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Post by T on Jan 18, 2019 9:55:51 GMT -5
[ ??:?? a.m? p.m? ] Strange Realm
Hours, days, even weeks fly by. The construction of an accursed plane twists one’s sense of time. Losing a millennium or two in the depths of the unknown may bring progress - an inkling of progress, but progress nonetheless. Yet however long these restless souls trudge on to create what never should have been created, they will find no respite within this existence of endless monotony, confusion, and utmost despair.
And smack dab in the middle of it, a young Saiyan laid still. A wafting trail of ‘Z’s floated from him as he dreamt distant dreams of dice and universe-wide peace. Unfortunately for him, the dream was interrupted by a sudden realisation.
“I’ve been here for months,” his mind mused. Immediately, he kicked upwards in the air. The ensuing momentum carried him in an arc and onto his feet. Russ rubbed his eyes, inhaling deeply as he did. A grunt made its exit from his throat as arms stretched around. He had been working as a builder for this unknown state of existence for a few months. Apparently, he was doing so the pretence that ‘they needed help’. Now- no longer. He needed to socialise before he went mad. Was he mad? Probably not.
Socialise. The boy rubbed his chin, thinking about what that word reminded him of. Realise. Not that, perhaps more focus on the latter pat of that word. Lise. Rearrange. Lies. Add more alphabets. Likes. Change those alphabets. Little, lithium,-
“Lillith!” He shouted out at no-one in particular. Eyes widened as he came to a grand realisation. “I’ll go visit Lillith! That should be neat.” Russ continued talking to himself.
Out from a nearby crevasse, an elderly, male tone raised a question. “Who’s Lillith?”
Arms flailed wildly before being held in the direction he heard the voice come from. “Nobody!” Another exclamation for another panicked response. “Erm- I mean, somebody.” The admittance took place while Russ reached behind him to rub his neck. It had been months since he last visited the witch. Whether or not she remembered him was up to pure chance at that point. Ultimately, the galaxy certainly was filled with more interesting and memorable figures than hi-
Shaking his head, the boy clenched his fists by both sides. Self-doubt was no way to go if he wanted to help others- much less himself. Aiding his companion by keeping them company was as good a task as any as well, after all. Hence, he focused his energy and vanished.
[ 11:00 a.m ] Strange Woods
As the morning started to fade into noon, the many beams of light scattering past leaves above intensified. All was well within the forest. This appeared to be nothing short of another ordinary day in a surprisingly greener part of Earth. While the air within seemed stagnant as ever, calm winds rolled over the treetops. A breeze or two managed to slip past these wooden defences, yet the general vicinity remained as it always did.
( Word Count : 0, 531 )
Lilith Nevermore
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Post by Lilith Nevermore on Jan 18, 2019 13:49:25 GMT -5
Blissful silence blessed the calm forest. Only the wind sang in the treetops. Under the shadow of a massive oak sat a lonely, little hut. With a round shape and a pointy, violet roof it strongly resembled an enormous mushroom. A tiny forest path turned into cobblestone cutting across the small yard. A wide variety mushrooms had been arranged to grow in tidy rows. Judging by their colorful caps, they were all horribly poisonous. Peeking through the tiny window, one could find modest living quarters. Aside from a bed, a bookshelf and a table with tiny chairs, there wasn’t much to see. Nor to steal. Hidden away from prying eyes, it served as the final escape for a certain witch.
Speaking of whom...
A frail figure flew past the leaves and nearly crashed into the unforgiving cobblestone. The pale girl’s silken robes were tattered and stained in mud, as if she had wrestled with a wild beast. Tears glimmered in the crimson eyes, one of them blackened with a nasty bruise. Blood dripped from her lips. Leaning onto her broom for support she limped to the door. Weakly she whispered to the lock and it clicked open. As she hobbled inside, the entrance shut behind her. Safe at last. Her trembling grip on the broom tightened. Few glimmering pearls rolled down her cheeks. She grit her teeth, strangling what pitiful sniffles tried to escape. Beaten, bloodied and utterly humiliated... Oh how the heir of the Nevermore clan had fallen...
Lilith couldn’t even make it to the nearest chair when her legs buckled. She kissed the floor with a light thud. Lying face down on the rough planks, she groaned weakly. Well, cursed her rotten luck really, but it was admittedly hard to tell. What had she ever done to deserve this? ...Rhetorical question. It was supposed to be a simple research expedition to the Tiger Island Yet she just had to run into that damnable brute. Gah... It hurt to even grumble to herself. If she were to seek even one positive side on this ruined day, at least it couldn’t possibly get any worse... Words: 359 [Total = 359] T
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Post by T on Jan 18, 2019 19:13:33 GMT -5
Zchwip. Out of thin air, a certain martial artist manifested in the middle of a clearing in the forest. Seconds passed him by as he looked from left to right in a poor attempt to pinpoint the location of his strange acquaintance. Perhaps if he could sense energy, that would make this task far easier. Russ needed to remember to do that far more often. Hence, he did just that. Reaching out with the strange, sixth sense of sorts, the boy felt it all.
Flora, fauna, and even the heartbeats of those far off-world. The energy signatures of all living beings within his proximity appeared to be fine and healthy, save for one.
Eyes grew wide as the sudden thought settled in. There was something; or more importantly, someone; gravely injured in the forest. Russ’ breathing started to stagger. Said person was located much further into the woods- there was no feasible way that simply walking there would suffice now. He knew not of the extent of their injuries, but the fact that the being failed to move caused him to assume it needed help. Not a moment to be wasted, he vanished yet again-
-only to reappear beside the aforementioned one.
