The Scavenger’s Sister

As they made their way out of the settlement, the weight of their newfound knowledge pressed down on both of them. Raziel, lost in thought, kept one hand near her tonfas, her mind buzzing with thoughts of House Infinite and the core inside her.

Leon, however, was focused on something else. He glanced over at her, the memory of their earlier conversations flickering through his mind. The intel they'd overheard only solidified his decision.

"Hey," Leon said suddenly, breaking the silence between them.

Raziel glanced at him, one eyebrow raised. "What?"

"You remember a couple of days ago," Leon began, his voice casual but firm, "I promised I'd train you. Show you how to fight properly. How to survive."

Raziel scoffed, a smirk tugging at her lips. "Survive? I'm pretty sure I'm doing fine."

Leon gave her a deadpan look, his tone shifting to something more serious. "You barely made it through that last fight with the Splicers. And now, we've got House Infinite looking for you. This isn't about surviving another day or another scrap. You need to know how to fight—really fight—if we're gonna make it out of this."

Raziel rolled her eyes, but there was no denying the truth in his words. As much as she hated to admit it, Leon had saved her more times than she'd like to count. She wasn't invincible. And despite her powers, she was still getting used to her new core and what it could do.

"Fine," she muttered, folding her arms. "I'll humor you."

Leon smirked, clearly satisfied with her response. "Good. I'll make sure you don't regret it."

They continued walking until they found a more secluded area just outside the settlement, far enough from prying eyes and ears. The forest was quiet, the trees providing just enough cover for what Leon had in mind.

"Alright," Leon said, stopping in the small clearing they'd reached. He dropped his pack to the ground and stretched out his arms. "First lesson. Always be aware of your surroundings. If you're too focused on one thing, you'll miss what's really happening around you."

Raziel raised an eyebrow, already feeling skeptical. "And what's that supposed to mean?"

Leon stepped closer, his eyes sharp and serious. "It means," he said, "that right now, you're focusing on me." In a split second, he grabbed a small branch from the ground and tossed it to the side, making a loud snap in the distance. "But if you had been paying attention, you'd have noticed that sound before I even threw it."

Raziel blinked, her gaze following the noise, and for once, she was speechless.

"Lesson two," Leon continued, his voice dropping as he stepped even closer. "Don't get cocky. You've got power, sure, but if you're relying on it too much, it'll get you killed. Learn to fight without it."

Raziel clenched her fists, feeling her pride being chipped away bit by bit. "You think I can't handle myself without my powers?"

Leon smirked. "I think you're smart enough to know I'm right."

Raziel gritted her teeth, hating that he was right but refusing to back down. "Fine. What now?"

Leon gestured for her to draw her tonfas. "We start with what you've got. The bladed tonfas. Show me how you use them."

Raziel spun the tonfas in her hands, the blades flashing briefly in the light as she got into a stance. "I don't need lessons on how to fight with these."

Leon chuckled, stepping back and raising his hands in mock surrender. "Alright, let's see what you've got."

Raziel charged at him, tonfas raised, aiming to strike. But before she could land a blow, Leon sidestepped, smoothly avoiding her attack. She growled in frustration, spinning to attack again, but Leon ducked, catching her arm with ease and twisting her around.

"Lesson three," Leon said, his voice calm even as Raziel struggled against him. "Don't rely on brute force. You're fast, but speed without precision is just wild swinging."

Raziel yanked her arm free, her eyes blazing with defiance. "You're enjoying this, aren't you?"

Leon grinned. "A little. But it's for your own good."

Raziel glared at him but didn't argue. As much as she hated to admit it, she needed this. She needed to be stronger, better. If she was going to take on House Infinite, she couldn't just rely on her powers alone.

"Fine," she said, squaring her shoulders and raising her tonfas again. "Let's do this properly."

Leon nodded, stepping back into a defensive stance. "That's the spirit."

Leon stood a few paces away from Raziel, his expression focused but calm. "Alright, you've got the basics down, but I want to see how you handle yourself in a real fight. So, don't hold back. Show me what you'd do in a serious fight."

Raziel, her tonfas spinning in her hands, smirked confidently. "You're asking for it."

Without warning, she launched forward, moving with impressive speed. Her tonfas whirled in a blur, aiming to slash across Leon's midsection. He dodged easily, stepping out of range just in time.

Raziel growled in frustration, but she kept her movements smooth, spinning around for another strike. This time, Leon blocked with his forearm, catching the tonfa before it could connect.

"You're fast," Leon said, grunting as he deflected another blow. "But speed isn't enough."

Raziel's eyes flashed with irritation. "Yeah? We'll see about that."

