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 Posted: Wed Aug 11, 2010 11:21 pm
Amane had been on his knees, making sure the robe's flames were truly extinguished, when the sound pierced through the Academy. He had been too preoccupied with gratitude for his friends acting so quickly to help the Lunarian who'd had the accident to really perceive whatever else was going on around him until that moment. The second it happened, he rose to his feet and looked the room over. Nothing out of the ordinary. His hearing wasn't particularly exceptional, so he had no idea which direction it had come from. His stance shifted immediately: feet parted, knees bent, hands positioned defensively. It was a habit he had developed over time. When he was startled, he would automatically assume the defensive position he had learned.
His need for practicality kicked in immediately after his initial reaction. He assessed his friends: they all appeared to be fine. He assessed the room: nothing was particularly out of order, nor injured beyond the Lunarian who'd managed to set his outer robe on fire. He strode over to Liu and Lien just in time for Liu to brush his arm and suggest they go out to look around. Amane stood, silently, considering the situation. He looked back and forth between Liu and Lien. He would cover their backs, no matter what the cost to him might be. That was the nature of Amane's affection: he displayed it in a stoic, unwavering belief that no matter what happened, he would always be there, just behind his friends, or just ahead. Never too far from them.
"Wherever you two are, I will follow," Amane assured Liu, grasping his arm lightly and nodding.
The sound should make him nervous, he knew that. He should be afraid, suspicious, intimidated.. something. But he wasn't. For some reason, this kind of situation was simply not as stressful as socializing. Amane could deal with what was normally fearful. It was that strange combination of new faces and trying to make friends that made Amane's calm threaten to fail him. This situation he knew best. It did not phase him.
And yet, when Lien came back into the room and reported that there was at least one masked figure outside, Amane could not help but feel a pang of worry. Not for himself, no: for his friends, his new, dear friends. Lien and Liu were important to him, even though their alliance was so new. It was hard for Amane to feel motivated to make friends in the best of times, and yet.. Liu and Lien, he had been drawn to. Liu for his strangeness, his endearing oddities and yet the sincerity he seemed to radiate. Lien for the way he regarded everyone like ducks he had to care for, or the way he seemed to associate everything to a memory. He cared for both these boys, and wanted no harm to come to them.
If they stayed in the room, true, it might be safe. But Amane was not fond of being closed in shut spaces. Amane frowned lightly as Xiu burst back in and had hold of Lien's shirt. Gently, Amane placed his hand over Xiu's fist. "Be still," Amane said. "They will be there whether or not we are afraid of them, and there is no point ruining Lien's shirt because of that." Amane's voice had a smooth quality to it, as a stone polished by natural erosion of water might, a kind of calm that came only after conflict.
"Liu... Lien..." Amane whispered, looking at the two boys. He spoke up, then, so that they could be heard. "I'll go talk to it," Amane said. "I'm not afraid, even though perhaps I should be... I want this settled. However, if you feel, either of you, that we should avoid confrontation and sneak around him, I am willing to try. I promise you both that I Will do my best to keep you safe, though I train more for grace than strength," Amane said. He grabbed a long stirring spoon made of wood, which may have looked ridiculous, but it reassured him. The sturdiness of wood, its soft grain: these things soothed Amane. They made him believe in something solid. Not to mention his graceful fighting style was best complimented by an instrument with a little weight to it. At the least, perhaps he could fend off a couple blows, should the masked figures be violent. He wasn't the strongest fighter, nor the wisest, but he was not without skill. At the very least, the very least of all, he could distract their possible opponents and keep the fight going without taking or giving any blows, until his body was tired, or the figure moved too fast for him.
"I just... if we get trapped in this room, I fear things will go much worse for us. I won't have us fighting in such an enclosed space, nor will I have us trapped," Amane said, "If any of you would like to arm yourselves... well, we only have cooking items on us, but perhaps that will be enough," Amane added. He flashed a rare smile, his eyes glittering, and slid the door open, after gripping both Liu and Lien's arms. "I know we're not... not all fighters, and even those of us that are trained... we haven't had the most extensive training. We are young. I know all these things, and yet... There is strength in our unity, and I don't want to be... trapped in this room." Amane nodded, but did not look back. He was busy scanning the corridor.
With their consent, he would step forward. If they chose to address the figure, or figures, he would do so; if they chose to skirt around the masked figures, he would do that. Whatever his new friends desired, he would aid them. Truly, he did not want to have to fight in such a cluttered and crowded environment.
Why didn't it bother him? The loud noise, the masked figures, the empty hallways... They didn't, though. Amane had trained for a very, very long time, so that things which would normally startle or frighten others he simply breathed away. It was all in the breath, the movement: his hand sliding the door open, his foot shifting to take a fighting stance before he'd even left the room, the wooden handle braced in front of him. It was about grace, poise, fluidity of motion and of being. Amane would not feel fear. He would not fail them.
