testrun_box | imperial

[The magistrate prompt]

[Welp, Eleuseus the Hawk (or the Empress' Dog as some people call him behind his back) just called you to his office about a week after you done something you really shouldn't have in Rome. He smiles disarmingly]

Come in, make yourself comfortable - do have a drink, I believe we got much to discuss.

2)

[Long day at politics, backstabbing, or zaniness? There's nothing better to soothe away the tension then with a nice, steaming hot bath in Rome. Servants are flitting about offering drinks, massages, special massages, food, spare robes for those who find their clothes missing in suspicious circumstances, and can-we-be-more-blatant-by-what-they-mean-massages? He takes a glass of wine and waves the rest off. Slowly he turns to you]

You look embarrassed, is this the first time you took part in a public bath?

3)

[Obligatory battle duel thread. Whether it's personal honor, just for fun, serious business, or a demonstration - you are fighting this guy. Eleuseus undoes his long dark overcoat and tosses it behind him. He has no weapons on him, but he looks confident still as he rolls his weight from one foot to the next, giving you a beckoning gesture]

4)

[Party time! Eleuseus is still neat as a pin, and a remarkable show of restraint compare to the rest of the party as he moves through the crowd, whispering to one person, dancing with another before excusing himself, even he rounds out to you, offering a glass]

Are you enjoying yourself?

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Um...er...I...that's...

[The answer is "first time in a mixed-sex bath, yes."]

I see no one told you there are non-mixed baths here.

[He averts his eyes]

You can ask one of the attendants for a robe and help to guide you to the women's bath if you prefer.

[This is all Excellen's fault somehow.]

I...um, I don't want to be rude, I just...I've seen this much of a man professionally, but not...

AH! AS A HEALER! PROFESSIONALLY AS A HEALER!

[He laughs quietly. bushing hair behind his pointed ears. A few people stopped to stare at Kusuha]

I understand - it's a different situation.

Y-yeah...um...you're very kind butIthinkI'mgoingtogonowI'lltalktoyousomeothertimenicemeetingyou.

[Heading for the nearest robe-delivering servant at maximum wading speed.]

[He will note to look into Britain's Knights at a later date. Poor girl though...]

Oh, he's used to fighting unarmed opponents. And he'll do it with his clothes on, thank you.

The fight starts as fights with Shen often start, with a distracting volley of throwing knives right behind which he charges forward with a great swing of a guan dao sword.

Eleuseus had his clothes on, but discarded the more cumbersome robes. He reacted in a flash, bending back like a bow when the knives went flying, one slicing off a lock of his black hair, another nearly nicking his pointy ears.

With that backwards tumble he manages to avoid the follow up swipe as he shifts his weight to his hands, rolling his hips to swing his legs out in almost a cartwheel before suddenly swerving back to hammer into Lord Shen's flank.

The kick is blocked upward with a metal-shod foot and Shen whirls under it, striking first with his tail (which is a lot heavier than it looks) and then with the guan dao again in another wide arc.

The man hisses in shock at hitting the metal-shod feet, surprised by the peacock's agility. He reacted before seeing, somersaulting back, once, twice, three times to avoid the sweep landing on his feet, profile low. Quickly he weaves around Shen, almost twirling at points, his profile harder to hit.

Once at a suitable place, he springs in, pushing off the ground into a handstand, snapping his legs to trap Shen's sword arm between them to twist and disarm.

He may have fought kung fu masters, but this kind of flipping about was something not even Monkeys engaged in to such an extent and it throws Shen off, if only for a moment. However, that moment was long enough for Eleuseus to twist his wing and send the guan dao clattering across the floor and eliciting a high-pitched squawk. Shen backs up and pivots, fanning out his tail for an instant before reversing field, whirling, and bringing sharp metal talons round in an upward spin-kick.

Immensely.

[She smiles and accepts the glass. Did he happen see her staring at him?

Good.]

And you? You seem to be quite the social creature. I've noticed you've been speaking with absolutely everyone tonight.

It never hurts to get familiar with those that plan on shaping the future.

[Eleuseus smiles blithely]

And it would simply be inhospitable for one of Rome's public servants to ignore anyone.

I agree completely. You're a servant of the State, are you? Well, I admire your devotion to your duties. Not that I blame you, it's easy to be ardent when there are so many engaging people to talk to.

*How odd, for a British-looking woman to be standing before you, in a distinctive black uniform, with a giant claw over one arm. Still, right now, Kallen Stadtfeld of the Black Knights is your opponent.*

... If you insist.

*And then, she suddenly disappears. Eleuseus, having tracked rumors, already knows Kallen's signature technique of teleportation abuse. The problem is, he also has to try and match her secondary technique of changing how she uses it every time. Which side will she appear at?*

[He drops to the ground, resting on the ball of his foot - knee against his chest as the other lays out, arms crossed loosely to both over the most vulnerable parts of his body while allow him to lash out in a moment's notice. Eleuseus listens, letting his instincts tell him where the girl would pop in from]

*After a few seconds, he hears her land to one side... Several paces away. Then, the claw on her left arm launches, full force, at Eleuseus. She speaks no further.*

imperial_saga

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