Shinobu had apparently not noticed Liya at all until Shinobu's hug brought them face-to-face over Yoshi's shoulder. Shinobu stared at her a moment--and Liya stared back--before abruptly standing up and moving Yoshi over absently to get a better look.

"A Palace healer?" she said skeptically, and made a face that seemed to be trying to convey a raised eyebrow, without actually having eyebrows, "Aren't you a little young for that uniform?"

Liya shrank a bit, immediately defensive. "I'm fifteen," she mumbled.

"What?"

"Fifteen," Liya said again, "I'm fifteen."

Shinobu's ears flicked back. "Incredible accent you've got there," she said, and stepped past Yoshi, who looked suddenly embarrassed, "What tick-infested part of Earth are you from, then?"

Liya drew herself up, shoving her hands deeper into the pockets of her jacket, and said, "I'm not from Earth. I'm from Violetta."

"In the Symphony Archipelago?" Shinobu asked, curling her lip somehow, "That Violetta? How unfortunate."

"Shinobu," Yoshi interrupted, quietly but fiercely, "This is Liya. She's my friend."

"A friend??" Shinobu asked him, sounding somewhat taken aback. It was impossible to tell if this disgusted her, or if she was merely surprised by it. "Really, Yoshi??"

"Please be nice," Yoshi told her. Liya hung back against the door, unable to help the uncomfortable flush creeping up in her face--she didn't have much time to meditate on it, though, because the door had slid open behind her and Vlad had reappeared, a mug full of liquid in each hand.

"I'm back!" he said cheerfully.