((Edit: Had to fix some singular forms to plurals for less confusion D smile )
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Posted: Thu Aug 12, 2010 4:32 am
Hearing the different stories brought Cais a little closer to his classmates, though they may not have been aware of it. After everything had calmed he made a motion to retrieve his boiling vegetables for a quick look. A loud explosion like that of a firework immediately stopped his train of thought and he turned suddenly, staring at the door. An eerie silence filled the room as each Lunarian student turned to attention, peering at the door. Cais was among the gawking crowd, feeling an all too familiar tingling of adrenaline pulling at his core.
"What was that?" He inquired, watching as Lien made a bold move for the door. His eyes had narrowed, feeling the dread wash over the room as Xiu announced his findings. "Masked Lunarians?" Cais said, raising an eyebrow. Adrenaline had sent his heart racing, but through the training he had acquired at the Academy he remembered his instructor's words in his first lesson. In simplistic terms it had equaled out to Think it out.
Contemplating he couldn't think of a single logical reason behind an attack at the Academy. As a Noble himself it would be typical to blame Legion forces, but he was unsure of that note. The Academy was considered neutral ground, or at least that was Cais's understanding of it. What would warrant an attack? It was completely illogical. "There's no reason for it..." he muttered, adding a, "...well, no good reason." And there was the truth of it. What could be gained by attacking teenage Lunarians who had yet to have extensive training? Pieces of the puzzle weren't fitting together and Cais's curiosity quickly swept him up.
Standing, he watched carefully as Amane took hold of what could be considered a weapon. "I don't believe attempting to talk this situation out would be entirely prudent. We don't have a proper assessment of the situation yet." Cais said lowering his voice so only those near him could hear, "Listen." he said, stopping for a moment. Only the exasperated breathing of the room could be heard. From outside there was nothing. He had assumed the masked men were HIGHLY trained, far above his own abilities, surely they could keep from being heard. But the entire Academy? It was unlikely with all of the teenage Lunarians together they could keep themselves quiet for long. "There's nothing, no other students, no instructors... just... nothing." he said grimly.
A glance to the teacher proved his point further; she had been completely unaware and was either in shock or asleep, slumped over her desk. With a nod he decided to keep a mental note of it. If the situation turned out for the best, he would have words with her superiors, but for now a far more important task was at hand.
"You're right in the fact we need to get out of this enclosed space. We're far too easy a target in here." Cais said, taking his right fist into his left and cracking it lightly under the pressure. Though not professionally trained, Cais did know how to work his hands. This was his only skill in fighting; his fists could do far more damage than a weapon clumsily placed in his hands. He would use their strength to fight the mysterious foe, but felt a trembling of anxiousness from his lower body resonate through him. Sparring was one thing, full on war with an unknown enemy with other lives at steak was another. Taking a deep breath, he calmed as best as he could, though his emotions were still set to an angered ebb.
"That leaves the question though, with so many of us... how can we react?" He asked, looking to where his fellow classmates had been. Noticing their absence his eyes darted around the room until landing on the main door. Blinking, he watched Amane, Liu and Lien move to the door. It was the first proactive move towards "fight" rather than "flight". A move he could stand behind. Slinking towards the door he kept his distance, taking in deep breaths as his heart raced. This was the sort of situation that held his attention completely. Wide awake, pumping with energy and poised for battle Cais watched the three boys, waiting for a signal to move. Though they had only met and but few words together he was prepared to fight with them. With whom and to what purpose was unclear, but Cais was determined to get to the bottom of the situation. With a nod to them he signaled he was with him and pressed closely to the wall. Here we go...
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Posted: Thu Aug 12, 2010 7:45 am
Strange masked men? "Who are these people ..." Liu murmured softly, almost incomprehensibly - to himself, of course. His former burst of adrenaline had almost died, and he was left with an overwhelming urge to meet his mother's smiling face. She's starting to get better, the physician had told him. Liu had believed the man, and by the looks of his mother's eyes - her beautiful storm eyes, the exact replica of Liu's own - and her cheeks, Liu knew that he had spoke the truth. She could move around the house properly now, often taking walks in the quaint little garden, and sometimes even tending to the flowers and crops. She smiled more, and despite the fact of the old man's recent death, seemed to be getting better; if anything, Jing Cheng's death seemed to have recharged her with her old vitality and life.
And Liu couldn't help but wonder what would happen if he didn't come home tonight - if his mother didn't watch him from her chair by the stove, if his mother didn't remind him to wash his hands (what was the point of that, anyways?), or if his mother wasn't there to say good night. What would happen if one day, she received a letter? A letter that stated how sorry they were for her loss - how they wished that they could've stopped it - how Jing Liu had been a wonderful student in the short while he had been at the school. And Liu knew right then, right there, that she wouldn't be able to take it. Two deaths within the year, and Liu knew she would crumple. Fall into depression. A deep depression that neither Liu nor his grandfather would be there to prevent - an empty shell of a woman.
