[Wyntre] [x30 Grav] What Doesn't Kill You...

Wyntre had a good think to herself about her situation, perhaps as a way to distract herself from the incident with nearly accidentally maybe just a tad brutally murdering Gira. She analysed the socio-political landscape but also ancient texts, so as to try to find, perhaps, any information on anyone who had tried to (or, indeed, succeeded in) mastering the Royal Form. But, after all of that, Wyntre was nowhere ahead of where she started. Nothing new in that area, then.

She was in the Gravity Chamber not long after. After her morning stretches in 150g (not necessarily done in the morning, but always done in 150g), there wasn't really much to do but to check as to what Kocha was doing on Scobia. So, as such, just as she had done previously, she allowed Kocha's scouter's constant feed and satellite imaging of the planet itself to create a simulation of Kocha's surroundings. And, about an hour after observations and undergoing hypothetical martial simulation, she was just about ready to find something else to do.

Then, there was an alert from Doctor Meton Ess. And so, assuming the medical staff's coffee machine didn't break again (for people whose careers depended so easily on very precise surgery doctors sure were aggressive in the pursuit of their coffee), the only logical explanation would have been the alert pertaining to Gira's waking. After a brief consultation in which she checked that this, indeed, was the case, she waited for the inevitability of the Hybrid finding the Lady and, in true Saiyan fashion, ask for a fight. Or where the dining quarters were.

May as well make it easier for her.

And, effortlessly, her power went to its maximum.

---

Base: 312,822PL
Mastered True: 3,753,864PL

This takes place directly after the last thread, which is why the PL hasn't updated since; timey-wimey.
I apologize if these take a while to come out. I may have internet now, but I still am on a trip.

Wyntre's scouter visualized Gira's path to the Gravity Chamber. It was a large ship, so much so that it spanned multiple kilometres from end to end, but was designed in such a way as that those accustomed to its design could get from any point in the ship to any other point in the ship considerably faster than they would have if they walked in a straight line of the same distance by manner of elevators and well-labelled corridors. To those who didn't understand the language employed by these, however, transportation could become a pain quite easily. Gira wasn't having any of these issues: she was taking the fastest path possible. She was a natural, you might say.

There was a knock.

As soon as Gira's knocking hand left the substance of the door, it opened. This was not because the ship's computer had let her in or even because it was an automated process but, as indicated by Wyntre's slight hand movements, was the direct implication of the Arcosian's telekinesis.

"Gira." It was a simple name: two syllables, no titles. Wyntre wasn't sure how she felt about that. "I trust you've slept well? You look better, certainly." That is to say, less dead. Or, more intact. "Are you here to say your goodbyes? No, of course you aren't, a silly question on my part." It was obvious what Gira was there for... but sometimes cutting to the chase also cut the fun. "How can I help you?"

---

Base: 312,822PL
Mastered True: 3,753,864PL

[UT] Telekinesis

Rejuvenation tanks had been a staple of medical technology for many thousands of years. Although in the early days they were not nearly as effective, scientists from all over the galaxy had plenty of time to perfect their methods and maximise how much it healed, how little time it took and the breadth of what it worked on (as it wouldn't be nearly as useful if it only worked on homeothermic organisms, for example).

"Utter nonsense. You're stronger than you seem to give yourself credit for— you'd have lived. I mean, it was only some of your shoulder and a considerable amount of blood." A very considerable amount of blood. "I could have played a lengthy game of 10D Hyperchess with myself over your body and you would have still been recoverable by the end of it." Recoverable, perhaps, but covered in a crimson pool in all directions. "I'm glad to see that you're impressed. Keep in mind, however, the sort of injuries the people it heals would usually have." War wasn't pretty, certainly, and Wyntre had seen many soldiers with good amounts of them missing come in and out of those chambers. Some of them, mind you, came out in a body bag... there were limits to their healing potential, limits Wyntre hoped would never be breached again.

