The winds of Change (Kari only)

[Jorlaxl]

The school was ablaze with activity. The sheer amount of people here has been unmatched for years. Jorlaxl missed the hustle and bustle of active students, but he knew of someone who didn’t. Ever since the students left, the girl Kari has come to train in the open, unafraid of any unexpected visits. She was different from other students, and liked training in secret. There was a power within her that Jorlaxl hasn’t experienced before, a latent power that he was hoping to get her to control. However, ever since the activity has increased, first with Eona, and again with Ike, she has taken to hiding until he found himself alone. Today was no exception. Already, he could feel and sense the unique ki signature of this girl, whom he has kept secret for so long. Day and night, they have been training together, hoping to focus and control her unknown power. She prefers to train alone, as she has grown shy in the past few meetings, since people have came.

The android, Toshio, Maruca, and Eona have been exploring the school, leaving Jorlaxl alone to pursue his own activities. He could feel Ike’s presence as always, but he knows better than to interrupt Jorlaxl during this time of day. He could hear the muffled voices of the visitors outside of his office as he walked in, which was calming in a way. He liked hearing noise, which was a stark contrast to the silence that has been surrounding this school for a long while. He walked into his own personal chamber, and locked the door behind him. The walls that made up the school were ki-resistant, a personal touch that Jorlaxl liked quite a bit. They allowed the students to have some freedom and fun with their abilities, something that wasn’t allowed in their usual situations. Here they can run rampant, with no fear of destruction. He thought it was needed, but there was a hidden ability within the very walls.

These walls suppressed ki signatures and locations. That was how Geurin hasn’t found him yet. Ever since his rise to power, Jorlaxl has feared him seeking out his former ally, either to force him to join his cause, or else. These walls have kept him safe from his sensing abilities, or at least suppressed his power enough to remain undetected. That was good; he wasn’t interested in seeing Geurin again. With Geurin is Suki, whether as allies or foes. They were both far more powerful than he was, so he had no interest in fighting them yet. He will face them again, in time. This time, it will be different. He will exact his well-earned revenge, as soon as he was strong enough. Soon.

His office was quaint, and very austere. He had a bed, a personal footlocker, and a bookcase well-stocked with books. It was there that his biggest secret was kept. Walking over to the bookcase, he fingered past a few well-read, personal favorites. Absentmindedly, he wondered about how he will train Kari today, as most sessions are usually quite impromptu. Finding the right book, he pulled on the top of it, unlocking the mechanism that allowed the bookcase to slide open, revealing an opening in the wall. Walking through it quietly, he turned around and pulled the lever on the side of the wall, again sliding the bookcase back into place silently. Dusting off some of the collected particles off of his jacket, Jorlaxl began walking down the stone pathway that led deeper underground. The walls were smooth, lined with his own ki, allowing a purple glow to permeate the darkness that would otherwise be dominating the path. After a short walk, he approached two double-doors, made of mahogany wood. Opening them, he walked into the training room that Kari was in.

“Hello, Kari,” he began. “What would you like to learn today?”

[Deleted]

((Hey, at a later date, if you're interested, I think it would be pretty neat if we did some interaction threads between kari and jor, set during their past encounters. It was what i was hoping to do before you left, so now that you're back, when we get around to it, we can delve into their 'history' a bit more. Maybe even set up some hints or references in this that we can then embellish upon later))

He was here again, and the reflexive nervousness, the small little lurch her stomach made in his presence assailed her yet again. Despite their friendly relationship, the simple truth was that Jorlaxl was an outsider. Forever outside her true comfort zone, kari would be assailed by the subconscious instincts, the deep rooted desire to free herself from this oppressive sense of separation and false disposition.

Jorlaxl's training sessions with Kari were generally pretty intense, when not engaging on short conversations or explanations, Kari's spars would grow from more disciplined and controlled, to a kind of feral intensity. She'd make a hasty retreat soon enough after that, before things got too out of control.

She legitimately attempted to bite him in at least three sessions, though he was crafty enough and strong enough to avoid these attempts so far. She was actually a bit of a tease, and although a little bit of a shock at first a kind of understanding had grown between them, presumably the bio-android taking this as some kind of personality quirk of the strange pink-eyed girl....

He seemed a little suspicious of her at times(whatever he thought she may be), but he took it in his stride, and did not question her too much, knowing well that if he did the skittish girl would just leave again, or request that he leave with such a genuine emotion that you felt as though you had just kicked a puppy... it became very easy not to argue by that stage.

These days he had become good at reading her, and began tactfully suggesting they take breaks or end the days lesson before this incidents tended to occur. Perhaps he was concerned that one day, this hidden power of hers would get the slip on him, he seems intrigued by it... a good sign perhaps.

Maybe it was also his own loneliness that had made him so tolerant, living here completely in isolation in those early days meant that she had become his only company. During their sessions, the sweet, kind, playful Kari would re-emerge, a side to her which had all but vanished on that day six years ago, where touketsuki had destroyed the Aru district of Mt Paozu, and all but obliterated not just the infected settlements but many others, including the victory school. She had become cold, with a kind of melancholy formality.

Right now she appeared to still be in one of those moods. She was staring out towards a spot near the ceiling, back in the direction he had come from, almost as if daydreaming.
"There's more of them now" She stated, referring to what she could only assume were his students out in the school. No doubt she could not sense their energy, but she could still hear them, silent and undisturbed as the room was. She had reacted similarly when Eona had come, one would assume she was disappoint or concerned, but the way she spoke was just so... blank.
"Are they staying" It was a question, but she didn't say it like a question.