Chance is a mistress- she brings both the best and worst to all among us. Though, whether an outcome is better or worse is certainly up to the perspective of those experiencing the events at hand. A day could get get better, and it can also get much, much worse. With that being the case, it shook him that he came at such a weird time, in such an odd manner, and; curiously enough; without being asked to do so.
Words evaded his grasp. Lips parted to leave his mouth slightly agape. He managed to make neither substantial movement, nor intelligible language for a moment. Being able to sense her life signature gave him a modicum of comfort, yet at the state she was in- the boy began to heavily doubt his supernatural prowess. When he finally did, his voice stuttered.
“A-Are you alright?”
( Word Count : 0, 362 )
Lilith Nevermore
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Post by Lilith Nevermore on Jan 19, 2019 3:46:57 GMT -5
Lady Luck had a twisted sense of humor. When something went missing, she was sure to hide it in the last possible place a person would ever look. And when one only wished to avoid something or someone... Well, the results were obvious really. Even when said someone had to materialize from thin air to get inside. Hopefully the visitor realized to watch his head. The ceiling was low.
Upon hearing the oddly familiar voice, the little witch shuddered. In her dizzy state, she didn’t quite recognize the young man. However, he sounded too concerned to be the bounty hunting sort. She barely managed to shift her head enough to glare at him. Well, his legs actually, but the cold sentiment was there. What was supposed to be a snappy retort came out as a pitiful mutter. "Do I look like I’m alright...?" Even when battered and broken, she could still muster strength to be snarky. The only thing she could do honestly...
Slowly Lilith tugged her trembling arms underneath her and tried to push herself upright. Wasted effort. Her aching muscles protested every motion. She ended flopping right back where she started. Even with her pride insisting otherwise, the bitter truth she had to face was that she needed... erm, a servant. Unfortunately she didn’t have enough power to summon an imp, much less a competent demon. Thus the crimson gaze turned towards the man once more. "Either kill me or help me onto the bed... Just stop gawking already..." At this point she had no preference one way or the other. For someone so helpless, she was awfully prickly about it though.
While the tiny home was murky, finding one’s way around wouldn’t exactly be a challenge. Fortunately the sun offered few helpful beams through the window, keeping total darkness at bay. The bed was at the back, only few paces away really. It didn’t look exactly soft, but it was certainly more comfortable than the floor. Next to the meager bunk was a small chest, probably for personal belongings. That alone wouldn’t have been anything unusual if the thing hadn’t been... breathing... Its lid heaved with lazy breaths, reminiscent of a pet snoozing on the floor. Words: 378 [Total = 737] T
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Post by T on Jan 19, 2019 5:02:50 GMT -5
He sighed in relief after receiving a response from his battered acquaintance. She was alive. Bloodied and bruised all over, but alive nonetheless. It seemed as though she had already forgotten him; or at the very least, it did from his perspective. Something about that nipped at his demeanour. Regardless, now was not the time to be worried about that. Russ had to help the person before him.
A kneeling position was taken next to the lass. He looked over her wounds, abstaining from so much as trying to help her up for now. Times like these called for every useful bit of knowledge tucked away in the depths of his mind. For instance, he knew that the magic beans he possessed healed people’s wounds. If not all, most of them either way.
Shaking his head, Russ deposited a hand into the pouch tied to his belt. “Uh uh.” An apparent disregard for the command took place. Thereafter, his hand withdrew from the depths of the holder. “You aren’t going anywhere like that.” She lacked the energy to even move properly. Attempting to move a heavily injured patient without the proper know-how or a stretcher did not come across as a bright idea to him.
The bean was gently held to the injured party’s mouth. He could drag a horse to water, but he could not make it drink. He could drown it, but that was not the same at all. A request was then made. Maybe it was a command. His direction sounded monotone in nature. It may very well have amounted to an instruction. “Eat this, it’ll make you feel better."
Senzu Beans did just that for those that consumed them. Mythos dictates that they are able to alleviate all wounds, but that did not seem to be the case in practice. One the one hand, they could restore a person to a grand state of health even from the brink of death. On the other hand, they did not always restore them to peak condition. Whether this was due to the bean or some other factor, he failed to know.
Which ever one it was, the boy would then offer a hand to her if the injuries ceased to be.
( Word Count : 0, 387 )
Lilith Nevermore
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Post by Lilith Nevermore on Jan 19, 2019 14:43:02 GMT -5
Lilith would have given the supposed stranger an incredulous look, had she possessed the strength. But she didn’t. And she got a feeling that trying to argue would’ve gotten nowhere... So she begrudginly opened her mouth, bit twice and swallowed. Terrible didn’t even begin to describe the taste. What had he just fed him? Some manner of raw bean? If this was his idea of a practical joke, she didn’t find it particularly funny.
Against all expectations, however, something mystical happened. A soothing wave washed through the wounded woman’s body. With a green glimmer, her worst injuries faded away as if they had never happened. The cracked bones were mended, letting her breathe easier again. Blood no longer dripped from her lips. Even her swollen eye settled down somewhat. It was far from total restoration, but at least she wasn’t knocking on death’s door anymore.
