Pine Garden

[Kotomine_Rin]

Vega

"Yes, you're quite radiant!" He booped her teasingly with his nose, and if he had a tail, it'd probably be wagging happily too. You didn't even need eyes to tell just how joyful her answer made him. "Ah, but that's not the only reason. Humans are complex little things, our wants and desires are often as free and branched as the rivers. It would make you happy, no? If I were to take you with all my passion here and now? Alas... it would make me happy too. And if I were to blindly chase happiness without enjoying the little things, I wouldn't find joy."

His eyes narrowed when he said that last word, even as he smiled. "The labor we delight in physics pain, a friend told me that. I think... as long as I act in a steadfast manner towards my aims, I can enjoy the little pleasures and skip over the burdens before me." He reached for Lily's hand sincerely.

"See, I want for us to have a long, fruitful friendship. Because I can tell there are things you want too. Should we not help each other? I seek something any man does. Joy, my friend. And the only thing that'll give that to me is victory."

That is why he was here. That was also why she was here.

"I had a feeling if I paid enough, I'd have an audience with a demon of some status. Someone who could look at me with honesty and courage. That's why I feel comfortable being honest in turn. If I were to beg for power, or some unnatural contract, the power wouldn't come for myself... it'd be worthless. But if someone with some form of strength and skill were to aid me... to nurture me... why, I would be quite elated! Haha."

He toyed with his hair coyly.

"Would you know such a person? I figure even a prostitute has her fair share of connections. And if my hunch isn't mistaken, I feel that someone I seek is closer to me than one might think."

[Kotomine_Rin]

Marc

"...Yeah, I sure did. Nice find by the way, didn't think I kept it there." He smiled with a small sigh and picked it up - even if just looking at that made him feel kind of old. No, maybe his eyes looked old when put next to that. Didn't people know better than to snoop? Nah, actually, he shouldn't blame her too hard for looking at his embarrassing pictures. If he cared so much, he'd have done a better job putting them somewhere else.

Mission though... hm, well, his hunch was right after all. He put a hand on his hip and pouted casually.

"I figured as much. Well, even if you're a homunculus, it's not like most of the information you'd get here is all that unique. I'm just a washed-up martial artist slash mercenary." He smiled a little when he said that. "But you're pretty cute. I figured even if it's for someone else's sake, I don't mind lending a hand. Besides, I might have an idea of who your mother is now."

He stretched a bit. "So what do you want to know? Humans are a pretty broad subject, I don't think some lecture will cut it."

[Bern]

Vega

"Yes, you're quite radiant!" He booped her teasingly with his nose, and if he had a tail, it'd probably be wagging happily too. You didn't even need eyes to tell just how joyful her answer made him. "Ah, but that's not the only reason. Humans are complex little things, our wants and desires are often as free and branched as the rivers. It would make you happy, no? If I were to take you with all my passion here and now? Alas... it would make me happy too. And if I were to blindly chase happiness without enjoying the little things, I wouldn't find joy."

His eyes narrowed when he said that last word, even as he smiled. "The labor we delight in physics pain, a friend told me that. I think... as long as I act in a steadfast manner towards my aims, I can enjoy the little pleasures and skip over the burdens before me." He reached for Lily's hand sincerely.

"See, I want for us to have a long, fruitful friendship. Because I can tell there are things you want too. Should we not help each other? I seek something any man does. Joy, my friend. And the only thing that'll give that to me is victory."

That is why he was here. That was also why she was here.

"I had a feeling if I paid enough, I'd have an audience with a demon of some status. Someone who could look at me with honesty and courage. That's why I feel comfortable being honest in turn. If I were to beg for power, or some unnatural contract, the power wouldn't come for myself... it'd be worthless. But if someone with some form of strength and skill were to aid me... to nurture me... why, I would be quite elated! Haha."

He toyed with his hair coyly.

"Would you know such a person? I figure even a prostitute has her fair share of connections. And if my hunch isn't mistaken, I feel that someone I seek is closer to me than one might think."

Lily

"You can stop with he impute hand holding if you you truly wish for my aid..." Lily responded as she quickly pulled her hand back. The audacity to hold her so intimately, in such a mundane fashion, it was insulting. Playing up the romantic side of this when he paid for her services was nothing short of farcical, and she would laugh at him were she not contractually obliged to treat him with respect.

