The Senou Family Manor

As Natsuru presented Sora she appeared to have triggered Ryuko, a side of Ryuko even Natsuru has never seen before. Her remark about the boy's fashion sense, which was something Natsuru had kept rather tamed until mentioned, was followed by a gesture. The wide grin and positioning of her fingers while her back hand was placed before her mouth created a similar response from Natsuru. It was involuntary as if her body was programmed to mimic the same gesture and laugh, much like a yawn. As Ryuko began her rancourous laughter, Natsuru joined in doing the same as the two cooperated in this jolly sense of ohohoho. "Ohohohoho!" She chortled, though the uproarious laughter would eventually settle. In the end they would all settle down and the party would begin to start their game of truth or dare. Shimiko felt obligated to apologize on Ryuko's behalf, something she felt entirely unnecessary. After all, Sora decided to dress like that to the party. And unlike Shimiko, Natsuru was somewhat familiar with Sora. A lot more than she was. She knew Sora was a lot more thick skinned.

Natsuru was almost blown back by Shimiko choosing a solid dare over truth. Finally, her strategy was easily cracked by the fast-thinking bluenette. I see...she's choosing dares to play safe. Shimiko doesn't expect any outrageous stunts. No matter...we can play your game... Her hands clasped in front of her mouth with her elbows rested on the table top she sat in a brief silence of no more than five seconds before she reached inside of her bosom. The Genin retrieved a black ink pen. Taking a white napkin from the side. She held the napkin in her hand and close to her body as she wrote in pen. Another ten seconds of silence would pass before Natsuru called out. "Oh Hans~" A servant, quick and attentive rushed out from the great hall door and into the inner cloister where he paced himself quickly towards their gazebo.

Natsuru would gesture the servant to inch closer as she rose her lips to his ears whispering a very quiet, concise request. The servant nodded in response. Natsuru handed the servant the napkin as he briefly ran his eyes over what was written, wrinkling his nose in disagreement. As he began pacing off, Natsuru would holler. "And make it quick, please." The statuesque would say no more after that, reaching for the pretzel bowl and grabbing a handful to sustain her imminent hunger for a little longer. She needed real food soon. Popping a few in her mouth she chewed the crunchy bits with her cheek bulging to the side from the mouthful. In the suspense the butler would reenter with a lowball glass in hand. Inside was a mixture of something, but merely four ounces of a thick, dark, viscous liquid. He would almost hesitantly set the glass before the blonde female.

Swallowing her mouthful of pretzel she would wash them down with a hearty amount of sweet, strawberry lemonade in satisfaction. The sight of the mixture made her stomach churn slightly, being the only one knowledgeable of its contents. Natsuru would look Shimiko dead in the eye. "Drink it all in one go. And don't worry, it's nothing harmful or potentially biohazard." She wanted to disclose any human waste, mildew, or chemicals were out of the picture. Natsuru had her limits and poisoning her ally was certainly far from the picture. It was more or less a mixture of condiments, syrups, and liquids to create an obscure and undesired elixir. She wanted to make Shimiko know that dares could be brutal, despite the formality of her party. And they did not always work in her favor. It was a game of psychological warfare.

The mocking and all didn't bother Sora at all. Sora was a clan member that was filled with marines and merchant. Sora's clan tried were pretty hard with their words since they were one big family that wasn't afraid to say what they think right away most of the time. They gave everyone a hard time just to be sure they could survive a long time on the sea. The merchants more did it so everyone could deal with hard customers without getting mad or anything. They did it so the clan stayed calm in every single situation.


Sora was just sitting there with his right arm placed over the backrest. his left elbow was resting against on the table while his left cheek was resting on his left-hand palm. He looked calmly towards Shimiko when she spoke towards him. He gave a small smile towards her just to signal it was okay. He was used to way worse than this so he was fine. Right after the smile though his face went back to his natural tired look he always carried .

He watched the butler come in. Sora had butlers and maids walking around in the big mansion although he never used them. He never used them. He never liked using other people to do his dirty work although some clan members of his clan thought different about that. When it came to doing stuff he preferred to be a more hands-on kind of person then buying someone to do his dirty work. He raised his eyebrow that was covered by his hair a bit when the glass came in. He wasn't sure what was in it but big chance it would be grose.

Ryuko wasn’t sure what to expect from her teammates once she began her snide laugh but was pleasantly surprised when Natsuru joined in as a show of solidarity. That made her start to think Shimiko would join in as well uniting the team but her expectations where soon dashed as Shimiko made excuses for her in an effort to spare Sora’s feelings.

Really she didn’t need to bother. If that little remark was enough to actually seriously offend him then he seriously needed to grow some thicker skin if he wanted to make it as a ninja. The fact that he simply seemed to let it slide like water off a ducks back went a long way to show that he might have a decent head on his shoulder after all.

Either he was mature enough that he wasn’t going to be baited such such simple provocation or he was simply too lazy to rise to the challenge. Despite her rudeness Ryuko was hoping for the former. He had a bit of a rough exterior but she could see a flicker of potential about him. With just a bit of polish he could make for a fantastic diamond.

Seeing that he knew Natsuru already she wondered if she should subtile try and set them up together the same way she was currently trying to set up Shimiko and Simon to go out. A restless part of her that was getting tired of simply sitting around wanted to get into a sparing match with him so she could test for herself how good he was as a ninja.

Another part was wondering if she could talk him into being a fashion model for her line of men’s wear. She had plenty of experience making armor for her team so far, but not so much for guys other then the one set of crude copper chain mail she’d given that traitor Akashi.

Simon in his own way tried to tell her to lay off but Ryuko wasn’t going to back down on this so easily.

“Tis not the quality of the suit that concerns me but the shear slovenliness. One should always strive to carry themselves with dignity and pride.” she explained offhandedly as if she was saying something that should be common sense.

She’d met with some of the farmers who worked the land her family managed. They didn’t have a lot of money but she had great respect for them all the same because they always worked hard. They couldn’t be expected to afford super fancy cloths but they wore what they did have well.

Seeing the drink that was brought she blanched her face turning white at the sight of the disgusting concoction. One glance told her if it even tasted half as bad as it looked that it wasn’t suitable for consumption. If that was what she could expect for the dares then she was definitely going to stick to truth should she be picked in a future round.

