MERC XIX: Toss a Coin to your Goblin

[Reinholdt]

[Entrance Hall]

Reina's eyes flicker dead again. That seems to be becoming a problem. But she's not had two vivid visions like this back to back before. She blinks back to animated life more slowly than the first. "Ah, yes. Err... Sorry. I'm just. Hungry?"

She's hungry? But she just ate frog didn't she? No wait. She hasn't eaten anything since lunch. Which at a glance of the clock was fourty-three minutes ago. Reina can't be hungry again all ready! She glances down, presumably at her stomach though her chest gets in the way. She wasn't... pregnant again was she? No, no. It shouldn't be possible. Probably.

Reina slowly looks back up at Siana. "Oh, uh, yeah. Go ahead and do that." Reina turns the form around and slides it and the pen over to Siana 'Redmont'. "How old did you say you were again?" Silly Reina, you haven't asked that question yet.

[Ironsmith]

[Entrance Hall]

Uh-oh. Point-blank question time. Siana really didn't want to lie here... it didn't exactly come to her naturally, and that aside, lying on an application like this would probably get her in a lot of trouble. Also, it'd just be wrong. Maesdan knights didn't lie and neither would she.

Fortunately, there was still a workaround. There had to be a lot of people here in the Nexus with abnormally long or short lifespans; age didn't necessarily mean much, here, except as a proxy measurement for capability. And Siana happened to be among those who could live (and look young) for a long, long time, and certainly could be formidable if she reached her full potential. So, she gives a little smile, letting Reina see her fangs, as she answers her question with a question. "How old do you think I am?" She asks.

[Reinholdt]

[Entrance Hall]

Reina narrows her eyes. She may have had trouble distinguishing fiction from reality lately, but Reina was still the mother of four. And thus possibly the worst foe Siana could have encountered. It takes no time at all for her to slip into mom mode.

She starts sliding that application back towards her side of the desk, away from Siana. "Too young for a license, I think," Reina replies, being just as vague. Fangs or no, there are standards to be had.

[Ironsmith]

[Entrance Hall]

"Wait!" Siana's hand flies across the desk, coming down on top of the paper to keep it from being pulled back. "Wait, I..." Siana swallows nervously and tries again. "Isn't there a practical exam of some kind? I mean, if you're not okay with giving just anyone a license..." Siana's eyes flicker to her cane, then back to Reina. "...Please. Let me try out, at least. And if I'm not ready, I'm not ready." She lets the implicit "but if I am..." hang in the air for a moment. "I wouldn't have come in if I didn't think I could pass."

[Reinholdt]

[Entrance Hall]

Reina's silence stretches purposefully into uncomfortable, to see how much further Siana would clamber. There wasn't really a practical exam for licenses, just a requirement of general professionalism with the understanding that failure to uphold standards could result in the license being revoked. Reina presumes they have the discretion to skip to that last part if even providing one would be unprofessional.

After a minute, the catgirl stands up. "Follow me." She puts a little sign on the desk saying she'll be back in 15 minutes. Then Reina leads the way to the Training Area, particularly a room that looked more like an obstacle course. The catgirl goes to one side, fiddles, and the clock display higher up on the wall flickers to 10:45 in red and starts counting down from there with little fanfare.

Reina returns to the center of the room and faces Siana. "You have ten minutes with which to catch me. Do you understand?" Presumably they start when the timer reaches 10:00.

[Ironsmith]

[Training Area]

Siana limps after Reina into the training room, tensing up a little at seeing the obstacle course. Oh Absum no. This had to be the worst possible exam Reina could have chosen. Siana's infirmity was going to get in the way a lot here. She wasn't going to be able to run very fast, jump very high, or anything of that sort. Why couldn't Reina have given her someone to fight? She'd be much better at that.

Siana tilts her head up and gives a little sigh. Of course not. That was the point, wasn't it? Reina made a much bigger deal about her age than her disability, but the problem ultimately boiled down to her competence either way. If Siana could handle whatever Reina threw out at her here, bum leg and all, then everything else would be trivially easy.

"All right." Siana says, adjusting her leg brace to keep it folded and hugging up near her torso. "Let's go."

[Morty]

[Arriving from Skyside]

"Alright then. That works for me." Pania was not exactly sure if they'd really be able to find anything on her they seemingly didn't know already. She had barely been free in the Nexus for long, and her entire time since then had been spent surviving or fighting back against her previous captors. The reason for the background check did remind her of something else she should ask though. "On that note, I must ask... what kind of things do your organization object to? If I am to work for you, I must know... where do you draw the line in this kind of work?" She didn't exactly have a strong moral compass herself, but she wanted to know she wouldn't end up working for a group as cruel as the one she had just escaped.

