Yumi was scared. Very, very scared.
Announcement Day was here, and she was terrified at the possibility of being drafted into the Program.
First came the name of the school, "Patriot High." She clinched her teeth in fear. Then came the class, "Junior class." She hugged herself and winced. She knew that she was in trouble. She expected them to specifically pick out minorities like her. Once names began to be called, one of the first ones spoken rang in her ears and drowned out everything else.
"Yumi Nunes"
Yumi was frozen in fear. Genuine, unrelenting fear. She had been called up for the Program. She only started moving again because the soldiers in charge of transporting the kids had threatened to shoot her if she didn't get out of her seat and join the rest of the announced students on the bus.
All she remembered after being gassed is that all the kids would have to kill each other. It was horrible. The General's troops had killed a bunch of kids that tried to resist the Program, and Yumi realized that she could easily have been one of those dead kids. She wasn't sure whether she should envy them or pity them. The next thing she knew, she was gassed again. She wouldn't wake up again for a while...
F07- Yumi Nunes: Start
Yumi awoke in a small cabin. She couldn't believe that she had actually been selected for the Program. Her life wasn't that great back home, but this was still her worst nightmare. Every year since she started high school, she had lived in fear of this happening, and she always managed to avoid it. This year, however, her luck had run out.
She shivered a little due to the cold, giving a small thanks that she had woken up in a cabin, rather than out in the cold wilderness. She fumbled around for a moment before finding a large green duffel bag with an eagle on it. Rooting through it, she found some rations, a map, a compass, a flashlight, a jacket, a first aid kit, a pamphlet, and a knife. The manual was for the knife, but Yumi didn't feel like reading it at the moment. She resealed the bag and put it to the side.
Yumi sat down on a small bench and lamented her situation. She had never had much hope in her regular life, what with being rejected and abused by her classmates on a regular basis, but at least she always had her writing to calm her nerves. And if writing wasn't helping her that day, then she could always go to her family for help. Here, she didn't have any of that. In one day, the government had taken everything away from her. And in less than a weeks time, she would be dead.
Mom. Dad. Grandpa Adriano. Grandma Nina. I'll never see any of you again
At this point, Yumi did the only thing she could think of. She buried her face in her hands and began to cry.
I'm so sorry.
Tears of the Hopeless
Start for F07
It had been a cold, miserable day.
Becky hadn’t been feeling good that Announcement Day, but it was for reasons far displaced from the upcoming chance of death.
Her birthday party had been a total failure!
Out of the three kids that had shown up, none of them had brought her any decent presents, and so the entire evening had been a quiet and awkward episode of staring at the door, hoping for the big crowd to burst through and wish her a happy birthday. Her mother, who would later have a heart attack the evening her daughter was taken, couldn’t have been right: people weren’t too nervous about Announcement Day to show up for her sweet sixteen, they wanted to wish her a happy birthday! But they hadn’t shown up, and the entire junior year was still on her hate-list by the time the draws rolled around.
She never had a chance to realize how petty it all was. When the junior year was selected, feelings of spite that masked anxiety warped into a full out panic.
She wanted to run, even before her name had been called. The undeniable presence of the armed guards seemed meaningless, like she could run right past them and escape, flee from the Program she never understood and not end up dead like all those other guys. But she never had the chance: her legs moved on their own when her name came up; her head span in circles, looking for just a single exit and not end up dying on national television, but her legs kept marching. Despite all the security that would have killed her the moment she blinked off track, despite the students that did protest and wound up riddled with bullet holes, despite the screams of fear that were clawing at her mind, she couldn’t stop herself from walking down death row.
F13: Rebecca "Becky" Long - Start
She woke up on another cold, miserable day.
The chill of the wind was the first thing she noticed. Waking up in the wilderness was hardly a feeling that Becky was unfamiliar with, but she was usually wrapped in warm sleeping bag or inside a cosy tent. This wasn’t warm or cosy; this was the Program.
She hadn’t stopped crying since she’d been taken, save for those merciful hours spent asleep. She had never wanted this to happen, even when she’d spitefully hoped everyone who hadn’t shown up at her party got what was coming to them, she just wanted them to feel bad or whatever!
But she was trapped there now, alone and miserable. Crying was just going to keep her there.
She wiped her face, eyes red and puffy, but alert. She was in the wilderness: her element. She could survive, use all those years in the girl scouts, and she could figure things out.
But try as she might, she still felt like crying.
She reached for her daypack and found her heart jumping when she spotted her lucky blue baseball cap next to it, only having left her head after she rolled in her sleep. It had been a gift from her brother, right before he left for his military service. She didn’t like to wear it outside the summer, it kept blowing off in the wind unless she tightened it to an uncomfortable level, but she’d still grabbed it for Announcement Day for some pointlessly sentimental reason. Maybe its blessing had stopped her from running away and dying the moment her year had been picked. Or, maybe, it was just a blue baseball cap and Becky was getting thirsty.
She shivered, the chill of the basin refusing to let her forget about it. She couldn’t stay where she was forever; the cold wasn't making the situation any less horrible.
