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Eduardo turned his attention back to his food. "Nah, Rin. It's just that I'm wondering why I have this bacon here." He offered Rin some of the food. "I mean, it's not really ninja food, but I didn't get these from my supply. It was just sort of..." Glancing aside to look at an out-of-the-way part of the buffet table, he looked confused and slightly concerned, yet not displeased. "I guess I'm just being wacky again." He was just glad that he hadn't shouted "yahoo! There really is a goddess!" like he had the last time he had found bacon on an outing. That had somewhat upset the priests.

Eduardo didn't even blink at Azriel's spoken words to Eloysio. "Yep, I know the feeling. Anyway, I'm good! A bit stabbed and grappled, but okay now because of the healing nonpunches. Imagination figment?" He offered her some of the mysterious bacon.

After giving her a chance to take some if she wished, he took a piece himself and chewed on it like one would a piece of straw or a toothpick. "But what gets my tasty, tasty goat is that Rhone's so-called brother was kind of a jerk. Hijacking mana like that and... And... Just not being a bro! Good thing we sent him to the Butt Mart, huh?" Looking satisfied, he nodded at the arriving Lilith and Kai as he continued his meal.



((Remember the "Butt Mart?" Maturity at its finest.
@Azura: I was just going to say that he had brought it along with him and forgot, but I like your version better. xd ))

As the conversation inside the dining hall continued, Hunter finally found his way inside. Once he noticed a spot next to Azriel and Eduardo, he placed his blade as a placeholder and quickly dashed to the buffet. Instead of eating the food as it was likely intended, he simply grabbed every kind of meat he could find and piled it high onto three plates that he somehow managed to balance all on one arm. He soon made his way back to the table, moved his sword with his free hand, placed the plates on the table, and sat down, immediately digging in.

"So...what're we doing tomorrow? Boss is in some sort of trance and Max is asleep, so I figured I'd ask you guys."

Azriel blinked confusedly at Eduardo's offering for a moment. She didn't mind some bacon from time to time, but where did that come from? Still, it might seem a bit snubbish if she turned it down. "Um, thanks! Don't mind if I do." She held out her plate, allowing Eduardo to drop it on before bringing it back to herself.

A plain-looking lady, short with blue hair arranged in a tight bun, was making her way to the buffet table with trays in her arms. She was passing behind the group but was easy to not notice, seeming to be a kitchen attendant, and was exchanging the empty trays. But when Rin made that "food ninja" remark, she smirked for some unknown reason. She appeared to finish her task in a few moments, and promptly returned to the kitchen.

"Hehe, yeah." Azriel smiled in response to Rin, then grinned amusedly over in Colette and Lloyd's direction. Mostly because of the latter really reveling in his pigging out. "Small talk, huh? Yes, a little bit of bonding time sounds pleasant."

Returning to the subject of the morning's incident, she added, "Rhone denied that the guy was his brother, though. I wonder that's all about." o.o

When Hunter joined the conversation, she replied, "Oh...I'm actually not all that sure... I mean, I know we're to set off and make pacts with the Summon Spirits, but where are we going to begin...?" It was only after she stopped talking that she noticed the apparent mountains of food on his plates. She blinked with wide eyes, a touch flabbergasted by the sight, before starting to pick into her own food.

After a few bites, she looked up to Kai curiously. "Oh...so you don't after all. I mean, I had been wondering that. You don't sleep either. I just have to wonder where your energy comes from." O:

((The "kitchen attendant" was just Azura, nothing to worry about. Just think of it as an easter egg or something like that. xp

Also, I'll leave it up to anyone to throw out the "start with the nearest Temple" plan in the conversation.))

Rin's feline ears twitched from Azriel's comment about bonding time. "Yeah, and we've been off to such a good start, don'tcha think? I have a feeling we'll be a big bunch of the best buds in the end." He laughed a bit before returning to the subject about Rhone's twin. "I'm quite curious myself. Whatever the deal was, both he and Rhone definitely got some beef against each other."

