No experiment is too dangerous! That's science!
Ayami
414
POSTS
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17
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Female
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Robosexual
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Elfen
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971PL
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12,525z
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330 Dragon Coins
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Living Tide
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Played by Ray
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Administrator
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Post by Ayami on Feb 18, 2021 7:50:05 GMT
"I couldn't agree more. I believe if you're to see improvements it will come in the form of endurance training. Luckily for you I have plenty of that to test you. I will be pushing you to your absolute limits."There was no denying that at this rate what would help Atsuko was learning to keep Deep Focus active for longer. If she could do this then all other aspects would come with experience. The master believed that without a doubt in her mind, it was why she was going to make sure the saiyan knight was pushed in a way somewhat different from the other two going forward. It was going to be in far more subtle ways, perhaps Atsuko had to hold onto it longer than the other two, or perhaps she would take a worse battering. No matter the case however, the albino saiyan's training was far from over."I want to see you two put in your best efforts. Don't let Miceala's child outperform you. Let the fire of competition burn inside you!"So the time had finally come...It was time for the next challenger. Aya awaited them patiently, watching to see who would step up next. Ayami glanced over to Atsuko, grinning happily. She gave the knight a pat on the shoulder. It was clear from Tomina's gestures that she wanted the inventor to step forward for round two. The water elfen closed her eyes and took a deep breath as she stepped forward. She listened to Atsuko speaking words of encouragement..."Find my center..."A simple concept. Drawing one's self into their very core. It was essentially the same ideas as meditation. Except...One had to focus all of their senses. There could be no distractions, no loss from one's frame of mind. "A leaf on the wind...Be still like the leaf and float..." she ran this thought through her mind several times as she stopped at the table, giving her grandmother a respectful, slow bow. She took a seat at the table and kept her eyes closed, simply breathing...The grandmother listened to Atsuko's advice, adding her own piece of wisdom onto it, and in a way that was perhaps fitting of the girl who had an affinity with water."Let your mind be carried like a leaf upon a river, gently...It does not fight the current, it simply trusts the flow of the water's surface to carry it safely."Aya bowed...And the match began. However there was something odd happening here. Ayami didn't react as she had done yesterday. Instead she sat silently, keeping her eyes shut and meditating...The young inventor blocked out the world around her. The matriarch watched silently for only a moment and then moved to splash the elfen. Aya raised an eyebrow as the girl simply...Sat there and took it without even reacting."...Again."Aya bowed once more, and round two began. And yet...The water elfen sat silently, motionlessly. Even as a second barrage of tea came splashing onto her, Ayami still didn't react...Was she trying to pull a ploy? Even the master herself couldn't read this girl's intentions. All the old woman could do was eliminate possibilities. Ayami would never purposefully throw a challenge, and she CERTAINLY wouldn't fall asleep during training...That only occasionally happened with meditation. She wasn't trying to gauge her grandmother in a way like Tomina had done yesterday. There was no clear indication she was measuring the elderly master's reactions at all. So then...What?"Again."Another bow, another match where the inventor sat unmoving, like a stone that had been planted there for centuries. This time rather than go for a quick finish, the matriarch watched...She gauged the girl's plans...Or...lack thereof. It was perplexing even for someone with this much experience. How could you ever possibly figure out what someone was planning... ... When they gave away nothing? It started to weigh on the old woman's patience. She splashed Ayami again. Another round with no fighting. And yet...Even though this had been the third round, the master didn't relent."Once more."Another bow, another start. Round four...With no movement. The matriarch entered deep focus, trying to gauge if there was something subtle in the air she had been missing all this time...But there was nothing. Nothing at all. The air around this girl was completely still. Only her slow, deliberate breaths revealed that she was even still alive. But within her mind was a scene...From when she was a child. A cold fall afternoon was where she found herself. A much younger Ayami aged ten. She watched the crimson and orange trees as a gentle breeze blew through the area, causing those trees to rustle pleasantly. The air was crisp and refreshing to breathe in. The world around her was like a still image save for the moving of the trees. A river sat at the base of these trees, wrapping around them and going underneath a wooden bridge.
"Be still like a leaf upon the river..."
The wind blew again, this time pulling a leaf free. The young girl reached out to try and touch the leaf but it floated out of her grasp, slowly gliding towards the ground. Outside of Ayami's mind she had lost three more rounds without a single movement. And yet even though She had failed seven rounds, the old woman bowed, insisting they go again."We're not done yet. Again." OOC Note: Italics denote thought. Atsuko Tomina
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"Rumia, please. I'm trying to train."
Atsuko
419
POSTS
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18
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Female
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Lesbian
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Saiyan
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579 PL
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5,034z
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109 Dragon Coins
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Albino Saiyan
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Played by Amord
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Administrator
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Post by Atsuko on Feb 18, 2021 8:19:06 GMT
Tomina expressed her thoughts on the subject. Mainly how she used her emotions to call upon her power. That made a lot of sense -- especially when the power was unrefined and untamed. It worked in a pinch, but it also basically sacrificed any sense of control. This was most noticeable yesterday, where Tomina's power raged forth beyond her control. The Knight decided to adapt her advice, especially when she saw that her sister was still struggling with this. Perhaps even more than the initial image.
