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| Through the Fire and Flames; Mei Solo | |
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| Tweet Topic Started: May 24 2015, 03:01 PM (148 Views) | |
| MeiXing | May 24 2015, 03:01 PM Post #1 |
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Standing at a height well above that of Mount Frappe, Mount Paozu loomed over the region like an imposing father figure to the rest of the land. It lorded over the forests and plains under its shadow and the land seemed to bow to its majesty with a beautiful landscape as its cape. A crown of clouds adorned the summit, only showing even more of the mountain’s grandness. For once, Mei did not care about wondrous sight before her. She did not care about the lush forests teeming with wildlife, the great height of the mountain, or even the brazier for her pilgrimage she was supposed to be looking for. All she cared about was what she knew; that Old Master Fuega sat somewhere on this mountain as a prisoner of the Black Fire Witch, Cineza. Mei did not waste any time. She could not afford to do so. Instead she blasted off towards Mount Paozu, powering her flight with ki. Opening her senses, Mei looked everywhere for her master or her enemy. They both possessed powerful ki signatures and should have been easily noticeable. However, they did not spike up at Mei, which made her wonder if they suppressed their powers in some way. “Cineza wants me to come to her,” Mei said aloud, if only to help her train of thought. “She wants me to get close so she can ambush me. I have to keep on my guard so she isn’t given an easy opportunity.” Straight ahead of her Mount Paozu loomed over the other smaller mountains in the region. She found it odd that this brazier was going to be so easy to find considering the difficulty in reaching the other two. The first brazier had illusions and strong guardians. The second stood atop a mountain with dangerous blizzards that threatened even a skilled Kasai. She wondered if anything defended this brazier, considering Cineza waited for her. If Mei tired out from the trial of the brazier, then she would be easy pickings for her enemy. Mei landed on the summit of Paozu, having foregone the tedious act of climbing. Time was not something for her to waste. She quickly scanned the forest-covered summit for the brazier. All she had to do was find the brazier, but the woodlands on the mountain were thick with foliage. Taking a deep breath, Mei set upon her task of finding her master’s relic, though she kept her ki senses sharp in the event of Cineza’s inevitable ambush. She wandered the forest for a while, noting that there was very little wildlife besides some birds and insects. It made sense as it was the summit of a very tall mountain and therefore not suitable to larger mammals that typically required meat. A few meters ahead of her, Mei saw a clearing on the mountain top and the glint of metal reflecting the light of the sun. Anticipation rose within her, giving Mei’s feet urgency. Running into the clearing, Mei soon found herself in the clearing with not one brazier, but four. They stood perfectly spaced out in the clearing, waiting for a fire to set them alight again. Confused, Mei looked at each of the braziers and wondered why there were four instead of the one as the image of Old Master Fuega said there would be. “Maybe one is an illusion?” Mei pondered this thought, but as she reached out to touch one of the braziers, she found that it was very much real. Unable to decipher if this was a trick or not, Mei opened her palm and created a hinotama, intent on lighting the brazier. If there was a test or a trick, maybe it would reveal itself upon being lit. Mei dropped the hinotama onto the brazier and the embers inside immediately burst into flame. As before, Mei sat down in a meditative stance and focused her energy on the brazier. However, instead of a single image of Old Master Fuega, the visage expanded all around Mei until she found herself on a small farm. Everything around her was transparent, giving the idea that she stared into an image of the past. From the small homestead the door opened, revealing a little girl with dark skin and snow white hair running out, barefoot and holding a large basket. An older woman, presumably the mother, walked out behind her, though she walked with an apparent limp. “Fuega,” the older woman called out, “be careful in the fields and come back at noon for lunch.” “Don’t worry about me, Madre,” little Fuega called, “I’ll be back with all kinds of vegetables for market tomorrow. What are we going to have for lunch?” Madre smiled at her daughter. “Your favourite: black bean soup.” “Yay! I’ll work extra hard for soup!” Mei could not help but smile at the sight of her master as a little girl. They looked poor but happy together as they worked on the small plot of land. Fuega ran about in her brown dress collecting vegetables, mostly carrots and heads of lettuce while her Madre worked on the taller crops like corn. There was no sign of any father figure as far as Mei saw. They worked quietly for a while when Madre looked up with a worried expression. “Fuega,” she hissed to her daughter, “get into the house. Lock the door, close the windows, and hide.” Fuega looked up at her mother. “Madre, what are you talking about?” “I said to hide!” Madre dropped her basket and began walking towards the edge of their farm while Fuega ran to their small house. Mei watched as a giant hulk of a man crested over a hill. Dressed in an assortment of furs and welding a massive sword. He sneered as he looked down on Madre, his hand gripping the hilt like a vice. The two stared at each other without speaking for a while, making Mei wonder what was about to happen. Eventually the large man spoke first. “You know what I want.” Madre never broke eye contact. “And you know I’ll never let you have her for your sick pleasures.” The large man roared, spittle flying from his mouth onto Madre. “You know my strength! You see the size of my sword! You fear the number of warriors I’ve cleaved in two! I’m the one who decides who lives and who dies around here and I take what I please and I will take that whelp of a daughter of yours. I’m tired of your useless sack of a body. I want someone young. Your kid fills the ticket. Now hand her over before my good mood goes away.” Madre stood tall despite her apparent limp. “Hurt me all you want. My body may be broken, but my spirit will always be strong. You will not have my daughter. She will evade your grasp. The days of your evil will come to an end. You hold great power, yes, but you wield it like a club. No… you sow flames with your power, but fail to realize one truth. That one day you will reap only ashes. That one day someone will appear, more powerful than you can ever hope to be. And that person will show you as much mercy as you have given.” Furious, the large man raised his great sword high above his head. “No one is stronger than me! I will take what I want when I want! Those who stand in my