We are woefully, woefully underprepared, Rowena thought as she leapt over the staff Leo swung under her legs. This time, she managed to dodge the jutting poke that came after– pain was an efficient instructor, she’d come to realize. She winced as the dodge caused the developing bruise on the left side of her stomach to throb.

“Now yer gettin’ it!” Leo cackled. They’d been working together in the grassy patch behind the Jellied Eel for almost an hour already, though it felt much longer. The sun was beginning to set and shadows began to stretch across the land, giving the Jellied Eel Inn a decidedly haunted feel.

Rowena was drenched in sweat, and wondered without much hope if the Inn had a halfway decent bath. No sense starting her journey dirty– she’d pick up enough grime on the road, she realized distastefully.

Leo, however, still looked fresh as a daisy. If a daisy were a wiry, laughing old man. He’d welcomed them when they arrived heartily, leading each of them to a room at the Inn with a careful and generous air that would have been comical if he wasn’t so obviously being sincere.

He came at her again with his staff, holding it high over his head before bringing it down in a slicing arc aimed at her head.

Once again, she twisted out of the way, grateful for her enhanced Agility despite her naturally low strength. Of her two Proficiencies, it was clearly the most useful thus far. When Leo discovered she’d spent half of her Proficiencies on Truncheon, he’d sounded as disappointed as the voice in her head– which she’d begun to start thinking of as simply the Fog, though it used her own voice to communicate with her.

“Ye’d’ve been better off with a dagger,” Leo had frowned. “Truncheon’s fer coppers or fools. Ye don’t strike me as either. Well. Maybe a copper. But ye don’t strike me as one to strike, either.”

Rowena had swallowed. “I’m not interested in murdering anyone.”

“Ye may not be interested, but th’ road is a dangerous one, and yer better off killin’ than killed,” he’d shot back, pronouncing ‘killed’ as though it were one syllable– ‘kilt.’

She’d just shaken her head.

“All yer gonna do with that thing is annoy someone. Unless ye sneak up on ‘em,” he added thoughtfully. “I suppose it’s not th’ worst weapon ye could’ve chosen. But then ye should’ve increased yer Sneak, either as a Proficiency or an Ability.”

That had given her pause. “I didn’t think of that,” she admitted.

“Ye’ve got to think about how yer Proficiencies an’ Abilities work together,” Leo had reprimanded her. “Lesson One.”

Then he’d pulled out a staff seemingly out of nowhere, and begun whacking at her.

You could put a stop to this, the Fog whispered in her head.

Rowena attempted another leap over the staff and only just cleared it– the wood brushed against the soft leather of the bottom of her shoes.

I don’t know what you’re talking about, she thought frantically. I promised him I’d train with him!

Although the Fog said nothing in response, she felt like she could hear its impatience.

A thought occurred to her. I’m not using an Ability on him! I despise Influence Individual.

The Fog continued its pointed silence.

Thanks to her surprise at her unsavory thoughts, she wasn’t paying attention and Leo whacked her across the shoulders.

How long could this possibly go on, anyway? She wondered. Her Agility had strengthened considerably, and she could tell she must be nearing Level Two, which was both surprising and a little nerve-wracking.

Well, enjoy continuing to get beat up, then, the Fog sounded like it was shrugging.

Another swoop of the staff (and whoop of Leo’s laughter) later, and enough was enough.

Rowena paused and concentrated.

Mmmm, interesting. Are you sure? the Fog asked skeptically.

Rowena ignored it, and instead just focused further.

Calm Person, Activated!

Almost immediately, Leo lowered his staff and a serene look appeared on his weathered old face. He turned the staff to the side and began to lean on it heavily, almost drooping to the ground.

Rowena stood panting, legs slightly apart and arms wide as though expecting a surprise attack. She’d learned within the first fifteen minutes not to take his age as a weakness. He was sly as a cat.

But Leo wasn’t faking. He was just– calmed.

Level Two, Achieved! Better than nothing! the Fog sounded almost approving.

Leo’s eyes widened as he began to realize what had happened to him and staggered a little bit.

Rowena winced and moved forward to help him stay upright, preparing herself for his anger. Her cheeks burned with shame at having used an Ability on a person unknowingly.

“Bravo, lassie!” Leo cackled, and leaned his staff against his body to free his hands so he could clap. He leaned against her and took a few deep breaths. “I thought ye’d never get it. I know I look spry, but an hour’s hard work is a challenge e’en fer me!”

She gaped, still breathing heavier than she’d like. “I don’t– I don’t understand.”

“Lesson Two,” he said, and poked her firmly but gently in the chest with the staff as he moved away to lean against the back of the Inn. “Use what ye have. Though ye might’ve toned it down a bit.”

Rowena wiped the sweat off her brow with the back of her arm, frustrated. “Lesson Two wasn’t about combat?”

