It started to be a routine. A day after day, week by week, Ayu would come to this place for hours, be it in need to calm down her raging energy or have a quiet moment for meditation. Mostly by herself. The Namekian ship hidden in the cave in the thick forest was her safe space. And by that she meant it was safe to go all out with her uncontrollable powers, making sure that the pressure would stop Ayu from turning the whole area into some bizarre overgrown forest... It didn't matter how badly her emotions and Ki were leaking out, enough pressure would stop it, pushing her to her knees and keeping her energy in check. This wasn't ideal, but when the weighted clothing started to lose its efficiency, Ayu was desperate in a way. It was a race with time... Would she get a grip on controlling her energy first? Or with one tiny slip she'd blow up the area with vines and trees? She knew how that song and dance would go... That's why Ayu was meditating a lot, making sure that her mind would stay clear and calm even if the situation otherwise wouldn't allow it. But being a very empathic and emotional person that tried to make peace with her feelings - it wasn't working as planned.

The young woman has set the right adjustment in the ship, looking at the coordinates on the screen and rubbing her cheek. Sometimes she was forgetting that it was indeed a ship... She could have treated herself to the space trip! But that wasn't what Ayu wanted, though the idea of seeing other planets was fascinating. First, she'd have to learn how to operate this thing and later make sure she'd get it out of the cave - breaking through a natural grotto this way won't be good for both the ship and the hill. For now, all those imaginations will have to settle down, because she came here with a very different goal in mind. Pressing the buttons, Ayu saw the screen displaying the countdown...

Each time it started, the pressure was bringing her down to her knees. Simply, the start of the Gravity Chamber wasn't something pleasant... Ayu would much prefer the possibility of the gravity growing with every minute until the needed point, not throwing all the weight of it on her shoulders just like that. Maybe there was an option like that, she just wasn't familiar with settings enough. It started and her heart stopped for a blink of an eye while her knees hit the ground. She shivered, sitting heavily on the floor and trying to get her breathing under control. Blood curled for just a second, bones creaked and muscles ached as she was focused solely on getting the right amount of oxygen into her lungs. Her chest raised slowly, sore from the pressure, the air thick and heavy slid through her throat, down to the lungs and the oxygen intertwined with her blood. Ayu's ribcage gently dropped as she exhaled slowly. And exhale and inhale again... And again. It did not look like that, but it was indeed quite the workout for her body, the one she needed to be aware of during every passing second. Breathing was always a body chore that felt automatic and didn't need much control but in a Gravity Chamber? Ayu was learning all again how to breathe, how to get up, walk and move... Kinda like a toddler. The uncompromising pressure was settling in her body like rocks, pushing her down to the floor. If only that would be possible, Ayu would be flattened like a pancake under the raw force here... But she didn't. Seems that despite her fuzzy Ki and everything around her, she really did become stronger.

But it was never enough. She wiped her sweated brow, straightening her back to sit with her head high, and the more she tried to keep her balanced posture, the more stubborn the gravity was. Ayu needed this training, even if it was unpleasant and she'd rather go practice with Liari... Truth be told, even if the both of them started to train punches, Ayu couldn't make a proper one - her posture was all wrong, and the idea of hurting someone was stuck in her mind, preventing her from giving it all, it just... Despite the power and strength Bluebell assured her, she got in her, still Ayu was struggling to control it. To use it properly. She wasn't a fighter and she probably never be, she never had what it takes... Observing Liari showed her that. Her little sister loved to move, play around and fight, her moves were intuitive and sharp. Her body was acting on her own with a mock sparring session... And when Ayu got back with her memories of other people she have met, they all had this air about them. Like Bluebell, they were responsive with their movements, they had the knowledge and intuition to match their brawn. Kinda like seeing a soldier in a civilian outfit walk would hint that they have served in the military - it was a matter of small things, the way how they moved and balanced their body with every step. She didn't spot this aura in Liari before, perhaps... It was Callion's influence? It was odd and aching to think about him helping Liari after what she has done, but her eating him seemed to work exactly in that way. She took on a handful of characteristics of the Sayian, absorbed them, and made them her own... Maybe it was for the best that she didn't settle for anyone with an impure heart and hatred in their blood. Well, it didn't change the fact that from time to time Ayu missed the lion-maned Saiyan, wondering how things would be different if they had a chance to train together.

