Yumi allowed her dull crimson hues to gaze upon the streets of Oak as she stood leaning over a balcony that over looked the main streets. The main streets of oak appeared medieval and were filled with various vendors selling their products from foods to material goods even clothing. The old woman tugged at her kimono, it was slightly worn having seen much better days. The old woman sighed as she turned the moment she felt a weight on her shoulder. Seated on her right shoulder was her familiar, Venom.

Venom was a creature known as a Duskull, rare creatures who were said to live in thick forests and had a habit of spiriting away disobedient children. It was also said they enjoyed the sound of crying children. it was also said Duksull were known for choosing a target and chasing them to the ends of the earth. A duskull is a two foot tall creature that floated in mid air with a body comprised of a black robe with two bones on it's back. It's face had a mask like skull over the top and it had one lone large glowing red eye that floated between the sockets.

Yumi raised her right hand to pat the creature on the head before she disembarked from the roof top and headed down to street level where she made her way over to a vendor selling brand new silk kimonos. Yumi ignored the look of the young girl and those who fazed at her familiar, it was no concern of hers what they thought. The old woman who stood tall and seemed to release an aura that demanded respect began to glance over the kimonos attempting to find that caught her eye.

Nastasya was finally up, it must be around noon or so. She had no idea and could care less. She stripped of her clothes and washed her body at the sink. She should have thought about this the night before but walking for nine days and making no stops thanks to the shadow following her, it was needed to sleep now. She had been exhausted and she still felt tired.

Dressed in black leather jeans and a red crop top, she headed outside. Pulling on her jacket that would cover up her pale and bare stomach. It was time to head out and find something to eat. She stole or more grabbed a popsicle from the reception and just headed out seeing where her heels would take her. Apparently there was a market, it reminded her of what she had seen in Crocus on her first day of arrival. But it was actually prettier, she didn't like Crocus much. Too big.

When she was just looking around, eating a crepe now instead of the popsicle, she thought she saw someone familiar. Now Nasty was very bad at remembering faces but she should know her senpai! "Well well if it isn't Granny." she said in a mocking voice, just to avoid names and code names, actually she did respect Yumi very much but it was outside and she had to be careful.

Yumi looked over a dark purple kimono robe with a light red sash. Her fingers traced across the silk material getting a feel for it before rubbing it against the back of her hand seeing how it felt on her skin. The old woman was very particular about what she wore especially on her ageing skin. Silk just seemed to fit, like it was another skin all together and she loved the way it felt on her flesh. The old woman moved on from the purple kimono simply ice blue kimono with white obi sash. She quite liked the look of it. She looked at the price tag and only five thousand jewels rather cheap. The old woman began to inspect the seams, making sure it wasn't cheap for a reason. The seam work was exceptional no doubt done by a professional, not a single thread out of place. The old woman removed the kimono from the rack and approached the young female clerk.

Yumi showed no emotion as the kimono was bagged up, the price tag removed. She extracted a number of jewels from her kimono and handed them over. Her familiar dropped on in scaring the day lights out of the clerk who threw Yumi's bag out of shock. The old woman quickly caught her purchase scowling at the clerk for almost ruining her new kimono. Yumi turned and was about to walk out when she heard a familiar voice call out to her. A tick mark formed on the back of Yumi's head at being called granny, a spark forming from being reminded off her old age.

Yumi found her aged gaze falling upon a skinning young woman in her early twenties, five foot six in height, easily towering over the four foot ten Yumi. The old woman's eyes began to rise slightly taking not of the purple hair before recognising the facial features, one Nastasya Crowe. A kitten who had joined Grimoire Heart a couple years ago, Alias Shadow. Like Nastasya Yumi to had a code name, Carnage however Yumi had been a member of Grimoire Heart for over thirty years, making her well known amongst the crew.

"Since we are in public I will allow you to go scott free, but remind me of my age again and I will beat you black and blue." Commented the old woman in a low whisper of a voice for Nastasya to hear but know one else, her tone was venomous and deadly revealing she would be true to her words. If there was on thing Yumi hated, and it was all known, it was being reminded of her age. The last poor fool, a new recruit of the guild, who had done it had wound up dead with his skull now apart of her throne, "If you must call address, Yuni will do." It was not far from her real name with just a change in a single letter.

Venom floated down to inspect the new girl conking it's skull like mask to the right, his big eye moving back and forth to inspect her, "Dusk?" cried the odd creature in a raspy yet high pitched voice.

Nastasya waved the problem away, it was good that Yumi whispered but she couldn't help but almost giggle. She had enough sense in her to not do it, she heard the story. "You know, that was my next question Yuni. I didn't know what else to call you. But I have to say, that you are my example, and no matter your age you are still brilliant. I won't want to offend you, so can I treat you some sweets that you might want to forget the whole incident?" She said with a sweet tone in her voice, because she knew that she had been wrong but yeah she hadn't seen Yumi before in the open where she couldn't call her name.

