Pets You Can't Pet (D7 LE Yori's Room)

[Mei-Ling Zhou]

A small gift bag in hand Mei made her way to Yori's room.

"Man, I need to stop fucking around and work on getting a promotion, these officer rooms are so much nicer than mine."

Reaching the door she rapped on it softly a few times.

"Lieutenant? It's Mei-Ling, do you have a moment?"

I hope she isn't the early to bed type.

[Yori Hakamada]

A small gift bag in hand Mei made her way to Yori's room.

"Man, I need to stop fucking around and work on getting a promotion, these officer rooms are so much nicer than mine."

Reaching the door she rapped on it softly a few times.

"Lieutenant? It's Mei-Ling, do you have a moment?"

I hope she isn't the early to bed type.

The door opens so quickly it's as if Yori had just been standing there....waiting. But that would be insane...right?
"Sergeant Zhou, good evening."
Yori appears to be wearing a t-shirt with 'mechwarriors do it better' stenciled across the front of it and a pair of battered looking cargo shorts.
"I have a stockpile of moments in reserve, what can I do for you?"

[Mei-Ling Zhou]

"Well I was hoping to see your fish and I brought you something." She said holding up the gift bag. "Just a little something I made. You can call me Mei by the way." She said with a warm smile.

[Yori Hakamada]

"Well I was hoping to see your fish and I brought you something." She said holding up the gift bag. "Just a little something I made. You can call me Mei by the way." She said with a warm smile.

Yori's expression softens slightly.
"Yes, of course you may see the fish."
She takes the gift bag delicately with a bow of her head.
"You did not have to bring a gift, but I appreciate that you did. You can now enter."
She steps inside to allow Mei to enter. Yori's room was fairly dim with the quiet bubbling of the large fish tanking in one wall lending some background noise. Otherwise there was a neatly rolled futon, a small table with low cushions, a bookshelf and a chest of drawers upon which sat a long blade placed next to a few sticks of slowly burning incense.

[Mei-Ling Zhou]

Upon seeing the traditional setting she was entering Mei bowed and removed her slippers, setting them along side the other shoes near the door.

(Japanese) "Thank you for your hospitality, your room is quite lovely. You have gone to considerable lengths to make it your own space."

Holy crap this is nothing like what I expected.

[Yori Hakamada]

Upon seeing the traditional setting she was entering Mei bowed and removed her slippers, setting them along side the other shoes near the door.

(Japanese) "Thank you for your hospitality, your room is quite lovely. You have gone to considerable lengths to make it your own space."

Holy crap this is nothing like what I expected.

(Japanese) "Thank you for your kind words. It reminds me of my previous life. Or perhaps how I imagined it was. Can I provide you any refreshment?"

In the tank two sizable koi. One white with a black spot and one black with a white spot eye the newcomer with interest.

Yori meanwhile carefully opens up the gift bag.

[Mei-Ling Zhou]

Mei approached the tank slowly and deliberately, not wanting to spook the fish.

(Japanese) "Oh no thank you I am fine. Wow, they are beautiful and big, much bigger than I imagined. How long did you say you have had them?"

Inside the bag was hat, a hand knit ski cap complete with a big poofy ball at the top that while not an exact match for Yori's hair color came very close.

[Yori Hakamada]

Mei approached the tank slowly and deliberately, not wanting to spook the fish.

(Japanese) "Oh no thank you I am fine. Wow, they are beautiful and big, much bigger than I imagined. How long did you say you have had them?"

Inside the bag was hat, a hand knit ski cap complete with a big poofy ball at the top that while not an exact match for Yori's hair color came very close.

(Japanese) "Oh yes, they are from the imperial palace. Their blood line is the most impressive in the inner sphere. Capellan koi are very fine too, but Luthien stock have their distinctively largely scales and are more intelligent."

The white fish swims back a bit, moving behind a miniature japanese temple while the black fish swims closer to the glass and then looks up at the top of the tank, clearly expecting food.

"I have had them in my possession for 5 years. If properly cared for Tompson and Thompson are likely to live for another 30 years at least."

Yori just stares unblinking at the cap before slowly putting it on and then moving to join Mei as she approached the fish.
"It is a very fine hat. I have not had one like it since I left the service."

[Mei-Ling Zhou]

Mei turned and upon seeing the hat on Yori's head she practically radiated joy.

"I'm so happy you like it. When I got to thinking about making something for you I got to thinking about your beautiful hair. It's been cold since we got here and I hated the idea of you having to cover it up just to stay warm so I dug through my yarn bags until I found the closest thing I could manage. Now you can keep warm and still show everyone your pretty pink head."

She turned her attention back to fish and addressed them.

"Sorry I didn't make matching hats for you two but wool doesn't work well submerged in water."

[Yori Hakamada]

Mei turned and upon seeing the hat on Yori's head she practically radiated joy.

"I'm so happy you like it. When I got to thinking about making something for you I got to thinking about your beautiful hair. It's been cold since we got here and I hated the idea of you having to cover it up just to stay warm so I dug through my yarn bags until I found the closest thing I could manage. Now you can keep warm and still show everyone your pretty pink head."

