The Uke....

Oh my, where do I go? I can't....oh!



The lavender orbs of the pinkette focused suddenly on the ornate garden of roses where Lulim's host club reveled in elegant glory. She was dressed in her school uniform, the long white coat certainly helped her look Princely. She didn't feel that way at all, as she looked at the other Princes at their tables surrounded by fans, she froze, turing red, just what was she suppsoed to do at a place like this? She'd been invited, but...but...there was just no way.

The Seme....

As the pinkette stood there looking like a frightened rabbit, a certain older Prince walked by, combing her fingers through her long purple ponytail, leaving a noticeable sweet scent behind her. It caught the eye of the pinkette, and Shoka shot her a grin. She didn't stop to talk to her, merely made eye contact and kept walking. She was satisfied in the way the girl stopped trembling only to turn a few shades redder than before. Her table was waiting and she was eager to get to her admirers.

The Senpai....

Hands in her pockets she strolled with the most laid back attitude one could imagine, she'd been coming to the host club for what seemed like ages, she only really came for the food, but the attention was pretty cool too. She was smiling to herself, thinking of how good those cucumber sandwiches were when she saw the frozen Prince at the edge of the fun.  Without thinking about it, she threw an arm around the girl,

"Hey, they'll never notice you out here," she said with a smile, "Isn't that why you came?"

It starts....

"N-no! I mean, I was invited but this is too much, I-I can't," Kisumi couldn't finish talking, she seemed out of breath, this other girl was so close to her. Suddenly recognition washed over her and she jumped back, out of the other Prince's arms. "Ak!" her blush, which had faded slightly came back, "K-K-Konosuke!! Aren't you on the swim team? W-Why are you here?"

The redhead laughed openly, "For the food of course, c'mon, you can sit with me."

The arm returned around the pinkette's shoulders and she was pulled along. She took a few steps, dazed by the attractiveness of the redhead, but then she realized they were coming into view and she began to protest. She tried to duck away and the arm slip around her neck, she flailed, shutting her eyes tight, "No, no, Konosuke--senpai I can't! I don't want to! I shouldn't!"

Her protests were ignored, 

"Oiii! Shoka-sama!" Waved the redhead. The pruplenette from earlier looked up from her fans, looking cool and elegant as always. Konosuke shoved the pinkette down int he small booth between them and sat down herself.

"Who's this?" asked Shoka, looking interested and prodding the pinkette's red cheek,

"Oh, haha! I didn't ask! I found her outside, go on, what's your name?"

The pinkette looked at her fists on her knees. "K-k-Kisumi,"

"Kiss me?" repeated the red head in english, "You want me to to kiss you?'

"Waah!" Kisumi's eyes flew wide and she threw up her hands in front of her, spreading out her fingers and waving, "N-n-n-no! No! No! My n-name! My name is Kisumi!"

Hse jolted back away from Konosuke, which pushed her right into Shoka who grinned and looked at her with a raised eyebrow, "You don't have to make things up to get a kiss. Just ask nicely," said the purplenette.

Kisumi melted, as if her soul was flying out of her mouth and Shoka's fingers curled around her shoulders. She stiffened and jumped up, sitting straight up between them, so tense she thought she might burst into flames.

The fans around the table were screaming, even Konosuke was blushing a little at the display, but she was smiling. 

"T-that's not..."Said Kisumi, 

"Don't think too hard now, you might hurt yourself." Said Shoka, sliding a hand over Kisumi's knee, getting a squeal from their fans. 

"Yeah, don't worry about it. We have guests to impress and we have to to our best," said Konosuke, putting an arm around the back of the bench, and thus around Kisu, who shifted uncomfortably.

"I-I'll try. Just...what should I do?"

"Just relax," said the Swim captain Kono, "Shoka's good at this, just watch her." Just then the purplenette elegantly accepted a cup of tea, graciously smiling and giving a kiss to the hand of the girl delivering it.

