Scene #2504: The Lizard, The Mouse, and the Palace

Owner	Pose
Mizuki	There isn't any warpgate in the immediate vicinity of the palace, and quite inconveniently, the entire marble mass is airborne. This would leave it fairly inaccessible... were Mizuki not there to accommodate the day's visitors. What she meant by 'preparation' when she disconnected immediately becomes apparent when a Zeppelin at least as grandiose as the more ill-fated Hindenburg lowers itself to their locale. A door pops open in the passengers' loft, and Mizuki appears in the doorframe not a moment after. With all the zeal and vigor that she had when her realm first made landfall with the Multiverse, she gives an audible -snap-, after which a long, movable stairwell leading to her appears. She bows her head to them, disappearing inside as if to beckon them on board. And as one would expect, the interior is every bit as lavish as the sheer surface area of the exterior would have hinted at. The floor is comprised of white tiles and mahogany, each wall of glass in the alcoves of light wooden slats. Lain over the ground are only the most regal vestments: crimson carpets hemmed in gold, their sides hung with tassels that further tout privilege. For all this excess, though, the furnishings are decidedly personal, made to accommodate few rather than many. Mizuki has taken her place on one of these elements; she gently pats the seat of a long lounge-couch that rounds a serving table to call them over. Callia appears shortly after to adorn said table with a dinner cloth, then to top it with glasses of water and small saucers. Light snacks for which the latter may be used appear shortly after in another bat of the eyelashes while the airship begins to move and whirr, seemingly of its own volition in each respect. The trip is perhaps too short, for they arrive only moments later. The group is swiftly ushered out of the room and to the front doors of the Palace. It does not at all betray one's expectations, neither of Mizuki's flamboyant style nor the general insinuations of the word 'kingdom'. The door appears larger than life, and quite literally -- its size could accommodate the Lords of Lordran. Lucky for them, then, that a small door built into that one's frame appears beneath, soon sliding itself open to reveal the pearl of eternity which it had kept concealed. Long, chilled hallways intersect with artifacts from too many epochs and worlds to even consider. Gems that must have once been embedded in the crowns of world-changing monarchs are now drilled into the corners where ceilings meet with walls. All this is, of course, to say nothing of the books: there are entire walls constructed of them when the group grows nearer to the Congressional at the too-large edifice's heart, tempting the curiosities of any who pass by. Who wrote these tomes? What languages might they contain? Is there even any way still to know? It's likely that even the local curates do not know the answers to these. Speaking of those 'locals', one of them seems to be here now: a decidedly familiar looking woman clad in black lace and a miniature hat. She crosses one leg over the oppsite knee and holds her flattened palms to her side in an elegant, flowing curtsey, after which her right hand lands on her chest. "You may remember me from the other flying city," She says in address of Faruja, "Echo. And as for you..." She looks to Ainsley now, bowing her head once more. "It is lovely to make your acquaintance." Mizuki interjects only to bob her head in kind, as well as to say, "Good evening, Insidia."
Ainsley	Ainsley's first impression with the zeppelin parking itself in front of them is something of shock and awe, not really expecting such a spectacle for something as simple as visiting a library. She steps up to it with wide eyes and a hand rubbing the side of her face. Those shiny slate-colored eyes take in all of the features as if it were the most lavish thing she had ever seen, which seems to have made her wary or skeptical. This is only confirmed when she climbs up onto the zeppelin when invited onto it, and her first words are, "This is an awful lot of effort to go to." Once on the airship, she spares a mild and curious demeanor to everything she sees, particularly the use of glass. She makes her way to the couch where, evidently, the intent is for everyone to eat, and she sits down with the most relaxed of demeanors, apparently completely comfortable with the machine she's stepped onto despite what misgivings she has about the excess. She eats and silently enjoys the atmosphere for the short trip. And then she's ushered off of the airship, and the contrast to her uneasiness is the disappointment that she couldn't sit on the zeppelin longer than that, frowning as they're guided to the large doors. She spares not a gasp or a blink as another door appears before them and allows them passage. Stepping into the hallways marks another frown from her -- she's easily overwhelmed by this place -- and the scrutiny of many of the features around her. It's the books, of all the details, that grab Ainsley's vision the strongest. It provokes a glowing smile on her face that had seemed subdued and frowny before. She doesn't advance to touch any of the tomes, but this particular room seems to resonate with her even on a spiritual level. One can almost feel how she fights the compulsion to wander off and get lost in all of that knowledge. She blinks owlishly when they meet someone and she's spoken to, gaze turning away from the distracting books and toward Insidia. She does a half bow, her tail wrapping around her legs to narrow her silhouette for a moment and make her seem more regal. "I'm Ainsley, wizard of communication, and... girlfriend to Faruja Senra. Hopefully, eventually his wife," she introduces, the last part said with something of a sly smile and her eyes closing for a moment. She said it just to pick on him, though there's plenty of honesty to it.
