Chaos is Magical

The dazzling night life of Dun Loireag! It's no Kallamore, not by any stretch of the imagination, but it's the closest Yamato has to offer. Good food and beverages, gambling, dancing, and other forms of entertainment, with choices to satisfy all sizes and shapes of money pouches.

Shenmi has reserved a table at a surprisingly nice inn, today. While Old World 'restaurants' are a bit of an anachronism in Feudal Yamato, Shenmi has managed to arrange something that comes pretty close to the experience: white tablecloth, porcelain platters, glass chalices, a nice bottle of something that looks a lot like sparkling wine (whether it is or not, that's another matter). He's also spruced up substantially. While his usual performance outfit is inspired by the 'classic' image of the stage magician, but with more of a modern 'devil-may-care' look, without a mantle or a tie, with an unbuttoned shirt, and with a general 'studied messiness' to break the staid image of the 19th century gentleman and give himself a more modern, edgy look, today he's gone for the classics. Full tailed tuxedo, bowtie, slicked hair. His top hat left, as etiquette demands, at the wardrobe, he's waiting at the table, chin resting on his intertwined fingers as he seems lost in thought.

    To be sure, Fuka's actually kind of nonplussed about being 'won' by Shenmi. He hasn't exactly impressed her as potential date material with their previous encounters. Not that she has any objection to him; he's witty and roguish and those are appealing-enough for her. He just doesn't seem particularly ambitious to her. The sort to accept what comes, instead of chasing it down. But in fairness, that's not exactly the sort of thing you'd expect from an Uncrowned either. That sort of thing, she supposes, requires a certain degree of wilful independence. And that, surely, is something Fuka approves of. So there's a puzzle here, a conflict between outward appearance and inner drive. And Fuka feels rather obliged to solve the puzzle, or at least make a good attempt. Besides, there's always the wonder if Shenmi was serious, bidding on Fuka. Or if this is all just one big teasing playful moment. Which she's also fine with. If this is a joke, she's all-in!

    Which is why Fuka shows up dressed as she is. Foregoing her usual armour, the little Sylph goes for her own take on 'traditional' outfit even if it's rather exotic by some standards. She's dressed like a girl you might commonly find at a high-roller entertainment establishment, though not generally speaking as a customer. To be fair, a casino bunny outfit is rather flattering, showing off her high Physical attributes rather nicely even if it makes it plain her curves are decidedly less-flattering. The headband with the ears is a nice touch, and it puts her approximately even in height with her date! The outfit's actually rather high quality too; not a cheap costume but an actual functional uniform designed to be worn regularly.

    Needless to say, Fuka's drawn her fair share of stares as she enters the inn and approaches her date. Now, time to see what he's *really* up to! Or at least how well he thinks on his feet! Assuming he stands up, of course. She's a little taken-aback herself, mind you. Seeing Shenmi all dressed up is one thing, but the hat? No hat? That's a definite surprise!

Shenmi, at this point, could hold a workshop on planet Vulcan to teach the pointy-eared population an advanced course on the appropriate way to quizzically quirk one eyebrow.

"Looks like I am going to need a bigger hat," is the first thing he comments. He does stand up, and closing the distance, gives fuka an once-over... well, no, it's more like two once-overs, which is different from a twice-over: the two once-overs involve a glance from the tip of the costume's ears, down to the feet, and then back up, mastering the timing balance to make the whole thing appreciative rather than lecherous. "Or maybe not, I think my current one could still be a viable fit," he says with a smirk, and then bows. "You look stunning tonight, my dear," he says, as he reaches for the chair, ready to pull it back to allow his date to sit down if Fukaziroh gives any sign of being ready for that. "Excellent taste in fashion. I see that Gwen's company is rubbing off on you."

    Fuka's not exactly unused to lecherous looks and generally finds them hilarious. It's rarer in this body of course, and doubly so since this became a reality rather than a game. The lack of lecherousness does put a point in favour of this being a date-date however, not a joke-date. Score one for Shenmi being serious! Well, at least until he makes the short joke at Fuka's expense. Which, of course, she also doesn't mind.

    Fuka makes a face at the comment, more to make it clear she noticed it rather than to object. Somewhat unused to gentlemanly conduct, she glances at him reaching for her chair with brief confusion before she clues in to the context and gracefully allows herself to be seated. It's only slightly awkward due to the poofy costume tail; her wings are actually much more manageable to her, accomodating literally without conscious thought.

    She nods in reply, grinning. "We figured you liked bunnies." Fuka claims playfully. Though it could also have been Morri's doing. Fuka's more daring outfits tend to come about because she has absolutely no objections to Morri's antics. Gwen's less scandalous, but no less fun. "Though if you're going to pull me out of a hat, wouldn't you actually NEED one?" she asks, mildly scandalized. "I don't think Gwen expected you to want to pull me out of any clothing just because I dressed up in a bunny outfit!" she teases entirely unselfconsciously.

"While I am firmly convinced that that would be a really fun number to reharse, whether or not you will be pulled out of any item of clothing is ultimately a decision that rests in your hands," Shenmi replies, returning to sit himself once the seating of the lady has been completed

"And yes, you will have to convene that bun-buns have that certain je-ne-sais quoi which tickles one's aesthetic sense, isn't it so?", he remarks, casually.

Gesturing vaguely towards what counts as the wardrobe, he adds, "A hat can be easily procured, it's just not good very form to dine with your hat on. But if you're into top hats, which, the more I look at you, the more I am convinced must be the case, we can arrange something."

He turns towards the opposite side, and beckons the server, who arrives shortly after carrying two-

...okay, Shenmi must have definitely arranged this in advance. There are exactly two copies of leather-bound menus, the kind that look like booklets. Considering nobody else in this place seems to have received them, this is a strong indication of a custom job. "Take my compliments to Gwen, though. The aesthetic is, as you suspected, spot-on, and looks very flattering on you."

Once the distribution of the menus has been taken care of, be it by handing them to the appropriate patron or by placing them in front of them, the server politely leaves without making much of a fuss. "And if you were hoping to impress Bao with that," he says, as he lets his head sink in his shoulders a little, and gestures, vaguely and conspirationally towards Fuka, "you can forget about it. I'm not so naif as to take that Casanova along when I'm on a date."

    While Fuka does have some understanding of etiquette - largely consisting on what not to do at fancy parties - the bit about hats at dinner hasn't really turned up for her. Largely because she doesn't generally wear them. "Should I remove them?" she asks, reaching up to her ear-festooned headband. "I thought so long as I wore them you wouldn't be so tempted to look below eye level!" she claims playfully, as if that's ever been something she'd find not hilarious. It's a good joke on typical guys though, and Fuka is willing to go that low. So to speak.

