Zeroth

Heavens Torn Asunder

@PKMNB0YAre the Provinces listed in like, a clockwise fashion, or ordered by which ones share borders (Mifu shares a border with Miwatari, which shares a border with Yamakawa, etc)?

Heavens Torn Asunder

Kyo the Oni

• Name:
  Kyokokumaru | "Kyo"
  ^{[虛哭丸] | One whose Cry is Hollow}
• Age:
  32 - Young by Oni standards
• Race:
  Oni
• Appearance:
  
  7"/213cm | 350lbs/159kg | Eyes: Wolf-Yellow

  
• Personality:
  Kyo strikes a fearsome figure, and there is no doubt he has all the typical qualities of the ogre-demon species he hails from. But beneath the veneer of brutality, the relish with which he crushes his enemies, and the thrill of battle, there's something else--a desire not just to prove oneself, but to be accepted. A quiet, introspective face turned towards the moon, or the monstrous reflection in the still pond. A search for...purpose? Stability? Safety? He's not even sure he knows what he wants...only that the life he leads is empty.
• History:
  Among the various tribes of Oni across the land, two are named among legends known far and wide: The White Horn Tribe, or Shirokaku [白角] of Yamakawa Province, and the Black Fang Tribe, or Kurokiba [黒牙] of Hakkou Province. But these two tribes have been bitter enemies for as long as their own legends have been passed down--perhaps longer. Though all Oni possess superhuman size, toughness, and strength, some subtypes of the ogre race have adapted differently due to environment or preferences in practice. The Black Fang Oni garnered a reputation as weapon masters--not just primitive brutes swinging clubs, but true warriors wielding iron staves, great spears, and all other tools of war. The White Horn Oni, on the other hand, became known for their magical potential. No one knows the exact reasons these two clans initially came to their blood feud, but their nature as opposites certainly lent itself to the equation.
  
  And yet, where has there ever been a tale of two factions sworn to destroy one another without a tale of star-crossed lovers woven within it? Two young, impressionable, hard-headed demons pursued a bond despite all the wisdom and foreboding of their families, and thus was an Oni of mixed blood conceived. Yet this tale is not a happy one--for all such star crossed loves seem to end in tragedy. From this tragedy comes the name, "Kyokokumaru,"--for no one, not even his own mother, would listen to his cries.
  
  Born with blackened horns and ivory fangs, Kyo was cast out from both tribes. Other Youkai communities, and even some humans, within the territory of each clan and even some of the surrounding provinces, dared not grant him safe haven lest the Black Fangs or White Horns come looking for him with drawn swords and hexing curses. Left to survive on his own, he has stolen livestock to eat; in defending himself from bandits or self-righteous "demon slayers," he has committed murder or caused undue harm. Not one to shy away from drink either, Kyo has rumpled many feathers along his way, and thus finds himself alone. So he wanders...and wonders...in search of a place to be...
• Abilities/Skills:
  
  
  • Kekkai no Buren [血継の武練] - Bloodline Weapon Arts. Though his Kurokiba-Oni heritage is diluted, reducing this ability's effectiveness by half, Kyo is instinctually able to use most types of close-combat weaponry upon seizing them in his hands. Almost a form of psychometry, he grasps the underlying principles of the weapon and the fundamentals of its use. He can't mimic personalized techniques or learn the subtleties of specific styles without training, and thus a weapon that's been "modified" to a certain degree to fit those specialties doesn't quite fit right in his hands until he's had time to acclimate to it.
  • Shirokaku Youjutsu [白角の妖術] - White Horn Demon Arts. Though his Shirokaku-Oni heritage is diluted, reducing this ability's effectiveness by half, Kyo knows a small number of spells learned by many Madoushi of the White Horn Tribe. Given proper materials, preparation time, and a provision of his own energy, he can perform some basic spellcraft. Think in terms of starting a campfire with a cantrip. Two of the most used are: Shapeshift into a Human form (though several tells give away his true nature), and creating a simple Barrier within a geometric area to defend against hostile attacks or spells (though its territory is small and its structure weak, overall). Given that he has a higher than usual amount of energy for most Oni, it's possible that with time he could become a more accomplished magician with dedicated training.
  • Zasshoku Kaifuku [雑食の回復] - Omnivorous Recovery. Through eating incredibly large quantities of food, even compared to what a being Kyo's size would normally have to eat to maintain their muscle mass, Kyo can speed up his healing factor. The supernaturally tough body of an Oni can withstand much more punishment than a human in the first place, but it's thanks to this ability Kyo survived the first decade or so after his exile. However, what exactly an Oni considers "food" isn't always palatable to honest, upright society...In any case, the speed and degree of healing depends entirely on the amount and the nutrition of the food. Eating a horse--literally--could probably bring him back even from near-death, but who knows if he could finish the whole thing before he bled out.
• Other:
  
