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Post by Konja of Clan Korm on Oct 3, 2022 5:11:55 GMT -8
Konja didn't particularly have a soft spot for babies in particular. They were weak, defenceless, and in serious need of training so they could go out on their own. Much like herself when she was smaller. While she didn't start out with an embarrassing power level of two, nor was she the runt of any litter - she was an only child after all - she was still a child. And any good Saiyan child would learn to fight even as she learned to walk. These raptor babies were still in need to learn how to survive from their mother. Perhaps they were even dependent on her still, given how the eggshells did had yet to be covered in mud and grime. Their tiny squeaky cries echoed in her Saiyan ears, giving her a precise heading. Not just where the vehicle was, but where exactly they were inside it. After training to fly for so long, catching up was indeed child's play. With the cries of the baby lizards, and the smoke billowing from the truck's soot-infested tailpipe, there was no question now, as the trees thinned out to reveal a gravel road. And on it, a large truck. It was just like the times during the war, when her Militia squad once or twice actually managed to soften up a Tuffle tank column without actually destroying everything. Then Captain Lerry and his Army boys would swoop in from above, and just slam straight down into the armoured vehicles before detonating energy blasts from within. Except instead of obliterating everything from inside... Well she was honestly better at manhandling things. Konja took a deep breath to calm her irritation. These maggots ruined her non-calendar date with Achi. They ruined Achi's day by stealing pups or chicks or kids or.... whatever the word was... from his beloved pet. The urge to simply grind every last power level in that truck to thick paste and roast their corpses for dinner was great. She was still very hungry, after all. Rose petals were delicious but they were far from filling. No, she still had plenty of room in her belly for five Earther adults. But dealing with them was secondary. Right now, there were two things her training had taught her. First, focus on the main objective. Save the babies. Whatever happens to succeed is a secondary objective. Second, extract information. That was how her scout group learned more about Tuffle troop positions and the like. They would take some survivours and beat them till they talked. The trouble wouldn't end until they found the root of this cursed tree and pulled them all out. Simple, effective. Like an anti-materiel round, Konja punched through the comparatively flimsy roof of the truck, smashing one poacher - at least she presumed they were poachers - into a fine red mist, clothes and all. Before the other two could do anything, she grabbed them by the backs of their heads and shoved their faces into the walls. Hard enough to leave dents, but not so much that their skulls exploded. She couldn't say the same for their noses, though. It was fast. Efficient. Just like her father taught. Konja shoved her hands through the metal dividing the driver's compartment from the rear, tearing open a hole big enough for her head to fit through. "Pull over, or your I swear to Yamoshi I will crush your heads like grapes."[569/5823] Achido
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Post by Achido on Dec 24, 2022 19:51:42 GMT -8
The truck was cruising on the trail which was surrounded by the dense forest and from the looks of things, Konja was beginning to catch up with no problem at all. With the mirrors on the truck busted off from escaping through the wooded area, the poachers in the vehicle were unable to see exactly where the woman had gone off to. Just as the passenger looked over to the driver to speak, a single arm smashed through the roof and disintegrated the man into nothing but red mist. This caused the driver to panic, swerving the truck left and right as much as possible before finally giving up and opening the door, then jumped out to save his own skin, and let the truck drift off all by itself with the animals inside. Dirt flew everywhere as the man hit the ground and began to roll until he finally came to a halt. "I better get the hell out of here!" He called out, before quickly darting off towards the forest in hopes of escaping.
With Achido and the unknown man continuing to stare one another down, Foxxi took off to her left in the blink of an eye, but it wasn’t to run away and hide, it was to flank the two in front of Achi in order to get a better opening to attack. This caused the young man to smile instantly, while stepping into a defensive stance. "I don’t like fighting, but I am not afraid to kill you where you stand." His voice was cold as the winter ice that froze over the roof of almost every home in the north. This caused the man to laugh and slowly pull a pack of cigarettes out from inside his coat. He stared down the young man and ripped one of the smokes out, before pulling his index finger up and conjuring a flame from the tip to light the cigarette. A large cloud of smoke drifted out of his mouth after puffing away for a few seconds. "You have no idea what you are up against, kid. Get him.." Just as he finished speaking, the robotic animal launched forward to attack Achido, but Foxxi quickly leapt out from the bush and bashed the thing against the tree, which caused it to explode instantly. Achido never moved from the defensive stance just in case the man would attempt anything silly. Foxxi shook off what little pain she felt and moved beside her best friend, waiting to see exactly what the man would do without his pet to help.
The man tossed the cigarette to the ground and stepped on it to make sure it was out before looking at the two in front of him. "You’ll wish you didn’t do that." He stated. With a swift upward motion of his hand, the ground below Achido and Foxxi began to shake and rumble before it quickly shot up in two separate sections to smash against them both. It seemed as if they were caught off guard and hit crushed them both up against a large tree. Time was beginning to run out for Achido and Foxxi if they couldn’t come up with a way to free themselves and end this once and for all..
