dananananananana

[provocate]

[So this plan has gone horribly]

[He couldn’t be happier about that though. See, it was supposed to go: two cities, two explosions of more or less equal terrible… ness, and a whole lot of dead folks. It was supposed to go that two of the Condesce’s communications towers would be taken out, and everything would shut down for at least a day or so before the drones could put anything back together again. The damage could be undone, but there would be that little bit of anarchy right there in the middle for the trolls unfortunate enough to be caught in the radius of the black-out]

[And it went so perfectly up until now. His moirail even had the good graces to be (mostly) cooperative even a city away. He had been so happy, but now there’s report from his panicked goons about some asshole kicking his way towards stopping him and that is so much better]

[He can’t not meet up with such a persistent guest, of course, so he’s wandered back to the warehouse all his goons have been trying to keep his dear visitor away from. Now somewhere nearby, there’s a bomb ticking its way down to his death, but he is standing in the center of the room, humming absentmindedly. Waiting]

Comments

[vigilantee]

[ The problem with "mostly cooperative" is also that "mostly" does not mean "entirely" and that's more or less how a certain jade-blooded troll caught wind of this. Not...entirely by choice, if the bite marks on his face are anything to go by but luckily he's taken the liberty to cover that up with a makeshift mask of sorts as he whips one leg around and clocks another of Overseer's goons in the temple with one heel.

A second later he's blocking a swipe aimed for his head and more or less flipping the poor troll onto their back because someone has been working on getting stronger in case a chance like this ever came up 8| His previous encounter with Baron over a sweep ago had ended being more humiliating than the events that actually led to his excursion into the world.

So he's carrying more than a little grudge when he finishes off the rest of the crew in this room and pretty much just kicks the door between him and Baron off its hinges.

Overseer's only scarcely taller, but he's older and more experienced now, and wearing something that doesn't scream "WEAK WIBBLY JADE". Because he's less noodly this time too, eyes hastily scanning the area through his mask as he slowly enters from the side ]

[provocate]

[He's... definitely not doing anything to hide himself! He's right there in the middle of things, a space cleared of boxes and machinery. His hands are tucked into the shallow pockets of his blood-stained jacket, which... well, there are quite a few new stains that have been added to it since the last time he saw this darling jadelet]

[For a moment, right after the door leaves its hinges, his humming halts. He turns an idle eye towards him, and a slow, knowing smile slides across his face, before the hum begins again. If the Overseer pays attention and knows his sailor songs, this'd be recognizable as one of a number of war anthems. And if he knows his history, this one was composed to be sung to a kismesis before a particularly harrowing battle though it's lost those connotations over time]

[The Baron turns to face him entirely before long, turning on his heels and settling with an easy sway. Nice to see you again, dear 8>]

[vigilantee]

[ The feeling so isn't mutual. Animosity practically radiates off of Overseer behind his mask--he hates his carefree and nonchalant mannerisms and hate that he hums even more. The tune strikes a chord with him but right now why isn't as important to him as gritting his teeth and running right for him.

He doesn't launch into a foolish kick like last time though, and instead aims a steady punch at the Baron's sternum since...he knows he has no hope of reaching his face lksgsl ]

[provocate]

[Oh goodness!! Well that's incredibly exciting, really. There's such a purpose in that there punch, and now he's even got some of the skill to back it up. The Baron would swoon if he didn't need to dodge it]

[And dodge it he does, stepping easily around him and sticking a foot out to trip the Overseer with his own momentum. He... doesn't take his hands out of his pockets, and he doesn't stop humming. Welp...]

[vigilantee]

[ sdjksk FUCKER it does trip him up. But unlike before he doesn't land on his face; he rolls with it and finishes in a crouch, hastily whipping around and sweeping a leg at baron's ]

[provocate]

[...OH FUCK WOW??? He's improved a lot efff]

[So he doesn't fall, but only barely. He certainly stumbles to one side, humming finally cut off even his hands are still pocketed. Now instead of humming, he's laughing though, retreating away from him just to what else he can do now]

[vigilantee]

[ Welp Overseer is getting to his feet quickly and rushing Baron again, this time aiming a series of connected punches and kicks at him--and this time he doesn't overextend himself going for places he can't reach, keeping his lips within a certain range of his torso ]

[provocate]