[Jorlaxl]

Jorlaxl nodded in response to her question. She looked off today, as she always did. However, there was something different plaguing her today, not just the ceaseless skitters. Nay, something was different. He could always sense the sickness in her, but now he feared it was taking hold of her. It would have to be today. He cared for her well being, and couldn't stand to see her suffer like this at her own hands. If he could help her, he will.

"Yes, a majority of them will be staying. I know that will upset you, but I don't have a choice. You've been my only real student for a while now, and it's time that changed." Pausing a moment, he considered her. Young, cute, and with vibrant pink eyes, something he's only seen in albinos. However, she is tanned pleasantly enough, so that was out of the question. Was she diseased?

"Which, I suppose, brings me to my next question. I know that you're sick, Kari. My ki can sense it, but I can't place my finger on the origin. There's a darkness inside of you. I can feel its inherent corruption, and yet you aren't evil..." None of this was planned, it was all just his own thoughts coming out as he thought them. If she wasn't evil from this taint, what does the sickness do?

"I've noticed you grow feral in some of our spars, and while some of us do lose a little civility when we fight, you go so far as to try biting me. I'm not upset, just curious. Are you aware of what's ailing you, and can I help you fight it?"

[Deleted]

She looked at him, and a depreciating smile came over her features
"Fight it?..."
She had been sitting on a bench near the far corner, but slid down now. She let out a small, quiet little chuckle, not malicious or devious, just a genuine little sound at the corner in her friends voice.

"Sometimes it can be hard to tell the difference, between sickness and health, when all you have ever known is disease." Looking at him it seemed to her as though he was giving that look again, that kind of sympathetic understanding as if he was here for her in this plight, as if together they could work through it or something.

He didn't appear to understand what she was trying to say at all. As she spoke she looked downward, towards his shoes, her voice taking on a slow, measured tone,
"No Jorlaxl... not me..." Her eyes drew back up to his face

"... You"

She took a breath, scratching at her forehead in a purposely preoccupying manner, other hand lightly touching the crane-school insignia which was pinned over her comfortably worn gi's victory school one(She couldn't very well parade around with his insignia on her cloths, and yet despite this she had taken to donning it like a badge every time she came here). It was almost as if she were frustrated, struggling to come up with the best way to explain or describe it.

He was right, there was something weighing on her mind, and unfortunately she wasn't running on her own schedule any more. It was time to broach the subject, and even if jorlaxl had not said anything she would have.

She remembered back to when she had revealed her involvement with the GSF, told Jorlaxl about how she had kept him a secret, despite her mission to find him. She had respected his wishes to not join with Geurin's forces, to remain secluded in this place. It had also silenced her own attempts at brining up this other topic though, she felt as though it was just not the time... She still felt it wasn't.


"I have been given a gift Jorlaxl. You have felt the inner strength which I can call upon, ever since you first saw it, brief as it was, you made it your goal to not just guide me as your student, but help me harness that strength... The truth is though, I've been able to use it for quite some time."
She relaxed, and her energy flowed. Her aura changed colour, to the purple hue of the bio-resonance, and all around them a gust began to blow.

Her own strength had grown greater than what Jorlaxl's in-combat energy was, though she knew from their training session that his strength extended beyond what he currently displayed. The build-up completed, the energy settled into a less active state, though it remained just as impressive.

She stood awkwardly for a few moments, nibbling her lower lip just slightly, and finding it hard to hold her gaze on Jorlaxl, instead finding other features of the room to preoccupy her attention. The way she was carrying on anyone would think she just dropped her clothes infront of him or something...

She allowed the energy to drop, and returned back to normal.
"there's uh... something else..."
with the flickering of a familiar technique, a figure appeared in the middle of the room. His insectoid features cast their shadow across Jorlaxl, and the creatures slitted gaze beheld the ex-trader with a satisfied glint
"Such a pleasure to finally make your acquaintance, Red Engine"

[Jorlaxl]

Eyes narrowing at her claims, Jorlaxl thought over what was happening while Kari became preoccupied with the other objects around the room. Subconsciously, he felt something else... something other. She began to speak, saying that it wasn't her ailment that was the problem, it was his.

So, this was the sickness that infected her body and mind. Slowly, she began to power up, her abilities growing even stronger than his current state, something he's only seen once before in humans. Zach was the last to outmatch the master of Crane, and it was a feeling he hated. The utter powerlessness of not being powerful enough... That was the utter failing of his spirit. Unyielding it may yet be, it is still prone to imperfection.

The dark purple outline of her ki traced her body, and when she reached her full power, he could feel the tension within her cease, to become less of a restraint. Was this the power she yielded? Perhaps her normal power isn't her normal power at all, but merely a self-restraint to cover her true ability? No, that was impossible... could her sickness truly do all of that? Shaking his head gently, Jorlaxl listened intently as she began to explain her power. How she has been able to not only control it, but to maximize its effectiveness...

But that was not all. When she powered up, he felt something under it all. Not exactly an evil, or a corruption... It was a possession. An assimilation of her mind with someone else's. But who? Suddenly, he felt that unsettling feeling come over him again, and he instantly knew what it was. "there's uh... something else..."

Invisibility!

Too late, far too late. For this was when Jorlaxl's future changed drastically from the course it has been on for so long. Kari turned back to "normal," letting her power drop back down to regular, sweet Kari. But the power that replaced the void in the room was different, and more sinister than any Jorlaxl has ever witnessed, even more than his previous liege lord, Touketsuki Yakedo.

