After meeting with Brenin, and Hana, we made our way to the students who were supposed to be awaiting our arrival. We had given them ample time to prepare, and soon their journey would begin. When we arrived, I was happy to find them all waiting patiently. No disturbances, just students waiting patiently. I smiled slightly as I cleared my throat to garner their attention.
"Very good to see you all here." I began. "As I stated, you are all to work together in order to defeat this foe. Yet, I have been asked by our headmaster to try and coax the demon back to Hell's Gate....instead of killing him. This goes only for the Leader...as his minions may be naught but incarnations of himself sent out for distraction. That is really all that has changed, and the fact remains; if you are in danger, and can not capture him, protect yourself first. Understood?"
It was somewhat silent. I wondered if they were even listening. Wouldn't matter... "Anyhow. That is not your most urgent matter at hand. First you must GET to the village hmm?" I signaled for Hana to distribute the scrolls, and she did so immediately. Everyone getting one...a scroll that contained a map within. "There you see the village, as well as our location here. Your task is simple, get from here; Point A, to there; Point B." A sadistic grin formed on my lips.
"Easy...chh. Not for these sorry sods..." Brenin commented. "There are plenty of wild beasts wandering here...ASIDE from the merciless terrain. Forests where you can easily get lost, a huge canyon with a bridge long forgotten and unmanaged....all just before the small mountain you have to find a way through. Worst part, you're all to be there by dawn on the next day. We had thought sundown tomorrow, but that's expecting a bit much from all of you...wet behind the ears and all."
"Humph, and just who do you think you're talking to like that?!" Megami exclaimed. "Don't even lump me in with these wimps!"
"Wimps, maybe YOU should watch your mouth!" Rei Objected, attempting to confront Makoto.
"I wouldn't do that! Do you have a DEATH WISH?!" James scoffed as he warned Rei.
"James, stay out of it..." Jezabelle commented nonchalantly.
"See what you've started Brenin?" Shori laughed. Shimei giggled with him.
Suddenly I felt a spike in Makoto, a red aura starting to seep from him in my sight. I saw blood in my right eye...it was time to intervene. "ENOUGH!!!" I boomed loudly, my wings shooting out to the sides.
Silence.
"No need to ruffle your feathers Sinclair...geez...it's just a little friendly arguing." Brenin commented.
"There is absolutely NO Point for it." I snarled.
"Yeah...please stop fighting everyone..." Hana pleaded in a quiet tone.
"The MISSION is to get to the village. You WILL not engage your fellow students, you will work together to get there in one piece. Is this understood?!"
"Yes Sir..." Was the quiet acquiescence from them all.
"Get going then...and remember...you will be evaluated for your behavior on this mission. Should I be the one to catch you in a fight, you may not make it back here for your punishment..." I threatened, glaring especially at Makoto and Rei...the loathful DEMONS.
"Hope you can back that up...ANGEL..." Makoto sneered, spitting to the side.
Shortly after, they all departed on their way. Off to the village in the valley over the mountain.
"I will take to the air. Brenin, you will cover the ground, and Hana, you will meet us at the village. Correct?" I clarified.
"Yes, please be careful Sir Sinclair..."
I smiled. "Don't you worry."
Brenin stretched a bit, seemingly taking his time. He noticed me staring at him. "What? Gotta give the kids a nice head start...I'll be on their heels in no time." He laughed.
I rolled my eyes a bit and took to the sky. "Just keep your eyes open...those creatures out there....aren't for US to scoff at either..."
"I know, I know..." I heard him mumbling as I departed.
Raphael
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Alright! Mission's a GO. Now, what you need to do, is get through the perilous terrain and reach the outskirts of the village. Then the next phase will commence. Basically this. Write what obstacles your character comes across on their way. There are treacherous wood creatures that you wouldn't even begin to imagine! >.< Not to mention the land itself. The bridge you must cross is very unstable...you could easily fall to your death should it break! That is...if you GET to the bridge easily...the forest is tricky to navigate as well! When you reach the mountain, you have several paths. There is the choice of going OVER the mountain...or Under it. There are many caves at it's base...however...this choice is deadly as well...for they are an endless labyrinth...you never know where you'll end up. If you choose to hike over it, it is very steep in some points. Careful!!
