Chasing the White Rabbit

A light chuckle could be heard from behind the group as Bianca was seemingly amused by the two's arguing. "I'm sorry, it's just you two arguing is kind of amusing." she said as she looked down on the two. "Don't mind me." she said as she kept close to the group.

Rider simply smiled at Bianca's comment. "I'm glad. I find that putting a smile on a lady's face is the best joy I can experience."

"We will arrive at our destination shortly," Ai announced as they continued down the street.

"Very well then. So what are all of your reasons for being here?"

Rachel didn't respond, at least not at first, ".....Unknown...." She said finally, "...Unknown...Objective...unknown...."

Some short distance from where Rider and his group was were three people walking. One of them was a tall and lean man with a tan complexion and dark hair, his eyes sharp, making it obvious that he was from one of the more oriental-themed regions of remnant. The other one was a tall girl with the same features only she wore her hair in a bun while she let tendrils hang to the side. Two sharp chopsticks were poking out of her hair.

The two wore yukata-like robes and seemed to be guarding the third person who stuck out between them like a rare flower in a patch of sharp, long grass. Unlike the two, this person was short, about 5'4" and she wore thick, long Victorian themed dress with a large bonnet tied by blue ribbon. She looked much younger than her two companions, both being about the ages twenty and herself looking like she was an adolescent. Also unlike her companions, she didn't look oriental at all. Her skin was a fine porcelain with a slight rose tint in the cheeks due to the hot weather. Her eyes were sharp, but also wide and an emerald green color. The most distinguishing factor about her was long golden hair that trailed down to her legs, the ends twirling in thick curls.

She walked under a parasol held up by the gentleman behind her.

"My lady," the gentleman said. "I believe it is lunch time. Why are we wandering around here again?"

"Looking for something to eat of course," she said bluntly, her voice elegant and calm. "I think I want steak."

"Steak!?" the woman said. "But that's...that's beneath you, Mirai! Well, the ones here, anyways."

"I want what I want," the girl said. "Besides, I need to--"

Mirai's eyes locked onto the group heading towards a restaurant, but what caught her was the faunus with pure white hair and rabbit ears.

"Rabbit..." Mirai's voice trailed off. She tugged on her companions. "Follow him! I must see that rabbit faunus. Now."

"We have arrived at our destination," Ai announced as they stopped in front of a western style looking steak house.

"You know if I ever stop needing you, you would make a killing as a GPS voice lady," Rider stated as he pressed the handicap button making the doors automatically.

"You'll never stop needing me and you know it," Ai said bluntly.

"Yeah, good point," Rider admitted as they rolled in.

The restaurant appears to be a family style western establishment with a friendly atmosphere. A waitress immediately greets the group with a smile.

"Party of five?" she asks.

"Four," Ai corrected, "I will not be staying here." The pink haired assistant whose personality was like a robot looked down at Rider. "I will continue searching the city for temporary lodging. Will you be fine with out me?"

"Yes mom," Rider sighed rolling his eyes.

"Then I hope you enjoy your meal and company sir," Ai said before turning around and exiting the door.

"Right this way then," the waitress said as she held four menus in her arms. She led the group to a round table with four chairs. The waitress set the menus on the table and left letting the group to settle in.

"Hm. I guess I should have asked for a table for three instead," Rider said, "After all, we would only need three of these chairs." Rider wheeled over to a space between two chairs and picked up a menu. "Ladies, will you do me the pleasure of dining with me?"

Mirai and her two waiting companions entered the place at which the woman's nose wrinkled.

"Lady Mirai, you can't possibly want to eat here," the woman said. "It's unrefined and in no one significant to both western and eastern culture."

"But we are eating here, Honne" Mirai addressed her waiting woman. "Besides, I told you I wanted to follow that rabbit faunus. Ren, can you see him?"

She turned her eyes to her male companion. He nodded.

"He's seated at the round table ," he pointed it out where the rabbit faunus was sitting with other people.

It was about the same time that a waitress appeared.

"Would you like to be seated?" the woman asked. Mirai gave Ren a knowing stare. Ren took out a stack of lien chips.

"Yes," Ren said. "Please have us seated as closely as possible to that table over there."

He pointed to where Rider and his group were. Honne crossed her arms.

"And please make the table, well, more suitable for your young guest," Honne added. The waitress, flustered, nodded in shock and rushed away. Within a few minutes a couple of waiters had laid down a fine cloth over the selected table along with a candelabra and a vase of primroses. Ren pulled out the seat for Mirai and she laid a napkin down her lap. The two sat down next to her.

"Now we wait," Mirai said. "And now we eat. Ren, order the biggest steak for me, please. Well done. Oh, and ask if they have any sweets. Macaroons, as much as possible."