Before him was another bio-android.

Insectoid, with a deceitful glint in his eye, he appeared from the veil of illusion he placed himself in, and he spoke, referring to Jorlaxl's own past: his creation as the "Red Engine" of the Red Ribbon Army. Closing his eyes, Jorlaxl began to remember the early days of his "birth," and the utter sense of helplessness of being trapped.

"I don't know who you are, stranger. But how did you find my hidden training room?" Turning his head briefly to Kari, he said, "Did... did you invite him here?"

Turning his head back to the newcomer, he grinned before bowing. "And it seems you have done your homework, and for that I commend you. Where did you learn of that ancient past?"

[Virion]

((lol, was actually meant to be instant transmission, but whatever works ))

"Ancient past... distant future." Rasped Virion, weighing up the two options, as if they called for some kind of measure or comparison in this instance.

Kari, at the same time, was respond to Jorlaxl's question with great tact and unwavering assertiveness
"uh... well… …kinda...yee..no... …not really." she was rubbing at the back of her neck and looking like guest caught in a friends family dispute. She turned to the creature
"Can you just let me explain it to him myself? just... hold off on being too confronting for a moment?"

Virion gave the girl a pointed look, a kind of stern appraisal
"Despite your misgivings, Kari Raise, I do not share your concerns. This task need not be handled as delicately as you desire. His growth has faltered, the threat he poses is much less than I had estimated." He spoke with apparently little concern for Jorlaxl overhearing.

She shot him a impatient little look, jaw clenched and frown growing more pronounced, a suppressed jerking motion of her neck placing all the emphasis a stamped foot would have given without having to move anything below the shoulders.
Virion's eyebrow raised, his cold stare remaining, as if beholding a child who was refusing to take their bath. It seems as though the young human felt very strongly on this matter. His slitted irises slid over to Jorlaxl for a moment, then back to Kari.
Although he did not acknowledge her requests further one way or the other, his awaiting silence was invitation enough, like an unvoiced impatience.

Kari walked over directly to Jorlaxl, Virion standing like a gargoyle in the place where he had appeared, unwavering and unabashed. She inhaled as if about to speak, then paused, looking back over her shoulder towards virion, and deciding that having him right there in the background might not be the best idea. She grabbed Jorlaxl by the shoulder and opposing arm and guided them around to a different part of the room.

If you didn't know better, it would almost seem as if there was a small veneer of amusement creeping in behind Virion's impassive gaze.

Repositioned into a more satisfactory space, one where the insectoid creature's presence wasn't quite so immediate, Kari once more took a deep breath and readied herself to divulge an explanation.

"... Their name is Virion" she started, pausing briefly afterwards as if to make certain Jorlaxl was following along. Obviously, he was, she hadn't even explained anything at all yet.
"uh...” her eyes looked off towards the cieling, as if she were trying to do complex mathematics in her head or something. She seemed to catch onto what she wanted though, beginning her explanations further with an initial exclamation,
“Oh! you remember right, when we got to talking, and you admitted that you weren't entirely human, that you were actually a 'bio-android'. Well, so is Virion." her optimism kinda died down a bit when she realised jorlaxl may not entirely appreciate the comparison to this brown, almost cockroach-like creature...

"Well obviously he uh... he looks a little...different, to how you look" She had placed her hand on her cheek as she spoke, but in emphasis of 'different' she wriggled the fingers of this hand at Jorlaxl, nibbling her lower lip again.
"But listen, he is the reason me, and the other survivors of my group are like this. It's some sort of like... mutation or... no, that sounds horrible. Damn Jor, why has this gotta be so hard to explain.” There were so many different places to begin and so many ways she wanted to try and explain it that things were proving rather difficult. This was probably most of all why she hadn’t spoken on the matter in the past. In the past it had always been a ‘bite now ask questions later’ type affair.

“Red Engine” came Virion’s voice, drawing attention back towards the centre of the room, the bio-android evidently done humouring Kari's flailing attempts at tact
“Why have you confined yourself to the suffocation of mediocrity? I find you at last, here on this world of all places, and rather than the ambitious world trader raining conquest and glory across the galaxy in the name planet Kold, actively building the Empire you would so soon come to command, I find you alone, playing the insignificant headmaster in a school of weak-willed martial artists. I have fallen far from grace, but you deny yourself from ever attaining it in the first place”
Virion looked out towards the exit
“Am I to find the Plane Walker… Caius, in a similarly dishevelled state? The two of you should be conquering the Nejaran Epoch Star, or perhaps Marvok, Kanassa or Arconia… Maybe the Mezotian Moons, reuniting the fractured elements of the World Trade to their rightful place, piece by piece.” There was a drawn out pause, the bio-android continuing his somewhat oppressive stare.

“Or perhaps destiny has simply chosen to condemn you to a footnote in place of what was once an entire biography dedicated to your ascension” There perhaps seemed to be a note of disappointment in that rasp, of a lost potential and wasted possibilities that only this creature truly comprehended. Would Jorlaxl make any sense of his words so far? Even if he did not, the distinct vibe coming from the creature would certainly draw him forward. Would he find it condescending? Perhaps he would become fascinated with the mystery extruded by it all? Or maybe he would simply tire of the perceived 'nonsense'…

[Jorlaxl]

Past... present... and future. These words floated throughout Jorlaxl's mind as this creature began to speak, its words almost wheezing out of him. What was this thing? Kari spoke, tripping over her words like a nervous politician, but more fragile and innocent. Or so he thought. This girl, who he once thought to be pure and seeking help, cavorting with this... thing. She spoke directly to him, and to Jorlaxl's surprise, he listened to her. Arching his eyebrows, he was close to speaking, but chose not to. This was between them, at least for now.

