Time for a little mischief ...

"SURPRISE!" Tahi ((and presumably the others too)) yelled, as Severa entered the mess hall! She was sitting on one of the tables, next to the large cake that Amaranth and Shayla had managed to save, holding the sword in her left hand. The hall was a riot of color thanks to Tahi's unique decorating ability.

"Happy Birthday!"

Hidden behind her back was something special. The last time Tahi was out traveling - she had picked up something for Severa. Well two somethings actually. One was from Tahi, herself - a new dress, in the latest fashion - the other was something Kal had bullied Tahi into doing. It was a letter - a letter from Severa's brother - one of the few people Tahi knew that her roommate actually liked. The letter was hidden inside the fabric of the dress. Severa would only actually find it if she tried to put the dress on.

That way she'd have to accept Tahi's gift before she could find Kal's.

Severa nearly jumped about three feet in the air. her first reflex was to go to her sword, many people screeching to you at once does that to you, but her sword was, surprise surprise, in Tahirah's hand.

She blinked a few times, her brain trying to process this very unlikely thing. "Why- How did- Wait what?" she stammered. The whole hall was decorated and there was a mighty cake, seemingly even decorated with flowers.

"What in Mars' name is going on here?!" She snapped. "How did you all know about this? I told no one!"

Tahi grinned, and gave Severa her best innocent face. "Oh, a little birdy told me... And since this is your last year before the tournament, we all figured that it would be great to have a party to celebrate! C'mon. Don't be a sourpuss. Come and have cake with us - Amaranth and Shayla spent forever making it! And, don't worry, I wasn't allowed anywhere near the baking... We even have presents!"

Severa didn't look amused, so Tahi added, "And, If you want your sword back you'll have to humor us!"

"Or I could tell Kallistrates that you've stolen my sword, and since weapon stealing is strictly forbidden... I don't think Kal wants to get in trouble with Mnemosyne again either, so he wouldn't really approve..."

But she decided to humor them. Maybe that one distant spark of tolerable humanity was kind of flattered that they went through the trouble of having a party.

"Well, one piece then..."

""Yaaaay!!!" Score: Tahi 1, Severa 0

"And for the record, I didn't steal your sword, I just.... borrowed it without permission." Tahi shifted uncomfortably. Okay, maybe the score was Tahi: 1 Severa 0.5, but Tahi was still winning!

She knew the sword was important to Severa - silly Roman that she was. She set the sword down on the table, right next to the wrapped package that contained her gift. She picked up the package and handed it to Severa, who was finishing her cake.

"I got this the last time Kal and I went traveling. Everyone chipped in for payment though -so it's from all of us."

Severa blinked and accepted the present. she slowly unwrapped and out came... "a dress?"

She held it out in front of her, raising one eyebrow. "Well that's unexpected."

((What does it look like?!))

Shayla was happy and satisfied, but secretly hoping that she was in Severa's good books for Training now. I hope she likes my present, she ran her hand over the smooth paper with small flower petals in it. She hadn't had much time to think of a present even though she was already part of the present Tahi had bought she thought that she needed to give Severa something special just from Shayla, to say thanks for all the training. Shayla only knew one think Severa and her had in common(not counting that their names both start with 'S'), They both Adore Whips. So Shayla had decided to give her a new handle for her whip, this one with small red like jewels hidden in the silver metal the handle was based on.

((You are free to describe it. Though knowing Tahi it's 1)Fancy 2)Red - because red's such a good color on her 3) Sheer somewhere - though it might be in the train))

"Red's such a good color on you - and I figured you could use more *colorful* dresses! You'll have to try it on eventually!"

Score: Tahi 2, Severa 0.5

Tahi took a bite of her own piece of cake. "Wow! That's really good. Nice work Shayla, Amaranth!"

"Thank you, I may not dress up very often but I do know what quality fabric looks like and this is it, so thank you," it felt strange, not snapping at Tahi or having verbal fights with her. Hm, why did she feel there was a catch?

She held the dress out in front of her again. It was a deep read, flowing seamlessly into an almost rich bourdeaux colour toward the bottom. The fabric was very light and flowey, but of a very rich quality, overall very beautiful."I suppose I'll see if there ever comes an occasion where I could wear it," she folded it and put it on the table, on top of the paper that it had been wrapped in.

She tried a piece of cake as well. "This is a splendid cake, the Emperor wouldn't eat cake that was any finer, thank you Shayla and Amaranth." Wow, she was feeling increasingly tolerant today... Or, well, tolerable more likely.

((I wrote something too xD))

((Oh I saw, but you didn't write that your character gave me the present. But alas then I shall assume ^^ Also Angela, especially for you it's gradiented xD))

Severa accepted a second gift from Shayla, the first year she'd tutored for Mnemosyne. "Thank you," she replied, looking at the parcel. The paper was decorated with intricate little flowers that looked beautiful, she almost thought it a waste to open it.

She found the seams of the paper and carefully opened it up without ripping it. Inside lay the unmistakable grip of a whip. It was thin and light, yet it was coated with a layer of silver, small red jewels embedded in made patterns and shapes all around.

"Another beautiful gift, thank you very much Shayla." Severa smiled, a tiny smile, yet a smile, at the Satyr before folding the paper neatly and putting the handle next to the dress.

((Ooooh. Gradiented - yes!))

Was that a smile she saw on her roommate's face? Score: Tahi: 3 Severa: 0.5.

Okay - maybe Shayla should get on the scoreboard too.
Tahi: 3, Severa: 0.5, Shayla: 1.

Tahi sighed. The party was winding down anyway, and if she knew that if she tried to rub this progress in Severa's face all of this progress would go away. Who knows, maybe Severa would even wear the dress.

Or Severa would threaten to chop off all Tahi's hair again. The last time that happened, Tahi had slept in her brother's room for a week.

"Well, my dear friend, I have more mischief to do." she said, placing her arm around Severa's shoulders. "Happy Birthday!"

Tahi sauntered out of the hall.