Over your shoulder(PLOT)

[Alkaiser]

(OOC:Here you go. If you think that you're going to be inactive at any time in the near future, don't join. A lot of people wanna smack me dead here.)

"Nothing has changed..."

The wad of saliva hits the ground after that all-too-satisfying spitting sound, but the air tastes the same. The boy readjusts his hat, brushing back his red hair and hiding it again under the cap, but that itch remains. It's not on his head, but in his mind where this irritation occurs.

"It's like he's still here..."[/i]

The news would have begged to differ. All of the politicians were up in arms over school violence, claiming that 'there will never be another MacMillan'. They must've shown the picture of a stretcher with a blood-soaked sheet pulled over it a million times. The boy pictured that crimson silhouette a million more, always noticing the crushed cavity where a neck should be. Part of that neck was stuck in the treads of his favorite pair of boots.

"They have no idea..."[/i]

This familiar thought rings in his head. Would it have mattered if those fake bombs were real? If they had detonated? Nobody knew that he would've given his life that day. Nobody knew how much of a fool that made him.

Steve Barzahd trying to blend into a crowd was like trying to quiet a car crash. The few that walked past him stared for a moment, recognizing the now sophomore pillar of Hircine High, standing on his steps, looking through his doors. Why were there so few? Nobody spoke to him. It was possible that he looked like he had lost it, dressed like he was, standing and staring blankly at the looming institution.

Fast forward past first period. The class was half-empty anyways. A brawl in the hallway is a monotonous tune that hits Alkaiser's ears in just the right way. He takes a boot to the back of the head after intervening, the kid screaming something about him never being able to do his 'job' right. That guy is now peddling his riddles to the school nurse. No Nathan? No Tiao either. Maybe their busy with a science lab or something.

Third period. Some sort of a show of force in the social sciences wing. Ironic. Surely it's that Calloway and his Revelation. Steve arrives to find nothing of the sort, but the figurehead falls just the same and Barzahd gains a pretty new bruise on his side. "I'm next in line for Darren's Title!" was his superfluous battle cry. The hell?

Lunch was up. Steve serves another assailant through the door. For some reason, he was expecting one of his friends to be on the other side to congratulate him. He hadn't seen Dante Williams in a particularly long time. Actually, the school was devoid of a lot of friendly faces. What was happening? The word 'Paragon' was on the lips of quite a few of his classmates today, or at least those who showed up.

"Lets get some answers."

Barzahd's swollen red right hand makes it's way onto the handle of the door he had been assigned to guard so late in the last school year. The MacMillan had been scratched off of the clouded glass, leaving only the word 'principal' on the window. Still, the whole area looked a whole lot cleaner than last he remembered.

Naturally, nothing was coming easy today for the young pillar. Before he could turn that handle, he had to deal with that presence he felt behind him. It wasn't paranoia this time, there was someone waiting over his shoulder. Maybe more than one someone. And they wanted something, badly.

[Dirk]

"You know... I've been having thoughts as I watched you today."

There was no smirk on the burned boy's face for once, though his words carried a light and almost entertained note to them. Like someone that was trying so desperately to be serious and funny at the exact same moment.

"First, that you're the last and one man does the job so poorly. Even old Gilsin saw that much. He taught it too I thinks."

Dirk was taking careful note of the man, watching for movements and waiting for something sudden to happen. Perhaps something violent. His legs were tense and his arms were partially raised. Then one of his buckles clicked as a hand sweeped habitually over them.

"Second, I wonder why you care so much? Surely neutrality would offer it's rewards. But we both know that wasn't you favorite thing. No no no, that's why you didn't quite fit in. Not with the original group."

The eyes were searching the man opposite to him. Looking for something. A movement, a blink, a sudden change in pose. Did he realize what Dirk was getting at? Did he follow the burned path that the branded boy offered?

"There's always another choice. Always another way around...."

Dirk would give Steve a good look in the eyes, an honest one, a serious one, just before the mischievious grin would crack onto his face.

