Ice Queen

"Does that mean I’m included in your Christmas card list now that we’ll be sending each other gift cards?" He questioned in a tone that was either friendly or pompous. He wouldn’t be surprised if Mitsuru took a clearer view of the latter. He knew this conversation will be going nowhere, however, if he kept edging her on so he sighed and slid his hands into the pockets of his jacket.

"Look, it wouldn’t kill you to cut one class." He drew back to the point in a bound and determined tone this time. His eyes twinkled with intention though so it was probably hard to tell whether he was serious or was just playing a cruel joke.

"Just one class, Mitsuru. If you’re worried about notes, you can just borrow one of our classmates’ notebooks." Mitsuru was undoubtedly a hard person to convince and Ayato was positive of that. There was no way she would take a shot in the dark, dismantling her flawless image but the very thought of that was rather taxing. It was obvious, or at least that’s what Ayato could perceive, that she seldom spent a single day in a carefree manner. She had probably been living her days thinking of the consequences her actions could possibly make if she didn’t execute them properly.

Who the hell would want to live a life constantly fearing the judgment of the public?

She tilted her head slightly to see if the water really would change colors but nothing happened.  The timing just wasn't quite right.  

The opportunity was taken and used to calm herself down, eyes closed, finding the inner palace of the mind that so many great thinkers utilized to keep their memories and thoughts compartmentalized, instead of carelessly strewn about in a thicket worthy of being a representation of chaos theory, nothing ever in the right place and nothing ever in the same location twice. Putting the bottle to her forehead, which felt a little hot, helped, and she seemed back to normal, if a little subdued, by the time that Mitsuru stepped out with the new clothes laying over her arm.

Minako left the mounds of articles with a silent apology to the unlucky newbie clerk that would probably be forced to clean up after her. Well, probably a rite of passage for all clerks. She was thinking about than when Mitsuru abruptly turned. Minako offered her a slight smile, offhand.

It amused her that she had been invited out by both Aristato's within a very short period of time, it amused her more that she accepted despite being relative strangers, there was something about that family, she supposed, that made her feel like she could spend a little time for herself.  Be less of a Kirijo and more of a nineteen year old.  

"You're names are very similar."  She noted, "But I don't think I'll have a problem keeping you two separate."  She could see where the confusion came from though, their names were only a single letter apart, it was bound to cause some issues.  "Are you two close?"  

I disappeared for fanime and forgot to give notice -.-“

I’m so sorry!

As they pulled up to their destination and Mitsuru’s driver stopped the car, Minato reached for the door handle uncertainly just as the driver opened it for them from the other side. Yep, certain things were always going to be difficult to get used to. With a sigh, Minato slid himself out of the car first and bowed his head slightly to the driver before stepping out of the way for Mitsuru. Once she had joined him on the sidewalk, he began to head towards the front doors of the widely acclaimed Café Soleil.

Mitsuru had never been to a butler cafe before but she didn't really think much of it considering the fact that she had grown up with butlers and maids who had tended to her.  They were the most consistent parts of her life and she respected them greatly.  

Not great, perhaps, but the urge to throw up and the queasy, greasy nausea lining her stomach like a brick bulwark had eased off. She was a little stiff, feeling Mitsuru’s grip but, seeing how the other redhead was still wearing the outfit that Minako had suggested for her solidified a firmer grasp on present time, allowing her to focus more naturally on the situation instead of faking it. Her former shrink would have been so proud.

“I’m okay now, I have spells – sometimes. Hadn’t happened in a long while.” That, in factual stats, was not untrue. If mired a little in oblique misdirection. But not a lie. The last time she’d come that close to triggering a full blown panic attack had been during Bal des Sang when pranksters had decided to explode fireworks directly within a crowd, not once, but twice during the night. Her nerves had been as tightly wound as brittle violin strings, humming discordantly out of tune at the slightest vibration.

Minako gently disengaged her arm so that she could reach up with both hands and smooth her hair back, thinking it must have looked a frightful mess, but she’d barely mussed it at all. (Trying to fix it might have, on the other hand, been a disservice.)

At the mention of water, Mitsuru moved to where she had carelessly left her bag, and pulled out a bottle of unopened sparkling water, offering it to her new friend.  

"I confess that I've never had a burger before."  She was a bit sheepish, "But I don't mind joining you.  Let me change out of this first though."  