  
  • Kyo carries a Kanabo in classical Oni style, which is roughly six feet long and at least a solid eighty pounds.
  • While not supernaturally skilled as he is with weapons, Kyo enjoys hand-to-hand martial arts as well, and is particularly fond of Sumo Wrestling.
  • He becomes melancholy around mountains, and calmer around flower fields.

Heavens Torn Asunder

@PKMNB0Y As discussed in PM, here's the revised draft for my character. Other players, please feel free to offer critiques or suggestions! It looks like, so far, we have a ninja, a sword specialist, and a strategist, so I suppose the role my character would fill would be more towards the Big Guy/Berserker end of the spectrum!

Kyo the Oni

• Name:
  Kyokokumaru | "Kyo"
  ^{[虛哭丸] | One whose Cry is Hollow}
• Age:
  32 - Young by Oni standards
• Race:
  Oni
• Appearance:
  
  7"/213cm | 350lbs/159kg | Eyes: Wolf-Yellow

  
• Personality:
  Kyo strikes a fearsome figure, and there is no doubt he has all the typical qualities of the ogre-demon species he hails from. But beneath the veneer of brutality, the relish with which he crushes his enemies, and the thrill of battle, there's something else--a desire not just to prove oneself, but to be accepted. A quiet, introspective face turned towards the moon, or the monstrous reflection in the still pond. A search for...purpose? Stability? Safety? He's not even sure he knows what he wants...only that the life he leads is empty.
• History:
  Among the various tribes of Oni across the land, two are named among legends known far and wide: The White Horn Tribe, or Shirokaku [白角] of Yamakawa Province, and the Black Fang Tribe, or Kurokiba [黒牙] of Hakkou Province. But these two tribes have been bitter enemies for as long as their own legends have been passed down--perhaps longer. Though all Oni possess superhuman size, toughness, and strength, some subtypes of the ogre race have adapted differently due to environment or preferences in practice. The Black Fang Oni garnered a reputation as weapon masters--not just primitive brutes swinging clubs, but true warriors wielding iron staves, great spears, and all other tools of war. The White Horn Oni, on the other hand, became known for their magical potential. No one knows the exact reasons these two clans initially came to their blood feud, but their nature as opposites certainly lent itself to the equation.
  
  And yet, where has there ever been a tale of two factions sworn to destroy one another without a tale of star-crossed lovers woven within it? Two young, impressionable, hard-headed demons pursued a bond despite all the wisdom and foreboding of their families, and thus was an Oni of mixed blood conceived. Yet this tale is not a happy one--for all such star crossed loves seem to end in tragedy. From this tragedy comes the name, "Kyokokumaru,"--for no one, not even his own mother, would listen to his cries.
  
  Born with blackened horns and ivory fangs, Kyo was cast out from both tribes. Other Youkai communities, and even some humans, within the territory of each clan and even some of the surrounding provinces, dared not grant him safe haven lest the Black Fangs or White Horns come looking for him with drawn swords and hexing curses. Left to survive on his own, he has stolen livestock to eat; in defending himself from bandits or self-righteous "demon slayers," he has committed murder or caused undue harm. Not one to shy away from drink either, Kyo has rumpled many feathers along his way, and thus finds himself alone. So he wanders...and wonders...in search of a place to be...
• Abilities/Skills:
  
