Things Look Better with One Eye Closed

Akaelin growled slightly at the idea of sharing his mate. As a wolf, he was rather posessive by nature. And after Set, he had just become even more posessive. The last thing he wanted to see was Yoko naked though. 'Hey...hey...Get the fuck out of my bubble,' he snapped, his growl becoming louder. The only ones allowed in his bubble were Nathifa - because he could never say no, and Rukia and Mshai, because they wouldn't even if he told them not to.

((Akaelin's bubble covers a 20ft radius. X3))

----------------------------------------------------------------------

Kieran watched carefully, then attempted the three himself based off of Sivas movements and the way she held the whip. Stabbing actually turned out to be the easiest. When he tried to slash a piece of paper, he ended up stabbing it, and grabbing one was just a big failure altogether. He tried the slash again, since it seemed easier than grabbing, and was a bit disappointed when it went the same way as before.

"Oooh, who's afraid of the big, bad wolf?" Quill laughed. She moved closer and poked him. "Pop goes the bubble!"

"Quill, what is wrong with you?!" Kitai exclaimed.

"No, I think it's you that has something wrong. You never like to have fun."

----------------------------------------

"Well, at least being able to stab with it that well means that you've got good accuracy," Siva commended. "Just think of slash like drawing the end of the tip across the target like a blade. As for grabbing, it's easiest when done with things that have more depth than a piece of paper." She sliced a branch off the tree by her and stood it up on the ground by the paper. "Try grabbing that one."

Akaelin snapped at Quill, his teeth closing just half an inch from her hand. A warning snap. Akaelin was a very, 'no touchie touchie' kind of wolf, and unless Quill was Nathifa in disguise, he wasn't about to bend that rule.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------

Kieran made to attempt it. He didn't use the same amount of force that he usually did, since he was afraid of breaking it. Because of this, the whip merely knocked the branch over. His eyebrows furrowed in concentration and frustration, he walked over to the branch, stood it up again, then moved back to try again. Once more, the whip merely knocked the branch over. He gave a slight trace of a growl as he once again stood it up, then moved back to his original place. He repeated this process about four more times, determined to do it all night if he had to. On the seventh try, the edge of the whip wrapped itself around the branch. Kieran accidently yanked his hand backwards, and the branch came flying towards him, hitting him the head.

"Oooh, the big bad wolfie's gonna get me," Quill teased, sticking out her tongue. Kitai noticed something plastic with a needle coming out of it protruding from one of her pouches.

"Quill, what's that?" Kitai asked, pointing to it.

"Oh, this is for the fun stuff," Quill said, taking the syringe out. She also pulled the vial of opium from the pouch as well. "You should try some of it."

--------------------------------

"Ohmigosh, are you all right?" Siva asked as Kieran hit himself in the head with the branch. She ran over to him, hands already glowing softly with healing magic.

Akaelins hackles rose as he instantly figured out what Quill was doing. He scolded himself for not realizing it before. He really should have. Just went to show how much he really payed attention. 'Opium,' the wolf growled under his breath. 'Don't try it unless you want to hurt the twins or give them future birth defects,' the then barked to Kitai.

'Jeez Quill. I always knew you were a wench, but I never took you for being weak willed.'

Yeah, he realized that the comment could possibly set her off, but he didn't care. Drugs were for the weak willed. Those who weren't strong enough to face reality head on. They stopped caring about those who were concerned for them, and decided to find their own fix.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Kieran actually hadn't reacted at all to the branch. He hadn't flinched, winced, or ducked. Pain was something he was used to taking. While he didn't like it, he wasn't afraid of it. It was almost to the point where it didn't really even phase him. "Fine," he said to Siva, shrugging the incident off like it was nothing.

Quill turned on Akaelin. "You don't know what it's like to lose everything and you never will," she snapped. "The underworld is supposed to be a paradise and a place of rest, but how can you find rest when your mate and child are still alive?"

Kitai took the opportunity to grab the open vial out of her sister's hand and throw it into the underbrush.

-------------------------------------------------

Siva noted Kieran's lack of response to the pain. "Don't just shrug pain off, it's your ally in battle," she said. "It helps to remind you not to cross over your limits and......you aren't like us. You don't have to worry about becoming an Aravos, so you don't have to worry. I try not to worry, especially since I know exactly where my limit is."

Akaelin rose to his paws in a calm manner, shifting to human form. "I don't know what it's like to lose everything?" he echoed, his voice devoid of all emotion. "I have lost my brother. My cousin. My mother. ...And I have lost two children, one whom was thankfully brought back to me, though almost at the cost of my mate."

