Colin's posts

AJ just sighed.

"I hate it when I'm no better than Vanessa." he grumbled.

"I'll have to do something to properly atone." he said.

".....not sure if ANYTHING can even get me close to that, now, though." he then muttered further.

"Anyway, if you want, feel free to take the rest of the day off." he told her.

"I know the winds over Australia are great for flying this time of year."

"Duly noted." AJ replied.

"And all right. She'll be sent up here when she's ready." he said.

"Anyway, thanks for the input, Ashley." he told her.

"Lemme know if there's anything more I can do for you to help make up for this little... gaff." he added.

"Seriously, anything at all."

"..........." Ryker was silent, before sighing and smiling.

"You're too nice." he said.

"But thank you." he said further, cutting a piece from the steak.

"You didn't need to do that." he told him.

"But still... thank you." he repeated.

"Also, fine. No fights." he then muttered.

"Then we'll have to be ready for that possibility." AJ replied.

"That being said, I honestly don't think it'll be an issue." he went on. "After all, she was raised by mages, and she even had alone time with Desiree... apparently made NO violent or hostile moves towards her." he said further.

"So it seems she has it well reigned in." he commented.

"That being said, your approval is all that I needed." he chuckled.

"Need to get her back in here, talk with her previous boss, and make a decision based on all that." he told her.

"Again, sorry about the scare." he apologized once more, scratching the back of his head sheepishly.

He listened to all that Ashley had to say, nodding at the end of it all.

"All right." he said.

"I can guess what your thoughts on this are, but I have to ask." he went on.

"Does she make the grade?" he asked.

"Is she a good fit for this guild?" he asked her outright.

"....all right, that's on me." AJ admitted.

"Sorry, Ashley." he said, using her real name.

"I'll make it up to you later." he told her. "I'll make you those filled dumplings you said you really liked the other week." he said further.

"Hopefully that'll be a start." he went on.

"Regardless, if you want, make yourself a mug of coffee, and tell me what you think of Abby." he then finished.

"Uhhhhhh... I... dunno." Ryker responded.

"Seriously. I dunno." he shrugged.

"I know jack about dragon culture and stuff." he lamented.

"So... I honestly can't say." he said regretfully.

"But if they make you uncomfortable, I'll punch their teeth out." he finished with an unnervingly happy smile, cracking his knuckles.

"That's on Vyn as well, you know." AJ responded.

"Not JUST me." he said.

"And we wanted to test her out against one of our best." he went on. "And not just a mana hunter, but Desiree's daughter." he continued.

"She genuinely seems to be no threat to us." he told her further.

"As for what she can do, I DO know she is the heir to the Silver Tongue gift, and she has a way of getting what she wants through conversation... but the fact that she got you to give up IS surprising." he then admitted.

Ryker just sighed and didn't get much. The place wasn't catered to him, so he ended up getting a salad.

"Who knows." he said.

"Maybe. Maybe not." he muttered.

"Again, cross that bridge when we get to it." he said further.

"At least they're not hostile." he then added.

Sure enough, to maintain his objectivity, AJ had not gone to see the fight, opting to stay in his office... though he hated that he'd made the choice, as necessary as it had been.

"Damn it." he cursed.

"I'll bet the fight is really something to watch." he said to himself, mere moments before there was a knock on the door.

"Enter." he called to them, causing the door to open, and Phyra to appear.

"....you do NOT look pleased." AJ commented.

".....the hell?" one person asked.

"What happened there?" another muttered.

"What's that smirk for...?" yet another inquired.

Their interest and attention was now at its peak, as they wondered what would happen now.

Abby had already exceeded expectations, but now things were getting truly unpredictable.

As the two of them stared each other down, there were whispers among the crowd.

"That a new recruit?" one asked.

"Yeah." was the response.

"...fighing PHYRA?" another asked.

"Guess so." another responded.

"Poor girl." one lamented.

"I dunno, I heard Vyn was the one that picked this fight, so there's gotta be more to her than meets the eye." yet another countered.

".....good question." Ryker responded.

"But they're looking at you like... you're someone important." he told him.

"Like... hm." he mumbled.

"Like a celebrity." he clarified.

"They're looking at you like you're famous."

"Fighter or not, your skills are to be tested in battle." the male replied.

"Standard practice." he said, as there was a knock on the door. When they were beckoned in, a younger male poked their head in.

"Yes?" he asked.

"Take her to the sparring arena." he told him.

"Once your fight is over, your opponent and I will speak, and she'll give me her honest evaluation of you." he told Abby. "After that, she'll leave, you'll return, and we'll conclude the interview." he explained.

"Got it?"