~ Perfect Blossom Tea Room ~

[Craines]

With the pneumatic hiss of the opening of the doors, a man with a defined limp entered the Tea Room. His hair was blond, almost to the point of being blindingly so. However, little could be seen; the hat the man wore covered most of it. On his waist hung a large scabbard, ornately jeweled, with a massive hilt protruding from it. The man's face was an assortment of scars and wrinkles. While he couldn't be any older than fifty, he looked almost seventy.

Anyone who viewed that man saw two things; calculated risks, and gristly strategy. Renown simply for his capacity of hatred, Captain Igor Svaldi, recently reassigned from his position as Admiral, sat down in a secluded corner of the room. His table had been reserved, and no one dared near it.

That is, of course, except for one particularly aged man.

Standing no higher than five foot two, the stooped old man sat adjacent from Svaldi. The menacing glare that erupted from the eyes of the captain of the Pride of Kusari did nothing to ward off the old man.

"I am Richard. Richard Walters," said the old man. Svaldi grunted. "Here, try the wine, yes? It is good, I think. Ah, that Sophie might be a mechanical being, but she can sure make a good cup of this here tea!"

"I thought you said wine, old man," Svaldi said. His voice matched his face: scarred, angry, and worn out.

"I did. I mix both tea AND wine together, yes? Makes for an exceptional punch!" The old man laughed at this, and suddenly became very sober. Leaning in near the captain, he spoke now in low tones. "Fiona says that she's received word that the Uli Rouge is nearing completion. She will be leaving Honshu soon, I believe. You'd best be there, yes? I'll be at the villa; do not fail us again, Igor. I'd hate to... have to see Fiona in any mood other than the one she does best: happy. Do not fail us, yes? We'll be in touch."

Scooting back from the table, the old man let out another great laugh. One of the patrons looked at him, but received a near-drunken stare back. "Good bye, Perfect Blossom!" Richard said happily. "I'll return... with more tea! Don't mind that lazy eyes of mine... or that stagger... I'm perfectly fit to pilot my space craft, thank you very much!"

And with that, the old man left the Tea Room.

Sighing deeply, Svaldi beckoned a waitress to him. "Whatever your top four strongest drinks are, mix them together in equal portions and serve it to me. I need to forget this. Now."

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