This would mark the second time she accompanied a stranger to lunch but Mitsuru found that she did not mind.  A secret part of her craved normal female companionship although she wasn't quite sure what that entailed.

Hey everyone!  My hiatus is over!  I have one more final tomorrow but I’m free as a bird afterwards.  

I should have replied to all my threads by now but if I’ve missed something, please poke at me.  

I also want to talk about the plots/threads I’m looking for so that’s under the cut!  Silly and not so silly ones below!

“Hmm.” She canted her head, critically, before deeming it a pass with both thumbs up in approval. “You look good! Height always helps pull anything off.” Her expression eased from acclamation to pensive curiosity, foot swinging vaguely to the upbeat pop song playing unobtrusively from the store speakers. “You’ve never worn a single bad thing in all the time that I’ve seen you, though; I’d say we both have pretty good taste.”

Belatedly dawning upon the teenager that those words could perhaps be taken in a terribly unintended manner, Minako coughed into her fist and was quick to clarify.

{ ☁ }  ”…Yes. I believe your father had contact with him, and he informed him I was here.”  Alaude confirmed with a simple nod toward the red-head.  He thought back to his earlier comment, blinking a bit as his mind tried to piece if that sounded strange.  In honesty, it was.  After all, who addressed their father as their last name as if speaking about a stranger?  

As she dismissed his statement, he gave a small nod in response before speaking again.  ”The entertainment district is really just full of places to entertain yourself for a few hours.”  Leaving it at that, he turned and pointed forward.  ”I suppose we should head to the Central district, since that is the center of Prava.  It has more to offer then here.”  

The blonde began to walk to the said district, glancing back when she addressed the same question back to him in response.  He paused for a moment.  Even if he lived here, and experienced just what the Pravians thought of it he just didn’t have a opinion about it.  The myth was simply there, and nothing else.  

"…It’s an interesting theory."  Alaude responded back, as if he spoke of something more scientific then a myth.  "…Though I have no general opinion about it."  As they continued to walk, he kept his hand in his pocket taking hold of the gold pocket watch that lay inside.  This was the most he’s spoken in awhile.  

She followed him without a word.  He didn't really seem like the type to actually engage in any kind of idle conversation so she didn't bother.  He seemed to just want this whole thing to be done with, which was fine with her.  She respected that.

"It's hardly a theory."  She found herself saying in response to his answer, but she let the topic drop.  She didn't believe in the legend it was too farfetched for her to believe it, but she didn't bother voicing that outloud. 

When the driver opened the doors for them, Minato caught the man’s side-glance as he slid himself onto the seat beside Mitsuru. Once he was situated, he leaned back towards the door to tell him their intended destination. The driver seemed to have a decent idea of where Café Soleil was located, and after Minato gave him a few vague directions he seemed sure enough to shut the door behind them.

Now alone in the car with Mitsuru, Minato leaned back against the plush cushioning of the seat before reaching across his shoulder for the seat-belt. “It’s fine. I don’t really mind,” he shrugged, pulling the seatbelt across his chest. “I’m sure, in his own way, he probably worries about you.”

She shifted a little in response to his comment.  Minato was clearly more observant than the average person and she really should have given him more credit.  

{ ☁ } Alaude gave a small nod in response, hand slipping back into his coat pockets.  His right hand enclosed around the gold pocket watch that lay inside, Simply touching the cool metal allowed him to think more clearly.  He could feel the indentations of the cover’s design as his fingers ran over it within his coat pocket.  

"…I’ve lived here for about 9 years."  Alaude responded back with a slight shrug.  "I attended St. Orwells Academy and University upon Roux’s orders."  He continued, his fingers unintentionally opening the watch in his pocket before closing it with a soft ‘click’.  If someone were to see him do that out in the open, then they would assume it was a nervous habit…which maybe it was.  After all,he had declined his father’s orders to return back to France, and that was not something someone talked about easily.

Blinking, he glanced around the district, deciding to walk again to calmly give her a full overview of the district.  ”There isn’t much to do here, unless you enjoy night clubbing, or movies.”  He said with a slight tilt of his head, and he glanced at her.  ”The only place I believe is worth the time here is the theater, since the plays are put together well… even if they revolve around that red-string legend.”  

