Jakeozzy

The Elder Scrolls: Souls of Many Shades [Jake & Cronic]

Yuki waved a tiny hand at Aria as she entered, the girl was full of excitement. She'd had an active day learning about Whiterun, and this would be perfect to top it all off before a heavy sleep. In a new land, with new smells, sights, tastes and peoples, she felt wonderful despite the incidents with the Thalmor and the giants. She'd brushed it off and forgotten already... Young ones always seemed to be full of energy, even in bad times. "It smells so nice, Mr Crystalis!" she exclaimed, taking a seat beside Serena and eyeing up the selection. She looked at the woman's plate with curiosity and would go about trying the same things, slowly shoveling it all onto her own with a fork and spoon.

Aria, needless to say, was in awe once she saw the table! "Gods... This is probably better than what they're dining on in Dragonsreach tonight. I think someone deserves a bonus..." his boss said calmly, grinning as she sat down. She seemed chilled out, with a weak aroma of skooma clinging to her clothes. She untied her belt, hanging it on the corner of the table, the katana's tip just touching the floor. "...I feel like this should be a regular thing."

Dragonball Xenoverse - Side Story

"I think I get it... I'll train and see how it works out! Practice makes perfect, I guess," Blaze replied before her attention was taken by a man who called for the two. Well, unless anyone else here was in a partnership and happened to have red or silver hair. Looking around to confirm that, the girl nodded and looked at Izzy again, ready to follow him. "After you. If I speak to him first. He'll probably say 'hi', and I'll say 'fine, how are you?' because I'm terrible with new people."

The Elder Scrolls: Souls of Many Shades [Jake & Cronic]

The Akaviri girl soon strolled in, shivering a little as the sun began to descend. She was happy to walk into the toasty shop, filled with a wonderful smell... It was unlike anything she caught a whiff of back home, on Akavir. Foreign or not, she looked pleasantly surprised as she walked closer.

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Aria on the other hand was toasty in another manner of speaking. Not that the fire wasn't warm. Skooma wasn't how she remembered, really. Then again, there weren't any rowdy teenagers - she was sitting with the Khajiit trader, gazing up at the sky. A few stars had begun to appear, along with a noticeable drop in the temperature giving the breeze a slight sting of cold. This was a nice setting. Typical Skyrim evening, sat by a campfire with some company. Though, Cronic was probably wondering where Aria was at this point.

"N'garro should rest..." the Khajiit chimed in before Aria could speak. "Goodnight to you, red maned one," he said, smiling tiredly before getting up and heading for his tent. Two more Khajiit walked over to the fire, apparently their turn to watch the caravan now. By this time, Aria was already walking back up to the city. She didn't seem to stumble or lose her way, but instead... she was just nice and mellow.

At the gates, the guards allowed her entry, and Aria headed up the street to the Odd Jobs home.

The Elder Scrolls: Souls of Many Shades [Jake & Cronic]

Sure enough, Aria grabbed a cloak to lift the cold edge off her as the sun started to drift closer to the horizon, hiding behind the larger mountains occasionally. Unlike her, she decided to head down to the Khajiit caravan set up just outside Whiterun. The guards hailed the redhead as she passed, giving her no trouble. It was the least they could do, being that the Odd Jobs team had offed a dragon in Whiterun hold's protection. The Khajiit were allowed closer to the fortifications than one might think. They were close enough to be protected, should bandits or worse show up... And close enough to be watched. They were regarded as crafty, scheming people, but trade was this caravan's game. That didn't mean all of their goods were legal, though!

Aria arrived at the camped caravan, checked for guards, and turned back to face the old-looking Khajiit sitting at the campfire. He seemed rather relaxed. Aria took a moment to compose herself before asking, "Think I could have some? ...I just need a little pick-me-up. Nothing crazy," she tried to explain. The old Khajiit gestured for her to sit, and pulled out a pipe made especially for ingesting the skooma. Without a word, he demonstrated how to use it. While the crystals were still hot and ready to smoke, he passed the pipe over to Aria, letting her try it for herself. Of course, it wasn't the first time she'd done this. After literal bloodbaths a few years back, Lucian sometimes got out his pipe, moon sugar and skooma, too. They'd all share it, and for a moment, death and carnage seemed to evaporate from their minds..

Stopping herself from coughing after a few drags, Aria handed the pipe back, smiling faintly. "Want any money for..?" she began to ask. The old Khajiit chuckled quietly and shook his head.

"N'garro could see you are very stressed young lady... No matter, relax for now," he answered warmly.

Slowly but surely, Aria began to calm. She was still on Nirn, but her mind drifted elsewhere... Somewhere beautiful.

Dragonball Xenoverse - Side Story

"You think of everything, don't you?" Blaze complimented her partner, giving him an uncertain smile. "What is it you did before the dragon summoned us? You're strong, but really smart, too! Gets me wondering..." she chuckled.

