[center][h2][color=FF0000]Higashiakemi Ryuuko (東明見 竜子)[/color]
Yun Hana
[color=0072bc]Shou Zheng[/color]
[color=a2d39c]Franz Steiner[/color][/h2][/center][hr]
The two might have had a few moments to dine in peace, but they were interrupted before any real continuation of their conversation could happen. Thankfully Hana had chosen a table off to the side of the hall, and thus underneath one of the boxes that littered the second floor. It gave him an opportunity to greet her in a rather unorthodox method; see if he couldn't get more of a reaction from her. Hopefully her dining partner didn't mind too much. Then again, Mrs. Higashiakemi was supposed to be the rather free spirited sort.

Given how the both of them were Egoist, they may have noticed something of a shadow over their dining table. Despite Jeanne's warning, Shou nonetheless continued to use the opera boxes as perches to hop between instead of their intended use. The railing might have protested and creaked a bit as he wrapped his tail around it to secure himself, but it did hold. For the moment at the least as he hung himself upside down from them and intruded on the pair's dinner. 

[color=0072bc]"Hana-yang! Good to see you here,"[/color] he greeted her in Korean with a grin as he swayed upside down somewhat precariously.

Ryuuko was in the middle of enjoying her dinner, which she ate rather quickly owing to the unique way upon which she eats. She noticed when the famed violinist took to the stage and invited the also famed, for his own particular reasons, self-proclaimed mesmerologist. Ryuuko wasn't really one for such form of music, preferring rather... revolutionary kinds of music instead, but even she were able to tell that the two violinists were playing very well. Of course, she couldn't notice that Franz was actually the inferior between the two. Both Zamloch and Franz sounded just as good to her.

For sometime, she focused on just enjoying her dinner. When she did decided to resume her conversation with Hana, she stopped as she noticed the shadow over the table which were then followed by the figure of fellow egoist Shou Zheng hanging upside down as he greeted Hana, beating Ryuuko to the gun.

Ryuuko raised an eyebrow at that, quickly recognizing who the "intruder" was. Then, she chuckled lightly before grinning. [color=FF0000]"Well well, you sure know how to make an appearance, Mr. Zheng... How rude, intruding upon two ladies enjoying their dinner. While hanging upside down no less, hehe."[/color] Of course, she wasn't actually the littlest bit offended, being amused instead at the fellow egoist's antics. [color=FF0000]"Regardless, it is good to finally meet you in person... Care to actually take a seat? Or would you prefer to continue being upside down as we talk?"[/color] She let out a casual, playful laugh at that.

Hana took a bit more time with her meal than Ryuuko, so she wasn't as far into her meal when the unexpected visitor dropped in.  He did managed to get the drop on her, eliciting a short exclamation of surprise.  It didn't last very long, as the greeting alone was enough to recognise the boy hanging unspide-down above the table.  A smile spread across her face, quickly replacing the surprise.

"Oh, you startled me there, Shou."  She replied in latin, just to keep to the lingua franca.  "It's been a while, and I dare say this meeting's much nicer than the first time."  She had to agree with Ryuuko's invitation, and gestured a bit to one of the empty chairs nearby.  "You're welcome to join us, although do be careful about hanging upside-down too long.  I hear it's not usually good for one."  

[color=0072bc]"Well, it's certainly not good for the railing,"[/color] he agreed with a cheerful smile as his impromptu introduction was welcomed. He could feel the metal bend and give within the grip of his tail, and he let go before something finally snapped. Even just a few feet above the pair was enough for Shou to twist midair and land clear of their table as he caught himself with his tail. [color=0072bc]"I'm glad to see you've made it to Bermuda."[/color]

[color=0072bc]"It's a pleasure to meet you as well, Ryuuko. You don't mind, do you?"[/color] He asked about the casual way he addressed the other girl as he pulled one of the empty seats up and dropped himself into it. She hadn't been wrong to call him rude, even if she hadn't truly meant it either. Around someone he had history with, a more crude and lax personality easily bled into his posture and expression. 

[color=FF0000]"Mind? Ha!"[/color] Ryuuko grinned widely at that. Being able to address people casually without inadvertently causing an offense is music to her ears. [color=FF0000]"Quite the opposite. I'm glad to know you're not one for needless formality, Shou."[/color] She continued as shou then dropped from his upside-down posturing to one of the empty seats. [color=FF0000]"And now that you're well and properly on the same "level" as the rest of us, it's even better, hehe."[/color]

She then looked at Hana, or more precisely made sure that both Hana and Shou were in her field of vision. [color=FF0000]"And I see that you're both already quite familiar with each other, hmm? Long time friends, perhaps?"[/color] She asked casually while at the same time putting in one more large spoonful of her dinner into her mouth. Considering she's also putting an eyebrow up and smirking, it's quite obvious to the other two that the relative stranger among them was being unrestrainedly curious about their relation to one another.

