777: Seven Gates, Seven Vices, Seven Loves

[Thaelasan]

Vanessa grinned mischievously, punching Blake's shoulder slightly.

"Luck?" she said, shrugging disdainfully. "I don't need any of that."

She retrieved her small doll from her bag and placed her hand on the door of the room adjacent to Blake's.

"Good luck to YOU though." she returned before heading into her own room, prepared.

 

----

 

She rose her hands into the air and stretched as the intercom announced the commencement of her test. Sighing, she grabbed some straps of cloth from her belt-pack and wrapped them around her arms and hands to insulate and comfort them. She placed the doll in one of her bags. She'd never fight without it, even if she still didn't understand how it worked.

"Alright. Bring it on." she said, fists bared. The drone came outward and she immediately ran at it, full speed, ignoring all inhibitions. The drone seemed taken aback.

First, the tiger.

Before it could fire forward, she leaped upon it like a cat, back arched, wrapping herself fully around it and holding tightly. The thing began to spin in circles, firing darts in all directions as it tried in vain to throw her off.

Next, the wolf.

She grasped the thinnest, weakest part of the drone - the connection between the legs and the body, and held it tightly, unwilling to release it. Like a dog going for the throat, she refused to relinquish her grip upon it, tethering herself by this touch.

The drone, now completely disoriented, began to charge towards the wall, seemingly furious, in an attempt to drive her off.

Third, the eagle.

Like a bird, she soared from it as it slammed into the wall, using her back feet to force it into the wall with as much energy as she could muster. She flew for a brief moment, turned in the air, and landed with two legs and her hand on the ground, sliding from the velocity. Her hand, protected by the cloth, felt nothing as she got back to her feet quickly.

Fourth, the bear.

She charged forward again, before the drone could get back on its feet and slammed it to the ground with both arms tangled around it. More darts fired from it, two of them hitting her in the shoulder and one in the chest.

"Never touch a woman there, little robot." she said slyly, pulling it from there quickly and jamming it into the robot's firing mechanism. She then spun it around and slammed it back into the wall, roaring with anger as she did so.

She pulled the other two darts from her arm, numb.

"Oh... some kind of... nerve agent?" she asked, confused. Her arm and chest tingled slightly and she sighed. That was just great.

The drone wriggled around in circles, then stood back up. Vanessa shot it a glance, and it quickly retreated back to where it had come from, a dart sticking out of its side.

"Thankfully.. Blake didn't see that.. not yet." she frowned, feeling her arm where the tattoo was.

 

-----

 

Deep within the forest of the mountains, she had found them - a group of people who had abandoned the vices of humanity and decided to live in harmony with nature. They, due to the demons, had come here to hide and train with the beasts of nature to one day fight against those who had taken their homes. With her lover and family thinking her dead, and her mind in shambles, she felt at home here, and believed perhaps this was best - to give up all she had and simply exist.

The chieftain had accepted her. Through rigorous rites and training, she had been taught of the four aspects of the wild, the four beasts which symbolized the protectors of nature. In balance, the four were also symbolic of the four main powers of man.

"Our might, this is shown in the form of the tiger, the lion, and the cat. The felines." the chieftain had told her, a flame sitting between them as he took a puff of a pipe. "Our courage is shown in the form of the wolf, the dog, the canines. Our will is shown in the form of the eagle, the dove, and the birds. The avian. Our tenacity is shown in the form of the bear. These four are what drive us and keep us thriving. Our power, our bravery, our motivation, and our strength to continue on. Those are what matter."

Through rigorous training, she was taught of the four paths, and what meant the most. But at the back of her mind - continuously - was the face of the one who thought her dead, the true source of all of her desires. The chieftain had noticed, but had allowed her to stay, believing this would be only part of her path.

Upon her arm, painfully, were tattooed four shapes, the four animals, in a ring around her upper bicep: a soaring eagle, a leaping tiger, a howling wolf, and a standing bear. From this, their aspects were bound to her, and they had accepted her. Of course, she had been forced to prove her might to each of them. She had hunted an eagle, fought a bear (and had the scars to say it), hunted with wolves, and prowled with wildcats. Her body had been tested to the limits, but nothing had felt worth it, and finally the chieftain had laid a hand upon her shoulder and exiled her from the clan, honorably.

"You will find nothing here, and you will not leave unless I finally do this. This is for you, not us. You have earned our respect and our strength, and you may return, but not for a long time. When you do, I want to see you happy with this man you love, and I want to see your children as well. We will accept them, gladly, should you wish. But this is not where your home is. Your home is with him, not with the wild - not yet. An animal who has not yet found her path will not rest easily. She will be anxious and afraid, on edge, and will be vulnerable. It is an animal who has found what she desires most that will defend it most fiercely against those who wish to take it. Is this not true?"

She had stared at the ground, but then looked at him, determined, nodding. He spoke the truth. Her path was not here. It had strayed here, and she had enjoyed it, but this is not where she would stay.

Packing up the few belongings she had, she had headed out, without a destination in mind, until the Academy had found her.

And now...

 

------

 

She placed a hand upon the door. The cloth was still upon her hands - the cloth the chieftain had given her. Upon it, the names of all the people from the clan had been signed, all of their hearts with her in all that she pursued. She would wear it now, as she fought the demons, and she could only hope they were still safe.

She would be their paragon. As a Saint, she would embody all four Aspects and fight using them by her side. She would use the four to defend those precious to her and assault those who dared to come forth.

The speed of the eagle, the reflexes of the tiger, the strength of the wolf, and the toughness of the bear - those were all she required in order to best those before her. Anything else was a bonus.

