#She cares way too much (Ninazu)

[ofspaceandearth]

Tag drop!

[kiealer]

( I saw a parallel and decided to jump for it. If it's too familiar, retreading ground already covered, or even if you're just not feeling it, feel free to ignore 💙 )

Drawn in from the conversation, Dek lingers. Their expression is difficult to place, though 'troubled' may begin to describe it.

When quiet comes, they approach Ninazu.

"I don't know you, or the one you've taken in by anything but reputation. I claim little knowledge of your critics, as well... but in you, and your quarry, I see something familiar."

Miles above, their home vessel drifted in Earth's orbit, aboard which a certain infamous insect awaited their return. They saw his progress; the subtle ways in which his interests shifted, and his personality evolved. Many others did not.

"You've taken on quite a responsibility. The effort alone is commendable... and I suspect you've already gathered that it will also be thankless. Those critics will not be your last, should your situation grow any more public. At times, it will be grueling. Maybe even hopeless."

"... I am not here to condescend you when I say this. I know the labor of working towards an outcome everyone else believes is impossible. I only ask because I believe it is the one question you must have an answer for, in a position like that which you've taken."

"If, despite everything you have done, your efforts come to nothing, and he threatens the world once more, do you have a plan... and the will to see it through to the end?"

Where she ought to be alarmed, she isn't. The unfamiliar ki should be a sign of danger, but she feels no urgency. Faced with by all means a stranger, she doesn't act -- merely listens. Her eyes widen upon their words, feeling a spark of what might be hope that someone understands. It takes all her willpower not to sob on the spot, the strain of this emotional weight far too much.

❝I know,❞ she speaks with great effort. ❝I knew this would happen from the moment I made the decision. I expected as much. I just… I guess I just didn't expect it to be so intense. I didn't think I'd have a hard time handling it. He truly has changed. Just… no one's seen it. No one wants to. I understand the bitterness and the cynicism, but… why throw away the progress of someone who's actually changed? Who's trying? Call me stupid, I don't care, but I… feel bad for him. I want to give him the best chance I can at becoming better.❞ She goes quiet, intent on hearing more of their spiel. They have an inquiry, it seems. For some reason, she finds herself tensing -- nervous. Her heart beats a little faster at the thought at what might leave their mouth.

The question causes her jaw to drop, whether to speak or because of shock, even she isn't sure. The possibility has always loomed over her, that everything she's built will be for nothing, and it will come crumbling down along with the rest of her hope. There's clear pain in her face as she contemplates. The thoughts that cross her mind, she doesn't wish to impart. Conflicts of all manner circle incessantly, but in truth, she does know her answer in an instant. Her once firm stare turns hesitant, and she withdraws that gaze. She carries a heavy burden, indeed. The weight of the world, and more.

❝I think if it came down to it… If nothing I did amounted to anything… I don't have a concise plan, but... ❞ Her fingers curl a little tighter into her palm, jaw clenching. ❝I'd want the final blow. Put an end to it all myself. Fight tooth and nail until it's all over.❞ Her voice wavers, indicative of the tears threatening to breach. ❝My ego isn't worth the lives of everyone else. I'm willing to admit when I'm wrong. If that were to happen, I'd accept the consequences, no matter what comes with them.❞ A solemn reply, but a necessary one, as much as her heart tugs her in another direction. She is soft by nature, to impose any other kind on her would be impossible. Though, she knows to be made of steel when the situation calls for it, no matter how it harms her.

She stares at the stranger for a long moment, but something has changed.

❝… Thank you,❞ she sighs, as if a ton of weight has left along with it. ❝I don't know who you are, either, but… I appreciate this. Let's both be a little bit of solace for each other, yeah? Believe that what we're doing isn't worthless.❞ Finally, she smiles. ❝I wish you nothing but the best in your endeavor.❞

[risingsouls]

Round 4 Commentary: Ninazu vs Cell

              Upon Cell’s introduction, the arena erupted into a deafening but unsurprising uproar of disapproval. Mr. Satan’s boasting of his stolen defeat of the bioandroid surprised Nabooru, a crimson brow lifting and her fingers tapping on her bicep. A bold move in light of his obvious unease in Cell’s presence who most certainly would not appreciate the likes of him claiming victory in the Cell Games. It took her months to choke down the triumph she handed to him when they met in the final round of the 24th World Martial Arts Tournament. At least he could fight, a miniscule reassurance in the face of the strings of frauds that followed. If the denizens of the planet were so easily fooled, she supposed that was on them. The money she had gotten for second place on top of the generous portion she made him agree to did wonders for their community. And second place had gotten her a fair few other opportunities for some extra zeni on top of her fights for Nappa and his DX Bomber Gym and the underground ring.

