Hearing Ellie freaked about a demon in the classroom and people talking about blood or cucumbers or something.. "Professor... Did we stock up on.... Food?" Rae meant cucumbers... But what if someone thought she meant a baby or something? AHAHAHAHAH! Rae really didn't care WHAT was in the classroom.. She really just wanted to play around in the water with rainboots on!!!!

"Thats right. Blood is something they enjoy. It gives them energy." Truebridge agreed.

"Yes, cucumbers are their favourite treat." Truebridge answered. "And that sushi named after them, is something they are rumoured to enjoy too."

"When they can overpower an adult, they most certainly would do so."

"Thats right. Small children and cucumbers." She was right about the name carving too.

Truebridge listened to Raiden and nodded. "Very true."

"There is. Not until we've talked a bit more about Kappa and of course covered the ways to defeat or control one." Really. Considering Truebridge tended to specialise in dealing with dangerous and dark creatures, there was nothing to worry about. He was a professional and he tended to avoid doing things like, oh, setting students on fire.

Safety first.

Then education.

Preferably both at the same time.

"Good, I was waiting for someone to mention monkeys. Which is interesting because one variety of Kappa actually resemble a monkey somewhat. I believe they do eat other things too, thats another thing we can ask the Kappa; if they eat their greens." Truebridge answered.

"I'd say that Kappa eating other Kappa is probably about as common as humans eating other humans. That is to say it can happen but is not the norm." Truebridge answered.


"Thats true."

"They do, yes."

"Actually I'll be teaching you how to conjure a cucumber with your name already carved in it. We'll also work on a few other methods for those of you who have trouble with that one. But for now, there is much left to discuss."

He looked around.

"Kappa, on occassion, might challenge a human to a form of combat. Does anyone know what that form is? Why do you think they do?"

Right. Good. At least he wasn't just gonna throw one on them and let it be survival of the fittest. Because Ellie would fall in the unfit category. At least when it came to protecting herself, seeing as she wasn't sure how...

"Brilliant." she said. And meant it. Always handy to learn how to protect yourself before you were put in a dangerous situation.

Oh, and combat? Exactly how did a sea creature 'combat'? Did it have legs and arms and stuff to do some kind of boxing type thing? Or swords? And seeing as she didn't know, she kept quiet. Sure, she had a few guesses. But she wasn't about to say them. Nope.

Mina blinked as she looked around. Cucumbers? Yeah, she should have thought about planting those in herbology instead of strawberries and eggplants. Those weren't going to help her if she encountered a Kappa now, were they?

Jotting down everything as she heard it, she looked up as she hear the next question and raised her hand. Oh, she knew this one! "Sumo wrestling. They are said to be rather curious of human civilization and like to challenge those they met to tests of skill." Yes, they were tricky little things, they were.

Ohhh now she was insanely confused. Conjure a cucumber? But, that would be a food. And having actually been paying attention in Transfiguration class, wouldn't that be impossible? Unless, it was a FAKE cucumber! Which would give them time to run away before the Kappa even realized it was fake.

Now see, this is why she hated Transfiguration. Not only did she pretty much fail at it, it also messed up all her other classes.

A form of combat? Well, if it could be called a form of combat... if she could even remember what it's called. "Don't they challenge people to...summi something. Some form of Japanese wrestling." she said after raising her hand before continuing on with her reasoning. "I guess since they are native to Japan, that would be their combat of choice since...that form of wrestling is big there, and they like to see peoples skills and such or something." Or something. Yea. It's not like she read up on wrestling in her spare time.

Teehee. See their skills. See if they're worthy of living more like it!

Marie had no clue what the answer was to this one. All she knew was that they strangled and drown their victims before mutilating them and then drinking their blood and eating their liver.

Oh well, might as wel try answering the question.

"Professor, since the Kappa has to have water in the top of its head at all times when it is on land I am assuming that it needs to do any type of combat in the water." Okay, so that didn't exactly answer the question yet now did it. "Once the victim is in the water the Kappa will drown them. This could be done by wrestling maybe. Or maybe the Kappa strangles its victim." Yeah, she really had no clue what she was talking about here.

