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Post by Aiami Lin on Oct 3, 2015 0:09:31 GMT
Aiami pulled her thin shawl closer around her form, letting out a short breath as she did so. The cold of the north was starting to get old, even with a small fire crackling next to her. It didn't help that she was pretty certain that she had been flying further and further north, though that was more out of necessity than anything else. Having seen the effects of the Saiyan invasion first hand put her on guard, and by the time she had flown away from the area near North City it was dark, which only made it harder for her to tell which direction she was going. For awhile now she had been flying around the north, trying to find her way home. It... wasn't going well.
Without a map she was, amusingly, flying blind for the most part. Which had left her in the highlands, camped out on one of the lower plateaus, cold and hungry. Aiami had already taken measures to fix the latter of the problems, but she feared until she found some better clothing or she finally made her way south, she wasn't going to be getting warmer anytime soon. After adjusting the fish on the fire, the young martial artist sat straight once more, taking a deep breath. I hope my family is okay... Stupid. Stupid, stupid, stupid. Of all the things to forget to pack, a map should not have been it. I realized the first day I was gone, but I assumed I didn't need it... Maybe that would be the case if Earth wasn't just attacked by Saiyans.
There was another sigh. In truth she was less anxious about the prospect of her family being put in any harm. She came from a small town, removed from the large cities. She didn't think it would be much of a target. Aiami was much more concerned that her family would be worrying themselves to death over her, as she had no way to get in touch with any of them. Especially her mother. Her mother was probably in hysterics. Which was an amusing thought if she wasn't the reason for it.
Nothing to it, now. I'll just have to try and head south again in the morning. Maybe I can find a map in the ruins of North City... if I can find North City again. Aiami pulled the fish off the fire and tested it's softness before biting into it. She made an audible noise of disgust but choked it down, finding the taste better than starving, if not much else. She continued fighting through her meal, light from her fire casting a flickering, orange glow along the highlands.
(Thread PL: 4,807)
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Post by Raisu Hanamura on Oct 3, 2015 1:10:29 GMT
(Thread PL: 54,515)
It was a cool Northern night as Raisu flew in the dark sky. It was a lovely night for a fly. There was something soothing about it. Especially in the open high lands. Even if he couldn’t see exactly where he was going, there was some joy in it. Flying blind in the dark of night, letting the cool wind ruffle his hair and clothes… It was like he was part of something greater, as if he was letting his fate take him wherever. This was how he wanted to live, flying blind through the night. And day. And just generally every part of the day. Because, there was something wonderful about not knowing what was coming. Surprises made life worth living.
Somewhere in the distance, a ki signature brushed against his mind. A big one, too. Bigger than the average human’s ki signature by far. And stronger than some he’d met before. The signature was certainly stronger than his friend Chaz’s ki signature. And Chaz had proven he was quite the competent combatant. So, by the logic, this person was likely quite the fighter. Strange that they weren’t hiding their ki signatures, especially in these violent times. But hey, neither was Raisu. That was almost kind of lazy of him. And arrogant as well. He’d made rapid advancements in power, lately. More than he’d ever seen before. A few months ago, he was only at a tenth of where he was now. Funny how quickly and far he’d come.
Might as well go and see who this, decided Raisu. It certainly wasn’t a signature that he recognized. Though, he knew quite a few people with high ki signatures these days. He changed course in the air, and let his mind guide him towards the ki. It was certainly easier than flying blind in the dark. Thank Kami for ki signatures, he told himself. It was his light in the darkness. And there was a literal light in the darkness below him. He squinted through the dark: a figure was huddled around the light, a fire. Probably trying to keep warm for the evening. A traveler, perhaps? Like Raisu himself? Raisu felt a certain kinship with other wanderers and vagabonds. In his mind, they might as well all be brothers and sisters by virtue of dust and dirt.
Raisu descended towards the fire, trying to make his presence known via ki. Though, he remembered that not everyone could sense ki. So, he had no choice but to make his presence known in other ways, namely his voice.
“Hey, hello down there!”
Hopefully, he didn’t startle them.
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Post by Aiami Lin on Oct 3, 2015 7:04:51 GMT
Aiami could feel the person before they had said anything. She would be lying if she wasn't paling at the thought of the incoming stranger. Their power was a fair bit higher than hers, and if it came down to it she didn't think she had what it took to fight someone of the caliber she was sensing. She held her own against the mutation back in North City, but it was weaker than what she felt now. By a good margin. She didn't bother looking, whoever it was still had a little bit of time to reach her, and if they had one of those scouters or could sense power levels... She had to come up with a plan, quickly.
