Live by the Blade

  "Thank you my dear, it will be nice to have some questions answered, and don’t worry there’s no offense taken. One must be used to the title of monster in my line of work.”

"We have that in common, then! Now, let me guess--you said your title is Lady Death...an executioner? An assassin?"

Interesting that this woman seemed so interested, despite her voice carrying very little indication of actual concern. Then again, Eirin herself might have done the same, were it her own world.

"The best explanation that I can give is that I am exploring, as childish as that may sound. It should probably come to no surprise that I am not from this region, so I simply wished to take a look around."

Exploring? Teresa snorted. That was a sure way to end up dead. Even if the woman could, against all odds, defend herself against yoma, she would be a meal if she were to encounter anything more dangerous.

"Well, have fun. I'm afraid I'm on assignment. I can't entertain you much longer."

  "Hmm." 

Maleficent watched her carefully. She’d never heard of a place without rule, a place without oppression or revenge or deception——perhaps it was a good place, a place worth fighting for. 

"And this…organization that you devote to," she thought aloud, tilting her head in question. "——What exactly is it that you battle?" 

"Demons, I suppose you could call them. They're parasites that take on the appearance of humans to feed on their organs. Very simple to kill, really. The more difficult missions are when I have to go after my own."

They weren't supposed to tell other people that particular tidbit, but Teresa didn't care. Maleficent clearly wasn't familiar with the organization anyway, so spilling its secrets didn't matter much.

  "Why, the Moors of course," Maleficent spoke. But she paused, eyes averted. "My homelands." 

She turned after that, not dwelling on the subject, her cloak swinging behind her as she mused, aloud, “And what kingdom is it that you fight for, silver one?” 

Teresa had never heard of that land, but she nodded in acceptance nonetheless--she had assumed that Maleficent wasn't exactly from nearby.

"It's not a kingdom. It's an organization. Our country doesn't have an overarching government--mostly small cities, fiefdoms, that sort of thing..."

  "Did you? I don’t think I’ve heard one speak with such certainty the way you do my dear. I admit though, I’m still curious about you — you’re certainly not like any monsters that I’ve met over the years."

"Well, I don't have anything particularly pressing to attend to, so if you have questions...ask away. But--no offense meant--surely some people would consider you to be a monster, what with your peculiar title."

  "I see. Thank you for the warning." She seemed to be a woman of few words, this Teresa. Her demeanor seemed to carry some discomfort with Eirin’s speaking to her, but the doctor was not too worried about it. "My own name is Eirin, if you like. While I do not know about the types of these yoma that you have, against the more normal fare of aggressors I am more than capable of handling myself." With a small tip of her head she gestured toward the bow that hung loosely in her hand. It may not look like much, but she had some fairly impressive skills with it.

She did have a weapon, and apparently confidence that she could wield it well. ...Would bows work against yoma? she wondered. Teresa had only ever had success with cutting their heads apart, but maybe a well-aimed strike would accomplish the same thing. Teresa didn't like the girl enough to deliver another warning.

"What are you doing here, not even knowing about the dangers?"

"I remember now. The huge existence Clare previously carried. Inside of Clare…is the flesh and blood of a warrior, rather than a youma…

"This is the strongest number one…Teresa of the Faint Smile.”

  "Ranks— for the non-army and repeated for generations, huh, this organization, can’t say I’m not unfamiliar with a concept in some similar functionality but I digress." for the time he felt no reason to further press on the matter, in any case, should he feel need he could later investigate any such consortium, already it was very possible it was one he had intel on, stored away in some personal files, something he considered a past time of his own, the collection of valuable and invaluable information, alike. Never could be too careful as to which dots may lead to form some connection, after all.

So far he sensed no threat of the woman and she, evidently was not reluctant to speak with him, stimulating conversation always was a welcomed event for the shop manager. At last, she politely graced him with a name and what else but a title. His lips were parted by yet another smile of his own.

“Teresa of the Faint Smile” he repeated it with mild curiosity looming. “Nice to meet you as well, the pleasure has been all mine, I’m sure.” not that he wanted to keep her any longer than she had the time to spare him but he just couldn’t let the conversation falter without drawing attention to the lingering thought the title she owned presented. “You know, I’m just going to be left forever wondering exactly how one earns such the— resplendent title if I don’t ask now. not to say it isn’t very becoming of that smile you’ve got there, that much goes without saying.”

