Relaxing in the Territory.

[Krane Asiv]

Sitting on a bench near the courtyard fountin he seemed t be relaxing. A cigarette hanging from his mouth burning the vibrant orange fire or a demons eyes peerin throughto themortal realm, as the smoke trail from the fires of hell rose at the end of the white path. An old saying passed the boys lips at this ideal.

"The road to hell is paved with good intentions."

Spike took a drag from the cig and let it out quickly his eyes where actually focused on the for surrounding buildings. Each hiding a silent battlewthin, each a dangerous ground of combat aimed towards taking over the infamous Public High School number two five nine. He knew the current major players, he knew his current chances. It wasn' currently good.

He would lean back adjust enjoy the neutrality of thecourt yard. No one claimed it, no one did anything here except fight in the neutral zone It was kind of an unwritten rule. He rolled his shoulders ad extended his arms across the back of the bench. His armor woven within the black japanese school uniform he wore. The power pole on the ground at his feet. His shoulder length black har combed back, or at least pulled back.

"Wonder what I should do now."

[Arianna]

It was a new day at the school know by most simply as 259. She had asked around upon moving her, unsure about starting in a new place, and found out that this place was a breeding ground for fights and other such horrid things. Not that she minded, she rather enjoyed getting into a fight here and there, it was just that she had heard there were kids here who could kill you with only a few skilled moves. Not exactly something she was looking forward to. She rather liked her life and did not want it cut short by some hot headed guy or girl with an attitude problem and a superiority complex.

But that did not stop her form actually showing up. As she parked her car, she took in a deep breath and pushed open the door. Her dark hair catching in the breeze would blow about her face, a bit of it getting in her mouth and making a bit less graceful as she spit it out and pulled it away from her lips. Then, she reached into her car, grabbing her bag and sliding it up onto her shoulder, letting its weight ground her slightly.

With a kick of her foot to the door, she heard it slam as she started to walk away, toward the school and hopefully not toward her death. Though on the approach her nerves began to get the better of her, and she found her hand fidgeting with her pocket to try and distract her mind. But it did not work. Instead she cast her violet eyes about the area and looked for some kind of distraction.

It was then, as she was about to give up, that her eyes settled on the guy by the fountain in the courtyard. Well, more specifically, the cigarette he had between his lips. She could go for one of those right about now. So, gathering up her nerve, which was not as hard as one might think, she sauntered on over to him. Stopping a few feet away and speaking up softly, that little hint of shyness still stuck in her tone.

"Excuse me? You would not happen to have an extra cigarette I could bum would you? Afraid I left mine hidden in my room this morning."

Knowing her luck she had just stepped on the wrong toes, but it was better now than later when she had some false sense of security. At least now she would know that she had to stay away from pretty much anyone who looked like a fighter, which this guy clearly did.

Way to go Arianna. Just start the day off with a little ass whooping.

Her hands now stuffed into her pockets and her eyes going over him nervously. That hair of hers once more seeming to be the enemy as it tried to attack her once more with the soft breeze blowing past.

[Krane Asiv]

He had gotten close to being so relaxed without a care in the world that he almost fell asleep. Of course his mind was drawn from that relaxation when someone had walked up to him. His core became tense in case it where an enemy. But an attack never came, instead a voice, a female voice rang forward. At first Spike wqas not sure how to take this turn of events, it had been known alot of people would go to any length to bring down the major players. But this seemed genuine.

Spike would reach into the black long sleeved button up jacket he was wearing and pull out his pack of marlboro red's, flick the pack so a few stuck out the top and hold it out. Putting it away after she took one he would pull a lighter from the same pocket and offer it up. This was probably just new student, there would soon be a much higher influx of them, and things would eally kick off. For now things seemed.... Quieter than the old days, but more focused.

This female held herself differently than the others at this school. She seemed to be prepared for some violance, but was she prepared for 259?

[Arianna]

The manner in which he sat there, the way his eyes seemed to look about the area, was similar to how she felt. Surely expecting some form of attack from no telling which direction. But then, he was the guy seated here wearing armor. If that had not been a big enough clue. Pulling her mind away from its aimless thoughts, she watched as he moved his hand to retrieve the pack of cigarettes, allowing her to take one then following up with an offer of his lighter.

"Thank you."

She lit her cigarette, taking a much needed, steadying inhale. As the first wave of nicotine and other unhealthy toxins began to course through her system, she could feel the slight settling of what nerves she had built up in anticipation of this place. It was more than enough to draw a sigh forth from her lips, letting a cloud of smoke mingle with the passing breeze.

