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Post by Yajirobe on Jan 3, 2024 18:36:22 GMT -5
A pale white light shone in the dresser of a traveling martial artist, bright enough to stir Gier awake. His awoke with a start and headed towards the dresser, his eyes adjusting to the darkness that had been chased away. He opened the drawer and held the gem in his hand and the light would soon fade away, dimming like a lantern. Gier was familiar with the gem and how it had the capacity to transport his mind into the astral plane, thus he opened himself up to it and was spirited away.
It was during this time that his thoughts turned to a woman that he longed for - Esmerelda - his love on Earth. She passed away years ago yet her soul and spirit lingered within his mind and his heart. She was truly beautiful inside and out, a rare breed within an unforgiving and harsh galaxy. That's why Gier's surroundings reflected his mind state as well as the place he had stayed during his time on Earth. It was a farm like any other, cows roamed the fenced grass and chickens squawked in their cages and coops. The sight was enough to cause his heart to skip a beat, and he allowed his mind to ease at the serene scene.
"It's been awhile huh?" He said to himself whilst he adjusted his trucker hat.
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Post by Deleted on Jan 3, 2024 18:56:42 GMT -5
It had been a while since Serenity had a day off from training with Baba. After nearly two weeks, the old woman had finally given her a day of reprieve, and along with it, a small purple stone. Placing it within her hands, Baba had told the brunette to find a safe place and focus all of her energy on it, and she would be able to use it as a way to meet new friends, as well as contact old ones. Serenity had thought for a moment that the woman was possibly losing her mind, but took the stone, headed home, locked her doors, and laid down on her bed. For a while, it had been difficult for her to think of anyone she would want to contact, and instead placed the gemstone on her chest, right atop the green bow that decorated her bodice. When she looked down, she briefly thought that it might make for a good accessory, and made a mental note to get someone to make a broach so that she could have it on her if it actually worked.
Within moments, she was beginning to doze off while attempting to channel her energy into the stone, but right when she was on the verge of falling asleep, her surroundings changed. Rather than being her dark bedroom and lying on the fluffy mattress, she was now in the middle of what looked to be a farm somewhere on Earth, surrounded by cows and chickens, and even pigs. She blinked, and looked around, trying to discern what had just happened, when she heard a voice somewhere nearby.
"It's been awhile, huh?"
Furrowing her brow, she stood and brushed off her green and white uniform, and started walking so that she could find the source of the voice. In moments, she had discovered it - a tall, blonde, muscular male wearing a trucker hat and denim jeans was standing around, looking at the farm with an almost sentimental gaze. Was this perhaps a new friend that Baba was talking about? What if they didn't get along?
"Um... hi. Are we in the... astral realm? Wh-where are we? Is this...?" She trailed off, before shaking her head and offering a nervous, but friendly smile. "I'm Serenity."
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Post by Yajirobe on Jan 3, 2024 19:21:04 GMT -5
"Um... hi. Are we in the... astral realm? Wh-where are we? Is this...?"
Gier turned to regard the voice. It was a tender and soft, very welcoming and warm in a way. It reminded him of his love who passed away here on this very farm. Life sure did have a sense of humor it seemed. Gier wanted to reflect on his time on the farm in peaceful solitude, but he would have to spend it with a young lady who sounded just like his late lover. Maybe it was all apart of the process, the part where he could finally move on for good.
She appeared to have been a young girl, maybe younger than Gier by a few years if he could imagine. She had long brunette hair that swayed down her back, and her outfit was the essence of spring with it's shade of white and green.
Gier shot her an inviting smile, one that was warm and welcoming much like the way her voice made him feel.
"I'm Serenity." She said.
"Serenity huh? Well that's a lovely name," He approached her and adjusted his hat so that the visor wasn't shielding his azure eyes. "Nice to meet you. You can call me Terry," He said to her while extending his hand out to shake hers.
"So Serenity, what brings you here? Other than the gem that is. Did you hope to meet someone? Maybe even your boyfriend?" He teased her with a wink and a smile. Gier opted to be playful with her as it helped to ease his mind off of the sadness that the farm brought to him.
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Post by Deleted on Jan 3, 2024 20:16:11 GMT -5
Serenity's face flushed at the idea of having a boyfriend. She had never been one that was interested in dating, even in High School, but now, she was living alone in South City, training with Baba and Master Roshi, and there wasn't really anything holding her back from it. She waved her hands emphatically, shaking her head slightly.
"No, no boyfriend," she began, rubbing the back of her neck. "Just me. I haven't um... I don't actually think I've ever had a boyfriend, so I wouldn't know where to begin, but it's nice to meet you, Terry."
