Unscheduled Maintenance

[Tempest]

[member="Elpsis Elaris"]
Tempest sighed. “I will go and see her soon. I hope the memory loss isn’t permanent. It would be terrible to lose memories, even if they are bad, they make us who we are.”

She looked at the struggling acolytes. “Did you want to stay with me, or did you need to get some rest?”
Of course, staying with Tempest would also mean rest…eventually.

 

[Elpsis Kerrigan]

[member="Tempest"]


"Yeah, well it may help her sort some stuff out. She was being depressed or bitter so many times. We gotta be there for Tegs, too. Things ain't easy for her." Elpsis sighed. And Sio was kind of a jerk. Perhaps she was taking the manner in Sio had acted towards herself and Tegs harder than she should, but still.


It felt like a betrayal to think ill of her aunt, but she could not help it. Pushing these thoughts, she smiled slightly. "Sure, I can stay with you for a bit. Don't drill the little ones too hard. You can be overwhelmingly dominant sometimes," she quipped cornily. "So what's the lesson for today?" Other than watching the two Mistresses make out and trying to hear some gossip.

 

[Tempest]

[member="Elpsis Elaris"]
“Teaching them endurance. If they’re going to be proper soldiers and defenders they’re going to need to show some toughness, some endurance!”
Tempest marched down the row. “Come on, Tola, I could do this twice as hard as you when I was ten!” she barked. “Marina, you call that a lunge? Put your back into it!”

After ‘encouraging’ the trainees to greater exertions she came back to Elpsis.
“Yeah, Tegs knows I’ll help out with anything she needs. We can go see her later together if you’d like.”

 

[Elpsis Kerrigan]

[member="Tempest"]


"I'm game," Elpsis watched the trainees go through their exercises. "Want me to pitch in with the little ones a bit?" She didn't want to come across as trying to take over. To put it plainly, she didn't think of herself as a teacher.


"Y'know, they need the drills, but they're only gonna learn so much in the training room. You knew all this stuff when you were kid because you had to. Maybe some day we should take them out of class and go somewhere that challenges them a bit. Couple weeks in the wilderness teach you survival skills," she said. "When there's no annoying, speechifying robots running around."

 

[Tempest]

[member="Elpsis Elaris"]
Tempest nodded. “You’re right, they need to learn in a proper environment away from the safe training room. We don’t need to go too hard, but most of these girls need toughening up. Arkas has some good locations, as does Dahomey of course. When things have settled down I might just do that. I’d be happy to have you along,” she said warmly.

 

[Elpsis Kerrigan]

[member="Tempest"]


"You're not just suggesting Dahomey because you want Kida to come face-to-face with a Cylix, right?" Elpsis asked teasingly. "I mean, she isn't wrong. There was that one time you were super worn out after spending a night with me," she elbowed Tempest playfully.


"Anyhow, sounds good. I can come along sure." It made her feel happy that Tempest wanted her to come along. Even though she was uncertain how much she wanted to be involved in the Order of Fire's business. But helping a bunch of kids sounded fine with her. "Means I can meet your folks properly."

 

[Tempest]

[member="Elpsis Elaris"]
Even if the apprentices could not hear their discussion exactly, they could see the nudge and Tempest’s brief flush. Several of them hid their smiles.
“If you keep it up, Elpsis, I’ll need to apply some discipline to you as well,” she said. Elpsis likely was not going to complain about this! Indeed, she might well be trolling her to get that very result….

Meeting the family, that would be interested. It might well turn into a romantic comedy caper on Dahomey.
“Sure, there’s not much of my family left, but you’re welcome to meet them,” she said softer.

 

[Elpsis Kerrigan]

[member="Tempest"]


"Apply discipline to me? I'm perfectly disciplined and the best role model," Elpsis said with faux indignation, while proceeding to run a hand across Tempest's arse and give it a fond squeeze. Nope, she was not going to complain about this.


She smiled slightly. "I'd love to meet them. I'm glad we're talking again," she fidgeted slightly, looking a little awkward. "Would you be ok with [member="Taryc Ap'Irae"] joining us on the trip?" One student, Kida, sniggered, until Elpsis' intent milky-white eyes stared right at her with a piercing gaze and the trainee went back to performing her exercises.

