Post by Deleted on Mar 22, 2016 1:44:05 GMT
PL Base: 201,128
Perm: x11 Qlipoth
Deep in the vast wastelands of hell, a small enclave of buildings nestled, an open plain meaning that any approach was evident from far away. In the center sat a strange, squat building, made from red clay. The only other color upon it was a series of dark blue tiles covered the roof and overhang of each layer of the tower, a large mark in a red circle emblazoned on it. It seemed oddly similar to Kami's symbol, actually. Musing on this, Walker entered the building behind Tuner, footsteps echoing on the ground. It felt good to have a body back. He had caused their trip down to pause while he regained his body, but Tuner hadn't seemed too bothered.
In fact, the Namekian actually seemed quite pleased, overall. He nodded to various people as they passed, those he acknowledged bowing or nodding in return. There were quite a few other Namekians as well, although they looked rather different from Scargot, Lusca and Helix. Some had different hues, and not much else. Others, however, looked far different. Fins atop their heads, or spikes coming from their skulls. A few had odd tan or white additions to their bodies, covering eyes and torsos in what looked almost like an Arcosian's biological armor.
These were still recognizable as Namekians, however. Others appeared more like monsters or demons, large dragonline creatures or winged beings. Still, they didn't appear to be actively kicking puppies or slapping children, so he let it slide. He was quite the intimidating figure himself. Striding after Tuner, he looked around the inside of the tower as they reached the top. The inner area of the tower was hollow, a long staircase winding up in a grand spiral. Every few meters, it met a new floor, which circled the interior as well, rooms leading away from the main area. Demons, Humans,even a few Arcosians and others he couldn't identify moved about inside, most of them wearing various martial arts gear. All of them bore the same symbol that decorated the outside of the building, and a few bore weapons made from the materials found in hell.
It was clear even before they reached the top floors that this was both a seat of power and a dojo, and the current ruler had returned. Settling down on the woven mats that decorated the large, empty space, the only things in fact that decorated the room, Walker folded his hands and looked at the grinning Namekian facing him. "So... Walker is your name, correct? It's good to meet you at last." Tuner looked quite jovial. "I have to ask... it was a bit hard to tell with that body shenanigans, but where do you stand strength-wise?"
Walker tapped his hands against each other for a moment. Should he show him? It might be a bit risky, but then again, he seemed to be pleased enough with meeting his "Son". Cernunnos had been far more hostile. What to do. After thinking for a moment, he stood. He didn't have his robes on at the moment, just the light pants he wore beneath. Exhaling, he released his Ki Suppression, carefully ensuring he didn't accidentally grow. Breaking the ceiling wouldn't be a very polite introduction. Throwing his arms back, he felt the Ki surge outward for the first time since he died, the familiar rush pouring through him. Throwing his head back, he returned to full power. Purple aura spun around him, burning like an ethereal flame, and his body cracked and burned.
When it finished, he cracked his neck slightly, flexing somewhat. Interesting. It seemed he had gotten somewhat stronger since his fight with Rei. His spar with Celmaru had probably contributed to it as well. Perhaps it was the effects of working his way back to his body. Whatever the reason, he was notably more powerful than before. Over 2.2 Million now... Smiling slightly, he reduced his power again, sitting back down. "Well, there you have it. I am reasonably proud of how far I have come in just over a year." Tuner, still grinning, nodded slowly. "Indeed. Makes me feel a bit lazy for not training for a while. You might catch up if I keep sitting here." Blinking, Walker looked at him, shock registering in his brain. Catch Up....
Tuner casually tilted his head, and stood up. Throwing one arm to the side, he clenched his fist, and dropped his own Ki Suppression. The blast of power was even stronger than Walker's, and the tree couldn't help but stumble back a bit, shocked. When it died down, he compared it to his own, and blinked heavily. ".... Well. Over one and a half times my power. ... How about that." This was... worrying. He had fought people at similar differences, but he had help, or it was a spar, or well, he DIED. However, from the dismissive response Tuner gave, he didn't seem to care. "Hey, calm down. I'm not about to put you out a window or something. You're my kid, and besides, from the look of it you've been doing well enough on your own." He gestured to one side again, settling back down into a cross-legged seating position. "I mean, not many people can say they've watched a Super Saiyan ascend and then slapped them down like a mere footsoldier."
