City of Chaldea (Freeform RP Area)

Gad - The Devil's Cocktail

Gad listened to what had happened to his colleagues, and the aftermath of it as well. Gad's smile was no longer there; Gad could not believe his ears, all these happening in a single mission. He was not so sure what to say about it.

Gad knew his colleagues were not good at solving things as a team, but to that level of inadequate teamwork... "Thank you.” Said Gad, then he gave softer expression to Komori. “We will come around." Gad spoke a bit in lighter manner, and gave a weak smile to Komori, trying his best to assure Komori that in future they would probably do better. "By the way, I managed to defeat that single tier boss. I won't do it alone again." Gad tried to change the subject even though this may result Komori nagging him how reckless he was.

Gad felt that Komori was blaming himself partially of what had happened during that mission, and Gad was hoping changing the subject would stop Komori to feel that way.

Edgemaster Training Grounds

- Cleo -

Cleo's eyes followed one long, lithe leg up to the woman sitting on the roof. He wondered for a moment if she realized... "The sentiment isn't the only pretty thing here." He turned his grin back towards Silky. "Right, Nightingale?"

The Silky cocked her head to the side, curiously, then looked up at the woman on the roof. After a couple seconds, her face turned red, once more, and she made a series of rapid gestures towards the woman, including covering her eyes and tugging down on her dress.

"I believe what my partner here is trying to tell you," Cleo grinned, as he looked back up towards the woman, "is that you shouldn't sit on the edge of the roof in a skirt."

"Red is definitely your color though, and also a personal favorite of mine." He chuckled. "It's right up there with nude."

The Devil’s Cocktail

Komori sighed and shook his head. He had to remind himself that he couldn’t babysit these kids forever. No matter what he said, they were going to make their own mistakes and deal with them.

“Well, as long as you learned from it,” he said to Gad, nodding before downing his drink.

—————————————————————————

Edgemaster Training Grounds

The woman’s leg, which had been lazily swaying in the air, froze.

“It may have misjudged you,” she said, her words softened by the scarf around her lower face. “It seems you are as vapid and shallow as you appear. Only one way to find out.”

Leaping from the roof, she landed in front of Cleo with her weapon in hand, a sword even taller than she was.

“I’ve found that sometimes our swords can say more than our mouths ever can,” she said, poking Cleo in the chest with her sheath. “Let’s see what yours has to say.”

Gad - The Devil's Cocktail


"Yup, it was a hard learned lesson." Said Gad, "And to tell you the truth, I am glad that I went with it. I don't think others would have taught me such lesson better than the demons." Then Gad eyes went to Aren then back to Komori.

"That said, where are Aren's Mark of Mastery colleagues?" Gad asked, "Since Miss Nena met him for the first time, there should be some sort of celebration, no?"

Edgemaster Training Grounds

- Cleo -

"You wound me." Cleo dramatically placed a hand over his heart, where the scabbard had hit him.

Silky suddenly pushed in between them, pulling his arm aside to inspect his chest, and Cleo couldn't help but chuckle.

"Not that kind of wound, Nightingale."

She released his hand but regarded him with a questioning look.

"I merely complimented the lady's choice in attire, and she apparently took offense. Her verbal attack was far more powerful than the physical jab."

Silky looked thoughtful for a moment before shaking her head and moving to sit on the bench beside him. Clearly, she didn't find the situation as amusing as Cleo did.

"What? Nothing to say to that?" Cleo joked.

She regarded him in silence for a moment before motioning for him to come closer.

Intrigued, Cleo leaned in, until Silky's lips were almost touching his ear.

And then...

She whistled.

Loudly.

Now she was the one shaking with silent laughter while Cleo struggled to maintain his composure.

"That wasn't very nice."

Silky gestured towards the woman, and then Cleo, raising an eyebrow.

"Point taken, Nightingale." Cleo sighed, pushing to his feet.

"We might as well use one of the rings." He wiped off the wakizashi he'd been polishing and sheathed it. "Nightingale can be the judge, since we don't have any officials around."

Cleo pointed a finger in the Silky's direction as he walked. "No giving free points just because you think she deserves them for the earlier comment."