Because it was all about training. Saiyans were natural fighters, Liari was an amazing warrior to top it off and other people Ayu has met so far seemed to more or less have a knack for some kind of style of fighting. Not in a specialized way, but in case of emergency, they would be able to throw hands and protect themselves... Well, and she was standing there on the side with fidgeting hands, wondering how she should even kick someone. Ayu lacked so much when it came to combat, and it wasn't only experienced.

The young woman closed her eyes. The sweat on her face started to drip down from her chin, and the hair on her temples was already glued to her wet skin. All that because she was sitting in a diamond position, with her legs tucked under her body? Gravity Chamber was a space that seemed to defy the logic of the outside world. Joining her hands together Ayu was doing her best to adjust her body to the new surroundings. By slowly breathing, she made the blood rush through her veins, being mindful of every involuntarily twitch of the muscles, of every tiny move she made. With a pressure straight up desiring to turn her into a puddle, Ayu was constantly fighting with it, at the same time trying to focus on some very needed meditation. The steady force that was trying to squash her skull was going to give her a headache worse than those accompanying her nosebleeds - but she had to work through it. She had to be stronger than that.

Ayu desperately needed to train. It wasn't a lust for power or an ego-fueled ambition... It felt more like a necessity. Like a duty that needed to be preserved so she could keep up with others. With all the people she grew to care for and love, in the face of danger, she needed to be able to do something. Anything. But there was always another obstacle, a being stronger than her trying to taunt her little sister... And who knew what the future holds? Ayu found herself shivering at that thought. It felt like she would never be good enough to have things under control, yeah, even her own Ki was proof of that... But at least Ayu wanted to try. If not for herself then for others, because it was the best motivation she needed right now. She didn't like fighting. At all. Ayu could fathom people taking a liking to spar, checking their borders and capabilities... But others enjoyed a fight to the death. The thrill of having a life on the line, blood being spilled, and body aching - maybe there was something to that, but this desire in Ayu's mind was like a coin. One side was focusing on getting better and proving oneself this way - the other was dedicated to cruelty and savoring the thought of being stronger than most. Gently Ayu rubbed the bridge of her nose, opening her eyes to look at her shivering hand. Was it the pressure teasing her muscles like that or the uneasy thought preceded a panic attack? Fighting for pleasure... That was something she couldn't understand and maybe she never will. She wasn't a fighter.

But it did not mean that she'd have the comfort of not getting involved for long. Actions were always followed by reactions - for now, hers were always on the meek side of the spectrum. Tears and worries, hopes turned to ash and silent prays while others were out there fighting and struggling for survival. This thought was actually shameful... Countless times Ayu has told herself that maybe if she would have been able to do something, she would make a difference. But telling and acting were two different things... She dreaded the day she'd have to take a fight, but it wasn't a nightmare that could never happen. The Earth was abundant with powerful energy signatures and not all of them were going to simply enjoy their time on the blue planet. Some could be hostile. Some could be scheming.

Feeling how her legs were enjoying the familiar numbness, Ayu decided that it was the right moment to stand up. The thing was - it wasn't easy. It was almost a norm now, that each time the young woman was trying to get up from meditation in a Gravity Chamber, she always had to trip once or twice, landing on the floor like a ragdoll. This time it wasn't any different - Ayu's muscles tensed and when she tried to pull herself up, her leg slipped, her balance was a mess and she landed on her side. Typical. She chuckled lightly, not irritated, but mostly amused by her own clumsiness. Enhanced gravity only emphasized that! Shaking her head and ruffling her green hair, Ayu was able to stand up at her second, no, third attempt. She wiped her hands from the sweat and placed them on her hips, her legs rooted in the ground as she was getting used to the change of position. Her center of gravity changed each time she moved, so Ayu had to be careful - with the pressure tremendously enlarged like that, the gravity was able to pull her down with one careless move. It almost felt like someone grabbed her by her braid and pushed her against the floor. Stretching was dangerous here... But if the meditation was a warm-up by Gravity Chamber standards, a typical warm-up would be quite the challenge here.

