Ginurpic
"Hey Zim. Can we talk? Not about work, I mean."
"Sure, what's this about?"
"What do you see in him? I mean, Linnaeus-Zim..."
"You acting like my friend, Senya? That's bold."
"Come on, no one else is going to, now that your father passed. Because you never let anyone in."
"Funny, I thought it'd be your new beau popping the question, not you."
"My new beau?"
"Firrson."
Senya blushed. "It's that obvious huh?"
"Tell you what, I'll tell you what I see in him, if you tell me what you see in Firrson, that way it'll be really like we're friends, not workmates acting out of duty."
"I wouldn't mind if we were friends, lifeguards gotta stick together, anyway, or else we're just cannon fodder."
"Oh, I know. Well, he's reasonably fit, swims ten kloms, weekly, plays hutrosos well."
"Why's that important?"
"Hmm, because while I like brains on a man, it can't be the only thing to him? Having dexterity and the willingness to exercise is table stakes at this point."
"Well, most of the other men you've been seen with were servicemembers, so it's pretty obvious you liked fit guys... Him being smart is something he's famous for, he's a bit of a bookworm, with a taste for theatre and poetry and books. And kittens."
"Yeah, I guess, he mostly grew on me? With everyone in Lai Dang for that treaty, he was like hanging with Meihomei and me most of the day."
"That usually shows someone's flaws."
"Mostly because people hide theirs, he, and his cousin, from what I can tell, use theirs as armour, daring people to get to know the real them, if they're for real."
"Oh?"
"Wouldn't surprise me if there's a little bit of that going on with Firrson, as well."
"Now, why do you say that?"
"He was raised with Linnaeus, and a to some extent, with Amarat-who-is-Bameimeito."
"Yeah, but just because you are raised with someone doesn't mean you agree with them."
"No, but this is more of a survival technique, when you're surrounded by enemies. I reckon Firrson had a few growing up, being a commoner going to an aristo school."
"I'll keep it in mind. Did you notice anything he might be using as armour?"
"That's cheating, you didn't tell me what you saw in him yet."
"Hmm, sure, ok. And his kittens?"
"I've become a pet owner myself, since, adopted Jor-Jie." Said otter poked her head out of her vest. "Dit-dit."
"This is Senya, she's a friend Jor-Jie."
"Click-click."
"Aww, so precious. And such gorgeous green eyes. She a civilian?"
"No, she's an honorary lifeguard. Like the k9 squads, she's putting their noses to shame, really."
"Oh, what a clever otter you are Jor-Jie." Senya was petting the otter's head gently.
"Chirp-chirp."
"And this is related to your beau?"
"Yeah, I mean, on our second date, he was asking what kind of food to stock for Jor-Jie."
"Where did you go?"
Shibue blushed. "He invited me to his place, for a nice lil romantic dinner, crashed by all our pets, of course."
"Did you mind?"
"I wanted to, I thought I would."
"And you didn't? Why?"
"The kittens decided to be so adorable I felt they had adopted me."
"Aw?"
"There's four twin girls, and the third girl had four twin girls herself."
"Click-click."
"What's she saying?"
"Oh, I don't understand all her language yet, but I am fairly sure she's acknowleding she knows who I'm talking about."
"Oh? Recognition?"
"Yeah, smart girl."
"Was she behaved too?"
"More reserved, yes, but mostly. He did ask about food for her because she acted like she wouldn't feel out of place."
"Did he ask if you wanted to keep a toothbrush first, at least?"
"He... didn't have to, I had brought one. He did ask if I needed a spot for it."
"Oh, expecting to stay for breakfast huh?"
"Hmm, yeah."
"Isn't that a little bold?"
"Err, no. Not after what caused me to invite him for that first date..."
"Oh? And you invited him, not the other way around huh? I lost that bet."
"I'm just glad no one caught us making out in that wardrobe..."
"Oh, no way, so you checked that all the parts were working huh?"
"Well, that and seeing if he could kiss..."
"And did he?"
"He did, I learned more about his alessian ex than I really wanted to, but she certainly made sure he knew the techniques..."
"Oh, that triggered a confession?"
"A short one, he was properly motivated to keep on kissing, just made sure I wasn't feeling like he was holding back things I wanted to know..."
