GambolMuse

Dragon Ball: Legacy (Mogtaki and Vena Sera)

"If I believed that withholding the truth would make life better for either of you then yes, I'd have kept it to myself. I'd have carried that information with me to my grave, or at least until my last years. It would eat me up inside knowing I lied, but that's what a parent does, they protect their children." It wasn't always the most logical of things, nor did it seem right in some eyes, but parents would always try to do whatever they could to ensure their children were happy and well off. Aito knew he'd made plenty of mistakes in the past, there was a list immeasurable in length purely on what wrong he'd done to Viral, never mind Vegeta or even Yumi. "The most important thing to a parent is that their child is healthy, happy and lives to their fullest, and that's all I've ever wanted for both of you. My keeping secrets was precisely because I feared the truth would hurt you, and seeing you now I fear my worries weren't far off."

Vegeta wasn't sure where the hell he was supposed to go from there, or what he could say to make Viral feel better. He wasn't the naive child he was last time they'd seen the man, he knew full well there were secrets in the world; people kept secrets for any number of reasons, yet he could see their father had only tried to protect them in doing so, nothing more. Were Viral to know of the life that could have been, he thought, then perhaps the Beastman would loathe what he was and wish for a different existence instead. "I have been thinking about it. I've been thinking about it for weeks now, today's revelation only furthered my resolve to make it up to you," Vegeta replied, frowning as he looked over at Viral, "When we get home... Whatever you want, it's yours. If you want time to go and travel completely unguarded then go ahead, or if you want something else it's yours. A new room, clothes, anything. I know materials don't make up for what I did, but I'll give you whatever you want or do anything you want until you've at least partially forgiven me."

Aito was all kinds of excited with his new idea, figuring he had just struck metaphorical gold here. The tests may have to be done one way or another, at least the more rudimentary ones, that they couldn't escape. If Viral had such an aversion to labs though then they need not use one, they could go outdoors! A portable power supply would suffice, there wasn't anything especially sensitive being done so it wasn't as though a sterile environment was needed. Smiling apologetically as he startled both of his sons, the doctor took Viral from Vegeta, picking up on his movements and helping him settle into an wheeled chair along the wall. "The machines will function fine outdoors, assuming that it's not any extreme sort of environment," Aito said, having never been to Uuonoe himself, "And we can employ some of the locals to help. They'll know the area well enough to pick a safe spot, and we may even get lucky and find some willing to keep an eye out for us as well. And all my plans are is to start your hormone treatment, and monitor the changes to make sure the process goes smoothly. Plus, I figure outdoors gives us the benefit of the sun, or suns, providing you energy, and the environment is far more welcoming than that of a cold laboratory, no?"

"You're getting it Shu, and that was what, your second try?" Takeshi asked rhetorically, grinning as he clapped his hands. Even with himself getting excited it seemed like the little guy wasn't feeling it, something very clearly eating at him. "There's no 'should' buddy, got it? Because what you can do is what you can do, you know? Some people can do some things and some people can't, that's just how life is. You've gotta be cool with whatever you can do, and if you want to be better at it then keep working." It's like how he wasn't content to be just another fighter in the group, he wanted to be the fighter. Viral was stronger than him, he had no doubt of that, and chances were so too were Vegeta's parents now. Hell, Vegeta himself may even be stronger, he'd never seen the guy go all out really. Point of the matter was that you were always going to be better and worse than people, and if you weren't cool with that then you had to keep working to change it. "Buddy, 5 minutes ago you couldn't even get in the air, now you're moving around and keeping steady, that's a huge leap! You can do it Shu, you're making insane progress already, don't give up now." Just in case his own pep talk wasn't sufficient Takeshi glanced down at Kabocha on the ground, clearing his throat before nodding towards Shu intently.

Jeez, why did he have to get involved in the sappy talk? It wasn't his brother, and he'd only told Shu the truth of the matter; he and the twins always doubted what the younger Prince was capable of, he just seemed like a kid who had more power than he'd ever know what to do with. He was from a life where having power meant you knew what to do with it, so seeing someone like a Prince be utterly hapless was completely strange. Meeting Takeshi's gaze with a frown Kabocha sighed under his breath, rubbing his head before looking up at Shu with a slight grin. "Hey... You've got a ways to go Shu, you could do so much more with all that power you have," he began, glancing over uneasily at Takeshi as he was sure those words would be taken the wrong way, hastily adding, "But, you're doing well. Like your brother said you're making progress ridiculously fast, and you can definitely get this down. Sure, maybe you don't know how to properly use that energy yet, but you've got loads to use to learn how. Think of it that way, you can spend all the time you need to get tricks down, and you're way more stamina than anyone else here. If you figure out how to use that power there'll be no stopping you!"

"Oh, uh... Right, thanks Kai!" This was weird, having someone be so helpful to him. In a way it was rather nice, but Haku was unused to it and didn't quite know how to react. For a good while there he had expected some kind of catch with his training, like shining the floors or having to scrub the toilets or something, yet nothing more was ever said. It was hard to tell if Kai was happy to be helping, or annoyed, or... Anything really, he was pretty monotone, but Haku was just happy all the same to be getting lessons. Grabbing his plate full of food Haku hurried over to the cupboard to find himself some kind of seasoning to use. There was most certainly a plenitude of spices and sauces to choose from, but what should he use? Some were alien, some were from Kortal, plenty were from Earth, yet he'd never really had any of them. Scanning over the bottles he eventually settled on cayenne pepper, figuring peppers were usually fairly tasty and went well with most anything. Smiling confidently he shook out a healthy serving of the ground pepper onto his steak, putting the bottle back before going to join Kai at the counter, putting his plate down before beginning to dice up his steak.