               She was silently grateful Cell was on his best behavior. Obnoxious as their colorful commentator could be, he didn’t deserve to die for it.

               Ninazu’s welcome boomed from the crowd in direct opposition to the audience’s distaste for Cell. Louder, encouraging. Good. Perhaps that would boost her confidence a little. The healer had made it all too clear that Cell was the last opponent she cared to face in this tournament, and Nabooru could not help the iota of guilt wriggling around in her heart at the healer’s predicament. And when those who personally knew her skill seemed to have little faith in her securing a win...

               Gold gaze slipped to the male who had, to her surprise, remained in her company. Stoic and content to maintain the comfortable silence between them as spectators awaiting the beginning of the match. “ So, Vegeta, was it? ” His attention drifting from the combatants to her signaled she remembered his name, no more than a flicker of annoyance crossing his features to suggest otherwise. “ Ninazu mentioned training with you. Now that she and Lila aren’t here, care to tell me how much of a fight she can put up here? ”

               “ Depends on if she stayed angry or if she found someone to coddle her and tell her how wonderful and perfect she is. She might do some damage that way, ” he responded. Pissed off as she was, he figured her rage would do her far more favors than a freak out. She didn’t realize the favor he had done her through . “ She can regenerate quickly enough, but she still feels pain. I suppose it will depend on how much Cell wants to toy with her, or if she can get any semblance of an upper hand before he can have his fun. ”

[hopefromadoomedtimeline]

Truth + how do you feel about Ninazu falling for/her relationship with Goku Black?

Time to tell the truth - closed!

There’s several seconds of silence that pass after the question had been asked, the desire to remain silent and pretend to remain in blissful ignorance was overwhelmed by the urge to comment his true, unadulterated feeling on the subject. If there was any silver lining to be had, it was that no one could hear what would come from his mouth, and with any luck, things would stay that way.

“...To say I feel infuriated would be massively underselling things.” His hands would ball up into fists as he bit back the instinct to let his raw emotion fly out, attempting to control himself and express things in a more concise manner. Part of him didn’t want to, part of him just wanted to fly into a rage and let everything come out at once, but another part of him wanted to remain sensible, and it would seem both parts were quickly beginning to try and gain control as he thought about what to say next.

“I... really can’t help but blame myself for this. I knew Black was too strong for me to stop, and getting stronger every time we clashed. But she insisted that she could use her abilities to help the wounded and I- I was so eager to get wrapped up in the idea that more lives could be saved I didn’t even bother reasoning out what would happen if she was face to face with him...” He remembers how painful it felt to know that she had been taken away, held captive and constantly teetering in a limbo between living another day and being killed on the spot. 

The whole thing made him violently sick to his stomach, a mixture of guilt and rage had only been piled onto the amount of fury that had been directed towards the godly body snatcher.

“She went through something no one should have to go through, and she- She really deserves the deepest sympathy for that. I’m not sure if I can ever forgive myself for setting up that sequence of events to happen in the first place.”

He would stop as he took a deep breath, one after the other, the war of emotions were quickly finding a stopping point. His brows furrowed as he became more disgruntled as his face became twisted with emotion, there was no more holding back the wave of pure hurt that came over him, even as he bit his tongue to hold it, all that it would accomplish was be the fresh taste of iron in his mouth as he swallowed it down.

“And yet- “

He could feel his nails digging into his hands, nearly breaking the skin as he felt more rage flow into his body.

“And yet--”

There was no stopping it, the need to let it all out was simply too much to hold back any more.

“She has feelings for him? It feels like some sort of cruel prank she’s playing. There’s no way anyone as adamant about helping people as her could ever begin to develop fondness for him! He took away thousands of lives! Shattered the peace the people of my world were desperate to have! He killed my mom! All for what? Some deluded- self serving twisted view of something he called justice?!?!”

