Notification

[utopiamods]

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."

Comments

[trollofthree]

"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."

[idkmybffxiao]

"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?"

[trollofthree]

"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.

[themerryway]

"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.

[idkmybffxiao]

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?"

[trollofthree]

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.

[themerryway]

"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."

[idkmybffxiao]

"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.

[trollofthree]

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?"

[themerryway]

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!"