Ba's Trainging with Kami

[Geurin]

Kami stood with Ba' on the lookout, peering down on the earth below them, as high up in the clouds as they were it was difficult to actually see the ground with the naked eye, although with the right tools, you could easily see half-way around the planet.

Kami Tapped his pole on the ground twice and then turned to Ba', his first challenge was ready.

"Ba', the first thing i need you to accomplish is this, I need exactly 1000 rocks that weigh a total of 10,000lb from the ground, to the lookout we stand on here. You may use any means to get these rocks, and they may vary in size, so long as you only have 1000 of them at the end of this trek, and so long as they weigh exactly 10,000lb. Do you understand?"

Kami, not actually waiting for an answer, walked back up to the top of the lookout, jumping from one building, to a nearby tower, and sitting on the top of the marble lookout in what appeared to be meditations, While Ba' would do as Kami said, Kami would train his mind, delving deeply into it. Kami needed his training to of course.

[hemogoblin]

Ba'alzamon was puzzled. Very puzzled indeed. Rocks? Why rocks? Why not bird eggs, or something? Regardless, he intended to carry out the Kami's wishes to the letter.

1000 rocks... How can I manage that?

He started his descent down Kami's tower, being cautious and trying his best not to fall off, which would inevitably cause his untimely doom. He loves living, and as such, it would be most unfortunate for him to fall. About a century later, he finally hopped off the remaining 3 feet and landed on the safe ground.

Ba'alzamon stood at the bottom of Kami's tower. Dismayed, he did what he always did when he was faced with a hopeless decision: he layed out all the problems before him, and tried to come up with a solution for each.

One, I can't fly. That Kris person could fly... I need to figure out how he does it. Two, I don't have a scale, so I can't weigh the rocks. I guess I can find a scale somewhere... And three, it will be hard to get the accurate number of rocks... But I have my sword, and could cut open a mountain until I get enough. Alright, my man, let's do this!

Ba'alzamon got a running start, and ran to the nearest mountain. He wasn't exactly sure how long he had to do this, but he assumed he had as long as it took to get it done. This was going to be a looooong training session. Anyone who looks at him could see that his countenance wore an expression of confusion.

Why does Kami want rocks, anyway?

[matrixwarsz]

Kris had just completed the same training that Ba' was now taking. Kami had told Kris that Ba' was having a bit of trouble, so Kris flew down and found Ba' running away from the tower. Kris flew next to Ba' and landed beside him.

"Hey, you received the same rock training as me, right? Why are you running? There's a mountain range right over there." Kris pointed in the direction of the mountains he saw earlier, which were not currently visible from Kris' perspective because of some high hills. "Why don't you just fly over there?"

[hemogoblin]

Ba'alzamon jumped at the sight of his ally, Kris.

Did he just literally fall out of the sky? He thought to himself. He stopped running, and turned to face Kris. He dusted off his robes (which seems to be becoming a habit) and pondered the question. Why was he running? He just established he had an unlimited amount of time. Why waste energy?

"Oh, hey Kris. And I'm running because I need to collect rocks." He looked at the rocks Kris has in his arms.

I assume Kami assigned you the same task?

[matrixwarsz]

((OOC: Let's just assume I'm not carrying rocks.))

Kris nodded, "Yes, but I already completed my task. Wait... Can't you fly?" Kris scanned Ba's body... His power level was considerably greater than Kris'. How could he not have been able to fly? Either way, Kris tried not to sound rude from his question.

[hemogoblin]

Ba'alzamon shifted a little, clearly a little embarrassed. Of course, he would have learned to fly if he knew the technique existed! But too much time chained up... In the demon realm.

"Well... No. I never learned. But it's just as well. I suppose I never knew it was possible. But you do it so easily... I don't want to sound like a burden or anything... But can you teach me? Can it be taught? I suppose it was meant to be this way. Perhaps we were supposed to meet under these circumstances... And we were destined to become allies."

Ba'alzamon started walking towards where Kris pointed. The soft grass seemed to be perfect this time of year. He rather liked this section of the Earth. The Desert was a lot more unforgiving. More... Harsh.

Regardless, he waited for Kris' answer, a bit cautiously. He wasn't exactly sure if flying CAN be learned. He only knew that he wanted to learn, and he was willing to put forth whatever effort was necessary to do it.