He spat out the words, his tone of voice drenched in toxicity as he continued, mixed with the pain and anguish of the knowledge that he could no longer live in ignorance about the truth of the matter.

“I thought she was my friend, I wanted to believe she was my friend. But no friend of mine... No, no sane person could ever feel anything towards someone like him beyond hate! I don’t know what caused her to view him in the way that she does, and honestly, I don’t think I’d want to hear it. It’s clear to me I had her pegged wrong from the moment I came back for help. It was a mistake letting her come with me, and I can only hope that she comes to her senses to realize how foolish and dangerous having feelings towards someone like that really is!”

There’s so much more he could say about the deep betrayal he feels, how hurt he is by having his belief in her backfire so hard. But his throat is raw, and tears are beginning to form in his eyes. 

“But... maybe she knows this and simply doesn’t care. Maybe... we were never friends to begin with, and I fooled myself into thinking otherwise.”

There’s nothing more he wants to say.

[fusiioneternal-a]

kiealer​:

Going against a fusion warrior may as well be considered a death wish to most. To challenge the fusion of Goku and Vegeta – two of the toughest sparring partners she’s ever had the pleasure (and dismay) of fighting – may as well be a suicide mission. Yet, here she stands, insistent on taking him on as part of her training promise that she’d made with Vegeta some time back. Being in the midst of the session, she had already been drained significantly, lengthening the time it takes for her regeneration to fully care for the inflicted wounds. She’s left frustrated beyond belief. It never used to be this easy to bring her to her knees out of exhaustion. 

He is much more than she can handle, but she refuses to admit that. 

That blast was too powerful and too quick for her to redirect it, forcing her to take the hit instead, knocking her back. She hadn’t even the strength to stand firm, falling to the ground as though she were a tipped over ton of lead. Her skin burned and stung, muscles twitching in the aftermath of the pain. It took too long for her regeneration to start, let alone finish. Tears threatened to pool in her eyes, compromising her pride, until finally the relief slowly trickled in, soothing the burns. 

Vegito looked at her with stern expectation, similarly to how Vegeta would view her after she was knocked on her rear. That disappointment terrified her. Panicked, she had offered that she was fine, that it didn’t hurt much. Clearly, she lied, and he saw right through it. That in itself won’t stop her.

❝No,❞ she urges, forcing herself off the ground. She was still trembling, wiping the sweat from her brow. ❝I said I’m fine. I… can’t stop now. It’s the only way I can get better. Just– not yet, please?❞

An eyebrow quirked at her refusal. The fusion was all for good, intense training, but that was only if his partner could keep up with him. Thanks to the elevated plateau he was on now, that reached up into space while everyone he knew was either sky level or right on the ground, he understood that he wouldn't be feeling any genuine thrill in simple routines or sparring matches anymore.

Unless he went to Whis of course, but that was besides the point. Ninazu wanted to grow stronger, and he wanted to help her achieve that, but the gap between them was just too immense for this to go as smoothly as he would prefer. At least it was clear he should stick to his base form, but based on how much damage she took from that ki blast, he thought it would be best to further hold back.

Part of him felt it was disrespectful to her and her drive, by choosing the "easy" route. The other still didn't want to injure her too badly. Decisions decisions...

     ❝ Ninazu, you ARE aware of just what it is you're asking me, right? I hope you aren't overestimating what you can handle... ❞

Blunt, but it's the truth. A fighter recognizing and accepting their own limits was frankly key to self-improvement even being possible in the first place. Maybe that would have to be the lesson he should focus on teaching her.

     ❝ We can keep going in the same manner, but what if I strike you with an attack that wounds you severely again? Or even worse? Your healing ability has diminished greatly since we started. Do you think this rinse & repeat cycle will truly do you any good? ❞

[kiealer]

“... Father’s day? We never needed a day dedicated to that.” He all but sneers to himself, gaze casting off and inadvertently glossing over framed photos that carry his daughter as a particular focus. 

