Re: World-Marleybone

[Hannah Durante]

((WE DO. And your post is perfectly fine, not boring at all! No need to change anything. THISSSS post is boring though, so if you need me to change anything, feel free!))
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She listened intently as Ulysses asked his questions, curious to know what they were going to be up against. Unlike the Admiral however, Bishop's report on the numbers Mercilus had did not prompt her to scoff at the man or consider him understaffed. One hundred and ten men, plus one conniving assassin mastermind to command all of them hardly sounded like anything to get complacent about from her standpoint. Then again, she had never held command of a brigade like Septimus. She was just a soldier, one among many, who considered those numbers a fair amount, especially considering the fact she was going to have to try and help put a dent in those numbers.

Still, it wasn't anything she'd never faced before. There had been just that many men, if not more, in numerous battles during the Polarian wars, and she assumed that Ulysses would not walk into a scrap like that without a just as fearsome wall of clockworks and Valencian soldiers loyal to the Armada. So, though it had been far more than she had expected to hear, it wasn't as if they were going into battle with just a few of them against unimaginable odds. It would be just like old times again, fighting alongside the clockworks as they had once Casimir had unleashed them and granted Kane full military control.

She focused on Cristobal's suggestion next, arching a brow in wonder of it. It was an interesting piece of advice for sure, and she wondered if a man like the one they were hunting down and his soldiers would fall for such a ruse. She would find that much out too though, at least how they would plan on using that tale to their advantage if they went that route. For now, neither men cared to elaborate on that scheme further, and both quickly exited the room and headed toward the Interceptor.

As usual, Hannah followed behind, though far more confidently than she had before this time. She frowned slightly as Ulysses addressed his crew in latin, deciding it was high time to at least remark on that part of things.

"I do hope you plan on giving me my instructions in one of the languages I understand, Admiral. I...barely know any latin. I did not do well with it while younger at Silvella"

While it was an embarrassing thing to admit, it was the truth. She had been younger then, but...she hadn't exactly had any pressing desire to attempt to relearn it again; afraid she would have been even worse at it now that she had been back when she had been only seventeen. She knew English and Italian, which she had felt for a long time was enough. Now though, she wasn't so sure.

"I'm afraid if you try to talk to me in that language, all I can do is stare at you blankly. But I must be the only being on this entire ship who doesn't know it..."

Hopefully that wouldn't be a problem, for any of the missions they would have to work together, including this one.

[Ulysses Septimus]

((XD thank you sister, I was afraid that might be a little boring LOL, and I shall keep that in mind, though I don't see anything I think you need to change though.))
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Ulysses looked at her, his face blank for a moment then changing to an expression of understanding, "The plan is simple, really: get inside the fortress, fight smart while ripping up everything that dares to make a stand. And those who give up shall be punished, while those who fight will see nothing but death" He had planned to infiltrate the fortress at night, when no one really expects anything to happen, then viciously tear his enemies apart like a crocodile would when some foolish stag walks into its waters.

As he spoke, the deck lurched slightly under their feet as the massive Armada frigate sailed out of Cadiz, closly trailed by Ulysses' personal flagship the Malevolence, whose superior guns and armor would provide the main source of fire power for the assault. The two Armada ships made their way toward one of the stormgates that would lead them to the Port Regal side of Skull Island, right next to the one that would bring them to Mooshu, so Ulysses suspected they would not meet much trouble at the hands of the Marleyboneans... However, if they decide to fight him, he would be glad to lash back with full force, force that would decimate the whole colony since now they have the Malevolence to back them up.

A roar of wind baffled the deck and the ones standing on it once the ships stormgate, only calming when they had entered the Spiral thread. Ulysses sighed, preparing to return to his cabin, but not before issuing a command, "Captain Decimus, show our guest somewhere to stay: this is going to be a long trip." At the mention of his name, said clockwork immediately responded with a stiff salute.

"As how you command, Lord Ulysses."The clockwork replied, pivoting to face Hannah, "now if you may, please follow me." He lead her below the decks, since the Interceptor possessed multiple layers: in front of them now stands a long hallway, with three wooden doors at the end, one of which the clockwork sniper opened, revealing a room that one would have expected to find aboard a cruise ship, which was basically a small cabin with a bed, a table, and a chair, the table being poised in front of a circular window to look out of.

[Hannah Durante]

((Oh no need to worry, it wasn't boring at all! Haha okay good, but if you ever need me to for any of my posts, just say the word and I'll do it. ^^))
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She was worried for a moment with the blank way Septimus stared at her, but fortunately any confusion he might have had dissolved quickly and he graciously delivered the information she had wanted. Hannah could feel her face flush somewhat at the fact she'd had to admit her inability to understand Latin though, as she got the sense it was something shameful in the Admiral's mind she didn't. Though, she had dealt with that attitude before...among people deciding it didn't matter she didn't, as buccaneers tended to only be in the lower to middle class and mastering languages was looked at as more of an upper class skill.

Not wanting to make things more awkward than they already felt though, Hannah eagerly latched onto the bloodbath that Ulysses had cooked up; shifting her entire focus to the plan at hand and smirking at the simplicity of it. It was nice to be engaging in something so straightforward, that appealed to her fighting style on many levels.

"Sounds like a perfect strategy for a buccaneer like myself. Well then, this shouldn't be too bad at all...for our side, anyway."

It was also nice to be able to admit where her loyalties lay, to not be forced to disguise her past as much as possible out of paranoia people would find out about her contract and what some of its dealings entailed. It was funny, how she was starting to feel at least a little more comfortable around Ulysses when she had been so angry with him in the first place and trying to avoid him for the misconceptions she'd felt he'd had. It was interesting how the spiral worked in ways like this at times.

She knew she really did have to thank him for at least some part of that, especially now that she was starting to get over and let go of the frustration she had felt earlier thanks to his methods in bringing her back here. But..she wasn't sure how to transition into it right this second without it coming out all muddled and awkward, and when she had finally decided on a way to begin, the Admiral began to wander back off toward his quarters; stopping only long enough to extend a hospitable request to that intricate and elegant clockwork she had gawked at earlier, before he disappeared into his cabin.

Well, so much for showing gratitude now. There would be a time for it later though, so Hannah was content to wait until they had dealt with the traitor Atticus. Since she would need a ride back to the main city where her home was, she would need to ask a little bit more of him and have to show gratitude for more anyway. Waiting wouldn't hurt either one of them, and maybe she could think of way to make it even better with the time she now had.

"Yes, of course." She finally replied to Decimus, this time making a conscious effort not to gape at him like he was some kind of alien. It helped that she had gotten a good look at him before, and now knew more about him. She was trying to absorb the fact she was being extended such hospitality more anyway. The room he led her too was wonderful indeed, far better than trying to curl up in any corner she could find.

Her face brightened at the sight of the interior and she slowly lumbered in, as if at first needing to convince herself this was all real. Once satisfied it was, she placed her weapon and shield on the table provided; glancing out the window in front of it and admiring what of the stormgate she could see. This was much, much nicer than being treated like a prisoner.

"Thank you, this is all very nice." She spoke up, not turning around until she had acclimated more to the room, offering a faint smile to the clockwork officer when she finally did. "If you see the Admiral before I do next, please extend my gratitude to him as well."

Though she definitely wanted to thank him in person eventually, it wouldn't do any harm for the clockwork to deliver that much for her if he could.

"Oh, before you go, there's one more thing. The Admiral indicated it would be a long trip, do you have any idea as to how long?"

Maybe he didn't, but from what she had heard of this particular clockwork she imagined he was more than intelligent enough to hazard a guess. She just wanted to know so she could decide what it was she would do with her time as she waited for them to reach their destination.

