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Camelot's pride hurt more than anything else.

Well, no, he supposed his body hurt pretty good as well. But he could not really focus on that. His mind was blurry following what he could only describe as a mental breakdown. Or maybe a mental stoppage. He had not really understood what he was doing, why he was doing. Attacking someone he had already beaten up for a grievance against him.

An endless grudge.

He judged this war in a similar light. People fighting each other, mostly kids, over old ideals and grudges that most could not even fully grasp or understand. They were dying and hurting each other, and there was no point to it. They were dragged into this for no good reason, by magic or fate or design, then they developed their own reasons to keep justifying their fight. Was that what he was doing?

He told himself, and many others, that he fought for peace. But how could that be true, when he felt so much anger, so much blind ire, that he just wanted to hurt someone because they hurt him. Or hurt someone he cared about. That would just perpetuate everything. And yet he could not fathom letting them get away with it. He was sworn to protect those that needed his protection.

The woman he loved qualified there.

He was going in mental circles and his head hurt. He heard a voice over him somewhere and didn't look up right away. The voice moved and he realized too late it was Shalott. He jerked to look up, follow the sound of her voice, but a wave of dizziness hit him at the end of the sudden movement and he flopped back to the ground. Maybe he had been injured worse than he knew. Darkness crashed over him and he fell almost unconscious.

He would not be able to help her, his vision graying and blurring before he closed his eyes completely just to block out the strange sights the changes created. He hated the idea of Shalott continuing this trend that he had created. At least, he felt like it started with him, though he did know they, Shalott and Benitoite, had their own history between them. Still, she had been hurt, upset, and he had retaliated on her behalf. It should have ended there. It should have ended before that. He never should have let himself lose so much control of himself, his emotions. But this second attack? He deserved to be on the floor, but now his fiancé was putting herself in danger.

The cycle kept going.

He groaned and passed out completely, maybe more willing himself out to stop his thoughts than anything else. Whatever it was, he was not conscious for or of whatever was destined to happen between the two.

11:20:56 AM me
"Some naughty children simply never learn when to quit."

Shalott felt strong, righteous in her anger. He'd hurt someone she loved and though the two of them had a grudge that was no excuse. Her heart panged and quickly she tramped it down, not allowing herself to feel any pity at all for the boy. He was a man now, nearly, and was capable of making his own choices. Already had made them. She couldn't allow her affection for him cloud her judgment. Fortunately in that respect the anger she felt boiling helped. She moved forward, garland wrapped loosely around her shoulders, vines twisted with pretty purple flowers.

"You keep hurting people. You don't deserve any leniency. Does your mother know you hurt people? Fight in a war? Does she know you're everything she ever warned you against as a child? The stuff of someone's nightmare?"

If she had to hurt him she'd shove the knife in deep.

11:26:54 AM Sleet
"And some people never learn, you seem to be one of those." Really she was calling him a naughty child, how much more like a scolding parent did she wish to sound? It was pathetic and he wanted to lash out. Holding himself back though, he wasn't a child!, he kept himself as calm as he could.

A grudge yes, one which she had given birth to. She had been the one to go to the other knight and all but sent her boyfriend after him. It was a fight which she was at fault for, did she even care? She was the reason her boyfriend laid on the ground, not him. If she had a clue, if she felt any guilt, she'd put an end to this now but apparently that was above her. Spreading his legs as he stood he waited to see what she'd do, would she strike with a fist, a foot, and where?

"Say it with me now...W.A.R. This is war. People are hurt in war and die. To think I won't hurt or kill is immature of you. As for my mother you leave her out of this and stop attempting to play to my emotions or act like an extention of my mother, you are nothing like her." A swiping motion made with his hand as he spoke, his words becoming harsh toward the end. How dare she bring up his mother and act like his mother at the same time! "How dare you presume to know what my mother warned me against, you have no clue what lessons my mother instilled in me." How dare she! Feeling his teeth grind he wanted nothing more than to leap upon this knight and smash her head into the ground. How dare she speak as she was!

11:52:56 AM me
"I know whatever it was it couldn't have involved this kind of a life for you, hurting people. If she wanted what I do for all of you children she only wanted the best for you, to do what's right."

Yes, she sounded like a mom. She was one. She had loved him once and now she wanted to kick his a** and prove to him that this was the wrong path. The words about war, hurting. Those were the words of someone who didn't understand. Did he feel the same way when he was hurt by the other side? Was he a common casualty?

"What about when Camelot hurt you?" He could assume she knew by gossip. "Were you an acceptable loss in this war? How did your position feel then when you had your a** kicked?"