Faruja	Around the time that Mizuki causes that stairwell to pop out, and he gets a look past her into the opulant, utterly obscene amount of wealth involved in the dreamer's chosen ride, Faruja Senra just sighs. He should be /used/ to this by now, but somehow Mizuki always manages to both meet and then surpass his expectations. "Lady Mizuki, a pleasure as always mine dear! May ye ever walk beside the Lord...or at least His general spitting distance, knowing ye." Faruja, notably, is wearing perhaps the loudest purple three piece suit that he could find. In the midst of preperations to reclaim his homeland, and all the horror and death to come? Some people cope with reading. Faruja Senra visits his friends wearing ridiculous clothing. He'll of course have his love arm-in-arm as he properly leads her up the ramp! The interior seems far less prone to giving the preacher an anurism at least. Callia gets a deep bow, before he snipes a finger food. Rat teeth make short work of it. "Ye know, if I didst not know ye effectively possessed limitless resources, I wouldst be shocked at such a display of wealth. ...On that note, is it possible to remove objects from thine world and bring them to others on a permanent basis? Just an idle curiousity on mine part." From the looks of things, when they arrive, his like of the Palace has hardly increased. Echo gets a bow. "Lady Echo, 'tis a pleasure." At least he's keeping a civil tongue now amidst these folk. And then Ainsley is peering at books, and Faruja is visibly forcing himself not to laugh. "Plenty of time to devour these later, my sweet." Comes Faruja, whispering to her in amusement, before she drops the W-bomb. The Inquisitor goes bright, bright red. He pauses, and then swiftly recovers with a sudden outburst. "SO! Tell us more about the library!" Good save rat, good save.
Mizuki	"Oh~?" Insidia places a hand comfortably on her cheek. "Is that so? Well, I can see why you were asked to come here now. 'Close friends' of close friends, hmm? And perhaps you're browsing for the ideal honeymoon location..." She widens her smile just an instant before allowing her arm to fall slack. "But I'll endeavor not to be quite so brutal and incessant in my teasing. Or at least, not constantly. You should know, though, that there are already quite a few rumors about the pair of you floating around. For instance, I hear that you both danced very well on that cruise." With that, Mizuki waves her hands downwards. "Come, come -- not too much of that. Let's not overwhelm her in the first few instants of her visit, hmm?" Insidia clasps her hands together inoccently, a literal halo briefly appearing above her head. Thankfully, though, she does not sprout wings. 'Lady Echo', though? Insidia quirks her brow. "Oh, no no no. I was only -visiting- Echo that day, I have no especial connection to it. Insidia shall suffice, though you may still call me 'Lady' if you so choose." With that, she pinches the rim of her hat, apparently eager at any opportunity for a re-introduction. Faruja, though, may also recognize her as the one who summoned Moon and Star. Are they still around? At the least, they seem momentarily absent. Before any sort of lull in the conversation can occur, Mizuki takes that choice moment to finally answer Faruja's earlier inquiries. "Unfortunately not," She answers, "regarding removing objects that were -created- within the bounds of my world. The only exceptions are those objects which are being housed here presently, but have their origins elsewhere. The Palace of White Lilies is one such place itself, so it may be moved beyond the bounds of this world. This is why I've come to regard it as special." For a moment, she smiles. "This also means that you can eat here to your hearts content, and have all the constituents that make the food up -- the calories, the fats, the other unsavories -- vanish from your system. Of course, that also means it can't genuinely nourish you." She makes a small, shrugging gesture. So sad. Then it's back to Insidia, this time portents the 'Library'. First, she cants her head. "Library, is it? ... mmm, I would say that the palace is more of an 'archive'. Libraries typically only contain knowledge stored in written formats, but this place has other