Lilith accepted the hand, though only out of courtesy and not because she was still shaky. Absolutely not. Rising to her feet, she focused her gaze on the lone candle sitting on the round table. "Ignite." With the simple command, the candle flared to life and illuminated the hut. She shuffled to the nearest chair and slouched against the table. Bit better...
Now that the young noble got a better look of the man, the missing pieces clicked together. Her puzzled expression was reduced to a flat stare. "...Oh, it’s you." Of course she remembered Russ. How could she forget? "I suppose I should thank you, Russ..." She could already feel the shame stabbing right into her pride. "Not that I needed your interference, mind you." Following the snappy reminder, she lowered her head and twiddled her fingers together. A hesitant mumble slipped from her lips. "But... You have my gratitude regardless..." For someone so well-versed in fine manners, she was awful at this.
Eager to change the topic, the witch cast a suspicious glance towards the man. "More importantly, why are you here?" Intrusive memories from the last time began to flood her mind. No, nonono, not here and not now. Clearing her mind, as she did before every spell cast, she focused on the words alone. Except this time it wasn’t an incantation she spoke. "And how? I don’t recall ever telling you where exactly I live..." Not to mention the door was still locked and the window intact. So how on earth had he gotten in? Words: 414 [Total = 1151] T
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Post by T on Jan 19, 2019 20:45:28 GMT -5
His face lit up with a smile upon hearing ‘it’s you’. “Ey!” He snapped his fingers on both hands. Positive remembrance was something he failed to see very often. That much could be attributed to fighting universal threats possessing ungodly powers more often than socialising with people. “It’s no problem.” Neither hesitation, nor ill-will could be heard in his words. The boy brought himself slowly to stand. Watching how he stood took priority at that moment. It was more out of fear for the ceiling than his head.
“First question last. Second question first.” An index and middle finger reached up at his right temple. “I learnt how to sense energy.” Answering that much posed no trouble for him.
That was the easy part of his explanation. “Oh, and uh- how should I say this?” More of a question for himself than the companion ahead. ‘Instant transmission’ failed to roll off the tongue smoothly. He stood there silently, stroking his chin while deep in thought.“Teleportation?” Sure. That will do. “I can also teleport across the galaxy,” Russ added with an absurd amount of nonchalantness thereafter. The novelty of instantly transporting oneself across time and space had worn off after the first hundred thousand times or so- done in rapid succession no less.
“And I came here to visit you, Lily.” Lacking hesitation; despite popular belief among the many battle hungry warriors of the universe; was not a good thing. Only after he realised what came out of his mouth did he freeze up. Uninvited entry to someone’s house had already been made. The visit might not have came across as enough of a good reason. Or perhaps he just needed to think more like a normal person. He was normal- being normal should be easy. It was likely as good of a solution as any other.
Russ kept on keeping himself in place. “That’s pretty much it- came to visit my pal.”
( Word Count : 0, 365 ) [ Total Word Count : 1, 645 )
Lilith Nevermore
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Post by Lilith Nevermore on Jan 20, 2019 6:38:25 GMT -5
Truth to be told, Lilith wasn’t quite sure what to even expect. When she first met the man, she had quickly learned that he was... difficult to predict. So when he opened sensibly enough, by explaining his newly gained talent for sensing energy, she could only blink. Oh. Well. Fair eno- And then he prattled something about Teleportation. Across the whole galaxy even. Now came that incredulous stare she was supposed to give earlier. "You... are throwing a lot at me right now..." She found it just a little difficult to believe that this bumbling peasant man had learned something undeniably legendary, a secret those so-called gods themselves so jealously guarded.
The little lady’s curiosity soon deflated back into the tired, flat stare she so often wore. "Uh... huh..." She couldn’t even argue against the logic. Just showing up to visit a... pal... was such a Russ thing to do. He may have been many things... Tactless. Confusing. Insufferable. ...But a liar he was not. "Of all the people you could visit in an endless universe, you chose me... Should I feel flattered?" And deep down, beneath the jade green layer of cynicism, his genuine warmth may have sparked gently dancing flames... They were contained tightly though. She had countless other questions, but they could wait for a moment. There was a more pressing matter on her mind right now.
Lilith hung her head with a tired sigh. Swallowing nervously, she started with a wavering voice. "W-well, since you are here... and as you can see, I am.... not in the best condition... I was thinking..." She hesitated. Was she really going to ask something so shameful? And from him of all people? Then again, she had no one else to rely on anymore. "That is... I need your hhheh..." The mere thought made her dry heave. Fighting against the disgusting feeling, she tried again. "I need your heeee..." She brought a hand to her lips, looking a bit paler than usual. And green-ish. No. Absolutely not. She would rather suffer in silence than speak that wretched word. Words: 351 [Total = 1502] T
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Post by T on Jan 20, 2019 7:58:28 GMT -5
The young man felt a sense of peculiarity in her words. Usually, he was the surprised party when a supernatural feat took place in front of him. Strange. Learning how to utilise mystical powers sure changed a lot. However, his attitude to the current situation failed to do the same. “Ehh.” Shoulders lifted in a small shrug. “I don’t know how to answer that.” In earnest, the boy did not think of anyone else at the time. He had no idea if that was better or worse for flattery.
“You uh..." Russ guessed ‘help’ was the word she looked for. Either way, that failed to stop him from squinting at her. “Hey, take it easy there.” The command came out of concern for both her health and and his squeamishness. Being in a relatively confined area did not help that case either what with the limited amount of room for dodging. Then, the Saiyan stepped back, holding his arms up in apprehension. One of the rare cases where green meant stop.
