A dark man had been sitting in the corner of his room for some time, periodically looking up from his book to look out the window. He couldn't really read, but it surprised some would-be killers, thinking that the man was so engrossed in his book that he wouldn't notice them sneaking up.
Big mistake on their half.
Ryder sighed, and placed the book on his lap. He was in his home, if one could call it that, with his students in the other rooms that were in the already cramped house. They hadn't been too keen about moving in with him at first, but...
Ryder tossed the book off the the side, and left his room. Time for roll call. He passed each of his student's doors, and knocked on them loudly. "Main hall, kiddies, in five mintues please! Be ready for a night on the town."
((A question...Is this roleplay open to all, or is it private?))
(((Ask Akira... >.>
//http://www.spiritsoftheearth.net/forum/viewtopic.php?t=5138
There's the plotting thread.))
((Of course it's open! The more cramped we can make Ryder's home, the better! xD))
"Yes, sir!" Mo hollered. Ha! Perfect timing as always. She had already washed up, put her hair up, gotten dressed, and was picking up her cute little dagger she bought not too long ago. She smiled at herself in her mirror, looking at just how slimming she looked in her outfit--nice, taught, grayish pants with a stylish little tassle to tie up the waist, her sleeveless black top with long, black gloves that almost reached the crook of her elbow. Her hair was done up wi--well...she barely had any hair. Her light-blueish hair was pulled back with a headband of hers with the small white remains of a rose on the side of it. She had worn this thing since forever. She'd always taken care of her things, but one day she had to fight another girl to protect her dignity.
And now she wished she hadn't.
She opened the door to find her not-so-dignified dignity standing at the door. He waved and smiled his fake smile, waving at her. Mo took a step back before returning his fake smile with one of her own. "Don't you look nice," he said.
"Oh, thank you, sweetie," she replied, "And you look--" She took a glance at him before she said anything else. He was wearing a one-size-too-large brown cloak, so she couldn't quite see what he was wearing. However, she did see a hint of white slacks and boots. "--ready to go, yet...yet not. Where are your black and gray things?"
"I..." He looked about as if someone would hear. "I lost them."
She folded her arms and sniffed at him. "Lost? How did you lose your clothing? Honestly, Eun'ee."
"I lost a bet. But don't tell anybody."
"Why?" She walked past him and made her way to the main hall, listening to Eun'ee stumble all over himself trying to catch up with her. She didn't know how he always managed to have to catch up with people...even when he was standing side by side with the person. How obnoxious. "Afraid of what people may think."
"No, because I'm ashamed of who I lost to."
Mo leaned against the hall, looking up at him with her green eyes, brow arched. A smile crept up her face, the symbol of her wanting to make Eun'ee wallow in his failure. "Ohhhh? Who's the lucky chap who took your nice, expensive clothes?"
Ryder was already downstairs, in the main hall, pacing back and forth. Today was one of their last tests, and the thought of it worried him. They wouldn't be leaving soon though, even if they passed the final one. As a part of taking them as his students, they became his little... Entourage of sorts, until he deemed them worthy enough to go out on their own.
He continued to pace, which almost looked like some sort of dance, tapping his chin. He forced himself to stop, and shook out his clothes. He wore his usual, various tones of dark browns, greens, blues, and grays. Ryder started to shake out his legs, when he felt something familiar tighten its hold on his thigh.
Looking around, before peeking in, he saw his snake look up at him. "What? You've never complained before."
((... Yes, he has a snake in his pants. Literally.))
[lmfao. ohnoez! he has TWO =O]
She moaned lowly, tightening the blankets around her. What could it be now? She turned and rolled from her bed, landing in a heap on the floor. Screw grace and all its companions. Waking up was the hard part of any day - especially Pace's. She stood up and shook her short auburn hair, her fingers combing through it. It was casually flipped to the right, just barely falling into her right eye. Her ears were pierced with its usual variety, the center of her lower lip sporting a silver ring.
Her green-hazel eyes lost focus for a minute and then regained it as she stumbled through her room, mumbling something obscene as she clocked her foot off a table of sorts. She stumbled out of the room, looked down at herself and groaned. Her pants were on backwards.
Or, should she say, Eun'ee's pants were on backwards? They were gray, and thankfully, a little baggy. She couldn't stand tight clothing. She wore the black top beneath the loose fitting white top. And she had thankfully managed to find her boots.
Like a person half drunk she walked into the hall, dropping her pants unceremoniously to turn them about and pull them on. It never bothered her who was in her company or not.
"What time is it?" She asked, eyes slitted sleepily, a lazy smile barely inching along her lips.
[Akira, mind if Pace got Eun'ee's pants? If ya do, ya could say whoever he lost it too she beat up and stole the pants. o.o]
((I don't mind at all! ^-^))
Mo's smile widened greatly as she slowly proceeded to point at Pace's pants. This was her form of greetings for today. Pace would recieve no other greeting today. "Ah--!"
Eun'ee blushed furiously, folding his arms for a brief moment. "--Yeah, I know. She's wearing my pants. GIMME MY PANTS BACK!" He took a step towards Pace, only to be held back by his shouldn't-be lover. "But...but she's got my pants!"
"Let it go. It's not like they were your only pair of black--" Eun'ee gave Mo the flattest look she had ever seen. That look. My word, that look is...funny as hell! She sputtered and began to laugh again, emerald eyes twinkling. "Nevermind, then!"
"Lemme alone, Mo! If anything, you should be supporting me! And you! You gimme my pants back!"
"They're only pants. It's not like she gave you something to wear in turn." Eun'ee proceeded to pull his cloak around him tighter, making it look somewhat like a dress. "Ahhh! Lemme see. What'd she make you wear?"
Eun'ee recoiled from Mo, his voice squeaking to add emphasism on his exclaimation. "No! Are you kidding?!"
Teacher came into view and, blinking, both Mo and Eun'ee stared as Teacher proceeded to speak to his pants. Eun'ee flattened his adorable brown eyes again and looked off to the side. He mumbled, "Looks like everyone's got pants issues today."
"Shh! All except for me, of course," Mo boasted. She raised her voice. "Hello, Teacher! How do you fair?"
((xD Wow. Ryder has a snaaaake! *pokes it*))
((Gah! Don't touch it! GAWD!))
Ryder looked up, surprisingly calm for someone who had just been caught looking down his pants. He let go of his waistband, and turned to his students. "I'm fine, this day... Or evening, really." He smiled at them. "Now, line up please..."
As cool and calm as his outward look may have been, inside he was cursing himself. Maybe he should just tell them he kept his snak--- The real--- Nevermind. It would be too difficult to explain unless he showed them, and even then it would be hard. Sticking his hand down his pants to get that forsaken snake out would take forever, and it wouldn't look good in front of his students. "Tell me, do you know what is so special about this evening?"
"Get your own," Pace told Eun'ee flatly, her hand ruffling her hair again, not even acknowledging Mo. And honestly, just what had their teacher been doing? Looking in his pants..? Pace's lazy smile turned into an amused one as she straightened out own clothing. More of boredom and discomfort than out of concern for her appearance. She tucked in her shirt loosely, knotting the pants' tie better to keep her pants tighter as she fell in line with the rest of them.