But she would smile. She would not tell Blake of those days when she considered simply giving up on her dreams and living, rather than LIVING.

She would only look towards the future. Again, she placed a hand upon her tattoo thoughtfully.

"I'll tell him... soon.." she whispered, opening the door.

 

-----

 

She found Blake speaking to Verick, Rose sitting behind her. As she walked up, Verick had just finished responding to Blake.

"Oh, yes. She's alright. Just tired, as usual." Verick said softly as Vanessa walked up. "And Vanessa's right-"

"Oh. Of course she's asleep again. She won though, right?" Vanessa interrupted, rubbing a hand through her hair. "I mean, any sister of mine would. And you too, right Verick? Well, duh. You'd never fail if Rose was part of the deal."

She placed a hand on Blake's back, grinning again.

"And yeah, I'm fine." she assured. Her smile had returned.

She had no doubt Blake would accept the tattoo and what she had done.. it was simply how to tell him.

 

((

)) Edited February 2, 2015 by Thaelasan

[psyshock]

Continuing along with the group, a variety of different staff members came to greet them. Chief Mary was a familiar face at least, she spoke about what she did and what they would be doing. This place really did take the whole “Saint” thing seriously given the obvious cathedral inspiration in the architecture.

 

Recognize Sonia Mao he did, some of his friends were absolute fans of Sonia Mao. If they were here right now they would likely be grovelling in her presence. A smile appeared on his face with that thought. Given the instruction to enter one of the rooms, Chuan Li stood still for a moment, watching everyone else before moving to a room himself. he lingered at the entrance for a second, thinking about what this fight would be like. They knew they would be fighting some kind of drone that could fire darts at them. What else it could do was up in the air right now.

 

Upon entering, the door automatically closed behind him. No backing out now. He stepped forward until he reached the centre of the room. The drone made its presence known. Lights started blinking, the sound of something spinning reached his ears. A hissing noise was produced at the legs separated. Chuan Li took his stance, solid so as to not get knocked over but light enough so that he could still move effectively. He never had to fight anything inanimate before yet the task was to subdue it and not destroy it. Analyzing its movements would likely be the best option for now.

 

The drone charged at him head on. He stepped to the side, bringing his right hand down to experimentally strike the drone. Of course, that likely wasn’t the best idea in the world seeing as the thing was made out of metal. He shook his hand from the pain, reminding himself not to try that again. It seemed doing things the conventional way wouldn’t work. This was a test for Saints, he would likely have to get into his powers. How was the question. He may have had the mark, but the need to use his powers never arose before this.

 

The drone had turned around, going at another attempt to ram into him. He manage to dodge this attempt as well, still staying in the general area of the middle of the room. Getting cornered would do him no good. The drone began to circle him, which honestly wasn’t much better than being cornered with what the machine was capable of.

 

A row of darts fired towards him, it seemed that it got tired of the brute force approach as well. Chuan Li attempted to dodge, getting hit by a dart in his right forearm. The numbing feel began to spread through his flesh not too much later. He pulled the dart out, flinging it to the ground. The drone decided that another round of darts would work nicely. Not fully prepared for this wave, Chuan Li raised his arm, unsure himself as to what he was doing, but a tingling sensation was flowing through his left hand, spreading along his arm. His eyes closed, bracing himself fro the impact of the oncoming darts.

 

The darts seemed to fall down as if they had hit an obstacle before reaching him. The energy still lingered, the translucent, golden barrier beginning to fade. It seemed that he found out how to use his abilities. As if angered by this circumstance the robot tried the old charging tactic once more. Chuan Li stepped aside with more confidence, taking the time that the drone used to recover from its charge to ready himself. He jumped up, spinning on a horizontal, his leg swooping in a kick. He kept the sensations he felt when he produced the barrier in mind, as well as his intent. To send a wave that would knock the drone back into the corner that was right there.

 

The drone was sent flying backwards by the force of the energy that the kick let loose. He advanced upon the fallen drone, raisin his hands in an attempt to make a wall. The next wave of darts was blocked as he closed in, sealing the drone off in the corner that it had fallen in. The drone attempted to fight back against its prison before falling limp. The spinning stopped and the legs returned to their resting position.

 

“Test complete. Time taken: Six minutes, thirty-one seconds” a computerized voice said from a speaker system.

 

Chuan Li took a deep breath before exiting the room. He rubbed his arm, trying to get the feeling back.

[Clown_of_God]

After their briefing was over, Rein and Eli decided to go over watch the new recruits from the observatory deck. Rein came across as indifferent as he watched each test from various monitors, but remained silent as each candidate took on their less than lethal opponent. On the contrary, Eleanor was more vocal with her opinion and Rein merely shrugged off her commentary.

 

"Aww, come on, the one girl seems like the world is lost when what's his face isn't even next to her. Guess if one of them died, the other would lose all hope and reason in this world and wouldn't even be able to try stopping the demon horde. I say dispose of them before they even become an issue to the rest of us."

 

"We don't show much promise ourselves. Two cycles we've been through and no compatibility with any of our partners."

 

Eleanor sighed, crossing her arms across her chest and shifting her sitting position. Rein, shrugging, stood, stretched for a brief moment and walked to the door. Eleanor leaned forward, and cocked an eyebrow at him.

 

"And where are you off to?"

 

"Meet and greet. We'll become useless if we don't get paired soon and I doubt they'll continue wasting funds on a pair of siblings that are incompatible with anyone."

