Corpus Rahkshi

IC: Hashan

Hashan was happily destroying the dummy and ripping it to shreds before replacing it before the gym began to fill with water. Slowly, but surely, he noticed the wet fluid rise to his waist. He looked down to see the water, questioned it, and then looked around to see a rahk on an increasing platform as the water level rose above his shoulders.

"OI!" He shouted. "SOME PEOPLE ARE TRYING TO TRAIN WITHOUT DROWNING!"

OOC: That's you Phoenix.

Oh wait I just got Kapura'd by you.

...

OOC: Zex opened the doors. Water should be escaping.

IC: Revenge-Gym

Revenge  barely managed to doge as a Rahkshi came flying down right at him.  "Watch where you are going!" he shouted as they went barreling down the hallway.  There was no way they could fly in the hall without crashing.

OOC: Revenge opened the doors before Zex tried to run away, water is already everywhere.

IC Kat:

With a grin and a shake of my head, I followed Fang out, passing under the water fall that served as the Cauldron's entrance.

It was an interesting Flight back. Fang's new paint shone brightly, a testament not only to my skill with a brush, but also his own natural curves.

It was a deadly beauty.

IC Fog:

Fog nearly gagged, hearing Shield's groveling speech to Root. Placing oneself under another by praising them was a mark that you were less powerful then them.

IC: Fang - Outside

Fang touched down just outside the Academy doors and paused for a moment to consider the edifice. His spines rattled slightly with discontent. Within these stone halls, he had learned what it meant to be a Rahkshi. Cold, calculating, willing to do anything in the pursuit of one's goals... the list goes on. Inside, he had fought his battles, losing many of them, but at least he had gained friends. And lost them.

He looked down to the two things in the world he could genuinely say were his. The two things he would not allow anyone, not Exxan, not that thief, not even Tridax, to take from him. Venom, the sword he had crafted with his own hands... on Nynrah, the last battle he would have with Omega. And Kat, his loyal... well, more than friend, now.

His face betrayed no emotion as he pushed open the doors for her to pass, then quickly followed her inside. The halls were in chaos, especially around the Infirmary, but he paid it no mind. He had spent his time in there, and he did not intend to again. In a quick glance, he caught sight of the Twins and Exxan, but he did not appear to see them. They were not worthy of his attentions. Perhaps they had learned a lesson while he was gone.

He took long, measured steps towards the Gym, using his height to his full advantage to walk quickly and purposefully. He had a reputation now, whether good or bad, and he tried his best to live up to ever intimidating detail. The others would avoid him, if they were smart.

He brought himself to a halt behind an all-too-familiar tan and brown Rahkshi. He didn't appear to notice the water that flowed around him and steamed in the heat of his plasma. Every crevice of his freshly painted armor glowed bright orange. The effect was hopefully terrifying. He was no longer the battle-scarred and panicking Rahkshi that had left this room a mere hour or so ago. He could hardly be recognized with his new paint and lack of fangs.

"I believe you owe me a rematch," he growled down to Caoutchouc.

OOC: New paint, new Fang, I thought, "What the Karz, let's do a flashback."

IC: Zex

I escape the gym but fly straight into the top of the infirmary door. Ow. I enter and walk over to the dead bodies.

...

IC - Gym

Caoutchouc slowly turned to face Fang. It was indeed a growl...

And indeed directed downwards, Fang seemed a little on the tall side now. His armor was fancily painted, the rubberahk found himself admiring the details. Though, he couldn't help but feel the bright orange details of the joints gave him a 'snapped together' appearance, like he was some great automaton built by unseen hands from separate and disparate pieces. Pieces that could just as easily be snapped apart.

He himself was not much fancier looking, he still had an average appearance, muscular, but in a quite dense and compact way compared to Fang. Myofibrillar hypertrophy versus sarcoplasmic hypertrophy as it was. His spines had grown a little, a thick mat of bristles from erector spinae to trapezoidals. His gym bag'o'tricks lay on a nearby bench.

"A rematch in what capacity? Do you yet fight for something?"

IC: Fang - Gym

Fang allowed the plasma building under his armor to cool. Such displays were wasted on one such as Caoutchouc.