I'll come back home, and we'll drink tea together.
"You're not to go by yourself, Amane." Liu said sharply, a tone of nervousness lacing itself into his voice. It was the first slightly more forceful thing he had ever said, but Liu was sure that he wouldn't let Amane get hurt. No. It was unquestionable. They were all in this together, after all~ Liu barely noticed the soup spoon in his hand, choosing instead to look at his face. "We should definitely go out. If they are harmless, they won't attack us." He gulped. "And well, if they are, then we'll be easier prey in this tiny room."
As he closed his mouth per Cais' sharp command, Liu noticed the silence. The dead silence that reeked of the school set Liu's hair on edge - made him think things that he didn't want to think. Their cooking class's reaction had been calm, compared to what could've happened - what didn't happen. There was no sound throughout the halls, and Liu knew at that moment that there was no one else in the school. He could've sworn that there had been a huge crowd of idle students in the morning - so why, why, why were they all gone now? Liu didn't know~ the only thing he could guess was that it was a drill, and they somehow hadn't heard.
"We have to move in small groups." He said quietly, tilting his head in Cais' direction. "Moving with the whole class would make us a walking target. Perhaps - if we played it cool, perhaps they won't attack. After all, four against one is unfair, and if nothing, it will give us an advantage."
Moving swiftly towards their table, Liu gathered a few knives and stuffed them into his robes quietly. If there was one weapon that he was slightly familiar with, it was the knife. Swords were a definite problem - he couldn't get how to hold one right, how to swing, how to not slice himself into pieces. But knives were - well, they were somewhat familiar, to an extent. They made Liu feel mildly comfortable... though god knows he wouldn't use one unless he were in a real life-or-death situation. "Let's go then." He murmured quietly, before opening the door quietly and waiting for the others to respond to the situation.
And he knew that he was leaving people behind - but hell, Liu was more than sure that he couldn't take anymore people. He - they would become a target, and Cais was only welcomed because he had experience and could actually fight. Be strong~ he thought to himself.
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Posted: Thu Aug 12, 2010 8:52 am
Naturally cool features softened considerably as he spoke of his sister and mother. Obviously a painful subject, she could see in the set of his shoulders, the gentle waver of his voice that it was not something he easily talked about. She herself had as of yet not lost anyone close to her, so she had no experience with the pain that lose could bring, but she could appreciate it at the least. A moment of wonder questioned if she would feel the same if one of her parents were to be snatched away from her, and in all honesty, she wasn't sure. She would certainly feel the bite of sorrow if her mother were gone, but her father.. The man showed care and pride in his daughter's gifts, but affection had never been wasted between them.
"I would need names, but I are say it's conversation for another time and place." Uncurling fingers from the bindings of her books she gave his arm what she hoped would be a comforting pat. She was still unsure of what actions were acceptable to which people, and it oft times left her feeling awkward and miss placed. She sincerely hoped that wouldn't be the case with Veryuu, for in the small time they'd known each other she'd grown quite fond of his presence. "No need to apologize."
She might have said more but an explosive roll of sound rocked the quiet grounds of the academy. Louder to Shin and her company for their lingering presence in the halls not far from the disturbing ruckus. Perhaps tardiness was not the wisest of choices this day. Startled by the explosion, Shin-Mu froze for the space of a heartbeat with pale eyes turned toward the source. The hand she'd placed on Veryuu's arm falling away to disappear around the curve of her back. Fingers resting on the dark, polished length of the flute that was trapped there within the cinching wrap of metallic clothe.
She went nowhere without the beloved instrument. Not only her means of defense, but the anchor of her guardian, Liu Guanyue. As a swirl of dust billowed from around the far bend of the hall the darkling noble stepped forward, drawing the flute as she moved. "That is not supposed to happen." Her voice was soft, slightly absent, her attention on the settling dust and the unseen stretch of hall around the corner.
The halls around them had cleared as they talked, and they stood in secluded in the silence that followed the.. What had happened? An accident, an attack? She wasn't sure, but she was keen to find out. Glancing back at the young man, she paused in her approach of the far hall. "I'm going to see what happened." The unsaid question hung in the air between them. He was free to remain here, or he could go with her.
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Posted: Thu Aug 12, 2010 12:00 pm
He had not the luxury any longer, for personal tragedy. The thrum of disaster had shaken the halls, the explosion causing unmistakable alarm in the both of them. Still loitering in the hallways, Veryuu knew full well that it placed them both at risk, should any intruders be lurking. A shudder echoed its way through his body, and it was as though he could hear the subtle clink of ice crystals disturbed, the panic that was nigh-tangible in the air ne'er being so kind as to leave him unaffected. "Gods...what was that?" He whispered, wishing instantaneously that he could summon his father's blade to his side. He hadn't thought to require it in this place, this Academy. Despite the varied backgrounds of those within, this was a place for the schooling of the mind and body, where the squabbles of the world that lay about it were to fade in intensity.