Ayu rubbed her wrists, raising her arms to stretch and warm them up enough before trying to move freely. Oh, she was able to run around the Chamber as she pleased - but her body needed to get used to the new environment first. And that usually took some time, meditation, and preparations. The young woman leaned down, placing her hands on the floor, feeling how the pressure was now kicking her spine. Everything here was unpleasant... Brr. The hot sweat, the thick air that made breathing a challenge, and the overall difficulty with moving and thinking - but she had to be stronger than that. Ayu needed to be greater than her obstacles if she wanted to gain something from defeating them. With a heavy sigh, she shifted her balance to one leg, pulling the other one up and pressing the knee against her chest. It was tricky because the gravity was messing with the equilibrium of her body. Ayu silently counted to fifteen while her muscles tensed and relaxed, only to change the leg and repeat the exercise. She trotted in place, sweat dripping down from her neck... Every light jump was as heavy as an elephant stomping on the ground. Right, but no one said that it was going to be easy. Brushing hair away from her face, Ayu relaxed her shoulders and reached one arm across her body, using the other one to deepen the stretch of the shoulder blade. And again with the second one. There was something comforting in these repetitive movements, even if Ayu never was a fit type, leaning more into an honest bookworm, some of the exercises were easy to enjoy.

Some of them were. But most of those workouts weren't something she was looking forward to. Having warmed up already, Ayu took a casual, relaxed, if it was even possible, stroll around the Gravity Chamber. Holding her hands behind her back and humming a little she decided to make a circle near the furthest walls of the ship, trying to gently place her feet on the ground as she walked. Thing is, with that gravity pulling her down taking steps appeared to be more abstract than anything. Raising a leg was one thing, fighting against the pressure - but putting it back on the floor? If she'd let the muscles completely relax, the invisible force was pushing her knee down and her shoe would land on the tiles with a dull smack. That was no way to take a stroll... Ayu had to measure her strength in an entirely different task, doing her best to take every step softly, slowly, taking her time. This was eating on her energy, turning a casual walk into something equal in exhaustion to a full-on sprint. Shy sighed while walking, her thoughts split between her breathing, controlling her body, and the reflection of home.

Home. Well, it wasn't about the building or the construction, albeit this one changed lately a few times already. With Liari's size, they had to modify some rooms, so her little sister could have an as comfortable stay as possible... But it wasn't about that. The home wasn't a place, but people - Ayu hasn't forgotten about Zhang's disappearance, but with someone waiting for her there, with someone to talk to at any time of day and night it was too easy to spot the difference. A silent space filled with bright smiles and laughter. Quietly they started living together, and naturally, they just clicked. The chores and duties were divided and there was no problem with money because they could sell both sweets made by Liari and vegetables and fruits Ayu grew. It was more than enough and the financial status of the Yibai household was never this stable. Ayu was taking care of plants, telling Liari what she knew when she only spotted Bluebell eagerly listening to her words. She never suspected that the blue woman would enjoy the chores so much, but seeing how stubborn she was in taking care of the dishes and floor, Ayu didn't intervene. If so, she was glad that even though she couldn't give Liari all the thrills and entertainment that she sought, she was still enjoying herself in this little house. They were happy living together and her heart soared at that thought... But then it was nearing the point of breaking as the doubt crept in. Nothing in this world lasted forever, be it a good or a bad thing - Ayu was aware. All they could do was make the most of the time they had together. Maybe instead of dwelling on the chance of it all changing soon, they should take care of each other, so their time together could last as long as possible.

That was the logic behind Ayu's training spree if she could only call it that. She rubbed her chin and stopped after the third circle around the Gravity Chamber. Her knees were about to give in, but she did not want to stop so soon. If so... Maybe she should warm up her aura too?

A confused and careworn grimace appeared on her face when Ayu gazed down at her hands. She still lacked so much in using Ki and shrouding her body with energy seemed like a very bad idea - it was a disaster waiting to happen. On the other hand, it would make it easier to train, her body would be lighter and her movements faster. If it would be only a bit of Ki, it won't hurt, right..? Her power was already obstructed by clothing and the ungodly gravity in here. But perhaps as with any other muscules, energy should be warmed up by preparation before using in actual training? What did Liari teach her last time... Taking a deep breath Ayu raised both of her hands, focusing on the space between the palms. When her energy wasn't this strong it was easy for her to create small balls of energy to light up dark places, but as the time passed and her Ki grew, it proved more and more difficult. Mostly because the energy would burst like a soap bubble and turn into a little frenzy of greenery around. But the practice did make perfect, so Ayu closed her eyes, dedicating her time to gathering Ki in her hands.

