goin' for a run

Kenny had been doing laps around the track for a long time now, already surpassing a marathon's length by about a half marathon

she was seeking at pushing herself further, and keep her stamina up

as a Demon of War who was continuously fighting, strength and stamina were needed in massive quantitaties, so she had to keep in shape, despite the fact she was now at school

Kenny had been running for a long time, and was now quiet sweaty, the heat not doing much to help that fact

her black tank top stuck to her back, but thankfully her white cut-offs were loose enough to not stick

that would have been uncomfortable

her legs were moving powerfully and keeping a suprising speed up, nearing sprinting pace

however, despite her exertion and the heat, she still wore her Beanie and her Scarf to cover the lower half of her face

however, she was beginning to lag, already pushing herself past her limits on distance and the speed she kept up

eventually, she slowed to a stop and bent over slightly, resting against her knees and breathing heavily

she stood like that for a few moments before going to the Bleachers to get her water bottle and a towel that she had brought with her

Jacob had gone out to the stadium to practice his elemental bending, determined to keep improving. He'd hoped that the next time he and his mentor, Miss Cooneybeer, met up, he'd be able to show her he'd made exceptional progress since the last time that they practiced.

He'd been focusing on his manipulations of the earth, how to make it move and grow and even break. A guilty feeling of satisfaction always came to him when he remembered how he'd made the ground shift from under Kells Mackenzie's feet and cause her to fall over.

He knew his tutoring was for a greater purpose then teaching bitchy demons a lesson, but that was a temptation he could not resist. At least not in that moment. Did he feel bad? Just a little. But not enough to regret that he did it.

He approached the stadium, preferring to do his earth bending and alterations there rather then closer to the academy building. The school groundskeeper tried to keep the campus looking nice, and Jacob respected that. As he entered the stadum, he saw a new student running laps around the outdoor track. She looked pretty worn out, as if she'd been running for a while.

The young man furrowed his brow as he noticed the beanie and scarf around her face. It was obvious that she was trying to hide herself, there could be no other reason for wearing that on a hot day such as this. But what exactly she was trying to cover on her person was a mystery.

Once she finished running he made his way over to her, eager to meet a new face and be sociable. He approached her from behind and cleared his throat to get her attention.

"Hi, my name's Jacob. I haven't seen you around before. Are you new?" He asked charmingly, a smile on his face.

she had been distracted, drinking deeply from her water bottle (using a straw going under her scarf off course), and hadn't noticed the Angle walking up behind her

however, the moment he spoke, her senses zoomed in on him, and her reflexes and instincts kicked in

her hand shout out, aiming to slice the neck of the other with her razor sharp nails, but saw that it was another student, and instantly stopped her hand from making contact mere millimeters away from his jugular

now that could have ended badly

withdrawing her hand, she coughed a few times in embarrasment

you shouldn't sneak up on a War Demon. it'll get you killed. she said in her slightly gruff voice

she sighed softly

yes...i'm new. only came here recently and already came into contact with the school bitch it seems. Kells i think it was. i only had to say a few words to her before she left with her tail between her legs she snickered softly at the memory. remembering she was talking to someone, she looked back at the other my name is Ker-Enyo Pallas....or Kenny as i like being called nowadays. she said, turning away from the male to pick up her towel and begin wiping the back of her neck

she looked the other over and arched an eyebrow

why'd you come out here? a run or something? she asked, letting the towle hang around her neck as she adjusted her face scarf and beanie, feeling that the scarf was slipping slightly too low for her tastes

Jacob's eyes widen as the demon tuned to strike him. That was all he was able to do in the split second it happened. He swallowed once she stopped herself, her claws close to his all ready scared up neck. His adams apple bobbed slightly as he did so. He took a deep breath and relaxed a little once he realized he wasn't in danger. He let his breath out in relief and nervously let the smile come back to his face. This wasn't the strangest thing that had happened to him, not by far.

"S-sorry about that. I wasn't thinking I guess. I've never met a war demon before." He was able to say. He tilted his head slightly and a genuine, albeit smirk like smile came to his face once Kenny mentioned "the school bitch."

