oY, OP Here.
Just dropping this 'cus I care a bit more today.
Trigger warning, there are really, REALLY heavy themes of contemplating self-undoing in this one. It's not played as dark humor or anything, this is GENUINELY a character contemplating permanent solutions to problems more temporary than they seem.
Do with that as you will. This one starts pretty grim. But there's a light at the end of the tunnel. I'll always make sure of that, as long as I've got a say in a story.
That's all. See ya at the end.
[ OP: B'z – Into Free ~Dangan~ ]
Match Ten: Zinco Vs Kaza!
"Soooo, how was my first run as announcer?" Pan asked confidently, as if the answer had already occurred to her in a dream. "Pretty good, right?"
Two of Trunks's fingers and a thumb held his bloody forehead above his bloody desk.
"Pan, you let two teenagers beat each other to near death."
"Aaaaaaaaand?"
"You literally encouraged it. One of them had dust for bones at one point."
"Aaaaaaaaand?"
"The city is calling you Son 'One Under Heaven Means One Straight To Hell' Pan."
"..."
"..."
"... aaaaaa-"
"You made points."
"Of course I did!" Pan agreed, "I wasn't talking to save face, you know! One of them was MY age, and the other was, what, a second year in high school?"
[ Translator's Note: Japanese High School Second Year. She's referring to Mei. I will never insult your intelligence with this weird shit again. ]
"Listen, it's not like I want them coddled, but-"
"And I've been fighting like that against much worse ever since I was 10."
Trunks paused. "... but no one ever forced you to do that. In fact, I was always against it!"
"Exactly. I chose to. Something awful happened to me, and even more, to everyone I knew. And I had to make sure that never happened again. I've been able to see it personally, thanks to this weird stuff you've done with the arena, but… I know that they're doing the same thing."
"..."
"And why'd you let me patrol despite my age again?"
"... because I saw myself in you."
Pan nodded with a smile."Now you get it!"
Trunks's head rolled just a bit further down. "I was never cut out for a job like referee."
"HAH! SOFTY!"
"Yeah, you're right."
Pan immediately softened. "... Hey, old man, wait..."
"You DON'T need pay. Your passion speaks for you!"
"O-OI, OLD MAN-"
"Fantastic work ethic, Ref Pan! Keep doing your beeee~st!" Trunks sang before cutting the call.
Pan broke several blood vessels. Her hair glittered with a plasma-imbued glow as her room trembled in her presence.
A distant doctor swiveled her head. She could've sworn she'd heard a "YOU PRUNEY ASSHOLE!" on the wind.
Mian opened the door at the stair's summit after her "graduation," and a wolf-sized spider pounced onto her.
"Huánghǔwáng!" she laughed, coddling the now-giant arachnid. "I did it! I'm a Shadow Spider now!"
Her master and the mammoth spider in the back doorway glanced at each other with an equally "Why Haven't You Eaten the Smaller One Yet?"-y look.
"(So you actually WANT a successor, huh…) Don't go anywhere." He headed out back. "It's high-time you 'molted'."
Mian's dumb little face grew even more ecstatic, her spider seemingly squealing in delight as she twirled it around.
He then closed the door. Thirteen minutes passed, and after a knock, he opened the door.
"Come out back. I think Mama wants to see you in it."
The girl's absurdly-long hair slowly fell around her, reining in her qi. Standing up, she now donned an, albeit smaller, exact replica of her master's threads.
"Mh-hm!"
Master and student sat crisscross by the tarn, while Mian's friend and her master's cohort did their own odd spider-training.
"Spiders can train?"
"Of course. Give an intelligent animal enough reason to improve, and they'll strive for perfection. Shānmǔ over there is the wisest animal for miles. So naturally, she wants even more to bring out what she sees in that Huánghǔwáng over there." He glanced at Mian. "Also, 'Tiger King'? Really?"
She pouted. "He likes the name."
.
.
"... I bade my time asking you this for a reason. If I hadn't, I would've just hardened your resolve."
Mian turned to her teacher, away from the glossy, dreamy pond's evening glow.
"Why did you choose this path?"
"... I wanted to…" Mian blushed. "I just wanted companionship's warmth again."
"Ha?"
She tightened a fist. "And I wanted to be strong enough to defend them."
"... all of that pain and suffering you endured… just to avoid being alone?"
"Yes."
"And you think it was worth it."
"Yes!"
"... you've made one hell of a bad call, then. I'm not someone you should strive to protect, especially not now."
"Of course. You're immeasurably cruel and uncaring." Her master nodded.
Mian smiled to herself. "But then you're not."
Her master's expression dropped.
"It's like you force evil upon yourself. When you act kind, it's beautiful. Like the sun shining behind clouds. I'd gladly kill to see something so pretty, as many times as I'd need to."
Her master changed the subject. "Whatever you say. Anyway, you've officially molted. That doesn't just mean you're given a new set of clothes. From this point forward, Chǎo Miǎn is dead. Your bloodline is finished, and peace means self-exile or death. I ask you now, who's this that stands before me?"
"Xiāo Mèi."
Her master's eyes bulged. "That was quick!"
"... I've been thinking of changing my identity for a while now. I'm not sure how my family would respond, wherever the realm they live now, but I can live with it as long as my actions don't bring shame to their name. Maybe I could even please them. Besides," she turned to him with a smile, "I had inspiration for the name."
"..."
"... hEY-"
Her teacher turned her head from himself to the pond, his face in a macabre carriage collision between anger and pride.
"Watch the water for Kun, brat."
"HMMM…!"
He let go, and they kept staring.
"... say, why did YOU become a Shadow Spider, Master?"
And the hermit slowly went somber again. "I didn't. It was forced upon me by circumstance. The allure of self-strength and, as I grew older, the power to enact change from the shadows kept me in."
He stopped, waiting for his protégé to ask yet another annoying question. However, Mei simply kept staring at him, silently urging him to go on. They shared an awkward moment of silence, as Shanmu smacked Huanghuwang upside the thorax for yet-again failing to create a web anywhere but across the ground.
"What, d'you want my entire life story?" he jived, agitated.
"I've earned it."
The hermit rolled his eyes, facing the heavenly pond again. "... as I trained, I began taking notice of my state's poor leadership. Bandits ruled any road that didn't lead to the emperor's, and women and children shared just as heinous if-not worse fates as men, with-or-without submitting their belongings. The dead polluted the air, and homes were like stuffed meals for thugs. So after I completed my training and my master passed on, I sought to shape my state's destiny with my own hands. The fastest way to do so was through 'finding an emperor'. So I did just that; an ambitious young man, my peer in age, who'd already taken an official seat in government. He was just as starved for reform as I'd been. Nothing stopped him from running his mouth on anything and anyone he didn't agree with, no one could get away with talking down to him, and he had the political know-how to manage what he owned and light a flame in mens' hearts. Everything I could hope for in a leader. As a bonus, his personality made it so I was never just killing time."
A large fish sailed out of the water, morphing into an equally-vast eagle once it hit the skies. Shanmu began screeching incoherently to get her boy's attention, only for Huanghuwang to leap hundreds of meters into the air and kill it himself. Shanmu scree'd incoherently in shock.
"Once a Shadow Spider is found by its lord, it's obligated to receive direct orders, and it only took two months for my master's lord to find her. It took my lord a year, two months' change. Before then, as he climbed higher and higher toward his ambition, I'd watch him occasionally spiral into fits of despair over something he'd said to another noble, certain that every day would be his last. Thanks to me doing my job, however, he could keep living his life without the need to bend to the world's whims. So when the day came that he'd act on his hunch that someone was watching him, and he finally devised a plan that caught me…"
The hermit's face slowly twisted into an embarrassed cringe.
