#starrook

Alcryst normally does all he can to avoid contact with Marni. That doesn't change tonight. But he still watches from a distance as she picks through a table of sweets, waiting to see if she puts poison in one of them.

Brodia's sniveling wretch of a second prince is watching her. Why? What does he want? What could possibly be his issue with her? Well, his issue with her currently. She's done a lot of things to him and the people around him, but it's not like she's done anything to him recently.

By all accounts, she's been as well behaved as a dead rat.

Is he just going to stand there and watch her pull off the fruit ruining some perfectly good sweet buns until she goes away? Why? It's not like it's against the rules or anything. He's the weird one for staring her down over it. Does he think it's less weird if he does it from a distance? It's not. It's still weird.

She'd at least expected the tired threats of I'll be watching you and don't try anything suspicious, often accompanied by raised hackles and the twist of otherwise fair faces, but he does his best to walk past her with neither word nor glance to acknowledge she's there. Does that make him more mature than his peers, or more cowardly?

Zephia's gaze follows him, narrowed with amusement. "Why, not even a hello? That isn't at all princely of you... but, I suppose it can't be helped. If memory serves, your royal education must have been interrupted by your father's untimely passing. As your humble ally for this event, I'd like to offer my deepest condolences... late as they may be."

Yunaka's head snaps right around. The second her eyes land on the axe - which, side note, she's already mega impressed by the way Alcryst is managing to haul that thing around - she squeals excitedly and rushes over. "It is, it totally is!"

Emblem Ike had never been her assigned Emblem buddy, but she'd always tried to keep an eye out on what the others were fighting with when they Engaged. These were weapons of legends, after all! Seeing the Emblem form was already amazing, even if she could never hold them, but this was the real deal!

Yunaka bounces excitedly on her feet as she circles Alcryst to get a look at the weapon this way and that. "Wow, I can't believe they're just handing out Emblem weapons like that! That's amazing! How does it feel to swing it? Is it heavy? It looks like it's got a good balance to it, is it steel or iron or what, do you think?"

(Alcryst passes on Maria's knowledge of cheesy popcorn to Mauvier, but he also tries to make his own seasoning mix. His popcorn has a bright orange hue, flavored with a mix of paprika, ground mustard, and some melted butter. It brings a bold Brodian flavor to popcorn, sweet and sharp and smoky. "Should I add garlic?")

Mauvier tends to keep his food on the bland side, and whatever flavors he does add are usually somewhere on the spicy spectrum. He's tried to be bolder in all aspects lately, and that may as well extend to what he eats.

"My thanks, Prince Alcryst." Mauvier plucks a single kernel of popcorn from the offered bag, brightly colored like a poisonous frog. It tastes...well, rather wonderful, though his tongue is simply overloaded with sensation. Enough that he struggles not to drool all over himself - how completely mortifying.

It's easier to say this than all of the other steps that came with cutting off Rafal from his life. Alcryst blocked him on all accounts. He moved into the college dorms, where no one could get in without a student to vouch for them. He joined a club on campus, made new friends in the college orchestra. Alcryst wants to be able to say that he has some self-respect, that he isn't the kind of person to willingly allow someone to toy with him and destroy his spirit.

Still. There's a silly part of it that mourns this lost relationship and what could have been. That's why Alcryst downloaded these dating apps, after all.

[ Sent - 8:40PM ] wait [ Sent - 8:40PM ] sorry [ Sent - 8:40PM ] to be clear im single [ Sent - 8:40PM ] we just had a thing and it didn't work out [ Sent - 8:41PM ] im looking for someone who might actually give a shit about me this time lol [ Sent - 8:41PM ] sorry for the trauma dump

It's tricky. The pretty boy on the other side of the screen is essentially a stranger, but Alcryst finds it comforting to know that this is a human who is also looking for some sort of connection. After too many swipes, he's just glad to have finally found a match.

[ Sent - 8:41PM ] how about u? what do u want in a relationship

The moment he saw Alcryst's name on the app it was over. Over for cowardly Alcryst who didn't have the balls to walk away without blocking him, and over for Rafal who couldn't leave him alone. Retribution, he'd call it - revenge for pinning the blame on Rafal who'd been nothing but clear on the terms of their no-strings relationship. He was transparent, he was honest, and he was punished. It was revenge, and nothing so pathetic as wanting to stay in touch, even if it wasn't as himself.

