Foolishness, reader, foolishness.
POWER LEVEL
24,056
Tech Points
3/9
Forms
Resplendent Demon Primate (X8)
Zeni
9,244
UNSORTED
|
Jul 22, 2022 22:03:35 GMT -5
Post by Calot on Jul 22, 2022 22:03:35 GMT -5
Today marked the day of his fourth consecutive day spent on the crown blue jewel of the cosmos, and Calot would be lying if he said things had gone the way that he had expected them to. What with his intensive clash with the Majin menace Shaza in the very forest he now called home, and the first of his days being spent trying to be by his lonesome atop the glacial mountaintops of the Glacier Wastelands being interrupted by newcomer after newcomer, it was as though the crossbreed couldn't even dare to try and catch a break. It was the most action he's come to see in years, even including that of his pilgrimage upon the planet Vegeta- and considering their inhabitants, that was quite the fantastical feat to surpass.
Nonetheless, Calot was more than ready for the downtime he had rightfully earned, and he first and foremost decided to use it for making himself a place that he could actually use for aforementioned downtime. It didn't take him long to gather the materials needed for the hut he had in mind- he was, in the end, a very frugal individual despite the noble blood that ran through his veins, and would need nothing but the bare necessities for him to live off of in relative comfort.
Soon enough, through a few hours spent throwing bits of wood, mud, and stick together, all wrapped in a neat bow of vines and greenery, Calot had himself a living space fit for a man as conservative as he was. Barely enough height for him to stand fully within it, admittedly he was a very tall person thanks to his genetics, Calot spent the better half of his time cleaning up the indoors- removing loose pieces of sediment and debris, and utilizing some demonic magic to solidify the ground into hardened, dried out dirt.
Satisfied with his work, Calot walked out to the front of the hut to admire his creation, slapping both hands together in a job-well-done type of motion, before picking up his sword once more and making his way back toward the front of the forest, looking to get a once over of the perimeter before settling in for the rest of the day by his lonesome. It never hurt to be extra safe with his privacy, although he doubted there'd be anymore unwanted visitors on the level of the bubblegum brute Shaza.
So, having made his way to the outer edges of the forest, Calot began to cast a searching gaze over the tree line, staring into the sea of evergreen before him, looking to see if anything suspicious caught his eye.
And, to his slight surprise, something did- with a audible rustling calling his attention to the left of where he had been looking. Moving his head toward the source, his eyes narrowed on a leafier piece of brush upon one of the shorter trees near the edge of the forest proper, though he couldn't sense anything of great concern coming from whatever, or whoever, seemed to be trespassing upon his self proclaimed property.
Lightly gripping the sheath of his sword, Calot raised a palm toward the tree itself, a small, azure Ki ball forming as he then shot it toward the center of the mighty oak, hoping to shake whatever was making such a ruckus out of its perch upon the branches.
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POWER LEVEL
356,511
Tech Points
47/88
Forms
Enhanced Being [x39]
Zeni
92,117
Bio-Android
|
Jul 24, 2022 2:04:34 GMT -5
Post by Ayu on Jul 24, 2022 2:04:34 GMT -5
Something was calming about going back to mundane, routine activities from time to time, as a break from the lately-set day schedules. With her immortal basket in hand, alone, Ayu strolled through the area, picking herbs and filling jars and small satchels with aromatic plants. Her supplies were running low lately. It was just her luck that she was running into people in need, right? With Liari's aid, gathering herbs and making simple ointments and tonics was easier than ever before... But she needed to collect her thoughts and have a walk by herself. She promised to be back for dinner, and left the house, venturing into a familiar area to walk among the dense bamboo and scarcely present trees. With a mental note of what she needed, Ayu was pretty busy today, and fate guided her footsteps right into this corner of the forest. With half-filled basked, she stopped, sensing that another herb on the list was growing above her head.
Right. She placed her hand on the cool bark of the oak tree, the scent of moss and fresh resin tickling her nose. Here. Tucking her basket between the roots, Ayu took a step back and jumped, catching the wide branch above. Bark felt rough on the palms of her hands, but she pulled herself up with no problem. Wood creaked. Leaves rustled. Perhaps having weighted clothing for that activity wasn't the best idea, but the tree didn't mind. Ayu tilted her torso over the big branch and after dangling her legs for a moment, she sat on the oak. It might have been easier to make it extend the branch to her, or make a vine to climb, but she decided to refrain from using her abilities on daily basis. She could very well grow everything she needed in her backyard in a matter of seconds, but... That's not how nature worked. Even if Ayu's energy was closely bound to the soil, it didn't feel right to use it as she pleased outside of training and, well, maybe, one day in actual combat... She shook her head, carefully standing up and grabbing another branch for support. What she needed was growing even higher, and she needed to collect it gently with her own two hands. Why mistletoes were always blooming at the top of trees?
Ayu still wasn't able to grasp the basic knowledge of flying. Or about energy in general. Sure, very slowly her control over her Ki was getting better, but the steps were too small and too rare to allow her to tackle any other issue. Because there was a lot she still had to practice, dividing it all wasn't the best idea... How to conceal her Ki? Athren said that it surely would attract attention and it did - she couldn't say if it was better to have Liari near, whose power level was greater on the planet, or not. How to fly? That was a pretty hopeless practice, with Ayu not being able to lift herself even one inch above the ground. How could she get everything under control this way? Her priority was to learn how to manage and sense her own energy properly, how to make use of it, and hopefully end all those weakening nosebleeds. Maybe that would finally stop her Ki from leaking and she won't make greenery overgrown by merely standing next to it... Slow steps. Ayu would gladly give away all of the energy rumbling in her head.
Balancing on the branch, she pushed herself up higher, bouncing off the tree trunk and swiftly leaping to the right place. Maybe she was somewhat clumsy among the people, but Ayu enjoyed some tree climbing from time to time. Especially if the herb she needed was maturing between the branches, high in the emerald crown. She could see it clearly - a round shape created by small, green stems, ends of them digging into the oak's bark. Tiny, white flowers and already a handful of poisonous berries were growing on mistletoe. As she climbed higher, the branches were thinner and more flexible, so she needed to watch her steps. She extended her hand, to reach the herb...
Wait, was it foreign energy she sensed? Below? Ayu blinked and out of nowhere the tree started to tremble - wood cracked, branches wailed, and leaves rustled. And the young woman lost her balance.
There was a muffled, soft squeaking sound born from astonishment rather than a sense of dread - as Ayu's feet slipped from the shaking branch. That - was shocking. Some twigs smacked her back like whips on her way down. With nothing to grab or jump onto, she fell, she undeniably dropped from the oak like a green apple... Even if she prided herself as a gifted tree-climber, huh? Yet before the young woman's body hit the ground, a thick and dense patch of bushes mixed with moss grew under her, and she landed on a soft pillow in silence, disappearing into the luscious evergreen bed. A handful of leaves was thrown in the air, few twigs tumbled from the oak... The silence now sounded almost deafening. That wasn't a bad fall, but it took her a moment to collect her thoughts and support herself on her elbow, as she realized what happened. Her senses weren't that great if she hasn't realized sooner that she wasn't alone in the forest. And that... Wasn't exactly an unpleasant landing, but she wouldn't dare to repeat this little event. Ayu sat between the soft shrubs, slightly confused. The bushes having done their purpose started to retreat to the soil, shrinking and melting away. She stroked them gently, sending them to the ground and soundlessly thanking them for their aid. The young woman run fingers through her hair and softly fished out some stray twigs and leaves, that were almost impossible to spot in her vividly green locks anyway, and her gaze slipped to the side. The most concerning thing for her now was a hole in the oak tree. The trunk was pierced by a shot of energy not bigger than a rubbery ball - but the damage was done already.
And the other worrying thing was... A stranger.
