[center][h1]Mephisto's Student Council Room[/h1][/center]

Ward was confused. They thought he still had Clara's phone? He had discarded that about as quickly as he'd found it. In this very room, for that matter. 

"I am new, yes," Ward told Bak. "I've spent a majority of my time trying to understand how this school works to be honest. In the end I decided that the quickest course of action would be to attempt to address the council all at once at one of your meetings..." He shrugged. "As for the phone you speak of, I left it in this room. If you haven't seen it... well..." He'd have said someone else must have taken it, but as much as he'd have liked to be petty and blame Diana, he knew she had left right after him, so that was far too unlikely.

However, there was another explanation.

"I believe I left the phone... here." He pointed to the table, a few feet to Bak's right. "Now, if none of you have it, then it is likely still in this room." He stepped around the table, glanced back at the doorway, and then looked to a bookshelf that sat behind the table, across from the door. He bent down and reached under it and when he pulled his hand back, he held the phone. "Ah, almost as if it was sent flying somehow..." Like something had exploded nearby, perhaps.

Diana meanwhile frowned, knowing exactly what he was insinuating.

"Here you are." Ward placed the phone next to Bak. "So, I'll cut to the chase. I've come to this city with a few goals in mind, goals that would be much more easily accomplished if I was a part of your council and not stuck on the sidelines. My conundrum is that I've transferred in my final year of schooling. I hardly have the time to work my way up, now do I?"

"Wow, yeah... sounds like a you problem to be honest," Vernon scoffed. "Thanks detective, but you can go now."

"Well, I see Diana here. I must confess, Diana. I wasn't aware you had decided to enroll after all." Ward wasn't going to give up quite that easily. 

"I had people to advocate for me. I don't suppose you do as well?" Diana crossed her arms.

"Yeah, so since you don't, uhhh, [i]bye.[/i]" Vernon leaned forward for emphasis.

"Well, I'm sure I could find someone. But I see I've overstayed my welcome," Ward capitulated. "Though I do think I will take you up on your offer later, Bak."

"Aww, come on guys, we're being rude to the new guy," Rurik suddenly spoke.

"No, no, shut the fuck up!" Vernon shot back to his feet. "You're just doing this to spite me!"

"Would I do that?" Rurik asked. 

"Yes!" Vernon snapped. "You have no good reason to speak up otherwise!"

"OK fine then, in the spirit of spiting you..." Rurik slowly stood up as if the act of straightening his legs was more effort than he really wanted to give. "I heard he kicked Gabriel's ass. So he's strong enough. Not to mention, you know, he's here and Gabriel's not so he's got the guy beat on attendance too."

"Yeah, trespassing, great." Vernon glowered. 

"Well, that and he hasn't yelled at me yet..." Rurik shrugged.

"I'm going to [i]kill[/i] you if you don't shut up."

Cel sat back all the while, watching the drama unfold. Judging by how Diana had started bristling the second Ward showed up, he wasn't sure he wanted Ward around. Not for the overflowing affection he may or may not at all have had for Diana, but because he had the sneaking suspicion that if Ward stayed Diana might not. However, keeping Ward around might also piss off Vernon which [i]was[/i] tempting. 

Unfortunately he had been busy lately and knew next to nothing about Ward, so a decision was hard for him to reach just yet. Well...

"So, Ward is it? What are these goals of yours exactly?" he broke his silence to ask.

"Well, Rhea is an influential city, [i]the[/i] influential city, but as of late it's in a precarious position. The cultists that attacked will return, and with every attack they launch they will erode the foundations of this city," Ward told them. "My family has run across them before. Ironically, they find [i]us[/i] to be an abomination. Pot calling the kettle black as it were. I have my personal motives, I want to spread my family's influence to this city. It being under siege is both an opportunity and a motive for me to act. After all, if the cultists have their way I can't have mine. I simply need a platform from which I can take action. So long as the cultists lose, I hope that the rest of us can all win."

"Oh, so that's how it is. Why didn't you say so? Yeah I don't care." Vernon was at his wits end. If anything, he liked Ward even less if that were possible. He didn't need some asshole muscling in and carving out a piece of the Rhea pie for himself. This was [i]his[/i] city, not Wards.

"Vernon." Cel slowly turned his head, shooting a look straight through the gangster wannabe. "Shut. Up."

"Wh-..." Vernon's voice got caught in his throat. He bared his teeth in an angry sneer, but he broke long before Cel ever would have, looking away and sitting back down. The memory of Cel's blade flying toward his throat was still a little too fresh in his mind.

"Look, I don't personally have authority to add you to the council. I'm not sure any of us do..." Cel admitted to Ward. "But I do have one question.  I don't care about the details necessarily, but I'm detecting some hostility between you and Diana. So, Diana, what's your stance on all this?"

"Say what you really mean, Lightbringer. You mean will I keep my end of the deal if he's allowed to join, don't you?" Diana narrowed her eyes. Of course she wasn't thrilled by the idea, but how much was her grudge really worth to her? "Maybe. But there will be a lot more [i]conditions[/i]."

"Of course there will be..." Cel sighed. Greedy little witch. Well, it was one of her endearing qualities he supposed. "Well, we can work around that if it comes to it." He took a deep breath. "We have other things to worry about today, Ward. You told Bak you'd speak to her later, so do that. The rest of us will keep what you've said in mind, I'm sure." A smile split his face, but his eyes still held the same soul penetrating look he'd given Vernon. Oh, he'd keep Ward in mind. Such grand designs required one to fly high -- and great heights left the door open for great falls. It would be a shame if someone stuck their foot out at an inopportune moment.

"So wait, we're asking the new girl what she thinks but I have to shut up?!" Vernon was incredulous. Was Diana even really a council member yet?!

"Yes. Yes we are. As much as I loathe to agree with the wet noodle-"

"You mean me, don't you?" Rurik frowned.

"-you've been very... loud today. But that's about it. Something going on in your personal life, Vernon? Care to talk about it?" Cel raised an eyebrow.

"Oh fuck off..." Vernon just huddled down in his chair.

"I... see..." Ward cleared his throat. "Very well, thank you for hearing me out. I'll see you later, Ms. Bak." Ward nodded politely and took his leave. Well, it hadn't been a total loss. In fact, it may have been a very important first step. Time would tell.