[Peridot]

“Are you unable to stay quiet for even ten minutes?” The enormous troll hissed angrily at the seadweller, hoping that she would at least shut up long enough to keep from making any more of a spectacle of herself.
Jegus, you’re embarrassing me, yourself and all of your victims with this degrading display.

No longer caring if she bruised Zembra, Skvaada hustled the spoor-soaked degenerate forward until she was about three yards away from the Empress’ throne at the base of the steps. “Kneel,” she ordered to Zembra. Making sure not to take any chances, two subjugglators strode forward to grab each of the seadweller’s arms and hold them behind her back in case of any sudden aggression towards their Empress.

[Peridot]

As soon as Lupus sauntered into the prison chamber, Skvaada turned to look at him and then zeroed in on the dark bloody stain covering his front. “Is that-?” She took off the sunglasses with one massive hand so she could better discern the color. Her normally low and slightly subdued voice choked up with astonishment. “Did you? Is that? Could that possibly be…. the glorious purple blood of the subjugglators currently adorning the front of your garments?” The subjugglators were powerful, no matter how erratic and irresponsible their behavior appeared to a lower blood such as herself. Could Lupus be the equal status as a subjugglator? Or had some crime just been committed? Skvaada’s yellow eyes followed Lupus warily while he explained that the Empress would see the insane violetblood now.

“Very well. I will take her presently. It might be wise to rinse yourself of the… incriminating stains on your clothes as well. ”

Turning to the troll whose wrist she was presently holding, Skvaada growled softly, “Come along. We are going to see the Empress.” She took a step forward, betting that the pressure wouldn’t bruise Zembra’s wrist to nudge her troll prisoner into moving down the hall and out of the prison.

[Peridot]

Skvaada opened the double doors to the hive, thankful her sunglasses shielded her eyes from any traces of the Alternian sun. Catching sight of the troll, she broke out into a small smile.

“Hello! Come on in, come on in! Welcome to my hive.” She quickly got out of the way to allow Zembra easier access. “I’m afraid everything is a bit stuffy in here. I haven’t bothered to clean in a while.”

The hive consisted of a long hallway with many sets of spiraling stairs branching off. Some curved downwards, leading to rooms deep into the depths of the mountain while the others curved up to the higher levels. All of the windows were tinted a deep blue to combat the scorching bright rays of the Alternian sun, but the underground rooms were still clearly the more heavily used. Lining the hallway were mounted specimens belonging to Skvaada’s collection of hatched fiduspawn beasts. There were quite a few which could not have possibly be obtained naturally since they sported a hodge-podge of appendages and features all bordered by a faint line of stitching.

“Well, to be honest, I’ve never actually had anyone here before. I could show you around if you like, but there isn’t much. What is your hive like?” Skvaada asked, feeling just a bit self-conscious.

[Peridot]

The indigo blooded troll looked down at Zembra with disgust at her sopor induced state. What was she doing, rolling around on the ground like an animal. “Uggh,” she whined, before reaching down to secure the prisoner’s wrist so she didn’t accidently hurt herself or grab at their feet or anything. She held on carefully with her right hand, using a frustrating amount of restraint to avoid simply shattering the wrist while her left hand held the empty syringe in a more relaxed stance over her shoulder. “And just when I thought you could not try my patience any further.”

What was I even here for originally?

Zembra’s disoriented behavior gave Skvaada an idea. This was the perfect opportunity for questioning, after all perhaps the lunatic might give sane answers for once.

“Seadweller, how did you avoid getting caught for so long? Can your sopor soaked thinkpan answer that?”

[Peridot]

SS: -> Y0u’re here aalreaady?
SS: -> Excellent timing
SS: -> I will be there m0mentaarily

Skvaada made to peel herself away from Trollian when Tobias, that dratted lusus began kicking up a fuss at the neglected meal. To appease the talonbeast, she quickly slurped the egg yolks down with a grimace before wiping her upper lip off and setting the glass down (carefully!) into the sink and then rushing down a long and elaborate hallway for the door to the hive.

Curious, since the young troll never had any friends over, the lusus followed behind. It’s talons made a loud clicking noise as the beast took flight and rested in a perch overhead.

[Peridot]

Skvaada frowned, “Only if the empress wants to see you,” she scowled angrily before jabbing the syringe deep into Zembra’s arm. As the green fluid drained from the chamber into the troll’s bloodstream, part of the indigo blood wondered whether an apology in such a state could even be considered sincere. Either way, it would buy both of the guards enough time to ask the empress whether she cared to hear the prisoner.

Once the deed was done, Skvaada withdrew the needle and then frowned. The restraints in the prison were no longer fit to contain the devious cannibal. It was much too risky bringing the violet blood straight to the empress without forewarning her or getting permission. The subjuggulators wouldn’t stand for it, and it’d be unnecessarily rude. The other choice was having either Lupus or herself guard the prisoner while the other went to ask the empress. None of these choices were appealing in the slightest. “Lupus, would you mind informing the Empress of our situation?”

