Saito Kito
Gohan
Master of the Crane School
Cowards die many times before their deaths; the valiant never taste of death but once.
Posts: 455
Base: 133,919
Focus State: 267,838
Phoenix: 1,339,190
Zeni: 877
Items: Kemuri's Sword, Motorcycle, Gravity Chamber (100x), Simulator 2.0, Spacepod
Ally: Sonya - PL:55,998 Full Power: 111,996
Ally 2: Itan Farth - PL:55,998 x3:167,994
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Post by Saito Kito on Dec 24, 2014 18:23:46 GMT -5
The next several months would be intense. Saito had signed up for not one, but two intensive regiments of next level combat training. The Fuhrer was going to help him grow in his swordsmanship, and help him cope with the loss of his all too important eye, and Kami Kaladar was going to build on his Ki control and help him start the journey of learning the lost artifacts of the Crane school. This was all happening very quickly, so fast in fact that Saito had nearly forgotten the most important part in all of this. His school. Though the situation had changed, and his responsibilities heightened, his school had not left. It had been just over three weeks since the battle on the lookout. Which means Saito had been gone for nearly a month. Ethan no doubt had questions, and the man still didn't know how he would answer them. His face was distorted with facial scars, and his eye...how could he possibly begin to explain that. The whole thing felt too overwhelming. The idea of training himself to death was less intense than seeing his brother again. But he couldn't leave the boy hanging. He didn't deserve it. It was time for Kit to make the brave choice and finally return home. It was evening by the time he returned. The hue of the sun had finally set over the sky scrapers, and Saito stood at the entrance to his Dojo.
He noticed the changes immediately. The entire outside had finished its remodel. The walls surrounding it were magnificent, and a small iron gate had been installed. Ethan had been hard at work no doubt, and as the elder brother walked through the gate, the overwhelming floral arrangement brought a brief smile to his face. Due to his scarring he could no longer smile completely. His right side always sagged slightly as the muscles fought against the torn tissue. It no longer hurt, but it would forever remind him of the deformity. When he had left the dojo, the weeds had still overtaken most of the yard. Now however it looked genuinely peaceful. He reached the front door, which had also been fixed, meaning he could go through it rather the side kitchen door. Taking a deep breath, he knew this was it. He pushed open the heavy wooden door and said the only thing he could think of.
"Ethan, i'm back."
He felt foolish yelling that out. As if he had just been out shopping and now returned with groceries. Worse yet the warrior hadn't even obtained what he had set out for. He had left to train with Kaladar and that hadn't even started. His uncomfortable state of mind would ease quickly as the Crane master realized that his brother wasn't home. The Dojo looked remarkable however. The walls were decorated with brilliant classical art. Saito wondered if Ethan had been capable of doing it himself, or if he had contracted the labor. Either way it was breath taking. The floors had been redone completely, and all of the training equipment Saito had ordered was fully installed. The gravity device and simulator were operational in the next room over, and their bedrooms downstairs were no longer dreary and cold. It looked like any other part of the dojo, a fine living quarters. Quick inspection however led Saito to believe that his brother was still sleeping upstairs.
After a few minutes alone in the house Kit decided it was time to get more comfortable. He took off his new leather jacket and placed it carefully on a hook next to the door, another fashionable choice. He removed his boots, feeling terribly that he had walked all over the nice wooden panels with them on. There was a long standing mirror in their Kitchen, and when Kit returned upstairs he immediately saw himself. Even with his black muscle shirt in place the scars of his shoulder could be see around the arm, though only slightly. Most of his chest and back scarring was still covered. The fighter had developed a vein sense of dignity and always looked at himself in the mirror, hoping the scarring had lessened. While Ethan was still away, he needed to check the scars one last time. He removed his shirt, pulling it up over his head causing his chest muscles to flex. He was even larger than he had been when he left. His fight with Popo and Kemuri had done him well in terms of power and physical fitness, but the scars were still very apparent. The large pink distorted circle over his upper right shoulder revealed where Kemuri had shoved his claw into the man's body. On his back, a bright and long discoloration revealed the injury he had first sustained by Kemuri. A quick slash at his flesh that was later cauterized into place. Saito couldn't help but look over at the blade that had done it. Kemuri's Katana, which was still strapped to the back of his jacket, seemed to look back at him. He would tame that blade yet. He stood in the kitchen, staring at himself in the elongated mirror, waiting for something to change. But it wouldn't. It never would.
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Post by Delashano on Dec 26, 2014 1:22:43 GMT -5
It had taken a bit of work but slowly Della found herself becoming more accustomed to the modern Earth, a few weeks out in the world and while the changes were jarring she found that overall the people were still the same, there were good and bad but the feeling they gave in general was very much like it had been back in her time after Seikatsu took the role of Guardian. She had let what she had learned of the past too heavily effect her view of the world rather than seeing what it was like herself. It frustrated her to know that had she not let herself be blinded by her fury and ignorance then in all likelihood things would have gone down wildly differently. While she could not have dealt with Kemuri personally she could have avoided the side fights that had occurred and most importantly avoided Anri's death. Anri was a smart man and the night they had talked it would have been simple to tell him to stand down, even with Anri lacking the ability to feel energy levels a small display of power would have been all that would have been needed to make it clear that siding with Kemuri was no longer worthwhile, and in the worst case scenario she could have dealt with him herself in a non lethal manner. Azazel would perhaps still have been a problem though her knowing that she, Bear, and Anri did not actually stand with Kemuri by them declaring such upon arrival when she was still of a clear mind would perhaps have avoided her wrath being focused on them and instead onto Kemuri and only Kemuri. The actual battle with Kemuri itself would have as well been made far more simple, even if Azazel did choose to not see them as allies then she could have forced Azazel to fight her first, rather than Anri meaning that it would leave Popo, Anri, and Saito. Saito alone had managed to fend off Kemuri despite being immensely below the Hyena's power and while he had ultimately been beaten the addition of even just Popo to the mix would most certainly change the course of the battle immensely. Saito was another reason Della regretted her foolish actions, she did not know the young man very well, only knowing his name by Kaladar making reference to him. He had been very grievously wounded because of her foolishness, because he had been the only one who could even stand a vague change of facing him. She had seen how badly he had been beaten and while a senzu bean could do much it was most certainly not a cure-all, the fact that not long after healing he had gone BACK to fighting Kemuri meant he had only made his injuries worse. But it was that selflessness that had Della poking around Central City today, she wanted to find Saito and look in on him, from what she understood he had departed from the Lookout shortly after Kemuri's death without much of a word and she found that