2011-03-13 - A Cause For Continued Celebration

It is a bit later in the evening now, with the festivities in Neo Japan still going strong. Hundreds, if not thousands of people from every faction and walk of life are sharing a brief moment of social time away from the wars that usually consume them. One might almost wonder if this is a kind of peace that could be maintained. Alas, it is not to be, especially as the night draws on and some groups have to be escorted out by security after political commentary results in more than just idle threats. For the most part, though, things have stayed festive, happy - if only for one night.

Sinya is on a stool near one of those portable mini-bars, nursing a drink of some dark red liquid. After disappearing to find herself some much needed intoxication, the catgirl had run into one of her 'cousins', who was here representing the interests of the Leland clan as a whole. There-after, she'd /tried/ to find Xiang, but as noticable as the captain of the SuiKyosha might be, her quest came up empty. Then again, perhaps the best test of his socializing might be just to let him try it.

"Can I get another?" She asks, taping her claw on the bar. The 'tender, having been there for a while, looks at the catgirl skeptically. "You sure?" She lifts her head off of her other hand, looking at him with a bland expression. "Do I look drunk to you?" He considers this for a moment, then shakes his head and goes to fetch the drink.

It's after this quick interaction that a quite inebriated pilot comes walking up, sliding a hand around Sinya's waist as he leans in, breathing heavily. "Hey baby. So... I saw you over here and was wondering." He wobbles, eyes falling to her exposed skin and never really meeting her eyes. "How much?"

"Excuse me?"

"You heard me, how much? I can pay, baby. It's all good. I like freaky chicks." His hand reaches down, grabbing for her rear end. What he doesn't notice, though, is the way her fur stands on end from even this brief unwanted contact. Pressing her lips together, Sinya places her hands on the man's shoulders, as if she were being inviting, even if it never reaches her eyes. With one quick tug, she pulls the pilot forward, shoving her knee up squarely between his legs. With a growl, she leans close to his ear and snarls. "Touch me again, and you'll lose them. Got it?" With a shove, she sends him toppling over one of the nearby chairs, clutching his privates.

"Stupid. Bitch." He mutters, and then clambers to his feet, limping away, even as the bartender finally arrives with the drink. "On the house." He chuckles, earning only a shy smile from the catgirl, who's ears are folded back. This was not turning out to be as fun an evening as she had expected.

Xiang's attempts are being more sociable have only been partially successful so far. So far, he's spoken to a series of dignitaries and representatives to companies, but has left those of severe political interest alone. The Captain's found that by loosening up slightly and smiling, he's had more success in negociating potential contracts and the exchange of business cards.

But after a while, even a man like Xiang Yuan is sick of socializing with all of these 'serious' people, and makes his way towards the bar. He'd noticed Sinya, and since she was 'basically' his date... or however one would call this thing they had going on... the captain believed it was suitable to approach her at this point. He disappears into the crowd to move.

And just as the man who'd tried to hit on Sinya clambers to his feet, there's suddenly a man standing before him like a rock. In the way. Xiang turns his head upwards and his eyes a bit down to look at the man who was clearly taller than him. Yet somehow, to most of those present, the 'asshole' looked small compared to the Chinese Captain. The pilot gets nervous and snaps, "Get out of my way." and tries to put a hand onto Xiang's shoulder to get past him. The pilot pulls, and somehow suddenly falls over. Someone with good eyes might have noticed Xiang having moved his foot to unbalance the man, before moving past him as if nothing had just happened.

"Ah, miss Leland." Xiang announces his presence to the feline, whilst the pilot once again is forced to get back to his feet and suddenly finds himself being excorted by a few guards. It seems that the captain had somehow managed to pull some strings... somehow. How /did/ he do that anyhow!?

"I hope the evening has not been boring you too much, so far." His gaze travels to the glass in her hands, and just nods. "I'm sorry." He states and settles down next to the feline beastwoman. "I'll have what she's having." The man claims and taps on the bar, hunching over slightly. My god! He wasn't sitting entirely upright! So it /was/ possible for him to loosen up after all. In fact, his entire demeanor was... less tense than normal. Even the way he spoke was more of a common way of expressing things.

The catgirl just about has her drink lifted to her lips when she somehow senses that aura that seems to always set her fur a little on end. Her head turns ever so slightly even as her hand brings the glass back down onto the bar. While she had taken care of the situation quite handily all by herself, seeing the wayward pilot sent sprawling does bring a smirk to her lips. Karma - as they say - is a bitch.

