[img=http://i.imgur.com/UPINOf1.png]

[b][u]Aliquam: Academy of the Arts[/u][/b]

… When people pushed the red button things usually explode.

Lute eyed the shiny scarlet knob on the communicator with unease as they walked out to the hallway. The developers should have chosen a less controversial color for the specifics of this device. As the virtuoso tinkered with the tiny radio, Trixie tackled him from behind, surprising him by a fair amount that he actually [i]let go[/i] of the device. It twirled in the air, bumping against Lute’s knuckles while he tried to catch it as he was being pulled down, then did a second flip downwards before the poor virtuoso finally caught it. What would have happened if it fell on the floor and broke into a gazillion pieces… [i]‘Gods above have mercy on my wretched soul’[/i] was written all over Lute’s pale face as he handed the communicator over to Rose and then turned his attention to Trixie, who had just finished returning her weapons to her back pockets.

Though his heart was doing double beats thanks to that brush with the freak incident earlier, Lute smiled down at the girl who seemed very much enthused about the baddie hunt. “Thieving from a thief! Cool! Give him a taste of his own medicine!” He raised his fist in the air and smiled, but immediately winced when the sound of his voice echoed back within the empty corridors. The virtuoso shot a look at Rose to see if she was annoyed. Delilah suddenly said that he was being a [i]‘wet dumpling’[/i], whatever that meant. 

“The bad guy would… Uh, turn into a dragon? That’s what I said right?” He narrowed his eyes in thought, and then replied, “Well, the hero would usually defeat the baddie with the power of friendship. As usual, like…” Lute inhaled and gently pounded his chest with a fist, before talking with a lowered pitch, “‘How could you defeat meeeee?’” Then he puffed his chest out and wore a determined expression. “‘I had my friends to help me!’” “‘Friieeends!?’” “‘Yes, friends! But you don’t have any of those, do you!?’”

[i]‘Ohhhh... My... Auuuugh...! Kill me. Kill me now!’[/i] Delilah sobbed and Lute closed his mouth, his face turning red up to his ears. “Well… At least that’s what usually happens… Heh,” He ducked his head and walked faster.