"He tried to marry me."
"He thought you were a woman?"
"Yes."
Mei stifled a snort. "How'd he react to you being a boy?"
"He tried to marry me."
Mei stared.
"... was… was your lord handso-"
"Moving on from that, after that night, we reached an iron comradery. After all, I was just as willing to die for his state, and the dream he held for it, as he was. I became the four legs and wings that kept him moving forward. We both sacrificed parts of our humanity to further the nation's power, so that we'd never be laid siege to by a stronger force ever again. 'No longer would the snake spend its days coiled beneath the rocks with brittle fangs', he promised me one night. 'Soon, it'll soar the skies and swallow the sun, a dragon'."
Mei began putting pieces together.
"That man… you don't mean…!"
The hermit nodded. "Long before you were ever born, that dragon on his flag had four legs and wings. I let him see his ambitions through, no matter how strong the force sent to kill him. For a time, the land was prosperous, the strongest of the four states. Citizens could walk the streets without death's whispers again. There was peace. But… I'd soon learn that rulers of his kind live short lives for a reason. He was never satisfied with the way of things, always pushing for a stronger army to conquer land, more expeditions across the world, more scholars to document without pause… he'd bled the population dry, and lost sight of what made a truly successful kingdom, successful. He always wanted more, in fear that 'stagnation' would breed weakness. Now men walk the roads in fear of conscription for the sake of giving their lives for what we no longer need, and women and children work themselves to death in efforts to compensate for their absences. In the end, he got what he wanted… the snake became a dragon, and swallowed the sun. Now, there's no light for anyone."
"... The Savage Dragon King. You were his Spider."
He slowly nodded, as if she'd accused him of murder and he'd pled guilty.
"I self-exiled myself here, far earlier than any spider should, to atone for my crimes against this land. Not before we had a falling-out, though. He could've had me killed, but he wanted me dead himself, and demanded a duel. Despite everything, he still had a human heart, cried human tears, at a friend's abandonment. I won, narrowly at that, but I couldn't bring myself to kill him, so I fled."
"Aren't we supposed to be emotionless as Shadow Spiders? Why would you spare him, knowing what he'd do?"
"I…" The hermit had no words. "I thought… that maybe without someone to defend him… he'd come to his senses. But he was only driven ma-"
"You're lying."
Mei glared at him, in the same way a daughter would glare at a workaholic father. "I can hear it in your voice. You're ashamed of the truth."
She and her master exchanged a lengthy glare.
"... he was important to you. That's why you couldn't do it."
The standoff lasted for a few more tense seconds. Then, the spider sage's head gradually fell.
"Yeah. I… I missed his throat."
"... I was scared." Mei lightened up. "I was scared that we really had to stop being human. But you've made mistakes, too."
As unfazed by the prospect of taking life as she was, Mei was still Mian.
Her master stood up. To her subtle horror, he even chuckled. "Mei, It's important to bay your emotions… once you've thrown a strike." The long-haired, pretty-faced man took another drag on the leaf he was smoking. "Emotions are quite important, you know. They're a key component for finding a ruler you'd like to watch over, to ensure the choice you're making is one you can live by, and to bring out all your power before you strike. You know the tale of the Spider and the Empress, right?"
Mei nodded, and her master reciprocated.
"If the spider was an emotionless husk, it wouldn't've felt the need to repay a debt, not to a human."
He turned to Shanmu and Huanghuwang, as the former vigorously patted the other's furry abdomen over the young peng's corpse, and smiled. "We mimic the Spider, because the Spider once mimicked us."
To her surprise, he patted her head. "Don't forget that, Xiǎo Méi."
Flustered, she erratically swatted away his hand. "Xiāo! Xiāo Mèi!"
"Call yourself whatever you'd like, you little plum. In time, that name will be spoken in whispers." He pushed her forward, toward the door. "Now go. Weave this land's destiny."
She took a step forward. She couldn't help herself, though, to turn back.
"Your name…"
Silent tears streamed down her neutral composure.
"You never told me your name."
He stared confused, having not prepared for her to ask something THAT meaningless.
"(... my master never taught me her name. It shouldn't matter, in fact; as is tradition, a succeeding Spider must take their master's life as a final rite, 'devouring' their existence without a trace.)"
"..."
"(But given that it's a stupid fucking tradition, I'm going to ignore it.)"
"The only name I've ever known is Róu Jiǎ Mó."
Turning, Chǎo Miǎn beamed at the man, once and never again.
"Thank you, Ròujiāmó!" she laughed, before closing the door.
"Wha- HEY, YOU DAMN-"
But he was too late. Xiāo Mèi had already vanished.
"... hah…"
Rou Jia Mo closed the door.
Mei's eyes smacked open. For once, her dreams of the past were pleasant memories.
"Is… it is over."
The local medic came over. "Looks like you're doing better."
"You..." She turned away, ashamed. "... I never apologized for that day."
"Accepted," Wabi shrugged. "When it comes to certain things, I'm bad at holding grudges." He paused. "You know, I've always admired the crazy things humans do, despite how vulnerable they are. Pan could've killed you with a funny look, down there."
"I knew." She blankly stared into the wall. "That was not why it was foolish of me." She propped herself up, observing her hands. She'd been healed completely in mind, body, and spirit. As remarkable as it was, a far-larger question rode her heart.
"... did I win?"
The change in the doctor's face spoke before his mouth could move. She tuned out their response, and vacantly stared into the floor.
"(I have failed you.)"
Mei stood up and left without a word.
"(If I had fought with all of my effort from the beginning… if I had not shown mercy…)"
She walked the desolate, winding hallway in a trance, as if she were haunting it as a spirit repeatedly living out their last moments.
"(If I had allowed him to quit… I would have won. He was prepared to ALLOW ME victory, and yet…)"
The intense, overpowering rage that got her back onto her feet, and allowed her to kick that rock into his hand, came to mind. It was the childish anger she'd chastise a boy for letting cloud his judgement.
The idea of having won in that moment... no, the idea of it sickening her, in-turn sickened her. A victory would've been a victory. Assassins didn't play fair. Yet she'd treated her mission like a game to win with honor, as if she would've gained something for it.
...
Like pride.
"(... is that... all?)"
She bit her lip.
"I am…"
She stopped abruptly, the footsteps belonging to the voice behind her halting about two meters away.
"... TRULY baffled, by what you did out there today."
"... you."
Akaki strolled toward a wall. "I kept count, you know." He held up ten fingers. "Oh wait, you CAN count, right? You're not THAT slow?"
Mei didn't answer.
"Oh who am I kidd- it's ten, yeah? Ten times. And somehow, someway, you squandered EACH and EVERY chance you had." He sarcastically clapped. "So much for your noble cause, right?"
Mei didn't answer.
"I don't get it. I mean there'd be some SEMBLANCE of justification if you were, say, a pacifist, or a sadist, or a battle-mongering freak, or one of several species that embody such traits but YOU…" he giggled a bit. "You don't even make SENSE. You're just a MORON. It's actually amazing how EFFORTLESSLY you threw away the POINT of your being here! How do you humans do it?"
"..."
"... d'awww~, dumdum can't even be proud of themselves." Akaki shrugged. "Shame. I was betting it all on you making it to the semi-finals and making an ass of yourself. Oh well, I'm sure I'm not the first you've disappointed out there. Am I wrong?"
The antagonist noticed, and recognized, the look now in her eyes.
"... and as la pathétique coup de grâce… someone waltzes in, mocks you to no end, belittles your very existence, and yet instead of rightfully gutting them, THAT'S your answer!?"