[Geurin]

(Keep in mind the 100 word rule, i know its hard to adjust to, but it really will help you in battles with other players)

[matrixwarsz]

Kris walked with Ba'alzamon as he asked about flying, as well as this talk about their destinies. "Perhaps you're right. Anyways... I can teach you the Bukujutsu Flying Technique. It's not very hard to understand, but it will take time to master. Do you want to start now?" Kris suggested to Ba'. Kris had always worked hard while training, but he had never actually done the teaching. He somewhat doubted his ability to teach, he was never very keen on social skills... Regardless, he saw Ba' as an ally and a friend - Definitely an important asset to have on the Kami Special Force. He would try his best to make a better fighter out of Ba'.

[hemogoblin]

Ba'alzamon shook his head furiously when Kris asked if he wanted to be trained now. This was what he was waiting for. Flight would be an amazing power, indeed. He wouldn't ever need to climb anything ever again. He just hopes that he'll be able to do it without using too much energy.

"I would much appreciate it if we could commence with the teaching." His eyes gleamed in the sunlight as he spoke. "It would be in your debt if you were to teach me the Bukujutsu technique. Now tell me... Is it hard to learn?

Ba'alzamon was glad to have Kris as a friend, and not an enemy. It was clear that this young man's strength has yet to be tapped, and would prove to be a very big challenge for his opponents to face.

[matrixwarsz]

Kris was a bit surprised by Ba'alzamon's joy. He had never seen someone act so excited about anything that had to do with Kris and his skills. He would get the occasional "Good job!" and "You're getting better!" from his former master, but never anything quite like this. Kris felt honored that his ally was treating him with this kind of praise. "Well... The technique is a bit tough to grasp at first, so pay close attention!" Kris sounded a bit more enthusiastic than usual, which struck Ba' as a bit peculiar. This may have been because Kris gained confidence in himself, knowing that someone else (Someone stronger that him, mind you) was looking up to him. Kris stepped back and took a deep breath, preparing his Ki. "Now, the first step is to focus your Ki. Search deep inside you for a life force that seems to pull. Once you find it, focus it to toward your feet, just like if you were to fire a Ki blast. Once you focus your Ki to your feet, let out a slight, steady flow of it. What you want to do is use your Ki to manipulate the air around you downward, creating thrust... Like this." Kris slowly levitated off the ground, going slowly so Ba' could get a good look. Ba' would notice Kris' pants rustling in a wind created by his Ki. The grass below Kris blew gently as Kris rose about 3 feet off the ground. "Then, you'll want to use Ki with your hands to steer yourself." Kris turned his hands slightly as he slowly began to rotate in the air. After Ba' had a good demonstration, Kris descended and softly landed back on the grass. "There... It's pretty easy for someone who has basic knowledge of Ki control. Now, you try..." Kris sat down with his legs crossed, eager to see Ba' attempt the technique.

[hemogoblin]

As Kris was teaching Ba'alzamon to fly, he was paying rapt attention. However, he was thinking about the situation he was in. He laughed, probably surprising Kris.

"You know, if someone came up to me last week and said, 'Hey Ba'alzamon, guess what! You're gonna learn how to fly by a teenager so you can save the Earth in the name of a green alien,' I would have considered it crazy. Now... I guess anything's possible at this point, right?"

He laughed again and tried to do the technique. Manipulating ki was like second nature to him. Judging the power difference between the two fighters isn't easy, but he could sense that he could manipulate ki much easier than Kris can.

He tried to will his ki under his feet. Feeling the pull that Kris mentioned, he let it flow through his body, and out past his legs and out of his feet.

I felt it! Concentrating, he tried again. He felt the pull, and 'grabbed' onto it at the last minute. Instead of letting it rush past him and out of his body, he felt it pool underneath his feet.

Testing it, he tried levitating, and got 4 feet off the ground for almost 10 seconds. It wore off, though, and he landed back on his feet.

"Not bad, eh?"

[matrixwarsz]

After Kris landed, he laughed at Ba'alzamon's statement. He sat down and watched as Ba' tried his hand at the Bukujutsu. Ba' focused his energy, bringing the flow of Ki to his legs... Kris could sense the movement of Ki well. Kris wasn't very good at controlling Ki in the form of long-ranged attacks, but he was an expert at the inner workings of Ki within a fighter's body. This was apparent in his signature Flash Kick technique, and the Kiaiho Sutoraiki, which he was still practicing.

