Market Street - Ryoichi Silk Shop

Hatsumomo sipped her tea and she watched Royal and Kayako from beneath her lashes. As the duck obstinately poked its head out from Royal's pack, she jumped a little, caught off guard. The actress blinked, then raised a gentle hand, as if trying to capture the young boy's attention.

"Is duck for eating?" she asked Royal, confused as to why the fish boy had it with him.

Roy looked at Hatsumomo and Kayako, then at the duck. Was it for eating? That was probably what his uncle had wanted when he had sent Roy out to catch it, after all. Besides, it was such a troublesome duck, and probably should be eaten. Roy was hungry, too. Anyway, Grandma had told him that he shouldn't go to people's houses emptyhanded. A duck would be a nice gift, really. Reaching into the backpack, he pulled out the duck, which let out an indignant quack.

"Yes, it's for eating. Would you like it? It's caused me a lot of trouble, you know. This duck made me get chased off a cliff by a bear, which led to me getting swallowed by a fish. Here, do you want it?"

Uncle Renalt would understand, Roy decided. Besides, he could always go out and catch another duck. Why did his uncle send him out to catch ducks, anyway? He could buy ducks at the market, cleaned and plucked and ready for roasting. Why did Roy always have to go out and catch ducks?

The duck quaked at being held by the neck by Royal, it's wings batting around like crazy as its beak snapped. Kayako took a step back in surprise, and at Hatsumomo's laughter and the gasp of the clerks, Kayako frowned and stepped forward.

She had no problem taking the duck in hand and snapping its neck quickly and efficiently, its entire body going slack and heavy in her hand. "Thank you, Fletcher-san, for the duck." Kayako turned and held the duck out and a clerk hurriedly came forward and took it from her hand, the other one coming up to offer a wet rag for Kayako's hands.

The woman washed them off before she let her cool, dark eyes settle on Hatsumomo. "Yes. I will arrange it for this evening. Until then... I think Fletcher-san will enjoy a bath and fresh clothes."

She handed the rag she used to wipe her hands to a clerk, then spoke in quiet Tawakoshi words to the clerk, who nodded her head and rushed off to do Kayako's bidding. Then, Kayako said something quietly to Hatsumomo, for which Hatsumomo replied in an amused tone.

Kayako's smile to Royal was quick and not very sincere. "We have no bath here at the shop, so you will be a guest in my home at the Ryoichi Estate. A litter will be here soon to take us."

Hatsumomo was very amused by the situation she'd put her cousin in, forced to take in a foreign vagrant that smelled of fish and rot and only brought with him but a duck. The boy made excuses every time he spoke, and it was also amusing to Hatsumomo.

Perhaps next she would write about Roy, and make him the basis for a short comedy at her theatre. The thought certainly had merit. After all, Hatsumomo found it all rather pleasant. She imagined that others must want to laugh as well, after getting over the initial shock of Roy's looks and language.

Well, perhaps she'd edit that part out and just make him a boy from someplace else in Tawakoshi.

She sipped her tea and watched Kayako make the arrangements -- for which Hatsumomo was sure to be invited to -- and then both of her elegant dark brows lifted as the boy offered...

"Cho... choko...?" She didn't know the word, and she wasn't sure what she was supposed to do with it, as Roy held out the brightly-wrapped bars.

Roy was disappointed when Kayako didn't try the chocolate and instead passed it off to an attendant. Did she not like it? Perhaps she didn't know what it was, judging by her confused looks. He certainly wasn't going to insist, though. If she knew what it was and just didn't like it, he didn't want to be rude. Hatsumomo, however, seemed to be curious.

"It's chocolate! Taste it, it's good!"

Unwrapping the foil paper, he broke off a square of chocolate and handed it to her. Perhaps she would enjoy it.

The scene that may had started with Hatsumomo and Roy came to an abrupt end as Kayako clapped her hands.

"The litter is here," she said to Roy and Hatsumomo both. "Hatsumomo will take you to the estate, Fletcher-san, and there, my sister Masami will see to your comfort."

She smiled at them both, and this smile seemed a little more genuine, for it wad Hatsumomo in her fine silk kimono and perfumed airs that was going to have to sit beside Roy.