Word Count: 570
Total Word Count: 5,000
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Post by Konja of Clan Korm on Dec 25, 2022 23:35:58 GMT -8
Not a shred of resistance from the surviving poacher as he took off without so much as a word. Not defiance in the face of annihilation, or even vengeance for his disintegrated cohort. Well... this wasn't war, after all. Not even a true hunt, it seemed, as it was just a mere ploy for something else. Perhaps they were merely hired hands doing this for some extra pay. They should have known better then. Poaching was not called hunting for a reason. It lacked all of the honour, to sneak onto someone else's land, perhaps even protected land, and then pilfer animals without any respect. Even 'barbarian' Saiyans understood that animals needed to replenish their numbers, so that the hunt could be enjoyed by future generations. That was why even back on Planet Plant, a distinction was made between hunting and poaching. The great roabs of the badlands, the icefangs of the cold northlands, and every creature in between. They were hunted with respect, and allowed respite to regrow their losses. Those who would hunt these animals without good reason were punished harshly. During such fallow periods, the only exception one could make was if for example, a pack of fangs threatened one's clan somehow. Their livelihood or families. Else, if one went to hunt them for sport, it threatened to upset the delicate balance of renewal. Konja let the coward run. For certain, even the lowliest Tuffle grunt, hiding inside his armoured shell, had more honour than a thieving poacher. They would at least continue shooting to avenge their fallen comrades, call for more help... or if they tried to run, it would be to come back tomorrow with more comrades in arms. She had already gotten his scent, and unless he had a capsule with a backup vehicle in it, he wouldn't get far before she finished bringing these fingerlings back to their mother. Then she could pick up where she left off and politely ask him who hired their little troupe. The Saiyan scooped up the babies in her arms and gently floated out of the hole she made in the top of the truck, up above the canopy of trees, before reorienting her body horizontally for the flight back to the no doubt anxiously waiting Achi and their mother Foxxi. That made her wonder for a moment. What had happened to the father? Did they get him too before? Well Achi would probably know. So she would be sure to ask him. While she had started back at a relatively leisurely pace, mainly because that poacher wasn't getting too far, the sound of an explosion from Achi and Foxxi's direction was reflexive. Clutching the hatchlings tight, she accelerated past the sound barrier and landed a short distance away from where she picked up Achido's power level. Far enough that the hatchlings wouldn't be in any trouble, but close enough that she could rush through the thicket if things got worse. Without quite the same instincts as a mother, but a conscious effort to match, she set them down on some grass and twigs within the hollow of a tree, then covered it with leafy branches. Making note of their scent for a later recovery, Konja rushed off through the brush back to what was going on. It was a horrifying sight. Achi and Foxxi were pinned to a large tree by some mechanical contraption. Flashes of similar sights surfaced. Clever Tuffle traps set up during the war that her comrades had fallen prey to, intended to bypass a Saiyan's natural resilience. This wasn't exactly the same, but it seemed to be built in a similar vein. One instinct overrode everything else: Save them. Without even bothering to look around for anything else, for who might have been responsible, she sprang from behind a bush and darted straight at the two. Konja shoved her arms into the space just above the mechanical hinge pushing the two sides together. If she could fight off that mechanical force and break it, they would be just fine... The Saiyan yelled out, raising her power level tenfold, fully intent on snapping the contraption in two. Because if that wasn't enough to break them out, well... she had more to spare. [709/6532] Achido
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Post by Achido on Dec 26, 2022 17:29:26 GMT -8
Foxxi let out a screeching sound as her body was crushed up against the tree. Achido and the raptor were now stuck and in trouble if they couldn’t find a way to escape from the earth smashing them. The older man began to laugh maniacally for a short time, before he slowly began to step toward the two of them. "Looks like you got yourselves in a sticky situation." He paused for a second, then began to laugh once more, and finally stopped and looked at the helpless beings with a smirk forming upon his face. "Now that I have your attention, I just want you to know that your friend here is going to be coming with me. If I ever see your punk ass around, then I will know what to do with you and your friend here.." He said, while grabbing Foxxi by the neck with one hand, and quickly placing a leash of some sort around the raptor’s neck.
As the truck was now heading for a cliff, Konja had only one option and that was to make sure the young were safe. When she pulled them free from the truck and flew them out of the hole in the back, the truck smashed into the guardrail and dropped down within a split second. After a moment, the sound of metal twisting and crashing against rock was heard, then an explosion to finish it off, and a cloud of smoke drifted up over the mountain and into the forest. Konja’s mission was a complete success, but on Achido’s end he was having more trouble than he thought.
The man who escaped the truck and ran off into the forest found his way back to the scene where Achido and Foxxi were being held up. "Boss, we have to get out of here now. There is a crazy woman chasing me down. She is after the infants and their mother." The henchmen announced nervously as he showed up. The man looked over his shoulder and chuckled, before noticing that the other henchmen were not with him. "We will do just that. But first, I want to teach this kid a lesson." He replied, pulling his sleeves up and slugging away at Achido several times. He then pulled a remote from his pants and pressed it. Foxxi let out another screech as she was now being shocked. The pain was too much and caused the raptor to faint, which allowed the two men to escape with the animal..
When Achi finally came to, he groaned in pain and was still stuck between the tree and a large chunk of the earth. "KONJA?? FOXXI??" He yelled out with what lung power he had left, hoping that someone would hear his voice within the forest. He was alone and scared because he had no idea what had happened, and nobody was around to reassure him that everything would be okay. The pain was pulsating throughout his entire body and blood dripping down his nose and lip, but Achido was worried about his friends and did not want to give up hope.