[Ah yes good okay, retreating retreating retreating eventually he does have to get his hands up to block, catching the occasional kick across the wrist when he doesn't quite step back in time]

[He's taking them around in a circle basically, just forever stepping back, until they've circled the room once and all of a sudden he draws a hand back and... moves to slap him in the face, trying to catch him in between strikes]

[vigilantee]

[ Overseer sees it and ducks, but not fast enough to dodge entirely; Baron's hand clips his mask and makes his back up several steps. He's panting from exertion, but definitely not exhaustion. ]

[provocate]

[Aww... )8]

[No actually there's a pretty significant part of him that's happy he was able to dodge, but uh... remember that thing about he doesn't let up? Yep, throwing a kick at the Overseer's head now. Having ridiculously long legs comes in handy sometimes???]

[vigilantee]

[ mnsdkjg oh fuck him that catches him right in the side and totally throws his mask off jksdkfs the only thing that keeps him from falling into the ground is the barest thought to put his hands out first, and there he catches himself with a sound of pain ]

[provocate]

[Still not letting up welp Aiming another kick at him, drawing a short knife from... somewhere in his jacket. Cackling]

[vigilantee]

[ Thaaat...one hits too, but as soon as he's knocked back he rolls with it and tries to push himself up quick, spitting a bit of jade from his mouth and stumbling back onto his feet again.

Fuuuuuck that dagger man he remembers that ]

[provocate]

[ABOUT TO FOLLOW!!! But then the Overseer is far enough away and still enough for a second there, that he actually sees his... face...]

[And comes to a sudden stop, looking... actually thoroughly confused tbh Who's been biting you in the face, dear 8<]

[vigilantee]

[ NONE OF YOUR BUSINESS and great now the staring is making him self-conscious. Overseer glances to the side a split-second before he forces his glare back onto his face and readies himself because he...does not want to rush in and get knife'd tyvm ]

[provocate]

[...head tilt. Shifting his grip on the knife, but not coming after him yet]

Been getting into trouble, dear?

[vigilantee]

........

You're the only trouble here. [ DEFLECTION DEFLECTION ]

[provocate]

Hm. [Traces a line across his cheek that echoes one of those bite marks]

I think I might have evidence to the contrary...

[vigilantee]

--Shut up! [ HISS BARON, HISS. Overseer's clenching his hands into fists and running at him. Knife or no he does not want to discuss the bite marks on his face >8( [

[provocate]

[AWW GOOD HE'S STILL EASY TO FLUSTER 8'>]

[Going to just... step... towards him actually, getting all up in his space and aiming a punch low at his stomach]

[vigilantee]

[ Which he sees but only manages to partially turn away from so it...clips him painfully in the side and he stumbles, but he's trying a reverse horizontal kick at Baron's side anyway, holding his breath ]

[provocate]

[ahhhh FUCK, he's like halfway into some other move when he realizes the Overseer really has improved and is kicking him. So momentum is drawing him into the kick when it hits him and... well, okay there are very few spots on a highblood's body that just... hurt no matter what they do. Aaaand gills on a seadweller? Definitely one of those spots, even if the kick only catches the bottom of them]

[Heads up, this is a totally graceless attempt to stick his knife in your shoulder, gasping and trying to retreat a little a second later]

[vigilantee]

[ Because what he is worried over right now is totally the amount of grace with which you attempt to stab him 8|

NO ACTUALLY SURPRISINGLY Overseer is too busy basically just dropping himself onto his butt so that doesn't stab him a new one, and as quickly as he can he's trying to kick Baron's legs out from under him--because if that works he's going to jump on top of him and try to wrestle that dagger out of his hand ]

[provocate]

[LOOK IF HE WAS MORE CALCULATING ABOUT IT HE MIGHT HAVE ACTUALLY HAD THE FOLLOW THROUGH TO HIT YOU. Don't knock grace when it comes to knife-wielding bro]

[But uh... yeah okay, he's falling and not catching himself well and all that. The Overseer's not getting the knife without a fight though because the second he's on top of him, the Baron's lashing out, trying to grab him round the throat and flip them. Sobs he's not laughing anymore congratulations...]

[vigilantee]

[ yes he feels so congratulated while fighting for his life here ksjgsk it takes two of his hands to hold onto one of barons, and when he's grabbed around the throat he makes a gagged sort of sound before he finds himself on his back, only one hand still managing to keep a hold on Baron's wrist ]