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 Posted: Wed Dec 28, 2011 12:11 pm
A simple text followed Jude's promotion mission request a few days later. It had taken the facility quite a while to purge all the leftover Christmas fiasco decorations, though the smell of gingerbread seemed to linger no matter where anyone stood, as long as they were inside Deus Ex. Message from Caelius Training field. 10:15 am.
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Posted: Wed Dec 28, 2011 12:16 pm
There was something to be said about trying to sleep off whatever it was that he had just gone through. It was enjoyable to be happy on one hand but on the other hand he would have rather have been happy on his own and sincerely as well. Still he was in bed then the text came.
He stared at it for a long moment and then at the time. There was a sudden outcry of frustration - it was a good thing he was already in his uniform because he'd taken a shower earlier but now he was on his feet and running like a madman.
At about 10:14 he arrived on the training field where he bent over and panted harshly his hands resting against his knees. Stupid Caelius. Stupid everything.
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Posted: Wed Dec 28, 2011 12:34 pm
Caelius snapped closed his cell phone, apprehending Jude with his usual cheerful expression. "Jude Hargrave. A promotion mission is assigned only to those who are prepared. I have received no commendation of your personal achievements or failures to even consider you for a promotion mission, though I believe it would be fair to let you decide yourself."
The Death Hunter leader narrowed his eyes, taking into regard Jude's slightly disheveled appearance. "Do you consider yourself prepared for a promotion mission?"
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Posted: Wed Dec 28, 2011 12:41 pm
He straightened up after a few moments of catching his breath and straightened up even more when Caelius spoke to him he bit back a retort he could have had actually he bit back several mostly because he didn't think it'd help him in this situation. It was different when Jude went to Caelius prior asking for a talk only to be shuffled off onto some other higher level Hunters for a menial seeming task.
...Yes he was still a bit bitter about that.
"Yes," he said simply, "I have taken on everything that's been thrown at me and survived is that not enough...Sir?"
Okay so a little bit of sass never hurt.
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Posted: Wed Dec 28, 2011 12:59 pm
A sneer. "No, trainee, surviving is not nearly ******** enough." The tone was bitter, acerbic, his behaviour suddenly hostile. "Thankfully for you, your promotion mission has already been pre-determined, though I would hope as a Death Division trainee that you have at least considered what predicament you are in." Caelius picked up the two runic daggers half-buried in the ground next to him. "In which case you are either very brave or incredibly stupid."
As he spoke, he shifted stance yet again, one weapon gripped in each hand, waiting. "Whenever you are ready."
There was no mistaking what exactly Jude's promotion mission entailed.
OOC - Whenever Jude is ready, he can initiate the first attack. Make sure to post his total HP value and total damage done at the bottom of each battle post.
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Pales rolled 2 8-sided dice:
8, 3
Total: 11 (2-16)
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Posted: Wed Dec 28, 2011 1:09 pm
"It is never enough for you, I noticed, Sir." He said quietly, bluntly. Jude refused to give Caelius the satisfaction of being fearful of anything. When it became evident that the Division Leader picked up two daggers and then seemed poised a simple stance. Jude just stared for a long moment.
This was the mission?
He summoned Yom into his hands the Hourglass resting there heavily before he put it in a single handed grasp toward the middle. There seemed to be the feeling of displeasure from this act - it'd always been evident but now even more so.
{Yom doesss not like that. Never did.}
He ignored the protest as he moved forward to attack using a Fencer's stance moving to strike the tri-pointed end of his hourglass toward the left side of Caelius' core.
HP: 40
DMG: 5
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Zoobey rolled 2 12-sided dice:
6, 3
Total: 9 (2-24)
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Posted: Wed Dec 28, 2011 1:13 pm
There was a light jarring impact as both weapons collided, the Death Hunter stepping forward to drop his second dagger back on the ground as he used his free hand to pull Jude forward with the hourglass. The pain was more mental than physical as he send the trainee flying to the ground.
"As this is your promotion mission, you are being evaluated for every action you take" Caelius waited, one dagger in his hand as he circled Jude. "Either forfeit now and stop wasting my time, or stop ******** around with your weapon and use it properly."
((Total Damage Done: 9 - 6 = 3
HP: ??? ))
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Pales rolled 2 8-sided dice:
3, 1
Total: 4 (2-16)
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Posted: Wed Dec 28, 2011 1:30 pm
{You never lisssten. Never.}
He always pretended he didn't feel a damn thing when he used his weapon the way he might use a rapier. It was all he knew. What did everyone expect? Stumbling back and then hitting the ground with a grunt his hourglass still rested in his hand by the middle he just stared up at Caelius, "You are the one that pretty much encouraged weapon improvisation. What the hell am I supposed to do with this crazy thing?"
