"Then, this way, please," laughed Roa, swishing her skirt the way she meant to lead Setsuko back that path; and she did. The garden closer the villa was not so empty as when she had been there last, but dotted with people and their drinks and people alone and couples playing that they were alone under the boughs. Roa wondered- had they come together, or were people actually hooking up at...

The look she got at Zephyr smooshed up at the bar with some guy she certainly did not know answered that question. Well, at least she wasn't the only one having a good time and Pip certainly wasn't about to be distracted by hair scritches and silly drink orders from her father.

In fact, Pip was really more interested in a bottle of triple sec that just didn't want to open no matter how many times she thumped it on the counter.

Roa dusted off two seats at the bar, offered one to her companion, and gave the stubborn cap a good twist that finally loosened the sugar crystals around the rim. Besides got her a moment to offer Pip a quick recap of events via her fingertips.

"Setsuko, this is Pip. She's the daughter of one of my business associates."

Specifically the one who was making out with someone from a time not his own at the other end of the bar, but moving on.

"Also, my apprentice and tonight's bartender."

Pip grinned. "Nice ta meetcha."