Little Tea Party

[Adriana Fortemps]

Galidraan, Imperial Row​

The news that Vaulkhar, one of the sons of the Zambrano family, had turned traitor and joined the Silvers against his father had already caused enough issues for the Inquisitor. Even worse than that was the slew of apprentices that the fething turncoat had left behind, abandoning them in the dust. Or so it would seem...

As always this duty fell to Jorryn to talk to each of them and sort out if Vaulkhar had left any negative impressions on them, Jedi teachings that would grow into problems for the Echani and her department. She had been selected due to her silver tongue and un-intimidating appearance, something that had been of much use to her when it came to matters such as this. Still she needed to take this matter seriously, nobody wanted to have to execute a few promising Sith if it could be avoided.

Perhaps that is why the Inquisitor started with the youngest of them, a small girl named [member="Funami Teriyaki"].

It was the duty of Inquisitors to make sure that they new everything they possibly could about their targets, so perhaps that is why Jorryn decided to lay out a smorgasbord of tasty baked treats and tea. News of this pink sprite having a sweet tooth would be something to be taken advantage of, making life easier for both of them...

And truth be told the Echani loved the things herself as well.

"Please bring the girl straight here when her vessel arrives." A hand straightened out the sleeves on her cardigan, an elegant but somewhat casual garment for this situation. "And make her feel like a princess." Kids like Funami were always easy to negotiate with if given the proper treatment and Jorryn made sure this situation would hopefully make the young girl do answer anything shee would ask.

Crumbs fell off of one of the danishes as she picked it up, her craving for something sweet too strong to wait until her guest arrived. Hopefully the girl would come soon before the Echani ate everything...

 

[Funami Teriyaki]

Nervously biting at the tip of her thumb, the girl furrowed her brow and calmed her increasingly sharp breath. With her pink bangs brushed over her right eye in a fashionable way, two pig-tails dangling at the sides of her head and the best pink dress in her extensive collection adorning her body, she gave the appearance of an oversized doll. From below her skirt ending just above the knees shined two white socks, disappearing in a pair of polished black shoes. All of that a deliberate choice on her part, purposely styling herself as unassuming and harmless as possible.

When word of Vaulkhar’s betrayal reached Funami’s ears, the pink-haired child was devastated, fearing this would be the end. Several hours had gone to waste as she had aimlessly paced back and forth aboard her yacht, strung out, her nerves frayed. While the small child could not care less about her now former master, Funami very much cared about her future among the Sith. The Sith Empire had given her power, influence, education, experience. The thought of having to abandon it all because the Emperor’s son had joined the Jedi tormented the young Sithling to no end. While quite obvious what the almighty Empire did to traitors, the pink-haired acolyte had zero idea if one’s betrayal meant a death sentence for relatives and students as well.

Summoned by the powers that be, Funami Teriyaki was about to receive her answer. Ostensible calm reigned over her features and act as she skipped out of her ship. Everyone had been kind, smiling, even gently taking Funami's soft little hand, going against every single rumor she had heard about the inquisitors. Nevertheless, the child's nervous tension had taken its toll, and by the time they had arrived at the last door standing between her and the investigator, the Sithling was already on edge, about to snap any moment and flanked by a pair of guards. This was it. Flicking a finger, the child was about to let telekinesis do its thing, then stopped short as she realized prying the door open would make a particularly bad first impression.

How did one actually open doors the normal way?

Turning her puppy-dog eyes toward one of the people who had brought her in, Funami appeared so sad and miserable they opened the door for her and spared the child the embarrassment. Rewarding the uniformed savior with a happy smile, she went forth and let her violet gaze fall upon the white-haired inquisitor - and the table loaded with tasty-looking snacks.

If she played her cards right, she’d walk away an innocent acolyte. And full of food, too.

“Hellooo~” The childish form of Funami Teriyaki appeared in the doorway with a pleasant beam on her face. “May I come in, my lord?”

