The Senou Family Manor

Within the more well-off part of the Sky Construct resided Natsuru's house. Well, more-so her parent's. Natsuru lived comfortably in a large manor due to her parent's success. At first glance one would follow a cobblestone path leading past a wrought iron gate. The entire grounds were surrounded by a masterwork, reinforced concrete wall topped with wrought iron spikes. The cobblestone path lead straight down towards a small series of steps leading to the porch. Two alternative paths symmetrically branched halfway down the main one leading into the garden. The gardens were exceedingly complex abundant in flowers of the season. Fine, stone gargoyles, weathered marble statues, and other props were mounted and set on pillars to give the garden life other than flowers and trimmed grass. The porch was dressed with a few rocking chairs, a fire pit, tables, small potted plants, and some additional trinkets that gave the exterior a lavish look. One could say their manor was inspired off old Victorian architecture.  

The interior of the house was equally exquisite. Mahogany flooring, fine silk rugs, marble tiles, expensive furniture, top-grade appliances and lighting, etc. It was quite obvious this was a family of wealth, and one that enjoyed to live in high status. Natsuru's room was themed purple with Victorian notes, which was expected due to her upbringing. The walls were electric purple with a black decorative pattern. The molding of the walls and flooring were both treated mahogany. A decorative rug sat in the middle of the floor next to a small table with a black table cloth, coupled with a pair of cushioned chairs. Her bed was queen sized with black blankets and a lavender canopy. On a nightstand was a simple lamp connected to an outlet. Along side that was a mahogany wardrobe. On the far side of the bedroom was more or less her work area. It was a messy long table with projects and tools laid all across. She had her two bedroom windows opened to allow a draft of cool, refreshing garden air into her room to help her focus.

Natsuru dresses similar to most Kumogakure shinobi as she prefers the simplicity and darkness their uniform provides. Black sandals cover both feet secured tightly providing comfort and protection. This is paired by a set of steel shin guards which start at base of her shin and up just below her knees. The steel is dyed white with three red lines running down the front face, a common feature done by Kumogakure-forged armor. She wears black pants with a black lapel on the left side. Strapped to her right thigh is a tanto crafted with red and black scabbard. Along with a mesh, sleeveless undershirt she wears a sleeveless black top with a zipper running down the middle. On both arms she wears leather forearm guards made with blackened leather with reinforced padding. Natsuru has very fair skin with an almost ink-like navy blue hair, which matches her eyes in the same regards. Standing at 5'10 she has a very slender frame which maximizes her role as an archer.

She worked with a blow torch over a small dish, heating up pure silver to a liquid state. A small sack of assorted gems, as well as small bars of different precious metals sat next to her. Natsuru would work diligently to craft her trinkets to have them done in enough time to impress her friends.

Throughout three days Natsuru worked on her crafts at a relaxed pace. Her injuries from her mission have healed well to where they were unnoticeable. She successful underwent a full recovery. On her workbench she had three necklaces crafted, polished, and ready to wear. One was silver with red ruby gems. This was hers. Natsuru was eager to test it on. She would shut her door and lock it before approaching her wardrobe. Setting her necklace on her nightstand she would open up the wardrobe. Among the clothes she had stored there was a mirror along the inside of one of the doors. Natsuru would undress her top, unzipping her black top and pulling the mesh shirt over her head setting both on her bed. Her hands reached to the back of her bra, fiddling with the clasp and undoing the fasten, removing the black bra and setting it upon the pile of other clothes. There, she was bare-chested in front of the mirror. Taking her necklace she positioned it accordingly, connecting the ends together and fixing it so it laid across the top of her bosom. She would admire herself with the jewelry, folding one arm under her chest while stroking her chin with her other hand.

"Fascinating!" She thought to herself. It was amazing how a fine piece of jewelry on a fine woman can make their value increase tenfold. "Some man will be very lucky, whoever he may be..." A slight smirk washed away as she closed her wardrobe doors and continued to redress herself. She had to deliver her trinkets to Ryuko and Shimiko. She knew they would be as pleased as she was with her creations. After all, precious stone and metal would be any woman's weakness. Natsuru would place them in their molds, wrapping them in gift wrap and ribbon before heading out with all of her gear in attempts to track down her girls.

[Exit]

Natsuru made it certain to prepare a week in advance for this event. Her house's cooks, landscapers, maids, and everyone hired to maintain functionality was notified. Natsuru ensured they had time to prepare and even had her parents provide bonuses for their participation. Her parents were more than happy to do so, and the staff willing to take on the work load. Natsuru was surprised there were no errors the forced her to cancel the event. She was happy because of that.

Natsuru dressed in her same casual outfit. It was comfortable and did the job without reminding her of work. She wore just a pair of white socks for her feet. A tight pair of black denim pants, a white top with black sleeves, and a red bow set in her hair to top off her look. She wore a black belt which she used to secure her tanto to her side. Although she was in her own house she felt it was always necessary to carry. Natsuru has very fair skin with an almost ink-like navy blue hair, which matches her eyes in the same regards. Standing at 5'10 she has a very slender frame which gave her a darker, looming presence. In her bedroom she readied herself in the mirror, fixing her hair and preening herself to her maximum potential. Alas, she topped her look off with a nice, mellow scented perfume.

Exiting her bedroom she would trot downstairs taking one of the two staircases which led to the upper level and into the kitchen. "Is everything coming along fine?" She received a mixed reply of mostly positive answers. The cooks were preparing a mixture of Chinese cuisine, and surprisingly no Japanese. Her father, having the Chinese background and being the patriarch of the household, set her to mostly having those traits and being raised with a Chinese diet. She was unaware of her friend's taste buds, so she tried to be rather neutral with what was to be prepared. It would be hard to mess up in the first place.

Everything was prepped well as the sun was starting to set. Natsuru waited in the main hall where the front door was on a cushioned chair waiting for her first guest. When they came she would let her door greeter take over. With her parents gone, the house was now under her total control.

Ryuko's dress:

A polite knock came from the other side of the door.  However the person knocking wasn’t Ryuko herself but her lady in waiting Sofia who was standing their wearing her usual upper class maid uniform and carrying a large guitar case strapped to her back, as well as a gift wrapped package.

Standing just a few feet behind her was Ryuko.  But unlike her maid she wasn’t in her usual attire but rather a very fancy light pink dress with the necklace Natsuru had given her on prominent display.  From what she’d been told this was a house party with dinner and sweets being served so she had shown up dressed for the occasion.

As a noblewoman she was no stranger to dinner parties and the required etiquette.   This was just another in a long string of ones she had attending and yet she found it very refreshing because she was here to spend time with a friend for once, not to be a bargining chip in one of her fathers hair-brained schemes.

As the doors cracked open Sofia made a polite curtsy.  “Presenting the lady Ryuko Shize von Rose.” she announced making Ryuko blush slightly as she curtsied as well.  It felt a little embarrassing to be introducing herself like this to a close friend, but protocol was protocol and had to be followed.  At least she’d been able to talk Sofia out of giving out her full extended title otherwise they’d be standing their for the next fifteen minutes before they could go inside.  