Images of his sons from years past flash before his eyes; their childhoods still prominent and heavy in his memory. Rambunctious little boys, always feuding, forcing his or their mother’s hand in stepping in to settle them. They were smart, they learned fast. They were his boys. Never a day went by when he wasn’t acutely prideful of that fact. Nasuen, a natural born prince with integrity and intelligence, practically his own spitting image but with a much kinder and understanding heart that he must have inherited from his mother. Nirgali, a more unruly type, the kind to stir trouble but without malignance; Nin had always gone easier on him, easier than Enlil would have thought she should, but he never stopped her. He could never stop her in anything she wanted to do. 

Something bubbles in the depths of his heart that he denies battling. It could be regret, it could be pain; he wouldn’t dare identify it. He sighs roughly, running a hand through his hair, fingers brushing past the often hidden indentations left behind by a piece of him he literally had to part with in order to stay covert on this planet. Tira means well in everything she does, he knows, but he could never express how much he fights the growing urge of regret. 

Ninazu. His only daughter. The child he never expected to have, let alone with another woman. Strong, resilient, smart. Kind, caring, compassionate. She inherited all of these traits without his interference, she grew of her own accord, blossoming through someone else’s aid. She procured the father he could never be for her. He’s fine with that, he tells himself. Better someone else than himself, someone who could better handle a child of her caliber. Someone who wanted her. 

... But that doesn’t dissuade or erase the days he spent tending to her as a toddler. Feeding her, changing her, entertaining her, teaching her. Those days were hardly different from Nasuen’s and Nirgali’s primary years, in theory. He only abided by her out of obligation, he reminds himself; he simply couldn’t leave Tira out to dry on her own after they’ve cultivated what they had. This is what he told himself day in and day out, refusing to accept any deeper reason for his participation. He couldn’t care for this child the same way he cares for his sons. She’s an accident, an unforeseen mishap, a mistake. He should not carry the moniker of her father. She grew up with this value, he (unfortunately or otherwise) made sure of that. 

Yet, he was the one who gave her name. He took the responsibility of watching over her. He opened up, shared parts of his culture during a period he knew she wouldn’t remember later in life no matter how hard she tried. But he does, and perhaps a small part of him... misses those days. Even the time they attempt to spend now hold no candle to back then; the wax is melted far too low. 

His choices are his own, he won’t dispute that. He will live and die by his own decisions, something he’s always stood by. However, that rarely considers the feelings he refuses to confront. 

“Tch,” he sighs. “... I shouldn’t expect anything. I’ve no right to.” His eyes fall to the closest picture of the set: one taken long ago, before Ninazu had met any of her dear friends. There weren’t many pictures taken after the fact. “... She’d better give the attention to the ones who deserve it today.” 

[unboundpower]

He didn't know how he apparently helped her do so, but Ninazu slowly calming down did bring the Kai relief, as he found himself preferring to not see her in such a saddened state. There were just a moment of silence that passed after his statement, before he realized that she had moved towards him in a short burst of speed. Zamasu's eyes widened, as he registered the warmth that had washed over him - strong arms encircling his torso and pulling him flush against her form. Her head rested, almost nuzzled in a way against his cheek, and all of the Kai's erratic thoughts screeched to a halt. Ninazu was hugging him….hugging HIM.

This was the first time, was it not? Zamasu unconsciously latched onto her voice, too dumbfounded to do much else. He could feel a jolt cut through his chest at her praise, at she commending his…progress. Progress.

Has he made progress? He could barely make sense of anything. Everything he held dear in the past has been thrown into disarray, and he questioned just who or what he was anymore. A god he would always be, but only divine through his race. The status, the title, it meant nothing anymore - for no true god would be stripped of their power and trapped on a planet for the next few millennia. Zamasu had pride, but over the last two months, he had gotten past it blinding him to reality. The Omni King and his will are eternal. There was no getting out of this. There was no point in clinging to the past and attempting to keep it alive, when it has long since died.

So perhaps, he had made progress in that regard. Many aspects of him, who he was, have died and he knew that now.

'I'm so proud of you.'

'You alone are worth so much.'

These words invoke a strange, more emotional reaction deep within - his eyes began to sting for reasons unknown. Zamasu's arms rise on their own, as if he was going to return her embrace, but Ninazu moves before it could come to pass. Instead, the palms and fingers of his hands come to rest upon her arms still lingering around him - the slightest amount of pressure making the touch light and delicate. The sheer opposite of what physical contact between them was like before, when they were enemies.