Leo laughed so uproariously he slumped against the side of the Inn even more, which stung a little. “That wasn’t combat, me love. Though I expect yer Agility is doin’ rather well by now, isn’t it?”

She clenched her fists, confused and angry. “Why in the blazes did you have me do that, then? I’ve sweat through my clothes and we haven’t even begun our journey yet! I won’t have time to wash them!”

Leo struggled to stand on his own and leaned on the staff again. “Lass, ye’ve got t’ be realistic. Yer ne’er goin’ t’ be a fighter. Look at ye! Practically skin an’ bones. And a truncheon? My pearl, that was a mistake.” He shook his head regretfully, repeating the sentiment from earlier.

She fingered the truncheon hanging from her belt with uncertainty. Had it really been such a mistake?

“Well, can’t I fix it?” she said almost frantically. The thought of having wasted a Proficiency was almost as alarming to her as the thought of using an Ability to manipulate someone without their consent.

Nope! the Fog said even as Leo shook his head again. You should have listened to me!

Rowena felt a rush of frustrated tears well up, which she pushed down. She tensed her lips, concentrating on not letting her emotions get the better of her.

“Ne’er mind, what’s done is done. Ye’ll figure somethin’ out with th’ truncheon. But Rowena, yer a ROGUE,” Leo spoke gruffly, but not without kindness. “I know in Tunehlan there are certain… standards… but that’s not th’ case out in th’ wider world.”

Her eyes still stung, the desire to actively weep growing with every second. After the events of the last several days she felt wildly out of control, like she could scream or hit something or set the entire Jellied Eel on fire. But that wouldn’t do. So instead, she focused.

Calm Person, she thought.

She felt the Fog’s confusion. That’s rather– that’s not exactly how it’s meant to work.

“Ye don’t have t’ outright cheat anyone, but ye’ve got t’ find a way to reconcile who ye are with the Class ye’ve chosen,” Leo was continuing, but Rowena was too focused inward to pay attention.

I don’t care, Rowena thought back at the Fog fiercely, and repeated the command in her mind. Calm Person.

Generally, self-reflexive Abilities are separate from the general use ones, the Fog argued back. Self Control might be a good one for you in the–

I’m a Person. Calm me! she snapped.

Suddenly, a wash of calm rose through her like a tsunami. She was so relieved she felt elated, like she was floating up in the air like a cloud.

Calm Person, Activated, the Fog said sullenly.

That was better. Rowena felt her desire to cry subsiding rapidly, though it was also rather challenging to continue standing. She felt relaxed and centered, almost completely without emotion. A bit extreme, perhaps, but better than nothing.

Suspicion flickered in Leo’s eyes, but she rushed to cut him off. “You’re right.”

That surprised the old Swashbuckler. “I am?”

Rowena nodded. She wasn’t lying– she knew he was right. If she was going to be able do what she needed to do to bring Tommie’s murderer to justice, she would have to toughen up and broaden her idea of what was and wasn’t acceptable behavior.

“Uhh– Ro?” Kieran’s voice called out from the Inn. “Everything okay out here? Only it’s been a while and it’s kinda late and–”

“We’re done here,” Rowena said decisively. She didn’t know how long Calm Person would last, but figured she ought to take advantage of it and try to get some good sleep– maybe the first good night’s sleep since Tommie had died.

Kieran looked with uncertainty at Leo, who just nodded curtly, hanging off the staff. Rowena noticed that Kieran was absentmindedly holding Leo’s necklace in his hands.

“Just one more thing, me pearl,” Leo held out a hand toward her to stop her from turning away. She found that she couldn’t quite move, actually– not that she was paralyzed, but rather, pulled back by the promise Kieran had made to Leo on her behalf.

Technically, she did have to complete the training with him, of which presumably he defined the parameters. Next time I make a deal, I’ll have to make absolutely certain I nail down every detail, she promised herself.

Rowena looked at him expectantly, and waited.

The old sailor’s weathered blue eyes looked anxiously into hers. “Ye’ve got a long road ahead o’ ye. Both of ye–” and at that, he pointed to Kieran sharply, “--but especially ye, lass. Lesson Three: Rowena, ye’ve got t’ learn t’ accept who ye are.”

She barely felt the roiling wave of emotion that she sensed in her gut and mentally thanked her Ability for keeping her so calm. Accept who she was? What nonsense. She’d always been a pragmatic, no-nonsense kind of person. Of course she accepted who she was! She took full responsibility for her choices.

But suddenly, Rowena was gladder than ever that she’d used Calm Person on herself, even if the Fog had been dismayed and she felt like she could sleep right here in the back yard despite the dirt.

“Fine. Are we done here?” she asked in a rather more sharp tone than she’d intended. “We should probably get some good sleep before tomorrow.”

Leo nodded slowly, a painful and morose look in his eye. He moved forward to clap her on the shoulder supportively. “Aye, lass. Lesson Four: ne’er underestimate th’ power o’ a good night’s sleep.”