[RP/BATT] Fancy and Judgemental (Regina & Eostre)

[amicableAggressor]

The construction site in Four Fronds was, for most of the night, out of the shadow of the crashed spaceship. The hives that had sat where the site was now hadn't burned down with the fires from the ship, just gently singed. Still, the residents had all happily moved out into newer hives when the block had been condemned. At least, they hadn't kicked up a fuss.

And so, quietly, while the craze of the space race had everyone fixated on Civisect and Chittentown, the structure of a huge building had gone up. It was the first. The flagship, and a test. If everything in it's construction went smoothly, Regina would give the nod of approval.

Today was the day. Large construction fences obscured the first two floors of the building, but above them, huge windows gleamed in the moonlight. The fence's gate, covered in no trespassing warnings, were rolled open a crack, and the empress stood between them, hands behind her back, facing the street.

Rocking back and forth, she cast another look up and down the sidewalk, waiting and watching. There weren't really any trolls who used this street. It had been sectioned off to help with construction for long enough, now most trolls detoured around it.

She had intended to do the inspection alone. Like most things she was doing now. The old guard - trolls who survived from the previous matriarch's rule - could whine all they wanted, she'd dug out enough ancient traitors and backstabbers to prove unequivocally that they did not always have "only the best" of intentions.

Instead though, she was waiting, face perky. She'd even put on her best crown for the occasion. While at least one of her not-so-recent promotions was weighing on her mind, the rest were, so far, making up for it. Case in point: the fact that today, instead of having to wander around on her own, she'd be joined by a guest.

purplerosesbeauty

 

[purplerosesbeauty]

It was important to Eostre to try and keep up with the Queen and her plans now that she was part of her inner circle. Especially when the plans were interesting, and took place in her very own city of Four Fronds. Keeping a correspondence with Regina was the least she could do to show she was serious about helping her and determined to be useful, and being invited to check out her latest project was just perfect! She spent way too much time checking and double checking that she was impeccably dressed - simple, but elegant and maybe the smallest bit intimidating. Not that she thought Regina would be intimidated by her at all, of course, but maybe other trolls would. Her lusus groaned when she asked his opinion, but honestly, she was meeting with Regina, and she wasn't going to look like a mess in front of her, or embarrass herself. Nothing less than perfection.

It didn't take long for Eostre to make her way to the construction site of Regina's newest project. It was sectioned off for the most part, which made travel easier since no one bothered her, something she was glad for. She glanced up at the building, noting how big it was. Several floors, and fenced off with very large fences. Approaching the fence, she saw the Queen waiting.

"Hope you weren't waiting too long, Regina," Eostre said with a smile, her gloved hands steepling together in front of her chest. She looked at the construction, shifting her posture slightly to rest a hand on her chin. "I'm excited to see what we have here."

amicableAggressor

sorry its so short, and also took me like a week, rip

 

[amicableAggressor]

Regina. God knows the blueblood had earned her position - and if Vidari could greet her by her first name, so could Miss Eostre Diazzi. Maybe it was just the unfamiliarity that felt wrong. Well, she'd use this opportunity to get as familiar as possible with Eostre. Of all the trolls she had invited into her inner circle, the blueblood was, unsurprisingly, the toughest read.

As far back as Regina could recall, the reports about her performance, whenever they surfaced, were always the same. There was no dirt to dig. Of course, again, there was nothing explicitly wrong with that. It just meant that Eostre was as prudent and meticulous about her self-image as Regina. She smiled back, waving a hand.

"Nah, nah! Not long at all. Glad you could make it. C'mon in." Stepping to the side, she let Eostre pass in front of her, with a gesture of reinforcement to encourage the blueblood. Shutting the gate behind them, she took a moment to glance around the courtyard.

The actual building was set back from the road. Between the entrance and the sidewalk was a small plaza, tiled in different hues of grey. A few saplings were planted in rows on either side, lining the main path up to the large, glossy doors of the building. They'd grow larger, and the eventual goal was for them to overhang the path completely. There were benches, and even a small fountain. Both were utilitarian and plain, save for a small sculpture at the top of the fountain. It was a troll, bent over, with the water cascading out from between its spinal crevice. The troll's face was the only part of the statue that was painted, with a full coat of clown paint. It's expression, from what could be seen, was twisted into an expression of mischievous glee, and a hand was raised to cover it's mouth.