Spotting her friend sitting on a cushioned chair Ryuko grinned warmly.  The way Natsuru was sitting reminded her of a sultan and was very suiting for her. Though her more casual look was making Ryuko worry that maybe she was a bit overdressed for the occasion.  The problem with being a noble was that she always had to be keeping up appearances, at least to a point anyway.

With the formalities out of the way, she walked straight over to Natsuru and attempted to embrace her in a gentle hug which was a great contrast to her usual running glomps thanks only to the heels she was wearing forcing her to go a slower pace.

“Oh my Nat-chan tis been too long since we last saw each other. You’re looking positively radiant.” she said complementary.  She might be moving slower but at least she was talking the same way she usually did.

“You won’t believe what happened to me the other day.” She started to say excitedly before putting a hand up to cover her on mouth before she could blabber any further. “Oh but where are my manners, I almost forgot I brought you a present.” she added.

As if on Que Sofia stepped forward and offered the package she was holding for Natsuru to take.  Inside the wrapping was a folded advanced mantel, the finest cape Ryuko could weave perfect for a scout/sniper like Natusru to wear on long outdoor missions as well as a pair of knights stockings and knights cloves.  Both comfortable to wear and yet tougher then anything that could be bought in a store.

The door had a few knocks. Natsuru was the first to respond, which was also good considering whoever was at the door did not use the doorbell and the house was very large. Turning the brass knob she opened the door to see a familiar face, backed by her friend, Ryuko. Soph, who was Ryuko's maid introduced her presence  to those who happened to be by the front door, which included Natsuru and a couple passerby. Those men bowed and smiled. Natsuru could careless. Not out of disrespect by any means, though she grew accustomed to the standards of Ryuko's culture. In the end she was the same Ryuko she met, and a comrade secondmost. She was greeted by Ryuko the same way as she did every other day. Being separated for a week it was refreshing. Her regular hug attempts were also more tolerable since their last experience at the bath house.

"Thank you, Ryuko. Glad you could make it." Natsuru said passing a mellow smile. Natsuru's face lit up in surprise when Ryuko exclaimed she had something interesting to share. It was not often there was much news in hers, or anyone's life that came off as shocking. Perhaps they all led boring lives? Well, Ryuko was fourteen so she was excusable. But being eighteen, Natsuru had no excuse. Her habits were the as they were four years ago. Wake up around noonish, run some errands, if any, then snack in her room until it was dinner. Rarely did she ever go out, and if she did it was strictly business related, whether it was for crafting supplies, Shinobi business, or personal errands. But before Ryuko could continue with her story she caught herself, mentioning a present.

Another one already? As craftsmen it was common for them to exchange gifts. These "gifts" were practiced crafts which enhanced their experience with crafting, but also served as neat trinkets and tools to help them in battle. Ryuko most recent gift was a set of riveted iron mail. In return, Natsuru designed an elegant necklace. This meant she had to start brainstorming for something else. She was presented a wrapped package by Ryuko's servant. Taking it she gently tugged the bow in which the ribbon's knot was released gracefully. The package was somewhat lightweight. At least enough to where she could expect it not to be anything iron or steel. Removing the cover she set the box on the coffee table besides her reaching in. Retrieving  a heavy wool cloak she held it out before her in silence. She brought the material to her nose and inhaled deeply.

"I love the smell of new clothes." She said musing to herself. She would try it on, being one of the few bits in her present that could be tested without completely redressing. It was weighted and very comfortable like a blanket. Just from handling the fabric she could tell it was very well-crafted. Enough to provide fairly recent protection to bladed attacks and even blunt impact. She sorted through the other two items, a pair of stocking and long sleeved gloves. Her cheeks were blushed at the new sense of style. She had to completely rethink her outfit if she were to wear this. The thought of that made her feel tingly on the inside. "These are all well-made and gorgeous. I love black." She set the goods back inside the present box before speaking turning to the door greeter. "Fei-Long, could you take this to my bedroom? Thank you." Her dialect Mandarin, unlike the commonly spoken Japanese.

The man would attend to Natsuru, taking her present and heading upstairs quickly only to return to the door for the other guests. Natsuru turned to Ryuko again. "So what did you have to tell me about your day?" She said, hoping to hear the rest of her story. Natsuru would turn the other way and slowly walk towards the great hall of the mansion. It was the quickest way to the dining area and led to the inner cloister.

Natsuru might not know it, given how frequently it happened to her, but Ryuko reserved that sort of treatment to team mates only.  The only other people to get hugs where Shimiko prior to her hospitalization and Nariko though the later wasn’t on the reciving end quite as often by virtue of the fact she was fast enough to actually dodge.

“But of course, wouldn’t miss it for the world.” she replied. Ok sure that statement was a bit of an exaggeration but the fact remained Natsuru was a very important friend to her so it was only naturally that she wanted to spend time together with her.   She’d spend so much time crafting and training lately that it felt good to be taking some downtime for once with something that was neither ninja or priestess related.

Altought she was very relaxed that said it wasn’t like she was entirely unarmed either.  Thought you couldn’t see it with the dress she was wearing it was extremely rare for her not to be packing heat of some kind as it where.  Even the high heels which seemed impacticle where designed so that the heels themselves could be detached at a moments noticed and reattached afterwards so that if a battle broke out she wouldn’t find her herself unable to respond.

Feeling extremely pleased by Natsuru’s reaction to her present Ryuko would have purred if she was capable of such a thing.  It was a shame that was all she had ready at the moment but she planned to have her entire team kitted out eventually one way or another in the long run.  She didn’t care if she received anything in return, as long as it kept Natsuru healthy and warm in her missions to come.

“Oh what language is that? I didn’t know you could speak anything outside of Japanese” Ryuko asked, feeling curious that Natsuru had said something that she couldn’t understand to her butler. Given her background  Ryuko herself could speak proficient in several languages but this hadn’t been one of them.

“Well you see I was out hunting for those eggs that popped up all over town when I ran into this guy who said he knew where to find some. He wanted to spend the night making love in exchange for the information. Can you believe it?” she said excitedly holding back just enough info to protect the person in questions identity.  If a record had been playing in the background it likely would have scratched from what she had just blurted out.

There was some warmth in Ryuko's reassuring words. Truth be told, Natsuru has had some trouble making friends that were, well, genuine friends. She made friends in grade school, though they quickly fell off after graduation. Her years in the academy were just as bad. She rarely associated herself with her peers due to the age gap. In general she understood she was troublesome to actually befriend. Her dark, wry sense of humor and habit to "roast" those she meets made her come off as cold and abusive despite her being jocular in nature. She never intended to cause harm to those she provokes. In a way she felt a bit of guilt for Shimiko. Her recent hospitalization made her status unknown. Natsuru was quick to decide Seigi's fate, stating his death was inevitable. And it were those words that assured his fate. Now she regret saying them. Seeing as Shimiko was afflicted with the same illness she could not decide how long she had, and she did not want to think about it. Such thoughts were delicate. Natsuru bested herself not to exercise them, especially as a host for this party.

