【Tavion Vega≎Fighter≎Aria】☼Interpreter of Condolences☼
【Southern Flame General | Acting Paladin | True Cross Academy Headmaster | Arc Knight】
✖ ╲╲╲╲╲╲╲╲╲╲╲╲╲╲╲╲╲╲╲╲╲╲╲╲╲╲╲╲ ✖
Time seemed to move very slow for some reason. Ever since the Exorcist Qualification Exam commenced. It hadn't even been that long since then either but the Headmaster was quite worried about his students. He had to go for a bit of a stroll for the time being so his mind could be released from the though of any students from True Cross falling victim to the exam. As if the Vatican had placed something in his head that could read his thoughts, he received a message from headquarters via text. It was concerning the Exam itself and they had given him a way to stream the entire thing from anywhere he had access to the internet. That meant mobile too.
Before clicking on the link in the messages, there was something just a tad bit more interesting that caught his eye. In that very message there was another link that held news reel covered on the island, which headlined the slaughtering of students in a restaurant. A video was included where it showed a few of the top Exorcist in the academy: Ignazio, Alexandra and Lloyd, mercilessly dismembering an entire team that looked as if they were trying to ambush the three. A smile crept onto Tavion's lips. It wasn't intentional but it happened anyway. It was always a pleasure seeing the ones he was tasked to look after succeed more than others. Although it was a shame to say, they weren't meant for the Exorcist life if they hadn't passed this part of the exam. The otherwise kind, compassionate and understanding man showed a bit of an uncaring attitude towards the fallen students.
Finally Tavion had walked far enough where he could find a bench in the open air to sit on so that he may get some fresh air. He took his seat with his smartphone(iPhone). He took a breath hoping that it wasn't something crazy he was about to witness. A black loading screen took the place of the page in which the link to him. It turned into a video stream of the entire second part of the exam which was something like Capture the Leader(Gears of War 3 anyone?). There were two teams of an unknown amount of players to those that were not viewing it live. Each team has a King that the other must capture or take down and an HQ one must destroy. What happens after, Tavion had no idea about, whether the entire other team would be terminated, only the winning team advances to stage three, nothing. Not a single clue.
The camera seemed to focus first on Ignazio Barthomeloi, one of the more powerful students that made his way through True Cross Academy. It would seem that he was the King of one of the teams. He was leading the charge against an armada of Salamanders that had approached which had Black team in a pincer attack from both gates. Ignazio was born for the role of leader as he quickly set up teams of specific keister types in order to fend off the many Salamander. He wouldn't sit back to let the others get all the glory. He took a team of his own to fight as well.
The view of the camera then had switched to one of the other venues which held the white team. Titus, was who the camera focused on which would make him the king of the White Team. In the cavern the team could be seen fighting off a few platoons of Skeletal Warriors. Unlike Black Team, White Team seemingly had no structure(from the outside looking in) and they looked horribly discombobulated. In order for that team to work, Titus, Kin of Satan, would have to assert his authority. It could be done, but he would have to show just how powerful he was.
It would seem that the Headmaster was enjoying watching the scuffle between the two teams and was very anxious to find out who would win this battle and who would move on to stage 3 of the exam.
✖ ╲╲╲╲╲╲╲╲╲╲╲╲╲╲╲╲╲╲╲╲╲╲╲╲╲╲╲╲ ✖
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✖LOCATION✖ True Cross Academy Main Courtyard ✖MOOD✖ Interested ✖PARAMETERS✖
Middle Second Class | Human | Fighter | Aria | Qi: 104,700/104,700 | Current Theme: Contemplation: The Fountain Parameters: Physical Strength: o550 | Defense: o300 | Mobility: o270 | Intelligence: o165 | Weapon Arts: o150 | Martial Arts: o160 | Accuracy: o300 | Fatal Verses: o160 | Demonic Control: o112 [Out of Character: Kasai! Short time, no see!]
Click. Click. Click. That rapid succession of steps could've only meant urgency to a certain degree. The sound repeated, but with no real sense of direction if you paid attention to it for long enough. While not strictly without reason, the steps being made were done without forethought, and was otherwise known as wandering. It took away some of the monotony that came with each day, but there was always something missing. Searching high and low didn't make too big of a difference for Sora, but she knew that each day she was here she came ever closer to her ultimate goal. What that was, she had yet to determine, but she would at least have a head-start when she figured out what it was she wanted. She wasn't here to soul search, however. She was here to learn, and if she could, impart her knowledge when the time came. That's why she didn't mind feeling a bit tired every now and again. The end result would be worth it.
Sora Tsuyoi, the girl with the faceless mask, was the one making those repeating steps. With each click her heels made against the ground, her steps became lighter and more practiced, as if she were starting to pick up her mood. She was quite the sight, uniform notwithstanding. Her empty skin color was akin to her empty crimson eyes, whereas her hair flowed downward for quite a length, framing her face and body both. She had a child-like charm to her in some ways, and a mature charm in others, but she wasn't perfect. In her line of work, everybody got hurt...she was no exception. Two years ago, Sora felt as if she were going to die, but she survived her encounter. It left marks on her right arm and left leg...even her face if you decided to scrutinize her enough, but she accepted her wounds as the least of her worries.
The clicking stopped when she came within distance of a familiar face...as if she could ever forget. She removed her earphones and pocketed them, the practiced nature of her steps already having reached their peak. With how she held herself and moved, she was worthy of that uniform she wore, but if you were to ask the girl herself, she wouldn't think she was any more, or any less than those who fought alongside her. "Oh...wait a minute." Sora thought out loud for a moment, recalling the scenario that took place two years ago so she could be sure of who she spoke. She could confirm, without a doubt, that she knew this face from long enough ago.