Ayu jumped anxiously from the ground as if something pricked her, only now noticing that the energy she sensed before actually belonged to somebody. Saiyan? No, not only that, the murky and dark tones belonged to the demonic blood. She looked at him cautiously, but it didn't help that the man was armed and the aura around him did not feel welcoming. At all. Steel and wary gaze, intimidating posture, Ki akin to sharpened blade... Was he hostile or simply dissatisfied with her presence? Her hands started fidgeting so she wrapped one of them around the other wrist, holding them down, Ayu's body started to shiver lightly too. That wasn't a pleasant encounter, not at all... A nervous blush tinted her cheeks, she opened her mouth to say something - but not a word was heard, she couldn't speak. The blush turned brighter, with a hue of dark rose color. The young woman was closer to freezing here from panic rather than simply asking why he did what he did - what should she d-do now?
It might have been an old trick, but Ayu hid behind the tree. Again. She abruptly turned around and with two hasty steps, she stood on the other side of the oak, glancing at the hole that pierced through the wood. Placing her hand above her fluttering heart, she breathed slowly, trying to compose herself. The heat from the nervous flush on her face wasn't helping, but she couldn't be speechless for long, could she?
After a quiet moment, a green head peeked from behind the trunk. A pair of yellow eyes were gazing at the stranger cautiously, clearly worried about something. The question that her lips formed was melancholic despite the lingering sadness, as doubt started to creep into her soul. Maybe there was an ulterior motive... O-Or not?
"Why did yo-you," the gentle voice was stuttering from the excess of emotions. She was too nervous... She shook her head and patted her cheek. Ayu stopped speaking, breathed quietly, and voiced her concerns again, trying to sound more clear this time - though it only lead to her tone sounding softer. "Why d-did you do that? Were you trying t-to attack me..?" Her fingers started to wrap around locks of green hair around, as uncertainly Ayu was awaiting any answer.
Super Weighted Clothing Equipped
Power Level - 163,856
PL with SWC - 40,964
Word Count - 1,417 |
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Foolishness, reader, foolishness.
POWER LEVEL
24,056
Tech Points
3/9
Forms
Resplendent Demon Primate (X8)
Zeni
9,244
UNSORTED
|
Jul 25, 2022 0:24:24 GMT -5
Post by Calot on Jul 25, 2022 0:24:24 GMT -5
Immediately, the calculative crossbreed realized that whatever had laid itself amongst the branches of the tree before him was not something nearly as malignant as what his last encounter in the forest had been comprised of. His ears perking immediately at the much more passive-than-expecting panics heard as a small, emerald looking individual fell ungracefully from their perch, eyes widening in surprise as a pillow of lush greenery came up to engulf the startled stranger within its embrace. Already, this was quite the intriguing encounter, as this would mark potentially the second individual he has met upon this unsuspecting planet that has had some measure of magical manipulation- at least, that's what he had assumed was the case upon initially seeing the clear cut ability to utilize the herbage for her own self preservation. It was the first he had ever seen of such ability, and that intrigued him even more, as the flourishing foliage finally began to fold itself back to whence it came, revealing the delicate bundle of nerves from deep within.
Eyes betraying him but for a moment, a flash of softness came upon his gaze as it turned out to be a girl of similarly green complexion to the surroundings accompanying the two currently- his usual cold nature reasserting itself once she clamored to her feet in obvious disquiet, as though she indirectly reminded him of the face that he had come to put on for every and all newcomer, fortunate or unfortunate, enough to come across his presence. As she began to look him over with a careful gaze, Calot continued his own investigation himself, looking her up and down as his curiosity only seemed to grow with every moment past. Not even regarding her already unhuman characteristics, the sheer energy that she radiated just simply seemed, off, to the young man. It was unlike anything he had come to experience in the past before. With the only thing having come close being the Majin menace of Shaza, as whomever this young woman was appeared to radiate energy that seemed indicative of not just human origin, but of several other origins within its aura as well. It was, maddening- and at first the hybrid thought it to be a side effect of the harsh condition his body remained in presently.
But as he focused more and more on singling out her energy using both magic and natural sensibilities, his faculties did not lie to him- this woman's Ki seemed to imply a birthright to several different races, and not just one or two like he held within him. How, curious.
A hint of amusement pinged within his expression as the girl slowly became a flustered mess- with Calot awaiting patiently for her to speak up before she failed and gave way to her basest instincts, running behind the tree that she had just fallen from (with comedically spectacular speed, he would note). Part of him hoped that this would be the end of it, and she'd use this opportunity to make a quick getaway but to the wounded warrior's dismay, she remained there, apparently only needed a brief respite without the watchful glare of the halfbreed noble upon her before she was able to finally talk.
At first, Calot wished to perhaps, snap at the girl, his jaw set already to do so- wishing to finish the job that was already started and frighten her to the point of retreat. But, as she turned back to look upon him with those pained, anxious eyes, it was as though he was looking into a mirror of a time long since past, and all the sudden, it was like he was talking to a younger version of himself, almost. And that sight alone was cause enough for him to shut his mouth in returned strain, both the physical and mental strife now becoming much more than he was in the state to bear.
So, instead of the harsh, coldhearted ripostes that he was used to handing out on a daily basis, a sigh came from the tired twin's lips, his mouth opening to speak, only for him to grunt in audible pain- halting him from making his feelings known once more as he fell to one knee, attempting to gather himself as he sat in a panting heap, blood now dripping from the corner of his mouth as Kyoto fell to the ground from his limp fingers with a loud clatter.
"That beast did more than what I had bargained for-" was instead what came from Calot's mouth now as he coughed up another sizable portion of blood below him, beads of sweat forming upon his brow as he struggled to maintain his aura of invincibility, whilst simultaneously looking frailer by the second. Internal bleeding, perhaps? Shaza most definitely at least had broken a rib or two. Potential concussive symptoms as well, maybe? His vision did seem to fail him at times, and even while shooting his warning shot at the tree his blast had collided lower than what he would have originally liked.
Groaning, Calot grabbed from the dirt his katana, sheathing it, and using it as a makeshift cane to hold himself somewhat upright- his eyes no longer holding the intensity they once did moments before, and instead housing within a dimmed tiredness to their pupils as he spoke in a similarly toned fashion toward the girl, finally, "Leave this place, at once. I've no time for dawdling visitors at this hour, and-"
Words once again being caught within his throat, Calot heaved into another fit of coughing, forehead leaning against the hilt of his blade as he rested a few moments more, sighing. The throbbing pain in both abdomen and head only getting worse and worse the more time spent mucking about with formality.
It was much too late for anything drastic, however, as Calot eventually slumped backwards onto the dirt, wheezing as his eyes met the growingly dark skyline overhead with a wistful gaze, speaking in a croak of a voice the poetry that would calm him at times like these,
"Father, father, where are you going
O do not walk so fast.
Speak father, speak to your little boy
Or else I shall be lost."
Needless to say, Calot was nearing delirious levels of exhaustion.
Thankfully, he seemed to be in good company.
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|
POWER LEVEL
356,511
Tech Points
47/88
Forms
Enhanced Being [x39]
Zeni
92,117
Bio-Android
|
Jul 25, 2022 7:37:36 GMT -5
Post by Ayu on Jul 25, 2022 7:37:36 GMT -5
Things have been a mess lately way more than they should be. Between attacks on the cities and her grandfather's disappearance, Ayu's struggle with her energy, and more and more questions, she wanted to stick to the routine. The old routine, of looking after the garden, collecting herbs, and enjoying peace in her quiet, tiny house. To have a reminder of how life felt like before her Ki started to skyrocket, and all individuals interested in power levels were more or less gravitating around the area she was in. She'd hate to fight - but that was only her opinion. The others could not take into account her feelings in the slightest, that's why she and Liari were trying to train her fluctuating Ki... Just in case.
Being unable to conceal her energy made it difficult to avoid others. So right now, with the slightest implication that someone was looking for a challenge, Ayu had only one option - hide and plead. That's what she did just now, shaken to her core behind the tree, wondering if maybe things would go wrong here... It's not that she was afraid of getting hurt - but with her unpredictable Ki outbursts, she was more scared of harming people when the control would again slip away from her grasp.
