Corpus Rahkshi

[Nato G]

IC: Exxan - Gym.

 

I ducked down, exerting my level 1 powers to blur beneath the descending sword and come to a stop behind my opponent, a position from which I sent Remembrance's gleaming green blade slashing towards the back of my opponent's knees. 

[Onaku]

IC: Omicron

^{Location: Gym}

The blade slashed a shallow cut the back of her left knee, but just missed the other, as she had quickly moved to try and anticipate his next move. She growled in pain, using the momentum of her blade to swing it at him with all her strength and speed, this time too low for him to conveniently dodge under it.

[Nato G]

IC: Exxan - Gym.

 

As soon my opponent turned around to strike out at me, I darted to follow in the same direction, moving diagonally so that by the time to spike-riddled blade passed where I'd originally been standing, I was standing safely out of its swing radius. 

 

"You can't win this fight," I continued moving backwards, distancing myself from the edge of the platform. "You're way out of your depth with me," although the bleeding gashes on my back might have disagreed, "Just let go. Move on. Don't throw your life away chasing ghosts." 

[Onaku]

IC: Omicron

^{Location: Gym}

Omicron turned to face Exxan. There was a sick feeling to her stomach. She attributed it to her disgust for her opponent, although she did note that it was somewhat severe, even for that. "You're not a ghost yet, Exxan! I can still hurt you!" She took one of Exxan's knives, swiftly threw it at Exxan with startling accuracy and speed, straight at his mid-section.

[Nato G]

IC: Exxan - Gym.

 

My earliest, simplest trick - a gimmick I'd even used in my fateful final fight against Omega - had been using my powers to pull my dropped knives back towards me, usually when my opponent was standing between it and me. Sometimes it had paid off, and sometimes it hadn't, such as the unfortunate time I'd wound up impaling myself in the shoulder.

 

How far I've come since then...

 

What this meant, of course, was that I had plenty of experience dealing with accurate, fast stabby things flying towards at me. As soon as Orimnoc, Omicron, whatever, started to draw the knife, I prepared myself to intercept it, drawing on the air around me. I didn't need a lot of time to react, and it didn't take much of a blast to send the dagger clattering off course. 

 

"You don't get it, do you? Omega was stronger than me, when we fought. A better fighter, more skilled with his powers, and he still lost. I broke his legs, I broke his arm, and when I couldn't break his spirit, I decorated the floor with his brains!" I'd stopped moving, finding it hard to force out words thanks to the growing bruises left by my foe's punch, "Karz, that feels like a lifetime ago. Now, I have better weapons than you, better powers than you, and far more combat experience than you. Do us both a favour, and don't force me to do something I'll regret." 

[Onaku]

IC: Omicron

^{Location: Gym}

"I'm not going to stop! Not until you're on your knees begging me for mercy! Not until I have broken your spirit! I will not relent, Exxan, this has been a long time coming! You made me what I am when you killed my big brother, and now I'm unleashing it on you!" She considered her next moves carefully. There were two things to worry about here: His vacuum powers, and his sword. The lingering nausea tipped her off as to what kind of a sword it was. A weapon imbued with level 2 poison powers. What a dirty tactic.

 

She regarded her opponent. Scarred, but standing triumphant after facing many hardships. He seemed relatively unbothered by the wound on his back, so clearly he had gained a tolerance for pain. She could just about anticipate his vacuum attacks by feeling for any change in air pressure, but only at the best of conditions... This foe was as insurmountable as any, but she couldn't give up. This wasn't just about revenge. This was about closure. Shifting her sword into one hand, she took the other knife, this one stained with her blood, and stood defiantly against Exxan, ready to leap into action at a moment's notice.

 

"Make your move, brakas!"

Edited November 18, 2016 by Toa Onaku

[Nato G]

IC: Exxan - Gym.

 

I was not a kind rahk, nor a merciful one. I didn't let myself indulge in pity or guilt. I'd had this conversation before, more than once. It still astounded me that Omega had accumulated so many friends and allies in death, when he'd had almost none at all in life. I knew it wouldn't be the same for me. When I met my fate, there would be no one to mourn my passing, and more than a few who'd likely start lining up to spit on my grave. 

