Scene #6974: First Circle Shopping Redux

Owner	Pose
Lilian Rook	While there are a great many things that hard working (and extremely highly paid) maids can bring to the guest room Tamamo is situated in once Lilian has pulled the correct strings to have her set up as a Paladins co-Chevalier, or bring to the house from outside, certain things require either her physical presence, or the presence of the discerning eye of someone actually from the far east to properly judge. That is, clothes for the winter have to be properly bespoke, and nobody around the house really knows Japanese calligraphy tools, for obvious reasons. Normally, this'd be something that just has to wait. There are still two days for the Three Sisters to make their last crack at Lilian, and the advantage of familiar consecrated ground, leyline knowledge, and the house itself, are extremely relevant under the circumstances. That said, with the bunrei of a literal sun goddess with her, Lilian's attitude is that any kind of edge she'd possibly hypothetically need is already more than accounted for, and going out to the extent that the bargain isn't outright reneged on should be fine. The eastern seaboard city is within the country. Theoretically imperiling the Extras doesn't seem like enough of a risk to dissuade her. Of course, there's 'direct' transport there; there was even before Warpgates started popping up. Part of it is a matter of obvious risk, and part is to skip the third and second circles, full of varying grades of bright, spartan, prefabricated construction efficiently planned for heavy surveillance and energy collection, to the innermost first circle, where the trappings of a classical wealthy seaside city are allowed to flourish. Broad streets, clear air, abundant greenery, physical signage, roundabouts fixed with avant gard public artworks, and stone and wrought iron facades are ultimately vanities over the crystalline subtexture of the road, tastefully hidden public cameras, cleverly integrated solar paneling, and abundant wireless traffic, but it's by far more lavishly, wastefully classical and picturesque than the outer circles are allowed to be. Even the tallest buildings, reserved for government or 'banking' work, are old and lofty halls refitted for the purpose, rather than glass and steel skyscrapers. Affluence looks like the old world. The absurd wastefulness of gardens and fireplaces and huge, old trees. A disproportionate majority of the area is commercial as well. Normally, where the beating heart of administration and finance would be, it seems most of it has been scooped out and replaced with privately owned enterprise. There are almost more storefronts, restaurants, theatres, travel planners, and similar than streets of houses. All of them are as lavish-looking as they can get within their assigned space, though a great many specialty shops have heavily tinted windows, interior sections removed from external view, or require one to connect to the cloud transceiver to get a projection of the contents --with proper clearance. Places for restricted items not to be touched by those untrained in handling them. Police are highly, even somewhat overly, present here, spaced at regular patrol intervals, but despite fairly heavy armament, people barely pay them any mind, and the attitude is surprisingly relaxed.
Lilian Rook	Considering this is where ~trendy young girls~ go shopping for things to show off to the Extras, Lilian knows most of it like the back of her hand, and it isn't long before she's tracked down a place with a furrier, an oriental imports store, a modern outerwear outlet, and one of those tinted window stores on the same street. She herself has actually thrown on an extra layer this time, apparently the slightly milder cold in the city being more bothersome for her than the severe cold out in the wild. Plus, it means that the only markings are really visible around the corners of her face, but that could scarcely matter less overall. Though almost none of the (surprisingly light) foot traffic is overtly magical in any way, being so only results in people making sure to stay on the other side of the street, the police stopping and nodding courteously, and store attendants hovering by the windows and doors until one passes. Honestly, it isn't that much of a different atmosphere than the domestic servants, just unfamiliar and less trained.
Tamamo	While Tamamo has made her immediate wishes in regards to shopping clear to Lilian, those are only those wishes that actually pertain to shopping. She hasn't said anything about any other motives for going into the city, such as to see the area outside the mansion, travel through that unfamiliarly 'direct' route, to see more humans of this place and era, to take in the sighs of sea or old, foreign architecture, or to observe Lilian as she interacts with someone that is neither a goddess nor a servant. No, she doesn't mention any of that, just as she doesn't say anything about this being a date, though she does insist (emphatically, if need be) that Lilian take her arm and properly escort her, "You are my knight, no? Or shall you only take that title some days from now, oh aspirant?" The long sleeves are narrow at the elbow, and not inconvenient for this purpose. A bump against shoulder above the detached sleeve would be more telling. While no longer melting snow with her mere presence, the winter air has still failed to make Tamamo feel 'cold.' Her warmth, however natural it is or is not, may bring question to her true need for a winter coat. There's at least one obvious explanation, but she's not exactly shivering, either. "Though the space is vast, there are few living here, unlike some kingdoms I have traversed. Or do they remain indoors, for the cold's sake, all field work being saved for Spring?" Tamamo looks about, using the hand on her opposite side to retrieve her hidden fan, as if hiding part of her face from everyone, save Lilian, would make it less clear as to where her eyes dart. "And though the style differs, in matters of displaying one's wealth, I see that the lands are not so different. Tell me, do the coinsmiths still value gold and jade? Ah, but though they who act as servants observe a distance, I also feel their eyes upon me... is it not so? An inevitability, perhaps, with my appearance." She glances down each street as they reach a corner. "Shall we begin with the winter coats? I should see more of your local fashion. You are familiar with the popular dress of young women of standing, are you not, Lilian?"
