[diadic]

Hey Leif have you heard about the new Leonster Brainrot?

TUNG TUNG TUNG TUNG TUNG SAHUR

[stealstaff]

🎶 Fantasy Costco, where all your dreams come true. Got a deal for you! 🎶

[stealstaff]

A special secret shop, somehow miles bigger on the inside than it appears on the outside, has appeared out of nowhere! With incredible deals and a trove of items you can't find anywhere else, everyone has been scrambling trying to claim some for themselves— but there's a strange catch. Only those with a special card are allowed in, and anyone else is turned away by the shop's intimidating network of guards. However, they are making a special exception fitting for the season by granting new cards to people in relationships. For anyone with a special someone this wouldn't be a problem, but the many people who don't are now fresh out of options…or at least, 'legitimate' ones. Be it faking a relationship, sneaking in, or any other schemes one can cook up, there are plenty of ways for the 'creative' sort to find their way in. But are you curious enough to try?

It's a shop. And it's secret. Even just one of those things would be enough to make Tina want to go there but both together!? Now it's more like a need. It's all she's been able to think about since she first learned about it maybe like a half hour ago during class. Maybe it is worth showing up to class sometimes.

She finds the shop as easily as one might find a strange, exclusive store thanks to some helpful classmates but mostly a lot of aimless wandering. But the real challenge is trying to get in. They're requiring some sort of special card to show that members can get in. And there are waaaay too many people around that, even if she did simply unlock the door, she would certainly be caught trying to walk in.

The attendant assures her with a wink that surely there is nothing to worry about. They are issuing new membership cards right now! All she has to do is return with her romantic partner and they'll both receive a card together!

Yeah. Ok. Way easier said than done! Though she might feel a little flattered that this attendant assumes she's the type of cool and cute girl who would already have a partner like that. But she doesn't! At all!

Tina grumbles off, making sure she's far enough away from the secret shop of her dreams before approaching the very first person she sees.

"Please! You've gotta help me! My life like totally depends on it! It's an emergency!"

[stealstaff]

🎶 Fantasy Costco, where all your dreams come true. Got a deal for you! 🎶

[stealstaff]

Wanted plots!

Not looking to take on too many but Tina only has a few so she could definitely use a couple more.

- Amiibo gazebo: incredibly funny. She caused a fair bit of chaos during the ball or maybe her tiktok dances were just too cringe. But like being blackmailed with video evidence is better than being threatened with bugs, right?

- Secret shop: she wants part of everything about this. A secret shop? She needs in on that. Fake dating? Maybe it could turn into real dating you never know. But like if you put secret or keep out or forbidden on something she will take that as an invitation to go to there.

[stealstaff]

[ MOVIE - MELODRAMA ] - A techno-magical reproduction of a melodrama following a creative that falls in love with his own creation, which is subsequently given life by the Goddess.

Something smells sooo incredible that it's kind of hard to pay attention to whatever is going on on the screen. It's like warm buttery perfection! Tina looks around and finds the source of the deliciousness right next to her. Some guy with a big tub of that popped corn!

She doesn't ask. She doesn't think. She simply reaches over and grabs a whole handful to shove right in her mouth. "Mmm!" Her voice is muffled as she chomps down on the treat. "This is totally bussin'!"

Quickly, she shoves a flower at him. If she gives him a flower in return then she can't get accused of just stealing food because it's a trade. :blobthink:

[diadic]

@stealstaff sent: [ CHAMPAGNE ] - And from one of the finest bottles Adrestia has to offer. No student is allowed more than a single glass, and it looks classier to swirl it before it's empty.

This time, Tina makes sure to look around very carefully to make sure Finn is nowhere in sight. No trace of him. Perfect. Now is her chance. She holds her hand out again toward the champagne flute tower as though there is a staff in it and concentrates as hard as she can. She tries to imagine the same sensations that she feels when using the Thief Staff.

But someone comes up behind her again!

"Ack!" She jumps but relaxes when she realizes it's Leif this time. He's cool, right? Like he's been to jail so he can't have a whole lot to scold her for, right?

