((Sorry for the delay, I had to go on a trip before vacations ended ^^; ))

"Oh? That's a shame." The mercenary had inspected carefully every move and every look that Ania gave the strange fish. She was being polite enough to try it, testing every spice with every bite and hoping every time that the taste changed for the better, but it seemed that this sea creature was not being easy on her tongue no matter what she did.

Rahs could possible admit that it was a taste only certain people could enjoy. Syrictae themselves preferred red and white meat, but time and many, many tries have gotten Rahs used to exotic and rare fish like the one he had just cooked.

Still, Ania kept eating her bites that started to grow smaller every time. The mercenary let a small sigh and shrugged his shoulders. "You don't have to keep eating if you don't like it, I have other things I could make for you. The fish can be stored again, anyway, I could finish it any other day."

Rahs stood up, not pressing his companion to give the fish away if she didn't want to but instead taking two steps towards the kitchen; he had realized he had not given her anything to drink. He stopped anyway since he didn't want to give her something random and hope again she'd like it. It was pretty silly to think an alien that had never left her home planet would like something that was considered normal in another one. Food from other planets could so be so different after all, so he turned to her once again and asked her what kind of things she ate and drank back at home.

(At last you've returned! Heh~ No worries, I understand completely)

None of the slices could be fully appreciated by Ania and when he explained it could be stored for later consumption she felt compelled to stop. Placing down the utensils on either side of the plate she lowered her head with a sigh. "My apologies, I didn't mean to be disrespectful in any way and figured that, if I already applied spices to all of the pieces, you might not want to eat them anymore." The promise of something else was a pleasant thought. Generally she could live off of very little food, perhaps weeks at a time which made her an ideal companion even for longer journeys, but nothing went against consuming more than necessary.

His interest in her diet took her off guard, it seemed somewhat embarassing since she had no idea if there was a literal translation for these creatures and even then she wasn't used to anything extraordinary. "I drink water, usually. The finer things such as liquor weren't exactly common where I've come from, even lemonade I only know of from foreigners so in all likelihood there's not much in your home that I've tasted before. Unless you're up for some experimenting, that is."

She pondered for a moment. "I've been out hunting most of my time, reptiles and amphibian beasts that could feed an entire village each. Although my species favors meat over a wide selection of vegetables available on our home world, we can digest just about anything and if it tastes bad I wouldn't worry about it all that much. It's the thought that counts and if you have something else to serve me, I'd appreciate it a lot."

This was her first day here after all and they had plans for the next, so she assumed they'd have some time afterward to go on yet another tour. "Tomorrow is another day, Rahs. I was planning on taking a stroll around the city and test a few foods and drinks in the local stores with the credits I saved since you're paying for almost everything .. Thank you again. I'd be back here later that day unless you'd prefer to keep an eye on me in the meantime."

"It's very strange to find someone that even though she acts cocky from time to time, she's very polite and well-mannered under a foreign roof. It's very nice, unlike most thugs and rude aliens around here," Rahs mentioned, a light chuckle coming from his continuous teasing of her. However, he spoke honestly and meant what he said, tired of the rest of the scum beings he had to deal with in his line of business. Being a mercenary was his choice, and he probably wouldn't choose to do anything else, but that never meant he had to like the employers and every task they ask him to do.

"Let's keep the water and experiment with something else. At least water could wash the taste of fish away. I don't have reptiles here, but I have a finer amphibian around. A slave I met once said it tasted like something she called 'chicken,' whatever that is. Do you have that in your planet?" Glad that Ania still had appetite for another round and willing to eat something else, Rahs jumped to his feet and went for that peculiar amphibian. Its meat was very tender and soft while only certain parts of its stronger legs were left to satisfy stronger teeth. The mercenary cooked it meticulously, serving the larger slices along with a portion of the tail. A more enjoyable smell started to spread to the table and surely to the living room as well.

When he came back, he put the new food in front of her and sat down once again. "I fear I don't what lemonade is, either. Does it taste good?" Rahs looked carefully at the food and let out a hidden smile behind the mask. It did seem much more delicious than the previous fish, and it was a renowned delicacy in Vanejin too. If it weren't for his diet's schedule, he would have cooked more for himself; but as a species similar to Earth's snakes, syrictae were accustomed to eat large amounts of food and then go on without eating for a time. "You're most welcome; but, going about all by yourself in a planet you just arrived to? You'd get yourself in all kinds of trouble," Rahs replied with a serious tone before breaking a laugh in the pause. "I wouldn't miss out on that."

