Kindness (Part Two)

He just watched her with a soft gaze as the girl didn´t respond. Then, without a word, he lay his scarf down on the steps in front of the bakery door, close to Iris, and wrapped the bread safely inside the cloth before finally turning and walking back the way he came.

She looked as he walked out of view. He was one of them. The nobles. The privileged. His innocence didn't matter- he came from the world that had destroyed hers. She stopped her tears, rage flickering beneath the exhaustion. She sat there for a long moment, staring at the bundle. Her throat tightened, her anger mixing with something else- something deeper, something that hurt.

She got up screaming in fury and kicked hard, sending the red bundle skidding across the wet street, wondering how she´d found such energy.

But even as she thought she didn´t need the charity of the same people she blamed for her situation in the first place, regret gnawed at her. She was so hungry. Her legs trembled, and before she could stop herself, she was scrambling after the bread, her hands lifting the scarf to keep it dry. When her fingers closed around the cold, hard crust, her resolve crumbled. She ate desperately, her tears freezing on her cheeks as she devoured every crumb. The red scarf was soon wrapped around her neck as she slept there quietly for the rest of the night, alone with the cold and her broken pride. 

She ate the rest of the food as breakfast and then walked off in the daylight, eventually finding her way back to Trap´s crew.

Never attempting to escape again . . .

Iris blinked, pulling herself out of the memory. 

“That look in your eyes . . . I’ve seen it before,” Finn’s voice broke through the haze. He had sidled up to her quietly, his tone uncharacteristically serious. He leaned against the counter beside her, folding his arms. “You’re thinking about something you can’t change.”

Iris didn’t reply. She wasn’t in the mood for Finn’s usual banter. But he wasn’t giving up.

“I’m fine,” Iris muttered, her voice sharp. When he didn´t budge, she turned to glare at him. 

Seeing her, Finn pushed off the counter, straightening. “Then come on,” he said, nodding toward the door. “Let’s practice.”

He turned and started walking toward the door, leaving her no choice but to follow. Iris hesitated for a moment, then sighed and slid off her stool. She wasn’t sure why she listened to him, but before she reached the opened door, she turned around to Lancer again, apparently wanting to say something. He was smiling after them, cleaning the last of the glasses with the cloth. 

He raised an eyebrow as Iris finally broke the silence.

“I’m going to leave soon, you know,” she told Lancer, her voice carrying through the room. 

He merely gave a slight nod. 

“Then why are you so kind to me? You know I´m using you. All of you. To learn about my powers. I’ll leave after that.”

At that, he paused, the glass held loosely in his hands. Then, with a soft chuckle, he set it down and leaned on the counter, his eyes meeting hers.

"The world could use a little more kindness," he shrugged.

Iris paused at his words and with that she left, closing the door shut behind her and stepping out in the rain. 

__________________________________________________________________________________________________

Finn stretched his arms, rolling his shoulders as he eyed her. His stance was relaxed, but there was an unspoken tension in the air. The chill from the underground stone floor seeped into Iris’ skin, but it was familiar in its way- a cold that reminded her of the underworld she had once called home.

“Ed´s teaching you to use the elements already, I presume? So first- let’s see how you handle yourself without them.”

He didn’t wait long before lunging at her, his hands curling into fists. Iris dodged. Finn’s attack was clean and methodical- like someone trained in a proper style. Iris, by contrast, was unpredictable. She darted to the side and lunged low, aiming to trip him up with a swift kick to his shin. It was a dirty move, but effective. Finn stumbled, regaining his balance just in time to block the follow-up punch she threw at his chest.

They circled each other, and Finn struck again. This time, he aimed high, his fist going for her shoulder, but Iris ducked under the blow and retaliated with a quick jab to his ribs. Finn winced slightly, but it was more out of surprise than pain.

She darted in close, too fast for him to react, and jabbed her knee into his side before stepping back to avoid the counter. She exploited any opening- striking where it hurt, grabbing at weak points, never giving him a moment to breathe.

“You don’t fight fair,” he noted with a raised eyebrow, falling back.

Iris shrugged. “Who said I should?”

She twisted, using her smaller stature to her advantage, slipping past Finn’s larger frame to land another quick strike on his side. He blocked her next attempt with a forearm, then went low, sweeping his leg toward hers. Iris jumped back, but Finn followed her, keeping her on the defensive.

She feinted left, then spun right, using the momentum to drive her elbow into Finn’s side. He grunted but caught her arm, twisting it slightly before she wriggled free, landing a kick to his shin in retaliation. He stumbled slightly, but not enough to give her the upper hand.

Finn was much faster than he looked. His next strike was a blur, and Iris barely dodged it, ducking low and rolling to the side. As she came up, she could feel the familiar frustration bubbling beneath her surface. Her dirty tactics worked, but Finn’s discipline and skill were wearing her down. 

He wasn’t someone she could just out-scrap.

“And you’re holding back,” she said, breathing heavily as she stood up.

"Daggers?" he asked, and Iris shrugged. He picked up two wooden ones, cheaply made but safe enough to practice, and tossed one over to her. 

Iris charged forward with Finn stepping back in defense, but she was faster now, more precise. She slipped past him and turned around immediately, her dagger drawn as she lunged toward him by closing the distance from behind. 

Finn raised his hand to block her, but she twisted her body, using her momentum to knock him off balance, and in one fluid motion, she had him pinned to the ground, her knee pressing into his chest, her weight holding him down. 

Her wooden dagger was at his throat.

“I win,” Iris said, her voice low and breathless.

Finn panted, looking up at her. His face was calm. He smiled faintly. 

And just as she blinked, confused, she felt it. She glanced down and saw Finn’s weapon pointed straight at her stomach. Her heart raced as realization dawned on her.

"You win," he said slowly, "but you would´ve died with me."

At that she let go, pushing herself up and lowering her dagger as she sat back on her heels. Finn sat up, laughing. 

"That was fun," he said. “But the moment you face someone who knows the elements and you don’t- you're still at a disadvantage.”

He pushed himself up as he offered her a hand. She took it. 

"Now as Replicants?"

Iris agreed, and they swallowed a tablet each, activating Aegis with a hum of ionized air.

And then they charged at each other again.