Natsuru had no compunction about joining in with Ryuko's rancorous laughter. Shimiko didn't join in as she didn't really find it funny for the reasons stated above. She was glad that Sora did not seem to take it personally though. Nevertheless, after she selected dare she could tell that her rival was taken aback. A brief silence filled the air as Shimiko waited with anticipation. Natsuru produced a napkin and a pen and began to write something down. She called for her servant and told him to make it quick. Shimiko wasn't sure what Natsuru had planned but she was certain it wasn't going to be easy. There'd be limits to what Natsuru could do but the girl was sneaky and would undoubtedly try to bring the situation back under her control. If Shimiko showed she was unafraid by choosing dare it'd sent a message loud and clear. Hans returned with a glass of hell. Shimiko looked at the mixture suspiciously and then at Natsuru. She wouldn't actually poison her at a dinner party would she? Shimiko had no reason to think this was the case but the contents of the glass looked downright hazardous. The dare was for Shimiko to drink it all in one go. Natsuru set aside any fears of it containing anything that could truly make her sick. In a way it was a bit amusing. Natsuru apparently believed her constitution high enough to down whatever the hell was in the glass without dying. Then again it could be possible that whatever was in that glass could make her throw up which would be par for the course for Natsuru. The last thing Shimiko wanted to do was throw up in front of her crush but the thought of backing down simply wasn't an option. Shimiko disregarded any show of unease and reached for the glass while maintaining eye contact with Natsuru. She brought the glass closer to her mouth and caught a whiff of its contents. It was strong and had a bizarre vinegary smell to it.

There was nothing so foul as to make her gag but the wrinkling of her nose made it clear that she considered the drink to be anything but pleasant. This was truly a game of wits and will. The girl lifted the glass to her mouth and drank deeply. The first mouthful was awful but she managed it then the second then the third but on the fourth she felt a burning sensation in her throat. Whatever was in the drink was hot, like really spicy, like stop drinking and spit it out spicy. Wasabi?! Natsuru's strategy was clear but Shimiko did not stop swallowing. She tilted her head back and forced herself to drink the mixture. She remembered to breathe slow and heavy through her nose so as to not upset her pace. If she stopped to consider the taste or take a breath, it would be ten times worse and Natsuru would hold the failed dare over her head. An occasional gurgle could be heard but other than that Shimiko weathered the drink like a trooper. Slowly but surely the glass was drained and set back on the table with a bit of finality.

"*gasp*, A-h..." Shimiko let out a labored breath and coughed a few times. Her eyes were burning red and tears streamed down her face. She wanted to ask what was in the glass but she didn't want to appear concerned or weak. She merely grabbed a napkin to wipe her eyes and mouth crumpled it up and put it in the glass. After another coughing fit, she wiped her eyes with the back of her hand and looked back at Natsuru pleased that she had managed to complete the dare. Shimiko being a nice girl would not vocally be smug about it but it was clear from her expression she was rather happy about showing the girl up at her own house. "That was....something else" she said before giggling sweetly. She took a few deep sips of lemonade to rid the aftertaste from her mouth. This was followed by some pretzels as she contemplated how best to play Natsuru if she ever got the chance to ask her a truth or dare.

Regardless now that she was done snacking it was her turn to spin the tanto so to speak. She reached out and flicked the handle with grace and precision. The effort was so fluid that Shimiko herself marveled at how her coordination was unaffected by her extended hospital stay. The blade twirled for a moment before the tip made its way to Simon. This caused Shimiko's heart to skip a beat. This was what she had been waiting on but she figured she'd have a few turns at least to prepare. There could be no nervousness or uncertainty in her voice now though. Everyone was watching. She turned to the fellow blonde sitting next to her and asked with a smile.

"Simon: Truth or Dare?"

Natsuru would watch the girl's face go through a variety of emotions. Shimiko seemed rather confident in her choosing on dare, and Natsuru was willing to make her realize that was a mistake. In general she had a dark, wry sense of humor that would only make such a dare plausible. Truth be told she was the most comfortable around Shimiko, only planning such a harsh cocktail for her. Having been frienemies with her for what felt like so long she was used to conflict. Shimiko's locked attempt of eye contact almost ignored as Natsuru did not seem too interested in watching her down the mixture. In fact, she made it so much of an effort to pass a glance at Simon and pleasantly smiling at him. Grabbing a single pretzel she placed it between her incisors and snapped it passing her gaze back over to Shimiko who was just about finished. It was followed by some harsh hacking, which was surprisingly not followed by a gag or two. It only led Natsuru to believe she was down for nastier things than that.

Still, there was a peculiar sense of smug satisfaction hidden behind that zealous grin. Following Shimiko's statement Natsuru would lend a half-hearted grin before returning to her general, stolid visage. "Oh my." She said nonchalantly. Take it as a win, if you must. This is simple entertainment to me. She would pop the other half of the pretzel in her mouth, chewing as she reached for her glass. Shimiko was eager to get her spin in. Natsuru had a feeling it would 'fortunately' land on her, but to her surprise it almost wound up back on Shimiko, but one person short. The tanto's point was aiming towards Simon. This would be a curious match up. It was obvious to her that Shimiko had feelings towards Simon. Natsuru was intrigued what Shimiko could actually ask him as a truth or dare. It was something she wanted to tune into. Natsuru would set both of her elbows on the table with her arms folded over each other as she leaned in with a sightly grin, her bosom resting atop her arms.

Sora rolled left eye that was covered by his hair a bit when Ryoku said “Tis not the quality of the suit that concerns me but the shear slovenliness. One should always strive to carry themselves with dignity and pride.”  Sora didn't believe Dignity and pride came from how someone wore their clothes. It came from how they acted. Sora maybe came from one of the oldest clans of Kumo but he never lived the rich lifestyle like the rest of his clan. Sora was always more proud of himself he could survive without the least amount of stuff. His dignity didn't show on his looks but how he acted in missions and what he did for his clan and village. He kept his mouth shut for not though since he wasn't in the mood to start an argument or so. He just wanted to play this game and have a couple of laughs with everyone.

Sora looked calmly to Shimiko gulping the drink down before he looked around a bit while the tanto was spinning again. "So when is this game getting spicy?" Sora said while the tanto was spinning. Drinking some unknown drink was pretty boring in his eyes. Sora preferred more spicy challenges when it came from these kinds of games. Sora used to play this a lot and knew a lot of other party games.