A deep breath of air was taken to calm himself down. “I’d be happy to help you until you’re all better,” he confessed plainly. “So just don’t-... force yourself, alright?” His gaze evaded her own while he tried to bring his attention anywhere else. Dim lights. A low hanging ceiling. A breathing; for lack of better word describing its species; thing. Upon looking around the room, he came to the conclusion that her health was not the only thing in need of improving.
“Also, one minute.” Zip. One moment he was there, and the next, he was outside. A single, promised minute was all the time he allowed himself for examining the area around the house. It was a clearing of sorts for sure, yet it seemed as though the cogs in his mind were turning. The boy did all sorts of nonsensical things: measuring the approximate dimensions of the clearing using the span of his arms, sitting up on a tree branch while looking through a frame created using his fingers, and even patting the grass gently.
When he next appeared in the house with a blatant disregard for the laws of physics and doors, a short query took place. “Since I’m going to stay here for the next few days, do you mind if I set up outside?” The nervous expression he had earlier was now entirely replaced by something of a cheeky grin. He clearly had something in mind, but what this idea was came unclear at best. “Buuuuuut anyway, what’s the first thing on the agenda?”
( Word Count : 0, 452 ) [ Total Word Count : 2, 097 ]
Lilith Nevermore
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Post by Lilith Nevermore on Jan 20, 2019 12:08:58 GMT -5
Much to Lilith’s quiet relief, Russ got the hint. The sickly color faded and she was left looking just the usual shade of pale. With her pride still mostly intact, she hesitantly accepted the offer. "Very kind of you..." While she obviously could handle herself, it would have been rude and foolish to turn down free slave labor. Yes, of course. She would keep telling herself that.
While the visitor vanished to do... whatever it was he did, the witch turned her attention to the snoozing chest near her bed. "Chester, awaken." Right on command, the creature stirred. The tiny, wooden legs streeetched as much as they could. It scampered across the floor, rattling as it went. "Forest Map." Obediently the living storage opened and spat out a rolled up parchment into her waiting hand.
As Russ reappeared and voiced another sudden question, Lilith’s jaw dropped. A startled blush lit up her white cheeks. "You’re going to what?" She quickly shook the flashing thoughts out her head. "N-never mind... Do as you wish. Just don’t trample my mushrooms or I will turn you into a toad." No, best not dwell on any pointless matters. He had already pledged his assistance. It was good enough.
Meanwhile, a deep growl crawled from behind the man. That tiny chest was right at his feet. Though it lacked any apparent eyes, there was an unshakable feeling that it was glaring at him fiercely. With a pulse of magic, it grew as large as a coffin. Slowly the lid opened wide, revealing a set of razor-like teeth and a massive tongue. At a glance, the interior looked like a bottomless chasm, pitch-black all the way down. Before it could try to chomp the man, however, a sharp command stopped it on its tracks. "Chester, down. Russ is a guest." With a disheartened whine, the creature closed its gaping maw and shrank back to its usual size.
Lilith offered the parchment to Russ. If he was curious enough to open it, he would find a hand drawn map of the entire forest. Trails, brooks, lakes and more, all the surrounding secrets were meticulously detailed. "First I need you to fetch water..." She tapped the map and an invisible quill drew an inky circle around a specific lake. "I would summon it myself, but... I... uh..." She lowered her head in shame. "...need to conserve my mana..." Even when carefully worded, admitting it hurt her soul. She turned her gaze to the chest. "Chester, cauldron." Against all laws of physics, the tiny creature then coughed up an enormous, black cauldron, big enough to boil a person. For a normal human lifting it would have been an impossible task, but she knew her helper was far from normal.
"Please fill this to the brim..." Words: 470 [Total = 1972] T
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Post by T on Jan 20, 2019 13:27:14 GMT -5
Victory for him, and to the victor goes the spoils- most of which would be simple satisfaction in this case. “Yusss,” he whispered to himself quietly, pumping a fist close to his chest. Approval was the first step of his devious plot. Now all he needed was time to enact the rest of it. Straightening up his posture, the young man nodded in agreement. No fungi are to be trampled in the course of his actions.
However excited he was to proceed, Russ could not help but notice the sound of pure, unbridled, animalistic aggression coming from behind him. Bringing himself to face the source caused him to remember the many virtual foes faced in handheld devices. ”Is that a mimic?” He thought to himself. Perhaps. Perhaps not. It could have been some sort of possessed container for all he knew. ”Oh- it has teeth.” He began to feel as though the creature baring its fangs was indeed a mimic. He also felt the compulsion to raise a fist against it, but restrained himself on account of him being a guest. ”Oooooh, its got legs”. That it did. Quite an intimidating set too.
When the chest creature shrunk down to original size, he turned to face Lillith with a glazed look in his eyes. While smiling, it was almost like he went to hell and returned three times in a row. ”That was definitely a mimic.” He mused internally. A slight shake of his head brought him back to reality. Just in time to receive the map as well. Opening it gave him an absurdly detailed view of the land surrounding them. It was far from the hypernet GPS location display that he grew accustomed to. Still, he could use it.
“Sure thing,” the boy gave a reply following the instructions. He rolled up the map to keep in a pocket while the cauldron was lifted using his left index finger and thumb. Holding it by the brim in a vice-pinch, he waved goodbye to the witch and left as probably expected- through the door.
