[IC] The Demon Hunters' Academy

[Spawnling]

The room was silent for a bit, before the door opened. Hunter looked at Eika fidgeting, then gave a sigh.

"No, it's okay...you can come in...just...shut the door after."

He pulled a chair out for her to sit in, making sure she could find it before he went back to the edge of the bed and sat down, rubbing his temples. He glanced back at her, eyes hooded as his thoughts ran about. Too harsh, strength in numbers...he remembered his Overwatch classes, mind flashing back to everything he was told during the first few sessions.

---

"It's important that you remember that no matter what happens, you keep your cool! This job is the single most stressful one you can have as a demon hunter, got it?"

Hand went up, and the teacher pointed at a girl sitting behind Hunter.

"Sir, wouldn't Knight be more stressful? Or even Tamer? They're dealing with demons directly, they could die at any moment."

The teacher, a large man named Robins, wiped the whiteboard, talking with his back to the class.

"Don't go around saying this, but the Knight's have the easiest jobs around. They have one purpose: Kill the demon. They don't need to worry about anything else, if they do, they're not doing their jobs right. Why would Overwatch be so stressful, anyone?"

Silence...Hunter tapped a pencil, then tentatively raised his hand. The teacher gave a nod.

"Um...because we're watching everything?"
"Why would that be stressful?"

Hunter paused again, mind blanking. Robins sat on his desk.

"Let's try practicing a scenario. You're with a team of two knights, an archer, and a medic. Two knights are holding the demons off while the medic heals the archer. Demons are coming up behind them. Hunter?"
"Uh, I-"
"Too late, the Archer is dead. The Medic is backing up, the Knights haven't noticed yet. Misha?"
"Tell them to turn around and help the medic!"
"One knight turns around, manages to get between the demon and the medic. The first knight takes a claw to the leg. He's down. Candace?"
"I-"
"They're dead, you were all too slow."

The class was silent, uncomfortably so, following the scenario. Robins folded his arms.

"What went wrong?"

---

Hunter glanced up at Eika again.

"...sorry, if I came off as...harsh. But...my job relies on information. I...need to see the bigger picture to be effective. That's what I'm trained for, it's what I do. Sometimes that means...being patient in bad situations. You're right, I didn't think about how the others felt...but in this situation, we don't get the luxury of being tired, mistakes are costly...Nuisance knew something. He didn't want us dead, but that doesn't mean he isn't an enemy. We didn't intimidate him, despite the numbers, but I think we surprised him. That's good enough for now I suppose...""

He smiled, knowing she couldn't see it, but doing it anyways.

"You know, every Overwatch sniper has to have mandatory counseling every 3 months? Apparently we start to go crazy faster than anyone else, because of how our job affects us. Something to look forward to I suppose. Well, regardless, there's not much we can do now but wait. We don't know anything else. In the morning, after everyone's had some rest, and I've uh...calmed down...I think it would be best to discuss not just the situation, but rather how we can all work together better. At this point, I don't think partners are cutting it. We need a full team. And that means everyone working together, not just a couple of us while the rest do what they want."

The sniper tilted his head, examining Eika carefully. He hadn't really paid attention to the others during all this time. Best way to help make a team is to learn about your team mates he realized. She was sweet, that much was sure. caring, but not so much in a motherly way but rather a...sympathetic way. Like she had overdeveloped senses of empathy. She always seemed so...analytical, calculating every time he had overheard her speak in class. This situation must have thrown everyone out of whack. Hunter normally wouldn't have burst like that, he wasn't one to share such...strong emotions. His thoughts flicked back to the class for a moment, before shaking them away.

"This is going to seem a little off subject, but why are you being so nice to me? Whenever I saw you in class, you seemed more...sorry for being blunt, cold and a little manipulative."

Well that's one way to get rid of someone, way to go.

"Wait, that came out a little harsh. I mean...you know how to play a situation against someone, which is a good strength to have, but...it just seems out of character here."

The sniper rubbed the back of his head. He always was bad with girls...maybe he should go back to keeping his thoughts inside. Like...forever.

