It's About Time (Yume)

Takahashi Aki · Jan 20, 2015

Sousuke's eyes narrowed as he prepared what the dessert. This meeting with Yume, and maybe Shinji, and then maybe Shinji's friend was a post dinner ... meeting. Given his luck with trying to replicate the soup, the Steward thought it would be easier to try and simply and make dessert. He wasn't going back on his promise to his mate. Rather ... dessert could be, in its own right, a meal on its own. "It'll be fine." Mako said as she watched from the table. Sousuke was putting the finishing touches on the cake. He was putting the swirls on. Each one had an exact distance apart. "You're over compensating with the decor. What are you trying to hide? The fact the taste is lacking? I've had your cooking before. It lacks any sense of taste." Sousuke finished the cake and was bringing it to the table.

"It's not the taste part any more. It's far more complicated than that." Sousuke explained. His grandmother gave him a questioning look. As per usual she was in her military wear. No dress. No well done hair. Nothing. She reached forward and refilled her brandy, which she brought. "I did invite Shinji." Mako's eye narrowed. "I thought it was polite." Her eye narrowed further. "I'm certain he'll behave. What he does in his private time with women is his own thing. He was at Yume's house when I went there for cooking lessons." The veteran shook her head and simply drank from the glass.

"So. Here you are. Entertaining not for foreigners, but for your girlfriend. I thought I'd never see the day." Mako drained her glass. Soon after the door bell rang. "That would be the door. Don't take the door off its hinges. You've gotten stronger you know." She remarked almost jokingly. Before she could put her glass down, her grandson was already gone. She frowned slightly. "Please don't let Shinji's little friend be that one I met in the past. I'm certain I could kill her with my eye alone by glaring daggers at her." Mako grumbled to herself.

Sousuke attended the door. Before doing so, he had to shoo away Maximus and Integer. The Lyrons lazily complied. Maxmimus smelling another male, one that could usurp his position in the house. He didn't like it, but he complied, almost willingly. Once they had retreated to the other rooms, Sousuke would open the door to meet his guests.

Sagasu Yume · Jan 21, 2015

Yume was nervous. Not for the fact of finally getting a chance to taste Sousuke’s cooking since their lesson, but because Shinji had done the unthinkable; He had invited Tsukiko as his plus one. Their time in Deadlines had trapped the two in a scenario where they were the only ones who understood the others twisted way of life. Yume had been hopeful that maybe her brother would find a place in the Uchiha household prior to the occupation. His night with Nari had put a different bounce in his step. The siblings had discussed it in private at one point, not in detail, but so that Shinji could defend his place. Nari had become entangled in politics and his security rounds meant that he had encountered Miago regularly. Their relationship certainly wasn’t storybook. For one, they didn’t count each other as exclusive but rather gave the other priority. Shinji still went out on weekends and Miago still chattered about her hookups. It was difficult to be in the middle but if it made her brother happy, she couldn’t argue.

I don’t think Mako was kidding about vetoing Shinji’s date.

It’s fine. They have it covered. I’m just excited for things to be returning to normal.

The overwhelming scent of canine seemed to cause a minor protest behind the door followed by shooing and shuffling. When things had quieted, the door opened to reveal the Steward. Taking an excited step forward, Yume leans up on her tiptoes to give him a kiss on the cheek. She had fretted over how she should greet him, whether it should be formal, informal, familiar, but when the moment came, she just did what came naturally. Behind her, Tsukiko clung to Shinji’s arm, almost matching him for height in her heels, as he held out his hand in a show of goodwill.

Sousuke. Thanks for the invite and the permission to bring a guest. I had assumed at first that it was a kindness to allow Ika to come but Yume pointed out that no one invites her as she and CuRua. I still have a lot to learn about having a companion. This is…

Miago Tsukiko. We’ve met before but I doubt you remember me. You would come and see Roku.</COLOR>

Reaching passed Shinji, Tsukiko would extend her hand to the Steward. There had been a time where she had wanted to charm her way into his life but her few interactions with him had dissuaded her from that path. His eccentricities were too much to handle, even for the prestige of being a Steward’s mate. Initially she had thought that was Yume’s game but now seeing them together and the look of genuine care the turquoise mednin gave him, she realized that maybe there was more to some relationships than sex and money. Not waiting for awkwardness to set in, Yume looks between the three of them and continues with a chipper tone.

<COLOR color="darkblue">Shall we, then? I’m excited to see how the evening goes.

Once they were led in and their shoes and coats were properly stowed (the canines wiping their feet on the entry mats), the five of them followed Sousuke into his home. At the sight of Mako, Yume and Tsukiko shared a knowing glance and the brunette split from the group to speak to the matron.

Yume tells me that I made a rather bad impression upon our first meeting and I was hoping to at least smooth that over a little. Call it a gift or call it a bribe, I don’t care. I didn’t mean to offend you. Things got a little hectic at the hospital during the occupation and my manners were scarce.

There wasn’t any reason to point out that her manners were often scarce in a non-professional setting and during the chaos, the hospital was about as far from professional as things could be. From under her arm, Tsukiko pulled out wooden box with a thick purple ribbon wrapped around it. Branded into the front was the sigil of a brewery in the Golden Crystal district known for their amber drinks, this one specifically being a 30-year scotch. It was something she had acquired during her window shopping excursions during the anarchy and she had hoped to be able to enjoy it herself, but when she found out the damage control that would be necessary, she decided to part with it. She and Yume weren’t great friends, and she and Shinji didn’t exactly owe each other anything, but she liked keeping in good standing with the dignitaries of the village, no matter how rough around the edges they were.

Takahashi Aki · Jan 22, 2015

As Yume made her way in and kissed him, Sousuke would smile very brightly. He would do something somewhat unexpected. He would ever so gently pick Yume up and would very gracefully make a full three hundred and sixty degree spin. Sousuke didn't look it, but he was surprisingly strong. He picked Yume up as if she was a feather (to him she was as light as a feather). After setting her down he would kiss her on the forehead. He would then realize that Yume had brought company. The first was Shinji who would hold out his hand. The Steward, as per usual, hesitated for a moment. He analyzed Shinji's hand. "That wound is mending nicely. An incident with some broken glass, while trying to maintain the peace during ... the incident." Sousuke worked to not say certain names or groupings. He didn't wish to be inconsiderate, which is what maybe one of his weak points were...

