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Some students need ALL of the attention
Harissa
Training
Posts: 51
Power Level: 834
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Post by Harissa on Jun 23, 2023 15:12:53 GMT -6
After her miraculous telekinesis discovery in the orchard she tried to figure out what had happened. She learned they were skills some people can attain by working or training. This issue was she wanted more skills, all of the skills even, but she didn't know how to properly train to get them. So after even more research she found that people can get teachers. That is when she decided, she needed to become a student.
She had been going around and asking anyone that would give her the time of day where a skill teacher or trainer was. Eventually she wore down enough people that they gave her a name. With this new information she went forth trying to figure out how to get this person to teach her. His name was Mr. Sandwich, no relation, and he was able to teach various people techniques that helped them to gain skills. Though he had no skills himself as far as people know, he was just determined to help people. SO she figured she'd be a shoe in after having learned one all by herself, she could be a star pupil.
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"No."
Harissa was devastated by the answer.
"WHY NOT? I can do the little floaty thing!"
She exclaimed as she was making a little acorn float around.
"You're not ready."
"How can you know that?"
He just shook his head and walked away. This then started Harissa's great quest! Breaking down Mr.Sandwich. Everyday she found him wherever he was. Grocery store, walk, park, class, bathroom. Nothing stopped her. Everyday she'd ask him the same thing.
"Am I ready now?"
"NO! If you speak to me again I will never consider you ready ever!"
Now this posed a problem for her. Harissa's grating voice was one of her biggest assets. However she never lacked creativity so it continued. Notes in his clothes, bed, food, and face when he woke. Sign boards in his dojo, yard, trees, and even on his ceiling. However he was holding strong and Harissa was becoming frantic. How was she going to get other teachers to take her on if she can't even get Mr. Sandwich's approval? She began following a few steps behind him wherever he went but he seemed unfazed. As long as she wasn't talking it was as if he had all the patience in the world. Soon all of her thoughts were just consumed with this question on if she was ready. In hindsight she probably should've asked him how she could've become ready, too late for that now. She was far too focused to think of anything else now. Day and night her thoughts are so intent on asking him this question.
There she walked just a few steps behind him staring holes into his head. Am I ready now? Am I ready now? Am I ready now? Am I ready now? Am I ready now? Am I ready now? Am I ready now? The question nearly burst from every wrinkle in her brain if only he could hear it!
AM I READY NOW?
Mr. Sandwich's body jerked to a halt and he whipped his head around.
"I told you if you talked I would never consider you ready."
But I didn't talk!
Harissa stamped her foot in frustration. She'd basically sworn off talking for weeks because of this man. It had been lonely. Looking back up through her tears of frustration she saw shock all over Mr. Sandwich's face.
"How did you do that?"
Do what? What was this guy going on about?
"I'm going on about how you're talking without opening your mouth! I can hear you in my head!"
You can what?! Oh! Oh OOOOOOHHHH! HAHAHAHA! AM I READY NOW?
Sandwich fell to his knees hands over his face, before wearily looking up at her.
"You win. I will teach you."
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Telepathy - Able to speak to others through thought.
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Harissa
Training
Posts: 51
Power Level: 834
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Post by Harissa on Jul 5, 2023 17:15:47 GMT -6
"With enough determination anything is possible, and karma is real. So with that said, hide."
Harissa was sent off with just those instructions and it had been days since. Every hour Mr. Sandwich would find her. No matter where she was what she was doing who she was with. She would be found. Harissa had not known peaceful sleep, meals, or even bathroom breaks since the exercise began. On and on it dragged with no end in sight as it seemed she may even be getting worse at hiding rather than better.
"How in the world is he finding me?"
Harissa paced in an underground shelter she was given permission to be in. She had little hope that this would actually keep him at bay but she could hope. As she was thinking on what she could possibly do to fend him off she heard a thud. Sighing dramatically she turned and looked at her visitor.
"Oh, Mr. Sandwich how surprised I am. See you in an hour."
As she sulked off to the soundtrack of his laughter she swore it would be days until they crossed paths again. So she went out into the world's most hidey-est of holes and to cut herself off from all people. She would slink in the shadows and speak to no one. All of her determination went into being hidden, undercover, and unseen. Which only really looked like a weird lady sliding dramatically against walls in alleys and jumping behind random things when people turned toward her. However she was somewhat successful due to her full focus hiding herself, she was able to learn something new. As she was horrible with time she barely noticed when actual days past, and so Mr.Sandwich got a little vacation while Harissa gained a new skill. Mr. Sandwich considered it his best training results to date.
