rakuen | Notification

Entry tags:

Notification

On the second evening of Round -2, the following notice is broadcast on the Utopia online network, and also displayed on the video screens in the lobby with an accompanying voiceover.

"Please be aware that the following facilities are off-limits to Weapons without the permission of their owners, or unless required for classroom use: The library, computer labs, swimming pool, gymnasium, and boathouse. Repeat: Be aware that the following facilities are off-limits to Weapons without the permission of their owners, or unless required for classroom use: The library, computer labs, swimming pool, gymnasium, and boathouse. A written permission slip is acceptable.

"Tonight's after-dinner dessert will be chocolate fudge cake. Please note that Weapons may only have dessert with the permission of their owners."

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She hears Mei's cry of despair and sighs through her nose and approaches. A bit unsure, she asks: "Is chocolate cake your favorite, too?"

Despaaaiiir, clouds of it, looming overhead, everywhere.

Alright, not seriously, but Mei felt like they were. She was snapped out of it by the question. "Huh?" The tiny girl turned and looked up at Euphemia. "Not really, but it's cake! They're just being mean!"

"You only have to get your Player's permission," Gino pointed out unhelpfully. It was easy for him, being a Player, and his smugness showed it. Although he was talking directly to Mei, he kept an eye on Euphemia. He knew who she was, and that there was no way she should be here, walking around with the same gentle expressions she had in court functions. Not after everything he'd heard about her and what she'd done. He'd let her make the first move, though. Being friendly until then wasn't exactly a problem. "Is that really so difficult?"

"Yes, it--" Euphemia is cut off by Gino's interruption, and her eyes go wide when she sees him. Familiar face! "Ah! You... umm, Gino Weinberg?" She smiles small and unsure. "It's been a while."

"But I don't have a Player yet. They're being unfair! There are only four or five of them and lots of Weapons!" Understandably, Mei sounded outraged by this. Her outrage wasn't very intimidating, though. It was more like a really mad kitten. "They should have put up pictures of what they looked like if they expected us to find--"

Wait.

Gino Weinberg?

"Aah!" Mei pointed. POINTED. At Gino! "You!" She looked at Euphemia again. "He's a player!"

He grinned again, wider, like a satisfied housecat. "I am! Guess that means I have cake privileges, doesn't it?" He thought about just offering to make the vow - hey, joining someone because you wanted cake made about as much sense as any other reason - but something held him back. He wanted to see if she'd think of it herself, and if she'd ask. To add to Mei's possible frustration, he nodded at Euphie. A bow would have been more appropriate, but calling attention to royalty in a strange place was never a good idea.

"Hey. It's been a while."

She's thankful he doesn't bow-- she has always hated people bowing to her-- and nods in his direction as well, smiling gratefully. She looks to Mei and puts her hand to her mouth, thinking a second.

"Umm, Gino and I already know each other, but what's your name? It feels wrong to go on without an introduction... I'm Euphie."

Mei took in a deep breath, but before she could launch any demands on Gino, the lady with the beautiful pink hair chimed in. Oh, if only a distraction hadn't come along. How should would have gushed over Euphie's hair.

Her name? Aaaa, she kept getting ahead of herself and not giving her name right away. "I'm Mei! It's very nice to meet you both."

Introduction over, she rounded on Gino again. More pointing has been engaged. This time with demands. "Mister Weinberg! I'm going to be your Weapon!" No, he does not get a choice.

He couldn't help the laugh that slipped out. He'd been hoping for a reaction, but she'd definitely outdone his expectations. The laugh faded away and left behind a faint, friendly smile, and he dropped to one knee so she wouldn't have to point.

"Right, right," he thought briefly about how the vow went, and used the time to grin at Euphie. It wasn't exactly as formal as their last meeting. "How's this? Ms. Mei, I'll protect you and let you eat as much cake as you want." He held out one hand, palm up, for her to take.

"It's good to meet you too, Mei."

