Poisonous Fox

I struggled to maintain my gait as we made our way back through the city.

My legs felt tight and overfull, almost as though they were sausages on the verge of bursting. Somehow, someway, the constituent parts of my newest Mark were still actively spreading. It would perhaps be an understatement to say it was uncomfortable, walking halfway across the city after receiving a surgery without anesthesia.

However, there was some mercy to be found. For as we made our way, Kate actively supported me, allowing me to lean against her as she wrapped a protective arm about my shoulders. Naturally, she glared off anyone that might have obstructed our path.

All too soon, we reached the training field, where I looked at the sand covered floor with much apprehension. It was at this point that I felt I may need to directly contradict Kate regarding her plans to ‘spar.’

I did not want to spar.

“Relax,” said Kate, glancing down at me with a wry smirk.

“Please,” I scoffed. “I am as relaxed as is possible, at least under these circumstances.”

Kate guffawed.

“I feel you tightening up there,” Kate said. “That’s the opposite of what you should be doing.”

I grimaced as I had been called out on my obvious lie. I was not even sure why I had lied in the first place, though I assumed I had a good reason for doing so. However, that being said, Kate was correct. I had tightened up as we approached the training field; my legs and core felt the worse for doing so.

As I had already been called out on my deceit, I attempted to salvage what value I could.

“Will we not be sparring then?” I asked, allowing a hopeful tint to enter my voice.

“Yeah… but no. Not sparring. I’ll just show you some of the stretches and exercises you need to do to help further things along.”

Kate ducked under the barricade between the training field and the Merc Quarter, before lifting it to allow me easier passage. Once again, I joined her by her side. I may have blown out a breath in relief. The tension I had already been holding due to my apprehension began to fade.

We continued towards an empty plot of sand where Kate demonstrated several stretches and calisthenics that the Knights used to speed up their own recovery and to ensure maximum results.

The exercises felt a lot like yoga. I humored myself by imagining burly Knights practicing positions such as ‘downward facing dog.’

It was as Kate was watching me perform these stretches and offering advice, that we were interrupted by one of Kate’s friends, none other than Gregory Silverborn.

“Sorry that I missed you,” the boy said from across the fence, after he caught Kate’s attention.

I continued holding my pose, though I ensured I was facing towards them and near enough to listen and perhaps join the conversation, should that be required.

“What brought you by the shop?” Gregory asked.

“Your old man didn’t tell you?” Kate said, giving Gregory a look of casual comprehension.

“Maybe?” Gregory shrugged. “He mentioned you came in with a friend and might be back later. I figured you’d be here though, breaking things in. At least if you got a Mark, which… I’m assuming you did?” Gregory finished with a note of uncertainty.

“So he did tell you then,” Kate said, grinning.

“Well… not exactly,” Gregory said. “But I inferred from the missing spool of wire. We had to pause one of our jobs.” It sounded like he would say more, perhaps noting the inconvenience of lacking the required materials to finish whatever he had been planning to artifice. Though before he issued this complaint, he shut his mouth and winced, just slightly.

Naturally, Kate ignored the boy’s discomfort.

“Oh yeah?” Kate asked. “What were you guys working on?”

Perhaps she was not so indifferent, afterall.

Gregory shrugged.

“Just something to help with schoolwork,” he said, then he shook his head and changed the subject. “But, ignoring that, I believe a congratulations is in order for your… friend?” he trailed off, glancing my way meaningfully.

“Yeah! You’ve met Jackie before?” Kate said, waving me over.

I ended my stretch, climbed up from the ground, and then joined Kate by the fence.

“Have we?” Gregory asked. “Met, that is.”

“Briefly, perhaps.” I said, avoiding the unpleasant memories I had, thanks to him. Or attempting to avoid them, anyways. But the boy had expressed strong prejudices towards non-humans.

“Whatever. You did or didn’t, doesn’t matter,” Kate said. “I managed to get her a Greater Mark for Academy.”

“Greater?!” Gregory said. “Since you’re here, you’re doing the warrior path then?” he asked me.

“Grace, actually,” Kate answered on my behalf.

“Really?” Gregory asks, raising his eyebrows. “And you got her that Greater Mark?” He sounded a trite jealous.

I could have jumped in at this point and claimed credit for raising the funds and materials, but that would raise the question regarding the methods I used to gain those in the first place. And besides, from Gregory’s attention, it was clear he had come for Kate, and not myself. I decided to allow Kate to do as her brash nature compelled.