rather troubling. Aside from that she was interested in getting to meet him outside of a battle she had always known the prospective Guardians of her time and it only felt right to do the same with someone who seemed like a rather likely candidate for the position at least in terms of willingness to defend the Earth. Finding Saito now that she was actively looking for him was not especially difficult, the Earth had some reasonably powerful individuals on hand but people like Saito were in an entirely different class, power like that acted like a beacon for her unless they actively sought to hide it and Saito seemed either incapable or uninterested in doing so. A few minutes of flight lead her to what appeared to be an older building as it lacked the 'modern' metal and gray stone touch that most of its neighbors had. So as to not raise any alarms Della kept her power low, lower than even her normal 'restrained' power which left her at a level far closer to 'normal' something that would hopefully not cause any alarm. Floating down to the front door Della found it open already, enough of an invitation to enter for her Della landed and stepped into the building noting a jacket hung by the door and a set of shoes below it Della vanished her own shoes as she walked further into what appeared to be some form of Dojo, a few glances into the rooms as she passed them on her way to where she felt Saito's energy signature confirmed that quite a lot of work had been put into this building and from the looks of it rather recently at that. A few moments of quiet walking eventually lead Della to a kitchen inside which she found the vaguely familiar form of Saito, he stood before a large mirror looking himself over and a quick glance told Della that he appeared to be inspecting the scars that dotted his body, some if not most of which seemed likely to be from the battle with Kemuri, scarring was not something a senzu bean could heal or prevent sadly. Leaning against the frame of the doorway as she watched him for a few moments "Knock knock" Della finally spoke up rapping her knuckles against the door frame to draw Saito's attention, while her reasons for seeking out Saito were at least somewhat 'serious' that did not mean she would not have her fun first, presently her form was decidedly more modern in it's appearance, a mish-mash of traits she had picked up in the time she had been reintroducing herself to the Earth and most importantly wildly different than the form she had taken on the Lookout. That form had been closer to a human version of her 'true' form garbed in armor, her current form was shorter than her normal form by at least a foot with short cropped black hair with a few purple streaks and of course a comfortable set of modern clothing. Della had learned rather quickly that one thing about humanity that it was best to deal with them while appearing as 'normal' as possible. [Della's current appearance]
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Saito Kito
Gohan
Master of the Crane School
Cowards die many times before their deaths; the valiant never taste of death but once.
Posts: 455
Base: 133,919
Focus State: 267,838
Phoenix: 1,339,190
Zeni: 877
Items: Kemuri's Sword, Motorcycle, Gravity Chamber (100x), Simulator 2.0, Spacepod
Ally: Sonya - PL:55,998 Full Power: 111,996
Ally 2: Itan Farth - PL:55,998 x3:167,994
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Post by Saito Kito on Dec 26, 2014 18:04:45 GMT -5
His concentration was broken instantly by the sound of another entering the room. How had he not heard her approach? His body whipped aroun, his arms taking a firm stance at his side. Though at initial glance the girl looked innocent enough, the warrior was constantly on edge. He felt foolish keeping his guard up, even in the presence of a normal human girl. She was actually quite pretty. Her appearance was youthful, too much so for Saito to be physically attracted to her, but he could respect her natural tenderness. Her voice had also been puffy and light, making his stoic look even less justified. He certainly would have lowered his guard for her if he could, but that simply wasn't possible. There was silence for a few moments before Saito finally gathered himself to speak.
"Apologies miss. You startled me. How can I help you?"
The Dojo had an open door policy, so the fact that she had entered without permission wasn't really a problem. He had neighbors come in unannounced all the time. He liked getting to know new people, or at least he did. The longer he stayed away from the dojo the more he began to dislike new encounters. Before new people signified a new adventure, but Saito was just about adventured out. This girl didn't seem like the kind that would bring adventure, though now that his attention was on her he did feel something odd. Ominous even. He knew it was crazy but something about this young lady felt dark. As if Kemuri himself were standing in front of him. Her power was obviously not at that level, hell Saito would have no problem defending himself. Though the feeling couldn't be shaken, and the warrior distinctly felt as though the Hyena and his gang were in the room once more. Thats what it was, it didn't feel exactly like the dog, but rather the energy was similar to what he had felt when the entire entourage had been together.
Do my eyes deceive me?
He thought, realizing that he only had one eye to gaze with. She had not been on the lookout, it was obvious the warrior was just feeling something strange. It wasn't uncommon. He had awoken in the middle of the night swearing the beast was right next to him. The pain of losing his eye occasionally crept up on him even during the most menial of tasks. Why wouldn't he randomly sense him in everyone he meets? Frankly he was surprised this hadn't happened more often. The Fuhrer had told him that a part of being a warrior was dealing with the trauma that often followed. Post Traumatic Stress Disorder was not just for the humans without Ki, Kit was just as susceptible to it, and had likely fallen prey to it.
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Post by Delashano on Dec 26, 2014 23:23:07 GMT -5
It had not taken much to draw Saito's attention and when she had he whipped around like lightning his body sinking into a combat ready stance in the same motion with what appeared to be surprisingly little thought, just pure instinct. While he seemed to realize rather quickly that such action was not necessary due to the nature of the situation his body remained rigid prepared for a fight that even his mind seemed aware would not be coming if his tone was any indication as he appeared completely calm and not even particularly confused by her being here. Considering her assumption that this was some form of Dojo it was possible that it was not uncommon for people to simply walk in to seek training with it's master.
Now that she could get a proper look at Saito's front Della felt her playful grin falter as she got a good look at the extent of the damage Kemuri had done to the young man, she had assumed that it would just be a few scars about his body, marks that would be a reminder of the battle but most likely not overtly damgerous to his well-being, the senzu bean should have dealt with most anything that would have hindered him over an extended period. But then Della saw the eye patch, on the lookout she had seen Saito's eye bleeding but in her rush to make sure he would survive at all had not really given her the time to take in the extent of the damage and so she had assumed it had simply been a wound near the eye, head wounds tended to be rather bloody so the fact that the general area had been running red had not been as much of a worry for her.
Evidently the wound had been far more serious that she had assumed, enough so that a senzu bean could not even fix it. For it to be THAT bad it had to mean that the eye itself had to have been mostly destroyed. While it was certainly unfortunate the fact that he had recieved such a wound and gone BACK into the battle made Saito all the more impressive in her eyes. As they stood for a few moments in silence Saito's expression seemed to shift growing more confused the longer he stared.
