Born to compete, never retreat. [Open]

Thursday, Week 5.


Somehow this was always calming. Destroying the targets in front of her with slash upon slash while listening to music, her form had to change from Spear and Sword to sword still though was working. In little more than a crop top and shorts, the scars to her stomach would be completely visible while hiding as much as the implanting scars as possible. Her feet bleeding from the hours of training, she would give pause to her attacks, resting on the hilt and placing her head down, "D-Dammit. I am this tired already? Urgh, at this rate I won't be able to defend Aphelion or Leo. I can't let either get injured, it is my duty." Biting her hand to the point of bleeding, she would've started enjoying the pain. After all, if pain is weakness leaving the body then it makes you get stronger, and being the strongest is the best thing of all. Shaking her head afterwards, she would resume her training, ignoring the signs of dehydration and the stained ground.

Equinox slowly trotted into the arena with Aphelion sitting on top of him, albeit backwards, waving the sword which he bought for Aoife (and was apparently not needed because she made one out of her hatred towards him). He showed pretty much no skill with the sword, swinging it around like a bat and trying to figure out how that was comfortable for anybody.

This is awkward... Feels like I'm just waving a bat around

He continued swinging his long sword around until he spotted Aoife. Grinning to himself, he held the sword and got off of Equinox, using Aura to jump himself around the air, until he was above Aoife. Putting on as deep a voice as he could, he let himself freefall towards her, shouting ''HELLO THERE LITTLE MISS, WANNA SEE SOMETHING NICE AND LONG?'', making sure he was just loud enough for her to hear.

(Autohit allowed)

Hearing the yelling at the last second, she would swap the blade to blood red while dodging to the side. Spinning the hilt in one hand, she would rearrange her attack and sweep, hitting him with the blunt side of her sword but the momentum would still do damage, sending him a few yards away. Somewhat tense muscles showing from the constant training, her diaphragm would be seen heaving from the strike. Sword raised and mind fogged over, she would stare her 'opponent' down, "..State... Your... Name... Before... I finish.. You."

Dropping the sword at the second of impact, Aphelion had to quickly shift to receive as little damage possible.

"My name?" he asked, his voice still deep, before chuckling, "I'm... Madlyin... Lovewithyou." he finished before dropping back to his normal voice and starting to laugh cheerfully, "Or you can call me Aphy."

Rolling her eyes as she recognises him, she would sigh loudly and turn back to her practice targets, beating them with the blade as she speaks, releasing it as little more than grunts, "Idiot.. Why are.. You.. Here?" Swinging overhead, she would release one arm as it goes over her and into the target, lodging itself into the collar bone area.

"Well, I figured since you weren't using Salamander I bought you I could try this 'swordsmanship' thing..." he said, rubbing the back of his neck and whistling for Equinox, "Can't get used to it though. It feels like I'm just waving around a stick. I think I'll stick to beating people up."

When his horse arrived, Aphelion took out a water bottle and started drinking with loud gulps, finishing with a long and refreshing "Ahh..."

Shrugging at his question, she would collapse onto the ground after failing to get her sword. Breathing heavily, she would be unable to even speak. Exhaustion catching up with her, the bleeding on her feet would be more than visible, no shoes worn and being a deep crimson, a fitting match to her hand.

Sighing with a small smile, Aphelion walked up to her and squatted beside her, the half-full water bottle being placed on the ground beside her, "Hey, don't overdo it. Or at least keep yourself hydrated." he said, still smiling to her. He moved his hand to run it through her hair slowly.

Slowly reaching for the bottle, she would lazily take it and start sipping it, disregarding any germs as the collar around her neck is shown more clearly. Normally covered by her hair through the plait going around her neck, he would get a quick look over it before she turns over to look at him, gulping heavily as if it was a reply.

Grinning, Aphelion walked back to Equinox and took out two more bottles just in case, followed by some anti-septic fluid, cloth and bandages. Returning, he put down the equipment, keeping the anti-septic well away from the thirsty girl, kneeled down and reached towards her feet with his palms, "May I?" he asked.

Nodding slightly as a reply, she would continue her loud gulps until she finishes, "Y-Yeah. Sure.. Also.. If I act different around Leo, please know it has nothing to do with you." Suddenly awkward, she would squirm slightly and lower her foot closer to him.

"Okay." came Aphelion's reply as he started slowly cleaning the blood off of her foot with the cloth, stealing the crimson from it, "If it's about Leo I'm probably better off not knowing anyway." he added, waiting until the foot was clean enough before starting to clean the wounds and preparing to apply the bandages, "Although Leo is much more unexpected than Katy."

