Where the Wild Things Are

[Joza Perl]

“Oh,” Elpsis’ hatred for her biological father took Joza off of her guard, especially with the follow-up. “I’m sorry to hear that.” Voice laced with sympathy, she squeezes the other woman’s hand gently. Affairs of the heart were tricky enough, but became even more difficult when a child was produced. It dawned on her that this was the first she learned of Elpsis’ past. “I tracked mine down a few years ago. Turned out to be a Mando smuggler. We don’t talk much, but it’s nice to finally have that missing piece of the puzzle.” In truth, she’d been hurt and angry that Zef had left her mother after Yula had become pregnant. The result was a tearful reunion 24 years later, complete with a punch to the face. Zeltrons were all about free love, but Joza craved the stability of a family. Might’ve been the other half of her bloodline.

“Manlings, ah…they’re good for some things.” She stumbled her way over the unfamiliar word, a light grin tilting one corner of her lips upward at the implication. “Nah, I’ve got everything I think I’ll need here.” She patted the bag she’d brought along. “Besides, my pilot probably already left. I’m not the best at flying, so I need him around to get from place to place.” A limiting factor, but it was what it was. Joza could maybe get from one place to another without crashing and producing a hellish blaze, but it wasn’t worth risking.

The pink tinted woman gladly gave Elpsis the lead, trusting the other woman to get them where they needed to go. Her question was caught by surprise, and Joza had to think for a few moments while searching for the words she needed. “We hurt each other.” There was the phrase she decided on. “We both did some bad things, and in the end it just didn’t work out.” A pause. “Maybe at one point, I’d like to think that we could’ve been a happy family, but that was a long time ago.”

[member="Elpsis Elaris"]

 

[Elpsis Kerrigan]

[member="Joza Perl"]


"Oh, for feth's sake, don't make excuses for him! If he hurt you, then he's a piece of chit. Unless you want people to roll over you and treat you like an object. If someone who claimed to love me hurt me, I'd smash their face and be done with them for good," Elpsis growled.


She didn't know the identity of Alan's father, obviously. Siobhan might have her suspicions that he and Joza's abusive Sith ex-boyfriend might be identical, but if she did she had not shared them. Or talked about the Sith in general. However, Elpsis' empathy might or might not have given her some insight, though she was no mind reader. More to the point, she'd been through her share of extremely unhealthy relationships. Seeing that his mistress was incredibly vexed, Leo, who'd been scouting ahead in search of antelopes or other prey, came rushing back.

 

[Joza Perl]

Elpsis’ reaction had caught her off guard, and a tinge in the other woman’s aura was the only warning before her fiery response. It was at that point where Joza stopped walking and turned towards the pyromancer, squeezing her hand once before letting it go. Elpsis would find that the Zeltron’s face was uncharacteristically stern, gaze sharpening as she took a few moments to absorb all that Elpsis had said and compose her reaction. In a way, it made her realize that she herself had yet to explore her own anger towards Haytham, electing instead to simply walk away from him and everything that had happened. While it wasn’t the healthiest reaction, it was a step in the right direction—away from the source of abuse, first for the child’s sake and then her own. Or so, that was how she’d seen it.

“It was not that simple.” Her voice was low, steely undertones piercing through. “It didn’t start out that way, but he became more aggressive over time. And the kicker is, I didn’t realize it until I was in the thick of it, and no one else knew what was going on. It wasn’t just this defined thing, it was…” She paused, holding her hands out and then clenching them as if to try and relay what she was thinking. “It was just a messy blur. He was so good to me in the beginning, and I guess I just thought things could be that way again if I stuck it out for long enough. So, yeah, I’m still working through everything that happened. I’m still a little confused, but it’s easy for someone with an outsider’s perspective to tell me how I should feel and how I should react.”

“Look, I’m not trying to make excuses for anyone. There’s a lot going on in my head, and it’s hard to pinpoint the exact moment where things went wrong with him.” Though her words were laced with anger, it wasn’t directed at Elpsis, rather she was trying to explain herself through a haze of emotion. “I was easy to manipulate when I was younger. I thought I was in love for the longest time, but now all those good memories have turned to chit. Alan is the one thing I don’t regret.”

