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Post by Zhalla on Apr 8, 2020 23:59:12 GMT -6
Zhalla's PL: 52,750
Zhalla had faced many types of problems throughout her life so far but none had made her feel as helpless about doing something about them as this one. Physical challenges she knew she could overcome, it just took effort and training and practice! But something that ate away at your mind? How was she supposed to tackle that? She couldn't fight it and she had already tried telling it to go away, it was clear at this point that that just wasn't going to happen, so what could she do to combat this problem? She had no idea. So as stubborn as she was it was time to ask for some help on the matter- She already had one person in mind, he'd been helpful before in the past and she hoped he wouldn't let her down this time around either- Though this time around was a much different situation to last time. Either way she would turn her bike so that she'd be headed to North City, it had been some time but it was time to revisit the bar. Pulling up outside the establishment the saiyan would slip off her helmet and let her curly hair bounce out, tucking the helmet away in a pack on the back of her bike which she locked afterwards before locking the bike itself and then heading inside. Pushing the door open in an unintentionally more irritated way then she had intended- Zhalla would sigh lightly before stepping inside and letting the door close behind her before eventually wandering up to the bar itself, slipping into one of the stool seats by the counter without even looking up once but she had the feeling Dion was already there. She would place one of her elbows against the counter top before resting one of her cheeks on the same arm's hand as she gave an annoyed huff though it was clear her annoyance wasn't with anything related to the bar itself. " Hey Dion- Heard about you and Aurora, you two are cute I hope it goes wonderfully" She gave up on her hand and ended up just thunking her chin atop the counter top itself, still looking at nothing in particular as focusing was difficult. " Say- you got anything in here that can help me stop thinking? Or to stop thinking about someo-thiiiing specifically?" Drumming her fingers against the counter top she'd finally chuck him a glance, " Could really use something like that right about now" |
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Post by Dion on Apr 14, 2020 1:25:26 GMT -6
"Love, is a burning thing. And it makes, a fiery ring.."
As the echos of Johnny Cash singing Ring of Fire rang throughout the bar, the bartender of the evening formally known as Dion was just making himself comfortable as the evening rush soon fell upon him. On any other day he'd have been more than ready to provide for the voracious masses of people that often showed up on evenings such as these, however, something had taken ahold of the Saiyan male's mind beforehand. Something that apparently was enough to distract him from one of his favorite past-times. Oddly enough, it wasn't actually about what had happened upon the mountaintops of Mount Frappe. Well, indirectly he guessed it did? But his mind was currently preoccupied with the thought of Aurora. Seeing as, well, the last time he had saw her she had been suffering from cardiac arrest. Luckily, though, before everything had blacked out, Dion was able to catch a glimpse of Aurora's status stabling thanks to the efforts made by his robit friend Carro Hofferson. In fact, when he had eventually awoke from his exhaustion induced coma, and asked about Aurora's wellbeing, Carro assured him that he had gotten her the medical attention she direly needed.
Still though, while physically she may be easy to heal, Aurora's mental and or emotional state was a completely different manner. And although Aurora has demonstrated great mental drive and resilience, if the battle with the Strongbone Duke left her any bit afflicted in the way it did Carro or Suri, a small check up of some sort would not at all hurt. Which is exactly why he had shot her a message through his cellular device for them to meet up sometime soon. Knowing her, she'd probably prefer someplace more higher end, and thankfully, Dion had the funds to bring her somewhere just like that.
But despite the fact that Dion wanted to delve into the details behind this meet up a bit more, the evening rush awaited- and so the bartender reluctantly withdrew himself from his thoughts of their little dinner date in order to refocus on the job at hand. He had a reputation to keep up, he couldn't just space out during one of the most popular times to visit Diono's! What kind of bartender and businessman would he be if he didn't set the customer first on his list of priorities?
Eventually, Dion had settled into a rhythm, talking, serving, and laughing right along with his many patrons as they filled out at the bar counter stools, the tables and dining room slowly being filled as well. It was a nice, homely atmosphere- one that Dion's come to take as his second home. Slowly, the growth of patrons stemmed and slowed, and was now at a more manageable number, with some seats at the bar now opening up as most did prefer to be seated in the dining floor.
He was just about to take a quick bathroom break when all the sudden his inner radar sensed an incredibly familiar power signature appear just beyond his bar's entry doors. Looking to the entrance, his eyes widened in pleasant surprise as he saw Zhalla- though became slightly more concerned as he began to read the girl a bit, the mercenary looking a bit more agitated than the norm. What was botherin' this ray of sunshine?
As she took a seat at the bar, Dion was about to speak a friendly hello when all the sudden she began to overload him with some shocking information. Well, overload was a bit of an overstatement, but it was still incredibly shocking! Aurora and him being, an item?! He wasn't even sure if she was discharged from the hospital yet, much less interested in the Saiyan male in that way!
Now sputtering at a loss for words, the Saiyan male managed to recompose himself to ask, "W-whoa there lil miss, wait a hot minute- Me and Aurora? L-listen, I wasn't even sure if she was conscious until now, so hold yer horses for me would ya-? I-it's just a little get together is all. Things have gone down since we've last seen eachother, and I was just a little worried about her.."
Seeing an opportunity to steer the conversation toward a completely different direction, Dion tore into the opening before him- asking in a much more concerned tone in response to Zhalla inquiring as to if they had anything to cease her cerebral action, "Hun, I think what you're asking for is death- and there're much healthier ways to settling problems than anything of that level. How about instead I start you with a bit of wine and a conversation, yeah? Yeah."
Producing a shot glass from seemingly out of nowhere, he set the container down and began to pour into it some red wine, asking, "What's got a normally happy go-lucky gal like you all down in the dumps then, Zhalla? I'm not gonna lie, it is a bit offputting to see you in such a state.."
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Post by Zhalla on Apr 14, 2020 2:09:01 GMT -6
While she was feeling rather down in the dumps at the moment, the way Dion sputtered and the shocked reaction he gave about the subject of him and Aurora did make her chuckle lightly before holding up one hand. "Relax, relax, I just heard you were taking her out for dinner- Regardless of the meaning behind such I do think that's quite sweet of you" She did frown lightly at the part about Aurora being conscious though, suppose she shouldn't be too surprised as Aurora had explained in part that she had been injured. "Oh- Yeah I heard a little bit about that, I might be helping her with that heart gem of hers sometime later- But anyways she's conscious, came to me for help a short while ago on clothes"
His conversation topic steer made Zhalla huff lightly and it only just now hit her what kind of music was playing around the bar as they spoke. She could've sworn it was just following her at this point... "You don't pick the music for this place, do you? Had a song of the same subject come on, on the way over here too"
She hadn't meant to ask for that but now that she thought about it, it had sounded like she did. She would lift her head and give it a light shake as she shook her hands at the mention of wine though, "Nah- Not wine, wine's too expensive for something not strong enough, what about some Whiskey instead if you got any left?" He had already pulled out a glass and bottle though and maybe he knew best when it came to drinks.
The ginger-haired saiyan would grumble lightly at the question he asked as she folded her arms and sat back upright. "I know this probably sounds stupid or like a non-issue but I just literally can't get something off my mind and it's gotten to the point where it's distracting, which can be a problem, yanno? Keep bumping into shit and find it hard to focus on other things cause of this one thing" She'd huff out through her nose in the sort of way an irritated Ox would. "Suppose I should say someone- but it's not like what you're thinking, okay- Like we went out one night but- as friends!- Okay maybe not but- Look, he's nice and stuff but it's not like that, I just don't get why I can't shake the thoughts, like what's up with that?" She'd tighten one hand into a fist and seemed to avoid eye contact with Dion whenever she spoke about what was wrong, "Whenever I meet up with him or see him in person again too it just refreshes the thoughts, it's so annoying and I don't know what to do about it" She wasn't one to trip over her words or her thoughts but right about now she felt like both were an utter mess and she felt embarrassed that it was happening in front of a friend, maybe she'd made a mistake in going to get help on the matter...
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Post by Dion on Apr 14, 2020 22:42:23 GMT -6
The young man let out an eased sigh as Zhalla knew exactly what she had been doing with her word choice- only messing with the bartender a slight bit when alluding to something more between the two instead of a strong friendship. While Dion wasn't exactly, well, against such a thing with Aurora, he still had much to work out within himself and a past love of his before he could fully move on. If he started anything serious right now, or, at least, tried to start anything between anyone in that sorta way for that matter, it'd probably fizzle after a week or two. He still wasn't exactly over his last venture, and still needed to wrap his head around that, which was not going to be any small feat considering what he was just put through physically and emotionally. Come to think of it, ever since he's achieved Super Saiyan, he's been much more widened in an emotional spectrum than he's ever been. It was harder to keep logistics first and foremost in front of emotions, his heart and pure passion getting to his head from time to time- something that barely happened before what had happened upon the mountain. A side effect perhaps from the emotional strain of undergoing such a transformation? Perhaps. He didn't know the real inner workings behind the form, he just knew how to use it. Dion was never a mechanics heavy guy. He preferred to go with the flow.
