TheHangedMan

Yokai Academy, School of Monsters

@13org Ah, okay got it. Though a needle and a throwing knife are two really different things.

Yokai Academy, School of Monsters

@13org He drew the knife the first time Cabal showed up in front of him, when he was with Fox-Girl. He did it out of instinct, if I recall, that's why Cabal knows he has it :D

And yeah, in general Cabal has a non-human mindset, so he does things that are incomprehensible to a lot of the more human-minded monsters. Expect to see that cause a lot of misunderstandings.

Yokai Academy, School of Monsters

@13org Stick a knife at your own peril xD
Anyway, to explain Cabal's attitude, he classifies prey as "weak" and predators as "strong", but that does not necessarily mean that prey are the Hunted. It just means they're weaker and should act like it, which means not picking fights with "predators" in the same way a predator would. If you're prey, you fight like prey, not like a predator.

He sees Einar as prey trying to be a predator, since he keeps trying to aggravate Jackal (who is definitely an apex predator) for no reason.

Of note, when Cabal compares himself to Jackal, he is also prey. Which is why he's so confused by the way Einar acts around him. In his eyes, it's like he's committing suicide by stupidity.

Also, he's a Social Darwinist. Make of that what you will.

Yokai Academy, School of Monsters

I think I'll making it a running gag where Cabal has yet to discover Einars gender. Yes, that sounds good.

Yokai Academy, School of Monsters

@13org & @dragonmancer & @ViannaNight & @KatherinWinter

---

Cabal Attends Classes With Classmates (01)

Cabals gaze hardened as he watched white-haired girl go, unperturbed by his sudden show of deadliness. He smelled the knife on her before she had taken it out; in fact, he had seen her draw it before. As such, it was no longer a surprise, or a threat.

Fool girl, he thought. In trying to establish her position as predator, she'd inadvertently confirmed her position as prey -- at least, she was prey as far as the ash-boy was.

In fact, it was worse than that. She was not just prey, she was prey that thought it could play predator against those higher in food-chain. The Ash-Boy was power. He could feel it through his skin. Wild, untamed, juvenile power just waiting to be unleashed. On the other hand, the White-Hare was limited to her smaller existence. Yes, she had tools and perhaps wit to help her surmount what would have previously been impossible for her, but conversely, the existence of those tools was proof of her own weakness. A crutch for the weak to give them some semblance of strength.

And there were just powers that could not be surmounted with mere crutches.

Shaking his head, he looked for his own seat, ending up behind the Fox-Girl and looked on as she gave her own mockery of an apology to the Ash-Boy. He nearly spat in disgust. Delusion, he could forgive, but this was now arrogance. An insult veiled by the thin lie of apologizing! It was one thing if he simply wanted to apologize, but she not only acted childish, but she acted like she was somehow the right thing.

"Why even bother with an apology if you're aware it isn't decent? Might has well not have bothered." he hissed loudly, repulsed by the false display of courtesy. "I wasn't aware that backhanded insults counted as making amends these days. In fact, an insult would've been better; it's less pretensions."

He said that loud enough to be heard by the both of them, and anyone else nearby. He could care less about the Ash-boy's pride -- let it be ground to dust for all he cared. What he couldn't stand people were who acted like this. Liars he could stand, swindlers he could tolerate, but fakers? No, not if they deigned to act in front of him. He would put him on the spot if it meant exposing this stupidity.

---

Suba Attends Classes With Classmates (01)

Suba followed Jackal back to the class, silently fretting over him. He might've just been acting okay, but she couldn't be sure! She new some warriors that aggravated their wounds simply because they were too stubborn to get them treated. With what she'd seen of his personality, it wouldn't surprise her in the least if that was the case.

She ended up sitting nearby him, close to entrance (or was it exit?) of the class. Either way there was certainly a lot of kids here! And so varied too. Back home, while none of them really looked "alike" they all had the same "feel" about them that came with growing up in the same community. Here, everyone felt so different, so foreign.

She was about to approach Jackal once more when he got into a discussion with two other people, a girl and boy.

A voice cut through the din just as the other boy left.

"Why even bother with an apology if you're aware it isn't decent? Might has well not have bothered.I wasn't aware that backhanded insults counted as making amends these days. In fact, an insult would've been better; it's less pretensions."

Uh-oh. Was that . . . a what exactly? It didn't sound like an insult, but it certainly didn't sound friendly either. What happened? She got the feeling that the black-haired boy was really annoyed with . . . the white haired girly-boy there. Wow, that was a really feminine guy. She almost mistook him for a girl at first glance.

Yokai Academy, School of Monsters

Cabal Begins A Series Of Racial Profiling.

