Sushi for One, Always One [Private//Johann]

It'd been a few days since Dr. Raelin had issued her a task. Idling was not something the cloned young woman was good at historically, made more obvious each passing day as she organized and reorganized the entire lab. His experiments weren't clone based at the current moment, so he had little use for her for a change. Being unneeded and useless set all her anxieties on edge. Even reading couldn't placate her, and as of yesterday her constant helpful yet antsy presence lingering behind him had frayed his nerves enough to finally send her away. When he was absorbed in a project, he needed complete concentration. What a horrible time for no viable jobs.

He'd worded it carefully, so as to sound like a job or task. 7 was but an item to help others, so suggesting she take some time and enjoy herself would be like asking a picket fence to give a massage. He'd send her to Hosenka to research the area. A wild goose chase. She didn't need much reason. Observe the area, the hotels, the shops, the flora and fauna. It was not her place to ask why, nor did she.

The train ride was long and quite miserable. Being a slayer, even if it was lacrima induced, made any transportation one long, nauseous torment. Laying over in the green leathered double seat, she curled her legs up a bit and wrapped her arms around her stomach. 7 was very against sleep, which made it a shame that she couldn't take refuge in that for the duration of travels. Possibly one of the strongest emotions 7 felt was the relief from the locomotive coming to a stop, ending her suffering and landing her in a wonderful new place.

The clone was entirely obedient, but she did have a will and whims of her own. She rarely gave into such things...unless it was shopping or food. The first thing she came to was a sushi restaurant that tickled her fancy. Yes, she'd just endured intense motion sickness, but she recovered quickly and was absolutely starving.

A few moments later, a rose haired female in a black sundress was perched on a stool at the sushi bar alone. The man behind the counter had paused his expert seafood preparation to stare at her, who seemed to be bottomless at this point. For someone her petite size, she'd already eaten enough for a grown man and yet still she sat there, looking at him with oblivious expectancy. "Tuna this time, please," she said in a quiet voice, hands folded serenely in her lap.

[436/1000 for exam]

How had the Vice President of the West Fiore Trading Company ended up here again ? Johann yawned sleepily, staring out of the window of the moving train to Hosenka, going through the events of the recent couple hours, days and weeks. The silver haired male in the spotless, white uniform was reasonably angered, he had been scheduled to meet with an important client in this town he had barely heard of before, naturally making the trip for the convenience of the other only for the gentleman to change his schedule and cancel the meeting while he was already halfway to the nowhere called Hosenka. He sighed lightly. It couldn't be helped. It's not like he would've had to take the train anyway, there were a multitude of other, quicker options, but ... in truth, Johann was a little sick of the constant flood of paperwork directed his way, and so decided that some time away from the HQ would be adequate, even if it was just a couple of days. After all, what he did know of this ominous settlement was that it was somewhat famous for its Spa's, and he had never really been to one, so he figured that ... well, maybe it was time to explore the local culture a little.

Of course, that wouldn't remain the only thing on Johann's mind. Adding to all the stress was that he hadn't slept in, well, about a week, didn't matter much, but he could feel the exhaustion catching up. He hadn't had the time for a good night's rest, but this new body he had "received" from Mars, as sturdy as it was, was not unbreakable either. He would rest today. The body was another reason for his headaches, ... but who wouldn't be more than slightly creeped out by the fact that they had been changed into someone they did not know, someone different from themselves. In truth, the man with the argent hair didn't know who he was anymore, what he was doing, why he was still here. He had not just gone through physical change, but through a rather noticeable change in attitude and behaviour as well. Where had had placed utmost importance on mannerisms and a polite interaction before he had grown stoic, unempathetic for the feelings and concerns of others, his eyes gaining to them a dull, cold glow. Where he had been formal, he now was indifferent, though the one thing he retained his memories and the emotions they brought forth. The hate for the world, for the past, but also the love he had come to know that drowned out the pain and sorrow of days long passed, and his smile, if only it was for the sake of those he called family. Then, there was also this one last "thing", the thing that would never shut up, never leave him alone and bother him with idle chatter around the clock. If he didn't know better he would say that Mars was a child who had just learned to articulate themselves. "So, what do you plan on doing in this o-so-famous Spa town ? Are we gonna visit some hot springs ?". The VP couldn't help but think that the other half of his being was uncomfortably laid-back for someone of his position. "We'll see. How about for starters ...", Johann taking a second before continuing, "... we'll go and grab something to eat ?".

Leaving the train a good while later, Johann stepped into the train station, carrying with himself the small bag with a few belongings, spare clothes, and the red sword in the scabbard on his belt, scratching the back of his head while looking around. Of course, one great benefit that came with having never been to Hosenka was having absolutely no knowledge of the place. The VP mentally shrugged. Simply starting to walk, he took in the atmosphere of the place for the time being. The architecture seemed odd, Jo had only seen something like that occasionally before, but couldn't name or pinpoint the style, but found it certainly unique. Maybe this little spontaneous vacation would prove more eventful than he had thought initially, after all ? He couldn't finish the thought, forcefully ripped away from it by the sound of his growling stomach. Sighing, he looked around. "If the place is such a tourist trap it shouldn't be hard to find a decent place to eat ... you up for sushi ?", Mars simply answering with an approving cackle and a whisper, "Whatever fills the black hole that is your appetite" from the depths of his subconsciousness. Thus, with hasty steps, the man in the white uniform turned, heading for the door of the restaurant where he hoped to find the exotic dish he had only ever heard about, but never tried himself before. Johann sat down at what appeared like a bar, but without bartender, the man who would normally hand out drinks instead replaced with what appeared like a chef who, with admittedly intriguing skill, seemed to prepare the meals right before the customers eyes. The silver haired male was intrigued, dropping the bag with his stuff at his side, absentmindedly staring at the food before him. He had no idea how this worked. Did he just order what he wanted ? What did he want, actually ? He had no idea what to look for. Slightly embarrassed and with some confusion he opened his mouth, deciding to take no chances, saying out loud "One of everything, please".

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Word Count: 926
Word Count Total: 926 / 3.500

Despite seeming otherwise robotic, 7 had a pleasant look on her face as she munched her newest plate of nigiri. The corners of her mouth angled up just enough to compliment the smile in her eyes. As was sort of an odd habit she had while consuming food, a nearly inaudible hum lilted from her vocal cords. A song she'd heard at a store passing by was bouncing around that brain of hers, but it soon stopped once she noticed something interesting.

"One of everything, please."

This caught the girl's complete attention, which would have otherwise remained on her food alone. Despite there being other patrons peppered about the place, she exuded a solitary vibe, so much so that before this newcomer sat down, everyone else had put several seats in between themselves and her. While this might have bothered a more social creature, 7 didn't cast it a thought. She couldn't help everyone eat their food...that was a thing she'd learned people frowned upon a couple years ago. But this man had ordered a bunch of food, most she'd never tried or seen. Her knowledge of sushi was just two different types that she always had everywhere that sold it; tuna and salmon. Simple but enjoyable with a dab of soy sauce on the smooth aquatic meat.