She was rather excited to see Yumi here and it made her day already a bit better. However something appeared in front of her face and without the attempt to scream or whatsoever, she only did a step back and let the creature inspect her, but you could obviously read on her face that she didn't like it. "I can assume this is your new companion?" she muttered, not sure if this thing would kill her for calling Yumi, Granny.

Venom leaned forward the moment the purple haired human leaned back. It floated forward and stuck out a strange cloak covered hand to poke her hair as if inspecting it. The creature then began to 'jump' about in mid air giving a cry of "DUSK!" as if he was shouting in joy before he floated happily back over to Yumi and settled down on her right shoulder. Venom proceeded to nuzzle against his master affectionately.

Yumi raised her left hand to gently stroke Venom's mask like head, "It appears Venom likes you." Said the old woman in a blank tone having not really acknowledge the girl's statement, there was no much need as Yumi was a woman of few words. The old woman turned her focus back to the younger woman, before she began to leave the vendor stall stopping at the entrance to glance over her shoulder, "Coming or not." Questioned the seventy five year old mage as she slipped her hands into the sleeves of her kimono and started walking away, keeping a pace slow enough for the younger mage to catch up.

Yumi would lead the younger woman through the streets and towards a quaint little cake shop a few blocks down. Yumi pushed the door open, the bell jingled as a young woman dressed like a maid appeared "Welcome home ojousama (my Lady), table for two Ojou-sama?" enquired the young woman with long black hair and ruby red eyes. Momentarily for Nastasya to see jealousy and anger flashed briefly in Yumi's dull hues before it faded. It was common knowledge Yumi had issues when it came to her age and her own looks, the old woman was willing to do anything to regain her youth and beauty and seemed to have a habit of hating beautiful young women. But the old woman had learned to control it with age.

Yumi nodded her head in answer to the woman, Yumi's familiar would not need a chair. The old woman followed the waitress dressed as a maid to a private booth where the maid laid out two menu's, "I will be back Ojou-sama to take your order in ten." She gave a wink then walked off.

Yumi released a scowl, "If there here cakes weren't so good I'd have burned this place to the ground and slaughtered each if them." She gritted her teeth slightly and picked up her menu and went immediately to the dessert section.

Nastasya cringed her nose a little and still looked a bit freaked out from left to right before the creature would stop testing her out. He flew or floated back to Yumi whom told her that apparently he liked her. "Well he is an interesting fellow." was all she could say at the moment. She have had her share of companions, familiars, pets or whatever you called it and she was still not done with losing the last one.

Still a bit freaked out or well absent she was surprised that Yumi invited her, it was sometimes tough luck with this lady and she wondered if Yumi was as okay with her as she was okay with the elder lady. She immediately took a few quick steps to follow Yumi in her black high heels, her eyes shone bright when she saw the shop where they were going. She looked around as they entered and wondered what all would be on the menu because Nastasya loved food, she loved every sort of food. She looked at the waitress and shortly at Yumi but found the waitress or maid too stupid to be bothered about.

She followed the two and set herself on the other seat and raised a surprised right eyebrow when she saw the wink. She turned to look at Yumi whom muttered that she would burn the place if it wasn't so good and she could only chuckle softly before she picked up her menu herself. "They should at least learn to stop being so ridiculous childish and.. ugh.. winks.." she faked a shiver but she agreed that it might be stupid. Knowing the problem Yumi had with her age, she was also aware of that. "Any suggestions?" She was respectful but she was afraid she just made a mistake. She would wait for the two of them to order, if Yumi did come with a suggestion she would take a strawberry shortcake and than she looked at the creature again, Venom, she had to remember the name. "Where did you two meet?" she asked, curiously for the story, maybe she would find a companion herself again.

Yumi's gaze scanned the contents of the menu flicking back and forth between the pages attempting to find just want she wanted to eat. What did she want to bring her palette to bliss. The old woman strummed her fingers on the table as she thought over what to order, perhaps something chocolatey or perhaps a vanilla flavour or even strawberry, maybe something with caramel. The tiramisu was good, but she did not feel like having caffeine. Perhaps a pavlova but she wasn't in the mood to have fruit with her sweet so strawberries were out as well. The old woman leaned back in her chair crossing a single leg under her kimono and resting her left elbow on her knee while continuing to look at the menu. Her familiar just hovering behind her floating back and forth, it would be happy with what ever given.

