POWER LEVEL
356,511
Tech Points
47/88
Forms
Enhanced Being [x39]
Zeni
92,117
Bio-Android
|
Apr 4, 2023 16:27:39 GMT -5
Post by Ayu on Apr 4, 2023 16:27:39 GMT -5
If someone would ever suggest to Ayu a weekend trip to Hell, she would most likely decline this opportunity. Living on Earth was already hard enough... One thing was that the knowledge about both Heaven and Hell was pretty confusing - other planes of existence, resurrection, ruler of the afterlife... That was a lot to take in. The other reason against that trip was that there were many other productive ideas for her free time. Meditating. Learning control. Studying. Reading. Learning some more control. Meditating again. Wake up the next morning and repeat, over, over and over again. Her daily life wasn't mundane but there were moments when Ayu started to reflect on the effectiveness of her training. Her control wasn't getting any better, though her state could be blamed on the events that happened recently. It was hard to focus with a lack of sleep and appetite... And without Dende's healing technique which was getting rid of the pressure pent up in her body, Ayu won't be able to stay away from the Lookout for too long. Maybe a week at best. A little more with some luck. Two to three days if the fortune would be in a bad mood.
It was reckless and stupid to venture into a place she knew nothing about... She was a fool to attempt to visit Hell, knowing very well that she could get attacked on her way, and that Liari had every right to turn around as soon as she saw her. If she could find her in time, that is... Because that won't be easy to find one soul in a place where the wickedness of the whole universe is sent. But... There was some weird comfort in the thought that Ayu was doing something impulsive and thoughtless, even if it sounded weird. She knew that she'd probably be scolded later - by Dende, maybe, by Callion, by Calot if she gets back in a rough shape - and yet it wasn't about that. It wasn't about her at all.
Ayu asked Calot to look after the kids on the Lookout. He didn't seem to be pleased with her choice but in the end, he agreed to take care of her little trio. She did tell him where the old ship with the Gravitron was so he could train there... Knowing that he was eager to get back in shape after waking up, it seemed to be a welcomed idea. Before leaving the place, she also apologized to Dende and Mr. Popo for going against their wishes and leaving for this trip to Hell. The Earth still had many defenders and it's not like Ayu was a warrior but she could see the uneasiness in their eyes. Dende mentioned that there was no reason for her to feel sorry if that was what her heart was telling her to do... So Ayu hugged him, promising that she'd be back soon. She grabbed a brown travel cloak, put on a pair of better shoes, and left the living world. Quite literally.
Remembering what Zerori told her once on Mount Paozu, she reached out asking if it was still possible to visit this uninviting place... The Hell itself. After all, her friend was part demon, she admitted that she possessed the ability to travel to Hell and back if she so desired. Ayu didn't want to pressure Zerori. It felt selfish to ask her for help simply to have the opportunity of meeting Bluebell once more... And yet it wasn't frowned upon. The Saiyaness too knew Liari and it didn't take long for her to agree to take Ayu along. That surprised her - but given the details of what happened in North City, she understood why she was preparing for that trip in the first place. It seemed that Ayu wasn't the only one looking for a way to reach the abyss. And she wasn't alone in her search for a deceased loved one.
They reached Hell through a special portal made by Zerori... And they split up right after. Ayu slipped away from the other two, telling them that she needs to find Liari on her own - they had something important to do on their end. Just in case she set a telepathic link, the ability that allowed them to send messages through thoughts to each other if anyone would be lost or in danger. There was no confirmation of how useful or useless it could be here in Hell but that was the least she could do. She didn't feel right asking them to help her in search of Liari - looking for Zaks's daughter was a matter of peace and relationship between Earth and Vegeta. It was important but she knew that Zerori was the right person to help the Queen maneuver through the hellish landscape. And Ayu should be strong enough to manage on her own here... After all, her power level was higher and she could create food if she needed it, so she should be fine.
And so Ayu was on her own. Maybe it wasn't a part of her plan and it was a tad bit impulsive - but she decided that this was a thing she needed to do alone.
It has been... Two days now? With her energy sealed and hooded cloak wrapped around her shoulders, Ayu was cautiously wandering through Hell. That was quite the ordeal for someone who could not fly but she managed so far. Hell wasn't as hellish as she thought it would be - there was no scent of sulfur and tar pits anywhere but she found some ever-burning places full of flames and embers. It wasn't the only view here. After a while, she found a different area. The ground there was dry in most places, full of unusual rock formations that looked like horns or crooked cones pointing from the soil. At one point she saw a tall cliff with a jagged edge that seemed to be as sharp as broken glass. Balls spiked with needle-like points were scattered through the land, each of those was the size of a skyscraper. A while ago Ayu passed by some trees but the way they looked made her uneasy. Fresh, green plants mixed with dried, dying old trunks of withering oaks... The sky was yellow-pink and bright and it didn't seem that nightfall could come. Or was it just her, not noticing that? Was the time in Hell flowing at a different pace than on Earth? Or maybe Ayu was the one turning mad from exposure to the negative energy running through the place...
There were so many wicked souls here just waiting to pick a fight. She had to be very careful about where she went, trying to stay out of sight of most curious eyes. Luckily for her, she could outrun the majority of the hostile spirits or hide in her Energy Barrier waiting until they would pass. Those most ferocious possessed a body that she could more or less easily put to sleep, giving her time to leave and gain some distance - but that wasn't a fair or pleasant ordeal. This is hell, this was literally Hell... What else was she expecting?
The whole trip was wearing her out but Ayu wasn't ready to give up just yet. Her clothes might have been ripped here and there, and she might have tripped more than once, and dusting her cloak didn't help to get rid of the smears... But that was nothing. It wasn't the best place to be clumsy but never mind that. Her heart was beating steadily and despite the slight headache in the back of her skull, it wasn't that bad. She was ready to stop and call Zerori, asking to be sent back to Earth if things would turn dire - but she felt that she could keep on going for longer. After all, she was tough enough to withstand some tiredness and pressure here. She had to. There was no need for backing away, not until she did what she intended to do here... Or she won't be able to walk anymore.
It's been hours since she left the forest area. Following the paved road, Ayu reached another location more bizarre than the previous one. Her soundless steps guided her through the mountain that was adorned with rather non-traditional needle formations. The black soil and surface of the rocks reflected the light, there was a faint breeze playing with the cloak that she wrapped around herself tightly. Hell was supposed to be hot or freezing cold? Ugh. Whatever the temperature was she couldn't exactly tell but Ayu surely didn't like it. Glancing cautiously to the sides, she made sure that no one was around. Being in Otherworld was confusing to her senses - how could she feel the energy of a person that was dead? There were demons scattered here and there, alright... But deceased? How is she going to find Bluebell at this point... Illusions to eyes and wind mimicking the sound of familiar voices were something she experienced before in this place. The only thing she could do was to push forward. Luckily, she could guess that she was alone in this area.
With a deep exhale, Ayu's gaze was now aimed at the sky. It was Hell but the color was so beautiful she could look at it for hours. Weird... She rubbed her cheek, walking down from the mountain's side toward the friendlier area in the distance. There was... Another forest and cliff there? Or maybe she has been walking in circles all this time - that gave her a cold shiver running mockingly through her back. If she did not make any progress here then that would mean-
Ayu shook her head and patted her cheeks with force so great they started to burn. It sobered her up. There was no point in losing her mind - the whole place was giving her chills, and Hell was toying with her thoughts and senses. She could sense it, the dark, ominous area spreading through the fiber of everything around her, even the tiniest speckle of dust possessed something unpleasant within it. Maybe not hostile but... Uncomfortable. She couldn't dare think what all the souls here were experiencing... Focus. Ayu had to stay focused. Raising her legs high with every step, because they were falling ankle-deep in the black sound, Ayu continued to descend from this uneven ground. There be times to rest and overthink later.
For now, she had to push forward.
Power Level - 300,900| 0 (Seal technique) Word Count - 1,755
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|
POWER LEVEL
354,508
Tech Points
28/75
Forms
Epic Majin [x34]
Zeni
23,106
Majin
|
Apr 4, 2023 19:43:03 GMT -5
Post by Majin Liari on Apr 4, 2023 19:43:03 GMT -5
(Learning all 3 ranks of Dimensional Sword Slash)
...When Liari woke up... That horrible Demon, Janemba, was nowhere to be seen. She couldn't even sense his TWISTED energy anywhere nearby so... Was he gone...? Well and truly gone...? She didn't need his cold, icy voice in her head to remind her how foolish-a-wish that was. He had promised her another level to this training of his... and she really doubted he was going to let her go after such a proclamation. This was either a twisted trick of his... or he was giving her a chance to gather herself before throwing her back on the grindstone. Whatever his reasons were... Liari had to go...
She had to find a way OUT of this place! She didn't know how the demons did it... Even with this teleportation technique, trying to open a doorway to somewhere familiar like... EARTH... almost tore her to pieces! Just APPROACHING the portal made her mind fuzzy and weak, almost as if it was being rent from the body Janemba had cobbled together for her! She felt it all PULL UP AND OUT of her towards the halo that rested over her head, almost as if it were her shackle informing the Majin that she couldn't leave yet. ...IF she could remember any of the curses her previous absorptions knew... she would have spat them out in a visceral discharge. She was so tired... She wanted a BED to sleep in... She wanted to feel safe again... She wanted... She wanted Ayu...
How childish, a part of her chastised. After everything she said and did, what made her think Ayu wanted anything to do with her anymore? Liari was a monster. A FREAK. She let everyone down and RELISHED in it. She loved the high those saiyans and changelings gave her when she threatened someone, when she KNEW her power dwarfed. She cared NOTHING for humanity or the little cardboard buildings they lived in, only for her next fight. Life was simple... EXHILERATING... and empty. Without those beings inside of her, Liari felt... nothing... empty like a shirt stretched to its limits before being draped over its owner again. Void spaces polluted Liari's mind where those that she had absorbed had once been, cotton pressed against her brain where thoughts, opinions, strategies and INTELLIGENCE once supplemented her own! Most of all, though... Liari felt alone... So alone. In this void of torture the little blue girl felt like she was only ONE FIFTH of the majin she used to be... emptied out except for the original residue left behind...
...But she couldn't just quit. Everything, ALL OF THIS would have been for nothing if she just laid down here and DIED... again. She had to find a way out of this place... She VOWED it to herself to find a way out! She had to... She had to find Ayu and... Terra...
Liari's bloodshot, drooping eyes SHOT OPEN! Oh Kami, TERRA! In her haze of boredom, rage and frustration while she was alive, she had forgotten ALL ABOUT her little girl! Her little Terra... Her sweet strawberry baby... The little blue majin, even reduced to this... child-like body, wanted nothing more than to hold her daughter in her arms again, to let her know how much she LOVED HER... Even reduced to this, Liari felt nothing but LOVE when she thought of her little girl, that piece of her that represented her sweetness, her kindness and trust... and Liari had no doubt SHATTERED IT ALL with her actions! Tears rolled down Liari's face, mixing with the hellish grime caking her face and breastplate as it fell. Terra probably hated her now... She could just see it. Terra waking up everyday to a home without her momma... and the stories of what happened at South city.