Zamasu's gaze fell to rest on her arms. IS he glad she protected him?

At the beginning, Zamasu absolutely was not. He abandoned his heritage's values to strive for a bloodthirsty goal that he didn't even achieve in the end. His life was now meaningless, and he deemed erasure a befitting fate. For the first month, he was drowning in an infinite sea of denial. Hoping, praying to the higher gods that this would not be his fate. Forced to live with his failures and mistakes forever, knowing everything was for naught. If he was not immortal and wouldn't survive any attempts, he likely would have tried to somehow bring an end onto himself.

But that time has passed. With the arrival of his beloved pet pig Chai, who he looked after during his wonderful centuries as North Kai, Zamasu was finally able to remember the good that still dwelled in the past. The meaning his life once had. And, Chai helped him rise to that sea's surface, to realize one key thing that existed in the present. Ninazu, and her care for him.

She had always cared. In his anger and despair, he refused to acknowledge it. Things were different now. Zamasu even dared to feel a small amount of hope. Hope that his non-immortal mind would remain intact throughout this very long sentence. Hope that Chai could help him feel happy again, truly happy. Hope that…he could continuously learn about Ninazu as time went on, and understand exactly why she risked so much for his sake. Why she held so much compassion for his wellbeing, when no one else has throughout his life - outside of the ever innocent Chai - and no one else surely will after the lives he's ended. For those reasons…

❝ …Yes. ❞ His silver eyes drag upwards to her face. His own is flattened, neutral, but there was a new glint in his gaze. One much softer. ❝ I am. I was prepared to accept my fate of erasure for my past, yet now…I feel as if I can have a future. Even if it is one I do not deserve. ❞

Not wishing to unload any of her weight unto him, Ninazu had often kept these matters hidden behind curtains that he would hopefully never pull back. For him to see her true feelings may cast doubt onto her security in her decisions; in her mind, he may think she harbors regret. He may think she believes her faith to be misplaced. Her fear of this prevented her from ever shedding the bright, cheery protector image she's projected. More than anything, she didn't want that illusion dispelled. She needed to stay strong for him. Yet, as of late, all of that has crumbled. Alone with her thoughts, nothing to distract her, she found herself in utter disarray and breaking down before she knew it. The dam had broken, everything was spilling out; she couldn't stop it. The secrets unraveling and her ruse shattered, now he has to pick up the pieces, and she can think of no greater shame.

Still… his voice brings comfort. A warm blanket on a cold night. He soothes her sobbing by his presence alone, her senses gradually returning and her trembling coming to a stop. Finally, she can wipe her cheeks without renewing the tear stains. (Does he know he possesses this power? Surely not.) Though her mindfulness returns, she's still wading through the depths of self-loathing, under the thorough belief that she is at fault for his recent misfortune and stress. The first few weeks together were hellish, surely even he would agree. How could he not admonish her for his suffering? She was the cause, after all. She opened her mouth, intending to clarify and give further context, but she stops short. His gaze demands, gently, that she look at him. Where she used to see nothing but cold steel, vying for malice, now she sees warmth. Perhaps even genuine concern. He has her captivated, and she listens.

The further she listens, the more she returns. Those last few words are more than enough to pull her out of her depressive stupor. She stares a moment, and suddenly, a new wave of tears overwhelms her, but not from sadness. Her body moves before she can register. Arms outstretch and wrap around him, pulling him closer while she buries her head in the crook of his neck. He's so warm, life surging through him as it does anyone else. To feel him so closely, to hear him speak -- feels like a blessing. Had she done nothing that day, she would not know this feeling. He would merely be a memory, a bitter one. What that timeline would look like for her, she doesn't want to know.

❝Thank you…❞ She hiccups, trying hard to suppress the new sobs. ❝So much, Zamasu…❞ Her embrace becomes tighter, though not stiflingly so. ❝I don't tell you enough. You've come so far, accomplished so much… I'm so proud of you. And I always will be. No matter what happens.❞ You mean the world to me, she wants to say, but she still maintains some level of filter. Vulnerable she may be, but shame still stops her from crossing an invisible line she believes to be there. ❝You alone are worth so much,❞ she says instead. ❝And I… I don't regret making the choice I made.❞

Silence befalls her yet again, but she's no longer sniffling. She seems to have calmed down completely, merely relishing in his company until she decides it pertinent to pull away, thinking he may not want this kind of contact for long.

