GambolMuse

Return of a Princess (Nydie & Vena)

Tora wasn't sure what to expect today to bring. As students began to come into the classroom he noticed a distinct lack of Jocelyn and couldn't help but feel disappointed by that fact. She had seem awfully cross with him last night, had he really done enough to warrant skipping school? That was a shame, it meant Chemistry was going to be utterly miserable. It also meant of course that his keeping an eye on her was going to become that much more difficult, and he might need to pass on school himself for the day. Before he got even the chance to rise from his chair the Princess finally let herself in, just barely beating the bell and the arrival of the teacher. Tora was quick to greet her, both in a patronizing and slightly earnest fashion as he waved her over to their shared table. Upon closer inspection he noticed how exhausted Jocelyn looked, unable to hide the frown that tugged on his features. She didn't look at all like she had gotten rest that night, or if she had it had been terribly poor. For the life of him he couldn't guess what might of caused it, yet that didn't keep him from being concerned. If the Princess was dead on her feet when he took her home he'd get chewed out, that wasn't any good.

"Wait... You're apologizing? To ME?" Tora's frown quickly inverted into a wide grin, quite amused by the change of pace. That had certainly come out of left field, he hadn't expected to hear those words from Jocelyn at all. To think it was over how she had behaved last night too, how silly. It hadn't quite bothered him, honestly it had been amusing if anything. If she felt the need to make amends though he wasn't going to rain on her parade. "Well, apology accepted, just don't let it happen again." Excellent, he had some ammunition for annoying her before the class even began. Of course he was going to pull his punches now, both in part to their relation and also because Jocelyn looked like she might topple over any second. Tora hoped she could keep up today, and if not he'd try to get her to go home and rest, one way or another. Smirking with some hint of self satisfaction Tora leaned over and fished out his book and notebook, figuring he'd at least feign interest in what the instructor was talking about. The chance to goof off with Jocelyn greatly overruled the class, even if it might be something he could find interesting. Dropping both onto the flat surface he folded his arms over them, waiting for the lesson to begin.

Unlike yesterday where they had undergone a simple experiment today was going to be simple notes and discussion. There could literally not be a worse scenario, Tora mused, barely suppressing a groan of boredom. He couldn't care less what the atomic number of salt was, or how many molecules of such and such were in magnesium. He knew a lot of that already, and the rest was just arbitrary and would never be used. Not unless you were one of those book geeks who loved spurting out random information just to seem smart, they ate up this information. While the teacher prattled on Tora rested an elbow on the table, his head laying idly across his palm as he scribbled in his notebook. Which one are you, teach? he wondered, smiling as he glanced up at the instructor. Probably the book geek, he looked the type to be overly fond of stupid little facts. Seriously, what was the practical application of all of this? He didn't mind learning so long as there was a clear purpose behind all of it, this matter just seemed like nonsense.

"Pssst... Jocelyn. Jocelyn?" Tora looked over at his classmate, giving her shoulder a prodding as she was dozing off. "Come on, don't leave me alone here, I'm going to go insane. Wake up will you?" No way was he going to sit through class and actually participate, this was way too dull to take part in. Smiling mischievously he moved his hand down a little, prodding at the Princess' thigh with his finger and whispering to her, "Or are you dreaming about me? I mean if you are then by all means, sleep. But I think the teacher is gonna get pissy if he sees you dozing off like this, fair warning."

Dragon Ball: Legacy (Mogtaki and Vena Sera)

"Well you like me, don't you?" Yumi teased, resisting the urge to stick out her tongue. "So you do like some people!" Might as well have some fun before they got going, psyche herself up a little. Viral was prompt to initiate the fight, jumping right in quite literally and throwing a series of punches. She was quick to begin blocking, pleasantly surprised to find she was having to try just to keep up with him. The healing in the tank had definitely helped, this was more of what she'd expect out of him. Making use of her new speed the Beastman managed to duck under a strong left hook, trying to trip up her friend and capitalize on his unsteady feet with some punches of her own. Even with the little surprise on her part she couldn't get anything in edgewise, every hit being blocked and her own punches met by Viral's. This was wonderful, it was fair evident that they were going to be at this for a little while if this was how things were going to go. Just as well, she had a ton of energy to burn.

