As Leon worked on his own project, Raziel started piecing together a few parts from the pile he'd pushed toward her. She furrowed her brow, focusing on the components in front of her.
"Alright, let's see if I can make something half as impressive as 'Master Scavenger' over here," she muttered to herself.
Leon glanced over, amused. "Oh, this I've gotta see. What're you building?"
Raziel smirked, not looking up from her work. "You'll see. Just don't be jealous when it turns out better than yours."
Leon snorted. "Sure. But just remember, if it explodes, I'm not responsible for what happens to your hair."
"Very funny," Raziel said dryly, her fingers moving quickly to assemble the parts. She wasn't as practiced as Leon, but she was stubborn, and that counted for something. After a few minutes of tinkering, she stepped back with a satisfied grin. "Done. And it didn't explode."
Leon leaned over to inspect her creation. "What's it supposed to be?"
"A pulse trap," Raziel said proudly. "Sets off a burst of energy when something gets too close. Should stun anyone in range."
Leon raised an eyebrow. "Looks... interesting. Let's see if it actually works."
Raziel narrowed her eyes. "What's that supposed to mean?"
Leon shrugged, still smirking. "Nothing. Just... hit the switch."
Raziel huffed and pressed the switch on her device. For a moment, nothing happened. Then, with a loud pop, the device sputtered and sparked, sending out a weak pulse of energy that fizzled out almost immediately. The trap barely even flickered, let alone delivered the powerful stun she'd promised.
Leon bit back a laugh. "Well... it didn't explode. So that's a win."
Raziel scowled at the malfunctioning device, her pride wounded. "It's just... temperamental. Needs a little fine-tuning."
"A little?" Leon chuckled. "It barely did anything."
Raziel shot him a glare. "It's a prototype, alright? You didn't build perfect traps on your first try either."
Leon grinned, leaning back against the wall. "True, but I also didn't build ones that fizzled out like a dying sparkler."
Raziel groaned, setting the faulty trap down. "Shut up. I'll fix it."
Leon, still chuckling, leaned over to pat her on the shoulder. "Hey, you'll get there. Just needs a few adjustments. And maybe less... whatever you did there."
Raziel shook her head, muttering under her breath. "I'll show you 'a few adjustments.'"
"Look on the bright side," Leon teased, "at least you didn't blow us up. That's always a plus."
Raziel shot him another glare, though there was a small smile tugging at her lips. "Next time, I'll make sure it's pointed at you."
Leon grinned. "Looking forward to it."
Raziel picked up the malfunctioning trap again, her brow furrowing in determination. "Okay, let's try this one more time. I'm not letting this thing get the better of me."
Leon smirked from his side of the room, tinkering with his own project. "That's the spirit. Just... maybe stand a little further away from me this time?"
Raziel rolled her eyes but took a small step back, giving herself more space. "I know what I'm doing. Sort of."
"Sort of," Leon echoed mockingly. "That's comforting."
Ignoring him, Raziel adjusted the wires inside the trap, muttering to herself. She could feel Leon's eyes on her, waiting for another opportunity to poke fun at her efforts. It only made her more determined to get it right. After a few tense moments, she nodded to herself and flipped the switch again.
This time, the device buzzed to life with a low hum. A faint pulse of energy rippled from the trap, steady and controlled.
Raziel grinned, holding it up triumphantly. "Ha! Told you I could fix it."
Leon raised an eyebrow, impressed despite himself. "Well, well. Look who figured it out."
Raziel puffed out her chest, basking in her victory. "You doubted me, Scavenger."
Leon chuckled. "I doubt anyone who almost fries themselves on their first try."
Before Raziel could respond, the pulse trap began to sputter again, the hum growing erratic. Without warning, it sparked violently, sending a small jolt of energy that zapped Raziel's hand.
"Gah!" she yelped, dropping the device as the spark faded. She scowled at her creation, shaking out her hand. "Okay... maybe it still needs work."
Leon burst out laughing, unable to hold it back any longer. "That was... beautiful. Perfect execution."
"Shut up," Raziel grumbled, though her own laughter was bubbling up too. "Next time, I'll make sure the jolt hits you."
"Sure you will," Leon teased, still chuckling. "But hey, progress is progress. You're getting there."
Raziel sighed, setting the half-functional device aside for now. "I'm starting to see why you don't trust half of the tech you build. It's temperamental."
Leon nodded, a knowing smile on his face. "Tech's like that. You work with it long enough, you get used to the quirks. The real fun comes when something that shouldn't work... actually does."
Raziel shot him a sidelong glance. "Sounds like you're talking about yourself now."
Leon shrugged. "Maybe. But hey, that's what keeps life interesting."
The two of them fell into a comfortable silence, their banter lingering in the air. Raziel wasn't used to this kind of camaraderie—it was... nice, in a way. Even if Leon was infuriating, she had to admit, it was easier with him around. She glanced at him out of the corner of her eye, watching as he fiddled with another makeshift gadget, completely focused.
"So," Raziel started, breaking the silence, "how long did it take you to get good at this?"
