Take Me Home, Shibuya Roads

    For Shibuya, the war is over. For now. Yamatoan adventurers have returned to homes and workplaces, hoping to find them relatively whole after the occupation. Miyako's first impulse on her arrival was to check the home she and Kotono had shared, and after that, the library.

    With their concerns satisfied on that front, they've had a chance to settle in, clean up what needed to be done for their home, and get back into the swing of doing relatively normal adventurer doings. Indeed, Miyako is just back from a trip to Fukasa Yuri's 'Phantom Collisseum', and the awakening of the sleeping undine Maiden.

    Another day has passed since then, however, and the young Spriggan is out and about in Shibuya, simply wandering in search of someplace to find some lunch and do a bit of shopping. She walks casually along, her guitar slung over her shoulder, watching the crowds and seeing what shops have reopened with so many returning to the retaken city.

Where there's Miyako, there's definitely another Spriggan with her...

Did you guess Kotono? If you did, you're right.

Tagging along with Miyako, Kotono maintains a steady pace with her friend. She seems in awe slightly at the sight of everything reopening now that the war is over. It's truly amazing to her, having been used to everything being closed up for so long. She wouldn't mind some lunch before shopping either. Hopefully Miyako has something in mind.

And as the pair stroll through Shibuya they will come upon what is probably an unexpected sight.

A certain foxy woman sits outside the Inn, sipping a cup of tea while looking over a tome of some manner propped open in her other hand. A familiar parasol rests against the chair, one of the four tails curled protectively around it.

And most importantly, there is no longer one of those cursed crowns adorning her brow.

A vulpine ear twitchs lazily, but for the most part Daiyu's attention is, to the surprise of no one, on her reading.

    Miyako slows to a halt as she turns down the street the inn is on, catching Kotono's arm. "Well well," she murmurs, taking a long look. Assuring herself that a certain accessories is no longer present.

    Thus reassured, she continues on, approaching the fox with a grin. "Long time no see, sifu." She'd teased the fox with it on previous meetings, but perhaps now she means it more deliberately?

As Miyako catches Kotono's arm, she blinks a few times before realizing who it is. "It's you!" Kotono says with surprise. She's not sure how to react to this encounter, but she is a little on edge, given their past interactions.

Despite this, Kotono does not reach for her weapons, but simply shifts herself slightly into a semi-ready stance.

Familiar voices do finally draw her attention enough for Daiyu to lift her gaze from the book. With a little hint of a smirk at the corner of her mouth at the honorable term used, mayhaps not so in jest now. "I expected I would eventually come across you two here. Or vice versa, as it were." She is unsurprised that Kotono acts on edge, nor does she blame her. She doesn't blame anyone that is still wary of her presence, as most have good reason to be so. Daiyu blames Shirin, who made it clear that not everyone that wore a crown was only manipulated by it's control. So she really cannot hold suspicions against others as she wors to prove herself.

The foxwoman sips the end of her tea. Closes the book and sets both aside. Then gets to her feet, so she can bow appropriately. "It would seem your faith that we would one day be able to meet not as enemies has been well placed."

    Miyako nods, and releases Kotono's arm to return the bow properly. "And I am most grateful to have been proven correct. And to see you without that most inconvenient bit of headgear." She straightens, and her smile widens. "Do you mind if we join you for lunch? Life has been keeping us quite busy of late. I'm sorry to not have been there when the time came, but I was ... elsewhere."

Kotono bows as well, realizing Daiyu means no harm. She's still a little uncertain about this, but she's willing to give Daiyu the benefit of the doubt for the time being. Not to mention, she is a bit hungry, so lunch sounds good.

Daiyu smiles as Kotono for the most part relaxes as well. "By all means. I imagine life has been busy for many. But having been here during the," she coughs into a closed hand, "occupation, it is nice to see Shibuya thrive now as it was meant to be." She gives a light shake of her head. "It is okay, Miyako. The attempt they made had to be quick and precise so I did not catch onto the decepticon. They did not have the time to afford for far reaching allies to come. As I am sure you were doing your own matters of importance."

    Miyako nods, and holds out a chair for Kotono to sit, before she takes her own. "Oh, I don't hold it against them, or you. Doesn't mean I can't regret missing it." She settles in and considers for a moment, then asks, "What looks good on the menu today?"

Kotono doesn't really say much for the time being, as she's still a little uncertain of what intentions Daiyu has at this time. Instead, she settles into the seat Miyako pulled out for her. She picks up the menu and peruses it, partially to see what's looking good, but also to keep from showing her uneasiness at this time.

Daiyu resumes the seat she had before, tails curling about the legs of the chair. "I do hope you've been keeping up on your warfan practice." Easy to start a conversation with a shared interest while the two decide what they want to order.

    "Well, after we eat, you'll have to find out the fun way, won't you?" Miyako grins impishly and waggles her eyebrows at the fox. "I'm in a mood for seafood, I think. Scallops wrapped in prosciutto... wow, someone actually figured out how to make prosciutto? OK, I'm impressed. I've gotta try that."

Kotono decides to settle for a shrimp scampi, and then looks to Miyako and nods. "Apparently they figured out how to make shrimp scampi as well. Impressive."

Daiyu chuckles and nods. "You will have to put your own spin onto the techniques so someone else experienced can't predict your moves as easily." Like sparring against a certain fox that's already mastering the style. "If the right ingredients can be found in this world, someone will find a way. Your Adventurers seem to excel at such things."

    Miyako is not impressed with the shrimp scampi. "All you need for -that- is garlic and white wine, Ko-chan." She shrugs. "Everyone knows the basics of how to do wine, cured meats are a bit more complicated."

