[PRP] Press x to doubt (Sarcel & Regina)

[Melancholies]

Sarcel was a very regimented troll. She liked having her system, her routine, her life in a very precise order. She kept her nose out of other trolls business. She stayed in her lane. Why Kursha decided that she had to be the prime target for a plethora of antics was absolutely beyond her, but she dealt with it because at the end of the night he was a captain. And she was a lieutenant. And by the laws of the land, she just had to grit her teeth and move on. She got through it by telling herself that she was just biding her time.

The space missions came and went, along with their disastrous final mission aboard the imperial flagship. Still, she'd survived--they all survived--and when she finally got back to her desk to deal with the reports, what does she find? A scrapbook. And who is the scrapbook from? Captain Kursha Vidari. And what's inside?

Tons of stupid, shitty, insignificant little photographs. Trolls almost died out there while he decided to have a field day. She didn't doubt his combat capabilities, but she doubted his ability to be a leader.

So sure, she would deliver the book to Regina. She'd hand it in personally, actually, because she had questions. She needed to know what she lacked that apparently Kursha had. This meeting with the Queen was far different from her last. She wasn't timid or worried or anxious, she was just a little pissed off (but, at least, still dignified in the way she walked).

So she approached her sprawling hive and let the drones show her the way.

amicableAggressor

i hope thsi is ok!!1!

 

[amicableAggressor]

This time the drones deposited Sarcel in an office that was definately 100% devoid of life. There was still a landslide of paper, and now the walls held maps and satellite photographs of the half-submerged wreck of the great battleship that had landed in Alternia's ocean. Apart from that, the office was just as much a mess as the first visit. There was one piece of paper on top of the other desk papers though, that had been propped up against an empty energy drink can. Scrawled on it was the message 'roof golf'.

Melancholies

i hope i am alive

 

[Melancholies]

"How..." The room was impressive. Impressively chaotic anyway--she had no idea how anyone functioned in such a mess. The energy drink can gave her at least one clue, and she agreed mentally that copious amounts of caffine were definitely a prerequisite to this sort of life. Roof golf waited just a few seconds as she took the opportunity to glance over the wall paraphernalia. The satellite images caught her interest if nothing else--was she planning to try and salvage it still? Hm.

She didn't dwell on it too long as she navigated her way around to the roof. Thankfully she still remembered the way. She adjusted her eye patch as she ascended the stairs. Time to see what roof golf was all about.

"Regina Marian." She called out as she arrived outside.

amicableAggressor

i hope i can play roof golf

 

[amicableAggressor]

There was a crack, a whistle, and a small white ball blurred past the roof door, burying itself half an inch deep in the large pillowcase tied to a wooden scaffolding. Pinned to the pillow was the remains of what looked like a large print-out of a troll wrapped in white fur, though the face had been hit by so many balls that it was too crinkled to discern features.

Standing where the ball had been launched from, Regina lowered her club (with spikes on it) and gave a half wave, half salute. "Oh, heya there Cincil. What's shaking?"

Melancholies

i am roof golf

 

[Melancholies]

Sarcel didn't exactly flinch, but the thunk of the golf ball made her tense up. She exhaled through her nose, but managed to return a two fingered salute, albeit stiffly.

"I'm just completing some long overdue favors." She explained very slowly. "But I suppose I've been alright. I could ask you the same, but your office still looks like an organized chaos, so I think I get the gist." Sarcel carefully inched to the side before making a wide turn to where Regina was. The last thing she wanted was to lose her other eye to a golf ball.

She gave the target another curious glance from the distance she was at. Really made her wonder who had specifically earned the Queen's undivided ire.

"Is this a bad time?" She looked back to Regina.

amicableAggressor

im mels

 

[amicableAggressor]

As Sarcel approached, Regina gave a few half-hearted swings with the club, before tossing it to the side. Looking between the blueblood, her target practice, and the door, she raised an eyebrow. Long overdue favors was it? "Bad? Nah, nah, nah. I'm just doing my nightly exercise. Gotta get some fresh air in, can't just hang around in an office from sunset to sunrise."

Turning, she began to stroll towards a small table set up outside the danger zone. Three chairs were scattered around it, and a canteen of water and plastic cups sat on top. Taking one, she waved it at the blueblood. "Hydration. Everyone tells me it's important, like I didn't grow up surrounded by it."

