GambolMuse

Dragon Ball: Legacy (Mogtaki and Vena Sera)

Takeshi wanted to help Viral out, and make him feel better about his situation in turn. What he hadn't been wanting to do was send the guy into a panic attack. Unfortunately, the latter seemed to be what was happening. This wasn't what he wanted, not at all. None of them wanted to see the Beastman suffering like this, and every single one of them had tried their hand at helping. The fact he still was this way made it seem like an inadequacy on their parts, or that's how the Saiyan felt about it anyways. For them to go and claim being friends then being unable to help anything seemed awfully hypocritical and an empty promise. It almost seemed like for a split second there they might be making some leeway though, in spite of clearly ruffling some feathers. If careful enough maybe they could finally make some headway in helping get Viral back to his old self. As to how precisely things got better Takeshi couldn't say. He just knew they did, that's all. His life had most certainly, and so had everyone else's around him. In his mind things had a way of working out after so long, just the period of time could vary from person to person. For Viral, that period seemed indefinite right now.

"The only thing stopping you is you..." Takeshi said, frowning to himself. "But... Like I said, we all believe you're in control. The only way you'd ever be like my father is if you let yourself become that. The problem is though you're not that person, we all know you're not. I... I don't know... You've got to see what we see in you, maybe. We don't see you as this monster, no matter what you believe. And I'm certain we're not the only ones that think that way. The reason we've all got confidence in you is because we know you're a good person, Viral. We know that you are the one in control, not your other form. We all believe that you can reign in that power if you believe you can, and that no one else can really command you to do anything. All my father did was exploit a weakness... He did that with all of us. There's no shame in an opponent taking advantage of something like that, and there's not even shame in hurting afterwards."

This was hard, playing doctor like this. Finding the right words was near impossible, and it just was starting to sound redundant. What were you supposed to tell someone with this kind of issue anyways? They had all already tried consoling Viral and arguing against his beliefs, that hadn't done anything. But if that wasn't the route to take then what was? The problems seemed obvious enough, and yet the solutions to them were as elusive as ever. All knowing the issue did was make them want to find the answer even more, and constantly falling short was a terribly infuriating thing.

"You're in control of yourself right now, you know." Takeshi pointed out, smiling faintly. "Think about it... Right now you're not that healthy, definitely not in your peak condition. And yet... Where is this monster...? If it's so violent and can emerge at any second, why isn't it doing that now, when it might be easier? I think... And this might just be me talking... The reason is because you're in control." Turning himself around the Saiyan faced Viral completely, leaning back and putting his arms out at his sides, again gazing up at the clouds. "Except for those rare moments when you get angry, like any of us, you're always in control. That's why we all put our faith in you, and why we're confident in you. It's why we all believe you will get better, and why we know you'll be among the strongest of us all. It's because no matter what, you always regain control. You have this... Inner strength, something that I don't even think any of us have. If we were in your position we would have given up long ago, I think. I know I would have. But, even if you don't know it, you're refusing to. You're still fighting, and you'll keep fighting until you get better. Because that's who you are, you're a fighter. And a good person, and someone that doesn't say quit. It's the reason that a lot of us kind of look up to you, because in some ways we envy you."

So that was how the tree came to be. Handling that much power, it seemed unreal. Garesh could almost understand in a way why Yusef had become so crazed over obtaining it. While he himself had no desire of it he could see the potential, and for a visionary man like the General it was the key. Clearly they had been playing with fire however, and had gotten burned quite badly as a result. He had to wonder what the people of the city were thinking about right at this moment. No doubt they were already nervous at having their supposed leader being taken down, and the emergence of a towering plant couldn't help their nerves much. If the people knew what kind of crisis had been averted, and what T'charrl had done in stopping the General, then they'd most certainly put aside any animosity. The Prince would be honored as the hero he was, not as a terrorist or enemy to the state.

"That could be T'charrl... I don't know..." Garesh remarked, pausing briefly as he took a bite of food. "I can't think of there ever being someone like you before. It could well be they were kept secret, precisely for the reason why you should have been. To prevent anyone from coming after you. But... Somehow I don't think that you are meant to just tend to a tree... Perhaps, you're meant to do much greater things?"

Smiling kindly to his son the General set his hands on the table, looking across at Yumi and Shu. "Perhaps... If you'd all be so kind, my son might join you? He may not be safe here for a while until things settle down, and I can't think of any better hands to leave him in than yours. Perhaps you can even help him in controlling this power of his a little better." To T'charrl again, still smiling, Garesh reached over and patted the boy's back. "Only if you're interested in it of course. We're not going to force you into leaving us, we'd never do that. But think about it, this could be a chance to see new things, and learn to deal with this new ability. Maybe, if you want it too, it could lead to getting you changed back."

Return of a Princess (Nydie & Vena)

No worries, you know you can do it whenever you're feeling up to it :) Hope tomorrow turns out to be better for you all the same.

Dragon Ball: Legacy (Mogtaki and Vena Sera)

"None of us think or worry you're going to kill us, Viral. We know you wouldn't do it, and that you would stop yourself before you ever could." Takeshi replied, smiling sadly. "The fact that you're just yourself right now is proof that this creature inside of you, or the other you, whatever it is, you're stronger than it. You are the one in control, and we all recognize that. Maybe when against someone who means nothing to you it's easier to let it assume control. I know I could never hurt any of you intentionally, yet you saw what I did to the soldiers. We trust you, and we have faith in your ability to remain in control, even if you don't. And no matter what happens we're not going to doubt you, or shun you, or whatever you might think we'll do. Because at the end of the day you're our friend and we're not going to abandon you."