Her crimson eyes locked onto his face, inquisitive and possibly a little excited. She wanted to see what all he'd get. Her gaze was possibly lingering to the point of unnerving impoliteness, but the clone was not yet adept at the minute mannerisms of the general populace. Thankfully her eyes moved to his plates once the poor chef was able to assemble them. The arrangement spilled over into her eating space there were so many, but she was unbothered. It just gave the ability of a better look! Looming over the dishes, she drank them in. There were rolls wrapped in nori, some where tall like little boats filled with colorful toppings and others were perfectly round with cucumber, avocado, and seafood. There were nigiri with different types of fish, elaborate rolls with sauces and toppings, and a plate of sashimi.

Pointing at one of the fancier rolls, her eyes returned to the gray haired man. "What is this one?" she asked, not recognizing any of the ingredients. At least no one could call 7 shy.

[831/1000]

As soon as Johann had given the chef his order and seen the confused, almost incredulous look on the man's face, though paired with reluctant nod, he realized that he might have made a huge mistake. He thought that these little "sushi" things were handed out in relatively small portions ... but then the man, who had started to get to work on preparing all kinds of bowls with ingredients everywhere, started placing one full plate after the other before the Vice President of the West Fiore Trading Company. The next one immediately following the previous, he put down plate upon plate of exotic dishes the silver haired male had never even heard of, let alone seen, so many that they had started taking up all free space on the bar he had decided to sit down at. It made him uncomfortable. He was already seen as gluttonous by his guildmates, well, perhaps for a good reason, but what would they think if they ever saw this ? More importantly even, what would the other guests think ? It was only now that Johann actually became aware of his surroundings, his head shifting from side to side a little to see, to actually realize that he had sat down right beside someone. While he had drawn a lot of attention to himself with this plan of his that had utterly backfired, he could feel the stares of many a pair of eyes, the girl he sat next to possibly exhibited the greatest and most blunt display of what appeared to the VP like interest, perhaps confusion. He couldn't blame her. He himself, one corner of himself lifted up into an awkward half smile, was staring down at the ever growing number of plates, a flood of foreign foods that wouldn't stop until, finally, the chef placed what seemed like the last bit of sushi on the bar.

"Your species is gross, you know that ? To even consider devouring such an amount of -", Mars' deep voice ringing in the VP's ears, Johann interrupting him a perhaps too dramatic, exaggerated cough, the demonic Lord giggling in response "Alright, you do you. Enjoy, tsehehe ...". He swallowed, his eyes going from dish to dish. He didn't even know most of these, couldn't associate anything other with them than their colourful looks and, to be honest, quite appetizing smell. Grabbing the chopsticks that came with the extraordinary collections of sushi, Johann didn't even know where to start. There were these things that looked like what he imagined sushi to be, rolls of rice with different ingredients inside. The there were these cone shaped things that looked like they were just stuffed with veggies. There were pieces of fish, and even some rolls that were covered in various toppings. He sighed, having lost the overview of the situation. At least he had used these before, though he still found that holding them would take a little more getting used to. Picking up a piece of what appeared like lightly grilled fish on a bed of rice, he shoved the sushi in his mouth, chewing for a few seconds before nodding. At least the food tasted great. It would take a little while ... and he had doubts that he would manage to eat up in time. About to go for one of the pieces of seafood that had been presented to him, he heard a voice from his side, involuntarily stopping mid motion and turning his head. What was that ? Did she ask him what that was ? Johann had to stop himself from laughing. Like he had any idea what most of this was. He chuckled, shaking his head. "To be honest, I don't even know. This is my first time in a restaurant like this", pointing at the plethora of foods before them. "You don't happen to be hungry, do you ? I doubt I can finish all of this on my own, so ... I think I could use some help". The silver haired male offered the girl an awkward smile "I'm Johann by the way". The impulse to add "Vice President of the West Fiore Trading Company" was there, he had gotten used to adding that title to his introductions, but since he technically was here on vacation he just left it at that for the time being.

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Word Count: 730
Word Count Total: 1.656 / 3.500

This stranger couldn't possibly have said anything more thrilling to the girl. Well, other than accomplishing her life's goal and adding her to his permanent arsenal. To share all of this food with him! If she didn't find dreams so mind-blowingly terrifying, she'd use the idiom that her dreams had come true. Normally people weren't so generous, especially not to a random person seated next to them and especially not with their food. He wouldn't need to offer twice or insist. Plucking up her chopsticks, they hovered over the roll she'd had her eye on, now more than willing to find out what it was made of for herself.

"I am famished," she answered, earning her a wide-eyed stare from the poor exhausted sushi chef behind the bar. He seemed seconds away from quitting his job, so it was a prime time to go take a break and possibly down an entire bottle of sake. As he made his exit, the cloned woman turned her eyes up to his once more and offered a small, but obviously pleased smile. "I will help you. I am designated 7," she began, though paused abruptly. People rarely responded well to that. The last few she'd met all found her manner of introduction strange, yet she had difficulty breaking the habit. Despite what Dr. Raelin would say, she found it was easier to interact with others if she offered a name instead of her number. In the absence of a traditional name, she liked to insert her number in various languages to simulate the sound and feel of a name. Rain had seemed to take easily to Syv, so perhaps she should amend herself. "You are more than welcome to refer to me as 'Syv', if that is more comfortable for you, Johann, sir," finished the pink haired girl, satisfied now and ready to sample.

Her chopsticks moved with absolute accuracy. Her eating was always efficient, which is why at times it was a spectacle to watch her put away so much. Those who consumed as much as her were usually sloppy and chaotic, but it was quite the opposite. Not a crumb nor spare piece of rice fell from her grasp. Her chewing was fast, yet delicate and deliberate, precisely the amount needed to taste the morsel and masticate it enough to avoid choking. The roll she chose was a bit of a challenge with all the toppings and sauces, but her method was sound. Once she swallowed, another smile appeared. Oh, if only those who thought her a robot were here to see such expressions! "This one is made of crab and seafood salad, avacado, cucumber, and a mayonnaise-based sauce. It's delicious," she informed him. Perhaps if she tasted all of them for the man unfamiliar with the dishes, it would help him eat the ones he would like. Sampling a simpler one from a different plate that had a dark, rich sauce, her head tilted. "This one is...eel, I think. Pepper flakes make it spicy, and the sauce is salty like the meat. Does this help you?" she wanted to know, now pausing for his input and inevitably his questioning about her name.


[1000/1000 COMPLETE for exam|| Begin WC for job: 363/3500]

The girl seemed rather happy with the offer to say the least, promptly taking the silver haired Vice President up on it, commenting on the offer itself with saying that she was famished. Well, all the more reason to give her some of his portions. Of course, all of this would be covered by the West Fiore Trading Company who, as it always had been the case recently, were rather fluid in terms of monetary assets, so it was no big deal at all. Though Johann was somewhat surprised. She had taken him up on the offer instantly, no ifs and buts about it. Was she really that hungry ? She didn't look malnourished or anything, but ... well, you never knew. He was painfully reminded of his own time on the streets where he would have killed for a meal like this. Well, he was certain that eventually he probably would've ended up close to that.

Anyway, the girl shot him a weak smile, introducing herself, making herself known as "7", Johann had to admit, that seemed rather strange, but ... who was really normal in this part of the world anyway ? "Alright Sivvy", Johann gave her a nod, leaning back in his chair and letting his eyes wander over the plates before him "You can drop the "Sir" though, I'm just Johann. Sir's way too formal", smiling sheepishly. People would still occasionally do that, call him "Sir" or "Mr. Weiss" or whatever they came up with, always leaving the man cringing a little. Surely, old Jo would've appreciated the formality, how Johann was now though ...

