#lyssta

The two commando teams of the bygone Tribal Alliance have been summoned to a chamber. All sit around a table, where a few boxes of pizza have been set out. Bierk comes in with another stack, using his four arms to carry it easily. He places the last of the boxes down and has a seat beside Arias.

Cameraman: Okay, that's everything. Alright guys, have a taste. Tell them what you think.

Lyssta: Why were we picked for this?

Cameraman: Variety, I guess. Oh, and if you have to vomit, please do it off camera.

Creatures open the boxes and start taking slices, including Faash and Viqtarr, who also sit beside each other.

Faash: Sarah said this was safe for Danians to eat. But if she's wrong, she owes me.

Viqtarr: Owes you what?

Faash: First, something to heal my stomach. Second, a lot of chocolate.

Viqtarr: Make sure you don't eat too much of that.

Faash: Make sure you don't eat all this pizza, if I like it.

Viqtarr: Can you stop with the jokes? I thought we were friends...

Faash: Alright, you have a point.

Ghatup: He's right, Faash. You wouldn't wanna end up like Wamma.

Viqtarr: Is that why he's so fat? Sarah gave him too much chocolate?

Faash: No, he's just always been fat. (Chewing) Alright, this pizza is actually delicious. What are the toppings?

Cameraman: The red dots are pepperoni.

Faash: Yeah, I know those.

Cameraman: The pinkish-brown meat's bacon.

Viqtarr tries a slice of bacon separately. The taste brings a grin to his furry face.

Viqtarr: Hey, that's pretty good. What's it made of?

Cameraman notices Nebres is among the eating commandos.

Cameraman: I don't know, it's not a thing where I live. Anyway, the black rings are olives, the green things are peppers and you probably already know those are mushrooms.

Ghatup: It's very greasy, but tasty. Beats our rations, that's for sure.

Lyssta: It could do without the mushrooms. No offense, Danians.

Faash: Hey, I'm in the same boat as you. After getting around Perim and trying food outside our tribe's? I don't wanna go back. The upside to these players idolizing us? They'll bring us food whenever.

Malvadine: Like Peyton. That's not why we let him scan us. He's a good kid.

Arias: This uh, tastes good. Can I get a box for myself after this? With extra olives.

Cameraman: I'll get one of the OverWorld fanboys on it.

Viqtarr: And you guys call me fat.

Arias slings a separate slice, aiming for Viqtarr's face. Instead, the bear catches it in his jaws. Laughter among the commandos.

Viqtarr: (Chewing with mouth full) That's why I'm the strategist. See how ready I was for that?

Arias: Whatever.

Bierk: Uh oh, you made him mad.

Arias: (to Bierk) You're only here because you had two sets of arms to carry the pizza.

Bierk: Hey, I'm interesting. Have you cannonballed in the Lava Pond before and lived? I bet more players use me than you.

Arias: Your tribe's the least played, I hear.

Targubaj: This kind of human food is nice, but it makes me feel worse after.

Tassanil: That's why they call it junk food. Which reminds me. (To cameraman) Might I ask who in Chaotic makes the food?

Cameraman: Probably the robots. We've got healthier choices if you're interested.

Targubaj: Sure.

Faash: Well, this food's staying down. I could go for a few more slices.

Ghatup: Better hurry, Ultadur seems to love this stuff and there's a reason he's banned from the parkfew eating contest.

Long life is not without its difficulties, as any Draenei can likely support. The destruction of a homeworld, the countless years in exile upon various planets and various points in space, the finding of a new home only to once again see it ripped apart and their people once again shattered. So much pain and death...all because of being in the wrong place, the wrong time, the wrong person, the wrong life.

“How do you keep going, Lyssta?”

“Ah... I never get asked this enough my dear.” Lyssta peered toward shadow speaking, slowly letting her smile relax into a soft, natural grin.

“When I was a child, I had the same life as many would. A mother, a father, a few brothers, and a sister. I was the strange one...simply because I was larger than them all, and younger all the same. Sometimes I cried, but truly I cannot think of why I did. Maybe because I was different? I was such a crybaby back then!” Lyssta chuckled, patting the hem of her robes as she leaned back to seal her eyes.

“One day my mother told me a lesson I could never forget. She said ‘find a heartbeat’. She asked me if I had a special someone, naturally I immediately stated it was my mother - which was true. She placed my head to her heart and told me to listen. She said to memorize the rhythm, and keep it in mind. She asked me to move myself to the beat. My tail, head, fingers-- anything!” Lyssta’s tail’s tip began to act as a metronome, moving at a strict pace to show demonstration to the meaning she had.

