Event Private tis the season to be jolly falalalalalalalala

Raella arrived at the courtyard empty-handed. Of course she had to, hand carrying such a huge gun would definitely ruin the surprise. Not to mention the gun, already made of stainless steel, was adorned with elaborate patterns and designs which made it stand out even more. Checking her mobile phone, she double confirmed that she had a few minutes before the meeting. As her mother always said, better 10 minutes early than one second late. Now that was in order, she proceeded to inspect the small and otherwise unnoticeable summoning circle illustrated on the ground to ensure there were no errors. Truth to be told, if Raella hadn't prepared a second gift for Jude, she'd be wrecked with anxiety as she waited; giving someone a gun which shoots rainbow tampons isn't exactly best first impression. However, she was still unsure if he would like the book on magical creatures she got him. After all, Jude were one of the top students in class; Raella wouldn't be surprised if he had the all the Wikipedia pages memorized by now. Regardless, at this point, there was nothing she could do hence she refrained from pondering about it. Positioning her wings to block the mid-day sun, she took a seat on the floor and waited.

Not long after, she spotted a familiar blond making his way towards her which she concluded was Jude. Slowly rising to a standing position, she brushed down any folds and creases on her dress before giving him a friendly wave as a greeting. As he got closer, she immediately noticed the large bag he was carrying with him and felt a hint of regret at her lame present. Once again, it was too late to turn back time hence she said a quick "Hello!" before giving him a slight bow out of habit.

Upon hearing his concerns, Raella let out a light laugh and quickly brushed it off. With her voice relaxed and casual, she said: "Nah, I just despise the sweltering heat as much as everyone else, it's not a big deal." Extending her wings a little further, she took a step towards Jude such that the shade covered him as well. Lips curling to form a mischevious smirk, she then continued, her tone much more mischevious than her previous statement "So, would you like get this exchange started? I can confidently say my gift is classified under unique stuff. Whether you like it or not... would be very debatable."

Upon noticing his hesitation, Raella got increasingly unsure of the little joke she planned to pull off. Clearly, Jude was a nice guy. Not once was he rude nor uncooperative in any way. However, she was determined to not let her emotions stop her from proceeding with the gift. Nodding her head, she then muttered a few lines under her breath to begin the summoning. Under the shade, the circle on the ground glowed a faint crimson red before dispersing into the air like glitter tossed into the wind. In its place lay the custom-made gun in all it's glory with the small, mostly unnoticeable book beneath it. Wasting no time, Raella folded her wings neatly behind her back before bending down and picking up the meter long gun with one hand. With the barrel pointed to the sky, she pulled the trigger. A loud shot reverberated through the courtyard, almost as if a real gun had been fired but a few moments later, a rainbow tampon fell between them unceremoniously.

"I mean..." Her voice trailed off slightly as she shrugged her shoulders. "With some customization, it could be a real gun" Letting out a sheepish chuckle, she then picked up the book as well. Voice laced with a little more confidence this time, she then presented her next gift, the book on magical creatures. "I hope this'll be interesting for you!"

Raella watched like an eagle observing their prey; every action, right down to the subtlest of expressions was noted and recorded in memory. Perhaps it was the uncertainty which triggered such a close analysis or the fact that she really did want her joke to at least amuse the other.

A daze, followed by silence, then a simple question: Did you... make this?

Gears in her mind begun turning like the slow start of a clockwork engine. Jude's reaction wasn't unexpected yet she was unable to determine if it was a favorable one just yet. With her voice laced with euphoria to mask the slight trepidation and her tone just a little too slow to be casual, she said:

"Well, make is a rather... strong word. I did get it custom ordered at a proper gun store though, hence it's harmless as of now but not completely useless should you choose to modify it a little in future."

Still holding the book with an outstretched arm, Raella's tail slowly curled up in a slight panic as she allowed the seconds to pass.