Yumi felt a bit bad for pulling Choi away from his own meal, but knowing him he was bound to work on her request even if she told him not to. Since it was just a salad he was making she couldn't imagine it would take long, even if the meat they were adding had to be cooked fairly well. It was all coming together nicely, she knew she'd asked the proper person for such a favor. "Well... I bet Vegeta and Aito must be hungry too, so if he doesn't eat it all maybe they can share," she mused, smiling before shaking her head, "Or they can just come here and get something themselves. Those two focus way too much on work and not enough on themselves, they'll wear themselves out before long." That was why she was so confident Viral would be alright, there was no stopping those two men from helping her friend, except for themselves. While they did the busy work on Viral she'd have to keep an eye on them, make sure they were taking care of themselves as well. "Just think... Soon we'll all be able to go out as a group and visit worlds again, no more problems! It'll be awesome!"

Dragon Ball: Legacy (Mogtaki and Vena Sera)

"Tell me something, Viral, are you happier knowing someone has so much information on you, or would you prefer to feel as though some of your life is your own?" Aito asked, frowning as he placed a hand on his hip, "If you wish to know absolutely everything then you've only need to ask, that's all. Or if you want to be kept in the dark on some matters we can do that too. I'll divulge anything pertinent to this recovery process, but nothing more unless you wish otherwise." Realistically he couldn't see any issue with sharing information like this, with Vegeta in the room. While he was sure his son didn't know the full story either, Aito was hard pressed to imagine any ill would become of it. Wandering over to the desk he began to rifle through his pages, trying to find a specific sheet that held some rather important information on it; Viral had shared an important bit of information before, something that could really help matters along here... If only he could find it!

While their father struggled with his ineptitude to file things properly, Vegeta was busy helping Viral go for a short walk. It wasn't going to be anything especially strenuous, but getting up and moving around would help the Beastman a bit, as well as himself. Though both he and Aito were trying to be positive that this was going to work they couldn't deny the unease and stress the work brought on them; it would work, they didn't doubt that, but carrying it out was proving to be taxing. Getting to stretch their legs a little then was a welcome reprieve from the normally tense situations. Focusing mostly on trying to support his brother, Vegeta felt his heart catch a bit in his throat when he was questioned about their past, having known and dreaded it was bound to come up. "I'm not proud of it, I wasn't before and I certainly am not now..." he responded, lowering his gaze shamefully, "I'm so sorry Viral... I know nothing I say now can undo what I attempted, but I really am sorry. I'll do whatever I have to in order to make it up to you now, so if you want or need anything just ask." On top of everything else it was another reason for him to strive to heal Viral, as it was in some way a chance to make amends for past mistakes. Would it undo everything? Of course not, nothing likely would, but it was a good place to start.

"Ah! Found it!" Aito exclaimed abruptly, beaming as he pulled out a folder with several documents inside, "Viral, you gave me an idea earlier, and I may just have the perfect plan for helping you out!" Smiling at his sons, the doctor moved back around the desk and joined them where they stood, opening up the folder and skimming through the sheets. "You make repeated accounts at feeling trapped and isolated, which considering your surroundings as of late are of no surprise. So! My idea is as follows: we reach Uuonoe as planned and carry out your recovery, same as we have been, but we do so in more open air. I don't know these people, but perhaps we could... Borrow some equipment, take a trip out to say... The woods, somewhere where we're not closed in at all. Or even if we went without the machinery we could still focus on some physical therapy. Being out in the sun will help your body's natural recovery reboot as well, and it should expedite the process even further." The alternative then was to go and sit in a medical ward all day, with a tube in his arm and monitors beeping to make sure his condition was stable. While perhaps the safer alternative it was also far less appealing to Viral, and if there was an alternative then Aito figured they would take it.

Takeshi was borderline about to start shouting at Kabocha for putting Shu down, especially pissed since they had been making progress. The little guy could most definitely learn this, he was just the sort of person who needed to be told he was doing well to keep trying; shooting Shu down was the absolute worst thing, because if you said he couldn't then he would begin to think that. Trying to pep his brother back up, the older boy became crestfallen seeing how deflated Shu had become, worried that his sibling wouldn't want to bother with this again for some time. Shooting Kabocha an angry glance for a moment he turned back, just in time to see Shu move back and forth without skipping a beat. Blinking in surprise Takeshi broke into a grin despite Shu being upset, moving over and giving the younger boy a congratulatory smack on the back. "You just did it squirt! You just moved!" he exclaimed, chuckling as he beamed at Shu, "Whatever you just did there, do it again! You can do this, you just showed us you can!"

There was an awful long way to go until he would be cooking for anyone else, but Haku was still excited. His way of cooking before was always terribly simple and unpredictable, knowing a bit more of the science behind things made him wanting to learn more. It was a lot to ask of Kai or Choi to teach him, but where they didn't seem all too enthusiastic to be the group chefs he somehow figured they wouldn't mind as much. Beaming when he was told his food was okay to eat he wasted no time in preparing to do so, scooping his rice out onto a plate and placing the steak right beside it. Having watched Kai turn on everything before he knew precisely what to do now, shutting down the burners he'd used and placing the pans by the sink for the time being. Now that he had food he didn't quite know where to go with it or if he would eat with anyone, glancing between the twins curiously. "Uh... Are you two planning on eating here?" he asked them, hoping he wasn't interrupting their conversation with Yumi too much.