She thought he was immature and forced to grow up entirely too early, condescending maybe but from a place of caring. He shouldn't have to be prepared to hurt, kill, but since he was she wouldn't back down. She'd dig and hurt and steel herself toward where she needed to go. She couldn't be intimidated.

"People like you make people like Camelot and I necessary. If you weren't so foolish you'd see that."

11:56:54 AM Sleet
"So if I grew up and joined the military she'd also be upset? Upset that I was a solider fighting, and hurting others, for this country?" He questioned. Tapping a boot on the ground as he cocked his head. He knew his mother may not like him doing something like that, knowing he wasn't the sort to do such a thing, but he also knew his mother would be proud. So really he was just a different sort of solider and with a different uniform. But if she would be upset with him hurting people well no that would never happen. His mother, like anyone, knew hurting and death happened in a war.

Raising a brow he waited a moment before answering her. "When he hurt me...you mean when you facilitated that?" He questioned pointing out her place in that incident. She had been the cause of it she had caused this whole thing and he was going to tell her that! He wasn't about to be nice and not point such out to her. "Casualties happen in war, so yes. I know I can die in this war and I accept that." About as much as any person could. The idea of sacrificing yourself went against human nature so it was a hard thing to accept and really acceptance was shakey. But he understood it and knew it could happen, any night really, even if he didn't like the idea of dieing and didn't want to die. he knew what he'd gotten in to. "And was I an acceptable loss? You make it sound like I am dead andyour talking to my ghost."

Deciding that while he was at it he'd correct her english as well. If this was a war of words he would attack more than just what she said and the ideas but also the words themselves and how they were used.

"Are you asking me how other people felt that I got beaten by your little boyfriend? I hardly can guess what other people think or feel, I'm not telepathic. But also I do hope you know I didn't go running off to my fellow agents crying and whining that I'd gotten beaten in a fight - unlike some people ." Namely her of course. "So no one but my General knew and only because I needed her assistance in getting admitted to the Hospital. I did not whine nor cry to her." Shaking his head he really wished to just close her mouth for her. For a moment he pictured walking right up to her and closing her mouth for her, or placing a finger to her lips and just telling her 'quite'. It would be comical he was sure but it would be a change of pace and her words would stop coming. Ignoring the whole last sentence he stood waiting and wishing she'd just do something...other than talk.

12:14:25 PM me
"No mother enjoys the idea of their baby killing other people, being in danger. You can believe that."

This wasn't an act of patriotism. He could skew the lines all he wanted to to make it fit in his mind but the lines weren't the way he wanted them to be. He couldn't justify means that never quite made the ends. Had he actually managed to help anyone more than hurting them? Had the senshi stopped coming? Was his side actually doing something more than hurting people? She didn't think so but then again she couldn't know for sure.

"I facilitated nothing." At least not directly. She'd only come to him upset, heartbroken, but she couldn't explain that without giving away her identity. "And I talked to him about it after I found out about it. At length."

No, she didn't like violence on either side. Hurting children, recruiting children, pretending there was some good reason for any of this fighting. She imagined just hugging him, trying to make him see that she did care despite what happened and the barbs she was slinging.

"Loss means more than just death." She responded dryly, correcting his correction. "Surely you were unable to perform your duties while you recovered and were a deficit to your side."

If he wanted to play that game she could. She was older, better at it. She couldn't attack him yet, not outright, but her body was tensed, waiting, testing the waters of how this would go. The heart inside cried for vengeance. She wanted to beat him until he felt as badly as she did. She wanted to hurt him so he knew that hurting her had a price. That she was capable of standing up for herself. And though the mind disagreed and cited perfectly logical reasons why the heart was wrong it was that organ that was winning the race for control.

"That man you beat means the world to me, is the world to me. I can't let this go unanswered."

12:19:38 PM Sleet
"Perhaps if your going to assume what all mothers think you should go out and ask every mother, a better use of your time." Rather than her standing here. He really was thinking of shutting her up, or banging his head off of something just so he didn't have to hear her when he fell unconscious. "Yes, I was unable to perform but such things happen, they will happen to all of us at some point. Again, this is war and certain things are expected given such. Or do you need a dictionary to assist you?" He questioned as he took a few steps toward her. "You like to make broad sweeping comments and make assumptions about other people. You really should hold your tongue. Not only are your words, in some cases, out of line but your also annoying at this point."

"I'm sure he does, I will not question it. I know not your feelings as they are not my own to feel. But I will ask you. Do you intend to remain here or will you turn and go to him? If you stay here do stop talking. It's annoying and if you desier to fight then prepare to do so." He was done playing games and chatting, it was too much and he didn't think he could handle it any longer.