Lilian Rook	Obviously not about to be rude (realistically, because it makes her look very important and authoritative), Lilian escorts Tamamo by the arm exactly as desired. Her mother and father are both old enough to still have that habit the few times they go out together, so she's seen it enough times that she knows precisely how to do it as well, without awkward steps. Though Tamamo's immediately observation doesn't necessarily beg a response in of itself, Lilian remarks on it regardless. "Since space is a premium, having lots of it is a matter of having earned it. The outer parts of the city aren't nearly as spread out. You can more or less think of it as land ownership in miniature. Personally owning very small quantities, instead of collectively owning large plots." She figures that makes sense in a number of regards, including feudalistic comaprison. "It's not easy to expand the overall size of an urban area. Since a lot of work goes into establishing stable and robust wards around the borders, it's also a lot of work to expand them without introducing flaws. Population management is part of that too." She does her absolute bravest not to giggle at the mention of fieldwork. "Well, true, most people would be inside right now anyways. It isn't the warmest. With the huge amount of space that outdoor farms take up, though, people a few decades ago already moved away from those. That's like a classic of castle siege, right? Taking all the fields outdoors so the town starves inside the walls. They perfected growing things indoors, all year round, instead. Concentrating the nutrients of soil into smaller blocks, pumping water through them, artificial sun lamps, careful climate control, and then growing them on multiple vertical levels. Things like that. That's how these people feed themselves. The plants don't know the difference, right?" Lilian expresses the flicker of a grin at the assertion that not much changes, seemingly backhandedly proud of the fact. "Humans will be humans. Isn't it best that some things remain familiar? Gold and jade . . . well, yes, but with an extra step. Regular people don't have any use for either, but people who work with magic do, and since they own more land, have more money, and employ more people, metals and stones trade up. I'm sure it'll be fine. I sincerely doubt someone would turn down gold coins from, well, someone like you~" She lifts her chin a little as she walks, straightening her back, looking faintly pleased. "Oh, let them look. Enjoy it, even. It's not every day they get to see it, right?" The hanging implication is briefly 'fox tails', until Lilian adds, "Really beautiful women~" Unrealistic standards. The best way to tell that the furrier is the real deal, if one had their eyes closed the entire time outdoors, is the delightful little jingle of an extremely old fashioned bell over the door opening, clearly actual silver. The minute the two of them are through the door, the shop attendands, having been hovering at the ready, are metaphorically all over them. One look around is enough to tell right away that the establishment occupies the far end of the gradient between volume of customers and value of each individual sale; thus, the service is absolutely everything. There's literally a lounge and teeny tiny dinner table-sized indoor garden for the occasion there are several customers around at a time, given the proclivity for rich people to suddenly engage in hours of time wasting when they run into familiar faces. There are hot drinks on demand while the lower rung staff run off to fetch the owner slash brand designer (they are the same person, of course) from the back, yet barely enough time to get into them.
Lilian Rook	"Well, pardon my saying, but I assume we're ruling out fox fur." Lilian says, not at all remorseful; quite possibly a little sly. She taps her fingernail to her lip, thinking on the rest. "The old 'voluminous' style is out of fashion anyways. Right now it's all about figure. Compact, quality insulation so that you can get something that isn't heavy on your shoulders and which fits the waist, and instead hangs the weight off the hips. Cuffs, collar, and hem, are what you want to look for accents. Your colour- no, of course I don't need to tell you things like that. Sorry, I had to take a bunch of teens who wear nothing but black pajamas around everywhere shopping before."
Tamamo	Tamamo nods, pleasantly smiling, listening to Lilian's explanation. "Ah, of course. Though I have seen little of it with my own eyes, I must keep in mind this... hostile environment. The concerns of a siege. It is something like a very old age, before humanity spread itself over the world I remember. Before Tamamo no Mae existed." This serves to again remark upon how things stay the same, though a matter of cycles of history is different than a convergence of cultural evolution. In any case, between casting her eyes to either side as some new sight comes into her field of view, the living divinity listens with rapt attention, pleased in turn whenever Lilian shows her own signs of positive mood. Few additional remarks are needed, apart from, "A device for channeling the blessings of the Sun into defensible caverns. My, humans do think of many things." Soon enough, the arrival. The level of service is just about right, from the persepective of one who has seen the courts of the Middle Kingdom. There are differences, but these are taken in stride, with the same total lack of outward sign of discomfort for any strangeness of her situation as Tamamo has shown since the moment of her appearance. As to the type of fur, "Oh, yes, that would not be taken well. Imagine, if... or perhaps, it is best to not image some things." She doesn't quite explain what that was about, but it didn't sound like personal offense was involved. More like acknowledgment of avoiding a faux pas. As to the style, "Compact? Hmm, yes. Though there are good environments in which to use full dress," as her current mode could, perhaps, not be safely called for its notable exposure, "something slimmer sounds more comfortable for moving about. Ah, though... to speak of practicality suggests some urgent need, and lacking one, I am loathe to sacrifice aught else for its sake. Let us see what can be done in forging the fashionable, the comfortable, the effective and the practical into a single garment. On the foremost point, I shall trust your judgment, Lilian." Having said that within the owner's earshot and fully expecting it to be taken as an order, Tamamo directs a brief, beautiful smile toward the designer, her eyes seeming to flash with their own, unreflected light. The rise in temperature of several degrees in the interior is only very probably an illusion. "I would say," she continues, "that I favor the colors of the sky, but there are so many colors, when the heavens are viwed from below. From the palest blue that fades into the clouds, to the deepest blue that fades into night. Golds like summer wheat. The colors of flame, from burning red to featureless white. But of all of those, I am fond of those I currently wear. The contrasting lines and fields are important, no?" She does have a lot of very noticeable lines about her.
Tamamo	Considering it only afterward, after the more immediately important words are spoken that can hurry the surrounding folk to their appointed tasks, does Tamamo accept a proferred drink of something dark and sweet, likewise take a seat as available, and ask Lilian, "Wearing nothing but black... pa-jya-ma's...? I had not read of this. You may tell me more."
