A hush fell over the Raptor Army Barracks as Erin strode in, jaw set
resolutely and murder in her eye. A few scattered salutes were offered from
the soldiers that noticed her arrival, but she didn't seem to see them. Her
gaze swept immediately to her prey, eyes glittering coldly.
Ominae was sprawled lazily on his bunk, asleep although it was scarcely past dinnertime. Erin stalked slowly over to the bunk and kicked the steel frame with the side of her foot. "Ominae," she breathed, softly, but backed in steel.
Ominae began to snore, unconsciously waving Erin away as he shifted to face the wall. The volume of the snoring increased slightly.
Erin's face didn't even twitch. She extended one arm to grip the boy's arm none too gently. "Ominae," she repeated, louder this time.
"Go away," Ominae sighed into his pillow as he awoke, disturbed from his beauty rest.
Erin's tightened her grasp. "No. Up. NOW."
Ominae used the non-receptive, limp technique, hoping Erin will go away if ignored.
Erin clutched Ominae harder, digging her nagged fingernails through the malachite and steel of his uniform, and into his tender flesh. She pulled him roughly toward her by her iron grip on his sleeve.
Ominae flashed to the sitting position, "Eh, what the hell's this about? That hurts, goddamnit, yet your filthy hands off me, you bitch."
Erin resisted the urge to claw his eyes out. She replied with remarkable equanimity, tongue between her teeth. "That is enough. I am so bloody tired of the shit you're giving me, and you don't deserve the damn uniform you're wearing. Take it off and hand it here. When you prove to me that you're a Raptor and worthy of it, I'll give it back. And from now on, you'll sleep in the hallway." A dangerous glint was visible in her eyes.
Ominae laughed, "You must be crazy. No." Pissed at Erin for digging her filthy claws into his back, he retaliated. "What's your problem, bitch? A good commander could get her soldiers to listen to her without violence or these puny little ultimatums."
A coral-pink flush crept onto Erin's face and neck. That one stung a little; it was too close to the truth for comfort. She pushed it away. "Only when they're real soldiers, little boy. You're not even fit to be a launchy."
Ominae laughed again. "And what is a soldier? I think it's just one who fights for a cause, and that's exactly what I'm doing. You just don't know what that cause is."
Erin arched one brow, voice a low-pitched growl. "That's because you don't have a damn cause. Now, are you taking that uniform off, or do I have to physically remove it from you, and you from this barracks?"
Lupus, another Raptor soldier, got up off his bunk and stood beside the commander, looking his usual intimidating self. Erin glanced at him, grateful for support, although she'd never admit it.
Ominae pushed Erin away from him. "I'll fight you for it."
Pointing toward the hallway, Erin let go of Ominae. "Fine. Let's go, right now." At this point, the barracks' occupants were all watching raptly, but Erin and Ominae both seemed mostly unaware of their audience. Their eyes were focused only upon each other.
Ominae shook his head. "Here, bitch. And if I win, you make me a TL."
"No, in the hallway." A smirk conquered the determined composure of Erin's face. "Fine... if you can get an entire Toon to follow you."
Pushing Erin aside, Lupus punched Ominae a hard one on the chin. Ominae hit his head on the wall in back of him, and sucked on his lip which was already beginning to bleed.
The commander turned her attention to Lupus. "Step down, soldier. I'm dealing with this."
Regaining himself, Ominae tried to hit Lupus back through a string of curses. Erin slammed her knuckles into the bridge of Ominae's nose, and he dropped back abruptly. Motioning Lupus to help her, she grabbed a hold of the unruly insubordinate, and the two of them shoved him out into the hall.
The hall was not empty. Erin barely glanced at the other soldiers, moving down the hall to an empty spot. "Let's go, Ominae."
Ominae looked up at Erin, wiping his face with the cuff of his uniform, "Alright, bitch." He took a fighting stance, which was somewhat unorthodox but possessed an air of experience.
