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Post by Melody on Jul 27, 2021 6:46:22 GMT -8
After Port Lumina was safely secured, the allied Pig Demon Clans resumed traveling west, providing coastal villages relief from Black Heart Namekians until they reached the Central lands. The Duchess of Truffle Village remained behind, following after Bass who took the captive mutated insect Namekians to a base of operations he owned further in land, and as her violet eyes examined the buildings she assessed that it was all structurally brand new. The main road itself was in pristine condition, the snow practically melted, which meant it was continually treated to allow the inhabitants to travel freely.
The climate was frigid further into the main land, a few inhabitants at the base working outside offered Melody odd looks, she was not wearing clothing suitable for the weather, but her power level was sufficient enough to resist the cold snap. The Duchess was dressed in a simple short hemmed designer kimono over a pleated skirt, with thigh high stockings and knee high leather boots.
Bass carried the sacks made of woven sapling of might fibers that contained the captives into a lab facility. The air conditions inside the lab building seemed well ventilated, almost what most people consider room temperature, and Melody followed after the blue Namekian silently with only the heel of her boots hitting the metal flooring with every step. The lab itself was far from basic, with all the equipment imaginable, and it not a zeni was spared in making this a proper facility to research anything on a scientific level.
Of course Melody had no interest in technology, she was raised to farm a plot of land as a means of sustenance that belonged to Duke Glacier in Orchestra Village, which was also part of her swordmanship training, which was built into the stone cliffs of the west side of the Western lands. Of course, she was not entirely devoid of technology, drones delivered mushroom orders from Truffle Villages around the globe using a third party delivery service. However, all the financial accounting was traditionally done manually on a ledger by her trusted advisor Portobello.
While Bass explained he finally had some days off, she was beginning to suspect that he was still on the clock, and she crossed her arms impatiently as he was taking his sweet time to issue the specifics in handling the captives to avoid any accidents. If he kept capable staff, he only needed to drop off the delivery, and be on their way so the Duchess was beginning to wonder what type of people the salaryman employed if he was still required to work for every second of their valuable time.
“Are you done here?” Melody finally spoke up, seemingly annoyed, if this was Bass’ idea of time off he was dead wrong. “Is there somewhere else in this frozen base of operations where we can speak privately, Bass-kun?”
As she waited for an answer, she grabbed onto the lapel of Bass’ suit, it was completely worn but otherwise in decent condition; it would not survive another skirmish or the pressure of his released power level.
“Perhaps you should invest in suitable cloth, while fibers made from saplings of might are as coarse as burlap, certainly there is another resource to combine it with…” Melody reluctantly released her clutch, “Perhaps the fibers of senzu bean vines or silk worms that eat senzu beans for its regenerative properties.”
[566] Bass Starting PL: 52,950 PL
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Post by Bass on Jul 27, 2021 8:22:40 GMT -8
Seemingly, Melody had free time right then and there. The Namekian supposed there was no time like the present, but he still had some things to get out of the way. Normally that wouldn't be the case, but he couldn't afford to pass up an opportunity to have live subjects to engineer weapons against this early on in their Northern Lands occupation. The sooner they could get specialized weaponry, the more effective fighting forces could be against the threat. While throwing more numbers wasn't a valid answer, there wasn't a downside to having tech that could effectively deal with the Black Heart Creature threat that endangered the widespread population of Earth. So needless to say, this was one of the few things that even Melody couldn't pull him away from. Yet he did have capable employees, at least most of them. All it took was landing in front of the base, and considering he made the blueprints of the place (with consultation), he could quickly and efficiently navigate the halls to deliver the test subjects to the military research facility. It was about time they'd gotten to work anyways, as until now they hadn't had all that much to do after finishing their work regarding ki empowerment. Hearing Melody's irritated tone, Bass nearly raised a brow. Perhaps she didn't see the value that the simple delivery had, or more... More reasonable, perhaps she was impatient about catching up. He'd offhandedly give out a remark. "Yeah yeah, they have it handled from here." He said, looking to a couple researchers. He'd raise a thumb up towards them and then down, as if asking they were good to go. With a couple nods, he'd pull back and leave the room. Just outside of the lab, Melody would follow up with a different question. Thinking about it for a moment, he wouldn't get to answering before she grabbed his shirt. He seemed surprised for a moment, eyes widening slightly. Still, he'd give out a response while looking down at her hand. "I..." He glanced off to the side. "I do have an office here. It's not as comfortable as the one in South City, but it should work." He said, listening to her words further. She seemed concerned about his clothes, something that he typically only gave an afterthought towards. The suggestions could very well work, but he figured it was more so on him to be more precise with his power output than anything else. "Maybe." He'd say, thinking to himself for a moment. He'd then start moving towards his office. "Believe it or not I'm not as rich as I once was. If I regret anything it was developing the giant mech suit. Maybe I could've got some better clothes that wouldn't tear instead. That being said, I do plan on having that thing transported here. I've learned how to I suppose... Split my power, not really an unusual thing for Namekians to be able to do. I think if researchers can develop a core harnessing my ki, other pilots could use the mech against the horde- but that's neither here nor there." Bass remarked, turning around a couple of corners before they came up to a set of red double doors. Befitting of the facility and not The Momentum Corporation as a whole, 'Commander Bass' was slapped onto the door with a functional little tag. Pushing it open after placing his hand against a fancy bio-metric scanner to unlock it, he'd step inside. This office was... Well, it was spacious, but like he'd said it was far less decorated. Lots of metal, some weapons hung up on display, and a few notable items related to the military base. He had a desk, but instead of sitting behind it he instead chose to grab the chair and pull it around to the same a side as where guests might sit. He'd set it down gently, offering Melody a seat if she wanted one. "Chair's open if you want it.""I uh... Well, how have you been these last couple of years? Get caught up in politics over there? Just kind of disappeared. Well, maybe not. Maybe I got too focused on work. I do it for more than just money, y'know. I want my company to make the world a better place."And with that, he pulled open his wardrobe. Fishing through various outfits, he'd pull out a fairly casual reddish brown t-shirt. Though he figured since she was here and seemed to care, he'd ask her opinion. Holding the shirt out in front of himself. "What do you think? This, or something else?"He wasn't used to asking for other peoples opinions, but this was Melody. 786 | 786 Melody
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Post by Melody on Jul 27, 2021 9:30:26 GMT -8
The chair Melody sat in was as stiff as the decor of the office itself, this mundane lifestyle was not befitting for someone as strong as Bass, it was plain and she figured he simply lacked personal taste after all this time. Now she was concerned with what the Blue Namekian had in mind for a day off, while there was still plenty to discuss, this meeting type setting was off putting on her mood. Of course, the Duchess had to practice patience, and give him the benefit of the doubt that he was well aware that the current setting was not ideal.
