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 Posted: Sat Mar 11, 2017 9:52 am
Taking a small step back from his handiwork, Haumea nodded with satisfaction. A tiny section deep within the Park had been temporarily transformed into a obstacle course designed to help train. Casting an eye up at the thin sliver of moonlight just barely visible through the treetops, he smiled. Still plenty of time to play and then dismantle the course after.
Now, if the corrupt senshi he'd agreed to help train would just show up, they could get this party started.
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Posted: Sat Mar 11, 2017 10:23 am
Sapphirine really was one of the laziest corrupts that she knew of. Of course, she really only knew herself and the stuck up one who had completely turned her off of even worrying about anything. She hadn’t powered up since last June, so when she got an invitation from some other corrupt who said he wanted to train her…well.
She had to admit she was intrigued. At least a little intrigued.
She arrived at the spot this other corrupt had instructed her too and folded her arms across her chest. “Hello? Haumea…? I’m here, you said you wanted to help me train, hm?”
He was very…pink. That was interesting. Pink and flower-y. Not really the threatening type, at least in her mind.
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Posted: Sat Mar 11, 2017 10:40 am
And think of the devil... Haumea turned to greet the senshi with a smile. Only to narrow his eyes as he took in the crossed arms and voice. Hrmm.. she either had an attitude that would have to be... dealt with. Or she simply didn't know any better. Time would tell, he supposed. And unlike her, he'd bothered to learn her name and remember it.
"Sapphirine," he answered smoothly. "You are indeed here for training. We're going to see if you can become something other than simply another useless, pretty face. Therefore," he paused and smiled, though there was ice around the edges. "You will run this course through once. Then we will begin sparring."
Tilting his head slightly as he crossed his own arms over his chest, Haumea silently dared her to try and object. He knew he outranked this one and he was plenty strong enough to make her regret any thoughts of insubordination.
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Posted: Sat Mar 11, 2017 11:15 am
Yeesh. He seemed like a barrel of laughs. “Why did you decide to take such an interest in me all of the sudden? Nobody else has bothered, and the last person I talked to was another barrel of laughs like yourself.” She nodded at him and her expression grew just a little more bored and impatient. “Seriously though, nobody’s bothered to say so much as a hi how are you doing, haven’t heard anything from you in ages, and suddenly you’re there contacting me and telling me you want to train me? Why? What did I do to deserve the great notice of the stupid Negaverse?”
Sapphirine was more than well aware that she was pushing buttons, but in order to really gauge what was going on, buttons had to be pushed…besides. It was sometimes really fun to be a little spoiled brat…and she was rather good at it.
“I mean, I appreciate it, and all but, I don’t understand why. Why now?”
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Posted: Sat Mar 11, 2017 11:28 am
There were benefits to being a super senshi. Increased speed and strength, for example. Moving quickly, Haumea closed the distance between them and lashed out with one hand, aiming for the girl's cheek while the other snaked out to twine in her hair. He regretted having to resort to violence against a fellow corrupt, but he would not stand for insolence or hearing the folk who'd taken him in and given him another chance disparaged.
"I will say this once, girl," he rasped, voice flat and expressionless. "You will never, within my hearing, speak against the Dark Kingdom. You will obey me or, Metallia forgive me, I will break every bone in your body. I have already given you my reason for bringing you out here to train. I will not repeat myself simply for a spoiled brat's amusement."
He paused and gave the girl's hair a vicious yank, dragging her to within bare inches of his face.
"I dislike using violence against one of my own, but I will not hesitate should you question me like that again. Do we understand one another, girl?"
Dropping her hair and giving her a faint shove, he jerked his chin towards the course and stared unblinking at Sapphirine.
"Now, you will run that course. Then, we will spar."
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Posted: Sat Mar 11, 2017 12:19 pm
Sapphrine didn’t cry out when her hair was pulled or when she was slapped, but her eyes narrowed and an even more rebellious look came into them. “You tell me these things, Haumea. But you neglect to tell me why. Why should I have respect for you or the ‘Dark Kingdom’. I apologize if you don’t appreciate my questions, but so far you have been the only to show any interest in me at all, so I figure that I should ask them while I have the chance to. So, if you want me to run the damn course and then spar, I suggest you answer me. Or at least agree to answer me after I do these things that you so obviously want.”
