Aftermath; KGSF Survives! [Virion/KGSF] (Retake)

[Virion]

Elation and titillating fear shackled by cold, calculating self-control as each gesture, action and word is selected with assiduous consideration. Engrossed completely in the surface veneer of deceptive, masterful manipulations, neither Nam nor any of the other members of the KGFS had the faintest inkling of what was truly at hand.

“I am proud that you did not fall form his trickery Nam, I always knew you were much too bright to fall for such deceptive ploys, but I did not run the risk of bringing you here just to reaffirm your need to combat Geurin, you were doing this on your own.” He bowed his head respectfully, yet again taking the kindly, accepting nature of a wise guardian and using it to play off the groups every expectation.

Using his body morphing techniques, the bio-android had assumed the form of tenshu to great effect, even replicating biologically elements such as clothing. Virion had only encountered the namekian once, but that all to brief encounter had allowed him to commit to memory all the information he need to shape his likeness after the very guardian who allowed him to walk free. On that day when he had stepped forward from the realm of white void, found at last the doorway to his escape, he had feared that the guardian would lock him back away, condemn him once more to the endless vaults of that hyperbolic plain of existence, that chamber of spirit without time.

But he had not. Whether it was a mistake or not would always be brought into question, but the inescapable truth was with that single decision stood the final threshold had been breached, the very universe itself reshaping as the ripples of Virion’s presence in this timeline caused, and continued to cause, further and further divergences from the timeline of Virion’s original creation, the effects far further reaching than any could anticipate.

The time since Nam had last seen his friend and mentor were also playing directly to Virion’s advantage, for the minor flaws of his disguise were masked by the indistinct blurring of five year old memory, details so minute that they become lost simply through the erosion of time, even among the closest of friends.

“No, the reason I sought to bring you here is because I overheard your discussions above, about your intentions to travel off world to a planet away from geurin’s tyranny. I have a gift that will help your KGSF in it’s battle against the cruel mockery of my guardian force that Geurin commands. I had been waiting for the right moment, but I realise now that perhaps this perfect time may not come.”

The greatest element of this disguise though, the crowning feature which put virion’s manipulations above and beyond compare, was his ability to adapt and contort his very life energy, controlling the completion of his ki to emulate the signature of earth’s ex-guardian in unblemished mimicry. It simply was not a native feature of the universe, the ability to mimic life essence did not exist outside the artificially induced biology of virion’s design. Your ki could be influenced by outside forces, it’s strength controlled by will, but never could it be changed so completely in the manner Virion’s could. His ability wasn’t merely a technique; it was a unique characteristic of his design, a hundred years in the making.

He looked at Nam. The super saiyan who should not be, the man who in Virion’s timeline either died before attaining fulfilment, or perhaps lived a life of obscure mediocrity on the small blue planet known as nothing more than ‘Earth’.

He looked over at the other two standing near Dynammo
“You all had quite an ordeal up there… I could sense the entire exchange from within this place. Surely your exertions have weakened you, and as you can see” He indicated towards Dynammo with a small nod, the pink-eyed mutant showing no signs of his earlier distress, infact appearing a little stronger and more alter than he had been in days.
“It is within my power to restore you, all of you. Come.” Despite his warm smile and kindly nature, Toshiro and Nam would most certainly decline. The guardian had already made it known that he was weakening in their presence, and neither of those two had been injured or overly exerted, so using his energy to heal them would seem selfish and unnecessary.