She clambered for her day pack, the metal zipper cold between her fingers. The jacket was the first thing inside that she grabbed, hugging it as she put it on. She sat there for a few seconds, rocking back and forth on her heels as the gentle embrace of the olive green material comforted her in these trying times. She grabbed for water not long after, and soon her brain was rehydrated and ready for action.
No, not ready. Her brain wouldn’t shut up, kept spewing out ideas that made no sense or fears that made perfect sense, never giving something rational in between. She was overwhelmed.
She took inventory of what she had; trying to make her mind focus on something and shut up with its babble, but apart from a brief snack of a package of saltines, there was nothing else in there that she wanted. The trees were too thick for her to see the sun properly, and she was in no state to try and understand a map through other means, or even realise that a compass was in there too. She didn’t even put any thought into her assigned weapon, it remaining untouched near the bottom of her bag.
And with that done, she had nothing to focus on anymore.
“This is so unfair!” she cried to no-one, hunching over and clasping her hands around her ears. “Why me? What’d I do!?” She’d been a good girl all her life: done her homework, sworn her pledge of allegiance, not been a jerk or picked on anyone, so why was she one of those people who ended up with barely a chance of survival?
The Program was an enigma to her: always had been. Her parents forbid any watching of it, not that she wanted to see kids shooting each other, but she could never reason why the Government did it to people when they always seemed to do the right thing otherwise. Or rather, that’s what her parents had always taught her to believe. The Government knew what it was doing, and doing good things would lead good things her way.
Yeah, that second one? That was a total load of crap right now.
She wanted to sit there and sulk, lash out at the world for flipping her off and attaching a choking collar around her neck that would blow up at a moment’s notice. Even with the jacket on, however, the chill was still biting. She was already feeling awful, she didn’t need to feel frozen too.
She wondered aimlessly for a long while, her bag slung over her shoulder as she marched through the pine trees. There was nothing distinct around, nothing to mark her way or stop her from going in circles, but she didn’t care at all. Nothing mattered anymore, whether it was getting lost or getting fed, because in a short while she’d end up dead.
Because someone else would kill her.
The thought dawned on her all of a sudden, remaining a mystery in how it had managed to avoid coming out before. The Program wasn’t just getting thrown to the wolves to be eaten; the Program was getting thrown to the rest of your class to be eaten! Or shot, or stabbed, or whatever unpleasant way oh god the rest of her class was going to try to kill her!
Suddenly the trek through the woods became much more terrifying, much more fearful that someone would jump out at her and try to kill her. She couldn’t believe that anyone she knew would want her dead: they may not have liked her enough to come to her birthday, but she didn’t think she had any real enemies. But she’d never seen a Program before, she had no idea what people were like in it, no idea what to expect or what to prepare for
There was no way to know what awaited her.
The wooden shack was the first thing she saw that didn’t have needles. She had no idea how far she’d walked, or for how long she’d been awake, or whether she’d even been going in a straight line, but the fact remained that she had finally found shelter from the weather.
Thinking nothing of the consequences, she ran for the door. It was stuck at first, the wood heavy and the hinges swollen from the chill, but with a determined shoulder she barged her way into the haven from the cold, and came face to face with Yumi Nunes.
Becky hadn’t been feeling good that Announcement Day, but it was for reasons far displaced from the upcoming chance of death.
Her birthday party had been a total failure!
Out of the three kids that had shown up, none of them had brought her any decent presents, and so the entire evening had been a quiet and awkward episode of staring at the door, hoping for the big crowd to burst through and wish her a happy birthday. Her mother, who would later have a heart attack the evening her daughter was taken, couldn’t have been right: people weren’t too nervous about Announcement Day to show up for her sweet sixteen, they wanted to wish her a happy birthday! But they hadn’t shown up, and the entire junior year was still on her hate-list by the time the draws rolled around.
She never had a chance to realize how petty it all was. When the junior year was selected, feelings of spite that masked anxiety warped into a full out panic.
She wanted to run, even before her name had been called. The undeniable presence of the armed guards seemed meaningless, like she could run right past them and escape, flee from the Program she never understood and not end up dead like all those other guys. But she never had the chance: her legs moved on their own when her name came up; her head span in circles, looking for just a single exit and not end up dying on national television, but her legs kept marching. Despite all the security that would have killed her the moment she blinked off track, despite the students that did protest and wound up riddled with bullet holes, despite the screams of fear that were clawing at her mind, she couldn’t stop herself from walking down death row.
F13: Rebecca "Becky" Long - Start
She woke up on another cold, miserable day.
The chill of the wind was the first thing she noticed. Waking up in the wilderness was hardly a feeling that Becky was unfamiliar with, but she was usually wrapped in warm sleeping bag or inside a cosy tent. This wasn’t warm or cosy; this was the Program.
She hadn’t stopped crying since she’d been taken, save for those merciful hours spent asleep. She had never wanted this to happen, even when she’d spitefully hoped everyone who hadn’t shown up at her party got what was coming to them, she just wanted them to feel bad or whatever!
But she was trapped there now, alone and miserable. Crying was just going to keep her there.
She wiped her face, eyes red and puffy, but alert. She was in the wilderness: her element. She could survive, use all those years in the girl scouts, and she could figure things out.
But try as she might, she still felt like crying.
