Oodles and canoodles of noodles. (Cecil)

Noodles. The succulent serpentine harbingers of flavour! The delectable flavour and the wide array of ingredients they could be presented with! All this and more where the reason for Jasmine's adoration of noodles...bahahahaha...no. In truth the reason she liked them was because she knew a noodle bar that, despite being located in Vista Square, offered highly affordable food which is exactly what Jasmine needed.

However, as she was walking through the streets of Vista Square she saw him! Cecil! Her loyal, and currently only, subject! Jasmine immediately ran towards him, grabbed his arm and began to drag him away smiling innocently or at least she would attempt to. Jasmine was not exactly physically gifted so it would be relatively easy to break free from her grip.

"Hello loyal subject! Today I grant you the privilege to join me for noodles!" Jasmine wasn't going to mention that she was honestly really broke, following an unexpected bill due to a ball breaking one of her windows, and so would appreciate the financial assistance. Cecil could never know the real reason for this! If he did it would further shame her and that was not something Jasmine would ever tolerate!

The blond looked a bit different from the last time Jasmine had seen him, most of his long hair tied back into a ponytail leaving a fringe that framed his face.
His expressions, though, remained much the same. That much was plain to see as he resisted the pull.


He sighed, and shook his head. It really did feel sometimes that he couldn't just leave the house and go for a walk without something happening to him. Which - sure, he guess it kept things interesting enough, but a little warning would have been nice!
"Don't you have anyone else to assault in the middle of the street? I was pretty sure you weren't that fond of me when we last parted."
A thought occurs to him, and he sighs.
"...you're not after free food again, are you?"

"....Wasn't I? Hmmm" Jasmine stopped and rubbed her chin, pondering if there was any truth in Cecil's statement. Admittedly, Jasmine felt as if they had got off on a wrong foot the last time but....well that was the last time! This was now! Wiping the confused expression off her face Jasmine simply beamed and kept on walking, forcibly bringing her companion with her!

"That may have been the case but I genuinely don't remember! All I know is that I don't know anyone else in this city so you're first and currently favourite subject!" Jasmine's naive ignorance of people and refusal to accept the possibility that they couldn't like was on display in full power. Of course that was when Cecil struck a mortal blow! Asking if Jasmine was only dragging him away to pay for her food.

"W-w-well....you're not wrong! But I wasn't going to make you pay for all of it....I wanted to invite you out for dinner, and we go halves on the bill!" The way she nervously laughed and was trying, really hard mind you, to maintain a strong persona but..nope. She sighed and merely decided to admit the truth.

"W-w-well....look it's not my fault! Last night one of the customers at work tried to feel up my skirt! So I poured his drink on his shirt! And...ended up missing out on tips that shift......" It wasn't Jasmine's fault! He was being a pervert, and she was protecting her honour! That was her right after all! The frustrated pout, with inflated cheeks, on her face made it very clear she was utterly embarrassed.

Cecil continued to resist the pull, feet remaining planted. And honestly, it didn't exactly take that much effort. Jasmine was...not exactly strong. He rolled his eyes as she continued on with a slight grin, inwardly amused. It was amusing to think that despite all the airs she put on, he was the only person she'd even managed a basic conversation with.

The look turned victorious as she stuttered and conceded his suspicions had been correct, thriving off the clumsy attempt to maintain the facade...only to frown as she told her story.
"...you weren't seriously punished over something like that, were you?"

Jasmine ceased trying to pull Cecil along and instead stood in front of him, resting her hands on her hips. There was an angry glare on her face as she took in Cecil's grin, the rolling of his eyes and that victoriously smug grin on his face. This damn peasant was mocking her again....! She;d make him pay for that one day....!

"W-well...! Kind of....well sort of....! They docked my tips for that night and tips are the majority of my wage...so until my next shift, if I've not been fired that is, I'm...short on funds...But don't think you can look down on me or mock me for it! Do that and I'll put you in your place peasant!" She thrust her finger at Cecil, aggressively prodding him in the chest with an annoyed glare. This damn peasant....!

Jasmine decided that, all things considered, she wasn't going to find what she wanted here. With an annoyed huff the former heiress turned on the heels of her shoes, facing her back to the young male while folding her arms.