Ania appreciated the comment on her manners rather than take it for another tease, showing her brief moment of enjoyment with a smile. Some might say she used to be nothing but a lowly savage so hearing this kind of approval simply felt good. She shook her head the moment he mentioned the word 'chicken'. "I'm afraid I don't know what that is."

Shortly after he got up her tail started swaying from side to side, the smell rather pleasant even to her although she didn't recognize what kind of meat it was, not even as he placed it down before her. She was looking at the food, absorbing the aroma and picking up one of the slices, waving it below her nostrils. "Lemonade .. it tastes sweet yet sour, an odd combination if you ask me, at least the variant I was given at the time. I'm unfamiliar with lemons, an essential part of such a sugary drink no doubt, but I imagine any other fruit would suffice." Guiding the piece to her lips she smirked a bit. "It wasn't native to the people we got it from so it was a first for the both of us."

Once more she tried his food, less hesitant since judging by the smell it'd be far better. For a moment she sat there, chewing, a content sigh escaping the blue skinned alien before swallowing. She was going to comment on it, but his tease didn't allow for it, at least not initially. "Whatever trouble it is, it can't be worse than your cooking skills."

"I'm kidding of course, this one's actually pretty good. My compliments to the chef." She picked up another slice, her tendril molded about the fork like a glove as she applied some sort of red powder, deciding it'd be better to try each spice one at a time on something she actually liked. This one made it spicy, something she made a mental note of for future reference.

"Since I will stay here at your place for a while I merely wished to explore a little on my own, that's all. I could really use the exercise since you won't be around me all the time, but feel free to follow me around if you're concerned for my safety or point me in the right direction should I head toward a place I rather not .. or watch from a distance and I'll show you how I deal with troublemakers." She cocked an eyebrow near the end, smirking as she leads another slice of meat to her lips.

((Gah, exams struck and KO'd me completely ^^; sorry for the delay, but I'm back in the game))

"I see." It seemed very interesting to the mercenary how they knew things the other one had no idea about. He listened to the explanation of the lemonade and he could only barely imagine it. Sour and yet sweet was indeed a weird combination. However, if it required sugar and some kind of fruit, it made sense that the alien could replicate it or create a new kind of beverage, if only he could find the right fruits. "Yes, perhaps we could experiment with sugar and other fruits."

"Thank you, though I'm far from being the best cook. You start cooking for your own survival but with time you learn to add flavor to it," Rahs replied with a chuckle, appreciating the compliment. He remained sitting for the time being, tapping his fingers as he listened to Ania's plans. She obviously wanted some freedom, but now that she offered him the chance to inspect her from afar, he could not resist it. The syrictae was starting to learn more from her and he wouldn't want to stop learning. "I'll be watching you, then. I'm sure you can deal with the lesser creeps, as far as I can tell. I'll stop you from stepping into territory you don't want to go in yet, though. Most unexperienced male aliens could make it out with some harsh lessons, but a female alien..." The rest, Rahs left unsaid, but the tone made it very clear. "Sure, you could take on some, I guess. But if there's something that never goes unnoticed and unwanted here in Vanejin, that's exoticness. And you're a blue well-shaped lot of it."

((Good to hear! And it's quite alright. Forgive my excitement, but when I saw your post I couldn't resist writing another wall of text immediately. Sorry))

"As long as you can afford taking some time off your mercenary work, we'll have lots of time to experiment." Although there were no indications of his schedule, it already seemed clear that thankfully he wouldn't have to work all day since they spent half of today teaching her some of the basics of Vanejin.

Ania perked up when he spoke of his own cooking as not being the greatest. "Perhaps you'd allow me to use your kitchen for practice in the future then?" She lit up briefly at the idea as it sprung to mind, much reflected by the subtle excitement hidden beneath her voice. After all Rahs didn't seem to have a need for more exquisite meals, but if she could surpass his own it'd without a doubt be far more pleasant. "I'm not familiar with the native foods by any means, or your personal diet for that matter, but if you'd care to let me contribute in such a manner I'd like to dedicate some of my time to cooking."

Glancing around she gracefully consumed another piece of the strange meat before speaking again. "I'd be more comfortable if my host wouldn't have to take care of his chores alone when I'm making use of his quarters and don't take part in any of it. If you do not wish my help, I'd understand, of course."

For a moment he had her stunned in reflection of his words simply by the way he finished his last elaboration on her being a well-shaped, exotic woman. Was it a compliment or part of his warning? "I'm not used to that being an issue .. Where I come from, I don't really stand out."