[Peridot]

Trollian flashed a few new messages, humming a catchy jingle from an adventure movie. The lusus immediately pin-pointed the noise and began clacking up the stairs to its charge’s respite block.

SS: -> I like t0 w0rk eaarly in the m0rning 0n vaari0us pr0j%s, aand frequently l0se traack 0f time.
SS: -> My lusus gets frustraated when I f0rget t0 eaat becaause 0f w0rk
SS: -> It aals0 d0es n0t help that I wish t0 bec0me aa vegetaariaan

The talonbeast lusus entered the room and gazed about, tilting its head and using its superb sense of sight to locate the young troll charge. Yet another experiment lay unconscious but miraculously void of bruises in the pens, clear proof that Skvaada had not been merely asleep but willfully neglecting meals in favor of that bizarre and disturbing hobby of hers. Glass shards and pink fluid were scattered across the floor, and there was an enormous crack in the middle of the desk, all pointing towards a frustrated young troll. Letting out an angry screech, the lusus waited for one moment before taking hold of the drapes in its curved beak and in one deft stroke tearing down the juvenile fort.

SS: -> Well, jaazz.

The next instant, the angry lusus plucked Skvaada up from her position hunched over the keyboard of her husktop with a white beak and began shaking her around. “Stop! Stop! Unhand me at once!” The lusus refused and dragged the young troll back to the food preparation block before releasing her and flexing a wing pointedly to the uneaten food.

“No! I’ve told you time and time again that I do not approve of eating wild creatures.”
The avian lusus merely screeched again, this time pointing to the prey it just brought back.
“You have to stop! It’s fine if you need to eat those things, but it just burns my biscuits when you bring them back to the hive like that.”

In response, the lusus batted at Skvaada with a wing. The blow wasn’t strong enough to crush bone, but packed enough force to knock over the troll. This descended into a short strife between them. The lusus’ downy feathers absorbed the force from any bare-handed blows Skvaada could deal, and the wing bats served to punish the young troll for not paying sufficient attention to her defense. By the time the strife was over, the indigo blood was exhausted.
“Oh swizzle sticks. You win this one.” With a contrite expression on her face, she cracked the eggs into the one remaining glass and threw the meat onto a cooking apparatus.

Appeased, the lusus left and then returned with Skvaada’s husktop so she could continue trolling her friends.

“Thanks, Tobias.”

[Peridot]

The indigo blood might have not been the most socially sharp of her broodmates, but she was not at all fooled by the act, especially since this was the same troll going on about how sweet the hemospectrum was not five minutes beforehand. Skvaada rolled her eyes behind the sunglasses. “It’s not like I care about her mental well-being. Also, a sopor addiction might give her something to think about other than the hemospectrum.” One large dose probably wouldn’t cause any enormous problems, anyways.

Once Lupus started to use his mind abilities, Skvaada hushed up to avoid causing any distractions. Her gaze focused on the bleeding neck of the violet blood in front of her. Willing herself not to focus on the class disparities between them, she instead analyzed the wound. Was it deep enough to risk infection? Would the empress be angry at any harm done to the prisoner? How quickly could better restraints be made for the lunatic?

[Peridot]

SS: -> I live 0n aa m0untaain t0p by the f0rest, but y0u sh0uld be aable t0 sp0t it by–

A sudden screech, much louder than before sounded and shook part of the hive.

SS: -> 0h, heaavens t0 betsy. My lusus is here
SS: -> If y0u see aan en0rm0us tal0nbeaast neaarby, thaat is where I aam
SS: -> Perhaaps, if my lusus is n0t t00 enraaged, I caan meet y0u

A thud sounded as Skvaada’s lusus landed on the ground, folding its wings and letting out another alerting screech. The enormous white eagle-like creature glanced around the food preparation block with beady eyes looking for its adoptive troll. Finding no indigo blood, but uneaten prey and eggs, the avian beast let out a screech of frustration, its crest feathers flaring up angrily as it stalked off to search for the troll. Skvaada could hear the clack of sharp talons scratching on the marble surface as it searched different blocks, all the while getting closer to the respite block.

SS: -> 0h n0. This is n0t g00d
SS: -> But I think I haave aa few minutes m0re
SS: -> H0w is the land?

[Peridot]

Skvaada glared at the reckless troll who just tore the door off right after replacing all of the locks, “What are you DOING!? I could have gotten knock-out gas from my lab.” She quickly pulled out a whistle and called for her lusus, making a loud keening screechy noise. It may take a while for her lusus to appear, but better to be safe than sorry. With that done, she pulled on a leather strap running diagonally across her shoulders, releasing the sheathed weapon for use. Used by another troll it would have appeared almost laughably unwieldy, but in the hands of Skvaada the enormous syringe would strike fear into the heart of lesser trolls. A green substance resembling a heavily concentrated form of sopor slime sloshed within the chamber. Flicking the needle quickly, causing a drop of sopor to slip out, Skvaada primed the device and stood at the ready. At the first flicker of movement from the insane seadweller, she’d attack.

