POWER LEVEL
45,859
Tech Points
8
Forms
Adrenaline Rush [x4]
Zeni
3,474
Archived
|
Apr 12, 2022 10:27:18 GMT -5
Post by Anastasia on Apr 12, 2022 10:27:18 GMT -5
Power Level: 31,225
Weighted Power Level: 7,806
Suppressed Power Level: 1,000
Anastasia leaned casually against the park table she sat at as she waited for Zerori to arrive. She kept her power level suppressed to a below average degree not wanting to draw attention to herself now that she had made so much progress in her training that some might consider her a threat. She was meeting up with Zerori in the same park that they had met together once before. It was the same one where Zerori had shared her pastry and first told Anastasia about magic. It was because of said magic that she was here now. The idea of Zerori's abilities had intrigued Anastasia. The possibilities it provided were multitudinous, and Anastasia wanted to try them for herself.
She was mildly surprised Zerori had agreed to teach her. She had expected Zerori to decline, or at least hold the ability over Anatasia's head as leverage for some sort of favor or some such chicanery. But instead the saiyan-blooded woman had agreed to show Anastasia more about magic readily enough. The prospect of which excited Anastasia. She especially was interested in the way Zerori had materialized that suit of armor. If it were real, and not an illusion, Anastasia could see it being incredibly useful.
Anastasia was wearing her training weights right now. They dragged her down heavily, and moving with them on was an incredible struggle. If she were caught by surprise by an enemy, she'd be flat footed. She would need to throw her weights off, and that could take precious moments she needed to fight for her life. However, if she had Zerori's ability to summon and create items, then she could don and doff her weights at will. The same with any other gear that she might procure in the future. At least to some small degree...
She looked at the wrist weight she wore, it resembled an armguard the length of her forearm. Ana tightened the fastenings and gave her arm a quick shake, her movement sluggish from it, but at least it no longer slid about her arm awkwardly. She wasn't wearing her blaster today, since she hadn't planned on getting into any combat. But it would be useful to summon it as well. She had been planning on training with Oran and incorporating the weapon into her fighting style. However, a concern of her was if the item got damaged or destroyed. Replacing it would quickly become expensive, much less inhibiting her in combat. Being able to create one using Zerori's ability would be infinitely preferable...
Ana closed her eyes and gave her head a little shake, "Chickens before they hatch."
The idiom was a reminder to herself. There was a chance that maybe she couldn't learn the ability. Maybe she couldn't create magic. If that were the case then she shouldn't get herself all caught up in thinking about these possibilities. But she just couldn't help it. Ana signed and shook her head. Whatever will be, will be. If Zerori could teach her to wield magic, all the better. If she could not, then Anastasia hadn't lost anything by trying.
Anastasia propped her head up on her palm as she rested her elbow on the table. There was the matter of payment. Anastasia didn't like being in anyone's debt. And if Zerori managed to teach her this, then it seemed only fair for Ana to reciprocate. When Zerori arrived she would ask her how much zeni she would like for her services or... Ana wondered if she had anything she could teach Zerori in return. She mentally went over her list of skills and abilities.
Truth told her strongest skill was her ability Immovable Object. The very skill that was behind her infamous defense that had given her the TERRIBLE fighting name of "Miss Fortress". Zerori didn't strike Anastasia as the type to hone her defenses, however. She seemed more the type to press an aggressive offense instead of a defensive measure. But who knows? Anastasia could be wrong. She hadn't seen Zerori fight after all. Maybe she had a more measured strategy than Anastasia gave her credit for.
She'd have to ask
Word Count: 695
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Watch your profanity~
POWER LEVEL
194,332
Tech Points
18/44
Forms
Super Demon [x18]
Zeni
29,976
Hybrid
|
Apr 17, 2022 23:16:07 GMT -5
Post by Zerori on Apr 17, 2022 23:16:07 GMT -5
To say that the past couple of months had been… busy, would have been an understatement. However, in spite of much time passing in the interim, Zerori’s own training had to be put on hold (to her detriment). The facts of the matter were that she had to focus on gaining relations for the next phase of her plans and even as she’d worked through meeting after meeting, job after job - time just wasn’t on her side to put into working on her own power. Truthfully, after the exhausting experience with the bounty she’d killed alongside Athren, Zerori had to use an unholy amount of time to recover and she was antsy for lack of a better word. Imagine her excitement when she’d gotten a communique from Anastasia about meeting back up at the park they’d last met up at.
Within a half hour, Zerori was nearly jogging to the park - a bag slung over her shoulder as she eagerly looked for Ana’s familiar face.
