narrowed as she closely read the stickers on her rival's breasts. "Come and see...?" she asked quietly.
An unwelcome cold slapped her back into reality, as she felt chills running up every part of her that had connected with ice. Regardless of the ice, she tried to push herself up, failing a few times and ending up back on her butt. Once the elevator blessedly began to open, she would spill out quite literally onto her back, with her glossy black hair splayed around her. As such, she really only caught Surf leaving the elevator, not seeing what Frio and she had ended up doing to move said elevator.
"Aiya... These are the just desserts of dirty tactics," she informed Dart, as if her strategy had been noble. "I will help you up," she reassured the poorly hidden bounty-hunter, standing to her feet while also dragging Dart up with her.
This would have two unfortunate effects. The first was that she had failed to secure the other lady's towel before rising with her, so it was unlikely to hold its place on her body. The second was that now, Kabuki became aware of the effect the cold was having on her body, which would be poorly hidden given the skintight suit she put on earlier. Blushing, she pulled Dart closer in, pretending that she was trying harder to support her elevator buddy, while actually just using the girl as a human shield to hide the distinct outline of her chest over-sized chest. She brightened back up to white and pink as she struggled to keep Dart's dead weight in place, smashing the girl up against her breasts. "W-Well, er, I'll let you pick some LET~TARS, my friend, while I coax our PAR~RAL~LYZED opponent back to feeling! Um... like this?" she asked, slapping at one of Dart's cheeks half-heartedly.
---
Yoshitsune felt as if his heart was going to burst out of his chest (or perhaps his nose) as Layla looked for a minute as though she intended to invite him into bed. Instead, that fantasy passed, and she came next to him to observe the town. "This is also fine," he reminded himself. "Yes. Quite fine," he reconsidered, regarding Layla's form as she stood next to the window.
With difficulty, he tried to take his mind off of Layla and picture food instead. For a moment, he pictured hands kneading a large, round wad of dough, then realized that he hadn't done enough to change the subject in his mind yet. He shook his head, swishing the bangs of his bowl-cut hair, and refocused himself. "Sushi. I would like sushi. I have not had fresh fish in quite some time," he answered excitedly, suddenly realizing that food was plenty appealing on it's own. "Well, except for the leftover buffet sushi here at the inn... But that hardly suits an Electopian pallet that is as refined as my own," he scoffed internally, forgetting all the times that said sushi had been the highlight of his work day.
It didn't occur to him that Layla might not be the sushi-eating type. If someone had informed him that folks with Sharoan complexions often didn't appreciate Electopian cuisine that way, he probably would have some crude remark prepared for Sharoans in general, rather than taking the dating advice to heart... But for good or for ill, the navi who would offer such advice was currently involved in an awkward hug on the net that was pooling most of her attention.
Once things got moving, her pink eyes lit up wide in their sockets, as she saw (and felt) the elevator suddenly covered in ice. "Ack! This could prove bad for those of us without pants! I just have to make sure not to fall over..." she warned herself, not wanting to imagine what the icey floor would feel like on her entirely bare legs. "I have the balance of a kabuki actress! I can stand and balance myself on the toes of one foot alone! It can't be that hard to-!" she tried to convince herself, before Dart muddied the equation by knocking into her, leaving them both in a pile.
Even as she was disoriented and her white skin darkened to brown, curiosity bit her, and she was unable to avoid staring for a while at Dart's interesting outfit. Her pink eyes narrowed as she closely read the stickers on her rival's breasts. "Come and see...?" she asked quietly.
An unwelcome cold slapped her back into reality, as she felt chills running up every part of her that had connected with ice. Regardless of the ice, she tried to push herself up, failing a few times and ending up back on her butt. Once the elevator blessedly began to open, she would spill out quite literally onto her back, with her glossy black hair splayed around her. As such, she really only caught Surf leaving the elevator, not seeing what Frio and she had ended up doing to move said elevator.
"Aiya... These are the just desserts of dirty tactics," she informed Dart, as if her strategy had been noble. "I will help you up," she reassured the poorly hidden bounty-hunter, standing to her feet while also dragging Dart up with her.
This would have two unfortunate effects. The first was that she had failed to secure the other lady's towel before rising with her, so it was unlikely to hold its place on her body. The second was that now, Kabuki became aware of the effect the cold was having on her body, which would be poorly hidden given the skintight suit she put on earlier. Blushing, she pulled Dart closer in, pretending that she was trying harder to support her elevator buddy, while actually just using the girl as a human shield to hide the distinct outline of her chest over-sized chest. She brightened back up to white and pink as she struggled to keep Dart's dead weight in place, smashing the girl up against her breasts. "W-Well, er, I'll let you pick some LET~TARS, my friend, while I coax our PAR~RAL~LYZED opponent back to feeling! Um... like this?" she asked, slapping at one of Dart's cheeks half-heartedly.