[member="Jorryn Fordyce"]​

 

[Adriana Fortemps]

"Of course, my dear." The voice came sweet as she could muster through her grin, trying to match the singsong tone that the girl had come with. "Please come in and take a seat, I've prepared some food for us to enjoy."

The Inquisitor had observed [member="Funami Teriyaki"]'s file beforehand of course, but it didn't prepare her for just how... PINK the child was. Perhaps Jorryn should have been lest taken off guard considering her sojourns to Zeltros and her own unique locks, but it was definitely an interesting look. The Echani's hair was still nicer though.

"Feel free to grab anything you fancy, darling." Her hand waved daintily above the assortment of danishes, pies, croissants, and eclairs. The Inquisitor had a bit of a sweet tooth that she could never really act on herself, so ordering in this much to butter up a child was a good excuse for her to eat herself. "I can assure you that this is all from the finest bakeries' the Empire has to offer." The tone pouring from her black lips still uncharacteristically floaty and sweet as she went into a whisper. "Half the fun about being an Inquisitor is knowing stuff like that."

She gave a knowing wink to the pink child, kids were always excited to be privy to adults information. Even if it was untrue or worthless, they usually liked the attention at the very least.

The Echani waited until the child had some time to choose her treat of choice and enjoy it somewhat, only after Funami had grabbed something would the Knight pick up a cherry danish of her own and address the young girl.

"So how have you been?"

 

[Funami Teriyaki]

Thus far everything had been far more pleasant than anticipated. No blood splattered across the walls, no torture racks adorning every corner, no throes of the tortured, no moldy dungeons. Perhaps these things came later, reserved for the uncooperative fools who rejected the blatant attempt at bribery. Visually feasting on what seemed like mountains of delicacies begging for a brave Sith to conquer them all, the pink-haired child thought to hear her stomach beg her to accept the bribe. A good little Sithling, Funami listened to her instinct. If for no other reason than to get her mind off the unpleasant matter at hand, she would eat until her bottomless stomach could take no more.

“Thank you. It is most unfortunate your unorthodox interrogation methods leave me no choice but to reveal everything, Inquisitor.” Funami declared with a roguish grin on her lips and responded to the Echani’s conspiratorial wink with her own. Folding her hands behind her back and straightening her posture, the child pranced into the room and perched herself upon the seat and a grunt. Vertically indisposed, she appreciated the soft pillows that attempted to disguise her short height, even if the white-haired lady’s stature still dwarfed hers. Nevertheless, the scene hardly resembled one of a stereotypical interrogation. In fact, it looked like a tea party of two friends.

Funami’s perfectly groomed eyebrow curled as she continued to eye the presented pastries. Fraught with indecision, she did not know where to reach first with her little grabby hands. “I know this information is top secret and the fate of the Empire depends upon it,” she started and leaned closer to the Inquisitor, eyes narrowed into tight slits. “But there is a certain Sith acolyte who would appreciate a list of the Empire’s finest bakeries. Fufufu~”

Giggling at her own little joke, she finally sighted her target. Without making a single physical motion, the child willed one éclair to lift off the plate and move toward her. Smiling at the sweet treat hovering before her face, the child leaned forward with deliberate laziness and took a bite. Mouth full of cream and dough, she chewed, watching the Inquisitor with mild amusement written all over her expression. Only after swallowing the bite and licking her lips free of crumbs did Funami speak again, back straight, hands formally folded in her lap.

“I have been busy. As you undoubtedly know, esteemed Inquisitor, serving the Empire requires sacrifices,” the child said with an uncharacteristic maturity in her voice and furrowed her brow. “I have skipped school and sacrificed my own free time to push the Empire’s interests forward and serve it the best I could. I have conquered Mandalore, slain Jedi masters, crushed several rebellions.” Funami boasted, exaggerating the odd detail here and there to paint herself in the best light possible, remove any trace of doubt concerning her loyalty. The small, pink-haired ball of cuteness did not outright lie though. She had been one busy acolyte.

Another bite and the maturity marking her features had vanished as the girl's chubby cheeks chewed vigorously.

[member="Jorryn Fordyce"]​