    Fuka eyes the special menu covers thoughtfully. She doesn't immediately open hers however, instead deciding to continue to banter for now. "Guilty." she agrees, not at all guiltily. "I'm only here for the adorable bun-bun. And the food and because you spent a lot of money on me!" she claims, not very sincerely. She is curious, however. Shenmi comes across as perpetually-broke. Maybe he's not, maybe it's a performer thing, like how musicians are sure to encourage others to show their appreciation in a tangible manner. "Of course no doubt you're completely broke after somehow winning my favour at auction, and we're going to end up in a daring dine-and-dash with constables chasing after us." Fuka tries, amused. "Not exactly what I was expecting in a pulse-pounding date moment, but you'd definitely get points for excitement!" she muses.

    Speaking of good food... Fuka glances at the menu. "I feel almost obliged to try the vegetarian option." she claims. "But I've never been particularly interested in doing what others expect of me." she adds with a shrug.

"I hear the baby carrots are delicious here", Shenmi banters back at Fuka, while he casually looks down at his menu, running is finger along the options. "And you may keep the ears, ladies aren't expected to turn in their accessories." At least, that's the way Shenmi understands things based on his limited experience. After all, he's the one without the Etiquette skill, unlike Fuka. "If you're into daring dine-and-dashes, I can certainly oblige," he grins, looking up just enough to show a twinkle in his eye. "But this time I've already done my acquire-and-dash well beforehand. Gotta manage your risks, and this is no circumstance for uncalled for shenanigans. Only called for!" His head turns from the bottom of one page to the top of the other; he even pulls his head back slightly to, apparently, get a better look at a specific word. "There are many other options to choose from, though. Games of skills and chance right next door. Open Mic Night at the inn just round the corner. Well, of course they don't call it 'open mic' night... but that's the basic idea. Or we could rent our own private bard and approximate a karaoke booth. It can be arranged."

A low chuckles escapes Shenmi's throat at the mention of the bid potentially bankrupting him. "Indeed, purchasing you kind of left me without enough funds to buy myself a whole harem, but you know what they say. You have to start small. I'll have to make you last."

Apparently satisfied with his reading, he closes the menu and quietly sets it down to the side of his plate. "But you know what they say...", He smirks, "quality above quantity."

    "Aha, so you bought my company with STOLEN money!" Fuka declares, probably way too loudly and no doubt drawing eyes from other diners. What they think is anyone's guess, but they probably disapprove of the mention of stealing. Not to mention the suggestion that Fuka has been bought. Fuka herself has nothing in particular against lawlessness, but she's a fairly decent person at heart and wouldn't like to be responsible for someone getting robbed. Or the equivalent of such, at least, when it comes to skipping out on what's owed. A thrilling escape is appealing, but only in the abstract, so she's content that such won't be necessary this evening. Much more appealing are the other options, to be sure. Karaoke is one of her biggest pleasures, right up there with ice cream sundaes and games in general. Her eyes gleam in delight as Shenmi lists the options, though she doesn't immediately speak up to declare her preference. Later perhaps.

    She laughs at the small joke, nothing forced about it. "Well, if I ever am part of a harem, Gwen's got me covered there!" she quips. "Literally in fact! It's a *really* nice outfit!" Fuka declares. Then she puts on a stern expression, though it's spoiled somewhat by her perpetual elfin grin. "I'll thank you to not make me last." she says, stern tone a little too over-the-top to be taken seriously. "You should of course make me FIRST." she insists. "If we decide to add to the harem we'll have to discuss options." the little Sylph adds loftily. Probably not serious about the idea. Probably.

    At least Fuka seems to enjoy the playful banter. "I didn't realize performance made good money." Fuka muses. "Well obviously, GOOD performance does, but stage magic seems kind of sketchy in a world with actual magic." She pauses, turning to her menu, offering opportunity to comment while she glances over it. "Come to think of it, I don't really know what you do. Stage magic, obviously." she says. "I guess that was from the other world then? Since I can't really imagine someone coming here and deciding to jump in to stage magic as their thing..." she says, inviting comment. Both to give Shenmi opportunity to talk about himself and because she's intrigued. "Of course what I *really* want to know is what made you end up here. A stage wizard and all that, caught up super late at night playing a VIDEO GAME." she gasps in mock outrage, fluttering a hand at her own chest to give herself air. Those gamers. Such horrors.

"Acquire-and-dash," Shenmi spells out clearly. "Stealing is not the only form thereof. There are perfectly legal options." Not that Shenmi is claiming he went with one of the latter.

"It is quite flattering," Shenmi confirms on the subject of the outfit. "I'll be curious of what else Gwen can pull off. That woman sure is skilled."

A flick of his hand, as he closes his eyes and faces down. "Granted. You shall be my favorite concubine, the Head of the Harem, the one all other members will have to receive permission from before being allowed to approach the Master," he rattles off, in an obviously ironic tone.

Ironic tone that turns more serious when Shenmi intertwines his hands again and lets his nose rest on the finger hammock. "It doesn't, really," he replies, on the subject of performance making good money. "Not outside Lumina Cloth. Yamato has no massive entertainment empire going on, no proper casinos, there's just not enough demand to provide for a solid income," he rattles out, businesslike, "so one has to round off the gigs and busking with something else. Questing, for instance." He picks up one fork, and looks distractedly at it. "...You'd be surprised," Shenmi replies about Fuka's hypothesis about the old world. "Yes, I did sleight-of-hand magic in the old world. No, it was not my day job." He sets down the fork in its proper place on the hankerchief, and adjusts it so it returns to be nice and level, parallel to the knife. "Yes, I started doing it professinally in-game. Before the apocalypse." He looks straight at Fuka this time, with a slight chuckle. "And no, I did not decide to do this alone. It took some pushing and encouragement from Daiyu."

"As of how I ended up here... well..." Those intertwined hand receive his chin this time, as Shenmi looks up and away. "I mean, I live in the boondocks of rural China. My family runs the shop in town." One hand breaks free to raise an index finger. "Not /a/ shop. /The/ shop. That should give you an idea of the size and urbanization of the place," he remarks, before continuing. "So, you can guess how attractive the place might have been at midnight of Western New Year's, compared to Lumina Cloth..."