12:31:34 PM me
"Very well."

At least he knew to recognize love and not question it. There was some good in that but not enough. She immediately grabbed the ends of her garland and channeled her magic through it, vines growing around the General's feet forcing him to work harder if he wanted to get to her or at the very least slow him down. She wasn't weak anymore, unsure of herself.

She released the magic, the few seconds the effect lingered enough time to cross the short gap between them. The knight was in constant motion, never being in one place very long. She darted to his right and threw a punch to his nose, thrusting up, placing it in such a way to place maximum damage with the least amount of force. She'd break his nose if she could. Of course, this also left her open to attack, paused as she was in place.

12:35:38 PM Sleet
Well, that was a new trick. Finding it hard to move as he did try to, he stilled and decided to wait for it to end so he could move more freely. There was no point in fighting this and wasting energy, especially knowing she couldn't keep him moving like this forever. Ready for her, and fresh from a fight, he ducked his head to avoid this strike aimed for his nose. Watching her head fly over his head he moved forward and threw his weight behind th e movement as he bent and rammed himself at her midsection.

She had better not be thinking she was going to win this, he had no intentions of being beaten by her. It wasn't due to her rank but rather due to the events which had lead to this and her part in it all. It was a curtain which needed closing and that would only happen when he had beaten her and him...and he was had.

12:52:41 PM me
She missed. Of course she did. Shalott hadn't thought it would be so easy. But she wasn't expecting his sort of retaliation.

He barreled her down to the ground and Shalott cried out in pain and frustration as her back hit the sidewalk. Instinct kicked in and she tensed, bringing her knees up to latch around him waist, giving herself leverage and hauling him back up. She meant to flip him onto his back but her head was ringing slightly and the fall knocked her garland away from her.

She had every intention in the world of winning this and of making sure he knew exactly who he was up against from now on. The people she loved, her team, they were to be left alone. She'd lost to him once and thanks to the wonderful man in her life he now thought she needed someone else to fight her battles for her. After this fight she hoped that misconception would be changed.

She was willing to wrestle him onto his back. The knight moved to hit him again from her vantage point, lashing out at his jaw with her fist. Not as damaging as the strike to his nose but still not pleasant. She also lashed out at his solar plexus, jabbing her elbow into the area just below his ribcage in the center of his torso. That was an awkward blow so the effective location was hindered by the strange delivery. Still, she wasn't pulling any punches. Now the mother was serious and pissed.

1:00:15 PM Sleet
It had seemed to be a sudden thing, he didn't know how it had happened, but one moment she was going down and the next moment he was going down and then he was under her. Well, that wasn't a new one but it wasn't expected anyway. It was also very much unliked as he struggled to get out from under her.

Moving his head to the side, avoiding the hit to his face, he really was not about to let her hit his face! He didn't avoid, couldn't avoid the other strike. Gasping as air rushed out of him he ceased his struggling and a moment later had gone on the attack. Maybe it wasn't the expected thing but he'd fought and rolled around in an alley before while yanking at hair. So he wasn't against lowering himself to such a level. Going right for her shoulder he aimed to bite her, sinking his teeth in, while he sought to roll them and grab at her hair. It was a flurry of movement from him as he sought to gain the upper hand in this dirty little fight of theirs.

Two fights would wear on anyone but he also was not wearing down to the point of giving up or loosing this fight. He wasn't about to permit himself to loose to this particular person.

While they moved on the ground his hold on her hair tightened, as he prepared to lift her head up and bring it down onto the ground, as he prepared to bash her head against the ground. It was a leg moving between his own which had his attention as he jerked away from it, allowing her leg to slip between his own without a thought of what she was planning.

When she struck he dropped and rolled off her, his legs tight together and clearly in pain. If the sound he'd made to accompany the attack hadn't been any indication. Gasping he slowly rolled, this time on purpose and to put space between them, it was a slow climb to his feet but he got to his feet and shot her a dirty look. Straightening himself he moved in, toward her, and aimed a kick at her midsection.

He should have expected his foot to get grabbed, and maybe in the back of his mind he had, but he was too focused on the idea of beating this knight. So when his foot was grabbed he did a little hopping on one foot but eventually lost his balance, no sweep needed, and landed on the ground. But that also opened him up to attacking her.

As he landed he kicked out with his free foot, aiming once more for her mid section. As he drew his foot back after kicking at her he pulled the other foot free from her hold and rolled backward and onto his feet. Some distance between them he settled on doing what he hadn't wanted to, he had really wanted to just beat on her with his own two hands, and called his weapon into his hands.

