[Date: Sunday April 18, 2004.] [Taki has been finishing up moving prep and it's actually been a pretty warm day outside. She ended up falling asleep behind a couch in the living room by a closet she was clearing out.] [What's she dreaming about?] [Start.] * Taki dreams of the feast she's going to prepaire for her friends, in her own restraunt. Magical wonderful food that everyone can eat their fill of and still have room for the next course. Everyone is there and happy, although if she were to to remember and think about it Kyon and Kaede were kinda over there and not rally acting like themselves. [There's a phone ringing in the restaurant, it sounds more like a cell phone, but there is a phone on the bar that seems natural.] * Taki waits for one of the wait staff to get it, or maybe the maitre d, she should totally have one of those around here someplace, meanwhile she's talling Nicola and Haruko, who are sitting to her right a story about a sauce, that didn't so much boil over as try to come to life and take over half the kitchen. Katie is to her other side and talking to Satoshi about something that's probably very important, but she can overhear everything anyway. [The maitre d, an elegent middle aged woman in a tux, picks it up sounds troubled. "You're seriously doing this? You won't be able to help with the move? We can't reschedule, school starts when it starts."] [There's also increasing light spreading throughout the restaurant.] * Taki lets her story trail off and tries to figure out who's messing with the lights, this is IMPORTANT! And what does a school have to do with anything? Nicola's graduated, hasn't she? There arn't any more extra semesters... That will help, but movers aren't practical. What could possibly be so important that they can't just send a different detective? * Taki is now confused and worried. Detectives? Why detective? * Taki's father comments from one of the tables as she begins to wake up, "Huh, she didn't leave a note. I was really hoping we'd have a chance-- oh, I'm sorry!" That last bit was quieter. * Taki sits up and blinks in confusion as her restruant ceases to be and is replaced by a wall and a stack of old school work. * Woman sighs. "So let me get this straight, instead of helping with the move, you've got a black tie publishing house soiree to attend." A quick barked laugh. "Oh, and the best part, you can't find your suit? Alright, well-- I'm sorry, I have something more important to do tonight, but we'll check when I get home." * Taki looks around for whoever's talking, maybe she's dreaming this too. [Taki pops her head up by the couch and sees her father and a woman, about the same age, in the apartment. She's wearing a long black dress and has shoulder length hair that is black intermixed with strands with brown highlights. Her facial features are well defined, perhaps even a little hard, but soften by the exasperated smile she flashes as she puts her phone away, "I'm not sure how many more months it will be until he actually collects those last three boxes." There's something vaguely familiar about this woman, although more her look than her face.] [Kouji is also dressed up a bit tonight. He'd mentioned something to Taki earlier about having something important to talk to her about tonight, but she figured she had more time and then there was the packing frenzy and the nap, you know how it is.] [They're both looking at each other at the moment, neither has noticed the head peaking over the furniture.] * Taki rubs her eyes and does her best aproximation of alertness. "Hey Dad, I didn't hear you come in." [Kouji and the woman are startled for a moment, she recovers faster and bows. "I apologize for intruding in your house."] * Taki scrambles to her feet and bows back. "Please pardon the mess." * Kouji shakes his head. "No this is my fault. Well Taki, I..." He bites his lip before continuing nervously, "ShouldWeLeaveAndComeBackInOrMaybeGoToThePark?" Ah, no stay. I'll just shove all of this back where it came from. * Woman waves her hand dismissively. "Belive me, my house is no better at the moment." She looks over at Kouji who, near as she can tell, has crashed. After an awkward few moment she continues, "If I may have your permission, I'll go and make a little tea." Uhm, sure, it's... *gives directions on where to find things in the kitchen and the starts to pick up stacks of paper* [Kouji processes Taki's suggestion and helps as well as the woman walks off to the kitchen. She sets to work efficiently at tea while humming softly to herself, providing just a little bit of noice buffer.] I'm sorry Taki, I wanted to do a proper introduction, but it turned out she had to deal with a move, so it was now or not until your first trip back from Osaka. Uh, that's alright, I think. Everything just happens at once. Yeah, life has been like that lately. These past few months have gone by so fast. * Kouji shakes his head, "But I'm only thinking of myself, the changes you've been preparing for are even larger." * Taki nods. "I... don't worry about it. I've been pretty much the same way." Right, so, I'll introduce you to Toshibara-chan when she comes back. I think you two will like each other, but if you don't, that's okay, we aren't going to do anything you don't want." His voice trails off a little at the end. He's trying to look both