[PRP] Queen of the Hill (Aerona + Leeroi)

[Sypon]

Two rambunctious kids meet and challenge eachother to a race up Busthind Mountain!

 

[Sypon]

Another brisk evening on Busthind Mountain. It was just coming off of the winter season, and Aerona had finally gotten a chance to get outside. Being snowed into her cave-like hive was a whole mess of trials and tribulations -- food was scarce and less seasoned than she would have liked, and the Busthind villagers were as stingy as she and Sophitia when it came to extra seasonal supplies. Not to mention the alleged criminals running around the mountains. Sophitia had made sure to keep Aerona indoors throughout the winter, and the faint local gossip of a prison break kept her especially on edge. In the meantime, she suggested to her child to knit. Draw, perhaps. Anything to keep her mind off of the great outdoors, and any dangerous individuals lurking outside.

Granted, it worked for a while. The snow itself was enough to keep Aerona indoors some nights - a project of knitting new muddy teal gloves for herself only helped her mind stay trained on a task. But finally, her energy caught back up with her. When some of the snow melted (though, Alternia's daytime caused much of the snow to reform into ice, making it especially deadly), Aerona could finally head outside. And tonight was the night she'd see what was new on her own little mountain.

A crisp, visible puff of air dissolved in front of Aerona's mouth as she rubbed her gloves together. After leaving her hive with Sophitia, the two had headed to her favorite hiking spot. The night couldn't have been more ideal. "Do you have your gloves? A snack? Some band-aids, medical spray? How about your sketchbook, did you want to do some field drawing on the way? Should I have packed you an extra one in case you run out? I put in a scarf just in case you get cold..."

Sophitia tittered, clattering behind her charge as though she would be leaving her for this expedition. Aerona nodded and muttered affirmations to her guardian, all the while smiling. The wind on her face was exhilarating. She flushed hot red with the wind and zipped her jacket up tight under her chin. The two of them stepped onto the grassy trail and they started: up, up, up. To the next vantage point, and out of what little civilization existed on Busthind Mountain.

Aerona looked up at the wall of rock and ice above her, flexing her fingers with excitement. She could find a less sheer wall to scale - perhaps go around her easy path - or maybe even forge a new one today! The only thing that was certain was that in just a while she'd be on top of the world, looking out. It would be hers for that moment. Peaceful, simple. And what a rush to get up there! Every breath in filled her with anticipation. Aerona nearly laughed, catching herself waxing poetic about the mountain.

"You're gonna get so climbed," she chided to herself. Her tongue poked out of the side of her mouth and she prepared herself to take the first step up to the summit. The first slip, and then the first successful haul up. Sophitia used her sharp legs to support herself effortlessly as she fretted over Aerona's hiking skills, but the redblood refused her help. She seemed happiest when she could learn and grow from her own mistakes, and through a few scrapes up the mountain the two climbed to a grassy ledge.

"Phew!" Aerona huffed. She took a look down. There was a fairly sizeable trail leading up to her vantage point, coming from another natural "main drag" up to this particular peak. She took a rest for a moment, sitting with her legs tucked in and gnawing on an ice-cold trail bar. It was going to be a good night.  

[zeflamigo]

Glitch made quick time climbing up the mountainside. The mountain range certainly wasn't unfamiliar to the lusus. Perched on the multi-legged hornbeast's back, Leeroi sipped loudly on a juice carton. He had excitedly climbed a stretch of the trail himself before getting tired, hungry and subsequently cranky, then forcing Glitch to carry him the rest of the way while he enjoyed his lunch. He took a last, loud sip and tossed the carton off the mountain, gleefully watching it fall.

He reached into the lunch pouch and pulled out another carton, as well as a sandwich cut into the shape of a bloodpusher. Leeroi bit into it, and pulled away disappointed to find that the peanut butter to jelly ratio was way off. He scowled at the sandwich. How was he supposed to eat this? Yet, it was all he had, and for the moment he was hungrier than he was picky. Still, he would yell at Glitch for the mishap later.