way die!” Madre continued to look into the eyes of her foe. She spoke in a low whisper just loud enough for Mei to hear, “Fuega… I love you.” The giant brute swung his sword, cleaving Madre horizontally just as he said. Mei cried out, but this was an image of the past; nothing she could do would stop it from it happening. Hot tears rolled down her face as she watched the man laugh at this pathetic victory. Two hinotamas formed in Mei’s hands, a sign of her anger. As the giant man walked towards the hut to claim his prize, the ground began to rumble. The hut then exploded in a great pillar of flame, with only little Fuega remaining. Her face contorted in rage and her eyes glowing a malicious red, Mei could almost swear that the image of her master cried tears of lava. They burned the ground as she rushed towards the giant man. “You killed my Madre!” Fuega screamed, “You killed her! You don’t deserve to live!” “Little whelp!” the giant roared back, “I’ll show you proper respect for the mighty!” He swung his sword at Fuega only for the little girl to catch the blade in her small hand. The iron blade then began to melt into a puddle of slag, leaving the giant unarmed. Fuega pressed her attack. Taking a deep breath, she let loose a stream of fire that not only burnt the giant’s leg, but completely incinerated it leaving only a cauterized stump. The giant hollered in agony as he fell crashing towards the earth. Fuega climbed onto the man, her bare feet searing into his flesh until she grabbed a handful of his bushy beard. The smell of burnt hair filled the air. “P-please! Mercy!” he cried with tears in his eyes. Whatever bravado he had just moments before evaporated. “I’m sorry! I’m sorry!” “Sorry won’t bring back Madre!” Fuega raised her hand and reached for the giant’s eyes. Mei looked away from the sight, but heard the giant’s screams clearly. While she understood the fury her master showed, she never imagined kind old Fuega capable of such torment. The giant tried to scramble away only for Fuega to dash over. Now blind, he stopped cold in his tracks as Fuega pressed a burning hand against his forehead. “I… hate you…” Fuega growled. “I hate you… I hate you! I hate you! I hate you! Burn! Burn! BURN!” What happened next took Mei by surprise. From the mark Fuega made on the giant’s forehead a fire began to burn as if the man’s head was a fire pit. Soon the flames took hold of his hair and his beard, until they rapidly spread to his clothes. Completely immolated, the man’s screams were taken over the by the roaring fire. He did not suffer long, collapsing due to a lack of oxygen the fire stole from him. Eventually his body reduced to ashes around Fuega. The fire did not stop there, however. Soon it spread across the field with Fuega at its center, burning everything into hot embers. From her Madre’s body to the crops to the hut, nothing was spared from Fuega’s mournful flames. Mei covered her mouth with a hand as she wept silently for her master. She had no idea that this was how Fuega’s own journey as a Kasai began. When the flames finally went out, the land lay scorched leaving a little girl too weak to even cry for her mother. Instead Fuega began to walk away, but in what direction she did not seem to know. She moved as if in a daze, unable or unwilling to shed any more tears. The vision of the past soon ended, allowing everything around Mei to fade back to the clearing on Mount Paozu. The brazier crackled in front of her. “Master…” Mei breathed out, “why didn’t you ever share this pain with the other Sisters? You were always there for us. We could have been there for you. You could have leaned on any of us for support. You could have leaned on me.” With still no sign of Cineza, Mei walked up to another brazier and set it alight with a fireball. She resumed a meditative stance and prepared herself for what she was about to see next. The smoke from the brazier provided the means for the visage to take form and Mei found herself in an alleyway between two old style looking buildings. She looked over to see Fuega pressed against the wall, peering over the edge into the busy market street. She appeared to be waiting for someone yet did not want to be seen. Fuega wrapped her head with a cloth, covering her mouth and hiding her hair from view. When a man in a fighter’s gi and a large bushy moustache walked by, Fuega sprang into action, snatching his coin purse from his belt and bolting away. Her swiftness surprised Mei for a moment but what shocked her more was the idea that her master was a thief. Both Mei and the moustache man bolted after Fuega. While Mei did not have to worry about obstacles, the man deftly passed by other people with the greatest of ease while also jumping over carts and other objects with deft footwork. He quickly gained on Fuega, impressing Mei as she caught up with both of them. Her master quickly took a turn into another alleyway in hopes of losing the man. The man in the gi did not relent. He quickly turned into the alley and never once lost step with Fuega. Mei took flight and continued to follow them as they made their way to the rooftops. They leapt from building to building, until at last the man struck. With two fingers he dove for Fuega’s leg, timing his attack with masterful precision. He made a blow against the back of Fuega’s knee which made her collapse onto the floor of the roof. She dropped the man’s coinpurse, sending dozens of zeni coins scattered on the ground. Fuega turned on her back to see the man in the gi standing over her with a stern expression. His arms crossed, he spoke in a curt voice. “Explain yourself.” Grimacing, Fuega instead raised her palm in a gesture Mei knew all too well. A ball of ki formed, sparked into flames, and launched right into the face of the man with the invocation “Hinotama!” The man simply moved his head and allowed the attack to sail off harmlessly into the air. The distraction was all Fuega needed to push herself away and back onto her feet. Despite only having the use of one leg, she stood straight with her hands outstretched ready for a fight. “Hmph!” The man did not move at all, his arms still crossed. “So you know about spiritual energy then. You must be a capable warrior then!” “You have some moves too,” she replied with a sly smile, “but if you think you can stop me by numbing my leg, you have another thing coming.” Fuega attacked with stiff fists which took Mei by surprise for a moment. Mei figured that it must have taken some time for Fuega to develop the Kasai Hato Katachi and did not perfect the movements as Mei knew them, but she still fought with the same fury as the Kasai of the present. Even on one foot, her movements were strong yet graceful, like a dancing flame. Mei also noted how pretty Fuega was at this age. Her long white hair cascaded over face like a picture frame, and her body held no imperfection. For the first time, Mei did not feel inadequate at the sight of a beautiful woman, for this was her master of which she was proud. However, her attacks did no good against the man