[center][color=lightsteelblue][h1]ᴀᴏᴋɪ ʀᴇʏɴᴀ sᴀɴᴅsᴛʀöᴍ[/h1][/color]
[i]Location -  Old Sol Museum
Mentions - Karishma , [@Alex_The_Great]
Interactions - [@Silver Fox] [/i][/center]

[center][i]Saturday Evening - Hephaestus Manor[/i][/center]
[hr]

A black limo with black tint pulled up in front of the Hephaestus Manor, and a man in a [url=https://i.pinimg.com/564x/5a/9b/14/5a9b1419d306481e5e2864613da66bfe.jpg]forest[/url] green squared suited stepped out and opened the door wide. The man tugged down his blazer and adjusted his blue tie before reaching to hep the other person out of the limo. A gold-brown hand reached out and took the man's hand before slowly stepping out of the vehicle. A woman wearing a colorful [url=https://i.pinimg.com/564x/06/4d/2c/064d2c5ed3e54b60965287a14a570141.jpg]Lehenga[/url] thanked the man and glanced back to the limo where another man stepped out. The last person didn't look like he was used to wearing such expensive items of clothing. He looked even more uneasy when the beautiful woman in a navy blue and red lehenga hook an arm on his as they began walking to the art gallery, the man in the forest green suit following close behind them. 

"I wonder who that is," Aoki wondered to herself and looked over at Ashton's dark figure in the luxury Uber she had been able to score. Their own ride pulled up after the limo left and the woman in a black suit glanced back with quite a large smile.

"Well, ladies, here we are! Have fun you two!" The woman waved at Ashton and Aoki as she drove out of the Manor. 

There was an uneasiness in Aoki's stomach as the two women walked into the Manor. Aoki had been given two VIP tickets to Sioban's art gallery from Dr. Ali, saying something about making it up for what had happened last time. Aoki, not wanting to upset her boss, agreed to take the tickets and attend the gala. While social gatherings were not very much her thing, Aoki wanted to make connections with other artists and give her compliments to Siobhan. After all, her style of painting was rather romantic, and it captivated the crowds of Sol City. Another little plus was the fact that she had gotten the courage to ask Ashton to come with her as her plus one. It also gave her the opportunity to return the leather jacket Aoki had stolen days ago. 

Once inside, Aoki caught a glance of her reflection. The purple at the end of her hair had been fading to a soft lavender, which complimented her pearl color [url=https://i.pinimg.com/564x/fc/84/7a/fc847a7bed1639e8e99fc0c99c734f33.jpg]dress[/url] a lot more than a deep purple would have. The dress itself made Aoki feel more self-conscious as she tugged on the front of the dress making sure her chest was covered. In any other circumstances, she would not have worn something as revealing but it was a dress her mother had sent her from Sweden, and she had yet had any use to it. The art gala had seemed like a very nice place to finally wear the dress. 

"Would you like to grab a drink?" Aoki glanced up at Ashton, who was still taller even with her three-inch heels. "I don't know why I feel so nervous..." The nagging feeling in her stomach did not want to go away, and it only got worse as they made their way to the bar past some of Siobhan's paintings. There, a small crowd had gathered around a blonde woman none other than Paige. While it was nice to see another familiar face in the sea of strangers, the pit in her stomach had yet to go. Aoki wanted to go over and say hello to her, but instead, she walked past a few strangers to the bar and ordered a whiskey for herself and Ashton. A few more familiar faces popped out from the crowd, she could see Xia and Marinalia further away as well as Milo a few ways away from Paige. 

"I'm really glad you agreed to come with me, Ashton," Aoki smiled up at the blonde woman before taking a sip of the whiskey. She had to remember to keep her liquor light tonight, or she would end up making a fool of herself like the first time she had met the firefighter. Aoki did not want to repeat history, especially not in a place full of artists and pissible bussiness partners.