"I'll get one for you, too, if you don't tell Finn. I'll even throw in a flower!" ( ethereal ball — second half. )

    “Tina! I didn't know you were back,” Leif had called out to her, only somewhat ignorant to her machinations. It's not as if he didn't see her clearly focusing on something though, hand unnaturally shot out not unlike many thaumaturges in these shores. Even without a staff or a tome clearly visible on her person, Leif is more than well aware that Tina has been a student of the Officers Academy and thus has some experience with Fódlan's weaponless casting. Trained to check his surroundings and make quick calls and inferences, his umber eyes glance in the direction she's pointed before she turns, and sees what's in a straight line from her vantage point:

A pyramid of the famous champagne glasses that always come every Ethereal Moon, tightly guarded by waitstaff in charge of carefully serving from said tower.

Even if he hadn't connected those dots, Tina clearly has little shame in implying her intentions to Leif, practically inviting him to figure things out.

“...Can you really do it?” the prince asks, egging her on out of pure curiosity. Tina's command of her Thief and Unlock staves was already impressive enough in the war, but if she could do it more stealthily with nothing in hand at all...? “Alright, show me how you do it. Your secret is safe with me, Tina.”

[stealstaff]

"Ha! Yes!" She pumps a victory fist into the air. "I knew you weren't a narc! You're not gonna regret it!"

Well now she's gotta do it. Leif is watching and is going to be directly affected by the results. She totally needs him to think she's cool. It's kind of nerve wracking but she can do it.

She holds her hand out again but this time it works! The glass from the very top of the tower disappears and then reappears right there in her hand! Nailed it!

"Yesss! Did you see it! Did you see it! I totally did it!" The glass is offered to Leif with a cocky grin. "Here, you can have the first one.

But she is not yet satisfied. No, there's no way she's going to leave Leif to drink his champagne alone! Hand extends once more and another glass appears. She's definitely gotten the hang of it.

This time, however, the top few tiers of the tower start to wobble. There is the sound of falling glass. The structural integrity of the tower has been compromised and staff guarding it quickly leap into action trying to determine the cause of collapse.

"Shit, shit, shit!" Tina swears and grabs Leif by the arm to pull him away "We gotta get out of here quick before they realize we did it."

[shadoll]

she in her gc fighting for her life cuz she sent a pic of you. ⟡

Ethereal Ball 2026 // continued from here

[stealstaff]

"Uhhhh when have I ever not been serious?" Literally all the time. Basically every single moment. Serious is hard for Tina. Unless there are bugs involved and then she is seriously terrified. But! She is serious now!

The flower comment gets a narrowing of Tina's eyes. That might be true. She's gotten flowers from other people too and she's given away some of her own. Still though... "Not everyone exchanges headbands! I didn't wear it tonight but I'll show you sometime and you'll see!"

And she is happy! Does Sara not see her beautiful smile? Ug, Sara can be so weird sometimes. She just doesn't get it at all. "I know that his name is Berkut and he likes cool black gloves and he can dance and he has a lance and maybe he doesn't always make the best choices but he comes around."

Really, that's a lot to know about a person.

[shadoll]

Normally Sara wouldn't entertain this nonsense, but she likes her friend even if it might be a small miracle that friendship remained in tact by the end of the night. She doesn't need or care to see the headband either way.

Her arms cross stubbornly as though bracing for a long fight, unwilling to concede an inch. How absurd to become enamored with a boy because of some trinkets. Tina should hear how ridiculous her argument sounds.

"You just described the former King of Thracia as well," she retorts flatly. "Anyway, I already knew Berkut's name and about his transfer to the Black Eagles class in the past year. I still can't fathom what you see in him. Do you plan to spend the evening as his shadow or actually talking?"

[stealstaff]

"Was the former King of Thracia handsome?" It's a genuine question. She doesn't remember. Has she ever seen him? She knows his son was handsome and charming and chivalrous to Linoan so maybe he was too? So maybe the comparison isn't actually that far off...

It would be pretty cool that Sara knows Berkut if Sara was even the least bit cool about it. But ug! What does she know!