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Energy Suppression - Able to hide your Power Level from scouters or Energy Sense
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Harissa
Training
Posts: 51
Power Level: 834
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Post by Harissa on Jul 11, 2023 13:46:54 GMT -6
Harissa eagerly bounced around Mr. Sandwich as he got ready to explain the next exercise.
"We'll come back to hide and seek but for now we're going to enjoy some tag."
Her face fell at his instruction knowing full well she was not faster than him if their last training was any indication. Sandwich noticed and patted her shoulder.
"Not to worry, we'll take it at your pace. It will be training though, don't expect me to go easy on you."
Full of vigor Harissa nodded and did a little dance of excitement. Soon the game was on and they were running around the town. The pattern was that it took longer to get Harissa but only people Harissa was actually trying to run.
"It's like you don't actually know how to play tag Mr. Sandwich."
She complained as she tagged her walking teacher again. He laughed and turned to run at her. Turning on a pin she dashed away trying to be even faster. She had been caught a heaping hand full of times but she was having fun. She felt so free as she was running. Until, she noticed a leaf. To a normal person this would have just been a leaf caught up in a wind draft nothing of note. However to Harissa this was a very real threat. Not even heeding her teacher anymore she took off like a lightning bolt. She had been able to burst forward with a speed she'd never reached before. Not that she noticed.
"I WILL NOT FALL TODAY OR ANY DAY TO A PLANT!"
A heaving and tired Mr.Sandwich followed her shouts and stopped her. What an interesting result to their training. He had to admit no other students training kept him on his toes this much. Who else would learn how to use an ability just to run away from a fallen leaf?
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Quick Step - Able to use a quick burst of speed to blur their body reflecting light off their energy field making it harder to keep up with.
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Harissa
Training
Posts: 51
Power Level: 834
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Post by Harissa on Jul 19, 2023 14:05:17 GMT -6
"Where is he?"
Our favorite Mayko-jin was wandering around Mr.Sandwich's small community trying to find him. As she checked all of his usual hiding spots she came to the conclusion, he had been kidnapped. So she did the only reasonable thing she could think of. Run around screaming with a picture of Sandwich.
"HAS ANYONE SEEN THIS MAN?!"
The people were starting to get used to her shenanigans and waved her off saying they hadn't seen Sandwich. So she set out to find her missing teacher. The only lead she got was the kindly old man who said.
"Mr. Sandwich said something about feeling him."
Feeling him? Gross. However Harissa did go around town with her hands out like she was trying to feel the air. Nothing. Then is occurred to her. What if, she tried to feel him, with her mind! Trying just that she walked around town with her eyes closed imagining reaching out with her mind. She didn't exactly know what she was trying to feel for but, she didn't let that deter her. As strange as it sounded she did eventually start feeling, things. It wasn't like she could actually describe what she was sensing but it was sure something. She followed the most pronounced feeling not really sure what she was experiencing. When she was in the general area she recognized it as the neighbors place that had the bunker! She asked to look around and there he was, Mr. Sandwich, just lounging in the bunker.
"Congrats! You found me!"
______ Energy Sense - Sense near by or specifically powerful Power Levels
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Harissa
Training
Posts: 51
Power Level: 834
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Post by Harissa on Jul 31, 2023 11:32:37 GMT -6
"How am I suppose to find it when you said I can't move?!"
Harissa pointed to the chalk circle Mr. Sandwich had made and then put her in.
"You gotta get creative." Mr. Sandwich gave a shrug.
Pouting the Makyojin crossed her arms. Her had recently got her ears pierced for the first time. They weren't much just little studs in her massive ears but it was fun having changed her appearance in such a way. The problem came when she realized that on of them has fallen out. Her blunder was not putting the back back on the earring after cleaning her ear. She had been running around since then but Mr. Sandwich insisted on doing a training right then.
Sitting in the circle she tried to recall every place she had been too that day. Her nose wrinkled with frustration. She didn't know how long she was going to trapped in the circle. In an act of desperation she looked out trying to spot anything shiny. The longer she looked the more places came into focus. Her searching became more frantic as she pictured her ear closing up no then she would only have one earring. She couldn't be lopsided! That was when she spotted it! It was outside of... Miss Fork's house?! That was at least 6 miles away! Excitedly she turned to Sandwich. Before she could speak he waved her off nodding.
"Go get it."
Another victory for our favorite Makyojin.