Ryuko simply gave Simon a weak smile as he lectured her.  He thought she didn’t need to worry about the dignity and pride of other people, if only he knew how much work it was taking care of Nariko, making sure she showed up to important meetings dressed properly and not in a sweatshirt and jeans.   Well it could be worse she supposed since at least the Raikage was fairly good at keeping up with the paperwork without much prodding.

“Even tis the case Simon-san, do not expect me to bespeak for a pardon.  Lest you forget, I hail from the upper echelons of our society. In those circles appearance can mean everything.  The slightest error in conduct the gravest of concerns.  Just thinking of the scandal I would generate from showing up like…… like that.” she said emphasizing the last word with a disdainful sniff.

“Why, the sheer thought of it is enough to give one the shivers.” she said seeming to shake a little in her seat just from envisioning that scenario.  Natsuru and Shimiko would never quite look at her the same way again and she would have brought great shame to both herself.  As generous as she tried to be in that situation she would not be able to let the servants that where responsible for dressing her to get off lightly.

“Of course I realize that to hold a commoner to the same standards would be foolish, but I simply can’t stand to see someone slacking off when they could be doing better just the same.   Laziness only begets more laziness.” she said sagely.  

“Tell me Sora-san, are you as attentive with your training as you are with your clothing? I would hope not for your sake. A dull blade tends to shatter when tis needed the most” she said while giving him a piercing glare.  Her earlier remarks where one thing, but now she was being down right rude. She had a pretty good idea of how strong everyone else at the party was, but Sora was an unknown to her so she was feeling eager to put him to the test.

While this was going on she continued to watch the childish game out of one corner of her eye, already starting to get slightly board with it.  If all they where going to do was gross out dares then it was such a waste of potential when it could be used to further agendas.

Idly she wondered who it would be better to point the tip at once it was her turn.  On one hand she wanted to somehow use it to get Simon to give Shimiko a kiss but on the other she was hoping she could bait Sora into a accepting a sparring match with her, but that was assuming they both accepted dare.

50/50 odds seemed pretty good at first glance except she didn’t have the foggiest idea what to ask either of the boys if they picked truth.  Her eyes widened in mild surprise when Shimiko ended up picking Simon only to widen further when he chose dare.  Had she meant to do that or was it merely a fluke? The thought of what Shimiko would ask her crush to do instantly wiped the tedium away and had Ryuko at the edge of her seat in anticipation.

Natsuru had taken her L in stride and without agitation. This was good as Shimiko was poised to deliver another straight to her doorstep. Sora was apparently growing bored and wanted something spicy. He'd soon get his wish. Shimiko ran through a few possibilities and settled on two ideas depending on what Simon chose. It was set up to be a win-win situation for her. There was a fair amount of risk involved but that was true of any endeavor where the reward was likely to be great. The tension of the moment however was enhanced by the argument that started to play out in the background. Shimiko was distracted from her plans for a moment when Simon cut in to defend Sora just as she had done. Ryuko was not having any of his excuses however. Although Sora himself didn't seem bothered Ryuko found his appearance lazy and lacking social awareness. Shimiko did not disagree but she felt that there could be a better way to go about telling him. Rather than back down, Ryuko pressed Sora directly and more or less insulted his prowess as a ninja.

This caught Shimiko off guard. She looked at Ryuko surprised and a bit amused. She did not particularly like the idea of being rude to a new guest but if it led to a fight her natural instinct was to fan the flames. The look that Ryuko was giving Sora made her wonder who would prevail in combat. She naturally favored her own comrade but Sora was an unknown and she was curious to see what he could do. If Ryuko spilled his blood in a fair fight that would be delightful but up until then there was no reason to be so openly disrespectful to him. The more he felt at ease among them now the easier it would be to hurt him later on. Shimiko bore no personal animus towards Sora but if he had drawn the ire of Ryuko then he'd have to pay for offending her. Whether it was deserved or not was of no consequence to her. The dynamic was almost as interesting as the one she had been so carefully considering before their spat diverted her attention. She didn't want to chide Ryuko in public twice so decided that it was best to ignore the argument for the time being. When Simon selected dare her attention snapped back to him and the Chinoike's head was right back in the game. The main game. The only game that mattered for the moment.

The way he confidently returned her grin emboldened her. It would be a straight-forward thing to simply dare him to kiss her or take off his shirt or any number of provocative actions that would be titillating. But this game was a lot more than just getting what you wanted, it was about getting what you wanted at the expense of others. Shimiko was well versed in etiquette and finery but probably not to the extent that Ryuko and Natsuru were. However, the art of game theory and social manipulation were not lost on her. Psychological warfare was a cornerstone of being a shinobi and having been raised in a family that excelled at the ninja way it was only natural that she picked up on a few things. Intimidation. Dominance. Superiority. She'd use this moment to not only get what she wanted but knock Natsuru down a peg or two. But naturally such a strategy was rife with risk and the possibility of losing any credibility as a threat toward the bluette. You like to play games Natsuru? Then let's play...

Shimiko locked eyes with Simon and placed a finger under her chin as if considering what to ask although in truth she already knew what she was going to dare him to do.

"Simon...I dare you to kiss the girl that you think is the prettiest~"

Natsuru was impressed seeing Ryuko be so persistent with Sora's appearance. Despite Simon's suggestion, she seemed dedicated to harass the boy. Natsuru did not care what those two did, though she was surprised to see such a rugged side of Ryuko. It gave Natsuru a sense of respect for the girl. She initially thought of her to be almost a pushover, but her dominating nature showed when dealing with lower class folk. Something Natsuru also indulged in well. She would smirk at Ryuko's remarks, though not chiming in. She was the hostess after all. She had to maintain some form of composure. Through the side conversation, Hans would approach the gazebo once again from the kitchen area from Natsuru's rear. He would lean in close to deliver news almost privately, though still loud enough for the others to catch on. "Dinner will be done in ten minutes, Ma'am. The table is being set now." The sound of those words delighted the bluenette as her spine erected from her slumpy posture. "Thank you, Hans."

This meant they possibly had enough time for two or three more rounds assuming the turns don't take as long. It was always nice to show up a bit early so the food can be brought up when everybody is situated. Arriving when the spread is already set up is bad mannerisms, and too early would be a waste of precious time. As Hans disappeared Natsuru's attention was grabbed instantly by the words of 'Dare,' something rather brutal was about to come. Then, Shimiko's request came out. The hairs on the back of her neck stood up with those few words. "A kiss?" Natsuru said rhetorically. She was fully confident she would be the one, but in the end she did not want her first kiss to be with Simon. She had learned to accept the boy, but nothing to that personal level. Then again, there was a sweet sense of satisfaction that she would also steal Simon's first kiss, and her lips would forever be stained as the first to touch Simon's and not Shimiko's.