I can react. Aiami concluded. We'll see what they do first, and respond in kind... even if it's a Saiyan looking for stragglers, I won't go down without a fight. Not to the ones who left North City in such a state... Her fists clenched reflexively at the thought, and her breath caught, but she did her best to remain in control, continuing to huddle by the fire as if she had no idea what was coming.
Though at the rather benign greeting, she let out a sigh of relief. I don't think I've realized how paranoid I've gotten being lost all this time... I didn't even think it might be a friend.
Aiami stood, letting the shawl drop some, to look up at where she had heard the voice. "Hello! It is good to hear a friendly voice! You're welcome to come sit by the fire if you like, it's cold in these hills." She offered, letting a hand appear to gesture to the warming flames behind her.
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Post by Raisu Hanamura on Oct 3, 2015 12:59:27 GMT
Raisu descended to the fire, stepping within the circle of light it provided. Finally, he thought, some external warmth to keep him going. He looked at the person who had greeted him: a young woman with dark hair.
"Yeah, I'm glad to see a friendly face as well. There seems to be a shortage of those these days, you know?" He grinned through this and laughed at the end. Raisu swiveled his head around, looking side to side. She was alone. Dangerous to be traveling alone these days, he thought. But what could he say? He did it anyway, himself. And the girl seemed capable of handling herself. Well, good for her, he thought. No one should have to tread carefully on their home planet.
"I'm Raisu, by the way. Nice to meet you."
He said this as he extended a hand for a handshake. He was doing those a lot lately. Funny. Even in the wake of the Saiyan invasion, he was meeting friendly folks. But that was a good thing. Earth needed good people, now more than ever. It had a long way to go to recover. People were still scared, displaced, mourning... Tough times all around. It was up to those that could to make things right.
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Post by Aiami Lin on Oct 3, 2015 20:23:15 GMT
Aiami reached out her own hand to return the gesture, bowing her head as she did so. "I am Aiami." She took in the stranger, looking him up and down, getting a feel for who they were. Stronger than her, but she already knew that. A traveler of some sort? Who else would just be flying around at night and stop to greet someone else? Doesn't seem like something who had somewhere to be would do. There was something else about him, something at least a little off-putting to her given the circumstances.
"I... assume since it doesn't look like you're wearing any sort of armor, and you aren't trying to kill me right now, that you're one of the good Saiyans?" Aiami questioned, eyes locked on his tail. Thinking about it she would probably have a lot stronger feelings against any Saiyans she met, if it weren't for meeting Val upon arriving in North City. He was Saiyan, but he was helping people escape from the attacking Saiyan Solar Empire's attack. Considering the destruction she saw already, it was hard for her to shake hands with a Saiyan, but she had to clear through that. The only ones to blame are the Empire, she assured herself. Still, seeing Raisu's tail made her remember the ruined city with clarity.
"I have an extra fish I can put on the fire if you like." She reached down to pick up the stake with the half-eaten fish on it that she had stuck into the ground. "It's not very flavorful, but I was never a very good cook." Aiami joked, hoping that would help clear up some of her tension.
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Post by Raisu Hanamura on Oct 4, 2015 14:21:59 GMT
The two shook hands for a second, and the girl bowed her head as well. Her name was Aiami. A simple name, and one he would have no trouble remembering. A good thing for a traveler, really. The girl seemed friendly enough, if a bit nervous. Understandable when one was approached by a strange man in the night. Even more so when one considers that the strange man is a Saiyan. As Aiami was very obviously considering.
She commented on his lack of armor and the fact that he wasn't vaporizing her at this very moment. Was Raisu one of the good Saiyans? He certainly hoped so. Not that he considered himself a Saiyan. Yes, he had a certain pride in strength and power, and he did enjoy fighting more than the average person, but the majority of the time, he felt out of touch with his Saiyan heritage. He felt much more human than Saiyan. But he still had to answer the question.
"Yeah, I am. Grew up here on Earth," he explained. He added that last bit, hoping it would clear up some of the tension. Some people took comfort in his Earthly origins. Perhaps it made them feel as if he wasn't simply here to reduce things to rubble. As was common of his full blooded cousins.
The girl, Aiami, offered him a fish. She joked about her cooking, but to Raisu, it sounded great.
"Yes, please, that would be amazing. Thank you so much," he enthused. He was feeling particularly hungry that night.
