[Plot] Sranje

[Alex Sablinova]

"Well, yes. Of course. It proves my worthiness, my cunning, and my abilities."

[Drake Martin]

"Well, who am I to discourage a grand romantic overture?" he smiled as they entered the dormitory stairs. This could, after all, be entertaining.

[Alex Sablinova]

A dragon and a prince marching up the stairs would likely draw some attention, particularly for any princesses' guardians and/or girlfriends who might be lounging around.

As it was, though, Alex kept marching forward, observing the surrounding area distastefully.

[Drake Martin]

"It's a school for college kids with superpowers. You really think Braddock would leave the really nice stuff around for us or some supervillain to break?" he asked, noticing the disapproval.

[Alex Sablinova]

"Still. This is hardly fitting for someone of her statue, would you not agree?

I shall have to remedy this."

[Drake Martin]

"It's not even fitting for the likes of me," he said with a narcissistic smirk.

[Jezabelle Sherlock]

Jez sat on one end of the couch in the dorm lounge, tapping on her phone as she had a deep conversation with the person sitting at the other end of the couch.

"I dunno, maybe she's right and I'm not taking this seriously enough but... ugh I hate having to clarify this because it makes me sound so bad. But like, okay I know that in America we replaced our nobility worship for celebrity worship. And maybe this is my American ignorance showing, but, like... do people actually know that her country even exists? Like people other than government officials that're paid to know?"

[Alex Sablinova]

The dragon-man and the caped nobility continued their walking tour.

"Well, I imagine lairs are somewhat hard to find, even in England," he responded to Drake, in that strange Eastern European accent.

[Basil Benson]

A suited figure that isn't easy to catch with the naked eye shifted slightly to make themselves more comfortable on the seating they were sharing with their companion, twitching and fidgeting before speaking.

"I think you highly under-estimate the average Europeans ability to map-read based off America's lack of geography classes." He quipped back with his friend in a fashion that wasn't entirely in his nature to do with strangers. "But I think perhaps her... keeper is more concerned with the lack of care one is taking with one's self and how you might be feeding into that.

If you will think of how I found out. It wasn't as if I was looking for the information in question, yet it was freely provided to me by a local newspaper. Imagine if someone with ill intent were to find a digital version of the same article.

Villains have the internet too."

[Jezabelle Sherlock]

Jez nodded her head. "Hmm, I hadn't thought of that. You really think Doom'd send someone to try and attack or kidnap a student of the school?"

[Drake Martin]

"Looks like the golden cat was coming out of the bag already," Drake observed.

He cleared his throat. "Lords and Ladies of Mutant U, I have the august privilege of introducing Lord Sablinova of Symkaria," he announced with a dramatic flourish.

[Basil Benson]

Luckily for the good lord Sablinova, Basil hadn't been mid sip of his mug of tea and didn't spit take over the assembled group.

Instead he'd been lifting it towards his face for a drink, and the absolute gobsmack'd look his invisible face was wearing was given away by the fact that as he stared blankly, the mug slowly succumbed to gravity onto his super fancy and expensive looking shoes.

He mostly noticed because the top of his left foot was beginning to feel a bit singed.

"Son of a-!"

[Alex Sablinova]

"Looks like the golden cat was coming out of the bag already," Drake observed.

He cleared his throat. "Lords and Ladies of Mutant U, I have the august privilege of introducing Lord Sablinova of Symkaria," he announced with a dramatic flourish.

"It's Prince Alex, actually, though it couldn't possibly matter less."

[Jezabelle Sherlock]

Jez seemed more surprised by Basil's upset than the introduction of this new... student? Funny, Katarina had never mentioned him to her. But then again she was trying to be a normal student, there was probably a lot she hadn't been told.

"Are you okay Basil?"

Ignoring the prince, how rude.

[Drake Martin]

"Prince? I thought you were courting not..." he said, having the good graces not to accuse anyone of incestuous intentions.

[Alex Sablinova]

"Yes, I am courting the fair princess. And yes, I am one of the Princes of Symkaria. This is confusing to you?"

[Basil Benson]

"I'm fine." Basil replied in stereotypical fashion, bending over to try to use his handkerchief to dab up the mess on his ankle, using the opportunity to listen closely to the conversation above him.

[Drake Martin]

"Doesn't that... uhh... make you her brother?" he asked, understanding only the typical 'son of a king' definition of a prince.

[Alex Sablinova]

"Engleski jezik. No, I am not her brother. Symkaria has [i]several[i] claimants to the throne; the Karkovs merely are the ones holding the power at the moment. The Sablonovas have ruled before, much as the different families have held control over England."