The tears flowed harder as Liari remembered WHY she had absorbed Callion and Kombu in the first place. She had thought she was keeping them alive inside of her... saving them... but... in the end... She had only grew worse with them inside of her. Their bodies controlled hers rather than the other way around, their blood... Saiyan hunger mixing with her natural wildness... It all went to shambles. Good intentions... to always started with those. Liari wanted to be Quash's friend... she killed him... and mangled his mind right up until the end... She wanted to be Ayu's little sister, to be the one she doted on and who Liari helped in return... instead, she carelessly broke her heart over and over again.
"Hate myself..." Liari muttered, stumbling through the hellish landscape, her fingers clutching at her chest beneath her breastplate. It hurt... It hurt so much there... As if her heart were being petrified into stone one chunk at a time... Her mind spat upon her insults that would've made her cry in the days following her first awakening, beating into herself how much of a FAILURE she was.
Stay dead. Nobody loves you. Monster. Everyone is better off.
"Hate myself..." She muttered again, trying in vain to stop the flow of tears by wiping them off her face. More came, leaving a trail of salty splatters where she cast them aside. What a fool she was, thinking she deserved Ayu's love in the first place. Who was SHE, this... BEAST, eating her friends, telling herself it was for the greater good, to ask that innocent little sprig to be HER family!? WHERE DID SHE GET OFF THINKING THAT SHE SOMEHOW DESERVED AYU'S KINDNESS!? Bah. Maybe it was better if she stayed down here. It'd be just what she deserved after what she did... all those peop-
Liari's head SNAPPED up as a vague... but familiar power touched her senses! It... was gentle... Anxious and uncertain, perhaps but... gentle and...
"Ayu..." Liari whispered... "But... But how...? She's not..." Dead? Evil? A Monster? How did she end up here, where all the demons go? Something must have happened. Something WRONG. Liari, her lower lip trembling, began to fade away into cubes where she stood, appearing just behind the green-skinned girl, her body aglow with some kind of energy barrier! The majin broke down at the sight of her adopted older sister, tears flooding down her cheeks as she dropped down to her knees, her body finally giving away to the weakness the cyclone of emotion inside stirred up...
"Ayu..." She whispered through her sobs, weakily wiping at her cheeks with her wrists. "...It you..."
WC: 1075
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POWER LEVEL
356,511
Tech Points
47/88
Forms
Enhanced Being [x39]
Zeni
92,117
Bio-Android
|
Apr 6, 2023 16:21:32 GMT -5
Post by Ayu on Apr 6, 2023 16:21:32 GMT -5
The black desert-like space full of spiky rock formations was something out of a fairy tale. To be honest every place she visited so far reminded her of something that she could have read to Terra as a bedtime story. Dead forests, crystal walls, cliffs reaching clouds, yellow and pink sky... But it still was The Hell. Quite a dark fairy tale those places were but thanks to the variety of the environments Ayu was able to tell how much of the area she has covered already. Hoping that she wasn't actually walking in circles, Ayu wondered how far she has gone since she left Zerori and Zaks. It has been two days but who knows if the time and space in this place worked the same way it does in the living world? She hoped that the two of them were doing okay. She hoped that they had better luck than she did...
Ayu continued her journey stopping only sometimes to get some needed rest. This sand under her feet was dreadful - it wasn't a case of quicksands - but she was moving slowly when walking through this area. Maybe she should jump from one spike to another? But one careless move and things could get bloody. Using vines to get out of this place quickly seemed a better idea but for a certain reason Ayu was concealing her presence. Getting spotted by angry souls was something she tried to avoid by staying out of sight but if there was someone powerful enough to sense Ki... She couldn't allow herself to waste time needlessly endangering herself. Staying low was also needed to find Liari - if she would leave the area once she sensed Ayu she might never be able to find her. As much as she wanted to stay here until she'd be able to meet the blue Majin, cruel fate decided that she had limited time. It wasn't that bad yet the pressure very gradually was rising within Ayu's chest reminding her that the clock was ticking.
One step at a time. One, two, three, fou- oh great, she almost tripped. It didn't matter how strong she was, she still was clumsy. Stretching her arms to the sides she caught her balance but Ayu realized that she was stuck. Her left leg fell deep into the black sand right above her knee and she wasn't able to pull it out... Now she was half-kneeling on the ground, trying to wriggle her way out to freedom. Scratching her cheek she sighed, trying to free herself from the sandy pit but to no avail. These things still were happening to her - they weren't easy to outgrow - just like anxiety, huh? It was risky but she decided to quickly use her power. Her energy raised just slightly, enough for Ayu to make a plant appear right under the sole of her shoe. The roots that she created under her foot dug effortlessly through the loose soil and pushed her up, and finally, she was able to pull her leg out of this trap. Flying was a handy ability... Ayu made a mental note to try learning it once more when she'd return home. Right as she freed herself her energy was concealed again. Hopefully, no one would spot her presence here, in this black, empty desert.
And yet, someone did.
Maybe she felt it sooner than she heard a voice behind her. A very subtle change in the air created a shiver that blew cold breath on the back of her neck. The presence behind Ayu appeared without a warning, without a sound, and devoid of hostility but it was still enough to make her stomach drop. The pressure was... Odd. Instead of crushing waves of detestation, it was a very uneasy feeling of pain. A mosaic of emotions she couldn't quite grasp but her heart started to ache all over again. Even before she was able to grasp a good sense of the energy, now somewhat bleak and distant, Ayu knew the identity of the lost soul staring at her back. She didn't hesitate. Her hand was by her cheek when she turned around, pulling the hood away from her weary face. She wanted to look at Liari without her eyes running away. It was hard to do but she had to - when Ayu would meet her in Hell, she owed Bluebell as much as not to hide anymore, to face what she feared calmly and talk to her and-
... The Liari she saw now wasn't something she expected to see.
No.
Not at all.
Suspecting that all the hate and resentment the blue Majin was holding against her deep in her soul would be the main obstacle to reaching her... Ayu was shocked. Her eyes widened when she was gazing at the tiny, short silhouette kneeling in black sound in front of her. She did imagine that their meeting would start not with tears but with clashing fists. With sharp glares and even sharper, fierce words. As cruel as it sounded, Ayu was ready for that - it might have been something she deserved. It wouldn't be surprising if she'd have something thrown at her face, and fighting with tall and intimidating Liari would be a battle she never wished for... But so be it - if that was what Bluebell needed, she would fight. Pity, that she was only making that decision because of this place and their circumstances... Ayu was even bracing herself for a clash to death if putting her life on the line would be the only way to get through to her little sister - because there was something she wanted to know. That's why she was here, in Hell. She expected offenses, glares, grudges, Liari attacking her, ignoring her, or straight up leaving, not wanting to look in her direction anymore. And that would be understandable and there be no way Ayu could have anyone other to blame than herself for Liari's state.
And yet... Never she could envision seeing her again in her smaller form, looking like a child lost in a cruel world, bawling her eyes out so bitterly. A tiny blue Majin girl was on her knees. The cornflower blue hue of her body seemed to turn into a more greyish color... She seemed thinner, weaker, and worn out, her tears only enhanced this impression. It hasn't been long since she died - just what has happened to her? What was the cause of this... Where did her previous form go? There was no mistaking that she was real... Right? Liari was there, right in front of her and it wasn't an illusion, was it..?
It took Ayu a second to realize that it wasn't Hell's new attempt at playing with her senses. It was a second that was no longer than a single heartbeat but felt like an eternity - her eyes watered and completely astounded she dropped her hands.
She rushed to her as if her body was pushed forward by the relief, her arms reaching out to Liari... Maybe it was that wrecked sand, maybe it was the edge of her cloak, or simply strength left her too, but Ayu's legs gave in. One step in front of Liari she fell to her knees, pulling her into her arms as they both ended up on the ground. Despite shivering her hands were closing her in a secure embrace - like she was a fragile thing that could break at any moment not because she held her too strongly but because the hug wasn't tight enough. Ayu cradled Liari's head against her shoulder, hiding her wet from tears face in blue tentacles. Nuzzling her cheek against the tip of her head she didn't even try to hide how her arms were shaking from the sob that was tearing her heart. Ever since South City, she could only shed a tear or two, not being able to earnestly cry... It felt like she wasn't able to or like she didn't deserve to, or like a piercing shame inside was stopping her. Now? Nothing was blocking the honest tears full of relief, love, and pain. It really was Liari... Her mouth opened but there was no sound other than sobbing and an indistinct murmur.
"-ve you..."
She wasn't letting go.
For so long Ayu was thinking about what she was going to say. About how to phrase her words to reach Liari, how to express everything she wanted to convey, and how to make sure that she would answer her questions. It took her a long time to think. She still wasn't so sure about it... She wanted to be calm, to reason with Majin, make amends if necessary... But it all simply lost its meaning when her voice was strong enough and she started to speak without thinking, tightening her embrace as if still fearing that Liari was going to break away from her arms and disappear. Not yet, if she has to go that would be fine with her just... Not yet. Hot tears were slipping from her closed eyes, gathering the dust that the wind placed on her cheeks.
"You were right, I am a coward. I'm sorry," Ayu said softly with a voice frail from the abundance of tears. Despite the calmness and composure that her tone possessed, all the emotions were there too - the happiness of seeing her again. Pain, worry, and shame piled up in her soul through the last weeks. Oh, and the regret... "Back then I was so scared of losing you that I hurt you. I-I didn't mean to do that but I said some awful things..." Her fingers shivered and Ayu's expression turned sorrowful, the sad, tearful smile wasn't leaving her face. "I know that I have been losing you for some time now and I didn't know what to do. I panicked and I..." Her voice cracked gently and taking a deep, shaking breath, she slowly exhaled the air from her chest, feeling the heaviness there only growing. "... I selfishly didn't want you to die."
But... That was only her. The need to fight, the burning desire that would either be released by flames or would swallow Liari from within, was something that Ayu couldn't understand. Though not understanding didn't mean that she was unable to do anything - and yet she didn't. Partially, she couldn't, too scared that releasing her energy would kill Liari if she would ever attempt to spar with her, she was struggling to control that plant-based power of hers. If she would hurt anyone again, Ayu wouldn't be able to forgive herself... Yet it didn't indicate much compared to what happened. The drive that pushed the Majin to recklessness and losing her life was greater than any other emotion or need. She was ready to put everything into that desire. That was her choice... It was stronger than her feelings for her daughter. Than Ayu. Maybe she wasn't as important as she thought and... That was okay too. In the first place, she wasn't able to lift the pressure from Bluebell, to help her quench that thirst for battle.