Today Zerori had decided to dress more casual than she usually did, a pair of worn black jeans (though she wore her usual boots) with a white crop top that was accented by another cropped leather jacket. On her face sat a pair of dark shades that she didn’t really need, but aside from the fact that she sometimes suffered from headaches with bright light… they just made her look really fucking cool.
Upon spotting Anastasia, Zerori’s inquisitive frown immediately brightened up as she waved at her, “YO!” And almost immediately did she notice what looked like some new kind of fashion on her friend’s arms. Upon approach, Zerori cocked her at Anastasia adjusting the arm guard, “Wow, that looks pretty fancy. You get a new occupational uniform or is that a new accessory for fashion?” She teased, completely leaving out the suggestion that it could be a training device. It absolutely could have been but why be so on the nose? With a swing, the bag Zerori was holding would land on the surface of the table with a distinct heaviness before she settled herself in the seat across from Anastasia.
She knew why she was there, but there was little harm in some small talk before they got to the crux of their meeting and Zerori had nothing but time after she’d finished everything in the day. She’d made sure of it after receiving Anastasia’s call. Ever since their last few meetings had been cut short by... 'work', Zerori had made it her mission to find any and all counter measures to keep her work life separated from her personal life - a tall order for someone like her that seemed to struggle just to keep her own affairs from getting needlessly messy.
"You eat anything today? Got some noodles from that place we like," A bold assumption but one Zerori was absolutely comfortable making, "As well as some... uh, I guess you can call 'em educational props? Anyway, it'll help us with the shit we're gonna do today," She flashed an 'OK' gesture before pulling out the bowls of noodles for the both of them.
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|
POWER LEVEL
45,859
Tech Points
8
Forms
Adrenaline Rush [x4]
Zeni
3,474
Archived
|
Apr 18, 2022 14:09:25 GMT -5
Post by Anastasia on Apr 18, 2022 14:09:25 GMT -5
Power Level: 31,225
Weighted Power Level: 7,806
Suppressed Power Level: 1,000
Anastasia looked up at Zerori's shout of 'YO!' and saw her jogging over. If Anastasia hasn't known any better, she would have said that Zerori looked a bit like an eager puppy. He enthusiasm was so obvious that Ana couldn't help but give her the smallest little quirk of a smile. It wasn't much, but it was there. Zerori just seemed to have the power to pull Anastasia along at her pace.
"More of an accessory," Anastasia responded to Zerori's inquiry. Maybe not for fashion but it was an accessory. Anastasia looked over Zerori briefly to see if she could catch sight of the tell tale shape of weights under her own clothes. Of course, Ana didn't realize it could possibly be interpreted as her 'checking out' Zerori.
Anastasia turned from Zerori to the bag she had swung onto the table with a weighty thump. Her curiosity piqued Anastasia sat a little straighter, a part of her wanting to reach out and open the bag, but she resisted the urge. One did not go about touching another person's things. So instead she waited for Zerori to reveal the contents of the bag.
Ah, trust a saiyan to bring food. Anastasia shook her head but didn't turn down the free meal. They WERE good noodles after all... Ana took one of the bowls from Zerori and began opening the container and snapping apart her chop sticks.
" 'Props' huh? what sorts of 'props'?" Ana asked while taking her first big slurp of noodles, the end of the noodles flicking up and getting some broth on her nose. She wrinkled her nose a bit and wiped it with her sleeve like a child. She was surprised to find the bowl of noodles was the exact same one she had ordered the first time she and Zerori met. How'd she manage that? Anastasia had ordered the special of the day that time. Unless it just conveniently happened to be the exact same special today, but what were those odds?
She flicked her eyes back up to Zerori again, trying to read her past the black lenses. The saiyan woman had been flirtatious from the very beginning but the enthusiasm for today and the care put into remembering something so simple from their first meeting seemed to say a bit more than that... Anastasia wasn't sure what to feel about that. If Zerori did have some intentions towards her, the idea didn't make her uncomfortable, if anything it...
Or she was reading too far into things. Chickens before they hatch, Anastasia.
She pulled herself back from that train of thought and instead focused on the here and now. The good food, the good company, and the chance to learn, she couldn't believe she was seriously thinking this, magic.
"Speaking of shit we're going to do today," Ana put down the bowl on the table and leaned forward, "What will I owe you for this 'shit'?"
Ana thought it was better to be upfront about compensation. She wanted to get that out of the way before they got too involved. Zeni, training, or something else she didn't care. She just didn't want to 'owe' Zerori.