Leon looked up, considering her question. "Good? Not sure if I'd call myself 'good,' but... a while. Years of trial and error. Mostly error."
Raziel smirked. "Figures. You look like someone who's made a lot of mistakes."
Leon laughed softly. "You have no idea."
Raziel's smile faded slightly, a flicker of something more serious crossing her face. "And yet... you survived. Got good at surviving."
Leon's gaze softened. "Yeah. You do what you have to."
For a moment, there was a pause—less banter, more understanding. Raziel nodded slowly, as if taking in the weight of his words.
Then, the moment passed, and the familiar teasing grin returned to Leon's face. "Anyway, enough of this serious talk. You gonna try fixing that death trap again, or should I take over?"
Raziel rolled her eyes, already reaching for the device. "Watch and learn, Scavenger. This time, it's going to work."
Leon leaned back, smirking. "I'm holding you to that."
Raziel tinkered with the device again, more determined than ever. "Alright, third time's the charm."
Leon watched her out of the corner of his eye, a knowing smirk tugging at his lips. "You sure you don't want me to check it first?"
"I've got this," Raziel snapped, her frustration making her focus even harder. She adjusted the wires and connectors one last time before flipping the switch.
For a moment, the contraption hummed to life. Raziel's eyes lit up with victory. "Ha! See? I told y—"
BOOM!
The device exploded with a loud pop, sending a shower of sparks and a small puff of smoke into the air. Raziel leaped back, coughing as the smoke enveloped her. Her face was covered in soot, her hair slightly singed.
Leon doubled over in laughter, barely able to contain himself. "Oh... oh man. That was... that was priceless."
As Raziel stared down at the smoking remains of her contraption, her fists clenched. The frustration of the failed attempt gnawed at her, and her face twisted in irritation. "This is... so stupid!" she muttered through gritted teeth.
Leon noticed the shift in her tone, but before he could say anything, the air around Raziel began to heat up. Her Brimstone flames flickered to life, dancing along her arms, the embers glowing a dark, eerie red.
"Raziel, chill," Leon said cautiously, stepping back as the temperature in the room spiked. "It's just a machine."
"I know it's just a machine!" she snapped, her voice shaking with anger. "But why can't I get it right?! Every time I try to do something... I just ruin it!"
The flames around her flared higher, burning with a ferocity that made the air feel heavy and suffocating. The walls of the hideout shimmered in the heat, and Leon could feel sweat forming on his brow despite the distance he kept.
He held up his hands in mock surrender. "Hey, hey, it's not that deep. You're not gonna master everything in one go."
Raziel's eyes blazed with frustration, and the flames crackled dangerously around her. "It's not about mastering everything! It's about... about being in control!" Her voice cracked, betraying the deeper emotion beneath her rage. "I can't control anything. Not my powers, not this stupid machine, nothing."
Leon took a cautious step forward, trying to keep his voice calm. "Raziel, I get it, okay? But setting yourself on fire isn't gonna help."
She glared at him, but the flames flickering around her began to die down, though they still licked at her skin, burning her in small patches. The pain didn't seem to bother her as much as the feeling of helplessness.
"I hate this," she muttered, her fists unclenching as the fire slowly faded. "I hate that I can't do anything right."
Leon shook his head, walking closer now that the heat had subsided. "You're not supposed to get everything right on your first try. Hell, I've screwed up more times than I can count. You just have to keep trying."
Raziel crossed her arms tightly over her chest, her frustration simmering but not exploding this time. "It doesn't feel like I'm getting anywhere."
Leon softened his tone. "You're getting somewhere. Trust me. You'll get there, but you've got to give yourself a break."
She didn't respond immediately, her eyes still flickering with the remnants of her power. Finally, she sighed, the tension in her body easing, though she still looked upset. Her gaze shifted toward Leon, a mix of frustration and expectation in her eyes. "You promised me training yesterday." she said, her voice quieter but still carrying the weight of her earlier anger.
Leon rubbed the back of his neck, giving her a nod. "Yeah, I did. And we'll get to it. But first, you've got to get a handle on your emotions."
Raziel scowled. "That's not training."
"It's part of it," Leon countered. "You can't just swing around tonfas or fire off flames without thinking. You've got to control it, not the other way around."
She clenched her fists again, but this time there were no flames, just the raw edge of frustration that hadn't fully disappeared. "So when? When do we start the real training?"
Leon considered her for a moment, then nodded toward the broken contraption. "We'll start after you fix that."
Raziel glared at him. "What?"
"You heard me," Leon said, his tone firm but not unkind. "Training isn't just about fighting, Raziel. It's about problem-solving, staying calm, figuring things out. If you can get that machine to work, then you're ready for the next step."
She looked down at the smoking remnants of the device, her irritation flaring again, but she kept her powers in check this time. "You're seriously making me fix this? That's..."
"Part of your training," Leon finished for her. "And after that, we'll move on to the fighting part. Deal?"
Raziel's scowl deepened, but she nodded reluctantly. "Fine. But you'd better not hold back when it's time."
Leon smirked. "Don't worry, I won't."
