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Orfevre didn't know what to expect when she slid open the door to the International Race Expedition Committee office, but she knew it probably wasn't good or normal in the slightest.
It surprisingly was. Gold Ship, Nakayama Festa, Dream Journey, and Stay Gold were staring at something on the wall above the computer, near the world map. Fenomeno wielded a sasumata backwards like a spear, aimed at whatever they were looking at.
...Maybe it was relatively normal.
Journey, her dear older sister, noticed her arrival. "I recommend staying out of the office for the time being, Oru," she advised.
Stay Gold also looked over her shoulder at her. "There's a big mosquito on the wall, and we've been hunting it for 20, 25 minutes now–"
"Shhh!" Gold Ship shushed the two loudly. "Don't be loud or you'll scare it!"
"I see." Orfevre brushed their antics aside. "Resolve the matter expeditiously."
Journey tilted her head in curiosity. "Is there committee work today?"
Orfevre shook her head. "An... associate... companion... someone akin to that to me, is arriving shortly. I cannot have you foolish knaves—not you, Aneue—causing problems with... this."
Stay Gold, though reluctant to cut their stupid little thing short, decided she might as well shut things down for Orfevre. "Meno. Kill it."
Fenomeno thrust the sasumata at the wall, slamming the mosquito with a thump that sealed its fate. Luckily, no marks were left behind. Stay Gold didn't bother to watch, instead focusing her attention on the other three, who Fenomeno joined after confirming the kill by shaking what was left of the mosquito into the trash bin. "Listen, everyone. Orfe's girlfriend–"
"She is not my girlfriend," Orfevre grumbled through gritted teeth.
"–Orfe's little buddy is coming over, and Miss Tyrant hates seeing people smile, so tone down the silly bullshit, act as formal as she is, be on your best behaviors, just as the king ordered, alright?"
"I never said you had to be just like me. I merely meant I shan't have you people causing your usual elaborate problems..." Orfevre clarified, her frustration palpable. She definitely sounded like Fenomeno right now, which she didn't fully like. "Simply behave yourselves."
"Fine. Do that, then," Stay Gold translated.
The four usual ones would be trouble today, that was a guarantee. But the presence of Fenomeno, the far saner one who openly scorned the idea of associating with them and frequently had to deal with their collective bullshit, was appreciated by Orfevre—a rare gesture.
What Fenomeno was doing here, by the way, made sense in three-and-a-half words: she was off-duty. This means a lot for the uma who is, per her own words, always on duty or on-call; it meant she could "let loose", or at least try to let loose, which, in practice, meant she was the same as always, but wouldn't remind everyone which school policies they were violating or start chasing down and apprehending anyone. This was apparently difficult for her to do around these people in particular.
Nakayama snickered. "Look at Orfy, all grown up, bringing a girl home, showing her to the parents, going upstairs, bed starts hittin' the wall–"
"We are NOT in an intimate relationship!" Orfevre roared as she stomped forward and grabbed Nakayama by the collar. "You will cease your perverse bullshittery–"
"I'm riffing, jackass!" Nakayama laughed at that delivery of "perverse bullshittery", then sobered up when she sensed Journey staring at her with great interest. "Wh-what's the deal with her anyway?"
"She is someone who looks up to me quite greatly." Orfevre released Nakayama and crossed her arms. "So I would like to avoid... I know not how to word this... disappointing her through the actions of you lot. She's quite refined and fairly reserved."
Gold Ship gasped with interest. "I'm great with that exact type of person!" Orfevre slightly grimaced in the knowledge that Gold Ship was referring to McQueen.
Then, three light knocks at the door, which Orfevre stopped and turned to face. "That must be her. Preoccupy yourselves." She approached, calmly composing herself along the way, and gently slid the door open.
Orfevre looked down at the slightly shorter girl with the neatly-trimmed crimson-burgundy-fuschia-wine-reddish-purplish-whatever-you-call-this-color hair standing before her. She was as prim and pretty as Orfevre herself, and her calm expression and refined demeanor was like a breath of fresh air compared to the fucking insane idiots in the room.
"Good afternoon, Lucky Lilac."
Lucky Lilac's well-kept eyelashes fluttered gracefully as she blinked. Straightening her already perfect posture, she looked up at the senior she respected so, and smiled calmly.
(Oi. OI! Do NOT fuck this, Lala! GOD she's bloody cool, her friends are probably ALSO bloody cool, and if she thinks for even a SECOND that I'm some sorta dunce–)
"Please, you can call me 'Lala' if you'd like." Lucky Lilac giggled politely. "So's this the Student Council committee you're part of?"
(NAILED IT! WOOOOOO!)
"Yes, though it's only me and my sister. We facilitate outbound transportation and long-distance stays." Orfevre beckoned Lucky Lilac into the room and turned to face the others. "These–"
Gold Ship was carrying Stay Gold and Journey horizontally under each arm like they were bundles of firewood. Their calm expressions suggested this was fine with them. Fenomeno was next to her, viewing this as some convoluted hostage situation, attempting to coax her into releasing the two. Nakayama watched from the side.
(Oh. Oh 'ell.)
At the sight of Lucky Lilac in the doorway, Gold Ship gasped and suddenly let go of the two she was carrying, allowing them to fall to the floor. "She's got the things I have," she squeaked. She gently felt the weird discs she has on her hat straps, her glittering eyes locked onto Lucky Lilac's own square equivalents that decoratively connected to her ears and the top of her head. "Sh-she's me but burgundy."
"Words can't describe how much I hope you're wrong..." Fenomeno looked at Lucky Lilac with suspicion. Orfevre didn't find herself a second "jester", did she...?
Speaking of Orfevre, she had her eyes closed, trying so hard to not let the rage simmer (it was). Forcing herself to calm down, she turned to face her guest. "Lucky Lilac, you... may be aware that I possess a royal court? This is them."
"Woah, we're just vassals to you?" Nakayama thought about the weird, small entourage of yet-to-debut students who tended to her when they weren't around. The idiot Silver Sonic and the tiny Melody Lane were the most... interesting ones out of all of them, yet Orfevre never minded her vassals' oddities like she minded those of the regulars in the room.
"I never said that. I said you were my royal court, you insolent little f–!" Cutting herself off, Orfevre forced herself to ignore Nakayama's whining and turned to her guest. "I shall introduce you to them now. This is Dream Journey, my dear elder sister and closest assistant."
"Pleased to meet you. I hope you behave yourself around Oru. For your sake." Journey offered her hand to Lucky Lilac, who shook it.
(Her bloody hand's cold. But it's warm out... and what did that last part mean...?)