Not so sublime any longer, it seemed. Worry, fear, anger...all these emotions seized him in the space of a second, passing over his features and transforming them for a moment. Whilst his companion had been trying to comfort him but precious seconds before, she now stated that which was horrifically obvious. "No. I would imagine not." It was clipped, the particular mental state he'd settled on one of zealous wrath. That the Academy should be so despoiled was a sin that could not be exonerated. And whilst Veryuu himself was not one to play the crusading savior, an attempt that was quite ill-advised as he was utterly unarmed and otherwise unequipped. Though his father had passed to him a handful of his own skills, he had best hold those in reserve, and not show his hand too early.
That wisdom was for the sake of his companion, if naught else. A physical struggle was something familiar and uncomplicated to the youth, and that was, however idiotic the notion, what he might have sought for, had he not had Shin-mu at his side. Studying her, he reached forth and rested his hand very gently on her shoulder, the touch there feather-light and sturdy. It was something that he had seen his father do to his mother a thousand times, and he thought it bitter irony that he could now extend that solace to another. She was already readying herself, far more schooled in her art than he in his, and he yearned quietly for the sort of experience that had blossomed forth with that kind of subtle resolve.
It was soundless, the utter lack of the usual bustle of activity making the hallways seem eerie, a thing from his grandmam's ghostly tales of unslayable kappas. Loose hand tightening into a fist, he growled softly, teeth clicking together for a moment as vehemence bubbled over. She strode forward, and he stepped out almost habitually in her wake. It would make him an utter miscreant to let a lady, and his first prospective friend, at that, venture into quite likely peril alone. "I'll accompany you." He replied, tone brooking no argument as he came even with her. The usually calm male's eyes flickered with an emotion that would have been hard for an onlooker to fathom. This he would not fail, he could not. To do so would add yet another indelible sin to the account that already weighed on his soul with each waking hour.
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Posted: Thu Aug 12, 2010 1:05 pm
Lien nodded firmly at Liu's words. "You don't go out alone," he insisted to Amane. Didn't Amane know by now that they weren't about to leave him behind? Lien had said it when they first met- they should stick together.
As for his weapon, he looked around for a staff-like object, which would be most useful with the martial art he had begun to train in. Finding nothing, instead he grabbed a large wok. Shielding his friends came before fighting strangers. Lien would rather have something to block blows than inflict them. Gently now, he looked down at Xiu and added, "It will be okay. We're going to fix it." Carefully, he pried Xiu off of his shirt and nodded to him, Liu, and Amane. "You are my group. Let's go."
There was another reason he had to go out there. Quy had been in the Academy this morning, and whether he was a good brother or not, he was still family. Lien had to find him or what would his parents think? Even though Quy was hardly a dutiful son, he was their first son. It would crush them more than losing Lien if they found out that Quy was dead. Lien was dependable, but Quy represented the origin of their family, the point when his parents stopped being just a couple and became a mother and father. If Quy was in danger, Lien needed to act.
But that was his father in his mind, telling him what to do. Underneath, Lien felt unfamiliar selfishness. He always had to clean up Quy's messes, and it looked like city life would be no different from country life in that respect. Quy always waited for Lien to fix things for him, and even now that Lien had so many other things to fix, he had to look out for Quy some more. Why was it that people who barely knew him could help him with these masked men, but when he was truly frightened, his older brother wasn't there to help?
It was like the night sky, it was how it always was, but in the privacy of his mind, this was one thing Lien wished would change.
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Posted: Thu Aug 12, 2010 1:48 pm
Amane regarded Liu and Lien with confusion at first. Finally, he understood: they thought he wanted to go alone? "Why... would I split us up?" Amane smiled, shaking his head. "That would be unwise, I suspect." Amane understood all that Cais had proposed, but he wasn't sure that they could sneak by them, in a group. "It's true, that we don't know why they're here... but if we are confronted, my first recourse will be conversation. If that fails... I guess we'll have to do our best. I hope one of you is our lucky charm," Amane said, looking between Liu, Lien and Cais. Caise appeared to be with them, so when Amane took a step into the hall, and then another, he didn't worry about the Lunarians behind him. He did want to leave before the others decided to come as well, though. Amane certainly didn't want to travel in a big group, like lost sheep to be herded by these strange masked beings. Why would they wear masks? Amane's brain churned furiously, his brows knit. The Academy, he thought, was neutral ground. Even if something had threatened that, where were the other students? He highly doubted everyone else was too scared to leave their rooms.