Another girl approached Kisumi with a cup, and she just stared at it, no way she could kiss her hand like that, Kono intercepted and too the cup, mocking Shoka with a kiss to the girl's hand. Another girl came with yet more tea, this cup had been meant for Kono, but since the redhead had taken the tea for Kisumi, it meant there was no other choice.

"I-I can't!" she whispered to Konosuke.

"Sure you can," Purred Shoka from the other side, "it's easy," she took the girl's chin and turned to face her, easily stealing her lips. The crowd around them gasped and screamed, but Shoka didn't stop right away. She deepened the kiss into something Kisumi had never felt ever before in her life. It made her feel all kinds of things she couldn't understand and at long last the purplenette pulled away, her eyes half shaded by her long eyelashes. "There, see? Kissing the girl's hand couldn't be nearly as bad as that hm?"

"B-But th-that was my f-"

"Don't keep her waiting now," laughed Konosuke, who was blushing quite a lot for someone who sounded like it was all a big joke. 

"Ah-Alright," said Kisumi, who took the tea and then placed a timid kiss on the girls knuckles which seemed to stop time and surround the two with pink bubbles for a moment.

The girls all squealed, Kisumi's shy kiss was such a hit,

"She's so cute!" said one fan,

"Oh I want to book a private table with her next time" said another.

"I got it all on my phone!" said another, 

"Shoka-sama!!" came another cry.

"Hey," said Kono, inspecting the trembling Pinkette, "Was that your first kiss?"

Shoka shot a look to the redhead and then a surprised glance at the girl beside her, who nodded, looking stunned. 

Konosuke let out a loud laugh and slapped her on the back, "Well, you should consider yourself lucky! Shoka is the most coveted host here!"

"Sh-She what?" she looked at the purplenette who grinned.

"It was my pleasure to take it from you. We could do it again..."

"N-N-No!" she failed again, she time scooting herself into Kono's lap.

"Well now! getting all cozy? We just met!" Smiled the redhead, looking friendly.

"T-This is all your fault anyway!" protested Kisumi.

"What did I do?" asked Kono, still smiling as if waiting for the punch line.

"You brought me in here!" She was struggling to get off Kono's lap, while the redhead playfully fought to keep her there.

"Did not, you said you were invited, you came all on your own." She replied.

"Invited? Well isn't she special," noted Shoka, moving closer so it appeared Konosuke and Shoka were sharing the girl across their laps. She blushed, they were both so close to her, so beautiful, she was getting hot, stuck between them like this and they wouldn't stop touching her!

"I-I," she tried to continue, explain something, fill in her awkward feelings with words, any words, but she couldn't do it. Breathless. Why would these two take such interest in her all of the sudden? Just why had she been invited to a place like this? What was the point of it all?

It could get rather boring just staying within the confines of one's own domain, no matter how many beautiful faces dwelt there.  A lady had to expand her attention to the rest of the Hill to truly become known among the whole population of students.  Tori did not see this as the domains of two rival princes as many girls did, as many rumors would have you believe.  Surely there were princes ruling over the student governments of the oldest schools, Miator and Spica, but that was essentially a parliamentary position.  True royalty was regal by their nature and very existence rather than being elected by others.  So after meeting the prince of Spica Tori had decided that rather than leave Spica, she'd expand her domain and establish herself as one above all this governmental nonsense.  Princes were useful for impressing girls to some degree but not all girls wanted to be with someone who was more masculine - some would prefer a more refined, feminine leader who commanded the world to do her bidding and treated her subjects well.  Thus Tori had decided she was above all the princes by the nature of her lineage, and therefore was the Queen of Astraea Hill.  