Walking slowly along under the trees, Regina felt herself instinctively trying to get between Eostre and the fountain. It was nothing more than a bit of religious expression, she still felt it marred the overall tone of the building.

"You probably are wondering what this is all about right? Well, er.."
Stopping a few paces before large glass doors, she gestured over them. Carved into a plaque over it, were the words The Young Troll's Mirthful Association.

"It's a bit of a co-operative project I've been working on. Trying to mend bridges with the cult after Comedi got culled."

purplerosesbeauty

 

[purplerosesbeauty]

"I'm glad to be here," Eostre said politely as she stepped inside the gate and looked around. The first thing that caught her eye was the clown statue in the fountain. She never would understand the mirthful cult, it seemed. Hopefully she would understand Regina, though, helping her with this project here. She thought the fountain was certainly... very whimsical. The courtyard was nice, in a plain way, aside from that, with a tile path and little trees and benches. Very functional. Regina put herself between Eostre and the fountain and she brought a hand to her chin contemplatively.

"Ah, yeah, I've been curious about that. After Comedi bit the dust back at the ball, I figure you must have had some plans for replacing him and calming down all that turmoil, right?" She waved her hand a bit, resting it on her hip. Tamiya was quite distraught about the fat old clown kicking it, though she couldn't see why. When she'd approached Comedi during the investigation he seemed creepy and weird. Then again, most of the adults at the party were, and then they all died. She looked at the plaque above the doors when the queen gestured toward them. The cult had quite a bit of power in the government, but Eostre wasn't about to put on face paint to get involved just yet. Still, this building wasn't just for the clowns to get together in, right? That'd be a bit disappointing, and that's not much of a co-operative project, and especially not one that would require personal attention from the queen. Even if they were incredibly forceful.

"But there's more to this than just that, I imagine?" Eostre said evenly. The queen had grander plans than that, and this was supposed to be important.

amicableAggressor

another short post sorry
im free now tho!!

 

[amicableAggressor]

Stepping forwards, Regina raised a hand in a bit of a grand gesture as the doors detected her movement and slid open themselves. It was silly - but she almost felt like a lusus towards the building and the project it represented. "More? Oh - yah, the clown stuff's just for visual appeal. They can put their pamphlets out in the front hall and got a few rooms to use, but it's really just the branding that's for them. C'mon in!"

The main hall was a bit larger than the courtyard, with a map of the building laid out in greyscale tile on floor beneath them. There were two large desks set into the walls on the left and right, and past them, branching halls that lead deeper into the hive. Wandering over to one of the desks and leaning against it, Regina pulled a pamphlet out from the rack that was screwed onto it, flicking the paper open. "The YTMA - it's gonna be a place for all trolls of all ages to come and learn. No matter your blood colour, no matter your age."

Handing the pamphlet to Eostre, Regina waved at the words on it. There were class schedules, and lists of everything provided at the association. Gyms, training grounds, a library, even a computer room for trolls to learn how to operate electronics. Watching Eostre, she hoped the blueblood would be clever enough to not react with snobbery. "We'll teach the required training any troll should have to not only survive, but thrive. Nothin' subversive of course - and you gotta be in good standing to use the facilities. But it'll get trolls learnin', and hopefully move us towards being fighting fit again."

ppppurplerosesbeauty

 

[purplerosesbeauty]

Inside, she took a quick look around, noting the different structures. Halls, tables... it was all pretty normal, and she was glad that it wasn't all clown garbage. "Of course," she murmured about the cult. They probably needed to recruit more than just indigobloods if they hoped to really spread their word. Eostre looked over the pamphlet offered, eyes scanning the class schedules and other programs being offered, when she saw something very relevant to her interests. Her eyebrows quirked up and she smiled. A gym and training facilities... incredible! There was a library and computer rooms too, which could be useful for skill building, but she was far more interested in the fighting skills. So many trolls she'd met seemed woefully unprepared, to the point she considered offering lessons to others. In the end though, she ended up just using that as a front to try and flirt with a few incredibly dense trolls, so that didn't go anywhere in particular in the end. Still...