---
Yoshitsune felt as if his heart was going to burst out of his chest (or perhaps his nose) as Layla looked for a minute as though she intended to invite him into bed. Instead, that fantasy passed, and she came next to him to observe the town. "This is also fine," he reminded himself. "Yes. Quite fine," he reconsidered, regarding Layla's form as she stood next to the window.
With difficulty, he tried to take his mind off of Layla and picture food instead. For a moment, he pictured hands kneading a large, round wad of dough, then realized that he hadn't done enough to change the subject in his mind yet. He shook his head, swishing the bangs of his bowl-cut hair, and refocused himself. "Sushi. I would like sushi. I have not had fresh fish in quite some time," he answered excitedly, suddenly realizing that food was plenty appealing on it's own. "Well, except for the leftover buffet sushi here at the inn... But that hardly suits an Electopian pallet that is as refined as my own," he scoffed internally, forgetting all the times that said sushi had been the highlight of his work day.
It didn't occur to him that Layla might not be the sushi-eating type. If someone had informed him that folks with Sharoan complexions often didn't appreciate Electopian cuisine that way, he probably would have some crude remark prepared for Sharoans in general, rather than taking the dating advice to heart... But for good or for ill, the navi who would offer such advice was currently involved in an awkward hug on the net that was pooling most of her attention.
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The fact that Surf didn’t budge once Frio attempted to make her slide into her buddy caught the leo Navi off guard for just a moment, then still pushing his man part area into her behind he said, “Right... Surf... obviously you’re an aqua Navi.”
Again being new to such a situation, Frio felt himself rise slightly as her rump stayed flush against him. She didn’t budge, he didn’t budge, he was glad Kabuki was bush dealing with Dart, as he was unsure how she would react. Finally the elevator came to a halt, as did the awkward position. Surf took a stroll out of elevator. Frio found himself unable to relax, And couldn’t clear his head. The sudden drop in temperature seemed to take its effect on his partner’s body, and though after stumbling once, she was able to poorly hide behind Dart’s limp body.
It was once again time to choose. This time the reward was two letters, and Kabuki gave him the gift of choosing. Hopefully his guess would fill in enough blanks in order to give his witty companion the know how to guess again. First he gave a loud chuckle as Kabuki ran one of her hands across Dart’s cheeks. “Hmmm... Frio... Leo... L... and E. PeekingMan, I want to pick the letters L and E.”
“Sushi sounds good. I’ve never had it, but I’m not a picky eater, and it’s something I’ve always wanted to to try.” She smiled. “Go get ready, I’ll get dressed, and be waiting for you here.”
She waited for him to respond, then assuming he gave his okay she walked with him to the door and sent him on his way. “Don’t take to long now. I’m a little hungry.” She smiled, as her stomach gave another light bellow, crying out in hunger. Once he stepped off she would close the door, and head over to her suitcase.
She gave the white spy suit a look, and wonderd why she even brought it. It’s something of her past she wanted to forget, but recent events kept her clinging to the past. She grabbed it and tossed it carelessly on floor beside the bed, as well as many other articles of clothing. Shits, skirts, pants all went flying into a small pile as she searched for something to wear. Finally she settled in a black dress that had a hint of sapphire shimmer if the light hit it. She dropped the towel and slid into the dress, it fit tightly all over and started just above her breast, modestly concealing her cleavage, dropping all the way down to her ankles. On the left side, there was a slit running from her upper thigh downwards. She topped her dress of with a pair of black sheer nylon stockings that came to her mid thigh ending in a sapphire lace. She slid her feet into a pair of matching blue heels, sat on the bed and waited for Yoshitsune to return.
Again being new to such a situation, Frio felt himself rise slightly as her rump stayed flush against him. She didn’t budge, he didn’t budge, he was glad Kabuki was bush dealing with Dart, as he was unsure how she would react. Finally the elevator came to a halt, as did the awkward position. Surf took a stroll out of elevator. Frio found himself unable to relax, And couldn’t clear his head. The sudden drop in temperature seemed to take its effect on his partner’s body, and though after stumbling once, she was able to poorly hide behind Dart’s limp body.
It was once again time to choose. This time the reward was two letters, and Kabuki gave him the gift of choosing. Hopefully his guess would fill in enough blanks in order to give his witty companion the know how to guess again. First he gave a loud chuckle as Kabuki ran one of her hands across Dart’s cheeks. “Hmmm... Frio... Leo... L... and E. PeekingMan, I want to pick the letters L and E.”
“Sushi sounds good. I’ve never had it, but I’m not a picky eater, and it’s something I’ve always wanted to to try.” She smiled. “Go get ready, I’ll get dressed, and be waiting for you here.”
She waited for him to respond, then assuming he gave his okay she walked with him to the door and sent him on his way. “Don’t take to long now. I’m a little hungry.” She smiled, as her stomach gave another light bellow, crying out in hunger. Once he stepped off she would close the door, and head over to her suitcase.
