b1bad8 & 756d4f
XXAs Lise and McKenna strode side by side through the brush, Lise pondered their partnership. More specifically, she pondered her partner. Peering at the blonde at the edge of her vision, Lise broke what had previously been a decidedly silent wander.
XX“So, what’s your deal?”
XXShe smiled sheepishly, “Like, everyone here seems to have a deal. Some tragic backstory, or life-changing, destiny-forming event.”
XXLeaning down, she pulled a rapier from its hidden place beneath the fallen leaves. She weighed it in her hand, smiling in satisfaction.
XXMcKenna had raised an eyebrow at the sudden question - people usually didn’t care to inquire about her past. Nonetheless, she wasn’t the type of person who’d be closed off from talking about it.
XX“Nothing much,” McKenna said offhandedly. “I grew up in a Serbian orphanage in Kragujevac, and was grouped in the same unit as two deaf people and someone with ADHD. Stuff happened, someone took me away, and I came here. What about you?”
XXLise shrugged, wearing a wan smile.
XX“Me? Oh, nothing exciting. Paris, born and raised. Shortly after I learnt to speak, Dad realised I was a highkey genius, and pretended that I got it from him to feed his ego. But I went off the rails a little bit in high school- teenage rebellion, and all that. He, uh... wasn’t a fan. I messed up pretty badly at this one house party, so he sent me here.”
XXPressing her tongue to the inside of her cheek, she smiled wryly.
XX”I’m not gonna lie- my whole life reeks of privilege.”
XX“I can tell,” McKenna said bluntly. “But it’s stupid to judge a person’s character based off of their financial background. Rich kids can be humble and poor kids can be lazy as fuck. Although I would not call you a humble person, I wouldn’t hate you just because you were privileged and I wasn’t.”
XXLise let out a bark of laughter, “I'm touched.”
XXSuddenly, Lise paused, and her eyes narrowed. Raising her hand, she gestured for McKenna to stop.
XX“Wait- there’s someone coming.”
XXMoments after speaking, a familiar face appeared through the foliage.
XX“Dukey Dearest, how you doin’?”
XX“Congratulations, girls. You make quite the team.”
XXAs Duke dropped to his knees, Lise’s left brow rose in response. Just as quickly, however, she smirked, wandering over to him with her typical swagger. As she reached down to take his band, she shot him a smug smile.
XX“How accommodating.”
XXDuke’s movements were lightning fast, as he twisted around suddenly, his leg sweeping to catch Lise’s feet, and send her tumbling to the ground.
XXOr, at least, such was what would have happened. Instead, however, Lise’s expression remained just as smug, her form unshaken as his leg passed right through her. Raising her now-solidified right foot, she kicked Duke hard in the shoulder, catching his band with the edge of her recently acquired rapier. She then turned back to McKenna, waving the makeshift flag with a suitably victorious grin.
XX“Well, that was fast,” McKenna stated dryly. “Sorry, brother - gotta get back to the hall.”
XXSmiling, Lise plucked the band from her swordpoint, and tucked it into her back pocket. Shooting Duke a final smile, she looked to McKenna, and pointed her rapier towards the forest ahead of her.
XX“Allon-sy!”
XX“So, what’s your deal?”
XXShe smiled sheepishly, “Like, everyone here seems to have a deal. Some tragic backstory, or life-changing, destiny-forming event.”
XXLeaning down, she pulled a rapier from its hidden place beneath the fallen leaves. She weighed it in her hand, smiling in satisfaction.
XXMcKenna had raised an eyebrow at the sudden question - people usually didn’t care to inquire about her past. Nonetheless, she wasn’t the type of person who’d be closed off from talking about it.
XX“Nothing much,” McKenna said offhandedly. “I grew up in a Serbian orphanage in Kragujevac, and was grouped in the same unit as two deaf people and someone with ADHD. Stuff happened, someone took me away, and I came here. What about you?”
XXLise shrugged, wearing a wan smile.
XX“Me? Oh, nothing exciting. Paris, born and raised. Shortly after I learnt to speak, Dad realised I was a highkey genius, and pretended that I got it from him to feed his ego. But I went off the rails a little bit in high school- teenage rebellion, and all that. He, uh... wasn’t a fan. I messed up pretty badly at this one house party, so he sent me here.”
XXPressing her tongue to the inside of her cheek, she smiled wryly.
XX”I’m not gonna lie- my whole life reeks of privilege.”
XX“I can tell,” McKenna said bluntly. “But it’s stupid to judge a person’s character based off of their financial background. Rich kids can be humble and poor kids can be lazy as fuck. Although I would not call you a humble person, I wouldn’t hate you just because you were privileged and I wasn’t.”
XXLise let out a bark of laughter, “I'm touched.”
XXSuddenly, Lise paused, and her eyes narrowed. Raising her hand, she gestured for McKenna to stop.
XX“Wait- there’s someone coming.”
XXMoments after speaking, a familiar face appeared through the foliage.
XX“Dukey Dearest, how you doin’?”
XX“Congratulations, girls. You make quite the team.”
XXAs Duke dropped to his knees, Lise’s left brow rose in response. Just as quickly, however, she smirked, wandering over to him with her typical swagger. As she reached down to take his band, she shot him a smug smile.
XX“How accommodating.”
XXDuke’s movements were lightning fast, as he twisted around suddenly, his leg sweeping to catch Lise’s feet, and send her tumbling to the ground.
XXOr, at least, such was what would have happened. Instead, however, Lise’s expression remained just as smug, her form unshaken as his leg passed right through her. Raising her now-solidified right foot, she kicked Duke hard in the shoulder, catching his band with the edge of her recently acquired rapier. She then turned back to McKenna, waving the makeshift flag with a suitably victorious grin.
XX“Well, that was fast,” McKenna stated dryly. “Sorry, brother - gotta get back to the hall.”
XXSmiling, Lise plucked the band from her swordpoint, and tucked it into her back pocket. Shooting Duke a final smile, she looked to McKenna, and pointed her rapier towards the forest ahead of her.
XX“Allon-sy!”