So. It was the evening. She had slept a rather nice and long time. Still, she hadn't a clue why they were up now. Whether he had already told the about this evening in particular or not, she wasn't all that sure. Just trying to remember was a little difficult and a trial all in itself. She rubbed the tattoos on the inside of her wrists absently, glancing at the two lovers and then the teacher, her eyes opening more, waking up and getting acquainted with the real world again.
"Not really..." Her words were tailed with a yawn, arms crossing over her chest, tilting her head slightly. She studied Ryder intently, glancing at the people beside her. It was a wonder how they all survived in the same little cramped house. Her eyes drifted back to Ryder again. Still, the main focus of her mind was, 'What the hell was he doing with his pants?'
Ryder sighed, and ran a hand through his wild hair. "You don't? Good to see you've been paying attention, kid." He looked at the other two. "Do you remember?"
He looked back to Pace for a moment, and noticed she was giving him a... Look of some sort. Great, she was wondering about his pants, and what not, wasn't she? He rolled his eyes, before grinning to himself.
If only she was just a little bit older, then he'd show...
Ryder's jaw nearly dropped. What the hell was he thinking? Momentary laspe of sanity, all because of that stupid snake...
Stupid snake.
He mentally composed himself, and looked at his other two students. "Well?"
Well, thought Mo, what's so special is that you're going to announce who's the best and brightest student here (that's me, of course), you're going to say who's the most incompetent (that would be Eun'ee), you're teaching without a student, and... "Pace and Eun'ee are cross-dressing tonight." The sentence rolled off her tongue so easily that it took a moment to sink into Eun'ee's thought processes.
"Would you...! Shh, Mo. Just SHH!" Eun'ee was doing his best to keep the blushing to a mere beet red. He was facing Teacher, but was looking over at the Mo who happened to be fading in and out of his peripheral vision at the moment. She must be bouncing on the balls of her feet, he thought. What a girl she is. Regaining his composure, he looked back at Teacher, figuring he can't embarrass himself any more tonight. Why not ask an embarrassing question? "You've...got a rash, sir?" He asked, nodding at his teacher's nether regions.
Ryder... Stared at them, for some time, before finally answering. "No. DO ANY OF YOU PAY ATTENTION TO WHAT I SAY!?"
Ryder threw his hands up in the air. "By Luna! What is a matter with you three tonight? I've told you time and time again what tonight was about..." He calmed, and looked at all three of them in turn. "I guess I'll just have to hold off the graduation even more now, hmm?"
How could they not remember? He told them this morning, before he had let them do whatever they wanted, that this was one of their very last tests, and a practical at that. They had to try out their skills tonight... But by the way they seemed to have forgotten, Ryder was fairly sure he would have to push it off until another night...
"Are you distracted by something?" He looked at two of his students. "Other than wearing the opposite gender's clothes, of course."
"Mm. Cross-dressing," she said eerily, glancing down at the clothes she was wearing. "What's bad about a girl wearing a boy's clothes? In any case, mine are tattered." She shrugged carelessly. Who the hell cared what Mo had to say? Well, besides Eun'ee.. and maybe teacher. That clearly made two. Oh well.
Pace blinked. Then she snapped her fingers and stifled a small laugh, but not the lazy grin that flickered across her lips. So that's what was happening tonight! Like she even remembered what happened five minutes ago, let alone something that happened that morning and days before this one!
"I remember now," Pace decidedly said, a grin flickering across her lips again. She remembered because he told her. That was fine, life was like that. Easy come and easy go, right?
"In my defense, I just woke up," she admitted - but she didn't really use as an excuse. She was actually quite amused by the entire situation, even if her teacher wasn't. "Does this mean we're not graduating tonight?" She asked, running a hand over her hair and resting her arm on top of it, her left hip jutting out from the way she stood. Maybe, next time, she should write these occasions down. And put it somewhere where she'd know she'd look. Where that was she wasn't so sure... maybe on the inside of her door. Yeah. She'd see it hanging there.
Mo cowered from the teacher just like a young lady should, putting a hand up to her mouth, curled e'er so delicately against her mouth, the bend of her index finger touching the tip of her cute little nose.
Eun'ee turned his head and rolled his eyes. How pathetic. Although, he couldn't say much himself about being pathetic. He didn't remember one time being able to kill someone without someone's help. Besides, blood was icky and violence was a no-no...that...that was just the way he was taught, okay? He was four at the time.
"There's nothing bad about women wearing men's clothes. I actually find it cute in a way..." Mo's cheeks turned a defensive way as Eun'ee continued "...but a guy wearing feminine clothes...that's just wrong."
"Then take the bloody clothes off, then." Mo's voice was stern and low. She hadn't quite appreciated that he thought that she was cuter than Mo.
"I can't. It was a part of the bet. I have to wear them all day."
Mo arched a dismayed brow at Pace. This clothing business is about to give me a headache. "Honestly, Pace." She always pronounced Pace's name as "pah-ss". "Although we're assassins, we do need to try our best and keep our clothes as nice as possible." She listened as Pace began to awaken and sniffed. "Of course not. We have to take a test, don't we, Teacher?" Her smile brightened at Ryder.
Eun'ee grumbled at her. "Why didn't you say that earlier? You could've kept us from being yelled at." Mo blinked her slanted emerald eyes and shrugged innocently, causing Eun'ee to think thoughts of death...for once.
((Muahaha! Mo's a JERK! xD))
Ryder smiled, happy that they remembered, only to frown again at their bickering. He picked these three because they were the most promising of the lot, but... He really needed them to get past their differences if they planned to work together. "Yes, today is one of the very few tests left, that we need to do."
He began to pace again, ignoring the feeling of his snake (the animal one, anyway), closing tigher around his thigh. The damn thing was going to make his leg go numb. "Its a practical. In the past, I've taught you how to do an assassination with scenarios..." She stopped, and looked at the three of them. "Now you have to put all you've learned into play."
Stupid snake... He shook out his leg, and grumbled, before looking back to his students. "I'll give you the co-ordinates to a house, and in that how is a body. A dead body, but for the purpose of this exercise, you're going to pretend its alive, but sleeping.
"Its somewhere in the house, but I won't tell you where, and we're doing this as if the dead body is a very paranoid noble individual, so he has the money to spend on sercurity."
He eyed them all. "So, what would you suspect, as for sercurity? And how do you get past the things?" Time to test them, and see if they remembered anything from past lessons.
Nearly late as usual, Kahlen hurried about her room, struggling to fix her wayward hair.
"Aaah!! This is not good!! Why does this always happen to me...?!" She whined frantically, stopping momentarily in front of her mirror to review her clothing.
A black, lace-up shirt exposed only her rather pale shoulders and a sliver of her midriff. Matching sleeves began at her elbows, their cascading ends ending about three inches past her fingers. Her long and modest skirt matched the color of her amethyst right eye, but slightly clashed with her bright sapphire left eye. The young woman's short, ebony hair hung everywhere, being helplessly messy at all times of the day.
"Ugh...Why can't I look like Kimira?!" She whimpered as she attempted to brush out her locks with a silver comb.