Lilian Rook	"Well, in lieu of being naturally adept at a great number of other things, humans have to be naturally good at coming up with ideas. Otherwise they wouldn't exist." Lilian says, with some small measure of pride --yet still hasn't used the term 'we'. "Oh no no no, don't worry overmuch about 'practicality'." she hastily waves off. "It used to be, as I understand it, that larger and heavier outfits were fashionable, since you'd be showing off how much you could afford to be tailored, but now since it's easier to produce in volume, complimenting your natural features is the ideal. It's easy to get plenty of volume off the shelf, but only from rows of identical, mass-produced clothes. Your body. You want to show off your lines and curves, even if you're wearing thicker winter clothing, right?" The person who arrives from the back is actually an older gentleman, at about the age where all his hair is salt and pepper, but without any need for walking assistance. He is, of course, extremely sharply dressed, though in a sense closer to a finely tailored suit, with an odd assortment of links and breast pocket chains, and silver rimmed glasses. His eyes practically light up the minute they lay eyes on Tamamo, partly for predictable reasons, but moreso with an intense, professional pleasure, clearly already imagining what he can dress her in. The instant she's finished describing her preferred palette, he introduces himself with the sort of bow he must have picked up sixty years ago, informs Lilian that she's brought in easily his favourite referral so far, and vocally approves of Tamamo's poetry-compared understanding of her own tastes. The two briefly exchange something about how the colour of her hair and eyes have exactly the sunset thing going on, and he starts scribbling away something on a tablet right away. He is in fact an artist! A really good one! Within a few minutes, he presents to Tamamo a fairly detailed impression of a coat using swatches of midnight blues, dreamy blended purple-fuchia, and key points in gold, with the stitch texture having the motif that stands in for either clouds or waves in a lot of classic Japanese art, and a solid divide around the middle; where a cheaper one-size-fits-all coat would have points for a cloth belt, there's an arrangement more like an obi, which slims it all down and has the bottom half of the coat look almost more like a short skirt, split down the back at tail level. There's versions with black or silver fur at the points Lilian had indicated are the usual ideal, a version that crosses over at the front and buttons across from the alternative that zips together, as well one for attaching a hood, a couple of suggestions for possibly matching legwear (mostly high boots), and notably, anything involving gloves is on partially-fingered designs, in boring normal worlds usually only seen for tasks of manual dexterity like bike riding/shooting/mechanical work, etc. Lilian tells her that she can pick out anything. She's also intending to be the one paying, quite obviously. She's left her own jacket with the lower rung service staff, who know better than to say squat all about the obvious low-smouldering emission of magic that she's stuck with all week. The owner doesn't even bat an eye. Tamamo gets the distinct impression he deals with exclusively unusual people, and that most don't have any strong ideas in mind about their appearance like she does. The minute tea gets cold in the process, it's carefully and silently swapped out behind people's backs, even with no intention of finishing it.
Lilian Rook	When it comes to the issue of pajamas, Lilian sighs, starts going through her album, and digs up a photo (digital) of Xion, Axel, and Roxas. Three teens wearing thick black robes that are all identical, kinda generic, and look like they're wearing a blanket, over their actual clothes beneath. They're all assembled around a store somewhere else in the same city. "They're incorrigible. Trying to get them to wear something else was such a chore. It's a shame, because that Xion is pretty enough, and Axel could be handsome if he tried." she huffs. "They're not literally pajamas; it's a type of sleepwear. Something warm to wear to bed, separate from the clothes you've been wearing all day, which are comfortable and nothing else."
Tamamo	Tamamo doesn't drink much or quickly, and replacements do prove necessary. She allows for others to go about their work, merely brightening the garden with her presence, but does look appropriately impressed by the designer's quick artistry and the varied arrangements, especially in noticing the culturally appropriate motifs. While she may easily do without, it is a testament to the creator's skill to immediately find something complimentary without making inadvertent foreign parody. Still, rather than the folding-over design, Tamamo focuses on the one the slightly more modern-casual zippered arrangement. After a request to see the functioning of 'zippers' explained, Tamamo makes that selection, gesturing slightly with her folded fan rather than do anything so gauche as point. To colors, the contrast of silver against the deeper blue meets with her approval, and she continues to make such small decisions as are truly necessary before leaving the rest to the shop as an implicit challenge to impress her with the result. In truth, just seeing what they'll come up with is already enough to catch her interest, and the exact precision to which they'll manage to match her tastes is secondary. Again, the necessary matters cared for, Tamamo turns her attention toward that peculiar comment of past clientele. She studies this photo, nodding slightly. "Hm, how odd. Does this Axel not appear to be a young man of striking appearance? To pay such attention to his mane but dress in that... uniform, I would have assumed the robe forced upon him. Is it a uniform, then? Perhaps they belong to an army so hard-pressed it recruits any it can, regardless of age or gender?" That's a bit of wild speculation, but her anticipatory tone suggests she's just hoping there's either a good story, or at least an amusing one, to explain the existence of three teens in identical black robes wandering about.
Lilian Rook	Lilian is evidently pleased that Tamamo is satisfied with the place. After all, it was her recommendation; a display of her fine taste, good memory, and strong connections. Being pleased by the man who'd put his name on the front of the store and earned his way to high financial status by plying his talents like this is equivalent to being pleased with Lilian, or such is her thinking. Looking it up while she sits down, she speaks almost to herself, chin in hand, "Oh hm. Invented by an American. I was half thinking it was the Dutch for some reason." on the subject of zippers. "Normally, I wouldn't recommend them from anywhere but high class proprieters. Otherwise, they tend to snag or come unstuck if you're too rough with them. They're nicely convenient, though." When Tamamo points to Axel, Lilian immediately, almost vehemently agrees. "I know right?! With a look like that, you'd think he'd want to stand out, right? It's natural to think that, but all he wears are those godawful robes!" After settling down a minute, she says "Technically. I suppose. They're part of this group called Orginization Thirteen. I've met a couple of their superiors. An odd bunch, but they seem to have their business together. Mostly. I'm interested in the place they operate out of --that 'Castle Oblivion', after I lead that operation in Galbadia to spearhead into that den of monsters in the Underground and purge the evil spawning them." She realizes something halfway through. "There's a particular book . . . I'll show it to you when we get back, actually. Prophecies are part of your whole 'thing' aren't they? I'd actually really like your opinion on it!" She even seems excited by the end of thinking on it. "Ah, though, no, I don't think it's 'forced'. You could call it a uniform, I suppose. They all seem to wear it. Supposedly they help out somehow with all these twisted 'corridors' they work with. Spaces outside of space. Dark places where the connections are more about what they represent than where they are in space. Those three are the youngest of the group, and I haven't had much occasion to speak to their seniors." "Hmm hmm, come to think of it, is there a story to that gorgeous dress you showed up in~?"
