This is an automated archive made by the Lemmit Bot.

The original was posted on /r/hfy by /u/KyleKKent on 2024-09-14 20:32:02+00:00.

First

Love and Longing

“So do you think that he’s going to try something?” Miro’Noir whispers to Vernon as he continues to spoil her. Most people keep making the same mistake about them both, assuming they’re not paying attention to the world around them, but they are, they just have a primary focus, but a primary focus is just that, primary. The first among others.

“Not going to. Has. He’s getting in good with the local power structure, lucky him he’s good and useful and The Empress likes useful things.”

“Hmm… Mister Koga might find himself a little… annoyed at times. The Nobility on Serbow is mostly tame, just wild enough to make The Empire wealth and glory, but not so much as to cause too much trouble. Those beyond the homeworld are a little more ambitious, forgetting that The Empress’ reach is long and her eyesight keen. I fear your new friend will find himself running from world to world to remind Apuk women that they swore certain oaths and just because they have not been called upon in the last week does not mean the oath has expired.”

“Maybe, he doesn’t strike as the type who minds travel.” Vernon notes.

“No? Even though he adores the village as he does?”

“One does not cross the galaxy if they are averse to travel.”

“A fair point my fairest beloved.” Miro’Noir purrs.

“Hey, you’re the fair one here, my sweet delicate princess of beauty and love.”

“No, you’re the fair one of beauty and love my sorcerer.

“No you!”

“You!”

“And they are gone!” One of the nearby princesses notes before snapping out a fan to giggle behind. An affectation she picked up from watching Galactic Council meetings. Vernon just gives her the ‘oh go away’ wave and the laughing only picks up.

They knew that would happen, but people being jealous of their happiness is only natural.

“You two do know you have to stop mooning over each other eventually right?”

“Never.” Miro’Noir answers.

“Well too bad miss lovey dovey, it’s your turn again.” The Princess interrupts again and Miro’Noir sighs in annoyance.

“Oh very well, I’ll put my next opponent on the ground and get back to my beloved.”

“Drop them hard beloved!” Vernon tells her even as she rises up. Her opponent is the one with the fan and she receives a nearly salacious wink from her opposite. Miro’Noir raises an eyebrow as she adjusts a bow on her dress, it’s in her favourite colour of rich red and bright green. For most having a colour similar to their own hair would cause a clash, but on Miro’Noir it instead complimented her beauty.

Something Vernon never failed to remind her.

Her white clad opponent is a veil away from being ready for a human wedding. Apparently the woman is a fan of the Speaker of the Council. Which Miro’Noir does understand. For one not a warrior, the fact that the Pavorous can wield that much functional power with a borderline ceremonial position is most impressive. Especially after her recent display and proving that even the depths of Cruel Space were not beyond her reach or influence.

“Vana’Thar, are you ready?” Miro’Noir asks her sister in battle.

“I am dear Miro’Noir, hopefully the adoration of that adorable husband of yours doesn’t distract you?”

“Distract me? He is my motivation. I fight harder with him here.”

“I’m glad to hear it.” Vana’Thar notes as both of them enter the ring. As they do so Miro’Noir turns to Vernon and wags her finger at him. He tucks away the sign he was about to use to cheer her on. “Not a distraction?”

“It’s not, but it is somewhat gauche.” Miro’Noir states. “Now then, shall we?”

“Yes, we shall.” Vana’Thar says as she breathes out a tongue of green flame and then slams her open fan through it to twist it into a massive tornado of blisteringly hot warfire. Miro’Noir rushes along with the winds it kicks up and seizes the warfire to funnel it towards Vana’Thar while unravelling the tornado of immense heat.

The stream is dodged and Vana’Thar leads with a punch that sends Miro’Noir skidding back to crash through and disperse the now weakened tornado of flame, she regains her footing and charges right back, but as she approaches and Vana’Thar takes a ready stance to counter her, Miro’Noir suddenly jerks her tail with Axiom to pull herself to the side and change the momentum at the last moment.

Her blow, coming from an unexpected direction slips past most of Vana’Thar’s guard but like Miro’Noir she absorbs the blow and is merely sent skidding back rather than actually injured. As she flies back she spits out a wall of warfire that distorts the air and shifts things to provide a visual cover, whatever she wants to do, she doesn’t want Miro’Noir to see it coming. Which means the best answer is to rush through and not give her any time to set things up.