"Our main line not to be crossed is slavery," Dipsnig begins. "We won't take jobs by people who own slaves, trade slaves or want us to participate on any of it. Both I and Dena Xifhara, one of our senior officers, have firm opinions on the subject." If for different reasons. "There's one group of people, called AMEN, with whom we refuse to work... but they're no longer relevant. We also reserve the right to refuse contracts if they would damage our reputation. Contracts involving killing, for instance, need serious scrutiny. Of course, any member is free to take or refuse jobs at their own discretion. We don't concern ourselves with morality overmuch, but we value professional standards and stability."

[Reinholdt]

[Training Area]

Reina nods a little at Siana, respecting that she's facing the challenge instead of complaining about it. Even so, Reina does know it's somewhat of an unfair challenge. Not because of whatever handicaps Siana suffers. Reina can only guess as to her abilities, supernatural or otherwise. But rather because Reina is really good at running away. Running away from her problems, her emotions, her relationships, her constant nightmares. More than metaphorical running though, she's had many chances to practice the carefully crafted secret Treasure Hunting Extraordinaire technique.

When in doubt, run.

Run for your life.

The catgirl holds out her hand and beckons for Siana to come at her.

10:00

[Ironsmith]

[Training Area]

Siana was, of course, ignorant of any psychological and/or emotional hangups her test proctor might have, but she knew Reina wouldn't make it easy for her.

So when the clock hits 10:00, Siana bolts toward Reina, as fast as her cane and leg could carry her.

At this rate, if she wants to avoid capture, Reina will need to... eh, take a pace back every ten seconds or so. Siana's trying, but she's not fast.

[Reinholdt]

[Training Area]

Reina expected some kind of unusual vampire powers or something to kick in here in which she was much faster than she looked. Or weird psychic powers. Flight. Some Nexus nonsense. This... this is kind of sad actually. Reina feels bad for going this route.

The catgirl steps back regularly, though never quite straight back. She ends up ducking around a hanging tire and staring at Siana from through the middle. "When you get hired to protect someone, is this the speed which you'll react with when they're in danger?" Making the girl overly emotional is probably part of the test.

9:00

[Ironsmith]

[Training Area]

Siana was quick in one regard, thankfully.

When Siana reaches the tire, her hand goes to the top of her cane, and there's quiet rasp of metal on wood, followed by a brief snipping noise.

And then the tire will fall out of the way, the rope holding it up cut cleanly. Siana stood there, holding a long, thin, gilded sword she had apparently kept in her cane.

"If I'm hired to protect someone, the people after them had better be made of something a lot stronger than rope." Siana replies with a smug little smile. So far, her temper was still cool. Reina threw in a complication and she navigated it. Now she just had to get back to the basic problem of catching up to her.

[Reinholdt]

[Training Area]

"Oh excellent job cutting that perfectly still rope. I'm sure your opponents will be kind enough to walk into your range for you." Reina couldn't deny it was impressive sword work and the catgirl's slightly poofy tail may betray that she didn't expect that to happen. But she has to play it off. And question whether or not she should be charging for that destruction of property.

She motions at the fallen tire. "Of course, you'd have been better off swinging it at me instead of destroying it. It could have proven a distraction or in the best case, entangled me. Anything to allow you to close the obvious gap in our speed. You let yourself get distracted and lost sight of the goal to show off." Reina takes several steps away, not even waiting for Siana to close before distancing herself from the cane-sword wielding strigoi.

8:00

[Ironsmith]

[Training Area]

Reina had a point. Siana probably could have made use of the tire swing, and merely getting it out of the way wasn't the best use for it. It was an obstacle, yes, but also an opportunity.

Hm.

Siana steps next to the tire and tilts it up onto its side. She slices the remaining portion of rope free and sheathes her cane-sword, pressing down on the tire to see how well it'd support her weight.

Hm again.

It was about the right size for her to climb into. And the right weight to be pushed around easily.

And yet again, hm.

Siana climbs into the tire and pushes off with her cane, rolling along much faster than she could walk. It was a little disorienting, but at least now Reina would have to actually try to get away from her.

[Reinholdt]

[Training Area]

Reina does have to pause and watch, not having a clue what Siana was doing. Was she going to toss the whole tire at her? No that seemed unlikely at this point. Then... wait, what?

She's riding it?

Oh no. The catgirl was so caught up in being caught off guard that Siana has made significant ground. Reina's turning to move but it might not be enough, starting to actually run rather than casually stroll away, but this might be Siana's chance to really catch her as the catgirl is slowing herself by keeping one eye behind her.