"Don't ever tell me that I don't know what it's like to lose everything."

His heart pounded and he struggled to keep himself calm. The memory of the death of his first born son was what caused him the most pain. The child he had been unable to save.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"...I'm sorry?" Kieran said in a slightly confused manner. He had never reacted to pain because as long as he didn't, people got bored with him easier and beatings stopped sooner. But...Siva wanted him to react?

Quill opened her mouth to remind Akaelin that she too had lost her parents until she managed to remember through her drug-clouded mind that she was the one who killed them. Kitai getting rid of the rest of her opium didn't bother her so much as the fact that now if she needed another fix she would have to grovel at Set's feet to get it. "Go rot someplace cold and dark," she said instead, hopping onto her hellcat's back and riding out of camp.

--------------------------------

"No, you don't have to be, you can't become an Aravos," Siva said. "Just don't completely obliterate pain from your mind. If a leg is seriously injured in battle it becomes a weakness only if you forget about the pain and put weight on it. I have one thing to ask you; the same thing that all the Society warriors agree to. If you see any of us, except Jetta, clearly past our limits in battle, then you'll need to cut the person's head off before they become an Aravos. I'll demonstrate so you know what one of us looks like right at our limit." Siva started summoning her power and let it spill out and enhance her body, starting to change its form. As she got near her limit it changed to spin cyclone-like around her.

((leaving for band camp tomorrow @ 12 and I won't be back until Saturday (or friday, i forgot) ))

You're only mad because you know you're wrong, Akaelin thought as Quill darted off. I know exactly what it feels like to lose everything. The wolf let out a long breath as he shifted back into his base form, laying down once more. He crossed his paws and rested his head on them, his stomach flip flopping and nausiated at the memory of his lost son. That sickening crack sounded itself in his mind and he found himself missing both Rukia and Mshai.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

How could you put weight on something you didn't have? He didn't bother to ask the question. Even if he would've, he didn't have time before Sivas form started to change. He immediately didn't like it, and wished that she hadn't done it in the first place as he took a few instinctive steps backwards.

((I'll have killed everyone off by the time you get back. Kieran, Yoko... They'll all be dead. XD
I won't be able to be on before that tomorrow (at least I don't think) because I'm pretty sure my grandmother doesn't work.))

As always, turning back from releasing this much energy was a huge struggle for Siva. The euphoria that came with approaching the border was always very tempting, but she knew exactly where she needed to stop. Her face had started to become reshaped almost beyond recognition and a streak of green entered the white energy that flew around her. It was at that point that Siva clamped down on and stopped the flow of power, causing all changes that had happened to her body to fall away. She had to bend down and put her hands on her knees panting for a few moments before being able to look up at Kieran and speak. "It's the color that marks exactly when a person had reached their limit," she said. "If colored energy passes beyond a single ribbon, then the person is beyond help. The reason that male warriors created like us failed is that complete release of energy for them is supposed to feel like a super-powerful orgasm or something like that. Long story short was they couldn't resist."

Kieran almost rolled his eyes at Sivas remark on how releasing energy felt to males. If there was anyone who could resist an orgasm, it was him. He had had enough sex related crap to last him the rest of this lifetime, and several others. However, he saw that she was serious, and resisted easily. "Okay," he replied, acknowledging that he understood. He just hoped that she wouldn't try something like that again.

"But yeah, once again you won't have to worry about that unless Jetta decides to try and convert you," Siva said. "Because Akaelin has some Society race blood in him now it's possible for him to become a psuedo-Aravos, but he wouldn't be nearly as dangerous as a real one. Anyway, back to the training. Why don't you try slashing one of the sheets of paper this time?"

-----------------------------------------------

Kitai sat back down on the ground with a sigh. How could her sister have gotten addicted to opium without her knowing about it. Even if she was depressed about being separated from Birch and Aodan, why would she start the drugs? But Kitai already knew the answer to that one: to find an escape. Perhaps at that point for her it helped her escape reality, just like how Akaelin retreated from the harsh truths long ago by killing the humans and making them into pies after the loss of his mate and children.

"Psuedo?" Kieran asked, not knowing what the word meant. He could speak fine, even if his vocabulary was limited, but there were a lot of words he didn't understand. Psuedo happened to be one of them. He also didn't know what convert meant, but psuedo sounded more interesting to him.