She gave the white spy suit a look, and wonderd why she even brought it. It’s something of her past she wanted to forget, but recent events kept her clinging to the past. She grabbed it and tossed it carelessly on floor beside the bed, as well as many other articles of clothing. Shits, skirts, pants all went flying into a small pile as she searched for something to wear. Finally she settled in a black dress that had a hint of sapphire shimmer if the light hit it. She dropped the towel and slid into the dress, it fit tightly all over and started just above her breast, modestly concealing her cleavage, dropping all the way down to her ankles. On the left side, there was a slit running from her upper thigh downwards. She topped her dress of with a pair of black sheer nylon stockings that came to her mid thigh ending in a sapphire lace. She slid her feet into a pair of matching blue heels, sat on the bed and waited for Yoshitsune to return.
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As Kabuki fought her way out from under Dart, trying and failing to rise, Dart slid forward onto her face, just barely covered by her towel, her pale legs splayed behind her. She grumbled something at Kabuki’s offer for help. “I’ll be fine like this until I can crawl out. I’m actually completely numb, so the cold isn’t- hey!” She began to protest as Kabuki’s helpful nature and need for shelter kicked in, leading the actress to scoop her off of the floor. “Hey! N-n-no no no! This is unacceptable!” she cried in vain, squirming weakly in Kabuki’s grip as she tried to free herself. The reason for this was likely obvious: while the swimsuit she was wearing hardly protected her modesty from the front, it was at least aided by the stickers fashioned after greeting cards. As would now be clear to everyone, there was no such protection on the rear, leaving the bounty hunter’s full bottom, the shape of which had been somewhat masked by her outfit earlier, on nearly full display. “Drop me or cover me or d-d-do something, you idiot-!” she began to plea, stopping but showing the same urgency in her eyes as Kabuki began fruitlessly slapping her in the face.
Surf had been watching Frio with some consternation, his apparent inability to his reaction making her even more embarrassed, but reacted to Dart’s plea. “I’ll take her off your hands, dude,” she told Kabuki, freeing Dart from the other Navi’s grasp while one of her hands was still occupied with slapping. Surf set Dart on the floating surfboard she’d just summoned. The bounty hunter’s pale, nearly-naked back was still completely visible, and she continued to shout at Surf until the other Navi swiped the towel out of the elevator and draped it over Dart’s lower body. “So, about those letters…”
“Let’s take our guesses somewhere private,” Dart commanded with ice in her voice. “We’ve already seen how Kabuki and her pet lion feel about fair play. If we hang around, they’ll be sneaking glances at our screen’s letters… and who knows what else,” she added, pointedly.
Surf gulped, glancing back at Frio again, giving him another sheepish gap-toothed grin, then looking back to Dart with her half-cocked smile. “Say, but you ought to be pretty happy with how things turned out, right?”
“In what way?” Dart asked flatly, both in posture and tone.
“Well, you know, dude! You ended up on Kabuki, she has that nice bod and you’re into-“
“I’m not. Again.”
“Oh. Right,” Surf agreed, not sounding entirely convinced. “Well, we’ll just be over here for now…” With that, she headed back where the presents had been before, talking to Dart in a low voice.
“Slipping! Slipping!!” they could hear Dart shout, causing Surf to scramble and re-adjust the towel again. She chastely held the shirt down at the back now, as if concerned another gust of wind might be coming when she wasn’t prepared.
”All right! Letter time,” their host spoke up again, his camera hovering around in obvious attempts to find a good angle on Kabuki as he spoke. ”’E’ and ‘L’ are a couple of nice, safe guesses. But will they be enough to help you find what you’re looking for? Let’s see the board!” The camera hovered over to the two to reveal…
The voice was silent again for a moment before the sound of clicking teeth rang out and it and spoke up again in a quiet grumble. ”Crap. That’s probably enough for Kabuki to get it, isn’t it…”
Surf had been watching Frio with some consternation, his apparent inability to his reaction making her even more embarrassed, but reacted to Dart’s plea. “I’ll take her off your hands, dude,” she told Kabuki, freeing Dart from the other Navi’s grasp while one of her hands was still occupied with slapping. Surf set Dart on the floating surfboard she’d just summoned. The bounty hunter’s pale, nearly-naked back was still completely visible, and she continued to shout at Surf until the other Navi swiped the towel out of the elevator and draped it over Dart’s lower body. “So, about those letters…”
“Let’s take our guesses somewhere private,” Dart commanded with ice in her voice. “We’ve already seen how Kabuki and her pet lion feel about fair play. If we hang around, they’ll be sneaking glances at our screen’s letters… and who knows what else,” she added, pointedly.
Surf gulped, glancing back at Frio again, giving him another sheepish gap-toothed grin, then looking back to Dart with her half-cocked smile. “Say, but you ought to be pretty happy with how things turned out, right?”
“In what way?” Dart asked flatly, both in posture and tone.
“Well, you know, dude! You ended up on Kabuki, she has that nice bod and you’re into-“
“I’m not. Again.”
