With the season winding down, Tsuyo had been stopping for a last look at favorite places, tastes of favorite treats, saying farewell to friends and allies. This morning, she'd invited someone she rather hoped was both as she grabbed breakfast at her favorite imagawayaki stand, Ume curled lazily over her shoulders. Ordering a dozen of the little filled pancakes and a flask of the local tea, she scanned the bustling morning crowds.

Hotaru Tsuyo wrote: ↑

Sun May 08, 2022 12:12 am

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"Those are on me, thanks. And make it for two"
A ronin hands some coins to the dealer before grinning at Tsuyo and bows politely.

"Morning Hotaru-sama! Funny seeing you here."

Yūrei wrote: ↑

Sun May 08, 2022 12:24 am

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"Just the ronin I wanted to see, actually," she says, shuffling a bit with cane placement to turn and face Yurei's voice, she bows. "I just ordered a dozen to have extra for the embassy...sure you want that doubled?"

Hotaru Tsuyo wrote: ↑

Sun May 08, 2022 12:33 am

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She pretends to ponder this for a few moments
Mmmmmhm....yup! I'm sure we know people who could use the leftovers."
She makes her eyes very big for a moment before grinning again.

"You look well! I hear the Firefly are the talk of the planet these days, something to celebrate before you leave, neh?"

Tsuyo nods, Ume lifting his head to sniff at the sweet and savory smells coming from the cart. "Hotaru-sama's been awfully pleased these past few days...other than shoutin' about some of the stuff lost in that strange computer attack last night. Guess at least some of the information everyone's been passing along has been useful."

"Rumor has it that you've had a good season as well. Sakura mentioned you'd gotten some work that was goin' to be more lucrative than we could've managed. And, well..." she nods to the stand with a grin, "you're buyin' breakfast here"

Hotaru Tsuyo wrote: ↑

Sun May 08, 2022 12:48 am

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"Oh...well I did earn a little here and there, certainly enough to buy a friend some morning tea. I'm also maaaaybe going to found a little organisation. But that's more businessy talk."
The vendor calls out and Yurei takes the pancakles and tea, juggling them in her arms, her nose sniffing happily

"I wanted to thank you though for being uhh, you know, a voice of reason and kindness through everything. You're...um."
Flushing a little
"Kind of like you know, a cool aunt? But like a really wise cool aunt."

Yūrei wrote: ↑

Sun May 08, 2022 1:02 am

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Grabbing one carafe of tea, she leaves Yurei _only_ juggling two boxes and the other carafe. A bright and freckled grin lights her face, "Really? Well, businessy or no, you'll have to fill me in before I leave, neh?" She shuffles to one of the tiny tables clustered around the cart, crowded to leave what is probably the absolute minimum regulation width of sidewalk for foot traffic to set the tea down and help balance the boxes somehow.

Thumping the cane down substitutes for the offhanded wave she lacks a free hand for as Ume tries climbing down her arm, nose in the air and sniffing every bit as happily as Yurei, and possibly a bit more inquisitively. "Pfft, no reason not to be kind at my level. Don't need to cut or maneuver folks. You grew up with the Emperor's underhand. Imagine you've been around a lot of folks who've had to learn otherwise. Bein' a jerk doesn't get the ore sold for a good price in my world...whole other thing."

"But thanks," she runs a hand through the shock of red hair as the boxes are balanced and opened. "Been a treat watching you and Sakura-san doin' so well this season, and gettin' on with each other. I'm ok bein' an aunt, so long as you two send me announcements if things work out by and by, hmm? Ronin don't seem to keep a lot of family close by. Worse things can happen than gettin' adopted to the role."

"Wise though...that just feels too venerable for a busted-up rock carver," she says as she levers carefully into the small seat.

Hotaru Tsuyo wrote: ↑

Sun May 08, 2022 2:00 am

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Yūrei makes sure Tsuyo is settled and her plastic chair is suitably stable before she sits opposite, giving Ume a little grin and a scritch behind the ears.

