IC: Rider - Meeting with Revenge again
The camo-patterned rahkshi smiled. It had been a while since he'd seen his friend. He'd hung out with Rozu plenty, but he'd shafted Revenge a bit in recent times, and that wasn't right.
Claws climbed up onto the sofa Danger was on, finding a comfortable spot easily.
"Hey. I'm good, I think. It's been quiet around here, recently, huh?"
IC: Exxan - Corridor
"You both came here to kill me," I replied flatly, "So you can let it go, and we all walk out of here and go our separate ways... or you try to get what you came for, and you'll walk out of here with the blood of one, possibly two rahkshi on your hands... or you don't walk out of here at all."
IC: Omicron - Corridor
"... Yes... I suppose I can kill you... I think I know exactly how to go about it..." She looked up... but she did not look Exxan's way. Her gaze was elsewhere, to her side, away from Exxan, as if she was looking at someone right in front of her... but there was no one there. Then, suddenly, she stood up, unresponsive to even Epsilon touching her hand, not even acknowledging his existence at that moment.
"I was looking in the wrong place this whole time, but I see it now. You haven't been out here-" She stated, gesturing all around her. "But in HERE!" She then exclaimed as she poked the side of her head, as if drilling her finger into the plating.
"But this is your final place, isn't it? Your last refuge? Once you're gone from here, you'll be really gone!" She picked up her discarded sword and brought it up, holding it in front of her at the nothing in the hallway. "And once you're gone, you'll have no one to remember you.They're all gone, aren't they? The ones that could tell? The only one left is the pretender, the one I went after thinking it would kill you. I should have realised that to kill you..."
She twisted the sword around in her grip, aiming it at her chin with her hands poised to thrust it in. "... I'd have to get rid of you from the inside."
There was an odd look of serenity on her face, mixed with a gloating smirk aimed at the air in the hallway...
IC: Exxan - Corridor
"Or... you can let it go. Grow up, move on, find something new." I pleaded, knowing there would be little I could do to stop her from ending herself if she decided to go through with it. A part of me was content to just let it happen, knowing it would likely save me or someone else pain in future... but Kat and Fang had taught me better.
I had to at least try.
"That thing in your head, the thing you hate... killing yourself would just be letting it win."
IC: Revenge and Danger-Library
Revenge nodded. "Yeah, I like it." He looked over at Danger, who rolled over and absentmidly cuddled claws. "I'd been worried that he wouldn't be able to handle it here, I'm glad that nothing has happened yet."
GM IC:
The assignment, after a long and difficult set of scrapes, dealings and outright battles, finally ended, with final victory going to Crate's team in a surprise turnaround that was as much luck as skill on their part. After bickering endlessly in a safehouse, they had managed to settle their differences for the duration of the assignment and had managed to avoid combat for most of the part before encountering what remained of Sliver and Diode's team battling it out. In all the chaos the fresh pair managed to beat the other two teams, weary from their own battles to claim the coveted final spot.
With all the excitement over, life returned to normal in the dimly lit halls of Corpus Rahkshi...
OoC: This assignment is now over. Any remaining players that wish their character to receive a level up from this assignment are free to do so. The outcome of most ongoing fights is generally considered a noodle incident with the noted exception of Percy being eliminated by Vlad, and Team Wiggler all being eliminated (despite their valiant efforts) by Sliver's team.
IC: Sliver - Gym.
I fell to my knees, reeling from a blow I hadn't seen coming.
I started to rise, bracing myself for pain, but none came. My injuries had already healed. For several moments, I couldn't comprehend what had happened, until I glanced around to discover I was back in the main gym. I'd lost?!
Rage swelled inside me, and I searched among the other students for the faces of those I'd been fighting, ready to deliver unto them the full fury of my power... but instead I collapsed again, coughing bile onto the stone floor. Unbidden winds whipped around me as power hitherto unseen at this school surged through my body.
Level 6.
I was Level 6.
My mandibles aligned in a smile, and I rose unsteadily to my feet, before moving towards the exit.
There were no more excuses, no further cause for delay. It was to time to bring my sibling's story to a definitive conclusion.
IC: Epsilon - Corridor
She wasn't even acknowledging him, his words, even. Was there anything he could do?