All he needed to do was get to the lake and fill up the cauldron. Russ shifted the receptacle to balance over his left shoulder. If he wanted to get the job done as fast as possible, teleportation might have been utilised. There were two factors preventing him from doing so. The first being his lack of knowledge concerning the actual location of his destination. All he knew was a general direction and where to walk. Of course he could scan it using his senses, but what was the fun in that? The other matter was his companion’s health.
Some time was required without too many exciting things happening. He knew recuperation took place over time. Having an energetic guest around to entertain might impede that process. Hence, he walked on.
( Word Count : 0, 501 ) [ Total Word Count : 2, 598 ]
Lilith Nevermore
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Post by Lilith Nevermore on Jan 21, 2019 8:08:29 GMT -5
Being a witch meant Lilith had no pets. She had familiars. A small but important distinction. Most people had never seen such magical creatures and thought them to be mere fairy tales, but every now and then along came a traveler savvy enough to recognize them. ...Even if the realization may have left him slightly shaken. She cocked a brow at the odd look, but decided not to ask. To be fair, she had gotten far worse reactions.
Seeing the buff man lift the cauldron so effortlessly surprised the witch far less than the fact that he finally used a door. She couldn’t quite decide if this constituted as progress, or regression... Shaking her head at the pointless thought, she lifted a hand towards the bookshelf leaning on the wall. One of the spell books, white as a cloud in coloration, pried itself free and drifted to her grasp. Medicine and healing, the cover said in curly and gilded letters, but these were not some measly folk remedies. Light magic in general had never been her strong suit, so she needed some extra help...
The little lady beckoned the little mimic to her side. "Mortar and pestle." With a surprisingly accurate toss, the items landed onto the table. She shooed the happily panting creature away and opened the book. Recipes flew by in a blur of pages, until she found what she wanted. Her glowing gaze trailed over the ingredient list and unseen forces fetched everything she needed. A pinch of this and a handful of that... Mysterious leaves, seeds and roots gathered into the bowl. Crush and mix well... Every motion was practiced and precise. Being tired and injured was no excuse to be sloppy.
Russ, meanwhile, had a lovely little walk ahead of him. The map wanted to direct him onto a small trail snaking through the strange forest. Not the fastest route, perhaps, but scenic sure. In some sense at least. Twisted trees and thorny brambles lined his path on both sides. Wildly colorful mushrooms sprouted from every dead stump and mossy rock. It was quiet, deathly quiet. The only birds that dared to sing were some chatty crows. Even they fell silent when the stranger passed, staring at him with those beady, black eyes. The lake waiting for him wasn’t any less spooky. In contrast to the murky surroundings, the lake was crystal clear. Its surface was smooth like a mirror. Small, blue flames danced and twirled above the serene stage.
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Post by T on Jan 21, 2019 9:30:38 GMT -5
Spending a majority of one’s daily schedule in the pursuit of power gave him little time to take in the sights. If anything, he had to thank the witch for passing him the map. Fresh air was abundant for the area around him. As he followed the path, passing glances were made at the avian creatures. They seemed curious. Though not curious enough to approach him apparently. Had he not been in far more life threatening situations, the boy might have felt unnerved. Being beaten to a bloody pulp and brought back from the brink of death stronger than before had a strange way of building a person’s confidence against danger. Russ only wished it aided his self esteem.
Another wondrous sight graced his eyes upon his arrival at the edge of the lake. “Huh.” Raven tinted irises traced the movements of the azure lights. Knowledge of the supernatural phenomenon failed to reduce his surprise of this little finding. “Neat.” Gradually, both feet began to lift off the ground. He rose higher and higher into the air until he was about a metre from the water surface. Thereafter, the martial artist flew further from the lakeside. Once content at the distance made, arms lowered to carefully lower the cauldron into the lake and place it upon his right shoulder once filled. It almost seemed as if he were scooping a drink using a cup.
Smiling in satisfaction, he took off over the trees and back to the hut.
Knock-knockity-knock. Russ tapped rhythmically upon the door ahead prior to steadily carrying the pot in. “Got the water, just like you asked- did you know that there are Will-o-Wisps near the lake?” He waddled forward in a rather awkward fashion with the cauldron in tow. “Where do you want this?” Eyes peeked from around its right side to look at his companion. Presumably, he would place it wherever instructed.
That seemed quite like a faction of a fraction of a warmup. He became acclimated over time to more taxing activities, but no complaints were made at all in regards to easier tasks.
( Word Count : 0, 370 ) [ Total Word Count : 2, 959 ]
Lilith Nevermore
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Post by Lilith Nevermore on Jan 22, 2019 7:30:00 GMT -5
Soon the rhythmic knock broke the silence. For once the sound was a welcome one. When Russ mentioned the phantom flames, Lilith’s expression brightened. She was rather surprised that the man recognized the rare creatures. It also meant he had followed the instructions precisely. "Yes... They are fond of mana rich areas..." She paused for a moment, her gaze narrowing and smile fading. "And women, for some reason..." Her mutter was heavy, coming from experience. Not that she would ever admit that.
Putting the mortar and pestle aside for a moment, the lady motioned the man to set the cauldron down right next to her. "Place it there near the table... Carefully..." With a wave of her hand, legs sprouted from the metal to support the weight. Presumably he managed to handle it without splashing. Controlling such strength required finesse too. However, the hardest part was still ahead... She took a deep breath. Gathered all her courage. Every inch of her being was screaming in agony at the mere thought, but she had to say it. "T-thank you..." It felt weird. Wrong. A woman of her status thanking the lower class for their service was frankly unthinkable. Hopefully it wouldn’t become a trend...