hopeful and supportive, but it mostly comes out as a little dazed. I... I really don't know what to say. I mean... I think it'd be really good for you not be here alone. So this's good? I think? Congrats? * Kouji looks relieved as Toshibara, that name rings a faint bell, returns with a tray with three cups of tea. She assesses the room for a moment and then sets it down on a low table surrounded by largely unperturbed sitting cushions. * Kouji stands up. "Taki, I'm pleased to introduce you to Toshibara Emiri. Toshibara-chan, this is my daughter, light of my life, and until this year in house gourmand, Taki." * Emiri bows. "It's my pleasure. And I wanted to present--." Her eyes widen for just a moment and she makes a chiding tongue click. "If you'll excuse me for a moment, I've rudely left my bag lying around your apartment." * Emiri stands up for a moment and retrieves her bag. It's more a satchel than a purse and looks like it holds more than she'd need for a dinner. She reaches in to retrieve a thin wrapped box, about 40 centimeters long and 20 wide. [When she sits down again, you ponder over the name. There was a girl named Toshibara, it stuck with you a little because her father had a different name. Sgt. Sagara. And that's where you recognize her from, a brief glimpse at a desk photograph on the night of a break-in gone about as wrong as usual.] * Emiri presents it to you with both hands. "We weren't sure the right gift for this situation, so we went with something you could use in your new apartment." * Taki snaps back to reality from the pointless thought excercise of trying not to think about the past too hard. "Eh? Oh, uhm, you're too kind. Thank you very much. I wish I had known we were going to be having a guest so I could have made something for you." She takes it. May I open it? * Emiri smiles, "Just as well, from what your father says, your meal would outshine my humble offering. Yes, please do." * Taki opens the box. "If I were the boastful type, I'd say something about inviting you to the opening of my restruant, but for now you'll just have to settle for visiting again before I move out or waiting for me to come back to visit Dad." * Emiri nods. "It may not be until you come back I'm afraid. Between hunting for an old suit, my shift at the clinic, and Akari's move, this was the last night our schedules lined up." <@Grysar> [The box contains a particularly nice set of decorative hand towels. Each has a different culinary theme, with seafood prominently featuring octopus on top. There's actually a bit more than the usual hand towel set, so you could display the appropriate ones for a given meal, or so a little card inside helpfully explains.] <@Grysar> [And with that, the other half clicks in place. The daughter, Akari, was one of the Jackals. The one with the tentacles emerging from her backpack.] <@Grysar> [Katie had said that her father, Sgt. Sagara, apparently was involved in covering up Arcana involvement in the drug crimes in order to "save her." Though you never worked out from what.] * Taki takes them and even manages to smile as she's screaming inside. "Thanks, these are very cute. I'll send you a photo when I use them." * Emiri smiles. "Thank you." She laughs, "My tastes were plainer during nursing school, but Akari liked the design." * Emiri sips her tea. She's able to work in a fairly subtle nervous glance at her watch as she does so. You might not have noticed, although there's something about her wrist that caught your eye briefly. * Taki sets the towels aside and tries the tea herself... and also totally fails to be sublte about looking at the sparkly search point on her guests wrist. <@Grysar> [As she drinks, you also get a closer look at her jewelry. She has a simple silver stud earrings and what looks like the top of a small silver cross, hanging from a chain, mostly obscured by her neckline.] <@Grysar> [Rather unusually for a Japanese woman, particularly of her age, she actually has a small tattoo. Since you aren't trying to be subtle, you can actually make it out. "1 John 5:4." * Taki looks away. "Ah, sorry." * Emiri laughs, somewhat earthily. "Oh, it's my fault for checking my watch. One redoubled because I need to make an early exit. We are going to have to root through some boxes and see if any of Akari's, friends, can help with the move." Her expression is briefly distasteful when she mentions that group. * Taki nods. "Most of my friends won't be able to help either, but I'm moving quite far away." * Kouji stands up. "No, it's alright. You've already stayed longer than you thought you could." He goes to pick up her coat and makes a quiet 'huh' when he notices a small package by the door. "Forgot about this, you had a package downstairs Taki, I'll leave it in your room for later." Eh? Ah, thanks. * Emiri nods. "Kouji-san mentioned that. I'm sorry we won't have more of a chance to get to know each other. But please trust that we won't do anything without knowing that both of you are comfortable with it." She sighs, "Akari, for all her eccentricities, has been through enough, and you deserve the same courtesy." * Emiri finishes her tea and stands up after a brief bow. * Taki bows back. "I hope we can meet again with more time. Good luck getting everything ready in time." And I wish you the same with your move. Thank you. <@Grysar> [End!]