4926/Party Time

Party Time
Date of Scene:	24 December 2016
Location:	The Great Ocean
Synopsis:	Yari Takane hosts an End of the Multiverse Party. No one dies. Boats sing and get drunk
Cast of Characters:	691, 481, N'raha Tia, 399, Haguro, 385, 1089, 127, Nagato

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Yari Takane (691) has posed:
Yari Takane is pretty good at finding places to rent out for social occasions. She's catered and found inexpensive yet impressive venues back home for certain more peaceful operations. Today, she's put those skills to use.

An off-season beachfront hotel has had a number of reservations made for certain Elites who have RSVP'd after Yari's shotgun fliers and letters of invitation were sent out. To old friend, old enemy, and even random Elites she's managed to hear of through one way or another. She even slapped a number of invitations on the Bar and Grill's inside door just to catch the odd drifter or two.

They even promise that Yari won't poison anyone. That last bit is /especially/ offered to former enemies. The sneaky ninja promises she's not trying to kill anybody tonight.

It's just before sunset out on the beach. A small path with railing through light brush leads to a sandy beach. The air is just warm enough to be comfortable, given the wash of wave and breeze off of the nearby ocean. There's tiki lanterns making things visible, and a massive bonfire already roaring thanks to staff here. A beachside bar with drinks for pretty much every kind of person that might attend. There's even booze that can be consumed by zombies. Yari has very exacting standards for her parties.

And the centerpiece of it all, aside from the litany of lawn chairs, well lit volleyball nets and balls, towels and other essentials?

A large grill. The ninja, dressed in a dark blue bikini with little fish all over them, has an apron atop her clothing! The front reads 'Conqueror of the Grill'. There's hot dogs, burgers, and grilled corn with a side table offering every sort of bun or condiment that one could think of. Chips, fries, and other things are laid out as well! There's also a very big pot of what appears to be home-made clam chowder going. Several hotel employees are helping the ninja out as she zips between various dishes. Her tail is all asway in pure joy. This is a woman who /loves/ cooking, and most of all, loves cooking for those she considers friends, allies, or just generally respects.

Thus, she's keeping an eye out for people gathering. In the background, a band plays upbeat tropical music!

Kirika (481) has posed:
    To say Kirika has needed some friends lately is understating things dreadfully. When Yari's invite came, the kitsune was quick to accept it and gratefully so. Shopping for the perfect gift was difficult, so difficult she had to call some favors with the Kumo-Yokai. Their silk was to die for, and Kirika was certain Yari would love what she'd commissioned for her.

    The kitsune has a red sarong wrapped around her waist, and she steps out of her sandals as she treads upon soft sand. It feels good to her feet, and the heads straight for Yari first and foremost. "Glory and honor, Centurion Takane." She greets, smiling warmly as she bows her head, then presents her gift. It's a scarf, a very high quality one, with blood red tones and inscriptions written in Kasun script...which is suspiciously just Kanji, by the looks of it. How weird! "I figured it would be remiss of me to come without some manner of gift, so I called a favor with some friends of my mother's."

N'raha Tia has posed:
    The other member of the 'Local Party' is not quite in such a good mood, but that's okay.

    Mr. N'raha is sitting close to the grill, keeping an eye on the 'open bar' which is being staffed by a pair of handsome 7 foot tall Roegadans, one lady and a dude, wearing Maurauder's Gear. because if there's anyone you want keeping an eye on how much you're drinking... it's Pirates. Big, meaty tall ass pirates. They seem in a much better mood than N'raha, at least. The catman is here in a loose tanktop, and a pair of big, roomy surf jammies, and is nursing a large mug of something. He also looks a little worse for wear, a fresh cut in an ear taped up, and a year's worth of Warrior-ing showing for those who haven't seen him in a long while

    Still, he seems to be sticking close to Yari tonight, a friendly air about the two former enemies.

Taro (399) has posed:
    Taro would be one of the more difficult people on the guest list to poison. Not that he doesn't think Yari couldn't, if she set her mind to do that, only that he could present more of a challenge. Regardless, the promise of not being posioned in the invitation was met with bemusement and an RSVP.
    The android priest arrives on time, following the path and trail of tiki torches to the party proper - between the sight of the bonfire and the smell of cooking food wafting from the grill, it would be nearly impossible to miss it. It's possible that his bemusement was such that he didn't read the rest of the invitation, as he arrives on the beach dressed in collar and cassock rather than something more beach appropriate. Though he is wearing open-toed sandals rather than boots for once...
    He tilts his head a bit at Yari as he approaches, then bows politely. "Glory and Honor, Yari," he greets her pleasantly, if without a smile. "It's good to see you well." Then, a sidelong glance ar Kirika, before he gives her a polite if shallow nod as well.

Haguro has posed:
Although Haguro's skeptical upon receipt of the invitation, knowing that the ninja who sent it out is now technically a co-worker of hers does reassure the cruiser somewhat. Enough to show up, at least, and she's even wearing a swimsuit herself!

     ... Underneath a long, light jacket and her usual working uniform, anyway. At least she hasn't shown up with any sort of weaponry! Haguro arrives not too long after the stated starting time, dragging a cooler along with her and carrying a large bag that makes light clinking noises every now and then as she moves.