Tavion Vega...Sora didn't know him at all, but she owed him quite a debt. The last time she saw him up-close she was attempting to cling to life after a wooden beam trapped her in a burning building. At that time, her face and body had severe burns, but she had since mostly recovered. If it wasn't for him, she might've been burnt beyond recognition, or dead at the hands of the fire or that demon. She believed, without a doubt, that she would one day be able to return the favor. Her life was precious to her, after all, so having it saved but being unable to repay that favor or even speak about it bothered her. He probably wouldn't have remembered her in the first place, anyway. Death was a business they dealt in daily, and two years ago she was either too burnt, or too bandaged to be recognized very well. Even then, she would at least give him a single greeting, being who he was and disregarding what he had done for her.
"Sorry to interrupt...I hope my thoughts didn't disturb you." Yet she hadn't said much at all, and her words prior would've just been an off-hand remark since it wasn't directed anywhere. She placed her hand on her chest momentarily, inclining her head lightly with a slight bend in the legs. It was a very different greeting, but a bow all the same. Introductions weren't needed, since she knew him, and he more than likely knew her if he remembered her at all. As always, she didn't plan on stepping on anybody's toes, much less stomping them in to the dirt, so she wasn't going to bother Tavion if he was in the middle of something.
Word Count: 740 | Word Bank: 740
► B I T T E R S W E E T ∽ INSANITY ▼ M A D N E S S xx AND HATE.
【Tavion Vega≎Fighter≎Aria】☼Interpreter of Condolences☼
【Southern Flame General | Acting Paladin | True Cross Academy Headmaster | Arc Knight】
✖ ╲╲╲╲╲╲╲╲╲╲╲╲╲╲╲╲╲╲╲╲╲╲╲╲╲╲╲╲ ✖
Tavion had been sitting on the bench for quite sometime staring at the screen of the small screen of his phone for quite some time now, hunched over with his elbows on his knees and leaning forward all the while. He was quite tuned into the second stage of the exam. His finely tuned area of sensing Qi signatures, picked up on one that was moving towards him at an alarming rate. Not too long after than he began to hear the tapping of heels on the pavement of the courtyard. It would be seen just who it was, soon after by looking up and squinting, poor eyesight given. It was a girl but she hadn't quite come into facial recognition view for the Arc Knight. Tavion would notice just who it was a few seconds later. Some one he had prior history with while he was a student at this very Academy. Sora Tsuyoi was the lass' name.
How could he forget about her? Well he hadn't seen her since that faithful day in Osaka but those marks were unmistakable. While he was on a trip to one of the other academies in that area for a joint exercise. The group from True Cross was to stay in one of the less densely populated dorm rooms but they were confined to their rooms during quiet hours and were not to leave until such school sanctions were lifted at 9 AM. Tavion being the the type to not always follow the rules and not only break them but have no regard for the consequences that await him had he been caught. It was a good thing he had left the campus too. He was going to try the cafe for something to grub on and drink but something had told him to go to the park to find a drink that wasn't sold at that specific academy, per the advice earlier that day from a student that attended that school. So he went to retrieve the delicious chocolate caramel iced coffee, decaf. Not too long after he had been there, he smelled smoke and followed it's trail of lethality to that of a medium sized two story home that was set ablaze with a large crowd around the house, fire fighters and all.
The young man, at the time, had to go make sure that there was nobody trapped inside and in doing just that discovered a girl who had been trapped under a burning support beam, there was no telling how long she'd been there but Tavion knew that he had to get her out of there or she was going to die. He hated seeing people die, even though it was the harsh reality of life and the only thing guaranteed, he still felt like he was obligated to save her. After all, he was right there. He took a deep breath and plunged headfirst into the flames, his clothes were set on fire but he would worry about himself later, getting this beam off of her was much more important. At first it was too heavy and he couldn't lift it up properly to get her from underneath, due to it being much too hot. His clothes and possibly his own back would have to be sacrificed in order for this to work. So he did it, gripping the beam and lifting it off the ground so he could get in between the girl and it. It was starting to burn too much, so with a heavy grunt and a heave, he wrapped his arms her and dove out of the way of the collapsing fire log. He rose to his feet, carrying Sora bridal style out to the ambulance that would transport her to the nearest hospital. He was praised for his acts by the people who were the as witnesses. After news reached the academy the next day, Tavion was to receive punishment for violating the rules but the charges were dropped at the encouragement of the townsfolk.
How could someone forget about that? That something that was unforgettable and although Tavion saved her, he never went to check on her to see if she even lived. He was quite distant from most people and he didn't want Sora to even feel like the owed him the debt of her life. So for that he opted to stay away from her and the hospital until he left. What he did do was write her a letter of recommendation to become an Exorcist since the fire was no ordinary fire but those of a demons. She already had her first encounter with a demon and survived which meant that an ordinary human could now sense them. It would be up to her whether or not she accepted it. There was no doubt in Tavion's mind that she would become an Exorcist because he knew that she wanted this to never occur again. And here she was, two years later in the flesh, alive and well. Sora looked at Tavion as if she were trying to decipher a peculiar situation, which made him chuckle as she spoke rather flatly about her interrupting him. He hadn't seen her since he had came Headmaster but she was already in her third year at the normal school and Cram School as well as a Middle Second Class Exorcist. He was proud of that. "You did no such thing." He spoke with a raise of his eyebrows and softening of expression. "You may join me if you'd like." No introductions needed.