“Oh. Right,” Surf agreed, not sounding entirely convinced. “Well, we’ll just be over here for now…” With that, she headed back where the presents had been before, talking to Dart in a low voice.
“Slipping! Slipping!!” they could hear Dart shout, causing Surf to scramble and re-adjust the towel again. She chastely held the shirt down at the back now, as if concerned another gust of wind might be coming when she wasn’t prepared.
”All right! Letter time,” their host spoke up again, his camera hovering around in obvious attempts to find a good angle on Kabuki as he spoke. ”’E’ and ‘L’ are a couple of nice, safe guesses. But will they be enough to help you find what you’re looking for? Let’s see the board!” The camera hovered over to the two to reveal…
Quote
_ _ E
L _ _ _
_ _ _ _
_ E _ _ _
_ _ E
_ _ L L
The voice was silent again for a moment before the sound of clicking teeth rang out and it and spoke up again in a quiet grumble. ”Crap. That’s probably enough for Kabuki to get it, isn’t it…”
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Kabuki's quests in the name of justice seemed to have a way of leaving a trail of bodies: namely, hers and other women's naked ones. She reflected upon this as Dart's very white hiney was revealed to PeekingMan's discerning viewers. "Wh-Whoopsie... Don't worry! I'm sure this is not the worst situation someone on this program has found themself in... Probably," she reassured Dart, losing her pink glow as she struggled to find anything reassuring about the situation. "Thank you, my friend!" she sighed heavily, before surrendering Dart to Surf and crossing her arms over her chest in what she hoped was a casual gesture. She would wait for her body to reclaim its ordinary heat.
In the mean time, Frio threw out some more letters, utilizing some... innovative techniques for coming up with his guesses. Regardless of what one thought of those methods, ok ne couldn't argue with results: myriad Es and Ls dotted their camera overhead. She tried hard not to get too excited at PeekingMan's grumble of dismay; the puzzle had practically fallen into her lap again! But as her skin began to flow and her hair trimmed from black to pink, she calmed herself, to avoid bursting into any animated kabuki poses that would be best saved for when the cold had died down.
"Your guesswork is as EXCELL~LLENT as your mane, my friend!" she praised Frio, unable to stop herself from kicking her legs in a dance, but still holding her arms where they needed to be for now. "So could it be... 'The last or left door... something... the mall?" she mumbled, suddenly realizing the answer was not as neat as she had hoped. "AIY~YAA!" she cried in defeat, moving her hands now to scratch at her voluminous pink hair irritably. "I am FRUST~TRATE~TED! None of my guesses will fit! Not 'under,' nor 'below', nor 'above' nor 'BEEE~HIND!'"
That being the case, she would probably need to keep using her own behind for a while longer. She pondered where to go next... but also, Dart and Surf's parting words. They had mentioned the possibility of someone else seeing the screen... and wasn't there an invisible navi on one of the other teams? Definitely something to watch out for. "My friend, please scout AY~HEAD for a moment!" she urged him, then once he was clear, raised one fan. With a shout, she summoned a large patch of coal around her feet. If the invisible man had decided to steal a look, he would end up dealing with a hot foot for his trouble.
Provided nothing of that sort happened, she'd wave over to Frio. "Haha, DIS~RE~GARD my outburst, friend! I am being PAR~RAN~NOID!" she would laugh it off. "Please keep going to the IN~FOR~MAY~SHUN booth and see if you can find a map that would show any series of doors somewhere in the mall, where we could try the left or last one!"
If there was anyone hidden, however, she turned and made to quickly tackle the source of the cry.
-----
"Sushi it is," Yoshitsune agreed, suddenly eager at the prospect. "I shall change for the occassion!" With that said, he endeavored to hurry, before Layla changed her mind on treating him.
... Only, when he reached his room, he was reminded that he owned almost no dinner-worthy clothing. He had clothes for lounging on his off days, about eight different black, shapeless garbs for his work, and then some old costumes from when he had acted bigger roles in the past. "Very well... I will overdress! Kabuki!" he spoke to his navi. On second glance, she appeared to be very much underdressed. He gawked for a while, wondering if he ought to have been paying more attention this whole time. "Dear sister, where is your modesty?"
She answered in message form, seeing as she couldn't afford to yell about justice any more as a competitor. The message read only: "modesty takes backseat to justice."
"Wise words. On that note, I need to pick out an outfit that will impress Lela. Please give me your input, as a woman, on which is most admirable," he insisted, discarding whatever trouble she found herself in. He held up two changes of costume on hangers.
"The left one"
"Excellent," he responded, holding it up to the mirror. It was an outfit modeled after an Electopian nobleman from the feudal era, with a long golden hakama and waist-tie, a red robe shirt, and a miniature black cap in a rectangular shape that he would leave aside because it was out if fashion (but the rest of the outfit was fine, of course). He finished by stepping into round-toed black shoes, not as fancy as the rest of the outfit, but he had lost whatever footwear was supposed to come with it.