"Since over, under and through haven't quite worked out."

[Kyukaku]

"Bad time?"

The question would come off from the side of both Alkaiser and Dirk. Kyukaku stood roughly six feet away, one hand in his jeans pocket and the other gripping the strap of his backpack currently slung over his shoulder. For no particular reason, Kyukaku looked back over his own shoulder, seeing if anyone else was in the general viscinity before taking a few steps forward and continuing without waiting for an answer to his earlier question.

"I've been looking for you all day. Its been a game of 'follow the crushed ambitions.' Who's your friend?" Kyukaku added with a nod towards Dirk, looking at him as well to allow either of them to introduce whoever he was in whatever manner they wanted.

"But please, don't let me interrupt."

Kyukaku would take another step back, moving to position himself against the wall near Alkaiser. He looked straight ahead, moving his gaze away from the other two, though he could see perfectly well through his peripheal vision. In fact, Kyukaku knew he had interrupted, though he didn't particularly care. He didn't know to whom Alkaiser was talking to, but he gave him a bad feeling. Kyukaku had his own words he needed to have with Alkaiser, but he'd put them off for now. After all, how he responded to Dirk would initially tell him more than any ice breakin question he could have come up with himself.

[Ryou Jackson]

Ryou stood off to one side, leaning against the lockers, arms folded across his chest. With the recent departure of Tiao and Nathan, two former Pillars, the position of Pillars had been thrown wide open, begging people to fill it, and Ryou had every intention of taking one spot. However, his amibition would have to wait, as the last remaining Pillar Alkaiser was currently standing in front of what used to be the office of the former Principal. Before he could even move, another guy had appeared, who started to, what was it, insult Alkaiser?

It appeared that Alkaiser was quite popular these days, as another guy appeared, saying how he'd been chasing Alkaiser all over the place. " This is becoming quite the crowd..." Ryou murmured, as he pushed off from the lockers and moved forward, making his presence know. Whether it was going to become hostile or not, Ryou didn't know, but he was willing to take his chances. As he looked at Alkaiser, the first thing that came to Ryou's mind, was that he looked like a lost child, unsure of what to do, or where to go. Folding his arms once again across his chest, his bag slung over his shoulder, Ryou finally said something to break the silence.

" Busy are we? Or just not sure of what to do now?"

Ryou, for all his sarcastic remarks, was generally a friendly guy, but when it came to achieving his goals, he could truly become downright uncaring and almost merciless. But for now, he would try to help the Pillar who had nothing left to lose, but perhaps, something to gain. After all, in a school such as this, friends are all you have left when everything else seemed to have disappeared. Ignoring the other guy who had thrown cruel remarks at Alkaiser, he moved forward, and extended his hand in a friendly gesture. Whether Alkaiser accepted the gesture or not was all up to him.

[Keith Richards]

Keith, unlike everyone else that decided to visit the only official pillar, wasn't about to just walk up and talk to the guy. If anything he'd smash the kids face through a glass panel or something, but dialog wasn't what he was looking for just then. Instead he walked casually toward them from his locker, having overheard most of their overlapping speech.

Wearing his unzipped gray hoodie looking as though he were preparing to remove it the moment he got into the class, hanging from only one shoulder, but he was considering throwing it in Alkaiser's face before smashing it in. But as he walked toward them, a few others heading toward the class with him, he just let out an exasperated sigh and took the 'middle' of the little line of three students that was working their way through those talking to Alkaiser.

Keith eyed them curiously, his right hand fiddling with the lighter resting in his pocket. Going to the door just behind the first student, who opened the door and stepped in with a disinterested air about her, he found a desk to sit at just in front of the door. He let his hoodie drop onto the floor next to his desk and used his foot to pull it out of the way. He wouldn't be starting anything in this little scene. Just taking a place where he could hear the goings on outside the classroom.

Alkaiser was his only reason for being there. A; Keith only rarely goes to class. B; He wasn't enrolled in the class he decided to wait in.

