Zabura and Kouta Collaboration post
Zabura
Zabura stopped walking when heard the voice behind him, it was more then apparent that this human had a reason more then curiosity to be eying him like he did. Even with his back turned he could tell he was being eyed from behind.
"Where do you think you're going, Demon?"
Zabura silently turned around to face the human, his eye's quickly meeting. Crossing his arms he chose not to respond at first but to observe the human instead. The tension was clear already between the two as the human seemed to be trying to figure something out about Zabura. The silence was broken again however with a certain tone of disappointment.
"So you're not the one I'm looking for."
Zabura clicked his fingers on his arm as he was slowly losing his patience for these random remarks. It was obvious that this was merely a waste of time, when the human revealed his clothing beneath Zabura again just observed and remained quiet.
"But a demon's still a demon..."
The tension raised higher after the humans voice trailed off, but he seemed hesitant, almost as if he was conflicted about something. Only after Zabura was asked about his reasoning for being at the tournament did he finally speak.
"My reasoning for being at this tournament is my own human, you are curious and brave to be so forthcoming. You are not like these others that litter this place, that much is obvious, but the real question is not what I am doing at this tournament, but what are you doing at this tournament?
Kouta
Kouta could only shake his head, trying to stay determined but only succeeded in showing a tired expression. Obviously he'd been through these motions several times before and seemed to have grown weary of it despite himself, "What do you think I'm doing here? I'm here to send you back to the Makai Realm where you belong." he said, pointing at the demon as if trying to be threatening.
"You and your kind have rained death and destruction on the world since ancient times. You slaughter innocent people for no discernible reason other than for the fun of it. Can you really be so surprised that people like myself were born from such cruelty?" Why was he even saying any of this? It wasn't like the demon was going to suddenly start giving a damn about their past sins and turn a new leaf or something. Then again, maybe Kouta needed to hear his own words to sustain his self-assurance, that what he was doing was still worthwhile and making a difference, even if it didn't seem like it.
"It's obvious you're after the Dragon Balls," he said, changing the subject so that the demon couldn't get inside his head, "but I am curious why. Immortality? Doubtful, strong enough demons tend to be long-lived on their own anyway. So where does that leave us? Maybe you're goals are bit more bold than that? Maybe what you're after is to rule Earth once again. Is that it?"
Zabura
Zabura was somewhat amused by the ramblings of this human, he seemed to certain of why Zabura was here in the first place. Even from sight and way he spoke told the demon that he still lived in the old days where demons were just monsters, not anything other then beasts who desired nothing more then torture and death. Without a doubt Zabura now knew exactly where this human had come from the words Makei Realm made the picture all too clear. It was an old world term, even ancient in this day an age, long before the term Demon entered the picture. Zabura curled his lips as he let out a rather sinister sounding laugh, never did he imagine he would meet one of the so called Shi-Long tribe.
"Demon hunters yes... I have heard of your kind, many years ago all I ever heard was demons, many demons cursing the name Shi-Long. It seems that even after the unfortunate destruction of the Shi-Long Village all those years ago, one still exists among us. But it seems that even after the last of you invaded the Demon Realm or as you refer to it as the Makei Realm, that you have still not abandoned your old ways of thinking."
Zabura became silent for a minute as he looked at the human with no emotion really in his eye's. After all he did not care about the past, nor did he care about demons once being rulers upon this planet so long ago. Things had long ago changed, most demons cared not anymore for this planet or its inhabitants. An even if they did then they would never again wage war.
"This might not shock you but I do not care of your assorted past human, just as much as I do not care that your tribe was the main reason why demons were banished from this realm. You see we do not care anymore to wage war in this place, nor do we care to once again control this world. For you see, long ago when we were first locked away, things changed and that change began with the Demon King. The same demon king who wiped the rest of your pitiful tribe away when they dared to invade our realm in revenge for a rogue group of demons bent on the past attacking your village."
Zabura silently uncrossed his arms as he slowly walked forward, stopping a few feet away from the human he bore his glowing red eye's into the humans continuing to speak.
"This might shock you though, I have no such desires for immortality or never ending power, I don't even care to kill all the weaklings on this planet. For you see I do not take pleasure in killing the weak, there is no honor in that. What I seek is something more then what you could ever possibly understand. You have showed me with your old ways of thinking, that even if I told you my true reasoning for wanting the dragon balls, that you would think it was a demon trick. The deep truth is... that your too afraid to accept that the old days are over. So let me re-ask your question. Where does that leave us human? I guarantee that you won't be sending me back to the Demon Realm..."
Kouta
So this demon, whoever he was, had knowledge of the Shi-Long. Not that surprising, really, few people would ever have the courage to actively seek out demons to fight, much less an entire tribe's worth of people. But what the hell did he mean by "they invaded the Demon Realm"? That couldn't be right, why would they do that? Their creed was to protect humanity from its ancient enemy, not conquest. Even if the motivation was revenge, they would surely have known that taking on Demons in their own realm was tantamount to suicide, as many demons were stronger in that realm than they were on Earth.
