Fantasy Code FERAL

[Lioness075]

Manjano carefully watched Beth's reaction, his eyes watching as she absentmindedly scratched at the table in silence while her mind was surely swirling with thoughts and mixed emotions. He knew that feeling all too well.


Titling his head to the side curiously when Beth finally responded, Manjano found he was unsure of how to respond to her. Manjano doubted he could ever be mentally sound after what he'd been through in his life, though he could surely get close enough at some point down the road. Being connected to the world? What exactly did that mean?


Feeling a bit confused now, Manjano's face gave that away for a second before his expression became more of one of concern at what Beth followed up with saying. She essentially was giving up on herself. Why? What did she do in the past or suffer through that had convinced her that she was not worthy of happiness or in her own words, being 'healthy and connected to the world'?


To Manjano, Beth seemed like a heavily locked door that had limitless locks on it and required immense effort to finally break through all of the locks. Despite this analogy, Manjano only felt more curious to better understand her and to not simply abandon her when things seemed to difficult and complex for him to understand. After all, he didn't know Beth all too well. Not personally anyways. He knew her story since she'd shared it and he knew bits and pieces of her, but he felt like he truly knew nothing about her that she deemed important about herself. Beth was quite the conundrum it seemed.


Realizing he'd probably wasted several seconds of responding to Beth while he'd ranted to himself in his head, Manjano looked at her in time to see the corner of her mouth twitch, but hadn't the faintest idea why that had happened.


Letting out one of his signature sighs, Manjano then finally spoke up, "Beth, I'm not about to just walk away from you because you're a difficult person to understand. I only feel more compelled to stay by your side at this point."


Having realized at this point how hard Beth was trying to push him away, Manjano gave Beth a small, but unusually confident smile before adding, "You can't push me away so easily, Beth. I know how easy it is to push everyone away when they try to help so that won't work on me."


@Flutterby

 

[Bolts]

Barry gave the sign "same" when Zoe spoke of him being good. There were obvious signs of herself being very well trained. At least on missions, he felt like someone on his team would be well. After the whole mute incident it was just him and BB doing some rather shady things. He, in no way, enjoyed doing such things. What else was someone with a new disability to do? At least BB had been supportive every step. He let out his hand towards BB with a pleasant smile. This has been something for her that's for sure. She obviously wanted to make a somewhat good impression. Enough so to take leaps towards something she would rather not. As Zoe said, even if she didn't know the whole reason, Barry was proud of her.


Barry full heartedly agreed that they would make pretty good partners. Just not yet is all. With hearing that another bounded and flying animal as also here, he wondered the type. WHAT!!! BB exclaimed in a very high pitched voice. Oh right.. Of course. That was something she definitely didn't expect to be said. Then soon came the whole Barry and Zoe thing. Everyone was pitching in. Aww Barry, I thought I was the only girl for you. Not even an hour into meeting her and you gotta put in the moves? She said laughing. She proceeded to land on Barry's hand.


Barry raised an eyebrow and smirked at all of them. Like BB said, it's only been less than an hour of really meeting them. She had glances here and there while training but nothing like talking to them. He was simply being a gentleman and nice person. He had to get to know the other agents right? Just for that, he turned BB around towards Totus. Wow Barry. How would that even work?


@DawnAntalios @Flutterby @Lioness075

 

[fishfeet]

Aslan nodded with an evil smile on his face. But.. Oh. They'd asked for his name. 'No paper or pencil, and Julie's over there... Well, time for charades!' Aslan pointed to his throat and shook his head, hoping they'd understand.


(late post?)


@SilverFlight @Peaceswore

 

[DawnAntalios]

Zoe looked up from inspecting the petal as she quickly put it away. She did not want to bring up difficult matters when she did not know herself what exactly was going on. She smiled as she saw Falarion waking up and she wanted to greet the maned wolf but then she listened what he had to say and she felt embarrassment washing over her as she heard the pairing.


" N-No, of course not... I... " she started, stuttering " It was Totus and BB... not... "


But then Totus spoke up, joining in for the game and she felt her head getting redder and redder. When BB also jumped in to put more oil to the fire she clenched her hands into fists and she frowned.


" You all are being ridiculous. This... this has nothing to do with it! " she tried to get out of this, pointing at Barry " We... I am not sure we would be synchronized either! He prefers scouting, I prefer to be in the middle of everything, charging onward like a bull! I will not risk his life by asking him to be my partner! "


As she felt her brain cooling down she realized that she probably overreacted this... but that was to be expected. She took EVERYTHING seriously and so did she think about this being a very important but also crucial topic. When she felt the warmth waning from her face she took a deep breath and looked at them.


" I know that you guys just want to lighten the mood and I appreciate your efforts, really. " she said, looking at everyone with a thankful expression " I never had the opportunity to... laugh, to have fun you know. I... I just think that we will make a good team together, that is all. "


She paused for a moment then her look changed to a serious one.


" I want everyone to do their maximum, all right? " she said, determined " I don't want any of you to die on the missions ahead, understood? " she started to think and then came up with an idea.


" I have studied how to motivate people to train hard: they need rewards in order to achieve absolute mastery. So here is my proposal: my family owns a small bakery which coincidentally also makes the best cakes you can imagine. If we succeed in the next mission without getting suspended or anyone being severely injured then I shall order a big one for the entire team to eat from - a gigantic delicious cake. "


She grinned.


" Do we have a deal? "


@Bolts @Flutterby @Lioness075

 

[deer]

