#the magicutor

The Eastborn Conqueror, Mikade Calept, could not be stopped. She appeared small and harmless, taking on the appearance of a man to further the deception, but in reality she was deadly. Eventually, after proving herself in what had seemed to be a suicide mission, she achieved the position of commander of her own ship, and from there, a small fleet. Her fleet was unlike any other under the Empire. Aliens, mutants, everyone had a use, and everyone was kept alive as far as the Conqueror could sensibly do so. As far as she could use them. Kuroko Sidigo hated this, and was only kept from acting on that hate by the simple fact that her own moirail was a mutant. Until, of course, that moirail died.

The Vengeful Enforcer, (aka the Vengefowl, the Enforcer, or just the Vengeful) Kuroko Sidigo had a troubled history... she was only kept from a singleminded focus on destruction by Oranos Anynde, with whom she had an unexpected moirallegiance. Oranos’s death, however, was the final straw, leading her to first demand that xe have a successor and make plans for the survival of such, then embark on a quest to finally cull all those who she saw as wrong, including the Eastborn Conqueror. This was too great a task for her to accomplish on her own without rest, and eventually one of her targets managed to kill her.

Suroce Koshnt, the Sanguine Overméne, is the probable ancestor of Alneme Koshnt. Formerly a devout believer, she began having doubts as she grew older... doubts that a follower was what she wanted to become. So she became a leader in her religion instead, and made herself too indispensable, too deeply involved in the workings, to uproot (possibly by becoming close to the former leaders, learning how to do their jobs, and then assassinating them). After a failed attempt at upward movement that resulted in her losing her arm, she changed tactics and started the Sanguine Society. This change was not well received by certain higher-ups, notably Vadius Vadion, but they still could not get close enough to get rid of her... until Ischia Verent, a young member of the Sanguine Society, was kept back from ascension and took out their anger by corrupting Suroce’s memories. She was sent away to a different planet for exile, but instead took over the transport ship and converted it into the vehicle for her plans of revenge against the Empire.

The Arbiteur Anynde, Oranos Anynde was, despite xer mutation, strongly devoted to the Empire; one of their bio-researchers. This was possibly the only thing that kept xem alive, especially once Kuroko Sidigo learned of xer mutation... the two actually got along in a sort of moirallegiance, Oranos calming Kuroko in her moments of rage, and Kuroko giving xem her protection in return. Unfortunately, Oranos was eventually culled for xer mutation, leading Kuroko to lose herself in grief and anger. 

Havenn Perbus never gained a title, and no wonder: before they even reached adulthood, they were discovered to be a mutant and sold to the Sanguine Society. Their resilience, and the fact that they were a rarity - a lowblood day-howler - were the only things that kept them alive through literal sweeps of experimentation and torture. They finally managed to escape through a combination of luck and sheer animal force, and ran as far away as they could. They haven’t stopped running since, only pausing to do a few errands when they can, or use any of their varied artistic talents, to gain a bit of money here and there. They’ve repressed most of their memories of the Sanguine Society, as well as their transformations.

It had started out well enough. They'd really liked talking to ML! mechanicaLorekeeper was a top-rate trollTag, no matter how you sliced it. And being yellow just like Verran, well, that was just an extra slice of relatability. They couldn't help admiring ML, really: ML was interesting. Uncommon book trivia mixed with trollgetretales levels of journalist sass, as well as various forays into a full spectrum of arts and crafts, left them wondering when ML was gonna publish a book! It'd also made them feel a bit inadequate at first, but the way ML encouraged them, after they'd gotten to know each other, all but destroyed that feeling. 

Now, that feeling of not being enough was back. ML had just admitted it: they didn't feel anything for Verran, or if they did, it wasn't red, or even pale. And certainly nothing darker, both of them knew that.

That admission cut Verran to their core.

While buzzing slowly filled their head, they replayed the timeline of the relationship: mutual admiration (they thought? oh maybe it was just them admiring ML, ML never had said they admired Verran, of course they'd complimented their attempts at crafting but those just objectively weren't as good, and besides, it had fallen off lately...) leading into a series of mutual wonderings, "might we be good in a relationship" sort of things. That was when they'd ruled out pitch, and cautiously ventured into pale, before finally flipping over into red territory.

ML had never actually been in a flushed relationship before.

Neither had Verran, but they were a lot more used to other trolls in general, and so... more used to what you were actually supposed to do in a quadrant. Looking back, they thought they probably pushed too far with ML, too much too fast.

But they weren't sure. ML had said they'd never felt... anything quadranted, really. Did that mean Verran wasn't enough? Or was it something about ML?

Verran turned over, their palmhusk clattering onto the floor, and shoved their face into their pillow. Romance is so fucking confusing, they thought bitterly. No wonder I never got anywhere with it before. I probably won't bother trying again; maybe I'll find something before the drones come, maybe I won't. Not sure I deserve it anyway.