Blue Water, Blue Sky

[not_a_prize]

[1]
[To say Regalis Filia was pretty damn trashed after the latest engagement with the Zentraedi was an understatement. Indeed it was designed first and foremost to protect its pilot, it didn't mean the beating wasn't straining in itself. Peola was sitting on the deck of the Macross with a number of bandages on her, kicking her feet lazily as she looked out to sea. Ever so often she'd glance at her bandages in annoyance and tug at them a little.]

For an annoying big talking Pacifist, that jerk Kaifun knows how to throw a person.

[She gives you a wry smile and waves.]

Do you think we did good enough out there?

[2]
[Not too far from the Macross and the Unity Group in town, there was a woman making something of a commotion. She was a tall, brutal looking specimen, numerous scars on her body and face. There was also a distinct air of smugness and a somewhat vicious grin on her face.]



You.

[Her hand snaps out towards you.]

I'm looking for a brat named Peola. I felt and saw her around here... so where is she?

[As she lowers her hand her fingers curl into a fist as bones pop.]

I'm not one for asking twice so you better cough it up.

Comments

[actuallyselfish]

"I don't care if you have super-strength or a martial arts style that can sink this continent!" Dido growls back. "I couldn't look myself in the mirror if I sold out my friend......"

[actuallyselfish]

"...Fudge-Skittles?" She blurts out. "You're Peola's mom?"

Her jaw goes slack. "My God! This changes everything!"

[not_a_prize]

[She lets out an unladylike snort at that and rolls her eyes.]

Yes. I did give birth to that brat. As well as her useless brother and her runt of a sister. Just what does that change?

[actuallyselfish]

"Well, your 'useless brat' owes me twenty bucks from a bet!" Dido exclaims, stroking her chin. "Enough for a few good beers, or a really good microbrew!"

"Otherwise..." She shrugs. "I guess it doesn't change anything. You're still a egomaniac, and I'm not gonna rat out my friend." She narrows her eyes. "Leave a phone number or name a date and place if you wish, but Peola's not coming to you unless she damn well feels like it."

[not_a_prize]

And what's keeping me from breaking your neck and just walking in to find her?

Her idiot brother's soldiers certainly couldn't keep me from him, and for all the big talk about him being the best fighter around in Magnolys... well... he broke a lot faster than I thought he would when I fought him.

Heh... in fact it'd be pretty fun to fight this... what are you called... Unifying Bunch? What a dumb name... it'd be fun to fight you idiots if you spared me your pontificating about justice and honor and morals.

[actuallyselfish]

"Wow. So much for maternal instincts." Dido snorts, trying to ignore both the threat and the sweat trickling down the back of her neck.

"You know, I get where you're coming from. Really, I do. It must be really annoying to hear all those speeches about 'defending justice and children's smiles' ."

She tilts her head left. "It's probably just as annoying as the speeches I hear from your kind. "Kill or be killed. Might makes right. In evolution the strong survive.' You weren't gonna spout that garbage at me, were you?"

[not_a_prize]

Talk is cheap. Better to let your fists do the speaking on the battlefield-

[She pauses and squints at Dido and her grin gets a little eviller.]

You fear me little girl? That's good.

[actuallyselfish]

"Was that a secret?" Dido muses. "Your species has empathic abilities, from what I recall. So yeah, I'm scared."

Dido closes her eyes, and exhales. She focuses on a few select memories: Her own Mommy issues. The idiotic exploits of Loni and Desta. The ruthlessness of the Indalph. Above all else, Sara Harper and her betrayal.

She opens her eyes and glares at Peola's mom. "Guess what else I am."

[not_a_prize]

Oh... ohohoho. Are you... angry? Are you enraged at my presence?

Is a weakling like you actually going to try and fight me? ME?! REALLY!?

[She actually breaks into laughter before she walks up close and personal to Dido. Right within spitting distance one could say.]

Go ahead. Try it. Try and strike me down!

[actuallyselfish]

"You sure you want to give me an opening like that?" Dido scoffs. She holds up two fingers. "Two moves. That's all it'll take for me to end this fight!"

[not_a_prize]

Go ahead. Try it. Compared to me you're nothing but an ant I could crush. What could you possibly do?