As Nastasya spoke, Yumi barely looked up from her menu, "It appears to attract the primitives." She raised her right hand and pointed to a group of young men who were drooling and speaking incoherently to a well endowed beauty of a maid who was serving them, "If I was many years younger, while I would not fall for the act, this one would most enjoy taking one of them to bed. And I refer to the maids not the primitive males. My taste in men is much more refined." The old woman returned to her menu not even bothered by the fact she revealed she swung both ways. Yumi folded her menu in two and laid it down having decided on what she wanted, "As to what I suggestion it depends on your palette. If you are not fussed I shall just order an extra of what I am having for thee to try." Yumi raised her left hand and began to pat the top part of her familiars mask, getting a nuzzle into her palm in return.

Nastasya, still reading the menu looked up when Yumi talked and followed where she was looking. Which immediately pulled her face back with the disgusting look of those males. "I rather have one that doesn't need a bin to drool in." if she would want one. She didn't. It was probably more the maid costume than just the prettiness. "Can't we make it more fun for us?" she mumbled, loving the idea of causing havoc in this place. They could steal all the cakes that were left but it was not a plan if Yumi loved this place too much.

It didn't even surprise her much that Yumi swung both ways. "They are rather cute. Although I don't like the act of all innocent.. The childishness would give me goosebumps and I might puke." was all she said to the topic, she looked at it a few more seconds before she turned back to the menu and indeed decided that it was good if Yumi ordered an extra of what she was having. "Let's do that!" she thus said enthusiastic because it was the best idea she had had. She was up for trying something new. So she would patiently wait for Yumi to order, a virtue she only seemd to have around Yumi or when she was on a job.

Yumi folded her hands over in her lap placing them upon her left knee and sat their in her chair. Her bag containing her new kimono seated beside her. The old woman let her gaze drift away from her colleague in order to survey the Maid Cafe. She rarely ever visited places such as these, the atmosphere was to cheery for her that and it seemed to draw in all kinds of idiots. Maid Cafe's did have decent food and service but the sheer idiocy that seemed to flock to them often deterred her from visiting.

Venom blinked, or so he appeared to as his eye went dark, before he began to float away from the two deciding to wander off for a bit and investigate the cafe. As he did his master called out, "Don't cause to much trouble." The familiar nodded his head before floating off to see what he could find.

Yumi turned back to Nastasya, "You'll have to excuse Venom, I found him living in the woods so he is quite curious about human nature." Explained the old woman as she waited patiently for her waiter to return. Her gaze angled up towards a nearby clock as time ticked away having long since exceeded ten minutes. By the fifteen minute mark it was clear Yumi was getting angry, by the action of her right eye beginning to twitch. When it came to Yumi's sweets it was best to not take to long.

When their maid finally returned all she did was smile, "Gomen Ojou-samas for the wait. Can I take your order. Tee hee." She did a cutest laugh and tilted her head to the right smiling. Yumi held back her attempt to vomit at the sight, she wanted to just break the girls neck, "Get us a dozen 'Epic Cutesy Chocolate Cravings'." She was annoyed at saying the name of the dessert, the way it rolled off her tongue was bland no emotion in it, "And don't you dare put a cute message on it." Add the woman as she collected the menu's and shoved them towards the maid, "If you serve alcohol I want your strongest blend, if not tea any will do." Barked out the older woman again quickly before giving a glare telling the maid to run off, to which the young girl did as she scurried away as quickly as she could.

It was very interesting to see Yumi again, last time was probably on the ark. "It's been a while since we see each other. Anything interesting going on?" She was actually fishing for more information, was it obvious that Yumi was here and was it all for the same reason? Was something going on. Was she curious: oh hell yes. Nastasya followed Venom with her eyes and was actually wondering if she would ever want to work together with someone again, she turned back to Yumi as soon as the elder woman spoke to her. "I think he is quite cool. I wish I would find such an interesting familiar." working together would be a problem though. But she didn't add the last part of her thoughts.

It was lovely for Nastasya to watch Yumi, she was always impressed by her and it was just girls sticking together right. She grinned as she could see the anger boil in Yumi when the waitress took to long and gave her stupid attitude. Her eyes were shining brightly for the fun that she was having but she bit her lower lip at the left corner to not laugh out loud. How did Yumi endure it was all Nastasya thought, she grinned at the waitress when the tee hee girl looked at her before walking off to place the order and Nasty was enjoying it. "You are impressive." she turned back to look at Yumi.

Yumi groaned as she began to rub her right temple, she could feel a headache coming on from dealing with these peons. This was why she hated being around idiots, their stupidity gave her a headache and she feared it would rub off on her. Their idiocy knew know bounds, how she wanted to just break their necks, boil their flesh and add their skulls to her glorious skull throne, but she forced the urge down. She was know longer the youthful barbarian she once was. The old woman looked up drawing herself away from her thoughts to gaze upon Nastasy catching the young girl saying she was impressive.

