Jasleh

bits of this write just kept scratching at my brain and would not leave me alone until I wrote it, so, here it is

obligatory "please do not judge me for my weird crackship" note 🙏

this will probably make minimal sense if you haven't finished the Arcadion raid storyline

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Barely had Rrahna's feet touched the floor by the aetherite when Nonopesa opened the courtyard door and bowed. He took a certain professional pride in knowing the exact right moment for such things.

"Welcome, Mistress Zhwan. You look to be in high spirits today." In truth, she looked insufferably pleased with herself, and neither the large bag swung over one shoulder or the scythe held in her other hand did anything to throw off her proud strut. It was a heartening sight for one who had more often seen her in varying degrees of exhaustion and injury.

"Aye, that I be." She grinned down at him as she approached. "I do bring a treat. For the whole house if I do have me way." Nonopesa had little doubt she would. His lordship would refuse her little, so long as it did not relate to money or business. And even then, he likely thought twice.

"Would you like someone to get that bag for you?"

"Nay, it do be heavy. Best ye let me handle it. Oh, but if ye could find a crate or two of lightnin' crystals, that'd be helpful. The equipment do be charged, but I can no say how long the charge'll last outside of the dome."

"Certainly, t'is no trouble at all."

He let her head further into the mansion, as she knew full well where to find his Lordship, and went to find someone to get the requested crystals and pass the word of her "treat". He was curious to find out what she had brought, and not a little pleased to be included in whatever it was. Doubtless the rest of the household would be thrilled as well.

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"Hoy, 'Rito," Rrahna greeted as she strode into the Blue Room, finding her lover waiting as expected. "Brought somethin' for ye. An' for th' rest of the house if ye'll permit. A treat. An' an opportunity, tho ye do hardly need me to tell ye that." She set down the bag and opened it as he came over to look.

"What is it?"

"Recordin's of me matches. Metem's payment for lyin' to me." She began pulling bits of electrope technology out of the bag. A proper viewing screen would have been too large to transport, so a flat holograph projector had been provided instead.

"Ahh, so the tournament is all wrapped up then? You won, I take it."

"Were it in any doubt?"

"Not especially, even if I do worry." Lolorito smiled. "And your suspicions?"

"Did no pan out. He do no be ye, tho he did certain have me goin' for a good while. Be right tired of people makin' me angry to make me fight harder, but he do be too dead to yell at."

"A consequence of making you angry?"

"A consequence of his own fool decisions. Ah, but I'll explain when ye've seen the lot." She grinned at him. "Ye've no ever seen me fight proper. The Ul Cup were bare playin'. Much of this were theater, aye, but the fights were real. I mean to take this to Claudien too, but he's seen me do the like affore, if no with his own eyes, so I did think to come here first."

"The Ul Cup was quite intense enough for me," he said dryly. "It showed me you have a curious definition of what counts as 'a scratch.' But I do confess to curiosity. Perhaps it will be easier to watch when you are sitting beside me, hale and whole."

"Good. Then call everyone to gather. This sort of thing do deserve a crowd. An' somethin' to eat too, I do think."

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The entire household was indeed invited to the viewing, although Rrahna and Lolorito claimed sole possession of the couch. Metem had provided enough extra recordings - the bits and pieces outside of the fights themselves that helped tell the President's story - that it took a few days spread out over the better part of a week to get through them all.

Admittedly, this was in part because Lolorito could only handle watching so many fights in a row. He flinched every time the Rrahna on the screen took a blow, and her occasional comments of "Oh, that were a nasty one. I do remember that hit." did not help.

She offered other commentary as well, mostly adding context the cameras hid.

"Did find out later that were just water. Part of his act."

"This were full real for her. She did run 'fore the President told the Heavyweight fighters aught. Did know he'd run with it though."

"Did full believe he did die here. So did t'others. He were even sure he were dyin from it. Metem could have told different, but the President did want me good an' mad. Dramatic bastard."

Still, the recordings played largely interrupted... until the final fight. Barely a minute into the furious combat against the President's twisted form and the screen suddenly paused. Lolorito turned to ask what was amiss, but found Rrahna's eyes shining and her ears up, staring intently at the screen.

"I were too busy when it were happening to pay attention," she said, voice full of barely contained excitement. "But this... they did write this song for me."

"Surely a great many songs have been written about you."

"Nay," Rrahna waved her hand dismissively. "That do no be the same. All the other fights, the music as played were the songs of the people I were fighin'. But this? This song do be mine. Just listen."

She pushed a button on the device she held and the video backed up to just before the battle was joined, then she leaned forward with a fierce grin as she pressed 'play' and cranked up the volume.

    Never had a choice 
    Never let the opps win
    Calm them nerves got the whole world watching
    Ready set go and there ain't no stopping
    Only one option
    Light it up

    Heart is pounding out my chest the blood boils inside of me 
    Looking at the walls around me closing in
    I think what's it gonna be

    Never had a choice 
    Never let the opps win
    Calm them nerves got the whole world watching
    Ready set go and there ain't no stopping
    Only one option
    Light it up

    Everything burns 
    Light it up let's go
    Light it up let's go
    Everything burns
    Light it up let's go
    Light it up let's go

    I'm on fire
    Burning brighter than anyone alive
    I'm way too hot to touch so just remember if you try
    Everything burns

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A day or two later, Rrahna was back at Solution 9. A few questions at the Arcadion soon led her to Metem, who seemed happy enough to see her.

"Ah, if it isn't our Eternal Grand Champion! Did the recordings work to your satisfaction?"

"Aye, that they did. But I've a question for ye."

"Certainly, ask away."

"The song as played for me last fight... Were too busy to listen at the time, but..."

"Ah! Did you like it?"

"It were perfect. I'd give much to know who did write it." It was almost too perfect. Joy it had brought her aside, she was left wondering who exactly had gotten such an accurate read on her - and how.

"The President himself. He would be so pleased to know you liked it."

"Hmph. Had me all figured out, it do seem. If no enough to see I do no need anger to fight me hardest. But... how did he...?"

"He watched you very closely, even from his seclusion. And not only during your ascent through the Arcadion. It was in the fight with the mechanical soldiers, before you faced the King of Resolve, that you first caught his eye. I believe he deeply regretted not being able to witness the battle against the King himself, on the top floor as it was."

The President's cameras an' 'Rito's little birds, Rrahna thought with resigned amusement. Both do be everywhere.

"I do be sorry I did no get to meet him proper," Rrahna said. "He did seem to be an interestin' man. An' a sharp judge of people."

"That he was."