Tsukiko introduced herself next. "Mmm... no. I rarely forget a face, voice, or particulars. Yes ... some people wanted to pull the plug on Roku, and you were present when I made my decision not to have that done, and to have him maintained. I suppose some of the medical staff, including yourself, were quite surprised when he came to ... and well he has mmm gone missing?" It was a rhetorical question. Sousuke had a mind to find Roku, but he needed to dig deeper. Finding a man like Roku wouldn't be difficult. What Sousuke left unmentioned was 'the Kasha' who was operating at the same time of Roku's disappearance. "Oh... and yes there was the time when there was the hardware failure and I had to report in to deliver multiple plasma blasts to the equipment to boot it. I don't think the medical staff was quite prepared to seeing me operate in my armour and handle large machinery with ... the way I did so."

Then there was CuRua and Ika. The Steward first greeted the fox. "I finished my portfolio of your pictures finally. It's more of a small book really. Aki enjoys seeing it. He claps and cheers as I turn the page to demonstrate your movements." Then there was the jackal, Ika, who was Shinji's companion. The Steward inspected the Jackle the same way he did CuRua once upon a time. "Nice to meet you Ika. You are a bit of a celebrity. Four well known houses in Suna use the jackal as a sigil. Two of those houses are distant Inuzuka clans, two of the others are not. They take the jackal as their sigil because of their belief of the jackal as a spirit-beast to represent death, which is what these two houses ... how do I put it ... 'death is their ware'? I think that was one of the family mottos, the other was 'die laughing'. Very peculiar, but in the case of the latter house, the jackal is a good luck symbol for them." Maybe it was too much to take in, but Sousuke was being himself. Sousuke would turn back to Shinji. "I would keep an eye on her, make sure she isn't ... mmm ... taken from you without your consent. If that does happen, then I would aid you accordingly. I am still do detective work on the side."

Sousuke led his company through the house hall. There was nothing special. An average family portrait. The family sigil of the Horse with its starry mane. A few pictures of who was probably Sousuke's grandparents on Judori's side. No pictures of Mako. Peciluarly they would pass by a mirror that was shattered. The colouring of the mirror was off as some fragments were grey, others black. They were brought to the dining room where Tsukiko would make her peace offering to Mako. The Veteran eyed the box of scotch. "Thirty-year old scotch. Cupcake, you do know how to make a compelling bribe. Sousuke, this scotch is older than you." She handled the box with her hand, and opened it up. The Veteran inspected it further. Mako licked her lips. "I guess cupcake, I'll conveniently forget what I heard. Tommy-boy would have to kill like four guys to get his hands on this. He'll be jealous... but he doesn't have to know. Tell me, how skeletons did you put in your closet to get this?" Mako raised an eyebrow at the brown-haired medic. "Let's crack this old boy open, and have a glass ... be a shame not to share this, considering it's older than you kids." Mako placed the bottle down and acquired some glasses. Swiftly, and surprisingly the Veteran made quick work of the seal and had the drinks poured out.

At the same time Sousuke would reveal the cake he had been slaving over. Visually it looked stunning. It was two-tiered with various designs made of blue and red icing. The cake looked to be chocolate in nature. The Steward's expression was one of extreme concern and focus as he proceeded to cut the cake. "I assure you ... this one did not turn out like the last one ... but something is still quite off about it. It is edible, but.."

Sagasu Yume · Jan 22, 2015

A feeling of butterflys coursed through Yume as she was spun around, leaving her a little light-headed and blushing a little. Just as she was getting used to his stoic mannerisms, he returns with a grasp on human emotions that added a measure of spontaneity to their interactions. Tsukiko recalled the moments that the Steward spoke of and let her mind wander to being there when Roku had woken up. She had encountered him once more after that, treating him for poison, but hadn’t seen him since. Flexing his hand a little, Shinji inspected the wound that had knit together well along the back of his thumb. Some fights certainly were more interesting than others.

Is this meant to be a compliment?

Yes. He’s stating facts that he knows about your breed. It means he’s showing an interest in you.

Both canines offered rumbles of approval and a shake of their tails in gratitude for his words. Dropping his hand down to rub between Ika’s ears, Shinji would smile to her with the same look that Yume gave CuRua.

She did come to me when I was close to death. Maybe she’s my good luck charm. I will keep your offer in mind. Yume managed to find you well enough when you ‘borrowed’ CuRua.

A jovial elbow to the ribs indicated Tsukiko’s mock-disapproval at being second best to a jackal but her interactions with Yume had taught her to expect it. The best one could do was to be on par with an Inuzuka’s companion. They took in the sights on their journey into the house, each taking note of different things. Yume and Shinji scanned the photos and shared a few whistful smiles; they missed having a ‘whole’ family. Tsukiko paused for a beat in front of the shattered mirror, thinking it to be an art piece until a feeling of cold took over her. With a shiver, she turned away and pushed it out of her mind.

The skeletons were already there. I didn’t think they’d be drinking it.

Yume was fascinated by the cake design, standing close to her mate as he portioned it out. The blended icing and layers were more ornate than the sketches she had seen in his office during their last meeting. For all visual purposes, it made her mouth water. A childish sense of wonder filled her and it was difficult to keep her hands to herself, tempted to take a finger-full of icing and pop it in her mouth.

What is life without a little adventure? I’m still excited to try it.

As drinks were poured, they each were offered a glass and she eyed it warily. Liquor was something that most present were familiar with and capable of handling. She was the exception. Raising their glasses in a show of appreciation to Mako for sharing and to Sousuke for having them, the three took a sip and tried not to laugh at Yume’s reaction. Her eyes watered a little as the fumes hit her nose, burning her throat gently as she swallowed. It certainly wasn’t as bad as the cheap liquor that Shinji often drank but the consumption alone was enough to make her cough. With a few quiet gasps of air, she clears her throat and feels her face flush a little from embarrassment.

No disrespect meant, Mako-sama. I’m not as seasoned at drinking as my brother, though I dare to say that he’s never had something this… fine.

A look to his sister was responded to by a laugh as she set her drink down and proceeded to help Sousuke pass out the servings. Taking a seat, she inspects the consistency of the cake and admires its attributes before taking a bite. Making sure to keep her mouth closed as she chewed, she couldn’t help but smile. Having been the only one to have experienced his cooking, the others wouldn’t understand the leaps he had made since his last attempt.

Now that is a trick I’m certain not even Olgav knows. You’ve made a vanilla tasting chocolate cake. That’s fantastic!