She stole glances here and there at the white rabbit, but her intentions remained unknown.

David followed Rider to the table. "So Rider, pardon me for asking., but that chair looks like a technological marvel. Where did you get such a beautiful piece." He said while waiting for the food to arrive.

Rider chuckles. "Well I built it myself of course. It's nothing near perfect though. It's not even an automatic wheelchair. Heck, I never got the chance to add a cup holder. Speaking of which, ginger ale would go great with a salisbury. What do you think?"

The visor over Rachel's left eye flared up again, "Scanning....scanning...Identification found: S.N.A.R.C...." Whatever was about to be said off as Rachel, for the first time, let out something akin to a giggle and a snort.

"Of course." He said with a warm smile. "From the look of it, your chair looks extremely advance. Adding a motor to it would be quite simple. Maybe sometime we can compare notes."

"Well I would certainly like that. Maybe we can meet for some tea and-" Rider was cut off as Rachel made her statement. Rider glanced at her and casually smiled. "You're fairly knowledgeable aren't you? That is correct, I named this chair the SNARC model Epsilon 6.66.... do you find something funny?"

As Bianca sat at the table with the others, she noticed when the three finely dressed individuals entered the establishment. It was incredibly out of place, and she couldn't help but wonder what they were doing here. 'Eh, it's none of my business, so who cares?' she thought as she sat down just to the left of Rider. Upon hearing Rider say that he built his wheelchair made Bianca raise an eyebrow in curiosity, but she didn't really comment about it. In fact, she was unusually quiet for her normal demeanor, especially after seeing the well-off individuals enter the place soon after them.

It wasn't surprising that Mirai's order had been prioritized and that her steak was in front of her within minutes. Ren ate just as heartily as his lady and Honne actually admitted to liking it.

"See, Honne?" Ren said as he pointed his fork in her direction. "Sometimes the more common folk bring in the better things. All are natural and made with gusto!"

Honne rolled her eyes and eyed Mirai's plate which had been scraped clean. "I'm glad to see you're enjoying, Lady Mirai."

Mirai, for a little girl and for a lady, ate surprisingly fast. The large thick steak had been finished within minutes, Mirai's small silver knife and fork fast at work and her separate swallows unidentifiable. Mirai dabbed her silk napkin on her mouth and then let out a satisfied smile.

"I knew I picked the right place," Mirai said.

"Of course you do, Lady Mirai," Ren agreed. "Now, you would you like dessert? They have no macaroons, but they have something called Famous Banana Cream Pie. How does that sound?"

Mirai only heard half of what Ren said and nodded absently.

"Ren, please escort me over to that table," Mirai said. "And interrupt the faunus rabbit for me."

Ren looked surprised but he stood up and helped Mirai up as well.

"Very well. Honne, watch the table."

Honne rolled her eyes. With that, Mirai walked with Ren by her side to the table where some lively chatter had already started. Ren cleared his throat to get their attention.

"Excuse me, good sir," he said.

"Snarc...." Rachel said, a tinge of red on her cheeks. It was rather cute actually, "Its funny...."

David chuckled. "I see what you did there. Well played." He said giving her a clap. David watched Rachel for a bit before quickly turning his head.

Rider chuckled at that. "Well I suppose it is. It actually stands for--" That was around when a young lady and a large oriental man walked up and called out to Rider. His ears perking in interest, he wheeled backwards away from the table and turned around to face them. The girls was roughly eye level to Rider while he was sitting down which he literally always was. Rider gave her a charming smile and replied, "Well hello there. How may I help you?"

Mirai tugged on Ren's sleeve. Ren leaned down as Mirai whispered something. He stood straight again as he turned back to Rider, Mirai silently looking at the rabbit faunus herself with determination.

"Uh, good day, gentlemen and ladies," Ren said giving a small bow. "We're very sorry to disrupt your meal, but my lady has an odd request for you, young sir."

He had been addressing Rider at the last statement. Mirai tugged on Ren's sleeve again and whispered. Ren nodded and then continued speaking.

"This will be strange, but please do understand my mistress has her reasons," Ren said. "Dear sir, would it be alright if my mistress touched your rabbit ears?"

"... Eh?" Rider asked with a rather befuddled look on his face. The request was definitely odd though not new. Plenty of people have wanted to tug at his ears before for their varying reasons. It usually came from people he had at least known for a few days already at the least though so coming from a complete stranger left Rider a bit baffled. He looked at the large man and was about to deny the request when his eyes glanced at the girl. She had a strangely serious look in her eyes though that was not what caught Rider's attention. Rider was silent for a moment then he smiled warmly at the girl and replied, "I'd be happy to."