❝Zamasu…❞ Slowly, she withdraws, but only far enough to view his face. Her arms remain stationed around him loosely (as if she didn't want to let go). A question teeters on her tongue, and she fears asking it. Nonetheless, she nudges, ❝Are you… glad that I did it?❞

[gxdslicer]

He watches her closely, the way she acts is more akin to a nurse dealing with an unruly patient. The mental compassion making the urge to simply shove her aside grow, he resists on the temptation, allowing her the close contact if only because this will help him in the long run. A wound like this could still slow him down, taking care of it would have been more of a hassle than anything and yet she helps him. Maybe an attempt to get goodwill, he gives a dismissive grunt at her behavior. Not that he was enjoying this either, the last thing he'd wanted was this. But those bastards had pushed him to it.

Even still, her personality seems to become much calmer and more focused when she begins, speaking to him like a doctor would. The past memories he has of such visits, many carried themselves with a more haughty air to them. That attitude hadn't served them much. He expected she had to for this ability to work, hand twitching at his side. There's a faint glow from her hands and the pain slowly fades, it's a sense of warmth, the first time any warmth from ki besides his own has felt even remotely nice. Eyes narrowing slightly as he continues to watch. He can feel it, skin stitching itself back together, muscle and sinew tending to itself at rapid pace while edges of bone fit back into place and slowly mend. He stares her down when she speaks before rising to his feet, testing the foot a few times, even going as far as to gently tap it against the floor. He says nothing for a while before he speaks.

"You are far too kind for your own good, Ninazu." Before he makes for the door. Closing it behind him as it locks. He stands there for a moment as he leans back against the door, internally cursing. She was familiar for some reason and he still couldn't put his finger on it. Pushing away from the door he wanders the area for a while, double checking the defenses before scavenging for whatever of his last stash remains. An assortment of pilfered snacks, he'd hunt once the opportunity was there. He could just go rob a store from one of the destroyed area's. He should. Soon.

For now. Something to make sure he didn't go hungry. He tears into a package that seems more like dried meat with some type of seasoning, it leaves a tangy taste in his mouth as he eats, all the while thinking of a game plan before turning his gaze to the second package. Sighing as he grabs it before making his way down to the locked room, kicking it underneath the door into the room before walking back towards the main space to brainstorm.

"For once. Someone with some intellect. That promise has brought you far no doubt. Though you are only a fraction above the rest." That's as much of a compliment and so forth as he'll give, tail twitching behind him as he scoffs. Staring her down for a long while, defiance, hatred. Nothing he isn't used to nor feels himself. Lowering himself to such pitiful tactics, he despises being backed into a corner this much. No wonder so many hated it, it was weakness, he needed to grow stronger. He needed to figure out how to obtain that form again, it would throw them further off his trail and he wouldn't have to keep spending time avoiding them, thus he could focus on returning to the future. Stealing that time machine might be something he can do. It would trap Trunks in the past, which would make his mission much easier, fighting the other was....bothersome. Just as he turns to leave, to find something that might at least keep her from croaking on him anytime soon she catches him off guard, pausing as he slowly glances back over his shoulder at her. Another memory tugs at the edges of his mind, he's not sure what to make of it. It's incredibly blurred and messy.

It takes him a solid moment, slowly turning to face her fully at her remark. He gazes down to the wound out of the corner of his eye, it's noticeable, a blaring injury that is incredibly unrefined to let fester. He was planning to simply tend to it, let it heal on it's own than attempt to heal it himself. A sigh escaping him, before he gestures for her to move. Sitting down on the edge of the bed. If she tried anything foolish it wouldn't take much to slice of her head. She knew that. The power difference between them was intense, especially if he really wanted to go all out. But had been avoiding to avoid giving away his identity, to avoid further complications than the mess that was already present. "I am your enemy. Yet you offer me care? You are a strange one." He makes no moves, to see what she does now that he's in closer proximity. He does not trust her. He'd be a fool to trust her, besides...she wouldn't get out the door before he caught her. Especially with instant transmission.