Word Count: 521 Total Word Count: 5,521
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Post by Konja of Clan Korm on Dec 27, 2022 2:42:04 GMT -8
Whatever the context was, of Achido being beaten and pinned to that tree, unconscious, Konja did not care. All that mattered to her was that she needed to get him out from there, before he was crushed. Her father had taught her long ago. Even a Saiyan, with their natural affinity to subconsciously use ki, was susceptible to physical forces with their guard down. Or if the force was sufficient to overcome their ki level. This was why the Tuffles were able to last for so long. From what she had seen, their weapons were leagues beyond what Earthers could conjure. Bullets that flew dozens of times faster than thunder, issued to even the weakest grunt, rather than elite forces. Beams that burned like the sun. With such weapons, even an elite could be overwhelmed with enough numbers, which the Tuffles had no shortage of. One should never let themselves be caught off-guard, and especially not asleep, by such weapons. Because even one shot from those devastating armaments could very well kill you. That wasn't even counting their more arcane machines that somehow sapped one's ki even when fully awake. The sorts of collars she was forced to wear at their accursed laboratory... If Tuffles built weapons to kill Saiyans, then it could be assumed that humans built weapons to kill other humans. Especially when they were unconscious. All this rationalisation would arise later, however. For now, everything was instinctive, built around the years of training honed under her father. She did not need to think about why, or understand why. Konja only felt why. That was why she roared, slowly prying the machine apart, before it could crush Achido's unconscious form. He had been beaten, possibly while vulnerable. He was a fighter like her. This could not have happened had he been in a fighting stance, his ki raised against a foe who was weak and cowardly enough to use a machine to do a warrior's job. The mere thought that this cowardly perpetrator would strike a defenceless warrior only sent more of her blood boiling, the ki spike giving her enough strength to slowly start bending the machine away. That was when Achido groaned, pained. He yelled weakly for anyone who could have still been there. Not for their help. No, he had to be calling out for their safety. He was a warrior like her. He could handle himself. But Konja was not going to wait for Achido to break himself out of this. Even though she knew he could, the problem was that Foxxi was missing. Whoever did this must have taken her, and time was of the essence. She pushed more, and the machine loosened, enough for Achi to slip through if he wished. He called out. And she had to answer. "Achi! I'm here! Just hold steady, I'll..." Konja grunted again, raising her power level some more. Finally, the contraption gave way. With one last heave, the trap hinge broke, the metal monstrosity going limp as she folded its jaws inside out as her frustration reached a climax. Konja threw the crumpled metal trap aside, clattering broken as she inspected Achido for injuries beyond his face. "I've got the hatchlings, Achi. They're in a safe place. Where's Foxxi?"At a gut level already knew the answer. Such a loyal pet would not leave her owner alone to face this kind of hardship unless he'd sent her off to get help. He didn't sound like it. The answer was simple, really. Konja expanded her senses, to pick up anything. A scent, a power level... How far were they now? [604/7136] Achido
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Post by Achido on Dec 27, 2022 17:29:28 GMT -8
Achido was unconscious and found himself slipping into what seemed like a wonderful dream. He was sitting across from Konja at the local Taco King, enjoying a nice meal together without any interruptions or nonsense, just the two of them genuinely having a good time. In the blink of an eye, the scene was cut short and everything began to turn black. The sound of Konja yelling out his name was heard, then he suddenly woke up, and shifted his head slowly in the direction of where the saiyan was coming from.
When she was able to pry him free from the tree and mechanical device, he began to hunch over with his hand and arm pressed against the side of his chest. "I c-can’t believe I let them get away with her." He spoke and finally leaned back up while looking at Konja with pure sadness filling his eyes. "I have to go get her, Konja. She was so innocent and happy, but I let that all go when I found a way out of that hole." He paused and looked at the path that was created from the two men that took off with Foxxi.
A tear dropped down his cheek and rolled off the edge of his chin, while the young man began to shake his head at what he had done. The pain was no longer a factor, as he was focused on how he would be able to retrieve the raptor so they could go on about their business once more. Achi tried his best in the fight against the man, but he was far stronger than him by a long shot, and maybe even stronger than Konja at her absolute best. Either way, Achido felt that he had no options left, other than to follow their trail and hope for the best.
It was at that moment when Achi finally turned and stepped towards Konja until they were inches from touching noses together. "I need you now more than ever and so does Foxxi. We need to make sure those infants are going to be safe while we do this. What do you suggest?" He asked curiously, while placing his hand across her cheek gently. "I’m glad you’re safe, though." He added before waiting to hear her response.
Achido was obviously scared to death at the moment, but he felt that all slowly fade away when he was with Konja. It was not only her confidence that kept him going throughout all of this but her saiyan ways as well. The way she talked, walked, and even the way she eats food. She was silly and not intentionally, which caused the young man to feel even closer to her, as he was the same way at times, especially around her during times like today. Achi was so appreciative of everything Konja had ever done for him, but now was when he needed her most..
Word Count: 490 Total Word Count: 6,011
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Post by Konja of Clan Korm on Dec 29, 2022 4:12:55 GMT -8
There was an Earther saying that ignorance was... happiness. Or at least, a word that meant the same thing according to Konja's still growing understanding of Earther vocabulary. Things calmed down somewhat with Achido's release from the clutches of the machine trap, and he began to relate what had transpired while she was away. And as Konja picked up more of the details of what unforgivable crimes had been committed behind her back, her hands unconsciously closed. Not into fists, but more of vices. Perhaps somewhere in the back of her oozaru brain, instincts were already preparing her to crush the perpetrator's head like an unruly cantaloupe. The anticipation as dopamine created the expectation of a future satisfying instance of execution. Yes, this was not a simple kill. This scum did not deserve the dignity of a fatal duel, but the blind, pitiless indifference of a chieftain snuffing out a criminal. But even if she did have an inkling of just how powerful this new enemy was, Konja would not falter. If anything, one might say the anticipation might be even greater, that she could prevail against a truly despicable foe. That was just how Saiyan's were as a people. For now, though, a different instinct would arise as Achido beat himself up over something he could not have known about. It was almost like looking at a mirror. This must have been what she had looked like her first night in that cell. Though putting up a brave front against her Tuffle interrogators, inside she was a frustrated and defeated child who kept replaying the ambush in her head, as if figuring out the right thing to do in the present would somehow fix the past. It was something her friends had helped her a lot with. Cayle, who understood all too well what being a pickle and lab monkey meant. Ty, who taught both of them things about starting again on Earth. Renkon in particular was a surprising discovery... from one scarred veteran to another, teaching her of the old ways that the spirits might help her become whole again. And Achi, who brought all of these things together and more. A chance encounter during an otherwise ordinary day at work led to a camaraderie at making ice sculptures... and now, this. All these elements stewed together. So that when Achi approached, she put her arms around him in an attempted reassurance. "You couldn't have known this would happen. What's important now is that we get her back, and make sure her children are safe." Konja smiled as his fingers touched her face, his action every bit as strong as the words that accompanied it. "And I'm glad you were hanging up there as long as you could." Was that the right expression? There were still so many things she wasn't getting right. Whether or not, hopefully he understood what she was trying to say. She looked into his eyes as their noses touched briefly. Was this the right time for a kiss? The cries of the children answered that for her. "We can't give those scum another chance to snatch them away. And we'd have to split our attention if they were to come with us." Sometimes, the safest place was in the arms of a protector. But if they were going to be so divided, it was probably not the best idea. "How secure is your lab? Maybe we could bring them there first."What of Foxxi though? Konja bit her lip. "... but the trail could go cold if we take too long." The issue of course was that the last time they split up, he got ambushed. Last time, she went off by herself. Perhaps now was a good time to let him decide. He did, after all, seem to have a better head on his shoulders. "Those are the choices on my mind. We could bring them to the lab together, but we would be pressed for time to catch up. Or I could go after Foxxi while you bring the infants there, but there is the risk of another ambush. If you have any better ideas, I'm listening."[695/7831] Achido
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Post by Achido on Dec 30, 2022 18:37:14 GMT -8
When Konja placed her hands around his neck to help reassure him that everything would be just fine, Achido could feel the warmth beginning to return, branching out through his mind and rebuilding the confidence he had long ago. It was a tingling feeling at first, then the waves of butterflies crashed over him, and it immediately caused him to smile wide, confidently nodding to her words. He wanted to speak but his mind was as cloudy as the rainy days that came during the spring days, so he just kept quiet and continued to listen to every word Konja was saying.