    "I'm sure Gwen would be happy to create something to suit you." Fuka claims, not without a hint of mischief. "I'll give her a heads-up so she can work out a few ideas!" she offers. Which only begs the question what scheming Fuka's doing now. What she intends to suggest on Shenmi's behalf. It's probably not good. Well, probably not conventionally good at least!

    Fuka actually giggles at being made the head of the harem. If the giggle is slightly forced, the amusement isn't. "I'll have to make sure they're all ... up to your standards!" she insists playfully. "Or is that down to your standards? Ah well we'll have to figure that out at some point." she adds dismissively.

    Of course she knows Shenmi is a skilled adventurer, having joined quests with him before. Fuka gets much of her own money in the same fashion and, like Shenmi, tends to spend most of the free cash quickly. Occasionally saving some treasure or another to use in enchantments, or to help with one project or another... or in bidding on cute bunny girls. Or ice cream. The important things. She considers Shenmi's explanation, nodding, actually seeming to take it seriously.

    "So you were able to take a hobby and turn it into a living, at least here." Fuka muses. "I was trying to do something similar, I suppose. But then..." she pauses, waves a hand with a circling gesture, then shrugs. "I don't think college really prepared me for all this. Which is fine. My misspent youth did that well enough!" she grins.

    She sobers a little when Shenmi describes his home, nodding in sympathy. "Some people mock my home as rural and backwards." Fuka observes, not going in too much detail. "It's not, and my actual home city's one of the tech centers of the island, but... man. Sooooo much pressure to fit in!" she notes wryly. "Just the opposite of your home, I bet. Ah well! We're here now!" Fuka says, waving her hands expansively, once again not seeming to notice or care if anyone's staring. "I quite enjoyed Lumina Cloth when I visited. Kind of ended up very drunk, passed out and then invited to settle my bill by appearing in the arena. Fun times!" she grins. "Tiny barbarian visitng from Yamato versus an arena veteran... or something like that! I'm sure they made plenty of money from the show!" she claims. "This was, of course, before we were blamed for something or other then kicked out, and then declared enemies. But I guess you know how that turned out too!"

"Up to my standards, down to yours," Shenmi points out, without skipping a beat.

"I was lucky to already have a well established career back in Lumina Cloth by the time logging out was no longer an option. A way I liked, to boot."

Shenmi lets out a laugh, a short, but deep and felt one. "A tech hub we certainly are not, that much I can guarrantee. Heck, we have so few computers that our town lost more people in a single farming accident than altogether in the Flash of Death."

"If you had fun, it is not 'misspent'!", Shenmi exclaims, before going silent to listen to the rest of the story of Fuka's visit to Lumina Cloth.

The crescendo of chuckles culminates in a big laugh, and a shake of the Conjurer's head. "A classic!", he says, and reaches for the bottle of fizzy wine. He takes the neck in one hand, holds it up by interposing a white hankerchief between his other hand and the bottle, and turns it so that his date can appreciate the utter lack of label. "Mystery Wine, Mystery Year after the Princess War. Great vintage," and with a well practiced twist of the wrist, he- well, not as much 'uncork the bottle', but rather, unbottles the cork -- cork held firmly in one hand, to prevent it from going all over the place, he twists and turns the bottle downwards, until, with a satisfying POP! and a small cloud of mist, the vessel is released. He offers to pour a glass to Fuka, with the comment, "This calls for a toast, to good, ol', crazy Lumina Cloth! So that was you, huh? I wish I could have been there to watch, but as a member of the resistance, I have been trying to lie low and avoid raising suspicions that I may have tried to get in contact with Yamato..."

    While Fuka continues to smile and attend to the conversation as a good listener should, she does freeze when the Flash of Death is mentioned. It's subtle enough, easy to miss, but she does lose focus as the conversation turns to that horrific event, going wooden and less than normally-animated. She makes an effort to regain equilibrium however, taking advantage of a slight shift in the flow of conversation to reestablish herself. "Fun is never misspent!" she asserts with the confident surety that has been making her the focus of any number of sidelong glances and outright stares as she's blurted one thing or another this evening.

    Eyeing the mystery bottle with a dubious look, Fuka hmmms thoughtfully. "A good year?" she suggests, tone combining with her gaze to convey her uncertainty. "Ah well, I do enjoy a good mystery! Like, 'will I wake up tomorrow with my accustomed number of kidneys?'" she says, nodding assent to being poured some of the wine. No hopefully-pleasant experience should go un-experienced!

    "Lumina Cloth was pretty fun." Fuka observes, raising her glass. "Fun and indulgence!" she offers cheerfully, apparently quite over her earlier moment, as fun and indulgence seems to do for her. "Honestly not sure anyone would've believed you if you did manage to make contact then." Fuka notes. "I make a point to never play what-if with the past, and not to regret what I chose to do. And sure I could've paid for my rooms back then but who would pass up the opportunity to be horribly underestimated in an arena battle?" she adds with an exaggerated wink. "I hear I'm infamous now! A cautionary tale told to children and warriors alike!"

"Careful, Little Ones, or you might end up like Fuka the Barbarian!", Shenmi enunciates, imitating a hypothetical parent trying to scare a child into behaving, with an ominous, over-the-top deep voice. Seems like ham is on the menu tonight. The warning, however, is followed by another quirk of an eyebrow (but the opposite one, this time), and a shake of his head. "No, no, that might encourage them."

If Shenmi noticed Fuka's moment, he tactfully avoided circling the conversation back to what must be painful memories; instead, he keept churning out his shomwanship, first by looking around at people's attention being attracted by Fuka's... let's say 'unconventional' behaviour, to which he comments, "That part in your pitch where you said that almost every one of your dates were a COMPLETE disaster... maybe I can give you a tip or two about it," as a jocular remark about the show Fuka is, he's certain, putting up on purpose, not sounding like he's actually discouraging her from contining if this is how she likes to have fun.

After that, he gestures to the bottle with flair. "An /excellent/ year! If they keep it a secret from us, it must be the good stuff!", and so, after having poured his own glass, he continues, "It was definitely too early back then. But the Uncrowned of Lumina Cloth, while tolerated if they keep their head low and not give any signs to be a threat, are unde heavy surveillance. It's hard to establish exactly what runs through our Plutocratic Overlords' scheming gray matter, therefore caution is paramount." He swirls the wine in the bottle, observing the way the alcohol sticks and drips, before passing the glass under his nose. "Mmm."

"Hope you know a good surgeon, to check just in case," Shenmi chuckles on the matter of the Kidneys. "And if not, I'm sure we can arrange an appointment with Doctor Prophylaxis. Hopefully they've already invented microscopes by now, so you can be examined properly..."

