[i] - Crash & Mercy - [/i]

Crash had been talking to Mercy before Maria cleared her throat and begun her announcement pulling the pairs attention to her. Crash spun round to face her leaning back on the bar as she begun her speech, he shifted uncomfortably as the subject of the meeting was revealed planning to faze it out, his eyes naturally traveled the room as he listened a smile flickering across his face as he saw Kathy sat next to Darwin across the room (?) he felt slightly guilty for not noticing her before...she must have got there after him. He returned his gaze to Maria as he heard her say his name, his eyebrows raising in surprise at the unexpected praise, much to his horror he felt his cheeks flush with embarrassment. His hand sought out the back of his neck, unsure of what to do he offered up a grateful smile and nodded his acknowledgement of the praise avoiding looking at anyone else.

[i]Do whatever it takes to keep everyone safe...[/i] His mind lingered on that for a moment before he pushed it aside raising his eyebrow at Maria as she grabbed a cup from the bar and placed it on the table. [i]King's game?[/i] He wondered he'd personally never heard of it before, so the curious side of him had already decided he was definitely hanging around to participate. He blinked as he felt a hand scruff up his hair. "Aww! That speech made me so proud!" Mercy cooed ruffling his hair, laughing as he batted at her hand adopting a sulky expression. "Leave off...it wasn't as grand as that I can assure you. I'm not good at those types of things" He muttered to her. "Take credit when its given and like it" Mercy grinned at him placing her finger on his nose, causing him to go cross eyed momentarily, she retracted her hand as Kathy approached offering a small wave of greeting in return and a warm smile as she leant against the bar next to Crash. 

Crash blinked twice to return his eye sight to normal, his face lit up as Kathy approached them a smile instantly springing onto his face. "Hey" He greeted her, sitting up so he wasn't slouched back against the bar any longer. His face colored a second time as she congratulated him, he lifted a hand to the back of his neck, a flicker of guilt crossing his face. [i]I don't think this is deserved[/i] "Thanks..." He smiled appreciatively at her, noting the slight blush tint her cheeks. "For what its worth I think you were far more impressive" He murmured deliberately ignoring Mercy's slight eyebrow raise at his comment. Crash shifted seeing Darwin approaching them he smiled and nodded at the unicorn, turning back to Kathy he asked. "Are you going to play the Kings-" Before he could finish what he was saying he heard Darwin shout out some strange form of his name he glanced at him seeing his arms outstretched he adopted a worried expression. 

[i]Oh please no, not again[/i] Before he could react he was in the firm grip of another of the unicorns rib destroying hugs one of which all but squeezed the air from his lungs, he instantly went rigid. Mercy put a hand to her mouth finding the entire scene highly amusing. "Darwin...air..." Crash barely managed to croak out as the unicorn launched into conversation, He gasped in a lungful of air, grimacing as pain spiked through his abused ribs [i]Damn...he's so much stronger than he looks[/i] 

Crash rubbed his ribs grinning at Darwin, he was slowly getting used to the unicorns greeting. He wasn't accustomed to being hugged, it was a rarity...and perhaps a little worrying the only one that deemed him 'huggable' was a guy. "Hey Darwin, glad to hear you're doing well...turning into rainbows sounds awesome" He agreed his gaze shifting to Kathy briefly before back to Darwin. "I'm doing great thanks for asking" He grinned sincerely at the green haired guy. "Are you joining in the Kings Game?" He asked again directing the question at both the students now stood in front of him.

[i] - Lion - [/i]

Lion raised the ridge above his eye again at Seven upon his mentioning of the Kings Game. [i]You ended up in a sharks tank?[/i] Lion rumbled, creating a strange purring rumble as if he were trying to chuckle. His ears twitched back as Sunflower squirmed in Seven's grip, he was about to ask the bakeneko if he would put the kitten down when he did so, Lion's lip twitched up at Seven's mocking tone. [i]If it came to it of course, this cute fluffball is a valued companion of Princess Garden[/i] Lion grumbled at the bakeneko, he lowered his head to the kitten as it hid behind his foreleg. [i]Easy little one, you're ok[/i] The lion purred soothingly to Sunflower, before lifting his head he extended his muzzle towards Garden, brushing his moist nose against her arm to capture her attention as Seven shouted and rolled around on the floor "My lady, sorry for bothering you but Sunflower seems to be rather unsettled, he could do with coming back to you" Lion spoke clearly to Garden once he had her attention, inclining his head if she looked at him. 