It hadn't quite been that easy, but Walker didn't feel like trying to correct Tuner. Nodding slowly, he let the Namekian continue. "Besides, you're not here bragging about how mighty you are, even though you're well over a hundred times what I was in life. Not bad, it took me a while to learn to pace myself. I wanted to conquer all of hell when I got here, quickly realized how foolish that was." As the Mazoku Lord reminisced, his newly discovered child considered his options. He still had no idea how powerful Cernunnos was precisely, and he didn't want to risk finding out that the demon lord was much more powerful than he anticipated. He felt confident, but if he was wrong, it would be catastrophic for him.
However, he couldn't very well just run away. There was really only one option, then. Turning, he moved from a cross-legged stance to sitting on his knees, and bowed slightly, hands on his legs. "Well then, I have admitted this many times before. Once more makes no difference." Inhaling, he bowed deeper. "I have much to learn. Would you train me?" He raised his head slightly, glowing purple eyes staring into the Dark Namekian's red ones. There was a pause, and then Tuner's hand reached out, clamping onto his shoulder and giving it a light shake. "Naturally. Any son of mine, even one I didn't intend to make, should know of his birthright." Retracting his limb, he stood up, brushing himself off. "Now! What do you use for physical combat?"
Walker stood, cracking his knuckles and neck. "No particular style at the moment. I've taken moves from different styles I observed, including a bit of swordsmanship, but I haven't been able to truly get any one style to fit my body." He wasn't quite sure why, but perhaps he simply had not been training with the right people. Namekians could stretch and grow, and they could regenerate as well. Perhaps their styles would be easier to adapt to. Adjusting his stance to match Tuner's, he waited. The Mazoku strode closer, peering at the stance and his hand placement with a critical air. Lifting his foot, it sped up and down, nudging the tree's body into a somewhat different position. "Different height and such, you'll need to compensate like... so. Other than that, this should be simple enough."
Stepping backwards, he brought his hands up into a stance of his own, nodding for Walker to mimic him as he did so. The palms were held out, fingers curled around like claws. The two fighters faced each other for a long moment, staring at each other's eyes. "Now... try and keep up." With that, Tuner rushed the tree, skimming the ground in a slide that aimed for his legs, the feet obviously intending to knock him over. Leaping to the side, Walker's eyes narrowed. Keep up, hmm? Well then... Mimicking the position, he did the same as Tuner had, pushing himself into a quick slide-kick at the Namekian's legs. With a grin, it was dodged, and the blue-clad Mazoku spun around, bringing a leg into the crook of his son's neck with brutal force. Staggering a bit, even with Tuner at his reduced level, Walker responded in kind.
Quickly, a rhythm established, Tuner moving out of attacks and responding with new and increasingly complex ones. Being out of their proper bodies, things felt easier, smoother than the living world had allowed. Neither of them were aware of this, but that very fact had resulted in the creation of the Super Saiyan 3 over a Millenia ago, something far beyond either of them at the moment. However, for their purposes, it was helpful indeed. Unfortunately for Walker, Tuner was not a fan of the "gentle" style of teaching in the slightest. Each incorrect movement was swiftly responded to with a devastating counter. What was worse, or perhaps better depending on your point of view, was the fact that he seemed to be able to quite accurately guess what Walker's regeneration could handle, making sure never to actually inhibit his combat ability with the punishments.
It was merely unpleasant, but it was working. Over the 15 minutes of flurried blows, the tree had begun to recognize repeated movements and attacks, the claw strikes and brutal kicks coming more fluidly. He was far from a master, but in the words of an ancient adventurer, "Keep that up and soon you'll be able to tell people I taught you without causing me embarrassment." As the former Lord of Namek and current Lord of Hell paused in his assault, Walker paused as well. One of his eye sockets was slowly knitting back together, and his right arm was creaking when he moved it. "That was... intense. But I believe I am picking it up. It is quite... natural."
Tuner nodded, pointing at himself. "Of course it is! You have generations of our clan who have practiced that martial art, it's probably quite literally part of your soul! It'll take some practice, but this style is going to be a far better fit for your form than some human-based nonsense." Snorting dismissively, the Dark Namekian turned away. "I wonder how Xylo is getting on... I felt him fall not long ago. Perhaps you'll get a chance to meet. As I understand it, you're planning to try and break out of Hell, yes?" It seemed that his second father was quite sharp indeed. One probably didn't manage to carve out a small kingdom in the afterlife by being an idiot. Plus, that Crystal Ball he mentioned, if that could truly see the living world, it would explain a great deal about his knowledge.