"Miss Leland now, is it?" She asks softly, twirling the tip of her finger around the lip of the glass. "I'd thought you were trying to be informal for the evening, Captain." Her voice is a bit more mellow, having had a drink or two already, which seems to have taken the edge off of her usual reactions around Xiang. She isn't drunk, not by any great means, but just at that comfortable point of being pleasantly buzzed.

Her eyes look past him briefly, watching the path of the pilot as he is escorted away. "Thank you. For that." She motions with her chin, and then looks back down to her drink. Lifting it to her mouth, she takes a slow drink, closing her eyes as she savors the flavor. When he orders the same, though, she nearly chokes on it, placing a hand over her mouth as she tries in vain to keep from laughing, "Have you ever had Gaean fire wine, Captain Xiang?" She still seems intent on referring to him formally, even as she raises an eyebrow doubtfully. Even the bartender looks from the catgirl, to Xiang, and back again. "Put it on my tab." She notes.

It's likely that she had to search quite a few booths and bars to find anyone who even had the elusive drink, and it certainly was more expensive than your usual human intoxicants. Chances are, she's spending most of her 'bonus' she got for playing 'guide' to the SuiKyosha just on the bottle or so she's drank so far. "I would take it slow if I were you." She advises, green eyes watching him with interest. She hrms to herself, and then shrugs her fur-covered shoulders. "I wouldn't call it boring, so no reason to be sorry. It's the first time I've really gotten out in... well, in far too long." The fact is, she hadn't been out since Michael was killed.

Still, her mouth quirks up at the corner, "Well, look at you. Getting the hang of things a little bit, I see." She notes, looking at the set of his shoulders. "Any luck drumming up some business for the SuiKyosha?"

"Ah, right. Sinya." He nods his head as he finally says her first name. Old habbits break hard. Admittedly, he'd tried once before, but had not gotten much of a reaction. "And surely, I had nothing to do with him being escorted away." He turns his eyes away, so she could not find that small sign of the guilt within his expression. The young man then patiently waits for the bartender to put a small glass of the Gaean fire wine before him, before he nods slightly. "I have had it. Miss Yu doesn't like it when I drink though - so keep it a secret from her."

He then takes a small sip from the drink, and chuckles slightly after the warm liquor seeps down his throat. "Also, you do know that you can write off the alcohol as a... 'business expense' to this contract, right?" Wait. Is he saying that he's giving her the booze for free? He turns his grey-blue eyes back to her, giving her a much more... casual look over. "I do say, if I did not comment before, you look quite..." Xiang tries to find an appropiate word; "... resplendent in that dress." Deciding that this was a proper term, he nods at his own wording.

He takes another sip, and she could probably tell that he was quite weak to alcohol right there, as his face flushes ever so slightly red already. But then, perhaps it was simply the strength of the drink. "As long as you are enjoying yourself, that is good then." He nods at her. "And yes, I have 'drummed up' quite some business so far." He flicks his hand, and suddenly there's a whole fan of business cards in his hand. A good twenty of them. And with another flick of his wrist, they are suddenly gone. Like magic!

When he attempts to use her name for the second time, Sinya just shakes her head, a bemused smile twitching her lips upwards. "You know, I'm not actually sure which sounds weirder." She admits, taping her clawed finger on the glass. She hadn't even attempted calling him by his first name, which is probably a sign that she's not quite that comfortable around him just yet.

"I'm sure that Yu has explained to you that my kind really don't have surnames." If nothing else, it would have been something quite unusual for anyone who has dealt with a Gaean beastman. "Michael Leland and his clan took me in when I came through the mist from La Gias. He'd lost his daughter and I guess I reminded him of her." She pauses, tail swaying behind her slightly. Normally she didn't talk about Michael - other than in passing. Maybe she has had a bit too much to drink. "He was killed about eight months ago. I couldn't deal with it, so I took a contract on the Red Moon to get away from it. This is the first time I've really been back."

She swirls the red liquid in her glass, prefering to look at it rather than direct eye-contact with the captain. "What's with the two of you, anyways? I mean, you're obviously not together, but there's this really weird way you two have. Like you're soulmates or something." Perhaps it isn't quite the right word, but her mind just isn't quite in the right state to figure out something better. Sipping at the wine, she seems to consider the thought of charging the wine to contract, and then shakes her head. "It's a bit too expensive to put on the contract. Besides, I'm not exactly hurting for money at the moment. The 'nest pays well, and I'm slowly clearing out my inventory on the Red Moon. It's the first time I haven't actually been living paycheck to paycheck." She tips her glass into the air, as if silently toasting to that.

