The minutes trudged by as Souta, half-asleep, ran the gamut of topics to think about.  Designs and techniques, the old stand-bys, flashed by with prominence and frequency, but considerations about his current situation, as well as the menagerie of dangerous beings he'd come to know more closely than he ever would have dreamed, were never far from his mind.  After an indiscernible amount of time, a sharp, abrupt noise stirred the smith from his ponderings.  Someone had knocked on his door.

Jolted awake by the sound and ensuing realization, Souta swung his legs over the edge of his cot and stood, shaking his head to clear away the drowsiness.  He tried to piece together who might be visiting him before he reached the door; Magpie, had she any reason for a quick return, would not have shown such manners, and nobody else struck him as likely to pop by for a visit.  Nobody save one.

He pulled open the door, and found himself greeted by a face of immaculate beauty.  He did not recognize it, but the unfamiliarity and perfection combined to convince him that his guess had been correct.  [color=teal]“Lily,”[/color] he assumed, straightening up just a touch and blinking away the last of his nap-haze.  One of the first things he'd noticed, of course, were today's chosen race and dress.  He didn't know what to think of her donning Japanese features; as gorgeous as she was, it felt a bit offputting, not to mention any intention behind that choice.  If she meant her clothes as a compliment, well...the cheongsam did suit her, but even a slouch like Souta knew that particular garb was not from his homeland.  [color=teal]“Konnichiwa.  What brings you here?”[/color]