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  • 📅 February and March 2024 are YE 46.2 in the RP.

RP: Neshaten [Kingdom Fall] - The Fight Begins

Alright, so this was the test, Eliana pondered, the tumbling thoughts in her mind finally slowing down and becoming clear. Still, being beat up while already fighting each other seemed a weird way to teach a lesson to her. Hopefully things would improve over time after the initial hazing.

Eliana did want to take away the metaphorical shovel Del was using to dig himself deeper, but it wasn't her place to judge if his pride was more important than his ability to walk tomorrow.
 
When the hand befell on Misha's shoulder, she nearly jumped out of her skin. Holding her belongings tight, she had been staring at the ground in front of her, not wanting to look at the bustling crowd of herded recruits being corralled like nervous beasts. Terribly dull eyes looked to Eliana, a face on the edge of emaciation. No smile was returned, but her face shifted, and she no longer seemed to be on the edge of tears. In all honesty, Misha wasn't sure what to think of it, why someone had reached out to her like that. Whether it was genuine kindness or simply to keep the eyes on some other poor group was hard to tell.

Then the herding stopped, and the joke was explained, Misha and all the others on the rough end like a serrated buttstock shoved to their sternums.

It was all a game, or perhaps some other word for such cruel trickery was in order, though none came to mind. It wasn't funny, so she could hardly call it a joke anyway, and even in this, she couldn't find a reason for it, though she rarely was able to figure out the reason for anything that anybody did. This wasn't organized, not at this level, there was too much chaos, like everyone here was simply pretending there was some order as if strings along the ceiling danced them along to some invisible beat. Misha did not feel such strings, and the actions simply seemed so... Disconnected, so far off from reality as if they were all playing a game with blank cards.

They could not rely on strength or weapons, that much she agreed with, looking at her own form, bruises hidden under clothes and the awkward shape of ill-fed limbs. She could not fight like others could, especially against those who have been training since before she even thought of joining this place, and now had more practice time than she had years on her bones. She could not overpower someone, could not outshoot them, and she doubted she would ever truly be given the chance to try.

As she looked up at their 'leaders' with dull, seemingly thoughtless eyes, she could already feel the wrong seed having been planted in her chest, growing and winding roots down, the lesson they wanted, but in the wrong place, and in the wrong time.

She could not best the standing government with raw force or battle, so she would resort to other tactics.

She could not best Kingdom Fall with raw force or battle.

So she would resort to other tactics.
 
Hangar

Blue raised an eyebrow at the Daur who spoke up, one from Red's dorm it would seem and he had some guts to interrupt so casually. A few of the other scattered Shukaren from the dorms turned their attention between Delfino and Blue, waiting to see what would transpire after an initiate spoke out against their leaders. The Gun stepped down from the podium and walked towards Del, his cool gaze never leaving the Daur's own eyes as those around Del took a step back to let their superior pass through until he was standing face to face with the young man. "What is your name Initiate?" He asked, not in a stern tone but not loud enough that everyone in the hangar could hear them.
"Delfino La Rostislavovna, sir." The Daur answered holding his head high and refusing to be intimidated by the close proximity of this Gun ranked man before him.

Blue nodded and strolled back to the podium without a word, once he'd climbed the small step and was standing before the audience once more he cleared his throat.

"I would like to formally retract my earlier statement about fighting back, this young initiate has given us all a valuable reminder of what we stand for and what we aim to accomplish. The lesson remains, do not engage Division 5 operators if at all possible. As an appropriate reward for his courage to remind me of our goals, we will be moving the aptitude testing forwards, no more boring speeches or information now you all get to show your national pride and find your place within Kingdom Fall."

Blue grinned widely and threw his arms out in a wide arc. "And it starts now! Congratulations to everyone here, you are all officially recognised members of KF, each dorm group you will now be turned over back to your respective dorm leader and break for lunch, afterwards the fun begins." To many present it definitely seemed odd that this Gun ranked dorm leader decided to change his whole tune based on one initiates actions but none of them were complaining as a huge cheer went up from the crowd and several other Daur and even Laibe were patting Del on the back.