Natsuru relaxed herself a bit, letting nature take its course. Simon was a young boy and had a preference for developed women. This immediately threw Shimiko and Ryuko out of the picture. Receiving his kiss was an inevitable event to come as did the bitterness from Shimiko and ultimate shutdown to every bit of confidence she had. She set herself up for failure, and it would be accomplished by Natsuru's own hands indirectly, or more-so her lips. From the moment a mild grin rose across her face as she looked at Simon. What were his motives? How would he handle such a dare? Regardless, Natsuru would feast in glory in ten minutes. Today may as well be the best opportunity she had. So glad I threw this party...

Sora looked at Ryuko when she asked him if he was training. Sora just simply shrugged. "It all depends on what you call training since there are more ways to train. Some people would call playing board games training. Some would it isn't." Sora said towards her. Sora didn't care what she thought of him though although he never cared what anyone said or thought about him. He was Sora and nothing else. "Owh and If you think clothes make you seal the deal. You are pretty wrong. I seal the deals for my clan while wearing this and yea we meet the high-class people. We don't have space on a sailing ship to take all the expensive stuff with us. We prefer efficiency over style." Sora said calmly with a simple shrug. He made air quotes though with the fingers of his right hand which was hanging over the backrest of his chair. Sora didn't believe in class difference. They all needed each other for one thing or another which class you were from.

Sora looked towards Simon when the dagger pointed towards him. His expression stayed the exact same thought when he heard the dare "Well that is a bit of a spicy dare." Sora said a bit more amused than before. He was wondering what he would do though. He didn't know the history behind it though but he saw everyone a bit more on edge then before.

Ryuko had expected her words which where more or less a direct challenge to Sora’s prowess as a ninja to least agitate the boy in some way.   If she had angered him he was sure doing a good job of not showing it.   Like water flowing off a ducks back he remained claim and she had to give him points for keeping his head level though she was less then impressed about what he had to say about himself.

She wasn’t going to waste her breath trying to explain to him how it was possible to be both neat and efficient at the same time.  Something told her that he knew that already and simply chose not to bother.  Any further attempts to talk sense into him about dressing better was a lost cause, not worth the effort of addressing when he had a much more serious issue that needed to be corrected.

“Well Bravo, Bully for you. Tis good that your clan is running such a successful enterprise.” she said not being sarcastic in the slightest. “At least you’ll have something to fall back on when you wash out as a shinobi…. assuming you even survive long enough to make it to that point.”  she said as harshly as she could muster.

She’d been only mildly miffed about his lack of decorum but that was nothing compared to how infuriated she was from how he had answered her question about training.  The sheer nerve on him to call playing board games a form of training was appalling.

Yes he had a point in that you could play things such as chess or shogi to help develop strategic thinking but without a strong body to back it up that would only get you so far.  They where a fun diversion to pass the time and help keep the mind sharp,  not a substitute for actual experience on the field.

Without warning she bolting out of her chair and took a quick threatening step towards him.  This was followed by an attempt to grab him by the collar of his shirt with one hand and hoist him up so he was eye level with her.

“You slacker. With that attitude the only accomplishment you’ll attain is getting yourself killed. Or worse, your entire squad. ” She said sternly her voice raised to the point she was practically shouting at him.   “Frankly if you aren’t going to make a proper effort you should quit now and save everyone the trouble.”

People saw that she was a priestess and thought that meant she was always gentle and kind, forgetting the dragon god she worshiped wasn’t just the god of wisdom but of war as well.  She wasn’t just a spiritual adviser but a warrior as well.  Weakness could be forgiven as long as one acknowledged it and worked to remedy it.   If there was one thing she hated more then just about anything it was a pipsqueak that didn’t know their place.

“Tell me Sora-san. Why did you become a ninja in the first place? ” She asked her polite words a contrast to her chilling tone. If she had succeeded in catching him it was at this point that she let his collar go dropping him lightly back into his chair having more then made her point.  For most people the answer was usual fame, or glory not realizing how little their was for most people to actually find.  

That was an acceptable answer when one was at still at the academy, but to continue past a certain point required something more from a person if they truly wished to make a real living out of it.  Those that didn’t have the proper resolve and yet tried anyway where doomed to a horrible demise, something she’d rather spare Sora from even if doing so meant being so incredibly harsh.

With a light twirl of her dress Ryuko returned to her seat just as Shimiko issued the contents of the challange, daring him to kiss the girl that was prettiest.  That thought made her eyes dart towards Natsuru thinking this could backfire really fast.  Her heart sank as Simon took a step towards the  beautiful party host.  She’d been working so hard behind the scene to get Simon and Shimiko together and all of her work was about to be blown apart in an instant.

Or at least so it seemed until Simon stopped and advanced towards Shimiko. YES, yes, yes!  Ryuko’s heart sang in glee. A romantic at heart there where few things in she enjoyed in life better then getting to witness watching a relationship you’ve been rooting for take sail.  

That feeling of elation didn’t last long however as Simon paused to glance towards the empty seat and then at Sora and he gave the other boy a knowing smirk.  Could it be Simon had been batting for the other team this entire time?  Even if that was true kissing another boy would be violating the rules of the challenge.

Then he turned towards her and began to advance.  The first thought Ryuko had was that he was just trying to fake them out but as he continued his progress she began to grow visibly more and more panicked.

What in the nine realms was he thinking? While she wasn’t ugly by any stretch of the imagination it seemed obviously at least to her that her teammates where both prettier then her.  Maybe she just wasn’t being self confident enough.  Rather then be elated that a man found her to good looking she felt a rising sense of impropriety.

The purity of her lips was at stake her. A kiss, especially your first kiss was supposed to be something special.  Was she really just going to sit her and let someone she didn’t particularly care for steal it away from her over some silly game?  

Scrambling backwards her chair clattered to the floor as Simon began to form a hand seal.  Ryuko was about to nope the heck out of there when suddenly the boy was enveloped in smoke which quickly cleared away to reveal him kissing a blond chick that had shown up out of nowhere.  