 

With that, Rein left the room and began walking down the halls, Eleanor quickly catching up to him when she began feeling uncomfortable sitting alone. From there, it was a brief walk down a few halls and a couple flights of stairs until they came upon the rest of the ever growing group of trainees.

[Thaelasan]

As Verick sat there, lost in thought, he heard footsteps, completely in sync, coming from somewhere up ahead. Confused, he looked up, feeling as though some odd form of fate or tension was causing the problem.

But, it was a simple duo of what appeared to be students, heading towards them comfortably. They appeared to be a couple, from how they carried themselves, but something seemed.. off.

"Do you know who those two are?" he asked Blake, concerned. "Something seems.. weird about them. Do you get that vibe too?"

 

(( Short posts... ))

[KuroKishi]

Blake continued looking around as the trio waited for Vanessa's appearance, then turned back to look at the two on the bench. Though he had a couple wounds and felt a bit of pain, the worry on his face was more about the girl than him.

Thankfully, said worry faded away when he turned to listen to what Verick had to say, only to notice Vanessa return from behind him. His expression became calm as he watched her interact with her sister's hair, then approach him and place a hand on his back. He silently twitched the moment her extremity came in contact with his skin. There was probably a bruise or two, considering the velocity at which he'd collided with the solid wall. Maybe he'd have to find the infirmary later...

"Glad to see all of us went through just fine." The young man spoke out as he placed his own hand around Vanessa's back, then turned to look at her with a soft smile. After a moment of silence, he gave the girl a quick pat along her back, then pulled back his arm and rolled his shoulders backward.

Now that he had taken a proper look at his partner, he had noticed her own body's condition. Bandages covered the main part of her hands, as well as the knuckles, which had saved her from the numb pain he could feel from his own hand. Her clothing was disheveled rather heavily, indicating she had been rather up-front with the drone during the combat course. What truly caught his attention was the small hole that peeked out from the upper side of her chest. He noticed the inflamed skin through the small opening and recognized the effect as the one the numbing agent had. However, a strange feeling of unease spread through him as he continued to look for a moment. Rather instinctively, he grabbed his left sleeve with his right hand, pulled his hand out of it and then looped the article of clothing around his back until it was in his hand only. Then, silently, he went behind the girl and placed the hoodie around her shoulders. After going back so that he was in front of her and making eye contact with her, he pointed out the hole with his gaze and gestured for her to at least zip up the hoodie or pull the sides so it was covered. After having made sure that the problem was taken care of - at least, as much as he could - he turned back forward and crossed his arms. The current of air around him felt slightly cooler, as he was now only in his gray t-shirt. The entire length of his arms was visible and his muscles were emphasised by the flex caused by the cross in front of his chest, whilst his slim figure was now more recognizable, thanks to the lack of the usual baggy hoodie. He somehow felt different.

 

Moments of silence passed by as the four stood next to or on the bench. Blake had soon turned to look at the other Saints which had just completed the first gauntlet. A couple other people had finally come out. There was a girl he'd seen earlier that had sat down next to the door. Though her appearance wasn't too ruined, as far as clothing went, she had probably gone through a ton inside too. She seemed quite sick, and for a moment, he wished to go check on her. However, knowing that everyone had to go through this on their own, he only threw her an apologetic look and then continued his analysis.

His eyes met another contender of his own gender, a male. The young man had just emerged from the room and was busy with what appeared to be regaining the sense of touch in his arms. That seemed to be the main thing wrong about him, however, indicating that he'd probably gone through this rather easily. Maybe he was experienced, maybe he had used energy better... whatever the case was, he was no longer interesting to look at.

Hearing Verick's voice from behind himself, Blake snapped out of his thoughts and switched his gaze toward the corridor in the distance. Two figures were walking down and toward the new Saints. Though at first he felt doubtful, he was soon sure that these were also fellow Saints, as both bore marks on their respective dominant hands.

"Agreed..." Blake mouthed at Verick without bothering to turn around as he silently analyzed both the figures in front of him. Though he wouldn't confess it, his eyes first turned to look at the female. He noted her height, build, facial features and light gray mark, then made sure to memorize said details. The two bands on her wrists seemed like an accessory at first, but after considering the fact they were already enrolled Saints, he was left with the impression that they were more than simple trinkets. Deciding he had noted enough, the young man turned to look at the male.

Immediately noting the difference in height, Blake went to look at the more important details instead. He quickly looked over his build, then turned to look at the face... at which point he raised his eyebrows with curiosity. His facial proportions strangely felt akin to the girl's. Were they somehow related, or was he catching a detail that obviously wasn't there? It was interesting that he couldn't find a weapon on this man's persona - however, he considered for a moment that it could simply be something that wouldn't usually make sense or was just not on him right now.

After sharing a quick eye contact with both strangers, the young Saint decided to take the situation in his own hands and be the first to make verbal contact, too. He momentarily stepped forward, gave them a slight bow and then started speaking.

"If I'm not wrong... you two must be a part of the older Saint generation - even if you don't really seem older than us..." He began uncertainly, then shut his mouth, as if only having recognized his mistake.

"Oh, sorry. I didn't really mean to come off like that. My name's Blake. Blake Cromwell." Blake introduced himself, then turned sideways so he could point at his friends.

"The young lady next to me is Vanessa. The guy sitting on the bench is Verick, and the sleeping beauty lying on him is Rose." He finished the small roundabout, then turned back to face both fully.

