"That was partly my idea. I knew we had to get him to come to us; he was far too agile and slippery for an ambush to work and confronting him in his human form would get good people killed in the crossfire. The more experienced members of the party filled in the details. 

"In another world, I spent time fighting the Shadowlings, creatures of living shadow that could only be pierced by enchanted bullets. They were real beasts - attracted to humans, with the instinct to kill, consume and then puppet the bodies to kill and consume more. They came from places with a buildup of death, so whenever we lost an engagement it was twice the blow. But we won out in the end, mostly due to their lack of tactics or intelligence. We found materials that could keep them out, screened them, built forts. Dispersed the ones that tried to force the walls, and eventually the forts linked up and became a front, and we pushed that front until it reached the sea. No more shadowlings save as annoying pests. That campaign was where I learned to shoot."

"Ooh, huh. That sounds... Not fun exactly, still kind of awful, but a much more satisfying sort of war than the kind between two groups of people for territory or whatever."

"I told you I'd been lucky enough to usually be on the right side; it's hard to be more in the right than in a fight against dangerous wildlife. It was plenty horrible, but every time I pulled the trigger I knew I was putting down a vicious, unthinking beast that  wanted to eat me. That was definitely a comfort. It wasn't always like that in my other life; there were a lot of cultists, marauders and the like that I had the job of giving rough justice to. I wasn't always able to bring them in nonlethally, and not all of them had better options; the kobolds were all in the cult of Tiamat from birth, the goblins the same with Gruumsh, etcetera etcetera. Fighting people sucks."

"Yeah, it really does, doesn't it? And yet it always seems to be needed. I think it'd be honestly worse if it stopped being terrible, though."

"Well, there's always sparring. I remember sparring against myself, what an odd thing to remember. From both sides, one side pistol and fists, the other side athame and magic. I started off by pulling my gun and trying to draw a bead on myself, but I moved too fast for me to get a bead on, so I swung a wild haymaker because I'd gotten in under my own guard, then I... grabbed my gun, twisted away, and tripped myself to the mats, and she - I - we shared a laugh at how completely I'd taken myself apart and she handed me my gun back. Or something like that, I don't really know how to tell this!"

Lenora chuckles. "Wow, that's got to be weird, being in two places at once. Unless you were in one place twice? Not seeing things from both sides at the same time? Ah, that's hard to explain. Sparring, and sports and contests like boxing or wrestling too. I boxed a bit in London. Wasn't the best, wasn't the worst."

"I was in one place twice, and then those two people were merged to make me, so I have both sets of memories. I've never tried boxing, all my spars were with weapons. 

"Speaking of unusual things in new dimensions, I met a Rattus Faber gang a while back and I'm considering having them install an engine for me. I'd need some people to haul around the engine, but... Not only are the rats cheap - sixty sovereigns for the install less the heavy lifting - they're the type of people who are always overlooked in worlds like this. Small, cunning, living a bit close to the edge. I'd like to give them the business if I can, help them be legitimate citizens. What do you think?"

"Rattus Faber are good people! Well, they're a bit less reliable than humans, more skittish, more secretive, meaner and more triggery tempers, more loyal, better at coping with bad conditions and less lazy. So far as I've noticed, anyway. That sounds like probably a good idea! Except maybe for the 'gang' thing."

"They seem pretty upright for a gang, loaded for nonlethal when doing debt collection, believed me when I announced myself as a friend, that kind of thing. I think they're at the point where they might climb out of being a gang altogether if given enough funds." 

She halfsmiles. "Or I could be wrong and they'll go on to be the terrors of the underworld. That's always the risk, using money. People might go and use it for something you don't want."

"I've helped sell ammo to Tacketies and bronzewood engine plating to the Windward Company, I get it. Giving rats more legitimate work leads to less trouble, not more, skillful saboteurs as they tend to be. I more meant the chance they'd do a poor job or double-cross you, but they sound relatively reliable."

"That's not my only scheme, though. Note the skysuit and the stained-glass binoculars; I'm thinking that I could use the pair to do scouting missions using my personal flight. I could bring back reports more detailed than any zee-bat. Of course there are some issues to be worked out, but that's an idea I'm working on too."

"Ooh! Yeah, that seems dangerous. And cold. But clever! I bet you'd look amazing flying around like that."

She blushes. "I swear, the number of compliments you give me by accident..." 

"That one wasn't entirely on accident! You're a monster slayer. You're adventurous and exotic and a good shot and I know you a bit more now, and it turns out? That makes me kiiind of want to kiss you."

She smiles. "I'll refrain from joking. Instead..."

She shifts in, standing close enough to be in kissing range.

"... I'll let you."

Lenora flushes slightly and gently grabs one of Thorn's hands, leans forward and tilts her head a bit and - Gives a soft kiss for a couple seconds. Then she leans back again, smiling. "Heee."

She grins. "See? Nothing exploded." She squeezes Lenora's hand, and runs a hand through her own hair. "... Technically, that was my first kiss."

Lenora squeezes back. "And this is your second!" Kiss! "But you remember more kisses, and more, or it wouldn't be 'technically'. I don't know what that's like, admittedly..."

"I remember more kisses, but noooooot actually "and more"? Those memories are private. I recall some foreplay and some afterglow, but the in-between is a vague feeling of happiness and satisfaction, devoid of any detail."

She smiles. "So... there are some actual firsts on offer. If you want them."

Lenora blushes deep red. "Wow... Wow. I hope it's not weird that, that sounds really nice? Uh. A first from my side too... Only men, before."

"It's not weird at all. And congratulations, I think? Congratulations to us on trying new things. Together." 

"Yeah." Kiss. A more insistent one this time, with her hand on Thorn's shoulder. She's a bit breathless when she pulls back.

"Forward. I think... I want to invite you to my place and have a quick shower. Better soundproofing. Bigger bed."

She kisses back, and smiles at Lenora's breathlessness. 

"I'm hardly one to turn down better amenities. Lead the way."

Lenora leads the way, continuing to hold Thorn's hand, turning to smile at her occasionally. Her apartment is a second-floor one, and is indeed more spacious and a bit nicer, though fairly unadorned still.

"I'm a bit nervous," she admits. "I try not to let it ever stop me, but I am. Do you want to shower too?"

"Together. - no, forget I said that. I'm rash. Nervous too, but my reaction to being nervous about things is to throw myself into them and hope for the best. I would love to shower. With or without you."