with the moustache. He dodged each blow as if Fuega was simply a novice. He did not make any counter attack despite Mei seeing many, many openings he could have used. When Fuega began to pant, tired from their scuffle, the man spoke again. “I assume you were self-taught in the way of the martial arts,” he said, “Your form is good, but you lack control and discipline. You waste your skills being a thief!” “Have to eat to live,” Fuega replied, “have to steal to eat. It’s the cards I’ve been dealt.” The mustached man put his hands on his hips. “What if I deal you a new hand then? Come with me to my dojo and train to be a martial artist to protect the world from evil. Do not waste your skills on simple banditry. Train with me and I will help you sharpen those skills. This is a new path in life I am offering you. If you walk with me, there will be hardships. I am a strict teacher, but fair to all my pupils. If you continue to walk the path of the thief, then I will have no choice but to defeat you.” With confusion on her face, Fuega did not leave her fighting stance. “Who are you? Why give me this offer?” “I am Muthaito, and I believe in second chances.” Mei gasped. So this was Old Master Fuega’s teacher. He looked like a very strong fighter indeed, but also kind. Fuega relaxed and lowered her hands. She closed her eyes shut as the debate on whether to join Muthaito raged within her. Mei saw tears in her master’s eyes. “A long time ago, I lost my mother to an evil man.” Fuega wiped her eyes, “I don’t know why I am telling you this, but it’s important. I swore an oath that I would never be scared again. That I would never be a victim again. If I train with you, I want you to know my oath and that it comes first and foremost.” Muthaito nodded. “Your oaths will be respected so long as you follow the rules of my dojo.” Fuega considered his words, but only for a few seconds. She shrugged and gave Muthaito a sly smile. “I don’t really have much of a choice, now do I? And besides, anything to get off the streets sounds like a good deal to me.” She pressed her palms together and bowed to Muthaito. “I accept being your student if you accept being my teacher, Master Muthaito.” Mei smiled as the image of the past faded away. She was glad her master stopped being a thief and moved on to more noble pursuits. However, after her encounter with the first brazier, Mei knew how this story would continue. Muthaito would face the evil King Piccolo and die containing him. Fuega would despair and attempt suicide, only to discover her mastery over fire: the Kasai Hato Katachi. “It has been a very long time since I saw myself like that,” said an old, weary voice. “I was so young then. Full of life. Full of love. I sometimes wonder where those days went.” Mei’s heart skipped a beat as she turned around to see Old Master Fuega standing behind her. The crone leaned on her cane, though her eyes were downcast and sad. Mei rushed to her master’s side with joy and relief in her voice. “Master!” she beamed, “You’re here! And there’s no sign of Cineza! How did you escape? That doesn’t matter, we can take her on together now. Oh Master, Cineza did something horrible!” Fuega did not immediately reply, instead opting to run her bony fingers along the edge of the small brazier. “Cineza will be here soon, my dear, but there is enough time before her arrival for you to continue the pilgrimage. There are still two smaller braziers that need to be set alight before the true brazier can be revealed.” “Master, we can always come back here, but if Cineza comes, we’ll be in danger!” Her eyes narrowing, Fuega pointed her cane at the object of her focus. “Mei Xing, light the fire.” Mei swallowed hard as she looked to the small brazier and then back to Fuega. She did not understand why her master was so focused on the braziers and not on the incoming threat that was Cineza. However, Mei was always obedient to her elders, so she approached the third of the small braziers and lit a hinotama. She dropped the fireball into the eager embers, only to shield her eyes from the incredibly bright light the flame produced. When the light abated, Mei saw a vision of Master Fuega, only now far older than she was on the night she met Muthaito. Wrinkles, scars, and burns marred the once pristine skin Fuega had and she appeared noticeably paler. She used a small cane, but still stood tall with a commanding stature. She also wore a pair of sunglasses despite it being night. Mei looked past the image of her master, adorned in black robes, and saw that Fuega stood in front of a grave. The characters on the grave told her that this belonged to Master Muthaito. “Hello, Master,” Fuega muttered, “I suppose this is the last time I visit you here, for a long while at least. I will soon be busy with my own teachings for I am founding a temple dedicated to the Kasai. I am an old woman now, and soon I will have difficulty even jumping. My time has long ended, as it is with Roshi and Shen. They have students of their own, and through them they shall establish a new legacy from your own example, as I will do. I want to thank you, Master, for all you have done for me. I suppose it cannot be helped anymore. My flame flickers. Perhaps we shall meet again one day. I would like that. Somehow… somehow I doubt it though.” Fuega let her cane fall to the ground, raised her hands, pressed them together, and attempted to bow to the grave of Master Muthaito. Mei could see tears in her Master’s eyes, though she did not sob or say anything. She suddenly fell over, her hands grasping at the gravestone for support. “Cursed old bones!” Fuega choked out, losing her composure, “can you not let me have this one moment with the man I loved? Can you not hold me up for a minute without faltering. What good are my skills and energy if my body cannot maintain itself? Why must I be a victim of time? Of mortality. I lost my mother, my Master, my friends, everyone I have cared for. Must Fuega always be the victim and not the victor?” Fuega punched the gravestone. “Why did you leave me alone on this earth to suffer? Why must I suffer with no one to guide me? No… I’ll find a way to cheat death itself if I have to. Nothing will dictate when I die except for me. I shall know no fear. That is my new oath.” Standing up with the aid of her cane, Fuega smiled at the gravestone. She removed her cheap sunglasses and placed them away in a small pouch. “Master Muthaito… it would appear that it may take a bit longer for me to join you than expected. I have a temple to start, students to teach, and kindling to be thrown to the fire.” As Fuega walked away, Mei gasped as the older, yet still spry woman rapidly aged into the decrepit crone Mei knew. This short vision ended suddenly, where the real Old Master Fuega stood by and clicked her tongue. “Hard to imagine someone like me looking so good, hmm?” Fuega chuckled, “I used to turn a lot of heads back then. Alas, I was hoping you would have enough time to begin the last smaller brazier and uncover the large one for your pilgrimage, but