Tamamo	Tamamo smiles warmly at Lilian's enthusiasm. "An organization concerned with a number of ill portent, based upon a castle named for the final void, the Abyss that robs an existence of even the collective memory, traveling through corridors of darkness? My, yes, if there is a book related to such, I might assist in that matter. I cannot so easily reach into the future as can She, but if it is a matter of reading, granting, or taking away fortunes, these are prayers I may grant." But then Lilian asks upon another topic, and Tamamo's expression turns coy. "Oh, yes. There most assuredly is a cause for this. And yet, now is not the time to speak of it. Let us save that for... let's see, now... perhaps our fifth date?"
Lilian Rook	"It's all very foreboding and dark, isn't it?" Lilian agrees with Tamamo. "So, it's pretty exciting." she adds, a little too eagerly. "Normally, people throw names like that up to try and impress people, so the genuine article is fascinating in its own way." "Though, does it have to be a prayer? Can't it just be, mmh, I don't know, a favour? A friendly request maybe?" she continues. "Maybe even a . . . suggestion? I'm sure you'll find it just as interesting as I did. It's quite the article, even if the name is very plain. 'Book of Prophecy' is the literal title, though it's transliterated from a very old language. I'd just really like to see what someone with skills like yours makes of it~!" She sounds completely genuine, barely containing her anticipation at the idea. Not that Tamamo would know, but it's exceedingly rare she values anyone's abilities highly enough to look forward to seeing them like this. When Tamamo settles on the finalities of the design, Lilian uses a black and silver card that looks more like an ID than something issued from a modern bank, and gets a delivery order quote; it's expected to be done extremely quickly, as far as these things are considered, given the preferred clientele, the proprietor's enthusiasm to work on it, the fact that it's a coat for the winter that's already upon them, and that there can't exactly be many items waiting at the moment either. "Oh, really?" Lilian replies one last time to Tamamo, sounding just a little bit deflated, but keeping her chin up. "Well, I look forward to hearing it on . . ." "Is that . . . a Japanese thing? I can't say I know for sure what 'date' means to people from over the ocean."
Tamamo	By the point of 'a friendly request,' Tamamo is audibly giggling. That's the first time she's done that, though the folded out fan is covering the lower half of her face, again. That's the only reaction she gives to the several questions before they've moved on. The fan snaps shut. "It does depend on a number of things, but we shall see such as can be made of the matter." Taking a final taste of her tea, enjoying it for a few moments, and then standing, Tamamo is precisely in time for the business transaction to finalize. She hasn't mentioned anything about money since the reference to coinsmiths while they were outside, so this neatly leaves the matter to Lilian, while avoiding any mention of certain cultures or stigmas related to matters of money or gifts. Speaking of cultural differences, "'Date,'" Tamamo enunciates with such care, obviously accented, that she's clearly speaking the word in English, not Japanese. "A 'rendezvous,' 'tryst,' 'engagement,' or... ahh, wait a moment, one of those was wrong. No matter." Tamamo continues, brightly and without seeing a need to cease walking toward their next appointed destination, "Tea and shopping are normal for a date, is it not so? Come, you may continue to escort me, my knight." While she has just been proven to laugh, it is not reasonably possible to tell if she's joking.
Lilian Rook	Lilian, in her lesser experience, cannot tell for certain whether the shiver she gets up her spine just then is her primal instincts warning her, a flash of precognitive insight from that still-wakening part of the family tree, mere paranoia or nerves, or perhaps simply residual from the chill outdoors. No matter which way however, the back of her neck prickles and her fingertips go cold. "Y-yes, it's a tricky word." she barely manages to continue, on the very border edge of a pause long enough to be awkward. She tries her best at laughing it off, uncharacteristically nervous as it might be. Comitting to any course past that just makes her danger senses react too loudly. She's presumptuously (and rather cruelly) toyed with and/or shot down a number of classmates before, but not only is she talking to Tamamo no Mae, with all that implies, she can't even fully read her. Perhaps it's karma. "That's . . . true, I suppose! Let's ah . . . calligraphy! That's what you wanted to stop off at next, right?"
Tamamo	"Yes, let us go together. And then, on our return home, I may show you some of my charms. It is rarely unwise to create an excess of charms of good fortune." Arm in arm, close together on the relatively quiet streets of the first circle, the chances of Tamamo no Mae failing to notice a trace of unease and uncertainty in Lilian's reactions are somewhere between 'zero' and 'none.' For all of that, Tamamo doesn't show a trace of uncertainty unherself, just smiling should she catch the other's eye. The matter of the fox-woman radiating warmth in the winter air may not actually help with Lilian's chills so much as highlight them. Her fingertips will just have to remain cold, as holding hands would, surely, be improper.