As bone met bone and their fists collided Yumi gritted her teeth, the force of the hit being pretty darn strong. Seeing a second fist flying in at her she had to take a quick step back, narrowly avoid being clocked in the side of the head as the tip of one of Viral's knuckles barely brushed the tip of her nose. Blinking in surprise she was made then to back away constantly, ducking or pushing away incoming hits that threatened to nail her. Yep, definitely feeling better, no doubt about it. Pushing aside a fist as it raced in she was caught off guard by another, craning her head just enough to avoid taking it in the jaw, but not enough to dodge it as her shoulder was struck, spinning her around on her feet. While turned around another fist clipped her in the back, knocking her forward and off her feet. Managing to catch herself with her hands as she fell Yumi pushed herself up, turning around in mid air and smiling down at Viral excitedly. Using some Ki to push herself down to the ground swiftly she then lunged forward, answering once more with a flurry of punches of her own, hoping to get in a luck hit herself.

As it had become abundantly clear Shu was in no real danger Takeshi allowed himself to relax some. Already laid back in the grass with his feet dangling over the edge the Saiyan watched clouds roll by, taking as much time as he could to just enjoy himself. They really should keep looking around instead of playing with some animal, but everything seemed just so distant right now that he couldn't be bothered. At T'charrl's request he closed his eyes, trying to fade everything else out and focus in on the Kaesstrian to see if there was any sort of energy. "Well... Something is definitely there, I can tell that much. It kind of feels like Ki, but it's... Different at the same time. Similar enough that its familiar but still alien." Curious, maybe there were different kinds of Ki. Albeit with all the knowledge that their predecessors had, not to mention the other Saiyans that were around now he'd think that there would be some knowledge of that if it were the case. With Kaesstra never having been touched before it was possible though, Takeshi reflected, figuring now it may well be the case that there was a second form of the universal energy.

Pushing himself up into a sitting position Takeshi pulled in his legs, sitting cross-legged as he looked out over the plains below. "I'd bet we can give you the same kind of training that we use, yeah. I mean if it's the same sort of energy then I don't see why it wouldn't work. You wouldn't really need to learn to fly, seeing as you've got wings, but energy attacks could be handy." Flight by Ki would be a little redundant, and Ki blasts could be dangerous if not trained, Shu was a testament to that. Even so, if T'charrl wanted to learn then they'd teach him. Turning his head and smiling Takeshi reached over, giving his friend's shoulder a small, light punch before looking away again. "You won't lose yourself if you don't let it happen. Just got to always remember you're in control, and nothing's going to change that. Of course... Easy for me to say, but when I used to turn into an Oozaru it wasn't that simple. But worth trying to live that way. Just do your best and it'll pay off, gotta be optimistic right?"

This was a very unexpected yet pleasant turn of events. Whereas a meal might have been an hour off the creature was now enjoying a delightful meal of berries, with a new friend it seemed like. He didn't know where the alien had come from, or what it's purpose was, yet at the moment it hardly cared about those things. All it knew was there was a meal in front of it and it was hungry. After nibbling on a few berries the animal opted to share, hoping its new companion might like the fruit as well. Judging by how quickly he ate it and the smile Shu did indeed enjoy it, that was nice. They could sit here for as long as they'd like to gorge themselves, so long as his parents didn't return and scold him for eating too much. Hopefully this alien could keep it safe, as normally it didn't leave the den on its own. While nibbling away on the fruits and offering the Saiyan one now and again the creature caught trace of a familiar scent on the wind, immediately making it stop what it was doing. Turning its head towards the grass it watched as some of the taller blades parted signaling an approach, squeaking excitedly and getting to its feet. Setting down the berries where it had sat it waddled to the edge of the safety of the cliff, squeaking excitedly as two larger members of his race emerged, his parents.

The mother and father really didn't quite know what to make of the scene they had returned to. Noting a strange scent near their child they had come back quickly, fearing a predator had attacked their home. What they found left them confused, seeing Shu sitting there near the entrance with some berries in front of him. As the former gathered her son in her hold the father moved forward, getting on his hind legs and growling throatily. Whoever this was could potentially be dangerous, and he was dangerously close to their home. "You... Who you...?" he growled, narrowing his eyes as he stared down the Saiyan. On his hind legs he came perhaps to Shu's stomach, but he was fair bulky and it was clear his claws were pretty sharp. "Our home... My child. What do you want?"