In this case, the man had ended up leaving his lady waiting on him to change, but he was a resplendant sight when he finally appeared... if a bit dated. He knocked to announce his arrival, then stepped in. Immediately, he began admiring her new outfit... he had seen a lot more of her earlier, of course, but it was still hard not to feel something looking at the slit running up the leg of her dress, revealing her stark white upper thigh.
"Milady, as we prepare for our dining experience, I suddenly recall that we must maintain a certain distance to the inn if we wish for our navis to remain jacked in. But never mind- I will pull her out now!" he announced, beginning to jack Kabuki off the net.
A few messages flashed on his screen, each a bit uncharacteristically blunt coming from his ordinarily kind and well-spoken sister.
"Ah... on second thought..." he muttered, then held his PET to the side of his head. "How long?" he hissed. The next message stated "not long," but he found it hard to trust. "Very well..." he sighed into the machine.
Yoshitsune produced a menu from one sleeve like Kabuki might a folding fan. He always kept one such on hand, just in case he felt like fantasizing about food. The other sleeve had a girly magazine in it, but that would remain hidden for now. Sitting in the bed next to Layla, he unfolded it in his lap to hand her one side of it. "These are your options. We can plan our meal before we go!" he beckoned Layla, perhaps neglecting how his obvious excitement could be directly tied to his destitution.
In the mean time, Frio threw out some more letters, utilizing some... innovative techniques for coming up with his guesses. Regardless of what one thought of those methods, ok ne couldn't argue with results: myriad Es and Ls dotted their camera overhead. She tried hard not to get too excited at PeekingMan's grumble of dismay; the puzzle had practically fallen into her lap again! But as her skin began to flow and her hair trimmed from black to pink, she calmed herself, to avoid bursting into any animated kabuki poses that would be best saved for when the cold had died down.
"Your guesswork is as EXCELL~LLENT as your mane, my friend!" she praised Frio, unable to stop herself from kicking her legs in a dance, but still holding her arms where they needed to be for now. "So could it be... 'The last or left door... something... the mall?" she mumbled, suddenly realizing the answer was not as neat as she had hoped. "AIY~YAA!" she cried in defeat, moving her hands now to scratch at her voluminous pink hair irritably. "I am FRUST~TRATE~TED! None of my guesses will fit! Not 'under,' nor 'below', nor 'above' nor 'BEEE~HIND!'"
That being the case, she would probably need to keep using her own behind for a while longer. She pondered where to go next... but also, Dart and Surf's parting words. They had mentioned the possibility of someone else seeing the screen... and wasn't there an invisible navi on one of the other teams? Definitely something to watch out for. "My friend, please scout AY~HEAD for a moment!" she urged him, then once he was clear, raised one fan. With a shout, she summoned a large patch of coal around her feet. If the invisible man had decided to steal a look, he would end up dealing with a hot foot for his trouble.
Provided nothing of that sort happened, she'd wave over to Frio. "Haha, DIS~RE~GARD my outburst, friend! I am being PAR~RAN~NOID!" she would laugh it off. "Please keep going to the IN~FOR~MAY~SHUN booth and see if you can find a map that would show any series of doors somewhere in the mall, where we could try the left or last one!"
If there was anyone hidden, however, she turned and made to quickly tackle the source of the cry.
-----
"Sushi it is," Yoshitsune agreed, suddenly eager at the prospect. "I shall change for the occassion!" With that said, he endeavored to hurry, before Layla changed her mind on treating him.
... Only, when he reached his room, he was reminded that he owned almost no dinner-worthy clothing. He had clothes for lounging on his off days, about eight different black, shapeless garbs for his work, and then some old costumes from when he had acted bigger roles in the past. "Very well... I will overdress! Kabuki!" he spoke to his navi. On second glance, she appeared to be very much underdressed. He gawked for a while, wondering if he ought to have been paying more attention this whole time. "Dear sister, where is your modesty?"
She answered in message form, seeing as she couldn't afford to yell about justice any more as a competitor. The message read only: "modesty takes backseat to justice."
"Wise words. On that note, I need to pick out an outfit that will impress Lela. Please give me your input, as a woman, on which is most admirable," he insisted, discarding whatever trouble she found herself in. He held up two changes of costume on hangers.
"The left one"
"Excellent," he responded, holding it up to the mirror. It was an outfit modeled after an Electopian nobleman from the feudal era, with a long golden hakama and waist-tie, a red robe shirt, and a miniature black cap in a rectangular shape that he would leave aside because it was out if fashion (but the rest of the outfit was fine, of course). He finished by stepping into round-toed black shoes, not as fancy as the rest of the outfit, but he had lost whatever footwear was supposed to come with it.