He raises his own glass, moving it to clink with Fuka's. "To Fun and Indulgence, which make life worth living!", he exclaims.

    Fuka wouldn't really be Fuka if she had a filter that paid attention to what others think. She can empathise well enough, but it's anyone's guess whether she's oblivious to social norms or just willfully ignores them. In fairness some of her dates failed because she learned enough about the guy to know he was boring. Or that what he wanted and what she wanted weren't exactly eye-to-eye. Or worst of all, that he was just straight up faking it in the hopes of attracting her. And some failed because she was just plain weird, or went on too long about one of her obsessions. Or because the boy found out that she wasn't at all interested in faking it to be attractive. Or that, heavens forefend, she wanted them to be friends.

    Fuka makes her own motions with the wine, knowing from her observations of Eas High Culture what people do... but completely ignorant as to the why. Her nose detects a hint of grapes and acid notes. Also bubbles. Yep, definitely wine! Swirling the glass before her, she peers over the rim at Shenmi. "I just bet you'd like to give me a tip." she murmurs, grinning. "So, what do you prefer in a date then? Besides yourself?" she asks. Challenging, perhaps, but not quite accusing. Still playful. "I'm afraid the state of medicine here is a bit backwards, what with all the healing options." she observes sagely. "Why, instead of microscopes, all they have to do is poke you in the nose! Now there's an idea. Maybe I should invent enchanted lenses... no wait that's been done. Uh, diagnostic enchantments? No I'd probably have to actually learn to diagnose first. Oh hey, invent an enchantment to dip into drinks to make sure there's no alchemy in it!" she grins before sipping. Nope, no fear here.

"Give you a tip?", Shenmi smirks. "Why, you're my date, not my waitress."

"To be fair, if you exclude myself, there's not much left in a date, isn't there?", Shenmi quips, tongue in cheek, as he makes it a point to look down at Fuka in the eyes, even rising up slightly from the chair to emphasize the point.

After sitting down again, in a more serious tone, he reprises, "But you make a fair point. It's important to establish things in advance."

He leans back, more casual, letting Fuka finish, part about enchantment and all; spreading his arms in a shrug, he answer, to the part about what he's looking for in a date: "Fun, pretty much. The fact that I've bid pretty much on every single single lady available at the auction clearly shows I'm not exactly looking for Ms. Perfect to turn into Mrs. Jingren. I'm just looking for a mutually agreed upon good time. I am not certainly putting any limits on how far it can go. Or how close to the start it can quit. Even just a dinner, a show, and some karaoke's good enough for me."

Leaning forward, and resuming that serious tone, he remarks, "Please do create that enchantment. As someone who has seen what the Crowns can do, I will personally back any project that ensures that people are not stripped of their own free will."

He lingers for a moment to let the seriousness of the moment sink in, then, to prevent the atmosphere from getting too thick, he leans back, and winces, "Poking you in the nose? Ew! I hope never to have to undergo that!", and afterwards, he puts on his best grin. "Diagnostic enchantment... I knew I should have bought the nurse at the auction. As a present for you, of course!"

    Fuka snorts indelicately as she's looked down on. "Oh sit down, big guy!" she insists despite her grin, tacitly acknowledging the point in this exchange of banter, only to get a chance to return the volley shortly. "Oho!" Fuka exclaims abruptly, spotting some conversational gambit to latch onto and make into a joke. Probably a joke. "So I wasn't actually your only choice, or even your first choice! I'm just the cheapest date you could find!" she crows, seemingly more amused at the chance to call Shenmi cheap than offended by the implication about herself. Self-burns are fine; if you can't laugh at yourself you're way too thin-skinned. "That's exactly what a woman wants to hear!"

    It does answer a question though. And Fuka's not offended. She too is happy just to have a good time. And she's never one to set down limits on a good time in advance either. Why limit what you can do for fun? The idea of messing about, perhaps literally, with someone she doesn't actually like... that's more than a little ew. It'd suck all the fun out of a good time. And of course romance is a worthy thing too. "Of course if you're just looking for a LITTLE fun... you could do worse?" she offers, looking up at Shenmi perhaps not quite teasingly. She's okay with being fun. Being declared no fun, that'd be harsh. Being declared little, well, she's just a good sport about such jokes!

    Fuka actually gives serious consideration to the idea of creating anti-drug enchantments. It might be possible, what with her enchantment and alchemy skills. And she too is big on consent. Fun is fun, but not at the expense or abuse of others. There ARE limits after all. It's good to know Shenmi has the same outlook, though she'd never doubted that.

    It's indeed too sobering of a thought though, and after a moment Fuka goes along with Shenmi's shift in tone. "There's nothing wrong with a little poking between friends." she teases. No comment about in the nose, of course. "And I'd never refuse a cute nurse as a present! Wonderful people, and very handy to have around! Not to mention cute!" she says, waggling eyebrows. Yeah no, Fuka's not good at the artful eyebrow raise. But she can dish out suggestive gestures with the best of them!

"You're what I'm stuck with," Shenmi banters back to Fuka on the subject of her being the cheapest, or only date, he could win. "I am, of course, not biting the hand that feeds me. Okay, technically, it is I that is feeding you. Details." A quick flick of his hand brushes away this line of reasoning. "I am a very discerning indiscrimnate womanizer," Shenmi jokes, as a first move to steer the discussion back to the main subject, "and we all know the date auction was supposed to be boisterous fun. I hedged my bets, and presto! There you are. My loot." He looks down, and rubbing his chin, he considers, "And if we want to get technical, you were the -most expensive- date I could afford. In fact, at least as far as the auction is concerned, 'cheap' is certainly not a word that can be used to describe you!" He smirks. "You kinda bankrupted me so much I could not afford to collect further members of my harem!"

"I could definitely do worse!", Shenmi replies on the subject of a Little Fun. "I could have bought Gwen. 'Little' is certainly not a word that can be used to describe her!"

"And there is nothing bad about a little teasing, no..." comments Shenmi, after another casual sip of wine.

"Sold, we can buy the nurse for our collective harem, next time she's up for auction." He sets down the glass, and for a moment, he seems lost in thought. "More seriously... speaking of medical enchanting... you've reminded me that Doctor Prophylaxis does a lot of work with crystals and such. Maybe you'll want to speak with him about your project... I think he might have all the skills you need, plus some experience in the field."