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Post by Aiami Lin on Oct 4, 2015 19:26:44 GMT
Grew up on Earth. Aiami considered that for a few seconds. It put her a little more at ease knowing Raisu was an Earthling as well, and she found it ridiculous to consider someone destroying their own home, clearing him of any suspicion in her mind. She had only met two Saiyans in her life, both in the past month. The only thing she really knew about the ones from their Empire was they wore armor. She... really should expand her knowledge in that area, given recent events, she reflected. She would have to visit a library sometime soon. Reiji would know all about them, probably...
Maybe Raisu had a map? Or otherwise knew where he was going? If she could get some directions out of the wandering Saiyan, she could get home much faster. But it would be rude to ask before following through on her offer, of which Raisu seemed very eager about. She quietly wondered how long that would last after his first bite.
"Of course, I don't think I could eat another, myself, so it was just going to go to waste." She sat down once more and picked up the other fish, already skewered. She set it over the fire and let it sit for a time before rotating, starting the process of making it edible, if not flavorful.
"Ah... what are you doing all the way out here, if I may ask, Raisu?" Aiami started. A simple enough question, and it would give her some more insight into the stranger.
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Post by Raisu Hanamura on Oct 5, 2015 2:42:08 GMT
Aiami put the fish on the fire, and Raisu watched the fish cook with a sort of eager glee. He enjoyed fish. One kind of had too, to enjoy the various specialty dishes of the South Capitol. It came with being close to the sea. And besides, the road had only strengthened his taste for fish. It was abundant in the rivers. And wisely, Raisu followed the rivers. They were keys to civilization, like tiny, ever flowing high ways.
Aiami asked what Raisu was doing out here. Which was a good question, in truth. What was he doing out here? He hadn't given it much thought. If there was something that Raisu lacked, it was direction.
"You know, uh, I don't really have a reason. I was just kind of flying around and I came this way. See, I live a wanderer's lifestyle," he explained, "I go where the winds, or my whims, take me."
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Post by Aiami Lin on Oct 5, 2015 6:44:18 GMT
"Oh, ah... wow." Aiami commented. "I figured you were a traveler, but I didn't expect you were constantly traveling. That must be a very interesting lifestyle, and you seem like you have been around. You must have seen much of the Earth in your journey so far. More than I have, I imagine." She offered him a smile. "You've probably been to warmer lands, as well." She pulled the shawl a little tighter when she moved to rotate the fish again. It was looking close to cooked at this point. Though nothing had been done to it besides removing the scales, it was better than nothing.
"What about your family, though? Do they miss you while you're away?" She questioned. "I know my family is probably thinking about me. Worried more like. From what I gather it was only hours after I left when the Saiyans invaded. Or... somewhere in that time. I only know I started to sense incredible powers all around the planet not long after I was gone. I didn't know what it was, but I didn't think..."
After a pause she shook her head. "You get the idea. Do you think your family is worried?" Aiami pulled the fish from the fire, and after testing its tenderness she passed it over to Raisu while she waited for his answer.
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Post by Raisu Hanamura on Oct 5, 2015 12:36:30 GMT
"I actually come from South Capitol, so eah, I'm used to warmer weather," he said, laughing. Raisu considered a moment. How much of the world had he really seen? Yes, he'd been all over. Especially in the past few months. But he felt like he'd hardly seen anything at all, and that there was more to see. Perhaps he would never be satisfied.
Aiami removed the fish from the fire and began to speak of his family. Did they miss him? Well, he knew that his mother certainly did. Probably know more than ever, given how the world had been driven mad. His father, though, the man was surely indifferent. Did his father ever think of the son he'd left on Earth years and years ago? Probably not, if Raisu was being pessimistic. But Aiami had her own worries as well.
She passed the fish to him, done with it, and waited for his response.
"Well, yeah, I guess my mom is probably pretty worried. I talked to her before the invasion, though," said Raisu, beginning to dig into the fish.
He looked over to Aiami, and looked at her through squinted brows. "So," he began, "We've talked a lot about me. What's your story?"
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Post by Aiami Lin on Oct 5, 2015 14:35:59 GMT
"Nothing special." Aiami raised her hands and offered a assuring gesture with a smile. "But I suppose it would be fair for me to share some, especially while you're eating. I hope it's alright, by the way."
"Ah, well... I come from a small town. Closer to East City than anywhere else, but still far enough away that trips to the city only happened once a year. If they happened at all. It's a quiet place, though we do have a temple there, which is why most people come into town."