Held in both hands he flashed her something of a smile, for a moment he felt like asking what she thought of his new toy.

Watching he smiled as she gasped, quite pleased with the small reaction he'd gotten from her, and all from such a small and simple action. By now the weapons felt comfortable in his gloved hands, he was used to balancing a long weapon thanks to it's previous form, and he had already brought this weapon out against others.

"What have I done? It's quite simple, I've grown in power. Or were you unable to tell till now?" The uniform hadn't tipped her off, or his power signature being larger? "Or are you inquiring as to what I've done to gain this new power?" Yes, he didn't hide that he was speaking in terms of power and not rank. He didn't hide that power, the power he had now, was important to him.

Were she had to done something so stupid as show her civilian self to him, right now and all things considered, he might have actually lashed out at her. It was a good thing she was wise enough not to do so. But picking a fight with him was unwise of her.

"No, no, I don't think I'll kill you. I'd rather beat you tonight and leave you knowing that you once again lost to me and that you dragged your precious knight into this. Yes, I'd like you to know that by going to him, like some hurt child, you brought him into this and you are the cause of his injuries tonight." He spoke calmly if not a bit smugly as well. The smirk on his face was certainly cruel as he took advantage of her leaving herself open to him.

The staff was raised and swung, gloved hands held tightly to the length of staff, aiming the blade for the neck and chest area. He wouldn't kill her, he wanted her to suffer.

"Either way you didn't win either." He stated with a twisted parody of a smile given to the crouched down knight. Yanking no his weapon to free it from her hold. He would not be allowing her to keep hold of it too long, he wouldn't give her that upper hand.

"If anything I'd say you walked away from that fight worse off than I did." And gone right to her little knight who had than come after him. Yes, such a mature and capable knight this green haired one was. She was an annoying joke, one which angered him easily.

Struggling to get control of his weapon, to get it out of her hands, he found himself trying to avoid it being jabbed at him. Unsuccessful, he felt the bottom end of his staff impact with his mid section. Air left him with the sudden impact but he also yanked his weapon free as he stepped back two paces. One arm was about his mid section, not quite protectively, but guarding. Watching the squire put distance between them as well he smiled. That really was pointless and wouldn't help her in the end.

Teleporting was something which had become easy for him over time, it was a skill he worked on. One moment he was standing a foot or two in front of her and the next moment he was gone. Appearing behind her he lashed out with his spear as he hoped to take her by surprise.

"You keeping bringing up broken ribs, as if that was an injury you bestowed upon me. Do you make a habit of claiming other peoples glories?" He questioned, mocking and cold. "And yes, you did get the energy I held released. Bravo, congratulations on doing so little. That is no special accomplishment, I assure you, you are not the first to shatter a few energy orbs, nor will you be the last I am sure." He really did dislike this knight, she was annoying and thought far too highly of herself. All he wanted to do was hurt her, not kill her, just seriously hurt her.

"So says the one bragging about injuring a person, especially when you didn't even cause those injuries. Perhaps you should look to your partner, or yourself." He wasn't scolding he wasn't angry. He simply spoke with a certain coolness, even as she again held onto his weapon. He had the energy to handle this battle thanks to how easily the fight with her partner had gone, that had been far easier than it should have been. Yes, he would walk away from this bruised and sore but he was planning to win. He wasn't too worn out, and he was still a step ahead of this knight.

Keeping a hold on his spear, gloves did help with that sort of thing, he watched her walk toward him. He was expecting a punch to be thrown to his face. He didn't think she would stomp on a foot. That had him biting his lip to hold back the pained sound that escaped. he was sure he felt something give, or grind, under her foot. Either way it hurt a good deal, it didn't matter if it gave way or gridded, he felt nausea creep up on him and knot up his stomach. He'd felt similar when his ribs had been broken, so perhaps broken and if not than really badly bruised. Having expected the fist aimed for his face he tipped his head back, as far as he could, to avid the strike aimed for his nose. Already he'd bitten his tongue tonight he did not need a broken, or at least bloodied, nose to go along with a well abused tongue and possibly broken foot. She may have a hold on his weapon and she may have stomped his foot, and possibly broken it, but he was not going to yield, not if he had any say in the matter. Taking a step back, gently removing his foot under under hers.

One hand left the shaft of his spear and balled up he launched a punch at the face of the knight, did she really need to stand so close to him? As soon as he launched his fist he was backing up as quickly as he could.