Two best friends say hello and shots are fired

[empress_without_a_throne]

[video]

[It's time for someone else to make a formal introduction.  Or rather, two special someones!]

Couldn't keep putting this off now could we?  At any rate, it's been nice to meet all of you so far.  My friend here is Sara Harper, director of the Solaris orgnization-

And my friend here is none other than Mizuki Onodera, the Abyss Empress herself!  Sworn enemy of all beings who live on this-



S-SARA!

[We apologize for the technical difficulties that ensue, but when the video comes back, Sara's off in the corner laughing uncontrollably while Mizuki does her best to do damage control.]



Sorry about that.  Sara and I go way back, and you know how things get with longtime friends.  But as I was going to say, if you're not familiar with Solaris, that's just because the organization hasn't been very relevant for the past ten years or so.  We came here to help Solaris get back on its feet again, even if its glory days are long past and it'll just be supporting the Unity Group.  So long as people'll be able to afford college tuition for their kids and have pensions come retirement we'll be happy.

As for me personally?  Well I'm "The Abyss Empress".  An empress without an empire.  A potential enemy-turned-ward for Solaris who's all grown up now and just wants to do what she can to repay the people who decided to take her in rather than kill her when they had the chance.  Anyone wanting the full story's welcome to it if they ask.

Comments

[a_linear_mind]

So, should I address you as Abyss Empress Mizuki?

[empress_without_a_throne]

Just "Mizuki" is fine. The only people who bother with the "Empress" part are my parents, and that's just when they forget they stopped being retainers when, well, everything fell apart for us.

[a_linear_mind]

Wow, that's pretty evil though, making your parents your retainers.

[empress_without_a_throne]

It's the other way around. They took up parenting duties after it was clear I wasn't going to be ruling anything anytime soon.

The first couple of years were awkward, let me tell you that.

[star_of_sad]

You are what?

[A shocked Setsuko is shocked.]

[also video]

[anewmachine]

...Okay, you win.

[empress_without_a_throne]

We've just met a giant Egyptian cyborg alien bug lady and a very bitter giant robot and you're shocked at what I am?

[empress_without_a_throne]

Win? Win what?

[abugslife]

You look very young for a dethroned evil tyrant.

[anewmachine]

I thought I was going to have to deal with some awkward questions and confusion about my whole deal, but you've got me beat. Congratulations, I guess.

...So what's your whole deal? I'm confused and have awkward questions.

[a_linear_mind]

So you didn't overthrow your parents and forced them to serve under you as loyal retainers?

Well that's good then. I was getting worried there for a moment.

[empress_without_a_throne]

You certainly weren't showing it.

[Seriously. That face, Willis. That fucking face.]

[empress_without_a_throne]

"Dethroned" is a bit too generous. Long and short of it, I was literally being made when my creator was destroyed. Kinda hard to be a ruler when the only part of your empire that was actually made were two people who took up parenting duties.

Nice to meet you too, He-



Hetepheres.



Hetepheres. Sara's already told me a little about you.

[star_of_sad]

Ah! My apologies if I have insulted you! I didn't mean to.

It's just...

AIs and aliens are things I know that exist. But, well...
[Setsuko is trying to find a way to say "demons" politely and failing.]

[a_linear_mind]

I really was. I mean if you were the type of person that was willing to do that who knows what you would do to us.

[empress_without_a_throne]

Guess that helps explain the "drone talk" we had a little bit ago.

But my deal? Well, I'm the last creation of a sentient Anti-Sun that wanted to destroy all life as it's known on the Earth and replace it with equivalent, opposite beings. Twenty years ago it started creating entire civilizations inside of itself to do just that and Solaris stood in its way. Ten years later and during a battle inside of it, Solaris's machine SolCrusader was fighting inside the Void itself and the sheer power it was throwing around ended up destroying the Void.

The Abyss Empire was being drafted up during that battle, and with the Void's destruction it was left on the metaphorical cutting room floor. All save me and two retainers who took up parenting duties, who SolCrusader's team took back to Solaris HQ when all was said and done.

Problem was, nobody in Solaris'd really had long term goals for after the Void was completely destroyed, so we just sorta... didn't have a purpose after that. Any of us. So we just tried to work together to make ends meet. And coming here, Sara and myself... it's our way of trying to give the group some purpose again.

[empress_without_a_throne]

Believe us, it's the other way around. Mizuki, myself, all of Solaris... we're all indebted to the Unity Group for letting us be partners in all of this. We help you all save lives and keep the bad guys in their place, and the higher-ups have said they'll help front some of the bills and send us some materials we've been having trouble getting ourselves.

I suppose that makes us mercenaries, but that doesn't sound heroic enough.

[empress_without_a_throne]

Just group me in the "aliens" category. An extremely odd one with weird eating habits, but I've never really figured myself for a supernatural monster.

... Though I can't fault you for finding this weird. There's only two other people like me left in the world -my parents- so we're not something most people would have experience with.

[a_linear_mind]

[Note to self: That face is too convincing.]

How about...Heroes for Hire?

[smileys]

Being honest is one thing, but are you sure you should be sharing all of that so openly?

I mean, your case is a little...different from Hetepheres'.

[keep_your_dignity]

[Kagura listens quietly, taking it all in]

GOOD.

[And that's all she says. Wait, no questions, nothing? It can't be often that Mizuki meets with someone who doesn't at least ask, or show curiosity, or surprise, or something]

[empress_without_a_throne]

Honestly I'd have to give this explanation at some point. My machine and my body have a couple of odd properties. The one lady from the GHQ's already seen the former and she took it in stride, but I'm not sure how many other people will.

Best to get things out of the way now.

[empress_without_a_throne]

Hear that? Pay up.



Right, right.

[Indeed it has been a while, but then again not many people know Mizuki herself. So now she's handing a few bills over to Sara because blargh.]

I heard your broadcast before too. Sorry you have to deal with so many people making that mistake.

[keep_your_dignity]

WHAT WAS THAT BET ABOUT?

[empress_without_a_throne]

It was about the Abyss Empress thing.



How long it would take for someone to just be "eh" about it. So congratulations, Kagura, I'm in your debt!

I don't exactly know what kinds of things robots would call in for favors but whenever you think of one I'll see what I can do.