Lilian Rook	'Show off my charms' Tamamo says. Lilian is about one second from an excessively nervous laugh, until the lady fox adds 'charms of good fortune'. Letting go of her breath, Lilian feels like she'd suddenly lost several pounds all at once. "That does sound interesting." she manages to reply back, mostly convincingly. "I never particularly understood how those worked. Luck is such an abstract thing, only really articulable in how it affects human beings. The future doesn't seem to pay it much mind; everything happens until it hasn't." "Also, I bet your calligraphy is really pretty." she adds, semi-thoughtfully near the end, as they near the right store. It's something she's less immediately expert with than fashion, but it's generally not too difficult to find places of high quality through webs of recommendations. People from the east come in and out of Europe as much as everyone of importance ends up globetrotting at some point. Plus, 'authentic' sells more to westerners chasing the hobby. As such, there's absolutely no way that the store isn't owned by a small Japanese immigrant family. Technically, the correct term would be 'refugee', but that term is all but meaningless these days, and they're more well off here than they ever were in their home country. That much is pretty much an immediate conversational topic if/when prompted about setting up shop in a place like this; literally. Most of the front two thirds of the store is entirely mundane, though with a selection of a million different styles of artfully ranged displays containing eye catching pens and brushes and exotic inks. The place doubles, to a degree, as a painting outlet, as well as 'drawing' near the back, but at that point, it's unmistakable that the highly specific drawing materials are going to be used entirely for things that end in 'mancy' and not sketchbooks. Chalk and graphite-style sticks of minerals and incense-adjacent things not traditionally meant for drawing, finely milled points of metals that coincidentally don't react with blood, et cetera. It's not overtly advertised, but a purveyor of 'supplies' would notice. Despite a lot of catering to a western market to fill margins, there are a significant degree of traditional implements even in the back too. The prices for even just paper and ink pressed and processed out of natural sources is rather exorbitant, even given being imports, but that hardly matters. A number of implements are using basic materials that are inherently mildly magical, or at least occultically significant. There are also quite prominently a number of existing charms and talismans, in paper and wooden form, but though the designs are exactly accurate to the real thing, they aren't imbued with meaningful mystical power in of themselves. They're surrounded by miscellanea for genuinely eastern customers, like braiding for prayer rope and gohei material, dividing up 'artwork' paper, 'origami' paper', and 'talisman' paper.
Tamamo	Tamamo no Mae encounters her first modern Japanese. At least outwardly, her reaction isn't any different from that she shows to other humans of this era. While her features might be technically possible for a Japanese woman to possess, given enough make-up, dye, contacts, and cunning props, she is as much Other to the humans of one island nation as another, in the truly significant matters. Other, but not alien. With the tools, the accoutrements of the craft, she is closely familiar. And she enters like any lady of noble standing would, like she owns the place, and those within work for her benefit. If the other sights of the city are any indication, then this will be closer to 'normal' than any other attitude she could take. Sheet paper. Cut paper. Ink. Brushes. Completed talismans. Chalk. Any available material of natural magic. Tamamo doesn't look for blood only because such a thing is difficult to keep in stock. She otherwise makes no secret of her tradecraft as she closely examines each item, several of a type, calling to whichever proprietor comes nearest to her. Her fan again partially hides her features, until she snaps it shut to gesture for clarity and emphasis in her wishes. Her voice is smooth and almost kind, though someone very familiar with modern Japanese might be harder hit by that archaic speech pattern, what it represents, and what it obscures.
Lilian Rook	Predictably, the store manager and his wife, probably in their 70s, are all over Tamamo. Opposed to the previous place where she was treated as an esteemed guest by the help, and the proprieter was incredibly eager to work due to the fact that she's simply exotic, gorgeous, and fashionable, these two are both extremely excited to speak to someone evidently Japanese and versed in what they're looking for, and also lowkey clearly engaged in a sort of 'class dependent' behaviour stemming from the fact that Tamamo clearly isn't fully human. Even without the ability to keenly sense her divinity, there are really only two possibilities to arrive at: elite mage with extremely pure-blooded invocation of a kitsune-mixed or blessed lineage, or, just that thing and not human at all. In either case, this seems to automatically make her an extremely crucial personage to deferentially fawn over, though how much of it might be motivated by caution or tradition is up in the air. Lilian watches the whole thing with fascination writ large. It's obviously something she hasn't seen before. The reaction is so specific that it'd never come out of servants or sycophants. She almost seems kind of jealous at the way Tamamo can direct them around like that just with little gestures of her fan, and how eager they are to comply. It's a far sight from jumping to attention due to family status, government license to do basically anything, money, tradition, popularity, physical attraction, or plain old fear. It's so damn elegant. She waits until the couple have called their adult daughter out and are going through the back room supplies (obviously not lifting the display items), before sidling in close to Tamamo, lowering her voice. "How do you do that? That's incredible." Not 'did you get what you wanted?'.
Tamamo	Tamamo's basically all business while she works to get exactly what she's looking for, in the finest quality available. Elegant, rather than curt, but focused, and not saying anything to Lilian until the latter sidles up to her. "Hmm?" is all she says at first, those golden eyes refocusing on the knight's. Tamamo smiles, the tilt of her fan still allowing Lilian to see, and making it clear that she knows what's being asked even if she's considering playing innocent to it. "I have experienced being a flower of the court, and watched the proclamations of the emperor. I still bear the memories of being worshipped across the land." She answers in a low tone, not to carry elsewhere. "I have observed humanity long enough to act as if I know how they will react, and how to fulfill their expectations of the divine. And yet... why do humans behave this way? Perhaps they are merely pleased to play their role, and rest in the safety of the knowable. Perhaps it is something more. They seem happy to receive my visit, do they not? Happiness is more than relief, and more than satisfaction." Tamamo looks again toward the back, and takes some of the materials she's already gathered. Technically, perhaps, these are not yet hers, there having been no agreement of payment. The distinction isn't something she shows any consideration, having already made the implicit decision to receive this brush, this ink, and this paper. She gestures subtly for Lilian to join her, sets out her materials, and sits beside them, needing only a matted area of floor and to smooth out her dress as she descends in what must be some practiced trick to avoid any of the long clothes tangling beneath her. The strip of paper is smoothed in front of her, the brush dipped smoothly in the ink, and then brought over, carefully avoiding dripping. Perhaps most noticeable to one used to modern, Western writing, in which the utensil is commonly brought to rest above the base of the thumb, Tamamo holds the brush almost vertically with her right hand, her left keeping back her sleeve, the gesture possibly more ceremonial than actually required by her outfit and posture. She makes one stroke, then another, the exact characters difficult to discern, whether from the simple fact that they're part of a writing system with thousands of symbols, that it's a now-archaic version of that language, or because the flowing lines are meant to be more stylish than readable. It almost forms a picture, but one would need an excellent appreciation for abstract minimalism as well as an ancient linguistics study to fully appreciate what that picture showed. It doesn't take long. One could scribble a somewhat long note in about the same time, but the perfect, ceremonial posture, smooth expression and formal air gives the illusion of the single strip of paper, red-bordered and mostly covered in black ink, of having been some grand affair. To someone with a good sense for magic, it is very clearly, obviously magical. It's as blatant as the sun itself, even to someone with no skill in enchanting items, that this thing now holds at least a consummate professional's work, though what exactly it does would take more effort to uncover. Tamamo continues, as if she hadn't just interrupted herself, "There remain many mysteries outside my knowledge. Perhaps, if you learn how happiness can be gained from service, you might explain to me this particular mystery?" The talisman, as Tamamo soon makes clear, is not for her. She tells the elderly couple to "receive this blessing," in "recognition of your fine service." It will bring a place good fortune until the first week of the next year, a timing apparently related to some turn-of-year religious tradition. She does not explain what 'good fortune' means, at least to them. Looking at a gift too closely could be taken as rude, after all.