 

[Tempest]

[member="Elpsis Elaris"]
Tempest’s reputation as a hard ass was going to suffer from this heavy petting in front of them. Although, considering Elpsis’ groping, perhaps another meaning for that phrase might become apparent!

“Sure, Taryc is a fine warrior. The students could learn a lot from her.”
She likely also had similarly flexible boundaries for personal connections like they did, making it all the better.

“Alright, girls, you’re done for the day!” she called. Some of them looked relieved, even looking to Tempest as the reason for their reprieve.
“But before you get too comfortable we’re going to do some practical training, on location. It’ll be no walk in the park, but a hard and heavy trek through jungles, savannahs and swamps, so rest while you can. You’ll receive specific orders tomorrow. Dismissed!”

The trainees dispersed, often giving the women little looks or smirks. Finally though they were left alone.
“I missed you a lot, Elpsis. We’ve had our differences, I know, but the important thing is that we don’t let that distract us from what we feel about each other. In the end, we can have arguments, but I’ll always care for you.”

 

[Elpsis Kerrigan]

[member="Tempest"]

Elpsis was very fond of Tempest's arse. Hence why she groped it a lot - and did other stuff to it beyond closed doors. It was the Dahomian's luck, and sometimes a cause of embarrassment, that the redhead had next to no inhibitions.


She smiled slightly. "I've missed you, too. I care about you a lot as well. I'm sorry about just vanishing after Kaeshana. Things were a mess. I needed space. I don't handle war well. But it was wrong of me to take it out on you," she sighed slightly. "Taryc and I have grown close. Dunno where it's gonna lead. But she's very important to me."

 

[Tempest]

[member="Elpsis Elaris"]
Tempest paused, frowning at Elpsis. “Close, huh?” she asked. “Not so close that you’re becoming a kept woman though, right?” she added. She guessed based on the groping it wasn’t, but it was always best to check.

“Look, I think Kaeshana was a mess for everyone, a serious kick in the guts. We all handled it in a bad way, no one likes losing after all. Just promise me you’ll talk to me next time if there’s a problem rather than just leaving.”

 

[Elpsis Kerrigan]

[member="Tempest"]


Perhaps proving that she was not the sharpest lightsabre in the Order, Elpsis knitted her brow in puzzlement. "A kept woman?" she asked. "Oh, right. No, no, I'm not. She cares a lot about me, so do I about her, but I'm not the type for roses, rings, wedding bells and stuff." Perhaps Elpsis was simply too driven by passion. She was very loving, but also flighty and emotional. This made relationships with her awkward, as Tempest had probably discovered.


She sighed slightly. "I promise to try and talk things over. It's not easy dealin' with all the negative vibes when you're an empath, but I'll try. You deserve that much. It would help if you were less...standoffish. I know you got the whole tough warrior woman thing going and you do it well, but still."

 

[Tempest]

[member="Elpsis Elaris"]
It wasn’t always easy to received criticism, even if it was both helpful and well-meaning. Thus, she nodded her head.
“I will try to be more…personable,” she said with a nod. In personality she was quite different from Elpsis; being more taciturn and reserved. Despite that, she figured it wouldn’t hurt to let the tough girl image slip now and then.

“Still, I’m glad to hear that. I just hope that you’ll share sometimes. I’m not sure I could do without a little Firemane in my life,” she said with a grin. Poor jokes were a mandate for Firemane recruitment it seemed.

 

[Elpsis Kerrigan]

[member="Tempest"]


"A little Firemane who blows your mind and leaves you exhausted and sweaty, huh?" Elpsis asked innocently, planting a kiss on Tempest's cute nose. "Well, I'm glad we worked this out. For the record, you're still my favourite Dahomian amazon. Totally rooting for you at the next wrestling championship." It was likey that she was rooting for several ladies at the same time there.

 

[Tempest]

[member="Elpsis Elaris"]
“That’s exactly the type of Firemane,” she replied with a grin, giving Elpsis a kiss in return.
“I’m hoping you’ll be there. I’m the reigning champion, and I play for keeps, and don’t give up.”

She put her arm in Elpsis’. “Shall we go?”

 

[Elpsis Kerrigan]

[member="Tempest"]


Elpsis grinned. "I know. It's what I love about you. Just so you know...this season there may be special prizes for the winner. Beyond the usual ones," she batted her eyelashes suggestively, then accepted the offered arm. "Lead the way, babe."