The Challenge (Open)

[Phoenix]

The steam rose from the sand and Phoenix thought that it was going to work perfectly, he stepped onto the sand and went to take another step forward, looking to extend the area of dry sand that he had created with more fire from within himself. Stopping up short, Phoenix quickly jumped backward off of his small walkable area and back onto solid ground. It wasn’t going to be as easy as that, he thought to himself, that’s too predictable. As soon as his feet touched the safety of the firm ground, he realised that he hadn’t factored in the volume of the sand and thus was no longer sure if his plan would’ve worked anyway. Relieved to have seen through that possible disaster, Phoenix would see what progress the others had made in the short time it had cost him to use his Qi.

Casting his eyes towards the students still assembled around the yellow line, Phoenix would hear Kevala, the school captain, explaining that the only way to get through this was to use teamwork. Upon hearing this Phoenix would shudder to himself, if there was one thing that he would rather not do, it was work as a team and lower himself to their intelligence level. Despite this, Phoenix saw the reason in Kevala’s words and decided, against his better judgement, that he was going to work together with the other students to get across as quickly as possible.

Deciding to wait for the others to do the majority of the grunt work, Phoenix would take a few steps backwards until he was 2 meters behind the yellow line, allowing for the students to run forward and place one of the wooden beams on the 5 meter path of sand that he had been the result of his experiment with Qi. Only to be removed again so that another man could use the same type of Qi to create the same effect and practically wasting his energy, Phoenix sighed to himself, if everyone was this stupid it was going to get boring… very quickly. Another pillar, that Phoenix recognised from the school’s newsletter, began stating the obvious to a degree that made Phoenix more than a little annoyed, promising himself that he would try anything until they were past the sand pit, Phoenix would just stand back and wait for the others to implement their plan.

Suddenly, Phoenix heard a loud noise and glanced up towards the front of the two beams, where Jayr had been forced to use her Qi to protect those on the second beam, however, she had not been quick enough to protect two students that Phoenix hadn’t seen before. Phoenix used that distraction to make his move; he would walk from the yellow line onto the beam and follow the group of students crowded on the beam forward in their push towards the end of the sand pit. Allowing a meters space between the end of the beam and himself, he would wait for the next move to occur, making sure he was in position to act if something unexpected happened.

[Kazuya Hikari]

Kazuya, as opposed to his first encounter with Guy, instead smirked slightly, Guy sounded like he had been bursting at the seams to say that to Kazuya's face... well, more like the back of his head. "... You got any other brilliant ideas Mr. Genius? I don't see anybody else leaping at the chance to give alternatives to Kevala's plan." And it was true. No one else had said anything, and unless every one of them was a mind reader, it appeared Kevala's plan was what everyone was going with. Up ahead of Kazuya was the big guy, who had hefted a wooden plank before tossing it down just before the sand patch Kazuya had made. Kazuya estimated they were only 1/4 of the way across, they were making progress, but something nagged at Kazuya. This was going well... almost too well. Something was up. Knowing Gabriel, he wasn't going to make a challenge easy for them. The rustling of sand caught Kazuya's attention, but he wouldn't allow himself to be distracted, as he focused on his task.

The sound of a loud bang however, definitely caught Kazuya's attention, as the force from it forced Alex to concentrate on keeping his balance and prevent being knocked off into the quick sand. "Crap!" He shouted, as his own flames were sent back towards them like a wave. He saw one guy was sent into the quick sand, though he was unharmed due to his Qi, while the other guy maintained his balance though he came charging towards Kazuya and shoved past him, as Kazuya fought to maintain his balance, causing him to deactivate his Qi while flailing his arms like a madman, nearly falling into the quick sand, and he would've, but just as he was about to, he felt his arm being grabbed as he was thrown backwards and landed roughly on his ass behind Jayr, who shouted as she formed a shield, managing to protect them and some, though not all of the planks from catching fire. "Damn it, who does he think he is?" Kazuya muttered, referring to the guy that nearly bowled him over, as he climbed to his feet, giving Jayr a grateful nod. They had experienced a minor setback, but this wasn't over yet. "... This isn't about pride anymore, or who's the smartest, or fastest, or whatever. We need to work together, because the mastermind behind this, isn't going to wait for us to get the act together."

