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Stryke waited for her to move before he tried to take a step upon his finishing with his initial outburst. Flashes of pain radiated up his calf, and down into his thigh at various points. She'd just told him he had no choice in the matter but to move. His look was unfriendly as he stared at her. Whether she realized it or not, the yellowblood wouldn't go down without a fight. It was either fight, or talk his way out. It remained to be seen how unreasonable she was.

While he'd thought her a phantom of the unknown, it would seem she was in fact a timid blueblood. One who was following orders if the one sided radio conversation was any indication. Taking a hesitant step he used the rustle of his own cloak to his advantage, turning instead on her without warning. "you must underssstand...i'm sorry i can't just let you take me. i have to find my allies and help them!" Even injured, he pushed off the ground and launched himself at her. It was a risk, but if he caught her by surprise he might be able to get the upper hand on the situation. Stryke didn't go for his daggers; instead he tried to disarm her of that damn sawed off shotgun. From this close of rang he'd have a hole blown clear through otherwise.

Stryke felt the blow of the butt of her gun connect home, leaving him grunting in pain as it connected with his body. However the swipe wasn't what caught him off guard it was the female trolls retort. They already had his other three team mates he'd been traveling with?

Fear crept behind his eyes as he shook his head. "all the more reason I have to find zef...err i mean the blueblood and the kid so we can find our leader!" He bared his teeth again. Stryke wasn't about to give trolls in the army full names. No way, ******** that.

He tried to grab for her as she pulled away from him, it failed resulting in him loosing his footing. He'd seen her weapon go flying after it connected home. Huffing softly he fell to his hands and knees ceremonially. Lifting his head as he watched her put distance between them he knew he couldn't keep up. If she found that gun, even if it might not work he could be potentially dead. "damnit..please! haven't you ever wanted to protect something...some onesss whom are precious before?" He bit back the pain as he pulled himself up and took a few steps after her, leaning heavily on a tree he glared icy daggers at the highblood.

Stryke didn't flinch away when she raised her voice at him. What were the odds this troll knew the very troll he was referring too? "why does it even matter?" He retorted back, uneasy given her sudden lash of anger.

He tried to take a step back from her, seeing that crazed look in Sarcel's eyes.

"what do you know of an adult blueblood with a mohawk..perhaps? if not, good luck with me telling you. i'm not going to just out one of my companions." Instead of giving his name outright, he tested the waters with this female blueblood. Stryke hated to be manipulative but what choice did he have? His tone was cold, as he shook his head. Whatever her reasons were for being loyal to the Empire it didn't matter, he tried to reason with her. Thus, Stryke tried to choose his words carefully. So far it seemed like the yellowblood had the other trolls attention.

Stryke wished for the millionth time his lusus was around, he could have used the creature to help him escape or potentially even sit on his back. After this hell was over he would have to find his father and try and extract him from their hive...and bring him to wherever it was the mothergrub would be kept most likely. At least they could then protect each other like they had for many sweeps now. It was hard being without his father figure.

Stryke didn't need to hit her to do battle with her, if they could reach a mutual ground and level with one another...then perhaps she could see the rebels in a different light. The way the Empire had likely demonized them was profound he was sure. This woman...he needed to get her name before they were done speaking.

Deciding not to be coy with her, Stryke frowned in a hard line as he narrowed his eyes slightly. "i believe...you and i are speaking of the same troll. if your reactions are any indication. if i am gathering my sources and information correctly given your agresssion hm." He trailed off as he breathed in a sharp breath as he adjusted his stance leaning heavily against the tree he'd hobbled too ignore the seeping wounds as he tried to make eye contact for the first time...some of his anger dissipating.

"look, my friend is alive i'm sure of it. and is some one i intend to help, along with the rest of those who get captured. they are good trolls..they don't deserve to be culled by the empire." He reaffirmed to her as he lifted his chin eyes searching the others features begging her with his eyes for her to understand. It would have to be slowly, but it was the thought that counted...