In any case, the rose haired girl had started to pick away at the meals provided by the obviously overworked cook, Johann did feel a little sorry for him, he hadn't known that the menu was quite to, ahem, extensive, the VP now feeling compelled to do the same. Grabbing the pair of chopsticks firmly, he picked up a piece of what appeared like avocado wrapped in rice, quickly shoving the piece of sushi into his mouth. To his surprise, the taste was quite nice, refreshing almost, chewing with satisfied grin before swallowing. It seemed like sushi had been a good call. Not only that, the girl had also started going through the ones he didn't know yet and explained to him the contents and tastes of these unfamiliar rolls and snacks, Johann nodding enthusiastically as he followed her explanations. "I see, thanks ! That really does help. So those are eel, huh ?" he asked, quickly grabbing a piece of that and dumping it into a dark sauce before this one, too, disappeared in his mouth. "Ohh", the sound quickly escaped him in what seemed like a surprised moment. Indeed, this food was quite salty and spicy at the same time. It was interesting, but he was unsure whether he actually liked it or not. The taste certainly was intriguing though, to say the least. "Do you want those ?" he quickly asked, shoving the plate over towards the enigmatic woman.

Without hesitation the Vice President continued to go through the morsels, the hand with the chopsticks swerving between something that seemed like lightly cooked fish and a roll with a colourful dip on it, grabbing up a piece of the meat. "So, Sivvy, do you live here ?" Johann asked, trying to make a little smalltalk and find out more about this strange girl he had just met. "What brings you to this place other than hunger ?", following up without waiting for an answer and referring to the sushi place specifically. It was still somewhat exotic, even for this tourist trap.

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Word Count: 613
Word Count Total: 2.269 / 3.500

Sivvy. 7's brow twitched ever so slightly as she glanced at him. This was the very first incidence of what she assumed was a case of nicknaming. She wasn't so ignorant as to not know what that was, but it was the first time it had happened to her. Essentially names were exchanged on jobs for more effective communication, and most elected to either stick with her 'odd' number or with her suggestion of the designation in other languages to simulate a normal name. To receive a nickname of someone else's choosing was...different. The girl wasn't sure how to feel about it. Something in her gut twitched in a way she tried to classify as happiness, but that didn't fit the best. The emotion and nickname weren't unwelcome, but she felt...strangely about them. Some sort of complex emotion, one she quickly pushed aside. As if nothing had happened, Sivvy bobbed her head slightly to his request about the sir and spoke again. "As you wish."

Maybe the difference was this wasn't a job. She had no dealings with this man other than to offer him assistance with eating all of his food, which was spur of the moment and completely by chance. Perhaps this is what Dr. Raelin had called a 'social' situation. 7 was on a mission here, yes, but this task had nothing to do with it other than to add it to a list of places she intended to report back to her creator. She was here to satisfy her hunger, as was Johann. They were sharing a meal out of convenience, with neither of them gaining anything other than each other's company. Interesting.

When the man shoved the plate containing the rest of the eel sushi toward her, she simply nodded and began plucking each piece up with efficient motions and munching away. To be fair, she would devour anything he offered her even if she disliked it, since she was operating on her own little mission to help the man clear the table of edibles. Before long it was gone and her mouth was clear, which was the perfect time for his questions to begin. "I do not live here. Currently I reside in Dr. Raelin's laboratory located just inside the forest around Era," the pink haired girl answered, waiting for his chopsticks to swerve a different way so she could snag a piece of crab sushi. Once accomplished, 7 moved to his second question. "I came here because it seemed to be the best sushi place in Hosenka," Syv said quickly, a typically robotic answer like most. However, after a pause, a small smile reappeared. Far too many people wrote her off as emotionless, but they had just yet to see her in an environment of her choosing. "I really like sushi, so I wanted the best. This is really very delicious, don't you think?" the clone counter questioned, her subtly pleased expression the equivalent of a normal person's giddy giggling.

Without realizing what she was doing, Sivvy was now falling into a flow of smalltalk, mulling over something to ask Johann. He asked two things, so she should ask two, right? One down, one to go. In display of perceptiveness, she structured her next words a bit differently than he had. Given his unfamiliarity with this fine establishment and his generally unsure countenance, she had made a deduction. "You aren't from Hosenka. Are you here on business or pleasure?"


[939/3500]

The argent-haired Vice President of the West Fiore Trading Company had to admit, this place was rather nice, and despite the fact that he had probably caused that poor cook to quit his job, he quite enjoyed the exotic food he, admittedly, knew little about. Still, he did like learning about it first hand and, especially with Sivvy's clarification about the details of the individually crafted morsels, experiencing the new, rather complex tastes. "I see", he responded curiously when the girl answered his question from before, explaining that she resided in someone's laboratory, apparently, and came from Era. Well, Jo had never heard of this "Dr. Raelin" before, probably her father? Or perhaps something else? He couldn't be sure about their personal connection, of course, and he wasn't about to ask the girl he had only just met about that either. "Era's quite a trip away", he commented casually, grabbing another piece of what appeared like a piece of fish on rice with the chopsticks, dipping it in a bit of soy sauce before beginning to munch on it. This stuff was really good. Maybe it did pay off to come to Hosenka all the way from Tolgalen, after all? Of course, he could've simply chosen magic, an easy teleportation spell, over taking a ship to Hargeon and the train to Hosenka, but ... well, in truth, he needed some time away from Tolgalen, some time away from his desk duties, and it seemed like this little trip was rapidly becoming just that.

Of course, the girl's answer to his next question made sense as well. He didn't really know what he expected, it seemed like the best reason anyone could come up with to visit a sushi restaurant, the Vice President giving her an approving nod. "Of course", smiling as he grabbed another piece of sushi, "it is quite appetizing, I'm glad I gave this place a go, out of all in Hosenka". "Oh, is that so?", Mars immediately following up on his statement, the giggle of the deep voice, as usual, echoing through his mind, "I hope you're enjoying yourself, vessel". The Lord of War placed emphasis on the last word, once more reminding the God of Ishgar that there was no moment he could enjoy freed from the ever-present babble of the Seal.

The next question aimed at him, however, startled the Vice President of the West Fiore Trading Company a little. "Is it that easy to figure me out?", offering the girl a rhetorical question, shaking his head with a slight chuckle. "No, I'm not from Hosenka", he admitted, working his way through a plate of sushi that seemed like it was filled with chicken and teriyaki sauce, "I originally came here from Tolgalen to meet a client, I work for the West Fiore Trading Company you see, but the man cancelled last minute ...", pausing briefly as he gestured towards the plethora of plates spread out before the two, "... which is why I'm trying to make the best of this, well, situation". "7", as she called herself, seemed like didn't mind the informal back and forth, so Johann would continue. He did not mind the questions, in fact, he enjoyed her company, glad he was finally doing something other than mindless officework for once. "What about you, Sivvy? What do you do?", curious about the answer the girl would come up with.

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Word Count: 568
Word Count Total: 2.837 / 3.500

A business man from Tolgalen. Another country, one owned by the company he worked for, if she remembered correctly. She had extensive geographical knowledge, but she'd never stepped foot out of Fiore. In fact, Dr. Raelin had turned down some very lucrative jobs from other countries with little to no explanation. It was not her place to question her creator. She cared about what she was told to care about, right? She thought that was the case, but perhaps deep down it wasn't so.