But... Nothing like that happened. The anxiety that drove Ayu to her leafy hideout was dissolving the more she felt... Tiredness. That wasn't something that she could easily omit. Under the layers of the stranger's Ki, his cautiousness and cold anticipation, a certain sensation was telling her one thing. He was fatigued. Pale yellow eyes widened when she gazed at the silhouette standing in front of the tree now more concerned about his wellbeing than worried about her safety. It wasn't only a physical issue - from the safety of the oak, she was able to recognize slower pained gestures and a confident posture that was eating away more energy than necessary - but his mind too was weary. It appeared that someone was in a dire need of a rest... The first impression of an inhospitable, distant warrior that preferred to be left alone was still here... Like he didn't mind his state at all. She just couldn't fathom why he attacked her? Or was it the tree and she just happened to be tangled above between the branches? At first, Ayu wasn't sure, but now the energy rippled as if the man was conflicted about something, and maybe even... Curious? The more she looked, Ayu began to notice the wrinkled clothing and piercing eyes sunken in the face just enough to portray exhaustion. The man in front of her was in pain, he hid that fact skilfully, but he was reaching a breaking point. The faint scent of blood reached her even under the oak tree.
He still was an intimidating presence, but Ayu couldn't help but take two steps forward when the blood gushed from his mouth when he fell to the ground stubbornly holding onto his senses. She did not understand much, not his words, not his actions, but just enough to see and comprehend that he was close to collapsing.
"P-Please..." she muttered, reaching with her hand and halting that gesture, to anxiously place both of her hands above her heart when the stranger addressed her in his hoarse voice. Ayu shook her head hastily. She couldn't just leave, could she..? "I won't," she opposed with a worried tone. "Y-You're too hurt..." But before she could say anything else, the stranger already crumpled to the ground. Ayu rushed to the falling figure, kneeling and leaning over the barely conscious young man. She gently brushed away hair from the sweated forehead, and with the back of her hand, she checked the temperature. It didn't look good... The blood in corner of his mouth and pained wheezing pointed toward internal injury. He was burning up, and that was never a good turn of events. "Can you hear me..?" the young woman asked upon hearing him whispering a poem. Heatstroke wasn't likely, but a concussion... She carefully raised his hand, tucking away the wrapping around the wrist so she could check the vital signs. Uneven pulse. He needed rest and medical attention, but not here in the open - and Ayu wasn't sure if she'd be able to carry him anywhere without causing him any more pain than he was already feeling.
What to do now? There was a genuinely concerned frown on her face when she looked at the man. She could create a shelter above them using plants, it wouldn't be anything weird here in the forest, but... Wait. Wait? Ayu looked up puzzled when a whisper from not so far away pulled her attention from her patient. She blinked and looked around, trying to determine the direction she sensed the soft calling. Flora told her that someone used their Ki nearby, and upon checking it was the same as the one belonging to the person in need, laying on the ground here. Wood, plants, vines... Seemed that stranger got already the part about the shelter covered. With a sigh, Ayu stood up and took a step back, raising her hands. Patterns made by soft light appeared on her fingertips, and vines started to break through from the surface of the ground. They twisted and intertwined under the man, creating a carrier and lifting him gently into the air. That would be probably the safest way to move an injured person to his safe house. Doing her best not to press on any muscules or cause him any more discomfort, Ayu guided the plants in the right direction, following behind.
It didn't take long to reach the shelter. It was a modest, tiny hut, way smaller even than her home. Reminded her of a time she tried making a house made of plants for an elderly couple she met not so long ago... This place was hopelessly empty inside, really. That won't do. In the corner of the room, Ayu made a large pillow out of the moss and soft leaves, taking off the outer layer of her training outfit - a grey robe - to use it as a sheet. Vines carried the man inside, softly putting him on the bedding and one of the tendrils placed her basket next to her leg. Ayu rolled her sleeves and made sure that the weighted straps around her wrists are secured. She placed the sword next to the stranger's side and for a moment gazed at him worried, before starting to pull out all the needed supplies from her wicker basket.
Super Weighted Clothing Equipped
Power Level - 163,856
PL with SWC - 40,964
Word Count - 1,102
Total Word Count - 2,519 |
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Foolishness, reader, foolishness.
POWER LEVEL
24,056
Tech Points
3/9
Forms
Resplendent Demon Primate (X8)
Zeni
9,244
UNSORTED
|
Jul 28, 2022 21:15:26 GMT -5
Post by Calot on Jul 28, 2022 21:15:26 GMT -5
Despite his less than able state, Calot could still clearly see that the girl good with the greenery was aiming to try and assist him in some matter, and despite the well meaning intent behind her action, the young man's pride (and perhaps partially his inherent distrust) refused to allow her to try and do so, even forcing him to reel back in protest as Ayu dared to even reach toward the prone and hurt hybrid. His eyes shooting daggers as she did so, only able to calm himself down after she instead folded back in on herself, hands upon her heart in dire disquietude at the Demon Saiyan's physical state. How pathetic, the son of the rightful ruler of Demon Clan Tirisfel, unable to scare away some Earth-raised multi-breed biological oddity. It appeared this planet was quite set on humbling the hybrid, but he would not relent so easily-
Or at least, that's what he had originally thought, until most important bodily functions began to cease, his body now refusing to move as he continued to lay at the Bio-Android's mercy. He realized this when she once again moved to address him at a closer distance, coming eye to eye with the frigid fighter and even going so far as to feel upon his face with the back of her palm.
Who did this woman think she was? To lay hand upon the face of a man of his stature?
Well, as mentioned before, there was not much he could do about such a trespassing of personal boundary, as his body failed to respond to him urging it to force the woman's hands off of him. This was, an incredibly worrying development, and not even Calot's stubbornness could overlook it any further. He, needed help. And seeing as there was (hopefully) no one else located within a fifty mile radius of this very forest, the nearest hospital being even further away, and with the skyline overhead now darkening, Calot found himself cornered like a wounded animal. There were no other options. She was all he had.
..How horrific.
Finally surrendering to the circumstances fate forced himself into, the usual edge in Calot's glare seemed to finally subside, leaving only pain and (thankfully) negligible annoyance within his gaze as Ayu raised his hand in her own, checking his pulse, her worrying expression only somehow growing more worried with every checkmark on the list of bodily problems being marked off. Gently placing his hand down back at his side, the young girl seemed unsure of where to go from here, both seeing the potential hurdles in handling such an injured individual in the open like this.
That was when something seemed to pull her attention away from him for a moment, eyes then looking in the direction from whence he had came, back toward his homely hut in the midst of the middle of the forest. How in the world did she come to know of his living space when the only person able to tell her such information remained muted upon the ground? Did the young woman's power branch out beyond simply being able to manipulate the plant life in the area around her?
This had to be the case, as there was no other sensible explanation as to how she would come to know the location of his home. But even then, how would she ascertain such info from the plant life around her? Did they speak to her? Like some snake-charmer who held great influence over a sea of serpents at their disposal?
Such questions could be saved for later, as the fellow magic user now found himself being lifted up from below by a sudden growth of vibrantly green vegetation. He wanted to scream in protest, do something to disallow such mishandling of his person by such ill fit foliage- but no such grand display came, and instead the young man remained a prisoner of his own body.
He did at least manage to catch a brief glimpse of Ayu mid-motion, mystical looking symbols appearing upon her fingertips coupled with a greenish glow that seemed to help command the forming flora into position, which then went on to carry the weakened warrior away from the edges of the forest and back toward his hut. She most definitely seemed much more magically affiliated than she currently let on, and he would be sure to interrogate her to no end about it in a, more readily able, condition.
For now, the process to get back to such a primed state began, right within the walls of his makeshift home. Being completely vulnerable to another individual, in his own homestead no less, was incredibly embarrassing. Then again, this situation as a whole was more than what his pride could normally take, so he supposed going a bit further wouldn't hurt. He watched as she began to rummage through her little bag of goodies, taking out what she would need in order to try and start to put back together his broken body. Besides the furious feeling of discontent that dared to drive him right out of his laying posture, a glaring question took presence in the forefront of his mind.
