The Problem with Betting

[Guest]

She had been duped, hadn't she. A simple bet with the member of the Kuvalda, Marynia, had caused her to lose out. It had been a simple bet, a drinking contest. Now, when she actually heard the terms of their bet, she had been more than a little intrigued. I mean, who wouldn't want to fight a bear? She'd never done it before, so it was something that she would quite possibly enjoy. Even so, she had tried her hardest. She had drunk and drunk, and yet... collapsed long before Marynia had fallen under the influence.

So now, Sablya stood there, before the opening to the cave. She watched the darkness with keen eyes, staring down the tunnel to see the creature within. The bear was sleeping. If she woke it up, it would go into a rage. Sadly, she had to wake it up - but not until she did something else. The woman sighed, and first reached up to the armor and unclipped it from her dress, letting the metal plates fall to the ground. She smiled softly, reaching up behind her head. She undid the pieces keeping her hair worn up, letting her shoulder-length locks drop down to their full size.

"I am almost ready, Marynia." Her voice, although accented, was soft - yet with a strange sharpness to it, one that showed her true strength. She undid the few clips around the top of her dress, letting the material fall to the ground. As soon as she felt the sudden chill of the Drachman air touch her skin, she knew that it was time. With a confident smirk, she picked up the saber that she had brought along with her (Caliburn remained behind at her home) and drew it from the sheathe.

"Let us wake the bear, comrade. I believe that it is time. We must finish this before I get hungry." She smiled at the cave mouth, keeping the saber in a ready position, twirling it around with her wrist. She would not let her honor as a knight be defiled, simply because she was unable to defeat a single bear.

[Guest]

Victory! Marynia was so tempted to go into her vice of gambling with that of Sablya's skills in the fine arts of wagering stuff as far as things go. Upon a spur of the thought Mary suggested a contest of testing one's own stamina to the Devil's drink to the younger girl obsessed so vigorously with Arthurian lore. She needed to loosen up and stop having that stern look on her face all the time. Hence a contest of drinks was up and Marynia had drunken her merry way despite having already won with Sablya passing out.

Omission of further inclinations to the drink from Marynia still drinking her whiskey, is now brought about to the scenery of the cave. A dreaded lair of the carnivorous mammal. Marynia had almost felt bad for putting Sablya through this (unaware of her Chimeric abilities) almost. A bet was a bet, and she has nothing good to do in Kuvalda anyways.

Taking a swig of the whiskey she took from the bar earlier, she observed Sablya strip her armor off at first. A curiosity if anything and a pondering had struck her mind. Partly one of them was why she wore armor when there are firearms to easily penetrate through Medieval wear. And secondly, just who made that exquisite piece of worksmanship. If she ever got a hold of that armor, she can sell it off and make some money for her retirement fund.

She could almost not say a thing back to Sablya when she stated her readiness. Just something about her kept Marynia from saying anything, just a nod was given. It was startling. Taking another swig of her whiskey to perhaps get over this aura and vibe she gets from Sablya. To which finally after she had disrobed of her garments, Marynia, in an act of boldness, whom stood behind the petite girl, flung her whiskey into the cave. The shattering glass awakened the bear that charged at the knight. It is a huge bear, biggest grizzly ever seen. Marynia stepping back and away from the cave and Sablya.

"Heeh... you mean you finish this. Because that bear will be lunch... or will it be you?" Marynia slurs, Don't take too long now, it's friggin' cold out here as it is. And I am up for some hot bear steak. I am sure you are up for it as well." She shivers despite wearing a fur lined jacket over her attire. It was indeed cold.

[Guest]

The shattering of glass turned the Arthurian knight into a sudden bundle of muscle, crouching in order to prepare for whatever was ready to appear from the the cave. Her body was sleek, and yet there was some strength coming from the Drachman's body. Her identity as a Chimera was hidden to the woman, who hadn't counted on her being like this. She smirked, pointing the blade of the regal saber at the creature. It wasn't the same, really - having a blade like this, opposed to her Caliburn. She sighed softly, reaching up and shouting out.

"Hyaaaah!" She knelt down again and charged for the creature, drawing the blade out to the side. She swiped a single time, and the steel met with fur and muscle - while Sablya may have had the strength to lift about 80 kilograms, her attack was met with hefty defense, long cracks appearing down the blade of the saber, and the steel shattering. She yelped and jumped back, just avoiding the first swipe of the creature's claw. It's sleep had been disturbed, and it was unhappy about that - Sablya was the first creature that it had seen, so it was most certainly pissed off at her.

Sablya bit her lip until she drew blood, rethinking her strategy. She crouched down and lunged again, placing a pair of hands on the creature's abdomen, but feeling the pummeling crash on her back, landing violently on the ground - bleeding slightly. She groaned at this, and climbed back up slowly. That hurt, damnit. And any normal human would've been injured far greater than broken skin. She sighed and jumped back, pressing herself into the ground, grabbing the hilt of the shattered blade. She needed to drive this in as quickly as she could. Her naked feet slapped across the ground, and she jumped into the air, pulling back the hilt with a piece of sword on the end, forcing it forwards and into the eye of the bear - blood began to flow from it, and the bear started to cry out in rage, swiping blindly for the bug that had stabbed it in the eye.