[Ulysses Septimus]

((Thank you  and okie dokie... Also, I may or may not have stuck something in here while I was writing the post >D))
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Servus Decimus nodded, light from the three flourescent lights in the room reflecting off his mask as he did. "If my calculations are correct, we should be arriving in Mooshu tomorrow, at exactly midday."The clockwork replied, "which is approximately 27 hours away." He shifted his weapon so it rested against his shoulder, like how all the other musketeers have them while they are marching, "Myself and the Royal Engineer will be on the deck above if anything is needed."

After that, the clockwork turned, and marched back up to the upper deck of the Interceptor, a grace in his steps that was obviously not present in the mass produced clockworks, slightly like Ulysses though not exactly; a more accurate description would be human, almost, but not exactly. He was still a clockwork, no matter how intricately made he may be.

Back on the decks above, Cristobal, for once, had drawn his sword, and was practicing on a wide berth the troops had cleared for him. His style, much like his own students, was those of a swashbuckler and buccaneer combined, with a swashbuckler's grace and buccaneer's strength in each swing of his sword. After twirling it around for a few more minutes, the engineer sheathed his blade with a slight flourish back into its sheath at his side, walking back to the makeshift desk where he was working to assemble a new weapon.

The switchblade, which was like a Hidden Blade, except the primary blade is formed by two halves that clicked together from the sides like a pair of switchblade knives bound back to back, only that the hollow centre part allowed the attachment of an extra piece like the Hidden Gun or the Poison Blade. A very deadly weapon in close combat, capable of maiming just as well as a sword with its razor sharp tip designed for cutting through skin and armor like they were nothing but paper.

[Hannah Durante]

((Now I feel totally stupid since I had to ask you what it was LOL. BUT I SEE IT NOW. Also sorry this is so long for the bare minimum that goes on. XD))
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Hannah nearly sputtered in surprise as the clockwork answered her. Twenty seven hours?! That was...quite a long haul. No wonder Ulysses had seen the need to grant her a room. Admittedly, she hadn't seen it being this long, then again she had never been to Mooshu so that stood to reason she supposed. The buccaneer vaguely remembered history lessons of the spiral that had included other worlds and hearing just how far away from Valencia many of them were, but she had never really paid them so much mind until this moment. She hadn’t needed to, honestly. At least it was only a day though, as opposed to several of them, and this time the accommodations were a lot nicer.

The clockwork’s final words were absorbed a minute later, and she nodded at what Decimus had to say. She wasn’t sure that she would need anything that required her to bother one of them, but it was likewise nice to know that there was somebody she could talk to if something did come up or she absolutely had to have a question answered only one of them knew.

“Thank you, on both accounts…Decimus, was it? If anything comes up, I’ll be sure to let you know.”

It struck her immediately after the comment had flown out of her mouth, that perhaps she had not worded it the best way given all the staring she’d done earlier. Uncertain just how much human understanding this clockwork had been packed with thanks to that magical apple, the buccaneer felt a need to backpedal at least a little, so that she didn’t give the officer the wrong idea and make him feel like she specifically planned on harassing him.

“Er I mean, you know, one of you, whoever is the best for anything I might need to ask.”

She stopped it there before it sounded any more awkward, feeling silly that she had even bothered to try explaining herself in the first place. This wasn’t one of the elites after all, no matter how spectacular the story of his origin was, so maybe it didn’t matter what she had said and at all and he would have reacted to it just as blankly as the rest of the lesser soldiers did. Knowing her luck, Decimus probably would have taken her remark the way she had meant it, and all of that extra noise had been both unnecessary and useless.

At least he didn’t care about it though, as he swiftly turned to return to the post that was expected of him. With a grace unlike what she had seen from most of the non-elite clockworks, so fluid it was almost human in nature. Almost, there was still a touch of mechanical to his movements as well, which was likely just unavoidable given what he was. Once he was gone, Hannah rolled her eyes at herself and let out a loud huff of exasperation, barely suppressing the urge to grab the pillow off of the bed and smack herself in the face with it. What in the spiral had that been all about, really?! She was embarrassed she was putting so much thought into something like this. Just because he could process human emotions to a certain level didn’t mean it was a lot, or that the officer would even bother to. Indeed, that much seemed proven.

Still…maybe her past was catching up with her a little too much here. It had been an officer of a model much like Decimus’s that had saved her life in the Polarian wars after all, and she had always behaved differently around the ones who reminded her of the clockwork who she felt fairly indebted to because of what he’d done. That knowledge didn’t necessarily make it feel any less embarrassing to her here however, as she was afraid it was the sort of thing one of the other humans on the vessel might eventually pick up on and laugh at her about; forcing her to recount where all of it had come from…and that particular battle was not really one of her favored memories from the great conflict, for how reckless and impulsive she’d been to get herself so close to death in the first place.

Despite it all though, Hannah soon found herself leaving the room and reemerging onto the main deck, waiting only long enough for the feelings to subside as much as they could before she dared venture out of her room, halberd in hand. Twenty seven hours was far too long to spend cooped up in one place, so she at least wanted to stretch and warm up as much as she could before they would be striking later tomorrow.

She caught sight of Cristobal training himself as well and watched on in intrigue, finding his combination of the swashbuckler and buccaneer styles just as fascinating as when she had seen the Admiral utilize bits and pieces of it in his sparring match against Rooke. It didn’t last as long as she would have liked though, as the engineer practiced only for a few minutes before returning to his makeshift desk and working on what she assumed was another new weapon for Ulysses and the Armada’s usage. Cristobal’s work never seemed to be done, and she found it fairly admirable how long he could go at it, pouring as much into himself in his duty as he could.

She tried to make out what it was he was assembling, but found from her current position she could not. Oh well, she was certain she would get a chance to see it in action later, if not be able to ask him exactly what he was working on. For now she would follow his example, and practice what she could. Hannah looked around the ship for a decent practice spot, not wanting to steal his, finally coming onto another pocket of the ship where there wasn’t anybody to get in the way. All of the clockworks, Decimus included, were off in the distance practically all the way on the other side, so it was perfect. It struck her it would have been nice to have somebody to spar with, considering the fact her style of fighting was very reactive and instinctive…but she wasn’t so sure she felt bold enough to ask anybody for that just yet.

Instead, she offered the engineer and the unique clockwork officer one last look, her gaze lingering a second or two longer on the latter, before she looked straight ahead and began going through the various rounds of how she typically used her halberd; striking out at the air and pretending it was some unseen enemy.

[Ulysses Septimus]

((XD no prob, though this one is a boring post with like nothing happening as well.))
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Cristobal finished constructing the switchblade with a sigh, gazing upon his handiwork with a sense of closure that he had always felt when he completes a project. He picked up the weapon, testing it out by pulling on the string that would release the weapon: under normal conditions, the string would be connected to a ring, which loops around one of the user's fingers, triggering the blade to open with a flex of the user's wrist. With a subtle click, the blade snapped into shape, the tip glinting wickedly with light.

The engineer smiled, good, everything is working correctly then. He reached out, tapping the button on the side of the bracer, sheathing the blade by separating it and clicking the halves back into their sheaths on the sides of the metal box on the bracer, though not under the thing since it was an inverted Hidden Blade as well. Cristobal made one last adjustment to the metal bracer, tugging on the bands of leather used to secure the thing to the user's arm, then looked up at where Hannah was practicing.

He rose from his makeshift desk, carrying the bracer in one hand. "Hannah." He called, getting her attention first, then beckoning her to come closer before offering the newly completed weapon to her, "take this, least I can do for my old friend's daughter in a time like this."