____ Far Sight - able to see any location visited before from anywhere on the planet.
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Harissa
Training
Posts: 51
Power Level: 834
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Post by Harissa on Aug 7, 2023 11:28:43 GMT -6
Harissa was relaxing juggling apples with her mind taking a bite out of each apple as it got close to her. It was bliss. Until Mr. Sandwich showed up SCREAMING?! Startled she turned toward her screaming teacher trying to see what he was running from. The only threat she could identify was... A TREE! THE FIENDS THEY ARE BACK AGAIN FOR HER! Acting quickly Harissa shot her apples at the tree however she did not stop there. This tree would be made an example. Running to the said in an effort to avoid any strikes from the tree she began to pull random thing from her cloak leaving them on the ground behind her. Towels, tent poles, mugs, lunch bags, candy canes, lawn gnomes. Literally anything she could think of was on a ground quickly making a circle around the tree.
The with all her might she sent the waves of items at the tree with her skill using all the force she could muster. This caused the poor tree to be wildly 'decorated' as random items were stuck in it's trunk and branches. As Harissa looked at her handy work she nodded with approval. That would teach these trees to stop terrorizing people. Where was Sandwich though? Spinning in a circle she found him slowly walking toward her looking, terrible.
With a triumphant smile Harissa addressed him. "Don't worry Mr. Sandwich! I have handled the threat!"
She gestured to the tree and not a moment too late the poor tree made a horrendous groan. Then snapped falling over, taking part of Sandwich's house with it.
"MY HOUSE!"
Her teacher hobbled over to his house flailing his arms. That was when Harissa noticed Mr. Sandwich had a small dog hanging from the seat of his pants. Well. The only thing our plant fearing MakyoJin could think to say was:
"Oops."
_______ Advanced Telekinesis - Objects moved through telekinesis are empowered by the users energy making them much more durable than usual and able to do damage equal to their base power level.
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Harissa
Training
Posts: 51
Power Level: 834
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Post by Harissa on Aug 24, 2023 12:12:08 GMT -6
Harissa was back at it again. Not training but getting into shenanigans. It turns our Mr. Sandwich was quite, upset, about his house. So she was playing a much more serious game of hide and seek. Only the implied consequences were much more severe. She was scurrying about the village trying to keep out of his sight. However it was becoming hard as it was like he was everywhere, and for some reason she couldn't sense him. So it made planning an escape from one hidey hole to the next kind of hard. So as she slummed around the shadows with her hood up she focused desperately on Mr. Sandwich. Or rather his aura, energy, power? Whatever is was, she focused on it. Her ears twitched with effort and passersby thought that she might have an accident on the sidewalk. There was a pop but not from her bottom it was like something opened in her head. Suddenly she could sense him! She squealed in excitement which was probably a bad call as his energy seemed to get closer. On the road again for our goofy pink MakyoJin.
_____ True Sense - Able to sense that someone is suppressing their Power Level. (Must learn energy sense first)
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Harissa
Training
Posts: 51
Power Level: 834
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Post by Harissa on Aug 31, 2023 11:59:03 GMT -6
Finding Inner Strength Part 1
Well it had happened. Just like a fleeing rabbit that will eventually need to stop, Harissa too eventually needed rest. In doing so Sandwich caught up and he was less than thrilled.
“Do you have ANY idea how your actions affect other people?! Nevermind that I’m sleeping in a tent, but the cost to fix my house! I can’t believe you! I’m not buying your story either missy. There is no way you thought a TREE was attacking me. I’VE GOTTEN 6 STITCHES IN MY BUM! You need to go somewhere quiet and sit with yourself! Reflect!”
Harissa winced at his raised voice and even tried to answer some of his questions. Though it seemed that he actually didn’t want answers. With her head hung she retreated and found her way to the construction company. There she made, with her cloak, all of the materials she could for Mr. Sandwich’s house. She had planned on doing it anyway but it didn’t feel like it usually does. She didn’t even have it in her to be happy when the construction company tried to offer her a job.
After leaving the company she began wandering further and further from the village. She felt listless and like her whole body was stuffy. Her feet dragged as she eventually reached a place where she could not see, hear, or sense any people around. There she just dropped, sitting crisscross applesauce. There she did as she had been told. Sat with herself. It wasn’t her favorite thing to do, in fact most of the time she would say it’s her least favorite thing to do. Harissa had her fill of this activity when she died. If you wanted a peaceful death in the Deadzone you had to stay out of sight and be quiet. People’s grudges formed or continued in death. Their actions became more vicious and truly deadly. Sometimes she heard tales of people dying just to get the chance to kill someone for good after a particularly nasty fight.
