[Center][b]Christopher, Joy, & the Direwolf[/b][/center]

With the full revelation made by Joachim and the decision of how the departures would work, there was nothing left except for everyone to get ready in their own ways. They departed at their own pace, went their own directions, and took their own actions; some went to immediately get ready, while others elected to take a little extra time to think and compose themselves, or to simply embrace what little free time they had left for the time being.

Unlike everyone else, however, the departure of Joachim Raizen was immediate. He said his farewells to the King and those who happened to be nearby, before he turned and simply walked from the castle. He did not take the time to prepare any sort of supplies, or anything like that; clearly, he was planning on simply procuring them along the way, more than intent to get a major headstart. Getting to Kyora would take any normal person or group two days, and he was aiming for even less time.

Meanwhile despite all previous evidence to the contrary, Christopher did not take this time to slack off. Instead, he seemed to be dedicated to getting himself ready as quickly as he possibly could. Perhaps he was actually thinking ahead for once, and considering he only had one arm now he had realized it would take him longer than anyone else, but that still didn't explain why he decided to get ready starting in the early afternoon; after all, he himself thought that even if he had no arms, he wouldn't need twelve hours to get ready.

Maybe it had something to do with a gut feeling he had, to get ready as soon as possible just in case something happened, but even then the feeling probably wasn't that defined. However, he still followed it, and so mere minutes after Joachim had finished speaking to them all he was in his room within the castle. It was one of the plainer ones, with very little decoration within; he had yet to taken the time to personalize it beyond his clothes in the drawers (or on the floor in some cases).

With his bag on the bed, back and forth he went. He clumsily folded each garment to the best of his ability, trying to minimize the space each one took before he went to the next. Already the blade was at his side, but his gauntlet, for once, had been taken off; it was lying next to the bag, simply waiting there as he went back and forth, back and forth. With the door open, his grumbles and curses could be heard floating down the hallway every so often, along with some scuffling as he had to go digging for something. 

"Need a hand?"

Joy stood with her shoulder resting against the doorway and her arms folded over her chest. If her words had been meant as a cruel joke at Christopher's expense then her face surely did not show it as she blew away a piece of hair that had swung in front of her eyes. A redness in her cheeks made her appear as if she had just been sprinting, and the way she had seemingly managed to already acquire all of her travelling gear within such a short window of time meant that the woman had either gone for a quick race home or had been hiding bug-out bags throughout the castle.

She did not move from the doorway; she wouldn't until Christopher invited her in, if he did. She wouldn't call them particularly close, but she felt as if he had been dodging her for the past few weeks—not that it wasn't for completely justifiable reasons. Joy had been pressuring him to study and train with her as opposed to that blasted paladin after watching his rather self-destructive fight with the Advisor, and she refused to go easy on him even if he was still injured. Hell, maybe it was because that he was injured that she was tough on him; injuries served as a good excuse to feel sorry for yourself and let your body slide into a dangerous state of atrophy, and she wasn't about to let that happen to someone who had been instrumental in ending their war. 

However, she hadn't stopped to talk to the boy about him skipping out on lessons; considering the recent news, a little bit of truancy was unimportant. She had stopped to close his door so that his damn cursing wouldn't echo throughout the entire fucking castles, she had only said something once she saw him struggling with what should've been such a simple task. Now, her gray eyes darted from Christopher to his bag to his clothes strewn about the place. Her eyebrow raised ever so slightly as the corner of her lip twitched upwards, her head tilting downward in an attempt to hide her amusement.

"Is all of that really necessary? I doubt the Gifted's going to say anything if he sees you wear the same pair of pants two days in a row," she said, looking back up at him with an actual smile. 

Like always, when Christopher took to a task he threw himself into it entirely, and even something as simple as packing was no exception. Of course, that meant he didn't hear Vesta coming at all, so when the woman spoke the reaction was... excessive, like anything when it came to the young man. He swore loudly as he jumped, and with the movement the clothes he had cradled into his arm went flying to the side. He turned, looking towards her, and when he realized who it was he swore once again, this time much more purposefully. Even with her between him and the hallway, it seemed like he was tensing to flee.

[b]"Uhhhh, hey Vesta. So I know I've been skipping out lately on the lessons and all, but, uh... We have a mission now so remediation will have to wait...?"[/b]

He trailed off the further he got in, when he realized that she wasn't here to punish him for all that he had worked so diligently on avoiding. It made his shoulders relax a little, though he sneered ever slightly at her last comment, glancing down to the bag and clothes all around before he looked up to her, rolling his eyes slowly and making a show of it in the process.