"Why..."
The sheer effort needed to even speak nearly forced him into unconsciousness. But, through absolute will alone he continued to croak out the words he needed answers to, asking Ayu,
"...Why do you care so much? I told you to leave, me, be. Why won't you listen..?"
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|
POWER LEVEL
356,511
Tech Points
47/88
Forms
Enhanced Being [x39]
Zeni
92,117
Bio-Android
|
Jul 30, 2022 5:24:12 GMT -5
Post by Ayu on Jul 30, 2022 5:24:12 GMT -5
It wouldn't be the first time when Ayu was taking a role of a field nurse, and certainly, not the last one. She didn't mind. In her short life, she had come across various people needing first aid or medical attention, and she happen to nurse a couple of forest animals back to health. It wasn't easy for her to simply walk by while seeing someone in pain... And her energy-sensing ability did not help with that. Her empathic nature was only enhanced by being a radar to other's Ki, picking up worries, injuries, and weakened states of mind. Ayu was always a sensitive being, and being bombarded by others' feelings wasn't the thing that would keep her grounded. In fact, that was one of the factors that made her feel alienated from her peers... But something told her that even without being able to read energy signatures, she would still be estranged. Too soft. Too weak. That's why she preferred quiet woods rather than noisy, crowded streets. She was prone to anxiety in cities because she was getting overwhelmed by what she was able to sense, and her drained state made her feel lately especially vulnerable. Yet, it wasn't going to stop her from acting now...
"I apologize f-for my intrusion," Ayu murmured shyly when they both ended up in the tiny house. However it sounded, she was glad that she was able to transfer the man inside the hut. Undergoing treatment in the open wasn't the best idea... His state wasn't getting any better, but he was surprisingly adamant about showing her the suspicious look in his eyes. Ayu understood his steel gaze wrong, the flustered expression on her face proved that she was equally uneasy, or maybe even more anxious about the whole situation than him. "I'm s-so sorry, I didn't mean to m-make you uncomfortable..." she started apologizing raising her hands defensively, thinking at first that the glaring was out of the distaste of her using vines to move the stranger into his hut. "I couldn't bring you h-here without further hurting your wounds, a-and that seemed to be the least harmful way of t-transportation," she finished, feeling how her hands were fidgeting under the unwelcoming presence.
It was awkward. Uneasy. The young man wasn't hostile, but he wasn't friendly either... Ayu couldn't blame him. She too was a stranger to him, the one that brought him back home and wanted to treat his injuries to the best of her abilities... But the distrustful gleam in the blue eyes told her that he was far from ready to rely on a random, green-skinned person that appeared out of nowhere - falling from the tree. But what else she could do? She couldn't transport him to a hospital, and if she would leave - what would come of him? Ayu pulled a small linen cloth out of her basket and spread it on the ground next to her, placing whatever would come in handy on it. A water bottle, tiny leather pouches, satchels with herbs, and wooden mortar. The house was lacking... Everything. The fresh scent of soil and sap told her that this place was just built, at least she was glad that she could create comfortable bedding. With every gesture, she felt eyes following her, but she didn't expect the stranger to talk... Lost in her thoughts, a weak voice startled her so she flinched in place, looking at the man. His eyes started to sink in his face even more and the sweat glued locks of his hair to his temples. Ayu didn't hate that she was able to feel for other people so strongly, but it was one of those times when compassion tied a knot over her stomach.
"P-Please, don't speak," the silent plead probably wasn't something he expected to hear, but Ayu could see how tiring every word was. "Don't strain yourself further," she said right back softly, with a gentle, worried tone. His defensive question affected her more than she wanted to admit, but there was something more important to do now. She glanced at everything that she has pulled out from her basket so far... Where should she begin? Ayu wiped her hands with a wetted handkerchief and counted what she had on the prepared cloth. Herbs, some ointments, a small bottle of antiseptic, and some tools. The first thing she needed to do, was to take care of the internal bleeding. From this and his fever, she could deduce that he was already developing inflammation in his body. "I don't know why," Ayu finally admitted quietly, carefully selecting dried leaves from her belongings and placing them in a wooden mortar. Adding some of the water inside, she started to beat the ingredients into a paste. She has seen many people lately... Some of them were feeling undeserving of any aid, and some neglected it, seeing it as a weakness. Some were grateful. Others were not. "I d-don't want to leave someone who's in pain. I c-can't," her voice started to crack and her gaze melted into a sad expression. Ayu slowly shook her head. "It doesn't feel right, so... Please. Let me try to help you," she tried to reason with him, but her voice sounded more like a plea. "I know y-you must think ill of m-me... But I promise I w-will be gone as soon as I finish."
Because what else could she do? Not only she was placing a stranger in an awkward position, she knew that if she'd left things wouldn't end well, but it still was weighing on her soul. In a wooden mortar, Ayu placed more ingredients from the small containers that were in her basket. Sage, lemon balm... What else would she need? Yarrow for bleeding, lavender for pain, elderberry for fever, and ginger for all of the above. She lacked those in her supply today, but that wasn't an issue. Excusing herself for a moment, Ayu rose from the kneeling position, walking outside of the hut to gather needed ingredients. Or rather - to create them. Stretching her palm above the hardened ground next to her, Ayu poured a tiny amount of her energy into the soil - and it bloomed with small patches of herbs right there. Plants gracefully sprouted, and developed stems, unraveling their leaves and blooming with flowers within seconds. Stalks of ginger grew right next to her with long, thin leaves, and a small elderberry tree shot from the ground. Well... Chlorokinesis really was useful. Ayu carefully picked out mature petals and leaves of yarrow and lavender, gathering the first handful of elderflowers and then black, beady berries. She dug out the fresh root of ginger, wiping it from the dirt and using water from her water bottle to wash the herbs thoughtfully. Everything that has grown, hid again inside the ground, retreating, coiling, and disappearing under the layer of grass - meanwhile, Ayu brought the bounties of the forest inside the hut, starting to prepare the medicine.
It wasn't that easy. She was able to grind all the necessary herbs into a thick paste with a pestle, but the ingredients needed to steep in some hot water. Ayu lacked a kettle or even a fire, that's why she frowned while looking at her glass bottle, half filled with a clear liquid. She picked it up, taking a deep breath before she would start to concentrate. It was better to try... Using a small amount of her energy, she attempted to warm up the liquid and soon enough the container started to fog inside when the water reached the right temperature. She sighed with relief. Ayu poured some of the water inside the mortar, thinning the paste into a smooth, but still thick medicine. Everything would need a moment to combine. And it would probably be extremely bitter... Water wasn't boiling, but the whole mixture would be bitter, with the tart berries and spicy ginger adding necessary ingredients, but not improving the taste. Luckily she should have some wild honey in her basket. Ayu fished a small container out of the wicker bag and opened the jar, adding some honey to the brew, mixing slowly so it would dissolve, hopefully overshadowing the pungent bitterness. She glanced at the dark, pulpous medicine, then back at her patient, again at the content of the mortar, and Ayu without hesitation added another generous scoop of honey inside.
"This should help with pain and the fever," she explained. Perhaps the man would start to slip away from consciousness soon, but he persistently remained awake, watching her every move. Ayu felt better telling him what she made. She gently blew at the content of the mortar. The temperature of the mixture started to drop, so it would be good to consume soon. And with her ability to manipulate the organic matter of plants, she made herbs especially potent, so they should work better and faster... But it did not work on the smell or taste, unfortunately. "It will also reduce internal bleeding a bit, but I would need to have a look at your torso," Ayu got abashed and scratched her cheek. "I-I will try to stop the bleeding with another way too, but I can't do it without knowing where you are hurt... So I-I will have t-to open your shirt, s-sorry about that." It wasn't a comfortable feeling, to say the least. The last thing she wanted to do was to make a patient feel uneasy, but on the other hand, she couldn't examine how bad his state was through the clothes. Though if he would be in a state that bad that his consciousness was already wrapped in darkness, there be no time to waste or to wonder if that would be uncomfortable. It's not like she never saw someone shirtless before, but, well, she'd hate to cause any more discomfort. The man was already annoyed at her presence. Normally Ayu would lower her head and leave, but this time, she couldn't.