The sharp words she kept hearing in her dreams lately were backed up by that hateful, burning glare that echoed through her head once more - here, in Hell. I don't care. I don't care.
Her embrace grew softer when Ayu leaned back.
"I never realized that you resented me so much..." she lowered her voice in shame, gently letting go of Liari. One of her hands was still supporting her back, keeping blue Majin close enough but she wasn't going to stop her if she'd try to move away. It didn't feel right to do that now... Even if she wasn't ready to let her go. "I thought that... Caring and loving would be enough when it wasn't," her other hand reached to Liari's face, stroking her cheek gently and wiping tears from her small, blue face. Ayu's sad smile turned bittersweet. "But I know now that even if you love someone if it doesn't give them strength or comfort, it's no different than doing nothing," she admitted, her gesture stopping when her hand curled into a trembling fist. She pressed it against her chest. "I should have listened to you better. I should have been more helpful when you were struggling with your instincts, I-I..." The gentle and heartbroken tone stopped abruptly. Changing the past was impossible at this point and what Ayu said and had done was forever written there. Whether she liked it or not.
"I'm sorry. It's f-fine if you curse me or hate me..." After a moment she spoke up again. "I wasn't the best older sister, was I..?" Ayu's tears weren't even as half as bitter as her words when she said that with loathing poking up from her soft voice.
Liari wasn't the only one who was growing self-hate inside her.
Power Level - 300,900| 0 (Seal technique) Word Count - 2,155 Total Word Count - 3,910
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POWER LEVEL
354,508
Tech Points
28/75
Forms
Epic Majin [x34]
Zeni
23,106
Majin
|
Apr 8, 2023 13:59:05 GMT -5
Post by Majin Liari on Apr 8, 2023 13:59:05 GMT -5
Liari didn't know what Ayu would do once she saw her there, weak and vulnerable... but she knew what SHE would've done if she were in Ayu's position. It wouldn't have taken long to find out if Liari could've died AGAIN after getting this giant golden disk over her head, to see if she could put down the monster that obliterated EVERYTHING she stood against. ...It would've been easy too, after how cruelly Liari had cut off connections in her battle-hungry fury. ...Liari would've been smart to just stay away, chalk up Ayu's energy signature from a trick to Janemba and resign herself to her new... "life." At least that way, though miserable, she would still exist, able to plot her way out of this twisted dimension, ESCAPE the grip Death had over her soul, and RETURN TO EARTH TO... do what, exactly? Whatever malice Liari had inside for those that killed her didn't compare that what she felt with those changelings and saiyans inside her. If anything... she felt regret and exhaustion. She never wanted to be... whatever THAT was. All she wanted to do was save Callion and Kombu... All she wanted was to preserve their lives and... things just spiraled out of control. She supposed it was true what those adults said about hell and good intentions... because that was where she now resided.
...And where she would meet her fate. Liari knelt before Ayu like a pitiful little child before their (rightfully) indignant parent, too afraid to run... and knowing how useless it was to try. Ayu's power now dwarfed hers... EVEN without it fully being out there! The majin was pathetic and weak, but tough enough to have fun with if Ayu's rage ran that deep. As the Bio-android turned to face her, Liari waited for her penance to come. A Punch, a slap, a kick... anything. Perhaps everything. Liari deserved it, after all, and there was no getting around that. If there was anyone that deserved to punish her for what she did... it was Janemba. Heck, it wasn't even QUASH. It was the woman who raised, her, loved her, did her best to make sure Liari was ready for the world. It was Ayu who deserved vengeance.
So it was much to Liari's surprise when Ayu LUNGED at the majin, taking her into her arms and squeezing her as tightly as she could! Liari's eyes shot WIDE, her trembling jaw dropping as Ayu embraced her.
"W...why...?" She croaked through her sobs... and Ayu didn't answer right away. She trembled, holding Liari tighter as the majin felt hot, salty droplets drip onto her cheek and shoulder... Ayu's tears. Liari's heart snapped in two... and crumbled to dust right there, breaking down into a completely hopeless wreck of sobs. She CLUNG to Ayu as if she were the only real thing in the universe, burying her face in her shoulder which quickly was stained dark with the downpour of tears!
"Ayu..." Liari moaned, her face flashing a deeper shade of blue from the blush of her cry. "...Ayuuuu..." Her older sibling uttered something Liari didn't quite catch... but it didn't matter... Nothing mattered. Nothing but this horrible, ugly moment of reconciliation. Out of everything Liari had EVER felt... From Athren punching her head off, to Janemba rending her apart on a dimensional level, nothing hurt quite as much as seeing Ayu cry... REALLY cry... Nothing hurt as much as knowing that one of the few people you love came to Hell, the WORST PLACE IN THE UNIVERSE just to see you, to show they still LOVE YOU... even after you broke their heart. Nothing would EVER hurt that much again. No matter WHAT it was, Liari was sure.
"Ayu..." Liari whimpered... and this time, she spoke. Ayu... agreed with the previous version of Liari, that she WAS a coward. She was scared of so much and... in the end, she was most fearful of losing her to death. Liari's eyes shot wide again, her body nearly falling limp in shock within Ayu's grasp. Even still...? Even still she felt that way? Why...? Like... How COULD SHE!? How could anyone love her anymore...? Nobody could... Nobody... She... How could they if Liari didn't even love herself...?
Fresher tears flooded Liari's eyes to join the fresh ones as Ayu pulled back a bit, locking eyes with the majin as she admitted to never realizing how much Liari hated her. She should have known better... DONE MORE! She should've listened and changed... or at least, that's what she said.
"Ayu..." Liari whispered, her throat choking up on her. Ayu would then assure her that it was okay if she still hated her, that she wasn't the best sister in the world, was she...? The heart-dust inside Liari's chest split into even smaller fragments. Liari felt as if she were going to melt away... Melt away and DIE... again. She was so horrible, Liari... She did this, turned her loving, beautiful, sweet sister into someone who hated HERSELF... more than she hated Liari. Kami-above, what new hell was this, knowing down to the core of her soul how responsible she was for this...? For the longest time, Liari said nothing, her tear-soaked eyes locked onto Ayu's with nothing but sheer emotional agony and regret shared with her.
...But even that was selfish, wasn't it?
She still wasn't considering Ayu's feelings as much as she should... She STILL was wallowing in her OWN self-pity rather than addressing Ayu's! She STILL was causing her pain by sitting here and letting her SAY these things... believe them! ...It was one thing to cause these wounds... it was another to let them fester. Liari decided, finally, to do something... to make a move to define herself as someone she could, at the very least, learn to live with.
Liari would raise a pair of trembling hands up to cup Ayu's face, her little blue thumbs wiping away the tears as they came. slowly, she would lean her head in, gently pressing her forehead against Ayu's, holding her close... The majin sniffled softly, her own tears still running hot down her cheeks, her silver eyes flickering between silver... and a soft, warm red.
"I sorry..." She croaked, her voice throat still not letting up on her. "...I so sorry... I bad... I do bad things..."
WC: 1064 TWC: 2139
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POWER LEVEL
356,511
Tech Points
47/88
Forms
Enhanced Being [x39]
Zeni
92,117
Bio-Android
|
Apr 10, 2023 13:45:04 GMT -5
Post by Ayu on Apr 10, 2023 13:45:04 GMT -5
In the need to speak out about everything that was heavily weighing on her chest, Ayu nearly forgot one thing. That the little, blue Liari that was in her arms wasn't the same as the one that she last talked to just before she met her death. She poured her heart out not fully realizing that the Majin here was back to her first form - with everything that she got from the people she absorbed gone. Even her energy told her that. She was aware yet it didn't click in her mind before she heard her speaking her name. Her power, her abilities, and her nature were not the same, turning her back in time to the day when they met on the wasteland for the first time, sharing snacks and lemonade. Ayu must have sounded weird with all those phrases that she thought she would be speaking to a different version of Liari... Her eyes softened when she realized her mistake.
Placing her hands on hers, Ayu embraced her fingers, leaning down to rest her forehead against Liari's head, and closing her eyes. How could she feel the warmth of a dead person? Huh, that was a question for later... Her vision was already blurry with tears and she was close to beginning to sob again but no. She couldn't. Ayu took a slow breath, calming down her beating heart. If she was the older sister here, despite what wrongs she had done and all the apologizing she did, there was no point in hurting Liari more by being heartbroken and letting it all out in front of her. If Majin's life is going to be a constant storm of everchanging forms, whims, or needs... Let at least Ayu be the constant in the midst of it all.
The low, small voice of a little girl was breaking her heart more than she could have imagined. To see Liari here deprived of what has previously been a part of her, of her pride and warrior mentality - to force her again child-like mind to face the things she had done while she was almost a different person... She was already here, in Hell. And all she could do was apologize with tears, not even trying to look for excuses because how could she? The weight was already on her shoulders and as she said herself, she did bad things. Ayu couldn't deny it... And yet, she couldn't confirm it. That statement was true and yet it wasn't. Fate and reason were entangled so much, it was almost comical to see that everything went through the worst way possible. But still, she couldn't bring herself to blame her for anything. A broken, small kid that was first taken advantage of and then fell into a trap made of impulses that weren't her own...
"You're not a monster, Bluebell," she finally said something that she felt was the most important right now. Ayu opened her eyes and smiled warmly through the tears, stroking Liari's cheek with honest affection. On the surface world, no matter if she'd be back or not, the Majin will be known as an enemy, a villain, hated and despised... And as much Ayu's heart was being torn to shreds at this thought, it was Liari who would be forever aware of the consequences of her actions. Actions that were born simply because of her race's ability to soak in the others' characteristics - both positive and those traits one could be ashamed of... They accumulated, festered, and piled up on the original character of her little sister. "You're not," she repeated in a gentle, reassuring voice. And although Ayu loved and cared about Liari in every form she was, the more people she absorbed the harder it was for the Majin to control those instincts... Ayu never feared her younger sister - she feared her actions.
Now, she was here, in the pits of Hell for a reason. For something she didn't do when she should have, and yet it still wasn't too late to talk to Liari about it. Because too late would be only when she would stop trying, turning her back on a person whose only fault was the nature of her race. Ayu knew very well that they couldn't choose who or what they were... Or even how they were made.
"You are so brave Sweetie," she squeezed her hand gently. "I know it must have been hard and you felt alone. You struggled so much..." Ayu patted Liari's head, her fingers stroking her blue tentacles slowly, their foreheads still pressed against each other. "You know that I could never hate you, right..?" A heartfelt, but not without tears, smile lightly curled the corners of her lips. "I love you very much. You are my family," a well-known warm sensation on her face made Ayu close her eyes for a second, so only two tears would roll down her cheeks. It wasn't the right time to break down crying, now. She had something to do. "I came here to find you and talk with you... Because I would like to know everything I don't," she explained, Ayu's tone still gentle and kind but now firm in this determined way that gave her just enough strength to venture into the depths of Hell with her head raised high. With one hand on Liari's head, and the other holding her fingers gently, Ayu's eyes opened.