forms. Figurines, statues, fossils -- those sorts of things. It's a bit of a cross between a library, a museum, and a gallery, so we here simply call it an 'archive' so that it may better encapsulate everything. Oh, and you'll be delighted to know that it also includes -chairs-. We need not remain in this hallway here. Here here~." Insidia ushers them the rest of the way down the hall and, as Faruja would recall, nearer to the Congressional. Before they can reach the doors, though -- -- the doors burst open, again. This time, though, they do not do so of their own volition, but due to the intervention of a certain girl. Star appears in the frame, her outstretched hands quickly balling up and planting themselves on her hips. She greets the group with a confident smile as another girl -- Moon -- inches up behind her. She peeks curiously at Ainsley, her hands perched on her sister's shoulder. When Star speaks, she does so boldly, looking to Insidia first: "Heya, mommy! Who do you have with you today? Let's see, that's Mizuki and... Faruja, right? But," She points to Ainsley, "who are you?" "Her name is Ainsley," Mizuki interrupts, with a quick glance in the chronicler's direction. "You'll pardon my intervention there, but I don't want you to have to introduce yourself -too- many times today." Without skipping a beat, Star continues, "Hi, Ainsley! I'm Star, and this," She glances back, "is my sister, Moon. Say hi, Moon!" The girl meekly waves, mumbling some manner of greeting. She looks horribly shy.
Ainsley	Ainsley's fairly silent, for her part, after her introduction. In fact, that's just her overall demeanor. She is visually expressive, focusing her attention on whoever is speaking at the time so that it's clear that she's getting what they're saying to her, but she doesn't seem to have much to say about the teasing, and Insidia's words about the rumors only gets a subtle cant of her head, questioning with a look. 'Rumors?' the look says, and soon that gaze fades as everything progresses at an impressive clip toward introducing more people to her. The books are spared another distracted glance, apparently sorrowful that she cannot enjoy the books while she's currently mingling with Mizuki, Faruja, Insidia, Star and Moon... The shy and reclusive wizard lizard puffs a sigh and bows to Star and Moon, starting to seem overwhelmed all over again. "Pleased to meet you," she says, her voice almost as soft as her silence a moment before. She'd make an ideal librarian. "Are there more that require an introduction?" she wonders, as she's noticed a trend in all of this. Her gaze rests on Mizuki, first, then Insidia and finally Star. Moon isn't looked at, for fear of exacerbating the shyness of a fellow meek being.
Faruja	Faruja brow, as per his nickname thanks to a certain Earthbender, is fluttering in pure twitchy fury at Insidia's incessant teasing. But then she backs off, and Faruja slumps a little bit. The poor rat looks like he really, really needs another vacation already. "Ah, my apologies Lady Insidia! Events at home hath mine mind well and truly focused elsewhere, our dear Lady's realm is most vast and confusing. Forgive a poor Inquisitor his failing memory!" Hams up the rodent, offering one of his trademark smiles and deep bows. A rub of the back of his head at Mizuki's answer. "And thus, the answer to Ivalice's starvation problems, flutters down the cistern as with every other attempt to fix it. Alas!" He barely manages to not rant on Gluttony here. He's saving his Zealous Wrath for Burmecia. Faruja is just about to offers his love and arm and follow Insidia door-wards, when BAM! In rushes Star! Soon to be followed by Moon! The rat instantly blushes at the pure combined power of cute in those two. Suddenly, he's looking back at Ainsley with a /look/. It's hopeful, and a little distant. After his moment of future-fatherly indulgence, the rat kneels down and offers smiles to the pair. "Ahh, why if it is not the most genteel Ladies of the house! Lady Star, Lady Moon, it is a pleasure as always. Hath ye two grown an inch or two since last we met?" He'll happily leverage Priestly Tongue. Then he's standing, and is offering an arm of comfort to the far less outgoing one of the group. He'll let her question stand, for her sake!
