"Look, I'm not jealous." She has to shout over the music, the bartender nodding as he cleaned a glass
"Yeah, you told me."
"It's just that...you know I workout, I dress nicely, I'm clean."
"Ahuh"
"And...not getting invited to the orgy, it kind of hurt my feelings."
"Oooohkay that might be too much-"
"I'd have been an asset there! An asset! They are missing out!"
"...I really need to get back to some other customers."

Yūrei huffs as she's abandoned, draining her glass defiantly before placing it back on the bar. Turning back to the pounding dance floor she idly scans the crowd writing to the latest Scorpo-Pop track 'Can't Mask My Feelings' which she considered a truly inane piece with an annoying catchy beat.

'Kazumi, please come and save me from an early night'

Yūrei wrote: ↑

Mon Apr 11, 2022 5:08 am

-snip-

As if on cue she would recoeve a tap on the shoulder "is someone annoying the bartender again?" The voice was both familiar and different it was the unique voice that only belonged to Kazumi but it was smoother the usual light rasp replaced with somewhat sultry smoothness like a voice made of silk. The words clear but not loud as the Scorpion had elected to lean close to Yurei to speak.

Kazumi's usual mask was on their face again replacing the one they had worn to the party earlier but they were still dressed in the long jacket and shorts that looked fashionable if unorthodoxed and showed off a bit of curve on the slender Scorpion

"if I ever host an orgy you'll be at the top of my invite list Yurei-san." They teased lightly before leaning back from the ronin

Soshi Kazumi wrote: ↑

Mon Apr 11, 2022 9:02 am

Snip

Yūrei jumps a little, how did they-

"Kazumi-sama. I was just, uh, seeking wisdom."
The barkeep is polite enough not to snort, but he gives her a pointed look from the other end of the bar

Shaking her head.
"I appreciate the vote of orgy confidence, I...think?"
Was being the top of an orgy invite list as bad as being left off? That needed more thought and less booze.

"I half expected you'd be gone for the evening with a pair of good lucking samurai on your arm." Teasingly "after all, who can resist a nice pair of shorts?"

Then she shoots Kazumi an accusing look
"Have you changed your voice?" lowering her own "Is that your orgy voice?"

Kazumi gave her a look of mock offense "I'll have you know a very knowledgeable Crane helped me choose my outfit for tonight and I recieved a lot of compliments about it." They replied sticking out their tongue briefly.

"As for the party it was fine but those high society events are always dull. You're much better company Rei-chan." Kazumi said as they gracefully sat in the seat next to Yurei "as for my voice, well it matches my mood and I have found it is actually much easier when I use it while getting information out of people." They said with a light laugh

Kazumi gave her a look "though I can stop it if you don't like it."

Soshi Kazumi wrote: ↑

Mon Apr 11, 2022 6:36 pm

Snip

"Ah huh, I'll meet you halfway and agree it received a lot of notice."
Turning over to look at them

"Well I'm glad to hear it was boring, although that raises a lot of questions about what actually happened if my company is better."
She raises a hand to cover her smile.
"No no, I like this voice, it feels like I'm with someone new and exotic. A mysterious shorts wearing samurai."

Looking down the bar
"You want anything to drink? I was getting enough alcohol into me so that I could hit the dancefloor."

"Hmmm the fish net thigh highs probably added a lot to the outfit then." They said with a shrug.

"Why not, it's been an eventful night might as well dull the senses and let my hair down." They ran their fingers through the long black hair "Well so to speak that is."

Settling into the seat for a bit "and no dull was probably the wrong word. Just, well you know how Scorpion can be its a lot of word play and hidden insults and So. Many. Rules. For a night of fun and debauchery there are more rules than a magistrates handbook." They said in exaggerated exasperation

Soshi Kazumi wrote: ↑

Mon Apr 11, 2022 11:08 pm

"Hmmm the fish net thigh highs probably added a lot to the outfit then." They said with a shrug.

"Why not, it's been an eventful night might as well dull the senses and let my hair down." They ran their fingers through the long black hair "Well so to speak that is."

Settling into the seat for a bit "and no dull was probably the wrong word. Just, well you know how Scorpion can be its a lot of word play and hidden insults and So. Many. Rules. For a night of fun and debauchery there are more rules than a magistrates handbook." They said in exaggerated exasperation

"Fishnets?" Damn. "Yeah, that probably helped."
Shaking her head to clear it.

"Yeah, I can see that. You'd think it could just be some fun debauchery but then there are rules and orders and you can't take your top off until you've signed three forms and used bird imagery to agree to an assassination."
She signals the bartender for two and he slides two shot glasses of something down the counter.

"To having good honest fun, or the closest World of Dreams equivalent?"
She raises her glass

Kazumi wouldn't miss the interest their comment sparked "Well I'll keep that in mind for next time so you can see me in them." Kazumi giggled a little

But Yureis comments about rules got a more full laugh "yes something like that, nothing sexier than a NDA signed in triplicate."

A glass was raised to clink against her offered one "to good friends and questionable decisions." Kazumi said before draining it and motioning the bar tender for two more.

"So what sort of excitement have you been up to the past couple days?" Kazumi asked

Soshi Kazumi wrote: ↑

Mon Apr 11, 2022 11:24 pm

Snip

She echoes their toast before tipping her own glass back as the bartender, now a little friendlier as the business warms up.