She reached for her daypack and found her heart jumping when she spotted her lucky blue baseball cap next to it, only having left her head after she rolled in her sleep. It had been a gift from her brother, right before he left for his military service. She didn’t like to wear it outside the summer, it kept blowing off in the wind unless she tightened it to an uncomfortable level, but she’d still grabbed it for Announcement Day for some pointlessly sentimental reason. Maybe its blessing had stopped her from running away and dying the moment her year had been picked. Or, maybe, it was just a blue baseball cap and Becky was getting thirsty.
She shivered, the chill of the basin refusing to let her forget about it. She couldn’t stay where she was forever; the cold wasn't making the situation any less horrible.
She clambered for her day pack, the metal zipper cold between her fingers. The jacket was the first thing inside that she grabbed, hugging it as she put it on. She sat there for a few seconds, rocking back and forth on her heels as the gentle embrace of the olive green material comforted her in these trying times. She grabbed for water not long after, and soon her brain was rehydrated and ready for action.
No, not ready. Her brain wouldn’t shut up, kept spewing out ideas that made no sense or fears that made perfect sense, never giving something rational in between. She was overwhelmed.
She took inventory of what she had; trying to make her mind focus on something and shut up with its babble, but apart from a brief snack of a package of saltines, there was nothing else in there that she wanted. The trees were too thick for her to see the sun properly, and she was in no state to try and understand a map through other means, or even realise that a compass was in there too. She didn’t even put any thought into her assigned weapon, it remaining untouched near the bottom of her bag.
And with that done, she had nothing to focus on anymore.
“This is so unfair!” she cried to no-one, hunching over and clasping her hands around her ears. “Why me? What’d I do!?” She’d been a good girl all her life: done her homework, sworn her pledge of allegiance, not been a jerk or picked on anyone, so why was she one of those people who ended up with barely a chance of survival?
The Program was an enigma to her: always had been. Her parents forbid any watching of it, not that she wanted to see kids shooting each other, but she could never reason why the Government did it to people when they always seemed to do the right thing otherwise. Or rather, that’s what her parents had always taught her to believe. The Government knew what it was doing, and doing good things would lead good things her way.
Yeah, that second one? That was a total load of crap right now.
She wanted to sit there and sulk, lash out at the world for flipping her off and attaching a choking collar around her neck that would blow up at a moment’s notice. Even with the jacket on, however, the chill was still biting. She was already feeling awful, she didn’t need to feel frozen too.
She wondered aimlessly for a long while, her bag slung over her shoulder as she marched through the pine trees. There was nothing distinct around, nothing to mark her way or stop her from going in circles, but she didn’t care at all. Nothing mattered anymore, whether it was getting lost or getting fed, because in a short while she’d end up dead.
Because someone else would kill her.
The thought dawned on her all of a sudden, remaining a mystery in how it had managed to avoid coming out before. The Program wasn’t just getting thrown to the wolves to be eaten; the Program was getting thrown to the rest of your class to be eaten! Or shot, or stabbed, or whatever unpleasant way oh god the rest of her class was going to try to kill her!
Suddenly the trek through the woods became much more terrifying, much more fearful that someone would jump out at her and try to kill her. She couldn’t believe that anyone she knew would want her dead: they may not have liked her enough to come to her birthday, but she didn’t think she had any real enemies. But she’d never seen a Program before, she had no idea what people were like in it, no idea what to expect or what to prepare for
There was no way to know what awaited her.
The wooden shack was the first thing she saw that didn’t have needles. She had no idea how far she’d walked, or for how long she’d been awake, or whether she’d even been going in a straight line, but the fact remained that she had finally found shelter from the weather.
Thinking nothing of the consequences, she ran for the door. It was stuck at first, the wood heavy and the hinges swollen from the chill, but with a determined shoulder she barged her way into the haven from the cold, and came face to face with Yumi Nunes.
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CondorTalon
- Posts: 459
- Joined: Thu Sep 20, 2018 1:22 am
Shawn, surprisingly, wasn't pleased to hear his name being called. He could only watch as the soldiers moved in, ordered him into the line. He wanted to scream, to fight, to escape, to do something but his body didn't do it.
He'd heard the shots. He briefly considered himself lucky that he didn't act on his instincts, but as he was moved onto the bus that feeling quickly disappeared. He was in the Program. He was going to have to kill his classmates. These two thoughts were the only things in his mind before he blacked out.
M07 - Shawn Bowe-Crooke: START
Damn, it was cold.
Shawn had woken up slumped against a rather large tree, his back ached from the uncomfortable position, and it felt hard to breathe from the accursed collar around his neck. He felt rather apathetic, like there was nothing worth doing anymore. Maybe it was because his life was over. He couldn't do this. He wanted to curl up and let hypothermia take him. It would be better than being forced to kill someone in this game.
He was forced onto his feet by the sound of footsteps.
He stood, trying to hide himself behind the tree. Someone was coming. Towards him? No, the sounds passed from his left to his right. He quickly took a peek to see who it was, but they were a ways away, and heading in the direction of a...
Oh son of a bitch.
How Shawn had managed to miss the cabin through the trees he wasn't sure, but he realized he could have saved himself some grief it he'd decided he'd wanted to die in there instead of where he was currently standing.