[Ceraphine Davis]

Well clearly somebody was not a team player, those stuck up and selfish emotions like a bad taste in her mouth. Gods even in her insanity spells she was not THAT damn bad....Yet she her attention was dragged away from Phoenix to those on the beams, having been waiting her turn of course, and wincing slightly as she noted the mistake they had made....

Just then the sand began to shift and her eyes shot to the are in which it was moving, noting it was the location of one of those discs that had been sent into the sand earlier.

Before she could say anything to warn those on the beams the damn thing went off, herself not even flinching as she closed her eyes....Knowing that some had already been lost.....

When she opened them again, it was chaos it seemed, the one beside her moving forward in an attempt to show off, Kazuya nearly being knocked off, and of course Jayr saving those that she could.

She knew she liked that girl for a reason.

The only problem nobody seemed to address was the one beam which was still on fire, a little growl passing her lips as she finally stepped forward onto the beams...

"Look! You have to lay them all out one at a time, end to end THEN make the dry area to stand on. If not we wont make it and our asses are done for....."

She then lifted her hand, her Qi activating to summon forth some of the water from the quicksand, using it to put out the flame that now threatened to destroy that beam......

"So I suggest those of you who think you are too good for this straighten the fuck up...Because trust me, the one running this show is a hell of a lot smarter, faster and better than you....Now get your asses moving!"

She was not trying to be a bitch, but the fact remained that somebody had to light a fire under their asses and get them to function as a unit....

The balance issue not so much a problem for her, given her size and weight......

Sometimes it just paid not to be a big old lumbering ox....

"Kazuya...How much further can you push yourself?"

It was an honest question, even as they worked to move forward she would ask, because she knew that every one of them had a limit to their Qi......

His would be hit soon enough, and though she figured Phoenix was trying to work with them, she was not pinning too much hope on the guy.

"Guy....refresh me on what you can do? Cause we may need an alternative here in a bit if this doesn't work.."

Well hell, she had never seen his Qi, nor asked what it was....So yeah, it was another valid question. No reason they should not know who did what and who could help in what way. How were you supposed to get through something like this without communication?

Simple.............

You weren't.......

[Guy Nottingham]

"... You got any other brilliant ideas Mr. Genius? I don't see anybody else leaping at the chance to give alternatives to Kevala's plan."

Guy remained still his belly laid out on the pole behind him a quick smirk as the the boy Kazuya was just proving his point of how stupid he was as he simply neglected what Guy had actually said. Shaking his head as there was no better example that status didn't mean everything. However he kept his mouth shut for the time being seeing as this was not the place to go prodding the flames. Even in a literal sense as Kazuya seemed to be a bit of a hot head. (bu-dum-tsh get it, its a pun....).

Guy would crawl forward at a slow pace, sure he was a small guy and balance wasn't an issue but hell he wasn't going to take the chance that Kazuya wouldn't turn around and punt him over the edge. It'd been seen throughout history that it was always the messenger who died first and he'd wait till Kevala came to back him up which she would soon come to do.

*BANG!*

The flames gushing out and Guy would drop his hands over his head protectively to sheath the damage as nothing came his way. Looking up Guy found that the planks were relatively safe aside from the last one lit aflame before Kevala dealt with it.

"Guy....refresh me on what you can do? Cause we may need an alternative here in a bit if this doesn't work.."

Guy would turn about his eyes directed up at her with a frail grin as he looked at what she'd done with the water. "I can freeze things... Though for the time being its got a limited range, won't be able to do anything with it unless you give me time."

Guy would nod as he'd slowly crawl to join the group on the central sand pit finding safety near it's edge. He knew just how far they'd get if the team screwed up. And he hoped it wasn't a game of drawing straws because chances are he'd be pushed off first.

[Gabriel Seran]

A dark and whimsical laugh from the observation deck as the bomb exploded. A wise smile as the man behind the desk flicked a pawn out of the game. Yes it was just a game to him, no mourning and no concern to those who'd lost it was all about the lessons to be learned and the end game. Well at the very least he assumed that from their expressions on screen, to Gabriel it was much more a game about playing them on one another. A stall or hesitation in time led to the people going at one another's throats. People were always so predictable.