It's his comment about her dress that catches her off-guard though, in that same way that Edward's compliment had earlier. Most might consider her an obvious tomboy - being a mechanic and all, but they'd be surprised to see just how much actually attractive clothing she has. There just isn't always a lot of occasions to wear it. "Mmm." Her ears slick back, a faint bit of color rising in her cheeks. "At least it's an impression few will forget about you. Arriving with a beautiful woman on each arm." She tips her glass again, rolling the wine around.

As the business cards are displayed, she nods appreciatively, "Glad to see you're figuring it out. I'm sure you won't have much trouble, though." Her voice sounds oddly strange, as if there is almost a tinge of sadness to it.

"However you wish me to call you." Xiang states, when Sinya expresses the fact that her kidn doesn't have last names, as well as not being sure what sounded more odd - him calling her 'Miss Leland', or by her first name. He smiles. It looks a bit odd. Realizing this, he takes another sip of the Gaean firewine, laying the glass to his lips and letting it very slowly disappear into his mouth. And he puts it down when she begins to speak of her past.

Sinya could probably see the kindness in his eyes as he listened to her story, about her 'father' and his passing. He didn't interupt, but did at least let out a little acknowledging 'hmm-hmm' here and there. He cared, that much was obvious. But it was still hard to see just how much he did through that tough outer shell of his. "My condolences." Xiang states with emotion in his voice that match his words. "But I am glad your life is picking up somewhat - within the realm of monetary ownership."

Then the subject of Yu and him. He looks uncertain, something that comes out more clearly due to the effects of the wine. "Our relationship is... complicated. Let us leave it at that." Unlike Sinya, this man keeps his past a bit more guarded - and there's reason to it. As much as he believes he can trust Sinya, part of him is too afraid to admit his past to her. After all, he had never said anything about who he was to anyone as long as he'd lived, except for his master, and the one person who actually knew about him; Yu. "As a commander and XO, our relationship is a delicate balance of trust and communication." He decides to bullshit, yet still makes it sound believable.

"But!" He raises a hand to his lips after lowering the glass, removing a bit of the red that he'd not been able to catch with them, and covers his mouth. There's a slight red underneath his eyes now, though it if is a blush or due to the alcohol is hard to say. "Simply beautiful would be an understatement. Both of you carry an... exotic... yet different different kind of allure." He then blinks, catching that sadness in her voice. He looks at the bartender. "May I have buy the bottle of that?" And he stands up as he says this. There's a momentary exchange of words, as well as money, between the bartender and Xiang, before the man stands besides Sinya. "Mind following me for a moment? I..." It was really her, he believed who needed what he was about to say. "... need some fresh air. Somewhere away from the crowd."

"Sinya." Her answer is almost immediate. How could she ever explain the sort of feeling 'Miss Leland' brings along with it? The sadness in her human father's eyes... no. That was a line of thought she didn't need right now. As if to squash that completely, she drains the last of the wine in one gulp, drinking far more than one should quite so quickly. She lets out a hiss between her teeth, the 'fire' part of the wine burning warmth down her throat.

Just why is she being more talkative? Perhaps it is the alcohol, or just the fact that she hadn't really had time to talk to anyone about things beside business. Even Edward - their conversations usually reverted to mechs or his past after a while. "Monetary ownership..." Rolling her eyes, the catgirl nudges her glass away, shaking her head from side to side. "Try: I'm glad things are doing better." Ahh, it doesn't take long before she's back to playing the role of the advisor, but it seems she isn't taking it as seriously now.

Her thoughts don't seem to linger on it long, though, watching the play of actual emotion on his face. It's almost like watching a painting move - seeing something that should be motionless at different angles. "No. It's... okay. Forget I asked." Her ears twitch slightly, causing that jingling sound from the earrings dangling there. It is quite clear she'd overstepped some boundary in asking, and perhaps a clear answer isn't something she could expect. Ex-lovers perhaps? It seems to make the most sense - perhaps still in love, but driven apart by something. It is far too easy to concoct a story that fits.