He took a position on one edge of the ring, allowing his eyes to track over his opponent. She looked athletic enough to put up a fight, and judging from her frame, she would probably be faster than him. That meant getting in close would probably be his best option.

Silky raised one hand towards Cleo, waiting for his nod. Then, she turned to the woman, waiting for the same. Once both agreed, she raised both hands over her head and clapped them together, signaling the start of the duel.

The Devil's Cocktail

Komori hummed thoughtfully as Nena refilled his glass.

"It's true that sometimes demons can teach us lessons we can't teach each other," he said with a faint wink in Nena's direction.

Nena smirked and rolled her eyes, though she did agree with the sentiment.

"Where are Aren's Mark of Mastery colleagues?" Gad asked, "Since Miss Nena met him for the first time, there should be some sort of celebration, no?"

Komori glanced back at two younger men and sighed.

"Well, if your group was held together with string, there's was held with tissue paper," he said. "None of them were much interested in a group celebration."

Was it just a generational thing, that these younger Vanguard seemed so much more individualistic? Or was it something else? Either way, they certainly weren't like the groups he'd grown up with.

--------------------------------------------------

Edgemaster Training Grounds

The woman glared at Cleo, muttering beneath her scarf, "We have very different definitions on 'compliment.'"

Her stony expression softened slightly at the Silky's interactions with Cleo, however. It could have even been a smile beneath her scarf that caused her eyes to crinkle faintly at the Silky's whistle in his ear.

By the time Cleo had directed her to the ring, however, her expression was once more impassive. As they each took position, they studied one another. Judging by the woman's expression, she didn't appear impressed.

Silky's clap signaled the start, but the woman gave no indication of moving or even unsheathing her blade.

"Go on," she said. "The opening move is yours. But I'll warn you right now - if you try to go easy, I'll make you wish you hadn't."

Edgemaster Training Grounds

- Cleo -

Cleo frowned when his opponent didn't move. Most other trainees he'd sparred with in the Vanguard academy had rushed at him immediately, which provided him with a couple seconds to search their stance for openings. Clearly, this woman wasn't some amateur, which was a conundrum. Her nonchalant stance appeared full of openings, and yet Cleo somehow knew they were all bait to draw him in. Maybe it was the way she made each of those openings so obvious that gave it away, but if nothing else, it served to confuse him. With that many false tells, it was difficult to get a read on any real flaws in her form.

"I'm sure a beauty like yourself could make a man wish for a lot of things." Cleo quipped back, looking for a reaction, even the slightest shift. Her knuckles whitened as she gripped the sheath of her blade more tightly. There was the opening. But was it just another fake? Only one way to find out.

Drawing his katana, Cleo stepped forward with purpose. Each of his strides was practiced and unhurried. The goal wasn't to close the distance quickly, it was to present the littlest information about his intentions in the process. Only when he was actually within striking distance did Cleo accelerate his movement. Swinging his katana back over his right shoulder, he lowered it for an upward stroke, slicing at the woman from beneath.

Upward strokes were more difficult to block, but they also left you open to possible counterattacks. The only way to know for certain how skilled his opponent was would be to draw her in. Disguising openings in your defense was much more difficult when on the offense.

Edgemaster Training Grounds

Cleo's opponent watched his moves, giving nothing away. When he suddenly accelerated and sliced at her from below, she pushed back on her feet, the edge of her scarf whipping just short of the tip of his blade.

It wasn't the move of someone just getting out of reach in time. It was the controlled movement of someone unafraid to cut it that close. She landed on her toes just out of Cleo's reach, eyes trained on him.

"You know, when you keep your mouth shut, I could almost believe you know what you're doing," she said, tapping her sheathed sword on the ground.

Edgemaster Training Grounds

- Cleo -

The bell on the kashira of his katana chimed as Cleo whipped the blade over his head in a half-arc, bringing it to a sharp stop in a defensive position at eye level. She definitely wasn't an amateur. In fact, this woman was probably way out of his league.

Cleo had dueled with Komori on several occasions for training, and where the opening he'd just presented would have drawn the instructor in, she easily resisted the temptation of showing her hand.