With the cauldron ready, the witch took the crushed ingredients and sprinkled them into the water with circling motions. Her quiet incantation took a strange echo from the water. "Spirits of light hear my plea... Grant this blessed water the power to mend a broken body and shattered soul..." The swirling herbs vanished and the water turned golden like fine honey. Finally, she aimed her hand towards the bottom of the cauldron and clicked her fingers. "Ignite." Orange flames flared beneath the metal, caressing their surroundings with radiant heat. Yet there was no smoke or soot. The floorboards went completely untouched.
While the cold concoction was warming up, the young lady cast a cautious glance at her guest. Certain topics were challenging to word properly, but she had to try. "Ahem, some privacy if you don’t mind..." She clutched her ruined robes meekly, trying desperately to sound threatening. "If you look, I will turn you into a toad... Do I make myself clear?" She dearly hoped Russ would get the hint without too much embarrassing elaboration. Words: 382 [Total = 2771] T
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Post by T on Jan 22, 2019 12:07:26 GMT -5
Patting his hands together, he stared at her in disbelief as gratitude was put into words. Perhaps the boy was not clear enough when he told her not to force herself. Then again, the effort put into such was supposed to be a simple display of manners impressed him. He responded in kind. “You’re welcome- I’m just happy to help, Lily.” Lips shifted to form a slight crescent vertically. He kept smiling as he watched and waited further directions. The performance of magic appeared strange as usual to him. Though not as strange as the statement made.
That was the second time she mentioned toads. If he were any more oblivious, the young man might have missed the nervous tone adopted. “I don’t really get it, but alright,” Russ said before meandering out of the hut. But before he left completely, one last statement was made. “Oh and don’t peek at what I’m doing- guy’s got to have some privacy too!” The door then came to close behind him. As long as nothing particularly evil or grotesque happened while he was gone, nothing seemed to concern him. Once again, his lack of knowledge when it came to arcane processes got the better of him. Did the spell require privacy to work? Was the witch holding onto some secret technique? Could it be a simple bath?
He might never know. Whichever reason it was, other thoughts occupied his mind. The plot earlier concocted took precedence.
WHAM. WHAM. WHAM. WHAM. Four cuboid, wooden pillars were lodged into the ground about a hundred yards away from the hut. Each side of this perimeter spanned half a kilometre in length while the pillars reached upwards of an inch beyond the trees. The adolescent zipped around the odd structure, hammering nails into the ends of each side as beams were implemented between each of the four on their adjacent slots. His movements could hardly be detected by the unassisted eye. Once he was finished with this process, he affixed large purple sheets to each side. What he made looked almost akin to a tent- a perfectly cubical, gigantic tent.
One could only wonder as to where the boy managed to procure construction supplies in the first place. The only clarity afforded to curious onlookers; or anyone in the radius of three miles; was the fact that the noise did not stop there.
D-R-R-R-R-R-R. While Russ resided within the absurdly strange concealment, the sounds of repetitive drilling resonated throughout the clearing. ‘Deafening’ failed to qualify for the minor decibel at which it rang. The vibrations heard sounded oddly muffled despite the closeness of it all. Further protection might have been provided by the walls of a certain hut. What once was a D-R-R-R-R-R reduced to a mild d-r-r-r-r-r over time. All of it eventually died out in a matter of minutes, yet not without a disconcerting ‘BINGO’ exclaimed in the distance.
Two hours had elapsed by the time the boy next made his presence known with a tip-tap-tippity-tap-tap-ta-tap upon the surface of a door. It was about mid-day. The concept of onomatopoeia received an early burial for the time being- hopefully, not to be resurrected any time soon in the near future. It was about mid-day.
“Yo, it’s time for lunch,” stated the supernatural construction worker. “I brought chicken noodle soup over, you hungry?” The query was raised along with a pot of the aforementioned substance. In his free, left hand, he held a pair of bowls with appropriate utensils.
( Word Count : 0, 633 ) [ Total Word Count : 3, 592 ]
Lilith Nevermore
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Post by Lilith Nevermore on Jan 23, 2019 3:45:17 GMT -5
The little lady tried her hardest to ignore the nickname. She reflexively wanted to correct him, to demand her actual title. But... it wasn’t... a terrible nickname... Not to mention this odd man clearly marched to the beat of his own drum. "Fine. Privacy does go both ways, I suppose..." Frankly, she didn't even want to know. Perhaps she should count herself fortunate that he didn’t ask anything embarrassing...
After the door close, the witch slipped out of her tattered robes. One after another, bloodied clothes fell to the floor. The cool air caressed her skin. Bruises and wounds painted the pale body. The magical bean had helped, but its healing hadn’t been perfect. She clicked her fingers again and the flame beneath the cauldron faded away. Gentle, inviting steam rose from the golden concoction. Of course she was going to bathe in it. Simple spells were often the most efficient. Chester scurried under her foot and helped her climb into the pot. Waves of relief washed over her. Getting comfortable, she closed her eyes, ready to drift away. ...Only to be shaken awake by repetitive racket. Her eye twitched and she sank further into the bath. So much for getting some rest.
