[Verlyna's Emerald Pond] A Lesson In Pain {Pain}

[Sesha]

Timestamp: 25th of Winter, 510 AV Sesha sat cross legged, staring into the depths of Verlyna’s enigmatic pool, trying desperately to free her mind of the day’s events. She’d nearly been mugged in the Bizzare only a few bells earlier, the thought of her frailty at the hands of the larger man sickened her to the core. Sesha had grown up on these streets, knew their idiosyncrasies and their tendency to distract, but the lithe pickpocket had been bested by her own stupidity, the town guards had saved her a substantial loss. But they could not save her the loss of her pride. She looked down at the black leather pants and gloves which had been purchased in the aftermath of her experience. Bruises adorned the backs of her hands and her shins, and Sesha was embarrassed to admit her folly through their discoloration. A violet corset was her only other form of clothing, aside from the slippers tied securely to her feet. The chill air on her bare shoulders allowed her to focus more on her body, her breath, and not the pervading trauma of earlier. A pair of tears marred her otherwise polished pace, smearing the rouge with twin black streaks. The constant fall of water helped soothe her pain, a distraction, but a welcome one. Often she would come to this pool to think. To be alone. It was a refuge from the constant bustle of the streets, the lifeblood of her kind. It’s swirling eddies and brief flashes of ethereal color pulled her mind in further, beneath the shining surface, deep down into the darkness. She shook herself. “Cursed pond,” she said vehemently, looking up and at the breeze in the boughs instead. The Hypnotist’s Pond could draw anyone in if they weren’t sufficiently careful. Rumours of its power were often whispered in the streets of Alvadas. The thief only wished that she could be as enchanting. Perhaps then she might have been able to distract the mugger more effectively, long enough at least to crack his skull on the cobblestones.

[Elhaym]

"Dammit!" This was the fourth time she had passed this stupid pond. After her forty day journey to Alvadas aboard the Azure Lady and all of the illusionary bullocks that had occurred, Pain had confined herself in the relative sanity of her room at the inn. Pain wasn't rich by any means, but after working a steady job in Syliras for a few months she had grown accustomed to eating hearty meals... and relatively often to boot. So as her stomach groaned to protest her solitude, she had conceded to leave her dog in her room and venture out for some dinner. It seemed to have been raining when she stepped outside, except the water was moving upwards instead of down. Pain had let out a string of curses, having grown tired of the ridiculous nature of some of the illusions she had witnessed. This one was pretty tame, but still irritating. She managed to buy a skewer of grilled meat and vegetables from a street vendor, for once not minding the relatively high price of a whole gold miza for his service. She had gotten a bit of a bonus after her little adventure, after all. The merchant had of course raised the price of his product on the spot, sensing both her fierce hunger and her tourist status. With a full stomach she had attempted to return to her room, but quickly fell victim to the shifting streets and directional nightmare that comprised Alvadas. Pain had found herself on the outskirts, and now for the fourth time passed by this strange place. This time, there was actually someone here. "Hey. Hey you." Pain said, her voice coming out more of a growl than anything else. It surprised her a bit. Apparently she was in a worse mood than she had thought. She really wanted to get home, back to her Tanny and just lay in bed. Sesha would have heard her and after whatever experience she had just had, Pain's presence and tone of voice would probably be discomforting. When she turned, she would see... well, a pissed off looking girl of definite Lhavitian heritage. Pain wore a thick coat, lined on the inside with fur that overtook the collar and surrounded her neckline. Underneath was a thick black shirt and matching bleak colored pants ran to her feet, hiding the majority of the thicker leather boots she wore for the winter. It was significantly colder here than in Syliras, and Pain had reacted by buying a the jacket and boots almost immediately. It was hard to get any real detail about the girl's body from the thick clothing she wore, but in Sesha's eyes it could be perfect for hiding a myriad of weapons or implements. "How do I get out of this... shykehole?"

[Sesha]

The stillness of her mind was abruptly shattered by the accented gruffness of an unwelcomed guest. Her earlier fury, mixed with the knowledge that once again she’d been bested in stealth – by a foul mouthed foreigner no less – sparked a juvenile fire inside her. She came to her feet fluidly, her legs and fists proving an unexpectedly aggressive stance. “Petch off the way you came, why don’t you!” Her tone was brazen and filled with an unusual malice. “Who knows? Maybe you’ll get lucky and fall into a real shykehole!” Anger coursed through her unabated. Icy eyes framed by tears and makeup did little to soften her look. “I’m just certain Ionu would love to set you in your rightful place, Vagik!” The series of curses would surely set the other woman off. She would either go running in the opposite direction or stand and fight. And Sesha was ready for a fight. Secure with her distinct height advantage, though the other woman did look sturdy, the thief also felt confident in her cunning and swiftness. She’d learned combat from back alley brutes for the most part, but never had Sesha been bested by another woman. “What do you say, Lhavitian?” she sneered the word, guessing at the woman’s drawl.