"please stop." Her eyes vacant, her voice had lowered to a quiet squeak. "please."
Akaki gave a disgusted sigh. He threw his fists into his pockets and walked off. "A useless coward to the end."
He began to round a corner, and his face recoiled in even more revolt. "And then there's you."
"I didn't even say anything," Neo responded.
"You know, I really, REALLY hope you aren't proud of that little 'win'-"
"Dude no one cares, go read a book or something. Fuckin' nerd ass bitch."
"... I'd say it, but no. I'd be insulting the wall's intelligence."
"Yo I could literally step on you, you woodland critter in daddy's coat."
"Don't mention him, human. First and la-"
Neo sidestepped him. "Hold that thought, I see a Fuck over there, gonna go grab it for ya."
"..."
The dragon-vested boy looked back. "... that… that's your cue to leave, smartass, there isn't actually a-kn-know what can you just fuck off now? Jeez."
"... right in the kidneys… I'll say I misfired."
With the tsufruian gone, Neo and Mei were alone.
"Yeah that guy stalks kids, he's weird. I mean, you do, too, but…"
[ BGM: Kenji Kawai (YungAn Cover) ‒ Pride of the King of Knights (Erhu Cover) ]
He noticed, and recognized, the look now in her eyes. "... this is gonna sound weird comin' from me, but…" his face shifted, like he knew what he'd planned to say, bur discarded it and starred from scratch. "You're gonna try n' do something stupid, aren't you?"
Mei blankly stared at him. "Why would you care?"
"Yeah there's my answer, DON'T. Okay?"
She walked in his direction, as if he wasn't there.
"Woah-hey-GODDA-HOLD ON!"
"I misplaced my Fuck, it is somewhere far behind you. Allow me to retrieve it."
"What? I-ah come on, stop!" Neo pleaded alongside her.
"Why? Is it not 'honorable' to do after disgrace?"
"NO, it's dumb!"
"Such strange words from a 'warrior' like yourself."
"I'm not a damn warrior, you're not even makin' sense any-FOR FUCK'S SAKE, STOP!" Neo suddenly jumped in front of her. "This isn't a joke! Cut the coy shit, you're making a mistake!"
"And once more, why should you care?"
Neo reddened, already sweating bullets as if he and Mei had run things back. "Tth-cz-cuz you're a fucking person! Nothing else should matter past that! OK!? That's my damn answer, now would you please just stop for a sec and… I don' know, think? Shit!"
The white-violet flicker from before returned around him.
"I… damn it…" He pulled at his bangs. "At… at least wait for Kaza to finish up, ok? She's your friend, right? Can't you do that?"
A sharp hand slowly slid up the side of his neck.
"... you are adorable when you are frustrated. Boyish, as if you were innocent." She smiled emptily. "Not at all as you appear in battle." Her dead smile faded. "But do you believe yourself to hold any claim over my life, just because you have bested me? Surely, you are not so naive."
"N-no, but-"
She pulled away. "You are right. If nothing else, I should witness the price of my hubris first-hand. Ending my life before then would be cowardice."
Neo finally let Mei pass.
"... hubris?"
"Yes."
"That wasn't hubris. No damn way that was hubris." He turned to her. "You came back from whatever the hell had you on the fritz in your head, and then you kept fighting. Even before that, you threatened the fuckin' ref because she wouldn't call the fight, 'cus you thought the situation was bullshit. How the hell is any'a that hubris?"
"... Of course, you would see it that way. You are a boy, after all."
He watched his words bounce off her in real time, as she passed into the reception area.
"(Calm down.)" He bit the skin on the back of his fingers. "(Just calm down.)"
Images of her frowning, scowling, roaring, hissing as she attacked, smiling in coy, even her weird giggles, all invaded his mind at once the second she disappeared behind the corner.
"(Fuck…! Fuck!)"
It felt wrong to want her to live for such a selfish reason. But he couldn't help it. He wanted to get to know her, at least. Bring that giggle out of her naturally, maybe with a joke or a surprise.
It felt like every life she'd ever threatened in his presence, he desperately set out to save. Her own, as it turned out, cranked that need up to 11.
"... no, that ain't it."
He recalled it.
His own expression, wandering Conton for the first time, void of reason to press on and desperate for one. Even before then, as he walked his own wastelands, ready for the first chance to die and yet always making it out with another life lost instead of him.
... it was horrible. No one deserved to feel like that. Especially when there was someone else still here, very much rooting for them to keep holding on.
He swallowed, loudly.
"Jeez, women, right?"
[ BGM: Linkin Park ‒ Session ]
Akaki's voice weaseled into his head.
It helped him piece things together.
He slowly turned to him, his eyes draconic.
"Fucker."
He was audibly keeping himself from screaming.
"Wooooah, where'd that easy breezy energy go, Neo? Did the other Earth rat take it with her?" He lazily walked around him, the same way a mongoose would circle a cobra. "She was right about one thing, though. You ARE cute when you're frustrated. All that snide just went up in smoke once you realized what she had in store for herself. Let me guess: you couldn't save her, right? Yet another failure on an already long, long list?"
Neo's lack of wit gave the tsufruian back tingles. "Honestly, you're doing the idiot a disservice by dissuading her, if you could, I mean. Death is FAR better than wasting away in this fluffed-up labor camp they call a city-"
"THEN WHY THE FUCK DON'T YOU NECK YOURSELF!?"
"Ooooh, temper… mmmCowardice. Besides, living's pretty fun once you learn how to cheat the system, though that's far beyond a human's mental limits. In fact, the only reason I'm even here is to run a few tests on some doohickeys with you dramatic dolts, before I sell them. I'm getting a tech demo AND a soap opera with every screaming contest you idiots conduct, what's not to love!?"
Neo finally started moving. "Bud, you got no idea how little a shit I could give about this dumbass tou-"
Akaki stopped him with an outstretched hand. It wasn't a gesture. "Ah-ah-ah. See, here's an example of something I whipped up, I'm sure you're familiar. I like to call this a Force Multiplier Gauntlet. I could go on and on about its finely-crafted intricacies, the amazing details behind its plasma rounds, its craftsmanship once they've extended, but taking your simple mind and milliseconds-worth of attention span, I'll dumb things down." He smirked. "At YOUR level, I can shoot you, and you will die. Just, like, any, other, human. So by all means, Little Neo. Make my day."
"..."
"..."
"... fuck you," Neoru relented, stomping away in defeat.
The antagonist smiled smugly. He slid his hands into his pockets, strolling toward the cafeteria. "(GOLLY, I needed that one.) I'm walkin' on sunshiii~ne, woo-ooah,"
"Chyoh!"
Another clone gone.
"Hurao!"
Another clone gone.
Kaza watched Zinco fight his way through his spiritual doppelgangers for what felt like the thousandth time. It most likely was, but she didn't sweat the details. In any case, the clones had gotten much more aggressive as of late, yet Zinco had adapted quickly. Doubly impressive considering how, as she'd noticed, his movements seemed more clouded than before. Every stride had palpable doubt behind it. He'd pull a punch from time to time despite meeting his foe's force perfectly, or take one step further back than he needed to. He'd also sneak a troubled glance over to her once or twice, asking himself what she was doing atop her stone perch. Or rather, what she would do.
A beeping sound came from the Majin's side. Kaza picked up the tablet she'd received as a gift from Kaza and by Kaza, one with deep cracks where her thumbs gripped the sides, running along a screen dotted with droplets from a localized rainfall. She read its contents, and propped herself up. "Zinco! It's gonna start soon!"