"While I may despise saying this, as vile files my tongue, old age has taught me much patience." Spoke the woman leaning forward slightly as she raised a hand to her lips to hold back the urge to barf, the mere mention of being old made Yumi want to throw up. Yumi exhaled before leaning back once more into her chair, "Great Khorne I need a drink." exclaimed the religious zealot the 'witch' as she liked to call herself was rather fond of her liquor not as much as her sweets but it was at the top of her list.

To Yumi's surprise the maid returned not long after she had left smiling as brightly as ever . The maid deposited a bottle of whiskey onto the table along with two glasses and a counter of ice cubes, "Anything else Ojou-sama." Yumi bit her tongue to resist the urge to tell the tell off, "That's all." Answered Yumi in an annoyed tone as she grabbed the whiskey bottle, not even acknowledging the maid as she left. Yumi raised the bottle to eye level, "Malt whiskey, made in Orchidia town. At least this place has taste." Muttered the old woman. In her long life time she had long since found the best place for Malt Whiskey for Orchidia town. Sure the town was home to Lamia Scale a light guild but they knew how to brew their poison, strong to.

Yumi grabbed a glass and used her thumb to pop the lid off the whiskey with minimal effort. She had aimed the bottle sending the cork lid flying through the air where it hit one of the males form earlier in the back of the head. When the male turned around to find the source he was greeted to the sight of Yumi throwing a harsh glare that could melt ice at him causing the male to turn back around immediately. Yumi snorted in mild amusement, "Coward." Mumbled the old woman as she started pouring herself glass, "Care for a drink?" Yumi didn't look up from her glass as she directed the question towards her companion.

"Well it might be smart if I learned that too." Nastasya wondered if calling Yumi not old if that would make Carnage angry. But she didn't think Yumi was that old, the woman could still do a lot of things right? And maybe one day, well Nasty had no idea what one day might happen. She had no idea what Yumi was searching for.. or did she?

She grinned again when the maid showed up and she couldn't stop her laughing when the cork hit one of the males and Yumi called him a coward. It was too hilareous to do something about it but she quickly stopped and nodded when Yumi offered her some of the whiskey. "Yuni I bet I can learn so much from you. I am actually glad I bumped into you."

Yumi grabbed the second glass and sat it down before raising the bottle of whiskey above it. The old woman started to pour allowing to honey like liquid to pour into the glass with barely a slosh, pouring it perfectly as if she had crafted an art from it, but it was merely from years of practice. She filled the glass three quarters of the way before sliding it across the table. The glass would slide across not spilling a drop before stopping right in front of Nastasya. Yumi had used just enough strength and the right angle to slide it across perfectly.

The old woman then grabbed her glass which was nearly full, almost spilling over but not a single drop spilt. The glass was a schooner able to hold 285mls of liquid or alcohol in this case. The old woman raised the drink to her lips, some people required foot in their bellies before they drank other's did not and could just drink without needing food naturally, other's could do this through sheer practice and time. Yumi was one who had learned to hold her liquor through time. The old woman leaned her head back and downed the entire glass in one shot and swallowed rather loudly allowing the alcohol to flood down her throat, enjoy the crisp malt taste.

Yumi released a content sigh as she placed the glass down on the table. The old woman inhaled and began to roll her neck as she grabbed the bottle and began to refill her glass. The bottle of whiskey was 1.5ls meaning she would be able to get at least two more drinks from the bottle before it was empty. so before that happened Yumi turned her gaze to another maid who was walking past, "Two more bottles." Commanded the woman getting a nod in reply from the maid who quietly shuffled away.

Yumi raised her glass again and focused back on Nastasya, "In my experience the best way to learn is through failure, growth, experience, trail, error and time." Said the old woman as she downed the glass of liquor again like a machine downing the alcohol in the glass in one go, "It's like drinking, when you first start you learn not to mix drinks and find one that suits you. Eventually the more you drink the better you get and the more you can hold down. Or if your a mage..." started the old woman as small wisps of magic like black tongues of fire began to roll of her body, "You can learn how to use magic to flush the alcohol from your system." The old woman finished with a mischievous smirk

Nastasya whom surprisingly at the age of 23 had never really drank something impressive, stared at the glass that was shoved towards her. The golden honey like liquor inside made her more suspicious. She half expected that she would fall off her chair almost completely drunk if she would drink all of this. So she held it in her hand, low on the table and just looked at Yumi. She slowly raised her right eyebrow in surprise when Yumi just made it a shot and drank it all at once. She wondered if she could do that too and looked again at the glass before she took the dare and gulped it down in one try.

She blinked quite heavily and coughed a little because of the sensation in the back of her throat. It wasn't that she hated it but it was getting used to. She was grinning a little when Yumi ordered two more bottles. She saw the face of the maid and again bit her lip to conceal her laughing. "You should punish them someday or today." she whispered because it was getting to an insane level.

