In the middle of the field they stood, 2 dozen Viltrumite recruits. Standing opposite each other the tensions were high their eyes staring into each other's, alert for any movement. Thula walks between them silent, even her footsteps a calm rhythmic thump matching their steady hearts.
They were ready, prepared to tear each other apart if need be. Even Nolan was no exception his browns furrowed as he glared at his opponent.
At the end of the line however, stood Nathaniel opposite Anissa. They were calm if not a little at ease, Anissa was at least since she gets to spar with Nathaniel, she was more exited than ever. But for Nathaniel is was looking like it was going to be a bad day. Anissa never went easy, in everything she did she does with maximum effort was one of her best traits he thought, yet was looking to be a major problem soon.
As Thula reached the end of line she stepped back only a few feet away from them and looked at Nathaniel with scrupulous eyes. She clearly wanted to see him get destroyed by Anissa. It was a good idea to vent her mounting anger at this rebellious Viltrumite, his very presence seeming to infuriate her.
Nathaniel floated just an inch off the ground hesitant to test his foot, but he was ready, nonetheless.
So with the simple nod of her head the yard exploded in a cacophony of noise and debris. In an instant Anissa's foot was inches from Nathaniels head; however, he was ready for it, using his flight he leaned back and in the same movement kicked at her with his good leg slamming into her side sending her skidding to the side.
She smiles a predatory grin feeling the battle heating up and at the same time feeling like Nathaniel isn't so weak even after his injury. Feeling a weight lifted off her back she attacked with renewed strength, going all out.
Sand kicking up in her wake she assaults him, his body floating in the air using all of his strength to dodge her furious punches and kicks. They were initiates, yet already their strength was unparalleled, the air clipping and cracking like a whip with each strike.
When a wayward kick flies toward him instead of simply dodging this time he takes his chance. Catching her leg with a grunt at stopping all of her velocity he twists his body with all his strength slamming her into the ground before she can react. The ground exploding, like a spiderweb from the impact.
With a deep exhale he steads himself, correcting his flight stance raising his guard. Landing those hits surprised him, he hadn't expected to do much to her but already he was feeling proud of what he did.
She spit the dirt from her mouth and looked up at him, her striking blue eyes looking into his high above her. And he could only think of how beautiful she was. For just a moment. In the next her grip was around his good ankle and was slammed down into the dirt just like she was.
Their fight continued bouts of attacks and dodges by a hair with explosive and deadly hits yet, neither of them were raging, neither of them were getting upset or getting lost in the battle, no they were smiling, smirks on their faces as they throw each other around for hours.
Thula off the side watched seething. Her fury only growing not seeing them tearing them apart, but with the other trainees also fighting she couldn't interfere in their fight. She took her role as teacher seriously even if one of her students made her want to commit deadly crimes.
With their fight flowing along, their minds began to sync, their moves bouncing off each other and sliding into place like a puzzle, like a dance. Their bodies, designed weapons of war now looked like art as they moved together no longer aiming to maim or injure but simply being with each other. They were hypnotized by it, looking into each others eyes they saw nothing else, the entire world seeming to melt away into pure unadulterated each otherness.
When they would grapple, their skin rubbing together their smiles grew wider, the soft sensation so foreign to them it was new, and they loved it. The dance lasted all day, with the other recruits battling for their lives they danced together joy all they felt. The sun now long set with the bright moons like chandeliers in the sky they were tired, they were viltrumites but their powers have yet to fully shine through due to their relatively young age.
Thula let out a loud whistle signaling the end of their day long sparing. Before they all line up Anissa whispers into Nathaniels ear, her soft voice tickling his skin.
"Meet me at the park after curfew, okay?" Unable to respond they're arranged in an orderly line as Thula starts down it, critiquing each person.
"Your flying needs improvement, its sloppy and uncoordinated, you're more likely to hit a tree than your target."
"You lack power in your punches as if you aren't following through the whole swing, ensure you do."
"You are slow, we will work on that tomorrow."
"Anissa, as always you fight excellently, however today you seemed hesitant to fight fully, care to tell why?" She waited for a response, tilting her head so that her ear was cocked toward her.
Anissa blushing slightly, she stumps it down and responds quickly. Not missing a beat.
"The was a spar, I simply wanted to ensure Nathaniel was at least at a standard worthy of a Viltrumite. If I had ended it too soon, he wouldn't have learned anything." It was bullshit and Thula knew it, but with all of her students surrounding them she could do nothing but accept it.
With an accepting nod she moved on to the next person, who happened to be Nathaniel.
Speaking coldly, she eyes him up and down like a piece of meat. "I see you've healed up nicely Nathaniel. Your attacks are smooth, strong and quick but I saw you were hesitant to kick, while understandable, you have four limbs for a reason, I expect you to use them. As for our agreement, I don't see a scratch on you, nor crimson on your body." Without further warning she whipped her head around grabbing hold her of spear and stabbed him in the gut, her spear sliding in with zero resistance.
Anissa right next to them couldn't help but widen her eyes, her lips exposing a small quiver in shock at the scene. She had never expected Thula's hate for Nathaniel to be so deep. Nathaniel himself was even worse for wear, he knew something was coming but hadn't expected it to be so sudden and severe. His vision blurred for a moment from the searing pain in his stomach like lava was being injected into his skin he nearly screamed but reigned it into a simple grunt his eyes locked onto Thula's. Stepping closer she digs her knife deeper, now all the other students watching with interest. Grabbing his head she whispers as the blade drags along his gut.
"How dare you. My Anissa is pure, a Viltrumite. You taint her with your presence and if we were alone, I would let your intestines spill into the dirt and watch as you scramble to stuff them back inside your pathetic body." And then she stepped back taking the knife with her eliciting another grunt from him as blood began to spill out of him. Yet he remained standing, and as the pain dulled and his regeneration began to kick in all he felt was frustration at his inability to do anything about it.