  
  • Kekkai no Buren [血継の武練] - Bloodline Weapon Arts. Though his Kurokiba-Oni heritage is diluted, reducing this ability's effectiveness by half, Kyo is instinctually able to use most types of close-combat weaponry upon seizing them in his hands. Almost a form of psychometry, he grasps the underlying principles of the weapon and the fundamentals of its use. He can't mimic personalized techniques or learn the subtleties of specific styles without training, and thus a weapon that's been "modified" to a certain degree to fit those specialties doesn't quite fit right in his hands until he's had time to acclimate to it.
  • Shirokaku Youjutsu [白角の妖術] - White Horn Demon Arts. Though his Shirokaku-Oni heritage is diluted, reducing this ability's effectiveness by half, Kyo knows a small number of spells learned by many Madoushi of the White Horn Tribe. Given proper materials, preparation time, and a provision of his own energy, he can perform some basic spellcraft. Think in terms of starting a campfire with a cantrip. Two of the most used are: Shapeshift into a Human form (though several tells give away his true nature), and creating a simple Barrier within a geometric area to defend against hostile attacks or spells (though its territory is small and its structure weak, overall). Given that he has a higher than usual amount of energy for most Oni, it's possible that with time he could become a more accomplished magician with dedicated training.
  • Zasshoku Kaifuku [雑食の回復] - Omnivorous Recovery. Through eating incredibly large quantities of food, even compared to what a being Kyo's size would normally have to eat to maintain their muscle mass, Kyo can speed up his healing factor. The supernaturally tough body of an Oni can withstand much more punishment than a human in the first place, but it's thanks to this ability Kyo survived the first decade or so after his exile. However, what exactly an Oni considers "food" isn't always palatable to honest, upright society...In any case, the speed and degree of healing depends entirely on the amount and the nutrition of the food. Eating a horse--literally--could probably bring him back even from near-death, but who knows if he could finish the whole thing before he bled out.
• Other:
  
  
  • Kyo carries a Kanabo in classical Oni style, which is roughly six feet long and at least a solid eighty pounds.
  • While not supernaturally skilled as he is with weapons, Kyo enjoys hand-to-hand martial arts as well, and is particularly fond of Sumo Wrestling.
  • He becomes melancholy around mountains, and calmer around flower fields.

Heavens Torn Asunder

Interested!

@PKMNB0YAs far as magic goes, do you have any system you'd prefer players to stick to? Like, is Onmyodo limited to using Shikigami or other familiars, setting up barriers, etc? Or do we just need to make whatever power-set we come up with match the general flavor? (As in, if you wanna just cast Fireball, do it by throwing a paper ofuda or making hand seals?)

Similar question as above, but applied to Youkai--should they stick as close to Japanese myth as possible, or is there leeway towards other influences?

And what sort of "power scale," should we stick to? For example, do you imagine this setting as closer to Ruroni Kenshin, or or something more embellished like Inuyasha, Sengoku Basara, etc?

To Become a Knight! ~ A Chivalric (Mis)Adventure

K A I

Making a Mess, in the Hall

---

"Good morning, sir. You're, uh... pretty energetic this morning, huh? Ehehehe..."

Kai paused in the middle of biting into three sausages at one time, having speared the morsels on a single fork like some kind of tri-shiskebab. He looked at Julian with a tilt of his head, and blinked twice. His braid flipped over one shoulder as if "peeking" at the shorter blonde.

"I am?" He broke into a grin. "That's good, then!" So saying, he resumed tearing into the pile of food on his plate--he at least seemed to know how to use his utensils, although considering the speed they moved at it was hard to tell if he was holding them "properly."

"What about you, Julian?" he asked through chomps and gulps. He tilted his head in the opposite direction as before as those bronze-red eyes fixed on the other cadet. "Are you energetic this morning?"

The others soon filed in as well, and the bluette's gaze shifted momentarily before he refocused on the Baker boy. But, in that moment, he recognized Zenshin, who had called out to him when he was already mid-dash out of the room. That...would probably be considered rude, wouldn't it? That Dot person, on the other hand, gave the impression of not speaking to anyone either if it could be avoided. The way Dot seemed to trail behind others, it made Kai wonder if the dark-cloaked recruit had a habit of observing others like he did. Signar and the Prince were walking together, and the bluette wondered if they had already made friends.

...Had he made any friends yet? He had talked to Nathaniel, the Prince, and now Julian...but were they friends yet? What would that mean? Gramps had always told him he would need to make lots of friends, but there had been so much to learn before he applied to the academy, so until now he hadn't spent much time with anyone else...

