Cranes and Coffee

Alexis wasn't sure this challenge was going to go great but he was very much determined to keep going with all this regalia stuff. The more effort he put into impressing the regalia the stronger he got. And not just in powers either- he was gaining friends and shit.

So there he was sitting in the random ass cafe he'd arranged to meet his opponent at. He might have tried to have them meet at the school but he was pretty sure the guy wasn't a student and at least this way they could eat while doing the challenge. They'd pulled a couple smaller tables together because Alexis had brought both Achlys and Spike with him and he didn't know how many regalia his opponent had coming.

Spike had ordered a coffee as he waited, being very careful not to spill anything on his tracksuit and glanced with disapproval over at the dust that always seemed to be around Achlys. "Just... don't be an ass Alexis or you'll be running wind sprints for an hour," he said in a somewhat tired but authoritative tone. The man was pretty much the image of the tired coach who's never satisfied. Alexis rolled his eyes at him. "Training isn't much of a punishment if i'm gonna do it anyway, coach."

Achlys had tried to say she would sit at another table so she wouldn't get dust on Alexis' food or bother them while they were doing the challenge. He had to admit the dust was really annoying but he'd been putting up with it for a while. "Stop. I told you, I'm tougher than a little dust. Just sit here next to me," he said and then gave her a small smile when he didn't think anyone was looking. She didn't exactly smile back but she buried her face in his shoulder. Tears and dust had become a common thing on his clothes lately. Mostly her tears. Mostly.

Patting the tangle of messy black hair that was the teenage Achlys' head Alexis looked around to see if his opponent was arriving yet.


@Romi

Spike looked the man over as he approached. He looked strong but all those scars and that slump to his shoulders. Well it wasn't like he was going to do any more than sit near the man for a while and at least he didn't have the godforsaken dust billowing around him like that child. "Agreed, odd couples seem to be a common theme of this tournament." He was curious why Evan was addressing him instead of Alexis but he didn't immediately correct him.

From off to the side Alexis watched incredulously as Evan strode past him and Achlys to talk to Spike. This would be interesting. He took his time and nudged Achlys so she would sit up and pay attention to the others. She rubbed her eyes and then gave a small wave at Cori.

"Actually, i'm Alexis," snorted the teen from the other portion of the table. "That's my coach, Spike and this here is my friend Achlys." He stood up and moved to offer a hand to Evan. Whereas Achlys looked mostly just sad and Spike looked like he was done with all this, Alexis' eyes gleamed with determination. If it had been something more appropriate like a battle he was getting ready for it would have made sense. Preparing to fold cranes though meant he just looked a little ridiculous with that expression.

Spike cringed a little at seeing the very obvious mark on Alexis' shirt where Achlys' face had been. Hopefully the boy would be more careful with the paper cranes he was about to fold. Though he didn't have very high hopes. No one really ever measured up to his standards so a good solid attempt was the best he could really expect.

"Wyvern. I'm a wyvern," grumbled Alexis. Truth was he didn't always know which people were the regalia and which weren't either. Sometimes he could guess by which ones seemed to be in charge or possibly how the people smelled but with all the variety it was a toss-up.

Achlys looked between them all and then just leaned back on Alexis as he sat back down next to her and across from Evan. "I don't know. Alexis has been pretty good at finding us," she said quietly. He was good enough to put up with her misery so the least she could do was give a compliment here and there. The teen did manage to pact with a large number of the regalia.

"Don't need to get snippy Alexis. It's just harmless banter and you're here for a reason so let's focus," coached Spike from his seat at the edge of the table. As if he was trying to be there but yet out of the range of the terrible dust.

Alexis nodded at Achlys and rolled his eyes at Spike before returning his attention to Evan. "For the record I think this is a weird challenge but that doesn't mean i'm going to throw this." Fuck, how was he supposed to fold the paper cranes again? Achlys had offered to show him what she'd learned from a video but he'd already forgot most of it by the time Evan arrived.

Alexis glanced over at Evan. It seemed like neither of them were really that prepared for this thing. It was almost funny really. "Right, just a ...hundred of these paper bird things," he was trying to be confident about it but trailed off a little as he thought about how hard it was going to be to fold that many. Heck, he would probably get frustrated just folding one of them.

Achlys shifted a little bit in her seat and it reminded Alexis that she actually knew how to do it. Sort of. "Achlys can probably help teach us if you don't know how to make them," he replied to Evan but his gaze was shifted to look down at the girl. He already considered her his friend.

Achlys looked between the two competitors and then raised a hand up to move some strands of her messy hair out of her face. "I'm not really an expert but i've made them before so I can show you what I know. We can always pull up a video on your phones too if that's not enough," she answered quietly. She was pretty sure they could make some decent looking cranes after a little practice, but the backup of a video tutorial was always helpful.

Spike looked between everyone. "So neither of you are good at folding paper cranes? This is going to be something to watch then." His grousing was only halfhearted though. There was the distinct impression that very few activities would really have impressed him from the start. He didn't expect Alexis or his opponent to be good at it, but he would begrudgingly accept them working hard to try.

Alexis sighed and stretched his arms. "We just picked something that wouldn't be easy, ok. Not like I go around folding paper and shit very often so it's a pretty even match." That whole 'getting better' thing wasn't just about his physical training. This was as much a test of his patience as it was a challenge between him and Evan. Winning or losing wasn't a large factor.

Alexis snorted and he stared right back at Cori. "Don't look at me. If we get to have a partner help that means Achlys can help me. Why would I say no to that?" He didn't need to ask which of his regalia would want to help. He knew Spike would do it if he had to but would prefer to watch Alexis struggle a little with the task so he could learn. Achlys would be thrilled to help. Well, thrilled was probably the wrong word for it. Less miserable than normal.

Achlys for her part gladly picked up a piece of paper and started showing Alexis how to fold them. The two of them shared Alexis' phone to look up a video in case they got stuck or needed more help. Alexis' folding job was pretty rough and his crane wasn't exactly turning out right. More like a mutant blob with folds and re-folds messing it up.

"You don't have to help him I guess, but it's on you if that makes him lose," Alexis directed at Cori, with a little bit of annoyance at his own poor job of folding slipping into his voice. Achlys sighed and slid the abomination that Alexis had been making away to give him a fresh piece of paper.

Spike shook his head at the rough start and then leaned back in his seat to watch the challenge unfold.