His return question elicited a pause from the young woman. It was a complicated question. She had no simple answer for him like he had had for her. Perhaps too many pieces of sushi were consumed in the silence as Sivvy organized her thoughts, trying to search out the most accurate term. Two plates quickly disappeared, to be exact. For someone in such good shape, she was insatiable when it came to food. Perhaps it was a slayer side effect? "I'm a...hireling. A hired hand. Dr. Raelin receives payment for my short term cooperation with mages needing help on jobs," she began, finding that explanation a little clunky at best, but it was as close as she could come. In this explanation's case the word 'rental' would have been the best fit, but referring to herself as an item for use didn't usually garner favorable reactions in most people she met.

Still feeling the need to add specifics, the pink haired woman idly dabbed sushi topped with a beautifully glistening, fuchsia hued tuna into the soy sauce in a nearby saucer and continued speaking. "I do anything and everything that is required of me. I help others in any facet they have that needs filled, and I endeavor to be the best fit. If I'm not, I educate myself until I am better suited. That's why we were created," 7 nodded, and with the ceasing of her words she ate the sushi piece whole. Oh, it was salty. Too much soy sauce. Her brow creased a little at the intense flavor, but she continued chewing and swallowed nonetheless. Talking and eating at the same time was more complicated than she thought. Though a simple, natural thing for most, all of her meals until now had been alone and in silence. Dr. Raelin always took lunch in his lab, and preferred to work while he ate. He didn't like being disturbed while he worked.

Her eyes turned back up to Johann's as it occurred to her she still might not have offered the best explanation. "Did that answer suffice?" Sivvy inquired, nudging the plate of tuna sushi toward the man. Despite her soy sauce faux pas, the fish had been delightful and she couldn't help but think he needed to try it.

[1415/3500]

Johann looked up from his plate of sushi, leisurely chewing on a piece of Sushi when the girl began talking about her occupation, a lifestyle Johann was all too familiar with from the vast majority of his adulthood. He used to drift around aimlessly, doing every odd job he could to stay afloat. At the end of it, he couldn't exactly complain. He had been paid decently well and compared to his time in Minstrel ... anything would have been better than that, but of course, none of it would compare to the salary of a Vice President. Admittedly, settling down to a more sedentary way of living had been the best decision he had made in his life. Finding himself thinking back and sunken in deep thought for a few seconds, he briefly passed over the last year and a half in his thoughts, still barely able to believe so much had happened in this short of a time. His life had, in the truest and most literal sense of the word, been turned around entirely. This far he could follow the girl's explanation, perhaps even empathize with her, although, admittedly, her relationship with this Doctor seemed ... odd. He was paid for her jobs rather than the girl herself? Naturally, it was not uncommon in the world of wizards to sign contracts, go on jobs or missions and receive payments for it, even Johann found himself doing the occasional job still, now perhaps more than before due to his standing as a God of Ishgar, but the fact remained that he couldn't quite explain to himself, in his mind, the connection between 7, "Sivvy" as he would call her, and Dr. Raelin.

Not only that, the girl's next statement had him raise an eyebrow, hastily consuming the delicate morsel in his mouth to avoid choking on it. "Created" was a rather ... strange term to use. Was she perhaps the daughter of this enigmatic Doctor? "So Dr. Raelin is your father?", he found himself asking her, more out of an instinctual curiosity, a reflex, rather than careful thought. "Is he not concerned that you're out here on your own?". In general, the girl's attitude appeared somewhat odd to the silver-haired Vice President of the Trading Company. She seemed obedient, perhaps even too obedient, and from the way the girl was describing her occupation, this Doctor didn't seem unwilling to exploit that fact fully. Or, perhaps, he interpreted too much into what the girl had said, and the man was her employer of sorts. Perhaps she would care to elaborate. "Is what you're doing ... a stable job of sorts? Are you paid well or are you lacking anything? You know, the West Fiore Trading Company could always use capable employees, if you're unhappy with your current situation". Well, that hadn't been entirely subtle. The girl, of course, was well within her right to outright reject the offer of sorts, though the option was always there, and offer the Vice President would present and had presented all too often. Perhaps she would even take offense to this kind of thing. Who was he to tell?

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Word Count: 526
Word Count Total: 3.363 / 3.500

After his response to her words, the iLac in her pocket protested with a forlorn ringing like a funeral toll. That was a little annoying, since his offer was actually what she was hoping for. While being useful to one specific person was preferred, assisting everyone in a company would surely be like what her sisters were doing for the magic council, right? That soothed her anxiety, though she couldn't help the contradictory nagging in the back of her mind. She'd never not lived in the lab with her creator. Should she ask for permission? Did she need it? This was a very strange gray area she wasn't sure about, but perhaps after she checked her device she'd call and discuss this with the doctor. Reaching into her messenger bag, she produced the electronic gadget to see a text message from the very person she'd been about to contact.

It seemed she wouldn't need to discuss the matter after all.

"That would actually be good timing," she nearly chirped, showing a glimmer of enthusiasm on her otherwise subdued face as she replaced the iLac into her bag. "It was a stable job, though any reward brought in would go to the doctor and he'd give me some jewel for necessity if he didn't require it all for his work. I'm not allowed to go back, though, so this seems to fall under the inexplicable construct of luck that you would offer such a thing. Dr. Raelin apparently sent me on his pleasure trip with the intent that I remain...abroad. Indefinitely," she explained, not seeming sad. Perhaps there was a little in her carmine eyes, but she didn't seem to register the complexity of emotions that was happening.

Speaking of, he'd inquired about the person at the forefront of her mind, hadn't he? "Dr. Raelin is nothing more than the man who produced my sisters and I and provided training in all the areas required to achieve our purposes. He has made it very clear that he is not to be considered a father figure. It's just good business. The seven of us were his most recent life's work commissioned by the magic council, so it'd have been unprofessional to form familial bonds with us," Sivvy explained, though her consumption of sushi had waned in the mean time. Her words were completely honest, and curiously void of concern for herself. "He would never be concerned for me. I'm an adult, very capable, and more educated than the average citizen of Fiore. If I can't survive on my own, then I am a failed project indeed," her chopsticks trembled for a few seconds as they hovered over a piece of sashimi, before she seemed to change her mind and place the chopsticks down on a small wedge serving as a chopstick rest. Ivory hands folded in her lap, paleness accentuated by the obsidian dye of her sundress.

It was strange knowing she wouldn't be returning to the lab. All the time chasing meaning to her life and she'd never considered what changes to her life would take place when she finally did accomplish her purpose. It felt like she'd swallowed a stone, but she was fairly certain she'd only eaten sushi. She'd have noticed swallowing a rock, right?

"Does the West Fiore Trading Company have living quarters that can be rented to employees?" Sivvy asked, though it didn't matter. Once she started claiming jewel as her own, she'd be able to find a place to live. The clone didn't own much so it could be a very small space, and what she did own was in an item Dr. Raelin had made her so her stuff wouldn't get in his way. It was called Hammerspace, and to be honest there was only clothes in it aside from bare necessities. At least she always traveled light. "Can I start immediately?"