Very slowly a gleaming dot of energy, not bigger than a speckle of dust, lit up between the palms of her hands. Sweat dripped on her cheeks, and her fingers trembled a little, but Ayu was very slowly, drop by drop, adding her power to the energy in front of her. She couldn't allow herself to rush and be careless. The speckle grew into the size of bubblegum, and the off-white coloration of her Ki started to sport yellow and gold flickers. With every breath she allowed energy to seep in - just like oxygen was absorbed by her body, she let the Ki flow through her fingertips. The bowl was now resembling a rubber ball that children love to play with, maybe even the one that she won at the fair some time ago? Ayu smiled with a corner of her lips. She didn't open her eyes, she didn't have to, her sixth sense was telling her how much of her energy she used. And it was working. With time and practice, she was able to keep the orb of energy in her hands without it popping or bursting... But to be honest about her feelings, she wasn't that bad at controlling the Ki outside of her body. Things were getting chaotic when it came to keeping the power inside of her and preventing it from leaking. How many times did she and Liari fix the toolshed that she destroyed accidentally? Only because her Ki slipped away and the roses decided that it be the best moment to grow beyond their capacity and wrap around wooden boards. The thought that by accident she could have done the same to a living being was curling her blood and tying her stomach into an ice-cold knot.

Practice. Practice makes perfect. Ayu shivered lightly and slowly opened her eyes, for a moment admiring the tennis ball-sized orbs in her hands. Her energy was warm, and the soft, welcoming gleam of goldish hue was pretty to look at. Sometimes Ayu couldn't believe that she was capable of doing something like that... Then she remembered that she wanted to attend the university and make her grandfather proud, back when she didn't have any outstanding abilities. And now? All she wanted to do was to live peacefully with Liari and control her ability to manipulate plants well enough to not cause anyone harm. Fates were cruel but they did have a sense of humor, twisting and changing her life like that. Was it for the best? She couldn't tell with the complicated mess now happening on Earth but there were people that Ayu would be forever grateful for having met them.

Having created the ball of Ki, Ayu slowly joined her hands together, hiding it with a soft clap. When she opened her palms, nothing was there because the energy was absorbed back by her body. This size was okay for her to handle it seemed... Maybe each day she should expand the amount of power used, to adjust to it? Wouldn't be a bad idea. Yet, for now, Ayu has proved to herself that she should be able to handle her aura flaring up in the Gravity Chamber until the level of her power would be low enough for her to easily manipulate. With that thought, she took a deep breath, opening her arms and closing her eyes. Energy... Her Ki. Was it poison or a blessing?

The air around the young woman started to flicker, the breeze slowly ruffled her clothing and played with the long braid. Lines on her body, now more vivid than before, gleamed gold, painting a symmetrical pattern on her face and hands. There was no mirror, so Ayu was only able to notice the lines on the inner side of her hands. The points on the tips of her fingers looked like dots of light were lit inside her skin, giving it a warm, golden glow. Just like before, very, very slowly Ayu was pouring her energy outside of her body, keeping it close so it would wrap around her like a shawl. The yellowish aura at first danced and flickered chaotically as if letting it escape her body made it unstable again... But it wasn't the end. Patiently Ayu stood there, molding the Ki, weaving it into a shroud that would envelop her body, calming down the amount of energy needed for this task. And it worked. Not at the first try though, but the longer the young woman was standing there, adjusting the energy to both her breathing and her heartbeat, the more it proved doable. Gradually she stabilized everything that she used from her power, keeping the rest in check with the pressure and weighted clothing. With that amount at hand, Ayu lit up her body with power just enough, so the rest of the training would be less of a chore and more of a fruitful work session.

She opened her eyes to see the stabilized aura closely stuck to her skin. It wasn't flaring up in frustration like last time when she cried out her feelings, but softly enveloped her whole being. Ayu twirled around, looking back at her legs and braid, only to realize that the air resistance has lessened. With a relieved smile she raised both of her arms and jumped in place - leaping into the air lightly as before and gently landing on the floor. It worked! It wasn't like the pressure was gone fully - the young could still feel it on her body, persisting in the tries of getting her back on her knees again... Yet this time it won't be so easy. Ayu had so much to learn from others and herself. Every little bit counted, and she just taught herself how to stabilize her aura - even if it was a tiny bit of her power, it was something. One step at a time and with some help and preservation, she'd reach her goal.