it would seem our guest is no longer being patient.” Mei could not believe her ears. “Forget about the pilgrimage! What about Cineza and what she did to our Temple? Our home? What about all the hurt she gave to our family, the Sisters?” Fuega looked up into the sky. “Nothing could have been for them. Elder Sister Pyya was the strongest of the Kasai, and she fell to Cineza easily. You will have to steel yourself, my dear. She comes.” Mei turned around to feel a great ki energy approaching. A pillar of fire approached Mei and Fuega, fueled by anger and pride as it scorched the land all around it. The sky quickly filled with hot cinders and black ash. Cineza touched both boots on the ground near the middle of the fire pillar, looking up at the flaming torrents that swirled in frenzy. Mei half-expected Cineza to be next to her creation, waiting to give the twisted command for her pillar to lay waste to the countryside. If not for the fact that Cineza was the pillar. The pillar of fire rescinded upon itself, folding the flames inward into the palm of Cineza’s hand. Her lips curled into an evil grin as she stared down Mei. The flames converged into Cineza, the heat of her power blasting into Mei’s face. Mei did not flinch. “I hate to disappoint you, old woman, but this show will be over incredibly quickly.” Cineza took a step forward, brushing aside a loose blonde lock of hair. “You should have hidden away in one of the cities and became a stripper, but no one would want that scrawny body of yours.” Mei did not react to Cineza’s juvenile taunts. Instead, she removed her gloves and let them fall to the ground with a thud. Her bare hands crackled like a campfire as the energy of the Kasai surged within her fingers. Fuega raised a brow at this, but Cineza continued. “What’s wrong? Petrified with fear, I bet! You came all this way, trained so hard, just to die! There is nothing left for you, you little harlot! I won’t even let a single speck of ash remain as I smother you in my fire! I am Cineza, master of the Kasai! And I will be the one to rule the land or set this world to the torch.” Mei continued to ignore as she opened her travelling bag and pulled a pair of hair sticks out. She tied her long red hair into a tight bun, leaving only a few tresses to frame her face. “What’s wrong? Don’t want to get your pretty red hair singed?” Cineza laughed a noblewoman’s laugh. “I think I’ll pluck every hair from your head and--” “Shut up.” Mei unhooked the cheongsam and tossed it aside, the weighted dress crashing into the floor. Cineza went silent as the heavy garment dented the ground. Mei now stood in tighter clothing, white sarashi wrapped around her stomach and chest. She took a deep breath, then released, raising her open palms in preparation for a fight. “I see you have discovered a form of training I tried to push onto many of my students.” Fuega clicked her tongue and shook her head. “Cineza, do you feel how her power increased by a percentage as she removed such heavy burdens? Tell me, dear Mei… how many pounds did you remove? One-hundred? Two?” Mei looked to her former master for only a brief moment. “Three hundred around the chest. The gloves each weigh fifty pounds. Another fifty around the thighs.” “She can’t just gain power by stripping! That’s ridiculous!” Cineza’s hands clenched into fists as little tongues of flames escaped her fingers. Fuega only chuckled. “You cared so much about your appearance that you never bothered to train harder than what you felt was necessary.” Fuega continued. “I say, this battle has become a lot more interesting. Do continue, my dears. Do not keep me waiting all night, after all. It will rain soon, and a woman my age cannot afford to catch cold. I have full faith in the Kasai of my student to see this bout through to the bitter end.” Cineza brought up her fists and growled with frustration. Her three ponytails began to float as she charged her body with empowered ki, a red aura surrounding her form. Mei followed suit, and a flash of fire joined both acts of increased power. “My name is Mei Xing,” she said, loud enough for both Cineza and Fuega to hear. “I am a student of the Kasai Hato Katachi. You have hurt hundreds with the irresponsible use of the flame. You terrorize people because you think the Kasai makes you better than them. You destroyed the Kasai Temple. You killed hundreds of what should have been your Sisters! I will stop at nothing…” “Until I defeat you!” Mei’s yell acted as a kiai, her ki blazing around her as a roaring fire. Cineza stood dumbfounded as she watched Mei increase her power dramatically, taking one cautious step backwards. Mei’s eyes flared, literally, to life as she gave a cry. “The Flame Awakens!” she yelled, her body exposing the power of a True Kasai. The tips of her long red hair turned orange, taking on the colouration of a living flame. Cinders of ki floated from her body while the irises of her eyes took on the colour of fire. Cineza growled as she clenched her fists only for her own power to blaze to life. “The Flame Awakens!” she yelled as well, until she too had cinders of ki floating off her body. Cineza also took on the appearance of a True Kasai, though Mei was not surprised. The rogue Kasai held incredible in her hands, and her training her proved her strength. Fuega chuckled again, and then reached into the depths of her cloak. From within, she drew out a small pair of sunglasses and put them on. “My student…” she muttered into the wind. “Show me your will to the fire! Begin!” - For as long as Mei remembered, she never feared fire like how most folks did. Fire never burned her, nor did it cause her to sweat or otherwise make her uncomfortable. To her, fire was always a friend that protected her from her foes and from the dangers of nature. When she was cold, she would summon a fireball and curl up against it. When she was hungry, she would make a cooking fire and eat well. When she was in danger, she called on the flame to fight those that would hurt her. When she was hurt, she would bath the wound not in water but in fire and watch as the tongues of flame sealed her wounds and made it whole once again. Now, she faced a flame that held no friendship to her. The fire wielded by Cineza was a dark flame, a twisted crimson that lashed out at anything it could burn. Like its master, the fire of Cineza carried within it a deep-seated hatred. The fire was something Mei could understand. Cineza’s Kasai was merely the product of its master. What Mei could not understand was Cineza herself. Why she bore such an intense hatred for Mei, considering they had never met before their encounters, she could not have guessed. Mei lifted her palms as her aura blazed around her. Stop thinking, she told herself, just fight. Lash out against your enemy with every ounce of might. Burn her, for she will do the same to you. Worry about the consequences later. Cineza shouted with unbridled fury as she surged towards Mei, fists clenched and poised to strike. Her crimson trail split rocks along her path towards