In this case, the man had ended up leaving his lady waiting on him to change, but he was a resplendant sight when he finally appeared... if a bit dated. He knocked to announce his arrival, then stepped in. Immediately, he began admiring her new outfit... he had seen a lot more of her earlier, of course, but it was still hard not to feel something looking at the slit running up the leg of her dress, revealing her stark white upper thigh.
"Milady, as we prepare for our dining experience, I suddenly recall that we must maintain a certain distance to the inn if we wish for our navis to remain jacked in. But never mind- I will pull her out now!" he announced, beginning to jack Kabuki off the net.
A few messages flashed on his screen, each a bit uncharacteristically blunt coming from his ordinarily kind and well-spoken sister.
"Ah... on second thought..." he muttered, then held his PET to the side of his head. "How long?" he hissed. The next message stated "not long," but he found it hard to trust. "Very well..." he sighed into the machine.
Yoshitsune produced a menu from one sleeve like Kabuki might a folding fan. He always kept one such on hand, just in case he felt like fantasizing about food. The other sleeve had a girly magazine in it, but that would remain hidden for now. Sitting in the bed next to Layla, he unfolded it in his lap to hand her one side of it. "These are your options. We can plan our meal before we go!" he beckoned Layla, perhaps neglecting how his obvious excitement could be directly tied to his destitution.
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Frio's way of choosing may have been something new to the audience, and his companion, but then again, cat like creatures tend to be a little weird sometimes. The lion boy was happy with the success of his guesses, as well as the praise Kabuki gave him. He ran one of his hands through the long mane that surrounded his face in attempt to not just stand still looking awkward. "Maybe if we can get one more letter then, you will be able to figure out the whole puzzle?" He tilted his head sideways and looked at her, before she told him to check ahead.
Frio cautiously put distance between himself, and the actress, losing himself in thought as he pondered what the third and fourth words might be. He hadn't been able to come up with anything, then snapped back to reality when Kabuki shouted with her attempt to locate a hidden sightseer around them. He crouched down, keeping a steady look in her direction, ready to pounce back to her on the first sight of trouble. If nobody was revealed, then Frio would lead the way back to the booth they had visited earlier, this time in search of a map.
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Layla wasn't very discouraged by the fact she had failed to think about the issue of not being able to leave for food until their Navi's had completed the mission at hand. So her brain began to search for alternate ways to fill their bellies. "Would it be possible that they have a delivery guy?" He eyes thinned, as she chopped the beginning of his name off. "I am getting pretty hungry Yoshi." She glanced over the menu, until she located the part that addressed deliveries. "Ah it looks like were in luck. What do you want, I'll order it. " She paused, "Is there anywhere nice for us to eat? Or are we just gonna have a little date night in here?" She giggled.
Frio cautiously put distance between himself, and the actress, losing himself in thought as he pondered what the third and fourth words might be. He hadn't been able to come up with anything, then snapped back to reality when Kabuki shouted with her attempt to locate a hidden sightseer around them. He crouched down, keeping a steady look in her direction, ready to pounce back to her on the first sight of trouble. If nobody was revealed, then Frio would lead the way back to the booth they had visited earlier, this time in search of a map.
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Layla wasn't very discouraged by the fact she had failed to think about the issue of not being able to leave for food until their Navi's had completed the mission at hand. So her brain began to search for alternate ways to fill their bellies. "Would it be possible that they have a delivery guy?" He eyes thinned, as she chopped the beginning of his name off. "I am getting pretty hungry Yoshi." She glanced over the menu, until she located the part that addressed deliveries. "Ah it looks like were in luck. What do you want, I'll order it. " She paused, "Is there anywhere nice for us to eat? Or are we just gonna have a little date night in here?" She giggled.
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The host of the evening remained quiet as Kabuki worked through the puzzle aloud, then let out a hearty guffaw as she wasn’t able to reach a conclusion. ”Aaw, this one is a little bit tougher, huh? Don’t worry, I’m sure you’ll have it after just ten or twelve more prizes! Assuming your competition doesn’t steal your thunder, cahahaha…!”
Kabuki would likely be trying to ignore her host for now, more focused on clearing her suspicions that she and Frio might be being watched by more than just PeekingMan and whatever audience his show drew. The Navi successfully turned a patch of the mall’s first floor into hot coals… but there was no reaction or revelation as a result.
”Hmm, things got a little cold for you in that last event, huh, Kabuki?” PeekingMan’s voice called out. ”Well, why not get a move on to your next adventure? I’m sure things will heat up for you then, ehee…!” The host evidently intended to wait on those hot things for any further commentary, as his floating device went silent while Kabuki and Frio proceeded…
The information booth was just as they’d left it, a HeelNavi propped with his elbows behind the desk, and even the pamphlets they’d received earlier still on the floor. ”Oh, liked it so much you’re back for another ride, huh? I can give you another tour of the third floor… or, you can find out about a great swimming location, hm? Maybe some interesting info on the other competitors?” the synthetic voice buzzed.
