Corpus Rahkshi

IC: Gaever / Gym

Individuality! Uniqueness! Gaever knew she was the pinnacle of these things.

And so it was a most terrible shock for her to glimpse Vyper in the distance as she strode through the Gym. A nearly comical double-take brought her back into sight: digitigrade legs, a Rhotuka, improved claws... Gaever flipped down her binoculars in disbelief and was able to discern that she even had lenses. Now not only was she weaker psychologically than so many other Rahkshi here, but she could no longer cling to her assurances of physical superiority. For one who had integrated such assurances into the basic levels of her personality, the sudden appearance of a doppelganger was... horrific.

She took a weak step backwards, and gesturing to Vyper, asked almost disbelievingly of a nearby book-bearing Rahkshi, "What is... that Rahkshi's... designation?"

OOC: That's Sepulchral, by the way.

IC: Shield

Shield sat down, thinking to himself. Could I really be of use? I'm so outclassed in the only thing I'm relatively alright at, fighting. 

"S-s-shield, it's n-n-not your fault y-y-you're a lower l-l-level than them. Y-y-you're s-s-still just as g-g-good as them i-i-in term of skills."

Maybe.

IC: Alpha/Gym

Having one of the siblings dealt with, I knelt down to the other.

"Hello there. What's your name?"

IC: Mu (Gym)

"Mu," he said, burning eyes fixated on Eps.

IC Optis:

Stepping into the Gym, optis was amazed at how different a room could feel and look depending on teh number of occupants. He wanted to find some sort of mathematical rule for it later, (He suspected it was some sort of exponential decay), but right now he had to glean as much information on the assignment and students as possible.

OOC: Optis open for interaction.

IC: Icarax surveyed the crowd of Rahkshi that had answered his summons. No, not a crowd. They were a horde. There were enough heavily armed, highly dangerous individuals gathered here to justify that title. If they had landed as an invading force on any island in the Universe then the inhabitants would be seriously...right up until the infighting began. The longer a leash you kept on them the more Rahkshi nature showed through and the worse they got at things like sharing. But here? Yes there were skirmishes and squabbles going on but there was not the level of carnage and demolition that Icarax would have expected. Perhaps there was more worth to this new breed than he had first anticipated.

This latest assignment will be a battle of wits and cunning. There are some thirty or so of you here. I will select six out of your number, and these six will be the assassins. The rest of you will be civilians. Each team will seek to eliminate the other until only they remain. Assassins may do this by touching the one they wish to kill and thinking of their goal. I will remain in mental communication with them and lift their victim out of play.

A ring of spikes grew up from the floor of the Gym, an enclosure clearly destined to be used as a drop point for those who had been 'murdered'.

Civilians, you must resort to more direct means. Attack those you think are assassins, render them unconscious or broken enough that they won't be capable of taking out anyone else. I will take a dim view of any actual killing, and any interference from those eliminated. The dead cannot offer advice. Eliminating a member of your own team is entirely possible, a consequence of rash decision making. The assignment ends when only the stronger, smarter team remains, but it begins...now.

He reached out mentally, selecting his six for the assassin team, and awaited to see what would happen next.

OOC: So this is basically a game of Mafia: Corpus Rahkshi Edition. Six of you have the power to "kill" anyone they want, provided you're both thinking about it and in physical contact with them. If you've been "killed" then you'll be put in the rin of spikes, allowed to watch but not interfere. Icarax will put a Silence field around you if you try.

If you're an assassin and you kill someone notify them somehow and they can post themselves being taken out of play as its going to be impractical waiting around for me to do it. I hope that covers everything...

IC: Acinaces (Gym)

A flurry of thoughts rushes through my head- then, putting on as convincing of a scared expression as I can muster, I stand, stock-still.

IC: Mu (Gym)

Mu frowned, looking around. No-one seemed to have been teleported yet...

IC: Malady (Gym)

I move away from Draco, attempting to get myself into a fairly empty space.

IC: Rider

Oh karzahni, another violent assignment.... Rider thought.

IC: Jayar / Malebranche

"It's okay," Jayar told Hoto, smiling. "You're not alone anymore."

IC Flabbergaster

Uh-oh. This didn't look good.