As he was lost in his mind for the moment, he came back to reality and turned his attention to the baby raptors only to let out a short sigh. "If only I would have known about them earlier and this wouldn’t have happened." He said softly, kneeling and reaching down to pet each of the tiny heads of the animals, before looking over his shoulder at Konja. "I don’t like the idea of leaving anyone behind at this point. We will all go and rescue Foxxi together." He finally responded and stood back to his feet.
Achido stepped forward and pulled Konja close from the spine of her back, staring into the eyes of the female saiyan, then moving in to kiss her lips softly with both eyes closed, and pulling away slowly to finally say something. "I really couldn’t do this without you. The happiness I have felt when being with you feels so unreal, but I am slowly getting used to everything. After the temple I just felt lost. Then there was you." He stopped himself from going on and just smiled to show that he was happy.
But time was ticking and the poachers were almost back at their base with Foxxi. Who knew what they had planned for the infants, but whatever it was Foxxi seemed to be good enough in their eyes because they had no problem taking her instead. It was such a tragedy to Achido, which almost caused him to break down, but the newly found confidence from Konja has caused him to rise up and want to fight back.
With his hand still on the spine of Konja, Achido looked to the clearing and sighed lightly. "Can you sense them? I will grab the little ones, then we can head off to find Foxxi, and get her away from those poachers." He said as the young man looked over towards the infants and smiled lightly. He knew that their safety was at the top of the list as well, and wanted to make sure they would meet up with their mother as soon as possible. With little time remaining, Achi had to look to Konja for help, as she was the one he trusted the most, especially during a time like this.
The poachers had closed the distance to their base and could finally see it in the distance. Foxxi was still out cold and slouched over the shoulder of the henchman, while his boss was leading them away from the forest and heading straight to the city nearby.
Word Count:530 Total Word Count: 6,541
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Post by Konja of Clan Korm on Jan 3, 2023 23:12:43 GMT -8
It was a bold answer, what Achido decided on. Konja couldn't help but smile. Yes, she had considered more traditionally prudent options. But his choice to take a greater risk not out of thought but of love was admirable. Not that Saiyan love was something that matched Earther love in a traditional sense. But it was only natural for a father to protect his cubs if they were not yet ready to fend for themselves. She did not know how things changed when the enigmatic King Cold took over. But at least before and during the war, the clan was the basic unit, and each child was protected until they were deemed ready to protect themselves. Which was a lot earlier than how they did things on Earth, but if you could bring down a whole house by yourself at the age of five, then you could arguable defend yourself against a lot of what Earth could throw at you. "Then we'll bring them to see their mother."She had wondered earlier, on placing her hands around his neck. Was this the right time for a kiss? Achido thought so. It was brief. Probably because they could not afford to repeat the more intricate one from Ensalada Island years ago. There was no opportunity for her to take charge, as she would have tried... It wasn't like she had been practising, but she could at least remember what it was like. That wasn't a problem though. Once this was over and they could get back to their picnic, and what Achido wanted her help with, then there would be time to wrestle for the lead. Saiyan competitiveness, you know? What was more surprising, though, was that he bothered to kiss her at all, given how she was covered in aerosolised flesh and blood. Not quite the prettiest picture at the moment. Perhaps certain Earthers had stronger stomachs than she had first though. When their lips parted, she smiled at his words, a reflection of the expression forming on his own face. The temple was a sordid affair. One she hoped would not happen again. But after the otherworldly horrors within, it was about getting back on your feet. "Let's do this together then. Even if we get lost, at least you won't be alone this time."Steeling herself for what came ahead, Konja followed Achi's gaze into the clearing. She closed her eyes and reached out with her spiritual senses. Yes, there was still a trail. A familiar one, too. That truck driver who jumped out before she could catch him. Well, that was fine. He would lead them to whoever was behind this... and straight to Foxxi, no doubt. Scooping up a portion of the hatchlings, she nodded. "Yes. They're headed for the city. I can still keep track, but it might get harder when more people get involved."It was time to go. Keeping an eye on Achido as she floated up into the air with her share of infants, Konja sensed for that ki signature again. It was a weak one, not much different from the average Earther, but it was distinct enough so long as there wasn't too much of a crowd. Once she saw Achido ready to follow, she took off. The hunt was now in session. [552/8383] Achido
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Post by Achido on Jan 8, 2023 8:26:02 GMT -8
Achido had given up on his training over the last couple of years so that he could focus on something else that he was really good at, and that was the ever changing world of technology. He was always fascinated by the different types of transports around the world and how they could either fly across the sky, or cruise along the oceans to get where they wanted pretty quickly. All of this caused him to do some research, digging deep for whatever he could so that one day, he would invent something that would change the world, Achi swore to it! Whether or not this was true, only time would tell because he was in the process of putting something together secretly..