“Well, pinching zeni is not exactly beneficial to being wealthy, without spending it on something extravagant that will develop its own value with time. It’s an investment after all, even if you’re not planning on using it, someone else will. What does this giant mech suit look like exactly?”
A smile formed on her face when she recalled his mention of splitting his power, something she was personally familiar with, while it nearly killed her she managed to survive to see the outcome it had on her twins.
“I had my power split as well, a blood curse placed upon my unborn twins by their demonic grandmother, and I nearly died as a result. I owe my life to Princess Juniper of the Tea Clan--no the newly formed Dandelion clan. Which was part of the reason the Bossa Nova Clan and our allies from the Wine Clan arrived in the northern lands to secure Port Lumina while the Princess and Koma the Daimao of the The Dandelion clan cleared out Sol Marina. It was perfect timing that you and the few others showed up when they did...it would have been troublesome for the youths.”
It seemed Bass was more than capable of determining the ki signature from Note and Echo being similar to hers along with the evenly matched power level that remained unsuppressed as it was habitual among the Pig Demon Duchies.
“Making the world a better place? Heh. That was my goal once, I wanted to become the wealthiest Duchess to honorably conquer the western lands, and for our way of life to be an influence to the rest of the world. Part of the reason the Black Heart Namekians raid the Central and Northern lands so easily is because Capsule Corp and The Crane Hermits lack leadership. The fiefdom of the Pig Demon Duchies is what protects innocent people from danger, it is the duty of village leaders to train their vassals, and make proper investments with the land to sustain life.”
Rather than continue giving Bass a history lesson, she figured she should ask him a personal question, and carry on a proper conversation.
“So you have been far too busy to notice the affairs of the other factions? You realize the Pig Demon Duchies are not sanctioned by the World Government despite sharing the western land territory? Where does Momentum Financial stand in regards to the World Government?”
While Bass fiddled with a wardrobe as he listened to her, the clothing options were all muted in color, and she blinked her violet eyes when he finally picked something.
“I mean…” Melody shifted in her seat, “It depends where we are going after...this. I can help you make a decision once I know the location.”
It was important to the Duchess to keep up public appearances, she was a noble after all, and if Bass wanted to be recognized by earthlings he needed to be concerned with his personal sense of style. [601] [1,167] Bass
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Post by Bass on Jul 27, 2021 12:14:18 GMT -8
Bass listened through the financial advice given his way. He didn't seem particularly receptive to it, but he listened patiently. Early on he'd chosen to toss the shirt aside, into the closet that had a variety of different outfits of different types and vibrancy. Of course, being in a military installation there was a certain seriousness that demanded being present at the facility. It wasn't until Melody said, 'this' in a pointed manner that Bass narrowed his eyes towards her. Not only did he narrow his eyes, but he stopped doing what he was doing, a little taken aback by the tone. Nevertheless, people change. Just like how he might've been working on improving, maybe some became darker with the passage of time. Speaking up, he'd address the matter of a destination. "I don't know, Melody. This all happened rather suddenly, and I don't know the area. Is there a place you'd recommend? Otherwise I can fly us to North City to grab a meal or something." Shutting the wardrobe for the moment as that'd take a moment longer to figure out, he'd let out a sigh as his arms came to fold across his chest. "I wouldn't say my goals are as grand as yours once were. All I want is to wipe away the stain that is my legacy, Piccolo Daimao. It just so happens that coincides with making the world a better place." He said, thinking back to address her comments regarding the birth of her children. "I'm not going to pretend to know what that was like, I was regurgitated and formed into basically the shape you see now in about half a minute." He said offhandedly, taking a moment to formulate a response towards the 'youths' as she put it. Well, that was one way to refer to the toddler he'd seen not too long ago. Still, he felt a little guilty for not doing more here, sooner. He didn't have an understanding of how serious things had gotten. What mattered most in his mind was that he was here now and doing his best. "Well, this complex should be finished within the week, and I'm building up forces using qualified professional militants as my advisors. Here's to hoping they remove the need for child soldiers to be on the battlefield." He said, without a hint of remorse in his voice. In fact, he seemed to have a particularly empty and dejected tone when bringing up the idea of kids fighting. Wasn't right. The pointed remark earlier still nagged at the back of his head. While he wanted to say something- he didn't know quite what. Yet he still had time to think while he gave an answer to her question on his opinions on the World Government. "I don't know, to be honest. Most of my business affairs only cross paths with local governments and municipalities. That being said I only have one encounter with them to base a personal opinion off of; the attack on South City. Frankly so long as their intentions are beneficial for Earth I don't really care about them, they can keep tabs on me or anyone for that matter if it makes them feel better. If you're asking about politics, I don't subscribe to that nonsense. Sorry, that probably bites considering you're a Duchess and all." He said, despite his tone not reflecting the same apologetic words he'd spoken. Sitting on the edge of his desk, his hands came to rest on his knees. He'd thought of a way to address her seeming discomfort with the present circumstances, something he'd derived from that one small sign. He'd definitely gotten a bit more socially aware. "I think a good leader suffers just as much as those who follow him. My office shouldn't be all sunshine and roses when the people in this base are fighting for their lives. I'm not better than them. Stronger? Sure. Better? No."Getting up, he'd open up the wardrobe and grab something. If he didn't get a recommendation from Melody, he'd grab a simple black parka with a fluffy brown collar along with some mits. Beneath he'd be wearing a simple white sweater turtleneck, lots of layers for the cold North. Even if... Like Melody managed, he could just sustain his heat using ki. It'd become a habit for the Namekian to do things in society the same way most did. "Now then, we're off?" He said as he'd moved around to the doors. Turning back, he'd extend a hand. "Not sure why I moved to the doors, but here, take my hand. I'll take us wherever in North City, or if you're feeling a different spot we can go really anywhere." Ironic then, that he was using his Martial Arts abilities for this. Maybe he saw it as something other than business. 809 | 1,595 Melody
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Post by Melody on Jul 27, 2021 12:58:01 GMT -8
It seemed Bass picked up on her cues over the comfort of the office, that it was more like a business meeting, and not a casual friendly social interaction as she expected. While he ignored her question about the mobile suit, he quickly shifted to where they would go next, maybe there he would show her a picture of some kind to further explain his investment in technology at a later time. “North City is fine...I actually have never been there before.” Melody chimed in and she reflected on how Bass described his own birth into the world, “Breaking the shell to revolutionize the world as a Black Heart Namekian.”In truth, it was possible that a revolution was not exactly what the Namekian was after, but to protect anyone as a progeny of Piccolo Daimao. Bass’ political stance on politics was zero, he apologized for his choice of words regarding his involvement with the factions of the world, and later excused himself for not recognizing her title. “You never called me Duchess anyways.” The greenette reminded him, she was already used to it, even after all this time. “Aren’t you beating yourself up too much with all this responsibility, Bass-kun? When are you going to enjoy life for yourself for a change. It’s not like you will go on living forever.”After he changed the blazer part of his suit, for a turtle neck, and a fur lined parka she simply nodded in approval. Of course her own outfit was a modern take of the traditional robes worn in the western lands, she used to wear simpler clothing when they first met, but she opted for finer textiles which were recognizable to anyone of its origins. Once he walked over to the doors, she got up from her seat to follow after him, and he paused to question why he was quick to leave. When Bass extended his hand at her, she immediately placed her own into his, his wrist was thicker than the hilt of her katchin sword, and she practically stared down at it his open palm for a moment; realizing this was the very first time they ever made physical contact with each other intentionally. “Sounds good.” Melody smiled at him when she looked up.
