Chapter 1: Petals Born on Spring

"I'll have some whiskey... Actually, just give me the whole bottle." Homura murmured, still dejected from destroying the bird plush. Not even the delicious food cheered her up. Her temporary depression kept her from immediately recalling who Shizuka Gozen was, but as she stewed on it, she finally realized Shizuka's identity.

"Shizuka Gozen? You mean, the magistrate's daughter!?" Homura perked up. "Nice to meet you. I'm Homura Kusakabe. You've got quite the reputation. If you pilot a petalframe as well as you uphold the law, then I can't wait to see you in action!"

When the topic of temporary captain arose, Homura didn't hesitate for a moment. "I'll be the temporary captain! Unless any of you can outdrink me? Don't be fooled by my appearance, I can drink enough for ten men!" Homura boasted proudly.

"Nice to meet you as well, Homura! We'll protect the city from the shamon for sure!"

Speaking of the law, there was a recent change that Homura probably was unaware of since she was so busy with modeling work. Apparently, the same politician proposed a drinking age limitation every year for the last two decades, and his proposal was finally accepted by parliament.

"As of 1922 the legal drinking age in Japan is 20 years old. And I think the dossier said you were 18, same as me. So, no drinking contests."

Claude sat at the table, looking slightly tired, and looked at those who were the source of the endorsement before speaking. "I appreciate the seal of approval. If I understand correctly, for now this is more of a formality for the short period until the captain arrives, not a position requiring genuine command proficiency. I have no intention of contesting the selection," Claude glanced at Homura, "and the resulting period of calm before the big project begins may be a good time to recuperate after the recent encounter. After all, the fall from the shamon's shoulders did wrinkle my coat a bit, so to speak."

Homura was quite surprised to hear there was now a minimum drinking age. Worse, it was one that she didn't meet. "What? Boo! What am I supposed to do for the next two years? Drink milk?" She complained.

She found the colonel's dodgy reasoning to be good enough, so she gladly accepted the glass from him. "Right! As long as we're fighting to defend our empire, shouldn't we enjoy a few perks? No one will find out if that's what you're worried about, Gozen-san. No annoying journalists are getting past that huge security guard. Tsutsumi, I think that was his name." She brought her glass towards her lips...

"Unlawfully providing alcohol to a minor--the punishments are fines, jail time, and suspension of the offending establishment's license to sell. Minor in possession of alcohol--the punishments are community service and possibly treatment programs."

Quickly unsheathing her sword, it looks Shizuka is about to slice the table into pieces. But instead, she simply uses the blade to block the glass while sliding it away from Homura's hand. While her tone of voice is still friendly, it's clear she's dead serious about her convictions.

"Hoshikawa-san, I assure you that not even secret military officers are above the law. Now, I can't enforce what I don't see, but to pour a minor a drink in broad daylight... I won't tolerate it. Especially before we even get to tour the facility or see our rooms."

Homura was tempted to protest, but Hoshikawa's wink stopped her. It took her a moment, but she understood what it meant. It was okay as long as Shizuka wasn't looking! "Alright, fine. No one would get hurt by a little drink, but the law's the law." She appeared to give in, but she still had a disobedient gleam in her eyes. She could respect Shizuka's dedication, but she happened to be just as stubborn.

She really was rather thirsty though, so she thought about asking for something else for now... She eyed Chimera and her glass of milk. "I'll have what Roosevelt-chan is having, please!" She declared. Though her eyebrows furrowed as she proceeded to have second thoughts.

"Wait, maybe I shouldn't. I heard the petalframes don't have much room. If I get any taller, it could get cramped..." Though she didn't mean to, she was flaunting her vertically privileged stature. "Hmm... Just water, please."

Each reminder, intentional or not, that Chimera is younger, smaller, and weaker than her peers makes Chimera's eye twitch, until she's left caught in a snappish state between sullen and fuming as she struggles to keep her composure. The off-handed comment about the milk by Homura is what makes Chimera stand up and plant her hands on the table.

"More experienced!? Are my years of training to be a leader of the Dutch considered on the level of playing house to you? Some child's play? Should my mother have focused more on catwalks and alcohol in my royal education instead? Perhaps I should wear tall heels to look more 'experienced' in your eyes. This is a farce! At least have the courtesy to disguise it! And one more thing:"

"Call."

"Me."

"Chimera!"

With that, Chimera storms off...circles back to grab her milk...and storms off somewhere. She doesn't really know the layout of the place yet.

Abenanka has been quiet, save for a few small words of thanks and a smile here and there, since the shamon attack. It's not unusual for anyone who knows her, but since the only person who really knows her is Homura that's not that common knowledge. Even still, she finds a space a short distance from the others in the bar where she settles in.

She's produced a mountain of cloth, small stones, and other materials, and extricates a needle and thread from somewhere in her tangle of accessories. She hums softly to herself, though the style of singing comes across deeper than one might've imagined from her, as her fingers work with deft practice. She has only a few modest bites, following a prayer to the kamuy koi, and a simple glass of water for refreshment.