 

But I refused to let today be the day for me to meet with that fate. 

 

"You're not the first one of Omega's siblings to come after me, to make threats against my life, to try to bring it to an end. But there's one thing I can't figure out... where were you all, when he needed you most?" I remained where I stood, in a relaxed stance, while quietly drawing in the air from behind me, ready to defend myself the moment Omicron finally snapped. 

[Onaku]

IC: Omicron

^{Location: Gym}

"I was right there! I saw you as you crushed his skull with your staff and bloodied the very floor we stand on! I was innocent, naive even, back then! It's just a spar, I thought! No one's going to die, I thought! I will never make that mistake again! On guard!" She now confidently started striding toward Exxan, her two weapons raised in defense against anything he'd try throwing at her. Her senses peaked.

[Nato G]

IC: Exxan - Gym.

 

"I'm not talking about the fight," still, I didn't move, "Before that, through everything he went through. He had so many siblings, and so very few friends, and not a single brother or sister among them. You're just like the rest of your pathetic brood. You didn't give a karz about Omega in life, and you still don't. Avenging his death is just an excuse for you to kill someone, prove how tough you are."

[Onaku]

IC: Omicron

^{Location: Gym}

"I loved Omega! I was looking for him that very day, when you slaughtered him! You didn't need to kill him, but you did anyway, because it was convenient! I won't let you kill someone else! When this fight is over, know that I will be there, to stop you from ever doing something like that again! When I've beaten you into the ground, you will know that justice has been served! Don't worry, I won't kill you. That would be too good for you." She continued her calm but confident advance. She was almost upon Exxan. This was the perfect moment for him to strike her. The perfect moment to blast her off the platform and end this fight. She was wide open.

[Nato G]

IC: Exxan - Gym.

 

I sighed.

 

Word, for word, for word, I'd heard every last bit of this before, so many times, in fact, that I'd lost track. You know someone's truly lost when they're lecturing you with quotes from Vaalku. I smirked a little at that. 

 

"You say you loved him, that you were there to witness the moment of his death, yet you waited this long to avenge him? While his body rotted for weeks in the infirmary, and siblings he'd never even met made their way to the school and sought me out. You've done nothing, all these long months. I bet you weren't even looking for me when we crossed paths today. Your entire quest for vengeance is a karzing joke." 

[Onaku]

IC: Omicron

^{Location: Gym}

"I WENT THROUGH A LIVING KARZAHNI THANKS TO YOU! I HAD TO ADAPT! I HAD TO BREAK THROUGH WITH SHEER WILL! I STILL see the effects of it to this day! The walls crawl with insects, the floor feels like it could fall into an endless darkness at any moment, and you! I see your true visage! A thorned beast ready to kill without second thought! The moment Omega died, it lifted the veil of lies over this world and showed me all its true evils! IT WAS YOUR DOING! And only now have I adapted to my world. You'll pay for what did! Not only to Omega, but to me! I will not be afraid of you any longer! I refuse your oppression!" She was now standing close enough to Exxan to use her sword to cleave him in half. But she made no move. She simply held her weapons ready, as if taunting him to give her his best shot.

Edited November 18, 2016 by Toa Onaku

[Nato G]

IC: Exxan - Gym.

 

"Oh, but you should be afraid," I snarled, "You're bigger than me, covered in spikes, with a giant jagged sword already wet with my blood. You're not only willing to kill me, you want to kill me. But do I look even the slightest bit scared of you?" 

 

I'd lost count of how many times I'd stood in this very position, face to face with a being who had the power and potential to end my life in an instant. But I was still here. I'd tempted fate so many times: with Omega, Tridax, Kat, Fang, Recoil, Alpha, even Palma and Suvak. But I was still here. I'd survived everything Corpus Rahhkshi could throw at me: vengeful Matoran, fellow students, the murderous intent of a spiteful sibling, the wrath of an angered Makuta, the full force of an Oohnorak horde, and the might of a Kahgarak. But I was still here.