Since Aya was focused on Ayami, that meant Atsuko would be focused on Tomina. " Keep in mind that using emotion to call upon your power is akin to wild flailing in battle. The strikes may be powerful, but they lack precision. They're inefficient, and draining." , she explains quietly, so as to not disturb Tomina's attempts to focus, as well as to allow Ayami and Aya to have their match uninterrupted." Learning to control what you can do may mean first weakening your ability. That's fine, so long as you can control it better. With the ability to control comes the ability to practice." , she elaborates. " If the image of the balloon worked better for you... Experiment with that." She pauses. " Fire spreads fast. Use too much fuel, and it rages out of control. Instead, start with a small flame, and search for the sweet spot by adding just a little more. Slowly, and surely. Wait for the flame to stop growing each time. Observe it." Atsuko did have a bit of experience with how fire worked. All thanks to her survival training in the wilderness. The basic rules should apply to one that can directly control flame as well. " There's no need to rush. A wildfire is dangerous. A controlled one is useful." She would still keep an eye on her sister's progress. But she was also curious to see how Ayami was doing. Suffice to say, she was a little surprised to see that the girl didn't appear to be doing anything... Aya just continued despite that. What was going on? As much as she wanted to answer that question, she couldn't afford to take her attention away from Tomina right now.
Aya could handle it. So all she had to do was make sure that Tomina could handle herself in the meantime. Ayami Tomina
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"Interesting. Come at me!"
Tomina
291
POSTS
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18
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Female
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Bisexual
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Hybrid
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445PL
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56,483Z
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208 Dragon Coins
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The Wild Flash Fire
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Played by Nothost
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Senior Member
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Post by Tomina on Feb 18, 2021 22:17:46 GMT
Tomina nodded in acknowledgment at Atsuko’s statement. “I know. But my powers are fueled by my emotions. And switching between being calm and releasing my powers and going full blast isn’t something I can easily do. But maybe you’re right. I might be trying to do too much at once.”
Tomina did what Atsuko suggested, closing her eyes and picturing a flame. Specifically, she pictured a candle being lit. Now that was all she was focusing on. For the moment, the flame burned steadily. She heard water being splashed, over and over again. But she didn’t dare break her concentration. Eventually, her curiosity got the better of her and she opened her eyes. She watched as Ayami got splashed without doing anything, three rounds in a row.
“Why isn't she fighting back? Is she trying to get the right image?"
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No experiment is too dangerous! That's science!
Ayami
414
POSTS
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17
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Female
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Robosexual
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Elfen
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971PL
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12,525z
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330 Dragon Coins
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Living Tide
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Played by Ray
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Administrator
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Post by Ayami on Feb 19, 2021 2:47:28 GMT
Several more times the master splashed her granddaughter without any retaliation, any kind of defense, or even the most basic of effort. For thirty minutes the elfen sat as still as a statue, unfazed by the fact that she was becoming soaked to the bone from all the tea. It went on for so much time that Aya had to replace the tea before they could continue again. And yet despite how long this had been going on, the matriarch continued subjecting her child to this onslaught. To the outsider it might have looked rather...Harsh to just continue doing this over and over and over again relentlessly even despite the seeming reluctance from the young inventor to act.
But the truth was? Aya could tell something was going on here. She didn't know exactly what...But she knew there was no way Ayami would ever lose without putting up a fight. And that's why this master continued going beyond the typical "three round" limit...She was intent on continuing this until the sun set if she had to. She was prepared to continue into the next morning even. The elfen was being put through a make or break situation right now, and this matriarch's grandchild was not one to ever break under pressure. If anything - Pressure seemed to be where Ayami excelled...But within her mind the scene by the river bank continued to play out, even as she continued losing round after round this scene was the only thing in her mind's eye. The leaf that was falling towards the grass was suddenly caught by a gust of wind...And it landed softly onto the river's surface, causing a light ripple in the water. The young girl stepped over by the river, gazing down at the leaf as it softly spun around in a circle, the river carrying it towards the bridge."Don't just watch it...FEEL it! Feel it within your core! Feel the motions, the air on your skin, the electricity hanging in the atmosphere, the breath that fills your lungs, focus on the feeling of that image in your mind..."The old woman bowed again after giving more advice, more wisdom she imparted not just to Ayami, but all three of them...And again another round started. But this time something was different. As Aya grabbed a tea cup and moved to splash it...The leaf on the river floated towards a rock...But then the river's current carried it safely around the side of the rock. It was then she realized all she had to. Follow the current of the river, reach out just as it did. She reached a hand out in the same direction the leaf travelled...Ayami gazed out onto the river's surface, past the leaf that sat there...And she saw her image reflected back from behind the leaf. The inventor exhaled sharply and placed a firm, unshakable hand onto the top of the master's cup. The old woman's eyes raised...If only for a moment. But she continued on her offensive, grabbing another cup - That was then blocked yet again. And again this game continued, with the elfen somehow blocking every attempt. But her motions weren't just lightning fast and erratic. This wasn't someone who was acting on what they saw.
Every motion of Ayami's hands were as if she was being pulled by a strong current, graceful yet powerful. She watched the leaf in her mind as the current pulled it away from danger each time something threatened to stop its trip across the water's surface. But this time...The leaf stopped dead in its tracks despite the push of the river underneath, it remained perfectly still. But then another ripple from underneath the leaf. Within the ripple the girl saw a particular spot in the circular disturbance on the water where the tiny waves stopped short, it was eight o' clock on a clock face judging from the location... She reached out in that exact direction without even thinking. She didn't even open her eyes...She just acted on what she witnessed in her mind, and the result to those watching? She had just blocked a feint attempt by the old woman. Even Aya was surprised by the scene unfolding...But she wasn't even close to done yet! The master forced the student to react to her greatest attempt. The grand strategy that would never reveal anything. Aya began to rapidly scramble the tea cups sitting before them. Not once did she make it clear she was going to splash. But the elfen girl...Sat motionless now. She felt anxiety strike at her as the leaf now danced rapidly on the river, but why? Her breathing became harsh, it increased in speed and her heart began to beat faster...Why wasn't the image helping her now?! Why did it stop?!
"Why...Why now...?!"