Melancholies

mels

 

[Melancholies]

Oh. Somehow Sarcel wasn't surprised that this was apparently a nightly occurrence. A vague part of her was still worried though. She followed Regina over, though she didn't grab a cup for herself. "Everyone?" Well that was strange. She questioned a few of Regina's motivations and methods, but not her ability to stay hydrated. Did 'everyone' fuss over every other aspect of her life too? "That sounds... obnoxious. You can lead a planet but can't be expected to remember drinking water, is that it?" She shook her head with a snort.

"Well." Sarcel didn't want things to stagnate in small talk, "Whenever you get a moment, this is for you." She held the scrapbook out to her.

amicableAggressor

hells

 

[amicableAggressor]

Despite Sarcel's dismissal of her advisors, Regina calmly drained her cup. Shrugging she went to refill it from the canteen. "Eeeh when people's lives are tied to yours, they can get pretty concerned about you staying in tip top shape. Y'know its traditional for a queen to cull the supporters of the oooooh - what's this?" Putting down the plastic cup, she accepted the small book, plucking the note off to read it first. Then, eyes sparkling, she opened it up and began to flip through in enraptured silence. "Aw."

"Gosh."

"Oh! Isn't that sweet?"

Melancholies

smells

Kursha is a juggalo

The folder contains a modest scrapbook, showcasing various highlights of the time aboard the ships. Notably in each one, there is a little paper cut out of Regina inserted somewhere in the photograph. Where Vidari found the time to snap photos while warding off swarms of undead is beyond anyone. Attached to the scrapbook is a short note.

“Sorry You Could No[+] Make I[+]. Be[+][+]er Luck Nex[+] [+]ime.”

 

[Melancholies]

Sarcel watched. And waited. And watched as Regina cooed and gushed and sparkled at the gift. It would have been vaguely heartwarming, if it hadn't been put together during an imperial mission. She pursed her lips together.

"No." Sarcel folded her arms. "It's not cute. It's unprofessional. We were on a mission and not only did Captain Vidari have the idea to goof off, he had the audacity to use me as a gopher. And I know he only did it because he could." Sarcel for once, looked uncharacteristically huffy. "He's abusing his position. So no, I don't think it's sweet, at least not to literally every one else he has to work with."

amicableAggressor

steamed like a yam

 

[amicableAggressor]

"Is that your professional opinion there, Cincil?" Not looking up from the book, Regina flipped the page, moving on to the next set of photos. Her voice was still light and relaxed, as though Sarcel had just been admiring the cut of the topiary around them, rather than going off on her hand-appointed Captain. "I think it's real lovely, and I don't remember anyone under his command dying. Apart from in that 'high art' dance-off homage they did to one of your missions. All in all, a success!"" She flipped to the next page, still admiring the photos. "And am I to take it that you ain't a fan of being used as a deliverytroll?"

Melancholies

 

[Melancholies]

"Oh you mean the musical?" Sarcel was a very subdued troll. She could stay calm even in the most frustrating of situations, she prided herself on being so levelheaded, so cool. Right now, it felt like Regina was treating this all like some big joke. "The one where they botched the entire mission for television? The one where they wrote me into some barbaric moron who didn't know my head from my a**?"

She exhaled sharply from her nose as she tried to regain some shred of her composure.

"I--" She sounded marginally calmer, "--Am a military lieutenant. I have a duty to the military. He is a captain, and I am trying--between the two of us--to discern how he has achieved rank over me. The military needs good role models, and he doesn't act like one. Recruits don't respect him. Actually--You're the one who appointed him. What qualifications does he have that I don't?"

amicableAggressor

other than a sense of humor and friends

 

[amicableAggressor]

Raising a hand from the book, Regina snapped her fingers as though Sarcel just hit on a brilliant idea. Still not looking up at Sarcel, she continued to snap her fingers once or twice as she spoke, emphasizing her words with the noises. "You're right! I did appoint Vidari. I'm real glad you remembered. Hang on to that fact, because from what it sounds like, you're relying on me to promote you as well? Is that it?"

Closing the book, she put it down on the table and sat down, frowning as though something was really puzzling her. "Only, you sound like you don't think I'm doing a good job here. So I dunno why you're bringing this up, if you think I ain't ever going to promote capable, serious, work-minded trolls such as yourself." Only then did she look up at Sarcel, smiling slightly. "Is that right? Is that what I should be gettin' out of this?"