"Hm? Ok." A construct was dashing toward him, but the half-breed turned his back on it. Contact wasn't made before it faded into a mass of photons, and the two peacefully embarked.
[ BGM: Hiroyuki Sawano ‒ TFOUTTRCK2 ]
The walk was quiet. Not an awkward, deafening silence, but more so in a serene calm. Both simply enjoyed each other's company, taking their cares away for a brief point in time. That changed when they reached the point of entrance.
"Well… here we are."
Zinco nodded. "... um… I'll give it my all."
"I know you will. That's who you are!"
The enthusiasm in her voice shook the tailed boy. "Kaza…"
"Hm?"
"... what are you going to do?"
"... I finally found it. A reason for being here." She started setting off in her own direction. "So I'm gonna act on it, ok? See you!" she ecstatically waved before running away.
Zinco watched her, the need to shout her name and call it all off growing with Kaza's every step. But by the time he'd made up his mind, it was too late. She was fast when she was excited, after all.
"Oh…" His eyes went hollow.
The sounds of his younger self's hysteria crept into his ears. It soon melded with the distraught wails of Kaza during her match. It all culminated with the hollow eyes of the space grunt he'd struck. He seized up, forbidding himself from going any further.
"(If… if I hurt her…)"
He wanted to quit.
"Kaza will be your opponent, and you will win."
The uncertain horror of "How" rooted him to the ground, the omen icing his veins over.
"(... I… I can't.)"
He relented — not only to the dream, but to its sole supporter. Kaza.
"(I have to find a way.)" He broke free of himself, and marched forward. "(If I can't do that, then… if nothing else, I have to try!)"
The sound of a large bag hitting the side of a wall and falling into a dumpster – Neo was really observant when he was anxious – stopped himself before he could get to the reception area's door.
"Neo!"
He turned. "Hey."
Dina hastily wiped the mint-chocolate crumbs off her face. "Great, you're actually alright after all that!"
The look and sound of relief she gave upped his mood. "Yyyep. Apparently, my bones turned to powder the second I want under."
"No kidding!?"
"Yeah, sure's hell felt like it, too. All daisies now, though." He looked at the stupid wrapper-wrapped bar in her hand. "Ew, you eat those?"
"Nothin' wrong with Kroukais. Mint's just a bit… too… fresh."
"There's literally still bits'a leaf in that shit, ew."
"Feck off."
"Was doin' that anyway, jeez…"
"... W-wait."
"Nope, I don't care how much you pay me, I ain't finishin' that-"
"Your soul!"
[ BGM: Linkin Park ‒ Cumulus ]
Neo stopped in his tracks. He turned.
"... ah shit, who tol-"
"I don't care about that right now, I'm sure you had your stupid little reasons, but…" Dina approached him again. "Are you still DYING, Neo?"
With a pause, Neoru patted his chest. "No, but I'm on my own life support. Doc said that my soul had 'lost its shape' or some shit, so I was just constantly leaking ki until it burned out. He said I was like a supernova for some reason but that's a Frieza thin- Anyway anyway, something I did during the match patched me up. 'Hibernation.' If I let my ki be, my soul's gonna fix itself. Eventually. That's IF I haven't just thrown myself into stasis."
"So that means… in the meantime…"
"hhhI'm not worth shit," he admitted mid-sigh. "Least not in any big way."
He snuck a glance at her. "... damn it, that's why I wanted to keep this under wra-"
"Just stop," she moped, hiding tears with a palm. "One day you're fine, and the next… it's not fair. Out of nowhere, such a sick ultimatum as throwing away all of your power for God-knows how long or die-"
"Oop, nope, cease to exist."
She stared at him.
A dejected chuckle fell from her. "You dumbass, you're not even trying!" she said, holding back a sob.
"Hey, it ain't all that bad. Apparently, my soul, no bullshit, looks exactly like a fuckin' Eternal Dragon, like Shenlong or something. It's wacko."
Dina didn't seem to care. "What can… what are you going to do now?"
"... Ain't much to look forward to, after this stuff's over. But I've got stake here. So I'm gonna see this tournament through. Sure I'm bound to lose, but… but I can still see what my limit is, right now."
"So what, this mess has just… made you give up on any higher purpose?"
Neo scratched his temple. "That's the funny thing. The fight with Mei taught me somethin' special. If I wind up chasin' the wrong reason to fight, or a wrong reason I dunno… that'll screw me up more than me not having anything special planned out at all. Especially when that purpose falls to shit… come to think of it, man, that HAS happened before. I think I've been the happiest when I've NOT wanted anything. That's loopy!" He chuckled, garnering an amused chuff from Dina. However, his violet eyes slowly sunk to the floor, in memory of how he'd managed to get so happy in the first place. "Man… still bites, though. Not mattering anymore, 'n all…"
Dina said nothing. There was a long, uncomfortable pause.
"... yeah. I'm just gonna- huh?"
Dina approached him, her eyes concealed by her thick bangs. The boy was suddenly encased in her arms.
"You matter to me," she whispered, struggling to keep from breaking down. "You'll always matter to me."
"Nh… n-hn… gh..!"
She suddenly eased up, hearing a small crack. "Oh my go-... did I…"
Neo was able to laugh through the pain. "Holy shit, I am NOT what I used to be!" he hissed. Dina's face then burrowed into his neck, a solemn, distraught hiccup escaping into it.
"... Dina…"
"Oh my god, what happened to you…?" She looked back up, eye-to-eye as her ruby irises gleamed with tears. "How do you expect to fight like that? You could die!"
Neo gripped her shoulders. "Dina, c'mon. It's Zinco. His entire life is 'Will Not Hurt A Fly'. I just wanna see how I measure up. I can't just throw up my hands and head home. Not yet." Watching the half-blood's face only further crinkle, Neo's hands slid down onto her biceps. "I wanna fight one last time. Right now, THAT'S my purpose. I'm not gonna kill myself over a fight I won't win, but I wanna apply myself before I hang up the gloves. Then I'll learn how to fix hovercars or some shit."
"... Promise."
"I suck at promises."
"PROMISE."
"No."
Dina glared, even baring her teeth. But meeting his resolute, stoic, almost-draconic gaze, her head ultimately lowered in defeat.
"You are such a jer..."
She brought herself back up with a wistful smile. "You're still Neoru, even now."
"... h-hey that was my full freakin' name-" Amused by his shock, she giggled. Neo shook his head back to the point. "Look, I didn't keep that shit from you because lying's fun. Dina, PLEASE don't let that get in your head."
"Oh, you dolt, 'course that was it. Alright. If it's for your sake, I won't. I promise."
Neo sucked his teeth. "Jeez, you're already makin' me feel like an asshO-" He recoiled, Dina's small jab hitting him like a cannonball.
"Oh, shut up. Now, I think Mr. Golden Boy's show is about to start. We'll miss it if we keep chewing the scenery out here, mate. Let's go."
"Yeah, yeah, fuckin' dick…" Dina rolled her eyes at Neo's pouting before opening the door for him.
"Delicate angels first~" she snided.
"Hahahahaha blow me," Neo clapped back.
"(Chahan-sifu would doubtlessly be distraught for a time. But I am not so significant to have left any true permanence in his life.)"
"ꜰɪɴɪꜱʜᴇᴅ ᴡɪᴛʜ ʏᴏᴜʀ ʀᴇᴜɴɪᴏɴ, ʟᴏᴠᴇ ʙɪʀᴅꜱ? ʜᴏɴᴇꜱᴛʟʏ, ɪ ᴛʜᴏᴜɢʜᴛ ᴛʜᴀᴛ ᴏᴛʜᴇʀ ᴊᴇʀᴋ ᴡᴀꜱ ʏᴏᴜʀ ᴍᴀᴛᴇ."