[Hannah Durante]

((Haha our chars just need time to relax! BEFORE THE BLOODBATH.))
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Hannah paused in her practicing rounds when she heard her name being called, surprised anybody had decided to disrupt her or even bothered to notice her presence with the tense set of circumstances that awaited them. She was less so when she saw who it was that had addressed her, Cristobal, and made it a point to lower her halberd as well as loosen her grasp on the weapon. There was no way she wanted him to feel as if he'd interrupted anything important, with how considerate he'd behaved toward her even when Ulysses had still been pretending she was an enemy to be questioned and punished.

"Sorry," She began as she walked toward him, just in case he might have been trying to catch her attention before this and she hadn't noticed any such efforts. "I thought it would be best to follow your example with practicing, with how many men I heard Bishop projecting this Atticus fellow to have. It has been a while since I have gone into battle with that many odds, don't want to be too rusty. Was there something you needed?"

Her tone was fairly respectful as well as casual, even more so now that she knew Cristobal and her father had once been good friends. It was weird, but at the same time it made her feel connected with the engineer in some way, almost like he could have been a faux 'uncle', had those two not parted ways due to the busy nature of both of their lives.

She soon found out that he wasn't looking for anything, but rather giving her something. Her eyes lit up as he offered a weapon that looked to be a labor of love toward her, insisting she take it. She was rendered silent for a moment by the act of generosity, before she looked back up at him with a wide, grateful smile.

"Thank you, that is very kind of you...My father would appreciate this just as much as I do, if he were here. I really owe you and your student so much...If there's any way I can repay the generosity both of you have shown me, please name it!"

She wished to be able to repay some of the clockworks as well for things she still owed from her past, but kept that much silent for the time being as she carefully turned and looked over the weapon she had just been granted. Ulysses had something comparable to this, and she had seen a brief demonstration back in Marleybone..but she wasn't entirely sure how to use it as well as he did, either. It was the kind of weapon a buccaneer like her would have to get used to, which she was more than happy to for how beautiful it was.

"...And forgive my ignorance but, could you show me how to wield this properly? I want to make sure I am using it to its full capabilities, when we come across our enemies."

[Ulysses Septimus]

((yes, the calmness before a large storm bwahaha >D and now Deci is looking at me like O.O what are you planning))
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He reached out, strapping the weapon onto the top her left forearm, slipping the ring from the activation mechanism onto her little finger. "This is a Swtichblade, a cousin to the Hidden Blades, which as Assassins are our favored weapons because of its ability to be concealed."Cristobal explained, "this one because it is... more conspicuous, not many like to use it for so, but that doesn't mean it is any less dangerous in battle..." He held up his left arm, revealing a similar weapon strapped to the underside of it, then flexed his wrist.

Click. The blades snapped open, forming a single, sword-like blade point that appeared as though it could rip through throat and flesh with ease, compared to the tapering dagger-like extension of Ulysses' own Hidden Blade. Cristobal flexed his wrist again, causing them to snap right back into its original position. "Use this and aim for the throat or any other soft areas... Well, you could make quite a mess... This is also quite effective in countering heavily armored warriors, since this blade can penetrate the chinks in their armor easier than a dagger."

"Countering is not exactly easy though, mentor."Came a familiar, joking voice as Ulysses stepped from his cabin, dressed still in his Armada admiral's outfit, though his coat now just draped over his shoulders: considering that the likely battle is still about a day away, there really was no need to put his Assassin robes and armor on right this second. "I believe I took at least a few months to master that move, am I right, mentor?"

The engineer chuckled, "True to that... Hence, generous enough to give a few pointers?"

Ulysses handed his coat to Cahin, who gave one of his usual, demented giggles and settled into a nearby chair with it, as the Admiral unsheathed his Hidden Blade. "Now, first things first, Hannah, with this weapon, you have to be able to have at least a fast hand... As in, you see an area of weakness, do not hesitate to lash out at it." He thrust out his hand with the blade into the air, as though he was trying to strike an unseen foe. "War is a dirty game, isn't it? So why bother to be a clean player? Everyone else will be playing dirty too, so why bother?" 

He was speaking from his heart with this: really, war is all about survival of the fittest, survival... And doesn't everyone have the tendency to try to ensure they survive first?

[Hannah Durante]

((bwhahah, and oh Deci...you're better off not knowing. IGNORANCE IS BLISS, HONESTLY.))
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Hannah watched curiously as she extended her left arm when Cristobal gestured for her to do so and began strapping his latest contraption to her forearm. Never had she wielded a weapon quite like this before. She was used to having something strapped to this arm that she could use in the heat of the moment, but it was usually a shield meant more for defensive purposes than anything else. They could be wielded fairly aggressively in the right circumstances and there had been several times she had smashed them into somebody's face, but she knew it wasn't the same; shield's couldn't boast the same potential level of destruction a marvelous trinket like this could.

She gave a light chuckle as Cristobal stood back and demonstrated how a weapon liked this work with the version he held, amused by the fact assassins preferred more inconspicuous types to the one he had granted her. In other words, the one he had slipped onto her arm was perfect for a buccaneer, whereas the other sort was more in the style of how a swashbuckler struck. She didn't find any problem with that at all, as being inconspicuous in the middle of a battle was a feat beyond her if the target she'd chosen to attack wasn't already seriously distracted. This would suit her just fine.

Hannah followed the example after he had caused the blade to neatly fold back into the bracer, holding her left arm up and away from herself as she flexed her wrist, almost laughing again like a thoroughly-entertained child as hers did the exact same of thing, presenting a very formidable looking blade indeed. It was astounding technology, and something many of them could have benefited from during the Polarian wars, had this sort of thing been readily available back then. With another flick of her wrist the blade disappeared, and this time the wonder in her expression was evident.

"I'm not sure how you manage to make such wonderfully intricate things, you must be a genius! This will certainly come in handy...I'm looking forward to being able to put it to use."

That was not a lie. Against pirates she held very few qualms using such force, and she really was interested to see just how well she would be able to perform with this in battle. She had been about to remark more upon his words that this would do well to counter those with heavy armor, when the both of them were distracted by the presence of Ulysses and Cahin; likely emerging to stretch their own muscles. She smiled more at his remarks, half-tempted to mention that since she had fought alongside those wearing heavy armor and even donned some herself during the great war she might have caught on in dealing with such adversaries better, but ultimately decided to bite her tongue on the matter. Especially as Cristobal asked him to give a few pointers, which she was interested enough in to listen to.

His advice was helpful, but at the same time hardly anything she was hearing for the first time. Before she dared reply to that train of thought though she let him finish and demonstrate, not wanting to insult him with what she was about to say, or come across as too defensive of her past.

"I mean no disrespect Admiral, but I believe you misunderstand what you saw of me around the Marleyboneans. Things were...different there, because they were Valencia's allies. Because I had fought alongside many of those dogs or those who commanded them, when our two empires came together and under Kane's great guidance managed to win the war."

She paused there for a moment as she held her left arm up yet again, flicking her wrist to draw the blade out of its sheath.

"...I have no such hesitation with pirates, or those that are just the enemy."

Her eyes locked on the blade, as she brought memories of her past to mind.

"During the Great war, when I was merely a teenager, there was a time a brute of a Polarian singled me out from my regiment. I was a young, human female...he saw me as the weakest of the group, thought he could brutalize and rip me apart and use me as a measure of intimidation against the others. I was scared, but...I reacted. I drove my halberd through his face as hard as I possibly could, until the tip came out the back of his head. I killed him before he could kill me, and I did not hesitate.."

She tore her gaze away from the blade and looked back at them, straight into Septimus's blood-red eyes as she finished reliving such a bloody memory.

"...Pardon my trip down memory lane, but my meaning was I can play dirty just the same as anyone. Indeed I had to many times during all of our struggle against Polaris, many times just to survive. You are right, war is....a dirty, bloody game. I am able to shut myself off when necessary though, you have no reason to worry. The survival of myself, my brothers and sisters in arms, my home matters the most. Although, all that being said, I'm sure I will not be as good at wielding this sort of thing as you, Admiral. This upcoming battle will be my first real experience with such a thing."

