Inti's Watcher

  Peter watched Sophie sleeping next to him, for once not tired.

  His mind went over everything she’d told them. The original Masks group had gotten along so poorly three had left after the first contest. The woman who’d died rolling down a flight of stairs after trying on a decorative suit of armor in the castle she cleaned for a living was the only one who’d wanted to stay. She’d proposed tours; letting any rostari who had enough money join a competition.

  The idea had been accepted. The other three costumes now had machines in them controlled by people from far, far away.

  The Dutch woman, Janneke, wasn't allowed to socialize with any human on the ship so the secret remained safe. For companionship she was allowed a cat.

  A cat who regularly escaped its area.

  And that was about the extent of it. Sophie had apparently spent the rest of her time there discussing art.

  Peter… was upset. Not as much as Marie had been, though. Marie was furious about the secrecy and danger. It had been stupid, yes, but Peter was mostly jealous that Sophie had chosen to plan this with Razan, not him.

  He wondered when they’d planned. Where they’d planned. How he hadn't noticed.

  Sophie’s eyes opened, and she smiled at him. “You’re usually asleep by now.”

  Peter smiled back, putting a hand on her shoulder. “I’m not as tired as I used to be.”

  “That’s good, I suppose,” she said, sitting up. She stretched, showing off a bit.

  Peter watched appreciatively. But when she moved to stand he caught her wrist. “You don't have to go.”

  She looked at him, surprise on her face. “I… You want me to stay?”

  “Of course,” he told her, sitting up. “Why do you always leave?”

  “I thought that’s what’s done,” she shrugged. “And your breathing keeps me awake.”

  His grip on her wrist dropped. “My breathing? Do I snore?”

  “No, I'm just… not used to it,” she said, looking away. “But if you truly want me to stay, I suppose eventually I'd get used to it.”

  “It’s- I don't mind…” Peter hesitated, watching her. She looked uncomfortable. “If you want to go, I won't keep you.”

  Sophie smiled, leaning in for a brief kiss. “Thank you.”

  He let her get up, and she pulled on her robe before giving him one last smile and heading out. Peter turned to stare at the ceiling, wondering if he should have made her stay.

  Sophie was halfway through breakfast when Nop hopped onto the table. Razan had finished and was washing his dishes, but Peter and Marie were still eating.

  “Hello!” the raven said, settling down on a corner. “Today I have been asked to inform you about this week’s contest half an hour earlier than everyone else. This Friday will be taken up with a fighting tournament on the moon. As you’ve probably become aware, we place groups into contests based on the order in which they agree to enter. For tournaments, there are only fifteen sure spots. After that, groups must compete for the last spot in a battle royale. Any questions so far?”

  Marie pointed a spoon at her. “You’re asking us early so we for sure get into the tournament.”

  “Precisely,” Nop said, bobbing.

  Razan took his seat. “What kind of tournament?”

  “General fighting,” the raven answered. “Group against group. If only one person wishes to join, they may. If all four wish to join, they may. Any weapon or armor is allowed. The arena is set up with blocks to use as cover, or to climb on. And there’s a section for those who are not currently fighting to watch in person.”

  Sophie smiled. “I'd like to join. Any excuse to run around on the moon again.”

  Nop perked up. “Good! We were slightly worried your complete and utter loss in the maze discouraged you.”

  Marie glared. “Thank you for putting it mildly,” she said.

  Peter frowned. “Where did we end up in the rankings? I forgot to ask last night.”

  “Thanks to my bailing, absolute last,” Razan said, bowing slightly.

  “That is disheartening,” Sophie decided. “But that just means we have more to prove this time! Let’s join!”

  Marie looked at her, then turned to Nop. “Peter, Razan and I will join. Thank you for asking us in advance.”

  Peter flinched, but nodded. Razan bowed again.

  Sophie stared. “What- Why can't I join?”

  Marie looked at Peter, one eyebrow raised.

  He looked uncomfortable. “You don't know how to fight. You never learned to defend yourself.”

  “Of course not!” she said, growing angry. “I was taught piano and embroidery, not any useful skills! But I can learn! We have a week, teach me what to do!”

