"Just couldn't bear to be away from you for a moment longer, Doji-san." he assured her with a straight face.

"That you rescued me from a case study in how to being a boring Phoenix courtier/baseball player was merely a bonus."

"Yeah?" Nozomi pushed up her nose, so very proud of her next sentence. "Would you say that you have someone who can help you out here, like a.... wingman?" She beamed; it had been the first time she had really gone for a joke!

Ichika brought a hand up and pushed down her 'super cool' plastic shades, looking over the top of them. "Was he really that boring?" she asked, glancing back to where the Phoenix was and furrowing a brow. With a soft shrug, one barely noteworthy, she looked back with a slight smile.

"Well, I'm glad to have been your hero in turn, Kuchiki-san!" she said, flashing a grin as she pushed her plastic shades back up firmly on her nose.

Tsugiharu feigned shock.

"Doji-san, I am shocked that you would ask me to speak poorly of one of our hosts, nevermind the governor's son himself. Indeed, he made the point of who he was abundantly clear. To relate to you that when surrounded by samurai enjoying themselves, he is wondering if they're having too much fun instead of taking their duties seriously. Or tell you that he wonders why instead of spending time with beautiful Crane woman, why aren't more samurai trying to schedule time to speak with his illustrious father. Or even his query of why do people love Otori so much and not a game about hitting a ball with a bat and going home? Were I to relate all of those issues to you, Doji-sama, it would just be too shocking for words." he related to her in a dramatic whisper, which wouldn't carry very far in the lights and bells of retro night.

Still, there was a line between amusing a Crane and finding oneself fighting a room full of Phoenix, so there was a bit of real caution mixed with the melodrama.

From somewhere in the Starcade, a particular sound is heard. Like a pure ringing, followed quickly by the sound of Shokomaru shouting.

"Yoosh!"

And Spider chuui went over to the prize counter to have a look at things.

Mumei's still pretty jazzed from all the bright lights, big sounds, and, of course, dancing.

"Suzume-san! How'd you do? " She unfolds a stack of tickets from the jacket's breast pocket. "I can get the digital book with all the Asakaze critters and have a bit to spare for something silly like that Otori plushie." The tickets are shoved back in place. "I'd hoped to get the actual book, I think Kitsune-san would like seeing it, and it'd be nice for outings. Could even just leave it in the rental to have on hand."

She glances around. "Where's Stray? Bet all this noise isn't his thing, huh?"

Lowering her gaze a tad, at first, she looked down a bit as he went on a bit. Bringing her hands up in front of her stomach, fiddling with her left index finger. Yet.. when he continued she raised a brow, daring to venture a glance up. By the middle she'd chuckled sheepish and awkward. Letting her hands fall, a little, she stopped fiddling with her finger but still held them there.

Looking to him, with her head turned down slightly the pink-plastic frames held the obscuring visors which looked at Tsugiharu. "O-oh.." she chuckled, yet sheepish and awkward. "L-like a joke," she said, fiddling once more with her finger before dropping her hands to her sides. Trying on a half-awkward laugh.

"Yeah?" Nozomi pushed up her nose, so very proud of her next sentence. "Would you say that you have someone who can help you out here, like a.... wingman?" She beamed; it had been the first time she had really gone for a joke![/quote]

Yul grinned. "Whoa, check out Kitsu-san coming in with a class A pun. Nice one." He chuckled, as much amused that she made the joke than at the content of it.

He shook his head. "The Unicorn look out for each other, but I wouldn't say I have a wingman, exactly." He looked around. "And definitely not here."

He looked back at Nozomi, smirking just a little. "Do you think I should be nervous?"

Tetsu is wandering around, holding onto his tickets, a bit unsure about what to do with them


I mean, I was hoping for that voucher. What am I going to do with microscope slides

He notices a Phoenix girl with a similar expression. "Excuse me...do you have spare tickets?"

Hoshiko had been counting hers, wondering what to do with them. There weren't many items that interested her for what she had. Then bumped into the Crab.

"Umm... Yes, actually." she offered a smile. "How many do you need?"

Tsugiharu sipped his drink.

"In a nutshell. But enough about him. What victory has earned Doji-san her latest accouterments?" he asked, looking to change the subject.

"I'm twenty away. I mean, I suppose that the digital pet is alright, but I think a nice night out would be better." Tetsu appraises the girl. "If you can spot me the rest, would you like to come along? It's for two after all"

She considered his suggestion for a moment. "That could be fun. Yes, let's do that."

"Alright! Oh yeah, we should exchange contact info. I'm Kaiu Tetsu of Fundai." Tetsu pulls out his communicator. "And you are?"

"Shiba Hoshiko." she answered as she handed over the tickets, followed by her communicator information.

"You got a pretty good amount too! What games did you pick?"

Ishiyo stayed back, especially from the reward counter. For the moment she was trying to make her way to the exit in the sort of path that wouldn't draw attention. So a few polite nods were given and the occasional exchanged pleasantries. Her hope was to slip out before having to engage anyone in a long conversation and risk revealing her utterly disastrous run on the machines.

"Hoi, Daidoji-san, you got a minute?" Shokomaru called out as she passed by while he stood at the prize counter.

"MMSSO3 is my favorite, but I played Starlight Miko Crusaders and Streets of Thunder 4, too." she answered. "I'm surprised I did so well on the others."

The Crane sighed inwardly, not merely caught but by a man who had tossed her aside in their previous social interaction. Well not counting the trip into the woods.

"Daigotsu-sama." Her blue eyes move to the Spider, and of course he was at the prize counter. She smiled the sort of pleasant meaningless smile the Crane were good at, "Can I help you?"