[i] - Little Feather - [/i] 

Little Feather didn’t seem to mind the directness of his question. “Yes...it’s a part of me, when I came back it was the only thing I couldn’t change” She answered him honestly, though she didn’t seem to consider it may not have made sense to him she shuffled from one foot to the other before she took his hand. 

She hesitated for a moment as he told her she could have held on a bit longer, her gaze dipped to his hand for a moment as if she was actually considering sliding her hand back into his. She seemed to change her mind however before she foolishly reached for him again, she shook her head at him before sliding into the secluded area, apparently oblivious to his joking tone in her current state. “I saw what you did to Zivon...you didn’t really go into detail though just offered me the same ink. Erm, right” She told him before nodding her head, she watched him take out 3 bottles of ink she tilted her head to the side looking at them curiously, she played with the fringe lining the hem of her dress as she listened to him. Once he had placed the bottles on the floor between them she carefully reached her hand towards them running her index finger along the side of the blue pot she thought over what he had said. She was still musing over what to do when she heard him speak to her again, reminding her to lower his hand she watched one corner of his mouth lift higher than the other, she also felt the color rush back into her cheeks because of it. She took a deep breath before shyly lowering her hand to her lap avoiding his eye as she did so, there was no obvious rhyme or reason as to why she was so self conscience about her face without the paint on it, she just looked like an ordinary girl...well kind of, she was still wearing Indian clothing after all.

She glanced back at him preferring to focus on his shoulder as he spoke to her she noticed his hand reach out towards her feeling a section of her hair fall down her back she lifted her gaze to his face, blinking in surprise as his fingertips brushed her neck. She felt her heart rate increase of its own accord, her cheeks were already flushed. To most people what Leroy had said may have stung, however to the young Lakota she simply dropped her gaze to the floor and nodded missing the joyful look in his eye. “Yes more than once...” She admitted in a small voice. “Apparently I’m too trusting as well” She added lifting her gaze to his for the first time since she’d lowered her hand. “It’s the people...I’m not very good with crowds on a good day let alone during something like this” She murmured. At that moment Maria made her speech, though Little Feather couldn’t concentrate on it, her attention was on the ink pots sat between her and Leroy. She looked up in surprise as the principal addressed her, she lifted her head in surprise catching Maria’s smile as she addressed her, she smiled gratefully at Maria more than relieved only she had been able to see them.

[i]What’s a ‘Kings Game’?[/i] She thought though quickly pushed it aside as she leant forward placing her finger atop the blue ink pot, looking up at Leroy her eyes momentarily lighting up with excitement as her mouth curled into a small smile. “For this kind of face painting blue symbolizes Wisdom and Intuition...not entirely me but it’ll work it symbolizes the sky as well. During battle it symbolizes Confidence” She explained to him before shifting her finger along to the yellow ink, apparently telling him this information whether he cared for it or not. “Intellect and Determination. It is also associated with death and during battle it means you’re willing to fight to the death” She then shifted her finger to the red pot. “Faith, Beauty and Happiness are the core meanings. In battle it symbolizes Blood, Violence and Energy” She finished off retracting her hand. “I’m telling you this because I didn’t explain why I was so worried about not having my face painted. Basically without it I’m disconnected” She sighed, apparently unashamed if this admittance made her appear anymore vulnerable. “My usual green symbolizes Nature, Harmony and Healing, when in battle Endurance...do you understand now?” She asked him tilting her head to the side completely unaware of his thoughts. “No symbols needed unless you want to add something” She shrugged smiling at him. 

“As for the emotion, you can decide” She told him, unable to suppress the sliver of worry that coursed through her eyes as she did, she withdrew her hand to her lap pushing a strand of hair behind her ear with her other hand. “Hey Ink, just please...” She started before hesitating and glancing at him. “...don’t hurt me, OK?” She finished with a small sigh. “And for what it’s worth I do appreciate you doing this for me, I think the term I need to say here is...I’ll owe you one?” She attempted a smile, strangely comfortable with him despite her unpainted face.