"So, anyway, thanks for coming Yurei-chan. I'm sorry we had to meet like this, but today is quite busy for Tsuyo-sama and me." Sakura eyed the welding tools that Tsuyo was wielding. Was that for...clothes?

Meanwhile, Sakura started taking everything out of her wardrobe...which wasn't that much. "Just we're invited to Soshi-sama's masquerade tonight, and I need to figure out what to wear. Anyway, how've you been doing?"

Hotaru Sakura wrote: ↑

Mon Apr 11, 2022 6:16 am

"So, anyway, thanks for coming Yurei-chan. I'm sorry we had to meet like this, but today is quite busy for Tsuyo-sama and me." Sakura eyed the welding tools that Tsuyo was wielding. Was that for...clothes?

Meanwhile, Sakura started taking everything out of her wardrobe...which wasn't that much. "Just we're invited to Soshi-sama's masquerade tonight, and I need to figure out what to wear. Anyway, how've you been doing?"

"It's no problem at all Sakura-sama, Hotaru-sama."
She was a little more formal in Tsuyo's presence, although Yūrei found herself warming to the older woman.

"It can be nice to be doing something productive, while we are doing something productive."

A pause and them completely unprompted:
"I sent in my glamour shots to Soshi-sama and never heard back, so they were probably just lost or something. Which I'm fine with, absolutely fine with."

Tsuyo peeked out from under the edge of the metal framework she was welding and tipped the eye-protecting glasses out of the way. "It's no loss, really. Everyone puttin' on masks to pretend that means they can let down their guard...while all knowin' they absolutely can't do that, but hopin' someone else will..it's exhaustin'"

Sipping the eyegear back in place, she adds, before ducking back under, "kinda fun designin' this though." The click-whoosh of the welder and the smell of ozone and hot metal fill the small room as the sculptor focuses on her outfit.


*********
(ooc, will mostly be in the background here)

"Besides, I'm sure they're just jealous and don't want your cuteness to take away from their glamour." Sakura said with some surprising determination. Glancing at Tsuyo's welding, she mouthed "awesome" towards Yurei, before turning to her clothes. "I'll..have to find a mask. And something that looks mysterious and exciting." She looked down at her own body. "And enticing, I guess. Just like in the past, the occasional ornamental ronin jobs, I guess."

She turned towards Yurei again. "How's your shoulder since yesterday?"

Yūrei pauses from where she'd been looking over Tsyo's work with a fascinated expression.
"Uh"
With the lightest trace of guilt.
"It's um, fine. Thanks for asking."

Hurriedly changing the topic
"I think you want to wear something bold, that shows you're not out of place. But not so bold the Scorpion think you're overstepping, just the right amount of bold."

"Glad to hear." she beamed with a wide smile, not noticing the expression of UTMOST GUILT on Yurei's face.

"Ah, you are right. There should be some class involved. Can't get away with ducttape and some bags this time around." She sighed, looking through her clothes.

"So anyway...Yurei-chan, there's something a bit more serious that we'd like to discuss with you."

Hotaru Sakura wrote: ↑

Mon Apr 11, 2022 7:15 am

"Glad to hear." she beamed with a wide smile, not noticing the expression of UTMOST GUILT on Yurei's face.

"Ah, you are right. There should be some class involved. Can't get away with ducttape and some bags this time around." She sighed, looking through her clothes.

"So anyway...Yurei-chan, there's something a bit more serious that we'd like to discuss with you."

"Right, it might look a little trashy, though you wore them well!"
Until the wind picked up, at least.

Looking between the two.
"It sounds like there's a service I can offer the Firefly?"

Yūrei wrote: ↑

Mon Apr 11, 2022 7:16 am

"Right, it might look a little trashy, though you wore them well!"
Until the wind picked up, at least.

Looking between the two.
"It sounds like there's a service I can offer the Firefly?"

"Oh, you say that to everything I wear." She pulled out a really short skirt that was ripped in some places. "Hm...too common."

She glanced towards Tsuyo. "Something like that. You know how this court there's a war of shadows going on? We'd like our own warrior for a battle." Wow, so poetic Sakura!

Hotaru Sakura wrote: ↑

Mon Apr 11, 2022 7:19 am

"Oh, you say that to everything I wear." She pulled out a really short skirt that was ripped in some places. "Hm...too common."

She glanced towards Tsuyo. "Something like that. You know how this court there's a war of shadows going on? We'd like our own warrior for a battle." Wow, so poetic Sakura!

"Ahuh, the uh, Shadow War."
eyes smiling

"I've heard of it. And you would like me to do my part as a warrior?"

Yūrei wrote: ↑

Mon Apr 11, 2022 7:21 am

"Ahuh, the uh, Shadow War."
eyes smiling

"I've heard of it. And you would like me to do my part as a warrior?"

"Mhm...some light industrial espionage specifically." She glanced at her friend. "If you're not busy with another job, of course."

Hotaru Sakura wrote: ↑

Mon Apr 11, 2022 7:25 am

"Mhm...some light industrial espionage specifically." She glanced at her friend. "If you're not busy with another job, of course."

"I cleared my schedule, there are a couple days free."
Holding up her hands in surrender

"Anything for an old friend, trash bags or no trash bags. I think that's something I can do, you're still working on specifics?"

Yūrei wrote: ↑

Mon Apr 11, 2022 7:27 am

"I cleared my schedule, there are a couple days free."
Holding up her hands in surrender

"Anything for an old friend, trash bags or no trash bags. I think that's something I can do, you're still working on specifics?"

