@hertestrings

If she ever wanted to make a list of places that weren't the worst to clean, the aftermath of the Ethereal Ball would probably make an appearance. It's not like it's a creepy old attack full of cobwebs and horrible bugs. And it's not like it's the chapel of the convent where she grew up where everything has to be put back exactly in the correct place and how is anyone ever supposed to remember all that. It's not like it's stupid, stinky Perne's hideout either where there is also the threat of horrible bugs.

There aren't going to be any bugs here, right? This was a beautiful, magical ballroom just the other night. Bugs don't like beautiful, magical ballrooms do they? Of course not. Tina lifts a hand from the handle of her broom to wave that thought far, far away.

"This isn't so bad, you know!" There's another girl here helping to clean up, too. Tina doesn't know her or recognize her but that doesn't matter. It's pretty boring keeping all of her thoughts inside when there's someone else around who she can subject them to. "Like we can like remember all the fun stuff we did or whatever. You know like right over there is where I um I mean that other girl with different green hair swiped that champagne flute and the whole tower fell down. I can't believe they just left the glass on the floor."

What does bother her is the fact that she's cleaning up for a party she didn't even have a chance to attend. An especially grand party, from the sound of it: the Ethereal Ball. She can imagine it now, handsome lords and beautiful ladies dressed up to the nines, dancing to orchestral music and eating only the finest cuisine that can be offered, laughing and making merry and finding love in places they didn't know to look. And apparently, it was even flower-themed! At the mere picture of it in her mind, she clutches the handle of the broom she's holding so tightly that her knuckles go white. Faye has always been a jealous, bitter girl, and that's certainly no different now. The more reasonable part of her knows that she's never been a partier; she probably wouldn't have enjoyed it, even if Alm were there… And yet, she still finds herself adrift in dreams that she knows will never be. Stupid, frivolous ideas that a grown girl like her has no business having.

She lets out a long-suffering sigh and resumes sweeping. Just focus, don't think about it, just think about getting this done so that you can go back to your room.

But, of course, things are never that easy, are they?

The other student who's accompanied her here, tasked with the same thing, opens her mouth to speak… and keeps speaking! Faye doesn't think she recognizes her, but that's no surprise, given that she's only been at the Academy for a few days now. She briefly pauses her ministrations to stare blankly at the girl. Honestly, she had gotten so absorbed in her own anguish that she had completely forgotten her presence.

We can remember all the fun stuff we did, she says, and Faye bites down on her tongue, hard enough to taste her own blood to keep herself from snapping at her. It's not her fault, she doesn't know, but all her words do is serve to rub salt into the wound.

Tina stops her sweeping and the broom falls from her hands with a clatter. Sure, she doesn't remember this person from the ball but there were a ton of people there! She can't keep track of all of them! Surely it can't be true!

"You for real didn't even get to go and they're still making you clean this up? That's like actual torture." Furious for the newcomer's sake, her hands ball into fists. It's hard to imagine a person so evil and cruel and uncaring who would push this job onto someone who didn't even get to enjoy it.

"I didn't get to go last year. I came back right after it was over and I was so mad so like I totally get it." She picks the dropped broom back up and continues working on the shattered glass as she talks. She doesn't get it. Faye asked to focus on cleaning but Tina is still yapping away. "I'd always wanted to go to a fancy ball like this. To wear a fancy dress and dance with a total hottie...but guess what! Dreams like come true or whatever! I was even asked to dance by the dreamiest guy in the whole school!" Leaning against the handle of her broom, Tina lets out a dreamy sigh.

@hertestrings

If she ever wanted to make a list of places that weren't the worst to clean, the aftermath of the Ethereal Ball would probably make an appearance. It's not like it's a creepy old attack full of cobwebs and horrible bugs. And it's not like it's the chapel of the convent where she grew up where everything has to be put back exactly in the correct place and how is anyone ever supposed to remember all that. It's not like it's stupid, stinky Perne's hideout either where there is also the threat of horrible bugs.

