"Thanks! You're pretty good at dancing yourself too!" It was only fair to return the compliment, especially since he seemed to have the moves down more than her.

"Oh... well, my unit has more or less forbidden me to sing at karaoke a couple of times. I can't carry a note very well." And singing was one of the things she did with a whole lot of enthusiasm, which some felt was unnerving. "Maybe there's a reason why the first Utaku was silent. Maybe it was the singing?" She gave a wry chuckle at her poor attempt at humor.

"Eh, just following your lead." He chuckled. "Now, you can't leave me hanging like that. We will go to karaoke then, and see who's the worse. Maybe invite a few hopefuls from our lists, and see who we scare off?" He started sweating. "Want to sit down for a short bit?"

"Yes, that sounds good," she brushed some hair away from her face, ready to sit down and return to their drinks.

"And maybe we should do that? I imagine there are other bad singers here too... so maybe we'll all end up failing the miai after terrifying eachother with our siren song?"

Returning to their table, she picked up her drink and took a long sip.

"So what's the truth then?"

She tilted her head a little with a smile.

"My truth is I've found it more interesting than anything else; All these new people, a new planet, virtually no Scorpion... it all feels so fresh and exotic I guess. Though it's also interesting how new can turn not so new quickly if you crave innovation."

"Mmm... I'm glad you like it." It was nice and new after all. "As for my own truth?" He paused as their drinks arrived, waiting for the bartender to leave before continuing.

"That it is quite nice, meeting new people, making new friends. Seeing new places too. Butthe idea of choosing who we are to marry? Well it seems a bit like an illusion, if you catch my meaning."

"I wonder though; How much of it IS illusion and how much of it ends up being just a different sort of politics? They're certainly putting us through enough trials and hoops, not to mention the normal court like interacting that comes from so many samurai with different agendas, both personal and of their Clans..."

Taking the drink the bartender had brought after putting down the toothpick, Tenma lifted the glass, "Of course, I have no agenda, personally."

She took a long sip of the drink while still facing Hayato.

Jin was sweating as they moved back, and took a sip of his drink. "Mhm. Well, I don't know many bad singers. What if we accidentally invite one that's good? Does that mean everyone will flock to them now?" He smiled as he spoke. "And we're left singing terrible songs to ourselves?"

"I think that's more or less what I meant by being an illusion, Bayushi-sama. So it seems we have a few of the same questiosn as it were?" He shrugged.

"Not that I like to dwell on that sort of thing overly long." Her next comment though brought a playful smile to his lips.

"But no agenda's on your own? Not even to have fun?"

"Fun, at a miai?"

Setting the drink on the bar again, she seemed to think on that a moment.

"I suppose I can't deny that. I do so hate being idle or bored. There's a reason I keep coming back to this club and such. Though, maybe it also means I should change up my routine."

"Hmm..." Even the Ice Queen had a sheen of sweat on her forehead, although she was sweating a lot less thanks to her clothes.

"That would call for some tactical precision strikes, to correct the situation. Alcohol above a certain quantity does have debilitating effects on memory, and tend to make the unattractive more appealing."

In other words, if they just got the others drunk enough...

"Oh, alcohol makes the unattractive more attractive, you say? Well, drink up the." He replied with a smirk, putting his own drink down. "Maybe we can advise them some songs. Really, really bad ones."

"I'll have you know that pilots have hardy stomachs for alcohol. Really, you should be given a free liver-transplant as a pilot, as you're often paraded around at social gatherings and parties... and there is always plenty of drink at such arrangements."

And the Utaku were a hardy people.

"What kind of songs though? Like enka?"

"So I'll have to buy you a few more before I become dasing?" His eyes twinkled with mischief as he readied his response. "No, the Miya News Jignle."

"Could be? A change of routine can make things interesting, at least for a bit."

His smile turned a bit playful. "It could also mean a change in dance partners though."

"Which would be a loss for me, but ill survive. Probably."

Her nose wrinkled. "Do they even have that tune in karaoke bars?" she asked, and sipped her drink again as she lounged comfortably in the chair.

"Worth a try at least. Any song ideas for you?"

"I don't know... I usually want to sing Yakumo songs. Or Heavenly 9. Maybe I should try those Usagi Drop! songs that you've been belting out with your crew?" she smirked a little behind her glass.

"Oh? Surely I have not turned into a routine for you yet, Tsuruchi-san. I feel as though I barely even know you!"

He chuckled at that. "Here was I thinking it may of been the other way around. You're right about one thing though, we do hardly know each other."

Leaning back his eyes drifted towards the dance floor for a moment. "I mostly just know that you like to shake your thing."

A slight blush and a clearing of her throat before she took a sip of her drink.

"I just don't like sitting still, that's all. Time spent not doing something is time wasted to me. And something means something, not just sitting there thinking to oneself or meditating on something. Reading or appreciating nature... I mean, I'm sure they're fine for some people and all, but I think action speaks louder than words ever could. So I try to act."