"ʜɪʟᴀʀɪᴏᴜꜱ ᴀꜱ ᴀʟᴡᴀʏꜱ, ᴋᴏʀᴀ."
"ᴛʜᴀᴛ ᴡᴀꜱɴ'ᴛ ᴀ ᴊᴏᴋᴇ."
"ʜɪʟᴀʀɪᴏᴜꜱ ᴀꜱ ᴀʟᴡᴀʏꜱ, ᴋᴏʀᴀ."
"ᴏʜ ɴᴀʜ, ᴇᴠᴇʀʏᴏɴᴇ'ꜱ ᴅɪɴᴀ'ꜱ ᴍᴀᴛᴇ, ᴡʜᴀᴛ, ʏᴏᴜ ɴᴇᴠᴇʀ ʜᴇᴀʀᴅ ʜᴇʀ ᴛᴀʟᴋ ʙᴇꜰᴏʀᴇ?"
"ᴜᴍ…"
"ʏᴇꜱ, ᴇʀ, ᴍʏ ꜰʀɪᴇɴᴅ ᴏᴠᴇʀ ᴛʜᴇʀᴇ ᴡᴀꜱ ɪɴ ᴛʜᴇ ʙᴀᴛʜʀᴏᴏᴍ ꜰᴏʀ ꜱᴇx ᴇᴅ."
"ɪ ᴛʀɪᴇᴅ ᴛᴏ ᴍᴀᴋᴇ ʜɪᴍ ꜱᴛᴜᴅʏ ʙᴜᴛ ʜᴇ ꜱᴀᴡ ᴀ ᴠᴀɢɪɴᴀ ᴀɴᴅ ʙᴜʀɴᴇᴅ ᴛʜᴇ ꜱᴛᴜᴅᴇɴᴛ ᴍᴀᴛᴇʀɪᴀʟ."
"... ʜᴜʜ."
"(My dingy little shop has no successor. It will wither away or be remodeled. I take no issue with that. It is, of course, just a barber shop. Another will take its place.)"
"ᴏʜ ᴍʏ ɢᴏᴅꜱ, ᴋᴏʀᴀ ᴛʜᴀᴛ'ꜱ ᴛʜᴇ ɢᴜʏ ɪ ᴡᴀꜱ ᴛᴀʟᴋɪɴɢ ᴀʙᴏᴜᴛ! ʏᴏᴜ ᴄᴏᴜʟᴅ, ʟɪᴋᴇ, ᴛᴏᴛᴇꜱ ʜᴏᴏᴋ ᴜᴘ ᴡɪᴛʜ ʜɪᴍ ᴀɴᴅ ᴍᴀᴋᴇ ᴀᴅᴏʀᴀʙʟᴇ ꜱᴜᴘᴇʀ-ꜱᴛʀᴏɴɢ ʜʏʙʀɪᴅ ʙᴀʙɪᴇꜱ!"
"ɪ-ɪ ꜱᴀɪᴅ ɪ ᴡᴀꜱɴ'ᴛ ɪɴᴛᴇʀᴇꜱᴛᴇᴅ!"
"ʙᴜᴛ ʏᴏᴜ ᴀʀᴇ, ʟɪᴋᴇ, ꜱᴏ ᴍɪꜱꜱɪɴɢ ᴏᴜᴛ! ʜᴇ'ꜱ ᴀɴ ᴜʙᴇʀ ᴄᴜᴛɪᴇ ᴀɴᴅ ᴛʜᴇʀᴇ ᴀʀᴇ ʟɪᴋᴇ ᴛᴡᴏ ᴏꜰ ᴛʜᴇᴍ ʜᴇʀᴇ! ᴀʟꜱᴏ ʏᴏᴜ ᴄᴀɴ'ᴛ ʜᴀᴠᴇ ᴛʜɪꜱ ᴏɴᴇ, ʜᴇ'ꜱ ᴛᴏᴛᴀʟʟʏ ᴍɪɴᴇ."
"ɴᴏ ᴘʀᴏʙʟᴇᴍ ᴡɪᴛʜ ᴛʜᴀᴛ, ʟɪɴᴅᴀ."
"ʟɪᴋᴇ ɪ ᴄᴀʀᴇ! ɪ ᴡᴏᴜʟᴅɴ'ᴛ ʙᴇ ᴄᴀᴜɢʜᴛ ᴅᴇᴀᴅ ᴡɪᴛʜ ꜱᴏᴍᴇᴏɴᴇ ʟɪᴋᴇ ᴛʜᴀᴛ! ᴀɴᴅ ʜᴜᴍᴀɴꜱ ᴀʀᴇ ᴀʟʟ ꜱQᴜɪꜱʜʏ ᴀɴᴅ ɴᴇᴇᴅʏ! ᴡʜʏ ᴡᴏᴜʟᴅ ɪ ᴡᴀɴᴛ ᴏɴᴇ ᴀꜱ ᴀ ᴍᴀᴛᴇ!?"
"ᴛʜᴇʏ'ʀᴇ ɢᴏɴɴᴀ ᴋᴇᴇᴘ ꜰᴜᴄᴋɪɴ' ᴛᴀʟᴋɪɴ' ʟɪᴋᴇ ɪ'ᴍ ɴᴏᴛ ʜᴇʀᴇ."
"ɪ ᴋɴᴏᴡ, ɪꜱɴ'ᴛ ɪᴛ ɢʀᴇᴀᴛ!? ᴘꜰꜰᴛ…"
"(There is no place for me in Kaza's life. My absence will allow her heart to stay in one place.)"
"ʜᴏʟᴅ ᴏɴ, ɴᴇᴏ, ᴡᴇ ɢᴏᴛᴛᴀ ᴛᴀʟᴋ."
"ᴀʙᴏᴜᴛ ᴡʜᴀᴛ? ᴄᴏʟᴏʀꜱ'ᴀ ᴅᴏɢ ᴄᴏʟʟᴀʀꜱ?"
"ʏ-ʏᴇᴀʜ, ʜᴀʜᴀ, ɪ'ᴍ ɪɴᴛᴏ ᴛʜᴀᴛ. ɴᴏᴡ ᴡʜᴀᴛ ᴡᴀꜱ ᴛʜᴀᴛ ʏᴏᴜ ᴅɪᴅ ʟᴀꜱᴛ ᴍᴀᴛᴄʜ?"
"ɪᴜɴɴᴜʜ. ɪ ᴊᴜꜱᴛ ᴛᴏʟᴅ ɪᴛ ᴛᴏ ᴘɪꜱꜱ ᴏꜰꜰ ᴀɴᴅ ɪᴛ ᴅɪᴅ."
"ɪ ᴍᴇᴀɴ… ɪᴛ ᴅɪᴅ ꜱᴀᴠᴇ ʏᴏᴜʀ ʟɪꜰᴇ! ɪ ᴡᴏɴ'ᴛ ʜɪᴛ ʏᴏᴜ ᴏɴ ᴛʜᴀᴛ! ʙᴜᴛ ᴡʜᴀᴛ'ꜱ ʏᴏᴜʀ ꜱɪᴛᴜᴀᴛɪᴏɴ ᴏɴ-"
"ɪ ᴍɪɢʜᴛ ɴᴇᴠᴇʀ ʙᴇ ᴀʙʟᴇ ᴛᴏ ᴄʜᴀɴɴᴇʟ ɪᴛ ᴛʜʀᴏᴜɢʜ ᴍᴇ ᴀɢᴀɪɴ. ꜱᴏ ɪ ɢᴜᴇꜱꜱ ɪᴛ'ꜱ ᴛʜᴇ ᴇɴᴅ ᴏꜰ…"
"(That boy…)"
She noticed eyes on her, and met them. It was as if she'd spoken the devil's name.