    "Well in all fairness I can't fault you for that reasoning." Fuka nods agreeably. "Except nothing says I have to be fair!" she adds, sticking out her tongue in impish manner. Eyes twinkling, she grins as she retracts that tongue. "Still, I'm hoping I'm *premium* loot, at least Rare and quite possibly Epic! I don't want you to feel cheated. Your contributions to charity are very much appreciated and this..." she pauses, gesturing around her. It's a bit much, honestly. Not that Fuka's complaining. She's grown up with indulgence, perhaps somewhat spoiled, but also has enough personal fortitude to understand the value of hard work and of indulgence. And this is definitely indulgence! Far more than she was expecting but that's fine. Some people enjoy being generous, even extravagant, and it means even more when it's not really something easily afforded.

    She laughs and agrees warmly. "Gwen has a big heart. She has a big... well, everything!" the little Sylph grins. "As does Prof. Well, 'big' isn't really his thing, but at least he's one of the good ones. Next time I get a chance, I'll pick his brain for some way we can put together something to benefit the medical profession. Maybe we're both a little too much into the big explosion side of how magic works around here, but that doesn't mean we can't do things for the good of the people of the Land too!" she claims agreeably. "I mean, for an old guy he's pretty cool." she adds. How old he is, she's not sure, but she's got him pegged as firmly 'dad' age... mostly due to her perspective of his relationship with Yuuki. Not that there's anything wrong with people of parent age. Elly's the same range, as are Morri and Uther. As are a few others who she considers cool, but not who she'd consider for a date. And speaking of which... "You know, I always assumed you were older. Not like, grey hair and creepy older, but still... okay maybe a bit creepy." she says, pausing to gasp. "WAIT! ARE you like, some kind of creepy old dude and I'm just a poor young-at-heart girl you'll woo with suede sophistication and throwing around money like some sort of sugar daddy? Not that there's anything wrong with sugar of course!" she blinks. In truth she kind of already knows the answer here, or at least assumes it. His story about his parents' store sets his age firmly enough in her mind. This is all just teasing and exaggerated reaction. Plus she probably means 'suave', not 'suede'. Probably.

"If you don't get to be fair, neither do I!", Shenmi counters, amused. And gestures dismissively with one hand. "You are premium loot, indeed. And don't worry about it. If I decided to do this, I decided it was worth it."

The twinkle in Shenmi's eye disappears at the mention of the people of the Land, and serious, he comments, "I think we should be careful in our interactions with the Landers." Surrounded has he might be by people of the Land, he does not go further, but at this point it might occur to Fukaziroh that the Uncrowned have had a very different experience of the Landers, and that some of them might... still not trust them completely.

"When we first revealed ourselves to Yamato, I was 35. I don't think that counts as old," Shenmi offers, casually. As if it was no big deal, at least to him; but the information is out there, in case it is important for anyone who might be listening, and with a smirk, he adds, "And not one gray hair!"

"I don't think of myself as creepy, so, I guess, out there in the real world, I hit only one out of three checkboxes in the 'creepy old man' list. Hope I'm not a disappointemnt." Then, tapping his fingertips together in thought, he continues, "For my age, there isn't much I can do, I age one day per day like everyone else. But maybe I can work on the creepiness if you ask politely?"

Bursting into a quiet laughter, he shakes his head again, and leans over slightly, shoulder slumped. "As for yourself... feel free to share if you want to, but after spending years trapped here...I have kind of stopped worrying about it, really. For what I know, your avatar might be played by... I don't know, a deranged cat bent on starting a crime cartel or something." He shrugs. "As far as my experiences in game are concerned? You're Fukaziroh, an attractive, if underdeveloped, young woman, who has been sweept by circumstances beyond her control (which she herself has chosen to put herself into) into going on a date with a cool, suave, charming gentleman who is going to make it a memorable experience. And that's cool with me, really."

    Fuka frowns at Shenmi's distrust of Landers. It's not something that sits well with her. Oh, she can understand it certainly, at least after a moment's reflection. She can acknowledge there are villains among the Landers, and even that blind trust can be betrayed. But it's not really in her to be so suspicious of others, not without cause. She'd rather be the sort to trust, within reason of course.

    Still just because Shenmi's assessment isn't the same as hers, doesn't mean she'll fault him for it. She shrugs, nodding slightly with her lips pursed, showing a perhaps-unexpected moment of reflection and consideration, then chooses to allow things to move on. Another time, another place. Or perhaps something they shouldn't get too deeply in to. Maybe, should they come to understand each other somewhat more, to share experiences and hopes, that'll be something they should address. Not here and now however, certainly.

    And Shenmi does give an opportunity to liven things up. "This guy right here, officer!" Fuka says, pointing at Shenmi and no doubt drawing more of the share of looks and possibly glares. She's grinning however, even as she appears to be accusing Shenmi of something nefarious. After a moment she drops the pointing finger and smirks. Does it bother her that he's probably old enough to be her father? Well, maybe not quite. He's certainly several years shy of her actual father's age. Maybe even closer to her age than her father's. And it doesn't really matter, truly. He doesn't *act* elderly. Or creepy for that matter. He's playful, witty, maybe dangerously charming. Nothing wrong with that! And nothing wrong with teasing him about his age either, if he's going to be so rude as to call her underdeveloped! "You're practically robbing the cradle! I'll have you know I'd still be in college if we were in the old world." she claims with faux dignity. Then segues it into something less accusatory, more informative. "Learning to program games instead of playing them. Well, ALONG WITH playing them I should say! But yes, I was taller back then as well. And not so..." she pauses, then shimmies her hands down her sides. "Straight? Wait no that's the wrong word. I'm not sure anyone would call me that. Willowy, yes, there's a good descriptive word!"

Shenmi *snorts* "Robbing. That's so -uncouth-. No, my dear, I -pickpocket- the cradle. Sleight of hand, irresistible charm. That's how I roll," he jokes, with the over-the-top hammy overacting that makes it obvious that he will gladly respect any age-related concern she might have.

"The random generator giveth, the random generator taketh," Shenmi chuckles at Fukaziroh. "You are what you are, and it's fine. Might have lost centimeters, but you got a nice pair of wings in exchange," he comments. "The day will come when we from the other races will all be stuck on the ground, and then you'll be the one laughing while everyone looks -up- at you." He sighs, glass held in his other hand. "It's going to take a long time to get out of this game. But in the meantime..." He grins again and leans over, conspirationally, shoulder first. "...your coding skills might come in handy. If we ever find a way to access the code of this game, every bit of coding expertise will be very welcome."

He leans back again, and takes another sip of wine. "Nobody can call you 'straight' because none of your dimensions can be obviously identified as 'length', making you more of a lump than a... string or stick?"