Natsuru was partially flattered by Ryuko's statement. Truth be told, most people in her family's house were bilingual. Her father was the traditional head of the household, thus her ethnic influence took dominance. They took on Japanese names to meddle within the society better. Learning Japanese has helped greatly. "Oh, it is Mandarin. It is from the mainland. I am half Chinese, if you did not know. Mandarin is the language commonly spoken from my father's side. I am half Chinese and half Japanese. Just as a heads up, Chinese is what's for dinner tonight. I do hope you are willing to try something different."

As the two departed from the front door, Ryuko had the chance to share her story. Natsuru nodded, although in slight confusion. She had no idea the egg spawn was a village-wide phenomenon. And to further top it off, she did now remember they held some sort of value to them. She noticed this a week after when there were bits of shell around a neatly packed stack of fifteen thousand ryo. She didn't want to bring up to to anybody with the thought of her being seen as weird. As Ryuko continued she mentioned she was approached by a man who, in all of its glory, wanted to have sex with her in exchange for some eggs. A raise eye brow and a minor blush was expressed on the girl's face. She could not believe it.

"A guy wanted to...have at you for a night? Aren't you like thirteen or fourteen?" Inevitably, she tried to imagine how that would roll out. However, the mere thought of seeing Ryuko naked brought her back to the bathhouse, which caused her to wince her eyes and shake her head rapidly in disapproval. But then, there was the thought of doubt. Ryuko tells her this story, though greets Natsuru with a new set of gear? To her knowledge, she was the wealthiest out of the trio. Ryuko's family had their own worth, though to her knowledge were not anything significant in the trading field. As far as she know, her family were all religious fanatics like herself. This aroused a great deal of suspicious in the Genin. She stopped, the two just standing outside the back door into the inner cloister. Natsuru turned Ryuko around from her shoulder and placed both of her hands on them together almost squeezing Ryuko with her strength as Natsuru held her in place.

A dark, horrific visage glared down at the priestess with dead-fish eyes as her strength and height gave off a greater intimidating presence. Natsuru's ink black  curled hair gave a shadowy backdrop to her presence almost acting like jet black tentacles as if she were some form of Medusa. Her eyes, lifeless, poured every ounce of "Killing Intent" into the little girl as she spoke like a stern mother scolding her child. "You didn't go through with it, did you?" It was hard for her to believe Ryuko would do something as to throw her virginity away for some delicate eggs, even if they were worth money. That was borderline prostitution. She had her doubts, but in the end wanted a straight answer from the girl to be at ease. It was something a go-getter like herself had a habit of doing.

Ryuko didn’t dwell on it much but as a person who could count the number of friends she had with one hand and still have fingers left over she tended to listen really well to to the few that she did have. As Natsuru talked about her background it make the priestess’s eyes go wide like saucers as she absorbed every little detail.

It was refreshing in a way to know now that her friend was only half japanese like herself, even if the other half was from an entirely different continent it still meant they had something in common. Though both their familys where what you would consider well off they seemed to live in such different worlds sometimes that it made Ryuko fret they would have a hard time understanding each other.

From what Ryuko knew Natsuru’s family where merchants of some kind, though she’d yet to learn what sort of goods or services they peddled in. Obviously whatever it was they must be good at their job considering the type of house they kept was luxuriousness enough to rival a good chunk of the noble’s Ryuko had visited.

Generally speaking most nobles were disdainful of the merchant class, viewing them to below the gentry in social status. And yet ironically a good lot of the merchant class where more wealthy then the nobility making for a complicated situation politically speaking.

Shimiko was one thing being of noble standing of a sort, but they fact that Natsuru and Ryuko where friends made them a bit of an odd couple. It was perhaps made possible by the fact Ryuko wasn’t a quite a typical noble herself.

As the youngest in the family she wasn’t expected to inherit the house. Seen as just a spare of a spare she was little more then just a bargaining chip for her father or brothers to use to expand their influence since they wouldn’t lose much of anything trading her away but had everything to gain.

Just having noble blood alone was enough to make her desirable to some. Any children she had would also be considered nobles. The fact she was considered pretty only sweetened the deal Before she had been sent to the monastery more then a few merchants had sought her hand in marriage but her father had held for a better deal.

But from the moment Ryuko had laid eyes on Natsuru on that fateful day in the park the status had been the furthest thing from her mind. She had seen an older girl, stunningly beautiful and hard working being lectured on a jutsu and immediately knew that she wanted to be friends.

All the gifts she had given where not to receive anything in return but from her desire to support her friend from the bottom of her heart. To see her grow and thrive and become even more beautiful and vibrant then she already was.

“Oh how delightful. I wouldn’t exactly say I’m a gourmand but I quite enjoy sampling cuisine from foreign cultures. I don’t get to travel much so being able to have another region’s speciality for dinner tis a real treat.” said Ryuko excitedly, practically drooling at the thought of having something other then sushi or weisswurst for a change.

She got so caught up in telling her story to Natsuru that she didn’t even notice how her friend was reacting with an incredulously raised eyebrow. Thought she did notice how flushed Natsuru’s face was starting to get flushed which had her concerned as a medic that her friend might be catching a fever or something.

“Yes I’m 14.” Ryuko stated in a matter of fact tone that wouldn't be mistaken for sarcasm. She didn’t quite know what Natsuru had meant by the have at her part of the conversation but the rest was clear enough. Whatever making love was, she was young enough for it to be unusual.

She was thinking of asking Natsuru for clarification about what the first part of her comment had meant when unexpectedly her friend grabbed her by the shoulder and turned her around so that they where face to face.

Placing her other hand on Ryuko’s opposite shoulder, she squeezed tightly holding the younger girl in place with surprising strength. The boldness of the move would have been enough for Ryuko’s heart to skip a beat if it wasn’t for the dark aura coming from the girl almost being enough to make her want to piss herself.

“What, no of course not.” Ryuko exclaimed loudly on the verge of tears. “He backed down the second I told him I was a minor.” She explained her body trembling in Natsuru’s grasp. Nat-chan was extremely scary when she was pissed off like this.

“Why are you so serious? What tis love making anyhow?” she asked innocently feeling very confused about the entire situation and why her beloved Nat-chan was so upset. She’d tired asking the minister at the local church about it was but he’d simply blushed then coughed and told her it wasn’t something she needed to know which was hardly helpful at all.

Just then Ryuko heard a light knock on the door. They hadn’t gone very far but it was faint enough she wouldn’t have registered it if it hadn’t been for all her training to raise her perception. Who could it be? Ryuko knew that Shimiko had also been invited but it seemed unlikely she was actually going to show up given her condition. Could Nariko have taken up her offer to join them?

“Looks like you’ve got another guest” she pointed out trying to be helpful. Maybe the distraction would be enough that she could slip out of Nat-chan’s grasp without hurting her friend. Though if she’d noticed the sound then Nat-chan surely had as well. She’d always been the more perceptive of the pair after all.