Hana was tempted to play along, just to see how the other two would react.  It would be easy enough to give Ryuuko the wrong idea, but friendly as she was, it might be a bit too early to joke around.  "We met a while ago," she does confirm.  "It's probably more his story to tell, I was just brought in to help with his treatment."  There was, as far as she knew, no reason to keep that much private.  She would leave the details to Shou, as it really was more his story.  There were parts of it she didn't really know anyway, given how late she entered the tale.  

[color=0072bc]"It's nice when I only have to worry about stepping on the toes of the person I'm talking to,"[/color] Shou agreed with a sharp nod and grin. He couldn't qute manage something as striking as Ryuuko with her fangs, but the enthusiasm was there all the same. His lips did curl a bit upwards into more of a smirk at her line of questioning, and he looked towards Hana. She was a familiar face to him, yes, but that hardly meant he was any good at figuring out what she was thinking.

[color=0072bc]"It was just over a year ago, so not that long, but she's quite the important friend. It was nice having some company that was around my age, even if I didn't know a lot of Korean when I first showed up there. Yes, I enjoyed your company Hana, even if I was bedridden for the most of it~"[/color] Shou elaborated as he rolled his eyes a bit. Elaborated mighth have been a bit generous with how he hadn't described the events that brought them together at all! 

With Ryuuko leaned in and clearly still curious though... Shou didn't mind actually explaining. With how unusual the loss of a full merchant fleet was nowadays, the event had certainly made the news. Possibly all the way to the Occident even! There were no doubt those that would pounce on any chance to call attention to Oriental failings.

[color=0072bc]"I know some of our papers called it the Tragedy of the Sixth,"[/color] Shou started off, [color=0072bc]"but it's probably got a different title where you lived when it happened Ryuuko. I was onboard the escort assigned to the merchants because of some pirate activity in the area. What hit us definitely weren't pirates though..."[/color] He trailed off for a moment as his expression furrowed in thought before he sighed. 

[color=0072bc]"We were close enough that the Koreans noticed the distress flares and sent out help. The other survivors and I weren't in the best of shapes though, even if we did avoid going down with our ships. Can't say I remember being transported all the way back to the mainland, but I do remember the first face I saw. Hana looked pretty cute with her expression all scrunched up in concentration."[/color] And just like that, the more serious tone of Shou's story went up in smoke as he took the opportunity to tease her. [color=0072bc]"I think there were... what, five different drugs you had in me when I first woke up?"[/color] He asked as he glanced towards Hana for clarification.

[color=a2d39c]"In my home country, they say that incident is a failure of Egoism."[/color] Franz had joined in, his tone more on of curiousity than the somber tone talking about such a tradgedy. He had followed the sight of an aquatic acrobat on the second story because Franz realised he had yet to talk with an egoist all night. [color=a2d39c]"The Occident is quick to label Egoism as a field with no further point of progress. So any news of failure in the Orient is quickly bent to such a belief. I happen to disagree entirely."[/color]

[color=a2d39c]"I apologize, where are my manners. My name is Franz Steiner. May I join you three?"[/color] Franz developed a small polite smile on realizing that his company was all of the Egoist field of study. It was a field he respected and rather enjoyed learning about. But he did get some amusement from how brazen his introduction would be to the table.

Hana didn't mind the sudden interruption, and quickly turned her attention to their new interlocutor.  "Pleasure to meet you, Mr. Steiner.  I'm Hana Yun," she began with a straightforward introduction.  "This is Miss Ryuuko Higashiakemi," she getured to the dragon girl seated next to her, "and Mr. Shou Zheng," indicating the young man.  "I dare say you need little introduction; you're quite the man of the hour, with that performance earlier."  

Tactfully refraining from comment on the occidental perception of the incident itself, Hana picked up the narrative where Shou lad left off.  "I think it was something like that.  Only maybe one or two were of my own design, but we definitely had you on quite a bit to help you recuperate.  You were still quite goofy from anesthetic when you first woke up, if I recall."  She didn't elaborate, but the grin on her face suggests it must have been interesting to see.