Despite all that, nobody made a move on her back on the streets, but then again those were the rather civilised parts of the city and most of the time she was with the tall mercenary. A tentacle brushed against her cheek in thought, sweeping away a lock of dark hair before she nodded in acknowledgement. "I appreciate your help. I realize that I have much to learn seeing how quickly I trusted you and while I don't regret having done so, I could've run into anybody. Any lesser being might've tried to lure me places I'd rather not be and I would be none the wiser all along."

She smiled softly before continuing. "But don't worry, I don't plan on roaming about the entire city. As I said, mainly foods and drinks to get an idea of what I'm dealing with, maybe some attire when I decide to wrap things up for the day. I can't walk around in this armor all day, every day, after all."

Once the remainder of the slices fell victim to her appetite, Ania placed the utensils atop the dish before gently nudging it toward the center of the table, leaving enough space for these peculiar arms to rest on though the way she leaned over at the same time allowed for the edge of the table to touch upon the outline of her ample yet perfectly round breasts. Her armor behaved much like a second layer of skin in that regard, allowing the material to mold ever so slightly into the copious mounds of flesh. "Thank you for the meal, I don't believe I've eaten this well in a long time." With a sigh she closed her eyes briefly, their azure radiance returning after a moment as she eyed the mercenary across her casually. "Would you kindly get me a glass of water?"

While he got up the exotic beauty adressed him yet again, a feeling of slight remorse upon her for she desired not to upset him. "Ah .. Excuse me, Rahs? As much as I'd love to indulge myself further in conversation with you, I'm afraid that it has been a long, tiresome journey and I'd prefer to be fully refreshed by the time we head off to our duel tomorrow .. I can manage days without proper sleep, but if you've spent weeks resting in a contraption not specifically designed for that task with the barest, minimum movement available, you will find our little trip today to be quite exhausting. Could we, by any chance, conclude this dinner of ours?"

((Forgive you for writing as awesome as ever? Please! You should forgive me for my short posts! ))

"Ah, is that so?" It seemed Ania was trying to improve her cuisine skills and asked him for use of the kitchen. It seemed to be a win-win situation if Ania was going to help out in chores and worked for her to practice further so he took no time in nodding. "That's fine with me. I guess it would be interesting to have someone help me with that."

The peculiar female replied to the syrictae that she never thought to stand out around these parts, something that was pretty obvious considering that it was her first time outside her planet. He remembered feeling the same but the amazed looks of awe and fear that he got made him realize he was much different than a lot of the aliens in Vanejin. However, if Ania didn't stand out, he, almost jokingly, thought that perhaps everyone in her race was as equally as voluptuous and alluring. "If you feel surprised by the variety of aliens that wander around Vanejin, they will surely think the same of you. You just need to be aware that not everyone has the best intentions."

Rahs replied to her as she thanked him for the meal and assured her it was nothing just before going for the glass of water that she asked, not before being unable to ignore the large breasts resting on his table. The clanking of the dish and utensils sounded from around the wall and after a couple of seconds he returned with the glass, handing it to her. "Yes, I'm sure you're quite tired. I hope you can rest well because I don't want you saying I beat you in our duel because you were still tired," Rahs said to her, a light chuckle following. "But I've been through that, so I know how you feel. Let me show you to your room."

The mercenary guided Ania through the large and round living room once more, heading into a small corner where another sliding door was and behind it was what would be her room from that moment afterwards. It was adequately spacious, with dark brown walls and furniture of various colors. At the corner opposite of the door was the ample bed and close to it the door to the bathroom. "I hope you like the place, Ania. This panel here allows you to change the colors of the lighting and walls, though, so you can play with it and pick something you like. Make yourself comfortable and call me if you need anything."

((Flatterer .. Eh he~ I don't really mind 'short' posts, knowing that you're busy n' all, but yours are more than enough because they always give me an incentive to keep going!))

While she would've been satisfied with his decline of her request, it merely brightened her day even further as he invited her to pull her own weight in a manner she desired. "You won't be disappointed with me, I'm quite a quick study.", she replied excitedly, eager to start although there were some things that needed to be done first on the next day. Perhaps she could acquire literature concerning the local foods or her host's diet as well later on, if there even were any that might be able to help her out in regard to his species, that is.