Out of the corner of his eye he spotted something red, and motioned for Glitch to stop. As he guessed, it was another troll. She was really bundled up, wasn't she? He thought that redbloods were supposed to have warmer blood, weren't they? Maybe she was just trying to look impressive. For a few moments, he observed the girl from afar, delightfully amused by her strange lusus. He made his decision. He wanted their attention. Impulsively, he tossed his juicebox at them, using the redblood as a bullseye. Yeah. That would work.  

[Sypon]

A projectile came flying. Aerona barely registered it before she ducked out of the way, feeling the glancing "fwoop" of the piece of garbage as it tumbled to the dirt ground. A juice box? Her attention was swift and birdlike, demanding to see where the box had come from. And what she saw nearly made her retch. The empty garbage fruity rumpus container didn't fall far from the dumpster. She whipped around before Sophitia could say a word of caution against her hot temper and yelled.

"Hey, you!" She looked him up and down. Spoiled, dumpy blueblood riding his lusus like he was some big-shot. What a joke. "You wanna go, cupcake?"

Aerona shouted the last word with particular intensity.  

[zeflamigo]

Leeroi's eyes went wide, a toothy grin stretching across his face. Wasting no time, he climbed off of his lusus' back, clumsily making his way down the mountainside as fast as possible. With only a few feet of distance left to climb, he let go of the cliff face and just jumped the rest of the distance down. He attempted to impress his potential competitor and land on his feet, only to slip up and tumble at an awkward angle, nearly launching himself off the edge.

Glitch shrieked, horrified as she tried to navigate her many legs back down the steep path towards Leeroi. The little blueblood seemed fine, standing with adrenaline-induced excitement, laughing as he rubbed his scuffed, bloody hands on his sweatshirt. He rushed over to Aerona, still laughing under his breath.

Leaning in uncomfortably close, he shouted at her, "Yeah I wanna ******** go, pansy!" He smirked, bouncing in excitement as he waited for her next move.  

[Sypon]

Aerona watched the blueblood trundle down the mountain. It was like watching an overweight snub-nosed barkbeast with little nubbin legs trying to flop its way down a slippery slide. What an embarrassment. She sneered, but readied herself as he wobbled over to her and taunted her to her face. Aerona's blush intensified. Her jaw began to hurt with how intensely she was clenching it, and her fists were tight balls. Who was this guy, and who did he think he was?

Aerona wouldn't back down. She stepped right into Leeroi, nearly pressing her face against his. Her forward-facing horns clacked into his, nearly inside of them and only avoiding getting stuck with his bouncing around. "Then let's see who can get to the top of the mountain first, fatso," Aerona snarled. She gave him a firm push with both hands and Sophitia hissed with warning. She wouldn't tolerate a physical altercation, but Aerona might have needed restraint if the blueblood continued to taunt her. He was of much higher blood than she, after all - this whole situation was just a mess.

But, her charge would not be convinced otherwise. She locked eyes with the blueblood, itching to start. "Then we'll see who the real pansy is..."

It was a threat as much as a challenge. Aerona looked up to the mountain, staking out a path as she did.

Kimbley Kitty

 

[zeflamigo]

Leeroi stumbled back from Aerona's shove, laughing carelessly, a light blush warming his face. A race? Leeroi frowned. He was kind of hoping for a fist fight. And just who did she think she was, calling him fatso? He wasn't that fat. Leeroi scoffed, blushing harder and crossing his arms. "Too chicken to wrestle the furious Leeroi Furore, eh?" He struck a pose, sneering at the redblood.

Well, if it was a race she wanted, that's what she'd get. Leeroi wasn't about to back down from a challenge. Besides, he might not have been very good at getting down from mountains (that was Glitch's job), but he was much better at climbing up them. Leeroi lacked the sense of mortality that held others back, moving quickly up the mountainside when others wasted time thinking. Not even taking a second to look up, Leeroi dashed to the cliff face and started his climb. He chuckled as he went, moving his short limbs quickly and recklessly up the mountainside. Glitch followed close behind, doing her best to keep under her charge, acting as a safety net.