He couldn't just let her die.
He looked at Exxan, with a pleading expression. It seemed he was the only one who could help his sister.
IC: Omicron - Corridor
"... How strange that your pretender would plead for my life... You're trying to trick me, aren't you, Exxan?" Omicron still faced the empty hallway, as if addressing the air with that name rather than Exxan himself.
IC: Exxan - Corridor
"I'm trying to help you... against my better judgement."
IC: Omicron - Corridor
"For near enough my entire stay here I've suffered you, Exxan. I may not know what's real any more, but- HURK" Omicron suddenly and violently took hold of her own neck. She quickly dropped her sword and began to try and claw at her neck with her sword hand, all the while her other hand strangulated herself.
IC: Exxan - Corridor
It took considerable effort for me not to facepalm in that moment. This is ridiculous...
I summoned up a blast of air to send the sword skittering out of reach, then turned back to Omicron, "Think this through. What is that going to accomplish?"
IC: Omicron - Corridor
There was legitimate fear in Omicron's eyes as she stared into the empty hallway, as if her eyes were fixed on something right in front of her. ""P-please... y... you're... killing... me..." She struggled to get out as she collapsed on her knees. "H-hhelp... any... one..."
IC: Exxan - Corridor
"I tried to do this the nice way," I muttered, unleashing an air blast that would hopefully buffet Omicron off her feet.
IC: Omicron - Corridor
Omicron was buffeted across the floor, her former sword hand coming loose and sprawling with the rest of her limbs... except for the other hand, which was still squeezing the life out of her as she lay there on her back.
IC: Exxan - Corridor
Helplessness wasn't a feeling I was used to.
Options, choices, and possibilities were how I operated. There was always another way forward, another way out... but it was becoming abundantly clear there was nothing I could do here. Omicron was too broken to listen, too determined to stop. Even if I hadn't been injured, I wasn't strong enough to physically overpower her.
The only choice left to me was to walk away, or stand and watch.
I settled on the latter.
I owed Omicron that much.
IC: Epsilon - Corridor
"Wha-Why....how is she still doing this?"
Epsilon's legs felt wobbly, like the sludge he ate in this cursed academy. What could he do? Every attempt he'd made to help her had done nothing, every sentence he'd spoken had simply worsened things.
What could he do?
The rahkshi, in spite of everything, moved forward, towards the suffering rahk in front of her.
Why? What could he do?
He sunk to one wobbly knee, and reached out to the hand that was assaulting her.
Was it really up to him?
Then, in a sudden burst of strength perhaps emboldened by the image of the rahkshi he wore, he attempted to rip the hand away from the throat, eyes on his sister's.
IC: Omicron - Corridor
At first, nothing. Almost. Omicron's self-murderous arm barely even budged from Epsilon's efforts, and continued to crush Omicron's throat. Then, her other arm grabbed on, and together, Eps and Omicron pulled her hand off her neck... Only for it to shoot with the momentum at Epsilon's throat.
"NO!!!"
IC: Epsilon - Choked Out
That took him off guard.
He gasped for air, but it never reached him. He clawed at Omicron's hand, but the strength he just had was completely gone.
His eyes widened as whatever possessed his sister choked him to death.
It was over. This was the end, truly. His arms went limp as he barely bothered to resist, and accepted his miserable fate.
IC: Omicron - Corridor
Omicron watched this with horror, for a second or two. On the third, she yawned her faceplates wide open, and with her free hand, grasped firmly around her kraata and tore herself out of the suit. The suit went limp, the momentum of the arm tearing her out throwing her pathetic kraata form to the ground away from the suit, while the hand strangling Epsilon lost its strength and slipped off as the suit crashed to the ground, motionless.
IC: Epsilon - Corridor
Epsilon similarly hit the ground, unconscious.
Thank you.
IC: Rider - Library
He smiled. "I hate to say it, but your brother reminds me a bit of the old days. You know, Raptor?"
His smile faded after a moment as he recollected the days in question, but he changed the subject. "So, you've been training?"
Claws happily sat in Danger's arms, satisfied.
IC: Tube - Gym
Even though Thurstaz had obviously come up with the best plan, somehow Tube and the others found themselves outside of the arena without victory in hand. Holding back tears, they crawled over to their Master. "I didn't keep myself safe good enough, Master!" they cried. "It's my fault you didn't win!"