[b]"Yeah, yeah, I'm looking ahead. Mom knows I'm gonna get cut somehow in the coming days, and though my skin might repair my clothes don't. So... Extras to go around."[/b] It sounded more and more stupid the longer he talked, a trait that most of his ideas shared. He sighed, before dropping the bag down onto the bed, shrugging and bringing his hand up to run through his hair, pushing everything up briefly before then patting it back down.

[b]"But I'm probably good as is, now...?"[/b]

Joy raised an eyebrow when Christopher mentioned his mother; for a second there she had almost forgotten that she was in the same room as the son of a Divine, and the one that was seen as Barcea's Patron no less. Perhaps some would act differently to the lad if they knew that but Joy, well, she had met his mother; if anything, she would rather forget that encounter outright—more than anything, it had been rather embarrassing. She shifted uncomfortably and chased the thought away, her eyes lingering on the dropped bag. She wanted to say something about how he wouldn't have to worry about getting hit if he had attended her lessons, but she held her tongue. 

"So I should just leave you alone, then?" she asked, closing her eyes for a moment. She didn't move from the doorway; she could feel words forming in her mouth, and she wasn't certain that she had the restraint to hold them back. Her jaw moved from side to side as if she was trying to swallow them, and then she reopened her eyes slowly. They were gone; she'd give herself a pat on the back later. She pushed herself off of the door frame and began to straighten herself out. "Okay, fine. I hate folding clothes anyway."

[b]"Sounds good to me."[/b] He crouched down then, to pick up the bag-

[b]"You don't honestly believe you're coming along, do you?"[/b] This was another voice, but it was another one to make him immediately tense. However, unlike with Vesta, Christopher didn't feel like this situation would have quite as easy of a solution. The Direwolf, after all, was leaning against the wall across of the hallway, waiting behind Vesta, and had approached completely silently. There was, of course, what he had said as well.

[b]"The hell are you going on about?"[/b] Christopher couldn't keep the snarl out of his voice, so it was clear he already had some idea of what Alsius was talking about. The red haired man's eyebrow raised ever sightly.

[b]"I didn't stutter, did I boy? You're not coming along. You're just a hassle now."

"Fuck off."[/b]

Joy found herself caught between the two, hot air hitting her from both sides. Normally she would just push right by the Direwolf—unlike most, she wasn't intimidated by the man—and ignore the whole situation, assuming the man just didn't want Christopher along because he was a bit of a curmudgeon. Hell, she was a bit of a curmudgeon; she'd even agree that having Christopher (and pretty much anyone else) around was a hassle, although with the boy it was largely just because it meant the Paladin would be following them around so that he could keep babysitting the kid. However, the word [i]now[/i] stuck out to her like a sore thumb. Joy folded her arms over her chest and stood so that she blocked the door, challenging the Direwolf with a withering stare.

"And why is that, Alsius?" she said, her voice tight. 

[b]"It worries me having a liability involved."

"What?!"[/b] Christopher snapped.

[b]"The essence of combat is to strike at the vulnerabilities, the weaknesses of one's opponent. If you go to Kyora, many like the Phantasm will feel the need to protect you considering your new condition. You will give Yaguar a place to strike. Many here will give him a place to strike. Why do you think the Phantasm left alone?"[/b]

Alsius' hand came up, pointing at Christopher. [b]"To the Phantasm, your current existence is nothing but an impediment."[/b] He then pointed to Vesta. [b]"To her, your current existence is nothing but an impediment, whether she admits it or not."[/b] His hand then lowered. [b]"To me, your current existence is nothing but an impediment. To the King, your current existence is nothing but an impediment."[/b]

Joy could almost feel her knee flare up in pain like it used to do. She knew what the Direwolf was trying to say, but she wanted to hear him say it. She stepped forward, her teeth set and her hand squeezed into a fist, and glowered at him. She rose her hand up as if she were ready to hit him even if he was nearly a foot taller than her, only for her fist to change into a single pointing finger that prodded him in his chest.

"And what, tell me," she said, her voice hissing as she prodded him again, "do you mean by his [i]new condition[/i]?"

The Direwolf simply gave another slow blink, having not flinched in the slightest when the first rose at first, and he certainly didn't flinch when she poked him twice. [b]"You obviously know what I'm talking about. He's fresh from missing an arm, and still doesn't know how to compensate for it. If he's that desperate to kill himself, let him do it himself here and now, rather than taking others out with him as they try to protect him. Things will be less messy that way."

"He's right..."[/b] Christopher said this quietly... And yet something about his tone made it clear he wasn't responding to what Alsius had just said.

