Crystal hoisted her head up, leaning against the monster's shoulder, screaming helplessly as she begun to have the aggressiveness bind herself along with Satan itself.
I can't help but enjoy this. Even though I had done what I needed to mentally kill Diamond's only child, there's nothing in this world that I can't do for an innocent child. Only to privately feel unappreciated by the Core General. The one thing that I'm going to do with this girl, is use her as a monstrous puppet and allow her to take the life Lola Roberta Mizuka. Yes, I shall give you all the portion of the darkest, inner realities of how you shall see what the world has to offer for you. There's always somewhere to belong on this world!
Embedded in her haunted tub of thoughts, Crystal had slowly rose through a pool of ominous blood, looking into the past and how she's ultimately been bathing in. She cried endlessly like the heavy waterfalls with the room filled with the colors of carmine red, cool black and light yellow. She couldn't breathe for a moment, blown away by the graphic, bloody red hands slammed onto the side. Once more, from the day she confronted Lola about the connections to this day, she's refused to become intimidated.
She was relaxed, calm, smoothly breathing as she felt the warmness of the slime and heat tearing her happiness into endless pieces.
Outside her mind, she had drifted away into a deep slumber. Passing out from the alternation, Crystal's eyes were shut solid, marbles of sweat spilling around her entire frame from forehead to chest. Her 'now' mentor had carried her on his back and returned to the Leserado Balcony. He'd realized they've both been present at the Graveyard for the past hour and a half. Black had given himself the opportunity to go to his next assignment.
***
After warping his way through the rift, Black had returned from the graveyard to place his apprentice in the room. Yumiko and Mikeru stood up with Charlie remaining asleep for a bit.
"Well, I'm waiting for an explanation," Yumiko disrespectfully uttered to the reaper himself. All the words that Black had heard from using his signal from a few miles away had given him a reasoning have another plan be triggered.
"I had convinced myself that you're both no longer needed here anymore," Black quoted, confusing both men with a sheer grim gawk aimed in their direction. "There are times when plan A don't work, you'll have to go to the extreme to engage in plan B."
***
Chapter 29 - Combat Training
***
The last week before the mission, Lola, Tornado, and Brook had resumed their training with the warriors, there have been some situations occuring all over the world throughout the past few weeks. Since the night Black had made his ominous, unexpected arrival at the Ceremony to heed his warning for a huge battle: the Second Leserado War, that will take place at Leserado eventually is soaring even faster than expected.
"Alright, you guys. We don't have any time left before we fight Bloodlust Revelation. Me, as a Core General, haven't always made the greatest decisions when it came to this group. I know that there are a lot of things for us to do after training, but I want you all to be aware that I respect and appreciate you all developing into being strong fighters and protectors of this planet," Lola lectured, both hands on her hips. "But keep in mind that the Bloodlust Revelation group are planning everything they need in order to bring in Kuronina as their trump card."
Alex had asked a question after raising his right arm, "Now that you've mentioned it, Lola. I would like to know if we can extend the training as a whole to three hours or possibly five hours."
Despite all the hard work they've tried to put into getting along, there was huge aspects to Lola's perspective that Alex's always wanted to go past his limits on every obstacle that's thrown at him.
"I don't understand why you insist on wearing yourself out, Alex. I do get that we say we'll do whatever we can to release your full potentials, but only time will decide when that can happen," Lola applied, then continued on with her assessment. "Now, as I was saying--"
"I really hate it when people say 'time will decide for this or that' just because they made it up there in no time," Alex seemed to have dodged the point the Core General was trying to make.
"One second, everyone," Lola placed her hand on Alex's shoulder, leading him to the other end of the Training Arena. She looked up at him and spoke, "Alex. What's the problem? Are you that desperate to get your ass kicked by this damn group and you're not even at their level yet? Is that what you're telling me?"
"Yes, I'm determined to help you with this fight. It's as if you've stated before, the issue that Crystal is going through, I hate to admit it, but I feel bad for her. The twist that you told Sonya, Hitachi and myself, the connection Crystal's had with everything about these Symbols or whatever. That seems like it's too much for a kid to handle," Alex uttered with innocence in his tone. However, Lola saw it differently.
"I don't believe you, not even in the slightest."
"And why not, exactly?" Alex was displeased at Lola's response. "If you can give me one reason why myself and the others can't be trusted, then give us a logical reason and I'll understand more about why you highly catered to Crystal more."
"I don't have to explain anything to you. What you fail to understand is that this isn't about just saving Crystal, it's about the entirety of the planet," Lola added, pointing her finger at the group, who were all picking their training partners. "Alex, you need to realize that there's certain things that are far more important than you realize. Crystal may be my favorite, but that doesn't mean she's my boldest. That's what I've been determined to do for her these last seven years, but you guys kept getting in the way and discouraging her. That's not what we teach each other. Not on my ship."
Alex sighed, concluding that he was wrong and didn't mean any of the harmful things he's done in the past and is desperate to look passed it, "It makes sense. I'm sorry, Lola. OK? I just wish that you said all this a lot sooner than I wouldn't have to be so puzzled all the time."
