The training room's polished floor gleamed under the overhead lights, the air carrying that faint metallic tang of sweat and steel. Leon and Nikko stood opposite each other, both loose-limbed but coiled, the quiet before the first strike. Off to the side, Elizabeth leaned against the wall, a paper bag of cookies in hand, watching with all the anticipation of someone settling in for a good play.
"Nikki, make sure you break all his bones," she said around a mouthful. "Maybe he'll even rank up from the pain."
Leon shot her a look. "That's not how the talent works."
"Oh?" She bit into another cookie, feigning innocence. "But we won't know if we don't try."
Leon sighed inwardly. 'What karmic debt am I paying off here?'
Nikko tilted her head, a faint smirk curling her lips. "So… the reason you asked for a spar last time was for the stress multiplier?"