Hopefully anyway. For now he had to figure out the situation at hand before he could really try pre-planning another action.

Stryke looked at her, his eyes widening as she turned away and began frantically searching for her weapon again. "are you certain it doesn't matter? even if this is between you and me, are you so certain you are fighting for the right reasons? hell i don't even know your name..thisss seems ridiculous don't you think?" Keep trying to play at her confidence, let her see he was real and not some order she'd been given.

As he tried to move to turn to walk away to try and move away from her, he put to much pressure on his bad leg. He found himself stumbling looking utterly foolish. woopssse.

Stryke stopped trying to struggle in the murky waters, the waves ripped as he stopped sloshing around. The water made it hard to move, he couldn't even swim anyway. He'd never learned how to, it seemed like insanity to him as a child. As he slid his foot forward, he felt something touch his boot. It was heavy and metallic. It had to be her gun, but he didn't try and reach for it. He had no desire to shoot this troll, she wasn't the enemy...she was just scared and afraid to be held accountable. Who wasn't these days?

"change is not for everyone most certainly, this road is not so easily traveled...whatever it is your name is misss." He sighed as he looked at her with an unreadable expression, a sort of blank slate as he explained. "it takes time, and a great deal of sacrifices. not everyone will or is capable of understanding. so is life on alternia. the caste system will always be there...even if equality can be established. why? because there will always be those who believe they are better no matter what. some are strong some will be weak. that is the cycle of our lives." He ended on a tense note, willing her to understand.

"don't you sssee? even if the queen reigns as she does...there will always be those trolls who get beat down..pushed out. that's so damn corny but its the truth as far as i can see it! " He looked away. Of course that meant opposing The Army its self and was a task akin to madness maybe. Anything worth believing in and fighting for was that however.

Stryke let her keep searching for her gun, he in turn kept his eyes on her wary of what she might do if she decided to stop entertaining his commentary.

Stryke heard her reply, tensing visibly as she argued with him. She could grit and grind her teeth all she wanted...how could she understand. Stryke never expected another troll to change, perhaps be willing to listen. But how could he ask her to be something she wasn't? Still he pitied her, she seemed so alone and conflicted. It made him not want to keep pressing her...but it looked like she'd discovered the gun he'd been trying to hide.

"ah...i wasss wondering when you'd find that." He frowned, narrowing his eyes on her a little bit. Even if he grabbed his daggers now..would they even be able to protect him from her? Would he even be willing to hit her now? Don't under estimate her. Stryke reminded himself. Yet he'd let her have the gun, although her vanishing certainly made that easier for her to do.

Then she was gone again. He cloak thrown, and in a rush of air, a wooshing noise she vanished. It was like magic. Swallowing nervously he tried to throw hsi hands up to protect his face. It left Stryke wide open, feeling her punch to his stomach he wheezed groaning in pain as she scored a well placed hit. Coughing he felt his body crumble to the soggy ground below holding his body in visible pain.

Wide eye'd still, he tried to look for her. Stryke wheezed slightly as he held his stomach. She'd hit him nearly exactly where the dull ache was still even with the newly healed flesh from Vremea's powers. As he struggled to calm himself and take a deep breath the yellowblood sat there on his knees in the water, as it turned a murky yellow with his blood from his injury. Coughing he stared at her as she looked down at him. Her re-materializing sent a shiver down his spine.

Wait, what was she saying? Her name..she was giving it to him? "sarcel...?" Stryke echoed her, repeating it as if to try and remember. Narrowing his eyes slightly on her he pursed his lips slightly. "it's stryke..i wish we could've meet under better circumstances." Stryke replied with a sad note in his voice as his shoulder's sagged slightly. Stryke didn't look up once his eyes left her staring down as he frowned, his brows furrowing...suddenly he wasn't sure what he wanted to say as he tried to pull himself up. There was no tree or thing to lean on, so it was clumsy but gradual. To be fair, she could have killed him by now and yet she hadn't.