Muttering her apology, she gently slid her hand under his head. Her eyes softened for a moment with worry, when she felt on her fingers how heated his skin was... She wanted to at least help him drink the medicine, carefully supporting his neck and head, which were resting on her forearm now. Ayu glanced at the content of the mortar and smiled apologetically, with bashful color blooming on her cheeks. The mixture looked nasty... But what kind of medicine was tasty?
"I tried to make it more palatable, but it p-probably won't taste very g-good, I'm sorry..." she confessed shyly.
Now - would he allow her to help him, or not..?
Super Weighted Clothing Equipped
Power Level - 163,856
PL with SWC - 40,964
Word Count - 1,780
Total Word Count - 4,299 |
|
Foolishness, reader, foolishness.
POWER LEVEL
24,056
Tech Points
3/9
Forms
Resplendent Demon Primate (X8)
Zeni
9,244
UNSORTED
|
Jul 31, 2022 22:50:27 GMT -5
Post by Calot on Jul 31, 2022 22:50:27 GMT -5
"No mere being like you could ever make me discomfited-"
Despite wanting to chastise the girl, as he felt somewhat disrespected that such an unsuspecting looking youth would dare to think she could ever make someone such as he feel in any means vulnerable or uncomfortable, Calot's words once again caught themselves in his throat, likely getting caught on some of the phlegm and blood that still remained in it, as he once again was sent directly into a coughing fit after trying to force himself to speak. It was like every miniscule action having been attempted thus far had been halted by his inherent weakness, and that made him feel angrier- and more vulnerable- than anything or anyone currently present. So, once again, the fires of his fury were stoked by the magnitude of injury now mauling him and his insides, and instead he simply reclined further back on his bed of flora, an even more tired expression upon his brow as he did so.
"I am no weakling, the pain I feel is nothing to what I've felt before. Your means of transportation did little to advance any bit of my suffering. No, all it did was give way to your clear magical affinity. The amount of others who I've come to find with magical affinities are, minute, so it is quite a curious thing to behold. Especially over a domain as widespread as nature is..."
The young man's musings stopped themselves before it could traverse into the realm of needless (and potentially revealing) tangent- he could not trust himself to remain as cold and callous as he needed to be when under such physical, mental, and emotional duress. And he was sure as hell not going to confess his entire life story and trauma to someone he had just met not even fifteen, twenty minutes ago, so even in his tired haze he tried to watch his mouth wisely.
Instead of falling into the trap of gab, Calot continued to watch Ayu with a slowly weakening gaze, his eyes that once shone with such hostility now dissipating its naturally apprehensive edge and instead being replaced by a more curious glint within his eyes with every new item and ingredient the young girl plucked from seemingly out of nowhere. Just how extensive was this woman's arsenal of healing supplies? And just how often must she have ran into an injured individual on a daily basis for her to have these things at essentially her beck and call?
He supposed it did nothing but help at this moment, at the very least, and considering her words as she spoke at small lengths of why she couldn't simply have let the situation run its course, Calot at least could somewhat see from her perspective as to why she was the way that she was. It didn't mean Calot at all wanted to admit appreciation for it, no- but, he could at least come closer to understanding her.
Perhaps indeed getting influenced, against his better judgment, by the young girl's actions, and maybe memoirs of a time long since past influencing his actino as well, Calot sighed, reaching outward and holding the girl by her wrist for a firm few moments before telling her in a reprimanding, yet calmed tone, "Thinking ill of individuals who have done nothing to incite such illness is, foolish, and I am not a foolish individual, so calm yourself, and do as you need to."
Already, if not by this point established, Ayu struck Calot as quite weak willed- and this was not by any means a cause to judge her by. No, in fact, it did quite the opposite, as her temperament now all too well reminded him of his own self when he was much, much younger, all those years ago back on planet Vegeta. Nervous of every little word or thing said or done either by her or by the company she currently shared. Nor did it help that she was clearly his junior by a sizable margin, and as such, the feeling of elder sibling responsibility that had laid dormant for so long now seemed to surge with her very presence. She was so terribly innocent, and for a young man as damaged as Calot, he could not bring himself to hold any amount of malice toward her.
How could he?
With this realization having finally been admitted silently to himself, Calot ultimately allowed his body to be at rest. While not completely vulnerable, the Demon Saiyan swordsman became much more compliant with his current circumstances, and simply spectated as she continued her meticulous work before her.
That was, until, the more, flustering, part of the entire operation came face to face for the both of them. After taking in full the process by which the medicinal concoction for his internal bleeding was created, Calot's eyes widened as she became bold enough to come into even closer contact with the crossbreed, her hand now slotting itself comfortably behind his head as she tried to help him drink from the mortar. Instead, however, he'd gently grab at her wrist again, motioning for her to remove her hand from his head and give him the mortar in his other free one.
If she complied, he'd then slowly, painfully, yet surely, scoot himself up in his makeshift bedsheet, leaning against the cool wall of his hut as he drank the combination of herbs, honey, and whatever other else was in it in full, without as much as a peep. Just as he had suffered much greater wounds in the past, Calot also just happened to taste much, much, worse in the past as well, with the medicine mixture seeming like a gourmet meal in comparison to what he's had to eat and drink in the days of his impromptu orphaning.
When you were homeless and companionless on the streets, you learned to eat whatever you could.
Once done with drinking the entirety of the mixture made for him, Calot would place the mortar back into the young girls hands, saying in an even, unbothered tone, "I can already feel the effects flowing through me...I must give you credit, you are well skilled...Whomever finds you as their companion will show you better than I can their appreciation..."
Realizing he was treading the line again, and that his coldhearted persona was at risk of being done away with, Calot attempted to regroup himself, staring first at the flustered face of Ayu before then redirecting it to his torso. An amused chuckle came from the still even faced young man, before he immediately started to take off what was even left of the clothing upon his upper body, raising a single palm toward his chest and turning to cinders the remaining threads, revealing his heavily wounded (though still admittedly quite physically built) chest and lower abdomen.
Considering his heightened pain tolerance, Calot himself was even surprised at the damage sustained in an area he believed to have defended exceedingly well in the midst of battle, but apparently he was much sloppier than what he had originally believed. Sighing, he fully laid back down once more, gesturing toward his wounds with both a frustrated, yet surprisingly saddened gaze.
"How, pathetic..."
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|
POWER LEVEL
356,511
Tech Points
47/88
Forms
Enhanced Being [x39]
Zeni
92,117
Bio-Android
|
Aug 1, 2022 14:38:25 GMT -5
Post by Ayu on Aug 1, 2022 14:38:25 GMT -5
He was stubborn. That was obvious at this point... And he was also quite defensive about being unmoved and unbothered by the amount of pain he was feeling. Taking into account all of the internal bleeding, his cuts, and bruises alongside the extreme fatigue, he was putting on a bold face to cover it. She could sense that the man in front of her was in anguish, annoyed and disappointed... Why would the tall stranger with a clouded, sharp face feel like that? She couldn't help but feel troubled. His demeanor wasn't hostile, but he wasn't friendly either, not telling her to stay but not chasing her away too... By listening to his words Ayu started to think that he was trying to convince himself rather than her that his wounds were nothing. Maybe there was truth in this madness? She knew better than to suggest that out loud. If he needed that, so be it. Ayu was only nodding while preparing the medicine, afraid to explain that she merely wanted to apologize for causing him any discomfort. All in all, she couldn't refuse him his courage and endurance. To be able to not only walk around in this condition but also build a hut in the vastness of the forest, now that required an ungodly amount of stamina and persistence.