"'Train'?" She knew what Gira wanted as soon as she knocked on that door. She wanted what all Saiyans wanted, what all Saiyans craved: battle. Gira was better than most, however, in that she didn't want murder to follow. "I am the Empress-in-Exile of Arcose, Watcher. Whatever gave you the idea I'd train with anyone, yet alone an alien?" She was just pulling Gira's leg at this point. "Was it how we sparred yesterday? Was it how I'm standing in a Gravity Chamber? Or, perhaps, was it how I moved into my stance?"

She entered the Arcosian Serpent Style: agile, striking, cautious and ready to end any and all combat with a single metaphorical strike to the neck. "No, we won't be training, not in the slightest. Think of it more like...—"
She clicked her fingers as the simulator set about what it had been previously told to do.
"—...a cultural experience."
The Gravity Chamber dissappeared. For a few moments, the two were left in an endless void of nothingness. Perhaps it was frightening for a firstcomer, or perhaps not. Either way, it was other in a flash. And, what was there to replace the infinite void of black that had once surrounded them?

Arcose, all around. 
The two of them were standing on an flat surface of ice that continued for kilometers in all directions. The two would have been mysteriously further away than before, with the Arcosian still in her stance and smiling. The icefields of Arcose were very cold and had very little atmosphere but, as Gira would have been sure to notice, she would have been able to breath just fine. Indeed, the temperature hadn't changed at all, presumably for Gira's comfort. In the far off distance stood the only landmark visible: the Imperial Capital.

3,753,864PL.
"You might have figured out where we are by now. I'll tell you..."
1,895,701PL.
"This is Arcose. If you want to know where Earth is, it's right..."
37,539PL.
"... there." She said this pointed at what seemed to be an empty blotch of the night sky. It wasn't actually the night sky at all, and not just because it was a simulation: the atmosphere here was so thin and the sun so distant that, at least from the icefields, the stars were always visible. Perhaps it was this that lead the early Arcosians to strive to reach them.

She retracted the pointing finger to regain her proper stance. "Would it shock you to learn that I've still got plenty of tricks?" She gave a slight laugh. "So, let's do this again. How about you go first?" Again.

And, while Wyntre would have barely noticed, the gravity increased as well. It pressed upon their bodies and tried to drag them to the floor with a force thirty times greater than what was usual.

---

Base: 312,822PL
Mastered True: 3,753,864PL
1% Mastered True: 37,539PL

Perhaps Gira had seen most of Wyntre's tricks. The hybrid had seen the intangibility technique, her psychic shields, the Themis Cannon (although that might have been less a 'trick' and more a straightforward attack), the Tulpa Touch, the Death Saucer and the Multi-Form technique. She had not seen, however, the Death Ball, the Makaioken, the Royal Form or the Infernal Downpour. Even if the Themis Cannon wasn't included, that was at least 55%. "I'm afraid, my dear, that I'll have to disappoint you." She gave pause, taking time to enjoy the (figurative) atmosphere. "Although, don't get me wrong, I'm pleased that you think so highly of me, I wouldn't live with a clear conscience if I didn't tell you that I'm not nearly as intriguing as you think I am."

She wasn't just referring to the techniques she used, but to her character as a whole. She did see it as some character to be interested in, no one would think about themselves in that way. No, she was just a person... a very important person who happened to be born with very special traits and who happened to have a very large part to play in the past and future Arcosian Empire. And, sure, she picked up a few tricks on the way (as well as enough power to open tight planet-sized jars), but she was just a certain person in a certain context. And, to prove this... "In fact, I'll tell you about the tricks I haven't yet shown you. There's the Royal Form, which grants me more power. I won't be using that, considering I only need a few percent of this form to make us an even match. Then there's the Death Ball, which I reserve for— you know— destroying planets, if the need arises. The Makaioken massively increases the power of an attack, but, well... there's a reason I haven't used it since I learnt it. Much of the same can be said of the Infernal Downpour, but I don't even know what that'd do to me." She didn't want to use any of these techniques unless it was a necessity and she didn't want to use the transformation until she was fighting an opponent she wasn't matched up for. In any case, this spar met neither requirements. "I apologize if I implied that I'd use them against you." 