Takahashi Aki · Jan 26, 2015

At the revelation of his cake tasting the opposite of what it was, the Steward's face immediately went to deadpan. His eyes narrowed at the cake. He left the room for a moment and returned with a very thick tome. Yume, CuRua, and Shinji had seen this before. The Steward opened the tome and began rapidly flipping through pages. "Inconceivable." He declared. He found the recipie and began tracing his finger along the details. He began nodding his head. He had followed everything perfectly. He then picked up his fork and got himself a piece. He began to chew. Yes. Yume was right. The taste was completely opposite. "I have failed." He announced as he hung his head in shame.

"This is actually an improvement." Mako would say as she was finishing her piece. Mako chuckled to herself as Yume seemed to have issue with the scotch. "Oh. I wonder about that. The first time I saw you, you weren't pleased and had a glass of eggnog in hand." Mako turned her eye back on her grandson who seemed troubled. He had his arms crossed and he almost seemed to be pouting. "Now now. No brooding."

"This doesn't just happen. It's as if..." Both Sousuke and his grandmother would give each other annoyed looks. Then in unison they would look up at the ceiling and glare at some unseen force that had dictated. Both of them would after some time of staring at the ceiling would bring their gaze back down. "It's nothing never mind. I am trying to accept this as a triumph, but I am having difficulty in doing this as it is far from the original goal that was intended." Sousuke merely returned to eating his cake. "Your cooking as it stands, is still better than mine ... this never happened to you did it?" He would inquire of Yume. Surely. Somewhere. Somehow. Sometime in her journey Yume must have had this problem occur to her at least once? Wasn't trial and error part of one's success? "At the very least ... I'm certain Shinji has had some mishap yes?"

Sagasu Yume · Jan 26, 2015

It was difficult to hide their smiles as they all secretly agreed with Mako. Shinji had tasted the soup after the cooking lesson and Tsukiko had heard the stories. Yume rubbed over her mates back as she tried to console him. She flushed a bright red as Mako remarked about their first meeting.

Yes, I had been having quite the night. There had been some frustrations with Tama and him setting off lightning in the pavilion to vanquish a teddybear. I've never understood how that man could be such a genius and yet do such crazy, ill thought out, impulsive...

To stop from ranting, Yume downed the rest of her glass and paused to take a few deep breaths. The smirks on Shinji and Tsukiko's faces turned from amusement at Mako's comments to struggling to stop from laughing at Yume's plight; in some ways, they were perfect for each other. Clearing her throat, she fought for composure and continued.

I recall the nigh ending pleasantly enough.

Lacing their fingers together, Yume smile fondly at the Steward, biting her lip gently. After her lapse of sanity, she had felt more in tune with her instincts and was learning to control them. The return of the Steward had awoken what Shuu would have described as a 'womanly' aspect in her. It may have been the sudden flood of liquor to her system, but she would be certain to get a proper kiss before they left.

The goal isn't always the needed result. Sometimes the journey is the worthless part. It tastes good and it makes for a great story... No, nothing like this has happened to me exactly but I've burned my share of things, or used the wrong ingredient by mistake. Shinji on the other hand, he's not allowed to make rice any more unless he uses the rice maker.

That happened once...

And once was enough. I've been cooking for us since it's been just the two of us. He's getting better but his specialty is in roasting or cooking meats. You'll get the hang of it with practice and I will gladly teach you until you do.

As one who has never had your cooking before, this was great, Takahashi-sama. If you figure out how you did it, you could do it on purpose, maybe that would give the original intended result. Like reverse food psychology.

It was clear that Tsukiko wa trying to be supportive but encouragement was never what she was good at. Deciding to quit while she was ahead, she takes to he food and drink and lets the rest play out.

Yume had learned to ignore Sousuke's habit of looking to the ceiling when troubled. She chalked it up to a belief in the fates or the concept that Mother Suna guided their actions. Shinji, however, couldn't ignore it especially when Mako mirrored her grandson.

I have to ask, what's with the looking up? What are you looking to or for?

Takahashi Aki · Jan 27, 2015

"Tama is complicated. Dad was technically trying to scare someone away from Okibi with the teddy bear because ..." Sousuke would go silent for a moment. It wasn't good table talk because Koga was inquiring for female small clothes because of a holiday gift. "It was in his interest, so I do not know why Tama over reacted..." Yume downed the rest of her glass. Sousuke would attempt to comfort his mate by drawing her close for a small embrace. A quick squeeze so to speak. "I would say that it ended more than pleasantly, I would say it ended with ... spectacular results." It was Sousuke's birthday when they had publically shown affection to one another. Granted it was conservative, but Sousuke didn't want to seem to forthcoming. Neither he or Yume was really prepared for the stunt that Okibi had pulled on them. Yume and Shinji argued back and forth for a moment about the cooking. Sousuke failed to suppress his amusement as he heard Shinji's counter of it only being once. The Steward's laughter almost mirrored Aki's as it was lyrical in nature.

Tsukiko's suggestion caused the Steward to ponder at it for a moment. He stroked his chin. "Duly noted. I will undertake to try this method and see if it works." As he finished the statement, Shinji inquired as to what he and his grandmother were staring at earlier. The Steward opened his mouth to answer, but then a metallic growl followed. Following that came a child's laugh. Sousuke's expression once again turned deadpanned. Maximus with Aki riding on his back had entered the kitchen. The great crimson Lyron had detected Shinji earlier, and more importantly he detected Shinji as a challenger. He, with his prideful nature, understood Shinji's question as a challenge to Sousuke's authority. Aki seemed to enjoy hanging off of the creature. For a moment it seemed as if he was going to fall off, but the child handled himself well as he had a grip on the mane. "One moment. Please do not panic." Sousuke stood up and went over to his ... not-pet. He stared down at the creature who was staring at Shinji. After some time Maximus was now exchanging glances with Sousuke. The large lion growled at Sousuke. "He's not challenging me." The growl followed, which Yume may have understood as 'oh really? I doubt that'. The two stared at each other neither of them seeming yet to stand down. After some time, the male Lyron broke his glance and issued what was best understood as a threatening look. Maximus would not allow Sousuke to be defeated, with him knowing it. Still to this day the lion was still stinging after his defeat at the hands of Sousuke. His defeat at the hands of Shuu and her terrifying presence was never discussed or talked about. Sousuke picked up Aki who waved his hands at Maximus. The Lyron said nothing and simply took his place in the room. He wasn't so sure of taking Sousuke's word as gospel yet.The Lyron uttered a few words which roughly translated to 'I will not suffer any more defeats. One is enough at the hands of the purple maned one'. If that wasn't enough Maxmimus took his place near CuRua and Ika. He flopped over with a mighty thud, once he was lying down two of his cubs rushed in. The first one went after CuRua tackling him and rolling over. Like the last time she licked CuRua. The other cub would approach her father making herself comfortable near his mane and simply staring at Ika.