She jumped back from each of it's attacks, trying her hardest to keep her distance from the weakened bear. She groaned again, holding the open wound on her side. That smarts. She closed one eye and gritted her teeth, before lunging forwards and plunging her fist into the creature's stomach with all of her strength. Blood began to flow from the punch that could lift 80 kilograms, and the creature moaned in pain. She grinned, jumped back and jumped onto the creature's neck, kneeling down and gripping it's neck, suddenly twisting her hands and breaking the neck of the bear. She grinned, and pushed it down, the now-dead bear dropping to the ground with a moan. She jumped down and sighed softly, rubbing her hand into the snow and cleaning the blood off, before picking up some of the bandages that she'd brought with her and wrapping her naked stomach. She grimaced from the twinge of pain, and turned to Marynia with a sigh.

"Bear is dead. We have dinner. I am now hungry." That wasn't a surprise. The amount of energy she'd used in order to kill this bear was immense, so she needed to eat to gather more energy up to continue keeping her strength up. She smiled and nodded.

"Can you get the fire and spit set up?" She smiled openly and honestly, her petite yet muscular frame falling backwards to sit on the snowy ground and rest, breath coming out in steamy twirls before her face. She turned to look at the bear, and lowered her head in repent.

Rest in peace, Bjorn.

[Guest]

Marynia watched with interest. Biting down on her bottom lip, gazing upon Sablya in her closer to her natural form clash against the bear. As if making bets to herself whilst watching the fight ensue. Or rather is it a massacre? But for which side? Those things captivate a gambler is the unpredictability of things. Never able to know as this is closer to luck than skills to her.

Flinching at the sound of steel breaking apart into dozens and spreading across. Oh my, things are starting to look bad for the younger girl. The bear was unlike any other bears Marynia saw. It was fierce, an alpha, one in a hundred. Large and scarred certainly as if it had seen many battles. A veteran, top of the food chain. Monstrous and sniveling.

Though at first Sablya seemed to go through a disadvantage, Marynia watched further with an even greater interest and amusement. Captivated by the choreography of the entire battle. To the average on viewer, it resembled more of an acrobatic stunt pulled off on the petite fighter as the bear played the role of the brawny bruiser. It fit well. That she was supposed to be weak but fast... yet why did logic abandon the world to Marynia when she observed her skin wasn't that damaged? Why was she able to do all these superhuman feats? Must be the cold. Drachma raises tough bastards. The cold and all that. The fact she can fight in her skivvies in the cold meant she was one tough bitch.

And yet through a moan, a final breath from the furry mammalian carnivore, Marynia lost. She lost her mental bet -- she had wagered the bear would win, and lost it. No big deal, as long as she doesn't say anything, no pride is lost. 'Twas mental and it was a secret of course.

"Yes... yes, I will." She nodded, surprised by expression, "That was just unbelievable though... you slew a bear just like that... wait till the boys back at Kuvalda hear about this. You're way out of our leagues."

And with that, she slid off the backpack she wore, unzipped it, unpacked the contents, arranged for a spit and fire to be placed, sparked fire with the flints, set up stones around in an arranged circles prior, and made a camping fire to warm up on. Luckily it was calm and there was not a lot of blizzard to ruin the fire. Struggling on trying to drag the bear over to where the fire is afterwards. Dragging it barely an inch as she clasped it from its right foot.

"You know... you may have fought the bear and all, but DAMN this bastard weighs a ton." She quipped in tired pants, "Think you can lend a hand over? Grab the other leg and all and help me drag it over to the camp fire? I mean you DID beat this monster here."

[Guest]

She didn't see Marynia's reaction to the death of the bear. She hadn't really taken notice of the other woman. To be honest, she was still focussed on the corpse of the bear. She didn't regret killing it, it was the way of the world. Her only problem was in the way that she had killed it. She was a Knight, and yet she felt like this kill was dishonorable.

No, she was the stronger fighter. She had to understand that. In this duel with a bear, she was the victor - she appreciated that fact, and took it well into regard. With a slightly confidant smirk, Sablya looked back at Marynia, who was making her way towards the bear.

"Yes... yes, I will. That was just unbelievable though... you slew a bear just like that... wait till the boys back at Kuvalda hear about this. You're way out of our leagues." Oh, she had reacted? Interesting. Why was she so surprised? Or was it that she didn't know of this woman's true nature? Maybe that was it. Maybe Marynia didn't know that Sablya was a Chimera, and a strong one at that. As far as Marynia knew, she was a normal human with superhuman abilities. That would stay, for now. She smirked, and then watched the girl begin to drag the bear along.

Or at least try.

"You know... you may have fought the bear and all, but DAMN this bastard weighs a ton. Think you can lend a hand over? Grab the other leg and all and help me drag it over to the camp fire? I mean you DID beat this monster here." She blinked and looked over at the bear with careful eyes.

"Sounds like a plan." She smiled softly, and walked over to the bear, easily picking up the leg, dragging it behind herself, towards the spit. She sighed softly, and placed the corpse on the ground. She picked up a knife off the ground, and began to skin and gut the creature. The blood and insides of the bear covered her pale body - Sablya still hadn't put her armor back on. With a sigh, she finally prepared the creature for eating, and lifted the now much-lighter creature onto the spit, letting it begin to cook.

"Wait for it to cook. I will bury the innards in the distance. It will keep the wolves away." She smiled softly, picked up the bloody guts and walked off into the distance. She smirked, and placed them onto the ground about 100 meters away. Yes, this was far enough. She started to dig a hole in the snow, placing the red mound into the hole, then covering it up. She smiled, and walked back to Marynia, covered in blood.

"Well, now. I believe that I am slightly dirtied."

