The street was bustling. Chaos and noise and light down on the street below the bistro. Masatoshi watched the people pass by below, arms crossed over his chest, right leg crossed over his left knee, the perfect picture of gentlemanly discontent. He bounced his foot, the silver buckle across the vamp of the black leather monks flashed in the sunlight and--
in the corner of his eye, Amata shoved his hand out in front of his face, blocking the rectangle of light that had just been in Amata's eye. Too blue. Not the Yamanashi grey.

"You're doing that on purpose." his once-sibling huffed. His ears tilted back, almost hidden against the mauve of his hair. Loose, feathery. Almost curly and entirely too springy.

"Not at all." Masatoshi leaned back in the chair, and continued bouncing his foot. The light bounced Human style chairs were typically more comfortable, and this bistro was even considerate of ensuring there was a place to put one's tail. Idly, he reached up to adjust his glasses, adjust his own silvery hair around the piercing horns atop his head so the longer, looser bits, fell to the right of his face. Masking the way his lips twitched with delight at his former-sibling's growing annoyance with the reflected light. he checked his watch as he dropped his hand. 3PM.
Late. "Where exactly is your boss?" he pressed.

Amata huffed, and finally scooted his chair back to get the infernal light out of his eyes so he could lower his hand. Lightly clawed.
Amata had... grown lean, since the last time Masatoshi had seen him in this form. Cheeks shallow, neck slender. Shoulders lean, and not at all aided by the silken wrap he wore. His horns were completely hidden under the mess of mauve atop his head, the sweep of the crown lost amid loose whorls and whisps of lavenders. The curls he'd long since trained out of his own hair in their bipedal forms.
Where his own was nominally human, if one disregarded the horns, the fur down his back (not that anyone knew it existed outside of his families both old and new) and tail. Human eyes. Human ears. A supposedly human face of sharp angles. He wore suits where Amata wore shawls and scarfs and blouses that dipped low enough that from the right angle one could see Amata's navel.
Amata... Amata was Heldyr. Animate, animalistic ears where a human's would be--tipped of course in the same white tuft as his true form. Scruffy mauve around soft, effeminate features. Accentuated by the frilly clothing, the tight pants, the hee--

"She'll be here." Amata almost growled the words, a flash of fangs beyond tinted lips. The other commonality between them, their teeth. Too sharp for any species they could attempt to impersonate.
Amata's own tail, longer, thinner, feathers limp in a way that suggested ill health, thumped against the concrete of the balcony. Masatoshi tucked his own around his ankle and resumed bouncing his leg.
And if what he'd heard from Asuka was to be believed... Amata's health had improved recently, compared to the state he'd returned to Messus in.

"She's late." he said, resting his arm on the table. Amata didn't seem to pay him mind, instead turning those blue eyes down to the crowd himself.

———

The two's discussion was interrupted by the smooth, rhythmic tap of heels on the floor before a third figure slid into the unoccupied chair without even the slightest hint of a preamble. "My apologies, boys. Meeting with the board ran long. So you must be dear Toshi? Amata's told me so much about you." syrupy sweet, mirth flashing in golden eyes. "Ah-- right. Please just call me Nahid." she crossed one leg over the other and leaned back in her chair.

She was human. Ish. Two curled horns, much shorter than her ketucari form's, rose over hair the same deep red as her feathers. Her tail curled around the leg of the chair, serpentine and muscular, scales glittering in the light. Her ears, on the other hand, were soft and furred. Her build was almost elfin-- slim but not soft, with a face so angular one could probably use her cheekbones to open cans. But otherwise, human. Not that it mattered much to her. She paid attention to her appearance because it was expected of her, but the exact shape of the form she took was something she cared little about.

"I take it Amata's already told you about me? If so, I'd really prefer not to spend too much time on the introductions." too sharp teeth flashed when she smiled. "After all, we're all busy people and I've already kept you waiting. I want to spend the time getting to know you."

———

"Nahid~" Amata's voice trilled in greeting, and he sat straighter in the corner of Masatoshi's eye, "I take it the board is still stonewalling the funding for my project?"

"...Ms. Nahid." Masatoshi dipped his head in greeting. "Prosecutor Yamanashi, at your service. Thank you for meeting with me, Amata has told me that you're... rather important at Apolloyon Technologies. And has nothing but praise for you, besides."

She was slender. More so even than Amata and Amata was all sharp angles under the layers of frills. Pretty, by the standards of some, but not dolled up.
Clearly, a shrewd business woman. He hummed, leaned back further in his seat. Amata, who's entire demeaner had immediately become sunny and lively the moment Nahid had arrived, flashed a smirk.

"Prosecutor Yamanashi, not to be mistaken for our sister, also Prosecutor Yamanashi. This one bites less." he said, leaning forward, a bony elbow on the glass table, sharp chin resting on a delicate hand. Silver rings glinted in the sun, almost enough to distract from the painted nails. "Please call him Toshi, he hates it."

It took entirely too much willpower to not flash his fangs at Amata. "I don't hate it, I simply do not enjoy the overt familiarity with a stranger."

———

"I've heard of your exploits as a prosecutor." Nahid replied smoothly. "As well as your sister's. You two are quite talented -- and extremely hardworking to reach such heights so quickly. Do give my regards to your mentor? I'd appreciate a chance to meet him, as well." she sipped one of the inevitable glasses of water that just appeared whenever one was at a restaurant."But yes, I am Apollon's chief operating officer. I handle most of the day-to-day affairs at the company." the correction gentle. "It's a pleasure to make your acquaintance."

"Unfortunately, yes." in response to Amata's question. "I'm fully behind you-- I'll bring them around eventually. They're unfortunately not understanding the benefits of your research just now."

———

"I can certainly attempt to convince him to meet with you, though I'll not promise success." Masatoshi waved his hand, dismissing the praise, "I'm certain he will be happy to receive your regards. As for me, it is an honor to meet you. Apollon's technological work intrigues me. So many different branches, and yet you manage them all. Fifteen new patents just this quarter is quite impressive. I'm excited to hear however much you're willing to tell me."

"Well," Amata announced, and stood, flicking his tail. "I'm going to go order our food. You two play nice while I'm gone~!"

Amata. He really hadn't changed a bit since then... Even if he did seem just as tired as Toshi himself. "Well, we'd best not disappoint him."