"Stay Gold, my... advisor, we shall say."
"I don't remember you from the other world. But that's alright." Stay Gold gave her a sly grin as she bowed.
(The fuck does that mean? What other world?)
"Fenomeno, my sergeant-at-arms."
Fenomeno kept her arms crossed. "I'm not part of this, I never was, I never will be–"
(Is that a cop? Why's she look perpetually mad?)
"Gold Ship, my jester."
"She's making up all of them as she goes except mine!" Gold Ship reached out and tightly grabbed Lucky Lilac's hand to shake it. "Great Goal Shee, licensed yakisoba chef and pushback tug enthusiast! Ooh. What moisturizer do you use?"
(Oh, I heard of this one. What's 'er malfunction?)
"And Nakayama Festa... hm. Where would a pathetic gambler belong in the court?"
"Gimme something," Nakayama groaned, upset at taking flak like this again for nothing. "Why not 'treasurer'?"
"...'Page'. No, 'cup-bearer'. Perhaps 'porter' would suffice as well. Or, hmm, 'royal fool'..."
"Tch, whatever, man. This is like, kindergarten playground shit. I don't care." Nakayama cared so hard right now. She reached out to shake Lucky Lilac's hand, discreetly slipping her a one-yen coin in her palm as she did so.
(I've no thoughts on this one.)
Hands successfully shaken, everyone proceeded to do nothing for what might have been the longest ten seconds of Orfevre's life.
"...So what do we do now?" Stay Gold asked.
"What you were doing before that," Orfevre ordered.
Fenomeno gestured to the garbage bin. "The mosquito has been neutralized already."
"Before that..."
"Hm... what were we doing...?" Journey paused in thought. "Oh, right, yes, of course. I maintain that my choice is Rice Shower."
"No way! We've been over this, Rice's too small." Gold Ship mimed her picking up and dangling something like a key ring.
(Don't tell me this's what I think this is.)
"Again, nothing is stopping Taiki from shooting everyone," Fenomeno(!) argued.
(Okay, it's... it's something worse, somehow?)
"Her gun isn't real, and if it was, six shots, no speedloader, stops to reload, fuckin' murked," Nakayama repeated from before. "Especially if, like, Grass is there, 'cause she's gonna hesitate or not want to shoot Grass, but Grass–"
"Oh, so now feelings matter, now that I step away from 'Urara would win because no one would ever hurt her' because 'oh Golshi they're out to kill in this one', suddenly it's viable!" Gold Ship dramatically sighed and rolled her eyes a concerning amount of times.
"You just said Grass!" Fenomeno snapped at her insufferably inconsistent acquaintance (if she would ever willingly call Gold Ship that).
"No, I said Grass would wipe the floor with them, and then by the time it's her and Urara, she's mortally wounded from the fight and keels over. Duh." This is common knowledge, Gold Ship thought.
"Journey could absolutely get at least a few of them with her pen shank." On the topic of inconsistency, Stay Gold had been changing positions on who would win and suggesting seemingly random people, obviously to keep the conversation interesting, but it was getting pretty annoying considering earlier she was fiercely adamant that Gentildonna would win because, quote, "she is the weapon". Which is true, but she wasn't an option here.
"I don't count." Journey calmly shook her head. "My fountain pen isn't some shank or a weapon. It's a writing implement."
"Yeah, it's a pen."
"No, Anego." Journey drew a taupe ballpoint pen from her bag and clicked it. "This is my pen."
The room went silent just long enough for Orfevre to ask the big question: "What are you idiots talking about?"
"Who would win in a fight to the death," Gold Ship answered without skipping a beat. Obviously.
Orfevre expected nothing less. "I presume the criteria is–"
"Weaponry," Fenomeno answered.
"You, of all, are in this too?"
Fenomeno lowered the brim of her cap in mild embarrassment. "...It's an interesting topic."
(Hrmm... Orfe doesn't seem too happy 'bout this talk. But I ain't too freshened up on this either. If I just side with her 'n' shake my head, as cheap as it may be–)
"...Durandal has a sword," Orfevre noted. "I trust she knows how to use it."
(WHAT?! OHHHHH MY GOD. FUCK.)
"I've been telling you guys, y'know, you're sleeping on Durandal," said Gold Ship.
"You never told us anything about that!" Fenomeno barked.
"No, hold on, she did," Stay Gold countered.
At that, Journey raised an eyebrow. "Did she, Anego? I can't remember..."
Stay Gold shook her head. "No, just wanted to start shit."
(Calm down, Lala. Calm down. Shh! They're going offa each other. Stick to it! Just stand by, agree with Orfe, and–)
"What about you, Lala?" Stay Gold asked.
"Yeah, Lala, who do you think wins?" Nakayama grinned in anticipation.
(AAAIIIIIIIEEEE! I DON'T KNOW ANYONE WITH A WEAPON! WHAT DO I EVEN RESPOND WITH?! WHY'RE WEAPONS EVEN ALLOWED HERE ANYWAY?!)
"Ehe..." Lucky Lilac decided to go with the easy way out. "I must apologize. These're not matters I'm entirely familiar with, so... I don't think I can answer."
(Phew.)
"Oh, nice to call our friends 'things'!" Gold Ship cheekily fussed. "Now you gotta tell us who'd win the free-for-all!"
(FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK.)
"Er... if I had to guess... hm..." Lucky Lilac wondered. "I would say Taiki. The one with the handgun?"
"But we just said the gun wasn't real," Nakayama noted.
(SAVE IT LALA. YOU'VE HAFTA SAVE IT.)
"Again, I'm unfamiliar with many of them, but—is it not possible that their own weapons are not also inert?" Meshing some tidbits of knowledge together, Lucky Lilac raised a point. "Rice's dagger, for instance. Are ya sure it's not dull?"
Journey was intrigued. "What is that supposed to imply...?"
"Why, that none of their weapons would be as lethal as you think. Taiki may have, say, a pellet gun—but the bladed weapons the others have are not necessarily better. So the answer would be determined by considering strength and strategy, not merely weaponry." Lucky Lilac was absolutely bullshitting right now, but as always, she put on a calm face and spoke with a tone to match. And like always, thankfully, it seemed they couldn't see through it.
"...Wow, Lala." Stay Gold spoke with a tinge of surprise. "That's..."
"...That's such a cheap fucking cop-out, dude!" Nakayama threw her hands up dejectedly.
"That does make little sense," Journey added. "Grass's naginata is real, for instance."
(FUCK.)
"An interesting point, Lala." Weighing in, Orfevre smiled (as much as she felt she was capable of smiling, at least, which wasn't much) at Lucky Lilac. "Entertaining, too."
(YYYYYYYEEEEESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS!)
"Not at all..." Stay Gold said with an audible grin.
"Is it not clear that she doesn't want to answer? Perhaps this conversation is best left for another day..." Fenomeno spoke in her "I'm not suggesting" tone.
Sighing, Nakayama leaned back in her chair, already bored. "Then what the fuck do we do no–"
"Cards?" Gold Ship suggested.
Nakayama was already shuffling the deck.
And that's how the room shifted to them at the table, cards in hand, playing poker. Texas hold 'em. Stay Gold was the dealer. Chopin's Nocturne, Op. 9, No. 2, one of the most unintentionally menacing compositions of all time, was playing faintly on a small radio in the room that was tuned to a classical station.
(Ah've zero idea how to play poker.)
Great observation, Lala. I don't either.
Presumably, they were on the pre-flop betting part. Am I doing this right? Lucky Lilac wasn't too sure herself.
She looked at her cards. Uh. A king of hearts and five spades.
With no idea what the absolute fuck she was holding or what she was looking at, and everyone having checked before her (there's supposed to be an order, apparently, but they skipped that in favor of randomly yelling out their decisions, because of course they would), Lucky Lilac decided she'd raise, and tossed four coins into the pot.
"Ooh." Gold Ship flashed a devious smile at her. "Hope you knew before doing that, Lala."
Lucky Lilac's eyes widened a bit. "...What am I s'pposed to know?"
"That the stakes on these are quite high."
Fenomeno looked about as confused as Lucky Lilac was. The stakes here were one-yen coins. Those aren't enough to buy anything.
"Okay." Stay Gold flipped the three community cards.
(Bugger. All o' my money's gone in three... two...)
Eight diamonds, queen of hearts, and two clubs.
Lucky Lilac, who again does not know what she's doing right now, didn't feel too good about this one. "Ah'll fold," she declared. She'd miss that singular yen.
(WHY do I keep saying "ah" instead of "I" sometimes?! Oh hell, do people notice?! Shit! SHIT!)
"You don't need to tell the room you've folded," Journey reminded her with a giggle. "That said, I can't foresee myself getting far with–"
"No one cares, we don't care." Nakayama reached into her pocket without looking and tossed a handful of one-yen coins and a rolled-up blank scrap of paper into the pot. "Raise."
Gold Ship devilishly grinned. She got out a ten-yen coin and slid it to the pot. "Raise even harder."
"Fenomeno!" the two of them shouted.
"I–" Already not so great at cards and mostly running on random chance and luck in these games, Fenomeno quietly placed her cards face-down, folding as well. "I lack the funds on my person to continue!"
"No one cares," Nakayama mouthed.
"I shall forfeit," Orfevre suddenly announced. She placed her cards down and slid her chair back.
Of course, Nakayama knows there's no "forfeit" in poker. "You're not gonna use the right name?"
"I shall forfeit," Orfevre insisted through gritted teeth. She was going to watch these two duel.
Stay Gold flipped over the fourth card. Jack of hearts.
"Raise," Nakayama and Gold Ship said near-simultaneously. Nakayama slid in a five-yen coin, but Gold Ship went for a classic Golshi surprise by placing a Canadian loonie in the pot, giving the image of a loon a gentle pat to make sure it was comfortable there.
Wasting no time, Stay Gold flipped over the fifth card. Ten clubs.
"SHOWDOWN!" the three of them (yes, Stay Gold too) shouted, as if competing to see who could say it first. Gold Ship and Nakayama slammed their decks onto the table.
Nakayama was prideful. She had nine spades and seven diamonds. That secured her a straight, or something.
But when she looked at Gold Ship's cards, she gasped.
Journey and Orfevre looked mildly surprised as well.
Curious, Lucky Lilac leaned in for a closer look.
(What is...?)
Gold Ship had the ad cards. The 55th and 56th "cards" that advertise the playing card company, which you're normally supposed to place aside and ignore because they're not actually part of the deck.
"'Can't remember the rules', Na-ka-ya-ma?" Gold Ship spoke with profound teasing arrogance as she quoted one of the ad cards, her finger tracing the promotional text. "It says you can visit their 'Web-site' for 'rules, tips, and tricks'. And, to buy new decks."
Nakayama looked like she had just been sentenced to death, execution at midnight.
"The presence of an ad card in a hand is a nuke," Stay Gold explained for Lucky Lilac. "Two ad cards is—well, we would know better than anyone. So Gold Ship wins."
Journey, Orfevre, and Stay Gold led a very mild and lukewarm applause, which Lucky Lilac and Fenomeno joined, somehow making it even milder and lukewarmer(?) in the process.
(How much yen's that? Not even enough for a pack o' gum. Knowing 'em so far though, they'll prob'ly find somethin' else to fork out too.)
"Okay!" Victorious, Gold Ship stood up and clapped her hands together with pride. "Now, I can't take the yen because that's gambling. But I can take your virginity."
(I have to get the fuck out of this room. I have to get the fuck out of this room. I have to get the fuck out of this room. I have to get the fuck out of this room. I have to get the fuck out of this room. I have to get the fuck out of this room.)
Fenomeno jolted to her feet, effortlessly sliding the chair she was sitting on away from under her and preparing to take someone's life in turn.
(OH SHIT!)
"No, no, no, you don't get it," Nakayama nonchalantly motioned Fenomeno to sit her ass back down. "Shush, sit down, relax."
Fenomeno did not sit down. "Explain," she demanded in a seething tone. "NOW."
"Ugh. Yeah, so, it's that we're gambling like, the concept of that thing. Like, for example, last time we played this, I won ownership of Golshi's second kidney. And in the same way I wasn't about to cut her open, we're not going to fuck—gonna be honest, she's oomf, that'd be weird as shit—but the ownership, the title, it is there." Nakayama spoke like everyone in the room was familiar with this. Through her horrendous levels of disappointment, Lucky Lilac could just sort of tell that Orfevre was, in fact, familiar with this, and probably did possess similar "ownership" "rights" over something or the other.
(THE FUCK'S THIS?!)
Gold Ship nodded in agreement. "And that means, if Nakayama ever loses it for realsies–"
"Which she won't," Stay Gold called out.
"–Which she won't," Gold Ship continued, "And my possession is still valid at that moment, I can sue her in small claims court!"
Fenomeno furrowed her brow. "When did you ever agree to such terms?"
"Before the game."
"When?! I was never told of this wager–"
"High rollers only."
Ugh. Fenomeno grimaced scornfully. "You are all a terrible people..."