She looked him over, examining his appearance. Now that she was closer, she had to admit he was quite attractive. He was incredibly muscular, and while his outfit made him look as if he walked straight from working on the farm that they were on, she didn't mind it much. It just meant that he had the ability to provide.
Her face flushed at the thought, and she started to wonder why she was her mind had wandered to such thoughts when she had met him only seconds ago. In an attempt to shake off her internal embarrassment, she began to stammer out a response to his initial question.
"I uhm... Um, my teacher gave me this gem. I actually was about to fall asleep - I had planned on making friends, since she told me that's what this thing was for, but I didn't actually expect it to work. What about you? Why are you here? Is this realm popular?"
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Post by Yajirobe on Jan 3, 2024 20:49:38 GMT -5
"No, no boyfriend," Serenity said to him bashfully. "Just me. I haven't um... I don't actually think I've ever had a boyfriend, so I wouldn't know where to begin, but it's nice to meet you, Terry." Gier smiled at her answer, but he was quite shocked by it as well. How did a lovely young lady like her never have a boyfriend? It was quite the shock indeed, he almost didn't believe her but her sincerity shone through with her words and her anxiousness.
She was definitely a pretty girl, a bit younger that Gier was used to. During his travels he tended to attract older, more experienced women who challenged him and doted on him. It was definitely always a fun time if he were to say so himself, but those relationships always felt out of balance so to speak. He followed along with what they wanted and expected out of him. So were older women truly his type? Maybe he shouldn't write this girl off just yet.
Gier shook his head. What was he thinking, they had just met, and it would be unfair to Esmerelda's memory if he tried to hit on a girl at the same farm they shared together, no matter how attractive she might have been.
"I uhm... Um, my teacher gave me this gem. I actually was about to fall asleep - I had planned on making friends, since she told me that's what this thing was for, but I didn't actually expect it to work. What about you? Why are you here? Is this realm popular?"
Gier chuckled lightly at Serenity.
"Well, this is certainly a way to make some friends. I've made one here before myself," Gier began to say. "As for me well, let's just say that I'm here to pay an old friend a visit, a friend that's no longer here. Follow me and I'll show you," He beckoned for Serenity to go with him.
There was a pave road that divided the farm in half, and behind the cabin home was a small cemetery where the previous farmhands who worked on the farm were buried. One of the headstones read 'Esmerelda'.
Gier took his hat off, revealing his long blonde ponytail that swayed in the gentle spring breeze. He looked down at the headstone with heavy eyes, he felt his heart sink into the pit of his stomach.
After a moment passed he placed his hat back onto his head and turned to face Serenity, a wholesome smile was etched on his visage but the sadness didn't leave.
"I just wanted to pay my respects. The last time I was on Earth I was here on this farm. She passed away, so she's buried here with her father and grandfather," Gier explained.
"Sorry if that was too heavy, I just wanted to get that off my chest I guess. You mentioned that you had a teacher before? Is she a martial arts instructor?" Gier inquired.
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Post by Deleted on Jan 3, 2024 21:19:14 GMT -5
As Terry led the two to a small area at the back of the farm down a paved road, and she realized that everything here looked more vivid and brighter than the waking world normally did. Her eyes were assaulted by the sunlight, and for a moment she had to squint once they stopped, so she could get a good view of what they were looking at.
When she finally noticed what it was, her heart sank, and tears pricked the corners of her eyes.
It was a graveyard. More specifically, they were looking at one particular headstone that read 'Esmeralda'.
Terry took his hat off and stared at the headstone, making her heart squeeze. She reached out, ready to put a comforting hand on his shoulder, but drew back - she barely knew him, and he barely knew her. Why would he want comfort from a stranger? She didn't know if he noticed the motion, but tried to act as if she hadn't done anything when he turned back to her and spoke.
"...buried here with her father and grandfather. Sorry if that was too heavy, I just wanted to get that off my chest I guess. You mentioned that you had a teacher before? Is she a martial arts instructor?"
Serenity chewed on her lip, and wiped her eyes with the back of her hand, giving him a small smile in return.
"It's alright. Um, she isn't. She works more with magic, if you believe in that sort of stuff. I'm learning to channel it correctly..."
She paused, and looked back toward the grave.
"Was she... was she your wife?"
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Post by Yajirobe on Jan 3, 2024 21:46:53 GMT -5
Gier couldn't help but notice that Serenity mirrored his sadness. Her eyes were watery with tears and he wanted to make her feel better. Gosh, he was a terrible guy, dragging her here and getting all sentimental just so he could vent to her. It wasn't fair of him, in fact, he figured that it was downright insensitive. An apology wasn't enough, he had to comfort her and hopefully that would bring the mood back up.
