Black. Pitch Black. Tani tried looking around her surroundings but not even the smallest glimmer of light nor reflection could be seen. Her body was currently on the floor with her wrists tied together behind her back and her ankles bound together as well. She rolled herself off of her back and onto her stomach where she tried to inch forward, but her forehead was immediately greeted with a cold, metal wall. She stretched out her feet a bit and they too met with another wall. She was trapped, and alone. She would have tried to scream if it hadn’t been for the collar restricted around her throat, allowing just enough air to pass through her lungs without passing out, but not enough to make any sounds. She wormed her body around until she was in an awkward sitting position, her back resting against the cool metal and closed her eyes. It had all happened so fast…

There was a sound of scraping metal and suddenly a stream of light entered the confined space, blinding Tani for a good while. She shut her eyes tightly to prevent any damage to her eyes and heard a couple pairs of footsteps clanging on the metal floor. Suddenly a pair of hands grabbed at her harshly, forcing her to her feet and then pushed her out towards the light. Tripping over her own feet, as they were still bound together, Tani collapsed out of the metal barge and out onto the soft terrain of her new destination. Dark brown mud caked to her blue face the moment she hit the ground as the entire area was soaking wet from the rain. It didn’t take long at all for her to get soaked as well, as the droplets were big and coming down hard. Another guard pulled her back to her feet, holding her forcibly by the neck around the metal collar still locked tightly around her neck and his second hand grasping a rod of some sort into her back. A second guard stooped over to unlock the metal bands that held her ankles together, and with a quick push of a button from the first guard, the end of the rod pressed into her back ignited into a high-intensity array of electricity. Tani tried to cry out in pain as the electrical shock coursed through her body, rendering her numb for a few moments but the guard pushed her forward, forcing her to walk.

She could feel people staring at her, and she knew exactly why. She kept her head down though, avoiding any eye contact with anyone save she might happen upon a certain race that had a personal vendetta against hers. She had been briefed on where it was she was going right before she lost consciousness in the barge, and therefore she knew why she was there. The rain did a steady job of smearing the mud off of her face and chest, though it only made her look messier. Still though, she continued to walk where she was directed; she’d do anything just to not have the guard press that button again.

A few minutes later, the guard had stopped which in turn caused Tani to stop. At first it was because she had thought that they had arrived at wherever it is that they were going, but when Tani looked up she had spotted what looked like a small girl, no older than eight. She was cowering in front of two of the guards, who apprehended her with force and started to strike her. Tani didn’t know what the girl did to deserve such treatment, and frankly she didn’t care. The larger portion of empathy in her heart tugged at her conscious and she could no longer just stand around and watch as the other races in the immediate area did; though some didn’t even do that, walking on by as if nothing were happening.

With the sound of what sounded like a hiss coming from her throat, Tani wrenched herself free from the guard and ran towards the guards with the little girl. Upon getting closer she noticed that the girl was of the Arian race. Light green skin, thick antennae, and known throughout the universe for their exceptional farming skills, a race that her own race was friendly with before their supposed extinction. Tani didn’t stop though, as the guard rose his hand to strike the girl once again, Tani rammed herself into his side, Earth football style and the two crashed into the mud. Her own guards had quickly caught up with her and pulled her back up to her feet. The guard whom she had knocked over stood up, wiped the mud from his uniform, pulled out what looked like a gun from his holster and point-blank shot the little girl through the head. Tani tried to scream in anger, though it was rendered useless and in fact made her feel very light-headed. She was then forced to what looked like a metal pole in the middle of the area and was quickly bound to it, her chest pressing against the pole and her back exposed. The guards exchanged orders to one another until one finally stepped forward with a leather whip with electricity sparking from it. The guard pulled back his arm, and began his assailing attack on the Rhevarian; the rarest race in existence.

