The Restoration Protocol

7 || celebration in bloom

Mariko hadn't seen them bring the rings into the Greenhouse Manor. She hadn't even seen anyone confiscate them from Sebastian and Julian to begin with, but once Prince Lotus has given his command to the officers, she finally notices the two's empty ring fingers. And in turn, the prized pieces of jewelry are shown to the prince and then handed over to Elise before the officers take their leave. Silent and obedient. It is admirable in some minor respect, though Mariko would never admit aloud that she thinks so. There's enough weighing on the opposite side of the scale that their exiting the scene fills her with joy. With the authorities out of the picture, her traveling party of five will finally have the chance to be alone with New Floravale's Keyholder.

Well, him and his loyal butler. After receiving the ring case into her care, Elise resumes her place by her prince's side and stands tall and proud. Such a mild, gentle aura she possesses. It would be hard to imagine her raising a hand against anyone. Yet Prince Lotus's confidence must stem from somewhere, Mariko thinks. For him to have dismissed those armed and capable officers so readily...

A strange silence hangs in the air for a short while after Officer Rose's men have disappeared from the mansion. His eyes fixed on the door, Prince Lotus takes on a contemplative expression, seemingly absorbed in some greater, deeper level of thinking than any soul present in this room could possibly hope to understand. So he keeps silent. Stewing in his thoughts and leaving Mariko and her friends with no choice but to wait.

"...Elise."

"Yes, Prince Lotus?"

"Go make sure Rose has left the premises."

"At once, Your Highness."

Elise bows and promptly heads off to do as she is told. The ring case is still clutched in her hands. Mariko watches Lotus's face all the while, as the prince's gaze follows Elise, every step filling his eyes with a bubbling eagerness, pushed further and further to the brink of anticipation. Mariko hears the front door creak as it's opened. Then, soon enough, Elise extends her hand into the air to display a big thumbs-up for the prince to see.

Thus the façade of professionalism shatters like a glass on a stone floor.

Without pausing long enough to take a breath, Lotus throws out his hands mid-stride to embrace Soleil, who was already in the open-armed position to receive said embrace. Quite a startling intensity to witness up so close, and so abruptly, even for Mariko. She and Boey both take slight steps apart to make room for them.

"Oh, Alias, I can't tell you how worried I've been, you wouldn't believe h—mmph, h-hey!!"

It would appear an effortless thing for Soleil to lift Lotus off his feet. She is taller than him, but to possess the strength to swing him about like a child is another thing. Something Sebastian, for one, can't resist the urge to break into a snickering fit in response. Mariko cracks a smile as well but she tries — and fails — not to show it. It's impossible. The energy radiating off of these two is pure, personified sunshine.

Soleil breaks the hug first. In turn, she leaves a breathless, gasping Lotus in need of a second to regain his composure — or at least, as much as he cares to piece together now with those police officers absent.

"My...my gracious, Alias, I always forget...you're like a stone wall...Warden, have mercy..."

"My apologies, Lotus-"

"Oh, no no no, you're fine..." He lets out a nervous laugh, endeavoring to camouflage the fact her grip had so nearly crumbled his paper bones. He manages to shake it soon enough, however, as the sheer joy in his heart spreads to every inch of his body and lifts his cheeks with a radiant smile. "Oh, Alias, I-I don't even know where to begin. This is beyond unexpected. I mean, it was one thing to hear about what happened at your concert, but now, I mean, here, you're-...this is...oh, the sight of your face has pulled me out of my depression, my friend. Miracle worker! You do it every time, my beautiful, magical friend. We must celebrate. At once, we must. Must!"