#baronyofthesilverwolf

She nods slowly, and sips her coffee. "The most effective defense is to leave the fight, 99% of the time. But if you can't... if your escape is blocked, or if you have someone to defend? I can show you a few self defense moves - they're the same, mortal or fae, but you can bet that pretty much anything human-shaped should have similar weaknesses in many regards."

Considering. "Or are you looking to learn weaponry, or magic?"

She holds up her hands, palms out. "Listen, if I can run, I like that option a lot. I just... I mean, look at what's happened already? I'm not always gonna be able. And, (*&^%, you know Art's gonna get in a pickle again..."

She considers. "I'll admit, magic is cool. It'd be cool to be able to fight with magic, and surprise magic probably saved Frankie's life when I managed to surprise myself into hopscotching."

"Wayfare is a good skill to have, yes."

"I also... I mean, weapons mean I could fight at a distance."

This leads to a long consideration. Maybe only a minute or two, but the seconds tick by, like ages.

She bites on her lip, then reaches down to scritch the terrier's ears.

"I've thought about trying to make a flamethrower. But there's a risk I could be more dangerous to my friends than the bad guys."

Danica relaxes a touch at that. "I will make you a bargain. I will start by giving you both pepper spray, and a taser. I will instruct you myself on use of both."

She continues, "If you wish, we will visit the shooting range, where you can view, handle, and operate different mortal firearms. I would also have you speak to another who may be able to advise as to your request better than I. A nocker of some small acquaintance who I know has worked with similar treasures in the past."

"In return, you will attend a self defense course, of my choosing."

She tenses up a little, but nods. "And thallain, they're... they're part human, like us, right? So those would... work, right?"

"Yes." She nods. "Though, pure magic can affect any mortal as well, if you call upon the Wyrd."

"Word?" Fornax asks, from Thistle's pocket.

"Wudlig mentioned that. But that it's 'expensive and dangerous."

Her mouth quirks into a brief, toothy grin. "Nah, idjit. Wyrd."

"Yes, both are true. But your safety, or the safety of those you might protect? Worth any expense, if the threat is high. And you will need to learn if the danger of the action is necessitated by the danger of the situation. Magic, you wield. A weapon? Can be taken from you."

Unless it's attached, A thought comes up to Thistle, unbidden, perhaps some sort of arm-cannon-holster, or a body harness?

Her mind already exploring possibilities.

Danica can see a quirk of eyebrows, a spark somewhere. "Right, yeah, no. Like Frankie."

"Thank you. I mean, for taking me seriously. I know I'm not..." A vague gesture, then a shrug.

A brow rises. "You are not what?"

Another shrug. "You know. Not like... not a PC, you know? I'm support staff."

Why is the girl speaking of computers? There is a fold forming on Danica's forehead.

"You know that I serve Lord Aiden. Have you ever seen him to wield arms at combat? His strengths, in large part, lie elsewhere. It is not a failing, but a calling, that you must find yours. As do all Fledges."

"Well, yeah. I mean, I'm a nocker. I think I have a good idea of what that means." A guilty frown.

"I'm working on being better at it."

"Blossom has taken to training hawks. Rochallor has skills in legerdemain, and Julius plays with numbers, more than he plays an instrument. What you are, is not WHO you are."

"...to an extent." She allows.

Her gaze sticks to the dog, another shrug. "I mean, yeah. But Julius makes wine, and that's totally a Bacchus-goat-thing. And this place is all about hawks and dogs and horses and I... I mean, I can fix stuff. I'm useful."

"Can be useful." She corrects.

"Could be." Correcting again, more softly.

Fornax's tiny head bumps against her hand. "Are."

Surely just making a sound, like 'eep', 'whark', or 'grrrmp', all of which he has made before.

A weary smile, despite the blue shift to her spirals. She rubs the little bony ridges over his eyes.

"How is the small one?" Danica asks, leaning over to take a look.

His head turns towards her...

"Doing better since the audiobooks. He's still a scrawny little nub, but he's more energetic and he IS growing. I've been weighing him."

"The Baron is letting me and Art go to New York City, there's apparently a whole colony of bookwyrms at the main library."

She wiggles her fingers, each one possibly longer than the creature's whole body, but he does not respond to the motion.

"You have not responded to my suggestions. I would hear your thoughts, since you came to me for advice." She points out.

"I'm not exactly strong, not like you or Gladiola. I think... yeah, pepper spray and stuff, that'd be a good idea." A pause. "I'm nervous about guns. I've never held one." She confesses.

"Nervous is good. It is cautious. You will promise me, now. That you will not bring a mortal firearm into this hold without first speaking to me." Suddenly shifted to stern. "I would enforce the same of your mortal home, but I do not have any control there, I would strongly suggest you heed me on this."

Chime! A rather shy peachish Never zips away at the sudden demand, hiding under Thistle's chair.

She nods! "I promise!"

She relaxes a touch, just a vague shift of weight, but Thistle is starting, a little, to pick up on the subtleties.

As she moves away, Fornax lifts his head once more, when her looming shadow passes off from over him.

"I think he feels the sunlight." She observes.

"Curious." She reaches into a pocket, and brings out her keys, which have a small flashlight on the chain. Not the large maglite of the previous encounter, but a little press-button one. "If I may?"

"Sure."

A pause. "The big flashlight - it's.. it's a treasure, right? It has magic in it?"

She pulls the flashlight loose so that the jingling of the keys is not a distraction - indeed, the Peach never has already forgotten her earlier trepidation and is curious about the keys.

Holding her hand above Fornax's head, she taps the button, and a tiny, bright LED shines on his face. The little draconet flinches away from the sudden light! She turns it off, and his head turns, seeking back upward.

Thistle tilts her head, considering.

It isn't entirely unlike some of the draconet's head quirks.

Danica offers the small light to Thistle.

"To answer your question, yes. A minor treasure, with some Pyretics imbued into it. It provides light, and chases away shadow. The illumination makes it harder to hide - both physically, and to speak falsehood, though it is not exact or 100% effective."