She chuckled again at the thought of what she was going to say next.

"So, I suppose we should already be patting you on the back for winning the body count of this next skirmish."

[Ulysses Septimus]

((LOL so true, though he still would find out later, wouldn't he?))
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"To say the truth,"the engineer chuckled, "the Apple of Eden is to thanks for this: by looking into it, I was able to gain knowledge at first unknown even to the Spiral... Knowledge which I used to craft weapons such as this, Poison Blades and multiple others." He ran a little overview of his own memories the way one would have expected of a clockwork, still surprised at just how much more there is for him to discover...

"I see..."Ulysses sheathed his Hidden Blade with a flick of his hand, the wicked thing sliding quietly back into its sheath, until it was ready to be used again. "War really brings out the most primal of beings inside an individual, that I can most certainly agree with." He never spoke of it to anyone outside of the Order, since most never understood why anyway, "I believe Mentor already told you that the Templars are sworn enemies of the Order, am I right?" 

The admiral sighed, closing his eyes for a moment as the memories returned to him as well, "I didn't just fight as Altair the Assassin for the Order; I was also General Altair of the 16th calvary... During this battle, I had seen this one Templar kill one of my dearest apprentices, as well as wound Ezio himself." He paused, "I charged at him, and hacked his body apart with my sword, not even stopping until who knows how long later... War just brings out the most primal survival instincts..." He could still remember that day, as clear as anything.

"I am glad to know that you will assist in this, Hannah: you and I, we both want the golden age, don't we?"He said finally, managing a weak chuckle at her next words, "I wouldn't say so yet: don't count the chickens before they hatch."

[Hannah Durante]

((YES. But let him be happy for now, I say! XD He'll have plenty of time to obsess over what's gonna happen to him later. >] AND SORRY THIS IS SO LONG I DIDN'T MEAN FOR IT TO, I couldn't shut up. xD))
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"But you still have to process everything it showed you, remember it, apply it- you deserve credit just as much as the apple does, I believe."

Hannah could not say she truly understood how most magic, let alone something as powerful as the apple of Eden worked, but she was still adamant that Cristobal deserved at least some of the credit for the things he was building. Maybe the artifact helped out a great deal, but in her mind a good chunk of it was his own skill and passion as well. It was refreshing he was so humble about it, though. That quality made him fairly likable and easy to relate to, as far as she was concerned.

Ulysses was even starting to shape out that way, now that they weren’t fighting over anything or she wasn’t being led to believe that they were, in addition to the fact she now knew quite a bit about his past. It was almost like conversing and interacting with a completely different person with everything she had gained the past several days, though Hannah was grateful this was the truth. She had never really wanted to be Septimus’s enemy or fighting with him constantly for a wide range of reasons, even with her pride to consider, so things had honestly shaped out for the better rather than worse.

At least as far as their interactions went. She still wasn’t sure what to take from how the summons had ended, but would wait to see how things played out after she had done what she had promised to, which was still a ways away from being completed yet.

Her attention flicked back to Ulysses as he spoke, appreciative of the fact he actually seemed to understand where she was coming from for once. She nodded at his words, able to confirm that much was true from many things she’d done and seen in the Great wars.

“Indeed it does, Admiral. War can turn the young like I was then, even the greatest of heroes into a hardened, bloodthirsty monster, if they are met with the proper circumstances…or tragedies.”

She gave him a knowing look, a glint in her eyes that made it clear she was talking about very specific figures with the hero remark. She was talking about two actually, though hoped Ulysses would only catch on to the fact she was speaking about him. Their opinions on Kane were similar in many ways, but they also had enough differences in a few of the areas she did not wish to get into that conversation with him right now. She would focus solely on his own past, and was grateful he only seemed to pick up on that part as he continued, asking about what his mentor had told her.

“He did,” Hannah confirmed, offering Septimus a pitying expression. “He told me…a fair amount about that, in fact.”

Her expression only turned that much more sympathetic as she listened to what he had to say, completely understanding how hard memories like that were to drudge up. She had seen good men and women killed in the line of duty too and reacted with much the same mixture of rage and sorrow, so she could greatly sympathize with him on this much.

“I could never fault you for such a reaction.” She finally answered, wishing there was some way the both of them could be relieved of such painful memories, while knowing there really wasn’t. “I am sorry you had to endure the same kind of hardships and more, Admiral….The spiral has been a cruel place to many of us for several years, it seems. It’s only natural we would react in such ways, in those dark hours I think. And only sensible you would do everything you could to make sure such things never happen again.”

She could understand that much, and more about him now, smiling very faintly as he continued on. She did want much the same as he did, though she was also more conflicted about it than he was. It had always bothered her to think the golden age would come at the expense of others, squashing many freedoms of Valencians as well at the same time. Many of the methods in which it was being implemented felt…wrong to her when aggressive measures were launched at those who could have been innocent, but at the same time she wanted it just the same. If the golden age came, perhaps there would actually be peace, maybe giving up some freedoms for that and prosperity would be nothing for the spiral if the promises the Armada had made would play out in everybody’s best interests.

Not to mention the fact if the golden age came to pass, they could and had promised to help her father, he and her mother could enjoy a marvelous age to make up for all the hardships and suffering they had endured…and there would be no more need for her contract. She would be free of many of the pressures that had threatened to suffocate her for years now, able to finally relax and enjoy life as more of a civilian; willing to run tasks asked of her by the Armada or Septimus when needed, but at least then it would not feel so much like slavery and there would be far less of a need to bring harm onto those who were generally good people, merely misled.

“Yes, it’s the only way to make things right again, excessive as it is. And what kind of Valencian soldier would I be, if I refused such a thing? I..Thank you, for offering me this chance for my father. I don’t know what I would do if I had never been met with such generosity, I…can’t thank you enough. And I’m sorry about that night at your mansion. I just, I felt…jealous. There was so much I had done, so much I needed, so much pressure, I felt like I was being ignored for those better than I was and I couldn’t handle it anymore, especially with so much wine in my system. I would never have done such a stupid thing, had I know anything about what you had gone through, that I should have understood and sympathized with rather than been jealous of you. What I promised Kane is the least I could do to make up for such behavior. ”

There, the apology, the gratitude, it was all out. It had been hard to say, to admit to those misgivings because she still felt she had some reason for it, but she had needed and wanted to say it all as well. It felt like a huge weight had been lifted off of her chest as she finished, that she could now move on and do whatever Ulysses asked her to do with less emotional baggage connected to him. Though she realized it might have been awkward to deliver all of this now, and decided it was best to make sure the conversation ended on a slightly more casual note

“Excuse all of that heaviness, it has just been weighing on my mind lately. The golden age will help deal with such childish feelings as well, all the more reason to encourage it into happening sooner rather than later.”

She chuckled weakly at his comment about the chickens, finding the remark amusing.

“I don’t know, you are a more effectively trained killer than I, Admiral. I can admit to that much…And I’m sure the pirates we are to face tomorrow will have more reason to fear you. This is your fight more than mine, anyway, I’m just happy to do what I can to help Valencia and see to it you get the justice and revenge you so rightly deserve.”

[Ulysses Septimus]

((>D true, and haha, did you forgot that I love long posts? XD))
-----

The human admiral nodded, primarily because he was unsure of how to respond. "I guess it is much better for everyone to let the emotions out once in a while: I myself have the unfortunate habit of bottling them up." Ulysses, after so many years of being exposed to clockworks, have naturally learned to keep much of his own conflicting emotions locked up inside him, masked by the face of the bloodthristy Assassin warrior who knew nothing but unwavering loyalty toward Kane and the Armada: it was only natural that he did so, for if he ever tries to face them, he would be bombarded with just how different he had became from Altair, the white robed hero, as well as the emotions that accompanied all his painful past memories.

