Fandom Dragon Ball X

[Shoya]

Juno​

Juno listened intently to everything Kami had to say, lightly flinching at the mention of a vampire. Not just that, but training with one as well. It admittedly gave him some doubts for the intent of this voice.
This could just be a trap...

After further hearing Kami, he seemed a bit more reassured.

A potential guardian, huh? I suppose it does make sense a vampire could teach me. There's a lot of experience and knowledge to be gained throughout the years, maybe he could teach me how to improve my ki control.... very well.

"Alright, where can I find this Orlock guy?" Juno responds, looking up to the sky.

 

[Astrylan]

Mia blushed a little at Ramune's comment on natural shock absorbers only to see her start massaging her chest; she turned to look at what she could see of the planet to hide the increasing redness on her face. "Guess they could work that way too." Thankfully, the approaching figures changed the topic rather quickly. The short -well, everyone was short compared to Ramune - black haired girl was apparently someone Ramune knew. Someone who she had off handedly mentioned more than once. "How bout some introductions before we get too off track about why we are here, Mune? We don't have a lot of time and you can reminisce after we beat the Saiyans."

 

[Darklord95]

“Oh? Is this your friend?” Mary says after letting Ramune go. She gives Mia one of her famous category 10 hugs. “It’s wonderful to meet you friend! I’m Mary! Ramunes’ friend!”

 

[Kameron Esters-]

As Juno looked up into the sky, Kami’s voice returned, quieter this time, but resolute, as if sensing the doubts that lingered in Juno’s mind.

"Your doubts are understandable, Juno," Kami said gently, his tone meant to reassure. "But trust in yourself, and in what you will gain from this. Orlock has honed his skills over centuries. Though his ways are dark, his mastery over Ki, combat, and endurance will give you the strength to stand against those who threaten this world."

There was a pause, and then Kami continued, his tone shifting to one of instruction. "Orlock resides far from here, in the wilderness beyond the reach of civilization. I will guide you to him."

A faint image began to form in Juno’s mind, as if Kami were projecting it directly into his thoughts. He saw a dark forest, dense with towering trees, cloaked in mist that hung like a heavy shroud over the land. Deep within, nestled in shadows, stood an ancient fortress, its stone walls worn and weathered, exuding an aura of power and dread. "Make haste, young one. Every second counts towards saving the world."

Shoya

 

[Shoya]

Juno​

Juno takes off flying towards the direction Kami showed him, following along until coming upon the ancient fortress. He lands in what seems like a courtyard, making a visual inspection of the area around him. This certainly fit the description of a centuries old being with a dark past. Had the guardian even told this "Orlock" he was coming? He begins to concern himself with his choice of a landing spot.

Maybe I should have landed in front of the gates, what if he thinks I'm an intruder? Damn. It's too late to make stuff up, even if he doesn't know about me, I'm sure I could convince him myself. I need that knowledge...

He begins to walk towards the main building, yelling "Hello!" while staring at the layers of windows on the building. He watches for even the slightest movement if anyone were spying on him from inside.

 

[Astrylan]

Kami had informed King Kai earlier about the two arriving, but didn't know much beyond that. Whether they could learn his techniques were up to them. King Kai watched as Mary ran up to the larger of the two arrivals and hugged her. Having someone she knew arrive would not only be good for her training, as it would hopefully spark a bit of competition, it helped with breaking the monotony of it as well.

"Yes yes, everyone's all friendly and buddy buddy. However as Mia said, you can wait until after you defeat the invading Saiyans before travelling memory lane." King Kai coughed to clear his throat and continued. "Now, seeing as I've already trained Mary here to be up to par with the rest of your little group, we can get straight to the main bit." He glanced at Mia and Ramune for a second before continuing. "Or so I'd like to say, but you two need to get used to the gravity here first. Bubbles! Come here." King Kai calls out to the nearby monkey that had wandered off while they were talking. "You two will take turns trying to catch Bubbles here. It's not as simple as it might seem either since he's perfectly fine with the gravity here, unlike you two." Hands behind his back, King Kai walks off towards his house. "You can start whenever you want, just remember that working together isn't allowed for now. There'd be no point in this exercise otherwise. Mary, you can either take a break and watch or do some more training. You won't have much else to do for awhile anyhow."