"Considerate of him... Sounds like it's settled then?"
"No, not nearly settled, I do know a little about him, but it's like an iceberg."
"Oh?"
"His sister picks the next head of state of Sarn, Ralt and Luxem! His first cousin is Bameimeito! His aunt is Nameihomei. My dad was mustanged after his Merit!"
"But you're both Dandelions, surely that prepares you a little..."
"Hmm, ok, maybe a little, being born in that nest of vipers is..." Shibue paused, Jor-Jie had slithered inside her vest, and that was distracting.
"Dit-dit." Jor-Jie was holding out her plush otter to Shibue's hand, obviously offering comfort.
"Aww, she's so precious."
"Yeah, she's a gem. Anyway, being born to the Dandelions means you have to know politics, some. Not like Linni, but some."
"Oh?"
"He doesn't enjoy them, he doesn't actively, knowingly try to get political allies, but he is extremely apt at finding political fault lines, for someone who's supposed to be a Jade Technician."
"Oh, he's a boffin?"
"He was, he's a manager of boffins now."
"Oh?"
"Not that the state department hierarchy makes sense to an outsider. But he's his sister's primary aide, and she's the unofficial number two in the place, just from being number one in Megamsama."
"Oh, the local lights?"
"Yeah, and it's meaningful, because only the Megamisama office lader and Eurani Pact Voice of Meihomeis have ever risen to the title while skipping ranks. Everyone else was already Undersecretary of State when they got the nom, and Secretary Veneer has not named anyone her official number two, not since she's come into the office."
"Oh, so a big cheese then, his sister's number two, if and when she ascends?"
"I dunno, he doesn't seem interested."
"Is he... rich?"
"He owns 'estates' in Benevent, but we haven't gone over what... He does say he will inherit the family vineyard."
"I'm pretty sure I'd have spotted a Van Pelt vineyard in his file..."
"Oh, well, hmm, he is considered part of Amarat Veneer Sr's heirs, do they have a vineyard?"
Senya just covered her mouth, quite overcome.
"What?"
"You don't know?"
"What, no, all that I know about the principals is that they're very rich..."
"Amarat Veneer Senior's 'wedding present' to his wife, which is probably the thing most likely to be called 'family vineyard', is Chateau Ferrare. And it likely can't go to Amarat, because he's a chief of a non-Benevent state."
"What? But that's like a few hundred sums a bottle, it's prestigious, I'm a wine ignoramus, and I've heard about it."
"You could end up being a taste-tester for it, wouldn't that be funny?"
"Ok, well we've covered what I like about Linni, and outlined things about him I could use to know better... Your turn. What's this Firrson character about?"
"Oh, he's a child of privilege, raised with 'the young lord' and Linni and Luci. But he's adopted, and last in whatever line of succession the others are involved in. He likes lifting weights, started with his father, he can bench press a hundred, so nothing to write the folks home about, but he's a noted swimmer."
"Amarat and his two cousins, the adopted, and the native one ought to get a swim club going."
"Amarat hates leading the academy swims and marches too much..."
"Oh."
"And him and his herevallin are doing laps and runs now, it's kinda romantic..."
"Aww, I bet that has nothing to do with how her butt looks in a bathing suit."
"Come on, you've seen Flora in a bathing suit, no one is taking that bet... At any rate, that's just the body."
"Well, come on, you know him at least as well as I do..."
"I do, but that doesn't tell me why you like him, just what he's like..."
"You didn't...."
"But I did, his body, his kissing, his pets, his prospects? All of that matters to me, I won't say he loses one he loses me instantly, but, as a package?"
"What about his sense of humour?"
"Oh, he has one."
"So do you, apparently, ultra-dry."
"Yeah, his is the same, it's how we got to talking. He made a snarky remark, so dry and subtle, I bet he didn't expect me, or anyone else, to notice, when it got me giggling, he continued the conversation. We stopped talking four hours later, when my tummy started growling, and he so considerately said we should hit the palace dining room."
"You have your own table at the mess, though?"
"Either he didn't know, or maybe he didn't really care, he is a principal, and a senior civil servant, for him the dining room works more like a restaurant than a mess."
