Moriko scratched both dogs behind the ears, one on each side.

"Oh, I think you'll enjoy spaceflight, Shiba-san," Akagi said to Hoshiko. "I find travel to be very broadening. It's good to see new worlds, encounter different people and animals, and learn new skills. A year ago, I never would've guessed I would be learning to ride otori here on Asakaze, and yet here I am...and it's quite fun."

The Scorpion chuckled as the dogs wolfed down their treats. "Those dorayaki must be good, huh?" he said with a smile. "Mind if I try one?"

Moriko laughed softly, "poor Ten isn't the brightest spark, I'm afraid. He'd eat a rock if he thought it came from my plate." Indicating to the snacks, "please, do, though I will not vouch for how good they are until you've tried one. I made them myself," she admitted.

Taking one of the dorayaki, Akagi broke it in half before taking a bite. His mouth was filled with the sweet taste of azuki and pastry. He took a sip of tea to wash it down.

"It's delicious," Akagi declared.

“You flatter me, Bayushi-san,” Moriko picked up her glass, feeling self-conscious, and took a long drink.

"Perhaps a little, but even if I were, it wouldn't change the fact that they're delicious," Akagi said with a grin, before taking another bite of the dorayaki. "Where do you get the azuki? Are the beans able to grow on Asakaze, or does it have to be shipped in?"

He took another sip of tea. The tea and pastries went well together.

She picked up one of the treats, and both dogs perked up hopefully, watching as she took a bite, "my apologies. It's not real adzuki, we get that imported, but we make a fairly adequate substitute from one of the native fungi."

"It's impressive, what can be made of the local fungi." Hoshiko nodded.

"Really?" Akagi said, raising an eyebrow. "The flavor is indistinguishable to me." He finished the rest of his dorayaki and seemed quite happy with it.

"Fú won't eat dorayaki, I'm guessing?" he ventured, looking at the screamer cradled in Moriko's arm. "What is the best way to feed him, if I take him onto a ship? Will I need to bring a supply of insects?"

Moriko finished her doriyaki, all except for a tiny morsel, and experimentally offered it to the screamer, who sniffed at it suspiciously before deciding to ignore it, "guess not," the Phoenix laughed. "That's okay," she passed the minuscule treat off to Ten and indicated to the container on the table, "I have something for him in there."

"If you do take him," there was a hint of sadness in her voice, but it didn't stay for long, "you would need to be able to breed some centipedes, crickets, roaches. Roaches are really easy to breed, but it's important that you can change up what he's eating now and then."

Picking up on Moriko's reluctance, Akagi looked thoughtful for a moment.

"Well, the starship captain probably won't permit me to start breeding cockroaches in my bunk room," he admitted with a small smile. "It would be... difficult to explain to the bosun. Bringing Fú into space might be more challenging than I thought."

"But leaving Fú with you might be too great an imposition, after everything you've already done...?" The Scorpion glanced inquiringly at Moriko, who was still cradling the little screamer.

Stroking the screamer's fur, "it's no imposition of course," Moriko honestly had not expected to be so successful. "Bayushi-san, have you considered perhaps staying on Asakaze for a time?" It would be presumptuous to assume that the Scorpion would be matched to a Phoenix spouse, but not impossible.

“I might like that, actually,” Akagi admitted. “Riding an otori has been amazing, and the xenofungi forest had a certain feral beauty, with the tall trees, the screamers, the spiny lizards... even that poor centipede-thing that I frightened off. And there’s still a lot of Asakaze I’d still like to see.”

“Of course, it’s not entirely up to me. I have to go wherever my duty takes me,” the Scorpion said, trying to maintain a stoic face. “Where I end up going will depend on the outcome of the miai.” He looked at each of the sisters in turn, wondering about their feelings on the matter; but glanced away before it would seem rude.

“What about you two?” he asked. “You seem very comfortable here. Do you hope to stay on Asakaze after the miai?”

"Of course," duty was duty, after all. "But wait until you see the forests at night. There's all sorts of glowing creatures and fungi, all delicate and sparkly."

"I doubt I will stay on Asakaze." she admitted. "Not if I am to serve as a navigator. But, it would be nice to visit regularly."

"Really? I'd like to see that sometime!" Akagi enthused. "That must be quite amazing to see!"


Akagi nodded. "That does make sense," he agreed. "Navigators are crucial for interstellar travel, so it'd be an invaluable service you'd be providing your clan. And you'd get to visit a lot of new worlds that way, each of which would have its own unique people and natural wonders."

"It's fairly safe travelling around the farms, even at night. You could come out to the ranch one evening. It's not the same as the view you can get from up in the mountains, but it's still pretty."

"Well, if it wouldn't be too much of an imposition..." Akagi said, in an attempt to be polite. "I think I'd like that very much. It must be beautiful at night."

"Of course not," Moriko waved his concerns away with a gesture. "Come by for dinner, we'll go for a ride, you can be back in the city before bedtime."

"You'll enjoy it." Hoshiko added. "Night rides are great."