Time to step up

[a magical taco]

Richard stood up to face Rebecca and cast a spell on himself to learn the skill of brawl. He eyes burned but his face stayed as neutral as always. With great effort his voice did not reveal how he felt. "We can take this outside or we can square the circle" Richard knew that Rebecca could see the magic coursing though him. He was ready to cast counter spell on her if she tried to dispel what he had done though he wasn't sure he could pull it off. He stepped forward until her breast touched his chest. "Do not Force my hand, Rebecca. You will not like the result." His eyes bore holes into her and for a moment he could feel his nostrils began to flare. He got his breath under control. In the moment he was ready to hurt her.

[Akirapryde]

Rebecca smiled as she heard his tone. 'Now we are getting somewhere' she thought. But at the same time she knew that she had to tread carefully. After all, Richard was by far the most powerful mage in the entire Cabal. Still, she had to see this through the end. No matter what the cost to her. "What's the matter little man, can't face me without your magic?" she said pushing harder. She knew what it felt like to be the one who was bullied. She hated the feeling. Growing up, she had always been the runt of the family and because of that, she was used for 'target practice' for her older brothers.

She could bet that Richard had seen more than his fair share of bullies in his life time. She didn't want to do it, but she needed to push him just a little bit further. "I guess magic is all you got little man" she said coldly not leaving anything to chance or for him to answer. She ignored the spell he cast upon himself and held her action in reserve. Holding on to the upper hand just might be the difference between life and death for her. "Come on Richard, tell me how did it feel to know that that Alpha couldn't possible see you as Alpha after my stupid actions." She snapped at him.

[a magical taco]

The smile betrayed her. Richard knew what she was doing, trying to antagonize him into a fight and the smile was a blinding reminder of what she was trying to do. He considered his options for a moment. He did not feel the need to prove himself, especially without the assistance of magic but if he attacked her mind right now he wasn't sure he would be able to stop himself before he caused serious, possibly permanent, harm. It had been a long time since his anger had gotten the better of him and he had no intentions of letting it control him now. "If you want to challenge me you can act like a mage and square the circle" She obviously wanted him angry and so he put some extra vile into the words as he said them through clinched teeth. He even furrowed his brow for added effect. "You wanted me angry Rebecca and now you have it, square the circle or sit the fuck down". He played the part she wanted to see and he did it well.

[Akirapryde]

There is was, the furrowed brow and the tone in his voice. But was it genuine, this was the question that she didn't have an answer for. Richard was a very closely guarded man. Reading him was so difficult that Rebecca didn't even try. She knew that he was a prefect read of people. Richard had everything going for him and in this she idolized him. But could he understand what it means to be her. To feel that rage and Instead she followed her gut as her smile didn't drop from her face, "Square there Circle?" she said laughing as if to dismiss his challenge. She stood her guard. Unlike with the werewolf before, this time she was uncertain of the outcome. It wasn't that she feared Richard any more or less than that massive werewolf. Richard's anger was guarded for a reason and in this she knew to trend carefully.

"Want me to sit down, Little man," she said getting in his face. "Push me, shove me, move me. Or do your arms not work?" Her blood boiled to a point that she had to stop talking. She could feel her anger threatening to get the better of her. She summoned up her will and every bit of her resolve. She wanted Richard to feel what it was like for her to battle the monster. But right now, she couldn't give in to it. She had to keep what control she she could less this entire thing would blow out of control. It was a dangerous thing she was doing right here, but she had to let him have a taste of what it meant to be her. All she could manage was, "Make me sit down."

[a magical taco]

It seemed that Rebecca was determined to make Richard fight without magic. It was stupid, he was a mage and magic was his weapons not his fists. He had the impression that he didn't need to win this fight, she wanted to see him angry which meant he only had throw the punch not succeed and landing one. He showed his teeth to help sell the act, he almost growled but thought that might be over doing it. Fuck it, I might was well go all in, he thought. He cast a spell to help bring the memories of every fight he had ever seen to the forefront of his mind and with the spell he already cast on himself to give himself the skill of fighting he sent a jab into the nose of Rebecca followed by a right hook. Talk all the shit you want Rebecca, he thought, I'm not doing this without magic.

[Akirapryde]

Even before Richard could complete casting his spell, Rebecca saw the magic pooling around him. She didn’t take the time to figure out what the spell was doing, she just knew that it was a Mind spell. She unleashed her own counter spell unweaving the spell before the spell could take effect. ‘Oh no you don’t’ she thought as she countered the spell. Everything unraveled at that point.

While the loss of the spell effect didn’t hamper Richard’s attack. Rebecca hoped that in denying him the help of magic, that it would drive his anger. However, within that moment, Rebecca had little choice then to take the blow to the face and the hook. She attempted to lessen the force of the impact rather than dodge it outright. She used her athletes and dexterity to allow her body to flow with each of the hits denying what damage she could.

Still the impacts were solid and she felt each of them. The blow to her face whipped her head backward sending her hair flying about her head. The hook knocked her off balance and caused her to stumble backwards. She stumbled for a split moment and then fell ungracefully across a nearby coffee table. As glasses and candles were tossed about from the table, Rebecca landed heavily on the ground on the other side of the table.