She crashes through the distorting wall and her eyes widen fractionally. It was a trap, the distortion is assumed to block vision to prepare something sneaky, and in that light it was successful, but the trick is that there is no trick, the blitz has her off balance as Vana’Thar is in position to slam into her side.

Miro’Noir turns, ever so, and gets her hands in the way of the lashing slipper. The force is immense. Comparable to railshot from a warship. As powerful as an Undaunted Pop-Gun.

She’s sent tumbling and crashing through the grounds. It takes a great deal more force to stop than any previous blow and her dress is a mess. A touch of Axiom into her crown and she is immaculate once more, just in time to catch Vana’Thar’s next attack and dispersing the Axiom to the side. The block was perfect and Vana’Thar is trapped hanging there for a fraction of a second.

More than enough time for Miro’Noir to grab onto her and start to thrash the woman back and forth. Without a convenient building, boulder or tree to slam her opponent into she pendulums her fast and hard, causing the ground to jump several times before Vana’Thar kicks out of the grip, spins fast and rains a trinity of lightning fast punches into Miro’Noir before she starts to block her opponent.

She tries to get a good grip on he foe, but Vana’Thar is being very cautious and isn’t giving her a chance to get her into a grip again. Good. Stupid fighters don’t deserve the crown of a Battle Princess and make poor sparring partners.

It’s the funny thing about the Shellbreaker Tournament. Yes, a degree of sheer power is needed to overwhelm your enemies, but you also need to be smart. Very smart. You need it in order to make your armour properly, to pace yourself with each round and how to identify who’s doing what in the chaos around you while coming up with a counter for all of it.

That was what flushed out the girls who were strong enough to get to the green warfire without the help of The Empress or some personal tutoring from the Battle Princesses to bring you up to snuff.

Vana’Thar is starting to get a little frustrated as Miro’Noir is just focusing on her defence to keep her from causing any more damage or get the upper hand. Which is playing perfectly into what Miro’Noir wants as she deflexts, blocks andodges and parries move after move and doesn’t take the offence. The sheer dissonence is unbalancing Vana’Thar bit by bit until…

Vana’Thar makes a massive flurry that takes her off the ground before she drags herself down with a massive heel strike aimed at the top of Miro’Noir’s head. Miro’Noir shifts to the side just enough to dodge the attack and with Vana’Thar committed to the blow she’s unable to defend herself as she put her whole body into the attack. Something Miro’Noir does now as her everything goes into a massive stomach punch. The typical Battle Princess hardiness is indeed there, but that’s it. There is no other protection and against a punch this strong there needs to be a lot more than just that.

Vana’Thar folds in half around Miro’Noir’s blow in a futile attempt to ignore the massive attack and she’s sent crashing backwards. Having her own turn sent tumbling and rolling on the ground, but unlike Miro’Noir’s own acquaintance with the ground there was no blocking of the attack.

The result is a slow to rise Vana’Thar that chokes and gasps as she tries to get her internal organs under control and resist the near all consuming urge to vomit.

“And that is Miro’Noir’s win!”

“Beloved, can you make sure my opponent isn’t too badly hurt? She’s still my sister in battle.” Miro’Noir asks and Vernon nods before vanishing to reappear at Vana’Thar’s side. He helps her up and she staggers to her feet even as Miro’Noir slowly approaches. The heaving and hard breathing is mostly stilled by the time Miro’Noir gets there and she reaches up to activate the crown and clean Vana’Thar up.

“You did very well, if you had hit me faster after that good trick in the fight I would have been done then and there.”

“I figured if I hit hard enough the speed wouldn’t matter.”

“It can be that sometimes, but not always. You gave me just enough time to get my hands in the way. Without that it’d be me needing to be helped up.”

“Then she would have…”

“Vernon, no it’s a legitimate duel, you cannot avenge me regardless of outcome.”

“But I want to!” Vernon protests.

“I know beloved.” Miro’Noir says with a smile.

“Oh do you two ever stop?” Vana’Thar demands.

“No.” Vernon says plainly and Van’Thar begins laughing helplessly at the absurdity. “There we go, feeling better?”

“Wait, how much of that was authentic and how much was to make me fe…

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