Long Time No See [HBTC/Chris]

He couldn’t help but breathe a sigh of relief as he breathed within the strained air that was the intense gravity inside this room. The never expanding expense of white, the void that raised before them. All of this was something that he had been to once before, all of it was something that he had experienced first-hand. The last time he was here, he came so close to breaking new limits, something that still had him pushing to his very end. This? This expanse of void? It was something that even he never truly wanted to see again. The reason for having to see it only meant the universe was in danger again.

This time was to be different however, this time he was to be leaving for good. This was his last time to come to the chamber of time and space. This was also part of his last few moments on earth. He had to win though, the deal had been simple after all, he would fight for the universe that was still doomed even if they won. In return he would have himself and his family moved to another universe. He was tired of how this universe was anyway, so in honesty he had little left to lose besides his family. The very family that would now be safe.

There was inside of Chris a small form of doubt, of regret for what he was to do. However, in honesty he couldn’t dare raise a child in this universe. He wanted his own kid to have the life he never got, a life in a more peaceful universe, not one to have nearly three wars in less than a decade. Chris could already hear the name calling now, coward, traitor. Call it as they wished, he would still fight for this universe one last time. He had his own family to protect, even as much as he would miss king kai and Galen, he couldn’t place his friendships over the safety of his family. Nasu had made him see that at least with his spirit ball.

He had mercilessly attacked his friends, threatened to hurt everyone there. There wasn’t any reason for him to forgive him for that. All those lives lost because of that damned tree were all on his cousin. This tournament was the only thing honestly preventing him from just trying to rip said cousin to shreds. As much as he loved his family, as much as he did care for them, there was a limit to how far he would allow himself to be pushed around and Nasu had ungracefully pushed such buttons. Even if it had been his own conscience to hold back, that wasn’t meaning he had been thankful his cousin had been dead. If anything, he had deserved to stay dead. It was becoming disgusting how easily the afterlife was being broken out of. It was a pace of which he could already foresee was not a good forthcoming.

Thankfully inside this chamber it wasn’t to be with Nasu or even Komatsu. Simply placed he didn’t exactly forgive his cousin just yet for trying to shoot him with his guard down. He hadn’t even been attacking, he had been healing the injured. A low blow even for him. It was coming full circle now that he realized it though, Tomo was a nice person overall, but her children, his cousins, they had each caused their own harm towards the galaxy in all varying ways, the tree, the pride, and the mark of demons. It was their harms towards the galaxy and now it was to be their downfalls. This end they were to receive if they were to lose? He couldn’t say in the slightest that it wasn’t deserved.

Bernael however, an old friend part of an old group. A group that maybe no longer existed now, but the memory of which served to leave the two alive today. The two had met few times only, in a way that was good as well. Bern was also the only knight left remaining besides himself. That battle against Jarvis having only been their first real meeting. Out of everyone else in the group however, he would’ve been glad if it had been either Bernael or Cervez. Just having Bernael here however made it all the more worthwhile. Having someone he could get along with for a year would easily become the best training he's had for a while. All his other training sessions had quite frankly involved people he hadn’t truly liked the most.

“Heh, don’t worry, any rust you have we will be sure to sharpen up throughout the year we’re here. However, if that’s really the case, the best option for us would be to train our base strength up. Sure, we could just train in our strongest transformations, but, frankly we will be able to know our limits better if we can know just how far we can push them. This tournament if its like most will be upmost on us being able to control our energy. Who knows, maybe if we can master our current control of our energy we might be able to reach a new strength even?”, Chris would try and even tease with a bit at the thought of such. He knew where his biggest flaw was and that was why he wanted to try and train it during this year. He couldn’t exactly control his energy fluidly. That much he was able to tell when he was using it with his other forms. Even his newest form he had unlocked in his desire to heal Flare. It was just raw energy uncontrolled.

“I do want to see how much stronger you have gotten however Bern, so if you don’t mind, I’m sorry for this but….”, Chris would say with a slight smirk as he would launch himself towards Bern, a new style of fighting compared to the old one of the knights. Its own grace was indeed held to it, but not like that of the knight arts, as he shifted side to side so gracefully trying to release a small force of air towards that of Bern, it would be reminiscent of a dragon soaring towards one with its mouth full of flames. Whether it was to even hit or not, one thing was clear. It was time for the training to begin.