As Achido was levitating there with a few of the raptors in his arms, he looked down at Konja as she spoke and smiled followed by a confident nod. With very little friends, Achi had put all of his trust into Konja, hoping that she was able to help sense out the poachers, then save Foxxi from their compound, and make it back home safely. "Together, yes. I may not be as useful as I once was, but I think I can handle my own, as long as I can stay focused." He admitted. His confidence was gone, but not forgotten. Only time would be able to bring that back, and it seemed as if Achido had more than enough time to figure that one out.
With Konja leading the way to the poachers, Achido was not too far behind, trying to keep up with the saiyan and that alone was no easy task. They were weaving in and out of the surrounding trees of the forest in search of these men who stole Foxxi for whatever reason, hoping that the poachers wouldn’t get too far away so they could no longer sense them. One way or another, Achido was determined to find them and get Foxxi back with no injuries.
After a few short minutes of flying Northeast towards the energy signature of the poachers, the two flew into a large clearing with a small rundown compound placed directly in the center of the clearing. The building has grass life growing and spreading across parts of it, as if the compound hasn’t been used in years. Achido could now sense the poachers himself, so he descended to the ground and landed gracefully on both feet. He took a moment to catch his breath before walking next to Konja and staring at the facility. "No guards or security cameras, that’s odd. Whatever they are doing in there, they aren’t trying to be secretive about it." He spoke softly, just in case there was somebody out there watching them without knowing of their presence.
The young man sighed heavily before stepping forward and making his way to the vine covered door. On his way there, he looked back at Konja and gave the saiyan a soft smile and a nod before turning his attention back to the entrance of the compound. When he finally reached the door, Achi attempted to open it, but the door wasn’t budging one bit. He looked to his left and right, then tried again, and failed once more. "What the? I know they are in there! There has to be a way in this place." He called out as he was beginning to stress out, wondering if he would ever see Foxxi again. The only thing he could do was look to Konja for any suggestions on how they could enter the building. "Just bust it down, Konja. They need to know we aren’t messing around." He added, hoping that she would agree.
Word Count: 620 Total Word Count: 7,161
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Post by Konja of Clan Korm on Jan 10, 2023 5:04:42 GMT -8
It was a short flight, complicated by having to manoeuvre through the trees and thicket. To someone inexperienced with such low-altitude flying, it was an issue. Konja just happened to fit that particular group. Yes, she had a lot of experience running through woods since waking up on this lush planet. Hunting on foot in this environment was now something she was used to. But since learning how to fly, she had never thought of a reason to develop an aptitude in flying the way she ran. She brushed some bushes out of her face, while at the same time tilting aside to dodge the oncoming sea of trees one by one. True, it was entirely possible to just power through and just break through each one. Or if she was being more reckless, clear a path with a beam. While Konja very much preferred using her ki in contact rather than at range, she did know just enough to get by where it became convenient. However, the spirits would be sure to withhold their blessing from someone who treated nature so carelessly. Nature was not itself some object of worship, although each tree had its own soul. Rather, it was... something she had read about sometime ago, like two different kinds of animals living together for mutual benefits. Symbolosis or something like that. The ancestors understood that one should live in symbolosis with nature, preserving it as it provided food. And so before they ascended to the spiritual world, they passed on that understanding. Even if she herself didn't use these woods all too often, some other citizen of Emperor Pilaf's empire perhaps, certainly would. Otherwise, why else would they consider this forest a preserve? "When my father lost his arm in battle, the King's army sent him home for not being useful enough," Konja pressed down on an approaching bush, keeping it out of her face as she flew over. "And yet he trained up an entire generation of youth to serve as our clan militia. I believe that to be useful is a matter of what is needed."Like how aside from being a warrior, she was also a yam farmer and food service worker. There were a lot of things she was useless at, but those three were things she was keen on. And while Achido might have gotten rusty, there was no doubt in her mind that he could do things she might not be able to fathom. They entered a clearing and landed a short distance from the compound within, enough that they could be stealthy the rest of the way. Flying low certainly had its perks. Achi whispered his observations. "Perhaps the secrecy is in the rundown appearance of the facility."It did look abandoned after all. If one could not sense power levels, which on this planet seemed to be most people, then this might as well have been an empty ruin. Achido approached the entrance and gave the Saiyan a smiling gesture of trust, which she returned. At least she thought it was so. Many people and characters on TV seemed to use the gesture of holding one's thumb out apart from their fist as a form of reassurance. Or to flag down a passing vehicle for hitchiking. He took a while, attempting to open up the door with his own strength. How hard could it have been? Had he truly become so rusty that a simple metal door covered in vines was a hindrance? Yes it might have had a few deadbolts in it. But unless there was some field interfering with their ki, it should have been no problem for him. Finally, Achi relented and turned to her, frustration leading to a resigned request that she just... break it down. Which would also conveniently send a message. Konja grinned, some would say viciously, highlighted by the traces of dried blood still on her face as she stood up from her previously stealthy crouched position. "I'll gladly send that message." She walked up to the door, channeled ki into her right foot, raised it up to knee level, and delivered a kick that could send a hundred tonne superheavy tank flying. Now was the moment of truth. Was there some sort of ki-negation field like the one the Tuffles used on her? Or was Achido just really out of shape? Not that she cared about the latter, seeing as he seemed to have chosen the way of the science man. But it was useful to know for a battle with so many unknowns. [763/9146] Achido
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Post by Achido on Jan 10, 2023 19:13:22 GMT -8
The door quickly snapped in half and flew off the hinges, which caused it to bash against the walls on the inside before finally hitting the ground with a loud thud. Within just a few seconds after the break in, the alarms inside the building began to ring loudly, echoing throughout the halls of the base within. Achido looked at Konja in surprise and just shrugged it off as he began to make his way towards the entrance. "Do you think they got the message?" He chuckled a bit as he examined the door frame with the hinges ripped completely off the frame, so they were probably still placed on the door.