Striding over to the Balcony, the Namekian beckoned Walker to follow. "Let's cease for a moment. I want to ask you something." Resting his arms on it, he looked out over the town he had built. It was fairly significant in size, but represented a small fraction of Hell in total. Decades since he died, it had been. Turning towards Walker, Tuner raised an eyebrow. "I've seen you a few times, but it's quite evident you're not exactly like most of the people here. What exactly happened at the Check-In station? If I'm going to be training you, I'd like to know that much." Baring his teeth in a knowing grin, he leaned against the railing more heavily. "Did you think I didn't recognize the symbol of Kami on your gi? It's been a long time, but the Kami of Earth and Guru of Namek have frequently known of each other, especially when both are Namekians. They tend to dislike Mazoku, but then again, their disciples don't tend to end up in Hell. So.... explain."
So Walker did explain. His story was long, starting with his meeting of Scargot, and the training under him, and then moving on to the events of Avalon. Tuner didn't look particularly impressed, aside from a slightly wider grin when Walker got side-tracked by a rant about the Red Eclipse. The tree didn't notice, but the Mazoku lord seemed to approve of this. When he reached the half-way point, his "Nap", he paused for a moment to think. How to explain this. He didn't want to spill all the secrets... just the highlights then. Rei, Vegeta, Zuccetta and such would do for now. Turning back, he continued.
He described the awakening, his disbelief that Zuccetta would be spared after she literally consumed a planet to feed herself, and the eventual attempt to tear the Saiyan Empire out by the roots after watching the Z-Fighters rest on their laurels. "I am tired of watching them ignore problems until they are dropped on our doorstep, thinking they can just hide peacefully on this planet" he spat, finishing his tale. "As such, I made my decision. I fused with another fighter, much as Namekians do, after an intense battle. I needed to find the other source of my power, a demon that lives down here, and separate my link with him. I am not sure what I will do now, to be honest. There are many paths I could take." Staring out the window beside Tuner, he glanced back, the Mazoku beside him.
The lord was silent for a bit, contemplating the story. He had been quiet, ceasing his questions after a point, merely listening. Walker might almost have thought he was asleep if it wasn't for the tension in his limbs, the sense of a coiled serpent waiting to strike even now. The tree wasn't sure what to think of him. On one hand, he hadn't seemed particularly cruel or insane like many he met. Komodo and his pet Saiyan or Cernunnos's petty evil had been blatant, but he was starting to disbelieve the black and white nature of things as it had been presented by Scargot and the Z-Fighters.
People were different shades, altering slightly from moment to moment. He had seen things as concrete sides, but the more he saw, the more he realized that everything was interconnected. The Red Eclipse had disavowed Komodo, and one of their members had a child that joined the Z-Fighters. Kaula was still loyal to her mother, as was Toma, even going so far as to stop him eliminating the planet Vegeta for what he was concerned were selfish reasons. Rei had explained why that attack might well have been ill-founded, but Kaula and Toma hadn't said any such thing. Meanwhile, Zuccetta fought for herself and her empire. What motivated Tuner, he still had no idea. Yet, oddly enough ,even though he seemed rather cruel... the Namekian seemed to be genuinely proud, even caring towards Walker.
He called him his son, which was... technically true. Still, they had met at best a few hours before, aside from some brief observations. Could someone with such a soft spot be really that bad? He had heard similar things about Rei and Vi-Poi at times, but that had been incorrect. They had just done what needed to be done, and considered the cheapest price to pay to get it done. He was interrupted in his rather worrisome chain of thought by Tuner finally speaking.
"Well, I'm not sure I really approve of you being so... forgiving. As you said, that Bing forgave Zuccetta, and look what happened. Meanwhile, these Saiyans try to protect their planet and claim you're wrong for attacking the seat of an empire? I don't know anything about this conflict, but I don't particularly like hypocrites or idiots, and it sounds like they can't see the obvious."
Tuner did actually know more about the conflict than he let on. Not much, but one crucial fact. The SSE had slaughtered his child not long ago, as well as his attempt to conquer Namek. That wasn't something he intended to let slide easily. Walker seemed to have an existing grudge and a willingness to ignore conventional morality to achieve a greater result. That could be twisted, potentially. If he got him among the Mazoku for a longer period of time, there were those there who would be subtle enough to groom his newly met son to accept his heritage. The tree, even though he wasn't Namekian, took after the dark Caste in more than a few ways. For instance, he had apparently inherited some of his father's talents.