Melancholies

dramallama

 

[Melancholies]

Somewhere along the lines, Sarcel's eye had closed as she retreated deeply into the recess of her head. Stay calm. Stay calm. She didn't know why Regina was acting like this, but all it was doing was infuriating her, and at this rate it wasn't going to get her anywhere.

She opened her eye back up again. "I'm sorry. I'm bringing this up because I want to have a serious conversation." She spoke evenly, or at least tried to. She sounded bitter, but not as unstable as she was, "I don't comprehend your thought process. I know he's more than capable in combat, but that's not the issue. Of course I want to rise in the ranks. I'm never going to stop until I can't go any further." She sounded resolute in this, "And once I--or any troll for that matter--start to advance that far, of course you're the one who has the final say. I am absolutely questioning your judgement, because I don't understand you."

Sarce was starting to feel uncomfortable as the anger started to subside. She was pretty sure if anyone else was standing here they'd probably be the next roof golf target--but she was still firm.

"Throw me a bone here."

amicableAggressor

emotion_skull

 

[amicableAggressor]

"Well obviously you don't, Cincil. You're incapable of it." While her face was still friendly, her voice now was not. It was cold, still calm, and with an undercurrent of a threat. The jovial slang was dropping away too, for words more clipped and polished. Lines had been crossed, and while she'd allow for it - after all, Sarcel still hadn't given Regina all her potential could give - there needed to be a reminder. "You weren't born a tyrian purpleblood. When you make a decision, it could be wrong. It could be flawed. As empress of Alternia, whatever I choose is the correct path, for me and for our entire race." There was a faint pressure in the air now, as though a thunderstorm was about to burst over the two trolls. Gl could sense Regina's displeasure, and was watching closely.

Then, abruptly, the pressure released and Regina gave Sarcel a wide, friendly smile. The next time she spoke, her voice was back to normal. "Plus Vidari's earned it! He's a real go getter, hungry. All those buzzwords. I trust him, like I trust ya, to do what's best in any situation when the chips are down. And he helped me chase those rebels outta the desert, that deserved a promotion that I'd been waiting to give him. He's still fresh now, I wanna see if he'll survive, and what he'll make out of himself. Captains ain't all cut from the same cloth, but as long as they get results, they've got what it takes." Tapping her fingers on the top of the scrapbook, she looked around the rooftop garden. "And if you think you can out-captain Vidari, gimmie a reason to promote you. Then you can duke it out together, and see who comes out on top. Nice and old fashioned-like."

Melancholies

roof spoof

 

[Melancholies]

Sarcel said nothing. The tension was more than palpable and she still stood unwavering. She'd never quite experienced anything like this before--even as the pressure dissipated her head was left foggy. Despite all this (and though she didn't say it), she found the answer unsatisfactory. Incapable of it? Was she really? Maybe she was, in the same way that Sarcel could never understand the hardships lowbloods endured. Of course Regina was the empress, but when it was put so simply like that--that she could never be wrong--it really made her think. Having that much power seemed unfortunate. Scary. Lonesome.

Still, she seemed satiated (if not by words than by being put back into her place), and she was at least calmer now (and alive, which was a bonus). She leaned back against the table with her hands on the surface. "I've earned the rapport of my subordinates. I assisted my then colleagues with the preservation of our mother grub." Sarcel spoke carefully, as if she were really figuring out what she wanted to say, what order, which words, "But I'm proactive. I have my ambitions. I don't like the feeling that I'm sitting around waiting to get a pat on the back. I want this, and no one's ever got anything by waiting for it to bite them in the a**." Sarcel paused.

Looking back over at Regina, she added, "You wouldn't have anyone more loyal. I questioned you not out of disrespect, but because I care about the future. I need to make sure the individuals I'm placing my trust in are resolute. That being said, I want to give more to the military, and I'm being held back by my rank." And in due time, even being a captain would be holding her back, even being major would be holding her back. "I believe I'm more than capable for such a position. Who knows--" Still a little miffed at her dismissal, she added tentatively, "--Maybe with enough rank and power I could start to understand you better." She refused to believe that blood color barred any mutual comprehension of the other, anyway.

amicableAggressor

roof......tooth