     Spotting a few familiar and unfamiliar faces among the crowd, the cruiser bows her head lightly in greeting to Kirika and N'raha first, somewhat reassured by their presence before turning to Taro and Yari. The former's not someone she recognizes, but the latter...

     There's some history there. Enough to have the cruiser freeze up as she gets within a couple of yards of the group, even. "H... Hello! I.. Er. I-it's good to meet you all! And... Uh.. Y-yes, good evening.. I brought tea!" She promptly holds up the bag of clinking things (porcelain cups) and the cooler as well, moving a little too stiffly to even possibly be comfortable.

Yuna Kagurazaka (385) has posed:
Old friends and old enemies alike, huh? Well, hopefully Yari is ready for a naval invasion.

Not that Yuna's coming by sea, mind you - she doesn't know how she'd deal with her light-cruiser gear on land, and she doesn't want to be armed in any form at a party like this. Plus, she doesn't trust sea spray not to seep into the electronics of the portable karaoke rig she's carrying, so 'by land and by warpgate' it is. Yuna *is*, however, outfitted in her Special Division Project uniform as she approaches the party location, carrying the karaoke rig in one hand. And the other ...

"C'mon, Nagato, you don't have anything to worry about! It's all going to be friendly, the worst we have to worry about might be some lingering tensions - but Yari's really nice when she's not fighting, and that war is *over* or I wouldn't have been invited to the party either ... !"

... is leading a rather reluctant-seeming Admiral/battleship.

This does mean, unfortunately, that Yuna doesn't have a hand free to wave as she approaches the rest of you, but the blonde idol singer's face lights up with a bright, warm smile. "Hey Yari, Kirika, Haguro! Hello everyone! I didn't bring any food or drink, but -" She holds the karaoke rig up, even though it's still packed up in its carrying case. "- I did bring some entertainment!"

Crash (1089) has posed:
Setting foot on a new beach, of a new world, where the fear of suddenly having helicopters and men in black suits show up was a bit of a relief. A chance to simply enjoy some good food with some new people, none of them affiliated with Naturia, was a wonderful way to enjoy a new night. It's probably why Crash has a bit of spring to her step as she approaches the grill and everyone around.

    As she gets closer, the subtle sound of wubby music can be heard coming from the mech-fox. A careful eye would probably notice a set of cords leading toward her ears, likely connected to some sort of earbuds she can use. A friendly wave is given to anyone that looks her way.

Kirikou (127) has posed:
    Kilik's greatest regret, upon the collapse of the Confederacy, has been to discover that Yari didn't decide as he did. To support the good of the Multiverse, that is. Oh he'd known she didn't follow his reasons. Most in the Confederacy didn't. They all had their own reasons, and he's not sure his are better than anyone else's... but they were his. And Yari Takane was one of the very few people in the Confederacy he could relax around. Who he knew, without overthinking, that he could trust her implicitly. There's a reason they ended up going together to blow off frustrations with drinks or whatever. Neither of them was a perfect fit, and that was far from the only thing they'd had in common.

    Still, when he got the invitation he ended up grinning. He wouldn't miss the party for ... well, for the Citadel. Strange, that it seems he can dismiss the fall of the Confederacy so easily. He'd served them because they were strong, they had the will to make a difference when things really mattered... and yet they were utterly powerless when the end came. Now he's in the League, working for people working on the big questions. Intending to make a difference. Maybe, this sort of thing can be prevented next time. But for now, he's just here to relax, to have some fun. To touch base with a good friend. "Oi, Yari!" he calls out, strolling down the beach to the meeting point. "Looking good!" he adds with a grin, looking at her outfit. Then looking away, kind of embarrassed and not wanting Yari to think he's a leering pervert or anything. Hey, he can appreciate a good looking woman, especially one in great shape! But Yari's a friend! You don't leer at friends, even if they're smokin' hot!

    Kirikou's brought the Twins, of course. They rush forward to greet Yari, not the slightest bit reluctant. They're silent but smiling, and as always they look pretty much identical. Shorts and shirts, plus floppy beach hats they have to clutch at as they run. Kilik himself has a similar outfit, though his shorts are knee-high and baggy and his shirt's kind of oversize even on his frame. "Hey everyone. Good to see people alive and well." he grins, seeming sincere. He doesn't know many people here well, but he recognizes more than a few. Old friends and enemies alike!

Nagato has posed:
    Old friends and enemies, yeah. It doesn't help when she has Yuna dragging her around like this. "Yuna! You know they were former Confederates." she mutters reluctantly. "Why are we even going to their party... It's not like I was invited or anything." she sighs, walking behind a bit from Yuna. Though, the battleship /is/ holding a thing in her free hand, a small box and a couple of cards. "Or at least, I don't think I got an invite."

    Meanwhile, in the office, on her desk is an invite from Yari...

    It's not long before they get there and immediately, the battleship gives a slight wave and starts heading to the drink table... "Hello..."

Yari Takane (691) has posed:
A slow blink, followed by a smile as Yari pawns off the stirring of the clam chowder to an employee. The raven haired kitsune gets a sharp, if slightly tired, salute in turn! "Glory and honor, Miss Kirika! I'm pleased you're alright. You look well. Nnn? A...present? For me?" She sounds one part surprised, followed swiftly by a little grin. Taking up that present, it's almost instantly held out and then wrapped around her neck. Slowly, she does a spin in place. The ends of the scarf twirl!