Darklord95 PlusUltra

 

[Kameron Esters-]

As Orlock stood in the dim light of his fortress, a shadow among shadows, he felt an unwelcome, familiar presence press against the edge of his mind. His lip curled with irritation; it had been years since Kami last dared to intrude upon his thoughts.

“Orlock.”

The voice was steady, calm, yet weighted with authority, and Orlock let out a low, mocking chuckle, his fangs glinting faintly in the darkness.

“Kami,” Orlock replied, his tone dripping with disdain. “I should have expected you’d be watching. Tell me, does this intrusion come with another tiresome lecture?”

Kami’s voice remained steady, though there was an edge to it. “You know I don’t reach out lightly, Orlock. I wouldn’t if there were any other choice.”

Orlock’s amusement faded. He could sense the urgency behind Kami’s words, a tone he hadn’t heard from the Guardian in some time. Whatever it was, it was serious.

“Then get on with it,” Orlock said coolly, crossing his arms. “Why have you come crawling to me? I’m sure you would rather choke on your own words than admit you need something from me.”

There was a brief silence, a subtle tension before Kami responded, the weight of his words pressing heavily into Orlock’s mind. “Raditz is dead. But he was only the beginning.”

Orlock raised an eyebrow, intrigued but skeptical. “Raditz… that brute?” He smirked, his disdain evident. “I know. I dealt with him myself, along with the rest.”

“Yes,” Kami replied evenly, though his voice was firm. “But his death will not go unnoticed. The Saiyans are a warrior race, Orlock, and they will come to seek vengeance. More of them will arrive, stronger and more ruthless than Raditz. And Earth’s defenders have fallen.”

Orlock felt a flicker of satisfaction at the mention of Earth’s defenders, those bothersome pests who had dared to challenge him before. But his satisfaction was short-lived as the gravity of Kami’s words sank in.

“So, Earth is vulnerable.” He allowed a faint smirk, his tone taunting. “And you’ve come to me, a creature you once deemed unworthy of your so-called ‘divine purpose.’”

Kami’s silence spoke volumes. Orlock’s words stung, but they were the truth. When Kami finally spoke, his voice was resigned but resolute. “This is not about worth, Orlock. This is about survival. The Earth is at risk, and you are one of the few with the power to protect it.”

Orlock scoffed, though his eyes narrowed with interest. “Protect it? You must be desperate to think I would ever care enough to play your savior.”

“I do not ask you to be a savior,” Kami replied, his voice growing colder. “Only to train the one who might stand against the Saiyans, should they come again. His name is Juno. He has the potential to become a powerful warrior, but he lacks the skill and experience.”

Orlock’s interest piqued despite himself. A mortal with the potential to face down the Saiyans? It was an intriguing idea, though he found Kami’s dependence on others almost pathetic.

“You want me to train this Juno,” Orlock said slowly, testing the words, a smirk pulling at the corner of his lips. “You must truly be out of options.”

“It isn’t about options, Orlock. It’s about necessity,” Kami replied, a subtle edge to his voice. “You alone possess the knowledge, the skill, to teach him what he needs to survive. The power to make him more than he is.”

Orlock’s eyes gleamed with dark satisfaction. Kami was right; there was no one else left to turn to. But the idea of training another… someone so weak and insignificant… was beneath him. The only reason he’d ever consider it would be if it served him.

“And if I agree to this… training?” Orlock said, voice laced with skepticism. “What’s in it for me?”

Kami paused before answering, his voice a touch softer, though still firm. “If Juno succeeds, he will have the power to defend this world. The threats to Earth are great, Orlock, and if the Earth falls, so will all that sustains you—your fortress, your realm, everything you claim as your own. This is not just about my world, Orlock. It’s about yours as well.”