Eyes wandering on screen to Kevala watching as her attention towards the game becoming much more like a competition between the two. Good precisely as he'd expected, in her world it was a game of showing she could do more than what others had ade of her. Then to Kazuya, things had changed with this one though only on a physical level, he seemed quite arrogant about that certain boost looking to trash the one at the back and not a notion towards the girl that undoubtedly was the reason he was still in the game. The girl at the front, Jayr, a brave manuever but he'd expected her to have acted faster, perhaps sved Argent from defeat. What could he ask of such people in times of pressure. Eyes dashing away again to the back at Guy and Phoenix each holding aback at mid distance looking to provide effort yet still abaiting the slow and steady pace.

Fingers tapped away at the ivory board in front of him. Quickly now, soon as they understood the game they'd have to pick up the pace, now at a fourth of the way there they best not falter. Proceed quickly to the next destination and proceed with the game before a bored Gabriel changed the rules for his own amusement sake.

---

Phillipe stood at the sidelines, his glare as monstrous as ever as he held glance on the students. The explosion hadn't rattled him a bit but the perverse thought in his mind accented the fact that Gabriel had done so on purpose and against children no less. Despite his devotion he thought that the man had some deviancy in him. And to his own sick little degree enjoyed it.

---

At the sand pit there seemed to be a group huddle amongst the masses of students, four of them left not including the recently evoked Argent as they contained their little circle to press forward before an argument emerged.

"I'm the strongest I'll help lift the logs."

The voice of Marcus speaking out as he'd rise edging to the back stepping over Guy without notice the little man was there planting a boot in his back as he grabbed the pillar, "You coming or shall we leave you here miss priss?" His anguish and disregard to their leader and Phoenix who were still at the back of the group ready to press on. After this point they'd not be touching solid land, a risk no doubt to continue forward.

"No!" A small voice from an even smaller girl, Eve spoke out, "If we go further the sand monster's will get us..." Her forehead scrunching up in noteable pain.

---

ooc: Limitations alert -
Sorry Lloyd you'd not be immune to the fire, Qi is limited here, though wearing the leather would save you from the flash fire burns you'd still be pretty well cooked.

Continue!

[Ceraphine Davis]

The thing was, this was a game and though she desired to win, it was not beyond her scope of reasoning to admit that failure was much more likely. She did not get a large head like some people, nor did she panic as another group seemed to be doing.

She instead took what information she had been given, let it process in her mind and then reevaluated how they could try to pull this off.

As the sound of some panicked, scared little girl entered her train of thought, she turned to spot the argument breaking out amongst those who SHOULD be trying to pull together.

Growling softly she shot them a very irritated glare, sure, out here, in the middle of some god forsaken sand trap they decide to pull this shit.....Or at least she was out there, and that was all that mattered to her.

"Let me make myself perfectly clear. The goal here is to get us ALL across, or to at the very least put forth our best efforts in attempting such a feat....Yet make no FUCKING mistake! I will happily come down there and push you in myself before I let your petting bitching fuck it up for the rest of the players."

She made no attempt to hide the fact that she saw this as a game. If people would focus on the situation they would see that was indeed what this was, and no doubt Gabriel was somewhere watching, having a fun time of it all.

The thought making her grin....She did so love when he was evil, even without really trying to be.

Turning back to the rest of the group, some of which had not answered her yet, she would sigh and bring a bit of calm and control to herself.

"Look! We have to do this right or we will most undoubtedly fail. Now either get to moving or jump off and save us all the trouble! Guy I may need you to help me with the sand when we reach the end of the beams, seeing as the two big bad fire boys seem to be frozen in fear of the big bad unseen monster."

Oh she was not happy, but she was controlling it for now. Not about to let it cloud her judgement at this time.

[Phoenix]

Phoenix analysed everything that was happening almost as soon as it actually happened, calculating possibilities and likelihoods ahead of time and storing everything that was interesting to memory. To Phoenix, things were finally starting to get exciting. Explosions, arguments, Qi’s and a challenge up ahead, he was definitely in his element except for one thing… teamwork.

