This time, it was different. This time, Arienne knew what to expect and understood the futility of trying to talk it out.

Instead, when the world blossomed to life around her, she gave the tattoo guy a shout and promptly blinded him with a flash of light once he glanced in her direction. She totally owed him that for being sucker-punched by magical spikes. He cried out, bent in half, covered his eyes with his hands, and it all felt very satisfying.

Then she hit a bit of a roadblock. She could generate a laser beam… That might be effective. But "laser" didn't sound like a winning option, it sounded more like a killing option, which she kind of strongly opposed on principle. Killing was bad. Dealing with things without killing appealed to her much more. So, um… Yeah? Go team good?

"Look out!"

She dodged to the side instantly. She completely forgot about the spiked bat! Apparently, it could do more than hover. It certainly did swing down at her with enough force to crack the pavement.

Lucky she has a familiar. Since about five minutes ago.

"Where are you?" Arienne kept her eyes firmly on the bat, but, strangely, talking to a disembodied voice crept her out way more than a weapon seemingly attacking by itself.

"I'm hiding in your light. So it would be best for both of us if that morning star never touches you."

Another swing. She jumped aside. Her weight seemed to disappear, and energy filled her body.

"It can injure me?"

"It can kill you if you're not careful."

Great.

"What's a morning star?"

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More swings, wider and bolder this time. The bat tracked her as though it had eyes of its own. She dodged them without missing a breath. The tattoo guy snarled at her from across the square. Sweat coated his face and bald scalp. Maintaining concentration evidently took a toll on him.

"His weapon is called a morning star. It gives him his powers."

"What about any weaknesses? Is that a thing I might actually, I don't know, benefit from?" Arienne started to get annoyed and flared up again, forcing him to drop his head.

He recovered a lot faster than before, but it still gave her a respite.

"He needs to hold it in his hands if he intends to unleash its full potential."

"Oh, so this far he's not even being serious!?"

"I don't think he knows how to use it properly."

"Well, he's not the only one here whose magical academy acceptance letter got lost in transit!"

Finally resolving herself, she fired a laser at his feet. He didn't expect that, stumbling back awkwardly. The morning star jerked off course, missing her entirely.

She fired again and again, pressing her advantage. It obviously didn't occur to the tattoo guy that she wasn't actually trying to land a hit, aiming all shots at the ground. He roared obscenities, shambled back, and finally created a wall of spikes between them with a stomp.

Not wasting a moment, Arienne ran like the wind. She needed to get closer! The cover worked both ways; he couldn't see her behind it! This was her chance.

Reaching the spikes, she paused to let her light flow down from her right hand. That done, she chose a side of the wall and took a quick peek around it.

The tattoo guy was facing in the other direction!

She didn't think twice. Breaking into a sprint, she sent the whip of light in her right hand at him. Guided not by her muscles but by her power, it wrapped around his neck. She immediately shortened it, flinging herself onto his broad back due to added momentum. The whip, now a collar, constricted, the best chokehold Arienne was able to muster.

He tore at the whip, but couldn't peel it away from his skin. He grabbed for her, but couldn't reach far enough behind because of his bulging muscles. She gripped the collar as though her life depended on it.

"Hit him on the head!"

"I might kill him!"

"He's stronger than you! Do it!"

Freeing one hand, she created a gauntlet around it and brought her fist down on his skull. He staggered. She followed up with more blows, until he dropped to his knees and - finally stopping struggling - on the side.

Arienne waited a little longer, then hastily scrambled to her feet and dispelled the collar.

He didn't stir. She studied him intently. His chest rose and fell, indicating steady breathing. It felt like a weight has been lifted from her shoulders.

She won.

She won!

That was when she heard the sirens.