-------

Cafeteria

After the very informal ceremony of initiation the crowd had been led to the large open eating area by their dorm leader and each seated at their assigned tables. Each table was rectangular in shape with 5 chairs either side and a single chair at each head, their dorm leader Red had taken up a seat at one head and waited for her pupils to take their seats as well.

Almost instinctively the Daur all moved to sit together on one side of the table leaving Delfino, Misha and Eliana to sit with the two Laibe on the opposite side, Red watched with interest to see if this group could get along without her needing to intervene, hopefully the two young Laibe had been taught their lesson earlier.

The reddish brown Laibe silently took a seat at the very end, leaving his white furred companion to sit next to one of the three Daur, the man in question looked over at Del and Eliana for a moment before looking at the floor and making a kind of 'tch' sound before sitting down next to his buddy and looking away from the trio. Red watched in silence, she knew the Laibe had their pride hurt getting beaten up by one person, to have Delfino praised by another dorm leader however would sting even more to such prideful creatures, she should know after all.

"Well then if everyone is settled, let's begin with some names before the food arrives. I am the Red dorm leader, Felonia Macherati and I'll be your instructor and guidance coordinator, my role is to prepare you for your service in Kingdom Fall not to baby you however and disputes among yourselves should be worked out among yourselves, I'm not your mother or your school teacher."
 
Cafeteria

Eliana sighed in relief that she wouldn't have to peel Del's body off the floor today. He's got courage all right, now just gotta teach him to defend himself from his courage.

The reddish-brown haired fox sat down next to the Laibe, both to act as a buffer to protect Misha and to protect Del from himself. "As long as you don't mind me having a good punching match now and then, it won't be a problem," Eliana replied to Felonia with a grin. "I'm Rudouva Eliana, ex-Navy swordmaster. I try not to stress about things and take it easy, but I love the thrill of a fight if anyone wants to train!"
 
Hangar

Misha found it difficult to gauge what the purpose of the act was, stepping off the stage to confront his one dissenter. Seemingly sated by... words, it didn't make sense to her. People weren't pleased that easily, they didn't find their resolution to conflict through such short notice. She had seen men and women bleed over less. As others shifted their spots to make ample room for Blue, save for Misha. She was not directly in his path, rather a few feet off, but her short, scrawny stature and matted hair partly covering her dull eyes left her out of the others all the more. She was the pinnacle of the beaten down, the forgotten, and maybe in the moment, she forgot to blend in.

Instead, her cloudy eyes squinted with confusion at the interaction, saying nothing as it concluded, and nothing further as they were dismissed to lunch. It wasn't until the sudden increase in the volume of the room that she was pulled from her trance and realized that she was holding her bag to her chest so tightly that her fingers had gone white, a dull ache forming in the chunk missing of her right hand.

Cafeteria

Misha supposed that, in some fashion or another, it was not expected for anyone to have managed to grab something of personal value while they had been shepherded out of their room at gunpoint. She felt awkward, clutching it as if it belonged to her chest, but at the same time, she felt so little trust with the foreign crowd around her that she could not bear the idea of putting upon her back, out of her sight, leaving its contents to the pickpockets of the room. She took a seat where there was space and soon found Eliana sitting next to her. The bag still tight against her, she kept her eyes down at the table to avoid staring at anyone or provoking anyone who might still be looking for a fight, especially one with a smaller opponent after the thrashing the event had given them.

Introductions. Of course. Felonia Macherati. Their teacher, their guide. You will teach me, but I will not follow blind. She knew better than to simply accept the words given to her. This wasn't just a guiding hand, the world did not work that way. For every morsel it gave, it reported what it felt upward, into the endless tangle of strings and threads. No trust, no faith.

Rudouva Eliana. Kind, or, most likely, simply the best at hiding other faces. Experienced, seemingly entwined to the other Daur. Who are you, really?

She was next, of course, but nothing came as she fought for a response. What was there to give? Hello. My name is Misha. What you see is exactly what you got. No surprises. "Hello." She choked out, whatever stutter she managed to fight off replaced with a shakey, underconfident tone. "My name is Misha and I uh..." She glanced to the food line, and a thought occurred to her, one that she didn't manage to filter after already having opened her mouth. "I don't have enough money to pay for food." She frowned, knowing it was a lie. After all, she didn't have any money to begin with.
 
