[@Crimmy][@Write][@Suku][@Sho Minazuki]

[b]Luke Schwarz[/b]

[b]"That's good..."[/b]

I did all but force her to tell me if anything was wrong from the cruise onward, so if she wasn't doing all that well, I'd figure I'd know about it by now. She knew that if I didn't and found out later she wouldn't hear the end of it. The extents of my nosiness were unrivaled within our circle of friends.

My scroll buzzed in my pocket, prompting me to check--

I looked up, and Bianca looked up from hers. She smiled.

[i]Bianca, I'm right here. Not off in the distance.[/i]

I frowned. Shouldn't the script here be different? This calls for cheek, I have enough little sisters to understand how these things work. You giggle and smirk at me and I sigh and snark at you. That was how this went. 

...Well, maybe things were just different with teammates...

The door opened, and a tall white-haired woman strode in. Normally, even though she was an undeniably attractive older woman, I wouldn't stare--

But, as her addressing me by name suggested, this wasn't a normal situation. I maintained my eye contact by wearing as flat and level an expression as possible, like a bad knock-off of Gratia.

And on the inside...

...H-Hello?

Yes, Stella-- [i]Estelle[/i] Nuit? While I'd count myself lucky that your self-introduction reiterated everything I needed to know about you, why didn't that stop me from panicking and trying to figure out where I had seen you before? It was getting crowded in here, you know? Just up and tossing the ball into my court-- You really don't mess around, do you?

Then on the defensive and safe playstyle I'll go.

[b]"I'm doing about as well as I can, Ma'am. Yourself?"[/b]

[hr]

[color=6ecff6]"That should be everything, but if you want to demonstrate it in action we won't turn it down, right sis?"[/color]

Knuckles cracked and storm-colored eyes shifted around, searching for a lead on where the armory was.

[color=6ecff6]"[i]Breathe[/i], sis."[/color]

[hr]

My scroll buzzed [i]again.[/i]

It wasn't Bianca or the group this time...

Puzzled, I looked down.

[b]"Ah."[/b]

I needed to thank Dawn more for having some actual concern for my well being, unlike the sister she was ratting out.

When in the face of imminent danger, a calm demeanor is a must.

I flipped it shut.

[b]"Yeah, I should be free once we're finished up here. Sounds good."[/b]