[2089/3500]

Johann blinked, admittedly somewhat surprised by the sudden and rather unforeseen turn of events, producing not much more than an "...Oh". It seemed like like fate, as it usually was the case, would have a cruel sense of humor. "I'm ... sorry to hear that", he added, lost for anything else to say at current. He couldn't quite explain to himself the story of this girl, the situation she was in. Still, her explanation would reach him. Magic Council. Of course. They had their hands in every strange phenomenon, every morally bankrupt experiment, every twisted tragedy that occurred inside these lands. Her nature, still, would remain enigmatic, and, to be frank, care he did not. Not particularly, at least. She seemed like a decent enough person, a little strange, sure, but Johann von Weiss was the last person able to judge someone on that. Picking up what seemed like the last little pieces of sushi left over from the staggering amount that had been available before, the God of Ishgar listened to her ask questions once more, in a way, feeling sad for her. Seemed like this Doctor of hers wasn't a particularly great person. Still, he was glad that, it at least would appear that way, she considered his offer. Of course, he would answer promptly, swallowing what seeemed like the last piece of sushi, leaving behind an abundance of now emptied plates before the two. A satisfactory meal, certainly, thought the topic of conversation seemed to have shifted away from the food.

"The West Fiore Trading Company offers any recruit a comfortable and adequate living space, free of charge, of course. Alternatively, you can seek your own space anywhere on Tolgalen, should you so desire". He hoped that this would adequately answer her question. Of course, he wasn't quite prepared for the next one that followed, though, thinking about it for just a few moments, it made sense. In principle, the WFTC would always take new recruits, and this would be no exception. "Of course. The only thing that would remain would be your initiation, which is combined with a test, determined by one of the Vice Presidents". He raised his hand to his head, smiling a bit sheepishly, continuing "In this case, that'd be me, I suppose". Undoubtedly, though, Sivvy would probably raise questions about this test like every newcomer had before her. "The test is a way for us to judge your capabilities as a mage as well as at the same time determine what role within the West Fiore Trading Company would be best suited for you. If you pass the test, I will directly process your application myself", trying to elaborate the hiring process for a Company mage a little more as well as reassure her that the whole process would be handed as quickly as possible. From the sound of it, the woman wasn't too phased by what was essentially her being fired and made homeless from what he had understood, though perhaps this was just a facade. In honesty, the girl was somewhat of a mystery to the silver-haired male, though he figured that, with time, perhaps the two would become more familiar with each other.

"So, any idea what you wish to do for your induction?", he inquired certainly more casually than in most cases before. It had been a while since he had recruited someone to the Company directly, perhaps even before Mars and himself had had their ... problem. "If there is nothing of particular importance to you ...", Johann was unsure if it was the demon's influence on him, though felt his thoughts wander into a certain direction. "... then perhaps I have an idea". There was nothing better than a decent fight, after all.

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Word Count: 627
Word Count Total: 3.990 / 3.500

Initiation. Test. Sivvy involuntarily swallowed hard as if consuming the words physically and finding them nearly too large to go down. It brought back memories of the one time she'd failed, which also just so happened to be the most important time in her life. That one moment had changed everything and thrown her into insecurity and purposelessness. Her whole conscious life she had trained and learned to be the best along her batch mates. She was programmed and polished same as they were. Had she been complacent? The mystery of how it happened still eluded her, but the fact was she was somehow not the perfect clone like her sisters were, and thus discarded and left behind. Dr. Raelin had gotten paid less for her failure, though she was never told what her price or her sisters' prices had been. 7 had always assumed it must have been quite high, since she was often sent out on jobs that brought high rewards to "make up" for a project's failure.

If she didn't pass this new test, what would she do? Her survival skills were top notch, but merely living wasn't enough for her. She needed purpose. The primal drive inside her to find a person that needed her help nearly strangled her. True, it could be that Johann had no direct need for her, but a company sounded like a place where someone would find use for her. She very much wanted to go now that it had been offered, but history could repeat itself. She might not be good enough again. Her fingers danced at the hem of her black dress before curling around it entirely so her white knuckles were hidden bu fabric and her own thighs. Meanwhile, her facial expression barely changed aside from a singular twitch of her blush brow.

As if the aspect of testing and failure wasn't weight enough on her mind, the Vice President provided her a choice of what she wanted to do for this test. Quite honestly, making decisions for herself was not in her programming. The notion was foreign and backward compared to everything she'd ever been taught. Her mind buzzed in confused panic until he finally mentioned he had an idea. "Nothing is of importance to me," she answered stiffly, perhaps choosing poor wording but the meaning was still there, possibly in more ways than she meant. "Please, tell me your idea," requested the clone, relieved that she would possibly receive instruction, though it came with an equal dose of likeliness to fail. Logic told her if she'd just been able to set the terms of her own exam to prove herself useful, then her odds would have raised significantly. Yet it was also basically impossible, so it became a paradox that set her synapses on fire. However, it was also possible she could pass. Her skill was nothing to scoff at, and since Johann wasn't the Magic Council and probably didn't have the same criteria for her to pass, there might be light at the end of tunnel still. She'd just have to wait to see what he had in mind and adjust accordingly. 7 would have to trust in Dr. Raelin's rigorous curriculum. Her training hadn't stopped while she remained at the lab, so it was plausible she had advanced so far beyond where she failed before that it wouldn't be a problem now. Sivvy hazarded she had hope of finally finding what she sought in life, so she'd fight for it right this very moment if she must! Her stomach was well fed (though arguable unable to be filled), and she'd slept a couple days ago. This was fortunate. There was plenty of energy to expend on whatever she needed to without fear of being sloppy from exhaustion or weak from hunger. As long as it wasn't on a moving vehicle, she stood a chance!


[2739]

It seemed like the girl wasn't exactly impressed with the prospect of an initiation, Johann failing to interpret the absence of a reaction. The girl seemed equally stoic than before. Perhaps it was nervousness or simply calculating anticipation? He had a hard time telling what was truly going on inside the girl's head, but then again, Johann wasn't exactly the best at reading emotions, a part of him thinking back to his own initiation into the West Fiore Trading Company. He had been ... painfully awkward. Not to mention the drama with Ruvel ... No, his methods, in comparison, would be rather mild. Still, it came a little surprising that Sivvy seemed to have absolutely no preference regarding the test of sorts. Not like it hadn't happened before, some people wouldn't fight, some people enjoyed a friendly duel, though the way she said it seemed ... off to the VP. Perhaps he had worded that wrong.

Still, she seemed content with the Vice President of the West Fiore Trading Company dictating the conditions of the initiation. At least, content enough. "Every Vice President has their own methods, of course", Johann explained briefly before laying out his plan to the girl, "Some prefer to set goals that test magical abilities ...", his mind wandering to Sol Terumi and his ... eccentric introductions briefly, "... others like to test physical abilities ...", there was, of course, Adalinda, who perhaps shared his liking for a good brawl, although on a perhaps different level than himself, "... and then some like to test your wit and your resolve ...". He thought about Cirven. He hadn't seen the devil in months, the reason why his younger brother had taken over the West Fiore Trading Company in the first place. "... and lastly, I know someone who will take no risks and peer into the depths of your mind himself, a rather out-of-place method, perhaps". Johann hadn't enjoyed the fact Ruvel's summons had made him relive the darkest times of his life, though, he had to admit that, arguably, it had made him stronger in the end. "I, myself, however, would prefer something more ... simple, direct. Perhaps, Sivvy ...", he would never be comfortable referring to the rose-haired girl as a number, whatever circumstance had produced this strange name, "... how about a friendly duel? Of course, I will accept a no. It is not for everyone, after all". He had said that, and yet, he couldn't shake off the creeping feeling that the girl would go with whatever he proposed, her motivations a complete mystery to the man.