 

Compared to all of that, this tragic excuse for a rahk, trapped in the past with only madness and memory for company, was literally nothing. A joke. A final, stubborn tie to my past that needed only to be cut. The universe's way of showing me just how far I'd come, and how much further I had left to go. 

 

"You're not going to kill me. You can't. You want me to make my move? This is it. Go ahead, do your worst. Whatever you try, it'll be nothing compared to what I've already been through, and what awaits you if you don't concede." 

[Onaku]

IC: Omicron

^{Location: Gym}

"... No."

[Nato G]

IC: Exxan - Gym.

 

Well, if she was going to throw away her last and best opportunity to strike me down, then so be it. My words had done their work, it was time to let my powers finish the job. Clearly her resolve isn't as strong as she thinks it is...

 

I hadn't stopped absorbing the air behind and around me while we'd been talking, letting all of that power build up inside me in preparation for this final, inevitable moment. My opponent wasn't stupid. She had to have known this was coming, but she'd still gone and walked herself right up in front of me, too close to have any hope of escaping. 

 

So I did as I had earlier, but this time with more air, more ferocity, and in a wider radius, buffeting my foe with the full unbridled fury of my level four powers. This stupid, stubborn brakas was wasting my time with her hypocritical self-righteousness and ill-conceived revenge quest, and in return, I was going to waste her. 

[Click]

IC: Tear - Infirmary

 

"He's not in the suit," they said with plain certainty. "He's in me..."

 

 

IC: Melody - Infirmary

 

Tear was beginning to worry her. Her friend didn't seem to care about her any longer...

 

 

IC: Tube - Infirmary

 

With Torc dropped off back in the Infirmary, Tube turned around to be confronted with an upset Palma who simply gestured at the mess he had made searching for the stretcher. Tube sighed and went over to start cleaning. Hopefully Master wouldn't need him for now...

[Onaku]

IC: Omicron

^{Location: Gym > Infirmary}

Omicron was unceremoniously blasted off the platform. She landed with a thud a short ways away, where she groaned and got up. When she realized what had happened, her face contorted with a strong mixture of anger and sadness, tears sprouting forth and trailing down her faceplates. Then, without a word, she left the Gym. Arriving at the Infirmary, she sat down on one of the benches, and silently awaited healing.

 

I change my mind. She thought. I'm going to kill Exxan and break his skull to pieces.

[Click]

IC: Dormirahk and Canvas - Dormitories

Dormirahk gently opened up the door to their room. Inside were two things: their bed, and a chair. On their bed lay a sleeping Canvas, exhausted after recent events. The chair, meanwhile, was unburdened by anything other than the stale air that surrounded it, and so Dormirahk took a seat. There they sat, contemplating how they were going to confront Canvas when she woke up, while Canvas slept on, blissfully unaware of anything.
 
Time passed as Dormirahk sat on that chair, mulling things over. Perhaps they should be upfront and aggressive... no, that would only make matters worse. And it wasn't their style. Just thinking about it gave Dormirahk a bad taste in their mouth. No, they'd have to be gentle about it. Approach with caution, and subtly nudge Canvas toward spilling the beans. Perhaps she didn't know anything, or perhaps she had important information that could help in the investigation... or... perhaps she...
 
Dormirahk was lightly shaken from their thoughts when Canvas suddenly sat up. "Hey, thanks for letting me stay here."
 
"Oh, yeah, no problem... How are you feeling?"
 
"Better," Canvas smiled. "You were right, I just needed some rest. I haven't slept like that in a long time."
 
"That's good to hear... Sleep is a close acquaintance of mine, so I guess I know a thing or two about its complexities. Although knowing that rest is important sounds more like it'd be considered common sense." Dormirahk smiled a bit, before heavy thought of the potential murder stormed their mind once more. "... There's... something I need to ask you..."
 
"Sure, what?"
 
