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Drifting Petal	By the time Petal and Princess find their way to where they wanted to be, the sun is at its zenith for these somewhat colder months: not quite high noon, but about as high noon as it gets in Resplendent Earth. Petal leads the way, finding her way through the crowds with all the grace and subtlety that a woman who wears two swords and a bright yellow robe possibly can. Then, she throws any remaining subtlety to the wind, and starts screaming. "BIG LADY! BIIIIIIIIIIG LAAAAAAAAAAAADY!" She grumbles, saying as an aside to Himiko, "Sucks I can't remember her name!" before yelling again, stomping her foot and cupping her hands around her mouth. "BIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIG!!!" After that last yell, though, she doesn't manage to say lady - not only does she run out of breath, but before she can draw another one, a passing elder thwaps her on the back of the head with a folding fan, remarking, 'Have some respect! That sword doesn't mean you can do whatever you want! Quiet down!', prompting Petal to bow and apologize repeatedly.
Dutiful Cricket	Between two storehouses, hidden away, Dutiful Cricket's ears burn as she watches a hotpot with one of the children, trying to make sense of how THE CHILD manages to make it perfectly every time. Not that it's a bad thing! But it's something she wishes she could manage... The junior chef seems smugly proud of herself, saying that a good cook can't be distracted or running off with the fire going! Which is why Cricket has been sitting there, letting Petal cause a scene.... As soon as the girl tastes it and gives an ok-gesture, the giant with her scrambles to her feet and power-walks to the entrance, surprised that, again, Himiko and Drifting Petal are right by the alleyway. Good instinct..... It isn't hard to notice Cricket once she crawls out of the crammed entrance and comes to stand, dusting her knees and giving a soft "hello again..."
Argent Princess	Argent Princess wafts along regally behind Drifting Petal, her hand lifting away from the gemstone affixed to her Obi as she sweeps a sleepy but curious gaze around as she shields herself from the overhead sun distastefully. "She never said her name, beloved. Or have you met her since?" She wonders, her long fingernails digging into her palm as she holds her wrist against her face in an ongoing effort to squint away the near-noon sun. "But come, over here. This is where we met her last." She says, just before Cricket emerges, and she smiles smugly, Petal wanted to go the other way! "Greetings!" Argent Princess pipes up softly, gliding towards the huge woman silently, backtracking a few steps to avoid crossing between two weeds growing in the dirt of the alley before nearing her.
Drifting Petal	Drifting Petal straightens up from her chastising as the old woman decides she's had enough and moves on with her life. Petal, for her part, then bows to Cricket, at first saying, "Sorr--" on reflex, then catching herself and saying instead, "I'm home!" She lets that hang for a moment, her face wide-eyed in disbelief at her embarassment. After the words have settled and it's entirely too late for her to fix her mistake, her face turns beet red, and she scoots to be behind Argent Princess, who has much better social tact in the moment. Trying to seem small behind her much more grandiose partner, she meekly offers, "We, ah... came to visit... because... of the mochi..."
Dutiful Cricket	The giant chuckles softly, waving to one of the elders who scolded Petal as she spits and hags it up somewhere else. "We've met since, little one," she assures the Argent Princess. "Pardon the presumption, but you are Himiko, correct? While separate, your mate preserves you upon her tongue." After a pause, Cricket squats down and pets Petal's head. "Why don't you both come in? A hotpot's just been finished and I'm sure there's enough for you two as well."
Argent Princess	Argent Princess casts a blank gaze back at Petal after Dutiful Cricket's greeting, looking miffed with her. "I am called Argent Princess." She clairifies, not without a touch of chagrin." She smiles warmly as if in apology for this, and forgives Petal with a brush of her fingers down her arm as she pulls her towards the door. "That is very gracious of you. Petal is always hungry, I am sure she would enjoy that." She murmurs as she passes through the doorway first and casts a curious gaze about the inside of the cottage.