Orlock fell silent, the words hitting deeper than he cared to admit. Though he despised Kami, the old fool had a point. If Earth fell to these Saiyan invaders, he would lose the last of his kingdom, the last of his influence… everything he had fought centuries to keep. It would be swept away in an instant.

“Very well,” Orlock finally said, his tone dripping with reluctance. “I will tolerate this Juno. But do not mistake this for loyalty, Kami. I have no intentions of playing guardian to your precious world.”

“I expect nothing less,” Kami replied, a touch of weariness in his voice. “But do not underestimate Juno. You may find that he is stronger than he seems.”

Orlock scoffed, unimpressed. “We’ll see about that.”

Without another word, Kami’s presence faded from Orlock’s mind, leaving him alone in the shadowed silence of his fortress once more. Orlock exhaled slowly, his gaze darkening as he considered what lay ahead. He would train this Juno, yes, but only on his own terms. And if the boy survived his methods… perhaps he would be worth something after all.
----------------------------------
From the shadows of a high window, Orlock’s red eyes narrowed as he watched the young man enter his courtyard unannounced. The figure below matched the description Kami had provided—a mortal, brimming with nervous energy, yet with an undercurrent of resolve. Orlock could sense the boy's potential, raw and untested. And his audacity, landing directly in the courtyard rather than approaching the front intrance to his place of dwelling, did not go unnoticed.

The vampire stepped back into the darkness, his lips curling into a faint, sardonic smile. "So, Kami’s fledgling has arrived. I wasn't told you had an... Aversion to doors. But, welcome nonetheless." Orlock bows towards Juno before straightening up again. "I take it he told you who I am?"
Shoya

 

[Shoya]

Juno​

Juno's suspicions about his rudeness were true.

Damn, I should have landed at the front!

"Sorry about that. I was led here by visions, so when I found the place the entrance was the last thing on my mind." he says, taking a bow himself. Juno took a moment to soak in who he was looking at. He really did seem... outerworldly. Though, compared to the dog, cat, etc. hybrids of people he knew, it wasn't anything too crazy. If anything Juno's scientist brain became curious of Orlock. He wondered if he would get his own vampire-esque outfit while training here. Masters give their students gi, it seems appropriate, doesn't it? His train of thought is cut off b the question

"Yes, he told me you could train me, and help me get stronger to defend Earth from outside threats. It would be an honor if you could, I was told you would be able to help me improve my ki control and abilities. I promise I will keep up." he says, lifting an arm and briefly turning it into a ki blade as a demonstration.

I always knew training on my own would eventually make me hit a ceiling, which is why I'm doing this, especially if there's another threat coming.

 

[Kameron Esters-]

Orlock stepped forward from the shadows of the main hall, his movements smooth and predatory, the faint echo of his boots on the stone floor the only sound in the otherwise oppressive silence. His crimson eyes locked onto Juno with a piercing intensity, scanning him from head to toe as if weighing his very existence. The faint display of a Ki blade had caught his attention, but he showed no outward reaction.

He stopped a few paces away, his dark cloak billowing faintly in the breeze that whispered through the courtyard.

“Visions, was it?” Orlock’s voice was smooth, yet cold, laced with amusement. “Or perhaps the old fool’s desperation.” He smirked faintly, his fangs just visible. “No matter. You’ve found me.”

He circled Juno slowly, like a wolf sizing up prey, his hands clasped behind his back. “You claim to be here to defend the Earth. To become stronger. But do you have any idea what you’ve walked into?” His voice dropped lower, more menacing. “Training with me is not a privilege, boy. It is not an honor. It is pain, darkness, and survival. If you break under the weight of it, I will not mourn you.”

Orlock stopped directly in front of Juno, his tall figure towering over the young man. His red eyes gleamed, reflecting both malice and curiosity. “And yet... you show promise.” He gestured faintly to the fading Ki blade Juno had demonstrated. “Crude, but not entirely unimpressive. You’ve sharpened your power into a weapon, but the edges are dull. I can hone them—if you survive long enough.”

