Drabble Number: 14
Characters: Suki Mai, Haimet
Drabble List Number: 59
Location: Back in Suki's home town in Chiazu.
Time: When Suki and Haimet were still young, about 12.
Special Notes: At a special ball that the merchants were holding.

"I can't believe it." Haimet declared, trying not to laugh. Suki had just arrived in the room and was dressed in, well, a dress.

"I know. It's horribly uncomfortable." Suki said with a little frown, looking at down at the dress her mother had insisted that she wear.

It was the annual formal merchant's ball and since her mother's side of the family have been esteemed members of the guild for generations, it was only simple courtesy and honor that the members invited the Mai family. It helped that Suki's father was the Captain of a very decent vessel and could bring news that would very much give the guild merchants an edge when it came to information. However, it was still a formal ball and every one was expected to come dressed to impress. Suki's mother would not hear of her wearing her fancy dress midshipman's uniform and bought her an outfit that any other girl would have died for.

The dress was a brilliant peacock blue with a scooping neckline and an empire waist. The embroidery was, of course, all peacock feathers in the finest gold thread around the hem of the dress and little collection on the left breast. It was not over the top however, Suki's mother knew that Suki would not even go to the ball if it was over the top. The skirt flared out nicely at the bottom and the dress had nice capped sleeves that would be appropriate for a girl of Suki's age. To top it all off, Suki's mother had made Suki wear her hair in a half ponytail, and stuck a little peacock feather in her hair to match.

"No, seriously. You in a dress?" Haimet tried not to giggle. He actually thought that Suki looked quite nice but as a 12 year old boy he really couldn't tell her so for reasons unknown. So instead, he fought the urge to tease her horribly. That and he was invited by the Mai's out of charity since he was an orphan, so he knew that he had to mind his manners a little bit.

"I know." Suki said a little lamely, touching the dress a little bit, not sure what to do with it, "But really, can you focus on something else? You have to escort me in and there will be a lot of merchants in there that will want to quiz you about everything to do with the navy. You'll have to be on your guard not to let any secrets out Haimet, or you will be in deep trouble with the Captain."

"Oh." Haimet said, taken aback as he obviously had not realized the seriousness of the business that might take place at the ball. He hadn't realized that balls were just more business but under the guise of pleasure.

"So there you go. Focus on that instead of my stupid dress." Suki said, a little ticked. She had initially felt like she was pretty when she put it on but Haimet's reaction had made it clear, she was only meant for the life at sea.