...

...

...

Aw, what the HFIL, why not.

"OK, sure, maybe, you've convinced me. If you're lucky." Well that was easy.

Enough hypotheticals. Gira was attacking.

There was a sudden panic. She was at 1% power, but with Gira's weights weighing her down as they were, even that was too much. She began moving from 1% down to about 0.73%— 27,286PL— in an attempt to exactly match her sparring partner. She succeeded but she had been so concentrated on regulating her ki that she wasn't entirely focused on the figure speeding directly for her right. Wyntre attempted to block the attacks but found that she didn't quite have enough time. Wyntre took the attacks not particularly well, but during the whole duration she never once lost her balance. That good certainly didn't outweigh the bad, however: it was only the first attack and already the Arcosian was in pain, even if it wasn't too bad.

As soon as she could, Wyntre would dash a meter backwards only to move back to her original position as soon as she got there, her fist ready to smash into the hybrid's face. However, much like before, she was prepared to not get her hands dirty: the Tulpa Touch technique was ready for use, so as to 'remotely' punch Gira's face.

"How's the gravity affecting you?"

---

Base: 312,822PL
Mastered True: 3,753,864PL
Suppressed Mastered True: 27,286PL

[UT] Tulpa Touch

Apologies, this took a while.

Wyntre had blown up planets before. Well, that wasn't quite true... what was true was that she had blown up a singular planet. The planet was named systematically, after the star it orbited around, which itself was given a systematic numerical name because the solar system didn't have any sentient entities present (or any life at all, for that matter) to name any of their celestial bodies. It was a test, and it was justified— what would happen when the Death Ball's use became necessary and it turned out that she only thought that she knew the technique? It was a verification. For Wyntre accepted that one day, for the greater good, the technique might have to be used as it was intended. 

The Arcosian knew exactly what would righteously warrant the destruction of a planet. The parameters were strict, much stricter than the conditions of the technique's other practitioners, but they were finite. The sort of thing that would justify the destruction of a civilized planet, though, would have to be so powerful and so destructive that the destruction of the planet becomes relegated to the importance of less than a footnote in comparison. Without the risk of murdering innocent civilians, without a civilized planet in danger, it was effectively just a very powerful attack and a way to get rid of a pesky source of oxygen, if its removal would be beneficial.

The attack was a success. Wyntre probably could have continued the attack with a series of connecting attacks, but it was only a spar and the first counterattack of the spar at that. "'Slow me down'? Who said I was going to match your speed?"[ It was both a taunt and informative: the Arcosian was only matching her opponent in terms of power and that dependant directly on said power. If Gira was only getting used to the gravity, she'd be at a disadvantage until she actually got used to it.

Gira attempted to attack Wyntre's feet. However, the Lady had a balanced posture, was ready in her Arcosian Serpent Style pose once again and, having had experienced Gira's fighting style once before, to some extent, predicted what she was planning to do as soon as Wyntre saw here Gira was going with her lunge.

What way was there for an Arcosian to defend against an attack to their legs? What sort of limb would every Arcosian martial art incorporate?
The answer was simple. Wyntre caught Gira's legs with her tail, preventing her strike and any she might have tried after. With considerable struggle, she'd attempt to throw Gira to the side where she'd skid against the ice.

