Understanding-Flashback (A'moni/Zadkiel)

When she had first been told that she and her ally were tasked with retrieving a beloved pet for its owner, Amon'i was irritated. Not because she minded doing favors for the common folk, no, that was part of her duty as such an esteemed knight... What irritated her was the simplicity of the mission. She had fought and stood victorious over other squires, renowned knights, and even the offspring of several mythical creatures. Her combat prowess was nigh unmatched, and her name was one that never went unspoken, with or without her presence. But ever since she was paired with Zadkiel, her training felt... juvenile, so embarrassing for a squire of her caliber, especially when she had so much to prove to the Church.

However, the good thing about this task was there was no possible way for him to screw it up.

...

Aaand, wouldn't you know it, he managed to screw it up.

Amon'i squeezed her forehead between her fingers, shaking her head as they broke the news to the trainer whose pet falcon was earlier squashed by Zadkiel's shield. He deserved the scolding, and as always, he seemed completely unbothered by it...

So, Amon'i found herself with some free time.

On the first hour, she wandered over to the market and purchased herself a hot cup of tea, only to return to a still-being-scolded Zadkiel.

On the second hour, she stood by and watched him getting slapped around repeatedly, from a distance, sipping on her cup.

On the third hour, she entertained passersby with some jokes that none of them seemed to understand...

And on the fourth hour, she grew tired of standing around, and approached Zadkiel and the pet trainer.

"If you don't mind, I will see to his punishment." She proclaimed with a polite bow, grabbing hold of Zadkiel's hand and yanking him toward her as she started to walk.

Amon'i pulled him a little ways, in complete silence, while she contemplated what to say to the poor boy. For once, she actually had no intention to 'punish' him, but rather, she felt like it was time to have a... chat, and that was something that even she struggled with. She had witnessed Zadkiel's almost daily punishments, for the past few years. Yes, he was a fuck up, and most of the time he deserved them. But, sometimes, it seemed like he was getting picked on just because, for things he had no control over, and while she always stood by and watched, it never sat right with her.

She sighed, tucking her teacup away into her uniform, and idly tapping her fingers on the pommel of her sword.

"You work much harder than the others. Let's talk about that."

While her face was void of emotion, as usual, his words sent a chill down her spine, and she impulsively reached the arm that never left the hilt of her sword to backhand him across the cheek.

"Do not say that word to me again. You are only useless if you convince yourself that you are, and from what I've seen, you are far from it. Mentally challenged, perhaps, but not useless. You will meet the tip of my blade if you ever say that word to me again. Do you understand?"

"When someone else says it, it hurts. When you say it to yourself, you believe it." She said simply, returning one hand to the pommel of her blade and the other to her hip.

"Determination to prove them wrong pushes you to surpass your limits, so that one day they call you useful. It is a way of pushing your mentality, to evolve your physique, to eventually ascend... That is why I call you useless." She paused, giving a slight shake of her head.

"However, your potential is greater than the others, and I am certain you will make an excellent knight. One day, you might even surpass me."

"I said that is why I call you useless. The others fully believe that you are, but I suppose that is why you are being assigned to the Angel Embodiments, and they are not, hmm?"

Amon'i shook her head again, sighing, and looking up to the sky.

"Think of yourself as whatever it is you aspire to be. If you work hard enough, you will ascend with those aspirations. That is what I was taught."

Amon'i stumbled back slightly, completely caught off guard by Zadkiel collapsing into her. Her eyes flew wide with uncertainty, and the rest of her face had managed to form somewhat of a grimace. She inhaled sharply, wrapping a single arm around him and keeping the other readied over her sword. She did not like people touching her, in fact, it had been years since she had felt the warmth of another person's flesh...however, today, just this once, she would allow it. Finally she exhaled, and firmly placed a hand on his shoulder as she pulled away.

"One day, we will ascend as one, that I am confident in. Until then... do not expect this amount of sincerity from me again."

Amon'i inspected his smile, curiously. It was always there, no matter the circumstance. It was peculiar, but she thought not to question it.

His own question was much more interesting.

Of course she had noticed that he never opened his eyes, at least not in public, nor around her in private. The fact that he managed to find his way around the Church and the village told her that he had some sort of sixth sense, which made his question all the more confusing to her. But... she was willing to hear out his request.

"What is it?"

Amon'i fell silent for a moment, idly tapping her fingers on the pommel of her blade while she herself observed some of the scenery around them.

"Hmph," She grunted, returning her gaze to him. It was an odd request, but it was certainly an understandable one. She couldn't imagine how she'd live had her eyes been taken away from her. Learning to get around, was one thing. Adapting her fighting style, was another. But... the realization that she'd never be able to see the light of day again... that was something else entirely.

The thought pained her.

"Very well," She said, after a long pause. "Come with me." She added, as she started for one of the village's more central areas.

Amon'i remained silent until they reached town square. Suddenly, she stopped, and took hold of Zadkiel's hand, demanding control over it.

"This is the village's town square, the liveliest part of town, in terms of scenery and people," She walked him over to the fountain, running his fingers over the smooth marble base.

"Despite the dull colors, this fountain is perhaps the most beautiful thing here. It is a staple in the center of our town, a beacon of unity and generation."