Already he was getting frustrated it was like he was getting criticized on both sides now.
As he moved to stand he steadied his footing and then moved forward to attack but there was a slip in his grip that he just barely caught and managed to remain a hold of his weapon. He uttered a quiet curse under his breath.
HP: 37
DMG: 0
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WE ARE HALLOWEEN rolled 2 12-sided dice:
3, 6
Total: 9 (2-24)
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Posted: Wed Dec 28, 2011 1:34 pm
Another clang followed Jude's rather adamant outburst as they parried before Caelius simply pushed the trainee backwards, breaking the attack once again. He raised his weapon and-
-"Where are you looking at, trainee?" Jude literally took an elbow to the face as the Death Hunter easily pushed them backwards. In fact, it seemed as if Caelius was using everything but the dagger offensively. "You were the one who said you survived, but was it through blind ******** luck or because you have the ability to, in your words, improvise further?"
He stopped, waiting, clearly growing tired of playing fair. "If you don't know how to use your own weapon, then what the ******** are you doing here?"
((OOC:
Damage: 9 - 6 = 3
Total HP: ??? ))
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Pales rolled 2 8-sided dice:
6, 4
Total: 10 (2-16)
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Posted: Wed Dec 28, 2011 1:53 pm
{Wordsss lisssten to them. I ssspeak them. Leader ssspeaksss them. You do not listen.}
Jude's head cracked back after the elbow to the face he stumbled away after getting pushed back his head feeling dazed with the faintest of ringing in his ears or so he felt. Yom's voice was getting louder, angrier. If he shouldn't use it as a rapier then perhaps a dagger? Stab Caelius right through the heart with the damn thing.
"I am here to fight. I was lured here with the promise that I'd no longer be prey," he growled as he tried to fix his grip on the weapon once more. It almost felt like it was trying to get away from him now. What did they expect? Instant warriors?
With determination he managed to keep a hold of his weapon and moved to stab it toward Caelius's chest. He was hitting the man, was that not good enough?!
HP: 34
DMG: 4
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Posted: Wed Dec 28, 2011 2:22 pm
Jude might as well have been playing with an invisible dagger. The Death Hunter leader grabbed a hold of trainee's wrist, pulling them and their weapon towards him.
"No, you are ******** garbage." Caelius turned Jude's weapon over with his free hand, examining it. "Information usually comes hand in hand with a price tag, and so does time. So I will give you a small hint, and in return-"
- There was a sickening crack as the Death Hunter pushed Jude's ring finger a little too far back. Before the trainee could react, a second jolt of agony joined the first -
- Caelius had literally broken two of Jude's fingers on his weapon arm before shoving the trainee and his weapon back on the ground. "The first hint is your stance. It betrays how you think of your weapon, though I doubt you have asked it yourself what it thinks of you." He waited, expression unforgiving. "You have four more hints if so require them, or you can give up and pay the penalty fee."
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Posted: Wed Dec 28, 2011 2:38 pm
There was silence in his mind during the time where Caelius had a hold of him and then broke two of his fingers causing the young man to let out a rather loud cry of pain and anguish and so if Yom had said anything during that moment he heard none of it. None of it at all.
He flopped to the ground holding his hand toward himself almost protectively while for the moment the weapon landed on his lap as he bit back a whimper of pain. ******** that hurt. ********.
"I am not garbage. You're ******** garbage," He spat out in anger and resentment.
{You've always done me wrong. Lady Yom has picked her champion poorly.}
"SHUT UP YOM. YOU PICKED ME. NOW YOU'RE MINE," he suddenly shouted in anger as he stumbled up to his feet. Stubborn as always and twice as angry.
The injured hand throbbed in pain as took the weapon in his free hand as he stumbled to his feet, "I'll never give up. I don't ******** care if you think I should. I'll try everything and anything."
{Then lisssten to me. Think of me as extension of your hand.}
Mind numbing pain raced up and down his hand and arm as he forced himself, "I already do that." Caelius didn't exist anymore.
{No! Your actual hand. Like a fisssst. What do you do with fisssts?}
Nagging now. First she was always silent. Watching and now she was nagging him treating him as a child.
As he lunged forward one more time using the same fencing trick as before there was an outcry in his mind.
{NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!}
It ended with a scream as the weapon fell from his hand and fell hard to the ground. Unlike a handful of other times she was dropped ...she actually broke. Straight down the middle.
There was an ominous silence and Jude could do nothing but stop and stare dumbly for the moment. What ....?
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Posted: Wed Dec 28, 2011 2:59 pm
"Enough." There was no missing the relative flicker of interest as Caelius apprehended the turn of events, but Jude's sheer confusion at the result had been the last straw on the metaphorical camel's back.