Viral had a fair point in that none of them were quite certain how he worked, and that did indeed include himself. The same could be said to some degree for Shu, and perhaps even the rest of them as well. Saiyans were curious creatures, and they were young. It was very possible there were talents or abilities not yet tapped into, ones that may be reminiscent of or even overshadow Viral's other form. At the end of the day there was a lot of mystery, and not all of it stemmed from the Beastman. Especially in the case of Takeshi and Shu, two people who had rather unusual upbringings. Had they been raised by their parents, the Saiyan reflected, they'd have far more of a grip on themselves. As it stood however Shu had a form that he had little to no control over, and it terrified him. Conversely, Takeshi had his blind rage, which while it had simmered down he was still perfectly prone to suffer from. What's more, it was possible that Yumi now possessed some kind of change as well, considering she was a Beastman too. It was a fair claim that Viral was making, but he certainly wasn't the only one not completely certain of themselves.

When Viral compared himself to the king Takeshi immediately tensed up. He didn't know where on earth his friend had drawn that comparison from, or how on earth he might think they were similar. The very suggestion of it made the Saiyan frown in displeasure, and he immediately shook his head dismissively.

"I know you're nothing like my father, and again, so does everyone else. You raised Vegeta and Yumi, and made them into great people. That alone is something my father never did, certainly not for us. You don't derive pleasure in causing others pain, you don't subject others to your rule just because you can. And you definitely don't torture your own kin or those close to you for personal gain. You're absolutely nothing like him, you're a thousand times better than he is, and you always will be."

Takeshi was a fair bit upset now, and earnestly distraught for Viral. Was that what he saw himself as? An equivalent to the Saiyan king? His father was a monster, a true monster, no doubt about it. Viral had some skeletons in his closet, and yet even with some rough edges was certainly a good man. No one was perfect after all, and that included each and every one of them.

"Look... We wouldn't be so keen on helping you if we thought you were a bad guy. We wouldn't have stuck up for you in front of Korian and the rebels, and we wouldn't be trying to help now. You're a good guy Viral, honestly. You hit a rough patch and are working through it, and with enough time you will recover. As for it being the end for you, it's not. Maybe it's the end of something else, I don't know, but you're going to keep on fighting with us, I just know you will." Takeshi smiled slightly as he drew up his knees, folding his arms across them as he looked down at the grass around his feet. "As lousy as life can get, everything has a tendency to work out. Things get better eventually, just sometimes not as quickly as we'd like. So that means that we've all got to hang in there, you know? Keep fighting until we don't have to anymore." He took pause again, lifting a hand to scratch at his cheek before looking back to Viral. "We've all got faith in you to come back from this, none of us have ever thought this was going to beat you. We've never given up on you, just think about that."

Garesh was fairly hungry, and figured eating would be a nice way to break the ice and settle things. There was definitely a little shock over T'charrl, but regardless of that he was still irrefutably the General's son. As such he wasn't going to shun the boy, no matter what may happen to him. They just weren't that kind of family, as after all it was family that one could always rely on. If he or Eslaria had turned there backs on T'charrl, who would he have then? Taking his first bite of food Garesh glanced sidelong at the Prince, his interest piqued at the mention of the tree. Sure, he'd seen it, as had everyone else. Quite a few people had passed by in fact while they were outside, all heading in to investigate the curious growth. He'd had no clue how it had gotten there, and now his son was offering the explanation. Surprised by the events that brought it about Garesh lowered his utensils, taking a moment to mull over what he was told.

"So that tree is the same as the sacred tree in our city then...?" he mumbled thoughtfully. "And it's not happy where it is now? That's what you're telling me?"

Curious, he hadn't thought something like that to be possible. So did that mean the two cities were now entwined with one another? In a way that was a good thing, it meant that Eslaria's dream of a unified Kaesstra had been realized. Perhaps not in the way she had envisioned but still, her dream had been met. Looking across to Katas for a moment the General then turned to his son, smiling as he reached over and patted his arm gently.

"Well, I suppose the only option is to make that spot nicer then? We'll have workers begin to level the buildings around where it sprouted, and we'll plant a massive garden around it in their stead. Anyone who lost their homes as a result will be built new ones, and everything then should be fine, no? Does that make the tree happy?"

Dragon Ball: Legacy (Mogtaki and Vena Sera)

Takeshi couldn't believe it, he'd actually gotten through to Viral. It was definitely a first, and he was determined not to screw it up. So what exactly was it eating away at his friend then? The Saiyan smiled politely as he listened, not wanting to show any judgment until he'd heard the whole story. When the Beastman got into the matter however and told him what the case was it became a touch more difficult to smile. That must have been when they were back on the frozen planet, inside the base. The whole matter that Viral had been standing trial for, his killing of a few troops. Okay, so the issue was a little deeper than Takeshi had been banking on. He could sympathize to a small degree, albeit he wasn't nearly crippled mentally by killing anyone. The soldiers from before had been cut down without hesitation, but they'd deserved it, they were terrible. While that didn't absolve him of all guilt he was a little better off for knowing that. What may work for him wasn't bound to work for Viral though, so it was best he stay clear of "they were bad" for now.

"You're bothered by what you did... I get it," Takeshi replied, smiling sadly as he looked at Viral. "What you did isn't something that you'd normally do, and now it's bothering you. You know... I've killed people a few times now... Like, more than I really should have... And I'm not going to lie, it doesn't really go away." Sighing softly he lifted his head, glancing up at the sky and watching the clouds pass on by for a moment. He wasn't saying what he wanted, he really didn't know what to say.