Flabbergaster began acting casually, and started heading for the exit, breathing heavily to nauseate everyone out of his way.

IC Spindle

Arriving at the Gym, Spindle took in the situation. Too many Rahks... He was claustrophobic.

He still headed in, though, otherwise the headmaster might find him cowardly.

IC Vaalku

Time. To. Move.

Vaalku pushed the door open, and began crawling out slowly...

IC Doubt

Doubt flinched a little when Call retaliated. Sheesh...

He began investigating the ground for signs of wildlife; not much to observe at Corpus.

OOC: Flabbergaster, Spindle, and Vaalku Open For Interaction.

IC: Shark / Gym

Fascinating. (If somewhat disappointingly nonlethal.)

Clearly this was a situation in which careful observation would be necessary. Preferably out of the way of the chaos of the game for a while. Shark switched into flight mode and rose above the noise and confusion, to a vantage point from which it would be quite easy to keep an eye on everything happening below without having to worry unduly about being jumped by an opportunistic assassin or oversuspicious civilian.

IC: Spezia

"Um..." Icarax's voice rumbles. "Karz it, let's get out of here!" I say, gathering my equipment. I didn't want to be caught in the crossfire...

IC Grim:

Interesting. A fine example of subterfuge and combat prowess. Grim could not help but appreciate the assignment's intricacies, despite it's simple nature.

They stood, arms folded, watching the crowd for any sign of mental command. Icarax had a habit of being quite forceful in his telepathy.

IC Percy:

"Who is Omega?"

While I ponder this, I grin internally. This assignment would be a cakewalk! I'll just not let anyone touch me! Easy enough for a dodge rahkshi.

IC Diode:

Meanwhile, Diode was having similar thoughts.

I smile slightly, still at the edge of the crowd. No one would touch me, I'd make sure of that. Sparks sizzled from my body.

OOC: All open to interaction.

IC Optis:

Plainly, Optis was thrilled. A chance to execute his information gathering studies.

IC Fog:

Fog converted to flight mode and flew upwards, being certain to position himself near the ceiling, above Grim. "Fellow Rahkshi!", he called, "It is easy to reveal these assasins, with cooperation! Follow my instructions, and the assassins among us will be revealed!"

IC: Spezia

"Um..." Icarax's voice rumbles. "Karz it, let's get out of here!" I say, gathering my equipment. I didn't want to be caught in the crossfire...

IC: Strurin

"Nor do I." He said, with a little bit of a panic in his voice, as he slung what was left of the Goat over his Shoulder, and picked up the pan with the food still in it, "Lets go, We'll talk about Preserving the food later."

IC: Draco

I slowly draw Necrosmith after the assignment was announced, and start wandering around, my eyes opened wide for any possible assassin.

IC: Shock

I back myself into a corner, electricity running through me. I pull out my Zamor Launcher, and start camping in the corner.

IC: Spezia

I nod, before reverting to flight mode and zooming out.

IC: Strurin

"Wait u- Nevermind..." He said, before entering flight mode, and following Spezia

IC: Snap [Gym]

All expression drained from her face as she slunk around the small forge area, trying to put the vat and casting equipment between her and the makuta.

IC: Teeth [Halls, outside gym]

While I was making my way to the gym, i caught the booming sound of headmaster Icarax delivering the assignment, and, after careful listening, i turned and walked away again.

As "fun" as a day of pretend-murder sounded, i really didn't want to deal with the kind of rahkshi who are into that, moreso than i usually didn't want to deal with any rahkshi.

IC: Rose [Gym]

As the makuta spoke(?), an impossibly wide and toothy grin spread across Rose's face, a fake-assassination scenario? why that's only a few steps removed from the delight of a real assassination scenario!

OOC: Teeth open to interact on their way out of the gym!

IC Grim:

Grim looked up.

"And who is to say that you are not one of the assassins, hmm? If it is so simple, why not just tell us how we might reveal these assassins?"

IC Fog:

"An assasin wouldn't draw attention to themselves. As for the actual implementation, it is simple. Every one must form up in a line, just out of arms' reach of other Rahkshi. THis way, the assasins will eventually be forced to move. We only need to assign one person to watch everyone. That person could be yourself."