And now it was time to train. If the previous activities were a warm-up, it was logical that Ayu needed to push herself harder in order to gain something here. But she couldn't believe how light her steps were now! The young woman turned around on one foot, twirling and chuckling. Now things were somewhat easier. She jumped in place, and in a better mood decided to practice what she was able to do already... Ayu pulled out of her pocket something that looked like scarce particles of dirt but turned out to be strawberry seeds. With the number of fruits that she was growing for Liari for her favorite tarts, it was easy to pick those tiny, green specks while washing the strawberries. And now Ayu wanted to practice... She threw those on the floor, but before they reached the ground, the seeds broke and saplings started to emerge. Ayu watched the delicate tendrils turning into firmers stems, using her Ki she made the trifoliate leaves unfold and present themselves in all of their green glory. Yet... She was merely helping the plant to grow. The gravity wasn't working well on young strawberry plants, crushing them down and making them wither away. Worried Ayu crouched next to the stems, picking up the plant and examining it further with a concerned expression. Why did she think that it was a good idea..? A normal human couldn't even be in this Gravity Chamber, let alone a plant!

But it didn't have to be a regular plant. Ayu knew better than anyone what she could do with her chlorokinesis, even if she couldn't fully grasp the extent of her abilities. And she could manipulate the organic matter of flora, hardening it with her Ki and making it stronger, more durable, sharper... This shouldn't be any different here, even if the strawberry plant was under the weight of this artificial, enormous gravity. Sitting down on the floor, Ayu softly cradled in her hands the limping tendrils, focusing on sending her Ki inside the organisms of plants. Her aim wasn't to alter the properties of this little green friend, she only wanted to enhance the piece of vegetation enough, so it could thrive in the Gravity Chamber. The stems flinched as if life was poured into them, but it was only Ayu making sure that the soft tissues inside were harder and resistant to the omnipresent pressure. It wasn't as easy as she thought, but she worked her way up through every tendril, stem, root, and leaf. The vines on the leaves grew darker and the plant started to expand... It was a silly parallel, but it looked like it was deflated a moment ago and Ayu pushed air back into it with her energy. Long story short, the strawberry vines wrapped around her clothes and hair affectionately when she finished altering it and softly brushed her fingers against the plant. Strawberry plants told her, that they are all better... Although uneasy with a place lacking natural sunlight and soil, her energy was enough to sustain it for now. After the training, Ayu was going to grow the plants in her garden. She couldn't treat a plant as a tool for practice, more like a companion in this stunt.

With that, she was good to go. Ayu stood up, the vines wrapped around her body loosely, tied around her forearms like a thick rope. It didn't make it hard to move but was giving her this comfort of carrying a plant with her to the place when there was none. She raised her hands and the veins shot out in the air, like lianas soaring through the sky - only to tangle around the lamps on the ceiling. Ayu blinked startled a little and she scratched her cheek with a sigh. She didn't plan this movement, but so be it. Gently she made the stems untangle from the lights and return to her, instead focusing on the ground below. The roots and stems gathered under her feet, intertwining and twisting together, forming a small platform for her to stand on. And - it grew, elevating her like five feet in the air. Ayu had to open her arms to catch her balance, faltering for a while before she could say that she was standing on the green platform confidently. The leaves and vines under her made a firm surface, she wasn't going to fall. There was no fear of heights or problems with her balance, just the fact that Ayu needed to get used to that way of... Transportation? She practiced something like that when she first meet Callion, forgetting about it until now.

Ayu looked at the floor from her spot - the plants grew, covering almost every surface with soft, green carpet. Perfect. She took a deep breath and another deep breath... And Ayu jumped from the platform, but she could even start to tumble, another pillar of greenery appeared under her feet. It was sudden that she had to catch her balance again, not wanting to fall - the sensation of her shoes hitting something hard instead of suddenly descending caught her by surprise, that's all. It worked better than the last time. With more confidence, Ayu leaped again, and another pillar grew from the ground, the thick vines and wide leaves intertwining together to make a little platform to stand for her. It wasn't exactly a platform... Just a knot made of greenery, stems, and leaves, but it was very much appreciated. Ayu wasn't able to learn how to fly so far, so if she'd need to reach places high above, she could always use the vines like that. Shouldn't be the problem, as long as some plants would be present - or as long as she won't run out of the seeds in her pockets.

