[META PRP] Confidence (Byakko + Tevini)

[Doutei]

status update

 

[Doutei]

A quiet set of footsteps made their way through the hall and out the door, careful to not catch any attention. She was a mere volunteer heading outside for a short break- some fresh air if you would.

She certainly needed it.

Tevini had done her best to scout around what she could of the preparations for launching out into space. It was about time for her to meet up with Byakko to make a report. Stryke and Rasali were doing their best to coordinate with the others, this was a small task she wanted to handle to take some work off of them. Ideally she would've brought Cerpin with her to ensure he wouldn't get into any mischief while she was gone but...

Apparently even her presence didn't deter that anymore.

Clenching her fist, Tevini reminded herself that she couldn't get mad at him. They were here on a reconnaissance mission, he had to go along with whatever and not cause a scene. That didn't make it hurt any less, unfortunately. The redblood hated this emotional side of her. Logically he had every right to... No, she needed to stop thinking about this and focus. They were so close to space now, this was the time to lock everything else aside.

"Nice breeze." She mumbled, her voice loud enough to be heard but quiet so only those listening for it would catch it. Wandering towards a small rock formation Tevini waited for an answer.

melona-pan

I wasn't sure what the environment around the Space Ladder looks like so I made something up. If this doesn't work, lemme know and I can edit!

 

[melona-pan]

"It is a rather nice night." As if on cue, Byakko stepped around a slab of stone to meet Tevini. Pressed to one side, under her elbow, was a red file folder. She was near unrecognizable under the layers of make up and carefully pressed military uniform. "I used to spend a lot of time around Chittentown. I miss it," she confided, settling to lean back on a rock beside the other apparent redblood. "But the wind carries the same smell across the whole area. Sort of like brine, and obviously dust, and a hint of sweet from the desert flowers." There was a sense of fondness in the way she spoke, but there was also an edge of weariness. She supposed this was what nostalgia was.

"Anyway." Voice falling flat, Byakko offered out the red folder to Tevini. "I've compiled a list of the tech I've seen inside. Basically, if it looked shiny and potentially useful, I wrote down what it was called." After her hands were freed, she slipped the red rimmed glasses from her face and rubbed at the sore spots where they rested. "I managed to salvage some inventory lists too, but I'm not sure how up to date they are since I got them from the 'to shred' pile off someone's desk. We currently don't have access to their databases." Akko folded up the glasses, pocketing them before crossing her arms over her chest. "There's still some sections and a warehouse I haven't been able to scour through completely, but I'll find a good enough excuse soon enough."

"So that's what I've been up to. I figure you can go through it and tell us what's highest priority." Akko paused, granting Tevini a moment to collect her thoughts. "And you? What do you have to report?"

Doefawetei

 

[Doutei]

There was something beautiful in the way Byakko looked out at the horizon as she indulged in her nostalgia. Tevini wasn't used to seeing her leader lower her guard. Even when they corresponded in the swamp, a place that was supposed to be safe, Byakko always seemed to be careful. Tevini could understand and appreciate that constant level of tension, it was something she too experienced. The difference was, she had Cerpin with her to help. Byakko... she was alone.

"Ah, yes these look great!" Tevini accepted the folder and flipped through it as she listened. The lists were well organized for being made in a limited amount of time. It was really impressive how much the much Byakko had gotten done in the amount of time they'd spent apart! She felt a little embarrassed about what she'd accomplished in the same amount of time. Pulling out a black folder, she handed it over as an exchange.

"I've collected a list of known lieutenants, sergeants, and captains. I've included what trolls I saw wandering about in the official military uniforms, along with a few names that seemed suspiciously aligned. Unfortunately I failed to get my hands on an official list but I haven't given up yet." She'd focused on personnel first. The trolls heading into space weren't really going to be able to use any communications devices to reach the groundforces. She didn't want there to be any surprises for them once she was out there. One particular name had given her great pause.

Kursha.

Tevini didn't know all of the greenblood's past with the other rebels, she'd only joined after the incident back at the tunnels. Once thing she did know was that he'd left a terrible scar on many of them, in several ways. She let Byakko look over the information quietly, wanting to let her process it privately first, if she needed.

"I'm sorry I don't have more to report yet. I... I'll try to get more for our second meeting." Tevini added apologetically, avoiding eye contact. She hated feeling like she'd disappointed her. One heartbreak was already enough for tonight.

melona-pan

 

[melona-pan]

Watching Tevini flip through her work out of the corner of her eye, Byakko nodded. "Good to hear they can be of some use, then." There was a lightness to her tone that suggested she was, indeed, pleased. Technology was far from her strong suit- she really hadn't been exaggerating about writing down anything 'shiny and potentially useful'. It was purely a guessing game. For all Akko knew, she had just taken inventory of parts to fix some high tech load gaper.

She took the black file Tevini handed her in exchange wordlessly. Cracking it open to inspect the contents, began pouring over the pages. Some names rang familiar, like that of the juggalo Odette had history with and the redblood whose hive she'd broken into. Others were completely new.