Ulysses managed a faint smile at her words, chuckling slightly, "Don't tempt me, you know that blood is what drives me to the point of being a berserker in battle." When he finished, Cristobal spoke up.

"Pardon my little interruption, but you just reminded me, Ulysses,"he pulled a large wooden box from his satchel, "I've taken the liberty to make a few adjustments and upgrades to your mask, both functional and cosmetic." The older Assassin opened the lid with a click, showing a full face volto styled mask made of what appeared to be porcelain when it was actually metal. Its lips were sculpted in a neutral expression that seemed to be a small smile and a scowl at the same time, depending on how one looked at it.

Golden patterns were plated around the eye sockets, nose, temple and part of the jaw, as well as over the lips; it was a almost ghostly copy of Kane's own. Ulysses reached out, taking the new battle mask from its housing inside the box, "This... Is beautiful, mentor." Only then did Septimus notice that the eye sockets bore black, one way duraglass visors inside, giving whoever wears it the power to appear though they were a clockwork.

"It will have all the other functions of your other mask, though enhanced."The engineer explained, "I've made a new suit of armor for you as well." Ulysses nodded his thanks ("You never fail to live up your name as the "Bishop" of the Assassin Order."), then turned to Hannah:

"This is going to be a long trip: interested in a little friendly spar?"

[Hannah Durante]

((lol still! It was too long for MEEE, I got annoyed at myself. xD))
-----

She wasn't surprised when Ulysses didn't seem to know how to respond to her heartfelt words, other than to nod and reply in the way that had clued her into that much in the first place. A man like him would have trouble she reasoned, likely shutting himself off after all the pain emotional investment in others had brought him in the past, as well as the fact she had to imagine Kane had only manipulated him into being as unfeeling as possible whenever he could. Though, the Admiral could have also taken it upon himself to squash and bottle as many as his emotions as possible in many situations years ago, to better fit in with Valencia's most effective soldiers. That sort of thing would serve him well among their ranks, even if it wasn't necessarily the healthiest outside of them.

"I'm one of those buccaneers who wears her heart on her sleeve most times, I'm afraid." Hannah admitted. There were times she could suppress her own emotions as well, but she wasn't very good at it and it was never anything that lasted for very long. Even when she could pretend she didn't feel a certain way, she would be obsessing over certain things on the inside.

"..Save for battles like the one we're coming up against. I can only shut off then, and only until fights are over. Some would probably call that a weakness and unfortunate habit. I suppose it depends on who you ask.."

She smirked at the mention of what blood could drive him to, summoning up the memory of the time she had experienced that personally. Oh yes, that much was true- she certainly didn't doubt him on that one.

"Oh see? I don't care for too much blood myself, it does nothing for me. That gives you the advantage in this situation, I'd say...and in this case, a little temptation wouldn't be so bad, would it? It would help you fulfill his wishes that much faster."

That was all she managed to get out before Cristobal interrupted, having something to lend Ulysses as well; a change to one of the masks he wore, as the engineer continued on and drew a small, wooden box from his satchel. She looked on, curious to see what he had done....until he actually pulled the mask out and she saw exactly what it entailed.

It wasn't that it was a lesser work of art from the older man, the mask was stunning and well-crafted. But it looked so much like Kane's own face, that was all she could think about. Even down to the eyes! She could see the sockets glinting in indication the black was part of the mask's new features, intending to make him look as similar to a clockwork, and not just any of them, as possible. Her throat felt tight again as she looked at it, anxiety bubbling and rising up inside of her again.

The problem wasn't that she didn't respect the Supreme Commander, it was that she did so a little too much; terrified of him and of what he had become for several reasons, most of which she felt were fairly reasonable. It made her uncomfortable to look at the mask, like he was here, watching, judging. Or as if he were some kind of phantom that had chosen Ulysses's own body as his new home. It was just...difficult for now to not feel unnerved by, though she imagined given enough time she would eventually get over these feelings.

But she was just as worried by what either of the two men would think if they noticed the distressed look in her eyes, so Hannah quickly shook it from her mind as much as she could; at least enough to not look so bothered and instead in awe of what she was seeing and hearing. The buccaneer even managed another smile, tilting her head curiously as she glanced over at Cristobal.

"Do you ever sleep? I am always amazed by how productive you are, like five men rolled into one. The Armada is lucky to have a mind and talents like yours on their side."

She meant that sincerely, even if this new mask creeped her out for the time being. Cristobal truly was a man to be greatly admired, as far as she was concerned. So were many of them assembled here however, Septimus included.

The buccaneer couldn't have been happier when Ulysses brought up the idea of sparring. It would help the both of them from being too bored while they waited to get closer to Mooshu, and it would be nice practice. As well as a good do over from that night at the mansion she had apologized for. So long as he didn't insist on wearing that mask, that was. If he did, it would be....awkward, though she would manage somehow just the same.

"I would be honored." She piped up, tightening her grip on the halberd slightly. "It would be nice to have one with you without....circumstances getting in the way or any bad blood between us."

[Ulysses Septimus]

((Aw it's okay sis <3  and here comes SHORTBUS))
---

"Only when needed."The engineer chuckled, "in a time like this, who knows when you need to supply weapons to your allies? I believe that resolving this mess now, and rest later is much better than rest now and have a bigger mess to clean up when you wake." Even though Cristobal Auditore was already in his early fifties, the Assassin still had the energy of a young man thanks to his extensive training in his early age-

Ulysses smiled, genuinely. "Excellent." He lowered the mask back into the box, which Cristobal placed on his makeshift desk until its new owner was ready to collect it and wear it into battle. The human Armada admiral drew his rapiers, which had been resting by his sides, dangling from the ornate sword belt he wore. 

The blades flashed wickedly, showing that they are sharp enough to cleave through flesh with only minimum effort. Ulysses snapped off a command for his warriors, a command that anyone would have guessed was for them to clear a open space on the deck of the ship. His clockworks reacted instantly, clearing a large berth for them to spar in.

Septimus' stance shifted, going from relaxed to tensed, battle ready, one blade poised in offense, the other in defense, held across his chest horizontally: this would allow him to snap instantly into either way he wants, whether it be defense or offense, while able to bring his second blade forward for battle if he so wish to.

[Hannah Durante]

((THAT'S OKAY shortbus is still awesome! ^^ And that isn't even short.))
---------

"Wise words." Hannah returned, with an approving nod. "I can get behind that kind of logic."

Honestly she could, as it was the same sort of thing she had heard from her father many times in regards to his own duties. She could see why her father and this man had been good friends in their childhood, it was just tragic they had drifted apart. Perhaps when her promises had been fulfilled, and they agreed to use the apple to help him, maybe they could have a more positive sort of reunion and catch up again. If either of them wanted that much, of course. She wouldn't force it upon them if it was too awkward, it was just...a nice thought in her head anyway, but one that wouldn't matter until later.

She was relieved to see the mask returned to its box a moment later, because it meant that Ulysses would not be using it in their little match. Good, then nothing would hold her back or distract her from striking at him with everything she was able. Well, within reason- she didn't want to seriously hurt him after all, and she trusted he would not attempt to do the same with her if she was to be of any help for them.

It only struck her after he had drawn his blades that she had forgotten her shield in the cabin that had been assigned to her. Rather than ask for Septimus to wait for her to retrieve it however, Hannah decided she would attempt to use the new weapon she had been granted instead. She wanted to wield it against the pirates, so it would only do her good to get some actual practice with it. She would just have to remember to be careful and not use it too impulsively.

Her gaze drifted momentarily to Cahin as Ulysses shouted off a command for his clockwork warriors to clear enough space for them, hoping the jester would understand that this was merely a practice match and not feel the need to rush in to defend his father at any point in time, should she manage to gain the upper hand. But, he probably knew that much....probably.