"Thank you, Kirika! I...thank you. It's beautiful. You really didn't have to, but this makes me happy." The ninja takes a breath, and then pretty much grabs both of the fox's hands and squeezes them lightly.

Then, with a ninja-poof, she's back with a plate of hot dogs. She offers it over to Kirika. "Eat up! It's good for morale. I hope you're alright." A glance. She well knows how hard the Upheaval has been on so many.

N'raha gets a look though. Her eyes close, and she just slightly tilts her chin up. "You really can relax here, Raha. I investigated each member of the staff personally. There won't be any problems. I also rented out all of the rooms that would give good sniper positions. Deep breath. And eat something, please." There's a tuna sandwich on a plate suddenly near him. /Ninjas/! Also an ear gets flicked on grumpy kitty!

There's a certain robo-man responsible for part of her current physical wholeness. Taro's been a staunch ally, and Yari doesn't bother hiding her smile as she spies him. It fades into something of a confused smirk though. Seems there's been wires crossed!

"M...Mister Taro! Glory and honor, Sir! You look..." Another glance to that cassock. "Traditional. I'm glad you're in one piece. Settling in to the new state of things?" She's already with a bottle of cyborg-robot grade ethanol. It's poured into a glass with one of those little umbrellas, and offered over. Yari highly doubts a man of Taro's talents hasn't yet had Offers.

Maybe it will put Haguro at some slight ease when Yari turns to her. She immediately pauses. Her gaze is unreadable for a moment. Her face scrunches and she bites her lip. If anything, Haguro might be the pure embodiment of Yari's guilt over the war with the Fleet that devolved into pure revenge.

"Miss...Haguro. Good evening." She wets her lips, and turns away. Those closer to her might notice how she's clamped her eyes shut. Once again, she turns back. Her smile is glass-thin.

"Thank you. Please put it with the other refreshments." There's the bar, with things like soda and juice too! Every now and then, Yari glances back at the adorable shipgirl. It's a gaze half full of frustration, half of annoyance all at once.

"Please let me know if I can do anything." Is her words that are almost whispered to Haguro.

There's a Mech-Fox here too! Wubs come from her liberally, and the ninja manages a wave and greeting in between fetching some burgers!

"Welcome to the party, Miss! Yari Takane, former Confederate Ensign. It's an honor, Ma'am!"

Yari Takane (691) has posed:
Yuna is here! That's...not entirely unsurprising really. Yuna is a pop idol and general good natured social sort. And a singer! She gets a hard salute, and an outright grin. "Yuna. I'd heard you were alive, but...I'm glad. Very glad. I..." Gulp. A glance around. For once, she forgoes dignity as there's a sudden, swift ninja-hug for Yuna!

"I was worried about you." Slow, concerned Den Ninja Lizard frown! Then she lets go. And then she /looks/!

Her mouth gapes a little. She quickly shoves it shut. "A...admiral. You really did come?"

Eyes close, and she salutes. "I had the employees mix some melted bauxite with the Imperial 1312. It might be to your liking." A pause, a whisper. "I got your invitation. I'll be there, Ma'am." A long nod.

Then back to Yuna. "Let me guess. It's thanks to you? Good job, Yuna."

There's another one that gets a sudden impact of Ninja Hug! Kirikou! "Kilik! Girls. It's good to see you all. I'd have been annoyed if you did something like dieing!" Whack on the back for Kilik!

Then she's addressing the group. A glass, seemingly from nowhere, is raised.

"Everyone. Some of you are my friends. Some of you don't know me. Some of you have been my enemies. Maybe even hate me. And that's fine. But I will say this: we survived, all of us. And that's impressive. Remember this, if nothing else: life is precious. Don't throw it away for causes you don't believe in. To life and those around us! Hear hear!"

N'raha Tia has posed:
    Over at the bar, the Lady Pirate peers over at Nagato, and smiles cheerily. "Arr, there. What can I make for you, young lady? Ain't got a lot of fancy stuff, but i can whip up what yer lookin' for!"

    N'raha... looks up a bit as the Twins make their way over to Yari, something of a protective glance, but they're friendly enough at least, and honestly, nothing's going to happen here. He's still being awfully quiet.

    Also, his ear's getting flicked and he's being pep-talked by his friend. Also tuna. He sighs, shoulders slumping, but tries to look a bit more relaxed. Thanksfully she didn't flick the busted ear, THANKS YARI.

Crash (1089) has posed:
    Wave given in reply, Crash tugs the earbuds away, they retract to some random place, and then she has a look around at everyone that has arrived. There are more people here than she expected! And Yari was right. They all -did- survive the upheaval. Inversion. Giant Void puke. Whatever you want to name it!

    "Well met, everyone! I haven't actually been involved with everything outside of Naturia for a long time. I heard about this get together and decided this was the best place I could come to try and meet up with folks, allies old and new, and wipe the slate clean on enemies. SO. Lets all eat, drink, and be merry because, screw it, it's the solstice. Why not enjoy ourselves?"