  “This isn't just about attacking, it’s about defending yourself from people who want you gone,” he said gently.

  “I did just fine in the desert,” she said, crossing her arms.

  Marie shook her head. “That was one enemy from one position. And the second ‘fight’ doesn't count; you had full cover and talked your way out. This will be multiple enemies from multiple positions.”

  “I can help,” Sophie said, aware she was pouting like a baby. She didn't care. “Tell me what to do, and I can help.”

  “It isn't something that can be told,” Razan said. “I trained for six years before I fought my first true opponent. You need to be able to anticipate your enemy’s movements and react in an instant.”

  “At least give me a chance,” Sophie said. “I'm sure I can do something. Saying I can't join just isn't fair.”

  Marie looked at Nop. “Are we able to change the number of people joining later?”

  Nop nodded. “Up until the moment you enter the arena.”

  “Good. Sophie, this afternoon I'll take you to the sparring room,” Marie decided. “If you can win one fight against any of the samurai who spend their days there, I will let you in. Razan, you will tell me if she manages it before Friday.”

  “Yes, Captain,” he said, bowing.

  “Against- But they’ve all spent years and years training!” Sophie protested.

  Marie glared at her. “And the people we’ll be fighting in the tournament will be… Girl, you are the least-trained person on this entire ship. I believe you would leave the first fight badly wounded and having been no help. Change my mind before then or I will refuse you entry.”

  Sophie looked at Peter. “Will you help me?”

  He hesitated. “Well...”

  “Good.” She got up, taking her plate to the sink. “There’s no time to waste.”

  Razan listened to Ariharu and Keiko discuss what new armor pieces they were going to buy for the tournament. There was a wide variety of things available, but was increased safety worth no longer looking Japanese?

  Obviously not. But then the question was: at what point did the armor become too foreign? Could it be modified to look less foreign? How much were they willing to pay for the aesthetic?

  Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.

  So many things Razan hadn't considered.

  Ujinao had gone home for three days, having had no desire to enter the maze, and had brought back new mats for the sparring room floor. The smell was making Razan homesick. It made him, and all the other samurai, determined to never lose their culture and national pride in this place full of foreigners.

  Halfway through the afternoon, Marie and Sophie walked into the room. Marie had her old, wide-bladed sword hanging at her side. Sophie was holding her chain spear on her shoulder like an umbrella.

  Sophie did her strange half-bow thing, and Marie nodded to the group around Razan as they bowed properly. Razan stood, waiting.

  Marie pointed to Ujinao. “Bee. I’d like you to fight my thief.”

  Keiko shot a worried glance at Razan, then bowed to Marie again. “Forgive me, Captain Marie, but I believe I would be better suited as an opponent for her.”

  The pirate smiled coldly. “As do I. Which is why I want him to fight her.”

  Ujinao laughed, getting to his feet. “I understand.”

  Sophie was looking young and frightened as the tall samurai took a few steps towards her. She held her weapon out with both hands, as if it were a talisman against evil rather than an odd spear. Razan wondered what Peter had taught her that morning, if anything.

  Aware Keiko was giving him another worried glance, Razan walked silently up to Sophie. Without a word, he lowered her hands and kicked her feet into a better stance. Then he shifted her shoulders and went back to lean against the wall. Marie followed him.

  Ujinao smirked, bowing to Sophie. Sophie bowed back awkwardly.

  “Three clean strikes makes a win,” Keiko announced. “Begin in three… two… one.”

  Ujinao stepped forwards and gave Sophie a quick cut across her leg, then twisted his blade and cut her hip as he pulled his sword back. Sophie cried out, almost folding as she wobbled her spear around. Ujinao gave her a glancing cut on the wrist.

  “Three strikes, Ujinao wins,” Keiko said.

  “Again,” Marie said, her voice cold.

  “What?” Sophie squeaked.

  “Again,” Marie repeated.

  Keiko cleared her throat, looking uncomfortable. “Begin in three… two… one.”

  This time, Sophie managed to block her opponent’s first strike. Ujinao grinned and gave her two quick cuts on the shoulder before stepping to the left and nicking her thigh.

  “Three strikes, Ujinao wins,” Keiko announced.