[Elhaym]

Pain just kind of stared for a moment, aghast that this woman had started screaming at her for no real reason. Her mouth was affixed in a slack frown... that is, until the girl dropped into a fighting stance. That brought a giant grin to Pain's face, lopsided and wide. She listened to the rest of her rambling, eyes widening at the prospect of a fight. Because you see, Pain had spent forty days on a damn boat. She had gotten lost more times than she could count. She hadn't hit anything in a while, and in Syliras when she had been bored, upset, or lonely... well, the spinning coin had adored her. "You got your panties all in a bunch there." Pain said, shrugging her shoulders inward and rotating her neck. She reached to the sleeve opposite her hand, and tugged her arm out of the thick fur jacket. Following suit with the other hand, she freed herself from the cozy warmth of the garment to reveal her attire underneath; a sleeveless black shirt. What Sesha may have noticed were the hardened muscles, the scarring on her striking joints, the jagged scars across her left shoulder... "Seeing the place you live in, I don't blame you for being batshyke insane. But let's get one thing straight... I am very, very tired of wandering around here... and you will show me how to get back to my room. So quit floppin' around over there and show me what got, so we can get this over with." Pain said, sliding into her fighting stance as she spoke. Her weight went to the balls of her feet, her left leg situated in front of her. Pain's fists came to her chin with her left hand mimicking her left leg; it was extended out just a bit. Pain's stance was upright and solid, and she bounced back and forth the slightest bit between her legs. Sesha was taller than Pain, but that meant little to her. Size wasn't always a definitive plus in a fight... Stitch had been proof enough of that, with his girlish build and motherly tone. Pain hadn't taken it easy on anyone in a fight in a long, long time. She most definitely was not going to start today.

[Sesha]

Sesha wasn’t put off by the tough façade. She eyed the woman’s masculine features with contempt and felt the barest of pity for her blemished skin. The city dweller thought no more of her opponent than that she must be some kind a labourer, driven into the City of Illusions to escape the smell of the fields. The Lhavitian was sturdy looking, but sturdiness and true talent were two different things. She eased her stance to the right, quickly unfastening her leather pants at the calf to allow further dexterity. Forgoing additional insult, Sesha strode forward carefully, her intent to close the gap and also feign what she, at least, perceived to be a naïve advance. The scenery began to shift in its typical way, but the two of them stayed facing one another at the same span, no more than a few paces. The local easily ignored their morphing environment, and though the water of the pond still trickled nearby, their impromptu arena was now framed by a writing mass of thorny vines. Wait until it stops, she thought to herself, her gaze one of barely contained vehemence. When at last Ionu held his breath, Sesha sprung forward, closing the gap remarkably fast. She struck first with her right hand, aiming for the jugular and immediately followed with the left aiming just below the sternum. She kept her fists as solid as she dared with painted nails; an unfortunate necessity. A strong thigh came up soon after, extending so as to knock the other off balance. Somewhere in that finite moment, Sesha thought it rather odd that her foe did not seem alarmed.

[Elhaym]