Dragon Ball: Legacy (Mogtaki and Vena Sera)

"Well yeah, how else would I throw a fight? I'd be a punching bag more or less. Though I don't plan on letting that happen." Nope, if Viral was really wanting to train then she was going to make him work for it. Presumably she was faster now than before, and what better time to test it out then now. Bouncing slightly on her left foot she drew up her hands, balling them into fists and throwing a few punches to loosen herself up. Vegeta certainly wouldn't be ecstatic if she returned black and blue, and no doubt neither would Choi. The way that her friend spoke the Saiyans name though made Yumi feel uneasy, frowning as she stood flat on her feet, lowering her arms slightly. "You really don't like him... Do you?" she asked, feeling a bit worried. She had been concerned how this might be taken, with Viral's rejection of the idea being a worst case scenario, and that's what had happened. Well that was terrible, she hadn't wanted to upset him at all. The only quick fix for that problem was to break up with the boy she had only just began dating, and she wasn't very keen on hurting him either. So how was she to find a happy medium?

Viral wasn't going to be holding back, that was good. It meant at least he was seeing this as worthwhile and putting forth the effort to do it. "Trust me, I won't be." Yumi replied, smirking as she prepared herself again. Once in her stance the Beastman initiated the spar, leaping in and throwing a few strong punches almost immediately to kick things off. Watching his paws' movements she blocked the first, then the second, and the third. Keeping up with him was relatively easy, though he still hit like a runaway train. Her palms were absorbing most of the hits, becoming a little red from the constant impacts as she blocked each attack. With the punches coming down she began to backpedal slowly, also using her forearms to block the occasional hit. On the final punch she ducked under him, dropping to a crouch and putting a hand to her side on the dirt, and swinging her right leg forward she tried to sweep Viral's feet out from under him or at least get him to back off so she could get her own attacks going. Either way once she had gone through the motion she planned on getting to her feet, going after Viral with her own punches.

Takeshi stopped once they had reached the edge of the cliff, a bit confused as to where Shu had gotten to. Kneeling down at the edge he leaned over, peeking down to spot his brother and some creature he could hardly make out emerging from a tunnel below. Relieved his sibling was okay the Saiyan plopped onto his backside, hanging his legs over the edge with a faint smile. At T'charrl's behest the older boy glanced over his shoulder, shrugging before patting the spot beside him, looking down once again. "I don't see why not, though Ki is tricky to teach someone. I mean you've got to have it to start with, then you need to learn how to recognize it. And the thing with Ki is everything has its own little signature, its own feel. So even once you learn how to recognize Ki you'd need to learn everyone's just to have any clue who you were tracking." With a smile Takeshi laid back onto the grass, arms splayed out to either side as he stared up at the sky. "But I'd be happy to teach you, as long as you're okay with the fact it might take you a while to get."

The promise of fruit being near at hand had him delighted, and the creature could hardly contain his excitement. There was the small predicament of being unable to reach the food, yet that was easily enough remedied with the alien's help. Young though it may be even the critter could figure out that the taller being was its means of getting the fruit, and sure enough with some simple pleading soon it was being handed a few of the berries. Taking as many as it could hold in its paws the creature sat down on the grass, and with a cheerful squeak began to nibble away quickly at the fruit. Its small snout became caked in a gooey purple substance as it munched through the berries, quickly going through its little meal. After the third or so berry the creature paused, looking up at Shu curiously for a second. Perhaps the alien was hungry too? Wrinkling its nose and licking some goo from its snout the armadillo grabbed a berry, holding it up for the alien to take if he so chose to. Fair was fair after all.

Dragon Ball: Legacy (Mogtaki and Vena Sera)

"I suppose I don't know after all, I'm just trying to offer some insight," Yumi replied, lifting her shoulders in a shrug. "I just want to make it clear that no matter what did happen there we're here to undo it and make things right, no matter what it takes. I know I say it a lot, but it's just because that doesn't seem to have driven home yet. We're always going to be here to help, I promise that." It was a redundant message at this point, yet that didn't diminish the sincerity of it. As Viral walked along once more so did she, smiling as she folded her hands behind her back. With that little episode behind them now perhaps they could get back to doing something positive, something that they could perhaps lighten the Beastman's mood with. As delicate as things were it would have to be something he enjoyed, something that almost could not fail. And Yumi was fair certain she knew what that something was. But first she had to drive a point home about not fighting with their friends, something that Viral was awfully quick to brush off.

