Chapter II ⚔ The Hunt || Backdated to Saturday

[crimson_flashed]

[Action ; Around town]

[Her makeshift sword already spilled blood on Friday, the first day. A boy probably not older than her named Hilbert - she recalls him being called for on the phone, but being a simple mercenary drafted to kill, she saw no point to answer any of the calls. Someone seems to have finally found out, anyway - she did have the

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Let's get this started, eh? /posts the last post first, aw yiss

[doctor_creep]

[Ha, ha, ha. What an interesting game they were playing this time. The doctor has nothing of his own unearthly strengths, but that makes him no less formidable - even if he's gotten away from Silence's worrisome, watchful eyes.

Some part of even attempting to elude the other man is selfish - fellow mystic or not, Silence is an IRPO agent, and they do generally frown upon murder. Another part of it is privacy, though. The freedom that comes from being able to do what you will, knowing you're alone with your victim... it makes it much easier to analyze the effects of one's actions.

Regardless, it'll take some time for him to find Marisa - he knows what she looks like, but calling around would be like sending a calling-card - and equipped with little more than a myriad of syringes and scalpels, he can't afford that, especially not knowing if she's made her first kill yet. In fact, he's actually surprised to find her prowling the streets, armed... but a smile twitches at his lips

OKEY DOKES

[crimson_flashed]

[She held a blade and trained every day under her father to become a superior swordmaster for as far as she could even remember. She was taught that becoming a good mercenary was the only way to survive in the harsh desert conditions of Jehanna, but in the end, it wasn't the job or the pay that kept her going no matter what came in her way

[doctor_creep]

[It's difficult to tell whether it's arrogance, anticipation or lack of training, but he doesn't remain hidden. Just like he didn't stop moving just because she did - that would, after all, be terribly obvious. Still, the flash of his glasses in the light is the first clear indication of him as he steps around a tall vehicle.

She's as young as she looked on the picture... and as adept as he could have hoped for. He looks almost nonthreatening, too slender to be well-muscled, too pale to have spent a lot of time training out in the sun.

Though he says nothing, the scalpel in his hand, catching the light as he walks, speaks his intentions just fine. It also tells her that his options are limited - barring throwing the blade, he'll have to draw quite near to fight effectively.]

Observant. I suppose, then, that this should be quite a match. [The first words that spill from his lips are uttered in a deep tone, laced with the slightest curiosity and ill-bridled excitement. The first decision is up to her, then. Offense or defense?]

[crimson_flashed]

[She's fought mages who looked flimsier in physical appearance; a slender frame isn't going to fool her. Her eyes flicker to his scalpel, and then back to his face.

The amethyst irises don't seem to see him. Ah, she doesn't care about what he's expecting or what he wants. His words were the final confirmation she needed to know that this man is here to kill her, so of course talking to him is unnecessary. There's nothing to say to someone who's trying to be your killer.

She doesn't hesitate. Her left arm is her dominant arm, the one that held her sword. With nothing in her eyes, she rushes forward to get into striking range, and if he lets her get that far, he has to defend against a diagonal slash aimed for the arm that carried the scalpel. All that she can hope for now is that this man gives more resistance than the boy she killed yesterday, but his stance itself has already been enough to give her a hint of his experience.

Win or lose, maybe she'll be able to learn something from this. And if that's the case, then it's good

[flipping_fate]

[Joshua approaches her casually with a small grin. He has a sword in a homemade scabbard at his hip, but his hands are off of it. It's his intent to appear as least threatening as possible.]

Hello, Marisa.

Where are you off to?

[crimson_flashed]

[...

She's not removing her hand from her blade, but if he's seen her enough times on the battlefield, he should know that this is far from a pose that's ready to strike, too.]

Joshua. ...I'm continuing the assignment. [Blandly, in the same tone that she might answer "prince Innes/Ephraim assigned me at this place to hold off the enemy".]

[flipping_fate]

The assignment, eh?

Now, I was under the impression that mercenaries were usually paid for their work.

[crimson_flashed]

I received a Killing Edge for finishing the first one.