Jamil and Ruggie

In a vignette where Jamil is paired up with Ace for an assignment Jamil is strict with Ace (“Do NOT go off and do anything on your own”) but, once Jamil is called away by Kalim, Ace goes to Ruggie about picking mandrakes for cash, which does not go well.

Jamil tells Ruggie to leave his underclassmen alone the next time and Ruggie responds, “I guess you’ve gotta clean up Kalim’s messes too, huh?,” and the two also overlap in a vignette where Ruggie decides to flatter Kalim into standing in line for him in the cafeteria, only to see Jamil struggling with keeping Kalim from running around with hot stew and decide, “…Maybe not. He, uh, looks kinda occupied.”

After lunch Ruggie tells Jamil, “You must have it rough lookin’ after Kalim,” but when Jami lsays, “I think it would be far more painful to have to serve someone like Leona,” Ruggie responds, “Can’t say I agree. Honestly, Kalim’s so nice it’d just make me uncomfortable. A lid for every pot, l guess,” but the two seem aware that they are in similar circumstances at NRC.

After seeing the Port Fest performance Jamil asks Ruggie to teach him the dance that his group did but Ruggie refuses, saying, “Maybe ask Jack. I don’t wanna see any deck brushes anytime soon.”

In a vignette Jami says, “Ace, Ruggie, and I are the most skilled with our hands,” and when Trey reflects on how they don’t need to worry about getting robbed on campus Jamil responds, “I’ve heard rumors of a hyena on campus with sticky fingers,” presumably in reference to Ruggie.

Also during the Firelit Sky event, however, it is revealed that Jamil himself has a history of stealing: he tells a vendor that he paid them back the very next day, but in a later conversation with Trey he says, “Back in middle school, my friends and I used to drop by the Camel Bazaar a lot…and, well, you can fill in the blanks,” and Trey says, “Lemme guess: you swiped food? Haha. I never would’ve thought that if I hadn’t heard it myself,” so that is something else that Jamil and Ruggie might have in common.

At the start of Glorious Masquerade Jamil says that Ruggie’s outfit “has a certain shrewd, calculating air that suits you nicely,” and Ruggie responds, “Gee, thanks for the backhanded compliment. I could say the same thing about your outfit.”

When Ruggie decides to join the team going to bell tower to confront Rollow rather than stay in the town with Trein Riddle asks why, and Ruggie responds, “More human shields-ah, I mean, the more people there are, the better my odds of survival are.” Jamil follows with, “Exactly what I expected from you, Ruggie. You never disappoint.”

This comes up later in the event when Jamil and Ruggie get cut off from the group by firelotuses and Ruggie saying, “Sorry you got stuck with a middling mage like me, Jamil.” Jamil replies, “Actually, no. I’m glad it’s you and not someone else. You won’t care what dirty tricks we pull, right? I have an idea…”

This idea is revealed to be leading firelotuses to Noble Bell College students, with both characters even using their unique magics to force the students to sacrifice themselves. Ruggie says, “I gotta hand it to you, Jamil. You get some real messed-up ideas. I can’t believe we just tricked some innocent Noble Bell students and made ’em take a dive for us!,” and Jamil responds, “The students who are still in the building led the flowers out here to start with. They deserve to be held accountable.”

Ruggie replies, “If any of the other pampered goody two-shoes on our team heard that, they’d faint in horror,” and Jamil says, “Well, yes. I wouldn’t say that to just anyone. Besides, it’s like you said before. The more human shields, the better.” (Ruggie: “Ahaha, that was me all right!”)

After the drama of the firelotuses Sebek tells them, “I’m sure dispatching all those firelotuses was no mean feat for two humans like yourselves,” and Jamil responds, “Yes, acting as bait wasn’t easy by any stretch with just the two of us. But we had to do it for all of you. It didn’t matter what happened to us, as long as we could draw them away. Isn’t that right, Ruggie?,” who confirms Jamil’s version of events with, “That’s us —the guys who put it all on the line for their peers!”

Silver says, “I should learn from your examples,” and Jamil agrees, saying, “By all means, do.”

In a whisper Ruggie says, “There’s no way we can tell any of ’em the truth. We managed to run all night by usin’ a buncha Noble Bell College students,” and Jamil replies, “And that’s why I could only pull off that plan with you.” Ruggie says, “Wow, Jamil, you must really trust me! Y’know, I see you in a whole different light now. I always thought you were the long-suffering type, but boy, you know how to get a job done. Sure helped me out,” and Jami responds, “It’s scary getting a compliment from you, Ruggie. There’s bound to be a catch.” Ruggie agrees, saying, “Right back atcha. I can’t take any compliment from you at face value.”

Sebek and Silver declare, “We shall heave you both into the air in honor of your exploits!,” but the two are interrupted by Grim.

After their performance Sebek approaches Ruggie and Jamil again, demanding to hear their impressions of Malleus’ singing. Ruggie tries to excuse himself and leave Sebek to Jamil alone, which Sebek doe snot allow.

Overhearing the school’s vice president saying that Malleus’ “striking presence” makes him hard to approach Ruggie reports to Sebek, “After he heard our song, he called Malleus unapproachable!,” going to Jamil for confirmation (“You caught that too, right, Jamil?”), which he receives (“Oh, yes. I believe I did hear him say that”).

This successfully sends Sebek after the Noble Bell College student, much in the same way that the two escaped the fire lotuses together.