Moon revelled in the time she was allowed into the main area. The cell where she spent most of her day was mildly claustrophobic. There was no room to explore in the confined space. It had taken her only hours to cast a sonic gaze around the space, memorizing every crack, every crevasse, in the wall. And, worst of all, the damn room echoed. When she was allowed to leave her cell, half of the time it was only to enter the arena. Given the choice, it was truly a toss-up as to which one she despised more. At least fighting was a challenge. It was stimulating, even if it was terrifying. In the cell, there was nothing to do but sweep a sonic gaze endlessly over the same surfaces.

So the few hours each day when everyone was let out, it was a treat. Moon savoured the time. She kept a low profile, moving easily through the crowds. She didn’t cause trouble, and she didn’t let people know she was there. The Dragon girl was a ghost. She could see no one, not with her vestigial eyes, and it was as though no one could see her either. Moon wandered, letting each of the life forms register in her mind. She could tell the difference instantly between a human and an Ebolorian. Between all the various forms of humanoids. She recognized a person’s life presence as easily as, perhaps even with more ease than, the sighted could recognize a face.

So when a new arrival of fighters arrived, Moon often picked them out well before any of the other fighters. Such was the gift of the Dragons. And the Rhevarian girl…she stuck out like a flame in the blackness of night.

Moon watched from a distance. Her eyes stared sightlessly off into the distance, but her mind was focused on the form of the alien girl, escorted by the Ebolorian guards. She watched from a distance as the entire events unfolded. The Rhevarian made an attempt to aid another, a young Arian who’s life Moon could feel weakening with each blow from the guards. But it came as total shock to her when the Arian girl disappeared.

She blinked in shock. To a Dragon, death registers in an entirely different manner than for other races. One instant, the girl was there. The next, the glow that was her life had vanished. Snuffed out as a gunshot blasted through the entire area. It was as though a part of Moon’s own awareness had vanished. She was there…and then she was gone. Dead. No more life force registering in Moon’s mind. It took her several moments to get over the shock of sensing a death. Other prisoners in the crowded space bumped into her. For a brief while, she was jostled in the crowd she normally would have woven her way through with ease.

Finally, Moon shook herself. Where was the Rhevarian now? That bright and distinctive life force radiated from elsewhere. By the post in the centre of the entire space. Moon took off, darting her way through the crowd. The Dragon was nimble, and once again flowed through the crowd like water over smooth stone. A low hum emitted from her throat bounced back to her, painting a sonic image in her mind. The Rhevarian was tied to the post, an Ebolorian guard poised over her with an electrified whip.

She debated intensely. Intervene, and risk her own skin…or stand by and do nothing. But that hadn’t stopped the Rhevarian from trying to help the Arian girl. The second the first crack of the whip pierced her ears, Moon’s mind was made up.

A quick sonic sweep of the ground revealed just what she wanted. A hefty chunk of stone lay near her feet. She grabbed it, scanned the ground again, and selected another. Moon grinned broadly, taking up a position as near to the post as she could without being obvious. The Dragon belted out a polyphonic note. The pitch carried for several seconds, gradually attracting more and more attention. Finally, the sound waves bouncing back to her painted the picture she wanted to see. The Ebolorian guard had turned his head to find the source of the obnoxious noise. And when he did, Moon let the first of her rocks fly. For a blind girl, her aim was exquisite. The stone chunk hit the giant guard square in the jaw, and she heard a satisfying crack. She belted a second note, this one higher, and lobbed the second rock.

She took off at a sprint without waiting to determine if it made contact or not. If the guard gave chase, she would have the upper hand. Her ability to sense everyone in the crowd, instantaneously, let her weave her way in between people without a second thought. There was no getting lost. There was no chance of running into a person. If he gave chase, Moon would double back and free the Rhevarian girl from the whipping post. She let out a few more polyphonic notes as she ran, teasing the guard, daring him to pursue.

They would deal with the consequences later.

Ignrak was not a smart creature by any means; it was a surprise he could notice a rock flying through the air from his position in a stuporous slump just inside an alley; but when he saw the identical white figure lope off after the horned girl, he knew something was odd. So Ignrak stood up shakily from his heap on the side of the road and looked around: the chase had gone down the street to his left. Ignrak saw the blue woman tied up, and dimly realized that it was she who the horned girl was throwing rocks for.