One line in particular caught her attention- that of one lieutenant Sarcel Cincil. Blueblooded. 'Sa' name. Interesting. Her eyes narrowed for a moment, then continued skimming down the list of personnel. Scorpa Devile. Flydra Dromen. How convenient. The corners of her mouth twitched with something inscrutable.

Just as Tevini suspected, Byakko froze when she reached Kursha's name. A hot pang of indignation formed in her gut. "Mmm..." a humm vibrated on her lips, papers creasing as her grip tightened reflexively. While not entirely surprised- she knew this was a highly likely outcome from the moment he showed up at the rebel base with the military- some part of her had hoped he'd have messed up his standing with the Queen by now.

Byakko's nose scrunched faintly in distaste. Stomaching her displeasure, she parsed the remainder of the list, only shutting the file once she had finished.

Byakko vaguely startled when Tevini apologized, head swivelling up and over to the girl. "What?" She blinked incredulously. Gently kicking herself off the rock she was leaning against, Akko sidestepped so she was directly in front of the redblood. Bending over slightly at the hips, she intersected into Tevini's line of sight. "Why are you apologizing? This is impressive work, don't belittle yourself." A nasty habit she'd like to see done away with. "The information you collected is extremely practical, especially listing the chain of command. You did well," she assured. "Really." She wanted to dig harder into the issue, but how downcast Tevini seemed did not go unnoticed.

There was a nagging feeling that she was holding something back. "Are you sure nothing else happened you need to report?" Straightening up, Akko stared down as Tevini for a drawn out moment. "Perhaps... off the record?"

Dowdadsutei

this got longer than i wanted lolsry

 

[Doutei]

She wasn't used to trolls besides Cerpin moving in so close.

"Ah- well, I-" Tevini stammered, flustered by Byakko's intensity. She'd never noticed how thick her eyelashes were until she was staring straight into them now. Weak willed, Tevini was the first to avert her gaze, looking nervously down to the side. She appreciated Byakko's praise but flushed at how easily she'd been read. The redblood wondered if she was losing the ability to wear a poker face. Or perhaps what had happened was bothering her more than she wanted to admit, even to herself.

"Thank you. I'm sorry, I've just been a bit rattled." Tevini confessed, rubbing her arm. She relaxed as Byakko straightened up to give her a little space but knew that this wasn't over. She had a very commanding presence that Tevini was not immune to. It was how she'd managed to keep all of the rebels together, despite the inner disputes among them. It had to be an exhausting job and Tevini felt bad that she had contributed to those problems before with her own partner. She needed to try harder to be more straightforward to save Byakko unnecessary extra work- starting now.

"C and I were making the rounds..." She began, keeping her voice low and avoiding the use of his name while they were here in disguise. "We stopped in to one of the offices and, ah... There was an incident." Her fingers played with the edge of the folder.

"She kissed him. Right in front of me. I... I know we just went through a huge fight and... I don't have a claim on him but..." Her words were getting jumbled and clipped now as Tevini struggled to vocalize what she was feeling. It was hard when she didn't know what she thought, only that it didn't feel good.

"It hurt."

melona-pan

 

[melona-pan]

"Mmm." Aside from a pensive hum, Byakko remained silent for an almost uncomfortably long amount of time. She drew back from Tevini, studying her for a moment, then turned away to gaze out towards the desert horizon.

She could sympathize. They were they same, her and the redblood; they felt things deeply, or not one bit. Akko could only suspect, given her personality, Tevini was as averse about the idea of properly talking things out as she had been. Mix all that together with quadrant confusion and you had yourself a ticking time bomb of pent up emotions.

It hadn't worked out so spectacularily in Akko's experiences.

"Allow me to confirm one thing first," she started, breaking the silence at last. Her eyes settled back on Tevini, tone still firm, but almost comfortingly so. "Have you two had the opportunity to talk things out since our last discussion on this... issue?"

Doutei

 

[Doutei]

Normally Tevini would feel scared at a troll taking this amount of time to respond. If they had to think for this long it was likely not something good. However, this was Byakko and she knew that Byakko had many things on her mind- always. It was a maddening amount of responsibility to take on everything she was already juggling and then to listen to silly trifles like this.

Byakko turned to the horizon. Tevini kept her eyes on her. The mutantblood, even in this disguise, had a way of calming her while at the same time keeping her alert. It was an odd feeling of staying on your toes but also leaning against a bar for support. She couldn't explain it but Tevini liked it. She had never been good at relaxing.

"Yes. Well, sort of." The redblood bit her lip as she tried to answer Byakko's question, once she'd posed it. Tevini flushed as she knew the answer wouldn't make her look very good.

"We agreed to get back to work together. I, ah... I told him I just wanted to forget the whole thing happened because I was so embarrassed." Tevini looked down in shame. She knew now that it'd be a stupid call, why had she tried so hard to protect her pride?

"I've been so stupid about all of this." Tears threatened and she finally tore her eyes away to also look at the horizon. No, she was not going to cry. She was not going... to...

melona-pan