[h2][color=00aeef][b]Marrie Knight[/b][/color][/h2]
The moment the money hit her account after the mission, Marrie began the trip home. She'd spent the time between Mika finding whatever she found with the podium and the official end of the mission going back and forth between walking around to check for a new wave of attackers and further inspecting the generator. She did everything she could to memorize the feeling of her mana being recharged by an outside force. She didn't really have a great grasp of how magic worked, but if she could will into existence a beam that could sever limbs, maybe she could do something else? Before she left, she took a few pictures of the podium and the "blade diary" on it with her phone, just in case.

Once the traumatic mission was over and she was paid, she didn't head straight home, despite the overwhelming urge to do so. Instead she biked around Pax to pick up some surprise tools that would help her later. The moment she got home with her new loot she crashed on the floor, barely remembering or able to even lock the door. The last thing she remembered was turning her head to the side as she tried to bring her phone to where she could see it.

Awakening before dawn, Marrie picked herself off the floor and gathered her supplies from the previous day, putting them all into a carrying bag. Making sure she had everything she'd need she left her apartment and traveled to one of the many, many abandoned buildings in Pax, specifically choosing one that didn't have people around to notice her. The sun was just beginning to show itself over the horizon as she parked her bicycle and went inside.

Soon there were empty spray-cans littering the broken white tile flooring and several, different sized targets sprayed on the walls, ceiling, and floor. Some were simply bullseyes while others were more human shaped, and several were notably in the vein of fictional monsters. The targets were scattered in random places, no two were level with each other, nor quite the same size. Satisfied with this first step, Marrie began hanging small bits of wood she'd purchased from any place she could fashion them to. Once all that she had was in place, she dumped out the last items in her bag; full metal jacket target ammunition for her pistol. She was ready to begin, and the sun was now shining bright in the morning sky.

Hours passed, spent throwing her Instrument at the different targets in every method she could find online. Overhand, underhand, sideways, flipped, from a reverse grip, straight on. She practiced each and every throw hundreds of times, each against every target she'd made. Throw it, strike the target, return it to her hand via the chain, make sure to catch it, swipe with it. Throw, strike, return, catch, swipe, throw, return, catch, stab, throw, return, catch. When her esper form's arm got tired, she simply switched to her left hand and began again. Throw, return, catch, swipe, throw, return, catch, stab. Over, and over, and over.

She lost further track of time as she went through the motions of her training, but soon enough it was twilight. Nowhere near satisfied, she took a short break for an hour, watching the sun go down as she rested her arms. But the darkness was good, it gave her a new chance to practice. With less light, she began again using just the light from her phone's flashlight, periodically turning it off for a few minutes and then back on to check her work. Eventually, dawn came and with it she collapsed, unable to move her arms enough to continue. Marrie sat down against a wall and set an alarm on her phone for six hours before falling asleep.

She managed to wake a few minutes before her phone went off. A quick cast of a healing melody brought some of her strength back, and she began phase two of her training. Each and every target she'd made had holes in them by noon. Periodically switching hands and use of her shoulder brace, she was definitely getting more accurate, but progress was too slow for her. By nightfall she was out of ammunition, and began once again training with her Instrument, beginning with basic damage melodies and then moving on to practicing melee combat. The wind-riding esper rested only long enough to watch videos on her phone of how to improve her footwork, trying her best to waste no time. By the end of the third day since leaving her home, she felt like she was at least a little better prepared for whatever might come in the future, but not prepared enough to feel content. But with all the damage she'd done to the building, no further ammo, and no mana left in her tank she didn't have much choice but to stop.

The next morning, having slept fitfully, she began to dispose of the mess. Once everything was packed up, the spent target ammo in a garbage bag to take for proper disposal, the empty spray cans and food wrappers put in the nearest dumpster, Marrie began to slowly bike her way towards The Great Escape. It was notably closer than her apartment and should be about as safe to rest at, even if she couldn't stay the night. Besides, if she wanted to get stronger, advice from those who were already there couldn't hurt.

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[hider=Stats]

19 | Female | Freelancer | Misty Steps
Apexer Predator | Dagger | Physical | Heavenly Chain
Arctic Storm | Masking 
Step of the Monsoon | Wind | Riding the Currents
After You Get Smacked Up | Gunstock
[Storm (4), Flight (6)] Damage (2), Damage X (6), Slow Fall (4), Blink (4), Transplace (8), Magic Sense (6), Heal (16), Stabilize (0), Portal (8), Rain (2), Bounce (0), Homing (2)

DAMAGE: C | SPEED: D | SENTINEL: C | 1000

PHYSICAL: E | ARCANE: C | CHAOS: B | 0
[/hider]
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