"Hmp....forget I said anything....even though you should be grateful for being invited I can't force you to come with me.....yet...!" And yet was what Jasmine was banking on. She remembered the voice making promises to her on that day she escaped from that torture facility but ever since then it had been silent. She hoped it would return. The brief moment of power she had in that single instance had been rather intoxicating.

Cecil didn't laugh. If anything, he seemed annoyed as Jasmine told her tale. "...I think you might want to find somewhere else to work, if you can." His brow knitted together as he spoke. "Not if they're not going to have your back if you get treated like that."
He shakes his head as the short girl turns and huffs. "Just - that aside. Why didn't you just ask?"

"Yes I know that! I just.....well I don't have anywhere else to work currently. When I first had to start finding a job nobody but them would hire me..." Jasmine sighed and returned to Cecil's side, grabbing his arm with a suspiciously happy smirk splitting her face in two. The gears in her mind were grinding and beginning to turn, creaking with the sounds of machination.

"Well....as I'm just the greatest person ever and you have to simply adore me....how about you provide some suggestions...over dinner of course!" And again Jasmine strove to forcibly drag Cecil along, tightly holding onto his arm even though she really did not need to or at leats she hoped she wouldn't need to! It really did suck not being able to force people to do what she wanted...

".....Hmp....because I can't. Asking is...humiliating...and I've been humiliated enough...." The distant, and indeed hurt, look in Jasmine's eyes would hopefully make it clear she was talking about events both recent and far.

Cecil narrows his eyes as Jasmine clings onto his arm again, and then smirks. "You really need to stop hanging off my arm like that. Someone might get ideas about our relationship."
Quietly chuckling to himself, he lets Jasmine pull him along this time, maintaining his own place as she directs him to the next venue she intended to extort food from him at. "Try not to cause trouble with my actual girlfriend with the impersonation, ok?"

He raised an eyebrow as the short girl shared her reasons for not asking anything. "...I get why it might be in this case, but...you can't just try and make people's decisions for them, you know?" He pauses. "Did you think I was just going to completely blow you off if you have me the option or something?"

"....Eh? Our relationship is master and servant remember? Me grabbing your arm is a sign that I'm in charge...right? That's what it means! It has to!" Jasmine was never wrong. Jasmine was always right. The sheer idea of her ever being wrong was simply impossible! She had to always be right because if she was not?...Well then she couldn't function!

"Oh you have a girlfriend?...Mmmm Mmm I see....well then I GUESS as your ruler I can allow that!" Jasmine had only a very vague idea of what a girlfriend really was. She had led, despite the amount of wealth she used to have access to, a relatively sheltered life and as said did not exactly have many opportunities to spend with her peers. Then the Divide happened and well.

"Well....why can't I?! I'm allowed to decide things for everyone because I'm the most qualified to do so...!" That was not, as one might expect, egotism talking but simply  down to nativity and more importantly? The side effects of her demon weapon whispering promises into her ears for years she spent being tortured as a test subject.

"And well...yes! You have no reason to accompany me! So logically you, as someone who barely knows me, would say no! That means the effective solution is to take away your choice and force you to do what's best!" Of course by best Jasmine meant what was best for her but surely, was that not okay? She was the most important person around after all.

The blond bursts out laughing, not even caring what retribution that was sure to bring. "Sure. A small girl clinging possessively onto the arm of a guy is definitely a sign of dominance. Definitely doesn't look a possessive younger sister or a clingy girlfriend trying to drive off other girls. Nope." The pair were starting to draw eyes as they bickered, the occasional envious look going Cecil's way as Jasmine hung off him. It was honestly hilarious, really - most of them had completely the wrong idea, and odds were they'd beg to be let loose if they changed places.

Cecil wasn't interested, but he really wondered how many of the people glaring at him would be after 5 minutes with her.

He rolled his eyes and grinned as Jasmine kept dragging him onward, demonstrating her odd mindset with each statement she made. "Really? Because I'm pretty sure unless you were a Lamecia this whole time, you don't really have any grounds to make anyone do anything. Best case, you let some idiots with more lust than sense think they can get lucky and get them doing what you want that way, but that's abouuut it."

He shrugs and looks down at her, raising one eyebrow. "You ever considered that maybe, just maybe, people might do things with you without having to try and force them if they enjoy being around you? That, god forbid, you've made friends with them?"