Turning to Walker, the Mazoku pointed, using his magic to make some stylistic adjustments. Walker's light pants were replaced by a full outfit, more fitting of his location. The square shoulder-pads and chest-exposing armor was decorated in a combination of mystical and tribal style, all dark blue. A deep hood covered the tree's head, and a ruff-like scarf was over his lower face. Walker glanced down at the ensemble, tilting his head in surprise. "Oh... You know, I rather like this."
"I thought you would. Well, anyway, it sounds like you're doing alright for yourself. I don't know how long you have, so I'm going to train you until you break from the strain!" Striding back into the Dojo, Tuner managed to avoid chuckling maliciously. Walker was powerful, and clever, just like his dad. He hadn't expected this son, but he might well be the trump card to finally take over Namek. In only a few days, he had progressed a surprising amount.
Walker, meanwhile, was considering. He didn't entirely trust Tuner, even though his affection seemed genuine. He had seen the inhabitants of this place, and it was either Hell or Heaven. Some slightly more guilty Neutrals might exist here, but those truly "Good" would be few and far between, he had to remember that. Tightening his new clothing, he resolved to learn how that had been done. It seemed Tuner had more skills than just combat. That had definitely been magic.
The two faced each other, adopting the pose of the style, each thinking their own thoughts, yet mirroring in surprising ways. The Dark Namekian, with the spot of light for his children, dwelling in Hell. The Caretaker of the Lookout, his intents pure and actions even selfless at times, such as his sacrifice, but with a growing spot of darkness within him that, unless faced, threatened to overtake his soul. The two circled, their auras flaring, like the famous black and white symbol of balance. On one hand Ying, the other Yang, their ideals and power each held firmly. Then, with an unheard trigger, the pair charged each other. spinning with legs primed. Their legs crossed, each leaning back and attempting to kick the other, and each also let out a surprised laugh. The fighting, both in mentality and training, would continue. It was unclear who would emerge victorious at the end of it, and what effect this would have on the world above.....
Perm: x11 Qlipoth
Deep in the vast wastelands of hell, a small enclave of buildings nestled, an open plain meaning that any approach was evident from far away. In the center sat a strange, squat building, made from red clay. The only other color upon it was a series of dark blue tiles covered the roof and overhang of each layer of the tower, a large mark in a red circle emblazoned on it. It seemed oddly similar to Kami's symbol, actually. Musing on this, Walker entered the building behind Tuner, footsteps echoing on the ground. It felt good to have a body back. He had caused their trip down to pause while he regained his body, but Tuner hadn't seemed too bothered.
In fact, the Namekian actually seemed quite pleased, overall. He nodded to various people as they passed, those he acknowledged bowing or nodding in return. There were quite a few other Namekians as well, although they looked rather different from Scargot, Lusca and Helix. Some had different hues, and not much else. Others, however, looked far different. Fins atop their heads, or spikes coming from their skulls. A few had odd tan or white additions to their bodies, covering eyes and torsos in what looked almost like an Arcosian's biological armor.
These were still recognizable as Namekians, however. Others appeared more like monsters or demons, large dragonline creatures or winged beings. Still, they didn't appear to be actively kicking puppies or slapping children, so he let it slide. He was quite the intimidating figure himself. Striding after Tuner, he looked around the inside of the tower as they reached the top. The inner area of the tower was hollow, a long staircase winding up in a grand spiral. Every few meters, it met a new floor, which circled the interior as well, rooms leading away from the main area. Demons, Humans,even a few Arcosians and others he couldn't identify moved about inside, most of them wearing various martial arts gear. All of them bore the same symbol that decorated the outside of the building, and a few bore weapons made from the materials found in hell.
It was clear even before they reached the top floors that this was both a seat of power and a dojo, and the current ruler had returned. Settling down on the woven mats that decorated the large, empty space, the only things in fact that decorated the room, Walker folded his hands and looked at the grinning Namekian facing him. "So... Walker is your name, correct? It's good to meet you at last." Tuner looked quite jovial. "I have to ask... it was a bit hard to tell with that body shenanigans, but where do you stand strength-wise?"
