[center][img]https://i.imgur.com/sqVuHkG.png[/img]
[h2][i]Master: [color=salmon]Mercedes[/color][/i][/h2]
[i]Workshop, City Outskirts, Tokyo[/i] | [color=blueviolet][i]Night[/i][/color][/center]
	
	Mercedes watching her servant intently as he gestured to her. She surmised that it was a sign language of some kind. Magi had found many ways to communicate without words, and so many had never bothered to learn any kind of modern pedestrian sign language. She didn't know if that's what this was, but she got the gist of what he meant more or less. It was true, he couldn't speak. Most likely he couldn't even talk to her through their bond, or he would have done so already. She nodded to herself as he turned away from her, thinking of what could be done. In truth, they didn't [i]need[/i] to speak to each other. Archer was a great hero of the past, more than likely he was a hunter, he could function perfectly fine on his own and he'd already demonstrated that he was attentive and willing to work with her. Mercedes, likewise, was more than used to fighting solo, but... they were partners now. She had no doubt that if she came up with a plan and Archer had his problems with it, he'd let her know somehow. However, if things went wrong while they were separated, it would be a lot harder for him to fill her in on the situation. 

	A small smirk came to her lips. [i]'This will be an interesting challenge,'[/i] she thought, her eyes finding Archer's form once more as he waved his hand. She felt a pull of her mana before three dogs materialized before her. Curious, she moved closer to them, but didn't dare reach out the touch them. They were big, and looked well trained. Hunting dogs, familiars of her own familiar. She looked back at Archer, and after just a beat her eyes shined with understanding as he gestured to the map of the city.

	[color=salmon]"These pups here are probably some of the best scouts a girl could have in this situation - am I right, Archer?"[/color] Mercedes said, glancing back at the hounds. [color=salmon]"If you trust them, I trust them. By all means, let them hunt down the enemies and bring back any information they can. We can rework our map after that. No doubt there will be some eager masters looking to test their new servant's strength tonight."[/color]

	The woman magus moved around to the room then, digging through some desk drawers and drawing out a few items. Walking back to the table, she placed a journal and a deck of cards down on it. The journal was not personal in nature, instead it was filled with theories, strategies, and experiments. She flipped to a blank page and quickly scribbled some things into it. [i]'An archer, a hunter, can summon hounds, mute...'[/i] 

	[color=salmon]"Would you have enjoyed card games in life, I wonder?"[/color] she addressed Archer somewhat randomly without looking at him. She reached for the deck of cards, shuffling them elaborately, letting the cards waterfall from one hand to the other. [color=salmon]"I love card games, but there are a lot more uses for them. For example..."[/color] Mercedes finished her shuffle, and in a flash pulled a card from the middle of the deck and slapped it onto the table. It was the four of spades: a card of stability. Mercedes smiled lightly and, seemingly satisfied, she circled an entry in the journal and ripped the page out. She held the paper out for Archer to read.

	It was a list of names, and the one circled upon it was [b][i]Actaeon.[/i][/b]

	[color=salmon]"Cards can give you certain prophecies. This one told me we'll be just fine together,"[/color] she mused, and as soon as she could tell Archer had read it, set the page ablaze with a flick of her wrist. [color=salmon]"That is if you believe in that stuff, of course."[/color]

[center][@King Cosmos][/center]