Royally Screwed

Subject: Royally Screwed Thu Aug 08, 2013 12:36 am

(While waiting for the elimination ceremony, Manda decides to try bonding with her teammates in some... unconventional ways)

Team Royalty seemed on edge, and Manda could not reason why. They hadn't lost, by any means. They would've won if that weirdo karate kid didn't have mad climbing skills! They'd started out strong with the medallion hunt-finishing LONG before their competition-and they were safe from elimination. Yet, here they were, all exchanging awkward looks and refusing to speak to each other (aside from Dante, who was trying to 'flirt' with Jack... if you could call it flirting).

Manda bit her lip. If her team was gonna make it to the merge, she needed to form some wicked strong bonds with everyone. Glancing around, that seemed easier said than done. She and Anne were like sisters, and their friendship was already very strong, and Knox had some sort of weird crush on her. But, Selena, Dante, and Jack? They would be tougher to work with. Manda honestly had difficulty talking to Dante, Jack seemed too scrappy for her to even attempt to get close to him, and Selena? Well... they'd gotten off on the wrong foot. In fact, Selena had gotten off on the wrong foot with the entire team. She seemed to like that Ai kid better than anyone on her own team, and it was blatantly obvious that-wait a second!

Manda glanced over at Ai and started to smirk. Yes... This made her job so much easier! if Selena liked Ai, then Manda would just talk to Ai. He seemed cool enough. Just talking to him for a while might put Selena enough at ease for Manda to actually fix things between them and form some kind of mutual respect, which would benefit the entire team. With this in mind, Manda made her way over to where Ai sad, and joined him on the economy class benches. "Hello~"

Subject: Re: Royally Screwed Thu Aug 08, 2013 12:55 am

Ai's thoughts were quite jumbled as he waited for the elimination ceremony to be called. He had just voted off and, although he did so in the most unbias fashion possible, he still felt that his first impressions was what finalized his decision. Was it bad to let his emotions sway the decision? Either way, it's only a game and he was confident in his safety this time!

He suddenly found himself approached by Manda. Ai nodded briefly with a welcoming smile to acknowledge her, but was confused. What could she possibly be after from the Honey Badgers at a time like this? His eyes swept the room as he looked for any indication, but there weren't any to be found.

"May I help you, Miss?"

Subject: Re: Royally Screwed Thu Aug 08, 2013 1:02 am

She simply shrugged and continued to smirk. "Well, I wouldn't mind a chat... My team's a little frazzled at the moment, and you're the guy who always keeps his cool. At least, according to Selena you are"

Subject: Re: Royally Screwed Thu Aug 08, 2013 1:22 am

Ai cracked a smile. He was being acknowledged by the other teams? That must've meant that he was doing pretty good... but was also on their radar now. “The gem cannot be polished without friction, nor man perfected without trials.” he noticed that comments like this got his team frustrated with him, so he quickly made an addition to his comment by adding, "Your team is on the right path, so I wish you a content heart." Maybe, just maybe if he could maintain some normalcy he could befriend Manda. She didn't seem like such a bad person after all.

He slightly slumped his shoulders. The weary smile he now wore crept across his face covering the confidence he had previously. Ai leaned back against the plane's wall and thought of his own team. Wally and Ruby were off talking secretly. Tiana was lipgloss central. Will had been silent since they lost and basically shut out the rest of the team. Juliet, though she still smiled after the challenge, gave an aura of outrage and anger that was overwhelming. "I wish I could keep my team chilled, too. They're... strong willed." Whatever that was suppose to mean.

Subject: Re: Royally Screwed Thu Aug 08, 2013 1:27 am

"They're just upset that they lost-and apparently my team is, too. See?" She gestured to her team, all of them scowling and slumped in their seats. Anne looked particularly distressed (and with good reason-if they would've lost, a great deal of the blame would've fallen on her). "It's what competition does to people. It's pretty normal, so don't beat yourself up about it"

Subject: Re: Royally Screwed Thu Aug 08, 2013 2:06 am

Ai nodded his head frankly, agreeing with Manda's mini speech. "You appear to be taking the loss quiet lightly. I mean, you aren't in danger of elimination, but you weren't today's victor..."

He still didn't know exactly what Manda was about, so he wanted to prick her mind to see how she thought. Ai looked over at Selena, who was seemingly separated from the rest of her team. She wasn't on his team, but Selena was pretty nice to him before team's were chosen. "Mentioning Selena... Is she fine?"

Subject: Re: Royally Screwed Thu Aug 08, 2013 2:06 am

Ruby walked back in and slumped into her chair, looking towards Will, Juliet and Tiana. They all seemed busy, she looked towards Ai. *shudder* THIS kid. Why was he so creepy? He just rubbed Ruby up the wrong way and gave her the chills. And not the kind hardcore rap gangster, Lay D did. Oh Lay D, so masculine, so manly.

Ruby daydreamed.

Subject: Re: Royally Screwed Thu Aug 08, 2013 2:10 am

(Oh my gOD Ruby)

Manda shrugged, "She seems to be, but the team's taking our not-victory pretty badly... For no real reason. We won the first half of the challenge and very nearly won the second. Our team is strong, that much I'm confident of. Therefore: no need to worry." She raised a brow, "you don't seem nearly so confident of your own team..."

Subject: Re: Royally Screwed Thu Aug 08, 2013 7:13 am

Selena was sitting by herself in the corner of economy class, arms crossed, staring at her feet. Her team hadn't lost, but they hadn't won either. The fact that they didn't win wasn't what was upsetting her though. It was the fact that they almost lost. Selena knew that she hasn't exactly been the nicest person to be around, so she was terrified of going home first. She definitely wouldn't have been surprised. It's not like anyone here liked her anyways.

She glanced around at everyone else sitting away from her, but then quickly returned her gaze to the floor. Maybe joining this show was just a huge mistake.

Subject: Re: Royally Screwed Thu Aug 08, 2013 3:11 pm

Ai shook his head to refute Manda's claim. He really didn't want to send that type of message to the group, especially if it got back to his own team. Of course he wasn't going to go all in with his chips to bet on his team, but he still did believe they could at least make it to the merge with half of them.

“Our greatest glory is not in never falling, but in rising every time we fall.” he smiled more forcefully this time. Ai shifted in his seat as he impatiently looked at the door to the elimination chamber, then back at his teammates. Most of them still had this segregated act going on, so bonding with any of them any further before elimination may not be best. However, if he were to bond with Manda and Selena he may have some fallback for later in the game- and just have more fun in general.

"Manda, I recall you and Dante were watching a brilliant musical... what was it called?" he pondered as he tapped his chin.

Subject: Re: Royally Screwed Thu Aug 08, 2013 9:24 pm

"Mama Mia!? Oh, god, you haven't seen Mama Mia!?! You haven't lived until you've seen that movie!"