Kabuki wouldn’t actually need any of those services to find the main thing she was looking for, of course: she’d recall the pamphlets they’d received earlier had maps in them. Unfortunately, the maps proved just as unenlightening as they had the first time. As before, the first map was entirely blacked out, while any labels or identifying symbols on the first, second, third floor were or rooftop were also obscured. Of particular note to Kabuki, though, now that she was looking for it, would be that, as she could see around her, the floor layout of the mall was round, with a circle of shops around the plaza of the first floor, and a similar layout around the opening on each of the two upper levels. Determining what could be “last” or “left” on such a plan would be a headscratcher. The locations of doors could be schematically inferred, but even then, there were so many units with interior doors that “left” failed to narrow the selection at all. If she really wanted to run with “last,” she could look for stalls in the bathrooms, or perhaps dressing rooms in one of the clothing shops… As for the rooftop, the only door to it at all appeared to be at the top of a stairwell, and no separate units were indicated on the roof. Even if there were, the flickering light ahead of the stairwell door wasn’t inviting.
Kabuki and Frio might be clever or creative enough to conjure a new lead from the old information. If they weren’t, they might also consider observing their surroundings. The shops all appeared the same as before. The open boxes in the middle of the mall were apparently being casually observed by Surf, her partner still carefully covered on the board alongside her, but it didn’t look like they were coming up with anything new.
As for the pair that had been launched to the second floor, they remained conspicuously absent. Even in the quiet of the mall, no sounds of either horror, embarrassment, or even their host’s laughter could be heard from above, which might simply mean they were tucked away in one of the stores of the second level.
Kabuki would likely be trying to ignore her host for now, more focused on clearing her suspicions that she and Frio might be being watched by more than just PeekingMan and whatever audience his show drew. The Navi successfully turned a patch of the mall’s first floor into hot coals… but there was no reaction or revelation as a result.
”Hmm, things got a little cold for you in that last event, huh, Kabuki?” PeekingMan’s voice called out. ”Well, why not get a move on to your next adventure? I’m sure things will heat up for you then, ehee…!” The host evidently intended to wait on those hot things for any further commentary, as his floating device went silent while Kabuki and Frio proceeded…
The information booth was just as they’d left it, a HeelNavi propped with his elbows behind the desk, and even the pamphlets they’d received earlier still on the floor. ”Oh, liked it so much you’re back for another ride, huh? I can give you another tour of the third floor… or, you can find out about a great swimming location, hm? Maybe some interesting info on the other competitors?” the synthetic voice buzzed.
Kabuki wouldn’t actually need any of those services to find the main thing she was looking for, of course: she’d recall the pamphlets they’d received earlier had maps in them. Unfortunately, the maps proved just as unenlightening as they had the first time. As before, the first map was entirely blacked out, while any labels or identifying symbols on the first, second, third floor were or rooftop were also obscured. Of particular note to Kabuki, though, now that she was looking for it, would be that, as she could see around her, the floor layout of the mall was round, with a circle of shops around the plaza of the first floor, and a similar layout around the opening on each of the two upper levels. Determining what could be “last” or “left” on such a plan would be a headscratcher. The locations of doors could be schematically inferred, but even then, there were so many units with interior doors that “left” failed to narrow the selection at all. If she really wanted to run with “last,” she could look for stalls in the bathrooms, or perhaps dressing rooms in one of the clothing shops… As for the rooftop, the only door to it at all appeared to be at the top of a stairwell, and no separate units were indicated on the roof. Even if there were, the flickering light ahead of the stairwell door wasn’t inviting.
Kabuki and Frio might be clever or creative enough to conjure a new lead from the old information. If they weren’t, they might also consider observing their surroundings. The shops all appeared the same as before. The open boxes in the middle of the mall were apparently being casually observed by Surf, her partner still carefully covered on the board alongside her, but it didn’t look like they were coming up with anything new.
As for the pair that had been launched to the second floor, they remained conspicuously absent. Even in the quiet of the mall, no sounds of either horror, embarrassment, or even their host’s laughter could be heard from above, which might simply mean they were tucked away in one of the stores of the second level.
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Kabuki's intuition was less than catlike, unlike Frio, as her concern over HiddenMan turned out to be nothing more than paranoia on her part. Annoyingly, she'd forgotten that the brochures were so bereft of information that she'd be lucky to draw a single letter out of them, let alone full words. The words "last" and "left" and "mall" and "long" and "lost" all anced around in her head as she tried to interpret the clues with limited, single-letter information. Ultimately, it was impossible for her.
There was no telling what the two on the second floor were getting up to, since it turned out neither of them were here in secret, but at least for now, Surf and Dart appeared to be on what Kabuki figured to be the wrong trail. She darkened back to black and pressed one fist to her chin, thinking carefully. She turned her back to the figure in the guest services booth and put her attention on Frio instead. "The way I see it, we have two options to string together enough clues to continue, Frio," she suggested. "I think our best option... I hate to say it, but they keep talking about this swimming. It's obvious he wants us to go there. If we do, there may be a lot of opportunities to get letters fast," she suggested. "I'm a fire navi, so I was against it, but if we just look around randomly for shops and locations I doubt we'll rack up clues as quickly."