7:00

[Meowmai]

[Arriving from Skyside]

"I see, I see." Pania nodded. That was all she needed to hear, really. She'd just need to make sure she didn't kill anyone she wasn't supposed to. "Then I think I'll get along here. Assuming this... background check of yours confirms I'm someone you'd be willing to take on, then I shall agree to this deal and work for you."

[Ironsmith]

[Training Area]

Reina does have to pause and watch, not having a clue what Siana was doing. Was she going to toss the whole tire at her? No that seemed unlikely at this point. Then... wait, what?

She's riding it?

Oh no. The catgirl was so caught up in being caught off guard that Siana has made significant ground. Reina's turning to move but it might not be enough, starting to actually run rather than casually stroll away, but this might be Siana's chance to really catch her as the catgirl is slowing herself by keeping one eye behind her.

7:00

[Training Area]

Fortunately for Reina, what Siana gained in speed with this trick, she'd lost in maneuverability. Assuming she has the good sense to ignore her training from the Prometheus School of Running Away From Things, Reina will still be able to get away from Siana and rebuild her lead.

Especially since Siana quickly gets tired of the tire, and all the rolling and head-bumping and dizziness that came with it. There'll be another quick snikt as the tire falls into two pieces, Siana coming tumbling out about a foot away from Reina, looking nauseous but refusing to give up the chase.

[Reinholdt]

[Training Area]

Hmm... Doesn't look like Reina will have to do any fancy last minute dives or anything. The tire appears to have been a temporary burst and the catgirl stays ahead until it is sliced into pieces. Yikes! The rope could have been recovered easily enough but tires are actually a little expensive.

"Cleverness isn't always enough to compensate for physical disparity. True cleverness is backing out of bad confrontations," Reina says, taking several steps back and leaning against the post holding up some monkey bars, despite no evidence of being winded yet.

6:00

[Ironsmith]

[Training Area]

That sounded more like cowardice to Siana. If she were to just avoid "bad confrontations", she wouldn't have agreed to this challenge, which would in turn mean not having even a chance at getting her license, which in turn would mean-

It's my fault.
I'm the reason you had to sell your memories
I'm the reason there was so much damage
Me and my hunger
I'm sorry, giant doggy friend

Siana honestly found this philosophizing more annoying than Reina's actual taunting. She held her beliefs very tightly and didn't appreciate the insinuation that she was somehow "not clever" (i.e. "stupid") for doing so... or more importantly, that they were holding her back.

"You want clever? I'll give you clever!" Siana hisses, retrieving the two tire halves and throwing them toward Reina; one in either direction. Between them and Siana approaching her from directly behind, there wouldn't be anywhere to go but up.

[Reinholdt]

[Training Area]

There's certainly some question as to how much Reina believes and how much she's using as a roundabout way to suggest Siana surrender to try and get to her. A question that goes unanswered as Reina's eyes grow unfocused again. She doesn't even flinch when the tire halfs fly past her.

Sold her memories? Did... did Reina sell her memories? But she's not a doggie. Yet is that why she's been so off lately? Is that why...

Reina blinks and Siana's right there way, way too close to her. Reina's eyes grow wide and she bends her knees as if she's going to jump up right as Siana planned.

Except she doesn't go up.

Reina goes down, suddenly shrinking, fur sprouting from her body as her clothes melt away. All that's left of Reina is a Russian Blue kitty cat. Considered small even for her species, something of 'runt' herself, it becomes abnormally easy for her to dart to one side under Siana's attack.

"Ah. Hahah. Oops. I didn't think I'd have to go this far." She is apparently still capable of talking as a cat.

5:00

[Ironsmith]

[Training Area]

Siana stops for a moment and just stares in surprise, having never encountered a shapeshifter of any kind before. But no, this made sense; Reina probably had a bunch of powers Siana didn't know about, and was going to make this even more brazenly unfair, to try to get her to quit.

Which was to be expected, since she really hadn't known Siana that long.

Siana considers how she should approach this now that Reina was so much smaller. She could keep running after her, obviously, but if that was a lost cause when she was person-sized, Reina the cat would make it even more so.

Still, it was the only plan she had, so she shambles after the kitty.

[Reinholdt]

[Training Area]

Reina surprisingly knows way more about Siana than either of them think. Unless those visions are narratively unrelated.

Reina the girlcat mewls and darts away to the rope wall, clambering up it with excessive effectiveness until she's balanced at the top, looking down at Siana.

"Oh yeah. I was going to ask what you would do if people shoot at you with guns or crossbows." It was a much earlier question, but she got distracted along the way! "In this business, movement is life."