Shimiko's Dress:

Shimiko knew that the Senou were loaded but she wasn't quite prepared for the scale of wealth that the manor displayed. She loitered the grounds for a moment unsure if she had arrived at the right place but after double checking the address printed on the invitation she decided that this must be it. Shimiko swallowed and actually took a step back. Shimiko did not find Natsuru to be intimidating in the least but she did find that money and power could impress people. If Natsuru was going to play a cruel joke on her it would be ten times worse if it were in a beautiful mansion as opposed to just a standard house. The last thing she wanted was for Simon to think less of her and more of Natsuru because of how rich her parents were. Shimiko had dressed well for the occasion, wearing an elegant black dress, black heels, and two black bows to hold up her signature pigtails. She was feeling right as rain and it was almost as if she was never ill at all. Nevertheless she wasn't sure as to how her teammates would react to her returning to the fold. Had they written her off as dead? Had they already mourned her and moved on? What if they had found another third teammate for their squad? What if Natsuru actually treated this new teammate with respect and the three of them got along better without her? The thought made her angry and soon her self-doubt turned into wrath.

I'd kill anyone who tried to replace me!

She caught herself though and fixed her face. This was supposed to be a pleasant evening. Natsuru wouldn't do anything too rude if Ryuko was there and she had given her a gift as an attempt to patch things up. She was wearing the jewelry at the moment, the bright silver of Janshin's Gift complimenting her dark attire. Shimiko took a deep breath, exhaled, and marched up to the Manor with bold determination. When she saw Simon standing there in casual wear she blushed and tried to avoid eye contact as she approached him.

She didn't say anything until she was close to him, practically standing right next to him as they waited for the door to open. "Hi Simon!" she'd finally say with a smile. She had an urge to hug him but couldn't bring herself to do so. They barely knew each other and as much as she enjoyed being around him she didn't want to seem to pushy. They hadn't arrived together but doubtless Natsuru would assume as much. Good! Shimiko thought unwilling to be embarrssed about such an assumption. She was a bit shy about her crush but she got the feeling that Natsuru believed Simon was out of her league and that the young woman condescendingly believed her too young for a proper boyfriend. Shimiko figured Natsuru would be surprised that she had made it and even more surprised that Simon was her date. Maybe she'd finally be impressed with Shimiko's resilience and charm. If so then they could finally be true friends and not just frenemies.

The door would be answered by a well-groomed, tailored male. He addressed the door with a smile as before him were two young blondes. A male and a female, both sharply dressed. He greeted both of them sincerely. "It appears both of you are here for the Mistress' party. Please, follow me to the inner cloister. Your host is waiting for you there." The servant would wait for the two to enter the manor before shutting and locking the door behind them. He would not contribute any more to the conversation unless asked for any specific request from Natsuru's guest. He would silently lead the two into the manor through the great hall and past the kitchen...

The fear in Ryuko's face assured she was honest. A cold sweat ran past Natsuru as she relieved her grasp of the little girl. That was close... She thought to herself as her jealousy resided. Natsuru was less worried about Ryuko, or even Shimiko having sex for morality reasons as she was for losing the race. She would greatly ashamed to still hold onto her virginity for as long as she had while her younger peers surpassed her. She was unsure if she could live with herself at that point. As the tension relaxed she smiled warmly. "Well, 'love making' is a rather outdated term. Most adults call it sexual inter-" She would be cut off by the door opening and a small group of people entering the kitchen. Her servant led two blondes into the area, Natsuru immediately recognizing both of her guests.

She was deeply relieved for either of them to show up, truth be told. She was not on greatest terms with Shimiko, and Simon was more or less an acquaintance who stuck around. On top of that, Shimiko was recently hospitalized with the same condition Seigi had experienced. However, it would appear Shimiko overcame her illness unlike her brother. Seeing the girl again was somewhat refreshing, seemingly all previous spiteful intentions she had with her were wiped. Natsuru, letting go of Ryuko, approached the two blondes. "Thank you, Fei." The servant would bow and excuse himself to the door to greet anymore additional guests. Natsuru would actually extend a slight bow herself to the two newcomers. "Good evening. I'm glad you could make it, Simon. And you..."

Natsuru reached out to grab Shimiko in an embrace, though her intentions would only be clear last second as she was brought in very close with impressive strength. Heaving her breasts out with the gesture buried her face deep, deep into her bosom. Natsuru wanted to get Shimiko as close to her heart as she could as well as intimidate and humble the little girl with her remarkable bust. With the amount of pressure applied she was tactically ahead to not wear an open-top dress, or a dress of any kind allowing her to not hold back without fear of her chest popping out of her top. She'd hold Shimiko there indefinitely as she turned to Simon. "I hope you didn't have any trouble finding the place. I know you were overlooking Shimiko during her stay at the hospital. Did they mention if she's able to eat solid foods yet?" She said, asking Simon rather than Shimiko who was helplessly grappled.

Sora walked from his house towards the Senou family manor. It wasn't really a long walk since they lived fairly close to each other. Sora didn't really know anyone from the house though. He knew he was with one of them in the academy but that was about it.

Sora didn't wear much though he was wearing simple black pants with his standard shinobi boots under them. Around his torso was nothing more than a sleeveless hoodie that was zipped open revealing most of his athletic built he carried and thought was pretty standard for every shinobi to have. His hair was still wet since he just walked out of the shower and wasn't in the mood to dry his hair he thought he while just let it air dry for now. On each upper leg though were his signature trench knives he always carried with him no matter the where he went.

Sora walked calmly through the front yard towards the front door. He knocked on the door with his left hand before he went with his hand calmly through his hair. His hair would fall right back in place though with a couple of locks of his thick black hair falling right in front of his left eye. revealing on his right eye visible.

After Ryuko had told Natsuru that she hadn’t gone though with spending the night for the egg the scary aura surronding her friend quickly dissipated and the look on her face was replaced with one of overwhelming relief.  

Misreading the situation, Ryuko believed that relief was because her friend had been worried about her safety rather then out of misplaced jealousy that a younger pier might have crossed the threshold of womanhood ahead of her.  

Much to Ryuko’s fascination Nat-chan began to explain just what Love making actually was.  Apparently that term was a bit outdated.  She started to say what it most adults called it now using a very naughty word that was enough to make Ryuko’s face which was already flushed red turn several shades darker.  But before she could finish the therm they where interrupted.

Sexual inter…. Inter what? Interstellar? Interstitial?  Whatever it was the fact that it was very adult and also forbidden made her want to know more.  Just what exactly was it that the priests had been hiding from her all this time?

When she saw who the guests where she stood their speechless for a long second her mouth gaping in shock.   Simon she’d been half expecting to see, and while it was kind of unusual to see him dressed nice for a change that was nothing compared to the sight of the person accompanying him apparently on a date.