✖ ╲╲╲╲╲╲╲╲╲╲╲╲╲╲╲╲╲╲╲╲╲╲╲╲╲╲╲╲ ✖
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✖LOCATION✖ True Cross Academy Main Courtyard ✖MOOD✖ Fairly surprised ✖PARAMETERS✖
Middle Second Class | Human | Fighter | Aria | Qi: 104,700/104,700 | Current Theme: Contemplation: The Fountain Parameters: Physical Strength: o550 | Defense: o300 | Mobility: o270 | Intelligence: o165 | Weapon Arts: o150 | Martial Arts: o160 | Accuracy: o300 | Fatal Verses: o160 | Demonic Control: o112 [Out of Character: It must've been the wheel of fate!]
"Thank you." She responded simply since she didn't really need to say much beyond that. She joined him, but on instinct, brushed her hand through her hair while moving. It was a simple move too, but it gave her the desired effect. Although most people chose to brush hair away from their faces, Sora brushed her hair forward so it partially covered the right side of her face. She was lucky not to have lost sight in that eye, or suffered any truly crippling damage. Somehow it seemed as if she couldn't die...she wondered who's hand she was playing in to for her to have survived the rigors of all of her training up to this point. If there was some grand design still waiting for her, it had an odd sense of humor for having her go through all of this. It was all preparation for things to come, however. She knew for a fact that her fateful night years ago was nothing but a prelude.
Her words were easily single-toned, and due to her being unused to company, she kept a certain mentality closely at hand when she spoke. Her words were chosen carefully to prevent misunderstanding, as choices always altered her path. Similarly to if she had been the first out of the house instead of the last...she might not have been here today. "By the way...it's probably because of you that I ended up advancing like I did. So thanks for that, too." Most people who said such a line would've probably been too embarrassed to say thanks to anybody, but Sora knew well enough she lacked the talent to have forced her way. Yet her progress was swift...it was thanks to those above her, and in part, her ability to understand. She wasn't too high up, but that just meant she had to continue her climb.
Sora, through her words, ended up placing her hand on top of her head while speaking, and afterwards. She wanted to made sure that if she had any white hair left, it was covered while she spoke. It wasn't that she hated her hair, but she hated what it implied. She chose to be different, and wanted to cut ties with her past so only the future would remain. Yet, she couldn't completely let go, and for that reason, she only used temporary dye. At the very least, she wanted to remind herself that she was different around others. It was a conscious effort, or rather, something she was mentally conditioning herself to do. For the sake of her alias, she had to be different, but for the sake of her memories, she would hold on to them just a bit longer.
"Yet, I digress. What were you doing before I rudely interrupted?" It was difficult to tell because of the way Sora intoned, but her words suggested a certain light-heartedness. Her intonation was actually quite a problem given that when she spoke in anything other than literals, it was difficult for anybody to pick up on what she meant. That dry, lifeless tone sometimes had a bit of something tied within, but that wasn't often. Instead, one had to pay attention to her words, rather than had she said them. There was also, naturally, curiosity attached to her words. Sora wasn't there to completely take his attention away from what he was doing previously, and she found herself interested, at least partially so. To her, that made sense, but then there was a part of her that was reminded that natural curiosity got an innocent cat killed.
Word Count: 603 | Word Bank: 1,343
► B I T T E R S W E E T ∽ INSANITY ▼ M A D N E S S xx AND HATE.
【Tavion Vega≎Fighter≎Aria】☼Interpreter of Condolences☼
【Southern Flame General | Acting Paladin | True Cross Academy Headmaster | Arc Knight】
✖ ╲╲╲╲╲╲╲╲╲╲╲╲╲╲╲╲╲╲╲╲╲╲╲╲╲╲╲╲ ✖
Tavion's lips never left the impassive line that they naturally formed as he moved over to make more room for the girl. Their eyes didn't meet but he looked to Sora as she instinctively brushed her hair into her face instead of away. It would seem she wanted to hide the scars that she thought were hideous for fear that he may judge her for her appearance. That couldn't have been further from the truth. Despite the scar that marred her face, it's one that made her who she was as a person and as an Exorcist and she had grown into it quite well; becoming quite a beauty. He would not that later on. Last time he had seen her she was such a small girl but now it was completely different. Still short, she sported a much more athletic body that before which he would compliment her on later. It would seem she went through a very rigorous training regiment in order for her to get where she was currently was.
A certain awkward silence arose between the two for a short while; Tavion fiddled with his hands a bit before Sora spoke up once more. She spoke of it being due to him that she was able to advance as an Exorcist as she had. The Headmaster's face softened up but a shake of his head conveyed what he thought about her comment. "I only recommended you. You and you alone, through obstinance in wanting to advance further, got you where your at now. But the thank you is much appreciated." Tavion somehow could tell that it took a lot out of Sora to comment about how much she appreciated his help in the matter. Like he had said though, the recommendation was all he did.
During her comments, Sora had inadvertently played with her hair while she spoke. Tavion's eyes narrowed in and his head cocked slightly wondering what her reasons for that was. Nervousness? No. That was much unlike the girl. Was it because she was shy? Could be. Was she ashamed of your her flaws? Possibly. Would Tavion judge her because of it? Of course not. That wasn't in his character. She had calmed herself well enough to speak again. She asked him what he had been doing previously, suggesting that she had rudely interrupted his task. "Watching the Exorcist Qualification Exam. It's quite good this year." He replied in a light hearted tone much like her way of speech; although maybe not intentional. "It wasn't too long ago that you took yours to reach Middle Second Class." He did know that much because he did keep tabs on her from time to time since the recommendation, and had she wondered how he knew that, she would be left to ponder it until she asked what he was ranked. She could've very well not known that he was the temp Headmaster and one of the four Arc Knights that were Acting Paladins.