    Fuka has to agree with the sentiment. About being pleased with what she is, that is, not about pickpocketing any cradles. She just laughs about the cradle being pickpocketed, not offended or feeling any particular age-related issues. Age was just something to tease over, not something to take seriously. A power dynamic would be a problem, of course. Fuka would love to have a sugar daddy, but she wouldn't love to be in an actual relationship with one. The inequality is what would make it weird. Not that she minds being treated to, say, a nice fancy dinner... as long as it's for them both having fun and enjoying the time and company together.

    She does react somewhat to the other things, though probably not quite as expected. She takes it in stride that there are advantages to her current form. She is, obviously, happy with herself. Both physically and otherwise. "I halfway took this race expecting to unlock flight one day." Fuka observes wryly. "There's a player race that can SHAPESHIFT!" she complains. "One that breathes water! It only made sense that flight was a planned racial trait once they unlocked the expansion, you know! Oh sure, I *could* have been a kitty sith or a tanuki but nooooo I was planning for the future!" she says, the outrage and disappointment not in her tone or expression. No, she's apparently griping for the sake of griping, rather than having come to regret her choice. "Alas, I think the only thing my coding experience has gotten me is my moonlight enchanter renown. Enchanting is... well, it's *sort of* coding?" she explains. "Well, like coding with symbols and structures, not with words. It kind of feels the same though! But it's not like I'm some supaa-hackaa or anything." she adds dismissively. And this time there is audible scorn in her voice. She does NOT like hackers! "One term finished! One term! You really don't learn the best secrets of coding or game design in one term!" she complains. "Even if you're as good as I was!"

    She gives Shenmi a look at that last comment. "A lump." she complains. "That is just rude! There is nothing lumpy about me!" she asserts. It may not be entirely true, but she feels it should be, damn it! Besides she's not about to let her date get away with calling her a lump. Not without retaliation or complaint. How else can she show amusement at continuing playful banter? "I'll have you know the authority on relationships on this server has me paired almost exclusively with hot girls!" she observes. "Mostly because most of my friends are hot girls admittedly, and most guys tend to chase the girls who are built like Gwen. NOT that I can blame them! She's a whole lot more than a handful!" Fuka grins, raising eyebrows as suggestively as she can. "THAT if anything is why I'm rarely considered straight, I'll have you know!" she says. It's probably an exaggeration or an outright fabrication, and she might not even be paired with too many girls on Morri's wall of Ship. But probably more girls than guys!

    "Also uh... not that I'm trying to push anything along but what would you recommend for food? I really haven't been studying the menu, and I should probably figure something out... but I most likely would enjoy just about anything honestly!" she says, with only moderate honesty. In truth she could just order a favourite and be perfectly happy, but this is a date. A first date, or possibly only date, who knows? The idea, however, is for her to experience something new and see if she likes it. And maybe try some new food too!

Shenmi enjoys the banter. He also, of course, meant the lump bit without malice.

Going serious at the mention of the authority on relationships, he quickly asks, hands clasped in front of his face, pointing both index fingers at Fuka while touching the tips of his fingers, "...you mean Morri? Her fame reaches all the way to the Palace Lands." He's probably being facetious there. Probably.

"The Grunty steaks are delicious," Shenmi offers, all fingertips now resting on the menu in front of him, as for holding it down.

"It's good to have dreams and hopes for the future," he continues. "Me? I picked a human because... well, it was a character to just futz around and test the game. I wanted something not too specialized, to be able to explore the game's capabilities. Try out a little bit of everything and then create a more permanent character later once I felt more confident with the mechanics." He grins. "We all know how such things go. After a few months, you end up sticking to your starter regardless." With a chuckle and a shake of his head, he admits, "It's funny, really. I never really had race envy. I suppose that all that mattered to me was getting to pull amazing feats of prestidigitation, and that I eventually managed to achieve in-game. Could you believe that my starting character was completely incapable of performing even the most basic techniques?"

He raises his hand, ready to attract the attention of a waiter if Fuka declares herself ready to order.

    Fuka wouldn't be at all surprised if Morri's legend stretched all the way to the Palace Lands. What would a world be, even a virtual world, without overseas shipping to China? Or is that from China? With? Who knows? Fuka will have to ask her later. "I'm sure she'll be pleased that the fame of the Pantdragons is known far and wide!" the little blonde says cheerfully. "I just find it amazing she can still make Gwen blush! I'm not sure even I can do that!" she grins. Well, she can... but not with that kind of ease. Morri is cunning like that in her old age.

    Oh? Talking about character creation? Fuka focuses in; the topic appealing to her gamer nerd self. "Oh yes, I can believe it! It helps to know something IRL but if you don't have the skill here too you're hopeless!" she laughs. "I can't even add a banana to ice cream without it sizzling and pixellating!" Fuka claims. Perhaps facetiously, since there aren't any bananas. Maybe she's just referencing a banana split. Or maybe there's some innuendo with pixellated bananas, who knows? "I went into the game intending to be a sylph with some level of enchanter speciality." she confesses. "But as soon as I saw the avatar I rolled, BAM!" Fuka starts cracking up. "Had to be a heavy blade! TINY GIRL WITH HUGE SWORD!" Of course there was more to it than that... she also wanted the surprise of being a heavy hitter on her side, which in part led to her setting up her devious and tricksy fighting style. But at its core it was tiny girl with huge sword. Or axe. "Well, sword or axe. Chopstick was a good weapon. But now I have Frank, and Frank is awesome! One day I'll figure out how to enchant Frank to be a swordaxe for double the fun!"

"And I still have no Dark skill," Shenmi chimes in, on the subject of missing apparently essential skills. "All the illusion magic I needed for my numbers was provided by Daiyu's enchanting back in the day, before-"

He drops that particular line of discussion, and switches almost immediately to a different one. "I admit that despite all the teasing, I do appreciate the aesthetic. You got yourself a fine avatar there, and I can see the mechanical advantages it might grant. I've spoken with other gamers who went that route, there's some definite system benefits to a minute character."

"And yes, Frank. Frank is known far and wide. Its name, Legend by now," Shenmi comments. He doesn't seem to be teasing as much as when speaking about Gwen, right now.

Shenmi's raised hand is waved, not by much, but quickly; an equally quick glance in the distance, past Fuka, accompanies the gesture.

Soon a pooka in a vest is summoned; "I'll have the grunty steak," Shenmi begins, "and a bottle of Red Chateau Eas to go with it. And for the lady..."

