AND SO IT BEGINS! (Ch. 41)

Raven groans shifting beneath the covers, before getting to his feet,(where am i?), Trying desperately to speed his sluggish mind, he pushes himself off the bed and staggering towards the restroom, upon entry he freezes at the mirror, clutching his face his eyes burn with tears while he smiles at the man in the mirror in relief,

"I'm awake....I'M AWAKEEEE!" He screams shocking Amy who'd been jolted awake from the foot of his bed, turning around frantically Amy searches for Raven as a nurse bursts into the room a moment later, frightened, while raven walks out of the bathroom staring sheepishly, Amy's eyes moisten before, throwing herself into him, barely retaining his footing he holds the sobbing girl tightly, (seeing her beat up grown men makes me forget how sensitive she actually is), after several minutes of comforting Amy, Raven turns towards the silhouette by the door..... James, the two walk up to the other before hugging tightly

"I missed you man" James inexplicably ethereal voice speaks up

"It's weird"

"What is"

"Your voice... I'm just realising this is the first time i've heard you speak

"I don't like talking much"

"I can tell"

"Sorry to interrupt but do you mind?" Any speaks up, while shooing James away "i'm trying to cry into my future boyfriends arms y'know.....give a girl some privacy!" The three burst out in laughter,

Raven sprints towards the site where he'd fought Darren to find that his body gone, panicking slightly he rushes back to the store to find it closed, heading home first before knocking himself unconscious, he wakes in his real body, groaning as the full brunt of the pain assaults him, managing to raise himself off the bed he gives his surroundings a good look before releasing a sigh in relief,

"Raven!", Moaning in pain Laura and Aylin smile sheepishly before each peeling the other of his frame, smiling at the two in response their smiles quickly turning sour, just before they each spend the next hour chastising him, Laura and Raven fail to notice the shift in Kaytlin's facial expression as he explains his fight, carefully leaving out anything too pretentious in order not to pique Kaytlin's curiosity, Kaytlin watches Raven intently, scanning him before quickly hiding her shock with her usual smile,

(This Raven is a shifter too?, Using both bodies for shifting? That does increase survivability, he's also lost quite a bit of weight, I'd like to do the same but people would know Kaytlin and i are one and the same....but is that so bad?, I mean he's already doing it, i'm glad dad changed the other Raven's name on record, he might not like it but it's for the best, that should keep them off him....for now), after another hour of chatting with the two they excuse him to allow him rest, Raven quickly allows his consciousness slip waiting patiently for sleep to take hold,

(i really should have Silver teach me to switch at will),

Waking in his second body Raven checks the time before bolting to his feet to change,

"shit!, I've already missed half the school day" upon arriving at school he heads past the lightly crowded halls towards the cafe, those present look almost as if they'd seen a ghost, and as he steps through the cafe doors, his friend stare at him in a pleasant daze,

"I'M BACK".

Darren huffs in agitation trying desperately to weather his furry, walking down towards his karaoke room, he finds himself staring at a. Black wall, turning upwards his slight shock quickly shifts into a growl,

"Move!", (I'll kill him, fuck the rules i'll murder that bastard!, You think you're something now? I'll just have to remind you of your place!)

The mountain of a man before him refuses to give way, a punch sends Darren crashing through the door, another sends him seeing lights as his head cracks against the tiled floor breaking it, the third he blocks with the hilt of his palm forcing his arm to bend away awkwardly, biting down against his teeth to still the invasive pain his rationality clouds as feral instinct takes control, his skin heats as the air around him steams in response, the fourth is met head on almost twisting the assaulting Shifter's punching arm out of its socket, falling back Darren lunges and latches unto his assailants left leg, before twisting dearly, the assailant counters dropping to a knee in order to counteract the lock, Darren fluidly shifts into an arm lock, his assailant uses his only available hand to prevent going to ground as the giant grinds his teeth and tightens his muscles as they quake in exertion, to his horror Darren presses even harder, the two groaning as they try desperately to outdo the other, the contest of strength thickens as Darren tightens his hold still and the assailant shouts finally cracking under the mounting pressure, imploring desperately that Darren let go, Darren allows his anger take reign in response before dislodging his assailants shoulder before putting the screaming teen in a head lock, after putting the boy to sleep he takes a good look at his assailant his eye finally noticing the logo, "CERBERUS huh? I thought you guys where tough!" locking the unconscious teen in another arm lock Darren takes his time slowly dislocating his only good arm before proceeding to beat the unconscious boy senseless, the now gathered crowd watch in horror, the weak of mind leave unable to watch Darren's obvious insanity, (he's a strong Shifter so he won't die right?)