He decided to tail the girl (as far as he could tell, judging by the ponytail), keeping a distance between themselves taking care not to make too much noise. He saw the girl try the door to no success, before she forced the door open. Shawn quickly ran for the adjacent wall. He didn't know what would be in that cabin, and running in after the girl would be dangerous. He looked from a nearby window to see what would transpire.
He'd heard the shots. He briefly considered himself lucky that he didn't act on his instincts, but as he was moved onto the bus that feeling quickly disappeared. He was in the Program. He was going to have to kill his classmates. These two thoughts were the only things in his mind before he blacked out.
M07 - Shawn Bowe-Crooke: START
Damn, it was cold.
Shawn had woken up slumped against a rather large tree, his back ached from the uncomfortable position, and it felt hard to breathe from the accursed collar around his neck. He felt rather apathetic, like there was nothing worth doing anymore. Maybe it was because his life was over. He couldn't do this. He wanted to curl up and let hypothermia take him. It would be better than being forced to kill someone in this game.
He was forced onto his feet by the sound of footsteps.
He stood, trying to hide himself behind the tree. Someone was coming. Towards him? No, the sounds passed from his left to his right. He quickly took a peek to see who it was, but they were a ways away, and heading in the direction of a...
Oh son of a bitch.
How Shawn had managed to miss the cabin through the trees he wasn't sure, but he realized he could have saved himself some grief it he'd decided he'd wanted to die in there instead of where he was currently standing.
He decided to tail the girl (as far as he could tell, judging by the ponytail), keeping a distance between themselves taking care not to make too much noise. He saw the girl try the door to no success, before she forced the door open. Shawn quickly ran for the adjacent wall. He didn't know what would be in that cabin, and running in after the girl would be dangerous. He looked from a nearby window to see what would transpire.
Yumi continued to cry for a good while. As she sat alone in the cabin, all she could think about was how little time she had left, and how cruel fate had been to her. She never watched the Program, but she had heard about it, and she knew that people like her, the weak, lonely kids with no friends, almost never survive longer than a day. The feeling of impending dread was just eating at her from the inside, and she had no idea what to do.
*Thump*
Yumi's head shot up and she looked at the door. What was that?
*Thump*
Yumi began to panic. Someone was at the door! She hopped off the bench and tried to find a place to hide. Maybe if whoever was at the door couldn't find her right away, they would just give up and leave. Then she could be safe in the cabin again. Her eyes darted around in a desperate attempt to find a suitable eiding spot. She knew that she didn't have much time left. Any second now, someone was going to come busting through that-
*BANG!*
The cabin door was thrown open, and Yumi jerked her head to look at the newcomer. A small brown-haired girl stood in the doorway. Despite the non-intimidating stature of the new girl, Yumi was still extremely wary. She took a couple steps back out of fear, still believing that the girl would attack. Yumi attempted to call out to the newcomer, but her shaky voice made things a little difficult.
"Wh-who are you?"
*Thump*
Yumi's head shot up and she looked at the door. What was that?
*Thump*
Yumi began to panic. Someone was at the door! She hopped off the bench and tried to find a place to hide. Maybe if whoever was at the door couldn't find her right away, they would just give up and leave. Then she could be safe in the cabin again. Her eyes darted around in a desperate attempt to find a suitable eiding spot. She knew that she didn't have much time left. Any second now, someone was going to come busting through that-
*BANG!*
The cabin door was thrown open, and Yumi jerked her head to look at the newcomer. A small brown-haired girl stood in the doorway. Despite the non-intimidating stature of the new girl, Yumi was still extremely wary. She took a couple steps back out of fear, still believing that the girl would attack. Yumi attempted to call out to the newcomer, but her shaky voice made things a little difficult.
"Wh-who are you?"
The moment she saw Yumi’s face, the face of someone else trapped in the Program with her, her thoughts started pounding inside her skull: there wasn’t any chance of escape, the government made sure of that, and the only rule in the Program was that she was going to die because someone else was going to kill her.
She didn’t know Yumi, not well enough to judge her as friend or foe. But who wanted to be friends anymore? Right now, they were going to be dead in a week, maximum, unless they won this thing, and who wants to have buddies when you’re in the middle of trying to kill each other? Buddies from before it all went to pot, maybe, but new buddies? They wouldn’t last.
The not-a-new-buddy was staring straight at her, eyes like a deer trapped in the headlights of an oncoming truck as her voice quivered. Becky may have weighed considerably less than a pick-up, but she sure as hell could crash into someone like one.
Her thoughts became overwhelming, her brain a cloud of terror and panic until only her instincts remained clear. She’d never had to use martial arts in self-defense before: she’d never been out late, walked into the wrong sort of people, had to kick some ass to keep herself safe, but she was still a rather well trained martial artist, practically an expert in her own opinion. And like any good Taekwon-Do practitioner, she could land a very effective kick if she felt threatened.
There was no hesitation beyond that moment of indecision. She sprang forwards with a mighty kiai shout, tensing every limb as she shot off the ground, the edge of her foot snapping out towards Yumi’s chest.
There wasn't time for thinking anymore, not if she wanted to survive. The Program wasn't a puzzle to be solved, it was a non-stop gauntlet with one simple rule: die, or start kicking some ass.