To the right of the entrance was a small monitor box which was flashing red because of the alarm going off, so Achido balled his right fist up and slammed it into the box, smashing the entire thing into the wall. In the matter of seconds the alarms stopped ringing, but the red flashing lights throughout each hall continued to flash with their usual colors. "At least we won;t have to hear that annoying noise anymore." He said, as the young man began to venture forth down the long hallway of the base.
Down the hall was a T, where the two would have to decide which direction they may want to go. The Security was alerted and surely on their to investigate what exactly was going on to cause such a ruckus. Achido remained calm for the time being, but his heart was certainly beating faster than he wanted. Maybe it was the excitement of what they had just done, or the fact that he was just enjoying the time he was having with Konja. Whatever it was, Achido was ready to move forward and investigate.
As Achido and Konja finally made their way to the T at the end of the hall, he looked over at Konja with both raptors perched up on his shoulders, chirping lightly in a panicked tone. He reached up and gave them both a reassuring pat on their heads, then put his focus on the beautiful saiyan, and smiled before speaking. "I have a feeling they aren’t too far away, but our best bet would be that way." He quickly pointed out the long hall to their right. Achi wasn’t exactly sure where Foxxi might be, but he had a feeling to trust his gut and just go with it.
It was at that moment when a large group of armored men and women came rushing through the hallway, making their way towards Achido and Konja at a fast pace. When they finally closed the distance and felt close enough, the group of armored security dropped to a knee and aimed the weapons at the two. Red dots began to cover their body, but mainly their vital organs, hoping that they could get the kill shot off if anything bad happened.
Achido quickly changed his expression and stepped into a defensive stance. He was prepared for whatever was going to happen and try his very best to protect the infant raptors along with Konja as well. "I don’t know who any of you are and I really don’t want to hurt anyone, but you are hiding something of mine and I will gladly bust some skulls to get it back." His voice and everything about him had suddenly turned cold and calculated, as if he were counting each and every one of them, and coming up with a master plan inside that whacky brain of his.
The security wasn’t going to let two young adults just waltz in their own base and take it over. One of the men motioned for another to move ahead and investigate, so they did just as they were instructed to do. The one guard stood from a crouching position and moved closer to the two with his gun aimed directly at Achido. "I wouldn’t come any closer.." He said softly, but the security guard didn’t listen. Just as they were within arms reach, the blonde man quickly grabbed the gun and smashed it against the face of the guard, knocking him out cold instantly and dropping him to the floor.
It was at that moment when Achido realized he had fucked up. The security instantly began to open fire on him, Konja, and the infants that were latched onto them. It was a scary sight, but Achido had faith not only in Konja, but in himself as well. The confidence was returning slowly and it was showing. As of right now, Achido was nearly pissing his pants from the sound of the gunfire, but he had to break through and find a way to either escape, or beat down each and every security guard they were up against.
Word Count: 804 Total Word Count: 7,965
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Post by Konja of Clan Korm on Feb 15, 2023 5:57:29 GMT -8
Konja chuckled along as she made her way into the facility. Two years was a lot of time when you thought about it, and she took that time to pick up on the humour expressed by her Earther friends. This world was a diverse one. Even not counting the different cultures they hailed from, each person had their own quirks. Some even had signature jokes. Achi's was more of the subtle comeback that added a layer of amusement to her more serious declaration. She briefly inspected her work and nodded. "Oh, I have no doubt they did, alright." Yes, she had felt it, of course. Light as a feather. But seeing was a different matter from just feeling. The door had no such anti-ki reinforcement after all, which meant that Achido was just that much out of shape. Well so long as he became a master of science, it wouldn't be a waste. There was still a little disappointment on her mind, but she shook that away. She had no business telling Achido what he was supposed to do, especially if that was what he truly wanted. If anything, his perception was also very much on point as he walked up to the source of that obnoxious wailing alarm and smashed it into the wall. Now, that he had managed to do such a thing despite being out of shape was a testament to the calibre of his training under Cayle. No untrained human would be able to punch that sort of metal box into a wall. That needed some kind of ki enhancement, even if subconscious. "Thank you. That noise was starting to hurt." The Saiyan bowed. One of the downsides of the highly proficient Saiyan senses was the fact that well... things like this alarm were much worse than how an Earther would feel. There was no way the Tuffles did not exploit this somehow. While she had not fought against any such thing herself, and while the incident on Ensalada was a false alarm, she was all but certain that they probably did make a weapon that used sound. Maybe she should ask someone who had more experience with the war. Renkon, perhaps? Konja followed Achi down to the end of the hall, where it split up in two directions. Splitting up to cover more ground was out of the question. She had just promised to stick with him to the end. The question, then, was which path they should go first? Achido was quick to point to the path on the right, crediting a "feeling". Perhaps he had spent so much time with Foxxi that he could now easily recognise her aura? Her power level might have been so low it blended seamlessly with the other forest creatures, but ki was more than just power levels. Each creature had a unique signature, with its own nuances. And while races, like say the Tuffles, with their fruity scent, had such a thing in common, you could learn to pick up on someone's specific trail if you spent enough time with them. Before she could say anything, however, a whole cadre of soldiers emerged. Their weapons were equipped with those annoying lights that helped you aim. Like most Tuffles she'd fought. Unlike the Tuffles, however, they appeared to be the standard Earther calibres and firing mechanisms. Which was to say, using