Sousuke put Aki down. The child let out a delighted cry as Maximus hit the floor. The child exclaimed twice boom! Kitchy having heard the big thud made her way in next. "Ah look. It's my favourite nuisance to my daughter." A sharp grin appeared on Mako's face. She turned to Shinji and his less-annoying lady friend. "This is very average around this place. No you're not drunk, or rather you're not drunk enough. This is the realest thing you'll ever see."

After the antics Sousuke shook his head. "Last time he did that, he went through the floor. I've had to reinforce the floors with Takahashi fire-forged steel beams." He took his seat and placed his hands on the table. He wasn't ignoring Shinji's question, rather he answered it cryptically. "Time is a flat circle."

MFT 739

Sagasu Yume · Jan 28, 2015

His cautionary words had no effect on their reactions as the lyron made his entrance. Tsukiko let out a stifled scream as she pulled her feet up on to the chair in an attempt to become smaller. Shinji stiffened and went a little pale as he made eye contact with the creature. In the corner CuRua and Ika were exchanging mumbled conversation as to what the creatures were while CuRua would do his best to shimmy behind the larger jackal. Only Yume seemed accepting of their presence and even waved hello to Aki as if it was no big deal. To Shinji’s surprise, he could understand the lyrons well enough but chose to keep from commenting; He wasn’t certain if the creature would believe him either way. He hadn’t realized that he had been holding his breath until he let it out following Maximus’ flop in the corner. Turning to his date, he sees that she is a little shaken and puts his arm around her, allowing Mako to offer an explanation. Once the cubs showed up, all bets were off and CuRua made an attempt to flee to Yume’s lap only to be caught by the cub.

Why, hello there Infinite. It’s been awhile.

The fox quickly resigned to his fate and accepted being pulled into the fray. Ika’s nose twitched in the direction of Kitchy, pulling the jackal to her feet and drawing her in for a closer look. Sniffing the air around the husky, she does her best to be polite.

You must be Kitchy. CuRua has told me a little about you. He’s quite taken with you. I’m Ika, Shinji’s companion.

I’m not *taken* with her. I have been taken by this cub.

Don’t argue. You know what I mean so there is no point in being coy.

Just because you’re the elder’s companion doesn’t make you queen bi-

CURUA!

With a huff, the fennec submitted to the lyron cubs and let the conversation drop. Usually Ika and he got along famously but there was something about being surrounded by metallic cats that could crush him with one paw that put him on edge. Getting back to the topic of the ceiling, Shinji’s face lights up as Sousuke makes his statement.

That makes sense. That’s why clocks are round. They simulate the passing of the sun above ground.

He tried his best to be smart, and to some extent he wasn’t exactly dumb but the Steward had always been at the top of his class while Shinji was somewhere in the middle. Yume left the men to discuss the matter as she turns her attention to Aki, holding her arms out for him to crawl into her lap if he wanted to. She was rather taken by the curious little boy.

Takahashi Aki · Jan 28, 2015

"I'm referring to the M-brain theory." Sousuke corrected Shinji. He paused, "It's in this universe we process time linearly forward but outside of our space time, from what would be a fourth-dimensional perspective, time wouldn't exist and from that vantage, could we attain it we'd see our space time would look flattened, like a single sculpture with matter in a superposition of every place it ever occupied. Our sentience just cycling through our lives like carts on a track. See everything outside our dimension that's eternity, eternity looking down on us. Now to us it's a sphere but to them it's a circle." To emphasize his point Sousuke took one of the beer cans his grandmother had been drinking out of and he crunched it. He held it up showing the bottom of the can and the circle he just spoke of. Sousuke let out a sigh. "Everything we do, everything we do to each other, we will do it again." Once again for the briefest of seconds he eyed the ceiling with disdain. Shinji wouldn't get his answer, but he would certainly have a headache given Sousuke's long explanation. Powers compelled him to say this, and damn the powers he explained it even with the action required.

Aki was more comfortable with Yume. The child climbed up and sat on her lap. "Yo-me. He couldn't quite get her name right. Sometimes it was Yu-Yu. Sometimes it was Ome. Now he had managed to at least come to something closer. "Maxi! Maxi bored now." In response the Lyron waged his tail showing no delight. He seemed to have wanted a fight out of Shinji, but having been told no by Sousuke put a damper on him. Probably for the better too. The big male was now brooding. He hadn't had a good fight in a while. The big male uttered a thanks to Yume of sorts. The child had been hanging off of him on occasion and asking him to carry him from place to place. It wasn't that he was heavy. It was the fact that this ... spawn of spawn of his purple maned pride was ...offsetting.

Infinite continued pawing CuRua. The cub remarked about the fox being fluffy as ever. The other cub continued staring at Ika. The cub watched as her sibling was being playful with CuRua. The cub would puff her chest out. 'I, Polynomial, refuse to degrade myself to such a shameful display. We are above this are we not?' It would seem that the siblings were far apart in terms of attitude. The cub was bumped into by the rolling duo of CuRua and Interger who told her sister to be supeer-rea-ror. Polynomial let out a huff and spoke of how being superior did not involve rolling about like a pig. Then came the icing on the cake which was a small lecture about pronunciation. Kitchy made her way over to CurRua and Ika. The husky uttered a remark about how Maximus always had to make an entry and how it was so grand, screaming was usually the end result. The husky exchanged looked between the fox who was being cat-handled the the Jackal. Kitchy let out a confused bark about 'what it meant to be taken aback' meant. She took the remark literally as CuRua was moving not forward but backwards due to Infinite's playfulness.

"...For the record... this is actually not going half bad. At least this isn't like the time when Okibi brought sand striders into the house without telling me." He shook his head. "It was very ... strange trying to shave one morning and having an ostrich-like creature barge into the bathroom and ... squawk at me, and then trying to peck at me." Sousuke coughed. "Board game anyone?"

Mako was drinking her scotch. The thought of boardgames caused her to choke. The veteran hammered her chest. She did not wish to spit out the scotch. Once she managed to get it down, she coughed and hacked. "No. We are NOT playing Cludeo or monopoly."