[Guest]

Notably, Sablya was very strong. It was inhuman which irked Marynia. It was a mystery as well as much as it was an anomaly. How could someone who is that skinny and frail-looking have such a deceptively vast strength? If so, Marynia should be twice as strong! Because she isn't as frail looking... or was it very weak? The current conundrum would've been logical had it not been for the other matters at hand. Such as the fact the bear being dragged to the spit also had Marynia brought along like a ragdoll clasping unto the leg as her backside made a trail on the snow. Wondering if Sablya would notice that there was an extra weight being brought along.

She finally let go of the bear's leg, she could not stand being treated like a cavewoman in those days where cavemen dragged them along on the floor. Save for the fact she was holding unto the bear's paw-foot-thing. Bringing herself off her buttocks that made an 8 shaped print on the snow, she dusted off the ice with a few smacks.

"How is she that frail and limp yet so strong?!" Marynia was baffled in thought, but it had occurred to her she had a job to do.

It was when she looked to see a bloodied yet also smelly Sablya had instinctively compelled the brunette to hold her nostrils to a close, the other hand was merely fanning out the smell, although that mostly had to do with the fact the weather had calmed that her nostrils must be raped by this horrid scent. That, and also a wonder at how she hadn't frozen into a popsicle or gotten frostbite from her exposure to the elements.

"Wait for it to cook. I will bury the innards in the distance. It will keep the wolves away."

"Right, wolves are sooo dangerous, that killing a bear doesn't make them any less of a danger whatsoever." She quipped sarcastically in a whisper, it was humoring to her at the misplaced ideals of Sablya... or was this her way of saying that Marynia was a dead weight and that she was the one in danger? Another mystery among mysteries once again! She'll have to pop the question soon about those strangeness, and no, not the marriage one.

And so she watched attentively and dashingly (not) the pink bear meat blacken from the fire, it was not insta-crisp, more like at the pace of a snail. It was slow and dull, boring. That a few seconds seemed like minutes to the brown haired Drachman. That she finally had lingered her sights elsewhere to notice a much filthier blondie glossed and covered in the invasive dark scarlet called blood. Parting a remark of her filth.

"Slightly?" There was bemusement at the downplaying of proportions of her opposite in lieu to her hygiene, chuckling, "If that is slight to you, then what would you define as a lot?"

She eyes the duffel bag brought along for the occasion at her side for miscellaneous uses, conveniently at Sablya's feet, "Help yourself to a scrub I brought which would be useful if it wasn't so damn cold. Unless there was by some strange occurrence as if a mysterious outside force has been working to aid us... a hot spring nearby."

Yep, sardonic remarking at its finest. The odds of a hot spring being nearby just for that occasion is perhaps in Marynia's estimates, at the same level as a blade of grass killing a microscopic flea accurately dead on its small head. Pretty unlikely.

[Guest]

"Right, wolves are sooo dangerous, that killing a bear doesn't make them any less of a danger whatsoever." Her superhuman hearing picked it up with ease, and she smirked.

"Wolves are different to bears. I would rather not mercilessly slaughter a large number of wolves. They are noble and majestic creatures, as was the Bjorn, but he was old. Ready to die. By eating his flesh, we are honoring his life. But the flesh of a wolf is not for eating. So I do not wish to harm them." Her speech aside, she continued on her way to bury the innards. As soon as they were buried, and she made her comment about being dirtied, Sablya heard something else from the woman's mouth.

"Slightly? If that is slight to you, then what would you define as a lot?" She smirked.

"I have been at the top of a hill of swords and dead bodies, covered head to toe in blood. I believe that right now, this is only slightly dirty." Her voice was straight and true, her intentions perfectly clear. She hadn't been lying, although she wasn't exactly telling the truth. What she saw were memories that her ancestor had held, from the final fight with Mordred. She smiled softly, and accepted the brush that she was offered.

"Help yourself to a scrub I brought which would be useful if it wasn't so damn cold. Unless there was by some strange occurrence as if a mysterious outside force has been working to aid us... a hot spring nearby."

"Hello Sablya."

"Oh, hello Mysterious Outside Force. Can you, perchance, assist us in finding a hot spring?"

"Oh, it's over there." Sablya turned her head to see steam permeating above the trees. She smirked, and stretched.

"I see a spring over there, Marynia. Do you wish to partake in it? The bear will be alright." She stepped away from the spit, and walked over towards the spring that was not too close, and not too far. She would be able to defend the bear as well. She smiled softly, and reached up behind her, dropping the bra from her chest. Her hands went down her sides, slipping the underwear off of her hips, and stepping slowly into the water. Gods, this water was heavenly. Her slender body slid into the heated liquid, and Sablya closed her eyes in order to relax fully.

"Thank you, Mysterious Outside Force."

[Guest]

She certainly is one anomaly, it makes Marynia want to see just what makes her tick! Superhearing? Superstrength? Superhairdo? There is something going on here that must mean she is probably not even human... she is too good to be true! (Contrary to belief, that took quite longer than expected to believe Sablya is certainly superhuman.)

It didn't help that she was a mean green killing machine. Reminds Marynia precisely the reason not to get on Sablya's bad side.

Though she watched as the smaller framed blondie spoke, tilting her head to the side to observe this strange and particular behaviour. Caught aghast by the fact she spoke to herself, or more precisely, the mysterious outside force that she actually described. Listening further as she spoke... turned her head, gazing at the-- oh, steam raising to the skies.