To Become a Knight! ~ A Chivalric (Mis)Adventure

K A I

Rise and Shine

---

Among the fluffy nest of blankets and pillows, Kai lay sprawled out on his back. A thin line of drool made its way down his chin as he grinned in his sleep, and one twitching hand scratched his bare belly. Clad in only his boxers, the youth had apparently slept quite well despite it being his first night in an unfamiliar place--then again, this bed was even more comfortable than the one Gramps gave him, and even that had been something he never could have imagined...before.

The bluette's brow furrowed as he shifted in his sleep. One of his legs began to kick the air, as if he were trying to...run from something. A cold draft suddenly whipped one of his pillows away as the air around his body rippled, like heat waves coming off a road in midsummer. One hand clenched the sheets in a white-knuckled grip--the other stiffened into a claw. A shiver passed through his frame. His lips curled, revealing clenched teeth. A snarl ripped itself out of his throat from the depths of his being--

And he scared himself awake. In a flurry of motion he hopped from his back to all fours somehow, then his body froze in place while his head swept the room. Confusion painted over his features for a moment--then his braid started to whip back and forth.

"First day! First day!" he chanted as he darted around the room, throwing his belongings this way and that until he had managed to work his way back into clothing. He practically fell over himself as he headed for the door while still putting on his shoes and strapping his sword to his belt. Just as he reached out, there was a knock--

"The squadron is heading to the mess hall. Meet us there when you--"

Of the many ways Nathaniel might have expected to start his morning, being bowled over by an explosion of blue hair and boundless energy probably wasn't one of them. Kai took a tumble as well, but somehow ricocheted off the wall and circled back on all fours.

"Mornin' Nate--uh, Nate, sir!" The wildling straightened up and snapped another imitated salute. "It's the first day!" And then he was off again. Down in the common room, the others could hear what sounded like a stampede crashing down the stairwell before Kai literally somersaulted into their midst. He stuck the landing, arms outstretched.

"Mornin' everyone!" he chirped. Then, he sniffed the air, and his head snapped in the direction of both Rossweine and the mess hall. His body turned in the same direction a beat afterward as he pointed. "Food's thataway!" And off he went again.

There was so much to do today! They were going to start their training to be knights, Heroes! And he'd have to make sure to do extra training too, just like Gramps told him! And he should write Gramps a letter, too! He wondered if he'd get to know the others better at practice--he hoped they didn't have to sit in desks and write on paper all day long...

With all this on his mind, he managed to make himself forget about that dream...

Do You Wish To Court Death? (Martial Arts, Wuxia, Xianxia, Cultivation-style themes)

---

Well met, fellow disciple!

I am currently looking for just a few partners (I don't expect this topic to stay open too long, apologies) to engage in a rousing adventure of fisticuffs, with various flavors of adventure, possibly romance, intrigue, and other things mixed in! First, a short self-introduction:

About Me

• I'm 21+, Male, in the CST-zone of the US, and work a full time job as well as other things during the week.
  
  
  • If you want NSFW elements in the RP, you'll need to be 18+ as well. However, there's no smut, nor romantic subplots necessary--maybe we're just two bros, or rivals, on a butt-kicking quest across an Ancient Chinese Analog-Land. If you DO want a pairing, though, I only really play dudes as my mains, and I'm a fairly "boring" MxF kinda guy.
  • I tend to write longer paragraphs, but as long as we're not throwing one-liners back and forth I care more about quality than quantity. I'm also a bit slower due to my job, working out, and fulfilling other hobbies. Expect somewhere between 1 and 3 posts per week.
• 10+ Years of both RPing and IRL Martial Arts experience, big fan of "anime style" fight scenes, character designs, and so forth. I tend to feature a lot of action in my narratives, but lately I've gotten better at building big intricate worlds and settings as well.
  
  
  • I prefer to RP over the Guild on PMs, but I do have a discord if you want to use that for OOC chat. It takes me a while to open up though, so please don't think I'm intentionally giving you the cold shoulder or anything!
  • Will try my absolute best to let you know when I’m super swamped, under the weather, or otherwise unable to keep schedule and apologies ahead of time if I fail to do so.
  • I use Character Sheets with some general information, usually an anime-style face claim, and detail about their powers and abilities. I don't expect my partner to format things the same way I do or write up the same degree of backstory, etc, but I think it makes it easier to get an idea of what the character's like if at least some general information and a picture is available before we start the RP. Don't feel like you need to have one right away, though--I usually adjust mine based on the needs of the story or my partner's ideas.