She turned back to Yumi to listen to her advice and held on to her glass a little too tight to make sure she didn't immediately had to down another glass. "Hmm time. Shame. I wanted to master all by tomorrow." She nodded very seriously but she understood. She had learned her patience a little but she was easily bored and than she turned some sort of insane and had to kill for fun. Even though she assured Nate that she only killed when it was necessary, did she than lie?

Nastasya listened but wasn't really looking at Yumi until she saw the whisps of magic and grinned. "That makes everything better." She looked at the ground and nodded, but her shadow only walked around the table before it settled. She wouldn't call it a companion or familiar but it was funny to scare people of their wits and let it walk free. How many people that didn't notice she sometimes didn't have a shadow. Idiots.

Yumi poured out the last of bottle into her glass. Her colleague had downed her drink in one go coughing from the impact, she was obviously a novice. Yumi was use to kicking back the entirety of her glass in one shot, years of practice. The old woman raised the glass to her lips but this time she simply sipped it allowing the crisp liquid to glide over her aged tongue, allowing her to enjoy the texture. To her joy the maid that originally served them returned along with the maid Yumi had asked for more drinks from. The drink maid set the whiskey down as the second placed on the middle of the table a tray containing a dozen cakes.

The cakes however were not ordinary cakes. The Epic Cutesy Chocolate Cravings was a cake literally made of chocolate. The cake was chocolate made from rich Baska dark chocolate some of the finest chocolate around, with a layer of light milk chocolate in the middle. On top of the cake was a sphere at the end as big as a golf ball comprised of more chocolate with a hazelnut crust and would have a salted caramel infusion. The bottom of the cake was chocolate crumbs while on the top at the corner was a chocolate swirl. It was a chocolatier dream.

However what annoyed Yumi most of all was the face made in white chocolate on each cake. It was a tiny face with a large beaming smile and a message underneath it, 'Enjoy Ojou-sama'. A tick mark formed on Yumi's forehead she had specifically not asked for any message and this was getting on her nerves. The old woman turned her deathly gaze upon the two maids, they had opened the dam. The womans magic burst open like a damn engulfing Yumi in a pitch black aura that looked like living flames. The aura startled the two mage's as they engulfed Yumi's vision causing her eyes to glow red. Through the back of Yumi's kimono her tattoo of Khorne lit up like a christmas tree. A thick raging killer intent erupted from the old woman's body and engulfed the room, it was suffocating, many collapsed to their knees gasping for air, others fainting in a cold sweat with visions of their own deaths. The two maids were worse off then the other's as they were receiving the brute force of Yumi's intent.

"I will only tolerate your foolery for so long. Do not do it again or else you will lose those pretty little heads of yours. Now leave!" barked the old woman showing off just how deadly she was as her mana erupted from her body blowing tables and chairs away, but leaving her and Nastasya's untouched showing Yumi's remarkable control over her magic. As quickly as the intent and magical aura appeared it was sealed away vanishing and immediately the two maids scampered off, not wishing to toy with the deadly old woman.

Yumi exhaled calming herself down, "Inches from being sacrificed to my Lord Khorne. Their skulls would have made a lovely addition to my throne." The old woman downed the rest of her drink after having refereed to her throne back on the Ark, a throne comprised literally of skulls, taken from past lovers and hose who fell beneath her feet.

Yumi tsked and grabbed one of the plates from the tray and set it down in front of her. The old woman grabbed a cake fork and removed a piece from the cake before placing it in her mouth and began to indulge in the delicious taste to calm herself down.

Nastasya could still feel the alcohol in the back of her throat but the impact it made, since she was indeed a novice was gone quite soon when she let her shadow walk around. It was staying close until the maids came and it went to wander around near the cowards of males that were drooling. She eyed her shadow suspiciously before she turned her eye to the chocolate and was quite surprised what to see. It was one piece of chocolate, everything was chocolate and she wondered for a second if it was nice. She wasn't a big fan of chocolate but it was a good thing to try and see how it worked today.

However there were cute smileys on the cakes and Nastasya looked up to say something about it. Her eye turned a little bigger in surprise for Yumi her dark aura and the maids their faces. Yeah they sorta asked for it. She stood up as quickly as she could and with that pushed her chair back. She wasn't afraid that Yumi would hurt her because she didn't call for the rage upon her but the effect was quite impressive and she didn't know where to look to see the effect of the aura. She just turned her eyes on Yumi to see what the old woman was doing and she had no idea what to say to maybe calm her down. But before she knew it, everything was over. The tables and chairs around them were gone and her shadow was cowering behind her and she only rolled her eyes and went to sit down. "Well that was indeed impressive." was the only thing Nastasya was able to say right now. She indeed had a lot to learn if she wanted to be able to perform that. She turned her look to her shadow again whom was exploring again.