Well, Marynia certainly didn't notice that before. Yeah, that's it, she isn't superhuman, she is supernatural.

"Yeah... sure." It was a half-hearted reply. The presumptions of the supernatural does wonders to one's ability to speak properly.

And so Marynia ventures off to the hotspring, she was aching for something warm to defrost her, instinctively she kicked off her boots, flung her jacket aside, and dropped her bio-suit to her heels, discarding it with a simple step out. Shivering already from the cold due to being exposed in her birthday suit, Marynia leaped into the spring in the form one may call, "cannon-ball". In haste trying to experience the high temperature.

"COWABUNGAAAAA!"

Water splashed at the surroundings and at the petite blondie herself as Marynia rose from the waters with a mischievous grin slapped across her face. Shivering in delight to the sensual caress the heated fluids intermingled with her skin, seating herself on a conveniently placed rock seat at the hotspring opposite of Sablya.

"Hell yeah! Thanks mysterious outside force for this great hotspring," She spreads out her arms, stretching it on the edge, leaning her head back to look up, "If possible mysterious outside force, make a trillion ruble appear before this hotspring, and for me to have my very own private condo at somewhere like the Esparian beaches... and also a chance to punch Ruce Billis in his face."

She casts a glance to Sablya, "un"leaning her head as to remain straightened, "So what does this mysterious outside force say about my requests?"

[Guest]

BUMP

[Guest]

"COWABUNGAAAAA!" She flinched slightly, moving just out of the way as the water was splashed over her form. Sablya chuckled, and sat back in quite a feminine fashion. Her naked back was against the cool rock, and her slender form was immersed in the water, her tied blonde locks slightly wet from the spring. Sablya could only smile at this, watching Marynia with fascination. She had always been fascinated by the feminine form...

"Hell yeah! Thanks mysterious outside force for this great hotspring. If possible mysterious outside force, make a trillion ruble appear before this hotspring, and for me to have my very own private condo at somewhere like the Esparian beaches... and also a chance to punch Ruce Billis in his face." Sablya couldn't help but raise a small hand up to her mouth and laugh at this, however not going any further than a small smirk. Even with everything, Sablya didn't smile properly. It was as if her rigidness was all that remained of her, and she couldn't let it make her vulnerable. Sablya yawned and stretched.

"I don't think that Mysterious Outside Force will work this time. I believe it was only luck that guided us to this hot spring." Sablya slowly stood up, walking through the water towards Marynia, kneeling before her in an Aerugese style, water running down her pale skin, framing her cutely petite form. She tried to bring her face into something that was more than her usual smirk, and spoke again.

"For somebody that has supposedly claimed allegiance to the Communist cause, you don't appear to be acting like that. In fact, I am seeing Capitalist ideals from you." She moved a hand to her arm and rubbed it slightly. "Of course, I have no mind as to your allegiance. It simply interests me." She was simply trying to make conversation with this woman.

[Guest]

Ooooo, miss honorable strictness just lightened up in her expression. Ka-ching! Seems like Marynia hit a string and loosened her up if not slightly at most. Well, Marynia made sure to commit that as an achievement in her head, a mental achievement in the many things she should achieve, small things, trivial things. Nothing TOO challenging.

"I don't think that Mysterious Outside Force will work this time. I believe it was only luck that guided us to this hot spring."

An eyebrow raised at that statement. It was too milked for all of its worth for what it matters so far. So all is good, but a curiousity boiled from Marynia, observing Sablya wade through the waters, quiet if but for a few moments, her paleness intriguing the brunette, drawing from her attention as she is quite close before she remembers she was having a conversation with the kneeling blonde. Recollecting what composure she had and keeping it if not by a margin.

"For somebody that has supposedly claimed allegiance to the Communist cause, you don't appear to be acting like that. In fact, I am seeing Capitalist ideals from you. Of course, I have no mind as to your allegiance. It simply interests me."

Bummer.

"Oho, I guess the secret is out isn't it? Try to keep that down low, I wouldn't want a good old commissar knocking on my doorstep and being send to the Gulag... again." She jests, after all, it's not like there are any surveillance in the forests around, nothing to worry about, at least not yet, "Now now, what made you figure me out? Was it my love for money and gambling in general? Or how I have a healthy concern for my own life? I mean, dying for Mother Drachma isn't exactly how I pictured my end or being worked to my every ounce of life to death... but what is fascinating with my ideals?"

She overlapped one leg over the other, obscuring her intimates, flexing her aching back, and slouching further as her bust sunk under the water, vitalized by the warmth it nourishes. Doing quite a good job of making herself most comfy. She'll definitely have to highlight this hotspring in the map and occasionally go MIA from time to time to relax here.

[Guest]

"Oho, I guess the secret is out isn't it? Try to keep that down low, I wouldn't want a good old commissar knocking on my doorstep and being send to the Gulag... again." She raised an eyebrow, trying not to break out into a fit of giggles from the woman's statement. Looking at Marynia, she could only wonder what was so difficult in this woman's history that would make her worried about this "Gulag". For someone in the Drachman Forces, to wonder what this "Gulag" was was something that she shouldn't be doing.

"This 'Gulag' you speak of. What is so scary about it? Is there something about it that I should worry about? Some kind of prison complex?" The nude girl tilted her head to the side and blinked, patting the side of her head with a soft sigh and a yawn.