"Actually, I think I might be the one who can help you Saito." Della said as she stopped leaning on the frame of the doorway and took a step forward "You never should have had to fight him alone and much of the fault for that rests with me. I was angry with what I had found about the Earth and I let it blind me much like Azazel let her own fury blind her." Della said with a sigh "I had not realized how badly you had been injured fighting him and the only option I saw was the bean. They heal well enough as you are likely now aware but clearly not well enough." As Della spoke her form would begin to shift reshaping to a form that would be slightly more familiar to Saito, she was once again the red haired woman in armor from the Lookout though now with decidedly less armor.
"I wanted to see for myself how you were progressing after the battle, I took care to ensure Popo survived our fight after I realized how childish I was being but I was rather certain Kemuri would not take as much care with you especially considering how much of a run for his money you were giving him despite your difference in power."
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Saito Kito
Gohan
Master of the Crane School
Cowards die many times before their deaths; the valiant never taste of death but once.
Posts: 455
Base: 133,919
Focus State: 267,838
Phoenix: 1,339,190
Zeni: 877
Items: Kemuri's Sword, Motorcycle, Gravity Chamber (100x), Simulator 2.0, Spacepod
Ally: Sonya - PL:55,998 Full Power: 111,996
Ally 2: Itan Farth - PL:55,998 x3:167,994
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Post by Saito Kito on Dec 27, 2014 14:53:00 GMT -5
It didn't take long for the stranger to validate Saito's subconsious concerns. She started with a most ominous response, she could help him...Squinting, Saito watched her carefully, his mood shifting to match his defensive stance. This was no ordinary human as his instincts had first suspected. He should have listened to them to begin with. She spoke with such detail of the fights, of the battles. Her voice feeling familiar and her power screaming of the lookout. This woman, who was she? Her apologetic tone led Kit to believe she was one of the guardians cronies. Had she been absent of the fight? Was she now concerned with honor or rather a lack there of on her part? No, she spoke with to great detail. She had been there. Saito racked his mind trying to remember. He certainly hadn't been paying much attention to the other matches. Facing Kemuri demanded his complete attention and he could have given it nothing less. Carla had fought with Bear, and Azazel with Anri.
Her appearance changed at nearly the same moment his mind connected the pieces. It had been the fiery haired girl. When first Saito laid eyes on her he had thought she was some sort of body guard for the beast Kemuri. He had even debated how he would face her and the beast at once. That however was not the memory that stood forefront in his mind. Nor was it the memory of her angrily arguing with Popo, which he now recalled with clarity. No the memory that had burned into his mind was one he thought hadn't actually happened. She had been the angel, the one to pick him up off the ground, and feed him the gift of life. He had been in too much of a haze to recognize her at the time, but her eyes, her hair, and her vermilion soul were all impossible to mistake. She explained herself with an apologetic demeanor, which only served to confuse Saito further. But as she finished speaking the man chose his actions wisely. His arms fell from there taught rigid form, and clasped heavily against his sides. His hands rested on the side of his waist as his entire back bent forward in a bow. He held the position for a second before actually speaking.
"I remember you, the one they all called Jen. A stranger who stood on opposite sides of the lookout and yet when the time came you..."
She what? She had spared Popo, which although was a fight that was unnecessary to begin with was a sign of true compassion and mercy. She had killed Azazel, which Saito had a hard time faulting her for considering the demon had slain Anri only moments before. The Alien had been on opposing sides, but death was something so final, something that could never be taken back. Anri didn't deserve that. Then again perhaps neither did Azazel. Saito was no saint. He certainly didn't have the answers to what was just and unjust. He knew only of how to obey his own code, and for this he knew what she had done. This woman had saved his life. She had stopped what she was doing, and removed the man from danger. She had defied Kemuri even before he was outmatched and had proven to be a decent being. She had given Saito a second chance.
"You....Thank you"
He wasn't sure how to finish it. You saved my life seemed a little cliche. You were compassionate and kind seemed a bit wordy. No, Saito hadn't the charisma to speak any clearer than that. A true expression of gratitude had been in order, and after thanking the female warrior he rose, his back straightening to an upright position, and his face keeping a stoic lock on hers. Now the question remained of why she was here. If she were out for blood certainly she would get it. Saito had sensed her power reach a height even greater than Kemuri's. She could easily topple anyone planetside with the exception of perhaps the King himself. So what drew her to his dojo?
"Tell me then, why have you sought me out?"
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Post by Delashano on Dec 30, 2014 2:14:59 GMT -5
Watching the process of Saito understanding the situation was rather amusing to say the least the more she spoke the closer he seemed to come to putting the pieces together as the look on his face and the way he shifted his body showed her a glimpse into his thought process, his squinting eyes his more guarded posture he understood she was not simply talking 'out of her ass' and as her transformation began the pieces seemed to fall into place faster and faster for him until finally a look of real understanding dawned upon him just before her change was complete.
He knew who she was but the big question was, did he REALLY know, did he know her merely as the woman who arrived to fight alongside Kemuri, or as the woman who kept him from bleeding out on the Lookout. Furthermore did he CARE. She had made a lot of assumptions on what Saito might be like most of which was based off her experience with the guardians-in-training, he was far more a warrior than most had been. Astos had arrived as a student already versed in combat, though unlike Saito he lacked skill in the physical aspects of fighting, he had very much been a mystic relying totally upon his magical prowess to win a fight. Vitam had been more balanced though unlike Astos he had lacked a true background in combat save for a few brawls with other villagers, in raising Vitam Della had made sure her son would be well prepared for any enemy but still it had not been until he was truly Guardian of Earth that he had seen true conflict.
Already Saito was far beyond both of them as a warrior, to have fought Kemuri as well as he had was proof enough. But would that warrior spirit place him in a similar mindset to Azazel, unwilling to see that someone who arrives as an enemy cannot leave as an ally? Slowly as she continued speaking however Della received her answer, his tense demeanor shifted slowly to confusion and with that faded much of the tension, followed quickly by Saito dropping his aggressive stance. The bow that followed brought a surprised raise of the eyebrow to Della's expression. Saito's confusion was quickly explained, he did in fact remember that she had helped him and for that he appeared both thankful and no longer interested in a fight.
What he wanted to know was why it was that she came looking for him, a fair question certainly especially as he appeared to be unaware that she had not truly been on Kemuri's side. "My name is Delashano, but you can call me Della." She corrected receiving a stifled chuckle from the back of her mind as Jenn made her 'presence' known. 'You have been strangely silent.' 'Just letting you do your thing, I am about as curious as he is.' 'You could just look for the answer yourself.' 'But that is not nearly as fun.' another amused chuckle from Jenn resulted in a brief roll of the eyes from Della as she took a few more steps into the Kitchen taking a brief moment to look it over while not actually answering Saito. "As for why I have sought you out " Della began as she started slowly wandering about the kitchen occasionally poking into the carious cupboards and cabinets to see if she could find anything of interest "Is mainly to see how you are, you were rather badly injured by Kemuri before I gave you that bean and I am rather well acquainted with the fact that they do not heal more grievous wounds perfectly. A fact that I am saddened to see that you too are now acquainted with." Della said from inside one of Saito's cabinets despite the somewhat serious nature of her words Della's tone was now light and friendly as casual as if they were talking about the weather.