Drifting Petal	Drifting Petal doesn't seem too bothered by having her head patted, though she does seem bothered by Princess' withering glare. Nevertheless, she nods her assent to food and, when Princess drags her away, Petal offers no resistance, moving as a leaf blown about by the wind. "Mighty kind of ya, thanks for havin' me.." Of note, she does tug against Princess once they enter - she slips her sandals off and removes the swords from her sash, leaning them against the wall near her sandals. "S'only polite," she explains to no one in particular, before moving into the cottage proper.
Dutiful Cricket	"Ah! My apologies, I suppose I WAS presumptuous then, little one..!" She's not a stranger to preferring other, more specific names, at least. "Well, Argent one, I hope this humble place can accommodate you and yours. I'm certain I have drinks somewhere as well..." She tip-toes and checks the second-story of the cottage that various children are noisily enjoying themselves around. Inside the cottage, the hotpot is hefted up to a cheap-seeming table by two of the kids cooperating carefully, others already wanting to look inside as the older girls brush them away, telling them to behave. The children all look nothing alike, yet they're practically siblings as they say mealtime prayers. It's nothing fancy, staple oden with mushrooms from out of the city, but it seems the children don't complain any. Dutiful Cricket has to kneel and get on all fours to shoulder halfway into the cottage. "Did you... Have prior business with me, though, honored guests? I could hear that you were looking for me from quite far away..."
Argent Princess	Argent Princess slips out of her own elegant footwear, trading them for a demure pair of indoor cloth slippers as she's suddenly a considerably notable few inches shorter. She seems to feel a need to strike a pose as she inspects all the children with a soft smile, folding her hands in front of herself as she turns to smile at Petal as if sharing some private thought more than likely to fly over the moon for her partner. Argent Princess seems to take some time to think as Cricket pulls them so quickly to the point, her delicate mouth quirking slightly as she seems to compose a thought to share in turn. She looks like she might laugh, as she confides in a tone that invites the obvious reaction. "We must travel east into the Hundred Kingdoms to pull a confectioner from a war so that he may return home to take up his craft again." Then, with only half a heartbeat before adding. "All the signs and omens point to this, this city may well unravel without him." She tucks her hands into the opposite sleeves of her kimono, perhaps posturing in a more wise and knowing stance than her youthful face could countenance.
Drifting Petal	Drifting Petal seems to brighten up at the sight of the children, fumbling in her robes for something, where is it.. where is it.. ah! She starts pulling out piece after piece of mochi cakes. She was going to save them for later, but all children deserve a snack, she always says, and so as she meets each child, she introduces herself as Petal and, with a surreptitious but not-that-stealthy glance at Cricket, like a naughty child stealing cookies, she hands them a mochi cake. As she does so, though, she manages to add to what Princess is saying. "He got taken off ta war, an' that made folks real sad. I mean to go rescue 'im. I... thought you could help. Seein' as his daughters are... real torn up about it..."
Dutiful Cricket	Cricket sighs through her nose, her expression of 'i know what a naughty child looks like' extra-visible on her typically serene face. "Are you implicating that a confectioner, a craftsman with daughters to look after, is off among those waging one of the countless territory wars in the Hundred Kingdoms? What motive could he have had for that...?"
Argent Princess	Argent Princess skims a thumb over the gemstone on her Obi and sighs forlornly. "He may have been conscripted in relation to some debt owed, but that is all but immaterial. Threads of fate have conspired to pull him away. I have seen it at nearly every turn. This war could ignite and burn all the way back here if we do not go and do something." She says, ever so sure of herself. Argent Princesses' sightline is pulled along in Petal's wake, lingering on each child as she passes past them to watch for a moment as they enjoy the treat or squirrel it away for later, making note of each. "There is only so much joy in life, without those who craft more. A place can be starved of happiness." She murmurs, blushing and endeared as her gaze catches up to Petal she basks in her own melodrama for a moment before her gaze makes the arduous climb to search Cricket's face.
Drifting Petal	Drifting Petal shrinks away from Cricket's Dutiful Den Mother Glare Prana, but it doesn't cow her - she still gives every single child a piece of mochi. Then, she sits at the table with them, though she doesn't partake in the hotpot. Instead, seated cross-legged as she is, she peers at Cricket and asks, "I'll end the war if I hafta. But Hi-... Princess says this guy's gotta come back... and his daughter cried about it. That's enough for me." She turns now to the kids, helping them fill their bellies with hotpot while carefully misdirecting them about why she isn't eating - a classic older sister move.