"I see," said Joy, her voice strained. "I suppose I learned how to compensate for it when I was all busted up, then? Or would you have rather I fallen on my sword if I hadn't have been patched up."

[b]"Unlike him, you had experience."[/b] Still the Direwolf spoke calmly, clearly having no issue defining the difference between the two of them. [b]"You could compensate."[/b]

[b]"I probably am nothing but a liability right now, aren't I?"[/b] Christopher spoke once again. [b]"I am hurt, and I'm young too. I doubt he's the only one who thinks that, it only makes sense."[/b] His voice remained quiet and his gaze was downcast... And then, suddenly, he looked up, eyes practically blazing. [b]"Guess I'll just have to fucking prove them WRONG!"[/b] As he stepped forwards, he pushed past Vesta suddenly even as Alsius moved to get in his way.

[b]"MOVE, ARGENTUM! IF YOU DON'T, I'LL MAKE YOU MOVE!"

"No, you will not."[/b]

Before Vesta could try and stop him, Christopher took a swing with a yell-

But Alsius simply turned to the side, avoiding it. One hand snapped up, grabbing Christopher by the wrist. In that moment, Christopher's body twitched, and perhaps he would have thrown another punch if he could have. Instead, Alsius' other hand curled into a fist, and then was sent straight into the stump of Christopher's other arm. The boy's eyes widening in shock and pain, only able to gasp as blood suddenly flowed with a sickening crack. However, Alsius wasn't done with that.. With ease he lifted Christopher up, swinging him over himself and sending Christopher crashing onto his back, hard-

And there, Alsius curb-stomped the stump as Christopher screamed, blood flying into the air. The Direwolf was completely indifferent.

"Stop, you id—" was all Joy could get out before the hall filled with Christopher's screams as the Direwolf easily turned his attack against him. She knew that the boy had made a mistake letting the Direwolf provoke him, but any chance of her siding with Alsius on this one burned away in a kiln of quiet fury as she watched her compatriot follow up with an unnecessarily cruel attack. She didn't lose her temper often, but he had crossed the line. The man's back was turned to her, but surely he would recognize the sound of steel leaving a sheath; he was lucky that she was above backstabbing, even if the person was a barbaric dog.

"Alsius, I think it would behoove you to leave the boy alone now," she said, her sword pointed towards the ground but ready to snap to action in a single second if the Direwolf was stupid enough to try and beat her speed, "because if you touch one of my students ever again, I will [i]fucking[/i] kill you."

The Direwolf slowly looked over his shoulder to Vesta, gaze still cold and calm. He slowly straightened, and once again his eyebrow raised slightly. His hand was already on his blade, more than ready to be drawn. [b]"You see, I would if they didn't strike first. As I have told you, the essence of combat is to strike at the vulnerabilities of one's opponent. There is no fair or unfair. There is no student and master. The Phantasm isn't going to some sort of sparring match or knightly duel in Kyora. He goes to a death match."[/b] Slowly, he looked back to Christopher, even as the boy struggled to get on his feet. [b]"This is not for you. Stay here in Kyora."[/b]

Tensed, Christopher managed to take his feet, but it was with a fair stumble as well. [b]"No weakness here, asshole. Weakness means I'd be done with you hitting me there, right? Might hurt, but I'M NOT FUCKING DOWN YET."[/b]

In that moment Christopher moved again, throwing one brutal punch that Alsius blocked with both arms. [b]"SO GET OUT OF MY WAY, ARGENTUM. I'VE GOT A POINT TO PROVE NOW."[/b]

Alsius simply rolled his eyes, but at the same time he moved, slipping around Christopher to put the young one between Vesta and himself. [b]"So intent sealing your fate.... I won't let you. And I won't let you complain that my blade was the reason why you lost."[/b] The weapon was then dropped, his arms coming up once again. [b]"I'll beat you with your own choice to make it sink in; with fists."[/b]

Joy glowered at Christopher; the boy should really learn that sometimes it was smarter to just stay down. He was doing a marvelous job of proving the Direwolf's point, although even if she could see that she still refused to agree with it. Honestly, at this point she could no longer tell if the Direwolf was actually trying to convince Christopher that he should stay behind or rile him up to the point that he forge on ahead, fueled by a fire in his stomach. Yet at this point, she didn't really even care. They were acting like idiots, both of them, but she'd still try and stop them from destroying each other. Well, Alsius would destroy Christopher, and she would have to put down the Direwolf in return. She wouldn't actual kill him, not unless he killed Christopher, but there would be something poetic about crippling him. 

"Christopher," she said, shoving past the boy, "if you try to hit Alsius again I swear I will cut your other damn arm off. I know you've been hit in the head so many times that your tiny brain can't even fathom the concept of it, but someone should feel ashamed when they fuck up that bad twice."