"Thank you for the drink." Ania then shook her head, her soft laughter complementing his own although she regained a certain amount of composure quite soon. It was rather amusing that he teased her now since she'd been holding back during their sparring match, not knowing her opponent she did manage to put up a fair amount of resistance before succumbing to faulty maneuvers and his hidden powers. What she could do once fully restored and with that knowledge in mind, remained to be seen. "No, we can't have any of that.", she added with a broadened smirk, drinking the water now in face of her own request to retire for the night.

With a nod she set the glass back down, reaching out for the various items she brought along before following the mercenary to another part of his home, a part which she'd call her own in the days to come. For a moment she was afraid there'd be no door seeing the overall layout of the lobby and each individual space surrounding it though thankfully she was proven wrong in that aspect.

"You haven't assigned me your personal quarters, have you?" Somehow it came as impressive to her, her curious gaze taking it all in whilst the rather generous size of her given bedroom in addition to the attached shower made it seem as though he'd given her access to his private chambers. Somehow these were the guest quarters or one of them and Rahs offered her the place to stay in which gave her an impression of just how spacious his home must be and what someone from his line of work could afford if they were successful enough.

Eager to set up properly yet somewhat restrained due to her exquisite manners Ania made her way past him with slow, sensual steps, the near skintight suit of her armor flexing with each shifting of her hips, revealing just where and how much flesh adorned her curvaceous frame in all the right places. When she bent over ever so slightly in order to access the panel the show simply continued, his busty companion not suspecting a thing as the round, ample curves of her rear end were displayed perfectly for everyone to see, a subtle ridge along the center of the beautifully shaped peaches of her ass showing just where one could claim the valley of such a wondrous cushion. Undoubtedly it'd prove as soft as it'd be firm judging from the shape she was in, practically begging to be touched as her tail brushed over the outline in sensual yet thoughtless motions while the female swept upon the panel with cautious nudges.

"Your hospitality is much appreciated, Rahs, thank you. I'll be seeing you tomorrow, then, unless I need anything of course .. I hope you have a pleasant night." She waited for him to depart, playing with the controls until she ended up with something that suited her needs. Before long the room was covered in a dim light, mimicking soft shades of azure that matched her skin and put her mind at ease, the alien carelessly discarding her belongings in a corner of the room for now.

Stretching wearily she'd grown tired of the charade, upholding a polite and friendly outside while all she wanted was a proper night's sleep, her blue eyes already fixating on the large bed as tentacles began to slither along a portion of her back, undoing the straps keeping her armor in place. She was removing it with a content sigh, revealing the lack of underwear beneath as her lush breasts came undone and she was carried closer to the bathroom with every step of her smooth, toned legs. Few moments were taken to clean and polish the piece of alien attire to the best of her ability before stepping beneath the stream of hot, steamy water herself.

Bubbly soap soon streamed along the curves of her shapely frame, caressing every well proportioned section of her feminine body bursting with enticement, Ania humming a soft tune of foreign worlds as she applies another dollop of a strange, greenish gel atop her hefty bosom. The thick substance felt cool to the touch, much in constrast to her own body heat she shuddered briefly in response whilst the thick ooze tingled those marvellous breasts of hers as it poured along their sides, soon to be vanquished as tendrils brush across these pillowy udders, drawing out the firmly erect pink of her nipples before engulfing them in another layer of shimmering pearls of soap. They squeeze and mold the abundance of soft tit flesh, sinking inside with the slightest pressure as though they were made of butter, thoroughly cleansing every portion after such an exhausting trip.

Going through the motions, water was flowing past their surface at a steady rate until she shut it off once finished, its remains first streaming then accumulating at the bottom ends of her large orbs, dripping to the floor. Some of it had been collected by the reservoir of her cleavage, their tight seal not allowing for it to leave though gradually it seeped through the narrow channel found inbetween. By the time she returned to bed she'd been tired yet utterly relaxed, sleeping in the nude she slipped under the covers of a stranger's home though she trusted nothing would happen to her here.

As busy as they were conversing she'd forgotten to take the pill restraining certain urges of the flesh, the thoughts of it vanished from her mind even now, but thankfully the effect of the last hadn't stopped affecting her during the night since she woke the next day without the slightest concern. Ania was having a hard time telling the exact hour, however, instinctively searching for any windows until it dawned on her that they were in fact underground, that she wasn't on her ship nor back home but rather in the home of the mercenary Rahs.