"Oh yeah?" He asked, putting his hands in his pockets. "In that case I can tell that we're going to get along just fine Kenny. Any foe of Kells is a friend of mine." He joked, his tone lighthearted. To an extent he meant it though. He'd never disliked an individual as much as he disliked the bad tempered Miss Mackenzie.

"I just came out here to practice some of my earth manipulations. I'm learning to become a Virtue Angel." He told her, not able to help a hint of pride in his voice. Virtue's were amazing and respected angels. How could he not be proud he was learning to become one? Proud and honored.

Kenny gave a small smile that couldn't be seen behind her scarf, so leaving it to seem as if she had a blank face if it wasn't for her eyes showing the expression

i wouldn't have expected you to. we rarely venture from the War Plains in hell. it's a place we live and breath war. but i came away from it because i need to learn a few things before i can become a Greater Demon of War she said with a light shrug

she watched his expression change at the mension of Kells, and found herself snickering too

she appears to have more Bark than Bite....well...compared to me any way. i'm made for fighting and making promises instead of threats. she seems pathetic compared to what i faced daily on the War Plains she snickered softly, flicking her fringe out of her face she seemed put out by my scars

she listened as he spoke about wanting to be a Virtues Angel and nodded

ya got yourself a right challenge there, mate. but, if you want some help on things like element manipulation, maybe Ms Valentine can help. i heard she's a Virtues Angle as well. a old one too. *shrug* rumour has it she's the oldest on campus. she might be able to teach you a few tricks. she's blind, but scary as fuck though....... she said, now sitting down on the Bleachers and leaning back

she shivered as she thought of the towering woman with a hugely intimidating aura about her...that woman was terrifying....she'd make sure to at least behave for her

Jacob nodded his head in understanding and then shifted his weight as they continued conversation.

"Yeah she acts all tough but she hasn't got any real ability. She just likes to be mean. It drives me crazy because I know if I really wanted to I could snap her in two. Someday though she's going to run into someone that won't hold back, and when that day comes I hope she learns her lesson before it's too late for her." He said, his tone slightly grim. Despite all of the things Kells had said and done to him, he still wouldn't want anything really bad to happen to her. It was part of his nature, to respect people's feelings even if they didn't really deserve it. And no matter how terrible Kell's was, she was still a person.

"Thanks for the advice. I heard she was a Virtue Angel myself but wasn't sure if it was true. Miss Cooneybeer, the magic teacher, is also a Virtue Angel. She's my mentor. She's really great." He said kindly, sitting down next to her as well. He wore a pair of green adidas basketball shorts and tight fitting white tank top, the fabric pressed against his strong and toned torso.

"Hey I don't mean to pry, but you said something about Kell's being put off by your scars? If I may ask..what scars?" He questioned gently, not wanting to offend the androgynous young woman. He knew the ripped up tissue on his own body was something he generally didn't like to speak of, but since she brought it up he hoped it was okay for him to inquire.

she will. she'll say the wrong thing to the wrong person, and she'll realise that making enemies everywhere without a proper group of friends and allies around is just a stupid move. she said with a careless shrug

she looked over when the other asked about her scars

oh! these one. she said, and pulled away the scarf around her face

underneath was a grim sight

the skin that had been hidden by the scarf was red and raw looking, having got the scars from having her face burnt in a War in hell. also, when she had died, she had a persian slice her mouth with a blade, making it much wider. and being a demon, she had a long and pointed forked tongue.

she gave a rather grim looking grin, her razor sharp teeth showing through

and these are only the facial ones. the ones on my back and thighs are worse she said

the scars on my face are mainly burn scars, but my mouth is much wider due to it being slashed by a persian. other marks are from fighting in general and the occasional whip mark she said with some sort of pride from her scars

War Demons were always proud of their scars as it showed a fight survived to fight another day, the scars also acting like war paint and showing a difficulty to be killed

Jacob grimaced just slightly, almost enough so that it wouldn't be noticeable. The scars on her face made it clear she was no stranger to pain or suffering. The angel brought his hand up and scratched the back of his neck, contemplating if he should show her his scars as well. He decided against it, as she seemed to be proud of hers, while his were nothing but shame and disgrace on his body. Despite the fact that their skin was marked, their feelings were clearly not the same.