[Peridot]

The ‘runt’ comment stung a little sharply, but any discomfort was hidden behind briefly tensing muscles and black sunglasses. She could not allow herself to be hornswoggled by Zembra any longer, even if her size; rugged and stocky as opposed to the graceful form of most high bloods, was a sensitive subject.
As Lupus began talking, Skvaada felt the STRONG urge to lower her sunglasses but resisted until he slammed the cage shut and left for the door. ” ‘Assets’, really? How crude. What a bizarre choice in matesprite.”

[Peridot]

Skvaada was just about to rip the second lock from the door when a strange troll walked in, ordering her to stop and fixing the previously broken lock. Although she was still angry, the authoritative tone and the evident strength he displayed triggered enough of a basic survival instinct to snap her out of the unbridled rage she had been going through. She had no idea what blood color he was, but it was most likely high since he wasn’t trembling in fear of her.

A dark blue tint crossed the tip of her ears as she gazed around at the destruction she had caused and was about to cause if it hadn’t been for the newcomer’s timely auspitizing. The indigo blood folded her arms, trying to regain what remained of her composure while inwardly berating herself for falling for the prisoner’s taunts so easily. It was following these exact destructive impulses which caused problems in the first place. Additional training on restraint would be necessary.

“So,” Skvaada started as she suddenly became aware that she did not know the stranger’s name, “what business do you have here?”

[Peridot]

Skvaada felt her anger come into clear, sharp focus as the chained violet blood dared to call her wweak. And then immediately afterwards daring to patronize her by defending the destructive impulses common to high bloods. What about noblisse oblige? The obligation of highbloods to take the responsibilities due to their caste? This troll had and would never have anything to contribute to society. Just take, and take, and take, preying on the mercy of the empress!

Something was going to get wrecked, and NOW! The lowblood next to her trembled again, but dared to raise his voice as he recognized the sheen of angry sweat beginning to break across his companion’s brow. “No! You musn’t…” With an enraged glare, the indigo blood turned on the guard, reaching an arm out to seize him by the collar of his uniform. Unfortunately, she had already lost control of the full extent of her strength. Instead of yanking the impudent lowblood up to eye-level, she tore the front of his uniform off completely with a horrendously loud ripping sound. Coming up with only a scrap of several layers of cloth, she growled angrily feeling even more built up frustration.

The guard took this opportunity to immediately run down the hallway to find someone able to either restrain the Traumaturge or order her back under control.

Deprived of the closest target, she turned her attention back to the original source of her anger, grabbing the first of the locks on the outside of the prison and shattered it in a single bear-like fist.

[Peridot]

Skvaada raised an eyebrow at the…interesting messages coming in through Trollian, and chuckled a little under her breath.

SS: -> 0.0
SS: -> I taake it y0u’ve deaalt with y0ur lusus pr0blem?
SS: -> C0ngraatulaati0ns, aalth0ugh I d0 n0t envy y0u when the sun rises

A loud screech suddenly rang throughout the hive, alerting the young troll to the impending arrival of her lusus. Gathering up her machine, making sure to bring connecting wires and chargers she relocated the device away from the window.

SS: -> Paard0n me. I need t0 rel0caate my huskt0p

Skvaada dragged the worktable, desk and training machines over to one corner of the respiteblock before ripping off some tapestry drapes and using them to build a small fort concealing herself from her lusus. Actually, who was she kidding? Even a wiggler could figure out where she was hiding, but the confusion might serve to buy her some time from her dreaded talonbeast lusus.

SS: -> 0kaay, baack n0w
SS: -> D0 y0u haave aany plaans f0r y0ur freed0m?

[Peridot]

The hulking troll growled under her breath at the flippant reply. “No. No, I will not come in, because if I see any more of your revolting face, I will not be able to restrain myself from punching it in. The empress wants you alive.” With an angry glare, unreadable from behind her cracked shades she clenched her trembling fists, ignoring the slight pain when her claws dug into her own palms.

The sight of Zembra’s violet colored blood alone made her blood boil with a slowly building rage. “You. Why!? How could a high blood, even a wretched seadweller like yourself, sink so low? You were one of the highest castes and yet you threw away your rank and responsibilities because of some ridiculous base impulse.”

The guard shivered, weighing both the dangers of being caught leaving and abandoning his duty against the dangers of remaining near an antagonized cannibalistic troll.

The indigo blood took a moment to catch her breath, and try to maintain control, “Trolls like you are the absolute worst. You should have been culled for your madness long ago.”