“Yep,” Kate said, flexing her forearms and admiring her own musculature. “Pretty great, I know.”

“It’s just…” Gregory trailed off for a moment, gathering his thoughts. “...surprising? Surprising.” He nodded to himself, as though answering a question that none had heard but him.

“Yeah?” Kate asked. “That I was able to do that? Or what?”

“More that you would choose to do so,” he said, frowning at me. “For her.”

“Why’s that?” Kate asked, smirking at him. She threw an arm around my shoulders. “Jealous?” she asked.

Gregory scoffed, and under his breath he muttered, “A bit, yeah.”

A somewhat awkward lull occurred in the conversation.

Kate must have decided she had enough of that, because she shrugged and started to turn away from Gregory, dismissing him. I worried I would be left hanging there, but she nudged me as she went, pulling me along with her.

“Wait!” Gregory called out before we had completed turning.

Kate groaned and looked back towards Gregory.

“Yeah?” Kate asked, a hint of impatience held in her voice.

“Uh…” he said, awkwardly, mumbling again, though this time inaudible.

“Yeah?!” Kate asked, a bit more forcefully, definitely more irritably.

“I asked if you wanted to walk to the Academy with me next week…”

“What?” Kate asked, “why?”

Gregory grimaced and coughed, but otherwise failed to answer.

“Whatever, doesn’t matter. I can swing by the shop I guess. But you better be able to keep up.”

“Of course,” he said, sounding relieved.

“You’re sure you can?” Kate asked, sounding amused for some reason.

Gregory takes no time to think about it, giving a quick and terse nod and a small smile.

Kate then continued her turn, pulling me back towards the sand pit.

“See you then!” Gregory called out after us.

“Uh-huh,” Kate answered, uninterested.

Gregory lingered for a bit while Kate resumed her instruction, but by minutes later, he had left. After a few minutes longer, it became clear that Kate was not going to address that anything had happened. I decided to broach the subject, as she would not.

“Is Gregory Silverborn not your friend?” I asked her.

“Huh? Yeah, I guess.”

I could think of a few ways to casually ask this, but most of those ways were offensive in some manner. Thus, I chose to tease her in my asking, in order to soften the sting of it and still gather the information that I required.

“Do you have many of them?” I asked.

“Many of what?” Kate asked, narrowing her eyes my way.

“Friends.”

For a moment, I worried that my humor fell over flat. But after that awkward pause, she gave gave a brief laugh.

“I have a few, but yeah… I don’t need many. I don’t see the need for them, really.”

“Quality over quantity then?” I asked for clarification.

“Something like that,” Kate said. “But Gregory’s got even less than I do. Just so you know.”

I rolled my eyes. As though I would fail to notice the redirection. However, I had received what I required. Thus, instead, I made a joke.

“You somehow made that into a competition?” I asked in mock incredulousness.

Kate scoffed through her nasal passages.

“Everything is,” Kate said.

“Speaking of competitive factors then,” I said, changing the subject. “Will you receive your Mark soon?”

“Should,” Kate said. “Might not be until after the first few days of school though.”

“Will this delay harm your academics?”

“Pffft. No,” Kate said in complete seriousness. “I’m already amazing.”

I worked my jaw for several seconds, losing my poise, before giving a playful smirk and resuming my stretches and calisthenics.

While I had yet to take a look at my new Mark, I could already feel a difference in my balance. It would take some effort to fully understand and incorporate the effects, but I could noticeably better control my position, especially while moving.

Kate noticed that my attention had slipped from her to the very same exercises that she had shown me earlier, and she gestured at me broadly with her arms, as though to demonstrate the proof of her earlier statement regarding the quality of her friends.

It was difficult to dispute. At least in this specific instance.

I would consider Kate to be a quality resource, perhaps even a friend. Though I still could remember her sword slicing downward–

I shuddered and focused once more, ignoring the unpleasant memories as best I could.

An hour later, after Kate was certain I was hale and understood all the movements I should practice daily to get used to the Mark, she escorted me back to Ma’Ritz, providing support to lean upon as we climbed Blossom Hill.

Once we had returned, she brought us into the tavern where Marianne worked, and Kate did not depart until ensuring Marianne both saw me and was able to attend me, or at least make sure I was taken care of.