Word Count: 530
Total Word Count: 1,225
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Watch your profanity~
POWER LEVEL
194,332
Tech Points
18/44
Forms
Super Demon [x18]
Zeni
29,976
Hybrid
|
Apr 24, 2022 15:55:44 GMT -5
Post by Zerori on Apr 24, 2022 15:55:44 GMT -5
Was that a fuckin’ smile?! Zerori thought with an almost comical amount of pride. She wasn’t going to say anything, however, wary of ruining the moment as she tended to do without intention. The look that Anastasia was giving her though, completely without context, had the Saiyan woman flexing just a little more than usual as a means to really give her something to look at. She couldn’t help it and hoped it was a good show for the few seconds she’d done it before they started to get into the food she’d brought. It was hard to miss the intrigue she saw pass over Anastasia’s face, tempted to move things along quickly to sate that curiosity. She kept to her guns, however, and made certain to keep her pace balanced. She wanted their day to last and she was going to resist every moment she felt a need to just… do what her friend wanted to do.
With business at every moment threatening to take up her free time, Zerori had a LONG while to think of how she felt about the woman. It wasn’t that she had a type, per say, but the mystery and subtle hints of a fiery nature beneath the surface was like a siren song to the mercenary. Anastasia was direct yet didn’t give too much of herself. Honest but withheld what she didn’t feel was necessary. Most of all she was patient when it seemed as though Zerori could easily piss her off. That… was what she did best, after all. A work in progress for her own development, of course.
At the mention of the props, however, Zerori just laughed a little before taking a sip of her own noodles, “You’ll see, I promise. It’s what my mother used to teach me when I was a child and… well, if a child can do it, I’m fairly certain the method can work with an adult!” She declared with an unnatural amount of confidence. When she finished a couple more slurps, satisfied that she had a little food for courage, Zerori would put the bowl to the side and answer the most telling question.
She leaned forward, a smirk sliding on her lips, “Not a damn thing. SHOCKING, I know,” She held her hands up dramatically before cocking her head to the side, “Let’s just say that this is worth more than some credits on a card or an IOU,” She waved it off, unwilling to explain further in case it crossed lines and made things uncomfortable. In case Anastasia had a mind to argue Zerori used this moment as the perfect time to bring up, “-Now, that PROPS!” With expert redirection, Zerori reached into the bag and pulled out…
A few pieces of paper, a couple of candles and a device that looked like a round metallic pad. All very unrelated items that, to a glance, wouldn’t make sense to anyone without context. Thankfully, Zerori was here to provide that context. “You may be wondering, ‘Zerori, what does paper have to do with magic?’ or even ‘Are we using the candles for some sort of ritual?’ And the answer is super easy,” She put the paper down, using her bowl to keep the wind from blowing it away, before placing the candle on top of it. With a snap of her fingers, a trick she learned a while ago, Zerori would light the candle with magic before waving her hand and the flame away, “We’re going to test your ability to DO magic. It’s a little less ‘ritual’ than my mother made it out to be but I figured you’d appreciate the simplicity.” She laughed, putting the circular item to the side for later.
“You ready? There’s no rush and you don’t gotta be worried if it doesn’t look like you’ve gotten the aptitude for it immediately. There are ways to, like… pull it out of you? No, that’s not exactly right, uh… to trick your body into figuring it out!” She amended a beat later, throwing some finger guns Anastasia’s way for full effect.
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|
POWER LEVEL
45,859
Tech Points
8
Forms
Adrenaline Rush [x4]
Zeni
3,474
Archived
|
Apr 25, 2022 14:29:35 GMT -5
Post by Anastasia on Apr 25, 2022 14:29:35 GMT -5
Power Level: 31,225
Weighted Power Level: 7,806
Suppressed Power Level: 1,000
While looking for the signs of training weights, (it was hard for her to maybe they were sewn into her actual clothes rather than just strapped on? Zerori did pay more attention to fashion than Ana did, of course.) Anastasia noticed that Zerori stood a little straighter, muscles tensed slightly with each movement, was she posturing a little bit? The image of a preening peacock flashed in Anastasia's mind for a moment, and she mentally laughed at the thought, another smile peeking out once again.
Anastasia had grown a soft spot for the woman. In spite of (or maybe because of?) the odd circumstances of how they met, Ana and Zerori got along well enough. Anastasia didn't have many... friends? She was so passive and reserved that it was often a bit of work for people to maintain a relationship with her. Oft times people got tired of having to initiate every interaction. It also didn't help that her wanderlust and focus on training and fighting made her difficult to track down and engage with on a regular basis. Most of Ana's relationships were more like acquaintances than actual friends.
And then there was Zerori.