"Talk to him!!" Tina's voice is not at all discreet as she is completely shocked that Sara would even suggest such a thing. "I can't talk to him! Then he'll know!"

There's a short pause.

"Do you think I should transfer to the Black Eagles?"

[shadoll]

Baffled by the question, her lips tremble in stunned silence. Sara is certain beyond a doubt she doesn't wish to know the reason Tina would inquire. It's better the topic be dropped there.

The next outburst luckily steers the conversation away from King Travant and back to Berkut, eliciting a heavy sigh equal parts relief and weariness.

"I think you should transfer to Dakia to detox in the woods."

Her frown deepens into a humorless line. She can't make sense of Tina's melodramatic actions or the rationale behind them.

"So what if he knows? Do you actually like him or like talking about him? He's not scary." Sara turns without prompting, her eyes beginning to search for him again. "If you can't do it, I'll tell him you would like to know him better."

[stealstaff]

"But I just came from Dakiaaaaa," Tina whines. Yeah she went home to Tarrah too and yeah she moans and groans about Perne. But sometimes! She goes back there! Staying put in one place is hard!

And maybe she kind of likes reuniting with the Dandelions sometimes even if she'll never speak it out loud.

Berkut might not be scary but what Sara suggests sure is.

"NONONONONOYOUCANT!!!!!!!" She grabs Sara's hands as though the other girl might run off right this very second to spill all of her deepest darkest secrets. She can only imagine what Sara might say and none of it is any good at all.

"I'll talk to him! I'll do it!" She's talked to him before. They've done all sorts of stuff before. She can't totally do it! It's fine!

[stealstaff]

Wanna see my cool trick? *shoplifts a lip smacker*

[stealstaff]

Continued with @gondul-fang

Even more disappointing than the state of the already unlocked lock and the loss of the chance to show off her cool skills is the lack of anything interesting in the room. Or rather, the lack of anything at all. What was the point of this?

Tina pouts and kicks her toe against the floor. "Ew-uh this is so boring-uh! There's gotta be something more exciting we can find."

But something Nino said clicks into place in Tina's mind and she perks right back up. "Hang on, you pick locks too? Oh man, we gotta hang out sometime! I'm still learning how to do it manually but I have a staff that lets me open anything without even being near it! And the Thief Staff lets me, well, thief! I knew you had to be cool when I saw your hair!"

[gondul-fang]

Nino's eyes widen like dinner plates. "A staff?" she repeats, trying to imagine such a thing. Nino hasn't worked with staves very much; Erk taught her the basics when she joined Eliwood's army, but she certainly hadn't used one that could open locks.

(A vision pops into her head, of herself swathed in cleric's robes. A young and unassuming girl, carrying a single staff. The things that she could get away with...)

She shakes out her hands, banishing the thought. She's supposed to be giving up all the things her family taught her growing up! But it's...difficult.

"That's really cool," says Nino. "I'm learning magic, but I've only gotten the hang of anima so far. Isn't there a torch that lets you light up dark rooms, too?" Like this one, she thinks to herself. Must not be that important if it was left unlocked, but her curiosity still incessantly calls.

[stealstaff]

"Oh yeah! Torch! I know that one!" It's thrilling when she gets the chance to show off a little! Especially when it's for someone who's nice and definitely would not see what she can do and exploit it with threats of terrible caterpillars. The thought causes Tina to shudder but Nino would never, right? She seems so cool and nice!

"Mages in Fódlan don't use staves or tomes which is totally weird but sometimes it's pretty handy." Like right now! Lugging a bunch of staves around would totally distract from her super cute outfit but holding out her hand and willing a glowing orb of light to form in her palm probably even enhanced the look.

"See! Like this! Hey...maybe we will find something cool in this room now that we can really see what's in it." She sure hopes so. Otherwise it would be a rather boring adventure and she doesn't want Nino to think she's boring.

[stealstaff]

[ SEQUESTER ] The lock isn't on this door, either. A door at the end of the dark hallway, shadowed in pitch black — and although he isn't very interested in opening it, he does so anyway.

A blink. Two. He takes a look around him, just to make sure they're still in the academy, and then turns back toward the figure inside. "...Lady Tina?"

