Test Drive [pg13]

[ωΘĿƒ]

Z looked up, jaws frothing with hot fire as Shirayuki came to give him the sword. What the? Ice? He couldn't use ice! The sword began to melt as he caught it, then the troll - who by this time wasn't so blind - decided to beat him over the head with its mace again.

Swirling blackness. The troll sounded like it was at the other end of a tunnel.

Z shook his head, trying to clear his mind. Athena's attack helped distract the troll enough so that he could reposition himself and get back into the fight.

Well, well. She wasn't a priss at all, was she?

Z found an opening, coiling his tail around the troll's neck. There. No more problems. He held tightly, strangling the life out of the troll, its mace grazing his sides and distracting him slightly. He couldn't attack when he was trying to hold the troll in a lock, but someone else might be so kind...

"Get in some good ones!" He called, to anyone in general. The troll let out a fit of blows, and he struggled to keep it down.

[amber989]

Ah, she forgotten that Z can't use ice. Nevermind, it seems that he got the troll under control, well, it's Illia or that unicorn's cue. She shouldn't have come here in the first place. This place isn't pretty at all. She's not going to come back to this class again. Or maybe it's just her view in this situation. Dot dot dot, she sat in the corner again.

[Iƪƪia]

Still seething with rage, Illia took advantage of the situation. She stumbled, attempting to straighten herself out. Fighting back the pain, she charged the monster. She dove for the arm that held the mace, sinking her teeth into it's shoulder.

Unable to reach her with it's weapon, it attempted to pry her off with it's free hand. She shook her head from side to side, trying to make a dent in it's thick flesh as it desperately grabbed ar her mane. She swatted at it's hand, annoyed as she shook her head even more vigorously. Finally, she felt the skin give. She managed to rip off a chunck of it's flesh and then she spit it on the ground, disgustedly. Quickly, she dove away, feeling something hard scrape along her shoulder. Illia didn't stop to see what, instead, she backed a few feet away from the beast, blood dripping from her fangs.

[ωΘĿƒ]

Z had been trying to squeeze the life out of the troll ever since he caught a hold on it. Sure, he was strong, but that troll thrashed! As Illia began her attack, the troll started to focus more on her. Perfect.

Z pulled tight, holding the troll back as Illia moved aside. It had let go of the tail wrapped tightly around its neck to defend itself, but now it was as good as dead meat. Z strained his back in an arch, getting in as much leverage as he could. The troll's trapped rampage was shaking the ground it was so mighty, but Z thought he could do it.

He could do it he could do it he could do it....

There was a shudder below him, so great that it startled him. The troll relaxed, its head bent at an awkward angle. Its flailing hands came down, and the mace finally stopped battering him. It felt so quiet then, so quiet that he could hear his breathing. He staggered up, away from the troll, and, looking down, he let out a little triumphant fume of smoke.

"And that's how to kill a troll!"

He opened his wings slightly, stretching them out, then folded them back nice and neat along his spine.

"With a little help, of course."

* * *

Rehnquist and Manner both stared down, unbelieving.

"He killed it?!" Manner moaned. "But that unicorn helped, right?"

"No, no, the ice girl did." Rehnquist added.

"She didn't do anything! At least my bet threw a couple of blows!"

The two teachers broke down into a fit of bickering, completely ignoring the children and their achievement. That is, until a familiar voice sounded behind them.

"Never make a bet on battle, gentlemen. You will find it an unpredictable gamble."

Rehnquist and Manner both straightened, looking behind them. A casual arm was draped over each of their chairs as Professor Crane propped himself up, looking down at the felled troll.

"So, have they passed?"

"Barely." Manner growled, coming back to his senses. "But they'll be in trouble next time."

Rehnquist nodded. "One stray troll is not the most dangerous creature patrolling our grounds, and they really took their time killing it, sir."

"Understood." Crane nodded, still sorting through the wreckage of the battlefield. "Then I entrust their training to you." He stood up. "Now, doctor, please go tend to the wounded."

Without another word, Crane seemed to take a step back and vanish behind them. Rehnquist and Manner looked at one another, sizing up their situation.

"You heard him, doctor." Rehnquist smiled. "The children are no doubt tired."

Manner stood, brushing his coat flat, and with a renewed scowl went to the edge of the balcony.

"Good work, kids." He droned. "Although a bit slow. Practice for this class is optional, but the rewards are great if you can survive a few more like that. Class is every Wednesday, first thing in the morning at this location. Next week we'll be working on Advanced Magical Theory. Wanna guess what that involves?"

Without letting anyone answer his question, there was a flash of bright orange, and Manner's image blurred. The next instant, he was down on the edge of the arena, and the electric barrier had been dropped.

"Anyone with injuries report to the Infirmary. Everyone else is free to leave."

[amber989]

She yawned. Finally, she can leave. She heard a word, "bet" but decided to ignore it. She made a snowstorm surrounding her for a few seconds, then she disappeared. In her room, she lay on the bed. She's really tired because she's been bored for a few minutes.

And then she just fell asleep.

[Iƪƪia]

Illia was still panting as the class ended. She ran her tongue over her teeth, then moved onto her paws, her anger finally subsiding. That troll would still be dishing out attacks if she hadn't been there. Yes, they were lucky, weren't they? With a triumphant smile, she turned and saw the ice-girl disappear. Tired from a long day of fighting? She snorted before replacing her skin.

It was then she noticed the pain spreading through her side. From that monsters first attack, no doubt. She clutched at her side, clenching her teeth together. It was probably best to go get her wound looked at. With a sigh, she straightened up and stumbled out of the room.

[ωΘĿƒ]

After Z managed to get his bearings, he noticed the ice princess leaving.

Already? She should at least stay for the congratulations.

He, personally, liked it when he did something good. And, since people rarely ever payed attention to him, and then again rarely ever payed attention when he did something good, he was always first to come for the praise and last to leave. People often thought him prideful and arrogant for it, but then again, people thought his true form would burn them.

The point being, people were ignorant and shallow. He tended to either befriend them briefly for their company, or use them for his own purposes. He sauntered up to the balcony, took an exaggerated bow, then noticed Illia leaving.

She looked hurt, and she wasn't walking easily. That reminded him of his own minor injuries. The pain in his back had dulled into a blunt ache now, and his wings were wet and sticky.

"Crap." He sniffed, not bothering to look at his wounds. "Oh well. Haven't seen the Infirmary from the inside anyways."

Usually, old places like this school were good to map out in case of emergency. He hadn't added the Infirmary to his mental map, so off to the doctor's he would go.

He quickly regained his skin, then ambled out the door after Illia.