[Alkaiser]

A small sigh escapes as the hand drops from the door handle. These men...each so different as they stood to speak with Alkaiser. At least he was still standing for now, though. He definitely recognized at least two of them, although he wasn't entirely sure if he remembered their names. This was just part of being him...he knew everybody, so one forgotten face now and again was to be forgiven, or so he assumed.

The first boy...Barzahd couldn't possibly forget this guy's face. Dirk? Yeah, that was him. The two met once while trying to decide the future of Genaht. In the end, the men ended up being split, half listening to Dirk while half scattered as per Barzahd's instructions. This guy liked speaking in riddles, but then again so did everybody who ever had anything to do with the Genaht. In his own odd, backhanded way it seemed like Dirk was proposing somewhat of a partnership, but Steve could have easily been mistaken. He had taken an extra few lumps on the head that day.

Before Alkaiser could speak, he is preempted by another voice. The man standing off to the side was a familiar face that Steve had known from all the way back in Varron, and his name was Tyler Scott. Actually, having him there sort of comforted Steve, but then again Kyukaku, as he was called, was one of the few people that Barzahd had come to trust over the course of the last year or so.

And then a hand popped out in front of Steve's face. That might be a slight exaggeration of how random this next act seemed, but the point is still there. A boy that Steve had never met came up, asked a seemingly harmless question, and extended his hand. Alkaiser, for the moment, was not inclined to take the greeting.

The three of them had stepped out and shone themselves, and yet Steve still felt like he was being watched. It sent a shiver down his spine. It was definitely time for Steve to clear the air. He looks at Dirk, connecting with his serious glare, and addresses him in a very deliberate manner. "I don't really have any intention of going it alone, thanks. On that same note, I would contend that I must be doing something right, what with my over, under and through. Otherwise, you wouldn't be here." Maybe Steve was mistaken, and Dirk had no plans of pillarship or captainhood, but such possibilities were not very strong.

"Tyler, that's Dirk. He's the new Genaht guy." Steve sarcastically announces, pointing out the obvious similarities in speech and action that existed between Dirk and Ein Gilsin. "And don't worry, I'm pretty used to the interruptions. Yours has a distinct lack of pain, so I don't mind much at all." he says with a smile, reassuring his old friend that he was indeed happy to see him.

"As for you..." Steve begins, addressing the boy with the outstretched arm, "I was going to go get some answers from the principal, if you must know. However, unfortunately, I still haven't been made aware of who the new principal is. I was gonna get that answer, too. Now, why don't you tell me who you are?" Barzahd requests, figuring that he might be more keen on shaking this boy's hand if he had a little more insight into who he is.

It still wasn't clear exactly who was friend and who was foe among this group. Steve rolls his shoulders to try and loosen them, in case one of these men should want to do more than talk. As for now, all he could do is wait and see.

[Ryou Jackson]

The calm expression on Ryou's face never flinched for a second, as Ryou left his hand extended, he continued to gaze down at Alkaiser. " Ryou." he replied, at least they were getting somewhere. " As for the new principal, I have yet to met him or her, so perhaps this would be a good time to find out no?" he said, as he moved back slightly, not in fear, but to give Alkaiser some room. His intentions towards the Pillar were anything but hostile, he merely wanted to talk with the Pillar.

" I see, well then, don't let me stop you."

Ryou wasn't about to rush into the situation blindly, if anything, he'd take his time. Introductions were necessary to start anything, which Ryou had done by giving the Pillar his name, since the foundation had been laid, next was to build up on it. If Alkaiser wanted to get answers from the new Principal, Ryou would do anything but hinder him, for he too, was curious about who took over the new position that MacMillan had formerly filled. This would be quite interesting, and this kid of situation required time, after all, as the saying goes, Rome wasn't built in a day.

Ryou took note of the two other guys here, one was named Dirk, and the other was Tyler. Interesting. Now that Ryou knew their names, he now had a name to go with the faces. That's one layer down, a lot more to go.