[NarcissisticPotato]

Her sights were already lined up in the general vicinity of the demon who seemed to be finding whatever the other hunters had to say, rather hilarious. It didn't matter where she hit him - her bullets were pretty poisonous if the shrapnel of them got into the bloodstream. Of course, she could feel the power dripping from him and knew that the few rounds she had on her person would not suffice to bring down such a beast. Strangely enough though, she had the nagging feeling that he wasn't much of a beast; he felt remarkably civil from the hesitant prods she unleashed on him.

Still though, Cara wasn't taking a single chance. Her focus on the situation was so much so that she barely even caught the tail end of Claws' apology. "About earlier- I didn't mean that. The only demons I had in mind were the ones that were out to kill us, but I guess that's my fault for being so narrow-minded, huh? I'm sorry about all that."

Her sigh must not have been sufficient evidence enough that she wasn't in the mood for some teary-eyed encounter. Still though, she couldn't help but feel a pang of tolerance towards the same person that she had branded an "Asshole" only a few minutes earlier. They were all going through a hard time, admittedly and maybe he just didn't have the biggest mental capacity? Not only that but the sociable side of her knew that appearing as an uptight bitch wasn't the best idea.

Turning around, she lowered her gun to the ground and watched him with hesitant eyes, slowly narrowing as if to judge him before she deemed him acceptable. Her small hand darted out and took his in a shy handshake. "Look, Claws-" Was it really the best idea to use her mental nickname for him in this situation? "-I know that we're going through a lot but keep your mouth shut for a bit. I'm not the biggest fan of killing puppies- not to say that you're a puppy or anything or that I have any like of killing puppies..." Just shut up already, Cara. "Look, people just won't take very kindly to you throwing around names like that." A light blush touched her cheeks - she really was horrible at all these social encounters.

Pulling her hand away with slightly downcast eyes, she resumed her watch to discover that the demon had disappeared and left the other hunters at the gate looking rather confused. Cara felt relieved - she wasn't particularly fond of demons after spending most of her childhood around them but she still felt weary from filling her own kind with bullets.

Realising that she wasn't tired enough to warrant rest and that the demon incident had blown over, she made do with trying to repair the already strained relationship between her and Claws. Standing, she slung her gun around her shoulder again and shot her small hand up again. "I'll go with you-" Steve? Was it Steve? All she could remember was Jelly. "-Steve?" She answered but made it seem hesitant enough to forge it into a question of sorts. "Yeah... Steve." She confirmed to herself before nodding and padding after him. The cute little demon was still with him and she looked kind of hungry but Cara thought that fruit probably wasn't on her list of desirable foods.

[Shiinen]

The door closed behind her, a gentle thanks slipping past her lips as he helped her to a chair and she rubbed her temples a bit before perking up and sitting straight in her seat. ...His words held their merit. They made sense...Though part of her couldn't help but comment on a small part of his words in relation to the job he had.

"...I can't say I quite know what it's like to have to see a bigger picture."

...Yikes. There...kinda was that, there. As she adjusted her stance in the chair she had been helped to, her cane was picked up to rest upon her lap with a soft mumble slipping from her lips. How to go about this...A click of the tongue and she was left wondering how to address his words and inquiries in their appropriate manners. ...A thump of her cane's bottom hitting the ground came as she leaned in on it, glazed orbs looking "through" him as she offered a smile of her own to him. He had given an apology of sorts. That was enough for her, though he would need to offer it to everyone -- on top of his insight of why he did it in the first place at that.

"Then I'll be your counselor. I would like to help you. And I'm great listener since I can't see a damned thing. ...Ah. Don't worry about the harshness. It's fine. ...Here. Let me tell you a story. Perhaps it will offer you some insight as to why I'm nice to you, and why I act as I do."

With a motion to that, she drew one of her hands up to her eyes, a small motion made to gesture to it before dropping her hand and speaking out once again. Seemed she had something of a little tale to tell.
"My sight. I gave it up a long time ago because there were...things. Scary things that I could see that nobody else could. ...Not even the teachers here know about them. They introduced themselves to me as 'White Angels'. Not demons, nor angels...Pristine white beings that only I could see as a little girl. I was sent here by my aunt because I summoned Id, Ego, and a white angel -- Immortalis. The giant armored knight you saw. The only one who knows of it is my private Familiar instructor, because...I accidentally summoned him my third day here to stop some people from bullying me for being blind. Anyways..."