Walker tapped his hands against each other for a moment. Should he show him? It might be a bit risky, but then again, he seemed to be pleased enough with meeting his "Son". Cernunnos had been far more hostile. What to do. After thinking for a moment, he stood. He didn't have his robes on at the moment, just the light pants he wore beneath. Exhaling, he released his Ki Suppression, carefully ensuring he didn't accidentally grow. Breaking the ceiling wouldn't be a very polite introduction. Throwing his arms back, he felt the Ki surge outward for the first time since he died, the familiar rush pouring through him. Throwing his head back, he returned to full power. Purple aura spun around him, burning like an ethereal flame, and his body cracked and burned.
When it finished, he cracked his neck slightly, flexing somewhat. Interesting. It seemed he had gotten somewhat stronger since his fight with Rei. His spar with Celmaru had probably contributed to it as well. Perhaps it was the effects of working his way back to his body. Whatever the reason, he was notably more powerful than before. Over 2.2 Million now... Smiling slightly, he reduced his power again, sitting back down. "Well, there you have it. I am reasonably proud of how far I have come in just over a year." Tuner, still grinning, nodded slowly. "Indeed. Makes me feel a bit lazy for not training for a while. You might catch up if I keep sitting here." Blinking, Walker looked at him, shock registering in his brain. Catch Up....
Tuner casually tilted his head, and stood up. Throwing one arm to the side, he clenched his fist, and dropped his own Ki Suppression. The blast of power was even stronger than Walker's, and the tree couldn't help but stumble back a bit, shocked. When it died down, he compared it to his own, and blinked heavily. ".... Well. Over one and a half times my power. ... How about that." This was... worrying. He had fought people at similar differences, but he had help, or it was a spar, or well, he DIED. However, from the dismissive response Tuner gave, he didn't seem to care. "Hey, calm down. I'm not about to put you out a window or something. You're my kid, and besides, from the look of it you've been doing well enough on your own." He gestured to one side again, settling back down into a cross-legged seating position. "I mean, not many people can say they've watched a Super Saiyan ascend and then slapped them down like a mere footsoldier."
It hadn't quite been that easy, but Walker didn't feel like trying to correct Tuner. Nodding slowly, he let the Namekian continue. "Besides, you're not here bragging about how mighty you are, even though you're well over a hundred times what I was in life. Not bad, it took me a while to learn to pace myself. I wanted to conquer all of hell when I got here, quickly realized how foolish that was." As the Mazoku Lord reminisced, his newly discovered child considered his options. He still had no idea how powerful Cernunnos was precisely, and he didn't want to risk finding out that the demon lord was much more powerful than he anticipated. He felt confident, but if he was wrong, it would be catastrophic for him.
However, he couldn't very well just run away. There was really only one option, then. Turning, he moved from a cross-legged stance to sitting on his knees, and bowed slightly, hands on his legs. "Well then, I have admitted this many times before. Once more makes no difference." Inhaling, he bowed deeper. "I have much to learn. Would you train me?" He raised his head slightly, glowing purple eyes staring into the Dark Namekian's red ones. There was a pause, and then Tuner's hand reached out, clamping onto his shoulder and giving it a light shake. "Naturally. Any son of mine, even one I didn't intend to make, should know of his birthright." Retracting his limb, he stood up, brushing himself off. "Now! What do you use for physical combat?"
Walker stood, cracking his knuckles and neck. "No particular style at the moment. I've taken moves from different styles I observed, including a bit of swordsmanship, but I haven't been able to truly get any one style to fit my body." He wasn't quite sure why, but perhaps he simply had not been training with the right people. Namekians could stretch and grow, and they could regenerate as well. Perhaps their styles would be easier to adapt to. Adjusting his stance to match Tuner's, he waited. The Mazoku strode closer, peering at the stance and his hand placement with a critical air. Lifting his foot, it sped up and down, nudging the tree's body into a somewhat different position. "Different height and such, you'll need to compensate like... so. Other than that, this should be simple enough."
Stepping backwards, he brought his hands up into a stance of his own, nodding for Walker to mimic him as he did so. The palms were held out, fingers curled around like claws. The two fighters faced each other for a long moment, staring at each other's eyes. "Now... try and keep up." With that, Tuner rushed the tree, skimming the ground in a slide that aimed for his legs, the feet obviously intending to knock him over. Leaping to the side, Walker's eyes narrowed. Keep up, hmm? Well then... Mimicking the position, he did the same as Tuner had, pushing himself into a quick slide-kick at the Namekian's legs. With a grin, it was dodged, and the blue-clad Mazoku spun around, bringing a leg into the crook of his son's neck with brutal force. Staggering a bit, even with Tuner at his reduced level, Walker responded in kind.
