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Post by Kalaboo on Jun 19, 2019 4:31:20 GMT -6
Kalabas took note of his student’s reflexes, and her mute and total cooperation, and her disturbingly fluttering ears. She expressed her doubts on her own worthiness but the Duke’s decision was final, he had entrusted his name - and headband - upon the shinjin, not only because of the potential he saw in her, but also because of she almost embodied the virtue he treasured most, diligence. There were also other reasons, subconscious ones, that made it feel right to have one such as Paige in a chaotic and almost systematically fratricidal clan. A promise of normalcy perhaps? In truth part of him longed for having someone to raise and protect, a feeling he refused to admit even to himself.
Her assurance that she would rise up to the challenge made the Duke smile, “Well… It is not like I expect you to double in power with each training session, but I fancy myself a patient and reasonable man. You will be trained as per saiyan tradition and you are expected to become well-acquainted with failure and defeat, because only through defeat does the body strengthen, only through failure does the spirit harden… This will be hell for you.” Kalabas was quick to correct himself “Well, not hell, per se, hell is surprisingly nice, but I promise you that until when it is time to claim your first true victory you will have shed a fair bit of blood, sweat, and tears. I did, and look at me now!” he ruffled the shinjin’s hair, then gesturing her to follow him.
“I have measured your raw capabilities and frankly I am not impressed, or rather, I am concerned.” as Kalabas walked his true power emerged, thousand by thousand, so as not to dizzy him out, it was like slowly wearing a straitjacket down while swimming back from the depths of the ocean to the surface “Your power level is low, you have no techniques capable of withstanding mine… We will have to work on that. I could teach you how to cast a Wonderwall or do a Quickstep, but perhaps you’d much rather come up with abilities of your own. One’s techniques are, after all, an expression of their spirit, and I am curious as to how yours will manifest.” The Duke walked around the blood lake, giving the resident eldritch tentacle a wave, “That is Th’sarus’Sauz, a swell chap if a bit of a busybody, don’t look at him for too long or you will get seasick... But as I was saying, we will have to train on that.”
The trek ended suddenly, with Kalabas stopping Paige and pointing at a bench crudely carved from limestone, with a picturesque view to absolutely nothing. The saiyan sat on it, inviting his student to sit beside him. “Do not despair, you show promise. You can obviously sense power too, and you can change your shape at will, crafty as you are I am certain that you will come up with something cunningly brutal or brutally cunning.” he gave her back a reassuring pat “Now, let us, as the earthlings say, brainstorm for ideas. Who is your favorite fighter? Perhaps you could learn a couple of their moves.” Kalabas’ Execution Beam was a throwback to the first saiyan kings of old, after all.
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Paige
Archived
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Post by Paige on Jun 20, 2019 18:29:59 GMT -6
Paige fingers reached up, brushing against the soft cloth now fastened snugly atop her head. It all felt so surreal that, in an instant, she had been... accepted. Accepted despite her oddities and weaknesses after such a short time spent with the person across from her. It was good. Yeah, good! It left a slightly warm and fuzzy feeling in chest, despite the slight headache she suffered from due to the confusion. The Shinjin swallowed, spinning lightly on her feet to face the Saiyan once more, a slightly vulnerable look in her eyes as she took a moment to catch up.
She cracked a wry smile at his initial words, and while completely unfamiliar with Saiyan culture - it had to work one way or another give both Kohlra and Kalabas were of extraordinary power while still seeming to be regular people. Well, 'regular' in comparison to her and some of the more raunchy residents of the Afterlife. "I do not get... 'Zenkai', I believe that is the right term for it, as the Saiyans do. However, if hard work and physical stress upon my corporeal form is what it takes to get better, I shall dedicate myself to the task."
Paige blinked, shaking her head instinctively to set her hair back in place as she bounded after Kalabas, away from the remote field and closer back to the 'main' area which was mainly known for the giant body of... 'Hellwater' that made up the lake. Her senses tingled instinctively as the Duke released the metaphorical chains binding his Power Level, the spike in energy causing a buzzing sensation in her body which she tried to quash. "Expressions of the spirit..." The Kai mumbled, hands rubbing over one another in concentration. "Oh! Ah, hello?" The-saurus-sauce happened to be... something.
Taking the offered seat, she shimmied a bit off to the side to allow the much larger Saiyan room on the bench. "Favorite fighter? Well, I mean, I don't think I really have one yet? The closest would be you or maybe Kohlra, given how my 'people' don't exactly fight and I haven't ventured far into the rest of the Afterlife that often to see combat. Perhaps we could start with my trying to emulate your moves in particular, if you'd be open to it Sensei."