The other soldiers gaped slightly as Erin slid into her defensive stance, watching to see what was about to happen. Erin bided her time patiently, ignoring the various shocked reactions.
With a yell, Ominae attacked, swinging wide hooks toward Erin's face.
Erin darted aside neatly and kicked out sharply with her right leg, trying to hook it around Ominae's leg to buckle his knee and trip him.
A Phoenix soldier mumbled something about 'iced'.
Ominae continued to charge Erin, reducing the space between them. He tried to ram her with his body, an attempt to knock her over.
Erin stepped back, shoulder blades securely against the wall, and waited for impact, bringing one knee up to her chest to dig painfully into Ominae's if he wouldn't halt.
Ominae crushed Erin against the wall with his greater weight, swinging at her with both fists.
Erin winced, grabbed for Ominae's shoulders and shoved forward, jamming her knee up to his groin with a sort of calculated calmness.
Ominae clenched his jaw, but continued his barrage of fists, spouting high- pitched obscenities in-between each punch. Obviously, the knee to the groin hurt, but his force of will prevailed.
Her back firmly against the wall, Erin didn't bother to try and dodge the blows, taking them silently without outward sign of pain in contrast to the younger boy's stream of profanity. She kneed Ominae in the crotch again, then jammed her fist at his nose. Bleed, you bastard.
Ominae staggered back at the punch to the nose, dizzy and beginning to drip blood.
Astra, the Hound Army Commander walked down the corridor and onto the scene. She came quickly to a halt when saw the crowd - and at the center of which, her best friend beating up a subordinate.
Shandahr, a Raven, saluted Astra. "Sir..."
Astra blinked at Shandahr questioningly, and tried to assess the situation.
Erin licked her lower lip, which was cracking and starting to bleed. She waited to see if Ominae was finished before throwing another punch. Please let this be over become the staffers come and turn it into something that it isn't. I don't need that, I just need him to bloody obey my orders.
Shandahr cleared her throat, addressing Astra. "Should I let them kill each other, or go for an authority?"
Erin may have been busy, but Shandahr's words were not ignored. She threw a glance quickly over her shoulder, growled vehemently, "No! We're not killing each other, -don't- you dare call one of Them."
Ominaem too, regained himself, "You call a staffer and..."
Astra winced at the sight and looked around stiffly. Quickly in response to Shandahr's question, she blurted out something that might not be 'by the book,' "I don't think a staffer needs to get involved." She turned to Erin, "What happened here?"
Shandahr gave a wry grin. "And you'll try t' kill me...yeah, yeah." She looked back at Astra. "Alright."
Erin looked at Astra, pleadingly. "Please, I'll tell you everything later." She turned back to Ominae. "Are we done? Are you going to obey me now, or do I have to make you bleed first?"
Ominae looked at Erin, clenched his jaw, and then, grinned. He grinned through the pain. "All right, sir." He looked at Erin's pathetic form, which was on par with his own. He laughed aloud.
Erin kept her sigh of relief inward. She wiped the blood from her mouth with the back of her hand, and said firmly. "Good. Now you will do as I told you. Take off your uniform, and hand it to me. When you are deserving of it and sleeping in Raptor Barracks, I will inform you." Familiar, Astra? I've turned into Alcarinque.
Astra frowned at Ominae's scorn for her friend, but said nothing, at Erin's request.
Shandahr watched with cool, uninvolved eyes.
Ominae frowned, "I'm not gonna do that, though, sir. Instead..." Ominae tore off his Raptor patch. "You'll have to feel content only with this. But hey, now we match, sir." That must've been the first time he's said 'sir' in his whole life at Battle School.
Forcefully, Erin shook her head. "Not good enough. Are you going to hand me that uniform or do I have to force it off you?" She looked to Astra. "I have a feeling the Hound Army Commander will hold you still for me if I were so inclined to ask."
Ominae grinned, "You'll have to fight me for it again... Cause Ominae ain't giving it up without a fight."
Astra nodded to Erin, taking one step toward Ominae, ready to help Erin out if she asked.