There aren't going to be any bugs here, right? This was a beautiful, magical ballroom just the other night. Bugs don't like beautiful, magical ballrooms do they? Of course not. Tina lifts a hand from the handle of her broom to wave that thought far, far away.

"This isn't so bad, you know!" There's another girl here helping to clean up, too. Tina doesn't know her or recognize her but that doesn't matter. It's pretty boring keeping all of her thoughts inside when there's someone else around who she can subject them to. "Like we can like remember all the fun stuff we did or whatever. You know like right over there is where I um I mean that other girl with different green hair swiped that champagne flute and the whole tower fell down. I can't believe they just left the glass on the floor."

A popular pastime in Garreg Mach is sharing tea and sweets with someone you wish to get closer to. Tables set up a short walk away from the student dormitories, semi-hidden away in picturesque little scenes, it's easy to while away the time with a bit of conversation on the side. However, beware. Just as it's easy to bond with someone, it's just as easy to make things awkward... 

A group of students organize a little blind meet-and-greet, ushering all participants to assigned tables, preparing all the drink and food you might require. The stage is set, so get talking! Send a numbered prompt from the list below to have your muse initiate a conversation with someone. For an extra bit of fun to simulate the game, randomize three numbers to send and bold the one your muse actually chooses. 

A new gambit...‎ ‎ 

A place you'd like to visit...‎ ‎ 

A strong battalion...‎ ‎ 

A word of advice...‎ ‎ 

Children at the market...‎ ‎ 

Close calls...‎ ‎ 

Cooking mishaps...‎ ‎ 

Equipment upkeep...‎ ‎ 

Evaluating allies...‎ ‎ 

Exploring the monastery...‎ ‎ 

Fódlan's future...‎ ‎ 

I'm counting on you...‎ ‎ 

Mighty weapons...‎ ‎ 

Monastery rules...‎ ‎ 

Monastery security...‎ ‎ 

Our first meeting...‎ ‎ 

Overcoming weaknesses...‎ ‎ 

Past laughs...‎ ‎ 

Potential training partners...‎ ‎ 

Reliable allies...‎ ‎ 

School days...‎ ‎ 

Someone you look up to...‎ ‎ 

Sturdy weapons...‎ ‎ 

Tell me about yourself...‎ ‎ 

Thanks for everything...‎ ‎ 

The ideal professor...‎ ‎ 

The last battle...‎ ‎ 

The library's collection...‎ ‎ 

The view from the bridge...‎ ‎ 

Things that bother you...‎ ‎ 

Working hours for guards...‎ ‎ 

Working together...‎ ‎ 

You seem well...‎ ‎ 

You're doing great work...‎ ‎ 

Your ambitions...‎ ‎ 

A dinner invitation...‎ ‎ 

Capable comrades...‎ ‎ 

Favorite sweets...‎ ‎ 

Food in the dining hall...‎ ‎ 

Garden mishaps...‎ ‎ 

Gifts you'd like to receive...‎ ‎ 

Shareable snacks...‎ ‎ 

Perfect recipes...‎ ‎ 

The ideal relationship...‎ ‎ 

Strange fish in the pond...‎ ‎ 

The existence of crests...‎ ‎ 

Cats...‎ ‎ 

Classes you might enjoy...‎ ‎ 

Plans for the future...‎ ‎ 

The opera...‎ ‎ 

Books you've read recently...‎ ‎ 

Cute monks...‎ ‎ 

Dining partners...‎ ‎ 

Fashion...‎ ‎ 

First crushes...‎ ‎ 

Guessing someone's age...‎ ‎ 

Heart-racing memories...‎ ‎ 

Hopes for your future...‎ ‎ 

I heard some gossip...‎ ‎ 

Relaxing at the sauna...‎ ‎ 

The courtyard couple...‎ ‎ 

Things you find romantic...‎ ‎ 

You seem different...‎ ‎ 

Dreamy knights...‎ ‎ 

One, why him? The bard is nobody of particular importance, had hardly done anything more than dance with a few old friends last night. Was it for wealth? He had none. For valuable secrets? He possessed none of those, either, none that anyone would desire, anyway.