As a student that Phoenix didn’t know stepped around him and onto Guy, whilst proclaiming himself as the strongest here, Phoenix would follow him until he was in the middle of the group. Phoenix knew that the only way to succeed was to act as a team, no matter if it made him feel sick or not.

Once again, Phoenix noticed that their school captain, Kevala, took control of the situation; directing around students as if it were a game of chess. What she was saying was now plainly obvious even to the stupidest of the group. She then turned to Guy and said that she may need his help later on in the challenge to cross the last gap. Phoenix saw an opportunity and took it without hesitation.

“Guy’s going to have to help out at the end with his freezing technique because I’m all out of juice.”

Phoenix would lie blatantly to the group. He covered perfectly, he had always been a good liar and years spent in Jack’s company as well as his history in the cyber underworld had honed his ability to lie into an art form. Phoenix knew that some people branded him as a pathological liar, however, he didn’t see himself as such. He knew that by lying about the amount of Qi he had left could provide him with an advantage that the others wouldn’t expect later on in the challenge and that was worth the risk.

[Jayr Byrne]

1/4 down and 3/4 to go

Well this was certainly just peachy. Yeah despite feeling very heroic and saving most of the team she'd look around and not even a single pat on the back, great teamwork here, everyone was really out for themselves deep down. It made her suffer there somber and dissociative. Jayr went quiet waiting as Kevala would play them next to be like pawns; regardless when this was all over Jayr would have to take up a few words with people, the infallicies of this place were beginning to irk her.

"Lets just keep going...." Jayr would mutter silently her eyes trained against the poles be in for balance measures or her own low self esteem right now.

Then she listened to the small girl cry out about the sand monsters. Her ears perked up paying attention to the girl quickly, what did she mean by that, the exploding mine? Hopefully not, though the pieces fit together now, those metallic disks the large man tossed out at the beginning. If there were three she could handle that few. A nod in affirmation as she found her use in this group, she was the shield.

[Kazuya Hikari]

Kazuya rarely cared about people's opinion of him, and Guy was no exception. And even though Kazuya didn't like Guy that much, he wasn't about to punt the guy over the edge. Picking himself up after being thrown backwards by Jayr, he saw the board that had been on fire extinguished by Kevala's Qi. "... I still have a bit of power left, though I don't know how long it'll last for." He replied, as he heard Kevala ask Guy what his Qi was, as Guy replied that he could freeze things, but only in a limited range. The guy that had nearly bowled Kazuya over spoke up before literally stepping all over Guy, using him as a platform of sorts, leaving a footprint on the back of Guy's shirt as he edged his way backwards. His gaze shifting forward once more, Kazuya stayed silent as always while Kevala expressed her impatience at them all, this was a game to her, nothing more. Kazuya however, saw this as a excellent way to improve and become stronger. He then heard a small voice cry out, one of the girls talking about a sand monster that would get them. Sand monster...? Is this Spiderman 3 now? Some guy that can manipulate sand is going to get us?

He then heard Kevala talk to Guy, telling him she may need his help later on since both him and the other fire Qi user were too afraid to even move on. Alex feared very little, and the threat of exploding mines was not one of them. He then heard the guy say he had run out of juice for his Qi, that was dandy. Stepping forward, he heard Jayr mutter as he passed her, before coming to a stop beside her. "... Don't look down. If you are someone who has a job to do... You always have to look ahead." Kazuya said quietly, as he turned his head to her and gave her a rare small smile. "... Thanks... for helping me... let's go." Rolling his shoulders, Kazuya walked across the wooden beams already laid out, before coming to a stop at the last one. Powering up his Qi, he would fire a steady stream of fire at the sand, creating a sand patch to stand on. Sand monster or not, Kazuya wasn't going to let anything stop him from seeing this through to the end. He then quickly motioned for the wooden beams behind him to be placed down in front of the sand patch, while they still had time and the chance to reach the end.

[Guy Nottingham]

Guh!

The squelching noise coming out of Guy's mouth and backside as the large oaf made use of him like a stepping stone. Though Guy certainly had it coming with his current position being face down and cuddled around the wooden pillar like he was trying to get freaky with it. In all respects it was quite a questionable association, his relationship with the pillar seeing as he'd hardly budged either way making a grimace as the boy restepped over him this time carrying the weight of the pillar atop his own salvaged weight.