...But that was all besides the point, point is, Dion was relieved to see that he hadn't gone to second base without his own knowing with someone he did care about. Allowing himself a much more composed chuckle, the bartender replied in an easier-going tone than before, "Okay, good- I've got my own problems to sort out anyways before I'm ready for anything like that. Though it is nice to hear that I'm doing something right, eheheh. It was quite the doozy, what she was exposed to back there, so I thought I'd try and help her out with recovery. More emotionally and mentally rather than physically, since, well, you did mention- I have no clue how to mend a broken bio-gem."
It was cute to hear how far Aurora's come in terms of her opinions of the Saiyan race- when they first met, he wasn't exactly sure whether or not she'd ever warm up to the idea of even being simply civil with one of the warrior race, and now she was going on shopping dates with one of them-! It was quite the development of character.
Upon the topic of Zhalla assisting Aurora somehow with her whole bio-gem problem, Dion's gaze narrowed slightly in suspicion as he grabbed from below the counter some whiskey, saying in a sterner voice, "Hey- don't you go off doing anything too crazy now, okay? It's not that I don't trust either of you two, but, Aurora's already been through the hell of it, and I'd much rather prefer for her to at least get some amount of rest before shoving herself back into the fray once again. One doesn't recover from a heart attack that easily.."
Dion did trust the gal's judgment though. I mean, she had a whole buncha kids to feed, there was little to no way she'd do anything that risky with them on the line, right?
His ears perked up curiously though and his mood returned to that of a more relaxed atmosphere as Zhalla began to vent to him her problems- and while she insisted it was nothing of what Dion was thinking, Dion could clearly see that it was very much what Dion was exactly thinking. The poor lass was in love! And being a rough and toughened girl first and foremost he could definitely see as to why Zhalla would take it more as a weakness and a distraction rather than something to nurture and to grow.
Pouring her a shot of whiskey this time, sliding it over to her with skillful ease, a knowing yet still all the more friendly smile was stuck onto the bartenders face as he began his tirade, saying, "Okay, before we get started- just for the record, I don't choose the music for the place. There's a jukebox in the back, call me old fashioned, I know, that plays some of the tunes people happen to like. Don't you go thinking about messing with it though- that thing cost me a pretty penny."
Thinking for a couple moments before continuing, he then said, "So, how long have you known this guy for? I assume it's had to have been a decent bit seeing as feelings like this normally don't appear and form to quite a level such as this out of the blue."
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Post by Zhalla on Apr 15, 2020 0:58:58 GMT -6
"Oh yeah? Anything I could give some help on? You know I'm more then happy to help out" She frowned again at what came next, just what exactly even happened at that mountain? Was it in poor taste to ask? She hadn't wanted to ask Aurora herself too much since it was clear whatever happened bothered her a fair bunch and she felt like it'd be unwanted prying since the shopping was supposed to help the Arcosian feel better too in a way. "That's sweet of you to do for her Dion, you're a good friend, hope you know that"
When Dion narrowed his gaze about the bio gem problem she would wave a hand, "You could come with if you're concerned yanno, I'm sure Aurora wouldn't mind" She'd stick her tongue out at him to tease for a moment before putting a hand to her chest, "I promise I'm not trying to get us in trouble, it won't be some big crazy adventure or anything I'm sure, it's just a quick go in, fix it, and get out" She'd lean back in a lax sort of manner in her stool, "Besides, what else can we do to fix the gem? She can't go around with a cracked one like she's been doing, can she? She said it was a miracle she was even still alive with it in that state, what else would you suggest we do?" The ginger saiyan would look aside for a moment, "Just wanna do what I can as her friend to help her out, yanno? I imagine it's probably painful for her walking around with the gem being cracked the way it is"
When the whiskey was poured and slid over to her she would grab the glass and began swirling the liquid in it round and round the small glass- Mostly to stop herself from downing it in one go straight away. Leaning against the bar bench with one arm she kept her eyes on the glass and swirling drink as they continued conversation. "Oh I won't go breaking it- Don't you worry, I wouldn't go ruin a perfectly good jukebox- it's just the music choice... It's following me at this point I swear, it's weird- like how many coincidences can you have in a row before you have to consider that it might not be a coincidence?"
When he asked how long she'd known Nero for the saiyan would put a hand to her chin for a moment or two before answering, "Ah- shit- for quite some time now? Way more then a couple months now at least, met him while he was working. Went out for pancakes for the kids cause it was a special food day, yanno? He was kind enough to come back with me to help deliver them back and even came in to talk to the kids for a bit- most people don't do that or make the time to" She smiled and swirled her drink around a little faster then before. "Then on the way back to his work we duked it out saiyan to saiyan for the fun of it. Was a whole lotta fun" She shot Dion a look though at the mention of feelings. "What d'you mean 'feelings like this'? You're not meaning what I think you are, are you?" She'd narrow her eyes slightly and her tail flicked around behind her and her stool.
Eventually though she let him off or at least did enough to continue talking a bit more, "He was really good with the kids when there though and we met up again at the beach sometime after but it wasn't on purpose or anything- Aaaaand we went out together a bit after that but you know..." She'd finally let herself down the shot, setting the small glass back down on the bench. "Nothing like that happened or anything..." Even just having thought about how Nero was around the kids though had brought some colour to her cheeks, there was no way that small amount of whiskey had caused it afterall. Speaking of she'd push the glass to be closer to Dion to make pouring easier for him, "Could I get another please?"
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Post by Dion on Apr 17, 2020 4:23:57 GMT -6
The bartenders gaze narrowed slightly as he saw what he thought was an attempt at shifting the conversation topic more onto himself than the issue immediately at hand, and he quickly began to wag a finger, saying with a bit of an amused chuckle in response to her attempt, "Ah-ah-ah, Zhalla, no, no, no, I'm not the one who- at the moment anyways- needs crucial romantic assistance. And if you aren't asking about my lovelife and instead poking and prodding at the whole mountaintop shenanigans, well, one, I'm surprised Aurora didn't already tell you what had happened, and two-" his face shifted from one of coy fun to a more sincere, content expression, as he said this part of his tangent, "-Really, I'm doing alright. After a quick catching up and talking with my friend Carro, and a little while spent actually resting, I've come out of it better than I would've ever expected. And uh, while I don't mean to toot my own horn or anything~" to no ones surprise, his coy and more confident look returned in an instant as he further continued, "-I may or may not have unlocked the secret of the Super Saiyan up upon that hilly landscape. Sure, it did cost me nearly an arm, a leg, and a planet, but we're still standing here, so I'd say it all went relatively swimmingly."
If Zhalla attempted to ask what he meant by Super Saiyan nearly costing him the planet, he'd simply put a hand swiftly up- saying in a more serious tone, "We can discuss that later, alright? I'd rather not dampen the mood so soon. Again, we're still here, breathing, loving, living- so there's nothing else to worry about for the moment."
"Before we continue though, I just wanna say, thanks. I wouldn't consider myself that good of a friend, I'm just tryna keep everyone happy, but, thanks for that. Means a lot more than you probably think."
Clearing his throat with the intent to move on to more, pressing, matters of the heart- quite literally, of the heart, Dion listened intently as to what Zhalla meant by helping Aurora out with her bio-gem problems. Choosing to address first whether or not he'd actually take up their offer of coming along, he spoke in a bit of an embarrassed tone, saying a bit regretfully, "Trust me, I care about the both of yous a lot, and I'd love nothing more than to tag along for what would surely be one helluva ride- but, I've got too much to tend to here on Earth. People to train with, offer counseling for, pay a visit to; hell, even I myself have got to start putting those long hours in and grinding it all out so I can be better prepared for the next time something like this happens. I have the power to actually make the difference, I can't afford to let it all go down the drain. I've got a single shot and I'm not about to miss the bulls-eye, you feel me?"
"Though, I honestly thank ye for taking it upon yourself to help her out. I care about her, you know? I'd hate for anything more to happen to her, she's been through a rough patch of it as is.." While Dion still didn't entirely approve of the two going on such a potentially dangerous procedure, the Saiyan was also well aware that Aurora wouldn't allow for herself to be caught in such a pitiably vulnerable state ever again- and the pain of her shattered bio-gem most definitely starting to become a debilitating factor in even just her everyday life. So, perhaps now was a better time than ever to try for a go at fixing it. If she knew where and how anyways, what was stopping her? He only hoped that she wouldn't take any unnecessary risks or overexert herself again, as he wasn't exactly sure if there would be a hospital nearby this time for her to be rushed to.