Today she'd decided it was an appropriate time to visit the Rose Garden host club at Lulim, since there were bound to be impressionable girls in need of her saving grace there.  Though dressed in her Spica uniform Tori had taken great care to do her hair conservatively but incredibly ladylike, a bun with some braiding acting as a tiara of sorts.  As she approached the garden she noticed a disproportionate number of girls present to observe something transpiring within.  She raised an eyebrow at that but proceeded through any groups of girls between her and the interior of the area.  That was where she noticed there were three rather handsome ladies sitting close to each other and seeming to flirt with one another.  With that presented before her she grinned and decided that this was a perfect opportunity to interject and announce who she was and why she'd come.  One of the girls on the bench was the Prince of Spica, to whom she winked in greetings before cheating out to face both their audience and the girls on the bench.

"My dear lovely ladies, pardon my late intrusion but it is time that you all hear what I have to say.  Our wondrous schools are blessed by great beauty of scenery and of femininity, none can deny this.  However you must surely recognize that simply having princes leading your student governments is not enough to satisfy your desire for regal beauty.  Thus, I present myself humbly to you, descendant of Harold I of England, the Queen of Astraea Hill!  Each and every girl here is special to me and I have plenty of time for everyone who wishes to have an audience," she announced, then turned to the princes, "My dears, your display is cute intriguing, but I must insist I be allowed to join in."

Anopther girl came through the crowd, one Shoka recognized and she smiled at her display, pulling Kisumi's hand and sliding her sleeve down to slide her teeth along her wrist like a vampire might before biting down. The pinkette squeaked cutely, and Shoka put a hand around her belly, reveling in her squirming. She noticed right away though that the girl wasn't too fervent in her desires to escape, it was clear, if only to Shoka, who specialized in human pheromone and body language, that the girl actually rather enjoyed all this, making it all the more fun.

"The more the merrier!" piped Konosuke, the loud red head at the end, over the sounds fo the awing fangirls reacting to the Queen's approach, "You can sit by me." She patted the spot beside her with one arm, while the other was wrapped around the pinkette's hips, a sort of tug of war over the girl.

"Ah-Shoka this is embarrassing!" Said the pinkette,

"It's Shoka-sama to you," corrected the red head, "She's our student council president."

Kisumi couldn't breathe, such an important person...such a handsome, beautiful person had taken her first kiss and was....her heart just about stopped when she felt Shoka's tongue brush the skin of her wrist. The fangirls around them continued to squeal.

Shoka decided to continue her teasing, feeling with interest that Kisumi was genuinely getting worked up and needing to tone it down some before she worked her into a really regrettable state. Eventually she let go of Kisumi, who tried to scramble across Konosuke to the new addition to the table. "Save meeee," she whined, waterfalls seeming to come from ehr eyes in a comical way.

Shoka took a sip of tea, "Welcome to the party my Queen," she bowed her head, and watched Konosuke grin at the spectacle.

So, they had a rose garden too. It was worth an investigation. Vincennes had a rose garden where the baking club often sold their bread. It was also a nice place to eat lunch and get out of the crowded cafeteria. Maybe this place was like that too? Certainly did have a hope that it was. A nice quiet area full of roses to enjoy some alone time or chat with a friend. That would require making friends of course, but hey. Rose gardens were just nice anyway. Her hair was as Crimson as the roses themselves, so provided these roses were as nice, she would likely blend right in and disappear. Please try of time to enjoy her own company in that case.

She was greeted by the gorgeous roses indeed, but also by the unsavory squealing of some fellow students. She growled and turned her head to the unpleasant chatter. A bunch of friends gathered around a table laughing at someone else, and then two of the more elegant looking of the bunch started to converse privately. How... Typical. This wouldn't be an escape after all. Wait a second--

"TThat's my cub." she said to herself, claiming the pinkette as her kouhai despite age. What were they doing to her? Was this some ridiculous bullying? No way, she said that was at her previous school. So then, what? Well... Only one way to really get an answer.

"Hey!" she said in an almost growl as she approached the group. "What is all this?"

At that moment, she noticed a lot of blushing faces and her own went pale. What was so embarrassing? Was this...

