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 Posted: Wed Jan 13, 2016 2:01 pm
It was dark out.
The sky overhead was blotted with thick clouds in varying shades of gray and blue-black, so that everything around Cerussite seemed to blend together in darkness. Pale, watery lights, starkly yellow in the gloom, splintered through the bleak haze every so often, casting long shadows behind them.
Cerussite stood in an alleyway, wondering, not for the first time, whether he was doing the right thing. He had someone to drain - they were slumped against a lamppost, clearly drunk out of their mind, and all he had to do was kneel down, take his wrist, and slide the energy out.
It was simple. Really.
Cerussite was still hesitating awkwardly, however.
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Posted: Wed Jan 13, 2016 3:15 pm
Aluminite hated powering up and going on patrol, even if he enjoyed the rush of adrenaline and the strength doing so afforded him. He didn't like the expectations that came with the powers, the responsibilities that sat heavy on his shoulders and conflicted with his moral compass. Still, he fell mostly in line and powered up, because the general who decided he was their personal project demanded it.
"Come, there's a near by lieutenant," Labyrinthite growled, whiskey eyes evaluating the taller man. "If they are alone, perhaps we can get another training session in," he stated, turning on his heel and stalking across the roof top, expecting Aluminite to be hot on his heels.
Sucking in a deep breath, the lieutenant followed obediently, even if his expression was a mixture of unhappiness and pain. He hadn't really recovered from the last session Labyrinthite oversaw, he wasn't keen on a second round. Especially if the other agent had any training.
"What if they don't want to fight?" The older man dared to ask and received and unimpressed look in response.
"It doesn't matter what they want. They'll follow orders, or I'll make them."
Aluminite shuddered in response, knowing exactly what it felt like to disobey and be reprimanded for it. "Yes sir." He swallowed thickly, willed the rapid pulse of his heart to calm as they grew closer. As they neared the edge of the rooftop, Aluminite could make out silhouettes, one standing and the other slumped against a post. "Go, introduce yourself. See what they are doing," his general ordered and he nodded slowly.
Then, he stepped from the roof's edge and dropped. His landing was far from neat, knees buckling from the force of the drop and sending him staggering into the wall. He could imagine his general's annoyed expression. Pushing himself to a proper standing position he slowly approached the other man. "What are you doing?"
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Posted: Wed Jan 13, 2016 11:56 pm
Cerussite had still not made up his mind when he felt the shift in the air. Power signatures - he was learning to recognize them, slowly but surely, and at least one of them much more powerful than himself. A shiver of fear trickled down his spine, and he glanced around, the dark strands of his hair sliding across his shoulders.
One of the power signatures remained rather distant, but the other made itself apparent within a few seconds. Cerussite heard, rather than saw, the thump of feet on the pavement and the telltale scuffle of someone who had just lost their footing. His head turned, and a tall figure came stepping out of the shadows. Cerussite's heart pounding.
He stared at him, tried to place him, and failed. It was a face as unfamiliar as the last, and he swallowed hard, pushed his shoulders back, and attempted to keep some of the confidence he'd had when he'd first been recruited, though it was painfully difficult.
"I was..." Cerussite glanced down at the man by his feet. "Er. I was going to...to drain him..."
He trailed away awkwardly, floundering. Cinnabar would have been ashamed.
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Posted: Mon Jan 25, 2016 11:26 am
Labyrinthite loomed overhead and Aluminite could feel gold eyes practically burning a hole in the back of his head.
He despised night like this, when the general insisted on joining him because everything was messier, dirty, more complicated. Labyrinthite made him do things that left him sick afterwards. "If- If you're draining him, why are you so far away. They're already unconscious, shouldn't you have done it by now?" He didn't mean to sound condescending but, as always, with his general at his back he put on an act.
His mouth opened, an introduction on his tongue when Labyrinthite dropped behind him with a whoosh.
"I am lieutenant Aluminite, this is General Labyrinthite," he introduced, voice wavering slightly, fingers trembling against his thighs. He didn't want to fight, but he didn't see a scenario where they wouldn't.
"You're new," Labyrinthite commented, voice dark and raspy. "Go, drain them and then, then I think a spar is in order," he directed and Aluminite exhaled shakily at his side.
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Posted: Mon Jan 25, 2016 3:31 pm
Cerussite felt the heat rising in his cheeks, felt the shame beginning to burn through his chest and in his face. The fact that he was being reprimanded by another agent - another lieutenant, by the feel of it - made him feel about two inches high.
But there was no response able to be made. The second power signature that Cerussite had felt suddenly burned brighter as a figure dropped down beside the lieutenant - and he did not carry the same sort of feeling that the first did. This man was...powerful.
And frightening.