[color=FF0000]"Oooh, I see."[/color] Ryuuko nodded along as she listened to Hana's and Shou's retelling of the event that led to the two of them becoming acquaintated. [color=FF0000]"Oh yeah, now that you said it that became quite the big news, huh. I remembered the media in my country were generally trying to be somewhat subdued about it what's with not wanting to make it like the Orient messed something up. Heh."[/color] She casually shrugged at that, and before she can respond even further the famed mesmerologist intruded upon the conversation.

[color=FF0000]"Ha, and the star of the night had decided to grace us with his presence! Care to take a seat?"[/color] Ryuuko remarked playfully, meaning it in good humor. [color=FF0000]"Indeed, pleasant to finally meet you in person, Mr. Steiner. Like Ms. Yun had kindly said on my behalf, I'm Ryuuko. Higashiakemi Ryuuko."[/color] She nodded casually, grinning as she introduced herself. She also noticed Hana's decision to not comment on the Occidental perception about the incident.

Well, Ryuuko herself definitely have no reservation to comment on it. [color=FF0000]"For reasons obvious, I definitely disagree about Egoism being a field devoid of further progress."[/color] She chuckled lightly before continuing. [color=FF0000]"But it was a failure nonetheless in a way, so they're not wrong on that. Failures are what kept us improving after all... The Orient.. Or rather my country, would do well to understand that."[/color] And she finished her remark with a sort of lightly disdainful scoff at the thought. It is after all, indeed one of the folly of Japan, being a country so prideful and allergic to anything that can be regarded as bad press for the country's image.

[color=FF0000]"But eh, whatever."[/color] She shrugged again, her expression quickly turning into a nonchalant smile. [color=FF0000]"Regardless that was interesting to know."[/color] She nodded to Shou and Hana. [color=FF0000]"It would have been even more interesting to see your work in action directly, Ms. Yun..."[/color] Then she turned and grinned playfully as she looked at Shou, deciding to tease him lightly. [color=FF0000]"And indeed even eeeven more interesting to see Shou here being goofy."[/color]

[color=0072bc]"Hardly a surprise there,"[/color] Shou remarked as he rolled his eyes at Franz's rather blunt entry into the conversation. There was a lot more that could be said about the incident, but it was neither the company nor time for it. An amused snort escaped him as Ryuuko didn't miss the opportunity to take a jab at Japan. Given the amount of effort her old family had spent on tarnishing her reputation though, it wasn't that surprising that the grudges ran both ways now. 

In any case, Hana had already done the introductions for him and there was plenty of space around the table for Franz to pull up a seat for himself. 

He raised an eyebrow at his fellow Egoist and just smirked right back. [color=0072bc]"We can find out together then. Hana still won't tell me exactly what I did, and I certainly can't remember much of what happened."[/color] He turned his narrowed eyes towards the person in question as if that would somehow get an answer out of the amused girl.

Franz pulled out a chair and graciously fell into it with the flair one would expect. [color=a2d39c]"Miss Yun, Miss Higashiakemi you both flatter me too much. Although I am glad you enjoyed the performance. High praise should never go unappreciated."[/color] Franz noticed Shou's significantly colder reception to his intrusion. But it was hardly surprising, given the subject matter. [color=a2d39c]"It is also a pleasure to meet you too Mr Shou. I can see such an event is not my business to press further about."[/color]

[color=0072bc]"The pleasure's all mine,"[/color] he replied in turn to Franz as he softened his tone somewhat and nodded a greeting. [color=0072bc]"Lord knows I've heard more than my fair share of rumours about you."[/color] It wasn't even that much of an exaggeration either. The rumours weren't all that widespread in the Orient yet, but it hadn't been uncommon to hear Steiner brought up during discussions on Polymaths of note.

Japan was an infamously closed off to the rest of the world. It is certainly not a country above critique. But it was interesting to see someone so openly critical of their own nation. It still did not cross Franz' mind that Ryuuko may be the defector, given she talked about Japan as if it was still her nation. He would address Ryuuko directly. [color=a2d39c]"One could consider my profession Egoism into the minds of others. So I am certainly in no position to say it has reached its limits, nor do I want to make that claim. While it may be increasingly more difficult to improve Egoism in a linear manner, creative applications have only just scratched the surface from what I hear."[/color] He had wondered if Egoism of the mind was a common thing in the Orient. Certainly he only knew one person who had done it successfully.

But then Franz realised in his talking that the attention was on Hana. He was also curious to know what goofy behaviors the girl could cause this beast of a boy to exhibit.