This really was getting good! Shoka was doing her thing, the fans were loving it, someone new sat with them to make it even better and she was happy to let the poor pinkette try to get to the self proclaimed queen and feel better. As much as she didn't mind playing the part of host, she wasn't so much into doing all these things to people. Though even she noticed that Kisumi didnt exactly hate what was happening to her. As she laughed at the way the pinkette over acted her distress, someone else came up. Kono, king of compeition knew her already from the tennis club, if only by name.

"This is the Host Club! We are entertaining guests. Kisumi said she was invited here,"

"Your cub?" interjected the purplenette, looking amused and placing her teacup back on her saucer, "I don't think shes in an danger oh ferocious one." she teased, "in fact, I think she is ratehr enjoying herself."

Upon her words the blubbering pinkette quieted down and hid her face in in the nearest place she could hide it, which was in the Queen'd clothes. It was true, all this attention from these two beautiful people wasn't a bad thing, but in front of all these people...

Beads of tears rested at the corners of her eyes, and she peeked up at the red head,

"Raion-sama!" she immediately flew from the table to her side, crouching so as to hug her hip (making a TT_TT face) she was also using the incorrect honorific here, but it fit. The motion made the purplenette set down her tea,

"Don't be in such a rush to go, someone did invite you Kisumi-chan, it would be rude to leave without finding out who it was..."

Konosuke just burst out laughing a little kouhai acting all protective over her senpai? And Kisumi was on her knees hugging her like that? What kind of person was she? It was adorable, but also funny, she doubled over,

"Don't look so serious Raion-san!" She chuckled, "It's what the fans want!"

The group of faces was now looking impressed and starry eyed snapping pictures of the brave lion protecting her little cub. "She so cool!" they were saying. This just kept getting better and better!

"Get up. This is pathetic." she growled out at the cub. She meant it in a sincerely nice way, after all she was asserting control over the poor thing. Friendship was still a title reserved only for back home as of right now though. So don't get the wrong idea this wasn't an act of friendship, it was protection of the weak. Baka.

"I see. So this is a place where people go to seek out some pseudo romance. " she conversationally tsked, waving a finger at Kono. "Well, whatever the reason may be, this is not what I expected of the rose garden."

Still, she had to give them credit. This was a good setup. And the people here were definitely people she knew by name. One of them was her greatest threat and her greatest goal at the same time. She caught sight of this and the fire in her eyes began to burn again anew. However,for now, she turned back to the cub at her side.

"Straighten yourself up. And drop Sama. I'm younger than you." she said the words as if she had done so many times before. At one more bow of respect to Kono, her eyes immediately darted to the prize, and the challenge.

"Ah... Shoka-sama." she stood in a mix of awe and aggression. "So we finally meet."

She made her way to the rose bush, and without a second thought grabbed one. She paid any potential cuts no mind, and held it toward Shoka like a fencing blade. The stem of the rose she plucked was fittingly large enough, and the sight was rather poetic to see. She knew there would be reaction to this. And considering the environment she had found herself in, that was probably the point. Competition came in all ways, after all. If the competition was over maximum affection to gain, then engarde!

"My name is Honoo Raion, and I will be your replacement next year."

At each command she did so, she stood, hiding behind the firl, then "Yes Raion-san," she said quetly, standing straight, even as she trembled with nerves. She felt better over here, fatehr from them, but at the same time now she was a spectacle in front of them rather than among them, which was perhaps worse. In one situation, they were being watched the by the others, and now she was being watched by them. Her protective wall i.e. Raion moved out of the way to approach Shoka.

The purplenette took the gesture in stride, "Well then," she purred, "I'm sure you'll do just fine." She reclined back, putting an arm along the back like Kono had moments ago, the other hand reached for the rose, to take it also making no note of any cuts. In fact, if the girl didn;t let go of it, she'd use it to pull her a little closer, jsut to get a whiff and back off. Wild Jungle flowers hm?

"A lioness to run the school in place of a Prince? My, we would have many things to discuss, kitty cat."