A peculiar silence grasped hold of the air between the two but this time it was Tavion who broke it. "You know, your quite beautiful. Embrace the way you look." He said quite haphazardly not taking into account how she would react and how boldly flirtatious it could've came off. By no means was he trying to 'hit on her' but rather give her some confidence that she may lack by the way she hid her face from him. Maybe hearing it from the person that rescued you from certain doom, would garner a positive reaction.
✖ ╲╲╲╲╲╲╲╲╲╲╲╲╲╲╲╲╲╲╲╲╲╲╲╲╲╲╲╲ ✖
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✖LOCATION✖ True Cross Academy Main Courtyard ✖MOOD✖ Jolly ✖PARAMETERS✖
Middle Second Class | Human | Fighter | Aria | Qi: 104,700/104,700 | Current Theme: Contemplation: The Fountain Parameters: Physical Strength: o550 | Defense: o300 | Mobility: o270 | Intelligence: o165 | Weapon Arts: o150 | Martial Arts: o160 | Accuracy: o300 | Fatal Verses: o160 | Demonic Control: o112 [Out of Character: Nothing, for now...]
"I have to be correct in my assumption, then. He remembers me well enough...I suppose that will have to do." Sora thought to herself, thinking that he wouldn't have simply recommended somebody he didn't know. So far she had done well, so she didn't doubt that she matched or surpassed his expectations of her when they first met. It was a comforting thought, and for a moment, she might've smiled. It was difficult to tell with her, but with her never-changing face, it wasn't difficult to see her crack a grin every now and again when she was satisfied with her results. Results...that was an interesting word choice given what was happening just then. The qualifiers were looking for results too, and if they put forth their very best until the end, they would have a favorable outcome. Sora was intrigued to see how it all turned out.
He mentioned her own Qualification Exam, causing Sora to move her hand away from her hair. "Oh, you saw?" She never claimed mastery, but she would always put forth her best effort since that was the only way to advance in the world. Her best effort was just good enough, so she continued her climb up the ladder. It was a moment of pride for her, but she never shared it with her savior because she had never really spoken with him before. It seemed he knew well enough how she did, and though she seemed to relax at the realization, she didn't smile at it either. "I wonder if they'll feel the same way when they're finished. There's no doubt there'll be disappointments, but a moment of relief will give them a chance to rest and try again if they fall short." Not her words. There were way too many to be a sentence she said on her own.
Through the silence, Sora remembered her own path. It wasn't that she disliked working with people, but she could do well enough without their help. Alone, she found that she was more powerful for it. She didn't have to trust or rely on others, and that's when her strength showed itself in full. To turn that solitude in to a strength was something she had become accustomed to, and it showed in how she fought as well. Single combat, multiple enemies, tactical maneuvers, and anything else Sora had studied became muscle memory for her. She took her studies and training seriously, and it all paid off in the end. With others, however, Sora fell a bit shorter than she would've liked. Still, she knew more than enough to keep a healthy advantage...she simply worked better solo at the end of the day.
A certain statement brought her out of her reverie, causing Sora to snap her attention back to Tavion. The sound she made with her mouth sounded something like 'kuh,' but with a much quicker exhale of air, as if she had just struck something. Before she opened her mouth to speak, she reminded herself of the platonic nature of their relationship, but decided that a better choice of words were in order. "Beautiful...right." Sora shrugged, a brief redness indicative of her feeling embarrassed while her straight face indicated her attempt to seem more professional than she was. "Maybe when these completely heal, but until then, I'd much rather embrace the results of my work." "Maybe when they heal" was her way of saying "I can't" because of the nature of her wounds. Burn scars didn't heal like that, and when they did, it took forever...the afflicted area was never going to be the same.
She had an extraordinary work ethic due to what some called her obsession with the end-result. Everything ended, and when the path of one ending was favorable, it was good enough for Sora. The better she performed, the less she felt as though she were the same girl who had to rely on another to live another day. She would not be a burden, no matter how long she had to fight it out. A month, a year, or a decade didn't matter to her. So long as progress was made, she was doing something right. At least, that's how she saw it. Nobody's perfect, though, and Sora was probably the farthest away from perfection. However, as long as she could see a goal, she just might reach it if she stretched enough.
Word Count: 747 | Word Bank: 2,090
► B I T T E R S W E E T ∽ INSANITY ▼ M A D N E S S xx AND HATE.
【Tavion Vega≎Fighter≎Aria】☼Interpreter of Condolences☼
【Southern Flame General | Acting Paladin | True Cross Academy Headmaster | Arc Knight】
✖ ╲╲╲╲╲╲╲╲╲╲╲╲╲╲╲╲╲╲╲╲╲╲╲╲╲╲╲╲ ✖
Indeed Sora had done well to make it this far in such a short amount of time. Actually if people were paying attention, she was making much more progress than the young prodigy that came through this very school five years ago, made in just two years worth of work. That was quite a feat to attain, to have a better track record than Tavion although after his seventeenth birthday he was allow to drop the school and become a full time Exorcist with the amount of progress he made. That's right. Tavion never graduated from the very school he was presiding over as it's Headmaster. He would have no doubt in his mind that Sora would graduate from the Cram School with ease.