It was a matter of imagination.

After the Gravity Chamber was filled with plants, Ayu found out that it wasn't as hard as she thought - applying a certain amount of energy was enough to make them stay in this enhanced form, the only thing needed was to use her Ki to make them create a new knot or a net. Nodding to herself, she pondered about what to do next... After all, she wanted to practice - just what? Well, there were many things that she has learned out of late, so why not keep herself occupied with them? If she was going to use the barrier and the dodging technique only in a pinch, her skills could get rusty in the meantime.

Fusing it all wasn't the best idea, but one step at a time. Ayu lifted herself on another knot using the vines and looked around, counting the spots that she jumped on before. Thirteen, fourteen, fifteen with the one she was standing on... Seemed that would work if she'd try creating afterimages while maneuvering on a limited surface, right? It wouldn't be good for her if her training surroundings would remain unchanged. Ayu gazed down at the chamber's floor. Who would have thought that a handful of plants and her ability would change this place into some kind of training ground? A little shyly, she glanced around, like she couldn't exactly believe it was her who made it work... But it wasn't a matter of faith, only practice at this point. Fixing the end of her braid and securing the ribbon in place, Ayu took a deep breath. It was again, a practice of releasing a small but steady amount of Ki, after every step and move to create copies of herself in the air. Easy. Right. Right? She had to wait and see... Ayu leaped, quickly reaching another platform and bouncing off it to jump onto another pillar - one, two afterimages, each one above the green knots. When she was in the middle of her task, the first ones were already fading away when the Ki dispersed around. Ayu stopped, sweat wetting the edge of her shirt next to her next, her breathing ragged a bit and hastened. She looked around. It wasn't exactly what she wanted to try... But even if the aura allowed her to move more freely, the gravity still was an obstacle crushing her with its weight. Jumping like that wasn't as easy though. She wasn't as fast as she should be, to, let's say, fill all fifteen spots above the grounds with her afterimages... Seems that was the right time to practice that.

Was she even that fast? Without any combat practice - well, despite the few chances for Liari to train her - Ayu did not have anything or anyone to compare her abilities to. Manipulating plants was one thing, but her speed? The raw strength? The durability to withstand the attack or the amount of Ki beating in her body to the rhythm of her heart? That was a mystery. Bluebell was going easy on her to make sure that Ayu's body could catch up with the power laying within, and so she didn't know her limits or even her capabilities. And with her Ki control and Ki sense all wrecked like that, it was only more confusing than helping. She was trusting Liari's judgment when she assured her that she was strong enough, but without being able to see it on her own, Ayu was full of doubts. If she was this powerful, why couldn't she feel it? Or use it in the way she wanted? It ended with her energy slipping away and bursting, causing yet another headache and bitter thoughts that there was something so wrong with her. All she could do now was to practice to gain control over her Ki little by little.

Ayu shook her head, rubbing her temples. It wasn't the right moment to fall into overthinking again. As much as she loved to think, right now it was time to practice something else. Right? She climbed back on the platform with the vines' support, which basically tossed her in the air so she landed on the hardened green knot. It would be easier if she'd get rid of the weighting straps, but out of fear, she couldn't bring herself to do it... The last thing she needed was strawberry plants causing a ruckus around the Namekian ship and destroying everything on their path. Where would she train then? Ayu clapped and dusted her hands, balancing on the platform and deciding to start again. This time she had to be faster - no time to waste on catching the balance, she need to bounce from every pillar like a bouncing ball. Seemed simple in theory, but in practice? She had to see. Ayu fixed the strips of her shoes, tightened the wrapping around her waist, and looked down. The plants under the pillars were thick and ready to act, they would no doubt catch her if she would fall... So why she was so afraid to take the first step now? It was her second attempt at this after all.