"Oh, it wasn't that much, really.  I'm sure if anyone else has had a similar expereince it'd be the same story for them.  He said some silly things that I won't repeat here becuase I honestly can't remember the details either.  And there's the usual stumbling around in a bit of a haze."  Of course, she full well could have helped with that recovery.  And left unspoken was any suggestion of the difficulty in sedating or otherwise treating an egoist in the first place.  "I did give him something to take the haze off and perk up in a hurry.  One of my tricks is a pretty good antidote."  

And now, tempted to show off, Hana leaned in toward the center of the table, conspiratorially.  "While I shouldn't encourage it, I do have a few drugs I could administer at low doses, if one wants an idea of the experience.  And hey, we can all be sobered up by the end of this conversation, too."  Maybe it was an indiscretion on her part, but her own skills weren't nearly as obvious as some.  

[color=FF0000]"That, is exactly how it is Mr. Steiner."[/color] Ryuuko nodded and smiled lightly at Franz's words. [color=FF0000]"I suppose in general it would take an Egoist to understand that there are so much potentials yet within the art of Egoism, so I'm glad to hear that you are able to understand that we've barely scratched the surface of it. After all, with how complex it is just by nature, the human body still holds so many secrets we have yet to uncover."[/color]

She then turned to look at Shou and Hana, returning Shou's smirk with yet another toothful of grin of her own. [color=FF0000]"Well now, that's an interesting suggestion, Shou. Hands on experience is always better than merely hearing it from others after all..."[/color] And for someone as curious as Ryuuko, there's indeed just no way she'll pass up the chance to experience it. [color=FF0000]"So with that said... I'd take you up on that offer, Ms. Yun. A low dose shouldn't be too bad, hmm?"[/color] She chuckled casually, though her eyes are positively lit up by obvious curiosity.

[color=0072bc]"Please. I bet you still carry around that notebook of your's,"[/color]  Shou remarked with an amused snort as he sat up in his seat and leaned forwards. [color=0072bc]"I'm certainly not getting buzzed with these drinks though, and I did sort of bring it up. So are we going to need glasses for this? Maybe some hand-holding?"[/color] He waggled his eyebrows a bit as he held his arm out towards Hana. 

Franz was taken aback by Miss Yun's offer in pleasant suprise. It was a choice Franz did not expect to be faced with tonight. Still, he was no coward and he wasn't about to show weakness in front of his new Egoist friends. [color=a2d39c]"I too will join, I will volunteer to embarrass myself being the only non Egoist to take such a strong medicine."[/color] It was a lie of course. The Egoism Franz had done on his brain would likely make him one of the more resistant in the trio he imagined. Still, it was made by a competent chemist. So it was going to hit. [color=a2d39c]"Thank you, Miss Yun. I will be more than happy to share any side effects in the morning for research."[/color] Franz said jokingly.

Hana nodded to the assent of her peers around the table.  "A little skin contact should be enough," she answered Shou's question first.  "I could calculate a proper dose for everyone if I knew a few things, but I think I can make a best guess anyway.  I'm not trying to knock anyone out, so much as give enough for those after effects, anyway."  It took a bit of time to prepare, but once she was ready, she gave everyone a light touch on the hand or arm, holding it for a short while.  Her fingers did feel wet, as if she'd dipped them in water, but otehrwise there wasn't much at first, beyond a slight cool and numbing sensation.  "There we go.  If it's too much, let me know and I can give you an antidote."

[color=a2d39c]"Now, Miss Higashiakemi. I believe you have some interesting beliefs on the future of Egoism. I too wish to explore its limits, so I would love to discuss it more."[/color] Franz stood up, dusting off his pants. [color=a2d39c]"Although, I believe we should leave old friends to talk in peace. And, while the medicine has yet to kick in, I would like to move this discussion to the dance floor. May I?"[/color] Franz offered out his hand to dance.

Ryuuko watched intently with barely concealed anticipation as Hana "administered" the dose to each of them. As she received her own dose in turn, there was indeed nothing immediately obvious aside from the cool and numb sensation. Still, it will likely take effect pretty soon. Regardless, she now had a dance invitation and considering she had yet to do so... Besides, there's probably still some time before the party ends, so there's no reason to refuse. [color=FF0000]"Alright then, now I guess we'll wait and see if we'll all start getting dizzy and such. This'll be interesting."[/color] She chuckled casually before continuing. [color=FF0000]"Thanks for humoring our curiosity, Ms. Yun! Now then, I think I'll accept your offer, Mr. Franz. It'll be my honor."[/color] She grinned playfully at that as she accepted Franz's hand. [color=FF0000]"Shou, Ms. Yun, it had been a pleasant talk. I hope to see you both again soon!"[/color] And with that, she's off to the dance floor with Franz.

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