He took the few slow steps to her and gave a harsh tug on her bindings: they came apart immediately. He pointed in the vauge direction the girl went in, hoping to convey the message to thank her, or at least see what was to come of her, before heading slowly off in that direction himself. Aside from the fighting, which he was superb at for his rank, nothing interesting happened inside the death games. Hopefully something could come of this event he was now part of.

Marvin walked slowly weaving in between people as he walked through the crowds of this 'city' and all the while whistling a small tune to himself. He had been on this furor shaken planet for what seemed like an eternity now but even though most here wanted to kill you just to get their next meal but it still seemed less hostile than his home planet. When he was out of the confines of his small cell he didn't know what to really do. He found that he had more fun just trying to find his way through the dark of his cell but still social interaction kept him from being a blood thirsty mongrel. As he walked he soon came across the sight of one of the Ebolorian guards having a rock tossed at him. He couldn't see the persons face through the crowd of people but whomever it was he now had a new found respect for. It took quite a lot to try to tangle with the big behemoths that ruled over this terrible place. As the guard ran after the rock thrower another Ebolorain approached a lady of a species unknown to him and set her free. This Ebolorain seemed not to be one of the ones that ran the place and instead seemed to be more of prisoner her like everyone else. Marvin walked a little closer to see what would take place between the two but not close enough to be very conspicuous. He wanted to watch the outcome of the event that took place but assumed the action would travel else where.

Ra'al stood silently amongst the thrumming crowd, a frown knitted on his brow, and his fists balled at his sides as he glared at the blue figure tied to the pole. More than likely, half of these fools didn't know what stood before them, a race so rare, he himself had thought them gone. Would be better if they all were. He thought darkly, his ice blue eyes mirroring the thought within. Oh how easy it would be to walk right up and snap her pretty little neck, not like the guards would care overly much and he doubted many would rise up against him for committing such an act, yet still, that was not the way of his kind. There's no honour in killing the helpless.

To his right, a hulking mass emerged from the alley, slowly shambling toward the Rhevarian, freeing her from her bonds, breaking the chains that bound her as easily as one might break a twig. He had seen that creature around before, an Ebolorian outcast by the name of Ignrak, if the gossip of theses lowly races could be believed. He looked forward to the day he met that one in the arena.

Turning away from scene he begun to move to the edge of the crowd, his size serving as an advantage as others clamoured out of his way. He cast one last look over his shoulder to see the Ebolorian move in the direction of the other who had assisted the Rhevarian, the foolish thing was lucky the guard pursuing her didn't just use a sonic emitter to scramble her vision, but what could be expected of such a base intelligence being that required the technologies of others to win its wars.

Erena found herself at the back of the crowd that had begun to form, frowning at the idea of what could be happening just beyond it. The general direction was where most of the new shipment of prisoners would enter the main area for the first time but it was unusual that so many would crowd to see. Most of the time they would all go about their business and take a quick glance over the people that would join in the game as an enemy that would parish or see who the next great competition would be. It was for that exact reason that Erena preferred to stay away from that general area because she wished not to meet or see another person who might be killed and maybe even by her own hands. She would do what was needed in the arena but it made it that much easier when you had no one you were attached to or friend they could exploit just for the hell of it as this was after all entertainment to the Ebolorians.

Curiosity finally got the best of her as she slipped between people softly, careful to not be noticed as she worked her way up to the front. People pushed and shoved, bumping into her at more than once as she tried her best to move past which only caused her to stumble. Erena jammed through the last bit of people, now in view of what could be going on but the sight of it was enough to cause her silvery charcoal eyes to widen in horror. The first thing she had noticed was the Arian girl, such a small fragile being now back facing the crowd and a pool of her own blood surrounding her body. Her eyes shimmered lightly, a small feature that most would take as a catch of the light or wouldn't even be seen as anything at all but this little feature was one of her greatest weapons. Erena could now see threw everyone, their bones and heart able to be visible only to her eyes as her gaze landed on the being that continued to lay on the floor. The girl was gone, the heart in her chest stopped to beat no more which made Erena's heart clench at the life so young being taken so soon before they truly had a chance to live.