"Well, according to you, gambling 'isn't allowed on school grounds', so reap what you sow, homeboy." Nakayama crossed her arms with a smug look on her face; smugger than her usual expressions, which was once thought to be impossible.
Idiot, Fenomeno thought as she reluctantly sat back down. "Do you think I make the rules and policies of the Academy...?"
(T'be honest, I was convinced she did.)
Stay Gold tossed her cards on the table. "This got pretty gay. You guys want to do something else completely?"
Nakayama crossed her arms as she leaned back. "Well, we gotta do Omaha, Razz, stud high, and eight-or-better."
"Do we?" Stay Gold asked.
Nakayama stopped to think about that. This took a full minute for whatever reason, during which no one said anything, and Lucky Lilac worryingly did not think anything at all.
"...Good question, man. I'll have to get back to you on that."
(...Hm. Oh, now I can think. Wait, why's that? What're we doing again...?)
"Ochazuke?" Journey immediately suggested.
"Hm. I dunno." Stay Gold glanced across the table. "Ochazuke?"
"I guess," Gold Ship responded.
"Whatever," Nakayama reacted.
"Better than what that was," Fenomeno replied.
"We shall," Orfevre insisted in a firm tone, firmer than she usually is. "'Tis good hospitality."
"Yeah." A nod from Stay Gold locked it in. "Lala, ochazuke?"
"What is..." Lucky Lilac was a bit confused by... all of this, in general, but right now just this. "What is ochazuke?"
Orfevre raised an eyebrow at that. "I could have sworn you knew..."
(UH. UH. UHHH. OHHHHH SHIT.)
"...But do not fret. I forbid it. Ochazuke is–" Orfevre turned to look at her sister. "Aneue?"
"Ochazuke is green tea or dashi over rice," Journey explained.
(Ah. Sounds delightful. I would love a cup.)
"Oi. Sounds nice. Ah'd gladly 'ave a cuppa."
Ah, fuck. Slightly caught up in the moment, whatever that moment was supposed to be, Lucky Lilac spoke too casually for her own liking.
(WHY THE FUCK DID I SAY THAT WHAT THE FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK GOD DAMN IT SHIT.)
"Say again?" Orfevre looked at Lucky Lilac. "I was not listening. That was not a question. Repeat it."
Honestly, it kind of seemed as though none of the others were paying any attention to what Lucky Lilac had to say to begin with.
(OH THANK FUCK.)
"I would enjoy a cup of tea," said Lucky Lilac in her usual more dignified voice.
"A cup?" Gold Ship chortled exaggeratedly as she latched onto Lucky Lilac's shoulders. "Oh, you stupid fuckwit–"
"Silence!" Orfevre roared.
Gold Ship grinned smugly at Orfevre, then apologetically at Lucky Lilac as she let go. "Ochazuke is served in a bowl."
"Wait." Passing from behind, Stay Gold gave Gold Ship a pat on the back, then stopped to look at her. "Normal ochazuke?"
Gold Ship looked down at her. Stay Gold looked up at her.
"OH! OH! OH! OH! OH!" Gold Ship began squawking—intentional word choice here—on loop. This was some sort of signal for Stay Gold, Nakayama, Journey, and a mildly reluctant Orfevre to follow her as she rushed out of the room.
"What the fuck are these people doing...?" Fenomeno muttered. Allowing curiosity to kill her cat, she decided she'd clear things up for herself, and tailed them out of the room.
This left Lucky Lilac alone.
(Goodness.)
A short long while later, they returned to the office, where Lucky Lilac had been waiting patiently, on her phone like any self-respecting individual.
"Ah! Orfevre." Lucky Lilac smiled at the sound of the door unlocking and opening. "I see you're back."
(Wait. I was locked inside?!)
But it was not Orfevre who opened the door; rather, it—"WHEYOOOOOO!"—it was Gold Ship, yeah. She didn't have any keys with her.
Orfevre and the others were following behind, though. Nakayama had a tray of seven small bowls, which she set on the table, while Journey carried a steel teapot.
"Ah. You're all back." Lucky Lilac gave them a polite smile. "Did you make somethin'?"
Gold Ship, on the other hand, grinned. "Sure!"
(What does she mean "sure"?)
Gold Ship began placing the bowls on the table, and Lucky Lilac had the chance to peek into one. It seemed each held maybe half a rice spoon's worth of rice and various assorted mix-ins. "This is ochazuke?"
"Half of it, at least," Stay Gold replied. She sat down at her seat, but didn't bring a bowl close to herself. "So, Lala, we do a thing with ours every now and then."
Lucky Lilac was just a bit intrigued. "And what would that be?"
"They're eviler."
(Oh no.)
Nakayama, at this point the organizer of most of their little games, sat down. "Alright. So for our new guest, there's one of these that isn't evil–"
"SHUT THE FUCK UP!" Gold Ship abruptly screamed.
"FUCK OFF!" Nakayama yelled back. Suddenly calm again, she turned to face Lucky Lilac. "She's allowed to cut me off like that for explaining the rules."
Lucky Lilac had zero idea what the fuck was going on. "Why's that?"
"'Cause it's better if you don't know the rules."
(I'm goin' to fuckin' die today.)
"Anyway." Nakayama cleared her throat. "Basically, you need to finish the whole thing–"
"SHUT UP!"
"–And that is regardless of what's in it–"
Gold Ship began blowing raspberries. This had the unintentional effect of making her even easier for Nakayama to ignore.
"–Which is always edible foodstuffs thanks to the Drain Act, so don't worry."
Orfevre, Journey, and Stay Gold had solemn expressions at the mention of the "Drain Act". Fenomeno, who seemed familiar with this whole thing but not whatever the Drain Act was, looked quite concerned, but terrifyingly, not too upset either.
"What is the 'Drain Act'?" Lucky Lilac inquired.
"Context-asker," Gold Ship said in a teasing tone.
(There's somethin' deeply wrong with the people 'ere.)
Nakayama began randomly distributing the bowls around, while Journey followed with the teapot, pouring green tea into each one. "Don't look into the bowl," she warned as she poured tea into Lucky Lilac's bowl. Once the bowls were all set, Stay Gold and Gold Ship quickly shuffled all of them around, just to make them extra random.
Nakayama sat down in her chair. "Alright."
(I shouldn't be present for this.)
"So, basically–"
Everyone except Lucky Lilac immediately downed their bowls, without warning.
(Oh!)
And then all of them began coughing and recoiled back like the room had been hit by a chlorine gas shell.
(OH!)
Apparently, the ochazukes were, in fact, incredibly evil this fine afternoon, because everyone was behaving like theirs was truly the worst still-edible dish ever made.