"Oh, so you walked in, got seated and ordered?"
"Yeah, part of the menu was in Alessian, which I can't read, so I pointed to something that sounded good. He showed me the reverse, which had Kagomine words, I just giggled, I'd blind-ordered Truffle Oil Pasta, with garlic and cloves."
"Oh, Meihomei's favourite?"
"Yeah, and definitely principal-only food, you won't find that in our mess..."
"Was it good?"
"Yeah, but Meihomei had insisted I have some, in my first year, I knew that was good. I just hadn't recogized the words."
"Would you have ordered it, if you'd seen the Kagomine text first?"
"No, I'd have ordered a salad, I was too self-conscious, it wasn't even a date, and I figured he'd expense it, I didn't know he wouldn't have needed to."
"Why not?"
"He works half in the palace, half at state, it's his duty station, and anyone above CI-02 Senior Manager eats with the big-wigs for free, if they're in the palace on business. Linni told me the more junior ones at state who are assigned to the capital try to keep company to any visitors from assignments, voices or managers alike."
"Meaning him?"
"Yeah, he mentioned there was a fair amount of competition, and a hierarchy. But that's why I say he plays politics without trying... All those visitors? They remember who helps them get around town, get to their meetings on time, meet movers and shakers who make Kagomei's missions successful. Most people at state know Linni, and like him, except for the Megamisama office residents, who see him as competition."
"And you know this how? He told you?"
"No, It was part of his file, when I read up on him before he got to spend long hours with my principal?"
"Firrson has a similar thing going, he's flagged up recently, but he's always considered one of the more approachable lifeguards, always having your back."
"Unlike you?"
"Like me, Daddy made sure we learned that lesson growing up, we knew it before we went to elementary school, and five Frangibald daughters cooperating is a sight indeed!"
"Oh, but would it count then?"
"Oh, it counts, I like it that he's humble, despite having some reasons not to be?"
"At this rate, we'll be sister-in-laws, so Ginurpic does sound like something we should keep up..."
"The thought had occured to me. But..."
"But what?"
"You can't be sister-in-law to me, and not expect my sisters to poke their nose into your business, just fair warning..."
"Ugh, all four?"
"All four, Lenya Frangibald, Nenya Frangibald, Telya Frangibaldand Venya Frangibald."
"And your daughters, how are they about this?"
"Thrilled for me, they've been saying I've been sad and lonely a lot lately."
"And he's good with kids?"
"Yes, I'm a little impressed, for someone famous for his father's death, and his mother dying when he was just one, he's got a solid grounding on parenthood."
"His 'aunt' Mikhala is pretty good."
"Oh, wait, same aunt?"
"That woman raised both our gribs, and the Bameimeito we both serve. Good thing she's doing a pretty good job at almost everything she tries."
"She'll probably go down as the most significant Nameihomei ever, and there's... competition for that title."
"No, she'd be number two, she's not upstaging Jaesa-who-was-Nameihomei-and-founded-Kagomei. Too many people would have conniptions, I mean, she did found the nation, whereas Auntie put the nation in with the big boys, it's true, but she's building on so many others."
"Jaesa was the only one not building on anyone else, that's what being a founder means..."
"True, but Nameihomei means being number two, the true founder was Analecta..."
"The original armed services would like to interject..."
"What?"
"Between..."