The river-side image in her mind started giving way to a black void as the fear of failure set in stronger than ever before. As the elderly master continued her onslaught of mind games, she spoke up..."Have you already forgotten what I've always told you child?"She stared the inventor down, a piercing gaze revealed everything. Deep Focus was so close now, but it was starting to slip away. Aya continued to speak."No matter how difficult things become...Always remember to smile."The image in the girl's mind faded until only the surface of the river remained...And even that was threatening to be swallowed whole by the void of inner concentration. That was until she remembered those words...The words her grandma always told her when things became tough."...Always remember to smile, because when you smile...No one has to be afraid."She uttered her first words out loud since the entire session between the two had begun. Suddenly the frown and concern that covered the student's face gave way to a proud, brave smile. Suddenly, the void that was swallowing up the image in her mind stopped completely and then just as quickly as it had appeared, it was blown away by the river's surface. The river grew into an endless ocean and within that place where the leaf once sat, Ayami saw instead herself...A mirror image resting on the ocean's surface, smiling just as brightly as she was. The young inventor was able to see the water ripple around her... ... No, she could feel it now. There was no denying this feeling of movement.And within that movement she could feel a single thing that remained perfectly still, something isolated from the rapid motions...The image of a cup formed on the surface of the water and without hesitation she reached for it, grabbing onto it tightly and swinging it forward with all her might!!! ... Instead of a splash an almost comical "thunk" echoed through the room as everything fell silent. ... Ayami opened one eye sheepishly as she felt all movement cease."Did...Did I win...?"The sight that greeted her wasn't one of utter failure...Instead what she saw when she opened her eyes was a tea cup placed neatly on top of her grandmother's head, with her hand gripping it tightly. Instead of merely splashing Aya, the girl had placed the cup on her head instead. Aya looked shocked at first as her eyes opened wide, she could hardly believe that Ayami had managed to not only win...But went above and beyond the simple win conditions... ... But despite all that, the matriarch soon smiled, closing her eyes."So, after all these years you've finally managed it. You finally understand everything I've been trying to teach you all along."The one person who had been more shocked than her grandma was Ayami herself...Her eyes started to well up with tears as she tried her best to keep smiling...But it was just too much! Her smile fell apart and the tears started to flow freely... The young inventor started to sob and cry with pure joy!"N...Nnnn...! Waaahhh!! Grammaaaaaaa...!!!"The old woman sighed and pet her granddaughter gently, running her fingers through the girl's hair to comfort her."There, there. You did wonderfully."... Really it was a touching scene if only a little odd...Ayami really was an emotional girl. Atsuko Tomina
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"Rumia, please. I'm trying to train."
Atsuko
419
POSTS
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18
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Female
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Lesbian
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Saiyan
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579 PL
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5,034z
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109 Dragon Coins
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Albino Saiyan
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Played by Amord
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Administrator
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Post by Atsuko on Feb 19, 2021 7:59:52 GMT
Atsuko nodded as Tomina seemed to be taking the advice into consideration. " You won't be able to fully deny your emotions, and you shouldn't. But this is learning how to not be ruled by those emotions." , the Knight points out. If you let those feelings be the only thing that drove you forward -- then you were giving yourself over to that flow. That may not always be a bad thing. But if you can't pull yourself out of it until it's too late..." When you let those emotions run things for you, it's like diving into a raging river. You'll move forward, but you'll have a hard time pulling yourself out of it. You can end up overshooting what you wanted to do, and land yourself in a worse situation." , Atsuko elaborated to her sister. Maybe she wasn't as good at analogies as Aya was, but she felt like that one was pretty good and easy to understand.
Still... For as much as they were trying to focus on this, both of them couldn't help but have their attentions drawn to what was taking place between Aya and Ayami. For awhile now, the Elfen hadn't made any particular move, she was still. But the Saiyan could tell that there was something happening, it was difficult to describe, but Atsuko likened it to the first time she felt her own 'awakening'. It took some time for it to happen, but when it did, she had a better grasp of Ki than ever before.
Speaking of which, Atsuko began to suppress her power once more. In light of everything, she had sort of forgotten about it. But she needed to regulate her strength, especially with how strong she was getting now. At the same time, she began to sense the power emanating from Ayami. Feeling as though something was about to be unearthed, and she wanted to have a good handle on it the moment that it happened.
The Albino Saiyan ends up getting her wish, as the Elfen suddenly springs into action. Atsuko's eyes widened, but she composed herself quickly. " Pay close attention to this, Tomina." , she states. Now dedicating her focus to the match since it had begun properly now.
Ayami seemed to have an even better handle on Deep Focus than Atsuko did now -- which made some sense, the Mechanic had spent a far longer time trying to grasp this power than she did. The match continued picking up in intensity, including Aya busting out her grandest move yet, the very one she used against Tomina before. It seemed as though Ayami might lose her focus here.... But Aya managed to say exactly what the girl needed in order to push on.
What followed was another moment that shocked Atsuko; Ayami didn't just manage to win, she completely outmaneuvered Aya. " Wow..." , it had been quite awhile since anyone managed to outperform her in training, but it seemed especially fitting that Ayami managed to do it here. With a smile she looks over to Tomina. " Looks like we both have some catching up to do, sis." Naturally, all of this was really emotional for Ayami; she had spent most of her life trying to conquer this obstacle. Only now had she actually pulled it off. Atsuko returns her gaze to the Elfen, still smiling. Right now, she didn't need to say anything to her. This was a personal moment between grandmother and granddaughter. Ayami Tomina Notes: Atsuko starts suppressing her power back down to 5. Atsuko uses Ki Sense on Ayami.
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"Interesting. Come at me!"