"As well I served the Lookout for many years in my time, I tend to make a point of taking a look into prospective Guardians." Della said pulling herself out from within the cabinet with not just a box of cereal but with a bowl and spoon as well, to Della it seemed obvious that Saito was at least in training to potentially become Guardian or serve as a protector to a future Guardian, it never even crossed her mind that Saito could be anything else. "As I am certain you know nothing of me, I served as best I can tell, a similar role to what Mister Popo does for the Guardians of the past, I aided to the best of my knowledge the first five Guardians of Earth. I even raised one of them" Della said her expression softening as her thoughts drifted to Vitam once again. "The events that lead to my arrival on the Lookout on Kemuri's 'side' were... complicated to say the least, suffice it to say I at no point ever intended to actually aid him."
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Saito Kito
Gohan
Master of the Crane School
Cowards die many times before their deaths; the valiant never taste of death but once.
Posts: 455
Base: 133,919
Focus State: 267,838
Phoenix: 1,339,190
Zeni: 877
Items: Kemuri's Sword, Motorcycle, Gravity Chamber (100x), Simulator 2.0, Spacepod
Ally: Sonya - PL:55,998 Full Power: 111,996
Ally 2: Itan Farth - PL:55,998 x3:167,994
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Post by Saito Kito on Dec 30, 2014 22:13:18 GMT -5
Saito was moved by her concern. Now that he had let his guard fade, though still against his natural urge to keep a firm stance, the genie felt compelled to explore his rather large kitchen. This was Saito’s chance to view the Kitchen for the first time as well. When he had left the dojo the Kitchen had not been its own room, and had instead been connected to the living area and training floor. The addition of a gravity chamber and a room based simulator demanded walls, and fortified ones at that. The fact that Ethan was able to continue the building process was impressive enough. Della would find most of the cubboards empty, with only a few clay plates and bowls, as well as several well crafted china for tea. A pitcher hung from the wall over the sink, and Saito decided so long as he had a guest, he would at the very least offer her a beverage. He moved to the sink, taking down the pitcher and beginning to fill it up, listening to the genie introduce herself.
“Apologies, Della it is then.”
He was certain he had heard the others call her Jenn, actually at one point it had been insinuated that this individual may have killed Jenn. Really it was too confusing for Saito to delve into. It was none of his business and he certainly wasn’t interested in gossip or rumors. The man hadn’t the time for it. What he knew for a fact was that this woman had saved his life, and fought with Popo to a satisfactory end. In his eye she was a noble warrior who deserved nothing less than his hospitality. As the cold water filled the pitcher he listened to her explain why she had come, and although he had been listening all along, nothing caught his attention more than hearing himself refered to as a “Prospective Guardian”. He set the pitcher on the counter next to the sink and turned to her. Though she was still exploring the drawers he tried his best to urge her attention.
“Wait a minute I am no…”
She continued. Too focused on her own response to register his. She explained her history with the Guardians of Earth. It made much more sense as to why her and Popo had fought. It also seemed apparent that whatever Kemuri had done to get her on his side was nothing more than a farce. The dog had a way of convincing others to act in his will, or rather forcing them to. The Fuhrer was one of the strongest men he had the honor of knowing, and even he had no choice but to go along with the bastards plans. Whatever Kemuri had done to Della, Saito didn’t find it difficult to believe. He wouldn’t ask for an explanation. The beast had humiliated Saito with permanent scars, and to ask someone else to explain their own entrapments was uncalled for. It was enough for her to state that she at no point intended to aid the monster.
It reminded him all too well of Carla. The poor girl actually was trying to become the guardian of Earth, yet her mind couldn’t comprehend that Bear had truly been a double agent. While Saito didn’t usually condone espionage and trickery, it was clear that in the case of Kemuri it was only to level the playing field. Saito would never pledge false allegiance, but he could hardly judge someone who had. Bear attempted to aid them, but by the end of his combat with Carla proved unable to join Saito in the final assault. Carla too had worn herself out, and if not for Saito would have been killed by her own allies. Her misguided sense of justice had led them to lose an entire group of able bodied fighters. Had all four of them simply turned towards Kemuri, perhaps Saito would still have an eye. Perhaps he could have found the remote sooner. Perhaps Anri would not have needed to face Az and could have been reasoned with. The cowardice of Alex and Carmen, as well as the ignorance of Carla infuriated him even still.
More importantly however, he had to make sure that this rumor that Saito intended to be guardian was snuffed out. This was the first he had heard of it, and there was absolutely no way it was going to happen. Saito wasn’t even sure if he was going to be any good at running a school, let alone a planet. The idea was mind boggling. No, that simply wasn’t an option. Kaladar was old, and wise. The man understood things that Saito in a million years wouldn’t comprehend. How Della had even reached such a conclusion was beyond the warrior. He waited this time until she had finished speaking to respond.
“Had we met a week ago, Della, I would have been an unworthy mess. Truly the last few days have been filled with reflection and acceptance. These scars are reminders of what I fight for, and given time they will only make me stronger…more importantly…I have no intention of taking Kaladar’s place above the Earth. What compels you to believe that?”
The thought had literally never crossed his mind. Saito had been brutalized by Kemuri, and when Kaladar had faced him they appeared evenly matched. How could he ever take the place of someone so powerful? The King had insinuated, though only for a brief moment, that perhaps Saito should enter the public eye as well. Saito quickly shut that down as well, it was unhealthy to be seen by others as a man of authority where authority does not belong. At the crane school he was Master. He knew all of the forms, and soon would know the old way. Running the planet? Being the Guardian? These were absurdities, and clearly meant for someone else. Even if Saito wasn’t sure who.
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Post by Delashano on Jan 2, 2015 20:45:33 GMT -5
It was quite true that Della had not been focused enough on Saito's words to understand what he had tried to say what he first made an attempt at telling her that he was not what she believed him to be, between snatching up some cereal, speaking, and her own thoughts Saito's attempt to speak up went mostly ignored. Now armed with her bowl Della let her attention return to Saito more fully taking in his rather confused expression with a look of amusement as she hopped onto a counter to relax.