A frown set's in on Dennis's face as he stares down the short bulky teen and the entourage stationed around him,

"Mari you know these creeps?",

"Nah" she replies leisurely

"Can i?"

"Knock yourself out"

Quickly grabbing the short teen for a judo throw he sends him over his shoulder but the teen twists landing on his feet then catching Dennis by the waist and ruining him through an arcade machine, the two boys at his side hold him down with one pulling away his tinted googles, Mari in a feat of acrobatics back flips away from her assailants lunge before slamming the hill of her sneakers against another assailants nose, picking up an arcade chisel she pitches it into the ceiling lights,

"Finally, i can see, it's so much brighter without my googles on",

"What did you expect when you had them tinted eight times you moron!, Behind you!" She shouts in reply. Unable to react in time the short teen catches Dennis from behind before his muscles bulge inhumanly locking Dennis in place, tilting his upper body backwards to execute a German suplex, Dennis pushes upwards in response managing to roll the lock off his shoulders and use the motion to back flip unto his feet, Dennis takes of his jacket tossing it towards his assailant who sweeps it away from his vision, lunging forward the teen misses by inches, Dennis catches the hood of the teen's hoodie pulling on it, it forces the momentum to unearth the ground beneath him, turning his torso mid fall to regain balance Dennis slams his knee into the youths nose, before executing a judo move, 'kani basami', blocking the youths legs in a scissors motion then pressings his thighs hard just above his knees,

"shattered knees or broken back...pick one", still exerting his Shifter strength the youths bulky body remains unable to break free,

"If you keep that up you might never walk again" Mari who'd disposed of the other two lunin's spoke up from her seat on a pile of unconscious bodies,

"Even better" Dennis replies increasing his pressure, the stocky youths exerts himself even further his muscles almost doubling in size,

Twisting his torso towards Dennis's face his eyes catch Dennis's who grows livid,

"Not good!" Mari explodes forward but is unable to make it in time.

"Knees it is" twisting lightly the delicate balance is shifted, and they both go downward as the teen screams in agony, "ARGHHHHH" clutching his now broken knees Dennis bumps pass Mari ignoring her chastisement while searching adamantly for his googles.

Jay arrives, coated in light sweat as he steps past the gym doors, at the foot of the ring are a group of three,

"Randis" Jay calls out towards the red head,

"Jayson, how long as it been?" He replies smiling deviously.

"Since you quit or since i beat your ass?" Jay scowls cracking his knuckles in response,

"Now, now, I'm just here for a chat, after all you might want to hurry, can't afford to have that precious Jesus girl of yours getting in any accident," he concludes making a prayer posture while widening his eyes mockingly… Jay explodes forward barely weaving away from the out swung bat in time.

"Tsk, now, now Jayson, why the rush?"

Jay steadies his stance, surveying his surroundings he finds that he's very quickly surrounded.

"Coach how do i get stronger?"

"in what sense?, As a boxer or..."

"I mean as a fighter"

"remember Jayson, though your a talent, that kid might as well be a once in a century genius, you can't beat him, not by playing fair anyway, all i can say to you Is to stop treating Street fights like boxing matches"

Jayson feigns moving towards his right while three swing their bats in tandem crouching low enough to avoid the swing he lunges spearing the guy on the left with his shoulder, grabbing his bat before rolling away, Randis lifts his bat of his now unconscious companion's face, still smiling widely

"Oh?, It seems you've learned some new tricks, auditioning to be a wrestler?"