"Magic?" Ayu suddenly blinked, repeating after him this one, specific word, utterly and sincerely confused. Magic affinity? It was the first time she heard something like that and her gaze was nothing but flabbergasted. Wasn't it simply her Ki that did everything that was involved with the flora around her? She used it to create vines and make barriers... It seemed like that and Ayu was convinced that... Well, no, she couldn't say that. She had no idea what exactly could her energy do, what was her Ki, and now a stranger mentioned magic? It was hurting her head when she started to think about it. The universe once again proved to her that she knew too little... So she decided to ponder about it alter, slowly shaking her head and focusing back on the treatment. And her patient was a peculiar one, indeed. After promising to leave after doing what she could, he grabbed her wrist startling her a little as he did it out of blue. Ayu's reflex still wasn't that good to spot such quick movement... "A-Alright," she mumbled, rubbing her skin and making sure that the straps on her wrist remained secured. So he didn't hold it against her that she wanted to help him. Well, her aid was being performed in this slightly sloppy and messy manner - though it was the best she could do given their circumstances. Still, Ayu didn't feel accepted. It was alright though. She lowered her gaze, trying not to mind the awkward air here. She didn't have to feel welcome to do her thing and that was the most important right now.
His formal, and slightly poetic way of speaking made it sound as if he was reassuring her in a way - or rather clearing up the misunderstanding. Or maybe she wasn't sure what she was hearing... The stranger was quite a confusing individual, but Ayu was sure that he didn't have anything malevolent on his mind. Though he wasn't good at showing it - or the young woman wasn't skilled at reading that, because she flinched again when he grabbed her wrist one more time. The patient decided to sit, taking the mortar out of her hand. Well... Was she being too pushy..? Ayu felt embarrassed heat on her face, but she said nothing. She couldn't refuse - if he felt good enough to drink the medicine on his own, she respected that... Though Ayu watched cautiously and uneasy if he wasn't by any chance straining himself. She didn't know his name, but could already tell that he would rather go the extra mile to do things on his own rather than rely on a stranger. It's not like she could blame him... Though his response after she took away the empty mortar was quite surprising. For a moment Ayu was gazing at him with widening eyes, not sure if she heard that right... Then she smiled bashfully with a flustered face, stroking her cheek and looking away as she felt too shy being given this indirect praise. Maybe it was his way of saying that he recognized her help, and even if a little blunt, she welcomed it.
"... T-Thank you," she murmured after a moment. With that out of the way, she was ready to have a look at this chest, to focus on finding the injury responsible for the internal bleeding. The young woman gladly noticed that he didn't mind being examined further - though his actions were a little... Drastic. He set himself on fire for a brief second, making Ayu flinch in place and raise her hand defensively, to see that he was unharmed - he simply burned off his clothes out of the way. He... He really didn't have to. After some stitching and laundry, the fabric from his shirt could be used for something else, but now it was gone, reduced to nothing with his fiery Ki... Guess it was her frugal sense speaking. Nevermind. Ayu shook her head slowly to get rid of puzzlement, remembering what was the most important at this moment. She started examining his torso, right away being able to point out the reason behind him coughing up blood.
"It's not pathetic," Ayu said quietly after a moment of silence, gazing at the dark, almost black, dense in color spots on his skin akin to bruises. Yet, they were much more vivid and unpleasantly looking than a simple contusion. Like a purple paint dyed his skin from inside creating those patches... Which wasn't that far from his actual condition - it was an excess of blood there that created those marks, they could be very well mistaken for a horrible case of bruising. There were two of them on his abdomen, one almost as big as her stretched palm - that's where the blood vessels must have burst due to the injuries he got earlier. Judging by other cuts and bruises, it was quite the brawl... But leaving his condition without first aid would lead to something even worse. Stopping this bleeding was her priority. Looking at the number of injuries here, she could only guess how much pain was he feeling... "It m-must have been a harsh fight..." she lowered her voice to the whisper, her expression softening while Ayu was examining the area she wanted to treat, gently touching it with her fingers. "You're really strong. You made it out alive." She said so with a mellow voice, trying to assure the man that there was nothing to be ashamed of. Something in her tone sounded almost knowingly, like... She knew more about it than one could assume. Maybe? "Being wounded isn't pathetic." Tips of Ayu's fingertips lit with a familiar, goldish glow - the soft light seemed to be seeping through her skin, warming up as she began to gather Ki there. "I'm s-sorry, it's going to burn a little... I need to seal the blood vessels with heat to stop the bleeding," hopefully the explanation would be enough. With a deep breath, she was ready to start.
The other option was to cut him open and stitch every vessel individually... But Ayu has never done that and she lacked the tools for open operation. It wasn't a hospital after all... What if she would make a mistake? What about blood loss? She knew quite a lot to go with this procedure, and she knew enough to understand that it was the safest solution for the patient. With another deep breath just to calm herself down, the young woman placed her hand on the wounded area. She concentrated her Ki under his skin, steadily sending the heat through the injured spot. It was a meticulous process - like needlework - she needed to constantly watch the amount of energy used and the right temperature for that. After the blood vessels were sealed there, she moved her fingers a tiny bit to the side, treating the spot right next to it... And piece by piece, those horrible, violet-colored patches of skin started to look more like typical bruises when the blood started to break down. Those didn't fade away, just changed the coloration, but it proved that the bleeding was stopped - though it will burn for a moment, that's for sure. It was basically a process of cauterizing the wound, though from the inside of the body... The deed was finally done. How long did it take? Ayu lost track of time while concentrating on sending the heat to the stranger's body. She slowly took her hand away and wiped the sweat from her forehead. The heavier breaths were raising her chest, her arms were kind of sore... But she was genuinely glad that it worked.
"It... I-It should be alright now," she smiled gently, corners of her lips curled softly on her careworn but relieved face. The dim light of the dusk was oozing into the hut, showing her that indeed, quite some time have passed when she was busy. Ayu's pale irises started to be more visible in the shadow - the opalescent effect was more distinct now, as the yellow color proved to be luminescent, very softly filling her eyes with a faint glow. The dimmer it was around her, the clearer this oddity. Ayu seemed to be unaware of that... But even she noticed that the night was creeping near. And she knew that she did not like darkness - no, not at all. The suffocating fear she felt each time when she was surrounded by senseless blackness was anything but welcomed. It was an anxiety attack waiting to happen...
It wouldn't be wise to stay here without light, where there were many other wounds to stitch and bruises to take care of. They would need fire. Ayu glanced above her shoulder at the empty hut... The only thing here was the bed of moss she created, filling the place with the earthy scent of soil, mixing with pungent, lingering in the air smell of medicine she made a while ago. Having taken care of the most pressing matter, Ayu decided that constructing a fireplace would be the best option now. She needed light to see where the injuries were, right? If the night will surprise her in the middle of treatment, she wouldn't be able to finish it. And before the fever would go down, the warrior needed to be kept warm and safe - and nothing was better than keeping wild animals at bay than a proper fire.
"I will go gather s-some firewood before looking at your other wounds," Ayu said when she rose up, smoothing the wrinkled clothing. Maybe she was indeed a soft-hearted individual, but she got a lot of determination in her petite body when someone's wellbeing was at stake. With a tiny sphere of Ki in the palm of her hand to illuminate the growing dimness, she left the hut... And she was gone for around ten minutes, walking right back with the armful of pieces of wood and old branches and twigs. A small net created with vines was filled with fallen, dried leaves, perfect for kindling. Now she needed a suitable spot, best in the center of the hut. Ayu made a circle from the stones, securing it in place from the outside of the ring with some moss. The green material won't easily catch fire if a stray spark would land on it... She placed the wood and dried up branches inside, creating a fireplace - the rest of what she gathered was tucked safely in the corner for later. Once again utilizing her Ki to produce heat, she set on fire prepared wood and leaves. Soon enough the hut was filled with warmth and the light of a pleasantly crackling flame.
Ayu sat back down on the ground near her patient, gazing at the fire for a long, quiet. She was looking at how the shadows and lights were playing with thoughtful eyes before she started to silently prepare for another step of treatment.