"(I care not to live solely for his peace of mind.)" She glared at him. His own, sad-puppy stare didn't change.
"ʜᴇʏ, ᴛᴇɴɢᴀɴᴏ. ʜᴏʟᴅ ᴏɴ, ᴡᴇ'ʟʟ ᴛᴀʟᴋ ʟᴀᴛᴇʀ."
"ᴏʜʜʜ. ᴀʟʀɪɢʜᴛ, ʏᴏᴜ ɢᴏ ꜰᴏʀ ɪᴛ, ʟᴏᴠᴇʀ ʙᴏʏ."
"ꜱʜᴀᴅᴅᴜᴘ."
"ᴏʜ ᴍʏ ɢᴏᴅꜱ ᴋᴏʀᴀ! ʏᴏᴜ'ʀᴇ ɢᴏɴɴᴀ ʟᴇᴛ ʜɪᴍ ꜱʟɪᴘ ᴀᴡᴀʏ ꜰᴏʀᴇᴠ-"
Mei's gaze returned to the screen, awaiting the inevitable.
"Mei."
Ignored.
"... ok, fine. Let's talk like this. I… I get… nah. Nah, I don't get it. I've gone through something not too far away from this, though. I had a goal, I found out it couldn't be done, and after that, I… went places, too. Even right now, I'm… I'm WAY more 'nothing' right now than you are, but I'm not about to just give up on everything. And then there's you, who CAN still do cool shit and channel energy like nothing… all I wanna say is, this ain't the end of you, Mei."
She gave an exaggerated sigh, mocking him. "A brilliant speech. I am sure it would invoke tears, if I had any to spare you."
Neo maintained his stupid sad puppy face, struggling to think up something better to convince her. She grew tired of his company quickly.
"Let us say I find something worthwhile. Once that is taken from me, then what? Should I find more means to fail? More loved ones to lose?" Her gaze never left the screen. "Why should I persist? The only reasons I have left are 'that one would be upset.' I am to live in misery to uphold the sense of self-righteousness, the familiarity of one who will only stand a spectator as I plummet further into despair? Is that all you can come up with?"
"Mei…!"
She hung her head. "I am not so lax on my failings as one like you. In a matter of moments, you know as well as I what will happen. That girl will shatter any chance of joy she still held. Her idol will move on unchallenged, least of all by you, and his belief will be falsely vindicated. They will likely die together one day, betrayed by their own ideals." Her lip quivered. " I cannot bear to witness something so sad. But the beginning, I shall force myself to stomach."
"Mei, don't fuckin'-"
She brought a finger over her lip, then pointed to the screen. "It begins."
Zinco cautiously walked up to Kaza, halting a few meters away as his now-opponent smiled for a reason he didn't understand. The announcer looked and sounded invigorated, but he was too transfixed to notice.
"(Is… is she eager to fight? Why?)"
-EVEN CLOSER MATCH THAN THE LAST!? OR WILL THIS BE A ONE HIT-
"(What if she wants to get me back for not stopping her sooner? Would she be that angry with me?)"
-YED!? TIME WILL TELL AS THESE TWO SURPRISE POWERHOU-
"(... but I deserve something like that. I just know it. But… Kaza? That's not possible. I-isn't it?)"
-DO, LET THE SECOND MATCH…
Zinco bowed tensely.
Neo bit down on a finger.
Mei's eyelids lowered.
BEGIN!
Kaza's hand rose.
"(I surrender.)"
Zinco's eyes widened.
Neo's eyes widened.
Dina's eyes widened.
Kora's eyes widened.
Katlij's eyes widened.
Mashii's eyes widened.
Tenganosu's eyes widened.
Baubi's eyes widened.
Pan's eyes widened.
Mei's eyes widened.
Kaza's grin widened.
"(Good girl.)"
A seven-foot mass equivalent of a solar system fell toward Zinco. Buddha's palm.
"... huh?"
There was a flash.
{ AGE 992 }
"He's waking… HE'S WAKING UP! MS. MERAMIIN, HE'S WAKING UP!"
A dull, warm orange light glowed overhead.
He moaned dully. More people flooded the room soon after.
"How'd he survive something like that? He's just a boy!"
"He's a Saiyan! Of course it'd take-"
He began fading out again. The feeling across his body tugged his mind to-and-from what was happening and which limb was screaming this particular second.
"Alright everyone, be quiet, my ears are already starting to give out and none of you are helping. Give him space, make it snappy."
The lot stepped back.
An older woman with long, orange hair hovered over him. Her smile was warm. A good heat, though. Not like painful flashes from the shiny people, or the feeling that he used to kill Merona.
"Good morning, young man. Do you remember your name?"
Zinco.
"Apparently, all Saiyans have appetites like yours," Meramiin smiled, stirring more soup. "Oh, you'll be quite the handful to keep full. I don't think I have the stamina."
Zinco stared at the pot. "I'm sorry."
Meramiin beamed him with a smile once again. "Oh, don't be." She poured some helpings, and they smelled heavenly..
"I… I wanna be a help, but… I dunno how to." He sniffed, stomach rumbling against his will. He stared at it in contempt. "I can't do anything right."
"Why is that, sweet?"
"I'm bad at everything and I'm a dumb."
Meramiin sighed. "(Who taught this kid how to speak?) Zinco, no one, no thing lives past a razing, let alone takes a walk all the way here right after. You're stronger than every grown man I've seen in my life, with or without any 'upgrades'. And there's not one piece of metal on you. Surely, there's something you can do better than anyone."
Zinco shook his head. When a bowl was presented to him, he held out his hand so as not to be rude.
"What do you want, Zinco?"
"-AH- I'm sorry, I'll go now-"
Meramiin chucked. "No, no, Zinco. I'm asking you. There has to be something pushing you along. So what's it that you want?"
He thought of Merona.
And plants and wildlife that'd kept him sane.
All were gone, now.
"I don't wanna hurt anyone. Ever."
"... then maybe there's something you can do about it."
Three years passed.
"Zinco?"
The tailed, twelve-year-old boy turned. Standing behind him was his middling, going-on senior caretaker.
"Hm?"
"Did Appoc happen to mention anything to you about the upcoming Red Blouse assault?"
"M-hm. He told me not to tell anyone, though, so I won't."
Meramiin smiled warmly. "You've grown up so much! It's like I'm already looking at a man!" Zinco giggled a bit as she reached overhead to ruffle his head.
"Now, I've been tracking a new route of captive transport for a while, and I finally managed to map it out!" She handed him an elaborate layout of the massive city, a prominent red line trailing throughout. Zinco was amazed. "How many people!?"
"Hundreds."
His eyes narrowed, mouth still agape. He rolled up the map, nodding frantically. "I'LL GIVE THIS TO MISTER APPOC RIGHT A-..."
He stopped himself. "Actually…"
Meramiin tensed.
"... I should go alone." He looked back. "All I need to do is stop the truck and take it back here!"
Meramiin's eyes went dark. "Y… yes. That sounds like a great idea, Zinco."
He gave her an assuring, toothy grin, and ran off to an exit tunnel.
The orange-haired woman stood there.
The orange-haired woman stood there.
"M-MS. MERAMIIN!?" Zinco screamed, his attention completely swayed from his desperate, vain struggle to fight off the squadron of black-helmed, red-bloused bruisers. "G-GET OUT OF-GUA-HA!" He was soon pinned to the ground, his gaze not leaving her. The woman hadn't moved, and to his confusion, no one was even attempting to apprehend her.