Mei, smashing her fist into Mei’s outstretched forearm. Mei winced in pain, feeling Cineza’s immense strength against her limb. However, she managed to keep her arm steady as she pushed back against Cineza; Cineza’s strength was greater than their last meeting, but Mei had trained for this. She strengthened her body to face such powerful force. Her spars with strong opponents prepared her for this battle. Their shared strength and skills proved even greater than Cineza, and once that particular bar had been raised, Mei now readied herself to meet Cineza blow for blow. Mei responded to Cineza’s initial attack, singing her foot upward to strike against Cineza’s chin. The pop of boot-on-bone resonated throughout the mountain and Cineza’s head snapped backward as she staggered away. Her opponent’s stomach exposed, Mei rushed forward and brought her open palm to rapidly pound against Cineza’s belly. Each strike caused ripples against Cineza’s flesh, until Mei jumped up, spun around, and brought her heal square to strike her foe’s chest. Cineza tumbled away from Mei’s attacks, getting up quickly only to swiftly move away from Mei’s energy blast. An orb of red energy sailed towards Cineza, and with only seconds to spare, she took to the skies, avoiding the blast radius but not the storm of dust and dirt caused by the attack. Mei rushed forward, seeing the opportunity to go on the offensive. She moved with a sudden burst of speed and pounded the flat of her palm square in Cineza’s sternum. Another quick blink and Mei moved behind her enemy, swinging her foot around and smashing it against Cineza’s side. She could only guess the amount of pain Cineza’s kidneys were under now. With her enemy’s focus on their pain, Mei flew to be just above Cineza. Her fist clenched, she struck out with a focused punch to the back of her foe’s head. Cineza’s eyes bulged as the blow struck against her skull and she fell down to the ground with a thud. Cineza clutched at the ground as she stood on her knees before turning her hateful gaze towards Mei. Her fists trembled with fury as she stared down her opponent. “Damn you, you stuck-up little bitch!” Cineza roared. “I’ll show you exactly who you are dealing with!” Cineza called upon her power, summoned two fireballs into her hands, and then began to spin in rapid motions. Mei recognized this technique as the Kaentatsumaki, the Flame Whirlwind. A massive tornado of fire roared to life around Cineza, and the brief moment they faced each other, she gave Mei a twisted, malicious grin. “Reduce to ashes! Kaentatsumaki!” Using the momentum from her spins, Cineza pushed with all her ki to bring the whirlwind to bear against Mei. The last time she faced the technique, Mei caught the Kaentatsumaki with her own Iyashino-en. Instead of taking the brunt of the attack, she flew away from the flames, waiting for the right moment to strike back. There! Mei saw an opening within whirlwind and surged forward. She took a place within the whirlwind, feeling the intense heat of the flames on her exposed skin. Only the roar of the flames could be heard inside the whirlwind, though she could catch Cineza’s taunting laughter. “You idiot!” Cineza laughed, holding her sides. “I can’t believe it! You dove into my signature attack! At least last time you were able survive it! I knew you couldn’t take me on, so you fell on your sword. Or my flames, in this case!” Mei remained quiet, instead charging her index and middle finger with crackling, explosive ki. As she charged her left hand, she also focused on her right and fueled her energy within the other hand. She kept her own flight trajectory constant along with the whirlwind, hiding her ki within the power of the attack. On the other side of the whirlwind, Cineza brought her hands forward, gathering her own ki. Scarlet light formed in her hands, with small beams escaping the gaps of her fingers. “I’ve grown tired of dealing with you, you little bitch! I’m going to send you straight to hell!” Cineza shouted as a single, concentrated beam of red ki fired from her hands. It travelled through the air, singing the very dust kicked up by the battle until it struck against the Kaentatsumaki. As both attacks conjoined, Cineza burst into another fit of mad laughter. “I can’t wait to see you die!” Cineza cackled as she held her beam in her hands. “There is only room for one student to ascend in the way of the Kasai, and that Kasai is going to be me!” Mei grimaced as she saw the crimson beam sail towards her. Her timing had to be exact or she would eat Cineza’s beam without anything to answer. In the event she did somehow survive, Mei would be too weak to put up any defense. Her plan was risky though. If the Backdraft Waves did not conjoin at the time of use, they could fizzle out or worse, detonate in her face. She also did not know just how much control she would be able maintain two waves. Even commanding one proved difficult during times of duress. Committed to her plan of action, Mei focused her sight on Cineza, able to see the blonde Kasai warrior even through the fire and flames of her Tasumaki-en. With both hands stiff as boards, Mei raised them both at the same time; two arcs of energy formed together, each arc crackling with an immense ki power. “Backdraft… Cross!” Mei pushed with all her ki at the cross, pushing it towards Cineza and right into her beam. The Cross split through the energy wave with ease, tearing the beam apart four ways and punching a hole through the fiery whirlwind. The Backdraft Cross pushed its way to a startled Cineza, whose eyes were glazed over in terror. “This can’t be happening!” she screamed, unable to break her hold on the beam. If she let go, the cross would reach her without impediment. If she maintained the lock, Mei could end this battle quickly. There was no way for Cineza to survive the attack. A sudden pang of conscience struck through Mei mind. The Backdraft Cross would kill Cineza without any prejudice whatsoever. Her hands started the shake at the frightening realization that she was seconds away from committing murder. She gave a shout and detonated the Backdraft Cross early, hoping beyond all hope that the kinetic force would be enough to take Cineza out without seriously harming her. The night sky became illuminated in a bright white light as a massive explosion rocked the wasteland, sending waves of feedback and fire across the plains. The explosion scorched the land from the heat alone, never mind how the flames blazed across the land, burning through the grass and other vegetation with a ravenous hunger. Old Master Fuega stood fast, unflinching from the force, light, and heat from the Backdraft Cross. She held her cane tightly in her grasp, her knuckles having now gone white. The flames from the explosion dissipated, revealing Cineza’s smoke-trailed body hurtling towards the ground. As she collided with the rocks below, she gave a yelp of pain, which caused Mei a great deal of relief. She powered down and floated next to Cineza’s battered body as the blonde tried to crawl towards