Mizuki	"Oh, many," Mizuki says in answer to Ainsley. "There are, if I'm remembering correctly, five occupants of this place, not counting Moon and Star. I've also heard tell that there is a sixth, though I've yet to meet them... and I get the feeling that there is something barring them from joining us. At any rate, the whole group of them rarely appear together, and I believe the only time when they have in recent memory was due to my explicit request. I don't believe we'll happen upon too many more of them today, at least." As for Insidia, she's quick to return Ainsley's greeting with a smile. "And not all of them are quite so amiable as Insidia, either," Mizuki adds with some delay. "We should feel quite blessed that we ran into her instead of, say, Lillian." With Faruja's apology, Insidia quickly waves her hand in dismissal. "No trouble whatsoever. I know that this place can be rather confounding. Certainly, if I had not had such a multitude of years to break it in I should be quite lost myself! ... but alas, I am bound to this place now, and it is all grown so familiar. Too familiar... as though it were an extension of my own body." Her smile weakens just slightly before she solemnly mutters, 'And I suppose it is, in a manner of speaking.' Mizuki allows her gaze to linger on the woman briefly when she picks up on her surprisingly somber reply, but she does not call attention to it. Best not to press her too far, she figures, unless the guests happen to be curious about the same. Mizuki cants her head to Faruja at first. "Ivalice is experiencing bouts of famine? ... what a terrible, terrible shame. Well, even if I cannot transform a single loaf of bread into a banquet or water into wine, I may yet be able to help in some other way. I am here to help, my friend, as ever. Never be shy to request my help, please." In stark contrast to the sincerity and seriousness of Mizuki's reply there, though, are the replies of Moon and Star. They each look to one another a moment after he questions whether they've 'grown an inch or two' and, in complete misunderstanding of his attempt to appease them, Star retorts, "How could we grow, Mister Mouse? We're magical constructs summoned up by mommy! We can't grow! In fact, I don't think anyone in this entire world grows, at least not in the way you're thinking." A... bit more frank than he might have been anticipating from her, but Moon is there to support her with a series of nods. "I-It's true," She mutters, "everyone always looks the same. Or, mostly the same. I guess." There's another brief lull which provides the group just enough time to reach the Congressional. Insidia asks Moon and Star to pull out a few chairs for those present before taking a seat herself. Mizuki does likewise, choosing a chair to her left, as the girls dutifully carry out that which had been requested of them. Star opens a seat for Faruja and Moon for Ainsley, though the latter quickly skitters to Star's side before Ainsley can arrive.
Ainsley	All of this is so overwhelming, but when Insidia displays some manner of discomfort with her situation, Ainsley focuses on it like a laser beam. Her head turns and her smile turns into a mask for an overwhelming curiosity, like she absorbs that like a sponge. And not in a malicious way, the strange and sympathetic gaze lingers almost unblinkingly for a few seconds... until she decides not to press the issue, prying her attention away when Ivalice's famines are mentioned. Briefly saddened by the current state of Ivalice, Ainsley loops her arm around Faruja's directly for the first time, having largely functioned on auto-pilot for the duration of the visit until just then. Advancing to the Congressional is done, again, with silence on Ainsley's part. She looks around with a quiet reverance, the only noise her the gentle sound of breathing. The lizard woman drapes her tail over her lap, and then finally looks at Moon, and that gaze lids and her smile warms up. She directs such a thorough, genuine friendliness toward Moon... "I don't bite," she assures the shy magical construct, "The teeth are just for show." The sharp teeth, that is, that Quetzal all seem to have. At least Faruja would know about that common trait.