"Oh come on, I'm sure Viral knows exactly who you are," Yumi responded, smiling as she watched Choi get to work, "He's not really that bad, it's not like he totally ignores everyone or doesn't know your names. Maybe he's not the most social, never has been, but that doesn't mean he's a bad guy!" She had plenty of memories of him being wonderful, she knew that underneath all of the pain and sadness her friend bore right now was the same person she adored growing up, and they were going to find him again. To Choi maybe this was just another meal, but for her she hoped it was another of those small steps on the way to Viral getting better. Whatever he had in mind for a meal she was positive it would be fine, having complete trust in Choi's judgement as a chef here. "Thank you for doing this, I can't say that enough Choi. Even if he only has one bite it means he's eating again, and knowing how delicious your and Kai's food usually is I bet he'll have even more then that!"

Far From Home [ Scout & Vena Sera ]

Yato didn't need to hear from Titus to know the situation was dire, he'd seen plenty himself. Stories of PKers were running rampant in the further recesses of society now, and some players were making a living off of it. Hell, he and his friends had crossed paths with one or two of them, only to beat them in duels and leave them on their own to fend. "One can only prepare so much, there's always the chance of an unknown," he observed, nodding somberly, "At best we can surround ourselves with enough people so sheer numbers wins out, but then we can't expect that to be practical. There has to be a means in which people can defend themselves, one more practical than an entourage of armed players..." But what? It was a question he had mused over innumerable times as of late and yet each time he'd not gotten an answer. Perhaps the easiest method was to fight fire with fire as it were, fight the PKers and intimidate them into dropping their malicious trade. It wasn't ideal as people were bound to die, but if it cut down on the cases then maybe it was the best, and only route.

"So you're proposing we form a group solely to inhibit the actions of the PKers, is that it?" Yato asked rhetorically, frowning as he glanced down at the table before them, "And admirable goal, but a hefty one. Aincrad is massive, we're few in number. At best we may be able to spread the word through one city, but do you honestly believe that we've the capability to achieve such a thing?" Glancing over at Titus when he slammed his glass he frowned, not having noticed how passionate his friend was about this before. He could sympathize, as it was a deplorable act and one that deserved punishment, but the proposal being made was not only massive but dangerous. "I can't speak for Cress or Asari, their decision is their own to make. However..." Yato continued, sitting upright and smiling slightly, "If your conviction is this strong then I can appreciate what you wish to accomplish, and I for one would love to make this world a little safer, even if only slightly. If you're truly serious about starting such a group then you can count me in, you've got my sword." This could well be signing his death warrant, but then it wasn't much of a life here if he just sat by and watched others suffer anyways.

---

Suto's ears reddened hearing Minerva calling after him, a sheepish smile crossing his lips as he glanced back. "Heh... Uh, bye Minerva!" he shouted back, giving a wave before having to look away shyly. She was awfully pretty, it made even just talking to her kind of awkward. Here he was, a dorky kid from a nowhere town chatting up some famous singer, how was he supposed to handle that? She was nice, thank goodness, otherwise he'd probably made more of a fool of himself than he'd already done. Letting out a sigh he rubbed his head in exasperation, kind of glad to be out of that situation and onto... Well, onto trying to control the drunken girl at his side.

Yari was most certainly drunk, or if not then terribly close to it. Almost cringing when he heard her butcher his name he glanced over at her, smiling slightly as he began hoping Fitch wouldn't come out and see her like this; Yari had been almost depressed earlier, the fact she was so carefree now was the liquor, he was certain of it. How would that make their friend feel, knowing that she was okay only when drunk? "Yari... You really should slow down on the drinking, please? It's not good for you," Suto said, smiling as he tried to snatch away her drink when offered only to miss it. Hanging his head dismally for a moment he shuffled into line at one of the concession stands, hoping now that perhaps a bit of food might help straighten his friend out. Whilst staring down at the ground he noticed someone cut in front of them in line, glancing up and staring at the back of someone in a long black coat. Blinking confused he frowned, reaching up and prodding the other boy square between the shoulders. "Hey, you can't cut us, we were here first!"

Huh? What was that just now, it felt like a fly had landed on him. Shrugging his shoulders dismissively the brown-haired boy tried to focus on waiting for the line to move, frowning when he felt that annoying prodding again. Letting out a sigh he finally turned around, looking at Suto unamused as he met the boy's gaze indifferently. "I can cut you, I just did, deal with it," Doku retorted, smirking slightly as he folded his arms, "Besides, looks like you've got your hands busy with your girlfriend, so I'm sure you don't mind waiting an extra minute or two."

"S-She's not my girlfriend!" Suto responded hastily, his face becoming a deep red as he pointed in Doku's face, "She's just a friend, and I'm just getting her food! Don't go assuming things!" Fitch really couldn't hear that, and what if word started to get around? Oh no...

"Hey, easy there kid, I was only joking," Doku responded, closing his eyes as he put his hands up defensively, "No reason to get bent out of shape." Lowering his hands again he looked over at Yari, scrutinizing her for every inch of her body. She was pretty damn cute he'd have to say, and while he could do without the drunkness it could make things a little fun. "She's really beautiful, you should be dating her. Shame you're not, someone else might come along and scoop her up," he teased, reaching out and taking Yari's free hand in his own, "Pleasure to meet you, miss. My name is Doku," he added, leaning down and lightly kissing her hand.