He hesitates, giving Fuka some time to either think, or confirm the suggestion he's given early.

    Fuka does eyenarrow at her 'aesthetic' being praised. Not sure if this is a compliment, more teasing, or one of those big red flags. Sure she takes care to present herself well. Aesthetics are important, and an outfit is a way of taking pride in one's self. Looking hot or looking cute, either is fine. Even looking artfully tousled can be a good thing, for those who prefer a more scruffy aesthetic. This bunny outfit, for example, was carefully calculated. Not only does it bring a certain flavour of Kallamore, it also shows off Fuka's well-toned elfin features. It also shows, in no uncertain terms, that she IS an adult. She may have a rather modest figure, suggesting words like sharp and angular more than voluptuous, but she still has one and it shows when her torso isn't covered by plate and chain of faerie metal!

    Distracted for the moment by the arrival of the wait-pooka, Fuka nods her agreement. It's not like she's never had grunty steak before! But that's okay, not everything needs to be an experiment, and it'll be a treat to taste it prepared to the standards of this establishment. Time, in fact, to test Shenmi's taste. In food, that is! "I will have the same." she says. "I mean, not the wine. The wine we can have for the table! Of course I'll have some but not a whole bottle! Probably." she blathers. "I mean I'll have the steak, of course. Chef's choice for the done-ness!"

    With that out of the way, as the waiter makes his way back to set up their order, Fuka turns her attention to Shenmi. "Where were we..." she muses, as if she hadn't set this up already in her head. "Oh yes! This look!" she grins playfully. "It's always been fun, not just function. I used to go around trying to get people to hit on me!" she grins. Then the grin falters slightly. "Of course when it stopped being a game for everyone, that sort of playing around got a lot more awkward. Nowadays it's only playful idiots and weirdos who hit on me!" she claims, interested to see how Shenmi might react to a not-quite accusation. Not that she wants to put him on the spot... but she does rather hunger to understand if this is just a big joke or if she should take it rather more seriously than that.

Shenmi chuckles. "Well, putting youself up for action is definitely consistent with that strategy, I'd say." As the pooka server walks off with the order, Shenmi pulls back the glass he was tilting towards Fuka, and cheek resting on one hand, looks at the vessl he's now spinning with the other, as the wine sloshes. "It's definitely no longer a game, no." He sets down the glass with care, and continues, looking straight at Fuka. "I used to play and... well, technically play the opposite game. Hit on the ladies, have some fun without too many strings attached..." he shrugs. "All informed and consensual, of course."

"And for the sake of full disclosure, I'll have to be honest. Yes, I did originally bid on you for a lark. Throw some cash at the snarky pipsqueak who keeps rubbing off how my assistant would steal the show. It all started in jest. Winning you was less 'let's go on an actual date' and more like '...it hadn't occurred to me that I could actually win her. What now?'"

With a shrug, he gestures around. "And the answer is, might as well roll with it and have fun with the circumstances. If it ends up with the pipsqueak showing up in a bunny costume just to rub in that my assistant keeps stealing the show, so be it.

"You strike me as the type that would have appreciated the problem solving approach of 'whenever someone tries to get you off-balance, just go along with it and act the way you would if you always meant to do that. It'll confuse the heck of your off-balancer, and will make for an interesting story to tell.'

He chuckles, and shakes his head. "So, I could say, now it's less like 'hitting on you' and more 'I have absolutely no idea of where this train I accidentally jumped on will lead. Let's find out.' Who knows, maybe, it'll turn out you're excellent at filing forms with the Kingdoms, and you'll become my tax consultant..."

    No longer a game? The, ah... the game, or the date? Fuka's not sure what Shenmi means by that and she's primed to misunderstand. So she looks rather uncertain until Shenmi lays his cards (so to speak) on the table. It's reasonable, really. She couldn't fault anyone doing such a thing. For that matter she doesn't fault herself for doing such a thing IRL, though it never actually worked out. It was comfortable, not having to worry about such things in Elder Tale itself, even if on occasion she missed having the possibility. She'd known girls in her old life who so desperately wanted a relationship to ... define them, somehow, and that's just not who Fuka is. She is who she is, and she's not going to change that to fit in.

    Fuka squints suspiciously when Shenmi confesses he bid on her for a lark, but relaxes as he continues. Again she wouldn't fault him the joke, or trying to have some fun with it. It's a little unflattering that he didn't approach her with the intention of trying to win her heart, but so what? She didn't approach the auction with that intent either! This was about having fun and supporting a good cause, and if she wanted to tease Shenmi a little, well, what's wrong with that?

    "To be fair your assistant IS kind of adorable." Fuka observes. "Though that wasn't why I wore the outfit! I doubt Bao would be all that interested, honestly!" Her cheeks redden more than their normal rosy hue. If she didn't wear the outfit for Bao, well... okay sure it was to tease Shenmi. But not in that way!

    And to be fair, Fuka's all in on the idea of off-balancing someone trying to play her. Perfectly reasonable to do that, in her opinion. And fun too! She's definitely up for friendly competition, or friendly banter, or friendly competitive bantering! So she relaxes somewhat, even if she's still got that hint of blush about her.

    "So that's it then? Here we are?" Fuka asks. She's still confused whether Shenmi means this as anything serious or not. To be fair, it seems he doesn't either. Right then, only one way to find out! "I'm okay with having fun! And I certainly hope you won't end up regretting this, though you might! I'm certainly not going to try to make you regret it, unless you end up getting a whole lot more rude than you've been so far!" she says, not without a hint of challenge. "Calling me pipsqueak and accusing me of trying to seduce your assistant. And then saying I might enjoy TAXES!" she scowls, but that everpresent grin's still in force, really rather spoiling any attempt to look annoyed.

The admission that Fuka didn't wear the outfit for Bao elicits another hearthy, sincere laugh from Shenmi. "Well, that's a relief!" He gestures. "Yeah, him being adorable is one of the main requirements for the job, along with being cooperative and fitting into cramped spaces."

"Here we are. But here we don't have to stay. There's so many directions we can dash into. Both expected and unexpected. The world is our oyster, the sky's the limit, and I'm ready to pelt the heavens with some mollusks." Pensive for a moment, he adds, "Looks like that direction is 'up' then."

"Hey, you are quite fearsome with Frank," Shenmi begins to reply. "You seem to murder monsters with glee. If you enjoy death so much, I thought, maybe you enjoy taxes as well."