"Oh there's definitely more than a few jerks on the planet, although they'd tell you they are just edgy and tormented."
Once Tsuyo takes her food Yūrei will begin rapidly consuming the pancakes with a truly blissful expression as the noise and bustle of the city flows around them on the sidewalk.

"I mean, uh, not going to rush anything announcements wise. But we'll definitely let you know if...you know, something does happen. She's pretty great isn't she?"
Yūrei beams over her food before taking a deep sip of tea.

"I'll definitely let you know about the business though, the Firefly are absolutely going to be preferred clients for my new Otokodate."

"Edgy and tormented...yeah, even Firefly teens hit that stage...some of 'em. Moaning about how unfair it is they're stuck out on the back end of nowhere while other kids their age are catchin' the latest bands and serial dramas, not watchin' saved files half a decade old." Tsuyo bit one, found it was bean paste and held it for Ume to nibble. Probably more sugar than was entirely good for her, but safe as a treat. "Suppose some folks keep all that even grown up."

Her other hand was soon full with a cake redolant of curry. The small, thoughtful smile seemed unlikely to be directed at the filling though. "Building a kind of clan, ronin style, then." It's not a question, her voice quiet. "Picked a name?" All these kinds of things have names, after all. She grins wider before working her own breakfast.

Hotaru Tsuyo wrote: ↑

Sun May 08, 2022 3:12 am

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"I was thinking 'The Fixers', you know, keep it simple and direct. Plus saying 'I'm a fixer' just sounds good? Marketing is everything."
Yūrei swallows a pancake in one gulp

"I think we'll start small though, only people I can personally vouch for. A clan, even ronin style, has to be people you can trust. More like a family."
Curiously
"Do you uh, have any tips? Dos or do not dos?"

Yūrei wrote: ↑

Sun May 08, 2022 3:25 am

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She chuckles around the mouthful of cake. "I'm only just startin' my own family, not sure I've got a lot of experience there." The little drake reaches, greedy, and Tsuyo lets him take the red bean cake to delicately devour.

"Judgin' from the clan though...well, you already know that sometimes you're wrong about who you can trust, I guess." A troubled frown passes across her face. "I like to think that a crew with common goals, common dreams, wouldn't need somethin' harsh as the Grove here to keep them in line, keep them trustworthy. On the ships, it's that you need everyone's competence to keep each other alive. Not sure what shapes that..hmm, dependency in among a group of ronin."

Finishing her cake and reaching for another with a smile, she adds, "not at all sorry we snagged Sakura-san before you put these Fixers together."

Hotaru Tsuyo wrote: ↑

Sun May 08, 2022 4:15 am

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Sighing slightly
"That's the worst part of being in charge of anything, having to keep people in line or let them know when they've messed up. I have some ideas."
Firmly
"But it will never be anything like the grove, I won't sanction torment for the sake of torment."

But she brightens again at the mention of Sakura
"Well I can't complain, it's the best thing to ever happen to her. It's like she's all grown up into the talented clan samurai I knew she would be. Doesn't mean I won't snag her from time to time, or she won't snag me."

Yūrei wrote: ↑

Sun May 08, 2022 4:20 am

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She nods approval. "Good. It's not like that torment seems to actually work to keep folks from gettin' into that kind of trouble."

"Plannin' on a real family group for it? Kids eventually? Our ship clusters tend to be extended family groups. Really helps for everyone to have a little space to call their own when you're all stuck together like that. Even in such a big city, I think that's likely helpful." She sips her tea, pausing to blink at it a moment. "huh, I think they changed how they do their tea. Gonna have to chat with them later. This is really good."

"ehh, I hope you two get into...and definitely out of...all the sorts of trouble and sillyness you can. She's at least half the reason we've had such a good season...and here you are puttin' your own group together. Glad you're both good-hearted, sensible types or I'd worry, cause together--I'm pretty sure you two are going to get whatever you decide you want."

Hotaru Tsuyo wrote: ↑

Sun May 08, 2022 5:12 am

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"K-kids? I uh, hmmmm." She frowns "That's, I mean, kids are a lot. Might start with adults. You um, can tell me how kids go and then I can learn vicariously through you?"
That would keep any thought of kids away for a while.