"Hehe that's me!"

Lady Tina has a nice ring to it. She's always thought it would be glamorous to have a title like Linoan. Maybe she might even be taken seriously.

But. Wait a minute! That voice! She knows that voice!

"Hey what the heck! You know you don't have to wear a mask anymore, right?" Maybe in the past she might've thought it Cool and Mysterious but now it just sends a shiver down her spine.

[shadoll]

she in her gc fighting for her life cuz she sent a pic of you. ⟡

Ethereal Ball 2026 // continued from here

[stealstaff]

"Uhhhh when have I ever not been serious?" Literally all the time. Basically every single moment. Serious is hard for Tina. Unless there are bugs involved and then she is seriously terrified. But! She is serious now!

The flower comment gets a narrowing of Tina's eyes. That might be true. She's gotten flowers from other people too and she's given away some of her own. Still though... "Not everyone exchanges headbands! I didn't wear it tonight but I'll show you sometime and you'll see!"

And she is happy! Does Sara not see her beautiful smile? Ug, Sara can be so weird sometimes. She just doesn't get it at all. "I know that his name is Berkut and he likes cool black gloves and he can dance and he has a lance and maybe he doesn't always make the best choices but he comes around."

Really, that's a lot to know about a person.

[shadoll]

Normally Sara wouldn't entertain this nonsense, but she likes her friend even if it might be a small miracle that friendship remained in tact by the end of the night. She doesn't need or care to see the headband either way.

Her arms cross stubbornly as though bracing for a long fight, unwilling to concede an inch. How absurd to become enamored with a boy because of some trinkets. Tina should hear how ridiculous her argument sounds.

"You just described the former King of Thracia as well," she retorts flatly. "Anyway, I already knew Berkut's name and about his transfer to the Black Eagles class in the past year. I still can't fathom what you see in him. Do you plan to spend the evening as his shadow or actually talking?"

[stealstaff]

"Was the former King of Thracia handsome?" It's a genuine question. She doesn't remember. Has she ever seen him? She knows his son was handsome and charming and chivalrous to Linoan so maybe he was too? So maybe the comparison isn't actually that far off...

It would be pretty cool that Sara knows Berkut if Sara was even the least bit cool about it. But ug! What does she know!

"Talk to him!!" Tina's voice is not at all discreet as she is completely shocked that Sara would even suggest such a thing. "I can't talk to him! Then he'll know!"

There's a short pause.

"Do you think I should transfer to the Black Eagles?"

[stealstaff]

"Oh pu-lease!" In her exasperation, Tina flips her hair over her shoulder. Finn is so annoying. Why's he even like this? He could choose to have some fun but instead he always chooses to be boring and cringe.

"Have you seen literally anyone that Leif hangs around? Do you scold Lifis like a child? Or stupid stinky Perne? Didn't think so!"

She does respect her sister! And she knows the truth that all of the exasperated sighs and the "oh Tina's" come out of a place of love. She knows it and she sees it when Safy's mouth strains to keep back a smile at some of her antics. When Linoan has to hold up a hand over her mouth to cover her own laughter.

"Besides! Don't you think being able to cast without a staff is a super cool useful skill? I was aiming at the snowcones over there anyway!"

[sacrificialspear]

"Lifis and Perne are different circumstances entirely." Despite their pasts, Lifis had been surprisingly diligent in his contributions following the war. As for Perne...well, he was at least no longer an active concern, as far as they cared. "Are you saying you would prefer judgement to that of known criminals?"

Honestly...Leif and Nanna had never been this rowdy and disagreeable when they were younger. Safy truly did have the patience of a saint for balancing her duties with needing to care for her sister in the way that she did.

"While I would normally commend such an eager attitude to training, I would recommend that you make use of your perfectly good legs and go take a snow cone by hand instead, before you cause any problems for any other guests."

[stealstaff]

"Uhhh aren't we all known criminals?" Tina stands with her hands on her hips and a cocky grin. He can't argue this one and she's sooo confident she's got him here. She wasn't the only one stealing. And Leif was the one giving the orders!

