The Usual

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The Empress of Cyclonia. Regal. Powerful. Opinionated. Exhausted should be added to the list, was the bitter thought that briefly danced through the mind of Cyclonis as she passed the red-glinted, looming windows of the Cyclonian empire. Sunlight just barely peeking through the shadows.

A grand empire, a changed empire. Yet the Atmosian caddle seemed to like to squawk and moan when it came to politics. She knew that the adjustments to the system would not erase the wounds left by the decade-long war between the two Terras, but it still enraged her to be placed in the shadow of her grandmother. They may have shared the same feathers and talons, but they did not share the same song.

Amazonia was loud. Blizzaris was obnoxious. Rex took the cake. Sending it's little old dog to bark at her in her Pegasi-skinned coat, the rat-faced cat blankly staring at her from it's place in the green padded bag. What an ugly bag it was. Came in second place to the demon cat. She shakes her head to try and erase the things beady yellow eyes looking through her soul as she reached her bedroom door, turning the knob.

The adjustment of lighting, from the dim darkened hallways of the empire to this soft yellow glow of her bedroom made Cyclonis close her eyes, nose scrunching up in distaste with a grimace. Only opening them once more when she heard the delightful melody of the giggle she had grown fond. A sound she could not get through the day without. Allowing her expression to soften ever so slightly.

"Rough day, love?"

The empress released an oh-so-tired sigh, shoulders slumping from the elegant posture she had forced for the rest of the evening. "Oh, you have no idea."

The blue-haired mage chuckles softly, standing and approaching her wife in long strides. Cyclonis closed her eyes as gentle palms touched her shoulders, the tension in her limbs loosening as the infamous purple feathered cloak is removed from her body and placed on the chair that sat before the grand dresser of the two rooms. Another sigh. Piper purses her lips.

"Two sighs, huh? Definitely was a rough day." Twin gems of amethyst glare at her weakly.

"Any day is when Terra Rex is involved."

"Ah, of course. What did they do now?"

Cyclonis made a soft noise of irritation, allowing Piper to move her towards the cushioned seat. Delicate fingers fixing hairs that had been pushed out of place. "You know. The usual. Claiming that we're hogging all the crystals that we have deposited out of our mines." She feels the former Storm Hawk still, before resuming her actions.

"They weren't pleased with what they were offered last time?" Lips thin into a soft frown as Piper focused on her task. Taming down the dark lavender strands that had frizzed up because of the feathered hood of the heavy cloak. She wasn't too surprised, of course. But she could admit she felt disappointed.

"Terra Rex has always been greedy, gem. No matter how much they gain, they always want more. We could grant them their own fancy palace of white and gold, and they would still be begging for more." The exaggeration allows Piper to let herself laugh, and the pale lips of the empress twitch upwards at the success. "It's the fact that they're calling us greedy that's been really getting under my skin, though."

"The people have unfortunately made themselves known to be hypocrites," Piper mumbled softly, giving the hair one last bounce before she was satisfied with her work. "There. Now how about we forget about how backwards Terra Rex is and get some ice cream?"

The look in Cyclonis's eyes becomes gentler as she nods in agreement. Gently taking the hand that had been offered out to her. "That idea is very agreeable. I accept your terms."

Cyclonia's reputation would always be stained by its past, the empress knew. Coated in bloodshed and greed, not helped by her teenage self. Placed on the throne at thirteen, naive and greedy, thinking of the world as black and white. While she wished that others would not hold the Terra's past against them, it was only right to be wary. At least that was what she supposed. It was times like this, however, when their less-than-positive past was used as an insult to justify the inferiority complex of others that frustrated her. She knew she was not the perfect ruler and realized that she still had a lot to learn. There were times when her self-doubt was at the brink of crushing her, karma for what she had done all those years ago. But now she had a warm hand in hers, reassurance that no matter what, she would have someone by her side. In sickness and in health, they had promised. The blue and red rings on their fingers a symbol of their commitment.


"I hope you don't mind the cookie dough. I may or may not have eaten the rest of the vanilla ice cream this morning." The guilty look on her wife's face brings her back to the present and she laughs. A tired yet happy sound, her shoulders feeling much lighter.


"As long as you buy me more, I think we can cut a deal for your freedom."

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⏰ Last updated: Apr 06 ⏰

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