Taro (399) has posed:
    Did someone mention tea?
    Taro in turn gives Haguro a polite nod. "That was thoughtful of you, Miss...?" Since he doesn't know her name, he pauses there to give her a chance to provide it. Or perhaps Yari beats her to it.
    He glances back to Yari, his tone changing more than his expression. "There have been...changes...to which I'm not yet fully accustomed." Cryptic. "But a conversation for another time." He accepts the glass she offers with a nod of appreciation, both for the drink and for remembering that he does not eat. He's not quite sure what to make of the umbrella, but he leaves it there propped up on the side of the glass.
    "Hello Kilik. Fire. Thunder." More polite, deeper nods to the three of them. He might have said something more, except that Yari is addressing them all again. Ah, so there was another reason for the drink.
    The android raises the glass as the toast is made. He murmurs something under his breath after - a prayer, likely, knowing him - and then takes the expected sip after.

Kirika (481) has posed:
    Kirika just smiles. "It's Christmas, is it not? I'm just glad I was able to remember this time. I know we haven't been so lucky in getting together for the last year or so." She looks on in approval as Yari dons the scarf, smiling still. Her tail swishes and her ears flicker a bit, "It looks good on you, I am glad you approve." She says, before she takes the plate.

    Nomf, nomf. Not her food of choice, but still cooked the way she likes it. Kirika in return sets out a box of fried tofu, one stereotype of Kitsune she has no problems clinging to. They're for everyone who attends, so feel free to snag one!

    She looks around, and grins wide as she sees Nagato, Haguro and Yuna all arriving. "I was wondering where everyone had gone, it's good to see you all again." She says warmly, setting her food down, before she nods in agreement of Yari's words, then spies Kilik, his companions, Crash, and also Taro's arrival. Nodding to them briefly, the kitsune makes her way towards N'Raha, "Do you have sake by chance?" She asks the Miq, smiling sweetly.

Haguro has posed:
More familiar faces! And voices, even. Haguro even relaxes slightly when she notices that Yuna and Nagato have arrived, straightening up to bow her head lightly in their direction. "Miss Kagurazaka? Admiral? I didn't think I'd see anyone else from the Fleet around here..." She certainly sounds relieved, at least, and Taro's response draws a bow from the cruiser as well.

    "Oh! My name is Haguro. It's a pleasure to meet you, sir. And likewise, Miss Kirika. After everything that happened... W-well, it's good to see more people safe now." She seems to be settling in a little better than before, and the sight of the twins actually draws a curious look from Haguro as she looks between them and Kilik and Yari.

     Yari's reaction to her own presence is entirely unexpected, and for a moment, she's not even sure how to react. It's only that request to put the tea elsewhere that actually gets Haguro to not stand stock-still while facing the ninja. "There? Y-yes, ma'am. Er. Miss Takane."

     Things are probably going to be awkward for a while, still. At least they're not trying to kill each other any more, though! The cruiser brings her cooler over to the bar and unloads the tea and cups there along with a whole host of things to mix with it: Ice, milk, condensed milk, and even sugar-free sweeteners! Haguro's eyes do wander back to the bar at the mention of melted bauxite, but she refrains from taking any of that first.

     Instead, she returns to the grou to listen to the ninja's speech! It actually gets the cruiser to nod slowly in agreement, and she looks somewhat conflicted about something while considering those words.

N'raha Tia has posed:
    There's a blink from the catman as the Kitsune slides over towards him and the bar. This is due to several things. One: he is in mid-bite of the tuna on rye, his mouth sorta of full at the moment. Two: he's mostly sitting besides the bar and not behind it. Three: well, she's cute and stuff, okay? and now he feels like a lump.
    He quickly swallows, coughs, and then taps his chest. "Ah, sorry, uh, you'll have to ask Rushing Cloud and Black Howl over here, I'm just... you know, guarding the bar?" Which is a weird way to say 'I'm sticking close to Yari', but well.

    The Male Pirate, who is presumably Rushing Cloud, slides over and grins at Kirika. "One sake." It's not in a fancy dish, but in a tall shotglass. It's wha they've got, man.

Yari Takane (691) has posed:
Grumpy Miq gets a wiggle of her nose. Then over to Kirika. "Looks like you've been drafted into the Supplies and Ethanol Division, Raha. Congratulations on your promotion."

Nnn! "We'll have to change that, Miss Kirika. The fall of the factions...well...I've been doing a lot of thinking. Soon." A slow nod.

Crash is very positive, and right now, that's exactly what people need. Yari raises her glass again. "Perfect! To new dawns!"

Taro gets a nod of understanding. "Unsurprising. You're skilled, and a good man, Taro. Good luck. Hopefully we won't cause each other too much trouble. I consider you a friend."

Yup, another time. "Understood! Have fun. And try to relax a little."

Haguro, well? She gets a backwards glance as she heads off. In a way, it's a relief. Awkward indeed! She never /did/ apologize. She'll add that to her list.

Kirikou (127) has posed:
    Kirikou smirks. "I wouldn't die even if someone killed me." he boasts. Then suddenly he's getting hugged! Not that he minds. He'd have gone for something like a brofist or an arm-clasp, but Yari's not really just another bro. Not really. And the Twins are pretty eager not to be left out too! They cling to legs, tails, whatever. They're still not very large, though they've grown somewhat over the past few years. They certainly haven't hit puberty yet... and so they're still impossible to tell apart.

    The Meister seems pretty happy though, as he takes a spot and listens to the speeches. "Hear hear!" he cheers, raising a beer to the toasts. Yes he's of age, sort of, in his home nation. Death Academy students get to do lots of stuff young... he was driving when he was 13, and 16 year olds or older pretty much do whatever they want.