"Oh, I wouldn't hit you? You'd be surprised." Yumi mused, her lips pulling into a devious smirk. "We can train if you think I won't hit you then, though I don't know how exciting it would be like that." She'd be a punching bag for him more or less, that hardly sounded exciting. Baiting him with the promise of a spar she was a little surprised he did in fact agree, unable to hide the grin of delight. "Great! And I won't hold back unless there's good reason to. After all I haven't seen what I can do myself yet, so I'm curious." Eager to test her own strength she gave Viral's nose a playful tap, walking back a few meters to put space between them. This was going to be fun, as this time she fully intended to treat this like a proper fight. Albeit she wasn't going to seriously try injuring her friend, but it wasn't going to be all jokes and hugs this time around. Figuring she'd show a little respect before starting she balled one hand into a fist, clasping her other over it and bowing down politely before assuming a ready stance. "I'm excited to see what my teacher can do, so whenever you're ready let's get this started."

Wherever Shu was heading off to it was a fair ways away from where he had fallen in. Takeshi couldn't figure out for the life of him how his brother was getting around down there, with the absence of light and all. It had to be that little thing he was crawling about with, curious that it was taking him somewhere else. If it happened to turn violent by some chance he was confident Shu would be okay, though not being able to see or help was distressing nonetheless. So busy was he in tracking his sibling the Saiyan hardly heard T'charrl, not taking his eyes from the ground as he spoke. "Huh? Pheromones...? Nah, it's more like... Well it's complicated. I can feel other people's Ki, or energy. I guess its like how you can sense animals, or the planet that you're on, but for me its people. Most of the time we block it out, because otherwise we'd be overwhelmed. But you can focus on a single person and track them, and that's what I'm doing."

The creature was near jittery with excitement as it emerged from the cave, taking a second to let its eyes adjust. Even in the shade of the cliff above it was fair bright out, and pleasantly cool with a nice breeze rippling through the plains around them. Seeing the bush it immediately rushed over, sitting at the base before getting up on its hind legs, reaching for the berries on the plant. Due to its tiny size the fruit was well out of reach however, and the animal showed its disappointment with a soft whimper. Lowering its claws slightly he turned his head to Shu, trying to relay it wanted the fruit, reaching up once again. The fruits themselves looked a lot like blackberries, though their flavor was curiously more akin to something like tangerine, fair citrus and juicy. Trying to jump a little bit for the food the animal quickly fell down, awkwardly landing and falling on its back before rolling over, glancing at the bush then Shu hopefully again.

Dragon Ball: Legacy (Mogtaki and Vena Sera)

"I doubt you're a sleeper agent. I mean the only control he had on you was that collar, and that's gone. Your chip is gone, which means that won't do anything either." Frowning in realization Yumi lifted a hand and felt the skin along the back of her neck, her fingertips grazing a faint scar where her own chip had been inserted. They had still yet to remove it, a rather large oversight considering what it could cause them. In lieu of trying to help Viral she had utterly forgotten her own problems, and this was certainly something that needed to be sorted out soon. Not wanting to bring it up now however she looked again to her friend, managing a small smile for him. "And look at it this way. This is the you we knew well before the Saiyans ever happened. You're a bit more sad now as of late, but the way you act is the same. So any idea of those jerks altering you isn't true, because they didn't. You're still you Viral, they didn't change you. And once we find out how to cheer you up you'll realize that." The damage they had done wouldn't disappear, there was the mental and emotional aspect, both of which were causing him grief right now. But given time, and hopefully a nice trip to Earth, and he'd be as good as new.

A fungus was perhaps the most creative theory that anyone had suggested thus far for the creature. Then again it didn't seem too likely, what kind of fungus moved around and could be called a monster? Space had some pretty strange things after all, but that was really pushing the boundaries. The idea of punching Vegeta made Yumi roll her eyes, and she walked over to Viral and stuck a finger in his face, looking at him sternly yet suppressing a smile. "Hey now, no hitting our friends. I'll hit you back, and trust me mister I've been bottling up a lot of aggression as of late. Now that you're beginning to heal I'm sure you can take a punch or two anyways." In fact that just may well be their answer to pass the time, now that she mused it over. If he was indeed better, physically anyways, then surely he could handle an innocent sparring session with her? "We can train a little if you want, now that we've got time and the space to do so. No funny business like last time, I promise. Feel up to a little tussle?"