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Post by Kalaboo on Jun 20, 2019 21:54:20 GMT -6
Kalabas pulled a headband from his pocket and tied it around his head, feeling whole again. It had been a while since he last spent more than a couple of minutes without some headband or other, he felt ‘exposed’ without one over his brow. “Kohlra…” the saiyan could have sworn he had heard that name before “Kohlra, I think I…” Kalabas slapped his knee and turned to his apprentice “Kohlra, of course! That saiyan from Earth, about your height if not shorter! She’s dead?” And so young… Well, she wasn’t that young, was she? “Perhaps I’ll talk to her later. That harpy’s bleating was most amusing.” The foolish Duke had no idea that his acquaintance and one-time opponent was on a better place than him. Then again, would Kalabas enjoy a stay in Heaven as thoroughly as he was enjoying his stay in Hell? For starters, if he hadn’t acted so selfishly brutal in life he would not have happened upon his meek blueberry of a student, whose person and growth he was very interested on. It’s the little things like these that can make any place bearable, even the containment zone for all that was wrong and wicked in the universe. “She can’t have grown much stronger since I last met her, I reckon, you'd do better to stand by me.” Was that jealousy in the Duke’s tone?
“But enough about her. After all, the techniques you will build upon are mine, the style and philosophy you are being taught are mine, and while the choice is natural, my unbeating and pierced and charred heart is nevertheless inspirited by it. My dear little shinjin, you could not have made a better choice in…” would he have the heart to correct the student’s word of choice? “sensei.” It would grow on him eventually. And if not… he would not force the matter.
“My ability comes at a cost, however. My techniques may appear simple, but they are anything but. I advise you caution while practicing Execution Beams in particular, I am not quite sure if those in Hell get a second, second chance if they are killed.” Paige was no fool but Kalabas learnt forethought could save lives during the very last moments of his life “But to tell you the truth I know not how well you’ll take up to my techniques. We’re of different sorts, so exercise caution.” Kalabas pointed at the tentacle slithering over the lake, his voice mockingly rueful “Th’sarus’Sauz is a creature... thing of many qualities, but he is sorely lacking in thumbs or claws with which to shed off his skin. Those plate-scales of his? All dead and rotten, and they must itch like the devil, must be why he did not wave me back... Why don't you be a dear and blast away that dead skin? Give it a shot, or a hundred, we might fashion a technique from this.”
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Paige
Archived
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Post by Paige on Jun 21, 2019 18:00:57 GMT -6
Paige blinked in surprise, eyebrow slightly raised as Kalabas fastened a new headband to himself. Not that it diminished the symbolic meaning the donated one had, but she was more confused on why and where he had kept a spare. Did... he lose his headgear often? He had, apparently, heard of Kohlra at the very least, Paige nodding in response. "Yes. As far as she told me, Kohlra perished in West City fighting somebody named Chromo in an attempt to protect her son. And... she's only slightly shorter than I." The Kai frowned slightly at Kalabas' choice of words. "Please do not... call her a harpy. Kohlra is very nice, if a bit intense. She was and is my first friend."
The words were spoken firmly, far more confident and permanent than most of Paige's speech. Whether Kalabas would be surprised at the slight attitude shift or not was yet to be seen. Then again... "But, er... yes. She can be a bit amusing at times." She seemed to switch back to her normal insecure self shortly afterwards. "You have a stronger Power Level still, as far as I can tell. Though, she isn't particularly far behind. I think you two are in the same... 'Power Bracket', if that makes sense?"
"No need to think otherwise, Sensei. For now and into the forseeable future, I will look to you for guidance as long as you are willing to provide it. Though I cannot promise I won't take up the opportunity to train with Kohlra for a bit if I happen to be heaven bound." Ah, but then, it was time to move unto practical speech. The time for 'techniques' and practicing.
She hesitated for a moment, unsure of what the end goal was here by shooting at what technically counted as another living thing. Was it... right to just, blast away at it? "The-saurus-sauce you say?" Paige squinted, unable to discern the exact state of the wriggly thing as it slithered about in the lake. "I... suppose I could give it a try, if nothing else."
Outstretching a palm, Paige's aura flared to life for a moment - droplets of blue energy condensing on an invisible surface upon her hand as a soft blue light shone from the Kai. "Here goes nothing..." Coalesced into an oval-like sphere, the Ki shot off at a quick pace, gliding across the landscape before lightly tapping the tentacle, chipping some chitin but not doing much else.
