[center][img]https://i.imgur.com/5FqwUwv.jpg?1[/img]
[h3][b][color=00aeef]Chinami Nadakai[/color][/b][/h3][/center]
[@Dezuel][@Letter Bee]

Upon Reverio's return, Chinami seemed to be letting the chilly silence do the talking for her. Ruby eyes half-lidded in clear displeasure and the corner of her mouth wavering in a clear struggle to contain a scowl down to cordial neutrality. There was almost a glaze to her vision, like she wasn't quite seeing him and yet still reacting all the same. Her acknowledgement of his apologies seemed to go no further than her eyes narrowing minutely further.

She adjusted the coat in her arms and almost seemed about to speak, before being cut off by Rev's second rapid departure to the kitchen. She was plainly disgruntled by the time he returned with refreshments and seemed to have become quite thoroughly through with waiting for an opening for her own topic of discussion, prompting her to quietly scoff and plop Rev's coat on his couch, clearly finished tolerating the burden. Even when Rev kneeled in front of her, her demeanor hardly faltered. Despite her expression slowly screwing up into something complicated, the undertone of displeasure continued to override it all.

Her mouth opened, and a voice sounded from the door.

[hr]

[color=00aeef][i]'This "Scumsuza filter",'[/i][/color] Chinami decided, [color=00aeef][i]'might be just a tad too effective,'[/i][/color] as the image of the blonde before her swam in her mind's eye, overlayed by the image of a certain white-haired pissant through the power of imagination. Chinami wasn't sure exactly what it was saying about her that even this obviously false impression was enough to drive up her blood pressure.

Drawing in a slow, calming breath, she turned her eyes away from the retreating Suza- [i]Reverio[/i] and eyed the tea and snacks with far more suspicion than they likely deserved. While Rev's back was turned though... Her Spirit flickered out and dove head-first into the teapot with its selective tangibility, soaking its tongue in the liquid thoughtfully, searching for anything "off" about it. Having been to the corners of the world and experiencing many less than edible flora, Chinami had a good head for poisoned and medicinal tastes, and it was with oddly mixed feelings that she determined that the tea was, indeed, perfectly safe, certainly as far as her Spirit's inhumanly enhanced tastebuds could tell.

That thought aside, she still didn't want the tea. She wasn't here for snacks, and furthermore: [color=00aeef][i]'I hate cold tea,'[/i][/color] she scowled. [color=00aeef][i]'Give me something piping hot that will warm my belly any day.'[/i][/color] Granted, it wasn't like she could be legitimately upset about such a trivial thing. Reverio didn't know her or her preferences, so how could she blame him for that. It wasn't fair.

But the Scumsuza Filter didn't do [i]fair[/i], and by the time Rev had so much as opened the door, her Spirit had once more retreated from sight.

Reverio's rather lame "joke" grated at her ears, and she had to resist a full-body cringe when he addressed the newcomer as "Lord Ikari" again. Really, the worst part wasn't that she knew he was probably dead serious. I was that the brunette he was addressing was... possibly disinclined to stop him from using the flowery over-the-top form of address the way she had.

She remained standing when both boys sat around the table, the only sign of her willingness to "participate" being taking one of the teacups for herself. Though she didn't drink from it. Her lips pursed sourly at the reminder of Nightman, and she was certainly in no hurry to catalyze that train of discussion. She barely choked back a scoff when Reverio addressed her and Ken as "the only ones he could trust", despite having known them all of less than a single day, and briefly squeezed her crimson eyes closed in disbelief, turning to face the window and listening with half an ear to his spun tale of "betrayal".

And [i]oh[/i], what a little tale it was. A fallen kingdom, a pair of twin brothers, a final act of unwavering loyalty. And not a peasant prince, but a [i]King[/i] banished from his own lands by the tides of change and revolution. Betrayal? There was nothing of the sort, unless one considered youthful incompetence to be a betrayal of one's nation. And Chinami's gut curdled with a feeling she recognized as... almost envy. What she wouldn't give for a family that actually gave that much of a shit...