Scowling at his assumption, she would flick her foot out at him, "Hey! .. You need to know this...I owe him my freedom. So I am repaying him with it..." Sitting up, she would decide he should know. Moving her hair from around the collar, she would try to take one of his hands to move it over the choker, "As such. It was decided that I will repay him through servitude, whatever he says I must obey."

Not pulling away, he let his hand be moved over the collar before taking it back and starting to bandage her foot, "As I figured, I was better off not knowing." he commented with a sigh and as natural smile as he could muster, his hands beginning to shake slightly, "Well, if you owe him your freedom, thank him from me." he added, still smiling as he finished with one foot and moved to the other, going to repeat his actions.

Frowning rather heavily, she would look down, her toes curling up slightly, "Blame Knight, I was more than ready to live out my life in a cell. At least then I was able to so much as use my aura without having to be fighting for my life. Now it is always so cold all the time. I mean, he still allows me to see you, and go out with my friends. But I literally can't defy his words and if I so much as look at a Guard wrong, they apparently have full usage of lethal force."

"When you're cold you can always roll up like a kitten with me in my bed." he said with a more natural smile, gently finishing with the bandaging of her foot. Then he slid himself closer to her, "Anywhere else I can help patch up?" he asked, "You can keep talking, just show me where you need treated."

Simply offering the hand with the bite in it, the wound would have started clotting as she was training, "Though, even if I am pretty much his slave, I will try my best not to hurt you any more than possible.. I did only accept the offer after it was done because it lets me still see you, after all." Blush rendered near invisible by her already red cheeks, she would twitch a little, looking him over quickly.

"Sorry, but it'll be ME trying my best to not hurt YOU." he laughed before showing her his tongue playfully. Then he got to her hand wound, "Well... You better be on your best behaviour when you're doing what he asks you. Otherwise I'll be upset that you're getting into more trouble when we have an agreement that you'll pour your frustrations onto me by beating me up."

Then he sighed as he looked at all the blood, "There are better methods of exhausting yourself, you know..." he almost purred, looking her straight in the eyes with a spark of erotic mischief in his pupils.

"... I had thought mention... of arrangement in those terms... something I had cautioned against..." Leonius strode into the arena in full armor, his heavy footfalls heralding his arrival as much as his words. "... But I suppose it fair... for him to know what... has transpired..."

He looked at Aphelion, and the cannon wings twitched. Modus: Vindicta was clearly active.

"... Aphelion..." he said, nodding. "... You are taking news... well..."

Slowly, his gaze turned to Aoife, expecting to see her eyes drop.

"... Aoife... Be more careful... in the future..."

Staring at Aphelion, the only thing what made her realise Leo was there would be the speaking. Immediately pulling her hand away, she would blush heavily, looking down at her half treated hand, moving her hair back around the collar, "S-Sorry! J-Just were talking about the incident, was going to ask if he wanted to go to the ball with me, Le- Dominus."

"Hello Leonius." Aphelion acknowledged his presence, and when Aoife pulled her hand away, he put the bandages down and looked at the man, "I hope you're treating her well." he added with another smile, getting up and offering Leo his hand to shake, "And it's Aph to friends. And Idiot to girlfriends, but you're definitely closer to the former."

Leonius glanced at Aphelion. "I am fairly certain... that Aphelion is banned... from future Balls..."

Slowly, he shook his head, and took Aphelion's hand with his left, shaking it.

"... Apologies... if I end up sticking... with Aphelion... or your full name... And I am treating her..." He glanced at Aoife. "... As one would... expect..."

He left it at that, taking his hand back.

Still flushed, she would scratch the back of her head while still not looking up, "W-Well then. Would you be attending the ball? As I am pretty sure Katy still has a dislike for me, so I figured if I am unable to go with her or idiot over there, then I could attend with you, Dominus... That is if you want to go with me of course! It's not like I wanted to at least get us on better terms if you have to put up with me for a while..."

"No bother about that." he said, taking his hand back as well after the shake. Noting that Leo already told Aoife what he was going to say, Aphelion moved away from the two and went back to Equinox, taking a different cloth from the saddlebags and using it to clean his hands from the bloodstains, his face still frozen in a smile.

Leonius looked at Aoife a moment, tilting his head. "... Your presence would not be... unwelcome by my side..."

He hadn't caught the potential connotations. He was thinking literally, as the tactical computer's influence instilled, and gave no thought to Aoife's relationship with Aphelion, or what he had done to her.

He merely nodded after a moment.