BEAUTIFUL LIAR
Executive Decision
-----
"Ridiculous."
"If you would go to the training grounds, you'd see if for yourself," Jadeite said, pushing his bangs back in mild frustration because we weren't taking him seriously.
Nephrite leaned casually against one end of my desk, arms folded, eyes trained on Jadeite. The second king positively radiated arrogance, as usual, and I found myself briefly annoyed with him for coming in contact with my furniture or for that matter, being in my space at all. I said nothing however, and merely watched passively as his dark eyes narrowed at our hapless third king.
"He's been out of sleep how long, Jadeite?" Nephrite asked, a hint of mockery in his voice.
Jadeite's glared at him coldly. "I'm not sure. Two years, maybe? But I haven't monitered him all that time; he only came into my group within the past couple of months after he passed some tests, and now he fairly terrorizes the other trainees."
"Terrorizes them how?" I asked, absently arranging some papers.
The blonde king shrugged. "You wouldn't think he'd be capable by looking at him. Light build, delicate features. He's in good shape and extremely agile, but he's considerably smaller than most of the soldiers."
"How sweet," Nephrite said caustically, "Sounds like a younger version of you."
"I was never small, you prick, and this kid is definitely something else. He looks like a woman, for one," Jadeite started.
"Again, as I was saying, a younger version of you."
"Enough," I said, silencing them both with a look. "How exactly does he 'terrorize' the rest of the group, Jadeite?"
"He's ... well, he's got a ridiculous temper, for starters," Jadeite said. "I think the others are finally learning to take him seriously, because he's almost killed a few of them when he lets his temper get control of him. Beyond that, he's the most vicious little backstabber I've ever seen, and I've yet to see him fight fairly. He relies completely on deception and foul play when he fights, and he usually wins. We've had to throw him in the hole several times because he wouldn't give a fair fight. Honestly, the kid has bloodlust like you wouldn't believe."
"And you've developed a crush on him, from the sound of it," Nephrite snickered.
Jadeite's brilliant blue eyes narrowed. "Don't underestimate this one, Nephrite," he said, his voice soft and dangerous. "I know you're prone to doing that with people who look weak. But be warned, if you turn your back on this one, you're a goner. Not that I'd mind that, personally."
"Let's get back to what you say happened yesterday, Jadeite," I cut in, giving Nephrite a warning look. The auburn-haired king shrugged nonchalantly, but he kept his mouth closed, thank Metallia.
"None of us were expecting it," Jadeite said, shaking his head. "Andradite had years' experience with troops, even dealings with particularly vicious ones like this kid. But he pissed the little rat off something awful after the rat lost a fight ... big kid, all the sneak attacks in the world wouldn't have worked. Anyway, the rat walked away with a bloody nose and he was absolutely incensed about it ... he's incredibly vain about his face. Andradite made some comment about how the rat at least might actually be able to pass for a man with a wound on his face, or at the very least a battered Earth woman."
Nephrite let out a bark-like laugh, and even I allowed myself to smile slightly. Andradite had never exactly been known for tact.
"What happened then?"
"Well, Andradite and the rest of us had a good laugh at the rat's expense, and then I dismissed the troops to mess and we started on our way out. I had just made it to the door with Andradite behind me when I heard this sickening thud."
Nephrite and I waited for him to continue. Jadeite cleared his throat. "I turned around and saw Andradite face-down on the floor with this enormous shard of ice sticking in his back, and the rat was standing about ten paces away where he'd apparently hurled the thing."
"Where did he get the ice from?" Nephrite asked, looking puzzled.
"That's what I asked him, but the damned kid wouldn't answer. I kept raising my voice and finally grabbed him by the shoulders and shook him until he got really angry and actually conjured up an ice-blade in his hand. He tried to attack me with it, almost slit my throat, but fortunately I was prepared for it and I deflected the attack and blasted him to stun him long enough to toss him in the hole for a few days. And Andradite didn't make it, as you both well know."
"Fascinating," I mused, rubbing my chin with my hand.
"So he shows proficiency in magic with no prior training and more importantly, without infusion from a demon or Metallia?" Nephrite asked, his eyes hard.
Jadeite nodded. "Yeah. And ... well, we all know what that means. We went through it ourselves. Well, at least Nephrite and I did."
I nodded, pushing my chair away from the desk and standing. "It means we've probably found our fourth king, which means we'll have to notify Beryl. As soon as we're sure, anyway. It looks as though Nephrite and I will be accompanying you to the Academy after all."