Dragon Ball: Legacy (Mogtaki and Vena Sera)

"I'm only being realistic Viral, that's all. I won't sit here and lie to your face, I wouldn't do that to you," Aito answered back, smiling as he rose to his feet, "Everything I tell you, good or bad, is the honest truth. I figured you would rather know the current state of affairs rather than just be told white lies to make you feel better." Really, telling Viral what the real deal was helped him a little too, letting his son know what was to come. As they were in essence doctor and patient right know it was only fair that there be nothing withheld from one another, and Aito made damn certain to divulge anything and everything. As soon as he confirmed whether or not this hunch he was getting would work too he'd share that, but only until he had a certain answer. Rifling through the pages on his desk he looked for the information pertaining to Viral's accounts of what happened, having had something of a eureka moment just earlier about how they might fix it. "Where is it... Where is it..." Aito mumbled, frowning as he continued looking around, "Damn my disorganization..."

Whatever their father was up to Vegeta would leave him be, knowing how he got when he was having a "moment". Besides, it was seeming like Viral wanted to get up and move around, and much as they may think it a bad idea to do so he would try to indulge the Beastman. Being as careful as possible he grabbed hold of Viral and eased him to his feet, cringing when he heard the Beastman gasp. Right... All of his muscles probably felt like they were on fire right now, they really needed to be careful. Glancing back at the IV awkwardly, Vegeta frowned and managed to drag it over with one foot, having to grip it in his free hand and push it along. "You did say you wanted to move, so we're moving. Tell me if it gets to be too much though and we'll sit back down."

"Handicap means that you're working at a disadvantage. Something's making it harder for you than it should be, basically," Kabocha explained, frowning as he scratched at his neck, "The fact you seem confused even by our explanations is your handicap, which makes simple lessons even harder." Feeling a set of eyes boring through him he looked over and leveled with Takeshi, sniffing before looking away indifferently, "You know I'm right. We're being as simplistic as we can and it's not working too well, what more can we do?" He was dumbing down his own lessons about as much as he could, any more and it wouldn't even be clear what he was trying to teach. His instruction hadn't exactly been easy and his instructor didn't have much patience, so he was already having to stress the lesson quite a lot for Shu's sake. Watching as Shu flailed about slightly, Kabocha let out a snicker, covering his mouth with his hand before looking up at the young Prince amused, "No... But you've got more power than most anyone and can't use it. Honestly... To think I was worried about you before."

Takeshi was trying really hard not to go off on Kabocha, knowing how much Shu disliked when he did that. Friend or not he was being kind of an ass, that wasn't something he took lightly when it came to Shu. It was no secret that Kabocha, Kai and Choi were all uneasy around Shu initially, but hearing the guy say it aloud brought a smirk to his face. "Hey, he's come a long way since we started, even if it doesn't seem like it. Before didn't even know what Ki was, so the fact he's flying is pretty impressive." For someone who was unaware of it, even basic flight was huge leaps and bounds. A little more nudging in the right direction and Shu ought to be zipping around in no time. Looking up at Shu with a grin he rose back up again, floating around him for a second before settling in front of him. "You were doing it right there buddy, just gotta be a bit more careful with it, you know? Try just going side to side, or front to back, get used to moving before you try doing circles."

"W-Well... Not dripping... But like, once it's a little dark and all I figured it was good to eat," Haku admitted, shrugging his shoulders, "And okay, a strainer, uh..." He knew what those were, he really did, now he just had to find one. Scratching his head curiously he began looking around, finally managing to find what he was looking for just under the sink. Carefully using the handle of the pan he poured the rice into the strainer, managing to actually get it all in without spilling. Smiling proudly he looked around for where to place it, turning over to the doors when they swung open again. He knew Choi was here, but seeing Yumi come in as well was a little bit of a surprise. Smiling nervously when she spoke to them he nodded slightly, putting the strainer on the counter and rubbing at his neck, "Yeah, just learning how to cook a bit is all, it's kind of fun," Haku said, turning back to his steaks and peering at them curiously, "Uh... So do these have to cook more or are they done?"

"Yeah, Aito being back should make things a lot better for him. He's obviously still having trouble, but I'm hoping that changes soon!" With Aito and Vegeta both working at it around the clock it was inevitable, and she figured it would be sooner rather than later as well. Smiling when she saw Haku and Kai busy working away she gave them a little wave, a bit surprised to find the former in here. If this meant another helping hand in the kitchen then she was more than okay with it, as right now cooking tended to fall to the twins, their father and herself. Wanting not to obstruct anyone's work, Yumi found a place for herself just off to the side, leaning up against the counter and folding her arms as she smiled at Choi, "Thanks again, really, I appreciate it a whole lot. When he asks who made his delicious meal too I'll be sure to let him know it was you!" You couldn't not like Choi's cooking, he was really good at it and knew what he was doing. Not to say Kai wasn't either, but then he didn't tend to cook for her as a favor all that often. "So what're you making over ther Kai? Smells yummy!"

Dragon Ball: Legacy (Mogtaki and Vena Sera)

"Everything is darkness for you right now Viral, but if you keep fighting and scratching for the light at the end of the tunnel then you'll find it, and everything will seem better," Aito said, smiling as he got up to squat just before the Beastman instead, arms resting again on his knees, "If no harm had been done to you then you're right, it shouldn't take this long. What happened however was out of your control, you cannot fault yourself for struggling to cope. Good as your healing may be it's not perfect, and if its tampered with then we have what we do now, hardly any healing at all. We'll fix it though, I assure you, and it won't take long either." There he was again on wanting to move, which while a perfectly fine sentiment wasn't quite one they could indulge just yet. His body was undergoing quite a large change with transforming back, not to mention if his cells were attempting to repair themselves to boot; causing any undue stress on the body now may result in harm. But... Perhaps if they were careful, and only moved Viral a little then he could get what he wanted. "Vegeta? Would you mind helping him up? I need to check something," Aito explained as he rose to his feet, going back to the desk where all the paper was strewn about, "I may have just gotten an idea..."