She turned her attention to the others gathered in the middle of the crowd, eyes shifting back normal as she took in what was happening. The Ebolorian guards were busy strapping up another person to the pole which by her logical guess was probably the person that had tried to help or stop them from harming or even killing the Arian girl. Erena took a close look at the woman now tied up helpless to the pole but she had never a race like her before and on top of that she had never seen her in the main area before either. Her thoughts were quickly broken at the first lash of the electric whip, her eyes turning to the guards with a glare. She debated on moving forward, wanting very much to help the blue woman in front of her but at the same time she was not use to speaking up on anyone's behalf or standing up for them either. It turns out the choice was made for her when a polyphonic note rang out through the area, causing Erena to grip her ears lightly at the noise. It was about that time that a rock hit one of the guards perfectly square in the face with deadly accuracy. It was long before another rock was thrown in the direction of the other but didn't detour its target from leaving through the crowd to follow the one that had attacked him.

It was not long before another Ebolorian pushed through the crowd from an alley way to free the woman from her binds and pointing in the direction the other had fled to. Erena watched as he moved away before moving from the crowd next to the Rhevarian woman, looking at her back to see what damage had been made but kept her words to herself for now.

In another alleyway, three sets of yellow eyes had been watching after hearing the gunshot. They glared as the guards began to punish the woman for her bravery, about to jump in, before she was already saved by others. But that didn't stop the three Nekomata hunters from dashing out of the shadows to seek revenge for the child's murder. As they burst from the crowd, one of the guards yelled a warning, causing the Ebolorian with the gun to turn his aim to the new threat, letting loose a few shots.

It was not enough to deter the vengance driven hunters. One went down as he took a bullet through the chest, and the other two split off, flanking the guards and putting their claws to use. Even if the guards' armor was built against blades and slashing, the hunters weren't trained in swordplay. They struck to maim, and if given the opening, to kill with a stab or slash. They worked in tandem, using a distraction strategy. The ones they were running at were not their main targets. THe guards raised their melee weapons, only to have the Nekomata fly by, slashing at a leg or arm before jumping onto the opposite guard's back, aiming for the back of the neck.

But as they dashed between the Ebolorians, the one with the gun took aim, firing again, taking another through the head just before he could strike. He was about to aim for the last one when a sound yipped over the din of the excitement. The hunter dropped off the guard and zigzagged away into the crowd, disappearing.

A cloaked, short woman stepped from the gathered crowd, hands raised. She approached slowly, making sure all three guards saw her before stating in broken Ebolorian "No more death. Leave punishment to me. You killed two. You lost none. Good hunt. May we collect our dead?"

Her cloak and the fact she claimed the dead hunters as her own gave her identity away. Alonare, Matriarch of the Nekomata. It would be hard not to at least know of her, given she had made a name for herself, inside the arena and out.

She held her ground before the three guards, and if they glanced around at the crowd as she spoke, they'd note quite a few pointed feline ears in the crowd now...

The Rhevarian didn't have much time to look at the scene that was starting to unfold around her, nor did she get much of a chance to turn her head to see who had tried to interfere for her. As she was bound to the pole tightly, she wasn't able to turn her head, not to mention that each time the whip rained down on her, her legs buckled and collapsed, however she was unable to fall to the mud due to the tight bonds. The guard had stopped for a second, enough to allow Tani to attempt to catch her breath. There was a quick order spread through the area and suddenly…the guards were gone.

A behemoth of a shadow loomed over her, and right away Tani knew that an Ebolorian had once again approached her, as they were the only species large enough to cast a shadow during rain fall. Closing her misty eyes awaiting another beat down, she was surprised to find that the bonds had then been broken. Her legs immediately gave out under her weight and the Rhevarian plummeted into the mud below in a collapsed heap. With great effort, she rolled onto her back, feeling the rain droplets cascade down on her blue face and spotted the Ebolorian who had broken her bonds. He was different than those who had brought her here; he wore no armor, and had no weapons. Could it be that he was a prisoner as well?