She moved again, this time with more ferocity. The tonfas sliced through the air, each strike aimed at his weak points—his ribs, his neck, his legs. But Leon was quick, dodging and parrying each attack with calculated precision. His experience was evident, and it only frustrated Raziel more.

Leon stepped back, raising his hand. "Hold up. You're relying too much on aggression. I get it—you've got power, but you're letting your emotions take over. That's going to get you killed."

Raziel stopped, breathing heavily, her grip on the tonfas tight. She wiped a bead of sweat from her forehead, glaring at Leon. "So what, I'm supposed to just let you win?"

"No," Leon replied, shaking his head. "But you need to control that rage. It's like your fire—you can't just let it burn wild. You have to direct it."

Raziel's jaw clenched, and for a moment, she looked like she was about to argue. But then she sighed, lowering her weapons slightly. "Fine. What do you want me to do?"

Leon stepped closer, his eyes sharp as he watched her. "Use your brain. You've got strength and speed, but you're not thinking about what I'm doing. I want you to read me—look for patterns, weaknesses, anything you can exploit."

Raziel frowned, clearly frustrated but trying to take in his advice. "Okay. Let's go again."

Leon nodded and got back into position. This time, Raziel didn't charge in right away. She watched him, circling slowly, her tonfas ready but her movements more calculated. Leon smirked slightly, recognizing the change in her approach.

"Good," he muttered, his stance relaxed but prepared. "Now use it."

Raziel darted forward, but instead of going for a direct hit, she feinted left, causing Leon to shift his weight. In the split second he adjusted, Raziel spun, aiming a blow toward his ribs from the opposite side.

Leon blocked, but the impact was heavier than before, forcing him to step back. "Better," he said, though his voice had a new edge to it. "You're learning."

She grinned, feeling the small victory. "Told you I could handle it."

Leon's expression remained serious. "Don't get cocky yet. You're doing better, but this is just a sparring match. Real fights aren't this easy."

Raziel wiped the sweat from her brow again, her breathing still heavy but more controlled now. "Alright, sensei. What's next?"

Leon smirked at the title. "You've got the moves, but what happens when someone's stronger than you? Faster than you? What's your plan then?"

Raziel frowned, caught off guard by the question. "I'll just hit harder."

Leon shook his head. "No, you won't. Not every problem can be solved with brute force. Sometimes, you have to be smarter, think ahead."

He suddenly lunged at her, faster than before. Raziel barely had time to react, managing to block his first strike with her tonfa, but Leon twisted his body, sending her off balance with a swift kick to her legs. She stumbled backward, her tonfas swinging wildly to try and keep him at bay.

Leon moved in close, easily dodging her attacks and forcing her against a tree. Before she could react, he had one of her arms pinned behind her back, her tonfa clattering to the ground.

"See what I mean?" Leon said, his breath hot against her ear. "You've got power, but you're not thinking ahead."

Raziel growled, frustrated beyond belief but too winded to fight back in that moment. "Let... go."

Leon released her and stepped back, watching as Raziel quickly bent down to retrieve her weapon. She turned to face him, her eyes blazing with anger and... something else. Shame, maybe.

"Lesson four," Leon said, his voice soft but firm. "Control. It's not about how hard you hit or how fast you are. It's about staying calm, even when things go wrong."

Raziel didn't respond right away. Her breathing was still heavy, her mind racing with everything Leon had said. She hated being told she was doing things wrong. She hated feeling weak. But deep down, she knew he was right. She wasn't in control—not of her powers, not of her emotions, and definitely not of the fight.

After a long pause, Raziel finally nodded, her voice low. "Okay. Let's go again."

Leon grinned. "Now we're getting somewhere."

They continued sparring, each time Leon pushed her a little harder, forcing her to think, adapt, and control her movements. By the end of the session, Raziel was exhausted but more focused than ever. She still had a lot to learn, but for the first time, she felt like she was making progress.

As they sat down to rest, Leon handed her a water flask. "Not bad for your first real lesson."

Raziel took it, gulping down the water before wiping her mouth with the back of her hand. "Not bad? I almost had you."

Leon chuckled, shaking his head. "Keep telling yourself that."

Raziel shot him a playful glare, but there was a new sense of respect in her eyes. "You're not as useless as I thought."

Leon smirked. "Neither are you."

Leon sat on a fallen log, wiping sweat from his brow as the sun began its descent in the sky. Raziel, still catching her breath from their sparring session, dropped down next to him with a huff, stretching out her legs. Her tonfas lay discarded beside her, glinting in the fading light.