"It has been my experience that every battle is the strong asserting their will on the weak. You fight because you think yourself strong, and you rely on your strength to shape others. You took advantage of my weakness as I merely attempted to defend those who could not defend themselves from your tyranny. I intend to remedy that."

IC: Revenge-Gym

Revenge was getting upset.  "Alright someone tell me who locked the gym doors earlier or I will find out the hard way."

IC - Gym

...Tyranny?

He felt as if he were a falsely villainous character from a book whom the author had written many paragraphs of exposition and character development for, but alas. The readers only remembered him for that one time he did something really nasty.

"I fight to become stronger, stronger so much so that I have spare strength to give to those who can't garner strength for themselves." He called up a rocky dummy from the gym's floor, braced his body and *thwap-crunch* punched it's head off. The rock skittered to a stop several bio away and melted back into the floor.

"That rock is dead. It can't get any stronger, it is just dead rock after all. I feel that had I done that to someone like... Vaalku, perhaps. They might wake up feeling a little more neuropathically better arranged. I would've given him the gift of humility and through humility, strength. People don't get broken you know? They just get scratched. And once the scratches are buffed out, they come out more highly polished and with a nicer sheen than before."

Caoutchouc allowed the further reasoning building under his armor to remain silent and unreasoned. Such displays were wasted on one such as Fang.

Well, if was unfortunate. But him and the surahk seemed opposite sides of a coin. They could not agree and coexist.

Not now. Not ever.

"Fang, draw your sword. If you think me a violent brute, I'll show you what violence really is."

IC: Fang - Gym

Fang scowled at the Elastic Rahkshi. His words, though noble, we're not backed by action. Neither Caoutchouc's displays or Fang's reason had prevented Vaalku's beating.

His scowl turned into a vicious smile as Caoutchouc met his challenge. If it was violence this Rahkshi understands, then it would be violence he would get. He had already commited to fighting with his sword, but it was somewhat relieving to see it was welcomed.

"I wouldn't have it any other way," he hissed.

He had learned his lesson through pain. One does not simply charge Caoutchouc in blind rage. Kat's fight had taught Fang some of his opponent's strategies. For now, he would wait for the first move.

IC - Gym

His chest-collapsing lunge? A sweeping kick? Perhaps some elastic trickery, maybe even the notorious chessboard or pocket sand? None of those were viable. Violence was something wrought with a weapon. Whether it be a blade or words, it wasn't something you could do with your bare hands.

Caoutchouc unsheathed Faithful, gripping the kukri with a two handed grip, closing the distance between Fang and himself with a spring loaded lunge. He slashed downwards and diagonally at the surahk.

IC Kat:

As we entered the Acadamy, it was impossible to miss the change in atmosphere. Fang followed behind me as I passed by the infirmary.

I spotted Exxan out of the corner of my eye. Still stuck in that brace.

With a frown, I veered inside.

"Yo, Exxan."

IC: Fang - Gym

Fang stared curiously at the strange weapon. Venom had a much longer reach, but Caoutchouc excelled at delivering punishing blows at short range. Fang braced himself for the certain lunge, and was not disappointed as he brought Venom up to meet the shorter blade.

IC: Jayar / Courtyard

Jayar rushed after Hoto, arriving at the empty courtyard just after she did.

"No luck, eh?" he said. "That leaves the Gym, Refectory, and Library, assuming she's in the school somewhere. Take your pick."

OOC: Missed her by that much.

IC: Shark / Gym

Shark leapt off the dummy and onto the drying ground. He took a few steps before whipping around and hurling the stony arms he was still holding at it in quick succession. The first shattered upon and damaged severely its head, the second knocked the body free of the legs. He dismissed the other dummies, and they retreated back into the ground, as if afraid.

What a disappointing battle, Shark might have thought as he walked silently over to the armory. He pulled his scabbard off his back and grabbed a blindfold, not to cover his eyes but to wrap around the handle of his unnamed sword: cloth doesn't conduct electricity.

He had a new target, and this time he was going to succeed.

