KillamriX88

Royal Rumble!

@Hammerman@Crowvette

As Christine confronted him, Rurik stopped breathing. Shit, shit, shit. What was going to happen? What wa-

And then she twirled her dress, exposing herself more than ever. Beforehand, Rurik had been like a deer in the headlights, afterward, his mouth was a thin line as he just stared at her unimpressed.

Some things never changed.

"Yeah, eye-catching, uhuh." Rurik droned tiredly. He was pretty sure it wasn't the dress that was catching everyone's eyes. Maybe at first, but... Christine continued on, telling him things he'd already observed for himself. He had to imagine Kath wouldn't have shown up only to bleed all over the dance-floor. Well, not unless Yuuto decided he had unfinished business. He shot the aforementioned ninja a brief glance, but figured that was probably unlikely.

"That's, uh, that's great. So, umm, happy..." Rurik's lips twitched into a forced smile. Couldn't she have at least been paralyzed from the waist down or something? Something to slow her down?

He was confused, really. Was she... not mad? Did she just not want to bring it up during such a public gathering? But then she could have just avoided him until later. Was everything just OK? Was it that easy?

Because he was totally OK with sweeping it under the rug and letting it be that easy.

A strange feeling came over him. Relief and... something else. He took a tentative step toward her, "Um-" And then someone thrust herself into their conversation, attempting to drag Christine away to dance.

Twitch.

"I'm sorry, and you fucking are?" Rurik narrowed his eyes at her. "Because we're in the middle of something, so if you could just not, that'd be great."

His words earned a number of gasps from those around them.

"Doesn't he know who that is?" "That's Liselotte Castellan de Valois-Saint-Remy!" "Watch your mouth!"

Rurik raised an eyebrow and stared blankly back at the crowd, "Lisa who?"

"She set up this entire Ball!"

". . . Oh." He blinked once. "And?" It was about then that a second hamster wheel began turning in his head, dredging up a stale memory from a short while ago. Finally something clicked. "Ohhhhhh." Rurik straightened up, nodding in understanding. "Right." He snorted, cheeks puffing out as he looked back to the girl. "Didn't I blow you up?"

Royal Rumble!

It was a few days before the ball, and word had spread that it was going to be a festive costume party. Rurik did not have a costume. He'd decided, however, that he wanted one.

He found himself at a small, tacky party store that had just started stocking more spooky paraphernalia. There was just one problem.

"You've got to be fucking kidding me." "You've got to be fucking kidding me."

He knew the person behind the counter. It was one of his "friends" from before Mephisto's. One of the friends who'd gone and gotten arrested while Rurik had been too scared to join in, unknowingly saving himself from sharing their fate. He'd... never actually run into them since that day.

Until now.

"Well this is awkward." Rurik sighed, arms laden with his chosen supplied.

"Rurik," the guy said, apparently remembering his name. That was... nice? "You look like shit." Or not.

"You... too?" Rurik raised an eyebrow. "Nice to see you again."

"It's really not." The guy crossed his arms.

"OK, well, I'm just gonna get this stuff and go." Rurik rolled his eyes, already done with this encounter. His "friend" rang up the items, wracking up a small sum that was still somehow more than Rurik cared for it to be.

"That'll be 100."

"That's literally three times what the machine says," Rurik narrowed his eyes.

"We both know you owe me."

Rurik took a deep breath, "Do not be that guy."

"Oh, I'm gonna be that guy."

"Trust me when I say life has already more than evened things out," Rurik told him.

"As much as that warms my heart, it doesn't really do me much good. Come on, man, just... do the right thing. You'll feel better."

Rurik just stared at him, but then sighed, "Yeah, you're right." Rurik suddenly reached out, putting his hand on the guy's shoulder. "I'll do what'll make me feel better."

"Wh-" And suddenly Rurik grabbed the back of his head and slammed his face into the counter. He didn't hold back. It took a solid thirty seconds for him to regain his senses and by then, Rurik had hopped the counter.

"So, tell me, those cameras real or for show?" Rurik asked him.