As smart as she was it took her a moment to recover from the shock of what she was seeing and begin processing what had happened. Thanking Hakkin that the boy hadn’t tried harder to actually kiss her she quickly realized what he had done.

The little rat had copied himself and then used the transformation jutsu to turn the copy into a gender bent version of himself, talk about being narcissistic.  Ryuko was fuming at his antics not sure what she was more angry about. The fact he had startled her so badly or the fact he’d cheated on the dare by trying to use a loophole to get out of it.


“Shadow clones don’t count you egotistical maniac.” she hissed on impulse before she could stop herself.   With a sinking feeling she realized what she had done. She was practically ordering him to do it over again. If she didn’t say something else quickly her lips would be in danger of being stolen once more.  

“Besides nobody said tis had to be on the lips. Why not be a gentleman and kiss the hand instead?” she suggested helpfully. Hopefully Shimiko would forgive her for suggesting a more toned down way to resolve the dare.  It might not be as intense as on the lips but hand kissing when done well could be incredibly romantic in it’s own right.

Sora's attitude and approach to life was agitating Ryuko quite a bit. Rather than settling down the girl became even more incensed and even jumped out of her seat to physically confront him. Shimiko was quite surprised and saw that Ryuko was not as sweet and tolerant as she initially though. This was good in certain respects as it meant that she was unafraid to let her opinion be known but it was bad form to be so aggressive at a dinner party. Nevertheless Shimiko resolved to help Ryuko settle her differences with Sora at a later date. A thorough straightening out was apparently in order and Shimiko was quick to help her squadmates deal with any lingering annoyances. For the moment, she said nothing but if Ryuko would look at her she'd give a disapproving expression and hoped she'd sit down. Hopefully Sora's answer to Ryuko's question wouldn't anger the girl further. Ryuko moved with an impressive degree of celerity for someone who was in such a extravagant dress. If Sora laid a hand on her then the fight might be over before it really began. However, just in case Sora proved too much for Ryuko to handle alone Shimiko spied several objects in her vicinity that could and would be used if he raised his hands to the ojou.

If the spat between Ryuko and Sora finally abated then she'd manage to get out her dare. The various reactions around her caused her to grin. Even Sora complimented her on the risque nature of the dare. Shimiko liked being a polite and sweet girl but she wanted everyone, especially Simon, to see that she had a devious streak as well. Natsuru was amused but not disturbed which was all well and good. The rattling would happen when Simon chose her for a kiss and not the spoiled rich girl. Simon had reacted just about how she had expected him to. With that devil maycare attitude that she found sexy and dashing. When he stood up and walked to the center of the room, her heart skipped a beat although she steeled herself not to show any emotion or uncertainty. Nothing but confidence! He'll choose me! I'm the one he likes! Shimiko thought back to the scarf he had let her keep and secured herself with the knowledge that he only had eyes for her.

The way he stood in the center made it clear that he wanted to be dramatic. Shimiko leaned back and prepared herself to receive her first kiss. She even felt so bold as to lick her lips in anticipation and give Simon an unmistakably flirty look complete with batting her eyes. Natsuru had probably kissed a hundred boys in the Academy and it was a miracle she had no visible cold sores. Shimiko guessed that Simon could tell what kind of girl she was and that's why he wasn't interested in her. When he walked over to Natsuru though she gripped the edges of her seat and looked away. She couldn't face the possibility of her gambit backfiring in such a spectacular fashion. Luckily, out of her peripheral vision she saw Simon retreating from Natsuru and making his way towards her. She faced him and smiled almost wanting to kill him for scaring her like that. He then abruptly stopped and made his way towards Sora.

No way...No freaking way...

In truth, she hadn't even considered that a possibility. It was a technical violation of the rules since she said 'girl' but the smirk he gave Sora worried her. For a moment she seriously believed that he might be gay but then she remembered catching him in a maid cafe. If he was gay he wouldn't care to be around pretty girls in maid outfits. It dawned on her that Simon was trolling them all and that he obviously thought this was funny. Shimiko wasn't amused. He had expected her to make his choice right away and for that choice to be her and her alone. The theatrics and games he was playing only worried her and made her anxious.

When Simon moved towards Ryuko slowly and with more purpose than when he walked to her and Natsuru, that's when the real worry set in. She didn't look away this time but was glued to the unlikely set of events unfolding before her. It might be another joke as he had never given the slightest indication that he was interested in her but Simon was unusually skilled at hiding what he was thinking. Ryuko being a true wing-lady literally fell out of her seat trying to avoid Simon. That was good but it wouldn't erase the sting of rejection. Right as it seemed clear he had made his choice, Simon made a transformed shadow clone. He then kissed the feminized version of himself and declared the dare completed. Shimiko furrowed her brows and pouted when he asked if it was a viable response.

"No, it really isn't" she replied in an annoyed tone. He had dodged the purpose of the dare entirely. It was a stunning defeat but it wasn't a victory either. If anything it was closer to a loss than a win. Ryuko echoed her annoyance and added that if he was so scared of kissing on the lips then he should have just kissed someone's (Shimiko's) hand. It occurred to her that Simon may not want to do something as scandalous as kiss a girl on the lips as part of Truth or Dare. But if he was brave enough to play with the dead and make light of forces beyond his understanding why would he be afraid of a kiss on the lips? Boys are so weird...

Shimiko crossed her arms and shook her head. The fact that he didn't think that way of her hurt. She didn't want to give up hope entirely, after all he could have just opted for modesty and niceness (not wanting to hurt Ryuko and Natsuru's feelings). But what Shimiko liked about Simon was that he gave no fucks or at least that was her perception of him. When she reflected on it more, he was generally concerned with people's well being (looking after her in the hospital and making sure Natsuru got medical attention after their mission). Regardless she didn't like losing as the result of a miscalculation and her failure to hurt Natsuru and score Simon's open affection put her in a sour mood. It was clear from her body language she was annoyed but she fixed her face and did her best to appear neutral.

"Its whatever. Your turn Simon."

If the boy cared to sit back down in his original seat Shimiko would make a point to scoot a couple of inches away from him to make a point.