"Dad isn't here to cheat." Sousuke responded. The veteran poured herself another scotch and profusely shook her head.

Sagasu Yume · Jan 29, 2015

With a dejected sigh, Shinji sipped at his drink. Beside him, Tsukiko patted his knee and tried not to laugh. She didn’t full grasp what he just said either, but she also hadn’t tried to begin with.

See, for a brief moment I thought I knew what you were talking about. Once more, you’ve lost me.

To be fair, that’s not hard to do.

Ooooh, ouch. I love you too.

Don’t even pretend like that’s true. You only love parts of me.

Their banter would trickle off as they both decided that it would descend into indecency if they continued. Bouncing on the balls of her feet, Yume jostles Aki on her lap, making faces at him and smiling in response to his attempts at words. Taking a bite of cake on her fork, she offers it to the boy with simple words.

It’s sweet. Very yummy.

The colour might throw him off a little if he was familiar enough with sweets to expect chocolate but the surprise shouldn’t be too unpleasant. To the side, Ika was stepping and side-stepping the tumbling cubs and fennec that were caught up in play as she attempts to explain what she meant to the ever literal husky.

He’s taken by you, as in he thinks you’re foxy. No, that won’t make sense literally either. He knows you’re a husky but he likes you…

Ika… don’t… please

… as in how the Steward is fond of Yume.</COLOR>

<COLOR color="darkred">I will… admit… that Kitchy is a very lovely female, but she has better things to do than concern herself with my attractions.

It had started as mild teasing between the companions but after seeing how CuRua tripped over himself around Kitchy, something had to be said. In some ways the jackal and Shinji were a like. They had to stir the pot when things settled too much. The fennec went very quiet with embarrassment. In his mind, she was out of his league and he had no right to be attracted to anyone; his priority was Yume even if she had her own distractions.

I think Cludeo sounds like fun… how can you cheat at a mystery game? Or a game of chance like monopoly? It’s not like you can count cards like gambling, though I suppose if you’re playing Cludeo right you would be sort of counting cards though.

What if we know that’s Sousuke is going to win, because he’s a genius? I mean, I can see why you wouldn’t want to play if you knew you were going to lose, Oba-san.

Their relations were touchy at best, but after sharing some drink Shinji felt he might be able to coerce the woman into some good fun. She couldn’t be a soldier all of the time. Tsukiko wished that she could have driven the point home but she knew that she wasn't certain if she was completely on the veterans good side quite yet. Standing with one arm around Aki, bracing him on her hip, Yume begins to collect the emptied plates and clear them away. Occasionally she would interact with the boy, carefully giving him a plate to see if he could gently put it on the counter for her. If he were to smash it or drop it, she would put her hand in the way to catch it. When the boy would start to squirm too much, she would place him to the floor and let him run and play. Part of her wanted to care for the child as if he were her own but she knew that it was over stepping Sousuke’s duty as a warden to do so. She would have her chance to have her own kits someday, but for now she would be content with babysitting.

Sounds like we’re all in for a game then.

Takahashi Aki · Jan 31, 2015

"You know. I'm starting to regret Yume not bringing me some older man to get touchy-feely with. Long as he acts young that's good for me." Mako spoke in regards to the banter between Tsukiko and Shinji. "Not nearly as much to grab on my part, but hey sometimes the male has more to grab than the female." Mako drank her scotch, and decided to be the indecent one where as Shinji and Tsukiko were behaving. Even though Mako was the oldest one here, she acted younger than even her son-in-law did. Judori always acted old. Not in the sense he acted old and crippled, but he didn't talk about sex or anything like that. Mako received a harsh stare from Sousuke. "What? You don't expect me to do nothing. I'm not getting married or anything... though if I did it might give your mother a considerable headache."

Just as Mako was having her bit of fun, Ika was doing the same. It went over Kitchy's head. The canine just stared at the Jackal blankly. She blinked a few times, and then turned to CuRua when he complimented her. The Husky blinked a few more times. She then let out a woof of thanks, and in turn complimented CuRua for being polite, nice, and ... patience with Sousuke's Lyrons. Maximus let out a growl that was a sort of compliment about how CuRua knew how to take it like a man, and how Zen was a coward before him. Okibi's Dalmatian who was still in the household of the Steward spoke and acted tough, but it was all a facade when Maximus put his paw down. The Lyron then made a comment about how CuRua was more of a man than Shinji was. CuRua fled from Infinite, but when he was being riffled, he was man enough to stay and take it. Lazily the male Lyron looked at Shinji. He then looked to the Jackal. He muttered something about how a female could have more courage than a male.

Yume then inquired about how one cheats at Cludeo, the Steward made a face. This wasn't his favourite story about his father but...

Mako and Chiyoko stared daggers at each other. The two of them were calling the other cheater all-night. It was becoming a nusiance. Judori had a very smug look on his face. He had stumped everyone. "Father. I think you've been dishonest with everyone this evening." He asserted.

"How so?"

"The murder victim was not killed with the candle stick, the wrench, or the harpoon. That leaves the lead pipe." Sousuke's eyes narrowed. "That leaves us with the lead pipe. Which is in your possession. The victim of murder. The rules say you cannot commit suicide. I sounds intolerable and a rather stupid way to perish. Beating yourself with the lead pipe."

"Then the rules are wrong. My character is not mentally-sane. He is criminally insane, and can and will be permitted to do as he pleases." Judori announced having revealed his hand and breaking the rules.

Sousuke drank from the glass of scotch. It was not a pleasant experience. It took him a full thirty-seven minutes to figure out his father's plan. "Yep. That is how exactly it happened too." The veteran too seemed to share the foul sentiment. "Usually Judori or Sousuke wins. It's fifty-fifty. Judori of course is still in hospital. So... maybe it'll not my fifty-fifty now."

Aki seemed to enjoy the cake and enjoyed Yume playing with him. The child let out a delighted cry at the taste of cake as he put his hands on the remainder of it and stuffed it in his mouth. He made out munching noises as he devoured it. He was then cleaned of course by Sousuke who allowed Yume to continue interacting with the child. When she handed him the plate he shook it a few times, and it seemed like he was going to let go of it. Thankfully of course Yume prevented it from being smashed. He didn't squirm as he enjoyed the attention from someone else. Sousuke would get up from the table and help Yume finish up the plates.

"We could play poker." Mako offered as an alternative.

MFT

Sagasu Yume · Feb 6, 2015

You know exactly who I would have paired you with. I think having Miago-chan around is risky enough…

HEY! I’m behaving myself!