"I - " Cerussite croaked, taking a step back, giving a nervous glance to the man on the ground again. "I - a spar..?"
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Posted: Wed Jan 27, 2016 2:53 pm
It was hard for the taller man not to grimace at Cerussite when Labyrinthite gave an order and he was forever thankful that he was in front of his general instead of beside him. At least that way his fellow lieutenant could see him mouth, I'm sorry, beneath the pale strips of light.
Labyrinthite looked at Cerussite expectantly when he stuttered over his words, scuttled back in fear. It was a reaction he was accustomed to, one he expected from certain types and the redhead fell among them. "Did I stutter?" He asked, pushing his hood back to reveal his face, the sharp jawline, the dark circles beneath his too-bright eyes. "Drain him and then fall into your fighting stance--" he paused when he realized he didn't know the smaller man's name. "Ah, you are?"
Aluminite swallowed thickly, stance shifting as a foot slid back and his hands curled into fists. He rolled his shoulders back and lifted his fists preparing to engage when ordered.
"Don't worry little one," Labyrinthite stated, gaze flicking to his lieutenant then back. "You won't be sparring with me, but him. I will be observing, correcting."
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Posted: Wed Jan 27, 2016 5:17 pm
Cerussite caught the look on the other lieutenant's face and didn't understand - at least not until he saw the mouthed apology, the look of slightly strained tension in his expression. His gaze darted from him to the general behind him, and slowly, Cerussite put two and two together.
This general was not like Cinnabar. She treated him well, made sure he knew what he was doing, encouraged him. This general exuded nothing but darkness and disdain, a fact made even clearer as he pushed his hood back from his face, Cerussite resisting the very strong urge to take an automatic step backwards.
He swallowed hard, casting a frightened glance at the lieutenant again, then at the general.
"C - " His voice caught. He took a deeper, more painful breath. "Cerussite."
He didn't want to fight. He didn't want to spar, especially not under the direction of this nameless general; but Cerussite had a feeling that declining or disobeying would result in something far, far worse. Something he did not want to find out.
His head moved, finally giving a little nod. Cerussite turned slightly and then made his way over to the man on the ground, crouching hesitantly beside him, biting his lip. A tentative hand stretched out, and then gloved fingers touched the man's arm, the energy starting to siphon out, a small glow appearing in the palm of Cerussite's other hand.
After a few minutes, it was done. He straightened, shaking slightly, and turned towards the other two, taking a few steps forward until he was back in front of them.
He did not know what a proper fighting stance was. Cerussite stood there awkwardly, then shifted one foot back and tried to look as though he knew what he was doing.
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Posted: Tue Feb 02, 2016 1:50 pm
Aluminite felt awful about the whole ordeal, especially when he could see how much Cerussite didn't want to and he wished that he had the backbone to stand up to his domineering general. But he didn't and so they were both forced into something they didn't want.
It was hard, being in a military-like organization. You had to listen to those ranked above you, even when you didn't want to.
Labyrinthite sighed as the redhead shifted awkwardly into a stance. Slowly, he glided toward him. "Raise your arms, make sure that when you form a fist your thumb is outside of it or you'll risk breaking it," he instructed lifting his own hand and demonstrating beneath the pale street lighting. "You want a stance that gives you a lot of movement. Mimic Aluminite."
His sharp gaze met green and Aluminite swallowed, nodding as he stepped closer to Cerussite, positioned in the fighting stance he'd been taught.
"Engage," Labyrinthite ordered, stepping away when Aluminite slid forward, aiming a soft, careful punch at his opponents gut.
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Posted: Wed Feb 03, 2016 1:57 pm
He found a sense of utter impossibility in saying no, staring at the general behind the lieutenant. Something about the expression on his face, the look in his eyes, made it seem ludicrous to even think about denying what he was being told to do.
And it looked as though he wasn't the only one. The other lieutenant had a wary, pained expression as though this was not something that he had planned on, either, the two of them staring wordlessly at one another, forced into positions without wanting them.
Cerussite felt his breath stutter in his chest as the general came towards him. He gave a silent nod at the instructions, allowing himself to follow them, and obediently curled his fingers properly, tucking his thumb outside as designated, his heart beating rapidly.
The first punch was aimed at his stomach and probably less painful than it could have been. But it still sent Cerussite staggering back several steps, his eyes wide, gasping out a startled sound. He tried to regain his footing quickly, shifting forward once more, and aimed his own punch at Aluminite's chest, his pulse quickening.
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Posted: Thu Feb 04, 2016 1:27 pm
The lieutenant was a fighter because he had to be, not because he wanted to. It was times like these that he wished he was of the captain rank because then-- then he could at least be in his specialized branch and the combat training would wane. As it were, he was under strict tutelage from one of the harshest, but very effective, teachers.