Quickly, a rhythm established, Tuner moving out of attacks and responding with new and increasingly complex ones. Being out of their proper bodies, things felt easier, smoother than the living world had allowed. Neither of them were aware of this, but that very fact had resulted in the creation of the Super Saiyan 3 over a Millenia ago, something far beyond either of them at the moment. However, for their purposes, it was helpful indeed. Unfortunately for Walker, Tuner was not a fan of the "gentle" style of teaching in the slightest. Each incorrect movement was swiftly responded to with a devastating counter. What was worse, or perhaps better depending on your point of view, was the fact that he seemed to be able to quite accurately guess what Walker's regeneration could handle, making sure never to actually inhibit his combat ability with the punishments.
It was merely unpleasant, but it was working. Over the 15 minutes of flurried blows, the tree had begun to recognize repeated movements and attacks, the claw strikes and brutal kicks coming more fluidly. He was far from a master, but in the words of an ancient adventurer, "Keep that up and soon you'll be able to tell people I taught you without causing me embarrassment." As the former Lord of Namek and current Lord of Hell paused in his assault, Walker paused as well. One of his eye sockets was slowly knitting back together, and his right arm was creaking when he moved it. "That was... intense. But I believe I am picking it up. It is quite... natural."
Tuner nodded, pointing at himself. "Of course it is! You have generations of our clan who have practiced that martial art, it's probably quite literally part of your soul! It'll take some practice, but this style is going to be a far better fit for your form than some human-based nonsense." Snorting dismissively, the Dark Namekian turned away. "I wonder how Xylo is getting on... I felt him fall not long ago. Perhaps you'll get a chance to meet. As I understand it, you're planning to try and break out of Hell, yes?" It seemed that his second father was quite sharp indeed. One probably didn't manage to carve out a small kingdom in the afterlife by being an idiot. Plus, that Crystal Ball he mentioned, if that could truly see the living world, it would explain a great deal about his knowledge.
Striding over to the Balcony, the Namekian beckoned Walker to follow. "Let's cease for a moment. I want to ask you something." Resting his arms on it, he looked out over the town he had built. It was fairly significant in size, but represented a small fraction of Hell in total. Decades since he died, it had been. Turning towards Walker, Tuner raised an eyebrow. "I've seen you a few times, but it's quite evident you're not exactly like most of the people here. What exactly happened at the Check-In station? If I'm going to be training you, I'd like to know that much." Baring his teeth in a knowing grin, he leaned against the railing more heavily. "Did you think I didn't recognize the symbol of Kami on your gi? It's been a long time, but the Kami of Earth and Guru of Namek have frequently known of each other, especially when both are Namekians. They tend to dislike Mazoku, but then again, their disciples don't tend to end up in Hell. So.... explain."
So Walker did explain. His story was long, starting with his meeting of Scargot, and the training under him, and then moving on to the events of Avalon. Tuner didn't look particularly impressed, aside from a slightly wider grin when Walker got side-tracked by a rant about the Red Eclipse. The tree didn't notice, but the Mazoku lord seemed to approve of this. When he reached the half-way point, his "Nap", he paused for a moment to think. How to explain this. He didn't want to spill all the secrets... just the highlights then. Rei, Vegeta, Zuccetta and such would do for now. Turning back, he continued.
He described the awakening, his disbelief that Zuccetta would be spared after she literally consumed a planet to feed herself, and the eventual attempt to tear the Saiyan Empire out by the roots after watching the Z-Fighters rest on their laurels. "I am tired of watching them ignore problems until they are dropped on our doorstep, thinking they can just hide peacefully on this planet" he spat, finishing his tale. "As such, I made my decision. I fused with another fighter, much as Namekians do, after an intense battle. I needed to find the other source of my power, a demon that lives down here, and separate my link with him. I am not sure what I will do now, to be honest. There are many paths I could take." Staring out the window beside Tuner, he glanced back, the Mazoku beside him.