"We have some ideas." She lanced towards Tsuyo. "Of course, I know you don't work for free. Rent costs money." She winked at her friend. "And so does food." She started going through her clothes again. "What's the going rate currently?"

Hotaru Sakura wrote: ↑

Mon Apr 11, 2022 11:02 am

"We have some ideas." She lanced towards Tsuyo. "Of course, I know you don't work for free. Rent costs money." She winked at her friend. "And so does food." She started going through her clothes again. "What's the going rate currently?"

Pointing to a blindingly red dress
"Oh, that one's good, it's got a lot of pa- support in it, I remember you had to beat the guys off with a stick whenever you went clubbing in it."

Cocking her head, running the numbers.
"Minimum rate is 25 koku for any real work, but it goes up pretty steeply from there. Still."
A hint of pain in her voice, as though visualizing all the ramen bowls that won't be bought.

"I could, for you, consider a slightly lower price with a possible bonus if all goes well?"

Yūrei wrote: ↑

Mon Apr 11, 2022 11:05 am

Pointing to a blindingly red dress
"Oh, that one's good, it's got a lot of pa- support in it, I remember you had to beat the guys off with a stick whenever you went clubbing in it."

Cocking her head, running the numbers.
"Minimum rate is 25 koku for any real work, but it goes up pretty steeply from there. Still."
A hint of pain in her voice, as though visualizing all the ramen bowls that won't be bought.

"I could, for you, consider a slightly lower price with a possible bonus if all goes well?"

Sakura laughed, snorting. "Oh, you're right." She glanced at Tsuyo. "She's not exaggarating, it was a literal stick I picked up outside the club. Guy wanted to abduct me for his Collection." She rolled her eyes. "Just World of Dreams things, you know."

She beamed at her friend. "For that rate, next ice cream is on me!"

Hotaru Sakura wrote: ↑

Mon Apr 11, 2022 11:12 am

Snip

"That Collector guy was so weird, and also I think a serial killer? We're still not sure what happened when his place burnt down."
Just the World of Dreams.

"Yeah, well, I'm a hero. But don't tell anyone, and it might be a couple days, I got a few other offers that are time sensitive. So no ice cream for me yet...actually, ice cream for me now would be great, but more ice cream later?"

Yūrei wrote: ↑

Mon Apr 11, 2022 11:16 am

"That Collector guy was so weird, and also I think a serial killer? We're still not sure what happened when his place burnt down."
Just the World of Dreams.

"Yeah, well, I'm a hero. But don't tell anyone, and it might be a couple days, I got a few other offers that are time sensitive. So no ice cream for me yet...actually, ice cream for me now would be great, but more ice cream later?"

"I heard it was a faulty tea kettle." she shrugged, then started pulling on the red dress. "I might need an expert opinion though." After pulling it on, she opened the room door and started marching out. "Hey, Usagi-sama. Is this scandalous enough for tonight, do you think?" She stood in front of him in a short red dress.

Hotaru Sakura wrote: ↑

Mon Apr 11, 2022 11:42 am

"I heard it was a faulty tea kettle." she shrugged, then started pulling on the red dress. "I might need an expert opinion though." After pulling it on, she opened the room door and started marching out. "Hey, Usagi-sama. Is this scandalous enough for tonight, do you think?" She stood in front of him in a short red dress.

In fact, Rei was there in the common room, lounging on one of the couches. For his part, he was dressed in fashionable clothing in hair white, loose, with a rather open chest, revealing fine musculature.

He turned curiously as Sakura came in, his eyebrows going up. "Wow, not bad, Sakura-san." His eyes traced her legs. "Not bad at all. Hmmm... you want to turn around, let me see it from all angles?"

Racing out the door with an apologetic mouthed 'sorry' to Tsuyo, Yūrei hurries out in pursuit of her friend.

"Oh no you don't!" apologetically to whoever Sakura was addressing "She's always like this in that dress. Its power goes to her head."
Spotting that it's Rei and coming to a stop.

"Uh, good evening Rei-sama." crap, her hair probably was all over place, and she wasn't even wearing her good tunic! And she was next to red dress Sakura.
"You look...well."

Sakura dutifully turned around, her backsdie turned towards both. "Does this make my butt look fat?" she thrust slightly backwards.

"Oh, Yurei-chan! There's also that blue dress, I think. Want to try it on? We have similar enough builds for Usagi-sama to judge."

Yūrei wrote: ↑

Mon Apr 11, 2022 11:54 am

Racing out the door with an apologetic mouthed 'sorry' to Tsuyo, Yūrei hurries out in pursuit of her friend.

"Oh no you don't!" apologetically to whoever Sakura was addressing "She's always like this in that dress. Its power goes to her head."
Spotting that it's Rei and coming to a stop.

"Uh, good evening Rei-sama." crap, her hair probably was all over place, and she wasn't even wearing her good tunic! And she was next to red dress Sakura.
"You look...well."

Rei turned to look at her, smiling. "Good evening, Yūrei-san. Thank you. You're looking well, too." There was the slightest shiver of one eye, the merest suggestion of a wink.

Hotaru Sakura wrote: ↑

Mon Apr 11, 2022 11:58 am

Sakura dutifully turned around, her backsdie turned towards both. "Does this make my butt look fat?" she thrust slightly backwards.

"Oh, Yurei-chan! There's also that blue dress, I think. Want to try it on? We have similar enough builds for Usagi-sama to judge."

Grinning, Rei stretched in his seat, openly admiring. This was promising to be a good night. "No. You look hot, Sakura-san." He said approvingly. "Although trying on a few other outfits might be good. Have to be sure you get the right amount of scandalous, after all."