Anyways: getting back into it was easy.

Rafal had been catfishing people under an alias since the dawn of time for no other reason than 'just because'. And because he was damn good at it. He laid belly-down on the bed and texted back, kicking his legs cutely. One come up, one come down, never both in the air at the same time. As crucial and defining as The Phantom donning his mask before the abduction of his beloved, Rafal was getting in-character.

[ SENT: 8:46PM ] omg it's ok! [ SENT: 8:46PM ] i'm sorry for your experience...that guy you were with sounds like a real piece of work! 😡 [ SENT: 8:47PM ] to be real with u i'm looking 4 the same thing [ SENT: 8:47PM ] i've been singing for a few years now because i can't seem to find the rite guy [ SENT: 8:48PM ] **single haha sorry typo

Shit. "Nil" bit on his finger behind the screen, grounding himself in the sensation. Oh, but wasn't a few years too much? Maybe he should backtrack a little. Tinker with the reason so it didn't seem unbelievable. Most people found it suspicious when someone attractive and personable hadn't been in a relationship for a long time. Something about being a red flag. Something about everything having a reason and warranting caution. Or, maybe, he could just. . .

[ SENT: 8:50PM ] it's rlly rough out here on the app 😢 [ SENT: 8:51PM ] too many guys looking 2 hook up [ SENT: 8:51PM ] not many looking 4 love u kno????

Good save. And, next? The finishing move.

[ SENT: 8:52PM ] but u seem like a nice boy alcryst [ SENT: 8:52PM ] ur different [ SENT: 8:52PM ] i'd love to know more abt—

[ azama steps up to the mic ]

Well now, who have we here but young Alcryst!

I'm impressed! By the fact he's managed to further this existence of his! See, I wouldn't have expected it from a guy whose backbone wouldn't even serve to feed a dog.

... Is that what you were expecting me to say?

Actually, that's not giving him enough credit. He has plenty of other perfectly serviceable bones to spare, after all ♡

... I jest! Don't look at me like that!! His reputation may differ greatly depending on which of his peers you ask, but my own experience fighting alongside him has left me with a net mostly-positive impression.

I'd be more confident fighting alongside him if he looked more confident in himself, mind. Perhaps the problem here isn't a spine so much as it might be proper motivation...? I swear I sense some bark in him, I do! I've seen hints of it!

Rooting for you! I'll be sure to invite you to my next wedding!!

Even though only a few hours remain until they are officially enemies, Alcryst still finds himself searching for her. "Oh, Citrinne! Could you help me with this bandana? I have no idea how I should wear it... I was thinking it could push my bangs back, but then everyone would see my forehead..."

The time to compete in these games of...whatever ilk to describe them escapes Citrinne as of now - draws near, though the period is long enough to make some last-second contacts. It is Alcryst that comes to Citrinne first, a detail that does make the royal retainer bear some guilt. His safety is still in her hands, even beyond Elyos, yet the noblewoman cannot recall extensively checking on the prince after the night of the ball.

She has never heard him sound so defeated, so against himself. Citrinne couldn't help but wonder if it had been something she had failed on that night. In the past months, she had focused on bettering herself as a knight and soldier in extensive hopes that doing so will prevent Alcryst from speaking like that again.

Thankfully, Alcryst initiates with a more normal tone today. (Perhaps still nervous, but the usual warm tone nonetheless.) "Help with your bandana? Of course, Alcryst," Citrinne beams, the opportunity to provide fashion advice never being one she'd pass on.

"Let's see...oh," Citrinne reaches out to get a better look at the bandana in question, only to notice its golden glimmer. So it would be that him, her, and Lapis will be on separate teams throughout this month. In fact...the yellow team is the same that Yunaka is on. Hm.

He will be fine. She must believe in him. The same way that he has always believed in her, as she's seen before.

"If you're concerned with your hair, then why not wrap it here?" Citrinne completes her reach to grab the bandana Alcryst holds onto, folding her end over the skin slightly behind his wrist. "That way, it is conspicuous enough for your teammates to see, while avoiding any impracticality from tying it on your head."