After mentioning Sora's own exam, her expression lightened up with whether he'd saw hers. He nodded. Was that a smile that he just saw? Maybe it was just a figment of his imagination. Maybe it wasn't. Maybe she was satisfied knowing that she was climbing the ranks fast enough and that someone was watching her, and even possibly cheering her own, albeit silently. Tavion was proud of her and so was she, of herself. Sora mentioned if they would all feel the same way she did, proud of the outcome no matter the results. Some would, but others would either take it too harshly to try again. Some would give up and very few would keep a positive outlook on being a failure, especially those of royal families. They had it hard enough too, to perform and meet the expectation of their fathers and their fathers before them. Tavion nodded in agreement with her statement but he had not commented on it.
After hearing one of Tavion's more 'bolder' comments to her, Sora's attention had snapped back into the world of the living. She made a sound that was of disapproval to which the Headmaster tried to recover. "I didn't mean..." But was cut off by her quickly saying 'Beautiful...right,' with a shrug. She tried to play it off but the light redness of her face was an obvious indicator that she had taken the comment a bit better than he had expected, being embarrassed in the process. Through it, she kept a straight face that hid the rest of her emotions while she spoke of possibly embracing the way she looked when her wounds were healed but until then, the results of her work would have to do. That was a lie. Every girl wanted to feel like they were beautiful and she was no exception. She was still a teenage girl. "I apologize if I offended you, I meant no harm."
✖ ╲╲╲╲╲╲╲╲╲╲╲╲╲╲╲╲╲╲╲╲╲╲╲╲╲╲╲╲ ✖
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✖LOCATION✖ True Cross Academy Main Courtyard ✖MOOD✖ Jolly ✖PARAMETERS✖
Middle Second Class | Human | Fighter | Aria | Qi: 104,700/104,700 | Current Theme: Bright: Katedoraru Parameters: Physical Strength: o550 | Defense: o300 | Mobility: o270 | Intelligence: o165 | Weapon Arts: o150 | Martial Arts: o160 | Accuracy: o300 | Fatal Verses: o160 | Demonic Control: o112 [Out of Character: Nothing, for now...]
"It's not that." Sora crossed her arms, shaking her head briefly at the assumption that she was offended. That wasn't wholly the case, the fact was that she felt so positive for a moment that she was out of her element. It was a disturbing thing to imagine herself being happy for some reason other than progress as far as her job went. It was all a bit too easy when she thought about it. She had a raging sweet-tooth, was always concerned about her appearance and scars, and had positive growth whenever she felt happiness. If she were to make a guess, she'd say she was comparable to an open book with how easy she was to read in social situations. All the more reason for her work ethic. At least then she wasn't so easily readable, like now.
"Am I too obvious? You're not saying it, but I'm sure you've known more of what I was thinking than I did." She brushed her hair away from her face when she turned to look at him, a bitter smile forming on her face, but warmth exuding from her naturally frosty eyes. If she could ever be anything else, she'd chose normality in a heartbeat, but that kind of mundane life had long since passed her by. She enjoyed her time here now, and even if she was utterly alone at times, it filled her with a familiar warmth to be a part of this. She liked what she learned, she liked what she had done, and she liked the company. She wouldn't have had it any other way, but then...why smile so bitterly all of the time? At that time she found that it was more of a natural formation of a smile rather than feeling she needed to make such an expression. Why? Because she was having too much fun.
For just an instant, Sora found herself giggling presumably without reason. She was having fun, and even though she preferred to work alone, being entirely alone was a depressing thing. This one conversation, despite the way it flowed, caused her to laugh just a tiny bit. She covered her mouth, the cheer fading from her face rather quickly. "S-sorry. It's not you I'm laughing at." No, it was closer to laughing at herself. That was a more accurate thought, but it was still off. She felt cheerful when with company, but it could've all been an act given how much she emphasized wanting to put her job first. It could've been an act, but it wasn't. Sora wasn't entirely heartless, even if she was entirely indifferent in some cases. She wanted to be seen in a very specific light, so that child-like laughter and the cheerful exterior she had for just a moment wasn't good enough for her. That's why she stopped so abruptly.
Word Count: 480 | Word Bank: 2,570
► B I T T E R S W E E T ∽ INSANITY ▼ M A D N E S S xx AND HATE.
【Tavion Vega≎Fighter≎Aria】☼Interpreter of Condolences☼
【Southern Flame General | Acting Paladin | True Cross Academy Headmaster | Arc Knight】
✖ ╲╲╲╲╲╲╲╲╲╲╲╲╲╲╲╲╲╲╲╲╲╲╲╲╲╲╲╲ ✖
A peculiar interest shown about Tavion's face as his eyebrows rose in wondering just what that was in which Sora was speaking of. It might not have been that he offended her in any way at all possibly. He wouldn't know so he would just have to take the action of crossing arms and shaking of the head as confirmation for now. In contrast to Sora being able to be read like an open book, Tavion wasn't so much. For the most part he kept his emotions under control, never straying too far left or right from the grey area so it was quite a feat if one could be able to tell what he was thinking. Sora did just that.