"Uh... Sure dad, no problem." Now what was the man up to? They had only just gone and changed Viral back, surely he didn't plan on doing something else again so soon? Keeping an eye on Aito for a moment he shrugged his shoulders, moving across to where the Beastman sat and leaning down to help him to his feet. "You're a lot more manageable like this, thank goodness. Must feel nice again to be so light," Vegeta mused, smiling as he eased one of his friend's... Brother's arms, whatever they were now over his shoulder, "We're not going to do much, I just hope you know that, but maybe we can try walking around the room if you want." Slowly he helped Viral rise up to his feet, being sure to let the Beastman lean on him much as need be to make moving about easier. With his free arm around his friend's waist, Vegeta took gradual steps away from the counter, trying to let Viral dictate where they went even if he was probably doing most of the work.

Between Takeshi and Kabocha it seemed like Shu was actually getting down flying fairly quickly. Then again, simply rising up into the air and steadying oneself was a far cry from dashing about, but at least it was a start. If they kept up this pace then the little guy may well be flying around by the day's end, and goodness knows Shu wouldn't hesitate for a second to show off if he managed to get it down. "That's awesome buddy, you're really getting it!" Takeshi exclaimed, grinning as he gave his sibling a thumbs up, "See, not so hard is it? Now then... We should try and move around a little, just enough so you get how it works. Remember you've gotta stay steady while you do this, so it's kind of tricky!" Moving down to the same level as Shu, the older boy smirked and reached out, unable to help himself as he prodded Shu's forehead teasingly before leaning back and drifting away. "To move around you kind of need to... Well let's stick with the water, yeah? Imagine the water is at your back, pushing you forward, you know? You kind of want your Ki to push you along, sort of like the currents in a stream. Again, don't do it too much or else you'll end up doing this." Purposefully releasing a large amount of Ki, Takeshi quickly rushed down towards the ground, stopping about a meter above and glancing up at Shu with a grin, "Nice and slow, or we're having Shu-cakes for dinner!"

"Good idea, scare him into not messing up, bravo," Kabocha said sarcastically, clapping as he watched Takeshi, "I'm sure that didn't throw him off at all." Minor cooperation aside it looked like they were back to having different opinions on how to teach, which he supposed to be natural. Putting his hands on his hips he looked up at Shu, ascending gradually until he came up to the Prince's level, gesturing for him to come over. "Like your brother said, just push yourself along with your Ki, slowly. If it helps you can lean forward a little bit, I know some kids do it when they're first learning. I'd figure a Prince would know how to do it without that kind of handicap, but..." Kabocha took a pause, smirking as he shrugged his shoulders, "Maybe you're different. Give it a shot, Shu."

Truth be told, Haku never really had any idea what it was he wanted to do with himself. He was expected to be a soldier but was never good at it, didn't really have many personal skills and sure didn't have the kind of network one needed to move up in the world. In most respects he figured he was just painfully average, unlike every single person here who had something going for them; Even Viral, in his sick state, was immensely powerful and one of a kind, and it was rough thinking he was beneath someone who could barely walk half the time. Eying the food hungrily he smiled as he sniffed at the fumes, closing his eyes and resisting the urge to have a taste. "My eyes and my nose... Got it. I'm guessing that takes a lot of training though, knowing when something is ready," he observed, glancing down at the steaks, "I mean... Those look done to me, but then they looked done 5 minutes ago too. I don't really know what 'done' looks like, steak is just steak."

Yumi couldn't hide her excitement for Viral, grinning like a goof even after she had hugged Choi. He was always so nice to help out, it was a good thing they had joined their group. It reminded her a lot of the reason she had developed feelings for him in the first place, yet conversely also was a reminder of why she needed to keep away from him for now; if she kept dating the twin she worried she'd ignore Viral, and now more than ever her friend needed her. "I guess that's kind of obvious, isn't it? I mean we've tried eating with him before, but he didn't really want to do it, maybe now though..." she trailed off, sounding hopeful as she clenched her hands together. Maybe they could enjoy a meal, chat and laugh like they used to, that would be wonderful! Getting lost in thought she had kind of zoned out for a second, her ears perking up hearing Choi speaking again and giving him a sheepish smile, "Oh, sure! Coming!" Hurrying after her friend she ducked between the swinging doors, smiling curiously when she saw Kai and Haku cooking together. Well that was an unexpected sight, who knew he cooked! "Hi boys, you look like you're having fun."

Dragon Ball: Legacy (Mogtaki and Vena Sera)

"They tampered with you, took advantage of what you could do. Perhaps too it was their lack of knowledge that caused all of this, as what you are now, struggling to maintain control, is due to their mistakes. You're suffering for all of that but it's not your fault, and you shouldn't concern yourself with transforming," Aito reassured, smiling as he settled down and took a seat besides Viral. By now it looked like the Beastman's nose had ceased bleeding, so with one final wipe to make sure he threw the used gauze away, folding his arms over his knees as he relaxed. "I know what is wrong with you now, and I know how to fix it. I also know several ways which we can stabilize you while I work on the cure, so I give you my word that there is nothing to worry about anymore. Obviously recovery will take time, as will reintroducing food and making you feel comfortable again, but everything we need is laid out before us. I shouldn't speak as though I'm doing everything, I'll of course be having your brother helping out along the way."