So, a rabbit and a fox. No wonder they smelled like prey. Still, he had no idea what sort monster they were, or what they were capable of, so perhaps he would withold classifying them as "prey" just yet.

A bell chimed and he tilted his head in the direction of the sound. If memory served correct, that was the signal for . . . classes yes? Which means class was about to begin. He would be late then. That would be unacceptable.

Cabal nodded as the white-haired girl left, slightly puzzled. What does dark-smelling mean? How would darkness smell like? Was it needless cryptic tautology that his clans shamans were so fond of, or did he mean that literally?

In any case . . .

Breaking off into a sprint, Cabal picked up speed until he leapt up. Mid-leap, his body morphed into a falcon, quickly flying past most students and into the school grounds, ending up right behind her.

Upon entering, Cabal quickly shifted back into human form, and placed a hand on her shoulder. "What are you doing? Standing still like that will get you late, or worse," he deadpanned, clearly recalling the little debacle he witnessed between the white-haired girl and the ash-boy -- who set himself on fire. The latter, was, without a doubt a predator, "I do not recommend aggravating that boy any more. You are prey, he is a predator. I would rather he not devour you just yet." After all, he had yet to gain any information from her.

Satisfied with his warning, he began walking into the building to head to class.

@ViannaNight & @13org

---

Suba Douses A Lizard With Water

The bell rang and everyone began running. On instinct, Suba ran after Jackal.

"A-ah, wait!" she cried out, not quite ready to suddenly end their conversation and be alone again. Thoroughly unprepared for the sudden rush, she fell behind while Jackal ran ahead. She was by no means an agile person, and was quickly surpassed by the other students. By the end of it all, she managed to reach the entrance, tired and panting.

She also managed to make it in time to see a prone Jackal on fire.

On instinct, she pulled out bottle of water and doused Jackal with it.

"Ohancientsareyouokay?!" she exclaimed, crouching down next to him, concern on her face, as she inspected for any burns.

@dragonmancer

Yokai Academy, School of Monsters

@ViannaNight Ah, just a small correction: Cabal didn't grow wings, he turned into an eagle.

Yokai Academy, School of Monsters

Einar & Cabal: The Beauty(?) And The Beast.

With the interruption of the driver, the group dispersed before he even had a chance to introduce himself. He frowned, thinking back on their reactions. For some reason, the white haired girl reacted defensively in response to his comment on how delicious she smelled. Why was that? In was completely normal for monsters to state whether they found others tasty; it was polite even, as it made them aware that they were a potential meal, since they weren't acquaintances yet.

Maybe he was a changeling? If that was the case, her reaction was understandable. Being raised by humans, she wouldn't know about the customs of monsters.

He noticed her entering the woods, and decided to follow her. He could clear up the misunderstanding there.
As he entered, his eyes narrowed as he caught sight of his intended prey. So that was her true form. It also explained why she smelled so delicious; she was a rabbit. A human-rabbit thing that he was unfamiliar with, but still a rabbit so that meant she smelled like rabbit. When she began jumping from tree-to-tree he realized he would lose her at the pace she was going, and burst into a sprint.

Mid-run, he leapt into the high into the air, and kept going, and going, and going, until he was above the treeline. The wind sailed past his newly formed wings, and his now keen eyesight could easily track his target. The other birds stayed away from him, unsurprising since he was now in the form of one of the largest birds-of-prey that existed.

A Monkey-Eating Eagles dive could reach near 200mph, and it was with this speed that Cabal dropped in front of Einar, landing with a soft thud, and blowing away the leaves beneath him, while simultaneously assuming human form again.

Getting up from his crouch, Cabal stared at Einar evenly.

"Hello. I want to talk to you."

@13org

Suba Heads To Class And Bumps Into A Lizard!

Suba began running to catch up to the rest of the students. She was so enthralled by the sight of the ocean that she lost track of time.

She didn't want to be late or anything, especially since it was the first day. That would be rude to the teachers and unbecoming of a princess! She was moving so quickly that when a white haired boy appeared in front of her, she couldn't call out in time to avoid colliding. She fell into the ground rear first and bounced a few times.

"Owowowowowow," she whined, rubbing the small of her back, before her eyes widened in horror.

"Oh god I am so sorry! she cried out to the boy, hands clenched at her chest, and head bowing slightly in apology.

@dragonmancer

Yokai Academy, School of Monsters

@13org Oh, and I know Einar's a guy, but he's really feminine so Cabal just assumed . . . ^_^

Yokai Academy, School of Monsters

@olcharlieboi I'm cool with either on the club thing.