Somehow, someway, the raven haired girl was able to chime in on his mental conversation. Though very surprised by this, he kept his face smooth and placid not allowing much more of what he was thinking to seep through the pores of his skin but he would not comment on it but rather let what she had said linger in the air. He sharply inhaled, although quietly, as her hand reached for the hair that was intentionally placed to conceal the wounds she'd suffered two years ago. Sora had turned slightly while tucking the hair behind her ear and the full length of it was shown, which was not earlier from the angle she faced him at. The scar had healed up quite nice(Atleast her scar isn't as bad as Kazundo Gouda's from Ghost in the Shell) though, it still claimed a good portion of her face and it looked like it still caused her psychological pain despite the wounds being quite old. Tavion made no movement with his facial muscles that would show any type of negative emotion such as disgust nor would there be a look of remorse. He felt bad about it, but she was already feeling bad about it herself, adding another person to feel for her would most likely make her more upset.
Sora looked at Tavion with a gaze and a smile that was sort of bittersweet, like she wanted to be happy but was forcing herself to be this person that wasn't. It was quite sad but seemed to be enjoying his company to say the least. Quite sudden without any reason, she began to giggle - perhaps uncontrollably - which in turn made Tavion chuckle as well. Without hesitation though, her cheerful demeanor faded and Sora apologized as she might've thought he was assuming she was laughing at him, which wasn't the case at all. Tavion finally figured out why she was like this. She definitely felt better when she was in the presence of familiar company. "I didn't take it that way at all." He said flatly before the phone in his pocket had gone off. It was a message, one that signified he was being called on for something. "Well Sora, it was a pleasure talking to you, but there's work I must attend to." He said as he rose from his seat on the bench to his full height. "See you around kiddo." Was all he said as he turned on his heel away from Sora to walk away.
[EXIT]
✖ ╲╲╲╲╲╲╲╲╲╲╲╲╲╲╲╲╲╲╲╲╲╲╲╲╲╲╲╲ ✖
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✖LOCATION✖ True Cross Academy Main Courtyard ✖MOOD✖ Jolly ✖PARAMETERS✖
┗━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━┛ ✖O.O.C✖ s**t post and I have to do this in order to change stuff about my character. We'll train together next time 3nodding
Words: 539 Total Unredeemed Words: 3,593 Mobility: 345/345 Qi: 32,100/32,100
Valentine Valtieri
MiTaurus generated a random number between
100 and 1000 ...
349!
Posted: Wed Jul 09, 2014 12:04 am
From the remainder of the shadows after the departure of the headmaster, a low growl came from the surrounding trees. The morning sun slowly peaking over the horizon as dog like beast came forth from the darkness.
Middle Second Class | Human | Fighter | Aria | Qi: 104,700/104,700 | Current Theme: Kin of Iblis: Shoot the Works Parameters: Physical Strength: o550 | Defense: o300 | Mobility: o270 | Intelligence: o165 | Weapon Arts: o150 | Martial Arts: o160 | Accuracy: o300 | Fatal Verses: o160 | Demonic Control: o112 [Out of Character: Let's see how this turns out. If my luck is any indication, this'll go very slowly.]
Sora waved as the headmaster left, standing up to leave on her own when she felt an unearthly chill running down her spine. It caused her to pause momentarily, but she knew exactly what was going on here, and rubbed the back of her head with a clear frown. "Let's see what happens..." Sora made an about-face since she was trained to always keep a cool head and face her enemy so she didn't expose her back, but it seemed as though they approached from all angles. Dogs, each and every one of them, and not just regular dogs either. Kin of Iblis, and a threat to her if she allowed them to group together like that. One quick intake of breath warned Sora that she was, for a moment, unsure of herself...but she had to take her uncertainty and cast it aside. It wasn't the demons themselves, but the fire they inherited...she hated the idea of fire, and unnatural fire was even worse.
Sora put on her book bag, careful not to initiate anything before she was entirely ready. After putting in her earphones, Sora calmed herself and steadied her breathing. "He's not here to save my life this time, but judging based on my enemy, I won't need saving if I play my cards right." A wide grin stretched across Sora's face...she'd rather be alone for this anyway. There was no telling how others would get in her way if she allowed them to, so this was more than likely for the best. She could feel it...that hot blood running through her veins as her excitement rose for the approaching battle. If there was a comparable feeling in the world, Sora didn't know of it. Nothing was better than chasing out your own demons. She bore a grudge against all demons, but against ones born of flame...her hatred was more personal, more justified in her eyes.
She had to maintain her control over her hatred, however...the smell of smoke soon reached her nose, and cries of pain and death soon reached her ears. "You're not just here, but...the entire campus..." Sora's pupils visibly shrunk at the realization that this wasn't a small skirmish, but an entire battlefield. How was that possibly...who could've possibly faltered and let these mangy beasts in? Sora would figure it all out later, but she wanted to deal with the enemy in front of her first. They were a threat that needed to be eliminated, and she would be just as obliged to kill them as the next exorcist would. She didn't care if there were ten, or one-hundred, or one-thousand of these weaklings, since in the end, their numbers didn't matter. She'd crush them all before they got a chance to fight back.
She didn't need to look around anymore to see where her enemies were...she knew based on memory where they resided, and if she judged their movements, she could roughly predict them without having to look at them again. It was a matter of being able to listen with her ears, recall how they moved and when they moved, and a little bit of guesswork since she wouldn't always be correct. Even then, she was satisfied with the probability of her being able to generally avoid trouble with just a thought. She planned to make it through without a single injury, but that depended on how quickly she cut through her foes.
She began to skip back and forth quickly, her feet tapping the ground in rapid succession as the battle had begun. "Bored of hunting the weak, are you? Then let's play." Sora bid her enemies, rushing to meet them instead of the reverse way around. She wanted to take them all out at the same time, but some were hiding behind trees while others were in a different location. She'd have to take them out one section at a time for this to end quickly and in her favor. "Keep watch, you. This isn't like what happened back then." No, this time she was the tool of destruction, and instead of being food for the cowardly, she was the hunter...and everything around her was prey.