It didn’t take long for reinforcements to arrive, though the select few had run off in persuit of someone that wished to interfere, there were more that apprehended her just as quickly. The largest one pushed the unclad Ebolorian to the side roughly, raising a concentrated laser pistol at him threateningly while the other guard screamed at the crowd. There was a quick order spread through the area for everyone to leave, the gruff demeanor of the order specified to a rather small girl with pointed ears clad in a cloak. As Tani tried to sit up to witness yet again another disturbance in the area, a hand grabbed around her neck, releasing the collar that was constricting her throat. Tani gasped for breath, letting the cold air fill her lungs which at first was rather painful, like a thousand needles pricking into her lungs.

"Let them hear you scream bitch." The guard snickered and started wailing the electrical whip on her once again. Pieces of her black and white jump-suit went flying as the leather cut through both her clothes and skin. A saturated purple color started seeping from her skin, the usual color of Rhevarian blood. A high-pitched scream echoed throughout the compound, as the only other sound that could be heard was the crack of the whip and the steady rhythm of the rain. Tani was sure that this moment would never end, that she'd rather die than endure this pain and humility any longer; and then her vision went black.

Ignrak's beady eyes flicked to the pistol the guard held. "Slovnak reitchi dep noven logra te'er."

He slapped the gun away and tackled the larger guard to the floor, slamming his shoulder once, twice, three times into the guard's chest. Ignrak scrambled for the gun as the guard with the flog turned. The whip wrapped around the wrist of the hand barely gripping the gun, which was tossed along the ground to the shuddering Revarian. Ignoring the shock, Ignrak grabbed the whip and pulled it towards himself. Pulled off balance, the guard stumbled straight into Ignrak as he wrapped the flog around the guard's neck, pulling tightly.
"Tierna keptu narma dos!"

Esailia extended her hands out to either side in a non-aggressive gesture as the crowd quickly dispersed, leaving mostly her own people surrounding the area. She slowly lifted her hands up to pull her hood off, then waved a hand to stay the hisses and meowls of anger at each crack of the whip.

"I wish no more suffer. She suffer enough. We lose many in useless fight, or you take victor and leave her. I not think you want me as enemy."

She stated this calmly and firmly, clearly unafraid to start a race war with a more powerful species. All around, cat-calls and yips were thrown at the guards. The Nekomata outnumbered the guards currently, and some even had crude weapons at their disposal. It would be a bloodbath for the Nekomata, but the guards wouldn't leave unscathed. It might also embolden others to join a fight against their hated overlords...

"I also do not think audience want me dead off stage." She added with a smirk.

The pursuit was fast. Moon darted in and out of the crowd, weaving between the various people and races like an obstacle course. She could sense the Ebolorian guards chasing her, and knew their positions at any given second. In a crowd this dense, this fluid, it was impossible to catch a Dragon. In less than twenty seconds, she had managed to wind her way back to the post where the Rhevarian woman was tied. Only a quick sonic gaze informed Moon that she wasn't tied, not anymore. Another Ebolorian stood near her.

She didn't wait to see the results of her actions, as the guards in pursuit were once more gaining on her. Moon turned, facing them with a wide grin across her face, and let out a high-pitched, whistling, note. Yet another taunt for the guards. Turning once more, she dashed away again.

This time, she truly let herself become lost in the crowd. People were leaving now, being ordered towards the exits. Moon dodged her way to the front of a group of much taller humanoid males, her sonic vision revealing that they had Dragon-esque horns atop their heads. Not quite as impressive as her own. These were more like pathetic little stumps. But it was enough to allow her to blend into the group. She ducked her head down, as inconspicuous as she knew how to be. The echoes of footsteps bounced off of the humanoids' figures, revealing to her ears that some of them had fixed her with a wary glance. "I am safe," she assured them, her voice bearing the faintest hint of an overtone as she spoke, the consonants sounding awkwardly through the musical vowels.