WC: 1102 / 5000
PL: 471,624

~ Just launching attacks purely as flavor also trying a different format style to make things look nice
Bernael

That slight bit of determination, the fact he had his own deal to win from this. A new peaceful existence was one that was hard to bare. The fact of how it was to be handled as well, was there really no other choice? This universe had already betrayed him twice now, a third time was really only to be expected. When that third time came however, he didn’t want his own family to be there to really witness it. They deserved to be free from the sins of the past. The sins of his home universe. He did hope some of his friends would understand, but he had his own family to save.

“Yeah, I suppose I have grown a bit. Trying to keep a balance in the universe hasn’t been the easiest of jobs. I still have guilt that I failed if we are even in this situation at all, but I honestly can’t entirely blame myself. I couldn’t possibly be in so many places at once. It may be a shame, but I will be honest. It’s a shame our universe entirely deserves. Maybe even if this is all to pass we can finally have the peace it deserves. That’s not to say you haven’t grown a lot as well Bern. I can feel your power already, it’s a lot stronger than the last time we met even.”, Chris would say with a smirk right back to the demon hybrid. Strange how friendships could work, but he didn’t blame all demons for the fault of the ones who caused trouble. He at least knew Bern well enough to know he was one he could trust.

“Bern, I’ll be honest with you, after this tournament, it’s going to be up to you and the others to keep the universe at peace. I’m afraid that I won’t really live here anymore. When Corn came to me to ask me to join. I had to make a deal to keep my own family, my own kid to come safe. The simple truth is that I’m moving universes. I just can’t let my family grow in the dangers of this universe. I’m sorry, but the decision was already made. I just can’t lose any more family to the perils of this universe. I already lost my sister forever to the demon queen…”, Chris would admit to his friend solemnly. It was painful to say the truth, but it was indeed what mattered to him over such. They were to be here for a year after all, it was best to have as much trust as possible.

Chris couldn’t help but smile as his attack connected, it was a smile of which he hadn’t enjoyed in quite a while. After all, this was meant to be training, and just knowing how much energy he had been able to place out while doing something like that. It made him excited to learn to harness such energy to its potential. The only way he really could describe it was as some form of excitement just waiting to occur. “Well thanks for the compliment Bern, sorry for the cheap shot but this tournament had no bounds, if we are to do this then we must be ready for anything. That kind of attack could easily have knocked you off the boundaries. I guess what I’m saying is that you just can’t be too careful. This tournament will involve people who have tried to kill us before, so the last thing I want happening is for some kind of surprise attack from either side just killing you there on the spot.”, Chris would warn with only a slight buffer, his words simply not finished yet, “This style as well is my own, I actually learned it from tapping into the life energy of the afterlife itself. I can use my own life energy to temporarily boost my power further, but even I don’t want to do so yet. After all this is a test of seeing what we can do with our base power no?”

However, Chris himself was unsuspecting of the very hook right towards his own chest, the force of impact knocking the very air out of him even for that very moment. As he backed away, regained his composure, and watched Bern slip into the knight’s style. He couldn’t help but smirk. This style Bern had used was indeed different, far more so than anything else he had encountered yet so far. It had him curious. “It seems I need to listen to my own advice, I will admit I’ve never even seen that style you’ve used before. In no way did I expect it in such a way.”, Chris would keep smiling as he watched Bern’s ki blade appear. “I’ll be honest, I forbade myself to ever use those arts ever against after someone made me use them for an intent I never wished. You’re not the only one with a new style however…”, Chris would speak towards Bern as he pulled both of his hands over his heart, and pulled out wards, summoning with his magical creation two blades of light and dark, his old reverse blades. His stance changed this time, mimicking that of one who was relaxed, his stance bearing similar to that Cervez had shown him. The art of destruction in its own finesse.