"Now now, what made you figure me out? Was it my love for money and gambling in general? Or how I have a healthy concern for my own life? I mean, dying for Mother Drachma isn't exactly how I pictured my end or being worked to my every ounce of life to death... but what is fascinating with my ideals?" Sablya chuckled and dropped the small bust that she held beneath the surface of the water, pushing backwards through the heated liquid until her back touched the cool rocks once more, letting a smirk cross her face - it was a rare thing, seeing Sablya smile.

"It was a combination of those, Marynia, that gave me the idea that you may be a Capitalist, or at least hold their ideals. However, I do not mind so much. I myself am not loyal to the idea of Communism, as I am a stronger individual, and would therefore never be equal. So I am content with simply protecting Madam Alena, if you will." She held her composure, and nodded in Marynia's direction with a pair of sharp eyes that held kindness.

[Guest]

"This 'Gulag' you speak of. What is so scary about it? Is there something about it that I should worry about? Some kind of prison complex?"

"What is so scary? What is so SCARY?! It's the worst place to be at. It's worse than any prison complex!" Memories brushed across her mind, pausing as the hot springs gave what would be a moment's clarity, "It's a labor camp, you have to work for your food over there, and because of that, most of the times you are malnourished. At least in prison, they give you food without work. A better name would be slave camp."

A chuckle now? Wow, she made her chuckle. Chuckle... not from a sarcastic snide she makes but from a recollecting experience of a Gulag and a sardonically political statement. And followed by a smile. Oh wait, that was probably from her views on lifestyle, hard to tell with someone that can beat a bear's brains out without even a buckshot shotgun.

"It was a combination of those, Marynia, that gave me the idea that you may be a Capitalist, or at least hold their ideals. However, I do not mind so much. I myself am not loyal to the idea of Communism, as I am a stronger individual, and would therefore never be equal. So I am content with simply protecting Madam Alena, if you will."

Stronger individual. How'd she do that? If Marynia had the strength to be able to beat wild animals to death, and win every arm wrestling contests, she would be a really rich woman by now, and would probably have bought her way out of Kuvalda.

Cupping a water from the hotspring, she dipped her face into it, slicking her moist hair back in the waters. Would've helped if she brought shampoo, maybe some bubble blower, so it'd be a real jacuzzi. Especially a towel, how'll she dry herself up? Ah well, best not think now, time to enjoy these moments.

"So... what diet, exercise or whichever did you take to be that strong without bulging out with muscles the size of bowling balls? I mean seriously, you are so... just so small framed in everything and you can beat a bear up." Marynia flexes her back once more, "And what made you exactly want to protect the Secretary? She must've done one Hell of a job having won you over"

[Guest]

"What is so scary? What is so SCARY?! It's the worst place to be at. It's worse than any prison complex!" Yeech. That was some reaction. Sablya's eyes were steely as she stared at Marynia, who was describing her experience in the Gulag. Was it really that bad? Working for your food? Labor camp? She reached a hand onto her head and scratched wet blonde locks with a thoughtful look in her blue eyes. Interesting. She had never experienced a 'gulag' before, but if it involved physical labor, well...

"So... what diet, exercise or whichever did you take to be that strong without bulging out with muscles the size of bowling balls? I mean seriously, you are so... just so small framed in everything and you can beat a bear up." The woman had washed her hair back, and asked her that simple question. Sablya let a small, knowing smile cross her face, and she tilted her head to the side. She was sure that she could trust this woman with her secret.

"I... am not human. I remember waking up one day, and being told that I had been fused with the DNA of an Elephant. My strength is explained by that, mostly. My muscles, though small, are powerful, and I have been given a lot of additions in my strengths." She nodded lightly, and stood up, letting Marynia peruse her naked form; she didn't care about being seen, right now she had never really considered herself a woman, so much as a soldier.

"And what made you exactly want to protect the Secretary? She must've done one Hell of a job having won you over" Sablya stood there for one more second, before kneeling back down into the water.

"I was asked, and my Knight's Honor stopped myself from refusing her." Sablya nodded, telling the exact and honest truth to this woman. "So what does a Capitalist like yourself hope to gain from those with Communist ideals?" She tilted her head to the side again, wondering with a thoughtful smile.

[Guest]

"I... am not human. I remember waking up one day, and being told that I had been fused with the DNA of an Elephant. My strength is explained by that, mostly. My muscles, though small, are powerful, and I have been given a lot of additions in my strengths."

Well this was new. Very new. So the whomever-the-Hell-did-this can splice petite women and give them superhuman strength? And whatever additions she mentioned? An eyebrow, queued in Marynia as it has been always, raised. It was her left. So she just stumbled across not a supernatural woman, but Drachma's top secret alien project whatchamacallit? Well damn, this just get's weirder and weirder. There was a lack of a reply after what Sablya said.

She hadn't examined Sablya's body in further detail though, to Marynia, she was indifferent. After all, it is a mutual thing that has no perversions of sorts shared in a male counterpart that requires in fact, to wear garments to cover up intimates. Or so Marynia thought of Sablya, little did she know, little did she know indeed.

"So... well... I take it they accept other people for elephantizations? I mean you can't actually transform into an elephant right? You just have the looks of a girl, but the strength of the elephant eh? Like one of them comic book superheroes?" Muses Marynia, grasping for her chin as she rubs it in thought, ignorant of the Chimera, thinking more to 'hip' terms, "Heeh~ Do you even have to exercise?"

Wildly she thought of the possibilities of superstrength! Such as being able to punch through steel. Maybe uppercut Ruce Billis. Maybe... maybe even rip open a bank vault and steal all the money! Such wonderful thoughts and fun to be had with super strength. Put to good and moralistic choices that is.