This thing was just unnerving.

Kari put her arm on Jorlaxl's shoulder, which he appreciated. If she wasn't attracted to him in a sexual way, it was at least still assumed that they were friends. However, this infection could take hold of her again at any moment, and he'd be defenseless. She directed him away from the other bio-android and turned so their backs were to this figure. Not trusting either of them too much, Jorlaxl made sure to keep his mind on the alert, ready for any shift in the room.

Beginning to speak, Kari attempted to explain this being's tale.

"What do you mean their name is Virion?" he asked softly. Turning his head briefly behind him, he met his eyes and instantly turned back around, looking into Kari's. Now he could see the resemblance. She began to explain more, and Jorlaxl listened intently. Nodding where appropriate, he waited until she finished and began speaking himself.

"So... it saved your life by infecting you? That's... interesting. And it granted you the power you command now." Using his right hand, he ruffled Kari's hair like he was fond of doing so many times before, almost an eon ago now. "You're living on borrowed time, my dear. Since he saved you, he's surely making you do his bidding. Sure, you're living, but are you alive?"

"Red Engine."

Turning around, completely this time, he listened as the intruder named Virion began to relay his own story of the World Trade Organization and Jorlaxl's own past... or was it the past, really? He mentioned attaining power and ruling the company that Suki has held in his command for such a long time, and still does, as far as he knows. However, this being began speaking of the future, something that Jorlaxl has only ever told himself, never sharing his hidden agenda that once was. Of ruling the World Trade Organization, and not being a warmonger, as Suki was.

"You dare mock me in my own school, and you have yet to see my power..." Jorlaxl spoke, dropping his heavily weighted clothing. Flexing, he felt his own power rise drastically, attaining the power of his first form. Closing his eyes briefly in pleasure, he cracked his neck before speaking. "I can sense the power that you command, and it is much more than mine. However, you've been judging me on my own suppressed power. What say you now?" Bowing, he smirked at this newcomer. "I could never fight you and hope to win, So I'd rather this conversation remain just that. Why is it you've come to me, telling me fallacies about the past? I was never the head of the World Trade Organization."

[Deleted]

Ike left a pasture full of carcasses in the wake of his hunt. The intake of blood refreshed his energy but his mind was becoming unstable. Ever since the incident of him turning on Brandon, Ike began to realize the danger of his ferocity. He decided hunt farther away from the school today.

He smelled the blood coursing through the veins of a pack of wolves miles away. Ike turned his head to their direction automatically. The thought of their flesh hanging from his jaws excited him. He must have killed more than he thought today because his feral instincts were higher than any other day. Ike winced in pain as he tried to refrain himself from charging after the wolves.

"Must...meditate..."

Ike had to go to his reflection pond. It was a mistake hunting this much today. Ike began heading to his sacred grove when smelled an awful odor of something sinister. Ike halted and raised his nose. It was coming from the school. The rune on his forehead began to glow as the evil resonance of a malevolent force was radiated from the school.

"Master."

Realizing that school was in danger, Ike sprinted towards the school with haste. He released a small interval of his ferocity to increase his running speed. He was leaping miles through the forest desperately. He ran past the pond where he met The Protector (Drexx) on that fateful day. The Way of the Guardian was a noble path that Ike wished to follow from his kindred soul. Ike was unaware that his ferocity beating furiously against the walls of his self control. But he would risk that in order to protect Master and the school.

When Ike arrived at the school, everything appeared normal. He knew otherwise. The students practicing in the yard screamed in fear as the fox demon burst out of the forest brush and into the school grounds. The students that knew him got out of his way and the newer ones ran in fear. Ike tracked the scent and Master's aura to the private chamber. Whatever it was, it was with Master. Ike hurried his pace, easily making the sharp turns his body had adapted to.

"Must...get to...Master."

Ike's humanity was less than a whisper now and the killer instinct of his footsteps, heightened all of his senses. As he ran, he continuously growled loudly.

The rune on his head began to animate and glow a bright white. His sharp claws extended to a demonic razor length. The fur on the demon grew as well to they were jutting out like spikes. A fountain of constantly streaming blood gushed from his maw and his eyes were became a burning crimson. A ghost like aura trailed behind him as he leaped into the private chamber.

A grotesque, man sized insect stood in front of Master and beside a girl Ike had smelled before. He let out a primordial roar of hellish bloodthirst as he soared through the air towards the Insect. Ike lunged at the monster, attempting to bite his incisor-fangs into him, which would no doubt spill blood from his mouth all over the abomination before him.

He was a guardian and he swore to live and die like so.

[Virion]

"I can sense the power that you command, and it is much more than mine. However, you've been judging me on my own suppressed power. What say you now?" Despite Jorlaxl's theatrics, the strength he displayed was still far less what it should have been. Virion's calculations were not misplaced, this timelines' Jorlaxl was not as strong as his equivalent from the original timeline Virion had come from, his time away from the World Trade impacting his growth.
"I could never fight you and hope to win, So I'd rather this conversation remain just that. Why is it you've come to me, telling me fallacies about the past? I was never the head of the World Trade Organization."