"I call ginurpic, Zim." "Then for the love of the elements, stop calling me Zim! If you're going to perform ginurpic, you're a friend, not a subordinate." "Ok, ok, I'm not used to this." "What's your concern?" "Oh, same as before, how's it going? Is your new beau performing up to spec?" "Sorry to burst your bubble, but he is, he's overperforming right now." "What?" "He found out that green-eyed otters are predisposed to liking the colour blue and feel its especially restful, so he had his solarium pool redone in dark and pale blues, from the tiles on up, with underground spaces designed just for otters." "Oh, he's trying to co op Jor-Jie into liking him?" "Jor-Jie's been on team Shilinni from the beginning." "Then why?" "A reward for a job well done, of course, a bribe, since I need to replace the toothbrush I don't keep at his place." "Oh, the one at his place is the only one you end up using huh?" "You could say that." Shibue was trying not to blush, after all, for all her trying, Senya and her weren't that good friends, yet. "And you, how's your new beau working out?" "Urgh, I don't..." "Come on, I call ginurpic." "My two daughters and him decided to call open warfare on each other, it's driving me crazy." "Oh, my. How can I help?" "What?" "Come on, ginurpic doesn't stop at listening, you know. And maybe a neutral party might actually help untangle this... girlilla warfare." "Ah, nice pun too." "Listen, have any of your sisters offered to help?" "No, they've got their own concerns, mostly over Venya." "What's your younger sister up to?" "Scandalous relationship with Amarat's pilot." "What's so scandalous about that, he's not her principal, he's yours." "We were dating, I backed off, because he was... looking around too much." "Let me guess, up until recently, Venya and you traded Ginurpic." "Not just that, she was my kid sister, but my closest confidante, not just over ginurpic." "And you felt betrayed." "No, yes, well ok, maybe a little." "More than a little, but your daughters, who are... how many years younger than her?" "Eight and six." "So just old enough to see a dashing young man you let go, without an explanation from their point of view?" "Oh, frak. You think that's why? They think I'm replacing him with an older model?" "I think you're replacing him with an older model, I just have more context to see the older model in a better light..." "What?" "Come on, Firrson and Armand are not that different. Young, fit, smart, worldly..." "You think I'm not being a good role-model?" "I think for you to be a good role-model, your girls have to understand your actions..." "I don't understand why Armand was looking around..." "Did you ask him?" "What, no!" "Why not?" "Too embarassing..." "Come on, I know you and your sisters are all fit, slim, blonde towers of womanhood, but 'why did you pick my younger sister over me' can't be that embarassing, especially since answer number 1: she was younger, has to be in there, somewhere." "You think it's that simple?" "No, I think there's more to it, but I do think: 'you're older, and more serious, and know more about yourself and what you want' has to figure somewhere." "What? How?" "Come on, I've dated Armand, he's hardly what you'd call complex..." "When was that?" "Three arnds ago, and it was only the one date... You were still with Sutcliffe..." "Yeah, my life would be simpler if I could just hand the girls back to Sutcliffe..." "When is he getting out?" "Two years from now. Tax evasion is not seen kindly in Kagomei." "What did his family say?" "They all distanced himself from him sooner than you can say sinking ship." "Here's what we're going to do..."
"Hey mom, what's up?" "Faeria, Filia, I'm meeting one of my friends, from work, and we're going to the Opera." "Bo-rrrring." "Spare me, I wanna die! You really think I wanna see something so last century?" "The braeburns will be there..." "Oh dad's folk?" "Yeah, they commissioned the play." "But why? I thought they were anti-intellectualism." "Your dad was, your grandma apparently didn't get the memo, or felt enough of a Dandelion not to act on it." "What, grandma Bradburn is a Dandelion?" "Distant, not unlike my principal, although he's fifth cousin and she's like seventh." "Will he be there?" "What do you care? He's so fat!" "He's rounded some, true, but I hear he's doing all sorts of fitness stuff..." "Namei Amarat had to bow out, but he sent his bodyguard, my Zim and one of my friends, Shibue Dandelion will be there..." "She's fifth cousin too?" "Once removed, but yes." "Wait, who is she related to, that they bother to say twice removed?" "She's Marhamat Dandelion's only daughter." "You're not supposed to say his name like that..." "What?" "He's Marhamat-Meritant-Zim, to you, and to us." So some of my lessons haven't been wasted, thought Senya, savagely. "Well, yes, he is, and she is Shibue-Meritant-Zim to anyone who asks you, but I call her Shibue at low tcha." "Oh, juicy!" "Bo-ring." "Oh, Filia, behave! She's got her own merit, and I bet it's not for shining her dad's medals either." "No, she did save Meihomei's life at the risk of her own, a few times. She is the leader of us lifeguards at the palace." "What, you're a lifeguard?" "I'm a lifeguard squad leader now." "OF-03?" "LGOF-04 Brass to you." "And her?" "LGOF-06 Electrum Shibue