When she entered the lobby she was clad in full armor. The garment had been as snug as ever, hugging her form whilst providing a carefree display of the body beneath. Her braid had been fully restored with utmost perfection though the shampoo she used gave it a subtle glistening effect in the proper light, the alien carefully moving on silent feet should Rahs be sleeping still in case he prefered not to be disturbed. Naturally her hips had an enticing sway to them, the length of her tail following it with every motion though at the former's side was the firearm she'd received, secured around her waist due to today's plans.

((It looks like you're the flatterer! My posts are barely great I'm glad we can keep each other going like this then~))

Leaving alone his new companion in her new quarters, Rahs retired to his own bedroom. Similar in appearance, it had a darker green color to it that reminded him of the windy high mountains of Syrictova. His mind was somehow at ease, but trapped in a loop of thoughts that he did not manage to escape from during that night. He took off his armor and clothes, piece by piece, setting them almost ceremoniously on a modeled piece of furniture to display it menacingly. All the while, these movements, repeated by muscle memory, allowed Rahs to think of Ania.

She was quite an interesting character. Though she seemed like a very young female, it was her lack of experience around Vanejin that gave her that appearance. Her quick way to grow used to it all, however, showed the syrictae that she was more mature and level-headed than that. Thinking of her appearance quickly distorted his thoughts into a more carnal nature. Rahs was sure that without his company, Ania wouldn't have lasted the whole day without being assaulted or kidnapped by her natural beauty. It was almost painful to be around her, with that lust of his, and refraining from taking her. That fit and voluptuous body beneath the tight armor was more dangerous than it seemed, however. And that excited him. He went to sleep that night, trying to imagine how her nude body looked like and going all over her skin with his hands before seizing her alluring mounds.

The mercenary took to the shower early in the morning and thanks to the privacy he had then, let his face rest from the mask and helmet that, only in appearance, always clad his head. It was the sole time of the day when his tall, muscular body was completely nude; warm streams of the shower flowing down the rough and battered skin of a veteran. It was also one of the moments he enjoyed the most, for a mercenary or a soldier lived his days tense and ready to fight and it was only in the calming water that he felt... free.

But as soon as it was over, his face returned to don the intimidating mask and his body wore once more the second skin that was his armor, putting it on as carefully as he had discarded it. Just as methodically he cleaned his weapons in the room until the sound of Ania's door caught his attention. Giving a smirk, Rahs rose and moved towards the lobby.

"As silent as a ghost, aren't we? Good morning, I hope you slept well." His voice was the only sound that came after the noises of his door opening and closing; just as her, Rahs walked without much noise. His eyes scanned over Ania again, a pretty first sight in the morning he realized, and walked up to her. "It seems you're ready for our duel. Maybe you would like to have breakfast beforehand or should we celebrate the victor eating afterwards?" Rahs was clad in his full armor as well, his sword already sheathed behind his back.

"Likewise, Rahs." She'd been taken aback by the sound his steps had created or rather the lack thereof, but couldn't resist the urge to smile when she considered that, if he were prey, he'd have a much harder time detecting her movements in the first place. "I can't say I have slept any better in weeks, thank you for asking. A warm bed beats the confining walls of my ship by a fair margin, as you might imagine."

Ania took a moment to size up her opponent, surveying his personal armaments consisting of both armor and an interesting addition that drew her focus toward itself. It appeared to be nothing more than a more or less ordinary sword and while she planned on keeping her distance from the mercenary, she had to question the viability of such when he had to be aware of the firearm they purchased the day before and how one of her tentacles adapted to the staff striking that same appendage. Not even when they met in the lobby did he seem to re-evalute his choice, which made her excited more so than curious for the encounter since she'd witnessed his agility, knowing that a single mistake on her part could result in an injury that might render her incapable of continuing the fight despite any countermeasures she could come up with.

One had to wonder how well it performed though by far most of his equipment was of excellent quality in addition to his familiarity with every single piece, perhaps it even posessed the sharpness to dismember her regardless of the various physical alterations her race was capable of. It'd provide an interesting edge should he find himself able to use it, that much was certain.

"I suppose we can pass up on breakfast until we've concluded our duel, unless you'd prefer it the other way around.", she began, fixating the helmet that adorned the majority of her head even now whilst some of her appendages were caught up in minor adjustments of said piece of armor. She smirked then, the sound of her voice reflecting as much although it'd been dulled due to her favored attire. "It'd probably take longer to find something for me to eat than it'll take us to wrap things up anyway."