Shandahr inclinced her head slightly "Sir, with all due respect--" Her voice was jaunty, cheerful, completely lacking in respect. "--I believe the Raven soldier would be willing to assist, too."
Erin said drily, "I'd love to fight you again, Ominae, but I have a nice test to study for. Astra, wanna give me a hand?" She moved to block off Ominae's only escape route; the side of the hallway unoccupied by the little crowd.
Ominae didn't even try to escape. "You want some too, bitch?" He directed that towards the Hound.
Erin reached out, slapping Ominae hard across the face. "Call me whatever you damn like, but you call Astra a bitch again and I'll shove you out an airlock."
Astra raised an eyebrow, "Not from a disrespectful soldier, no." She turned to Erin, "How about we just leave until Ominae learns some respect and we can communicated with him on a humane level.
Erin shook her head. "Yeah, right after hell freezes over." She turned to Ominae, looking suddenly very tired and frail beyond her years. "Look, Ominae, either you save what little dignity you have, or get forcibly undressed right here. What's it gonna be?"
Ominae only grinned.
Erin looked briefly toward the others, shrugging. "Fine. If anyone wants to help, now's the time." She advanced, briskly.
Shandahr smiled, a fey grin--although without the good-natured mischievousness it normally possesses. "Yes, sir."
Astra stepped closer, grabbing Ominae by the neck of his uniform. He swing out at her, aiming a hook for her head, but she ducked it easily.
Shandahr was small, not the strongest of girls, but street-smart and a veteran of more fights than she'd admit. She launched herself at Ominae's chest, landing several punches to his gut and chest. He looked to be having difficulty breathing.
The three of them - the rest of the crowd had already dispersed - finally managed to pin Ominae to the hallway floor after a drawn out struggle. He spat and cursed, clawing at them as they wrested off the Raptor uniform. When he finally sat naked on the ground, they moved away. Ominae stood and dashed off. No one bothered to stop him.
Erin put one hand to her brow tiredly, "I appreciate the help," she told Shandahr and Astra. "I suppose I better go clean off all this blood, now," she said, and bidding them farewell, went off in the direction of the bathrooms.
Another day survived.
Ominae was sprawled lazily on his bunk, asleep although it was scarcely past dinnertime. Erin stalked slowly over to the bunk and kicked the steel frame with the side of her foot. "Ominae," she breathed, softly, but backed in steel.
Ominae began to snore, unconsciously waving Erin away as he shifted to face the wall. The volume of the snoring increased slightly.
Erin's face didn't even twitch. She extended one arm to grip the boy's arm none too gently. "Ominae," she repeated, louder this time.
"Go away," Ominae sighed into his pillow as he awoke, disturbed from his beauty rest.
Erin's tightened her grasp. "No. Up. NOW."
Ominae used the non-receptive, limp technique, hoping Erin will go away if ignored.
Erin clutched Ominae harder, digging her nagged fingernails through the malachite and steel of his uniform, and into his tender flesh. She pulled him roughly toward her by her iron grip on his sleeve.
Ominae flashed to the sitting position, "Eh, what the hell's this about? That hurts, goddamnit, yet your filthy hands off me, you bitch."
Erin resisted the urge to claw his eyes out. She replied with remarkable equanimity, tongue between her teeth. "That is enough. I am so bloody tired of the shit you're giving me, and you don't deserve the damn uniform you're wearing. Take it off and hand it here. When you prove to me that you're a Raptor and worthy of it, I'll give it back. And from now on, you'll sleep in the hallway." A dangerous glint was visible in her eyes.
Ominae laughed, "You must be crazy. No." Pissed at Erin for digging her filthy claws into his back, he retaliated. "What's your problem, bitch? A good commander could get her soldiers to listen to her without violence or these puny little ultimatums."
A coral-pink flush crept onto Erin's face and neck. That one stung a little; it was too close to the truth for comfort. She pushed it away. "Only when they're real soldiers, little boy. You're not even fit to be a launchy."