Naturally, should the girl agree, there would be the problem of space. Having learned that the girl was a mage herself, the two couldn't exactly start fighting in the middle of Hosenka. They had several options. Of course, Johann could always transport them to Tolgalen so they could use the Company's extensive training grounds, but he was unsure if the sudden change of scenery would leave the girl displaced. They could always leave the town for a less populated area where they wouldn't be so easily disturbed or would disturb others. Lastly, if none of these were an option, he still had access to his pocket dimension, which would guarantee them peace from intrusion, but was rather restrictive in terms of its dimensions. He would offer all of these spots to her so she could pick what would suit her best. That was, of course, if she agreed.

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Word Count: 582
Word Count Total: 4.572 / 3.500

There were more Vice Presidents than she thought, and all sounded fearsome indeed. As she listened she wondered what challenge he'd bestow upon her, and if it would be like she'd encountered before. The jittering in her stomach wouldn't serve her well, so she did her best to follow Dr. Raelin's teachings and banish her emotions. They were weaknesses. Her sisters didn't feel them, so why did she? The first two of his colleagues presented tests that had been parts of the exam the Magic Council had put the clones through. Luckily there'd been no mind-reading, though why would there have been? Other than operational knowledge, they weren't supposed to have much to look through. She'd failed without that part. Was it possible to fail extra?

However, what he offered sounded a little less alarming. A friendly duel. Her head tilted a little as she mulled over the implications. Never had she been asked for a friendly duel. She didn't know what to make of it, really. 7 didn't have any friends, and anyone that had fought her in the past had been less than kind. Her clients, be them fellow mages or magicless citizens putting forth contracts, never asked her to turn her abilities onto them for...what. Entertainment? Exercise? Competition? It was interesting. The term was familiar, but she'd never pictured herself taking part in one and thus never gave it more than a glancing thought.

Steeling herself, she turned to Johann with a perfect mask of serenity. "A friendly duel is fine," she agreed just as he'd suspected. Mysterious as she might be to the man, he was quickly picking up that she'd have agreed to anything, regardless of her own hidden trepidation. She wasn't so conceited that she couldn't find value in failure. Though she hadn't been enough to join her sisters, it was easy for her to see that she'd progressed in skill since then. Sivvy'd been relentlessly fueled to improve herself from that moment on, stretching even to now. The clone had to keep getting stronger, or she'd never be worth anything to anyone. That thought made her sick.

Wasting no more time, she pushed her seat back from the obscene amount of empty dishes they'd piled high. At their payment and subsequent leaving, the sushi chef finally peeked his head inside the back door, hesitantly retaking his place as fearful eyes watched the man and woman's backs silhouette in the doorway just before disappearing into the bright sunshine outside.

7 wasn't familiar with the area at all, but she at least noticed the path out of town as she'd wandered around. It was always good to know how to get into and out of a place in case of an emergency. Given the terrain, there should be a nice clearing that would be safe for dueling not too far outside the bustling town. Sure enough, not too far outside of the bustling spa town things quieted considerably. Further out appeared to be farmland, but in-between Hosenka and the farms was a no man's land they could utilize. The ground was grassy and fairly even, perhaps cleared for the eventual expansion of the business town if it ever needed it.

"Will this do?" she asked, knowing it would be enough to keep anyone safe from her, but being unsure about her potential employer. She felt like he was strong. Strong enough that he didn't have to worry about whatever she had to offer because he already knew he could handle it. Her teeth kneaded the inside of her bottom lip for a second, but once more she seemed to clear herself of her misgivings. "Do you have any stipulations?" the clone inquired, wanting to make sure she knew the rules of the game before throwing herself into it headfirst.


[3373]

"Splendid", Johann offered her a smile when she agreed to his idea of an introduction. Certainly, it would be good fun, not to mention the fact that when facing someone on in combat, there was much you could learn about the other person. A perfect method for not just the Vice President of the West Fiore Trading Company, but also the Lord of War locked away deep within him, the creature, upon being confronted with the prospect of battle, writhing with excitement. "Will I get to do the ... dueling, tssehe ?". The VP, as it was so often the case, ignored Mars, who, with a disgruntled rumble, went silent once more. Of course, it was a no. Mars could be quite ... savage when it came to the one thing he indulged in without any restraint, a thing the God of Ishgar would not allow, not when fighting an initiate for the Company. An enemy? Perhaps. The girl? No.

When Sivvy rose from her seat, so would the silver-haired male, Johann, with a practiced motion, opening his wallet and leaving a considerable sum of jewels on the counter, including a generous tip for the traumatized chef. "Business expenses", he would later hand the bill to the Company. It had been a while since he had paid for his own food, now that he was thinking about it. Well, at least the trip had been good for something and not entirely been in vain. Once outside, the man would simply follow the young woman as she navigated the streets of Hosenka. He had never been here before, not that he remembered, and would have arguably been lost if it wasn't for her. She seemed to move with determination, which would be good enough for Johann.

And indeed, some time later, they had since left the city bounds of the Spa town, they would reach a clearing well away from the hustle and bustle of Hosenka's streets. When the girl stopped and asked him, he responded swiftly, looking around. "Sure. A more than adequate space". And indeed, the open, grassy terrain would offer them enough space as to not disturb the nearby city. It wasn't like Joh would unleash all of his destructive capabilities in what he called a friendly duel. He unbuttoned the front of his jacket, dropping the white blazer into what seemed like a small portal beside him, the opening in space swallowing the clothing article before closing back up. Every time the VP engaged in a fight he lost one of his uniforms, and this one would probably be no exception. Rolling up the sleeves of the white formal shirt, he glanced over to Sivvy, who asked about stipulations. "But one, please, do not hold back. Attack me in whichever way you wish. Do you have any?", he returned the question. Of course, if the girl had none, that would be it. The Vice President would assume a stance, and simply wait for the girl to make her move. "Whenever you're ready".

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Word Count: 505
Word Count Total: 5.077 / 7.000

The area she'd chosen was actually already a deficit to her. There were many spells at her disposal with varying ranges, but she preferred long range. It was easy to provide allies with cover fire, as well as spot enemies from quite a distance and dispatch them accordingly before they could cause too many problems. Regardless of her preferences, she was painstakingly trained in mid-range and close-range combat as well, so she was more than able to aid those that couldn't handle it alone. 7 was like a precision tool. Calculating every movement for maximum effectiveness was more her speed, so she found anything but that chaotic and messy. Yet here she was, in a sprawling field with no distant high areas to perch from. Even if there had been, she knew better. It'd be a bad idea to try and fight Johann long range, one-on-one. For her strategy to work, she'd either need the element of surprise or a partner to keep him distracted. Sivvy knew she had neither of those.

While her mind continued to strategize, he spoke his only rule for this duel. Don't hold back. He no doubt wanted to gauge her skill at her pinnacle, to see if she had the right constitution and skill to benefit the company he worked for. It made sense, not that that mattered. Him simply issuing that one small command was enough for her to comply with it regardless of her own small feelings on the matter. If this is what he wanted, she would do her absolute best.