It was time to start kicking some ass.
She didn’t know Yumi, not well enough to judge her as friend or foe. But who wanted to be friends anymore? Right now, they were going to be dead in a week, maximum, unless they won this thing, and who wants to have buddies when you’re in the middle of trying to kill each other? Buddies from before it all went to pot, maybe, but new buddies? They wouldn’t last.
The not-a-new-buddy was staring straight at her, eyes like a deer trapped in the headlights of an oncoming truck as her voice quivered. Becky may have weighed considerably less than a pick-up, but she sure as hell could crash into someone like one.
Her thoughts became overwhelming, her brain a cloud of terror and panic until only her instincts remained clear. She’d never had to use martial arts in self-defense before: she’d never been out late, walked into the wrong sort of people, had to kick some ass to keep herself safe, but she was still a rather well trained martial artist, practically an expert in her own opinion. And like any good Taekwon-Do practitioner, she could land a very effective kick if she felt threatened.
There was no hesitation beyond that moment of indecision. She sprang forwards with a mighty kiai shout, tensing every limb as she shot off the ground, the edge of her foot snapping out towards Yumi’s chest.
There wasn't time for thinking anymore, not if she wanted to survive. The Program wasn't a puzzle to be solved, it was a non-stop gauntlet with one simple rule: die, or start kicking some ass.
It was time to start kicking some ass.
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CondorTalon
- Posts: 459
- Joined: Thu Sep 20, 2018 1:22 am
It turns out that Shawn's instinct was right. There was, in fact, someone in the cabin. Shawn didn't really know Yumi that well. She was very quiet, an out-of-the-way girl that didn't really interact with anyone. He could also see the other girl's face now. It was Rebecca Long, who was also a stranger to Shawn. That wasn't what mattered now, though. Shawn affirmed himself of that when he heard the girl shout.
What was important was that she had just run in, aiming a kick at the other's chest.
Shawn wouldn't stand for this. He was physically unable to restrain himself when he saw someone get bullied, and from what had gone down that was certainly what was happening now. He rushed himself inside the cabin, and with an almighty shout of
"What the fuck is going on here?!"
He charged at Becky, trying to pull her away from the other girl.
What was important was that she had just run in, aiming a kick at the other's chest.
Shawn wouldn't stand for this. He was physically unable to restrain himself when he saw someone get bullied, and from what had gone down that was certainly what was happening now. He rushed himself inside the cabin, and with an almighty shout of
"What the fuck is going on here?!"
He charged at Becky, trying to pull her away from the other girl.
Any hopes that Yumi had for a peaceful interaction were dashed when the new girl answered her by kicking her in the chest. Yumi fell to the ground, cluthing at the spot where the aggresive girl's foot made its impact. The force of the kick sent her into a coughing fit, broken up occasionally by small whimpers. She hadn't even been awake for five minutes, and she had already been assaulted by another student. If anything, this only confirmed Yumi's own thoughts of her chances of surviving the Program.
When Yumi heard a shout, she tensed up, anticipating another attack. When none came, she looked up to see that a boy had made his way onto the scene, and was attempting to restrain the other girl. Yumi slowly lifted herself into a sitting position and leaned against a bedpost with her knees pulled up to her chest, still quite fearful of the others. She looked at hurt and confused as she attempted to speak again.
"Wh-what a-a-are you doing?"
When Yumi heard a shout, she tensed up, anticipating another attack. When none came, she looked up to see that a boy had made his way onto the scene, and was attempting to restrain the other girl. Yumi slowly lifted herself into a sitting position and leaned against a bedpost with her knees pulled up to her chest, still quite fearful of the others. She looked at hurt and confused as she attempted to speak again.
"Wh-what a-a-are you doing?"
Becky’s foot struck square in Yumi’s chest in a cathartic crash between limb and torso. As her victim flew backwards, Becky landed on her other leg and righted herself without even thinking. It was a textbook performance.
She couldn’t stop herself from cracking a grin. She’d been scared there, scared for her life in the face of the girl she barely knew except as that weird girl who avoided everyone, but she wasn’t so tough; she couldn’t even get out of her way when she came straight at her. She wiped a hand across her nose and started bouncing on her feet as adrenaline surged, waiting for her opponent to get up like it was just a simple sparring match to separate master from amateur. It would be round two the moment Yumi got back to her feet.
She was so excited to have some power again, to not just be a helpless victim of the Program, that she wouldn’t have even noticed Shawn coming in from behind if it wasn't for his announcing shout.
That fleeting confidence twisted to panic again, spotting the new arrival over her shoulder. Becky had spoken to him maybe a handful of times: she didn’t have a problem with him, liked him the way she did most people, but she’d never say they were close friends. When it came to the Program, it was that distinction that would’ve let her keep calm, keep thinking and maybe used some diplomacy instead of force. Shawn was bigger than Yumi too, stronger than her, much more capable of putting up a fight and hurting her badly, but that didn't matter to Becky: all that mattered was that Shawn was there, and someone who was there wanted her dead.
He came straight for her, his grabbing arms as threatening as a rabid animal in Becky’s eyes. There was no time to spare for her to consider what he might be trying to do, or dwell on whether anyone left in the room, or the entire roster, could be friend or foe. He was close, too close for comfort, but just close enough for her to aim a solid kick straight back at his chest.