"And at this rate you never will." Virion's eyes burned into Jor's own as he spoke with a kind of smouldering intensity
"You are right, in your state you cannot match my strength... But that is not how it should have been. You were meant to be more powerful than thi-"

In that moment, the demonic fox burst into the room. The bio-android's gaze turning absolutely arctic as it's slitted pupil's assessed this interruption.
Virion's arm came up and tensed in place, the pup latching to it with savage ferocity and the berserk intensity of a lathering-mouthed predator. Despite the vicious assault, Virion's reactions were surprisingly subdued. Aside from the arm the rest of him had not moved.

He glanced almost enquiringly at Jorlaxl, as teeth and claws made purchase on his almost exoskeletal hide, before almost immediately returning his attention to the matter at hand... or in this case, arm. As the creature continued to savage him virion tugged the limb upward, drawing the fox further upward onto it's hide legs and exposing the beasts underside. The creature's rending assult was indeed begining to puncture Virion's arm, and despite his cool composition he was no masochist. Pain was hardly the most pleasant of the sensations.

From his own ribs underneath the extended arm, the red, segmented flesh began gently to part, and from this a third arm soon erupted forward, oiliy bursting through the surface. The process was characteristically similar to the namekian regeneration that Jorlaxl would know well, though it was obvious this limb was a new addition rather than a regenerated appendage. It cannoned forward, intent on catching the fox in the chest, and if successfully doubtlessly sending the creature sprawling.

The rune on the creatures forehead... it was of makaioshin origin, and the energy emanating from the beast was very obviously demonic in nature. Was this Caius' work? A beastly guardian or savage pet...

Either way, virion repositioned himself, his three arms now coming to rest at his side and his tail slowly curling up and around, drifting past his right shoulder and around to the left. The very tip flicked just the tiniest bit, before the tail flashed forward, stretching like a javelin towards the wild beast.

It was a testing strike, measuring the creatures strength and reactions. If it landed it would not doubt wound, but it was by no means a killing blow. More curiously for Virion, it was also a test on Jorlaxl. How would he react? What would he do? Was the creature affiliated with him, or some rogue element neither had been expecting...

[Jorlaxl]

Virion's words resounded within Jorlaxl's being. He, the leader of the World Trade Organization? And what was all this talk of how things 'should have been?' This was the present, and he talks of the past... or does he? The only logical explanation would be...

"So... from what you're telling me... you must have come from the future, then. If I'm the head of the WTO, what happened to Suki? And what of Caius? He..." Jorlaxl cut himself off. How much of this timeline did this Virion know? "...was always more powerful than I. Tell me more of this future you've come from. Where do you fit in in the hierarchy?"

Before he could say more, however, his companion Ike burst in the room, full ferocity roaring. Surprised, he began, "Ike..." but it was too late. The beast known as Ike lunged at the other Bio-android, attempting to rend flesh from bone. Being too powerful, Virion attempted to block... or did he? Ike latched onto his arm, and snarled as he shook his head, trying to bite through him, it seemed.

He had to do something! Charging his ki through his body frantically, his power level rose rapidly as dark purple rings appeared around his wrists. 3 rings around each, he waited for the right moment to shoot them off. He had to protect his friend, even if it meant incapacitating the one he needed information from.

Ike was stuck to Virion as he lifted his arm up, making Ike's underside painfully exposed. Still, he couldn't get a clear shot, his friend was in the way. Frantic, he yelled at Kari to help.

"Kari, help us! We won't kill him, we just need him safe!"

Growing a third arm, a technique eerily similar to the Namekian regeneration process, Virion slammed his arm into Ike. Wincing as the blow was struck, he realized that this was the chance he was waiting for. Whether or not Kari did anything, he had to do something, even if this would damn his own life as well.

His power reaching maximum, he shot off all 6 of his dark ki rings, intended to bind the appendages of this one named Virion. Seeing his tail, he realized that this was one of his strongest appendages. Both owning a tail himself as well as training with Suki, he knew better than to let Virion get an upper hand with it. two of the ki rings went to binding his tail to his body, one went to binding his wrists together like handcuffs, while yet another shot off, trying to bind his arms to his body. The other two circled him on the ground, trying to bind his feet together.

Jorlaxl gave up his physical prowess long ago to instead bolster his ki proficiency, making him half as physically powerful, while making him twice as powerful with ki as someone else with his power. While powered up, he can feel him being almost on equal footing with this bio-android. And with Ike distracting him, Jorlaxl was curious how he'd react to all of these rings coming around him. Would he be able to fend them all off?

[Virion]

((well, i guess i'll make anter post then. Kinda a longer one again, though most of it is just reacting to whats happened just now, and working in some further exposition on the techniques I'm using.

I'll stick a summary at the bottom if you guys can't be bothered reading all the way through, i just felt like something longer was warranted given out little break we've been having ))

Jorlaxl would succeed, though not as he intended, for despite Virion’s apparent preoccupations, the bio-androids attention was near fully focused on him all along, and ready to react to any eventualities. Assuming his strike had landed against Ike, an embedded follow up attack was lying in wait at a moment of his choosing.

They were called ‘ki fuses’, an embedded energy that he could interject through physical contact, and could be detonated at his leisure, either accentuating the initial blow, or rendering a delayed second attack. They were no finisher, their power only comparable to one of his regular kicks, punches or ki blasts, but they were an effective disrupter.

Given his strength this waiting sucker-punch would insure a secondary blow to Ike’s more delicate mid-section that would interrupt his next attack just as thoroughly as it had the first time around. ((again, assuming that gut punch made contact before )). Unexpected, confusing, and disorienting, this technique was quite an unusual capability, catching the adversary unprepared and often defying their comprehension. Certainly they would prevent the demonic creature from interrupting what was to come next.