"F-fuck... you- GAH!" Not giving the desired answer, Rurik stomped down on his hand. "You're fucking insane!"

"Yeah, Mephisto's'll do that to a guy. Now, cameras?"

"Th-they're fake! OK?!"

"Cool, where's the computer that stores the footage then? Back there?" Rurik meandered into the room behind the front counter. A few moments and a lot of explosions later, Rurik walked back out, dusting himself off. "Well, it's been real. Say anything, you're dead and all that shit. Bye."

Supplies in hand, Rurik vacated the store before anyone else walked in. He supposed picking the shittiest, cheapest store had its merits.

"Huh... he was right. I do feel better."

. . .
@Gentlemanvaultboy@Hammerman

Arriving at the ball, Rurik took a moment to contemplate the fact that there were absolutely no festive decorations considered the number of costumed people in attendance. Oh well.

Despite all those people, it was not hard to find a familiar face. Bak sort've stood out.

A devious smirk spread across his face. She was gullible, and this would probably be mean... but damn she was just so gullible.

"Bak..." Rurik choked out after sneaking up behind her. He grabbed her shoulder, and looking at him would reveal... that he was covered in blodd with half a dozen knives sticking out of his body. "Help... I need... help..." He raised his other hand, a knife held in it. "One... fell out. Can you help put it back? Just to the right of my sixth vertebrae should do," he spoke with a manic grin, acting as twitchy as possible.

. . . OK that was probably enough.

"So, spooky ghost huh?" He asked, letting his act drop before he gave her a heart attack. "Actually I'd say it works for you." That was when he noticed something amusing. She had her arms linked with Yuuto. "Shit, don't tell me you have a date and I don't?"

It was supposed to be a joke. The suggestion was ridiculous. Not because Bak was what she was, no, but because Yuuto was what he was. OK maybe it was a bit of both.

It was supposed to be a joke, but... where was Christine? His phone had been annihilated and his family couldn't afford a new one yet. He was kinda glad he'd robbed the costume store, it would make saving up for a new one a little easier. Point being he hadn't heard from or seen Christine since that day and... maybe just maybe he was getting a bit anxious.

Well, he wasn't too worried, what were the chances she'd show up now?

Life decided to tell a joke of its own at that moment. "That's so indecent!" "You can practically see her rear!" "No, you literally can!"

". . . you gotta be shitting me." Rurik let out a low, stressed groan. Scanning through the crowd, he indeed spied her. Them. Despite their reversed roles, Rurik could pick out Christine easily enough. She had her own unique mannerisms that Rurik could recognize. Christine was distinctly Christine, and Katherine was distinctly awful.

Christine's dress was also distinctly Christine.

"Hey Bak, can I just... hide behind you for the rest of the night?" Rurik's entire form seemed to wilt. Nope, he couldn't do it yet. He'd just put it off. Kick that can right on down the road. The last time they'd seen each other, he'd been beating the shit out of her sister while she was bleeding to death.

In Rurik's defense, he hadn't known she was bleeding to death.

He didn't care, of course not. If that was that, then honestly it had lasted longer than he'd expected.

But it was party! Why deal with that shit at a party!? Why deal with Katherine at a party? Wasn't it supposed to be a happy occasion? Itdefinitelyhadnothingtodowithanyanxietyhemayormaynothavebeenfeelingaboutthematter.

Royal Rumble!

@Scarifar

---

"Aww, this is nuffin," Vala said after she flipped back to her feet, though she nearly faceplanted instead on accident. At some point that flask had ended up back in her hands, "I gots three more in me!" It was true, but she wasn't quite so far gone that she couldn't tell the battle was over. So instead she began balancing the flask on the tip of her nose. Somehow she didn't immediately drop it. "But you... didn't even... know that- WAH!" She finally lost it, ended up bending over into a backwards arch to catch the flask before it hit the ground.

In the end she decided to just kneel on the ground before clapping her hands against her cheeks to make herself focus.