She cleared her throat, a motion made to change the subject in order to get on with her little story.
"I gave up my sight...Because I was so tired of being called crazy for seeing things that nobody else saw that I couldn't take it anymore. I made my contract with my Familiars when I was ten. ...It was...actually easier because of that. ...People stopped calling me crazy, but instead...I had to live with receiving pity or ridicule for being helpless as I am now without them. So I...had to learn to take that pity and shift it into things that could help me progress with my everyday life as a result. ...Play to the mercy of others in order to be given an alternative means of achieving what I needed. It's because I don't like being called out on my blindness that I don't...talk to people much. When the whole fight happened because of Ego, it had been because of some boys that had been doing just that -- making fun of me for being blind, calling me a liability. Handicap. Hopeless. Just another dead statistic on the battlefield if they ever even let me graduate. ...Then I was assigned to you. When we met, you didn't utter a single poor word."

...Her body would cease leaning against her cane in favor of tapping his leg softly -- making sure he was there -- and promptly reaching out until her hand found his chest to press it against the area where the human heart was.
"For the first time in a while, this...didn't feel heavy from having to swallow down my pride and accept any pity-laced words, or biting back my tongue and taking in another batch of insults. That's why I'm nice to you. ...You gave me no reason to be cold. You only gave me reason to actually like being around you. You're...probably the only person right now that I'd even ask to read stories with at the moment. ...Err...Wait, that came out weird, hold on."

Her hand would drop, raising up to scratch at her head for a moment before nodding -- as if she'd found the solution to her word-blunder.
"I read stories a lot. Make them up or have Id voice them so. ...It's a hobby of mine to sit in the library and read the books as a result. I know it seems childish or stupid, but it's something I'd like to do with you sometime, if it isn't minded. I read some rather out-there things though...Might creep you out a bit. The biggest point would be, however, that you'd have a time of calm. Which, as you described your job for Overwatch, you would desperately need when not on the battlefield. Anyways. I hope I might have alleviated some of your concerns and questions."

[Tokki]

Blake continuously scratched the back of his head in response to the gunner's reply, anxiety having risen in the pit of his belly. She was definitely someone he wouldn't want to mess with, considering he'd given her a terrible first impression. Whilst all this was going on, the part-puppy couldn't help but notice one of the silhouettes at the gate disappear into thin air from the corner of his eye. Once again, shock, confusion and more confusion took place after that incident. Try keeping your mouth shut- the blonde exorcist mentally noted down. It was hard thinking logically during such events, but then again maybe he wasn't trying hard enough.

From the window he could see the students making their way back to the dorms, or what seemed like it. They moved precariously, as if waiting for something else to happen- after all that's happened that day, who wouldn't? Surprises were not really surprises at this point. A sigh of relief left Blake's lips as they were given another break from things to go wrong. Maybe another breather was all they needed, from the looks on everyone's tired faces. He couldn't blame them. Organizing plans, strategies and carrying them out were never the easiest things to do-- and it showed on everyone's faces.

"Do we really have to go check out the back, now?" he glanced back at the students approaching the dorms, unsure if they should meet up and discuss further plans or leave and check out the back of the building for further measures.

[LetterA]

Ixion Farbright

The blue haired teen watched in bated breath at the small pause that followed the demon's disappearance. When Ase turned around, however, his shoulders visibly relaxed. Surely she would know if it left, and her turning her back meant that it really was gone. The two made brief eye contact, Ixion offering a small smile that faltered in his eyes. There was something... wrong. He was already walking towards her when blood started to seep over her porcelain white skin, his footsteps speeding to a light jog landing before her right after she'd gotten up... then promptly collapse.