…besides, if you and he progressed into anything… at all… it would make things complicated. We’re estranged from the Inuzuka clan because we want our family tree to be less convoluted.

For what it was worth, the present company was playing together surprisingly well. The addition of her troublesome clan-head would have changed that. The civil niceties that had existed during the negotiation of surrender were tense enough, and that was while he was unconscious. Having him awake and exchanging threats, no matter how playful they were, with Mako would have made the night considerably less enjoyable. She cared for her Uncle but it would take some time for their families to get along.

At the conclusion of his story, his guests were staring at him with dumbfounded expressions. Yume’s look, however, said it all. Her brow was creased in a scowl and she looked slightly distraught at the explanation that Judori had offered to his son; her sentiments echoing Sousuke’s.

THAT is not how the game is played.

She was the youngest and used to having the wool pulled over her eyes by her older relatives but that was usually through misleading rather than outright cheating. She and Shinji used to track yakkina tokage (troublesome lizard) as a game when they were children. He had used garbage to throw off her scent so that he could win. That day, their game was reduced to a shouting match that left the girl running to their mother in tears. Riki and Shinji spent the rest of the afternoon near the surface to provide the women some space. It would seem that some would do anything to win.

The alternative of cards resulted in the two medic’s shooting Shinji a glance before he could get out an over played ‘but I hardly know her’ comment. Smirking, he sips his drink and chuckles to himself. Drying off her hands, Yume hangs up the towel as she considers Mako’s suggestion.

If we do that, I say we do teams. I have no doubt that you suggested it because it’s something you’re good at, which means that it would only be fair for Sousuke and myself to team up and Shinji and…

Nope. I plan on beating Tsukiko fair and square at whatever we play. We’ll go solo.

But I’m a terrible liar.

Then you’ll lose.

Crossing her arms, her lips pursed into a tight line, it was clear that she was unimpressed by his reply. Knowing he had won, her brother offered a dazzling smile that had managed to get him out of a lot of tight places, especially when it came to his sister. It was the embodiment of ‘I’m the best, and you love me’, comparable to what some might call puppy-dog eyes except rather than pleading, his exuded confidence. Turning back to Sousuke, she let her scowl melt into a delighted smile as she takes his hand.

I had considered suggesting a trivia match, however I think that would be equally unfair. What do you think? Poker or Cluedo?

[MFT; WC:530]

Takahashi Aki · Feb 8, 2015

Sousuke blinked as everyone stared at him with a dumbfounded expression. He wondered if he had done mental damage to his company. If so, then that would be terrible. Yume spoke of how that is not how the game was played. Ultimately Yume spoke up. To his delight no one had suffered massive mental damage from his revelation. "Dad has a knack for ... as he puts it putting a new flavour on the rules." Sousuke's eyes swapped from sibling to sibling as they argued back and forth about what to do with cards. Yume wanted to do duos. Shinji wanted singles. Then came the reveal that Yume was a terrible liar. "I am too, but I can read people. Accordingly by the same token ... the game also comes down to the player with the best cards." Sousuke would pat Yume on the shoulder to console her. Well. Two terrible liars, versus ... well his grandmother who was of some higher skill set, an unknown being Tsukiko, and Shinji. His expression seemed to exude confidence.

Sousuke's eyes narrowed. "Challenge accepted." He attempted to imitate Shinji's look. At first the attempt came off rather silly, but quickly enough it formed a replica down to the body language and the look. "Am I doing it right?" He asked. It felt silly doing this.

"Well, yes, but stop. That look isn't becoming of you." Mako asserted. The Veteran reached out and grabbed cards. She handed them to Sousuke to begin shuffling. The Veteran reached into her coat and threw down a few yen bills. "Out with the pocket change. Poker is only fun when we're playing for something. We're not playing strip poker. I doubt I'd lose but I don't want to be blamed for Shinji-boyo passing out due to my good looks." There was sarcasm in her voice. She turned to Sousuke. She opened her mouth and was about ready to explain to him how the game works, but he had already dealt our the cards. There was an a nine of hearts and a seven of spades. "Slap my left cheek, and crown me. When did you learn poker?"

"I gave you some strategy tips. How do you think I was able to give you those tips if I didn't play ... that and Lord Nobu demanded I was his partner in a few games before. When I ... won six games straight, he was ... almost scared that I would turn on him." Sousuke explained. His gaze shifted to Shinji, and Tsukiko. It was time to read them.

Sagasu Yume · Feb 12, 2015

Apparently the look’s power wasn’t exclusive to Shinji as Sousuke copied him perfectly to make a point of his skill. Piping up with a ‘Yes!’, Yume leans up on her toes and places an eager kiss to his cheek, feeling a rush of bubbles through her stomach; this was a great example as to what had drawn Yume to the Steward in the first place. He could analyze and adapt, even going so far as to mimic another almost perfectly. The last trait was something that was new since his return, but she wasn’t going to question in. She was certain it had to do with Shade mending his fractured soul and would have to ask at her next opportunity but for now, she would bask in his more frequent smile. A giggle from both mednin greeting Mako’s dismay and then became sober as the game began. It was settled. They would play poker and it would be for keeps.

That’s okay Mako-sama. Probably been a long time since you’ve seen an Adonis and I wouldn’t want to give you a heart-attack. Survive the great wars and trials of Wind Country only to die by six-pack.

Shameless

Tsukiko voiced what the canines and Yume were all thinking as she reached up and slapped him hard in the chest, eliciting an ‘oof’ as he sat up and tried to be a little more serious. They each pulled out a few bills and plinked a few coins, getting out a little extra to ante up as the game continued. Getting an idea, Yume excused herself and hurried to where he coat had been hung, retrieving a little notebook that she carried in the event that she needed to record an idea. The cover was red and embossed with hearts, the pages having a pinkish hue with shadow images of hearts bordering the lower corners. Ripping out a few pages, she tears them into pieces and hands out some strips to the group.

Why only play for money? Why not make it more interesting and play for favours. Specific things would be more entertaining but they can be simple I.O.U’s if you’re not feeling creative. The only rules are that they can’t be scandalous and you can’t give them on behalf of someone else. For example, I couldn’t bet that Shinji would make breakfast for the winner. I could only bet my own services.

On the topic of rules, I want to state that the family pets are not allowed to help OR the use of jutsu. We don’t need to add flavour to the game through mind manipulation or Genjutsu.