The buccaneer's own body tensed as she looked back to Septimus, seeing he was already ready and raring to go; poised to strike and lash out no matter what was thrown at him. She hesitated momentarily as she thought about what to do, realizing he would be prepared for anything so she would have to be as well. So, she made sure to chant the leviathan's call under her breath first, just in case. With deadly weapons like those, she would probably find need for it. Then, not wanting either of them to stand there for an eternity before one of them was willing to move she charged forward recklessly; giving the appearance of a typical, full-frontal assault.

When she was nearly upon him however she suddenly leapt to the side and came at him with both weapons at once, first swinging her halberd in a wide, aggressive sweep meant to draw his swords to it, while she came at the side of his lower torso with the hidden dagger Cristobal had granted her.

[Ulysses Septimus]

((Thank you  because this one is short too LOL and sorry if it makes no sense, my derp brain is on right now XD))
-----

As a swashbuckler, Ulysses naturally had what it takes to see and avoid that strike Hannah had attempted to deliver with the switchblade. He first pushed her halberd's strike to the side with his right hand blade, his other darting down to catch the hidden weapon with the hilt of his second blade. This time, he is in full swashbuckler mode, utilizing grace and agility instead of agility and strength.

Ulysses narrowed his eyes in calculation, a unfortunate habit of his that has become a bit of an instinct during battle... An instict that saved him countless times from being bested by others. This is one of the prime reasons, as well, why he could almost always best Rooke in sparring without as much a scratch on his person, thanks to his speed to calculate so well in situations such as this.

In that one moment when their weapons were locked together, Ulysses had already come to a decison. He pushed hard with his blades, aiming to throw Hannah off balance as he muttered the incantation for Triton's Song under his breath, feeling the familiar feeling spiral from his chest to his entire frame...

Cahin watched all that happen from his position, a grin stretching his lips underneath the mask: this reminded him of quite some happy memories from back when he was still a sane Assassin and simply the apprentice to Grand Master Ulysses, of course those memories were before his appearance was destroyed by the fire, and his sanity snapped. He remembered how Ulysses used to demonstrate all those deadly dances of steel in the Arena during their personal training sessions, teaching him to use a blade in a way that would tear an enemy down faster than one could blink.

Thinking back about it, the now demented jester/Assassin chuckled: it was...ironic in a way, that the past him was not as powerful and feared as his current self, when his past had been...well...he didn't know how to describe it...him specially training to become strong, training that he had been failing at until that fire.

[Hannah Durante]

((It makes perfect sense to me! pffft you are so not derpy. XD))
---

Ulysses countered her moves immediately, as expected. She had held onto at least some tiny shred of hope that perhaps he might not have seen the switchblade coming, but then again she had doubted that tactic would have remained concealed from him given his experience as an assassin. If anything, she realized that was probably the very first thing a man like him would anticipate- that actually going through with her initial, reckless move might have thrown him more off guard than this. Though, he would have countered that too with all his experience with Rooke, so there was really no way to avoid him deflecting her first strike like this. It had been the risk she had known about and taken, moving first.

But, their current, locked position did work to her advantage here. Hannah smiled as she kept her strength up, refusing to allow the swashbuckler to push her off balance. It was a noble effort, she could feel more strength from him than she had from any swashbuckler she had come up against before, but he would not topple her so easily- she had been trained for situations like these, and though her muscle mass was not as impressive as other buccaneers, that did not mean she lacked strength. She often used her appearance compared to bulkier buccaneers to her advantage in times like these, despite how aggravating the very idea could be at times.

"Ha! I see your game, noble swashbuckler!" She laughed in an amused fashion, as she could tell what he was doing, make out the words she had used time and time again herself in her youth that he had utilized against Rooke. "Then let us play rough, like true buccaneers, I say."

She took advantage of the fact their weapons were currently locked and he was sending his focus to the spell to bring her head closer to his; looking like she was ready to headbutt him at any given second. When she was as close as she dared go however, she brought her right foot up and aimed a powerful kick toward his torso, attempting to force him off first, before the pain lessening spell went into full effect. Maybe it was a little dirty of a tactic, but then again he had been the one to advocate for fighting dirty, and this was merely the way buccaneers played at times up close and personal.

[Ulysses Septimus]

((Okay good, and aw thank you sister :'D))
----

Ulysses grunted, a sound that was very much like Rooke's when he felt the force slam into his chest, but luckily most of Triton's Song had already started working so he supposed it isn't as bad as it could have been. He slid a few feet backward, though quickly corrected himself and launched into another stance, this one defensive, both swords held out in preparation for any strikes that may come his way...

Cristobal watched from his work desk as the two battled, while making a few adjustments to his sword and sparquebus, tightening a few parts here and there, since having one's weapons falling apart in the middle of battle is definitely no good...

Decimus shifted his stance slightly, cursing his much too human nature while also keeping his attention on the fight. His cerebral processor spun, trying to figure out all the variables as to who might win: so far, he could see only a 50/50 chance for either combatant, the battle could go either way, depending on what happens next. To tell the truth, the sniper was quite interested in seeing how this would turn out, since he had never seen anyone best padre in combat, yet.

Cahin's head cocked slightly to the side, what little sanity he still had now being put into trying to calculate what might happen. So far, based on what he could see, it was a even scale, perfectly balanced, despite Hannah being the stronger combatant in the matters of strength, though Ulysses' swashbuckler style made countering it fairly easy...

Sentus Optimus kept his attention focused on steering the ship, even though they were currently inside the safety of a windlane, there are still beasts that could prove to be rather pesky if they so wish to. The cyborg buccaneer zoomed into the world that was fast approaching, his mouth twisting into a snarl of disgust when he recognized it.

Skull Island.

[Hannah Durante]

((you are most welcome, as always!  ^^))
----

Adrenaline surged through her veins as her dirty little tactic hit, managing to cause the swashbuckler to slide a few feet backwards.  He didn't seem to be very hurt by the move and immediately adjusted his posture to be prepared to deliver the next blow, but Hannah wasn't too discouraged by this.   The grunt that had flown out of his mouth was gratifying enough for now, because it had meant her move had some impact.    Which, only served to encourage her that this was a fight she could do well enough in to be pleased when one of them eventually yielded.  

She was starting to feel excited now, ready and raring to go herself.   The usual consequences and circumstances of the battles she commonly found herself in were nonexistent here, she didn't have the same pressures or worries, all she had to do was fight and do her best, while doing it all for fun.   It invoked such fond memories of the past, the fellow soldiers she had enjoyed these sort of games with, and the ones who had done so well against or defeated her she held them and their skills in high regard to this very day.   This sort of exercise was exactly what she needed right about now.   She was starting to get so into it in fact, that she didn't even realize several of the others on the ship were watching in on the festivities.   Her mind was completely focused on the match at hand.

"Oh, not quick enough I guess," the buccaneer continued as she strode forward again, though this time did not come at Ulysses so boldly again; instead deciding to circle him in a predatory fashion, looking for any opening or sign of weakness.   " I was hoping that would at least knock you over.   Swashbucklers are just too quick at everything, it seems...Not bad."

She was still smiling, and feeling talkative simply because this fight felt like a friendly one despite how brutal either one of them would likely get with the other all in order to wind.

"But you might have to make the next move, Admiral.  I know that same dirty little trick won't work on you a second time around, at least not like this."

She paused in her circling for a moment, brazen enough in at least that moment to spread her arms out wide almost as if taunting Ulysses to come and get her while she so foolishly let her guard down and gave him an opening to strike at.