As she spoke Della noticed a look on Saito's expression that seemed to indicate he had something important to say and while certainly she could have continued on with little end explaining in greater detail the more confusing aspects of her involvement in the situation on the Lookout Della decided it best to give the young man his chance to talk, a snap of the fingers would summon forth a pillow that Della between Della and the wall allowing her to relax on the kitchen counter in greater comfort as she allowed Saito his chance to speak his mind.
What Saito had to say on the matter was interesting, he had evidently not been in the best of shape after departing from the lookout but had since pushed past that and grown stronger for it if his current attitude was any indication he as well evidently appeared to have come to accept his scars from the battle which likely meant that the offer that she had intended to make would likely be one that he would reject, rather unfortunate but it was of course his choice. What surprised Della however was that Saito seemed genuinely unaware that he might appear to be a logical choice for Guardian. The way he phrased it however seemed... off to her.
"It is not a matter of taking his place, unless Kaladar is immortal he WILL one day need to pass Guardianship on to someone else, Kaladar is old very strong, but old nonetheless. As I understand it he is looking to pass the torch to someone new. To me you seemed the most obvious choice" Della said with a shrug once again acting as if it were something that should be obvious to Saito "You have many of the traits I have come to associate with a Guardian or one training to become Guardian. You are willing to do whatever it takes to defend the Earth from people such as Kemuri even though he was far stronger than you. You had the skill necessary to actually survive such a fight as well and from what I understand it was because of you that the device Kemuri possessed to contain Kaladar and Burradori's power was destroyed. The Guardian need not always be the strongest being on the Earth, it certainly helps but it is not uncommon for the Guardian to be the one that rally's the Earths defenders, giving them the time and means to protect the Earth when the Guardian cannot do so themself. That was exactly what you did Saito, you released two of the Earths most powerful defenders at the expense of yourself." It was difficult for Della to see why she needed to explain this to Saito, was it perhaps that there were other candidates for the role that Saito simple saw as better examples of who should be the next Guardian? That seemed highly unlikely to Della as there had been few others actually on the Lookout to defend the Earth, the only other possibilities were Bear, Carla, and the other two whom she had not actually met. The last two had abandoned the Lookout after a brief battle with Bear and Carla, Bear himself was while not a bad person certainly not Guardian material, and Carla she knew very little about but the girl had not displayed much in the way of Guardian material though perhaps that was more due to the girls youth than anything else.
"I do not believe that the question should be why I believe you could be the one to take Kaladar's place. I believe the question should be why you do not."
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Saito Kito
Gohan
Master of the Crane School
Cowards die many times before their deaths; the valiant never taste of death but once.
Posts: 455
Base: 133,919
Focus State: 267,838
Phoenix: 1,339,190
Zeni: 877
Items: Kemuri's Sword, Motorcycle, Gravity Chamber (100x), Simulator 2.0, Spacepod
Ally: Sonya - PL:55,998 Full Power: 111,996
Ally 2: Itan Farth - PL:55,998 x3:167,994
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Post by Saito Kito on Jan 2, 2015 21:21:39 GMT -5
It was uncommon to say the least that any guest would enter and begin eating his food. Though it had happened once before, it had never been more than a drink, or a piece of fruit from the counter. Saito wasn't concerned with his guest eating a bowl of cereal, though it did strike him as odd. This woman was no average girl. He knew little about Della, though what he had pieced together was enough to know she was anything but ordinary. She had served in place of Popo before his time -which must have been a very long time ago-. Though her body hadn't aged a day past twenty five, if that, the manner in which she spoke, her tone, was that of a sage. Her dialect reminded him of the elder Kaladar and his words. Actually with the exception of his blatant anger and often drunken demeanor, it reminded the warrior of his own father. She was obviously older than she let on, and quite possibly older than Saito imagined possible. He was especially intrigued when she mentioned immortality.
How their conversation had become so diluted he was unsure. He had never once considered himself a candidate for the role of guardian, and even as Della explained her initial query, he still lacked the passion for the job. Certainly he had come to the defense of the lookout, and he even cracked a smile as she recanted the tale. She made him sound so heroic. Flattery aside Saito was young and untrained. Though his conversation with Kaladar had made him realize he was one of the strongest defenders on the planet, his strength was overwhelmed by his ignorance. There was just no way he could see himself in a position of that level. He hadn't known of its existence until a month ago, and he certainly didn't feel like he matched the criteria. Yes he was similar to the traits Della described, but it was clear Kaladar wanted a student he could train over time, from the ground up. He had started with a twelve year old girl. Carla hadn't been strong, or brave, or even particularly helpful in the Earth's greatest moment of need. But Kaladar had chosen to continue training her rather than step out to aid Saito. That decision made it clear that Saito was not what the Kami was looking for. It was nice of him to fulfill his bargain and train him anyway, but it didn't make Saito the next guardian.
"I suppose...It isn't that I can't but rather I wouldn't want to."
He answered honestly, leaning against the kitchen counter and watching his guest eat her breakfast. She had posed an interested proposition that the Crane master had not considered. He could actually do the job as she described it. He was completely certain that running the planet would be difficult, but not above his abilities. Perhaps it was his pride stepping in, but he was already about to undertake the running of a prestigious Martial Arts Academy, and given a few years a natural promotion would be to build another one, and another. If gathering warriors was really the primary job of a Guardian then Saito could do it. As a matter of fact it almost seemed like Kaladar wasn't a particularly good guardian by those standards. Had Saito not happened by how they would have stopped Kemuri was uncertain. Perhaps Della would have been able to combat him, but by the time her fight with Popo was over would Kemuri not have already killed Kaladar, or helped Anri dispatch Az? Too many unknowns, but Saito felt like he played an important role in the fighting and his arrival was an accident, pure luck. Much like Della's change of heart, or Bear's turn from Kemuri. Alex and Carmen hadn't even stayed. Really the guardian only had two protectors, Az and Carla, both of whom went insane with power and neither of which helped with the actual problem.
"I do not desire the position. If gathering warriors is what’s needed I will gladly lend my school. I have no intentions of training mindless sheep like my father did. The students here will be strong. They will not be competitors, but true defenders. If I do not play that role here, who will? No, the Guardian is much more than a social outlet. There is far more that Kaladar does that simply would be beyond my will or understanding. I have no desire to take his place today or any other day. Not every piece on the board can be a King, and for that matter the King requires a number of other pieces to achieve victory. I am proud to be one of those pieces. Perhaps even a Queen"
He said with a chuckle. It sounded silly referring to himself as a queen, and in a different social setting it would have been innuendo. The queen however was notably the most important piece in a chess game. Its ability to move freely and attack from any number of directions made it a deadly enemy. Saito had played much chess in the compound and although it had been some time since he had last set out the board, he had one at the dojo. His analogy actually spurred the urge to play, something he would have to do with Ethan once he returned home...Ethan. His short lived jovial tone would become darker as he remembered that soon the boy would be home, and he would have to explain his absence. Perhaps Della could keep his mind off of it with further conversation. She had already brought him more perspective than he had expected, what else could she have to say?