It was true. She had no quarrel with them, and if they kept her hidden, no blood would be shed. Moon smiled slightly to herself, proud of her actions. She was unaware, of course, that the guards had continued to assault the Rhevarian girl after she left. In Moon's eyes, she had aided someone in need. And had gone on to successfully lose herself in the crowd. If she was going to die, it wouldn't be because one of the guards caught her. It would be at some later day, in the arena.

Ra'al found himself in his derelict apartment, a desolate room with a grease stained window, scavenged pieces of scrap were scattered about to serve as furniture. As meagre as it was, it was enough to serve his purposes, not like he planned on playing host to any of the other inhabitants of this cesspit called a planet. Doing so was an invitation to a concealed knife in the gut, both members as entrusting as the other, which was not at all.

A filtered light shone through the stained window above, giving off just enough light for him to be able to charge his most prized possession, a holo-book with the recorded data of his species, a relic that he had been lucky enough to smuggle through the Ebolorian searches. It was a small metallic disk that could fit quite snugly in the palm of ones hand, with a dull, glowing, blue light in the centre that once pressed expanded the disc into a thin template that emitted an interactive 3D projection. Once again, as was his daily ritual when he had the time, he flicked through the topographic maps of his homeland. As to what purpose he did this, as all it caused was a longing so painful he felt as if core was hollow, he did not know. Perhaps it was the brief joy at the thought of one day escaping this place and banding together what was left of his race to re inhabit Sarak.

Anger flooded him as he thought of the Rhevarian he had seen today, her race had been his undoing, the destroyer of his chance at a life he never knew. Sullenly he closed the holo-book and hid it in the compartment under his makeshift desk. It did note bode well for him to allow his emotions to overwhelm him in a place like this. No, there has been rioting in this sector due to her, no doubt the Ebolorians would arrange a bloody massacre for many of their number in the arena soon and he would be there to meet that Rhevarian in honourable combat. What if she runs? A voice whispered in the back of his mind. There's no honour in killing a fleeing opponent. She won't. He thought solemnly. But what if she runs? It echoed. Doubt nibbled at his conscious as he sat contemplating a way to force her to fight, for when the time came, she would have to and he would have her head.

Marvin watched as the rest of the situation unfolded and the woman with blue skin was whipped. He had seen this just as the guards came to yell at everyone to get moving but Marvin simply moved around and continued to watch as the other Ebolorian tackled the one guard and then proceeded to rip the whip from the others hands. He was certainly no gentle giant but he seemed to have a good moral compass. Marvin was considering going until he decided that he should do somthing to help. Now he wasn't going to go in there and help the Eboloarian with beating on the guards but he could go and try to get the blue woman out of harms way which seemed to be the Ebolorians goal. Marvin made a dash for the girl hoping the guards would be distacted by the struggle going on currently and not notice him try to help the girl to her feet. As he got over to her he realized that she was unconscious "shoot" he said under his breath so he wouldn't attract attention. He had only one thing left he could do and that was to try and carry or at the least drag her out of there. Hopefully they wouldn't notice she was gone until after he had helped her. He lifted her over his shoulder shakily and began to walk as fast as he could towards the crowds of people hoping he would be able to blend in once he got to them.

A glowing pair of purple eyes, dotted with pitch black pupils, darted back and forth between the different events happening in the gathering area. Because of his class, he was put in a "nicer" apartment (Nicer being somewhat of an understatement; it was better than the cages others had to live in, but it was still small, dingy, smelled of mold and must, and was difficult for him to move freely), and was able to see all of the events that took place; the freeing of the blue female, the fleeing of the lady with the horns, and the scuffle between the Ebolorian guards and the cat-like people. The Tauraan closed his eyes and played the scene again in his mind. He could see every person's face clearly, and could hear the differences in each of their voices. Maybe in the games ahead, he could form alliances with a few of them, the ones that actually showed some signs of strength or cunning.

Turning back from the small window, Asterion Kanas walked to the door, his feet thudding on the ground as he did so. Slowly, and a bit clumsily, he opened the door and blinked a couple of times, sighing softly and then walking down the flight of stairs to the gathering area, now almost empty from the dispersing crowd, trying to enjoy at least some free time before the start of the next fighting game.