She wasn’t going to be afraid of some pink haired flower child, no matter how strong he felt or how angry he got.
That wasn’t how she lived her life. She wasn’t there to be talked down to, she wasn’t there to act afraid. She was stronger than that. Better than that.
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Posted: Sat Mar 11, 2017 12:47 pm
Still staring unblinkingly at her, Haumea allowed her a moment to run her mouth and when she proved... obstinate, he smiled coldly and moving snake fast, slammed his fist into her gut, just below her ribs, where it would both hurt like hell and drive the air from her lungs.
"Wrong answer," he said in a cheerfully matter of fact tone. Before she could even think of slumping to the cold ground, he seized her by the hair again, holding the other corrupt mostly upright. "I warned you, child. If you refuse to show respect to your elders and betters, then I will teach you better behavior. Though I doubt you will enjoy my little lessons."
Throwing her against a nearby tree, he rushed in and pressed his forearm against her throat. Then, with his free hand, he seized her hand and held it up for a moment to study. Then, making a decision, seized her ring finger and squeezed when it joined her hand while also managing to push near the middle knuckle.
"I believe we will start with this finger," he said, voice still weirdly cheerful in spite of his deadened eyes. He could feel the bones of her finger beginning to break and increased the pressure until he could feel them shatter within his hand. "You see, I believe that we are here to atone for sins past. Metallia gives us this opportunity. By choosing to be belligerent, you are effectively spitting in Metallia's face and rejecting her very generous gift."
He was already selecting another finger, not giving her a chance to recover and bending it viciously backwards, wanting to first dislocate this one before he broke it.
"Now, while it may dismay Her to lose one who could prove a capable solider, I am sure, She will not hesitate to allow me to turn you into so much cold meat and dump your body in the nearest rock quarry. You see, I am useful and serve Her and Her cause. Which is far more than can be said for you, little girl."
As he finished speaking, he felt the bones in the second finger break and heard the most satisfying snap.
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Posted: Sat Mar 11, 2017 1:02 pm
At the punch, Sapphirine did cry out, but stifled the sound as best she could, no wanting to appear weak. However…when Haumea held her hand and began to talk about breaking her fingers…and tehn when one was broken…
The cry that escaped her was one of utter agony. Sapphirine had never broken a bone before…never had she really gotten hurt, really. She lived a far too sheltered and pampered life for that type of nonsense.
When the second finger was broken, the tears started. Hated tears that she wished would just be sucked back into her eyes. She hated the fact that this guy had caused enough pain to make her cry…it was unseemly.
“But I don’t…understand.” The words were gasped out between sobs. “I am honestly. Asking. I don’t even know who…who this…she is! I’ve n-never heard of Metallia…” The obstinacy was gone from her voice, the pain had made sure of that…but even though the tears continued to fall, there was still no hint of any fear. She wasn’t afraid of him, even though he had hurt her.
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Posted: Sat Mar 11, 2017 1:25 pm
Well, well, well. He had to admit, if silently, that he was impressed. The foolish resisting seemed to have left her, though her eyes held no fear at all of him. Maybe she was worth saving.Though he rather suspected, she would need many more lessons before she would learn to obey.
That she'd never heard of Metallia was utter blasphemy as far as he was concerned and he wished he knew who had brought her into the Dark Kingdom and allowed her to be so uneducated. That one surely deserved far greater pain than Haumea had inflicted on Sapphirine. Taking some pity on the girl, he released his hold on her throat and with a gentleness that was at odds with his earlier casual brutality, helped her to sit and tore some strips from his own fuku to help bandage her fingers together.
"I see. Sit quietly and listen then," he murmured. "When we are done here, I will escort you to the hospital. They won't be able to do much more for you than I can, but they can and will prescribe painkillers."
Privately, he thought that if she'd just been respectful when asking her questions, they'd never have come to this moment. With luck, that same thought would be bubbling through her head now.
"Metallia is our Ruler, our Goddess. She is Chaos incarnate and we owe our lives to her. She is the one who decreed that the Dark Kingdom would take in senshi and allow us to help atone for our parts in the war long, long ago. And trust me, little one, it is a war that would not have happened if not for senshi arrogance."