A knowing mind would've picked up on the minor change in behaviour, the fact that Ania embraced and carried out hints taken solely from him for the time being. She refrained from wearing a mask as he did the day before, a near constant veil that gave him a look of refined prowess and putting on her helmet to complement that very same idea seemed more than reasonable if she were to go up against him. Not that he hadn't revealed how attractive she might be to the various species that dwelled on this planet, but she desired to be judged by her abilities in combat and not have either of their judgements impaired by troubling thoughts on looks or gender.

"Please, lead the way. We may talk while we walk, if you'd like." Her eyes flickered to the door leading into the strange hallway outside for a moment before settling back onto the muscular frame before her, pondering on a related subject. "Where will our duel take place, if you don't mind me asking? I don't think you've left your quarters to arrange for any location in particular ever since we came back from our trip through the city."

"You're correct on that. This duel of ours will be fun but I guess it won't be long." Rahs didn't mention anything or thought much about the unusual use of her helmet. For him it perhaps meant that she was showing just how ready and eager she was for it, and Rahs wouldn't be able to say otherwise either. He was expecting to have a fun time and enjoy to the fullest one of the two actions that most pleased and satisfied him: fighting.

Even more so, it was not only with a beautiful opponent, but with a capable and worthy opponent. That was what mattered the most. Petty foes get cut down easily and so the excitement is cut short, barely making his heart accelerate. But enemies that keep him on his toes, adversaries that force him to think in a sound strategy and be careful with his movements, where a single mistake meant death... That was a true battle. A true clash of wills.

"I don't need to arrange it with that much anticipation. I like this building for that specific reason, but I guess you will see soon enough. Come," Rahs gestured her to follow him, exiting to the hallways leading to the elevator and taking it once more. This time, the mercenary, with his usual behavior, seemed to remain a man of few words, but the air around him wasn't tense. It was like he was walking with eagerness, like a kid going going to the toy store, he almost irradiated that smile behind the mask. It seemed that even though he took the duel as serious as one participant can take it, Rahs remained calm and easy.

The elevator this time when down once again, probably confusing Ania even more. At any question she would ask him or simply anticipating any kind of confusion from her, Rahs only spoke "Soon.".

Ania saw what he meant when the machine came to a smooth stop and its doors opened, showing them a massive open area with a ceiling so high it strained the back to see just above oneself. Huge white lights shone from there and below them the floor extended to what seemed numerous and big closed spaces, their walls of a strong metal but their high ceilings covered with glass, or a kind of material that acted like one but proved to be stronger than most warships' hulls. Inside them, Ania and Rahs could spy different aliens battling it out inside each room that acted as a 'cage' to their fight. "I like the fanciness of my quarters, but the true reason I chose this place was because of this. What do you think?" Rahs almost seemed proud of it, even though he was only a patron and a combatant that was not without fame of having winning streaks often. "Come."

He guided her through the passages between each room, loud but muffled noises coming from each of them and many walls shaking and rattling as the fights intensified. Rahs noticed a door with a different kind of writing on it and with greener lights, taking his companion with him. Now that they were among the cells, the female alien could tell that they were larger than they seemed from outside the elevator, and much, much taller. The impression became a reality when they both entered the room and the space was big enough to hold a small platoon and tall enough to require wings to reach the ceiling. The metal walls extended up to the glass ceiling with only the strong lights from beyond lighting the place. Behind them, the door closed with a decisive hissss and Rahs finished up pressing some buttons at a terminal beside it. Some weapons and armor were produced from a nearby wall and from the floor new circular lines lighted up, as if limiting some kind of area for the arena.

"It's ready to go. No one can see us, hear us or interrupt us." He looked up and pointed to the glass above. "Not even from there, no one's allowed to go that high. You can pick anything from there if you want. And also, since I won last spar, you have the first move." Rahs took a fighting stance, unsheathing his sword. "Don't worry, this sword's edge is mostly dull. I don't plan to kill you but at least it can do its work to mark my hits. And, what decides the winner? Submission, knock out? Or something else on your mind?" He asked, possibly taking the lines into consideration.

Ania shared the enthusiasm of her host to the point where tagging along seemed to drag on far longer than she'd liked as anticipation got the best of her. Unlike her Rahs knew where they were headed when they got on the elevator once again, the churning in her stomach indicating that they were in fact descending rather than returning to the surface which made the matter all the more perplexing. She was about to speak, her gaze sweeping around as to figure out how far they were going down before settling on him though he spoke before she had the chance to even part these sensual lips of hers.