"I hate people who dally and are coy with their words. You clearly have observed that I move like someone used to fighting and you are correct in your guess-" Lily moved closed the final distance between them as she spoke, and finally claimed the most comfy seat in this restaurant, his lap.

"I dare say my skill with blades is second to none among my sister. I can probably teach you a thing or two on how to decisively finish of a man after you get up close on them.."

[Kotomine_Rin]

Vega

"Oh... I quite like your hands though... they're soft and pretty. For this, I will have vengeance." He pouted as she sat on his lap, looking quite disappointed. Immeasurably so. And despite that, there was some relief - as if he was glad he didn't have to worry so much about keeping face.

"And make no mistake, I am not playing coy. To be honest, the implication makes me upset. My mother taught me a nobleman should present his words as freely as his wealth, for language is a sign of pedigree and pride. But... you have a point, running my mouth all day is quite tiring." Luckily, the sake soon came to parch his tired chords. He downed the first cup surprisingly quickly, with the eagerness of old emperors swallowing their last poison.

Since her hands were apparently off-limits, and the tail was a no-go, he leaned over and enjoyed more of the comfortable warmth.

"Affection, playful words, ambition... who cares really? I simply wish to continue living as myself and follow my desires. Right now, I want to enjoy a scalding meal with a demon princess. Tomorrow, I want to gain more power. After that..."

He shrugged like he wasn't sure himself. Maybe he didn't think about it yet. "I have to wonder though, what do you want? It's hard to believe someone as strong as you would need Elizabeth's services all that much. If the things I've heard are true, you have enough skill to carve your own path, you could easily create your own faction stronger than the great five. So why the servile act?"

[Bern]

Lily

"Oh and where have you heard those things? Perhaps I'm just a little demon princess with a fancy for slashing.." Lily's darted out to fill his cup with more sake before wrapping itself around the cup. The heat from the drink made the redhead gasp as the pleasurable feeling surged through her. Even so, she raised it up for him so that he may drink without any work. After all she was here to pamper him.

"And don't presume I need her serviced, her place simply serves as the optimal place for me to act out without having to worry about appearances, and if I occasionally have to pamper cute lads like you, then that's acceptable. I do like trating good boys to a drink and you've been good right?" And what a treatment he was about to be given, once the spicy food arrived her heat would get real intense, well if he could withstand that without squeeling like a pig then she would consider him for some special tutoring.

[Kotomine_Rin]

Vega

"That I can't say, client privilege and all - though it's cute to see you honest about where you stand." He patted the little demon like the smol bean she was. She admitted she was tiny, she absolutely did, and he'd have no greater pleasure than rub it in.

Buut he raised an eyebrow at the second half. "Though to be honest, hearing good boy coming from you sounds like a threat. You wouldn't be thinking up some nefarious plot, would you?" He took the cup from her tail himself, after all while he liked being pampered, he could drink his own ale - and sipping from someone else's hand was simply unacceptable to him.

[Bern]

Lily

Now that her her tail was free from the burden of pampering him, it quickly twirled around and grasped a cup for her. Without even looking at the drinks she poured her own cup and brought it around to down it in a single gulp. It simply wouldn't do to fall behind on the drinking, that's why she quickly poured a second cup and downed thar as well. All go this she did with a vi fident grin.

"All we Demons do are nefarious plots. As for this one, I was thinking about whether or you not you liked being stepped on, few would acquire someone like me unless they have a fine taste for femdom, although you seem more like type who gets off on domination reversal. Perhaps you intend to have me show you my true prowess tomorrow, so that you may overcome me at my greatest hehe..."

[SINIB]

Marc

"...Yeah, I sure did. Nice find by the way, didn't think I kept it there." He smiled with a small sigh and picked it up - even if just looking at that made him feel kind of old. No, maybe his eyes looked old when put next to that. Didn't people know better than to snoop? Nah, actually, he shouldn't blame her too hard for looking at his embarrassing pictures. If he cared so much, he'd have done a better job putting them somewhere else.

Mission though... hm, well, his hunch was right after all. He put a hand on his hip and pouted casually.