"Intimidating." Was all he could think to say as he gazed upon her face. The way her mouth extended beyond normal reminded him of another demon, the one who had attacked him last winter. It was so long ago and yet it felt like yesterday. Ker-Enyo's razor sharp teeth reminded him of her as well, the way they sunk into his flesh, allowing her to take part of his soul. Little flashbacks formed before his eyes though he tried to fight it. This new student was not that woman. It wasn't fair to her for him to connect them so closely like that.

He swallowed once and forced a smile on his face, to try and show her that he wasn't going to reject her for it. Maybe subconsciously he was trying to tell himself this as well.

Kenny saw the look, arching an eyebrow, and covered her face again with the scarf

she wasn't ashamed in the slightest about her scars, but it simply made people in this realm more comfortable if they don't see them

this one also seemed to be having some kind of memory that didn't appear pleasant

don't worry mate. you don't have to try and smile at me about them. they ain't pretty, which is why i cover them up. i only show them to people who request to see my scars hun *chuckle* that was i can at least speak to them before they ran off she snickered good naturedly

in all honesty, this one could run away and she wouldn't bat an eyelash

it would just mean she would have to carry on her day and begin her strength training now her cardio had been done for the day

Jacob looked down, feeling a tinge of guilt in his gut for being so readable. At least she didn't appear offended. If one could take the physical pain she'd been through, people cringing at her appearance was probably nothing for her. At yet still he felt bad.

"I'm sorry." He said, looking up at her with just his round dark eyes. He offered her a more genuine smile and leaned back on the bleacher slightly, stretching his arms out and then relaxing them. "I guess I'm still getting used to all this. I died in the sixties and I'm still having trouble wrapping my mind around this whole afterlife concept. It's nothing like I thought it'd be." He told her, keeping his tone lighthearted. He wanted to let her know that he wasn't going to judge her for this, without directly saying it. Hopefully his tone would help.

Kenny snickered

nothing to apologise for mate. it's a normal reaction. and, not to seem racist, but especially around the Angles. she chuckled, running a hand through her hair, momentarily removing her beanie before replacing it back on her head

she laughed, though, at his next comment

i wouldn't worry about it. have you heard of the Spartans? and the holding back of the persian army with only 300 Spartans? i was a part of that. i died many years ago. i'm 2419 years old, inclusing my human years *snicker* i've been fighting since i was able to hold a weapon and wield it properly, and fighting in wars since i was 17. death has surrounded me, and i bow down only to death. but yeah. i've been 'dead' a looooong time she said easily, her tone light

she hadn't been offended in the slightest bit by the guy's earlier reaction. she honestly wasn't self centered enough to get affected by something like that

Jacob laughed softly at her comment and nodded his head. In the time he was in heaven, everyone there was so beautiful. Aside from wings or the occasional multiple eyes from the higher ups, there were no odd appearances or anything peculiar. They looked like people.

He remembered the first demon he ever laid eyes on. Her long two toned hair, the black horns jetting out of her skull and the bat like wings that folded against her back. He wondered where she was, hoped she was okay and that maybe she had found a new guy to love her. Love her better then was able to.

"Woah... that's... incredible." He said, eyes widening as she told him about the battles she had been in. It was almost hard for him to believe. That would make her really, really old. He thought of his roommate, Joseph, and how he was really old too, despite being so young. The age system here was something he was still getting used to as well. Even he, who should be far older then what he was, was time locked in a way. He assumed that the same had happened to Kenny and Joseph. Still, it was astounding to speak to someone who had been part of such epic battles so long ago.