The attention was embarrassing. And while Marianne was working, in between orders she did dote upon me.

It… felt nice.

Though later that night the doting grew irksome.

When it came time for me to attend to my nightly duties, which was back to watching over the place at night and as the patrons left, Marianne insisted that I take time off to recover. I disagreed. I may have been recovering, but the Hill was largely safe at night, especially with the peacekeepers actually performing patrols, so I anticipated that work would be light. I intended to put that time to good use, continuing to test my body as its limits were altered by the still integrating Mark.

However, when Marianne pointed to my bandages, which were seeping both blood and ink, I admitted that perhaps Marianne had a point.

Especially when she went and spoke to Ma directly to lessen my duties that eve.

Thus, around midnight, I retired to bed, where Marianne still waited for me to finish, as though worried I might do anything but rest.

To be truthful, her concerns were perhaps valid.

The next morning I was forced to admit that Marianne’s insistence turned out to be for the best, as when I awoke I felt incredibly sore. Notably, I was alone this time, which meant Marianne had already begun her day, and that I had yet to be disturbed or called upon for any reason whatsoever.

As I sat up, I felt around the bandages wrapping my sides, stomach, and lower chest. Where my Mark had been installed both above and below the right side of my ribcage, the bandages had leaked and dried and likely stuck fast to the outer layer of my skin. As I had not been given instructions regarding the bandages, in regards to removing or changing them, I left them be. It would be tragic, if after all the effort that went into receiving the mark was wasted by my own impatience.

I doubted the bandages were ready to remove, anyways, as I had yet to fully recover in other, more painful means.

For instance, my entire body felt overly full, as though someone had overinflated my veins with blood. A peculiar and unpleasant feeling, which combined with my tongue feeling swollen and sticky, similar to how it would feel prior to vomiting. My legs and core felt incredibly fatigued, similar to the aftereffects of an overly harsh ‘leg-day’ at the gym. So much so, that I lacked confidence in either climbing or descending the stairs. Seeing as I currently reside upon the third floor of a building that lacked an elevator, this weakness caused me some concern. Very likely, I would need to endure the pain, as I refused to waste my already limited time by loafing such as a roustabout.

The discomfort was not solely limited to my veins and muscles, however, as even my bones seemed to emit a feeble energy which suffused my entire being. Even my spine, perhaps especially my spine, had a bloated feeling to it, which ought not to have ever been experienced. Especially as this sensation extended upwards, past my neck, and assumedly followed my brainstem up into my cranial cavity. This, I assumed, was what caused my current migraine.

Given that the hour was still before noon, and considering my current state, I decided to pull the covers over my head and to bury my face into my pillow. I decided that perhaps I was entitled to treat myself to some minor loafing around. For the purposes of recovery.

It felt all too soon when I once more had my rest interrupted, as I was visited once again by Kate.

If I had my desires met, I would have been left to wallow until I regained the fluid movement I had come to expect for myself.

Kate had a different idea. As per her usual behavior, she was insistent and demanding, enough so that I felt obligated, or rather forced, to submit.

“But… yeah… you’re gonna need to get up,” Kate had demanded. She was now standing at the foot of my bunk bed, a stern expression upon her visage as she stared.

I groaned in response, obviously protesting, though to no avail. I knew even as I voiced my complaint that doing so would be futile. I also realized that Kate was likely correct, that I needed to get up. Even knowing this, I still found the prospect of going out to be undesirable.

“Jackie.” Kate took hold of my blanket. “Last warning. Get up.”

“But–” I began and was interrupted as Kate promptly tore the blanket away, revealing my still clothed form.

“Huh,” Kate said, visibly having scanned my hips and chest. “You haven't changed since yesterday?”

But rather than protesting the violations regarding her actions, and rather than providing an excuse, I sighed and shrugged. Though after the twinge I felt from the motion, I regretted it.

“I guess that’s fine,” Kate said after a moment’s pause of consideration. “Saves time now, though I don’t think we’ll hit the Academy today, seeing as how people would think you’re a slob.”

I narrowed my eyes. She sounded as though she may have spoken from personal experience, though I let that pass as she had brought up an even more significant issue.

“Academy?” I prompted. “I had not thought that the school term had begun already…”

“Pfft,” she scoffed. “Nah, not yet. But we need to get you ready for it.”