Super Weighted Clothing Equipped
Power Level - 163,856
PL with SWC - 40,964
Word Count - 2,050
Total Word Count - 6,349 |
|
Foolishness, reader, foolishness.
POWER LEVEL
24,056
Tech Points
3/9
Forms
Resplendent Demon Primate (X8)
Zeni
9,244
UNSORTED
|
Aug 5, 2022 2:06:02 GMT -5
Post by Calot on Aug 5, 2022 2:06:02 GMT -5
As stubborn as the Demon Saiyan could be, Ayu could not at all refuse the fact that it had given Calot the results he needed when it came to getting through most of the struggle that he's had to endure throughout his life up until now. If not for his dogged mentality toward all the cruelty life has cast upon him and his loved ones, Calot would most likely have fallen victim to one of the many hundred or so disasters he must have gone through already. But, alas, life always found a way it seemed, even when the hybrid himself at times wished for it not to.
Sometimes, though, life failed to give him a choice in the matter. Something showcased quite perfectly by the circumstances he found himself in right now. What made this set of circumstances all the more different, and, unique, to the hundreds of similar ones he's found himself the center of in the past, was the fact that he wasn't left by his lonesome to pick up the pieces for this one. It had been nearly sixteen years since Calot's fated showdown with the assembly of demonic underlings in the climax of his lowest point within his childhood, and in those sixteen years, the Demon Saiyan swordsman forced himself in turn to shut away from the influences of society all around him- believing that not only was he doing himself a favor removing from his life the frivolous and impermanent pursuits of relationships, but also one to those who had yet to even know of the young boy's existence at all. No longer would his life, by default, put others that he may dare care about in danger. No longer would he dare stare failure in the face each time a new relationship was forged. And no longer would the pain and suffering that came from losing such valued relationships come to torture his very soul. In his underaged immaturity, this appeared to be the only sensible path to follow after such a traumatic event, and due to there no longer being anyone to help him stray from such a solitary life, it was one that Calot dragged himself onto with no difficulty.
And yet, no matter how hard he ran from it, it always seemed to come back to haunt him. It took years for it to finally catch back up, but, perhaps Calot should have expected it to at this point. Fate was one fight that he never could soundly succeed in. With now his most present battle to keep his frigid persona preserved apparently being a losing one as well, as after his lowkey compliment, the girl of the greenery would now flush an even deeper green in response- her flattered expression coupled with her smile making the young man's face burn slightly in response.
'...How, endearing.'
Immediately shoving his stare toward the wayside, the faint but visible blush upon his own face remained as he attempted to shut himself away once more, grumbling something about foolishness and funny business before finally focusing on the young girl again upon her uttering of thanks.
"It's...the bare minimum, after all. You cannot hope to treat me correctly if there lies any blockade on your path to do so, s-so it was only right for me to do away with the clothing..."
Now the young man grit his teeth nearly into his gums, eyes shutting in great irritation simultaneously with them, but not out of any inherent pain now founded from Ayu's continued meddling. No, the thought of actually having stuttered in front of another individual was apparently nearly too much for him to bare. Yes, sixteen years without meaningful interaction most likely meant he was out of practice, but, he hadn't needed it in the first place to be as beautifully verbose as he was, so why did his gift of gab fail him now of all places?! And with someone who appeared to be a thousand times worse at expressing themselves than he was?!
The thought of it make his skin (or whatever skin he could still feel, anyways, most of it being numbed from both the pain and Ayu's treatment) crawl in droves. However, it was as though Ayu could read his very thoughts, as in the middle of him chastising himself, the girl pipped in with a small bit of reassurance. Eyes reopening and returning to lay themselves on the Bio-Android, Calot could not fight the increasingly surprised look upon his brow as she insisted against his inherent weakness. Again, it had been sixteen years since his last meaningful interactions, and sixteen years he had gone without ever being told that simply being him was more than enough for someone, for anyone really. The last person to have told him a similar sentiment was his mother, and even to the present day Calot still blamed himself for not having been strong enough to save her or his little brother, believing his mother's beliefs to have been wrongly founded. But now, to hear such similar sentiment, from someone who had barely come to know anything about him?
Normally, the Demon Saiyan swordsman would be insulted, downright outraged- but, something about her words specifically seemed to awaken something deep inside of him, and instead new tears threatened to well themselves up at the corner of his eyes as he responded in his continually weakening voice, "Y-your words...I...I am far weaker than most will ever come to realize...for my own weakness has, and is, the core of my very being..."
"That, is why, I remain here, I must gather more power-"
Stopping short amidst his words, Calot lurched forward slightly in his laying position, sighing. Too much passion poured into his words all at once, apparently. At least it helped to tell him when to shut up before he told this stranger his entire life story. The less she knew, the better for the both of them. Thankfully, his tangent had taken the amount of time needed for Ayu to finish up the cauterization of most of the leaking blood vessels within his chest, and after the final part of it was finished, and the mild buzz of the burn had subsided, Calot felt around his upper torso, genuinely impressed at the craftsmanship having been showcased.
He opened his mouth to say something, but, was cut off at Ayu's announcement that she was going out for a moment to gather some firewood for the two of them. Wincing as he moved nearly up and out of his bedsheets to stop her, the thought of some otherworldly beast being out there to greet her in its maw just as Shaza nearly did with himself, no noise was able to leave his throat until she was practically out the entrance, as though the remainder of whatever coldhearted persona he had left prevented him from showcasing any further weakness that he already had given way to. His hand shook as it reached out toward her in unison of his finally spoken words, "S-stop, it is too dangerous for the likes of you!"
His call came too little, too late, and soon enough the young girl was gone into the blackness of the jungle night outside. Anxiety clutching at his chest, the nervousness only grew with every moment past, Calot staring at the nonexistent clock upon the wall as every second ticked away with no other signs of the gentlehearted girl's return.
That is why, when Ayu did eventually return, his eyes immediately tore themselves from the wall and plastered their focus onto the girl even more closely than they had earlier.
"...Y-you're...okay."
He wasn't at all used to this feeling. The feeling of fear and eventual gladness that came when someone that he came to even slightly care about had come back to him safe and sound. It made him, conflicted, and all the more in need of a distraction to take place of these fickle, frustrating feelings.
Waiting until she'd position herself back by his bedside once more, Calot would now slowly reach out toward Ayu's forearm, taking his time rather than the early, snappy movements he once approached her with. Gently gripping it, his head would slightly tilt in both curiosity and, was that concern? Before he spoke in an even, matter of fact tone, stuttering currently coming from a place of exhaustion rather than embarrassment now, "You are clearly, exhausted. Y-your magical manipulation, alongside your Ki control is, incredibly, attuned...but, using it for this amount of time is not preferable for any person..."
"You must rest. Your safety must come first, particularly before an already broken man like me..."
As the night went on, so did his openness in conversation, and while the damage had most likely already been dealt, Calot was far too tired to care at this point.
The both of them seemed to be.
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POWER LEVEL
356,511
Tech Points
47/88
Forms
Enhanced Being [x39]
Zeni
92,117
Bio-Android
|
Aug 6, 2022 7:37:40 GMT -5
Post by Ayu on Aug 6, 2022 7:37:40 GMT -5
When it came to the preparation for the procedure, well, Ayu needed to make sure that quite a few things were ready. Patient, her Ki, her focus, tools for later... W-wait. Something caught her off guard and she shifted her pale eyes back to her patient. Was he flustered..? Ayu saw it. Face with sharp facial features and cold gaze mellowed a bit - or was it her imagination? Right after that, the young man turned his gaze away so she wasn't sure what she saw, but she could still spot a faint heat on his cheeks. He did say something she didn't quite catch because the sound of his words was muffled right away in his grumbling. That made her slightly uneasy. Ayu couldn't help but think that she did something wrong. Unfortunately, it wouldn't be the first time it happened as she had a hidden talent for that. Or did she say something weird..? Or acted not right? Perhaps undergoing treatment and undressing like that in front of a stranger was indeed unpleasant, but as he said himself, it needed to be done... He had to bear with it. At least it was a tad bit better than him being unwelcoming and wary of her to the point that it felt that he was ready to scare Ayu away. She had something important to do... She wasn't going to let herself give up on treating the wounded that easily.
