The Capitol Docks

*Feferi snorts and stalks off*

Eridan stands there for a while, mentally cursing just about anyone and anything, as brooding people tend to do.
After a while though, the beauty of the ocean (and the increasingly unpleasant sunlight) distracts him from his somber thoughts. He turns around and decided to head back to his ship for a while.

By the time he arrives, his grumbling has picked up again, now turned on himself.

fuckin aces ampora another convversation handled wwith the social grace of a court jester
not like killin her an causin her to be deathly afraid a you wwere enough no lets try an guilt trip her too
if thats wwhat wwas happenin there fuck im not evven sure wwhat i wwas goin for myself

He enters his quarters and drops down into a chair, and uncaptchalogues all his documents on the table. They flutter down into a messy pile.
He rests his elbows on the papers and rubs his eyes beneath his glasses*

i said id givve her space dammit
that pier coulda been a balcony and then wwhat
idiot

Then she pr_b_bly w_uld h_ve died. Duh.

*Ezdret is leaning against a wall behind Eridan, observing her knife with critique*

Bet y_u're a re_l l_dies m_n huh.

*Eridan freezes up, then slowly brings his hands back down to table level. He doesn't turn around*

i dont much like people breakin into my quarters so i hope you havve a damn good reason for bein here

*She grins, a futile gesture considering Eridan isn't looking at her, and twirls her knife between her fingers*

I w_nted t_ test y_ur strength bef_re I st_rt _ few missi_ns. Y_ur exist_nce c_ncerns _ few _f my superi_rs.

*She walks up behind Eridan and slaps him on the back*

N_w lets g_ upst_irs _nd h_ve _ nice m_tch!

*Eridan turns to look at Ezdret and examines her for a moment, puzzled*

you wwanna duel

*He frowns*

is this vvisit
wwhatevver organisation it is youre wworkin for
purely professional

*Ezdret laughs loudly, throwing her head back, her hair draping down her back*

_H H_H_H_H_H_! N_ w_y in hell my b_ss w_uld KILL me if I c_me within ten feet _f y_u!

*Ezdret reaches out and twirls a lock of his hair*

Lets tussle h_t stuff.

*Eridan scowls*

i dont do duels anymore outside of a mutually acknowwledged kismesissitude
an im not about to break that rule to satisfy the curiosity a someone wwith obvviously not my best interests in mind
get the hell off my ship

*Ezdret snickers*

M_ke me, little m_n.

*Eridan leans back in his chair*

an wwhat if i dont
are you gonna sit in the corner and make annoyin noises wwhile i wwork

*Ezdret tips her head and makes a boo boo lip*

Well n_w th_t y_u've seen my f_ce, if y_u refuse to duel me I'll h_ve t_ kill y_u. Y_ur c_ll!

*Eridan chuckles*

alright maybe wwe can wwork out an agreement
ill givve you your duel if you do me a favvor in return

*Ezdret frowns*

I me_n I'm d_ing this _f my _wn _cc_rd, my superi_rs w_uld l_ve if I just killed y_u right here. But sure, lets he_r y_ur f_v_r.

*Ezdret looks at him and then bursts out laughing*

W_w th_t w_s g__d! H__ b_y. Well f_r st_rters I c_n tell y_u wh_ w_s the m_st recent pers_n t_ give me _n _rder!

*She grins and leans in close*

Y_ur Empress. Wh_, might I _dd, is VERY g__d l__king. I think I'll try _ bit _f th_t _ss myself _fter I'm d_ne with y_u.

*Eridan stands up, trembling slightly and glaring as if Ezdret just spat in his face*

you broke into my hivve
THREATENED me
an despite this i wwas generous enough to do wwhat you wwanted for ONE simple honest answwer
but youre choosin to givve me RIDICULE an SLANDER

*A harpoon gun appears in his hand and he brushes Ezdret aside, heading for the stairs*

get on deck
youre about to get more than you bargained for

*Ezdret laughs with excitement and warps to the deck immediately, knife in hand, twirling it*

*Eridan swings open the doors and steps outside, where he briefly halts in surprise*

god dammit of course youre a bloody psionic

*He quickly makes a mental list of the abilities she could have that let her appear on deck so quickly.
Teleportation of course. Some kind of time warping or illusion. Duplication? He didn't recall any psionics doing THAT but who knows. Hell maybe they're just twins.
Being a strong supporter of empirical research, he decides he'll need a little more data.
He fires his weapon, and a whirling harpoon is launched at Ezdret's torso*

*Ezdret smiles and vanishes, her knife tip pricking the skin on the back of Eridan's neck*

Surely y_u h_ve m_re th_n th_t?

*A chill goes down Eridan's spine. He presses a button and the harpoon suddenly stops and flies backwards as the wire retracts. Eridan leaps forward and swings his arm, giving the harpoon extra momentum as it once again flies toward Ezdret*

*Ezdret warps until she's upside down above the harpoon strand and slices the connection with ease before warping again to stand on the deck, all in the span of a few seconds*

*Eridan, just a little impressed, wastes no time in tossing the now useless harpoon at his opponent.
It's mostly meant as a distraction as he whips out a more potent weapon -Ahab's Crosshairs- and takes aim*

*Then he remembers she's standing in front of his quarters and curses inwardly, readying himself for her next move*

*Ezdret casually sidesteps the weapon without taking her eyes off of Eridan. Her eyes light up at the sight of the weapon*

_h g__dness! Is th_t _ l_ser gun??? Well we c_n't h_ve y_u firing th_t here!

*Ezdret warps behind Eridan and lays a hand on his back before warping both of them to a nearby cliffside, then warping herself a distance away, grinning*

god DAMMIT

*Not allowing himself time to be surprised, he immediately snaps his aim back onto her and fires, a giant white beam and shards of rocks caught in the blast piercing the air*

*Ezdret eyes widen and she warps to the left, narrowly avoiding the beam*

W_sn't expecting TH_T!

*She grins and spins her knife in her hand, looking excited. She stills for a moment, and then warps in front of Eridan, swinging for his face before warping behind him and bring the hilt down towards his spine*