She never did this. Never. Not once did the thought ever occur to her to ever call on that mess of a man to help her, but given how bad things had gotten recently - needless to say Zerori was getting desperate. Between the conflict she felt with the Changelings that were trying to take over the Earth (bit by bit, it seemed) and the tragedy of losing not just Athren’s children but Athren himself to his own stubborn decisions - Zerori was losing on nearly all fronts. Even her business was at risk of falling into debt if she didn’t make a decision quickly to try and revive it.

So here she was, out in the middle of nowhere with a tablet in hand and her power on full display. It was a silent but assured way to contact… Korn. Her face was the absolute picture of misery as she flipped through the e-mails of her investors that were hungry and ravenous for any kind of news on her prototypes and inventions that were sadly incomplete. The timeline she had for trying to get them at least PART WAY to a demonstrative state was closing.

With a shake of her head at the abrely polite response she was able to write up and send, Zerori could feel the approach of an old friend (now begrudging EX) and looked up just as the heavy-set figure of Korn would crash into the ground before her. Almost immediately, the desire to call this entire thing off was scratching at her tongue as she noted the excited and smug grin on his face.

“You wanted to train. With me,” He stated, all facts and not an ounce of doubt in his tone as he crossed his arms.

“I’m regretting it with every breath I take,” Zerori snarled, holding the power button on her tablet before tossing it over to a bag she’d brought where it would land softly.

Across from her, Korn’s smirk would fall to a frown - obviously sensing that Zerori wasn’t happy about her own offer, “Then why call on me? We trained back when we were kids,” It was the way he’d said it, as if he missed those days that had Zerori freeze for a moment before giving a sigh.

“It’s not like when we were kids, Korn. The law doesn’t give a shit about the USD anymore now that… well, now that there’s new players in town.” She could see his expression harden from here but didn’t let his emotions run their course, “And I’m thinking about joining them, Korn.”

“What?!” There. That’s what she wanted. His anger would make training a LOT more effective if he had a reason to hit her instead of playing around like he always did. “Why?” He growled.

“Because it’s sink or swim and the sharks don’t mind it when the smaller fish swim around. And, if I’m lucky…?” The clothing she’d been wearing: casual jeans, the shirt she liked the most and her sunglasses would all disappear in a flurry of data-like light before her armor would take its place. Her visor snapped down in place, “-I’ll have plenty of scraps to grow into a bigger fish. Now, are you gonna bitch at me or actually throw a punch this time?” While hidden under the visor, Zerori’s eyes would look almost regretful as she lowered herself into a stance.

A look that thankfully Korn couldn’t see as he gave a roar before charging at her. His movements were so telegraphed, however, that it was child’s play to side-step the downward swing. Still, she didn’t egg him on more as they continued in this manner for at least the next few minutes. For him, it was like stress relief that he could swing and swing and swing and try his best to hit the fast little rabbit that was Zerori. For her, it was kee[ing her on her toes and refining the manner in which she avoided things.

However, that wasn’t exactly the goal here. She was strong, sure, but Korn was a tank with the arm of a cannon. She needed him to hit her but her pride just kept getting in the way.

Finally, when it felt like she was just going through the motions, she would stop and tense her body. The very next moment, a swing from his arm would rocket right into her cheek and throw her clear across the plains they fought in before she grinded to a halt into the ground. With a groan, Zerori pulled herself from the homemade trench her body had made and brought a hand up to her jaw.

“Fuck, I expected it to hurt but SHIT-” Talking hurt and that meant her jaw had to be either dislocated or fractured. Looking up at Korn from a distance, she could see how stunned he was that he was able to hit her and scoffed at the concern she saw in his eyes. Just like back then…

Getting to her feet, Zerori cracked her neck before hitting both of her fists together, “Alright, then!” She approached, the dark black and red of her aura beginning to seep from around her like an ink bottle was spilt. “Now that I know how hard you hit, it’s time to see just how hard I can hit. ‘Cept I’m gonna do something a little different,” She stopped, still a fair distance away from her sparring partner.

Uncertain but no longer looking concerned for her, Korn kept his guard up as he awaited her own attack. True to her word, however, Korn would watch as the dark energy would swarm down Zerori’s arms and form the odd black claws that he had told her years ago he hated seeing. It made her look… animalistic. Not like when he went Oozaru, though. Worse, however, was the vectors that would struggle to form just behind Zerori - an extra pair of arms that had Korn’s skin prickle with goosebumps.

“What… is THAT?” He struggled, fighting against the urge to take a step back in horror.

Panting from the exertion as she pushed the limit of how much power she had to sink into both of these sets of limbs. During the course of her time recently, she’d only done this a couple of times but actually managing to maintain that output was an entirely different animal. Still, the rush had her grinning, “It’s my trump card! What else could it be?”

“It’s horrifying.”

“Well, that’s good. Means I probably won’t need to actually use it. Unfortunately for you, however,” She rolled a shoulder, taking satisfaction in the crackle-pop that was released. “-I’m gonna have to hit you with these for a little bit!” Before she could take any more sadistic pleasure from his look of disgust, she launched herself at him and immediately went about trying to pummel him with her fists. With every swing she made toward him that he blocked, another would come at a completely different angle and snap his head to the side from the force. Her speed was, as always, superior to his but her short stature and lack of pure muscle in comparison would hardly measure up to his own attacks.

That was fine. She was fine with that… barely. She just needed to use this technique to whittle her opponents down. Little by little, she could overtake the battle! She just had to keep-

Not quite expecting it, another fist came around and slammed into her side - catching Zerori off guard with a grunt as the winds were taken clear out of her sail. Body seized, Zerori would simple to a knee just as Korn would take a step back. While his face was littered with bruises and cuts, he looked hardly affected by her assault. He looked very confused, however, when Zerori looked up at him. “Was I… not supposed to hit you back?”

“... N-No, you couldn’t… I’m just…” Her head fell back toward the ground, “-wasn’t expecting it. My bad. St-Stupid mistake,” She forced, shame and pain mixing into a potent lesson for today. The red and black ki around her flesh arms flickered, starting to fade away after she’d lost her concentration. Shaking her head, she refocused and forced my energy into her arms - solidifying back into her odd little four-armed technique.

When she could feel her legs again, Zerori would get back to her feet and shakily put all four of her arms back up. In spite of her tired look in her eyes, the determination to see this through was clear. “Alright, let’s go!”