"Again." Kaden barked, his stern gaze issuing his demands. A Nidorino and a Raichu rushed at each other, determined not to lose this fight against the other. The Raichu had a wicked grin on his face. Marik loved to fight, and was more than happy to engage others in an effort to prove himself of the same caliber as his teacher.
He wore this grin as he cleverly shifted out of the Nidorino's path and onto his back, delivering a precise zap to his opponent's system. With a grunt of surprise, the Nidorino collapsed into the wall. The Raichu walked away, smug with his victory.
Kaden studied the Nidorino, noting its paralysis, and turned back to the Raichu. "Well done, Marik. A good use of your electricity to paralyze Seriph. Now give someone else a turn." He looked over his students. "Torra" The Swellow looked up from priming its feathers, "You're up. Skylar, you too." The Charmander looked up, uncertain of his selection. The new Rocket recruit seemed to adjust a bit faster than most recruits. While the lizard was young, Kaden did not believe he knew the gravity of his situation.
As the two took their positions on opposite sides of the room, the Swellow prepared itself to fly, opening its wings and crouching low to the ground. The Charmander seemed uncertain but ready to fight. Kaden cut in, "Remember, no ranged moves unless you can turn it into a melee one. Use your mind and your body. No whirlwinds, flamethrowers, or any possible ranged moves you may know. And Charmander…" He glared at the lizard, "Don't burn this place down." The lizard gulped. Taking a step back to get clear, the scyther ordered, "Begin."
The bird pumped its wings, shooting forwards towards the lizard, straight as an arrow, seeking to finish off the newcomer as quickly as possible. Out of instinct, the Charmander prepared fire, but was unable to properly release it as the bird bowled into him with intense force. Claws slashed and gouged as the bird flapped his wings to remain steady as it dished out its claws upon the poor position. Kaden watched, silently, waiting for a comeback from the lizard.
"Enough." Kaden raised a scythe, and the bird pulled off his prey. The Charmander lay there, bleeding across his torso. He had severe cuts, and even his cuts had cuts. The bird had attacked with increasing ferocity over the past weeks, but this was one of Torra's more severe cases. Kaden nodded, frowning slightly. "Well done, Torra. But be careful not to cripple the other students. I would prefer for you all to succeed. We don't need any deaths on our hands." The bird ruffled his feathers as he stood attentive.
Looking back over to the Charmander, Kaden stepped over and kneeled before the bleeding form. "Can you continue?" a whimper emanated from the lizard, and Kaden grunted. "Sora, Fen, take… Skylar to the infirmary to be treated." The two bellsprouts nodded, and picked up the hurting lizard in their vines before caring it off towards the building's small infirmary.
Watching the two plants walk off, Kaden turned back to the class, "Seriph, your back on your feet. Good. You are facing Elise." The Nidorina in the group blinked, and the Nidorino groaned. Kaden knew the two potentially liked each other, but the scyther was not about to cut the two any slack. Relationships meant nothing in his class, and he would force couples to fight if needed. "Take your places and begin on my mark."
It was night, and Kaden was on the roof, thinking, calculating, planning his usual rounds of information. Ways to improve security, his class, and how various guards and recruits might work in different situations. The stars stared at him as he stared at them, twinkling in their age-long shimmer. The sky was patched with clouds tonight, and what stars broke through the city's haze seemed dull, gray, boring, as were his routines. But they had to have a purpose. Everything did, and his was to maintain the security of the Headquarters and casino.
But tonight was a slow night, and he did not see much in the terms of new strategies. So, pulling himself up, he made his way for the stairs, to head back into the base. The cement walls surrounded him as he made his way down. Tonight was his detail in the Black Sector, and he knew that a security role in the Black Sector was a meaningful badge of honor. But he yearned for blood, for battles with competent fighters, not children and recruits. Coming to the desired floor, his pressed the push bar and entered. Past this hallway of strong security was the entrance to the Black Sector named… the Maze.