Kudos to NekoRyuuko, Mrs Zala and FangirlLife101 for the awesome ideas!
...
Yona – Every time it's someone's turn, leap up with all your strength. Lasts a full round.
Hak applauded loudly and slowly. "Looks like it's the Princess's turn to shine."
"Princess, if you're tired, feel free to stop," reassured Kija.
"Yes, Yona dear. If you're tired, feel free to rest on my lap," said Jae Ha warmly.
"You may lean on my shoulder, too, Yona," offered M'Lady with a genial smile. "This is what sisters are for."
"How did it come down to that?" demanded Hak.
Yona smiled back at M'Lady and said, "Thank you, M'Lady."
Hak scowled.
"Jumping is a lot of fun, Miss!" said Zeno brightly. "You'll enjoy it tremendously!"
"I have doubts about it," said Tae Jun. "It sounds exhausting."
Gathering up her skirt, Yona gave a great jump, letting out a little 'ooph' as she did.
"Yona, you're so cute!" exclaimed Lilli. Shin Ah nodded in agreement.
"Miss is always cute!" beamed Zeno. "Right, M'Lady?"
M'Lady's smile faltered for just a split second. "You took the words right out of my mouth," she said warmly. "Isn't that right, Hak?"
"Are we starting a chain now?" replied Hak.
"Your La – M'Lady, what are you doing?" demanded Lilli, when M'Lady started to take down her eye veil.
"M'Lady, are you sure – ?" began Tae Jun, eyeing M'Lady nervously.
"I am withering, my dear escorts," said M'Lady. "Unless you want to be carrying an unconscious body back, I think I should be allowed a little exposure."
Lilli dropped her face onto her palms.
"Oh, very well," she said, suddenly irate. "I'm not the one who wanted this. Don't blame me if anything goes wrong."
"I still don't think this is a good idea," insisted Tae Jun.
"What isn't?" asked Yona, confused. "What are you talking about?"
"It's M'Lady's… er… sensitive eyes," said Tae Jun, sounding as though he was convincing himself.
Lilli looked sad now. "Yes. I mentioned that she has sensitive eyes, didn't I? Yes, I did…"
"Well… " said Yoon, who had raised his eyebrow at the awkward remark. "Thunder Beast, if you would."
Hak was watching M'Lady.
"Thunder Beast?" prompted Yoon, but Hak didn't heed him.
Yona's face suddenly appeared in Hak's view.
"Hak?" she said, waving at his face. "It's your turn now."
"Huh?" Hak blinked, frowning slightly. "Oh, right." Almost distractedly, he reached out to draw a slip. Yona, who had felt another sharp pain in her chest when she'd seen her childhood friend staring at M'Lady, sighed and grabbed the front of her gown.
I really should stop eating so much.
Hak – Pretend to have amnesia for a full round.
Yona gathered her skirt and jumped again, as Hak asked, "Does forgetting what you ate for breakfast count?"
"It's definitely something to look into," said Yoon darkly.
"Honest, though. How amnesiac should I be?"
"Suits you."
Hak began to look around in confusion. "Where am I?" he frowned. "Why am I sitting in a circle full of weird-looking people?"
Jae Ha snorted as Yoon pulled a poker face. "So he's taking it that far," remarked the young genius exasperatedly.
Yona took Hak's hands, her face full of concern.
"Don't you remember, Hak? I'm the Princess," she said gently. "You're serving me as my bodyguard. These people are our friends."
Is there really a need to be so dramatic? thought Yoon uneasily.
"Yona's right," said Jae Ha, who had stopped laughing after much effort. "I'm your bosom friend, Hak. Remember? We went through thick and thin together."
"Oh, really?" Hak stared at Jae Ha impassively. "I don't know why, but I'm finding it hard to believe."
Jae Ha drew Yona close to him. "I'm also getting hitched to the Princess," he said with a charming smile. "You were about to give us our blessing, remember?"
The Green Dragon narrowly dodged the blade.
"Oops, sorry. My hand slipped," said Hak, not looking sorry at all.
"Jae Ha, Thunder Beast – this is the final warning," said Yoon.
Jae Ha – If you knew the world was about to end, what would you do?
Yona leapt like a rabbit as Zeno and Lilli cheered her on.
"What would I do?" Jae Ha smiled. "Of course, I would use any means necessary to take off Shin Ah's mask."
"I'd end Droopy Eyes before the world did," said Hak.
"Nobody asked you," said Yoon irritably. "And didn't I say to cut it out?"