"When things like that happen, it's like I become a totally different person. I just sort of lose it, I get not having any control over what happens when you're like that. Things just... They go crazy, and by the time you realize what's gone on it's too late to stop it. I try to ignore it all, and usually it works. But sometimes get thinking about it, about the people that I've killed, and... It sucks, you know? Being bothered by something like that, it's normal."

"But... You can't let it run your life. What happened, it wasn't you, not really. You shouldn't blame yourself for any of it, some things are just out of our control, and that's nothing to be ashamed of. We all know you're better than that, and that you have a dark side sometimes when you change. Again though, not your fault, it's the Saiyan's for subjecting you to torture and causing it. It's my father's, for allowing all of it." Takeshi smiled sheepishly again, reaching down and clasping Viral's shoulder for a second before placing his hands back in his lap again. "Having a problem isn't stupid, everyone has problems. It's what makes us alive, I guess? We're all imperfect, so things are going to happen like this. What we all have to do is learn to move on from things like this too, and not let it define who we are. Like I said, everyone knows you're not some monster, we know you better than that. And uh... Well... If you feel like you need help with this then you can always come to us, seriously. We're all comrades here, all friends, and we're even like a family I guess. Don't be afraid to reach out for support Viral, yeah? Because we're always happy to give it. We'll help you beat this thing, we promise."

Garesh didn't want to come across as rude in his surprise, and it was rather hard not to be surprised. It was certainly his son still, that much was discernible. The degree to which he had changed though, there were barely enough features to figure out who it was. Facial recognition aside he might not have known who the large Kaesstrian was, and he'd certainly not have guessed it to be his child. After making a remark on his appearance T'charrl instantly became defensive and worried, not something that the General wanted. Letting him finish his little bout Garesh smiled sadly, placing his own hand over the Prince's on his head.

"Why are you apologizing, T'charrl? You're a hero, you don't have to apologize for anything," Garesh said simply, giving his son's hand a patting. "So you over did things a little bit, and... So you may be a little different. Or... A lot different. My point is that you're still my son, I can tell that much hasn't changed. And I'm certainly not going to think any less of you due to what's happened."

So this was what his power was capable of then? The other day, asking for a demonstration, was this what he would have seen? T'charrl mentioned absorbing a great amount of energy, so possibly not. Garesh wasn't even sure what that meant in all honesty, he was lost as to how this energy of his worked at all. His son was different now, yes, and it would take some getting used to. Like Eslaria before him however the General was a fair bit open minded, and not so easily frightened off by his child's new look. He had become larger, and the orbs on his person were curious, but the word "monster" was certainly not what he'd use to describe the boy.

"This is going to take some getting used to, but it'll work out, I know it will." Smiling kindly Garesh eased himself into the Queen's seat, nonchalantly grabbing himself a plate and beginning to load it with food. Best to show he wasn't upset by things, that ought to help his son's nerves. "As far as I'm concerned you're still my son, and we're still going to practice. Just because you're a little bigger than your father doesn't excuse you from training, so don't think a few words are going to scare this grizzled warrior away."
Garesh chuckled to himself, placing a filled plate before him and looking up to Katas, speaking in a plain yet ordering manner. "Well? Sit down and eat man, before it goes cold."

Katas was busy looking at T'charrl, a bit captivated by him. It wasn't disgust or fear that had him entranced, but rather mystery. A warrior first and foremost he was also scientifically inclined second, and had a fair amount of knowledge at his disposal. What the Prince had become was well outside of his understanding, and that made him terribly eager to try and figure out what had happened. It might be a bit invasive to do so, yet he had to at least ask a few questions. Before a single word could slip out his superior told him to have some food. Rousing himself from thought Katas smiled apologetically, nodding his head. The only seat available was where Takeshi had been sitting, between Shu and Choi. Grabbing himself a plate then the Captain took a healthy helping of fruit, easing his large frame in between the two boys before beginning to eat.

Dragon Ball: Legacy (Mogtaki and Vena Sera)

"Yeah... I guess I kind of did, didn't I?" Takeshi admitted, smiling sheepishly as he rubbed the back of his head. "And I already ate, that's why I'm out here. There's not really any reason for me to go back inside now."

As expected Viral didn't take to the first offer, immediately shooting it down. Yumi and Vegeta must have tried a dozen times respectively to get the Beastman to eat only to be met with the same response every time. Well, if nothing else Takeshi was stubborn, and his keenness to help out a bit more only added to his insistence. Maybe he was being overbearing in how he was approaching things, pushing it on Viral and all. If they were going to get the guy to eat any time soon he felt that it was the only way, that or somehow bribe him with something he couldn't well resist. Simple requests didn't do it, that much was apparent. And so the older boy came up with a brilliant idea; appeal to Viral's love of fighting. He hadn't been training all that much as far as Takeshi knew, and what better way to work your strength up then by sparring with someone? Now that he was healed the Beastman ought to be raring to go, he just needed a little push to get on the path again. All that would start with his friend finally having something to eat.