He turned back to the paper, recalling Sivas words, and attempted it again. Once more he merely stabbed a hole through the paper. If he kept this up they were going to start to run out of paper. Perhaps he just needed more practice with it. It took several more tries before he finally managed to slash through a piece of paper. He felt about as pleased as he could feel - which wasn't much - but he had a feeling that that was going to be a one time thing for now.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------

As Akaelin laid by the fire, his thoughts drifted to manners similar to Kitais. Quill didn't really have an excuse for being addicted other than being weak willed. Akaelins mind had been infected

((*starts singing* I'm....infected. I'm infected! By your genetics! Okay I'm done.))

by a sort of disease that ran through the Elain. Overcome by anger, devestation and horror, he had subconciously succumbed to it. Every Elain reacted to the Vieras differently, he just happened to react to it by killing a bunch of people and then selling the meat for some cash. Wren had reacted to it by holeing himself up and becoming a hermit for two years. Vane reacted by sending some evil warrior thing out on a mass killing spree. None of them had been in their right minds when they comitted these acts, and Akaelin didn't view any of it really as being their fault. He was surprised that Wren had actually dealt with it the best, considering the snow leopards anger issues.

((lol, I'm all prepared for band camp - I loaded Repo onto my ipod. Tory's perfect for 'Infected' if you substitute the word mother for father.))

"Psuedo means kinda not real," Siva explained after congratulating Kieran on cutting the piece of paper. "Akaelin didn't go through the whole surgical process so he's kind of Society race. Okay, now you can try hitting moving targets. The stabbing method is actually more precise and useful in a battle, so it doesn't matter that slashing is still hard. I'll run around and you try to hit me."

----------------------------------------------

Another thought presented itself to Kitai when she considered how Quill hadn't really gotten upset when she got rid of the last of her opium. Perhaps the only reason she was still doing it was because she was addicted. When her and her brother lived in the poorer part of a town near Chalca after Quill attacked she had seen plenty of junkies on the streets. But she had also seen how they would do anything for their drug dealer to get a fix. Given Quill's lack of respect for authority, it was likely that the only way she could be controlled was by witholding drugs from her.

((XD That and I can picture her as Shilo during the Seventeen scene.))

Kieran frowned slightly as for once, he didn't immediately obey. He doubted that he would be able to hit Siva, but on the off chance that he did, he didn't want to hurt her. He even doubted that he could hurt her, but just the idea of attempting to strike her left a bad taste in his mouth. Couldn't she maybe like...throw something up into the air or something?

----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Akaelin glanced up at Kitai out of the corners of his eyes. 'You okay?' he asked half heartedly. He knew it kind of sucked when you found out someone you cared for was doing drugs because they weren't strong enough to face reality without them. Living in a swamp, drugs had been hard to come by naturally. So dealers came through frequently because of that. He had never been one for drugs, but no one would've believed him if he told them who had.

((I'm not trying to copy your or anything, if it seems like it. I've had this in my head for awhile, but you beat me to the punch as far as typing it out goes. XD))

"It's okay Kieran, you won't hurt me," Siva said. "Point A: our uniforms are made out of some pretty tough stuff, I don't think a whip will be able to pierce it. B: I was in the phantom division. If I don't let you hit me you won't"

((was going to make this longer but I have to go))

"Nobody wants to spar with me." Faorn pouted. "Sarian is all holed up on the stupid Elain floor, and Davyn is at the bar drinking his heart out. I told him not to do it. Kitai's probably somewhere mumbling about the schizo dude, and Akaelin.... I really don't know where he is. Seff hates me, and I don't think Enthea even knows me."

Faorn's hair was tied in a ponytail, which she had never done before. The scars on her used-to-be-hidden eye were quite visible to everybody, but she wasn't self-conscious about them anymore.

OOC: They left Sanctuary and are camped outside of a nearby town at the moment. Let me fill you in on what you missed.

1. Kitai's actually preggers with twins *gasp!*
2. Akaelin stole a chicken
3. Quills hooked on drugs
4. Kierans off with Siva
5. Akaelin's now sitting in front of the fire lamenting (as usual)
6. Jan slunk off into the forest (as usual)

((lol, thanks!))

"Wait, scratch that." Faorn told Syn, "Kitai's pregnant. How can she fight? Anyways, the Rebellion has kind of gotten.... wacko. Like, everything is out of order. What will we do now, since the war has ended, and since we know Sai is still alive, but hates everybody? What will we do? I miss Sai being leader. But since she's all pissed and all..."