But in the halls, they were alone with the masked figures. "Should we head outside the academy, or try and figure out where the noise came from? I'm hesitant to look for the others... in the event of an evacuation, why would we still be in our cooking class? I'm not much of a crime-solver," Amane admitted, trying to stay close to the wall. How would the masked figures fail to notice them? Until they acted out, Amane was treating them as though they were strange statues. He hoped that they were a passive force, but he had no way of knowing for sure. He gripped the wooden spoon tighter in his fist, then eased his fingers up, relaxing. He wasn't afraid, but he could feel the excitement of the situation, nagging against the edges of his consciousness.
He took another step out into the hall, watching the figures, and trying to remember where the sound had come from. They didn't seem like they were very far from the doors of the Academy, so that was also an option..but who knew what lay in wait outside the doors? For that matter, who in their right mind would head towards the source of a sound which may as well have been an explosion? Amane, thinking of their slim odds and the situation they found themselves in, still felt no fear. It wasn't fear, it was a sick realization that he wasn't battle-hardened and he wasn't a brilliant tactician. He was a new student who fought with grace and fluidity of movement, but he was by no means strong or wise. He had friends, and maybe together, they could find a way out of this.
Beneath all that, he still felt a flicker of hope that the masked figures would turn out to be passive, at least.
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Posted: Thu Aug 12, 2010 1:55 pm
Xiu looked at Amane, not sure he wanted to be soothed by the boy’s voice or angered by it. Why wasn’t he allowed to get a little nervous? He had no fighting skills whatsoever. Banishing some ill-mannered ghost was not on his list of useful skills. Looking to Cais, Xiu nearly wanted to just inside the classroom. The boy’s words were fortifying though and staying was the cowards way out. Xiu refused to be marked as a coward. He didn’t want to be laughed at for being spineless, despite that fact that he was still clutching Lien’s shirt nervously.
When his hands were finally removed from the soft fabric of Lien’s top, Xiu’s mind was made up. He was going to go too. He’d never be able to live with himself he was sitting safe while others were risking their own safety. “Of course we’ll fix this. I’ll help too. Promise.” He assured firmly, despite the fact that his voice cracked at the last word as he watched Liu push open the door. Show time.
Making no move to grab a weapon or some sort, Xiu stayed were he was in front of Lien and behind Liu. His eyes darted to Cais and then Amane for a moment before focusing back on the door. If things got bad, he had a pocket knife. However, a small blade for whittling wood would be utterly useless if that mask people were serious about…harming them. Amane’s wish to still talk with the mask people gave Xiu a rather vain hope. These people weren’t here to talk…or at least the dark aura emanating from them said as much.
“Be careful. Perhaps it would prove safer to be able to fight on open ground and not in hallways.” Xiu whispered almost inaudibly. The opened door was making him nervous and when Amane stepped out, he tensed, almost expecting an arrow to come flying at the boy.
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Posted: Thu Aug 12, 2010 3:47 pm
Cais nodded to the others. Though he wasn't certain that his own abilities, feeling terribly outclassed and by the masked Lunarians he didn't even know. He looked to the small group of students beside him. They were with him, true, but a nagging feeling of dread was building at the back of his head. "In the event of a true evacuation I don't see why we wouldn't be informed." Cais said in answer to Amane, though it was not an answer he wanted to here himself. "This entire situation doesn't feel right."
In the department of problem solving Cais had well prepared his mind, though the solutions he came up with were often non-orthodox. With a truly serious and dangerous situation he wouldn't even attempt to come up with an inventive strategy. Unlike creating a makeshift wheel for a broken cart, as he had often done, battle like this was a black and white situation with very grave consequences. Knowing that he racked his brain with logical solutions, though couldn't bring himself to find a good one.
Movement shifted his glance as Amane made another step into the hall. Moving closer to the door frame he poked his head out to join in the initial observation. It looked to be mayhem, a silent, creeping mayhem. From his vision he could see no masked figures, but the stillness felt unnatural to him. His gut reaction was to arm themselves, but the armory was far off from the culinary classes. Even taking a small group could be suicide. The secondary thought was to escape, but that left the awed Lunarians still remaining in the classroom, vulnerable like sheep. He didn't want to risk it and that rising curiosity was becoming insatiable.
"That noise could have been something big, it sounded like a firework going off. Or an explosion." Cais submitted, still scanning the area outside the classroom. "Whatever happened there couldn't have been good, but it might be the first clue as to what is going on. Perhaps attempting conversation should be an "in-passing" solution while we make our way there? Once we assess that we might have a better grip on the situation." He paused, "Maybe then we'll know the who and why." It wasn't the best idea, Cais granted, but all he could do was remember the basics of the training he had received at the Academy. Swallowing he cracked his knuckles again, "I'm open to other ideas though. I'd rather not put anyone in danger." He added, feeling a knot loosen slightly in his stomach.