Word Count: 712 | Word Bank: 3,282
► B I T T E R S W E E T ∽ INSANITY ▼ M A D N E S S xx AND HATE.
Posted: Fri Jul 11, 2014 12:48 pm
xxxxx • • • xMxUxN A S H Ix• • MEMORIES UNCONSCIOUSLY BOUND TEARS THAT FALL WITHOUT REASON JOURNEY WITHOUT AN END
Middle Second Class | Human | Fighter | Aria | Qi: 104,700/104,700 | Current Theme: Kin of Iblis: Shoot the Works Parameters: Physical Strength: o550 | Defense: o300 | Mobility: o270 | Intelligence: o165 | Weapon Arts: o150 | Martial Arts: o160 | Accuracy: o300 | Fatal Verses: o160 | Demonic Control: o112 [Out of Character: Enemies Remaining 349 - 293]
One kill. Sora looked disappointed at the ease of her kill, but quickly disregarded it as a thing. She applauded her first enemy for being so confident, but he rushed her far too quickly in an attempt to tear in to her flesh. Unfortunately for him, Sora was accustomed to battle and saw a weakness in the attack, quickly extending her leg up to meet her opponent and shattering its throat in a single strike. It wasn't as if she tried, but the demon that attacked her would've felt as if it had run in to a wall head on when it did that. She didn't pierce it, so she had to cast it aside since it was no longer a threat to her. Her weapons were limited to her own body, so she had to keep it safe, but if the situation grew worse she would simply switch to the use of fatal verses if she could no longer fight her preferred way.
When bringing her leg back down, she let it rest in front of her back leg and bent slightly at the knees for both. She wasn't a brawler by a long shot, and preferred structure to unpracticed combat, in which case, she would switch stances so she wouldn't have to think so much about what she wanted to do next. It'd all come to her naturally. The true battle began when all of her enemies charged her at once. Fifty-five in total, not including the one she just killed. She found that it was easier to kill her foes if she aimed for their throats, but she wasn't against breaking the entirety of their body if it ensured one kill. She didn't have a choice in taking the slow route either, but she supposed it was better off this way. It was better if they all wanted to die at the same time.
Judging from the sound of their padded feet hitting the ground, the first one to attack would be...eighty-seven degrees on her right. She held her left arm horizontally, and above it was her right arm. Her feet swiveled around to meet the creature, and she was greeted by its maw, which she promptly shut with a palm strike below its chin from her left hand. Her right hand swept out underneath its legs to flip it in to the air and upside-down. After that simple move, she came back and struck hard with the palm of her hand, sending the creature flying in to its companions with a few broken ribs that just happened to piece its vital organs this time. It wasn't luck, but rather, skill in this case. Sora was no pushover, after all. There were three...no, four of them next after having taken the brunt of a full body against their faces.
As of then, Sora's moves were not as practiced as some people that had been training for longer than she had, so she relied on pure strength. Her kicks were powerful enough to break the bones of her opponents, and if she played her cards right, she could stomp them all with less involved effort. All of the lunging and snapping was getting to her...not to mention a building heat that reminded her of the fire that awakened her to life today. It was all just a bit much for her, but there was no other way. Each kick, each broken bone, each satisfying snapping sound she heard meant she was going to get through this, no matter what. It was just a matter of time before every creature surrounding her learned just who they were messing with. They brought it on themselves, after all, so who was she to deny them the pain they sought?
She managed to dispatch the crowd with minimal damage to herself, but her pure white school uniform was no longer in pristine condition. Some of the beasts tried to pull her by her book bag, but she fought them off just as swiftly by aiming for a single vital spot on the body and striking. She was far from exhausted, but she kept her energy in check by using only her body, steadying her breathing, and keeping motions attached to each other so she didn't mess up her own natural battle flow. She judged that there were still a couple hundred left, so she had to keep on her toes. Nobody ever got injured when a battle had begun, but as it wore on she would start to see the effects of her own body's limits, and she wasn't going to allow that to happen.
Word Count: 776 | Word Bank: 4,058 Current Mobility: 269
► B I T T E R S W E E T ∽ INSANITY ▼ M A D N E S S xx AND HATE.
Middle Second Class | Human | Fighter | Aria | Qi: 104,700/104,700 | Current Theme: Kin of Iblis: Shoot the Works Parameters: Physical Strength: o550 | Defense: o300 | Mobility: o270 | Intelligence: o165 | Weapon Arts: o150 | Martial Arts: o160 | Accuracy: o300 | Fatal Verses: o160 | Demonic Control: o112 [Out of Character: Enemies Remaining 349 - 293]
Of course, Sora couldn't have been the only one wanting to kill here, and since she was now alone, something of a howl signaled everything to move in at once for her. Sora's eyes narrowed, she figured she wasn't going to get any rest, and this much proved it. She would simply have to keep going, regardless of if she were allowed to rest and think again or not. She never balled her hands up, knowing that giving up her arms now would put her at a disadvantage, and if she allowed them to take hold of her legs she'd wind up being dragged about with no way to fight back against the pack animals. For the time being, she simply kept backing up until her back hit a tree. "Good grief." Sora stated, jumping up and grabbing on the a strong branch so she could hang above her targets. She raised her legs enough to not get them bitten off, but now she had to think carefully about how she was going to proceed. She had pushed herself in to a veritable wall with this retreat, but there was a way out of it if she remembered her tactics training.
