Truth be told, Ambrose hadn't eaten in a while. As in, he rarely ate in the asylum and hadn't started up again since. It seemed like such a nuisence at first, so he didn't ponder the reason. Until now, that is . . . Things were becomings so damn complicated as-of-late.

And, it wasn't entirely Their fault. He wished it was.

Nevertheless . . . In an attempt to defy Them, the red-haired boy had gone down to the dining hall in what seemed like the first time. That chandelier seemed fairly ominous, but besides that, there was nothing out of the ordinary. Nothing at all. That was rare in the castle-- perhaps he should have visited here sooner.

It was an odd time of day to be having a meal, and Ambrose fully knew that. He wanted to be alone. If this didn't work out, then he didn't want anyone to talk about it.

Ambrose gingerly walked towards the tables, one of which had a fruit bowl laid out. Just . . . an orange wouldn't hurt, would it? Perhaps just the skin of the peel. . . .

He glanced around the dining hall, making sure that no one was around.

Alicia peeked around the door of the dining hall, not out of nervousness as it wasn't her first time being in there however last time she visited the place there was maybe one too many people for her liking. She's taken to going there after hours to see what food she can salvage and that hopefully there is less of a crowd.

Her sky blue eyes scanned the area and landed on the familiar red spider by the table. His name escaped her and she wondered briefly where she had seen it.

With caution, she approached the arachnid holding her arms up in a subconscious defence. "y-you are... Am-brose? right?"

He carefully peeled off the skin, taking a small piece into his fingers and lifting it up--

Ambrose raised his eyebrows up in surprise when the girl said his name . . . and so fearfully, too. Had they met? He doubted it, but how else would she know his name?

Wait . . . the OCT. She was an opponent, wasn't she?

"Yes, it is," Ambrose confirmed, placing the bit of orange peel down onto the table. "And, you are. . . ?" He was at a loss for who she could be.

Seeing Ambrose as a human and no longer a spider she remembered "Alicia Harper... " stated in an anxious yet monotone voice "...round 4 of the OCT... I was your opponent."

She looked down to her left and lowered her arms "I'm sorry, for hurting you" looking back up "I've never wanted to fight anyone, but for the OCT... I had to..." she made an anguished face and took a step back.

(bad grammar everywherehrer xnx)

Ah, yes . . . That round. The one that was resolved without his knowing how.

Ambrose watched carefully as the girl took a step back from him. Why all the regret? He could understand it, but not from his own experience. Regret was something he never dealt with before.

"You did what you had to to survive," Ambrose noted absentmindily, placing the half-pealed orange back onto the pile of fruit. "As did I." He assumed-- the end was a blur. She had him petrified, and then . . . he won. Just like that.

Alicia flinched, rubbed her neck, deja vu of pain from an unknown influence. "true... I truly did not wish to fight you... but its over now huh?"

She felt fear for this person yet she was apologetic as if seeking forgiveness. "Hey... do you think... we could be friends?" looking down at her feet unsure and perhaps embarrassed at her blunt question.

"Yes." It was over. For better or worse . . .

The rub on the neck confused him, but Ambrose looked it over. This was already awkward for her, he could tell. He could be a courteous winner, at least.

'Friends'? The hell?

The word was bizarre, for one. He never associated it with anything or anyone before. 'Allies,' perhaps, but never 'friends.' Then, there was the suddeness of the question. It caught him slightly off-guard, so much so that he had to ask the question: "Why?"

she was taken aback sure it was a weird question "um because its better than being enemies?" tugging at her dress hem nervously.

She hadn't made many friends before and even at the academy she found it hard to talk to people/creature/things, socialising was a subject new to her. Making friends was step one or something "maybe just acquaintances then..." she trailed off.

Did it have to be one or the other? Most of the student body seemed to think that way . . . In Deneli's mind, he could only be nice or mean. This girl believed that one was either a friend or an enemy. He would much prefer 'neutral,' which is why her second suggestion agreed with Ambrose much better.

"Aquantinces, then," he told the strange girl, then facing his orange enemy once more. He picked up the same piece of the peel and twirlled it delicately in his long fingers, deciding whether or not to attempt consumption.

"okay" a quiet content smile finally breached her face and she strode over to the table giving it a once over looking for what she had came there to find in the first place. Fooood! glorious foood! cough well there wasn't much since it was after hours. She picked up a bowl filled it with 3 apples then proceeded to high tail it out of there saying a quick "byee" in a happy tone, most likely going to find some place warm to chill out and snack on said ninja'd apples.

(warm to chill out... i make the most sense i do)

Ambrose took enough time away from the staring contest with the orange peel to watch the girl leave the room in a hurry. She was nice enough, he supposed.

I think you've made a friend.

Shut up, Ambrose mentally sighed, then turning towards the orange peel once more . . .