Laohu chuckled at Leandra's agility, moving at a good pace and speed. If he had to be honest, they were evenly tied as of right now, but he knew he wouldn't see the girl's full potential, as long as she's sparring with him. If her life or someone closest to her's life depended on it, she'd be a force to reckon with, judging by who she was and the past weeks they've all gotten to know each other a better. He was glad his roar caused her to be off balanced, but Leandra was a quick-thinker as she used the rumbling to her advantage. Xiao Hui formed a small smile, pleased with Lea's actions as she kept up with Laohu. However, because of Lea's abilities, Laohu formed a grim frown, huffing slightly knowing that he had missed his mark of getting Lea down. But soon, when he landed gracefully on the ground, he was caught off guard by the whirlwind of Hui's emotions that he staggered slightly, only to be unfocused as Leandra was on her toes once more as she aimed a precise kick on his hind leg, causing him to be paralyzed as his left leg went entirely limp. With a wince and whimper, Laohu fell to the ground, roaring slightly, as his he attempted to paw his claws at the ground, grunting in defeat. "Laohu, what happened? You're never unfocused." She asked, worriedly through their mind-link only, however, clapped her hand in the mean-time, giving a little cheer for Lea, "Nicely, done!" She exclaimed. On the other hand, Laohu laid down, swishing his tail, "You. What happened?" He asked her, concern lacing his tone only for him to quickly look over to Leandra, grinning, "That was a good spar, Lea. It's been a while since I had a good challenge." He paused, winking at her, as he continued,"I would get up, but I'm going to be unbalanced for a few minutes." Biting her lips, Xiao Hui shook her head, deciding to answer Laohu's question at another moment in time. Walking over to Laohu, Xiao Hui gently knelt down and jabbed his right leg once more, allowing Laohu freedom to move again. "Now you're not move-less," she teased him, as she got up and walked over to the bench, grabbing a towel. Handing it to Lea, Xiao Hui smiled, "I love the spin and kick, will you teach me some time?" She asked, tilting her head before her expression turned slightly serious, "Now, only use these technique when you absolutely must have to, one wrong spot and things may turn sour." Xiao Hui said, slightly worried only for her to break out into a relieved smile, 'Thanks for putting Laohu in his place, he needed that after being so haughty." She giggled only for Laohu to huff, rolling his eyes, still laying on the ground as he rested for a bit, "I need a cat-nap now." He commented, only for Xiao Hui to laugh, "Looks like you worked him well, Lea."


Looking over her shoulders, Xiao Hui turned around, only to see the end of Eos and Alec's spar, as Alec was literally riding on the stag, his weight made Eos stagger as they both landed softly on the ground. "It seems Alec won the sparring, over there. " Xiao Hui said, not realizing her eyes shined admiration and her tone laced awe. Before she looked back at Lea to give her room to breath and relax for a bit, her eyes moved to Simon and Ash's sparing, seeing the two were also head-to-head. Xiao Hui was definitely curious at the unique fighting styles that were being exhibited before her. Her whole team improved immensely and it seemed these past three weeks of being suspended were worth it. It felt as if they improved together individually, but now, even more so, as a team by sparring with each other. Looking back at Lea, Xiao Hui smiled, "How do you feel?" She asked genuinely, wanting to make sure Lea was okay as she found herself caring about the girl's well-being a lot more than anything ever since the two bonded.

@Lioness075 @SilverFlight @zCrookedz @DawnAntalios @andujarprime
​

 

[andujarprime]

Haku smiled widely and nodded her head. She slid off the counter and onto Duik's arm, then settled on his back. "This is delightful!!" She said excitedly before turning to their new guest. She winced a little when she noticed his initial reaction to her. She frowned, but only for a second. It had been a while since she'd gotten that kind of a greeting from anyone, but it wasn't something she wasn't used to. At least he didn't seem to want to dislike her since he changed his face and smiled immediately. "Why hello there." She greeted the new member of the growing prank team. "I don't believe I've seen you here before. I am Haku..." She made to bow when she noticed him making a motion. He was point at his throat, and shaking his head..."Okay, umm charades?" She asked curiously. "You, you haven't eaten? We weren't offering food though..." She said taking a guess at his motions. After a few seconds it became clear, her eyes wide open. "Oh! you can't speak!!" She said aloud. "Well, I guess that means you can't rat us out right guys?" She said jokingly to both Duik and Fie.


@TheBOOKWORMgal


Rin nodded at Jimbo's assessment. "Yes, I agree. He should work on his legs for sure. And his agility, he is already formidable. Imagine if he were as agile as Ash, or you even? It would help him keep his eyes on the prize, as many people say." Rin responded with a nod then looked over to see that the other matches had concluded. He raised an eyebrow to see that Leandra had downed Laohu. "Formidable indeed." He said under his breath as he applauded her and Alec both who was getting up from his conquest as well. "Very good, very good!!! Much improvement from you two considering you aren't combat experts!" He said with genuine excitement. "Are you okay Laohu? Eos?!" He asked politely.


@zCrookedz @SilverFlight @crucialstar @Lioness075

 

[Peaceswore]

Before Ash could follow through with his attack, Simon moved a tad faster than Ash had anticipated. He believe that the other would have tried to stand up not go all the way down as he did. Before he could take a step to pin Simon he felt the strong blow to his ankles. Due to not having something push him as he was being sweeped Ash didn't fall though he knew the ankle that received the blunt of that attack was going to be sporting a colorful bruise later. He backed up a bit just incase Simon had another trick up his sleeve that he wasn't aware of.


When he was a safer distance away Ash placed his hands in his pocket and watched Simon as he went into his boxer stance once more and waited. 'He's on the defensive... Fine by me.' He though as he moved his head to the side a bit so a loose strand of hair would get out of his face. Looking down he tapped the toe of his left shoe on the ground and for a moment didn't even look like he was invested in the fight. However after tapping his shoe twice he decided to take it off instead not wanting to use it for the fight. So quickly (while keeping an eye on Simon) he took off his shoes and sock, the second he was done he once more spirted forward, the look of excitement decorating his features. Again he went head first into this, his hands in his pockets and his eyes locked on Simon's shoulders. When he got in Simon's range to attack him he took his hands out of his pockets and brought his guard up. Once again he did a quick side step to the left only for that to be a feint as he suddenly headed to the right. As he moved he brought his leg up and aimed a solid kick to Simon's side.


@TheBOOKWORMgal

 

[fishfeet]

When the snake, now identified as Haku, guessed charades so quickly, Aslan nodded vigorously. At the mention of not eating, he would've burst out laughing ... well he did, kind of. With one of those keening laughs you can't really hear. When she said he wouldn't rat, Aslan seemed to think about it and nodded. Well, he could tell Jules, but he wasn't like that. Finally, a snake he actually liked. 'It'd be nice if all of them were like that' He thought to himself. Fie had run off to take some candy, and now Aslan was scared. He could already tell this monkey had a hyperactive personality, but with sugar ... ooh. At the monkey's question, Aslan nodded. He was definitely not going to back off, even if he couldn't give orders or had a prehensile thumb. He could still pass around the ingredients, maybe stir with his tail.