“Remember the rhythm, remember the person who has that rhythm, and you shall never fall astray. Silly and corny I know! Believe me. Yet...it did work. When I felt estranged, sad-- even angry! I closed my eyes and remembered my mother’s heartbeat. It focused me, that slow thumping beat. With that I remained... rather calm throughout my years. Until I met her at least...” Lyssta’s smile became once more,  spreading from cheek to cheek in a close-lipped fashion.

“I gained so many questionable looks when I took that orc under my wing. Some of my old friends even stopped associating with me! Imagine that my dear, old friends, friends no more!” Lyssta chuckled once again, but the laughter died rather quickly. Some things could phase the draenei after all.

“On with the rambling, I decided to continue raising the orc! I named her my daughter, and those who argued otherwise either changed their tune, or decided to remain silent. I never did stop seeing the leers as I held her hand through the bazaar streets. I did not care. I had found another heartbeat to focus upon! Being alone was a rather...normal thing for me my dear. Yet with her, I felt like nothing of the sort! Sometimes-- well, often-- I would let her sleep atop of me. She grew rather quickly however. It felt like just a decade ago she was in my arms, telling me that I shouldn’t have to go through all this for her. Yet that is what mothers do. Sacrifice. Yet, I did not feel like I had sacrificed anything! I only gained more and more! I started to smile and laugh as a casual occurrence! She was my beautiful star! I wished nothing more than to spend my days teaching her how to manifest the potential within her. I wanted a beautiful baby girl to be at my side...” Lyssta’s smile faded slowly, drifting into a solemn grin.

“...I tried to warn her. Every time she asked, I warned her about the dangers of that magic. Sadly she...still fell tempted, perhaps due to her newfound clan’s needs. I abandoned my child that day. I do not know why-- no I do. I was afraid. For the first time since Argus I had so much fear in me that I ran, disappointed, angry, in tears, so many emotions growing. It was such a horrible mistake. I should not have ran, I should have stayed with her. I nearly turned back, but upon all the chaos as the world turned to ruins and the divide between Orc and Draenei came once more, I could still see my little star shine. Then I remembered her heartbeat, and everything faded. I smiled once again. I made a promise to myself upon leaving Draenor. I shall keep to the happiness she gave me until I can find another heartbeat.”

“I truly do speak too much.... anyway! It was terribly difficult to enjoy my life without any sort of drive to continue it. At least...no present drive. I had a goal that I would see my daughter again, and that I would ask for her forgiveness. Before that time however, I focused on teaching, I taught and learned...until even the Kirin Tor saw a bit of glory in me! Teaching for those big wigs was some of the greatest years of my life in Azeroth! I also gained a bit of a crush on Khadgar but... do not tell him that-- Oh! Do not tell Jurelia that either! Who knows how she would react to that. Probably laugh, but still! It is such an embarrassing thing! Apologies, rambling once again-- I eventually retired from teaching. I grew tired. Tired of fighting, tired of all the war, tired of all this death. How someone could exile an entire race of people from a city is beyond me! Happiness was probably the most difficult thing to uphold in the following years from then on. I decided to explore the world like I had Draenor. I met a few curious Goblins! At first they tried to kill me, but they could not even lay a hand on me before a few of their ambushers vaporized. I uh... I was in a bad mood at the time! I am sorry. Regardless. I did befriend them afterward, got into a bit of trouble, eventually gained a few...attachments I would rather not speak of! All in all, Goblins are weird.”

“I believed I had long passed what most could consider a breaking point for their lives. No friends, no family, no significant other-- ever really, but I still kept on. I still smiled and I still loved. I came to simply speak, and talk to others. Day to day I find that so many young souls have so much pain within them. Worst of all they are always so hesitant to speak to a draenei of my age, having seen hell many times over. Regardless, I found a certain joy in comforting others. Sometimes all the disgruntled warrior with one leg, simply wanted someone to listen to them. The beggar that constantly badgers you, didn’t need just coin - they needed a friend too. I wanted to become a friend to all-- a mother to each and every person who desired it to be so. That Ebon Knight you look at with such disdain is simply in a perpetual state of suffering! Work with him, endure his pain with him, try to make that body understand that the past is over, that this is not undeath, but a second life. There should be no reason for one to perpetuate the ill reputation. Even the Illidari, yes them. These creatures are tormented souls that have been driven to a point they deemed necessary. Do you think any of them had an ear to speak to? Nonsense! How many of them do you think want to speak, but are so afraid of doing so?”