Leona and Azul

Azul provides the magic-boosting potion for Ruggie to Leona in Book 2, claiming that he is “not privy to ALL the particulars,” but Jade says that he needn’t feign ignorance: “You know exactly what he’s planning, don’t you?”

Azul has kept up this maybe-ruse ever since, claiming twice in Book 7 that he’d had no idea about Leona’s “MOST deplorable” plan and saying, “I never DREAMED he would use (the potion) for nefarious purposes.”

Ruggie responds, “You’re so blatant about lying, I’m actually impressed.”

Leona has contracted multiple times with Azul in the past, but with the exception of the magic-boosting potion of Book 2 we do not know what for, or what he put up for collateral for any of the deals he made. Leona destroys all of Azul’s contracts in Book 3, including his own.

Azul describes Leona being willing to meet with the evicted prefect of Book 3 as “somewhat unexpected,” but he does not seem particularly concerned, saying they can let the matter go as Leona “would be troublesome to have as an enemy, but rivalry is a two-way street,” and Leona would never dream of making an enemy of Azul by choice.

Azul’s assumption is proved correct, with Leona initially refusing to help in Book 3: “Especially when that cephalo-punk is involved.”

Leona does end up involving himself, helping Ruggie sneak Azul’s contracts out of Octavinelle.

When Azul realizes what has happened Leona first seems to entertain the idea of making a deal with him in exchange for returning the contracts, but ultimately decides to destroy them before his eyes, instead, driving Azul to overblot.

Ruggie says, “This is your fault for gettin’ his hopes up and then dashing ’em on the rocks,” and in Book 5 Azul says, “Unlike Leona, I don’t torment others for sport.”

When given the choice between teaming with Riddle or Leona in Book 6 Leona seems ambivalent (“Snakes and octopuses are both schemers that use others as a shield when push comes to shove”) and Azul chooses Riddle, saying, “Leona’s desiccating signature spell would be a poor fit with a merman.”

Later both characters wonder if they should have partnered with each other, instead.

Leona provides Jamil with an evaluation of several different characters in Book 6, telling him that,

“Azul’s got maneuvers for days, just like an octopus should. He’s a quick thinker and knows how to put himself in an advantageous position. He probably struggled a lot adapting to life on land, but he sees that as a strength.”

Leona and Azul are often bickering, with Azul making a reference to “the uproar at the interdorm spelldrive tournament” in front of Leona during a housewarden meeting, Leona saying Azul was rejected by Eliza because “You’re not gonna get anywhere talkin’ a lady’s ear off,” and Azul replying, “You’re hardly in a position to act SMUG.”

When Leona says that being in a group away from Octavinelle “means so much less hassle” during the NBC event Azul responds, “No need to bemoan our absence, Leona. Believe me, I’m just as disappointed as you.”

Azul says he feels bad for Skully, having such a cruel teammate as Leona, and Leona says, “I oughta learn some benevolence from you two guys chucklin’ behind his back,” in reference to Azul and Jade.

Azul responds, “Oh, I doubt I could possibly have anything to teach you there, Leona.” (Grim: “This team’s leavin’ a sour taste in my mouth…”)

Azul also teases Leona about music, saying he cannot envision him singing “even remotely” and Jade insinuating that Leona is tone deaf.

After Leona begins to coach musicians in the tone on their playing Azul reflects that Leona actually is a good singer, “and he doesn’t seem to hate it.”

Azul suggests that Leona put his talents on display at Mostro Lounge and Leona agrees on the condition that Azul and Jade go up against Savanaclaw in a game of spelldrive, saying, “If I get publicly humiliated, so do you.”

It is Azul who comes up with the idea of how to wake Leona up from his dream of Book 7 (“If we take away his authority as king—his metaphorical controller—he’ll have to stop playing whether or not he wants to”), and when Jack breaks a bottle of durian juice in Sam’s shop during Beanfest Azul tell Sam to bill the bottle and any associated cleaning expenses to Leona.

In a rare moment of the two agreeing with one another Azul and Leona come together to tease Malleus about the “practically colorless, prison-like dorm” that is Diasomnia.