Flashback (The Training Grounds) Do it with feeling! (Mamuro)

[Beisathrazharus]

The Training Grounds
11th Bell
51 Summer, 448 AV

The heckling and shouting was almost too much for the young Dhani. He'd come to the Training Grounds to begin gaining strength, but these elders, they could sense the fresh meat. Zharus had been here before to learn the basics of hunt, but nothing like this.

I jussst wanted to train ...

The young constrictor had found himself surrounded by several older of his brood soon after entering the spacious cavern. Without a word his arms were grasped and despite any protest he may have given, Zharus was dragged throughout the location. The laughter and wicked looks he received were humiliating, and there was nothing he could do to stop it.

It was humiliating.

Soon he was on a raised platform, across from a much larger Dhani. Wicked fangs were flashed at Zharus, and while both of them were in their Dhani form, the youngling was dwarfed in size. "What do you want? Leave me be or I'll leave you to the Myriansss," Zharus snapped, coiling back into a defensive stance.

"Sssilence. You want to be here? Then you mussst fight me." The larger snake had a bit of a reputation of picking on the youth when they came to train. Zharus was simply in the wrong place at the wrong time.

His eyes darted nervously back and forth as he took in his situation. He couldn't run, lest he be labeled a coward. He couldn't fight, because he would lose. It was, unfortunately, his only option. The fall to the ground was going to hurt, that was plain enough.

"Fine. Then prepare yourssself. I won't sshow ressraint."

Not that it would make any difference. He was defeated before he'd even began. He began to slowly slide across the smooth stone platform, stretching out his arms as he did so. He was met with that horrible smirk. Maybe this one wasn't as strong as he seemed. I won't be defeated..

[Kalesserimamoru]

Mamuro hid in the shadows of the cave, watching the others from afar as they wrestled and tested their strength. He was motionless, and if the casting of the glow stones were in the right spot, he might appear as part of the cave itself. The young dhani liked to wrestle, but not as much as most others, and not on this day. He was in a more mischievous mood and there were a few young dhani-ladies that he'd love to spent his time playing with, in more than one way.


But it had been his older sister who had forced him onto the training ground so that, as she said, he could become a better and stronger dhani. Mamuro wouldn't hear of it, he was plenty strong enough, he thought, and saw no reason to waste a good day of pranking to wrestle in matches that would likely be slated against him.


"Oh dear ssister....have you nothing better to do than ruin my fun?"


He hissed under his breath and coiled his tail around his body and continued to watch. There were a few matches going on at the same time, and all above on raised platforms. A few of them, he had to admit, were good matches while others were nothing short of a good laugh. Then he saw someone, his long time friend Zharus, being carried to and forced upon a platform. Mamuro uncoiled himself and slithered forward enough to get a better look.


"What iss thiss? Are you in trouble again Zharuss? And hear I wass thinking that I wass the troubled one between uss."

[Beisathrazharus]

Great. Just great. That's what he needed. Mamuro. This was already ridiculous enough, and now he was here. Brown eyes narrowed as he turned his head slightly to address his long time friend. "Sshut up, Mamuro. I don't need thisss from you now." A friend, and a rival. Someone else who could remind him of his soon to be failure, as well.

Zharus was so very green when it came to combat, and his people were cunning. They would punish you for failure. They would punish you for making a mistake, and do it in a way to ensure you wouldn't make that same mistake again. To lose focus on your foe was foolish at best, but in Falyndar, it could be fatal.

The other Dhani moved quickly, and Zharus had already lost the fight. In wrestling it all came down to position. A weaker creature could use leverage to gain the advantage. Zharus was that weaker creature. The assailant grabbed Zharus' arm with one hand and place his other around the scrawnier Dhani's neck, pulling him tightly against his shoulder.

"You fool. You ssimply musst tell me how you enjoy your trip," he hissed, dragging Zharus towards the edge of the platform. There was little the youngling could do. He thrashed out with his free arm, trying to pry his neck free from the vice grip.

It's all useless! He screamed at himself internally, lashing out emotionally at his own stupidity. He knew everyone was laughing at his display. He knew he was a failure.

He hated being a failure.

Summoning forth his fury, he dug deep, and twisted his body back and forth to try and free himself from his competitor's control. If he could simply loosen it up, just take a little bit of the advantage, maybe he could reverse his fortune. There was just one problem.

For all of his resisting, for all of struggling, the larger Dhani kept his head pinned down. If he couldn't control his head, he couldn't control anything. He was finished. "Sstop wasssting my time, runt." With a shove, he released Zharus from his grasp.