And yeah. Maybe she would prefer to be judged against extra criminals like Lifis and Perne. It'll make her look that much better!

"But don't you worry, I'm not causing a single problem! Not a one!" She supposes she'll have to actually go get a snow cone now if even just to get him to leave her alone. Oh well. At least they look yummy. Aaaaaand she hasn't actually had her first glass of champagne yet either so she could still get one totally legally.

[stealstaff]

"I'm not doing anything-uh!" Tina whines as she rolls her eyes. "OMB it isn't a crime to stand around-uh!" Of course none of that is true and she absolutely was up to something but Finn doesn't ever need to know that and her lie is totally super foolproof and believable!

"Besides-uh, Safy isn't even here! What's she even gonna do? Write a scolding letter?" See? Foolproof plan.

"But since you're a boring old funsucker, I'll just be taking one of your flowers!" Tina reaches out and plucks one right out of his bouquet with a triumphant grin. She'll have to return to trying to steal drink contraband later when she's hopefully more alone.

[sacrificialspear]

Finn makes no move to stop her when she snatches away one of his flowers. Better those than something that might get her into trouble. "I simply thought that you might respect your sister enough to want her to think well of you."

Clearly respect was not a particularly good motivator these days, even among blood. He sighs heavily. "Fine, then let me be plain. If your actions here are somehow linked back to my lord in a manner that is seen as detrimental to his reputation, then I will have no choice but to intervene on his behalf."

And with that, Finn strikes in turn, taking one of the flowers from her bouquet and holding it up, both out of her reach and so she can see it plainly. "Do I make myself clear?"

[stealstaff]

"Oh pu-lease!" In her exasperation, Tina flips her hair over her shoulder. Finn is so annoying. Why's he even like this? He could choose to have some fun but instead he always chooses to be boring and cringe.

"Have you seen literally anyone that Leif hangs around? Do you scold Lifis like a child? Or stupid stinky Perne? Didn't think so!"

She does respect her sister! And she knows the truth that all of the exasperated sighs and the "oh Tina's" come out of a place of love. She knows it and she sees it when Safy's mouth strains to keep back a smile at some of her antics. When Linoan has to hold up a hand over her mouth to cover her own laughter.

"Besides! Don't you think being able to cast without a staff is a super cool useful skill? I was aiming at the snowcones over there anyway!"

[shadoll]

she in her gc fighting for her life cuz she sent a pic of you. ⟡

Ethereal Ball 2026 // continued from here

[shadoll]

Regrets are a natural part of life. Sara won't allow herself to be bogged down by them, however Tina's answer manages to push that boundary to its very limits tonight.

"You cannot be serious."

At least when Tina had fawned over Leif in Thracia, she understood because Leif made others want to help him. Berkut wasn't anything special though in terms of personality or appearance.

Her eyes narrow in suspicion, head pivoting back to Tina almost immediately.

"Everyone is exchanging flowers," she reponds, blunt and unmoved. "Are you really that happy? What else do you know about him? I doubt much."

@stealstaff

[stealstaff]

"Uhhhh when have I ever not been serious?" Literally all the time. Basically every single moment. Serious is hard for Tina. Unless there are bugs involved and then she is seriously terrified. But! She is serious now!

The flower comment gets a narrowing of Tina's eyes. That might be true. She's gotten flowers from other people too and she's given away some of her own. Still though... "Not everyone exchanges headbands! I didn't wear it tonight but I'll show you sometime and you'll see!"

And she is happy! Does Sara not see her beautiful smile? Ug, Sara can be so weird sometimes. She just doesn't get it at all. "I know that his name is Berkut and he likes cool black gloves and he can dance and he has a lance and maybe he doesn't always make the best choices but he comes around."

Really, that's a lot to know about a person.

[stealstaff]

[ GOSSIP ] - Tina seems awfully distracted when it comes to boys for some reason, going so far as to even ignore her. Sara has watched the same scenario play out more times than she can count.

"Enough." Her tongue clicks with unmasked annoyance. "Who has caught your interest? I'd like to be informed so I may at least know if I should take offense."

Tina's eyes sparkle with mischief. She's been waiting to gush about the answer to this specific question the entire night. The entire night!!!