He believed what she said about her master working with magic, it wasn't an unusual thing but he himself had never experienced it in person. Still, when Serenity inquired about Esmerelda, asking if she was his wife, the blonde solemnly shook his head.
"No, unfortunately not," Gier turned to face Serenity and placed a comforting hand on her shoulder, looking down at her with a smile although a hint of sadness remained in his eyes.
"She was an amazing person, and very pretty, just like you," He gave her a playful wink at his words, doing his best to keep things light. This sadness was his alone to bear, not hers.
Gier turned to the patio of the farm house and beckoned Serenity over to it. There they could sit next to each other and relax in the sun, enjoying the natural breeze and the sounds of nature.
"So, about what you said before when you mentioned your master, she knows magic right? Do you know any?" The blonde asked her as he took a seat in the rocking chair.
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Post by Deleted on Jan 3, 2024 23:20:07 GMT -5
She smiled sadly at his words - No, unfortunately not, and nodded her head. The only information he gave her was that she was an 'amazing person' which made Serenity believe that they were either very close friends, or he had been in love with her without her knowing. She returned his smile, trying not to let the dark mood dampen the conversation they were having. She followed Terry over to a small porch, climbing up the white steps, and sitting down in a comfortable chair and crossing her legs so that she wasn't displaying her underwear for him to see, and smiled at him. "Yes, she knows magic. I do as well, but it's... well... hard to control," she murmured, lifting her hand up and clenching it into a fist. "I can do small bursts of it very well, though."As if to demonstrate, she opened her palm and sage green lightning sparked from it. She closed her fist over it, as if extinguishing a flame, and looked at him almost expectantly, waiting for praise. "Cool, right?"171/1,076
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Post by Yajirobe on Jan 4, 2024 0:12:18 GMT -5
Gier couldn't help but be impressed by Serenity's display. She seemed to have done it with very little effort, so for someone with her young age it was quite the feat. He wasn't the kind of person to compare however, given that her circumstances were far different than his which he acknowledged.
He grew up on Damaskia as apart of the Zane Clan, and he was their heir. His father and grandfather trained him in the brutal practice of Shingen-Ryu, a dangerous martial art that specialized in killing efficiently and effectively. He left his home to find his own way and to experience life away from the harshness of his parents, but such experiences did gift him with strength and natural talent and affinity with utilizing his Ki energy.
Thus, he was able to recognize her strength as well as her potential.
"That is cool Serenity, I'm impressed," Gier smiled at her, praising her as she deserved to be. "I can do something kind of like that. I was taught how to turn my energy into flame. Here, I'll show you," And the martial artist reached his hand out towards Serenity with his palm facing up, and just like that a flicker of flame emerged, a small ember that danced in his palm before eventually dying out.
"My father and grandfather taught me how to do that. That's simple though, and there's other techniques that require far more control. If I want, I can coat my entire body with fire. Maybe you can learn to do something like that, but with lightning," Gier suggested to her.
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Post by Deleted on Jan 4, 2024 0:16:26 GMT -5
Her eyes widened as flames erupted from his hand, and she reached out, poking at it. It wasn't an illusion - in fact, it was just as hot as a regular flame, which made her realize that it was, in fact, real fire that he had conjured. Part of her immediately wanted to learn how to wield flames - it could come in handy, if she needed it in a battle. She made a mental note to ask Baba to teach her about pyromancy when she saw her again.
"You can... coat your body in flames? That's... insane... I wonder if I can do that with lightning," she whispered, still staring at his hand with child-like wonder. She felt a little awkward doing it, but grabbed his palm slowly, and began poking at the center of his palm and tracing the lines on his hand as if touching it correctly would conjure more fire. "Can you teach me how to do that?"
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Post by Yajirobe on Jan 4, 2024 0:49:25 GMT -5
Serenity seemed entranced by not only what Gier had done, but also what she had said. Her gaze lingered on his hand and she began to poke at his palm, the sensation felt familiar, as if he was with Esmerelda once more. It was awkward, not because he hadn't welcomed it, but because he didn't want to read too deeply into it. She simply wanted to learn how to control flames the way he did. Even though she wanted to learn Gier didn't know if he was the best instructor. The way he was taught was brutal, his training sessions with his father usually left him in a bloody mess even when he was a child. In his mind he knew that, in a logical sense, there were less punishing methods of training, but he was so accustomed to it that he didn't want to steer her wrong.
But when he looked into Serenity's eyes he realized that she deserved more than that - more than him making excuses.