Cafeteria

He had dodged the bullet when speaking up his mind, he wondered if it was the right call even though he was praised for it in a sense. His body still hurts and yet he allowed his fellow new colleague to pat him on the shoulders as they all walked towards the cafeteria. Del sat down and felt the weight of his body onto his wounds and shrugs a bit as he listens to their new dorm leader speak. She was their trainer and not their mother, well if she had children Del somehow pity them as he could feel the pain in his body. Then the next one spoke, Rudouva Eliana, mmm a former ex-swordmaster. So was she also a Kingdom lover or what was her motivation to do this. Del stayed quiet hearing the next one spoke, Misha eh? Her motivation was not having food.

He let that sink in for a second, was the condition on the street that bad that people didn't have any food or what so ever? Del saw the Laibe looks at him and softly smiled as he finally spoke "Delfino La Rostislavovna, a civilian engineer in service of some ...companies that give out orders and contracts" He waited for the next one to speak as he looked down at his food and saw others eating as he grabs a bite of it. He was really wondering what he was doing here.
 
Cafeteria

Felonia watched as the first three spoke up, a swordmaster, an engineer and a street crawler by the looks of her, an interesting start to the roster. "Well Eliana, you'll have plenty of opportunity for training soon enough, and Misha. The food doesn't cost anything, it's provided by the organisation so you don't have to worry about paying anyone, think of it as an employee benefit for continued service with us." The dorm leader smiled at her, the eyes on this girl were completely different from her outward appearance, they had an intelligent look to them, she would need to be monitored for now. "Delfino, it's not often people stand up to Blue like that, he's really a big softie though I'd advise you not to try a trick like that again or you'll be asking for a broken rib or two."

After their brief chat the introductions continued, next to speak up was Galdin Fallo, the white-furred Laibe who had initially tried to take control of their group when they all first met. During his introduction, he avoided making eye contact with the others on his side of the table including his friend who avoided his gaze as well. Next up was his friend the reddish-brown Laibe who went by the name of Roman Segreto. The two of them had apparently both been enlisted in the navy before joining up, just like Eliana.

After that the 5 remaining Daur sounded off, Cairo Lidina an orange-furred girl, Ta'Jana Nadka and San'Net Nadka both black-furred sisters, Francis Corsetta a red-furred only son and finally Ba'Rota Tre'Dora a brown-furred man who said nothing but his name and immediately after speaking pulled his scarf over his mouth and cast his eyes downward once more.

----

With the introductions finally over the Red Dorm Leader nodded to herself before rising from her seated position. "Alright, with those formalities out of the way you're free to line up for lunch, this table will be ours in the mess hall for the foreseeable future so don't go wandering off to sit with the other dorms. There'll be plenty of time for socialising after today when you've all been given roles and groups, don't wait up for me as I've got to meet with the other leaders now but I'll collect you when break is finished." With those parting words suddenly they were left all alone at a silent table, the noise of the large room seeming to pass around them while leaving their own awkward silence in-tact.

The first to stand were the two Laibe, both of which nodded to each other and took oof to join the line without saying a word to the other Daur left behind, most of which simply looked around at one another, none of them wanting to be first it seemed.

"I can't believe you made me sit next to them, asshole." Galdin huffed as he collected a tray, giving Roman a punch on the shoulder while the pair lined up.
"Not my fault you got your ass handed to you by a girl and then scolded by the big boss, stop being a salty prick." The brownish Laibe retorted, rubbing his shoulder some as he grabbed his own tray. When presented with the option of a burger with fries and salad, steak with fries and salad or a seafood basket both of them chose the steak and a soda from the fridge before heading back to the bench.
 
Cafeteria

Hearing the fair warning from his dorm leader made him narrow his eyes, but he felt that it was a bit obvious after that display. Doing the same stunt again would only bite back for Del and he knew that already. The others introduced themselves and it was a bunch of people that were selected for something aside from their motivation. For some reason, Del was more observation and gathering information about the people around him and what he was dealing with or was going to deal with. He looked at Galdin and Roman being the asses they are trying to keep their pride to themselves.