Ominae laughed again. "And what is a soldier? I think it's just one who fights for a cause, and that's exactly what I'm doing. You just don't know what that cause is."
Erin arched one brow, voice a low-pitched growl. "That's because you don't have a damn cause. Now, are you taking that uniform off, or do I have to physically remove it from you, and you from this barracks?"
Lupus, another Raptor soldier, got up off his bunk and stood beside the commander, looking his usual intimidating self. Erin glanced at him, grateful for support, although she'd never admit it.
Ominae pushed Erin away from him. "I'll fight you for it."
Pointing toward the hallway, Erin let go of Ominae. "Fine. Let's go, right now." At this point, the barracks' occupants were all watching raptly, but Erin and Ominae both seemed mostly unaware of their audience. Their eyes were focused only upon each other.
Ominae shook his head. "Here, bitch. And if I win, you make me a TL."
"No, in the hallway." A smirk conquered the determined composure of Erin's face. "Fine... if you can get an entire Toon to follow you."
Pushing Erin aside, Lupus punched Ominae a hard one on the chin. Ominae hit his head on the wall in back of him, and sucked on his lip which was already beginning to bleed.
The commander turned her attention to Lupus. "Step down, soldier. I'm dealing with this."
Regaining himself, Ominae tried to hit Lupus back through a string of curses. Erin slammed her knuckles into the bridge of Ominae's nose, and he dropped back abruptly. Motioning Lupus to help her, she grabbed a hold of the unruly insubordinate, and the two of them shoved him out into the hall.
The hall was not empty. Erin barely glanced at the other soldiers, moving down the hall to an empty spot. "Let's go, Ominae."
Ominae looked up at Erin, wiping his face with the cuff of his uniform, "Alright, bitch." He took a fighting stance, which was somewhat unorthodox but possessed an air of experience.
The other soldiers gaped slightly as Erin slid into her defensive stance, watching to see what was about to happen. Erin bided her time patiently, ignoring the various shocked reactions.
With a yell, Ominae attacked, swinging wide hooks toward Erin's face.
Erin darted aside neatly and kicked out sharply with her right leg, trying to hook it around Ominae's leg to buckle his knee and trip him.
A Phoenix soldier mumbled something about 'iced'.
Ominae continued to charge Erin, reducing the space between them. He tried to ram her with his body, an attempt to knock her over.
Erin stepped back, shoulder blades securely against the wall, and waited for impact, bringing one knee up to her chest to dig painfully into Ominae's if he wouldn't halt.
Ominae crushed Erin against the wall with his greater weight, swinging at her with both fists.
Erin winced, grabbed for Ominae's shoulders and shoved forward, jamming her knee up to his groin with a sort of calculated calmness.
Ominae clenched his jaw, but continued his barrage of fists, spouting high- pitched obscenities in-between each punch. Obviously, the knee to the groin hurt, but his force of will prevailed.
Her back firmly against the wall, Erin didn't bother to try and dodge the blows, taking them silently without outward sign of pain in contrast to the younger boy's stream of profanity. She kneed Ominae in the crotch again, then jammed her fist at his nose. Bleed, you bastard.
Ominae staggered back at the punch to the nose, dizzy and beginning to drip blood.
Astra, the Hound Army Commander walked down the corridor and onto the scene. She came quickly to a halt when saw the crowd - and at the center of which, her best friend beating up a subordinate.
Shandahr, a Raven, saluted Astra. "Sir..."
Astra blinked at Shandahr questioningly, and tried to assess the situation.
Erin licked her lower lip, which was cracking and starting to bleed. She waited to see if Ominae was finished before throwing another punch. Please let this be over become the staffers come and turn it into something that it isn't. I don't need that, I just need him to bloody obey my orders.
Shandahr cleared her throat, addressing Astra. "Should I let them kill each other, or go for an authority?"
Erin may have been busy, but Shandahr's words were not ignored. She threw a glance quickly over her shoulder, growled vehemently, "No! We're not killing each other, -don't- you dare call one of Them."