Takeshi sat back onto his backside, letting out a soft groan hearing Shu call up to them. "Okay...! Just be sure to call us with your scouter if anything happens!" he shouted back, looking at the hole before rubbing his head. Rising back up onto his feet he debated on trying to fit down the pit one more time, thinking better of it and instead turning to face T'charrl. "Well he's off on a little adventure, with goodness knows what he found down there. I can follow his Ki signature, mind tagging along in case we run into something nasty?" It didn't seem likely they were going to find any sort of real enemy here, as he'd figured they would have drawn more than enough attention to be attacked at this point. His brother wouldn't be too difficult to find at least, nothing on this world made reading energy funny like it had on Kaesstra. Looking down at the dirt beneath their feet he could almost 'see' Shu moving along, wondering just where in the world he was going. Confused he began to follow his movements, walking slowly across to see just where they were off to.

The creature glanced over its shoulder to see if the alien was following, happy to find he indeed was. This one could find it food, and then it wouldn't feel hungry. Perhaps it could even play with him, if the alien was truly friendly enough. With no sisters or brothers it often had to play with a parent or alone, and with both of them now busy hunting for the tribe it had to play by itself. The idea of a playmate then was an elating one, it couldn't wait. Into the fairly wide tunnel it went, scraping along the hardened ground below. The path they were taking extended for quite a few dozen meters, and by the end of it all they would be let out into the fields below. At the base of the plateaus, hidden in the shade were a few bushes which grew fruits, and instinct alone told the critter that they were ready to be eaten this time of year. The notion of a meal excited it, and with a few squeaks it began to hurry along at a quicker pace, giddy now.

Until the End (Scout and Vena Sera)

Hanta cringed as Komada lashed out at him, not at all expecting her reaction. He could understand fright and numbness even, but anger had him confounded. Being called by his actual name had him worried, he'd not been addressed as such for a little while now. Desperately wanting to offer some kind of reassurance but finding a lack of words he could only frown, looking on a little helplessly. Truth be told her words hurt him quite a bit, he'd only tried to help her. Not that he expected praise for his deed, or even thanks, but this kind of behavior was utterly unwarranted. Scarcely having the heart to speak that thought Hanta got up to his feet, smiling sadly before he rose to his feet as well. Anytime before had Lily come by and intervened he would have spoken out against her, but this time he allowed the girl to take his friend away. Clearly he'd done something wrong, albeit what that was didn't register just yet. It was probably in both their best interests that they spend a little time apart then.

While separating had seemed like a good idea at first it quickly became a lousy one. Hanta couldn't sit still for the duration of it all, and having Lily as company didn't exactly calm his nerves. Komada was angry, possibly angry with him, and he wanted to know why. If he had to be yelled at then let it happen already, or if he was going to be punished in some other way then so be it. Not knowing and having his lone friend in this place glowering at him during their last exchange didn't sit well with him at all. So when it finally came time to see Komada again there were mixed feelings, both uncertainty and a little bit of hope. If he could get things straightened out then everything would go back to normal, and he and Komada could relax and enjoy themselves. Otherwise, should she stay mad at him, Hanta very much feared solitary in his stay here in Aincrad. Being led to the twins' room he took a seat on one of the beds, secretly dismayed that Lily still persisted to remain with him. At last however Komada was brought in with Hana as her escort, not looking any the more happy for what had happened.

"I know it wasn't safe for her... It's why I wanted to be in her group and keep an eye on her..." Hanta said lamely, looking down at his folded hands in his lap. "But they put me in the forward wave, and look what happened because of that..." Right now he felt responsible for her distress and anger, and most likely rightly so.

"You two shouldn't be doing this though, you're friends!" Hana interjected, frowning as she balled up her hands upon her chest. Looking at Komada she pivoted herself, leaning close and staring at her with big, pleading eyes. "Whatever he did I know he's sorry, just look at him! And he tried to keep you safe! Can't you just forgive him and be happy you're okay? Isn't that enough?"

"Hana... Please, don't. If she's angry with me then she has a good reason, don't try to dissuade her..." Letting out a soft sigh he ran one hand through his hair, finally lifting his head to give Komada a curious gaze. "Can you please just tell me what I did so I can make it right? I really don't understand what's wrong, and I can't help if I don't know."