----
Kari’s eyes had gone wide. This horrific beast was attempting to rip Virion limb from limb, and rather than reining him in Jorlaxl was trying to disarm her companion right as he stood at the wicked demon’s mercy. Bursting into bio-resonance she made to leap forward, her intent was to get in Jorlaxl’s way, leap in front of his bindings so that they ensnared her instead of Virion.

A ki pulse however stopped her in her tracks, even pushing her from her feet. In a fluid motion Virion had turned, Bio-resonance flaring into a dull burn and arm reaching forward, delivering a kinetic shove, that was aimed to intercept Jorlaxl but also caught Kari in the crossfire(not that this was even a mild concern to the bio-android), and sending her skidding. A second display of virion’s unusually malleable physiology took place as the aforementioned arm stretched and contorted, while the bio-android’s voice reverberated within the young woman’s mind.
“That will not be necessary, Kari Raise.” It was all happening so quickly now, two rings seeming to circle towards Virion’s tail, only to be intercepted by the arm, clamping to it’s tough exterior as they were robbed of their true target.
“My appearance here has… ‘trodden on a few toes’, but I fully anticipated as much.” The voice continued, the same arm intercepting a ring apparently headed for the wrists, this time quelling it with a crushing grasp.
“I am very capable of handling these consequences without any potentially maligning or foolish manoeuvres from you.” Harsh words, a fourth ring finding itself blocked by the swiftly-moving arm and like the other two before it locking to the appendage fruitlessly, one of the bio-androids legs drawing upward in the same instant as the two last rings attempted to bind them, but instead only found purchase on the single remaining limb.

----
Rather than being tied up by these attacks as Jorlaxl had intended, Virion appeared to have gathered five decorative bangles instead, the rings only able to catch a single target(in this case, left arm and right leg respectively), and thus unable to pin any of Virion’s limbs together. The rings locked on tight ofcourse, constricting and burning as their harsh energies made contact with Virion’s hide, but their intended mission was a failure.

The rings however did make it difficult for Virion to follow through on the next intended action. The bio-android had planned on splitting off, forming two clones, one scaled to take on the Vulpine Demon while the other would be quite capable of dealing with any resistances Jorlaxl mustered.

The ki braces, placed as they were however, would lead this early plan into an altogether embarrassing outcome, the clones separating but being shackled to each other by both arm and leg as the offending ki rings maintained their grip. It seemed doubtful this was Jorlaxl’s intention, but it was cleverly restrictive nonetheless. Virion was thus forced to renegotiate strategies, and abandon these schemes of duality for the time being. The rings would have to go, but for this second Virion had other priorities, for there was no doubt Jorlaxl would be recovering from the earlier push by now.

In truth the entire spectacle had lasted mere moments.

----
It was likely that now the beastly guardian would rise once more for the attack, the single punch painful and concussive but not, ultimately, crippling, and the beasts determination strong and unyielding. Virion would therefore detonate the ‘ki fuse’, the follow through impact yet again striking delicate abdominal flesh though mercifully dissipating now that it had been used, no longer a time bomb embedded on Ike’s stomach. Briefly the bio-android wondered how much punishment the vulpine would take, though the rune on it’s forehead filled Virion with a sense of nervous aversion.

It was a curse marker, and although he could not identify it’s properties the insectoid still knew to avoid such potentially disastrous magic, for inadvertently passing whatever curse this was onto himself would surely lead to undesirable results. Caution was certainly advisable, even if he was confident in outmatching the beast’s raw strength.

----
Barely a breath after that Virion had also initiated his retaliation against Jorlaxl. Were it not for the protective barrier around the room blocking their ki signals, Geurin or even Nam would likely sense this conflict, yet the obscuring charm was wondrously efficient, and even under the weight of Virion’s own growing resonance(still suppressed below it’s maximum for the moment, but continuing to build in intensity) it held strong.

Virion braced down slowly, then lunched himself forward towards the Red Engine at a dash. Briefly he wondered whether Jorlaxl would still be able to utilise the rings locked around his arm and leg, use them to disrupt or indeed pin him, or whether they were only mastered for a single command. Ultimately it did not matter, as the lunging figure was nothing but a projection. The true Virion appearing behind and, rather than punching, lightly jabbed his fingers in quick succession along jorlaxl’s spine, ribs and neck, to implant a number of ki fuses to aid in subsequent attacks. Anticipating a near immediate counter, the insectoid bio-android would zip away in a flicker, back across the room and out of direct reach while jorlaxl was likely left still swinging an attack towards the opposite direction.

Using his psychokinesis, Virion would then take a page from Jorlaxl’s book, and try to hold the warrior in place, restraining him and forcing civility upon his manner.

Virion's true motivation at this point however was gathering yet more clues on Jorlaxl, using each attack or counter as a test of how this one had progressed, where his divergent paths had changed him or where his incomplete nature during this time period effected his combat efficiency. What better way to do it than in the desperation of combat?

Virion didn't however anticipate what would happen next...
((so the two of you make it something interesting Lets see what you're made of.

TL;DR version-
-->Virion caught the rings so they only locked onto one arm(and the other two on one leg), like bangles, while also pushing Jorlaxl and Kari backward.
-->Exposition explaining 'ki fuses' followed, which are like 'embedded punches' he can place through physical contact, and detonate later.
-->Assuming the earlier punch on Ike landed, he then anticipated the fox coming back for round two and detonated the ki fuse that this punch implanted to prevent the fox from interrupting, as he sent a projection towards Jorlaxl.
-->This distraction was intended to let him teleport behind jorlaxl, and place some of these ki fuses on him for later use, followed by Virion telekinetically attempting to restrain him. Yet another test of Jorlaxl's skills and progress.))