He paused again and considered. He might as well educate her as much as he possibly could. Taking a bit of fuku, he reached out and delicately wiped the tears from her face.
"When I feel you are strong enough, I must take you to meet Alkaid. She bears the true touch of Metallia's grace upon her body. Now, I suspect that whomever brought you into our little family left you sadly ignorant. Or they are the worst of heretics and think Metallia is nothing more than a pretty story. Know this, little Sapphirine, those officers are liars. Metallia is real. And it is our duty to serve and to believe. Someday those others may learn the error of their ways. Personally, I hope I am there to watch. Even better would be to be one of the hands wielding the scourge."
His tangerine eyes nearly glowed with the fires of zealotry at the thought. Then, he sighed and turned slightly to actually look Sapphirine in the eye.
"We will try this again on another night. I should have made you that you understood what we are before this and for that oversight, you have my apology. However, know this. What I did to begin the cure to your attitude was far, far milder than what a General Sovereign or Metallia Herself would have done had they stood in my place. Now, do you wish to visit the hospital now or is your desire for understanding still unsated?"
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Posted: Sat Mar 11, 2017 1:55 pm
The sobs subsided quickly, and as the corrupt sat there, listening and allowing the stronger of the two wrap up her fingers, more questions began to pop into her mind. They had a Goddess…? A Ruler…Metallia…
“Have you met her, Haumea? Have you met Metallia?”
This was something she had to ask, something that she wanted to ask. The whole idea of some powerful…chaotic Goddess ruling them all…was…interesting. Very, very interesting.
“Will I be able to meet her one day?” Perhaps this was why the last corrupt she had meant had been so aloof. Sapphirine was ignorant about all of this, everything that was coming from Haumea’s mouth was new information that she had never even imagined. It was…interesting and inspiring.
And the way that he spoke…it made her want to have the same passion.
“Will you be my mentor, Haumea? I don’t wish to remain ignorant about what I fight for any longer. I need someone to guide me…and…” She glanced down at her fingers and sighed. “And you have made your point on that matter. Take me to the hospital, I’ll thank of more questions on the way and while we’re there…but stay with me. Don’t give up on me.”
Her eyes began to blaze with that self assured arrogance that had gone for only a few minutes. “Don’t give up on me, and I swear I will make you proud. I will make Metallia proud.”
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Posted: Sat Mar 11, 2017 2:15 pm
Though he did his best to not show it, he was immensely pleased with Sapphirine's questions. Nodding a bit to show some approval, he rested her forearms along his knees and considered his next words carefully.
"I have heard her speak. And seen her wield her power through Queen Laurelite. And I've already mentioned Alkaid. She was touched directly by Metallia and in a way that is quite unmistakable."
He paused and then gave the girl the first genuine smile of the evening before reaching out to pat her shoulder reassuringly.
"I am sure you will someday," he replied. Be loyal, serve Metallia to the best of your ability and be willing to sacrifice whatever She asks of you."
He wished he could tell her of the dreams of that wonderful future, but how exactly to explain them had him at a loss. Instead, his eyes lit up with happiness at her next words and he stood up quickly before powering down and crouching to scoop her up in his arms.
"Power down, little Sapphirine. I'll carry you to the hospital," he ordered gently. "We'll just say I found you being mugged and drove away your attacker. As for mentoring, I would be honored to help and guide you all I can, little one. It is a difficult path, but so rewarding!"
Tipping his head slightly to give her an oh so gentle headbutt, he gave her a friendly wink.
"I'm sure that you'll be a thorn in my side occasionally, but it seems to me the best people are. Don't fear me ever abandoning you to the wolves."
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Posted: Sat Mar 11, 2017 3:10 pm
The smile and the words were a comfort and by the time he had lifted her into his arms, she knew she wanted to give her best for Metallia…and…and Queen…Laurelite? That was a name she hadn’t heard before either…They had a Goddess and a queen…? That was pretty amazing.
She powered down, becoming normal Kalina in his arms, and resting against his chest. “I’ll do my best to make you proud. I would love to meet this Alkaid, and…and I want to learn everything.”
Her hand hurt, it hurt horribly, and her stomach felt as though it would get a nice bruise…but even through all the pain, there was a very rapidly building excitement. She felt part of something now. Something amazing…something worthwhile.
And she liked that.
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