"I was asked, and my Knight's Honor stopped myself from refusing her. So what does a Capitalist like yourself hope to gain from those with Communist ideals?"

Well that statement certainly answered a few things. She certainly was one of those old knight types. Poor blondie, probably deluded, someone must've tricked her. Maybe a con artist or a cruel father. Or something along those lines. Or maybe she just went mad one day with her life? Who knows?

"Well that was anti-climatic. I thought she saved your life or something... oh yeah! Well, my freedom for one. And puh-lease, I don't like being called a Capitalist. I prefer the term... Private Person." She sarcastically replied, humorously of course, puzzled by the fact she is getting along well with someone she would no sooner con her out of her money than converse with, "Maybe get an honorable discharge along those lines in a year or so, use my pensions and retire in a nice loft in Esparia. Or maybe somewhere at a warmer side in Drachma in a private cabin, it just beats the Gulag anyways. And whatabout you? Do you have any retirement plans I take it?"

Freeing her hands, she stretched her limbs, yawning, flexing her back, still seated. In that span, thinking about why she was being so open with Sablya? Probably just the honesty or something, and some sort of regal aura she gave off. Glancing at her garments to make sure no woodland critter took them before giving heed to the she-Knight-errant.

[Guest]

{BUMP}

((Simply because this was starting to live again.))

[Guest]

"So... well... I take it they accept other people for elephantizations? I mean you can't actually transform into an elephant right? You just have the looks of a girl, but the strength of the elephant eh? Like one of them comic book superheroes?" She sent a calm look across the warm waters towards Marynia, tilting her head slightly to the side in order to study this woman's actions and reactions towards her. Sablya gave a few seconds of cautious and thorough thought before speaking again, shaking her head with a kind and yet cold smile; there was little truth, only calmness and chivalry in that smile.

"I am unable to transform, and I know nothing about the people who changed me into this. I was picked up from the battlefield when I was wounded. They took me, and changed me into... this." That last word, despite everything, held minute notions of self-disgust. Sablya didn't enjoy being like this, you know? But she felt there was enough credence within to live like this, and so she survived by telling herself that it could be worse, that it could be far worse for herself within this world of cold ice and snow.

"Heeh~ Do you even have to exercise?" ..eh? Exercise? Sablya raised a finger up and tapped her chin softly, thinking this answer through as much as she had thought through her last. The truth was that, no, she hadn't any need to exercise to keep her figure. Her body ran through enough of her energy as it was, she had no way to build muscle or fat, so why did she need to exercise? The question baffled this knightly young woman, and as she finally discovered her answer, her lips brushed each other in their haste to open once more.

"I have no need to, Marynia." She tilted her head to the side with an inquisitive and yet calm look, "Because my body does not allow me to gain fat. To keep myself the way that I am, I must eat more, not less. It is sad, but I could eat that entire bear in one meal." She laughed with hollow tones, the young Knight errant leaning back to let her hair dip slightly into the water, the girl reaching up behind her head and letting her hair down by the sides of her face. She held it in for a second, and sat up again, just as Marynia spoke her next statement.

"Well that was anti-climatic. I thought she saved your life or something... oh yeah! Well, my freedom for one. And puh-lease, I don't like being called a Capitalist. I prefer the term... Private Person. Maybe get an honorable discharge along those lines in a year or so, use my pensions and retire in a nice loft in Esparia. Or maybe somewhere at a warmer side in Drachma in a private cabin, it just beats the Gulag anyways. And whatabout you? Do you have any retirement plans I take it?" Ah. A comedian, this one was. She chuckled, still not showing any true emotion to this woman, tilting her head over to the side, and then speaking again.

"There is no 'retirement' for one such as I." A small and tender hand went to her chest, fingers slightly spread over the soft and pale flesh of her small breasts, "No, the only fate that I see in my future is a death upon a hill of swords, just as my predecessor, Arthur Pendragon did in his days as King." She gave a sage-like nod, not realizing that Marynia would... probably not have taken that statement of her's seriously at all...

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There was this weird vibe Marynia was getting from a stare. Or a calm look. Whatever term they'd use. Also another thing occurred to the larger bust woman, is her smiles. Well, not why she smiles too much, something more trivial than that -- how come she doesn't have smile lines if she smiles THIS much?

"I am unable to transform, and I know nothing about the people who changed me into this. I was picked up from the battlefield when I was wounded. They took me, and changed me into... this."

Then she talks, the petite opposite of hers. Her tone was pleasant, concise, a regal bearing which kinda does not explain her small height. For a small person, she sure talks big. A Napoleonic complex perhaps? It's really unreal. Something superficial, just bigger than life in general about the banana blondie.

Then comes the... wait for it... THE STINGER. A disgusted tone. Doesn't take a psychologist to tell she has some sort of disgust when she elaborates on "this". But what is "this"? Probably her super awesome powers, not that MARYNIA would regret if she had it. Then again, being fused with an elephant isn't... something that looks good to go through, all the extra carbs and weight.

"I have no need to, Marynia. Because my body does not allow me to gain fat. To keep myself the way that I am, I must eat more, not less. It is sad, but I could eat that entire bear in one meal." Sablya tilts her head inquisitively calmly, inviting a raised eyebrow from the Kuvalda pilot.