She couldn't let the worry and doubt settle in now, could she not? Ayu patted her cheeks to bring herself back to reality, tensing her muscles and taking the first leap. Aura definitely helped - the impact of her movement stirred through the air and the leaves rustled loudly, pushed by a sudden breeze. Only the sounds of the steps were heard and the images imprinted in the air were only a fragment of her presence - this time the young woman made it until the tenth knot before the first mirage started to fade away to nothingness. Seeing that Ayu stopped abruptly, catching her breath and wiping her forehead. It wasn't a bad try, but still too far to be satisfied... She shook her head, glancing down at her hands. The gentle layer of her aura was still lighting up her body, adding there a small boost of energy and stamina so the gravity training wasn't as hard on her body as the previous one. Maybe if she added just a drop of Ki more... No. No, she couldn't if her control gets sloppy it be the end here. Besides, she needed to see if she can achieve the given task by her power, using her inner strength - well, it was her energy too, but it appeared to be too dangerous to use like that without proper guidance. Liari wasn't here to stop the plants from erupting if Ayu would make one wrong step. Funny how in a short time both of them started to lean on and support each other through their fights, problems, and difficulties... But Liari, even if she was eager to be with her, wouldn't be able to be there forever. Ayu needed to train to be stronger, so she wouldn't burden anyone with her presence or lack of power or even control of it. It would only be fair.

Once more. Ayu moved through the pillars, deciding to not only make afterimages on top of the knots but on the sides too, getting some help from the vines. She climbed them or hanged on them, supported by the twigs wrapped around her waist to pull her up and toss her in the air. It never occurred to her that she could glide on the vines! But as they grew and twisted, she was standing on the very top of them, moving with quite the speed between the pillars she created. That was actually an entertaining part of this training, even if an extra amount of energy was pushed inside the flora around to keep them coming. Gravity was still present and Ayu could feel her body starting to ache from a long time inside the ship - the sensation was akin to her bones being slowly lit on fire and the heat seeping into the muscules. She rubbed her face, not wanting the original goal to leave her mind just like that... So she tried again - but this time with aid of the plants. They tangled at the knots, so when Ayu barely touched them, ready to bounce off, they pushed, tossing her towards the next spot. This way she gained tremendous speed - and Ayu did it - she was able to move so quickly that she left no less than fifteen afterimages behind her... Only the speed made it difficult to stop, so she had to make a net of vines to catch her before she would bash her head against the wall of the ship. This would be not only painful but awkward... It was given to her as a gift, how could she even think of breaking it?

The small cracks in the walls and floor were fixed already. It was a reminder of her first time in a Gravity Chamber when she cried and shouted her heart out so much, that it could have destroyed the place... But luckily it didn't. Good that Ayu knew where to get some grout and equipment to use it, as the cracks turned out to be very shallow, barely lines on the surface. She could with a peaceful conscience make use of the Namekian ship again, and she did it so - just like that.

So... Was it all? Cleaning her face from the sweat and looking around, Ayu started pondering if there was anything else for her to practice. She was already exhausted, but she wasn't near her limits, so why not push some more while she was at it? Life wasn't going to be easy on her, so she might have as well get some practice... Well, that did sound dark in her head when she thought about it. Flustered Ayu scratched her head and looked down at her hands. Chlorokinesis was one thing, and she practiced it enough today... Her trick to create afterimages was something that more or less, she was certain she mastered well. Counting on her fingers her abilities, she sat in a diamond position on the floor, amongst the strawberry plant vines. What else was there? She could communicate with plants, but it wasn't anything combat-specific, her skill to breathe underwater was useful, but not as much if fights would happen on the land. When it comes to her sixth sense, Ayu had very mixed feelings about it. She used it since she remembered, she could assess anyone who wasn't able to conceal their presence - with one exception being her own signature. That was a mess, wasn't it? Still, her knowledge about herbs was great and she used it to create medicines and take care of the sick and wounded, so it was quite a useful ability - only outside of the actual combat. She couldn't imagine an opponent giving her time to dress the injury to stop the bleeding...

But there was one more thing she learned not so long ago. An energy barrier, wasn't it? The one that was able to mute and suppress the Ki and turn invisible on the outside, so anything inside couldn't be spotted by a naked eye. She practiced it with a single leaf... Ayu rubbed her chin thoughtfully, glancing all around the chamber at the little jungle made solely of strawberry plants. Now she had more things to hide, right? She could experiment with the sizes and durability of the barrier - only gently, she didn't want to damage the ship.