In that heat of the moment, facing the first encounter of her overwhelming ordeal, Becky knew only of reactions and instincts.
She couldn’t stop herself from cracking a grin. She’d been scared there, scared for her life in the face of the girl she barely knew except as that weird girl who avoided everyone, but she wasn’t so tough; she couldn’t even get out of her way when she came straight at her. She wiped a hand across her nose and started bouncing on her feet as adrenaline surged, waiting for her opponent to get up like it was just a simple sparring match to separate master from amateur. It would be round two the moment Yumi got back to her feet.
She was so excited to have some power again, to not just be a helpless victim of the Program, that she wouldn’t have even noticed Shawn coming in from behind if it wasn't for his announcing shout.
That fleeting confidence twisted to panic again, spotting the new arrival over her shoulder. Becky had spoken to him maybe a handful of times: she didn’t have a problem with him, liked him the way she did most people, but she’d never say they were close friends. When it came to the Program, it was that distinction that would’ve let her keep calm, keep thinking and maybe used some diplomacy instead of force. Shawn was bigger than Yumi too, stronger than her, much more capable of putting up a fight and hurting her badly, but that didn't matter to Becky: all that mattered was that Shawn was there, and someone who was there wanted her dead.
He came straight for her, his grabbing arms as threatening as a rabid animal in Becky’s eyes. There was no time to spare for her to consider what he might be trying to do, or dwell on whether anyone left in the room, or the entire roster, could be friend or foe. He was close, too close for comfort, but just close enough for her to aim a solid kick straight back at his chest.
In that heat of the moment, facing the first encounter of her overwhelming ordeal, Becky knew only of reactions and instincts.
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CondorTalon
- Posts: 459
- Joined: Thu Sep 20, 2018 1:22 am
Of course it wouldn't be that easy... Fuck!
Shawn barely had time to register the girl turning before her leg made contact with his upper body. The force of the kick sent him staggering back. This backpedaling, however, gave him a chance get into a proper stance.
In hindsight, maybe it wasn't such a good idea to signal his entrance with a shout like that. But at the very least he got her attention away from Yumi. Now, what to do about this girl. Shawn wasn't sure what her thought processes were, if she'd somehow started playing already. Shawn didn't thinkthat was possible, but he couldn't think of any other plausible explanation about why she'd attack someone without warning.
"What's your problem anyway? You like randomly kicking people the chest?"
No need for physical violence quite yet. He'd love it if he didn't have to knock this girl out.
Shawn barely had time to register the girl turning before her leg made contact with his upper body. The force of the kick sent him staggering back. This backpedaling, however, gave him a chance get into a proper stance.
In hindsight, maybe it wasn't such a good idea to signal his entrance with a shout like that. But at the very least he got her attention away from Yumi. Now, what to do about this girl. Shawn wasn't sure what her thought processes were, if she'd somehow started playing already. Shawn didn't thinkthat was possible, but he couldn't think of any other plausible explanation about why she'd attack someone without warning.
"What's your problem anyway? You like randomly kicking people the chest?"
No need for physical violence quite yet. He'd love it if he didn't have to knock this girl out.
The situation was only getting worse. Now the other two were fighting each other. The guy was yelling at the girl, while the girl was kicking the guy. What had previously been a small cabin for Yumi to hide in had devolved into an area of pure chaos. She grabbed her bag and backed away from the fighting students. They were now ignoring her completely, being too focused on fighting amongst themselves. As long as they didn't notice her, she would be able to get away without any further injury.
Unfortunately, they were standing right in front of the door, which was the most efficient way in or out. As long as they were there, Yumi was trapped. Her back was pressed against the wall, bag held tightly against her chest. She was afraid to fight either one of them. She couldn't beat either of them in a straight-up fistfight, and she doubted that she had the guts to use her knife. Killing someone just seemed like too much of a burden to bear, especially for someone who hasn't even graduated high school.
Yumi just stood there, watching the confrontation. The whole time fearful that they would turn their aggressions on her. She just needed one opening, one moment where they weren't blocking the door. Then she could make her escape. Maybe then she could find somewhere peaceful.
Unfortunately, they were standing right in front of the door, which was the most efficient way in or out. As long as they were there, Yumi was trapped. Her back was pressed against the wall, bag held tightly against her chest. She was afraid to fight either one of them. She couldn't beat either of them in a straight-up fistfight, and she doubted that she had the guts to use her knife. Killing someone just seemed like too much of a burden to bear, especially for someone who hasn't even graduated high school.
Yumi just stood there, watching the confrontation. The whole time fearful that they would turn their aggressions on her. She just needed one opening, one moment where they weren't blocking the door. Then she could make her escape. Maybe then she could find somewhere peaceful.
As another one of her blows landed true, Becky’s panic ebbed away to a cocky grin yet again. There she was, in the middle of two attackers, and she was fighting them off without even breaking a sweat. Those feelings of terror from moments ago were becoming less and less real by the strike, replaced with a fearless bravado pumping more and more confidence through her veins.