The resurrection, coming back, everything - she trusted Callion's judgment to expect Liari to get back to the living world one way or another. Yet her journey wasn't focused on reassuring Bluebell that she soon should be alive again - at least not only. Ayu learned something, even if the experience was a brutal teacher... That loving and caring without taking the right actions weren't anything short of doing nothing. But she hasn't finished that lesson yet, though she was adamant to do it. She owed Liari as much.
"Please, listen to me Bluebell," Ayu's voice lowered to a calm, gentle tone, as she spoke about her request. "Since before we met - as far as you remember - to this point right now... What happened when I wasn't there? And even when we were together... What you did, why you did it, how you felt... Everything. I would like to know everything." It was in a way plea, in another manner, it was a very late apology. Ayu's expression softened, and once again her soul was prickled by a sharp blade of guilt and loathing. She stroked Liari's head lovingly, trying her best not to snatch her in for another hug. She was the one who needed an embrace at this moment but that could wait - a more serious matter had to be addressed. "Each time you changed I wasn't able to understand you as you deserved it. I treated you the same way when I shouldn't have... I want to understand you better." Because that was something that she was supposed to do in the first place. "Can you help me?"
Looking back, it was obvious that she didn't know a lot about Liari. Who she was, why she appeared on Earth... Even the origin of her race held a mystery Ayu had no clue about. Her fault was that she never asked. Mainly because she didn't want to pry, assured that she didn't have to know anything more than the fact that Liari was Liari. Bluebell, a child she loved dearly. And then, when things started to change and her body, mind, and desires started to evolve... Even when Ayu suspected that something wasn't right, that maybe Liari was entangled with things she would not approve of... Ayu didn't step forward. She simply didn't do anything to question Bluebell about it. While she was telling herself that she trusts her and she didn't feel comfortable asking and being nosy, that was only a comforting smokescreen. In reality, it started to look more like she was protecting herself from not wanting to hear things she was frightened of. And look where it led them...
Now she wanted to make up for that.
"I'm sorry if it's a difficult request... You don't have to say anything if you don't want to." Wrapping the side of her cloak around Liari's shoulders, Ayu pulled her closer to her lap. Out of everything she could have asked her while they both were here in the afterlife... Was it alright? It just felt so urgent. She cradled her dearly in her arms while they sat on this sandy black desert, resting her chin on the top of the girl's head. Even if she won't get an answer, it would be fine to simply stay like this for a long while. There were still many things Ayu wanted to do but...
"We have time, Bluebell."
Power Level - 300,900 | 0 (Seal technique) Word Count - 1,474 Total Word Count - 4,664
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POWER LEVEL
354,508
Tech Points
28/75
Forms
Epic Majin [x34]
Zeni
23,106
Majin
|
Apr 11, 2023 11:25:29 GMT -5
Post by Majin Liari on Apr 11, 2023 11:25:29 GMT -5
Ayu may have been trying to soothe the majin with her words, her promises that Liari wasn't the beast she obviously thought she was... But somehow, that only made it that much harder for the little blue girl to contain herself. She couldn't understand WHY Ayu could say those things, to hold Liari in her arms the way she was, to act as if she loved her still... even after everything Liari had done to her. She knew she was guilty, that she deserved EVERYTHING that was coming to her, that she believed was coming to her... But instead, she was met only with love... warmth... attention. Ayu displayed herself, even now in this horrible place and in a time ripe for revenge and justice, that she was only interested in Liari's wellbeing.
...No matter what Ayu said about her, Liari KNEW she was a monster. She HAD to be. What else would take someone so sweet, so gentle and kind and HURT them as callously as she had? What kind of person would taunt, insult, and discard someone who raised them from a vulnerable state, who welcomed them into their home and offered them everything they had...?
A monster. Liari was a monster.
The little blue majin shook her head as Ayu promised she wasn't something so terrible, Liari's face contorted in regret, agony, and sorrow. She opened her mouth to speak, to ask HOW she could still think that... but the words were choked to silence in her throat. Maybe she would never understand how Ayu could still see her this way, still declare the majin her sister after the things she did... Maybe she didn't even know the fullest extent of the nightmares she'd unleashed... Maybe she didn't even want to know. All Liari could do, even if it was more painful than any wound she'd suffered, was to cling to her older sister, to hold her tight and try to answer her questions and listen to what she had to say. She owed Ayu that much at the very least-of-leasts...
Liari shook her head again as Ayu commended her for her bravery, for "surviving" in this realm of terror and torture as well as she had. She expressed how proud she was, how she understood how terrible she had it, questioned if the majin knew that Ayu could never hate her! Liari froze in her sibling's arms as if she were suddenly JOLTED with an electric shock... before letting out a soft, sad whimper and shook her head again. She didn't understand... How could someone BE so forgiving...? WHY was she so forgiving...? Was Ayu's heart just that big? Did she just have that much love for her that, even after the damage the majin had done, she still had more to give? Liari wanted to just shrivel away and DIE... Maybe that would've been better for them both... MAYBE Ayu would suffer in the short term, but she'd never have to worry again if Liari would lose herself in some monkey-brained madness. But even so, Liari would wrap her arms tighter around Ayu, burying her tear-stained face deep into her shoulder.
"Love you too, Ayu..." She mumbled, nuzzling her cheek into her sibling. "Love you so much... Love you..." It would be then that Ayu would pull back, the two girls looking face-to-face, eye-to-eye for the longest time since Ayu had made it down to Hell. Liari must've looked terrible, her face splotched with dark blue blushes from her crying, fresh tears still rolling down her eyes like thick, salty raindrops. Her figure was so slack, barely suspended by anything as if resembling a marionette, yet it jerked and twitched periodically with each sniffle as if being tagged with a cattleprod! ...She looked terrible, terrified, and more vulnerable than she had ever been. Whether Ayu knew of or acknowledged it, she cradled the remains of Liari's heart in her hands, able to crush or mold it as she saw fit. Ayu, to Liari, was one of TWO people in the entire universe she LOVED, one of the only people whose opinion of her held more weight than anyone else EVER. She wanted so badly to make up for everything she did, to TRY and make it so Ayu wouldn't have to be afraid of her ever again... and it seemed the first step to that... was explaining herself!
Liari's eyes stared up into Ayu's dumbly as she explained how she needed to know... What she did, WHY she did it, how she felt... all because she wanted to make this work too... Even NOW Ayu was putting blame on herself... EVEN NOW she thought it was HER FAULT that Liari did what she did... She wanted to know why that other version of her rampaged, why all that destruction rested on her conscience so that SHE could find out some way to stop it. Without even trying, Liari's heart had been shattered again into smaller bits. The majin had no idea how DEEPLY Ayu's guilt went and she was almost sure she'd NEVER fully know. The majin's eyes narrowed, fresher-er tears starting to build in their corners... but somehow, Liari managed to PUSH them down...
...If this would make things better, if Ayu REALLY had to know... than she would tell her. She would tell her before those memories faded away along with the influence of the brains that helped make them. Taking one shaky breath, then two, then THREE, the majin tried to gather herself, Ayu wrapping her cloak around her and pulling her in close. the majin wanted so bad to rest her head on her lap, to fall asleep in her arms and feel SAFE for the first time since HELL claimed her soul. She wanted to go home, to hold her daughter, for them all to have fun like they used to... She wanted a lot of things she would probably never have again... At least now, she could try and pay for her crimes.
"...Met two changling-lizard-people once... They strong... wanted to help me... be my friend..." The majin began, trying to paint a picture with the painfully limited vocabulary she had once again. "...They said they help make bad dreams go away if I help... Dreams were BAD, Ayu... I no sleep for days... They wanted me to help take over city... Nobody supposed to get hurt! We just... they just wanted for people to know who in charge! ...Then Kombu and Callion show up..." Liari glanced up at Ayu, then down at the floor, rogue tears escaping the majin's eyes and rolling down her face. "...Kombu neck broken by changling-lizard-guy... I thought... I could help... if I took him inside... I did... and I felt power... I grow really strong but... Mind... got bigger, not me anymore, something new, I..." Liari paused, trying to form words. "...Saiyans like fighting... more than me... It got into head and, with new power, I wanted to fight everyone! Callion fought me... I... I hurt him BAD..." Liari's voice peaked and trembled at that last word, as if about to break down. She took another trio of shaky deep breaths... and continued. "...Took him inside too... thought I could save him... More saiyan... more fighting-want inside me... So much power, mind even bigger than before... Wanted more power, recognition... CONTROL..." Liari shivered, leaning deeper into Ayu. "...I... I attack South City... wanted it mine... Another saiyan appear... Athren, I think... He show up, promise to fight... then leave... I so mad, I destroy city... crush it... felt cheated... Then I make tournament under new face... Thought if I look different... pretended to be different person... people show up..." Liari held her hand out to Ayu, her skin almost appearing to flip and fade to a soft, grassy-green color, displaying what she meant to her sibling. "...Changlings show up too... They break rules before fight even start... Killed. ATE them... Revenge, I thought... Made Quash my slave... took over mind..." She pointed to her head, drawing a vague 'M' shape with her finger. "...He wanted it... POWER... but not what I do to him to give it... We went to East City... then..." Liari shook her head, displaying that part of the story was over.
"...I so hungry then... Wanted to fight... Nobody wanted to fight me... So alone... frustrated... It like standing in world made of paper and everyone too afraid to do anything... Desperate... NEEDED fight... NEEDED to hit something... Saiyan in me MADE me wanna... Changeling in me SAY I had to! ...So I did..." Liari's head shot up, her sanguine eyes staring desperately into Ayu's!
"I no mean what I say then... When I say I not care, I not mean it! I LOVE you, Ayu! Love Terra... Love her and you more than anything ever! I never hate you! NEVER not care about you! Never!" Liari spoke rapidly, as if everything she'd said up until that point would've encouraged Ayu to leave her here, to disappear the way she had come, to leave Liari to ROT. The tears Liari had been holding back flowed freely down her face, the majin, the little girl clinging to her sister like she were the only life-raft in a storm.
"Please... I never wanted to be that... I never wanted to hurt you... All I wanted... was a fight..."
WC: 1547 TWC: 3706
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POWER LEVEL
356,511
Tech Points
47/88
Forms
Enhanced Being [x39]
Zeni
92,117
Bio-Android
|
Apr 14, 2023 8:05:03 GMT -5
Post by Ayu on Apr 14, 2023 8:05:03 GMT -5
Ayu did not dare to interrupt Liari when she heard her trembling frail voice speaking. She really couldn't try to stop her words with more questions or requests, it didn't feel right. Bluebell, shaken as she was, started to slowly explain everything. Staying quiet about everything or tackling it all right now... Ah, it was a bit of a mess. Deciding to wait patiently until she would get every little thing off her chest seemed like the right thing to do. Just seeing Bluebell's face was breaking her enough but she couldn't say anything, simply trying to gently smile back. The tears, puffed cheeks, the dust that was staying on her skin... Pulling out from her pocket a clean handkerchief, Ayu gently wiped the drops that were wetting Majin's face, not once asking her to stop crying. Emotions should not be pent up like that... Softly stroking Liari's cheek with white fabric reminded her of their first meeting. Little Majin was eating so messily that she had to clean her face from all the crumbs and sweet syrup that were covering the strawberry tarts.