Virion had inadvertently sabotaged his own success with that earlier lie, his eagerness to speed up their encounter and avoid unnecessary risk trapping him in an act that he must continue to maintain. He would have no choice by to accept their declinations. Maruca on the other hand had faced greater exertion, surely she would be willing to accept, unknowingly trusting herself in the hands of a creature whose true face remained hidden from them all…

((Dun Dun Daaa! I'd like to say a big thank you to Geurin for agreeing to play along, and posting up my replies under his account. I'd also like to thank everyone for being so patient, I know I'm a slow poster :X))

[Deleted]

Maruca listened to Tenshu and Nam exchange a very lengthy discussion on the differences and goals between the Guardian Special Forces and Kami Guardian Special Forces, and Tenshu's original plan for their group and his desire to bring them to this strange lookout to have them fight the other group. It was quite a lot for her to take in so Maruca just listened and tried to absorb what she could, but it was difficult since she hardly knew Tenshu at all. The ghost had some strange plans for them, but nothing odd that she could instantly tell was out of the ordinary for someone to do.

When she heard heard that it was in his power to restore them to their best fighting forms she decided, "This Namekian is not so bad. He may have suddenly shown up before us, but the way he speaks with Nam probably means I don't have to be so cautious around him."

"Mr. Tenshu," she announced, "I would love to go ahead and let you heal me. I've not received too many bad injuries I think, but Geurin did try to push me around a lot." Despite what she was saying, she actually felt some aches in pains in her shoulder blades and a pain in her right leg, which she had used in her efforts to try and trip up Geurin's clone. She did not want to say it, but perhaps these and even her palms had been injured to the point of near breaking. It was hard to tell considering that she was no medic, but these were where her most distinguishable pains were coming from.

She padded over to him carefully an smiled at him, "If you wish to heal me must I lay down or something? Will it require me to fully undress at all to check me over? Or will this just be a simple touch and go healing process?" She wanted to know because the building felt rather empty with its white walls and only Nam, Toshiro, and Tenshu to keep her company. She did not want to have to go somewhere private to heal since the silence was almost slightly eerie to her.

[Nam Reikonaga]

Undress? Nam repressed a chuckle and glanced the other way. That wouldn’t be necessary, he thought. After-all, they had seen how Tenshu promptly tended to Dynammo’s wounds, whom was much more critical than Maruca. He shook his head, “Don’t worry about me, Tenshu, I’m fine…” “-beside the point,” he continued. “What was this… ‘gift’ you were going on about?” he glanced at Dynammo, who had remained silent along with Toshiro the entire time.

Everything seemed fine up to that small detail. It was a feat he didn’t recognize and thought it odd for Tenshu. They had been going on and on about this ‘gift’, something he had provided for Dynammo so he could become stronger. Was Tenshu the source of the infection? Why had Nam never been told about this? Although, it was most likely that he was –once again- over thinking things. No, the ‘gift’ had to be the Holy Water. Dynammo’s infection was a completely different matter.

“Is it the Holy Water?”

For Nam, this meant nothing. He had already benefitted from the effects of such relic. But for his team it meant great power.

[Virion]

‘Tenshu’ smiled, his gaze giving the impression of warm, kind-hearted protectiveness“No dear Maruca, you need not unclothe yourself, I must make contact with the skin, but regeneration does not require that I directly inspect the injuries.” He had extended his arms forward invitingly, almost as if offering a dance, or requesting an embrace.

Before addressing Maruca further, he looked over gently towards Nam and Toshrio. Both however declined, and Virion cursed his ill-conceived planning. Of course they had declined, the conflict above had been infinitely less ferocious than Virion had anticipated, both parties leaving shockingly unscathed. Maruca and Dynammo were the only two trapped into open combat…

This was problematic. There were two primary branches which could be pursued in this instant, if he were to ensure a favourable outcome. Contuing along the intentions of his previous plan, it may just be possible for him to take Toshrio and Nam in an ambush. The super saiyan outmatched him, but if he acted quickly enough a sufficient dosage of infective bio-essence could be delivered… at great risk. Further exacerbated by the potential for geurin to return if a large enough energy signature was detected. His spy above would also have to be neutralised if such an outburst were to occur.