Even if Shawn hadn’t gone down as easily as Yumi, Becky wasn’t scared of him anymore. If anything, the fact that he slid into a defensive stance of his own just made her more excited. There was no fun sparring with a pushover, as much as sparring was never a matter of who won or who lost; restraint was always the limiting factor in how much of a kick you could get out of a fight. Here, in a nameless cabin in an unknown basin, it was just becoming one big rush to drown out the fear.
“Pft.” She scoffed at Shawn's accusation, flashing him a challenging smirk. “Nothing random about it.”
But, despite the confidence that was spreading throughout her, she was still on edge. When Yumi started moving behind her, scurrying for the wall out of Becky’s sight, the sound tripped her swagger up. She was in a pincer between them, free to be hit from behind again the moment she turned around. She’d stopped Shawn, sure, but that didn’t make it smart or pleasant to be surrounded on both sides.
Her feet bouncing once again, she hopped off to the side, away from Shawn and where Yumi was before, becoming the third point in the triangle between them. She could see them both again, but moving had reminded her of her heavy bag wrapped around her shoulder. It had been a miracle that she’d been able to keep her balance with the thing on in the first place: one spin in her kick and she could well have fallen on her ass, a decidedly not cool thing.
With one hard yank she pulled her bag’s handle off, lifting it above her head and allowing her supplies to drop to the ground. No longer burdened, her racing heart just encouraged her feet to keep springing around the ground, the small girl bouncing back and forth on the spot like there was no tomorrow. Her eyes darted between the cowering Yumi and the braced Shawn, lingering far longer on the latter.
“Come on, Shawn, show me what you got.” She taunted, beckoning with the fingers of her outstretched hand. Unless she tried to think about it, Becky would've never remembered her schooldays with Shawn and Yumi in that surging moment. All that was there was the thrill of the fight.
Even if Shawn hadn’t gone down as easily as Yumi, Becky wasn’t scared of him anymore. If anything, the fact that he slid into a defensive stance of his own just made her more excited. There was no fun sparring with a pushover, as much as sparring was never a matter of who won or who lost; restraint was always the limiting factor in how much of a kick you could get out of a fight. Here, in a nameless cabin in an unknown basin, it was just becoming one big rush to drown out the fear.
“Pft.” She scoffed at Shawn's accusation, flashing him a challenging smirk. “Nothing random about it.”
But, despite the confidence that was spreading throughout her, she was still on edge. When Yumi started moving behind her, scurrying for the wall out of Becky’s sight, the sound tripped her swagger up. She was in a pincer between them, free to be hit from behind again the moment she turned around. She’d stopped Shawn, sure, but that didn’t make it smart or pleasant to be surrounded on both sides.
Her feet bouncing once again, she hopped off to the side, away from Shawn and where Yumi was before, becoming the third point in the triangle between them. She could see them both again, but moving had reminded her of her heavy bag wrapped around her shoulder. It had been a miracle that she’d been able to keep her balance with the thing on in the first place: one spin in her kick and she could well have fallen on her ass, a decidedly not cool thing.
With one hard yank she pulled her bag’s handle off, lifting it above her head and allowing her supplies to drop to the ground. No longer burdened, her racing heart just encouraged her feet to keep springing around the ground, the small girl bouncing back and forth on the spot like there was no tomorrow. Her eyes darted between the cowering Yumi and the braced Shawn, lingering far longer on the latter.
“Come on, Shawn, show me what you got.” She taunted, beckoning with the fingers of her outstretched hand. Unless she tried to think about it, Becky would've never remembered her schooldays with Shawn and Yumi in that surging moment. All that was there was the thrill of the fight.
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CondorTalon
- Posts: 459
- Joined: Thu Sep 20, 2018 1:22 am
“Pft. Nothing random about it.”
Who did she think she was? She was hopping around, and as she noved to the side, Shawn realized that she was moving to where Yumi had been standing just moments before. Shawn was reminded that Yumi was, in fact, still here. If their fight escalated, she could get hurt. Shawn thought that the girl had already been through enough.
"Hey," he said, moving his eyes towards the girl clutching her bag. "You. Yumi, right? You should get out of here."
His eyes darted forward, again towards Becky, as he moved forward slightly.
"You," he said, this time aimed at Becky.
"Stop talking."
He moved forward, leading with a left cross followed by two jabs.
Who did she think she was? She was hopping around, and as she noved to the side, Shawn realized that she was moving to where Yumi had been standing just moments before. Shawn was reminded that Yumi was, in fact, still here. If their fight escalated, she could get hurt. Shawn thought that the girl had already been through enough.
"Hey," he said, moving his eyes towards the girl clutching her bag. "You. Yumi, right? You should get out of here."
His eyes darted forward, again towards Becky, as he moved forward slightly.
"You," he said, this time aimed at Becky.
"Stop talking."
He moved forward, leading with a left cross followed by two jabs.
Yumi continued to watch as the confrontation between her classmates continued. After the guy and the other girl backed off from each other, they continued to stare each other down. The girl dropped her bag to the ground and hopped in place like an excited schoolgirl. Yumi flinched a little when the brunette looked at her, but nothing came of it, as the crazy girl almost immediately returned her attention to the male student. The boy, on the other hand, seemed much more serious and calm. He turned to Yumi for a brief moment and said something...