"Ase," he said rather than asked, holding her tentatively. He glanced up at the sound of clattering and loud squeaks, his armored hand rising just in time to prevent the wheelchair riding girl from sweeping by them. "Hey now, hey now," he scolded over his shoulder, to a Hunter that was wrapped up in a tirade, his peripheral catching sight of a pissed looking little blonde girl. His hold on Ase tightened, but idiots didn't know the meaning of anger, and his shoulders relaxed once more. Besides, the guy was right. Honestly, Ixion felt a bit bad that he wasn't a bit more... composed. And yes, he could've blamed it on fatigue, nerves, the blasted chills and headaches but... man, everyone was on edge right now. And all Ixion seemed to manage with was staying in the backgrounds.

He sighed inwardly as Jace's words washed over him simultaneously, his blue eyes following after the tamer as he stalked into the dorms once more, followed by the blonde. The shark boy volunteered the idea of a group meeting indoors, to which Ixion nodded in response. "That seems like a good plan," he replied, standing with grace, carrying Ase bridal style. He'd picked the little lady plenty of times before that day, but it'd been the first that he'd handled her with such fragility and and delicacy. It was almost as though she was weightless, he inwardly thought, wondering if her consciousness and bit of blood had added to her weight.

"Hey, you," Ixion said to the girl with the horns, a polite smile on his face, "Eidnz, right? You can heal up Ase when we get inside." He nodded his head towards the dorms, starting for them, continuing with, "Come on, let's go."

Upon entering the dorm building once more, the first comment he heard were the last slivers of Blake asking- "...check out the back, now?"
"It should be fine," Ixion commented, making his way to the nearest couch, pushing it aside slightly with his foot to make room for the demon healer's wheelchair. "But if you guys are gonna check it out, better keep your phones on you. We don't want any... we need better communication." The teen took to kneeling by the couch Ase was on, waving the wheelchair bound classmate over to him before he added to Blake quickly, "Oh- but you guys shouldn't leave quite yet. Shar- Darius- wants a quick... chat."

---

Gabriel "Angel" Avlon

"I think, I should help."

Angel glanced at his partner, face full of obvious half-shock at how... uncharacteristically brazen she was. "Well, sure go-" started Angel ushering Sel'Ar along, only to be interrupted as someone practically shoved her away.

"Hey!" shouted the blonde in indignation, his hands balling into fists, pausing only when an older, blue haired boy stopped Sel'Ar from free riding it out- and the accompanying glare also sort of did it. He was still pretty ticked off at the sniper that went off on a rant, though, and decided to rebel on his speech by not paying attention. His blue eyes rolled in annoyance as the taller male stormed off, pocketing his weapons back into his bag, starting off behind another, rather tall, probably much older teen. From behind he heard the small offer of a team meeting, but Angel reckoned he probably wouldn't be one invited. Children like him weren't even supposed to be in a situation like this.

Angel decided to go to his room instead, opening it with a small, "I'm back," as a greeting, to a room mate that was in a field trip far away. Shutting the door behind him, Angel stripped himself of his bag, resting it by the bed, afterwards tugging at his pigtails, letting loose his long hair. Weary as he was, he still started to change out of his dirtied clothes, taking off his shirt with more effort than it usually took. Falling back onto his bed, Angel looked at his slightly scorched, dirtied, smudged shirt, his eyes trailing from it to the bruising skin on his stomach. No doubt under his socks he would have several as well, he reckoned, as he slipped off his shoes while scooting backwards till his back hit wall.

He didn't want to be here. The only reason he even started that fight was because that dumbass wouldn't take no for an answer and kept trying to flip up his skirt. Sure, he threw the first punch, but the only outcome he expected was a detention at most. Sure, being left out of that field trip was a bummer, but this- heat blurred Angel's eyes, water glazing over their blue hue- this was awful. There was only so much a 'prodigy' could take, he shouted in his head, his teeth biting down on his lower lip to fight back the hiccups. Angel's ears burned, his nose watering as he sniffled back snot as quietly as he could, his back scratching against the wall as his shoulders shook. Tears rolled slowly down Angel's flushed cheeks, almost as slowly as his whimpers were soft.

God, he prayed, his fingers clasped over his dirtied tee. I just wanna go home.