Vegeta couldn't help but smile when their father mentioned him, rubbing the back of his neck as he glanced away embarrassed. "I'm only here to help with equipment, I can't be expected to work on medicine anymore," he replied simply, looking over then to Viral, "But he's right, Viral. At this point we know exactly what the problem is and how to fix it. No more theories, no more experiments, everything from here on out is certain. Neither of us will tell you it's going to be easy because it won't, but know that from this point on everything we do is going to make you better. Even if it doesn't seem like that initially, even if it takes a while for the effects to become obvious, whatever we give you from here on out has a purpose." It was so relieving to not be speaking in what-ifs and potentials, they finally had a solid base to attack this problem from and a plan to iron it out. It was no longer an IF Viral was going to recover, but WHEN. On top of that, if they got to Uuonoe and found what they needed then his recovery may well increase tenfold, and he could be back to himself in no time. Their brief time spent on the world had shown Vegeta some might impressive technology, the least of which were machines designed to cure the incurable, and that was precisely what they needed at this point.

Takeshi knew he didn't explain things the best sometimes, which was a real pain in the ass when he felt he knew exactly what he was talking about. The analogy with a stream, to him, made perfect sense, and either he was being optimistic or he saw some gears turning in Shu's head too after that. Smiling hopefully he watched as his little brother reset to try once more, really betting on this attempt being the one. It took a little longer than before, but after some brief hesitation Shu finally found himself in the air, teetering a little unevenly but still managing. "There you go squirt, you're getting it! Just like that!" Takeshi exclaimed eagerly, breaking into a grin as he balled his hands into fists before him, "Just relax, you're doing fine! Concentrate on where you feel uneven and try fixing it, little by little. You can add or take a way energy as you need to, just try to get it so you're standing in air." Now he was getting all giddy, feeling very good about how this run was going. Much to his chagrin, however, Kabocha now saw reason to get involved, probably mess things up for Shu.

"The Ki you're releasing... It's uneven in your feet," Kabocha observed, frowning as he stood beneath Shu and looked up. Eugh, did the kid ever wash the soles of his feet? "Do what Takeshi said, try to correct little by little, got it? If you rush or panic then you'll make a mistake, just take it easy and you'll figure it out." To his surprise the Prince had done an alright job of explaining it, loathe as he was to admit such a thing. Shu still struggled however, clearly he needed more than just some helpful tips to try and learn the tricks of flight. "If it helps, imagine that you're standing on the ground. Put your feet like you would if you were down here, and try steadying those first. If you wobble a bit still you're okay, since your feet are secure, then you just work from there. If you try correcting too much at once you're bound to go flying."

If you weren't an Elite or a noble then life pretty much sucked for you under the King. Then again when you were lowest of the low, save for people who got close to Yamate, you rarely ever got punished by His Majesty; the Elites were the ones who handled those people, and Haku had been one of them. "I might as well have been a slave. I was a soldier who saw no action and spent as much time cleaning and doing errands as the prisoners of war did," he responded glumly, shrugging his shoulders, "I guess that was where I fit though, wasn't much of a fighter." This was getting a little bit depressing, and here he was trying to be excited over learning to cook. The past was the past, and whatever unpleasantries either of them had experienced it was behind them now. Life with the Princes thus far had been good to him, and even if Haku couldn't exactly count these people as friends just yet it was still preferable. "Uh... I like mine kind of pink, but not really bloody. If it cooks too much it gets tough and I don't really like it so much," Haku responded, smiling slightly as he pulled at his fingers absentmindedly, "This doesn't sound all that hard... Thank you for teaching me, even if it's just a little."

"Pate...? Uh... No idea what that is, but sounds like a good idea to me! Like I said, you're a good chef and I trust you, it's in your hands," Yumi replied with a grin. This was great, Viral was going to get some very much needed food and maybe begin getting his strength back, she couldn't wait! Unable to contain her jubilation she stepped forward and grabbed Choi up in a hug, holding him for a good moment before letting go. Things were really going to begin looking better for their friend, pretty soon he would be back to his same old self. "I didn't even think of that, maybe he does want someone to eat with," Yumi mused aloud, tapping her chin with one finger thoughtfully, "In that case yeah, please do! I can sit down and eat with him, have a chat while Vegeta and his dad work. Oh thanks a bunch Choi, I bet this'll help him a lot!"

Dragon Ball: Legacy (Mogtaki and Vena Sera)

Whether pills were desired or not here they were necessary, as Viral's pain could well attest to that. It wasn't fair to make the Beastman endure discomfort simply because Vegeta had a personal disdain for relying on medicine; Aito could understand his son's stance, not wanting Viral to become reliant, but that would only happen if they exploited it. With careful physical therapy and regular check-ups it would be more than enough to help Viral not only relax, but begin to build up the strength he needed again even for the most mundane of tasks. Watching as his son struggled to even take in the pill, Aito smiled sympathetically and pulled his sleeve up slightly, using it to wipe away some dribble before shaking his head. "Everything, even the most menial tasks is going to be a challenge like this. But don't lose heart because of that, as you should begin recovering very quickly. As for whether or not you can eat, well, we'll find a way. You'd be amazed what a simple meal can do for someone trying to heal up." It was basic knowledge that the proteins and vitamins taken in from food were used to rebuild the body, and where Viral was not eating there was nothing left to rebuild with. It was no small wonder he was so much pain, his muscle definition had faded and he looked fairly lean, and not in a good way. "Is it just meats you have an aversion to? If so we can find alternate means of getting you protein."