She smiled, but it wasn't condescending. Shoka didn't look as if she was threatened at all. Kisumi could only stare, wow she was cool, they both were. She didn't know what to do with herself out in the open and noticed Kono waved her over with one hand, tilting her head as if to invite her back to her seat between the infamous prince and the swim team captain. What should she do? She took a tenative step forward.

So that's how she was going to play it, hm? Very well then. These people came here for a show, and it was clear that there was a fighting spirit in her. The way her eyes flared in excitement was unlike her previous look of disinterest. One could visibly identify her face as far more interested than before.

She released the rose with no hesitation, and in doing so discovered that she was standing alone now. The group was watching on. An audience to her dramatic declaration. So be it. She has thrown her dueling I've metaphorically. Now it was a matter of stepping it up and making good on her word.

"Whatever you invited the cub here for is now my business. She's under-" a fist pounced against her chest right above her breast to e phasing her next words. "-MY protection. I'll be joining your little party for that reason."

She forced her way right on past Shoka to signal that her challenge had been issued and thus their business was completed. She now made her way toward the cub, asserting herself nearby.

"Come then, let's resume. If you desire the company of Lion D'incendie, this is your chance. I won't be so giving next time."

No one appeared to take credit for invitin the pinkette, perhaps it had been a joke? Shoka's keen gaze saw a partifularly red fan who definitely smelled like fear and she slipped to the back of the crowd. Whoever had wanted to see Kisumi all alone was clearly too afraid of her guard cat to do anything about it just then. Shoka let the silence go on for a moment, pretending she didn't already know that nothing was going to happen.

"Looks like you're out of luck, they aren't here." Said Shoka, looking in the direction of the girl who had disappeared. "You can rejoin the table Kisumi,: she reached for her tea again and looked at the group, "what a spectacle you are out there with your kitty cat. Wouldn't you feel better here with us?"

Kisumi was making a face like a child that badly wanted the lollipop being held out to her, but she remained stiff, like a dog on a chain, or worse, a dog with a biscuit on his now unable to eat it due to the command of a master. More and more Shoka was liking this Kisumi.

Konosuke put her arm around the queen,

"Yeah, this is fun! Come on, sit down have some tea. We're having a good time!"

Her teacup was already empty, and Kisumi's cup was still steaming in the midst of all this. Kisu finally gave into the pressure of the eyes all around her and moved to sit again, reaching for her tea, though this put her on the end next to Shoka,but in front of Raion instead of in the middle of the two other princes. She sipped her tea and stiffened as Shoka ran a hand down her back in one smooth motion before moving hte hand entirely away.

The Prince seemed pleased to have her there, perhaps even more than having her sandwiched between her and Kono. What was she getting at with all that? She was red all over again.

Oh, this was exactly the kind of spectacle the newly crowned Queen of Spica could revel in!  Two princely girls doing their best to make an adorable third girl feel quite flattered with all their romantically styled attentions.  She was perfectly comfortable taking her place among the royalty gathered in the host club, mindful that they not attempt to toy with her quite the same way they did with the pinknette.  A Queen was deserving of specific kinds of attention which not just any girl could be given.  In most situations she would be the one deigning to invite certain girls up to spend some quality tea time with her rather than being invited by princes.  Given that she'd just arrived on scene it was acceptable for her to sit next to Konosuke and accept the sudden 'escape' of the pinknette.  For a while she sat there stroking the girl's hair gently, staring comfortingly into her eyes as she whispered things in English that were probably incomprehensible due to her Cockney slang.  

Then the most interesting thing occurred - a strange redhead emerged from the crowd and fiercely claimed the pinknette as her 'cub'.  Tori's head cocked to the left as the girl got into a somewhat heated discussion with the prince of Spica, which was kind of exciting.  Shoka seemed to be in much better spirits than when they'd first met, just as Tori had been helped by the purplenette's words that day a little while ago.  What made her more curious about this whole transpiring was that the pinknette responded rather well to being called a cub and ran to the new arrival.  On her knees she'd hugged the redhead before being redressed by the self-proclaimed lioness.  That struck Tori as a rather poorly chosen course of action - the girl was clearly somewhat affectionate with this girl, why didn't the redhead at least hug her back?  Deplorable.  At any rate Tori found she had the second prince's arm around her, which alleviated the situation somewhat.  A Queen could do worse than being in the company of the prince after all.