"I figured as much. Well, even if you're a homunculus, it's not like most of the information you'd get here is all that unique. I'm just a washed-up martial artist slash mercenary." He smiled a little when he said that. "But you're pretty cute. I figured even if it's for someone else's sake, I don't mind lending a hand. Besides, I might have an idea of who your mother is now."

He stretched a bit. "So what do you want to know? Humans are a pretty broad subject, I don't think some lecture will cut it."

Luthien

Luthien furrowed her brow and scowled. She shook her head rapidly and fluttered her ears in a clear show of annoyance. With a clenched fist, she turned towards Marc and then stood on her toes so she could look at him directly in the eye.

"I'm not a homonculus. I'm a person, the same as you, fully flesh and blood."

[Kotomine_Rin]

Marc

"Oh. Sorry maa'm." He looked down like a scolded kid, as far as apologies went it didn't get much more genuine. "The stunt you pulled there was pretty similar to some combat models I faced a few times, so I thought it might have some connection. My bad for assuming, seriously."

He slacked uncomfortably for a bit. "Soooo... vodka, wine, rhum, gin or sake?"

[SINIB]

Marc

"Oh. Sorry maa'm." He looked down like a scolded kid, as far as apologies went it didn't get much more genuine. "The stunt you pulled there was pretty similar to some combat models I faced a few times, so I thought it might have some connection. My bad for assuming, seriously."

He slacked uncomfortably for a bit. "Soooo... vodka, wine, rhum, gin or sake?"

Luthien

"Well, you should be. Just because I wasn't born from my mother's womb doesn't make me any less of a person." She made a hmmphy pout, then flipped her purple hair in an exxagerated manner. It was obvious she was just being a bit of a tsundere, and while she was mad, that she'd accepted his apology. "A homonculus is a tool to be used, while I'm an elven lady with my own autonomy and worth. Confusing the two is a pretty big deal."

"Wine, please. I'll have to enlighten you to traditional elven spirits."

[Kotomine_Rin]

Vega

"Ah, my tastes... they're a bit embarrassing actually, it's kind of vexing." He looked away with a tiny blush. "I like to think my tastes are pretty normal for my age though..." He toyed a bit with his hair, grinning like a kid on a date - before gulping down another shot of sake. If she thought he was going to lag behind, she was sorely mistaken, and he'd show her just how serious he was about this whole thing.

And speaking of which, the timing was just perfect. The waitress soon came to the table with the massive platter carried along with a cart, a blood-red concoction practically still boiling with 100 spices, each more intense than the last. Looking at the seafood and vegetables sunken into the deep crimson oils, their fragrance was nearly as striking as its appearance. It was as if they were looking at a bunch of food simmering in a volcano!

Vega's eyes turned all kinds of starry, and he genuinely jumped up in a bit of excitement, holding himself still by the knees.

"Uwaaaaa~! It's the especially spicy deluxe Jiu Gon Ge hot pot! Simmered with a base of specially selected organic spices, grown specifically for their tangy undertones and deep intense spiciness! Even a small local restaurant like this became known in the underworld for creating such a dish, its spicyness is downright brutal!"

It looked and smelled like a fiery death, the murder of 10 000 incinerated young fish. It was lovely.

...He soon composed himself, coughing aloofly before looking away at the opposite direction.

"Um, if you want, you can have the first bite. I'll feel bad if I hog the whole flavor of this legendary dish. I will not be told I am not generous."

He was practically salivating.

[Kotomine_Rin]

Luthien

"Well, you should be. Just because I wasn't born from my mother's womb doesn't make me any less of a person." She made a hmmphy pout, then flipped her purple hair in an exxagerated manner. It was obvious she was just being a bit of a tsundere, and while she was mad, that she'd accepted his apology. "A homonculus is a tool to be used, while I'm an elven lady with my own autonomy and worth. Confusing the two is a pretty big deal."

"Wine, please. I'll have to enlighten you to traditional elven spirits."

Marc

Marc already had two bottles in each hand, tightly clasped, and squatted down to assert dominance, bottles raised in the air. "AW YEEEEEEAHHH!! LET'S GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!! WOOOOOOOO!"

He couched discreetly to the side, as excited as a kid on Christmas and barely trying to contain it, only slightly.

"Ahem, I mean, that'd be lovely! Oui oui!"

Wait, no. He had to bring the big guns for this. He quickly darted to the side of the kitchen and came back with something big. Somethign thick. Something humongous.