"Alright." Stay Gold had to get up and walk, and left her bowl on the table. "Alright, I'm—I'm thinkin' I'm killing myself after that."
"What the fuck–" Nakayama coughed fiercely, making her double over. "The fuck was that?!"
"What was in it?" Gold Ship muffled, her voice seemingly calm yet her head face-down on the table from consuming her bowl of, holy shit, reddish-orange ochazuke.
"It was like–" Nakayama coughed again. "There was like, some leafy green that tasted like tobacco or something!"
"That was mine."
"The fuck did you even put in it?!"
"Not tobacco, that's for sure."
"Jesus–"
Journey, meanwhile, appeared to have lost consciousness, possibly by her own choice, and was lying on her back on the floor. On the chair next to her, Orfevre buried her head in her hands, unable to consume the rest of whatever was in her bowl, and thus forfeiting, this time not by choice.
That left Fenomeno, who was noticeably not nearly incapacitated like the rest of them.
"That was disgusting," she grumbled, her face twisted in... well, disgust, what else? "What was that?"
"What–" Stay Gold coughed, but very deliberately. "What did you taste?"
"It tasted like... coffee," Fenomeno grumbled. "The most acidic coffee. Yet it was clear!"
"That was mine," Journey, now awakened from her slumber, said with a smile.
"What even was that?!" Fenomeno hissed. That Journey's response was a weak smile and a shushing motion did not make things better.
"With no—with no apparent reaction other than pure hatred, Fenomeno half-wins," Stay Gold declared.
Fenomeno was absolutely not relishing in her victory. "I feel as though I lost."
"Yeah, we don't care."
"Anyway, that's–" Gold Ship was cut off by her coughing up a lung (not literally, of course, though you never really know with Gold Ship, so the clarification is always helpful). "That's the ochazuke!"
"Fuck yourself!" Nakayama shouted for no reason.
"Lala?" Stay Gold uttered.
Lucky Lilac, who was so awestruck (and internally horrified) by their reactions that she hadn't touched her bowl at all, froze at the mention of her name.
"Wait, wait, wait. You didn't have any." Stay Gold pointed at Lucky Lilac. "Lala didn't—you didn't have any."
(Fuck. Fuck fuck fuck fuck FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK. There could be bloody bear spray in there. Ammonia or some shite. How do I get outta this? Okay. Think. Think. Always a way out! Always a way out. Uhm...)
Lucky Lilac wasn't finding that self-promised way out. Orfevre continued to stare at her. They all continued to stare at her.
So she panicked and frantically dumped like half the bowl into her mouth.
"That's crazy," Stay Gold remarked.
Then Lucky Lilac came back to her senses and realized what she was doing to herself. Too late. She forced the rest of it down and tried to see how fast she could make peace with the Goddesses before it hit.
"It..."
She kept waiting for it to hit.
(It... it tastes fine. It's fine! Ahaha! AHAHAHAHA!)
"...I don't see what the problem was, to be honest," Lucky Lilac said in a calm tone. "It simply tastes like green tea 'n' rice. I quite see the appeal though; thank you."
(There actually IS nothin' wrong with i–)
"FUCK!" Nakayama exclaimed.
(OH!)
"She got the roulette bowl!" Stay Gold shouted.
(The what?)
Gold Ship let out a loud finger whistle that made Lucky Lilac recoil from the volume. "SHE WON!"
"She won," Orfevre said much quieter than that, almost proud of her from the slight smile you could hear in her voice.
Lucky Lilac was beyond flabbergasted, the best word that can be used to describe her situation, though obviously she didn't show it. "This was a competition...?"
(Thank you, Orfe! But—but what's going on?)
"Uh, yeah? Ochazuke roulette." Nakayama seemed to have recovered from the effects of her ochazuke. "All of them are fucked up, but one of them is at least tolerable."
"It used to be one of them being evil, and we'd bully the loser who got it for the next two, three days," Gold Ship added. "But then things happened and we couldn't do that anymore."
Fenomeno looked puzzled. "Am I still the 'half-victor'?"
"Fuck off," Stay Gold said immediately. It seems the answer was in the negative.
"...I-I see." Lucky Lilac decided she would take this in stride, and smiled for the others like she just won a graded race. "Pardon me for asking, but is there a prize?"
"No."
(You're kidding me. Wait, they just DO this? To themselves? For FUN? WHY?!)
"Actually, new reward: you get to bring these back to the dorm kitchen at Ritto Uno, because we didn't ask to take them!" At light speed, Gold Ship tossed the bowls onto the tray they were brought in on and forced the tray into Lucky Lilac's hands, leading her by the shoulders to the door in the process. "Good luck on your great expedition! If Fuji asks, we didn't send you! Bye-bye!"
(You're feckin' kiddin'...)
"I think I'll go with her." Journey followed Lucky Lilac out of the door and took the tray from her, offering her the teapot to hold instead. "She certainly seems like she needs a helping hand."
Orfevre nodded in agreement, and gave Lucky Lilac a light smile. "Yes, Aneue; go with her."
(EEEEEEE! I adore that smile!)
Hyped by Orfevre showing her even a smidge of affection, let alone any outward display of positive emotion, Lucky Lilac gladly led Journey out of the office and to the stairwell.
"So. Lala." Journey looked at her with a bit of curiosity as they began descending the steps. "That is what you go by, yes?"
Lucky Lilac gave her a proper smile. "Yes."
(Ohhh god she scares the fuck outta me.)
"I see you're a close admirer of my sister. She's quite aware."
(PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE TELL ME ORFE DOESN'T THINK THAT'S WEIRD!)
"Yes," Lucky Lilac repeated.
Journey let out a soft giggle. "Let it be known she respects your admiration."
(BEST DAY O' MY LIFE SO FAR?)
"You know... has Oru told you about her goals in life?" Journey asked.
"To win the Triple Crown, innit?" Lucky Lilac guessed.
Journey gently nodded. "Correct. I have my own goals in life as well, as we all do—perhaps after this racing conundrum is over, I'll get into law—but my... almost main purpose in life, or close to it, is to ensure my sister's success. I get quite involved in that effort. I practically work for her, at times. But I don't mind it. Quite the opposite, in fact." She exhaled a chuckle.
"That's plenty o' effort you're putting into it," Lucky Lilac remarked.
Journey let out a soft hum. "It is, yes."
Lucky Lilac just had to ask.
"And what happens if she doesn't make it?"
Journey's breath hitched as she suddenly inhaled. Her eyes briefly glazed over in deep thought. Her pace slowed to a stop on the landing just before the steps down to the first floor.
"Everyone has a line, Lucky Lilac."