"... Your room... I discovered something there... And... I don't know what involvement you had in it, but..." Dormirahk found it hard to meet her eyes, but every time he looked back she had the same concerned frown. She wasn't giving anything away.
 
"The only thing I left in my room was my staff. That was there, right?"
 
"... A staff? No, that... There wasn't a staff... But there was something else..." Canvas' ignorance of the dead body in her room seemed genuine to Dormirahk. "... Canvas, I found someone in your room. They were... dead." Their heart skipped a beat as the word left their mouth. This was it. They had revealed the truth to Canvas.
 
Her eyes widened. "Dormirahk... I swear I haven't gone in that room for weeks. I... usually go to the Cauldron when I need something." She thought it over for a moment. "But maybe... if you take me there, I can try to figure out what happened. I know the school pretty well."
 
"... Alright, but... I hope you understand... I'm keeping my eye on you." Canvas looked hurt. Dormirahk did not want to treat her unreasonably. They liked her, she was nice, and that group she'd told them about was definitely something they were interested in. But at the same time... They had to be cautious. Looks could be deceiving.
 
"...Lead the way." Dormirahk stood up from their chair and opened the door again, keeping her in their view.
  

 

 
It was Canvas' turn to avoid their gaze as she walked out, puzzling over why this happened in her room. Dormirahk soon took the lead and walked down the hallway to the room she had lead them to last night. But something didn't seem right. Canvas glanced up at them in confusion. "My room's back down that hall."
 
"No, you told me earlier, this is your room. This is the number, right there." 
 
They pointed at the number plate on the door. She leaned in to read it. 134. In spite of the circumstances, Canvas couldn't help but laugh a little. "I must have been pretty out of it. My room was 143... so whose is this?"
 
"I... I don't know. But if this isn't your room, then this has nothing to do with you." Dormirahk slapped their forehead. "Gah! I'm an idiot!" 
 
Canvas put a gentle hand on their arm. "Don't beat yourself up about it. I said I wanted to help, didn't I?"
 
"Alright let's just..." Dormirahk looked down both ends of the hallway, making sure nobody was around to hear or see this. Then, they whispered. "Let's just get inside and close the door before someone comes along." They'd left the door closed but unlocked, finding it unlikely that someone would be going around checking into random rooms on a whim. They opened it only enough for them both to get inside, but not much wider. Canvas quickly followed them in, only to have her foot catch on a bucket of paint. She managed to catch herself, but only after the sea of cans thundered against each other as a few toppled over. "...sorry."

"Shhh! Careful!" They closed the door quickly yet silently, and then turned to the dead body. "... There she is."
 
But Canvas was still focused on the floor. "Paint? Who has this much paint? Unless..." She suddenly followed Dormirahk's gaze. "...Rain."

 

Dormirahk sharply turned to her. "You knew her???" They were looking at her with a mixture of between suspicion and shock, but she hardly noticed. She couldn't tear her eyes away from the empty suit of armor.

 

"She... she left our home before I did... I never knew her well... I didn't realize I hadn't seen her for a while. Now I guess we know why."

"You came from the same Makuta? I... I'm so sorry. I didn't know..." They turned back to the body. "She obviously died some time ago, the bloods completely coagulated and..." If they had a nose, aside from the one Rain had actually painted on their faceplates all that time ago, and had now faded away, they would have wrinkled it. "Well, the smell in here is horrid."
 
She pretended not to hear Dormirahk's comment about the smell, and stepped up closer while avoiding the many cans of paint.  "I guess we don't have to wonder much about what killed her... I couldn't imagine she would end it like this..."

She wanted to get out of here, but he was watching her curiously, like he expected something from her. She leaned in to look at the knife closer, glancing from a few different angles, and Dormirahk's head perked up with interest.
 
But Canvas started walking out of the room. "No... She's just gone. There's nothing we can do here."
 
"What? Wait a minute!"
 
"Don't worry about it," Canvas waved them off. "I'm just... grieving, I guess."
 
"Stop!" Dormirahk almost yelled, raising a hand in a gesture for her to halt her absconding for a moment.
 