[actuallyselfish]

In response, Dido unfolds one of her arms, slowly clenching it's hand into a Shaolin style Tiger's Claw....

...while her other hand presses down on a small can and Pepper Sprays mommie dearest right in the eyes.

[not_a_prize]

ARGHKLH-

[Mommie dearest goes stumbling back to clutch at her face. Yeah no. They do not have pepper spray on Magnolys. And they probably wouldn't know how to stop the pain from it either as she goes stumbling and crashing around.]

[actuallyselfish]

"That's my first move." Dido says, slipping her pepper spray back into her overall's pocket. "And this is my second!"

[actuallyselfish]

She turns and sprints away as fast as she can.

Arms pumping she fishes her phone out of her pocket, and speed dials Peola. "Peola! Ifoundyourmomyouowemetwentybucksbutshe'skindofapsychoandIneedsomeheavyhittersdownherenow!"

[not_a_prize]

...

[Princess OS is processing your request...]

WHAT?!

[Cue one security team rushing in.]

Dido! What happened?!

[Seriously. Peola knows even less about her mom than someone who has never met her.]

[actuallyselfish]

Dido slows her breathing, and her pace to a manageable jog.

"I should...probably go into more detail. And I'm sorry, Peola; this is going to be bad news."

She inhales. "Your mom's in the city. It looks your dad made the right call divorcing her, because she's a bloodthirsty sadist who lives for conflict. She's been threatening people to try and find you. I blinded her, but we should probably call in Ashe, Mizuki or Sarah to take her in. "

She hesitates. "And I think she's the one that crippled your brother."

[not_a_prize]

[To say the princess looked like she bit into a bad lemon was an understatement. She didn't remember very much about her mother. In fact the only thing she could was that she had strong hands. Otherwise the woman was nonexistent. She could remember the occasional blur before she vanished altogether a few years after her Ourania was born.]

That can't be right... if that's true why is she even here on-

[Those next words caused Peola to skid to a halt while the rest of the security team rushed on. One of them putting in the call for someone who could take care of things if Peola's mother was back up and about.]

She did what...?

[actuallyselfish]

"I heard her loudly complain about how your brother...well, about how he wasn't that interesting to fight." Dido says quietly. "She was talking about gunning for you next."

She draws in a breath. "She's bad news. Any fond feelings you have for her? You should probably dump them so she can't screw with your head."

[not_a_prize]

Dido... you...

[Yeah the mechanic was being honest. She could tell that much.]

Sun... She's really that bad?

[She pinches the bridge of her brow. Half irritation and half sadness.]

I thought at least I'd have one decent family member next to my brother...

... guess that's why he felt weird when I talked to him when they brought him back... why he avoided telling me exactly what happened...

[actuallyselfish]

"Girl," Dido says gently, "Compared to your mom, your dad's a saint. A saint that I strongly suspect has PTSD related to tomboys and warrior women."

She exhales. "The question is: what do you want done with her?"

[not_a_prize]

... I have no idea... I mean she's my mother!

[Peola almost yells the words.]

What am I supposed to do when it turns out she crippled my brother, threatened to hurt people around here who I happen to work with AND who also happen to be my friends AND it turns out she might be the sun damned reason my father is trying to get me married off?!

No matter what she does she's still my mother...

[She bites her lip though, putting a hand to her forehead.]

I'm just a security guard here... better to leave what happens to her to the commanders.

[actuallyselfish]

"Okay." Dido says. "That's a fair call."

She chews her lip. "Give that she's got destructo Ki abilities, is there anything we can do to keep her from blasting holes in a prison cell?"

She snaps her fingers. "What if we cinched her arms tight to constrict blood flow to her limbs?"

[not_a_prize]

That might be a problem... if half of what you're telling me is even all there she might try to force her ki through anyway. Enough to break whatever was there... aaand probably her arms too. And then she'd die of bloodloss.

I'd say just work on keeping her tied down with something strong with walls thick enough to stop a bomb.

[actuallyselfish]

"She can't shoot...well, Ki lasers from her mouth, can she?" Dido wonders aloud. "Is that a thing people on your planet can do?"