4:00

[Ironsmith]

[Training Area]

Siana scowls at the question. She had an answer, of course: nothing. They hadn't yet invented a projectile that could do permanent harm to her, with the exception of some really good aim. But she doubted Reina would take that answer or would mock her further if she did.

Siana approaches the rope wall and slips her cane into a hoop aling her brace, holding it there and freeing up both her hands for climbing up the wall. She lets her feet dangle as she scurries up the ropes... much, much faster than she could walk. Apparently, her upper body strength and coordination were still nothing to sneeze at.

Maybe Reina had inadvertently made this easier for her. They were getting pretty high up, and Siana wasn't sure she had a plan for getting back down safely.

[Reinholdt]

[Training Area]

"Done talking already? Witty banter is essential in this line of work." Although this hasn't been much of that at all. "As is cunning, speed, and determination. So... I guess you're fifty percent there."

Reina merely leaps down the other side away from the climbing girl as she reaches the approximate midpoint, just to add an actual layer of wit to the banter. The cat lands easily on her feet and scurries off a bit before turning again to look. Siana had gained some of the ground she lost to the cat earlier by climbing up the ropes so fast, but could she hold it?

3:00

[Ironsmith]

[Training Area]

Seeing what Reina's about to do, Siana reaches out to catch her, and...

Miss.

Damn.

Siana sighs as she watches Reina fall to the floor. That... probably was the fastest way down. If she went any other way, she was probably going to lose time. Time she didn't have.

Siana draws her blade and cuts a hole through the rope wall, then takes a steadying breath and braces herself. This is going to sting...

And she throws herself off the rope wall, such that she'll land next to Reina, hands out to catch ahold of the cat when she lands.

Maybe Reina will see it coming. She hopes not.

Either way, there's going to be a sickeningly wet crunch when Siana hits the floor.

[Reinholdt]

[Training Area]

Reina didn't expect Siana could go through the ropes and fling herself directly at the ground. This might actually wo-
The cat's ears twitch when she hears the light *shing*of a blade and instinctively the feline starts moving out of the way, well out of the crash zone before said crash occurs. Sometimes moving without knowing what's coming is the right answer and Reina fills in all the bubbles of a multiple choice.

The sound of Siana crunching into the floor is more than enough to make her wince however. For once, Reina has nothing to say and some blessed silence pervades. Momentarily at least. How long that lasts depends on whether or not Siana is screaming in pain.

2:00

[Ironsmith]

[Training Area]

She is.

Not just screaming, either. Screaming would horribly undersell the pain she's in right now. That fall was enough to shatter most of the bones in her good leg, dislocate her hip, and crack a few ribs. The entire front of her body is a contusion, with the skin splitting right where the impact was. If she weren't a vampire, she'd be bleeding gratuitously right now.

This is not a clean, pretty, cartoony splat. This is a oh-god-how-do-I-tell-her-parents-about-this kind of splat. Siana is reacting appropriately.

"Son of a Braeg-born festering pus-boil with rotted teeth, that hurts!"

Wow.

Language.

[Reinholdt]

[Training Area]

By Eve, things shouldn't have gotten this bad. There are soft gym mats around these things for a reason, specifically to prevent this. It's like Siana flung herself at the ground as hard as she could. Which sounds entirely accurate now that Reina thought about it.

"Try not to move. We have medical professionals on staff. I'm going to go get them," Reina says, trying to not let the panic she was feeling seep into her voice before she scurries towards the exit. Reina knows basic first aid, not 'keep their ribs from falling out'. Better to get the doctor.

1:00

[Ironsmith]

[Training Area]

No.

"NO!"

This was not over.

She was very sick. She could tell that now. Very, very sick. And hungry.

...But better than she had been.

She was warm. Safe. There were blankets wrapped around her body.

...She had a body.

How long had it been since she had a body?

"Hey, you. You're finally awake."

She gasps and her gaze darts around the room frantically, before finally settling on a hulking monster of a man. He was a big, lupine creature, with sharp teeth and a twisted, snarling face.

He was sitting next to her, a massive clawed hand gently pushing her back down to the bed. "Rest." He commands.

Siana bites her lip and sits up, fumbling around for her cane. It was here somewhere, she just had to...

"What's your name, kid?"

Her name?

She did have a name, didn't she? She remembered, vaguely... it was all so long ago. Two syllables... ended with an A. Started with an S. Her mother was calling... "S---a! Si--a!

"Siana... my name is Siana..." She rasps weakly.

The creature looks her over, gently brushing her hair out of her face. "...I thought so. You look just like your mum."