Faorn let out a big sigh. And of course, Davyn had to tag along, though he did nothing except annoy Faorn and Sarian occasionally.

"Sooo, Syn." Davyn said nonchalantly, popping out of nowhere. "Did you and Faorn well, do it yet? She really likes you, you know."

Faorn blushed and then slapped Davyn, "Go away, you immature asshole!"

"She won't," Syn replied simply. "And yeah, things are a bit out of order. We were taken by surprise when Yoko and Krigon attacked." He shrugged in a sort of 'whatever' guesture. He didn't like the fact that they had almost been wiped out, but it was in the past and lamenting now wasn't going to fix it. Faorn was right in the fact that Sai did seem pretty pissed though. "Akaelin's taking her place, remember?" he added, answering her second question.

Unlike Faorn, Syn didn't get angry from Davyns question. "Yes, actually," he joked. "We had wild monkey sex on your back while you were asleep last night."

Faorn glared at Syn for a bit, and then grinned, holding back a laugh.

"But still, I still like Sai being leader. Akaelin... I'm still observing him. He hasn't exactly lead us to succeed yet, as Sai had done." Faorn admitted, and then switched the conversation. "Yeah, we were taken by surprise, but anyways, what was Yoko doing, turning on the Rebels and everything? I thought he was on our side."

((xD Faorn is so clueless about Rabbit))

"That's because you're more used to her," Syn pointed out. "Akaelin's only gotten the chance to lead us through one battle, and that one was completely unexpected. Give it some time." Syn hadn't known either Sai or Akaelin for long, so he was fairly unbaised. He liked that Akaelin was more cautious, not allowing just anyone into their midst like Sai had. Sometimes he thought the wolf was a bit too rough though, not giving others a chance to prove themselves. Like...if you couldn't contribute, then you didn't belong. Of course, he also had to remember that Akaelin was strictly a wolf. The human form he was usually in was merely an illusion.

"And I don't know," he answered, reffering to Faorns question about Yoko. He was about as clueless as she was. "I never got the chance to meet him, so for all I know he could be a backstabbing manical bastard. Then again, he might not be. I don't know."

Faorn sighed, "I guess the schizo always stayed a little fuzzy even he had been cured. I remember the time in Giderah when I gave Yoko a funny look. The 'Is he mental?' look. That was when Akaelin gave me the death-look." Then Faorn laughed, thinking back to that time.

"And then the time where you kind of popped out of the bushes or something, and scared Sayne. Or maybe you bit him. Something like that." Faorn said, rubbing her chin, "I don't exactly remember what happened."

Syn looked back over his shoulder at Kitai. She seemed distracted at the moment, but still... "I don't think you should reffer to Yoko as just, the schizo, Faorn," he chided, turning back to the werewolf. "He might be against us now, but he was still friends with Kitai, and I know you know his name." He wasn't sure exactly how Kitai felt towards Yoko. On one hand, he knew that they had been friends, and he was also the father of the two kids she was carrying. So she had to feel a certain degree of...of what? Love? Compassion? The wyvern wasn't quite sure what, but he didn't delve any further into the thought.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Kierans frown vanished, but he was still by no means pleased. He wasn't the kind of person who got off on hurting others. Yes, those kinds of people existed, he had experienced them first hand. His face once more became completely devoid of all emotion and all movements ceased - save for blinking and the rising and falling of his chest as he breathed.

He struck out at Siva unexpectedly, trying to take her by surprise, though he didn't think that would happen.

((Dude! I went and saw Sweeny Todd (the play) at this little theatre near where I live. The make up artists did the guy who played Sweeny up really nice! And the music conductor was HAWT!!!! The guy who played Toby really really made the show though. He was hilarious. ^^))

((just got back from bc and I am DEAD tired >-< Also pulled/sprained my Achilles tendon or something around there somewhere in the week. It's a show about dreams though, so colorguard gets to roll around on beds for the first 9 sets or so))

Kitai sat by the fire hugging her knees to her chest and thinking about the things that had happened. It had only been a few days since she had last seen Yoko, but was already missing him again.

----------------------------------

Siva grinned and dodged out of the way of the whip. "I heard from Jetta that you don't like hurting people," she said. "That's why this could be perfect for you. It can allow you to keep an enemy from fighting without killing them or severely hurting them. If you aim for the backs of the knees or the inside of the elbows you could damage a muscle that allows them to walk or wield a weapon."