Julia walked up to Rin and Jimbo, waving at them in greeting. "Hi, name's Julia. I'm a new recruit here and was wondering if someone could show me around?" She asked in her usual quiet manner. The only people she was actually loud around are those who have known her for a long time, which in this case, is none. except for Aslan, anyway.

 

[andujarprime]

Haku smiled as she turned to Fie."Well, as long as you aren't messing with his Ramen. He doesn't have much of a sweet tooth, so if he turns weary of cupcakes it will be okay." She said with a smile. "However, I have a different idea. Let's dilute this solution we already have made. Dilute it so that our uh, 'victims' aren't out for 3 days. Maybe just a few hours. Throw in permanent markers or paint and we may have a blast. Afterwards, throw itching powder into their clothes, and replace shampoos with hair dyes. This simple prank will become a prankfest." Haku was excited now, she seemed to be planning more and more pranks. Her eyes shrank to slits, making her look diabolical. She stopped herself now and looked at the others. "Sorry, I think I may be getting ahead of myself." She said a little more nervously now.


@TheBOOKWORMgal @zCrookedz

 

[Lioness075]

Leandra stopped her spinning from her kick and landed in a balanced stance, ready to strike Laohu again, but froze when she saw her attack had actually landed. Since when was it possible for her to hit Laohu so easily? He'd actually staggered a bit before she'd struck him, which never happened. At least, not as far as Leandra was concerned.


Trying not to be too obvious about her suspicion, Leandra grinned back at Xiao's praise and then relaxed her stance before casually cracking her neck just for the heck of it.


Leandra grinned at Laohu's praise and immediately countered it, saying, "Hey, I had a great coach, Laohu."


Wondering if Xiao had a different term for a coach in this situation since Xiao came from a different background, not that Leandra really knew what her entire background was, Leandra turned to the girl and asked, "Wait, would you consider yourself a coach or something else in this situation?"


Hearing Laohu mentioning his lack of balance for the time being and seeing his teasing wink, Leandra grinned back at him before saying, "I'm sure Xiao can help with that since she knows how to make you lose your balance."


Sure enough, Xiao walked up to Laohu, struck him somewhere else in his leg and he regained his balance once more. Pressure points were very helpful. Speaking of, Leandra probably should learn some medicinal pressure points next. Those would help a ton in her medical expertise.


Seeing Xiao offering a towel to her, Leandra smiled gratefully at her before taking it and rubbing her forehead as well as the back of her neck. Such a short sparring match and yet she'd sweated a ton. Dang, that was annoying.


Nodding at Xiao's request, Leandra then said with yet another one of her grins, "Of course, Xiao. It's only fair that I teach you something in return for what you've taught me."


At the mention of being careful, Leandra smiled at Xiao and instantly replied, "Of course, Xiao. I understand the dangers of even slightly missing my marks."


Laughing at the mention of putting Laohu in his place and then working him well, Leandra then shook her head amusingly while crossing her arms over her chest and saying, "Well, your cat-nap is well-deserved Laohu. You sure made me dance a bit there with that surprise roar and all."


Up above, Luness was relieved to see none of the sparring getting out of control. Yet.


Noting that Leandra's match was over now, Luness soon took flight, as she glided gracefully down and then lightly landed on one of Leandra's shoulders before nodding at Laohu and Xiao with a warm smile.


"That was quite the show you two put on. I'm relieved to know Xiao has finally taught you how to properly handle yourself in combat, dear."


Rolling her eyes at Luness, Leandra then said with a cocky grin, "Aww, come on, Lune. You've seen me fight before. I...was just out of practice in the tunnels. No biggie."


Knowing better than to delve any further into that discussion, Luness kept to herself, as Xiao mentioned Alec winning his sparring match against Eos.


Hearing Xiao's tone and seeing the look in her eyes quickly brought a teasing grin to Leandra's face and when Xiao returned her attention to Leandra with a question of how she was feeling, Leandra didn't miss a beat in retorting, "Here's a better question: How do you feel about Alec?"


Trying and failing to stifle her laughter, Leandra then waited for the reaction she knew Xiao was about to give her. Somewhere along the lines of embarrassment and then probably humility mixed in. And blushing. Tons of blushing.


@crucialstar

 

[Lioness075]

Falarion gave everyone a confused grin, as they began teasing Zoe for her possible coupling with Barry and then BB questioned how a coupling between herself and Totus was even possible.


Letting one of his ears flop against his head, Falarion blinked a few times in his continued confusion.


Alas, the confusion didn't last long before Zoe went off on one of her over-the-top serious rants yet again.


Raising an eyebrow at the way-too-serious woman, Falarion then said, "Well, I don't know about you guys, but--wait, where's my ball?"


Quickly looking around the group, Falarion had missed the whole throwing race with the two birds in the group and now was oblivious to wherever his ball had landed afterwards.


Shakily standing up, Falarion then stumbled forward before pausing and asking again, "Guys, where's my ball? Where'd it go?"


Looking between Barry and Zoe since they'd been playing catch before he'd taken his nap, Falarion's eyes were wide and full of worry, as if his life depended entirely on him having his ball, though it certainly felt that way to the maned wolf.


@DawnAntalios @Flutterby @Bolts

 

[SilverFlight]

Amber immediately felt guilty for distracting Simon to the point where his guard had been lowered. "Come on Sinclair! Where's the top hand-to-hand specialist that beat Darcy 5 years ago! Don't make me step in!" She sounded harsh but she was grinning wider than she had in a while. The day Simon had bested Darcy on the mats was a glorious one for the team and had earned the big man a huge amount of respect and admiration from them all.


Calista appeared soon after. "We're all set up in the briefing room. We can start whenever the kiddies finish playing."


"Thanks Cali,"


"You know, I half expected you to be grappling with someone right now."


"Aw, did I let you down?"


The civet grinned. "Glad to see you're feeling better."


"Yeah," Amber said thoughtfully, watching Simon fight. "I am."


@TheBOOKWORMgal


Alec was almost as surprised as Eos when they began to topple. He hit the mats and rolled away, ending up on the flat of his back and turning to see the stag rise slowly and praise him. His grin turned into a bout of happy laughter.


"I have to say, seeing you come charging at me like that, it scared the crap out of me!" He put a hand on Eos' soft shoulder and gave him a grateful nod.


"Thanks for taking it easy on me."


He caught sight of Xiao looking at him, and her expression made him pause. He could feel the blood rushing to his face and looked away quickly, but the grin he wore was a giveaway to how he felt. First approval from Eos and now Xiao? It was a good day.


