“A system failure?”
Nage Sarioz was offended that someone would talk about his creation that way. The Garden’s inventor adjusted his goggles as he stared back. Yor’s determined and upset expression was cute, but anyone wise would know the danger of this seemingly clueless woman. You can attempt to stab her as she’s distracted by a flower and you’d sooner find your limbs broken. All four of them probably.
“Yes! Have you checked whether that can fail or not?” Yor was very adamant and almost seemed to imply she foresaw that it would fall apart or mess up. “Sort of, get someone stuck in a strange situation?”
“I don’t see what’s the issue here,” Nage noted, tapping at the watch. “It has an automatic feature that can allow you to instantly take a fitting disguise in the area. No one can even see the watch at that state.”
“That part I know! It’s really effective at that!”
Really effective?
But this is the first time he’s granting it to her…
“What I want to know is… What if you get stuck and you can’t turn back to normal?”
“.... Someone would have to be watching you 24/7 to lock the safety feature.”
“But it can happen!”
“The chances of that are ridiculously low!” Nage countered, though still wary of the weapons Yor carried. “You’d have to be tossing yourself into that situation to end up in it… Are you worried you might get stuck?”
‘When you have dreams twice in a row that does that, you start to get a bit worried!’
“Yes!”
“Then just don’t put yourself in that kind of a situation.”
And so the inventor turned around, spinning on his chair as he grabbed his next assignment. A pouting Yor was caught at his peripheral before she hesitantly raised it.
“But you have tested it with someone before right?”
“Easily. It was very effective. In fact I haven’t seen her all day at all,”
“... Is she possibly… That potted plant?”
There was a suspiciously bright blue potted plant nearby. Simply laying there as nothing more than a simple decoration. It was inconspicuous yet brought about a breath of fresh air in the area. Something that Nage personally wouldn’t buy considering there was an abundance of that already outside.
“..... You might be right.”
He also recalled his assistant was usually clad in a blue outfit.
#####
A prideful inventor would never admit that his creation has defects.
But it wasn’t exactly conventional to bring up a tool that hasn’t been used yet. It would naturally offend someone. Still, Yor was sure that those two dreams aren’t exactly normal. The fact that she had ended up in such a horrible fate could be her anxiety about such a strange near-magical contraption. Maybe it was her instincts speaking about how dangerous it was.
But it was enforced on her.
Something she was assigned to use and with no way to say no.
With that in mind, Yor could at least minimize the danger to her mission. The risk between the previous two dreams was that she was watched over at all times. The endresult involved non-combatant individuals (well, civilians) who didn’t need to be killed. The two solutions were 1) Slaughter anyone that saw her, and 2) Just avoid the situation in general as Nage said. One was becoming more of an option but chances are, she can simply be smart about her approach. It would also be horrible to even think of hurting children the same age as Miss Anya!
And that is why she opted for the most desolate target.
One that ran off into a hidden area that even Garden’s intelligence struggled to ever get a proper location. Assassins sent off to chase them would either find themselves four steps behind, or in their haste slaughtered and made an example of. The target was known as the Blacksmith. A simple moniker but also known as a former member of the Garden. Always eager to create weapons and leave many who track him into a fine mess. Not just a crafter of tools but more than willing to defend himself from even the most dangerous assassins. Yor wasn’t sure if she’d be able to defeat him face to face since it was likelier he’d run off. So that meant conventionally hunting him was impossible.
So. What did that mean?
CLANK
Yor had to go into the mission already donning a disguise.
This was fine though! Unlike the other two missions, she was going to be sent into who knows where! It was unlikely she’d have to deal with innocent children or staff members (even if she’s willing to lower her no-kill rule for her own sanity and safety). The chances of anyone who sees her are associated with her target meant she can safely dispatch them.
It was a sound plan!
Which is why she’s safely inside a crate with enough space to turn back to normal and escape if need be! Already disguised as a "mystic sword” that was ‘created’ for the Thorn Princess, the Blacksmith was quick to set up a group to steal said sword. It was a strange obsession but she wasn’t one to judge. It made things actually doable and she was thankful for Nage’s tool to let her reach him.
“So now it’s only a matter of time~!”
It might’ve taken hours or even days of transfer, but Yor was going to reach him soon!
Oh she can’t wait to stab herself into him! Her sleek curved weapons were so dangerous and capable of killing anyone! Why she wouldn’t even dirty herself when striking others! She took great pride on being such a clean and efficient killer! All the time she heard weird phrases used by her former coworkers and targets before. Praises of her being beautiful and sexy and so. At first she didn’t understand it…
But now she understood~!
“I’m such a fantastic weapon! That’s all there is to it!”
Who wouldn’t want a weapon like her?
…
Yor blinked mentally before chuckling nervously.
