Given how racist Britannia is, it's a little strange that a woman with darker skin like Villetta Nu would be able to so freely join the Pureblood faction. I mean, that's really odd if you think about it, right? Don't misunderstand, I'm not saying this to belittle her. She's a hell of a soldier, a pretty good Knightmare pilot, and holds fast and true to everything Britannia stands for (horrid though it is). It's just a little weird that an organisation that is so centred on racial purity would allow her in. What does it tell us on Britannia's view of race, as compared to the real world's view? Probably that their view on the matter goes beyond skin colour and into something more fundamental to a person's genealogy.
It's not hard to imagine that her family fought and clawed their way into Britannian society, though. I mean, consider her ambition - she wants to rise to a point that any children she had would be considered nobility by default. At the moment, she's at the stage right below that. A Knightmare pilot of high regard. It almost feels like there's a history there... But do note the organisation she's joined. If this supposition is true, that her family did indeed scrape and claw their way to the position they are in now, then she is in the act of pulling up the ladder after herself. An action undertaken by the ambitious all too often. After all, they have seen the route to get where they are. If too many others take it as well, then it makes the prize all the less valuable, doesn't it?
Still, she had her limits. She was pretty, she was fit, and she knew how to attract men. But she wasn't the sort to use those factors to advance. It was all down to her talent. Her brains, her skills, her record. Granted, if she found a nobleman worth marrying then it would be another matter entirely, but she was determined not to win this prize on her back. Not least because such a relationship typically meant surrendering more power than it got you.
Unfortunately... Her dating life had grown a little stale. Dukes, Generals and Princes had women throwing themselves at them left and right for the same kind of ambition, and trying for anyone of a lower status was not a good idea. Besides which, the only people she really interacted with these days were military. Not dating material. Either because she respected them too much (Jeremiah) too little (Kewell) or their political interests diverged too much. Not that it mattered, of course. Even if she did find a fellow soldier who was just her type, Villetta wouldn't bother trying anything. Fraternisation was -
"No longer prohibited."
That... raised an eyebrow. Not just from Villetta either, others around her were wondering about that. It was quite a strange order. Apparently, it was to help facilitate a sense of camaraderie.
"Hrmph, Princess Euphemia is a little too liberal minded for her own good," Jeremiah scoffed in private later on. "I'm amazed she persuaded Princess Cornelia to follow along. Ah, well. It will be a good learning opportunity for her. She'll learn before long why fraternisation is not allowed in the ranks."
They chuckled about it, and then the rest of the day proceeded as normal. Which made sense. A rule change like that was hardly going to change too much on the first day. It would take until someone worked up the courage to put the rules to the test, and then the floodgates would open. In all honesty, Villetta wasn't looking forward to it, but at least it would be the most ridiculous idea she'd hear of from on high.
"To help build teamwork, we will be having a series of team contests between squads, in a variety of sporting events."
That was... actually pretty reasonable compared to yesterday's announcement. Sporting events could help build teamwork, while also encouraging friendly competitiveness among units. You get the best of both worlds out of this. Villetta didn't see much of a problem with this. In fact, she decided fairly quickly that she'd check out the first game of doubles tennis, which was being played shortly after the announcement. I mean, why not, right? She enjoyed a good game of tennis. So she settled down on the sidelines to watch, as she had nothing better to do, and then -
"Go team Bravo, you're the top! Once you're running, you won't stop!"
A bunch of cheerleaders started to dance around in front of her, wearing the typical ridiculous skimpy outfits that they tended to wear. Normally Villetta wouldn't pay them any heed at all. It felt a bit silly to her. Demeaning. But something about them drew her attention today. A voice among the cheers stood out to her, as did the distinctive hair colour.
Princess Euphemia. Was cheering on the game. That was so surreal that Villetta couldn't help but open mouth stare at her as she, and the other two women, cheered their little hearts out. Spinning around, pumping her fists into the air while they grasped glittering pompoms that sparkled in the light of the gymnasium, performing a series of alternating knee lifts that showed off more thigh than Villetta was expecting to see today. And smiling in a way that reminded Villetta of a sunrise.
"Bravo team is number one! Everyone is having fun!"
Her jaw dropped at the sight. Seeing a member of Royalty prancing around like this was beyond her expectations. Dancing, strutting, chanting, singing, swinging around her arms, causing her tiny frilly skirt to billow around... Villetta couldn't take her eyes off her. It was so surreal, she couldn't bear to look away.
"This is not only a dream, come on guys and cheer your team!"
That was an especially high leap into the air, which gave Villetta - and anyone else who happened to be passing by - a really good look at her underwear. Guh! Villetta turned beet red - then noticed that the players were all walking off the field. She'd missed the entire game because she'd been so intensely watching Princess Euphemia!
But... now that she was paying attention to the players, she did notice something a little strange. Only a little. The first signs of the effect of the fraternisation rule being lifted. Men and women being extremely flirty with each other. It felt strange seeing them all being so... touchy feely with each other while still in uniform. It didn't feel right. It didn't feel appropriate. And she knew a few of them well enough to know that they thought the rule change was silly as well.
As for the cheerleaders, they were off on one side of the gymnasium chatting to each other. Towelling themselves off. Ah but then Villetta's eyes fell upon something next to them. A pile of uniforms. One size fits all, if she was any judge. A strange idea popped into her head: Why not play along with them for a little while? Cheer alongside them. She'd get to see the games, and it was an excellent opportunity to interact with Royalty. If anything could help her ambitions then schmoozing with a Princess in her weird new hobby and feigning interest was an excellent way to grease her way up the ladder.