Dragonball Xenoverse - Side Story

Back on Terra, Rikyu had spent a few moments crouched in front of a curious little item. A contact lens, that presumably was to change a perceived eye colour to green. She thought for a minute... Izaroth was the only one with green eyes, there. Her gaze turned up to the sky as she held the green-tinted lens, and she smiled.

"Well... If I'm right about this, it means you two could reach new heights, and fast. If I didn't stop fighting, where would I be now?" she spoke quietly. When she heard her son call for her, she snapped back into herself and walked back inside.

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"Can't imagine the trouble we'd have if you got dust in your eyes during a fight, Izzy!" Blaze joked, starting to hop down the steps from the time machines.

Trunks adjusted the sword on his back and started walking after Blaze. He seemed deep in thought, but he wasn't paying either of the partners any further attention at this point. Well, except for the mandatory: "You two are dismissed. Spend your time doing whatever you want - just be ready. I need to look something up in the Time Nest."

Blaze looked behind her as Trunks headed for one of those strange liquid-like gates, shrugging as she figured it was probably important to him. For now, she waited for Izaroth to join her. "So! ...Where should we go, what should we do?"

Dragonball Xenoverse - Side Story

"Alright! Don't worry about me, I'm gonna train really hard so I can keep up with my partner, here! Trunks, let's get going?" Blaze asked, seeming much more energetic than when they'd arrived. Trunks gave her a nod, then looked to the sky as a bright light appeared and came down toward the three. The trip home taking a mere second was such a convenient thing... Perhaps this Supreme Kai was the only person in the universe capable of such things?

As the three were about to get swiped up, Rikyu gave Izaroth a Saiyan-strength pat on the back, chuckling before stepping back and letting them be consumed by the energy that'd take them home. "Come back anytime!" she shouted.

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With that over, the three appeared back in the Time Nest, just at the bottom of the steps leading into the scroll chamber.

Dragonball Xenoverse - Side Story

"If you had Saiyan biology, that'd be a-" Trunks stopped, and stared at Rikyu for a moment, then at her fiery-haired daughter behind her. He seemed to be computing something, until he came out with it. "...You said you were a Saiyan, didn't you? So.. that would mean Blaze is like me. My father was a Saiyan, and my mother a human. I wonder if she feels any stronger after the Glacia incident."

Rikyu had decided to shake Izaroth's hand earlier, letting him know she approved of him. When Trunks started questioning Saiyan biology, a smirk came to her lips, "Do you mean to tell me she's already been beaten within an inch of her life?"

Trunks shook his hands at the woman in denial, but that was kind of the entire truth. Glacia was brutal on these two! Feeling he couldn't hide it, he exhaled and nodded, "I'm sorry, it's something I should have mentioned much earlier. Blaze was healed completely in a few hours, however."

"I was more concerned about what that means. Maybe she'll embody a legend, if she survives near-death battles enough times. A Saiyan on the brink of death who survives and recovers receives a significant boost in their power. It's happened only once to me," Rikyu explained.

Trunks nodded slowly. The grin on the mother's face suggested he wasn't about to eat his own sword in retribution!

Blaze soon rejoined the others, hugged her mother, said goodbye to her, and stood back over with her new comrades. "Ash is jealous of my new job~" she remarked proudly.

"We'll see you again soon, Blaze. Remember what I've taught you, hmm?" Rikyu said simply, and waved at the three.

Dragonball Xenoverse - Side Story

"We wouldn't let either of you two die, the Supreme Kai of Time likes her Patrollers to be well cared for, on and off the battlefield," Trunks explained with more seriousness in his voice, even if he did still seem pained by getting kicked where it hurts. "Mrs. Tsila, you have my word, Blaze is in good hands."

Rikyu looked the man in the trenchcoat up and down, then turned her gaze to Izaroth, examining him the same way. She nodded, unfolded her arms, and smirked at him, "Alright. Then good luck. Just give her a strict training regime. School was slowing her down... She's got potential, but it needs to flourish in real, life and death battles. Push her limits, and I'm sure she'll become a fine guardian of time," the Saiyan concluded. She pushed the door open behind her, revealing Blaze, Ash and their father saying goodbyes.

Dragonball Xenoverse - Side Story

Trunks said nothing, and fell to the ground writhing in pain.

Rikyu made a pondering hum after Izaroth was done speaking (and kicking his colleague where it hurts!). "As hard as it is to believe, that sounds like a noble enough cause. 'Time Patrol'. You're protecting.. time itself. Or perhaps just history," she mulled it over. For about a second, before casting her eyes over Trunks. "Listen. Blaze isn't to be treated as some random Frieza grunt - if I hear anything like mistreatment going on, I'll find your apparent city and show you how Saiyans deal with scum."

The black-haired, black-eyed woman then turned her gaze to Izaroth, "If you're her partner, I don't need to tell you how important she is to us, and what I'd do should she not be able to return home. You understand..." she told him.

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In the dining room, the girl, her brother and father could be heard laughing together. This broke Rikyu's cold demeanour for a moment as she glanced back at the door, smiling like a mother should, before she realised and snapped back into the moment.