"It is evident that you are still holding yourself back, though I will take equal blame in overestimating your capabilities. You are dismissed trainee, get yourself ******** cleaned up."
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Posted: Wed Dec 28, 2011 4:43 pm
It was almost like Caelius was talking to him from the other side of a really long Hallway. His eyes were wide and welling with tears. Tears that actually spilt out and trailed down against his cheeks and the stream became steadier as the pain both emotional and physical began to take hold. The throbbing, screaming ache of broken fingers got worse and worse as he stared down at the broken halves of his weapon.
Yom? Yom where are you?
Without even realizing it Jude had crumpled to the ground near his broken weapon and he was out like a light unable to take the pain and mental anguish that had just suddenly come over him. He could take the verbal abuse from Caelius but this...This was too much.
He couldn't seem to feel Yom's presence anymore anywhere. What was the point if he could not have a weapon? How could he fight? How could he do anything? Useless and broken is what he was - he deserved to just get shoved back into a pod. Jude had done nothing these past several months except live in the past and listen to his own woes play over and over in his mind. Regret what he had pulled one young woman into. Regret that he didn't do better in life. Just simply pitying himself, reveling in his sadness and not listening.
Not once did he honestly try to talk to his weapon and now it was possible he'd never talk to her again. He'd failed in every possible respect he was not worthy. Jude...Not once did he listen to her advice. She was right. Yom had picked the wrong champion.Jude...Now she was gone because he had failed her. He was a failure... JUDE. It was like a voice right next to him but it was still in his mind, but still he could hear her now clearly once again.
There was an odd silence between them.
{Maybe now you listen to me? Hm? Now that you hurt Lady Yom so bad she could barely think for a moment?}
Humility is what he felt. {I'm sorry Yom.}
A soft sound almost like a sigh, {You alwaysss go on your own but you are not on your own anymore. You sssaid to me you are a man but you behave like a sssmall ssscareling boil. Lady Yom isss not impressed.}
{I know. I disappoint everyone around me.}, came the glum response of a young man that knew he'd done wrong far too many times.
Soft tsk came in response to his observation of self-worth, {You can only improve if you listen to your guidesss. Trussst usss, hmm? You cannot alwaysss look toward othersss to hold your hand. Obvioussly hand holding comesss at a consequence but ssstill. More importantly you should...Look toward me. I am your weapon, Jude. Let me explain my usssess.}
Hourglasses have uses? It was either he used her to bash or he used her as a rapier but there was nothing that was in between.
There came a sound of laughter as Yom seemed amused at his thoughts, {Think of it not jussst an hourglass but ... like sssomething that helpsss hit harder.}
Silent thought from Jude before he responded, {I never really used my fists at least not regularly. I ...Don't think I can do it effectively that way. I...}
{Learn. You have sssources. That Leon? He could teach sssomething.}
Jude scoffed a bit unconvinced that Leon would even help him if he asked, {I guess. Maybe. He'll probably make fun of me the entire time...}
{You are sssetting it up for thisss to happen again if you ssspeak like that. Then I'll be gone forever.}, Yom argued back stubbornly. She'd picked him because he'd woken up. She picked him because he had a determined spirit. Not because he would just back away from a challenge. Certainly he fumbled about using her and kept getting it wrong but at least he didn't give up.
No. He didn't want that. He'd treated her as a burden. A nuisance. Someone that just took up residence in his mind and simply didn't pay her rent though she'd been watching. Just watching and measuring his worth and right now it was wanting.
{I'll do my best for you.}, he replied after a moment of introspection.
There was a pleased feeling and then a brief view of what Yom possibly looked like in a former life smirking at him lazily before he finally popped awake. Awake and in pain. So much pain but somehow in his hands now were punching daggers. As he slowly got up still feeling woozy from what had just happened he stared around looking for Caelius.
The punching daggers still held much of the hourglass theme and colors but were obviously now very different. He had no idea what had transpired to change them so drastically because obviously he'd been blacked out this entire time but he accepted it as normal pure and simple. Jude was unable to handle one of the punching daggers by the handle correctly he could only use his two still good fingers but oh God did it hurt bad. Still he was determined to persevere.
"Caelius, we are not done with you," Jude said simply and added a very firm, "Sir," as an afterthought.
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Posted: Wed Dec 28, 2011 5:50 pm
The Death Hunter leader in question stopped in mid-step just as he heard his name and authority being challenged. Silence.
"In case you are unaware of how things work around here, I will decide when you ******** finish and you are done wasting my time." He turned his head just slightly. "Unless you think you can of course, considerably pay me back for my time."
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