Kris was a bit surprised when Ba' levitated a few feet off the ground, though it wasn't entirely unexpected. Once Ba' landed, Kris got up on his feet. "Good! I didn't think you could get it on your first try. It took me a few days before I could master it. Then again, I was 8 at the time, haha... So, do you think you can continue practicing the technique on your own?"

[hemogoblin]

Ba'alzamon chuckled. "Beginner's luck, right?" And as if jinxed, he was unable to get ki focused properly in his legs. He felt it gather, but then it dispersed again as quickly as it came. Feeling a little embarrassed, he said

"Well, I guess I was right. Thank you for your help, Kris. I owe you one."

He thought for a little, and finally said "Hey, i've been thinking... Ever since we met, I've been wondering how you'd fair... in battle. Whenever you get a chance... Would you care to spar with me some time?"

He smirked, and started to walk away to continue his training.

If you don't, I completely understand."

[matrixwarsz]

Kris chuckled as Ba'alzamon retried the technique, only to fail miserably. "No problem. We're allies now, we gotta look out for each other." Kris said with a grin. Kris got to his feet and focused his Ki beneath him once more, levitating off the ground in preparation to return to the lookout. As he began to turn around, he heard Ba's challenge...

Kris' eyes lit up in eagerness. It wasn't often Kris had a good opponent to spar against. The tournaments provided a good challenge for him, but they only came once a year. He turned his head to face Ba', a grin spreading across his face - a grin that was seldom shown to people, especially ones he had just met.

"... You're on." Kris said calmly. Perfect, a chance to test out his new heightened abilities! Kris turned away from Ba'. "I look forward to it, friend.", he said as he then blasted away, flying back to the lookout to rest his mind. It's been a long day... A blood-thirsty monster destroyed a town, an alien guardian of the planet recruited him, he met a new friend, and his strength had increased substantially. He planned on getting something to eat and drink, perhaps meditating or tending to Kami's garden if he so desired.

[hemogoblin]

As Ba'alzamon watched his new friend fly away, he himself wondered if he'll ever get that strong in the way of the ki. He grinned in spite of himself, happy to be able to fight someone that will pose a challenge.

Kris, my friend. No offense, but I won't hold any punches. And I hope that you won't, either.

He smiled, and started walking to a mountain. Again, he started thinking of how he can measure these rocks the right way. As he was walking, he started trying to propel his ki towards his feet and out, in an attempt to fly. Again, he was failing, but practice, no matter how successful, was always useful.

Well... at least I'm learning how NOT to use it... he thought to himself, not without some level of chagrin. However, he kept on walking on his way towards the mountain, more than eager to get this hellish training session over with.

"However," he said out loud, "this day wasn't completely a blow out. I get to help the Kami, which is always good. But I also made a good friend in Kris, which I shouldn't treat lightly."

He arrived at the foot of the mountain, he noticed that there was a cave in it. Curious, he poked his head inside. What he saw surprised him thoroughly.

The cave was damp inside, and a good 15 degrees cooler than the outside. The walls were lined with drawings of a sort that Ba'alzamon couldn't make out with any degree of certainty. At the end of the 20 yard cave, there was a bedroll, a chest, and a leaf.

What's a leaf doing here? Ba'alzamon thought to himself. And a better question would be, why is all this here? I haven't seen anyone in- and then he saw him. About 20 feet away from Ba'alzamon, there was a man, laying down on his side, looking at him. There was a campfire beside him, lit and glowing warmly.

The man was wearing brown garments, completely nondescript and ordinary in every way. However, it was in tatters, and the skin was showing in more than one place. This man's eyes were a brilliant sapphire color, and seemed to sparkle in the firelight. His hair was long, down below his shoulders, and was a shockingly bright white color, devoid of any pigment.

He said calmly, "Oh, hullo thar! Arr ya a wee bit lost, fella?"

This man's dialect and accent confused Ba'alzamon for more than a few seconds. Deciphering it, he replied, Um... No, I'm not exactly lost. I'm actually on a mission, of sorts, and if you could help me in some way..."

"Ah'corse ah can haylp!" the man said, standing to his feet. Ba'alzamon noticed (unpleasantly) that this man was emaciated. "Now, sunny, whaddya need?"