Tomina
291
POSTS
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18
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Female
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Bisexual
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Hybrid
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445PL
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56,483Z
|
208 Dragon Coins
|
The Wild Flash Fire
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Played by Nothost
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Senior Member
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Post by Tomina on Feb 21, 2021 0:40:17 GMT
It happened in an instant. Ayami and Aya had a quick exchange. The next thing she knew, The cup was now on Aya’s head. She had done exactly what Atsuko had told her to do and pay close attention to the exchange. Tomina hadn’t expected that of all things. She didn’t think anyone here would be able to splash Aya in just a day, let alone actually put the cup on top of her head.
“Yeah, no kidding sis.” Tomina walked over to Aya and Ayami, reaching down and patting her on the shoulder. She gave the Elfen a wide grin.
“Hey Ayami, you looked really cool just now. Don’t ruin it now by bawling your eyes out. That was a hell of a maneuver. I couldn’t even keep track of you there.”
Tomina teased, patting her shoulder a couple more times. She didn’t say anything else after that, watching the two of them embrace each other. Atsuko had done really well, and Ayami had crushed it. Now that just left her. Tomina had an idea, but as usual, it was pretty crazy. But she had promised Ayami she would try using her powers. And that’s exactly what she was going to do.
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No experiment is too dangerous! That's science!
Ayami
414
POSTS
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17
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Female
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Robosexual
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Elfen
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971PL
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12,525z
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330 Dragon Coins
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Living Tide
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Played by Ray
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Administrator
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Post by Ayami on Feb 21, 2021 1:58:32 GMT
[Flavored Ki has risen from 125 to 150, power momentarily unsuppresses before Ayami regains control and lowers it back to 10] The emotion running wild inside the elfen finally slowed to a calm after several long minutes of crying her eyes out over a hard earned victory. The elderly woman gave her granddaughter a tissue to wipe away the tears that had soaked the girl's face Given everything that's transpired over the years Ayami never thought she would reach this point so soon. She sniffled, rubbing the tears away from her eyes as she gave everyone a beamingly bright smile. The Elfen inventor stood and bowed to all three of them. Aya, Atsuko, and Tomina."Thank you...So much...! I couldn't have ever gotten here without everyone's help...You're all so great!!!"Without warning Ayami grabbed both the albino knight and the half-blood saiyan, pulling them tightly into a hug. She definitely felt just a little stronger than she did before her victory...It seems Deep Focus had somehow given her a subtle boost to her natural power. Or...Perhaps something she already had was being unlocked through this technique? Either way a simple ki sense would reveal an undeniable fact. Ayami had been positively changed by achieving Deep Focus in the way that she did. The inventor let out a soft emotional chuckle as Tomina patted her shoulder, teasing her over her crying."I guess I always do find a way to ruin the moment huh..."With a bright grin she released both of the sisters, giving them another respectful bow before stepping aside. Although it seems Aya wasn't quite done with the young elfen yet. The matriarch stood and walked over to her granddaughter, handing the girl a towel to dry off with. With a bow Aya began to speak."You who had began paving this road so long ago. You who will carry this family's legacy on your shoulders so long as you live...You have made great strides, but your road is far from reaching its end. Continue carrying the bricks which pave your path, and one day you'll become a true master in this art."The two exchanged smiles. Aya's heart welled up with pride that eclipsed Ayami's own. Her granddaughter was one of the few members of this family left who could pass down the torch. To see the elfen succeed...It made even this steel hearted woman emotional. She pulled her child into a hug, her smile never wavering for even a moment."I'm never gonna give up, no matter what! I'll make you proud Gramma!"The old woman laughed softly, shaking her head."You already have, child."With such a tender display of emotion concluded the master released Ayami, turning to face Tomina now...The smile faded into a determined gaze, it wasn't one that displayed coldness, but rather one that displayed trust. Despite what Tomina believed about her fire being uncontrollable, despite her fears that she could hurt the others...Aya didn't once believe the hybrid was some kind of "Monster". Her expression revealed it all, she wanted to see the fire user succeed just as much as her own granddaughter."When you're ready young Tomina...It is your turn."Ayami gave Tomina an encouraging pat on the back, smiling as she spoke."You can do it Mina!!! Remember what I told you...Your fire is beautiful. So go show Gramma just how beautiful it really is!"The old woman returned to her seat at the table, waiting for the hybrid to approach. It seems however that she had words of advice for the hotblooded halfling too."You must imagine Deep Focus as a match. Force your power to the match head and never let it burn the rest of the match. Only you have the power to control the energy flowing wildly inside of you. You must tame it if you ever wish to reach Deep Focus. You who have come here to learn how to control the power that rages out of control inside you...I will temper you like the finest steel until that power is not more than a softly burning candle-light."The serious facade broke for a moment as Aya smiled, continuing to speak."You don't have to hold back against me. Place all of those fears onto my shoulders and allow me to carry your burdens for a moment." Atsuko Tomina
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"Rumia, please. I'm trying to train."
Atsuko
419
POSTS
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18
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Female
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Lesbian
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Saiyan
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579 PL
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5,034z
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109 Dragon Coins
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Albino Saiyan
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Played by Amord
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Administrator
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Post by Atsuko on Feb 21, 2021 14:01:13 GMT
Atsuko couldn't help but laugh softly at Tomina's words towards Ayami. It seemed like the two got pretty close; the Knight did wonder exactly when their bond deepened to this level, but there would be time to investigate that particular tidbit later. " Haha, she's been working at this for a long time. I'd probably be emotional in her shoes too." , the Saiyan comments. Shortly thereafter she witnesses the emotional moment between Aya and Ayami continue.
It reminded her of Micaela and herself. Her mother was always so protective and caring; she wanted the best for Atsuko. The Saiyan only hoped to live up to all the expectations placed upon her, but one doubt she didn't have is whether her mother was proud of how far she had come. There was no question of that; but it would be nice to visit her again and just... Share in a moment like this one. It made her feel a little homesick, which was understandable given her predicament.