He walked over to the girls, trying to turn his smile into a casual greeting rather than looking like a giddy school boy.


"As if you both weren't scary enough, now you're teaching each other your techniques?"


He nodded at Leandra, what little he saw of her match had looked really impressive. "Remind me not to make you angry." He said with a laugh.


@DawnAntalios @crucialstar @Lioness075

 

[Sleipnir]

The week had been useful for Bael.


He had focused a lot on battle, working alongside Cedar and a young man and his companion — a raccoon. He was exhausted and sore by the end of the first day.


"C'mon, kid," the raccoon leaped off Bael's shoulders. "You got to do better than that. Your furry cinnamon roll over there won't be able to fight alone."


Bael grimaced. He stood up again with Cedar at his side. "Oh, hush, ya trash panda," Cedar barked good naturedly. "He's awful tired."


"Ready, Cedar Bear?"


There were no more words and Bael and his companion rounded on their trainers.


The run was no better than before.


It didn't take much longer for their trainers to decide they'd be useless training for the rest of the day.


Bael and Cedar were wandering when they ran into Zoe, BB, Barry and Totus's little game. He grinned, watching them, but didn't immediately join in.


@DawnAntalios @Flutterby @Bolts

 

[fishfeet]

Aslan looked around for the flour, and once he found it on top of a smooth table he jumped up to get it. He landed.. Let's just say not gracefully, as he didn't cope well with manmade smooth surfaces. He slid like a hockey puck, but he managed to grab the bag, leaping down with it carefully. He managed to get his claws into the floor, which was a little more rough and grippy than the stupid table... Aslan hated tables.


"That's great, I'm learning new fighting styles here anyway." Julia answered to Rin. This guy seemed well-disciplened, unlike her. Well, Julia had picked up some stuff from her last WATCH station, but that was it. Meanwhile, the girl shouting at the bigger fighter- Simon- seemed undisciplined and proud. Not in a bad way, because Julia was like that by herself or with friends. Well.. This girl was with friends, so Julia shouldn't be talking. Still, this station looked like it had a lot of different people and companions, all with different personalities. Julia was going to like it here.

 

[Bolts]

Barry placed his hands up defensively when Zoe pointed at him. [guess it was a little too much. ] he thought to himself. From what she said, it sounds like they are split into pairs. Two humans and animals. It was an interesting thought. Who would he be paired with. He has only met the few in the garden but has seen others around while he was far too busy to introduce himself. Zoe wasn't wrong, but she wasn't exactally right either. He did prefer to stay out of combat but has had much experience with being in the enemy line. Disguising yourself and infeltrating some crime bosses wasn't exactally a walk in the park.


When she brought up a motivator for the whole team, Barry got intergued. OH MY GOSH!! YES! Gonna get me some cake easy.... Just one question though. What involves being suspended? The usual not following orders or is there more? You could see the enthusiasm on BB's face. If anyone could eat cake and burn it off like nothing, it would be BB. Afterall, a hummingbird has a crazy fast metabolism. She was zipping around Zoe's head now in anticipation for the answer.


When the wolf started to panic about the whereabouts of his ball, Barry looked to where Totus had placed it before. It should have been in front of Zoe's feet but seemed to have disappeared. He circled Zoe while looking for the ball. Kneeling down, he noticed a small bend in the grass. His eyes followed the bend for only a foot before seeing a hole in the ground from where he was digging In order to plant his flower. Reaching in, he felt the squishy touching of the ball. Yanking it out, he rolled it to falarion. He leaned down and filled the hole back up with the dirt he dig out. [cant leave too much of a mess behind.]





@Lioness075 @DawnAntalios @Flutterby @Sleipnir

 

[zCrookedz]

Simon watched Ash as he bounced back and forth, his arms raised and watching the man before him. He was trying to get a read on the guy, something Simon admittedly wasn't the best at. He usually depended on Jimbo to give him a bit of a nudge in the right direction in the fights, who was being completely silent at the moment. Who was being incredibly vocal about the fight, however, was Amber. As she yelled out about his fight with Darcy, Simon couldn't help but feel his pride begin to swell a bit at the memory.


That fight had been crazy, nearly half the gym had been destroyed and it had ended after Darcy and Simon had beaten the snot out of each other. After a week in the med bay, Simon figured Darcy had wanted a rematch but the guy had never mentioned it again. Simon still thought back to it and the memory bolstered Simon as he looked over Ash. The man had begun to take his shoe off which was a bit strange, but Simon didn't let that perturb him.


Finally, Ash made his move, he watched him charge forward with his hands in his pockets. No fists, watch for his feet


As he watched Ash approached he noticed something about his attack. It followed the same movement as before, faking and then attacking from the side. Couple that with his hands in his pockets, he was planning to use his feet.


Sure enough, Ash's attack was aimed for Simon's side once again. He winced as the man's foot made contact with his rib cage. The kick had some serious force behind it. It was impressive, and Simon felt like the hit might just bruise a few ribs, but he smiled through the pain as he looked at Ash.


"You know Ash, I'm going to need you to teach me some kick attacks. Jimbo's short legs are not the best teaching tool. But for now...."


Simon dropped his raised elbow and wrapped his right arm around Ash's leg, gripping Ash's calf with his hand. Simon reared back his left arm and opened his palm. Had this been a real fight, and Ash wasn't a friend, Simon would have let loose his arm cannon on him. But he wasn't about to send Ash to medical just before the next mission. Instead, he drove his open palm towards Ash's sternum in an attempt to send Ash flying backwards a few feet with the shock from his open handed hook.


@TheBOOKWORMgal

 

[deer]

Laohu's ears perked at Leandra's questions only for him to amusingly watch Xiao Hui's reactions towards it. Xiao Hui, on the other hand, stared at Lea as if she had three heads, anf if she, herself, was a frozen deer caught in headlights, "W-what?" She asked, caught off guard by such a question. As she felt something in swirling in the pit of her stomach, her heart quickened its pace as she thought on Lea's question. However, she couldn't help but take another glance at Alec only for both of them to turn away again, as blush crept on her face. "L-Lea! I-I. . Alec is a good man. . I mean . . h-he's a quick learner like you. . So . . I was just complimenting. ." She tried to utter, but failed miserably as she stuttered upon her words. How do you feel about Alec? Was the question that rang in her head. How did she feel? Figetting with her hand and moving around uncomfortable, Xiao Hui pouted, "Wait. . I was asking about you. . Lea. . not about Alec!" Laohu, on the other hand, chuckled, "Oh? Hui? What's this? Cat's got your tongue?" Glancing over at Laohu, Xiao Hui's reddened even more, as stared between both Lea and Laohu, "I-I don't know what you're talking about." She said, slightly pouting and nervous. However, as soon as she said those words, Laohu grinned, feeling mischieviously, "And now. . look what the cat dragged it. The man of the hour! Alec."