"Now, what have we earned your attention with, fellow Saints? And whom do we have the honors of meeting?" The young man asked as he slightly smiled and offered an interested, welcoming expression to the two. He subconciously crossed his arms beforehand, then waited for an answer. Though he wouldn't say it, he felt that his 'introduction' was way too formal, but it had already been said and done, so he would just let first impressions do their thing and then seek a solution, if need be, to make his true self known.

Edited February 7, 2015 by KuroKishi

[Clown_of_God]

As Rein and Eleanor neared the group of trainees, Blake was the first to confront them, closing the distance they still had left. This is where Eleanor became wary stepped behind Rein, holding his arm and peeking out from behind him as Blake began prompting them with questions. Without even glancing back at his sister, Rein smiled at the candidate and held out his hand.

 

"Forgive her, she's not too akin to random strangers. I'm Rein Leimon and this is Eleanor."

 

Rein took a brief moment to motion with his free arm at the girl hiding behind him. As he glanced at the other three mentioned, Rein scanned further at the other candidates who were finishing their initial test. Each of them had potential at becoming the two sibling's official partners. For all they knew, this might be their last chance at becoming true Saints.

 

"We appreciate the formal introduction, but we've already been briefed on everyone who has arrived. Verick Richardson, age 16, lived an average life with Rosaline Springs until a demon horde attacked their home. Vanessa Springs is her twin sister and the two are rather close. Blake Cromwell, also 16, born in the outskirts of London to a simple family. You lost a dear friend of yours, which details I won't delve into, and seized up to the point of hospitalization. If I need say more, I can elaborate further, but I believe I made my point clear. Are there any further questions?"

 

By this point, Rein had pulled his scarf up, covering half his face. This much interaction was definitely making him feel uncomfortable. Eleanor saw this and her mood shifted, stepping in front of her brother the girl puffed out her chest and jabbed a finger at Blake.

 

"Yeah, we've been here before y'all and we ran into a couple complications. If you cause any problems for us, I'll make sure you pay for each of them."

[Thaelasan]

Verick sat there, contemplating how to retort, when he noticed how the young girl hid behind her brother as Verick had come to assume... But their relationship seemed.. Odd. Ah well, he wasn't going to question their life choices.

"Demon horde?" he asked after a while. "You're wrong on that point. But everything else seems pretty damn spot on. Makes me kinda concerned that people know so much about us. But I guess it's to be expected."

He patted Rose's head lovingly as he turned back to them.

"And can we keep it down a bit? There's someone sleeping here...." he said, in response to Eleanor's yelling. "If you're so shy, shouldn't you be quiet to match?"

He grinned.

 

----

 

Vanessa, however, had been standing nearby for a good five minutes, smiling quite strongly at Blake's response and gift. She pulled the hoodie about herself, enjoying the warmth from it.

"I suppose I should..." she said after a moment, covering the hole with the hoodie's cloth. She then nodded graciously, leaning closer to him.

"So chivalrous. You haven't changed at all.." she placed a hand upon his face, pleased. "Good. I'd have been a bit disappointed if you had."

[Clown_of_God]

"Shouldn't a useless pair of wannabe Saints be returned to the wilds so the demons can take care of you before you compromise everybody else? It was probably the car wreck that jumbled up your minds to the point you rely on each other so sickeningly."

 

Rein took the moment to slap the back of her head, instructing her to be nice before he lowered his head apologetically. On the other hand, Eli grunted and crossed her arms across her chest, clearly disappointed about being punished.

 

"Forgive her and myself, your history was similar to a former candidate we served with and I mixed the two, even though we were just briefed."

 

By now, Rein was practically holding his scarf up to where his eyes could just peek out from between it and his hair. Eleanor, knowing he was growing even more insecure, wanted to step back in, but knew he was putting on a brave facade so that they would be able to acquire partners this time.

 

"We'll see just how useless you are when team week roles around. Obviously simulated, but it will notify the higher ups whether or not you're willing to make sacrifices to accomplish the mission or jeapordize everything to save one another."

[Thaelasan]

"I would let you die if it meant saving Rose." Verick stated firmly, nonchalantly, almost as though an absolute truth. "There are no sacrifices that should be made, but should it come to it, I would kill someone myself if it meant her life would be spared. There is no one here that means more to me than her, and my only purpose for being here is for her existence.. and hers alone."

He stared at them sternly, ignoring the shyness of the siblings.

"If you're going to be so blatantly rude, I'll assume you're tsundere, and that sort of attitude only makes you cute to scarce few men." Verick seethed. "I will follow orders to the letter, but I'm sure an uncoupled pair like yourself has no idea what it means to have someone you would do anything to protect. You'll understand, soon enough. And when you do, that's when you'll truly live. Don't get me wrong, I like the pair of you - but I don't take flak from people who I barely know without retort... And I certainly don't like Rose being insulted when she's asleep, and can't even speak against it."

He stared at them both, as though challenging them to respond, but then smiled.

"But let bygones be bygones. I apologize. Rose has told me I should probably try to be a bit nicer." he admitted. "And it's always good to have friends."

 

[Clown_of_God]

Rein looked down at Eleanor, who was looking back up at him and he sighed, lowering his hand back to his side where she latched onto it while eyeing the other candidate. So, that was the kind of relationship the two shared. Not uncommon, but not something well supported.

 

"We still have our family and friends to support. So, with what you just said in mind, I'll be certain to either stay clear of the two of you or I, too, will take the necessary measures to ensure neither of you jeapordizes the safety of our team, our comrades, our family, or our world. From my perspective, you are no better than the very demons who endanger this place we live. So, do not call me friend."