She turned her attention back to fish and addressed them.

"Sorry I didn't make matching hats for you two but wool doesn't work well submerged in water."

The black fish seems to straight up shrug while the white fish swims down and balances a pebble on his head.

Yori meanwhile has reached up and touched her own hair under the hat.
"I...you have considered things I have not. My hair is pink as a sign of rebellion, to demonstrate that I am no longer a servant or drone. It's aesthetic connection has always been secondary. I am surprised you like it, but not unhappy about it."
Calmly
"Your hair is also appropriate. It appears to have good coverage of your head."

[Mei-Ling Zhou]

"Thanks, I don't do much with. Some times I dye it white but that's usually for special occasions like going to a concert or club. I want to grow it out but I worry about it getting in the way of my helmet, I will probably grow it out when I get older and am retired."

She watched the white fish with curiosity.

"So what do you feed them? It must be tricky to get the right food when were travelling all over the galaxy."

[Yori Hakamada]

"Thanks, I don't do much with. Some times I dye it white but that's usually for special occasions like going to a concert or club. I want to grow it out but I worry about it getting in the way of my helmet, I will probably grow it out when I get older and am retired."

She watched the white fish with curiosity.

"So what do you feed them? It must be tricky to get the right food when were travelling all over the galaxy."

"White?"
Cocking her head "So you appear older and they will let you consume alcohol?"

The white fish performs a very slow loop de loop
"I try to purchase long last food whenever we reach a planet with appropriate stocks. Failing that I arrange with the support staff to provide fresh food. Since they will eat most bugs there is usually surplus."

[Mei-Ling Zhou]

Mei laughed at that. "No, I mean, I still get called a kid every now and then but that's usually by people who have had little interaction with people of our ancestry. I do it because I like it, I have a few outfits that give off a kind of dangerous sexy vibe that works better with the white hair I think. I usually save it for concerts and clubs and then just let it fade back to black over time."

[Yori Hakamada]

Mei laughed at that. "No, I mean, I still get called a kid every now and then but that's usually by people who have had little interaction with people of our ancestry. I do it because I like it, I have a few outfits that give off a kind of dangerous sexy vibe that works better with the white hair I think. I usually save it for concerts and clubs and then just let it fade back to black over time."

Yori's mental image of 'dangerous sexy' is a naked person holding a large book and a gun.

"Oh, that seems a good reason."
The white koi drifts closer to the glass and seems to blub blub at Mei, as if commenting on the hair colour choice.

"You seem like someone who enjoys their life."

[Mei-Ling Zhou]

"I try to, don't see much point in living if you hate your life. It's such a big galaxy with so many things to see and do that if you don't like your life there are plenty of options to change it. Maybe that doesn't work for some people but look at John or Hrafn, they both went from farmer to mercenary in different ways so if they can do it anyone can.

How about you, how are you doing?"

[Yori Hakamada]

"I try to, don't see much point in living if you hate your life. It's such a big galaxy with so many things to see and do that if you don't like your life there are plenty of options to change it. Maybe that doesn't work for some people but look at John or Hrafn, they both went from farmer to mercenary in different ways so if they can do it anyone can.

How about you, how are you doing?"

"They are both happy people, I wish I was more like them."
Yori scratches her chin

"I am well...I may be looking towards a date tomorrow. Statistically that has a 65% chance of making me enjoy my life more. Although there is a 20% chance it will make me enjoy my life less."

[Mei-Ling Zhou]

Mei laughed. "Ha well, John is a lot of things but happy isn't one of them but we are working on that. I'm gonna make make him happy if it kills me.

At date? Ohhoho, nice who's the lucky person? You two gonna go out for a dinner on the town?"

[Yori Hakamada]

Mei laughed. "Ha well, John is a lot of things but happy isn't one of them but we are working on that. I'm gonna make make him happy if it kills me.

At date? Ohhoho, nice who's the lucky person? You two gonna go out for a dinner on the town?"

Yori just seems to accept Mei has decided to make Butcher happy as some kind of solemn duty/
"It is with Lieu- with Richard. We were considering breakfast tomorrow in Pryvidok, it seemed a logical location."
Glancing at Mei

"Do you know the Lieutenant well?"

[Mei-Ling Zhou]

Mei grinned mischievously. "I would say so, he's the first friend I made when I joined the Starlit Knights. We've been though a lot together over the years; he's a great guy, total sweetheart. I glad your "cultural exchange" with him is progressing. So he filled out your survey and met your standards?"

[Yori Hakamada]

Mei grinned mischievously. "I would say so, he's the first friend I made when I joined the Starlit Knights. We've been though a lot together over the years; he's a great guy, total sweetheart. I glad your "cultural exchange" with him is progressing. So he filled out your survey and met your standards?"

"So you may have additional information on him?"
Yori calms walks back to her desk, retrieves a notepad and returns, the fact she attempts to do all of this without dropping eye contact makes for some unusual motions.

"He did well on the survey, slightly better than anticipated. He seems a-"
Slight frown
"-Genuinely decent person? Sometimes I am expecting to find out he's actually a serial killer or worse."