She smiles vaguely down at her reflection in the glass, and then blinks at his words, lifting her head as her ears shift once more, moving to catch sound. "See... that's the kind of flattery you should use to get contracts. Women go for that kind of thing, trust me." She nods, pushing back from the stool and hopping down so that her bare feet touch the ground. "Sure. I should probably give things time to settle. Drunk-piloting isn't a good idea." It seems she has every intention of taking Arius back to the 'nest tonight, regardless of how late it is already.

"Then I will keep those things in mind." He knew that flattery could get him places, but he didn't like resorting to such things in order to get a contract. Much like Sinya, he usually prefered to keep things business like for jobs. Not to mention, romance wasn't exactly a thought he approached very often. With the bottle now in his hand... no wait... it disappeared. Where did he!? It doesn't matter. He leads the Feline by his side, unlike how they had arrived previously, and he wanders with Sinya through the midst of the stadium, up a flight of stairs, until they reach an empty balcony where they are greeted by that fresh new Colony scent.

Xiang finally leans forwards against the metalic banister, looking out upon the insides of the colony. It was amazing to him, such a thing. Though a world being on the 'inside' was not new to him, since La Gias was on the inside of earth - hugging the walls, so to speak - to have a colony like this, just floating in space like a cylinder, was amazing. He lets out a sigh, then raises his chest as he breathes in deeply. The man closes his eyes... then lets out the air again.

He then turns to Sinya. "You should do this too." It's not an order, but there's a certain aura to this statement that seems to create a powerful suggestion. He believed that, if he were to talk to her about that tinge of sadness he'd found in her voice, it would be useful to... loosen her up. It could have one of many effects, but the most common was that the air would make one's emotions more honest - enhancing the senses, and with that, the heart. "Do it with me. Close your eyes. The, breathe in deeply." He begins, and does exactly that which he says. "Think of a place that makes you happy. A green garden. A still lake. Something peaceful. Just hold that thought..." Xiang pauses, waiting for a bit, "Then let it out." And he slowly lets his breath escape.

Sometimes, there are questions you simply do not want to know the answer to, and one of them is just where Xiang happened to put that bottle of wine. Actually, though, Sinya simply doesn't think of asking. She is, afterall, just a little bit inebriated and losing track of something like that is far, far too easy. The catgirl follows him through the crowd, just a few inches to his right, as if there was something about following behind that didn't sit well with her. It is by sheer grace that she manages not to bump into anyone as they make their way away from the crowd, the sound of the loud music dying away.

Lingering on the steps just a moment longer, she watches Xiang as he steps to the banister, head tilting as she watches his sillouette against the backdrop of light and darkness. Her tail twitches once. Is it just the light, or did he look younger somehow? Hrm. She takes the last step, hand lingering on the the railing. Then, her ears perk forward, his words coming through far more clearly with the din of the festivities having faded to the backdrop far below.

Hesitantly, almost reluctantly, she steps to the edge of the balcony next to him. The normally talkative young woman simply remains silent, letting her fingers wrap around the metal. There is no question of why, the light breeze catching in her hair and blowing it lightly back from her striped face. Tilting her head back into that breeze, Sinya closes her eyes.

LONG AGO...

The first memory. Perhaps the only one that still lingers after all this time. Morning is just dawning on a peaceful village. Somewhere, a rooster crows. Everything is warm, and safe. Her eyes peak open to the smiling face of her mother, who leans in to touch noses and nuzzle her daughter's cheek. Still drowsy, she's lifted into her mother's arms. There is a blanket wrapped around her as she is carried out into the brightness of the morning, her tiny nose twitching to the smells of early spring. A small insect, floats past, and her hand reaches up to bat at it, bringing a laugh from her mother.

She's carried to her father's workshop, where she is greeted with a kiss on the cheek and a warm welcome. He has some new invention to show off - something he feels will help the villagers make better use of their farmland. It's just at the moment that he excitedly turns to start up the invention that there is a crash. Suddenly, the roof of workshop is ripped off by a guymelef.

NOW...

For a moment, it almost seems as if the tension eases out of Sinya's shoulders, her breaths slow and even. Her lips part ever so slightly, showing a hint of a smile. But it ends as quickly as it begins. She jolts backwards, as if coming abruptly back to reality, her voice coming as a quick gasp. "No." Hands releasing the banister, she steps back, shaking her head. It's not a happy realization. "I'm sorry." She whispers.

When she steps back, there's suddenly a hand there. Xiang had reached behind her upon reading her sudden change of emotion, to make sure she would not fall over while stepping back that fast. He's now standing besides her, looking down at her, giving her a warm look. If it wasn't for the kind of person he normally displayed himself as, this might even be concidered to be a moment of romance. His kind yet concentrated stare upon her, that one hand on her back.