    He grins at Taro, raising his mug. Taro's not exactly a friend, but Kilik was never wary of him either. They'll no doubt work together in the future. "Hey man. Glad to see you made it out okay." he greets the techpriest. Actually, he may well end up working for Taro rather than working with, but he doesn't mind that either.

Nagato has posed:
    Nagato gives a look as she's looked at by the Liznin, the salute, however, gets her attention. She salutes the Ninja and then offers what was in her hand, it's a small box of cookies. "Yuna would not let me live it up if I didn't bring you a gift for allowing my presence here." the comment about the invitation gets mention and she nods, "I'm trusting you on this, you know." she comments, "And the bauxite was good, thank you. Carrier Divisions One and Two both loved the gift as well."

    She looks between Yuna and Yari, "Yuna's been... i want to say a guiding force as well, it's the reason I'm here, you know, I wouldn't have given it another thought if she wasn't so.. insistent." she pats Yuna softly, "She's reliable. I'm happy she's with me."

Nagato has posed:
    Nagato adds to this, looking at the bar maiden. "Sake, hot please." she nods, "And some sushi if you have it."

Taro (399) has posed:
    "Taro Daisho. A pleasure," he finishes making introductions with Haguro. His gaze follows her briefly as she heads toward the bar area, before he shifts back to the others.
    Yari's opinion of him is received with a quiet sound of amusement. "Am I now." He's not contradicting her, at least. "I have considered you an esteemed associate, Yari. Also, just because the world has changed does not mean I have forgotten our unfinished business. At your leisure, of course."
    He turns his attention to Kilik then, though the grin goes unreturned. "It's good to see that you and the twins have done the same."

Kirika (481) has posed:
    "Ah." Kirika looks like she feels more than a bit stupid for that, but regardless she has her sake as Rushing Cloud provides it. She bows her head to Rushing Cloud, and takes the glass with some puzzlement. Still, sake is sake, and Kirika downs the shot without wasting a beat. "Kirika of Kasun, well met Taro-san." She bows her head to the Bishop engineer, before she considers Nagato's order. "I will have what she is taking, as well." She says to the barkeep, softly.

N'raha Tia has posed:
    A sushi order! Rushing Cloud and Black Howl look at each other confusedly for a moment or two, and then over at Yari's position, and-

    N'raha, already sighing at being Drafted, shakes his head a bit, gets up from his spot, and slides around behind the counter. "I got it, I got it." There's a moment as he picks up a Backpack of some sort, though... it's probably really more of an Inventory. As Black Mist gets Kirika and Nagato their Hot Sake, the Miqo'te reaches his arm down into the bag, past his elbow, past the point where the bag ought to be actually resting on the counter behind the bar. It's Bigger On The Inside.

    And from there, he pulls out... two carefully wrapped and packaged servings of what appears to be some sort of whitefish sashimi. Still cold. "Made these fresh this morning, and I was planning on turning them in for some Leves, but... here you go." He manages a smile at both the kitsune and the Shipgirl, ears flicking a bit. "Nice to meet you both, I'm N'raha, with the Scions of the Seventh Dawn."

Haguro has posed:
Returning with cups of melted bauxite mixed with... Some sort of alcoholic drink she couldn't remember the name of, Haguro approaches the group once again while smiling politely at Taro's and N'raha's introductions. Everyone seems relaxed enough here, and even the Cruiser is settling down a bit after taking a sup from her own cup. She holds the second out to Nagato, and her attention soon turns to Crash with an approving nod.

     "Agreed. Whatever happened in the past can stay there. If we can keep moving forward, then we can make new friends and enemies without all that holding us back." She almost sounds a little proud at that, but then stumbles over her own words as she starts speaking again. "Ah.. N-not that I'd want to make enemies with anyone here or anything! I just meant that.. Um... That is..."

     And then a sudden flustered bow. "I'm sorry!"

Kirika (481) has posed:
    Nabbing some sushi, Kirika bows her head to Black Mist. "Very impressive, this is delicious looking already." She takes a mouthful, savoring the taste as she nods to N'Raha. "It is nice to meet you, N'Raha. I am Kirika, formerly of the Union, Warden of Kasun. I take it that you and Yari are acquainted, then?" She asks, smiling pleasantly to the Miqo'te.

    Haguro's words draw a look from Kirika, and she nods. "Aye, whatever grudges the Confederacy and Union had died when they did. As far as I am concerned, this might be a good thing in the long run, perhaps." Sushimunch.

Yuna Kagurazaka (385) has posed:
Yuna hugs Yari back with a fair amount of enthusiasm - balanced with a little bit of decorum, and some caution for the karaoke rig. "I'm glad to see you alive and well too, Yari," she replies. And she might be blushing a bit at the sort-of-motherly worry which Yari displays ... but she doesn't stop hugging until Yari tries to pull away - so that she can address Nagato. Getting patted by Nagato helps forestall the idol from running off anywhere else, and she bows sheepishly at Yari's thanks for bringing Nagato along.

*Then* Yuna splits off to attend to other people and other tasks. Haguro gets a hug as well - y'know what, Yuna hugs anyone who seems like they either want a hug, or could benefit from one. But then she busies herself setting up the karaoke machine. If there's a generator or some other source of electrical power, awesome; Yuna will plug it in there. If not?

