[PRP] Meanwhile, Elsewhere... (Mirrim Twins)

[Sypon]

oisier x reisio
Two twins react to the explosion of the Civisect Space Ladder.

The explosion of the Civisect Space Ladder could be seen throughout the city. To most, it was a terror. Trolls within blocks of the building had no chance of escape. Farther, and one couldn’t see the carnage through the smoke and flames. But inland, far west of the terror, the land was unscathed. Lights of the tragedy flickered against the Mirrim hive, perched safely above all gloom in the twinkling sky. If one looked closely one might see the shifting silhouette against the orange windowpane, peering out into the haze with equal parts curiosity and dour resolve.

Reisio laid their hand flat against the glass, fingers spread evenly. They tipped their head to the side and the side of their mouth curled slightly downward. “Mmm, Oisier,” the blueblood mumbled. “Someone’s going to be culled for this, right Reisio?”  

[seekingCylem]

It was pretty in a chilling way. Oisier had always likened explosions to fireworks. This was far more smoke than light, despite how far the flames were spreading. Civisect had already obscured the stars with its light pollution. Now even the moons were barely visible through the haze. The orange glow strobed slow like the pulse of a dying beast. Perhaps this was what slaying a dragon looked like, Oisier thought.

They too approached the glass a step closer, as though that would increase visibility. An equal inclination of their head. A slight smile, instead. "An awful lot of candidates though, hm Reisio? What was that about cooks and broth?" Oisier straightened to watch a brief flash as another piece of the structure tumbled into itself, releasing a new plume of debris. "Beetles to blades says one of their 'volunteers' is responsible."  

[Sypon]

“Of course, Oisier, no doubt some sewerbeasts wormed into the system.” Their finger squeaked down the window, following what looked like an ember in the distance but was probably a huge chunk of debris falling from the building. “No screening process. Insubstantial security.”

Their face twisted up at the lips, hands drawing into their sleeves. Knotting the fabric was helping their mild irritability, one of the few tics showing through from their cool veneer. “A Space Ladder was an amenity that we were so looking forward to.”

The hope that trolls would band together for Alternia’s progress was at a new, low standard. Depressing. Not even the idea of space travel could spur the race to unify, or at least put aside self-sabotage. Reisio clawed at their shirt and rolled their eye back to Oisier. “The market square is probably gone now.”

Weight of the realization having struck, Reisio slowly dropped to the floor. They sat butterfly-legged, pulling their tabard out and smoothing it in their lap – humming in discontent.  

[Sypon]

IGNORE  

[seekingCylem]

Oisier sighed in agreed disappointment. "A tragedy. Our race's former glory continues to elude us." It was depressing to admit, but Oisier had a difficult time comprehending the scale the Alternian Empire once reached. Even removing themselves from their own atmosphere was proving to be too much. The current generation wasn't worth a fraction of what their people once were. Oisier's teeth tightened over their lips.

"To think a city like Civisect succumbed so easily to such an insipid rivalry as one with Chittentown," Oisier said the name slowly to compliment their sneer. "Haste made them sloppy."

Oisier joined their sibling on the floor, albeit with a rougher descent. They crossed their legs at the ankles and pulled their knees up to their face. "What do you suppose will happen next, Reisio?" Oisier asked after a moment of tense, thoughtful silence. The perpetrators would not be allowed to get away with this... this farce of traditional Alternian competition. To use terminology anymore severe would be giving too much credit.  

[Sypon]

Chittentown. The blame would surely be placed somewhat on the lowblood city, Reisio acknowledged. A blow that would seek to humiliate Civisect might be in the minds of some trolls, but they doubted that Chittentown at large was responsible. They all had the same goals – or, they should have. Reisio’s fists tightened in their sleeves.

“We just don’t know.” They drawled. “Rescue… Relief… Rebuilding…”

Reisio hummed and drew their feet together to squeeze their own stocking feet idly. They rocked forward, then back to look at the ceiling. Flares and sparks filtering through the smoke cast flickering ghosts upon the surface.

“Once things die down, Oisier, assistance will be needed. Planariant and Flatparent will know what to do. Right?”  