"Hey, you. Yumi, right? You should get out of here."
...Before turning his attention back to the crazy girl. Before Yumi knew what was happening, the boy had already begun throwing punches at the other girl. Yumi wasn't sure whether to be terrified of relieved. On one hand, the boy had probably saved her life, but on the other hand, he had just proven that he's willing to attack someone else if the situation is right. Without giving it much more thought, Yumi quickly slung her bag over her shoulder and darted out through the open door while the other two were still fighting each other.
She didn't care too much where she was going, as long as she was getting as far away from that cabin as possible.
((Yumi Nunes continued elsewhere...))
"Hey, you. Yumi, right? You should get out of here."
...Before turning his attention back to the crazy girl. Before Yumi knew what was happening, the boy had already begun throwing punches at the other girl. Yumi wasn't sure whether to be terrified of relieved. On one hand, the boy had probably saved her life, but on the other hand, he had just proven that he's willing to attack someone else if the situation is right. Without giving it much more thought, Yumi quickly slung her bag over her shoulder and darted out through the open door while the other two were still fighting each other.
She didn't care too much where she was going, as long as she was getting as far away from that cabin as possible.
((Yumi Nunes continued elsewhere...))
Shawn was coming at her now: awesome. A good fight, one that would really get her heart pumping and her feet dancing, was coming straight at her with a fierce look in his eye.
So why had her legs stopped moving?
When she’d first kicked him, she’d barely had a chance to get a glance at him: it’d be entirely spur of the moment. It had certainly been effective, and definitely well executed, but it wasn't something she’d planned. Now she could see Shawn, see how pissed off he was at her, and how much height he had on her. She’d sparred with bigger guys before, it was hard not to when you were only five foot two, but they lacked the hostile intent that Shawn clearly possessed.
Her cocky grin cracked.
She let out a squeal of fear as the first punch came in, raising her arms to shield her head. She braced herself for the impacts that pounded against her limbs, but they came powerfully and without sympathy. “Stop punching me!”
This wasn’t like any of the spars she’d been in before: it was far more merciless, far less controlled. When she had been the one getting to kick people, sure, it had been great, but now she was on the receiving end of a much larger foe, and that bravado had given way to panic for the third time in barely a minute.
She stepped away from her attacker on instinct, ready to bring her leg back up and aim a kick for his stomach, but she found herself plummeting backwards instead. Her bag, dropped to the floor to allow a freer range of movement, had gotten in the way of her feet as she tried to retreat, and before she knew it she had landed flat on the floor with a shrill yelp.
She was losing whatever fleeting cool she had as she laid in a mess on top of her bag. She didn’t feel like playing around with Shawn anymore, seeing who could win their little fight, as her temper started to flare from the imminent defeat. Now she just wanted to get back at him for everything that had happened to her.
“Dick!” she yelled at Shawn, throwing all technique out the window as she aimed a wild kick at his.
So why had her legs stopped moving?
When she’d first kicked him, she’d barely had a chance to get a glance at him: it’d be entirely spur of the moment. It had certainly been effective, and definitely well executed, but it wasn't something she’d planned. Now she could see Shawn, see how pissed off he was at her, and how much height he had on her. She’d sparred with bigger guys before, it was hard not to when you were only five foot two, but they lacked the hostile intent that Shawn clearly possessed.
Her cocky grin cracked.
She let out a squeal of fear as the first punch came in, raising her arms to shield her head. She braced herself for the impacts that pounded against her limbs, but they came powerfully and without sympathy. “Stop punching me!”
This wasn’t like any of the spars she’d been in before: it was far more merciless, far less controlled. When she had been the one getting to kick people, sure, it had been great, but now she was on the receiving end of a much larger foe, and that bravado had given way to panic for the third time in barely a minute.
She stepped away from her attacker on instinct, ready to bring her leg back up and aim a kick for his stomach, but she found herself plummeting backwards instead. Her bag, dropped to the floor to allow a freer range of movement, had gotten in the way of her feet as she tried to retreat, and before she knew it she had landed flat on the floor with a shrill yelp.
She was losing whatever fleeting cool she had as she laid in a mess on top of her bag. She didn’t feel like playing around with Shawn anymore, seeing who could win their little fight, as her temper started to flare from the imminent defeat. Now she just wanted to get back at him for everything that had happened to her.
“Dick!” she yelled at Shawn, throwing all technique out the window as she aimed a wild kick at his.
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CondorTalon
- Posts: 459
- Joined: Thu Sep 20, 2018 1:22 am
God
FUCKING
damn it!
Shawn stumbled back while holding his private regions. Why the fuck was this happening? It made him angry. Couldn't this bitch just leave people alone?
"Fucking bitch!" he yelled as he moved forward to land another punch. He'd become frenzied at this point, his punches more wild.
"Who the fuck do you think you are?!"
He went to grab the girl, to lift her up. To throw her away.
FUCKING
damn it!
Shawn stumbled back while holding his private regions. Why the fuck was this happening? It made him angry. Couldn't this bitch just leave people alone?
"Fucking bitch!" he yelled as he moved forward to land another punch. He'd become frenzied at this point, his punches more wild.
"Who the fuck do you think you are?!"
He went to grab the girl, to lift her up. To throw her away.