 

Unlike before, Rein remained silent, a sign he was in partial agreement with his sister's words. There was certainly more to fight for than a single person. This couple was definitely dangerous to the overall program and it gave more of a reason for Rein to keep an eye on the two.

 

"Forgive me, but until I see a side of you to support, do not consider either of us potential friends."

[Millennium07]

"Excuse me," the stern voice of chief Mary cut across the room. "Did I just hear you say you'd kill someone?" The commander strode over the small group of Saints, her heels echoing loudly. "That is not behaviour befitting a Saint, do you understand me?" She snapped at Verrick, eyes burning with a ferocious intensity. "I don't care what the circumstances are, if you say that again, or even just imply it, I'll have you court-marshalled before you can even say your precious beloved's name," she said, raising her voice, her face glowing with fury. "And dare you even do anything resembling it, or in other ways do anything to the team's working effectiveness, you'll be banned from combat duty permanently. You're not some Romeo wannabe, you're part of a team, do you understand me?" She folded her arms crossly, raising an eyebrow. "You're part of a team. Start acting like it!"

[KuroKishi]

Blake raised his eyebrows questioningly when the two came forward and introduced themselves in a friendly manner, only to turn to a rather... sensitive topic. Apparently, the two already knew more about them than some of their close friends. They knew about Verick and Rose, as well as some incident even he hadn't heard of. They knew about him and how he 'lost' Vanessa to that maniac... though that was a more widespread story, as it was a Saint's murder. Not something to be proud of. After they finished their words, he silently crossed his arms yet again and threw them a passive, meaningful look.

"Look, Rein, Eleanor." He began momentarily after Verick's reply with a quiet, but forced tone.

"I understand that you're from the older generation and haven't managed to match properly... but there is no reason for you to share the fact you know a lot about us. If anything, it makes us less comfortable than usual, as you somehow acquired details about our life we might wish to keep hidden. I shall ignore Eleanor's remark, Rein, but consider this as advice for when you look for someone to pair up with. Such an upfront introduction doesn't do you good, I'm afraid." The young man finished with a slight nod, then let his arms drop to his sides again.

His body slightly turned to look at Vanessa as she remained silent, but happy, after his gesture. His expression shifted to a calm one as she took care of the issue in her clothing, then approached him slowly. He lightly embraced her by looping his left arm around her waist, then turned to stare at her eyes with a slight smile. A second later, he came closer to her ear and spoke out as quietly as he could.

"I might've lost a lot, I might've gone through agony and pain... but I've always wished to see you happy again. So I never forgot how I treated you, even if it was a haunting memory... something that kept digging into me. I embraced it and hoped that one day, I would see you again. I would then know how to make you smile again, even after months or years." The young Saint whispered to her, then leaned back from the side of her head and let go of her waist. Then, he turned back forward to the other newcomers.

 

After yet another rude reply from Eleanor, Blake began to doubt that she was truly friendly. Then, he began to wonder if she'd ever get a partner. If he were to consider her personality, she would be rude to every second person. And whenever she wasn't, she would be clingy and shy... which would mean whoever was her partner would need to have nerves of steel, so he could deal with both situations.

Thankfully, her brother was more collected. Though he only guessed they were siblings, he knew that he was probably the one better off from the two. Somehow, he thought that he would become a friend of his, even if he were to join in his sister's words. Plus, even if he didn't really get to know Rein, he seemed like a serious and proper type. Maybe they could work together sometime. Just maybe.

A strange feeling of confusion came over Blake as he heard Verick's response from behind him. He silently turned so he faced him and watched with a look of unease as he spoke just how far he was willing to go for Rose. His words felt like the cold, hard truth... and for a moment, the young Saint could feel chills going down his spine. Though he offered them a smile after his harsh words, the young man knew the effect had already taken its toll.

In brutal honesty, Blake would do almost the same for Vanessa. Of course, he probably wouldn't go to lengths that Verick could take, but... if it was a posessed Saint between him and his love - especially if she was in danger - he would cut his way through without a moment's hesitation. Thankfully, his speed gave him a small advantage here, as he could react and move faster in order to help... but there would come an occasion where he'd HAVE to make that choice. Maybe a posessed Saint with a trained spell at him and Vanessa that they couldn't escape... he would kill the lost without a moment's hesitation.

Snapping out of his thoughts, Blake turned back forward and looked at the two siblings. His idea of Eleanor being clingy became a fact as she took hold of her brother's hand. After all, if he could guess what they had gone through, he would probably be her only figure of support. Of course, though they did say they have family and friends, he wondered if they shared the same feeling about the two relatives. Had they seperated after an accident, or an incident that left them doubtful of their own family's feelings for them?

Rein's choice to remain silent after Eleanor's words made the young Saint think that he was agreeing to her, even if not verbally. His words came off cold, but they held truth. This was a pair from an earlier generation of Saints. They had to pick their friends well, since they were still seeking a partner... and having someone that they liked and were liked by lost because they knew someone like Verick wouldn't really be a good feeling.

Immediately afterward, a stern voice echoed out from the other side of the room and left Blake suprised and worried. He immediately looked at the direction of the sound, but already knew who it was before spotting her - chief Mary. His expression became filled with unease as she stepped up to where they were and spoke to Verick. He silently watched both her and Verick as they came in eye contact. The air literally felt so dense that one could cut through it with a knife. There was something he had to do to ease the situation...

"Commander!" Blake began uncertainly as he silently stepped forward and between Verick and Maye. Though his voice was shaky, his stance certainly wasn't. He felt confident.