[Drake Martin]

"Then you have my apologies. I was speaking from a position of ignorance."

He looked down at Basil. "Sorry too for startling dear Mister Baggins."

[Basil Benson]

"Quite alright." He replied, tucking his handkerchief away in his back pocket.

"Just wasn't expecting royalty popping around for a cuppa'." Basil attempted at a save.

"Basil Benson." He motioned to himself at about tie level. "Pleasure to make your acquaintance Prince Alex."

This was one of those instances in which Basil wished he had 'not shitty' telepathy, as he'd use it to tell Jez to go find Kat and get her the hell out of here. As it was, he simply made himself a minor distraction in hopes she'd come up with the idea herself.

[Alex Sablinova]

"And, erm, yours as well," the prince said, doing not the worst job Basil had ever seen of hiding discomfort. "You are some of the Princess' local friends, then, are you?"

[Jezabelle Sherlock]

Jez still had a pretty concerned look on her face as Basil cleaned himself up, not totally into the conversation at first, but slowly putting two and two together.

"... what princess?"

[Alex Sablinova]

"I had not imagined her to be such a wonderful actress.

Princess Katarina, of Symkaria. I am told she lives on this floor."

[Basil Benson]

Basil went with a different approach than Jezabelle.

"Ah yes, Katarina.

Jezabelle, why don't you go and fetch Ms.Karkov for Prince Alex?

After all, it would be unbecoming for him to just burst into her quarters unannounced." He pointed out politely.

[Jezabelle Sherlock]

"Eh? Ah, yeah, I guess I can do that. 'scuse me sir." Jez brushed herself off as she got up from the couch, heading for the hallway.

[Alex Sablinova]

"Nonsense! A grand gesture. A dramatic entrance. A successful end to the hunt. That is what this situation calls for," Alex said, taking a step to try to follow Jez down the hallway.

[Basil Benson]

Basil made the perhaps stupid decision to reach out to attempt to stop Alex by placing a hand on his shoulder.

"In my experience Prince Alex, women prefer not to be seen as foxes for the hunt. Eagerness is fine and dandy friend, but patience shows... confidence.

You went the ninety percent, let her come the ten."

[Alex Sablinova]

"If I had shown patience," Prince Alex attempted to explain, "I would still be sitting in Aniana. No, it has been a merry chase, but the end is in sight!"

[Jezabelle Sherlock]

Jez looked behind her and, realizing that she was followed, turned to the first door she came to. But also continued walking down the hallway, copies of her splitting off to go to different doors, a couple of them even going downstairs. Her own dorm room was one of the ones a copy stopped at, and another had gone to Katarina's, but the rest were at random student's rooms when they all knocked at the doors in unison.

[Alex Sablinova]

Alex blinked. "Wait, one moment..."

[Basil Benson]

Clever girl... Basil smirked, though only he himself would know.

"Come Prince Alex. Good things come to boys who wait.

I could make you some tea." He offered. "And Mr. Martin as well."

[Drake Martin]

"And perhaps some popcorn," he smirked as if the show had only just gotten started and he had the best seat in the house.

[Katarina Karkov]

Katarina opened up her door -- not yet out into the hallway where the assembled masses could see her, mind you.

"Jez! Hello!" she began.

[Jezabelle Sherlock]

The Jez at Katarina's door practically pushed her way into the girl's room and shut the door behind her.

"I think we gotta problem."

[Katarina Karkov]

"Nika hasn't made you start running laps or anything, has she?" Katarina frowned. "I will have another word with her..."

[Jezabelle Sherlock]

Jez shook her head. "No, I asked her to help me with that. No this is serious. There's some guy here who says he's a prince, and he's looking for you, and telling people that you're a princess."

[Katarina Karkov]

"...What?" Katarina said, her eyes widening. "No. No nonononono.

How did he find me? Maybe we can tell him he's mistaken..."

[Jezabelle Sherlock]

"I dunno if that'd work. Unless we had someone say their name was Katarina and everyone played along... but we don't have time to organize that.

"You're a princess though. Why can't you just order him to eff off?"

[Katarina Karkov]

"Because it is not that simple, podmukla guska. There are other families with claims on the throne; my family only stays on top by securing the support of enough of the other twelve. It is a very delicate political balance; a dance we have had to do in order to ensure peace and tranquility in our homeland.

If I tell him to...'eff off', that might offend him.

Oh, this is no good..." she frowned.