"No, I don't have any," she answered his counter question simply, then suddenly her whole countenance sharpened into that of a well-trained combatant. The young woman was a swift little thing, and possibly deceptively strong for her lithe frame. In the span of a second at the most, Sivvy was launching at him as if she was shot from a cannon. Her body twisted gracefully, albeit swiftly in the air, aiming a kick at the silver-haired man's head. Whether it hit or not, it seemed she'd start out firmly on the offensive and  land back on her feet for a quick follow up attack. Hundreds of sharp needles formed in her skin and burst out from her in all directions, attempting to damage him this way should he remain in range after her kick. The clone remained on high alert after this, anticipating a counter attack.

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[3780/7000]

A grin spread across the man's face briefly when the girl offered him a reply, the man getting only a moment of gleeful anticipation before suddenly, and without warning, she launched herself at him with incredible speed. In honesty, he hadn't quite expected such an incredible acceleration from the young woman, Sivvy crossing the space in between them in just the blink of an eye, the Vice President of the West Fiore Trading Company shocked by the sudden display of combat prowess for a second. It was enough for the girl to exploit the opportunity. Without a bit of hesitation or reservations, her foot slammed into the side of his head with considerable force, twisting around from the heavy blow. For a moment, the world around him went black as he stumbled back, whipping his head back around just in time to see the girl prepare her next attack, a small trickle of blood running down the side of his face from where the attack had bruised the skin. Without delay, the second barrage would follow suit, a cascade of needles erupting outward from her skin. Instinctively, the VP raised his right arm to protect his face, the projectiles piercing his clothing and skin, small wounds torn open all over his body. Immediately, red stains appeared all around the spots on his achromatic clothing where the needles were still stuck in his skin. Another uniform ruined, for the same reason as always. Turned out blood and exclusively white uniforms did not mix well.

The pain was instant and sharp, Joh immediately dashing back to get some distance between himself and the surprisingly powerful girl, the man, contrary to the situation he found himself in, sporting a gleeful grin. This truly proved to be a lot more entertaining than he had thought. Not only had the girl delivered two hefty blows, both of which had dealt considerable damage, she had also overwhelmed him and forced him to retreat from his preferred combat distance, a clever move to start out with. It seemed the God of Ishgar had underestimated her. A mistake he would not make again. "Good. Very good", he would comment simply, relaxing his muscles, the projectiles still stuck in his flesh falling from their wounds before, instantly, the damage he had sustained would begin to heal, his curse restoring him to the perfect condition from before. It appeared like it was his turn now. Much like Sivvy, Johann would launch himself forward in a sudden burst of inhuman acceleration, charging her before drawing back his fist in a wide arch and unleashing a single punch at her.

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Word Count: 438
Word Count Total: 5.515 / 7.000

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While she was satisfied with the strength of her attacks and their successful effect on him, she knew better than to get comfortable or cocky. Sivvy could sense that he was quite a lot stronger than her, which was only confirmed when he returned her blitz attack and swung a simple punch at her, but it held every bit of force and more than her spell enhanced attack. She didn't have time to dodge. All she could do was very slightly turn her head, eyes widening and then squeezing shut. A very small flash of fear twisted her in her chest. Muscles tensed as the impact came, but thankfully her special armor covered her in a warm second skin, invisible but just as strong as any metallic shield. She felt the warmth slip away under the immense damage leaving the rest to impact her metallic skin.

Regardless of how much damage she managed to escape, just the bit she took and the general force sent her flying backward and into the ground. Sivvy skidded to a stop and took a moment to appreciate her decision to wear black today. Getting grass stains out of any other color would be a nightmare. Gathering her wits took very little time and she was back on her feet quickly, using the back of her hand to smear the blood gushing near her eye away from her vision. It would bruise quickly, most likely blacking the tender flesh around her eye as well. Despite that, 7's face held an invigorated smile, an expression more intense than any of her more muted one prior to this moment. Never before had she come up against someone or something that dwarfed her skills in every single way, yet all she could feel were her aspirations rise up within her. This man didn't need her help for anything, but that didn't mean she'd give up and try to find someone else who could use an ally like her. Instead, it only provided the goal of becoming equal to him. She'd find a way to complement his abilities and prove her worth. If she failed, the clone knew she deserved no more chances and would ultimately accept her fate.

Since she hadn't flown too far from the punch, Sivvy tried to quickly take advantage of being close range. An ornate mirror materialized next to her, and without hesitation, she stepped inside and both she and the mirror disappeared. Instantly another mirror formed behind Johann, shooting out a ghost-like copy of his foe to hit him just before she emerged from the mirror's surface. As soon as her feet touched solid ground, she whipped her arms out and they turned into tarnished copper tentacles. The four on each arm lashed out repeatedly at him, attempting to give him a good thrashing and attempting to grip any part of them they could find purchase on.

[4265/7000]

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The swing of his gloved fist would find its target, the blow he had unleashed hitting the mark. The impact launched the girl off her feet and back, Johann coming to a complete stop, a subtle smirk lifting a corner of his mouth when he saw the girl quickly get up. She was by no means an amateur, that much was clear, but it took a lot to withstand a strike from the God of Strength, and more than that to get back up after. In any case, the woman had his respect. From now on, after testing the waters, he would play seriously. After all, so too would she. Sivvy quickly returned to a favorable fighting stance, and so would the Vice President of the West Fiore Trading Company, waiting for the next attack the girl would deliver. And sure enough, it would follow suit. For a moment, the silver-haired male was taken aback by the strange display of magical abilities, unsure what exact magic the girl commanded when suddenly and without warning a mirror would appear beside her, the girl hesitating not a single second as she jumped into the reflective, almost liquid surface and, with a flash of bright light, vanished into thin air. The man instinctively would once more raise his arm to cover his eyes and shield it from the sudden flash, lowering it only to discover Sivvy had, in fact, disappeared. The same instance he had started to let his gaze wander his senses alarmed him, Johann feeling the concentration of magical energy behind him when it was already too late.

The somewhat translucent of the other duelist was projected forward, striking him in the back with a swift swing. The man had maneuvered, but not in time to dodge the attack completely, pain numbing the spot where the attack had hit him. Immediately, the man spun around, just in time to see the metallic tentacles extend towards him, his eyes widening when the surprise attack wrapped itself around his form. Without delay the extremities spawned by the girl began to crush him, the pain seemingly omnipresent and overwhelming as Johann was engulfed by the metallic attack. And yet, he would smile, grin even, dominating his expression. Mars violently attempted to push himself to the forefront of consciousness now that things seemed to get interesting. Of course, Johann had his own opinion on the Seal's ... excitement, one that happened to disagree with Mars', maintaining control of his form. Still, the influence of the Warlord would have physical consequences, the sclera of Johann's left eye changing its color from the usual white to a dark ink-black, his pupil lighting up with red energy. In a wave of pitch black energy that circulated around him, the tentacles that were currently holding him in place would, at once, wither, turning black and brittle before ultimately breaking away into fine dust and scattering in the wind.

The instance he was free from the binding grasp, the God of Strength extended his right hand, a weapon materializing in a swirl of dark energy that, after a moment, created a large scythe in the man's grasp. Without delay, the man would dash forward, dragging the weapon behind himself before turning it towards his opponent, drawing it back wide as he prepared to unleash another heavy strike at her, this time with the weapon of the Second Seal itself.