Canvas wheeled around with just a bit of annoyance. "What?"
 
"Look closer! I don't know, I don't think it's as cut and dry as you're making it out to be."
 
Canvas stepped back through the cans to their side, waving at the armor. "So what, the... the positioning doesn't look natural, and the fingers are too loose around the dagger... you really think she didn't do it?" But her tone gradually began to shift to intrigued.
 
"So you see it too? The inconsistencies?" There was a hint of hopefulness to their voice.
 
"Yeah, I... I'm just good at paying attention to detail, I guess. But I thought I was making it up."
 
"I wasn't so sure myself, but if you see it too, then there really might be more to this than there seems."
 
"So you think... there's a killer out there? Well, beside the usual ones, I guess."
 
"Her killer, yes... And I can think of no way to determine who it was."
 
"But... what if they were going to do this again? We can't just let it happen!"
 
Dormirahk cluched their head. "I don't know! I'm not a detective... We don't know when she died, so we can't ask around if anyone saw something suspicious around that time, which means we've got nothing! It's a dead end! It's... It's a dead end..." Dormirahk turned away from Canvas and leaned forward against the wall opposite to the crime scene, their head and forearm lying on it. They took a deep breath, and sighed. "I just... don't know..."

Canvas carefully cleared away a space next to the top of the bed, kneeling to run her finger down the scars Rain's spines inflicted on the beautifully painted wall. "I didn't know her well, but if there were two things I know about Rain, they are that she would never deface her own art, and that she was very secretive about it... besides the decorations on her armor." Now that she looked closer, something about the armor seemed off too.
 
They turned around to look to her, find she was doing the same. "Yeah... from what I knew of her, she wouldn't have done it here... right next to her work. I don't profess to have known her closely, but I still doubt that even in her lowest moment she would have desecrated her work like this. I caught h### for being at the smallest chance of scratching one of her paintings, she clearly cared deeply for them."
 

"So why is she in here? Who else would have known about this place?"
 
"Maybe someone in the school would know... but we have to be careful. If the supposed killer finds out someone's snooping around in their buisness, we may have more than just a dodgy suicide scene on our hands..."
 
Canvas looked down at the ground. "I need to go back to Melody. It's been too long already, and... if something does happen..."
 
Dormirahk nodded. "Alright... Rain has waited this long already, if there was ever a hurry to solve this, that time's long past. Do you want me to come along, or-?"
 
Canvas shakes her head and gets to her feet. "Why don't you look around? I won't be gone long."
 
"I don't know... Like I said, I'm not exactly a detective. Besides, I think I need to get my mind off this for a moment, then come back to this fresh..." Dormirahk looked from Rain's corpse to Canvas. "Also, isn't Melody a member of this peace group you told me about? I'd be delighted to meet her, if you don't mind me tagging along?"
 
Canvas began to smile. "Alright, come along then."
 
A hint of a smile came to Dormirahk as well. "Lead the way."

[Sergei Rahkmaninoff]

IC: Blossom {Hallways}

 

Leaf followed after them, staring at Garrotte as she stared back. Blossom didn't seem to notice as she looked at the walls in wonder. "Do they usually get broken?"

 

IC: Vlad / Hallway

 

 

"Sometime, I guess. You don't often see it because of zer regeneration," Vlad replied, unsure. "Vell... also because zer stone tries to devour thinks, if zey get in zer vay of its power source or it becomes separated," he added.

 

...Sort of like him sometimes? Hmm.

[Nato G]

IC: Exxan - Gym.

 

I let out a sigh of relief, carefully wiping Remembrance's blade clean with a scrap of cloth before wiping the blade clean and slumping down on the edge of the platform. It was over. I'd conquered my past, I'd won the round, and hopefully quashed any further desire for vengeance that demented brakas was harbouring. Even if she did come for me again, Icarax and his precious prefects would be on my side, this time. 

 

Omicron had been a formidable opponent in the arena, but outside, in the real world, she would be little more than a minor annoyance. I didn't have the time or tolerance to indulge her nonsense any further, and neither did anyone else. 