Master Fuega. “M-master…” Cineza wheezed, clutching at the ground with ruined fingernails. “H-help me… please…” Fuega’s cane clicked on the ground as she approached her defeated student. “Worthless,” the crone hissed, “Have I not trained you well enough? Your defeat shames me.” “P-p-please… I can… I can kill her…” Cineza hack at the ash and dust caught in her throat. She took a handful of her master’s robes. “I know… I know I can…” “I know you can as well, Cineza.” Fuega lowered the head of her cane to the top of Cineza’s head. “You know what you have to do.” “Master…” Mei said, her voice shaking, “What… what is she talking about? Why is she calling you Master? She’s the Black Fire Witch!” ![]() “No, my dear,” Fuega said with a twisted, malevolent smile. ![]() “I am the Black Fire Witch.” Mei did not understand at first. All she knew of her Master was that she was a kind elderly woman, filled with wisdom and knowledge. Though strict, Mei knew Fuega as if she were the grandmother she never had. When she was small, Fuega picked her up when she fell down. She read her stories. She taught Mei everything she knew. And now Mei learned that the woman she idolized was the horror known as the Black Fire Witch. Cineza’s eyes went as wide as they could, and Mei thought she could see the trickle of tears gleam from her enemy’s eyes. Taking hold of the cane, Cineza propped herself back to her feet and then turned to Mei. Inside her eyes, Mei could see a new murderous rage boiling within. As they stared each other down, she could feel Cineza’s power rising. It started slowly at first, but as Fuega returned to her vantage point, the power within Cineza continued to climb at near exponential rates. “Cineza! Stop!” Mei shouted, “You don’t have to do this! Don’t go into the Wildfire state! You won’t be able to come back from the brink of madness!” “Shut up!” Cineza roared back. “Because of you… I hate you! I hate you! I hate you!” As she shouted, Cineza clenched her fists and began to charge her ki to ludicrous levels. Her skin began to crack, revealing not blood but flames from within her flesh. Her nails grew into sharp claws, and her eyes flared with an intense fire. Her word gave way to inhuman growls as her muscle mass also increased by volumes. Mei shot Fuega a look of disgust. “What have you done! Now you’ll lose your student for certain! No one has ever been able to recover their minds from turning into a Wildfire!” “That much is true, yes,” Fuega nodded, “But think of this as a test for you. Cineza’s power now triples your own. If you are able to defeat her, not only do you prove the superior student of the Kasai, but you also get to survive.” Mei wanted to agree, but found that she now stared down a despicable, desperate foe in the form of Wildfire Cineza. She raised her hands to defend herself just as Cineza pounced, her clawed hands igniting into flames.
Edited by MeiXing, May 24 2015, 03:02 PM.
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| MeiXing | May 24 2015, 03:01 PM Post #2 |
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Novice
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Mei knew the Wildfire State was monstrous as well as powerful, but never imagined seeing it before her in its full power, nor in the demonic form it seemed to take on. Cineza loomed over Mei, appearing less human and more of hulking form of claws and magma. The heat that emitted from Cineza’s Wildire body made Mei sweat. Cineza roared a noise no human could create, and the very ground shook from the power within her voice. Thunder boomed overhead to join the cacophony. Mei quickly raised her hands in a defensive stance, knowing what a beast would do in the throes of madness and aggression. The beast would lunge for the kill. Cineza took to the air, her aura raging about her as she brought her claws against Mei. With only seconds to move, Mei dodged the clawed swipe, only to get caught by a kick that used incredible power. Before Mei could even register the pain, Cineza struck with another hard blow in quick succession, this time a solid punch that sent Mei flying into a mountain. The collision cratered the side of the mountain, leaving Mei lying amongst the rubble and choking on dirt. She crawled out of the hole in the mountain and felt the jagged edges of splintered rock cut against her bare hands. Just moments ago, she and Cineza were on somewhat balanced terms in ways of strength and speed. Now Mei felt she was being tossed about like a ragdoll. She glared hard at the monstrous Cineza and felt her new power surge through the air. It trumped Mei’s power with ease, but even so, Mei could still detect a small yet noticeable flaw in her enemy’s power flow. Whether she lived long enough to exploit it was the question now. Cineza did not give Mei time to assess the situation. As her cackles of delight echoed throughout the valley, dark crimson orbs or ki formed in the Wildfire’s hands. With reckless abandon, Cineza hurled blast after blast towards Mei, lambasting the ground with a multitude of explosions and flames. Alarm ran through her mind and urged Mei to leap away to safety. She moved with every ounce of speed she could muster, though the she could not avoid force of the explosions or the heat. Instead of fighting against them, she jumped into the blast waves of the barrage, using their momentum to propel her further away from Cineza’s attack. Cineza, encased in her crimson aura, launched herself into the air with a burst of speed so that she got in front of Mei. With a quick snap of her leg, Cineza swung her foot right into the side of Mei’s face, using her momentum and that of her victim to propel Mei into the ground. With a yelp of pain, Mei’s body slammed into the ground, only for Cineza to leap on top of her. The Wildfire stamped her boots onto Mei’s arms, pinning her to the ground. With a snarl, Cineza raised her arm and a long flame formed in her hand until it grew to the length of a whip. Each lash of the flame-whip scorched Mei’s hide, and all she could do was scream in pain. Cineza did not hold back, and the flames burnt through Mei’s sarashi bindings. “Little fool,” Cineza growled, “What do you have to say for yourself now? My power far exceeds your own. Tell me! Do you feel fear, little girl?” Mei looked up at the ugly visage of Cineza’s distorted, magma-like face and opened her mouth. In reply to all of Cineza’s abuse, to all of Cineza’s taunts, Mei formed a ball of flame within her mouth. Only this fireball encased her Hikari no Hiko technique, the Flight of Light. The fireball flew from her mouth and smacked Cineza right in the face, exploding in a storm of light. Cineza threw back her head and howled as her eyes were stung by the intense radiance, allowing Mei to be free and make her escape. If I keep running away, Cineza is just going to keep laying waste to everything until she catches me. Mei took a deep breath as she zoomed behind a large hill for cover. Her heart pounded against the confines of her chest as she attempted to calm down. The crack