and mama always said--

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Who: Faith Lehane & training students & OTA
Where: Sparring Facility, Angel Investigations, a room on a floor of your choosing!
When: Aug/Sep Catch-all
Rating: PG-13, could increase
Summary: Faith is not handling her anniversary in Wonderland very well.
The Story:

sparring facility

[ she's going easy on everyone.

faith usually asks her trainees for an extra few punches, higher kicks, or harder throws. she makes it clear that the name of the game is to walk out feeling better than when you came in, sure. but this month she takes people at their word when they tire out, instead of asking for more.

her movement's still crisp but she doesn't hit or push as hard as normal. the threshold varies per person, a mental note in faith's head to tell her who needs her to throttle back less or more. ]

hallway, pick a floor any floor

[ she comes here weekly, to this unmarked door, but it's not her room.

when faith exits, it's with freshly-made bruises and drying blood that she hasn't quite cleaned up all the way. a sheen of sweat covers her, and she's pushing her hair out of her face like it's personally affronted her. ]

angel investigations

[ she's literally asleep on that middle round couch thing. which cannot be comfortable. wake the slayer, and choose your weapon wisely... ]

Comments

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[ the quick switch to force from repetition catches faith off guard enough that she retaliates, turning with arya's thrust to grab at the girl's axe-hand as it comes down in a firm grip. arya's body continues to move forward by her own wrist.

faith realizes what she's done in an instant, and lets go before she can chuck her student into a wall. she drops her own weapon and steps back, arms raised with hands open. ]

Shit. You OK?

[needlebearer]

[As Faith lets go of her, Arya struggles to keep her balance. She throws her axe down before she accidentally hurts herself with it, pushing back against the floor with her hand before she falls completely. She doesn't seem to fazed; more than anything, she's confused at how Faith could make such a simple mistake.]

That's what I should be asking you.

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Wish I could say yeah.

[ she shrugs, moving another step from arya-- if she were an adult, or at least closer to faith's age, maybe the slayer wouldn't be feeling this guilt so strongly. but she also wouldn't be so willing to be forthright. ]

Starting to feel trapped for real. I've been in this place for almost a year-- thought I'd be out by now, I guess.

[needlebearer]

[That's something Arya can sympathise with all too well and she nods in understanding.]

I don't want to be stuck here that long. Everything just feels so ... futile, here.

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Hey, it's gon--

[ gonna be OK? faith snaps off the lip service as it's coming out, turning her head away. she's quiet for the moment, unable to add anything helpful. blinded by her own frustration and inability to cope with wonderland lately. ]

Sorry, kid. Don't wanna lie to you and pretend like things are gonna somehow work out.

[needlebearer]

[Arya feels a great deal of respect for her just then. She's so used to adults treating her like she doesn't know anything about how the world works, it's refreshing to hear a bleak truth, even if that doesn't mean she's going to accept it.]

They will work out, though. After I kill the Queen.

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[ well shit arya goes from 0 to 60 huh? at least it's enough of a jolt to shift faith's focus from her own pity party to -- who knows. she's gotta figure out where this is going, first... ]

Oh yeah? How you gonna manage that?

[needlebearer]

[She's not certain yet, but she's too proud to admit it, and she knows that doing so definitely wouldn't make Faith feel any better.]

It's all a matter of waiting for the right event to give my the opportunity. And keeping on training in the meantime. You're helping a lot there, you know.

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Oh. Good.

[ she doesn't feel like it's all that good. can she do this as delicately as she thinks it needs to be done? ]

You open to letting someone else get a piece of the pie?

[needlebearer]

[Arya nods, wishing it was something she could do alone but knowing that everyone here had an equal claim.]

You're stuck here too, after all. You should get some satisfaction from it.

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[ she nods in return; it's not exactly something to thank someone for. ]

I know why I wanna take her out; it's my job. What's your aim?

[needlebearer]

[She looks a little confused at the question, thinking that Faith may have understood.]

Revenge. It's not like there's anyone else to get even with for being trapped here.

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[ one shoulder shrugs up as faith works to figure out how to explain what she was expecting. ]

Most people'd hope it would get them outta here, I mean.

[needlebearer]

Do you think it's really that simple? [Arya isn't sure herself, but then she knows nothing about whatever magic brought them here in the first place.]

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Eh. I don't think anything involving killing someone else is simple.

〈 she grimaces, unsure if this is the right way to go. 〉

Been there, done that. Didn't really change anything...

[needlebearer]

What do you mean, it didn't change anything?

[It's the one hope she's been clinging to, that killing those on her list might bring about some sort of change - at least give her satisfaction.]