[GRO] Scorpa Devile - Teen

[Hivestuck]

Boasting the strongest imperial presence of Alternia's major cities, New Hemisect is the ideal stomping ground for those interested in military life and culture beyond inevitable conscription. One of its largest bases within city limits sits far below the reach of its skyscrapers, inconspicuous until you realize most of the structure is underground and away from prying eyes. Even so, a majority of the top level is open to the public should they find it worth a visit.

At the back of the vast, open entry hall is a desk shielded by glass and manned by two trolls decked out in stiff, clean pressed military uniforms. Their blood color isn't immediately noticeable until you get close enough to see their eyes; one pair is green and the other orange. On either side of the desk are reinforced metal walls and one high security door obviously not accessible by sightseers.

To one side of the entry hall is an arched, open doorway leading into a room full of what appears to be military memorabilia. It stretches beyond what the eye can see, curving around to end at another doorway on the opposite side of the hall. Across the entrance is a banner that reads The Hall of Heroes: A History of Alternia's Military Prowess. Across the exit, Thanks for visiting, please come again!

Near the museum's entrance, getting up and down from a stool every time someone draws near, it an energetic redblood in the same military attire as his co-workers behind the counter. He points to a wall of pamphlets and says, "We've got information on everything you need to know. Grab a handful and learn about the glory of our Crown's royal military tonight!"

On closer inspection, the wall of pamphlets really does contain everything you could ever want or need to know and probably more. Some titles include The All-Important Reservist, Preparing for Life Away from Hive, and How to Address a Superior: A Guide to Rank and Blood. There's a small section of many of the same pamphlets with 'for wrigglers' tacked onto the titles. They're decidedly more colorful than their regular counterparts.

Only Doutei and Melancholies may post in this growth. Please quote the mule if you need assistance or when you're finished!

Doutei

Melancholies

 

[Doutei]

This place was SO COOL!

Super jazzed about visiting, an excited yellowblood looked around the lobby of the military base and soaked it all in. It looked so modern and wonderful! It'd been ages since she'd come here- a special treat she'd reserved as a reward for being of some use to Lorata. After the events at the Civisect Space Ladder, Scorpa wasn't sure if she'd been completely successful but she liked to think she'd done a good job helping keep her alive. If only she'd been able to better protect Austri in the end...

She didn't want to give a bad impression to anyone who might be watching (though most trolls weren't paying her much mind yet), so she began walking. A curious peek in the direction of the security door got Scorpa's mind racing with all the powerful secrets that place contained. Her body ached that she was not old enough to enter yet. For now, all she could do was keep training and keep dreaming. Stopping in front of The Hall of Heroes, Scorpa hoped to find some inspiration here tonight. As some pamphlets were pointed out to her, the young yellowblood immediately began looking through them and stuffing one of each copy into her bag.

"Ack! Crap!" The troll yelped as the pamplets exploded out of her bag when she went to try and close it. Scrambling to try and pick them up quickly so to not inconvenience other patrons, Scorpa failed to notice a purple envelope also fall out of her bag.

Melancholies

come sarceeeee so exciteeee

 

[Melancholies]

Sarcel enjoyed how it sounded when she walked down the halls. The dignified thuds of her boots traversing the sparkling floors, the looks of respect she got from the trolls around her; it was all new—almost painfully so—but not bad. It was something she could get used to; that was the source of discomfort, she just wasn't used to it yet.

Regardless, New Hemisect had and always would be her old stomping grounds, so it made sense to set up base here after her promotion. She kept herself busy with tasks others might consider mundane; the paperwork, the files, the reading—but she branched out to other things too, namely recruitment. Schrad had always been a figure head in her short life, and now—

The thuds stopped, her pace slowed, her feet anchored in place. Well, she didn't want anyone to experience what she experienced. No one deserved to have their trust ripped away and shredded like that. Now the b***h was gone and it left some massive shoes to fill in her place. Sarcel was no scout—she wasn't experienced enough to lead recruits through the ranks either—but that first impression in someones life could mean a lot. Besides, just because she wasn't there yet in her own competence didn't mean she couldn't take a peek at the fresh blood. These trolls would be the future of Alternia. She was part of the future of Alternia, and she was determined to drag other trolls with her to the top.

Well, those deserving.

Coming out from the exit entrance, she startled at the shrill voice of another troll, one who decidedly wasn't one of the adults that she was already vaguely familiar with. Being military at a young age was different, but they gave her the same sense of respect as any comrade. That gave her courage. She shone brilliantly in her military regalia, like she was always meant to be there. Crossing the gap swiftly between her and the razzled yellowblood, she stooped down wordlessly.

"Hey, don't sweat it." she offered amiably as her hands closed around the purple envelope. She held it out, eyebrow raised as she noticed literally one of every pamphlet being crammed into her bag. Well, Sarcel did appreciate two things above all else: tenacity and conviction. A tiny smile crossed her face. Honestly, any other patrons could wait, inconvenienced or not.

"Guessing you're here for the museum?" she asked as she rose back up to her feet. Sarcel was just testing the waters, for the moment.

