Words of encouragement

[Atrice]

She should probably listen to Thessala; she was the experienced one here. But Thessala had too much confidence and she seemed to think that her way was the only right way, no matter if you talked about fighting or performance or anything. She’d been impressed by Rana once, it seemed, but now she talked about the name again. A name was important. It said a lot about the person wearing the name; who they were, their history, where they came from. If she was no longer Rana… then the new name would just be a façade, it wouldn’t be real.

Thessala was upset again though, it seemed to Rana. She just wanted a name-change because she decided it should be so.

“If it no matter to you, you care a lot.” Rana replied, moving closer to her again, “If it is that important, maybe I will change name. Even if it feel… strange.” She added and looked up at the seats of the empty arena again. She’d be fighting here soon. As someone not Rana. It really was strange. Thessala didn’t seem to grasp that.

“Did you pick your name?” She then wondered, because she honestly didn’t think Thessala could see this from her point of view. Someone else named Thessala… either their master or a former one. But she wanted to be the one to re-name Rana. And sure Rana once had another name, but even this current name was given to her by family, by her own brother, even if it was because he was angry. It wasn't the same with the new name, Protea.

@Chevi

[Chevi]

The arena always felt different when the seats were empty. It felt vast, an entire universe onto itself. A world they got tossed into and now had to survive in, by fighting each other, and by catering to the whims of thousands of people in the audience.

Thessala loved it.

“If it no matter to you, you care a lot. If it is that important, maybe I will change name. Even if it feel… strange.” 

Thessala shrugged. She'd done her part in the whole process, whether Rana changer her name to something else, or didn't change it at all, was up to her now. There was no reason to get attached to anyone at the Ludus anyway, not until they have survived a few games at least...

“Did you pick your name?” 

"I did" Thessala nodded "No one cared who I was or where I was from, and they wouldn't know a Thessalian if she bit them in the ass, so I decided to be something interesting..."

@Atrice

[Atrice]

Rana enjoyed the fighting too – and she wanted to learn and she wanted to be good, so she worked hard to gain some muscle and be both stronger and faster, so that she could take on her opponents in the arena and for the big games. But it wasn’t just about that, according to Thessala and she wanted Rana to change her name.

Of course she wondered if Thessala got to pick her own name, although she didn’t think so. Yet when Thessala then explained it, it seemed that she did pick it. She had just decided to be something interesting. Well… good for her.

“You always know what to do.” Rana replied. She was used to just go with the flow, wake up every day and see it as an indeed new day with new opportunities and experiences and she didn’t plan ahead. She just lived from one moment to the next. Thessala clearly didn’t. Thessala had it all under her control and nothing happened that she didn’t already plan. Or so it seemed.

“Should we go back to ludus? Or you want stay here more?” She kind of wished she could be more like Thessala, but it just wasn’t in her nature. It was very few things she planned. And when she did plan something, it didn’t go according to plan. Like when she ran away and her brother caught her anyway. And now she was here.

@Chevi

[Chevi]

“You always know what to do.”

Thessala snorted at that, which was a very unladylike reaction, but she didn't really care. It was good to now that she managed to pull off the facade she was aiming for, that of the stone cold gladiatrix who knew what she was doing. To be fair, Thessala did know what she was doing, most of the time. But she'd given up on perfection long ago. Plus, she still remembered what it felt like to be new at the ludus.

“Should we go back to ludus? Or you want stay here more?” 

"I just wanted you to see the place" Thessala shrugged "It's an advantage, if you don't walk in here the very first time when you are expected to fight. It can be very distracting, full of people." she looked up at the rows of seats again "Think you will be able to handle it?..."

@Atrice

[Atrice]

To Rana, it did really seem as if Thessala always knew what to do - she knew what she was doing, she knew why and she was really perfect in many ways. The only way she was not really perfect, was when she was rude and seemed to think she was better than Rana. Rana came from a part of the world where there might be chiefs and peasants and there was a hierarchy, but you never went around bragging about stuff you did. You didn't purposely make yourself appear better than anyone else. That sort of stuff was frowned upon. Here in Rome, it was clearly quite different. Here you had to brag and make yourself appear better and even lie about who you were, in order to get somewhere.

She wondered if they should stay or go from the arena now, and Thessala said she wanted to show the place to Rana to give her an advantage in the upcoming games. She asked if Rana could handle it.

"I sure I can. I just need focus." She said and added; "So I hope I no fight you... so I no focus on your lips again." She added with a little smile.

@Chevi

[Chevi]

"I sure I can. I just need focus."

She really needed to. Rana had potential, and a kind of honest wildness. For someone who had been through so much trouble, she somehow managed to stay genuine enough to get pissy at Thessala for being rude. If she could pull herself together to survive the arena, she could grow into more than just a gladiatrix. Maybe even a doctore one day.

"Good."

"So I hope I no fight you... so I no focus on your lips again."

Thessala's eyes widened for a split second, her gaze traveling to Rana's lips on instinct, before they narrowed again. Thessala clicked her tongue and turned on her heel, heading back to the Ludus.

"Please. Like they would pair you up with me before you're good enough. You should go back to practicing."

@Atrice

[Atrice]

Rana was sure she could pull herself together and survive in the arena. Thessala for some reason did not seem entirely convinced, but Rana was, at least, and that´s what was most important. It seemed as if they were ready to leave the arena for now though and Rana commented on how she might focus on Thessala´s lips if they fought again. Rana's eyes widened for a moment, but then it was over and she said Rana would not be paired up with her 'before she was good enough'. And she turned to walk back to the ludus.

"I will." Rana promised and followed the other gladiatrix, "We walk back now then? I need more focus on the way underground." Rana said as they left and walked down the stairs again. She didn't want to get lost down here, and never found again. It was quite something actually, almost cave-like down here and she realized something... "I never been under ground before." Not even in a cave and certainly not something man-made like this. The Romans really did have a few things figured out.

@Chevi

[Chevi]

"I will." 

Oh, she would. Rana had a long road ahead of her if she wanted to become a famous gladiatrix, but Thessala did not see her giving up anytime soon. And who knew? Maybe if they ended up in the arena together, she'd let the girl kiss her again.

"We walk back now then? I need more focus on the way underground. I never been under ground before."

Alright, so maybe she had more to learn first than others. Thessala chuckled as she walked ahead, leading the way through the winding corridors under the arena.

"Try to pay attention. With some luck, you'll be walking this way a lot."

@Atrice