"Are you alright?" He seems to recognize something within that look of hers, another small piece of emotion and expression that momentarily fills his face. To him, this was almost like watching a reflection; a state he recognized, as if from a mirror. Like those times when Yu told him about his expression when his mask cracked through the emotional pressure and weight of responsibility on his shoulders. It's why he wished to help Edward as well; those with a tortured past. Of course, there was no way he knew for sure that this was what ailed Sinya. Just... a gut feeling. But he was usually right about these things.

"I'm sorry if I caused you to remember something you rather not wish to think back to." His voice breaks the momentary silence after his previous words. He does indeed sound worried. "Is it something you wish to share, though?" He then adds. "The weight of one's painful memories, if not shared, can weigh heavily upon one's shoulders. Until not only the body, but the soul, gives in."

The hand at her back catches Sinya a bit by surprise, causing her to stiffen quite suddenly. She so rarely reached out to others, and usually that touch was fleeting. Even when she had walked in with him, the arm-in-arm contact hadn't lasted long, had been quite reluctant. Even so, rather than twitching away she just sort of freezes, her ears slicking back in an expression that is somewhere between confusion and panic. It might be that warm look that serves as the only thing that keeps her from just turning and running from the scene entirely.

"Who are you..." The words come more as a whisper, as if she had meant to speak them to herself, not outloud. One moment he seems this older man, with words of wisdom and a stiff exterior, the next... No, she must be imagining it. Putting a hand to her forehead, she steps away from him in a quick, shy motion. "I must have had more to drink than I thought." It would certainly explain a few things. When she takes her hand from her forehead, her fingers instinctively touch the metal band that wraps her wrist. It's the same reaction as when he had first mentioned the word 'Zaibach'.

She forces a smile onto her face, one that doesn't quite reach her eyes, replying with a quick shake of her head. "No, I'm sorry. I think I've had a bit too much to drink and I'm not exactly myself." She steps away, putting more space between the two of them. Her ears lift, but only slightly - trying, but not really succeeding to hide her emotions. "The past is the past. I try not to think about it, Y.." She cuts herself off. Had she been intending to use his name? Mentally, she tries counting the number of glasses of fire wine she'd had, and the number keeps changing. That is when her eyes catch sight of a bench nearby, and she walks towards it. Her head is spinning - perhaps due to the alcohol - perhaps due to memory.

When Sinya asks him who he is, and slicks back her ears, the man moves his hand back to his side - so that she may not feel 'caught' by him. Yu had told him what those bracelets were, when she'd noticed them. He knew enough about Sinya's past, without even having to ask her, so he knew not to touch her too much, or grab her. Not like he'd do that to begin with either way. But still, he put extra care to take note of this. "It's quite alright." Xiang replies, and takes only a few steps into the direction of the bench, but leaves her plenty of breathing room.

"As for who I am..." He'd caught that way she'd cut her off, "And how you name me. I am who I am, and as long as it is -I- you refer to, name me however you wish. I have already told you as such." The man raises an eyebrow and puts his both arms behind his back again, like he's done so often. "Are you alright though? Do you wish me to escort you back to the SuiKyosha? I can easily get her to allocate a room for you."

He then suddenly takes out the bottle somehow, along with a glass. Did his sleeves just move? He pours the glass full, and puts the bottle on the concrete of the balcony's top, against the metalic banister. He takes a small sip. "This is quite the good stuff. I am surprised you found it." Is he trying to distract her mind from the memories of the past? No. "And as much as the past is the past, as long as it drags you down, it will be part of the present."

As she sits down on the bench, the catgirl begins to lick at the back of her hand, eyes closing as she seems to sink into what is more typical cat behavior. Cats groom to get rid of stress, and her hand is quickly brushed over one ear, and then over her head. It's a gesture that could be considered cute, or at the very least a bit odd for humans. It doesn't last long, though, as she lays both hands back down into her lap, tail curling next to her legs so that only the tip twitches now and again.

"That's... not what I mean." When she speaks again, her voice is calmer, almost a bit subdued. "What I mean is... sometimes it's like you're two separate people." She looks up, although the eyecontact is fleeting as her eyes quickly look away. As strong as she had come to be in the past two years, some behaviors from her past are hard to get rid of completely. "One moment you're this ancient proud emperor with all these wise words and stiff expressions." Her shoulders move, as if she found trying to even imagine that person a bit confining. "The next you're... someone else."