She conceals a snort at the last sentence, her tea bubbling for a moment.

"Well, trouble and silliness I can promise, we'll work on the getting what we decide. But I've wanted friends, food and family and now they're pretty close, so I can't complain. Oh, and I'm gonna find a new apartment, just so she can store her clothes somewhere outside the embassy, I saw how full it was getting."

Glancing over at Tsuyo.
"Once things are settled I meet even do a little travel, on my own terms I guess. I've got a couple offers but I was wondering, maybe if I help the Firefly out in the future I could come visit you and your family? I promise I can do some babysitting to make it worth your while."

Yūrei wrote: ↑

Sun May 08, 2022 5:26 am

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Tsuyo laughs at the look on the ronin's face at mention of kids. "Not yours! Probably. For a bit at least. More that some of your recruits might have them already or...not too far into things. If this not-quite-a-clan offers 'em some security and stability, and...sense of belongin'...families're likely to happen." She waves vaguely off toward the sky beyond the towering buildings, another cake in hand. "We got to the point where I'm gettin' pretty steady requests, and we're doin' enough work for our own ship in the cluster...and it seemed like, ok...now we're settled enough to start a baby, you know?"

"New apartment probably won't feel that kinda settled while you're in the middle've gettin' this band together. So yeah...I'll send messages back when I can and you two can watch vicarious baby shenanigans. Probably only the really cute ones. And when you get a chance, and we're not out in the ore fields, you'd be welcome to visit. Sakura can twist a travel writ outta Hotaru-sama without much trouble I'm sure." A stuffed Ume crawls to her lap to curl up sleepily.

"Not sure where you'll find us. Maybe Amanoseki, maybe someplace as wants to commission one've my big installations."

Hotaru Tsuyo wrote: ↑

Sun May 08, 2022 5:57 am

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"Oh, other peoples' kids? I can definitely be a god-mother while I work my way up to the cool auntie."
She checks with Tsuyo before leaning over to stroke Umi down the drake's spine.
"Lot of ronin have hard childhoods, even Sakura did. So yeah, if we can make it better for a few...then we should. Maybe I'll be able to swap you some of the cute baby shenanigans?"

Her eyes light up at the discussion of visiting.
"Oh that sounds perfect! I think I'm just the right sort of size to fit in on a Firefly ship. And it goes without saying that should you or yours ever find themselves back on planet they always have a friend in me. I don't forget my friends, especially the ones who always made sure there were leftovers."

Relaxing a little she leans back in her wobbly chair, people watching the flow or Dreamers up and down the sidewalk
"It's not really how I thought my Winter Court was going to be, but some surprises are good? Can I ask you what was your biggest?"

Yūrei wrote: ↑

Sun May 08, 2022 6:05 am

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Ume squawks slightly and stretches appreciatively under Yurei's attentions, yawning all their needle-sharp teeth into an adorable display.

"Wouldn't forgive you if you two showed up with stories of Fixers kids and no pictures to go with 'em." Her grin shifts more serious. "And this is a good world to have a few trusted friends on, more than most."

She thinks for a few long minutes about the question, sipping her tea and staring off in thought through the constant stream of people. "Didn't really expect to make friends here. Kinda the most Scorpion of Scorpion worlda, I came expectin' to trust nobody and keep looking for spies in the shadows. Didn't expect to be the one findin' enough secrets to bolster the Firefly's position so strongly either." She shakes off her reverie, turning her gaze on Yurei. "How'd you think your Winter Court was going to go?"

Hotaru Tsuyo wrote: ↑

Sun May 08, 2022 6:39 am

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Nodding
"It really is the most scorpion of all scorpion worlds, isn't it? Like it's contractually obligated. But I guess that's part of what it makes it unique."
She really should have been expecting the followup question but it takes her a few moments of report to respond as she keeps lavishing attentino on Ume.

"Quiet? I guess? You know, sit back, do a few low key jobs. Wasn't expecting to get shot so much....or find out about my parents...fight pirates...end up with relationships. I think you ended up meeting me at a very strange time in my life."