Fashionably Late (Zach, open)

[Zacharie Babineaux]

When he arrived the palace was in a tizzy and it wasn't over him. Though he'd purposely arrived late to make as good an appearance as he could, it seemed as if someone or something had outshone him--and destroyed the gardens as well, if the state of things were any indication. Zacharie allowed himself the slightest frown and nabbed a glass of wine from passing waitstaff.

Glancing around the ballroom, he had to give a nod towards the decorations. Whatever designer they'd hired did have a good eye, he'd give them that. After a few weeks in Japan he'd begun to fear that he'd arrive to find pink glitter and stuffed cats with oddly-shaped eyes everywhere.

Sipping at his glass and keeping an eye on the security detail currently surrounding the doors into the garden, Zacharie began to make his way around the room to greet those important enough to warrant it. Walk the walk, talk the talk.. it was exhausting, but it was his game and his life. He smiled at one of the duchess's and flirted with her daughter, despite the girl being far too young for him. It was all a part of the dance.

He wondered, though, if he'd see his new roomate here. The two hadn't yet moved into the apartment, but he had a feeling that Chiba would still be on the invite thread. Zacharie hadn't told Mamoru that he had an invitation, and the man had never asked about his job or position in society... that had continued to strike him as odd over the past few days... and there's no time to think about it now, zacharie, pull yourself together.

[Mizuno Ami]

Ami had dropped her transformation once it was no longer necessary that she worry about controlling water. She smoothed her dress and her hair and then stepped back into the ball room with the others, trying to ignore the bit of jealousy that stirred inside of her. She was happy for Makoto, and she understood Rei's response, but part of her was jealous.

Ami was not really a drinker, but she decided that she wanted at least a glass of wine or champagne. A few sips would not do any harm, and depending on what guest she wound up talking to, a few sips might even be helpful! Decided, she slipped away from the others and moved over to the bar to procure a glass. She was aware that she had not eaten much, so she'd just sip slowly.

As she was heading over to the bar, she blinked, stopping for a moment to decide if she'd seen who she thought she had. All sense of jealousy fled, and she found herself moving quickly to the bar, deciding that she needed something heavier than a simple wine. "Chocolate Martini, please." She did not often indulge in such a drink, but she decided that tonight she would need it.

[Zacharie Babineaux]

After a quick dance with the young duchess, who was an adorable little girl and quite the fan much to his embarrassment, Zacharie politely excused himself and decided that he needed another drink--he'd lost his original glass in order to dance. There was a buffet as well, he noticed, and he considered taking a closer look of it after he went to the bar to find himself something a little stronger. Getting drunk was out of the question, but in a crowd like this you sometimes needed a little detatchment.

It was then that he saw her...

Zacharie paused a little further down the bar than she was standing, and quickly glanced her over. His mind snickered at the cliche, but she was angel pure and simple. At least, as close to an angel as so nonreligious a man as himself would ever get. For all that there were other women in the room (a great deal of whom it wouldn't hurt his career to flirt with, at least a little) there was something... about this one. Zacharie caught the bartenders eye and gave him a nod. "apple martini, dry."

As the man moved to make both their drinks, he let his eyes roam back to the woman and gave her a soft smile. "Beautiful it is dancing room." Zacharie lifted his fingers in a faint motion to indicate the ballroom, "Different expected than it is. Beautiful it is not by you."

[Mizuno Ami]

Ami felt her heart racing, and the sight of that smile made her want to cry and to laugh at the same time. That was the smile she remembered, not the pained smile that his other half had forced the night before. She felt like her brain was itching again, though much more than it had with Bernhardt-san, though there was no question as to why he made her feel like that.

She smiled a bit at his compliment, blushing even as she made out his awkward Japanese. She had to admit that she was relieved when the tender came back with their drinks and it was everything she could do not to cover what little cleavage showed in her dress with her hand. The glass at least kept her from running her fingers through that familiar - though shorter... - hair.

"Th... thank you." She blushed deeper realizing that she was stammering. "I uh... trust you're having a good time?"

[Zacharie Babineaux]

"Now," he replied, the smile stretching a little more broadly across his long face. He nodded to the barkeep in gratitude and lifted his glass to her before taking a sip. It was polite in other countries, at least, and he always figured it was better to be as foreign as he was, than awkwardly trying to fit in.

She seemed a little nervous, he noted, and wondered at that. Was she like this with everyone, or was it the situation... or him? "Arrive I have only just. Something in garden happen did?"

[Mizuno Ami]

She blushed deeper at the one word answer, but she could not help but answer his smile with one of her own. Ami raised her own glass, recognizing the gesture for what it was and seeing no harm in responding to it appropriately. "Kampai."

"In...uh... the garden. There was just a...a small disturbance. It's been handled. Security should allowing people back in the garden shortly." Of course most people would probably avoid the garden after the "earthquake" and decide that the evening was definitely too cold to be outside. Ami actually thought it was quite comfortable and wished that it would snow - that would make the evening perfect.

She took a sip of her drink, hiding a smile as she remembered an outing that they had shared in the snow during another lifetime. "You... um... didn't miss much." Just one of your brothers being made whole.

[Zacharie Babineaux]

Zacharie raised a single brow at the 'slight' disturbance. It didn't look so slight from where he stood, at least it didn't seem that way, but the fact that she was making light of it in so knowledgeable a tone... Wait. Where had he seen this woman before? He was certain he knew her from somewhere...