As a child that was how her creation was presented to her. She only had life because someone had died. As a child she was plagued by this idea. Was she any better than the maggots and flies that she saw pick at animal corpses? Her parents would try and reason with her not understanding the dread their child faced. Death became an ever present threat and conversation in their house.
The makyojin’s face twisted in pain as she recalled her childhood memories. This is why she hated silence, and leisure. Too much time for the mind to wonder. Her parent’s voice rang in her head like Mr. Sandwich’s had.
“We just don’t understand Harissa! We told you even if you die you will come back. Yes life has things to fear and caution is good but this is too much. You haven’t left the house in months. I need help on the farm. Your mother is beside herself not knowing how to help you. Look at me please!”
The little pink child was curled up in the corner of the hut sniffling softly. Tears ran down her face and her too big ears were drooping so much they nearly touched her shoulders.
“But what if I don’t!? You said someone died, really died so I can be alive! I don’t want to be a farmer, it's too scary. I don’t want to die! Mama don’t even like me! I heard you two! I heard you say that if I wasn’t new I wouldn’t be so hard to raise! You wish I was someone else! I don’t want to disappear!”
Wails filled the little shed as the little girl tried to cope with her emotions. Her father looked defeated for a moment then anger overtook him.
“NOW THAT’S ENOUGH! I’ve heard just about enough of you missy! You’re too young to know what you want! Now let’s GO!”
Wails changed to terror filled shrieks as her father grabbed her arm and dragged her out of the house. Fighting desperately she tried to throw herself to the ground and dig at it to get away from him. Her father was a strong and sturdy man though one that had been formed by the environment around him. As she kicked and pulled she cried harder.
“Mama please! Mama please save me! I’m sorry! I’m sorry! I’ll be good! I’ll do all the cookin’! All of the cleanin’! I promise! PLEASE SAVE ME! NO! NO PLEASE! PLEASE! MAMA! MAMA!”
Her little voice strained as she grew louder and more desperate. Reaching for her mother she remembered the heartbreak and betrayal that set in as she saw her last hope just make a strangled noise cover her face and turn away from her wailing child.
Like breaking out of a trance Harissa gasped and lurched back. She was disoriented and tried to take in her surroundings. It was hard though her vision was blurry with tears. How pitiful she thought. A lone woman crying in the middle of nowhere. Self-doubt flooded her as she curled up against a tree. How could she hope to be anything more than that same scared child if she still ended up right back in the same spot.
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Harissa
Training
Posts: 51
Power Level: 834
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Post by Harissa on Sept 11, 2023 12:32:07 GMT -6
Finding Inner Strength Part 2
Looking back on her life. She knew her family cared for her. Though she feared they started to become resentful which was all but confirmed the older she got. After her father started to drag her out into the harvesting fields she was forced to start working. Her fear never went away though and her father started to complain again. She was too slow, she was more of an obstacle than anything, she was a money pit with all the ineffective work plus needing to be fed so often. During the peak was when her father got attacked.
She’d never heard her father scream out of fear, it rattled her. Sometimes she still saw the scene in her nightmares. One of the deprivation pods top side was erroring. Together her and her father walked side by side going to the top of the farming unit. It was the most terrifying place she had ever seen. Her movements were rigid, her muscles so taught she swore she could hear her joints creak and buckle with force to get her to move. This seemed to only aggravate her father further as he was already on edge with expensive equipment on the fritz. However it was all she could do to stop herself from running.
Harissa in her mind’s eye there again walking past seemingly sleeping plants. They silently rustled in their pods in a stasis. She could see small tendril stalks that dressed the plant’s trunk. They looked wet with dew but she knew this was actually a sticky substance. The tendrils would curl around victims that got too close and would slowly move them toward the eerily beautiful bloom. Visions from their feedings flashed in her mind like a warning. They would place live food into the spacious pods for plant enrichment. Her father forced her to watch how it ate so that she may know what to do in an emergency. The animal had started on the edge of the pod circling it trying to find an escape. The plant woke its petal like limbs shivered with what could be perceived as anticipation. Then all at once the bloom had lunged forward with unrivaled speed in an effort to snatch the animal from the ground. However by some miracle the animal had evaded and was in a panic. Harissa thought for sure their hearts were beating as one as she was the most afraid she had been in her life. Tears spilled from her eyes watching the desperate creature begin to scream and bristle. Fighting for its life.