At this point, Leo’s form came jogging back through the brush and it was enough of a signal for Joza to shift gears somewhat. Elpsis’ reaction was not normal, and her irritation would be palpable to a non-empath. Joza slipped her hand onto the other woman’s shoulder, squeezing it in a firm grip as she tilted her head to catch Elpsis’ eyes. The Zeltron’s gaze was stern but not unkind as her voice lowered, vibrating slightly in the back of her throat. “Did something happen, Elpsis? Something you want to talk about?” Concern flickered in her gaze as the thumb of the hand holding her shoulder reached out to stroke in an absent measure of comfort.

[member="Elpsis Elaris"]

 

[Elpsis Kerrigan]

[member="Joza Perl"]


Elpsis was taken a bit aback by the sudden vehemence and anger in Joza's tone. The same applied to Leo. A Cylix was never a tranquil animal and the bond between mistress and beast was strong. Perhaps perceiving a threat, or simply pissed off because someone seemed to have upset his mistress, the predator roared loudly as he marched towards them, baring his very sharp teeth at the Zeltron.


Fortunately, as vexed as she was, Elpsis obviously did not him to bite Joza! Well, the Zeltron could obviously defend herself, but then her favourite pet would get hurt. "Hlala," she snapped in a harsh, uncharacteristically commanding voice. When all else failed, it was best to give him orders in Dahomian. Abruptly, the Cylix stopped dead in his tracks and came to a halt He puffed himself up, but ceased his charge, looking between them.


"It's fine, Leo," Elpsis spoke in a slightly more calm voice. She ran her hand through her long firemane and took a deep breath, trying to compose herself a bit. "I'm fine," she turned to lock eyes with Joza once she was certain Leo was not about to pounce. "Everything's just been a mess since Kaeshana. I got betrayed by friends, I lost friends there. Then we came back here and we were spat on and shot at. Sio's just pissed and gloomy all the time. And I don't know how to deal with any of this." The aftermath of the battle had not been any more pleasant than the actual one.


"Look, I didn't mean to snap at you, 'kay? I'm sorry if I upset you. Didn't want to. Just don't want you or your kiddo to go through the chit I did. I know a few things about...bad relationships. And even worse fathers. Mine was a monster and he haunted me for years."

 

[Joza Perl]

The warning roar was enough to jarr Joza back to reality, though anger still simmered beneath the surface. Her eyes caught the glimmer of Leo’s very sharp, very point teeth and she immediately began to shift into defense mode—but thankfully Elpsis was not that upset with her so as to let her get eaten. Still, the cat remained in her periphery as she turned most of her attention back towards the firemane.

Her eyes took on a sympathetic edge—knowing, tired—as Elpsis spoke about what was troubling her. Joza had been so busy dealing with her own aftermath that it slipped her mind that others were affected by the conflict at Kaeshana as well. PTSD didn’t always manifest itself directly, but sometimes coursed just beneath the surface until an outlet was discovered. It probably hadn’t helped that Joza’s own dealings with the father of her child seemed to trigger something deeply seeded in Elpsis.

“It’s alright. I’m not angry with you. Feelings just sometimes…come out.” Her voice had lowered, softened a bit but was still ragged with adrenaline and anger that was just beginning to dull. “We’ve both been though a lot, especially recently. Those bastards did some awful things to Outer Rim soldiers. I can’t imagine that you and yours had it any easier.” She squeezed the other woman’s shoulder, her hold a bit more steady this time now that she wasn’t in the grip of a flurry of emotions. They hadn’t quite receded, but it felt better to talk.

It had felt so right to be angry.

Zeltrons tended to shun negative emotions, preferring to smother them with pheromones and spice. But they had to be worked off somehow, especially without a million vices to distract you.

“I’m sorry if I upset you with…my indifference.” She wondered aloud, not quite sure what her response about Haytham could be labeled as. Weakness? In a way, probably. Joza didn’t see it like that, but she was coming to understand that not everyone viewed the galaxy through the same lens. “Hey, I’m not going back to him. Don’t worry. I’ve learned my lesson. I’d rather Alan have no father than a bad father.”

Her other arm came up, slipping around Elpsis’ side to her back as she pulled the pyromancer into a strong hug. The hand that was at her shoulder came to rub against her back, idly twining her long red hair as she went. “I’m sorry that you had an awful father, Elpsis. No one deserves a monster for a dad.”