Xiao Hui jumped slightly from hearing Alec's voice as she avoid looking in his eyes, "Us girls. . we have to stick together, right? We're not that scary. . we're just a force to be reckon with, yes?" She said directly towards Lea, before regaining her composure as she coughed slightly, "Oh!" She exclaimed, moving slightly over towards Lea and Laohu more to give Alec some space into the group that formed, but it was so mainly she didn't need to look at Alec for the moment since she didn't know how her face looked like and she didn't want him knowing they were just talking about him. Remebering Lea's question, Xiao Hui welcomed the sudden change of topic, not liking the attention on her as she spoke up again, "I learned that in Western cultures, your teachers are called 'coaches', but in our culture, we are called 'Masters' and our students are called 'disciples', " she began explaining, before shaking her head, "but, please don't call me master, I'd rather you refer to me as maybe. . a trainer? coach? whichever one you'd like to call me. But, don't forget, I'm also your friend." Xiao Hui said, hoping Lea saw her as one as well, before smiling softly towards Luness, "Thank you for letting me teach her, Lune." She said sincerely before shaking her head, "Lea had it in her all along, she just needed a little push, that's all." Xiao Hui gave them a thumbs up before laughing slightly as Laohu swished his tail back and forth. "Yes, Hui, Lea understands so don't keep reminding her like a broken record of being careful. Have some trust." Frowning slightly, Xiao Hui folded her arms, "I do trust her. . I just want. . " She tried to say before trailing off, realizing Alec was still there. She didn't like that the man with them made her feel all sorts of ways, like why was he so different from every one else? She didn't fear him, yet at the same time, she worried he may not. . accept her if he were to ever really find out the meaning behind her tattoo.


If she had to be honest, she really did wish Alec taught her how to use gun fires, not that the other Agent wasn't a good trainer, but everyone had different styles and it would have been nice to see what Alec's was. "Good work out there, Alec, I would have never thought to ride Eos, literally." She said, complimenting him on his cleverness before turning towards Lea, eyeing her for a second, hoping she wouldn't say anything like she said before. She still felt her heart racing in her ears as she slowly took her time breathing in and out, glad they didn't notice her trying to calm herself down. First Eos, Lea and now Laohu . . she just hoped no one else noticed . . that she somehow had a soft spot for Alec, not that she'd ever say it or admit it. .

@SilverFlight @Lioness075
​

 

[Lioness075]

Leandra smirked at Alec's expression when he approached the pair, more than aware of the feelings he shared with Xiao. This was going to be fun.


Hearing his remark about their techniques, Leandra laughed and smiled before saying, "Put us together and we'll be invincible!"


At Alec's remark directed at her, Leandra mischievously raised an eyebrow at him before saying, "Speaking of, how come you never told me you messed up my stitching job on your shoulder after our last mission?"


Having thoroughly enjoyed Xiao's response to her teasing and thoroughly enjoyed Laohu's added teasing, Leandra found herself doubling over with laughter and wiping a tear away. She really was beyond amusing to tease. Now the question was, how would Alec react to her teasing?


Looking back at Xiao at the mention of them being a force to reckon with, Leandra grinned at Xiao and responded, "But of course!"


As Xiao moved to give Alec some more room, Leandra amusingly shook her head before opening her mouth to say soemthing about it. Yet, Xiao began speaking about the coaches question Leandra had asked earlier and so she shut her mouth instead and listened.


Leandra always loved to learn something new about other cultures and was amused upon hearing Xiao say that Leandra didn't need to call her 'master'. That would've been weird for sure.


At the mention of friends, Leandra smiled at Xiao and said, "Of course, Xiao."


Luness had amusingly shifted her head back and forth throughout the conversation, taking in everything said and chortling at Xiao's response to Leandra's teasing. She was curious to know what Alec's response to Leandra's 'threat' would be, but she was pulled away from watching him when Xiao mentioned her.


Nodding at Xiao, Luness then said with a smile, "Of course, dear."


At the mention of Leandra just needing a bit of a push and then hearing Xiao and Laohu go back and forth a bit, both Leandra and Luness almost froze in place before they exchanged a silent look. What was that about?


Shaking their heads at the same time, the pair then looked back at Xiao before Leandra simply shrugged and said, "Whatever, maybe we should discuss more important things."


Pausing for effect while Xiao complimented Alec, Leandra then grinned before adding, "Like...you and Alec!"


Smirking now since she knew that'd get a reaction from both of them, Leandra then causally continued on while Luness made an innocent expression.


"I mean, you two clearly have a thing for each other. You both blush when you get near each other, Xiao forgets how to speak properly, Alec's face just completely gives him away. Then there was also the time after our last mission when you two went off together."


Completely in her element now, Leandra grinned widely before adding, "Speaking of, what in the world could you two have possibly been doing together while away from the group for such an extended period of time?"


Knowing fully well how that could be misinterpreted, Leandra stifled her laughter while keeping a slightly crazed and mostly amused expression on her face, as she waited for their responses.


@SilverFlight @crucialstar

 

[Peaceswore]

Ash moved his leg just a bit and could tell he was stuck. 'Welp...this is going to hurt.' He thought as he saw the open hand come straight for his chest. Just as the punch was about to impact however Ash placed his hand in the way to cushion the blow a bit more. With that hit his foot got loose and he was able to get it to the ground as he stumbled back a few steps. "Ow... Damn are your hands steel or something?" He asked with a chuckle as he shook the hand that took the strike while he remained pretty composed. "As for the kick thing I don't mind showing you if you show me a few of your boxing techniques." He said with his devilish smile. Once he was done shaking his hand he placed it back in his pants pocket. Sure he heard that they had a debriefing soon, but he didn't want to stop the fight just yet, he was having fun with this friendly sparring match, gods know when the next one would be. So he intended to use this moment as much as he could.