It was only then, that her eyes dared to shift back toward the boy, the smile she had held before once more in place as her voice again broke the silence that seemed to have filled the air.

"I am Arianna by the way. Guess you can sort of tell I am new huh?"

She really hated being the new kid, hated being the odd ball out so to speak. It was like painting a big red bullseye right on your ass. People around this place would kick your ass before they even got to know you, or at least that is what she was told. So yes, being new sucked.

"So, are people around this place really as bad as my research seems to state?"

After all, it seemed rather quiet around the area at the moment, so therefore it was a valid question. That tiny part of her mind that still held onto the hope that she had gotten it wrong was at full attention right now, hanging on every word that was to come.

[Krane Asiv]

"Spike."

Plain, simple. He would never go by his real first name considering it never stuck as good as the nick name his dad gave him... And to commemorate his father somehow, besides the coat and boots he was left. Spike watched for a few more seconds, out of habit and mostly cause he was an in the closet pervert he eyed her from feet to the top of the head for potential hidden weapons, but as always he considered the female reasts to be his ultimate weaknss, so he had to be careful.

Her question was simple and probably one she didn't actually want the answer to.

"This courtyard is the only unclaimed area, a kind of neutral ground its regularly quiet here... But only here. Behind the walls, in the buildings surrounding us is a constent struggle fo power. Each grade fighing amongst themslves for power, each student either part of the struggle or trying to get away from it. But it doesnt end there, the fueds spill into the othr grades, consuming the school into a constent chaotic battlefield."

Spike would pause to take a drag off his cig. Alittle dramatic, but it was a point to be made, that this chaos had to be quelled one wy or anoher, either someone reached power and it was accepted, or the reason for powe vanished. /highly unlikely both scenarios would happen. So that mystery third had to be found.

[Arianna]

Spike huh? Nice name, though as she looked over him she was not entirely sure how he got that name. But hey whatever. Instead she would focus her attention upon the words that he was speaking, inwardly cringing at the thought of such a power struggle being brought about around her. Sure, a fight every now and then was fun and all, but she was just here to make it through the year without being killed or maimed beyond all repair.

Huffing softly as she blew a bit of hair out of her eyes she would move to take a seat on the ground about a foot or two away form him, taking a drag off the cigarette and exhaling slowly.

"Hmm. Sounds like a regular good time. Heh."

Of course that sarcastic tone was evident as she rested her elbows on her legs and kept those eyes on him. Just a bad habit when speaking to somebody.

"So what is your stake in all this?"

She motioned her head toward the school, signifying to what she was speaking about. It was clear that he was a fighter, now the question was, what kind of fighter was he? Did he stand up for those around him? Did he prey on those weaker? Or did he just exist in order to get by? The gear a simple way of protecting himself.

Though she had a feeling that the last was not really something that fit this guys stature and demeanor. However she was always willing to accept that people were not always what they appeared to be, just like herself, more lied beneath the surface than most people would ever care to acknowledge.

[Krane Asiv]

"My stake?"

Spike took a drag before exhaling the smoke. He would lean forward putting his elbows on his knee's.

"I'm the second closest to becoming the pillar for the Junior class. I've gathered some good fighters, but its going to be a very hard fight from here."

Spike had one General under him, and barely 100 followers. Tomorrow he had some plans to get more followers with a speech and then attack straight from there, but having just 100 loyals who could follow orders in the group was possibly more dangerous than having 200 raging bersekers.

[Arianna]

She took another drag, a soft sigh escaping as she exhaled and then cast her eyes up toward the sky. It was a pleasant day and though she wished she could sit outside all day and not enter the fearful hall of 259 she knew that sooner or later she would have no choice.

However, he began to speak and her eyes would drop back toward him, that pleasant look held upon her delicate face as she nodded, listening intently. She had researched about this Pillar system that most school seemed to be implementing lately. It was a harsh form of keeping things in order, yet she saw the need for it, or at least why others would feel that way.

"I will say good luck with that, even though I do not know you and therefore do not know if I would want you in charge of a student body I am part of."

It was a joke. Sort of. She honestly did not know him, or if she would wish to be under the command of somebody like him. Yet he seemed like a nice enough guy. She guessed. Though Arianna was never the worlds best at judging people.

"I am guessing by the get up that you are always ready fro some form of battle or another. Or do you just like to dress up and scare people on a regular basis?"

She flashed him that charming little smile and a soft laugh which erupted on the air like a fresh breath of air in a place that seemed so trudged down with seriousness and depression.