[member="Elpsis Elaris"]

 

[Elpsis Kerrigan]

[member="Joza Perl"]


There was a reason there were few stories about a battle's aftermath. It was messy all around, no matter whether you'd triumphed or not. War left scars that more painful and visceral than those visible on your body.


"Kaeshana wasn't my home. I got no real connection to the Eldorai, unlike Auntie." Privately, Elpsis was not even fond of them. "But it hurts. A lot. Especially since I feel everyone else's pain. We lost a lot of good people. First Order is evil. So are their Sith masters. They deserve no mercy."


Like many Firemane operatives, Elpsis saw no difference between the imperialist nation and the Sith. More to the point, due to her faith the conflict had elements of a religious war to her.


She melted into the embrace Joza offered, holding her tightly. "It's ok. You didn't know. I'm glad you're not going back to him. Kick the bastard's arse and set him on fire if you see him again. You deserve a lot better," she spoke feelingly, before slowly pulling away.


"I used to think having the Force made me a freak because of my dad was. He was a monster, and I don't know my mother until like a year ago. Thought she abandoned me because she didn't care." She had been very wrong about that.

 

[Joza Perl]

“Empathy is as much of a gift as it can be a curse.” She nodded in understanding. “I grew up leaning how to control it as most Zeltrons do—but it can get overwhelming, especially in the face of so many awful things."

Joza wasn’t fond of the First Order either, given their conduct on Kaeshana and what they had to deal with in their wake. She would have an inkling of respect if they owned their ruthless tactics instead of trying to force the good-guy mantra. Propaganda had its place, she wouldn’t deny that, but it needed to be executed in a more convincing manner.

“It was a rough situation.” She responded softly, finding herself smiling a little as Elpsis leaned into her embrace. “But I’m doing better now without him. I feel like I can breathe easier.” It was true. Joza had lost control of her life at certain points, and she’d been slowly building herself back up. Supportive friends helped, too.

As she pulled away and expressed more about her parentage, Joza’s brow crinkled. “I think I can see how that would skew your vision of the Force.” She spoke a few moments after Elpsis, using the silence to absorb what she’d been told. “What is your mother like?” Her tone was light and curious, a note of caution as she tried to edge the conversation away from painful topics—but she would not stop Elpsis if that was what she wanted to talk about. While Joza had been without a father for most of her life, her mother had been a very kind and loving woman. She couldn’t imagine life without her.

[member="Elpsis Elaris"]

 

[Elpsis Kerrigan]

[member="Joza Perl"]


To say that she was not fond of the First Order would be an understatement. Far as Elpsis was concerned, they were evil, plain and simple. Sometimes, there were no grey zones, only black and white.


"My mum is...amazing. She's been through hell, but she's still so loving and compassionate. Devoted her whole life to helping and healing people in need. Her Jedi master was a total arsehole to her. Good thing she ditched them." If Elpsis ever met Kaen, she'd burn him alive. Light Side did not mean being Stupid Good.


"Things are a bit awkward sometimes. Not in a bad way. I figure she's just getting used to having a daughter around! Her taste in women sucks. For some reason, she hooked up with the most frigid elf imaginable! That woman's a bloody glacier," Elpsis huffed a bit.


Leo had, understandably, become bored by all this talk. The Cylix had trotted ahead of the pair as they moved into the woods. As he scanned the trees and grasslands, he spotted a creature. Broadly, it resembled a deer. Naturally he charged after it with a speed that might seem surprising for a predator so large. "I guess Leo found his meal," Elpsis remarked dryly.

 

[Joza Perl]

The talk of Elpsis’ mother brought a little fond smile to Joza’s face, even as her friend huffed with the mention of her mother’s lover. “Our mothers have a sort of incredible strength, don’t they? My own managed to raise me on her own in the slums of Pleasure City. I was sort of a brat to her sometimes, but she still managed to be the kindest and most compassionate person I’ve ever known.”

It wasn’t unheard of for Zeltrons to have more of a wild side, but couple that with aggressive Mandalorian blood and absentee father, and you got one angsty, bitchy teenager. Today, she still regretted the disrespect she’d shown her mother, but Yula was often too exhausted to try and control her daughter.