"Funny, I thought you wanted to fight," Cleo quipped, taking a step forward, "but all you seem to be doing is talking."

He slashed towards her right shoulder, but not at full speed. Since Komori had crossed his mind, he might as well try one of the old man's tricks.

The draw from that slash shifted into a second slash, this time downward over her left shoulder, although still at the reduced speed.

On the third slash, he flipped the blade and swept it at her abdomen, using the full speed this time. If the other two had done their job, she would be caught off-guard by the sudden change in pace.

The Devil's Cocktail:

Aren Vent:

Aren, met Gad’s eyes and nodded, taking in everything that was said for future reference; “So you’re telling me peer to peer learning is pointless, interesting.”

Aren followed up with a shrug, rather attempting to look rather confused at the question; “Mastery of rank colleagues, I had some...Since when?” But when he heard Komori mention a celebration, he grinned looking at his glass. "So I'm not going to get the typical workplace hazing, but a celebration or is the hazing still on the metaphorical cards?

Gad - The Devil's Cocktail

Komori's reference surprised Gad, was Komori telling him that there was a batch that had worse teamwork than his?

Gad's eyes looked at Aren, Gad was not able to tell Aren's sarcasm in his voice, but it was enough to tell Gad that the new batch did not have awesome start together.

"Well, I don't mind helping you" said Gad, "If I am allowed," Gad finished his sentence and looked at Komori, then looked at Aren again. "It was good to see you all. I think I am going to take my leave." Gad waved as he walked out of the bar. "See you around." Said Gad.

The Devil's Cocktail

Komori smiled, slightly pained, at Aren's quip. Well, it certainly wasn't an inaccurate assessment.

Gad took his leave, and Komori gave him a friendly goodnight before turning back to Aren. "No hazing. I think the job itself is as much punishment as any of us deserve. Not much in the way of celebration either, I think. Two's not much of a party. But the least I can do is treat you to another round."

Thumping Aren on the back, Komori signaled to Nena, who's smile (and profits) widened as she poured out more drinks.

--------------------------------------------------

Edgemaster Training Grounds

"Funny, I thought you wanted to fight," Cleo quipped, taking a step forward, "but all you seem to be doing is talking."

The woman's eyes narrowed at Cleo's words. "It's not much of a fight so far. But if you'd rather I take the lead-"

Cleo came in with a slash towards her right shoulder, then shifted into a second slash downward over her left shoulder. The woman spun on her feet, evading the first slashing, the pivoted to spin past the second slash.

The third slash, however, came in much faster at her abdomen. It was stopped, however, by her sheath, which might as well have been a brick wall. Eyes narrowing, she shoved back hard against Cleo's sword, slamming it against his chest and knocking him to the ground.

"Hn." She narrowed her eyes, then launched forward and brought her sheathed sword cracking down toward Cleo's ribs.

Edgemaster Training Grounds

- Cleo -

Well, that wasn't entirely unexpected. Cleo had known the woman was skilled, but he hadn't anticipated her also being so outright strong. His odds of winning this spar, which had been low to begin with, now seemed practically nonexistent. Still, he wasn't planning to give up without a fight.

"So, you're the forceful type then?" Cleo responded from the ground. "I mean, getting me on my back so quickly should have been a dead giveaway."

When the strike came, Cleo rolled towards her instead of away, slipping beneath the strike to throw an elbow towards one of her shins. In anticipation that she would try to jump over the strike, he compressed his abdomen, sitting up with the intention of wrapping his other arm around her legs.

Edgemaster Training Grounds

The woman stared down at Cleo, a slight twitch at the corner of her mouth. “If you can still speak, I’m clearly not pushing you hard enough. I told you, I want to hear your blade do the talking.”

Cleo rolled toward her, striking at her shin with his elbow. She did indeed jump to avoid it, but when he threw out his other arm to catch her legs, she seemed to vanish for a moment, slipping right past his hold.

When she landed, she held up her sword and drew it from its sheath, tossing it toward Cleo’s Silky to catch. She pointed the abnormally long sword at Cleo, the tip glinting with deadly sharpness.