Legend of Zelda: The Templar Crusade

Caelan only lowered his ice shield once the arrows stopped flying, but it seemed work was far from over. There was a slight lull in battle as the explosions rocked the bridge, making him cringe and cover his ears from the loud sounds that resulted from it all. After they had stopped did he finally survey the area around them, and he was relieved to see the Templars in disarray. So the bombs had done the trick, they could feasibly get out of here now. However they still had some length of bridge to cross, and not all of the enemy were done in by the explosions. Indeed a few archers remained, and troops had managed to get on their side of the bridge by sheer luck alone. With everyone collecting themselves and getting together again the mage hurried himself along, going to join Demoko as he was asked. For whatever reason he was being told to cover their retreat, a feat that he did not hold much hope for himself in accomplishing. Now wasn't the time to doubt himself or question his skills, he had to have faith in himself. Of course this was easier said than done with a good many armed men baring down on them.

Nayrin took the incentive to initiate an attack, and he watched as the Sheikah vanished. She must be distracting the enemy as they were soon looking among themselves and swiping at the air in hopes of striking down their invisible foe. Taking the moment to attack he drew a fair good amount of water from his pouch again, and with a throwing motion soaked a good bit of the bridge in water. Extending his arms straight out and flattening his hands he then closed them into fists, causing the water to instantly freeze. Making his arms rise then spires of ice shot up from the ground, impaling a few of the soldiers whose reaction times couldn't possibly save them. Throwing a look over his shoulder at the gradually retreating cart he turned back just in time to see a halberd coming down at him. In a panicked move he threw more water, using the force of it to throw himself away while getting a small slice on his forearm in the escape. With swiping motion he smacked the Templar in the side with a torrent, sending him toppling over the side of the bridge in one fell swoop. Slowly he was working his way back, backpedaling and just trying to keep their attackers from catching up, also hoping that Nayrin would show herself so he could comfortably attack.

Far From Home

Whatever they might encounter on Floor 26 couldn't possibly amount to anything that Floor 25 had dealt them. It would be some time yet until they approached the dungeon however, let alone take on the boss. The ripples from the last boss still weighed heavily on the Clearers, no one was quite ready to undertake another battle just yet, even if it might be easier. That didn't wholly stop anyone from training however, and within the following day players were out and about once more, making headway into the yet explored fields and wilderness to train themselves. The medieval setting of the floor had many people joking about old European myths and legends, many wondering if they might encounter fiends of lore while here. A little disappointing perhaps then was it that creatures encountered were the standard cut and paste MMO variety, with small tweaks made to serve their placement in the game. This was only just beyond the city of Tarbinal however, there was undoubtedly more variety, and danger, the further one traveled from the center. Sooner or later the player was bound to move further out, without a doubt, but that was going to be a fair long time coming at the current.

"Wait... We're killing a dragon?" Suto asked, blinking in surprise.

"It's a safe bet that there will be one, given the setting we're in. But don't expect too much, there may well not be one at all." Luna pointed out, casting a glance over to her partner. "You're not getting cold feet... Are you Suto?"

"What? No! No way, this is my kind of thing. I'm not backing out of the chance for adventure, not by a long shot. Dragons or not I'm coming."

Maybe he was feeling the nerves right now, just a little bit. After all they were on another floor, and with that came stronger creatures. Recent events called for quite a fair amount of trepidation, albeit everyone was doing a fair job of masking it right now. The notion of combating a dragon, whatever lore it was designed from, was certainly a daunting task. No doubt it was going to be akin to a floor boss and therefore quite powerful, meaning this was going to be one hell of a battle. Taking a look around the group Suto mentally marked every person, wondering if they had enough to take this quest on. It called for one to four, so this had to be plenty. They were all pretty strong after all, so it made sense that they'd get through it pretty easily.

"Good, because I need a meat shield in case things get hairy," Luna teased, smirking at the abashed look of her comrade. "And if you plan on sustaining that absurd partying habit of yours then I believe you're going to need this loot. Heaven knows how you're not already in debt to some shady players by now."