The bribe of training was proposed, and for a moment it looked like it was going to pay off. Viral took the fruit from Takeshi, studying it for a silent moment as he contemplated eating. Then just as soon as he had taken it the Beastman dropped it, wiping his hands off as if he'd just touched something dirty. That was definitely an unusual response, and went beyond not just having an appetite. He could kind of understand not being in the mood to eat, he had been an awful lot when Shu was in captivity. He'd been terribly depressed then, only doing anything because he was asked, or rather ordered to. Come to think of it that was a great deal like what Viral was right now. Whatever PTSD was it seemed awfully familiar to someone who had never had it before. Takeshi glanced down at the fruit on the ground a bit disappointed, picking it back up before giving it a shining on his sleeve, placing it back on the plate. He knew something was bothering Viral, maybe if he could find out what he could be of some use.

"Viral... I'm not going to abandon you." Takeshi said plainly, turning somber as he looked at the Beastman steadily. "I already made the mistake of not being around once, I'm not going to do that again, not to one of my friends. I messed up, and now I want to try and make amends. So no, sorry, but I'm not going to just walk away that easily."

Something in what Viral had said brought back not only the guilt of his injury, but the guilt of having forgotten the Beastman before. There was an awful lot of things he had to make good on, and now was as good a point as any to begin doing that. It could be too late, the damage done may well be beyond anything that Takeshi could help. He'd try at least, that's all he could really do. Then in the off chance they made some headway perhaps Viral could finally get on the road to recovery instead of being stuck in this rut. Sighing softly he put his hands in his lap for a moment, staring down at them before he finally spoke.

"Will you tell me...? Why you're so averted to eating...? What's the reason you refuse to touch food? What about it makes you sick?"

None of what was being said helped anything out at all. Takeshi had changed, but apparently not enough to warrant notice. So then this was how he really was, and not the cold, calculating leader that they had while still a squad. Kabocha groaned in frustration as he pushed his plate to the side, laying his arms out on the table and resting his head on them. Somehow that was a total letdown from what he was expecting. The son's of the king, both total softies. In a way it was good, it meant they weren't liable to go berserk or become tyrants. But they were Saiyans, after all, and incredibly powerful in their own rights. The fact then that they behaved like that, so cheerful and non-violent, it seemed like they were limiting themselves in a way. It became apparent that he'd not get what he was looking for in an answer, or maybe what he had hoped for. Frankly at this point he wasn't too sure what he was trying to find out, probably just more curious about their former leader, as he'd never shared much about himself. Whatever the case he opted to let the conversation die there, not finding it worthwhile to pursue. Taking his head from the table he grabbed his plate again, beginning to eat hastily to get his mind off of things and back to the meal at hand.

Eslaria finished her food relatively quickly in spite of eating 'properly'. With a contented sigh she wiped her mouth clean with a cloth, setting it across her lap and glancing around the table. Everyone seemed to be happily eating still, her son included, so she may as well excuse herself. Now that she considered it she might as well send her husband and the captain in to have some food, take a turn at guarding the General herself. Dropping her napkin on the plate then she pushed herself back from the table, rising from her seat and smiling down at T'charrl.

"I'm going to let your father and Katas in T'charrl, alright? It's about time I take my turn at guard duty, and I know they must be hungry." Eslaria leaned down, not too much considering how tall the Prince now was, and placed a light kiss on his head, stroking his fur next. "Remember darling, he's your father, he's not going to think anything poorly of you regardless of how you look. And Katas adores you, he won't either. Be confident and you'll be fine." To the others she smiled politely, giving a small bow of her head. "The meal was delicious, thank you all for making it. I'll be outside."

With that she went to the front door, right on out and to the side where the General was being kept. Though the men were dutifully maintaining their posts the look of eagerness on their face was clear as day when they spotted Eslaria coming. Smiling in amusement she waved them off, giving her husband a small kiss before she stood at the tree where Yusef was restrained. There was a plate at his side, empty now, as they had fed the man enough to keep him going. He looked to be asleep at the moment, his head hanging off to one side and his chest rising and falling in a steady rhythm. Just as well, she would have loathed having to speak to him at all. This only made her job easier, she could pay minimal attention and complete her shift with no issues at all. Pleased with that she moved over to the nearest adjacent tree, leaning her back up against it and training her gaze on the General carefully.

Garesh could already smell the food as soon as they were at the door, and it smelled absolutely incredible. Once inside the wafts of flavor made him reel back on his heels. This smell alone was easily comparable to something their royal chefs would prepare for them... Better even. The aliens had prepared this, with ingredients found on their own world? He had to hand it to them, it was astounding. Katas looked to be sharing the sentiment, standing in the doorway with his mouth half-hung open and near drooling on himself. With a chuckle Garesh smacked the shoulder of his partner, motioning to follow as the two men went to the kitchen. Turning into the room he was greeted by the sight of all of the Saiyans and their friends gathered around a large table. The table in of itself looked like the forest canopy, an arrangement of colors of various shades, every item looking incredible in of itself. And there was a large Kaesstrian, sitting on the other side of the table from Yumi...

"T'charrl...?" Garesh muttered, blinking in surprise as he looked at who he thought to be his son. It looked like the Prince, albeit different coloration... And the increase in size. Not to mention the orbs protruding from his body, that was definitely a change. Instantly forgetting about the food the General moved across the room, looking awfully puzzled as he stopped at his son's side. "What happened to you...?"