Now and then her eyes flick up to the ongoing excitement, and she chuckles at Chimera's outbursts in the way an older sibling might, but makes no effort to intervene. Same too with Homura's endorsement, when her eyes flick to Homura and hold for a margin too long before moving on.

Eventually, not long after Chimera has fled from the room, Abenanka takes her creation and bows politely to Homura. "It may not be the same one, but our-" She coughs and shakes her head, a small blush colouring her cheeks. "Your bird."

She holds out the small plush.

Shizuka gave Homura and Akira a smie and sheathed her sword with a metallic click.

"As long as you understand what will happen if I catch any illegal activity. As for the rooms--"

Chimera's outburst interrupted Shizuka's subtle threats to the Vice-Commander. She frowned slightly at Chimera's frustration, managing a team of so many personalities was going to be difficult. However, that was now Homura's duty as the temporary captain, plus Shizuka had just been relieved of her barista duties so she was free for the rest of the night!

"AS for the rooms... Now that I'm off the clock, it's first come, first served!"

Jumping back over the bar counter, Shizuka quickly pulled off her apron and grabbed her things. Hopping over the bar a second time, she sprinted out of the cafe area to look for Rika. However when she couldn't find her immediately, she decided to start looking randomly throughout the Imperial Café-Théâtre for something that resembled a bedroom. She had heard that European homes had comfier beds, and was eager to test them out. Although, she had also heard that Europeans didn't like to bathe as much, so she was worried about having to force her teammates into the bath house.

"Dibs on the room with a window and a bookshelf! Outta my way, Chimera-san!"

Blowing past several other people, Shizuka began to test out various doors and hallways to see if they were locked or not.

"Of course it's my job to deal with a brat..." Homura's expression soured at the commander's remark. As much as she found it troublesome though, he was right. One of a captain's many responsibilities was keeping team morale up, so it was up to her to smooth this over, even if she was only the temporary captain.

"Hey, wait! I want a room with a view of the garden!" She stood up and got ready to sprint off after Shizuka in order to stake her claim on a good room as well, but before she could rush off, she was distracted by Abenanka. The hand-crafted plush gave her pause, taking precedence over finding her ideal room and consoling Chimera.

"Huh? Did you make this for me?" Homura carefully took the small bird plush into her hands. Her fingers ran along the skillful stitchwork. It puzzled her, since she felt like she should be giving Abenanka a new bird instead of the other way around, but her gratitude kept her from questioning it.

"I don't quite get it... But thank you!" She flashed a flawless grin at Abenanka. "It's ten times better than the other one, if you ask me. Ah, hold on!"

Homura reached into her kimono's sash and pulled out the 'Good Luck' omamori charm she'd won earlier. She tied it around the plush doll's neck. "There! It's got something from both of us now. Isn't our bird so cute?~"

Claude steps in Akira and Jeanne's direction, looking at the habit with a sense of recognition. "Indeed that was me. My work did not turn out quite as smoothly as I'd've liked."

"Here we go again," sighed Claude, crudely threw on the bedsheet like a toga, grabbed the two weapons and the stack of clothes, and rushed in the direction of the area designated for relocation in case of alerts.

Chimera, who had found a training room instead of her room, was up doing some emergency physical training when the alarm rang. She strained to finish one last pushup before getting up from her knees, bent over and panting. Wiping the sweat from her face, Chimera struggles to catch her breath.

"Oh, so...hah...a devil dares encroach when its brethren has...hah...yet to be ferried across the river? Then let us reunite them so they may travel to the great beyond...hah...together!"

After finishing her dramatic speech to the empty training room, Chimera drains yet another glass of milk before heading to the staging area.

After a few failed attempts, Shizuka found a suitable room at the hall with a window close enough to the ground for her escapades. She brought a lot of gear and material from her police work into the room, and spent the night setting up a huge map of Tokyo and a work desk. It was looking more like a detective's office with a bed, but the alarm interrupted her late night decorating. Unaware of what the alarm specifically meant, she arrived in the main lobby with her sword drawn and ready to fight off burglars.

"Are we getting robbed?! Oh, hello everyone."

Sheathing her weapon, she waited for someone to explain what all the alarms were for.

Abenanka frowns at her room. It takes a moment to get over the embarrassment that someone else had taken out her belongings to store them, and after she decides there need to be some changes.

First she takes the bedclothes off the bed, and arranges them neatly underneath the window in a fashion that looks somewhat like a nest. Then, with effort, she shifts the bed over to the far wall to give her more space. She sets a number of prayer flags to hang from the ceiling, and lets the window open for more cool air. Finally she prepares her clothes for the following day, and hangs them from the ceiling as well.

With her redecoration finished, she climbs onto the windowsill and sits looking at the moon. Now in her civilian clothes, she looks a lot more colourful and she stands out against the darkness. She fans her face, letting her guard down and showing how much the heat of Tokyo gets to her. The alarm practically sends her falling from her perch.

Regaining her composure, she turns and walks to the door. She hesitates, then returns for her formal jacket before heading to the meeting point calmly and without haste.