The approach to the dungeon was both exciting and terrifying. The area itself was modeled after some catacombs, or at least that was the closest thing Suto could think to label them. As a group they moved inside, determined to trek along in spite of what dangers may await them inside. So long as they kept their wits about them and watched the others backs then they would make it out of here just fine. It took relatively little time at all to reach the innards of the dungeon, and with it the beginning of mob encounters. A few Skeletons clad in tattered plate armor, leather bound Shambling Corpses with bows and the occasional Living Armor, animated sets of plate and chain, were among the foes they had to battle through to get deeper and deeper. With proper switching and carefully timed skills they made short work of even the heaviest of foes, and in record time as it seemed they were already nearing the end. The further in they went however the stronger the opposition became, and their progress slowed ever so slightly. It wasn't overwhelming by any means, but it wasn't as simple as smacking around a bag of bones either. Skeletons and Shambling Corpses were traded in for more Living Armor, and now even some of the quest knights they had been warned about. Compared to the Armor the Knights were pretty tough and certainly took teamwork to deal with them. Nero did a good bulk of the battling, as did Kenshin and Alphard, with Suto and Luna supporting as they did so well. Together the group managed to cut down any opposition, and soon they were stood at the precipice of the last battle, with a dragon no less.

"Jeez, how many of those things did we kill anyways? I think I just got enough Col for the next week off of them alone!"

Being out in the field with something to focus on had turned out to be quite a welcome change for Suto. Now he no longer was focusing on the loss of Mizuki, and as such could enjoy himself a bit. Being carefree then came easier, and so did his bellyaching. The amount of fighting they had done so far was enough to get him a bit tired, even if it wasn't in reality true exhaustion. That always baffled him how it worked out like that. Video games had never drained him like this before, certainly not a virtual one. Then again, video games had never trapped him in an alternate reality either, so it was a safe bet that conventions went out the window as soon as that had happened.

"If we've come this far though then we might as well see it through," Luna replied, taking this moment to look through her own earnings. "Though you're right, this has been a rewarding expedition so far. I can't say I'm disappointed I came along for this." Quite the nice haul so far, and it was bound to only expand once the quest was completed. Taking out one of her throwing knives she ran a finger along the spine, turning it over to look at her own reflection in the metal. "Do we know anything about this monster we're supposed to be fighting?"

Dragon Ball: Legacy (Mogtaki and Vena Sera)

"Well... The real you is talking... Or the part of you that we know better. Because wouldn't the other part be trying to eat me?" Yumi suggested hopefully, trying to help calm things. Viral himself had said his other half would try to devour her, and obviously that wasn't happening right now, meaning he was in control. "And maybe it wasn't that long, I don't really know. After all I've only been around for a short while haven't I? So it's kind of a guess I suppose." Even when he had changed it hadn't been all that difficult to bring him down from that high and get him back to normal. It had been her fault for being hit that caused the change in the first place, and it had been her that Viral had seen and transformed back. That put a terrible weight on her shoulders, it meant she could both cause his pain and stop it, and the latter wasn't proving to be nearly as easy as she might have liked.

Yumi let out a soft sigh as Viral rose, putting her hands on her hips and giving him an incredulous look. "Well of course I'm not going to make fun of you Viral. You're already not happy, I'm not going to kick you when you're down, that would be just plain mean. And besides, you don't deserve it. I've usually got Takeshi or someone to do something stupid that deserve it much more, so you don't have to worry about that." She wanted to contest the idea that there was nothing out here and it was a waste of time, but it was sure looking that way. The direction they were moving into were more or less endless plains, hardly anything worth noting in sight. With a slightly sneaky smirk Yumi turned to Viral, gesturing behind him towards where the ships were. "Well the way I see it we've got two options. We can go back there with the rebels, and Korian, and help them out. Or we can wander around a bit more and see if there's really not anything out here." Given those choices she was sure what Viral was going to choose, and it was what she wanted. A bit underhanded, but being out and about may just do the Beastman some good.

T'charrl had a fair point, Shu flying was probably not the best option. How were they to get him out of the hole then? Blowing it apart was too risky, and neither of them could easily fit down there. Even if Takeshi did manage to get in it wasn't like both he and his brother would fit on the way up anyways. Looking around the area he bit his lip, trying to find something that might give them a hand here. If they just had some kind of rope or something then they could help Shu out of there, but there wasn't a single thing up here that would do the trick. Looking back down the hole at his brother's news Takeshi blinked a bit, surprised that something else was down there. There was a little worry it could be dangerous, yet judging by the Saiyan's tone he wasn't exactly feeling in danger, more curious than anything. Kneeling before the hole he scratched at his head, debating on how to save his sibling. "Just be careful, you don't know what it is yet!"