Leon took a sip from his water flask, eyeing Raziel. "Alright, we've worked on your fighting. Now, we need to tackle something even harder."

Raziel shot him a confused glance. "What could possibly be harder than getting my ass kicked by you?"

Leon raised an eyebrow, smirking slightly. "Your attitude."

Raziel rolled her eyes, groaning dramatically. "Oh, come on. Not this again."

"Yeah, this again," Leon replied, standing up and crossing his arms. "You're tough, sure. But the way you talk to people? That's gonna get us killed, or worse—rejected at the settlement."

Raziel stared at him, her disbelief clear. "You're serious? You really think people care about manners when there are scavengers and splicers trying to rip each other apart?"

Leon chuckled, shaking his head. "You'd be surprised. You think settlements are just full of people like us? Wrong. Some of these places are run by former House members, traders, and high rollers. They expect a certain... level of respect."

Raziel scoffed, grabbing her tonfas. "I've survived this long without 'respect.' Why should I care now?"

"Because we need supplies," Leon said bluntly. "And if you walk around like you're ready to burn someone alive, they're not gonna sell us a damn thing."

Raziel huffed but didn't argue. She glanced away, trying to hide her annoyance.

"Alright, listen," Leon said, pulling a small pouch from his pack. "We're going to start with the basics. How to greet someone without making them feel like you're about to punch them."

Raziel rolled her eyes again. "This is ridiculous."

"No, what's ridiculous is you thinking you can waltz into a store with your 'I don't need anyone' attitude and get what you want," Leon countered, tossing the pouch aside and standing in front of her. "Now, stand up."

Raziel groaned, standing up reluctantly. "Fine, fine. What now?"

"First, we start with something simple—greeting someone. A smile goes a long way."

Raziel blinked at him. "A smile? Really?"

Leon nodded. "Yeah, believe it or not, people are more likely to help you if you don't look like you're ready to tear their throat out."

Raziel sighed, crossing her arms. "This is so stupid."

Leon smirked. "Maybe, but humor me. Just smile. Like this." He gave her an exaggerated grin.

Raziel stared at him for a moment before her lips curled into the most forced, awkward smile he'd ever seen.

Leon burst out laughing, doubling over. "Okay, no... that was awful."

Raziel scowled, her smile vanishing immediately. "You said to smile!"

"Yeah, but not like a crazed maniac," Leon said, still laughing. "Something a little more... natural. Relax your face. Don't look like you're plotting murder."

Raziel sighed dramatically but tried again, this time softening her expression. The result was... better, but still far from perfect.

Leon gave her a thumbs-up. "Better! Not great, but better."

"Yeah, well, I'm not a people person," Raziel muttered.

"No kidding," Leon teased. "Alright, let's move on. What do you say when you meet someone for the first time?"

Raziel raised an eyebrow. "Uh... 'who the hell are you?'"

Leon groaned. "No, no, no. You say, 'hello' or 'nice to meet you.' Something polite."

Raziel rolled her eyes again. "Fine. 'Hello, nice to meet you.' There, happy?"

Leon grinned. "Getting there. Now, imagine you're in a settlement. Someone important comes up to you, and you need to get something from them. What do you do?"

Raziel thought for a moment, then shrugged. "I just ask for what I want."

Leon shook his head. "No, you ask nicely. 'Excuse me,' or 'Could I please...' That sort of thing."

Raziel grimaced. "Do I really have to?"

"Unless you want to sleep in a cave for the rest of your life? Yes," Leon said firmly.

Raziel grumbled under her breath but nodded. "Fine. 'Could I please have... whatever?'"

"Good enough," Leon said, crossing his arms again. "And when they give you what you need, you say?"

Raziel looked at him like he was asking the dumbest question in the world. "Thanks?"

Leon nodded. "Exactly. See, you're getting it."

Raziel looked unconvinced, but at least she wasn't arguing anymore. "Alright, alright. What else?"

"Compliments go a long way, too," Leon added. "If someone's giving you trouble, sometimes throwing in a compliment can diffuse the situation."

Raziel raised an eyebrow. "Like what?"

"Like... if a trader is haggling with you, say something like, 'You've got great taste in gear' or 'I can see why this stuff's in high demand,'" Leon explained.

Raziel smirked. "You mean lie?"

Leon shrugged. "If it keeps us alive, sure. Call it... strategic lying."

Raziel laughed, a genuine chuckle this time. "Strategic lying. I like that."

Leon grinned. "I knew you would."

They practiced a few more basic interactions, with Raziel getting the hang of it—albeit with a lot of eye-rolling and sarcastic remarks. But by the end of it, she was at least somewhat better at pretending to be polite.