"I'm sorry, but Roux?"  She asked, curious, although she didn't want to make him feel like she was prying.  Nine years was a long time to stay in a place if you're just following directions.  Some part of him must be attached to the city or simply just could not leave.

"I'm afraid that doesn't really appeal to me."  She frowned, plus it was the middle of the day, none of the clubs were open and she didn't really fancy seeing a movie with the man.  The whole point of the arrangement was to get to know the city, ducking in the theater would do nothing for either of them, although the plays sounded interesting.  She'd have to see one some day.  

Like her, he didn’t know Prava’s sights as much as the normal Pravian would have. But unlike her, it was merely because he never really gave enough of a care to take a look around on his own. Instead of expandng and caring for the Sakamaki name, like a good heir ought to, he passed life by moving as least as he possibly could.

Rides in the Sakamaki limo were spent fast asleep, much like how he passed the rest of his time. He really was too lazy, but his curiosity was starting to get the best of him. Maybe having a good look around would be a nice change.

He looked back at her and sighed again, closing his book and taking his time to stand up. “Fine…where do you want to start…?”

"I was thinking we'd start here."  She suggested, looking over at the fountain, and she really didn't want to venture too far anyway.  The whole point of parking here was to explore the area here.  "Unless you have any other ideas."  

She lead the way out, glancing back only once to see if he was following, and waved to her driver who had only just dropped her off.  He looked confused and eyed Minato before opening the doors for both of them.

“It’s no little black dress, but this should go with it nicely, if you don’t want to dress down too much.” She shook the skirt, making the dark material shimmer with deep bones of oak wood. “I take it you’re not the short-shorts type, though those would look nice paired with it. Might want to think about it, for when it gets unbearably hot later in the year. Or when you’re trying to get a tan on the sly.” already Minako was inspecting the rest of her pile for suitably matching pieces, but, considering their body types were different, there wasn’t a lot she had that would fit well.

Obviously, she was starving for female companionship; hanging out with her brother was cool and all, and he was so vain that no one would believe her if she told them about it, but there were still things that brothers couldn’t appreciate like another girl could. There was just no comparison. Minako busily pushed a red shawl away until she fished out a pair of gold hoop earrings, discreet in size but wide enough to catch the eye, still hooked onto their white cardboard. She dangled them triumphantly like the lost treasure of Sierra Madre before the other redhead.

She took the skirt from the girl's hands and smiled, the girl seemed to know Mitsuru's tastes well despite having just met and Mitsuru found herself appreciating her more for it.  "I can't say I am."  She told her, short-shorts were just too casual for her.  Her summer wear mostly consisted of skirts.

Holding onto the clothes, Mitsuru found herself wanting to return the favor but nothing she saw could really measure up to the clothing the girl had already piled onto the chairs.  Instead, she did as she said and moved to try on the articles of clothing, feeling, for once, that she wasn't Mitsuru Kirijo, heiress of the Kirijo corp and more like Mitsuru Kirijo, girl.

{ ☁ } Alaude didn’t respond back as he was thanked, seeing as this was simply a job, thrust upon him by a man thousands of miles away. Giving her a brief nod in acknowledgement, but nothign more. It wasn’t as if he was an eager puppy, waiting on people, and living to please everyone.  Some people may have done it, considering she was a Kirijo, but he didn’t care much about status.  She was just a normal woman, there was nothing spectacular about it.

"I was not aware of your current residency in Prava."  The blonde responded, turning as he began to walk.  The red-head would follow anyway, and he doubted that she’d be want to seen with him.  It would bring press, and not to mention more attention both of them didn’t want.  "…Well.  We are currently in the Entertainment district."  He pointed toward the main road leading deeper into the district before his blue gaze went back over to her.  

"The district houses karaoke, night clubs, as well as cinemas and a theater for acting."  The blonde said, offering her a slight shrug.  He didn’t come to the entertainment district often, unless it was just for patrols.  "It gets busy at night.  So it’s  unwise to be out sometimes."  Alaude finished, turning back to face her.  

"I haven't been here long."  She told him, she'd only been here since August and she'd been too busy to really sink her teeth into the city.  She suspected that was the main reason her father arranged this.  "Have you lived here long?"

She looked over at the entertainment district, taking it in for the first time since she had been in the city.  She had yet to explore that area, finding no time or reason to venture there.  "I think the entertainment district is a good a place to start as any."