And, for those of you who have no idea what I'm talking about, an introduction to the various genres mentioned in the title:

Cultivation Stories

Essentially, these are heavily Chinese/Eastern Asian influenced tales somewhat akin to the Medieval European Fantasy that has become a staple of escapism. There are three major flavors that most works will categorically fall into.

• Wuxia, or "Martial Heroes." These stories are like your "wire fu" martial arts movies--some of the techniques may be fantastical, but by and large these are stories of larger than life heroes fighting epic battles with fists, blades, and their wits. Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon is an excellent example.
• Xianxia, or "Immortal Heroes." A step further than Wuxia, Xianxia stories are steeped in the mythos of Taoism, Buddhism, and even some Hindu practices and Traditional Chinese Alchemy/Magic. Whereas a Wuxia tale might feature a Rocky-esque training montage of pushups, punching bundles of bamboo, and climbing a mountain with one arm before their hero Kung-Pows the villain, a Xianxia story would instead feature a mystical vision quest, unlocking one's inner Chi energy to produce a powerful flaming aura, and perhaps even transforming from a human into a supernatural sage.
• Xianhuan, or "Mysterious Fantasy." This is essentially what happens if you take all the OTHER fantasy elements, and apply the same systematic tropes of Xianxia/Wuxia to it. So imagine an Isekai anime where, instead of being given a Cheat Skill, the reincarnated protagonist is instead given a 100,000 Year Old piece of Ginseng to eat that causes his Internal Meridians to surge with power so that he can use techniques that take everyone else 10 years to master with just 3 days of training. But everything still looks like Medieval Europe, complete with elves, wizards (who are just a different type of cultivator) and so forth.

The "Art of Cultivation" that lies at the center of many of these stories, no matter their category, is--quite simply put--the Chinese version of "level-grinding." The amount of Qi, physical strength, and technical fighting knowledge you have is bundled together and quantified by something like a "Rank," or "Realm," and in order to rise within that realm or ascend past it you need to do lots of stuff--train your Kung Fu, find magical ingredients to whip up special medicines, meditate at the top of a sacred mountain. So on and so forth. Thus, martial arts training, development of one's understanding of the world around them (gaining Enlightenment) and so on are at the CRUX of this entire genre.

If you want to learn more, an excellent resource is this site: immortalmountain.wordpress.com/glossa…

Now, for plots, there are three particulars that I've brainstormed for the exact purpose of this topic. That said, I have read a lot of Manga, Manwha, Manhua, Webtoons, and so forth (not so many novels, though, which I understand many who enjoy the Wuxia/Xianxia novels probably get more of the genre's nuances from), so I'm open to other fandoms, plots, and so on that use the same basic framework for powers/magic, character archetypes, and so on! Feel free to suggest something or ask for more details if what's presented here doesn't immediately catch your fancy!

The God of High School

A Fandom-Based idea from a popular Webtoon/Anime, G.O.H isn't quite as "cultivation heavy" as the usual Xianxia or Xianhuan fare, but definitely draws from a lot of the same themes and mythos! My idea for this is an A.U. exploring some of the same themes of the story from the opposite angle, so even if you're already familiar with the series, certain characters and story-elements won't be the same! I don't intend for either of us to play Canons with this idea, but basically all one needs to know to create an OC in this setting is this:

• There are essentially three factions: Humans, Monsters, and Deities.
• The two central "powers" of the setting are Martial Arts (Mutu) and Borrowed Power (Charyeok).
  
  
  • Martial Arts are what it says on the can, but this is an anime-universe where doing enough pushups literally lets you punch a dragon to death.
  • Borrowed Power is quite literally channeling the abilities of some other entity, usually supernatural in origin. It might be a mortal legend like King Arthur, or it might be the power of the Frost Giants from Norse myth, or it might be Zeus himself lending you his thunderbolt.
• A "mysterious organization" has put together the God of Highschool Tournament to find aspiring young martial artists from all over the place, and make them fight to determine first a Regional, then a National, and then a World champion. At the beginning of the story, "Charyeok" is a secretive and unknown ability to the general public...but for whatever reason, it seems the GOH staff have specifically selected many competitors who have a knack for it...