Of course, the two Laibe hopped away to get towards their food first as he slowly stood up feeling the bruises on his body made him growl a bit under his tongue. He walked towards the tray and grabbed one, he kept to himself as he was trying to figure out what these roles or groups were going to be. What plans did they had in mind for them, was this the only time they were going to be friendly to them? He grabbed some food, a few fries and salad fruit with seafood and moved back to the table and sat down.
 
Eliana got up after Del, noting that his adrenaline must have faded with how quiet and slowly he moved. He'll be sore in the morning, she thought. This transition to their new life would be hard on all of them.

At the cafeteria line, a smile crossed Eliana's face as she saw steak was an option. Maybe this new life will actually be awesome! she thought before she saw the dried, thin slice of meat coated in way too much pepper to mask the taste, and her hopes dropped again. Ah right, cafeteria food. Mediocre no matter where you go. With a slight pout, she reluctantly grabbed the tray, then looked for some juice in the fridge. Before heading back, she saw that Misha hadn't moved from the table yet.

"Misha, come get some food!" she called out while waving her over. I might have to make sure she grabs more than just a cracker or something.
 
The look Misha gave upon hearing that the food was 'free' was an incredulous one, as if she was simply incapable of believing it to be true. There was a sharp intelligence in her clouded eyes, undoubtedly strong in its level yet hidden behind an alien amount of uneducated time and perhaps, simply distrust in what information she did have. The food, clearly, being chief among them. That's not possible. There's no such thing as free food, there's a cost, somewhere, sometime. It took a few short seconds, in which everyone else at the table stood up and went into the food line, but she finally decided on it being partial payment for this job. Nothing else, quite simply, made any sense.

She perked up as her name was called, the same kind Daur as before, Eliana, was waiting behind to make sure that she accompanied the others in the food line. Misha thought it curious, but more than just the oddity of the act, it seemed to echo something already in her head, something she seemed to have somehow forgotten.

Nadia.

Instinctively, the moment Eliana spoke, the memory arose, and she flinched as if someone had reared to strike her. She rose to her feet, quietly moving to the very back of the line, trying to avoid eye contact with Eliana, least she someone else's eyes in their stead. The food, as she laid eyes on it, seemed to work in clearing her mind to a degree, though the lingering haunt rested hot behind her thoughts. The meals themselves were simple, but given what she was used to, it was as if she was expected to choose from a full feast. Two nights ago she had gone to sleep through the day hungry, and last night she had pulled poorly made bread from a bakery that was training new chefs before being chased off by the angry owner.

What was before her now were numerous options that could feed her for days each. She didn't know what to choose, which ones she would be allowed to have and which ones would illicit some punishment for being greedy, but already the next group in line was pushing her along, and before she knew it most of the food was beyond her grasp, and she desperately reached out to grab what she could, a plate that held a plain burger, the largest she had ever personally had, and a number of fries that seemed woefully too large. Of the drinks available, she grabbed water, having eyed the soda but being afraid of what it may taste like.

Nearly as quickly as she had entered the line she was out of it, and sitting back down staring at food that didn't seem like it belonged to her. Someone made this food, and it had value to it that she had never been able to afford. The only food similar to it that she had were from the sparse gang members that had taken a liking to her, tossing her small child's meals and the spare food they were too full to want. That didn't compare to the pure excessive amount that sat before her.

She refused to be the first to try and eat, so she simply switched between staring at the lukewarm buffet and the others at the table with her clouded, uneven eyes. Her stomach didn't even growl, as if it hardly recognized food that it felt as if it could not have. "Are we..." She paused, eyes going between Eliana, though still avoiding her eyes, and Felonia.
 
Back at the table Galdin and Roman got stuck into their food without so much as a glance at any of the Daur present, it appeared the two Laibe were still unhappy with being paired up with what they considered the inferior species. As the two munched on their food Roman finally glanced around the table briefly, it appeared some of the people on the other side of the table had already gotten started and weren't paying any attention to them, but the real ratty looking one at the end was still just staring at the burger.

"Hey kid, just eat the damn burger ok? I don't wanna get blamed because you can't be bothered eating with the group, we're already in enough shit after this morning." The reddish-brown Laibe said, tossing a chip in Misha's direction to get her attention, Galdin looked up from his own food at the commotion, looking at his friend first before setting his sight on Misha as well, she really didn't look like she took care of herself much, probably a street girl and one who's not even used to eating at that.

