Rock Biter (open)

[Bailey Oleander]

He'd given her to go ahead, despite her warning him it was going to be odd. Bailey definitely noticed the step forward, her instincts telling her to move. She knew she could be sent back to the infirmary by him if she made him angry, knew she was weak compared to him, just like she was with Blake and so many others ahead of her. But she was certain of what she saw, even if it didn't make sense.

"Why were you eating stone?"

[Mathew Amtrum]

It wasn't the question he would have expected her to ask. Though he might have if the conversation hadn't been so heavy before. As it was his lips would simply curl into a smile.

"That is a very good question. Maybe someday I'll trust you enough to tell you."

[Bailey Oleander]

She blinked. He wasn't denying it. In fact, he was fully admitting it, and that there was a secret to it. Weird, but intriguing.

"And what exactly would that take?" Wait, what? Bailey gave her head a sharp, rapid shake as if to clear her mind. She was still angry with him, but David Blaze had taken a lot of the original anger she felt and then cock-blocked her from what else she wanted and needed for this. Her thoughts were turned towards Blake, instead. Her partner. Someone else who could cause mass destructon and murder and might not listen to her.  And now Eric presented her with a puzzle to solve.

So what was she doing?

[Mathew Amtrum]

"For me to believe you won't share my secrets."

Simple as that.

[Bailey Oleander]

"Fair enough." Simple, indeed. But Bailey wasn't one to pry and respected other people's privacy. Such as not pressing Alex about his eye, thought perhaps she should have. But saying that would prove nothing.

...What did she think she had to prove to him? Admittedly, the bluntness was refreshing She felt like he wasn't bothering to hide things from her. As much as she hated him right now, it was refreshing. She felt like she could speak her mind and have the same response.

"Alright, more than one." Why wasn't she stepping back and moving on? It couldn't just be morbid curiosity.

"You said you were here to help, but you're not an instructor. Or not officially, I guess. So what would have that could help? I understand you have battle experience, so what, specifically?"

[Mathew Amtrum]

"I am a bit of an expert in Qi. For instance, eating rocks."

He winked at her, taking another step closer. Testing to see if she would step back or not.

[Bailey Oleander]

"Really?" Damnit, he had her interest now. It was something Bailey had always been curious about, the theory and methods of it. How it changed and how it worked. For instance, the ability she had gotten that didn't match up with her normal powers. What all could be done with it. Were the limitations they had really the set boundaries? What more could be discovered?

"I'll admit it's been an interest of mine for a while." Not like there was much on it back home. Though he took a step forward, Bailey didn't back down, and some of the distance in her tone faded as well.

[Mathew Amtrum]

"Is it surprising? I have a lot of experience from my years in the war. Qi was the weapon of choice."

He took another step closer.

[Bailey Oleander]

"Of course it was. Bu others here could say the same." He was close enough now that she had to look up to keep satisfactory eye contact. Bailey's hands now rest at her sides, rather than behind her back.

"So what makes you different." She remained where she was, but was more than painfully aware of how close he was, mere steps away. Closer than they had been in the group battle.

[Mathew Amtrum]

He took another step forward, the clinking of his sword gently sounding with his footfall. The smirk tugging at his lip fixed as the dangerous gleam in his eye returned.

"Let me answer your question with one of my own. Do I feel different than the others that might make that claim?"

[Bailey Oleander]

The clink of the sword sent shivers down her spine, making Bailey painfully aware that she did not have her own weapons on her since she'd come straight from the infirmary. It made the hairs on the back of her neck rise with the understanding that he could swing that sword and send her right back there.

"Yes." There was that feral gleam in his eye. To help put it into words, Bailey would try to get a sense of his energy to help elaborate her own understanding. Now she just refused to back down, to not be that startled little mouse who had almost literally squeaked the last time she saw that look in his eyes.

If he took another step or went for his sword, she would throw up her boosted shield. She wouldn't put it past him, to try to push or test her in some way. Why else would he come close? He couldn't kill her here.

[Mathew Amtrum]

He woukd take another step toward her, and if she sent out her shield he would simply smirk. It was amusing to see how little some things changed. He doubted her shield would do much to stop him if he was trying to harm her, thankfully for her, he wasn't.

"I frighten you. Why"?

[Bailey Oleander]

"There's something in you. Something fierce." Simple and to the point, and true. She'd been expecting...something. A trick, maybe a blade to the throat to test her resolve. Not something she would normally consider from someone, but it matched with what she said, nevertheless.

" It's there, just beneath the polite words and smile. A light in your eyes that says something wants out, badly. Something dangerous. I saw it the first time we met, too, and I've seen it start to come out in a fight." Honesty, curiosity, caution all in her tone, eyes watching him carefully as she dropped the shield, half expecting him to take advantage of it. The story of her life now.

"It's there, right now, and it shows."

[Mathew Amtrum]

And like that the mask went back up as if it had always been there. The smirk turned pleasant and he reached out toward her to pat her on the head. Like one would a dog or small child.

"Well that is an interesting observation."

[Bailey Oleander]

And just like that, the flicker of a flame was hidden behind a curtain.

"Is it?" Bailey frowned at the hand coming for her head, pulling back when she felt his fingers reach her hair. He'd already made it a point that she was weak; he didn't need to rub it in.

"You didn't deny it." Was he enjoying this?