But, returning to the Monastery was something best saved for later. They had training to finish, bad guys to fight and a village to save! She would rather come back with joyous news of a victory. But now, that meant there was only one last person left to start the training... Tomina had to face down this trial, and she could only imagine the kind of stress and anxiety that her sister might be feeling in this very moment. The expectations must have seemed insurmountable, with two successes in a row.
The Saiyan didn't want Tomina to freeze up in the light of all that. " You've got this, Tomina. We're all here to back you up, too!" , she kept it to simple encouragement for now. Because Aya would be handling the training from here on out, and Atsuko was confident that if anyone could help Tomina conquer her inner demons; it was going to be a master just like Aya herself.
Now, it was Atsuko and Ayami on the sidelines, about to watch what was going to unfold. But before the match starts, they did have the chance to converse with each other. " That was pretty amazing, Ayami... I had trouble keeping up with Aya, but you managed to outmaneuver her." She whispers, so as to not disturb the concentration of the two about to train. " How'd you do it?" , she then inquires, curious as to what pushed the Elfen above and beyond like that.
Of course, she was just as hopeful to see her sister succeed! So she would be keeping an eye out for when the match starts. Ayami Tomina
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"Interesting. Come at me!"
Tomina
291
POSTS
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18
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Female
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Bisexual
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Hybrid
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445PL
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56,483Z
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208 Dragon Coins
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The Wild Flash Fire
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Played by Nothost
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Senior Member
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Post by Tomina on Feb 23, 2021 0:14:27 GMT
Tomina wasn’t that surprised when Ayami hugged her again. She really liked hugs after all. Although this time there was the caveat of being pressed against her sister as well. Ayami had ended up ambitiously hugging both of them. Tomina was glad that Atsuko wasn’t wearing her armor right now: it would have been really uncomfortable to be pressed against it.
“Breaking out the celebratory hug already? Better save some for when we really conquer the really tough stuff. Our training is just getting started.”
At least she assumed that was the case. She imagined there were other exercises and tasks that they would have to partake in. She certainly hoped that was the case: otherwise, she’d look like an idiot.
Tomina turned her head around, smiling sheepishly and rubbing the back of her head. “Damn, now I’m starting to feel embarrassed. I’m not used to all this feelsy stuff. I guess I really gotta succeed now.”
Tomina sat down on the over the side of the table from Aya. Tomina stared into the eyes of the old woman. Tomina was still nervous, despite the reassurance she was getting from everyone there. They all had excellent points too. Even if she went out of control, she had people who could reign her in now.
“Sensei, before we begin, I want to give you fair warning. I’m going to try something rather dangerous. Last night me and Ayami had a talk about my abilities. And I’ve decided I’m going to try and tap into them for the first time. I know that you’re stronger than me and can probably handle it. But the night where my powers went out of control, I tapped into something I didn’t know existed. A power that for an instant, made me go far beyond what I was capable of. Is it okay if I try to tap into my power for this?”
She asked solemnly, staring into her sensei’s eyes. The stunt she was going to pull was really risky. But she knew that right now, it was the only chance she was going to succeed at this training exercise. But she didn’t want to use it if she didn’t have permission to. If Aya felt like it was too dangerous, then she wouldn’t attempt it.
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No experiment is too dangerous! That's science!
Ayami
414
POSTS
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17
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Female
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Robosexual
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Elfen
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971PL
|
12,525z
|
330 Dragon Coins
|
Living Tide
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Played by Ray
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Administrator
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Post by Ayami on Feb 23, 2021 3:09:49 GMT
The elfen inventor smiled brightly at both of her friends, but especially Tomina given the comment she had made. She was probably right. This was only the first exercise out of the lot. Ayami's true skills were going to be tested with the final one most of all, of that there was no doubt. Still...She couldn't help be happy in the moment. The sisters seemed to understand it pretty well despite the hybrid's teasing. But none the less the elfen chuckled at Tomina's comment."Don't worry, you'll probably be getting another before long!"With one final firm pat on the shoulder, Ayami let the half blood go in order to meet her destiny. The fire user might have had her doubts, but the truth was that she had the most potential out of all three of them, at least...That was what Ayami thought. And Aya herself seemed to mirror that sentiment. If the methods which worked for the albino knight and the young inventor weren't working for Tomina, then it was a simple matter of having to try something different. Something the hybrid saiyan already seemed to understand as she made a request of the matriarch. Aya closed her eyes solemnly for a moment, going deep into thought as Tomina spoke of her request. So it seems her granddaughter was at least partly responsible for this...It didn't exactly surprise the old woman. That child had an odd way of encouraging those around her even when the odds seemed stacked against them."You have my permission."She raised a finger, stopping Tomina short should she want to interject."But understand something. If you are going down this path of slaying your inner demons, I won't allow you to stop until you've succeeded. No matter how deeply rooted your fear becomes, no matter how high the flames rise, if we are to test this power of yours I am going to push you to the edge. Not because I want to see you suffer, or because I am restricting you..."The old master opened her eyes, still meeting Tomina's own as she continued speaking calmly."... But because facing one's own demons can sometimes be the only way forward. A trial by fire if you will excuse the unfortunate terminology. My personal feelings are that such a thing would be beneficial to you both in controlling the fire that rages in your soul...And achieving Deep Focus."Aya gaze was unchanging as she looked at the hybrid."Knowing all of that, do you still want to face your greatest fears? There will be no turning back once you've dedicated yourself to this."Tomina had full permission from Aya to go ahead with tapping into her powers...But all the same the old woman still gave the hybrid a warning. Perhaps one that was more philosophical than literal, but one she wasn't going to keep from the half-blood elfen girl.On the sidelines the elfen inventor stood by the knight's side, watching them speak with baited breath. Ayami was excited...But also a little worried. She knew good and well Tomina wasn't going to back down from this, and while she was certain everyone else would be safe, it was the hybrid's safety that was of chief concern to the young mechanic. But as feelings of all kinds stirred in her mind, the albino saiyan managed to snap her out of it by praising the elfen's swift movements."Nyehehe~...Thanks! I've been trying for years to win but I've never been able to get past her until now!"How did you do it? That was the question weighing on the knight's mind. And it was one that was...Difficult for Ayami to really give a concrete answer to. But as she recalled back to that moment she tried her best to explain to Atsuko just how she managed it."Well...I saw an river in my mind...It's something I saw before. When I was little. But pressure forced me to revisualize it. And then I saw an ocean in my mind next! I focused on the ripples in the water. When she started her gambit I didn't feel for where she was moving...I felt for where she wasn't."It was a straight forward explanation, the young mechanic recalled a scene she had seen when she was much younger. When she was just a child the river was a strange symbol of meaning for her. Perhaps because of her affinity. But when it came to Aya's scrambling gambit was where an interesting point of strategy came up. Rather than feeling the motions...Ayami felt for where there was a lack of motion, acting on it to find an opening. It was a drastically different strategy from what one typically would have tried, but it paid off. But setting all of that aside, one concern still hang heavily in the elfen's mind."Do you think Mina will be okay...?"She prepared a jet of water silently, just in case she needed to extinguish the fire. All she could do for now was hold off and trust that Tomina would be able to make it. Actions:1-3. Ayami uses all three actions to charge Tier 2 Rapid Cannon from 10% to 30%! Atsuko Tomina
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"Rumia, please. I'm trying to train."