Across the table the other Daur looked up from their food as Roman began speaking to the smaller girl, all eyes were switching between the two of them at this point. With no authority figure to resolve the situation, it would be up to them to work it out.
 
Cafeteria

"I can't imagine us getting in trouble for that," Eliana remarked, casually picking up the potato chip and looking it over. After a moment she put it in her mouth and ate it. "It's a burger too, she can carry it with her."

After a moment, Eliana realized Misha mumbled a question. "Yup, it's time to eat!" she said, lightly resting her hand on Misha's head and rubbing it gently like she used to with her brother Vezio. She noticed though how matted and damaged Misha's hair was. I'm not sure this can just be brushed out, might be easier to cut most of it... Eliana thought. I should bring this up with our leader later, though I doubt Misha would cooperate just yet... After a few moments, Eliana pulled her hand back and began the task of cutting into the excuse of a steak.
 
The chip thrown at Misha harmlessly bounced off her, having hit her cheek and fallen to the table below. Misha, however, flinched as if something much larger had been thrown at her with much more malice than the harmless act meant to convey. Once she realized what it was, and what the glowering eyes of the Laibe were telling her, a hot shame ran through her, and she turned her eyes down at the burger, hands moving to awkwardly hold the burger, about to force a bite despite the nagging feeling in her head telling her that it wasn't something she deserved.

Then Eliana ran her hand delicately through Misha's wartorn hair. Her hair was damaged, knotted and frayed, matted and broken in countless parts. It would be easier to fix it with a razor than a comb, and it was obvious that she hadn't touched any form of shampoo or conditioner in who knew how long. The only victory she seemed to have over her hair was that it didn't look as bad as it could given its length. She knew to fix it up before the day started, but not much more.

But the hair was hardly the concern, nor was the burger any longer.

Misha's mind went blank, and instead of thoughts, there were memories, feelings, moments that had happened too long ago to date properly. In the span of moments she was reliving those times, those feelings, that love, that fear, that rage.

That regret.

Nadia's hands cradling her, sobbing as she ran her hands through her matted fur. Why was she crying? Misha didn't remember. She just knew something hurt, and marks of blood traced her sister's arm, in the pattern of teeth. She didn't cry from pain though, and who bit her?

Hands gripped her hair, jostling her sharply as she heard yelling, both from her father in his relentless rage and from her mother. Where was Nadia? Nadia always saved her from this. Where was Nadia?

Hands smelling sharply of alcohol grabbed at her face, at her collar and ears harshly and roughly, only pulled back with curses as she bit the hands of her mother as they came too close.

A daur reaching into the broken closet that she slept in once, retracting as her teeth greeted it. "By the goddess, Alex, the girl's bloody rabid!"

Nadia, Nadia, Nadia. Why did the name rise her heart with fear? Or was it grief? She was not dead, but why did the two emotions feel the same?


To Eliana, the sight could be a briefly scary one, but the motion was unmistakable. It was desperation, fear, and animalistic instinct rolled all into one as the burger fell to the tray, Misha's head jerked violently and no doubt painfully, and her teeth seared the air to bite at the hand that touched her head. The look in her eyes was a foreign one, the looks of a thing that did not see, did not reflect, it only felt. It was a horrid, wretched thing, a vessel of instinct and response, filled to the brim with fear. Yet, all the same, it saw to bite the thing that riled it.

The bite, assuming contact, was a harsh one, but not one that could break skin. The motion seemed as if something resisted it, making the bite painful but a warning a worst.

And that's when she came back to her own head, staring in abject horror at her own actions, and the cold laced pulse of fear and shame buried her beneath its weight. She wanted to run, hide, find somewhere else to slap her name, another name, any name, anything that would put a thousand days between here and there. "Nadia I'm sorry I-" She choked on her own words, but neglected to even notice the fault of name. Her hands clamped over her mouth to hide her quivering lips, and she stared at the fallen, collapsed and broken burger with a gut that felt like it no longer needed food. Her eyes were hot, feeling like they couldn't close and burned with the need to cry, yet she knew she couldn't, not here, not when people would judge her and come after her weakness. "I didn't mean to." Came a whispered, small voice.
 
