A/N: Aaaah, my reviewers, you are all so wonderful! I want to thank all of you for your reviews! Now, I'm not so fond of this one, but I was trying to give you a variety instead of so much sugary sweetness (though we all know how much we love it! ) so this one's a bit different. . . Anyway, enjoy!
056. Breakfast
Merle wonders why she seems to be the only one around the palace who ever eats a real breakfast. Every morning its the same. She troups down to the dining hall and selects a wide variety of foods- pancakes, strawberries, apples, fish, bacon, etc. - then she sits down to happily consume her meal and wait for the others to join her.
Van is always the first one in after her, accustomed to rising with the sun. He greets her, but doesn't sit, instead taking a pancake, rolling up a piece of bacon or sausage inside, and immediately heading outside to train with his sword.
An hour or so later, Hitomi appears, dressed in her track outfit. The greeting between her and the catgirl varies depending on their moods. Sometimes its cheerful and simple, sometimes grumpy and leads to an argument. Either way, it ends with Hitomi selecting a fruit of some sort, and taking off for her morning run.
She just can't understand it. Even when they have guests over, like Millerna or Duke Chid, its always the same routine. Merle has tried to tell them that its rude, but if they hear her, neither seems to really care. Her only consolation is at least the visitors will eat a normal breakfast, and don't seem to mind the absence of the king and the seer. Neither Van nor Hitomi reappear until around noon. Merle isn't sure why, since both have apparently been doing different things, but they always return together, hands touching.
Note to Arienhod: Those pictures were wonderful! Yes indeed, they may inspire one of my writings. . .