When the clips finished up most people started to leave. Green was being carried by a reluctant Nixilei while Asteodia followed along. Soon, the only people left were Burnice, Marigold, Vanya, March, and Burgandy. Alongside Kat and Lily of course. Once everyone had cleared out a bit, Thyme had restructured the room completely.
Now, it was four smaller couches that faced each other with a water pitcher in the middle. On the back wall was a big button that said 'Start Obstacle Course' with five glowing red squares just in front of it. The button was just barely close enough to the middle square, allowing for that person to push it while standing inside.
On the walls was a series of pictures done up to look like they were painted with water colours. Perhaps they were real water colour paintings that time had quickly whipped up just to mess with everyone because they were all quite recognisable as scenes from the obstacle course they'd just finished.
Marigold and Vanya took one chair, while Burnice and Burgandy took another. March got a couch to herself, while Kat and Lily got the last one. Probably for the best March wasn't sharing the seat with anyone because it looked almost like a normal armchair with her on it. Someone could probably squeeze onto it with her, but unless they were dating it'd be super awkward.
Lily was in human form pressing herself up against Kat, while Kat held Lily tight against her with her tail. Marigold, not one to be outdone, pulled Vanya up and onto her lap, completely blocking her own view of the proceedings... and as if that wasn't enough Marigold started to hug Vanya... under her outfit, with her hands roaming upwards, even as Vanya's own crossed arms tried to prevent it.
Burnice was exaggeratedly rubbing her temples as she trying to drive away an incoming headache. The fact that her fingers weren't really touching her skin did prevent Kat and Lily for feeling any worry for her though. Burgandy looked a bit surprised at Marigold's brazen attitude... and March just shrugged it off like it was no concern at all.
With nobody speaking up, Kat just leaned her face against Lily's squishing their cheeks together. Why? Because it was amusing. Lily did blush a little at the contact but it wasn't too much for her sensitive feelings, and she was able to snuggle a bit further into Kat's side.
Eventually, March spoke up, probably wanting to just get things over with. "So when do we want to start this run?"
"Now hold up there March, nobody likes it when you just take them and shove it in there. You got to dance around the issue for a bit first. Keep your fingers working closer to the promised land while adding a touch of care to other areas," said Marigold seductively.
"Get your mind out of the gutter and lets get planning," said March firmly.
"Oh, somebodies impatient. I don't think many men would find that sort of attitude attractive," said Marigold.
"Good, bothering with a man would mean I have less time to work out. Now, start speaking properly or I'll tied you into a knot," said March.
"Kinky," said Marigold letting the word hang in the air for a few minutes. "I'm into it. Vanya, move aside, apparently the real catch of the day is sitting all by their lonesome and I need to get over there,"
Vanya did try to get up while rolling her eyes... but Marigold's hold on her was too strong. Vanya just rolled her eyes and leant back into Marigold after one poor attempt. Then again, everyone here knew that in a contest of strength between Vanya and Marigold, it was Marigold who would come out on top. Honestly the idea that Marigold needed Vanya to get up at all was a ridiculous one.
March kept silent. Quickly realising that her attempts to get started on obstacle course had been rebuffed by Marigold and talking more wouldn't help her case at all. *Well that just happened. What should we do about it?*
[Nothing? I mean, March was clearly trying to get the obstacle course started but I'm not in a rush. Pressing up against you like this is really comfortable despite the fact that it really shouldn't be. I think it might be soothing some of my Memphis instincts as well. Not that they need soothing, but this just feels pretty good... and it's less embarrassing then ending up like Vanya.]
*I suppose I'm not in a rush... but I do feel a bit bad for March.*
[Nothing to be done I think. Marigold is just having a bit too much fun picking on the human. I'm surprised there wasn't a joke about steam thrown in there somewhere.]
*How? I didn't think Marigold missed any specific openings for it.*
"Is she always like this?" Burgandy whispered to the elf beside her.
"Yeah she is," returned Burnice at normal volume.
"Wait why aren't you whispering?" asked Burgandy.
Burnice scoffed. "If you think Marigold can't hear you when she's basically within arm's reach then you've got a big surprise in store,"
Burgandy grimaced and turned to look over at Marigold who was peeking out from behind Vanya and grinning in her direction. Vanya was using this slight distraction to try and force Marigold's hands away from her boobs... but that failed when Marigold then started reaching lower. So, Vanya has Marigold's hands locked against her stomach. Not that it would really stop Marigold, but the elf clearly thought it was amusing and was content not to actually push things. Even if the twitching of Vanya's mouth seemed to imply she was enjoying the treatment more than it seemed.
"Right..." said Burgandy awkwardly. "Well I'm here mostly to offer advice to March... and to give her a bit of support. That and I was to tired to go all the way back to my room to rest, so I'm planning to just camp out on these couches once you guys gets started. It's nice and quiet with the walls and everything now, so it seems like an even better idea then it did before,"
"Well there is the issue with the missing ceiling, you better hope it doesn't rain," said Burnice. Kat was confused about that statement for the moment it took her to look up and see that yes, there was no ceiling... for some reason. Why bother to put walls up but leave the ceiling down? Kat didn't know, and neither did Lily. They just chalked it up to Thyme being Thyme though.
"Well I'm not exactly in a rush," said Marigold. "And I'm also wondering if maybe we want to eat first? I mean, I could eat later, but we had an early lunch and I just feel like eating before going through the obstacles. Though I could go for it now if you all really want to jump the gun... I'm just going to keep fucking with people until the call is made. Might slow things down,"
*Do you care when we eat?*
[Not really. I'm not all that hungry at the moment.]
"Lily and I have decided not to weigh in on this issue, we don't really care about the food, or waiting," said Kat.
March was clearly thinking the matter over while Burgandy groaned and flopped onto the arm of the couch. Burnice shrugged and said, "I'm not really involved in this. I'm just here to mediate if necessary and because I don't trust Marigold when left to her own devices,"
"Hey wait I'm here to!" retorted Vanya.
"Like I said, left to her own devices," repeated Burnice firmly.
"You know Burnice I get the feeling you don't respect me," said Vanya with a glare. nove)lb(In
Burnice shrugged, "I respect you as a combatant. I respect you as someone with more adventuring experience with me, and I respect you as an employee of the elf king, even if you were probably hired by Marigold's mother and not Auctifer. What I don't respect is the idea that you can stop Marigold from doing anything. You fold more easily then a leaf under Marigold's palm,"
"I'm perfectly capable of enforcing discipline on her," said Vanya.
"No, you're really not," said Burnice. "Sure you can cajole her into doing things you want, or threaten her with her mother, but getting her to do something without any sort of outside help? Yeah I'll believe it when I see it,"
*You think Burnice is mad about the fact she was nearly struck by lightning?*
[I think she's just using this chance to insult Vanya where she can't really retaliate. I mean, nothing she's said is too bad, and it's not like she's wrong. Vanya can't even leave Marigold's lap so she really doesn't have a leg to stand on.]
*True enough. There isn't much heat behind her words, so I'd guess this is a conversation they've had before. Though I do wonder why Marigold isn't using this chance to throw in more innuendos about tension and what not.*