Yet another one. With company.

[not_a_prize]

[Peola lets out an irritated noise as she dragged herself out of the severely battered Regalis Filia. She gives the machine a somewhat irritable grimace at the sight of the smaller damages - most likely from the pin-like projectiles her sister used.]

They just get more and more worse every single time.

[She tiredly makes her way down the gantry before just settling down nearby, palming her face in frustration.]

Uuugh. What am I even complaining about. Just because that jerk and Ourania and their friends showed up doesn't mean its all bad... we beat the Gebians that wanted to wreck everything and I got a good fight out of it...

[Despite this though she feels more than a little...]

SO WHY THE HECK AM I SO ANGRY!?!

[...frustrated. She proceeds to punch a metal pillar next to her hard enough it left an indentation of her fist. She winces and holds her hand. It wasn't in too much pain but the impact stung a little. It was jarring enough to get her attention at least.]



Ow ow ow ow ow!

Comments

[mc_of_mcs]

[The newcomer watches this nervously.]

Well...I get where you're coming from...

But on the other end, if you waste it all here, you won't have much left for 'em later, right?

[not_a_prize]

Argh... I know. I know. Its just...

Here there was an important fight going on, and then the problems my father set on me decided to drop in thinking they were more important than everything else.

[mc_of_mcs]

I'm usually surrounded by comedy, and even I've never run into people like that.

So yeah, it's pretty bad.

Your sister is one of those, right?

[not_a_prize]

Well... I doubt your parents aren a king who's trying to get you married to someone no matter what to both make sure you don't end up like your mother as well as continue the royal line and a berserk monster who... actually the less said about her the better...

And yes, she was the annoying blonde in the huge Machina that fired off all those needles.

[mc_of_mcs]

Well...I know a thing or two about having a badguy as a parent, at least.

And speaking as an older sister, there's one thing that needs to be said here.

[actuallyselfish]

"Whoah, Peola!" Dido says, walking up and checking Peola's hands. "Talk to me, Peola! What's got you mad? Did the latest suitor try to put you on a pedestal?"

[not_a_prize]

[Peola lets out a thunderous exhale. Dido could almost see the ki flickering across her hair, in her eyes and almost dance off her skin like faint sparks of blue lightning.]

He was... sickening... I don't need other people to defend me like I'm helpless. And it didn't help that-...

[The princess grinds her teeth irritably.]

Ourania was there. Along with two other girls from home. I don't know who, but they... it was like a flare to me when I went after him. They cared for him. Loved him. Even Ourania-... she actually felt jealous when he tried to talk me into leaving with him!

That one new girl who joined up called them a harem.

[The sparks start up a little once more and if Dido wasn't checking on her hands they would have met the pillar again.]

Bastard probably wanted to add me to his collection... like his sun damned crown jewel right after my little sister!

I just- ARGH!

[actuallyselfish]

Dido hisses and shakes her hand as one of the Ki Sparks jumps to her finger.

"Peola." She says carefully. "You're shedding Ki all over the place! Bring it down. Breath slowly. Circulate all that energy through your Dan Tian point...er, that spot right beneath the navel."

After Peola cools down a little bit, Dido makes a face. "So, he was really a harem guy? I thought those only only existed in cheesy wish-fuffilment stories for boys!"

She shudders. "Fudge-Skittles. A group of women competing for the love of one person who just strings them along, pinning all their self-esteem on pleasing him...blargh!"

[not_a_prize]

Dan Tia-... Oh you mean...

[Peola takes a deep breath, she shivers a little before the ki-sparks die down.]

Sorry about that Dido.

[She looks down at her hands with some tired irritation.]

...That's...

I don't even know how I should feel. If he's stringing them along... I'm just having a hard time believing he's managed to get his hooks into my sister of all people.

On my own/pretending he's beside me...

[actuallyselfish]

"It makes a twisted amount of sense, though." Dido says with a sigh. "Jerks like your sister tend to act out to hide deep insecurities. And...I don't think your sister's in love with that suitor of yours...she's in love with the idea of loving him. The same for the others that were with him."

She raises a fist. "All he has to do is smile brightly at them, offer a meaningless compliment here and there, and occasionally declare "I'll protect you!"! Everything else they desire...they just project onto him."

She glances at Peola. "Do you, ah, want to save those women from his charms or something? Help their lives pass the Bechdel test and such?"

[a_monetized_mind]

...So...you're a princess.

From space?
[Hurting your hand punching a pillar certainly doesn't inspire confidence.]

[not_a_prize]

Who has an army of would be suitors who want to be royalty chasing after me because my father thought it would mean getting married would make me less likely to enjoy fighting. Yes.

[Still holding her own aching hand. Carefully moving her fingers before testing a few punches. Just air - not pillars this time.]

But I'm just a woman who works in security here. Nobody that important.

[a_monetized_mind]

"not important" and "royalty" don't really fit together, you know...

I'm guessing this sort of thing isn't normal where you come from?

[not_a_prize]

Maybe I'm a princess back home, but here? I'm just another fighter.

And no... no it isn't. Its just me as far as I know who ever had to deal with things like this.

[She brushes a stray hair aside.]

What kind of crazy problems do you deal with?

[a_monetized_mind]

Well, I accidentally stole a terrorist robot that can transmute matter, and so now they're trying to kill me. Some of the related circumstances mean I can't work my normal job anymore, so to speak, so I've had to switch to selling rubidium and taking on jobs for this whole group.

Really, the most annoying thing is the sudden immunity to alcohol.

[keep_your_dignity]

WHY IS IT THAT HALF THE TIME I RUN INTO YOU YOU'RE THROWING A TANTRUM, NELFESS?

[not_a_prize]

Gah!

[Peola was startled by the voice before remembering to snap into a salute.]

Major!

[She lowers her hand anxiously.]

Just frustrated about idiots that's all... but I'm guessing you probably know that part.

[keep_your_dignity]

YES. I'VE READ THE REPORTS.

SO, ARE YOU GOING TO STAY BELLYACHING OR MURDER THAT FUCKHOLE?

[not_a_prize]

Honestly? The latter is really looking appealing all things considered. With my bare hands if I can.

[keep_your_dignity]

JUST DON'T PUSS OUT.

PERHAPS THE FACT THAT HE'S ALSO SCREWING WITH YOUR SISTER WILL GET YOU TO SEAL THE DEAL.

[abugslife]

Are those the kind of people you had to deal with all the time at home? Little wonder you ran away.

[not_a_prize]

Day in and day out yes. Sometimes they're a lot ruder, a lot more arrogant or stupid but in the end they're all the same.

[She lets out an irritable sigh.]

If my father thought this was the best way to make me want to stop fighting I think that plan of his backfired.

[abugslife]

You mentioned your brother. What was that about?

[not_a_prize]

Well... the thing is my brother was supposed to be next in line for the throne. At least until my mother fought him and...

It didn't end well for Harunn and father felt he wasn't fit to stay in the line of succession. But he was recovering when I left.

[abugslife]

Your mother is the second worst one I know.

What is his state? When will he recover?