 

We all had much bigger, realer issues to focus on. 

[Coconut Fella]

IC: Slif - Gym

Well, that was interesting. In a kind of morbid way, but still, interesting. I hopped off the stool I'd been sitting on and walked over to Exxan.

"Ah, hey there, Stripes. You doin' okay there? Need to stop off at the infirmary?"

I didn't want to be getting in his way or anything, but that match didn't look like it was too much fun, for a couple'a reasons.

 

OOC: Slif interacting with Exxan

 

IC: Sim - Infirmary

All... right then?

"Y-yes, that's what I was told. Are- are we speaking to "him" right now?" My fingers twitched. The situation's atmosphere suddenly felt very different.

Edited November 20, 2016 by Coconut Fanatic

[Nato G]

IC Percy:

 

He stepped easily aside the whirling energy disk, a frown crossing his face.

 

The way she fired while maintaining a defense didn't give him many options.

 

Either he needed to wait for an opening, or make his own.

 

IC: Vyper - Gym. 

 

"Today, please," I urged, taking another step away from the platform, and slightly closer to my foe. Almost there...

[The UltimoScorp]

IC Percy:

 

He had an idea.

 

She wanted him to make the move, and so far his movements had been plain, straightforward, predictable, even to a degree.

 

So he'd try something different this time.

 

He dashed in, closing the distance, took a step one direction in a way that looked like he would try to thrust under her guard.

 

And then Dodged the opposite way throwing a reverse thrust around her arm at the Kraata case.

 

It was improv, and truthfully, it left him wide open to a counterattack. But it might just net him a solid hit.

[Nato G]

IC: Vyper - Gym.

 

Predictable. I pivoted, ready to deflect the incoming strike with the staff, only for my opponent to suddenly blur to the side and lash out from a new angle. I bit back a cry, feeling the longsword's tip skitter across the side of my kraata case, leaving a stinging gash in its wake. Karz!

 

In response, I turned around fully, swinging the flat of the staff's head towards his back in the hopes of pushing him further towards the edge of the arena. 

Edited November 19, 2016 by Roman Torchwick

[The UltimoScorp]

IC Percy:

 

He ducked low, the staff crashing painfully over my spines, even cracking one. He bit back a hiss of pain, then came back up in an upward thrust under her staff toward her chest.

 

IC Diode:

 

Oh hey it worked!

 

I was so surprised that he easily shoved me aside.

 

I regained my feet quickly enough, but I had my doubts he'd be caught off guard a second time.

[Nato G]

IC: Vyper - Gym.

 

Now this was a proper fight. Finally... I edged to the side, letting the blade scrape along my torso rather than spear me through the chest, before clamping my right arm against my side, attempting to pin the flat of the blade between my arm and ribs. 

 

My staff was of little use in such close quarters, so I let it drop, and swung my left fist towards the side of his face. 

[Dane-gerous]

IC: Paladin

 

I got up quickly, aiming another slash towards the runt.

[Ghidora131]

IC Vaalku

 

"That's incredibly decisive, considering you have no way of really knowing." He murmured, glancing at Melody for only a moment. "Either way, I think your friends can all agree the safest thing to do now is to keep you in here, until something decisive is reached. I have business elsewhere, but if I see anyone inquiring-"

 

He got up to leave, and was dragged back into bed, gripping his shoulder and grimacing. "..Well... Maybe I'm not quite well enough yet."

 

 

IC Fountain

 

Vlad hadn't even noticed him, or the paper. He frowned.

 

Marching back towards the library, he dropped a few papers among obvious places, and quickly departed.

[silo]

OOC: I'm sorry this has taken so long ;__;

 

IC: Kekepua - Hallways

Her jaws clicked and popped, a devilish smirk curling into place.

"Wonderful. You see, I've been working on... a... shrine, of sorts. Yes, a room, dedicated to the splendor and majesty of fire. But I've run out of materials to decorate, so I need your help in finding more."