The other option was coercion. Infect Maruca alone, and allow the others to observe, use the combined assurances of both her and his appearance as earth’s prior guardian to try and convince Nam to take the bio-essence into his form by choice. This seemed unlikely however, from what he learned through Dynammo. The super saiyan would not willingly join, and in the ultimate scheme of things he could not be sure that Maruca’s words would sway his judgements…

Perhaps a combination of the two would yield successful results... No matter which path he chose each had a number of undesirable elements.

He continued to wait intently for a drawn out moment, considering the favourability of pushing the issue further, but Nam’s next words jerked him up short.
“What was this… ‘gift’ you were going on about? Is it the Holy Water?”

Artificial neurons raced at a million miles an hour, calculations, estimations, comprehensions and simulations, many possible responses racing towards his tongue as he sought to come to an answer. This tended to happen often, a single stimuli prompting mass renegotiation of mental models, opening different possible avenues and responses.

Holy Water? Such a generalised term, it could be in reference to hundreds if not thousands of possible objects or materials, both figurative and literal. He had assumed that the mysticism surrounding a worldly guardian would lend fidelity to his claims of a ‘gift’, but if Nam was brining up this holy water in particular, then there must be some relation.

“Yes… In a way” He was taking a gamble now, and although he felt he could ultimately talk his way out of any corners, he had to delicately maintain his disguise to avoid suspicions. He could not let on that he did not know what this ‘holy water’ was.

Cunning was one of Virion’s strongest traits however, and he soon came to a plan which would inform his actions from here.

“Tell me Nam, how much do you know about the holy water? What have I told you about it in the past?” By playing the role as if he was about to reveal further information on the subject, he could manipulate Nam into revealing his own knowledge on this ‘holy water’, and use those hooks to formulate a reply.

If Nam did not know much on the holy water, then Virion would be free to construct his own ‘facts’ and embellishments of the mysterious substance. If the super saiyan proved heavily knowledgeable on the subject, then Virion could recontextualise and repeat these facts to give the impression of authority on the subject, or perhaps piece together the exact substance this ‘holy water’ was referring to if it was something he knew by another, more precise naming convention. If it ultimately proved incompatible, then he could abandon it and introduce the concept of a separate but potentially related ‘gift’, or he could continue to reference it and further reinforce the believability of his disguise.


That still ultimately left the issue of Maruca. He couldn’t very well turn around and ignore her, and after all his efforts to invite them all to come forward he could not retract the offer for healing. However, his healing technique relied on his connection to the bio-essence in his infected companion’s bodies, using it to activate mutations in their philology which temporarily provide native regeneration, much like his own.

He would not be able to heal Maruca unless he infected her, and he could not infect her in front of the group without unwanted complications…

He laid his hand just gently on Maruca’s shoulder, but stood in pause as he awaited Nam’s response. No doubt The other two were also curious about this ‘holy water’ Nam spoke of, and would listen to the exchange intently.

[Nam Reikonaga]

Nam raised a brow. It was quite an odd question. Why would Tenshu want him to recall everything he knows about the Holy Water? Obviously he knew everything this was to know about it. But more importantly, he felt they were wasting time from the moment Tenshu said their time was limited. From that moment, Nam felt like there was a giant clock over his head and he was constantly waiting for it to ring, hoping it never would.

“I just know what you told me,” he said. “It enhances your power three-fold, permanently.” Nam scratched his head and observed the man. He seemed a bit too calm and that bother him. Kami had just stated that he could not maintain his body for long. Why couldn’t he just heal Maruca while they spoke?