[Ulysses Septimus]

((LOL sorry that like nothing happened in this post, and for the random flashback and ALL THOSE FEELS XD I have been infected by your love of long posts, sister!))
-----

The human Armada admiral chuckled, a grin curving one corner of his elegant lips, "Oh thank you, though you might not want to tempt me!" He stepped forward, slowly circling her with a relaxed stance that would give him the power to snap instantly to action., his mind calculating the best time to strike... Which was about thirty seconds later, slashing both swords at her right in a diagonal slash, careful to monitor his strength and speed.

(Flashback, 5 years ago)
"Once again, you are a little slow, brother."Ezio Tessarius Septimus chuckled, removing his katar's point from his younger brother's throat, placing the weapon into a sheath by his side. He reached out a helping hand, which the other Assassin gladly took and was helped back up to his feet. 

Ulysses dusted off his novice's robes, laughing, "Mark my words, brother, I will defeat you sooner or later in the future." Those words Ezio cannot help but nod slightly in agreement: Ulysses showed great promise as a fencer and Assassin, already his sword fighting skills have came over and above most of the other recruits, even forcing Ezio to have to put forth more effort to defeat him in sparring. 

The two brothers stood in silence in the arena for a moment, with Ulysses leaning against the wall while polishing his sword, a plain looking blade that would be replaced with a better, more ornate one as he gains ranks in the Order (novice to Assassino; Assassino to Knight; Knight to Master; Master to Mentor)... Until Septimus spoke up, breaking the silence:

"Ezio, how do you think of Lord Kane being our current ruler?"

Ezio raised an eyebrow, "Do you mean if I thought he is a fitting king in place of Casmir? Then the answer would be, I cannot be more glad that he had taken the throne, because with that weak fool of a king, we were headed toward a road of destruction in the war with Polaris... Aren't we only here today because of Supreme Commander Kane?"

Ulysses nodded his agreement, replying without looking up as he scrubbed carefully at a particularly stubborn spot of dirt on his sword; simple blade or not, it's still a fully useable weapon that requires careful care. "Yes, only because of him and his clockworks..." He fell silent again after that, unsure of what to say next until Ezio opened another topic.

"Thinking about joining the tournament?"The older Assassin wasn't interested in the bloody skirmishes that take place every 10 years to find the heir to the throne of the Assassin Grand Master: granted, it allows whoever wins full power and control over the Order, but the responsibilities of being a leader? Big no no for Ezio Septimus (though he does enjoy power, just not the same kind). "With your skills, Ulysses, you could be the next on the throne!"

The younger looked up, an excited look that could only belong to a hyperactive teenager plastered on his face. "Why not? Mentor had virtually melded me for that! And being the best Assassin ever as well, of course."

Ezio laughed, smacking his brother playfully, "Well isn't someone confident of their prowess!"

[Hannah Durante]

((Haha that's fine, I don't mind flashbacks or length at all!  ^^ AND YES BWHAHAH *evil finger steeple*  >] WE TAKE TURNS WITH THE FEELS AND MEMORIES, ALL GOOD.  Gives us both more insight!  Which I for one think is fun.  :'D although kinda sad too, with all our raging angsty histories))
----

"Why not? Challenges are fun, when your life and honor aren't at stake."

In a more hectic battle tempting anybody with skill would have been a grave mistake and something she never would have done, unless her opponent had been sloppy and the kind of person whose actions she felt she could have manipulated to her advantage by doing so.  In a friendly sparring match like this however, things were different; she didn't mind and on some level actually enjoyed a little bit of banter back and forth.   It only added to the experience in her mind, or at least made it slightly less hostile for those of them involved in the fight.

She did choose to bring her weapons back closer to her body though, when Septimus didn't take her bait quite in the way she had expected and instead took it upon himself to circle her.   The buccaneer couldn't help but scoff at that one, though not derisively.   It was simply amusing to her that the two of them kept switching between which one of them assumed more of the role of predator and prey.   Not surprising, but interesting.   Their two styles were among the most predatory of fighting types, after all.

Her eyes remained locked on him as he circled.   Hannah refused to budge from her spot, standing her ground and tightening her grasp on her weapons to be at the ready, but she followed Septimus's every move; unwilling to look away for him for even a second.   She might have been stronger than he was, but he was faster, and knew ways of disabling people that were more subtle, more difficult to predict.   Her father had always told her to never turn her back on a swashbuckler though, and after having seen half of the things he had been able to do in their own sparring matches, she found it necessary to be the most cautious around Septimus's kind.   Even more so, given the fact he was a trained assassin.   True she was a soldier with her own brand of training, but Hannah knew the both of them had been reared to fight in two different ways.

It was difficult to tell when he would strike as he had forced his body into a more relaxed position, though she knew on the inside he was like a viper poised to lash out.    This much was proven true only a few seconds later when he snapped into action and swiped at her side with both swords, barely giving her enough time to react.  Instinctively Hannah lashed back out...but it wasn't quickly enough.   She was only able to barely deflect and push the first sword away, forgetting briefly about the weapon strapped to her arm in the heat of the moment, which allowed the swashbuckler's second rapier to land a strike on her.

The sword was deadly sharp too, ripping through a less protected spot on her armor and not only pulling a bit of fabric away, but leaving a small gash as well.   She winced lightly as the strike hit, though refused to pull away just yet fearing that if she did she would only give him a better opening.    Instead, she reacted that much more impulsively, continuing to push against the other sword with her halberd in one hand while she jabbed out at his closest shoulder with the weapon she had just recalled; hoping to draw his secondary sword away from her body to counter her blow.  If he did, then she would immediately bash her entire body forward into his while their weapons were locked again in a peculiar sort of tackle in effort to try and knock him off balance.

If he didn't....well, she would think of something else immediately.   Hannah only hoped that if the wound was bleeding, which she could feel it starting to at least a little, he would not allow himself to succumb to his bloodlust and force her to lash out with a vengeance if he went too far.

"Oh, this was a nice set of armor too....I hope there will be something affordable to replace this when we return home, Admiral.   And...try not to look at the blood, if that would only drive you crazy.  Not a bad hit though, I must say.."

It stung for sure, but fortunately she was a buccaneer with a decent enough pain tolerance plus leviathan's call working to her advantage.   She had faced much more pain in her years of service anyway, so she wouldn't balk at something like that- it would be weak.  If anything, the strike only amped her up more, fueling her on to do that much better in the face of a true, but not lethal, challenge.

[Ulysses Septimus]

((I am glad to know that  >D and I know right? So much feels and memories! Yet another reason why I like writing flashbacks XD and true, because now I feel like a jerk LOL NOT SORRY))
----

Ulysses saw that coming, and fast, too. He moved his right foot back at least a few good feet, then brought his left behind it, effortlessly sidestepping her strike, though it still managed to graze his shoulder, ripping a bit of the fabric of his shirt and his skin. It was not much, considering that Triton's Song is now in full effect. "Plenty in the armory back in Cadiz if I have to say so myself... And grazie." 

It was a little hard to not pick up Italian, another language spoken back in Valencia, when one has spent so much time in the Animus with Italian Assassin Ezio Auditore da Firenze.

He held both blades up and ready once more, his stance neutral just like how he had been when he started the little battle, ready to spring into defense or offense. He watched her with calculation, thinking, planning, waiting...

(2 years ago, Grand Master's Tournament)

The young Assassin drew a deep breath, bringing his hands down to his hips to draw the dual rapiers he had been granted by his mentor. They slid from their sheaths with a high pitched shhhhing, the blades glinting sharply in the light of the outdoor arena, just like the weapons of all the other Assassini who had chose to participate.

Ulysses knew this would be a battle to the death for most, himself included. The throne of the Grand Master was more than a temptation, with what power it offered... Hence, to tell the truth, even the young Assassin himself was willing to lash out with everything he has to win, but maybe not as hard as some of his brothers would, perhaps.