of rocks behind Mei did not prepare her for the sudden by Cineza’s muscular magma-limbs. Claws dug into her skin as she tried to struggle out, only feeling her skin burn against the intense heat coming off Cineza. The Wildfire laughed, her voice carrying a twisted warble, before lifting Mei off the ground and dropping her headfirst into the stone. Mei clutched at her skull as immense pain flooded down her neck and across her spine. As she let go, Cineza’s cracked lips turned upwards in a sinister grin, blood oozing from the broken skin. She reached one clawed hand around Mei’s neck and lifted her up with ease, all the while staring down Mei with hate-filled eyes. “What is wrong?” Cineza’s warped voice chided. “Can’t take the heat? Is the Wildfire state too powerful for you? Pathetic. I knew I would ascend to a higher power level than even Fuega could manage, but this is much more powerful than I ever imagined. Can’t you feel it, fool? Can’t you feel your death creeping over you? With a flick of my hand, you’ll be dead!” Mei replied with a weak laugh. As Cineza’s eyes narrowed in frustration, Mei said, “I’ve never seen the Wildfire state until now, Cineza. I was always warned about it, but not because of the power it holds. I can feel your ki dropping at a rapid pace. Yeah… you are strong. But it takes an immense amount of ki to maintain your power. Like a wildfire in the forest, you’ll burn bright, hot, and quick. When you ride such a power high, it comes at a cost. “ “First it will drain you of all your ki… but the Wildfire won’t stop burning when you run out. No, it will seek out the next source of fuel to maintain itself. That’s right. Your life energy. The Wildfire state will eat at every ounce of energy you hold inside your body, until nothing is left but a shrivelled, lifeless husk. But if you drop this form, you won’t have the energy to defend yourself. So answer me, Cineza… what’s more important? Winning… or living?” Cineza’s squeeze lessened as the truth of the Wildfire state was revealed to her. She looked to Fuega who merely leaned against her cane before turning her gaze back to Mei. “Why should I believe a word you say,” She spat, “You could just be tricking me. Trying to get my guard down. Why should I believe a word you say.” “Search your ki, Cineza,” Mei sputtered, “You know it to be true.” Cineza closed her eyes and took a deep breath, only for her face to contort with unbridled rage. She released her hold on Mei’s neck and brought both her hands to her head, clutching at the sides of her hand while screaming at the top of her lungs. “Fuega!” Cineza roared, turning on her master. “You tricked me! You told me the Wildfire state would give me incredible power!” “Did I not tell the truth, my dear?” Fuega smiled coolly as she turned her back on Cineza. “Your power is incredible. It comes at the cost of your life though. Such a tragic loss, too. What will you do now, I wonder? Will you continue to fight to the bitter end, or will your life be snuffed out by the Wildfire’s hunger?” As Cineza thrashed within the throes of her own madness, Mei took the moment to recuperate after the initial assault. Simply talking allowed Mei two benefits: she either got through to Cineza and made her realize the danger of the Wildfire state, or gave herself some time to recover and mount a counter attack. Every bone in her body cracked from the beatings she endured, but as Fuega always said “Endure. Through enduring, grow strong.” No, Mei thought as she felt Cineza’s power ebb and wane. I can’t attack her. She’s confused by the Wildfire state and by the lies Fuega told her. If I can make a powerful defense though… With a shout, Mei allowed her ki to come to fore, blazing with intense red energy. She then called on her most basic technique, the hinotama, summoning two fireballs in the palm of her hands. With the fireballs ready, she announced to the world the next most basic technique of the Kasai. “Iyashino-en!” Her ki flared to life, merging with every fibre of her being as she slammed each fireball into her body. Cuts, burns, and blemishes all across her flesh mended together with the healing properties of the flames. As she healed, she saw Cineza watch her intently, no longer convulsing in her madness. Now, only hatred remained in her eyes. “No!” Cineza shouted, “I won’t let you defeat me! If I can have anything in this world, it will be my pride! If I must die, then I take you down with me!” Cineza rushed to attack Mei with her molten claws, completely oblivious to the danger she was in. Mei leapt away from Cineza and cupped her hands together. She needed to put down Cineza for her own good. Calling on her ki, Mei began to channel her attack by calling out it’s invocation. “I’m sorry, Cineza,” Mei called to her foe, “This is for your own benefit! I have to do this!” “Grand… Ho… no…” As Mei chanted the name of her attack, a red orb of energy formed in her hands. Rays of crimson poured from the cracks between her fingers as she took aim at Cineza. As Cineza charged forward in a blind rage, Mei continued to charge her attack. In the distance, Fuega’s face held only a little surprise. “Incredible,” she said, “I recognize this technique as one of Roshi’s; the Kamehameha Wave. It is based on the element of water after the turtle, the animal that Roshi held great affinity with. The Kasai should not be able to learn such a technique as everything is we do is based on fire. To be able to change the Kamehameha to a technique of fire yet keep its destructive power truly sets Mei above the rest of the Kasai.” Fuega smirked. “Including Cineza.” Mei grimaced as she tried to channel even more energy into the attack. As Cineza drew nearer, her magma claws outstretched, Mei continued the evocation. “Ha…kai…” The energy now at its bursting point, Mei brought her hands forward, unleashing the Grand Honohakaiha right as she could feel the heat from Cineza’s molten flesh. “HAAA!!!!” With a shout, the Grand Honohakaiha ripped through the air, tearing the ground, the trees, and Cineza herself apart. Cineza’s screams of pain were completely drowned out by the explosive roar of the wave, though Mei could see through the beam clearly. Tears formed in her eyes as she watched Cineza burned alive in the throes of the Honohakaiha. All of her anger and hatred melted away as Cineza’s anguished screams filled her ears. “I… I can’t!” Mei quickly quelled her energy beam, allowing Cineza to collapse on the ground. Weakened, Cineza’s body continued to smoke and smoulder, though she did not move. Slowly, Mei walked up to Cineza and kneeled down to her downed foe. Cineza remained in the Wildfire State and Mei could feel the life energy depleting from her body, used by the Wildfire to sustain herself. Mei laid a bare hand on Cineza’s forehead, feeling the lessened heat from the twisted fiery form. “Wildfire,” she said as she closed her eyes, “be quelled.” Mei poured her own ki into Cineza to help stabilize her as the Wildfire State slowly faded. The monstrous form Cineza took gave way to Cineza’s human