This strange visitor smelled very strongly of fruit, making the little critter's stomach grumble in response. In its mind it had to have some kind of fruit on it, which meant a meal if this thing was nice enough. Sniffling at Shu for a moment the alien again shirked back when he moved, watching tensely as he crouched down and got closer. Curious still was when it was sniffed, lifting its small head and returning the sniffing in turn at the Saiyan. Again it made some strange noises, not readily recognizing them at all. He... Sounded nice though, if this thing was indeed male. He certainly didn't come across as a threat, even if he was strange. After scratching at itself for a moment it turned around, padding into the darkness for a moment and checking the tunnel that led out of its home. It was larger than the one it used itself, and wider than what this alien had fallen through, seeing as its parents were roughly his size. Squeaking softly to try and get Shu's attention he got up on his hind legs, trying to make the alien follow. Maybe if he helped it get out then the visitor would get him food.

Dragon Ball: Legacy (Mogtaki and Vena Sera)

There had to be some kind of bright side to all of this, something good that came of Viral's changes. It was awfully difficult to be optimistic about something that was so clearly negative, and every lead Yumi tried to chase only ended up making things work. Maybe she would relent then, if only for now, not wanting to push things too much and only upset her friend further. "Well... It's still not an integral part of you. When did you last change, almost a week ago? And before then I bet you hadn't changed with the boys. It's not as big a part of you as you say it is... I don't think so anyways. It's definitely not the dominant part, or the part that makes you who you are. After all, if it was then wouldn't I be talking to your other half right now?" Perhaps it was just easier for him to put stock in his transformations, it was an explanation for his grief she supposed. If that was the case though then she wondered why telling him the contrary wasn't doing any good. This PTSD business was well beyond her, that much was evident the more and more she tried to help it.

"Then you're just a Beastman, how's that? I won't call you an animal, or a creature, and definitely not a monster, because those aren't what you are. You're a Beastman, and your form is a part of being a Beastman." He had said that his alternative form was integral, but Yumi doubted that. Viral certainly had that side of him, she couldn't deny that much, but it was just another part of him, and certainly not a key component. Managing a faint smile at the mention of drooling she giggled lightly, hiding her mouth behind her hand before shaking her head. "I'm sorry... But I imagined you drooling over me, and I know it's serious, but the image I got was funny. Please don't think I'm making fun of you." This would have to do for the time being, they couldn't well keep talking like this an expect to get anything done. Pushing herself up to her feet Yumi dusted off her knees, smiling down at Viral hopefully. "How about we keep going now? Not as monsters, or humans, but as a pair of Beastman? I could use a tutor after all."

Takeshi breathed a slight sigh of relief hearing his brother's response, albeit not being able to see him left some nerves. Shaking his head a little the Saiyan looked back at T'charrl, smiling slightly. "I know, I'm not blaming you for what happened. And I bet he didn't know it was there either." Well now this was a little mess, they had to find a way to get Shu out. He supposed it would be easy enough to blow open the rock and fish Shu out that way. Somehow he figured that wouldn't sit well with the natives if they went about blowing apart the countryside. Seeing no other way then Takeshi turned himself over, easing his feet into the hole to try and get down. He managed to get as far as his torso until his arms stopped him, a bit of an oversight. Feeling very little room to maneuver he pulled himself back up out of the hole, looking at it uncertainly. "Shu? Remember how to fly? You're going to have to fly up out of the hole, we can't get down to you."

The alien kept curled up securely in its ball, very frightened by the sudden intruder in its home. Expecting an attack was imminent it remained where it was, trembling inside its little shell as the seconds passed by. Whatever the visitor was saying it couldn't understand, nor could it even recognize its tone to tell if it was friendly or not. When no attack came the small creature tentatively unrolled itself, looking at Shu through the dark with its small beady eyes. Whatever this new being was it didn't recognize him, he was certainly from somewhere else. And for some reason he smelled quite a bit like fruit. Not knowing it was actually the wash that Shu had used on the ship and thinking it was food the young creature padded over, half-expecting to be fed now. Its parents had been gone for a while now after all, it was more than hungry at this point. In the light Shu would see what resembled an armadillo, and a young one at that. Overcoming its uncertainty at the promise of food the animal stopped when it reached Shu, and a bit unbalanced it got to his feet, grasping at the boy's pantleg to stay upright. With a soft whimpering noise it nuzzled at Shu's leg, hoping to get a piece of what it was smelling.