"Miss... Ms. Meramiin?"
She buried her face into her palm. "I just… I'm just scared…"
One of the units, one without a helmet and a visible – albeit dead, machine-like – face, finally, approached her. Zinco got a second wind, beginning to push back against his attackers..
"GET… AWAY… FROM HER…!"
Said unit turned to Meramiin. "Well done. Another battalion has already dispatched your other 'friends' attempting the attack on sub-base number zero-tac-four. Had this little space-brat had joined them, there would've been problems."
His eyes projected something horrible. Zinco felt like he'd been shot in the gut.
"We were able to track them back 'home,' as well. Some escaped. We'll find them soon, don't worry."
"Ah…"
Meramiin tried looking away, but the man wouldn't let her. "Why shy from it? That's your doing, no? You should be proud of yourself. I could never bring myself to throw my men under the bus for my species. You're a hero to the human race. Now… when would you like your 'upgrade?'"
"As… as soon as…" She sank to the ground, sobbing and stammering apologies.
"(... huh?)"
Zinco stared blankly.
The unarmored man slowly raised his finger, a speck of light expanding from it. "... No. We have no need for traitors."
"(... huh?)"
Soon, Meramiin met his dead, empty gaze with her own.
"(...)"
"(...)"
.
.
He was moved, and then saw the moon.
{ PRESENT DAY, PRESENT TIME }
"(... but why?)"
Time had frozen still.
"(that's going to… kill me…)"
However inconceivable it seemed, such inconceivable realities had befallen the boy before.
It crashed into his psyche so fast, so violently, the change in environment was instant.
It reminded him. Here, there, wherever he was, every time he'd outstretch his hand to someone, either the ground beneath them would open and swallow them whole, or they'd shove him off the edge as soon as they grabbed on.
… except for her.
"(You were… all I had…)"
At least he thought.
"(Why you, too?)"
He went numb. The will to continue leaked from him. He just felt tired.
All he'd ever have, at that point, was his…
"(... ah…)"
[ BGM: Hiroyuki Sawano ‒ His/Story (0:00-1:43) ]
It came to him.
"There are so many things that come from letting that go… like friends. And growth, and harmony, and warmth, and…"
That dream… it wasn't just his.
It was hers. Maybe even more so.
The only other person that shared that foolish, dumb, impossible, ridiculous, childish dream.
Their dream.
"(You even went that far for it…)"
And right then and there, he was accusing her of betrayal.
Every second she'd spent right beside him, training, studying, meditating, eating, sleeping, even doing absolutely nothing…
The only reason she'd ever gone back on it was because he'd begged her to.
In spite of it all, she had faith in his dream, in his ability to carry it out, when no one else would.
"(... I'm sorry. I'm still so stupid that I can't see right.)"
He formed a palm.
Time began to resume, the pair outpacing it.
The unfathomable power above him was just that.
—faith.
"(I have to match it.)"
He pushed it.
"(I HAVE TO MATCH IT!)"
Right up until the moment his strike made contact, he pushed it.
"(I'M GONNA MATCH IT!)"
"UOOOOOOOOOO—!"
A flash.
And then a sphere of light across the sullen terrain.
A sound rang out, like the gong of Heaven, gently rippling water for thousands, millions of miles.
… and then it was quiet.
The announcer adjusted her sunglasses and surveyed the area.
A city of perpetual rain and dark gray-blue smog, from a world where humanity had united, taken the stars, and became a superpower. A macabre steel jungle of which she'd seen in a thousand dystopia flicks. Its condition helped little; the colossal swath through it looked insignificant before the countless other towers looming over it all, as if their would-be residents would've looked down and gave an apathetic shrug at something so replaceable, so far beneath them as competing humans.
100%.
10%.
"(Man, this place sucks,)" Pan added. "(Buzzkiller to the max.)"
Zinco was nowhere to be seen, though the cascade of broken skyscrapers littering the scenery gave a grim idea. Finally noting Kaza's presence – she had just stood THAT still – Pan reminded herself of her duties as announcer.
I'M JUST AS LOST FOR WORDS AS YOU ARE, FOLKS AT HOME! IN FACT, I'M CERTAIN THESE CAMERAS WEREN'T EVEN DESIGNED WITH THAT BREED OF SPEED IN MIND, SO I'LL GRANT MY OWN EYEWITNESS REPORT: STUDENT KAZA JUST SOCKED STUDENT ZINCO! I THINK WE MIGHT-JUST HAVE A NEW RECORD FOR FASTEST OFFICIAL MATCH IN WORLD TOURNAMENT HISTORY!
She acrobatically bounded over cars, sharp rubble, fallen buildings, and pieces of street on her way toward Kaza's first-hand account.
STUDENT KAZA, A WORD! AFTER EVERYTHING PREVIOUSLY SEEN OF STUDENT ZINCO, DID YOU HAVE ANY IDEA THINGS WOULD END SO ANTICLIMACTICALLY!?
Kaza didn't even move. She was like a sculpture.
… OOOOR ARE YOU SO STUNNED BY THIS TURNOUT THAT YOU'VE BEEN PETRIFIED!? ARE YOU STRUGGLING TO EVEN PROCESS THE EVENTS THAT'VE JUST TRANSPIRED!? PERHAPS THE MERE THOUGHT OF HURTING SOMEONE SO CLOSE TO YOU, IN SPITE OF YOUR PRIOR ATTEMPTS AT PACIFISM, HAS THROWN YOU INTO A TRAGIC COMA!?
Pan had grasped her heart and swayed hysterically during her own dialogue. She wasn't acting. The noises Kaza proceeded to make, however, caused her to start second-guessing her copious levels of ham.
[ BGM: Yuki Kajiura – The Flower Will Bloom ]
"...m… mm-mmm-mm…. mu-mumumumummmmmu…"
It sounded like the stirring of a giant insect, or maybe thousands buzzing inside the girl.
Pan uneasily approached her. The student began shaking uncontrollably, further raising her levels of guilt and unease.
... uh... maybe I went a little overboard, but... i-if you're really that uncomfortable, there's nothing stopping us from changing the-
ﾶひﾶひﾶひﾶひﾶひひﾶひﾑ尺ﾑ尺ﾑ尺ﾑ尺ﾑ尺ﾑ尺ﾑ尺ﾑ尺ﾑ尺ﾑ尺ﾑ尺ﾑ尺ﾑ尺ﾑ尺ﾑ尺ﾑ! ! ! ! ! !
Pan sprang back, a humiliatingly shrill scream escaping her, before being thrown the rest of the way.
The term "otherworldly" applied full force. To any creature, from any corner of the universe, it would sound alien. It was not a noise of this realm, a mockery of mortal tongue by a being from a plane too distant, too beyond recognition to be called a Hell or Heaven.
Ecstasy. Madness. From what vaguely sounded like an endless sequence of "Muara," that was what could be deciphered.
"Dark Energy…" Pan stared in horror after poorly catching her bearings. "That's… Dark… ENERGY…!"
The demonic divine. A force that didn't belong anywhere near Conton. The last time it did, all of creation suffered.
/"WHERE THE HELL COULD SHE'D'VE GOTTEN THAT!? SHE'S JUST A MAJIN, RIGHT!? D-DAMMIT, WHERE'S ZINCO!? IS HIS ENERGY STILL HERE!?"/
Pan attempted to confirm, but instantly clutched her head in pain. "I CAN'T… EVEN CON… CEN… TRUNKS! I'M MAKING A CALL!"
/"DO EVERYTHING YOU CAN! I'M ON MY WAY!"/ Trunks dashed toward the door, but had been rendered so frail, the mere act of standing too quickly sent him to the floor again with a crash.