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Word Count: 569
Word Count Total: 6.084 / 7.000

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It was her mistake. When the tentacles wrapped around him, she thought she'd immobilized him for a moment. Her guard slipped as she readied to get her free attack in. However, Johann wasn't stuck, and soon her coppery kraken appendages simply dissolved and her arms returned to normal. Her crimson eyes blinked surprisedly into her dueling partner's changing hues, exposing just a small degree of unpreparedness before he materialized a scythe and descended upon her. He was so fast!

That hurt. It really hurt. No cry of pain left her throat, though it threatened to. Her neutral expression cracked just a little, serving as her scream. 7 had attempted to leap back in time, but instead, she staggered back from taking the sharp blade across her middle. A polyhedral pattern shimmered against her skin in the sunlight before cracking and disintegrating, and the warmth from her draconic gift came and went again as it took as much damage as it could handle. The fabric and skin tore with an oddly metallic sound, revealing flesh with a few surgical scars beneath now painted deep alizarin. Hands instinctively covered it as if holding it would undo the damage. The pitter patter of thick droplets on the blades of grass below seemed too loud, even louder than her footsteps that crushed them when stepping backward. Sivvy'd been hurt far worse before, though, so she was hardly ready to throw in the towel. Thousands of metal threads spawned from her chest, changing her ripped black sundress into more of a black bodysuit. Long black ribbons extended and wrapped around her burning wound, at least attempting to bandage it enough to not bleed out as quickly, but ultimately unable to heal it. She didn't possess any healing spells but made the decision to learn one later if she could. The rest of the ribbons hovered at the ready around her, some even touching the ground and serving as a support to keep her from taking a knee.

There was little sign of hesitation, though internally the girl was a ball of anxiety. There was nothing she could do, but staring defeat from an unimaginably strong opponent in the face was something she didn't deal with well. The drive to be the best, to never fail was so deeply ingrained that it nearly made her sick to her stomach. Dr. Raelin's heated lectures were still fresh in her mind, even though she wouldn't be returning to him no matter the outcome of this duel. Sivvy still wasn't even sure what the rules were for passing this exam, which didn't help her any. What little confidence she had was shaken, threatening to throw itself into a panic. That would be very unbecoming, unproductive, and damaging to her results. It was an infuriating struggle to know she wasn't supposed to feel emotions because they only got in the way, but be unable to banish them like her sisters had been able to. Would history repeat itself, right here in this field?

Fact; Sivvy would need to get better at dodging. Her mind refocused on the facts at hand to cope. Fact; One more hit like that and it'd all be over. Even now she'd taken enough damage to quiver a bit, but was preparing a counter strike anyway. The clone wasn't trained to stop until she literally couldn't function anymore, so she still had more than enough fight in her. The girl paused only a moment to seemingly collect herself, though truthfully she was preparing for what could be her last strike. She drew on her lacrima within, spending some mana on powering up her attacks. A shimmer passed over her visible skin, sparkling slightly as if dusted with glitter. Then, with the aid of her ribbons, she took action. Oddly enough, in the face of both defeat and a hefty amount of pain, her brows angled with determination over her glinting eyes. Naturally pink lips spread across her face enough to reveal teeth, becoming a pronounced grin Johann had never witnessed before. Quick as a bullet, the young woman's body shot forward again as it had before, this time extending a fist and going for the gut. The difference was that as soon as her foot touched the ground after the bullet-like punch attempt, she'd twist herself in the air and immediately follow up with a kick that would shoot a sharp, spinning spike. It'd be aimed at him even should he dodge her first attack, as long as he was within its range.


[Post WC: 757 || Total Thread WC: 11106 /14000]

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This attack with the blade of the weapon the God of Ishgar had created from nothing struck true as well, a visible trickle of blood and an open wound appearing beneath the torn open clothing of the girl as she staggered back, Johann freezing in place. Perhaps he had overdone it? Sure, this was a duel, but it was supposed to stay friendly, the, from the looks of it, serious injury Sivvy had suffered not exactly fitting that description. Arguably, though, she had taken a surprisingly low amount of damage for a direct hit. The scythe was equipped with a thin edge of pure antimatter which, upon contact, would annihilate matter, and still, the girl was standing. The silver-haired Vice President of the West Fiore Trading Company was admittedly impressed. Still ... he had taken things too far. He couldn't exactly risk for the woman to sustain permanent injuries or even bleed out during this. No, he had to take a step back. It was more than evident that the woman was suited for service in the organization of merchants, traders and, in all cases most importantly, mages which controlled the nation of Tolgalen. He had to do something, at least. He snapped his fingers, and immediately, all around them, pouring rain would start falling from above. Immediately, the heavy drops of water began soaking his hair, his clothing as they gently brushed against his skin, the magic beginning to do its work in an instant. The battle damage his and Mars' vessel had sustained would be healed at rapid pace, bruised skin returning to pristine and perfect state, blood loss stopping as open wounds closed back up. Of course, the girl that called herself Seven would experience a similar effect. A perfect time to end the duel, in the God of Ishgar's opinion.

"Alright, I think that-" his sentence was interrupted as aprubtly as it had begun, the clone, with considerable speed and force slamming her fist into the unprepared man's stomach, the breath escaping Johann's lungs in a struggle for breath that continued for a moment as he stumbled back. The man immediately dropped the weapon that he had still been holding in his hands, the dark scythe quickly dissolving as soon as it had left his grasp. When he lifted his gaze at the attacker, his hand holding his stomach that now pulsed with gut-wrenching pain, the first thing that he noticed was the toothy grin that seemed so out of character for the rose-haired girl, and within the same moment, he noticed something else, the girl immediately following up on her attack with another. The man grit his teeth. For someone that had been so harshly injured just blinks of an eye earlier the girl was already back in excellent fighting condition again it seemed, the spell shot from her kick whizzing through the space between them in what appeared like an instant to Johann. The projectile hit his left shoulder with a heavy impact, piercing his skin and emerging from its back, stuck in his flesh. Immediately, the crimson began to once again stain the white shirt he was wearing. The pain was overwhelming, instantly triggering an overjoyed reaction from Mars who, with a sense of excitement that the silver-haired male could no longer suppress, forcibly pushed his own consciousness to the forefront of the vessel, thus banishing the VP to the depths of subconsciousness. The second the Lord of War had stepped in, the right eye would undergo a change to match its counterpart, a wide grin spreading over the silver-haired male's face, revealing the enlarged canines at each corner of the mouth.

"Well, well, well, what do we have here ... tssehehe" the Second Seal virtually giggled out the words, his hand grasping the projectile still stuck in his shoulder before, at once, ripping it out, leaving behind only a bleeding, gaping wound, no reaction other than a smile of excited anticipation visible on the vessel's face as he dropped the metal on the ground before him. "If you want to play, girl ... then let's play".

Upon finishing his sentence, the Second Seal would, without delay, dash backwards and raise one hand, forming a spell of pure kinetic energy within his grasp before launching the projectile off towards his opponent. Regardless of whether this attack would hit or not, Mars would immediately vanish, seemingly turning into thin air in an instant before reappearing a good distance on Sivvy's left flank, taking a deep breath as he prepared casting another spell, the sharp inhale accompanied by an almost exagarrated exclamation. "Primordial Titan's ...", he leaned back before unleashing a powerful shout "Roar!". Before his mouth, a spinning, dark grey magic circle appeared, releasing a massive burst of intertwined light and darkness at the girl.

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Word Count: 801
Word Count Total: 6.885 / 7.000
Thread Word Count: 11.907 / 14.000

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