Rebecca whipped her head up after she land and felt the flow of blood dripping down her lip. her blood boiled, it was the sweet spot that she loved so much. That point between rage and anger, where her control was tested to its fullest and her thrill was at its greatest. Despite the what her emotions wanted, she knew that she couldn’t loss control. She had to keep her mind about herself as she fought to keep that monster deep within her at bay.

She looked up at Richard who was still standing there on the other side of the table. More out of instincts than thought, she picked up a small candle and whipped it at Richard’s head. She didn’t care if she hit or not. It was meant only as a distraction. She pulled her leg back as the item left her fingers. With all her might she kicked the table forward, slamming it in to his shins.

Her hope was to either knock him off his feet or knock him back. Either way, she needed space and time to get back to her feet before he attacked again. She didn’t wait to see what would happen with the candle and table. She used her next action to get back to her feet. She could see the look on his face but she didn’t know if this was another one of his games or if he was really feeling the emotions. She simply couldn’t tell. And because of this she was forced to continue.

[a magical taco]

The table skidded past Richard but the candle found its mark and it him in the chest. It would leave a bruise but Richard held his ground. He was already recasting his previous spell. A trick to help him recall anything he knew about fighting. He looked down at the place where the candle had hit him and noticed a ring of soot and more than a few drops of wax. The damage to his shirt gave Richard enough grievance to finally show his first flash of real anger. "Seriously, why is it always MY fucking clothes", he said, clinching his fist at his sides. He looked up to see Rebecca on her feet, she was ready for him now. Richard recalled the layout of the room for where something valuable might be sitting. He settled for a random trinket that looked fancy enough and threw it back at her as hard as he could. He figured if she wanted to see him angry he would do it in his way, not her's. "I'm tired of my fucking clothes getting ruined around here!" he shouted picking up another trinket and throwing it her way. It wasn't even close, missing her by nearly three feet. "Fuck up this fucking tie and I will send everything you fucking own to the fucking astral realm" he tried to scream. 'fuck this fuck fuck and fuck with the fuck while fuck' he chuckled to himself beneath his anger. 'The universal sentence for you really pissed me off now'.

[Akirapryde]

Rebecca watched his anger flare out of control. Finally he knew what it was like to be her. To feel rage that borderline consumed her on a daily bases. In his eyes she saw the same fires risked consuming her. Her entire life she had to fight a endless battle over control of her rage. Now he had a rare chance to taste it.

She couldn't be sure what she was seeing but something told her that this very well could be the real Richard without any of his masks. No, not the anger, but the pure emotion behind his walls. The man behind the masks and games. For the first time she saw him not as a teenager who loves screwing around and playing jokes on everyone. Right here, right now, she saw him as a man. As a leader. As her leader.

Now she got him where she wanted him, she had to ask herself what next. It was clear he was not in a listening mood right now. Without thinking of her own safety, she bounded over the table that had missed its mark with grace. She landed right in front of him ready and prepared for what ever he might toss at her. The battle was hardly over, but it was time to raise the stakes. He had given in to her vice and allowed rage to fill his heart. Now he could feel what it was like to be in her world, if even only for a short visit.

She reached out brushing aside his attempts to attack or block as determination set in. She wouldn't be denied her next move. She reached out and took a hold of his head with each hand. Quickly before he could react to her actions, she leaned in and kissed him!

Not just any kind of kiss would do for her. No, Rebecca knew in her heart that she had to match his own journey in to her world with a complete and total surrender in to his own vice. She kissed him with a degree of passion that burned through the hearts of young lovers and reunited lost love. It was all she could think of to calm him down after his own surrender to her vice. She held the kiss for as long as he was willing to. At this point she surrendered herself unto him. From this point own there would be no further doubt in who would lead this Cabal.

[a magical taco]

Richard should have seen it coming but he had been so annoyed with his shirt that he was not paying close enough attention. The kiss had surprised him. He sat there for a moment with his eyes wide. As his lust began to eat away at his anger he considered, for a moment, simply putting his hands on the to of her head and pushing her to her knees. Then her tongue entered his mouth he decided that he would give her what she had originally asked for. He put his Left hands on her chest and pushed her back just before the knuckles of his right hand collided with her cheek. She fell to the ground again and he stood over her, "I believe I told you to sit the fuck down".

[Akirapryde]

Rebecca took the blow in kind, more out of surprise than any over all plan. But she knew where it came from. She stumbled back and looked at him with a twisted smile on her face, "can't just ignore it, can you" she said speaking of the anger. "lust and rage" she added as she raised her hands in submission. "Two powerful drivers of emotions. We are not so different."

She turned and walked over to breakfast bar and picked up a small candle holder. It was one of the trinkets that Richard had thrown. "You know what it feels like to face these emotions. I provoked you" she said bending over and picked up the holder with great care. It was the only item in the room that she seemed to really care about. She picked up both broken pieces with care. "With a great deal of effort, I provoked you. For me, there is no provocation. It just is there. Each and ever day, its there staring me in the mirror." She set both pieces on the breakfast bar.

She turned once more to face him. "I can't promise to never screw up again. But I can promise to keep trying." She reached up and touched her bruised face and felt the blood from her nose. "That is, if you will lead us" she added.