"Ulysses Septimus!" His head snapped up when he heard his name... So it is his turn already? Faster than he had anticipated, though what more can he do, other than step out and face whichever opponent is thrown at him?

He walked, confident, from the line of other white garbed Assassini, and into the main Arena. His opponent was none other than Cassius Pervamus, another skilled recruit who was skilled in using both the switchblade and the mace to his advantage. Already his mind worked to write up a plan to bring on Pervamus' defeat; with his own agility and speed, it shouldn't be too hard to avoid most of his weapons...

The battle begun with a call from the current Grand Master Altair the First; Pervamus charged forward, brandishing his mace with both hands and bringing it smashing down toward Ulysses' skull, with the latter dodging expertly to the side and retaliating with a spinning slash from his own rapier...

[Hannah Durante]

((I am super easy to please and chill, so you really don't have to worry about much when it comes to me. XD Honest! And right?! Me too! LOL we are such shameless jerks to our chars, but it's all part of the fun, I couldn't agree more.))

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Unfortunately, he saw it coming. In hindsight, Hannah knew she really shouldn't have been shocked at that knowledge, considering the fact she had pulled that sort of thing on him not ten minutes ago. Even if she had gone at him with her full body this time and not snuck her leg up into action, he was already an incredibly calculating man who probably felt the need to process and think about far more with the kick she'd managed to deliver earlier. But at the very least, she had grazed him on the shoulder like he had her side...getting a little bit of 'revenge' for his previous strike.

"Good, good....Since I seem to have returned the favor." She chuckled, admiring at least that little handiwork as she thought about what to do next. Septimus was very swift and agile, that was the biggest obstacle to face when it came to taking on a swashbuckler of his magnitude. But, perhaps her usual methods of dealing with powerful adversaries would work on him just the same...it would just take a little longer, and mean she would have to be on her best defensive.

"Prego." She returned with a light little bow of her head in response to his gratitude, before her posture shifted back to keeping the battle at hand in mind. The buccaneer was at least a little bit disappointed she still hadn't been able to topple Ulysses yet, because if she could have knocked him off his feet and pinned him down before he could jump back up and lash out with his weapons...she was convinced she could drive him to yielding, or at least gain the upper hand. But, she didn't know if that would be too emasculating, too bold to do to a man who was well over her in rank and whom she was supposed to be taking orders from.

So for now she would keep that in mind as a last resort, and instead attempt to wear him out, which meant not putting as much of her strength into her blow as she could. She had to conserve strength, to keep the game going on as long as she could to drain the swashbuckler's stamina then strike out much harder to try and take him by surprise. If he couldn't catch onto her game and force her into yielding before that much happened, that was.

Her seafoam-blue eyes narrowed as she watched him calculatingly as well. She could hardly boast as tactical a mind she assumed somebody like Ulysses had, but she was summoning all sorts of memories of past battles to mind, sifting through them all to try and find the best way to go about this. He was playing this game more smart, safer, putting himself in position to counter most everything that came at him as well as being able to strike. Her own impatience did not suit her well in this case, as it drove her crazy to just stand there doing nothing, waiting for him to come at her for too long.

As much as she wanted to wear him out, she didn't want to wait an eternity for it either, and so she moved forward again; coming at him in a display where she lashed out with both weapons in numerous directions, attempting to ultimately overwhelm the swashbuckler. He would counter the first several moves she knew that much, but if she could keep pushing toward him, all she really needed was one good opening. And, since buccaneers tended to have more stamina than swashbucklers did, perhaps this would work well enough to start tiring him out. Just to be safe though, she did not put as much strength into the blows as she could, hoping he hadn't learned enough about her yet to take notice and alarm of the fact she wasn't giving it her all. Because if he did, Hannah knew he would realize what she was trying to do and be better prepared to deal with it.

[Ulysses Septimus]

((That I am happy to know  since many of my posts may come as either shortbus, rambly, or LOADS OF FLASHBACKS. and haha, character torture >D BEST EVER))
----

Ulysses read her intent within the first few minutes, and immediately moved to counter those strikes. He blocked one strike to his lower torso with one of his swords, then twisted his other to bring it forward to deflect another strike from her halberd: he had learned during his time serving as an Assassin general that a large polearm weapon, when swung at high velocity, can be easily pushed off balance.

"I believe you can do better, couldn't you?"

(Memory continues)

His blade caught Pervamus' arm with the switchblade, so needless to say, it did next to nothing despite that Ulysses had been the one to draw first blood. Ulysses winced through clenched teeth, as Pervamus' next strike caught him right in the shoulder pauldron; the metal had obsorbed most of the impact, though the strength with which the much larger Assassin delivered his hit was still enough to send a painful jolt into Ulysses' arm.

Septimus barely kept his grip on his rapier to counter the strike, which he did with renewed vigor when he realized that Ezio was watching in the audience. He dodged behind Pervamus, slashing at the base of his spine in an attempt to disable him.

It worked, much better than he would have guessed.

Pervamus fell to his knees before Ulysses, his back facing the young Assassin. Ulysses crossed his blades at the base of his neck, hissing softly, "Yield?" He grinned broadly when the much burlier Assassin sighed, his arms drooping down at his sides when he realized just how compromised his current situation is.

"I yield."Pervamus muttered, resignation clear in his tones, unlike how General Rooke, who happens to be his idol, would have reacted.

Ulysses sheathed his rapiers, a rather stupid grin plastered across his face as Cristobal declared him the winner of this match... He, however, refused to lower his guard still, since he knew there would be more dangerous opponents coming up later... Opponents such as the far famed Assassin Journeyman Atticus Mercilus.

[Hannah Durante]

((Hey, variety is the spice of life, as they say! ^^ AND THAT POST WAS NOT AWFUL, I TOLD YOU IT WOULDN'T BE))
------

Despite the fact he was easily countering her obvious moves, Hannah managed a smile again. Good, he was burning through energy with each and every move. Not as quickly as many other swashbucklers would have expended theirs, but she had expected him to be smarter or at least tougher than the rest she'd come up against. That was just fine by her, as it made this match that much more challenging and fun in her opinion. Especially because as much as he kept pushing her weapons away from him with his...he wasn't pushing her back yet, or stopping her from continuing to come after him. It was absolutely perfect, for now anyway.

"Oh, but Admiral, you have far more experience blocking and countering blows than I do, don't you? I fear during the madness of the wars, there wasn't too much time for thinking and strategy with one officer after another bellowing out commands to charge and strike as hard as we can."

She wouldn't mention her true intentions with all of this. He would have to figure it out himself, and if he couldn't, well that would just play out in her favor. If he and the rest of them thought she was just being a persistent, stubborn fool with no method to the madness she was showing, that was just fine by her. She was curious to see just how long Septimus would be able to keep this game up anyway, before she lost her patience again and struck out that much harder.

Not discouraged at all she came at him again with the same series of tactics even though he would just do much the same and bat her weapons away with his precision and swordsmanship, resisting the urge to toss something heavier and out of protocol at him. It was tempting, but..the time wasn't right, not yet. They would continue to keep this game of clashing weapons up yet, until either she finally did get a strike through or Ulysses grew tired or that much wiser to what was going on and adopted another tactic to completely squash what she was doing.

Either way, Hannah had to say she was intrigued to know what he would do- if he would try to keep this up because his stamina was more than a typical swashbuckler's, or if he would get sick and tired of things dragging on first and take more aggressive measures with her in attempt to show he wouldn't allow her to use those sorts of techniques on him. This battle was just getting that much more exciting by the moment, in her opinion, and though she did want him to be pushed into a corner for pride's sake...there was also a part of her that wanted him to switch to a new tactic and force her to do the same; to help keep her on her toes and force her to do more thinking as well, as that would only come in handy in the future.

She would soon find out which route he would go.....

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