It would probably be a strange thing to say to a normal person. In fact, it's unlikely she would actually have said it if she weren't just a little intoxicated. "Whomever you are now is better though. It doesn't make my fur stand on end." Sinya's voice grows quieter, eyes looking down towards her clawed hands. She's distracted enough that she misses the offer to be escorted back to the SuiKyosha, not looking up again until she hears the re-appearance of the bottle. "How did..." Blink. "No, nevermind." She shakes it off.

She shifts in her seat, turning a bit towards him. "My father used to drink it." There is another of those pauses, as if she were filling in the blanks in her own mind. "My real father. He'd sneak in to the storehouses and snatch a few bottles when the Zaibach solders weren't looking. They never did figure out where it disappeared to." Somehow, that memory isn't quite so bad, causing a bit of a laugh to come up in her throat, and her mouth to curve into a reluctant smile. "But you're right. The past can drag you down if you let it. I try not to." Although she still wears the slave bracelets.

Xiang can't help but smile a little - an expression tainted by a sense of worry in his eyes - as she decides to start 'grooming' herself. He takes a step forwards, whilst continueing to observe her even most minor alterations in expression. What follows is a simple nod, during which he closes his eyes and leaves them closed. "Of course. There is more to me than what meets the eyes. Even I carry a mask who I show to those outside, much like any other human being. Perhaps mine is merely... more sturdy than others."

That's quite a bit of information to tell someone he barely knows - even if it really /doesn't/ say much at all. "But I will try to... reel in that which makes you so uncomfortable." He doesn't really want to say 'aura', but he knows that it has been refered to as such in the past. "Anything else?" He raises the glass to his lips, taking a small sip, before offering the glass to her. Nothing wrong about 'sharing' a drink, at least - not according to this man. Bacteria? Cooties? What are that?

He then suddenly is looming over Sinya, though at her side, so that she has 'a way out'. He's looking at the bracelets. The whole 'how did he do that with the bottle' doesn't get mentioned. He just holds out that half-full glass. "Of course I am right." Xiang then states, without making it sound like he has some kind of huge ego. "Better to think of the good memories right now, is it not?"

Unlike Xiang, who has an almost impenetrable mask, Sinya's heart is worn mostly on her sleeve. Her eyes, ears, tail, they are all give aways to how she feels at any point in time. "I'm pretty much 'what you see is what you get'." She admits, shrugging her shoulders once before offering a small smile. "Sure, I've got times where I put on an act to get a sale, or a contract, but it's all show and no depth." There is another of those slight hesitations as she nods, "Although I think I can understand why. You are an 'Emperor' afterall." She even twitches her fingers to air-quote the word, offering a small roll of her eyes.

When the glass of wine is offered out to her, she simply places her fingertips against the glass and pushes it back towards him. "On any other night, I'd toss 'em back with you until you passed out on the floor, but not tonight." Her voice is soft, followed by a shake of her head. Then again, when he moves close to her, she nearly ends up pulling backwards, but she controls it so it is just a minor little twitch of her body. Looking up, her ears fold back slightly.

"You might be wise, Captain Xiang Yuan, but you aren't right about everything." She notes, looking up at him through a few loose strands of her hair. Her tail twitches, the close proximity causing it to brush against his leg. It's a quick touch, and one totally unintentional as Sin quickly pulls her tail back against her side, brushing it lightly with her fingers. Her eyes turn back to the view of the heavens. "Good memories. The first meal the Zaibach soldiers gave me. The first time seeing space. My first paycheck as a Trailer." She laughs then, closing her eyes, "Seeing the fish on your ship."

Seeing as Sinya has to airquote and roll her eyes at the title of 'emperor', Xiang finds it necessary to shed some light on his role and history. Was there /some/ vanity in him after all? Or was it simple a matter of mere pride? "The people of my ship call me an Emperor, simply because that is my title before they see me as a captain. They once lived underneath the Spiral King's wasteland. I was the one to save them from their inevitable fate of drowning. And without a lord to rule over their society, they crowned me not only as their captain, but as their Emperor. I am their judge, their Emperor, their caretaker, and their Captain." It was all really quite the mess. And he doesn't sound like he is trying to particulary /impress/ Sinya either. But then, since he stonewalled his face whilst giving this little 'explaination' of his, it's hard to figure out /what/ he is trying to do.