In a way, it felt like it happened during a different lifetime. It wasn't that long ago yet so many things took place, disasters smaller or bigger, that... Ah, life is never easy, is it?
"Thank you for telling me all of this," she finally spoke softly after hearing everything. Ayu hold her face in her hands and leaned in to kiss Liari's forehead, pulling her closer. With a heavy and relieved sigh, she held her in her arms, slowly rocking them both. Bluebell was heavy like the whole weight of her sins was setting now in her embrace. Her face was hot when Ayu stroked her cheek, wiping some of the tears that didn't want to stop falling. She softly smiled at her... "I know Sweetie. I know," she admitted with a hushed tone, for the first time in her life being able to hide how dangerously close her voice was to cracking. That sentence back then hurt her the most... I don't care, she often heard it resonating through her skull when she was asleep. But still, Ayu was aware that it was the hunger for fight and validation speaking, pushing away everything else. There was no way she could blame Liari for that, even if it hurt. She told herself that many, many times - but only when Bluebell ensured her that it wasn't true, one of the rocks on her heart crumbled away and her chest was a little lighter. Ayu nuzzled her cheek against the top of the blue head. "We love you too. Terra and me. Very, very much..." Maybe it was the habit kicking in but when she said it, Ayu poked Liari's cheek lightly, almost playfully, before giving her another squeeze.
It would be ideal if only they were on the surface... In their house, sitting on the pile of pillows with Terra napping on the couch next to them. But the reality was often something different than she wished it to be. Ayu sighed a little. She did it, she found Liari - strengthening her resolve to next time take action sooner before the disaster would strike again. It wasn't Bluebell's fault that her race, her kind, was built this way, gaining traits from those she absorbed, growing stronger, and changing her personality. Ayu always wanted to treat her the same, showing that no matter what would happen, she will be her little sister - but that wasn't something that Liari needed. Ayu will have to adjust how she treats her to the way she will become to make sure that she'd stay safe, without rushing into any more trouble. The length she went to have her craving for a fight satisfied... It led to so many cities being destroyed, lives lost, and Majins being branded evil... But still, not everything was lost yet.
"You'd be back to the living world sooner or later, Sweetie." She reassured her, holding Liari's hand. "I know there's a way, though I am not sure what is it exactly... Callion said it's possible to be revived so if there's anyone who can find how it's you." Ayu's eyes softened. Maybe there was a way in this Hell to leave those abyssal plains and return to the living world but she didn't feel right about leaving it all to Liari. She was back to being a kid again, tossing such responsibility at her seemed cruel. "I'll look for a way to bring you back too. And when you return..." Her voice lowered to a gentle but reassuring tone, the one that hinted at many things - including very subtle guidance. She'd hate to tell Liari what to do but there were things they should do nonetheless. "Let's try our best to fix everything that happened, alright? Together. It will be tough but if you'd only want me to, I could help you. I'm sure that Callion would gladly aid us too." Stroking Liari's head, she cuddled her in her arms, in this dark and quiet desert. "We'll fix the places that were destroyed. Rebuild the parts of the cities that are gone. Apologize to Quash and others too." Resting her chin on top of Liari's head, Ayu smiled a little with a weary but loving smile.
It no doubt was going to be tough. Gathering Dragon Balls would be quite an ordeal and repairing cities was going to be time-consuming. Funny how destruction could happen in a blink of an eye yet fixing everything could take months or years... But so be it. Even if, by some dreadful chance, Liari would decide later that she doesn't care again, wrecking the Earth and attacking the population, Ayu knew what she would need to do. She could not hesitate any longer.
"Some things are not so easy to forgive but it doesn't mean that we can't try." She had a feeling that both of them were quite stubborn when it came to certain things. And later... Who knows?
Things might not return to the way they were but they could improve from the state they were right now.
Power Level - 300,900 | 0 (Seal technique) Word Count - 1,030 Total Word Count - 5,694
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POWER LEVEL
354,508
Tech Points
28/75
Forms
Epic Majin [x34]
Zeni
23,106
Majin
|
Apr 15, 2023 10:39:49 GMT -5
Post by Majin Liari on Apr 15, 2023 10:39:49 GMT -5
It may have only been a month, but it had felt like an eternity. Relief... comfort... forgiveness. Ayu cradled Liari in her arms, letting her know in every way but verbally how much she still loved her. Ayu must've been an angle... or something purer than anything the majin could think of because... even here, in this place wrought with evil and bad intentions, she still held onto the light inside of her. The silver-eyed majin pressed herself as close to her sibling as she could, nuzzling into her as if she might slip away. The kiss on her forehead as almost like magic to the majin, sucking away the stress, the anxiety, and the fear with an almost feather-like pressure. Liari sighed softly, her tears finally drying as she nuzzled her head under Ayu's chin, her grip loosening just enough so that she hung onto her sibling... but not quite squeezing her. For the first time since she came to this place, the majin felt peace in some small degree, felt the pain recede. She felt her heart lighten in her chest, reassembling one dust-particle at a time. With every gentle touch and every reassuring word, the majin felt as if there was still hope out there for her, that maybe she wasn't the hopeless monster she had convinced everyone she had been.
Before, Liari had no plan for what she'd do when she actually ditched this place. Would she stay on Earth? Try to clean up after herself? Would Terra still love her? Would she even KNOW the extent of what Liari had done? Would AYU even want her there? And what of that Callion-imposter? And Athren...? Maybe Liari would leave Earth behind, believing it was best if she DIDN'T try to help... After all, if Ayu was somehow linked to her, more pain than just Liari's previous actions could fall upon her! Maybe even that crazy Saiyan Athren would come for her! ...But then Ayu affirmed that she and Terra still loved her, loved her so much... And the majin's fragmented heart fluttered. A warm flush of dark blue flashed across her cheeks as she nuzzled into her sibling. No, she wouldn't leave... As long as she had her family, she could face anyone, get past ANYTHING... Because it was THEM who mattered the most! Liari giggled and squirmed softly in Ayu's arms as she poked her cheek, the majin playfully nipping at the tip of her finger in response. It was almost like they were back home in simpler times, where she and Ayu were rolling around on the floor, poking and tickling one another without a care in the world! It was just... so much easier to live, then... Liari knew nothing of how complicated Earth could be, what she herself was capable of, what bad things good intentions could lead to... What kind of person she turned out to be.
But all that was in the past now. NOW, she had HOPE! She had Ayu and she still had her daughter! She could do this... she COULD! She had too... for her family. Ayu would assure her that, somehow, someway, Liari would taste the world of the living once more. Callion himself knew of a way to escape the clutches of death... and Ayu would search for it! Liari looked up anxiously towards her sister, gently reaching up to cradle her face in her hands.
"...Be careful..." She whispered, gently stroking Ayu's face. "...Death not let go... Things here... they not let go if they get you... No take risk for me... I find way out..." Her voice was a whisper, but her tone carried weight. She didn't want someone like Ayu to end up here, her sweetness twisted and corrupted the way Liari had been! She stared up into Ayu's eyes... then rose up a bit, returning Ayu's kiss with one of her own, a tender little smooch upon her forehead.
"Love you, Ayu..." She mumbled, a fleeting smile flickering at the corners of her lips. "Lemme do this myself... Safer for you..." Ayu would then affirm that, once Liari had come back, their mission would be to fix the damage she had done! The majin nodded eagerly, agreeing outright!
"I do bad thing. I have to fix. Have to do something." Liari asserted, taking Ayu's hand in hers. "Find everyone! Quash too! Make it all better... Not let this go..." She gave her sibling's hand a squeeze, cupping it between both of hers. "With you, I do anything, Ayu... You and Terra~!" Was that bubbliness in Liari's voice? The majin had to pause herself, evaluating what she was feeling! Excitement... Pure, wholesome excitement! She WANTED to go back... She WANTED to be with her family... She WANTED to do the right thing, no matter how hard it was! Maybe the softest twinge of selfishness sat amongst the purity, the desire to ESCAPE this hellhole, but if that also came with the duty of playing janitor or her own messes, so much the better! Liari was READY! She was MORE READY-THAN-READY!
"...And speaking of Terra..." Liari segwayed, looking up into Ayu's eyes with a look of pride... and concern befitting a woman much older than the majin seemed on the surface. "Tell me about Terra! She okay? She happy? Miss her so much..." Liari held a hand to her chest, as if cradling her heart in it. "...She remind me so much of me... Hope she not miss me too much... Hope she not too surprised when I go to see her!"
WC: 929 TWC: 4635
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POWER LEVEL
356,511
Tech Points
47/88
Forms
Enhanced Being [x39]
Zeni
92,117
Bio-Android
|
Apr 16, 2023 4:39:26 GMT -5
Post by Ayu on Apr 16, 2023 4:39:26 GMT -5
Somehow... By some miracle, the mood became lighter. Better. Nothing changed, not too much at least, they were still in the middle of Hell, holding onto each other on the black sandy desert. Liari was dead, the world was still in disarray and the dust from the battle of South City have barely just settled down. And yet, Ayu could feel Liari's breathing getting calmer, her desperate grasp softening a bit. That felt better, she hugged her warmly. In a way, it was similar to the pieces of her heart being stitched back together. It felt like simply a change of heart, some new hope and a fresh resolve were enough to blow away all the black clouds gathering above them. Maybe not all, to be perfectly honest - the dark pit was still there they just needed more courage and resolve to work it through. Yeah, that felt about right... Stroking Liari's head, Ayu sighed softly.
"They will," she said soundlessly, barely moving her lips, perhaps replying to her own worry more than Liari's. If there was anything here that was holding Bluebell back against her will... Then, Ayu just has to find a way to stop it from happening. Looking for a way to bring the dead back to life would be tricky but there were Dragon Balls if anything could go wrong. Yes... Ayu blinked and smiled at Bluebell when she moved away and started to talk with a more composed voice. Of course, she wouldn't want her older sister to get tangled with something dangerous simply because she was looking for a way to bring her back... As much as she wanted to, she couldn't tell Liari that she was going to search for any means necessary for resurrecting her on her own. That would just make her worried...