"How many skulls are there in your throne?" she in the end asked when she took a fork herself and took the cake that was closest to her, but careful not to make Yumi angry at her. But again she doubted it would happen. She was such a coward herself she now realized and she was scornful towards her shadow, which was literally herself.

Yumi dug into the chocolate cake quickly devouring it, though she did not appear as a beast or wild animal simply throwing bits of food everywhere, she was simply chewing it quickly and swallowing so to take the next bite. Instead of small chunks Yumi was taking relatively large pieces of cake with her fork. The moment she was done with the first she quickly grabbed the second. As she did her familiar venom returned. The child like reaper pulled a plate aside and began to literally devour the cake, little pieces of chocolate getting stuck to it's skull mask. While it was a companion the creature was still a wild beast that had yet to be tamed to be civil.

Though the moment the question regarding her throne was answered the age old woman didn't even look up and answered without pause, "Two hundred and thirteen." Answered the old woman before she returned to her cake. Yumi throne was built for someone slightly larger than her for extra room so it had required close to a hundred skulls to make and afterwards she had just continued to add more and more with every kill. She had been on this world for a long time allowing her to time to gather the numbers she had needed. Of course that was just the number of skulls on her throne. Not every skull she took made it's way to her throne, she carefully inspected each so her throne would be perfect, she had many more skulls stashed away, so many she long lost count.

"How has your training been? I hope you have become stronger since last we met." Spoke the old woman as she raised her glass of whiskey and sipped it once more.

Still working on her first cake, Nasty was just trying to figure out every sort of chocolate that was in there. She didn't really looked up surprised by the way Yumi ate, actually she remained rather neutral because she liked this woman and didn't want to judge by just this. Yumi was annoyed with this location and Nastasya could completely understand how that came to be. Shame that the cakes were rather nice. However a smile appeared on her face when Venom was eating the cake or more like destroying it.

She asked about the throne and was surprised by the number. Sure Yumi was around three times as old as her but she had been proud of her twenty-five kills before she was twenty but that did sound like nothing compared to Yumi. Nasty first only killed when it was necessary and she sure had an insane period where she found a reason for each and everyone but lately she just tried to remain invisible and not kill anyone until it was really, really necessary.

Yumi didn't want to share any more details than just the number and although she was curious, it was fine. She continued to eat her cake before Yumi dropped the question if she had been training. She looked away from the old woman as if she was scolded by her mother again. "A little, mostly I have been on jobs to find informants in Crocus and hear them out and get rid of the evidence," she formed it nicely, "But there are some things I want to test out. I got a little faster and I believe that I can take a little more than before. But there is still enough I want to do." She just realized that she had not to be ashamed, she did get faster and she did get a little stronger and well she was faster at thinking now too.

The old woman stabbed her fork into the third piece of cake and left the fork their as she swallowed the remnants of the second. She grabbed a nearby napkin and dabbed it against her lips removing a few chocolate stains. The old woman folded the napkin and laid it beside her plate. The old woman placed her elbows on the table, hands linking together, resting her chin on her knuckles while she looked at the younger woman sitting opposite her, "Good continue to better thyself. Remember this, there is always someone stronger than you. Never allow arrogance to over come the." Lectured the old woman as she shut her eyes appearing to reminisce but about what no one could tell.

The old woman opened her eyes again and leaned back against her chair returning to her meal. From the corner of her eyes she would keep an eye on her familiar who was on his second piece, "Slow down or you will choke Venom." Spoke the old woman in a stern voice causing her familiar to stiffen up before he slowed down his pace, food no longer flying off in every direction.

The old woman turned back to her glass of whiskey raising it to her lips once more before downing what remained. She swallowed sharply allowing the contents to flood her body, "You should attempt to gain a better control over your emotions, they are quick to betray you" Commented the old woman out of know where. Many years on this planet and taught Yumi to read subtle or not so subtle movements, emotions that flickered in the eyes and facial expressions, "I could see your surprise from a mile away." She was referring to earlier, "Nor am I your mother." The moment Nastasya had looked away after her short answer about her kills had told Yumi all she needed to know, "if you wish to know simply ask. It is not my intention to hide who I am."

Yumi was the type of person to only reveal certain details only when she was asked, other wise should would not say a word about them. She was also someone who was entirely comfortable with her life style past, present and future. The old woman held no shame that she was a killer nor a worshipper of Khorne.