"Last couple days were...frankly, kinda terrible? Kinda great too? Hard to express I guess. Hand an amazing night with a handsome samurai, just, wow. And he made me tea in the morning like a gentleman. So that was the great part. Then I-."
She peers into her glass for a moment before tossing it back.

"-Kinda sorta almost died on a job. Whole life flashing before my eyes thing. That was the kinda terrible part. Still pinching myself I'm here."

Yūrei wrote: ↑

Mon Apr 11, 2022 11:39 pm

"Last couple days were...frankly, kinda terrible? Kinda great too? Hard to express I guess. Hand an amazing night with a handsome samurai, just, wow. And he made me tea in the morning like a gentleman. So that was the great part. Then I-."
She peers into her glass for a moment before tossing it back.

"-Kinda sorta almost died on a job. Whole life flashing before my eyes thing. That was the kinda terrible part. Still pinching myself I'm here."

Kazumi gave her a look over the mask their voice full of both reproach and concern "you almost what!?" They didn't shout but the voice was firm and hard. Yurei was swatted, gently, on the arm

"you almost DIED and I'm just hearing about it now?" They said grumpily.. taking the second shot with less ceremony than the first one

Soshi Kazumi wrote: ↑

Tue Apr 12, 2022 12:33 am

Kazumi gave her a look over the mask their voice full of both reproach and concern "you almost what!?" They didn't shout but the voice was firm and hard. Yurei was swatted, gently, on the arm

"you almost DIED and I'm just hearing about it now?" They said grumpily.. taking the second shot with less ceremony than the first one

"Hey! I would have told you...but I had to go see a healer since I was bleeding everywhere."
Rubbing her arm, guiltily
"It was a whole thing, I didn't want you involved. Last place you need to be is on the scene with some bleeding ronin, you've got a life to worry about you know. Besides, I didn't actually die. Just came close enough to appreciate my life."

There was a longish pause and Kazumi's eyes were an expression between anger and worry but they gave way to relief with a deep breath. The arm that got swatted got a hand laid on it for a second

"I'm sorry. I, I was just scared." Kazumi gave her arm a gentle squeeze "you're not allowed to get yourself killed alright? If you do I'm going through the spirit realms to find you and kick that well toned ass myself."

Soshi Kazumi wrote: ↑

Tue Apr 12, 2022 9:53 am

Snip

"Now that would be a sigh to see."
Smiling weakly, still abashed.

"I'm...I'm sorry. I let myself get scared too. There was one bit where." She swallows "Nevermind. I'll try and be more careful. Really."
Looking down at the hand on her arm.
"You don't normally get that worked up. Makes me feel like people would miss me." Glancing at Kazumi "So...thanks. My well toned ass is gonna stick around for a while yet."

The hand jerks back quickly for a fraction before slowly coming back to rest on the bar. Kazumi cleared their throat "Well yes, you don't usually tell me you almost died so there's that. "

"Was it worth it? Did you at least finish the job you were doing?" Kazumi asked slowly returning to a more normal mood.

Soshi Kazumi wrote: ↑

Tue Apr 12, 2022 10:06 am

The hand jerks back quickly for a fraction before slowly coming back to rest on the bar. Kazumi cleared their throat "Well yes, you don't usually tell me you almost died so there's that. "

"Was it worth it? Did you at least finish the job you were doing?" Kazumi asked slowly returning to a more normal mood.

"Oh yeah, I'm as stubborn as I am stupid. Job done, money deposited, all good. In fact."
Yelling down to the bartender.
"These are on me!"
Smugly turning back to Kazumi
"I'm a little more liquid now. Which meaaaaans we should celebrate."
Jerking her head at the dancefloor
"You wanna dodge elbows for a bit?"

Kazumi shook their head slowly and chuckling a little "since we're celebrating I won't lecture you on finances!" Kazumi said grin showing in their eyes.

The Scorpion stood and grabbed Yurei's hand while moving towards the dance floor "Yeah let's show these people what dancing really looks like!"

Soshi Kazumi wrote: ↑

Tue Apr 12, 2022 10:19 am

Snip

"These amateurs won't know what hit 'em."
She allows Kazumi to lead her onto the dance floor where she spends a few moments listening to the beat before breaking into motion. Arms high, lower body twisting this way and that, it's not terrible, although maybe hampered a little by the booze.

She flashes the Scorpion a grin as her hair flies wildly during a particularly fast spin.

Doing her best to shout over the music"Hells yeah!"

Kazumi was not a dancer, dancing was never taught at the academy and they never really felt the need to learn. But Kazumi did have a natural athleticism and agility along with an ear for beats and rhythm.

This all culminated in a passable dance with Kazumi moving and rolling their hips to the beat their arms and hands sort of moving about vaguely. It wasn't skilled but it was fun and unbridled, it was fun , and likely only mildly embarrassing to the outside observer

Soshi Kazumi wrote: ↑

Tue Apr 12, 2022 10:33 am

Snip

"Ha! Yes! Look at you! Guess we got enough drinks into us!
Laughing she takes Kazumi's hands and starts leading the Scorpion, seemingly long past worrying about any embarrassment.
"Gotta work your upper body too, or how else are you gonna elbow someone?"

Kazuki went along easily following Yurei's lead and laughing along with them "Oh is it the point to try and elbow someone? I guess I'm out if touch with what goes in in the audience." They joked as the pair danced together