Lilian Rook	Hearing all of that explanation about Tamamo's courtly and royal backstory, Lilian ends up seating herself in the process of chewing on her fingernail, clearly way deeper in thought about it than anything else she's heard today. After about fifteen seconds, she decides upon the conclusion "I'm kind of jealous now.", half laughed, one quarter sighed, one quarter whined. "That sounds fantastic. Well, being a princess . . . empress? What was it? Would be great in of itself, but . . ." That said, her initial remark about Tamamo's calligraphy probably being extremely pretty was apparently an offhanded understatement. When the fox woman actually gets to it, Lilian ends up watching it like a foreign play, not entirely understanding it, but deeply invested in seeing where the plot goes and soaking up the spectacle. At the same time, she's probably considering how absurdly valuable these charms must be. No helping that. The couple that run the store seem to immediately know, borderline scraping from bowing (after traditionally and humbly turning down the gift several times). "Happiness through service hm?" Lilian contemplates, though somewhat half-heartedly. "I've never really been one to do any 'serving'. Theoretically, I guess, I technically 'serve' my order and my country, and humanity as a whole, but that's sort of a very distant, abstract application of the term. I'm not sure I'd get anything useful from asking a maid either. Maybe it'd make more sense if I had a religious family, but that hasn't been the case."
Tamamo	The practice of refusing and insisting several times may be one of the least portable social traditions that could be easily named, but as it is that both parties here are aware that the other is aware of the real content of the conversation, it goes by without any misstep. Tamamo gives her gift, and sees to all other arrangements, needing only that Lilian handle the matter of ensuring that any necessary packaging and delivery are handled, knowing more than Tamamo does about how to actually get about or find anything in this city. "A 'consort to the emperor,'" Tamamo corrects, once they are again left to themselves. "You might say... a 'concubine'? Simple words cannot help but fail to paint a picture of an emperor's court, and those within it. A high honor, let us say, but not one that grants the status of royalty." Tamamo looks at Lilian with intent interest. "Would it surprise you, to hear of a goddess becoming only a 'secondary wife'? To be certain, though some claimed otherwise, the emperors were all and only human." Not content to stand about while they chat, Tamamo adds as soon as they've marked the day's second errand complete by leaving the shop, "You will show me to dinner, will you not, my knight? That is the customary last element of a date, yes?" She tilts her head, then corrects herself. "Second-to-last."
Lilian Rook	"Oh." Lilian says in response to Tamamo's 'official' title. It's rather abrupt as a response, but considering all of the possible responses, it's refreshingly without any sort of awkwardness, embarrassment, or general pedestrian western prudishness. "In honesty, yes, a little." she continues. "I suppose usually one associates a certain amount of ego with the divine that'd preclude being second to a mortal woman in general. I suppose you must have gotten something out of it though, right? I'm a little bit interested." Given that all the fancy Japanese business is concluded though, Lilian immediately stands up with a triumphant "Of course!" to dinner, regardless of Tamamo using the 'date' word. "On that much, there's no end of choices here. I suppose it comes down to if you'd like something familiar for your first, or if you're feeling adventurous." she ponders, already scrolling through her short list, absorbed in the activity. "As if I would skimp on the full evening."
Tamamo	"'Ego,' yes. That would commonly be a problem, would it not." There's some wry amusement there, that precludes the usual question-intonation, but Tamamo goes straight to the latter question, first. "I would see more of your own interests. Will you show me, then, the foods you favor in this city?" That doesn't answer the question of how adventurous she's willing to be so much as it takes Lilian's tastes directly to trial, but at least the sincere interest in judging her choices was delivered sweetly.
Lilian Rook	"Would it?" says Lilian, entirely honestly. "You'd know more than I would, right? After all, you-- She, would have met the other Shinto gods. I'd be more than eager to hear about that too." she adds. It's completely, one hundred percent genuine. None of that sneering condescending bullshit about the importance of gods. It's primordial mythology in the flesh. The absurd power and epic antics of the divine. Surely that has to be a phenomenal dinner topic, right? "Admittedly, there's only a few places I go to in the city itself. Obviously there are plenty of kitchen staff on hand at home, so the main attraction here would be the couple of places that work with ingredients that sufficiently . . . brave, people have figured out how to prepare from the outer zones." She immediately dials up a restaurant she had taken some Elites before and spent thirty grand on a dinner bill. The menu is largely international, but large portions of it are extremely premium-priced things that nobody from anywhere else would have heard of. By the looks of it, extremely enterprising normal people had done the work to find out which bizarre, magically terraformed alien flora and pseudo-fauna could be chopped up and made tasty in a kitchen. There are, purportedly, flavours that literally don't exist elsewhere, and aren't possible to recreate without bizarre otherworld physics. Lilian has her own particular recommendations. She also gets to walk in the front door, immediately request the second floor, and get it without a reservation, with a business lunch-sized area entirely to the two of them. Obviously she goes there enough (and has gone there enough as a teen with school friends a few years back) to be recognized by face by now. There is also a stupendous amount of liquor. There's such a stockpile of it and a slim trickle of demand that can afford it that there can't help but be an absurd selection. The more adventurous 'pseudo-terrestrial' food is mixed in with familiar items that match and complement. Dark and surreal colours are frequent, with things identifiably fruit-adjacent often having a softly absorbed 'glow' to them, or strange prism-like translucency, vegetable-adjacent items curling or fractally branching into presentable shapes, and the things closest to meat having almost tofu or mushroom-like texture and exceedingly rich and novel flavours. It's not quite traditionally appetizing to look at, almost like a third of any given plate is just artistic plating, but there's plenty to try, even if Tamamo only picks certain things off a variety of dishes. It's not just splurging to show off. Lilian really likes this place and is eager to show it off. This is because she is entirely honest with Tamamo that British cooking is fucking awful and this is easily one of the most unique hotspots. A mildly irresponsible amount of liquor may be eventually involved.