Nastasya whom still had not looked at Yumi turned back to look. She had a point but the girl never had thought she was good enough. She had never been good enough as a child and even though she might be stronger than some, she wasn't impressive yet. That made her only want to work more. She didn't understand how she could turn out to be so lazy lately. She had tried combat with Nate and she hadn't liked it but mostly because a few fists in her stomach made her feel horrible. She would have to learn to continue and to work harder because if she would be hurt in a battle with some pesky Knight, it would not be an option to stop because she didn't like the feeling. "I'm by far good enough, Yuni. You know that. I won't stop training yet and I doubt I ever will."

She turned back to her piece of cake too, the second now, she was surprised that she actually liked it. She never liked chocolate so much but these things were indeed 'epic' as the restaurant called them. She was eating at piece when Yumi commented on her facial expressions and she almost choked in her bite. She looked up and tried to keep her face as neutral as she could but she couldn't. She was always working on acting, so giving expression, showing what she thought. She never thought it might be wrong. She took a deep breath and listened to what Yumi had to say. Man that woman was good. "I shall try." she muttered, which was something totally different from what she normally did. She felt like a small child again and wondered for a good few seconds that might event urn into minutes how she would make a pokerface, if her pokerface were different characters. though she barely acted in front of her Guild mates, so it was indeed better to work on it: a neutral face.

"While I will admit against anyone else you would surely fool them, but that is only the majority. It is the minority you must look out for as they will pick you out of a crowd like that." Yumi snapped the fingers on her right hand for emphasis, she had long since put her fork down and focused her attention on the young woman opposite her. The old woman supposed being that she had seniority it was her duty to pass on what she knew to the much younger woman, "I would advice practising against professionals. To truly learn how to hide yourself, one is best to receive proper experience even if it ends in failure before success." The entire time the woman said this with her eye brows bent in a frown and a sour expression on her face, the entire time she had been with the young woman that had been her default expression able to stick with it for hours on end.

"I recommend playing professional poker. Professional poker players make it their job to be able to break down every little detail of your facial expressions, emotions and body language A simple twitch of the lips, an unnoticed flick of an eye or a crunching of a nose tells them all they need. By watching and learning of other's ticks you can better yourself. Of course you should expect to lose an exceptional amount of money before you get it right, but once you do you will be able to milk them for all the jewels in the world." Lectured the old woman in a blank emotionless tone her pitch never rising or falling simply staying at the one level.

The old woman let her brows lift up ever so slightly, allowing her dull hues to be seen as her gaze swept across the room, "While this is of course not the only way to study the art of deception, there are many other ways. Visiting Night clubs and simply sitting at the bar and studying the room allows you to read a room, read the body language and expressions of other's. There is much you can learn from an experience bartender." Lectured the old woman again, she remembered spending many a nights in night clubs simply sitting at the bar watching and learning, there was much to learn from simply observing.

"Or perhaps find yourself a lover. Learning to hide from another twenty four seven is another way to learn. Your partner will study you just as you study them and it will be your job to analyse them while hiding yourself from them. One slip and it all comes collapsing down. By reading other's you will learn even their heart's desires." The old woman shut her eyes and poured herself a drink before taking a sip of her malt whiskey ending her lecture there.

Well at least one compliment was giving. But yeah she had to perfect herself and Yumi did had a point but she didn't want to admit. Also probably something that was clearly read on her face. However she was interested in how to do that and paid attention also to how Yumi herself was talking and showing off signs, which she absolutely wasn't.

She nodded as she noted down in her head professionals, however she didn't have time to ask what Yumi meant with that for the elder woman continued to explain where she should practise. There were various options. She thought about playing poker, she would first learn the rules at home. Kept her off the street, it might be something nice to do. She nodded again when the suggestion came and understood that getting a neutral face was important for that, so she could learn it there. But her acting needed perfecting too. However Yumi seemed to think about both sides.

The idea for sitting at bars or nightclubs wasn't even that bad. She might even just go tonight if she wanted and would already start to investigate. However that wasn't the only option that Yumi showed: take a lover. But she never had one, she never even felt something that you would call love. The last time was for her mother and she died quite early. She wasn't sure if that was a good idea, although it would be a great practice. "I shall try and perfect myself. Thanks for the advice." She could already learn a lot from Yumi her facial expressions: because there were none.

The old woman returned to her cake, plunging her fork into the chocolatey goodness and raised it to her lips. She let her lips fall around the piece enjoying the texture. The old woman swallowed before placing her left elbow on the table and rested her chin in the palm of her hand. How long had it been since the old lady only 'hung' out with another? Sure she had been present with Caius not many nights ago in that bar incidence with the drunk, but that had merely been an accidental encounter. Sure they had spoken, but it had not been a meeting of 'friends' if you would, not that the old woman had friends, merely acquaintances. The old lady swirled the alcohol in her glass with her right hand, her hues watching the liquid slide back and forth.