Speaking of location, Dion asked Zhalla, "But although I won't be going witcha, I gotta ask- where exactly are the two of you headed then? I'd assume it's hard to find a person or a place to mend a broken bio-gem, but then again, I don't have one myself to keep maintenance on."
Slowly returning to the reason why Zhalla had came here for though, Dion stifled another fit of laughter as she began to describe the eeriness behind this "love" of hers following her around everywhere, his guffaws becoming easier to halt though as the merc began to describe her history with this deliveryman- the business side of the bartender realizing that he needed a deliveryman to head his exporting businesses, so he kept that in mind for future reference. Looks like he'd be able to make this a profitable venture as well, but of course, helping Zhalla came first. He wasn't no money grubbing lowlife afterall. Hell, he didn't even need the money, Diono's was booming as it was-
B-but that was besides the point, anyways, Dion looked a bit incredulous as Zhalla asked and, somewhat pleaded, that Dion wasn't meaning what she thought he was meaning. That sly, wolfish grin appearing once more, he replied simply in a knowing tone, "Sadly, it seems so my charitable friend- looks to me you've gotten head over heels for the pancake man. It's nothing to be ashamed of you know- sounds to me like you've found a good guy to be enamored with!"
He took careful note of the flush appearing around her cheeks, as even the lightest of lightweights when it came to drinking wouldn't nearly gain a blush that quickly unless it was for other reasons combined with the booze. Indeed, it seemed as though Zhalla had found herself quite the man. And from how she talked about him, he didn't even seem that bad of a guy-! So the question now was why exactly did she seem so reluctant to admit her feelings for the dude? Was it out of pride? Zhalla didn't seem to be that kind of person to make such a fuss over her "saiyan pride". Fear of becoming too attached and then beginning to drift away from her commitment to the children? That last reason didn't make too much sense either, as from the looks of it this mystery man also cared about the orphaned kids as well!
So what exactly was holding her back?
Well, there was no point in beating around the bush with it.
Speaking in a very blunt tone, Dion replied to the information given to him as he began to pour himself a shot of the bourbon, saying, "Listen Zhalla, I haven't a clue how to tell you this in any other way, so I'm going to bring it to ya upfront. You love the guy, okay? And it's not as a friend, a brotherly familial kinda love, no, get that crap outta here- you LOVE him, alright? But it's nothing to be ashamed of! Majority of people, even us Saiyans, in our lives eventually start becoming attached to certain people, and after seeing both their good and bad sides, start seeing them in quite different lights than from where we started. Which is, again, not bad. But-"
Taking a swig from the now fully filled shot glass he had for himself, Dion continued in a more curious tone, saying, "-You act like it's a whole crime for you to even think of the dude! As if it's a weakness to be exploited. Why so? You do realize love is not a crime, right?"
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Post by Zhalla on Apr 17, 2020 8:16:41 GMT -6
When the other saiyan wagged a finger at her she looked a little defeated. Okay so yeah she had tried to steer the conversation elsewhere cause so far it was just becoming clearer and clearer that Dion was right to say she was catching feelings and she wanted anything but that to be true. But did he have to call her out on it! Puffing her cheeks and crossing her arms for a moment she'd grumble a response, "I don't need romantic assistance... It can't be that I'm catching feelings... It just can't" When it came to the mountain top situation though what he said only interested her more, "Oh I mean, I didn't wanna ask yanno? Not then anyway, felt like it was a bad time" That much was honest as she was hoping to lift the Arcosian's spirits while they were shopping. "... Carro? As in like, the lil squirt president Carro? Or?" She was glad to hear Dion himself was doing pretty well for himself though.
Now Zhalla wasn't all too familiar with Saiyan transformations or the possibility of them- most of them sounded fake or she had only ever heard of them in stories or offhandedly. But she wasn't about to doubt her friend here either regardless of what she did or didn't know. "Shit- Really? Damn well NOW I'm even more curious" Of course wanting to know how it almost cost him bodily harm would be quite the story but she doubted he'd continue to let her get away with subject changes. Sure enough- When she went to ask he would raise a hand, prompting her to pout out her lower lip. "Alright, alright, as you wish" When he thanked her though she would wave a hand herself, "Remember to look after your own happiness first and foremost, hey? Tryna help everyone else with their's is noble of you but your happiness matters just as much"
When Dion explained that he had a lot to tend to on Earth the ginger saiyan would raise an eyebrow slightly, "I can't say I see how helping with this would be putting all that down the drain personally but I suppose I get what you're getting at- to a degree" She frowned lightly though as she wasn't sure if she'd prioritize the way he was if she was in his shoes but they were two very different people so. "You know, the way I see it, Aurora might not be able to do all those sorts of things herself until the gem is fixed, at least that could be true for all I know- I wouldn't wanna put her being able to do all that stuff herself comfortably aside. She'd help us first if we were in her shoes, right?" She at least trusted that, "I dunno- Suppose maybe I just feel bad I couldn't be there to help at the mountain at the time too and I'm tryna make up for that"
As for the where they were going, "Arcose, she said something about a magic there that might be able to help her fix it and that if that magic was anywhere, it'd be there."
Back on the subject of her troubles it would seem that no amount of pleading she was willing to do would change Dion's stance on the matter. He seemed very sure that she had caught feelings for Nero and that that was nothing to be ashamed of. Despite this though the ginger Saiyan would drop her forehead onto the counter top with an accompanying thud before letting out a long groan of a noise. "No no no no no" She'd mutter to herself as she rubbed her temples, bringing her face back up off the counter. That was the last answer she wanted to hear...
Though she supposed it was the truth, wasn't it?
Dion's change to a blunt tone seemed to catch Zhalla's attention by a fair amount and she'd keep her eyes on him for a lot longer then she had been before without breaking her gaze away. Seemed a bit of bluntness was doing her stubbornness some good. It surprised her enough that she had to pause and blink for a moment as more colour came to her face. God damn it he was right, why did he have to be right? She had come to him for his help and honesty though so she shouldn't of been too surprised yet here she was. "Alright, alright" She'd sigh holding up a hand, there was no use trying to keep denying it though she had hoped originally that denying it might've eased the thoughts in some way but that had proved to not be the case. "Alright- Okay so I like the guy- love is such a strong word though don't you think?" Maybe Dion had a point in using it though.
"I'm not ashamed, I'm just..." Zhalla paused as she looked aside and frowned again though this time it wasn't because she was uncertain, this time it was a look she hadn't made in quite some time-... The saiyan would crumble down on the counter, putting an arm over her head as she tucked the second one under her chin and looked away. "I'm terrified" She'd take in a breath before trying to continue. "I know that love shit isn't a bad thing or anything, but Kami's sake it scares the shit out of me, you know?" She quickly rubbed her eyes to force down any tears that threatened to show- she was already showing much more emotion then she would have liked to in a public space there was no way she was going to cry as well. Not here, not now, not ever. "I know it's not a crime but like, it's such a big thing- Look like, I can handle punching up a couple pricks on the job, I can handle trying to help a friend fix their heart gem no matter the trouble it might get me in, but love?" She scoffed, bringing her face back out but still not looking back to the other Saiyan from across the counter. "Not a chance, I haven't got a clue on how to handle it or what to do with myself, I don't like being unsure of myself and love is prime for that shit. An' like don't even get me started on being scared of hurting his feelings and that sort of stuff, there's just so much uncertainty that comes with it, you know?" She'd then gesture to herself as a whole, "Besides like, look at me, I ain't built for that crap, right? I dunno if he likes me back that same way either..."
Finally looking back to Dion she would hold out a hand, gesturing that she wanted the bottle he'd just used to pour himself a drink. While she looked mostly sure of herself her tone dripped with uncertainty in what she asked next, as if she didn't fully believe that forgetting it was something she even really wanted, "Wouldn't it be easier to just drink and forget about it all?"
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Post by Dion on Apr 20, 2020 0:34:28 GMT -6
As their conversation continued, Dion continued to become more and more confused at Zhalla's reluctance to admittance of her own heart's wants. At this point Dion was becoming a bit concerned that this was something a bit unhealthier than simple pride. Hubris was a destructive thing, but it still didn't seem as though Zhalla would allow such a thing to blind exactly what she's perhaps always wanted. But there was no other conclusion that he could really come to without further context or background. So, instead, the bartender remained in (relatively) contemplative silence, listening as he usually did when people came to him with their woes. Upon her questioning whether or not he was correct in saying that it was indeed President Carro that he had seen atop the mountains, a sudden shock of realization came into his mind. He wasn't supposed to SAY THAT YET! That was the VERY SECRET that his CLOSEST FRIEND had given him to keep in their FIRST, EVER, MEETING! How could he have been such a dunce in letting loose such an easily kept secret? How could he- no, stop, it, he still had time to fix this nearly irreversible mistake. Snapping himself back to reality in the few seconds after Zhalla had asked, Dion said in the calmest, steadiest tone he could muster, his charismatic personality being able to mask any waver of a lie in his voice as he spoke, "Oddly enough, no, different Carro. Weird, right? But I guess Saiyans aren't exactly the best at name choosing, huh?"