[Kyukaku]

(OOC: I'm impatient. Also, I'm assuming this takes place before Shuya and Vic took power.)

"Someone's sure popular..."

Kyukaku gave a sideways glance and smirk towards Alkaiser as he murmered in reference to yet another student wanting to talk. Kyu's smirk grew into a smile as he threw up his thumb to acknowledge Alkaiser's response to him.

That expalined one of the student's Kyukaku hadn't known. It made sense why he seemed familiar then, as for the most part Genaht had a pretty conformist look to their ranks. Of course, there were some that varied like that guy Vince, or the example of Alkaiser, who stood in plain view. The other, would soon introduce himself. Kyu recognized neither the name nor the face, though he looked pretty serious. Whether he'd be just another name and face that wanted power would remain to be seen.

"Don't bother. I checked in myself, earlier. We don't have a new principal yet. So far its just that crazy looking Vice acting as a stand in."

Kyukaku pushed off the wall, standing with his hands in his pockets. Slowly he turned his gaze from Dirk to Ryou, and then back to Dirk before finally speaking again.

"If you guys have something else to say or do, I'd appreciate it if you'd do so now. I'm one of those students who attends most of their classes, and I'd really like to talk to spunky there before I'm ridiculously late."

[Xenarius]

(ooc: Alkaiser I feel like you and Xenarius have met before, but if I'm wrong let me know and I'll fix my post to recognize you only as a pillar)

Xenarius was walking down the hallway not really paying close attention to anything. Not a lot had changed at Hircine since he had left a while back. It really wasn't a bad thing at all... I mean yeah a lot had actually changed, but as far as the minutia was concerned not a lot had. By this point the halls were mostly empty, as expected, after all class was just about to start. Xenarius was going to be late, and he knew it, but he had a pass. He had just come from the doctor who was checking on the progress of his arm.

Two more weeks... and then I'll have this damned thing off. I can't wait for that day to come. He thought as he continued. Turning the corner he heard some voices coming out of the antechamber for the principals office. Thats strange... I didn't think we had a new principal yet... His interest piqued Xenarius looked in to see what was up.

Hmmm... Thats Kyukaku, and Alkaiser, but I don't recognize the other guys... things seem a little tense in there... maybe I should see whats up... But instead of walking into the already crowded space with the others Xenarius would lean up against a locker in the hall and wait to see what happened. Ready to help out if needed... despite his physical limitation.

[Keith Richards]

Keith was bored. I should have just smashed his face into the wall and be done with it, he thought miserably as he listened to the multitude of idiots who were trying to start at least four different conversations at once, or something. It wasn't exactly easy to keep track of, he didn't care, and it was annoying, so his attention was lacking.

Hah! I didn't notice until a second ago, but that's one of those cowardly little shit's that did nothing when I walked off with that chick, Keith raised a hand and put it on the side of his face, resting his elbow on the desk, hiding a grin as he remembered. He would have to make a point to smack him around for disappointing him. The same would be thought about one of the others there, if he could see outside of the classroom. Wait... For fucks sake! It's that little shit from biology, he's in on this bullshit too?

Is there anyone who DIDN'T want to talk to the red headed dumb ass?

[Dirk]

Dirk would frown at Steve's response. He could certainly say the red headed man was doing well considering the circumstances, but overall? That didn't seem the be the case. He was in a weak position and the arrival of so many only cemented that idea. Indeed the arrival of Tyler in particular was an annoyance to the burned boy.

Some of Genaht knew him and they knew that Ein respected him, even if he didn't think the man was right. An annoying situation, where his power was limited to the teachings of Ein's that he could manipulate, he knew he would have a hard time getting men to get rid of Tyler. Worse still if Tyler aligned himself strongly with Steve.

"Well enough to be sure, but such things aren't meant to last."

Dirk's hands would flitter over his buckles, the fingertips gliding over each until he found one he considered loose and tightened it out of habit. His eyes would look about only now seeing how many had come. He just needed to turn this tide.