“If the only way I can get you to take this seriously is to start trimming off excess body parts, then so be it,” she said, eyes narrowing. “I think I know just where to start, too...”

Edgemaster Training Grounds

- Cleo -

Silky's eyes widened as the sheath flew towards her, and she flailed her arms, successfully bouncing it between them half a dozen times before finally managing to capture it and raise it over her head with a triumphant smile.

Cleo couldn't help but grin at that as he pushed himself to his feet. "I think you're misunderstanding something, miss I can't take a compliment." He responded, pulling his wakizashi from its sheath. "Just because I'm not rushing at you doesn't mean I'm not taking this seriously." He flattened the blades of his swords against each other, forming an X in front of him. "In fact, I'd venture a guess that you're the one not taking this fight seriously."

He took a step in her direction, then paused for a moment, contemplating. "You know, you remind me of someone." Cleo frowned as Bastion's face crossed his mind. "I've got a teammate that's wound pretty tight, and I get the feeling the two of you are cut from the same cloth."

Focusing his attention on the woman, he thrust his torso forward, raising both swords. If she waited until he was on top of her, he would draw the wakazashi aside and try to sweep her ribs. Otherwise, he'd go for her leg with his katana and save the wakazashi for defense.

Edgemaster Training Grounds

The woman appeared slightly mollified as Cleo removed his swords from his sheaths and crossed them in front of him. Until he opened his mouth, that is, at which point her eyes narrowed once more.

As Cleo rushed toward her, she paused, then dashed forward to meet him. His katana slashed toward her leg, but she stabbed her sword down to cut off its path. She then leaped up, landing lightly as a feather on the wakazashi he held up to defend himself, before backflipping and catching his chin with the edge of her foot.

When she landed, she fixed her eyes on him and sighed. "Let me ask you... why do you take up your sword? Why did you choose to become a Vanguard at all?"

Edgemaster Training Grounds

- Cleo -

Cleo rubbed his chin with the back of his hand and rolled his jaw to make sure it still functioned. She was even more agile than he'd already suspected.

Silky clapped her hands and gestured towards the woman, indicating that she'd scored a point. No kidding.

"Why does it matter to you?" Cleo asked, rolling his jaw a second time. Figures she'd ask him more questions after making it difficult for him to talk...

"I guess there's no reason not to answer though."

"The Vanguard offer free housing and meals for their trainees. The way I see it, that was better than sleeping on the streets and scrounging through the trash, and after a while, I realized that the lifestyle suited me."

"It wasn't my first choice, but at the time, it was the only one available. Now, I can't see myself doing anything different."

"What about you?" Cleo nodded to the woman. "Care to share why you've turned what could have been a friendly bout into an interrogation?"

Edgemaster Training Grounds

The woman cracked a faint smile at the Silky's point keeping, her eyes softening a bit. That vanished, however, when she turned her attention back to her opponent. She closed her eyes at Cleo's response, shaking her head slightly.

"So you never cared about helping others," she replied. "It was just escapism. Like most things you do, I'd warrant."

She angled her body, shifting once more into an aggressive stance. "A friendly bout was never a possibility. Those who wield their blades with a clear mind and a clear heart are the only ones worth fighting. But your blade, your every movement, is weighed down with conflict and lies."

She flicked her sword, eyes narrowing. "So you see, I have to disagree. This lifestyle doesn't suit you at all."

She sprang forward, swiping her blade to knock his one blade out of his hand and spinning to kick the other blade from his second hand. They both spun and clattered to the ground behind him as the woman dropped to one knee and swiped her sword toward his legs, aiming to knock them out from under Cleo with the flat of the blade.

Edgemaster Training Grounds

Cleo gritted his teeth as the blade connected with his leg. His Hidden Hand spell lessened some of the impact, but it wasn't meant to stop that kind of force at close range.

"I guess there's no reason to continue then." He glared at the woman with cold and angry eyes, for the first time allowing real emotion to show through. "Someone so high and mighty as yourself wouldn't understand that sometimes life just deals you a crappy hand from the start, and you have to find a way to make it work."