Natsuru was rather observant on her surroundings. With Sora by her left ear and Ryuko by her right she had to deal with the constant bickering between the two. Ryuko was persistent about his style of dress and even went as far as to insult him directly. Sora on the other hand was playing on the defense trying his best not to completely get shat on by the priestess. As Ryuko began speaking following Sora's reply, Natsuru cut her off. "Enough, Ryuko!" She said while glaring at her with a stern gaze, her voice as viscous and sharp as her visage. Assuming Natsuru succeeded in grabbing her attention this persona would melt away and immediately resume to the graceful, elegant Natsuru she always was. "The jab was in good humor, but please. I did not invite you hear to harass and bully the boy. I will not tolerate your senseless bickering anymore in my domain. Do you understand?." Natsuru would speak while patting the young girl on the back, a form of comfort after snapping and what could be embarrassing her before the others.

"A party is a time for positive energy. It's why I invite friends and provide delicious food. Save it for another time." Truth be told, Natsuru and Ryuko shared the same view on Sora. After all they do come from the same class. However, what separated Natsuru from Ryuko was her understanding on social situations and what is appropriate. Ryuko was more like a child, who only had eyes for herself and little empathy for others. Natsuru knew it was not just to outright grill a person you dislike. Especially in front of them and others. It was toxic behavior, something that Natsuru had limits for. Retracting her hand she turned to Sora only passing him a curtly smile as a form of visual confirmation to the end of Ryuko's actions.

This led to the dare finally making its way into effect. Simon stood up from his chair, first approaching Natsuru. It was a moment she was not prepared for. His body language indicated what his intent was, yet, as the moment passed so did he. Natsuru was a bit curious what he was doing, her mouth opening in slight confusion as she looked over her left shoulder before her right following the boy as he moved. The moment he did that, her opened mouth expression changed into a cheeky smile. She knew exactly what he had planned, or at least half of it. Just as predicted he moved to each of the girls giving them presumably false hope. However Natsuru was not prepared for the actual remedy. A Clone? Through the smoke was a random female, someone he pressed his lips against. Natsuru would break out in a short, hysterical laughter as she clapped in amusement. It was a clever stunt, even one she couldn't think of.

"Using a clone? How witty!" Natsuru settled down, wiping the corner of her eye from a tear drop. This was only half of the glory. The look at Shimiko's face. And her response? It was the cherry on top. Natsuru prepared to relish in her own smug self satisfaction. Raising a smirk she rested her chin between the backs of both her hands as her elbows naturally rested on the table top. She spoke in a nonchalant tone, though her posture was making in all of its rights. "Did you honestly think you had a chance the moment he passed me up? I never knew you were such a class act!" She said, mocking the girl's failure to impress her for whatever reason she thought it would work. A slight "Ohoho" would trail the end of what she said before straightening her back up and resuming a normal posture.

It was all fun and games to her. Game. That's all it was. And they were running out of time. Natsuru would try to reinforce what Shimiko had said. "Ah yes, it is your turn to spin the tanto. Dinner is just about done. This will be the last round." Despite her snacking on the hard pretzels and lemonade their attempts were futile to suppress her hunger. The woman required real food, and lots of it, to sustain. The cuisine she had prepared was nothing short of a banquet, and dessert easily double that quantity and variety.

Sora really didn't care about a single word Ryoku was saying and at this moment nothing would change that. It would be hard for her now to change something like that. Sora didn't live and train like most shinobis and he knew it. He trained differently because he wasn't like the others. A simple training in the training ground was just plain boring for him. Sora was someone that put his life in danger to get his training exciting. He saw his missions more as training then when he was training with his sensei.

Sora pushed himself off with one foot while he hooked the other behind a leg of the table making his chair lean back so it was standing on the two back legs. Sora would hold the chair in balance with his foot that was hooked behind the table leg so it didn't shoot away under him or fell further back. He would avoid her hand from attempting to get his collar.

Sora just kept his lazy expression on his face. when she talked to him again. "Then lucky me I don't have a squad and did all missions together with my sensei." Sora said calmly towards her before she asked the question about why he became a shinobi. "Save the questions for the game." He said in the same tone while he pulled on his leg so the chair calmly went back towards standing on its four legs.'

He looked towards Simon that started using his clone to kiss. Sora didn't expect it but so far he knew it was a smart move to get not a fight started between everyone.

Sora casually boasted about how he didn’t have to worry about any team mates because he didn’t have any. His devil may care attidute serving only to infatuate Ryuko further. Why was he ready to throw away his life so recklessly? Their was a fine line between bravery and foolishness and he was trending heavily towards the later.

The fact he wouldn’t answer her question saying to save it for the game made her want to throttle him. He had to know he was dodging her on purpose since this was the last turn which meant she wouldn’t get a turn. Besides she had a feeling that even if she did get a turn and chose him that he would pick dare to keep avoiding having to reply.

She knew it was beyond her power to save everyone. The protection of Hakkin could only go so far but even so it was her responsibility as a priestess to do everything she could to defend the people of this country as best as she could, especially those unable to protect themselves.

The fact that he had managed to graduate the academy at all meant he had the potential to do that in the future, if he honed himself properly. The world was a cold harsh place, even if he trained hard it still might not be enough to spare him in the long run, but at least he’d have a chance to accomplish something even if he perished.

For example Ryuko herself likely couldn’t beat a Jounin in a fight but she was strong enough to hold one off even if only for a short while. That was valuable time she could buy her teammates or the Raikage, even if the price was incredibly steep.

Luckily for Sora he was saved for the moment by Natsuru’s stern rebuke to Ryuko telling the poor priestess not to cause any more trouble. As long as he behaved himself she’d let him off the hook for now, but at some point after the party was over she was going to have to make sure of that the two of them had a good discussion together and she wouldn’t take no for an answer.

“tt.” She clicked her toung in annoyance as she turned away from the slothful young man and did her best to try and ignore him for the moment. She just felt award not really knowing what to say. She wasn’t about to apologize but their really wasn’t much to talk about until food arrived.

Watching as Simon spun the tanto she breathed a sigh of relief that it fell on Shimiko and not herself. After 2 dares in a row she would have looked like a big chicken if she hadn’t picked dare herself and Hakkin only knew what he would have asked of her.

For now thought she just felt aqward not really knowing what to say. She wasn’t about to apologize but their really wasn’t much to talk about until food arrived. Watching as Simon spun the tanto she breathed a sigh of relief that it fell on Shimiko and not herself. After 2 dares in a row she would have looked like a big chicken if she hadn’t picked dare herself and Hakkin only knew what he would have asked of her.