Leeroi took moment to look down, only to find his competitor was still staring at the mountain. Lame. He was expecting a little more competition than this."What's taking so long, freckle face? You scared or somethin?" He yelled, leaning back to taunt the redblood. For added effect, he stuck his tongue out at her and laughed sharply before turning back to his climb.  

[Sypon]

“We can wrestle on the top of the hill and I’ll throw you off--,” She growled, scanning the mountain. Sophitia shrieked an unholy shriek and Aerona cleared her throat. “I’ll throw you a loser party.” She corrected. Even when reined in, Aerona’s mouth had few bounds. Sophitia fretted and prepared for the worst, but fortunately the blueblood was preoccupied with starting off the race. Aerona smirked.

Leeroi was climbing right up the weakest and soon-to-be steepest part of the mountain side, but if he had any sense he’d be able to change course. She snorted and bit her tongue as her mind raced away, calculating the fastest route. Aerona wasn’t hearing the blueblood’s taunts now. She vaguely registered his jeer and used it as fuel for her fire, darting up a steep trail as fast as she could. If she could get around to the side of this bluff, there was a shortcut. A quick series of steps that would be out of the blueblood’s immediate line of sight. She just had to be fast enough.

Aerona pulled down her hat and pulled herself up the impressive trail wall as quickly as she could. This was desperation and furor. She was quiet; Sophitia crept up the mountain ahead of Aerona in shock, stunned at how focused her charge was. She was nearly keeping pace with the nimble crustacean.  

[zeflamigo]

"Hey!" Leeroi shouted, watching Aerona skirt around the mountainside. "What's the big idea, chickening out already?" He gave a huff of laughter, a puff of steam vaporizing from his breath. He gripped onto a new ledge, hand easily slipping from its icy surface. His lusus called out from underneath.

Be careful, my kid! I beg of you, please! At least wear your gloves!

Gloves? Oh, yeah. Those would help. Nearly dangling, Leeroi slipped the glove one with one hand, and then swapped hold so he could put on the other.

"I did it!" He whined, waving sarcastically at his lusus. He wanted her to know he wasn't wearing them because of her. They'd give him more traction, and more traction would give him more speed. And he probably didn't even need that, because he was already so fast and he was going to win no matter what.

Leeroi smiled proudly to himself, scaling awkwardly up his cliff face. He didn't need anything fancy, just three points of contact and a lot of gumption. And while his intentions were to get to the top as fast as possible, when the opportunity arose, he shuffled towards the same direction as Aerona, eager to banter with her again. Then he could keep a close watch on her progress, too.

Sypon

 

[Sypon]

“Eat my rubble, fatass!” Aerona practically screamed. She was out of his line of sight now, totally red in the face as the climb started to affect her. But, she was laughing. A sort of wheezing, victorious giggle came out of her as she found foothold after foothold and scaled the mountainside. Sophitia was a bit worried, to say the least.

“Dear, please be careful. Remember about bluebloods…!” Her lusus chittered, swinging up onto a bare tree that was rooted to the side of the hill. The end was in sight. With a heavy breath, Sophitia wondered what the consequences would be should her child win. The result was likely now, and unsettling. She began to scan for an escape route, just in case.

Meanwhile, Aerona had made strides. There it was – a path with plenty of switchbacks, but otherwise a clear shot to the top. She’d have to cross back into view of Leeroi – not a problem, he could see her win that way – and it would be a bit precarious, but she’d do it. There wasn’t much of a chance of him catching up… Especially if…

Aerona grinned, causing Sophitia cause for alarm. The redblood hopped onto the path and examined the contents of her pockets. A couple of snack bars and a small pouch of water… And a firecracker. “Whoops!” Aerona exclaimed. An accidental slip of the hand happened to knock a lit firecracker onto the perilous trail behind her.