"Yes, welcome to our royal tea service, my dear.   Always a pleasure to welcome a young lady with as much passion as you clearly have.  I must say, you have quite gorgeous hair - that shade of red is so vibrant, and I'd wager it's rather lovely to the touch as well," Tori interjected after taking a sip of tea.  She set the teacup down and reached up to run a finger along Konosuke's chin, "There may be princes here but you must realize that I am the Queen, and thus invitations might also come from me.  I am neither confirming nor denying that I had part in inviting your lovely companion here today, but she is as welcome as you."

Then Tori smiled slightly, "You use a French title, then?  Interesting.  I hadn't thought lions could be French, but this is a strange new world we live in.  Please, sit and join us for some proper English tea."   At this point she was completely making things up, just playing along with whatever her princely counterparts did.  Of course, she was having immense fun doing it.

"Quite," Said Shoka in response to Konosuke. The Queen began to talk after that and a cute girl snuck up with a teapot to top everyone off. She accepted it all graciously, perhaps too concious of the heat coming off the pinkette beside her. She wanted her to touch her again, well this time the answer was no. Shoka kept her hands to herself, letting the pinkette burn a little bit.

Konosuke settled into character with a Queen under her arm, this was just spiffy, she even chuckled as the Queen picked at the challenger at their table, raising a first to hide her grin. She was totally on Raion's side, she greatly respected her fire, in fact, she wondered if she could swim, that kind of spirit was something she'd love to challenge and even rely on in a team mate. She hoped it wouldn't be taken as a threatening motion, she was just super amused wondering if the Queen was about to get her head ripped off, and how Raion would take being spoken to like that.

Kisumi somehow shrank a little smaller, feeling Shoka's eyes on her, seeing them at the corners of Shoka's dark lashes. She took her tea and sipped it quietly, nervously happy to be where she was. She peeked over at Raion, the one lower classmen among them looking puffed up and a little scary. It was cool too, and she was blushing again, turning her gaze to her tea.

"What's the matter?" purred Shoka, all of the sudden interested in her again, touching her chin and turning her face toward her, "Disappointed? Didn't you hear? The Queen may or may not have invited you, you should thank her...little cub."

Kisumi was hypnotized in the eyes of the Prince, so close, her mouth, would she kiss her again? Hot and red her words suddenly registered,

"Oh! Well i-if it was you Queen-sama, t-thank you," she bowed her head in thanks to the blonde, "B-but why..?"

"Don't waste the Queen's time with 'why'," Interrupted Shoka, "Apparently you are worthy specimen." Her eyes glinted with her own approval and Kisumi almost collapsed, blushinghard enough she had to put down her tea and twist her hands together.

"I...I am?"

"AWH!" Konosuke grinned big and wide, hitting the table with a fist, "Is is cute isn't she?" she asked the crowd, gesturing at her, who all squealed in agreement. "Yeah," Nodded Kono quietly, satisfied.

Kisumi blinked and covered her mouth, looking around. She was? She was cute? She felt she might faint, but was also really happy just then. But then, wide eyes turned to Raion, what was she going to say?

Ready to roar, ready or not
Ready to give it all I've got
Gotta live to win, get up, get out, get even
Ready to roar, ready or not
Ready to give it one more shot
Let the game begin, need something to believe in
Ready to roar!

R A I O N
╜───────╓

Ah, so she was correct. This entire gathering was all about affection. Very well then - the fire in her eyes grew stronger at the thought of a new challenge to take on. She wouldn't back down to anyone, even supposed royalty. Here, they were equals, whether she liked it or not. She would make that fact very clear by beating her at something - whatever it was she was doing right now.