Get Creative, and we'll see you on the other side! :3
The students had all arrived, the only one left to arrive was Able. I continually watched the clock on the wall, each tick of the second hand made me more nervous than the last....waiting....how I loathed it.
My night hadn't exactly been the most pleasant one either...after finding Makoto outside the human girls dorms, I delivered the message to him about the meeting, made sure he returned to his room....and then made my way back to my office. Due to the fact that my room had yet to be repaired from the vandalism, I felt this the best place for me to stay for the night. Needless to say...my night was pretty much well...a sleepless one. After trying and failing several times to sleep on the couch...I decided to spend my night out on the roof, merely waiting for the sun to rise and for life to return to the area. At least I managed to keep a watchful eye on things around the school, at the moment, things seemed very well off.
Once more I gazed up at the clock. Only a couple minutes had passed. This wasn't boding well...I wondered if I should go and check up on Able...perhaps his illness....
"Sir Sinclair." Grim's voice suddenly cut in. "You should begin the meeting. Here." Handing me a notebook, it carried the topics of discussions and main points of the assignment within.
Looking straight into Grim's eyes I understood. "Very well..." Apparently my initial hunch was correct. Able wasn't feeling well enough to attend. He didn't want the students to see him in his state. He trusted me to cover things, after all, it was what I was here for. To back him up no matter what. I just hoped he was alright. "Attention students. I will now explain why you've all been called together this afternoon."
"Bout Damn time!" Makoto exclaimed.
My eyes narrowed as I glared at him...and he avoided my gaze, falling silent. "Now then," I began, Grim made a hasty exit. "This Academy is a very special institute. Not only are our students of varying races, as you well know, but for generations this Institute has been entrusted with tasks of the utmost importance. Tasks regarding the supernatural...most of them with hundreds of lives depending on the outcome. This instance is NO exception."
"What kind of 'supernatural' tasks?" Neo asked quietly.
"We deal with the ruffians and villains of the races in which humans cannot handle. Demons, Vampires, Werewolves, Apparitions, Rampant Fallen Angels....it matters not. If they prove a threat to society, we are enlisted to eliminate them. Do you understand now?" A slight smirk crossed my lips. "Seeing as you are all here, you've been chosen as the lucky few to take on the mission of this time. Your skills were obviously reported as being sufficient for such a task."
"I'm sorry sir, but why have WE been chosen for such things. After all, we are students...shouldn't things like this be left to the proprietors of this institute? I don't see what we get out of it..." Jezabelle asked, bringing up a very good point. Though she hadn't allowed me to get that far just yet.
"Very well, I'll skip to what you need to know." I affirmed. "Yes, you are STUDENTS. Therefore you are to learn not only academics...but physical abilities as well as magical abilities. To those in which it pertains. And so to answer your question, Miss Oread, this is to be viewed as a TRAINING excursion." A sadistic smile crossed my lips. Little did they know we were sending them out merely to test their abilities. This mission was but the first of much more difficult ones to come...it would be nothing compared to the worst they'd be subjected to. "It is very true. I alone could easily defeat the menace...yet what benefit would that bring? Nothing. Oh no, here at Hano we make sure our students learn through Real Life Scenarios. It also stands...that you could very well DIE on this excursion. Any who wish to back out, do so now..."
They all quietly pondered the situation. None made a move.
"Very good. Now for the details." I turned to the projector that had been set up. Flipping the switch, the photo image of a huge demon appeared. "This is your main target. However, he is not alone in his rampage." I flipped the scene to smaller demons. "His minions have flooded a nearby village, holding the townspeople in cells like animals, as fodder. They have spread out and set defenses around the entire village, therefore you will all be separating into small groups, splitting up to defeat all in your path. You should be able to defeat the minions around the outer-edges of the village, to MY knowledge, the Leader is in the center....you will regroup there and defeat him by providing a united front. They may not look formidable, but they are STILL Demons....tricky beasts..." I snarled. Then clearing my throat continued. "Two guardians will be present and on site...but we will not aid you in ANY way! We are merely going to observe you on the field. You will be tested for teamwork abilities, magical skill, as well as how you work under pressure and in real life combat situations."