"We've just went through our first combat course. We were faced for the first time with actual danger that could damage our body. This is also the first time we've manifested both our survival instinct and energy. Please, we're already stressed as it is... just let Verick be. He probably doesn't mean it." The young man spoke out bravely, even if he knew the last line was a lie. He simply prayed for Verick to not cut in, because though he would do the same for Vanessa... there was a place and time for everything, and now and here was not it.

Edited February 9, 2015 by KuroKishi

[Clown_of_God]

"Milady," Eleanor chimed fondly when Chief Mary entered, "my brother and myself were just trying to convince this dense individual that his way of thinking is not appropriate for our purpose."

 

Once again, Eleanor turned a new leaf, eager and giddy as she spoke to the Chief. Rein merely bowed his head politely and stepped back. Aside from Rein, Eleanor looked up to Chief Mary with great respect, taking every opportunity she could to exchange in small talk.

 

"If I may further inquire, Milady, may my brother and myself train with our vice devices? Rein will ensure I don't damage or destroy anymore of the training bots. Well... destroy, specifically. I'm still a little unstable, depending on the force I exert, but I'm certain I'll be able to take on the next Stage soon."

 

Looking back at the new candidates, Eleanor waved her hand, purposely jingling the bands around her wrists as if boasting her status. Of course, there was the possibility she would be shot down, and not necessarily in a friendly manner, but that was how Chief Mary was. Rein, on the other hand, merely tugged on his scarf, lifting it back up over his mouth and ducking into it, remaining silent while Eleanor made her request.

[Thaelasan]

There was no word for the fury he felt, burning intensely, deep within his chest. His heart felt like it was aflame, no longer of flesh and blood. His eyes were reflective of that, though he made no motion to move or assault the woman.

Deep within him, there was nothing but a frothing rage. He wanted to speak out against her, contradict her, defeat her. But because of her seniority and her power, she was currently winning, and she knew it. He clenched his teeth within his jaw, his lips keeping her from seeing them being gritted - luckily.

Of course, mentally, he was merrily roasting the woman for her outburst, but outside of that, he was still laying his head on Rose's lap, immobile, his glare piercing. He would let her win, for now. But his words had been truth. No one here had yet earned the right to be worth anything equal to her. Should they have done so, then he would gladly protect them. But all of them seemed either self-centered or negligent. Only Vanessa and Blake were in his circle of friends as it stood.

But she didn't know that. She couldn't have known. She didn't care enough to know. Or if she did, she wasn't showing it. All she knew was what he had said.

Well, let her know it then.

As Blake spoke, Verick shot him a sideways glance, but then returned to staring at the woman, his anger non-subsiding.

"You misunderstood." he finally stated. "I have no intention of killing a fellow Saint in cold blood. I must have meant... demons."

The word seemed uncertain, yet certain at the same time, and it's all he would say on the matter before turning to look back at the ceiling, ignoring her presence.

"And if you call court marshalls about empty threats and small talk, I wonder what you do when REAL trouble happens." he joked, but his voice was serious. "I couldn't possibly have the inhibition to kill a man. After all.. I'm only sixteen."

He gave a small smile, as though to lessen tension in the situation.

[ValidEmotions]

"Insulting Chief Mary like that surely won't earn points in your favor."

 

Thel approached the group, glaring down at the pair he had... unpleasantly, encountered on the boat. "Do you believe people idiots? We all heard and understood precisely what you meant. Now you'd be wise to understand, perfectly, what Chief Mary meant," he said sternly, folding his arms across his chest.

 

"Your threats are sincere, not idle, and Chief Mary has all the right to do as she pleases to you and your *." Thel's gaze was icy, almost challenging Verick to lash out inappropriately. "You act like you're better than the world but you are not. Instead, you're lower than the dirt with no true sense of moral. This is a battle for all of us to fight. Together, without having to fear that some weak link would fail to protect our back because he fails his partner or she fails him."

 

[[i think you have the wrong word. Inhibition means to be unable to act in a relaxed manner. "Can't have inhibition" would then mean "I could do it without hesitation" essentially.]]

Edited February 9, 2015 by Narvix

[Esko]

((Okay so I can't really think of a good Sasha fight sequence and I really wanna post and interact, so here it is.))

 

Sasha

 

When she walked out, she wiped the sweat off her face. Overall, she thought she did pretty well. After all, she only broke a leg of the drone. Maybe two. Or three. Sasha didn't think it was very serious at all. Not major damages, right?

 

Sasha saw her brother walk out as well. "Hey brother! How did you do?"

 

"I subdued the hunk of metal. How badly did you break your drone?"

 

"Errrr....maybe two or three legs?"

Esko sighed at that. "Um, brother, there is a dart in your head."

 

"Yeah, I noticed. Hey, what's going on there?"

The twins noticed some people arguing. "Somebody seems to be getting dissed by another Saint. Watch? Then if things get bad, we interfere."

"Good idea. Hey sis, you are thinking for once."

"Shut up!" Sasha said, lightly punching her bro's arm while he snickered. Then the duo walked near the conflict and watched.

 

((Feel free to have one of those guys notice the twins and say something. I tried my best to describe Thel saying stuff to Verick. You know, that conflict.))

[TehUltimateMage]

Flint couldn't remember how long he was out, but when they managed to wake him up and shoo him out of the testing room, he felt at least a little better than he did immediately after the battle. And it. Was. Awesome. He had never had the chance to properly test out his Saint abilities since he got his mark. The government seemed to be able to detect whatever gave Saint their Sainthood, and he had been scooped up on his birthday -- probably like all the other students around him.