Mizuki	Moon briefly looks more directly to Ainsley. Her eyes are large, glistening -- almost too much of both to be real. They seem to gradually dilate further that longer she continues to stare at the girl, too, until she eventually just hides her face in the sleeve of her sister's dress. Star quite literally sweatdrops, but gingerly pats her sister on the back of the head. "It's okay, Moon," She coos, "really! It's not like she's a stranger or anything, she's a friend of the cute mouse! So don't be afraid, okay? You may make her feel bad!" The only thing that seems to finally coax a reaction out of Moon is the mention that she 'may make her feel bad.' True or not, Moon quickly turns to face her. "I-I would never want to make you feel bad...! I'm just..." Her voice gradually quiets, "not used to meeting anyone from far away... sorry." Mizuki stands up again, here, not content to sit still while all this is going on. She gingerly swipes a hand across the little one's head, drawing a gaze -- and renewed silence -- from Moon. "It's true," She quietly begins, "when I first came to this place she reacted to me similarly. So it isn't just you, Ainsley. And it hasn't taken her too terribly long to adjust to me! So I'm quite sure that she'll become more fond of you, in time. Particularly if you find some novel you mutually enjoy. You both seem quite fond of books."
Faruja	A brow rises. "Why wouldst they be barred from..." Then he remembers their last encounter. Ahem! Faruja looks sheepish. "That may be for the best." No, he has no illusions that most of the denizens here like him. Faruja, at least, is graceful. And definitely looks sympathetic to INsidia. "Bound by thine own will, or another's?" He questions, not without a scowl. Then he gets back to his statement. "The crops this season were..middling. But we art at war, and as might be expected, this takes a toll as most food is shipped to armies rather than those at home. Shortages, riots, and the poorest, most forgotten starve and die despite the efforts of the few who give a damn." There's a very, very bitter note here. A shrug. "And we hath not the resources to implement something like a factory when all of our power is put to defending our realm. So thus, I seek alternatives." Faruja's head hangs a little at Star and Moon. "Erm...no...I mean...ah, yes, how silly of me! Ye see, this little mouse's head is so fluffy at times, his thoughts get covered in fur! Do forgive him!" Then he'll try to ruffle the pair's heads. "But that merely means ye shall both be cute forever!" Then Faruja's looking to Ainsley for help even as he takes her arm. /Kids/! What do I do, leezard? "Definitely! I only bite heathens!" That's not helping.
Mizuki	Insidia lets out a small sigh before answering Faruja. "Partly by one, and partly the other," She says. "I knew what it meant when I chose to become an extension of Miss Shiori's will, and also when she chose to segregate our palace from the world proper. It has been many... many years." She's silent for a moment before she clarifies, "But take heed: I chose my present condition, and I do not regret it. I will never regret it. Every day is a promise of new possibility, and I will have that promise so long as I need until Shiori -- or Mizuki, now -- finds the answer that we have been seeking all this time. This is my faith. This is what I must believe, much as you," She locks eyes with him, briefly, "must keep faith in your God. There is simply no alternative. There may have been once, but now I have become subdued to a very certain instrument." Even more to grate at Faruja: there /are/ people who view Mizuki as a God. As a point in her favor, though, the appearance of her countenance after hearing those words from Insidia tells of some deeply mixed feelings. As such, it's a small mercy when the subject meanders back to Ivalice. Mizuki listens in silence, nodding her head along with him... until the words begin to sting. She gently lays a hand on his shoulder once he speaks of those 'who give a damn', giving a light squeeze before she backs away once more. Quietly, even mournfully, Mizuki says, "... I suppose this is where some would say, your God is testing you. And if they are, I should hope very dearly they will give you no more than you can surmount, but never forget that you have many friends at your side. The Union will not allow your countrymen to starve, nor will I. In your sermons, tell them that they must endure, but never -fear-. Fear only ever brings ruin, and with all our resources combined, there is no need for it." She attempts a smile. "I'll swear by that." On a lighter note, Moon and Star both giggle as Faruja begs forgiveness -again-. Star at least seems to understand that his head becoming fluffy is only an expression, but Moon seems to take him fairly seriously. She tentatively reaches out for his head before she gives it a short series of pats. Her eyes go wide before she says, "It is fluffy! ... but I don't know what that has to do with you being silly." Her lips pucker, after which Star explains. "He's just saying that he gets -confused- again, Moon! It was a figure of speech!" Moon's mouth widens into an 'o', and she nods. Poor thing. When he says that they'll be 'cute forever', though, her cheeks instantly ignite, and she goes right back to hiding behind her sister. Star's face follows suite, but unfortunately she doesn't have anywhere left to retreat to. Instead, she just bashfully looks down. "Ehehehe~..." Once they've recovered, and once Faruja mentions 'heathens', Moon perks up again. With that same, bright, wide-eyed expression, she asks, "What's a heathen?" Star cants her head as well. A very necessary concept to understand if one is to know Father Senra.