For once is that Del stayed out of the whole commotion that the Laibe was making, this was not going to end well and the two harsh wording tends to have an effect on those that actually got wounded severely by their past. Del stops as he looked at the scared Daur reacting in defense when someone touched her, totally in panic and withdrawn of what actually just happened. Taking a deep breath as he lays down his food, this was so conflicting for himself. What was he bitching about in his whole life about the unright actions of the Kingdom, while there were people like this one that suffered greatly by the called kings and queens policy. Were they really that blind to turn their focus away from the problem.

Del signs and looked at the two Laibe, most likely amused by this all as he placed both his hands over each other "You see, not everyone has had a good life here. Please consider your words carefully...this one is too scared to even touch a decent meal or afraid to disappoint her surroundings" Del stood up and rested his hands on the table as he finally moved towards Misha and kneels next to her "It's okay, we are here for you" Delo looked at Eliana
 
Eliana's guard was completely down in that moment. She hadn't even been looking in Misha's direction when a sharp pain flared in her hand. Instinctively, she tugged her arm away from the source of the pain, but felt teeth scrape across her skin and Misha's head jostle forward slightly as Eliana's hand slid free.

"I'm sorry, I--" she began, but those eyes froze Eliana in place. She didn't see anything behind those hollow eyes. No joy, sorrow, love, or hate. Just a body controlled by an impulse to survive. Eliana right then finally realized how much she didn't know. She never had a particularly rough patch growing up and had the privilege to pursue her own happiness without clawing for survival. Was joining this group Misha's desperation to live? Eliana felt sick. She felt guilty. Enrolling here was a drunken choice for me to protest a political decision. Misha needed a place to receive life necessities and protection in return for anything the supplier wanted. Eliana felt like an ignorant child. She thought of Misha like a younger sister, but she realized how arrogant that was of her.

She flinched hearing Misha's apology, from the person who needed to apologize the least. The name Nadia felt like a nail in her heart. Something strong in Misha's locked up mind leaked out, and she wondered what it could mean. Why did Misha hold this person so dear, and what happened to reduce her to this state? Eliana pretended not to hear the name that now burned in her mind.

"It's okay, it doesn't even hurt," Eliana tried to say with a smile, but she couldn't bring herself to look at Misha or Del. She felt faint. She needed a moment alone.

"Let me get you a new burger, just hang on one second," she said, excusing herself from the table.
 
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Roman looked over to Delfino lazily. "Tch, what's the point, why bother joining up to fight the royals if you can't even handle lunch at a table, weaklings shouldn't be lumped in with the valuable fighters like us." The Laibe went back to his meal with a huff while his friend just shrugged and went about his own food, neither of them really showed any outward care however both had the same idea, this Misha seemed unhinged and potentially rabid and they were more than happy to avoid her as much as possible.

The other Daur around the table looked down at their food and fiddled with it in various ways, none of them wanted to get involved with the current scene unfolding. A couple stood up to follow Eliana back to the food, maybe to get seconds or possibly to avoid what they could all tell was coming.

”So, does anyone have a muzzle or something? We can’t just let this mutt run wild and be biting us all the time.” Roman asked, standing up and gesturing towards Misha with a harsh stare. “Or do you have some kind of command to make you stop huh?” The laibe asked with a sneer, nearly jabbing her in the chest as he pointed at the poor frightened girl.
 
There was an immediate dull ache in her neck, the kind that arose when one's head turned too sharply, with too much force, leaving only the restraints of the necks tendons and muscles to slow it to a stop. All too quickly, with haunted words, Eliana got up and moved away, Del taking her place next to her, though it did little to ease the pounding of her heart, and the cold adrenaline that would keep her awake at night. She had taken a bite at someone who had done nothing to her, and she couldn't see a way that it would turn out well from there. Expulsion from this group? Imprisonment for some kind of assault? She didn't know, but the sudden jeers drew her watery eyes upward, seeing Roman jabbing a finger uncomfortably close to her chest.