Dutiful Cricket	"You speak so direly of this," Dutiful Cricket admits, a little fond of how both of them are so stern about something they care about. "Two swords alone won't win any wars, regardless..." She slides one of the oden bowls with two fingers toward Petal. The gesture obvious. She knows how to keep track of a crowd, it seems. "Still... Sensitive and earnest are two souls unfit for engaging conquerors and butchers...." The giant slips herself out of the cottage, crossing her legs to sit, hunched forward so they can still see her from the doorframe. "I will be your guardians, then, until you are both satisfied. Does this seem amenable to your cause? If so, I have one request." She points a finger in saying so to gesture that one request.
Argent Princess	Argent Princess turns to regard the Dutiful Cricket as she ducks back out the door, curious but pleased as sh draws herself up regally in preparation to receive the demand. "Such is only right, that you would have conditions." She allows, if only to fill the silence as the woman prepares her statement. She moves over to carefully and dutifully serve Petal a bowl of the hotpot, ladling carefully as she reassures her with a touch.
Drifting Petal	Drifting Petal now has two bowls of oden. She seems amazed by this fact, until she downs one in a single go, exhaling with a loud, rude, PWAAAHHHH. She catches herself again soon after, covering her mouth with her hand and muttering, "'scuse me." Then, a proper answer. "Whaddya want in return?", even as she's already eyeing the OTHER bowl of oden.
Dutiful Cricket	"Tribute." The woman grins. "I want you to visit this place and look after the boys and girls every time you come back to Great Forks. As I am yours, you are theirs."
Drifting Petal	Drifting Petal slams her fist on the table suddenly, startling a few of the children and rattling the bowls. "WHAT?! THAT'S IT?! I THOUGHT YOU WERE GONNA ASK FOR MY SOUL OR SOMETHIN'! ARE YOU KIDDIN'?! I'D LOVE TO COME BACK HERE!!!!"
Argent Princess	Argent Princess bats her long lashes as she considers this, stunned. "Petal is very good with children." She echoes, in a mantra that has the ring of something she says to herself, or others, quite often. Like one might reassure a parent as their child approached a dog. "I am sure I can contribute to the well being of this place and these children." She says, as sweeps an absentmindedly fond gaze over a few of them. "Yes, of course." She adds, in a more formal and committed tone.
Dutiful Cricket	Though they've only been present for dinner, the kids are already pretty fond of their new big (and little) sister. The mochi definitely helped. What would otherwise be wary, incorrigible, or rude youths on the streets are warm and open-minded. They seem to share a general reverence for Petal's and the Princess's weaponry, not too curious to see them in use so much as remark of how nice they seem. Well-heeled kids, if anything. And many seem to want to ask the Argent Princess questions, but she's so aloof and mysterious! And those nails are so pointed! She's instantly become a role model just by existing around some of the kids. Image makes for strong impression. "It heartens me to hear that," Dutiful Cricket replies, nodding. "Tenrai, Little Spume, make sure to take care of your brothers and sisters in my coming absence, alright?" The oldest two nod with a sternness to them.
Argent Princess	Argent Princess drags Petal towards the door more by force of will than physicality, knowing she would stay all day and play with the children, but there's work to be done. Getting Petal to put her shoes on takes a truly powerful stare and a tapping of her own already re-clad feet "Let's meet in the market tomorrow morning, we will no doubt have supplies to buy and preparations to make. I will set aside some funds to ensure you can leave some extra foodstuffs here as well, I think I can afford the expenditure." She says. As they wander off, Argent Princess comes to a halt and glowers down at the two weeds growing in the alley, before stooping to uproot one, and throwing at the other with a childish petulance, uncaring as she dirties her hand. She quickly flees the scene with Drifting Petal.
Dutiful Cricket	The giant watches the two spirit away, not needing to inspect closer to see what she did with the weeds. "Hmmh....Soothsayer, witch, or overly sensitive...?" She wonders aloud, tapping her cheek. "Suppose I'll have plenty of time to learn starting tomorrow..."