Jayson spins flinging his bat at Randis who rolls away, before ducking under his companions swing and sending an uppercut to his jaw dropping him, Randis wastes no time before throwing his bat at Jay who rolls away before taking the impact of another with his free arm, groaning to force down his pain, Jay lunges forward twisting his torso at the last minute to barely dodge a kick to the crotch,

"Awww i was sure I'd get you with that",

"Let's end this bullshit!, You can't beat me"

"I'm not trying too" Randis replies smiling knowingly towards Jay who growls lunging forward with abandon

"Elyan Cinkers" Daryun calls out the person standing before him with his crew behind him, and a now healed Jaime glaring murderously, zooming forward his punch catches Yanick who remains unresponsive, Daryun stares at his fist like it'd betrayed him, before grinning madly at Yanick,

"I've always wanted a punching bag!" Minutes tick by as Yanick remains standing while Daryun lays into him, frowning in displeasure he turns to walk away before pausing.

"I've heard of your crews motto, i couldn't believe it when i heard, i thought surely it must've been a joke" he states before pausing, "what a waste of my time..... Jaime take care of this"

Jaime waits Daryun's departure before stepping forward, walking up towards one of the dispensers he pulls out a fuel pump from it's holster,

"You see, I'm quite a benevolent man, how about this, you do what i want, and i let them go" he states signaling towards Yanick's co-workers,

"your motto, it's to protect right?.... Then kneel!"

Dropping to his knees Jaime lifts the pump towards his mouth,

"Open"

Glancing towards his scared co-workers he shuts his eyes before complying, waiting anxiously for the feel of the sordid liquid he cracks an eye to see a girl in a white office shirt and a dark floral skirt. Turning he sees Jaime crouched on a knee, three boys rush in tandem but before he's up to react in a flash, the girl swerves below an out swung fist before sending a low blow to his crouch, a spin kick outstretched the outswung bat of the second and the third is caught with Yanick's uppercut that send him reeling,

"Kill them!" They engage their assailants immediately while falling back tactfully.

"What're you doing!, The others ar....."

"Shut up you idiot!" The girl replies in her obviously foreign accent , "are you going to help me or not?"

Managing a quick glance he finds them huddled up In front of a wall surrounded

"Enough!" Jaime grabs a bat smashing one of the fuel station employees over the head, the boy falls in an almost lifeless heap, Yanick shouts charging, barely managing a defense to block Jaime's swing, sirens blare from a distance away and the Cerberus members hop onto their bikes and pull out, Jaime stares down Yanick reluctantly before rushing towards his bike, the dark haired girl attempts to intercept, but he flings his bat at her, pulling her arm back he lashes out with unbelievable speed, a shockwave ensues decimating the bat in midair,

"Run and you're next" the girl states in what Jaime instantly recognizes as a Russian accent,

"There already sending spies?" Jaime states smiling, the girls expression darkens instantly at his words, Jaime rolls away from another shock wave punch, trying desperately to increase his bloods pressure to stave away the invasive cold, picking a bat up he scans the area throwing the bat with ample strength towards a black sedan car, growling she punches out towards the bat smashing it, Yanick's eyes widen with a frown dawning his face, Jaime arrives near his bike speeding of just as the cops pull in, Yanick dashes towards the fallen boy, thankful that Jaime was smart enough not to use full force, looking around he notices an unconscious Cerberus member and his bike not to far away, smacking the boy awake, the boy hops unto the bike with Yanick seated behind him, zooming off the cops shout at the two to stop before raising to open fire.

"STOP!" the girl shouts forcing them to stop

Yanick steels himself for the fight to come shaking away his ragging thoughts,

(i know this is a war but still, to use my co-workers as hostages!)