"Okay, I'll try my best, but fair warning, I am not an instructor," He cautioned her.
He placed his palm beneath her hand and guided her hand so that her palm was facing up. Gier began to channel a smidgen of his energy through Serenity which would in turn, generate a small ember of fire in the palm of her hand, which she would now have to control for herself.
"Feel the flame dance in your palm. Guide it, don't let it guide you, and don't put too much energy into it. Control it, or it will control you," Gier instructed her.
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Post by Deleted on Jan 4, 2024 12:55:31 GMT -5
Heat coursed through her palms as he placed her hand face up, and for a moment, she thought it was simply because of the physical contact he had given her. She realized very quickly though that he was channeling his energy through her palm so that he could teach her how to harness fire magic once he spoke.
"... Control it, or it will control you."
She felt a little nervous at his words. He must have meant that if she didn't use the flames correctly, it could engulf the whole area if the fire grew too large, or even hurt her in some way. She didn't particularly feel like leaving the Astral Realm with third-degree burns, so she concentrated on her hands, and watched as the small flame grew in size, until it was just large enough to cover the top of her hand. After a few moments of watching it dance, it began to crackle, and fizzled out, making her gasp.
"Did I do something wrong?" she asked, turning to him with a look of combined hurt and concern in her eyes. She didn't think she had, but if she'd messed it up, she would feel a bit useless. She wanted to be able to learn how to harness different types of elemental magic, and this one had to be the most dangerous in her opinion.
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Post by Yajirobe on Jan 4, 2024 13:51:54 GMT -5
Serenity was doing quite well maintaining the fire all of her own. He helped create the spark for her, but learning control was the most important part of the process. It began to grow in size, eventually becoming large enough to nearly cover her hand completely. It danced and swayed to and fro before ultimately fizzling out into nothing, leaving not even an ember of flame behind.
She asked if she had done something wrong, and Gier could only give her a reassuring smile and place his hand over hers to comfort her.
"No, you did great, honest. You just need a little more practice. Keep training and you'll be able to control it as easily as you can breathe," Gier reassured her. He placed his hand on her head and patted it, but his mind flashed to that of his once lost love. It was more than just a memory, it was truly as if her soul had been right in front of him.
He stared mesmerized for a bit and then he regained his composure, shaking the cobwebs out of his head.
"Sorry, I lost focus myself for a second," Gier said as he attempted to laugh it off. Not wanting to make things awkward, he removed his hand from her hair, albeit quicker than he would have liked to.
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Post by Deleted on Jan 4, 2024 14:50:35 GMT -5
Serenity felt her face flush as his hand caressed her hair - she didn't know how red her cheeks were from the touch, but she hoped that he would blame it on the sun beating down on the two of them. They were in the shade, however, so she didn't know how well that would work. As quickly as he had touched her hair, the feeling was gone, and she had to admit to herself that she quite missed the sensation. She didn't protest it, however, but simply smiled at him, glad that she had learned something new from the man.
"It's alright," she responded, tugging on her bottom lip with her teeth. "I really appreciate you teaching me how to conjure flame. I'll need to work on it somewhere that I won't hurt anyone, though..."
She looked out at the farm, staring at the pigs, cows, and chickens that were in their respective pens, either rolling in mud, grazing on grass, or squawking and pecking at the ground, before turning her gaze back to him. She reached up to her ponytail and tugged the hairbow out of it, releasing her hair so that it could cascade down her shoulders.
"So, this place... not the farm, specifically, but the realm... If I were to come here and practice with different kinds of magic, it wouldn't hurt anyone if I messed up, right?"
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Post by Yajirobe on Jan 4, 2024 14:59:35 GMT -5
Gier gave her a soft smile, glad that he was able to help guide her. She definitely had potential already, and he was sure that one day she would be able to master all of the elements.
"It was my pleasure to help," He said to her kindly. His eyes couldn't help but look upon the horizon, scanning the farm's emerald green grass and the animals that trotted about, from the cows to the chickens and even the ducks that swam in a pond just a ways away from the estate, it was such a serene sight that put him at ease. It's beauty and majesty was similar to his time on planet Namek.
When Serenity took out her hairbow and released her hair, Gier for a moment was mesmerized by the sight. More and more she began to remind him of her, and he felt a tug at his heart each and every time.
"You wouldn't hurt anyone in the astral realm, trust me. It may seem as if you are but it won't have any effect in the real world," Gier stood up from his rocking chair, feeling as if their time in the realm together was near.
"Maybe one day you can teach me how to conjure lightning. That would give me an excuse to come back to Earth," he shot her a smile and a wink.
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