The intensity in her expression gives me pause for the first time since meeting her. I have no idea what she's talking about, of course, but I don't need to know all the details; I can see the desperation and anguish in her eyes, and that caged exp…
People like me don't care? Poor little rich girl with her bubbles and bathwater and fancy room. Instead of answering her question -- I assume she didn't intend for me to really answer -- I concentrate on settling into the water. It licks up again…
I glance over my shoulder at the man who had purchased me, then at the guard, just once, then willingly follow the girl out of the room. Seems she's in charge, then. Alright.
Her apparent sympathy doesn't help to put me at ease. I'd feel more co…
My face turns quickly towards this girl's father; my glower turned quickly into a look of surprise? ...Me? Some spoiled tart's bodyguard? Had the world gone mad? And who in their right mind would trust a pit-fighter with the life of their daught…
I assume the person waiting in silence is a second guard or someone of little consequence and that the woman entering the room is the one we're all waiting on. A new buyer, perhaps? But if that were the case, why the strange circumstances? Why br…
Even after such a fight, they aren't taking chances with me: confinement in the pit is rarely so...confining. While not luxurious, our cells allow us to move, to exercise, to prepare. The feeling of being shackled like this and having a hood drawn…
Well, it wasn't pretty -- at least, the marines that went over the catwalk onto the floor below probably aren't very pretty anymore. Naomi moved ahead of the rest to clear their path for them -- catwalks aren't big enough for a comfortable fight, s…
There, that wasn't so hard, was it?
I've seen Jonas take worse than that -- he's walked away from things that would have sent lesser men home to hide behind their mama's aprons for the rest of their lives. Still no reason to let it fester.
I …
I glance over in Vance's direction as the announcement comes to an end. It's an appraising look -- I'm wondering how one man could be worth so much. Apparently, I've underestimated him...but I'm also impressed. Anyone capable of upsetting the Imp…
Fighting isn't all I'm good for! One of the guards managed to hit the door switch, and another of those big doors started to roll shut with Vance, Snargle, and myself on one side and the rest of the group on the other. My fault: I didn't realize h…
1+Help+Pit-Fighter+Combat Tested+Brutal+Living Weapon+Fast+Hard
Naomi lets Vance lead the way until a threat emerges. The moment she lays eyes on any Imperial, it is Naomi who takes the lead. Moving fast and taking the Imperials down before they c…
Weekends are usually bad times for me to post, in part because I'm busy doing things and in part because my roommate is home...and I find it impossible to post coherently while he's around, because he doesn't listen to the TV at a reasonable level!
…
I sag against the spear for a minute, breathing hard and listening to my heart pounding. When the cheers break through, I push myself upright using my right arm and lift the same arm in a wave with a smile that, I hate to admit, isn't completely fo…
That thing is moving fast...and they're counting on me to do my part. I dodge around the massive club it carries -- it's damaged the floor of the arena, bringing broken pieces of tile up with it like shrapnel as it lifts the club up again. But I g…
Good, that simplified things.
I let the lady fiddle with the bandages for a moment by herself...but she's doing no good with the use of only one hand, so I step forward as she's trying to secure it. "You'll never get it tight enough on your own." …
I allow myself to look somewhat satisfied as the woman retreats to her cell. Now that she's decided to be cooperative, I lower the pistol and replaces the hammer. Excellent. It was always easier when they didn't do something incredibly stupid.
"…
"Understood, my lady." I had barely glanced at the boy when he'd placed the pistol in my care. I don't use pistols much; I'm much more deadly without them... But they do look intimidating, and I guess you could say I enjoy putting on a show: old …
They call this place the Pearl. It was built by a bunch of rich imperials to show off their wealth. Shells of perhaps thousands of oysters decorate the walls of this place. They look like regular stones until the light hits them, and they light u…