IC: Shock

"Screw that! Who's to say that the person watching isn't the assassin?" I call out, Zamor still scanning for any approachers.

IC Grim:

They nodded. "A functional plan, though unlikely to work. Far too much cooperation involved, no one holds that much authority over the student body to pull it off."

Their eyes scanned over the crowd.

"I daresay, we will simply have to rely on our wits and careful observation to find the assassins."

IC Fog:

"I will talk to you in a second.", Fog said amiably to Grim. Then he addressed Shock. "Why would an assasin want to be the watcher? The position is extremely public, with little oppurtunity to contact someone to kill them."

IC: Hoto - Malebranche

Hoto's grin widened just a little. "I know," she said softly. And then she took another step towards the forest.

IC: Tear - Gym

Suddenly fearing for her only constant companion's safety, Tear hid her Hapaka behind her, and glared at Zubarahk with mixed fear and loathing.

And then, the new assignment blared through her mind. He... he was asking them to kill each other? Tear turned and ran, fleeing to the darkest and furthest corner of the Gym. She could only hope she would be safe there.

IC Spindle

Spindle saw Tear running for her life, and came right behind her. Once he had caught up with her, he tried to be passive, in case she was the assassin.

"Miss... I can't help but notice you look frightened..."

IC: Malady (Gym)
 
I tap Draco on the back. "I have an idea," I say. "On how to make sure we win."

IC--Kaboom--Gym

Much as he hated to sink to such depths, it was time to observe the better part of valor. This guy had a longer reach than he did, in addition to...you know, not being sliced open and punctured in various places. He swooped around the massive blade and tossed another Madu Cabolo behind him to cover his escape as he accelerated toward the gym doors.

IC--Sepulchral--Gym

"Hm?" Sepulchral broke off from his book to glance up at the gadget-laden Rahkshi, then toward the student she seemed to be indicating. "I've no idea, honestly," he said apologetically. "I am unacquainted with that particular student."

Just then, Icarax's telepathic announcement rippled through the gym. Sepulchral listened with a gradually lessening apprehension. The assignment was considerably less horrible than he had expected. Certainly, it was one in which he could most likely participate without compromising his incipient philosophy, as long as he took care in how he incapacitated other participants. He could use some training anyway. Rather than leaving, therefore, he remained where he was, keeping a careful eye on anyone who got too close.

IC--Shrapnel--Gym

This, she could tell, was  going to be fun. Of course, there was nothing to do for now but watch for suspicious behavior, unless she wanted everyone thinking she was one of the assassins. So she didn't attack anyone just yet, but instead put her cameras to good use, scanning in all directions.

IC--Beat--Gym

Beat was...pleasantly surprised. Rather than the repeat of the massacre she had been half-expecting, this was something more like a group spar, only with a bit more strategy. She'd stick around for this, definitely. She began walking, leery of staying in any one place for too long, eyes peeled for anyone who seemed just a bit too eager to get close to her.

IC--Footwork--Gym

Mind racing, Footwork decided that the best way to escape would be to head into the armory, pretending to be looking for a weapon. He immediately set off, calmly but purposefully, in that direction.

IC Recherche / Gym

A most interesting assignment, one that would test the observational skills of the students to their utmost... Already, he saw people acting in somewhat predictable ways. Taking flight to observe, standing quietly at the fringes or networking.

He had a more proactive idea in mind. He took note of a group of several rahkshi beginning to talk, among their number was a conspicuous Adaption variety, the one that had decorated his shoulders with grisly tokens of past battles. An individual that had an air of violence and menace about them. Nonchalantly he began to make his way towards their little gathering, tripping at the last moment and inadvertently falling backwards into a group of students adjacent to the Adaption rahkshi and their cohorts.

"Assassin, this one is an assassin! He tried to grab me!" He shouted at the top of his lungs, leveling a pointed finger towards Grim and grabbing the attention of as many rahkshi as he could.

IC Grim:

Grim turned, his arms still folded.

"If I were an assassin, I'd not have tried a sloppy attempt. Beyond that, I've not moved since I arrived. You are clearly mistaken. That does however, beg the question..."

They drew their mace, letting it hang slightly loosely from their hand.