---

"Yes, I helped out over at Platinum City's Academy," said a man that switched out a hole ridden coat for a new one, his attire still managing to be classy despite being plentifully bestrewn with ash and fading burns. "I just finished up over in Emerald, too. How is it back there?"
Silence was met with the sudden noise of static, blurring out, "Fine- we managed to get rid of the Dangerous ones. We don't know what's happening, though. Do you....?"
"Sadly, no," replied the older gentleman as he slipped on his gloves, "But I have a hunch. I'll help with cleanup over in Platinum later tonight. Have the people evacuated?"
"No, the Origin died out too quickly for the situation to be Dire. Speaking of dying out too quickly, though..."
"If you're talking about the mass homicides- if it could be even called that- yes, it's being investigated. In fact, it's only adding onto my hunch."
"I see."

There was a pause, followed by the soft clacking of heels as the man started for the door. His pocket hummed once more with static, following with muffled words- "Oh, and you should pick up some of the left over kids in the Platinum Academy. We got a call earlier when it happened."
"Understood."

[deadpixel101]

Maxamillion "Hulk" Lovecannon

Max was about to make a move to sulk into a nearby bed, but instead, someone had some bones to pick. An angry white haired sniper came out rambling something about how immature Max and the others at the gate were. When Max got a sharp look he just shrugged slightly and stated taking hsi gloves off. The flaming mumbles of the thin kid sort of became background noise as Max tuned in everything but him.

Whatever you say captain...

Waiting for the sniper to storm off the scene, Max looked now to the much more calm shark-boy. Team meeting? He didn't really feel like it...

"uh..." Max looked back to the gate. He was throwing up resting or being alone again, both had benefits.

"Fine. I'll be in the...dorm." He gave a small wave, meaning a sort of thank you, agreement, and compliance over to Darius. Heading into the building he made sure to steer clear of Ase. Looking over how the blue haired kid was handling her. Better him than me... He doubted he would have done such a delicate job.

Finding a spot on the floor, with his back to the wall, Max waited for the expectantly tired and solemn meeting to come. He wondered how much he would end up sharing. Usually he would just sit, maybe nod away to sleep...but this situation might actually need him to weigh in...

This is a long ass day...

Sel'ar M. Eindz

Just as words found her ears, which no matter what they were, would have been enough for Sel'ar. She found herself rolling off without control. Losing the pointed finger and dry words in the travel, she found herself stopped at the last second by a blue haired boy. Sel was now clenching her hands in panic over her mouth. They were burning, the rubber had been to much for her to stop, and she was worried she would run the poor girl over.

Luckily this boy had been here.

"Th-thank you...yes." She thanked the boy and nodded in agreement to his idea of heading inside. She waited for him to make is way comfortable indoors, then began squeaking her way over. Her hands feeling raw when she pushed herself, but it wasn't all too bad...

Carefully and with some trouble, Sel'ar maneuvered into the building, landing herself beside the couch where the white haired girl now lay.

She didn't know who to ask really, to actually start healing...Then again, in this situation, she was probably just okay to go ahead an start.

Lightly humming the same tune from before, a familiar pink orb formed after some slight shaking. This time over, the orb was considerably larger, big enough to encompass Ase's entire head.

Gently hovering the energy over the girl, she focused wholly on getting her back to the waking world. Nothing else really mattered to her anymore, everything went blank, and Sel was alone, with her patient.

[Marshmellow]

"Alright then." Darius broke the silence that had fallen over the party after his suggestion. Having heard only one assent, he decided that was good enough for now.

"All those that want to meet, I'll be in the cafeteria." It was a large space, it was less destroyed than the rest of the academy, and it was far from the walls. It would be a good spot to plan their next move, and keeping all of this away from the dorms seemed like a good idea. "We'll start in an hour. If you have things to do before then, or just need to get your thoughts in order, you've got time."

With that, Darius buckled his sword into its sheath--little more than a leather strap really, given the irregular shape of the blade--and started in the direction of the cafeteria. Oh, if only there hadn't been a massive attack on the school mere hours ago, he could have set up a powerpoint for the occasion; any presentation is improved with a good pie chart. Unfortunately, that seemed to be out of the question right now, given the unreliability of the power around here and the lack of a projector. Maybe next time.

He left the courtyard to the few students that remained.