[380] [1,547]
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Post by Bass on Jul 27, 2021 13:33:41 GMT -8
The deeper Bass got into just trying to be casual, the more trouble he seemed to have. He was curious to how Melody might respond to some of the things he'd said, listening closely while making his way back where they came in from. His reasoning for wanting to get out was simple; she wasn't comfortable there, so he'd need to figure out alternate arrangements. Personally he was flexible, able to operate in most circumstances, but he wasn't exactly normal by and means. He had come far enough to figure out people had their own preferences, and it was only fair that he consider Melody's needs which were more specific, before his which were broad by comparison. Hearing her comments about responsibility, he wondered about it. He never really saw it as a responsibility, it was just the road he walked. He had no obligation to wipe Piccolo out, he just felt like in order to be comfortable in his own skin he'd need to deflate the old geezer. He reflected that sentiment in his answer. "I don't really see it that way. I've definitely been hard on myself, sure, these past two years have been anything but easy. Yet I do it all for a good reason, a goal. Surprisingly, as much as people always look for circumstantial evidence, I don't think it's all about me. My life might be finite, but so are the lives that have yet to come into being. If I can give away some of my time to make my descendan-" Descendants. He stopped there, he didn't plan on having kids, that was nasty. "Well, regardless of whether or not they're related to me, good people deserve good lives." He acknowledged that he'd never called her by her title as well with a nod, speaking shortly thereafter. "You're right. I wouldn't say it was deliberate at the time, but I've come to realize like I told you just a few moments ago, I see people only for themselves. Royalty, rank, it's all really just an afterthought. I value people based on their character." He admitted, at about the time Melody was approaching to grab his hand. At first he was fairly natural about it, not even giving the interaction a second thought. Yet as she noticed her staring for a moment too long, he realized that it might've been a little more meaningful than he'd previously thought. Nevertheless, it'd be even weirder to pull his hand back. So carefully taking her hand his other would reach towards his forehead. "Oh... Right. You wanted to see the mech." He paused for a moment, thinking of a potential route they could take. It was currently in South City in the hangar below the tower itself. He could easily Instant Transmit there, but getting back was a rockier ordeal. He hadn't been lying when he talked about splitting power however. Having his energy in various locations let them create specialized technology that exclusively worked because of Bass. For example, R&D had been working on a teleportation pad using his ki just like he did to get around. Perhaps they could test it... But... Well, that might've been a topic for business. He could talk about it. Offering a small smile in return, they'd both be whisked away with a pulse of power. And appearing, they'd be in a small homey park within North City, with snow covered pine trees and dangling lights- less colorful than they might be around the Christmas Season, but still charming to look at. Snow fell calmly in the Northern City, being a bit more distant from the frontline than Bass's military compound. He tentatively would let go of Melody's hand if she wanted. What would he talk about if it wasn't business? He just sort of stood there, letting the snow fall for a moment. "I..." He remembered the Ice Sculpting competition. It wasn't even that valuable of a moment to him at the time, but once it was over he found himself reminiscing about it quite a lot. Thinking back even more, he remembered the encounter with the Giant Shark. There was a sigh. "I miss how things used to be, I think. Adventure, the open seas. I never thought a luxury yacht would be burned so deeply into my memory, but it turns out the simple but meaningful things last longer than the complex and shallow. Nowadays I'm..." How did he go about it without seeming arrogant. "... I... Well, I'm in a position where I'm overqualified for adventure. I'm teaching the next generation to explore and protect the world. You're no different, are you? Kids of your own, bearing the mantle of your royalty. I do feel like I missed something along the way, before I knew it, I was here. At a point where while I'm making leaps and bounds of progress- I'm stronger than ever, I feel... Stagnant. I guess that's just life, though. The more you live, the more you have to compare." He said, glancing over towards his friend. He wanted to ask if that was casual enough, genuinely having a hard time being informal and relaxed. It was just in his nature to always go-go-go. He'd been born that way, so it was no surprise. 881 | 2,476 Melody
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Post by Melody on Jul 27, 2021 15:11:49 GMT -8
Melody raised a brow when Bass nearly blurted out a potential legacy he could leave behind in his wake for the benefit of the future and she wondered why he hesitated; since he was able to do so without a partner. Perhaps the idea of spitting out an egg from his mouth disgusted him, birth for any race on earth was not exactly marvelous in the first place, but life goes on regardless of how much someone contributes to the world.
“I am positive you’re giving honest people good lives in exchange for work at your company...it’s still Momentum Financial right?”
Of course, she was not fully aware if there was a name change, in fact he was just a salary man climbing the ranks in the company since their last encounter in Oolong City. If he was now the CEO who created a global empire she was not familiar with the exact details yet, even after she toured the facility with him, the Duchess did not suspect anything different.
“I wish I could say the same about the value of people.” Melody deadpanned, “I only see value in people who are loyal and deserving of my respect.”
At this point, Bass used instant transmission without warning, at first she thought they would fly to North City and never realized he could teleport them there. It was a strange feeling the gravity of isekai from one place to another, it made her light headed, on the verge of collapsing until she shook her head to regain her composure by gripping his hand to stabilize herself.
“Wha--” Melody’s heart was beating so fast she felt it would burst, “How? Eh?!”
Before she could even ask about his special ability, Bass was lost in his own thoughts, as if reminiscing their past lives together and expressing how much he missed their encounters. It was only natural to feel that way, friends usually defined a person in life, and they were separated from each other in order to become independent. That chapter was over with, so Bass set the goal to be influential instead, as a mentor perhaps?
“Right, I have taken a step back from my own selfish goals, my sons are different from me. Note especially has this strong sense of justice despite his father being a drunk and I personally have little to no influence on either of them. Echo is well behaved in comparison, he is quiet, and observant with the strong desire to bring honor to his family.” Melody explained, she slipped her hand away from his, only to look at it directly over her violet eyes and wiggled her fingers. “Is it...that natural for you to just...isekai like that?!”