"And Alsius," she continued, leveling her weapon at his chest, "you're a knight of Barcea. Perhaps you should act like it for once, instead of just behaving like some schoolyard bully. Get lost."

She stood turned between the two, her eyes shifting between each of them looking for the slightest sign of them moving to make an attack. Although it was her sword that was raised, it would be her hard scabbard that would deliver the blow if one of them tried to act. It would be like a teacher using a ruler to smack a misbehaving student, only she would be looking to shatter the small bones in a wrist of an idiotic adult instead. 

For a moment, the tension remained. Even with Vesta between the two of them, they continued to stare each other down, ready to strike at a moment's notice. The threat of the blade and scabbard seemed to be doing little to deter them... And then, quite suddenly, Alsius straightened, giving a slight humph. He turned, picking up his blade and placing it back at his side even as he walked away, speaking without looking back over his shoulder:

[b]"Act as high and mighty as you want, Debove. You're about as effective as a teacher as you were a guard, judging from how that idiot is behaving. And with you continuing to get in the way, I can only do so much to keep the idiot from killing himself, along with whoever he can drag down with him."[/b]

With that, the Direwolf was gone, leaving just Vesta and Christopher behind. For a moment, the young man was silent before he turned, fist lashing out to punch the wall. [b]"Divinesdammit..."[/b]

Joy let out a frustrated sigh as she rolled her neck and put away her blade. Alsius's words stung, but she was glad neither of them had tried to push past her—not that a part of her didn't want to have the satisfaction of cracking her scabbard over either one of them at this point, although if she had her choice she'd still probably prefer for it to have been Alsius. Christopher was acting like a child, but the Direwolf had been the one provoking him knowing full well how the kid would've reacted. She wiped something wet off of her threat, briefly surprised to see a smear of red on her hand: Christopher's blood. Frowning, her eyes traced the dent in the wall around his fist, up his arm, and around his back before settling on the heavily bleeding stomp; she could hear her teeth gnashing together in quiet anger. 

"Diane can patch that up," she said, despite knowing full well that Christopher's gift would eventually cause his wounds to heal up anyway. She put her hand on his good shoulder, "Come on, I'll take you to her."

There was just a second of silence, and then Christopher shrugged away, giving a shake of his head as he did so. [b]"No, fuck that."[/b] Turning on his heel he stepped back into his room, picking up the bag that had been tossed aside and placing it on the bed. After giving it one last check, he finally set it down before he picked up the gauntlet where it was still resting, then holding it out to her.

[b]"Help me get this thing on."[/b]

She took the gauntlet in hand, her mouth drawn thin, and stepped behind him to more easily adjust the straps. There was no tenderness in her touch, but she kept the straps loose enough to prevent them from cutting the circulation off to his hand while making sure they were tight enough to keep the gauntlet from sliding off. Finished, she walked back in front of Christopher and looked him directly in the eyes, unblinking.

"Alsius is wrong, but so are you. You [i]are[/i] weak," she said, raising her hand to stop him from not letting her finish. "It's not because you're a cripple. I won't lie and say that there's a hidden strength in it, but enough people will underestimate you that it can be advantageous. Your weakness is that you're a hothead, you're easily provoked, and you have no patience. Anybody could use that against you." She sighed, running her hand through her hair, "But if you can ask for help with getting dressed, maybe you'll be smart enough to take what I have to say to heart."

[b]"I know."[/b] He grumbled, shifting his arm some after the woman was finished putting the gauntlet on. He gave a slight flex of his fingers, and with it sparks jumped over the digits, before he clenched his fist. [b]"Thanks for the help. I'll see you in Kyora."[/b] He stated this simply before he grabbed his bag, turning to leave his own room.

Joy stepped to the side to let him pass and then turned to watch him go, her brow knitted tight. It was like she had said, the boy had no patience; at this rate, he would probably get himself killed—which would then make Alsius right, and that was something Joy could not abide by. With a huff she hurried after Christopher, positioning herself directly beside his bloodied side; he was weak, he was a impediment, but, damn it, he was her student and she would protect him. The others in her class would appreciate the break, anyway. 

"Divines knows what your mother would do if I let you venture off without a chaperone," said Joy, the corners of her lips hinting at an almost playful smile as she fell in stride with him. "And trust me, I'm a better travelling companion than Damon fucking Dubois, although that's not saying much..."

Christopher simply snorted slightly, but he also gave a nod as he shouldered his pack a little more securely. [b]"If you're so insistent, I won't try to stop you. Thanks."[/b]