He leaned in slightly, his voice dropping to a whisper, his tone sharp as a dagger. “I have no patience for mediocrity. If you falter, if you hesitate, you will fall. Do you still wish to proceed, knowing that?”

Orlock straightened, folding his arms and staring down at Juno, awaiting his answer. The air around them seemed to grow heavier, the shadows of the fortress pressing in, as if the ancient walls themselves judged the young man’s resolve.
Shoya

 

[Darklord95]

Mary smiles as King Kai walks to his house. “You 2 have your work cut out for you. Bubbles is a lot faster than he looks. It took me about a month to catch him. I think. Time is a little weird here.”

 

[PlusUltra]

Smirking at Mia's blushing she goes to stretching slightly before setting both hands behind her head "I mean, Mary here knows me, and Kami already called ahead so Emperor Kai likely got the message, Sure he might get use mixed up if he wasn't listening in to check out his too new pupils from that surprisingly small castle" She gestures across to the building with the car next to it.

"Though guess it could always be bigger on the inside, maybe has one heck of a basement" she pats the ground a few times with her foot curiously before looking back once more "Or maybe that one also turns into a cute giant snake....then again that would be empress kai..." she stops going into thought cupping her chin.

"Unless it was a whole Mulan or Arthur deal where the King is a girl...guess best not to assume that part and only hope" she shrugs it off and trys to get back on track as King Kai speaks up. The whole Gravity thing sounded like it could be some fun training in itself. Giving a mock bow to Mai she grins once more "Well age before beauty" and going through a few more warm ups herself as she takes in the monkey with a small frown "Plus really not a fan of monkeys after that last guy...so need to get back into the flow of things with a bit more running"

With that she takes off in the opposite direction starting to do laps of the planet, though more of a strained power walk, throwing in the occasional attempted jump and roll as she goes.

 

[Astrylan]

Mia gives Ramune a deadpanned stare before shaking her head and turning towards the monkey. "So, your names Bobble, right?" She doesn't really expect and answer, outside of it making monkey sounds, and does a few stretches herself before beginning the chase. Honestly she'd rather be doing the same as Ramune to get used to the gravity instead of chasing a monkey, but she supposed she could brag if she caught him before Ramune did.

The gravity here definitely hindered her. Her whole fighting style and agile body were rendered useless here; she could swear the monkey was messing with her too - it would slow to a walk after running a good distance from her only to run away again once she got close. She was half-tempted to blast the damn animal into pieces but that would probably get her kicked off the planet. After running around the only tree on the planet 10 times she finally decided to take a break and let Ramune have a go. "I really want to beat that monkey to a pulp right now... Hey Ramune! You're turn to have a go at this little fucker."

PlusUltra

 

[PlusUltra]

As she got used to the planet slowly, an idea slowly formed from what she saw on each lap. Mia's efforts against the monkey gave her time to think. The monkey looked well-fed and obviously, somewhat trained, so offering food wasn't going to work and would defeat the point of the test. So instead she was getting used to rolling again as the new tactic was steadily taking shape.

The planet had a gentle curve to it that sloped down nearly constantly given its small size, which had been the key inspiration and given the higher gravity it only made sense to turn a hindrance into a strength. Giving Mia a mock salute as she passed, she didn't slow down her slow pace but seemed to strain herself to increase it, though not in the monkeys direction....at least not initially.

Tensing her legs she would instead make one large leap with as much force as she could, curling up into a ball and beginning to spin as she landed with a thud, though the added momentum of her own combined with the slope would have her slowly building up speed on each rotation and pass. Faster and Faster, she still seemed to make no move to change course for the monkey itself, as she instead seemed to be letting out the glitter behind her as she went to the point there was a line of the sparkling Ki circling the planet's surface.

Her next move was similar, though shifting her roll to make another line along another axis to effectively give the area 4 sections. Though to the others her actions might not have been immediately apparent, Mia could likely tell for certain the actions were anything but random and definitely one of her usual unconventional tactics.

 

[Shoya]

Juno​

Desparation or not, Orlock was his key to getting stronger, so he wouldn't be getting rid of him so easily. Catching a glimpse of his teeth, he wonders for the first time.