she grinned behind her scarf

yeah. been fighting a loooong time. war is all i know really. kinda the reason why i'm here. i learn more about other things, i can advance to become a Greater Demon. i've already shown my worth as a fighter a hundred times over. being Spartan, i never ever back down from any kind of fight given to me. it's also my primal stimulus. i used to be a Captain in the Spartan Armies, commanding great hordes of troops into battle and dealing death to all who were stupid enough to stand in our way. only the Persians who finally conquered us were worthy of giving us the Beautiful Death of Dying in Battle. it was every Spartan's dream to die so honorably. she explained, her heart picking up pace a little as she thought of the thrill of fighting in war

quickly shaking her head, she calmed herself back down...her stimulus was powerful enough that even the thought could get her riled up a little

sorry about that...got a bit carried away she mumbled, slightly embarrassed.

she coughed into her fist

Jacob listened to Ker-Enyo's words, his eyes big. He was much like a child, listening to a great story told by someone honorable enough to tell it. He realized how insignificant he was sitting next to a demon such as this. She had all ready nearly struck him when they first met. If she wanted she could kill him easily.

Just like that demon, Seneca.

He scolded himself internally for having that thought again. Why did she control him the way she did? Though she had not entered his mind for what seemed like months now, she still had a hold on him. He still woke up in the night with a cold sweat, her face plaguing his head with nightmares. Was she dead now? Had she merely forgotten him? Or was she just bidding her time. No matter what the case was, and no matter how much Jacob hated that it was true, Ker-Enyo's presence reminded him of her.

He remembered how strong he once thought he was, how brave and tough of a guy he had esteemed himself to be. Even with making all the progress he had with Miss Cooneybeer, he was still weak. Incredibly weak. And it hurt his pride to know that. The scar tissue seemed to burn on his skin as these thoughts ran through his head. It was all internal though. On the outside he only looked amazed and in wonder at the war demons tale.

"No need to apologize Kenny. That's... that's really amazing." He said, his voice soft and gentle with her. It truly fascinated him to hear how valiantly she spoke of her life, and her death.

Kenny's eyes narrowed ever so slightly, seeing past the surface expression and looking into his eyes

ah.....i see now......well......this one could potentially have a strong heart....he just needs a little kick in the arse to shove him in the right direction she thought quietly

her eyes then spied some scar tissue around his neck, and she arched an eyebrow...so this one wasn't unfamiliar with pain and fighting either

my apologies if my presence makes you uncomfortable and i make you remember past events that aren't things you wish to remember. i can smell it on you. you smell a touch of fear. not something i'm going to miss as i'm so familiar with that scent from those i kill. she said, shrugging a single shoulder however. i can see in you, Jacob, a strong heart. you have a Spartan's heart in you, i think. you strive to better yourself and to get stronger, yes? that's very honourable. you want to be strong enough to protect yourself, your friends and those you care about, and to defeat your enemies. that is something i value. it shows backbone and strength of will. you just need a bit of a shove here and there to keep you on track. she explained

she then chuckled and pulled away her scarf once more, and took off her beanie properly

her hair bushed out slightly, but not much, and the ends curled a little, her horns glowing slightly in the sun, and her golden eyes seeming brighter as she grinned her grim smile

i will stand by you and help you find your feet and get stronger, mate, and you'll be spending more time around me, to be reminded of your past, and to learn to get stronger against it. they're just memories, and they can't do anything to us any more. only we hurt ourselves with such things, but i'll help you learn to stop hurting yourself with those memories of yours she said confidently, giving a smirk and cocking an eyebrow as she tilted her chin up slightly, lookin at Jacob from the corner of her eye as she leaned her elbows on a step and chuckled

Jacob's expression turned into one of shock at how well she was able to read him. Had someone tipped her off? Did she have mind reading abilities? Or was he just that easy to see into?

He didn't know what to do or say at first, being caught off guard by her words and how close they hit to home. Instead all he did was swallow and nod his head, looking out into the distance, his eyes not really focusing on anything. His mind swirled with her words, about how she could sense the fear in him and how she saw a strong heart in him as well. Ironically this made his chest ache when she said this.