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Post by Delashano on Jan 5, 2015 18:16:47 GMT -5
It was surprising to say the least to see how incorrect she had been about Saito in regards to his status in relation to the Guardianship of the Earth, in her time it had been exceptionally rare for those training under the Guardian to not also be prospective Guardians themselves, perhaps it was merely a matter of Kaladar having seen in Saito the same thing that she had seen, the incredible potential for a good successor. Whether or not Saito would ever actually decided to pursue the position... that was another story entirely now. Saito spoke up once again giving a more clear explanation on why it was that he had no interest in the position and his reasons were interesting to say the least and even a bit amusing, part of it was that he already seemed aware that the role of Guardian was far more then just protecting the planet with ones fists or by organizing a group of defenders.
"It is true, the role is far more than defense, the Guardian has a duty to oversee and guide the planet, to do his best to keep them on a good path..." Della said with a nod confirming Saito's assumption about the role "But lack of knowledge or understanding of the role is not always such a danger to prevent a Guardian from doing his job well. Long ago before the Earth was without a Guardian and strayed quite far from anything resembling a good path, when someone worthy of the role finally took up the mantle he knew nothing of the duties of the Guardian, he was an ordinary man who wanted nothing more than to see his world become something good, to protect it from the darkness." As Della spoke her expression grew soft once again and the longer she spoke the less focused on Saito she appeared to become appearing to at least for a few moment lose herself in her thoughts.
Shaking her head to clear her mind as Della realized what she was doing she refocused herself returning her full attention to Saito "Sorry if I sound a bit pushy about the idea, I just would not want someone who could do good for this world to hold back because he assumes lack of knowledge or understanding of the workings of the role would be too much a hindrance. But you are right not every piece can be a King... I do wish the King played a more vital role to the game than merely being a condition of loss so I could make some form of witty analogy about needing a proper one." Della said flashing an amused grin. "Now if I heard correctly you said this was your school, correct?" Della questioned though technically Saito had not explicitly stated that this building was his school it seemed the most likely place, it was large and already she had seen numerous areas for training. "It is pleasant to see someone with both power and skill willing to pass on knowledge to those seeking it, it is quite rare to find someone who possess both and equally good to know you seek to teach in a better manner than how you were taught, an open mind is crucial in a fight." Della said with a nod, a mindless fighter would need to rely on power and power alone to get through a proper fight a fight against anyone skilled in reading a fighting style would be a disaster for such a warrior.
"Though, not to push again.." Della said with a grin "But as I imagine you are already aware the Guardian teaches those who seek training. Generally speaking unless things have changed such instruction is limited in number, if memory serves Sei had only three students, Astos had five, six if you include myself though I taught him just as much as he did me, Vitam had only two, and Hazazon had six. But there is no rule against a Guardian being more open in whom they train." Della said with a shrug, most of those who had not been chosen to become the next Guardian but still received training had gone on to do work below on the Earth itself acting as more direct influences on the Earth for the Guardian.
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Saito Kito
Gohan
Master of the Crane School
Cowards die many times before their deaths; the valiant never taste of death but once.
Posts: 455
Base: 133,919
Focus State: 267,838
Phoenix: 1,339,190
Zeni: 877
Items: Kemuri's Sword, Motorcycle, Gravity Chamber (100x), Simulator 2.0, Spacepod
Ally: Sonya - PL:55,998 Full Power: 111,996
Ally 2: Itan Farth - PL:55,998 x3:167,994
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Post by Saito Kito on Jan 5, 2015 22:42:13 GMT -5
What did this woman see that Saito did not? He thought he had explained rather well that being the guardian was just out of the question, and flattering as it was, Saito simply couldn't see it from her point of view. The word Kami was synonymous with God. Kit wasn't certain what Kaladar had done to obtain the position, but it had to be something truly spectacular to be considered a God among men. Frankly the title felt blasphemous, and yet Kaladar was one of the strongest human's alive. He had obviously earned such a title, and even if you put aside his obvious power it was still a question as to who determined he was a guardian of Earth. Was there a God above the Kami that passed such judgement. Yes one Guardian works to choose another, but is he totally and completely in control of the position himself? Religion had never been a topic Saito endured well, and having met both Demon's, a God, and alien creatures, any base opinion he had on the matter was moot.
"I don't believe I could ever see myself as a Kami. Maybe one of his other students will come around."
Fat chance. If he had thought it once, he had thought it a million times. Kaladar had a poor choice in ally. He had chosen Carla as his student, and she immediately -within the same day of learning it- defamed an ancient technique. He had trusted Kemuri, whom to be fair had fooled a great many people in his rebellion. He had allowed Azazel to train on his lookout, and she in turn battle the mercenary, and then Della whom was completely willing it seems to settle for a simple spar. Kaladar was a good man, but his ability to judge others was not very great. Saito was no one to talk in that regard. He too was a poor judge of character. He had almost immediately jumped at the chance to fight Anri simply because he was an Alien. He had believed Alex and Carmen would do the right thing and stay to defend the Earth. He had believed his father for almost three decades and lived in the four walls of the compound. In that regard perhaps he was the perfect fit, he would make the same careless mistakes Kaladar had.
Saito made his way to the cabinets once more, listening to Della finish he explanation about the other guardians. It truly was interesting to hear about them, and even more breath taking was the idea that the young woman at his kitchen table was around centuries ago with other guardians. Saito had already wanted to change the subject, and he legitimately wanted to hear more of what she had to say. Anything he could do to steer her from the current conversation would be good...but what to ask first? She was a demon, perhaps she would know the secreats of the after life...Actually Saito didn't care much about that. He was resigned to living a full life, and dying when the time came...Maybe she would explain what it was like being with the different Kami's...no that was too much like the original conversation...He knew what to ask. Taking out a loaf of sliced bread from the top cabinet and taking it to the counter, Saito changed the subject.
"Della, How is it that you have managed to live for so long? Or rather, why is it that you have only just now appeared in this chaotic time?"