Does this guy actually eat people? Maybe this is what Kami meant by dark.

For a brief moment he considers that Kami may not have even been real, and that Orlock himself had baited him into a trap. However, he's snapped out of it by what Orlock said. Juno gets mildly irritated by Orlock's warning of his training. His eyes turn serious for a brief moment, as he thinks.

You don't know a thing about me. I was kidnapped, trained to be a murderer for the red ribbon army. I broke through muscle tower myself and nearly died in the snow. If I can survive that, I know I can survive you.

"I'm sure you'll find me to be quite resilient. Train me, and I promise I won't disappoint." He remembers saying something similar to Dr. Brief when he asked to join Capsule Corp. At the time his technological knowledge was that of a novice, having only learned what he could from muscle tower. Thankfully, Dr. Brief saw a potential in him, a potential Orlock seemingly saw as well. Juno crosses his arms as well, standing in a similar manner.

 

[Kameron Esters-]

Orlock studied Juno carefully, the faintest flicker of intrigue passing through his crimson eyes. The boy’s words carried conviction, and there was something about the way he held himself now—his arms crossed, mirroring Orlock’s own stance—that suggested a fire within him, tempered by hardship.

The vampire tilted his head slightly, as though considering a puzzle. “Resilient, are you?” he said, his voice a low murmur, more to himself than to Juno. “We shall see.”

He began to pace slowly again, his gaze never leaving the young man. “You speak of resilience, of promises not to disappoint. Bold words, but they are hollow without proof. Talk is cheap, boy, and potential means nothing without the strength to realize it.” He paused, turning sharply to face Juno again, his expression cold and unreadable. “Tell me, then—what fuels your resolve? Is it ambition? Revenge? Or perhaps simple fear of what’s coming?”

Orlock leaned in slightly, his eyes narrowing, searching for any hint of doubt or hesitation in Juno’s face. “You stand before me claiming to be ready, but I have seen countless others who thought themselves prepared, only to crumble under the weight of their own limitations.” His voice dropped to a near-growl, a dangerous edge creeping into his tone. “You will not survive my training on willpower alone. There is no mercy here, no sanctuary. If you falter, I will not lift you up—I will let you fall.”

He straightened, his cloak swirling faintly with the motion. “But…” Orlock’s voice softened slightly, a faint smirk tugging at his lips. “If you truly are as resilient as you claim, then you may just survive. And if you survive, I will make you strong. Stronger than you can imagine. Stronger than you’ve ever dreamed.”

He turned abruptly, walking toward the shadowed entrance of the fortress, his voice echoing faintly in the courtyard. “Come, then. If you have the spine for it, your training begins now.”

Without looking back, Orlock stepped into the shadows of his domain, his presence as foreboding as the ancient walls that surrounded him. The choice was Juno’s now—to follow or to turn away.
Shoya

 

[Shoya]

Juno​

This guy's spent plenty time trying to intimidate me. While he does have a certain... "aura" about him, could this be a bluff? Either way, I'm already here.

"What fuels me is my family. I've seen the darkness that this world can harbor, and was given a warm home when I was on the brink of death. Because of them, I learned to love this world despite the pain I've felt. That is why I'd put my life on the line to defend it." Juno felt very noble in his reasoning, but a part of him twisted at the words coming out of his mouth. While what he said was true, it wasn't everything. However, he felt it unnecessary to mention the anger and frustration he's been bottling for years. Partly out of fear of Orlock using this information against him, and partly out of shame for this feeling.

How can I explain the deep frustration I feel about not destroying the faction that caused all my suffering in the first place? It seems so contradictory to what I just said, hypocritical even. I don't want to shame myself and my family with these malicious feelings. A better person would have moved on by now, but I'm so incapable. It's a checkbox I'll never get to mark off, even though it should be a relief.

Juno runs into the castle after Orlock, determined to prove himself to the vampire lord. His eyes take a minute to get used to the darkness of the interior of the castle. The stone walls and dark, cold corridors reminding him of muscle tower.