And when she said that she was indeed going to fix what she did - when did the Bluebell grow up so much? In a way, she was still a kid, and yet, not anymore. There was something different in her speech and mannerism, in the look of her eyes - fighting and dying were enough to change a person it seemed. For a moment, her saying all that, Ayu thought that it was a declaration of Liari trying to do everything on her own - and Ayu's eyes softened a little when she mentioned her and Terra's name. Right. Something warm started to pour into her heart. She knew she wasn't alone in all this, that was the biggest relief of them all. They will be there for her, to support and help if she'd only wish to - and maybe a little even if she'd try to be brave and tackle everything on her own. Bluebell wasn't alone.
Hearing Liari asking so eagerly about Terra, Ayu's features mellowed with melancholy. Oh, she cared so much about her daughter... She loved her niece dearly too... She wished for nothing more than to see the two of them together because despite everything, the care, the lessons, and the affection - Liari was the one she missed the most.
"I'm sure she'd be surprised," Ayu smiled, raising her hand to wipe with the help of a handkerchief some dust that was still left on her blue cheek. "The last time she saw you you were two times taller. But that form is easier to hug," she joked a little, her eyes glowed gently with tenderness when she thought about the tiny pink Majin. Hopefully, Calot was doing okay with babysitting Terra, Cress, and Celric. Ayu trusted him to look after the kids but in a way, she couldn't count on the children to not try making any mess... She had to make it up to him when she'd be back. "Terra has made a lot of friends and trains a lot because she wants to be as strong as you." There was pride she felt when she talked about her niece. "Callion is teaching her a special technique, oh, and she picked up some plant magic from me," Ayu said, smiling warmly.
And yet, the warmth and the tenderness somehow were covered by a veil of concern. Her gaze lowered to the ground and she took a slow, long breath before she spoke again.
"... I tried telling her that you're gone but in the end, I-I couldn't." Her voice cracked gently. "I would never lie to Terra. I'm not sure how much she knows about what has happened but I told her that you had to leave to train in some very dangerous place. It's not a lie but it's not a truth either..." Ayu closed her eyes, aware that the weary and tired expression in her yellow gaze would give away too much. Talking about death wasn't a pleasant subject and explaining it to an innocent child was... On another level. Maybe it was selfish but knowing that there was a way to bring Liari back, Ayu didn't want to make Terra go through all the despair and sadness of knowing that her mother was killed in a fight. She wanted to save her from those tears. "She knows that you won't be with us for a while but she still waits and misses you dearly." After opening her eyes, Ayu looked at Liari with a smile and a determined sparkle deep in the yellow hue of her irises. "That's why we're going to get you out of here. One way or another."
Her hand reached out to Liari.
Power Level - 300,900 | 0 (Seal technique) Word Count - 916 Total Word Count - 6,610
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|
POWER LEVEL
354,508
Tech Points
28/75
Forms
Epic Majin [x34]
Zeni
23,106
Majin
|
Apr 17, 2023 13:24:38 GMT -5
Post by Majin Liari on Apr 17, 2023 13:24:38 GMT -5
Liari giggled at the thought of her daughter seeing her this way. Heck, she didn't even know if she'd recognize her off the bat... she looked so different now... She might not even see her as her mother anymore, maybe more like an older-sister figure on account of the majin appearing more... childlike than before. It was gonna be weird... Liari could already tell... But hey, at least she was STILL twice as tall as her daughter... unless she got a lot bigger for some reason! A warm, almost dreamy smile came across Liari's lips as she thought of her daughter. She really didn't say it enough, tell Terra enough of how PROUD she was of her... She was her little cream-puff, her little snickerdoodle, her cinnamon-bun... So gentle, friendly, and sweet... No matter what the situation was or how BAD a day it was, her little Terra approached everything with a level of enthusiasm that made the older Majin jealous! She missed having her daughter under her chin, holding her to her chest as they slept... It was as if a part of her was missing... and that was something Liari DESPERATELY needed to correct. Liari looked up at Ayu... then off to the side as she imagined her little Terra standing there... It'd be a lot harder to scoop her up and hug her now... but at least she'd have her in her life again...
As Ayu wiped at Liari's cheek with a cloth, she briefly relayed Terra's life and experiences to the majin, focusing on how she'd grown so strong and made so many friends! Oh, how Liari beamed with pride... She knew her little Terra wouldn't fall apart! She KNEW her sweetheart was JUST as tough as she! Oh, Liari fantasized about future sparring matches... Who knows? Maybe Terra would even beat her! Ayu would then mention how Terra even picked up some plant magic from Ayu and the blue majin's eyes shot wide!
"Reeeeeeeaaally? Wow!" Liari exclaimed, gasping as if she had just been punched in the gut! "I not even figure it out! How she do it...? She really must be talented!" Liari clapped her hands together before weaving their fingers together as she rested her chin upon them... Her little Terra... so talented with magic...
...It would be then that Ayu would reveal that she hadn't... exactly told Terra about Liari's fate... not truly. The majin blinked and looked up at her older sibling, caught off guard.
"Huh...?" Liari asked, cocking her head to the side. Ayu would elaborate, saying that she'd only KINDA told her, that Liari had gone off to train somewhere for a while... that Ayu couldn't bring herself to explain how Liari had died. On the one hand, Liari was RELIEVED at that! She didn't know if her little munchkin majin was capable of hatred... but she was afraid that if Terra knew the truth, the WHOLE truth... Liari might just get to see how CLOSE Terra could get to that feeling... On the other hand, what if she DID find out... and found out from someone she didn't even KNOW!? Could Terra's little heart even HANDLE that level of betrayal, that realization that the whole family hid something like that from you!? Liari shivered... She didn't BLAME Ayu for her decision... She shouldn't have had to make it in the first place!
...But she REALLY didn't like the situation she was now in...
"...It not good she not know..." Liari decided. "...I tell her when I see her again... She need to know who her mommy was... She no gonna find out from someone else." Liari then smiled up at Ayu, leaned up and kissed her on the cheek! "...Thank you for watching her for me... I was not good momma before... I self-absorbed... No wanna do anything except thing that make me feel good... I gonna do better from now on." Ayu would then hold out her hand to the majin, pledging to get her out. Terra did miss her desperately, after all, and that was ALL the reason Liari needed to hear! She took her sibling's hand and squeezed it, a determined smile coming across Liari's face!
"I trust you." She declared. "We gonna be family again... I gonna be free... ALL will be okay!" Liari then paused... scooping up a rock... "Hey! I know I not know plant magic the way you can do... But wanna see new magics...? I learn all kind of stuff here!"
WC: 5,386
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|
POWER LEVEL
356,511
Tech Points
47/88
Forms
Enhanced Being [x39]
Zeni
92,117
Bio-Android
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May 3, 2023 8:37:03 GMT -5
Post by Ayu on May 3, 2023 8:37:03 GMT -5
Whatever the future planned... It seemed that they all should stick together, for better or for worse. For that, she would need to make sure that Liari will come back to the Living World. Then they should talk with Terra, making sure that no one would come after her sister would be hard but surely with Callion's help they could explain everything. It wasn't going to be easy but it wasn't impossible either, right?
So many things to do...
"I know..." Her eyes were saddened by that thought but what else could Ayu do? Telling Terra everything seemed like the right thing to do but she couldn't find the oh-so-needed words. Revealing half of the truth wasn't better than lying too... And describing everything that was happening with Liari due to her absorbing others was something Ayu couldn't even start to think about. What if Terra would grow resentful of her own nature..? Fearing that she could change just like Liari did. And die pursuing someone else's desires that were taken as her own - like her mother..? To tell her niece such heartbreaking news, making sure that they are delivered as gently and compassionately as possible... That was something Ayu couldn't do. Maybe she would need years to find a way because her mind was blank. She wanted to do so but still, there was a lump in her throat every time she thought about it. Maybe she wasn't the right person to have this talk with Terra anyway. Just... Maybe it was something that only a daughter-mother relationship could work through, together. Yes. "I think it will be better if she'd hear it from you..." She could only admit that simple truth, smiling a little with a melancholic look on her face. "It's something the two of you need to talk about on your own, without anyone else."
Ayu hated the thought of pushing this difficult conversation onto Liari but she had to accept that she wasn't the right person for the job. Terra would love to talk with her aunt - but she was missing someone else. Either way, she was glad to see her sister's eyes lighting up tenderly when she was thinking about tiny pink Majin that was, probably, giving Calot a headache, while playing with Saiyan siblings on the Lookout. Liari thanked Ayu and kissed her cheek, showing gratitude for caring for her child... There was something abstract in Liari - small, short, happily-blue Majin - declaring that she was going to take care of Terra, focusing on being a better mother for her. That race surely was complicated, with her now looking more like Terra's older sibling than her mother... Or maybe it was only Ayu's thought that made it so? If born by magic and the feelings bond was still there, it didn't matter how they looked.
"I'm sure she's going to love having you around more. You're going to be a great Momma," Ayu raised her hand to stroke Liari's head. Having lived - and died - through all those things wasn't the best thing that happened to the blue Majin but she was taking everything she could from those experiences. That included the hierarchy of what was truly important... And although Ayu knew she had no saying in what was dear to Liari or not, she was glad that Terra was there. This small girl missed her mum so much, even if she was still happy and cheerful, Ayu knew she longed to hug her once more.
When she looked at Liari maybe... Or maybe not, she thought she was a little different. Everything that happened made this sparkle in her silver eyes more mature and given their circumstances, it wouldn't be anything strange. They both changed, more or less - but they undeniably did.
"All will be okay in the end," Ayu smiled back at Liari, holding her hand as she got up from the ground. "If it's not okay, it's not the end." Nodding slightly, she dusted her clothes from the sand though this gesture was useless in the desert. The lightest breeze was sneakily sprinkling the black dust on her clothes again. Taking a deep breath, Ayu looked up at the sky... For a moment she forgot that they were in the depths of Hell. They do say that good company makes any place bearable. Liari must have felt something similar because she proudly started to talk about new things that she has learned. This unfriendly land was probably an amazing place to train just by surviving here, no doubt she grew way stronger here. "Sure, show me. I know you're great at magic," Ayu nodded and gave her an encouraging wink. "Knowing you I'm sure it's something extraordinary... I wish I could say the same but I don't think I learned anything new lately." But that wasn't the truth, right? Ayu poked her cheek thoughtfully. "Though I can Seal my presence now," she smiled awkwardly. Keeping her energy in check was something she struggled with for so long and finally, she was able to do it... It wasn't that impressive of course but she was glad she finally reached this milestone. "Oh, and, as weird as it sounds I can tell now if someone is lying." Ayu shrugged a little giving Liari a warm smile. "Works great each time I caught kids stealing snacks from the kitchen in the middle of the night - they know they can't lie to me so I always know whose idea it was," she chuckled.
Hopefully, those who were taking care of this lively trio would have some luck keeping cookies safe.