(Wha...?)
"Hm?" Lucky Lilac paused, with a certain sense that the strained, snarling mention of her name just then came out a little odd. "Why, racing's a competition, yeah—yes? A student I share a homeroom with also closely competes with me, she's my rival really, and she wins 'em often. I win too, but ah, harsh reality is, I guess someone's got to lose–"
Journey's constricted pupils snapped onto her with an intensity that made Lucky Lilac flinch.
(EEK! Th-that was really scary!)
"Oh, it's fine, nothing there was directed at you, nor anyone specific." Journey's serene smile was a nice source of relief as her gaze went downward. Together, they resumed their walk. "I was just... preoccupied with my thoughts. You must have that happen often as well, yes?"
(Ah. Okay. For a second, I thought–)
"You don't need to think anything, I assure you, you're safe for the moment."
Lucky Lilac was certainly relieved to hear tha–
(Wait–)
She slowly came to a stop, just a few paces from the school's front entrance.
"I-I think I need to go to the washroom for a second," she politely excused herself.
Without looking at her, Journey nodded gently and took the teapot from her, being careful to not drop the bowls and chopsticks as she continued on. "I'll deliver these to the dorm kitchen, you may return to the office when you're done."
"Okay!" Lucky Lilac squeaked in a higher pitch. She waited for Journey to go through the doors, and for those doors to close, before scrambling to the washroom.
Lucky Lilac had an excuse freely available to her now. She could simply head straight to her dorm after going to the washroom, and if they asked, she could just say she tried to find the dorm kitchen, saw the stuff was put away, and retired for the evening. It was rude, but...
(These people're so bloody scary! I shouldn'ta come back! Why does Orfe hang 'round these people?!)
Lucky Lilac wasn't sure why she hung out with them either, considering she was now in the hallway where the IREC office was.
The door slid open before she could get there. Stay Gold, Gold Ship, Nakayama, and Orfevre came sauntering out. Fenomeno wasn't with them, and Journey seemingly hadn't come back yet either.
(Oh my god! There they are again! Where the fuck're they going?)
Lucky Lilac waved at them. "Where are you going?"
"Well, Fenomeno left, and we were thinking," Stay Gold started. "Wouldn't it be funny if we, like, left the office while Fenomeno was away?"
The four of them seemed to find this somewhat amusing. Lucky Lilac... didn't.
(...Huh?)
"I don't particularly understand what's so bemusing about that," Lucky Lilac admitted.
(Oh no. Wait, I'm asking for the joke to be explained! I'm the bloody context-asker! Shit, shit, shit!)
"Nah, 'cause it's like, wouldn't it be funny if..." Nakayama paused, expecting someone else to continue for her. No one was taking the baton she was trying to pass, and honestly, no one was reaching for it either. "...We left the office while Fenomeno was out?"
Gold Ship snickered. "Yeah, so she comes back like 'where is everyone'?'"
A few seconds of silence, for some reason.
"...That would be pretty funny," Stay Gold pointed out.
Orfevre's head tilted in a very, very slight nod. "It would, yes."
"I would probably like, exhale a little with a smile," Nakayama said, being real as fuck because that's what everyone means by "LOL" or "ROFL" or "XDDD".
"An excellent use of our time."
(HOLY FUCK!)
It was Journey, back again, right behind a mildly frightened Lucky Lilac, and now joining the group for their stupid outing.
Then, with Journey accompanying them and Fenomeno likely never coming back, the five of them silently joined forces to fuck off in the other direction.
(Strange creatures.)
Having the option of leaving for the day as planned, or joining them, Lucky Lilac decided to join them.
That was a mistake, sort of.
After an aimless stroll around campus, they ended up in the swimming pool's changing room, of all places. By now, it was late enough that no one was present, and it's not like they were trespassing.
Lucky Lilac watched the five of them like she was conducting a study.
(Really weird people, these are. REALLY weird people.)
If conversing and arguing about the most random topics ever was weird, sure.
"...But yeah, I-I just don't think the puppet is a separate being from her," Stay Gold said as she sat on one of the benches between each row of lockers. "It looks different, but it's just her, it's like her second body—her avatar, as Nakayama said."
(I still don't know who they're even talkin' 'bout. Why are they even doing all this today? Do they even do any committee work, or is it just this?)
"You know, I'm still thinking about that poker victory," Nakayama remarked as she chewed on her lollipop stick. Sucks how they couldn't keep going with the other games.
Gold Ship nodded. "Yeah. I cheated on that."
Everyone looked at her.
Nakayama flicked her lollipop stick away. "'Ey, what was that?"
"I cheated on that," Gold Ship reaffirmed.
"Hm...?" Orfevre didn't seem too upset by this, more so curious as to what Gold Ship did this time. "How so? Answer."
"Well, I peeked over with a magnifying glass at Nacky and Mamechin's cards. Also, I had the ad cards in my sleeve." Gold Ship tugged on the right sleeve of her short-sleeve uniform.
(A magnifying glass? Who even has those anymore? And they didn't notice the sleeve thing?! I DIDN'T?!)
Nakayama, a known gambler, took the news that she had lost her high-"stakes" game of hold 'em to the worst cheating attempt ever... with a shrug and a nod. "Yeah, that makes sense."
Gold Ship smiled. "I'm glad we took that normally."
"Nah, I'm beating your ass now," Nakayama declared. "I was gonna let it slide, but then you said that and I just can't now."
(HUH? HERE? Wait, no—AT ALL?!)
Gold Ship's response to this was an exaggerated frown. "Aw."
Nakayama's approach was stopped by a hand gripping her shoulder, forcing her to stop. It was Orfevre. "Nakayama..."
(Oh, Orfe's so fucking cool, she's SO BLOODY FUCKING COOL, she's so got this shite handled.)
Orfevre raised her chin. "You will beat her fiercely. To win." Journey nodded in approval.
(What the fuck am I even doing anymore.)
"Nope, vetoing it." Stay Gold figured it was time for her to step in. "Leader of the group, committee head, I'm vetoing it."
Gold Ship stuck her hand up. "What if we just ignore the fact that you vetoed it?"
Oof. Stay Gold grimaced. "Yeah, I don't really have a counter to that, so..."
Gold Ship and Nakayama high-fived each other.
"So you're fired." Stay Gold pointed at Gold Ship, then Nakayama, then everyone else present. "You're fired. You're all fired from IREC."
(Oh my god!)
No one seemed to care, though.
Gold Ship's response to this was an exaggerated frown. "Aw."
"Also, I'm not your dad anymore."
"WHAT?!" Gold Ship shrieked.