Ainsley	"Then books will be our common ground..." Ainsley reaches into her coat and draws a small paperback book out from it. She sets it down on her lap with her hand on top of it, and speaks a gentle word to herself. Then her hand glows and she seems to... project words into the air as a manifestation of light. They seem to 'read' themselves, just looking at them is enough, the sound reaches the mind seemingly on its own. It's just an excerpt from a sci-fi novel. She cancels the spell with another softly-spoken phrase, picks up the novel -- and hesitates. The question from Moon and the curiosity from Star get her to lose her friendly demeanor for a moment in that startled way adults do when children ask sobering questions. "A heathen is someone that does not follow the belief system of a given faith. Typically used in a derogatory manner, it is a word more often used by those who choose not to understand others or their decisions, particularly not their decision not to be faithful." Her explanation is clearly biased. "A heathen is a person with different beliefs. Sometimes, those beliefs are harmful, and the heathen must be brought to justice, such as the case with malicious necromancers and other dark beings. Sometimes, they are not, and they simply wish to be independent of the faith that is practicing the intolerant vocabulary. Being different is often mistaken for being wrong, it is just the nature of we mortal creatures." She smiles warmly, in that way only snakes can. Oh jeez. "Would you like to read this? It is a peace offering," she tells Moon, handing the novel over as if she hadn't just said something that might cause Faruja to boil over. As if the blunt and opinionated answer was completely normal and true.
Mizuki	Moon and Star both train their eyes on the Sci-Fi book as Ainsley pulls it out, but before Star can go about asking what it is, exactly, they... they get an answer to their question. The nod along throughout the first two sentences of explanation, but after that, their bodies go still. Their eyes mist over and their bodies stand rigid until, finally, seconds after she's finished, they tilt their heads in unison. "Soooooo..." Star taps a finger to her cheek. "They're like religious rebels?" Several seconds later, she adds, "That was a long answer, Miss! You know, you really remind me of the Boss Lady. She talks a lot, too! I can really see why you get along." Moon looks like she's about ready to giggle before she hastily covers her mouth, holding them there until her grin quiets. Phew! Close shave, that. It's almost ironic, but it seems that Star has more self control sometimes. Seconds later, though, when Ainsley offers Moon the novel, she backs away. She cautiously eyes the 'peace offering', her eyes rapidly, rhythmically darting back and forth between it and its holder. Alas, she eventually caves, nodding her head several times and hugging the thing to her chest. After several seconds of silence, Insidia chirps, "Now what do you say, Moon~?" To which she swiftly replies, "Th-Thank you, Miss Ainsley." And then she bows, rising again with rosy cheeks and a decidedly warm smile. Relationship points +1!
