And yet, Linette's odds are not that much distant from her. She isn't even a "Grand Knight," actually…
THERE WERE LESS BETS ON THE RADIANT KNIGHT THEN I EXPECTED. STRANGE. I could have sworn… hm-hm.
Okay, potential clue here. The betting is very close and slightly in Linette's favor, which is noted as strange my multiple characters.
I'm not totally sure what this means, but perhaps those in the know are confident Linette will win? The Mirror'd knight didn't seem to have that great a reputation from what we've heard, and she's very cynical and worn … perhaps the match is rigged, somehow?
Without a second thought, Linette tosses the photograph on the floor, where it dissolves into a puddle of silvery sludge.
Okay, this is possible evidence against Linette not being able to use ranged attacks, although a photograph may just be small enough she doesn't care.
"I won't respond to your mockery."
Linette chuckles.
"You already did. Say, you ever hear the story of the Steel Determination?"
"...I have not."
The exact second she says this word, Beats finishes his speech- calling out for the battle. Nearl moves- and Linette's sword melts into yet another puddle.
Nearl strikes first, her polearm wreathed in night-scouring gleam. Her opponent takes the blow head-on, shielding herself with her gauntleted arms.
"He's right there! In the audience! My buddy!" laughs the other knight. "And he's cheering on me. So fuck the jobbing! I'll beat you, unfair and circle!"
And then-
And then-
She isn't there anymore. Nearl gasps.
Okay, this is how she outwits Nearl at the start. Pisses her off, provoked a heavy attack, and delivers a punishing retaliation. Linette's definitely switched up tactics, but the basic strategy is probably still at play.
Linette's stance shifts entirely, and she drops the wide swings. She goes for the kill. The skill that she failed to show is there, all of a sudden.
It was a facade.
She pretended to be simply wielding his strength, for just a second, mocking her with his face. To lure her into close range- and she fell for it.
Linette is really good at disguising what she's good at - it feels foolhardy to assume this is the last fake weakness of hers.
She has made a mistake, Margaret Nearl realizes. An obvious mistake. She dodges a thrust of her uncle's blade, and Linette delivers a kick to her ribs- a kick that should be physically impossible for her body to deliver. She heard the sounds of bone snapping.
She twisted her limb like this, breaking bones, just to hit her once.
It takes the air out of her lungs, and sends her backwards.
Goddamn, that is hardcore. I wonder if this actually hurts, or she's just goo at this point. This kinda contortionist skill would imply getting into very close range might be distinctly unpleasant - how inhuman a form can Linette take?
A newspaper forms in her other hand, while the other mock waves the sword around.
"Blah blah inevitable blah failures, blah blah nothing can change ever because blah blah blah Both sides are wrong, blah blah, and I'm so fucking smart."
… Pft. Okay, this is pretty funny. And also means - as Nearl notes - that she's met Mylnar enough to immediate him like that.
The mask comes off- just for a second. The face of Młynar Nearl snarls.
"I can be anything, but I am not a knight."
Combined with the other stuff we hear, I think Linette's being honest here. Sounds like she was involved with whatever disillusioned Mylnar so hard - it only makes sense the Office members with a lot of time on Terra would be involved in its backstory.
It is. You can see through the veil quite well. She wants to fight. She wants this fight, behind all the lies and misdirection, she sincerely wants to fight the Radiant Knight to the best of her ability.
"...she told me to do this. Sorry." says the sniper, spitting out a puff of smoke.
Okay, more context here. What's Linette's game? Is Nicole involved in whatever background scheme is afoot, or about to sabotage it? I suppose we'll just have to find out.
You're understanding it now. She wants to get in your head, rile you, annoy you, make you angry. Make you take risks, overcommit, make mistakes.
But she wants the opposite, too. She wants you to understand her style. Like she said- those are clues she's leaving for you.
We're getting an idea of what Linette
wants out of all of this. I don't know if it includes winning, but it definitely isn't limited to it.
Natural resilience to fire on the part of the original user of that weapon- but no distinctive racial traits. The previous one reminded you very intensely of a Phidia, and her clothes could feasibly hide scales.
But this one's a mystery.
Y'know, I'm surprised this hasn't come up in the story more. I imagine baseline humans strike a weird uncanny valley effect for the people of Terra.
"You know, when I said I was financing the Reunion Movement, you didn't believe me, did you?"
You really didn't. You did not believe a single word she said. But here and now, you wonder if she was actually telling the truth. The truth, said in an absurd manner, as to seem a lie.
"I did not."
"Nobody ever does. If you lie enough, no one will believe you when you're finally telling the truth. Ever hear the story of the boy who cried wolf? That's my schtick, basically."
"...if no one ever believes you, your words will become meaningless."
"There's people who can sort the truth from lies. There's people I don't need to lie to at all."
Well, this is a gigantic clue if I've ever seen one. Makes me lean more towards the "she's not bluffing about endurance" interpretation.
The vision of the man in the cross is trembling. She's preparing to switch again- but there seems to be a delay. She can't switch immediately. If you catch her while she's changing forms, you might force her to fight by herself- and you'll get a better idea of her own skill level.
You leap forward.
Okay, this plan seemed to work pretty well. Linette's shapeshifting must have certain limits.
She's lying.
But about what?
To what extent?
What's her secret? No fighter is a perpetual motion machine. There has to be a secret to get her exhausted. What could it be?
You need to keep fighting- you can win this.
The question, the question, the question. To try to end the fight quickly, or drag it out and play for time?