  “Again,” Marie ordered.

  Ariharu finally spoke up. “Captain Marie, are you certain this is good? She clearly has no idea-”

  “Then she will learn,” Marie snapped. “Again. This time, make it ten strikes.”

  Razan felt an odd twinge of pity. He knew what Marie was doing, but the way he’d been trained was very different. This didn't sit well with him.

  Keiko obviously felt the same way, but it wasn't her place to say anything. “Begin in three… two… one.”

  Ujinao grabbed Sophie’s spear and wrenched it out of her hands, tossing it away across the room. Sophie stared as he sliced her arm, shoulder, and other forearm. Then she turned and ran. Ujinao laughed, moving to stay between her and the spear.

  Sophie got to the far corner and noticed he wasn't following. She seemed to realize her mistake as he slowly advanced, lazily swinging his sword from side to side. Panicked, she looked at Marie.

  “What do I do?!”

  Marie shrugged. “Find a way to defend yourself.”

  Sophie looked up, then down. She knelt down to touch the edge of the nearest bamboo mat. Razan smiled as she pulled it off the floor and wrapped the thing around her. It reached from her calves to well above her head.

  Looking like a golden pillar, Sophie toddled quickly in the direction of her spear.

  Ujinao fell to a knee, laughing so hard he wheezed. Still, his blade flashed out as she passed by, catching her on the ankle. Sophie tripped with a yelp, and he nicked her calf as he stood.

  “Five strikes for Ujinao,” Keiko announced.

  Sophie hit the ground hard, yelped as Ujinao stabbed blindly into the mat, and scrambled out towards her spear. Ujinao stomped down on her foot, pinning her for another slice across her back.

  She turned, holding her arm up for protection. “Marie!”

  Marie didn't so much as blink.

  Ujinao pressed the tip of his sword into Sophie’s elbow, clearly enjoying himself. Razan looked at Marie as Sophie cried.

  Sophie reached up, and her hand started to close on the katana’s blade.

  “Stop,” Marie commanded. Everyone stopped. With her confidence and tone of voice, Razan assumed even gods would have obeyed.

  “I haven't won yet,” Ujinao said, smirking at her.

  Marie walked over to the spear, picked it up, then went to Sophie and hauled her to her feet. She handed the chain spear to Sophie and turned to Ujinao.

  “You are allowed two more light strikes.”

  The man was clearly annoyed. He flicked his sword across Sophie’s fingers, making her yelp and drop the spear. Then he turned and struck at Marie.

  There was a clang as his katana hit the edge of her thick sword. Marie grinned as she pushed then turned her weapon, catching the thin sword in a notch and bending the blade beyond what was natural. Ujinao screamed in horror as she yanked back, taking his sword out of his hand. With a well-practiced flourish, she dislodged the bent weapon and sent it flying across the room.

  She had an evil look on her face. “Razan, as the Bee struck at me, an innocent bystander, do the rules say I am now allowed to fight on Sophie’s side?”

  Razan looked at Keiko.

  “Yes,” Keiko said. “However, only until the fight ends. You need ten strikes. If he lands one more clean strike on either of you, he wins.”

  “Oh, I'm not worried about that,” Marie said, and slapped Ujinao hard across the face with the flat of her blade. A line of blood appeared on his cheekbone. “That’s one.”

  “You bi-”

  She slashed him across the chest. “Two.” Somehow she suddenly had a long dagger in her off-hand, which she stabbed into his arm. “Three.”

  Ujinao stumbled back as she tore the dagger out. He looked around wildly for any other weapon, which meant he wasn’t looking when Marie cleaved him in the arm.

  “Four,” she said, taking half a step back. “Sophie, if you’d like to stab at him this would go quicker.” She stepped back in and almost casually sliced the back of his wrist with her dagger. “Five.”

  Razan watched with a growing smile. Ujinao enjoyed fighting because it was a way of showing how much stronger, and therefore better, he was than everyone else. Seeing him disarmed and backing away in terror would have made Razan happy under any circumstances. The fact that his opponent was Razan’s captain filled the samurai with a loyalty he hadn't felt in years.

