Chapter 1: Smash Academy

[manforflowers]

Who: Inigo and you
What: Dates and flowers and getting his bearings
Where: Anywhere on campus
When: Feb 2nd
Warnings: Flirting with every girl

[There was nothing like some fresh flowers to make a new, unfamiliar place feel like home - that was the first thing Inigo did to settle in. All the common rooms were now decorated with a branch of forsythia blossoms in a vase. It seemed an appropriate choice, even they were a bit pricy at the florist's.

The fact that he got two dates with two pretty girls - two! Sorta dates! Well, it had his hopes up for this school. Plus, it wouldn't hurt to stick around and maybe earn some coin before moving on.

If you see him sprucing up the place, feel free to say hello. He'll also be wandering around, trying to get his bearings of the school and poking at all the unfamiliar technology - in particular, staring at the stadium with a great deal of awe.]

Comments

backdated (ha ha dated) to Inigo's arrival

[docilehearted]

[Alorah could be found in the student kitchen, unsurprisingly. Her gloves had been safely laid aside, her sleeves pinned nearly back, and her dress covered up by a characteristically frilly apron; prettiness took a backseat when there was baking to do, after all.

The cake had turned out nicely, much to her relief. It had already cooled and been frosted, and Alorah had just about finished up with the most important part: piping out delicate ivory-white buttercream flowers. The thought had popped up to maybe try a dandelion out, but those weren't exactly the sort of things a person thought to practice. Better to stick to roses.]

[manforflowers]

[Inigo had been similarly busy preparing for this date. By the time he was finished, the next step was checking out this school on the hill she had mentioned, and figuring out the kitchens were.

No one seemed to bat an eye at him either, despite how different they looked, dressed. Hell, if he didn't know any better, he might've mistaken some of them for some unknown species of taguel. That'd be one for the books. Thankfully, Alorah and the kitchens weren't hard to find.

Oh, the heavenly aroma that was freshly baked cake. It meant only good things.

He poked his head through the door and beamed.]

It smells amazing in here!

[docilehearted]

Oh! Perfect timing. I'm almost done.

[A few careful movements to layer on the last petals, and voila. Alorah set the piping bag aside, taking a second to survey her creation. Maybe not quite as smooth as you'd get at a professional bakery, and one or two of the roses were a touch uneven, but it wasn't too bad, she thought. Certainly enough to make someone far away from their home feel welcome.]

I hope you didn't have too much trouble finding me. I could put some tea on, if you like.

Backdated to after the DR Thread - HOT CAFETERIA DATES

[magicdancer]

[The new arrival was a curiosity to Shantae. Something was off about him. He was watching her dance when they first met, and while Shantae knew full well how good she looked, and was used to having guys clumsily and over-eagerly try to pick her up, the way he acted gave her pause. He almost seemed more interested in her dancing than her. And not just from enjoying watching her do it. He was interested in her technique. There was something more to him that he wouldn't admit to.

And she was going to find out what.

So she agreed to go have something to eat with him. But in the cafeteria. She needed some lunch, perhaps a sandwich. All her practice worked up a nice appetite.]

So when did you arrive?

[manforflowers]

[Inigo tagged along happily, completely deluded in believing that Shantae must've been won over by his charms. Yeah, he was pretty smooth. He didn't know what a genie was, but from the look of her ears, maybe it was something like a manakete? If that was it, then she must've had a long time to perfect that dancing technique...

No, no, get your head in the game. Don't focus on the dance, focus on the girl.]

Oh, just wandered in today. Could've sworn I stepped through an Outrealm Gate, but then I met the most adorable girl and I figured I might stay a little longer!

[magicdancer]

You'll have to be patient with me if I don't get all the words you use right away. What's an Outrealm Gate?

[She led him to the lunch counter and handed him a tray. And he got his first look at Nancy, towering over them and staring at them with a laser eye. Shantae, unfazed by the death bear, asked for a sandwich.]

[rivalsolarbeam]

[This, tragically, was not a lady that was lingering by one of the new vases. It was a dude whose hair matched the bright yellow blossoms.]

I wonder who put you here.

[It was a little early for Zelda to have started decorating the school, and forsythia didn't really match the whole Valentine's theme. At any rate, this particular vase was getting some company as Bulba set down a plate of cookies for passerby to munch on.]

[manforflowers]

Forsythia means 'good natured' and 'anticipation.' I thought it'd be a nice way to introduce myself to the school, yes?

[And here was the source of these flowers, with a dashing grin on his face and a sword at his side.]

The name's Inigo, at your service.

[rivalsolarbeam]

[Bulba blinked at the unfamiliar voice, looking at an unfamiliar face with an unfamiliar sword.]

Oh? That's a lot nicer than some of the other yellow ones are.

[Some of the only ones he had bothered to look up in his curiosity. Bulba smiled a bit in welcome and nodded.]

So you're new then. Hi, I'm Bulba.

[heartofarapier]

[Eirik had spent a good deal of time lending a helping a hand when and where she could. Doing so with Koujaku certainly wasn't the first happenstance and she highly doubted it would be the last. Yet she seemed to be proven true when she caught an eyeful of Inigo, a young (?) man who weaved his way here and there.

Still it seemed she was only more likely to dive into conflict than be truly coerced into it.

It was the stadium in which she found him that she finally decided to speak up.]

It really is quite useful. It serves multiple purposes. An archery range, a sparring field, training for any sort of combat, if that sort of thing interests you.