(What's she mean by that there? Her 'dad'? Stego? Actually, I sorta see it. The 'dad' part. Not being Golshi's dad specifically, but—AGH! I hate this! What did I get my sorry arse into?!)
"Can I beat her ass now?" Nakayama looked at Stay Gold for permission, then remembered that she just got fired, meaning she can do whatever she wants without asking first. This applies to real life, too.
"YOU CAN'T CRUSH THE GOLSHI SPIRIT!" Gold Ship shouted before Nakayama proceeded to crush her spirit by tackling her to the ground.
Orfevre and Journey leaned in for a closer look at the two's weird thrash-fight (imagine two hyperactive fish being thrown on top of each other on a fishing boat in bad weather, but not in a vaguely sexual way), when someone's limb hit Orfevre in the shin, not even that hard. Orfevre flinched at the impact. This was a very muted reaction, and it definitely paled in comparison to Journey's response, which was violently grabbing at Nakayama's torso in an attempt to perhaps rend her apart; not that Journey knew Nakayama was the one who hit Orfevre, but simply out of convenience, so as to send a message.
Now, the actual culprit that hit Orfevre's shin was Stay Gold, who had a feeling Journey would snap and jump those two without confirming, but just wanted to make sure. Orfevre recognized the source of the hit now, and decided she would reward her eldest "sister" by grabbing the top of her head to drag her out to the pool and throw her in like a root vegetable. Before that could happen though, Stay Gold, who was also quite certain that Journey would never assail her beloved Anego for this, grabbed Orfevre's tail and pulled on it.
That classic Stego maneuver made Orfevre release her, as expected. However, it also made Journey fly out and tackle Stay Gold to the ground, which Stay Gold wasn't really expecting. Gold Ship and Nakayama, meanwhile, had already settled their quarrel with their very meaningless fight that inflicted no marks and achieved absolutely nothing, and silently agreed to team up against Journey, because Journey hasn't been humbled in a while and probably needs it. Orfevre saw this and moved to block them; Gold Ship and Nakayama, now remembering that Orfevre really hasn't been humbled in a while and super needs it, both jabbed at her in sync and missed, allowing Orfevre to grab them both and throw them to the ground.
This left Lucky Lilac, who was watching this off to the side. As a notoriously calm individual, able to keep herself together in even the most stressful situations, she did not seem to react that much to the events unfolding before her. Externally, at least; internally, she might have had three monologues going on at once for a bit there.
(This sucks. This SUCKS! THIS FUCKING SUCKS! OH! OH MY GOD! NEVER MEET YER HEROES. THEY'RE BEATING THE SHIT OUT OF EACH OTHER! KNOW WHAT, FUCK IT! I'M LEAVIN'.)
She did just that, cautiously backing away from the fight and toward the door of the changing room. "Go Orfevre," she whispered too quiet for anyone to hear, before simply walking away, hands clasped in front of her, trying to make as much distance as possible before they noticed and drew her in or, worse, made up and began talking about something stupid again.
The blast of a whistle heralded the arrival of Fenomeno, who sprinted past Lucky Lilac toward the changing room, with a stone-serious expression akin to a SWAT officer preparing to lead a breach into a terrorist stronghold. As she swung the door open, she blew her whistle again, and then charged in when that didn't instantaneously make them all stop and give up. Another blow of the whistle was cut off by said whistle presumably being knocked away, its wielder now also pulled into being part of the problem.
Lucky Lilac watched as the door to the changing room slowly closed shut. Then she kept walking.
Somehow, Lucky Lilac ended up on the roof of the main school building. She didn't remember entering the building, going up three flights of stairs, or even pushing the door to the roof open, but she was here now. The air felt clearer up here, at least to her, and she sort of needed that at the moment. Thoroughly knackered, she sat down next to the stairwell door and took a deep breath, resting her back on the wall.
(A mess, a mess! 'S all a mess! Agh! I thought Orfe was so... so cool, so beyond all o' this! Everything the people do here! Ai's gutted bloody huge fishes just to feel on top, Blast acts like she's never seen an 'uman before—everyone here's all fucked! Everyone I KNOW'S all fucked! Why does she hang out with these people?! Why do I keep hanging out with these people?!)
"Lala!"
The call of her name surprised Lucky Lilac into jolting up to her feet. It was Gold Ship, who had found her and was standing at the door. How she managed to find her, apparently with ease, was something Lucky Lilac decided she wasn't going to think too hard about right now. But Gold Ship looked like she hadn't been in a fight at all. Not a single mark was present anywhere on her body, and her uniform didn't just look clean, it looked like it had been ironed too, yet Lucky Lilac was sure it hadn't.
(She WON the fight?)
Lucky Lilac exhaled. "Gold Ship..."
Gold Ship stood in front of her, smiling in silence. It was almost calming. She's certainly nice to have around when she's not actually saying anythi–
"What moisturizer do you use?"
Lucky Lilac stared at her in disbelief.
(...Oh, cripe. What brand is it again? Oh, right, it–)
Before she could answer, the soles of two uniform shoes flew in at the speed of sound and nailed her right in the che–
(AAAAH!
OH MY GOD. OH MY GOD!
OHHH SHIT. WHAT THE FUCK?
THEY KILLED ME. THEY KILLED ME? IS THIS DEATH? OH SHIT. IT'S JUST ME IN THE DARK? OH NO.
WAIT. I'M BREATHING. I-I THINK.
CALM DOWN LALA. LALA? LALALA? THE FUCK DO PEOPLE EVEN CALL ME–
Breathe. Breathe! You're breathing. Calm down.
O-okay. Let's assess the situation.
...
I don't know the situation.
OPEN YOUR EYES, BUGGER!
SHIT!
GAAAH!)
"...No, she's still alive."
(H-hm? Someone's standin' o'er me. That voice... it's weird coat child. Stay Gold?)
"Not for long."
(Annoying weird beanie kid...)
"Not long for us either, when Orfy and DJ find us!"
(That one...)
"Don't sound excited about that, Golshi."
"Why did you even do that?!"
"I thought we were going after her!"
"What? We were going after each other!"
"Sorry for making an educated guess..."
"Whatever."
"..."
"..."
"..."
(They're still there.)
"...I think we need to put her down."
(Huh?)
"You're right, Golshi."
(HUH?)
"That's insane."
"Whisper whisper..."
"Get away from me, you just said 'whisper whisper'."
"..."
"..."
"...Okay, you make a good point."
(NOPE. NOPE. NOPE.)
"Dark as fuck, though. Didn't know you had it in ya, kid. Anyway..."