Then in desperation the animal ran at the plant. It was like Harissa could tell what the poor soul was thinking as she used to do it with her father to escape his grasp. She would run at his legs and then dance around under him between and around his legs. Narrowly dodging his large hands and causing his stance to falter. She watched with mixed emotions the same dance being performed with the plant and animal. Then the animal began to flail. Its rear leg had been caught by the tendrils having passed too close to the plant’s stalk. It struggled and screamed louder. A muffled sob escaped the small girl watching the scene. It was over for the animal like it had been over for her the day her father dragged her out of the house. The plant leaned slowly and purposely over the animal more firmly securing its prey to its stalk. Slowly she watched over a time the plant dragged the still live animal to its bloom. There the petals gathered eagerly around the food and once the entire animal was within the bloom it closed tightly. Ghastly screams could be heard so loud and haunting that day for hours as it was being digested.
Her hands clamped over her ears as she heard the phantom screams of an animal as she walked with her father. This action caused a vein to pop on her father’s forehead. She had been told these plants were the most dangerous on the farm but far from the worst threat there could be on the farm. At the time Harissa had taken that as a threat to expand the farm if she did not fall in line. That was when she began to do work in a defeated way. Like now. Her father stopped at the pod and began to fiddle with the status screen. A low grumble could be heard from him and Harissa kept her head low waiting for instruction while hoping for none. That was when she saw it. Or thought so. Had the plant moved just now? Yes sometimes the plants rustled slightly but one could almost fool themselves that it was just ‘breathing’. What she thought she had seen just now was not that.
“Papa I-”
“Not now.”
His voice was almost a hiss and it caused her to clam up. She did not want his ire that had been steadily building all day. However her eyes were focused on the plant, her anxiety clogging her throat. Then she saw it again. This time the plant was more deliberate and it turned toward her father. Cold icy fear squeezed at her lungs and she squeaked.
“Papa…..pa…it’s look-ooking. Please. Papa.”
Her father’s eyes narrowed, she knew he had not heard her do to her whisper.
“What is Harissa?! I’m busy!”
Using all her effort she spoke again just above a whisper.
“I think… it can smell us. It’s looking. Pa-WATCH OUT!”
Her hushed speaking turned to a screech causing her father to look up just in time to see the massive plant slam against the pod. It was as if it was trying to hunt him. The pod had not given way yet but he cried out.
“HARISSA THE PANIC BUTTON!”
The pink child began sprinting her body burning from the inside out. With all her force she slammed into the clearly marked button and alarms began blaring all around her. Banging could be heard as the plant began to get more desperate. Her father worked as fast as he could on the pod screen.
“PAPA PLEASE! COME! WAIT TILL THEY COME!”
Her face twisted as she sobbed.
“GO RUN! GO TO YOUR MOTHER!”
His voice seemed to boom over the alarm, he was panicked. His eyes frantic as he looked at his little daughter. He had not wanted to flee yet for fear the plant could compromise the other pods and he could not risk a pod close to her failing. Before either could move the world seemed to slow as a new sound pierced the atmosphere. Shattering. Then all at once time quickened again. Harissa’s skin peeling scream was rumored to be heard villages away. Her eyes burn the experience into her mind.
Her father had been caught by the arm and was lifted off the ground. His screams haunted her young ears, a sound that would follow her through the rest of her long lives. The smell of blood and acid suffocated her. Her father was able to reclaim some of himself and began pounding on the closed bud around his arm. There was a crunch and he began screaming again as he hopelessly dug at petals trying to tear them away. Then, without knowing what to do, Harissa's sobs turn more hysterical. She was going to watch her father die. As if recalling his daughter was there he screamed out to her.
“RUN! RUN! PLEASE! MY LITTLE EGG! RUN!”
Her body jolted as he called her the little endearment he used to use when she was a baby. Despite their differences she did not want to lose her father. She did not want to watch him die. She didn’t want to watch him disappear. In anguish she rushed toward him. Her father, her protector and provider. She could not flee anywhere else but to him, and the danger he was in. Mindlessly she grabbed one of their harvesters. They were long extremely sharp scythes with a deeper curved hook blade. Her father, more distraught, continued to shout and plead with her. It was like her ears were stuffed with grass as she continued to run. Her belly filled with an emotion she had never felt before. She swung at the bud.