Atsuko
419
POSTS
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18
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Female
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Lesbian
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Saiyan
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579 PL
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5,034z
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109 Dragon Coins
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Albino Saiyan
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Played by Amord
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Administrator
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Post by Atsuko on Feb 23, 2021 13:40:32 GMT
Tomina seemed pretty on edge about this, which was perfectly understandable. Even without Atsuko prying as to why, there was trauma related to the power that her sister held. The Knight could only be patient and help her at every step of the way. Even so, she made the request to Aya that she be allowed to start tapping into that unreal power of hers. The master entertained the idea too; with the caveat that if she started on this journey, then Tomina would have to see it through one way or another. That would be for the best.
Atsuko knew pretty well firsthand that no matter how frightening it might be, you had to face that beast inside and either tame it, or cage it. There really wasn't a third option when it came to this sort of thing... They might have wildly different powers that they ended up having to face, but it was true for each of the three students gathered here now; learn to control it or lock it away. They had to make due with those... But now they could face their collective problems together.
Hell, maybe she could one day learn to control her own power as well. But as she thought about all of that, it didn't escape her notice that Ayami looked worried as hell. Those concerns were eased by the Saiyan's praise. " Now you just have to keep up your momentum, Ayami! Don't let anything stop you, and you'll get through the rest of the training with flying colors." , Atsuko adds.
She was proud to see how far her friend had come. Besides, the stronger Ayami gets... The better the training they could do together! The Saiyan's mind already started to race with the possibilities of high-intensity spars. But, that would have to come in the future. They needed to focus on the here and now. Still, she didn't object to hearing how Ayami managed to pull off her impressive feat..." I see..." , the Saiyan carefully considers this. Maybe for as good as her own control was, it paled in comparison to Ayami. So she decided to start comparing the usage of the technique with her. " For me, I worked with the image of a balloon, and tried to follow along with the movements it made from the shifts in the air." , she explains." Eventually, I started to ask 'how does it escape the danger', and I kept following it. Before long, I just started seeing an image of myself performing the necessary actions to protect myself... It's potent, but I think it's not quite on the level that yours is at, either." , the Saiyan admits. She definitely needed to work on this some more. But it only made sense that her 'rival' was better at it. She had been working on this for so much longer by comparison.
But now, it was time to place their attention where it mattered most; on Aya and Tomina. The Elfen asks if the Hybrid will be okay. Atsuko gives a nod at that. " We're all here to help her. I know a thing or two about what it's like to have power you can't control as well." Atsuko smiles softly and pats Ayami on the back gently. " Have faith in your grandmother, too. If anyone can figure this out, she can." , with that, she falls silent... The anticipation of it all was making her a bit ansty.
Atsuko decides to try and calm herself by giving herself something to focus on; in this case, she decided to lock onto Tomina's power and pay attention to how it changes during the course of this training. Ayami Tomina Notes: Used Ki Sense on Tomina
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"Interesting. Come at me!"
Tomina
291
POSTS
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18
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Female
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Bisexual
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Hybrid
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445PL
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56,483Z
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208 Dragon Coins
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The Wild Flash Fire
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Played by Nothost
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Senior Member
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Post by Tomina on Feb 26, 2021 0:47:37 GMT
Tomina chuckled, shaking her head. “See what I mean? They’ll lose all meaning if you keep doing them.” Tomina couldn’t help but poke fun at the number of times Ayami liked close contact. Although that teasing jabbing was put behind her quickly once Aya told her directly just what she would do in order to conquer her inner demons. Tomina’s red eyes stared into her teacher’s. There wasn’t any hesitancy in her voice when she answered her. “I both want and have to do this, no matter what. I know that it seems like there is a choice, but there really isn’t. I know that there’s only so far I can go without gaining control. And I owe it to myself and others to master my powers. If I can’t master my powers, then the responsible thing to do would be to never fight again. Trying to push forward recklessly without conquering these inner demons is the same as deliberately setting people on fire. So I’m going through this, no matter what.” And with that, the training began. Tomina took a strange approach right out of the gate. She closed her eyes and clenched her fists. That didn’t seem like she was relaxing at all. In her inner mind, she didn’t try to think of something else. This time she openly let the memories she had been suppressing in. Although not completely. She pictured the burning orphanage in her mind. The flames completely enveloping the old structure. She focused on two voices. “Don’t leave me Tsubaki!” “TOMINAAAA!”