Determined to keep up his air of nonchalance, Zacharie just chuckled and nodded, "Relief that is, would not I want to miss importance." After taking another sip, Zacharie had to move for someone who wanted ot get to the bar but he glanced at his converastion partner. He didn't want to lose her, yet they had both just gotten their drinks. "Martini Chocolate.. rich very, is yes?"

[Mizuno Ami]

Ami nodded, "Just... the normal kind of posturing that happens at these kinds of..." She gestured with the hand not holding her drink, "events. People wanting to make a good impression on... the Queen and her... um... court." She had managed to avoid any of those until this point, but she had seen the reception line and all the people shaking hands with Makoto as they went through the banquet line earlier.

"It is... I... um... don't usually indulge in something like this... but..." She shrugged a bit self-deprecatingly, "It's New Year's and... and the ball... I just... I decided that tonight I could make an exception."

I sound like an idiot... What is wrong with me?

"Would you prefer to speak in English?" She did not mind his broken Japanese, but wanted him to be comfortable. She did not realize that she was implying that she also wanted to continue to talk to him.

[Zacharie Babineaux]

Zacharie nodded along as he worked through her hesitant sentences in his head. There was still a slight lag time as he translated for himself and he used that time to slowly lure her away from the bar, one step at a time. The last question left him grinning like a fool. Smart, obviously not to into the whole social aspect... she probably worked here, that had to be it. A member of the Queen's cabinet perhaps? He switched, just because it was easier, "If it would not inconvenience you. I'm still.. rather new to the country, I hope you'll forgive me."

The easy smile he favoured her with was a genuine one, something strange for him in this setting, "If you're not used to those, though, I'd be careful. They can have a bit of a kick... I was considering a gander at that buffet line. Would your ladyship care to join me?"

[Mizuno Ami]

Ami smiled at his request for forgiveness and shook her head slightly. "There's nothing to forgive. I really do not mind speaking English." She did not speak it without an accent, but she did speak it well, and found it almost as easy to speak as her own Japanese.

She glanced at her drink at his warning and nodded slightly. She had only taken a few sips, and the few sips of champagne earlier had been worked off by the power she had expanded as Sailor Mercury. However, she did know how much of a light weight that she was, and knew that he was right. She would need to be careful.

"I would... I would like that, yes." She blushed slightly at him calling her 'your ladyship.' "I had meant to sample some of Makoto's offerings earlier but I got distracted."

Taking a deep breath she smiled over to him, a sincere smile despite the butterflies that had taken residence in her stomach and the slight pain she felt in her heart as she tried not to think about his ghostly half, "I'm... um, I'm Ami."

[Zacharie Babineaux]

Makoto? Zacharie let that one ride, since he had no idea if that was a name or--memory skipped up a little and he remembered someone from just a few days earlier. It was probably just coincidence but.. "Makoto? Ah.. wouldn't happen to be a caterer from... oh what was the name of that restaurant." He snapped his fingers idly as he tried to remember.

[Mizuno Ami]

Ami was slightly disappointed that he did not respond to her name by offering his own - even though she full well knew what his name was. There's no reason for him to know that. However, she managed to hide her disappointment by taking a sip of her drink as they moved into the buffet line.

"Chef at Bistro Lumiere." She remembered that Makoto had said that she had met him there the other day when he was with Minako. Her heart sunk into her stomach as she wondered if he was interested in her sister. "She's also the Culinary Director here at the Palace and a good friend of mine." Ami found herself staring at her drink and took another sip from it, feeling absolutely miserable.

[Zacharie Babineaux]

"Ahhh," he nodded and turned a grin on her as he lead her over to the buffet line. "I see, I see." Life's little coincidences were quite useful sometimes.

He handed her a plate politely before taking one for himself. "Ami? I like that. Simple, sweet..." There was a moment's pause before he chuckled at himself, "I'm Zacharie, though.. you can just call me Zach. I'm just surprised at the connection, is all. A friend of mine introduced me to her just the other day. Small world."

[Mizuno Ami]

"Oh." She smiled looking up from her drink, and feeling absolutely ridiculous. She had never been good at this kind of thing, and she knew if the other girls could see her that they would absolutely be ribbing her for her awkwardness. Though it might be the one time that they didn't tease her for liking someone, considering who it was.

"Zacharie." She had to force herself not to add the "san" even though they were speaking in English, it just seemed wrong. She accepted the plate balancing it with the drink. "It's nice to meet you, Zach." She smiled to him, not quite as tremulously as before and then began to pick some of the goodies that Mako-chan had made to put on her plate, not quite filling her plate, but getting a decent selection. After the expenditure of energy earlier, she was rather hungry. "If you've had her food before, you're not going to be surprised by how good it is."

"So what brings you to Japan?" At least she was no longer stuttering. She glanced at the food, wondering how it would interact with the butterflies that were in stomach - even though she knew that was a horribly inaccurate metaphor.

[Zacharie Babineaux]

Zacharie loaded his plate without much mind on limiting himself. He ate like normal person, thank you very much--not peck at his plate like a finicky bird, as did so many of the Hollywood types. He nodded to her statement and laughed, "She is an amazing cook, definitely. I can't believe she manages to hold down two jobs like this.. it's gotta be a hassle."

Keep talking about her friend and she's going to regulate you to the position of one, his inner voice popped up with an annoyed growl. "Ah, the sights, the sounds, the incredibly tiny apartments..."

Zach gave her a wink and then answered more seriously, "Business, actually. I should be here for at least a year, if not more. It's... quite different, I must say." Zacharie let himself meet her eyes and smiled, "Beautiful."