Conjuring a cucumber with her name on it sounded fun. She didn't know if she would ever use it for anything else besides whenever she would run into a kappa, which.....wouldn't be too often. Still, the spell sounded fun to learn.

Seeing how her classmates had answered the question, Arya just sat swinging her legs on the desktop, eyes gliding on each student as they spoke and her mind wondering when they were gonna get to see the kappa and how it would be contained.

Gold raised a hand. "It's sumo wrestling, if I'm not mistaken, sir," she said. "It's a Japanese martial art, which would figure." Kappa = native to Japan, after all. "Kappas have a unique kind of 'intelligence,' and I suppose they get a kick out of testing other people's skills, against their own. Plus, they're clever trouble-makers and they're probably aware that Sumo is something that gives them an edge over a human opponent, because of their built and strong arms." What strange, impish creatures.

"Then there is the fact that they seem to be drawn by certain aspects of human civilization, and even prize specific skills. Maybe it's their idea of a 'fair and square' win."

"Sumo." oops. that was a little to loud. Lowering her hand a little bit she continued.
"Kappas love sumo wrestling so people shouldn't bother to try and fight them.because it will be no use.."
Thinking she added "I guess it's because they want to see how good their opponent is..?" she said.

"The Kappa's like to wrestle human, Sumo style," Patroclus replied with his hand up, "some would say it's so that they can test the skills of Humans, and they would be correct, but I also think its be cause the Kappa's like the look of the Sumo's diapers...Mawashi...i think its called and they want one from themselves!"

Cheeky Human eating Kappas!

Daisy raised her hand,"They fight via Sumo style Professor. It wouldn't be very wise to fight them though becuase they're very strong and could easily crush a human."

Easily crush a human? Xylon doubted that. The Kappa might be at an advantage with those monkey-style looks but Xylon thought it was dubious that one might 'crush' a human.

"Maybe they fight Sumo style because that's the only form of combat they've been able to pick?" He asked, hand in air. He knew they could challenge people to that board-game thingy sometimes but that wasn't a form of 'combat' so he didn't mention it.

They were going to feed one? "Cool! Professor can we let it out now? Could I... Feed it first?" Or maybe it was already out... and hiding, muahahaha! "Maybe they could use the ninja form of combat! surprise attack!" Rae really had no idea. Good mood and hyperness mixed with Rae equaled all of this randomness... Like the giant chicken in the Transfiguration class.. HAHAHAHAH!

Zane raised his hand, "Is it some form of wrestling? And could the match be over once the Kappa has either killed the victim or when all of the water has fell off the Kappa's head?"

Brilliant? What was? Truebridge just nodded. He supposed there were a lot of things that were brilliant.

"Thats right, Sumo." Truebridge agreed.

"Sumo." Truebridge corrected, "And yes, it is Japanese wrestling."

"And that would mean that were you to accept a wrestling challenge from a Kappa, you'd be best off if you stipulated the location for the wrestling bout to be on dry land so you could aim to empty their head water and therefore gain an advantage." Truebridge nodded at Marie.

"Good. Yes its Sumo and they do like to test themselves against others. They're very clever and it is indeed the type of match up which favours their strengths. Good thinking about the 'fair' match up idea."

"Unless you happen to be a particularly good sumo wrestler." And... Truebridge was not. He had no intention of ever getting into that sort of situation with a Kappa.

"We can... ask the Kappa about that." Truebridge gave Patroclus a curious little nod. Strange boy. The Gryffindors were like that though. Strange and often brilliant. Possibly why one of Truebridge's best friends was a former Gryffindor.

"I'd say they'd certainly be a match for you, but I suspect a Kappa might not have an easy time of crushing me." Truebridge answered, offering a small smile for Daisy. "They are very strong though."

"Its possible. Certainly if other forms of combat they've come across involve metal weapons or body positions that would easily spill their head water. Good. Xylon."

"I have a few helpers bringing the Kappa in after we're done talking about the creature. You can certainly be the first to approach it if you like. Assuming you pay attention and listen well."

"It is. Sumo wrestling. And I'd say you're right about those completion points. Good." Truebridge looked around.

"Can anyone describe what Kappa look like?"