"I'll let you know I'm a professional alcoholic."

[SINIB]

Marc

Marc already had two bottles in each hand, tightly clasped, and squatted down to assert dominance, bottles raised in the air. "AW YEEEEEEAHHH!! LET'S GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!! WOOOOOOOO!"

He couched discreetly to the side, as excited as a kid on Christmas and barely trying to contain it, only slightly.

"Ahem, I mean, that'd be lovely! Oui oui!"

Wait, no. He had to bring the big guns for this. He quickly darted to the side of the kitchen and came back with something big. Somethign thick. Something humongous.



"I'll let you know I'm a professional alcoholic."

Luthien

Luthien cocked her head, staring unblinkingly at him with an inscrutable upwards curling of her lip. She reached down and slid a finger into the back of her panties, pulling the fabric out of her crack and readjusting her junk.

Then she giggled. "You're a bit of a dork, aren't you Marc?"

Then, with blinding speed, she made a swipe for the bottle, unwilling to lose to him in anything!

[Bern]

Vega

"Ah, my tastes... they're a bit embarrassing actually, it's kind of vexing." He looked away with a tiny blush. "I like to think my tastes are pretty normal for my age though..." He toyed a bit with his hair, grinning like a kid on a date - before gulping down another shot of sake. If she thought he was going to lag behind, she was sorely mistaken, and he'd show her just how serious he was about this whole thing.

And speaking of which, the timing was just perfect. The waitress soon came to the table with the massive platter carried along with a cart, a blood-red concoction practically still boiling with 100 spices, each more intense than the last. Looking at the seafood and vegetables sunken into the deep crimson oils, their fragrance was nearly as striking as its appearance. It was as if they were looking at a bunch of food simmering in a volcano!

Vega's eyes turned all kinds of starry, and he genuinely jumped up in a bit of excitement, holding himself still by the knees.

"Uwaaaaa~! It's the especially spicy deluxe Jiu Gon Ge hot pot! Simmered with a base of specially selected organic spices, grown specifically for their tangy undertones and deep intense spiciness! Even a small local restaurant like this became known in the underworld for creating such a dish, its spicyness is downright brutal!"

It looked and smelled like a fiery death, the murder of 10 000 incinerated young fish. It was lovely.

...He soon composed himself, coughing aloofly before looking away at the opposite direction.

"Um, if you want, you can have the first bite. I'll feel bad if I hog the whole flavor of this legendary dish. I will not be told I am not generous."

He was practically salivating.

Lily

"There's something missing." The redhead looked upon the served dish with abject disappointment even though she took his suggestion to heart and went for the first bite.

She was correct, there was indeed something missing here.

"You really think this is especially spicy? It's just a regular meal."

She'd just taken a bite into the volcanic pit of destruction without hesitation, and nothing had happened. Not on the first bite that was, she gulped down some more sake in between going for more. That's when her warning came true.

With each bite their seat got hotter and hotter, all her doing of course. She wiggled atop his lap as her engines got going. It wouldn't be wrong to say that she was grinding her fat butt against him, because that's exactly what she was doing. The more she ate and the more she drank the shorter her breath got and the warmer her body became.

"There's nothing embrassing about liking something this refreshing!" She was beaming in joy, it was definitely the happiest she'd hecer been in his company.

[Kotomine_Rin]

Vega

His joyful expression mirrored Lily's, this might just be one of the few times he was genuinely happy. After all, he hardly ever got to come to this place as of late, and never really got to share a meal with anyone - let alone his favorite dish. Even if the heat was starting to crawl back up and the grinding was quite scandalous, he didn't mind at all.

"Now now, are you implying what I think you're implying?" He started digging in as well, greedily taking a bite after another from the scalding hot-pot from hell with an elated expression. To those around them, it looked like two demons feasting on some kind of hellish cadaver from the underworld, feasting on its fiery remains.

"Are there, *munch* spicier foods out there? *gulp* Well then, I wouldn't mind you cooking for me." The rise in temperature wasn't nothing, but he didn't mind at all - still... it was enough to push him to taking those extra shots of sake himself. This only got his own body to grow hotter. He took a spoonful of the broth this time, drinking it avidly. "Uwaah, sho good..."