"This is wonderful! I'm excited to see the gym and training grounds, but really, this will be a much-needed addition." She tried to keep an even tone but she was pretty excited by this, after all. Getting trolls back on track to be able to become a space-faring race, ready to fight again... yes! Of course the Queen would devise something like this. "It'll be nice to have the younger trolls actually learning useful skills... will we be looking at the training grounds?"

amicableaggressor

i started drinking and then posted this just for you

 

[amicableAggressor]

Drumming her hands on the clean new counter, Regina glanced from Eostre to the papers as she thumbed through the leaflet. She gave an emphatic nod when Eostre mentioned the younger trolls. You could keep the population stupid, or make them useful, but you had to pick one or the other. And lusus these days, it seemed, weren't the same as the kinds you got when she was a wiggler. Raising her eyebrows at the bluebloods query, she gave a slightly surprised smile. "You want to go have a look? I mean, we can."

It was easy to forget, she realized, that Diazzi had a track record of active combat duty. From her looks alone, you'd get the impression that she was accustomed to letting other trolls do the fighting for her.

purplerosesbeauty

/puts a clammy hand on your arm

 

[purplerosesbeauty]

Eostre scanned Regina's face, and returned her smile. It was hard to tell with the queen, or maybe... she was just overthinking it, but she wouldn't be surprised in the slightest if the queen played with maintaining a meticulous image the way she did. She almost expected it.

Still, she wanted to keep her cool and show off, show Regina what she was all about and what she could really offer her. Take a chance to get closer. She was more than a pretty face and a good officer... she could be an asset. "I'd love to see it!" she said casually, a hand on her chin thoughtfully. She really wanted to see it. "Maybe we could test it out a little... you know, make sure everything is perfect."

amicableAggressor

from the depths, a tag

 

[amicableAggressor]

"Of course! Of course! I mean I'm gonna be super rusty - been up to my fins in plannin' this place out. So you'd have to go easy on me, ahahah!" Taking the flyer back from the blueblood and returning it to the desk, she replaced it with an arm and an offer for Eostre to take it, if she was up for linking arms with the Empress.

Leading her down wide corridors with floor to ceiling windows, Regina pointed out various hallways that branched off, and where they would go to. The training gym was multi-level and glistening in the moonlight, visible through the windows as they made their way up to an elevated walkway that spanned the two hive complexes. Small signs of mirth were still visible, and a large vending machine stood outside the double doors to the gymnasium, offering a variety of flavored, cult-endorsed sodas as a stern reminder that this was - as much as a place of learning could be - a holy building. Or slightly holy. Holy-ish.

"We got a stem level for each class - focusing on weight, agility and endurance training. Tactics n' combat thinkin' courses are gonna be a mix of physical activity, simulations, 'n written exercises. There's gonna be some direct sparring in a few classes, but the focus is gonna be on developing the building blocks, stuff you need before you start gettin' into scraps. Of course, then ya get the real combat experience from actual recruitment into the military." Pushing the doors open, Regina gave Eostre a knowing look and eyebrow waggle. "I ain't gonna give nobody actual military experience, if they ain't gonna be using it for me."

purplerosesbeauty

x2 arm combo

 

[purplerosesbeauty]

"Well then, it'll be good to stretch your legs and get back into fighting, won't it?" Eostre gave a relaxed smile and took Regina's arm without hesitation. That seemed like a good sign on the progress of their personal relationship, certainly.

She nodded along as parts of the building were pointed out. The training gym, however, was a thing of beauty, despite the desperate clown propaganda. As expected from something the Empress herself had a hand in getting constructed. Eostre was pleased with it. Even if she didn't really need to learn, personally, she could make sure it was being used appropriately.

"A smart plan, of course," she said, brows raised. There was enough trouble with rebels and non-loyal trolls as it was, the last thing Regina needed was to literally put information and power into their hands by training people who weren't going to join the military. For whatever reason there could be for someone to do that. Schoolfeeding the younger trolls would be enough to get the skills they needed. And it was a lesson Eostre could take to heart, to not train or put effort into anyone she couldn't get some form of loyalty from, herself...

She crossed her arms and looked around. "Well, I'm impressed with it. It's a good regimen, and can certainly make some not-useless trolls for the military." Eostre turned back to Regina with a smile. She really wanted to fight, but needed to keep her cool. "But now I'm sort of more interested in seeing you fight me. How about instead of going easy on you, I just let you go first, Regina?"

amicableAggressor

eostre.....is ready when you are
no need to hold back, regina P:

 

[amicableAggressor]

Even after Eostre's eager invitation, Regina continued to walk further into the gym,
only turning back to the blueblood when she had put a little distance between herself and the door. "You sure? I was gonna bring you up to a higher floor with a real good view - " she gave a little sigh, and a shrug, resting a hand on her sabre's hilt. While she liked getting in the first strike, or catching her opponent off guard and making them stagger back in surprise with a flashy entrance, she didn't want Diazzi to get too serious and on-guard. The blueblood had combat experience and talent, Regina didn't need to test her first hand. No, that aggression she was still bottled and resting quietly for later. This was going to be a pleasant spar and nothing else.