'That's OK. Now since you had the courage to speak your mind towards me, I'm going to return the favor by kicking your ass in training. Now get over there and wait for me," Lola declared with a look of agony.
Oh, shit, Alex thought with his eyes widening, but not shown to the Mizuka General.
After their conversation, all Alex could think of is how he was going to survive this intense training battle against his own ringleader. He didn't think that it would become as crucial as him learning lessons the hard way.
"Alex, come forth," Lola ordered, standing in the middle of the training arena. "Brook, I need you to change the background, we're going to show these kids that there's going to be a variety of obstacles at Leserado and other surroundings when it comes to fights, so I want Alex to be aware of how I'll be able gain control of the battle by using the battlefield as my advantage."
"Sure you want to go that route? I highly doubt that--"
"Brook, don't worry. I never had any intentions of trying to do what you think I'd do if this were a real battle to the death," Lola informed.
"If you say so."
Brook pressed on the location of a far-away island that is similar to Widow Forest, but a bit smaller. The grounds were typically a brown color, green trees and leaves, waters rushing insanely down into the pitfalls. Everyone saw the entirety of the Arena going through an incredible transformation for the current battle.
"Now Alex," Lola stated as the backgrounds change. "There's more to combat than just strength and speed. There's also strategies and certain areas where you need to be cautions of. Some places have poisonous aspects, flaming, watery or windy elements to them."
Alex stated as he unsheathed his sword from behind, "General, I'd be ashamed if I kicked your ass and no hard feelings between us, right?
Lola felt a dismay mask formed, unsheating her blade with her weapon developing. with flames. She then asked with sinner in her voice, "I'll just show you my answer instead of telling you before this day is over, how about that?"
&
nbsp; "Well excuse me for asking you a question," Alex never felt the aggressive aura coming from the presence of the red-haired General.
Once the room had completed it's alternation, everyone else were gone, except for Alex and Lola. Alex seemed a bit over-enthusiastic about the disapperance of the other individuals.
"The hell? Where's everone else at?" Alex wasn't paying close attention to Lola's instructions from earlier.
An hour before they started the third day of training, Lola had informed them that they will be training, but the environment system will differ from when they had anticipated. Alex was having trouble with the backs of his eyelids; therefore, he wasn't listening carefully.
"This is what happens when you stay up too late trying to talk to Sonya about crap that's not even relevant to the issue we're in. Now shut up, summon your weapon, and let's do this," Lola became highly impatient.
Alex sighed in disappointment, growing through complete cockiness. He didn't think that the General was capable of such immense abilities, nearly making it impossible for him to believe that she's willing to maintain the hugest title in the Intoxian Army - The Core General.
"You ready?" Lola asked in a sexy tone with her before she winked gingerly, nearly trying to distract him, which surprisingly worked. "If so, then, you're screwed."
Lola storm her body at the only image standing before her. She nearly imtimidated him, forcing his body to move backwards, as he stood his ground. The two of them had no one to interfere until the fight was over.
Their swords collided once he blazed his body at the General with every fiber in his body controlling his actions. Lola ducked, swiftly kicking the trainee in the chin. Alex flew a few feet into the air with his body suddenly stopping. To his surprise, Lola didn't seem to slow down, motioning behind with both backs facing one another. The General felt a breezing motion coming from the other direction, using her elbow to block Alex's incoming right fist, pushing the young warrior backward as he tried nursing his hand. Lola flew at him with a left kick connecting to his face, rocketing his frame to the ground. He landed spine-first into a tree, nearly planting a crack from the force.
Lola knew that the battle was going to be over in an instant. She never broke a sweat nor did she show an arrogant character in herself. The General lift his head up with nothing but a small leak of blood on his bottom lip. She rubbed his right cheek and praised, "You'll get the opportunity to get stronger. I promise, Alex. That's enough training for you, my dear."
The room reverted back to back the blue background where everyone saw Alex on the ground, nearly sweating insanely after getting his ass kicked in the most humuliating way.
"Wow, that fight looked at if it didn't even last a minute. Sometimes, I feel that the Northern Coast warriors are a bit too cocky and arrogant sometimes, as I've stated before," Isabella quoted immaturely. Considering that Sonya is from the North Coast, she felt a sudden urge of displease.
"You realize that I'm from that group, right," Sonya wildly waved her arms around in frustration. "At least we know how to get the job done."
"What's that suppose to mean? You haven't even been on this coast that long to even understand," Isabella exposed an unnatural glare.
"Um," Sonya seemed weirded out and had no comeback for the aggressiveness in Isabella's eyes. "I think I didn't make myself clear. So let me speak in the terms of a kindergardner for ya, sis."
"Now, now, girls. that's no way to behave," Tornado chuckled deeply. "You kids today think you're always better than the other. That's one of the things that I find so appealing because in reality, the master always come out on top."
Hitachi came from behind the group, approaching his mother with a different proposal.
"Mother. I would like to train against you in a sparring match. We've never had the chance to even train, even as kid and adult, you never showed me any new moves; it was as if I had to do all that on my own," Hitachi seemed aggressive with the way he chose those words.