Of course the term was a foreign one to the black heart namekian, it was widely used in western land novels, and perhaps he understood enough to realize she was afflicted by the instant transmission. A sigh escaped her lips when he finally turned around to face her, it was almost as if he was hiding the expression on his face when he looked away to speak.
“A lot has happened since you left Oolong City. A crazy saiyan blew up a local gambling hall. I offered the fool refuge because he was formidable, but that mangy cat Will O’ Wisp overheard me, threatening to report me for treason to the Grand Dukes. Of course, I had no choice but to beat that tiny cat into submission who allied with some samurai android named Riku, and Cress left the scene so I had to face them both alone--until Bryce showed up to help me defeat them. Will O’ Wisp promised not to betray our friendship as a result but I have yet to see him again ever since.”
As Melody spoke, she seemed rather upset recalling the whole incident, and she calmed down to continue, “It turns out that foolish saiyan named Romanus murdered a descendant of the Grand Duke Oolong...well I already knew that fact and my narrow point of view would have had devastating repercussions if Romanus followed through with my plan initially.”
Since Juniper was Ma-Te’s sister, it would have complicated Melody’s relationship with the Grand Dukes, so she gave up forming alliances with criminals.
“I have been in a rocky relationship with the father of my children since the beginning when I appointed Cress as my vassal. While he was part of their lives from the first year they were born, he disappeared without a trace one day, and I have been raising the twins as their only parent while my siblings help as much as they can. The fact that rumors spread throughout the western lands about my poorly matched marriage, I was able to restore my status in Pig Demon Duchies, when I discovered the parents who abandoned me in Orchestra Village had a set of twins who grew up to become formidable samurai on my father’s side of the family known as Bossa Nova Clan.”
It was a lot to take in, Bass would be able to connect all the dots at once, yet Melody felt relief of being able to tell someone about everything she had been through in the past.
“Well my parents are still absent in the lives of their family, their dream of becoming famous musicians, keeps them away from us. I am the pillar for children, my siblings, Truffle Village, and the Bossa Nova clan. At least until the twins are strong enough to assume their positions as leaders to both.”
After a beat, she rubbed the back of her neck nervously, and looked up, “Thanks for hearing me out, Bass-kun. I feel like a great weight has been removed from my shoulders all of a sudden.” [962] [2,509] Bass
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Post by Bass on Jul 27, 2021 16:31:10 GMT -8
Much to his surprise, Melody seemed shocked when he teleported. It only took him a second to realize the obvious; it had seriously been multiple years since their last encounter. The last time she'd met Bass was when he was still an employee for Momentum Financial, still strong, but... Nothing like what he was like these days. Looking a little guilty having just realized that after the fact, the bewilderment that washed over Melody provided the Namekian with some relief. She wasn't too sickened or worse for wear because of it, just startled in the end. He'd just gone on about their chat like usual- since doing that sort of thing was regular for him. When she questioned his ability, he knew he'd have a lot of explaining to do. She was asking about the mobile suit, his ability to teleport, and she was wondering if it was still Momentum Financial that he was working for. Well... He prepared for the massive drop of news he'd be giving her, but first he had the patience to quietly listen to what she had to say. Not before providing an answer to her startled question of course. "I'm not sure what 'isekai' is, but given the context you're talking about Instant Transmission. Yeah, that's pretty regular for me, though I avoid doing it for business related things unless it's an absolute emergency. Do as society does, that whole kind of thing- I'd rather not have an advantage over other entrepreneurs because of how fast I can get around." He said, before allowing her to continue and ponder on that answer for a moment. Then she started catching him up on Oolong City. The last time he was there was with Juniper back... Well, at least a year or so ago now- it was around the time he established the Bassic Security Bureau. Since then the building had been worked on extensively, and a capable and confident workforce had been operating there for little under a month by this point. Nothing like an actual police force proper, they kept their presence for the most part out of the bigger political picture, boots on the ground and ear to the floor. A lot of the things she said clicked with him, but the names were foreign to him. Will O' Wisp certainly rung a bell- and Bass looked a little surprised to hear that the cat even had the courage to step foot in that place, but nevertheless strange things do happen. Names like Riku and Cress went completely over the Black Heart Namekian's head, a raised brow indicating such. Though he had most of the context he needed, assuming Cress might've been the Crazy Saiyan she had talked about. She went on to talk about Romanus, and thankfully she used Saiyan in the same sentence. Suddenly Cayle's people were getting a fairly bad rep blowing up buildings and killing royal descendants- or, anyone even. However the news seemed to fit in well with the Western Lands, despite the usual not being an excuse for it being right. He wondered what Will might've been up to these days, at least. When they were last together the two of them were going up against three Tuffles that'd had a mean streak in South City. He was really surprised to hear that she appointed the building destroying criminal with a royal title and land- as far as he knew that's what making someone a vassal meant. Of course, the next thing she said implied that he was the father to her children, to which Bass glanced off to the side for once again. He didn't know what relationships were like, so he shouldn't judge Melody in her choices. Yet the story spoke for itself; the guy vanished on her. Bass only let out a small nod in acknowledgement. Surprisingly, he'd gotten to the other end of her story with some semblance of understanding. Yet his response was fairly classic Bass. "Why care about the reputation, fame, image? I think people are best off doing exactly what they want, and not catering to appeasing others. That's not to say I think that's easy, quite the opposite, but... Well." She had a lot to consider in making a decision as big as that. He put it out there, he didn't need to explain it anymore. Besides, what she'd said next gave reason to why she couldn't do what she wanted. She had a villages worth of people that were dependent on her- strange, but that was the situation she'd found herself in. As Melody nervously thanked him for listening to her, he just shook his head lightly. "No problem. I think that's what friends are for, if I'm not mistaken." He said, looking upwards quietly for a moment. "If it helped you to get that out there, then, well, I'm glad I could help. I want to be able to... Help, maybe send a team there to support the village, but I feel like the situation's more delicate than that. I also have to learn to..." He battled with saying the word for a moment. "...trust, people. The only way we grow is handling problems, I've found more often than not, at least when it comes to battle, when I help other fighters it... Has the opposite effect I want. They lose hope, and stop chasing their goals." He said, letting out a sigh of his own. "Anyways, you were a little startled about Instant Transmission. I'll try to keep this concise. Momentum Financial's now The Momentum Corporation, a massive corporation based in South City that has assets in the Western Lands, Southern Lands, Northern Lands, Central Lands and well... Southern Islands. The Bass Necessities supermarket franchise, The Burrito Bass in West City, you saw the Momentum Military Barricade in the North, and then you might've heard of it back home- the Bassic Security Bureau. I put them there to help manage crime in your city, as best I can, at least." He said, exhaling. "Based on the last time we met, I can't exert my full power anymore. I'm worried if I do, a lot of things will lock onto a signature that large. So instead I divvy it up among my assets. Ki empowered weapons for my troops, a teleportation room for deliveries with both Bass Necessities and The Burrito Bass, such and so forth." He said with a gesture of his hand. That was already a lot of information, but he wondered if there was anything else. "I've met people, and lost touch with them. Silver Snow, a dragon Queen named Taras..." Then one of the things that had been eluding him for a while came across his mind. "I also started to, well, get more in touch with society. Flying planes, taking taxi's, riding the train, sure. Though I also have noticed a lot of couples over the years, and the idea of romance has crossed my mind a couple of times." There was an offhanded gesture as he turned about and looked towards Melody. "So, yeah. Everything's moving forward, but it still doesn't feel... The same as it did back then. Believe me, if nothing else... I care about the memories." He said, his brows furrowing slightly. "So, it's only natural I want to make more of them."1,225 | 3,701 Melody
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Post by Melody on Jul 27, 2021 19:42:36 GMT -8
“Isekai by definition is being spirited away.” Melody clarified, “Instant transmission. That was--really something!”