Two, what compromising video? As fascinating as that moving picture device was, it had been practically monopolized by the fawning students the entire night. Not wanting to disturb their fun, the only time he had found himself in front of the lens was ... ...

... His gaze, which had been wandering about looking at nothing in particular, settles upon a familiar head of bright green. Ah, speak of the devil.

"Hello again," he greets, smiling politely at the girl. Maybe it's best to ask about his third dilemma first. "By any chance, would you happen to know where I could find the Amiibo Gazebo?"

"And, um, actually..." hesitantly, he offers her the letter, asks as non-accusingly as possible, "did you have something to do with this?"

Not that she's admitting to using her magic to steal a couple of glasses of champagne and in the process toppling the entire champagne tower in a mess of broken glass and bubbling liquid or anything.

Aw man, if somehow Safy saw that, Tina would never ever hear the end of it!

She's completely convinced herself and is totally prepared to go to the Amiibo Gazebo to meet with the blackmailer and figure something out. But, on her way there, she is intercepted by Shigure. She hesitates, too, as she reaches for his letter and is shocked when its handwriting matches her own. Was this not about the champagne?

TUNG TUNG TUNG TUNG TUNG SAHUR

It's a shop. And it's secret. Even just one of those things would be enough to make Tina want to go there but both together!? Now it's more like a need. It's all she's been able to think about since she first learned about it maybe like a half hour ago during class. Maybe it is worth showing up to class sometimes.

She finds the shop as easily as one might find a strange, exclusive store thanks to some helpful classmates but mostly a lot of aimless wandering. But the real challenge is trying to get in. They're requiring some sort of special card to show that members can get in. And there are waaaay too many people around that, even if she did simply unlock the door, she would certainly be caught trying to walk in.

The attendant assures her with a wink that surely there is nothing to worry about. They are issuing new membership cards right now! All she has to do is return with her romantic partner and they'll both receive a card together!

Yeah. Ok. Way easier said than done! Though she might feel a little flattered that this attendant assumes she's the type of cool and cute girl who would already have a partner like that. But she doesn't! At all!

Tina grumbles off, making sure she's far enough away from the secret shop of her dreams before approaching the very first person she sees.

This time, Tina makes sure to look around very carefully to make sure Finn is nowhere in sight. No trace of him. Perfect. Now is her chance. She holds her hand out again toward the champagne flute tower as though there is a staff in it and concentrates as hard as she can. She tries to imagine the same sensations that she feels when using the Thief Staff.

But someone comes up behind her again!

"Ack!" She jumps but relaxes when she realizes it's Leif this time. He's cool, right? Like he's been to jail so he can't have a whole lot to scold her for, right?

"I'll get one for you, too, if you don't tell Finn. I'll even throw in a flower!" ( ethereal ball — second half. )

    “Tina! I didn't know you were back,” Leif had called out to her, only somewhat ignorant to her machinations. It's not as if he didn't see her clearly focusing on something though, hand unnaturally shot out not unlike many thaumaturges in these shores. Even without a staff or a tome clearly visible on her person, Leif is more than well aware that Tina has been a student of the Officers Academy and thus has some experience with Fódlan's weaponless casting. Trained to check his surroundings and make quick calls and inferences, his umber eyes glance in the direction she's pointed before she turns, and sees what's in a straight line from her vantage point:

A pyramid of the famous champagne glasses that always come every Ethereal Moon, tightly guarded by waitstaff in charge of carefully serving from said tower.

Even if he hadn't connected those dots, Tina clearly has little shame in implying her intentions to Leif, practically inviting him to figure things out.

Well now she's gotta do it. Leif is watching and is going to be directly affected by the results. She totally needs him to think she's cool. It's kind of nerve wracking but she can do it.