Rather than indicating that the woman had scored another point, Silky stood frozen in place, her expression concerned.

With a half wince, Cleo shuffled to his nearest blade, bending to retrieve it. "I've got better things to do than listen to someone who doesn't even know me preach about my resolve."

"Why don't you go back to whatever shining tower you descended from and judge the people there?" He rose back to his full height, sheathing the blade. "Maybe start with the mirror. It's a great place to find disappointment."

Putting as little weight on his leg as possible, Cleo turned towards his other sword, but Silky had already retrieved it. Biting her lip, she presented it to him.

"Thanks."

When he took it, she gestured towards his leg, frowning.

"No. Leave it."

Her frown deepened, and she cocked her head to one side, looking confused.

"Physical pain makes an excellent buffer." He turned his gaze towards the other woman for a moment before taking a tentative step towards the barracks. "If I'm going to be accused of escapism, I might as well live up to the hype."

Edgemaster Training Grounds

The woman watched Cleo finally break, allowing his anger to finally bubble out - toward her and himself. Her eyes glittered dangerously, her lips twitching upward into a smile.

"Progress at last," she said softly. "Bleeding out the poison is the first step... and a long one, by the looks of it."

Spoiler:

When he turned his back on her, she stuck her sword into the ground behind her, eyes narrowing.

"I told you before, this isn't a friendly fight. That means you don't get to walk away when you feel like it, like everything else you don't want to face."

Jumping up, she kicked off hilt of her sword and flew at him, bringing her leg crashing down in an axe kick toward his defenseless back.

Edgemaster Training Grounds

- Cleo -

Cleo continued to walk away, determined to ignore the woman. He didn't like walking away from a friendly spar, but the last few minutes had proven this sham of a training exercise to be anything but friendly.

Silky apparently didn't share in his choice, as she turned back towards the speaking woman.

There was a loud tap, like a heavy footstep, and he felt her go rigid beside him. Before Cleo could turn in her direction, he felt Silky push him to the side, and his throbbing leg collapsed as weight was put on it.

Sucking in a sharp breath, Cleo twisted as he fell, taking in the scene behind him. A moment before the kick crashed down on Silky, the sudden disorientation of his Bait and Switch spell put him in her place.

There was a sickening pop as the woman's leg came down on his shoulder, and Cleo forced his leg to remain steady under the force of the impact. His entire arm was numb, not an unfamiliar sensation. He'd dislocated it during training before.

It was the muffled squeak Silky produced as her body crashed to the floor that drove him to action. With his remaining arm, Cleo grasped the woman's ankle. Twisting his torso and pivoting on his good foot, he threw her over his head and towards a rack of training swords.

Through gritted teeth, Cleo took a half-step in Silky's direction, but she was already rising to her own feet, an indignant look in her eyes. Giving him a pointed look, she pulled his arm towards her, causing him to suck in another pained breath.

Without offering him the opportunity to protest, she put her other hand on his shoulder, and he felt the pain begin to ebb away under the effects of her Healing Waters.

"You shouldn't try to take that kind of hit for me." Cleo's good arm raised to her face, rubbing a thumb across her cheek.

With a defiant glare, she let go of his wrist and poked him in the chest. Hard.

When Cleo didn't react to that, she kicked his leg, which was already throbbing.

"Son-of-a-!" He raised the leg off the ground, putting all his weight on the other one, and she poked him in the chest again, causing him to topple backwards and crash to the floor.

Looking vindicated, she knelt beside him and wrapped her fingers around his leg, healing that too.

Edgemaster Training Grounds

The woman gave a sharp intake of air, eyes wide, as the Silky pushed her owner out of the way, ready to receive the blow. What was she thinking?

Before she could even think to pull out of her attack, Cleo used a spell to once more take the position for her attack. These two-

Her foot crashed down on his shoulder with brutal impact, but Cleo still had enough wits about him to grab her ankle and throw her over his shoulder. Too stunned by all these sudden events, the woman didn't stop him, allowing herself to sail through the air before dropping right in front of the weapon rack, unscathed.