While she was startled at first, she was smiling from feeling fear at the first juncture, and she curled up her fist to pound her chest as if it would slow her heart rate. The Duchess had been fearless because she never feared dying and being instantly teleported came rather close due to how vulnerable she felt. The concept of dying in battle was more rewarding than potentially having no control over her own fate in a single second.
“So when you say you want to bring out the greater good in people, you’re not doing it to keep up appearances, image, or reputation...but rather your own worth? Without judgement from the public other than yourself?” Melody grinned, she almost laughed at the irony because she felt the same way as a Duchess, but she held back as Bass continued to speak about being able to trust people.
“You’re mistaken, you are capable of trusting people, I am sure we trust each other with our very lives, if the opportunity presents itself.”
The mention of causing people to lose hope, made her nod in disapproval, she sucked her teeth as she parted her lips to implement emphasis in her displeasure.
“What happened to not catering to appease others?” She quoted Bass directly from his previous statement, “If you wanted to help those martial artists, it was from the kindness of your own heart, and if they ended up disappearing all of sudden it was on their own accord. Losing hope has nothing to do with it. So you should be more confident in yourself, you big lug~”
At this point she punched his forearm, otherwise she would have to fly up to reach his bicep, in order to prove her affections through physical contact.
Bass continued to discuss his global exploits, her violet eyes widened as he broke it all down, while she matured as a person she still enjoyed investing in zeni. While Oolong City was known for its casinos, she only gambled money into investments, and she was careful to maintain profits. Just like the ice carved snow globe during the winter event several years ago, it seemed almost as if all of Bass’ dreams came true with Momentum Corp, and yet he was still unhappy.
“It’s amazing how far hard work has grown the company at a global scale.”
As the black heart namekian immersed himself into his workaholic lifestyle, adapting to social normality by traveling through typical means to meet new people, he observed the emotions from others that he was yet to experience for himself. Part of life involved making deeper connections with friends and eventually finding a soul mate to ask what they wanted to eat until it was time to depart from the world. While Melody was not exactly in a romantic relationship at present, she was fooled into believing she was in one two years ago, and she was able to have children as a result.
“Hah.” The Duchess was amused, “Have you put that much thought into the prospect of being involved in the romantic scene. So what’s your ideal type, Bass-kun?”
As she stood entirely still, a pile of snowflakes formed on top of her moss green hair, and she was more than eager to hear the answer to her last question with a curious smile. [570] [3,079] Bass
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Post by Bass on Jul 28, 2021 21:39:31 GMT -8
Standing in the snow, Bass hoped he was doing what... Well, what friends did. He was letting out some of his innermost feelings, making himself... Vulnerable? Was one word to put it, a word he utterly hated crossing his mind. Yet so far it seemed to be going alright, and Melody responded to him in kind. He'd shake his hands in objection to it having anything to do with 'spiriting away' "No no no, nothing like that." He said, though... Thinking about, it he wondered if he could reach other places other than Earth with it. It wasn't the kind of thing he wanted to whimsically test, however. Nevertheless he'd gently remain focused on Melody, hearing out the other things she wanted to say. "Something like that." He affirmed as she followed his earlier statement. He recognized some of the worlds greatest issues weren't megalomaniacs and villains, but rather a slow burn, the soft vice that made people squirm and feel trapped in their own lives. A lot of that was born from themselves and their own systems. Living in it, he'd even been a victim to that burnout and repetitiveness when he lost sight of what his work was really about. Though when she claimed he was mistaken about trusting, his shoulders sank. She was right in a way, nowadays he was much more willing to put his faith in others, but back then... Back then he thought he could only rely on himself, and he voiced that. "Well... Sort of. You're right, I'm capable. Back then I... Chose not to trust. I didn't want to put any of my chips in anyone else's hands. My life was in my hands, and I was the only person I could account for." He said, quickly following up with a bit more optimistic words. "That was then however. I've done a lot of reflecting in these two years, and learning to give people the chance to... To be trusted was an important step for me." He admitted, painfully so. He still worked on it, but nowadays he was much more calm about the idea of entrusting important tasks to other people. When she pointed out the mixed messages he was giving, the Black Heart Namekian stopped for a moment to consider her words, getting a little bop on the forearm as he did. Though in the end, he did see a fine line between the two. "It's part of what I was just explaining. A healthy world doesn't have me everywhere, doing everything, stopping every problem. In fact, no matter how strong I get I can't be everywhere all of the time- and as you've seen first hand, I've tried. So I suppose you could say it's a little different than trying to appease people. I'm trying to... Form the conditions to cultivate more powerful fighters, so the world will have capable protectors across the planet at all times." He said, confident in that sentiment. With her comments about his companies growth, there was a slight smirk on his features. It wasn't as if he was disappointed with the progress. There had been some great advancements in his company, advancements which boded well for the future. It just wasn't the same thing as well... When he thought back, the silly adventures they'd get up to. It was serious, grim, head in the mud kind of stuff that happened nowadays. "I'm glad you think so. These things are exponential, so who knows where it'll be in a couple years." He said, despite wondering how the accounting books might look by that point. He typically checked them all, he hoped they didn't get so big he'd have to offload some of the paperwork to others. The last question really struck Bass, not in any tangible way other than a long pause of silence, but it certainly got the gears turning. After all, as an asexual creature he didn't really have any of the ties to appearance or desirable physical traits that might define most peoples 'type'. His preferences if they even existed in that sense would be ridiculously founded, like... Strong because they can fight with him, or... Well, he struggled to think of an answer that satisfied himself. The only thing he found desirable overlapped a lot with what he wanted out of capable warriors. He had trouble deciphering 'love' from 'like'. "I'm sure you know how difficult of a question that is... I'm a Namekian, we..." Don't think about it, don't think about it- he said in his mind as the topic was nearly went into. The more he thought about it though, the more Melody didn't really quite know- but nope, she could imply how it went based off of 'regurgitation' from earlier in their conversation at the base. "Well, needless to say my species doesn't reproduce with any need for a partner. So... Things like Pichi Pichi, butts, or body types don't mean much to me. Though that's not entirely true. Earthlings go by Masculine and Feminine, and I've slotted so much into the masculine side of things that it feels inherently wrong to look at a man that way." He said. "But... Maybe personality? Strong- mentally, forward thinking, independent, intelligent, dignified..." He mused about it a little more. "Driven, ambitious... Likes similar things, tolerable to me being weird because I'm the closest thing Earth has to an alien on it." He'd add to the list, folding his arms. He knew about the 'type' question for a while though, so he felt like he had to give some kind of physical indicators. He just couldn't feel bothered one way or another, and certainly had to use his head a lot more than an equipped guy would. "Uh... Maybe body type wise... Strong? I... I'm sorry Melody, I don't really feel one way or another about that. As long as they're not in a state that's hurting themselves, like starvation or something, I don't really mind. I guess using that logic, if they were noticeably strong that'd be reassuring- but again, I get all of these desirable traits are being chosen for the wrong reason." He admitted, letting out a sigh. "Healthy?" He added, trying to fish for an answer. He felt like it was theoretically possible there might be one, he just wasn't there yet. "How about you, maybe I could take a page off of your response for some inspiration. You're a lot more biologically inclined to this kind of stuff." He said. Blunt, but again, he was blissfully free of certain biologically feelings. 1,096 | 4,797 Melody