Hands off training wouldn't quite cut it for Shu, the little guy needed a helping hand in order to get this obviously. Either that or they let him shoot every which way like a stray rocket and pray he didn't put himself into one of the walls, which would be bad. "It all comes from... Well everywhere really. Ki doesn't really have just one place it sits, you know?" Takeshi asked rhetorically, scratching his cheek with a finger, "Most of it's in your torso, but there's some everywhere. When you fly you just want to try pushing a bit out of your feet, remember? And use the rest of your body to balance out. Just imagine a little stream if it helps, with the water all flowing pretty slow and in a straight line, that's what you want your Ki to be like. When you learn how to just get that down then we can focus on speeding up and slowing down." That was one problem with the little guy, far as Takeshi could see; everyone in their group could fly around and do all sorts of tricks, sans Viral, so Shu was probably trying to copy that more than he was learning the basics. "Go back to the floor and try it again, see if you get it this time." Expecting some kind of complaints from Kabocha he glanced over, surprised when the other boy simply waved them on. Either he was waiting to see if this would mess up, or he was too agitated, either way Takeshi didn't much care.

Haku cringed reflexively at the mention of the labs, knowing just how nasty those places were. He'd never been himself, but word tended to get around at all the nasty experimentation that went on behind closed doors. A lot of times if someone taken in after an attack had no real purpose then they were taken away for inspection, whatever that meant. All he knew was that most people who went in never came out, and the few who did were pretty shell shocked for a while. If they wanted to just drop the conversation here and now that would be swell, it wasn't a pleasant one anyways. Turning his focus back to the food being prepared Haku smiled eagerly, his stomach grumbling at the smells coming up from the pans. "Please... Do you have any idea how Elites treat bottom of the ranks like me?" Haku asked, glancing over at Kai, "They knock us around for fun and treat us like crap, and those were on the good days. I can handle little cuts and burns, don't worry.." Even so he'd heed Kai's advice, as just because he could handle them didn't mean he wanted them. Pain was never a fun thing, and he wasn't so much trying to sound macho by saying this as he was just stating a fact. "So... We just wait for these to finish cooking now? How do you know when a steak is ready? I just wait until it starts getting black on the outside."

"Really, you've got an idea already?" Yumi asked, breaking out into a bright smile as she got excited, "That sounds great Choi, thank you! I'm sure he'll love it! Maybe mix in something with it too, kind of hide the steak?" Something like a stir fry should be easy enough to prepare, and there was enough in it that her friend would get all of the nutrients he so desperately needed. When offered a bit of steak her cheeks flushed slightly, wondering if Choi had somehow noticed she was salivating a little. Reflexively wiping her mouth with the back of her hand she shook her head, chuckling before stepping close and giving him a hug. "No, I don't need anything right now, I just want to make sure he eats! Thank you again so much, I know he'll appreciate it too, even if he'll never say it."

Deductive Reasoning

Amen to that, it's not easy. I unfortunately buckled before I had even finished my A-school, but I still wouldn't trade my experiences for anything. It takes a certain kind to be able to do that work, and I have nothing but the utmost respect for the folks who can do it.

Deductive Reasoning

"I know it's not easy to discuss such things, but it's crucial that we know everything you do to start our investigation," Watson urged gently, trying to be far more delicate towards the situation than Holmes was. If his friend could only ask what was on his mind in a less brash manner then perhaps they would be in business, but as it stood he had only managed to upset Ms. Mortsan. Removing a small handkerchief from his pocket he wiped at his face, tucking it back away and turning his focus completely onto Mary, waiting for what he hoped to be imperative information regarding Charlie. Sadly, the only words she could offer them were uncertainties, speculation at best. While it was not by any means a certain explanation it did get his gears turning, as it no doubt did Holmes' as well, if they ever even stopped to begin with.

"I see... But then... Why would a serial killer kidnap the child of a wealthy family?" Watson mused aloud, frowning as he stroked his chin in thought, "What you suggest may be the case, but it doesn't make sense. Charlie comes from wealth, I would imagine that they would extort the Tylers rather than just kill the boy, don't you agree? There is nothing to gain from this otherwise. In my humble opinion, I believe Charlie is very much still alive and we're just waiting for word from his captors as to what their demands are." How long had it been since he'd gone missing at any rate? A day? While Watson didn't doubt Mary's concerns they were perhaps a bit unnecessary, at least in his experience. A single day could mean any number of things, it was after that initial day that one had to really begin to worry. "Of course... No two cases are alike. It could very well be the boy was a victim of circumstance and taking him was never the intent to begin with. It does happen, and if that is the case it is more probable than not he's still alive and well."

Irene did what little she could to console her friend Mary, knowing she was likely in a very dark place right now. If the Tylers were to return and find their son gone under her care there would no doubt be ramifications, and more likely than not it would be her head on the chopping block. She did seem like a genuine woman, but how much of this, did she wonder, was to simply cover her own neck? Watching as Mary moved away to speak with Watson the faintest of smiles crept onto Ms. Adler's lips, not even having to turn to know who was approaching her. "Perhaps your powers of perception aren't as great as you think?" she retorted softly, glancing over at Holmes teasingly, "But we are friends, sure as you and John are, my dear. I'm merely here trying to help her in her time of need." True, it was a bit unlike her to show outward concern, but then people could change, couldn't they? She had her fair share of a dark past and yet had turned it around, now being a proper and prim woman, and honest at that. Nonetheless Holmes saw fit to doubt her, making Irene raise an eyebrow as she sniffed distastefully. "Well isn't that a shame... Do be careful Sherlock, I'd hate for you to get lost," she teased again, watching as the man slipped away into the next room.