Well, it's a PORTABLE karaoke rig, it wouldn't be nearly as much use if it couldn't run off of batteries or something ... and Yuna made sure to bring a couple of fresh sets of batteries (solar rechargeable, freshly topped off over the afternoon).

Soon enough, the rig is set up; Yuna makes sure everything is correctly plugged in and switched on, and does a little bit of a mic/volume check ... and then?

The music starts - almost bell-like electric guitar chords at first, then the keyboard and percussion, before Yuna begins singing.

o/~    So, wasn't there some other way for us to meet? It's sad
    I don't want to kill you, even if I die ... please

Unusually, Yuna's eyes are closed as she begins this song - one of her favorites at one point, but one she laid aside when the war got more personal for her. But at this point ...

o/~    Even fate can be swallowed up, like sinking into the sea

o/~    My wish, ride on the wind, and ring the bell of daybreak
    Like a bird, my wishes over their airspace
    Over the countless waves, standing to face tomorrow,
    I will protect you, My life I trade in for your pain
    Stop the fighting

At this point, the fighting actually *HAS* stopped - and practically just in time for Christmas, at that. It was a miracle that even Yuna didn't think she could pray for, but it still happened ... at great cost, but still. Union and Confederacy have been dissolved, and while new factions have pieced themselves together from the ruins, it's still possible for former enemies to gather together like this as friends, or at least with the possibility of friendship.

So Yuna's putting her whole heart into singing ... and if anyone notices tears trickling down her cheeks, it's not from sadness, but simply because the emotions - even happy ones - are so overwhelming.

Yari Takane (691) has posed:
Believe it or not, Yari has a soft side. Actually, many here probably know that. Still, it shows between hugs and then the Twins grabbing to tail and...her horns!?

There's a hiss of amused dismay as she tilts over, and lets go of Kilik. The pretty much pulls the Twins into hugs and sandy little rolls that end in ruffles of the two young Weapon's hair. Yari Takane /loves/ children even if she'd never admit it. And the Twins are adorable!

"Have fun, little ones."

Then, de sanding herself, she turns to Kilik. "No matter where the future leads us...you're a friend, Kilik. Don't forget that."

/Ahem/! Yari tries to reinstate some dignity here. She might be failing. "A...gift. You really didn't.." Open. Cookies. Three of them dissappear almost instantly. Military lunches and ninja skills make for amazing rates of devouring food.

"Thank you, Nagato. However...you have talent. I'll be making sure your next batch is worthy of a commanding officer." Was that an offer, or a threat? It kinda sounds like both.

As for Yuna? Well, that gets a smile. "I honestly feel sorry for you. Not the type of woman you should underestimate. Don't worry. This is a little too obvious for an assassination op, isn't it? Give me a little more credit than that." Her smirk is half joking, half utterly deadly. It'd be selling the Admiral short if she didn't try for a bit of intimidation.

A hand wave. "Your girls deserved it." Then, she basically just tries to walk past her. There's a whisper only for her. "Admiral. We'll meet on the appointed day. I have a few things I want to talk to you about." Then, a casual two-fingered wave.

Taro gets a smirk. "I'm glad you don't forget. Thank you, Taro. See? Good man. Now go have fun."

Haguro is already apologizing. The ninja huffs, even as she passes out more food to people. Especially burgers, there's tons of those!

"Miss Haguro, don't embarrass your Admiral. Show some confidence in your Fleet and yourself." She chides, albeit gently.

Hugs complete, off goes Yuna. Yari catches the pop idol getting to work. Arms cross as she takes a moment to filter over to the bar. A mug full of Strong Mixed Drink, and she listens.

Three sips in as she listens to Yuna's song, and Yari is already dripping tears down her eyes. "A wish to end war, huh? That's just like you, Yuna." She mutters to herself.

It's her wish too. Maybe that's why she looks so sad and bitter. The Eikon is in the details, after all.

Crash (1089) has posed:
    A curious tilt of Crash's head is the response Haguro gets at first, and then "For what..?" she asks, genuinely seeming concerned for the cruiser. "You have nothing to apologize for. No one -wants- to make enemies, I would hope, so, no need for an apology. And if necessary? Apology accepted. Enjoy yourself, cut loose, relax! It's fine." Smile.

It's at about this time that the mechfox takes a much closer look at the grill, Yari, and decides to let the grill master decide. "Whatever you think is best on that grill, I'll give a shot. Can't really say I've eaten much in the way of actual food in what feels like forever. So. You make it, I'll try it, and hopefully everyone else can follow suit."

    And then a concert breaks out? A glance is sent Yuna's away, Crash considering where to take a seat, just as soon as her order is filled. What to get to drink isn't a major concern at juuust this moment, but she'll probably get to that eventually.

Taro (399) has posed:
    Taro sips his cocktail umbrella-enhanced ethanol. It saves him from making any comments in response to Haguro or Kirika. While a good debate may be fun for him, he suspects it would be less so for them, and so he refrains.
    As the food starts being passed around, he begins making his way over to the bonfire. As much as he may personally enjoy some of their company, organics and their methods of energy replenishment...it's a little off-putting.

N'raha Tia has posed:
    N'raha's ears... tinge a bit at Kirika's question about knwoing Yari. "We serve... similar goals on the other end of things in Eorzea. Though the recent Cataclysm has brought the war in our world to an abrupt halt, because the Primals and their beastmen are running roughshod thanks to... well. Hrm." Morale Issues. "A conversation for another time." He smiles, or tries to.
    A moment to lift a hand and rub self-conciously at the bandage wrap on his ear.