Okay, whatever reservations Marynia had against the prospect of being combined with an elephant is swept away at that statement. She EATS and gains NO FAT? And she can be strong like this WITHOUT EXERCISE?!

A moment's starstruck gaze swept across the bustier brunette, tilting her head, smiling, vacantly staring through Sablya in thought, breaking such alluring illusions under a shake of a head. A desire of being slothful, wasteful, without care of consequence that exists not.

After making her statement, she could've sworn she heard a rustle from the bushes behind her. Taking a moment to glance at her garments, drifting her attention back to the Chimera slowly.

"There is no 'retirement' for one such as I. No, the only fate that I see in my future is a death upon a hill of swords, just as my predecessor, Arthur Pendragon did in his days as King."

As much as Marynia would like to make a comment about how dying on top of a hill of swords isn't exactly a pleasant future, and it is better off spent living life in luxury and relaxation, there was that rustle... AGAIN.

Rustle... rustle... rustle... FWOOSH.

Giving into her temptation to abstain from replying and to look, her eyes widened, biting the bottom of her lips, bottom left eyelid twitching, iris shrink...

"FFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFF..." Her face flushed in red, she breathed in and out, calmed down for a while, aborting what most ignoble word she was to utter, "DAMNIT, NO! DON'T TAKE THOSE! BAD WOLVES! BAD!"

Adjusting her bare body to the direction of the fleeing wolves with her... bio-suit, in their jaws hanging, she shook her hands furiously at them. Standing up from the stony seating as her entire body ascends from the steamy waters, drops pouring back into the spring, leaping out of the hot springs to give chase to the wolves on the cold snow, for a while.

Defeated, she retreated back to the springs, and hopped back inside, standing in the middle, shivering from the cold that assailed her naked body. Panting, cupping water and hurling it to her face and form as to warm up.

"So... erm... well, it seems like I may have run across a problem, or more precisely the problem... ran away from me," She sighs, "Since you can run around like this... I hate to ask favors, but can you get my suit back? It would help, as I don't fancy the idea of walking back into base like this."

[Guest]

"FFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFF..." Eh? She was slightly shocked by the reaction of the Kuvalda's pilot, her normally calm face appearing with widened eyes and a slightly shocked reaction. She blinked a few times, and then watched as a group of wolves grabbed Marynia's biosuit and ran off. She shook her head and watched as Marynia clambered out of the hot spring and began to gave chase; amidst shouts of "DAMNIT, NO! DON'T TAKE THOSE! BAD WOLVES! BAD!" Hm. So her clothing had been stolen. Oh, well, she'd wait for Marynia to return. If the other woman didn't ask for her help, Sablya would oblige her by offering help on her own. Because that was in the confines of her oath.

She watched Marynia return, naked and without the biosuit. Hmph. She couldn't keep up with simple wolves? Sablya slowly shook her head and stood up before Marynia had even spoken, letting droplets of water slide down her lithe and limber figure. She stretched her arms out and cricked her neck, waiting for the inevitable:

"So... erm... well, it seems like I may have run across a problem, or more precisely the problem... ran away from me, since you can run around like this... I hate to ask favors, but can you get my suit back? It would help, as I don't fancy the idea of walking back into base like this." She shrugged at Marynia, and shook her head with a knowing look on her face.

"Not favor. I am just helping." She nodded towards the woman's direction, and suddenly clambered over the edge of the hot springs, breaking out into a full sprint. She broke through the trees, and started to run after the wolves. Her eyes were calm, although the lean muscle that bounded through may have given a different appearance. Her footsteps pounded onto the snow, running after the wolves. She was charging after them now, slowly gaining on the creatures with Marynia's clothing in their mouths. The leader was approaching now, and Sablya suddenly bunched herself up into lean muscle, pushing off the ground and leaping through the air. She traveled for a second or so, before landing on top of the wolf at the front of the pack, tackling it to the ground. The pair slid across the ground for a second, Sablya reaching around the neck of the beast. She pulled her arms over to each side and twisted the neck of the wolf with a single motion.

The biosuit fell out of it's mouth as she stumbled over the body of the now-dead wolf, grabbing the clothing and rolling along the surface for but a half second, and using her hands to push herself up and off the earth. She lunged through the air and landed on her feet, nude form shivering slightly now. She turned away from the wolves that were now sprinting away from this slim woman. She smiled softly and started to walk away, not before kneeling down beside the body of the wolf.

"Thank you for dying so willingly, noble Fenrir." She smiled and stood back up, walking towards the hot spring once more and stepping out from the bush and putting Marynia's biosuit onto the ground beside the hot spring. She slipped into the water again, and gave Marynia a kind look, before looking back towards the bear, smelling it and nodding. It would be ready soon, and she needed food.

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"Not favor. I am just helping."

Ho-boy, there comes the whole knightly thing that popped up with Sablya. Her type, as far as it goes. So Marynia observed, that was what she can do, she couldn't go out there because it was darn right cold. Darn Drachman Winters. It would freeze her in such a short time, yet there was Sablya, breaking into a sprint that was most inhumanly swift and fleeting. Just like the bear, it was hard to fathom still despite what was being told.

She watched her follow the wolves in her natural form. She hasn't even thought of putting something on to stave off the cold! Is this Knightly honor? Put their own life's stake before their own convenience? Because to Marynia, that IS weird in such a utilitarian age such as this. But ah well, more conveniences for the brunette. Still, she kinda feels bad, a most alien feeling to her greedy heart.