The captain of the SuiKyosha then loosens up again, moving his hands to his sides and finally lets himself lean against the balcony, relaxing a bit. "And of course I am not truly right about everything. To truly believe I am, would be sheer folly." He shakes his head a bit. "There is more than enough fault in me, far beyond what you have pointed out so far." He lays his head backwards and closes his eyes, breathing in the cold air.

He puts the glass on the balcony, unfinished, and continues to relax further, opeing his eyes again and looking at the same 'heavens' as her - which really is just the other side of the colony. They are on the inside of a cylinder after all. "Either way, I am sure you will make many more good memories, amongst the bad. And know that you could see the fish each day if you wanted to. The SuiKyosha is a free ship." After all, he decided who was allowed on and who was not.

This time, Sinya listens to his explaination without any interruption, easily noting just how that mask of his seems to come back into place when he takes on the roll of the Emperor, rather than just being himself. Her own expression has softened quite a bit, a far cry from the angry outburst she had earlier in the day. "Did you actually want to be their Emperor?" It may seem a strange question, but in reality, most of what she knows of his story is covered once more in this most recent explaination. If he was born to rule, perhaps that is why she'd felt so oddly. People who have that need to lord over others never did set well with her, but... that just didn't feel like it fit him.

Slowly, seeming to have recovered from her momentary flashback and the after-effects there-of, she pushes herself to her feet. The young mechanic, who looks anything but -that- at the moment, moves to lean against the railing next to him, folding her arms beneath herself. It's night, so it's just a little chilly, especially away from the warmth of the festivities below. Her fingers lightly rub against her skin as she looks upwards.

A fake sky. Is that what she'd always seen all her life? They say that Gaea, La Gias, exists inside the world. Then why was it that when she looked at the sky at night, she still saw stars. "You probably shouldn't tempt me, Captain. Otherwise you might not end up with many fish left." She extends her claws slightly, pawing once at the air before wrapping them back around herself. "But I wouldn't mind lending a hand for a while. It's clear your people need someone to get their hangar crew organized. I can at least make sure I train up someone to handle the role." There is a pause, where the offer is left to hang, and then she seems to add as an afterthought, "If you're willing to pay for my time, that is. And it would have to be when I'm not on duty at the 'nest."

"It was my... destiny... to become their Emperor." The man replies, not commenting on whether he'd /want/ to be their emperor. He wasn't ready to open up to that extent. Xiang continues to look at that fake sky. It was somewhat unnerving - but unlike Sinya, he'd never once thought that the sky he'd lived under had been fake. But then, he'd once lived under the /ground/, thinking that the ceiling was all there was to the skies. And that their people were the only people in 'existance'. Reality is only as large as once's knowledge of what is truly out there.

He finally turns his head as she joins up next to him however, and observes her rubbing her own skin. He seems a bit curious about just why she does that, but believes it must have a similar reason to why she rubbed her slave bracelets. "I am not 'tempting' you. I am merely offering. As for the fish, it isn't hard to get a new batch. We visit the ocean plenty, and sometimes even travel back to La Gias on a rare occassion for some trading, and keeping some of my crew in contact with family they left there." What did that have to do with replentishing fish?

"But the offer stands. And of course, you would be well payed for your services. Of course, that means you might come within the line of fire now and again, when you are on the SuiKyosha. After all, some of the contracts I take are combat missions, or escorts. And not all of them end up peaceful. Especially as I am now part of the TDF." He pauses, pondering something for a moment, then adds, "And of course, I wouldn't want to obstruct you from other contracts. I could even hire you as a consultant, if you would prefer that. You'd make your own hours." With her being a previous slave - perhaps giving her that much freedom would give her a better sense as to what kind of person he was. Considerate, behind a stern mask.

"Destiny." Sinya seems to say the word as if it had a particularly bad taste in her mouth. Her nose scrunches up as she closes her eyes, shaking her head from side to side. "I'm sorry, Captain, but I don't believe in destiny." She draws her arms closer to her, taking a small breath. "The Zaibach higher-ups were consumed by fate. It was their obsession. Control fate, engineer fate." Her tail curls by her side, seeming to form into a question-mark shape. "But I think you make your own fate by the things you do. My fate was to die a slave to Zaibach. But I made my own fate the day I escaped, and it cost my father's life." Her eyes close ever tighter for a brief moment, and then soften again.