“This stance was taught to me by a good friend, a stance meant only for countering or purely offensive. I’m sure you can tell which I intend for by my own blade style. The very style I used under our once shared mentor.”, Chris would speak nonchalantly as he would rush at Bernael, launching repeated hammering, slicing and, stabbing towards his friend. All the while being as careful as he can to keep from hurting his friend fatally. In fact, he was hoping said friend would at least clash his blades with his own to deflect them. However, his dual bladed stance was very fast with its attacks, after all it was meant for how much damage it could do for every second while sacrificing precision and defense.

WC: 1030
TWC: 2132 / 5000
Bernael

As Chris would gaze into the face of his fellow ally, there was simply that cold expression and in a way, he worried that his words had offended the hybrid. He was sorry that such had to be, but even he couldn’t express his own disappointment with the universe as a whole. He was beginning to worry that he had lost yet another friend until the demon began to smile. Chris could recognize that very looks of understand and he himself could only smile upon it. That was what a true friend was, one who could understand the pains of those he did call friends. Bernael understood his intention and thankfully that made him one of those true friends.

“Bern…thank you, thank you for not judging me for a choice that I know the others will when they find out. Maybe, she doesn’t want to leave because your still here Bern. There aren’t many people like you Bern, honestly, I could see you changing the galaxy itself, personally I see it even for the better. Demon or not, you’re still you. What makes you, you, is your friendliness to others, your eagerness to help. All in all, that’s what makes you special, that what gives you a strength that can only be viewed by others and never yourself.”, Chris would say encouragingly as he would prepare his second flurry against the solidity of Bernael’s defense. He would admit that even in his base form, he was struggling considerably for this intense pursuit. Bernael was worthy opponent, and even as he thought on the words Bernael had said. It was tough to admit, but he didn’t blame Bernael for his aunt. He couldn’t, after all the blame passed on in his family by those of the before. No, he wouldn’t be like them, he couldn’t be like them.

“Bern, even if your Aunt is the Demon Queen that took my sister’s soul away, I don’t blame you. I could never blame you because it isn’t your fault. The sins of the family do not befall upon the next generation. The crimes your Aunt has caused will come back to haunt her one day, but not you Bern. I don’t judge you for it…because it isn’t your fault, it never was your fault.”, Chris would speak toward Bern with an exalted interest in his tone. He truly didn’t blame his friend for the Demon Queen, he cared for him as a true friend should. He cared for him on who he was himself.

As Bern would ask about his own technique, Chris couldn’t help but smile about it. It was an interesting thought and it did stink that he was to leave soon. There would be no time for him to do so unfortunately. “Bern, I love that you would want to learn my own technique, maybe if I try showing it off to you later this year, you might be able to use something of it yourself for your own style. It’s a shame that there just isn’t much time left for me to teach it, the teaching itself would be better if you were to have some kind of family or a loved one nearby to help you out. If only we had been able to meet sooner, maybe things could’ve been different.”, Chris would begin to admit solemnly as he would make his first slip up in combat, leaving himself widely open, an opportunity Bern had persistently been able to take.

As the varying slashes were to come it almost immediately placed Chris on the defensive, lacking the precision of such to focus on his defensive, using the force of his two blades together to try and intercept the slashes like a wall themselves. It would seem that he was being place on the edge here with these practices. He would have to admit that Bern’s movement had been smart in how their retaliation had sought. That was a weak point he was going to have to remember for when he would be fighting in the tournament of power. “Your right that this battle right now is between just us, just like our blades are. Each one is more than just a tool, a physical extension to who we are ourselves. I won’t let this fight end just like this Bern, I promised you a good fight and I sure as hell will give it to you.”, Chris would give his own comment, a smirk forming quite considerably on his face. Even if he would stay on the defensive for now, focusing towards blocking that of his friend’s slashes. Study and learn, he needed to adapt, but for now it was time to learn. He would find the weak point of Bern’s stance eventually, the question being just when.