Dandelion, 1DIVCHAPLAIN, Kagomine Third Fleet, Meritant of honour, to you." "She's a chaplain?" "She's a priestess, tends to Meihomei herself." "Why not you?" "I... get to sub in, when it's not her shift?" "What? You've met Meihomei?" "I do, on a regular basis, but I'm with second meihomei, I take care of embassies, Nameihomei, and the like." "And who is with first Meihomei?" "That'd be the grib you two are feuding with... Firrson Moray, LGOF-04 Brass, 0045th Naval Security Detachment "First Meihomei Lifeguards", FLAG, 2NDINVESTIG, 3RDFLEET, SS." "I thought you said he had a merit?" "No, his father earned one, he keeps it, but it's his Dad's." "Oh, and Firrson's dad?" "Was slain along with Rembrandt the most heroic cat in all Kagomei, and saved his princess." Both girls giggled. "A princess?" "Princess Prithyanka Dandelion, then-heir to the throne for Meltran Kagome, of course, they've all passed now, both him and their in-laws." "Oh, yeah, Amalthea is?" "Prithyanka's daughter, and her Nameihomei, Mikhala is Meltran's brother's natural born daughter, and Beltran's adopted one." "Oh, that's your principal right?" "I serve Mikhala sometimes, I mostly work under Amarat, who's her son, and the Bameimeiton." "And Armand's employer..." "Yeah, he introduced me to Armand, your point is?" "What?" "Come on, you mentioned Armand, you must have some intention behind it." "Sorry, no, mom, just... Well, I thought he was trying to get you two together?" "Maybe a different Amarat might have, but the one I know doesn't have the free time." "What?" "Amarat's kinda busy, he does set people up together, or try to help with their relationships, he did with GFOF-03 Jeff
"I call ginurpic, Zim." "Then for the love of the elements, stop calling me Zim! If you're going to perform ginurpic, you're a friend, not a subordinate." "Ok, ok, I'm not used to this." "What's your concern?" "Oh, same as before, how's it going? Is your new beau performing up to spec?" "Sorry to burst your bubble, but he is, he's overperforming right now." "What?" "He found out that green-eyed otters are predisposed to liking the colour blue and feel its especially restful, so he had his solarium pool redone in dark and pale blues, from the tiles on up, with underground spaces designed just for otters." "Oh, he's trying to co op Jor-Jie into liking him?" "Jor-Jie's been on team Shilinni from the beginning." "Then why?" "A reward for a job well done, of course, a bribe, since I need to replace the toothbrush I don't keep at his place." "Oh, the one at his place is the only one you end up using huh?" "You could say that." Shibue was trying not to blush, after all, for all her trying, Senya and her weren't that good friends, yet. "And you, how's your new beau working out?" "Urgh, I don't..." "Come on, I call ginurpic." "My two daughters and him decided to call open warfare on each other, it's driving me crazy." "Oh, my. How can I help?" "What?" "Come on, ginurpic doesn't stop at listening, you know. And maybe a neutral party might actually help untangle this... girlilla warfare." "Ah, nice pun too." "Listen, have any of your sisters offered to help?" "No, they've got their own concerns, mostly over Venya." "What's your younger sister up to?" "Scandalous relationship with Amarat's pilot." "What's so scandalous about that, he's not her principal, he's yours." "We were dating, I backed off, because he was... looking around too much." "Let me guess, up until recently, Venya and you traded Ginurpic." "Not just that, she was my kid sister, but my closest confidante, not just over ginurpic." "And you felt betrayed." "No, yes, well ok, maybe a little." "More than a little, but your daughters, who are... how many years younger than her?" "Eight and six." "So just old enough to see a dashing young man you let go, without an explanation from their point of view?" "Oh, frak. You think that's why? They think I'm replacing him with an older model?" "I think you're replacing him with an older model, I just have more context to see the older model in a better light..." "What?" "Come on, Firrson and Armand are not that different. Young, fit, smart, worldly..." "You think I'm not being a good role-model?" "I think for you to be a good role-model, your girls have to understand your actions..." "I don't understand why Armand was looking around..." "Did you ask him?" "What, no!" "Why not?" "Too embarassing..." "Come on, I know you and your sisters are all fit, slim, blonde towers of womanhood, but 'why did you pick my younger sister over me' can't be that embarassing, especially since answer number 1: she was younger, has to be in there, somewhere." "You think it's that simple?" "No, I think there's more to it, but I do think: 'you're older, and more serious, and know more about yourself and what you want' has to figure somewhere." "What? How?" "Come on, I've dated Armand, he's hardly what you'd call complex..." "When was that?" "Three arnds ago, and it was only the one date... You were still with Sutcliffe..." "Yeah, my life would be simpler if I could just hand the girls back to Sutcliffe..." "When is he getting out?" "Two years from now. Tax evasion is not seen kindly in Kagomei." "What did his family say?" "They all distanced himself from him sooner than you can say sinking ship." "Here's what we're going to do..."