Free at last.

Only..he was falling..

The cave went by him in a blur, and he was pretty sure Mamuro was grinning as he descended. All he could hope was that the fool's sister wasn't here, too...

[Kalesserimamoru]

Mamuro carried a smirk as he slithered over to stand as close to the raised platform as possible, It was a sight to behold, Zharus was always so tough, or at least he acted that way. He was stronger and more gifted in the art of wrestling then Mamuro, so seeing him being dragged around by someone else was humorous in the least. The dhani cocked his head to the side and rotated his shoulder, as if any moment, he would charge up the side of the platform to rescue his friend.


"Awww, when you sspeak like that...it makess me think that you don't want me around. Iss that true Zharuss? Am I....distracting you?"


He gave a soft cackle and folded his arms across his chest. It was a quick match, thought not as brutal as it was humiliating. He had to wonder how much his friend could take, how much could he take, before losing control and doing something that he would regret later. It was something to think about now that he was in the area and being forced to train. Mamuro knew that he needed to get stronger, even if just to keep his sister off his back, but the young dhani wasn't in the mood for a fight.


"Zharuss...your form iss terrible. Are you even trying?"


Mamuro cackled again, but softly, as not to draw any unwanted attention to himself. But it was too late, a moment later and he felt a slap on the back of his head. It was a quick hit, and strung badly, almost as if it were done by a foreign object. The young dhani spun around quickly with an aggressive hiss. But his attitude changed the moment that he saw who was standing behind him.


"Oh ssister....Didn't trusst me to do thiss on my own, hmm?"


The older dhani sibling slithered around her younger brother, even circling him for a bit, before she returned to face him again. She was a beautiful dhani, and although she was still on the young side, the elders were already looking upon her with interest. At the same time, she was the exact opposite of Mamuro, who no one respected.


"No, I didn't trusst you, why sshould I? It wass enough that I had to, not only assk you twice, but force you out here. Sso..what wass your plan, to jusst sstand here and watch? You'll wresstle today little brother, like it or not."

[Beisathrazharus]

It didn't take long for him to be forgotten. He was a failure, worthless, not worth ridiculing. At least not by anyone who mattered. His peers were going to have a blast when he finally pulled himself out of the pit he'd been ever so politely escorted to.

"It'sss sso infuriating," he muttered, slithering forth to meet his adoring crowd. His fingers grasped the ledge and he struggled to pull himself up, his long, serpentine body flailing beneath him to try and force himself up onto the next level. "Of coursssse they would make thisss difficult!" He hissed angrily, his nails scraping futility against the hard stone floor.

"Usssee the incline, you idiot," said one who was near, sliding over to give Zharus a friendly shove back into the pits. Back down into the depths, a failure again. Too busy seething to notice there was a much more simple way out.

Deflated, Zharus glided across the rough floor and up the stone ramp, cursing himself, the one who'd put him the pit in the first place, and the one who'd returned him to his hole of shame. "I'll make them pay...They won't messs with me again. It isss unacce-.."

Then he saw her, and all of his anger and bravado disappeared. Instead, he felt crawling back in his egg. He wanted to stop existing. Why did this have to happen today of all days? He'd never been so shamed. And she was there to see it all?

Morgana... His friends sister, absolutely beautiful. Desired by so many already, including himself. But Zharus was nothing to her.

So he tried to become nothing himself by collapsing to the ground, still on the slanted rock. Maybe they didn't see him coming up. Maybe they didn't see any of it...

[Kalesserimamoru]

"Alright dear ssisster, alright. I ssuposse if you came all thiss way to ssee me fight...." he said in a lowered tone, still speaking as if he had a choice in the matter. "I'll give it ago, but don't blink...it will be over very sssoon.." A sly smirk crossed his lips and he slithered away from Morgana and crept up to the slanted rock, where he stared down at what looked like a sleeping Zharus. Mamuro licked lips and tilted his head to one side, his eyes widen and mouth opened with a soft popping sound.


"Are you taking a nap Zharuss? Don't tell me that you have losst your fight sso sssoon?"


Mamuro cackled again and placed his hands on his hips. His eyes rolled around, observing the others standing nearby and whispering to each other about the embarrassing defeat that his friend had just suffered. Adding to that was the look on Zharus' face, even as he laid there pretending that he didn't exist.


"If you keep laying there like a ssnakeling in disstresss, I'm going to call for you a hero."