After a second he charged head on once more, his hands in his pocket and his eyes looking at Simon's shoulders. When he got in Simon's bubble he did it again he took a step toward the side to look like he was trying to flank him. However the moment his foot hit the floor he pushed himself forward, instead of going to the side like he did the first two times he went straight trying to catch Simon off guard. When he got close enough he moved his hips to look like he was going to throw another kick only for his hand to come out of his pocket and aim a strong upper cut to Simon's solar plexus while using his free hand to push away Simon's hand to give him a better opening.


@TheBOOKWORMgal

 

[zCrookedz]

Simon watched as Ash went stumbling backwards from his attack. Throwing his hand up to absorb some of the impacts was quick thinking, and impressive where speed was concerned. though it surely made for a pretty uncomfortable high five for Ash, wich was apparent on his comment about Simons hands of steel. He smirked as he drew his arms back before him and returned to his boxing pose. This time, however, he kept his arms a bit looser and kept his eye focused on Ash. It was time to go on the offensive.


"Years of working hands like fine metal my friend will turn one's hands to steel. I will be more than happy to teach you boxing techniques next chance we get."


Simon did not wait for Ash's response this time. He began to approach Ash, only for the man to begin charging once again. Simon's smirk widened as he readied himself for the fake out attack. As before, Ash did not deviate from his strategy. Admittedly, Simon was beginning to grow a bit bored with Ash's approach and his inevitable block. But when Simon began to drop his elbow to shield him from the kick, Ash's hands shot out of his pockets. Blocking one of Simon's hands leaving his abdomen exposed, Simon felt Ash's fist make contact with his stomach area in an instant. The punch had strength behind it, an impressive amount of strength from someone Simon had only moments before called "string bean". The placement of the punch was not what Simon had expected either. Aiming for an area like the Solar Plexus took real skill. Simon felt his breath escape his chest in a heartbeat and he felt like he was starting to enter a tunnel from the punch to his abdomen. It felt like minutes passed in the few seconds it took for Simon to catch his breath and blink his way back to the fight. Simon gasped as he returned to the fight and looked down at Ash.


Simon tilted his head as he pushed Ash's hand to the side and then stepped back a few steps shaking his head and breathing a bit more heavily. After a second, he regained his composure and smiled at Ash breathing heavily between his words.


"That.....sucked."


His shoulders dropped and he cocked his body to the side as he pulled his fists back to himself and returned to his looser style. Simon would have to hold back his usual punches, just in case he made contact with Ash, but after the hit to his abdomen he wouldn't hold it back by much. He was certain the guy was made of pretty sturdy stuff.


Simon's moves were quick, quicker than one would imagine a man of Simon's size to be. His arms moved as if they were spring loaded, zipping towards Ash's upper body and then retracting in the blink of an eye only for the other fist to be flung forward. Left, right, left, right, right, right, left, right; Simon threw his barrage of punches at Ash as quickly as he could stepping closer with each one. He mostly aimed for the more durable places, shoulders and abdomen same as Ash. The last thing he wanted to do was rack Ash in the noggin and give the poor guy a concussion.


@Peaceswore

 

[SilverFlight]

Alec gave Xiao a curious look, she seemed flustered about something. Before he could question her however Leandra mentioned the stitching.


"Oh, OH! That, well I er...didn't want to bother you, you know, Xiao was in trouble when that happened and...I just...redid it myself."


He listened to their back and forth, happy that the two were becoming good friends. It was a great dynamic to share in a team. Through the weeks Alec had come to admire each one of them for different reasons.


The words 'you and Alec' jerked him out of his pleasant thoughts so fast it might have given him whiplash. "Whoa whoa what?" His reaction seemed only to convict him further. "Jeez, gimme a break Leandra. We're...just friends."


The last question made Alec's eyebrows shot up into his hair. "Now hang on! Just what are you accusing me of exactly?"


He put his hands on his hips for emphasis. In the background Calista was snickering to herself. Alec would have to make a note of the fact that civet's had excellent hearing.


He turned his head away, cheeks flushing and looking a bit irritated. "I'm a doctor Leandra, I treat people, and I was treating an injury." He wouldn't say anymore than that, knowing full well that he had to keep Xiao's tattoo a secret, even from the rest of the team.


@TheBOOKWORMgal


Amber's watch beeped and she checked it distractedly, wrinkling her nose at the time.


"Okay people! Playtime's over! Up to the briefing room. Its been a long three weeks, but your suspension ends today and we've got a pretty tough mission for you."


@everyone


Alec secretly praised whatever force decided to interrupt them at that moment.


"Oh gee, we'd better go. I don't want to see Darcy mad again." He stepped away from the girls and made his way speedily to the kitchen where he knew Duik would be. He passed Talon in the corridor and the cat looked back at the cafeteria doors.


"I would intervene, if I were you." He said calmly. Alec gave him a quizzical look before going into the kitchen himself. The scene was an interesting one. made more interesting only by the fact that Duik looked like he's just be caught doing something he shouldn't.


"And what pray tell is going on here?" He crossed his arms like a parent waiting for an answer he knew had to be good, if not entirely truthful.


@TheBOOKWORMgal

 

[DawnAntalios]

Eos smiled at Alec as he watched him stand up. He shook his head before he decided to speak.


" I did not go easy on you, do not have illusions about that. " the old one said " I just did not want us to clash and injure one another. Let us reserve that strength for the enemy not for the two of us. You fought valiantly, i am proud of you. "


He watched as Alec went and talked to Xiao and Leandra, he was glad that the small team actually was having fun. He sat down on the ground, getting in a comfortable position - this training was fun and he decided that it would be best to rest for a little bit before joining the conversation with the others. No sooner did he sit down then he heard the summons of Talon as he walked in and told them to join him and Darcy in the briefing room. It appeared that they were to go on an another mission - something he was waiting for so long. Standing up and nodding at the others he shouted.


" I shall fetch Zoe and hopefully the others. "


And with that he focused his mind, trying to find his missing partner.


@SilverFlight


Zoe was a bit surprised when Falarion was asking about his ball in a strange, almost desperate tone. She had expected the item to be precious to the maned wolf but she did not think he depended on it so badly. She started to think if there was something similarly important to her. Though she loved her weapons she probably could have crafted others... she could not imagine losing Eos so that was not it...


She then realized: Natalie was the one she loved the most - but since the news which brought the death of her sister with them she did not think that it would be possible to meet her any more so she just snapped out of it.