Architecture of this niveau was beyond her comprehension, but as always she dealt with those facts with a certain degree of composure even though the things outside her own world such as this intimated her greatly.

The area they entered next rendered her literally speechless as curious eyes peered inside. Taller than any building on her homeworld and broad enough to nearly encompass the entirety of their capital, it was unlike anything she'd ever seen. Their purpose simply impressed the female further, gazing into every space they were passing in order to discern what laid beyond all these misterious chambers only to observe the various species engaging in smaller battles or duels of their own.

"I think you like fighting a lot more than I do.", she replied calmly, though her excitement made room for more as her tone and attitude changed at once, an undoubtedly cheerful expression hidden behind that helmet. "Honestly, this place is awe inspiring! I didn't know a structure of this magnitude would serve the sole purpose of allowing residents to engage in fights. Not to mention it's underground beneath an already incredible structure, I don't even know what to think anymore!"

By the sounds coming from several nearby combatants, some of those fights could become quite intense which merely broadened her smile as they set foot into an enclosed area of their own, thinking of how best to achieve the same when their own duel began. Of course she let the mercenary take care of the rest, merely observing as it was their first time here though thankfully she was getting used to the sharp noises coming from the closing door behind her.

With a smirk she approached the offered weapons, unknowingly offering the slightest of shows as her rear end molded against the outfit from beneath. She wasn't truly planning on bringing more than she already did though as a single tentacle parades around the various sword handles she considered the reach such a weapon could bring despite the flexible length of her tentacles. Ania sought out something dull that wouldn't serve the purpose of killing, akin to Rahs in terms of equipment as she seized it by the handle and presented it to him. It wasn't anything special safe for the trait of having a handguard in case he scored a particularly nasty blow there.

"Perhaps knock out should be what marks the victor, after all it is as close to the real deal as we'll get without seriously injuring each other." She'd considered the lines of course, but rules shouldn't bind them here, least of all when she thought of the possibility as either of them yielding to the other as awfully slim. They were warriors, a veteran mercenary against a former royal guard and only without rules could they unfold their true potential. "I can take quite a beating if I have to, Rahs, so no need to go easy on me."

All the while another tentacle slithered over her firearm as it tuned the settings to the degree of causing her opponent nothing beyond simple burns in fear of actually killing him that day. Ania then assumed a fighting stance of her own, sword raised in an attempt to match height and angle required to counter that of his as she prepared the first move.

"Good luck." With those final words she drew the weapon using one of the appendages on her right side, the motion as swift as she could possibly manage before discharging it, the shot aimed at the side his sword wasn't on whilst she stepped in to use the advantage she hoped to get.

One of her tentacles swerved out to the side, attempting to seize his sword as she did the day before by engulfing it for she realized that its reach was more of a threat than actually getting hit. Her sword 'arm' aimed for the wrist holding the blade at the same time, swung with finesse from above whilst a pair of tentacles melted into one thicker appendage, rushing toward his stomach at high speed and the momentum she carried in that brief charge, all the while wary of his ability to stun her with a single touch.

The remnants of her tendrils were kept at bay for a move of his own, hovering just before her and on either side since she thought of it as foolish to give everything she had right away. For now she had an advantage in numbers, be it in offense or defense and she intended to keep it that way.

"Same to you. Let's begin." And Ania leaped to action without delay, a quick shot fired at him to the side, forcing Rahs to sidestep, keeping him on his toes as the gorgeous female alien closed the distance and her many tentacles sought to diminish his potential by using well her advantage of number. Indeed it was a strange fight for the syrictae who had rarely battled against a single opponent who had the same upper hand thanks to the number of limbs. Ania was capable of dealing out multiple attacks in a single move, whereas someone like Rahs could only deal at most two at a time if he did not show his trump card.

The stronger appendage came quick at him, leaving out any option to push forward. Therefore the reptile alien stepped back, his free arm engulfed in sparks aiming to grab at the tentacles that tried to hit him. With no weight in that arm, he made sure to withdraw it quickly if she attempted to disable it even though it was a hard maneuver to achieve with a charge flowing through it, ready to stun her.

Rahs had a second to counter the initiative and had to resort to fast attacks to keep his exposure to the vast tentacles to a minimum. It was in that fashion that his hand, quick as lightning, waved the sword up and down aiming to hit and parry the sword while drawing back the tentacles trying to seize him as the blade vibrated with a lighter charge but enough for her to feel it and take necessary precautions, like a rattlesnake menacing its foe.