Two hours passed surprisingly quickly and soon Russ came knocking, well, tapping again. Unfortunately, his timing couldn’t have been worse. Or better depending on point of view. As the door swung open, Lilith had just risen from her bath, in all her natural, glistening glory. Caught off-guard, she was left stunned for few fleeting seconds, though it felt like ages. A blazing blush spread across her pale features. Finally she managed to shriek. "D-don’t just barge in, idiot!" With surprising quickness, she summoned a towel to hide herself. Clutching it against her petite figure, she glared fiercely at the unfortunate guest. "I told you what would happen if you looked...!" A hateful aura twisted around her like violet haze. On the bright side, she had definitely regained her usual vigor.
Before the witch could make good of her threat, an awkward whine trailed through the air. Her stomach was weakly reminding her that recovery was taxing. The menacing aura deflated like a pricked balloon. She could only grit her teeth and admit defeat. "Tch... Chicken noodle soup will do..." Still, she aimed a sharp point at the man. "But avert your gaze! And do not turn until I give permission!" She wanted to believe the helpful fool had no lecherous intentions. As unlikely as the thought seemed. While hurrying to get dressed, she motioned the familiar closer. "Chester, clean up." On command, the mimic happily gulped up the bloodied clothes, the potion brewing equipment and even the cauldron. Afterwards, it went to circle around Russ’ legs, seeming rather interested in his lunch. Or him as lunch...
Within moments, Lilith had brand new robes. ...Which coincidentally looked exactly the same as her old ones. Just without the unwanted air conditioning. A calming breath suppressed the worst of the blush, though traces of it still lingered. "You may turn now." She took a seat at the cleared table, gesturing and expecting her guest to do the same. Words: 533 [Total = 3304] T
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Post by T on Jan 23, 2019 5:13:42 GMT -5
For all of his ungodly agility, Russ failed to foresee what happened next. An appropriate rectification in tone took place. His voice became high pitched as he asked “-you hungryYYYYYY-” prior to doing as asked. The boy turned around instantaneously. Not a single drop of liquid spilt in the process, but the functioning of his mind was reduced to a hamster mining for bitcoin in a central processing unit made of potatoes. He barely registered anything said to him at that point. Cheeks flushed with crimson. Eventually, the colour spread to the face at large. He muttered something to himself repeatedly- it sounded like a mantra of some sort.
But if one were to listen closely, they would be able to discern that he was saying ‘chicken noodle soup’ over and over again. By the time this pattern stopped, chicken noodle soup was being served between them by him. Tiny puffs of steam wafted from each bowl. While the pot stood upon the table between them, the young Saiyan chose to remain seated at the complete opposite end of the table. He stared blankly at the dish in front of him without so much as uttering a single word.
Focus. Pure and unbridled focus resided with the ingredients of this particular mix. Thin slices of Yunzabit-grown carrots rested at ease among diced onions and celery. Combining together with only a tiny hint of garlic, the oregano and thyme added some flavour to otherwise regular bits of cooked chicken. A near-microscopic undertone of ginger might have been sensed in the pasta if one’s tastebuds were keen enough as well. Yes. Avian-Pasta-Stew at its finest. Clearly, this was the tenth strongest food in the galaxy. If it were ever to reach the kale infusion transformation, there was no telling how powerful its nutritional value could possibly be.
All this concentration and lack of eating made for a rather silent Russ. He was almost as still as a statue, save for blinking once or twice every two minutes at what appeared to be a spoonful of carrots. While the strange phrase had ceased to be spoken a while ago, it did not stop him from echoing the thought internally. This continued on until he resumed blinking at a natural pace. Thereafter, he attempted to scoop up spoonful of the soup.
Missing the bowl, he accidentally jabbed himself in the cheek. The spoon to broke upon impact. He then casually discarded the remnants of this utensil over his shoulder for the chest to eat up.
“So, how soup is?” Asked the boy in a semi-intelligible fashion.
( Word Count : 0, 458 ) [ Total Word Count : 4, 050 ]
Lilith Nevermore
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Post by Lilith Nevermore on Jan 23, 2019 9:49:01 GMT -5
Agonizingly awkward barely even began to describe the atmosphere. Lilith couldn’t bring herself to say a word. Between every spoonful, she managed to steal a glance at the man’s features. Her furrowed brow twitched with fury. She shuddered to imagine what manner of lecherous daydreams lurked beneath that hollow mask. No doubt he was imagining some sinister scenario, a way to twist this against her. As they all did... Chester, meanwhile, had no thoughts one way or another. It was simply delighted to chow down a new shiny treasure. The tiny, wooden feet tapped happily against the floor.
The young noble countered the scrambled question with a flat stare. After a moment of trying -and failing- to discern if the man was making fun of her, she finally let out a small sigh. "It’s... satisfactory." As indifferent as she tried to sound, it was quite the high praise. She was notoriously picky, only eating the finest foods magic could prepare. However, she could honestly not find a single flaw with this meal. The finely sliced vegetables blended together wonderfully, gifting their variety to the pasta. Likewise, the perfectly cooked chicken were made so much more by the touch of spices. Even the ginger didn’t go unnoticed or unappreciated. Truly this was something even the God of Destruction would have called… yummy.
Setting the spoon down, the witch tenderly wiped her mouth. She lowered her head and her features darkened. "Why...?" Her voice wavered with the question. "Why are you so nice to me?" She struggled desperately to keep her composure. There was so much she didn’t understand that the questions wouldn’t stop anymore. "First that healing bean and now this meal... What do you seek to gain by doing all this?" Finally she managed to lock eyes with the guest. The cold mask was cracking and the tearful confusion was shining through.