Doutei

 

[Doutei]

"Yes! An-" Scorpa replied as she hurriedly picked things up before glancing at the pair of feet that'd stopped to help her. Shiny boots led up a pair of well fitted pants and then... that jacket. The yellowblood found herself momentarily speechless at the sight of the other troll's uniform- she was dazzling.

"Looks like I came to the right place. Already found a hero!" Scorpa grinned, nodding up at Sarce to indicate just exactly who she meant. Accepting the purple envelope back, the young hopeful mentally scolded herself for almost losing something so important! Tucking it into her bag, she managed to force it into submission and belt it closed before sidling up next to Sarcel.

"You've already earned some stripes, it looks like! What did you do to earn them?" The yellowblood asked eager and curious. She hadn't managed to stop any other established military officers before so she was going to make the most out of this encounter! Sarcel would discover that if she stepped in any direction, Scorpa followed. This one wasn't going anywhere!

Melancholies

sarce you are so good ; u;

 

[Melancholies]

Well, that was as good of a reaction as any. Actually, unfamiliar as Sarcel was to her new position, Scorpa's enthusiasm was almost a little off-putting. Still, it was nice to see some gumption; of all the trolls she wanted to focus on, it was lowbloods. They needed reasons to get excited about the military. They needed to realize highbloods weren't just figures that sat around ready to dog them. Of course, the yellowblood didn't seem too afraid, but that was a double edged sword in of itself.

Still, she managed to keep the smile. "A number of things." she said with a wink, "Some big, some small. Mostly, you earn these from hard work and sheer determination." and natural talent she added inwardly. Then again, she wanted to prove that talent could be taught and learned like that other skill.

"Actually, they just added a silly little exhibit in here with my bloodhue on it. I came here to check for inaccuracies." Sarcel laughed quietly as she clasped her hands behind her back. Slowly, her feet began to lead her back to the entrance of the museum. "But they got it pretty spot on. You wanna know what I did? Let's go take a look." she actually managed a little laugh; quiet, but by no means weak.

Doutei

she tries uwu

 

[Doutei]

"You have an exhibit? I want to see!" Scorpa gasped. Not only was this troll an honored member of the military, she had her own exhibit! Whoever she was, she must've done something incredible! Curious, the yellowblood followed her into the museum, carrying with her a million questions.

"I wish I could've seen them in action." The girl said as they wandered through the displays on some of Alternia's older heroes. Scorpa didn't do well with textbooks and most intellectual learning but she was great with visual lessons. As much as she wanted to become known as a special unique soldier and impress everyone, she also knew there was something to be learned from the greats who came before her. This blueblood so far was her best shot at actually meeting a mentor.

Recent events had proved she needed one.

'I can't fail again.' The glass case reflected a multitude of colors from around the room and reminded her of that fateful hospital visit, when she and her friends had witnessed the aftermath of the Civisect Space Ladder collapse. That face... those arms... Scorpa gripped her bag as she got lost in her thoughts of how she'd failed to protect her friends. She'd always thought that when the time came, she'd have what it took and would fly into action flawlessly but reality said otherwise. Like beads of condensation, doubts began to form as she read about the other heroes and how their climb to fame started. Some had been old and some even younger than her.

"Ah! Where was your exhibit?" A face caught her eye in the reflection and snapped her out of it.

Melancholies

figured i'd gloss over some of the exhibits unless you wanted to do something with a particular hero! : )

 

[Melancholies]

Sarcel was observant, and nothing about this encounter went unnoticed. If she wanted to start scouting for potential and building up a strong group of trolls, she needed to figure out how those potential recruits ticked. Did she know what was going through Scorpa's mind? Of course not; but she recognized the disappointment, the pensiveness of her thoughts.

"Near the end." She explained, her tone amiable. "All of these trolls came long before I did."

Her route to fame happened a little sooner.

And when they got there, it wasn't anything special, at least not in Sarcel's eyes. Still fitting for a blueblood—there was a mural and a podium with some etched in words. To the side in a glass case was a strange looking plant, though a small square on the corner of the exhibit denoted "replica only". Miscellaneous bits of teeth and white leather accompanied the other objects, among a few other odds and ends.

"It was some time ago," she started to explain, eyes closed as if she were reciting from a memory, "A call for arms went out for all able bodied trolls. There were many like myself that turned up, and we were allowed special access to the bunkers right below our feet." She turned to Scorpa with a proud sort of expression, "Our mother grub had fallen sick, and the only known cure was a special herb that was located deep in the brooding caverns."

It felt wrong to say she had found the plant, because she hadn't. It had been a team effort. "When we came upon the deepest layer of the cave, we were assaulted by these grotesque creatures—things of daymares—they had leathery wings and serpentine bodies and rounded mouths like leeches. There were no casualties, but time was of the immediate essence, and after we located the plant..."