Her mum?

"You... mum, know?"

"Oh, yes." The creature replies. "Your father, too. Maldwyn of the Bridge. 'Course, back when I knew him, he was just Maldwyn of Redmont..."

Got it!

Siana draws her cane-sword and bites back the excruciating pain her body is in. She had one more shot at this, she was not going to scew it up.

"He was a great man, you know. Your father."

She doesn't understand. Her father was a simple man. He loved his children, he would embrace her every night when he came back from the fields and he would tell her that she, her sister, her brother, and her mother were the most precious treasures to him. He was kind, yes...

But great?

She shakes her head and immediately feels another pang of hunger.

This, she remembers.

She was going to slip away again.

Back to that horrible dark spot where she understands nothing.

"Hush... settle down, Siana. You're going to be okay."

No she wasn't!

She wasn't going to be okay at all!

Siana looks up at the rope wall she just jumped down. Reina had intended for this to be another obstacle to clammer around, but...

All she could think about was how it looked like a huge net.

"Hold on tightly, Siana. You can fight it."

"No, I... can't. I'm go... slip, soon..."

"No, you aren't. You have the heart of a Lord in you. Tap into it. Fight it."

"I'm... I'm scared..."

"I know. Me, too." The creature wraps an arm around her. "But you have to fight, do you understand?"

"I can't... I'm not..."

Siana wasn't going to be able to swing her blade. Her arm was broken. Both of them. She couldn't cut down this net. As in, physically could not.

...Maybe it was over after all.

But she was so close...

"...There was this man. A soldier in the king's army. He wasn't a knight, or a magician. He didn't command legions, he was one of those commanded. He was no stronger than you or me.

"There was this war. A terrible struggle, between the king's men and an army of brigands. Monsters who would slaughter men and women by the hundreds.

"And there was a bridge. A wooden bridge, separating that army from the kingdom. At a place that would come to be known as Huelwen's Crossing.

"The army came. They came to burn and loot and kill, as they always did. They were met by the kingdom's soldiers. What followed was a bloodbath. The marauders massacred the defenders, throwing spear and arrow and sword into them.

"But this man would not let them pass. That bridge was all that stood between these monsters and his little girl. He took up arms and charged across the bridge, determined to keep them at bay.

"But he was not a knight.
He was not a scholar.
He was just a man.

"The marauders fell on him like a pack of wolves. They beat and broke him, and took wicked delight in his misery. All the while, the man's comrades tore up the bridge behind him. There would be no escape.

"But he would not flee. He fought, he fought these beasts with no hope of success, no chance to see Absum grace the skies again. He fought as a man doomed to die.

"But when all was done, the bridge was broken. The man's daughter, among many others, lived thanks to his sacrifice.

"That is who you come from, Siana. That is Maldwyn of the Bridge. His strength is your strength."

Siana grabs ahold of the sword with both hands, determined to make that last stroke. No. She wasn't giving up, not so close to the end.

"Fight."

She pivots her body and slices through the base of the rope wall, causing it to creak forward, before collapsing under its own weight, toward Reina.

0:07
0:06

[Reinholdt]

[Training Area]

0:05

Reina feels herself physically seize up before she heads for the door. She is hungry. So hungry. She wants to slip back into the warm darkness that awaited her. The empty void where Calublufiok beckoned.

0:04

But Reina has to fight. Has to fight. She couldn't go back to that dark empty place in her soul where there is only suffering. No. Not her. Siana?

0:03

Siana has to fight because... Siana was hungry. This is Siana's thoughts? Her memories? An imagined reality?

0:02

No. No, these weren't just memories. They had been there the whole time ever since Siana had come in. These... these were physic attacks! Siana has been overwhelming and disorienting Reina from the very beginning!

0:01

Reina has to fight back. Now that she understood, she has to repel the mental intrusion! She clutches at her head and cries out in agony as she fights desperately to reassert her own miserable life in her head. The sound from the pained feline ceases as (0:00 The buzzer sounds) the ropes from the rope climb hit the cat.

The echoes from the crash and the buzzer fade to silence.

[Ironsmith]

[Training Area]

Well.

That was it.

Had she done it? Had she passed? She couldn't tell, it'd been such a close call.

Siana sheathes her cane-sword and crawls forward, her limbs screaming out at her in agony. That was only going to last a few more minutes, thankfully. She'd already felt her dislocated hip pull itself back into position, and it felt like her left forearm had de-fractured.

Still, she couldn't wait until the felt entirely better to figure out whether she'd managed to "catch" Reina. The anticipation was more painful than the broken ribs.

"Miss?" She calls, propping herself up on her cane.