"I've never much-enjoyed acts such as this, only sitting here and.." The old woman gave a pause to lazily look up at the young woman across from her, "interacting with another. I suppose one could say I was never much of a socialiser either. If I were younger, I would have shoved you aside and left not bothering even to call your name." Spoke the old woman referring to Nastasya who sat opposite her. It was true if Yumi were her younger self she would never have accompanied Nastasya or even be talking to her. Yumi used to be incredibly anti-social in her youth. Yumi hadn't wanted to waste time by talking or socialising with others. Yumi spent her entire youth purely devoted to Khorne.

"Nor have I ever had what people call a 'friend'. The only one who has ever been in my life has been my Lord, Khorne. I suppose I should count myself lucky I have not stunted my social life. Outside of my 'lover's' there has never been anyone to keep me company. And then even they were just useless sacks of flesh to be used for my amusement." Mulled the old woman, turning her gaze to the roof appearing to reminisce, Yumi supposed the only real relationship she had, had been with her father, the father who had found and raised her from birth. The same father who Enlighted her about Khorne, the same father who she killed as per her ritual into becoming a Priestess of Khorne.

"I guess as I've aged, I've subconsciously attempted to draw myself to others. Perhaps it's the thought that one day I will die alone has caused this change. No one wishes to die alone. Listen to me prattle. I actually have become a sentimental senile old woman." Yumi barked out a bitter laugh as she thought over her last words.

To not get too grumpy or caught up with the whole lectur as in she didn't want to be too devastated about herself, she decided to take a third cake but only if Yami didn't look at her in a way that she would drop it. But it seemed she was fine. She would have had enough after her third and that was a good share. She looked at Venom for a second and decided to answer the idea about a lover, she had thought about it and she would work on it. She had just thanked Yumi about the advice and was just taking in the woman before she found her tongue back to speak. "I think it might be good to learn by taking a lover." it was a weird thing to say as if you just went to the show and picked one. But she could hang in bars too, she didn't mind that at all. She could even look around now but the maids were not her cup of tea.

However when she was quiet again, she didn't get any recognicition for what she just said but she was immediately shut up when Yami started to talk. She wasn't sure what she wanted to say or what to do. She was just sitting there, nodding, actually being glad about the fact that Yumi was an elder woman. Although she would definitely not say that out loud if she wanted to stay alive a little longer than just now.

She kept working on her neutral face. Now was the perfect time for she had no idea what to say to Yumi without offending her. She wasn't called Carnage for nothing. She tried to laugh a little when Yumi did but she made sure she stopped smiling when the old woman was done. She actually wondered if this was her sign to leave or if she would stay here. She decided for the last one but had absolutely no idea what to say or ask to the old woman, which made her less comfortable than she was before. Dying alone was a good point, she frowned a little. Thinking about the fact that she herself had never been friends, maybe she should try to find someone.

Yumi refilled her drinking emptying out the first of the bottles she had asked for. She slammed the bottle on the table and raised her glass of whisky to her lips and downed the alcohol in one go. If the old woman had been anyone else she would most likely have been drunk by now or fast approaching it, but thanks to using her own mana to speed up her own metabolism to digest the alcohol and cake in her system, it dissolved it faster ridding her body of it quicker.

The old woman popped the lid off the second bottle and repoured her glass. Alcohol and chocolate cake would be an odd combination no doubt, and it was a surprise the mix of the two had not made the old woman throw up, especially with the amounts she was consuming. Yumi raised the glass to her lips and sipped this time instead of downing it one go, allowing the liquid to slosh back and forth in her mouth as she savoured the tasted, before swallowing sharply. It did not escape the old woman's attention that she was the more spoken of the two. The younger woman had been exceptionally quiet this entire time, and it had not escaped Yumi, not that she minded, but it went to show just how talkative the old woman had become over the years.

The old lady's lips twitched slightly but revealed nothing. The old lady's face remained sour as always never showing an inch of what she was thinking or what emotion she was portraying. Yumi swirled the glass in her hand as her gaze began to move away from her companion, straying to glance around the cafe. It seemed after her little demonstration the cafe was not deserted. The only ones left were Yumi, Nastasya and the maids who worked there, all the maids were covering behind a counter to afraid to go out.

"Pitiful..." Muttered the old woman as she glanced at the maids briefly before turning to glance at Nastasya, "I'm glad your not as spineless as them. I doubt I'd be able to sit here opposite you if you were." Commented the old woman out of know where as if attempting to restart the conversation, thought she may have failed as at sometimes she was awkward when it came to conversational starters. "Where do you go from here?" questioned Yumi as she returned to drinking her whisky all the while her gaze would drift to the maids, causing them to squeal in terror and hide.

"I supposed if I ever had a child that turned out like them I would not hesitate to snap their necks myself." thought the elderly woman in her own thoughts opting not to voice them