Hopefully he was convincing enough in order to keep that door closed. Thankfully, while he made a conscious effort not to do it often, Dion was pretty damn good at lying- what with his sociable, trusting personality, and his convincing tone that he had when speaking one. Either way, he was determined in keeping Carro's mortality status behind closed doors.
Making a determined effort to quickly move on from the topic, he actually allowed for the conversation to shift back toward him once more, saying in a reassuring tone as he eased back into a more relaxed disposition, "It's fine, it's fine, Zhalla. Just because I care a lot about other people doesn't mean I'm blind to when I need a little me time as well. It's just that I, give much more than I get than most others." Of course, this was also a bit of a fib- but a subconscious one at that. Sometimes he truly didn't realize when he wasn't taking enough time to take care of himself, his rush to get to everyone else and ensure their own wellbeing before his own upon reawakening from his exhaustion induced coma being a prime and most recent example. While he was well intentioned, he was also blind to his own needs sometimes, a not so dire flaw, but one that needed to be nipped in the bud one of these days sooner rather than later. Or else he might end up like the aforementioned Carro, and two (albeit good natured) versions of him was not something the cosmos needed.
And he was of course sure to touch upon the subject of his Super Saiyan status of course, saying in a bit of a teasing tone, "You can witness that whole biz firsthand another one of these days. For now, we've got even bigger fish to fry. And yes, I am implying your love is more crucial than any other blondie running about these days."
Which wasn't all that inaccurate. It wasn't exactly groundbreaking to see another Super Saiyan running around within the streets these days, as much as he hated how much it downplayed his accomplishment. However, it gave him all the more reason to continue to work at it in order to ensure that his accomplishments did not go unnoticed. This fact acted as a motivator, something to propel him forward and to encourage him to do something groundbreaking, rather than something that would act as a measure or limit of his own skill.
Speaking of helping out others, Dion seemed to only grow ever more nervous when Zhalla mentioned that they were heading to Arcose of all places for a replacement heart surgery- the former capital of the Arcosian race turned playground for the Saiyan Kingdom. He was about to immediately protest when all the sudden Zhalla mentioned how Aurora would more than likely do the exact same for them, and knowing that he himself would also probably be on board with such an idea if the circumstances were ever so slightly different, he relented, with Dion saying in a trusting yet still cautious tone, "I completely get that, actually. You're right, if we were in her shoes, she'd do the same for us, and hell, if I'm to be honest- I'd probably be off helping you and Aurora if I didn't have so much to tend to back here on Earth. There's no need to feel bad about the mountain business- you weren't directly involved in that nasty business anyways, thankfully- but I do still all the more thank you for going out of your way for her. Tell her, when you two are about to leave, that, I said stay safe, would you?"
And finally, they had returned to the heart (hah) of the conversation, with a relieved sigh finally coming from the bartender as his straightforward advance finally broke through her reluctant psyche, a look of realization on his face when Zhalla finally confessed that it had been fear holding her back from embracing the happiness of the heart. His first thought was how much of an idiot he was not to see the signs sooner, of COURSE it was out of fear-! But he immediately returned to the tending of her, what he assumed to be, tender, feelings, as helping her out was priority number one, not bashing himself for not getting it right first try.
Seeing that she was nearing the realm of tears, Dion looked around- seeing that the bar was nearly emptied of patrons. Gesturing for them to quickly finish up (they were regulars, they knew he wouldn't mean to rush them if he had no other choice), they were able to read the room and soon enough pack their things, pay their dues, and take their leaves.
And as soon as they did, Dion locked the doors, sent his employees out the backdoor, and returned to Zhalla all in a record time of around five minutes. Because when it came to helping friends, you were time efficient.
Once he came back, he came back to the sight of Zhalla still sitting there, waiting for a refill, and instead of returning behind the bar, he instead chose to take a seat on the stool next to hers, taking the bottle of bourbon with him. Setting it down between them with a sigh, he patted Zhalla gently on the shoulder, saying in a much more understanding tone, now that he had some context to work with,
"Look, I get it, love is scary. It's unpredictable, it's an unknown element- it's a beast that not many can claim to have slain. But, if you don't take that blind leap of faith, that trust fall of sorts to try and see whether or not they'll catch you in response-"
A somber look appeared on Dion's face as his mind flashed to Kuma for a couple moments as he continued, "-You'll have never known the rush of falling in the first place. And you'll have never known the feeling of reciprocated love."
Quickly returning to a more optimistic demeanor though, he turned back to face Zhalla, saying, "No one's got the formula down. There's no set way of doing this kind of thing. It's like the Earthlings say, love is blind, you never know what you're getting. But I'm telling you right now, you let this pass up, you'll never get another chance like it again. Or at least, that's my experience with it."
"...And what do you mean you aren't built for that sort of life? You're already got kids of your own for pete's sake! What's wrong with finishing the puzzle with the last puzzle piece?"
An amused smile now slowly leaked onto Dion's face as he turned his entire body to face her, elbow leaning onto the counter as he spoke in a reinvigorated tone, saying, "Listen, you're a good looking gal, inside and out, and it sounds like you're already as close as two peas in a pod. Sounds to me like you've got a recipe for success. And besides, if he really does love you? Hell, if he even cares about you in general, he'll be along with you every step of the way to make sure you aren't afraid."
"Don't be afraid of failure. Because then you erase any chance of success. Tell, him, Zhalla."
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Post by Zhalla on Apr 20, 2020 21:37:03 GMT -6
Zhalla would frown lightly at Dion after he had explained that it was in fact a different Carro. Something about the way he reacted and spoke though felt off to her- she had dealt with plenty of lies in her time thanks to the kids but what reason could Dion have to lie to her about this? If he was that is. She figured if he was anyway that maybe there was good reason for it and maybe it was something she shouldn't poke him on since he was helping her out here afterall the least she could do was to wave off a subject he might not want to talk about. "Huh, yeah, fair enough, suppose that can be true for some names"
"Good good, just remember to keep it that way, huh? I know I sure struggle to remember it sometimes myself" She'd laugh lightly at the give more then he got part as she knew all too well what that was like. "As someone who knows what that's like all too well, I think my point only stands more so with someone like you mister, look after yourself, trust me it'll catch up to you sooner rather then later if you don't" She was of course talking from personal experience but the only one who could help Dion do better with this was Dion himself! Zhalla could only hope he really did continue to look after himself well and truly.
"Yanno for the longest time I didn't think the form was even real, I've never seen it in person and had only ever heard stories so naturally I thought it was yanno, just a myth or something" She laughed lightly at herself as she looked aside, though she was somewhat surprised hearing him put her love life over the whole super saiyan subject.
"Well hey the offer is always there if you change your mind or end up freer sooner then you expect or anything, you can always just let us know and tag along!" Zhalla understood Dion's cautiousness in tone though and she knew it was dangerous truthfully, she'd have to ask someone she trusted to keep an eye on the kids while she was gone too but she had faith that both she and Aurora would make it back just fine and hopefully with one fixed heart gem! Besides they weren't causing any troubles when there anyway. "I know I wasn't directly involved, but people I care about- my friends were involved which involves me by default, that's the rules" The ginger saiyan would point a thumb at her chest and smile before nodding to the other saiyan, "I'll make sure to tell for you, don't you worry, I'll do my best to keep us out of trouble"
Zhalla would rub the palms of her hands against her eyes one at a time again and curse under her breath a little before bringing one of her jacket arm sleeves up to her face and holding it over her eyes for a few moments. By the time she brought it back down and felt like she'd pushed away the tears enough she'd look to see that the bar was now completely empty aside from herself and Dion, who came over and sat beside her instead of serving her from behind the bar, "I'm sorry, I hope you're not losing any business or anything by me being here" For someone so tall she sure looked a whole lot smaller when slouched over sadly in her stool the way she was. Her tail would flick when Dion patted her shoulder but she wouldn't protest it. "You didn't have to do that Dion.."
