(Joint Post with Gonggong 
)
After walking around for a bit, Sheshebe spotted a black-haired kemonomimi in the corner of the room. “She seems like she wants to talk!” Sheshebe thought to himself, naively. He weaved through the crowd and waddled his way to the table where the kemonomimi sat.
“Hello!” Sheshebe said in strongly accented Frakanic.
The counselor looked up, “Ah, hello to you.” Mrs. Dupont stood up, giving a half-body bow. “I am the Côtoise counselor for the RCEU, Anette Dupont.” They speak with a calm, steady tone. Taking a moment to take a sip from her tea. Looking over the unusual outfit of the man in front of her. It’s of course, not unusual to see such strange clothing in the capital but this seems far more colorful than the Shaluniannes would normally wear.
“Oh! My apologies. I didn’t realize you were a counselor!” Sheshebe does a slight bow to be polite. “I’m Sheshebe, I work with my brother as the two secretaries of Kuduk’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs!” Sheshebe fixes up the folds in his clothing to look more professional, “I’m here on behalf of Counselor Wahan Náasat.”
“No need for apologetics. I hope the flight from Kuduk to C.D. was not too rough for you.” Mrs. Dupont kept the usual tone, “Would you like something to drink? The refreshment table is not too far and the hot chocolate is quite well made.” Dupont was not too sure on drinking habits of Kuduk despite her time in the Council of the Union but, if memory serves her. The gentle folk from Kuduk tend not to drink anything alcoholic but perhaps hot coco would be more of his speed.
Sheshebe thought to himself for a moment, before nodding his head. “Yes, I’d like some hot chocolate! Is it something sweet?” Sheshebe was normally picky when it came to foods and drinks, but the festive mood made him more willing to try something new.
“Indeed it is quite sweet.” The counselor sipped their extremely bitter tasting tea. Guiding the man towards the refreshment table. Placing her cup down, and grabbed a mug from the table. Holding under a large metal cylinder, pushing a single button to release a warm, brown liquid with soft white plush pillow-like objects into it. Offering towards Sheshebe. “Careful, it’s quite hot.”
“Thank you!” Sheshebe took the hot drink into his hands and took a sip. Immediately, Sheshebe felt a burning sensation, but then there was an enticing aftertaste that made Sheshebe go back for more. He burned himself several times, but the sweet aroma and flavor made it worth it.
The counselor watched as the man sipped the hot drink, with complete and utter determination to burn their tongue several times over. “You can try to blow on it, to help make it not as hot.” Mrs. Dupont picked up her tea again, taking another sip from the stimming hot liquid. “How are you enjoying the party?”
“The party is very exciting!” Sheshebe said, while blowing on the hot chocolate, “There’s many new people to meet around here.” A moment passed while Sheshebe drank once again from the drink, “Oh! I forgot to introduce you to my brother!” Sheshebe gestured behind himself and turned around, only to realize Kayaka was not behind him. An expression of worry began to come across his face.
“Your brother?” She thought for a moment, there are Akuanists in Kuduk so they could always be right next to each other as is custom for them. At least how she is reading the expression on the man’s face is correct. “I can have a staff member or one of my assistants bring them here if you require.” Still not sure if he is an Akuanist or it is just because they’re in a completely different country without their brother next to them.
Sheshebe looked back toward Mrs. Dupont. “Yes please, I think that would be for the best. Kayaka doesn’t do well on his own in crowded places, I hope he’s not too uncomfortable right now.” Sheshebe sat down, restlessly looking around for any sign of Kayaka.
”Not well in crowded places huh.” She thought to herself. The odds of the brothers being Akuanists became less likely, though there is still a chance of it. Calling over a Cava staff member, politely asking them to go seek this Kayaka. Dupont turns her head, almost forgetting to actually ask what this man looks like. “Could you describe what Kayaka looks like? It makes it easier to find him.” The Cava looks towards the sitting man, waiting expectantly.
“Um, he looks a little bit like me! His hair is a little darker and longer, and his clothing is a darker pattern too!” Sheshebe continued translating from Kuduk to Frakanic in her head to try and describe Kayaka. “He also has little downward horns, like these!” Sheshebe said while gesturing to the small downward-facing horns on his head.