(I'M GETTIN' THE FUCK U–)
Lucky Lilac slowly, steadily stirred awake. She was lying on the roof of the school. Some time had passed, and the sky had a slight tinge of orange. The first thing she saw was Stay Gold standing over her, flanked by Gold Ship and Nakayama. Orfevre, Journey, and Fenomeno were not present. From this perspective, and only this perspective, Stay Gold seemed tall.
"Oh." Stay Gold discreetly let go of the handle of her holstered utility knife. "We were, uh, just about to take you to the infirma–"
"Zombie," said a calm Gold Ship, who proceeded to stick her leg up and out before slamming her heel directly into the top of Lucky Lilac's h–
(THEY ACTUALLY DID JUST KILL ME FOR REAL. THEY HIT ME IN THE FUCKIN' 'EAD. AH'M MUSH. SHIT.
Wait, wait! Pulse. Thoughts! Still alive. Phew! Of course I am!
Shh. Shhh. Calm down, Lala. Calm down. You've been through some real rough spots before.
...Except being dead.
Hrm...
Gah.
...
Not too sure what to do now. Hummm.
I-I guess I'll wait?
...
...
...
I shoulda stayed home.
...
...
...
...I hear something.
...
Is that...
Is that that stupid fuckin' classical music they kept playing?
What's it called again... who's the composer...
...
Chopin...?)
Lucky Lilac's eyes slowly opened to the sight of a beautiful evening sky painted in orange and purple hues. Nocturne, Op. 9, No. 2 played faintly on a radio.
(They killed me and this's the pearly gates.)
"Lala."
(No they didn't.)
Lucky Lilac looked around slowly. She was seated upright in a plastic folding chair. A few feet to her side was Orfevre in a chair of her own. Both were facing the edge of the roof, close to the spot where Lucky Lilac was last conscious.
"Orfevre..."
"My sister is dealing with the troublemakers." Orfevre spoke in an unnervingly calm tone. She held out a teapot and a teacup that matched her own. "Tea?"
(Ah've lost my bloody mind. This's it.)
"S-sure." Lucky Lilac straightened her posture and nodded.
Not one to pour anyone tea for them, Orfevre simply handed Lucky Lilac the teapot, allowing her to cautiously pour herself a cup. Green tea. She cautiously peered into the cup, making sure it wasn't also part of some terrible roulette scheme she wasn't warned of beforehand, and was satisfied to see, and then taste, nothing unusual in it.
"Gold Ship assailed you, yes?" Orfevre was making a baseless assumption, but it was definitely a very safe one to bet on. "For her... oddities, the jester never means harm. There was certainly some convoluted reason she did that, and... it must have been this. I and thou having time to discuss."
Lucky Lilac gulped and nodded. "I-I see."
(She said "jester" like she was saying a slur.)
"...I-I'm sorry your friendship with them may've been ruined." Lucky Lilac sighed. "'Cause of me."
Orfevre seemed genuinely heartfelt now. "Lala..."
Lucky Lilac looked down in a solemn mood. Her ears flopped low.
"...This occurs on a weekly basis."
(What?)
Lucky Lilac perked back up to see a very nonchalant-looking Orfevre. "What?"
Orfevre simply nodded, her expression back to its usual cold glare. "Not all of it, but—this is the fourth time Stay Gold has 'fired' us. I expect we will be 'rehired' by noon tomorrow. These are expected situations. We argue, squabble, clash; we do not do 'cutesy', 'friendsy' things. This is a desirable state of affairs, which confuses some. Say—doth thou hath friends?"
(A little rude there...)
Lucky Lilac nodded. "Um—y-yes, ah, Eye, Blast–"
Orfevre held a hand out, ordering her silence. "I need not know their names. How do you... spend time together? Recent examples would suffice."
"Well... last week Blast 'n' I made sundaes for one another at our dorm kitchen–"
"We tried that once as well. By the end of it, Nakayama was in the infirmary."
"Oh."
Orfevre nodded as she sipped her tea. "She quite deserved it. But. 'Tis a simple matter of how our friendship operates between us. Trust that it was not damaged by this."
"I... aye, I guess that makes sense." Lucky Lilac exhaled a small chuckle. Perhaps, if that was the case, she could loosen up just a little bit around these people—and around Orfevre, too. Maybe. "Must be like Ai. She really bloody annoys me sometimes, on 'n' off the track t'be honest, but–"
"Wait." Orfevre cut off Lucky Lilac's oddly-pronounced and potentially very ignorable tangent. She was focusing on something else.
Confused, Lucky Lilac glanced in the direction of where Orfevre was looking, and only saw the upper halves of the dorm buildings and the city behind them. "Why, what is it–"
Orfevre stood up. "Wait."
She was peering over the edge of the roof, watching Journey in the distance as she approached the dorms, presumably trailing after those other three.
Journey stopped at the gate.
Then, she turned toward Miho Dorm and began walking toward it at a slow pace.
That's not her dorm.
"Goddesses, Aneue sometimes...!" This was enough of a dire concern, apparently, for a now rather frustrated-looking Orfevre to bolt for the stairwell and begin rapidly descending the steps.
"Orfevre!"
Orfevre stopped at the landing on the stairs, and looked back to see Lucky Lilac sheepishly looking down upon her.
"T-today was fun," Lucky Lilac admitted. She smiled at her senior.
Orfevre thought about it for a second. She slowly nodded. "Correct."
(YES! YES!)
"Perhaps I could visit again sometime." Lucky Lilac nervously clasped her hands together behind her back. "If—if y'want me to, of course."
Orfevre smiled at her, earnestly.
"I decree that you may. At any time."
(YYYYYYYYYYYEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHH!)
"Also, you must. Thou art in the committee now."
Lucky Lilac blinked. "What?"
(I ART WHAT?)
Orfevre wasn't smiling anymore, but that was secondary to what she just told her. "Stay Gold also fires everyone whenever she adds someone to the committee. We are re-hired with the new addition," she explained. She wasn't entirely sure why Stay Gold bothered to do all that, but she figured it was a reminder that she's the committee head, not Journey. Orfevre could respect such displays, especially if they were in her favor. "That was most certainly the case for you. These are very convoluted people."
Lucky Lilac was floored. She got fucking drafted? "B-but–"
"I will go now."
No longer paying any attention to the crimson-burgundy-fuschia-wine-reddish-purplish entity above, Orfevre darted off to go corral her sister or whatever she was trying to do, leaving Lucky Lilac by herself on the roof, the faint classical symphony winding down as the sun slowly but surely made its way below the horizon. Not sure what to do at that point, she sat down and poured herself a lukewarm cup of tea.
(What the fuck am I doin' with my life?)