The Hunter

Training Day: One

Finn wasn't sure how to handle training someone while she was injured to this extent. She didn't train people often and this was two-fold, training how to use the magic and how to be the Chronicler. Chronicler, not someone who just read the books to keep the magic honest but someone who would direct and drive the magic. A Catholic elemental fire witch who had the faith to bind a room in the house, which meant that she likely felt her magic was evil. Even more evil because it was fire.

Archimedes glared at her from his perch on the only chair in her room. She glared back. "Go get Tina. I need to be able to get up." Finn ordered. The owl hissed and turned his head to look at her upside down. "Useless ball of feathers you are." Finn muttered. She stretched her arm as far ash she could before she felt pain and frowned at the miniscule amount of movement she had.

Archimedes flipped his head right side up again and screamed at Finn. "I can't get up featherbrain, your mommy didn't put me back together good enough. Least she could do is give me something smart to work with. Steal an automaton from her uncle or something." Archimedes hissed at her and she rolled her eyes. "Borrow then. She could borrow an automaton."

Finn looked to the stairs, her mind drawing a blank as she tried to recall the name of the girl staying in her house. She couldn't even call the girl up the stairs if she couldn't remember her name. Making her bed capable or walking would knock her out until morning again and she was tired of being unconscious. It was highly unpractical.

"I don't suppose you would go get the girl for me?" Finn asked Archimedes sarcastically, and blinked in surprise when the owl glided down the stairs. A few moments later the girl came up the stairs with the owl perched precariously over a towel on her arm. Finn grunted in surprise.

"It wouldn't let me pick it up." Gloria stated apologetically as it let her set it close enough to the chair that it could resume it's perch.

"I should hope not. It's not a tame bird." Finn spoke harshly and winced at the tone.

"Do you need pain meds?" Gloria misunderstood the wince. "Or some of that tea?"

"No. I'll be fine. What we need is to start your training."

Gloria pulled herself up straight and stood nearly at attention, although her eyes were looking anywhere but at Finn. "No."

"What?"

"I said no. I will not be your prisoner. I will not be your servant through manipulation. I will not do you bidding and I don't care how many terrifying things you throw at me."

Finn took a moment to blink this statement into her brain. "I think there's some information I'm missing. Let's try this again. I-"

"I said no. I want to leave. You have no right to force me to stay here and if that 'council' or whatever can order you around then shouldn't they be responsible for your care?"

Finn spluttered a moment. "Fuck the council a minute, who's keeping you here?"

"You are." Gloria glanced at the walls. "Or maybe this house is. Or the demon you locked in your closet. I don't know, but I want to leave."

Finn rubbed her eyes. "Right, one thing at a time. Explain to me what's been going on when you try to leave?"

"The doors open to more doors or walls, the windows are too small suddenly for me to get out of. I can't even call for help because the phone only dials numbers in that book you have downstairs and I can't even read some of the numbers and when I do look out a door or a window there's no people. Just nature." Gloria swiped a tear off her cheek and crossed her arms over her chest.

"Alright, can you explain to me your state of mind on these occasions when you try to leave?"

"How do you think?" Gloria cried out.

"Scared, confused, angry, frustrated, directionless except 'out'." Finn counted off on her fingers, looking to Gloria when she stopped. "More?"

"No, that's about right." Gloria said around sobs.

"Ok. Next, what book?"

Gloria rolled her eyes and stormed out of the room. She returned a moment later with the book she had found on the table and handed it to Finn. Finn turned it over in her hands, flipped it open and skimmed down the pages with her eyes, then closed it and returned it to Gloria.

"Not for me to read, it's just blank. What does it say?" Gloria took the book with a stunned look, flipping through it as though she would also see it had turned blank. "It's not one of mine. If it was left by Tina then she would likely have left it so only you can read it. Her way of offering you emotional support. Your little secret."

Gloria hummed as she pocketed the book, then she described it to Finn, who nodded in acceptance.

"You invited a Priest into my home. We'll talk about that later. For now why don't you call him and see if he can meet you for a coffee somewhere. When you go, just go to coffee with him."

"But I can't LEAVE." Gloria shouted.

"The house hasn't let you leave while you are in a state of mind where you are as likely to run into traffic as go to the corner store for a pack of gum." Finn looked at Gloria calmly. "Go for coffee. If that doesn't work I'll make the portal to get you out of here myself."

Finn listened to Gloria fume her way to the main floor. She listened to the voice on her end of the phone go from polite and calm to incredulous and disbelieving, to laughter and acceptance. Finn watched Archimedes as his attention did not leave the top of the stairs while Gloria had a shower and bustled around to go out. She unlatched the large window that appeared beside her bed as the door opened on a startled 'OH' and closed gently with the loss of energy Gloria had filled the house with. Finn pushed the window open as Archimedes landed on the sill to leave.

"Ask her to check up on me? In case the girl chooses not to come back?" Finn asked as the owl stretched his wings. He regarded her a moment without emotion before he silently glided away from Finn and the window closed gently.

Finn felt the silence growing on her skin, trying to avoid the feeling of abandonment by telling herself that at least one lesson had been learned. Finally, giving up, she let herself fall into unconsciousness.