“I can only imagine that it must be a big adjustment for the two of you. And who knows, maybe in time you’ll learn to love your new step-glacier?” Her tone was lighter now, playfully nudging Elpsis in the ribs with her elbow.

Her eyes drew to the form of Leo as he darted across the wooded area after a tender creature. “Oh,” She looked a bit surprised, perhaps a little wide eyed and transfixed as she watched the cylix chase down his prey. “This is a nature documentary I saw on Galactic Predators!” Or something she’d ended up watching at 3 AM after being woken up by a crying baby, unable to sleep after soothing Alan. One could guess that duracrete streets typically did not have felid beasts darting around.

[member="Elpsis Elaris"]

 

[Elpsis Kerrigan]

[member="Joza Perl"]


"Sounds like your mum was a good woman. A strong one," Elpsis remarked warmly. The young firemane sort of belonged to the harem of an Eldorai noblelady, so the revelation that Joza's mother had probably been a lady of the night did not phase her.


"And, nope, never ever gonna happen," she declared with a huff. "I'm just gonna find a better woman who can sweep my mum off her feet and make her move on from step-glacier." [member="Laina Silvias"] was right out though! Elpsis had seen her first.


She smirked while Leo dashed off to stalk his prey and eventually sink his teeth into it. "Galactic Predators isn't bad. Most of the stuff is inaccurate though," she said authoritatively. It probably warned people about keeping dangerous predators as pets. They were moving further into the delightful woods that Joza was obviously looking to spending a night in! Civilisation was mile away.


"So how's Outback doing? You guys need toys?" Maybe Elpsis had not gotten the memo about the faction's name change. This was not at all an attempt on the part of this writer to sneak in a contract. Not at all.

 

[Joza Perl]

“Don’t you go and break up a happy couple, now.” There was a distinct mothering tone as she mock- scolded Elpsis, but it was all in good fun. The sort of dopey grin on her face could tell you that much.

At hearing her favorite (and possibly only) nature program receive anything but high praise, Joza arched a challenging brow. “What, really? Tovi Noakes is supposed to be like, the galaxy’s foremost creature…bio…scientist. Plus, he’s got great hair. Can’t argue with that!” She may have had a little crush on late night holoprogram’s host whose credentials were…questionable.

She perked up at the mention of the Outback, though. “Oh, we’re actually not the Kathol Outback anymore. Now we operate under the Outer Rim Coalition. Not much has changed beyond the name, but some of the Underground stuff is separating out more. We’re trying to organize a little better, though. Especially with things heating up between the First Order and the Galactic Alliance.” Considering the recent string of events, the Coalition was firmly set against the Order, and aided the Alliance on multiple occasions. “New toys are always appreciated, of course. What did you have in mind?”

[member="Elpsis Elaris"]

 

[Elpsis Kerrigan]

[member="Joza Perl"]


"Not breaking up a happy couple. Simply showing mummy she's got better options! May get frost elf to be less of a glacier, if she's real serious about mum," Elpsis mock protested, though it was all in good humour. Presumably the Elaris household needed a very awkward family dinner.


"Noakes is, like, a total hack. He wouldn't know the difference between a Cylix and a Goraxi." Being blind, Elpsis was utterly unable to verify the claim that the aforementioned bio scientist had great hair. Besides, he had the wrong set of chromosomes for her anyway!


She lofted a brow when Joza filled her in about the recent changes in the rim. "You changed the name? Are you gonna change your colour on the map, too? It's getting more colourful on it. Not that I can see it anyway." Elpsis just had to bash the fourth wall a bit.


"Anyway, if you want to get more organised and take a stand against space fascists, you gotta have the best toys, right? Firemane's got plenty of cool guns and defence cannons lying around. I'm not in sales, but since you guys helped at Atrisia and Kaeshana, I can see Auntie giving you a big discount." In the far distance, loud noise could be heard when Leo caught up with his prey and pounced it.

 

[Joza Perl]

“See, I like the second option better. Maybe once you get to know her more, you’ll warm up to eachother.” A pause, followed by a shrug. “Or maybe she’s just a queen.” Truthfully, Joza didn’t know Elpsis’ mother or her lover, so she only had the redhead’s (biased?) description to go by.