Yari Takane (691) has posed:
Crash asks Yari for her skills!? The ninja provides. She snaps a sharp salute for the robo-fox! "Don't underestimate my Empire!" Then, in a blurr of speed, she's kneading meat, laying it on the grill, washing her hands, then flipping it. Bar-b-que sauce and spices get applied liberally. Somewhere in all of this, there's cheese from her homeland inserted into the burger.

Finally, it's sizzled to perfection. A plate is presented to Crash. Lettuce, tomato, Heinz 57 and a side of french fried potatos. Yari adds a big pickle, and there's a large mug of beer handed to Crash.

"Enjoy, ma'am!"

Poor grumpy N'raha.

"What he's trying to say, is that we both realize the threat of Eikons where some others might not."

Kirika (481) has posed:
    "Funny, the Union and Confederacy had a similar event earlier this month." Kirika muses, regarding N'Raha curiously. Though, the topic can wait for another time. The mention of Primals does get her attention however, as she takes another bite of sushi, elegantly popping it into her mouth with deft use of chopsticks. "Are you injured?" She asks, looking at the bandage suddenly in concern.

Haguro has posed:
Although Haguro's flustered at first, she soon calms down between Kirika's own agreement, Yuna's cooldown hug and eventual song, Yari's chiding, and Crash's show of concern. It takes her a few moments of breathing to calm herself down, then finally breaks into a more relaxed smile once she calms her nerves (and takes another sip of booze-infused bauxite).

     The introduction of burgers may also be helping. "I've heard of this one place that sells burgers that uses meat as the buns and puts the vegetables and condiments between them... It sounds good, but I don't think that'd be the cleanest thing to eat. Although..." She casts a curious glance over towards the grill, then starts slipping those uniform gloves off. "... Would that be okay? Just to see if it'd work."

Kirikou (127) has posed:
    Kirikou grabs the Twins before they can do too much damage to Yari's dignity. Too late for preventing it entirely, but he doesn't seem to mind. She's pretty adorable when she's with kids, which is also part of what he likes about her. He wouldn't get along well with anyone who hates kids.

    He settles back, stretching, then heading for the bonfire hauling the Twins along with a grin. "C'mon, we should get some food. Weiner roast?" he suggests. Aaaaand suddenly he's no longer dragging them....

Nagato has posed:
    The sushi is picked up and eaten, giving a slight bow to the Catman. "N'raha. This is well prepared. You have my thanks. I'm Admiral Nagato of the Hikari Combined Fleet. It's a pleasure to see you." a light smile is given before she turns to Yari. Oh, there's a Haguro too. "Haguro, good to see you, I'm glad you're well." And now back to Yari, and when the cookies are devoured... at least three of the set... "Then perhaps I shall improve the recipe that I've delivered to you."

    Was that a challenge?

    Then the mention of an assassination op... and wait, she didn't have an... oh she had her IS. And no place to change. "Watch it, lizard. I'm still her Admiral, you know." though, when she gets this whisper, she gives a nod in return before listening to Yuna singing.... you know what, screw wall flowering.

    Nagato approaches the karaoke machine, listening to Yuna, relaxing some, giving a slight nod to the singer as a 'may I go next' kinda deal.

N'raha Tia has posed:
    N'raha blinks over at Nagato, and snaps off a rather crisp across the chest salute to the Admiral. "I figured you were a Navy girl. I'm with the Privateer Corps back home, so." He grins. Legallized piracy, got to love it.

    Though, he looks over to Yari and Kirika as they converse as well. "Oh, it was the same one. Didn't just hit them, it rattled across the Multiverse. Churned up some of the leftover damage back home, is the problem." The Miqo'te sighs, his shoulders slumping. "I've been running ragged trying to put out brush fires and handle... other issues. Thuggery and corruption and all of it." Raha's face looks... very tired for a moment or two.

Yuna Kagurazaka (385) has posed:
Yuna continues singing, her eyes blinking open early in the second stanza, and blinking a few more times to chase back the remaining tears. Finally, she reaches the last line - "o/~ There's nobody who can shoot down a wish! o/~"

Yuna poses briefly, holding the microphone aloft, then lets out a breath, lifts her head with a smile, and offers the microphone to Nagato. She also holds up the song-list book ... although if Nagato just tells her the title, Yuna can punch in the code and dial the music up for the Admiral. Once that's done (if Nagato doesn't look the code up and punch it in on her own), Yuna makes her way over to the grill, collecting a plate and some food ....

She should probably get a drink too, but what's non-alcoholic among the offerings? She'll accept plain water if that's the only non-alcoholic option.

And then it's just a matter of listening to what Nagato chose to sing.

Crash (1089) has posed:
    Truly a master of the culinary arts, watching Yari work the grill is as much a delight as the meal will probably be! When it's all done and the meal is presented, Crash gives a small bow and accepts the plate, "A wonder to watch and I expect a wonder to devour. Thank you, Yari. I hope everyone else enjoys the food," she comments before moving to take a seat wherever she is able to do so.

    Another concerned look is sent Haguro's way. "That.. is as ridiculous sounding as it probably is filling. I'm not sure if I would want to try that or not."