If she could so clearly pin down on the negative things... then maybe she was right. Maybe there was more to him than even he saw. Zoe Cooneybeer could see it, his parents could always see it, and now Kenny, someone who he had just met, claimed she could see it as well. This potential that he desired for so badly but couldn't see in himself.

He looked over at her face when she removed the beanie and the scarf. He locked his eyes with hers and held the stare, searching her. A few questions arose in his mind, but he realized that they didn't matter. What really mattered was she wanted to help him. And that was something he was truly grateful for. The smile returned to his thick dark lips, the white of his teeth standing out against them.

"Thank you Kenny. Really. That... that means a lot to me." He told her, respect and honesty within his voice, gratitude behind his eyes.

she chuckled lightly, running her long tongue over her teeth before relaxing her smile a bit

i believe that people should stand together to help each other fight. that's a principle i grew up with. she reached over and tapped Jacob over his heart with the back of her fist lightly you have a Spartan's heart, so you should see the logic in this ideal. you just need a kick up the arse to get ya goin'. once you've started, you're the kind of person to use the momentum to carry it on, right? you'll get far she chuckled

she looked over at the angle and winked

ya just gotta believe in yourself mate. if you don't believe in yourself, why should others? she asked, eyes sparkling with age old wisdom that was far to old for her face

Despite having just met Ker-Enyo, Jacob all ready felt a deep connection with her. She was a tough person, but she was also wise and caring. She wanted the better good for people, and Jacob related to that.

"You're right." He said smiling, enjoying her presence more. Though her strength and appearance reminded him of an evil woman he knew, her heart and valor were the complete opposite.

Kenny smiled, this time softer, making it seem less grim, and pulled out a packet of cigarettes, lighting one up and inhaling deeply

i only help those who have a spine to be able to support themselves once i helped them get a bit stronger. i don't have time for the weak and spineless as they don't even try...but that doesn't mean i won't help them on occasion....but i can tell you i won't like them and vouch for them until they at least try to stand up for themselves. you want to do just that. so i respect that a lot she said, letting the smoke drift out of her nose and through her lips

she always felt content after something like this, just something that made her heart beat stronger and feel more at peace with herself

she was a demon, and she killed a great deal, enjoying every moment of it

but she was human at one point, and did still have a shred of humanity, somehow, left from many many years ago

Jacob stood up and stretched out his arms and spine, arching his back a little. He smiled down at her reassuringly as he ran his hand through his tight black curly hair.

"Yeah well, I'm through letting people down." He said, a determined tone to his voice. This boost from Ker-Enyo seemed to be just the thing he needed to get himself back to being more positive again. At least for the moment.

"Hey listen, I'm gonna go practice my elemental work now. I'd invite you to hang out with me while I do but I kinda got to concentrate while I do it you know? But I'll see you around right Kenny?" He asked, hoping they'd have classes together. He wondered how his other friends here, Harper in particular, would take to the war demon. Harper was his best friend, and so incredibly passive aggressive. He hoped that despite their opposites the two would be able to get along.

she merely chuckled, her shoulders moving slightly as she laughed

she looked up at Jacob as he stood up to leave and nodded

sure. if i can be bothered to show up. most likely be late, but i don't wanna get kicked out. so i guess you'll see me often enough she chuckled

she was a lazy sod when it came to anything other than fighting and planning strategy

she was a fighter, not an academic, but she needed to be oen to be a rounded leader for when she eventually returns back to the War Plains

also, if you ever need help with elemental manipulation with air, come speak to me. it's a specialty of mine she said with an easy grin, flicking her wrist a little, and a gust of wind picking up dust in a cloud and shaping it into a small figure of a dragon before disappearing

she snickered a little up at Jacob

Jacob watched the dirt form into the amazing dragon like creature before Ker-Enyo let the air manipulations stop. Now that was impressive. He smiled big at her and nodded his head. At the moment he needed to practice the earth. But once Miss Cooneybeer got him working on air, he knew who his new study buddy would be.

He made his way down the steps of the bleachers and out to go practice, wondering what school would be like now that Kenny was here. She was sure to clash with Kells, and all though he felt guilty for it, he looked forward to that a lot.