It was her good friend Shimiko in the flesh and blood. Ryuko had visited her in the hospital read her medical charts in an attempt to figure out what was wrong and possibly help her.  To say the prognoses had been grim would have been putting it mildly.   But she had refused to give up telling Shimiko that she wasn’t allowed to leave her before they both became chunnin together.

Needless to say she hadn’t been expecting to see Shimiko today at the party, let alone looking fit as a fiddle. She had just enough mental awareness to think her friend needed to work on her wardrobe more. The black dress was pretty but right now it seemed more like Shimiko was dressed for her own funeral then for a party.

“Shi-chan tis that really you? Are you really ok?” she exclaimed in disbelief but seeing was believing an the moment she witnessed Natsuru embrace Shimiko to her generious bosom she knew it had to be real.

“Tis a miracle! Thank Hakkin you’re ok!” She cried loudly tears streaming from her eyes as she launched herself forward in an attempt to glomp tackle Shimiko .  Her movement would cause the heals from her shoes to detach with a soft clicking sound which would serve as the only warning to the incoming embracement.   If Natsuru was still holding Shimiko her bust by the short time Ryuko reached them then she too would naturally get included into an impromptu group hug.

“Waaa.  I missed you so much.  So many things happened while you where gone!!!” Ryuko exclaimed.  She’d fought a strange red man at the gates with Simon’s help,  the new Raikage had become their sensai and Ryuko herself had become a full fledged vestal and medic and Shi-chan knew about none of that.

She’d come here with gifts for Natsuru but didn’t really have anything to give Shimiko.  The iron chain mail set she’d crafted for her had been completed ages ago but was sitting at home waiting to be delivered.  The rest had fallen behind due to lack of materials, something she needed Natsuru’s help with replenishing.  

Well there was one thing she could give her friend but she’d needed to get her away from Simon for a moment to do it, but she wasn’t quite sure how to manage it.   Speaking of Simon he said they shouldn’t sufficate poor Shimiko so Ryuko quickly let go,  feeling a bit embarrassed that she had  latched on so hard in her enthusiasm that she might have hurt her friend.  

It felt so good to have the band together again that she felt like she was floating on cloud nine.  The only way things could be better was if Nariko herself showed up now.  Then maybe they could finally give their squad a proper name.

Glancing at the Ouija board Simon had brought Ryuko raised a curious eyebrow.  In her relgion it was believed that the recently departed could sense our feelings, if not necessarily specific thoughts and that those echoing emotions would set the tone for their journey into the great beyond.   The idea of being able to speak directly to someone after they where gone was very intriguing.

“Who you gonna call?” she asked him wondering if it would be insenative or not for her to suggest they channel the spirit of Shimiko’s departed brother Seigi. She could just about pick up the sound of another guest arriving at the front door. Maybe they would have a good idea.

A butler opened the door and addressed them both. Shimiko expected there to be servants given the size of the manor but she noted that even their help was dressed exquisitely. Shimiko nodded in response to his assumption and then followed him into the kitchen. The manor was gorgeous and Shimiko did her best to look unimpressed. Merchants were far wealthier than even the strongest of shinobi and she began to wonder why Natsuru would give up such luxury for a life as a ninja. The girl didn't seem to enjoy violence or killing, if anything she probably had become accustomed to life as a spoiled rich girl. Shimiko cast a few glances in Simon's direction to see if he was impressed. He had the same cool, calm, and collected demeanor that he always had. The wealth that the place exuded didn't affect him in the least apparently. Shimiko was glad to see that and when the butler led them into the kitchen she was in relatively good spirits.

Ryuko and Natsuru were there. Both of them looked beautiful and in that instant she wanted nothing more than to hug both of them and tell them that she was back for good and would never leave them again. Natsuru walked over and spoke to Simon first. Shimiko gave her a confused look but before she could say anything she was pulled into a powerful embrace by Natsuru. The girl was taller than her and had gotten much stronger. Shimiko didn't stop her because she assumed the hug to be a genuine display of affection but it soon became clear from her words that she hadn't changed a bit.

"Mhmph!" she cried as her voice was muffled by the older woman's breasts.

Natsuru was always proud of her large boobs and if she didn't release her then Shimiko would swear to Janshin to cut off that which she valued most. The girl struggled to free herself as Natsuru condescendingly asked Simon questions about her health that she herself could have answered. The whole thing was quite embarrassing and any goodwill that Natsuru had bought herself had gotten tossed due to the stunt she pulled. Simon answered on her behalf which caused her to turn red with shame. Luckily, Ryuko would come to her rescue as the tackle-hug gave her enough leverage to free herself from the Senou's bosom. Shimiko would soon find a full fledged vestal clinging to her. She embraced Ryuko and smiled. The girl's spirit and positivity calming her murderous intent towards Natsuru.

"I'm perfectly fine and I'm not going anywhere!" she said gleefully "I missed you guys too! We'll need to catch up, you have to tell me everything. No leaving any details out!"

Shimiko would release Ryuko and look at Simon who had produced a Ouija board. It was a device designed to contact the dead and he wanted to try it. The deceased belonged to Janshin as far as Shimiko was concerned and recalling them to the Impure World without proper authorization was blasphemous. She was a bit disappointed that Simon would want to do something like that but she acknowledged that he didn't share her religious obligations. Ryuko didn't have any compunction about the device though. She had her own religion and apparently contacting the dead wasn't a big deal for her. Even worse, the Ouija board made her remember her brother Seigi. She didn't want to think or talk about his death. She had come so close herself and the last thing she wanted was to dwell on the subject. The topic was making her visibly uncomfortable and she decided to address it head on.

"I don't think that's a good idea Simon..."

She didn't elaborate further but she hoped he would pick up on her distress. Fooling around with the dead was serious business and she didn't want to entertain it. Not even for Simon.

Shimiko fell to Natsuru's massive bosom, a result expected by the bed ridden girl. She was out of practice. Her desperate attempts to struggle and break free were met with failure as the statuesque simply increased her strength. Shimiko was short, skinny, and physically weak. She stood no chance. The pitiful attempts to cry for help were muffled by her chestliness. As Ryuko came up from the rear Natsuru naturally let go. She was well aware of her habit of embracing her teammates. Natsuru tried best not to get involved in a dog pile. "Well that is plenty good. There will be lots of exotic foods I believe you guys will like, and even more dessert. I didn't want all of us to indulge while Shimiko being left out." A relaxed demeanor overtook Natsuru once again not only knowing Shimiko was still alive, but made a full recovery in the same sense. She could confidently relieve herself that "everything was back to normal." Simon gestured his bag of goods, something Natsuru momentarily questioned upon his appearance but was overwhelmed by other concerns.

She was surprised herself personally he decided to bring some goods. Ryuko requested permission to bring an instrument of hers to the party out of impulse. She did not expect Simon to tag along with the same idea. Natsuru canted her head slightly to the side in minor confusion when Simon relieved himself by not bringing too much. It's a manor, not a fun house. She thought to herself restraining from coming off as rude or snappy. The type of entertainment present in the house was certainly not something her friends would enjoy. Walking the inner cloister, admiring the arts, and strolling the formal garden were the types of activities mostly done by her. Very peaceful, self-sufficient tasks. Not practically party worthy if you did not share the same refined tastes as Natsuru did. "A set of die? I see some opportunity here." She said, grinning suggestively alluding to some form of gambling. Certainly, all of them but Natsuru were unable to gamble legally. Though, at her house, that was information nobody needed to know.