Euphie smiles and laughs a bit at their antics; the girl had energy and she appreciated it. She wonders upon her own situation. She has no Player, and as such has no way of doing much of anything-- be it cake, reading or returning the memories she'd lost to her mind. Euphemia had noticed a few things out of sync-- she can't remember her mother's face for example-- and hates that. So perhaps...

She stays quiet for now.

That went just as planned! Mei beams at Gino, triumphant. Before she reached for his hand, however, she made something clear. "It isn't just about cake! ...as much as I like it. There are bigger things at stake here!"

Bigger things at stake than cake, everyone. So much bigger.

After saying that, Mei took his hand. Now it was time for a serious face to replace that big smile of hers. "And I'll help you for as long as I am your Weapon and as long as your intentions are never cruel!"

Vows need to go both ways, right? She didn't care if that wasn't in the rulebook.

"Oh? Bigger than cake?" Humouring her was easy, almost like teasing Anya was. He tilted his head, then, on a mischievous impulse, lifted her hand to kiss her knuckles in the time-honoured tradition. His expression when he let go of her hand was harmless, if a little overly amused. "Count me in."

"Of course!" Mei had people to get back to. People to save, or at least make sure they had survived. Though then that oh so knightly kiss to her hand has to go and shatter her serious business expression.

If there were an expression akin to keyboard smashing, that would have taken it's place. Mei will just have to settle for blushing and stifling a giggle with her other hand instead.

"...um." What were they talking about again? Oh right! "Good! Who do we fight first?" The tiny girl paused and looked skyward, thinking. She might be getting ahead of herself there. "After dinner," she amended, "Who do we fight first after dinner?"

"Don't know yet!" He thought about it. He could try to win Kevin back, but he wasn't sure if the younger boy was still talking to him after the defeat. Better to leave him for a day or so. That left the girl in the wheelchair, his other roommate, and Koharu. "Let's just see who's around."

Again, he looked up at Euphie. She seemed to be waiting for them to finish, so he shuffled around, still on one knee, until he was facing them both equally. "You too?" It was said like a joke, giving her all the room in the world to refuse, but he was intensely aware that she was the closest thing he had to a ruler at the moment. If she'd have him as her protector, he'd accept without hesitation. Hopefully Mei wasn't the jealous type.

"Me? Ah-- well," and she hesitates a moment but then takes a breath, a cleansing sort of thing. Serious, she says: "Yes, if you will have me."

There are things she needs to accomplish here, and without a Player she can't do that. She needs to return all her memories and then go home.

Of course Mei was the jealous type! It's just that Gino wasn't her man. If it had been certain other blondes vowing to strange, beautiful women, then there would have been trouble...

"Of course he will!" She interjected. "Why else would he have asked at all?"

Well, that decided it then.

"In that case... I'll protect you, and - ah," he paused, not particularly wanted to add the vow of ownership. It was inherently wrong for him to say something like that to a princess. Smoothly, he made a decision and continued, "I, Gino, vow myself to you, Euphemia." He bowed his head, then looked back up with a half-smile, "At least until you find your knight."

Until then, it looked like he was the servant of two princesses.

"Ah, well..." Directed at Mei. "It felt like the polite thing to do..."

At Gino's words, Euphemia smiles and holds her hand out to help him to his feet. "Thank you."

"Alright! Now let's go get cake!"

As least important as that really was, it was the first and best step to getting this all off on the right foot. In Mei's mind, anyway. She wasn't shy about grabbing for a hand of both Gino and Euphemia, fully intending to drag them along with her towards the cafeteria with a sudden burst of speed.

He took Euphemia's hand and let her pull him up with nothing more than a brief hesitation. It was probably best to stay close, anyway, and she was definitely one of the nicer members of the Imperial Family.

Up to a certain point, but his memory was cloudy around that.

No sooner had he let go of her hand than Mei had reclaimed it, and apparently they were headed to the cafeteria now. For a tiny girl, she was surprisingly strong. "Oi, are you trying to make me fall over?"

Euphie is startled at first by the sudden drag, but after her eyes go wide they small down as she laughs, following after. "Ah, so much energy! I'm nearly jealous!"

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Notification

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hello ladies may I have the pleasure of joining this thread

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