Dragon Ball: Legacy (Mogtaki and Vena Sera)

Yumi felt pretty bad for leaving Viral outside, even if she did figure that he wasn't going to eat were he in here. It was being left alone that must be bad, and it couldn't be helping his situation right now laying out there on his own. Having Takeshi go out on their part then made her feel guilty as well, but perhaps it was best someone else went. She and Vegeta went on and on how important Viral was to them and how much they cared, and a silly little mistake like this then became a big issue when they always claimed otherwise. Sighing to herself she picked up a small bit of meat, turning it over in between her fingers and studying it idly for a moment. As she opened her mouth to take a bite then of the savory food she paused seeing Shu bouncing about in his seat. Before she could even say a word edgewise on him doing that he had stopped, clutching his head with an adorable little giggle and smile plastered on his face. It was definitely nice to see him getting back to himself, but this was proof enough it was going to be hard keeping him down while he recovered.

"Shu, you've got to sit still, okay?" Yumi said, gently chastising the young Saiyan. "Your head still has to recover, and if you shake like that you might make it worse. So please don't do that?"

It felt a bit unusual, he had to admit. Takeshi wasn't normally the one to undertake helping someone out, certainly not Viral. Not that he didn't care, but with the way they got along, like fire and oil, it was often best he avoided the Beastman. Wanting to still contribute a bit, and perhaps working off guilt still he took it upon himself to see to his friend, and perhaps even get him to have a little something to eat. Considering that neither Yumi or Vegeta had managed to do that yet was a tad disheartening, but he'd give it a shot nonetheless. Planting himself down on the grass beside the Beastman he put the plate easily within his reach, wanting to make eating as easy a task as it could be. At first when the man acknowledged the food he was hopeful, until a look of disgust spread over Viral's face and he turned his back to the meal. So much for it being easy, Takeshi mused. Sighing softly to himself he lifted a hand, rubbing at his head as he tried to figure out a way to make the Beastman eat.

"But you need food... Every living thing does..." Takeshi remarked, smiling a little as he dropped his hand into his lap. "Plants use the sun too, but they need more than that to survive, don't they? And so do you. So uh... Eat up?" Hardly a convincing argument, but what could he say that hadn't been said before? Pondering that over for a moment he crossed his arms over his chest, cracking his neck as he tilted his head side to side. Then, getting an idea he smiled again, looking back down at Viral.

"Hey? If you eat then I'll train with you. Whenever you want, I swear. You're going to need to train to get your strength back too, right? And you'll need a partner. Well, I'm willing to do that. But first you've got to try eating something, that's my stipulation." Takeshi paused, reaching onto the plate and snatching up a whole seared fruit. It was a coarser piece of food and firm, but crisp and juicy when you bit into it. Kind of like a really hard pineapple, if he had to pin the taste on anything. Offering the fruit over he smiled hopefully, holding it in view of Viral. "Just try eating this, that's all. If you decide you don't want more after then fine, that's all you've got to eat. Then we can train when you're feeling better."

"Well... There's something wrong with him being happy..." Kabocha replied, leaning back in his seat and settling his hands across his lap. "Has he always been this... Happy around you though? I know when we knew him things were really bad, but... It's like he's a totally different person. It's just weird for us to see him this way." Looking for a second opinion on the matter he turned then to Yumi and Vegeta, giving them the same rundown. "You two have known him for a while, yeah? What's he like back on Earth?"

Yumi considered that question for a minute, chewing her food in thought. "Well... I mean he's always kind of been a pain, honestly..." she mumbled, swallowing before smiling a little. "But you can see he's got a good heart, when he's not being cocky or arrogant. And... I suppose he's always cared about Shu as long as I've known the two of them. But yeah... He does seem a lot more... I don't know, playful when he's around his brother..." Talking about the young Saiyan as if he weren't there made her flush slightly, and she looked over at the boy in question thoughtfully. "You are with him more than any of us. You don't think he's acting weird at all?"

Dragon Ball: Legacy (Mogtaki and Vena Sera)

Vegeta tore into a steak a bit sloppily, quickly covering his mouth with an open hand as he chewed it up, embarrassed by taking a much too large bite. One thing he was liking so far about traveling like this was the foods they were getting to try. Uuonoe had some interesting bits for him to try, and now this planet had even more to offer. He almost wondered if he'd be able to be satisfied by the simple foods back on Earth when they finally returned. Very few items if anything were comparable to some of what he was eating now, he reflected disappointingly. It could also just be his lack of regular meals that made this taste better, he wasn't sure. As swallowed back a helping he looked at Shu curiously when he spoke, not quite following the kid's line of questioning at first. Exchanging curious looks with Yumi he then followed T'charrl's glance towards the kitchen window. When it finally dawned on him his jaw hung loosely, dropping his utensils and blinking in surprise. They'd sorted out Viral before finally sitting down for dinner, making him comfortable, but no one had brought him inside. In the midst of their excitement to eat they'd left him lying in the sun.

"Oh damn it all!" Yumi exclaimed, smacking her hands on the table. "We're so stupid! How did we forget him?"

They had taken a few pillows out to the Beastman so he wasn't lying flat on the ground, and had figured a bit of sun before the meal would maybe warm him up to eating some. In their own desire to get food in their bellies though it had slipped their mind to get him inside with them. Mentally kicking herself for forgetting Yumi glanced down at her own plate, frowning as she pushed it away in disappointment. They were so staunch on having Viral eat and yet they completely left him out of this meal, some friends they were. Grabbing for another plate to bring to him she stopped when Takeshi grabbed one instead, looking up curiously to see him begin to pile food onto it himself.

"I got it, don't worry. You just sit down and eat," Takeshi said, smiling politely. His own plate was nearly empty anyways, he had enough to tide him over for a little while.