"AND a Ouija Board." Natsuru said sarcastically, following up as Simon introduced it. Natsuru was a firm non-believer of anything spiritual. One could say her family were hardcore atheist. Truth be told, religion got in the way of money. Practicing religion was a time waster, and as everybody in her house knows, time is money. Being raised with those same beliefs Natsuru found it as a form of dark, wry fun. Something exclusive people would tend to mess with on Halloween, but for Natsuru, every day was Halloween. "That sounds intriguing..." Natsuru darted her eyes at Shimiko as she spoke. She was very sensitive with her environment, Natsuru easily picking up that her friend was uncomfortable. She made the connection as fast as she noticed her problem. Too soon.

Natsuru shot her eyes back to Simon in the same instance, offering a smile to come off as less bossy. "Perhaps another time. After all, Simon was correct. There is a LOT to do around here. Having dice to play with, dinner, and of course a special event I have planned, I'm sure we will run out of time." Natsuru desperately tried to make up an event in her mind, remaining cool on the exterior. Perhaps she went too far with trying to comfort Shimiko and veer the guest's attention away from the Ouija board. But with that in mind, what was said was said. Clearing her throat, she spoke with her arms out addressing the group with her body language. "So, shall we continue outside, then? We can play with the die out there." Natsuru would silently wait for their approval before opening the back door.

Stepping into the cloister brought the gang to a pathway which bordered a small garden of sorts on the inside. A cobble stone path on all four sides of the cloister led towards a mahogany gazebo. Those attentive enough to catch would see a door close on the other side of the cloister. The gazebo had four benches surrounding a small table in the center, and additional benches along the perimeter for spectators. Glasses and a pitcher of strawberry lemonade were placed on the table surrounding a small bowl of salted pretzels. The refreshments and snacks were meant to hold them over and treat themselves as dinner was preparing. Natsuru would lead the group to the gazebo follow the path while speaking to her friends. "Are any of you familiar with the game 'Craps?' It is real simple to explain if you don't."

Meanwhile...back at the door a few knocks were heard. The butler attentively opened the door appraising the man in short detail. There were less thoughtful things to say about his particular appearance. He appeared rather grungy and literally under dressed, wearing an open sweater with no undershirt. The servant would speak with a bit of concern of his face as he rose one eye brow. "Can I help you?" Her butler stood at the front door in full guard, unwilling to let intruders step in without his permission. His appearance made the butler feel somewhat uncomfortable. He was well aware Natsuru was going to invite a lot of her peers from her Shinobi work, though was not expecting such a disparity of guests.

Sora calmly waited for the door open while he pulled his headband out of his pocket and started tying it over his left upper leg just below the strap of his trench knife. When the door opened Sora looked towards the butler with his blue-grey eyes although the butler would only see his right eye since he left was still covered by his thick black hair.

Sora maybe looked like a thug although he is part of the Inazuma clan. A clan that is known throughout Kumogakure for being loyal to their village. "I am here for the party. The name is Inazuma Sora." Sora said calmly in a lazy tone in his voice. It was something Sora couldn't help since he always carried it with him. It went together well though with his tired yet bored look he carried in his face most of the time.

Having Shimiko tell her in person that she was in fact alright was a massive relief to Ryuko. It was light an emense weight that had been dragging her down the last several weeks had finally been lifted off of her shoulders.

As a doctor Ryuko had been studying the disease that Shimiko had been afflicted with, in hopes of funding a cure for her friend but the truth was her progress had been incredibly glacially slow. As the Raikage’s aid she had direct access to the most advanced facilities the village had to offer but it wasn’t enough. The sad truth was that while Ryuko was fairly smart, she wasn’t smart enough in this case.

She could have dedicated her entire life to researching that one topic and still not make much if any progress. Some disease's where simply harder to deal with then others which was why humanity still didn’t have a cure for the common cold, just various pills that could potentially alleviate some of the symptoms.

Ironically Shimiko being hale and hearty again was the quantium leap forward she’d been hoping for. If she could compare Shimiko’s blood work now that she was better to her brother’s blood work from just before his death she’d be able to deduce the antibodies used to stave off the infection. It wasn’t a cure, not by a long shot. But it was the first step towards making one, and they had to start somewhere.

Speaking of starting it was a shame Shimiko didn’t want to test out the Ouija board. That seemed like it would have been a lot of fun to experiment with. Really what was the worst that could happen when they had a genuine priestess with them that could banish an evil spirit if it showed up. Dealing with ghostly aura’s was part of the job description after all.

She’d even gone to the trouble of writing up an extra special prayer to bless everyone with once dinner started. But it was still early in the day so it’d be a while before she could recite it for everyone. Truth be told between her various duties from research and studying, assisting Nariko with paperwork and her training and armor crafting plus her religious obligations it had totally slipped her mind that today was her 15th birthday.

But then she’d never really had any friends to celebrate it with in before now. The last several years had mainly been at the monastery with only the occasional trip home and to them birthdays where just another day, nothing to make a fuss over. As a noblewoman she had never really been wanting for much in the way of physical goods. If someone had asked her what she had wanted for her birthday she would have said to be with her friends, so in a way she was already getting the best possible present she could have asked for.

“Craps? Why are we playing with excrement?” Ryuko asked in confusion about the name of the dice game Nat-chan had suggested. As a noble it was pretty much mandatory to play chess and in truth she was quite good at it. She was also quite good at a couple of card games the priests at the monastery had taught her but she’d never really played any dice games before now.

Normally she’d be eager to learn, but the fact that the game was named after Feces was making her feel more then a bit leery about the idea. But then again even if it was unbecoming it might be safer then the alternative. One of her older brother had once told her Truth or dare was a very dangerous game.

Natsuru was the last person Shimiko expected to save her from having to explain exactly why she was opposed to the Ouija board idea. The girl was grateful that the Senou had spared her but Simon's expression of disapproval did not escape her. Part of her was angry at him for suggesting such an insensitive game when her brother had recently died and she had just come out of the hospital from the same illness. Another part of her was mad at herself for making a big deal out of the whole thing. Shimiko wasn't timid per se but the whole interaction made her feel like a child that people were tip-toeing around. She didn't like the feeling but she said nothing knowing it would only draw more attention to the proverbial element in the room. Natsuru suggested they go outside and Shimiko followed although she made of point of staying close to Simon as that's where she felt most comfortable.