And that is when the Pooka waiter returns with two plates of nicely cooked Grunty steak, with gravy, onion bits on top, and a side of potatoes (or what passes as potatoes in this world). Since this table has been converted to resemble a Western style restaurant, complete with utensils, the steak is whole, not already cut in bits to be picked up by chopsticks (which are available in the middle of the table if one really wants).

"Made sure it's been prepared by someone with the proper Cooking skill," Shenmi comments. "Can't have it taste like nothing."

    "Up or down." says Fuka vaguely. "Left, right, back and forth, in and out..." she pauses, directing a look at Shenmi. Maybe that was innuendo, maybe she was just being random. "Round in circles is kind of boring though. I'd rather not just go nowhere!" she adds.

    Fuka makes a sour face. "Murdering monsters is part of a game." she observes, the statement somewhat profound given they're all playing a game become real. Or maybe it's not so profound, and it's a true reflection of Fuka's belief in their current state. "Taxes are NOT a game. If you force me to do yours though, I'll make a game out of it somehow!" she vows with a little smirk. "AFTER we eat though!" she says, looking at the steak with naked hunger. It's not the fanciest of meals but it's clearly made by an Adventurer, and no doubt one with an eye for the exotic. Or at least, this is nothing like what she's seen in Japanese steakhouses, so she assumes it must be exotic. Food is something she rather enjoys, but she's not a particularly sophisticated connoisseur. And whatever else this may be, this meal looks robust and savoury!

    With quick eagerness, Fuka wields cutlery and sets to work with precision, carving off a small slice and then swishing it around before popping it into her mouth, her eyes closing as she bites into the meat. A small moan escapes her and she stills, clearly savouring the experience. Finally she chews, swallows, then opens her eyes once more. "Spirits be praised. Oh, I remember the first time I tasted *real* food here. I was ready to propose to the cook right there!" she exclaims, eyes twinkling with mischief and delight.

"I'm pretty sure the Konami Code didn't go like that," Shenmi comments at Fuka's perhaps innuendo, perhaps random sequence of directions.

"I suppose you're right, I should find someone with the [Cooking] skill to work on my numbers."

"Real food is something I will not skimp on," Shenmi exclaims with some suprising amount of respect. For real food, of course.

* * *

There is food, food aplenty, a lot of eating. Shenmi even takes care of the bill in a pretty normal way! Or at least, he does as far as anyone can tell. Nobody can be quite sure what's going on with his sleight of hand. But he sticks around a little longer after paying the bill, and nobody comes chasing for him, so... he probably did things properly?

"That was good fun, and actually more fun than I expected," he comments, outside the restaurant.

    Part of the fun may well be that Fuka is a very expressive and attentive person when it comes to obsessions. She has no shame in making it clear she's enjoying herself, and ... well, Shenmi's putting in a lot of effort to make everything fun and light and enjoyable. Her appreciation of this is clear, and her genuine appreciation of the food and the playful company is unfeigned. It sems she might not be a complete and total disaster when it comes to a date! As long as both participants are content with it being just a good time that is, and don't have any expectations past that.

    Fuka grins in response. "I really didn't know what to expect." she admits. "I guess I knew you have a sense of play, and you seem like you're good with animals. But ..." she shrugs. Those are important things to her! You can't always trust a person just because an animal likes them, but you should always trust an animal when they don't like a person. Or somethng like that. Having a good and kind heart is a good way to become Fuka's friend. Having wit and a competitive streak is a good way to be interesting to her as well!

    Finally, Fuka seems to find an answer, after struggling with thoughts a bit. "I hope you don't regret the money you spent on this." she says, gesturing vaguely around, a little uncertain. This is an area of social interaction she's not entirely confident of her footing within. Ah well, bull on! "It was a wonderful dinner, and you seem like you might actually have the occasional redeeming feature besides Bao!" she teases. Then pauses. "Uh... so... now what?" she asks. She's not sure if anything comes next. Or rather, what expectations might be forthcoming. "I'm probably a rather cheap date, honestly, though I guess I can't really say that tonight! I'm easily amused though!" she grins.

"I had no idea of what to expect either. But that's part of the gamble, isn't it? You place your bet, and let lady luck do her part." He crosses his arms in front of himself, and fans out a couple of sets of cards, one in each hand, which weren't there before. They are both royal flushes. "Of course, sometimes you can give Lady Luck a little nudge in the right direction..."

He bursts into laugher, and presto!, the cards are gone just as they had appeared. "I don't regret a single thing. Fun is fun. And fun is subjective. Different for everyone, and if you want to have fun with someone else, it helps to have a rather wide definition with fun. I like to think that applies to me."

Casting a glance down at Fuka, with a smirk, he offers, "We could go around town, and come up with impromptu busking shows where play pranks on the locals, by pulling you out of crates or barrels or other places you, as hard as it may be to believe, could never possibly fit into? I could train you pretty quickly for that sort of thing."

    If you're not having fun, what's the point? Responsibility is of course important, and sometimes you have to do adult things so you are free to indulge without consequence or guilt. This is Fuka's creed, or at least one of them. Along with do no harm unless they have it coming, and leave no sweets unsampled. Preferably not uneaten entirely. She nods along, and even applauds at the impromptu magic show, broadly grinning.

    She snorts in amusement as Shenmi finds yet another way to call her small. "Would I be expected to wear the bunny suit when being pulled out of things?" she asks, not at all opposed to the idea. Pulling a bunny girl out of a hat! It's a classic trick! "That could be fun! I certainly have no objections to getting into things I have absolutely no business getting into! And you can pay me in carrots. No, ice cream!" she grins.

"/Of course/ you have to wear the suit!", Shenmi replies in mock outrage. "That's a fundamental part of the act! You have to -baffle- them! And yes, we need to get you a carrot for you to nibble on right away. Both as advance payment and in case we run into Prophylaxis. I'm sure you know already what to ask him after popping out of a hole, right?"

"...and I suppose that if carrot flavored ice cream is a thing, we can get you some afterwards," he says, stepping forward, ready to head into the city, and beckoning his temporary impromptu assistant forward. "Shall we do this thing then?"

    "I don't know, he seemed pretty annoyed when I asked him if he liked shaved ice. But I'm sure I'll figure out something to say!" Fuka claims with a smirk. Of course Fuka's request was not without context and innuendo. But she need not get into all that, need she? And it's not like she's never asked him what's up, doc?

    Fuka nods, proffering her crooked arm to the magician. "You've earned my trust, for tonight at least!" the little blonde offers. "I'll follow where you go! Or maybe run ahead on occasion if you're too slow and you don't restrain me of course!" she adds playfully.