7.02 – Arrangement

7.02 – Arrangement

"It's so nice to speak with you again, Natalie," Elida said with a smile. "Have you given my offer due consideration?"

Standing outside the training facility, with other students having headed for the cafeteria. She eyed the red-haired girl. Elida was as pretty as always. She couldn't help but notice this fact, which only annoyed her further. Elida's green eyes danced with amusement as she waited for Natalie's response. If she hadn't known better, she might even describe Elida as having a friendly appearance.

"You've been ignoring me when I tried to talk with you," Natalie said flatly. "Why shouldn't I do the same, now that you're willing to speak?"

"Ignoring you?" Elida asked in mock surprise, a hand going to her chest. "No, of course not. I wouldn't do something so disrespectful to a potential ally. You must have misread the situation."

Natalie crossed her arms and gave her a flat look.

Elida laughed. "I've made changes to the team," she said smoothly. "I have no doubt we'd make the strongest party in the year, if you joined us." She smirked. "That will also be true if you don't, but the gap would be larger, I mean."

"What changes?"

She asked not because she was entertaining the idea of teaming up with Elida long term, but simply because she wanted to know. Elida had already made allusions toward shuffling her team around as necessary—how else would Natalie have been given a spot?—which didn't sit right with her, but she also was curious what the composition of the best team of Tenet would be. Especially since they were enemies not just personally, but through the Beaumon and Parda-Halt political relationship.

"Vanetta," Elida said. "As our new rogue, to name one."

Natalie blinked. That surprised her for two reasons. "Aren't you your team's rogue?"

"We'll have two."

"Why?"

"Because it's worth it," Elida said simply. "Composition matters, yes. What matters more is having the strongest fighters of the year on your team. A little imbalance is well worth stuffing a squad to the seams with talent."

"She's that good?" She didn't even know who 'Vanetta' was.

"She's better."

"And who is she, again?"

Elida paused, then seemed amused. "You've seen her. Short. Black hair. Lots of scars on her face."

"Not three?"

"Three?" Elida seemed surprised by the question. "What do you mean?"

"Vanetta. If she's as good as you say."

"Oh. Oh, no. I doubt that. Something is going on with her. But it's hardly breaking historical precedent for Tenet to receive occasional ... aberrants. Freaks of nature crop up from time to time, and they often filter to Tenet. The Dimming Herald attended as well, yes?"

"And after the test run?"

Elida smiled. "Afterward, you'll have realized that the only rational course of action is to continue with us, assuming you have an ounce of ambition."

Natalie kept her face smooth—or, at least, not changing from the irritated disdain she felt for the woman. She needed Elida to believe there was a chance she teamed with her, as completely ridiculous as the idea was.

She wondered how a Parda-Halt was so clueless to what motivated a person. Maybe she couldn't conceive of someone putting ambition second to decency. Or didn't realize how much Natalie disliked her. Or maybe, even, she wasn't as much a master manipulator as Natalie assumed. She was a Parda-Halt, yes, but was that coloring Natalie's judgment too much? Making her assume things that weren't true? Maybe Elida, despite her family name, wasn't all that great at reading people.

Then again, she'd 'read through Vanetta's act', which Natalie hadn't questioned for a second. Though she didn't share a class with the girl, either.

Did Elida have alternative goals taking her down into the dungeon? It couldn't be anything too devious, because Natalie was, in some roundabout way, under the protection of the Beaumons, thanks to Liz.

Maybe there were games at play, maybe there weren't. In any case, Natalie did have something she wanted from Elida.

"Even if I refuse to join," Natalie said. "We'll still talk afterward. You'll still give me answers."

Elida pursed her lips.

"Some," she said. "Some answers. And meaningful ones, yes, no trivialities. On my word. But I'll hardly go spilling all my secrets if you continue to declare yourself my enemy." She tilted her head. "Especially if you yourself are willing to have an earnest dialogue, I'll be amenable to the idea of sharing information. I have questions for you too, you realize? There aren't many like us."

Natalie frowned.

"This weekend?" she asked.

"This weekend," Elida replied sweetly. "I do so look forward to it."