Afterwards the mercenary needed to keep the pressure up, basing his strategy on the case when narrow spaces were a death sentence a large host. In the open space of the arena, the only thing that could help Rahs with that idea was keeping to Ania's side to make matters more difficult to the tentacles farther from him. And so he moved to her right, the sword quick as a lash aimed the handgun to throw it away from her and hopefully get more hits in those tentacles of her. With enough power in her electricity, he could numb the appendages to render the large numbers slow and vulnerable. In any case, that was what he was aiming for if the battle happened to grow long, weary on his legs to keep his footwork agile and ready to avoid most of the femme fatale's attacks if he could.

Rahs proved himself a formidable opponent as soon as Ania unleashed a series of deft maneuvers, electricity visibly building up in his arms that caused the assailing appendages on either side to break off their chosen course, effectively eliminating her offense entirely in the blink of an eye. Despite the added risk she reflected his blade in favor of protecting herself from any potential blows, the lesser current flowing through it into hers and into the accompanying tentacle although it was a minor miscalculation on her part that allowed for him to score such an indirect hit.

It did not abate her agility any as the mercenary forced her into the defensive, but he could push the blue skinned alien into making rash decisions because any move of his couldn't be countered until she'd taken note of it. When it came she needed time to adjust as he positioned himself on her right, but not quite enough for him to be successful as she was able to prevent the swing of his sword from connecting by anticipating the use of his extended reach. Ania shifted on the spot, the nearest shoulder drawn back in accord with its respective foot as to hinder his ability to rid himself of her sidearm, allowing him to strike nothing but air in that instant though she trusted he would alter his motions quickly.

At the same time these tendrils that were farthest from him before now swerved out to the side, rushing at him from one direction which happened to be his swordless flank, aiming for his rib cage. Among them had been the stronger appendage, taking a subtly alternated path which, upon contact, was destined to strike slightly lower where the kidneys would be. His ability to seemingly create an electric current out of thin air could put that strategy in jeopardy, but she had to keep him on his toes until she found an opening of any kind to exploit.

Additional shots were fired in advance of that attack, a burst of laser fire discharged at his kneecap on the very same side in hopes of making him falter when faced with focus on a more defined area where the enemy struck from multiple directions. She could barely touch him without risking a distinct disadvantage, thus it seemed a sensible thought to inhibit his freedom of movement at least.

Rahs' eyes narrowed in light frustration and wonder as Ania had avoided the attack on her pistol well enough, leaving the mercenary battering nothing but air. It was difficult for a foe to evade the syrictae's attacks with his quick reflexes but the female alien had anticipated his reach as only an expert could and drew her weapon back before it could be cast aside by force. There was some relief in this for him as it meant he was not clearly slower than her but rather her careful precautions had won her the brief trade as it ended with her having the liberty to attack once more unhindered while Rahs had still the number and reach disadvantage against the tendrils of Ania.

Now the tentacles that were farthest came closest and the strongest one hit his side, a dull sound echoing around the room as it bounced against the hard armor of his but with such strength that Rahs was forced to use the same push to keep his balance, moving now to his right. This motion did not spell ill for him entirely as he used it to keep himself from being a sitting duck against the shots she fired. Aiming for his knees was a rewarding tactic but as most tactics like those required of careful planning and a bit of luck. Quick on his feet, Rahs managed to avoid the shots there whereas other ones headed for his torso could have had more luck.

Before the arm of hers withdrew to her side after lengthening itself to hit him as it did a few seconds ago Rahs attacked, closing the space as careful as he could while avoiding or keeping the shots of her sidearm from causing any real damage to him or the armor. But now the mercenary was aware of Ania's precautions and had a way to use that for an advantage while she remained ignorant of the extent of his abilities. Thus his sword swung from below upwards in an arc as it would strike her abdomen where her liver should have been if her anatomy was as close as his as it seemed. The closeness of his attack should have alerted her to step back but this time Rahs was prepared and the sword bursted with life as lashing currents jumped from the blade to all things near.

In its light and voltage it should have been enough to blind or at least stun Ania for a mere second or two, jumping currents hitting the body parts of her closest to the sword that with the best of luck remained strong to begin numbing them. But that was just the surprise element of Rahs' advance and so the sword fell from above as if to strike her shoulder as hard as he could to punish the body and tire her sooner. Should she rise her defense or remain unsure of that attack thanks to the light that had emanated from the blade before, it was his legs that were now safe and ready; and so he kicked sideways at hers, trying to sweep her off her feet.