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Post by Kalaboo on Jun 22, 2019 10:07:40 GMT -6
Kalabas squinted, was Paige… challenging the saiyan’s views on another? Displeasing and irritating as it was - that is to say, not a lot - the Duke had to admit that now that he knew how Kohlra had died he could see that perhaps she was not the same meatheaded boor he had fought during that silly little tournament on Earth and hitted on at some shady bar before even then. It felt like... ages ago, but barely a year had passed since they first met, and he had changed so why wouldn’t she? Another thought crossed his mind, a sad reality indeed, Tarch was now an orphan… At least his mother had died an ennobling death. And the kid was strong, perhaps strong enough to bring her back to life! While Belle... Well, even Paige would be able to best her in combat. The confrontation was in itself a fruitful conclusion, now the ‘sensei’ was sure that his protegé was no lickspittle doormat of a celestial courier - not that he ever doubted it! But as a saiyan of noble birth Kalabas taught himself to be wary of people of that sort. Absently the Kalabas patted down his bombardier jacket, his headband pocket in particular… Yes, he still had enough to equip an entire squad, he could again sigh in brooding relief.
He snapped out of it upon hearing something that could only be described as the cross between a surprised whale’s call and the giggle of a ticklish monkey, he looked at the eldritch denizen of the lake as it squirmed upon itself and shook off some chitin-scales-plates-whatever. “Tactful, controlled, swift…” a shame that Kalabas’ fighting style was all about flourished displays of overwhelming might and exceedingly ruthless gambits. He’d have to adapt to make sure Paige would not… die while in process of becoming a true saiyan warrior. “You know, perhaps you were always meant to do aught more than delivering mail.” Kalabas stood beside her, clasping her wrist and hand, “Ki flows from within, it is quite literally the energy that animates your mind and body, think of it this way… A well is at its best when the water below it runs freely, right? Wrong, the water must be directed and contained, like this.” he raised her wrist higher and he curled and straightened and fiddled with her fingers, trying to find how to best manipulate the flow of power. She was no saiyan, but as a fellow humanoid he hoped to at least be of some help in that regard. “Our wriggling friend appears better, but perhaps you should try something more akin to a barrage? Show me how well you can handle firing multiple shots.”
“Th’sarus’Sauz, old friend! Stop laughing and stay still!”
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Paige
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Post by Paige on Jun 22, 2019 20:21:15 GMT -6
A silent sigh of relief left the Shinjin's body as Kalabas thankfully didn't take visible offense to her short outburst. Shifting a bit uncomfortably, Paige said nothing as the Saiyan patted himself down, pursing her lips but otherwise doing nothing else. An odd noise emanated from the... tentacle thing, a few plates falling off and plopping into the red Hellish Water below. Sighing, she moved a bit closer to the lakes edge, lowering to her knees and looking out over the bubbling liquid. Facing away from Kalabas, it was unlikely that he caught her look of utter shock upon his uttered words - the Kai quickly wiping it from her face.
"You think so?" The words trailed off, followed by the light shake of her head. "Ah. You haven't been the first soul to tell me so, yet only now have I even considered listening proper." Paige's hands fell to the grass below, her legs shifting out from underneath her. "I guess it has just been my upbringing insofar that makes me doubt reassurance. I once that thought myself, you know? Back when I had first emerged, I had thought I was destined for more than such tasks..."
The Kai's gaze became distant, lost in memories. "How quickly that notion was dispelled from my mind under the guidance of the Greater Shinjin. Were they wrong? Perhaps not... I still find the mere idea of me doing anything important in my entire lifetime ridiculous, let alone achievable. After all, what can a 'god' as weak as I do?"
Her right arm lifted from the ground, bluish light condensing further up along the limb this time. The brightness intensified, far more incandescent than before as it was aimed towards the squirming tentacle. For a moment, nothing happened - the energy suspended in place as a flicker of doubt passed over Paige's face. A clenched fist dispersed the Ki harmlessly a moment later. "Ha... maybe I'm not meant for this. I can't even bring myself to harm a semi-sentient being. I promised I'd do my best, and my best can only be embarrassing to your efforts. What a joke..."