“Aerona, no!!” Sophitia was quick to intervene, much to her charge’s chagrin. She scrambled down the tree and onto the pathway just in time to subvert the small explosive, giving a warning hiss to Aerona in the process. The lit firecracker rolled down the embankment, only succeeding in casting off a small spray of gravel over the ledge of the path as it flared out. Aerona frowned, rolled her eyes, and kept up her pace towards the mountaintop. Sophitia would have to have a word with her later. The crustacean growled in discontent.

Kimbley Kitty

o/

 

[zeflamigo]

"I'm not fat!" Leeroi whined, pouting to himself. Desperately, he picked up the pace to catch up to the other redblood. He had to give it to her, this definitely wasn't her first time climbing. She was putting up a considerable fight.

Leeroi hadn't noticed the dynamite until he had bits of gravel falling all over him and getting caught in his hair. Instinctually it startled him, but he managed to somehow keep his footing.

"Hey! What the ********?" Leeroi yelled, coughing through debris. "That's not fair!" He whined, starting to move again. Now she had gone and done it. All bets were off, this race was going to be a bloody one now.

Leeroi grabbed a loose rock with his free hand, turning it over and judging it. Nice and jagged. It would do the job just fine. With a smirk, he lobbed it at Aerona and started booking it more up the mountain before his lusus had the chance to grab him and put an end to all his fun.

Sypon

 

[Sypon]

Aerona saw the rock coming, partially due to sheer luck as she turned her head to see how her opponent was doing. She narrowly dodged the projectile, her lip curling in disdain and then immediately into hostile triumph.

“You’re fat, stupid, slow, and you can’t throw!” Aerona jeered. “And… I…Win!!!”

She pulled herself onto the highest bluff and rolled over onto her back laughing. Sophitia followed. She was outraged. Chiding and chittering, the redblood’s lusus was a quick damper on the festivities. Aerona’s giggles petered out and she sighed. Her lusus had a point – who knows how dangerous this kid’s lusus could be. She could push him off the cliff, sure, but that goat thing? There was no telling what she could do.

“I’m up for a rematch though, if you want.” Tubby. “I got a little excited up there, so, you know.” If I made you feel lower than dirt, then I’ll give you a second chance to prove it.

Kimbley Kitty

 

[zeflamigo]

He saw Aerona reach the top. And for one very short moment, Leeroi's fighting spirit visibly drained from his body. He made a startled noise, catching like a lump in his throat. Then anger took over. Leeroi moved even faster up the mountain, propelled almost instinctually to get to the top and face Aerona.

When he reached the top, he stood defensively, trying to not let Aerona's words do any more damage than they had already done. His face was bright blue from embarrassment, his hands balled into shaking fists. He was breathing heavily, and desperately trying to recover his breath as quietly as possible. Aerona didn't need to know how much of a toll that climb put on him. "This isn't over!" He finally yelled. Aerona might have thought she won, but there was a second part to their contest that he definitely didn't forget about..

With a battle cry, Leeroi ran forward to tackle Aerona to the ground, using every ounce of weight in him to try and keep the redblood down. "Hope I'm not too fat," he screeched, getting in her face.

Sypon

 

[Sypon]

The smug look on Aerona’s face quickly turned to startle surprise. She screamed, squashed under him, balled up her fists and smacked at his sides. “Get off of me! Get off!” She wailed. Sophitia immediately darted into action. With a frightened squeak the crustacean flew over to her charge and took her by the arms. She dared not touch the blueblood, but attempted to extract Aerona from underneath him.

As she squirmed, Aerona spat angrily at Leeroi. “You’re a loser! A sore loser!” She cried. Eventually she was removed, panting with a couple of tear stains running down her cheeks. She had overstayed her welcome. Sophitia grabbed her by the sleeve, chittering frightened apologies to Leeroi and his lusus, and began to drag her away.

“I’ll see you again! Just you wait!”

Kimbley Kitty

FINALLY