She holds her hand out again but this time it works! The glass from the very top of the tower disappears and then reappears right there in her hand! Nailed it!

"Yesss! Did you see it! Did you see it! I totally did it!" The glass is offered to Leif with a cocky grin. "Here, you can have the first one.

But she is not yet satisfied. No, there's no way she's going to leave Leif to drink his champagne alone! Hand extends once more and another glass appears. She's definitely gotten the hang of it.

This time, however, the top few tiers of the tower start to wobble. There is the sound of falling glass. The structural integrity of the tower has been compromised and staff guarding it quickly leap into action trying to determine the cause of collapse.

The flower comment gets a narrowing of Tina's eyes. That might be true. She's gotten flowers from other people too and she's given away some of her own. Still though... "Not everyone exchanges headbands! I didn't wear it tonight but I'll show you sometime and you'll see!"

And she is happy! Does Sara not see her beautiful smile? Ug, Sara can be so weird sometimes. She just doesn't get it at all. "I know that his name is Berkut and he likes cool black gloves and he can dance and he has a lance and maybe he doesn't always make the best choices but he comes around."

Her arms cross stubbornly as though bracing for a long fight, unwilling to concede an inch. How absurd to become enamored with a boy because of some trinkets. Tina should hear how ridiculous her argument sounds.

It would be pretty cool that Sara knows Berkut if Sara was even the least bit cool about it. But ug! What does she know!

"Talk to him!!" Tina's voice is not at all discreet as she is completely shocked that Sara would even suggest such a thing. "I can't talk to him! Then he'll know!"

There's a short pause.

The next outburst luckily steers the conversation away from King Travant and back to Berkut, eliciting a heavy sigh equal parts relief and weariness.

"I think you should transfer to Dakia to detox in the woods."

Her frown deepens into a humorless line. She can't make sense of Tina's melodramatic actions or the rationale behind them.

And maybe she kind of likes reuniting with the Dandelions sometimes even if she'll never speak it out loud.

Berkut might not be scary but what Sara suggests sure is.

"NONONONONOYOUCANT!!!!!!!" She grabs Sara's hands as though the other girl might run off right this very second to spill all of her deepest darkest secrets. She can only imagine what Sara might say and none of it is any good at all.

Even more disappointing than the state of the already unlocked lock and the loss of the chance to show off her cool skills is the lack of anything interesting in the room. Or rather, the lack of anything at all. What was the point of this?

Tina pouts and kicks her toe against the floor. "Ew-uh this is so boring-uh! There's gotta be something more exciting we can find."

(A vision pops into her head, of herself swathed in cleric's robes. A young and unassuming girl, carrying a single staff. The things that she could get away with...)

She shakes out her hands, banishing the thought. She's supposed to be giving up all the things her family taught her growing up! But it's...difficult.

"Mages in Fódlan don't use staves or tomes which is totally weird but sometimes it's pretty handy." Like right now! Lugging a bunch of staves around would totally distract from her super cute outfit but holding out her hand and willing a glowing orb of light to form in her palm probably even enhanced the look.

The flower comment gets a narrowing of Tina's eyes. That might be true. She's gotten flowers from other people too and she's given away some of her own. Still though... "Not everyone exchanges headbands! I didn't wear it tonight but I'll show you sometime and you'll see!"

And she is happy! Does Sara not see her beautiful smile? Ug, Sara can be so weird sometimes. She just doesn't get it at all. "I know that his name is Berkut and he likes cool black gloves and he can dance and he has a lance and maybe he doesn't always make the best choices but he comes around."

Her arms cross stubbornly as though bracing for a long fight, unwilling to concede an inch. How absurd to become enamored with a boy because of some trinkets. Tina should hear how ridiculous her argument sounds.

It would be pretty cool that Sara knows Berkut if Sara was even the least bit cool about it. But ug! What does she know!

"Talk to him!!" Tina's voice is not at all discreet as she is completely shocked that Sara would even suggest such a thing. "I can't talk to him! Then he'll know!"

There's a short pause.