Eesh. Yea, dangerous creature.

Leaning back in her seat, and with her foot slightly tapping the water, kinda enjoying the sound of the splashes, Evelyn raised her hand after the next question was asked. "It looks like a monkey. Though i think some people believe they look like frogs as well. It has webbed hands, which would be good because of where they dwell, and they are also have scaly skin too. On top of it's head, there is a depression hole thing that holds the needed water for their strength and such." The color of the creature though, Evelyn didn't know. Some said one color, and others say different. She also read that some even had hair! Bahaha! She didn't know what to believe!

Now that she thought about it... "Is there any relation with the Kappa and the Clabbert?" Clabberts kinda looked like a cross of monkey's and frogs, and had webbed hands too. Perhaps somewhere in the past they were some kind of the same creature.

Destiny refrained from saying that the Kappas were ugly. She was sure they were, even though she never seen one before. Anything that needed to be taught in Defense Against the Dark Arts had to be ugly or they wouldn't be DARK!

Everyone knew that.

"They look like monkeys only covered in scales and have webbed hands. Oh, and they have a hole in their head that holds water."

In other words, the thing was ugly.

Patroclus could tell that Truebridge didn't quite get the boy's diaper joke, however Patroclus counted it as a joke and a fact, so it was a Jact! Listening to the professor once more, the third year heard that it was time for a pyshical description.

"Sir, as you said some Kappa breds can look like a monkey, and most usually have a shelled or hard skinned back as well as webed feet and hands. Their head is covered in hair, however the centre being bald." Finishing the boy listened to what he had said...

So they were UGLY Cheeky Human Eating Kappas

Aha! Dianna raised her hand.
"They're ugly. It's like a monkey covered with scales with webbed hands. They also have the famous water-filled depression on top of their head." she said. Yep, that says everything.

Gold raised a hand. "There are quite a few kinds of them, aren't there, Professor?" She half-asked. "The water-filled depression on their heads is pretty much an invariant but, other than that, their appearances can differ a little. The average Kappa resembles a monkey with webbed feet and strong limbs, and is yellowish-green or blue. Other kappas tend to resemble frogs, or can even have beaks. Their skin is usually tough and covered in scales, and they can have shells attached to their backs."

There was more, but Gold decided this should do.

"Well Professor, they're ugly to be honest. It's like they're a monkey but the somehow mutated to form a hard shell of scales and the have webbed feet and hands. And they have a water fillied depression on to of their heads." Daisy said raising her hand.

Marie raised hre hand. "Professir, the adult Kappa is about the size of a ten year old child. It is said to look like a monkey with yuellowish-green scakes instead of fur, webbed feet, and the back of a tortiose. The have a hollow in the top of their head that must have water in it or they lose all their power." Merlin those things sounded ugly.

"Kappa look like monkeys," Eirian said, raising her hand. "Alzough, zey 'ave also been compared to large frogs. Some are said to 'ave thick shells or beaks, like tortoise or duck beaks. Zey are about 4'6 through 5'1, which is ze average 'eight of a ten-year-old, as ozers 'ave mentioned. Zey 'ave scales instead of fur, usually ranging from green to yellow to blue, and 'ave ze well in zeir 'ead, as we discussed before. It also 'as webbed 'ands, if I remember correctly."

Raising their hand, Annie tried not to shiver at the thought of a Kappa, since seriously they were were very ugly.

"Well, they have this hallow space in their heads where they carry their water to survive," Kinda thought of it that way, she never really knew, "Their appearance is often compared to a monkey's, though that instead of fur they have scales like a fish...some say that they make look like tortoises, also because of their scales showing a gradient from blue to green...and their webbed fingers, toess..." And ugh, that was definitely gross, but Kappas were surely interesting.

Raising her hand, the Hufflepuff, a safe distance from the water, spoke,"They have hole on their head!" Wesley demonstrated the concept by pointing to her own depression-absent head, "And it's filled with water!"

"And I bet they have okay breath, because the bad smell of blood and stuff is, like, brushed away by the clean crunchiness of the cucumbers," she added, completely serious, because, to Wesley, good hygiene was in the same category as physical looks.