(Untitled)

[whoisslade]

Who: Slade, Silverwing
What: Mama Bear's calling you out!
When: May 1st [backdate] after sunset
Where: Axoryi Docks

Comments

[scrapperzen]

Silverwing had interacted with Slade before. It had been in her secret identity, in the effort to rescue her student from Tetha. She had, of course, dozens upon dozens of charms and illusions in place to make her heroic identity noticeably different from her mundane one. However, she supposed it had been enough to give her the barest insight into his character

[scrapperzen]

"But you'll walk away from me when I'm playing yours?" Silverwing asked, a playful pout in her voice. "Did I really make such a poor opponent by not falling for the first three baits you left me?"

She could insult him. It might even work. But it wouldn't be the right way to win this fight, and she knew that he knew that. She was getting under his skin, and either she'd thrown him off his game, or he was about to go and re-write the rules.

And that was just bad form.

"I'm starting to think that you don't appreciate a good opponent," she observed in a more serious voice. "Could it be that the fun for you is in the foreplay rather than the fight? Or am I just so different from your usual fare?"

Oh, she didn't expect that she'd stop him with that one. She just had to plant those seeds before striking the final blow.

[whoisslade]

He didn't break stride continuing back down the dock towards the land.

"I will tolerate falsehoods and self delusion from other opponents, but I'm afraid I'd hoped for more from you." He explained dismissively, "What you call baits were not meant to tear you down but establish facts. An understanding. But if you're determined to play the fool then I have no desire to continue our little chat."

[scrapperzen]

"You stand with your back turned, inviting a sneak attack. You lace your advice with derision, designed to provoke me to action. And your facts are thinly disguised threats which you are going to quickly transform into promises once you leave, unless I strike you down before you can depart

[whoisslade]

That got him to stop.

"Well played."

He didn't turn around though.

"Except my staying to endure your challenge earns me nothing. The curiosity that led me here has been satisfied. What more can you offer me?"

[scrapperzen]

"Absolutely correct, it doesn't earn you anything," she said. "But we seemed to be having a fairly civil, if thinly-disguised-venom filled discussion. I appreciate a foe who can be a gentleman

[whoisslade]

Slade listened respectfully and when she finished.

"Your exploits earned my interest, meeting you earned respect. But as you've pointed out you and I have lived far longer then we should have. Which means my time is precious." He was less cross with her but his desire to stay and bandy words with her was quickly running low.

"You never know when the end will come after all."

[scrapperzen]

"Is that so?" Silverwing asked, still not looking back. "I happen to know. Death is exactly three seconds ahead of me. Every minute of every day. If I lose sight of that I WILL be sent home in a box, if there's enough of me left for it."

Now she looked back, fixing her gaze on his back. "I would think you, of all people, would know that. You who deals death so readily," she said without malice. "And I don't know if you like it, or if you fear it as most do."

She looked back out over the water again. "You can leave if you so wish it, now," she said. "The reaper waits for no man, and I've scored the hits that I needed to. Or you can remain, and we can continue to hash out our differences. Perhaps see which of us the reaper favors."

She counted this as a victory. She got Slade's attention, she put him on notice, and if she was right, she gave at least two good strikes to his ego. He'd done just as well to her, of course. Maybe even better. He was not a foe to be taken lightly, even if she acted differently.

[whoisslade]

And just like that, as silent as death himself Slade was gone. Vanished into the night like a shadow fleeing the dawn.

He knew it was only a matter of time before she came calling upon him again. The Titans couldn't stay out of trouble for long, and she was such a busy body he'd be hard pressed to throw a stone and not hit someone she had met.

In one life or another.