Her settled expression twisted into a little pout. “Oh, come on, he’s not that bad. Charismatic as all hell, though.” Which was probably why he had the show in the first place. Joza would have commented on her latter statement, but the Zeltron only knew what one of those creatures was, and she’d learned that today.

“Yeah, well, activity sort of dipped for us. Once we got things up and running with renewed life, a name change was in order.” She clicked her tongue. “I personally was fine with keeping it as the Outback, but I’m okay with whatever so long as operations continue as normal.” And oh, colors. “Don’t even get me started on that. Bryce likes hunter green, but I wanted something more…peach. Or orchid. Would have complemented our presence a lot nicer, but it wasn’t my decision.” From the vehemence in her tone, it was clear that pretty colors were more important than names. In the end though, Joza was content as long as she had the freedom to operate her business as she pleased within obvious limits.

“Ohh,” Her tone perked up at the mention of weaponry. The Coalition was not the wealthiest group out there, but they got by with re-purposed ships and guns. Having powerful friends in high places didn’t hurt either, and they could certainly use Firemane’s support with hostilities flaring between the Alliance and the First Order. “That sounds like something just up our alley. The Coalition certainly isn’t friendly with the First Order, never really has been. Less so since Kaeshana and how brutal they were with our captured soldiers.” She tsked, a habit of thought. “With how close they are to our border and with the way things are heating up between them and the Alliance, new toys would be great. Necessary, even.”

The gears in her mind started to turn, given that the Coalition was in the midst of re-organizing their militia. “I’ve been training a unit of snipers that could use some fancy guns. Ooh, and the Marines. They’ll need some upgraded firepower, too. And another name change, because Marines sounds too militarized.” Indeed, the Coalition was moreso about freedom and self-governance, starkly against imperialists.

[member="Elpsis Elaris"]

 

[Elpsis Kerrigan]

[member="Joza Perl"]


It occurs to this writer that Force Sight enabled Elpsis to see through walls. Ergo, the logical next step would be for her to see through the 4th wall and mind control her writer. Maybe the admins, too. Once she realised she was on an online rp site. One imagines that PG-13 regulations would go out of the window.


Anyhow, on with the plot, before Elpsis rewrites the rules. "Peach? Not bright pink? Jozie, I'm disappointed," Elpsis mock grumbled. As everyone knew, map colours were serious business. Even for a person who was incapable of seeing them, but this writer digresses.


"First Order bastards sure need a clobbering. Should just burn their imperialist theme park down. Anyhow, if your snipers want toys, Firemane's got shatterguns via Iron guy's corp. ARGH. Forgot what that's short for. And we got shadow rifles thanks to Mirien Valdier. That's the icy chick who runs intel. Everyone who works for her is kinda scared of her, but Sio gushes about her any time they talk. They're probably banging." Little did Elpsis know that the dark ice queen had a very bad history with her mother.


Elpsis was probably not the best saleswoman since she found it difficult to focus, so it was for the best that she did not have to make much of a sales pitch. "Magnetic Repeaters are nice, too. Can fire in bursts and crack open the heaviest personal armour. Think the marines used 'em on Kaeshana. My sidearm of choice is the revolver variant. Less bulky than a bolt pistol, better penetration. And a shatterbolter's slugs can penetrate a walker. Anyway, have a look at the brochure, see what you like."


Ahead of them, Leo had ended his prey by tearing through the deer's throat and was now busy munching on its flesh. "Good boy," Elpsis gushed. "Don't swallow it all in one go," she glanced at Joza. "I think that's a good spot to set up the tent," she pointed to a clearing ahead of them. It was a good bit away from the carcass since presumably Joza would not want to sleep right next to it.

 

[Joza Perl]

Joza tsked. “While I do love my hot pink, it doesn’t need to go everywhere! Complementary shades are important, too.” If Elpsis were capable of sight, she’d find the claim to be dubious given the current décor of the primary Heartbeat Boutique location on Lianna. At least it was in different shades of pink and not just one color!

