Rooms to Donut

"I'll take it," Mirai said bluntly. She was going to have it delivered straight to the dormitory, but upon seeing the small stand Rayden had gotten, she recalled how he had given her most of the space already. She sighed. "On second thought...the color's all wrong for the room if we're going to paint it our team color, right, Rider? "

She moved a bit over along the collection until she came to a smaller one with white-painted wood and gold-colored edges. "I'd like something about this size but I'm not sure what color would suit best. Rabbit, speak your mind."

And then turning to Rayden, she crossed her arms.

"Are you sure that's what you want?" she asked. "You can get something bigger. We can make the arrangements for space..."

She looked at bit bashful saying the last part, but she had turned her eyes away.

At Mirai's sudden display of generosity Rayden smiles remembering his debt to her, a debt he was actually happy to carry. "Nay milady, I am a man so simple pleasures, having this and thine kindness at my side is more than enough." Rayden made a bow that was deeper than usual and reached for Mirai's hand. He rose her hand to his lips and kissed the back of it as he was taught to do so and finished his bow. Once he was up Rayden looked over to David, "Mr. Maloney is there anyway I could help with the loading? I would feel guilty to have it done by others when it is our purchases."

Mirai had been surprised by Rayden's little gesture. Yes, he'd always say he had enough and yes, he was always forever praising her, but the kiss on the hand was new. Mirai's eyes widened when he did this, but she just turned away to take her tension out on Rider.

"Great," she said sarcastically. "It looks like your irksome charm's rubbed off on my servant."

David smiled, and shook his head. "No its quite alright, Tim should be here soon to get what you ordered." As if on cue the metallic man stepped out from the back, and made his way towards the group. His eyes green lights as he scanned the targets.

"Greetings. This unit has been instructed to aid in the lifting of cargo." David just looked at the robot.

"Yes Tim, but please wait."

"Affirmative." He stated in his metallic like voice.

Mirai settled on the light white one after deciding dark-colored woods didn't suit to her taste. Examining the inside, she made some calculations.

"I can fit ten dresses hanging...my uniforms...and my combat outfit," Mirai muttered to herself. "My shoes...where will my shoes go? I need space for my shoes...well, I guess they can stay under the bed...no, they'll get dusty...wait, Rayden can always brush them, but I'd need to bother him...who cares he's my servant? Gaah..."

Mirai crossed her arms after she finished.

"I'm not called a honshu wolf for nothing," she continued. "I'll just use my wellspring of wisdom to figure things out later."

She began fanning herself again and turned to David.

"Please, have this one delivered to our dormitory at Beacon Academy," Mirai said, giving instructions on which floor it was and which room specifically. "Where do I handle payments?"

David smiled and led them to the counter. Tim grabbed the dresser with ease, and went to the van to load it up. David walked behind the counter and got on his stool He told her the price and waited for a reaction. What she bought would cost a lot of money.

Mirai merely sniffed at the price. Instead of pulling out lien chips, however, she pulled out a card with what looked liker a dahlia flower on it.

"Here," she said as she waited for the payment to finally take place. "Oh, and I'll pay for the armor stand, too, of course. And Rayden, don't object. As my employee, you need to be given equipment now and then."

She gave him a small smile. "Think of it as a gift from you mistress."

When things were finally settled, she turned to David.

"Thank you for your wonderful service, David Maloney," she said. "I'm hardly finished with decorations and settlements, so I can assure you I'll be back again."

Just as she made the motion to leave, she stopped and glanced at Rider. "Oh, that was rude of me. I made transactions and I didn't even ask if you were going to buy anything. There's still time. Are you searching for something in particular?"

"Let's see,what am I looking for..." Rider said placing a finger to his chin in thought. "Something between the thin line of small and average. Not too big, I find that type of thing too much. A sort of luster to the exterior and and plenty of room to improve in the future." Rider smiled brightly. "It would also be nice if she had a curious mind and a childish side. I find those kind of women cute."

Mirai had been trying to figure out what he meant when he first started talking, but when he said the last line, Mirai's eyes sharpened and she frowned, her cheeks once again turning rosy. Her eyebrows began to twitch and she glared at him.

"I meant in regards to furniture..." she said with clenched teeth, her hands almost ready to whack him with her fan.

"I suppose I wouldn't mind a washboard," Rider said drawing a vertical line in the air with his index finger. "I find hugging one of those is much more enjoyable. Able to hold them much closer and all- Oh by the way, I have this."

Rider suddenly pulls out a little stuffed bunny. It had cocoa colored fur and big chocolate colored glass eyes. Between its puffy little paws it held a mini basket filled with animal shaped cookies a with a little card sticking out saying "Hello, my name is Velvet. Will you love me?"

"I saw it sitting in a little shop I knew and thought I would take it," Rider smiled. He waved the thing left and right. Every time the ears moved it made a little squeak. "Course unless you want it," Rider hummed nonchalantly as he raised the little stuffed toy above his head out of reach.

Mirai was just about to lift out her hand to ask Rayden for her parasol, Rider obviously deserving the whack on his head, but midway he pulled out something and as Mirai saw it, her eyes grew wide and began to stammer.

"B-b-b-b-"

Rider continued to talk, Mirai trying to control every bit of herself from flinching and failing as he waved it left and right, making it squeak. Mirai's cheeks were hot red and he finally lifted it up in the air. She stood quietly for a while, still stammering.