With that decided, Ayu stood up, dusted her legs, and with a gentle gesture made the vines move. The floor came to life - at least it looked like it. The knots and pillars made of stems and leaves started to untangle, and fell to the ground, the tendrils that were stuck to the walls moved away obediently and crawled to her side. With some patience and Ki, Ayu was able to gather back all the energy she used, slowly returning the plants to their original form - a few seeds. It wasn't the end of the course. Looking at the dark green spots tucked into the palm of her hand, Ayu smiled gently and started to create a protective orb around them. The barrier wasn't bigger than a golf ball, but the seeds disappeared like they never were there. The young woman could only feel the touch of the barrier resting on her hand, but nothing else gave it away that something was here. Great, it even worked on such specks of energy as seeds ready to sprout... How about something more complex? Ayu deactivated the barrier and threw the seeds into the air. This time she remembered to add an extra amount for Ki so the plant could endure the harsh gravity. The specks blew up into greenery and gentle tendrils, the strawberry's stems tangled and leaves showed their pretty, vivid color. The amount of them was about... Hm, a small pile of greenery? She created another barrier, that tucked inside safely the ravel of plants. This one was as tall as her leg, but it worked too. There was nothing to sense or see, but walking closer and trying to touch it, Ayu's hand stopped on an invisible wall. Knocking on it created a dull, quiet sound, hmm... She couldn't exactly bend the reality to make anyone inside disappear for real, only mask their presence. Seemed good enough for now.

For a while, Ayu was playing around, manipulating an invisible barrier she made, making it bigger and smaller, trying to find it by the sense of touch only... But even it came to an end. She took off the orb, freeing the plants, and returned them to the form of seeds. Ayu tucked them safely inside her pocket, rubbing her arms, and again, looked around. Without the mess of plants she made earlier, the Gravity Chamber looked so empty. How do people even train in them? Ayu scratched her cheek thoughtfully. If they are warriors, they surely are practicing marital arms and are sparring to get in the best shape... So they could be in the best shape for the next fight. Meanwhile, Ayu was there mostly meditating and coming up with defensive techniques, her priorities set on protecting rather than attacking. Something told her that perhaps she would get scolded for not using the high gravity properly. She could only wonder if she was going to tell anyone about this place too. Maybe Liari? But she'd hate to burden her with more training sessions, she's already taking her time to help her hopeless case of I-can't-control-my-energy-well.

The tiredness was sinking in. Ayu sleepily rubbed her eyes and very, very slowly decided to let go of the aura that was still shrouding her body. She couldn't haste it, but she couldn't cut it off completely. What if the rest of her energy would follow and would disperse all around the place? The young woman placed both of her hands on her chest, breathing in and listening to her heartbeat. Ki around her started to seep back into her body, naturally getting back as if nothing ever happened - though it wasn't as easy as it looked.

Without the support of her aura aiding her in withstanding the gravity, the pressure again smacked Ayu in the head. It felt like another ton was dropped on her shoulders. The shock wasn't as strong as before at the beginning of her training - she merely faltered catching her breath and rubbing her temples, suspecting an incoming headache. This was nothing. The nosebleeds were far worse, she couldn't stop them so easily and it always made her exhausted in the end. Her Ki could very well help her in what she wished to do... Or could poison her with this quantity that was rushing through her body. Ayu's organism wasn't the one of a warrior, it felt like she simply shouldn't be able to contain this amount of energy - and the state of her health was proving it. It was too much, it was uncontrollable, she feared that it could strain her in the worst ways impossible... So why was she still getting stronger, even if she didn't wish for that? Oh, this was a nightmare - but perhaps there was some deeper meaning in this mess.

Who knew? Maybe one day it all would click and Ayu would be able to perfectly use her energy? She would learn how to feel her Ki, how to conceal it, maybe even master the skill that would let her fly... Maybe. It felt good to imagine that, but she wasn't so sure herself.

After all, could a person like her achieve something like that?

Ayu walked towards the control panel. It was time to stop, to turn off the Gravity Chamber, and get back home. To Liari. She should take a shower, change, wash those soaked with sweat clothes, clean, make dinner, and tend to the garden before the night would fall.

That was enough for today.

---

Super Weighted Clothing Equipped
Gravitron 3.0 - In Use, 130x Earth's Gravity
Power Level - 134,208
Word Count - 7,764
With the solo from 14.07. (worth 2,236 words) I met the word limit for this week.