"For all you knew, that was all my power, and you still gave up. It's not power that you lack, it's experience. You need to push yourself even when you think it's hopeless. You have the blessing of a god, and a pretty strong one, but even the weakest god is still a god. If being strong is really what you want, then you need to push yourself to your limits to draw out more of that power," Vala told her. "The second you decide that where you're at is good enough you'll find that defeat is just around the corner. Maybe I am some sort of chosen one, but as far as I'm concerned that doesn't mean a thing. I'm only where I'm at because I've never settled for where I'm at. If I'm not being challenged then I'm doing something wrong."

Vala stood back up and her balance was no longer constantly fleeing her.

"Tell you what, since you were nice to me, if you want I'll push you. You'll be stronger in no time. Heck, by the end of the school year I bet I'd have you forcing me to at least level three!"

Royal Rumble!

@Scarifar

---

Vala's method of dodging was... interesting. It was like her balance had been severely hampered by her drink, but also that her reaction speed had been increased to make up for it. It was less dipping and dodging and more frantic swaying. Each time she evaded an attack it seemed like she was about to topple over only for her foot to shoot out at the last second to catch herself.

Until she didn't. Reaction speed or not, Belinda's assault was just about overwhelming. Vala bent over backwards and then just fell to the ground during one of her dodges. However, even then her momentum never ceased. She rolled and with her increased strength simply launched herself back to her feet... but perhaps a little too fast. She stumbled backwards, her ankles getting tangles together.

She chose to unwrap herself by spinning around so that her back was too Belinda, leaving herself seemingly exposed. As Belinda's spear came in, Vala manifested her golden spear, stabbing it into the ground to use it like a barrier. It burst and disintegrated as it absorbed the blow, but it had done enough while it was there.

She had her balance back again.

Without even turning around, she launched herself backwards directly into Belinda, meaning to ram her elbow into Belinda's gut. If she landed the blow, her fist would snap up in a back-fist aimed at Belinda's nose. Finally, should that land too, she'd suddenly just drop and roll backward between Belinda's legs and aim a kick from both her feet right into Belinda's rear to launch her off her feet, leaving Vala herself lying on her back.

Royal Rumble!

Is still forbidden love picture.

Royal Rumble!

@Scarifar

---

"EEEK!" Vala was swung to the ground, the air rushing out of her lungs. It had all gone according to plan until... it hadn't. However, this just got the adrenaline flowing. This was an opponent who could take a hit now.

She kicked out, knocking away one hand, and then swung it back down like an axe to free her ankle of the other. She then braced herself and shot out both feet at Michelle's head to stun her and push herself into a backwards somersault to get clear. As for how stunned it would actually leave Michelle... who knew. This armor was a new and exciting variable.

"Hm..." Vala smirked. "You wanted to know how I beat Cassius, right?" She suddenly had a flask in her hand. No one had seen her pull it out. She pondered it for a second. "I'll go easy on you for now!" She twisted it once and threw her head back, drinking from it. "Careful how riled up you get me though..." She grinned and tossed it aside. A faint glow suddenly adorned her body and she stumbled while standing in place. She staggered sideways before her foot shot out to steady herself once more.

She looked up at Michelle, still grinning but it had become sloppy and lopsided, "Heheh... I'mma ring ya like a bell!" She broke into a run, but it was... unsteady and slow... and she seemed to be veering off in the wrong direction.

Or she was until she suddenly dug her heel in and made a sudden change in velocity. She barreled right toward Michelle and rammed shoulder first into her shield like a laden truck, aiming to pin the shield against Michelle's body. She then would grab the rim of the shield and flip herself into a handstand before dropping down to sit on her shoulders and wrap her legs around Michelle's neck from behind.

"Knock-knock!" Finally she began to rain down blows, not seeming to care that she was bare-fisted pummeling solid metal. Finally she pulled back both fists two aim a double hammer punch to the side of their head. "BONG!"

Royal Rumble!

@Scarifar

---

Vala dipped and dodged around the spear anytime it was thrust her way. No matter how close the spear seemed the get, Vala never looked concerned. Soon Belinda would have heard something. Humming. Vala was smiling and humming to herself in time with her dodges.