Straightening up, she watched as the Silky immediately rushed to help treat him, all the fight draining out of her posture. When the Silky gave Cleo enough of a kick to drop him to the ground, a laugh slipped out of her lips from beneath the scarf.

"Keep that one," she said, approaching the two. "She's good for you."

She gazed down at Cleo for a moment, then offered him a hand up.

Edgemaster Training Grounds

- Cleo -

"My ego disagrees with you." Cleo responded to the woman as Silky continued to work on his leg.

From his position, he could clearly see Silky roll her eyes. At least this little encounter had proven to him that she wasn't a pushover, more like the strong, silent type. He chuckled to himself at that. "I think I'll keep her around anyway."

That drew a slight smirk from Silky, who smacked his previously wounded leg and rose to her feet.

Cleo gave the woman an untrusting look for a moment, but reached out to take the hand up anyway. "Are you sure you're allowed to help me up after a non-friendly fight?" He asked with a smirk of his own.

Edgemaster Training Grounds

The woman's lips twitched at Silky smacking Cleo's leg, but she smoothed it away when she turned her eyes to Cleo. He hesitated, snarking as usual, but deciding to accept her hand anyway.

"Don't push your luck," she said, deadpan.

The moment their hands touched, a faint, strange tingling went through Cleo's body. But it was hard to concentrate on when the woman was tugging him from the ground, struggling a bit more than would have been expected given her strength in combat. Once Cleo was on his feet, she dusted off her hands and stepped back to retrieve her sword.

"I admit, I didn't quite have the full measure of you," she said over her shoulder. "But this much is still true."

She turned, just enough for him to catch the gleam of her silver eyes in the moonlight.

"If you can't wield your blade with a clear mind and a clear heart, you shouldn't wield it at all. Remember that."

With a decisive clink, she sheathed her blade and slowly walked off into the night.

- Cleo -

Cleo started to chuckle as the woman reached for his wrist, but the sound died in his throat as the tingle ran down his arm, causing his palm to itch in a way that it hadn't since her. That sensation distracted him for a moment, and he didn't engage his feet quickly enough to keep his full weight off of her. Even so, it seemed like she should have been able to lift him more easily than she did. Maybe she felt the tingling too? He didn't get the opportunity to check her face for signs of that before she released him and took a step back to dust herself off.

He raised an eyebrow at her as she retrieved her sword. Cleo assumed that she was still talking about fighting, but it was difficult to know. Her words could have been used in a different connotation, and he had trouble believing that the double entendre wasn't intentional this time. Still, she didn't seem to expect a response. So, he gave her none as she faded into the night.

Frowning to himself, Cleo flexed his fingers, looking at his palm. The itching had ceased as soon as she let go, unlike the lingering sensation from his interactions with Mother Harlot. It seemed unlikely that the two were related.

Cold fingers suddenly wrapped around Cleo's skin as Silky reached from behind him and grasped his forearm, turning his palm so that she could see it. "It's an old wound." He said as her fingers lightly brushed over the scar.

She gave him a puzzled look and gestured to herself before pointing to the scar.

"No. There's no sense in healing it. Doesn't even hurt, but sometimes, it tingles."

Frowning, she moved her fingers back to his forearm and dug into the flesh, massaging his tendons.

"Not that kind of tingle." Cleo chuckled, raising his other hand to gently tap against her temple. "It's all in here. Like a phantom pain."

Silky frowned harder and gave his arm another soft squeeze before letting her hands fall away. A moment later, she wrapped her arms around him from behind, squeezing his midsection as her face pressed between his shoulders.

Smiling now, Cleo gently tapped her arm. "You're too good to me."

He felt the denial of her head shake against his back, which only caused him to smile harder. How this woman knew he needed tough love right now, Cleo may never know, but he was eternally grateful to have her around.

"How about we go get a drink?" He asked, tugging her along behind him as she slowly walked toward the door. "And then, maybe you'll sing for me?"

She stiffened along his spine, shaking her head again.

"I would say that the rarity of your songs makes them so much more sweet, but I think if you were any sweeter, you might melt in the rain."

That earned him a light punch in the ribs, and Cleo couldn't help but laugh.