[Deleted]

Rage was soaking through the feral demon's mind. The irrational fury his body concocted was the driving force in the air between the insect-like creature and him. Ike's eyes rolled to the back of his head revealing a set of demonic pupils that were hiding on the back of his eyes. The irises were of a color that had never been seen before in the world. The bloodlust grew too strong for his bodily urges and he sunk his demonic fangs into the tough hide of the villain.

Unexpectedly, something had lifted Ike into the air. An arm of unknown origin had sprang from the fiend and grappled his breast. With his arms still extended, the demon lashed and clawed furiously in Virion's grip. Ike's hellish eyes met the cold glance of the fiend as he turned his head to see what he had caught within his hand.

A returning blow from Virion connected to Ike's gut. Ike's adrenaline drowned out the pain but the proceeding ki fuse traveling through Virion's arm splashed across Ike's body, sending a jolting shock throughout his body that sent him fly across the chamber into a wall.

Ike's body thrashed off the ki-resisted walls with a wicked snap of bone. He landed on his side and struggled to stand up on his four paws. The fiend had target a sensitive part of his body and Ike felt the pain of crushed ribs. He looked up to see that the fiend had lost interest in him and was struggling with some sort of ethereal constraints around his appendages. Ike wanted to help Master but a cracked clavicle was not supporting his weight in front. He remembered The Protector. It was a mission. A vow he made just like The Protector did. With new found spirit, the cursed soul stood up, leaning a bit to the right, wobbling.

Ike let out a bloody roar of an awakened guardian.

If Virion were to hurt his master, he would act in defense.

[Jorlaxl]

Jorlaxl heard the crunch of Ike's bones and the snap of his clavicle, grimacing as it happened. He was no doctor, but Ike would need to stay in the infirmary for a few days, by his estimation. Virion carefully and craftily evaded the rings, only seeming to wear them as a sign of fashion instead of a binding technique. Virion, however, used his ki energy to push both him and Kari backwards, making an opening for his own attack. Trying to split off from himself like Geurin could do, he laughably failed because of the ki rings that Jorlaxl fit on him. Although they didn't constrict him, the rings held tight, preventing any splitting off to occur. 5 Ki rings were stuck to him, each equal to his current power.

It was then that Virion rushed at Jorlaxl, trying to attack in a hand-to-hand combat encounter. Jorlaxl tensed, readying his body as well as he can. Although he sacrificed physical power for ki strength, he was still strong enough to defend himself, at least. Virion charged, and Jorlaxl made a sweeping motion with his legs, trying to trip the strange creature. He was met with failure, however, as the insectoid merely sent an illusion. Knowing the Zanzoken technique well, he turned around, but too late.

Virion's attacks succeeded, placing ki fuses on Jorlaxl's spine, ribs, and neck. Feeling them pulsing on his body, he had time to think, This is eerily similar to my ki beads... how alike are we? Punching the Virion behind him, he was met only with air, as the real thing was already on the other side of the room. This was a crafty enemy indeed. Focusing the ki both within his own body and now attached the Virion, he activated the ki rings, magnetizing them.

Each ki ring, approximately each as strong as Jorlaxl, suddenly grew an attraction to the wall, slamming against it with great force. It doesn't matter which Virion Jorlaxl could see, as only the real one had the real ki rings on it. This would most likely not hurt the other Bio-android, just leave him detained against the wall. ((Excuse the source, but it would look like this: images1.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20070416023253/yugioh/images/b/b6/ChainEnergyDB1-EN-C-UE.jpg

This, however, came at the precise moment of Virion also detaining Jorlaxl.

A funny sight this would make, Jorlaxl would now stiffen, Virion's technique fully working on the other Bio-android. If Virion didn't find a way out of Jorlaxl's ki rings, then he would be slammed into the wall, also immobilized. If Jorlaxl's attempt succeeded, only Kari and Ike would be able to move freely. This would be the best case scenario, as it would allow the two androids to speak freely, without the opportunity of any underhandedness.

Would Virion again have the upper hand and lead the aggressive negotiations, or would they be comically binded, with talking it out being the only option?

[Virion]

((to clarify, ki fuses have no physical form, they are like a static charge in that sense, there but not like... a thing))

The remaining rings pulled Virion to the wall, and given the supressed state of his power, in combination with the excess bindings, were strong enough to suspend him firmly in place. One arm and one leg remained free, un-caught by these offending rings, and this spare hand was cast out towards Jorlaxl. His psychokinetic restraints had worked as intended, for Jorlaxl was now pinned in place, and given their situation it was ultimately Virion who held the advantage.

He had already proven capable of crushing these restraints as long as he could freely grasp them in hand, and was not even utilising the full extent of the bio-resonance he could bring to bear. If Jorlaxl only had more raw power to bolster these techniques, the outcome would have turned decisively against Virion’s favour, the Red Engine always had been an impressive construct.

The weakened fox also re-took his stepping, an unearthly roar emanating from it’s lips, though the markings of its pain and injuries acutely highlighted in Virion’s analytical gaze. There was little chance it could sustain these efforts in a prolonged battle, but the guardian was highly impressive all the same, his will and tenacity shining strong, a beacon of courage in defiance of the odds.

I would advise against any foolish manoeuvres, *vulpine*, I do not need free range of movement to more than outmatch any efforts you can put forward… and it appears young Kari Raise does not consider you too favourably at this point
The voice drifted telepathically to Ike, Virion's voice.