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Post by Kalaboo on Jun 23, 2019 0:44:39 GMT -6
“Sauz is not as semi-sentient as much as it is transsentient.” then Kalabas swore something very low in sound and character, pulling his hand off Paige’s and blasting away at their tentacle friend. Although he held back his growing frustration made him slip, one of his beams pierced beyond the oozing scabs and layers of detritus, hitting the very core of this ancient beast that had taken a liking to him. Well, it suddenly decided that it didn’t like him anymore. The creature made a screeching psionic blast heard only by the saiyan, giving him an almost literal splitting headache. He very nearly fainted as his mind was broken down to its most basic components and then reshaped into something like his aggressor’s for but a moment and then returned to the way it was before. Dizzying, to say the least. Leaning on Paige’s shoulder for support, the saiyan wiped the blood dripping from his nose, growling and displeased but not very surprised. This clearly wasn't their first dispute. “Be that way, you ominous overgrown calamari of an oaf, see if I care!” the beast sunk into the depths slowly, if looks could kill Kalabas would be dead again, but fortunately Th’sarus’Sauz lacked even the eyes to do that “Would you believe that there are mortals that worship this?” the ground shook with the anger of the beast lurking below “Not to worry, it gets cranky like that at times, give it a week or two and it'll be SORRY.” there was another, weaker tremor in response. Typical outerspawn behavior, sheesh.
“Now… I am feeling quite…” a question crossed his mind - how should he describe the sensation of having his very essence momentarily transfigured? “unwell.” More blood rushed down his nose but he was quick to act, he brought a handkerchief up to it and squeezed. The white cloth was stained red, darker than the saiyan remembered his blood being. How distressing. “I should probably go see a doctor… or an exorcist. Pray, do you mind if we practice again some time later?” Kalabas still held to his student shoulder, the very concepts of gravity and weight still somewhat scrambled by the psionic exchange “Aw, hell… Am I a warrior or a runt? Let us proceed, talk about your life, sort out your complexes, maybe even mine… hahaglarb-” a vile and black solution poured from the saiyan’s mouth, which he wiped away hurriedly after giving the shinjin some much needed space “Damned… thing, I can barely keep myself in my own seams I- We must reschedule something, a new practic- training and, and teach you how to…” the saiyan’s cheeks filled with something he quickly swallowed back down, ‘hellwater’ probably “Ah ancestors take pity, come to me when you’re ready for the next session and don’t- don’t forget to practice there are sai-sai-” the Duke was shaking, paler than usual, physically and spiritually unwell “SAIBAMEN, DAMN IT! They relish in combat, it’s all in good fun for them, be sure to f-feed them well beforehand or they may nip you. C-cute little things, they are...” he clutched his stomach, too proud to ask for aid.
“It was a p-pleasure meeting you… little shinjin.” Kalabas took flight and vanished, leaving behind a trail of energy and a business card, with his address, number, and a random fun fact about himself. The saiyan was quite fond of miniature wargames, if the card was to be believed. Kalabas didn't think it was a very fun fact, but the ogre clerk thought differently.
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Paige
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Post by Paige on Jun 23, 2019 16:00:48 GMT -6
"Wah!?" Quick to move to cover her previous words, Paige stood quickly in time to see Kalabas fire off a shot of his own. "Oh! Well I guess that was an option... but why-" A tremor rocked the area, Paige bouncing up for just a moment as Th’sarus’Sauz thrashed in possible anger and pain. The Shinjin back-peddled a bit, gaining a bit of distance and squinting suspiciously. "What exactly did it just do?" A weight pressed upon her shoulder, the Kai propping it up with a bit of a struggle as a few stray drops of 'blood' fell onto her tunic. The... unseen injuries Kalabas sustained suddenly made Paige very glad she had decided to not fully attack the creature. It was unlikely that it'd be lethal, but the Saiyan appeared to be in a great deal of pain.
"Uhm..." The way Kalabas spoke of it seemed like this wasn't his first scuffle with the horrific monster. Paige wasn't sure if it counted as a 'strenuous friendship' or 'toxic intolerance', but she wasn't eager to go and find out for herself. "Are you alright? You seemed to have been affected by... something. I, ah, cannot heal like some of my fellow Kai but mayhaps just checking out to see... someone who can would be a good idea?" And his state only seemed to be worsening. At least it seemed this whole random turn of events had distracted her entirely from her sad monolouging for the moment. "Yes, we can always meet later...? I planned on temporarily going back up to Heaven to discuss something with Hangan, but I can always come back afterward."
Paige wasn't sure what color the fluids of mortals (or souls) should be, but pitch and tar-like seemed like an obvious 'no' answer for a relatively humanoid species. "Yes, I'll see you la-" The force from the Saiyan's takeoff blew a gust of wind straight into her face, blowing her hair up for a moment and causing the Shinjin to squint. "-ter. Ah. I do hope he doesn't... die again. That'd be a bit sad." Her hand stretched out, catching the fluttering card and tucking it deep within a pocket for safekeeping. "Though... I do feel a bit stronger, if nothing else... odd."
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