Once the plate was covered in meat and fruit he pushed his chair out, carefully balancing the plate in both hands while making his way to the back door. He could still eat a lot more, but someone really should try to get the Beastman to have a bit or two. Getting to the door Takeshi found himself at an impasse, already holding the stacked plate in both hands and having no means of opening the door. Frowning to himself he tried to knock the handle down with his hip, only managing to prod himself in the leg awkwardly with it. Taking a step back he then tried to push it down with his foot, nearly toppling backwards and losing the food in the process. Seeing his bumbling Yumi rose out of her seat, coming to his help and opening up the back door for him. Nodding gratefully he hurried on past her, right down the steps and into the yard where Viral was laying. Still laid out as he was, across a few pillows for comfort. It was pretty bad that he'd been left here, and if he was angry then it was justifiably so.

"Not interrupting anything am I?" Takeshi asked, smiling as he stood over Viral. With plate in hand he eased himself down onto the ground, sitting cross-legged besides his friend and placing the food down before him. "Just finished eating, figured I'd come out and say hello. And offer you some food, if you want it." he added, easing the tray closer to Viral. "It came out really good."

Kabocha was surprised to see Takeshi going out, never having known him to walk away from a meal. Glancing over at the Saiyan's plate he was even more surprised that it wasn't even cleaned off, as there was still a fair amount of food left. Definitely not like the same squad leader that they had known before, not by a long shot. Was this what he was really like, outside of the oppressive military? Or was this a new change? It was baffling, whatever the case, and he had to know what was going on. After hastily chewing up a piece of fruit he wiped his mouth on his hand, leaning forward over the table and staring at Shu curiously.

"Hey... What's the deal with your brother...?" Kabocha asked, intent on finally getting answers. "Why's he always so happy and... Weird like that? Did he go crazy?"

Dragon Ball: Legacy (Mogtaki and Vena Sera)

Yumi triumphantly led her little band of helpers right into the kitchen, only releasing Vegeta and Choi when they were all in the room. Between the five of them they'd have a big meal prepared in no time, with minimal effort really. Truth be told, she mused, it'd like be mostly the twins and Vegeta cooking, as she and Kabocha weren't that good at it. Chances were they had to go get more food in town, and considering the likely uproar the fight and tree had caused it'd be a headache to get any goods. A lot of what they were going to make depended on what they had right now too, and if they were to go out hunting. Taking it upon herself to delegate the duties Yumi gave everyone a task to do, since they'd need a fair amount of food to fill everyone's stomachs. In all they were bound to have at least two dozen different dishes by the time she was done, and in those would be several helpings of food. Considering everyone present was a fighter and could likely eat enough for three it meant they had to make way more than they normally might, and then some.

Takeshi had been reluctant to let Shu give up his own energy, especially seeing as his brother had only just recovered. Upon his own insistence though, and the reassurances that T'charrl could handle it he eventually relented. It was certainly nice being healed and no longer hindered by his injuries, albeit his energy was still fairly low and would be for a little while. The knowledge that a meal was coming their way made him rather excited in that case, and so he passed the time relaxing with everyone else not involved in the cooking. Garesh and Katas were still busy overseeing the General, and they politely refused to step away to join the others in eating when the food was finally prepared. Only once they had been relieved, Garesh argued, would they themselves have some food. Admirable to be sure, and it certainly didn't bother anyone in the group at the least, it meant more for them. Getting everyone around the table was a little tricky, it was made really for just four, not ten. After some careful moving of furniture everyone was settled down and seated comfortably, all raring to get their hands on some of the meal. The table was strewn with over a dozen platters, each piled high with various meats, fruits and vegetables cooking in a plethora of different ways. It all looked absolutely delicious, Takeshi was already drooling at the sight.

"Oh boy... This looks good...!" he said happily, grabbing a sliver of a purplish steak and plopping it onto his dish. It glistened from the light overhead with all the sauce poured over it, and it smelled incredible.

"I haven't had food that looks this delicious in ages," Kabocha remarked, wide eyed as he stared at his own plate, nearly hiding him behind the mountain of food. "Oh wow... Can we eat yet?"

"Not until everyone has been served," Eslaria chided strictly, throwing a disparaging look in Kabocha's direction. Her own stomach grumbled profusely, but it was only common manners to make sure everyone got their share.

Even with all of their massive appetites there was plenty of food to go around still on the table, at least enough for seconds. Sounds of appreciation and eagerness could be heard from nearly every person at the table. Finally, with everyone having gotten their fair share of the feast eating could begin, and it did so in earnest. Shockingly the Queen observed those around herself and T'charrl eating rather hastily, wasting little time on table manners or etiquette as they devoured their food. They were all hungry, but did they have to eat so sloppily? Eslaria didn't have it in her to chastise them further, as she herself was much too hungry to wait any longer. In a more refined manner she used her utensils to eat, chewing and swallowing each bite meticulously. Surrounded by all of these aliens was strange, yet they were her son's friends, and in essence the ones responsible for saving her people from ruin. Hard as she tried to be the Queen found herself smiling, bemused by everyone's behavior after a short while. So was this what children from other worlds were like? How interesting...

"This is so good!" Takeshi cried, grinning as he bit down and tore another chunk out of a fishy-meat. He didn't know what in the world it was, but it tasted wonderful. Holding the fish in one hand he grabbed for a reddish-brown fruit, taking a gracious bite out of it and chewing the two together happily. His stomach was welcoming the food as much as his taste buds were, and he wanted to just keep scarfing it down.