Tamamo	Tamamo takes to the new location as Lilian's guest, as opposed to her behavior in the last shop, allowing (demanding) herself to be escorted, letting Lilian speak, and giving only smiles up until it's time to voice her particular choices of food from the menu. It may be just a polite smile for the service staff, but the sun goddess can at least make it look warm. That, or she really is happy to meet all these people whose names aren't important enough to give to her. Her selections start on the side of 'safety' and go midway from there, perhaps to ensure there's first something on her plate for her to enjoy before she tests more dangerous waters. Tofu is a very palatable part of the culinary spectrum. "And what is a... cocktail?" It may become apparent, within a few seconds of any answer, that 'mixed drinks' is an almost entirely unknown field to her. An observant companion might further notice, just ocasionally, the way one or both of her ears flit, orienting forward, upon seeing or hearing explained something new, preceding any expression such as, 'I see,' or 'How curious.' The notion of mixing fruit juices itself, at least, is not foreign to her. She waits until they're comfortably seated and once more left alone before answering the earlier question. "There is a very simple answer to the question of, 'Why would a goddess allow herself to be treated so?' And that is, 'I had disguised myself as a human,' and a human woman with no known family, no matter how wise or clever, could not oppose a lord nor, even less, an emperor. I was a deity, but I was not acting within the role of a deity, at the time. It would have been difficult to travel among humans, as you would expect, having read some of the world's history, yes? How much more convenient this era has become, that I can speak so easily with you, here amidst food and drink, all prepared by mortal hands. And such variety of it, though that is not so important." It's not clear if fox goddesses can get drunk. There's no shortage of stories about drunk gods doing things they probably shouldn't, but Tamamo's voice and manner have yet to show it, at least.
Lilian Rook	For the most part, when not being directly served, the two of them have the whole area to themselves; not just an arbitrary space on a restaurant floor, but with proper walls, frosted glass blinds, and mood lighting. There's no obnoxiously obligatory 'how are your first few bites tasting?' checkup, nor constant rounds. Glasses get filled when someone hits the bell, and plates come out when ordered. "Ah, I suppose that'd make sense." Lilian follows on Tamamo's answer, having been hanging on waiting to hear it the whole way. "Especially back then. I'm familiar with the broad strokes of feudal society, caste and class-based social systems, family lines, et cetera." She mulls it over for a second before continuing. "There's still some remnant of that in modern Japanese culture, I'm informed. You could certainly point of a great deal of progress since then. I mean, even just in the way we've gone about town, that's obvious." "But . . . at least some of what you'd call 'convenience', the lack of inclination or capacity to judge and act on it, comes from other factors. Ones you won't find everywhere in the Multiverse. Of course I'll absolutely make sure you enjoy everything you could want here; I think you clearly deserve that much, especially if that's how you were treated last time. It took a lot of . . . a lot of everything, honestly, for us to reach this point though. Keep that in mind if and when you go exploring." Lilian stirs around the leftovers on her plate, then just goes into a new glass, before leaning forward with her chin in her hands. "So why exactly did you want to disguise yourself as a human anyways? Couldn't you have gotten basically anything you'd want if you didn't?"
Tamamo	Tamamo demonstrates a continued capacity for drink, though she doesn't /look/ like she's doing more than sipping a little. When a glass is set aside, she asks for something else, or maybe two. Nothing's chosen twice, so she's adventurous in this respect, if less so with the meats. As it happens, her choices tend sweet, and at least her cheeks will warm, at this rate. She considers, tilting her head one way, glass in hand, then the other. Setting it down, turning a little in her seat, relaxing against the back as she answers. "Ah, but it is just as I have said. You said before, did you not, that your family is 'not religious'? May I take this to mean that, while you know of gods, you do not worship, and do not observe their feasts, their holy days, their sacrifice and ritual? It may be difficult, then, by merely reading of history, but think on how a cult of the Sun would view the incarnation of the Sun walking among them. 'It would have been difficult to travel among humans,' not because they could have prevented me, but because I might destroy their lives by my very presence." It takes a little longer for her to finish that thought. "Consider, if you will, what would occur should they be unable to look away, but could think only of the fact that divinity had been made flesh, and now walked among them. Wars have been fought for lesser miracles." Slowly, she shakes her head. "I did not seek to change them, nor to command them. And so, I let them be. I could not experience a human life through mere force of authority. What I sought from them were the answers too small, too close to the Earth for the Sun to see, from that inconceivably lofty perspective." Coming forward again, to rest her own chin on hand, perhaps a little more casual as the food is put away but some wine remains, "But I have spoken over much of myself, have I not? What can you tell me to mend this balance, my knight? Surely not that you have ever disguised yourself as a god?" Her smile this time is lazier, and a little toothier. Still not quite a grin.