She could see his finger keeping its actual distance, but she felt it like it was drumming her ribcage. The water in her eyes shimmered, and anyone in the vicinity could tell from a glance that the girl was mere moments away from bursting into tears.

That's perhaps why the next movement would catch many by surprise.

Though her burger had splattered and fallen apart against the tray and table, the silverware had stayed neatly stacked on the tray. Her hands already next to it, it was a disturbingly swift motion that allowed her to grab the first utensil she could and sear it through the air, prongs of a fork pointed to stab the intruding hand. She watched it happen, but this time it was her hand, this time it was her will that moved it. Adrenaline burned cold, and words echoed, but they did not control, they merely advised.

"I can't always be there to protect you, Misha."

"Mm, why not?"

"I might not always be there. It might not even be mom or dad. It could be strangers."

"Mm."

"You need to protect yourself, too."

"But I don't want to hurt anybody."

"I know you don't. Hey, don't worry about it, little Misha. Come here, it won't be for a long time."


Nadia wasn't there to protect her, but Misha was. Tears streamed like a river and she could feel the sobs coming, her feet preparing to sprint her to the nearest door. Protect yourself, Misha. I can't always be there.
 
I shouldn't just suddenly keep my distance from Misha after that, then she might feel like she did something wrong, Eliana thought in a daze, idly picking up another tray and utensils. But but, if I get too close, I could be making her uncomfortable and hurt her more! But distance! But reassurance! WHICH ONE IS IT!? Eliana wanted to slam her head on the wall. This wasn't a problem she could punch, which made her terrible at handling it. She distracted herself from her dilemma by building a burger with actual toppings this time, making sure there was at least some vaguely healthy ones in there.

Just as she turned around, she caught sight of the fork glinting under the lights as it flashed towards the Laibe's hand.

Oh hell yeah, go Misha! was Eliana's first thought, followed by a panic for what might happen next. She carefully placed the tray down on a nearby table and quietly positioned herself behind the Laibe, ready to jump in if he started something.
 
Del shrug as he stood up from his kneeling position. He was not the best person to comfort the woman. But it was clear as daylight that whatever Misha had seen, brought her here for a reason. Her past was not merely a bad memory, but it was a poison that was eating her up from the inside. The Laibe didn't care, their pride was above them and Del could only give them a look of disappointment and then saw how tense Misha was getting as if in conflict to either run from her problems or face them. Making the moral choice to stay in the position he was in, Del looked neutral to the Laibe waiting...waiting for something to happen.

"You need to remember, a family is everything Del" Those words from his father were echoíng in the back of his mind. But why did he remember that, why did he feel like he was supposed to do something.
 
The fork pierced Roman's hand as the Laibe yelped at the sudden stabbing pain, Galdin immediately stood up sending his chair skidding across the floor as he picked up a knife and prepared to throw the deadly weapon right at Misha, his eyes narrowing in concentration as his arm tensed waiting to see what she did. Satisfied she wasn't going to become a real threat he simply watched on as Roman hissed through his teeth and pulled the offending fork and tossed it aside. Now that the adrenaline had kicked in, no one would be able to save the poor girl from his fury,

"You're about to fucking die you filth, I hope you've said your prayers."

Roman was standing too by this point and casually took a step forward while winding up his arm, delivering a swift backhand blow across Misha's face, strong enough to send the significantly smaller Shukarn sprawling across the floor. All eyes in the mess hall looked up, all mouths were shut and a quiet embraced the room of 100 initiates. The battle-trained Laibe cracked his knuckles as he approached the helpless girl, just like earlier Galdin had snuck up behind Eliana seeing the Daur attempting to step in, his own powerful grip often made for a good deterrent. Roman advanced on the helpless Daur and gave her a kick in the side, snickering as he did.

Before the relentless assault could continue however, the familiar figure of Felonia now blurred in motion flew across the table delivering a very powerful spinning kick to the side of Roman's head. The Laibe cried out for the second time of the day as he was sent tumbling into another table. Felonia adjusted her hair slightly and stepped down from the bench and moved over to crouch beside Misha, putting a hand on her shoulder while the girl lay on the ground.

"Are you injured, Misha?" The instructor said softly, keeping her hand softly resting on the girls shoulder.
 
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