Ciell watched the boy with a blank face and listened to what he said, his offer to her. She'd be lying if she'd tried to say his words didn't inflame her at least a little bit, but she knew better than to let emotions control her actions. This kid was either arrogant or he knew something she didn't, and there was a striking possibility that both were true. Still, the morning's disappointing mech battle had left her unsated, and it wasn't as if she had any [i]actual doubts[/i] about her ability to defeat Hayden.

[color=92278f]"Your bet doesn't matter,"[/color] she said, her voice cold. [color=92278f]"We're likely some of the only candidates, if we spar the loser will be ousted from the running anyway."[/color]

The door opened, and she stepped out only to stop and turn back to him. [color=92278f]"But let me be clear with you, your disabilities do not matter [i]here[/i]. Having one arm and one leg does not excuse your failures and bolster your successes. If you win it is because you were quicker than the other mech, if you lose, it is entirely upon your own lack of skill. But we won't be sparring forever, and out in a real fight those disabilities [i]will[/i] matter. You're a liability in an actual battlefield, and putting you in charge of others' lives when you evidently couldn't take care of your own would be a mistake.[/color]

Her attention turned back to the mechs, and she spotted her Paladin not too far down the line. Something flickered in her eyes, and her stony expression cracked if only for a moment. [color=92278f]"But if you're asking if I think I can take you, then suit up and get ready to find out."[/color] With that, the girl started down the line for her own mech, doing her best to mask the way her rushing blood made her hands shake ever so slightly.