It was at this point, as she waved her hand, that I realized she had been holding a semi-official appearing portfolio. It had been bound in the canvas derivative that was used seemingly in place of cardboard, and the Academy’s logo had been painted onto the front.

As Kate noticed she had drawn my attention, she grinned. “We’re gonna get your books and stuff sorted today… ‘sides,” she added. “Need to get you up and moving. Otherwise you might lose mobility. Permanently.”

“...what?” I uttered as my thoughts caught up. “How?”

She winced. “Well… I might have misspoke a bit there… but yeah, what happens when you heal tight without stretching and moving?” She gave me an expectant look, demanding a response.

“You’re likely correct,” I said. “Though I had planned on performing those later today.”

“That’s good,” she said with a nod. “But you still need to get moving. Exercises are meant to suppleh–supplement, not replace.”

Ignoring her verbal fumble, I conceded the point to her.

Thus, with her help, we made our way down and out of Ma’Ritz, and made the ten minute walk to the Academy’s book store, along with an adjacent shop that sold an assortment of training gear and study aides. Kate had brought a syllabus for the Grace Path in the portfolio, and soon she was carrying several thin books, along with a tightly wrapped bundle of equipment which included breathable fabrics and dancing slippers. While she carried the supplies, I was forced to part with the remainder of my funds.

In my past life, given the methods and purposes that Mother had both stolen and raised me for, I had avoided the poor college child experience. This life, apparently, I was not so fortunate.

Once Kate deposited me back in my room, along with handing off the pile of books, she waited, perhaps hesitantly, near the doorway. As she stood there, shuffling slightly, while watching me after I put the supplies in my personal trunk, I had a sneaking suspicion that left me regarding her, equally hesitantly.

“So… uhh…” Kate said, not quite stammering, but definitely lacking her typical unwarranted confidence.

“Yes, Sir Kate?” I asked.

She grimaced slightly and broke eye contact.

I decided to ‘honey the trap,’ as Mother had once explained.

“I truly do appreciate the efforts you provided, today,” I told her, voicing gratitude which was not entirely forced. “I had yet to realize there even was a syllabus, or that I needed to make purchases prior to the term beginning.”

“Yeah…”

“And I expect that Marianne will also be thankful, as she will likely share my new books at the very least.”

“Marianne…” Kate parrotted, seemingly thinking of something else.

As I was standing before her now, she glanced my way and once again made eye contact. Given our proximity, and her current stance, she was able to hem me in by placing one arm above and to the side, separating me from the rest of the bedroom.

Her breath brushed my cheek, and I felt thankful that neither of us had eaten any strongly flavored foods prior.

“So,” Kate said, in what I assumed was her attempt at sounding breathless. She leaned in further, partially closing her eyes.

I resisted the urge to cringe back or resist, as doing so would immediately sour our relationship, and Kate was not entirely undesirable, though I wished we could have avoided this. But, given her efforts, and the fact that I had profited thus far from our relationship, I consented to furthering this investment.

All of these thoughts came and went quickly, in the span of a second, before I acted on my decision and mirrored Kate’s behavior. I lidded my eyes and tilted my face upwards to meet hers. Or lips touched. A tingling cold washed across my face and nerves, resulting in a not-entirely-undesirable warmth.

I counted to five and then broke contact, pulling away before she could push for more and spoil the otherwise tolerable kiss.

“Did that satisfy you, Sir Kate?” I asked coyly.

She worked her lips several times, ran her tongue across them as though to taste the remnants, and then smiled. “A little,” she said. “But I could go for some more, if you’re up for it?” she asked hopefully.

I smiled and patted her shoulder as I gently pushed her away.

“Perhaps some other time, Sir Kate.”

She exhaled and partially deflated, though she did not push for more. Afterwards, she departed, and I was left to perform the stretches and exercises she had shown me and otherwise recover.

That night, I resumed my duties keeping watch, though I moved as little as I could, except to occasionally switch which side of the building I watched over.

It was as I came over to the back of the building, and as I peered over the edge of the roof, that I saw a familiar cloaked figure looking up my way. Pale skin, bright eyes, and a familiar, if unwanted face. She pouted, though she made the expression overly theatrical, given the distance. She waved me down towards her and went so far as to call my name, making herself a nuisance so that I had little choice in the matter.

It seemed that Belobog had come for a chat.