What a difference a week could make. Bastille felt so numbed to his own emotions and feelings that everything passed on autopilot, shifting past him meaninglessly. There wasn't anything that seemed to phase him in the past few days or truly catch his interest, but he supposed that was for the best. He wasn't even dreading the meeting in the same way he'd been the first time. Sure, he still hated having to give them, but it was hard to feel like he was dying if he couldn't feel anything.

"Meeting time," he called, tone bored and flat as he stood in Starry's place (would he ever consider it his own?). He had an absent, mild buzz going, but it was faint and too subtle for notice as he carried on, "We have a fuckload new members to welcome. That's... Whitenoise, August, Geddy, Cooper, Joel, Wren, Ichorus, Azucar, Gordon, and Blake. And welcome back to Rad and shit. You guys should head over to our June ceremonies to get your pendants crafted after you find your meteorite shards from the Starpool." A pause. "If you don't know what that means, just wait until we take [color=#a25367]a group to find shards together. There's enough of you this week to arrange something."

This time, his pause was a little longer before he continued slowly, "We also say goodbye to Maes this week. Roy is arranging his [color=#a25367]funeral, so don't be an asshole and make sure you show up." He didn't mean to be brief, but lingering would do no one any good, so he kept going with a slight shift: "Otherwise, if someone wants to host weekly tasks this week, let me know. I'll give someone a chance who hasn't hosted them yet before I delegate."

"As for demotions -- Rad, I'm dropping you to Halo. I know you're back now, so keep showing your face and we'll work you back up to a Cleric. In the meantime... Rin, if you'd like to step up to Cleric, you're in. If not, step up to Corporal instead. Same for Margaery. Hazel, Starstruck Guardian. Shout out to Wren and White for jumping in from the start." A pause. "Suiteheart, you're Ecliptic Admiral." At least if she stabs me in the back, he thought sarcastically, they'll be left with a better leader. His words lacked all of the meaningful requests Starry offered during significant promotions. For one thing, he wasn't that sentimental; for another, he hadn't forgotten Suite's cutthroat approach. Her name was just as bitter on his tongue as Hazel's and Margy's, but he spoke as if it didn't phase him. "You'll need to get your new rank beads at the ceremonies this month, too."

This was the part he wasn't looking forward to. Bast scowled slightly as he continued, slower, "Starry, apparently, was in talks with the Tanglefuckers about peace. I hate them as much as everyone else, frankly, but it sounds like I'll be meeting with Beck this week about... that." He looked irritated, and it was fairly obvious this was the last thing he wanted to do, but he was bound to honor Starry's wishes. Even if he'd rather stab himself than speak civilly to Beck. "So, you know. If you see Beck, you unfortunately can't stab him, everybody. Just send him to me." A scowl, and then, "Dismissed."

[ -- welcome new members!! pls pick out a pendant and join our discord (found in ooc)!
-- maes passed
-- someone to host weekly tasks pls
-- rad from cleric to halo; rin to cleric or corporal; margy to corporal; hazel to guardian; s/o to wren and white; suite to admiral
-- potential peace w tanglewood ]

Hazel took a seat near Gordon, having heard the call from outside. She settled down, trying not to linger on the apathy that clouded Bastille's expression. She knew he was having a hard time (which might be the understatement of the year) due to the...aggressive conversation that had happened a few days prior, and Hazel found herself unable to pick a side. Was she angry at him? Yes. Was she terrified of what he was doing to himself? Yes again. Was she avoiding him completely? ...Yes.

She let her gaze fall to something else while he spoke. Newcomers, Maes passing...that had been particularly tragic. Hazel hadn't been present for the event, but she had the assumption that it had destroyed Roy. It was a sad death anyway, because even though she had only interacted with Maes once, Hazel had quite liked him. He was friendly, and had a certain aura of paternal kindness about him.

When her name was called for her own promotion, Hazel's eyes flicked upwards, wondering what she would find in his expression as her name slipped off his tongue. Something in her lifted. Then it fell, as she realized he hadn't wavered at all in his apathy, and let her gaze fall once more. That was fine. She deserved it. He kind of deserved it, too, in an indirect, petty sort of way.

A small sigh escaped her, unheard to anyone nearby. She turned her attention to Suite and Margy, pleased to hear their names as well as Rin's. Good. They deserved it. She was glad that Bastille could see that too, despite their feud. Hazel found herself nodding faintly as he finished up the meeting, noting that the issue with Tanglewood and Beck was foreign news to her, as she had arrived just after the issue simmered down.

"Welcome to all the newcomers," The girl spoke at last, echoing a few others that had said it with a welcoming smile. "I hope you like it here."

★ — hazel — "speech" — seven months — the ascendants — tags — ★