Yumi didn't say anything, only because she herself was too busy eating as well. She thought the fruit was just fine, but found herself gravitating far more towards the meats, particularly redder ones. It eventually got to the point where she was trying to get rid of her fruit in favor of more steaks, only to have herself stopped by Vegeta and made to eat her greens as well. A bit childishly she stuck out her tongue, pouting as she lifted up a round, yellow little fleshy fruit and sniffed at it before taking a nibble. The flavor wasn't something she recognized at all, and it was a bit tart. Not wanting to waste food, and certainly nowhere near picky enough to do so anyways she began to eat it in earnest, and in the course of doing so ate everything else on her plate as well.

Vegeta was right there with his friends and peers, scarfing down as much as he could fit into his cheeks as he ate. In any other circumstance he'd be eating as Eslaria was, trying to maintain a certain image. On this planet though, and with these people, he had no reason to put up that front. He was a Saiyan after all, even if only partly so, and had the appetite to prove it. Eating in such a refined manner took forever to sate his hunger, and often times after a company meal he'd have yet another just to fill himself up. Now he could indulge as much as he wanted to, eating every manner of food available to him. Thank goodness they had cloths on hand, because more than once he found fruit juice seeping out from his lips, threatening to dribble down his chin and onto his clothes. It was an incredible meal, he couldn't believe how well they had prepared the alien food here. Some of it was trial and error, as a fair amount of food was also sitting to the side on the counter, untouchable even by the native's standards. No one seemed to mind that too terribly much however, as what had worked had worked astoundingly well.

Dragon Ball: Legacy (Mogtaki and Vena Sera)

Vegeta gave a small nod of his head, taking his hand away from T'charrl. He was the psuedo-doctor among them really, so he made certain to make a mental note of that. It would be a little tricky to have such an energetic boy sit still, or at the very least just take it slowly. Employing Takeshi's help was a definite must in that regard, he had the best luck of getting the little Saiyan to do as asked. Smiling proudly at having the last of their group seen to he folded his arms across his chest, looking back to the orbs on T'charrl. They were definitely some kind of conduit, and they seemed to be what absorbed the energy. When touching it they didn't feel like flesh, more like crystals. Yet apply enough pressure and it did give way, albeit ever so slightly. They were definitely unusual and something he hadn't seen before, ergo it would be impossible to over any kind of advice as to what they were. Vegeta could only hope that they weren't malicious to the Prince in any way. He was a good kid, and selflessly helping them out. It'd be an outright injustice if he were to suffer in spite of all he was doing.

Kabocha wouldn't say any more on the matter, but he acknowledged what Kai had said with a silent nod. There was countless possibilities presented to them with that ability, no doubt. They could abuse their zenkai indefinitely, even to the point where they would eclipse Yamate. No one, not the king and not the Princes would be any threat to them. That kind of potential power was terribly alluring, though he tried his best to ignore the prospect. It wasn't power they were after, tantalizing as it may be. All they wanted was their parent's safe and the king removed from power. While infinite strength for themselves could achieve that it could also turn them into what they hated. Maybe a small boost here and there wouldn't be too bad, but abusing the ability would only end up badly for those involved. Shame too, Kabocha figured he'd make a great Super Saiyan. Maybe some day, on his own merit.

Takeshi was obviously glad Shu was okay, having been a panicked mess over his sibling. Watching in delight as he sat up he was taken aback a little when he was abruptly hugged. It didn't help that the wound on his shoulder and legs were irritated either, biting back a wince as he let Shu do his thing. Breathing a sigh of relief once released he smiled contently, lifting his hand to rub at his wound. Paralysis wasn't going to set in then, and Shu wasn't bound to be bed ridden for the rest of his life. There was no way a kid like him would ever survive such a fate, it was worse than being dead. The sheer degree of gratitude that the Saiyan held towards T'charrl was insurmountable, he had to find a way to pay him back. Yumi was on the same page, and instantly volunteered to throw a banquet of sorts in the Kaesstrian's honor. Now that was a plan that he could get behind. Watching amused as Vegeta was grabbed up and Yumi went to the twins, gesturing for them to join her, and Kabocha as well. That little ensemble would be the ones preparing the meal, he mused, shaking his head. Kabocha cooking? Maybe he would pass it up.

Redirecting his focus unto T'charrl once again the older boy frowned a bit. He didn't think his wounds were that important, they certainly weren't life threatening. Inconvenient yes, but not that bad in regards to the others. When the Prince made his case on the matter though he was hard pressed to say no, not wanting to deny him feeling at ease. Smiling politely instead then Takeshi gave a curt nod, easing his arms down to grab at the hem of his shirt. Wincing as he lifted it up and over his head he set it in the grass to his side, exhaling as he slowly brought his shoulder down, resisting the urge to rub at it to ease the discomfort. Maybe it would be nice to have them healed.

"Sure thing, if you really want to. Though I don't know whose energy you're going to use..." Takeshi pointed out, referring to all the others having left. "And... I'll interrogate the guy, sure. I want to know what his reason for all this was. As for the others," he paused, gesturing over his shoulder with his thumb. "They're going to be okay for at least another day. The sooner the better, but I'm trying to say don't rush yourself. You've already done a lot for us, so don't feel like you owe us any more, okay?"

"T'charrl's only acting in the best interest of his friends." Eslaria pointed out, smiling as she joined the rest of the group. Reaching down she placed a claw on his head, giving it a gentle rubbing. "But he is right, my Prince. There is no need to over extend yourself, as much as you may want to help. Let things come as they may, don't try to do it all at once. You matter just as much as they do, so don't neglect yourself for their sake, none of us want that."