"Hey mom, what's up?" "Faeria, Filia, I'm meeting one of my friends, from work, and we're going to the Opera." "Bo-rrrring." "Spare me, I wanna die! You really think I wanna see something so last century?" "The braeburns will be there..." "Oh dad's folk?" "Yeah, they commissioned the play." "But why? I thought they were anti-intellectualism." "Your dad was, your grandma apparently didn't get the memo, or felt enough of a Dandelion not to act on it." "What, grandma Bradburn is a Dandelion?" "Distant, not unlike my principal, although he's fifth cousin and she's like seventh." "Will he be there?" "What do you care? He's so fat!" "He's rounded some, true, but I hear he's doing all sorts of fitness stuff..." "Namei Amarat had to bow out, but he sent his bodyguard, my Zim and one of my friends, Shibue Dandelion will be there..." "She's fifth cousin too?" "Once removed, but yes." "Wait, who is she related to, that they bother to say twice removed?" "She's Marhamat Dandelion's only daughter." "You're not supposed to say his name like that..." "What?" "He's Marhamat-Meritant-Zim, to you, and to us." So some of my lessons haven't been wasted, thought Senya, savagely. "Well, yes, he is, and she is Shibue-Meritant-Zim to anyone who asks you, but I call her Shibue at low tcha." "Oh, juicy!" "Bo-ring." "Oh, Filia, behave! She's got her own merit, and I bet it's not for shining her dad's medals either." "No, she did save Meihomei's life at the risk of her own, a few times. She is the leader of us lifeguards at the palace." "What, you're a lifeguard?" "I'm a lifeguard squad leader now." "OF-03?" "LGOF-04 Brass to you." "And her?" "LGOF-06 Electrum Shibue Dandelion, 1DIVCHAPLAIN, Kagomine Third Fleet, Meritant of honour, to you." "She's a chaplain?" "She's a priestess, tends to Meihomei herself." "Why not you?" "I... get to sub in, when it's not her shift?" "What? You've met Meihomei?" "I do, on a regular basis, but I'm with second meihomei, I take care of embassies, Nameihomei, and the like." "And who is with first Meihomei?" "That'd be the grib you two are feuding with... Firrson Moray, LGOF-04 Brass, 0045th Naval Security Detachment "First Meihomei Lifeguards", FLAG, 2NDINVESTIG, 3RDFLEET, SS." "I thought you said he had a merit?" "No, his father earned one, he keeps it, but it's his Dad's." "Oh, and Firrson's dad?" "Was slain along with Rembrandt the most heroic cat in all Kagomei, and saved his princess." Both girls giggled. "A princess?" "Princess Prithyanka Dandelion, then-heir to the throne for Meltran Kagome, of course, they've all passed now, both him and their in-laws." "Oh, yeah, Amalthea is?" "Prithyanka's daughter, and her Nameihomei, Mikhala is Meltran's brother's natural born daughter, and Beltran's adopted one." "Oh, that's your principal right?" "I serve Mikhala sometimes, I mostly work under Amarat, who's her son, and the Bameimeiton." "And Armand's employer..." "Yeah, he introduced me to Armand, your point is?" "What?" "Come on, you mentioned Armand, you must have some intention behind it." "Sorry, no, mom, just... Well, I thought he was trying to get you two together?" "Maybe a different Amarat might have, but the one I know doesn't have the free time." "What?" "Amarat's kinda busy, he does set people up together, or try to help with their relationships, he did with GFOF-03 Jeff
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