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Post by Melody on Jul 29, 2021 7:55:30 GMT -8
Melody blinked her violet eyes, Bass was critically thinking about certain things silently, answering her questions briefly in regards to Instant Transmission and the affirmation that he judged himself the most overall. The Duchess parted her lips when he lowered his shoulders in defeat, it was strange to see him so vulnerable, when he was more than capable of punching a hole on the moon itself with his power level. “You should trust yourself in that you’re making the best decisions, even if no one sees the value in your actions, people will eventually see the benefits of Momentum Corp. It’s no different from my duties as Duchess, I rely on the support of my family, but I also trust my life with my loyal subjects who depend on me to protect the territory in my charge. I am not optimistic about Oolong City, Bassic Security Bureau may be helping the locals with their issues, but at the end of the day it would be difficult to erase a yakuza style culture that has lasted over a thousand years to get rid of crime entirely. ”Of course Bass further explained that he was not entirely sanguine about changing the world through his efforts with the company, and she nodded in agreement. Rather than stretch himself thin, the namekian wanted to train capable fighters, and she tapped her chin in response. “What are your conditions? On the capable fighters that will train under you?”On the question of Bass’ type, he immediately began with reproduction being a hindrance, this was not the first time they talked about it in great detail. In fact, he told her about it when they were eating burritos in South City, and they both still managed to maintain his appetite despite the graphic details of his birth. “Platonic relationships exist, Bass-kun.” Melody reminded him as he continued to describe what he felt was his personal type. At first his preference for personality would have matched her own in the past, she was over confident while being independent, but she changed drastically ever since her heart was broken. A demure laugh escaped her lips when the namekian called himself an alien, she had witnessed her fair share of alien creatures, and did not make such a blatant distinction. If anything Bass looked like a humanoid slug demon hybrid but she would never confess her personal thoughts on his visage. Was a strong body type someone who can grapple him into submission? The Duchess never imagined he was the submissive type, there was not enough said about what he meant by a strong woman, so she shrugged at the idea until he finally added: healthy. At this point she raised a brow, healthy either meant someone who conditioned their body physically through training and nutrition, or someone who was able to reproduce because they were healthy. As she thought about which one, he asked her the same question, even affirming that she was biologically inclined to have developed a deep understanding on romance. Melody blushed at his choice of words when returning the question, she nearly averted her gaze, but felt it would be rude so she trembled instead as she resisted. After some reflection, she sighed as she reached into her pocket to store her daisho into a DynoCapsule with a pink cloud followed by a click, and pocketed the pill sized capsule into her hidden pleated skirt zippered pocket. In the opposite pocket she took out a tiny metal case the size of a typical mint tin, inside were four micro pill sized capsules, and pulled one out with her long fingernails. Pressing the tiny pill capsule between her thumb and index formed another pink cloud that released a pink parka with sheep wool lining and hemlines, as well as a white cashmere scarf. As she put on the parka, wrapping the scarf around her neck, she was carefully considering her words without accidently complaining. If there was something she hated most about herself, it is having a strong opinion on something, without finding the solution for it first. “Appearances or race never mattered to me personally and a platonic relationship would have been acceptable at some point in time. I am the type of person that does not cling to someone just because I may have strong feelings for them. I generally do not get involved with their past matters and focus on the present in order to be truly happy.” Melody swirled her fingers around her moss green hair at her shoulders, which she kept in long cascading layers, the snow that had piled on the top of her hair was brushed off with her freehand. “My type is someone who genuinely cares about keeping me company and doesn’t mind that the only thing I can cook is rice. That’s it really. If I were to start my love life over again after my failed marriage, the pressure of raising my twins would not need to apply for my next partner, and I would hate myself if my children thought I was replacing their father with someone else; so their approval is also important to me. Unfortunately I don’t consider myself to fit the strong criteria, no matter how formidable I am with a sword in the battlefield, I am weak when it comes to filling the void in my heart. I just keep ignoring the pain I feel instead of finding the strength to overcome it.”Another sigh, she shook her head at her miserable past life as a single mother, and forced herself to be optimistic. “Well enough about the past. How about we go get something to eat together?” Melody extended her left hand towards Bass, “Lead the way.”[958] [4,037] BassAttachments:
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Post by Bass on Jul 29, 2021 23:14:17 GMT -8
Ah, so that was how it was. Bass didn't have an immediate reaction on his face, but enough cues had been given by that point to tip him off- not that it was worth celebrating, it would've probably been significantly more obvious to someone who at one point wasn't socially unaware. Nevertheless, his hands found a place within his pockets. Addressing his confidence, Bass tilted his head slightly. Articulating his mind was incredibly difficult, but he tried to smooth how he saw things as best he could. "I... For the most part I do. When it comes to attaining my goal, I think if I wasn't held ba-" He took a moments pause to think about how to rephrase things. "If... I could act without repercussions or consequences afterwards, I feel like I could- just me, prove a match for Piccolo. No, not as I am now. If the people, Earthlings, see what I can do when I hold nothing back, well." He'd seen it again and again. "Piccolo's just one problem, if I'm not being biased. There are landmines all over Earth." He'd admit, glancing off to the trees at their side for a moment. "I've always kind of been a lone wolf, when I started out it never occurred to me that friends and such were of any greater importance. I just saw- well, in the earliest days I was self aware I was aimless, but eventually Piccolo just... I realized he was an outlier in his own right, and his actions damaged the reputation of Namekians."With that out of the way, he'd listen to her first question. It was certainly a thought provoking question, but unlike the former bolder one, this question was something he'd extensively thought about and had reason to focus on. He didn't really hesitate to give an answer. "I want people with integrity, that aren't shallow. It takes a lot, sometimes, everything. I need people with ambitious goals and willpower, who aren't willing to compromise on their wishes and dreams. I also need those dreams to be good. Not, you know, bad." He said, vaguely defining good and bad- though it was true to typical interpretations. The reminder on platonic relationships was noted as he nodded his head, eyes closing for a moment longer than a blink before refocusing. When she gave her answer to the question he'd posed in turn, the Namekian fell silent in consideration. There was a lot of questionable word choice from Melody, word choice that'd been the reason he'd made the connection. Nevertheless, he thought about how to approach the answer delicately. Looking upwards towards the falling snow, hands in his pockets, he'd speak. "That sounds like a pretty big net you're casting." He said, in regards to her very flexible desirable traits in a partner. "I don't think I could be that whimsical about it. A persons personality is all I have to make a connections, so... It's more difficult to start and end such a thing if it were to happen." He'd remark, a hot gust of air wafting up into the cold sky. There was a longer pause than was acceptable by societal norms, even relative to the serious subject of their conversations. He'd realized it, and it all came together from one word. 