"I've been training in martial arts there since I was young. I only left on my own for the first time... Awhile ago. I haven't kept very good track of the days. I would head back, but I honestly have no idea where I'm going.." Her voice had a tinge of shame to it.
"That's the short version. But that does lead me to my next question: do you have a map? Or a rough idea of where I need to go to get home?" Aiami looked to him, hopeful.
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Post by Raisu Hanamura on Oct 7, 2015 19:09:21 GMT
Raisu listened as he ate. Small town girl, it seemed, and she came from the easy. Apparently they had a temple there. Interesting, thought Raisu. It must be quite nice if that's why people visit. He might have to see it himself one day. One always had to be on the lookout for new experiences, he told himself. And she's been training in martial arts since she was young. Probably meant she had a few years of experience on Raisu. He had started a bit later in his youth. But that wasn't to say he wasn't progressing rapidly. Practical experiences had sharpened his skills a bit.
Raisu nodded along as he listened. Apparently she had only left recently. Not unlike Raisu in that regard, though his departure was over a year ago now. Apparently she was trying to get home, but was having a tought time of it, judging by the sound of her voice. He understood that. There were times where ha had no clue where he was headed, but for him, those were some of the best time.
And then she asked if Raisu had a map. That he did not. Maps just weren't his thing. He relied on his own sense of direction and word of mouth to get around.
"No, sorry. Don't have a map. But I can at least tell you how to get to East Capitol," he explained, setting his food aside, "First, you're way north. You're gonna want to go south for a while. Then head east until you find a highway or village or something. Ask around there and I'm sure you can find your way."
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Post by Aiami Lin on Oct 7, 2015 22:27:32 GMT
No map. Aiami felt dashed once more, and she quietly cursed her sense of direction. Still, Raisu had offered her something more than she had had for some time, a rough direction of where to go. And he was right, she hadn't considered the idea that there were roads between the cities she could follow. She had seen them before, but never really paid any mind to them when visiting the cities.
"Head south, and east until I find people and ask them where to go from there." Aiami repeated the gist of his words. "I understand, that makes a lot of sense. Now I just need to head that way. I'm not very good with directions, which... I suppose is how I ended up here." She gestured to the surrounding highlands. "I doubt I'm any further south than North City, and that's the way I wanted to head."
"Regardless, I'm sure if I fly long enough I can get home. Or at least to somewhere warmer than this. I didn't really pack for the cold." Aiami smiled, gently lifting her thin, ragged covering for demonstration. "I only have my gi besides that, and it's lacking in warmth by itself."
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Post by Raisu Hanamura on Oct 7, 2015 23:17:17 GMT
Aiami seemed to understand his directions. He felt bad that he couldn't have produced a map for her, but there was little he could do about that. Well, he told himself, one can't change the past. Apparently she wasn't good with directions, or at least judging by how she ended up here. No kidding, thought Raisu. This is a far cry from the eastern part of the world. North City? Man, everyone was looking for that these days. So much activity for some ruins.
"Yeah, North City should be around here. I'm not sure exactly where, but I'm sure you can find it. Just look for roads. Or rivers. People tend to like both."
She mentioned not liking the cold. Apparently she hadn't packed for the occasion. He understood that. Raisu remembered the first time he left home. He hadn't been prepared either. Traveling was something you had to pick up as you went along. There was no comprehensive check list for it. Though, it would certainly be a lot easier if there were. But something about the cold reminded Raisu of something he learned not too long ago.
"You know, I recently met a women who taught me a bit about using ki manipulation to keep warm."
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Post by Aiami Lin on Oct 8, 2015 2:10:22 GMT
"Well, originally I was just just going to wander until I found the Turtle School, and I figured I had time, but... well, the invasion. I had found North City first, but that was because I had followed the strong energy to there. I didn't realize it was so cold until I had gotten there." Aiami shrugged. Though, even if she had just been following her senses, this didn't change the fact that she hadn't been able to find her way out of the north for quite some time. Far too much time, really.
She looked over at her, head tilted as she blinked. "Ki manipulation to stay warm?" Aiami looked away, considering that. "Hm... yes, that makes sense! I don't know how, but that's interesting. I would never have thought of that. I think my teacher would be a little disappointed in me after hearing that." The young woman preemptively shifted herself around, sitting with her legs bent under her, how she usually positioned herself when she was using her internal ki.
"Do you remember anything about what they taught you?" Aiami asked. "I think I will be using it for days to come if my current situation is any indication."
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