#◟ ❝ HORTENSIA! ━━ ｡ ⊹ ᵃˢᵖᶤʳᵃᵗᶤᵒᶰˢ ᶤᶰ ᵖᵉᵒᶰʸ ᵖᶤᶰᵏ

[rozyrne]

"well, not exactly..." but he skimps on the details. who cares anyway; both the jana and these elementals didn't like to be seen and each one of them had a bigger personality than the last, so really the differences just came down to the fine print. far as he knew, these guys weren't going and swapping around with humans though — but also, maybe they were. he's sure fódlan, just like elyos, had a bunch of weird stuff going on that he and everybody else didn't even know the first thing about!

kind of exciting when he thought about it that way.

falling easily into hortensia's smaller strides when she hooks his arm, rosado giggles, finding ease in the comfort of something so familiar. he already likes it better here if he gets to see hortensia like this again; in elusia, she'd always seemed so put-together after leaving the academy behind for the war. not that that was a bad look on her, really ( rosado's pretty sure there's no such thing! ), but it's easy to forget how long he'd gone without seeing this side of her,

this arm-hooking, bright-grinning, babbling-about-magic-systems-he-didn't-get-the-first-thing-about hortensia.

"flying classes? which ones are you signed up for? i'm peeking at your schedule when tonight's over. and do you already know which teachers are the duds? i really can't go through another professor begonia again; i'll fail for sure..."

but before he starts thinking about traumatic exam seasons and course listings, a survey back towards the confectionary table reminds him of a sight he'd passed by earlier, and he abruptly reroutes their ambling path with a gasp and a tug at hortensia's arm, pulling her further and further through the dense foot traffic. "oh, earlier i spotted this cream and dragonfruit layer cake — did you see it? it looked just like you. come on, i want to get a sketch of you with a slice. it's just the thing to start off our year..."

Grinning ear to ear Hortensia continues to take in more of Rosado's outfit, and of course most importantly just him and his Rosadoness - elemental illusions or not, there really was no magic that could truly capture her friend other than what he himself made.

(oooh but she'll have to ask about the cute lil accessories later. That watch chain, so delicate!)

"Hehe," she glances down at the orange-ish bloom as Rosado looks at the one Air has gifted him in return. Earth... and all of its expansive beauty, she thought if fit Rosado even if from what she'd seen his actual elemental was a bit of brute.

"Oh, so your home had elementals too?" Hortensia asks, nodding along, "I wonder how similar they are then. The principles of anima magic are the same here as in Elyos so it would make sense if they had a similar system, hmm..."

Oh, she was getting a little technical there; and at Rosado's insistence it would be the academy but different she laughs and tucks one arm under his.

"It'll be even better, for sure! Did you see they have flying classes her? Oh, but that's for later. Let's not miss tonight's events - you've gotta be out for everyone's flower, yeah? I'm still a little miffed those Morfisians shrunk me before the ball even got started but with you here and events swinging into gear, hard to stay mad!"

[rozyrne]

delight brims from eye and smile to see his excitement mirrored in hortensia, a comfortable familiarity bowled over by the sudden realization of his arrival. hands on hips, he strikes a hair-swishing pose as if to say ' yep, that's me! ', only briefly removing the top hat to flourish it to his chest in a bow when she returns the compliment to him as well. in fact, it was an original — apparently, more than a few of the attendees tonight had gotten their outfits arranged by the boutique birds, but as soon as he'd heard that the academy would be hosting a ball in the coming weeks — well, of course he had to come prepared.

what can he say? no one puts on a look like the elusians.

playfully dainty curtsy is met with equally playful formality, spine straightening and a dignified frown passing his face for just long enough before it breaks into giggles when he lets her go. 　　　　　( he and hortensia; they had been classmates, friends, influences — 　　　　　before ever princess & retainer. )

"oh, really? this kind of thing is pretty common back in the village." another satisfied sway from side to side as he admires the new adornment on his chain of engagements, as softly green as the first shoots of spring. "i don't think that's where these elementals are from, but i dunno, they feel kind of similar."

enough about that though — he hasn't seen hortensia for a few whole months! hands ball into fists, beaming look returning full force. "anyway, i can't wait. it'll be just like at the academy! this time i'm not going to get carried away with the social stuff though."

probably. maybe. just once in a while.

without warning, hands clap down over hortensia's eyes. "got you!! hehe, i finally found you."

then they release, and the perpetrator appears around to the front to reveal sparkling opals and a cherubic face that brightens, if possible, even more as it trail down from the top of the princess to the rest of her. "oh. my gosh, hortensia, i adore your outfit. of course, leave it to elusia's cutest princess to look no less than the best on a day like this! the capelet is such a good touch, and the layering of these ruffles?"

attention lifts again to her face and a hand extends boldly and eagerly. "rosado here, reporting for duty! you'll give me your hand for my vine of course, won't you?"

"y–eeep!"

Between the emotional rollercoaster that had been speaking with King Diamant alongside finding out so many of her classmates had leveled up their cuteness score significantly maybe she was off her game? Oh, but the party was just getting started – as soon as her captor lets her spin around and speak her mind she will really let them have it.

Oh, it was just Rosado. That was fine and explained it then.

Wait.

"Rosado?! Omigosh, did you just get here? Right on time too since it seems this a first of a kind for Garreg Mach!"

She twirls around to give Rosado a better show of her outfit once he comments upon it, smiling all the while: "right?! The boutiques here are actually quite good, I was impressed. Oh but Rosado - you've out done yourself too, you know! Is that an original?"

Before they can get too distracted Rosado reminds her of the other aspect to this dance party. She'd nearly forgotten! It seemed like the type of game Rosado would enjoy though so she happily agrees, taking his hand in hers with a curtsy.

"But of course. This magic," she says, watching as earth and air intermingle before giving them each their respective bloom, "I've never seen anything like it before!"