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Post by Delashano on Jan 10, 2015 1:16:38 GMT -5
Della shrugged at Saito's response, she knew little of the other students Kaladar had, in fact other than Saito she knew of none of them as she had not even been completely certain that Saito was one, it had merely been an assumption based on how he had acted and where he had been, if location was an indicator it meant that Carla and the other two who had been on the Lookout might have been students as well, perhaps it would be prudent to look in on Carla as well, to see where she lay in terms of ability to one day become Guardian. As for the other two she had even less to go on than Carla with her at least Della was vaguely familiar with the young woman's energy signature having fought alongside her against Kemuri and again having experienced it while around the Lookout. Saito's had only stuck out to her because she had focused on it as he had been the one fighting Kemuri, knowing the fluctuations in his power had been very relevantat the time while the others.... had not. Finding either unless they made a habit of visiting the Lookout would likely be nearly impossible.
The only other that remained a possible option for 'student of Kaladar' was Azazel, who was of course not exactly the most likely option for candidacy for the position considering her current life status. Had she survived.... It would have ultimately depended upon how she acted outside of a combat situation, she had certainly seemed intelligent and capable during the battle with Kemuri and she was certainly dedicated to protecting the Earth... but she had let that dedication blind her enough that her actions could have caused irreparable damage had Saito not successfully released Kaladar and Burradori.
Della found herself amused by Saito's question, it had taken some time but finally someone in this time was asking the big question about her, or at least had come close. "Well the answer to that is a bit from column a and from column b, I am here in this 'chaotic time' because I live very long, I am from all indications of my research, immortal. I am of a race of beings that are fueled by mystical energy, our forms are more like magic itself compressed into a physical shape. 'Genie' is what humanity chose to call us when they needed a word to describe my people. In my research about my people I found that our being on Earth is exceptionally rare as interaction between us is rare even in spite of our seemingly endless lifespans. My understanding based off of my own experience is that we only age to a certain point, the point a point where we have obtained our 'true' appearance, some of us are eternally old, some young. I am of the lucky variety in that I am eternally young in appearance in my true form." Della said with a wide grin obviously quite glad about that particular fact.
"But Genies are bound to particular objects in this world, objects that act as both home and prison to an extent. When we do not possess a master we remain within the object until one happens upon us. It is inside of the object that we are out our most powerful, in my ring I am all powerful I can manipulate the world within on a whim expanding it to encompass my vision of an entire world or something as simple as a single room. But when we have a master, we can move about the world... mostly... freely. Provided the master in question does not reign in the genie they could explore until there master died only then would they be snatched back into the object by the magic binding them." Della explained her expression hardening somewhat as her words grew a tad bitter. "And it is because of this that I am here, while I worked with the Guardians of Earth we had a system in place. The guardian at the time would act as my 'master' allowing me freedom to act in the world. However there was... a battle, a powerful mystic sought to take the Lookout and the Earth for himself and unfortunately it was required by the Guardian at the time that we use all of the wishes I could grant him, had things gone according to plan I should have been returned to the world by his Guardian in training but that day never came." Della said with a heavy sigh placing the bowl of cereal on the counter next to herself.
"It was not for... I believe it has been over two thousand years since that day, Mister Popo and Kaladar found my ring and set me free once again and thus that is how I am here. Had we won the battle I would have likely remained as I had been rather than remaining cooped up in my ring for so long remaining utterly incapable of helping the Earth or any of it's guardians."
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Saito Kito
Gohan
Master of the Crane School
Cowards die many times before their deaths; the valiant never taste of death but once.
Posts: 455
Base: 133,919
Focus State: 267,838
Phoenix: 1,339,190
Zeni: 877
Items: Kemuri's Sword, Motorcycle, Gravity Chamber (100x), Simulator 2.0, Spacepod
Ally: Sonya - PL:55,998 Full Power: 111,996
Ally 2: Itan Farth - PL:55,998 x3:167,994
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Post by Saito Kito on Jan 18, 2015 19:45:45 GMT -5
He listened carefully, his bread being moved to a small plate. Saito had no need for fancy creations when it came to food. His own raising had been limited to what the compound created for nourishment and so rarities such as butter came only for very special occasions. Buttered bread was a treat that Saito would indulge in while listening to the long explanation that Della provided. Being that he was genuinely interested, the story ended up being more incredible than he had anticipated. To start with, Genie's were rare indeed. That said Saito had already met two of them and so their rarity was something he would have to take her word on. He moved his bread and butter over to the table where Della was finishing up her cereal. Watching her eat had awakened his own appetite, but her story kept his focus almost entirely.
"Then how did you come to join Kemuri's side with so much power at your disposal?"
He asked. Della continued and explained the system at which unlimited power met its handicap. She had not willingly followed the hyena into battle and that she made perfectly clear. Her ring had fallen into his possession. Such a brash humiliation would have angered Saito. He took for granted the ability to make his own decisions. Every day it seemed he was learning something new about the world around him. Not everyone had the benefit of making their own choices, or choosing their own side. The world wasn't nearly as cut and dry as he had thought. Della couldn't possibly be true good or evil simply because she often didn't have a choice in the matter. Though as she continued the story of her ring became even more entrancing. The question still raging in his mind would have to wait. She had been the genie before Popo, and had worked out a deal that seemed rather fitting. The guardian would act as her master and she in return would aid him whenever necessary. It must have pained her greatly to use up the last of her power and be sealed away again. He wondered why she had in fact not been summoned by the next guardian.
Her explanation left many questions in his mind. He wanted to ask them all, but knew that this subject was not one so simply discussed. If Saito were the wrong sort he could seek to use this information against Della. The one question he would dare not ask was one that could potentially harm her. Where was her ring now? It was obvious that at some point the magical artifact fell into the hands of Kemuri, yet Saito had not seen it on him. Perhaps she had already taken it from him, or perhaps she had a new master now. One thing was certain, it wasn't Saito's place to inquire. Della likely wouldn't have answered anyway. Giving a map to your greatest weakness is a poor strategy even among the trusted. He did however have a few less sensative questions.
"Am I to understand then that Mr. Popo is also a Genie? If that's the case is he bound by an object like you are? He always seems so free. These artifacts sound more like a crippling ball and chain... Who controls you now?"
He just couldn't help himself. Taking a bite into the buttery wheat he immediately felt nosey. Sure he hadn't asked her where her ring was, and he certainly had no intention of ever using it for his own gain. But it was important to know. If someone as dark as Kemuri were to ever take over again, it would be important to know what cards they had to play. If someone unsavory held that ring now, it would be of great importance to know who it was. For a moment Saito was even inclined to offer his own aid in finding it. Rather someone like Kaladar or himself have the ring than someone who would abuse it. The fact that she was still here however led him to believe someone had it, and that she was bound to that master.