She seemed to fall rather silent for the most part as she let Dion just talk. In a way it was comforting in of itself to just know that someone else knew how she was feeling but it helped that extra mile to have that same person trying to offer her advice and help on the matter as well. He had some very good points including ones she'd give as advice to others on literally any other subject as well. The part about knowing the rush of falling perplexed her a little, what about the rush was so important that it was something people shouldn't miss out on? Clearly there was something to it she just didn't see yet. What was she supposed to do if the feelings weren't reciprocated? What was she supposed to do if they were.
When Dion turned to her she'd face him but her gaze stayed on the bottle that had been set between the two saiyans. Though her eyes did break focus on it when he pointed out the part of chance... He did have a point, chances didn't stay around forever and neither did people if you didn't put in the effort to keep them around. That scared her but in a whole different way to the situation at whole did.
She managed a light laugh at the part about her kids though, "Well c'mon now, they aren't mine, they are just under my care" Speaking of them though, so many of them had wanted a father figure around... "Well I can tell you that one easy Dion- That last piece of the puzzle needs to be the best fit because there's no way I'm going to put a single one of those kids through any more experiences of bad parenting or bad parents in general, they have had plenty of that you know? They look to me for help and to feel safe, if I took that away by picking the wrong person to partner with. I'd never forgive myself" She would run her hands through her curly hair and sigh lightly as she closed her eyes. "That being said... Many of them have asked me for a 'dad' and it breaks my heart having to answer on it every time it's asked..."
When he turned to fully face her she couldn't not give him her attention and would opt to at least give him a head turn and eyes on him to be respectful. Though she'd make a light 'psh' noise with her mouth when she was called good looking both inside and out. "Outside I'm fine I guess- until you see the state of my back- though I can't really fault you there yet cause you haven't seen it" She would pull on collar of her jacket to fluff it up a little bit before continuing, "Though- he did see that when we were at the beach and didn't mind, had his own scars too at that" She would tap the side of her forehead for a moment. Inside beauty was tricky as well as she was sure there were many who'd say she was ugly from her mercenary work days for sure. As for what she thought? She didn't know.
"You're not just saying that to make me feel better, right?" She frowned lightly, compliments were so odd sometimes, usually it was obvious to her when they were being meant but she supposed right now her mind was in bit of a whirl so it was a fair question to ask on just to be sure. Afterwards though she would take in a breath. "I want to Dion, I really do but" She let out another sigh before holding her hands up, "I'm not fishing for pity here or anything when I say this, I'm only gonna say it so it maybe helps you understand a little more, so no feeling sorry for me or any of that crap with this next part, alright?" Brushing back some loose strands of hair she would continue, "Not gonna sugar coat it or anything but my parents were crap, especially to each other. When I was still rather young I hitched a ride to here and never looked back but I still never had a good set of parental figures to learn from or be taught by, just a guardian who was on the street like I was and had enough heart to take me in- Like I've now done for these kids." She paused for a moment to glance at that bottle again but in the end she never reached for it, "I've got no clue on how this love stuff works, I don't even know what it looks like when that shit works out the way it's supposed to, I've never seen that for myself, you know? If he really does feel the same way, what do I even do? What do I say?"
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Post by Dion on Apr 22, 2020 2:25:04 GMT -6
'Sorry, Zhalla, but Carro trusted me for a reason,' was all Dion thought as his ruse apparently went unnoticed. His heart did hurt slightly to lie to someone he already trusted with nearly all his heart, but, Earth just wasn't ready for the news. Both of them, as discussed within their conversation when Dion had originally woken up, knew that while the "recently deceased" president of the entire planet did plan on announcing his return sometime sooner than later, if it were to get out, say, now, it could come off as quite a different action than one of a man that simply tried to do what had been best at the time to protect his people. The last thing that either of them needed to do was make him out to be the villain, and seeing as the real villains still laid in wait out there, something like that turn of events would make their job much more difficult. So, Dion had to lie. What was one small fib to save the lives of what could be in the billions in the long run? It wasn't like she wouldn't find out eventually either, if Carro was planning on revealing himself to the world as soon as Dion believed he would be.
Still though, it didn't feel quite right, taking slight advantage of her emotional state currently for the betterment of one of his own personal goals. Well, a shared goal of his and Carro's, but you know what he meant. Hopefully. Maybe.
Shaking off the momentary guilt, the bartender was slightly amused to hear that Zhalla knew exactly where he had been coming from when it came to forgetting that the allowance of a little you-time was perfectly fine. Seeing as she was naturally a kind and accommodating person, and that wasn't even including the whole orphanage thing she had going on, this was just off of his own personal experiences with her, Dion wasn't too shocked to hear she's been through that wringer before. Shooting her a sly wink, he replied in a once again reassuring tone, "I can handle myself, Zhalla m'dear, I wouldn't have gotten this far in life with a drunkard father and an injured mother if I couldn't, right? Long story, we can discuss that rabbit hole later, it's quite the tale."
Of course, Dion didn't exactly plan on discussing his past anytime soon. It's not like it's a touchy subject or anything of that sort, but, he just found it tiring to do so. Mostly because earlier experiences telling it usually led to people making mountains out of long past molehills, and he'd rather not undergo all of that trouble again. It was much easier to worry about other peoples upbringings (which on average were much more problematic than his own) than have people gush and ooze over his own. He did truly appreciate the concern though- it showed that people actually did care a little bit. But the fact of the matter was that this was in the past. What did matter was the fact that he was living, breathing, and still fighting in the present.
Moving on to more lighter topics before the storm of the main one returned, he grinned slightly at her intrigue into the Saiyan form of legend, replying with an endearing look on his face, "A myth? Really-? I get that though, a friend of mine, a hybrid by the name of Russe also used to think it was nothing but hogwash as well. But ah, here we are- apparently being unnaturally blond does get you places."
And as for Zhallas continued reassurance as well as persistent offerings to take him along with the two to Planet Arcose as well, Dion also continued to sadly decline, responding in a somber yet still objective voice, "I'd love to- I've said that thrice, I think- but again, Earth has my hands tied for a while. I've got people to train, and places to be, as well as some personal stuff I'd like to work my way through before I undertake such a massive journey once more. But, hey, best of luck to the two of you. If anything does happen to ya'll back home, I'll be the first to come a-running. Blond hair and all."
Personal stuff being of course his moral dilemma coupled with the assistance toward Carro and training of Suri. But he need not go into specifics. Least not now of all times.
Finally, now it was time to address the elephant in the room- which was much easier without the extra bodies adding to the already slightly strained atmosphere. Dion found it incredibly sweet that she'd be so worried about his business well-being, but he was quick to shut her down in any fears of that going south, immediately consoling her by stating, "To be frank, Zhalla, while the gesture is appreciated- I've got enough money to last me a lifetime anyways. Losing a customer or two wouldn't hurt so long as it ended up helping you in the end. Besides, they're regulars, they know me, I know them, we get along just fine. They got the message."
And so, they dove right into the many problems and setbacks Zhalla believed have held her back from a happy future with the guy, but also the many good things that could come of it all- from the children always wanting a father figure to look up to within their small makeshift family of theirs, her appearance not being the most primed on the outside as many would be led to believe, past malicious experiences with the fickle thing clouding her judgment and ability to see whether or not its going well, and inability to know when it is going well all being suddenly dropped right on top of the provisional therapist as Zhalla really left nothing to the imagination.
Good.
He liked having all the facts anyways.
Diving head first into the fray, Dion opened his mouth to speak, now being able to speak in a quieter, more comforting tone as there wasn't nearly as much background noise to encompass his words, "Sounds like you're not the only person who could use that significant other- but the kids also seem to not only need, but want him as well. It seems like they've already started looking up to him in that sort of way, so in that department, I'd say you've already got a large head start. If he's shown he's already begun to love them just as much as you, then who's to say that love'll ever stop beating whether or not you do get together or not? I wouldn't be worried about that at all."
"...And, no, I'm not just saying some of this fluff to spare you any harsh feelings," Dion said, suddenly shifted to a more serious demeanor as he continued, "I'm not like that. I tell it how it is, Zhalla, and to me? Looks like you're allowing the past to cloud your judgment of the future too much. As harsh as it is for me to say. But sometimes a hard kick in the backside is what you need to get yourself going. And right now, if you don't get yourself going, you'll never get moving in the first place. Stuck in your thoughts and hesitancy until the moments come and past."
Sighing, as he realized his more critical approach may not be taken lightly, Dion quickly added, "I know, I get it, our past shapes us to who we are today, and having sucky parents like that who have given you such a limited insight into what could be such a wondrous thing is a heavily debilitating factor. But, having someone like this in your life?"
He looked down, an optimistic smile on his face as his gaze met the cleaned counter of the bar.
"...would complete you, I think."