She opened her mouth to voice a particular question, but Ken cut in quickly. A little disgruntled, Chinami nonetheless remained silent, allowing the brunette to say his piece, and while it started off well enough... What came after was absurd enough to finally draw her gaze back from the window to the boys. What... the actual fuck? What did his past and dreams have to do with Reverio's problems? [color=00aeef]"TL/DR, you're an egotistical shitstain, who couldn't even let Reverio have this one moment for himself,"[/color] her mouth spat before she could stop herself. She almost wanted to snap back those words, but her temper was well and truly riled. And they didn't call her "Barb-Tongue" at Kiburi's for nothing. [color=00aeef]"That's a nice story and all, but I pose to you this singular question: who the fuck asked? No-one, that's who, but I suppose that so-called 'ego' of yours that you're [i]supposedly[/i] "ashamed" of couldn't stand not to make the situation all about you, right?"[/color] She scoffed and flicked her raven hair fully over her shoulders, crossing her arms, as her Spirit delivered the still untouched tea back to the table and faded away. [color=00aeef]"I mean, given the dangerous content of Rev's own tale, he's still a fucking dumbass for just blurting it all out on people who might as well be complete strangers, but you don't see me blathering on about my own life and overshadowing our host."[/color]

[color=00aeef]"And I would [i]strenuously[/i] advise against referring to him by that name under any circumstance. King Marlan is dead. Only 'Reverio' remains, and you'd best remember that well... for all our sakes."[/color] Where the words harsh? Maybe. Rude? Definitely. Her tone left no room for misinterpreting her open disdain for the entire situation. But at the end of the day, she was someone who hung around in Mina and Suzakura's circles, whether she liked it or not, and that sort of atmosphere, surrounded by bullies -intentional or not- had perhaps rubbed off on her... just a little.

[color=00aeef]"And [i]you[/i],"[/color] her eyes flicked to Reverio, narrowing. [color=00aeef]"I don't know what you hope to accomplish by telling us this. To be honest, given the loudmouth on this one,"[/color] she jabbed a finger Ken's way, [color=00aeef]"we were far safer before you said a damn thing. I don't know about anyone else, but I like my life peaceful and free of murderous revolutionaries, thanks. And if they ever find out about the deception..."[/color] She hardly felt she had to elaborate on exactly how badly that would go. No matter how slim the odds were, Reverio had just made them a whole lot less slim. As Nightman -and the voice in her head (which she still [i]really[/i] needed to investigate, for that matter)- had proved, their minds were not impenetrable sanctums, and Rev had quite literally -at minimum- tripled the chances of his secrets becoming known to the worst sorts of people. Minimum, because Ken didn't seem to understand the concept of "tact", and his dangerous ambitions and overconfidence told her all she needed to know about how safe [i]any[/i] secret was in his hands.

Chinami snorted, turning back towards the window. [color=00aeef]"And, you know, I'm really not sure what you mean by 'betrayal'."[/color] Her jaw clenched. [color=00aeef]"There wasn't even a single bit of it in that tale. Not a smidge. I don't know what sort of rosy, self-flagellating glasses you're seeing through, but all I see is the kind of heartfelt familial loyalty that most people could only seethe in envy of."[/color] She sighed heavily, like she was trying to physically purge some of her obvious frustration and ire, pinching the bridge of her nose. [color=00aeef]"Not to make light of what happened, but you're doing more to shame your brother's sacrifice in being so reckless with your safety than you could ever do by surviving. I mean, mother of mercy,"[/color] she hissed out, her gaze briefly flicking back to the boys, [color=00aeef]"We just fucking met. How could you possibly think it was a good idea to spill your secrets out on us so soon. You can't possibly be so naive."[/color]

Except... he could, she realized. The fall of Vauquelin, as with Izumo, had been in large part due to betrayal and lack of innovation. Tradition and corruption stifling the ruling class, disconnecting them from the people they were supposed to serve and protect. Vauquelin was a prime example. The wealth. The excess. The parties and speeches and flaunting their riches before the suffering lower classes. Resentment was naturally bred. And all of that, it was easy to forget, had occurred at the hands of a 14-year-old king, all but a child, regardless of his upbringing. At the end of the day, he was helpless in the face of the machinations of the nobility and foreign powers. He didn't understand the people or how to help them, and everyone around him ensured he never had the chance to learn.

She got it.

The odd behavior.

It all made sense now.

Both of these boys, Ken and Rev...

Were complete social incompetents.