"Shin Ah, you should consider sticking your mask to your face permanently," cautioned Kija.
Yoon – Stare eye-to-eye with someone on your left at close range (no more than one finger-width apart) for one minute.
Yona jumped again. This time, Zeno did it with her.
"Wheeee!" he exclaimed happily.
"Who brought the kid?" asked Hak sardonically.
"Hak, your amnesia must have twisted your personality," remarked Kija.
Yoon scooted close to Shin Ah, pinning his gaze on him.
"You don't have to be so nervous, Shin Ah," laughed Lilli, as Shin Ah turned his head left and right to avoid Yoon's stare.
"If anything, Yoon should be the one getting nervous, having to stare at such a creepy mask," said Tae Jun.
"Speaking of masks, I didn't catch your name, Lady-in-the-Shawl," said Hak, smiling uncharacteristically at M'Lady.
"I believe I did not disclose it, my dear Hak," answered M'Lady just as politely.
"I found it strange that I could suddenly recall everyone's names but yours, you see," continued Hak in the same silky tones. "You have lovely eyes, by the way. Mind if I take a closer look?"
"Hak, what are you doing?" asked Yona puzzledly.
Tae Jun sent Lilli a nervous look, but Lilli merely folded her arms and said, "It's no longer my problem."
Hak noticed this. "And why are you looking like that?" he asked the Fire Tribe Prince. "I find it odd that you tense up everytime I question M'Lady, you know."
"Hak, that's enough," scolded Yona. "You know why M'Lady has to keep her identity secret."
But Hak, who had been studying M'Lady all this time, suddenly stilled.
The abrupt change in his expression startled Yona. He looked like someone who had realised he was cornered.
"You don't have to make Yona feel jealous, Hak," teased Jae Ha, who hadn't noticed anything. "M'Lady is a beauty for sure, but Yona knows you only have eyes for – "
"Whoops, my hand slipped again," said Hak carelessly, having flattened Jae Ha's face with his fist. "Sorry about it, bosom friend."
"How would you know what M'Lady looks like anyway?" asked Kija.
Zeno titled his head questioningly. "Kija, are you saying M'Lady isn't pretty?"
"Huh?" Kija blushed at once. "No! That's not what I meant!"
Jae Ha massaged his sore nose tenderly. "Every lady is beautiful in my eyes," he said graciously.
"Indeed," said Hak idly, causing everyone to stare at him in shock. This was the first time Hak had ever agreed with the Green Dragon. "But it's nothing for you to worry about, is it, M'Lady?" he added, eyes boring into hers.
"W-what do you mean, Hak?" asked Tae Jun, who was looking more nervous than ever.
"They say that great beauties take after their mother," remarked Jae Ha suddenly. "Yona's mother must have been exceptionally stunning."
Yona smiled. "Oh, I can't possibly be compared to her."
"What about you, M'Lady? Was your mother stunning?" asked Hak casually.
Yona scowled. "Alright, Hak – enough with the harrassment."
Shin Ah – Give five trees in the vicinity a big hug and tell each one that you love it.
Yona and Zeno flew as one.
Shin Ah stood up automatically.
"No second thoughts?" said Kija incredulously.
"Apparently, Shin Ah's skin is thicker than the tree's bark," laughed Jae Ha.
They watched as Shin Ah went up to a slender evergreen. He put his arms around it.
"Tell each one that I love it," said Shin Ah. "Whoa, I'm good."
He went up to another tree and did the same. Ao squeaked indignantly, glaring at the trees the Blue Dragon had embraced.
"Is it me, or does Ao seem to be feeling jealous?" questioned Lilli, eyeing the squirrel in surprise.
"Poor Ao," fretted Yona.
"I don't see anything to be jealous about in the first place," said Yoon.
Shin Ah stepped back from his fifth tree and turned to look at Ao.
The Blue Dragon crouched down, holding out his hand. Ao's marble eyes lit up. She scampered over to Shin Ah, squeaking with pleasure when he scratched the top of her furry head.
"Well, I guess all's well that ends well," said Jae Ha heartily.
What a simple-minded squirrel… thought everybody else.
Tae Jun – Players ask the victim three questions about who their ideal partner is and then have everyone vote on who the likeliest person in the group is.
Zeno grabbed Yona's hand and leapt up with an excited squeal before she was ready.
"Zeno, be careful!" cried Kija in alarm.
"Why is he jumping in the first place?" scowled Hak.
To everyone's bemusement, once Yona had settled back down, it was she who put forth the first question.