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Post by Delashano on Jan 20, 2015 5:13:25 GMT -5
Della's eyes flashed with a brief look of anger as Saito asked how she joined Kemuri's side, her anger quickly calmed by both her own knowledge and quick words from Jenn reminding her that Saito lacked any real knowledge of what had happened before the battle on the Lookout. A few calming breaths returned Della to her previous calm state "I never joined Kemuri's side, when Kemuri took hold of the King and Kaladar he also took from Kaladar my ring, I had neglected to tell Kaladar that in the past my ring would be kept somewhere safe on the Lookout. Kemuri had a vague understanding of who I was and when a group of us went to face him he revealed that he had my ring once things started to turn to our favor and made himself my master. Once that was the case I could no longer directly attack him, he made the amusing mistake of wasteing a wish to stop me from attacking him as he did not know this but his next wish essentially placed me under his command, he made a wish that granted him a signifigant measure of control over me, due to the nature of my wish granting magic it could not do anything so powerful as sway me to his side, but it did require me to fight for him if he requested such."
"Back at that time I was not nearly as powerful as I was now, the exact circumstances of my becoming this powerful are a bit... complicated... To put it simply I faced great internal turmoil and came out of it more powerful but also quite angry with the world. It was because of that that I arrived to an extent on Kemuri's side at the Lookout. I wanted to test my new strength against Anri but he had chosen to fight for Kemuri meaning I would need to wait until the Lookout conflict was resolved before he would fight me. Kemuri provided me with an avenue to vent my fury with Popo but also amusingly managed to undo my anger, during my fight with Popo I saw the error in my ways by means of similarly complicated circumstances to my gaining my full power. By the time I landed on the lookout however I was more or less outside of Kemuri's control, my ability to change shape as you saw earlier has a price, I cannot use my wish granting magic while I am not actually a genie. And his wish to control me was subdued by..." Della paused for a moment as she realized that explaining that would require explaining the difference between herself and Jenn.
"The explanation for that is... once again complicated. The most simple explanation I can give is that Kemuri placed that command on Jenn, the woman that Kaladar has perhaps mentioned. When I gained my full power I stopped being her, I became Della and so long as I am Della I was not beholdent to that wish." Della hoped that her brief explanation would suffice as anything more would take much more time to explain. After that Della was quite happy for Saito's change in subject asking about Popo and about who her new master was, the thought brought an amused smile to Della's lips as she brought her left hand up to chest height allowing herself and Saito if he looked to see that on her ring finger was a rather ornate looking ring with a rather large ruby set into a golden band. Della took a long moment to look the ring over "He is, however I do not know much of Popo's situation so I could not say whether or not he has something he is bound to. I would imagine it to be likely, the apperance of freedom is quite easy when you have a good summoner such as with people who can become Guardian. They are only crippleing when in the hands of the wrong sort of people, people like Kemuri."
"As for who controls me now, the answer to that is something I have wanted to say for a long time. Nobody. I have no master. I do not know exactly what triggered it but when Kemuri fell I was not returned to the ring, the bindings that normally would have dragged me back into it until a new summoner retrieved it did not activate and as far as I can tell do not exist. I am free. That is why I can finally wear my ring." She said fondly running a hand over the piece of jewlery, it had taken many many years but finally she could truly wear Sei's gift.
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Saito Kito
Gohan
Master of the Crane School
Cowards die many times before their deaths; the valiant never taste of death but once.
Posts: 455
Base: 133,919
Focus State: 267,838
Phoenix: 1,339,190
Zeni: 877
Items: Kemuri's Sword, Motorcycle, Gravity Chamber (100x), Simulator 2.0, Spacepod
Ally: Sonya - PL:55,998 Full Power: 111,996
Ally 2: Itan Farth - PL:55,998 x3:167,994
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Post by Saito Kito on Jan 20, 2015 14:38:47 GMT -5
Saito hadn't meant to anger the genie, and truly he had come to his own conclusion on the events. It was very similar to what Saito had already thought. Kemuri stole the ring from the possession of Kaladar and used it to control Della's behavior. This brought to light a subject Saito had not already known. They had faced off against the Hyena once before. Apparently Della had been present at this first battle and Saito wondered where he had been. Somehow he had gotten all tangled up in this, and yet he had not been there for the initial encounter. He certainly couldn't be upset with himself, but he wondered what sort of difference he could have made to the battle. Probably none. His training with Sekai and Popo had taught him so much about Ki control and battling against a Ki user. Without those lessons he surely wouldn't have lasted even half as long as he had. Saito was empathetic towards Della's claim that at the time she did not have such incredible power.
Actually it was that same power that seemed to be eating away at Saito. He had spoken to Kaladar about it earlier in the day and the sage had suggested that all beings possess that inner strength, yet few ever unlock it. Della was one of the few to have done so and she seemed better for it. Az had unlocked such a power and allowed it to drive her to insanity. Speaking with the other demon, whom he now recognized as a genie, was comforting. His preconceived idea's as to how that power affected the mind were lifted and relieved his internal quagmire. His final question coudln't have been answered in a more heartwarming manner. As the words left his mouth all apprehension faded away, and Della held up the ring that had caused all of this trouble. She wasn't inside of it or being controled by it. She was its owner.
"That is a remarkable tale Della. I still don't fully understand how being a genie works, but I know enough. It's too bad you wouldn't consider becoming the Earth's Guardian. You possess the strength and knowledge. I can see though that gaining your freedom would dissuade you from locking yourself atop the lookout once more."
He had stopped eating mid way through her story and picked up the remaining slice of neatly spread over bread and took a bite. It was endlessly fascinating to learn about the inner workings of other living creatures. Saito felt a special connection with other beings quickly. After a single encounter with Mr. Popo and Sekai he regarded them as teachers. Having only met Della on the battlefield fate had brought her to save his life, and then seek him out again. Anri had met the man only once and he still mourned the alien's passing. To this moment he thought back to his encounter with Az and wondered if she would find the girl she sought in the after life. All of these beings so deeply touched his life with a single encounter. Perhaps he was to be a guardian of Earth. No, he wasn't one to be cooped up on a lookout watching the battles take place, but he would be a guardian of those who needed him. Truly if Della ever found herself in trouble, Saito would stand by her side. Some would call it a life debt, but Saito knew it to be a bond he shared with her. A bond he shared with Della, and Popo. One he shared with both of the deceased, Anri and Az. A bond he shared with all of his teachers, Sekai the Fuhrer and Kaladar.
"Thank you for coming to see me Miss Della. You are welcome at this school any time."
He hadn't meant for the statement to sound so final, but it had come out that way. He was happy to sit and chat for longer. Perhaps Della wasn't nearly as curious as he was, but if she had further questions he would happily return the gesture. His thirst for knowledge had been quenched, as had his hunger with the bread.
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