"Teamwork? I can take out that horde myself..." Makoto objected. "Here you had me going with that DEATH comment too..."
"They do seem pretty simple...pointless..." Shori chimed in.
"I agree, this is lame! Those dudes are pathetic, I could beat em with my eyes closed." James cooed. "I don't see any reason for me to go...pfft."
"Enough!" I objected slamming a heavy book on the table. "You will do what' s asked of you. If you don't wish to go...that is fine...however this is a Large part of your grade, so consider that. Also, any who remain behind on such trifling matters can only be viewed as cowards. Something as 'simple' as this....an easy grade...wouldn't you agree?"
Silence once more.
"We depart for the village early evening. All those present are excused from the day's classes in order to prepare. You must pack for two days worth of travel. It will take the night to reach the village. And then your true test shall begin." I finished, all but concluding the meeting. "Oh and one more thing students..." I stated before exiting. "You will not be guided to the village...you will be given it's location and expected to appear there by your own means. Any deviancy of the course or lateness, will also be penalized. That is all, I will see you all later to give you your final instructions."
With that I left the room, and the students to their chatter or whatever they saw fit.
Going directly to Able's quarters I found him resting in bed. He seemed slightly worn out. I glared at Grim who was in the corner, I often felt he overworked Able. "Have you been to see Sindri?"
"Yes, he says that I need rest...though I think I should be up and..." He started attempting to get out of bed.
I pushed him back down. "If Sindri says you need rest, then you should do that." I ordered him in a fierce tone. "There's no need to worry Able, have you forgotten? I swore to help you make this school a success, and thus I shall. The meeting is over now, all that remains are preparation and departure."
"Yes, about that." Able stated, defiantly sitting up. "Hana is to accompany you and Brenin. She can provide extra support, and her size is helpful as well, don't you think?"
"I suppose so...that's fine." I accepted.
"Also...the mission is not to DESTROY him...please Raphael, you mustn't kill the demon...just capture him and take him back to Hell's gate." Able pleaded. He hated the very thought of murdering any of the races...no matter what the circumstances.
"No need to worry Able..." I consoled him, though I had no intention of making him a promise I wouldn't keep. I would attempt the capture...perhaps...but if that proved too dangerous, then he WOULD be eliminated. Able looked at me, then layed back down. He seemed to be falling asleep slowly. "You take care Able until my return. Don't worry, I'll make sure the students are kept safe. Sleep well my friend, Farewell."
With that I departed to make my own preparations.
Raphael
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TA DAH!! Everyone going on the mission are to prepare and meet at the school gates at SUNSET!!!! UNDERSTOOD?!
X3 Hope you all enjoyed the meeting. hehe.
The vampires weren't as difficult a race as they were always assumed to be. Most seemed dignified and quite under control...not the ravenous blood-sucking beasts of myth. Perhaps this was due to the fact that most in this academy were birthed of Noble Lineage...or perhaps the myths were all lies. Who could say? I myself didn't really have quarrel with the race , though in the past...my only duty was to slay those who had gone insane. I truly didn't know much about Vampires in general...they had merely been victims at my hands...
The bell rang and in came my fourth period class. A group of nobles, most from the most prominent families of Vampire Lineage...or so said the transcripts in my hands. More than one student in this room had made Quite a charitable donation to the academy. But no matter who they were...there would be no special treatment in my classroom.
One of the first students to enter couldn't have made me prouder. His uniform finely pressed and worn truly as designed...down to the button, he'd been through four periods, and yet...appeared as crisp and clean as he would for his FIRST class. He made direct eye-contact with me, approached and held out his hand.
"It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance, Sir Sinclair. My name is Sebastian Oread. I look forward to your class this year." He stated politely as he firmly shook my hand. Bowing his head a bit, he turned around and quickly took a seat in the middle of the classroom.
I smiled slightly. Yes...that was a VERY good student.