She had managed to partially slice through a single petal causing it to violently shake. It was only one of many but the plant took it as a threat all the same. With her father still in its bud it turned to her and quaked. She felt so small looking to the head of the fearsome creature. As she stared down the creature trying to figure out how to free her father’s arm the weapon was snatched from her. Shivering with fear and confusion she looked up and saw her father brandishing the makeshift weapon.
“CLOSE YOUR EYES! NOW!”
Unable to process the words, Harissa hesitated. She saw her father raise the weapon with intention and as he swung down her eyes snapped shut. Her father made a ghastly noise then there was a thud along with a rattling like the weapon had been dropped, and spattering. Intending to see what happened she began to open her eyes but her father’s voice rang out again.
“NOT YET!”
Now sooner had the words hit her ears did she get scooped up by a familiar and strong arm. The shock of it caused her eyes to snap open. There she saw a horrific vision. The plant was sucking the rest of a chunk of meat into its bud. She squeezed her eyes shut as tight as she could trying to not think about the fact the meat had the same skin color as her father.
Forcing herself to the present her body was doubled over as she began to retch. Her fear was all consuming after that event. It was like a constrictor that was ever present trying to snuff her out. As she heaved she angrily punched the ground. NO! She promised that she wouldn’t be like this anymore! Her weakness infuriated her.
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Harissa
Training
Posts: 51
Power Level: 834
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Post by Harissa on Sept 20, 2023 12:10:13 GMT -6
Finding Inner Strength Part 3
Harissa’s body shook with the aftershocks of her sick. Slowly she wiped her mouth and backed away from the sour smelling pile. Her tears came back in force as her anger waned. It wasn’t supposed to be like this. She promised it wouldn’t be like this. It took everything she could manage to convince her father to let her go. Of course she was an adult and she could leave whenever but, it was different. Everything had been after that day.
It was hard. Her father blamed himself everyday seeing her spiral deeper and deeper in her depression and paranoia. Sometimes he even snuck into her room when he thought she was asleep then desperately and ever so gently held her against him with the arm that he had left. Silently sobbing and apologizing to his child. So many times had she listened to his ‘if onlys’ in the dead of night. Felt his warm tears upon her cheeks. Only to wake in the morning to see his gentle smile as he tried his best to hide the emptiness of his shirt sleeve. She never brought them up, those moments, even though they never stopped. They slowed as she got older, but never stopped.
Breathing deeply she closed her eyes, willing herself to calm down. She had come a long way, her whole family had. It was difficult at times for everyone. Her parents struggled to not go back to treating her like an egg again, and in turn Harissa struggled to not let them treat her like an egg. So tempting had it been to just fall back into the comfort of her parent’s waiting arms and have them tuck her away from the world. She couldn’t burden her parents like that. If she could not lift the guilt and shame of that day she would certainly not add a lifetime to it.
Pulling herself to her feet she remained leaning against the tree. Her body was so sore yet she had not done anything physical. Clenching her jaw she pushed away from the tree and stretched her limbs. She had been forcing herself to be brave for so long, and if her previous experiences had proven anything, she was doing a poor job. Yet each day somehow got harder. She felt so alone, she’d met so many people as she made her escape to the universe beyond the star. The journey proved to herself and her family that she was no longer afraid and desperately wanting to live. Yet the weariness of having no friends or family with her seeped into her bones.
Her upper lip pulled up baring her teeth. Growling at no one, she shook her head. She would make them, and if she could not she would chase the solitude away herself. There was nothing a full life across the planets and stars could not achieve. Harissa would make it so. Not only for herself but for her parents. So that she may return to the star one day and show them all that she had accomplished. All she had seen and done, to finally put their worries to rest. All of them, hers included.
As she finally arrived back to the town she pulled her hood up silently making her way to her tent.
“HARISSA?!”
Looking up she saw Mr. Sandwich. He crashed into her and put his hands on her shoulders.
“You’ve been gone all day! Are you okay? I’m sorry I yelled.. Oh my god you look awful! Are you sick?!”
She finally realized it was starting to get dark and that her face was tight with tear stains and dirt. The makyojin tried not to think about the mess around her mouth and chin looked like. Smiling brightly as she usually did she responded with her signature excitement.
“I found berries I had never tried before! I feel better now.”
“Of course you did. Let’s get you looked at.”
Each step she took as Mr.Sandwich ushered her to the doctor solidified something in herself. She would begin again, better than before. Harissa would be better than before.