IC: Torch - Halls

My eyes widen. "That sounds...really...wonderful!" I exclaim. Despite my life not being all that interesting most of the time, I never found the time to do something like that. But now it seems so obvious, so clear. For a second I see The Vision of the world on fire, flames raining down from the sky - it's the only way I can die happy, I'm starting to realise. To make that vision a reality is the only way I can die satisfied. But first...I need to live to take us there.

"What do you need?"

[Click]

IC: Tear - Infirmary

 

A smile slowly came to her face, though it was still tainted with exhaustion. "It's Teer," she said. Then she looked down. "Mother might have wanted me to stop him... he hurts people... my friends." She looks up at Spindle apologetically. "Maybe... that would be for the best."

 

 

IC: Melody - Infirmary

 

She glared at Spindle as Palma put him back in his place. "Y-you're j-just as s-sick as she is. She's s-supposed to b-be your f-friend."

 

 

IC: Garrotte - Hallways

 

"So here, the walls don't just have ears, but mouths as well. Fantastic." Her tone was almost entirely devoid of sarcasm.

 

 

IC: Canvas - Hallways

 

The last place she remembered Melody mentioning was the Library. She had been heading there when Dormirahk found her. But as she feared, she was too late, and the Fellowship had moved on. As she finished her checks of the place, she turned to Dormirahk. "Well... I guess they're not here..."

[NorikSigma]

IC: Geuua - Gym.

 

My lost hand was aching. Never a good sign... 

 

A lot of beings discounted Rahkshi suits as simple machines, disposable and replaceable, but that wasn't the case. Each suit of rahkshi armour was born from a living, breathing kraata, drowned and mutated in a cocktail of Makuta viruses and energised protodermis. The sentience of one kraata was snuffed out, to provide a home for another.

 

Our suits had bones, musculature, a circulatory system, and functioning nerves. We felt pain, endured exhaustion, and suffered through the world's trials and tribulations with all five senses. So it stood to reason that we would experience phantom limb pain as well. 

 

My hand had been smashed completely apart by a mace blow, and what little had been left had been sawed off when my Earth Claw had been installed, but sometimes, like now, it still felt like my hand was there, broken and dangling, throbbing with a persistent, painful ache. It was a foreboding feeling, and had more than once preceded a moment of danger or disaster. 

 

As I made my way up onto the platform, ready to face my next opponent, I found myself wondering if my lost hand was trying, once again, to warn me. Here we go again...

 

IC: Glass

 

 

Well, time for the next round.

 

I'm hungry

 

Not this again.

 

Glass sized up his opponent. Huge, a transplanted mechanical hand, a warhammer...

 

I'm not so hungry now.

 

Come on, don't be such a-

 

"Greetings! Great to meet a new face!"

 

I hope you don't break this one, then. It's got a good-looking faceplate.

Now, I've never broken a face. Yet.

[The UltimoScorp]

IC Percy:

 

He shifted his grip, the blade turning ninety degrees lentghwise, as he let his power pull him, and by extension, his blade backwards as she.... Tried to pin it? A dangerous move, and with a smaller blade, it might have worked.

 

As it was, she was more likely to get two nasty cuts as his blade drew back upon the exposed flesh.

 

He was not content to leave it at that, however, as he rushed back in with an upward swing at her outstretched arm.

[Nato G]

IC: Geuua - Gym.

 

"Um... thanks?" The greeting seemed genuine, but I wasn't sure how else to respond. I shifted Blazebreaker into my regular hand, and shifted into a defensive stance, ready for combat to begin.

____________________________________________________________________________

 

IC: Vyper - Gym.

 

Karz, that speed factor was really going to take some getting used to. I recoiled with a curse, feeling blood welling from the fresh wounds his sword had left during its swift exit. As if that wasn't enough, he followed it up with a strike aimed at my raised arm, carving another gash across the back of my wrist. 

 

I extended my wrist blade, started charging up on a rhotuka... and then, I paused. What's the point of this? I wasn't here to fight in some childish, chivalrous tournament. I was here to learn how to be a better killer, not a better fighter. At best, I would win this fight, and proceed on to yet another grueling fight I had no interest or investment in. This wasn't what I had come to Corpus Rahkshi for. 