Kimira had been the other apprentice of the Master Mage Kahlen had first learned magic under. Even though that had been years ago, she could always remember the elder girl carrying herself with such perfection and grace. It had really been contradictory to her personality, however. Kahlen herself was rather talented in what she did, but her skills tended to be overdshadowed by her clumsiness and awkward nature.
The young mage/potion maker was snapped out of her thoughts by the sound of voices outside.
No! I'm late!!
She thought frantically, tying the longer tendrils of her hair back hastily with a silver ribbon. Glancing at herself once more in the polished mirror, she hurried outside her room and nearly running into the other students and her teacher.
"I-I'm so sorry!!"
Ryder looked to Kahlen with a beamused face. "Well, since you're late, your peers will get a head start for tonight's practical. You... Did remember there was a practical, right?"
He looked to the others, still awaiting his answers to the questions he had asked. He'll tell Kahlen what was exactly happening for this practical later, when he kept her behind to give the others their head start.
"Well, got some answers? Or have you forgotten your early lessons so easily?"
"Y-yes I did! I was reading...I...Lost track of time...And...And..." Kahlen stuttered ashamedly, bowing her head low. She stared embarassedly at the floor, biting her lip.
Great...Yet again I've made a fool of myself...I'm such an idiot...Mistress would be so disappointed... She thought in dispair, fidgeting with her skirt. Why did she always end up doing these things? Everyone else, while they had their shortcomings, seemed so much more talented than herself. It got extremely depressing some days...Especially days like these.
"I'm sorry..." The mage murmured softly, not sure what to say to make up for her blunder.
Without waiting for Ryder to respond, Eun'ee waved a hand at her, smiling his devilish smile. "Ah, don't be sorry. Some people are made to be on time, some not. You're not one of the on-time people. It's okay."
Mo arched a brow at Kahlen, blinking innocently at her. Puh. Well, she wasn't as rough as Pace was, so she was easier to get along with. "Even though you're not one of those 'on-time people' as Eency called it, you'll need to learn how to be on time anyways. Besides, you can't go around being late for work and things like that!" She turned dutifully back to Ryder as Eun'ee smiled at Kahlen, looking at her from the corner of his eye for a moment. "Anyhow, Teacher, we should probably expect security men...traps...guard dogs, perhaps? Getting past them...ah...well..."
"--Make the men drunk, drug the dogs, dodge the traps." Eun'ee had raised a finger and closed his eyes to seem more intelligible than Mo. Mo's eyes widened at Eun'ee and, though she didn't know why, smiled at him. Eun'ee opened his eyes, not paying Mo attention. "Is that close, Teach?"
Pace's fingers dug into her head for no particular reason. She scratched at her scalp with the lazy determination of an old dog. Her tongue stuck out running over the ring in the center, her fingertips pressing against the small tattoos on the inside of her wrists. She rubbed at her eyes, aggitated, unable to stay still for a second, each motion slow and deliberate. Her last motion was a simple tug at her own ear.
"Ah. If he has the money he could've hired a mage or somethin' to put spells," she spoke in that, 'I have all the time in the world' kind of way, leaning back on the heels of her feet and glancing at the ceiling then around. Cramped, small - claustrophobic and with five other people.
Pace, however, didn't really offer any ways to avoid them. The cogs of her mind creaked and churned before she slightly turned towards Kahlen, brows arching as she leaned towards the girl teasingly.
"Nice of ya to join us. Good book, hm?" She spoke in a good natured tone, willing to give Kahlen the time of day rather than Miss Mo, the little whiney bitch that she was.
Her arms finally crossed over her chest, her head tilting slightly as her hands hooked to the opposite elbows, thinking seriously - possibly for the first time - about the situation that Ryder suggested. What would nobility do to keep themselves safe. Surely, if they had the money, they'd do anything.
"It might not just be the outward security men we have to think about. Interior and the possibility of people who look like servants could be trained in combat of some sort," she bemused again, looking thoughtful.
Ryder smiled. So these kids weren't completely hopeless! Nodding to Eun'ee, he smiled even wider. "Good. As he said, you don't have to kill the guards, especially if you don't have to, or are not getting paid for it. It isn't proper, so you just knock them out, or incampacitate them." The man grinned wickedly. "The shame of knowning that their noble die on their watch is good enough."
He returned to pacing, and pointed to Pace. "Another good point, our noble may have hired a mage, or spell caster, of some sort..." He stopped, and pointed to Mo. "Name all possible battle, or defense magic users, and their main atributes with their spells."
He turned, and pointed to Kahlen. "You tell me how you avoid, or disarm magical traps."
Ryder did a small spin, and pointed at Pace. "Explain to me what one would do you get by normal traps, and what kind of traps they may be. 'Dodging' does not serve as a proper answer either. You have to be more specific."
At last, their teacher pointed to Eun'ee, still grinning. "You tell me all of narcotics I have taught you, what they do, and how they can be used."
He grinned triumphantly. This'll surely get their minds up to speed, since these were such annoying, and difficult to some, questions.
Kahlen jumped slightly as she was called upon. Glancing at her teacher, she brushed her choppy bangs hastily out of her mis-matched eyes. Her mind raced.
"R-right...Disarming magical traps...You could cast a nullification spell in order to temporarily keep any traps from being set off. Um...You could also cast a revealing spell in order to set all of the traps off without having to step foot inside..." She counted off on her fingers thoughtfully, biting her bottom lip. "Of course, if you had hints that the traps would be extremely advanced, you could send in a doppleganger to set them off instead..." She mused.
While Kahlen was clumsy, she was very smart in her own right. Her memory was rather quick, a skill she had learned to hone during the time with her first teacher. When you were her apprentice, you were either right or wrong...There was no gray area. And failure was not an option.
Eun'ee struck an unnecessary pose, smiling brightly. "Yesssss! I know everything about this! S'my favorite subject!" Of course, he waited for Kahlen to finish with her answer, smiling softly at her all the while.
Mo noticed blinking at Eun'ee with the innocence of a confused child. A-ha! A way out of this affair, perhaps? I'll have to get her closer to Eun'ee somehow. Now, back to business. She put one hand behind her back and put her thumb to her mouth so she could thoughtfully chew on the thumbnail. How could I have forgotten all of this?? In despair, she put her arms at her side, leaned against the wall and mumbled, "I studied so hard everyday. I studied this especially hard. What happened?"
Eun'ee smiled at her, realizing his smile was incredibly happy--hah! He one-upped her for once! "You studied hard, not well. You're supposed to study in rational amounts of time without making yourself cram it all--like me."
Eun'ee swore that, during the dead silence that followed his statement, a cricket chirped somewhere far off. "You study?"
"Of course I study!" Wallowing in annoyance, he looked off at the door. "Despite popular belief," he grumbled. He shook his head and smiled at Ryder. "You've taught us of four narcotics: Tenberey, Dosh, Phait, and Yeddl. Tenberey is a sedative that makes all users sleep for at least two hours. When the users awake, they remember everything that happened up until they passed out. It can be taken orally, which means that someone can slip it in a drink or a sweet treat (since Tenberey is very bitter).