 

The enhanced strength and healing was remarkable. He flexed the fingers of his right hand, the skin still red and swollen from the burn. His body ached, yes, but the short nap had refreshed his mind. And... he wasn't looking forward to facing the consequences for destroying part of the drone. Rumor had it that he wouldn't be expelled, though there would be detention for the rest of his first year.

 

He heard some other girl managed to trash it as well, while talking with another boy. He stepped forward in front of Esko and his sister, remaining painfully oblivious to the argument happening a little ways away.

 

"Heyyy girl!" He hollered at Sasha, making a movement to swing his arm around her shoulders. "Just two or three legs? I wouldn't doubt it if you blasted it to bits. Maybe they'll let you off with like, minor detention. I guess I might see you there?" He had one of his signature charming smiles on, though the rest of him looked a bit beat up.

 

 

[Esko]

((OMFG MAGE I LOVE YOUR CHARACTER HE MADE ME LAUGH FIVE TIMES NOW.))

 

Sasha

 

Some guy had swung his arm around her shoulders and tried to flift with her. "Uh....maybe?" She started to get a little pink. Not everyday did guys try and flirt. Wait! I can try and remember his name...Uh....Flint, right? She thought, remembering the attendance. "Uh....you're Flint, right? I think I remember that from attendance...right?" Sasha could see her brother getting angry. I guess I could see why, the overprotective butt he is. Sasha looked at Flint. Did he hear her name and see her? Possible.

 

((I will wait for Esko to go overprotective after Flint has a few posts))

[pudding]

It didn't take too long for Alis to bury her head in her hands. Her fingers curled around her hair and she pulled on it slightly, trying to bring herself back into focus with the uncomfortable sensation it gave her. Her chest still hurt from where the drone had collide with her during the fight. All of the tests before seemed so mundane compared to the one that had only finished a few minutes ago. Even the people coming out of the testing chambers seemed to be sporting injuries of some kind or another. Hell, a boy nearby had a dart stuck in his head. Was he going to remove that? She didn't know but it looked painful. It was crazy to think that they, a bunch of kids, were going through with this. The tests before never really seemed to spell out how dangerous this task would be. But facing that drone, having it ram into her so hard she felt like throwing up, was a bigger eye opener. If she had been panicking before about what she would be facing, she was really worried now. When it came to being told what to do, she preferred to know everything in advance. Going in to face that drone caused a terrible amount of anxiety simply because she had no idea how to deal with it and they had only managed to beat the drone by luck. If she couldn't face a drone properly, how could she hope to face a demon alone? And she was going to be alone because it didn't matter who they paired her up with, Alis was saving her own hide first. She had no doubt her partner would have the same mentality.

And here were people nearby already in a fight. Why? No really, why? What did they have to be fighting about at this point in time? They were training to fight demons to save the world and they were choosing to fight other humans. It seemed horribly, horribly counterproductive. In fact, they were all idiots. It was best to commit their faces to memory now so she knew never to associate with them ever. Idiots didn't deserve her graces.

Mumbling some rather... unpleasant words in Icelandic in the direction of the group, she looked around at other people trickling out of the testing rooms. She had avoided people on the boat out of spite but maybe meeting one person would be a good idea? Then again, if they all acted like that group, maybe keeping to herself was the best idea. She would only have to deal with this for so long until her mark vanished.

Or she died.

Drawing in a breath at that idea, she took another look around at those who had emerged from the testing center. One group, the conflict group, had already formed and three people were lingering closer to that group than she would have liked. Perhaps aiming for individuals was a better idea to make friends.

[Thaelasan]

There is a moment, in a man's life, when he has finally taken enough, and he is completely in his power to retaliate, no matter what the cause or source. Even great warlords fell to reflex, burning down the cities of enemies due to some dishonor or some angry words.

And sometimes, that sort of thing just cannot be stood for. Sometimes, that sort of thing just gets under a man's skin.

And he will lash out. And he will do it with utter determination.

And for women.. sometimes.. it's worse..

Hence, Hell Hath No Fury Like a Woman Scorned.

 

-----

 

"The hell did you just say about me."

The young woman who was currently allowing her lover to lay his head on her lap was sitting up straight now, her eyes firmly on the man in front of her.

"Oh right. You're that boy from earlier." she rubbed her chin. "I suppose now you think taking the moral high ground will make you some sort of big man? What makes you better, if you're trying to incite some sort of fight - in front of an AUTHORITY figure, you worthless excuse for a male? Because the perfect way to show a person that he needs to protect other people is to insult his sleeping girlfriend - quite loudly - cross his arms, and show his false dominance in front of an older woman. Yes. Exacerbate the situation."

She rubbed her head as though exhausted.

"And now, my nap has been interrupted by a pair of tsunderes, a woman who yells too loudly, and some upstart archer with a complex. And it was so nice too..." she sighed, "Oh, and Verick, dear..."

"Hmm?"

"A very good attempt at retorting without fighting, but you used inhibition wrong." she said patting his head lightly. "I'll teach it to you later. For now, I think it's best for everyone... if we leave."

She grabbed their things, handing a few bags to him, as she stood up from the bench, keeping her gaze firmly on the four individuals in front of her, excluding Blake and Vanessa.

"Don't worry. I'll have a talk with him later." she said, as though she wouldn't at all. "Of course, what he did was completely unacceptable. You obviously should have done exactly what you did. After all, you seem to know exactly what you're doing. He's such a troubled boy. Right.. Verick?"

She gave him a soft glance with a smile. He immediately nodded, rubbing his eyes.

"Oh yes, of course. Of course." he said, rubbing the back of his head. "Sorry about all that."