Our characters would take the role of competitors in the Tournament, probably placed on opposite ends of the bracket, because who ever heard of a Tournament Series where the tourney DIDN'T go to hell halfway through and leave all the fights unfinished?! But as we find ourselves roped into a conflict between literal gods, what will our characters choose to fight for--and whose power will they fight with?

Slaves Rising From Hell

An original story, though I haven't done as much work on the setting and world outside of the initial prompt. The system of Cultivation and some of the fictional martial art styles, though, I have put a great deal of thought into already. Our characters would begin the story as slaves, forced to dig in the mines by an Evil Sect known as the 18 Hells Cult. The 18 Hells are not just digging for ore and materials, though--somewhere, in this ravine, is rumored to be the Tomb of the Devil King, a terrible tyrant from an age when the entire world was at war. Not even the 12 Supreme Masters could stop his rampage, and it was said that he stole the arts of every Cultivator he defeated and recorded them in a tome buried by his side.

When the tunnel our characters are assigned to collapses, they find themselves within the very same Tomb, and what they discover there will change their lives forever. Will they lead a rebellion against the 18 Hells Cult? Will they learn the secrets of the Devil King's Fist of Subjugation, or find his Book of Stolen Souls? Even if they use this power to save themselves and escape, what will the Righteous Alliance of the Martial Arts World think when the power of the Devil King rears its head once more? All the while, our characters will be forced to make use of everything they can--herbs, crystals, the hearts of beasts, and who knows what else--in order to further their cultivation and train their chosen martial arts!

The Dragon Wilds

Another original story, though this one has a bit more worldbuilding put into it. In a land of great kingdoms, there is one place between the borders where few tread, and many perish. Long ago, three Dragons who sought to ascend to the Divine Realm fought atop the mountain peaks. Who won the battle, none can say--but according to legend, the demigods dropped their Sacred Pearls, which fell to earth like great flaming stars. Even a single one of these Pearls could lead a Cultivator to the Sage Origin Realm--with all three, he could no doubt become an Immortal Deity. Alas, none have ever found the treasures--and anyone who dares entire the savage land known as the Dragon Wilds is said to be devoured by Demonic Beasts, or lose their lives to Nature's harsh, unforgiving hand.

But, one day, three columns of light are seen rising to the heavens. These beacons shine so bright, and so high, that they are seen even across continents. And thus, a new age of exploration begins--Martial Experts from all over the kingdoms flock to the borders of the wilderness, hoping to be the one to find the Sacred Pearls, or any number of other treasures within the ancient, forgotten jungles and snow-capped mountains. Our characters are two of these Cultivators, each seeking the Pearls, or something else within the Dragon Wilds, for their own reasons...and their competitors are myriad, powerful, and just as determined to stop them...

So, if I've kept your attention thus far and any of that interests you, by all means shoot me a PM! Let the high-kicking, Karate-chopping, and mountain-splitting commence!

To Become a Knight! ~ A Chivalric (Mis)Adventure

K A I

...?

---

Nathaniel was the first to exit the room. As his muscles relaxed and his expression became visibly less angry, one might think the situation had been resolved. But to Kai, it seemed clear that Julian had been marked--Nathaniel would be on the blonde's scent now. This wasn't a territory conflict. The second seat would hunt Julian over long distances, trailing just behind, the inevitable specter of death until the prey collapsed from its own exhaustion. What that meant in the context of "the society," as Gramps called it, Kai didn't know. He watched in order to learn.

The other Aurist's eyes locked onto Kai, and he smiled. The bluette met his gaze, evenly, but did not bow his head down to protect his throat, nor lift his chin up to expose it. Slowly, the wildling stood. Nathaniel took a few steps forward, and did nod.

”Kaiser, we should catch up with the others to make sure we reserve a fine spot in the mess hall for our squadron. What do you say?”

@webboysurf"Okay!" The thought of food momentarily shook Kai from his uneasy reverie, and his eyes brightened. Then the prince exited their shared abode.

“It’ll be rare enough, once training begins, that we will all choose to dine at the same time. Let’s wait for them,” their captain looked at Liese and Dot's door, and for the first time Kai noticed the...difference in it and the other doors on the floor. Something about it made him bristle, just looking at it. Was that Magic? How was it different from what Gramps told him about his own Aura?

"But if you would like to go ahead, Nathaniel, then do as thou wilt."