During the same moments as this was happening, Kari spoke to Jorlaxl. ((see next post)) Virion followed suit, returning to adress his fellow bio-android, independent of anything Kari had just said. It was likely that Jorlaxl was unable to answer Kari before Virion spoke.

“Red Engine. You earlier deduced that I must be from the future, given limited clues and little context. I must say I am glad to see your deductive reasoning remains quite sound, even if your strength is lacking.” Eyes narrowed slightly
“Though perhaps I am giving the organic component of your design undue credit. I will warn you right now, I rendered those strikes against your back but I have not yet executed their true attack. One of these strikes I made sure to place directly upon the base of your skull, exactly in position to crush that marvellous little computer chip of yours. Make one false move and I can quell it indefinitely, silencing it’s channelled communication with you and likely rendering it wholly inert.”

----
What Virion didn’t know was that Jorlaxl’s chip had long since fallen silent, no longer relaying instructions or objectives, merely working voicelessly within his brain at the most basic of levels. It was not guiding him nor assisting him in this fight as actively as Virion suspected...

What Jorlaxl on the other hand wouldn’t know was that the chip was anything but dead, it’s higher level operations simply in stasis. In Virion’s timeline, the Red Engine was no longer dictated by his organic ‘component’, his absorption and subsequent transformations after attaining the androids he was crafted to merge with giving this computer the material it needed to fully seize control over his form.

The chip would lie in wait, silent and forgotten even after being reset through the remote proximity signal from Earth. It continued to guide him, drive him even now, acting as an extra layer of analysis and instinct which the human-like bio-android would easily mistake for simply his own intuition.

It was possible that Virion’s threat might bring him momentary panic or unease, directed from the chip itself, likely leaving Jorlaxl the organic component unable to understand where this concern was coming from, possibly mistaking it’s reasoning for something else.
**

----
Virion took a moment’s pause, leaning back against the wall nonchalantly, much to the girl’s surprise. The bio-android almost appeared to be taking a seat, leg crossing over the shackled limb, and arms two and three crossing over each other even as the last remained bound up above his head. It was an almost effeminate pose, though a hum could be heard as tension pulled against the rings; it was clear that despite Virion’s apparent settling these restraints were now being subjected to a large amount of sustained resistance, any weakening would see them shatter all too quickly.

“I am indeed from the future… One Hundred years of displacement infact. Listen well, for this respite shall not last long; I dislike needlessly inefficient encounters” As the bio-android continued, his voice took on a more bored, explanatory tone, as if stating all this under sufferance.

“In my timeline you were The Red Engine, heralded as the ‘Perfect’ Artificial being, you attained your ultimate form and became a godly Emperor of the World Trade, far exceeding even Touketsuki’s legendary transformation. Through you and Caius, Touketsuki’s ultimate betrayal was enacted, and you ascended the throne in his place, quelling any who would contest with your shear dominance of power." VIrion's tail flicked slightly

"Throughout the current timeframe you were infact still working under the tyrannic emperor instead of here, designated leader of the officially reinstated Royal Tokusentai. It appears, however, that much has changed, your insignificance growing as you leave yourself to rot away in this… this place. Cowering at the thought that Gurin of all people might find you.”


----------
**((thought I would bring back that little plot point you had. Hopefully you don’t mind, but obviously if you do I can edit my post. I originally made up Jorlaxl’s future version back when you still had that computer chip chatting to you, and I don’t recall you ever having it destroyed, just going ‘out of range’ once you left for vegeta I think it was. So this seems the best way to realign those two, and makes for something interesting to reference during this interaction since we're talking about the version of you from Virion's timeline))

[Virion]

As the bio-android's eyes slide across to Ike momentarily, kari's breath was quickening.

The girl seemed to be edging sideways, a look of great intensity on her features
“L-Let him go Jorlaxl… you said you just want him safe, tying him up with this t-thing on the loose is not even close to my idea of safe. Virion, please, you too, let him down.... Get it away...” came her voice, strained, cold and frightened, referring to horrific appearing Ike. Her resonance flared once more as she took two stumbled steps back, fists raised; her resonance's energy was more of an on/off affair, lacking the sophistication of control Virion exhibited. Still, the strength it brought her was quite impressive, it was no wonder Jorlaxl had been so fascinated by it.

It was clear however that despite the comparative strength to an outside observer, Kari was nonetheless becoming increasingly afraid. It was strange, the longer she looked at him the more frightened she became, the more danger she felt. The demon bred true fear within her, and it's initial startling was growing into an even more chilling sensation.

In her minds eye she was not staring at Ike the severely injured fox who had so quickly been subdued by VIrion's attack, she was looking at the nightmarish, raw, blood salivating demon, whose very presence emanated intimidation and darkness, bestial and unthinking....

...and the only things standing between her and it had just been locked to the walls.

----
Since becoming infected, Kari had found that things which frightened her in the past now tended to assail her with only a numb tug, a sense that she should have felt fear still but was strangely muted.

She was not fully aware that this was due to Virions influence, the mental link acting on her subconscious, things which Virion himself did not fear no longer holding such sway over those of his infected. in a way, the whispered minds of those she could connect with worked to sooth her less logical fears at a very fundamental, instinctive level.

Virion's own small concerns over Ike, coupled with Kari's natural fear, however, were beginning to grow more pronounced within the young woman's mind.

There was no doubt Ike would smell her fear, her growing desperation. Would it attack the girl? Would the girl attack it? Or would Jorlaxl and Virion's chat end before either could happen?

The tension was mounting.