The drama between Sora and Ryuko reached a fever pitch. It had gotten so bad that even Natsuru had decided to cut in. She scolded Ryuko to the point where the younger girl decided to walk away from the fight fuming. Shimiko understood why Natsuru was so adamant about them toning it down. She didn't want a fight to break out in her house and she didn't want Ryuko's rudeness to reflect badly on her family's household. Shimiko found Sora's calm attitude to be cool and his remark was witty although she did not care for the way he had managed to piss off Ryuko. He had not offended her personally but if Ryuko was bothered by him then he was due for a sharp correction at some point in the not so distant future. Speaking of correction, Natsuru was also due for one as well. The girl had thought it appropriate to mock Shimiko for her miscalculation.

"Did you honestly think you had a chance the moment he passed me up? I never knew you were such a class act!"
"..."

Shimiko was a bit hurt but she said nothing and only gave Natsuru a nasty glare. She wanted to leap across the table and bury the Senou's tanto into that bosom she loved to brag so much about. Simon excused his own behavior on the grounds that he wasn't really into kissing girls he didn't know very well. It wasn't something she could fault him for although in truth she would have preferred him to say that outright than to roundabout the dare. It dawned on her that she was being rude by attempting to manipulate Simon into kissing her while also simultaneously embarrassing Natsuru. She had excused her behavior on the grounds that it was just a game but nevertheless it was not a positive thing to do. She had been so caught up in the moment that she had resorted to acting the way she imagined Natsuru did around her other rich friends. Am I a bad person? Not winning Simon's affection was hurtful but being exposed as a manipulative and spiteful little girl made her feel awful. Shimiko bit her lip as she held back the tears. She avoided making eye contact with anyone there and was somewhat relieved when Natsuru announced this would be the last round. She didn't think she could handle another dare.

Shimiko wasn't even looking at the tanto when it landed on her. She assumed that it would land on someone else. Anyone else really. When she heard Simon's voice she looked at the tanto and then at him in shock and then looked away. She barely resisted the urge to shake her head, pout, and pass. She knew doing that would only amp Natsuru up more and if the host continued on her present path she would truly be tempted to do something she would almost certainly regret. "Truth" she mumbled knowing that it would be quick and easy to get it over with. Simon wrote his question down on a piece of paper and tossed it to her. She caught it and opened it. The girl's green eyes widened as she looked at the words and then back at him with an: Are you serious? face.

Shimiko looked at the paper again,

Spoiler:

Simon seemed genuine but asking a question like that after what had just happened made her question his sincerity. If he was in on making her a joke with Natsuru that would be the worst thing possible but somehow she doubted that was the case. Maybe he was more socially dense than Sora. That was also unlikely as he managed to take the (relatively) more diplomatic route of not kissing either her, Ryuko, or Natsuru. Shimiko was torn and unsure of his intentions. She really liked him but she was a Chinoike and not just any Chinoike but the little sister to THE Chinoike of Lightning Country. She was a devout follower of the most dangerous and violent religion in the world, a student to the current Raikage, and a survivor of one of the harshest ailments in shinobi history. She wasn't going to beg or whine for Simon's affection no matter how badly she wanted it. So she tore the paper in half, held the two scraps for a moment and then let them fall to the floor clearly not caring about littering.

"I don't have one"

She had felt bad for trying to make the game all about her but not bad enough to suffer more humiliation. For the first time in a long time she didn't care if she was coming off as rude or bitter. She only agreed to the stupid game because she was tired of Natsuru teasing her for being young and innocent. She was nice but had her limits and if she let herself get pushed around by those older and more confident then she'd be disrespecting her brother's memory. Fully aware that her act would probably cause Natsuru to spazz out with mockery and delight, she merely closed her eyes briefly and tuned out whatever she had to say. She occupied herself with praying to Janshin for forgiveness not for anything she had done but for what she would fail to do.

As the tension lowered between Sora and Ryuko, there was a moment of peace not matter how brief it was. Simon suggested the group would get a move on, Natsuru agreeing with the idea. "Yes, of course. Let's get moving." She chimed excited about the dinner that was prepared. Although food was abundant in their house, having such a diverse spread was not common and only limited to large gathers. And on top of it, she was confident a fair portion of her friends were unfamiliar with the food prepared for the most part.  It would serve as a fun experience for all of them to share. Getting up from her seat she grabbed the tanto by the handle and slid it back into its sheath. A satisfying click let her know it was properly seated in the scabbard.

Although the group began to exit the inner cloister, there was still the question Shimiko had to answer. Truth... Natsuru let off a slight, hummed giggle of satisfaction after Shimiko's response. She was well aware the blonde was agitated. Angry at the fact Simon dodged the response, and also angry at the fact she was not the one chosen to begin with. Her tantrum was amusing to Natsuru, though knew better than to openly grill the girl. Especially after scolding Ryuko for practically the same thing. Her taunting giggle was enough to get the message across, anyways. You really do act your age...getting flustered over a game...

Natsuru was unaware of the method used to convey the truth. Shimiko's response left Natsuru curious, as well as the piece of paper she deliberately discarded on her grounds. Seeing the paper leave the girl's hands as it fell apart in the air triggered the Senou as a cold rage blitzed up her spine. A moment of red flashed before her eyes, the visual of her stepping forward behind Shimiko and backhanding the back of her stupid pigtails as hard as she could. The litter such beautiful grounds that her servants tried their best to maintain was not only insulting the hostess, but the hard work they all put in to sustaining a clean, beautiful home. She insulted everybody in the manor, something that the bluenette found unforgivable. Natsuru was tempted to tell Shimiko to leave, but a big part of her wanted to serve justice herself.

Bending over she silently picked up the ripped piece of paper as the group moved ahead of her. Natsuru paced herself to catch up just before the doors. The group would naturally head inside from the same doors they came from, though Natsuru would catch up just in time. It seemed as if Jashin believed in a sense of justice, too, as Natsuru's prey was exactly that. Her arrogant, pouting behavior caused the girl to leave herself helpless with both eyes closed. As Shimiko just passed the doors, Natsuru would slam them shut with enough timing and precision to almost make it look like an accident. The door shut attempting to catch BOTH of the blonde's pigtails, the tug and force enough to make the girl fall on her rump. If successful, immediately, Natsuru would open the door and squat down to her level. "Oh! I'm terribly sorry! I didn't see you. I was distract picking up the paper you threw on my floor." Her tone as sarcastic as can be. Lending an open hand she offered to help the blonde up from her position.