IC: Garrotte - Gym
A short time ago, Garrotte had inconveniently found herself plopped on the floor outside the Maze. It seemed that Rahk with the mace had gotten the best of her after all. Most Rahkshi might be upset by that fact (she saw one little purple one who seemed to be taking their anger out on a much larger foe), but Garrotte just blankly stared at the wall, waiting for her teammates to arrive and tell her how the rest went.
IC: Tear - Gym
Despite their disadvantages, their team had kept Crate alive and struck the final blow to boot. The sweet taste of victory was intoxicating to Tear, and he made the rounds to his teammates (yes, even Crate), congratulating them enthusiastically.
IC: Reda - Gym
Just as Reda was finishing her little bout with Vigilem, she noticed the Gym became much more crowded. And not one of them had witnessed her glorious victory! Hmmphing to herself, Reda swaggered off through the middle of them, bound for the doors to find someone to repair her whip. All around her, teammates regrouped for better or for worse. She bore no attachment to those losers who couldn't even snatch victory by themselves.
Besides... she didn't need them wondering where she went.
OOC: Garrotte and Reda open to interaction
IC: Exxan - Corridor
For several long moments, I just stared at the borderline-absurd outcome of the events that had played out before me.
Then I turned, and began limping away in the direction of the infirmary.
IC: Omicron - Corridors
"Wait!" Came a small, pathetic voice from below Exxan.
IC: Exxan - Corridor
"Are you talking to me, or the voice in your head?" I snapped, neither slowing nor turning around.
IC: Omicron - Corridor
"You! I'm talking to you! I'm... still not certain about a lot of things! But Epsilon needs help! You don't owe me anything, but you must know you owe him to at least try!" The diminutive kraata of Omicron slithered up to in front of him, looking at him with its small eyes. "Please... he needs help."
IC: Exxan - Corridor
"I thought you didn't care? You're the one who did this to him. You fix it." I gestured to my mangled leg, "Thanks to you, I certainly can't help."
IC: Omicron - Corridor
"I can't help him in my state either. Nor do I trust myself to re-enter my suit. Whatever red fog I've been living in for the past months... I don't dare return to that now, I don't know what I might do." Omicron slithered up to Exxan's bad leg. "... With your leg in such a state as it is, I'm guessing flight is also out of the question."
OOC: mobile post, no colours
IC: Exxan - Corridor
"Do you even hear yourself?" I snarled, my patience and pity evaporating in the same instant. "You tried to kill me. You tried to kill him. You tried to kill yourself. And then, after babbling like a lunatic for the last ten minutes, you have the audacity to turn around and try to blame your suit for what you've done?"
Were it not for my wound, I probably would've kicked Omicron away... or stomped her into the oblivion she clearly seemed to crave.
"Take some karzing responsibility for yourself!" It felt empowering, bring able to literally and figuratively talk down to someone who had moments ago dwarfed me in terms of both size and savagery.
"I killed Omega. That's on me, and him. I own that, and I carry the consequences of it every day. But you... you have done so much worse than me, and have blamed everybody but yourself! You did this. To me, to him, and to yourself."
I turned, and continued hobbling away. "You're not my problem. I don't owe either of you anything anymore. It's not my job to fix your broken family for you."
IC: Omicron - Corridor
"You're right!" With Exxan's busted knee it wasn't hard for even the pathetic kraata to keep up with him. "I did do this! Epsilon did not! Turn your back on me, maybe, but not on him! Kick me away, stomp on me if you will, but Epsilon..." The small creature sighed. "Epsilon is all I have left now... it's actually a bit ironic. For.. for what ever it's worth, Exxan... I'm sorry. About all of this."
OOC: still on mobile
IC: Exxan - Corridor
"You have no idea who I am, do you?"
I didn't turn back.
"All of that time spent hating me, and you didn't bother to learn a thing about me, did you?"
I didn't stop walking.
"I'm not the monster you deluded yourself into believing me to be, but I'm not some stupid, selfless hero either."
I stopped, turning to point back down the corridor.