“Ooh, the repeaters, yeah. Got good reviews from the Marines. I'm sure they'll be eager to use them against the Order when they inevitably come knocking.” A spark of remembrance reflected in her eyes. Maybe Ivan had used one as well? Before he’d been knocked out and had to be rescued, that was. He was still a little grumpy about that, but Ivan was grumpy about most things. That being said, he’d stuck around with Joza for this long and was one of her closest friends by virtue of spending too much time with her. Surprisingly, he was indifferent to her playful advances, but that was another story.

“I’ll defiantly have to look into the shatterguns and that, the uh…shade rifle was it? Gonna have to check with the girls and see what they like best considering they’ll be the ones handling them and all.” Joza often ran exercises with her snipers and was a pretty good sharpshooter herself, though was not as skilled as some of the women she employed. “I’m sure the Coalition will be thrilled to have some new toys as well. I’ll run it past Bryce and the others before setting something up with Sio or one of her representatives.” A pause, before a wry smile tilted her lips. “And you’re actually a pretty good saleswoman. If the whole fire order thing doesn’t work out, I can see an exciting career for you in sales!”

Her teasing tone quickly dropped into an awkward surprise as Elpsis cooed over Leo’s latest kill. It wasn’t as if this was her first time seeing a gory scene, but she was still a little unused being this close to a deadly predator. She was fairly certain that Elpsis was the only thing standing between her and a presumably bloody chase that would lead to her replacing the deer. Thankfully, her attention was drawn towards the clearing and she sucked in a breath. ‘Roughing it’ was not a new idea to her as well, given that the Jedi made sure their operatives were able to live off of the land. While she had mixed feelings about the different Jedi Orders, the Silvers had given her the opportunity to journey to worlds she’d never been able to before.

She just…was sort of maybe hoping for a decent hotel in the middle of all this nature.

With a hot tub.

“Right, yeah. You’ve got the tent stuff, right?”

[member="Elpsis Elaris"]

 

[Elpsis Kerrigan]

[member="Joza Perl"]


Elpsis, for her part, was not much of a sharpshooter. That sort of thing required patience, which she didn't have. She preferred setting opponents or fire or blowing them up with bolter rounds. Or sometimes she mind frakked them.


In any case, the redhead grimaced. "Nope, I so ain't a saleswoman. So not going there. Before you know it, Tegs'll stick me in a girly dress, lipstick and high heels," she grumbled. Girly femme Elpsis was truly a horrifying thought. Especially if she started wearing an excess of pink.


Anyhow, Leo was feasting and they'd found a spot to set up the tent. Elpsis smirked in response to Joza's query. Wait, how had she carried all the stuff for the tent? Well, let's assume it's some sort of futuristic thing that can be miniaturised somehow.


Now that this plot dilemma has been resolved, she opened her duffel bag and begin setting things up. "Come on. Let's get it set up before it gets dark." Between the two of them, it should not take that long. Elpsis kept sneaking glances at Joza, as if trying to work up the courage to say something profound. Or maybe not so profound. "Jozie, what do you do when you, uh, really like someone? Like really. There's this woman," she trailed off, blushing furiously.

 

[Joza Perl]

“What’s wrong with a little dress-up?” There was an overt note of amusement in her voice, the tone warm and congenial. Already the cogs in her mind were turning with a devious plan to get Elpsis into something more girly—though that would have to wait until this trip was over. As much as she loved to play up the natural Zeltron glamour, Joza only brought what she presumed to be ‘roughing it’ clothes with her. Any other time though, she’d be more than likely to have a dress with matching heels and adornments around. Perhaps in the future, it would be to Elpsis’ great misfortune that the two women were of similar height.

The pair fell into a comfortable silence, broken only by a few words or a short sentence as they went about setting up the tent. Throughout the venture, Joza could see Elpsis glancing at her, a mix of concentration and vague anxiousness ebbing from her. The Zeltron continued to work in relative silence, electing to let Elpsis come out with whatever she wanted to say or do at her own pace.

And then when she did, it was adorable. Joza’s head raised from the stake she was planting in the ground, curious gaze meeting the other woman’s heavy flush. “There’s a woman, huh?” She couldn’t help the cheesy grin that stretched across her face, stifling it before she potentially embarrassed her friend. “Hmm…” Her eyes tilted upwards in thought, fingers drumming against the flared top of the stake for a few moments. Zeltrons were known for their affinity for love, but to Joza this was a misconception. Her people were well versed in the art of love, given that chasing infatuation and emotional highs was ingrained into their culture. She could teach someone how to seduce, how to turn a situation in their favor with subtle personality shifts, but love? She didn’t have the best string of relationships.