IC: "Actually Exxan, there are two other students who have taken to learning under me, Jayar and Zelnos. Jayar is silver and black rather than brown and back, stands a bit straighter than usual, Zelnos is just lighter shades of my colours. Could you find them?" Palma asked, "I could use some help, and a bit of practical experience goes a long way to learn new things."

IC: Rail - Gym

Rail, who was already in flight mode, swerved around both Xara and the one he now recognised as Glass as he continued flying after the fleeing Rahkshi, completely unaffected by his epic failure of an attack.

Regaining some of his sense, he forced himself to land mere feet outside of the gym, noticing that he was heading towards the infirmary before driving his fist into a wall.

"COWARD!!!" he bellowed, his entire body tense from trying his best to engage him in battle.

He felt the rage begin to abandon him just as quickly as it had come, leaving him with only the guilt and the self-loathing. Struggling to find a way to avoid dealing with it, he headed back inside, only to find someone attempting to threaten the other inhabitants of the gym if no one came forward to tell him who blocked the doors earlier. Figuring that this would be as good of an opportunity as any, he approached him from behind.

"I DID," he growled in a terrifying manner, flexing his claws in preparation for what was about to come next. "WHAT OF IT?!?!"

OOC: That would be Revenge.

IC: Revenge-Gym

Revenge attempted to punch the Rahkshi.  "Because of you my friend had his eyes poked out!"

IC: Exxan - Hallways.

"Oh, hi Kat," I noticed it immediately: she was wearing Fang's necklace. Interesting...

I had a quick look around the inside of the infirmary, spotting a Rahkshi who matched Zelnos' description and pointing him out to Palma. Now.... Jayar. He was the Rahkshi who'd been with Hoto earlier, the one who I'd suggested go to the empty dorm wing to practice navigating blind. I'd start my search there.

I headed out into the hallways to start looking. 

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IC: Xara - Gym. 

"Will you calm the karz down?" I snapped at Rail, stepping between him and his newly-chosen victim, blocking Revenge's punch with an electrified arm. Rail hadn't been like this when I'd fought him before, so what had changed? Why was he so angry all of a sudden?

Being angry was my thing. 

IC Kat:

"H-Hey!" I said as he walked out.

"Hold up, you jerk! I wanted to talk to you!"

I quickly ran to catch up.

IC - Gym

As our sword's meet, I move my front foot as if take another step forward, pushing the assault. Instead I bring it down at Fang's leg. The shin-stomp is a pretty nasty move.

IC: Revenge-Gym

Revenge pulled his arm back as it got shocked.  "What was that for!"

IC: Exxan - Hallways. 

Jerk? Lovely. "Yes?" I asked stiffly, recalling that she was level three now. There was a 50/50 chance she was here to kill me.

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IC: Era - Courtyard.  

I heard a voice and looked up in surprise. "Hoto?" 

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IC: Xara - Gym.

"Getting in my way." I replied over my shoulder. "If you know what's good for you, you'll get the karz out of here." 

IC: Fang - Gym

For a moment, Fang's blank facade broke into surprise and pain, but only for a moment. Then his features contorted into a sickening grin as his leg gave way under him.

Caoutchouc reveals himself! He has no honor! But he brings the pain, and the scars... He thought pleasantly as he could feel the fresh paint scraping away under the foot.

As he fell, he pushed Venom up and back, throwing Caoutchouc off him while bringing his blade around for a strike.

IC: Hoto - Courtyard

As much as she hated going back inside, that would probably be where Kat was going to be found. For some reason, she nearly laughed out loud trying to picture Kat silently sitting in the Library, and they had just eaten together earlier.

"Gym it is, then," she called out before running over there. If Kat was frustrated, perhaps she would be blowing off steam in the Gym. It did seem to be one of the noisier room in the school though.

IC Kat:

"Sheesh, I try to talk with you, and you run off! Wanted you to know that caoutchouc and O are level three now. Not sure if you'd heard yet."

"Look will you hold still for a sec, you look ridiculous walking around with your arm like that."

It was a blunt, but honest point. He'd been walking around with the stupid thing for over a day. Had he done it to himself, I'd have let it be, but...