[seekingCylem]

Oisier nodded. Of course. This had all happened before, hadn't it? It was a good while before they had been old enough to comprehend the matter at the time, but Civisect had been born of fire and smoke. The city's council would be prepared for such matters. Oisier allowed their horns to tip in Reisio's direction--an indication they were listening, as Oisier had yet to remove their gaze from the pillar of ash in the distance.

"There will be much to do. More volunteers, ironically enough. Ideally with proper delegation this time. Leadership. Not that the masses could do much more damage." Oisier's mouth twitched and their nostrils flared. A laugh at their own joke.

Oisier could faintly distinguish a lightening in the base of the enormous plume of smoke. It was most likely steam from the fire containment crews. At least someone was doing their job that night.

"Flatparent will request we lend our assistance. Planariant will likely agree. It is our civic duty, after all." "And everyone else has proven less than competent," went without saying. "We must admit--there's great appeal to examining the ruins first-hand. Perhaps we may overhear more of what has transpired tonight. What say you, Reisio?"  

[Sypon]

Reisio nodded. “Mmm, yes. Staying dormant is out of the question. Only uncivilized ne’er-do-wells would ever consider shirking on something so important. And so far the rest of the population has utterly failed.”

They curled their fingers together. “Ruins?” Oisier’s comment struck. It was no ancient civilization, but the opportunity wasn’t lost on them. “Yes, yes. After the looting and the smoke dies down. We can’t risk any of that… Muck getting into our system, can we, Oisier?” Muck being the result of a tragedy and the rabble that followed.

Rolling over onto their stomach, Reisio put their face against the ground. Their hair fanned around their head, a perfect mound. “Looks like we’re stuck in here for a few nights.”

A small whining noise emerged from the lump of hair and began to crescendo.  

[seekingCylem]

The vista was now more smoke than anything of interest. Having temporarily lost their view, Oisier dropped backwards to lie spread-eagle next to their sibling. "Yes. Planariant and Flatparent wouldn't have it." Their lusii were always so thoughtful of their charges' well-beings. Also "My lusus said no," was always an excellent excuse to get out of doing something unpleasant.

Oisier began kicking their limbs in a methodical pattern. They pondered what was left for them to do in the meantime, and was coming up short. "The drones mustn't cordon off the blast zone before we have a chance to explore." Oisier realized that their options were either to wade through throngs of people or miss out on the festivities entirely. The rhythm of their kicking increased. "We were so looking forward to taking a look..."  

[Sypon]

The atmosphere in the block had become murky. Reisio looked up with their good eye at their sibling and scooched over to them on the ground, poking and kneading at their tunic with fidgety fingers. Satisfied with the feeling of fabric between fronds, Reisio burrowed their head back into the floor, hair swathing their features entirely.

The quiet shuffle of Flatparent made Reisio’s head lift up slightly, perking up at the noise. The flatnoodle made its way over the hard floors, sweeping with its elegant lacy appendages. Settling beside the two, it released a muffled breathing noise.

Did I sense we were staying inside? Good child. Take your time.

The creature floated with eerie, languid motions over to the window and practically slid up vertically against it. The translucency in its frill caused undulating light to pool over the two prone trolls.

Don’t forget that it’s macaroni night.  

[seekingCylem]

The twins were now lying against each other, parallel on the floor. Oisier's fidgeting had calmed, predominantly to avoid hitting Reisio on accident. The tension in their face only loosened in response to the faint shuffling of one of their lusii. Oisier looked upward without bothering to turn their head.

Oisier pouted, but accepted the creature's praise. They were a good child after all. They released a sigh of resignation, mimicking the noise of their lusus in the process.

Flatparent's frills couldn't be heard under normal circumstances, but in the quiet, cavernous penhive, Oisier could hear the delicate warbling slide around their head. The liquid noise was seemingly amplified by the opalescent film drawn across the window. Flatparent's white body took on a pinkish hue from the waning fires outside. Oisier would have been put-off by the reminder of what they were not allowed to do...

...But it was macaroni night.