Mirai's eyes widened for a bit, as if she couldn't believe her request had been granted, but she nodded solemnly. She took off the thin white laced gloves she was wearing and handed it over to Ren. Gingerly, she stepped closer, the thick skirt of her dress lightly bumping the table. She reached out one small white hand over to Rider's left ear. She lightly touched it, her soft fingers stroking it. Mirai's eyes turned even wider and there something like a sparkle in it. Her cheeks turned light pink as she continued stroking it.

"So soft..." Mirai said. She tugged on Ren strongly. "Ren! I was right! They are soft! They're softer than anything I've ever felt."

She took her other hand and did the same with Rider's other ear, her face now lit up with a smile. She sighed in happiness.

"This is why I love rabbit faunus so much!" Mirai said ecstatically. "Gentle creatures with soft ears, I just want to cuddle them so so much. It's a pity my father never-"

She stopped herself short and realized she was making quite a scene. She slowly let go and stood straightly. Her blush left her and so did her smile. Her eyes became serious again, but she couldn't hide the sparkle in her eyes. Taking out a small fan, she covered the lower part of her face.

"Thank you," Mirai said. "As a reward, I shall pay for your meal. Now, Ren, we should get going after dessert. I want to find Beacon Academy as soon as possible."

Rider chuckled lightly seeing the girl get so excited. "Oh come now, you don't need to leave just yet. We have an extra chair here. Would you be so kind as to sit with us? I'll even pay for whatever you order. You ate just now correct? How about some desert? I saw this lovely looking chocolate cheesecake on the desert menu." Rider pulls out an over sized pocket watch and looks down at it. "Feel free to join me anytime."

Without waiting for a reply, Rider spins his wheelchair around and rolls back to the table, the large pocket watch dangling from his fist, as if inviting the girl to follow the white rabbit.

David looked back over at Rachel. "Pardon me for asking but what is that screen that came down over your eye?" He asked looking at her visor.

Rachel glanced at the visor, "A heads up display." She answered plainly.

Mirai was startled by the sudden request, but she kept her composure and smiled regally.

"Such a gentleman," Mirai said. "Ren, you and Honne may eat without me. I think I should get acquainted with our friend."

Ren bowed.

"As you wish, milady," Ren said as he hesitantly left. Before he did, he seated Mirai down, her hair tumbling downwards behind her. Ren turned to his guests. "Do treat milady with utmost care."

With that, he moved over to Honne, who looked quizzical. Mirai looked at everyone.

"I do hope I'm not disturbing anything more," Mirai said as she eyed the other guests at the table. "Without further ado, let me introduce myself. My name's Mirabella Cinq, though I prefer to go by Mirai. May I know who I'm honored to be with today?"

"Ah, I'm Bianca Criniera. Please, forgive me if I'm not clothed properly for the situation." she said, noticing she was still in her pajamas. "But I didn't bring anything with me, I decided to have it all shipped to Beacon and then make my way there on foot." She reached her hand out, offering to shake the girl's hand.

"Well then, it is a pleasure to meet you milday," Rider greeted with a smile and a courteous bow of his head, "My name is Rider Inaba Blanc. You may call me Rider or Blanc to your preference."

The waitress soon came and asked if everyone was ready to order.

"I would like the salisbury steak with a side of mashed potatoes and steamed carrots. I'd like that with a glass of veggie juice."

As the waitress writes the order down and waits for the others to order, Rider continued speaking to Mirai.

"So tell me, what is your business here in Vale if I may ask?"

Mirai was a bit perplexed with the offer for a handshake. Handshakes weren't really something nobles did, but Mirai reached out with her gloved hand and shook it.

"Pleasure to meet you, Bianca," Mirai said, though not really warmly.

She turned to Rider who spoke second and nodded.

"Rider will do," she said. "It reminds me of the word knight, though I can't recall what language. Business? If you must know, I'm headed to Beacon Academy. Tomorrow's the first day, and I've decided to stroll town before classes begin."

She spoke with reservation and it was hardly amiable in tone, but she looked at the guests again, sitting as straightly and as poised as she had been taught to. Her green eyes stared, waiting for the answers to her next question.

"May I know all of your reasons for being here as well?"

***

From the distance, Honne was groaning as she ate the pie that had been pre-ordered.

"Imagine if Lady Enma could see her now..." Honne said. "Talking with such...commoners."

"You're too strict," Ren said with a carefree chuckle. "Let her have fun. She'll need the friends, you know."

"I was startled by her request," Honne said.

"Were you? I thought it was natural. Though Lady Mirai's stiff, she's had a soft spot for things: cute things and sweet things."

Rachel gave the motion of a shrug. Which, in turn, made her powered armor rattle and the firearms to clank.

"I do not know. I am drifting." She said.