Zerori who didn't seem to be put off by her reserved and sometimes off putting behavior. Zerori who was flirtatious and arrogant, but respectful and polite. Zerori who seemed genuinely happy to make the extra effort to engage with Ana, eager even. True they didn't converse as regularly as friends are "supposed to", but when they did there was an ease to it as if no time had passed at all. It was a comfortable sort of chemistry that was completely unexpected.
Anastasia worked at her own noodles, for once eating quickly, though not as quickly as a saiyan might, out of eagerness to begin. She arched an eyebrow at Zerori's explanation of the purpose behind the props.
"Oh, I see. So if I can't do it then you're saying that I'm less competent than a child?" Ana's tone was flat, almost dry. But then she cocked her head and broke the facade only a moment later, her eyes crinkling in a soft 'just kidding' expression.
An expression that was broken with a surprised blink at Zerori's next words. Not a damn thing? That was doubtful. Ana frowned slightly, not trusting the other woman's sudden streak of altruism. Anastasia didn't know Zerori particularly well in spite of their growing friendship, but she at least could tell enough that Zerori wasn't the type of person to do something for nothing. She did things with a purpose, even if that purpose was for her own amusement, like when she had first stopped Anastasia from pursuing the Majin pick pocket. There must be something more to this, but before she could push the point, Zerori pulled out a series of items from the bag she had brought in the beginning.
"An aptitude test?" Ana asked as Zerori finished explaining the purpose behind the items.
Ana set aside her 3/4s finished bowl of noodles and rested her arms on the table as she looked over the candle that Zerori had so easily lit and then snuffed out again like... well, like magic. It almost seemed more like a slight of hand than anything, but Anastasia had seen proof of Zerori's abilities before, and she had no reason to doubt her now. But if this were a test to see if Anastasia had the ability to do magic then what-
The saiyan woman already seemed to know what Anastasia had been about to ask, assuaging the unspoken question of 'but what if I don't have the ability?'. Anastasia let out a soft laugh, barely more than a breath, what, did Zerori read minds as well as conjure objects?
Ana shook her head ever so slightly to banish the silly thought, then sat up straighter, "I'm ready."
Truth told she was more than ready. She was excited. She'd been thinking about learning magic from Zerori for a while now, and like hell she was stopping here just because she might not be able to light a candle. Anastasia was too stubborn for that, and Zerori was just about to see just how bad Ana could be when she set her mind to something.
"What do you want me to do?"
Word Count:720
Total Word Count: 1,945
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Watch your profanity~
POWER LEVEL
194,332
Tech Points
18/44
Forms
Super Demon [x18]
Zeni
29,976
Hybrid
|
Apr 29, 2022 16:34:26 GMT -5
Post by Zerori on Apr 29, 2022 16:34:26 GMT -5
If there was a way for Anastasia to hear the comical sound of tires squealing to a halt in Zerori’s brain, Zerori was certain it would have become apparent that she might have fucked up, “Waitwhat, no, that’s not-!” Along with the sound of reverse beeping as Zerori tried to backpedal in her brain. Thankfully, a few elongated seconds of watching Anastasia’s expression was key to figure out that she was actually JOKING and with a sharp peal of laughter, Zerori leaned back while bringing a hand to her face, “You bitch…” She teased with a smile. When she felt like she’d sufficiently regained her composure, Zerori was back to business (the fun kind, this time) enough to give Anastasia a casual nod, “Yeah, that sounds about right. No pressure, though, ‘cause there are ways to ‘bring it out of you’,” And that was more or less all that Zerori needed to say before she could see the resolve in her friend’s eyes upon being ready.
At that, Zerori would grin like the cat that caught the canary before giving a nod to herself, “Alright then. First, we’re going to let the world know you’re ready to connect to the realm of magic,” As confusing as that might have sounded, Zerori was already giving a graceful way of her hand over the paper with the candle on top. Teaching someone magic required another that already knew magic - hence why it wasn’t a very common ability. For Zerori, such things didn’t come naturally even as… well, whatever the fuck she was.
Upon the paper, as if activated by some force, a small circle of runes would appear to light up before they seemed to cool in an expense of smoke and settle in a blackness like someone had simply drawn in on with permanent marker. Zerori looked up, still grinning, “Now that the ‘gate’ is open,” She explained with air quotes before gesturing to the candle. “It’s time to see if you can light it up. Magic is ALL about intention and bringing what you think in your mind to what can exist in the world.” In Zerori’s mind, as she explained the process to Anastasia, the voice of her mother was repeating what she was saying. Well… rather it was Zerori repeating her Mother’s words.