"The Arcosian Serpent Style, my style, is based on the movements of an Arcosian serpent. Computer, if you would." Suddenly, in only a blink, there one was: ten meters tall, but nearly invisible as its scales glittered about just like the ice at their feet. An Arcosian Serpent. Immaterial, inanimate and effectively immortal. "The early Arcosians feared these things. There's a good reason the Arcosian god of chaos was given a serpent head." And a good reason why Wyntre subconsciously modelled her Royal Form after this. Its cobra-like hood directly paralleled with her Royal Form's one. Did she see herself as a goddess of chaos, or a scourge of Arcose on some level? Perhaps she blamed herself in some respect, but that was not the reason. Her reason for taking up that appearance was the same reason she learnt the martial style and, indeed, why it was invented: it wasn't just about invoking the imagery of a predator, but a mastery over that predator. The serpents came to represent not just the adversity of Arcose, but adversity one becomes stronger as a result of. Was it not Arcose's conditions that necessitated the evolution of the natural power that Arcosians were known for? "Of course, in time, we became stronger than them. Even today, the largest of them only has a Power Level of a few thousand, considerably weaker than an Arcosian newborn." So if the Arcosian Serpent Style represented the surpassing of adversity, did the Royal Form not do the same? 

Now reread the above paragraph with the Saiyans in mind.
"Note that they don't have any limbs. They strike, but they have to defend themselves with their tail. What better limb is there to imitate the movements of a tail than with a tail?"

---

Base: 312,822PL
Mastered True: 3,753,864PL
Suppressed Mastered True: 27,286PL

Gira landed well and succeeded in breaking her momentum. The ice (being ice) wasn’t much a fan of friction, but she had won out regardless.

”Who said anything about Arcosians not growing in power? We may never naturally be as powerful as a gnat, but that doesn’t stop us from going from the strength of, say, an Arcosian serpent to the strength of a Super Saiyan in a matter of years. Besides, I’d only lower myself to the power of a gnat if I were seeing how much energy I can suppress and still stand, or if I was sparring with one.” Wyntre’s facial expression would have let Gira known that the former did not think of the latter as having the power of a gnat. Rather, Gira was stronger than many multiple Arcosian serpents. But, ever still, Gira had a good point, a point which demonstrated a difference in attitudes between Arcosians and Saiyans: Saiyans enjoyed gaining more power, whilst Arcosians enjoyed having more power. ”On the other hand, however, there are suppressions. If a transformation increases power but decreases control, suppression forms are meant to do the opposite, as you might have seen in your travels.” [The computer, ever intuitive, had the Arcosian serpent transform into three figures: they were all Wyntre, but in various states of suppression. There was the fully suppressed form which, of the three, most closely resembled the Arcosian’s true form. Next to this was the Brute form, which looked much like its name would imply. The Monster form continued in this pattern: it was monstrously large and didn’t much resemble the one who used it. The computer, again, intuitively, made the images blink out of their apparent existences.

”Instead of gaining power and transformations likely so many others would go on to try, young Arcosians are more focused on suppressing their power, so as to not destroy destroy entire city blocks with a loose ki blast or temper tantrum. I do not use them forms anymore— or, perhaps I simply am not able— as I have mastered the use and regulation of my natural state’s power and in the process have made the suppression forms obsolete.”[ The computer, again again, intuitively knew what Wyntre was going to talk about and brought up an image of her Royal Form. It was majestic, it was powerful and it had the hood of an Arcosian serpent. Again again again, intuitively, it had the image fade away with time. ”I hope to do the same with the Royal Form. From there, perhaps I can attain a transformation beyond it, and then I’ll master that, and then I’ll attain the transformation beyond that, and so on.”

She tightened her stance. Something reminded her of Kocha’s tutelage on Scobia: she was attempting to learn each and every one of the twelve Scobian martial art styles. They were all focused on different aspects of combat (or, avoiding combat by running away) and Kocha hoped that by learning all of them not only would she be able to adapt against any number of different styles but also that she’d be able to combine them in a way that seemed natural to her, so as to make a style that was distinctly her own. ”Experimenting and improving upon one’s style is almost always beneficial. If you’d like to improve upon yours now, go ahead, try something new. Don’t think this would put you at a disadvantage: I’ll use a new style myself.”