form, though far more beat up, battered, and bruised. Cineza took a large gasp of breath and looked up at Mei in disbelief. “Why…” she breathed out, “I hurt you… I killed your temple… why…” Mei swallowed hard in an effort to try to control her emotions. “You will pay for your crimes…” she said as warm tears dripped down her face, “but it is not my place to take a life. You are strong, Cineza… but you were misled. I hope that one day I can forgive you. But for now—“ Before Mei could continue, she sensed a sudden spike in ki, only to be suddenly smashed in the head by a large wooden object. Mei’s body skidded on the ground, the pain racking her body throughout. Slowly Mei tried to get up, but the battle with Cineza left her weak. All she could do was turn to face her attacker. Old Master Fuega stared down Mei with a look of complete disgust on her face, a look Mei never imagined she would ever see. Fuega then turned to Cineza and picked her up by the cuff of her tunic with strength that an elderly woman should not have possessed. Cineza did not move though she did glare with a single eye at Fuega. Her face told only of hatred at the master who betrayed her just as she betrayed the other Kasai. “Damn you… Fuega…” Cineza spat out. “Why… you wanted me to become the only Kasai…” “That much is true,” Fuega answered, clicking her tongue. “But only so I can be the only Kasai. Your continued existence is… inconvenient to me. You have reached the potential I will allow. Now it is time to fulfill your final purpose.” Mei watched in horror as Fuega slammed her index and middle fingers into the forehead of Cineza. Cineza’s eyes went wide as a yellow stream of ki flowed from her into Fuega. Eyes wide, Mei’s ki senses finally allowed her to realize just how much power her master held within her. She also discovered why Cineza destroyed the temple and focused on killing the Kasai Guardians. She stole their Kasai and added it to her own, only for Fuega to steal her Kasai as well. A fate Mei would soon share. The horror only continued as Fuega smirked, having drank deep from Cineza’s Kasai energies. “Now, child… I no longer have use for you.” Fuega’s eyes narrowed and she whispered only a single word. “Immolation.” There was nothing for Cineza to do to resist the technique. She suddenly burst into flames, her clothes, her hair, her flesh, all burning to a crisp within seconds. Cineza’s screams echoed throughout Mount Paozu. Mei did not turn away, though her tears quickly evaporated. She cried for Cineza, who did not deserve such a tormenting end. She cried for the betrayal of her master. She cried for the pointless loss of the Kasai Temple. Of all, she cried for the loss of her innoncence as the woman she trusted the most was the cause of all her torment. Cineza’s ashes drifted through the wind, leaving not even a blackened bone behind. Her work finished, Fuega walked towards Mei, the click of her cane the only sound Mei heard amongst the burning forests. Fuega turned to the last of the small braziers and smiled at it before lifting Mei up much as she did to Cineza. “Well, my dear,” she said, her twisted smile made my haunting by the light of the dancing flames. “One more brazier left. One more image of the path for you to see. You and I are the last of the Kasai. All others are dead or worthless to me. I could end you just as I did for Cineza, but it has been a long time since I properly tested my power. What say I show you just what you will encounter.” Fuega turned her gaze to the last brazier and raised an open palm towards it. A hinotama quickly formed in her palm, only to grow larger than any of Mei’s fireballs. The flames also twisted amongst themselves until they turned pitch black. “You… you really are the Black Fire Witch.” Mei choked out. “Oh yes,” Fuega said with a smile, “I command the Black Fire as you command the Kasai. The element of fire is under my complete control. Would you like to know what the last brazier here would show you? It would have shown you a small little cottage in the Fire Mountain area. You would see a woodcutter, his wife, and a young girl living in peace. One night, the Black Fire Witch, seeking those with great potential in the Kasai so that she may develop them for her consumption. She found the girl and discovered incredible potential in her, the likes she never saw before. However, parents are such… complicating people and infusing someone with the Kasai is a rather messy, rather fiery event.” “No…” Mei sobbed, “It was you… you killed them… you awoke the Kasai and caused the fire that killed them… you killed my family…” “Very astute.” Fuega chuckled, “I know possess incredible power… but I need just a little more. Just a little more… so I am going to let you live. I want the hatred and anger and fury to boil within you. But just to show you the power you will deal with.” Fuega turned her gaze to the brazier. “Kuro Hinotama,” she said, and the massive black fireball flew towards the brazier. The ebony explosive shook the very landscape of the as the kuro hinotama obliterated the last of the smaller braziers. “There, now this leg of your pilgrimage is complete,” Fuega said. She then tossed Mei to the ground. “We will meet again rather soon, I believe, Mei Xing. I have a desire to test my new power and my new techniques. There I will test your abilities one more time. If you have improved and impress me, I will reveal to you the final location of my braziers. If not, you will die.” “The rules are simple, my child,” Fuega said as she walked off, “Improve… or die. Have no fear… I’ll be coming to you.” Fuega walked away through the black flames created by her evil hinotama, leaving Mei alone on the ground of the burning forest. With her now former master gone, Mei could do nothing but wallow in her own despair as wept from the destruction wrought. The flames soon died out, leaving Mei alone with little hope. How could she defeat her master, who held power even far greater than Cineza did? “I’ll find you… Fuega…” Mei said aloud as she climbed to her feet. Her voice shook and her hands trembled, but her conviction reigned strong. She would seek out even more powerful mentors. She would push her body, her ki, and the Kasai that burned within her to even greater limits. She needed to become stronger for the sake of the world. If Fuega could do what she did to her students, then the world was not safe from the Black Fire Witch. Mei needed to stop her. “I will find you… and I will make you pay.” *** WC: 10002 |
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| Android13Old | May 25 2015, 09:58 AM Post #3 |
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King of Destruction
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MeiXing Power Level : 300,000 PL from Gear : 72,000 PL from Goku's Training: 30,000 Training Points : 12 Zeni: 10,000 Battle Experience: 25 Goku Tokens : 100 Fame : 1 1.5<26.2 => Earth DB not found, too bad! Edited by Android13Old, May 25 2015, 10:03 AM.
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10:19 AM Jul 11