  “Six and Seven,” Marie said calmly, hitting his chin with her sword and stabbing him lightly in the gut with her dagger. She pulled it back before it pierced more than skin. Then she pulled her arm back to hit him across the face with her sword again.

  He stopped it with the palm of his hand. Unperturbed, she twisted the blade slightly and cut his arm just below the wrist. “Eight.”

  He tried to grab the sword, but she stabbed him in the hand with her dagger.

  “Nine. Sophie; now or never.”

  Razan glanced at the thief to see her on her knees, looking sick as she stared open-mouthed at the fight.

  “Ten,” Marie said, putting a deep cut in Ujinao’s thigh.

  “Captain Marie wins,” Keiko announced uncertainly.

  The hawk flew down from an upper corner of the room. “Do you need medical assistance?” it asked Ujinao.

  His answer came as an affirmative grunt.

  Marie walked across the room and put the tip of her bloodied blade under Sophie's chin, tilting her head up. “This is what fighting is. Are you certain you want to join the tournament?”

  “No,” Sophie gulped, tears streaming down her face.

  Marie knelt down next to her, and Razan stepped closer.

  “I need you to be a thief,” the pirate said, setting her weapons down to put a hand on Sophie’s shoulder. “I don't want you in serious fights. Do you understand now?”

  Sophie nodded, leaning in to hug Marie as she cried and bled.

  Marie patted her on the back, looking at Razan. “Those swords aren't… replaceable. Are they.”

  Razan shook his head. “They represent many things. They can be replaced, but at great cost and shame.”

  “Figured, from how you treat yours.” Marie sighed, still holding Sophie. “Well, I've probably just declared war on the Bees. Hopefully he can get it fixed.”

  Before Razan could respond, the hawk flew over.

  “Do you need medical assistance?” it asked Sophie.

  “Yes, she does,” Marie answered, moving back. She held out a hand, and Razan helped her to her feet.

  “Yes,” Sophie echoed. A blue glow covered her, and she vanished.

  Marie smiled at Razan. “As long as I'm here, I ought to test how you’d do against me.”

  Razan bowed. “I’d rather avoid being nearly dismembered today, Captain, but I cannot disobey your orders.”

  She laughed, stepping back to point her sword at his chest. "I think it's time I find out what my samurai can do."

  Sophie watched in fascination as the birds stitched her back together.

  They used some kind of stinging spray, which immediately slowed the bleeding. Then they put thin strips of adhesive cloth in X’s across the cuts. And then the raven had asked if she wanted scars or not.

  Sophie decided she wanted the cuts on her arms to become scars. Something to show she had been in a fight. The cuts no one would see when she wore proper clothing she didn't care about. The raven warned that healing for scars took longer than healing without, so she chose the faster healing time for her fingers and wrist.

  She felt Marie would approve of her priorities.

  That done, her clothes had been taken away for cleaning and repair, and she’d been given her fuzzy robe to wear out of the medical area.

  As she walked out of the private room and into the medical area, the door to the common area opened. Peter stepped in, glancing around.

  “Peter!” Sophie called, waving. “Did Marie tell you what happened?”

  He looked surprised and alarmed for half an instant before smiling widely. He walked over, eyes flicking between her bandages. “Not entirely. How’d the fight go?”

  “Horribly,” Sophie said, leaning against him. “I wasn't able to hit my opponent even once.”

  “Well, it was your first fight,” Peter said. “You’ll probably get better.”

  “No,” she decided. “I saw Marie fight. I think if anyone tried attacking me like that, I'd just die. So I'll focus on being a thief and let you defend me.”

  “Good.” He was about to say something else when a raven flew over with a package. It landed on his shoulder.

  “For the week,” it said. “Instructions are inside, written in Spanish.”

  “Uhm, thank you,” Peter said awkwardly, taking the package. He stuffed it into his back pocket.

  “What’s that?” Sophie asked.

  “Nothing, just… something to help pain.”

  “You’re in pain?”

  He hesitated, then smiled as he took her hand and turned towards the door. “Not when you’re around.”

  Patreon, from Ebba's POV during the Sahara contest. If you read that bit about her bailing due to a scorpion and thought "that's not very likely", you'd be correct! Head on over and find out what really happened...