Ba'alzamon walked closer to him, and said "Sir, I'm in need of 1000 pounds of rocks, and I haven't the means of carrying them back to my destination. I also need a way to weigh the rocks, to make sure that they are the right weight." He was almost sure he was going to be out of luck, but all of the sudden, the man cried out.

"In that thar chest, I has me a big scale! Go ahn ahayd, pull dat sucka out!"

Skeptical, Ba'alzamon walked over to the chest. It's shadow seemed to loom over the rest of the cave. Opening the latches, he pulled out a rectangular object about 6 feet wide and 6 feet long. It was surprisingly light, and Ba' was able to take it out and lay it down easy right beside him. The man walked over and joined him.

"That thar meesures the weight of whateever is layed 'pon it. Go ahead, try it out!" he said, anxious.

Not wanting to be rude, Ba' stepped on it. After only a few moments, the ticker inside of it went up and stopped at 187.

"This thing seems pretty handy. And you're just going to let me use it? That's awfully nice of you... Thank you." He took it outside of the cave and laid it down in the shade. Perfect.

Well, that takes care of THAT problem. Now... He walked up to a rocky crag of the mountain, and pulled both hands behind his back. Chanting, he focused his ki in both arms, and then spread out both hands in front of him, fingers spread wide apart.

The result was monumental. Two purple blasts of energy shot out of his hands, and carved right through the mountain in 2 different places. Parts of mountain came falling down like sheets of an iceberg, and Ba'alzamon started to collect rocks.

He had a handy system going, where he would measure the rocks into 10 pound chunks, and place them into one of 4 tarps he created using the blankets he had in his pack. The rock was pretty dense, and 10 pounds of it he could condense into 5x5 rocks. About 4 hours later, he finally had all the rocks he needed.

Pulling his tarps into knots, he went to go say goodbye to the hermit. Seeing that he was asleep, Ba'alzamon tiptoed past him and placed the scale back in the chest. Feeling pity for the man, and feeling like he needs to repay him somehow, he left the eggs he acquired from the beast he killed yesterday on his desk.

I wish I could leave more... poor fellow.

With that, Ba'alzamon started back on the trek back to Kami's lookout. He was pulling all four tarps behind his back at the same time, with two in each hand. After 2 hours of traveling, he arrived back at Kami's lookout, and sighed. Now came the hard part.

Concentrating, he let his determination and willpower take over his body. His power flared, and shot up drastically. This was his Demonic Aura, and he could practically taste the power of Evil again.

...No. I'm not even. I have renounced my ways. I will not succumb to the weakness of evil.

His power weakened slightly, but he pursued it again. He closed his eyes and concentrated harder.

Having a good heart is NOT an exchange for power. I...Will...Have...BOTH!! and his Aura flashed red amongst the sea of purple... and then fizzled away. His Aura was once again a deep purple, with lightning going through it.

"Ah... Finally. There is no doubt in my mind, now. I am good, and I will see to it that I'll stay this way."

Chuckling with an inhumanly deep voice, he clenched his fists and grabbed a tarp in each hand. Grunting, he threw one tarp filled with rocks up the tower. He watched it spiral up and up, and then finally reach it's destination safely. Being careful, he measured his other 3 throws and they, too landed on Kami's tower. Smiling, he decided that now would be a good time to practice Kris's training again.

He noticed that this was easier when he had his Aura up... probably from the ki boost... No matter.

He focused his ki, and shot up into the air 20 yards, like a rocket. Gasping for breath, he grabbed onto the pole, and looked below him. His eyes bulged, and he stopped to catch his breath.

Alright, that was helpful, but I don't think I should keep trying like this until I gain enough control over it. That was TOO close for comfort.

With his breathing regular again, he started his climb back up Kami's tower. He watched as the sun set, and couldn't help but think about the people he met today. A green alien who is his master now, a teenage boy who is a lot stronger than he seems, and an old hermit, who seemed like a non sequitur to this whole adventure.

I just can't wait to lay down and rest, Ba' thought to himself.

Finally, he arrived at the top of Kami's tower. He pulled himself up, let his Aura drop, and he fell to the floor, exhausted. It's been a long day, and he was just happy to have finished it.

The last thing he saw before darkness enveloped him were the 4 tarps, filled with the bounty of his harvest.