The problem with the beasts she faced currently was their low standing. If they were a higher threat, she might've been afraid of them, or perhaps not since she never showed fear under any circumstances. These things bunched up, and in a way, it made Sora's life easier. If they were all bunched together, she wasn't going to win with just her physical skill alone. She had to use a fatal verse, and now, before they dispersed and she lost her chance to execute a large portion of them. That mental light bulb went off pretty quickly when she thought of what she could do to clear a path. She hoped to blow them all away in a single attack, but that wasn't possibly unless they all happened to stand on each other's shoulders with her directly above them. That was a little cartoonish, even by her standards.
She swung her legs back and forth until she had enough momentum to throw herself upwards and land safely on the branch she held on to. It was sturdy enough...that, or she just didn't weigh enough to cause it any real issues. Her only worry was if she missed, but she doubted that her aim would be so bad that one or two wouldn't die in the process of her attack. Every kill counted, but she really hated when she got slow routes to go by. These creatures were a non-threat to the very end, so she would've rather killed them all in a few minutes rather than what may take a while longer than she wished it to. If things weren't on her time, then she was obviously missing something. If she couldn't finish them on time, she couldn't defend her school, and that was her greatest fear.
Word Count: 500 | Word Bank: 4,558 Current Mobility: 268
► B I T T E R S W E E T ∽ INSANITY ▼ M A D N E S S xx AND HATE.
Posted: Fri Jul 11, 2014 9:42 pm
xxxxx • • • xMxUxN A S H Ix• • MEMORIES UNCONSCIOUSLY BOUND TEARS THAT FALL WITHOUT REASON JOURNEY WITHOUT AN END
Middle Second Class | Human | Fighter | Aria | Qi: 104,600/104,700 | Current Theme: Kin of Iblis: Shoot the Works Parameters: Physical Strength: o550 | Defense: o300 | Mobility: o270 | Intelligence: o165 | Weapon Arts: o150 | Martial Arts: o160 | Accuracy: o300 | Fatal Verses: o160 | Demonic Control: o112 [Out of Character: Enemies Remaining 293 - 246]
Sora would crack a devious smile as she stood beyond their reach. The sound of frustration emanating from them was perfect to her, and now she was going to hear them cry out in pain. "Have you made your peace yet?" She asked the fiends before she began her next move. With all of them bunched up, they were just asking to be knocked down. "But you blew with your breath, and the sea covered them. They sank like lead in the mighty waters." Yes, those were the words, and as she spoke them she could see the qi forming above her right hand. She reached in to the sphere of energy and pulled it apart before bringing her hands back together. The battle had long since begun, but she felt as though when energy was used is when things were serious. Not to say that she felt threatened, however.
She couldn't say how many times she saw this familiar glyph, but it was a rush each time to test her powers. As if to respond to her need, the glyph she brought forth did its job, and did it well. It released raging torrents of water to wash away the creatures below Sora, and just as she expected, she hit a very small group of thirty out of the remaining three hundred, but that was more than enough for her to get back down as the rest scattered. She leapt back down from the branch, taking a large twig from it as a precaution. From her leap downward, she crushed the head of one Garm beneath her feet, and took just a second to note the devastation in their ranks. The ones hit directly by the water torrent had been torn asunder, as if their bodies simply could not handle the high pressure and ripped apart as if she had used the same skill against a rock. They simply weren't strong enough to survive her onslaught. There were plenty more where that came from, though. She knew this would go faster if she had a helping hand, but she'd rather not involve others in her battle. As if they weren't already involved based on the sounds of carnage raging across the rest of the academy. They were all fighting too.
With that thought in mind, she was resolved to fight as hard as she could for those who needed her. She promised that she wouldn't allow anybody to feel the same way she did back then, and now the same thing was happening on a larger scale. Even while she was absently sifting through thoughts of memories long since past she was still fighting as well. She discarded the massive twig in to the eye of one of the demons, causing it to recoil in pain. She stood up, her body twirling to gather momentum while her right leg was raising at the same time. She shot her foot straight in to the skull of the beast, sending the stick right in to its head and leaving it stumbling around for a moment before it died. "Tch. Trash." Sora remarked when she remembered exactly why she avoided things like this.
As her leg was brought back down, she leapt off of the crushed skull of her opponent while making a mental bet. That bet being that, even though she killed a score of thirty, she wouldn't get that lucky again. It was better to conserve qi since she might need it to assist others rather than to help herself. She might not have needed it though, as she was getting the beat down for her own movements. While it was a bit tougher than sweeping away garbage, Sora could see this would be over soon if she gave it everything she had. With each skipping step she made, the beat she heard became a tangible thing. With each body she tossed aside, she could form a picture in her head of how this was going to play out. She was adapting very well to the problem at hand, but there was still the greater issue.
She got to rest for a moment, and sighed for the breather. She took off her school jacket and tied it around her waist while she was making mental pictures of her current battlefield. She'd dispatched a third of her targets, so that meant she just had to keep doing what she had been doing all along to mop up and get out. "That was more than one hundred of you. You've got guts for staying here after that, but--" Sora finished the knot with her jacket sleeves, creating a nice belt for herself before returning her gaze to her opponents. "Guts can only get you so far." She wondered if they were as stupid as dogs, or if they understood her taunt. She drew them in well, and that's all that mattered to her. She didn't want them to bunch up like last time, but she did want them to approach her.
Word Count: 844 | Word Bank: 5,402 Current Mobility: 267
► B I T T E R S W E E T ∽ INSANITY ▼ M A D N E S S xx AND HATE.