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Harissa
Training
Posts: 51
Power Level: 834
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Post by Harissa on Sept 26, 2023 12:23:53 GMT -6
“Are you sure about this? I am sorry about yelling at you. Despite how long you might have lived I am.. Was your teacher. I was supposed to be caring for you along with teaching you.”
“You did great! I want to be more rugged. I want to be fierce! They said nature can make you like that!”
“Harissa, there are wild animals out there and other dangers.”
“Nothing I can’t handle. I grew up with killer flowers!”
Exhaustion and shame gave Mr.Sandwich’s face a heavy look. Sighing heavily he nodded and they gave their final farewells. Our Makyo-jin was off into the wilderness. A grim look settled over her face once she was out of sight. It was too much to continue learning after her time in the forest. Her time alone. This determination that had begun to grow in the pit of her stomach soon grew too big to contain. She needed to learn how to regain her bravery, her fight, herself. She wasn’t going to learn that under Sandwich. Only she could find that. What better place to find bravery than in the middle of your fears?
It was like she had been transported to another planet. This place was so vast and winding. Even if she looked behind her she couldn’t tell where she’d come from and if she looked forward she couldn’t tell where she was going. It probably didn’t help that she had ringing in her ears and she was constantly in a cold sweat. This amount of vegetation felt suffocating. Her eyes darted around constantly waiting, expecting for the moss to open and swallow her. The branches to snap out and crush her. The roots to seize up and strangle her. Her breathing grew ragged and her vision blurry. Shakily she went to her knees and doubled over to lay her cheek on the cool ground. Her throat was tight and her heart felt like it was hammering against her ribs.
Quickly she devolved into gasping for air as her hands clawed at her chest. Panic coiled around her body and as if it was a physical thing she could fight she thrashed about. So violent were her thrashings she ended up on her back looking up at the canopy of leaves and branches.
“It’s fine. It isn’t real. It won’t hurt you. You’re hurting you. Only you’re hurting you. You’re okay. You can be okay...”
Over and over she said these words. Trying to lay them over her like a blanket. Her eyes roamed over the sight above her. She’d never noticed before how the leaves looked like they were glowing when the sunlight passed through them. How many types of leaves were there? From where she was laying she counted at least 9. Did all breaks in the canopy look like a flowing river? Was that just because of the blue sky? Did it look like something else at night? Without realizing, her breathing had returned to normal. Her eyes locked onto the sky and tree tops, eyes wide with amazement rivaling any child like wonder. She whispered breathlessly.
“I want to be this. Beautiful, chaotic, and magical.”
Then as if her near silent admission awoke something deep within her, her body felt tingly. Like she had been awash with feathers. Letting the feeling seep into her relaxed her limbs. Then with all the grace of a newborn deer she got to her feet. Once she was steady she looked around again. The fear was still there, slithering around hidden, waiting. However it no longer stopped her from looking at the forest for what it was. Alive, lush, and almost hypnotic. It filled her with a strange feeling. It buzzed around her, through her. When the forest seemed to fold into her it didn't feel like it was trying to crush her anymore. It seemed like it was, curious.
As she continued her steps were no longer hasty like she was running from something. They were still cautious but deliberate, solid. That was unless she was tripping on a root.
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Harissa
Training
Posts: 51
Power Level: 834
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Post by Harissa on Oct 24, 2023 12:58:48 GMT -6
Harissa sat at the base of a huge odd looking tree. Well all trees looked odd to someone on an alien planet. Her hands stung and her legs throbbed in time with her heartbeat. She didn't know how long she'd been walking, running, tripping. It felt like years though she knew that couldn't be right.. unless time worked differently here. She hadn't asked. Her body was still with exhaustion as she looked around her environment. It still made her uneasy, everything was off. The plants, the colors, even the temperature. Part of her longed for the humid heat that would cling to her, that warmth seeping into her bones of her home. She shivered suddenly feeling cooler.
With great effort she curled up closer to the tree. Tipping her head back she looked up at the foliage above. It was getting harder to define the little details of the leaves as night began blanketing the surroundings. Reaching into her cloak and pulling out a blanket she paused before it was fully around her. Looking back at the tree she hummed thoughtfully.
“Do you get cold?”
There were a few beats of silence until she decided she didn’t want to risk offending a plant. Quickly she pulled out a few more blankets and carefully as she could placed them on the tree. Hanging some off the bark or branches while laying others on the roots. After she was done she showed her palms to the tree in a placating manner. Harissa then curled back up against the tree and gently patted its trunk.
