Cat Fight!

[enviousemerald]

Crack!The sharp sound of something impacting breaks the oppressive silence, and there's a small, collective gasp that follows. The figures are one some members of the nexus might recognize. Cooan, Berthier, and Calaveras stand back in a semi-circle. In front of them, Petz holds her mouth, and Esmeraude stands across from her, fan in hand and raised

Comments

[darkwater_sis]

"Your feathers look ruffled." Smirk, smirk. Someone's noticed. Berthier looks quite pleased with herself as always.

[enviousemerald]

Esmeraude's head snaps up. She eyes Berthier. "Back for more?" she questions in a cold tone, fanning herself.

[darkwater_sis]

"More what?" Berthier isn't the one who just left. She eyes Esmeraude. "You don't look like it was a man who mussed you up."

[enviousemerald]

She realizes it then almost immediately. The small differences in uniform, and the different demeanor. She stiffens a little, and points her fan at Berthier. "Don't speak so carelessly!" she warns, before it dissolves into an easy laugh. "As if you would know what that looks like."

[kingofblackmoon]

"I commend your diligence, Esmeraude." Today, Demando seems in that rarest of moods: calm.

[enviousemerald]

Esmeraude brings her feet together and bows deeply at the waist, holding her fan together in both hands.

"Thank you, Demando-sama," she says quietly. There's a pleased air to her expression as she straightens.

[kingofblackmoon]

A brief nod acknowledges the gesture. "You've been working with the Ayakashi Sisters," he observes. "How is their progress?"

[enviousemerald]

What progress?

"Slow," Esmeraude tells him, tone tinged with annoyance as she looks to where they disappeared. "But it's their attitude that's keeping them from reaching their potential." What little they have.

And...Esmeraude isn't entirely helping the whole attitude thing. But she can't be soft in front of those girls!

[alsoyousuck]

Rubeus leans casually against a wall just a little bit away from them, watching the end of the fight and the Sisters retreating when he's sure they can't see him. Who could blaim him for not wanting to pass up such great entertainment with those (mostly) useless Sisters and that annoying Esmeraude both involved?

After the Sisters are gone he steps forward towards Esmeraude with a smirk on his face. "I see you've finally found battles on your own level!" Smirksmirksmirk.

[enviousemerald]

"Don't be stupid," Esmeraude snaps, apparently not in her normal, casual backbiting mood. "I'm only bringing them up to a level worthy of the Black Moon's name. Shouldn't you be more concerned your subordinates are weak-asses?"

[alsoyousuck]

Rubeus' look shifts over to a bothered and annoyed look instead. What was up with Esmeraude today? How bothersome.

"I can only work with what I'm given. Training can only do so much." Besides, who cares? They're expendable. Cooan is already gone in his world. "Perhaps you're the one who should be concerned if you can't even win from those 'weak-asses' without being hurt."

[enviousemerald]

"They're worse off than me," she answers irritably. "It's disappointing that they're only at that level. All four of them against one? They should have been able to do more than that. They'll never win against those girls in the 21st century!"

Esmeraude glares. "Demando-sama's orders are to train the Ayakashi, and bring out their potential. If Demando-sama sees it, then it's there. They can't fool him into thinking they're worth more than they are. But right now, they're useless as they are."

[notsoblack_lady]

Woah, wait. No. No. This was not where she wanted to be. Not when she was finally about to meet the leader of the rebellion in her world!

"Esmeraude-!?"

[enviousemerald]

Esmeraude's head snaps towards that voice.

"You're--?!" She points her fan accusingly. "Who are you?!" she demands. "Why do you wear that sigil?!"

[notsoblack_lady]

No, that was right. Now was not the time to be scared. Black Lady, not Small Lady. She manages to recover from her surprise quickly to stare down the fan, before looking at Esmeraude with an imperious look.

"From the Black Moon Clan, I am Black Lady."

[enviousemerald]

"Don't mess around!" Esmeraude answers immediately. "What are you trying to pull?!"

[nemesisemerald]

"You would do well to pay heed to them. Weak or not, they're still family." This Esmeraude points out, staring at her alternate. Demand taught her that.

"If you combine their strengths, they could overpower you. Remember that."

[enviousemerald]

Esmeraude whirls at that voice, eyes wide. They narrow immediately, suspiciously, her frame tenses. She draws herself up elegantly anyway, recovering smoothly.

"Demando-sama has already told me that," she replies shortly. "Besides," and she tosses her hair arrogantly, "I wouldn't be so sure. They're not at my level. If they were, they wouldn't need training."

Actually, she knew what her alternate said was true. That was why she had been training herself, too. They were on a different level, and they were going to stay that way. More than petty rivalry, Esmeraude wanted to crush that white witch that held Demando-sama's attentions.