The self proclaimed queen was then... Complimenting her hair? What a strange tactic. Surely she had some reason for doing so. Well, when in Rome.

"As red as the setting Savannah sun." she nodded. "I am proud of it. perhaps if someone were to best me, they would be allowed to know my care secrets."

Of course, she couldn't just give her a thank you. She had to lace it with competition. Everything was a challenge. And from the way she phrased her next sentence, it seemed as though that was the way the queen was receiving it as well. She had... Issued a challenge of nationality? Oh, but she had erred.

"Non, non." she shook her head playfully, a smirk hidden underneath her mane - er - hair. "I'm Japanese, but I was raised in a french environment. I can enjoy an English tea any day."

To prove her point, she accepted the invitation she was offered by force, and made a point of shooting Kisumi a stare. It wasn't malicious, more a warning glance that she masked with furrowed brows. If she betrayed the Pride, she would not be forgiven.

But before she could make her presence more accepted, Kisumi was bombarded in all directions. She sure did seem to be enjoying the company and attention, despite the previous nervousness and fear. How quickly a person can turn coat when a sweet treat dangles before them. Well, fair is fair. She would play this game too.

"The cub is delicate. Please appreciate her with some tact." she almost growled the words out at the group showering her property with loud affection. "All this exclamation is sure to startle her."

As she finished her warning, she turned an eye to the queen. Something told her she should keep pressing challenges. Shoka was a worthy foe indeed, but so was this woman. They both needed to feel the heat of her competitive spirit. And then, there was the other boyish girl. Her name didn't matter. She seemed to have a fire in her as well. Perhaps she could challenge all of them someday. But for now, she had two targets, one she knew to be direct with and one she thought was egging on her own challenges.

This was exactly the distraction she was looking for this morning at the gate.

╖───────╓
H O N O O

Tori delighted in how the redhead reacted to her combination of compliment and challenge.  It would have been so much more boring if the girl had become completely defensive or shrunk at the words which came from Spica's Queen, after all.  Girls who blushed in the Queen's presence were all well and good, their cuteness had a place in Tori's heart for sure.  This?  This girl was a rare creature indeed to reflect the kind of polite yet challenging approach which Tori had aimed at her.  Quite quickly the girl had caught her full attention like no girl had for months.  The fiery lioness was not going to escape from the attention of the Queen of Spica, this had just been decided.  How exactly this would all turn out was anyone's guess but it was certain to be entertaining along the way.  

"French-inspired Japanese then?  Quite intriguing, my dear.  You are a very interesting young lady, and I can see that you are both refined and strong.  A most admirable combination of traits," Tori responded to her guest's response to the nationality challenge.

She motioned to the tea cups on the table, "I imagine that your French environment taught you proper etiquette for  sharing tea with other respectable ladies?  For my part I assure you that I will treat our guest - your cub - with the utmost respect and affection.  Were we to act any differently we would betray our noble sensibilities and be no better than some brute who sees no value in beauty."

For a moment she sat and observed the redhead as she sipped tea, getting a better feel for the girl who'd suddenly turned up and captured her imagination.  They weren't so dissimilar, she noticed, as both were apt to seize upon someone who interested them and become protective.  Tori was less likely to turn into a growling lioness over it, of course, but she could understand the feeling of responsibility Raion felt in this situation.  Though unspoken the girl must be some kind of nobility on campus just as the princes and Tori were.  That prospect made this all ever more delightful when all things were considered.  As strong as the girl was Tori felt she could be lovely to hold, to flirt with to her heart's content.  So with a smile she set her teacup down and met Raion's eyes with an impish gaze.

"So tell me, Lion Princess, what would one have to best you at in order to obtain those secrets?  There are quite a lot of ways in which one could challenge you, but for the sake of argument let's say that you would be the one to determine the venue," Tori asked before stopping to consider something, offering in the end, "Should you best me I would be willing to offer you the honor of a ride upon my noble steed.  It's an honor few have ever been granted."