She was careful to keep looking at Yume as she said it, not wanting to insult the veteran by thinking that she was talking about her. Tsukiko was familiar with her co-worker’s fondness of illusions. The jib was met with a similar grin that Shinji had given moments earlier; clearly it was a family trait probably learned from their father. The cards were dealt and they each took a peek. Yume looked a little confused, not really certain if she could make anything with cards that appeared so vastly different, but she would hold her judgment for the end. Tsukiko didn’t look too disappointed but she did rather well at keeping her face neutral. The slight twitch of her left eyebrow would be all that would give away that she was slightly hopeful. Shinji on the other hand, would be easy for Sousuke to read. His face would be almost too sober, too collected, as if he was trying to defer any possible suspicions as far from him as possible.

OOC:

Shinji: 10 of clubs, Jack of diamonds
Tsukiko: 3 of spades, King of clubs
Yume: 5 of hearts, Queen of spades

This is how I pictured the table. Let me know if you pictured it differently

Takahashi Aki · Feb 21, 2015

Mako stared at Shinji as he compared himself to some mythological entity. "Oh you don't have to worry about me having a heart attack, I'd have to worry about you being gutted by a pig. Something is to be said about a woman with experience... and I've had decades of experience with men in contrast to your ... meager two?" The older woman was now smirking. Her connotation was met with disapproval from Sousuke who was not amused. That frown was then replaced by a small grin on his face as Yume kissed him. He returned the favor with a kiss to cheek of his own. He turned to Yume and smiled. Usually smiles didn't seem naturally on Sousuke's face. Sometimes it seemed like his face was going to crack. Fortunately the smile didn't seem that way at all. It seemed most natural.

As the coins came out, Yume had suggested that everyone toss in an I.O.U. Mako had heard of this before, Sousuke hadn't. He raised an eyebrow at the idea. It seemed interesting enough. "I'm agreeable to this being implemented." He wrote out his I.O.U which was 'fixing electronically device'. Mako frowned on her end. She took the pen from Sousuke. She tapped the pen on the table as she thought about it. She put down for her I.O.U 'round of drinks'. Tsukiko spoke up about not using pets or jutsu. Mako's lips shifted abit. Well. There goes the use of hypnotic suggestion, but hey, these things did roll down to luck.

Sousuke didn't pick up his cards yet. He merely stared at Tsukiko, and then Shinji. He finally looked at his own cards being an ace of hearts, and a four of spades. He placed the cards down. He placed forward a few coins. "Raise." He would declare. He had evaded looking at Yume to read her. It wasn't that he wasn't capable of doing so. Really he just wanted to try and give her a slight hand in besting Shinji or his grandmother at the very least.

Mako would throw in her coins too for the raise. She would play into this too. She certainly wasn't going to give in this easily. "Raise? Already? Hey. All the more for me." She declared with confidence. As the new cards were dealt the veteran poured herself another glass of scotch. Equally she poured more for everyone else, save for Yume who didn't seem to enjoy such a fine drink.

Sagasu Yume · Mar 3, 2015

The notion of not knowing exactly what she was doing was daunting. Everyone else seemed very comfortable with how everything was progressing but she felt like a wyrm out of sand. Part chance, part luck and maybe a little skill, this was definitely a process to learn by immersion. Everyone had their cards and had made their preliminary bets. Shinji was holding onto his IOU to be used during a later round of betting. Tsukiko had anted up with an IOU of ‘dog/pet grooming’

Pulling up the edge of her cards with her thumb, Yume peeks at her hand to see what she wanted to do next. The sight of a face card, brought a small smile that she quickly squished under a lip-bite. Wobbling her head back and forth, she feins contemplation before throwing in her IOU of ‘chef for a day’ to provide breakfast, lunch, and dinner of the winners choosing.

What? Am I the only one refusing to whore themselves out?

Hardly. You do it regularly.

Once more the siblings shared a glower and a grin as Shinji tossed in some more coins to stay in the game. Taking up her glass, Tsukiko takes a sip of her refreshed liquor and watches everyone’s reaction. The moment of truth had come. They were all staying in for now. Sure, a high card wasn’t terrible, but it was a long shot when it came to the possibility that people could have pairs. The flop came next presenting them with a Jack of spades, 7 of hearts, and a Queen of diamonds.

The pot:
Handful of yen from various people
Fixing electronic device – Sousuke
Round of drinks – Mako
Pet grooming – Tsukiko
Chef for a Day - Yume

Cards
Shinji: 10 of clubs, Jack of diamonds
Tsukiko: 3 of spades, King of clubs
Yume: 5 of hearts, Queen of spades
Sousuke: Ace of hearts, 4 of spades
Mako: 9 of hearts, 7 of spades

Flop: Jack of spades, 7 of hearts, Queen of diamonds

Takahashi Aki · Mar 5, 2015

Sousuke closed his eyes for a moment as he was playing out the probability. Things were looking grim at the moment. He had indeed raised the bid. He opened his eyes again and began reading his peers. No twitches. No grins. His grandmother sported a very strange angry looking expression. Shinji was then grinning. He had something big in his hand. Sousuke watched as his grandmother throw more coins into the game. "Raise." The Steward simply tapped his cards against the table and bowed out. He folded, but he did not reveal his cards, which was the smartest thing to do here. He folded his fingers and watched for Shinji's response. Mako would turn to Sousuke, "Falling out already? You're the one who raised."

"Out of this round yes, but not out of the game." Sousuke indicated he still had a good share of yen coins left. He was still in the game, just merely he wasn't going to lose everything in one go. What supported his theory was his hand being terrible and not being able to form anything of good form. He was curious as to what would follow. Given that he was falling out, would others follow suit? "Shinji watch your language. Young ears do not need to pick up on those words yet." Sousuke countered. Following that came a roar from Maximus. Sousuke wasn't the only one with children in the room. "Maximus shares my sentiment oddly." The Steward would get up from the table for a moment. Being mindful not to look down his gaze shifted upwards. The Steward fixed himself a kettle to set on the burner. "Tea anyone? I can tell you for certain my ... collection of teas are not home made."

"Teatottler here. I'll stick with my drink. Alright. Come on kids, I ain't gonna wait all night to win your money." Mako snorted. She seemed to be growing more boastful at the moment. Was she that confident in her pair? Or perhaps she was confident in turning her pair into a triplet?