 

But my opponent... he was enthusiastic, talented, and more importantly, actually interested in the tournament. Who was I to deprive him of whatever meagre sense of accomplishment he might acquire from advancing through to the next round? I didn't care about my reputation, and karz, if word got around that I'd decided to be kind-hearted and generous, it might lead future opponents, in real fights, with real stakes, to underestimate me. 

 

"I concede," I let the building rhotuka energies dissipate, and retracted my wrist blade, "Victory is yours." 

[NorikSigma]

IC: Glass

 

"Sorry, I'm just a little... unused to all the new people in here. Seems like so long ago..."

 

Wow, could you just focus on the task at hand!?

"Great to meet you, anyway. Shall we begin?"

 

Glass pulled out his longer staff. He would need to keep away from the warhammer, and use his powers to jolt the titan, wearing the Rahk down.

 

Can we get to Terrortooth already?

 

Got to keep my aces in hand for later.

 

You... don't play cards.

 

Glass kept his position, waiting for his opponent to step forward first.

[Nato G]

IC: Geuua - Gym.

 

A staff - the traditional weapon of the rahk. Useful for keeping foes at a distance, fending off attacks from multiple directions or opponents simultaneously, and... in the hands of a completely silver rahkshi, I was guessing it was also going to be handing for channeling severe electric jolts as well. Karz, two chain lightning rahks in a row?

 

Thurisaz clearly had it out for me, for whatever reason. 

 

Mentally preparing myself for the onset of stinging pain that was sure to accompany any blow either of us landed, I lunged at my foe, swinging Blazebreaker diagonally down towards his left knee. 

Edited November 20, 2016 by Roman Torchwick

[NorikSigma]

IC: Glass

 

Glass hopped backwards, out of range. As his opponent missed, he jabbed forward at their exposed right shoulder, letting his power flow into the weapon. If it connected, they would be in for a nasty shock.

 

Ha. Ha. Ha.

 

Oh come on, you're the one always making puns like that.

[Nato G]

IC: Geuua - Gym.

 

Karz! I flinched at the jolt, even my additional armour doing little to lessen the sting. It appeared that this one actually knew how to use its weapon properly, which put them leagues above the skillset of my prior opponent.

 

I backed off, ensuring I maintained a measured distance from the arena edge, and waited for my for to make the next move. 

[Ghidora131]

OOC:

IC: Melody - Infirmary

 

She glared at Spindle as Palma put him back in his place.

It was supposed that the pain dragged him back, not necessarily Palma. Sorry for the confusion.

 

IC Spindle

 

"And being her friend, I intend to permanently free her of his presence," He half-snarled, "Not just gripe about it and do nothing."


IC Frog

 

Hustling out onto the courtyard, the sounds of music flowing out of one particular spot were wonderfully refreshing. He felt like plopping down in the middle of the doorway, but instead he just kinda stood there, unsure of how to react...

[Onaku]

IC: Dormirahk

^{Location: Hallways}

"Where to next, then? Perhaps the Refectory?"

 

IC: Helkyrie

^{Location: Roof}

"So... what now? Should we maybe get down from the roof now? Or... I mean... That sunrise is kind of nice, I guess. Maybe we can stay here a moment longer, if you want to... meditate... or something?"

 

IC: Waiata

^{Location: Hallways}

After scoping out the gym and noting it was currently in use for some kind of a tournament, Waiata headed to the library. She picked up some art supplies that were conveniently stashed in the corner, and began carefully writing out a few posters. All of them were advertising a solo concert that would be taking place in the gym whenever the tournament was over. She then proceeded to hanging them up at various strategic places throughout the school, humming a pleasant tune while doing so.

Edited November 20, 2016 by Toa Onaku

[Nato G]

IC: Glaciem Ignis - Somewhere.

 

Why is it that cool things happen to everyone else?

 

Because we're not cool.

Edited November 21, 2016 by Roman Torchwick