Tridax had done this to him, and whether it had been for punishment or fun, it clearly wasn't serving any purpose.

IC: Era - Courtyard.

"Hoto, is that you?" I called louder, following the sound of her voice. Zivon scurried out of the undergrowth and landed on my shoulder.

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IC: Exxan - Hallways.

"You, Cao and Xara. I've heard." I replied bitterly. "And two students are dead. It's a great trade-off." 

IC Kat:

I stop suddenly, stunned.

"What?!"

IC: Exxan - Hallways. 

"What?" I repeated. Now I was confused. "Xara leveled up as well, two students are dead, and I already knew about it all before you told me. Which part of that didn't you understand?" 

IC Kat:

"T-two students?! Who?! Who died?!"

IC: Hoto - Courtyard

Hoto's thoughts and feet were brought to a screeching halt just inside the doorway. Somehow, she had missed Era sitting there.

"E-Era?" she stammered, trying to find the words. No, no apologies.

IC: Revenge-Gym

"Because of this Rahkshi my friend is blind, maybe permanently!  This is my businesses."

IC: Rail - Gym

"If your friend wasn't such a moron, he would have waited for the doors to become unblocked before trying to barge in! If they hadn't insisted on taking down the wall, then he wouldn't have gotten hurt in the first place!" Rail snapped, clearly annoyed that Xara kept breaking up his fights. "It's his own idiotic fault that he was injured!"

"As for you," he said, turning his attention towards the Rahkshi of Chain Lightning. "Stop getting in my way!"

IC: Exxan - Hallways.

I sighed. She didn't know? "It'll be easier if I show you."

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IC: Era - Courtyard.

"I have your staff," I walked timidly over to her, holding the weapon out as a peace offering. "I'm.... sorry. I pushed you too far." 

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IC: Xara - Gym.

"Rail, calm down, please. Tell me what's going on." I didn't like seeing my friends go crazy, especially not when they should be celebrating with me. I gave a brief glance back towards Revenge, lightning crackling in my hand. "Unless you want to end up like your friend, I'd leave. Now." 

IC: Revenge-Gym

"This is MY businesses!  If this fool thinks he can lock the door and hurt my friends, even if it is indirectly than he needs to pay!"

IC: Xara - Gym.

"Okay, I've changed my mind," I grinned wickedly, stepping aside to give Rail plenty of room to attack the guy. "You asked for it." I pointed my hand at Revenge, and an arc of electricity flashed from my palm and crackled towards him. 

IC: Revenge-Gym

Revenge stumbled back from the blast of the small bolt. "I told you to stay out of this!"  He densed up and charged the lightning Rahkshi.

IC: Jayar / Courtyard

Jayar had set off as well, and felt rather silly for missing Era. He had eyes and he was trying to pay more attention to sound, he should have noticed the Derahk sitting there.

Hoto had mentioned Era trying to teach her fighting, that must be what 'pushed you too far' was about. Jayar could imagine that the experience had been terrible for the gentle Dodge Rahkshi. He stood by, silent but ready to offer support. For now, though, it was between Hoto and Era.

IC: Shark / Gym

Shark purposefully left the Armory and willed up a bench in the Gym, sitting down to sharpen his sword. At least, that appeared to be his purpose. His sword was sharp enough already... What he was really doing was watching Fang and Caoutchouc fight. Who knew what valuable lessons he might learn watching them?

As he ran his grindstone hard over his enormous blade, it gave off no noise.

IC - Gym

Caoutchouc parries Venom, the blow is a strong one and he is pushed back. Fang seems eager to keep him at a distance...

Flipping the blade around in his hand, he rears back and throws it at Fang.

Or to be precise, the space next to him, it flies off into the distance, Caoutchouc is preeeetty sure Fang doesn't know about it's boomerang properties, and he puts on his best "oh ####" face to cover it up. Deciding to close the distance unarmed, circling to Fang counterclockwise. He has to make sure he doesn't stray from it's flight path..

IC: Xara - Gym. 

I let him charge me. The moment he touched me, he was going to get an electric shock that a lot worse than the lightning had been.