Post by Sheri on Nov 10, 2021 7:44:26 GMT -5
There were a thousand reasons why Sheri hated combat. She'd found herself thinking about them an awful lot since her arrival on Earth. Perhaps that was only natural; she was supposed to be here to get over her trauma and prove she was still fit to be an active duty member of the Tuffle military. She couldn't do that without confronting the fact that she wasn't that when she arrived.
But she finally felt as though she were making progress there. The example set by Azuki's parents was probably the single most affecting moment. She'd looked at the happiness they'd been able to find with each other, and she'd remembered that was what she had been fighting for. Not to kill all the Saiyans. Not to avenge her lost friends. To claim a future where her people could be just as happy; where they could have the space and freedom to live their best lives.
Now she just had to imagine that she, herself, might be one of the people she was fighting for. Could she do that? Imagine a future where she could put down her gun and find a peaceful life?
Ironically, the first step was to prove that she could pick up her gun and not lose it.
She stepped out from the changing room and tried not to feel conspicuous as she made her way up to the arena proper. The few in the crowd who had gathered to watch stared down at her - a short woman dressed in orange fatigues with a bulky rifle on her back. Not exactly the standard martial artist that they were likely used to watching.
She cracked her neck and unslung the rifle, taking a firm grip on it as she did. A quick summoning of her power, and the rifle kicked into life with a low whine, bright blue light glowing within the chamber of the weapon.
There was a low murmur of confusion from the crowd; was this sort of thing actually allowed? It didn't seem very sporting. She didn't particularly care what they thought, though. She was here to prove that she could still put her skills to use against an active, thinking, engaged opponent without losing her cool. Discipline and focus. Those were the two things that she needed to make sure she still had if she was going to resume her role with the Wild Beans.
Besides, if they thought she was strange, they hadn't seen her opponent yet...
But she finally felt as though she were making progress there. The example set by Azuki's parents was probably the single most affecting moment. She'd looked at the happiness they'd been able to find with each other, and she'd remembered that was what she had been fighting for. Not to kill all the Saiyans. Not to avenge her lost friends. To claim a future where her people could be just as happy; where they could have the space and freedom to live their best lives.
Now she just had to imagine that she, herself, might be one of the people she was fighting for. Could she do that? Imagine a future where she could put down her gun and find a peaceful life?
Ironically, the first step was to prove that she could pick up her gun and not lose it.
She stepped out from the changing room and tried not to feel conspicuous as she made her way up to the arena proper. The few in the crowd who had gathered to watch stared down at her - a short woman dressed in orange fatigues with a bulky rifle on her back. Not exactly the standard martial artist that they were likely used to watching.
She cracked her neck and unslung the rifle, taking a firm grip on it as she did. A quick summoning of her power, and the rifle kicked into life with a low whine, bright blue light glowing within the chamber of the weapon.
There was a low murmur of confusion from the crowd; was this sort of thing actually allowed? It didn't seem very sporting. She didn't particularly care what they thought, though. She was here to prove that she could still put her skills to use against an active, thinking, engaged opponent without losing her cool. Discipline and focus. Those were the two things that she needed to make sure she still had if she was going to resume her role with the Wild Beans.
Besides, if they thought she was strange, they hadn't seen her opponent yet...