Ready to roar, ready or not
Ready to give it all I've got
Gotta live to win, get up, get out, get even
Ready to roar, ready or not
Ready to give it one more shot
Let the game begin, need something to believe in
Ready to roar!

R A I O N
╜───────╓

Well, this was just getting better wasn't it? She was definitely being challenged, in the Queen's own way. Capitalization of her title now as opposed to before is also not accidental, as it shows Raion's respect to do so. A strange, roundabout way of issuing a duel, but one she would gladly accept. She would play into the situation further as well, if for no other reason than to see how deep her competitive spirit would let her dive into uncharted territory. She would, for this moment, become the Seme Onii-chan that Spica didn't ask for, but would soon find that it wanted.

"Oui." she bowed in an almost sarcastic way, never breaking eye contact just so she could continue to show the embers of challenge in her eyes. Before long, she took her rightful spot amongst the group and allowed herself the time to prepare her own tea from the utensils provided. With closed eyes, she took a small sip and returned the cup to the table.

"Princess? That's quite the title. But I'm afraid not. I don't accept or use titles I haven't won rightfully." the word 'won' came out harsher than the others, to emphasize her code of honor about such things. "Lion D'incendie is a Title I earned at my previous school after many years or proving my worth. I will not accept another title without effort."

That's hardly the point she was getting at, Raion.

"As for your challenge, I will accept anything that you are equal to or superior to me at as a proper battle. I refuse to compete with anyone below me. It's an unfair duel."

This, she definitely shot out as if the words were true to her core.

"My primary skills lie in Fencing, Tennis, and Archery. I'll have to refuse swimming as I dislike to. We remain on the ground, and we find a common skill to compete at. Those are my rules."

As she finished her statement, she took another sip as punctuation, and as if to add 'and you will not change them' to the sentence.

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H O N O O

"Princess? That's quite the title. But I'm afraid not. I don't accept or use titles I haven't won rightfully." the word 'won' came out harsher than the others, to emphasize her code of honor about such things. "Lion D'incendie is a Title I earned at my previous school after many years or proving my worth. I will not accept another title without effort."



It couldn't have turned out better for the Englishwoman when Raion reacted to her praising challenges.  Clearly she was dealing with a proud girl who wasn't about to just accept her elevation to the nobility which Spica's Queen had so generously granted her.  Having earned one title at a previous school she was not about to let anyone else dictate for her what she should be called.  Though the rejection of the princess title stung a little bit she approved of the girl's determination to define herself.  A challenge was being agreed to through their sparring words, which was just how a noblewoman ought to carry this sort of thing out.  A noblewoman would also wait to respond in order to savor her tea, and that was exactly what the blonde did.  For a few moments she simply sipped her tea to enjoy its flavor and appreciate the craftsmanship that had gone into its brewing.  

Once she finished, Tori stated, "Very well, Lion, you shall be known by whatever title you wish to be called.  While it is my feeling that you are quite clearly the epitome of a princess, it is not my predilection to assign titles to others which they do not accept.  Just bear in mind that a title earned at another school may not be as universally recognized here as you'd like."

Then she smirked, "If you refuse to compete with someone who is below you, why do you then accept someone above you competing with you?  Does that not harm their honor within your definition of a fair battle?"  This she allowed to simmer as she sipped more tea and watched for the redhead's reaction.  

After observing she suggested, "There are many ways in which we could measure each others's abilities.. I would suggest a challenge of the horse, but I do not know if you have a mount to use for such an endeavor.  And a single challenge seems quite.. limiting, don't you think?  This is an important competition between the Lion D'incendie and the Queen of Spica.  I propose a compromise, my dear.  A series of three competitions to judge who the ultimate winner between us is.  Each segment will have its own conditions for victory, with a major prize awaiting at the end."

Tori was really starting to get into it now,  "Two of the three segments will be chosen by us, one each.  Then we allow a third party to choose the final competition.  Does this sound enticing to you?"