"Looks like a good many here to offer themselves in one way or another. But how many have any real force behind them?"

Dirk himself could only really see one other besides himself that held any great power and that fell behind Tyler. With the small group of highly influential and powerful friends he was known to have. Even then, a good many of those were graduates, out of the system and only of little help inside the school.

Dirk would snap out of his thought to hear Tyler attempt to dismiss the lot of them. To that, the burned boy would only give a smile to the more moral man. He had no intention of leaving till he got some sort of answer out of Steve, and he didn't mind missing his classes for that purpose.

[Alkaiser]

(OOC: I knew if I went away for long enough, this would come around )

The only words that Steve actually cared about at the moment came from Kyukaku's mouth, and had nothing to do with hypothetical alliances, attempted power struggles or any of that...they simply had to do with what Barzahd had set out to accomplish in this place.

"Don't bother. I checked in myself, earlier. We don't have a new principal yet. So far its just that crazy looking Vice acting as a stand in."

He shrugged, walked one step away from the door and another in the way of Tyler's direction, if not out of loyalty or curiosity then out of gratitude. Dirk shared Steve's ambition, and Ryou appealed to Alkaiser's friendly nature, but Barzahd knew which way he was walking. In between steps, he took a moment to shake Jackson's hand, give a proper nod to the boy's introduction, and continue onward. "Perhaps you and I will speak again soon. I'm not very hard to find...there are a few things that require my attention right away, however. As for you..." Barzahd redirected his glance toward Dirk, "You're correct, these men have little in the way of manpower. They, however, have something that you lack. It's the appeal to those who do not share your way of thinking."

As Steve took that second step, he continued, "Your predecessor had the same problem...he could convince his men of anything, but to those whom he wished to protect and enlighten, all he achieved was fear and resentment." It was at that point, that Alkaiser sighed, and adjusted his tone. "What I mean is this: I won't turn down your help, but I must take my own means to whatever end I find, and you will surely take your own. Lets leave it at that, shall we?"

Assuming that nobody else had anything to say, Barzahd approached the man leaning against the wall. He cracked a small smile and began to speak, not mentioning that he had kept Tyler waiting. "Hey buuuuddy, wassup?"

[Kyukaku]

"Too much to say in one sentence. Mind if we walk?"

Nodding behind him Kyukaku would turn and begin walking, gesturing for Alkaiser to follow at his side. If no one else wanted to leave to give Kyukaku his chance to talk, then they could stay there as he left. If they chose to follow, Kyu wouldn't stop them. At least this way Kyukaku didn't feel he needed to engage them in conversation as well.

Kyu had come to Alkaiser with a good deal of questions. However, in a simple gesture, Alkaiser had answered most of them. Dirk had an army, but Alkaiser didn't fall in line. No, instead he stepped out to walk next to Kyu. Where that Ryou guy would fit in, Kyukaku wasn't sure, as he didn't speak enough for Kyukaku to get a good enough read on him. Still, Alkaiser had chosen to walk with Kyukaku for now, and that looked good for the future picture.

"I've heard you changed alot in the past year. Last time I saw you, you were the young and ambitious class clown. Word was, you sold out to the system to get a piece of the power play. Some guys we knew back from Varron were telling me you were playing for the wrong side. As for me... I have a pretty good idea.

"You've certainly changed. Still a class clown, still ambitous, but certainly not as power hungry as you've been let on to be. If you were, you would have slipped over with Calloway instead of risking your life to save the rest of the student body. Some may call that foolish, but I call it heroic. The bombs may not have all been real, but they were real enough to you.

"So the question is, what side are you going to play on now? You stand a good chance on your own. Even better if you mix your football army with the Neo-Genahts. I'm sure there's plenty of other ambitious kids who'd love to do your bidding for their own piece of the power play. So here's where you make a decision, Steve. How bad do you want Captainship?"

Kyukaku stopped walking as he stopped talking, turning a full 90 degrees to face Alkaiser. The last question would tell Kyukaku everything he needed to know. Did Alkaiser want the full control enough to go through a friend, or did he want whatever would help him make the most difference?