exploding powder to accelerate bullets. The ones that operated like the Tuffles', using a strong, if invisible force called "magmatism", went much faster and could actually hurt her. Fortunately, none of them looked like those. As Achido tried to talk them down, the Saiyan cracked her knuckles in anticipation. With weapons already raised, the tensions were high, and a fight was likely. One false move could get itchy trigger fingers pulling. Sure enough, the guard sent to investigate kept ignoring Achi's warnings, and rightfully - at least in Konja's perspective - got his gun punted into his face. He was the lucky one. She was more than ready. Before the first trigger was pulled, Konja was already standing in front of Achi and the raptor pups, arms spread wide. Bullets started flying, and they bounced off her ki reinforced form. Some flew into the walls at an angle. Others ricocheted at the soldiers, hitting either their armour, or if they were unlucky, unarmoured spots. Those unlucky ones went down and groveled at the shots. Were she by herself, this entire group would have been reduced to a mass of red paste by now. But more importantly than taking down this nuisance was protecting Achido and the pups. More specifically the pups. She wasn't sure about Achi's ability to reinforce himself against gunfire, so he was a bit of a question mark that she personally would rather not take a risk on. There would be plenty of time later to ask him. What she was sure of was that the pups weren't bullet proof. And so as much as she wanted to end this now, there was simply no time. Too many bullets headed her way in a wall... Surely, someone with better reflex training could catch every single one of these. Or someone more well-versed in ki projection could just knock them all out with a wave of the finger, or even... She'd seen King Vegeta's elites unleash beams from their mouths. How convenient that would be! Firing a beam just by shouting! Konja had no such skill in either field. Which meant that this was all she could do... Stand in the way. Although she was not harmed at all, the fact that they were keeping her rooted in place was itself mortifying. Protecting someone more vulnerable than herself was something she never had to do before. Usually she fought by herself, or with equally powerful comrades. But now, the situation devolved into a stalemate as she tried in vain to come up with a solution. "I can do this all day, Achi, but I don't think we have that long. Any ideas?"For a brief moment, she hung her head in shame. To the spirits, for sure. To Yamoshi, who gave his quest everything... And to Achido, who had asked for her aid. How pathetic it was that she was letting all of them down, simply because she was unable to both protect Achi, and eliminate this threat. Now, it was Achido's turn to make the best use of the time and safe zone she had created for him. [1082/10228] Achido
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Post by Achido on Feb 18, 2023 8:18:17 GMT -8
With the bullets whizzing by him and the others, Achido quickly pulled a small capsule out from his pocket and tossed it to the ground. The capsule hit the ground and exploded in a cloud of smoke. Within the smoke was a small kennel, so he quickly opened the hatch so the infants would get inside. Lucky for him and the baby raptors, Konja stepped in front of them all to absorb the impact of the bullets with her bare skin. Each bullet dropped to the ground while doing no damage to the saiyan at all. It was as if the skin of the saiyan warrior was so much stronger than the speeding chunks of metal that came from each gun.
When Achido tucked away the infants inside the bulletproof kennel, he quickly stood up and positioned himself right behind Konja with both of his hands on her waist gently. "You’re doing perfectly fine, I promise. Just stay where you are and don’t move." He spoke in a soft tone, before reaching into his pocket once more. This time Achido was looking for something else that he had stored away for a time like this. His face lit up when the small box was felt, so he grabbed the device and pressed a few buttons. The device was almost like a tablet of sorts, except it was a little thicker because there was something stored within that Achi had worked on in the lab recently.
After the code was punched into the device, Achido quickly slid it under Konja’s legs and straight towards the security guards. In a split second after sliding to a halt, the device opened up from the bottom and small mechanical bugs began to crawl out towards the guards. They were so small that the guards were unaware of the bugs crawling towards them and the fact that they were focused on blasting away Achido and Konja. As each of the bugs found their prey and latched on to their skin or even a piece of clothing they detonated instantly, which caused limbs to fly across the hallway and blood to spray against the walls.
The sound of gunshots being fired stopped and were replaced with the dreadful sound of a few men screaming in pain, yelling out to just kill them off so they couldn’t feel the pain. Achido finally picked up the kennel and returned to the side of Konja with a slight smile growing on his face. "Wow, I can’t believe that actually worked! Can’t wait to tell the team about the success of our latest toy. Anyways, I am glad we all made it through that without any injuries. You did great, Konja, but we have to keep going." He said, as he was holding the kennel from the latch on top with his right hand. Achido stepped forward and began to make his way down the hall, stepping over the bodies to get to the door at the end of the hallway.
As the two made it to the door, Achido leaned down and grabbed a card hanging from the neck of the dead guard, then wiped the blood off on his pants, and swiped it through the device connected to the door. The light lit up green and made a beeping sound, before slowly pulling up to let the two enter the next room. Achi was so concerned about Foxxi that he was beginning to do things he normally wouldn’t, especially killing anyone, that was something he never intended to do. But Achi was pushed to his limits and would do anything to make sure Foxxi was safe.
Once the door opened completely, Achido stepped in and looked around to see several tanks filled with a blue liquid and what looked like baby saiyans. The tail and everything matched exactly to what he had seen in the past. What exactly was he looking at? Achi was unsure and now concerned with what was going on in this building as a whole. "You’re seeing what I am seeing, right? W-what do you think is going on here?" The blonde man asked, as he was circling the tank and examining the being inside carefully. He was not only concerned for Foxxi, but now he was worried about the beings that were inside the tanks. Were they clones or something more?