Executive Decision
-----
"Ridiculous."
"If you would go to the training grounds, you'd see if for yourself," Jadeite said, pushing his bangs back in mild frustration because we weren't taking him seriously.
Nephrite leaned casually against one end of my desk, arms folded, eyes trained on Jadeite. The second king positively radiated arrogance, as usual, and I found myself briefly annoyed with him for coming in contact with my furniture or for that matter, being in my space at all. I said nothing however, and merely watched passively as his dark eyes narrowed at our hapless third king.
"He's been out of sleep how long, Jadeite?" Nephrite asked, a hint of mockery in his voice.
Jadeite's glared at him coldly. "I'm not sure. Two years, maybe? But I haven't monitered him all that time; he only came into my group within the past couple of months after he passed some tests, and now he fairly terrorizes the other trainees."
"Terrorizes them how?" I asked, absently arranging some papers.
The blonde king shrugged. "You wouldn't think he'd be capable by looking at him. Light build, delicate features. He's in good shape and extremely agile, but he's considerably smaller than most of the soldiers."
"How sweet," Nephrite said caustically, "Sounds like a younger version of you."
"I was never small, you prick, and this kid is definitely something else. He looks like a woman, for one," Jadeite started.
"Again, as I was saying, a younger version of you."
"Enough," I said, silencing them both with a look. "How exactly does he 'terrorize' the rest of the group, Jadeite?"
"He's ... well, he's got a ridiculous temper, for starters," Jadeite said. "I think the others are finally learning to take him seriously, because he's almost killed a few of them when he lets his temper get control of him. Beyond that, he's the most vicious little backstabber I've ever seen, and I've yet to see him fight fairly. He relies completely on deception and foul play when he fights, and he usually wins. We've had to throw him in the hole several times because he wouldn't give a fair fight. Honestly, the kid has bloodlust like you wouldn't believe."
"And you've developed a crush on him, from the sound of it," Nephrite snickered.
Jadeite's brilliant blue eyes narrowed. "Don't underestimate this one, Nephrite," he said, his voice soft and dangerous. "I know you're prone to doing that with people who look weak. But be warned, if you turn your back on this one, you're a goner. Not that I'd mind that, personally."
"Let's get back to what you say happened yesterday, Jadeite," I cut in, giving Nephrite a warning look. The auburn-haired king shrugged nonchalantly, but he kept his mouth closed, thank Metallia.
"None of us were expecting it," Jadeite said, shaking his head. "Andradite had years' experience with troops, even dealings with particularly vicious ones like this kid. But he pissed the little rat off something awful after the rat lost a fight ... big kid, all the sneak attacks in the world wouldn't have worked. Anyway, the rat walked away with a bloody nose and he was absolutely incensed about it ... he's incredibly vain about his face. Andradite made some comment about how the rat at least might actually be able to pass for a man with a wound on his face, or at the very least a battered Earth woman."
Nephrite let out a bark-like laugh, and even I allowed myself to smile slightly. Andradite had never exactly been known for tact.
"What happened then?"
"Well, Andradite and the rest of us had a good laugh at the rat's expense, and then I dismissed the troops to mess and we started on our way out. I had just made it to the door with Andradite behind me when I heard this sickening thud."
Nephrite and I waited for him to continue. Jadeite cleared his throat. "I turned around and saw Andradite face-down on the floor with this enormous shard of ice sticking in his back, and the rat was standing about ten paces away where he'd apparently hurled the thing."
"Where did he get the ice from?" Nephrite asked, looking puzzled.
"That's what I asked him, but the damned kid wouldn't answer. I kept raising my voice and finally grabbed him by the shoulders and shook him until he got really angry and actually conjured up an ice-blade in his hand. He tried to attack me with it, almost slit my throat, but fortunately I was prepared for it and I deflected the attack and blasted him to stun him long enough to toss him in the hole for a few days. And Andradite didn't make it, as you both well know."
"Fascinating," I mused, rubbing my chin with my hand.
"So he shows proficiency in magic with no prior training and more importantly, without infusion from a demon or Metallia?" Nephrite asked, his eyes hard.
Jadeite nodded. "Yeah. And ... well, we all know what that means. We went through it ourselves. Well, at least Nephrite and I did."
I nodded, pushing my chair away from the desk and standing. "It means we've probably found our fourth king, which means we'll have to notify Beryl. As soon as we're sure, anyway. It looks as though Nephrite and I will be accompanying you to the Academy after all."