Yari Takane (691) has posed:
Yari...actually jaw-drops at Haguro's request. That's awfully messy. A little absurd. Her gaze shuts. "I may have underestimated you, Miss Haguro." Such suddenly culinary respect, even if it's utter excess. Culinarian gloves are suddenly on her hand, and to the grill she labors.

Ten minutes later Yari returns, offering a single plate. Two thick kobe beef ground burgers hold together an unholy amalgamation of veggies, pickles, sauce, and fries. The true definition of heart attack on a plate. There's also bauxite chips mixed in, because yari's good like that.

The ninja salutes. "Please don't die, Miss Haguro." And then she's off.

Yari rubs the back of her head, and vaguely squints towards N'raha. "It was a real mess. Not how I'd handle it, of course, but I've seen less skilled removal of guards." A vague shrug.

A peek to Nagato as she goes up. A peek to Yuna. There's a deep sigh. Yeah, Yari's smirking. "She really does get fired up after all." She mutters, generally in earshot of both fleet and pretty much everyone.

Teeth grind, and another third of her drink is devoured. "You had better not disappoint, you..." Glug. Frown. "You rusty fishing boat!" That's about the best insult she can come up with. Good luck, Nagato!

There's plenty of NA stuff for Yuna! Juice, water, soda, tea! Yari's nothing if not accomodating.

Crash gets a swift nod. "I try my best, Ma'am!" Glug glug glug!

Nagato has posed:
    Rusty Fishing Boat?! Nagato shoots a GLARE at Yari, thumbing through the song list, punches in things... and there's some music starting to play... a liliting melody as Nagato taps the mic with a small bit of feedback that causes the Admiralboat to wince. She looks at everyone... Yuna is watching.. Haguro is watching. There's people who don't /know/ her that's watching. She takes a soft breath and out comes a soothing voice, almost practiced....

    o/Eien sagasu kimi wa utsurigi na yumemibito (You, who seek eternity, are a capricious dreamer)
    Uwaki na yume ni sugari anata wa doko e yuku (As you cling to a fickle dream, to where shall you go?)
    Tasogare hiraku kagi wo sagashite tsuki no kage (I, who wept because I sought the key to open twilight)
    Todokanai mama naita watashi wa doko e yuku (But could not reach the moonlight--to where shall I go?)

    Nagato's swaying slowly, eyes closed as her voice carries more of the song, dancing slowly to a practiced set of moves that Yuna might be reminded of... back at the bath a long while ago. Though, nervousness shows in Nagato's face, this is so beyond what she normally does, and if Mutsu found out...

Taro (399) has posed:
    Taro stands in front of the bonfire, nursing his drink. He listens to the music in an abstract way, noticing the change in songs and in the performers while not paying direct or full attention to the performances themselves. Not exactly a social creature, that much hasn't changed.

Yari Takane (691) has posed:
Yari's gaze...is wide open as Nagato sings. There's talent there, even she can tell. Quickly, the ninja bites her tongue as if to utterly hide her astonishment of this hidden Technique of the Admiral's!

It doesn't help that the words themselves hit in vulnerable places within Yari. Dreams. A new twilight. Maybe even beyond the dawn of the horizon.

Yari does her best to hide her shed tears. A squint back at Yuna. "I assume this is your doing, Yuna. Your training is frightening to behold. Well done."

Her gauntlet blinks just lightly. That magitek device...well, she set it on 'audio record'. That might explain why Nagato is getting a smug smile. Way too smug for this polite assassin.

Haguro has posed:
Oh dear. Yari's gone and riled Nagato up. If Haguro wasn't already hiccuping a little from downing her third glass, she'd probably be trying to calm her superior down. Instead, she giggles quietly and watches, turning over at Crash and Yari with only a little bit of shrinking back rather than her usual flustered fidgeting.

     "Is it? It looked quite good on that show..."

     It really did! And when it comes out from Yari's grill, it ends up looking even better than she could have imagined. Does Haguro need to eat? Probably not, but... Well.

     A ship reincarnated as a human has to use that humanity properly somehow. "Oh... This looks so good, Miss Takane. I'll... I will survive this!" She takes it with a grateful bow of her head, and then...

     TIME TO FEAST. And also listen to another impromptu song. All in all, a good outing!

Yuna Kagurazaka (385) has posed:
Yuna's not recording it. She actually hadn't even been thinking about the Christmas presents that are piling up for her when she decided to bring both Nagato and a karaoke rig to the same party.

But if she'd known what a performance Nagato would turn in when the chance reared up and presented itself? She ABSOLUTELY would have done the same thing she did. She's almost entranced by Nagato's singing, even as some of her attention gets split off to munch on a hamburger and/or some sushi, and to sip fruit juice. She's not even entirely sure what prompted Nagato to try singing in front of other people - she didn't catch the conversation between Nagato and Yari (or vice versa).

So Yari's praising Yuna's training just draws an innocently confused look, from idol to lizardnin.

Anyway. The only one who might tip Mutsu off about Nagato's new hobby is Haguro ... and that's between Haguro and Nagato, really.

"You've got a real gift for singing, Nagato," Yuna praises the Admiral once she's finished that song. What's left of her juice is raised in a silent toast, then drained.

The plastic cup might hide a brief smirk, though, as if Yuna just had a mischievous idea of her own ....