The lord was silent for a bit, contemplating the story. He had been quiet, ceasing his questions after a point, merely listening. Walker might almost have thought he was asleep if it wasn't for the tension in his limbs, the sense of a coiled serpent waiting to strike even now. The tree wasn't sure what to think of him. On one hand, he hadn't seemed particularly cruel or insane like many he met. Komodo and his pet Saiyan or Cernunnos's petty evil had been blatant, but he was starting to disbelieve the black and white nature of things as it had been presented by Scargot and the Z-Fighters.
People were different shades, altering slightly from moment to moment. He had seen things as concrete sides, but the more he saw, the more he realized that everything was interconnected. The Red Eclipse had disavowed Komodo, and one of their members had a child that joined the Z-Fighters. Kaula was still loyal to her mother, as was Toma, even going so far as to stop him eliminating the planet Vegeta for what he was concerned were selfish reasons. Rei had explained why that attack might well have been ill-founded, but Kaula and Toma hadn't said any such thing. Meanwhile, Zuccetta fought for herself and her empire. What motivated Tuner, he still had no idea. Yet, oddly enough ,even though he seemed rather cruel... the Namekian seemed to be genuinely proud, even caring towards Walker.
He called him his son, which was... technically true. Still, they had met at best a few hours before, aside from some brief observations. Could someone with such a soft spot be really that bad? He had heard similar things about Rei and Vi-Poi at times, but that had been incorrect. They had just done what needed to be done, and considered the cheapest price to pay to get it done. He was interrupted in his rather worrisome chain of thought by Tuner finally speaking.
"Well, I'm not sure I really approve of you being so... forgiving. As you said, that Bing forgave Zuccetta, and look what happened. Meanwhile, these Saiyans try to protect their planet and claim you're wrong for attacking the seat of an empire? I don't know anything about this conflict, but I don't particularly like hypocrites or idiots, and it sounds like they can't see the obvious."
Tuner did actually know more about the conflict than he let on. Not much, but one crucial fact. The SSE had slaughtered his child not long ago, as well as his attempt to conquer Namek. That wasn't something he intended to let slide easily. Walker seemed to have an existing grudge and a willingness to ignore conventional morality to achieve a greater result. That could be twisted, potentially. If he got him among the Mazoku for a longer period of time, there were those there who would be subtle enough to groom his newly met son to accept his heritage. The tree, even though he wasn't Namekian, took after the dark Caste in more than a few ways. For instance, he had apparently inherited some of his father's talents.
Turning to Walker, the Mazoku pointed, using his magic to make some stylistic adjustments. Walker's light pants were replaced by a full outfit, more fitting of his location. The square shoulder-pads and chest-exposing armor was decorated in a combination of mystical and tribal style, all dark blue. A deep hood covered the tree's head, and a ruff-like scarf was over his lower face. Walker glanced down at the ensemble, tilting his head in surprise. "Oh... You know, I rather like this."
"I thought you would. Well, anyway, it sounds like you're doing alright for yourself. I don't know how long you have, so I'm going to train you until you break from the strain!" Striding back into the Dojo, Tuner managed to avoid chuckling maliciously. Walker was powerful, and clever, just like his dad. He hadn't expected this son, but he might well be the trump card to finally take over Namek. In only a few days, he had progressed a surprising amount.
Walker, meanwhile, was considering. He didn't entirely trust Tuner, even though his affection seemed genuine. He had seen the inhabitants of this place, and it was either Hell or Heaven. Some slightly more guilty Neutrals might exist here, but those truly "Good" would be few and far between, he had to remember that. Tightening his new clothing, he resolved to learn how that had been done. It seemed Tuner had more skills than just combat. That had definitely been magic.
The two faced each other, adopting the pose of the style, each thinking their own thoughts, yet mirroring in surprising ways. The Dark Namekian, with the spot of light for his children, dwelling in Hell. The Caretaker of the Lookout, his intents pure and actions even selfless at times, such as his sacrifice, but with a growing spot of darkness within him that, unless faced, threatened to overtake his soul. The two circled, their auras flaring, like the famous black and white symbol of balance. On one hand Ying, the other Yang, their ideals and power each held firmly. Then, with an unheard trigger, the pair charged each other. spinning with legs primed. Their legs crossed, each leaning back and attempting to kick the other, and each also let out a surprised laugh. The fighting, both in mentality and training, would continue. It was unclear who would emerge victorious at the end of it, and what effect this would have on the world above.....