"So a regular day that somehow turned into this... It makes me think this was more of a freak chance than anything," Watson said, nodding to himself, "To me it more sounds as though he may have been at the wrong place at the wrong time, that's all. Your neighbors surely would have seen something, or heard something, so it makes me wonder where he may have wandered off to." If they could just find out where he had gone, retrace the child's steps then perhaps they may find a little more clues. Setting his gaze on Ms. Morstan sympathetically he nodded his head, reaching out and taking her hand, giving it a gentle patting. "Rest assured we'll find Charlie. He may not seem it, but Holmes is the best at what he does. So long as there is a single trace of the boy on this world you can be certain he will be found."

As if summoned by some unspoken cue, Holmes rejoined them in the den not a second after the words had been shared. Nodding in agreement with that his friend had surmised he grabbed his hat back from the mantle, turning it over carefully and inspecting it before placing it back onto his head. As he'd suggested, more of happenstance than anything, as even the carefullest of kidnappers always left a sort of trail behind. More likely than not Charlie had ended up a ways from his home before vanishing, so perhaps he had been chasing that cat of his? "I do Holmes, I do. Before we return to London though perhaps we'd best investigate around the manor? Tracks, something left behind, anything we might find to give us an idea as to what happened?" Watson suggested, stepping closer to Holmes as he lowered his voice, "Besides, I am in no rush to get back in that drunkard's carriage."

Watching Holmes wander about and work was somewhat amusing, and intriguing as well. Just what went on in that wonderous mind of his, she wondered? The way his thoughts came about, the way he pieced clues and bits of information together, it was just so fascinating. This friend of his too, Watson, he wasn't exactly dim either, the two most certainly made a formidable team. "I did say they were good, didn't I?" Irene asked, smiling kindly as she looked at Mary, "They'll find Charlie, Mary, I don't doubt that for a second. There isn't a soul alive who can outwit them." Well, perhaps not, it was yet to be seen whether they were truly as clever as they liked to think.

Avatar: The Price of Freedom

Katsu wasn't going to waste much more of his time arguing with Siku, hardly in the mood for it right now. That aside, getting to see Koinu had managed as always to brighten his spirits, a wide smile spreading across the thief's face as he caught his pet and lifted it up. No one could stay upset or angry when holding this little creature, it was just too darn adorable and friendly for that. Chuckling as his nose was licked he hugged the Sabre Fox to his chest, scratching behind one of his pet's ears as they ascended the staircase. Koinu would of course be one of the few things he'd be taking along with them, he would never dream of leaving behind his furry companion. They had traveled all the way from the Fire Nation together, and Katsu would be damned if this mess was what separated them. The others here could just as well go back to their homes, if he only had Koinu at his side then he'd be perfectly content.

Raising an eyebrow in surprise hearing Siku gushing over his pet, Katsu looked back at the trio with him and smiled slightly, surprised to find the Water Bender actually had a soul. "I would guess you never did see anything like him, he's from the Fire Nation," the Avatar pointed out, looking back at his pet and rubbing his nose to Koinu's, "I brought him from home with me, he's one of the few things I have from there. He's a good boy, always waiting for me to come back home whenever I go out." In a way, Koinu was his absolute closest friend in this world, closer than any of his fellow thieves or any of the three here with him.

"You... Want to hold him?" Katsu asked, furrowing his brow as he looked at Siku confused. Where the heck had this side of her come from then? Looking at Siku as she began to blush he looked down at Koinu, his own cheeks heating up a bit as he debated the request. Well, he couldn't see any harm in allowing it, and goodness knows it was just easier to give her what she wanted rather than deny her and listen to her later. Closing his eyes and letting out a silent sigh he nodded his head, offering over his pet with a small smile. "Sure... Just be gentle? And don't tug on his ears or tail, he doesn't like that." Feeling slightly nervous having handed over his companion, Katsu turned to Asha when she asked about grabbing things, not having really thought about it too much.

"Well... I want to bring one of Koinu's toys for him to play with, and probably a change of clothes or two. Plus there's a few personal things I want to grab, which means I've gotta find my bag." There was a worn backpack that Katsu had stored his smaller items in when he'd initially left home, and with luck it was still holding up well enough to be used again. Smiling to himself he went down the hallway to the final room on the left, reaching into his shirt and pulling out a key on a small string before using it to unlock his room, pushing the door open for the others. It wasn't a very flashy room, with just a bed, dresser, bookshelf with various items strewn across it and a closet with a sealed door.

Koinu squirmed a little bit as he was handed away to a stranger, making a soft whimpering noise as he tried to remain in Katsu's arms. When it became obvious he was being handed off, the young Sabre Fox turned to the new person holding him, a little wary considering he'd never met them before. Glancing up he got onto his hind legs, placing his front paws on Siku's chest to stabilize himself before sniffing at her curiously. Her scent was a bit... Noxious, almost like a toilet, yet there were parts of her that were nice too. What an odd clash of scents, had she not washed in a while? Tilting his head to the side curiously, Koinu looked up into Siku's eyes before giving a playful help, beginning to lick at her cheek to try and help wash her off. If she was going to be around his master then she had to smell nice, not like a potty!