CHPT 225: New Interruptions.

With Monster Species Studies over with, Claude's brain felt swollen...not literally of course. But the portion of the day he spent in that class was jam packed with so much information that even as he traversed the black-floored hallways and jogged down the spiraling steps to training, his mind continued to freely gloss over everything.

It was like a fog of information swirling and settling into his brain. In fact, he was so deep within his own mind trying to process the information that it took him a moment to notice his senses were attempting to commune with him.

Amidst the usual scents that flowed from the clutter of students he was moving with, a certain combination of a few caused a shiver to rush its way up his spine. Something made worse when he was reminded of a certain guest attending the University of the Phoenix in search of his twin sons.

"...Leathers...metals...cleaning products....chemicals." His mind sorted through and focused on the individual scents, confirming that members of the Detection Corps were somewhere nearby. Very near.

He dropped off the last step and headed down the main floor hallway under the banner showcasing the words, "Training".

Due to his above average height for a first year, he could easily see over everyone. Yet, when he turned to try and locate the Detective, there was nothing.

"[Damn Detectives. Their games never change.]" Arne said from within his mind, rising above the loud cacophony of student voices that was slowly fading as he headed down the slim hallway.

Claude didn't need Arne to specify. He knew what was happening, Det. Cyrene was more direct in her approach, but Claude understood this game-- tactic. They were playing with his senses, trying to rattle him so when they suddenly engaged him, he'd be on edge. They wanted to catch him with his hackles raised-- as Det. Cyrene did often.

"[Just keep calm. It seems the new batch of Detectives are finally coming for you....I take it that means Ronin isn't too far.]"

Claude growled as he headed towards the doors out to the training field, "Just when I thought this day couldn't get any worse...."

***

Just when he thought the day couldn't get any worse, probably wasn't the best thing to say. Because it did.

He was sure of it as he angrily cranked out high speed muscle-ups near Frosty while he listened to a conversation between a group of students warming up on the field behind him.

"...I'm already very aware of how you fight. We've completed enough Tangents together to confirm my beliefs....and now that im trying something else, i'd like to test my steel against a worthy fighter."

"Listen up, icepick! For the last time; go pick your own rival. This is not meant to be a three person dynamic, you stupid genius."

Claude didn't need superhuman hearing to know that last person to speak was Chase. He was arguing with Conroy, over him..apparently.

"He doesn't even like you." Chase added.

"Feelings aren't important when in search of progress."

"The FU-....What are you, a philosopher? Speak normally, you ass!--"

"Hey, bad news." A feminine voice suddenly said from much closer to him.

Claude dropped from the bar and found himself looking down at Ursula, her thick brown eyebrows and freckled face were twisted into an expression of seriousness.

"What is it?" He questioned while Maris, Warren and Isaac filtered in behind her.

The hulking female Berserker got up on her tiptoes to be closer to his ear and whispered, "I saw the Detectives hovering around the door inside. They were talking about something concerning a prime suspect. I think they're here for you."

As she lowered back to her own height, he shrugged but couldn't help the scowl on his face.

"You already know?" She asked with a look of suspicion in her eyes, as if reading him were as simple as reading a children's book.

"Yea." Claude replied while he tapped his nose.

"Right...Beast Tamer. Well, be careful. I think we both know the Detectives can be a little unhinged." Ursula said, referencing to the Detective they all knew too well.

Claude nodded in understanding before they all began warming up while conversing with each other.

***

The repeated process of warming up and running felt like it went by at triple speeds due to the regularity of starting the class in such a way. He could feel that it was getting even easier for him-- not just him either. All of the students.

He vividly remembered them all being spent on the first day of Training just from the run, and now, the most he saw were heavy breaths from the Tanks. Everyone was progressing. A fact that would make him happy if he liked them.

The students were spread out across the field, aimlessly swinging their weapons and rolling their shoulders in preparation, so when Prof. Raizen announced the start of partner sparring, there was no hesitation.

"Group sparring starts now!" His thunderous voice echoed across the field followed by students clumping into two person groups.

His friends followed the tide of the rest and began sparring with their usual partners soon after. Naturally his eyes scanned over the crowd in search of his usual partner, Chase.

It was rather easy for him to locate the lanky brown-haired Archer, only he wasn't headed towards him. He was following Stacy towards an open spot in the grass with an angry scowl on his long face.

"Awe shit!" Claude cursed as the sound of footsteps padding through the grass behind him drew his attention.

"Hello, Claude."

"Conroy."

The two eyed each other for a moment while movement sustained around them. One on the rough side and full of scaring over tight bronze skin. The other being fashionable, refined and unblemished. Despite this, they had one silver glinted thing in common.

"I understand...you still hate us. But sparring doesn't come with any emotional attachment. This is purely for practice and the honing of our skills. That's what ive come here to do. Your a skilled fighter...one of the best in this class...and Im rising through the ranks. This won't be a waste of your time." Conroy explained while his hand rested at the sheathed Kusanagi at his hip.

Claude crossed his arms over his chest while Frosty paced like a caged lion behind him, "Sparring comes with emotional attachment if my emotions are attached. I think I'll be better off working with someone else. Bye."

He turned on his heels and walked under the sounds of metal clashing against shields and armor with the abrupt start of sparring.

"Claude, there's nobody else to spar with. You see....Goren seems to be tardy....somehow. That leaves you and me as the only people without partners...." Conroy said from behind him.

He could practically hear his mischievous grin, causing his eyes to flicker like candles in the cold as he turned around with a growl. "Right. Your friend is somehow late...today of all days. How fitting."

"Sorry. When it comes to learning I can be desperate." Conroy said sincerely with a bow before unsheathing his sword.

Claude ignored him while he did the same, mumbling, "Asshole."