Pain's breath was slow and steady as she kept track of Sesha's movements. When Pain wandered the streets, she often came across as aloof and slightly stupid. Not far from the truth, to be honest... but in a fight, things changed. It had always been her talent, whether she had desired it or not. Her eyes were locked not on any specific point on Sesha's body, but rather glossing over her center of mass. When her awkward charge came, Pain caught the barest hint of a stutter in Sesha's steps... she was attempting to make herself seem a bit more feeble than she was. Pain did not like to feign her strength. When she fought, she fought hard. She let any who challenged her know exactly what they were dealing with from the moment they entered her space. Such was the case when Sesha's one-two punch was thrown. Pain note the momentum in her legs cease, the swivel in her hips, and the muscles in her shoulder begin to tense. Her left hand was leading, and in perfect position to counter Sesha's rowdy attempt to crush her throat. Her left hand came quickly, the palm of her hand swatting at Sesha's fist and guiding it away from it's intended target. Sesha had committed to the attack however, and without hesitation had tried for a blow against Pain's chest; quite capable of stunning her for a moment if she let it fall through the cracks of her defense. Her left hand stayed upright, positioned near her jaw after deflecting her initial strike. For the second, Pain relied on her right arm. It dropped just as quickly as her left hand, pushing Sesha's strike down and away from her torso. For all Sesha's tenacity, Pain could see that she that her tongue was quite a bit more ferocious than her fists. Sesha's arms had failed, but Pain surmised quickly in that brief instant that the assault was not yet over. Sesha's body telegraphed another attack, this time originating from her legs. The last bit didn't seem to concern Pain at all. She stood her ground, flexing the powerful muscles in her thighs and leaning into Sesha's pushing strike as it impacted. Pain's leg slid back a bit, but her balance was intact. She was shorter, and probably outweighed this foul mouthed pond-sitter by quite a bit. Her was opponent stymied before her, and Pain opted for one definitive motion to set the mood. Pain's whole body exploded into motion at once, the entire manner of her attack far different than what Sesha had exhibited. Her left arm would cross Sesha's vision in a blur, but it was not intended to strike. Rather, unless Sesha could manage to entangle it or otherwise top it's movement, her fingers would latch on to the meat between her neck and shoulder. Her right arm was flung backwards as her hips began to swivel, simultaneously pivoting on her left foot and bring her other leg up sharply. She bent it at the knee, obviously intending to send her bodies most powerful bludgeon straight into Sesha's stomach... and if she hadn't stopped Pain from latching onto her shoulder, she would literally push Sesha into the blow. The forward momentum combined with the dramatic backswing of her arms and the rotation of her hips would create a thunderously powerful strike. Pain had no clear tell on how tough Sesha was. She may very well double over and fall to the ground, or she may find some way to evade the attack. Pain had been in more than a few fights, and from Sesha's movements in her earlier attacks she had surmised quite a bit; a lot of raw talent, but little finesse and hard earned experience. As Pain's knee thundered towards her abdomen, she let out a roar to further accent her attack. Perhaps in the next instant, Sesha would gain a bit of that hard earned experience that Pain had come to know so well.

[Sesha]

At a point somewhere between her first and second failed attempt to strike the woman, Sesha decided that she was fighting her superior. The force of her movement came to an abrupt halt as the darkly featured female blunted her assault, as if she were only a tantrum child. Fortunately for her, or perhaps unfortunately, this threw the pickpocket off balance. Her momentum carried her forward and a wide eyed look of shock gave way to one of anguish as a blast of pain erupted in her bowels. Her attacker had overestimated and underestimated Sesha’s weight and velocity respectively, sending her into a spin that ended with a hard fall from waist height to the dirt. Blood and spittle burst from her mouth, a grinding in her abdomen ignited further anger as she lay face down. She was optimistic that it was the bones of her corset and not her ribs, but would need to see a physician regardless. Her fire would not be quelled, however, pain like this would fade in time; this was nothing. She moaned, not entirely as a ruse, and lay still for a moment, gaining her bearings. From her periphery she caught sight of the woman’s legs. Still close enough. She seized the opportunity and pressed herself upwards, aiming a diagonal jab with her left foot at the Lhavitian’s nearest shin. She used the thrust and twisted her hips, intent on striking higher on the same leg with her right foot while using her arms for support. The movement sent a lance of terrible pain through her body, but the fire subdued it. She spun back to all fours. Having learned from her earlier attack, evasion would be key at this point. Her left leg pressed off the earth the instant it touched and she managed a partial somersault over her right shoulder, eliciting further agony as her weight struck the ground. She did end it with her feet beneath her, luckily, crouched low with her opponent to her left. Blood still dribbled down her chin and she looked much the worse for wear, but this fight was not over yet. Her stance became defensive, her knuckles white, her breath ragged, but determined.

[Elhaym]

Pain retracted her knee quickly, ushering her breath out and taking another in. Her opponent fell into a heap, and Pain eased back into her fighting stance as she observed Sesha's fallen form. She considered planting her heel on the back of Sesha's head, and breaking out all of those pretty white teeth... at least that would put an end to that venomous mouth of hers for a while. However, a real fight was a bit of a relief; she felt the familiar rush in her body and wanted more. So she just watched as her opponent composed herself, finally lashing out in vengeance. It was a bit of a desperate attack, but because of her odd positioning on the ground Pain wasn't quite sure what she was planning. When her foot lashed out, Pain only marginally escaped the brunt of her attack by pulling her leg free. It did hurt, more of a stinging than the horrifying feelings one could obtain from a true battle, but despite Pain flinched. It was not enough to stop her from pulling her leg away from the second blow, Sesha's foot flailing uselessly in the air before she composed herself into some semblance of a stance. "You have a wicked tongue, bitch. But you fight like a little kid... kickin' me in the shins?" Pain sneered, trying to emulate her opponent's earlier derisive commentary. Pain wasn't much for insults, but she wanted to goad Sesha into a little more action... the fight, it just felt so good... Pain's body roared into action, taking the initiative this time. There wasn't much space between them, and Pain covered it quickly. Her body was a hive of motion, suddenly airborne Sesha's eyes. Perhaps to Sesha, who was so low to the ground, it wouldn't make sense why she had decided for some sort of jump attack. Pain lept up under the power of her right leg, swiveling her hips and initiating a bodily spin in mid air. She dipped her shoulders and extended her left leg as her body came full circle, now upon Sesha's form. Pain's vision was blurred by motion, but she could tell that Sesha was indeed relatively in the same position... though the details of her reaction to Pain's charge were unclear. What was clear was that the heel of Pain's left foot was arcing down fast, and as it stood it would crack down on Sesha's backside, right around her shoulder blade and neck. Pain's legs were strong, thus she favored them for heavy attacks... but Pain had learned in the past that attacks such as this were as risky as they were effective. It was yet to be known if Sesha could muster a counterattack or an escape to Pain's vicious and quick assault.