"Eh, most of the upper-ranked numbers have titles like that," Teresa shrugged. She wasn't particularly a fan of her own, if only because there wasn't anything especially notable about it. It didn't describe her abilities, unlike Muscular Sophia, and it didn't have a specific story behind it, unlike Roxanne of Love and Hate. "There's nothing special about mine. Supposedly it's because I always smile when I kill yoma, but they just call me that because there's nothing better. There are better--Quicksword Irene, Stormwind Noel..."

"I'd try to give myself a new nickname, but it's not worth the effort. Everybody already knows me as that."

  "A scientist? In a sort, I suppose. I am primarily a pharmacist and doctor more than anything. In return it is quite obvious that you are a warrior, perhaps one tasked with dealing these ‘yoma’, since you spoke of killing them." The woman chuckled lightly. "For a specific question, then, perhaps I could get your name for starters, and whatever information about this region that you deem relevant."

Wow. This woman had quite a mouth on her. For Teresa, who was used to communicating only with villagers who were terrified with her, it was slightly grating. "...I'm Teresa, not that it matters. Relevant information? Uh, if you're on your own, you'll probably be targeted by bandits or yoma..."

  "Sou ka— how very manageable, appears to be an intended means to keep track in a more basic form, personally I would believe numbers serve that purpose more uniformly."  commented the blond wearing the hat. It was a note only to the details the woman shared and not in any way meant to disregard her personally, certainly each sentient being deserved to be called by whichever alias they so preferred and not simply categorized by symbol alone, be it numerically or otherwise. 

That was more for……test subjects, specimens, anything one felt need to keep tabs on, so as not to lose them… which it then occurred to him to ask.

"That symbol, it could very well be considered quite the accessory. You mentioned retaining a name then, I seem to have forgotten my own manners entirely, Urahara Kisuke, owner of the modest shop here~ Is there a name you’d be willing to share?"

"Funny you should mention numbers! We have those too." Teresa was unaffected by his comments. She had long been acquainted with the fact that the organization considered her and her comrades to be little more than cattle. "Although the numbers just show rank and then repeat every generation, whereas symbols never repeat...sorry. I'm rambling."

She smiled in acknowledgement of his name. "I'm Teresa of the Faint Smile." She didn't usually include her informal title in her introductions, but she felt obliged since he had provided both a last name and a profession, and she didn't really have either of those. "Nice to meet you, Urahara Kisuke."

  "Yoma, you say? It has been a truly long time since I have heard that word in common usage. Rather, where I am from we generally refer to the monsters as youkai. If you will pardon my curiosity, what kinds of species do you commonly have in this realm, hm?"

"You sound like a scientist. I don't pay much attention to the features of the creatures I kill. I just do as I'm told and cut them apart. You'll have to ask more specific questions."

Teresa of the Faint Smile 

This is a gift for a friend who loves Claymore as much as I do. I can’t remember the last time I drew traditional , but I love it . Nothing fancy, just pencils, my favorite .

  “Uh —— no, I… I, uh, didn’t know that. Please tell me that you’re just messing with me—?”

"I have better things to do than lie to you. You're telling me you've never seen a yoma before? Where are you from?"

  “Uh—- I’ll… do my best. What’s a yoma?”  

"...Yeah, really new around here. They're, y'know, monsters that take on human form to eat people's guts."

  Before the other girl can finish, Rikako’s already started down the hall, walking past rows of windows and the occasional locker. 

"Locker rooms are on the far end. Down that hall here is the principal’s office. To the left the cafeteria—” She goes on, jutting an arm out of flicking her wrist as she gives directions, "Is there anywhere in particular you’d like me to show you? The dorms will be at the end of the tour if you haven’t found your room yet."

The girl standing in front of her seems efficient to the extreme, a trait Teresa values. From her hair to her tone, everything about her seems perfect.

"Oh, just show me whatever you find interesting," Teresa says, waving a hand dismissively. "By the way, who exactly are you?"