Faruja	Faruja, already, looks like he's about to burst a blood vessel in his neck. Both out of wrath for the woman being bound, and the pure Heresy of her words. Really, ti couldn't be a /worse/ time to utter them. And by God, does Faruja finally run out of energy for once. He simply, purely, doesn't have the strength to rage at Insidia in the face of his coming trials. He'll need it later. "...Thine questionable choices of deity aside, at the very least, ye art content." It's about all he'll say on the matter. Visibly, he's struggling to be /that/ polite. And then Mizuki brings him back from fury to frustration. "Mizuki, mine dear, ye art more correct than ye know. The bones of mine home art mine to reclaim, and the duty of passing judgement upon mine worse enemies lays before me, even as I must find some solution for the most base of needs for Ivalice's people. I shan't question God's choice, but I feel a touch /small/ for such duties at times." Admits the rat. He takes in her advice silently, tiredly. He kneels, and then, Moon is ruffling his fuzzy head. He breaks out in a renewed smile. Faruja Senra loves kids, their purity, and their simplicity. "/Right/, 'tis a figure of speech little one. Ye shall understand when ye art older. Still." He'll reach out, and give the little girl a gentle hug. "Thank ye. Insidia, ye raise beautiful and loving daughters. God bless ye." Then he lets go. Thankfully, even as Faruja /squints/ as Ainsley, there's appreciation there. She just solved a moral dilemma for him. Even as he trembles in fury, he loves her. But he's going to yell a bit. "Th..THAT IS QUITE POSSIBLY THE MOST /SECULAR/ EXPLAINATION OF THE TOPIC I HATH EVER HEARD!" Roars Faruja. Then, he slumps into a nearby chair. God, but he's getting old before his time. "God love ye, Ainsley, but a /heathen/ is..." Actually, Star gets. "Right. Close enough, little one. Close enough." His head /droops/ here. Why does he feel utterly defeated by a tiny lizard and a magicl child?
Mizuki	Mizuki, at least, takes notice of the restraint on Faruja's part. Whether she does or not, Insidia reacts with all due politeness herself, bowing her head to Faruja. "I am content... and I do appreciate that you seem to understand that. Too many people have been made aware of our arrangement here and reacted with such... surprise, disdain; it's demoralizing, seeing such anger and misunderstanding. But knowing that you, fiercely pious and loyal as I have heard that you are, are capable of showing such calm in the face of difference... it gives me hope. Thank you, sir." She affords him another bow yet along with a decidedly radiant smile, which garners the same from Mizuki. It's awfully nice to know that not -all- of the Palace's residents are quite so abrasive as Lillian. At this point, though, Mizuki really can't help but put her hand on her friend's shoulder for but another instant. She does so and smoothly continues, "And whenever you feel small, remember: you are not alone. Your spirit is a confluence of all those that have touched yours married with that of your God, and when you should need it, all of them will lend you aid. You need only to think of them, remember them, and their energy will join with yours." Again she lets go, but not without a parting phrase: "Be strong. Your people need you, and even if they may seem meek at times, they stand with you. Always." Faruja's commentary to Insidia only makes her smile grow brighter still. Moon is a bit too preoccupied with her book now to reply, but Star proudly straightens her posture, wrapping her arms behind her back as she rocks on the heels of her feet. "I /knew/ I was the more mature one, and now I have proof! Hihihi~." Her moment of triumph is only interrupted by that blood-curdling -yell- that follows, but... but. Well. Um. Being told that she was right is enough to calm her again. Mostly, anyway. Moon, on the other hand, may... take some coaxing, to get her to come out of hiding again. She seems to have fled to Insidia's side this time. Mizuki lingers near to Faruja for a while, ready to give aid should he require it to put the wind back in his sails. Star goes back to her 'mommy' to accept all the praises she has to offer whilst Moon, surprisingly, gravitates between the pair of them and Ainsley. Otherwise, the banter continues in much the same way as it had been, with the girls fawning over Faruja and Mizuki taking turns teasing the group with Insidia. Things grow quieter with time which may afford Ainsley some time to get a more proper look around, but when the group adjourns, each individual seems to do so more happily than before. A refreshing evening for all, it would seem, as the Palace of White Lilies accrues yet another memorable guest.