'Unfortunately'. Surely there were other signs he'd picked up on, having been working on understanding socializing for upwards of a couple years now, but that was definitive. It didn't help the case that she was holding her hand out towards him. "There's another reason I tend to be alone, you know." He said, looking towards the outstretched hand. "Put yourself in a villains shoes. Imagine you're up against the indomitable." He started, still looking at her hand. "But, he has a friend. He might have kids, he might have a wife." He continued. "You go for them, to try and break him. Villains aren't rational, they'll do it out of spite, even. Does that make sense?" He said. Giving her a moment to take that in, and all that it conveyed, he'd tentatively outstretch his hand. They could keep talking as they moved, and over the course of their meal. "Come on, then." He said as took her hand, leading the way. "But it's not all grim, however. Once upon a time I needed to sacrifice my happiness for strength. Now, I'm not going to mince words. I'm strong enough to shield my friends, and anyone who I'd end up calling my partner." He said, leading her down the snowy path. "I chose the wrong word earlier. Less so strength in really a physical kind, but rather mental fortitude, willpower, moxie. Not romantically, either. Towards your life, your goals, your dreams. Uncompromising, relentless." He detailed, leading her out of the park they were in. The streets weren't too busy at this hour of the night, the occasional pair of headlights flowing on by, the lights of shops faintly illuminating the snowy sidewalks just outside of them. "I'm thinking... How's an Izakaya sound?"841 | 5,638 Melody
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Post by Melody on Jul 30, 2021 6:43:50 GMT -8
Initially when Melody reached her hand out, she simply just expected Bass to have a level of gentry that followed the etiquette of a fiefdom, and be properly escorted further into North city. The smile on her face widened, taking into account the remainder of their previous conversation, she narrowed her violet eyes briefly. “Mou~ You need to relax once in a while, Bass-kun. No one asked you to defeat Piccolo Daimao. It will be a collective effort when the time comes with the martial artists that fit your expectations. Either way, your head is so full of the responsibilities that you have made into goals. When are you ever going to enjoy your life?”Of course, she could be wrong, perhaps his happiness was fulfilling goals and nothing else. After all, he admitted being a lone wolf, and she smirked disappointingly at the probability that he would end up a hermit. However, there was potential in the prospect that he would court someone in order to focus on his own life, outside of the responsibilities for Momentum Court for a change, so there was still hope that he will be able to find happiness soon enough. “A big net huh? That’s funny. I thought I had enough baggage to weigh it down so that it scares away all the fish.” Melody laughed at her self depreciation, a cloud forming from her lips briefly, before the warm vapor dispersed into the cold snap. The mention of putting herself in a villains perspective was perplexing at best, any sign of hesitation was certain death for the Duchess. In a land under constant threat, so when it boiled down to it, which life mattered most? The moral compass was not going to point at the enemy when so many relied on her as the warlord of the Bossa Nova clan of a samurai army. At this point, she rolled her eyes at the moral position the Blue Namekian was trying to make, that level of thought was skewed when the true villain was the one who delivered the final blow. It was survival of the fittest, no matter the philosophy behind it, and that was exactly what the western lands was all about after following tradition for over a thousand years. “I understand what you mean, personally if my life was at risk I would not offer mercy, regardless of whether my actions would define me as a hero or a villain. Life is not always that black and white especially in political situations regarding a certain reign of terror that has lasted over four hundred years. You should play a game of onitama with me someday just to prove decisions are never linear. What are you going to do when it is time to end Piccolo’s daimao’s life?”As they walked together leaving a trail of footsteps from their boots, the main street was in view, it was just as quiet as Port Lumina despite it being the largest city in the Northern lands. The mention of an izakaya meant Bass was familiar with some western land culture and she was impressed. “Ah yes, major cities typically have global cuisine, and a izakaya would certainly be open at this hour. I bet they have an onitama board too! Let’s go~” [549] [4,586]
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Post by Bass on Aug 1, 2021 5:08:42 GMT -8
Walking along, the two left small footprints in the snowy sidewalk as they walked through the cozy Winter City. Thankfully Bass had teleported to a park, because for the most part when it came to shops, it was generally a good idea to set up restaurants around a leisure place like that. It didn't really take too long to start coming across various food shops and restaurants, including a few bars and the thing they were looking for, an Izakaya. Though before they entered, there were a couple of things he wanted to deliberately reply to; some of which he would've answered as they made their way down the sidewalk. "Relax? Goals?" He questioned, a little frustrated by the notion. Perhaps it was in her nature to try to put together how other people felt he thought, but Bass was particularly strange in origin, never having an Earthling-like childhood to develop and integrate. He figured she was applying rules and norms that didn't often fit him, he never was normal, whether or was Melody or a taxi driver, Earthlings try to gauge character using the things they know. "I find fulfillment in achieving my goals, yes." He affirmed, looking down the road. "I think at this point in time I have thousands of employees, and we're getting dozens of new hires daily. It's not all about the next place, but when I think that I'm helping people get by in their lives, that's nice." He said, thinking a bit further. Apparently one couldn't enjoy life by pursuing their goals and dreams, which made him think what she really meant by 'enjoy your life'. Base impulse? He certainly had base impulse, but no one would say the same thing if they knew about it. He was a Black Heart Namekian, his base impulses and 'primal' drives weren't necessarily humanitarian in nature; quite the contrary. "I get if you've never sat down and thought about the facet of your peoples struggles, but perhaps you have. Black Heart Namekians, I doubt you've considered why it is they're capable of wreaking havoc and disaster almost immediately after birth- or maybe you have. Regardless, a lot of the life I live now is fulfilling, because I do what I want, even if you might not think so. It's why my company exists, I didn't care about the obstacles I crossed. Now, those... Underlying feelings? They're the same ones that lead to destruction, hatred, anger, tragedy. I've done well in resolving that, it's done, but that's where my primal joy lay." He said, already thinking about the next think she'd said to respond to. "I do agree that by Earthling standards, having a family locks things in quite definitively. I won't pretend to understand why you chose to love a criminal, maybe it's that side of joy that you claim I'm missing." He said, looking towards what by this point would be the approaching lights of the Izakaya, shining through a glass window. The next thing she said was the most confusing. As far as he realized, she was giving an answer to a response to a statement he never made based on the context her words provided. He was talking about how a villain would target the family of heroes to get to them and break them, if the hero was too strong to confront upfront. "Mercy? I wouldn't expect anyone to..." He trailed off, still a little confused. He figured it was just best to let that particular subject die, lest it spiral into further miscommunication and whatnot. Though the question she posed at the tail end of that stood by itself, so he figured he would address it. "Bit of a loaded question, since you've already locked me into the answer of ending his life. That being said with a broader scope, ideally I'd let him walk. It's not because of morals or ethics, I'm not naive enough to bestow that onto a warlord that's enacted terror for generations on Earth and its people. What it is about is Pride. Killing them would be too simple, too easy. I want to strip away their dignity by challenging them to try to get through me the next time they want to commit an atrocity. I'll be there everytime. At least, that's what I once thought.