    She nods to Daiyu, "Yes, that's the advantage of making it up as I go along. I can learn from just about anything." She flicks her wrist, and one of the fans appears in her hand, equally as easily disappeared. "Though formal lessons would not be unappreciated."

"Well, to each their own," Kotono says as she leans back and stretches her arms over her head. She listens intently to what Miyako and Daiyu are talking about, possibly as if to show Daiyu she's more trusting of her now.

Daiyu nods. "Thankfully, we have proper tea." She already ate but she'll certainly take a refill of her tea while conversing with the pair. "While I was annoyed you had... aquired one of my fans at first, I see that it was in genuine interest and not simply some manner of fickle fancy with the style."

    Miyako nods, after the brief disturbance caused by she and Kotono placing their orders. "Ah, yes. That. I will admit, there was a certain element of 'prank the fox by using her weapon against her', but, well." She waves a hand. "I'd started an alt that I was going to do a similar build on, a few weeks before all this. Only got to play her a few times before I got stuck with this one. Not that I mind being a Spriggan. I love it."

Meanwhile, Kotono simply continues to listen to what Miyako is saying. Her conversation is quite interesting, but she's had nothing to add so far. She's not afraid of Daiyu, though, so there's no risk of anything bad happening.

"Now you can have both." Daiyu shrugs a little. "I never did see the facination with 'alts'. Feels like trying to tell too many stories at one time. Though I guess as a means of testing other ideas you might not want to mainline would have some uses." Speaking of stories she's not going to do much reading now that she has company so she picks up her book and tucks it back into her inventory until later.

    Miyako nods. "Now I can have both," she agrees. "And hopefully some really yummy seafood, too." She flashes one of her patented grins. "And trust me, I -know- what really good seafood -should- taste like."

    She isn't too bothered by Daiyu's distaste for alts. Some people want to try lots of things, some people have one thing they like a lot. Some are somewhere in between, like her. "There's that," she adds to that explanation, "And there's just certain things that you might want to do that don't fit your main. Like, I had a Heavy Blade that I'd log in on when I was frustrated with work, just pick a dungeon and run in and bash everything until it all died."

"That sounds like a good stress relief tool," Kotono says to Miyako in regards to the Heavy Blade. "Smash and crush everything in sight with no repercussions, right?" She chuckles a little. "If only the real world were that easy."

Daiyu nods, she understands the sentiment even if it wasn't entirely her style to do things. She joined the game wanting to tell one story for herself for a change, and that's what she did. Even when it took a turn out of her hands for a while. "I mainly did such activities in the Arena in Lumina Cloth. We did not do dungeons or raids outside of when they were necessary. As I'm sure you can imagine why if you've actually been to our server." With ALL the enemies and monsters being much higher in level and difficult to fight alone.

    Miyako nods. "Oh, I understand, indeed. I was with the first group that made the crossing that started all this." She's not exactly proud of it, given how it all turned out. "I hope we can get a better look. Maybe you can play tour guide for us, once the war is properly over."

"I was close behind you, Miyako," Kotono says with a smile. "We may not have been in the same group, but we were close enough." Her smile disappears. "Yeah, once the war is properly over things will be a lot better... but that's not likely to happen for a while."

Daiyu sips her refilled tea. "I am glad your people have returned. We cannot remove the domination those Crowns have allowed on our own. Having seen both sides of the matter with a clear mind now... I actually see what some of the fear was. Not of you directly... but of your different outside view. Something those powers do not have a means of controlling like they could ours. A people use to having those in charge telling them what they are allowed to believe."

    Miyako nods to Daiyu. "Indeed," she muses. "If they are anything like the leaders of China in the old world... well." She shrugs. "Not much we can do about that now." Or, likely, ever. Dislodging Lander rulers just because the adventurers don't like them is against everything the New World Alliance stands for... and would justify the Palace Land nobles' fears, to boot. "I'm glad you decided to stay, though."

"By now, they know I am no longer one of them. As much as I miss my second home, it is not safe for me to return. And the rebels would still be wary of me, until I prove I am 'normal' again." Daiyu pauses to sip her tea. "Besides, the ones I were close to, and the new ones to get closer to, are here."

    Miyako nods. "And we're glad to have you here. For a lot of reasons." She hmms softly, considering something, then asks, "Have you been approached by any of the Guilds here, yet? Or considered joining up with one? I'm sure you'd do well in Silver Sword with us."

A couple of tails swish idly behind the vulpine were fang as she contemplates. "I appreciate the consideration... but while that choice will eventually come I have not yet crossed that point. And those I once close with are elsewhere." Daiyu mmmmed softly, and nudged her spectacles into place. "For now, I work to earn the trust of those less accepting that I have changed."

    The Spriggan nods, "I suppose there'll be plenty who'll need some convincing," she agrees sadly. "But from my perspective, either you've been playing for this from the start, -planning- to get uncrowned, or you're for-real. And I just don't get the feeling that anyone is scheming -that- deep right now. So... you've got one vote in your favor."

Daiyu sighs softly, but smiles. "I wish I could claim I had planned such an outcome... but the Crown would not allow such thoughts. So instead I have the hindsight, knowing now the things are not the grand propriety they were presented as. Fortunately others were able to see past what it had made me."

    Miyako can only agree, of course. "And with a little luck, that view will be shared by others soon enough," she assures the fox. "In the meantime, we do the best we can, yes?" And at least they have a chance to talk. It's more than some people get. She's about to add something else when her food arrives. "Oh, this smells soooooo good...."