Far From Home

Everyone was having a tough time coping with what had happened. There had been deaths in the game prior to this to be sure, but never before had it hit so close to home. Of all the people to have been claimed by this game how in the hell was Yari one of them? She was easily the best of them all, and arguably the glue that kept them all together. If she didn't survive the game then how were any of them now supposed to? This was the grim new reality that Suto found himself trapped in, like it or not. No sheer degree of optimism was going to help this out, and certainly no amount of indulgent spending or partying. One of his lifelong friends was now gone, both in the game and in the real world. The pain hadn't quite set in initially, yet now he could feel the weight of the catastrophe bearing down on him. That was it then, they were all dead. If the best among them couldn't make the cut then the rest of them were out of luck. It was only a matter of time until they met the same fate, shattered into dozens of pixels and that was that. If they ever did make it home they'd never get to attend Yari's funeral either, only futher adding salt to the wounds. Finding the drive and desire to push on now was impossible, what was the point? They might as well sit in this city and either let others try, or waste away in the game. For the first time since this debacle began Suto now felt an earnest, overbearing sense of dread.

A shuffling on the bed drew Suto's attention elsewhere, surprised to see that Fitch was finally rousing from his sleep. He'd been out ever since they had finished the fight, so seeing him come around was a small relief. What didn't help was the fact he appeared utterly devastated, understandably so. Every one of them was affected by Yari's death. Hell, players who didn't know her personally were grieving, as she had been amongst the best of the Clearers. It was a blow to the entire player base, and arguably they had lost one of their best chances of escaping. Grief was something Suto could certainly understand. What he wasn't sure of was why Fitch was opting to leave just after coming around. There was nothing out there for them, not right now anyways. The best thing to do was stay together and try to cope, yet their friend had different plans. Moving to stop Fitch, Suto stopped himself instead as Nero halted the other boy, trying to keep him at bay. When Nero's words fell on deaf ears and Fitch left regardless the atmosphere in the room became noticeably heavier as a result. Again, everyone felt the pain, but Fitch seemed just outright torn to shreds over it. There was no denying that he and Yari had been very close, they were basically brother and sister. Whereas Suto considered her really a good friend he recognized there was something more between the other two. They trusted one another without fail, and held some deeper bond than he had with either. In truth he was a bit jealous of that, but they always welcomed him, so he certainly didn't resent them for it.

Luna watched Fitch walk out, not able to move herself any let alone try to restrain him. Seeing him disappear into the hall she let out a lengthy and shaky sigh, drawing her knees up to her chest and wrapping her arms around them. Yari... Why did you have to die...? she asked herself, shaking her head. Her eyes began to sting again with tears, and in spite of her best efforts her cheeks soon became damp. Ashamed for breaking down like that she hid her face in her knees, though the sniffling and faint whimpers she emitted were not so easily concealed. Yari had been the first person ever to befriend Luna, and indeed one of the very, very few who she could unwind around and enjoy herself a little. Now that outlet was gone, and her best friend stolen from her. The others were present of course, but not a single one of them had nearly been as welcoming or as supportive of her, not openly. Letting out a chocked sob she wiped her eyes into the cloth of her pants, tensing a little when she felt a hand on her back. Glancing up tearfully she looked to Suto confused, seeing the sympathetic smile he wore for her. Normally she'd hate that look, but right now with her heart breaking she welcomed his comfort, hiding her eyes again and letting herself cry, all while he intermittently patted her back. If Yari was gone then who was to say the others wouldn't follow? Fitch, Kenshin, Alphard, even Suto... She didn't want anyone else to die.

"Why... Why did she have to die?" Luna asked, lifting her head and looking between everyone, her eyes a little red. "She shouldn't have died... It wasn't fair..."

No, it wasn't. Then again, this whole game wasn't, Suto reflected bitterly. They were all pawns in Akihiko Kayaba's sick death game, just pieces for his amusement. Whether they lived or died was a trivial matter to him, he was convinced the GM didn't care. As long as he had fun their fate's, their emotions, their wants and desires were null and void. What an idiot he had been then, hiding behind extravagant events to try and hide the truth. The only one he had been lying to this whole time was himself, and now faced with the reality he was furious. It was there all along, staring him in the face, but every time he'd turned a shoulder in defiance. That wouldn't work this time, it certainly wasn't going to change anything. Suto really didn't know how to feel, whether to be angry or depressed. Ultimately he found himself in some culmination of the two, yet he still tried to reach out to help his other friends. Fitch might be beyond his help at the moment, but Luna wasn't. Nor was Kenshin, or Nero, or even Yuna or Alphard. Fitch might be okay with solitude, but he'd remain with the others and try to help them however he could. And whenever his other friend decided to come back around then he'd be there too.

Someone had come to the door after a few moments, and Suto was foolish enough to think it might be Fitch. The voice however was discernibly female, and not very old either at that. The girl could have very well walked on by and kept going, but for whatever reason she felt it necessary to intrude on them and even chastise them for having their door open. It wasn't really that rude of a comment, more of a matter of fact remark. It managed to trigger something in Suto though, and instantly made him irritable. Frowning to himself he drew his hand back from Luna, pushing himself up from the edge of the bed and walking over to the door. Pushing it open and narrowly missing the girl in the process he looked down at her, managing a tight lipped smile.

"You know most people have the decency not to eavesdrop and just keep walking... Right?" Suto retorted, stepping into the doorway to block the girl out. "Do you want something? Because if you didn't notice we're kind of trying to be alone right now, if that's okay with you."