"Dosh is a hallucination drug, which can be very helpful when one doesn't want guards to be able to pinpoint who exactly killed the one they were protecting. Dosh doesn't cause the user to be sleepy like Tenberey. Instead, for a few hours--its time limit is different for each person--the user finds himself lost in his own little dream world, thinking he sees or hears or feels things that he doesn't. It has to be injected, so it's a little harder to use. Not only that, Dosh is illegal in some areas, so it's hard to come by.
"Phait is the mother of drugs. It, too, is a drug that must be injected that many of the elite assassins use. It numbs the recipient, so the assassin can do whatever they wish with the disarmed person. However, the only downside is that, despite the length of its effects, Phait doesn't cause the recipient to forget what he or she sees. So, if the assassin isn't careful, the guard--or whoever it may be--will be able to give very intricate details about the incident.
"Finally, there's Yeddl. Yeddl is somewhat of a laughing gas. It is normally found captured in itty bitty vials. There are two types of Yeddl--blue and green. Blue is the most potent. Many who do not use blue Yeddl correctly find their victims laughing for the rest of their lives, unable to do much but laugh. Many assassins prefer the green Yeddl just because they do not want to face the guilt of permanently damaging someone when he or she wasn't even the true target. The blue laughing gas, if used correctly, lasts for a day; the green lasts for half a day. They're very easy to come by and are a very common drug in the world of assassins."
Mo had to put a hand to her mouth to hide the big, round "o" it was making. He knew? Without cheating? Mo flustered and folded her arms, fluttering her long lashes in frustration. It wasn't supposed to be this way!
Kahlen notice Eun'ee watching her and glanced back curiously for a moment, only to return her eyes to the floor. She was probaly imagining things again...It wouldn't be unlike her. Why would he be watching her?
The young mage would often find herself in random and pointless daydreams, which often interferred with her studies or even lessons. They usually had to do with the books she read in her free time. Whether it was potionry, the study of rare creatures, or folklore, if Kahlen had read it, she had probaby dreamt about it. Before she had stumbled out to join the others, she had been in the midst of one of those musings.
Great...His answer is so in-depth...And mine is just...Pitiful... The teenage potion-maker thought in embarassment. That makes me seem like even more of an idiot...Great...Why am I the stupidest one here?!
This was humiliating. She had had to do quite a bit of pondering to come up with that...And now, it seemed so...Juvenile. Could this night get any worse? Of course it could. With Kahlen's luck, it always could get worse. It always did.
She took her time, hands on her hips, head tilted back as she stared at the ceiling. Pace waited for their answers, slowly squatting down onto the ground and falling onto her rear, yawning. She leaned back on her hands, eyes half-lidded. Pace looked the picture of tiredness. It was as if just being around them sucked all her energy out of her - what little energy she had. But that really wasn't the case, it was just the fact that Pace was feeling the effects of over-sleeping. And boredom.
"We can use Mo to trip up all the traps..." She said, her voice suddenly inerrupted by a yawn. "Trip them up, set them off. Or avoid them, carefully observe where they could be... Try to find alternative routes..." Pace spoke rather weakly about the issue. "I don't really know. I like the Mo idea, though," she added.
Lazily she pushed herself back onto her feet and stood, as if that explaination had required her to sit down to answer it. Pace had never gotten points for being normal - or even understandable. She didn't bother with it, though. How could she help it if she got tired explaining an issue she just bullshitted about? Clearly she had taken the 'detailed' explaination right out of her ass. Pace was sure he had taught them other ways, but she really couldn't figure it out or remember what they could be. Oh well! Easy come, easy go.
She lifted her shoulders carelessly to herself and brushed her hair out of her eyes.
Ryder smiled at Eun'ee's and Kalhen's responses, gave a tired sigh at Mo's and frowned at Pace's answer. He wandered forward, and cuffed pace with the back of his hand over the top of her head. "You're a team, so no one is using anyone to trip the traps."
Moving back to his spot before all four, Ryder stood with his hands on his hips. "Kalhen, because of your great answer and very well detailed answer, do not have to stay behind anymore. Those who do have to stay behind now are Mo and Pace."
He gave a thin lipped smile. "Apparently, they have some differences to sort out in each other's comany. That, and I think Pace needs some TIME WAKING UP!"
With a sigh, he began to pace again. "Eun'ee, or Kalhen, do you have the answer to either of Mo's or Pace's questions? The PROPER answers?"
Mo was busy snarling at the rugged girl down the line of assassins-in-training when she heard that she had to stay behind.
With her. She snapped back around and took a few steps toward Ryder. "AH?! Why do I have to stay? Just because she said something so stupid? I shouldn't have to suffer for her idiocy." Her pretty face was growing a little pink from embarrassment. "Teacher, I think it would be best if I went on with Eun'ee and Kalhen and that girl," she growled, pointing at Pace without looking at her, "should stay here. After all, she doesn't do much but sleep, does she? She ought to--"
"Mo. Quit it." Calmly and softly, Eun'ee put a hand over Mo's mouth. "Don't go against Teach. There's no reason to." Mo screamed an answer from behind Eun'ee's hand. It wasn't...quite audible. "Sorry, can't hear ya." He pulled her back to the line, her fighting all the way, and slowly let her mouth go. "Don't say anything else for right now. Aye?"
Mo smiled sweetly at Eun'ee before flashing pace a "formal" sign of disgust.
Eun'ee had smiled, however, at the fact that he and Kalhen would be going on together. Wow. She'd done well in a short amount of time. Good for her! Eun'ee looked at her and winked, giving her the thumbs-up before listening to Ryder's next question.
Oh, holy mother of baby Gaphaia on a stick.
Their questions? Well...maybe Pace's question won't be too hard. "Note, sir, that I'm doing my best--"
"--to be a kiss-up." Mo mumbled.
Eun'ee only heard a grumble. He turned to her. "What?"
"Hm?"
"Anyway, to get by most normal traps, like trip wires, you can't test them because it would actually make noise, right? I've done it before, it makes a whole hell of a lot of noise." He paused and smiled sheepishly to excuse his language. "So the best thing would be to look for a window, get a good angle, and look at the floor. If you see it, walk over it. Now...with other traps..." He thought a moment before figuring out he didn't know too much else. "Well...there could always be a decoy who's had a lot of training in the fighting arts. In that case, you beat the crap out of him!" Again, Eun'ee had struck his unnecessary pose, looking like he was about to fight someone himself. He blinked, realizing what he was doing before calming down, rubbing the back of his head. "Sorry, I...that...that's all I've got, Teach."
Mo rolled her eyes. Honestly. She and Eun'ee turned to look at Kalhen with interested faces, wanting to know how she would handle her question.
"Um...Pace's question?" Kahlen echoed with an innocent blink. She felt herself being watched expectantly by the others and she swallowed hard. "All right..." She smiled weakly.
Just great...More chances to make myself look dumb...My luck really is horrible...At least I know a lot more about this suject...Mistress drilled Kimira and I on this a lot... She thought hopefully.
"Er...First, there is a battle, or combat mage. They often work alone and specialize in a wide range of magical weapons, along with summonings and such. They are also highly skilled in hand-to-hand combat and ninjutsus...These skills make them both dangerous in long-range and close battles..." She started, hastily twirling a strand of hair around her finger.