Ominaem too, regained himself, "You call a staffer and..."
Astra winced at the sight and looked around stiffly. Quickly in response to Shandahr's question, she blurted out something that might not be 'by the book,' "I don't think a staffer needs to get involved." She turned to Erin, "What happened here?"
Shandahr gave a wry grin. "And you'll try t' kill me...yeah, yeah." She looked back at Astra. "Alright."
Erin looked at Astra, pleadingly. "Please, I'll tell you everything later." She turned back to Ominae. "Are we done? Are you going to obey me now, or do I have to make you bleed first?"
Ominae looked at Erin, clenched his jaw, and then, grinned. He grinned through the pain. "All right, sir." He looked at Erin's pathetic form, which was on par with his own. He laughed aloud.
Erin kept her sigh of relief inward. She wiped the blood from her mouth with the back of her hand, and said firmly. "Good. Now you will do as I told you. Take off your uniform, and hand it to me. When you are deserving of it and sleeping in Raptor Barracks, I will inform you." Familiar, Astra? I've turned into Alcarinque.
Astra frowned at Ominae's scorn for her friend, but said nothing, at Erin's request.
Shandahr watched with cool, uninvolved eyes.
Ominae frowned, "I'm not gonna do that, though, sir. Instead..." Ominae tore off his Raptor patch. "You'll have to feel content only with this. But hey, now we match, sir." That must've been the first time he's said 'sir' in his whole life at Battle School.
Forcefully, Erin shook her head. "Not good enough. Are you going to hand me that uniform or do I have to force it off you?" She looked to Astra. "I have a feeling the Hound Army Commander will hold you still for me if I were so inclined to ask."
Ominae grinned, "You'll have to fight me for it again... Cause Ominae ain't giving it up without a fight."
Astra nodded to Erin, taking one step toward Ominae, ready to help Erin out if she asked.
Shandahr inclinced her head slightly "Sir, with all due respect--" Her voice was jaunty, cheerful, completely lacking in respect. "--I believe the Raven soldier would be willing to assist, too."
Erin said drily, "I'd love to fight you again, Ominae, but I have a nice test to study for. Astra, wanna give me a hand?" She moved to block off Ominae's only escape route; the side of the hallway unoccupied by the little crowd.
Ominae didn't even try to escape. "You want some too, bitch?" He directed that towards the Hound.
Erin reached out, slapping Ominae hard across the face. "Call me whatever you damn like, but you call Astra a bitch again and I'll shove you out an airlock."
Astra raised an eyebrow, "Not from a disrespectful soldier, no." She turned to Erin, "How about we just leave until Ominae learns some respect and we can communicated with him on a humane level.
Erin shook her head. "Yeah, right after hell freezes over." She turned to Ominae, looking suddenly very tired and frail beyond her years. "Look, Ominae, either you save what little dignity you have, or get forcibly undressed right here. What's it gonna be?"
Ominae only grinned.
Erin looked briefly toward the others, shrugging. "Fine. If anyone wants to help, now's the time." She advanced, briskly.
Shandahr smiled, a fey grin--although without the good-natured mischievousness it normally possesses. "Yes, sir."
Astra stepped closer, grabbing Ominae by the neck of his uniform. He swing out at her, aiming a hook for her head, but she ducked it easily.
Shandahr was small, not the strongest of girls, but street-smart and a veteran of more fights than she'd admit. She launched herself at Ominae's chest, landing several punches to his gut and chest. He looked to be having difficulty breathing.
The three of them - the rest of the crowd had already dispersed - finally managed to pin Ominae to the hallway floor after a drawn out struggle. He spat and cursed, clawing at them as they wrested off the Raptor uniform. When he finally sat naked on the ground, they moved away. Ominae stood and dashed off. No one bothered to stop him.
Erin put one hand to her brow tiredly, "I appreciate the help," she told Shandahr and Astra. "I suppose I better go clean off all this blood, now," she said, and bidding them farewell, went off in the direction of the bathrooms.
Another day survived.