“Kami,” he said. “I can’t help but feel our time is running out…” was his way of telling the man to skip to the point without being too blunt or inconsiderate. He didn’t want the man to fade before he communicated to them what they had been brought for; especially since he had his own questions, which were currently pending for the right time. Questions that might never be answered if he lost this opportunity…

[Virion]

((you’re right, we should probably hurry this along I guess. I’m going to be going away in a week, for a week, so best to try and high-tail this exchange a little now. ))

The namekian just continued to smile, his wise, almost wizardly manner calm and composed,
“Yes Nam, our circumstances do not favour dawdling” He paused for just a moment, internally adding the fact about the holy water, and a number of related estimates, to his memory banks, and further calculating a plan on how to address the issue of maruca.
“…but we have time enough for what must be done. I am merely trying to avoid repeating myself unnecessarily… six years is a long time after all, I was unsure how much you remember, or indeed how much I had already told you.” He took a deep breath, and internally virion used the form to reassess his plan slightly. On the outside, Tenshu’s eyes seeming to show a genuine sadness
“Or perhaps in the end… I am… merely stalling. Trying selfishly to spend more time in the company of a dear companion that I feared I would never get to see again... May never see again” His features became downcast. It was certainly a stinging retort to Nam’s evasive response.
“You are right though Nam, in the end, I need to put my attachments aside, my farewells are secondary to the needs of the Earth. It is my duty as guardian and protector and I must see it through to the very end”

His aura began to glow more brightly, and with a gentle nod his hand began to glow, clasping Maruca’s shoulder more firmly, his other hand resting on her forehead theatrically.
“The holy water is tainted by geurin’s influence, but holy water’s true source is a kami’s life essence. It will take longer to manifest since it is not distilled, but I should be able to use my life essence to similar effect. Now, you may feel an initial pain in your arm...”
It was possible she may jump, or flitch slightly… or maybe she wouldn’t react at all. Either way, the maw in Virion’s palm had reformed, and where the palm was pressed against this maw bit onto flesh. Rather than a regular dosage of the infection, virion used his ki energy to guide it’s effectiveness, mirroring in many ways the processes as it was normally enacted, though in far smaller segmented units, moving piece by piece through her physiology.

Her legs would become weak and her eyes distant, she’d lose consciousness of her surroundings. Unlike a normal infection however, virion was trying something radically different with this. Her eyes momentarily manifested into a more pinkish hue as the infection entered these optic organs, before retreating back to their normal colouration barely a moment later. Standing with her back to the others it they may not have noticed the subtle shift. Virion’s energy was restoring her own, by utilising his morphing he was suppressing the infection’s processes the moment it began to manifest, causing the regeneration he was instilling to repair the damages to her body without maintaining the vampiric mutations. The suppression was only temporary of course, he couldn’t simply remove the infection once the process had begun, but he could slow it’s spread to similar levels that a bite was observed to manifest.

He drew his hand away after only a few moments, and maruca fell to the ground. As part of his own display, he allowed the glowing aura surrounding his body to flicker and falter. Eventually he allowed it to slowly return to it’s previous glow, but now his expressed seemed strained.

“It is done… I have… invested within Maruca… the essence of holy water’s strength…” He looked at Nam,
“She should regain… consciousness in a moment… there is no – need for concern” as part of the demonstration, he allowed the glowing aura to once again flicker and falter,
“I’m sorry Nam, this has taken much more from me than I… anticipated. I cannot hold to this image…” The entire exchange was a performance, and Virion’s skills were adeptly formulated for the task. Using his energy displacement, he maintained the energy signature he had constructed to emulate tenshu’s in the location that he stood. He then utilised instant transmission, in combination with his Zanzo-Majutsu, to create an afterimage. The after image continued to move gently ,it’s gaze shifting in what was a seamless swapping of places, while the real virion hid himself outside the chamber, energy completely suppressed and form slowly shifting back into his natural insectiod visage.

Inside there we no doubt that marua would finally reawaken, recovered and restored but otherwise feeling as if she were unchanged… it would be weeks, if not months before her transition was complete.

Back inside the ancient pendulum room the projection slowly began to fade.
“Nam… a warning. I brought you here ultimately… to warn” The visage of tenshu was beginning to blur into his surrounding aura, the edges of his form becoming indistinct
“The saiyans, they aren’t like you Nam. You cannot trust in them as a true ally, even if you face a common foe. If you seek them out… beware. Trading one tyrant for another will do nothing for your cause. Fighting fire with fire only serves to see that all are burned” Tenshu had faded and blurred even further, nothing but an indistinct apparition now. Only the eyes truly remained, and even they were now beginning to fade with the last whispers of ‘tenshu’s’ glow..