Tomina’s face twitched, grimacing in pain as she recalled that memory. But for once she wasn’t focusing on Tsuki or the orphanage. Instead, she focused on how she felt at that moment. The explosion that had set forth that fire in the first place. Fortunately, she had recently felt it again: when she had lost control yesterday. She winced, smoke slowly rising around her. When she had lost control that night, she had wanted more than anything for Tsuki to stay. She was angry that she was leaving her. Tomina needed to focus on what she wanted to accomplish. She forced herself to change the image in her mind. The flaming house shimmered, then faded away. In its place, a new image appeared. It was a cup on a wooden table. Tomina focused… focused… and suddenly it caught fire. At that moment she knew, now was the moment to strike. Tomina’s eyes snapped open. The others would be able to sense her ki rising sharply. A blazing fire enveloped her entire right arm. At that moment, her arm snapped forward. It looked like an orange snake striking with its veins. There was the sound of liquid being splashed. Then it was over. The fire faded away. Tomina’s body was trembling. Her eyes were wide open, her face pale. She was breathing heavily. She was holding onto a cup tightly. A cup that was now empty. The tea was dripping all over her teacher now. “I… I did it.” Tomina murmured disbelievingly. Suddenly exhaustion hit her like a wave. The cup slipped out of her grasp and hit the floor. Tomina had to trip the edge of the table to keep herself upright. She panted, looking down at the ground. God she was tired. But she had managed to do it. And everything was still intact.
Mechanically what Tomina did was use a T2 fire move and used her environmental overdrive 3 times. Tomina just threw out a move that was worth 55% of her PL when grabbing the cup. To the others, it would seem like she managed to charge her ki instantaneously.
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No experiment is too dangerous! That's science!
Ayami
414
POSTS
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17
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Female
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Robosexual
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Elfen
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971PL
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12,525z
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330 Dragon Coins
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Living Tide
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Played by Ray
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Administrator
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Post by Ayami on Feb 26, 2021 23:35:30 GMT
The elfen inventor smiled at Atsuko's encouragement. The knight wasn't wrong, at this pace she could reach all she had strived so hard for if she just didn't lose focus. But in regards to deep focus came an interesting fact...Atsuko had reached it in a completely different way. The albino saiyan had stuck with the balloon image, and formed that into an extension of herself. It was a drastic difference compared to how Ayami perceived Deep Focus. Could it have been that everyone experienced it differently? She rubbed her chin, thinking deeply on this..."A balloon huh...I see we got there in different ways...I wonder how Tomina will reach it?"She tried her best to remain calm, and Atsuko's words rang true and helped to ease the elfen's concerns. It was true...She just had to trust in both her grandmother, and in Tomina who had confided her dark secrets that night in the workshop. If Ayami held faith then they would certainly reach a victory."Let's just hope the Patron Goddess is with them..."It happened in a flash, before anyone could even react. Before even Aya herself could react Tomina had sparked a flame across her arm and taken hold of a tea cup, splashing the old woman before she could even move onto her first cup. The room fell silent once more...And the matriarch smiled at Tomina, closing her eyes and bowing."You've accomplished what many cannot in only two days' time. What's more it seems to me like you've entered the first stages of taking control over the fire that burns inside of you. I didn't see a raging inferno, I saw a calm gentle flame that brought life to you."The master stood, stepping over to all three of them and simply letting them speak amongst one another for a moment. She was fully aware they would all want to celebrate a stunning victory that had been achieved by all of them. And indeed it was the case for Ayami if no one else. She sensed the hybrid's ki, noticing just how much it had flared up in such a sudden amount of time. She rushed over and got down onto her knees, pulling the half-blood into a hug!"You did it!!! I knew you could do it Mina! So! How do you feel?"The elfen inventor offered to help steady her friend, noticing just how weak Tomina appeared to be after all of that. It was something she assumed came from the power surge the fire user had displayed. It made her think back to yesterday when she accessed...Something...It wasn't quite a massive surge of energy like here, but it was something that had tapped into her powers on a far deeper level than ever before. Were these two instances related in some way? The thought was an interesting one...But Ayami simply pushed it to the back of her mind for now. There would be more time for theorizing later. Now was a time to celebrate."So that means we've all completed this exercise right?! How close are we now Gramma?!"The young mechanic grinned brightly, standing up and reaching a hand out to offer Tomina help in standing up, she looked over to her grandmother expectantly and with clear enthusiasm. Since they had all won here they must have been close to completing the "Ultra hard training" right? Soon enough they'd be ready to fight those bad guys!!! The master sighed, shaking her head as she smiled."I'm afraid there's still quite a bit you all need to achieve. You all need to practice using Deep Focus in situations where your entire body is called on to act. If you can only do it from a seated position then you'll never be able to fight using this technique. In light of that I believe we will skip our second exercise for today and move right onto the downhill portion. You've all achieved something amazing worthy of being proud of. And...If you don't mind my risking boosting your egos too far, you've all exceeded my expectations. Deep Focus is something that often takes years of dedicated training to reach. Even Ayami who has been under my teaching for years has reached this power far faster than anyone else before her. Why, before you three the fastest to reach Deep Focus was..."The young elfen perked up as Aya spoke and immediately jumped in, naming the exact man the old woman was about to refer to."Gaizo the Venerator!!! Right?!"Despite being interrupted the master didn't react to scold Ayami, perhaps due to being used to it in some part...She simply gave a nod, continuing to speak."That's right. He achieved Deep Focus in 10 years. Ayami has achieved it in 7. And you two in just two days. Although...Considering I have never told my granddaughter about Deep Focus until now, I supposed that technically means she matches your records of two days."The elfen inventor grinned, chuckling as she took on a pose!"Nyehehe~ That's right! Before long everyone's gonna be calling me "Light-step Ayami!" cool right?!"Aya sighed, bopping her granddaughter on the head with the cane she carried."Don't get an overinflated ego. You're still far from becoming a master. Master Gaizo has that achievement above all of you currently."Though she didn't elaborate as to who Gaizo was, it was clear from her tone of voice and choice of words that whoever he was, Aya held a deep level of respect for him. She would likely be willing to tell them if they asked however, it wasn't a dark secret or something the old woman refused to speak of. She merely felt it wasn't pertinent to speak about it unless the girls wanted to know more of their own volition."Sorry Grammaaa..."The young elfen inventor rubbed her head, bowing in apology towards her grandmother. Atsuko Tomina Actions:Ayami used Ki Sense on Tomina
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"Rumia, please. I'm trying to train."