"Then there's a general, spell-casting mage...Unlike a battle mage, they may have a partner who specializes in combat of all kinds. Since a spell-caster is best at simply...Well...Casting spells, he or she will often use their magic to enhance the power of their partner. This partner then takes on a role similar to that of a battle mage, using the power supplied to them to enhance their own fighting ailities. However, when it comes down to it, a spell-caster is a bit more dangerous, as they can use most elements in a battle, making them more unprediactable..." Kahlen finished, biting her lip unsurely.
"Um...Is that all right?"
Pace had her hands over her mouth, muffling her laughter at Ryder's chastising and at Mo's reaction. She didn't really care or mind about any of it - she didn't really enjoy the idea of staying behind with Mo anymore than she enjoyed the idea of sitting in a barrel with a rattlesnack. But to kill a snack you had to chop of its head, isn't that right? Too bad she couldn't really do that with Mo. But it's not that she hated Mo - it was more the fact the girl just seemed to hate her and Pace really didn't understand why. And the fact the girl was just a tad annoying bothered Pace. But, then again, Pace didn't have a close relationship with any of the other students. They were people she socialized with but kept at arms length.
"Right," she muttered and slowly settled back onto the ground, crossing her legs and resting her elbow on it, chin in hand. Regardless that she half-heartedly thought about dozing right then and there, she opted to listen to Eun'ee and Kahlen's explainations. Good. At least they knew what they were talking about. She didn't quite understand Eun'ee's though.
"Generally, detonating any trap could make a lot of noise, right? And the fact that it could be rigged to alert other people.. And you can't depend on the set up of the building to get past a trap," she said, musing aloud, glancing back up at Eun'ee and then to Ryder with her steady eyes.
"You could observe everyone of the place, watch where they walk, listen in... But not everyone has that kind of time," she muttered to herself, slightly bothered that there wasn't a really good answer to that question. She frowned slightly, arms crossing over her chest. Well, now this was annoying.
Ryder rubbed his temples. He was never going to take on students. Never again. They were just too much of a hassle, and seeing how well these four were doing, he was going to be stuck with them for a while...
He stopped pacing, and looked at Mo. "You aren't being held back because of her idiocy, you're being held back because of your own. You failed to answer the question I gave you, so..." He shrugged. "This is your punishment. It seems fitting." He smiled.
He wondered, just for a moment, if he should move the teamwork practical back or not. They'd have a lot of work to do with that one...
Ryder smiled at Mo and Kalhen. "Excellent answers again, you two... You know your stuff, unlike these two." He sniggered slightly, before sobering.
"Right, now, after this practical, I will decide your nicknames... Got it?" He pointed to himself. "As you know, I'm refered to as the Beast, more often than my real name, because that's the only name they know.
"Your nickname refers to, more often than not, what your style is... But don't try to be graceful to specifically get the name 'Elegant' or something. Just do it as you would, and get the job done..."
He stood before them once more, and ran a hand through his hair. "Any questions?"
Eun'ee let out a breath of relief, smiling up at Ryder. At least he said something right in there. He turned to Pace when she decided to add her own information to his answer and nodded respectfully. She should've said that earlier so she could come with us.
Meanwhile, Mo was at her wit's end with Ryder. "My own idiocy?! Look here, you!" She pointed a finger at Ryder, absolutely seething with anger. "I answer more questions with valid and intricate answers than that scrap of rags sitting on the floor over there! How could I be held back because of idiocy?!"
"Mo! SHH!" Again, Eun'ee put a hand over her mouth. And good thing, too--she was swearing up a storm. Eun'ee could hear her, although he wasn't too sure if the others could.
Still keeping his hand over her mouth, he looked up at Ryder. "Our nicknames? So soon?" If he had the room, he would've done a back flip. He briefly wondered what he would be called. Probably Wuss, since he never was able to utilize his weapons on anything, not even practice items.
Greeeeat. Eun'ee pulled his hand away from Mo's mouth, who promptly bopped him on the crown of his head. Hard. "OW! Hey! What's up with you?"
"You should be supporting me!"
"...Why?"
"Because--!" Why should he? I don't really want him to anyway. If anything, I want someone more of my tastes to defend me. "Because it's what you're supposed to do, right?"
Eun'ee's reply was smooth and cool: "No." He put his hands at his under the cloak, feeling about for his slacks' pockets. Once found, he stuffed his hands inside, only to pull them out again.
Damn. Did they see the shirt? Hopefully n--"Aw! Eency, you never told me you liked frilly pink things to wear."
Goddammit, why did her mood swing so easily? And why was she so observant?! "SHADDAP!" Eun'ee pulled the cloak tighter around him. "It was part of the bet! Just...just be quiet!"
Mo couldn't help but laugh now. Albeit she was still ticked off, she couldn't help enjoying Eun'ee's misery.
((^_^;; Emoosts, we're still friends, right? I just made Mo to be a major jerk...
Ooh! Ooh! Chaos! *raises hand* I wanna seee! ))
At the compliment, Kahlen smiled shyly and flushed. She really disliked being put on the spot so much...It was horrible on her nerves to be watched so.
"Um...Thank you..." She murmured quietly, flourishing a slight bow. She had always been taught to be polite...Even to a fault. Aside from being quiet and a bookworm, the teen was also a bit of an outsider. She had a tendency to avoid people whenever possible, much more eager to read a book than to carry on a conversation.
N...Nicknames? Kahlen swallowed again. Nicknames were never good. During her times as an apprentice, she had often been referred to as "kid" and "squirt" by her the elder Kimira. Even though she had gotten used to it, the thought of having another nickname still made her twinge slightly. Forcing another shy smile, she gave Ryder a somewhat decided shake of her head.
"No...No questions..."
At the sudden fight between Eun'ee and Mo, she started slightly, scooting aside in surprise. Bickering again. She really hated being in the middle, or even near these happenings...They were so unpleasant...
((Does anyone want to see a picture of Kahlen?))
((Um...Here's (//http://www.deviantart.com/deviation/58643701/) the picture...It's not very good...^_^U))
[LMAO, of course we're friends! This is just how Pace is, just like Mo's a jerk, lmao. Don't worry about it =)]
Pace's arm moved slightly, not because she had thought of doing so, but because of Mo's ridiculous outburst. She tamed her up back to her side and looked up, brows raised and the hint of a smile curling her lips. Really, Mo was so entertaining. Just as she was annoying. And god, she never EVER shut up it seemed. One minute she was at her boiling point and the next she was on Eun'ee - it was quite the spectacle. Pace shook her head slowly.
"Nicknames, hm?" She mumbled to herself, touching her chin. A shoulder jerked up in a half-hearted shrug. She decided she didn't really care about the issue. She didn't care what 'Beast' was going to call her.
Her eyes flickered around the people in the room. Eun'ee had a strong aversion from weapons and violence, Mo was moody and short-tempered and she seemed to think she had a bit of an arrogance issue, and Kahlen was shy and timid, but bright. So was Eun'ee - he had his bouts of intelligence and she was sure that SOMEWHERE in Mo, probably overshadowed but her rashness, was something vaguely smart. Her eyes settled on Ryder for a moment. Nope. She had no idea about him. He seemed... nice enough, tolerant of them, but she hadn't really thought about their teacher much. He was just a teacher, just another person in the room. Always asking questions and, well, teaching.