Though he knew he was one of the few non-new students in the group he didn't want to get ahead of himself. He was still very young in his Academy career. The best he would be good for was fighting head on, and even then he suspected he would not fare well. "We need to avoid confrontation as best as possible though." He said quietly. Liu had said four against one would be unfair and yes they could probably overpower one enemy but Cais was uncertain. How could they be sure there was only one enemy? "There could be a lot we're not seeing from this vantage point." He muttered, mainly to himself. His heart was still racing, causing a surge of adrenaline and worry to spout inside of him. Whichever course they would take he only knew he wanted to move away from an enclosed space and find out what was going on. Both of which could prove disastrous. "See anything from there?" He asked Amane, turning his head upward to look at him.
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Posted: Thu Aug 12, 2010 7:22 pm
Noticing that Liu had agreed with him, Liu nodded in Amane's direction, satisfied with his response. Amane didn't seem to get what they had really meant (we're all in this together, and we're not leaving anyone behind), but that seemed to be in the boy's nature, and Liu wouldn't have it any other way. Looking back at Lien, his eyebrows furrowed - there seemed to be something gnawing at the boy, something that seemed to be even more troubling than the masked figures. Touching his arm slightly, Liu gave a grin which didn't fit at all into the situation at hand. "Is something wrong, Lien?"
Cais and Amane had seemed to take control of the situation, bantering back and forth about how to go about escaping and maneuvering. Liu had never been one of the type to plan, and he tended to do things on a whim - all he was thinking was that staying in here was giving him the creeps. It felt like they could be ambushed at any time, attacked and kicked into oblivion; and while Liu could exaggerate at times, all he knew was that they needed to leave. Fast. Their small group had grown into a five-man-group, making their escape even slower, and that made him feel uneasy as well. There was only one thing that Liu wanted to do now - get out. "All I know is we should move~" He remarked and opened the door, stepping out after Amane. The figures outside looked at them, sure, but they didn't seem keen on, well, attacking.
The situation was still much too strange. Liu didn't know the Academy as well as any others, but he knew that it was supposed to be a neutral area for both the Legion and Nobles. As much as he'd like to blame it on the Legionnaires, Liu knew quite well that it could be the Nobles as well, little as he wanted to admit. However, at the moment wasn't the time to be thinking about politics. There was something wrong, and Liu couldn't help but feel that he was a puppet in a puppet show. The combat teachers would have easily overpowered any intruders and the fact that the figures were still here made him feel jittery. Like someone was keeping a secret from him - like someone was teasing him. "We should go to where it all started from." He said, voicing all their opinions in one statement. "We have nothing to go on anyways."
To put it frankly, Liu wasn't too hot about the idea of talking to the masked figures, and if someone wanted to - well, he wasn't going to get involved. He knew he wasn't acting like himself; he knew that normally, he would be goofy and playful, but this just wasn't the time. Liu was scared. If this went wrong somehow ... his hands brushed across the five knives hidden within the folds of his sleeves and felt a little more safe.
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Posted: Fri Aug 13, 2010 10:04 am
The touch on her shoulder made hr blink, glance back at him with the sea green eyes that showed a touch of surprise amidst the resolve and unease. So unused to those with substance reaching out. It made her smile, a very quick up turn of glossed lips before her attention returned to the matter at hand. She moved forward at a quiet creep, slippered feet making almost no sound as she crept along. "If you can find a suitable weapon, it might be wise to take it along." Anything one could swing like a club or throw would do well. She'd learned recently that a broom handle was just as effective as a battle club.
When they neared the bend in the hall Shin slipped to the side to hug the wall as she moved, lingering at the corner to let her breath ease out in a steady line before slowly peeking around the corner.
The sight that met was not a comforting one. The hall was littered with ruble and there were figures half hidden by the swirl of settling dust. Pale brows narrowed as the cloud cleared enough for her too see them more clearly and what she saw was even more unsettling. Withdrawing from the corner, she turned back to pale young man beside her. Voice hushed to barely a whisper. "Figures with masks covering their faces." She wasn't entirely sure what to make of it, and that puzzlement showed in the pinched set o her brows, the gentle frown that touched her lips.
"It's cliche to say so, but I have bad feeling about this." Her grip on her dizi tightened, and she bent to set her books on the ground. She wanted her hands free if she needed to play. And on the tail of that thought another struck her. "If I start playing, you may want to keep a hand on my shoulder." Brows gave a thoughtful pinch. "The spells don't effect me unless I will them to, but I'm not sure what would happen to any bystander that may be around."
She would be focusing her attacks on the masked figures, should they prove hostile, but she had never practiced her skills with others around that were not her target. Under other circumstances it would be interesting to find out, but now was not the time for experimenting.
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Posted: Sat Aug 14, 2010 9:20 pm
Cais seemed to know the most about the situation and the school and general. Lien agreed with him, saying "We should head towards the sound." The sound signified danger that had already passed, but the masked men seemed to be posing a very real and current threat. Anyway, anyone still left in the building (meaning, in Lien's case, Quy) would head towards the source of the noise, if they could get past the men in masks. They hadn't attacked yet, but from what Cais said, they shouldn't be there to attack in the first place.