Lilith clutched her arm, trying to stop it from trembling. "If it’s riches you seek, I... don’t have much left anymore. However, I can get you gold and gems." Her grip tightened, but the fearful shivers wouldn’t stop. "And if it’s something else you want... J-just name your price..." This had become a matter of pride. If she didn’t pay off this debt immediately, he would no doubt return to collect one day. With interest. She hoped dearly greed was the man’s motivator, his only sin. However, it would have been naive not to think what darker desires resided within him.
...Or so thought the confused noble living in her twisted little world. Words: 437 [Total = 3741] T
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Post by T on Jan 23, 2019 11:29:28 GMT -5
Another dangerous situation came into play. It was up to our hero then, to defend himself from any negative preconceptions that the witch had against him. Perhaps a motivational speech would do the trick. After all, nothing quite did it like a rousing round of-
“Yeah no- are you stupid?” Russ asked with an entirely serious expression.
Wait Russ what are you doing?
Eyes closed as he inhaled deeply. The boy was not infallible, despite all evidence pointing to the opposite being true. “I’m not a big fan of cliche gimmicks, so I’ll spell it out for you.” When he next gazed upon Lilith, his posture straightened. Fingers drummed against the tabletop briefly while a second flew by. Wording this what he wanted to say felt difficult- especially at his level of vocabulary.
“I think you’re a good person.”
Hence started the rant. “You’re kind of weird and abrasive sometimes, but I think that’s kinda cool,” Russ admitted wholeheartedly. A short sight and a palm to his face punctuated the sentence. The good part of his expository lecture came to an end.“I’ve met a bunch of weirdos all over the galaxy that’ve tried to kill me or worse, so you’re already way above them without even including your good traits.” Numerous Frieza Force Soldiers, dozens of mercenaries, an entire fleet of mutated soldiers following a Namekian overlord- there were too many on the list to elaborate on. “But hey- you don’t see me thinking that everyone and their dog is out to get me.” Save for one time a while ago when a dog was out to get him.
“There’s only one reason I’ll ever need to do good things.” A thumb came to point at his own chest. Words came through as clear as day. “And it’s because doing good things is good.” One can debate about the efficiency or grey area in attaining justice. However, the people he fought were almost completely and clearly evil. Causing mass hysteria and wanton destruction among peaceful citizens was a grand display of that.
“If you want to take things to a personal level-” Pausing for a moment, the boy started to calm down from his little tirade. Deep breaths, though silent, were enough to make his chest rise and fall lightly. “I don’t know why I’m nice to you.” In truth, being nice seemed akin to functioning as a normal person to him. People help each another all the time. Was he especially nice to her?
At the end of it all, he slunk back into his seat. If nothing else was said, they were in for another round of awkward silence. The rant he engaged in came unwarranted as it is. Russ pinched the bridge of his nose. He was in for it now.
“Sorry about that.” The somewhat comically-harsh voice from earlier lowered to that of his regular tone. “It’s just-” How to continue felt like a task beyond his capabilities. “I don’t like making people cry.”
( Word Count : 0, 530 ) [ Total Word Count : 4, 580 ]
Lilith Nevermore
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Post by Lilith Nevermore on Jan 24, 2019 15:15:39 GMT -5
Any protests Lilith held at ready were silenced in a single instant. It was like an arrow of light piercing through her black heart, leaving a gaping hole in what she thought she knew. She was left staring wide-eyed and speechless. Her blush flared to a luminescent glow. Every not quite and nevertheless she could think of was blown away. No amount of anger, hate and denial she mustered could match the overwhelming wave. Ultimately she could only accept her fate as the relentless radiance swallowed her.
Ah, so this was the power... of genuine kindness...
While Russ had noble intentions, the effect was the exact opposite. By the end of the rant, the lonely girl’s eyes were brimming. After a strained silence, the dam broke at last. Glistening pearls rolled down her cheeks in an endless stream. She turned her gaze away, hiding behind her long sleeves. "I... I’m not crying! Absolutely not!" The strangled sobs and sniffles definitely didn’t undermine her credibility or anything. She just... needed a moment.
Wiping the totally-not-tears away, the witch let out a looong sigh. Whether it was relief or exasperation, she wasn’t quite sure herself. "You are truly the strangest man I have ever met, Sir Russ." There was a change in her tone, from cold and careful to... well, slightly less cold. Still, his new title was given out of honesty, a rare gesture from the young noblewoman. There were only a handful of people she would ever grant the honor. "For every answer you give, you only spur more questions..." Yet she didn’t really mind. Ever since she had been a small child, seeking answers had been her greatest drive. Her thirst for knowledge had always been unquenchable.
Gazing into the traveler’s eyes, the witch voiced her most burning questions one after another. "What on earth was that bean?" Her only guess was Senzu Bean, but that was ridiculous. The miraculous beans were a closely guarded secret, known only by greedy corporations and the heavens themselves. "How did you learn to Teleport?" For that, she had nothing. That was literally a heavenly secret. "Why does it sometimes seem like you have a halo resting above your head?" She could explain the last one simply as a trick of the light. Just her addled mind seeing him as an angel, perhaps... A small smile warmed her features. Hm, what an oddly amusing thought. Words: 408 [Total = 4149] T
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