The infants inside the kennel began to make some noises and rattling about within. Achi set them down gently and looked inside from the front. "Don’t worry, we will get you to your mother and back home soon, I can promise you all that. I’ll even set up a nice bed for each you back at the treehouse." Achido was trying his best to stay positive and make sure the infants were reassured with promises of meeting back up with their mother and more. He looked over his shoulder at Konja to see how she was reacting to what she was seeing.
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Post by Konja of Clan Korm on Feb 19, 2023 5:08:11 GMT -8
It was reassuring to hear that Achi approved of her course of action. Setting aside that Konja now felt a need for his affirmation, it more pragmatically meant that he knew what to do next. She couldn't see what he was up to, but his hands on her waist, coupled with his verbal assurance, sent messages of confidence. Although she had no idea what he was up to, at least he himself knew what was up. The sound of the pups being put into a container, presumably something from that capsule he had just opened, gave her some room to relax somewhat. Achido wouldn't have put them inside if it wasn't something that could protect them, right? That said, he'd told her to stay in place. Stay still. So no. Now was not the time to take her arms down from their open spread position and start punching these guards. Putting the pups somewhere safe was only the first step. There was more, and her part was to maintain her current stance and posture. There was some tapping from behind her. Like Achi was pressing a tablet's screen. Was he calling for aid? That kind of thing might take a while, if she were honest. The only reason she didn't speak up, aside from the odd and embarrassing chance of her ending up swallowing a stray bullet, was that she couldn't see. He might not have been calling for help. It might not have even been a tablet, so much as some other kind of device. Achido knew what he was doing, and he was confident enough to take it into his own hands. It was only fair if Konja gave him the benefit of the doubt. Well, this was honestly starting to get boring. By this time, the Tuffles would have started using more powerful weapons. The kind that didn't just hurt, but could definitely cause grievous injury if underestimated. Maybe she should taunt them to get some kind of reaction? "I am a Saiyan warrior, you know," she yelled out at them. "Your arms tickle. Don't you have anything more effective?"One of the guards lowered his rifle and threw a grenade her way. Konja caught it with her teeth and reinforced her ki field. It exploded violently, sending dust, heat, and shrapnel in every direction. When the initial blast cleared, she blew out a mouthful of smoke and laughed. "It tastes like BBQ!"What a terrible lie. Between the explosive chemicals and shrapnel, it tasted nothing like BBQ. But putting up such a face would at least make it... humourous. Even though she had to remind herself never to try that again. The guards were unmoved. Before more could be done, however, a small device slid out from between her legs - Achi's device perhaps? - all the way to the pack of guards still busy unloading their ammunition. It opened up, and a metallic mass crawled out. Konja squinted, and saw tiny insectoid machines make their way to the oblivious guards. As soon as they crawled up to a target, they exploded. At the very least, one for each. A soft Earther might have seen the gruesome results as a horrifying sight. Konja instead applauded, impressed. She wasn't exactly amused, seeing as some survivours were still crying in agony, which was such an annoyance. But it was quick, and barring the surviving guards, who she quickly silenced with a few ki blasts, most definitely effective. "I don't think I've seen the Tuffles pull that off, Achi. I mean, I'd only fought them for a year or so... but that was very creative of you!"Maybe if she could associate this terrible technological warfare with Achido instead of Tuffles, she would be able to better adjust to her circumstances. She followed his lead down the hall and watched as he casually picked up one of the few keycards that hadn't been blown up by his bug bombs. Well that was one way to get your foot in the door... Depending on how things turned out, perhaps there would be time to come back here and cook some of these corpses before they went bad? All this meat would be a waste. Though much of them had also been reduced to ground meat, and she had none of her taco gear from work. She would keep this dissatisfaction to herself for now. Achido might have started demonstrating he could do what was necessary to win. But he might not have shared her culture's idea of enemy meat as spoils. At the very least, she had seen a few programs on TV depicting the eating of talking beings as abhorrent. Although there was a certain amusement in their depictions. For example, there was this one popular set of stories concerning murderer-doctor who enjoyed the meat of his fellow Earthers cooked in a luxurious fashion, served with a side of fancy beans and fine wine. "Peter the Maneater". The door slid open, and Konja followed Achi inside. As she did a quick sweep of the room, the colour drained away from her face. They were surrounded by tanks filled with... it wasn't the Tuffle biofluid, but it was definitely some kind of sustaining liquid. Suspended inside were children. With tails. Saiyan children...? The world began to spin. Her mouth hung slightly open. She wanted to scream, but her voice disappeared. It was like being trapped inside her own skin, standing frozen, eyelids unresponsive as they stared at the babies in the tanks. She had seen her share of experiments. Not just the ones done to her personally. Cellmates eviscerated to see what made them tick. Often enough, they survived. She had made it through her own rounds of being cut open while forced to remain conscious, her own organs rearranged, or even removed. The sadistic Tuffle "doctors" occasionally taunted her by showing her what they had taken out, and explaining its function in cold, mechanical detail. Then they would brag about how their machinery could keep her alive even without it, so they could study it in real time without killing their specimen. Her arm twitched, gaining just enough autonomy to move her hand over her abdomen. She tried to breathe deep. Slow deep breaths. She was not in those tanks. She was not on a table with her belly split open and her dissected organs being held up in view for display. That was what she told herself. But then why did she see her organs? Why did her hand feel wet with thick blood? Why did her abdomen burn? Why did it feel like some things were missing? Why was there a Tuffle scientist in scrubs? They were all there. She could see everything again. The strength left Konja's legs and she fell to her knees. Her lips quivered as she tried to make words. Completely unaware Achi had even been talking to her. Fully immersed once again in that six-year nightmare. [1162/11390] Achido
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