"Guuuuuuh"

His groan certainly elongated past the necessary weight. Though it was more for sympathy than anything else as he slowly came up to sit at the edge of the sand pit noticing the words being thrown around in his general direction.

"Wait huh?"

Yup it seems as though the team effort was coming down to Guy, hero man, Mr. Stupendo boobage picture taker. Yes by all accounts he was awesome but when his outfit was missing and surrounded by a pit of engulfing sand somewhere along the way he was rattled.

"Thats nice, I ugh.... Sure I suppose, Yeah I'm your man!" His hand would jerk into the air fist pumping accidentally catching Phoenix in the face should he not move.

Though what Kevala had said was getting him thinking. Big Bad monster? Scaring the flamers (no pun intended or was it?, did that mean that there was someone at the other end bigger and scarier than the bad boys of campus who pushed people around. Only someone very stupid, or very confident would call out the entire school to a challenge knowing the pillars thusfar they may have been pretty stupid but they were no pushovers when it came to a bought of strength.

[Gabriel Seran]

Nowhere, thats as far as they'd gotten seeing as now the group was some thirty-five feet in, now the students were an island unto themselves unabated one could jump the distance back to shore but then they'd not win the little game Gabriel had set up for them, though the opposite side was quite a distance away, there'd be no jumping to safety unless it was back. As for the structure of the platforms, well to say the least these kids were running out of time, their time limit already halfway exceeded now they'd have to double their time across working as a fluid group, though group mechanics didn't look as though thins were working all too efficiently. Perhaps a little pressure would help the situation along.

Gabriel laughed through a parted smile chuckling darkly to his sick little game as he began to raise the stakes. In quick and singular motion the man at the controls would slide over in his chair quickly flipping the switch to the panel hitting a switch and then cranking up a turn table which magnified the bass.

Gabriel already knew how this would end, the pieces were lined up and in a game of his choice there were only so many options, the students & Pillars had already pressed their luck and lost. Perhaps not the labeled goal of the game, there was still a chance there however meager it was but they lost the second game he'd built within the rules. A dark grin as he tested his own mind and found it superior, arrogant, yes one could say that but then who was moving the pieces?

"I do hope you can redeem yourselves....children"

---

There would be a quick hemorrhage beneath the surface of the sand as another orb was coming to surface. As the students were in their disheveled position it'd take them under this go. The bulge to the sand would pop sending forth an iron orb completely impenetrable. It's surface would launch across the sand before acting like a pinball to strike through Phoenix and Marcus. It's momentum would continue till it'd reach the end of the sand and turn back to go for Kevala and Guy this time.

---

Phillipe watch with a calculating grin. He knew just what was in store for these students, it was just like Gabriel to pick off the weak and show where true strength relied be it in numbers or a singular being but from the looks of things it was neither in this scenario. The iron disks transformed to take the abilities sent their way, the first becoming a bomb by Kazuya's flames, the second changed by Argent's own Qi as he fell under.

"Tch-"

Phillipe chuckled his hearty chest bobbing slightly as he'd enjoy the students lingering adrift.

[Ceraphine Davis]

Kevala honestly was running out of ideas and it was not very surprising to her. These things did not exactly come easy and with people of this selfish nature to work with ( with the exception of a few ) it was hard to pull them off.

Shaking her head, she hoped that they would move forward, hoped that those who thought only to help themselves and damn all others would get their heads out of their asses and look at the bigger picture.

It was such a shame. To be so short sighted and self absorbed. To think that just because one possessed higher brain function in one area that it automatically made them superior in all.

It was through this ignorance that they in fact disputed their own intellect.......for the truly smart person saw that it was not through yourself that you found ultimate greatness but better yet through you ability to draw the strengths out of those around you and use it to your advantage.

She got the lesson, or at least she thought she did, and though she would wait to see if there was a time where her services would be needed in assisting to get across, she would simply stand there, letting them pass of fail.

She could do a lot, but when she could barely handle saving herself from......well........herself, how was she supposed to be asked to save a group such as this from their own shortcomings?

[Jayr Byrne]

Doomed Journey.

