[b]Isabelle[/b]

“It’s not” Marna says as she attempts a dodge while still recovering, taking half the shots as they slice holes into her mecha, her breathing labored as she discharges yet another round of entry. 

[Marna takes [b]insecure[/b] in addition to already being [b]hopeless[/b] and [b]angry[/b]]

“You still don’t understand me, Isabelle. I don’t think I would beat Solarel. Besides her, I’m the best that Zaldaria has to offer. I’ve beaten pilots from Hybrasil and your Consortium. In war, and in the arena. And I still don’t think I would beat her. But I could try. I’ve got enough power, enough speed, enough defense that if I read her strategy correctly, I’d have a chance at winning. It’s possible, that’s what you need to understand. If you couldn’t beat me, it wouldn’t be possible for you to win that fight. But you have. If we keep going, you’ll either tear me apart slowly or you’ll close in and finish things with that laser dagger. So, I yield.”

She relaxes, but makes no move toward the Hangar entrance just yet. “You’re an incredible pilot, Isabelle. Winning or losing against Solarel won’t change that. You don’t need to beat her to prove you’re good. And you won’t stop being good if you don’t beat her. Especially, her! She makes winning about…about understanding, not skill. If you fight with her in an empty field with only blades, I’m sure you’d win. If you got to decide on everything in the battlefield, you’d win. But you don’t get that! You get an unknown.” 

She pauses to breathe, then continues. “You’ve already beaten a champion. Don’t you dare forget it. If…if you need to win to prove you’re good enough, you still haven’t found the right reason to fight. Keep looking.”

[Take [b]insecure[/b] as the final response to the fight.]

***

[b]Solarel[/b]

The fight is over in less than a second. 

You kick. The crab leg cracks the ground, pushing with intense force, balanced with the other leg through the intensity of your practice. Thrusters fire at maximum force, combining with the jump to carry you to Maelia faster than any crystal fire drive can move a mecha. 

An ionic blade was precisely the right choice for this move. The intensity of its energy cuts through the shell created by the twin crystal fire drives. The strike is precise, perfectly targeted to account for the Supernova’s motion as it finishes the last round of firing. You pierce above the cockpit and cut off the control from the pilot to the power source. Emergency systems kick in immediately and the shield shuts down. The entire mecha shuts down in an emergency stop. You’re familiar enough with Hyabrsialian technology to know that from Maelia’s perspective most lights have gone out and she’s in free motion, bracing for impact, taking advantage of Hybrasilian eyes and instincts once disconnected from controlling her machine. 

The Supernova drops like a rock, landing more or less on its legs and then falling backwards into the foliage. 

Though your blade is unharmed, the interference from the strange energy has caused a slight decay on the front of the Aeteline’s upper chest where you got closest, and as far as both geist and nanobot are concerned, that small area of the body simply ceased to exist. 

[Fight response: creating an opportunity for Isabelle]

Once it stops and settles, the hatch pops open and Maelia pulls herself out. She’s looking up at you and speaking unassisted, but with the Aeteline’s perceptions, you can easily understand her. “Thank you!” She’s saying. “I way overtested in space combat, this was incredible data for combat on planetary surfaces or on-station situations.” And you can tell she’s grinning.  

***

[b]Mirror[/b]

The jackals are defeated and lie around you. The combat space is narrowed and potential mine locations revealed. What is left last of all is merely the speed of the dancer who feels the nip of your blade and jumps into its embrace to score just one more hit. 

How does the final exchange go?