Power Level - 300,900 | 0 (Seal technique) Word Count - 934 Total Word Count - 7,544
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POWER LEVEL
354,508
Tech Points
28/75
Forms
Epic Majin [x34]
Zeni
23,106
Majin
|
May 4, 2023 16:19:59 GMT -5
Post by Majin Liari on May 4, 2023 16:19:59 GMT -5
Liari grinned at the thought of being a momma again. Again... It was so weird how time worked down here... It felt like it had been FOREVER since she'd seen her daughter! Maybe it WAS because time worked differently. Maybe it was because being beaten every day by a demon compressed your sense of time... Or maybe it was just because everything looked the same and there was no sun, moon, or weather to indicate the passage of time. Regardless, the idea of seeing her daughter again, being a full and loving part of her LIFE again filled Liari with joy. Her daughter... to hold her in her arms again would be the most precious thing in the world. It may be more awkward now, given her size, but even so, she'd make it work! Ayu would then state that she WOULD love to see what Liari had come up with in her time down here, but also that she had learned something herself: She knows how to suppress energy! Liari's eyes widened in surprise, then excitement... then narrowed in confusion...
"You mean 'suppress...?'" Liari questioned, cocking her head. "It good either way! Now you hide power so you not noticed if you not want! You must like it lots!" Liari knew her sibling well. Unlike Liari who loved the spotlight, Ayu seemed more than content to find a nice comfy spot away from the eyes of the beholders, somewhere she could be herself free of piercing gazes! It seemed a perfect ability for Ayu, maybe something she should have learned at the start. Maybe then, her ki wouldn't have spun out of control if she could "seal it" as she claimed she could now!
...But now... Time for the demonstration! Liari grinned, squeezing the rock in her hand before a flash of light would burst from her palm! Suddenly, a sword would EXPAND from the space within Liari's fingers, the hilt spouting from the blade, then the cross guard form the hilt, then the double-edged sword blade all in the manner of a second! Liari grinned, holding the blade up to her face as she ran her eyes over the edge. The blade itself was a deep, almost sapphire blue, connecting to a winding silver cross guard with a light blue hilt! Magic allowed for the majin to manifest things from her imagination... if she had the right materials... Like from this rock, for example, Liari could manifest weaponry!
"I make sword from rock!" Liari declared proudly, turning away from Ayu and swinging it around! Each edge almost seemed to leave a pinkish trail behind in the air, a temporary wound cut through space that was quickly stitched up as the blade passed! "It really fancy! It do all sort of cool thing! OH! Lemme show!" Resting the blade across her back and opposite shoulder, Liari would bend down and, with her free hand, GRIP into the ground! With a grunt, she would RIP up a massive boulder at least twice her own size, lifting it over her head! She would HURL it into the air and, with a yell, the majin would SWING her sword up in an upward arc! Despite the boulder easily being out of reach of the blade, it SPLIT in two instantly, a serpentine-like trail of dimensional magic snaking up to the boulder and SLICING IT clean in half as it passed through! The majin would then turn back to Ayu and grin widely, STABBING her sword into the ground before her in triumph!
"I learn watching other demon here! They know magic I not even know exist! It so weird... But fun! Now I cut anything!" Liari traced her finger through the air as if simulating a sword-slice! "Cut air, cut ground, cut thing not even trying to cut! It sharper than anything I ever see before! ...Maybe cut planet if I swing hard 'nuff..." The majin tilted her head and thought about that... Once she got back to Earth, she was gonna have to be REALLY careful with that technique... One stray swing and she might take off the head of a building or, worse, someone who was just passing by! Liari still didn't know where that magical energy went after she swung it... It just seemed to disappear in whatever direction it went, never to be seen again!
...Yeah, she'd definitely need to be more careful.
"SO! What sealing do? Must be different than suppressing if it called that!"
WC: 748 TWC: 6134
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|
POWER LEVEL
356,511
Tech Points
47/88
Forms
Enhanced Being [x39]
Zeni
92,117
Bio-Android
|
May 21, 2023 17:30:21 GMT -5
Post by Ayu on May 21, 2023 17:30:21 GMT -5
For a moment everything was like before. A casual chat, bragging about what they could do while smiling and talking about important and also trivial matters. It felt like they never left home... But Ayu needed to look around to be reminded of the circumstances they both were in. The dull, heavy reality didn't go away. Still, if she could push it away for a second, watching smiling and boasting Bluebell who wanted to show off her skills... Yeah, then for a moment she could forget about it, just like that...
And just like that rock transformed into something else. Magic... Magic surely was amazing, defying science and everything that Ayu ever knew. She watched in awe as Liari's creation sprouted into a blade. As much as she understand the chemical structure of a simple rock couldn't possibly switch into a bar of cold iron, dyed blue and also sharpened so meticulously it felt like a breeze stroking against Liari's sword was cut in half. Still - it was magic. Things from regular's school didn't apply here. At this point, she should have already accepted the fact that there were different laws and powers in this world... Maybe a tiny part of Ayu was still looking back at this time when she wasn't concerned with anything. Had no responsibilities other than studying and taking care of her house. And she didn't know any better about herself, the state of the universe, the struggles of leaders of the planets, and everything else... It was a simpler time but so lonely, all things considered, Ayu did not want to return to that moment. Looking at Liari, beaming with pride and posing with her new sword, without realizing she smiled warmly. Bluebell changed. For the better rather than worse.
"Please, refrain from cutting planers in half," Ayu mentioned after Liari presented how her sword worked. She gave her short applause and smiled, and after a second of hesitation added - "At last the inhabited ones." That won't hurt anybody, probably? The boulder that she dug from the black sand and pulled out, tossed into the air, and in a very scenic way, she cut it in half, was now laying on the ground. The right moment of telling Liari not to play with sharp objects was long overdue... Besides, considering what could have happened in the future it would be a good idea to have various means of protection. And not to mention, seeing how she was posing and using the sword made Ayu think that this type of weapon suits her a lot. "That must have been hard, learning something by only watching others... You did an amazing job here," she stroked her head fondly, looking at her with warmth in her yellow eyes.
Even in this place, even in those circumstances, Liari was able to obtain a new ability by simply watching someone else do it... That was outstanding on its own. Then again, Ayu was glad that there was something else she could have focused on, instead of thinking about all the grim thoughts and whispers that could have been filling her head with guilt... Going in the same direction, she tilted her head when Liari asked about her Seal.
"I'm not exactly sure, hm..." Ayu stroked her cheek. She lifted her sleeve, showing the dimly glowing mark on her green skin - a simple rune written in a circle that looked like it was brushed with luminescent paint on her body. "If I could describe it, it's like putting on a masking shield that hides my power level," she smiled a little, thinking back about all the struggles her high energy caused her. "I cannot control my Ki, I can't conceal it or make it unreadable to others in the way most warriors do... So I'm making a shield with magic that covers my presence." After showing Liari the seal, Ayu fixed her sleeve. "It makes others unable to sense me, well, at least until I use my powers, then energy cannot be hidden. But most of the time I'm keeping the level low, passing as a regular Earthling." With a gentle sigh, she looked at Liari, explaining her reasoning, Ayu's face melancholic a little. "It would be suspicious to have no energy signatures to sense and I know that my true level is so high it can attract unwanted attention."
The attention... The Red Ribbon. Zhang was still alive and who knows what he was planning. With her face being shown on TV during the South City incident, Ayu would have to stay away from the cities... And probably every other town or village too. Her skin color, hair, and plant powers were too recognizable and now it seemed like being anonymous was out of the question. Living on the Lookout or as a hermit in the forest seemed like the only possible solution to stay away from the interest of the world. A quiet, simple life wasn't an option anymore - she disliked the fame and the spotlight, wanting nothing more but a peaceful corner of the world where she could stay.
Fate had different plans and Ayu had to focus on looking after her home planet. It seemed that the case of attention didn't matter anymore.
"Once you'd be back on Earth, you will find me and Terra on the Lookout. It's an Ancient Temple - easily recognizable as it's high above the clouds," Ayu reached into the inner pocket of her travel coat, looking for something. "I would love you to come there with us but I know you might have other plans, so here-" she placed a key in Liari's hand. "Just in case, the key to our home near the forest. It's your place too so feel free to stay there as long as you'd like. You can take Terra with you." The little one should spend more time with her mother, she missed her so much... Maybe those two would need a bonding session, just them, mother and daughter. Ayu lowered her gaze and closed her eyes. "I... I will have to stay on the Lookout a bit longer."
It was a simple matter. The energy in her body was building up the tension that resulted in headaches, pain, and nosebleeds. Dende was able to heal it and Ayu could easily focus on her training. That's why she couldn't leave for long. Yet, since she entered Hell there was no way of getting this strain out of her system. The chance of her going... Well, snapping like back then, was low but the sensation wasn't fading.
At least her level of control got slightly better.
Power Level - 300,900 | 0 (Seal technique) Word Count - 1,108 Total Word Count - 8,652
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|
POWER LEVEL
354,508
Tech Points
28/75
Forms
Epic Majin [x34]
Zeni
23,106
Majin
|
May 24, 2023 18:06:46 GMT -5
Post by Majin Liari on May 24, 2023 18:06:46 GMT -5
"Well... yeah..." Liari laughed awkwardly! Beyond the obvious murder of BILLIONS, there were all KINDS of things that could go wrong if she decided one day to just cut up a world! The whole thing could grow to be unstable and blow up! The atmosphere might just FLY right off the surface and the whole thing cold-boils into a rock! Or the planet might BLEED like a person cut in half, it's boiling lava-blood spurting out all over the place, caking the surrounding area and... well... EVERYTHING ELSE in a bath of melted rock! "Why I even cut planet, anyway? It not help anything!" Liari then sighed happily as Ayu ran her hand over her head, stroking her tentacles with that angel-like gentleness Ayu so effortlessly demonstrated. Sometimes, she wondered how Ayu could be so STRONG and so NICE all at the same time... She remembered that look she got, how Ayu's eyes were consumed in black, her aura blazing around her with anger never before seen. In Liari's arrogance at the time, she had not been afraid... not really...
...Then someone weaker KILLED Liari... and she realized just how easily Ayu could destroy her if she decided to. Even here, in hell, where everything seemed to be tougher, harder to break, she was certain Ayu would've been able to mangle her if enraged again... Maybe her anger was the source of her power...? Liari stared up at her older-sister figure and cocked her head thoughtfully. She had never really seen Ayu train as hard as everyone else... The most physical labor she'd seen from her was the remarkable speed with which she dealt with messes within the house or her long hours tending to her garden... Grunt-work for someone of HER power! So... was her power born from something internal...? It had to be... Unless Ayu was going into a pit of nothing, able to hide her power SO COMPLETELY while she honed it that Liari hadn't been able to track her... or it was steadily growing by itself. Magic and ki... it caused Ayu's power to EXPLODE beyond her control before...