“You know, I come from a place where plants can have mouths, sometimes eyes, and teeth.” She shuddered. “But I’ve never spoken with a plant.”
Keeping her chin down she tentatively looked up at the tree. Silence.
“You like it here?”
Silence.
“How old are you?”
Silence.
“Does it rain often?”
Silence.
“What’s your favorite thing?”
Some leaves rustled above her.
Tilting her head back she squinted trying to look at branches, she saw nothing. Darkness had descended fully upon the lush landscape and robbed Harissa of her vision. Grunting she shrugged but as she did so a breeze rushed through rustling all of the tree's leaves. Spooked she stilled waiting for other sounds. None came. Heaving a heavy sigh she got to her feet again muttering.
“This is the first and last time I talk to a plant.”
Grumbling and feeling around the tree she started making her way up. No one tells you how hard it is to climb a tree in the dark. Probably because no one climbs trees in the dark! After a while of her ascent she reached up, and the smaller branch under her foot snapped. Just like that she was plummeting down into the void below. As the wind whistled by her she looked back up and spotted speckled light bleeding through the dense shadow. She tried to reel her body toward it.
“It’s there!”
Suddenly she was bursting from the canopy and a wash with millions of stars. Her breath caught as she slowly descended on the tree top, her eyes never leaving the sky.
“That’s a pretty good favorite thing.”
___
Flight - Be able to fly or levitate
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Harissa
Training
Posts: 51
Power Level: 834
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Post by Harissa on Nov 6, 2023 19:13:35 GMT -6
Harissa sat up lazily, leaves sticking and falling out of her hair. Dazed, she looked around and saw only the forest around her. Scrunching up her face she moved onto her feet and slowly began gathering the blankets from off the tree.
“Goodmorning, everybody?”
She tentatively offered a greeting to the plants around then turned. Did this mean she had plant friends now? Well they weren’t much for conversation but they hadn’t killed her yet. So. At least that was a step in the right direction.
Wiggling her ears she put her hands on her hips and wondered what she would do next. Looking back to the stack of blankets she tilted her head curiously and looked at her cloak. How did it do that? Make blankets and stuff. Was it made with something special? Did it have a hidden portal in it?
Pulling the cloak up she closely inspected the garment. If she cut it would she have multiple little cloaks that did the same thing? Who made it? Was she the one actually making things and the cloak was just a cover? If there was a mysterious invisible portal could she go through it? There was only one way to find out. It’s for science! Wait, this was magic. Magic science? It’s for magic science! Not thinking too hard about the possible consequences she removed her cloak and tried to shove her head into it.
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Harissa
Training
Posts: 51
Power Level: 834
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Post by Harissa on Nov 22, 2023 12:49:14 GMT -6
Now standing disappointed with a cloak on her head she grumbled.
“Tell me your secrets mystic fabric.”
Yanking her cloak away she held it at arm's length trying to study it once again. After a few moments she went to put it back on, defeated. Looking around she narrowed her eyes remembering why she came out here in the first place.
How could you learn to be strong in the woods by yourself if the trees don’t attack you? What if you tried to become a tree!? Trees are strong! Clapping her hands together she rubbed her hands and moved closer to the tree. After some contemplation she stood as still as possible next to the tree silently looking straight ahead. It had nearly been a half an hour and Harissa’s body was itching to move. Her eyes kept shifting from the tree to out in front of her. How long would it take to gain the strength of a tree?
Just as she was about to ask, a bush a few yards away moved. Staring, she saw a small furry creature emerge. It had really big ears and what looked to be very powerful legs. Intrigued and filled with nervous energy she tentatively took a step forward. Instantly the rabbit turned to face the makyojin and froze. There, both big eared creatures intensely stared at each other. Breaking the silence Harissa whispered ever so softly.
“Are you a small dog?”
Spooked the rodent creature turned and simultaneously they were off.
Hot on the bunny’s trail Harissa was stampeding through the forest. It was as if their hearts were hammering as one. The surroundings almost felt like they were making way for the two as the wind whistled past them. This feeling was like nothing Harissa had experienced before, energy crackled on her skin. However as soon as it was there it was gone as she came sliding to a stop. There in a clearing her and the rabbit stared down another creature Harissa had never seen. Though admittedly this one seemingly was much larger and had teeth to match.
“Uhhhh, Hi?”
Whatever it was growled.
“Consider your point, made.”
Gently she eased back a step though quickly halted noticing the small creature she had been chasing made no move. Biting the inside of her cheek Harissa willed the gears in her head to move.
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