The outside area was beautiful and there were refreshments for them to snack on. The whole manor ran like a well oiled machine. Shimiko had lived a decent upper middle class lifestyle being from a prominent military family and all but she had never known luxury like this. It gave her insight into why Natsuru was the way she was. Shimiko wondered if she would still be a Janshinist if she had people to wait on her hand and foot. Part of the reason why she had fallen in with those types of people was because she sought adventure. She wanted to be like her older brother and they said all the right things to make her believe that the faith was the most efficient path to get there. At first it was a matter of going through the motions but eventually it took on a life of its own. If her family were all merchants though and she had all the money in the world to spend would she really want to be a ninja? Would she even care about being a top tier killer? The experience was food for thought.

Natsuru suggested a game called "Craps". Shimiko had heard of it before. It was played with dice and often involved gambling. She didn't have a problem with that really. Janshinism was fairly permissive when it came to worldly vices. One could almost say the religion encouraged it but that was more a matter of interpretation. Different sects tended to emphasize different things although she had been exposed to literature that extolled the pleasure of engaging in traditional vices. Shimiko herself never partook as some small part of her wasn't willing to give up everything she was taught by her family. Nevertheless when and if it occurred around her she made a point to be non-judgmental. She doubted they'd be playing for money anyways. Ryuko blurted out her confusion over the game and this caused Shimiko to chuckle. She didn't want to make it seem like she was laughing at the girl but she couldn't help but find it amusing on how naive she came off sometimes. Ryuko's background was fairly noble as well but from what Shimiko could tell they were far more politically connected than independently financially wealthy. She wondered if Ryuko's parents had tried to shelter her the same way her own parents had.

"Its just a name Ryuko" she said with a gentle smile. "It doesn't really have anything to do with crap they just call the game 'Craps' just because...." Shimiko thought for a moment and shrugged. She didn't know why they called the game Craps. Just that that was what it was called. "I don't know why its called that but there isn't any relation between the two". She didn't want to insult Ryuko's intelligence or make her feel awkward but she felt it was better to correct the girl here among friends as opposed to in the presence of others. Any ninja that could be perceived as naive or unlearned in the ways of the criminal underworld might be viewed as soft. Shimiko had seen Ryuko fight and knew that the girl was anything but soft. Nevertheless if Ryuko didn't know better and expressed that during a mission it could have consequences.

Simon perked up at the suggestion but expressed disinterest. He walked over to one of the benches and took a seat before offering an idea of his own. Truth or Dare?! Shimiko did her best to stifle a wry grin which was hard to do after laughing at Ryuko's mixup. The game was indeed dangerous especially with someone like Natsuru around. All the same, Shimiko didn't want to appear afraid or child-like after refusing the earlier suggestion of the Ouija Board.

"Truth or Dare...I like that idea! Let's play!" she said with an almost aggressive degree of enthusiasm. She didn't have anything against Craps but quite frankly based on her understanding of the game it was quite boring if one didn't play for money. Truth or Dare was a bit more exciting, she was intellectually aware of how the game could work either in her favor or against it. The uncertainty was titillating and she hoped that Ryuko and Natsuru would agree to play. At some point she expected everyone to sit down and when they did she'd sit right next to Simon erring to do so at a time that was natural and not forced. Once she took a seat next to him, she'd begin to play with one of her pig tails stroking her blonde hair expectantly as she waited for someone to start the game all the while blushing with a nervous smile on her face.

The mention of Truth or Dare rung a mischievous opportunity in the girl's mind. It was nothing she originally thought of at first. Her plan was to shoot some dice and bet some ryo on the outcomes. But it seemed fate had other plans. She was destined to provoke the little blonde until she peed herself. A shallow grin would stretch across the girl's face at the thought of the game as they neared the gazebo. "Truth or Dare you say? That sounds appropriate." She would sit down and invite the others to do the same around the table. Natsuru would begin pouring four glasses of strawberry lemonade, her talent in serving beverages being shown as she portioned the ice, lemon slices, and strawberry garnishes equally among each glass. It seemed although she was fairly wealthy and well-off in terms of service she was still taught a lot of formal etiquette and skillful housekeeping skills.

At the door the butler would cringe gently before opening the door and welcoming the guest in. "Ahem, well, Natsuru is in the inner cloister. If you would follow I can take you to her and the others." The servant kept his composure when addressing the situation. Despite his initial shock he was rather trained in remaining professional with his task. The butler would shut the door behind Sora, following the same protocol he had with all the others. Pacing himself towards past the great hall and through the kitchen he would open the back door on the far end leading Sora to the outside with the rest of the gang. By the time Natsuru was done pouring everyone their drink she would turn her head at the arriving guest.

It took Natsuru a brief second to recognize the boy's appearance. He was an acquaintance at best, being in the same graduating class as she was. Though she could roughly say Simon was an acquaintance as well. The party served as an opportune moment to become familiar and strengthen her bond with all of her peers. The hostess would smile and gesture a welcoming hand at the newcomer. "Ah, welcome. Come and join us, please." She said in an enchanting manner. Natsuru would turn her head to the others and explain the new comer's appearance. "This is Sora if you haven't met him yet." She would turn her head back towards Sora. "We were just about to play Truth or Dare." As she said this she began pouring Sora a share of the strawberry lemonade and setting it on a space equal distance between her and Simon.

With the drinks prepared she would take the pretzel bowl out from the middle of the table and set of aside allowing a small clearing in the center. From her waist she would unsheathe her tanto from its scabbard. Setting the dagger on its side against the table it balanced finely on its side allowing it to spin freely from its guard. "So, since we don't have a bottle at hand we can use this. I will start by spinning the tanto. The tip of the blade will determine who I ask Truth or Dare. From there, the one who was asked will spin the tanto, and so-on and so forth. Let's begin!" She said almost enthusiastically, a rare characteristic ever shown by the girl. It would appear to Shimiko and Ryuko she was rather intrigued about this game.

Picking up her glass she would take a steady sip while simultaneously flicking the handle of the tanto starting a controlled spin. As the blade's tip began to slow gradually, the statuesque watched it to the point where she could tell where it was going to land. Removing her lips from the glass she gazed her navy blue eyes at the little blonde who sat across from her. "Shimiko: Truth or Dare?"

Sora would follow the butler while he left out a small chuckle. He noticed the butler didn't really like him very much. Sora wasn't sure though if that was because of the way he looked, he came over or just all over.  Not that Sora really cared though he just mentally shrugged it off.

Sora would walk through the last door and raised his left eyebrow a bit that was covered by his hair. He was obviously underdressed. On the other side though Sora was never someone to dress fancy in some way. Sora was always the one who preferred to walk and he didn't really care where he was. He was often just found on the roofs of Kumo without a shirt just enjoying the sun and staring at the sky. It was his form of meditation although everyone just saw him as lazy most of the time.

When Natsuru introduced him to everyone Sora's right hand would make a simple two-fingered salute while he walked towards the table."What's up everyone?" He said calmly while he smiled a bit. His blue-grey eyes looked towards everyone for a few seconds while he kept his left eye covered by his hair.  He took an empty seat and dropped himself on it while he took the glass from the table. "Truth or dare huh?" Sora asked with a small smirk. "That's a long time ago I played that."