Now? Depends on the context of the moment. I'm sure I won't be alone, so the decision won't be mine alone. I'd argue the others that'll be there will have been effected far more by Piccolo compared to myself." He let out a brief yawn, pinching the bridge of his nose. He'd stopped just outside of the Izakaya for a couple more seconds to finish answering Melody, but now with that out of the way he'd let her respond outside if she felt it wasn't a conversation she'd want an innocent employee to overhear. Regardless, soon he'd open the door to the place. So far North, the sight of Bass was enough to spark a fearful reaction from the guy working. It didn't help that his companion had green hair, but overall their civil attire and mannerisms defused the wide eyed tense look he had. Clearing his throat he'd speak up. "Take a seat, take a seat." The Namekian obliged, likely trailing over with Melody in tow. "So you said you wanted to try some kind of Onitama board? Isn't Oni a kind of demon, anyways?" He asked, a little curious. 912 | 6,550 Melody
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Post by Melody on Aug 1, 2021 8:57:52 GMT -8
Just minutes before arriving at their location, it was abundantly clear that Bass humanized his chaotic nature, finding joy in the achievements of others as if they were his own fulfilled goals. With that said, something was amiss when they were at the park earlier, the mention of making new memories among friends implied he was not able to do what he wanted when he expanded the company. So it was only a matter of time between this very moment and the potential future.
Lost in thought, the Duchess refocused her attention to the rest of the conversation, at this point she realized Bass mentioned reproduction or family over seven times now. It was difficult to ignore, a rather delicate and personal matter that required more thought process. As she listened to him speak, her violet eyes widened, and was stunned for a minute. Cress was a criminal? Melody never looked into his record when he was given the title of a vassal when he swore an oath with his life to serve Truffle Village. Abandoning his duties and his family was treasonous but the part of joy the black heart namekian was curious about simply involved forgiveness. Being able to forgive someone after ultimate betrayal was morally correct but she was weak at heart and found it difficult to achieve. The twins would take no issue in accepting their progenitor again since the both of them were constantly on the lookout.
Melody was so hung up on the word “villain” that she failed to realize the point Bass was making, at first she thought her response was agreeable towards his sense of justice, but now she was having doubts over her own statements. The moral question of executing Piccolo Daimao for his crimes against humanity was immediately answered with a grain of salt, a progeny would spare their predecessor death in exchange for deeper understanding, and Bass was proof of that it was possible; the only problem is the length of time it would take to commit towards this change. However, the final decision would be a societal effort, similar to the meeting they were in with other martial artists regarding the shark incident in South City. The sea creature was spared only because it was not at fault and changed back to its original form.
“I plan to be there when it happens, Bass-kun.”
With a simple nod, they entered the izakaya together, and were immediately met with silence. The pair stood out from the North City locals, even when dressed with winter wear, the weakest patron would be able to recognize they were formidable just by their visible confidence in their strides. The owner quickly gestured for them to take a seat, picking a spot in the corner, which was the most spacious compared to sitting at the bar proper, and the winter night view was frosted over by the adjacent window. When Bass brought up the board game, she grinned widely, releasing his hand to take a seat at their chosen table.
Melody reached down inside her knee high boot, taking out a small flip phone with the capsule Corp logo, and when she opened it the screen doubled in size like a book which she gestured over for Bass to look at. The background was a tree line of ancient maiden hair trees that stretched for over two acres in a brilliant golden color with her twins playing in the leaves with the neighboring noble children from Grape Vine Village. An app with a sumi ink circular stroke launched the game, she slid the phone closer so he could learn the basics, and potentially enjoy it enough to download it on his own device suitable to his stature.
“Oni means evil spirit or demon in the western lands. This game is based on martial artists and a warlord where you anticipate your opponent's actions to win the game. Daimao are often depicted as being possessed by an Oni to overcome obstacles in the heat of battle.”
While the CEO occupied his time to browse the rules of the game, Melody raised a finger to the owner then raised her middle finger to order two drinks on draft for the time being. As soon as the drinks arrived they would be able to order traditional dishes to this type of restaurant, the menu was printed on long strips of paper on the table, next to the condiments, with golf pencils stacked inside a bamboo container. Melody immediately filled the menu form for her yakitori selections before sliding it over for Bass to fill out.
“I spent my free time reading online articles that caught my interest over the past year. I came across one in particular from Professor Nimoy who teaches at West City University, on ufology, and he has a theory about these underground technology heavy laboratories that have been unearthed around the world with unknown origins. According to the carbon date, the technology surpasses Capsule Corp, and his colleague Rango who is an Android is currently hiring people to look for these mysterious bunkers in the southern islands. I may have encountered one of these underground labs but I did not have any second thoughts on it being far more advanced than what we consider conceivable to the history of technology on earth until after the fact.” Melody lowered her voice from being overheard, “From what I understand a few of the discovered lost technologies involve genetic splicing. So in theory, you could genetically have a family with someone who is of a different race, if you were to recover the data on it. I will gladly help you out, Bass-kun.” [945] Bass Attachments:
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