She held up two fingers, the continued. "My other idea: we go find those other two on the second floor. We know what Surf and Dart are up to, but not those two. They may have stumbled on something that'd put this all together for us. On the other hand... they may just be unconscious... I don't think Cowl had a lot of control over her air trajectory. No, let's not... we'd have to ride that elevator again to get up to the second floor. Let's try the pool." Provided Frio agreed with her, she'd turn and speak to the information booth person again. She hated to use his means of travel again, but they'd probably be faster than walking there. "The pool, please. And we'd like to see every attraction once we're there," Kabuki insisted.
Worse, it seemed like Yoshitsune was eager for her to wrap up... she told him that it'd be done soon, but she was worried that was a lie on her part, unless the next letter she won gave her a heck of an epiphany.
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As it turned out, Layla had come up with a way they could be served sushi without leaving for it. On one hand, it no longer sounded like a date if they weren't going out... on the other hand... "Eating it in here has its advantages as well," Yoshitsune admitted to himself. "Layla, as the host here, I should probably tell you that our dining hall would be a wonderful place to enjoy dinners among the company of other guests, even whilst ordering food from the town instead of perusing our own menu," he began, crossing his hands on his lap and closing his eyes thoughtfully.
He opened them again, looking into her own eyes, dead serious. "But we would be better off eating right here, in your room. The dining room is noisy. The smell of beers and ales will ruin the taste of sake," he suggested, crossing his arms and seeming resolute. Of course, that reasoning was all based off his real opinions and observations, but his real reason for wanting the intimacy of Layla's private hotel room was not included in that statement, not that it was terribly difficult to figure out. "Let us order in."
He looked over the menu, then pointed out his pick. "I will probably go with the nigiri sushi., for variety's sake. As for you, from our brief acquaintance, I would recommend you try the sushi roll; it is packed with a variety of fish-stuffs and has good value for the money," he suggested. He did not mention that he thought it would be good fun to watch Layla eat a sushi roll; the magazine in his left sleeve suggested to him that it might be worth seeing.
There was no telling what the two on the second floor were getting up to, since it turned out neither of them were here in secret, but at least for now, Surf and Dart appeared to be on what Kabuki figured to be the wrong trail. She darkened back to black and pressed one fist to her chin, thinking carefully. She turned her back to the figure in the guest services booth and put her attention on Frio instead. "The way I see it, we have two options to string together enough clues to continue, Frio," she suggested. "I think our best option... I hate to say it, but they keep talking about this swimming. It's obvious he wants us to go there. If we do, there may be a lot of opportunities to get letters fast," she suggested. "I'm a fire navi, so I was against it, but if we just look around randomly for shops and locations I doubt we'll rack up clues as quickly."
She held up two fingers, the continued. "My other idea: we go find those other two on the second floor. We know what Surf and Dart are up to, but not those two. They may have stumbled on something that'd put this all together for us. On the other hand... they may just be unconscious... I don't think Cowl had a lot of control over her air trajectory. No, let's not... we'd have to ride that elevator again to get up to the second floor. Let's try the pool." Provided Frio agreed with her, she'd turn and speak to the information booth person again. She hated to use his means of travel again, but they'd probably be faster than walking there. "The pool, please. And we'd like to see every attraction once we're there," Kabuki insisted.
Worse, it seemed like Yoshitsune was eager for her to wrap up... she told him that it'd be done soon, but she was worried that was a lie on her part, unless the next letter she won gave her a heck of an epiphany.
----------------------------------
As it turned out, Layla had come up with a way they could be served sushi without leaving for it. On one hand, it no longer sounded like a date if they weren't going out... on the other hand... "Eating it in here has its advantages as well," Yoshitsune admitted to himself. "Layla, as the host here, I should probably tell you that our dining hall would be a wonderful place to enjoy dinners among the company of other guests, even whilst ordering food from the town instead of perusing our own menu," he began, crossing his hands on his lap and closing his eyes thoughtfully.
He opened them again, looking into her own eyes, dead serious. "But we would be better off eating right here, in your room. The dining room is noisy. The smell of beers and ales will ruin the taste of sake," he suggested, crossing his arms and seeming resolute. Of course, that reasoning was all based off his real opinions and observations, but his real reason for wanting the intimacy of Layla's private hotel room was not included in that statement, not that it was terribly difficult to figure out. "Let us order in."
He looked over the menu, then pointed out his pick. "I will probably go with the nigiri sushi., for variety's sake. As for you, from our brief acquaintance, I would recommend you try the sushi roll; it is packed with a variety of fish-stuffs and has good value for the money," he suggested. He did not mention that he thought it would be good fun to watch Layla eat a sushi roll; the magazine in his left sleeve suggested to him that it might be worth seeing.