"Do you want it enough to go through me?"

[Alkaiser]

Steve followed Tyler off, leaving behind the rest of the men. None of them seemed to mind much, having said what they came to say. Apparently Tyler had something different on his mind, so the two of them had a private chat. This chat involved Tyler talking and Steve listening. He was dancing around something...Steve could recognize the vocal patterns and the long drawn out speech, being a good speaker in his own right. Alkaiser wanted to tell Kyu to be out with it already, but his respect held him back.

"Do you want it enough to go through me?"

Tyler's point came. Steve's mood and expression both soured. The reminiscing of old jabs at each other's egos and mischievous times past was done, as Alkaiser recognized that Tyler wasn't any different than the rest of those people that he had been fighting off all day. His approach was different, but his motive was definitely the same.

"Ha!" Steve remarked at his own foolishness, thinking that he was to get a helping hand on such a day. "What would you do with the captainship?" It was something that had been eluding him all day, but finally he began to see that he was all alone. Steve would decide to step into his role as heir-apparent, keeper of the piece, and leader all at once. "Nathan...Tiao...They're not coming back." he thought to himself, getting a second wind of energy. If nothing else, he was acting more animated at the thoughts in his head.

"You wanna know something sad? I didn't even connect the dots to realize that it was my turn to be captain until you came and tried to take it from me! You made it real to me, Tyler. Offering me another lackey job when I could finally reach the power to actually make a difference..."

Maybe his power-hungry self was resurfacing because it had been called out, or maybe Barzahd was just adversely affected by the challenge, but his pride was now blinding him beyond simple arrogance. It was blinding him to the point of recklessness. "I don't have to go through anybody, sir...That burden falls upon you. If you're willing to take down old friends to claw your way to the top, it's on your conscience. Don't act like you're any different than any other power-hungry thug in this place." Steve's look wasn't in anger or hate, but in disappointment. Did this bridge have to burn?

Barzahd recomposes himself, turning away to look back down the hall. Tyler's hypothetical declaration of war had definitely rocked Steve on some level, perhaps because Barzahd felt truly threatened by him. By now it was too late to change what he said, though. It felt like the whole school was against him now...and it was a feeling that he hated. He wanted to bring this school together...not just to quell the fighting, but to be rid of it all together.

"Now if you're quite done, I have a very big job to do."

[Kyukaku]

"Don't be stupid."

Throughout Alkaiser's own entire spiel, Kyukaku scowled. Perhaps Alkaiser misundertood him, or that Kyukaku came across completely different than he intended. It was likely a mixture of the two, given Alkaiser's ambitions and Kyukaku's lack of finesse when it came to speeches. Kyukaku sighed and shook his head slowly, refocussing upon his friend.

"You could make a very great Captain someday, Steve, but not today. You proved that just now."

Kyukaku focused a hard stare in on Alkaiser, giving him the same condescending staredown as a father reprimanding a child. Kyukaku pivoted on his left foot, turning to completely face Alkaiser as he crossed his arms across his chest. The change in their body position would put a much more apparent change in the path he seemed to be heading down. Rather than stand side by side, he was choosing to face off.

"I came to you as one of the only people I trust in this school. The fact that you even associated the word 'lackey' with me gets me pretty ticked, Steve. I wanted to do this as partners, working together because we have respect for eachother, not because its a job. You want to know the difference between those power hungry thugs and me? Fine. I'll tell you the difference between us.

"You're arrogant." Kyukaku poked his right index finger into Alkaiser's chest, poking relatively soft but still coming across more agressive than he would have liked.

"I'm not here to take anything away from you. Even if you had it, I wouldn't be here to take it. You see Captainship as a pedestal, a spot that puts you above everyone else. It's not. School Captain is a service for the student body. Right now you're looking to rule, not lead. To be the Captain you'd one day be capable of being, you need to understand that. It's a very fine line, and its not hard to find yourself crossing over the wrong way."