And as Ayu was focused on the procedure, cauterizing the broken blood vessels from inside, she heard the man weakened voice. She tried to assure him that he wasn't pathetic only because he was injured in a fight, but his response only sounded like he was admitting that he is and that this flaw was even deeper and more prominent than she thought... Power. She heard it again. If only they were strong enough, if only they would be able to resist, to fight, to protect, to change the course of events... Ayu couldn't allow her hands to flinch, but it didn't stop her eyes from tearing up, drops hanging on her eyelashes before she quickly and not exactly stealthily wiped them away with her sleeve. She didn't want to say anything more, but her lips moved on their own.
"Being weak does not make anyone wrong," Ayu stated softly with her voice cracking from the tears, her expression softening in a self-reflecting kind of way, though her face looked quite troubled. She hoped that at least today she could avoid tears, but seemed that the universe proved her wrong. "T-Though I know that I'm pretty weak myself," admitting something obvious wasn't perhaps the smartest conversation starter, but she rubbed her fingers while adjusting the amount of energy there and chuckled a little despite the abashed smile and nervous blushing. "I'm s-soft. I'm the first to cry and I w-worry too much about everything, I..." She wasn't strong. Not in the way that she needed to be to help others as she wanted... "I've met a Saiyan once. He told me that weakness was a choice," her voice changed into a quieter tone, melancholic and reflective, face clouding with anxiety while her eyes started to water again. "That it's p-people's own fault that they are hurt by others. I... I-I don't agree. Sometimes it's n-not a choice. And I don't u-understand why in this world people are always b-blaming those who were hurt for not being strong enough..." for a moment there, Ayu was the one who was pouring out her heart in front of a stranger. "While t-they never seem to find a fault with those who are abusing their power to hurt others."
If all the people wanted was the power to do as they pleased... Was it normal in the universe to step all around the weaker beings, only to look up to those who were the strongest? Was the idea of having no consequences for their actions so appealing people were that crazy about power... Ayu didn't know. Maybe she didn't want to know. It all was too heavy and ugly. She turned her head away, wiping her cheeks from tears that indeed betrayed her and stained her face. She loved the world, she just didn't love the way it was making her feel... Maybe. No, Ayu shouldn't let herself be distracted, she needed to finish treatment and then leave to gather essentials for creating a fireplace in the hut. Right. Right...
After being done she excused herself from the hut. The cool air felt great on her heated face, and Ayu patted her cheeks while breathing deeply. Right, she had to gather that firewood... She made short work of it and was right back in the tiny house, greeted by a surprised and concerned expression of the stranger. He seemed glad that she was back. She met his eyes with a puzzled look. Was that... Something to worry about it?
"I l-live nearby this area. I know these forests and hills quite well," she smiled gently, slightly embarrassed by his reaction, before getting back to setting the fireplace. The man was surprised, his energy flickering with worry - was he expecting her to leave..? No, it sounded more like he was suspecting that she could get hurt while wandering the woods alone at this hour. Ayu did not lie. She knew every green part of the east continent as well as the palm of her hand and she was never once attacked by any wild animals there. In fact, she nursed quite a number of them back to health. People on the other hand... That was a different story. Maybe she was still affected by her small outburst of emotions, but Ayu felt somewhat tired - not physically. Her mind got enough of that aching.
With a fire brightening up the hut and creating a warm and more welcoming aura, Ayu was ready to continue the treatment. It was too early to relax, the uncleaned wound could easily get infected, and they needed to be tidied and properly wrapped... Though, that it was only her opinion it seemed. The man's hand wrapped itself around her forearm, while he voiced his concern about her endurance and tiredness. She looked at him for a second, before an apologetic, warm smile bloomed on her face.
"Is that h-how it looks? I'm alright, please d-don't worry about me," Ayu said with quiet reassurance, rubbing her cheek and feeling familiar heat tinting her face. "I can only control a small amount of my energy... Things happen where there's t-too much of my Ki around so I haven't used a lot of it..." she admitted softly, trying to comfort his worries. But despite the embarrassed smile, a sadness gleamed in her eyes when she said that. What use was of her power if she had no control of it..? If she'd be in a worse mental state or would use too much of the Ki laying dormant in her right now, there would be no sign of this hut - only thick greenery around. Ayu would rather have this ability taken away - so ironic. Here was laying a person in desperate need of more raw strength, while she, knowing very well that her energy was one of the mightiest around, was cursed with it. She'd gladly give it away in a heartbeat if she only could... Why was life so complicated sometimes..? "It's alright. I don't need to use my Ki anymore, I'm o-only going to stitch and treat the wounds of yours that need it." Her patient was a persistent one, trying to brush away the rest of her aid and put the tough face on, saying that there's no need for anything else... But Ayu could be stubborn too. Her expression softened and her already peaceful tone mellowed too. "You're hurt. That's enough of a reason for me, so please, rest. I-I should finish soon," she explained, her gaze lowered to look at her hands. "And I'm s-sorry from crying... I d-didn't want to make you uncomfortable.."
With that, Ayu gently, albeit slightly awkward stroked his hand on her forearm, soundlessly asking him to let go. There were many other things to look after... As she said, there was no need to use her energy for that. She stitched the cuts and injuries that were too wide and would be the first to fester or start bleeding out heavily with uncareful movement. Ayu got some needles and a thin, durable thread, so after cleansing everything, she was able to take care of the worst injuries - well, the one right behind the internal bleeding. With her fingertips and nails dyed with red, she worked once again scrupulously, disinfecting the wounds with tonic, stitching them, smearing gently with herbal ointment, and finally wrapping them in clean bandages and straps of fabric she had. Some of the cuts were small enough to leave as they were after sanitizing, the others needed to be carefully patched up. It took her another hour or two of working in silence, focused on her task - while the darkness outside only grew thicker.
It... It was done. With the last wound dressed Ayu felt the weight of her concern being taken away from her shoulders. Despite her worries, the man wasn't wrapped like a mummy, but he had his share of bandages and gauzes on him. His life shouldn't be in danger anymore, but he should go see a proper doctor first thing when he'd feel strong enough. After all, Ayu wasn't a professional medic - even if her knowledge about herbs and anatomy was vast enough... She'd hate to think that she did something wrong and caused more trouble for a wounded person than good. It seemed it was alright though. So far, she did everything she could and realizing that the stranger's energy signature was now stable and sound, she leaned to the side, her shoulder supported by the wall. Now he should rest, to regain his strength...
The relief started to sink in, putting heaviness in Ayu's eyelids. She rubbed her eyes sleepily, not exactly fully aware that the tiredness started to cloud her mind first and it was pretty effective... The previous readiness and focus mellowed down, replaced by the weariness that she kept at bay by being busy and before Ayu realized it, her consciousness was slipping away. The fatigue started to seep into her body, and the fire was making the hut so warm and peaceful... Her heavy head pulled her softly down on the corner of the bed of moss. She tucked her arms together and rested her cheek on them, half-sitting, half-laying on the side of the green mattress, falling asleep in a matter of seconds. Her hands and wrappings around her wrists were still stained with blood, and all of her belongings were placed on the cloth on the ground, laying there right after use in a slight mess... Ayu didn't even have the chance to clean up or say anything after finishing the treatment. It was done - and she was now breathing softly, her eyelids sealed by exhaustion.
She was fast asleep.
Super Weighted Clothing Equipped
Power Level - 163,856
PL with SWC - 40,964
Word Count - 1,861
Total Word Count - 8,210 |
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"Only A Failure Abandons His Principles And Pride."
Administrator
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Feb 7, 2023 19:04:01 GMT -5
Post by Admin on Feb 7, 2023 19:04:01 GMT -5
Ayu, you're looking at 5,057 PL and 4,154 zeni!
+1 TP!
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