Drawing her sword, she gave Eostre time to prepare her own weapons. Taking the time to do some slightly exaggerated and comedic stretches, she finished by tossing the blade in the air with a twirl, and catching it neatly as it came down.

"I mean. You can see that massive hunk of crashed ship from the ground floor too. Wish we had the trollpower to get that thing cleaned up, but there just ain't that many hands available. Apart from that the scenery's dazzlin'." As she spoke, she had begun to circle the blueblood, sword up and smile still friendly, but at the end she darted in and swung, accurate and fast.

Reginner deals 5 pts of damage

Military grade +1
20/20hp

purplerosesbeauty

it beguns

 

[purplerosesbeauty]

Eostre stood, arms still crossed, as she watched Regina walk further into the gym. While a better view might be nice, she wanted to fight now, not sight-see. There'd be time for that later. She saw Regina draw her sabre. And like she mentioned, she could see parts of that spaceship from here.

She pulled out her own brass knuckles, not very brass at all really with their silvery appearance, inlaid with her symbol. She slipped them on and flexed her fists, getting them warm and comfortable in her grip. The blueblood watched Regina,

"Mmm, a shame about that. It certainly is a bit of an eyesore on my otherwise beautiful city." She mirrored Regina's amicable smile. Then, the Empress struck, and Eostre put up her fists to try and block the blunt damage of the blade. Not well enough, however, and she staggered back slightly.

Eostre bounced to the left and advanced on Regina, aiming a blow for her chest. Strong, calculated. Keeping it friendly and light, though, and staying away from punching the Queen in the face.


HP: 15/20
Damage: 2 +1 = 3
Military grade brass knuckles

amicableAggressor

yesss

 

[amicableAggressor]

"Ah!" Regina gave a chuckle as she raised her blade to take the main force of Eostre's punch, holding it in both hands, she took a forced step backwards. "You're a real fan of Four Fronds, ain'tcha? So many trolls these days - movin out to New Hemisect." Circling again, she eyed the blueblood up and down. It was true, a fair amount of trolls who had lost property to the spaceship had simply packed up and set off for fairer cities, where expansion and progress was, well, rocketing along.

Stepping forward again, Regina struck out with the hilt this time. Eostre wasn't going for her face, so it seemed fair that she try her best not to leave a scar in return. Since they were being polite and everything.

Reginner deals 3 pts of damage

Military grade +1
17/20hp

purplerosesbeauty

 

[purplerosesbeauty]

"Lived here my whole life - and the damage to my hive wasn't too bad, all things considered. I lucked out." A few tunnels down, fairly permanently, but not bad enough she'd consider a move. Even if her hive had been utterly decimated, she wouldn't really want to leave, after all. Eostre had too much business. "And the culture here is much more my style than any other city. So, I'm a bit dedicated to it in the end."

She pulled back to try and avoid getting hit with the hilt, but got a good jab to her gut. She bit her lip. Needed to concentrate, just because it was a friendly fight didn't mean she'd let her guard down. Eostre thrust forward again, and punched at Regina.


HP: 12/20
Damage: 1 +1 = 2
Military grade brass knuckles

amicableAggressor*

<3

 

[amicableAggressor]

"Nothin' wrong with some dedication. I can respect that!" Deflecting the full brunt of Eostre's punch again, Regina took a second to shake a bit of life back into her sword hand. The vibrating of the punches impacting were numbing, to say the least. "I used to be pretty much focused on my small stretch of ocean bed. S'why I decided to set up my public face so far away from my hive. Get myself more invested in the rest of Alternia."

Testing the waters with a few false swings, she went back to poking around for an opening in the blueblood's defences. "Think I succeeded too well - now I gotta remind myself to focus on individuals rather than the whole population. Case in point." Stepping forwards, Regina jabbed forwards with her sword instead of swinging. "I never got around to asking you about yourself."

Reginner ...gets excited for growth and deals 6 pts of damage

Military grade +1
15/20hp

purplerosesbeauty

emotion_kirakira