Lilian Rook	"Mmm, back in the old days --the old old days-- our ancestors observed the Celtic gods, and then there was a period where the Christians managed to make some headway on the isles; enough that there was some participation in the first couple of Holy Crusades, but by the time the Holy Roman Empire was on its last legs, it sort of fell out of the family." Lilian expounds upon the subject of religion. Her tone tilts back and forth between leanings towards positive and negative, vocally ambivalent on the topic without saying anything but fact. "The modern world became very secular around the turn of the 20th century. It's just how it is. Of course, the modern world overwhelmingly didn't believe in magic or the supernatural either." Lilian herself isn't at all drunk, but she's gone through enough wine by now to be considerably more open than she normally would be, inhibitions and guard lowered. "I can see that being the case. People have gone all sorts of heinous and obscene absurdity over the mere claim of miracles, never mind the holy walking around, visiting town to town. I can understand then, why you'd bear the indignity, though I still don't quite get what you were looking for. What could possibly be all that interesting about the dirty little mundane lives of ordinary people?" It is, however, entirely fair game for Tamamo to request something in return by now, Lilian figures. "Ahh, I guess I've been bugging you with my questions and sightseeing all day though, haven't I." she says, flashing a slightly apologetic, but not even remotely guilty little grin. "There's a million and one things I could tell you about my world, my family, either of my schools, my eventual career, my ten months in the Paladins, but I feel like those are all things you're going to learn anyways. Hmm." Yet, on the subject of trying to find something personal, yet not so personal it's meaningless and boring, or else inappropriate for dinner, Lilian finds herself only coming back to the one thing; a great deal of consideration about one particular topic goes for several laps in her head, teetering between her habitual reluctance, her desire to reciprocate with Tamamo, and the practicalities for and against. Ultimately arriving at the conclusion that, past a point, it'd swiftly become rude and impractical to keep in the dark, she downs the last of her glass, and says, "I can do this." -----[stop]----- Reaching for the half-finished bottle between them, Lilian half fills both her own glass and that of her company. Stacking her cutlery in a neat little cross, she sorts and piles up all the plates in a way she usually only ever watches the maids do, but which clears the table space between them. -----[start]----- No sooner has she said it than both wine glasses are full once again and the table is clear of clutter. There's no magic. No breeze. No illusion. Not even a couple of frames of black or static like a film cut would have. "All the time." she adds. "Because of our founding ancestor, my whole bloodline has had a long and . . . interesting relationship, with magic that affects or interacts with time. Back in those days, they were prophets and seers, sages and viziers, healers and menders, but branched out over time. It all comes out a little differently for each person. A kind of personal expression, I guess." "I'm the only one who can do this, though. Create more of it. Just for myself. A private world with no one else, where I can say and do as I please, just for me. My brother and sister only half-joke about it being just because I'm so selfish, I decided the normal amount of time isn't enough. They might be right for all I know. It was a couple of seconds when I was little. Then became minutes. Then hours with warmup; it's much easier to do it 'softly'. Now that it's so important to everything I do that . . ."
Lilian Rook	"I guess the most personal thing I can tell you, that you should know sooner or later, is I live a thirty four hour day. Every day. I take double classes and study while the clock doesn't move. I double the length of our training periods while we have the facilities. I sleep fifteen minute shifts like that. There are so many things to do and so many things I want to be that I just can't stand the thought of having maybe sixteen hours a day to try and do it all in. I can't stand the thought of falling behind anyone either." "I wasn't always the best about it. I cheated on tests, even. Eventually someone I respect figured it out, and some wise words put me on the course I am now. My instructors at the academy only found out recently. A couple of the Paladins have some idea, but not nearly one of the scope. It's not a deathly critical secret --I'll tell them eventually-- but it's how I live my life. Without that privacy, that option to turn it all off for a while, that extra time, that edge, I honestly don't know what I'd get up to. Maybe something boring that makes a lot of money." Finally detecting that she's gone on for a little while, Lilian tries to wave it off with a lighter tone. "So basically, you should be aware that I can always be there for you in an instant, I can easily take care of things you don't like, and you'll never see me get tired~"
Tamamo	Tamamo listens along to this summarized history of the isles without judgment. None of it seems too surprising to her, even if she hadn't known most of it. Her own reading had provided a murky picture of some recent events, already. When she gets to Lilian's question, "That is the deeper question. However..." She smiles, and shrugs, the roll of her shoulders particularly noticeable in that style of dress. She takes another sip of wine. It's not that deeper question that's going to be answered right now, this much is clear. And Lilian isn't done speaking. Tamamo continues to look on, in increasing interest at the hesitation. The table is reset. Tamamo's eyes narrow a moment, sweeping across the neat setting, before the bright gold is focused back toward Lilian's. Tamamo's expression develops further into a broad smile at those last words, the kind of easy, relaxed expression that has her raise her hand to cover her mouth, markedly less effectively than the fan she's kept hidden for the past while. "To always, instantly, and tirelessly attend me, is... a warm proposal, Lilian." She really might be blushing now.
Lilian Rook	Lilian blushes herself, just a little bit too, but how much is drink and how much trying to stick with the slightly embarrassing 'cool line' is a tossup. Still, not one to go back on it, or get undignified, she continues with "Well, obviously I'd expect you wouldn't abuse it, right? But not only is it a sign of class to provide only the highest quality --and I think you deserve it for what you're doing for me-- it's part of the code as well. For people like us, Code Eight: Thou shalt use the fullest of thy competence at all times, and thou shalt demand the fullest. Thou shalt not accept substitutes, imitations, or shortcuts, from thyself or any other." Only after rehearsing it does she shake her head and say "Ah that it's own whole other thing. I'm just . . . happy to have someone I can talk to like this, I guess. Someone who saw through me a little, sure, but then decided that they'd want to give their help and attention, freely and openly. Nobody . . . does that. Of course I'm grateful, and you're exciting, and unique, and you 'get it'. Obviously, I'd want to pay you back." She glances to the bill, and absentmindedly slaps her card against a reader built right into the table. "And the money doesn't count. I have more money than I know what to do with. What matters is that someone heard me out, and decided that they would support me. A famous legend too! For that, I'll make absolutely certain you live exactly the life you deserve this time." Standing up from the cleared table, Lilian holds out her hand, a little showily on purpose. "So, I'll show you back to your accommodations~ Shall we?"