"Gi-give....GIVE IT TO ME!" she almost shrieked the last part, Rider's hand holding the adorable figure to high for her, her boots trying to inch her upwards (she was transfixed with such passion she forgot how her Dust-filled boots could have easily hoisted her up) and she began waving her hands in the air furiously trying to reach it.

"Give it to me!" she said like a desperate animal, tiny tears filling the corners of her eyes. "Please, please, please!"

The animal was too high in the air and she lowered her face into her hands, every part of her trembling.

"I want it..."

Rider chuckled playfully. "Anything to make you happy~" Rider smiles as he lowered his arm and lifted the little stuffed toy up to Mirai, rubbing it against her face to make it look like the little cocoa bunny was cuddling up to her, the floppy ears squeaking as they pressed against her cheek.

"Please take care of me~" Rider said in a squeaky voice without moving his mouth, throwing his voice to make it seem the bunny said it.

The moment Mirai felt the soft stuffed toy touch her, her face lifted and her eyes began sparkling again, a wide smile on her face. She lightly put it in her hands and cuddled it, her eyes closed and her cheeks still light pink.

"Bunny..." she said as she nuzzled it. Usually, her little cuteness fit would be over, but she continued to hold it, lightly eating the cookies and cuddling it in between. Finally, she hugged it even tighter, her face ecstatic. She began holding it in the air as she walked in circles, singing, "Rider gave me a rabbit~Rider gave me a rabbit~"

When she was about done, she stood next to Rayden, her face still beaming and her eyes still closed in tightly (^_^).

"I'll take good good care of him," she told Rider in a childish voice. And then, lightly floating around the room. "Now, where do we go next?"

She continued to hum as she turned to the two, still happy, any of her usual reserved demeanor gone for a certain amount of time.

"Can't say I don't make her happy," Rider mumbles to Rayden before wheeling away smiling. "How about we go out for lunch? We can even pick up your favorite macaroons if you want."

Mirai continued to beam, still pressing Velvet close to her face.

"Yes, yes, that sounds fine~" she cooed. "Where shall we go?"

Mirai then moved over to Rayden and lifted Velvet up to him as high as she could.

"Isn't he cute, Rayden?" she said like a child. She then returned to singing. "Rider gave me a bunny~Rider gave me a bunny~la la la~"

As Mirai lifted the bunny toward Rayden with such a happy expression, he could not help but smile. "Why yes milady he is quite cute, a fitting companion for thee." Though Rayden was genuinely happy to see Mirai make such an innocent expression filled with joy, he could not help but feel annoyed with Rider. Rayden moved forward and quickly caught up to Rider once again pushing his chair. Rayden leaned in close, making sure Mirai was not looking and out of earshot, and spoke to Rider. "Mr. Blanc, there are better ways to give milady a present. One does not play with a lady's heart as if it were some toy, a lady must be treated with the utmost respect. I have warned thee before but it appears we must discuss this matter further...in private."

"Oh..." Rider said, dropping his voice to a murmur, "I do believe that in the end, you still don't understand women that well my armored friend. For though she may whine or moan or pout, deep inside she's really happy without a doubt. In my way I make her happy and I do not stop. At least I don't take advantage of her... on the rooftop."

Rider looked back at Rayden with a casual grin. "In making her angry her happiness is much more as a result. But watching you take advantage of her tears tastes like too much salt. So if my way is a problem to you, I'll meet you anytime to see what you can do."

He had a grave tone, dropping his voice to a low, intimidating murmur, but his smile remained without waver and for one reason or another, no smile ever seemed so frightening.

Rayden stopped pushing Rider's chair and looked back at Mirai, still entranced by her gift. Take advantage? Take advantage?! I help a friend in her time of need and I'm taking advantage. Rayden could feel he was getting angry. He had been taught to not let such emotions affect his judgement but was having a hard time keeping to those lessons. He turned back to Rider with as calm expression he could muster. "Rider you are over stepping your place. It seems that this is something we can not simply end. I do not want to cause milady trouble but I am not done talking. Tonight we shall "discuss" this on the rooftop away from the dorm. Until then we go about our day." Rayden didn't know what to say, his original opinion of Rider was in shambles but he knew that they were stuck as team mates and had to find some way to work this out.

"Then when night has fallen and the princess sleeps," Rider smiles back at Rayden, "we will continue our 'talk' as the princess counts sheeps."

With that, Rider wheels away from Rayden and rolls out of the shop with out a word.

With Rider now gone Rayden moved back toward Mirai making sure he had a smile on his face, whether it was genuine or a forced facade he could not say. "Milady, it appears Mr. Blanc has taken his leave. If thy business is complete here perhaps we should follow suit." Rayden gave a small bow and offered his arm to Mirai. "The day is still young and thou has not eaten yet, shouldst we journey forth to a cafe?"

Mirai had been holding onto Velvet and when Rider left without a word, her cheery mood seemed to have disappeared and her hold on the bunny slowly weakened. Her smile had faded away and what came back was her usual cold expression, her eyes a bit shaded as if she had suddenly become disappointed. Her embrace on Velvet loosened until her hands dropped to the side, the little bunny now just dangling by an arm and all the cookies gone. She took Rayden's hand into her own and gripped it tightly.

"Yes...let's leave," Mirai said softly. "And have something to eat. Just the...two of us..."

The doors of the shop opened and the two customers left.