He patted Thel on the shoulder, giving him a glance that said volumes about the rage within him and how much he wished to destroy him, but it also seemed to say "But that won't happen if you just stay away... far away."

She grabbed Verick by the hand and began to walk off, ignoring any complaints from the group. There was no point. They'd finished their tests.

"Verick, though that may be true.." she whispered. "We shouldn't say that out loud, as that demonstrated. It seems to draw.. people."

"Oh of course. I'm sorry." Verick apologized, sheepish.

"I know you are. But I'm not mad at you. I'm happy you stood up for me.." she said, pulling closer to him. "But it seems other people frown upon us.."

"Then let them." he responded quietly.

Edited February 10, 2015 by Thaelasan

[TehUltimateMage]

((Actually, he was absent from the role call! So nobody would really know his name, and he wouldn't really know anyone else. P.S.:

))

 

A slight blush had spread across her face. He met her eyes with his own, only breaking the stare to wink. They were pools of deep green, like the lust forests outside. What a contrast to his boring earthly russet. "I'm the one and only Flint Albion, age 16, elementless!" His uniform, messier than usual after that fight, gave both those later pieces of information, but he felt the need to restate it. He took his arm off her and pointed to himself with his thumb. "Hobbies include climbing, lifting, mountain biking, and uh... cooking!"

 

He stole a glance at the guy beside her. Was he staring at him with jealousy? Maybe envy? Were they a unit, bonded already? Maybe, maybe not -- at least, his expression was deadpan and seemed intent to bore right through Flint if he stared too long. The Saint's focus was on the girl, though he wouldn't say no to the boy butting in. "What about you? A killer face and a strong bod has to have a pretty name."

Edited February 10, 2015 by TehUltimateMage

[Esko]

((Oopsies! No theme for my charries yet...))

 

"Cool! Sa-Sasha Arkus, 16, also elementless! Uh,..yeah!" Sasha shifted her feet. Dang, this guy knew how to charm! The partner will be a lucky gal! Or guy. "Oh, that guy? He is Esko, my older twin brother." She said, pointing to Esko.

 

"What she said." Esko said with a cold, deadpan voice. He was enough to be intimidating. "Flint, huh? Don't do anything stupid around me, got it?"

[TehUltimateMage]

Twin brother?

Oh. Oh.

He could never tell. Not that it really mattered. It only meant that both of them could have separate relationships, if the guy would just release his overprotective hold on his sister.

 

"Man, chill out!" Flint told Esko, crossing his fingers behind his head. "We're at a glorified dating school. If you don't let her out to learn the ropes, how would dear Sasha know when she's met the one? I mean, I'm not judging if you choose to go through here with bonds of sibling love alone, but..." Actually, that was a lie. He judged the possibility a little. "Well, depends on what you define as stupid, bud!" he replied with a laugh. People called his actions stupid on more than one occasion. Everyone needed a little reckless stupidity in their life.

 

"Alright Sasasha," he started, poking a little fun at her stutter, "forget that worrywart and tell me something more about yourself that I can't guess from looking at your uniform."

[Esko]

Sasha

 

"Uh....well, brother and I were thrown on the streets to fend for ourselves, and yeah. Our whole life was a survival story. Running from armed thugs, getting an education, keeping my virginity..." The last part she muttered really quietly. "Anyway, so yeah. Then the mark appeared just before getting caught and taken to the orphanage, and the police ran. I thought it was because they got scared, but since later the helicopter showed up, we think now that they got the authorities. Yeah, my life was hectic." She shifted. "So...yeah! Uh...Esko, are you oka-"

 

Esko

 

Esko had stood there, getting angrier by the second. He needed to chill? This was his SISTER. The only family he had! He had to protect her with all his life. He rushed forward and leaned in close. "Listen here, you don't tell ME to chill out. I need to make sure my sister is safe. If that means I need to be strict, then so be it." Esko glared. Sasha sighed at her brother.

 

 

((Overprotective bros. yeah! ))

[Clown_of_God]

Soon after her awakening, it was no real surprise to Eleanor that Rose would react in such a manner. Looking back at the pair, holding off on listening to any response given to her request, Eli listened as the girl went off on Thel and made some other commentary. Tsundere? What, like something from one of those Japanese comics? Eleanor restrained herself from laughing out loud, placing a knuckle to her lips and looking away. Yet, even as the pair left in a rather hurried fashion, Eli held her tongue on any further commentary and eventually returned her focus to Chief Mary, eagerly awaiting an answer now.

 

Meanwhile, Rein had made his way past Blake and up to Thel, stopping short of his personal boundaries in retrospect to Verick's recent actions. Fighting amongst one another was certainly something Rein wanted to avoid, two rotations through training kind of drilled that into his thought processes.

 

"I know your intentions were in the best interest, but your method of approach was unnecessary. Based on their behavior, it would've been better to approach them calmly and without insults. Of course, Chief Mary's methods are her own, but as potential teammates... that's just my two cents."

 

Rein had lifted his scarf up higher, his eyes barely peeking through from between it and his hair, but his tone was unwavering. Rather, it seemed more commanding than before, but even he knew that Thel's response would be based on his own judgement. After all, regardless of Rein and his sister's experience, the two truly held no more power over anyone here than they had power over them. They were all candidates, so they all held the same status and authority as the other.

 

"If you wish to fight, there will be opportunities in training where you are permitted to challenge one another, but remember we are a team and such conflicts will only spread the gap wider. Now, if you'll excuse me, I shall continue to greet the other candidates who are finishing their test."