Her stance went from ‘Arcosian serpent’ to ‘Arcosian, casual’. ”It’d be a pleasure to train with you more. But, frankly, by the time I’m done with you, there might not be much left to learn.” Ah, what style to use? Something Arcosian? Something from Earth, Scobia, Konats? She brought up a mental list of every style she had seen in use and then crossed out every style she knew how to use. Out of the remaining options…

”I’ve got a disciple, of sorts. No, that doesn’t sound right; I’ve got a friend that I’m training. Well, not currently, she’s actually on Scobia at the moment in the process of consecutively learning twelve different martial arts. What’s unique about her, however, is that she has horns, wings and a tail. She had been trained in basic hand-to-hand combat and the Scobian Dragon Style from a young age and had, to a degree, successfully incorporated her extra parts into her combat. Now, as you can see, I have neither wings nor horns, but I will attempt to imitate Kocha Kinoko’s Scobian Dragon Style.” Perhaps she had given too much information. Perhaps she hadn’t given enough. Regardless, she began to enter the form…

It was unmistakably like Gira’s own. Both styles were based off of the movement of dragons and both styles were designed for use, so it made sense that they had similarities, but their stances were eerily similar. ”Of course, before now, I’ve only ever seen this being used by one other. I won’t be nearly as good as you like this. However, if you were to experiment and try another form that you’ve never touched before, perhaps this might be more fun, yes?”

---

I was going to have her attack, but this post was already too large as is. Also, feel free to have Gira have the computer change their apparent environment.

Base: 312,822PL
Mastered True: 3,753,864PL
Suppressed Mastered True: 27,286PL

From the sounds of things, Gira was weak then trained a bunch and became stronger. Wyntre could respect this, as she was sure just about any fighter would. She remembered a time, multiple years ago, when she was weak. She remembered her suppressed form having only a few thousand PL… she was a royal, yet why was she so weak? She remembered the feeling of both of her brothers being more powerful than her and she remembered how they would gloat over it with her.

But, alas, the situation got better. Soon enough, Wyntre’s natural potential kicked in and it was powerful. She had gone from an being embarrassment to her Empire to its pride in less than a year. It wasn’t training that got her there— she was the Princess of Arcose, why would she ever chose to train?— but natural might, raw potential. Perhaps she had missed out on an opportunity to earn her power, sure, but it had worked out. She had only begun to go out of her way to train after she saw how necessary more power would be against those who would see to harm being done. ”Not many experience what you’ve experienced. You should be glad that you’ve experienced what you have and that you haven’t died even once in the process.” She smiled slightly. Especially strong experiences were a risky business: they either required friends or, the much more achievable option, a dangerous situation. The problem with dangerous situations, however, was in the name (and the problem certainly wasn’t with ‘situations’) for there was the potent possibility as a result of any given danger that one is left totally and irrevocably dead. Well, a bit revocably.

”I’ll assume you’re talking about the simulator and not one of the suppressive forms. If this truly is the case, she began, knowing full well that it very definitely was (why would Gira want a freaky alien genotype’s suppressive form?), ”then I may be able to assist you. I believe the Blue Banner Army has something like this, but they might not be commercially available. Also, it’d probably have advertisements if you don’t pay a monthly subscription fee.” Darn capitalists. ”You might be able to purchase an AE or SSE one, but there are problems with these options: namely, the Arcosians will almost certainly not sell such useful equipment to a Saiyan not working for them, although I might be able to assist you in the purchase if I become the Empress/make a friend of the current Emperor, Koldar. If you decide to buy a simulator from the Saiyans, be warned, bring some nose-plugs.” She heard stories about Solar Saiyan Gravity Chambers… she hoped that ‘stories’ was all that they were. ”And disinfectant.” Well, it was less ‘story’ and more ‘dissatisfied customer review’. ”And a mop.” Well, again, it was less ‘dissatisfied customer review’ and more ‘enough dissatisfied customer reviews to fill a Saiyan Gravity Chamber’… which, admittedly, wasn’t much.

”Yes, one supposes that there’s always something left to learn. One's hypothetical gaining of omniscience will mark the removal of life’s purpose, after all.” For is it not the purpose of all life to accumulate all knowledge? It was a better goal than ‘to fite gud’, certainly.