Kyukaku sighed again, letting that sink in as he tried to ease himself more. Taking a deep breath, Kyukaku's eyes would once again fall on Alkaiser's though not in dissapointment, but out of concern.

"You're my friend. You're a good fighter, and a strong person. But you're not ready for Captain, I'm sorry. You might not need my permission to gun for the position...but you do need me out of the way." Kyu moved to the right, stepping directly into path with Alkaiser as he dropped his arms to the side, his hands ready to move out in defense of an attack or in the embrace of a handshake.

"So now, you really do need to make a decision, Steve. I may not be perfect, but I promise you I'll do everything I can to protect this school. If that means having to keep you from making this mistake, then that's what I have to do. Its all up to you...will you help me protect these students, or not?"

[Alkaiser]

(OOC: This is a terrible post, but I assume it will get the job done. )

Alkaiser's head must've looked like it was about to pop. Finally he was ready to launch himself into the power that he had always wanted, and now Tyler...he was being so selfish! It was too much for Steve to bear. His fists tightened, his teeth clenched...And it was at that point that he realized how right the man who stood before him was.

It wasn't the part about Steve being arrogant...everybody knew that. Quite frankly, you had to be arrogant or you would never put yourself through the punishment of being a fighter at Hircine, and Varron before that. No, he was right about Alkaiser wanting to rule. Besides, Steve knew politics...going against Tyler would do nothing but expose all of his bad intentions to those that he would be captaining for. As close as Barzahd was, he would fall just short. It had quickly become a lose-lose situation for him. He sighs heavily, releasing the wind from his lungs like a slashed hot-air balloon and breaking a tension that suggested his fist and Kyu's face having a meeting soon.

"Fine." Steve turned away from his friend, embarrassed at his concession. "Do me a favor and don't talk to me for the rest of today, though." he suggested, walking away with nothing more. He needed a chance to cool down anyways, and there was somewhere else he needed to be. If Mr. Scott really had something else to add, he would listen, but probably not turn or reply.

[Keith Richards]

Now Keith was interested again. These two, the red head who had the captainship fall in his lap, bastard, and the other student seemed to be vying for the captainship. Well, so did the other one, but he had been quiet after implying that he had force behind him. Interesting, but only in retrospect. But it seemed that the conversation the two had that nothing had been resolved. It all ended in every party left to claw their way to the title.

Keith wanted the shortcut. To topple the highest appointed student, and while standing on his skull to announce that he himself was the captain. But with all these people, it would only mean that he would make himself a target. Putting himself in the open for all to recognize. No, maybe it wasn't time to take that position yet after all. Wait until someone achieves it, so when they take the title all others already had been crushed underfoot. That would leave only transfers and the occasional arrogant student to knock back into place.

But how long would he have to wait? It was time to find something to do in his spare time, as the waiting would bore him to death.

[Xenarius]

"Aren't you guys friends?" Xenarius would speak up, finally, making his presence known. "Aren't friends supposed to trust each other?" Xenarius would walk toward Alkaiser and Kyukaku at this point. He hoped that the situation that had started so lightheartedly between the two of them might be able to be salvaged, at least a little bit.

"This is just what the idiots who would seek to jump in and take the power of being school captain and abuse it in bad ways would want. The two people most likely to get the job, and do it well fighting each other for it so that they only have one person to go through. And what do you two get at that point? The loss of a friend? The embarrassment of being stopped by yourselves?" Xenarius would begin hoping they might listen to reason. The two people standing in front of him were possibly the only hope for this school to gain some state of normalcy. The only two who wouldn't turn this school into their own personal playground of twisted ideals.

"I mean sure power corrupts they say. And it is possible that the power of being a captain could corrupt you." He would say looking at Alkaiser. Then turning to Kyukaku, "Or you. But odds are that the good ideals you uphold right now will be exactly what you uphold in your new position."

"You guys should be working together. Not getting in each others way. Thats all I am saying."