!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!BOOOOOOOOMM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
("WHOOOSSHHHH!!!!")
"Argh…"
"Shit…"
Lucius and Xavier exclaim shielding their eyes
"What was that?!?!"
Xavier says looking ahead
"…"
"It came from the leading pack!'
Lucius responds
"The leading…"
"What the…."
Xavier mumbles squinting to look ahead.
"…"
-Meanwhile-
[The Front Of The Pack]
"…"
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!BOOOOOOOOMM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!BOOOOOOOOMM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!BOOOOOOOOMM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
The sounds of explosions reverberate around the area one after another as a ferocious fight ensues.
"HAAAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!"
Jimmy laughs as he blocks each blow one after another!
"Well… well… well."
He says smirking
"I should have figured you wouldn't let this end just like that."
He says smirking
"…"
"Mu."
Jimmy says smiling brightly
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!BOOOOOOOOMM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!BOOOOOOOOMM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!BOOOOOOOOMM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
The sounds of explosions continue one after another as Mu continues to throw punches one after another ignorant of Jimmy's remarks.
"…"
"Tsk."
"Oh, c'mon Mu don't be like that."
Jimmy moans childishly
"Do tell…"
"Why cause such a huge fuss huh? Huuhh???"
He asks
"And why now?"
He asks as Mu just remains silent
"…"
"Hm…"
"So that's how you want to play it then?"
Jimmy mumbles alittle seriously watching her stout faced mask's empty expression
"…"
"Alright…"
"If that's the case."
Jimmy mumbles slowly dropping his guard when…
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!BOOOOOOOOMM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!BOOOOOOOOMM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!BOOOOOOOOMM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
"TCH."
"Hm."
Mu exclaims frustrated as rather than block the punches like before Jimmy Blanche now just dodges the punches completely. Devoid of his guard!!!
"Well?"
Jimmy asks seriously
"Do you see now the difference between us?"
He asks coldly as a frustrated sweat begins to burrow down Mu's face
"…"
However, Mu continues to remain silent and irate
"Fine."
Jimmy mumbles
"I'll entertain you if you want."
He says softly…
Just then,
The sand begins to brew something fierce as it gathers around Jimmy
"ack."
Mu immediately flinches, jumping backward in caution.
"…"
"BbbBBBZZZZZTTTTTTT---"
("OW! OW! OW!")
(Crowd Exclaims)
("THE HELL!!!")
(Crowd Shouts)
("HEY!!!!")
(Crowd Shouts)
"Huh?"
"Oh?"
Suddenly the sounds of frustrated shouts in the pack catch Mu and Jimmy attention respectively.
Prompting them to stop and exclaim as they look back to the crowd with intrigue.
"…"
("OW! OW! OW!")
("OW! OW! OW!")
("OW! OW! OW!")
("SHIT!")
"…"
"Well would you look at that."
"Tch."
Jimmy says smirking as Mu exclaims irate
"Now that's an interesting way to tackle the trial."
He says smirking brightly
"tch."
"Th-that's cheating!"
Mu says frustrated
"Oh! So now you want to talk."
Jimmy adds childishly
"Well yeah she's obviously--"
("plop")
"Ah!"
"Whoa…."
And just as Mu is about to continue her rant, Sierra jumps off Mu's head as well!!!!
Using it as a stepping stone, forcing an exclamation of pain from her and one of excitement from Jimmy!!
("TAT!")
The sound is soft as her feet hit the ground the other side of the quick sand!
"He-HEY THAT'S CHEATING!!!"
Mu shouts angrily at her
"Awesome."
Jimmy says excitedly
"…"
"Hm?"
Sierra's mellow but brash feminine voice exclaims
"I don't know if I remember this right but…"
She says softly
"Huh?!?!"
"She spoke?!?!"
Mu exclaims as Jimmy thinks
"Am quite certain Ms. Leona said…"
She says
"There are no rules."
Sierra says before starting forward in a calm walk
"…"
-silence-
"…"
"TCH!"
"Now that's badass."
Mu exclaims fuming as Jimmy says excited with an anxiously childish grin.
"…"
[Sierra Cloud of House Cloud Has Moved On To The Second Terrain]
-Meanwhile-
(Middle Of The Leading Pack)
"Those explosions up ahead…"
Xavier says shielding his eyes
"Do you think?"
"Yeah I do…"
Xavier says to an immediate response from Lucius
"It's probably Jimmy."
Lucius says
"Even in these harsh conditions they're still able to stand out."
Xavier thinks
"Amazing…"
He thinks
"…"
"Damn royals."
Lucius mumbles
"hm?"
Xavier exclaims having not heard him
"Nevermind."
Lucius says
"At any rate we sure have made up a lot of ground."
Lucius says looking around him
"Yeah."
Xavier responds
"The fact that we can just about make up what's going on ahead of us means we're probably part of the leading pack now."
He says
"Yes we are."
Lucius says
"Judging by where we stand we're probably about just in the middle of the leading pack."
He says
"…"
"Still though…."
Xavier begins
"Can't say I expected it to be this easy."
He says
"…"
"Well you should have."