[manforflowers]

[Inigo had been so consumed by his own thoughts that he hadn't even heard Eirik approach. Though what enamoured him about the stadium might not have been what she assumed it to be. All he could see as he gazed upon that mighty stage and the auditorium seating was what it must be like performing upon it. Choreographies were blossoming across his mind - how best to make use of such an expansive area?

But when she finally spoke, he startled back into attentiveness. Rather ungracefully, too.]

Ack--! Uh, what? I mean, w-well...

[WHAT A GORGEOUS WOMAN. Start over, start over! Inigo cleared his throat and stood up a little straighter.]

Oh, but how Inigo has grown tired of the arts of war! When I look upon your fair face, my mind is filled with longing to study the art of love instead.

[heartofarapier]

[The art of love? Her fair face? It had been a plethora of compliments compacted into one swooping moment where Eirik really had no idea where to begin. Gloss over what he said, perhaps? Play the characteristically modest card? Easily grow flustered and just remain speechless for a few moments longer? Any of those would have done, and easily too.

Finally she settled for tipping her head to the side and offering something of a half-bow.]

Inigo it is, then? This 'fair face,' you so kindly titled it as, is Eirik. [She motioned to herself indicatively.] I didn't mean to interrupt whatever it was you were... doing.

[iksb]

[ mukuro squinted at the vase of flowers that suddenly appeared in the common. these weren't here yesterday, and while decorating the common rooms was common considering some of the more botanically inclined students, it seemed rather out of the blue. spring was still a while to come.

she picked up one of the flowers and wondered whether it could be used as a remedy of some kind. perhaps she should learn more about whether these flowers had any medicinal use. ]

[manforflowers]

[Out of nowhere, Inigo appeared with a wink and a warm smile.]

Yellow looks good on you.

[iksb]

[ mukuro is not surprised, she merely raises an eyebrow to this new guy ]

Do you know anything about these flowers?

[punchtheflute]

Sonny was not a pretty lady. Nope, he had it wrong on both counts. So very, very wrong.

However, he did like flowers! And these ones looked and smelled really pretty! He wondered how they tasted...

"Mmmmmhmmm!"

Yeah. He liked them. He wasn't trying to waste anyone's money or anything, buuuut... well. Gnawing on this one sprig in the common room couldn't hurt, right?

[manforflowers]

[What? Aw, come on. He'd for ten minutes, and someone was suddenly decided it was a good idea to munch the flowers?]

Seriously? You're eating them?

[cannonspike]

Here is a lady. One that sees you staring up at that big ol' stadium. She smiles as she walks up next to him.

"Pretty tremendous, isn't it?"

[manforflowers]

[Oh, he's staring good. He's staring and imagining what it must be like to dance up there, to perform for an audience that large. Just thinking about such a huge crowd there to watch him dance sent shivers up his spine. He'd have to choreograph a routine that made full use of the stage, too... Inigo's mind was lost in daydream.

He's visibly startled when Cammy speaks up, caught completely off guard.]

Huh?! Uh, y-yeah, tremendous...

[Wait, Inigo. She was. A pretty lady. She was Super Pretty. Ahem.]

But not nearly as tremendous as the beauty of the maiden I see before me! I am stricken, my dear. I must know your name.

[vianca]

[Inigo was getting CAUGHT in the flower ACT by a GHOST. Well, not really a ghost, but almost a ghost. Did you even know she was there?]

...

What are you doing?

[manforflowers]

[WHOA GEEZ WHERE DID YOU COME FROM]

Gahh! Wh-what?! [Not a ghost, right. Awkwardly, he tried to regain his composure.]

Y-you know, pretty girls shouldn't sneak up on people like that!

[cruelcurse]

[I DON'T CARE. I'M DOING THIS. THEY HAVE NOTHING IN COMMON, BUT HERE HE IS. IN THE COMMON ROOM.

Inigo perhaps stepped out of the room for one moment, and at the next, one (1) dark mage planted himself on the couch. He was leaning over its back and stroking the petals of one of the flowers. He seemed to be in the middle of a quiet conversation with someone, but there was nobody there.]

[manforflowers]

[YES GOOD HELLO HENRY GIMME HENRY

Inigo had left, but returned when he remembered that he still had the little packet the florist had also given him - some sort of flower food to help them last longer? Anyway, he'd come back to notice a familiar cloak - marked with the eyes of Grima. Alarm clutched at his heart for a split second before he recognized the rest of that figure.

The mercenary couldn't say he had been very close with the dark mage, but they were still fought in the same army. They were comrades.

With astonishment, he cried out:] Henry?! To think I'd run into you of all people in a place like this.

[cplusplus]

[Sometimes, when Crazy Hand asks you to do something, you couldn't really do anything except politely complied. And that's why Chihiro was heading towards the stadium, apparently something about the system in need to be checked on since Naoya didn't want to come out of his room and there was no one to do so at the moment but him who happened to had nothing planned that day except maybe rewatching Star Wars.

He needs to stop spacing out too much, or he'd keep running into people. Like now.]

Oh- I'm so sorry!

[manforflowers]

[Inigo was on his way out - that was quite enough daydreaming for now, and he had plenty of time to ruminate new choreographies in his for next time. Maybe he could sneak in at night to practice them... it was risky, but he couldn't resist it.

So maybe he wasn't paying enough attention to where he was walking either. Ker-bump!]

Oof--!

W-well, that was embarrassing... Are you all right?