***

CLANG!!!

The two clashed swords to end another engagement of combat before dashing away to recollect themselves.

Claude was surprised to say the least. For an Elemental Mage he was good with a sword. Easily overpowered, but fast and his technique in terms of how efficiently he moved was impressive. The argument could be made that most students have trained with a weapon for most of their teenage lives, but Claude could tell he put in extra hours.

"Your not fazed. Disappointing, but i'm not surprised. This is good. Allow me to take it up a notch." Conroy announced with a huff.

Claude-- who was breathing as if they hadn't been fighting for 3 minutes, agreed, "Go ahead."

Conroy nodded in thanks before raising his eyes to him again, only now his grey irises flickered and the flaming spirals of a pale blue Aura covered his body. Bolts of lightning sparked to life in uneven bursts, matching the blue color of his Aura and turning the blades of grass around him to smelly charred remains.

"It's incomplete....but it works." The young Elemental Mage commented before raising his electrified blade.

"[Ahhh....this is why he's decided to use a sword. His use of Lightning and Ice will eventually give him speeding and slowing capabilities...as well as a very strong offense and defense. Amazing. He's one of the first Mages ive seen thats attempting to be well rounded like this.]" Arne commented.

Claude kept that in mind but provided no response as he raised his sword-- now glowing with the green ethereal flame-like covering of his Aura.

Before Conroy had a chance to use his increased speed to attack, Claude took the offensive. He closed the distance faster than before and poked and prodded at his opponent from all angles and areas while Frosty closed off any openings. The PitWolf could no longer attack without being electrocuted, but his intimidation factor was as much of an attack as a bite would be.

The duos impressively coordinated fighting style overwhelmed Conroy, but he proved his speed. He moved in quick bursts of light, burning the paths of grass he dashed across and sending spirals of smoke rising from the burning embers of ground. But, he wasn't used to his own power. He stumbled and froze to catch his surroundings, a fatal mistake that Claude pounced on like a tiger.

Fwoosh!

Another missed slash from Claude, leaving him standing in scorched grass.

Suddenly the hairs on his neck stood on end, causing his eyes to snap to Conroy-- who had his hand raised while bolts of light flickered and flamed chaotically.

SHZZzzZZ!

"Lightning.." His mind registered before the blast tore up the grass on its way towards him

With no time to move, he forced his Aura to spread from his hand and blade to the rest of his body just in time to absorb the impact.

SPSHZZ!!

The hit was familiar, immediately reminding him of the time Det. Cyrene's transformative Lightning invoked a similar painful feeling that radiated through his whole body and caused his muscles to constrict uncontrollably.

He stumbled a few steps backward after the hit while tufts of smoke rose from his partially burnt armor.

Conroy was prepared to send another when Claude suddenly looked up at him through green eyes and bared sharpened teeth. He could even see thick hairs spread across the sides of his face and now clawed hands.

"There it is..." Conroy commented before attempting to take off.

FW--

His advances were abruptly cut short by the burned remains of the grass regaining life and growing into green forested hands that clamped around his ankles. His incomplete Elemental Shroud buzzed and nipped at the green tendrils only for them to regenerate and climb higher up his leg.

"Well. This doesn't look good." Conroy commented after looking up and finding Claude and Frosty crouched and ready to pounce.

The sight of them was terrifying to say the least. He felt like he was looking at two monsters on the hunt instead of a student and a Pit-Wolf. The last time he'd seen Claude look directly at him like that was when they were in their first Tangent. With Jack....and the wolfmen.

To say he didn't feel bad for it all would be incorrect. But it was the most practical decision to be made, they were all confused, rattled and just saw their friends and classmates killed. He did what he thought made the most sense, as he was sure the rest did, but he never considered just how much it affected Claude or what he possibly had to do to survive with Ursula.

All thoughts that didn't matter as the sounds of the others sparring around them faded and the vines climbed up to his waist. The last thing he heard before his opponents took off at impressive speeds was two low growls blending into one.

FWOOO--

"Alright everyone! Sparring is over. Gather round, today were doing something a little different!"

Prof. Raizen's voice shocked the silence and brought Conroy back to reality, no longer shrouded in a miasma of fear. He opened his eyes after feeling the grip of nature loosen from his lower body and hearing the sounds of students moving while they conversed.

Saved by the bell....or voice.

Chase and Stacy stood in front of him instead of his two feral opponents.

"Dude....you were about to get your ass kicked into next week." Chase commented with a laugh.

"He's made me hate grass...mangy assholes." Stacy commented while her feline Companion hissed at something in the distance.

Conroy was so stunned that he couldn't speak for a moment. Just sit and watch his friends while his mind continued to replay the image of the man and his PitWolf preparing to attack.

"I don't even know why you want to fight him....." A small and shaky voice said from behind Conroy.

After feeling the warm radiance of being healed, he knew exactly who it was, causing him to comfortably turn around and find the small cloaked figure of his friend and teammate, Goren.

The boy looking no older than fourteen kept his hood over his head to hide his dark brown curly hair and innocent face as he watched the students in the distance. One student in particular.

Conroy followed his gaze and found himself looking at Claude and his Pitwolf walking off towards Prof. Raizen in the distance. No more claws, hair or tensed posture. Just a student and his Wolf.

"Dammit." He said aloud, causing Claude to turn his head and show his ear that protruded from his long black hair. A simple movement to say the least, yet Conroy couldn't help but immediately realize he was listening.

He didn't know if that was within Beast Tamer limits but he also didn't care at the moment. He had something to say.

"If you really can hear me. I'm sorry I made you spar with me, but thats not to say it won't happen again. I'm going to become a better fighter, and you're how I do it."

He could've sworn he saw Claude's eyes flash a flaming shade of verdant green before he turned away from them.