He did what he was told, he fell in line because, what else was he supposed to do?
Aluminite had withheld strength, because he hadn't wanted to actually hurt Cerussite and yet, the man staggered backwards more than he expected. It probably helped though, to make it less obvious that he was holding back. If Labyrinthite thought he was holding back well-- they'd both be screwed.
The punch to his chest connected, but did not move him back the way it had moved the other man. It slowed his movements, knocked the air out of his lung and he shifted back as if it would reduce the weight of the blow. With gritted teeth, Aluminite swung out with both fist.kuropeco he's not aiming for anything specific so do whatever feels right or have him miss!
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Posted: Thu Feb 04, 2016 9:12 pm
He tried to keep his focus on Aluminite and not the man behind him, standing imposingly, powerfully daunting. Cerussite had not expected his blow to land, and it hurt his hand more than he'd thought it would, a little gasp of surprise escaping him as he quickly jumped back.
The next swing caught Cerussite by the shoulder and sent him staggering to the side, his eyes widening. He pushed himself back upright at the last second, just barely managing to keep his balance as a pain shot through his upper arm and tingled down to his fingers.
He pressed his teeth together, trying to keep up, but Aluminite was taller, more experience. Cerussite seized one of his swinging arms and grasped it tightly, half shifting to try and drive his knee into the man's leg.
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Posted: Thu Feb 04, 2016 10:22 pm
Labyrinthite could tell that he was making Cerussite nervous and in many ways it both pleased and frustrated him. He didn't move from his spot, simply stood there observing quietly as the lieutenants fought. His lips were pressed in a thin line and harsh, gold eyes, followed their every movement.
Aluminte pitied Cerussite, if only because he could tell that the younger man didn't want to fight-- that he was inexperienced and that in the aftermath, he'd be bruised and sore in places he didn't know could hurt.
He let out a quiet breath, once he felt like he could breathe normally again, when his fist caught the man by the shoulder and sent him sprawling. He had the advantage and as much as he hated it, he needed to take advantage of it. The sooner he ended it, the sooner they would both be done.
He'd done it with Domeykite, he'd try to do it again with Cerussite.
Or at least, that'd been his intention before his other arm was caught and he was yanked forward, a knee colliding into his leg. It caught him along the side of his knee and it buckled, sending him down to one knee. He hissed in pain, grasping for Cerussite's uniform, yanking down with all of his strength.
If he went down, so would his opponent.
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Posted: Fri Feb 05, 2016 5:38 am
The fact that he was both so much shorter than Aluminite and so much skinnier was a problem. Cerussite could not reach well, and what would have been an attempted kick of his knee into the man's stomach was forced to go lower, to one of his knees, as he couldn't quite reach properly. It sent a burn of humiliation across his face, Cerussite gritting his teeth.
But, at the very least, it worked.
Aluminite dropped instantly, hissing - but his fingers had closed in the front of Cerussite's uniform, and Cerussite gave a little gasp of surprise, staggering forward. He half collided with the other lieutenant and toppled over, hitting the ground with a sharp and painful thud onto his own knees.
He made a half strangled noise, eyes widening, and grappled with Aluminite's wrists, Cerussite swinging a leg out blindly from his awkward, tangled position, trying to push him over.
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Posted: Fri Feb 05, 2016 7:03 am
It was a mess, they were a mess of limbs and swinging body parts. He grunted as his wrist were captured, grasped at in an a poor attempt to wrench them away. Cerussite did not go down as far as Aluminite had hoped, but he would make it work.
It's not like he had a choice.
The redhead twisted awkwardly and it was hard to maintain his grip on the uniform and block the upcoming kick. He made a choice and grabbed at the offending leg, yanking hard. He tried to move quickly, but his height made it hard for him to be as limber as he wanted- still he was on his feet enough to push himself forward, lunging at Cerussite.
Maybe if he could pin the smaller man -- maybe then it'd be over.
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Posted: Fri Feb 05, 2016 12:59 pm
He felt horribly, terribly inadequate. Cerussite could feel the general's gaze on them as though it were a knife ready to be thrown, a dagger on the precipice of skewering through his chest at any moment. It was a disconcerting feeling, throwing him off balance.
His kick did not work - in fact, it backfired, and Cerussite gave a gasp of surprise and pain as his leg was abruptly caught and yanked. He twisted, shifted, and tried to scramble away, but it was a bad move; Aluminite had seized his bad leg, which was Cerussite's own fault for kicking with it.
He fell with a crash onto his back, the breath knocked out of him, Aluminite atop, and Cerussite's eyes went wide, his lungs heaving for air.
He pushed up, struggling futilely to free himself; but the weight of the other lieutenant's body was too heavy, too big for his own slender limbs.
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