All and all Chris had to admit, this experience was going to be one of the most fun he’s had for the longest of times. In fact, this was already ramping up to be a better experience than his last trip to this chamber. At most, at least there wasn’t going to be the entire earth getting attacked right as they walked out. Well at least he hoped at that one, he really was not wanting a repeat of the last time. “I’ll be honest, I haven’t had this much fun in a while as well. In fact, I haven’t been able to clash with others with swords in even longer. This experience to be able to fight with them evenly once again, well, its just plain wonderful.”, Chris would say with his continued smile, excitement clear in his voice as he continued to watch for Bern’s stance. All he could do simply for now after all was just to block. In this white expanse of a void, they held a year in a day, where that training would take them was the true wonder, but how they were to reach such powers was only dependent on that aftermath. That was true fate for you, unpredictable to the very end.

WC: 1,046
TWC: 3,178 / 5,000
Bernael

As Bernael would try to explain the afterlife to him, Chris couldn’t help but feel him in that part. Chris had been dead before after all, an experience he knew Bern had known. Either way, even with such trivial things causing such a matter, even Chris couldn’t help but feel bad for the guy. Simply the thought to do things, thinking you were doing the right thing the whole time only to be faced so suddenly that you lost such respects, that your entire world had been a lie. It was an experience he himself had never face, and quite frankly it was one he wasn’t entirely sure he even wanted to face himself. That kind of experience was tough to pass by there, it was something that couldn’t exactly be felt the same by one who never had such, but…the pain of such?

“I will be honest with you Bern, I’ve never faced such an action myself. Simply having your entire view of the world shattered around you just like that is something I don’t even know if I would want to experience myself. Yet, here you have. I can’t say I know the pain that might’ve been to come from that, however I can say that even if such did happen. It doesn’t mean it’s the end for you. The past was the past, its what we do in the present and now that truly change how our future is to go. I guess the only one who can really decide that one however is ourselves heh.”, Chris would say trying his best to have made light of a darker situation. They were already here for a year, there was no need to go through it filled only with grief. Eventually grief just had to heal.

As the blow was to come, he could only react with surprise as his guard was broken from the single blade, however his quick movement of the other blade had secured him the fight. A deciding victory purely won by luck in his eyes. Sword fighting like this, it had been so long, yet this experience had been so fun. It made him a bit excited for the next round. He couldn’t quite explain it really, but that wasn’t to say that the experience had been any less than what he had hoped for. All in all, it just secured one thing for him, the thought that Bernael had indeed been the perfect partner for him. At least he did have one such friendly rivalry that continued to exist.

It was right then that Bern explained his own side to the story, of what he had done to help Jarvis. That kind of thing usually was hard to forgive, that much was easy to say. However, maybe stories weren’t always as black and white as one usually made them out to be. Who was it to says that things had to go a perfectly exclusive way with no bumps on the road. That wasn’t the road he followed, and that road wasn’t the one his friend was following. There was a difference he did see in his own eyes. A difference in most that he saw. That difference to him, was what made Bern a honorable person no matter what those in the afterlife thought.

“Bern…No, I refuse to accept for you to keep blaming yourself for this. Bern there’s nothing wrong with helping a friend, helping a friend especially with a goal that you truly thought was to help people. There was no way you could’ve known what he was planning. You blame yourself like all of this is your fault, but it truly isn’t. This is Jarvis’s own undoing. Heck, Bern I truly believe that deep inside that heart of Jarvis’s a part of him is still your friend. Something I believed deep inside that there was still good in him despite what the gods would say. I refused to listen to them because I do believe it. A part inside of him that refuses to truly die, a part of him that is your friendship. That what friends are, and that what makes us friends to them. When we meet someone, we do more than just make a new friend, we leave a part of ourselves inside of them to keep them safe, a part to let them know we are there. You don’t deserve hell, we all make mistakes, we all must live with them. When I was about ready to fight Jarvis, before I had to leave, that care in his eyes for Shizen. If he truly holds such feelings inside of him. Your friend isn’t gone, he’s lost. Lost and I suppose, still looking for his true way back.”, Chris would say before taking his own short breath, “I don’t blame you Bernael, I’d never blame you for what your friend has done. I never would give up on you Bern, Never give up on your own friends, never give up on Jarvis.”

WC: 840
TWC: 5,069 / 5,000 HBTC Limit met