My joy was quickly shattered though...that seemed to be the norm as of late...when the next student entered. His hair wild...and his uniform...all but ruined....I nearly fell over from shock. He'd cut the sleeves some way...replacing them with safety pins...that was the only alteration I could stand to examine...I couldn't take anymore.
"I'm sorry...this is unacceptable!" I stated firmly, halting him at the entrance. A girl by his side stopped with him, she had a hat on with cat ears. And then I remembered the couple from that night I'd met them. "Please take your seat young lady...this only concerns Mr. Benitsuki."
"I will not...I'm sorry Sir." She responded.
"Pardon me?" I asked...my eyes zeroing in on her.
The young man stepped before her protectively. "What seems to be the problem?"
"The problem, sir...is that you have DEFILED your school attire." I stated turning back to him. "This is unacceptable. The rules clearly state that alterations are NOT to be made. The only exceptions being the buttons. You have CLEARLY exceeded these bounds. Therefore, I'm going to have to ask you to report to detention. Tomorrow, you must return to my classroom with a uniform which meets the standards of this institution...do you understand?"
He looked as though he would respond with an unsatisfactory answer, but then merely stated, " I understand."
Yet, the girl didn't stand idly by...before I knew it...she was standing protectively before HIM now...
Raphael
*********************************************************************
Raph's and Mei's posts coincide this time! haha...so....onto the next!
Thoughts of the man in white constantly ran through my mind. Yet, I hadn't the time to concern myself with that right now. There were lessons to be taught, and I was the one expected to do it. I almost felt embarrassed over the way I'd let everything bother me. It was not in my nature to get so worked up...and yet the fact that this school had been threatened bothered me immensely. Could it all be because of the promise I'd made in the past?....
I returned as promised after regaining my composure, and continued the classes without incident. I made it through the demon lessons with little effort, and then awaited the vampire class. My homeroom was Class A, composed of the purebloods, and highest ranking nobles. The nobles who would be higher than pureblood...if only their blood had followed suit with their rank.
It had seemed as though I wouldn't have a problem with such distinguished students...all until James entered my classroom. He practically 'screamed' trouble... he tried to get out of my class...but I wouldn't stand for that. Grabbing him by the collar of his unkept uniform I slammed him into his seat and gave him a thorough lecture. After which I began class. Things were fine...until I noticed him falling asleep! Snapping the ruler on the back of his neck, I got his attention, and continued my lecture until the bell rang...but I still don't think he grasped the rules...
"ugh....James..." I grumbled rubbing my temples as I sat behind my desk. I could foresee a good deal of mischief from him...it didn't please me in the slightest.
"Well that's certainly not a good sign..." A woman's voice announced entering the room.
"Lady Valla, oh no, it's nothing..." I smiled rising.
She gave me a sideways glance but when I met her gaze she quickly turned away. "I...was just here to go over tomorrow's plans. For the um...Flight class."
"Yes of course. Please, have a seat. There's still awhile before my next class...anything particular we need to cover?"
"Well, I was also supposed to inform you of the meeting. We are holding one at 2:00 pm with the students chosen to participate in the 'mission'. You will be accompanying them, will you not?" Valla discussed, she chose to remain standing.
"Yes. I know of both myself and Brenin amongst the mission overseers, meanwhile, you will be amongst the party to stay behind, correct?" I conferred. She nodded her acclamation, and so I continued. "Good. Knowing you are here to protect the school in my absence is a VERY reassuring thought." I smiled.
She seemed to go red for a moment...and I wondered if I said something wrong...or misleading... >.>' She sat down a booklet on my desk. "The entire lesson plan is in there...I took the liberty of drawing one up...to save you time instead of bothering you before your class..."
"Uh..."
"Farewell Sir Sinclair. I wish you a Good Night." She stated while exiting.
"And to you as well..." I practically shouted after her. That Valla...she was quite a peculiar person...
Raphael
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Kira:Well Raph, you've almost made it through the day!!
Raphael: =_=, did you not have faith in me to do so?
Kira: NO NO...nothing like that >.>''' Just uh...with everyone out to get you it's just...AW NVM!! heh heh....Just GOOD JOB!