She smiled when she saw Barry finding the toy of Falarion as she looked at the mute guy. He was so considerate and kind... it was so strange but it made her happy. He will definitely make a good partner for them. When she turned her attention to BB she had to grin upon hearing the enthusiasm of the little bird. When she asked about the suspension though she sighed.


" Well, let's just say that defying orders and risking our lives and the unauthorized mission as a whole did not amuse our superiors. " she frowned, folding her arms together " We have been stranded here for weeks now - though everyone spent their time with training it is still agitating to sit idle for this long. "


As she paused and looked around she noticed Bael and Cedar walking around and she waved at them.


" Oy! Bear-boy! " she said with a grin " Haven't seen you around in a while, Bael! I thought you were intentionally avoiding me, almost broke my heart! "


She said, chuckling a bit at the end. This was not her... whatever the others did with her was truly taking its full effect. It was a strange, fuzzy feeling, something she could not explain. She wanted more of this, more of this joy... before...


" Ah, there you are. " the voice of Eos both surprised Zoe and interrupted her daydreaming. The stag walked in with a shock on his expression. Not only was Zoe with the others for a change but she seemed to smile... to laugh even. It was something so impossible to see that the stag did not even want to comment on this. Zoe's expression quickly turned to serious as she spoke.


" Eos. I did not expect you to be here so soon. " she said, returning to her formal tone " What news? "


" We were summoned. A new mission is to be briefed soon. "


" Then we have no time to waste. " she said, turning around towards the others " We have to go immediately. If there is a mission to be carried out then we better make haste. Agent Darcy does not tolerate latecomers. "


@Bolts @Lioness075 @Flutterby @Sleipnir

 

[fishfeet]

Aslan chuckled at the monkey's antics, smiling when he got praise. He brought the flour over to Fie and looked around for anything else when a sabre-toothed tiger walked in, just saying "the briefing room" and leaving. Weird. 'Hey Julie, what goes on in the briefing room? Are we dupposed to be there?' He asked his companion mentally. Julia and Aslan had a mental link, which allowed Aslan a voice for once in his life- though, not one that could be heard by anyone. That was the downside. He looked to the other animals with an eyebrow raised (or whatever animals have in place of eyebrows) in question, hoping he wasn't the only one confused.


@Peaceswore @andujarprime @SilverFlight


Julia looked over at Jimbo and nodded back with a smile. He looked nice. She turned back to the fight, and it appeared the bigger fighter wasn't all brawn- He used speed too. Both looked like pros, but she was a bit confused as to why the smaller one had his hands in his pockets... That couldn't be safe. But then, just as he was about to get hit he preformed a complicated maneuver which, got to admit, confdused Julia. On many levels. If it confused her, it was obviously going to confuse an opponent whose head was in the fight. Heck, she'd probably take a lot of damage from that last hit, with her guard down. After the big guy recovered his breath, he sent a flurry of punches his opponent's way. Quick reaction.. At least, quick to Julie. Just then she heard Aslan's voice. Knowing it could be nowhere else but her head, she didn't get scared like she would before. Just answered. 'Dunno, I'll ask around.' "Hey, are we supposed to be going to the Briefing room or something?" She asked Rin.


@zCrookedz @Peaceswore

 

[deer]

Xiao Hui was grateful that she wasn't necessarily the center of Lea's teasing anymore since Alec came over to their group. Laohu got up from his position and decided to sit down, watching the scene play out in front of his eyes. Quite observant, Lea is, Laohu mused on, watching the conversation as it went back and forth from one person to the next. Raising a brow, Laohu grinned widely, showing off his canines, "Uh oh, someone's in trouble." He said nonchalantly in a singy-songy voice as Alec responded why Lea's stitching was messed up. Xiao Hui smiled sheeplishly, realizing she had let it slip and now Lea was on his back about it. But, even so, she couldn't help but giggle, as it seemed Alec was nervous from being reprimanded by a younger girl. For someone who was cheerful and playful, Lea was definitely a firecracker, not one to mess with. Xiao Hui smiled widely when Luness and Leandra had agreed with her and even more so, accepted her in as a companion. However, at Lea's sudden change of topic, Xiao Hui looked at her confused, wondering what she meant by more important things. But, as soon as she thought of what Lea could have meant, Xiao Hui was thrown in for another loop with Lea's comments. Blinking profusely, Xiao Hui lost the courage and ability to speak for that few short minutes. Her head was spinning as she listened carefully to Lea's observations. Hearing Lea asking where the two of them had gone off to for a long period of time after the last mission made Xiao Hui's heart beat pound like drums in her ears. She was beyond nervous and uncomfortable. Leandra definitely was too observant for her own good, but yet at the same time, she reminded her of herself, in many ways. The ability to see beyond the surface and someone's soul just by staring in their eyes. Lea definitely got the latter down, but intimating others with her stare needed a little work, but nothing that can't be improved. Although she was thrown for a set-back, Xiao Hui continued seeing herself more and more in her new friend, though at the same time, they were complete opposites. Lea was pure, free from blood being spilled on her own hands, Xiao Hui, on the other hand, wasn't spared from such an experience. However, she knew Lea had her own troubles, and was positive everyone here had their struggles, but nevertheless, she was glad she met such a strong and determined group of people. As Xiao Hui was lost in thought, she hadn't realized she didn't say anything until Alec spoke up. Diverting her attention away from her thoughts, Xiao Hui looked over towards Alec.