Lucius says after scanning Xavier for a bit
"After everyone heard what happened yesterday am sure most don't want anything to do with you."
He says,
"You did go toe to toe with one of the favourites in these trials yknow."
He says bluntly
"Uuhhh… right."
Xavier responds meekly, cheeks slightly flush as Lucius watches him alittle flush himself from Xavier's meek expression.
(Fake cough)
"Ahem… well apart from that it seems likely that's those who didn't know you were allied with Yasser Freid, now know too. So that's also a factor."
He says
"Combine those two bits of information together and you become someone to avoid."
"Lest they want an early elimination."
He says
"…"
Xavier stays silent looking at Lucius
"…"
-silence-
"…"
"Hmmm…"
He thinks
"Is that really how everyone views me now?"
He thinks recalling the events of yesterday
Whether he could believe it or not, it certainly was the truth.
Xavier had just fought against one of the favourites to win the competition.
And add to that he had won.
He then went on to gain the recognition of the sense's and did it all to protect all the other competitors.
Whether they were afraid of him or simply ashamed to see him, their unlikely savior.
One thing was certain to everyone.
Xavier Grey was strong.
And should've been considered a favourite to win the Captaincy spot from the get go.
Regardless of whether Yasser handpicked him or not.
"Hm…"
Xavier exclaims looking to the glowing marks on his arms
"…"
"I guess I… I really have grown huh."
Xavier thinks sombrely
"…"
"Lucius."
Xavier calls
"Yes?"
Lucius responds
"Just how many people are allowed to compete in the next terrain."
Xavier
"The next terrain?"
Lucius echoes
"Anyone who survives really."
He says,
"Huh?"
"Really?!"
Xavier asks taken a bit aback
"Yes."
Lucius responds
"The trials always attract at least a thousand people every time."
He says
"But as is often the case."
"People are usually weeded down to only thirty-two by the second trial."
He says
"3… 32!!!"
Xavier echoes
"Yes."
Lucius responds
"The second trials almost always only have 32 participants."
He says
"The main sweep of the participants being taken out in the first trial."
He says
"Th-then how does the number drop so drastically if anyone who passes the terrains of the first trial is allowed!!"
Xavier asks
"Well… it's like Ms. Leona said."
Lucius continues
"The trials don't go on forever Xavier."
He says
"There are Blade officers at every checkpoint who cut out anyone who doesn't make it in enough time to warrant fitness to continue."
He says
"And besides that, due to the shifting nature of the terrains in the first trials and the self-dependence of the trials as a whole."
"There is a big number of people who are either too slow and get left behind…"
"Or just can't cope with it and quit."
He says
"Ofcourse not forgetting those who just get lost along the way."
He says thoughtfully
"But am sure as last night probably proved to you."
"The biggest eliminator of participants in the trials."
"Is well…"
"…is the participants themselves."
Lucius says seriously as Xavier looks ahead to the ensuing commotion
"Like how eliminating other participants gives you a higher chance to succeed."
"Or taking out the leaders reduces the pace of the pack."
He says
"The sands themselves are no issue."
"The issue is the number of people all cramped up here and doing whatever they can to win."
Lucius says
"In truth this first trial is more of a survival exercise than an endurance test."
He says coldly.
"…"
"I see…"
Xavier says softly as he watches the chaos
"…"
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!BOOOOOOOOMM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!BOOOOOOOOMM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!BOOOOOOOOMM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
(WHOOOOOSHHHHH!!!!!!!)
"Argh!!!"
"Shit!!!"
Lucius and Xavier both exclaim shielding their eyes once more
"Those explosions again."
Xavier says shielding his eyes
"Yeah, the wind is getting much fiercer now that we're closer to the front of the pack."
Lucius adds uncomfortably
"…"
Silence befalls the pair as Xavier squints to get a better view
"I think I can see a little better now."
Xavier says looking ahead
"Really?"
"Can you tell who it is?"
Lucius asks anxiously
"Y-Yeah…"
Xavier says
"It seems to be…"
"Jimmy."
He says
"Like Jimmy Blanche?"
Lucius asks
"Yeah… and…"
Xavier says as he squints for a better view
"And who Xavier?"
Lucius asks anxiously
"…."
"Tch."
"And that Masked freak Mu too…"
He says as Lucius tenses at her name
"Sheeesh."
Xavier exclaims irritated
"Don't these guys know they could bury everyone else with that high a 'souls' projection?"
He says snappily
"Well…"
"…"
"Not that I knew either."
Xavier thinks guiltily
"Hm. Scratch that am pretty sure clown face over there wouldn't care."
He says frustrated
"Tsk."
"Whatever."
"I can see the end of the terrain."
Xavier says as he drops his arms
"We should continue forward and--"
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!BOOOOOM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
"WHA-WHAT?!!!"
Xavier shouts turning to Lucius
"A-ARGHH!!!!!"
"Hehe."
A brash voice laughs as Lucius exclaims falling slow to the ground…
"T-TCH!"
"Lu-LUCIUS!!!!"
Xavier shouts after Lucius rushing to his aid…
"…."
"…"
-To Be Continued-