Raziel crouched down in front of the broken contraption, her jaw clenched as she examined the mess she'd made. Her hands moved quickly, trying to piece it back together, but it wasn't long before the frustration started to bubble up again. The parts didn't fit right, wires were tangled, and nothing seemed to cooperate.
"This is ridiculous," she muttered, gritting her teeth. "I'm a priestess, not some... some... tech expert."
Leon watched from a few feet away, arms crossed. "You said you wanted to handle yourself out there, right? This is part of it."
"Yeah, yeah," Raziel snapped, her fingers fumbling with a screw that refused to turn. "But this thing is—"
Her frustration boiled over as the screw slipped out of place again, and with a sharp, angry growl, she stood up and flung the contraption across the room.
The makeshift device soared through the air and collided with the wall, knocking something loose. The loud clatter echoed through the chamber as an old, dusty machine toppled over and hit the floor with a heavy thud, sending a cloud of dust into the air.
Leon flinched, his eyes wide in surprise. "Raziel!"
Raziel stood there, her chest heaving, her eyes blazing with anger and embarrassment. "I don't care! It's stupid! This whole... thing!" She waved her arms in frustration. "I'm not meant for this, Leon. I'm supposed to be fighting, using my powers, not... fixing junk!"
Leon raised an eyebrow, stepping toward the now-broken machine she'd knocked over. "Well, you just destroyed part of the hideout too. Nice going."
She scowled, crossing her arms. "Good. It deserved it."
Leon knelt down and inspected the machine. His expression shifted from mild irritation to curiosity as he noticed something strange beneath the dust. "Huh. Maybe it wasn't such a bad thing after all."
Raziel, still seething, glanced over. "What do you mean?"
"Take a look," Leon said, stepping back and revealing what was underneath the fallen machine—a hidden compartment, partially buried beneath the rubble. Inside, faint lights flickered, casting a faint glow across the hidden chamber.
Raziel's anger wavered as she stared at the compartment, her curiosity piqued. "What... is that?"
Leon shrugged, his smirk returning. "Guess you'll find out—after you fix your mess."
Raziel groaned, her frustration far from gone, but the strange discovery had distracted her enough to simmer down. "Fine, but if I break something else, that's on you."
Raziel, still grumbling to herself, swept the last bit of debris from the broken machine into a corner. "There, it's cleaned up. Happy?"
Leon didn't respond immediately, his attention fixed on the compartment she had uncovered. He'd been quiet ever since they found it, his mind working through whatever possibilities it presented. Raziel, noticing his silence, raised an eyebrow. "Hello? Earth to Scavenger?"
Before Leon could answer, there was a sharp knock at the door. The sound echoed through the chamber, cutting through the stillness like a blade. Both of them froze.
Leon's expression immediately darkened. His hand shot up, signaling for Raziel to stay quiet. "What the hell..." he muttered under his breath, his eyes narrowing.
Raziel blinked, her curiosity piqued. "Who the hell knocks on a hideout door?"
"No one's supposed to know this place exists," Leon hissed, his voice low and tense. His entire posture had shifted—he was on high alert, his muscles coiled like a spring ready to snap. He glanced around quickly, assessing the exits, the potential escape routes, his mind already in survival mode.
Raziel's eyes widened as she watched him. "You're serious, aren't you?"
Leon shot her a sharp look. "Dead serious. Stay here. Don't make a sound."
Raziel frowned, her usual defiance flaring up. "What? Why? I can handle—"
"I said stay," Leon growled, his tone leaving no room for argument. His voice was low, dangerous. He didn't even look at her as he quietly grabbed one of his makeshift weapons from the nearby table.
Raziel blinked, taken aback by the sudden shift in him. This wasn't the relaxed, sarcastic Leon she was used to. This was something else—colder, more focused, like he was preparing to kill someone. Her heart raced as she watched him move silently toward the door, her mind racing with questions.
Leon pressed himself against the wall near the door, his weapon at the ready. Another knock echoed through the hideout, louder this time, more insistent. Whoever was on the other side wasn't leaving.
Raziel, feeling a strange mix of worry and excitement, couldn't help but lean forward slightly. "Who do you think it is?" she whispered, her voice barely audible.
Leon's grip tightened on his weapon. "I don't know. But if they found this place... it's not good."
The tension in the air was palpable, thick enough to choke on. Every muscle in Leon's body was taut, ready to spring into action at the slightest provocation.
The knocking stopped.
A cold silence filled the chamber, the kind that made Raziel's skin prickle with unease. For a moment, everything was still. Then, a voice—calm, measured—called through the door.
"Leonidas. I know you're in there. It's been a while."
Leon's blood ran cold. His eyes widened in recognition, but his face twisted into a deep scowl.
"Stay here," he whispered again, his voice barely controlled. "Whatever happens, do not open that door."
Raziel's heart pounded in her chest. "Who is it?" she asked, her voice barely a whisper.
Leon didn't answer. He was already moving, his mind whirling as he prepared for the worst. Whatever was about to happen, it was clear that this was not part of the plan.