For a brief moment, she wondered how they perceived her. Then again, the more she thought about it, the more she didn't really care. She knew, for a fact, she wasn't all that smart, preferred sleeping from other things, liked to tease people occasionally, didn't seem to have much of a temper [in actuality, she's rather quick-tempered] but was mostly a serious person. Whether they saw what she saw was a completely different thing. Oh well!
[oo! That's a good picture! =] Kahlen is pretty.]
Ryder crubbed his hands on his pants, annoying a certain snake, before clapping them together. "Right. Eun'ee, Kahlen, head up to the roof, we're starting there, so get a feel of the air, and if its too cold, go back to your room and get proper clothes..." He looked at Eun'ee in particular. "And if it becomes the problem, I'll lend some of mine..."
He ran a hand through his hair, and shook his head. "No more gambling in this house, or at least with each other, especially if you have wagers like this one... No more, got it? Its unprofessional."
Ryder pointed to Mo and Pace. "Front and centre, you two." He added, as an after thought. "Standing, please. I don't care for sloppiness."
((Now I want to draw Ryder...))
Honestly, what were they doing to her? Stand up, Pace, sit down, stand up, sit down! Then she realized, a little belatedly, that she was the one sitting and standing of her own accord. She couldn't very well go around blaming them, even if she'd like too. With a grunt, not unline someone nearly three times her age, she pulled herself off the floor, twisting her back sharply to sigh happily at the crack that ripped through her back. It felt absolutely delightful! Everyone probably heard it.
Pace listened, stepping up, going front and center as asked. She slid her hands into her pockets, leaning back on her heels and slouching slightly into a position that felt good for her, hip jutting out sharply. She gave a slow blink. He didn't want sloppiness - she sighed slightly, her posture was sloppy. She straightened to her full height, which wasn't much, just about five foot seven, arms crossing over her stomach, watching Ryder expectantly. Now what did she have to do? Her mind was already racing with things that she probably had to do - hopefully nothing too painful.
"R-right..." Kahlen managed another hasty bow and shuffled off towards the roof. Using a technique she had learned a few years back, she waved a hand, a black and silver-embroidered cloak appearing in it. Of course the air would be too cold...She was always too cold.
The latter trick was a simply one really, it merely involved manipulating the shadows nearby to form a solid object that you desired. A novice trick, when it came down to it.
Starting down the corridor towards the roof stairway, she went into another strain of musings. Pulling on the cloak and adjusting it, she wondered how much longer she would be here...And where would she go afterwards? There was really no point in searching for Karo anymore...He always managed to stay at least a step ahead of her. She could always go back to Mistress, though. But then again, she was always rather scary...The mage wasn't sure how much longer she could survive her lessons.
Glancing backwards, she flashed a slightly sympathetic glance towards Pace and Mo. She did have a twinge of guilt for getting out of staying back but...It wasn't her fault they hadn't studied properly. Of course, her memory was rather sharp. But that really wasn't an excuse. If they had tried hard enough, they could have answered correctly and all gone together.
((Um...Thank you...-bows-))
((Edit: Chaos....I LOVE KAHLEN! >w< *squeezes her <3*))
Eun'ee blushed furiously and nodded at Ryder's new rule. No gambling in the house. Awesome. Now how would he pass the time? Read? He pranced up the staircase behind Kahlen, acting as if he were about to perform a sneak-attack on her. He grabbed her by the shoulders and laughed. "Gotcha." Then he noticed where she was looking. Why was she looking down there? They weren't doing anything but standing there.
"Oi. Oi, Kahlen." He shook her gently before letting go. "They'll be all right. They're both tough cookies." He put the hood of his cloak over his head and tied it, turned to Kahlen, and made "scary" poses. "How's this? Or this one?"
Mo huffed and, head held high, marched to stand in front of Ryder. When she noticed Pace standing too close to her--their elbows were just touching, after all!--she inched her way away from the girl. She tried calming herself a bit, breathing in and out deeply and quietly.
"Something you wanted to say, Teacher?" She asked. Although she was being nice, many would immediately say she were to sound sassy. She readjusted the headband and tossed her short hair a little before putting her hands in front of her, clasped together like a little child's.
Ryder didn't look at either of them, just stared at a point between both their heads. "Turn to the other beside you..." He took a deep breath. "And hug her. No arguing, or I'll hold you back and won't let you do the excercise, better yet, if you don't hug each other, I may force something more... Provocative, and something you really won't like."
He finally looked at them, and gave them a very serious look. "Do it."
"Eep!!" Kahlen jumped as she felt hands clamp down on her shoulders. She tottered on a stair and whirled around, one hand clasping the railing.
"Wh-what the-?" She hastened to regain her balance as she noticed Eun'ee. "Oh...I-I'm sorry...You startled me..." She flushed in embarassment, again fidgeting with her skirt. Great. Now she looked like even more of an idiot...She couldn't even sense someone coming up behind her! It wasn't her fault that she dazed off at random intervals! All right...Maybe it was.
"Hm? Who...Oh...Y-yeah...I suppose they will be..." She murmured softly turning back around and continuing up the staircase.
This was even more awkward. She was already fidgety around other people in general, but around guys...Kahlen was just clueless. She had barely been able to speak to her former teacher's guard. Then again...He had been a spirit. But still...
Mo jumped back. "You want what?" Then...laughter. She folded her arms and eyed Ryder playfully. "You can't do that, Teacher! That's sexual harrassment. And minors at that. For shame!" She turned to walk up the stairs and meet Eun'ee, who was undoubtedly busy trying to make Kahlen laugh.
Eun'ee smiled as she regained her composure and bowed his head a little. "Aw, I'm sorry, Kahlen. I didn't know you scared easily." He continued alongside her, tripping over his cloak every now and then. Dammit. He'd have to learn how to get used to it at some point--he'd have to wear it all night after all.
"Ah, Kahlen. How'd you end up here? I think I've asked everybody but you that question." He smiled at her, putting his hands in his pockets. Eh, why not? They already know I'm wearing this frilly pink thing anyway.
Ryder blinked. "... I'm asking you two to hug each other... I'm not taking any part of it... How is this sexual harrassment? And you're both close in the age range, right?" He looked at Pace, and then Mo. "You have get past this... This barrier! Hug! Do I need to shove you two together?"
What was a matter with these two? Had they always been like this, and he just hadn't noticed it? Impossible! He was always aware of his surroundings...
Kahlen said nothing to his apology, staring at the stairs as she trudged up them. This was very strange...Why was he suddenly talking to her? Eun'ee had hardly talked to her much before. What had changed? Ugh. Too much confusion and thought...She forced the musings out of her already hazy mind.
"Hm? Wh-why am I here?" She glanced at him with her mis-matched eyes again and blinked once more. "Um...It's kind of a long and confusing story... Not that interesting, though..." She replied hastily, rubbing the back of her head and smiling sheepishly.
She had lied. The story wasn't long, and it definately wasn't that boring. Either way, she didn't really know what had brought on this sudden inquiry, and she didn't feel like anyone needed to know the answer. She would probably become the butt of more mental jokes. Just what she needed. Not.