Sora would calmly look around a bit. This was really one of the most boring parties he has ever been with. He was missing the booze and the music. He wasn't someone to just sit around. When he was sitting at a party it was mostly because he wanted something to drink and a small break. This was far from a party for him. It was more of a social experiment kind of thing. everything kind of felt forced to him and was planned way too much. going from dinner times to times to for playing games.

Sora head calmly twisted a bit when he heard the door slam. to see what was happening. He wasn't paying attention at all he since he was hesitating about something. The moment he heard the sarcastic voice of Natsuru followed by seeing Shimiko laying on the ground Sora rolled his eyes a bit before he took the glass off the table and chugged the glass of lemonade empty. Sora stood calmly up while saying "Well this party is lame. I am off doing better things." Sora calmly said before he calmly took off towards the door. Sora got pretty tired of seeing colleagues turning on each other just because of how someone looked or was acting.  Sora was someone that didn't care how people acted as long they were useful in missions since that was what counted and when he saw most of the people here he wouldn't be surprised if they would turn on each other.  "I might see you all on a mission or so again." Sora said calmly

Ryuko felt a mix of emotions as Simon suggested they hurry things up followed by Natsuru taking the Tanto off the table. Relief that she hadn’t had been picked as a target for the game and regret she hadn’t gotten to take advantage of the situation to further her own agenda.

Not that she had much to hide in the truth department, but the dares where serious business. It was as much as of missed oppertunity as it was a dodged arrow. The price she might have had to pay to get her own spin of the proverbial bottle might have been a high one indeed. Then again as the saying went nothing ventured nothing gained.

Shimiko opened the piece of paper containing the question she had been asked by Simon and answered by simply stating that she didn’t have one, but what she didn’t have exactly wasn’t very clear. One of what exactly? Ryuko couldn’t tell because she hadn’t seen the paper, and now she’d never see it since Shimiko had torn it to bits.

Whatever had been asked it must have pissed her off a bit given her reaction, but at the same time Ryuko had the nagging feeling her friend wasn’t being entirely honest with her response. She didn’t have much to base that on other then womanly intuition so she kept her mouth shut rather then make throw around a baseless accusation. If Shimiko was keeping a secret, whatever it was wasn’t worth damaging their relationship over.

Hearing the doors slam shut behind her Ryuko spun already half in combat mode, a hand reaching towards the hem of her dress for a weapon hidden underneath it only to stop and sigh as she saw the aftermath of what had happened. Natsuru’s sarcastic tone of voice making it clear that hit or near miss it had been no “accident.”

She didn’t know what the source of between her two teammates was but the childish fighting between the two of them needed to stop if they where planning to stick together as a team. As a vestal Ryuko was supposed to be wise, but her experience dealing with friends her own age was slim so to say she was unsure about how to mend the relationship between the two of them was an understatement.

Before she could think of something to say, Sora spoke up saying that the party was lame and that he was leaving. Well what else could be expected of someone who was so uncultured. By departing in such a rude fashion like that he was practically thumbing his nose at Natsuru’s generosity. Despite the difference in station she had still invited him and he ought to be grateful for such a rare opportunity and instead it was like he could care less.

“Despite our.… differences.” Ryuko said after a slight pause as she tried to find a diplomatic word for the general attitude towards him that she had displayed so far. She did care for him as an acquaintance in her own way, even if she was bad about showing it. “Tis a shame you won’t say” she continued.

“I do look forward to seeing you again Sora-san. Perhaps we could spar sometime.” she said giving him a warm and genuine smile. A small petty part of her wanted to add that it seemed like he could use the exercise but she kept from speaking that out-loud, figuring she’d nagged him more then enough for one day. Perhaps if he proved himself not a push over when they fought she would be willing to give him more lee-way in the future.

Of all the disagreements Shimiko had with Natsuru she could not imagine that littering would be the thing to set the girl off. Natsuru had more than enough servants in the house to handle a little scrap of paper. Perhaps it was the principle that bothered her or maybe she just wanted an excuse to physically escalate against Shimiko. Either way, after the blonde had given her response to Simon she remained silent and solemn. Simon reacted just about the way she expected which was to keep his cool. She was too pissed off to care at the moment and she really just wanted to go home and cry but she figured it would only make Natsuru's day sweeter if she left. Speaking of leaving, Sora decided that he was not interested in staying. The party was boring and not to his liking. Shimiko thought this was rude but said nothing. She didn't even offer a goodbye. After he had departed Shimiko wondered what he considered exciting. Petty power games between girls probably weren't interesting to him but for Shimiko it was all that mattered at the moment. Her inability to one-up Natsuru frustrated her. It made her want to hurt the Senou physically and her chance would soon come in the form of a cruel prank.

Natsuru slammed the door on her pigtails. The door narrowly caught her hair and yanked her causing her to fall to the ground. "Ow!" she screamed as she rubbed the roots of her hair. At first she was confused but then saw Natsuru's condescending smile. It was clear she had made no mistake. The girl brought up some silly excuse about paper and then offered her hand. Shimiko stared at her in shock then saw red. She had restrained herself up until then from laying hands on the Senou but the girl saw fit to provoke her until she exploded in a fit of violence. She swallowed her instinct to go ballistic and instead forced out a smile.

"Its alright really! I should watch where I'm going." Shimiko picked herself off the floor but before she fully rose she extended her own hand quickly and tried to slam her palm into Natsuru's throat which was proximate due to her crouched position. She sought to use her cheerful and nice demeanor to disarm Natsuru into thinking she wouldn't fight back when in reality she'd aim to retaliate and kick it up a notch. She wasn't dressed for combat but she was more than willing to fight especially after Natsuru's constant mocking. If successful she'd take advantage of her stunned and in pain rival. Shimiko's hand reached out and hoping to grab a fist full of indigo hair she'd then drag Natsuru to the ground and try to get on top of her. She wanted to use her own hair against her as leverage to get on top before Natsuru could use her superior strength against her.

Damn! I didn't bring any weapons! Shimiko cursed herself. She had been given a great opportunity to murder Natsuru in her own home and she had foolishly believed that such a thing wouldn't be necessary at something as sweet as a dinner party. From that day on, Shimiko would never be caught to unprepared. Instead Shimiko searched Natsuru's person hoping to grab a hold of her tanto and rip it from its scabbard. She had completely gone past the point of pretending to be a nice girl and was completely focused on her goal of seriously injuring her teammate.