The petite figure disappeared into the thick of the trees, out of the pilot's sight, leaving room for her to twist the locket of her hair. Water oozes out and pours to leave a thinned strands of hair in place. Still moist though, glossy, so she shook her head around, sprinkling water off until it got dry as possible. Standing on the onsen as a line of water of warmth reached up to her belly button.

Greeted by the sight of the nude blonde stepping out of the bushes with a somewhat ragged bio-suit... well crap. It has a bunch of holes and tears on it.

The Kuvalda chick stepped out of the hot springs, muttering a few anxious asides to herself in Amestrian. Picking up the the biosuit, widening it and stepping into it, pulling it up to her shoulders, inserting arms in and finally, zipping it up. Fastening the cleavage and dwindling any exposure to her body, save for the underside of her left breast. The garment's material was torn from there as threads hung down. She gazed at it along with the few patterned bite marks on it that bore holes, shrugging.

It was remedied by putting on a jacket, closing it shut to hide the opening. She was definitely gonna stitch it up. Not to mention she puts on the boots, and pulls on gloves. Shivering from the cold.

"Well Sablya..." she paused, hesitating, it will take a bit of some of her will power's fibres to go against doing this... no, it will take A LOT OF WILL POWER to do this, "Tha-- tha-- than-- thanks... for getting my suit back. You helped me out a dozen."

She turned her back on the girl within the spring, biting down on her lips. One foot in front of the other, she swiftly walked towards the lit spit, grabbing a good chunk of rock to sit on, placing herself nicely to sit on it. Observing the bear. It had browned. Medium rare steak for her perhaps?

"Yep, food looks ready." She says, hands hovering over the fire, warming herself up. Drying herself up from the waters. Heating herself up to stave the damned cold.

[Guest]

"Well Sablya..." Hrn? She looked towards the girl who was redressing herself in that clothing. Such a strange garment, she thought. It was not flowing, nor was it very useful outside of the battlefield. Could it be that Miss Marynia was wearing something that she could not use, simply for the expectation of a battle of some kind? Sablya was confused. To expect battle was supposed to be her role as the King of Knights, not the role of one of the knights. She let off a soft sigh, and walked over to her own clothing which had been carried here, slowly starting to piece together the armor over the top of the long blue dress that she normally wore; it didn't seem very battle-capable like Marynia's clothing, but it was something that, as a knight, she appreciated. With a soft sigh, Sablya turned back to Mariynia, who was turning her own back from the young Chimera.

"Tha-- tha-- than-- thanks... for getting my suit back. You helped me out a dozen." She shook her head and gave a soft chuckle, as if this was nothing for the girl, which it wasn't. She didn't think of herself as needing thanks, no King ever received thanks from his people, they only ever got sent to war, came back and did their duties, always looked up to, but never given the time of day as a human. Which was the thing... she felt this need to be human, but knew that she could never be. That was strange, for her. And to top it all off...

"There is no need to thank me, Miss Marynia." She turned back to the woman, and tried to give her a kind and sincere smile, an attempt at being... human. It was working for a second, before returning back to her usual, neutral, staunch look. She nodded lightly, and finished placing the armor on, yet leaving her gauntlets off. She did not wish to dirty them with the flesh of the Bjorn.

"Yep, food looks ready." She had followed Marynia to the bear, and smelled the aroma of the creature in the air with a confident chuckle. Yes, it was ready. She nodded briefly, and walked up to it, ripping a single piece off the side with her hand and bringing it up to her face, giving it a sniff for a second. Yes, it smelled like it was ready. She brought it to her mouth and took a bite from it, ripping a chunk of meat off and chewing it for a second. It was rather tasty in her opinion, and her stomach's growling started to recede. She swallowed her food and turned to Marynia with a nod.

"Food is ready. Enjoy, Miss Marynia."

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CA-CHING. A quick glance given by Marynia is never a normal glance. She never sees things like everyone else does, instead, all she saw from that blue dress and armor worn was in fact the greenery of money donned. They were... just... EXPENSIVE. There was nothing about how pretty they were, nothing about the elegance about it, but just how much money it can make. NO MARYNIA, get a hold of yourself, you have something else to do, like handling the grumbling of your stomach.

Strange, there goes the altruism on Sablya again, shaking her head, that look on her face as if she did this selflessly, chuckling too. Pshh, won't ever work in this world where money makes it go round. She really needed to loosen up on her ideals, to Marynia, making it a wonder to the brunette on how well she did on this world despite her selflessness. Not that she looked like she was under-appreciating her EXTREMELY RARE gratitude.

"There is no need to thank me, Miss Marynia."

And there you have it! Dispelling that she wasn't under-appreciating Marynia's thanks, but merely showing her altruism, again, annnnnd unfortunately too. Definitely she needs to loosen up a good notch. And that smile was a start, curious, strange, weird... intriguing? Rare, what's there to it anyways?

She felt the last of the cool moist dried from her form, simultaneously as Sablya took a chow of the meat, and without even waiting for a response, Marynia ripped a good chunk out with her gloved hand, and stuffed it into her mouth until her cheeks swelled from the meat, chewing on it and swallowing down piece by piece. That delicious, delicious meat.

"Food is ready. Enjoy, Miss Marynia."

"Dish ist gewd shtuff, fugging delishus!" Bits of meat flew from her mouth like missiles and into the spit itself, a sizzling hiss escaped as it blackened and shriveled into coal black.

Enjoying the food without giving a Heck about things like "etiquette" in the untamed wilderness. Those are only good she wanted to play a con.

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