Tiger-Fight

Michael downs the last of the bitter ale he'd been served and pours some Vodka into his empty mug, afterwards using some magic to quickly cool it. "What will you say to Tiff?"

Saeko shakes her head. "Things that you shouldn't be aware of, even if everything goes my way." he states and he furrows his brows. "Do you mind pouring me some too? I haven't had 'Spirits' since I came to this world."

Michael pours her some Vodka and stores it back in his inventory, still thinking about how bad the situation could turn. He'd honestly brought this on himself by bringing her in the first place, Saya had been nothing but amazing, but Saeko was a menace... A damn sexy menace...

"Fine, but you must accept Tiff's answer no matter what. You can't pressure or threaten her in any way, and if I feel that she's against whatever you agree to I'll put my foot down. You are the outsider in this instance, I'll put Tiff's wellbeing over yours, do you understand?" he says with finality.

Saeko nods after grimacing at the Vodka, "All I want is a chance to make my case. I might not be a good person, but I'm not evil enough to harm Tiffania."

"Alright, fine. Grab your shit and we'll head to Winterhold. There's nothing left for me to do in Whiterun anyway." he says, clapping the table and getting to his feet.

"Ah, wait. I need to ask if Raiden wishes to come... He seemed quite smitten with those two girls but, it's courtesy to ask." she says as she goes and knocks on the Redguard's door. It was the afternoon, and her fellow swordsman had gone to enjoy his 'friends' company some more.

Walking in on the man and his two 'close friends', she learned that he wished to stay with the Companions to see if their influence was the catalyst to her unlocking her Shehai... It was probably wrong, but she imagined the two women beside him and convinced him regardless.

With that, Michael and Saeko leave Whiterun and arrive at the base of the Eye of the World... All without noticing a certain Dragonborn who'd observed them departing, jealousy striking the man since he'd intended to ask Saeko out for a stroll or perhaps dinner...

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Saeko and Tiffania locked eyes as soon as they met one another in the Spire's hallway, the two girls freezing for a few moments as metaphorical lighting clashes between them.

"Why doesn't Saeko meet everyone else first bef-" Michael starts but is interrupted when Tiffania looks at him...

"Michael, could you prepare food for everyone today? I'll show Miss Busujima around..." the elf says with a forced smile.

...

"You su-"

"Go."

...

"Alright, don't hope for anything 'Food-Wars' quality." he says before leaving, letting the women hash this out. Clearly, he needed to be as far away as possible or he'd get caught in the crossfire.

"Hello, Tiffania." Saeko neutrally greets.

"It's good to see you again Saeko. Have you finished humping camels and riding Redguards? Oh!" Tiffania hold a hand over her mouth in a mock gasp, "I meant that the other way around..."

Saeko's eyes squint in response, "I've been fighting the Thalmor in Hammerfell of course, not like you, sitting around and hoping Michael will solve your problems for you." she retorts.

"Speaking of Michael, did you know he snores? Not always though, only after sweating for a bit." Tiffania says with a smile.

"OOOooohh!" Megumin quietly cheers, fisting pumping the air as she and Saya watch from the staircase. "Did you hear that?" the chuuni girl asks her accomplice.

"Yes, but I think Saeko is going to be the winner in this... She's a lot scarier than Tiffania..." Saya replies.

"No way! Tiffania has the home ground advantage!"

"You two need to mind your own business!" Michael says before silencing them and carrying them away by the collars of their clothes. "You're going to help me make food and you're going to like it." he growls as Megumin flails in a vain yet useless attempt to escape.

In the meanwhile, Tiffania and Saeko took their 'conversation' to an empty room in the Spire, continuing to trade barbs back and forth, neither giving an inch.

Finally, Saeko decides to cut to the point, while she enjoyed the conflict, she wasn't there to 'beat' Tiffania, but to find some common ground. After all, they'd be seeing each other a whole lot depending on the outcome of this...

"Tiffania, I would like to court Michael." the swordswoman states while crosser her legs.

Tifania sniffs humorously in response, "Is that all? I refuse."

Saeko smiles in response, "What do you think Michael said when I asked?"

"No, but he would be conflicted about it." the elf easily replies.

"That's basically how it went... Aren't you upset that he considered it?"

Tiffania shakes her head, "I'd be worried if he hadn't. He's a man, you're a beautiful woman. I wouldn't be surprised if he had already slept with you." she admits.

Saeko tilts her head in thought at that, "And you're still happy with him, even when you think he could have done that?"

Tiffania nods with a subdued smile, "Michael is my everything, he saved my life, gave me hope, taught me to defend myself. Without him I would be dead, so I owe everything to him." she lets out a cold breath, "If he wants to take another woman then, that's how it will be..."

"Isn't that... Don't you have any self-respect? Even if he saved you, you don't deserve to be hurt..." Saeko says despite the fact she was technically arguing against herself. "Would you say the same if he was abusive and cruel?"

...

"No. But it's because he is everything I could ask for that I can sacrifice for him. Why are you asking anyway? Aren't you happy that I'm giving you permission to pursue him?" Tiffania asks, confused.

...

Saeko shakes her head, "I won't." she decides, unwilling to take advantage of this girl's complete disregard for her own wants and needs. If she didn't know Michael so well, she'd have thought that he'd brainwashed Tiffania to think this way... "At least, I won't pursue Michael until you want it... Let's get to know each other, be friends."

...

"If that's what you want..." TIffania agrees, even if she wanted to make Michael happy with Saeko, she couldn't push herself to argue against the swordswoman's decision.