Although his next words may not entirely make sense, there was a genuine depth behind the reverberant, disembodied voice of the namekian guardian as he spoke these parting words,
“You and I… we are kindred spirits Nam Reikonaga, though you may never truly realise it. Both of us have defied fate, and struggle for our place atop a universe which sees in itself no room for our existence. Never surrender to fate’s grasp super saiyan, inevitability is lie. When the universe cuts you loose and seeks to discard you from existence… you are at last free to transcend it’s boundaries.”

Given Nam’s own inner doubts of ‘Tenshu’s’ earlier insistence that there was no way to bring him back, these latest words may give Nam the wrong idea, they may lead him to see hidden meaning that may be in conflict with Virion’s true intentions and give him hidden hopes for saving his mentor.

Always lying, endlessly scheming, what ploy could these words possibly have been conveying? Why would the bio-android say such things when he had gone to such lengths to convince the half-saiyan that tenshu was doomed and that geurin’s body must be destroyed?

Regardless, the room had fallen dark and silent, the large pendulum slowly swinging overhead. Their meeting was concluded, and unfortunately Nam would not have the chance to ask any furhter questions.

((unless he really wants to, in which can i can make an edit or two and let you ask away.

Oh, and if this is my last post: for grade I'd like PL please))

[Deleted]

Maruca could feel her vision haze as her body was injected with the properties of Kami's strange Holy Water. The pain in her arm was brief, but it stung, and caused her to feel weak. So weak in fact that the world blacked out around her and she lost sight of her fellows around her. Her mind entered the void filled darkness known as unconsciousness.

(I would like Power Level please with the effects of my training weights added as well. Virion did a good job describing my character above, so I don't feel I can add much more.)

[Nam Reikonaga]

(I know, I hate my short posts too but I'm out of it right now.. ><" I'm constantly fighting sleep for some reason and this is the best I could come up with)

Nam would have rushed to the fallen Maruca the moment she was falling, but the fading Tenshu made him do otherwise and he stared as the man left him with a message, a riddle. He furrowed his brows, perplexed by the man’s words. Besides the fact of the saiyans, he had already thought of the possibility that they were just baiting him into their territory. But what were truly puzzling were his words before that. Defied fate? Transcend its boundaries?

“Wait!” he called. “Kami don’t go!” a hand reached out vainly attempting to grab onto the namekian. “How do I beat him? Will we ever see each other again?” but the man vanished. Nam clenched his fists beside him.

(PL, heavy weights)

[Raki Zakros]

OOC: Going to wrap this up on my end as well, PL with weights please.

This Tenshu guy was incredible, he watched as he explained things further and then gave Maruca a power up. “Senda-sensei!” he rushed to her as she went unconscious, kami if Tenshu was really Geurin he pulled quite the plan off, but the Namekian reassured them of her well= being, it was just a mere side effect and soon Maruca was back up.

Tenshu’s true intentions through his riddles of words, he could barely keep up. Even more so added by Nam’s confusion as Tenshu faded, sure he gave them a lot to work towards and renewed hope, but the unknown, uncertainty was building up, he did not know what to do. “So that’s it, huh…” he muttered, it left an eerie sense in his stomach, but he knew it’ll get better hopefully.

[Rensou Hiruen]

3,680 PL for Nam. Stop requesting weights for character development, please.
2,060 PL for Maruca. Stop requesting weights for character development, please.
6,430 PL for Virion. Virion wrote everything posted by himself and by Tenshu. He received 15% gains for posts made by Tenshu.
1,750 PL for Toshiro. Stop requesting weights for character development, please.
440 PL for Suki. 50% of gains for using 50%PL ally.