“I think I’m staying in this form too much. Let’s turn back to normal for a-”
CRASH!!!
####
“... This is a fucking disappointment.”
“QAQ”
“I thought this was supposed to be that masterpiece?”
The sword was cracked into pieces.
Perhaps in the past it could’ve been amazing.
But the sight of it brought unbridled rage within him that he barely tempered. The blade was more fragmented than a jigsaw puzzle and had no realistic methods to identify how should one arrange it. The Blacksmith can somewhat make out the form of what it might’ve been based on the photographs he received. It was truly a wonderful weapon he seeked to wield or imitate himself.
So the fact that it looks like an amateur’s first craft is horrendous.
The distasteful look on his face was enough to bring shame and sorrow in Yor mentally. But she hoped that perhaps she would still get the chance to prove to him that she wasn’t such a broken weap-
“This is irrecognizable.” “Gah!!” “Useless” “Gyeeh…” “Pathetic.” “NOOOO!” “Garbage!!”
Yor would be crying right now at being described as that. It felt like everything she had worked hard on was squashed down and broken more than her current state. Though barely, she could tell from within her that… this wasn’t the goal. This was fine… She just had to whether his vicious insults even if it ruined any pride she had as a sword--- person! Person! Yor sniffled and refocused. She just had to transform back when they’re away and recover from her injuries. It was very likely the damage she sustained would carry over but she would be able to stay alive. Nage told her that it wouldn’t be fatal. Just really sore.
In fact, right now they’re walking away… Hah… Perfect. That shame she received would be repaid back…
“Don’t worry, we already killed the bastards that messed up the job.”
“Thanks… But ugh… Maybe I can fix this.”
…
“You think so?”
“I’ll need some tools. But I can recreate it somewhat. Hopefully just as pretty.
… She WAS pretty back then.
“You and your obsession.”
“Hey, it’s my talent.
…. Well…. Yor’s a bit hurt. So if they can fix her, she’d be capable of fighting even better! Yeah! The Blacksmith is such a dangerous person. So clearly she had to be on her A-game to fight! Not to mention she’ll need to escape after! She’d need to possibly fight and interrogate others to figure out where she is and get back to the others. It was truly important for her to stay put and be fixed! Otherwise it would be horrible! Any injury or scar or mark would be bad! She had to be cleaned too!
“This is very important! I can’t imagine anyone looking at me, the Thorn Princess, and becoming horrified at what I ended up!”
The perhaps delusional self-affirmation would continue even as the two walked away and left Yor alone for a few minutes. These justifications were necessary for her mission. Perhaps she was right on staying her blade and simply waiting for the right time. She can at least turn back whenever they’re not looking and she’s had multiple chances of turning back. It was only natural to observe and wait for that golden opportunity.
####
3 months later.
“Finally… That took so long!”
The Blacksmith held his new blade. The weapon glistened as he balanced it carefully, examining the edges and carefully holding the handle. Brushing aside some red and black dust that still littered the weapon. It took meticulous handling and waiting, alongside constantly dealing with harassing invaders or running away if they were tracked, but it was complete. The weapon that had broken before it could reach him was now recreated to perfection!
“Now this…. This is perfect.”
“I am!! I am indeed perfect!!”
It was just like he envisioned in the pictures.
“Shame I had to get rid of the gold and black bits, but I feel like you look better this way heh!”
“I am better this way!! I don’t need to be anything else!!”
The bits that were tossed away were actually Yor’s weapons. If she were to turn back to normal right now, she would be defenseless and well… Naked. Perhaps she might be able to seduce and knock out some guards before getting a weapon. But such a state would not be fitting for the Thorn Princess and would be something humiliating for her. A memory she would not want to keep and a clear justification to kill anyone who sees her as such.
Some materials were rendered unusable so Yor was actually smaller than her past form. Another reason for why if she turned back, she would be much different. One can perhaps argue she’d be smaller than her previous height by only a few. Or maybe she’d end up as small as Anya with the same level of strength.
But none of that was important.
This wasn’t Yor Forger who hid two lives as a kind if not ditzy housewife and the deadly Thorn Princess.
This was the Thorn Dagger.
A recreation of one of the many weapons that the Thorn Princess could use and you’d be a fool to associate them with one another. After all, the only similarities they have is the first word of their title. Why would a human being be the same as a simple handcrafted weapon?
“I am the perfect weapon!!! I must kill!! I must strike!”
SWING!!
“I am the perfect weapon!!! I must kill!! I must strike!”
There was no way a human’s entirety would fit on the hands of another person. The Blacksmith holding the blade so expertly was a proof that this thing is nothing more than a tool.
“I am the perfect weapon!!! I must kill!! I must strike!”
Nothing else.
Just a tool to be used and eventually broken.
“I am the perfect weapon!!! I must kill!! I must strike!