The mischievous dhani cackled again, he was enjoying tormenting the emotionally wounded dhani, and would have done so for chimes longer, if it wasn't for the pair of threatening eyes watching him from close by.


"Alright...I ssupposse that'ss enough of that."


Mamuro stared up at the raised platform and the hulking dhani standing atop. Could he really defeat this brute? He wasn't sure, but he was going to find out. The young dhani slithered his way up and climbed aboard the rocky surface. The older dhani saw him coming and was already preparing for the fight. The older, bigger dhani, slapped his shoulders and posed himself for the match at hand. Mamuro stood tall, not at all trying to mimic the movements of the wrestler across from him. He smirked wickedly and flicked his arms outward in a slowed motion.


"Letsss get thiss over with!"


Suddenly the young dhani dashed forward and attempted to tackle the bigger creature. The older, more experienced dhani stared down at him, arms loose at his side as he watched Mamuro trying in vain to lift him up. A frown stretched across his face, just another child wasting his time. Reaching down, he lifted the small dhani up and slammed him on his back.

[Beisathrazharus]

That bastard could never miss an opportunity to shame him, could he? "Yesss, Mamuro. It wass ssimply exhaussting. I think I'll resst here and..." He paused for a moment, looking up at his 'friend'. It wasn't as though his feellings weren't any secret, but he still hated speaking on them. Just another thing to make him a target. Oh how he hated being too small to defend himself fully. "..and avoid your ssister."

The annoyance was only building. They were all talking about him, mocking him, relishing in his defeat. To have Mamuro gloating right over him, as though he was the one who had bested in him combat. Oh how infuriating.

"Sssuck ssshyke, Mamuro. I got unlucky. I'll beat him next time, you will ssee. I need no hero. Go away."

Mamuro left him to wallow in self pity, though his attitude improved slightly as he realized just what his fellow was about to do. Challenge that same brute. Hopefully be bested by that same brute. It was perfect, and Zharus' countenance was immediately lifted. Rising back up, he slithered the rest of the way out of the pit. He need to move into a place to watch this slaughter.

"What sseems to be the problem, Mamuro," he mocked. "Choking on your own arrogance?" A defeat was quickly forgotten when someone else had one in sight. Perhaps they could actually do something useful after this, rather than be the prey of bigger and stronger Dhani.

"Why hello there, Zharuss."

His thoughts froze.

How had he forgotten so quickly about her? Curse you, Mamuro...

Morgana.

"What'ss the problem, little one? Forgotten how to ssspeak?" Her skin brushed against his, as she slid uncomfortably close to him, teasing as she always did. He words left him, as he stared ahead, trying to pretend like she wasn't there. Pretending like he didn't really enjoy the attention she gave him. He was oblivious to the game she played with him, the young male thinking he truly had the eye of the promising female.

"How would you like to watch thiss match with me, Zharuss? I'm sure you would enjoy seeing my brother lose."

"..Y-yeah."

Pathetic. Simply pathetic.

[Kalesserimamoru]

Mamuro laid on the ground, hissing and groaning in pain. His back stung all the way down the length of his spin and into his tail. He arched his back and rolled over slowly and tried to push himself up. Before he knew what was happening, Mamuro had been scooped up and flung over the side of the platform. It was in luck that he was able to reach out his long skinny arms and grab a hold to the side before he fell into the pit below. The young dhani hung on as best as he could, and in the back and lower, he could hear the other dhanis laughing at him.


"SStop laughing! I'm not done yet!!"


He pushed his body uncomfortably against the rocky wall and tried to pull himself up and back onto the platform. It wasn't easy and with his aching back it was even worse for him. But, finally he was able to slither back up where a pair of large hands waited for him. The bigger dhani grabbed Mamuro and wrestled him up into a bear-hug.


"Flamessss!"


"Ahhhhhh!"


Mamuro groaned and thrashed around, the pain in his back doubling from the pressure that was being applied. The young dhani arched his back more, trying to slither his way up, before he brought both of his fist into the temples of the dhani holding him. He growled, and shook his head, but only tighten his grip around the smaller dhani's body. Mamuro hissed and struggled more, willing all of his strength to curl his spine and to allow him to reached out and rake the eyes of the dhani squeezing him. This time it worked, and the muscle bound dhani released him quickly to tend to his eyes.


"Hahaha. Yessss!"