"Well, it came to me to run it back. I had to fend off the remains of those creatures alone. There were a number of times I thought I would be done for—but you know—when your entire species is at stake, you sort of have to press on." At this she laughed, like it was some sort of a joke, "But, even when you find yourself cornered—"

She had been standing to the right of Scorpa as she droned on with her story. In a blink she was gone—footsteps echoing without anyone being there—and then she reappeared around on the yellowblood's left. "You just have to press on. Amazing things can happen when you think you're at the end of the line." she pursed her lips, but her eyes shimmered and she spoke up again, like Scorpa had just helped her come to some sort of realization. "That's what I want to see. I want to see recruits pushed to their limits. I want to see them excel—grow—learn to use their talents like a weapon. I want to forge them into heroes." Was she getting excited? She was getting excited. Her hand balled into a small fist as she set it in her other hand's open palm.

"Tell me soldier. What's your name?" She looked to Scorpa expectantly.

Doutei

uwu <3

 

[Doutei]

Stopping in front of the podium, Scorpa scanned the display as Sarce spoke. The bits and pieces weren't uncommon objects and yet there was something about seeing them this way that made them seem magical. Lorata was always going on about heroes stories and the things that lead up to them. This physical trail of the incident made things much more real than the stories she'd heard or read about distant pasts. Glancing up at Sarce once more, the yellowblood listened intently.

'She had to run alone?' Memories of the Civisect Space Ladder lined up with her mental image of the scene. She could picture Sarce pounding with the same desperation and urgency that she'd felt. The same feeling of running alone, only your own hands and feet to save you. She'd faced that fear head on and-

She was gone?

"Wh-where-" The girl stammered before Sarce reappeared on her own side. Startled, the girl struggled to come up with an explanation for how she'd done that before realizing... she had powers! Having only witnessed it once, Scorpa wasn't sure exactly what she'd just seen (or rather not seen) but the intrigue around Sarce was just drawing her in more and more! As Sarce continued her speech, Scorpa watched her eyes light up and shine with some sort of determination. Her declaration of forging heroes made Scorpa's pumpbiscuit swell with hope and she felt herself standing taller.

"Scorpa Devile! I-I would be honored if you would train me!" At least that's what she hoped the blueblood had been getting at. Her voice hitched slightly as she replied, trying to hold back her eager excitement. She'd spent all of her childhood trying to get to this moment and had been afraid of it being taken from her, for even the smallest slight. As a lowblood, she knew her opportunities were less and could be snatched away. As she struggled to control herself to not scare the blueblood off, Scorpa's hands trembled behind her back.

"If you need more convincing, I- here!" Ripping open her bag, the girl produced that purple envelope once more. Inside it awaited a letter of recommendation to the special reserve with a jellyfish stamp as signature.

Melancholies

jellyfish part done with aura's permission! : )

 

[Melancholies]

Sarcel's eyes dropped down to the purple envelope—the same one that she had picked up before—before taking it delicately in her hands. Turning it over, she popped it open and gave the contents a quick cursory read, and for the briefest a moments a faint smile crossed her features. "Scorpa Devile..." She said the name slowly and carefully, committed it to memory. "Honestly, I didn't need any more. You have conviction and you have spirit. Many trolls underestimate that in the makings of a talented recruit."

"But I do have to say, knowing your acquaintance here..." she tucked the letter into her coat pocket (trying to be discreet here, but failing at it), "Is a nice touch. But I don't think you'll disappoint me." She sounded very sure of this. "Any friend of Lorata's is a friend of mine. Obviously this isn't quite official, but I promise that if you have the aptitude..."

She started to walk through the museum again, beckoning Scorpa to follow her, "Then you'll make it far. I'll give you my address and we can discuss a regime at a later date—" Was Sarcel herself getting excited about this? She was totally getting excited about this. "—Obviously, it will get more rigorous as time goes on. But anyone has to put in the work if they want a fitting result." She was more or less rambling at this point, but the way that her eyes sparkled gave way to her commitment.

Doutei

ty so much for your patience!

 

[Doutei]

She didn't need any more.

Scorpa's body trembled in a rush of emotions. Excitement, relief, and pride all burst through her veins at these words. She'd spent her entire childhood networking and sucking up to highbloods in order to make herself important and recognized as 'good enough' so she could stand here today and look for a high ranking mentor in the military. Now she was finally here and being told that she hadn't even needed to do it! To some trolls this would have been deemed wasted effort but to Scorpa it was just further proof that she was an anomaly. She wasn't just another lame yellowblood, no- Sarcel saw the potential in her to become a hero! Just as Lorata had believed in her. Flydra had supported her for a long time already with her experiements and even Austri seemed to recognize her as good enough to be a rival of sorts... but there was something special about a stranger who didn't know you seeing that speck of possibility in you.

"Yes, I won't disappoint you!" Scorpa shouted, her arm snapping into a salute to her superior. Accepting her words, the girl felt her chest lighter than ever. As Sarcel began to lead her out of the exhibit and off towards the start of her career, Scorpa felt her eyes start to tear up. The blueblood glanced back and beckoned to her and she had never seen a prettier sight in her life.

"I won't let you down!" Footsteps soared after her, eager to get started.

Melancholies

Scorpa is so happy right now, thank you for helping withe my growth! She's gonna be a super confident lil s**t now thanks to Sarce's words! Can't wait to do another PRP with you for the training! : DDD

Hivestuck

Finished!