"I'm certain Rhone will tell us when he's ready." Sirea said before taking a few bites from her plate. Her fox ears twitched when she heard Hunter's question regarding what they were going to do tomorrow. Azriel had pointed out that they would be setting off to make pacts with the summon spirits, though it left with the question as to where to begin. "I think the best way to go is to start with the closest temple and work our way from there." Her gaze then shifted to Colette. "Colette, you've been to these temples before during your journey, right? Which one is closest from here?"

"Closest from here would be the Temple of Lightning." Colette said before her eyes widened a bit from noticing the piles of food on Hunter's plate. "You have quite an appetite there, Hunter." ^.^;

Lloyd actually grinned at how much Hunter was bringing to the table. "A big eater yourself, eh? I'd high-five ya, but I'm sure you wanna get right to work."

"I'd say. And I thought I was going hungry...." o.O "I hope your eyes aren't bigger than your stomach, dude. Least you're definitely getting your protein from all that meat." He would take a few bites from his food. From watching the interaction between Kai and Lilith, Rin couldn't help but smile. "If I'd known any better, I'd say you act like an older brother, Kai. Almost reminds me of my big bro."

"Temple of Lightning....Guess Max gets to make the first pact." She thought out loud then looked to Eduardo when he answered as to what the 'Butt Mart' was. "Right, I'll keep that in mind." She smiled a bit sheepishly. She then blinked a bit from the dragon werefolk's question. "I don't think Summon Spirits sleep....I mean, since they're spirits, they exactly wouldn't need to eat, drink, or sleep."

Azriel blinked, breaking her stare at Hunter. She was flabbergasted by the speed at which he consumed his food. "Um...from what I can recall on the map, getting there by foot looks possible. But if it we could get a ship, it looks like it would be faster to cut through the water."

Despite Sirea's answer, Eduardo still seemed concerned with the business hours of Summon Spirits. "Still, aren't guests supposed to bring a gift or something? Maybe Rhone can offer some of that beef that he has." He chuckled a bit to himself. "Heh, I'm kidding. Summon Spirits don't eat beef."

Ed continued with his meal and listened to the others. He didn't flinch at Hunter's possible pratfall (though he actually did seem a bit surprised at his eating pace), but did raise a slice of his food in a gesture of triumph on his behalf. "Hey, nice going in advance! Ships are good, even if something bad seems to happen every ti-" He cut off his sentence with said piece of food, pushing his chair back slightly with his legs and slowly rising as if trying to act casual after having remembered something important. "I mean, I sure do hate that cold ocean spray! I'd better get an umbrella! I bet that shop guy with the dog sells umbrellas! Anybody want to come shop for some umbrellas? Maybe ninja ponchos? I think I'll buy a dozen."

The loud sound that resulted from Hunter's fall startled Azriel a bit, but his recovery from that elicited a silent chuckle and smirk of amusement out of her.

She went on to pump a fist into the air upon hearing his news that they could get a ship after all. "Ah yeah, sailing sounds swell!" she beamed, grinning. "Of course, flying would be faster for me but I do so enjoy some time out on the ocean." Maintaining that grin, she looked to Rin and continued, "I love the water myself but one of my favorite things to do while on a ship is to stand in the crow's nest and stretch my wings out. It's almost like flying without tiring out."

Eduardo seemed to enjoy the idea of standing in the crow's nest, but there was one thing about it that gave him second thoughts. "See, guys, it's not the water so much as..." Eduardo moved to the side, as if evading a splash. "...the sudden attack of the cold ocean spray! Is anyone else getting a chill here? Bbbbrr!" He shivered violently for a second.

"Well, at least we only have to worry about electrocution! Still going to buy those ponchos, though." It seemed that he was serious about the "ninja ponchos." He cleared out his section of the table, almost unconsciously, and put his dishes away. "If being splashed makes you sad too, I have plenty of shoulders!" With a little wave and thumbs-up, he immediately headed for the local variety shop, Toyama.