"You both just tried to kill me, and I'm plenty powerful enough to return the favour. I've already shown you more mercy than you deserve by talking you down and walking away, instead of fighting back. Don't push your luck by demanding sympathy as well."
IC: Revenge-Library
Revenge gently kicked a chair, moving it out from under the table, and motioned for Rider to take a seat. "We just got done at the gym. I was trying to teach him to defend himself. " He sighed, "He still needs a lot of practice."
IC Poly - Corridor:
A dry cackle sounded from above the trio, and were any of the gathered bunch below to point their gaze skyward they would see the crimson eye glow and sickly metallic green of a Lerahk clinging to the ceiling by claw and foot.
"Salvation, salvation. You need it, and we have it. But who among you is worthy of it?" They spoke, releasing from the ceiling and dropping to the floor with a dull clank of metal on stone.
IC: Omicron - Corridor
"I-I kn-" The sudden appearance of Poly startled Omicron, who slithered back a little from the sudden arrival. "Who are you? Wh-what do you mean... salvation?""
IC: Exxan - Corridor
"With all due respect, you're not really one to speak for my needs," I replied, wondering how much of the encounter with Omicron this Lerahk had been listening in on... and how long they'd spent not helping either of us. "I have no interest in salvation, or worthiness."
IC: Epsilon - Corridor
The Rahkshi slightly stirred, but didn't wake up fully. He was not in good shape, not one bit.
IC: Rider - Library
Rider sat on the chair he was offered. "Well, so did I. I learned eventually though, right?"
IC: Crate - Gym
I'd won.
I would normally not care so very much about such a situation, but something about the affair leaves me with a gloriously delicious smug feeling, as well as something else, something deep within me brewing up.
Have I leveled up?
Tear might see, after congratulating me, a very specific and nefarious grin on my face, one of a mixture of satisfaction, anticipation for the future, and excitement.
I have won, in more ways than one.
IC: Paladin - Gym
The knight sank to one knee in front of Thurisaz, with Tube.
"My lord, I'm sorry. I've failed you."
IC: Thurisaz / Gym
Despite his cunning machinations, the scarlet strategist found himself skidding to a stop outside the arena, his team eliminated. He gave a light sigh, grinned wryly, and casually straightened and began to dust himself off.
"Fault? Failure?" he mused encouragingly, as his dismayed comrades gathered, "I noticed none. See how many arrived before us - many, who we sent? And notice how few were, or yet remain, as unified as we are. Only our luck failed us in this transient assignment - rise, my friends, you performed as well as any team."
* * *
IC: Vlad / Gym
Finally, it was over. It almost felt like a waste to go so far and not win, but he would not be disappointed as long as his teammates were okay... as well as the students he had, he now regretted, feasted mercilessly on. There would be a lot of people to check on...
But for starters, his team. "Everyone feelink okay?" he asked.
IC Poly - Corridor:
"Always distant, always running, the tiger striped Exxan," the Lerahk sang gleefully. "Walks the path alone and bears every scar along the way," they continued, before turning their attention to the fallen Epsilon.
"A turn of heart at journeys end. Traitor or Messiah, who can say? Certainly not he, who ends from his change."
They cackled once more before slowly turning their gaze upon Omicron.
"And at last, the broken spirit. In need of mending, but with naught thread or needle to perform the act. Fortuitous that you have come to a tailor with generosity and cloth to spare~"
IC: Exxan - Corridor
"You seem to know my story pretty well," I conceded, "So you should understand why I'm going to keep on hobbling out of here."
I continued hobbling out of there.
IC: Revenge-LIbrary
Revenge smiled, "That's right, he's even got the double swords like you." He paused for a moment. "Do you remember when we first got here, and you took me on a tour of the school, and we broke space-time watched the sunset?"
IC: Booger and Luffy-Gym
As the arena shrunk away Booger searched frantically for his club. Right as the assignment ended he managed to find it. He sat on the ground, clutdching "Old Crusty" to his chest. He sat there for several minuets until he was approached by Luffy.
"Hey man?" Booger's stretchy friend asked, "Is everything alright?"
Booger turned to face Luffy. His snot was more runny and translucent than usual. He merely shrugged.
OOC: Luffy's player said it's ok if I use him to do a few things to help wrap up Booger.