“If you lack the desire to bring what you want into fruition, you’ll lose the connection to magic. Your imagination is key to believing in yourself. Don't be intimidated by what you think isn't possible. If you can imagine it, then all you have to do-”
“-is follow through. Now. Light the candle.” Zerori finished, watching closely as she witnessed Anastasia’s first attempt at connecting to magic. Making solid objects and persistent illusions would come later - MUCH later. Zerori gave a sly little smirk, “I rather like to snap my fingers like a badass but you can touch the wick or anything else that you feel will get the job done!”
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|
POWER LEVEL
45,859
Tech Points
8
Forms
Adrenaline Rush [x4]
Zeni
3,474
Archived
|
May 1, 2022 12:18:53 GMT -5
Post by Anastasia on May 1, 2022 12:18:53 GMT -5
Power Level: 31,225
Weighted Power Level: 7,806
Suppressed Power Level: 1,000
Zerori's panic was so obvious Ana nearly started laughing then and there. She hadn't expected Zerori to be so damn stricken at the possibility of insulting her. Luckily, Anastasia managed to bite back the laughter. She just mentally tucked away the occassion away in her back pocket to tease Zerori with again later...
She was actually having fun.
Anastasia nodded and leaned forward intently when Zerori proceedes with her instruction. She knew that Zerori was teaching her MAGIC of all things, but she still couldn't help but be off put by how... mystical this all was. Magic realms? Gateways? It was a completely different kind of place than the one Anastasia resided in. She was interested in summoning magic for tactical and logistical applications in WAR for Kami's sake. The contrast of the two things was... striking to say the least.
She mentally shook her head to clear it of her wandering thoughts and brought her focus back to the task at hand. The simple, yet fascinating, appearance of the magic circle on the paper. She wasn't sure if the point was to summon the 'gateway' or to just draw the design. A marker would have been just as effective. But it seemed perfectly in line with Zerori's character to put on a bit of a show.
Anastasia flicked her dark eyes to Zerori's icy blue ones as she listened intently to her explanation of magic. It was a bit more... subjective than she would have liked. But this was magic, afterall and she hadn't really been expecting a step by step program complete with diagrams. It just would have ben easier for the more literal minded Ana. She closed her eyes and mentally repeated Zerori's words.
Intention and bringing what you have in your mind into the world, hm? So it was determined by strength of will, and not being tied down to preconcieved 'laws' of the universe. Or... well thats at least how Anastasia was interpretting things. She felt confident. If it were about intention and willpower then she wouldn't lose to anyone. Even the laws of physics and reality.
Anastasia was wearing a glove under her gauntlet so she mentally focused hard on imagining a fire sparking to life as she tugged the glove off, showing rough and calloused fingers. Her knuckles were scarred from many a bare knuckled fight in the pits and streets. Ana held her hand forward in front of the candle and began focusing as hard as she could on the idea of fire springing to life from her call.
She felt something... something like the ki inside her but seperate. A force that was not a part of her, exactly, but next to her. She just needed to open the door... Anastasia tried to summon that force, like she might with her ki, and bring it into creation...
And then she snapped her fingers.
Or she tried to.
Anastasia blushed a soft pink in embarassment. She had been so caught up in the lesson, she had forgotten she didn't know how to snap her damn fingers! It didn't matter that she hadn't needed to specifically snap her fingers to summon the fire. What mattered is Anastasia had initially assumed to just copy Zerori. She had unconciouslly linked the two: Zerori snapped her fingers and made fire, ergo she needed to snap her fingers and make fire.
"I... uhm... I forgot I can't snap my fingers."
Kami, she felt so stupid. She raised her hand to Zerori and said quickly, "Wait, one more time."
Then Ana took a deep breath and tried to bring her focus back from her embarassment to the task at hand. What had Zerori said? That she could just touch the wick? That should be easy enough. Right... fire. She would summon fire.
Ana tried to go back into the mental space she had been before her failed snap had distracted her. A place of will and connection to another strength. It was still there, wasn't it? It was just like her ki, but different. A force waiting to be let in, rather than coming from within her.
Anastasia extended a finger tip, but it glowed with light from her ki, not magic. Her brow creased slightly and she focused, letting her ki go. It was a struggle to separate these two forces. The light of her ki faded, leaving... nothing. A plain, ordinary, index finger. But it felt different...
Ana pressed her finger tip to the wick and it flared to life as if she had used a match.
Word Count: 761
Total Word Count: 2,706
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"Only A Failure Abandons His Principles And Pride."
Administrator
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May 10, 2022 0:00:20 GMT -5
Post by Admin on May 10, 2022 0:00:20 GMT -5
Zerori, you're getting yourself 1,559 Power level and 1,078 zeni!
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