"....Are you mocking me?" She let go of his arm, stepped in front of him and glared. Whatever amusement had been present in her voice was now totally gone as she raised her hand and attempted to bonk Cecil on the nose. Part of her wanted to slap him, but she didn't feel he deserved that level of punishment just yet.

"I will not have you, or anyone, mocking me...." There was genuine anger in her voice, as her eyes shot daggers into him before she turned her back to him. She wasn't his sister...she wasn't his girlfriend...she was his superior! His ruler! His lord! Why didn't he get that?! Hell why didn't anybody get that?!...Tch...the damn queen and her subjects had stolen everything from Jasmine's family. That's why she had to writhe around in the dirt like a peasant!

"....Shut up....you don't know what on earth you're talking about...you stupid peasant..." Now she had gone from angry to just plan miserable. She missed her parents. She missed her home. She missed everything she had from before the Divide happened. It was bad enough her parents had been killed, but then she got kidnapped and thrown into that dungeon, used as a guinea pig while the queen stole her inheritance. At this point Jasmine was convinced it was all a conspiracy.

"Hmp. And if I gave you the choice in the matter would you truly willingly spend time with me? I very much doubt that..... I don't know how to make friends with you peasants anyway... Whatever. You're free to go back to your business... I guess I can give you permission for that." Jasmine simply sighed, her mood utterly ruined as she decided to simply walk away by herself. She supposed she would simply have to get something cheaper for dinner tonight. It's not like she had any other options open to her at this stage.

As Jasmine let him go to glare, he looked impassively back at her.
Attitude and superiority complex aside...it was clear he'd struck a sore spot. He didn't quite know everything about what was happening here, but she didn't seem indignant so much as...pained.

"...it may not have occurred to you, but I kind of already chose to, Jasmine." The blond spoke plainly, without the teasing tone he'd spoken in before. "Think about it. You said it yourself before - you can't force me to come along. But I still did, didn't I?"

"Well...Y-yes I suppose you have...! And no...I suppose I can not... Hmp...well come on then! It's hardly a royal banquet if I go by myself!" Jasmine gestured for Cecil to follow after her and, as confidently as she had been beforehand, returned to leading the way to the noodle stand. Cecil would, if he willingly followed, find himself being lead through the crowds into a relatively quieter corner of Vista Square.

It was here that, squirrelled away between larger buildings, was a small stand. It was a tiny thing, sporting a counter that separated a kitchen from its customers. This kitchen was a miniscule thing, with only enough room for a man to stand in and move along the length of the cooking equipment. The counter only had around six different seats however, the owner had the common sense to set up a series of plastic tables and chairs to expand his customer base.

"Here we are! My Eden!" Jasmine proudly gestured towards the small stall, earning a few glares from the middle-aged patrons but upon seeing who it was? The customers seemed to shrug it off and return to their food. Perhaps Jasmine had a certain reputation here.

A sly smirk creeps across Cecil's face as Jasmine brightens up again, and as she gestures, he follows along.
"See? Not as bad as you thought!"


Cecil took a look around as the two arrived at their destination. It was interesting - not even a proper building, but a small stall, hidden away amongst the alleys between buildings. The sort of place that would take some serious probing to find if you didn't already know of it.
The smell was lovely, though.

"Interesting place. How'd you find it?"

"Hmp...I guess....!" Jasmine was sulking, arms folded and lips extending forward in a childish pout. She had been proven wrong by Cecil which was something, especially from this cheeky peasant, that she utterly hated! Still, now she had an opportunity to establish her superiority again! For Cecil had been so bold and foolish to inquire about her she found this place! Jasmine puffed her chest out, resting her arms on her hips and chuckling smugly.

"Why! I was simply going on a stroll and my natural appreciation of superior food lead me here!" It was clear that she was lying and simply trying to put on airs, presenting herself as the superior individual she believed herself to be. However, there was a reason, beyond preserving her own easily bruised ego, and that was because the owner of this stall? An old family friend who, after proving his identity, helped Jasmine out after escaping from a certain secret facility.

Cecil would find himself pulled along by Jasmine, lead to a table and made to sit. Jasmine would join him, sit down opposite and slide a menu towards him smugly smirking.