It would also give her a chance to enquire about the recent decisions that had been made. Which is why Villetta approached the group with the biggest, fakest smile she could muster. Looked them up and down, and asked a simple question:
"Room for one more in your team?"
Most of the team looked to each other and giggled as if she'd said some big joke, but Euphemia turned to pay VIlletta her full attention. Gosh, standing in front of her like this - you could really tell that she was gorgeous. Even if she wasn't Royalty men would trip over themselves to stand in her presence.
"Villetta Nu, right?" Euphemia asked. That got her heart jumping a little. The Princess knew her name? "You're a member of the Pureblood faction that tried to get Suzaku executed for my brother's murder."
"A misunderstanding," Villetta said, internally screaming a little that this is what she was being remembered for. "Water under the bridge, right? No harm done in the end. We all know it was Zero now. How is Suzaku Kururugi these days?"
"He's at school, with his friends," Euphemia smartly replied. "But don't worry, I'm not going anywhere dangerous anytime soon. I'm having way too much f-u-n here today! Take a uniform and go get dressed, that's an order."
Villetta grabbed a uniform and scurried off while the cheerleaders giggled and tittered at her expense. Ooh! That burned a bit, but... If she could just show the Princess that she wasn't a bad person (yes she was) by getting to know her a bit better, then it would provide her with all sorts of opportunities!
That's one thing the ambitious learn quickly. It's not so much what you know, it's who you know. Make the right friends in the right places, and you can rise faster than the smartest, hardest worker. If it meant having to put on this ridiculous, skimpy outfit then -
Actually, on a closer inspection she had to admit that it was well made. Sturdy. One size fits all, as she expected. Though she knew little of clothes manufacturing, she knew well enough to recognise extremely high quality standards. How much had been spent on this...? The skirt was a little brief for her liking, showing off her long slender legs. The jumper hugged her torso quite snugly as well, almost like it was trying to show off her body without actually showing any extra skin.
It was pretty comfy though. She'd give it that much.
When she returned to the group, something a little odd happened out of nowhere. They started to circle around her, as if appraising how she looked. While Villetta was a quite hardy person, it was a little unsettling. Each of them holding onto a pair of pompoms, while putting their hands on their hips, and, you know, now that she was getting a good look at them they all had this weird glazed over gleam in their eyes. The only one that wasn't circling around her was Euphemia, who seemed content to stand in front of her while spinning a baton and tapping her foot to a silent rhythm.
"So you want to join our squad? Make the crowd stand and applaud? Gotta be better than the rest, we'll need to see your cheering zest! Don't hold back we've just begun, to cheer and cheer for everyone!"
That chant seemed a little odd as well, but they were obviously just trying to get into the spirit of things. It was intimidating in a strangely girly way.
"What sort of test did you have in mind?" she asked. The circle parted, and Euphemia strutted her way in while still spinning that baton.
"It's so simple, come what may, do everything that I say!" Euphemia said, bright and cheery and happy. "To make it easy, watch along. That way you cannot go wrong!"
The other cheerleaders suddenly broke out into a series of titers and giggles, as though she'd said some sort of massive in-joke. Whatever it might be, Villetta couldn't even hazard a guess. In any event, Euphemia kept right on spinning that baton, while a pair of purple pompoms were shoved right into Villetta's hands.
"First thing's first, don't hesitate. Limbering up is always great! Keep legs straight and don't be slow, then bend down and touch your toes!"
A simple warmup exercise? Alright, that was fine. Although, the pace that Euphemia was going at was quite fast. Also, Villetta had to crane her neck to watch the Princess without taking an eye off her, in case she did something else. Which she wasn't. With one hand, still spinning that pretty baton, while the other was bending down to touch her toes, just like she was saying. If only she wasn't wearing this silly short skirt as well, bending over like this was just asking for trouble.
After about two hundred or so toe touches, she was feeling quite a bit more flexible. Honestly, something like that was nothing compared to morning drills - though it was right and proper that they should limber up before doing anything too strenuous. Saying that though, her head did feel like it was full of cotton for some reason.
"Say, Villetta?" one of the cheerleaders whispered. "Is there a guy you like?"
That was not a question she was expecting - but it made sense in a way. It was another test. Can she fit in with the others? She twirled her hair around her finger. "No, not right now," she said wistfully. Then she let out a weary sigh, oh, she really shouldn't focus on her career so much. She did want to have a family at some point or other...
Of course, she didn't notice that all this time, she'd been staring at that baton. Following it around and around with her eyes, which were starting to develop a similar glazed over look to the other cheerleaders around her...
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Euphemia li Britannia was not capable of malice. It just wasn't in her nature. She could be stern, she could be strict, but malicious? Never. Did she like Villetta Nu? Or the Purebloods? After getting her future husband dragged out into the streets, beating him up in an interrogation room and trying to have him executed for transparent political reasons - well, she wasn't exactly fond of them for that.
Villetta stepping forward to approach her like this was also extremely obvious. It was something Cornelia had always been warning her about, for years and years. Those who seek the opportunity to advance their own careers. Well. Turning her into another ditzy cheerleader certainly had its appeal...
But Euphie, sweet horny little ditz Euphie had a much better idea than that. After all, she was a devoted member of the Fantasy Seduction Club. Why settle for the obvious approach when she could do something a bit more... fun and interesting? For example, giving this member of the Purist faction a brand new fetish.
Let's give her an Eleven fetish. Let's make her get nice and wet for the Japanese. Not even a hunk like Suzaku, the most generic run of the mill Japanese man that could possibly exist. That would be a truly worthwhile test of her skills!
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