"Are you covering, or simply hysterical?"

IC: Jayar / Malebranche

No response came to mind, so Jayar didn't bother with one. It was enough to just silently walk along the trail beneath the trees, holding Hoto's hand, at peace.

IC: Door

^{Location: Gym}

"Well this is certainly turning out to be interesting." Door thought out loud. He was standing near the corner where Tear had ran off to, and was relatively far from any other rahkshi, trying his best not to be noticed by anyone, but also not to look too suspicious while doing it.

IC Recherche / Gym

"So, after being called out your first tendency is towards violence?" Of course, that would've been his response as well. And it was, he drew his macuahuitl in response to the Adaption Rahkshi's armament. Though of course, his action was merely in self defense... "I say that paints you as guilty."

IC: Tear - Gym

Tear saw her mistake the moment Spindle spoke. Though she was trying to save herself, in her panic, she had only distanced herself from the safety of the group. And now this assassin was here to take advantage of that. Why else would he follow her out here?

And so, she didn't answer, and only sank down against the wall sobbing, ready to accept her eminent demise.

IC: Hoto - Malebranche

As the wandered, the plants around her began to sound less threatening. She wasn't alone, and she knew a lot more now than she did then... such as trust. She knew Jayar would keep her safe here.

Slowly, she allowed herself to relax and enjoy the walk.

IC: Eps

I shifted uncomfortably, extremely paranoid of if someone was going to accuse him of being an assassin or not.

IC: Gaever / Gym

"Ah... my gratitude regardless," she told Sepulchral. Well, she probably shouldn't have expected some random person to know anyways. But she'd still like to know the name of that... clone!

No, she had to keep calm, get a grip. It wasn't that bad; Vyper wasn't a clone, and she wasn't inherently an equal just because of a few similarities. There were no Nynran army hands, for one. And... she was lugging around weapons, something Gaever was far above.

But all that kind of felt like clutching at straws. The real indicator of superiority could come in this (thankfully nonlethal) assignment. All Gaever had to do was win, and she was intent upon doing so.

It shouldn't be too hard. Anyone got near her, and they'd think twice about getting any closer when her whole body began to blaze with bright green plasma. But it did occur to her... she had no way to attack an assassin, aside from her Rhotuka. And it might look suspicious, too, someone without any implement... She'd have to go get a weapon, she realized with disgust.

Well, she'd do what she had to do to win, even if it was as humiliating as contradicting her own heartfelt creed never to need anything but her suit. Gaever began to lope around the Gym, keeping out of the vicinity of any other Rahkshi as best she could, headed for a room she had never thought she'd need to enter again - the Armory.

IC: Door

^{Location: Gym}

Door looked over into the corner when he started hearing sobbing. One of the rahkshi was sitting in the corner crying with another one standing over her. And so, trying not to garner attention to himself, Door walked over to the two, making sure to stay far enough away that neither could suddenly reach for him. "What's going on here?"

OOC: Door approaching Rain and Spindle

IC Grim:

"Hardly, as it can be plainly seen that I draw my arms in defense. And after all, I've not raised them against you, simply readied them."

Grim looked to Shark, floating above the crowd. The electric Rahk standing apart from the crowd. The fat Turahk.

"I would look for the outliers. A good assassin would choose his mark carefully. A bad assassin.... Might try to escape after a failed attempt."

They returned their gaze to the Surahk in front of them.

"But I have done neither. Tell me, beyond your word that I am one if the assassins, what proof do you have?"

IC Spindle

Hearts can be very painful when shattered.

Looking down miserably, Spindle simply laid a scarf down for her and skidded away shyly, hoping the headmaster hadn't seen him do that.

IC Flabbergaster

Okay, he didn't like this at all.

Getting to the door, he took off down the halls in an attempt to evade the event.

IC Optis:

Optis was torn away from the argument between the two large Rahkshi by the sight out of the corner of his eye of a massive Rahk attempting to get out. Assasin or not, it was more info to be gleaned. So Optis ran along the edge of the crowd, being certain to avoid other Rahkshi as he followed Flabbergaster out the door.

IC: Mu (Gym)

My looked around, then shrugged. "He's an assassin!" The Rahkshi called, aiming a spoon at Eps.