Could it be that, after Liari caused that cork on her power to come FLYING off... Ayu was just now a weeping well of energy, slowly ebbing out more and more and more...? An echo of that evil, callous side flashed through the majin's head. A musing on what it would take to get her to fight on her behalf, to defend her jolted up her spine like an impulse. The majin winced, then shook her head a bit, clearing her thoughts. No. No more of that. She was HERE because of that! JANEMBA BEAT HER INTO CHEWING GUM BECAUSE OF HER STUPID, SELFISH DECISIONS, among other really, really bad things! She needed to grow up... be a DAMN ADULT... Those impulses wouldn't control her anymore... No, no, no! She was gonna be more like Ayu, think about why she was doing things instead of just do them!
...No matter how painful the urges got.
Solemn vow aside, Liari was impressed to hear just how Ayu's barrier worked! Suppressing power was often equated to someone putting a cork in a bottle, stopped the passive flow of power and keeping it all inside.... Only, Ayu was USING POWER... to HIDE POWER... For ki-users, it was just... stemming the tide internally, muffling its signature, one might say. Ayu was projecting almost a blanking field, keeping her signature hidden by blocking its emanation past a certain point!
...How... external. Ironic, given how Liari judged how Ayu's power continued to rise a moment ago!
"...That kinda smart..." Liari mused as Ayu explained how she actually used her barrier! "So you let out just enough so people think you weak... but not so little that they not be able to sense you and think you hiding something... That... almost devious, Ayu." The majin's face broke out into a playful grin. "Betcha they not know what hit them when giant root spring from ground and smack them around!"
Ah, then then the conversation shifted back towards Earth and what Liari would be able to do once she got back! Ayu would reach into her sleeve and offer from it a key to the majin, stating how she and Terra would have access to their old home if she wanted it! Liari grinned... then looked up at Ayu, seeing her down-cast, almost regretful look! She would have to stay on the lookout for a while! Liari frowned, slipping the ki under one of her bracers before marching RIGHT up to the guardian in training... and wrapped her arms around her. Liari squeezed tightly... yet softly, burrowing her face into Ayu's shoulder.
"...You not alone, Ayu..." Liari whispered before pulling back and resting her forehead against her sibling's! "You my family... You always family... Love you... No wanna leave you... So..."
Liari poked Ayu's noggin!
"...You tell us when you lonely, then we come by! You no get to refuse either, 'cause if I come around and you sad, I gonna be mad and stuff!" Liari's expression grew serious. "...I mean it. You tell us when you want us to come... We love you. Both of us... You do so much for us... No just pretend everything okay if it not."
WC: 886 TWC: 7020
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|
POWER LEVEL
356,511
Tech Points
47/88
Forms
Enhanced Being [x39]
Zeni
92,117
Bio-Android
|
Dec 16, 2023 18:48:09 GMT -5
Post by Ayu on Dec 16, 2023 18:48:09 GMT -5
If Ayu would close her eyes and pretend that they are still in their house, maybe she would be able to fool herself. Or maybe not...
"Oh, you think so..?" Ayu couldn't help but giggle when she noticed her grin. "I just didn't want to attract any more trouble." It felt logical to do so, even if trouble had uncanny luck in finding Ayu wherever she would go. But maybe not here... So far there was no trouble in Hell, however ironic that sounded at that very moment.
The key was an offering. An invitation, of sorts. Although Ayu didn't want to think that Liari left completely, it was a sign that she could go back whenever she'd like, be it their house or Ayu's life. Because no matter what was going to happen in the future, she still wanted Liari to be a part of it... But the decision was lying in Bluebell's hands, not hers. Right now she was smiling, assuring her that she loves her and won't go away, but... What will the future hold? If Liari would absorb another person, she would change once again. Would Ayu be able to love and care for her how she deserves, being able to comfort her needs? Or would history come to a full circle? No, she wasn't going to let that happen.
Obviously, she had to hug Liari right back, when she moved closer to her. The warm presence gave her more comfort than she ever felt during this last month. Terra was there too, helping Ayu to fall asleep when nightmares were hunting her mind. Dende and Mr. Popo always had reassuring words and Calot had all the pieces of advice. Sometimes she wished for Callion's company but... That was a selfish thought, wasn't it? He was busy anyway... But the most soothing thing right now was this thin, warm, blue body, clinging to her and Ayu embracing her back with care. Her sister, in her arms. The first person that she could actually call her family, Zhang be damned. The first being that was able to sweep away the loneliness she felt deep inside and was trying to appease with books and long walks through the forests. It was mending all the cracks in her heart.
"... I don't want to leave you either. None of you," she answered softly, but what else could she do? It wasn't as if Ayu was abandoning them and never returning. It was going to be the same planet, the same sky and stars... And it wasn't her choice. It was a necessity. "Do you remember..." Ayu hesitated, closing her eyes, though certain scenarios kept playing on her pupils once more. Her fingers run through Liari's tentacle hair gently. "Do you remember when my Ki got so strong I couldn't keep it in anymore..? I hurt you. I hurt Calot. I-It happened again later and more than once." She never mentioned that to Liari, did she? They never had many encounters after, well - all in all, after some events their together time was minimal. Ayu was busy learning how to not endanger others and how to be a Guardian, while Liari was... Yeah. Resting her chin on the top of her blue head, Ayu took a deep, slow breath, coming to terms with another decision.
"I was at our house and my grandfather was there," all this time, when she spoke about herself, Ayu wanted things to be short and simple. She was brushing it away because it never was about her. Liari was the victim of the circumstances and urges of the races that weren't her own, and dragging her now into a different tale... That would be egotistical. The green-skinned woman, yeah, woman, was old and mature enough to not bother anyone else with her thoughts and troubles. But that wasn't a sign of maturity itself. The heavy weight on her chest remained there for too long and words poured from her mouth like a stream. And Liari deserved to know. "Grandfather... The one that lived with me long before you arrived. He said something. Things I knew but never wanted to confront." Ayu didn't shiver. She didn't tremble, there was nothing in her tone or movements that could indicate change - but suddenly her presence felt tired. Worn out from the things that kept piling up in the world and her own heart. "He made me in his laboratory. I should have known, it was pretty obvious that I am different from others. After all, there are no green humans on Earth," she chuckled sadly, thinking back about how blind she was. "And I was nothing else but a failed science project in his eyes. That's also partially why I cannot use my energy as well as others. My body wasn't made properly and I'm... Defective in a way." At this moment, there was nothing in her voice. Ayu stated a fact, without bitterness, grudge, or sadness. "I might have messed our house a bit with trees back then but I fixed it right after. I promise, everything is back in the same place but the roof is now higher in case you'd get taller again." She nuzzled her cheek against the top of Liari's head.
This form was very convenient because indeed it was easier to hug. Not that she disliked other looks and appearances of Bluebell... But like that, it felt as if Ayu was able to hide her in her arms, away from the cruel world, keeping her close and warm. When she was bigger her embraces felt to be lacking... But she won't even try to stunt Liari's growth. Ayu herself has some more growing up to do - as a person. As a sister, caretaker, and guardian.
"The other time was at the Lookout. I tried so hard to focus that it backfired and I had to be put to sleep for a couple of days... Or weeks." That was around the time Liari's tournament took place. More or less. Ayu's perception of time was getting blurry the more things were getting chaotic. Sometimes everything felt like it happened in a different lifetime... The other day she could have sworn that the incident took place yesterday. "After each time I was doing a bit better with my control, though I am still far from perfect."
It will take time and effort. No flowers bloom without struggle. No oak grows tall and mighty without digging its roots through the rocks - and with time, a small sapling can split a boulder in half. She knew that and yet there were external factors that were triggering change. Or was it Ayu whose mind was so frail? She's not worthy of the power she got, it doesn't suit her nor she was ready to wield it. And it showed. Ayu flinched, pulling Liari close into a more secure embrace. Maybe it was an impulse but a sole thought of... That. That made her scared of losing her again as if she wasn't already next to her. Wrapping her arms around her sister, she shut her eyes close. She could feel her fingers tremble when they brushed against the fabric of Bluebell's clothes.
"The last and worst happened right after you died," she confessed with a hushed tone, regretful, with pain still raw in her voice and the brutal scene of Liari's demise fresh in her mind. "I n-never want to see that a-again..." Ayu's words cracked when tears swelled under her eyelids. "When you died, I s-snapped. I think I-I could have killed everyone there and not even remembered what I did later..." Tears smeared the dust on her face but Ayu paid them no mind. She didn't want to remind herself of that feeling but the black hole in her stomach filled her with an empty, cold sensation. Panic, self-loathing, regret. The pain of losing her loved one was akin to having part of her ripped away. And to think that another tragedy could have happened right after, and all would be her fault... "If Callion hadn't knocked me out I-I could have taken the lives of all the fighters that were present there. I can only recall that everything hurt and faded to black... But I w-was told that my plant life was trying to consume the city."
Ayu abruptly stopped speaking. For as long as a heartbeat, they could only hear the wind blowing the black sand all around them.
She never thought about it like that but she was dangerous. Not just strong but dangerous against her desires. As much as Ayu wished to be at peace, quiet, living unbothered... Being harmless was never good because it indicated that she couldn't fight back. So why was she trying to be like that all this time..? Still, it was ironic. A person like her, with her aversion to hurting people keeps getting blood on her hand with every mistake she makes. If she had to be dangerous, she should at least be towards people planning to harm those dear to her.
"I don't want to be away from you two either, but I am still not sure I could keep everything under control. When I try, my body starts to hurt and when I can't hold it, thing happens..." They know very well what things. Despite everything, Ayu feared more losing her loved ones than she could ever fear herself. But what she could become was the second, very close to first, place in her nightmare categories. "Dende, the one who lives on the Lookout, can heal that strain on my body. We're working on keeping it under control, but before I can learn everything properly, I'd rather... Keep my distance. As much as needed," Terra and Liari were strong enough to manage even if Ayu's power would slip away but she didn't want to risk it. So before she could be able to control it the way she always intended, Ayu would have to live in more-or-less seclusion. Away from big cities, only surrounded by plant life and wilderness...
It wasn't going to be that much different than before, was it?
"Of course, you can visit, as much as you want," she playfully poked Liari's nose back. If Liari could spend more time with Terra, that was for the best too. Sweet Pea and Bluebell would both be safer, together, having quality mother-daughter time. "Being around me all the time might be... Slightly dangerous. I know you are skilled enough to not get hurt - but I-I wouldn't like you or Terra to see me in that state again." Her fleeing eyes glanced to the side with melancholy. There was something about being so vulnerable that she couldn't fight back against her own Ki and her emotions being swallowed by vegetation... It was shameful. Not mentioning putting others in position when they have to weaken her because there's no other way. The fear, pain, and worry that the plants absorbed were only making the freshly grown thorns sharper. Once her energy starts leaking and plants taste her feelings, they are not letting go. "I know that I behave..." A deep sigh raised her chest. "Not like me."
Maybe they weren't that different after all.
Power Level - 300,900 | 0 (Seal technique) Word Count - 1,108 Total Word Count - 10,530
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