Atsuko
419
POSTS
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18
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Female
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Lesbian
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Saiyan
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579 PL
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5,034z
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109 Dragon Coins
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Albino Saiyan
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Played by Amord
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Administrator
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Post by Atsuko on Feb 26, 2021 23:55:06 GMT
It seemed like Atsuko's encouraging words managed to get through to Ayami. Which meant that the two of them could just focus on what was needed for now; just being ready to act in the event that Tomina required assistance. The Saiyan was fully confident that whatever might come, Aya could handle it just fine. So their attention needed to be on Tomina. The Knight kept her senses locked onto the Hybrid, paying attention to any shifts in her power. One second, it was normal. The next, it was like a dam had burst completely open and raging waters rushed free.
Well, that description might be more apt if it were Ayami; but the principles were the same. A lot of energy just seemed to well up from nothing. Naturally she saw that Tomina exerted control over this ability and passed her training, but... The Knight was lost in thought now. Processing what it was that she just felt. She sensed Tomina's energy again, trying to feel if anything was different now that had occurred.
The Albino Saiyan brings a hand to her chin in thought. " Gathering energy to expel it out all at once..." , she mutters to herself. " ... That's rad." She borrowed a particular phrase from Ayami. But the way her eyes had lit up after that, you could tell that she was cooking up something from what she had just witnessed. Deeper inside her mind, the wheels were turning for Dawn as well.
"You noticed that, huh?", the red-and-orange haired girl queries.
The Saiyan takes a more proper posture, but doesn't vocally or visually respond. Instead, doing so mentally. "Yeah. I think the principles I saw just now could be applied to a technique."
Although she didn't have a physical form right now, you could practically see Dawn grinning in response. "That's right. You should experiment with that in your training. You'll have to figure out the details for yourself. It won't feel earned if I just tell you everything."
With that mental exchange finished, Ayami had already rushed over to share her excitement with Tomina's victory! Atsuko steps over as well. " You did great, Tomina! You've inspired me to work on something later, too." Ayami then proceeds to ask the question that was on everyone's mind; if they had accomplished this much, then surely they were getting closer to being ready for live combat, right? Atsuko had her doubts, though. Sure they were getting to a consistent point of using Deep Focus now. But now they had to practice it, refine it to greater levels, and most especially do away with the strain and fatigue it causes from prolonged use.
Aya ends up saying just that, but also talks a little bit about someone who had actually mastered the technique. The name being delivered by one of Ayami's timely interruptions. Though the Master didn't seem annoyed by this, instead giving off the impression she was quite used to it -- and although none of them had mastered Deep Focus yet, they did set records in being able to acquire the state in just two days, compared to the several years it took normally..." Gaizo the Venerator? He sounds like a very interesting man. I wouldn't mind hearing more about him." , the Knight expressed her intrigue. While it wouldn't be the same as learning directly from him, there was always the chance to gain insight from tales of warriors and masters of the past.
Atsuko needed every last bit of knowledge and power she could get her hands on. Not just for Penguin Village, but beyond that too. Ayami Tomina Notes: Atsuko used Ki Sense again, trying to feel for any further changes in Tomina's power.
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"Interesting. Come at me!"
Tomina
291
POSTS
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18
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Female
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Bisexual
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Hybrid
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445PL
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56,483Z
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208 Dragon Coins
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The Wild Flash Fire
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Played by Nothost
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Senior Member
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Post by Tomina on Feb 27, 2021 1:26:56 GMT
Tomina closed her eyes, a slight smile on her face. “I know I have a ways to go. But it wouldn’t be any fun if I could defeat that demon so easily. It’s haunted me my entire life. I want it to be tough to beat.”
Tomina tried to act tough in front of Ayami. But she winced as she tried to get up, only to fall back onto her back. “I feel like a burned-out candle. I still have energy, so why can’t I get up?”
Tomina had used something else up within her. She didn’t know how to put it exactly, but she instinctively knew she had used up something. When Atsuko used the term rad, Tomina looked over at Atsuko in disbelief.
“Who are you and what did you do with my sister?” She cracked, letting out a low chuckle. She managed to sit up slowly, her arms shaking with the strain of pushing herself up. She sat upright, looking at Atsuko in surprise.
“Wait, I inspired you? This sounds juicy. Mind telling me the details later, Sis?”
Tomina listened to the old woman explain a little more about the origins of Deep Focus. Apparently, it was usually a very hard technique to master, even partially. Which they had all managed to do. Tomina was curious about this Gaizo. Although Atsuko had addressed that, so there was no point in her asking more about him. Tomina nodded, putting her hands on the table.
“This was just a stepping stone. Even someone like me knows that much. I’m glad I’ve managed this much. But I’m not satisfied with just this.”
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