Sora would calmly nod towards replacing the bottle with a tanto. Not that he really minded as long as it worked. He calmly watched the tanto spin before landing on the girl who was apparently called Shimiko. He looked towards Shimiko wondering what she was going to choose.

“Ah. I’ve heard the phrase a rose by any other name would smell just as sweet, but I never thought someone would actually put that to practice.”  replied Ryuko sagely after Shimiko tried her best to explain the why the dice game had such a vulgar sounding sobriquet.   Then again their was a form of poker called Jack and Piss so who was she to judge?

Before the game of truth or dare could begin in earnest they where joined by a strange boy. He seemed to be a bit older then her and if Ryuko had to guess she would have placed him closer to Natsuru’s age then her own.

Her first impression of him of him was not a favorable one as she glanced him one over and winkled her nose slightly in disdain. Between the wrinkled black pants that looked like they hadn’t be ironed in days, the baggy sleeveless hoody and his wet uncombed hair the only word she could use to describe him was slob, though someone less sheltered then her might have mistaken him for a male stripper.

Granted the party didn’t exactly have a dress code and Ryuko herself was a bit over dressed for the occasion which was to be expected of someone of her station.  But even so certain standers should still be met. She could forgive someone for dressing casually if they put the effort into it but fact that Sora hadn’t even TRIED offended her sensibilities.

“Oh my Nat-chan, I had no idea you had hired a jester for our amusement.” she said mockingly with a wide grin as she placed the back of her left hand to her mouth and let out an uproarious laugh. "Ohoho" Ryuko was so nice most of the time that it was easy to forget that she was still an Ojou and the rare times her claws did come out she could be quite vicious.  

If this had been a party at her house she would have snapped her fingers and her butlers would have changed Sora into more appropriate attire on the spot but alas she only had her lady in waiting Sofia with her who had her hands full carrying her Mandolin so their was little she could do about it for the moment.

Watching the tonto be spun in place on a bottle it struck her how ridiculously easy it would be to manipulate the tool to ones favor.  With her weaponry skills it would be trivial to point at whomever she wanted once it was her turn. Heck if she was really clever about it she could change it’s trajectory by using a chakra string even if it wasn’t her turn.  Well assuming she didn’t get caught anyway.

For now she watched with baited breath as it pointed at Shimiko wondering what her friend was going to chose.  Hopefully whatever the truth or dare was it wouldn’t be too embarrassing, otherwise she was going to have to ensure she was never picked come hell or high water.

The mischievous grin that appeared on Natsuru's face after Simon had made the suggestion did not escape Shimiko's attention. Shimiko could tell that she enjoyed any opportunity to revel in her perceived superiority over her and as much as it agitated her, Shimiko liked the challenge. She was confident that she could manipulate the situation to work to her advantage. She could use the game as a way to get closer to Simon and if she managed to embarrass Natsuru in her own home that would be an added bonus. For once, the two were on the same wavelength although with opposing goals.

Let the games begin... she thought excitedly.

As if on cue another guest arrived. Natsuru introduced him as Sora. The name was vaguely familiar and Shimiko was certain she had heard of it before. It was possible that Sora was in her same Academy graduating year or perhaps a year or two ahead of her. In either case, he came off as a nice enough fellow. His arrival wasn't particularly celebrated but she was not offended by it either. She gave a polite smile and wave to welcome him to the party. He was not dressed up which make him stand out but that did not bother her. Ryuko on the other hand was clearly not impressed and had not trouble voicing it.

“Oh my Nat-chan, I had no idea you had hired a jester for our amusement.” This was followed by a loud and surprisingly mocking laugh.

"Ryuko!" Shimiko exclaimed in surprise.

She turned and looked at the girl in complete shock. Ryuko was normally very sweet and kind. She had a righteous indignation and hatred for criminals as noted in their first mission together but that was to be expected given that they were shinobi. This was a very different side of Ryuko that she had not seen before. She was of course joking but given that Sora was a guest and presumably did not know them as well as they knew each other he might be offended or worse yet hurt. Shimiko feared that while she was in her coma, Natsuru had begun to have a corrosive effect on Ryuko's disposition. It occurred to her that the two shared wealthy backgrounds (as evidenced by Ryuko's lady-in-waiting) and that Natsuru might have used that to influence her for the worse. The three of them each came from fairly prominent families that were powerful in their respective fields (Natsuru from an elite merchant background, Ryuko from an elite political background, and Shimiko from an elite military background) nevertheless the former two probably had a greater disdain for commoners than she did. Shimiko had optimistically hoped that her polite, respectful, and friendly demeanor would rub off on Natsuru when they became teammates. She now considered this to be a naive hope. However, she wasn't about to let Natsuru corrupt and bring out the worst in someone as nice as Ryuko. Now that she was out of the hospital she could counter-act Natsuru's influence and act as a far more positive role model. Shimiko would do her best to smooth things over and play off the remark as a joke.


"Haha, Ryuko didn't mean that. She just can't resist a good joke." she said cheerfully. "We're glad you came to the party"

She did not want to go out of her way to be nice to Sora but she did want to make him feel welcome. She did not know his background and it was entirely possible he did not have enough money for fancy clothes. The last thing she wanted was for him to leave Natsuru's already intimidatingly large mansion feeling like he was less than. It was part of Shimiko's religious and social philosophy to be as kind and wholesome to others as possible. No matter how gruesome or brutal their deaths at her or anyone else's hand, no one would be able to say that she treated anyone with unearned disrespect. If she did not add value and joy to other's lives then what did it say about her commitment to Janshin? The happier and more worthwhile other's lives were the more worthy of a sacrifice they would make. It wasn't just a matter of what was good for them, it was a matter of what was pleasing to her God. Assuming that Sora had taken the joke in stride and had not run off she would turn her attention back to the game.

Natsuru had produced a tanto and explained that because they did not have a bottle they would use the blade to select who would be asked Truth or Dare. Shimiko reached out and grabbed the glass of lemonade that Natsuru had poured for her. She took a quick sip before setting it back on the table. She had already decided on what she was going to pick the moment Natsuru made it clear she'd be the one spinning the tanto. Shimiko knew that Natsuru would not ask her to do anything truly outrageous with Ryuko present. She also knew that the Senou wouldn't allow any wild antics inside her own home. And she also knew (or at least hoped) that Natsuru was aware of the fact that while Shimiko was pleasant she did have a limit as to the amount of provocation she would tolerate. With all these factors in her favor, how could she lose? Truth was the safest choice to be sure and in certain situations it could help her achieve her ends but this early on and she needed to establish herself. She had shot down Simon's Ouiji Board idea and now she needed to demonstrate that she was not afraid of anything. If there was any risk that the others thought her soft after her stay at the hospital she would need to remedy that from the get-go. She had to impress and show that she was completely fearless in social situations. So when the tanto ceased spinning and the tip of the blade pointed towards her Shimiko grinned and looked Natsuru in the eye.

"Shimiko: Truth or Dare?"
"Dare"