She considers his offer in silence for a while longer, letting those green eyes look out, perhaps seeing more than just a reflection of a distant colony. Seeing more than a set of confining walls. That sadness still lingers, though. "I'm not much for staying in one place very long, I'm afraid. And I'm in no shape to be discussing contracts right now." She may not feel drunk, but there are some definite signs that she shouldn't be making decisions - especially figuring how emotional the night has been thus-far.

"For now, I'm under contract with the Ravens to get your people up to speed. You have the video to review, and I'll work with your hangar crew during my free time." Her eyes look away then, the catgirl pushing herself up from the railings as she gives her arms one more rub to warm them. "Once you have one of your own ready and able to handle the job, you can better assess if you need my services further." It sounds official, more-so than she probably intended. But the meaning behind it is clear: Once you have your own people, I doubt you'll have much more need for me. "Do you mind if we head back a bit early? I'm feeling a bit cold." That certainly explains her rubbing her arms. "I'll fly Arius back myself, so your people can enjoy the rest of the night." As she is fairly sure the sights of the colony are suitably gawk-worthy for the inner-worlders.

"Destiny." Sinya seems to say the word as if it had a particularly bad taste in her mouth. Her nose scrunches up as she closes her eyes, shaking her head from side to side. "I'm sorry, Captain, but I don't believe in destiny." She draws her arms closer to her, taking a small breath. "The Zaibach higher-ups were consumed by fate. It was their obsession. Control fate, engineer fate." Her tail curls by her side, seeming to form into a question-mark shape. "But I think you make your own fate by the things you do. My fate was to die a slave to Zaibach. But I made my own fate the day I escaped, and it cost my father's life." Her eyes close ever tighter for a brief moment, and then soften again.

She considers his offer in silence for a while longer, letting those green eyes look out, perhaps seeing more than just a reflection of a distant colony. Seeing more than a set of confining walls. That sadness still lingers, though. "I'm not much for staying in one place very long, I'm afraid. And I'm in no shape to be discussing contracts right now." She may not feel drunk, but there are some definite signs that she shouldn't be making decisions - especially figuring how emotional the night has been thus-far.

"For now, I'm under contract with the Ravens to get your people up to speed. You have the video to review, and I'll work with your hangar crew during my free time." Her eyes look away then, the catgirl pushing herself up from the railings as she gives her arms one more rub to warm them. "Once you have one of your own ready and able to handle the job, you can better assess if you need my services further." It sounds official, more-so than she probably intended. But the meaning behind it is clear: Once you have your own people, I doubt you'll have much more need for me. "Do you mind if we head back a bit early? I'm feeling a bit cold." That certainly explains her rubbing her arms. "I'll fly Arius back myself, so your people can enjoy the rest of the night." As she is fairly sure the sights of the colony are suitably gawk-worthy for the inner-worlders.

"My condolences." That's the second time he's said that now, and to the same person at that. It would seem Sinya had much more of a tragic history than he'd believed initially. Two fallen fathers. He lets out a sigh - one that betrays his emotions beneath. He gets up and takes the bottle, and offers it to her. "It's yours." He states. "Take it as my... reward... for letting me escort you back to the SuiKyosha." Xiang is rather odd about what he gives 'rewards' for. Or perhaps it was just a way to make this feline more comfortable about accepting a 'gift'.

"I have done what I came for, and Yu has already gone back to the ship." How did he know this? Perhaps he'd seen her in the crowd, when he had been wandering around. "So I'm planning to undock the Suikyosha anyhow." The man turns about and begins to wander down those stairs, fully intent on just going back to his ship in one fell swoop, without talking to anyone else. "And of course." Assuming Sinya would follow, he continues to talk a bit more. "You're free to launch. I'll get my men to prepare the hangar for your departure."

With a twitch of her ears, Sinya simply shakes her head ever so slightly. "It's nothing to be sorry for. He gave me the only gift he could, and I value it highly." That gift, of course, is her freedom. The ability to make her own fate, and live her own life. Suddenly, the bottle is offered out to her, and she takes it more out of instinct rather than actually meaning to. "You don't have to." But she does take it, holding it at her side as she takes one last glance over the balcony, looking out on the party still going on below.

Alas, he's already part way down the stairs when she finally gets the courage to whisper a soft, "Thank you." Why? Well, sometimes it is good to remember where you come from, and just what things matter. And beyond that, it had been the first real non-business conversation she'd had in a very long time. Knowing full well that there is no way he should be able to hear her, she closes her eyes for a brief moment, and then follows, for once not bothering to catch up. This time, Sinya walks a step behind.