The assistant gave a half-body bow and turned around to seek out the missing brother. “It won’t be too long, we’re quite adept at finding missing people.” Mrs. Dupont gave a comforting tone. “So you and your brother arrived from Kuduk? Must be quite a cultural shock being here then.” She focused on getting this potential Akuanist to focus on something else.
Sheshebe looked over at Mrs. Dupont, “Yes, it very much is. We got lost on the way here, but Kayaka knows directions really well so we found the right place eventually!” Sheshebe became worried once again after reminding himself of Kayaka. “Do you think he’s lost somehow? Or maybe even hurt?” Sheshebe’s mind ran in circles as he sat motionless in the chair.
“He is neither lost nor hurt, that I am quite certain about. He is undoubtedly here and having a discussion with someone or he is looking for you himself. You got lost on your way? Did you not have a staff member waiting for you at the airport to take you here? They would have held up a sign at the lobby, with your names on it.” Mrs. Dupont had several questions about how one would get lost, but she focused on keeping the stranger in a strange land calm and steady.
“As soon as the plane landed we booked it for the train station. I was excited to see a train for myself, so I dragged Kayaka with me too. He was mumbling something about a show-fer and a sign, but I didn’t really understand what he was talking about.” Sheshebe softly kicked his legs back and forth while waiting for Kayaka to come.
“I get that way about trains as well, I can understand your excitement.” Mrs. Dupont gave a polite laugh. “I think I understand the situation more clearly now. How was your train ride then? It’s quite a big city here, and if you took the train from the airport you must have been riding on the newer ones. They have seat warmers and television screens in front of your seats, right?” She looked for the Cava she sent off to find Kayaka but returned her look towards Sheshebe. Making sure he was not going to panic or freak out.
“The ride was very nice! I wish there was something like that connecting Koyukuk and Naryan, it would make the journey between the two a lot more enjoyable!” Sheshebe seemed to brighten up as he continued talking with Mrs. Dupont.
“I hope so, if you are staying long. You could take the Belt-Train around the Federation, it takes a week but you are able to see every petite-nation capital and city-state of the country. The train itself just recently was updated, like the ones you just rode on.” Mrs. Dupont remembers fondly of her own ride on it. “It’s somewhat of a ritual or pilgrimage for everyone in the Federation to take the Belt-Train at least once in their life.”
“For this visit, the Ministry only let us stay for today and half of tomorrow, but the next time we visit for non-work stuff we’ll make sure to ride the Belt-Train!” After hearing about it, Sheshebe fantasized about getting to ride the Belt-Train.
“Ah, shame but it’s always good to plan ahead and create a schedule for activities. That way you can always have time for fun.” Mrs. Dupout finishes her tea, and gets a refill from the nearby container. “I believe that it your brother now, Mr. Sheshebe.” She gives a warm voice, looking at the Cava walking next to the man who even from this distance could easily be recognized as Sheshebe’s brother from similarities.
“Kayaka!” Sheshebe exclaimed as he jumped out of his seat to give Kayaka a hug. “Are you okay? Were you hurt?”
“I’m fine, I was just sitting in the other corner over there” Kayaka replied in a muffled voice as Sheshebe continued to hug him. As both brothers approached Mrs. Dupont, Sheshebe re-introduced his brother to her. “This is Kayaka! My brother and co-worker.” Sheshebe said. Somehow, Kayaka was even shorter than Sheshebe. Without saying a word, Kayaka gave a slight bow to Mrs. Dupont while looking to the floor with his eyes.
“So you are the wonderful Mr. Kayaka I heard so much about.” She gave a half-body bow, “I am the Côtoise counselor for the RCEU, Anette Dupont.” She repeated herself, “Your brother Sheshebe has been keeping me company.” Mrs. Dupont looked down at the two, partly surprised that people could be that short without being dwarves or gnomes.
“Nice to meet you too.” Kayaka’s voice trailed off as he spoke, his eyes still looking toward the ground. There was a brief moment of awkward silence as Kayaka stood there, seemingly wanting to say something but unable to say it.
“If there is nothing else, I am afraid I must take my leave. I’m required elsewhere.” Mrs. Dupont looked over towards the Ymir councilor from the RCEU. “Please, enjoy yourselves during your stay here. The grilled fish is fantastic, and there is plenty of hot chocolate.”
Sheshebe jumped in the conversation to finish for Kayaka, “Thank you Mrs. Dupont. We hope you have a lovely time here as well!”