Jayr hadn't lost faith yet though seemed as though things went from bad to worse in all too great of a time cycle. Standing at center she was perhaps the one farthest forward since the first implosion that'd occurred and they were nearly halfway there. Now two options remained, push forward or pull back. She pursed her lips at the insanity of this task, not that it was difficult to say the least just organization was a flaw when you didn't know who and what you were up against.

As the second orb attacked Jayr would hit the deck managing to avoid it should its trajectory have been changed from its original targets, she could tell that this was perhaps the least of things to come assuming the master of this ploy had many other goals at the end. Let alone looking at the statuesque man awaiting them at the end, chances are they weren't winning this game of his regardless.

Moving to the back Jayr would make an effort to lift up the last log though not strong enough to do so on her own it'd be a labored drag as she arched it into the air expecting someone to take it and aid her with the process.

"K'mon we only have so much space left to cover, its forward or back and I'm not dead set on heading back there."

Jayr would speak loud enough for the group to hear taking effective command in Kevala's absence. She'd measure the weight of it all as she'd inevitably place the last pillar at the end.

"Okay Alex make another island there, then Phoenix and Kevala pick up the last log and bring it forward. After that Guy and Marcus do the same thing with the other pillar, then Alex and I will take the third and we'll need some sort of replacement seeing as we're out of juice."

[Kazuya Hikari]

Kazuya wasn't about to lay down and die, even though the situation was getting worse and worse with each passing second. The fact that they couldn't get their act together and work as a team, except for a few of them, wasn't making matters any better. They were only halfway across, and they were running out of time. Stepping forward, Kazuya stretched his arm forward and was about to use his Qi, but stopped the moment he noticed the faintest amount of movement in the sand, as another bulge in the sand rose before popping, revealing another disk, this time sending orbs their way. Launching across the surface of the sand, Kazuya literally hit the deck as the orb flew around erratically, much like a pinball. Getting up, he stayed in a crouched position as he made his way over to Jayr, helping her lift the heavy plank.

"... I ain't gonna give up." He injected, as he helped her place the plank down, it was time for them to step up and take charge, leader or none. "Small problem though. I'm out of power. Hey Guy," Kazuya called out behind him, "Time to step up and show us what you can do." Kazuya didn't like to lie like this, but if he was going to get through this, he would need to save all of the Qi he had, he could get. And besides, Guy seemed pretty enthusiastic to show them what he could do, Kazuya figured he could give the guy a chance. "Kevala, you have the ability to control water correct? If you can take the water from the quicksand out, and Guy can form it into a stepping stone of some sort, that might work... and give us a chance to get across, with the planks we already have."

[Phoenix]

Phoenix watched on as the exchange between Jayr and Kazuya went largely unnoticed by the population of students clustered together in the small area that was their only means of crossing the sand pit. Kazuya then proceeded to with the unspoken plan of the fire users evaporating the water in the sand and then the planks being placed on the, now, dry sand so that the body of students could walk across to the other side. However, a metal orb flew out of the sand, seemingly triggered by the use of Qi, and sped towards the group of students that were slowly making their way across the sand pit. Following the suit of everyone else in front of him, Phoenix hit the deck and managed to just avoid the sphere.

Seeing Jayr move to the back of the planks and attempt to lift it up by herself, Phoenix was about to move forward and give her the aid that would make the task easier but was beaten by Kazuya to the punch. As Kazuya aided Jayr with the lifting of this plank, Phoenix listened closely to both hers and his instructions on how they were to proceed. Jayr’s plan made perfect sense except for the part where they ran out of juice and had to come up with a new plan of crossing the last quarter of the sand pit. Unfortunately, it seemed that Kazuya was out of juice and was no longer able to use his Qi. Phoenix was about to come up with a suggestion that involved using Guy’s Qi to manipulate the water in the quicksand when Kazuya suggested something along those line but wove Kevala’s Qi in there as well.

Seeing no problem with this addition to the plan, Phoenix knew that, if his mental timer was right, there was under half the amount of time left in the challenge and he didn’t want to stick around to see what was the punishment for going overtime. Making his way further forward to near the front of the pack of students, Phoenix would wait for the stepping stones to manifest under the control of Guy so that everyone would be able to get across.