The others seemed to have their minds made up, and would soon gather in the common room. But, despite how hungry he was, something else made Kai hang back. He leaned a little bit toward the other doorway, looking in at Julian--who had yet to move. There was no hanging of the head, no gnashing of teeth, or clenching fists. Kai found it much harder to read the blonde now than the bundle of energy back out on the field.

Fear? Fear could paralyze prey, to some extent...but more often than not, cornered, they lashed out with all their strength. But Nathaniel knew where Julian was--wouldn't the better response be flight? Especially now that the predator had left the area. Then again, Julian would always have to come back to the room eventually...Kai sniffed the air, and inclined his head slightly toward the shorter knight.

He didn't understand, and curiosity drew him closer. Tentatively, he stepped over the threshold. He silenced his footfall, putting his weight on the edge of his step before his heel and toe, and half-crouched until he was right behind the other student...

@FeyblueHe reached out like the Prince and Nathaniel had to him, before, and grabbed Julian's shoulder.

"...Nathaniel was the better fighter. But you were the one fighting to win." he said, before he took his hand away. Why had he said it? He had been thinking it, before, but now he confused himself. "The only reason to be a Knight is to fight, and the only reason to fight is to win." Despite his confusion, the bluette found himself smiling, though he still didn't nod his head. Nor did the smile bare any teeth. But then he stepped away from Julian and watched for the blonde's reaction...

To Become a Knight! ~ A Chivalric (Mis)Adventure

K A I

Food! ...or Fight?

---

The Prince soon entered the room, and opened up the windows to let some fresh air in. Kai's braid whipped back and forth in an upright position as he worked his way back out of the "nest" he'd made and hopped off the bed.

"I won't be here often, Kai, so treat it as yours. But leave my wardrobe alone."

@ERode"Okay. But why won't you be here?" asked the bluette as he tilted his head to one side. But before the prince answered, a raised voice echoed down the hallway.

“Anybody else wanna head to supper with Zen and I?” Signar said, loud enough he clearly intended to invite the entire group.

@Zombehs@pkken"YES ME!" Kai let his hunger--he had never been able to catch any fish while waiting on the bridge after all--overcome his curiosity about Rossweine's statement. The third seat fairly bounded out of the room, but looked back at the prince as he froze in mid-stride. "C'mon, Raw Swine! Food!" He took another few strides, out of sight around the doorframe--and then poked his head back around it, once more looking expectantly at the Prince. At the slightest hint of movement from the noble, the bluette was off for good.

But as he headed towards Signar and Zenshin, he noticed Julian and Nathaniel facing off just inside their own room's doorway. Nathaniel was closer to the back, but Kai felt as if he stood out more between the two--because he was clearly angry, even though he wasn't yelling or making aggressive movements--no. Actually making noise, making yourself appear bigger, that was for when you didn't want to fight. Nathaniel's ire was quiet--a challenge. The staredown between two wolves. Whoever faced away first admitted their submission.

The blue haired boy looked back at Signar and Zenshin, as it seemed they were already on their way to try and find something to eat. Neither they, nor Dot or Liese had made any attempt to interfere in what was going on between Julian and the second seat--so should he also leave it be? But...he was supposed to be the third seat, too, right? That meant he was higher than Julian, but not higher than Nathaniel...Did that mean he was supposed to take a side? Or maybe...

@Feyblue@webboysurfHe crouched down near the wall opposite Julian and Nathaniel's room, and pulled at his hair with one hand while rocking back and forth on his feet. For now he was just...watching. Although, the way he had squatted down like that, almost seemed like he could spring back up at any time...

Then his stomach growled. Quite loudly.

To Become a Knight! ~ A Chivalric (Mis)Adventure

K A I

Bed!

---

“I’ll call you Kai then, and you can call me Rossweine,” the Prince intoned calmly. “When you have time, you should duel Nathaniel. You two can match each other, and the rest of the squad can learn.” He tapped Kai’s shoulder before turning away. Nathaniel had touched his shoulder too. So what did that mean? His braid tapped the same shoulder from the back side, like a ticklish paint brush.