Raphael: o_O? You are acting VERY peculiar Miss Kira...maybe moreso than Lady Valla... -_-
It took me several minutes to calm myself. I was in absolutely no mood for the next class, but since there were no teachers currently on stand-by to take my place, I would have to deal with it. This was only the first day after all, it couldn't be helped. The bell rang, signaling the start of class, and only then did I make my way to my classroom. I walked in, to a bunch of demons. Disgusting, despicable life-forms. They who loved the thought of bloodshed and death...who more often than not caused it! Very few of this race were redeemable. At least in my eyes...
"Good Evening. I am your homeroom teacher Raphael et Sinclair." I began my introduction. "I will not tolerate..." Just before I could continue, I felt something heading straight at me. Reaching my hand up, I caught a very small metal ball bearing. It had been coming at me with great speed...the inside of my palm feeling the impact. "This is World History, NOT Weaponry and Defense, Mr, Megami."
The Demon laughed. He was lounging in the very rear of the room...and casting me quite the look. "Yeah, I can see that." He commented. " It's nothing...TOO Personal, just thought maybe you forgot the part where you 'apologize' for being late. Or what? Didn't wanna show up to teach a group of Demons? It's understandable...but come on...isn't this school all about EQUALITY...or some nonsense like that?"
This was exactly the type of student I didn't need to see right now. I could feel my rage only intensifying...the entire room began to get brighter...and then I knew it was time for me to get out. I put my fingers to my mouth and let out a deafening whistle. Shortly after, Grim appeared in my doorway.
"Yes?"
"I need you to take over this class for me." I stated on my way out. "Following...I have something urgent to discuss with you. However at this moment I need some time to compose myself. I'll be fine for my next class...just not now."
Grim gave me a suspicious look, but did not question me. He nodded and stepped behind the podium as I exited.
Storming down the hall, I couldn't get over how thoroughly angered I had become over the incident in my quarters. I had to inform Grim, but I didn't really believe we need alert Able to it just yet. Not until I was absolutely certain HE had returned. I would let Able enjoy this academy he'd worked so hard to reopen...if only for a couple days more.
It was growing very dark now. Soon the vampires would be walking the grounds, waiting for their turn in the classrooms. I could feel them all very well. Every student within my net...all scurrying around...getting to know each other and the layout of the school. It didn't seem like there was anything off...which only made me all the more curious as to WHO had damaged my room in such a way. The area I was in was completely void. There wasn't a single energy signature within a 20 foot radius of my current position. I let out a deep sigh of relief. And then I saw it...a gleam of white before me.
Lifting my eyes...I almost couldn't believe them. There was a figure at the end of the hall. What I could only assume as a man, he wore a Victorian-style suit--all white...complete with a top hat. In his right hand I could make out a very detailed cane, which he swung back and forth as he stood there...no doubt staring at me...from behind a full-faced Venetian Mask. The Design on it was intricate...and yet I was still left in awe by him.
The most unnerving thing of all...he wasn't on my energy grid. Even at this moment...it was as though there was naught standing before me. It was unexplainable. My net would allow Nothing inside without my knowledge...and yet...
This got me thinking...my room...I had sensed no one there...
"You there!" I spoke walking forward quickly. "What is your business here?!"
He started to walk backwards slowly...almost completely unfazed by me. And then I heard him...
"Blame blame blame...such a dangerous game.
What you should really fear draws VERY near...
Be warned oh man of light...you are in for quite a fight..."
I seemed to only blink...and he was gone...just as mysteriously as he had appeared. I stood there in silence...unable to comprehend just what had happened. Someone had gotten through my net...and the way in which he spoke only seemed to raise my suspicion. Was that a warning? Or...a threat....
Raphael
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Kira: *squeals* OOOOH FINALLY!!! Get ready ppls...the mysterious figure has appeared on the scene!! Is he a FRIEND...a FOE?!! >:}
Raphael: Miss Kira...I would appreciate you NOT discuss-
Kira: Oh Raph...don't worry. Just becuz he got in without you knowing...you don't have to feel bad.
Raphael: *speechless* ./////.' .......ahem....yes well....
Kira: It's alright!!! *big smile* He's embarassed. LOL