The twelve Scobian schools were eerily similar to (read: identical to) the Earthling oriental zodiac. Despite these animalistic themes and Kocha’s mastery over the Scobian Dragon style, her people actually looked more like fish. Bipedal, sapient and humanoid fish people. Of course, Kocha, being a bio-android and being an atypical representation of her people, had horns, wings and a tail. Any resemblance to an actual dragon was incidental, but Gira couldn’t have known this. And, indeed, Wyntre had no way to know that Gira had even thought this.

”Go right on ahead.” That was all the confirmation the Hybrid needed. She adressed the computer and requested to be placed at the bottom of Earth’s oceans. This was odd enough as is: humans usually had a great fear of their oceans’ unknown. The Arcosian wasn’t sure why this of all locations was chosen, but she couldn’t complain. After all, she was under the ocean, where there was pressure on all sides. Surviving pressure was a speciality of Arcosians.

… But, then again, she couldn’t feel the pressure she was expecting. Perhaps the computer thought that the gravity was a good substitute, or perhaps it thought the high pressures would impair Gira’s breathing. Either way, the pressure was negligible if it was there at all. ”Interesting, interesting… the location has been well-chosen, I must admit. Any ki attacks we use would almost certainly boil the water around them, which might give away our location.” Give away their location? To what?

The two heard what could only accurately be called a ’sound’. Perhaps it was a mating call. Or, a warcry. One thing was certain, however: whatever it was, it would be best left unencountered. ”As I was saying, a good choice. I might not be able to use my intangibility technique here, as pushing the water out of the way of where I phase back would be much harder than doing the same with air. We’ll see about that if it comes to it.”[/color] It was around this time that Wyntre took notice of the ‘ground’; it mightn’t have been very habitable but the rock-like ‘coral’ she nearly stepped on let her know that life survived even there. ”And you’re still letting me go first. Perhaps that was a mistake.”

She needed to remember that she was no longer imitating an Arcosian serpent but Kocha’s imitation of Scobian dragon. Small problem, she had never seen a Scobian dragon before, even if it was only for an imitation of an imitation. Attacking with the wings she didn’t have would have been silly and Kocha wasn’t much a fan of using her tail unless she was put in a grab, so what could she have done? She lunged forwards. There was water in the way which prevented her from being as fast as she usually would have been, but she hoped the same water would slow down Gira’s reaction as well. She realised that there was a problem mid-lunge… the Scobian dragon style imitated their namesakes not only in terms of their movements but also in that they imitated their fire-breathing ability with ki attacks. Indeed, of the twelve schools, the draconic one was the only one to teach its students ranged ki attacks. This presented an issue: her style favoured ki attacks but using said techniques underwater would have just gotten messy… aw, to HFIL with it, they were only ocean-deep eldritch abominations. As long as they didn’t try to get in the way of the fight.

Managing to push herself back to where she was against the water, she managed to cancelled her lunge. Perhaps Gira would think that it was intentional. Now back to her original position, she would have sent her attack barely a second after beginning to charge it, the only indication of which was a pointed finger before firing.

It was the Death Beam. Concentrated, concise, quick. It wasn’t intended to breach Gira’s body at all— indeed, it would have been diminished by the water on the way there— but it was a warm-up. Perhaps the attack wasn’t very draconic, but it was a beginning and it barely evaporated any water at all.

”It’s called the Death Beam, the first technique I ever learnt. Try not to bleed, I think we both want this fight to go on uninterrupted, yes?” Although it wasn’t specified if it was because she didn’t want Gira to nearly bleed out again or because the blood might have attracted unwanted beasts. That wasn’t to say that Wyntre was expecting Gira to bleed at all, of course, she was a durable kid.

And, with some more training, she’d be even more so.

---

Base: 312,822PL
Mastered True: 3,753,864PL
Suppressed Mastered True: 27,286PL

[UP2] Death Beam used for 18,009PL damage! Intended to hurt but not bruise/scar/breach the body/make bleed.

[2/3KP]