Post by Vio on Feb 25, 2016 9:56:38 GMT -5
“And that’s all she wrote!” the announcer exclaimed above the ecstatic cries of the audience. “With one impressive display of blinding speed, Number Eight secures himself a place in the finals! Stay tuned, ladies and gentlemen! We’re going to take an hour’s break for everyone to recuperate and set up before moving onto the last round, where we’ll see contestants One, Two, Eight and Thirteen duke it out!”
“Another Devil Fruit, I see,” Hexton commented, grinning still as she stared at Pluto. “It’s rare enough seeing one of them – let alone two at the same time. Are you a Zoan, per chance? That speed of yours was impressive enough that you might even be capable of keeping up with Quattro… Though I suppose we’ll have to wait and see as to whether that’s possible or not. I look forward to facing you in the next round, Number Eight.”
Without another word, nor waiting for a response, the blonde turned and left the stone stage upon which their fights had taken place. The arena itself was in far worse condition now than it had been before, with stone tiles cracked and crumbled and even a hefty chunk of stone having been moved. Tiling had been worn down from the forces at work, leaving a flat and circular battlefield as a shell of its former self. All around, people started to move and mill, now safe in the knowledge that there would be a delay before the final round was to begin. Medics tended to the injured and ran their assessments on others, while bested warriors talked amongst themselves about their fights and future prospects. Some were yet to regain consciousness from their defeats – the brutish fighter whom had fallen to Scarlette only now stirring from his knock to the noggin – and others seemed completely defeated by their inability to succeed. The audience themselves started to disperse, some moving in hordes to gain autographs from big names such as Quattro, and others perhaps sour that they had lost whatever wagers had been placed.
“You’re Number Eight, yes? I’m Number Nineteen – Percival, of the West Blue,” the businessman introduced as he approached the Bat Man, eyeing the immediate vicinity with care to make sure none were eavesdropping. “An impressive display of speed, even I had no way to accurately calculate your movement, but that is far from the point. I believe you are well acquainted with Number Thirteen? I cannot comprehend how you could associate yourself with such an unstable woman, but if she is indeed important to you, I suggest you keep a close eye on her movements for the time being. She left shortly before your fight finished, though I do not know where she has wandered to. There are powerful people here – far more powerful than your self – and angering them is not a wise idea. And for now, I bid you adieu!”-~-
“You called for me, Tweiss?” Octavier asked as he entered the hall, slipping those gloves of his back onto his hands. Amidst the enormity of the castle’s entrance hall, not to mention being in the presence of two abnormally tall figures, Scarlette Grimm-Rosa actually felt very small at this moment in time. On her own – without weapons with which to defend herself should the need arise – she wore a powerlessness, in starkest contrast to the murderous intent she had shown previously, or even the competitive confidence which had manifested itself upon the stage. She felt like a child trapped in a world of adults, caution prickling on the back of her neck in the presence of this saintly sir for reasons she could not quite place; reasons she was sure she had heard of recently.“Yup! She wants to become stronger!”
Why does this feel wrong all of a sudden…? The gears of her mind starting whir as Tweiss pointed a meaty finger at her, the mindful maiden was stricken with growing certainty that something was off. And yet she could not find the answer to her question, as if the truth was being hidden behind an unseen veil that her eyes could not quite find amongst the fog of her thoughts and desires. Right now, she sought strength and answers, but it was growing increasingly clearer that she was only going to receive one of those two things.
“Ah! Scarlette, was it? I imagine Tweiss has offered his own proper apology for the misunderstanding between you two?” quizzed the man before her, those light blue eyes of his looking deep into her own dark chocolate hues. She spoke not a word in response, but merely nodded alongside the portly person. With a clap of his hands, Octavier smiled and spoke again: “Excellent! You see, Tweiss? A little apology can go a very long way. Now, to business; you wish to become stronger still, Scarlette? I’m sorry to say that I cannot help, much as I said to you and Pluto when we met earlier.”
Now I remember, Scarlette said silently as she recalled the words that had been spoken to her; ‘I’m afraid I cannot offer much in the way of advice about growing stronger; I’ve always found that strength has many forms and each man, woman and child will find their strengths in due time…’
“Besides, I was fortunate enough to have time to witness your fighting prowess before matters arose that I had to attend to. You have a very interesting ability flowing through your veins, Scarlette,” the charismatic colossus said, squatting down a little and placing a hand firmly upon her shoulder as if to reassure the reaper woman of her strength. With a little hesitation, she stepped back; freeing herself from such a grasp as it brought back memories – memories of her own paternity and his methods of training her to become stronger. Those days were ones of hardship, back when she was truly but a child. And flashes of Jigokuchi’s Militia’s bunker flew into vision between blinks of the eye.“Hm? What’s the matter?”“I… I don’t trust you…”
“Oh,” Octavier said quietly, straightening himself. “I must admit, that is quite hurtful to hear. That being said, it also does not come as a shock to me. I’ve done nothing to earn your trust as of yet, have I? What can I do?”
… Such a question was an unusual one, especially given her current state of mind, but Miss Grimm-Rosa nonetheless felt as if she wanted to tackle the matter despite her caution. As the man himself had said, accepting and overcoming one’s weaknesses was a key to gaining strength, and right now she was seeing this memory of traumatic times as one of those very things through which she would have to persevere. For a moment, she stood in silence, recalling the words of the ‘ghost’ known as Ben that had been brought back to mind after her own mention of trust.
“Tweiss said you helped him lots of times,” Scarlette finally spoke up. “Did you make him stronger?”“Indeed, I did. In a way, I still am.”“Then show me… Show me what it was you did to make him stronger…!”{*OOC*}
Pluto (550055)
Rebecca (33ffff)
Ben (abcdef)
Clara (ff99ff)
Tweiss (ba3b3e)
Octavier (9999ff)
Old James (101010)
Skinny Brother (#7) (ad5a00)
Rotund Brother (#9) (00a5da)
Hexton (#2) (003300)
Quattro (#1) (e62f2f)
Brutish Brawler (#17) (440022)
Percentage Businessman (#19) (00ff55)
Nero Trojan (999900)
Blond Fighter (#24) (d5cf56)
Savage Warrior (#12) (633e09)[/ul][/ul][/spoiler][/font][/blockquote][/div][/div][/div]