Giving another glance back, she wondered what punishment had been dealt upon the slackers.
It was about time Pace began to lose her patience. Which was exceedingly rare - at least for her to voice it. She had never really gotten along with Mo - most of the time, she just avoided the other girl. After all, a considerable amount of Pace's time consisted of sleeping, the occasional reading, and sewing and eating and cooking and sleeping a whole hell of a lot more. There wasn't much time for allowing anyone - especially someone as annoying as Mo - into her tight schedule of self-amusement.
"I dislike physical contact," Pace said deliberately - which was quite true. It wasn't just Mo, but she tended to avoid it with everyone else in the building. Even when their elbows had been touching she had jerked them away. She watched Mo walk off for a moment and tilted her head.
Nope. The mere thought of hugging Mo made her shudder - she'd probably vomit on the other girl. The thought of that, however, made Pace break out in loud and probably inappropriate laughter. Pace sighed at the end, wiping her eyes. Whatever. She'd rather sit there and be excluded from exams and kicked out then have to be someone she wasn't. Granted, if for a mission, physical contact didn't bother her. That was different - she enjoyed her missions and she had no other contact with those people. After all, most of it involved violence rather than something that indicated a personal relationship.
"If you want to kick me out, be my guest," she told him lazily, a hand sliding through her red hair. Her tongue flicked out boredly, touching on the lip ring. She could become a merchant. She knew some people - she could figure out something. She always did. At least she wouldn't have to deal with Mo and Eun'ee and Kahlen anymore. A small pang for missing them and the space they filled, but all in all, that small, vague emptiness could be filled with much more and better things. Pace was determined she didn't need them for anything other than missions.
Eun'ee shrugged. "Ah, we've got time. And I think pretty much any story's interesting. So what do you--?" Then he stopped to listen to the commotion downstairs. Great. "What, they get to come anyway?"
At Ryder's question, Mo turned and looked over her shoulder, a brow arched. "Didn't you just say that you'd make us do something more provocative if we refused? That's what I was referring to." She took hold of the rail and began to make her way up before she realized that Eun'ee, who'd been talking with Kahlen just minutes before, was blocking the top of the stairs. "Funny, Eency. Very funny. Lemme up."
Eun'ee didn't move. "Hug her."
"I most certainly won't."
"Oh?"
Mo made a face at him, sticking her tongue out playfully. "What? You can make me?" He wouldn't do anything...right? She blinked and saw him standing at the bottom of the stairs.
Holding her headband.
She made a squeaking sound and clenched her hands into fists. "Give it!"
"Hug her."
"Oh you--! Ohhh..." Mo looked at Pace and pointed at her again. "She just said she doesn't like physical contact. Ergo, I won't hug her." With a flat expression, Eun'ee proceeded to act as if he were going to break her favorite headband. "Agh! Don't!" I won't admit defeat. Not to that commoner! Vive la rich! VIVE LA RICH!
((...I have no idea why I wrote that last little bit. xD;; ))
Kahlen turned slightly and watched the numerous bickerings taking place. How did she ever end up with these people? They were so roudy and uncooperative. Maybe Mistress and Kimira hadn't been that bad... Sighing, she kept at her trek up the stairs, running a hand through her black hair.
She really hate these fights. They were so pointless and immature...Did Mo and Pace really want to be kicked out? Was hugging so traumatic?! She could understand them not exactly being overjoyed about it but...There was a fine line between being prideful and just plain stubborn.
"Just...Do it..." She murmured softly, giving a final glance backwards. For a moment, there almost seemed to be a hint of roughness in her voice. All these battles were getting on her last nerve. This was sad, because Kahlen had an unusual amount of nerve. If this kept up for too much longer, she had it in the back of her mind to just up and leave.
Tch...Like she would ever really carry out that threat.
Whipping back around, she continued up towards the roof in silence, her boots clacking softly on the marble staircase. Being freezing outside would be better than being in here.
Ryder silently cheered. Eun'ee and Kahlen were helping! Perhaps they saw the reasoning behind this... He hoped, anyway.
He stopped fro a moment... If they didn't like physical contact with each other, they were going to have a very fun time at the next excercise...
Ryder sighed, and strode forward. "It doesn't have to be for very long, just a quick hug and be done with it, and then we can all go up to the roof and get this practical over with."
He eyed Pace adn Mo. "You're holding the other two back, do you really want to do that?" Well, he knew Pace really didn't care, but Mo did have some sort of guilty feeling, even if it was buried deep somewhere...
And so she did. Mo blinked at Ryder's words and then up at Eun'ee, who was mercilessly bending the headband. Guilt tugged at Mo's heart, which confused her a moment. Guilt over a commoner's words? My word, she was turning into one of them! Mo growled and trudged over to Pace, looking at her with a pair of deadbeat eyes. She pulled Pace not too close, but close enough for them to consider it a hug. She dug her nails into Pace's back just to remind her this changed nothing. She let go and turned like a ballerina on the balls of her feet, ran towards Eun'ee, slapped Eun'ee, retrieved her headband, and ran up the stairs and headed up the roof.
Eun'ee followed, stopping to look at Pace once. "Come on, now. You don't wanna be left behind, right?" He smiled at her before adding, "Sorry she's such a pain. Believe me, she can be worse than that at times."
He made his way up to the roof and ran his fingers through his hair. "Mo, don't be--"
"--Don't be what?"
"If you'll let me finish...don't be so rude to Pace and Teach. Okay? I'm sick of it and so is Kahlen...and Teach. Especially Teach. And probably Pace. Who knows?"
Mo dusted herself off with the haughtiness of a noble. "I'll do my best, Eency, I promise." Right. Like I can get along with Pace. It's hard enough being around these other commoners. She opened her eyes and smiled at Kahlen, green eyes twinkling. "Sorry about that, Miss Kahlen. We just don't get along well."
Eun'ee laughed. "Really? No kidding!" Mo bopped him over the head with one of those "quiet, silly!" hits, but that didn't stop Eun'ee from laughing.
Kahlen did not acknowledge that Mo had spoken to her, but simply opened the roof door and headed outside.
At least they finally got that over with... She thought with an exasperated sigh. This was really ridiculous. Sometimes, she felt that she was the only one who could act at least her age, if not older. Was it so difficult to do? Obviously it was for them.
Her black hair was instantly whipped arund her face by the chilly wind as she stepped outside. Of course. Freezing. Her instincts had been right. Clutching her cloak tighter around her and pulling up her hood, she wandered away from the door and stared at the sky. Stars glinted dimly against the setting sun, the moon becoming slowly more visible. This beautiful, serene setting calmed Kahlen slightly. She inhaled deeply and closed her eyes for a moment. Being outside always seemed to make the troubles of her fellow peers melt away, their ghosts momentarily faded.
But of course, it would only be temporary.
Ryder made his way up to the roof as well, trusting that Pace would come as well. She knew if she didn't do this, she would have to be held back, in a place she didn't like...
He climbed up and through the hatch that opened to the roof, and saw that the other three were already there. With a slight smile, he stepped onto the roof and called his students over.