...after a few moments of staring, he then looked back up at Zhalla, finishing, "And, trust me, you'll know if it's worked out. A big hint is if the guy says yes when you confess."
..always the quippy one, no matter what.
Nonetheless, he knew when he needed to give breathing room, and so he then began to give Zhalla some time to think on his words as he returned behind the bar counter for a second to grab another bottle of bourbon for solely himself this time around.
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Post by Zhalla on Apr 27, 2020 2:20:11 GMT -6
"Right, right, good let's keep it that way, huh?" She wasn't entirely convinced on him handling himself at least not in full but she was just going to have to trust he kept it up regardless. Though the parent part just made her worry more since she knew that while she had made it far given her own struggles, it didn't mean she was perfectly sound either.
"Oh Russe? I've ran into him once at the markets, kid with the blue hair right?" She wasn't all too surprised to hear other people thought it wasn't true as well, it was called a legendary form afterall, "Is it really worth going blonde for though?" She'd laugh as she waved a hand to the other saiyan, thinking there was no way she could pull off that sort of hair colour herself. "Well if it is in fact true I don't think it's something I'll ever see myself doing in my lifetime"
"Yeah I gotcha, I'm just letting you know the offer is there should you ever find the time or change your mind, I ain't gonna nag you to come" She'd then shake her head lightly, "I doubt the blonde hair would be needed, you're helpful just as you are Dion, you don't need flashy hair to achieve great things"
Zhalla was quite glad to hear that Dion wasn't financially effected by having his other customers leave for the meantime, it did mean a lot to her that he'd even do that for her but it didn't change the fact that she didn't want to cry or anything in front of him either. "Good, good, I just had to check- Some people depend on those few regulars and all, you know?" She'd rub one of her arms with the other's hand for a moment though- as someone who'd struggle financially for practically most of her life she did still feel a bit weird chasing paying customers away from her friend's business.
It felt a bit odd to her to be the one opening up to someone else rather then the other way around as she had become so used to be a support structure for the kids in her care to lean on whenever they needed it. She supposed everyone needed that sometimes themselves from a friend or two but never had she expected to need it for this sort of reason. Her reason seemed so trivial to all the things the kids had come to her for help on.
"Well- I suppose so, I mean he has his own adopted kid too who he seems to really care about so he probably already knows how to handle kids but" Talking about Nero in that manner seemed to make more colour come to her cheeks- which in turn seemed to only frustrate her in a way as she clenched a hand into a fist upon noticing the warmth hit her face. "Fucking- Damn it, why!?" She'd mutter through clenched teeth as she looked away. "I don't think his kindness for them will ever go away or anything- or else I don't think he'd have a kid under his own wing too but..." But what? She couldn't exactly think of an answer to that, was she really just looking for a reason to push the answer away no matter what?
She didn't want to believe she was really that scared enough for that to be the case. But put the thought aside for the moment. The ginger saiyan looked a little annoyed at being told she was letting her past cloud her judgement of the future though. "Is it really letting my past cloud my judgement? Being cautious cause of personal experiences is how we learn and don't make the same mistakes in the future, isn't it? I don't want to make the same mistakes my parents did" Maybe he was right in a way though and she appreciated him not sugar coating things. "I think also that I don't really have like- something to go off of, you know? I know whatever my parents had wasn't good, but I've never seen what good looks like either, I never had anything like that growin' up I had someone like me who looked after me on their own, I didn't get to see any of those movies that showed the good side of things either- Not that they're always true to reality anyway but you get what I mean. It's just, never been something I've really thought about up until now and now I just. Don't know what to think"
Zhalla looked to Dion as he looked down with a smile before expressing that he thought her having someone like Nero in her life would complete her. Complete her, huh? "What do you mean by that?" She'd tilt her head to the side a little when asking- wanting to fully understand what he was getting at with what he had said. Was something about her missing? She was sure it meant something she just didn't fully understand yet.
"Oh- huh" So all she needed was a yes, or at least, it was something to aim for, a yes to what exactly she wasn't sure on though either. Perhaps he meant that as the answer to look for if she directly asked the other Saiyan out? Maybe. "... What if he doesn't though? What if he says no?" Why would he of gone on that dinner date with her if he wasn't interested? "I suppose I maybe shouldn't worry about that part so much- I'm just unsure I guess" She'd slump an elbow down on the counter before resting her cheek against her fist again.
Zhalla stayed a little quiet for a moment or two as Dion went to get himself another bottle- this time for himself alone which made her huff lightly. "If you were in my shoes, what would you say to express how you feel? When would you do it? Where? Do you mind if I talked more about him to you and such?" She found colour coming to her face again on the last question and was quick to fluff the collar of her jacket up to hide part of her face behind it as she looked aside- probably too many questions at once there too, she needed to slow down but she hoped Dion could handle them all this once at least.
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Post by Dion on Apr 29, 2020 23:34:23 GMT -6
Once he had returned from behind the bartender counter, and he had taken his seat next to her again, Dion was a bit surprised to hear that she did indeed know of Russe- an amused grin on his face as he popped the cork in his bourbon's bottle, muttering as he took a deep swig, "Small world then, ain't that what they say?" Continuing on, he was also a bit surprised to hear someone of the Saiyan race of all people question the value behind the golden gilded power up, with Dion understanding the angle from where she was coming from, but, still feeling obligated to explain, saying in response, "Well, to be fair- if you're in a situation where you really need a pick-me-up like that, I'd say it's more than worth it then. It's, sort of, euphoric, I guess you would put it? When you first transform. But then the euphoria is overcome by all of this, unyielding rage, that you feel afterward. Which makes sense, I mean, again, if you're transforming, I assume someone's gotta have peeved you off one way or another, so, yeah." Realizing he wasn't doing the best of jobs of describing the value behind their race's birthright, he quickly followed up with, "The short answer is yes though- if you're at the right place, right time, and you need something to call upon, it is more than worth it to give Super Saiyan a shot. And, while I hope you don't ever have to be backed up into a corner so much that you need that sort of strength by your side..."
He shot her a reassuring wink, finishing by saying, "I'd say you've got more than enough strength and moxie to reign it in to your use. Dontcha go shortselling yourself either, Zhalla. That forms our birthright afterall, no other race or people could do something as amazin' as that."
Moving on, he began to feel quite flattered when the former mercenary had reassured him that he was worth more than just a damn, blond hair or no blond hair. Dion was quick to reassure her though that he was well aware of his own self worth, not wanting to make her think he was going through some sorta depression or something as he replied, "Hey, hey, I appreciate the compliment- really, I do, but now you're making it sound like I'm lacking in the self-esteem department. If I didn't know my own worth within this wild world, I woulda fallen apart long ago- so you don't need to worry about that at all Zhalla. I'll keep the offer safely in mind though, don't you think otherwise. I've never seen Arcose before either up close, it'll for sure be quite the informational trip as well if all three of us do manage to make the trip.."
As for his financial well-being, well, Dion was quite literally rich- but he never liked to flaunt or make it known, so, it was kept very much on the down low. Even then, even if those few regulars could have gotten him out of some sort of poverty or anything of that sort, Dion still valued being able to help someone through struggle and strife more than anything money could buy. So, he very simply said, "Don't be sorry- even if I needed them, you clearly need this talk more, so I wouldn't mind either way."
The bartender allowed himself a slight chuckle as Zhalla suddenly realized she was gushing once again, taking another swig from his own bourbon as she attempted to recollect her bearings. "I'd love to meet these kids of yours, now that you mention it.." Dion mentioned offhandedly as she once again brought up how this mystery man did have a kid of his own. "I hope you wouldn't mind, of course?"
Once delving into more serious topics once more though, Dions tone became somber swiftly, with him replying to Zhalla's questioning of her own hesitancy birthed from within her past, "And while that is a correct approach toward that sort of trauma- looking back on it and at the same time ensuring that you will never fall within those same footsteps once again, you are treading a dangerous line here- where you seem to be so fearful of causing that same sort of harm that you're disallowing any chance of happiness for yourself."
"...or, maybe this drink is making me dumber than usual- I don't know, but that's what it looks like to me, anyways. I completely get that you don't have a good basis to work off of either, yeah, but then again- you could always do some research on it. There's this wacky thing called the Internet, and you can basically find whatever information you want on any topic you can think of on there. Maybe search up love and do a little snooping around to try and build yourself an idea of what true, good, pure love looks like?"
When questioned as to what he meant by complete, Dion was embarrassed to find that even he wasn't sure exactly what he meant. So, he instead spoke what he felt, saying as he spoke from deep within his own hearts instinct, "I, I'm not exactly sure myself, really. But something tells me, something inside me feels that if you were to have someone like that, that, suddenly, a lot more things'll click in place for you- that things'll become, clearer, in a way, I guess?"