The young and foolish dhani dashed forward and wrapped his arm around the head of the other and squeezed with all of his might. It was a horrible, and uncomfortable pose he was in. The other dhani was not only bigger but also taller, which made Mamauro have to lift up just to get him into the hold. Still, he was enjoying himself now and cackling all the time. He turned his gaze off to the side, eying those below, those that had laughed at him and most of all Zharus. On this day, he would show his friend the way a real dhani fought, without fear and holding nothing back...even breaking the rules to win.



"That'ssss right. Go to ssleep.. Jussst go."



Suddenly Mamuro's eyes widen as he was lifted up, his arm lost it's grip and he found himself flailing around as he was being held above the head of the better wrestler. Mamuro cursed and yelled the whole way until he was tossed off the platform and sent down into the pit with a hard thump. His gaze was blank, eyes rolling around in his head and all that he could muster was a cough. "Flamess..."

[Beisathrazharus]

Zharus' eyes had long since glossed over, oblivious to the combat occurring on the raised platform. Nothing else really mattered with the young adult's object of infatuation right beside him. "W-what are you doing here, Morgana?" A stupid question. She was here to torment her brother, of course. Not to talk with the weakling he was.

"I'm here for you, Zharussss," she teased, moving her mouth right by Zharus' ear to tease him even further. Why did she torment him so?

Gulp

"And to view my brother'sss defeat, of coursssse."

And what a spectacular defeat it was. Zharus looked over to the match at Morgana's mention of Mamuro, a grin returning quickly as he saw the attempted headlock. His friend simply wasn't big enough nor was he strong enough to control someone in such a manner. The fight was already over. The long fall to the ground was just a formality at this point.

"Lookss like I lasssted longer, Mamuro," he taunted, slithering over to the edge of the pit to look down at the defeated Dhani. "Wasss that really the besst you had?" Not that his display had been any better, but that was easy to push aside in the wake of another's ineptitude. "Perhapsss we should gather some sssnaklingss for you to battle. At leassst it would be a match."

Mamuro's sister arrived beside him, causing Zharus to again fall silent. It did not, however, prevent him from gloating, as though he was the one who threw Mamuro to the dirt.

"Brother..brother..brother..."

This was perfect. For the moment he was spared being the target of aggression and unforgiving humor.

[Kalesserimamoru]

Mamuro laid there for a while and thought over his options. The bigger, better dhani would probably think him finished. Perhaps now was the time for a sneak attack. He could slither his way up and behind him, then snap his neck. Oh what a wonderful plan it was, to see the looks on the faces of each and every person there. Those who thought him too weak, those who thought that he couldn't do it. The young dhani's mind was set and he was ready to go. His movements were slow, but even in this a new strength was being formed, a renewed zest and hunger for the win that he so deserved.


He would reach the top, it was only a few inches away and he could already see the back of the dhani who had no idea that he was coming. It was the perfect plan, and even the most skilled of warriors couldn't see such an attack coming , or hope to deflect it. It was perfect..until he realized that he hadn't even moved an inch from where he laid. Mamuro blinked twice, his eyes wide and rolling around inside his head before the scene came clear.


"Of all the things on a smelly Myrian's..."


Suddenly he glanced up after hearing familiar voices that were very close by. Mamuro stared confusingly at the horrific sight before him. He saw his sister...a twin, and Zharus and a twin. If that wasn't the ugliest thing that he had ever laid eyes on. He shook his head fast and hard, anything to get that vision out of his mind and bring him back to the real world. When he opened his eyes and looked again, he saw his sister alone this time and only one Zharus, though that was still an eyesore in itself.


"Curssse you Zharusss, the moment that my tail ssstopss twitching I'll have you!!"


Then she spoke up, she had to, there was no way that she could not speak up and remind him what a failure he was and how ashamed she was of him. Mamuro slowly pushed himself up, using his arms as a prop and leaned up just a bit more so that he could stare evenly at them both. "Oh sssisster...and jusst when I gave my all for you. But, not to worry. I will try again in a sseasson. I'll make you proud then, hmm?"


Morgana laughed, a very fake laugh to let him know that she wasn't amused in the least. "Or..." she started with a sly retort, "Both of you could sstop acting like ssnakelingss and make an impact. Ssurely there hass to be a man ssomewhere insside of one of you." She glanced towards Zharus again checking his expression and if he had anything to say, although she doubted he would. Mamuro finally pulled himself out of the pit and weaved his way back up to where they stood and glared at them both.


"Well, I'm going to eat ssomething." Morgana proclaimed as she slithered around them both. "You..sstay and learn ssomething, then you can return home."