But, seeing his reaction, Xiao Hui took notice of his expressions, actions, tone, and words. From his action to his expression and words, they didn't quite match what Alec was trying to express. What is he hiding exactly? They are friends. . aren't they? Then . . why had he reacted in such a way? However, she jumped slightly when Alec's voice raised slightly, seeing he looked a little peeved. Trying to get a better look at him, Xiao Hui stared at his face, was he blushing? But soon enough, Alec stated he was a doctor, treating people and their injuries. For some reason, that didn't quite sit well with Xiao Hui as she felt some sort of turmoil inside of her. She felt. . disappointed? No, she didn't know. But her smile faltered slightly as she couldn't figure Alec out. It annoyed her to no end, not being able to get a read on him, she never had this problem. But, nevertheless spoke up, looking at Lea before tippy-toeing slightly and whispering, "Lea, I think we shouldn't tease Alec anymore right now." Before standing back down again and nodded, "Yes, Alec was treating an injury. . . I managed to have gotten from a kangaroo. And we're just. . . friends. . or I'm his patient and he's my doctor." Xiao Hui said, her tone wavered slightly, but regained it's strong composure before she continued, nudging her, "So whatever you're thinking, it's not what you're thinking. So, don't put your head in the gutter, missy." Xiao Hui teased, before looking over towards Agent Strong hearing her voice echoing throughout the gym. "Ah, looks like that's our cure, why don't we all--" But, before she could finish, Alec had excused himself under pretense Darcy would be mad if they were late. Blinking, Xiao Hui wondered if she had said or did something wrong before turning towards Lea and shrugged her shoulders. "We should probably go, I think I'll quickly change out of these clothes, see you in the briefing area?" She asked Lea before smiling softly, "You did wonderful, you've improved a lot." Xiao Hui complimented before walking away from Lea and Luness. She waved at them before disappearing into the hallways as Laohu followed behind.


The walk to her room was quiet as only Laohu's paddings can be heard as he trotted besides her. Once Xiao Hui closed her room doors, she gently leaned her back against it, exhaling and inhaling. "Hui? What's wrong? Is your wound okay? Hasn't it healed?" Closing her eyes as she calmed herself down, she nodded, "Sorry, Laohu, I may have psyched myself out. I . . I could have heard Amber saying something about. . China . . and trafficking. . But that must have been me being paranoid, right?" She asked him tilting her head before she walked into the restroom, running a bath. Laohu followed after her, "I can't tell you, I was too busy with the spar with Lea, I may have missed anything. But, we're about to get another mission, we have to keep our head on straight." Removing her clothes and getting some soap, Xiao Hui soaked herself in the tub as she was glad there was room for both her and Laohu. "That's true, but I have a nagging feeling something is about to happen." Stepping into the tub carefully, Laohu nodded, taking her concerns seriously, "Hui no matter what happens, I'm by your side and I'm sure the others do too." Shaking her head as she rubbed her temples, "That's the problem . . I can't bring them any harm, Laohu. What if my gut instincts are right? What happens?" Growling softly, Laohu frowned, "Don't think like that, take it one day at a time. Remember what hapepned last time. Calm down, Hui. Are you sure it's just not that? But something Alec may have said to deter you?" At the thought of Laohu's words, Xiao Hui blinked, as her mouth formed a thin line before she splashed him with he water. "What are you talking about? It's not. He's a doctor, he cares for his patient. That's all there is." She said before stopping the conversation as she began to clean both her and herself, preparing them for the next mission. Laohu, on the other hand, worried for his partner.


Once the pair finished their bath as Xiao Hui wore new and fresh clothing as Laohu's fur was beyond shiny and soft, they made their way down to the briefing. Laohu looked over at Hui, taking glances at her every now and then, seeing the girl too lost in thought for her to realize he had been calling her. For the past five minutes, he tried to get her attention, but nothing. Instead, he decided to stick to her side as close as he can before they arrived in the briefing room. Looking around, Xiao Hui realized she was the first one to have arrived as she picked a spot somewhere in the room. Taking a deep breathe, Xiao Hui was glad for some quiet with just her and Laohu for a little while. Gently slipping a finger through his fur, Xiao Hui spoke softly, "Thank you, Laohu." Looking up at Xiao Hui, he placed his head on her legs, "Always."

@SilverFlight @Lioness075 @everyone
​

 

[Peaceswore]

After his blow Ash let Simon back up to recover from the strike. He admit he may have hit a tad harder than he meant to, after all Simon was a mound of muscle so he figured he needed to pack an extra punch for the other guy to feel it. After all he didn't want to be just ignored as if the blow was nothing, still.... Now that he thought about it he shouldn't have hit that hard, it wasn't his hardest blow, but judging from how the other needed a moment. It was pretty effect.


As he watched Ash dropped his hands to his side letting them rest in his pants pocket as he returned Simon's smile. "Yeah, s-" He was about to apologize for the blow but he was stopped in his tracks as he watched Simon shift his stance. And in mere seconds the bull of a man charged right at him catching Ash completely off guard mainly from the speed that the other showed him. In response he backed up but the first punch hit him square on his shoulder making Ash grit his teeth. The next punch to his stomach he managed to redirect and hit the side of his rib rather than his gut. The third which came from the left hit his shoulder as he brought up his arm to guard the blow. Three blows and already Ash was in a slight stunned moment seemingly caught off guard. When the right hand came for his gut Ash used his own hand to cushion the punch, though he still felt it in his gut a bit. Then the hand reared back only to attack again, at this he side stepped completely dodging it, though he followed through with the third right punch and once more Ash used his shoulder to block the blow. 'I'm going to have so many bruises.' He thought as the left hand came for his gut this hand he pushed away and it completely missed him.


Having reacted as much as he could in his situation and recuperating from his early shock Ash focused very closely on Simon. The man already told him he isn't one to use his feet, and his left had was now to the side not meant for use in this split second. Which means only his right hand was able to attack. He knew Simon wasn't backing off seeing as he was in the process of taking another step. Ash had his full attention on Simon's right arm that was coming to him. As it came for his shoulder Ash used his own right arm and grabbed the top of Simon's wrist while at the same time moving his right foot to turn so his back faced Simon, he was so close one could put a slip of paper between them and it wouldn't fall. The moment his feet were planted on the ground Ash placed his left hand under Simon's arm some inches away from his pit. Having a firm grip he centered himself instantly so he wouldn't fall. Using his right foot he swung it back and his heel hit Simon's ankle. With the moment of the man walking forward as well as Ash leaning down while pulling his arm Simon soon found his feet were no longer on the ground and his body wasn't stopping. "Tuck your chin." He whispered moments before there was a loud thud.


Simon was now flat on his back, Ash still holding onto his arm a bit longer before letting go and backing off. The purple haired string bean had thrown the other, though he was careful to make sure the man landed on his back without injury. After this happened Ash placed his hands on his knees and panted a bit. "Gods... I'm going to feel this in the morning, or sooner." He said with a grin as he looked down at the man still on his back. Taking in a breath he walked over to him and extended his hand to help him up. "We should have sparred a lot more during our suspension." He said with a light chuckle. "I think that was a great match.... But duty calls so lets end it here, yeah?"


@TheBOOKWORMgal @everyone in the briefing room