An embarrassed chuckle came from the slightly intoxicated Dion as he said, "S-sorry, I'm not so good at putting gut feelings of mine into words, but you'll just have to take my word for it on that one, okay?"
Thankfully, topics changed to areas wherein he could actually give an answer he was solid on, attempting to soothe Zhalla's fear of rejection as he reasoned, "If he's been around you as often as you say, then something tells me the guy's definitely feeling something at least. And even if you fail, well, it's better to have tried than to never have known at all. The pain of rejection will never be as great as the pain of regret."
"..and that, I know as fact, that is irrefutable."
His eyes looked at her in surprised as she asked to imagine himself in her shoes- as his mind immediately thought back toward Kuma, and his guts began to wring themselves out a bit.
"I-I..."
Sweating a bit, he then decided to use the last part of her question to his advantage, slowly settling back into a more relaxed persona as he instead asked as he moved his gaze back forward, saying, "I think i-it'd help a lot more if you were to talk about him more, actually, yeah. I'd much prefer you to tell me more, to be honest. Gives me a better picture of what I'm, no, what we're dealing with here."
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Post by Zhalla on May 2, 2020 9:57:38 GMT -6
"S'it always through unyielding rage as you say? Super that is? I heard it can be achieved through almost any emotion just so long as it's strong enough or somethin' like that anyway" Though she supposed for most Saiyans, rage and high anger levels were much easier to reach then any other sort of extreme emotion. She began to laugh almost directly after, grabbing onto her knees as she tried to keep herself seated as she did so- "Ppff- Can you imagine just suddenly going blonde like in the middle of a date or something- Middle of a weddin' like-" The ginger Saiyan would calm a hand into a fist and hold it to her mouth to stop herself from continuing both in laughter and on that thought though it did intrigue her on how possible it was for such a thing to happen...
"I suppose it has its uses and such, I'll keep that in mind but I'm sure I'll be fine yanno?" Fighting strength wise she was pretty comfortable with her own abilities after all, "Sadly don't think Super Saiyan really helps me out where I really need it though, huh?" Zhalla would pout slightly, if only it where that easy.
She seemed rather amused at Dion's wink and his comment that followed it, "I'll take your word on it- Though other races I'm sure all have their own amazing things, I don't reckon blonde will look good on me anyway, I'm sure we can agree there right?" She'd return his wink with a sly smile, amusing herself now too it seemed.
"Ah- My bad- I don't mean to say you're lacking self-esteem, I just don't think you should become too dependent on it either, you'll always be more then a form or hair colour" She'd shrug lightly and close her eyes for a moment to add, "Your hair as it is really suits ya anyway if you asked me, looks good as it is" While she had been all laughs and jokes before it was clear in her tone that that part was not one and was meant genuinely.
"Oh- Damn, right I've never introduced you to them yet have I? Suppose I haven't wanted to pull you away from work though too but if you wanted to meet them of course I don't mind, just let me know a time you're free for it, yeah?" Zhalla would smile at the talk about the kids and it certainly helped her smile to hear a friend wanting to meet them sometime too. "Though I must warn you some of them are a lot more rowdy then the others and they love making new friends especially with people who're my friends"
Her smile of course somewhat dropped when the topic was more serious though- "Perhaps you should let me finish that drink for you then, hm?" -and yet she still managed some light hearted tones despite it. "Maybe you have a point though, I get what you're trying to say, it just can be hard to look past the experiences you've had sometimes" She glanced aside before continuing, "That and I suppose I'm just used to putting others being unharmed before my own happiness in a lot of ways" If she had of put all her mercenary money towards just herself afterall she probably would've been living in a rather wealthy way by now but she chose instead to put it all towards looking after the kids instead.
Zhalla gave Dion a funny look before genuinely looking confused at his comment about doing some research on the 'Internet'- Though she did her best to hide the actual confusion itself before glancing aside once she felt an anxious sweat begin to build up. She didn't know what it was but he'd explained researching on it as though it was a common knowledge sort of thing so she didn't want him to know that she didn't know what it was. "The... Internet. Right." She forced a smile and made a mental note to snoop the public library once she got the chance instead. The kids had mentioned something about this Internet after having been on it at school on occasion but she hadn't been able to afford to get it for use at the shelter yet. But Dion didn't need to know about that part.
As Dion explained- or at least attempted to- what he meant by 'complete' Zhalla would push herself up on her stool and tried peering over the counter for another bottle of the drink Dion had gotten himself, hanging her head down to check under the counter itself in case it was hidden down there- Her curly hair falling down around her face as she did. "I see, I see, can't say I fully get it but maybe it'll make more sense later" Pulling her head back up and plopping herself back properly into her stool she'd look back to Dion. "I'll take ya word for it, but uh- Just where are you hidin' that stuff anyway?" She'd reach over and ruffle the bartender's hair a little before pointing to his drink. She didn't want to be rude and just take his- Though he made it tempting to do so.
While he hadn't really known how to explain the last part, what he said next stuck out to her. The part about regret specifically. "Oh... Fuck that's. That's a really good point." The saiyan would rub behind her head for a moment before looking back to her friend, "Well I hope you're right on him feeling something, I think I really needed to hear that last part though, thank you" She caught his eye though and how he stuttered in response to something she'd said in particular, "Oh- Sorry I, forget I said that, hey? You clearly understand and know what you're talking about" She tried to offer a reassuring smile but honestly just hoped she hadn't hurt him with any unwanted memories or thoughts she might not be aware about.
She looked a little startled and colour came back to her face when he directed it back to her talking about Nero instead- She deserved that- She had suggested it too so she didn't quite get why her face was flaring up but she couldn't exactly stop it. "Right- Right..." Biting her lower lip she'd spin herself around on the stool once before stopping once she faced Dion again, clearly hoping the spin would somehow shake off some of the feelings and colour she felt in her face still. No luck though! She'd just have to deal with it. "Well uhm- Right I never even told you like anything about just him did I? His name's Nero and he's got real smooth lookin' brown hair but like it's shaved on the one side cause he's got a scar there- Kinda reminds me of the Queen's haircut actually--" She'd wave her hands and shake her head, now wasn't the time to get distracted! "Anyway he's got a brain that he uses- Which will never not be attractive, am I right?" Zhalla gave Dion a gentle and rather playful elbow before continuing, "He works a couple jobs if I remember right but I know his Punchin Pancakes one the most cause it's how I met him and he's become the favourite friday special meal of choice-- I mean- Like- The pancakes they're the favourite meal not-" Scrunching up her nose and crossing her arms over her chest, Zhalla would look aside as the colour only grew darker and spread more across her face- even tinging the tips of her ears with red at this point. "Th... That's enough about him, right? Or would it help to hear more?- Not a word about this to Aurora or anyone else by the way- I'll KNOW if you spill anything, this stays between you and me" Kami forbid if he and Nero ever ran into each other after this...
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Post by Dion on May 11, 2020 19:18:32 GMT -6
The bartender was not exactly the best person to go to for advice about the Super Saiyan. He himself was still a novice within the field in comparison to others who have achieved it and who seemingly know the ins and outs of the entirety of its potential and power. It was embarrassing for him to admit such shortcomings, however, it was nothing that was too surprising to him. His entire life he hasn't necessarily been at it for the power creep, no, he's been in it for his family and for the sake of others that he's cared about- so his ignorance wasn't just birthed from out of nowhere. Perhaps gaining the mental dexterity needed in order to maintain such a focus while within such an emotionally stirring power up, as well as getting the information and background knowledge on his newfound power in order to find out exactly what was the next step from here, was the move to make. Plus, it'd most likely help up and coming Saiyan warriors also looking to obtain such a legendary status, like Russe and seemingly now Zhalla, to have someone to go to for tips and tricks of the trade. But for now, he was just a newbie, and nothing more- hopefully in the future this would change. Maybe. Probably?
He was supposed to train with Carro sometime soon, but, he hasn't exactly set a date or time, so, that was still ambiguous.
So, as Zhalla inquired as to whether or not the only way to the golden light at the end of the tunnel was through a rip and tear filled rampage, he wasn't exactly sure how to answer. In light of this, he came up with the best thing he coudl have, beginning to speak in an unsure yet still all the more steadied tone, "Well, I would hardly know, seeing as I'm a novice to it all anyways, bu-"
He was then quickly cut off by Zhalla's amusement at turning Super Saiyan in, not the best of situations- and a few chuckles and chortles came from within the bartender himself as he pictured the fantastical situations where in achieving the power of legends would not at all be appropriate. "Situations and hypotheticals like that make me further solidify the idea that it has to be rage that causes the shift into legend, not just some other silly old emotions, eheh."