Maybe she was thinking too hard about this. Like really, really hard.

“What’s she like?” The question was light and friendly as she probed for information, or moreso for Elpsis’ reaction when she spoke about the object of her affection. “She must be someone special to catch your eye.”

[member="Elpsis Elaris"]

 

[Elpsis Kerrigan]

[member="Joza Perl"]


Awkward City: Presently two inhabitants.


The awkwardness skyrocketed. At least as far as Elpsis was concerned. Presumably her skin colour perfectly matched her hair. Lobster look so did not suit her. Fortunately she was incapable of looking at herself in a mirror.


"Her name is Taryc. [member="Taryc Ap'Irae"]," she finally said after a long pause that seemed like an eternity but actually only lasted a few seconds. Or something similarly melodramatic. "She fought with us against the fascist bastards on Kaeshana, then tagged along during the retreat. We clicked and then...things happened." Deep, soulful conversations, passionate sex, fire training and so on.


"She's a pyromancer, too, and real badarse. She's very brave and does what needs to be done. And there's this connection, y'know. It's like she can see through me and understand. My anxieties fade away when she's there. She's very kind, sweet...and has an amazing arse," she looked a bit dreamily as she rambled. Congrats, Booty! Because of you Incendia is acting like a schoolgirl with a crush.

 

[Joza Perl]

Okay, so flustered Elpsis was adorable. Joza made a mental note to tease the pyromancer into this state again soon, though she wouldn’t be using her usual ammunition of overtly sexual talk. No, that wouldn’t work on her given that she’d banter right back and it would end up with the two rolling around on the forest floor.

Not that it wasn’t going to end up there anyway.

“Another fire lady, huh?” Pyrokinetics was the least of it all though, just an added bonus in the scheme of things. At least, that was the impression Joza got from the way Elpsis talked about Taryc. “Sounds like someone may have been bitten by the love bug!” Cheesy smile returned, and she elbowed Elpsis playfully before sobering up just a tic. “That sounds really nice, though. I’m happy that you found someone who you’ve got a connection with and makes you feel safe.” The dopey grin turned more sincere, though there was still a light of excited curiosity dancing away in her eyes.

“It sounds like you really like her. Just…” A pause, eyes rolling upwards in thought as her expression muted a bit. Kaeshana hadn’t been that long ago, and she figured that the two were still in their honeymoon phase. “Just, ah, well, I certainly hope it stays that way! Good partners are hard to find.” Joza was still cheerful, though there was a hint of awkward doubt behind her eyes. As much as she’d played with infatuation, the Zeltron didn’t really know what to say in regards to an actual relationship—real love—given that she was still figuring that out herself.

“Maybe take her on a romantic trip somewhere? Camping comes to mind.” A wink, and that stupid grin just wouldn’t stay off of her face.

[member="Elpsis Elaris"]

 

[Elpsis Kerrigan]

[member="Joza Perl"]


Kaeshana had indeed only been a few days ago. Moreover, Elpsis was still very young. Not to mention passionate, flightly and tempestuous. Still, whatever was between her and Taryc felt real to her.


At this point, Elpsis was probably lobster red. The redhead made a mental note to get revenge on Joza some way for her trolling. Conveniently they were in a forest populated by all sorts of lovely, cute critters...muhahaha.


"That sounds fun! I'm happy, too. I do feel...safe in her arms. I was kinda a mess after Kaeshana, but she helped me get through it. No one's ever talked to me the way she does. And I think I've been helping her a lot. Her past is...dark, but she's come such a long way," Elpsis admitted. Besides, dat arse. However, the awkward doubt emanating from Joza did not escape her.


"Something wrong? You think it's too early? Am I coming on too strongly? Think I'll scare her away?" she asked with evident nervousness. She could not help think back to her relationship with Tempest. That had been fun and sweet, but ultimately petered out. But to the young pyromancer's mind what she had with Taryc felt more real and permanent to her. Time would tell whether she was right.