She seemed to be having fun.

Well, it was only sparring, right?

However, it seemed it would only amuse her for so long. The next jab that came in, Vala leaned backwards, letting it pass over her. She then turned it into a backflip, kicking the spear as she did to knock it away while she also gained some distance.

"I can do that too!" She cocked back her arm and a spear of golden light formed in it before she chucked it like a missile straight at her opponent.

Vala had two simple plans for the outcome of this.

If the shield came back out to block it, her opponent would suddenly feel a weight hit it as Vala darted forward to use it as a foothold to vault herself up and over them and aim a mid-air spin-kick to the side of their head.

If they just dodged, well, she'd just throw another... and then another... until she either baited out the shield or something else happened.

And, well, she supposed the spear could always just hit Belinda.

Royal Rumble!

@Scarifar

---

The "Chosen One" stood there ready, unflinching even as the weapon was launched at her.

She then proceeded to be easily fooled and struck by Belinda and Michelle's plan.

"WAH!" She cried out as she was thrown off her feet. However, there was just one thing. Her hands hadn't shot out to break her fall like a normal person would have. No, instead her hands were by her hips. In fact, she'd never quite hit the ground, instead suspending herself by two fingers and a thumb each.

Her body immediately coiled up and then lashed out with a kick aimed right for Michelle's jaw before she then twisted launched herself away with a handspring. Whether or not she had landed her kick, she eyed her opponent warily for a moment from where she now stood.

"WHOA! YOU CAN TELEPORT!" Vala's face lit up with excitement once she was back on her feet at a safe distance. Then again, she was now realizing that apparently there might be no such thing as a safe distance here. "Err, I'm gonna have to be more careful..."

She quickly shifted into a much more dynamic fighting stance this time, "OK, you got the first hit, keep it up!"

Royal Rumble!

@Scarifar

---

Vala found herself clapping as Michelle and Belinda traded control of the body back and forth. It was quite entertaining. She wasn't sure if it was an act or if they were telling the truth, but she'd play along until she was sure. No need to embarrass the girl. Or herself if this was real -- it certainly wasn't the weirdest thing.

"Well don't worry about that, you're in good hands now!" Vala said. "Back home they called me the Chosen One! I'm not sure what I was chosen for, but apparently fighting is important!" She dropped that line with none of the pomp and circumstance one would expect to go with such a title. "It's why I'm gonna fix the mess those bad guys made as soon as I can find them! Ohhh, maybe that's what I was chosen for!"

After they reached the offices Vala ran around sliding her make-up work under far too many doors. Some Chosen One she was...

"OK! To the sports field!" That one was outside, and thus not hidden in a labyrinth of hallways. She knew where that one was. If Belinda was serous about learning about Vala's power, it likely wouldn't have taken much dragging to get here there, but Vala seemed just as excited so some dragging was still involved.

Once on the empty ball field, Vala tossed her bag aside and bowed after getting a short distance away from Belinda.

"OK, come on and show me what you've got!" she urged the other girl. Err, girls? Either way...

Royal Rumble!

@Scarifar

---

"Wh-" Vala tilted her head, hearing Michelle say something, but seemingly not to her so she let it go. "Oh, well..." She realized that if this was a first year, she might not know her way through the whole school. Surely there were floors she just never needed to go to. "I mean, I keep getting lost because I'm new, so I'm late to my classes a lot." A lot... as in almost every time, every class, every day. "The teachers are getting impatient and starting to give me a lot of extra after class work to do... but I don't know where the offices are to hand it in..." She rubbed the back of her head nervously. It was as good a start as any.

However, practically before they even would set off, Vala couldn't help herself.

"So... have you ever been in a tournament before? Can first years enter tournaments? If not are you going to soon? What are they like here?" Then she stopped. "Oh no, do you think they'll hold off after what happened last time? Aww, I wanted to be in one... Errr, n-not that that's the most important thing of course. I-I'll stop talking..." Or so she said. "Ah, I forgot to even ask your name! Err, s-so?"