"If we speak to them, choose one standing in the open," He lapsed into silence again, holding onto his wok-shield a little tighter. He had never fought another person in earnest before, and he didn't look forward to the possibility if it could possibly be avoided. However, if it came to it, he'd rather know what they were getting into than be ambushed. Lien disliked surprises and danger, and the thought of surprising danger was even less appealing.
Blinking at Liu (Had his face revealed his brief discontent?), he shook his head. "It's nothing to worry about," he informed the smaller boy, trying to sound calmer than usual, if possible. "I'm sure everything will be fine."
And in some ways, this was true enough. Though Lien didn't like the situation, the more he thought about it, the more absurd it seemed to him. The city felt too unreal for the country boy, and in this even more unreal situation, it was too easy to feel like it was all a terrible dream he would eventually wake up from. To keep his mind in the present, he looked down at Xiu, who had seemed to be the most alarmed in the beginning, and moved his wok-shield a little to try and cover part of the other student. With that done, he looked in the direction the noise had come from.
"Are we ready?"
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Posted: Sun Aug 15, 2010 9:59 pm
"Yes," Amane said, in response to Lien. With one even, deep breath, Amane stepped into the corridor. He watched a masked man turn the corner, and frowned. It seemed like the direction the sound had come from. He turned to look behind him and held a finger to his lips, asking everyone to be quiet, if possible. Since it didn't seem like Cais thought talking was a good idea, Amane intended to do his best to avoid that confrontation.
Amane was the kind to neither assume something was safe nor dangerous until he had assessed it as either personally. He thought about his answer to Lien. Were they ready? He had said yes without thinking, but wasn't it true? If they were ever going to be ready, then they were ready now. At the very least, he was ready. Were the others? The corner of Amane's mouth twitched into a frown. He was glad the others couldn't see it.
It wouldn't do any good to be afraid. He took a few steps, and then it occurred to him to make a plan in case something went wrong. He turned to them, and whispered, "Should we hear someone coming, we should take pre-emptive action and duck into one of the side rooms as efficiently and quietly as possible. If possible, I will open the door of the room closest to me, and we can all file in. If there are no rooms ahead of me, the person closest to the door should gently open it and go inside. If there is a reason why they cannot, whoever they may be at the time, indicate so if possible and we'll take according action," Amane paused. He was trying to speak concisely, with confidence, while still speaking quickly and quietly. He realized the precarious nature of their situation, now that they had decided not to confront any of the masked men, but he needed them to know what was going on in case the unforseeable happened.
"If there is a problem, and we get split up... try to remain together in some way; I'd prefer none of us to get lost alone. Liu and Lien.. I'd like you two to stick with me. Cais, if you could watch over Xiu, in the event we're split up? That seems logical." Amane disliked having to break them up into uneven groups, and ideally, they wouldn't split apart at all... but he was the kind of Lunarian who believed in addressing possibilities, good and bad, so that they could be dealt with efficiently. "If we are attacked, our main goal is to defend and, if possible, to flee with as few injuries as possible. I don't know if they are hostile, yet, but as Cais has pointed out... well, it's just better to be safe, if we're taking the stealthy route."
Amane paused again, looked at all of them to make sure his words were registered. He lingered on Cais, trying to communicate with his expression that he didn't mean to direct the boy, but he was going to offer these instructions because it was better that they had some kind of plan. If Cais had other ideas, Amane would welcome and address them; well, if any of them had ideas, Amane would hear them and take them into account. He simply needed to be insistent for the moment. He added one last thing, "Should we get broken up, we need to head back to a place we all know. The front doors or the cooking room seem like the easiest places to try and reach. Which would everyone prefer?" He asked. He waited for them to give their answers, but got moving promptly after.
Amane led them, silently, down the hall. In motion, he was fluid and graceful. His steps looked assured, carefully placed, and he walked in a near-perfect line. Hopefully, they would make it to the place the sound had come from with relative ease... They made it to the end of the hallway, and Amane turned around the corner. One down.
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Posted: Thu Aug 19, 2010 3:04 pm
Odd, that he had not even fully grasped what he was doing, as his hand drew away, the sensory input of fine fabric and embroidery awakening him to his own actions. It was reassuring, that she, who obviously shared his usual disdain for contact with the commonality about them, would find his touch favorable. Veryuu had been bereft of such propinquity since the passing of his family members, since his once-warm and gracious father had turned cold and distant, a trait that whilst the reticent teen prized it selfishly within his own fortifications, found it unattractive and disillusioning in someone who had before been a pillar of support and love. Annoying in the past, it now seemed a chasm that he was unable to bridge...but Shin-mu's smile seemed a to reassure him, in some childish fashion, that his touch was not synonymous with his own guilt.