/"OLD MAN!?"/
"SHIT…" he strained, catching his breath. "AM I TOO WEAK TO EVEN WALK…!?" He glared down at his gauntlet. "(Something THIS big, hiding in plain sight all along… it feels like a bad joke…!)"
He was reminded of the two previous demonic incidents. "(I don't know the story behind that thing, but it makes everything up until now look like a BUMP IN THE ROAD!)"
Beady, black-and red eyes pervaded the five new sockets across her skull, her new fangs possessing bottomless holes on their ends. The two long tendrils which once passively drooped off Kaza's head, now that they belonged to THIS, waved up and down through the air impatiently, actively seeking out something.
"(I'M GLAD YOU CAME TO SEE THE FUTILITY IN YOUR DEFIANCE, YOU NULL AVATAR! AT LAST, I'M ONCE-AGAIN REBORN!)"
"(WHAT IS HAPPENING TO HER!?)" Mei asked with a hand over her mouth, distraught.
"(WHAT THE HELL HAPPENED TO HIM!?)" Neo asked with a similar expression, chewing the skin of his finger hard enough to break it. The others were silent with confusion and fear.
Her head swerved with an unnatural jitter to the struggling announcer, who was caught unawares and, without access to her full power, in a losing fight against the flash flood of dark energy; said energy currently eating at her very soul and distorting the space around her. "(The life force of a creature… tch, what a disgusting flavor and texture, completely void of silent agony. But you'll no-doubt be a great hindrance if you reclaim your bearing, won't you?)" Muara approached. "(There are a great many beings that far eclipse me as I am, as absurd a notion that may be. But it's of no concern. I only need plant my spore in you, and when the time is ripe, I'll hatch with all your energy complimenting my own!)" She grinned, contorting herself. "(OH, WHAT JOY IT IS TO BE PHYSICAL AGAIN! I COULD JUST SCREAM!)"
"Turn around."
"(. . . . huh?)"
Her three new eyes bore through the back of her head. Literally.
No one was there. No one close, anyway.
Muara pulled her front into her back and switched them. "(Weird.)"
She noticed a pile of rubble move in the distance, "(Whaaaaa~t?)"
The side of a building hopped a few meters, landing with a crash behind Zinco.
There he stood.
"(... was it him? Did he invade my mind? I'm annoyed… no, I can investigate afterwards. For now, I'll celebrate my newest birthday by killing off every trace of that 'anoma-)"
[ BGM: Yuki Kajiura – And He Came Back Again ]
A small pressure hit her.
And then, he erupted.
— the pillars of Heaven scraped across the world.
For the following feeling and sound, no other description fit.
"GH… GRGH…!"
His golden aura spread through the city like an all-encompassing fire, as it rumbled like a 10.0 Richter.
"GAAGH… GH-HAAAAAAAAA—!"
His power grew exponentially alongside his volume, soaring far past any height the boy had shown before, and then it suddenly hit a wall. His muscles began to swell and his aura heated up.
And then what was once lemon-yellow and emerald became glimmering golden and teal. His hair shot upward, his muscles shrank to a manageable point, and his tail wired out in a fritz. It rose even higher, reached another point of pause and bloat, and then his hair grew even spikier as plasma ripped and tore through structures like a violent lightning storm had flipped sideways. Every second, Zinco's roar grew louder, less human and more beast-like. Thousand-meter high rises sailed into the dark sky like twigs in a hurricane. His hair was beginning to lengthen out beyond his shoulders, his pained roar growing more gravely as the ground beneath split apart by the plates. His body now had the look of a heavyweight bodybuilder's, veins all across his body as if ever-adapting just to keep from exploding. Suddenly, the inside of his aura flickered blue. Like a white ink splotch on a black canvas, it expanded outward in a violent azure flash, eclipsing the gold formerly devouring the scenery, and then…
Calm.
A harbor having reached the eye of a passing storm.
As much as she would've loved to wait until the dramatic dust settled on its own, an extra dimensional entity was still mucking up her ring. Pan cleared the massive dust cloud with a gale-force backhand, and saw what was-once Kaza staring at the source of the ruckus.
Far out, staring back, was Zinco.
His hair had grown out, but in a controlled manner, as if time had passed since he'd had it cut. (His last two barbers conspired to kill him, after all.) It had also returned to its light-yellow, bleached state; his eyes were once-again emerald, as well. And his body had come down from its strained bulk. He looked tired.
"(What… what that?)"
He looked down at his hands, coated in a new aura. The yellow he was always familiar with, only now dotted by green sparks and flashes, as if someone in the sky had broken a jade piece of jewelry over him.
"(... no. It doesn't matter right now. It's what I need. That's all I care about.)"
Resolve shot across his face.
"(Her power… her faith in me… I'm gonna go past them.)"
[つづく]
[ ED: Eve – Last Dance ]
10/1/2023 PATCH NOTES: Changed Murara's name to Muara. Sounds better. No relation to the Brunei town. Yet.
7/5/2024 PATCH NOTES: Fixed up Mei's dialogue.
Yo! OP Here!
Yeah I just kinda decided to release both chapters on the same day. I'm still not all the way sure why. SO, that was the first bit of Zinco VS Kaza. Gave it a bit of Mei's backstory and Zinco's at the end 'cus why not, and then it hit me.
The issue with me writing out entire fucking backstories for eight different characters.
It's like, if I do so for one, I'll do so for all of them. But that shit takes AGES. So, like, I've kinda resolved to only write up enough backstory to serve as context for certain bits of their present. That's been something on my mind for a bit, wanted to throw that out there. In any case, I've still got a shit ton of stuff regarding backstories, so maybe I'll just throw structure out the window and drop some whenever I feel like I made something cool.
So uuuh I'm calling it Super Saiyan Zero.
The concept behind it, and the reason for its stupid name, is that it isn't inherently a Super Saiyan transformation despite resembling one. It's a Super Saiyan state one is born into, serving as a router for every other transformation (outside of those with alternate methods, like 4 or God. The latter one is a funny story, actually.) How it works is that it uses other forms as "avatars," allowing one to continuously power up beyond their limit via ascension without normally having said forms. 1, 2, and 3, for example, are used to power up further, not to maintain that power.
Here's where it gets spicy.
The nature of Super Saiyan Zero is allowing its user to retain the power of that transformation in "base" for a period of time before it fades, eliminating strain altogether; just have the grit to bear the pain of each power up. The user also retains a percentage of that power forever (which is more a component of Zinco's human heritage.) Honestly, you could see it as a more sophisticated version of Super Saiyan Rage. You could ALSO think of it as a Potential Release-type of form. It's effectively a starting-1x multiplier that suddenly uses every other form to power up and, by its end, leaves the user with a significantly stronger base form, plus the strength of the latest form used for a certain period of time. And also, you see how it's got jade aspects, right?
It's because... actually, just tune into next chapter, I'll tell you there. "Murara" - my way of completing the "Ala-Kazaam" pun - will also be expanded on, though much moreso in-story.
I had fun thinking up Zero, ngl. Its name is kinda dumb, but again, I like it.
It's also kinda fun having dickheads win mental/emotional battles from time to time and get away with it. It's like letting a steak simmer.
Akaki will get his. Akaki will get his. And it won't be physical pain, either. That's too easy.
But uh, yeah. Next chapter: Zinco and Kaza take turns stomping STEP's powerscaling.
Fun Fact: This chapter's number is the same as the flipped test score Kaza showed Zinco to try making him better. I didn't even plan this. Also, it's the funni haha secks number.
That's about it. See ya next match.