"Greetings, squad, I am Liese Victoire of House Brendorn, ready to depart." said the intense blonde before Kai could muster a response to the prince. Raw Swine (why did he want to be called that? Kai thought he could come up with a better nickname) kept his expression the same peaceful, in-controlled facade, but there was just a moment–a micro-change so subtle even Kai’s focused observation almost missed it. It seemed that maybe…Liese and the Prince didn’t like each other? Why was that?

“Good to have you join us, Liese,” said the squad captain. “It is a shame that I was unable to witness the full breadth of your capabilities during your duel with the Lachant scion, but you will have a wealth of comrades to hone your skills with among this squad, Light Willing.”

@Izurich“Ooh, ooh!” Kai started to bounce on the balls of his feet with a wild grin. The Prince had told him to fight with Nathaniel as a form of training–maybe he could do that same thing here, since they were talking about Liese fighting too! He suddenly set both of his feet in place, hands on his hips, with a confidently furrowed brow to match Liese’s own as he raised his voice. “I am Kaiser Sauvage, of House Sauvage! When you have time, Liese Victoire of House Brendorn, we should duel! We can match each other to show the full breadth of our skills!” His braid was poking up behind his head and “wagging” furiously.

But it seemed that the rest of the group was fully on their way, and no one wanted to be left behind.

“Let’s be off.” said the prince, turning that tall back. He strode for the barracks, steps bringing him to the front of the squad in a graceful maneuver. Kai watched his feet with a raised eyebrow, struck by how smooth that motion was. But then another, far less skillful, movement caught his eye.

"Don't think you can just buy my forgiveness with food! Take that back!” A very angry munchkin hounded Signar Wayland’s heels like a particularly small, excitable puppy, practically running to keep up with him and bouncing up and down with each furious step. Kai grinned from ear to ear and bounded after them, shadowing Julian Baker’s movements. The bluette’s hair twitched playfully from side to side between his shoulder blades. Julian’s tirade continued, “Hey, are you ignoring me? Don't call me smaaaaaaaall!!!"

Kai snickered to himself. Despite all the people around, he was starting to feel at ease again–and he already felt like he had the promise of two challenging opponents. He couldn’t wait to see what else was in store…

---

The wall their barracks was built into cast a shadow over the courtyard, and the inner wall on the other side limited the view of the sky from some angles. There were trees, but they weren’t big enough or thick enough to provide good cover. It felt…simultaneously too restricting, and yet too exposed. A boxed in cage where you had nowhere to hide from anything that might swoop down above, and no escape from anything else trapped in there with you. It made Kai feel itchy. But he told himself that Gramps’s house had felt like this too at first…maybe he just had to get used to it. Maybe if he needed fresh air he could just…scale the walls?

He looked at the bricks, with their smooth stone surface and mortared gaps. Then his gaze traveled upward to the ramparts, and the machicolations, and the arrow slits between the crenellations. It seemed a much harder climb than the trees.

The inside of the building didn’t make him feel so itchy, but it definitely didn’t feel like Gramps’s house either. He tried to remember the times since Gramps had brought him back that he was made to be around such large groups of people, or to be around smaller groups for a longer period of time. His squad seemed like a medium between the two–not a huge number of people, but he was going to be around them for much longer. It turned out they were even going to share rooms together! The man handing out keys seemed to get angry when Kai closed one eye to mimic how the older knight glared at everyone, so maybe he should avoid that in the future. He scampered off like a dog with a treat as soon as he was given his key, and upon finding his room looked carefully at the sign. Rossweine? Ooooh! That was why the prince wanted to be called…Hm.

Kai shook his head. He could still come up with a better name than that.

But with his new living quarters identified, the bluette wasted no time in running inside and haphazardly checking all the containers, the side doors, the bathroom, et cetera et cetera. After several rapid circles, he then leaped onto the comfy bed. The sheets were tucked too tightly–he had to loosen those up. There was only one pillow, so he rolled up the comforter to make another one. The headboard and the room’s wall made a nice corner he could put his back to, so he bundled everything into that and then wriggled his way into the wadded mess of blankets.

After several moments, his head poked back out of the pile. His braid lay alongside his neck and shoulder, and repeatedly curled itself in content. He blew air between his lips with a soft “boof” sound.

Then Julian passed by the still-open door, and Kai’s braid pointed straight up as his head snapped towards the blonde. But Julian was already gone, and his ponytail dropped back down. Nonetheless the bluette kept watching to see if anyone else might look into the room, or if the Prince was coming…