"Hnnn..." He kept bright eyes open as they made their way down the hall, he playing her shadow as he scanned their surroundings for an object that could improvise as a weapon. His father had taught him some techniques invented for such times. After all, even a warrior has their moments bereft of sword...and such forms such as those of the bahng mahng ee could prove useful. Now, he had to wish that he'd paid more attention instead of haughtily dismissing such in favor of the blade. "Well if you spy anything that might suit, please inform me." It was only in situations such as these where asking for help was the appropriate course of action. Otherwise, he would be unable to protect his engaging new companion.
Grimacing at the sheer amount of clutter that the chaos had caused, damaging building and likely some of those within, he ran his thumb along a sleeve, pausing at the cuff to tug it straight and situate it in an almost calmingly ritualistic manner. "Masks..." He echoed, trying to take a glimpse himself of the infiltrators. "What reason would they have for such...unless they feared to be known? And even then...why?" What faction would dare to cause such mayhem within these halls, a place that for as long as the young Lunarian could recall, had been one of learning and accord. Hallowed, almost, if his grandfather's words could be believed.
"I think the cliche in this scenario is quite apt." He muttered, almost in her ear, he shadowed so close, wanting nothing to strike her that he could not at least attempt to intercept. Though, he had to admit to himself in a wry fashion, a warrior without his weapon is little more than a meat shield. Completely thrust into the unfamiliar with her talk of spells, he simply nodded in a fashion that gave an air of confidence that he did not possess. "I'll do my utmost to be wary should you need to cast them." Shifting his stance subtly, the lithe male rearranged his clothing a touch, providing him with maximum freedom of movement. Battle would not have been his first course in such a scenario, should confrontation occur, for though it rankled him fiercely, calculated retreat was the wiser, were any of the masked ruffians to challenge the pair.
"Is there any chance we can go forward...or around...?" For the moment, he would treat this as a scouting mission, nothing more, nothing less. Shin-mu obviously saw a need to discover their motives, and to fathom what had happened to the Academy, and the frosty youth, possessed of valorous intent, would aid her in that quest. That chill of dire warning, however, was indeed unmistakable, and put him on edge, a spike of adrenaline making him uncharacteristically antsy. He'd already sworn not to fail, and was praying rather fervently that he'd be able to uphold that personal vow.
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Posted: Thu Aug 19, 2010 7:11 pm
(seeing as never crazy isn't posting ...)
Amane was rather impressive - he didn't seem to be shaken at all in all the events that had happened, and to Liu, that made him someone to depend on and someone to appreciate. Lien was just the same; both were intensely focused and ready for the situation at hand. ... And he? Liu's stomach swirled of inner turmoil. So far he'd managed to showcase a calm front (which was something Liu considered himself to be quite good at) but there was something itching at his insides and it bothered him. Frightened him, almost. Liu believed in intuition and instinct, and the feeling gnawing at his chest was most definitely something to be aware of.
He nodded tightly at Lien (and definitely didn't believe him, but he wasn't sure at all) and smiled again; it seemed harder to pull the corners of his mouth than it had been before. "We are ready." Liu breathed, blinking slowly and breathing. He was nervous - that was it. There was nothing wrong, and he was together with four other boys. Nobody would slaughter four boys. Or ... well, he wasn't sure.
Noticing Amane had taken it upon himself to summarize what they were going to do and how they were going to do it, Liu's breaths became more natural, his heartbeat slowing down. There was something irresistibly soothing about the other boy's voice, and Liu was glad that he was here. Amane possessed a sort of charisma (he supposed it could be called that) that found others gravitating towards him, trying to please him in some sort of way. Liu didn't find himself an outsider to the boy's charm, and welcomed it. Amane was their unofficial (official?) leader, after all~
The boy's reasoning was solid in almost every way. Cais was the most experienced and probably the one who knew the layout of the school the most. Xiu seemed jittery and prone to all types of nervousness (signs showing in his grasping at Lien's shirt), and pairing him with Cais would perhaps keep them even. Amane and Lien and him - well, Liu couldn't think of anything else. He wasn't about to part with the two, not for the world. They had been - were - the only people in the school he considered friends, and Liu was sure he would be hard-pressed to find others like the two. They were good people, his instinct told him that. "The front doors, in my opinion." Liu said, his voice almost loud in the silence. "It feels safer." Intuition. Again.
As Liu walked down the hallway after Amane and the others, he stumbled a bit (hmm, something to laugh at) before picking himself up and glancing wearily at the others. They walked perfectly, not making any sound, and graceful. He was ... a liability, he guessed. A possibility that their little escapade would go wrong. "There's nobody here." The Chinese boy remarked quietly as they rounded a corner. "It would appear that the masked figures have left." Now, Liu didn't believe this himself (he, personally, thought that they had decided to hide somewhere and ambush them), but smiled at everyone and prompted them to walk further. "Let's go while we can~" He murmured, taking the first steps.
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