She whirls Sara around to point him out because of course she knows exactly where he is. And of course that's a totally normal thing to just know and it isn't like she's been trying to follow him or anything. Totally a coincidence!

"Isn't he sOoOoOoOo dreamy~" Tina gestures toward the rose she has tucked behind her ear and does a little twirl. "He gave me this rose and he asked me to dance and one time he even got me a new headband!" She doesn't mention the grandma stuff. That isn't important anymore. She isn't even here.

[sacrificialspear]

[ CHAMPAGNE ] - And from one of the finest bottles Adrestia has to offer. No student is allowed more than a single glass, and it looks classier to swirl it before it's empty. Mages in Fódlan cast without a tome or a staff or anything. Surely it can't be that hard to apply the concept to spells and stuff that they don't use here, right? That is at least the thought that runs through Tina's mind as she stands across the room from the display of filled champagne flutes. She holds out her hand imagining what it would feel like if she was holding her trusty thief staff. Trying her best to will the magic through her hand instead of its carved shaft. Picturing what it would look like for one of the coveted flutes to appear in her hand ready for her to drink. It's really rude that students are only allowed one. And the one they even get is barely filled halfway! A total ripoff! Then a familiar form appears and the young cleric jumps. "Ack! What are you doing here, unc?"

"I am not your uncle." His days of caring for children are hopefully behind him for a time still, he is not eager to return to that life in any form. "You should greet people properly, Tina."

Now, the lack of staff in her hands is obvious. Under normal circumstances, her attempting to cast spells bare handed would not be of concern to him. However, he has seen many strange feats of magic since arriving in Fodlan. If she is attempting anything that may damage Lord Leif's reputation, it is his responsibility to intervene.

"I hope you are not doing anything that goes against the requests and rules of our hosts." He's not stupid. He can see the waiters preparing champagne for serving off in the distance. Knowing what Tina had been capable of during the war, he can connect the dots.

"Limits are in place for your own good. I'm sure you would not want Safy to hear that you are putting yourself in dangerous situations again, would you?"

@stealstaff

[stealstaff]

"I'm not doing anything-uh!" Tina whines as she rolls her eyes. "OMB it isn't a crime to stand around-uh!" Of course none of that is true and she absolutely was up to something but Finn doesn't ever need to know that and her lie is totally super foolproof and believable!

"Besides-uh, Safy isn't even here! What's she even gonna do? Write a scolding letter?" See? Foolproof plan.

"But since you're a boring old funsucker, I'll just be taking one of your flowers!" Tina reaches out and plucks one right out of his bouquet with a triumphant grin. She'll have to return to trying to steal drink contraband later when she's hopefully more alone.

[stealstaff]

Wanna see my cool trick? *shoplifts a lip smacker*

[stealstaff]

Continued with @gondul-fang

Even more disappointing than the state of the already unlocked lock and the loss of the chance to show off her cool skills is the lack of anything interesting in the room. Or rather, the lack of anything at all. What was the point of this?

Tina pouts and kicks her toe against the floor. "Ew-uh this is so boring-uh! There's gotta be something more exciting we can find."

But something Nino said clicks into place in Tina's mind and she perks right back up. "Hang on, you pick locks too? Oh man, we gotta hang out sometime! I'm still learning how to do it manually but I have a staff that lets me open anything without even being near it! And the Thief Staff lets me, well, thief! I knew you had to be cool when I saw your hair!"

[stealstaff]

[ SLIP-UP ] - As it turns out, a lot of people at the monastery make for great body doubles in the dark. What do you do when you slap a friend on the back only for you to find out when they turn around that it’s not your friend at all?

"WAHHH!" Tina jumps, startled with a hand comes down into her shoulder and then she jumps even more when she realizes just who it had been.

"Sin? Sin!? But, wait a minute, how do I know you're really for real Sin?" Eyes narrow and she pokes him in the sternum as though that is an acceptable and real way of figuring it out. Satisfied enough, she gives him a nod.

"I heard they used to have a masquerade at this ball, you know." She shudders just thinking about it. "Good thing they don't anymore, right?"