"What... what are you...?" Kouta tried to say, but the Demon did not stop there. He berated the tribe's old world views and claimed that times had changed for both Earth and the Demon Realm. But Kouta himself never held these views. He specifically wanted out of the tribe and have the chance to live among normal people for a change. That was the whole reason why he had survived the village's destruction in the first place. Thinking about this made his blood boil.
"You say I'm the one with outdated views?!" he exclaimed, beginning to raise his voice, "I'm not the one who ordered the invasion of Demon Realm, if that's even the truth! I didn't even take part in it! I wanted nothing to do with demons! I just wanted a life! To make something of myself that didn't involve risking my neck fighting for a dead cause for the sake of a planet of people who either don't know about it or don't give a fuck! You think I've been doing this for the glory of it? No, I just want the bastard who killed the woman I loved. This has nothing to do with creeds or worldviews. This is revenge. Pure and simple."
To be fair, that last bit wasn't entirely true. He did genuinely want keep what happened to Shino from ever happening to anyone else. But that was it. Demons, Aliens, it didn't matter at this point. If it was evil and needed to be put down, then he'd find a way to do it. Although it was becoming clear that he may have been mistaken about the Demon standing before him, if only a little. Not that he believed everything the Demon was saying, but some of it made too much sense to be a lie.
He remembered the Dragon Balls, that they were all gathered here. Most importantly, he remembered their mystical power. Any wish he may have wanted, he could have if he were to claim them for himself. Of course, he only had one thing he would wish for. But why fight over them with this Demon? Instead, he said something he thought he'd never say, "You know... the Dragon Balls can grant two wishes now, instead of just one."
Zabura
Zabura cracked a rather frightening grin at the human when he revealed that the dragon ball's in fact granted two wishes rather then one. However it did not escape his mind that after the humans outburst that perhaps, this could be a lie, maybe even to get Zabura to help him obtain the dragon balls for himself. Zabura kept his eye's trained on the human wondering if he was truly suggesting that they might work together, or perhaps this was not what was being said at all.
"You are the first interesting human I have come across since I came to this realm. Not that I am saying that you are like me, but perhaps our reasoning's for what we do are not exactly different. I can see a fire in your eye's, an now I know why. Revenge. Something you humans feel strongly, something that causes you to do whatever it takes to justify a wrong in your lives. Demons do not feel such as humans do, infact we are able to let go of things as if it never happened at all. However... there are some things that we don't let go of, some things that run deep. That’s what makes us similar, not the same but similar."
Zabura crossed his arms again as he thought for a moment. Perhaps working with this human would benefit him to a certain extent. He did not feel the need for help, nor did he want it... but it was not often that a human such as this came along, and that this could be entertaining to see how far he would go. Zabura raised his finger up off his arm and pointed at the human, speaking.
"So if I understand what your saying, you want to help me obtain the dragon balls?"
Kouta
"What I want is closure. Someone precious me, innocent of this messy conflict, was victimized by it. She deserves a second chance. Helping you obtain the balls would simply be a means to an end." Kouta said, now crossing his arms. He had to wonder if this is what she would have wanted. To be brought back under these sorts of circumstances. But no, he'd committed to this course, and he meant to see it through.
Zabura
"Human emotion... something I will never fully understand or would never want to fully understand. But as you say its a means to an end, and in my case a means of leaving this pitiful planet and returning to the Demon Realm quicker. I will accept your offer human... but do know, that if this is a trick or you are trying to deceive me..."
Zabura closed in on the human and glared at him eye to eye to show that there was no lie in the words he was about to say.
"Then the hell I will release on this planet will be like nothing you or anyone else has witnessed in hundreds of years. I am the gate keeper in the Demon Realm, I decide if the gate to the demon realm opens or stays closed... I am the Demon King of Demon Realm an if I want to start a war then all I need to do is say so. Remember this well human."
Kouta
"Demon King, huh? Yeah, I get the picture. It's no lie, the Dragon Balls were supposedly powered up some time ago so they can grant more than just a single wish at a time. Not sure how or why, but we've trained ourselves to sense these sort of things when they happen." he said, showing no reaction to the demon's threat, at least not outwardly, "Anyway, I think we've started attracting attention to ourselves up here."
Zabura
Zabura silently viewed the human but said nothing as he averted his gaze too two younger humans making their way up to their position at the top of the arena stairs. As they got closer it turned out to be the same boy from before with the increased level in Ki.
Nel
“What's going on here? Surely you both know that fighting outside the ring is prohibited. Why don't we all go take a seat and enjoy the matches. I'm sure they'll be starting soon”
Zabura glared at the younger human as he averted his attention back to the other human catching his eye's one last time.
"Not that it is your business to know, but I am known as Zabura, remember that name if you intend to betray me."
With that Zabura turned and silently walked around the boy who had protruded on their conversation, turning his back on all of them. The tournament would be starting soon and he did not wish to waste any more time talking.
Kouta
"Kouta." he said simply, "My name's Kouta. And... same thing to you I guess." he just sort of shook his head, feeling a bit foolish for trying to threaten a freaking Demon King. Still, at least they understood each other, he hoped.
As for the new guy who showed up, Kouta nodded in agreement, "Yeah... sure..." he said with a distracted tone before going his way as well.