[Sesha]

Sesha barely had time to move, reflexively blocking the powerful blow with crossed forearms; she was still knocked off balance, falling to her bottom with a grunt of exertion. The failing combatant’s earlier injuries compounded with her sore arms and her buttocks in such a way that she now felt severely crippled. Her opponent had bested her once again, and now had the height advantage. New tears found her eyes and she bowed her head in defeat, immobile on the hard earth. The sound of clapping hands and audience approval came from nowhere at all, disembodied shouts and uproarious laughter cutting into Sesha like a knife. “I am finished,” she conceded miserably. “I will show you the way.” She remained seated, sucking in air and willing the pain to leave her abdomen. Her earlier temper now shamed Sesha. She had been reduced to a bawling child in a matter moments. “Teach me,” she added after a long moment. “I want to be able to defend myself… like you.” It was an admission of inferiority unlike any the thief had ever doled out. To her, none but Ionu stood above her, and now she knew that it was just not true. With time, however, and practice, Sesha would make any who crossed her pay dearly. Perhaps even this woman would suffer beneath her fists one day.

[Elhaym]

Pain's heel crashed down upon hard bone and muscle rather than soft tissue, but the damage was done. With humbling grace Pain kicked her leg up and away from Sesha, throwing her entire body into the maneuver. Her grounded leg pushed off the ground, propelling her into a backflip that she stuck with a harsh grunt. Her opponent seemed dazed, and more or less unwilling to continue. She was also... crying? Pain listened to her words, squatting low to the ground and resting her elbows on her knees. Her hands dangled, but energetically pointed and whipped around as she spoke. "What you need to be taught is when to fight, and when not to. What are you thinking, just lashing out and trying to kick someone's ass like that? You could get yourself killed, no matter how good you think you are." Pain rolled backward, landing on her butt and comfortably leaning forward. Her elbows remained rested on her knees, and she was eye level with Sesha now. Pain wasn't a nasty person by nature, and her opponent's seemingly heartfelt admission of defeat had cut off the adrenaline flow in her body. She was a warrior, but she didn't just beat people senseless for fun. She would have ended up like Sesha could have this day if she had, coughing up blood in an alleyway in Syliras and wishing to all the gods that she had bitten her tongue. "You want to learn to defend yourself? You weren't doing any defending today, lady. You were trying to hurt someone, for a damned stupid reason too if i do say so myself." Pain barked again, accentuating her last statement with a heavy sigh. "Your damn nails are too long. You can't punch proper. Hit with the heel of your hand or something, or you'll end up breaking your fingers to save your pretty nails, first of all." Pain said. She conceded that despite her distrust of Sesha's mental ability to understand the costs of knowing how to fight, she would teach her a thing or two. It wasn't as if anyone had problems teaching men who were damn near mentally handicapped how to swing around a sword, anyhow. "And when you move, you need to explode. Think about this. You got two guys, one with a crossbow and the other with a longbow. The crossbowman has a bolt loaded in his crossbow, the arched has his bow and an arrow ready in his other hand. You tell em' both to shoot... so, what happens. You see the crossbowman aim, but you never know when he's gonna pull the trigger. The longbowman is obvious, he draws his bow and releases. You see it coming, even if you can't dodge. Don't be the longbow. Be the crossbow. Your body movements were so dramatic that i could tell what you were gonna do from your hips down to your toes. It's something you can only improve with time, really. You gotta learn to attack quickly, and when you do you gotta put everything into it. No wasted movements. You know?" Pain looked upon the sad form of her would-be opponent, and let out another small sigh. Why was she handing out trade secrets to someone who just chewed her out and tried to assault her? Hard to say... maybe Pain just didn't like the idea of Sesha being unable to handle herself should something truly nasty come her way.