week 2

[airlockedmods]

Week 2

[The second week in the Champion Excellence Program kicks off on a somber note. Chitanda, Toby, the Griffin- all three of them gone, two of them in one fell swoop. If anyone thinks to check the profiles on their P.I.P.s they will find that the dearly departed Champions' profile photos have been greyed out.

Right on the dot at 7 am the mechanical woman's voice chimes to awaken the remaining champions on Sunday morning, as she has for the past week. After the initial wake-up call though there's a new message tacked on:]

Congratulations, Champions! By surviving your first trial, you have unlocked the second floor of the ship. A new mini map has been added to your P.I.P.! To access the second floor please stand on the teleporter and select the floor you wish to be teleported to.

[The new floor isn't the only thing floating around the ship though, at least metaphorically. When the Champions are awakened they have regained one new memory from the ones they've lost. Starting again on Sunday, as well, Jamie and Bolton will be back to their usual office hours in their usual locations.]

Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday


[ooc: welcome to week 2, everyone! Check-in has begun and don't forget to submit your memory regains!]

Comments

[misplacedxsheath]

Please, even in my own distraction, it's clear that something weighs on your mind.

[kingshaming]

You mean other then everything that occurred last night?

[He pinches the bridge of his nose, fighting off a headache]

You... aren't wrong.

[misplacedxsheath]

...It was a memory, wasn't it?

[kingshaming]

[He nods]

A very... unsettling one.

[misplacedxsheath]

You're not alone. I'd ask if you wanted to speak of it, but I'm aware some things are best dealt with through methods other than words.

[kingshaming]

Oh? I didn't forget your offer last night- though I don't know how good of an opponent I'd be right now.

[misplacedxsheath]

Then we're even, I have something concerning nagging at me as well.

[kingshaming]

[He ponders it for a moment, then nods- he's still feeling a lot of what Lightning threw at him last night, but even without healing magic he's felt much worse]

Very well, I will take on your frustrations.

[misplacedxsheath]

Since I don't want to injure you too badly, I'll be sure and go easy with the fire.

[He smirks and crouches into a ready stance, arms up to guard his face and chest. For the sake of fairness, he'll give Xander a second to do the same before darting forward with a swinging kick shrouded in wisps of flame.]

[kingshaming]

[He does't take long to get into stance, arms up, his knees bent and legs planted- ready to absorb any strikes. And absorb them he does, the kick hitting him right in the forearms. He grunts and scoots back a bit, but otherwise is unmoved.

The flash of flame make his ruddy brown eyes look ruby red in the light, bright and hurt and eager to take it out on something.

He doesn't even wait until Magulis' leg is back on the ground before aiming a punch at his torso, putting his entire shoulder into it]

[misplacedxsheath]

[The kick strikes true and knocks Margulis back a step before his foot hits the ground again, but he doesn't seem too put off. He springs into the air with remarkable agility for someone his size, flipping in midair before landing behind Xander and driving an elbow toward his back.]

[kingshaming]

[There's no way Xander can defend from that- he lacks the older man's speed. So instead he has to take it, hissing through his teeth.

But he takes the chance and throws his own elbow back]

[misplacedxsheath]

[He can't predict this man the way he can Uzuki. The elbow finds its mark, though the force is mitigated by him turning with the blow and turning it into extra force behind a punch aimed at Xander's shoulder. Once again, flame springs to life around his limb as it moves, more lively this time than the first.]

[kingshaming]

[He still shows no fear of the flames, though they are so close to his face- his eyes are wide and he's sweating, but it's clear it's just the heat and exertion.

He drops slightly, bending his knees so the punch clips his shoulder instead of hitting the meat- and using his bent knees to shove himself back at Margulis with all the force of his equestrian trained legs]

[misplacedxsheath]

[He tips himself back so that his shoulders hit the floor, ducking under the charge, and kicks both feet up at Xander. The impact with the floor stings, but he has a feeling it's better than getting tackled.]

[kingshaming]

[That, that he didn't expect at all.

So much so that when Margulis kicks up at him he ends up on the ground in a heap- he gets up fast, but his face is bright red. He hasn't been utterly tossed like that since he was a teenager]

Well... I guess that's the difference of age.

[He's trying not to look too embarrassed]

[misplacedxsheath]

[As Xander goes flying, Margulis uses the momentum from his own kick to spring back to his feet. He lets out a laugh, though it's lacking the cruel and borderline malicious tone of when he was mocking last week's motive.]

Just remember, when you're my age you'll be the one reminding young warriors that they still have things to learn.

[Even as he speaks, he presses his advantage. His speed is just edging into superhuman as he closes the distance, leaping at the last second to flip into a fiery axe kick from above.]

[kingshaming]

[He crosses his arms to block the attack, his bent knees the only reason Margulis doesn't knock him back- and after Lightning he knows better then to try and catch another kick. Margulis is heavier, and he'd rather not burn his hands.

The leap he offers in return isn't nearly impressive- Xander is clearly a man loved by gravity- but he jumps at Margulis, swinging his arm down like he was using a heavy blade or a hammer instead of actually punching. A lot of power behind the swing, but easy to see coming]

[misplacedxsheath]

[He knows better than to try to block that head on. After springing off of Xander's arms to land on both feet, he brings one arm up in a sweeping motion to try to deflect the momentum. It's likely to still leave a bruise on his forearm, but nothing he can't shrug off. His other hand catches fire again as he swings it for Xander's chest, aiming for the side where his arm is occupied.]

[kingshaming]

[There's no blocking that, not from this side. Most people would spring back to try and avoid it.

Xander knows he doesn't have the agility to do so without making a huge opening. So he does what he does best:

He tanks it. The flaming fist hits his ribs, and he grunts heavily, teeth bared, folding forward slightly like he wants to curl up a bit.

But now he can counter attack, hard]

[misplacedxsheath]

[Lucky for you, Xander, that wasn't a full force hit. It won't break anything, but now we know where one of those nasty bruises came from.

The counter hits and Margulis takes a step back, but he doesn't seem nearly as affected. It happens when you're used to fighting people who hit like literal wrecking balls. In fact, the look on his face is one of excitement. For the first time here, he seems to be actually having fun.

Which is why he's going to respond to Xander's counter with a short range fireball. The heat is still well below the point of causing serious burns, but it won't be pleasant to get caught in...not that Margulis seems to care that he'll be hit by the backdraft.]

[kingshaming]

[Xander curses softly, juking to the side- he'd take a punch but maaaybe not a fireball. He's sweating and breathing heavily- but like Margulis he seems to be having fun]

Ah, now I feel a little disadvantaged without some range of my own.

[misplacedxsheath]

Then you have motivation to not give me distance.

[Moving while Xander is still recovering from the sudden dodge, he ducks down and sweeps his foot at the Prince's ankles.]

[kingshaming]

[He's too tired to dodge it properly, but instead of just going down he lunges- half jumping, half falling. Intending to take Margulis down with him.

Less a real attack, more like a wrestling teenager, honestly]

[misplacedxsheath]

[Well, you've managed to surprise him. With one foot extended, he's not able to brace himself against the impact and goes down. He doesn't intend to stay down, however, as he uses one hand to keep Xander's weight off his ribs as he swings a punch with the other...fortunately without the flame, as he aims for his opponent's chin.]