"What kind of personality appeals to you?" she asked Tae Jun.
"H-huh?" Tae Jun seemed startled. "Well, um… I like those… who have fire in them… "
"Oh-ho! So you want some spice in your life, huh?" teased Lilli.
"Any talents?" inquired Kija.
"Well, being skilled with a weapon would be great… "
"How would you like to be treated by them?" asked Lilli.
Tae Jun was put off. "Currently, I don't think I'm liked very much… " he said forlornly.
Sounds like he has someone on his mind already… thought Yoon, Jae Ha and Lilli.
"She sounds like a wonderful person," beamed Yona. "You have high taste, Tae Jun."
Ack! This is what they call ignorant self-praise…
Tae Jun looked down awkwardly, his face glowing like molten lava.
Zeno raised his eyes thoughtfully. "Someone who has fire in them, is skilled in wielding a weapon and doesn't like you very much?" he pondered aloud. "Which would mean… "
He peered around the group. His eyes alighted on someone.
"Which would mean your ideal partner is Hak?" asked the Yellow Dragon curiously.
Tae Jun's head snapped up. "What?!"
"I'm mighty flattered, Your Highness," said Hak promptly. "Unfortunately, you're swinging on the wrong side of the fence."
All traces of embarrassment was wiped off of Tae Jun's face. Furious, he snapped, "You're wrong! It's not Hak, it's – it's… "
He turned red again, and was unable to complete his sentence. Kija gave a sympathetic sigh and stroked him on the back.
"It's fine, Your Highness. I understand what it means to fall for someone like that uncouth beast."
"White Snake, the reality is, you're the one whose personality got twisted," said Hak.
As Kija was reaching for a slip, Zeno took Yona's hand again.
Someone grabbed her other hand. Yona looked up, right at the Green Dragon's smiling face.
"Allow me to join in," he said jovially.
"Oh?" Hak stood up as well. "Don't leave me out, Droopy Eyes. Give me your hand, too."
Jae Ha sat back down immediately, laughing.
"No, thank you! I like my left hand where it is."
Kija – Say 'Would you marry me?' to the player to your right. Keep asking them until he/she says 'yes.'
"What sort of play is this?!" demanded Kija, colouring up. The player to his right happened to be Tae Jun.
The Prince, who was still wrapped up in his latest Truth, didn't seem to notice what was going on.
Yona's eyes were shining. "Kija would look lovely as a bride," she said brightly. "You're pretty enough. If I were a man, I would definitely fall for you."
Kija fell on all fours.
So if she's not a man, there's no chance that she'll fall for me?
Jae Ha laughed lightly and placed a hand on the Princess's shoulder. "Yona dear, you're the Queen of subtle criticism."
"Eh?" Yona blinked puzzledly.
Yoon sighed. "Come on, Kija. We haven't got all day," he said impatiently.
With soulless eyes, Kija pulled himself up.
"Your Highness," he said dully, "will you marry me?"
Tae Jun finally seemed to have come to his senses. He stared at Kija, completely upset.
"I don't swing that way!" he insisted.
"Put more spirit into it, Kija," Jae Ha egged.
Kija sighed. "Please marry me, Your Highness," he said monotonously.
"How is that spirit?" asked Hak.
"Say your modesty is at sake," suggested Jae Ha.
"Like I would!" snapped the White Dragon, flaring up again.
"Maybe dressing as a woman might help?" offered Zeno sincerely.
"What are you even saying?!"
"Maybe I should implement a time limit," voiced out Yoon.
Kija was feeling slightly panicky.
"Your Highness, we don't actually have to get married," he told Tae Jun urgently. "You just have to say 'yes'!"
"What makes you think I'd say 'yes' to a man's proposal?" demanded Tae Jun indignantly. "Besides, I'm the one who does the proposing!"
That's what he's worried about?
"Tae Jun, relax. It's just a game," reminded Lilli. "It's not like we're witnesses to your ceremony."
"Maybe he needs a ring," joked Jae Ha.
"You're running out of time, Kija," said Yoon.
Kija dropped to his knees. "Please marry me, Your Highness!"
Tae Jun felt weighed down by everybody's stares.
Finally, he gave in to peer pressure.
"Alright, I'll marry you!" he winced out the words.
Kija was overjoyed. "Thank the Gods!"
Tae Jun buried his face in his hands. I accepted a man's proposal in front of the Princess. Maybe he should take a leaf out of M'Lady's book and start wearing an eye veil...