Ryder, even though he stood there with his baggy pants, adn tight sleeveless shirt, he barely felt the cold. His heritage helped with that, but he had also picked this night because, since it was cold, his students would have to deal with more clothes, which would hinder them in one way or another.
He took a deep breath. "What a great night this is, isn't it? Now... Decide whether or not you want more clothes now, before we get started."
They all had really good ideas about her personality, that's for sure. Pace, as correctly suggested, couldn't care less if she held them back at all. She understood she was selfish - she never felt obligated to help those she didn't think qualified as her friends. And god damn, she knew entirely well she was being childish. It was actually why she felt a little proud of herself. She actually felt happy that she was being normal around them - she felt happy she was getting on their nerves. It was a slight justification for her presence among people she wouldn't otherwise be around.
But don't get her wrong - she didn't hate any of them. But she certainly didn't like any of them, either. They were forgettable, tolerant pieces in her life. If one of them disappeared, no harm done. Perhaps, however, if one [especially Mo] stayed too long in her life there would be harm done.
Mo swooped in and Pace looked like she might have vomited in her mouth - it took some self control not to spit it out in Mo's face. Oh, if she had hated Mo, she certainly would. The fingernails in her back did little for her mood, her arms hanging limply.
As soon as Mo pulled away, Pace hurriedly brushed herself off in long sweeping gestures, her skin crawling. Hugging was really the most despicable form of touching - she hated affection and all its forms. It was really grotesque.
Slowly, wiping her tongue on her sleeve, her face contorting slightly, the taste of puke still hot in her mouth. Screw mind over matter. The puking during a hug might come in handy one of these days. And she was sure that if she had to deal with anyone who was picking a fight with her she'd certainly throw up in her face. The thought kind of brightened her day as she pulled herself up onto the roof, staying far away from Mo. She had her fill of the girl.
The cold air whipped around her, perking Pace into an unusually energetic mood. She hopped slightly on her feet, looking a little excited, arms cast out to each side as she leaned to each side, amusing herself as she pretended to be a bird before pulling her arms to her sides, leaning onto her toes and pushing her face into the air. Ahh, it felt so good.
Mo knew it well--they didn't like her. She could still smell the vomit in Pace's mouth. But that didn't really matter to her. She was rich, after all. Whether she passed this thing or not wasn't a big deal to her. As she told one of them--probably Eun'ee--before, "No matter what I do, I still have a home to go to, meals to look forward to, and money beyond your imagination. I will be rich no matter what...and you, my dear, will always be a commoner. 'Tis as simple as that."
Of course, it never occured to Mo that maybe...just maybe more than just that one "commoner" heard her talking and took offense. Or, who knows, maybe she just annoys the hell out of everyone.
Mo was still surprised when Kahlen didn't respond to her and felt the cold air whipping about her. Eun'ee stopped his teeth from chattering, pulling his cloak about him. Damn, it's cold. "I'm fine, Teach."
Mo felt naked in the frigid air, but she wasn't going to look like a weakling before the others. She smiled and sucked in a bunch of air through her nose--it felt like ice cold water going down her thoat. Stingingly refreshing. "I'm fine, Teacher."
Mo unconsciously linked her pinky finger with Eun'ee's, startling him for a moment. He smiled at her briefly before pulling his hand away. Mo smiled--not much longer before they could actually tell one another they'd never see each other again...
"I'm...Fine..." Kahlen murmured softly. But she really wasn't. Her mind was full of emotions and musings that seldom dwelt there.
She was beginning to ponder how the others viewed her. Before more of these fights had been breaking out, she had seen them simply as other students, barely the ghosts of people floating by. When grown up, would she look back on these days with reminiscent joy, or disgust and pity for her former self? What would she think of the others? Yes, Pace was rather unmotivated, Mo tended to be prissy at times, and Eun'ee was...Well...Sometimes pitiful. But what did she really think about them? She wasn't even sure she knew.
Kahlen had never been one to dwell upon thoughts of people. It came with being antisocial. She more often mused about whether folklore had any truth to it less than she ever even wondered how someone perceived her. Even less did she care what she thought of them. They were mere things to look back upon, but they would most likely never have any real meaning in her life as an adult. All she would need was her power and her books. The last thing she ever would need would be a relationship. Romantic or otherwise.
What was the point of her life?
She often wondered.
"You sure? Oh well!" Ryder went into his back pocket, and pulled out a folded piece of paper. Unfolding it, he placed it on the roof. "Come, gather around," he said, while waving at his students to do as he said.
The teacher pointed to a circled square. "That's the building we're using for the excercise. Its an abandoned home, around the edge of town, but for the puspose of this... Its guarded, and trapped, okay? And the body is in there some where, but I won't tell you."
He looked up, and smiled. "Use your common sense, would you? Anyway... Got a good view of where it might be? Good." Without waiting for an answer, he pulled it away again, and folded it back up. "Now... Eun'ee, Kahlen, get ready to start moving. Mo, Pace, come stand by me."
Eun'ee, although not the best with bravery, he had a photographic memory that could help his associates out of any circumstance. He memorized the position of the house with ease and nodded at Ryder's command. "Yes, sir."
He stretched out his arms for a moment before looking over at Mo and Pace. Mo wasn't the best assassin, but hey, she tried her best. Pace was very professional at it--he sometimes wondered if she'd been an assassin before--and Kahlen was in-between. He was good at dodging traps, setting them off, and running. Oh, he was a natural when it came to running. That's how he found Mo--he ran from the heart of his city to the countryside just before the sun had settled in the west.
Mo scoffed quietly as she caught Eun'ee's eye. She turned away and stood by Ryder, facing the rising moon. Pretty, she thought. If I'd thought to bring my paints, I would've painted this instead of ran out into the dead of night to find some bloody corpse. She began spacing out--something she hadn't done in a long time--and thought of home. The moon, she continued to think, would be wonderful to see from her veranda. Or, even better, the gazebo with climbing roses going up its frame.
It took her a minute before she could finally pull herself out of her reverie. Oh, well. She followed him here, and that's that. No use crying over spilled milk.
Kahlen barely glanced at the map and nodded silently. This was going to be interesting...Being paired with Eun'ee might make things a bit harder, as he set off more traps than he found. Ah well...It would keep him busy so she could do the real work. She would gladly cover up for him if it would keep herself out of trouble.
She tightened her cloak slightly and glanced in the direction of the building.
All right...Get there quickly...Scope out any obvious traps...Incapacitate guards... She thought to herself. Now was the time to dust off the skills she and Kimira had learned. Knowing her former teacher, she was probably keeping tabs on the two, waiting patiently for even the slightest mistake...Upon which time she would swoop out of nothingness (as she often did), and make them relive the strenuous training she had already put them through once.
The latter thought made Kahlen shudder. She really hoped that woman wouldn't come back. True, she had been an amazing teacher with first-hand experience of assassination (as she was a member of Eclipse) but...She was undeniably scary at times. No, wait. All the time.
So she would have to be flawless in her work.
((Umm...Emoosts said that the Pace muse has disappeared entirely, thus Emoosts is very sorry, but she will be pulling out of the RP. ;-; Emoosts, you will be missed. *hangs head*))
((;_; Awww...-waves to Emoosts- G-good bye, then...I shall miss you!))