Heroine? Or Villain? That Is the Question.

Carcer went down on his knees. He was then kicked in the stomach and flipped on his back. A knife appeared at his throat.

Barsad took the knife from Carcer's throat and offered him his hand. "You are progressing quickly," he complemented.

Carcer's eyes shot open. A complement from Barsad was rare. Strange as the situation was, Barsad was one of the few people Carcer liked even slightly down here.

"Be that as it may," he huffed, "You'll forgive me if I don't see it that way. It's hard to think you're improving when you get the air knocked out of you seventeen times a day."

"This is true,"Barsad replied, "But yesterday, the number was twenty-one times by this point,"he said with a wry smile.

Carcer smiled, "Was it? I think getting the crap beat out of me is making me lose my memory."

"Well that would be a shame,"a voice said from behind him.

Carcer jerked around. He had not anyone come enter the room. When he saw who it was, it explained why. It was Shadow.

"You see," she said, "We need our memories in this job to keep up with intel we gather and orders we receive. I'm afraid that no matter how good of a fighter you become, if your memory fails you, you are of no use to us." she stroked his scarred cheek with the back of her fingers.

"I will keep that in mind Shadow," Carcer replied.

"Good," she said, "Now, you have been training for a week. It is time for me to evaluate your progress. As soon as you get your breath back, we will spar."

Carcer's mouth dropped, "Spar? With you?" he choked, "No. I will not hit a woman."

Shadow scowled. Then, after a moment, it turned into a smirk. "Regardless of whether you will hit a woman or not, a woman will not hesitate to hit you," she said as she turned and took seven paces away from him. She then did a backflip and twisted in the air, landing like a cat in front of him. She drew her arm back and backhanded him across his now scarred cheek.

"You will fight back or I will slaughter you," Shadow growled fiercely. She grabbed his throat and squeezed, cutting off his air supply. When he sagged, she released his throat, only to kick his legs out from under him. When he hit the ground, air was knocked out of him. Again. He tried to get up quickly, knowing if he stayed down in a fight with Shadow, it was all over.

He couldn't do it. It hurt too much and he couldn't breath. There was no way in Hades that he was going to be able to move out of her reach.

She came down hard, her knee on his chest with a knife at his throat. "And that," she said after a moment, "Is why you do not hesitate to strike, no matter who your opponent is. I should kill you right now for that pathetic display. You waste Barsad and Farid's time, but show nothing for it. You will improve or you will die."

That was it. It was over. The "fight" had lasted no longer than forty-five seconds.

Shadow got up and started to walk away. "And remember," she tossed over her shoulder, "No matter who it is, you must always strike if you have reason. There are few you can trust completely and even then, you should know you will not freeze up when you fight them. For if you do and they ever betray you, you are dead." she said as she swept out of the room.

He wouldn't hit her, that he refused to do. It was against his policy to ever hit a woman, but this one was different. No matter who she was now, she had once been Myna. For that reason alone, he could never harm her in any way.

He looked up at Barsad. "What's up with you people and knives?" he croaked.