Sagasu Yume · Mar 9, 2015

Sousuke’s chastisement would draw a snicker from the two mednin; they had all been thinking it but the justice of Shinji being called out on his lack of eloquence was sweet to hear. Tsukiko tried not to look over at her date to gauge his reaction to the flop, knowing full well that she would give away that she was sitting on a thin hope of getting two more cards to fit a straight. Putting on her best smug smile, she tosses in a few bills with the assertion to ‘Raise’. A look of quizzical disbelief would be shot her way by Shinji as he adds his due to the pot, still holding out on the IOU. There was still hope, if only a little.

The mention of tea took Yume’s attention entirely as she looked over to her mate. I would! Whatever you have would be lovely! Yume… Reaching across the table quickly, the elder Sagasu tilts his sister’s cards back toward her to keep from dropping them face up in plain view of everyone. On his way over, his elbow would bump his drink only to be caught by Tsukiko without spilling a drop. Amidst the chaos, he feels another curse form on his tongue. He considers phrasing it in canine, but Yume would still know what he had said and that meant that Maximus probably would too.

Sh…iggldy bop.

It wasn’t his most creative but it was all that had come to mind to keep from tainting Aki’s impressionable ears. Across the table, Yume mumbles her thanks as Tsukiko laughs at his less than smooth attempt to curb his tongue. Both siblings were flushed with embarrassment for different reasons. In an effort to regain his composure, the elder Sagasu leans back in his chair with his drink, cards face down beneath his other hand as he sips trying to appear pensive.

Careful. Between the drink and the thinking, you might kill your brain cell.

I just saved you from throwing the game. I think my braincell is still in top shape and deserves a reward.

That’s not fair you two.

It’s nothing really. Yume was just…

I was being mean. I was trying to be tactful about it. It’s unfortunate when you have a younger sister that’s smarter than you.

Not so unfortunate. She’s predictable, if nothing else.

Staring his sister down, he waits for her to go. Without looking at her cards, she answers the challenge by maintaining eye contact and dropping a stack of coins into the centre of the table.

See? Predictable.

~~***~~

Next card to be drawn: King of hearts (I swear this is all random @___@)

Takahashi Aki · Mar 16, 2015

As Shinji made his curse, Aki flailed his arms and repeated the word. He said it twice which then earned him a look from Sousuke which was some sort of look of disapproval. The child had been occupied with CuRua and Ika. The child had been trying to catch the fox, like Infinite had but there had been much less success to it. The method of which he was trying to catch the fox was... going to be painful if he managed to grab the fox, by the tail. The child turned attention to Ika, which was perhaps for the best and he plopped down and began to pat the jackal.

Sousuke began to get the mugs, and carefully chose flavors of tea. He returned with the mugs first, and then the heater pad, and then the tea pot. He began pouring the tea looking at the larger growing pot. He eyed his grandmother who sat there with a slightly perplexed look. Mako was hoping for a full house at this point. Whether or not she would get it would be a difficult thing. She closed her eye and thought for a moment. She tapped her card against the table. She opened her eye. She was going to wait this out a bit, she wasn't going to raise this time. She was going to leave it to the girls and or Shinji to raise. She would of course comply with the raise, but she was not going to be the one to initiate it.

The banter between Yume and Shinji caused Sousuke to raise an eyebrow. "Do siblings usually do this?" He inquired. He wasn't sure how to properly interpret this. It was a very strange discussion being had. First it began in the language of beasts, then it ended, and then... it ended with something Sousuke wasn't sure of. Sousuke was an only child. Even though Kuro was considered his older brother, he was a Toraono by birth. As far as he understood it, it was a metaphorical relationship. His mother was more or less raised by Lady Azame, and was fostered by her as Mako was oftentimes at war. Even when Mako returned from war, Chiyoko still remained at the Toraono household. "So. Who is next to raise?" The Steward would inquire. He looked to Yume, then to Shinji. He expected Shinji to raise next seeing as how he was trying to keep his ego afloat. He poured his tea, and then Yume's. He placed the cup before her and sipped his. He had chosen... well... what he thought was blueberry. Given his luck, it tasted not like blueberries, instead it was strawberry. "I did it again..." He grumbled to himself as the opposite nature of things happened again.

Sagasu Yume · Mar 24, 2015

After sticking out her tongue in at childish fashion at her older brother, Yume giggled a little and looked back to Sousuke, her face beaming with a smile.

Yes, we do. It’s not meant to be mean, rather more a… competitive spirit.

Shinji would answer the question of who was going to raise by scribbling “Brawling Lessons” on a paper and adding it to the pot. As he did, he cast a glance over to Mako to see what her reaction would be. He had no doubts that she was probably one of the few if not the only one at the table that could best him in a physical head to head. At his side, Tsukiko was biting back a grin; she had a high pair and while it wasn’t much, it was better than what she’d had before. Picking up her glass, she hides behind it as she takes a sip and then does her best to remain calm as she adds her yen to stay in the game.

Being mindful to put her cards face down on the table this time, Yume lifts the mug to her mouth, grasping the warmed earthenware between her hands as if it were warming her soul. The aroma of blueberries tickled her nose. It was an unusual thing for her to enjoy the smell of a fruit that she had rarely had the opportunity to eat. There was a noodle house she had visited once that had berries floating in the water but that was more for aesthetics than for flavour. Taking a sip, she is delighted as yet again the flavour didn’t match the scent but not in such a way that was repulsive. Taking hold of his hand, she brings the back of it to her smile as she places a tender kiss to his flesh.

It’s not so bad. We’ll work on it. It could always be much worse. It could have tasted like dust or fish.

In the corner, Ika had curled around Aki protectively as he ran his palm over her coat. She wasn’t used to other people’s children, having only come to the village during the battle with Magnetica but there was something about their names being similar that endeared the boy to her. For a tense second, they waited for Sousuke to flip the final card… it was the moment of truth. The great reveal!

It was a 4 of clubs.

~~~~~

The pot:
Handful of yen from various people
Fixing electronic device – Sousuke
Round of drinks – Mako
Pet grooming – Tsukiko
Chef for a Day – Yume
Brawling lessons - Shinji

Cards
Shinji: 10 of clubs, Jack of diamonds
Tsukiko: 3 of spades, King of clubs
Yume: 5 of hearts, Queen of spades
Sousuke: Ace of hearts, 4 of spades - Folded
Mako: 9 of hearts, 7 of spades

Communal: Jack of spades, 7 of hearts, Queen of diamonds, King of hearts
Next card: 4 of clubs

It's About Time (Yume)

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