Another amused chuckle came from Dion as she remarked that the golden gilded glow didn't exactly help her currently, with him muttering, "It'd definitely help you in the future though if you did achieve it, I won't lie. Plus, you seem to be selling yourself a bit short Zhalla- I'm sure you'd look, how do the Earthlings put it? Drop dead gorgeous? With that blonde yellow glow adorning your hair. Though, I'm sure you'd have better luck asking Nero though, since he's the one you're interested in, right~?"
He was helpful, but he'd be damned if he didn't tease her once or twice to get her to lighten up about it a bit. Plus, he felt as though he owed her for the small, perhaps unneeded, but appreciated pick me up when it came upon the topic of he achieving Super Saiyan- an amused grin growing onto his features as he replied, "I getcha I getcha- really, I do. Don't worry, again, I wouldn't have made it this far in life if I didn't know my own worth."
Which is, perhaps part of the reason why he hated Carro's self-destructive nature to a tee, but, that was a whole nother' can of worms for a whole nother' day.
Moving on, Dion was ecstatic to hear that he was welcome to meet and greet Zhalla's orphan children whenever he was able to- children was his one self proclaimed weakness (besides the struggles within about morality and second chances, but, he didn't like to talk about that openly just yet, nor did he want to get into a debate of morals against Carro of all people) and he loved them all to death, so this was to be a good, fun meet indeed.
"My schedules almost always open, so, I'm down to get to know the little rascals anytime! Trust me, I can handle a couple of high-tension children."
As they started to move back more toward more somber topics, Dion chuckled a bit at her offer, shaking his head as he gripped onto the bottle he had in his hand, saying as she continued to explain her thoughts on what he had said, "Definitely- and that's not an insurmountable weakness. A lot of people struggle because of their past. But the difference between those who succeed from learning from it and those who fail and end up being consumed by it, is that the people who have moved on keep what they need to. Those who are consumed are too lost within it, and end up failing to cut off the unnecessary baggage that comes with learning from our past mistakes. But I'm sure you'll learn what you need and need not keep as time goes on. Just give it time."
Sad for Zhalla, she seemingly forgot momentarily that Dion's spent his entire life learning by experience reading people- and so he caught the flash of hesitation and the already unsure tone to her words despite her best effort at a smile.
"If you need a rundown on what the internet is, I'm all too happy to oblige-! It is confusing, so, I can understand why you'd need a sort of crash course you know?"
Slightly reassured about his folly at explaining his gut feelings from the ruffling of his hair (thought slightly felt like he was being treated like a child) Dion allowed himself a small laugh, saying in a reassuring tone this time around as he spoke, "They're imported right from the motherland- Vegeta itself. Only for me though, and for other people with the alcohol resistance of a Saiyan, seeing as I don't want a death on my property, eheh."
He felt even better as Zhalla began to slightly praise his ability and reasoning behind his madness- but still felt the need to encourage his friend's chances as he said, "You're all good Zhalla- Hell, I didn't expect myself to get it either. But I'll be damned if I didn't truly think you two had a shot together, and that's fact. Drunk, or not."
In another situation, Dion would have laughed at the fact that he was able to turn the tables so easily onto her when talking about Nero. However, right now he was just thankful that she was off of the trail into his decrepit love-life. He found it incredibly endearing as she struggled to talk about this man that had her by the finger- it sort of reminded him of a high schooler confessing to one of her girlfriends that she had a crush on the most popular boy in school.
..Which he only knew about from Earthling sitcoms. Uneducated, remember?
Winking at her when she mentioned brainy being the new sort of sexy, wincing when she mentioned a scar down the length of his face, and downright laughing at her bumble of words when it came to him being a complete snacc- Dion patted her on the shoulder, saying in the most genuine voice he could muster,
"If I were you, I'd go after him, and let him know he's mine- as if he's as great as you say he is, I wouldn't want him belonging to no one else but me."
...only to right afterwards say, "No need to be embarrassed- I'm sure he's a complete snacc in your eyes, eheheh. Dontcha worry, this stays between us- I'm not that much of an ass, am I?"
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Post by Zhalla on May 11, 2020 20:48:40 GMT -6
When Dion explained that he wouldn't really know the answer on if Super was only achieved through rage or not, since he himself was only still new to it she would give an understanding nod. "Of course, of course- Suppose I should save these kinds of questionings for a later date, huh?" She was glad to get a chuckle out of him though shortly afterwards. "Hey you never know! Maybe it's possible- Maybe not as easy as the rage triggered one but maybe we'll see more caused by other means later on down the line?" Zhalla eventually shrugged, it wasn't something she knew to answer to yet either.
"Alright, alright, we'll see about that, huh?" The ginger saiyan seemed a little amused at his response overall though, "What, you mean to tell me I'm not already that?" She'd give a light laugh shortly after though- Before looking a little flushed at the part about asking Nero. "Nooooot a chance Dion... But yes he's the one I'm- Hhg" She'd huff lightly, crossing her arms over her chest.
"Well you have my number right? We could either set aside a time now or you could just message whenever you wanna drop by really, I don't mind" She smiled at the fact that her friend even wanted to come and see the kids though, "Thank you though-- for real, Dion. It'll mean the world to them, you know?" They had been so ecstatic when Nero came over the first time and every time after that as well. "Speaking of schedules though-" Zhalla would pinch the bridge of her nose in a strained sort of way. "Mine is more open now too but not in a good way-- I used to work in a group but the leader did some things I just couldn't stand by him on, so I left" Sighing lightly she'd continue; "Which leaves me with no work at the moment as much as I hate to admit that- You seem pretty business savvy though do you know of any places that're open in that way by any chance?" Asking for help in any sort of way made her skin crawl but it was for the kids sake more then her's, so she could swallow that feeling for now.
On the topic of struggling with the past she seemed to nod in an understanding sort of way- What he had said did make sense afterall. She knew of a number of people who'd been far too lost in their past afterall and she knew she didn't want to become one of them. "I'd for sure like to avoid becoming lost in it, I'll keep that in mind, thanks Dion" Sometimes a bit of time was all it took too, she just had to let that time come to pass.
When it came to the part about the internet Zhalla would laugh anxiously and rub behind her head for a moment, damn, he caught onto all that huh? "Suppose I oughta know better then to hide body language from a friend who's a bartender, huh? Literally part of your job to read people's behaviour half the time, innit?" Though of course that didn't really favour her here. "Yeah uh. If I'm honest I'm even more of a street kid then the kids in my care are, I'd never even seen a movie till I went out with Nero that one night and all..." She frowned lightly though seemingly upset in a way at her lack of knowledge on such things that most would deem common knowledge.
"Oh really? Damn man I haven't been back to Vegeta ever since I left it as a child" She laughed lightly shortly after though, "Only for the boss himself, huh? That's pretty cheeky-- Fair point on that last part though" Though as she slumped back down into her stool and took a moment to fit herself into it right-- She'd then add. "I mean, I have that resistance, I am a Saiyan too afterall, I want what you're havin'~!"
"No one really expects to get to where they end up at huh- Though honestly it's hard to imagine you not in the position you're in now- Hell I wouldn't want any other as my bartender now, knowing you and all" She'd give him smile accompanied by a wink but she really did mean what she said as well. Though at the part about her and Nero having a shot at being together she'd look away and brush some of her messy curls back out of her face in the process. "Well I trust your judgement and such so-- I'll keep that in mind"
Talking about Nero the way she was doing and so openly to someone she trusted felt... Very relieving in a way she couldn't explain. It was like a weight was off her shoulders that she hadn't even noticed was there in the first place knowing her friend knew something she had been keeping down for a while now. She snapped out of her thoughts quick-smart though once she was being patted on the shoulder. "Oh--" Zhalla would put one hand over her forehead in a way that semi covered her face as she felt warmth coming to it again. "I dunno I like. I don't wanna be possessive or anything I just-" She'd move her hand to cover just above the nose instead as she looked aside after Dion's 'snacc' comment- Trying both not to laugh at herself and to not go redder in the face then she already was.
"Oh I dunno about that Dion" She'd manage a grin at the other Saiyan at his last question, putting a hand to her chin in thought for a moment, "Just teasing of course you're not" That was genuine too as much as it'd be fun to tease him further on the matter. "But uh, you know if I'm honest" Zhalla would bring up her knee's a little as she let her legs swing in the space between the stool and the bar counter before mumbling, "I dunno what to really like... Do once I tell him-- Or what to do if he does share the same feelings. I know there's activities to do as partners but I've never even seen most demonstrated let alone know how they work myself- Like dancing? How's that shit work with a partner? I dunno, that probably seems stupid to not know, doesn't it? It seems like other people have it so worked out and I haven't got a single clue"
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