Lola, feeling as if her ears were bleeding, had no choice but to refuse his challenge in the most obnoxious way.
"I don't think that me sparring against you is the best thing to do, Hitachi," Lola answered.
Tornado was confused, beginning to think that Lola's trying to keep Hitachi at arm's length and discourage him even more.
"Besides, I'd beat you a lot easier than you could realize," Lola stated. She moved herself from his sight and felt the bitterness and thought her reason was too inexcusable. "Now, as I was saying--"
"I see. You're dodging a competition because you know that there's no chance of you beating me because you don't think that I can take an ass kicking," Hitachi bellowed, looking into the woman's green eyes.
"Watch your mouth, Hitachi. I'm your superior and I have more experience in combat than you ever will. Now step back over and listen to what needs to be said," Lola's eyes grew even angrier with as much venom in her heart growing.
Hitachi remembered the talk he and his Mom had on the day of the Ceremony and how the two of them weren't communicating very well.
"I refuse to be intimidated by an angry woman that's trying to pretentiously adore my existence by training someone who doesn't share the same blood as her son," Hitachi quoted once more, discrediting his own mother's perspective. "After all, I say that you were right to try and provoke yourself into distancing me away even farther and farther. That's alright though. You don't have to train me, I'll just give you a reason to be angry with me for good."
Isabella's heart was pounding, her emotions suspended deep in her mind with what might occur next between the Core General and Hitachi. It blew a fuse with engaging words as Tornado couldn't allow them to disintegrate their relationship that easily.
"I've heard enough of this from you to exchange unnecessary energies at each other. You two share a breed with each other and there's no reason for a grudge. Lola," Tornado addressed, defending the lad. "Lola, you need to stop this. It may not seem like the easiet thing for me to say, but I know what it feels like to--"
"Shut up," Lola shouted, breathing viciously. "Don't make it sound so logical for you to speak about what the hell happened to me. If I have a reason to take my anger on him, then that's fine by me."
Hitachi had made a concluded decision, "That makes two of us, then. It was a mistake for me to call you 'Mom' in the first place. So I'll just stick to General so it's easier for you to forget that you had a son."
Her eyes blew in shock. Everyone, who never knew that Lola birthed Hitachi had been felt black smoke separating the two of them. Lola's eyes nearly burst into hatred, wanting to go full throttle at her blood without any remorse.
***
Chapter 30 - Afraid Of Anger
***
Hitachi's fist collided with Lola's right jaw, but she didn't move. Her eyes increased even brighter than the sun. Her mind, from the form she's taken as of right now, had begun to implode. She retaliated with a swift kick to his face.
The son moved after falling to the ground, forcing his body in a swift blitz, summoning his sword, pratically nailing the weapon into her heart. On the contrary, Lola had dodged the strike by bending her body back and launched her fist upward, connecting to his chin. She spun flipped backwards and contacted her fist into his stomach. Lola's anger went into another level, developing veins through her head, growling louder than a furocious lioness ready to go for the kill.
Her son flew against the wall and saw an incoming blur of the General storming at him. He seemed a bit hesitant, dodged harm's attack and nearly escaped without a scratch. Lola erupted her fist into the wall from her Steaming Bird.
Hitachi also obtained the Steaming Bird, and moved in with the ground disintegrating. Lola brought in more fuel to the flame to perform a more brutal and inevitable force that could blindly cost her to lose her son because of an unexpected mishap.
"Enough," Tornado was in his Gurasa Yukon Spirit (muscular form) to stop the two from delivering a critical assault. He shiel
ded both their fists with his bear hands, felt a small wince of pain growing in his wrists. Fortunately, the pressure wasn't strong enough to detach his bones.
Brook, using her water mimicry with the Aruba's Waterfall to exstinquish the flames from Lola's body. Hitachi's eyes grew into devil red, completely lost inside his anger and had no idea what had happened to him. Everyone came into the fray and pulled Hitachi away and out of the room.
"Take Hitachi to the room for he could cool off," Tornado's voice stormed throughout the room.
Hearing the man yelling, even being heard from outside the training room, Tornado pitied the youngster and had no idea what to expect from the two. Despite the fact that they've been up too high pure pressure, he thought of settling it between them by starting off by talking with the Core General first.
***
Crystal was asleep, dreary as ever after the alternation, the room had been quiet, contemplating her next thoughts for when she's awakened. The gritty energy flowed through within her spirit, not a speck of light had been shown, swallowed by the darkness and her body at a normal tempterature.
"Seems like Black's reputation stayed the same," Yumiko uttered. "Say, what do you think he clearly wants with the Diary Symbols and the Sheruga DNA, anyway?"
"Haven't you heard, he said that there's more to the Symbols than meets the eyes. More than over several million warriors, world-wide, had been slaughtering one another to try and get that power from the Intoxian Army. But not a single soul has lived to tell the tale of the Aruba line's massive power," Mikeru answered, wiping his sword with the white rag. "Black's encountered prior hostess of the this techinique and he said that Deima Aruba was the one responsible for creating them and said that there's mysteries."
Intoxia Warriors - Mizuka Blood (Book One) Page 27