The reunion of the warmest family on the planet was thick with emotion. Mizu, with her distinctly blue hair, had started to tear up. The month-long wait to see her beloved daughter weighed on her.
Zukki had only been gone a month, give or take, but it was the first significant time away from Mizu. Since she was born they had been together everyday.
To add the list of peculiarities among her family, Kappa had gained the privilege of granting his daughter full autonomy. Meaning that she wouldn't be spending the first three years of her life in a pod. Normally this and malfunctioning pods lead to a one way trip to the prison, however Zukki was given time before ultimately being sent there.
The family of three has huddled together for a long moment.
Kappa was the first to break the huddle. Looking up and into Mizu's dark saiyan eyes. They weren't a mirror, where his gaze held unwavering strength, hers trembled with uncertainty.
"Honey, it's about time you properly started your training." The tone in her voice was solidifying with the resolve her mate held. Taking a deep breath her eyes had stopped trembling so that the warmth they held would be clear as day for her child.
"Hmm!?" Zukki made a confusing hum with her moth closed. "What..mom, but we just got home. Can't you tell me stories and show me how to cook?" The girl rattled off excuses not to leave the warmth of her mothers side.
"Your mother is right," Kappa says , noticing the strain in Mizu's expression. "Didn't you want me to show up how Flame spear works?"
The distraction was effective. Zukki's eyes nearly lost their magnetism toward her mother and suddenly her head shot up towards her father.
"No way you said you wouldn't show me again until I mastered my flames!" Her voice shot up an octave.
That was Kappa's chance to pluck this little cat from her comfy spot. Grabbing her under the arm and hoisting her up to his shoulder. Zukki giggles before looking over at her mom with a frown.
"Heey, don't show me that upside down smile. Remember my love, you are the hope of the universe. Tell me all about your time at the prison when you return" Mizu says, able to bite her lip to suck in the cough rising in her chest.
Mother and daughter wave before the sickly woman is left alone. Once the door shut it sounded like she was coughing up a lung.
"Mom's going to get better soon right?" She simply asks her father in a very soft and innocent tone. The girl's tail drooped low and wiggled anxiously.
"Of course, your mother has the strongest flames I've ever known. Flames of her caliber will always burn brightly" Kappa explains to her while breaking away from the sound of Mizu coughing.
He wanted to put his daughter's mind in the right place and training would do that.
"O-ok, is mom.. really strong?" She slips in another question, fishing for reassurance unconsciously.
"Super strong, even the King would be turning tail." He adds as they step out of the house. The coughing and creaking of wood was replaced with the giggles of his daughter and the sounds of nature away from the cities.
Meanwhile the coughs would stop and sobs would remain. Mizu cried her weak body to sleep; something along the lines of exhausting all her strength to go into hibernation. Regardless she would pass out as she did most of her days away from Zukki.
***
back in the lower caverns a few crude yet solid training fields made of stone and recycled resistant materials. The vibe is more resourceful rebellion than cultish, with lit torches thematically aligning the walls. This large room was currently empty.
further in was a much more carefully set up training room with reinforced walls, ventilation, and dummies made of various reused materials. racks of black bodysuits hung, with pairs of white boots and gloves. This room was significantly smaller but much stuffier.
Kappa and Jetto were in a heated sparring session--minus the fire.
It was a battle of legs versus arms. speed and endurance.
Kappa had prepared to interrupt them, but he could not ignore the glint in Zukki's eyes.
The sparring session continued from the ever eager Jetto. moving in for the direct approach she swings her leg in an arc that whips the air. a round house kick that is blocked by a rugged shoulder.
Karada was all about using his body to reduce all momentum. absorbing hits and dulling back a hefty counterattack. the kick stung for less than a second, he was already thrusting his fist forward in retaliation.
the fist was deflected at nearly the last second. Her striking leg returned quickly so she could retreat on the outside and slip the strike. Her hand skated across his arm until she could kick off the ground. Adjusting herself into one of her favorite attacking spots
Going from the ground into the air to attack is where Jetto excels. twisting her body while flipping she oriented herself as though she was trying to catch a legendary goal if the goal was straight down.
"hyaaa!" she cried out breaking the voiceless session.
Thud
Jetto's kick had been that decisive to her, however it didn't sound right. Karada had lifted his arm, crossing them, and snuffing her damage once again. not a reflex action, but a prediction.
The impulsive woman had kicked a second time before retreating to process that..
"bullSH*it!" The crass words exited her mouth and a certain man's forehead tensed.
"oh come on, attack the same place over and over you get predictible." Karada's tone isn't insulting but he does stifle a laugh.
"Bastard! what's that supposed to mean" she continues to complain, now fully upright after landing. A girl's smile reaches dangerous levels of excitement at the side.
Jetto was walking down Karada at this point. slapping the back of her hand into the other in a gesture of how she wants to hit him, although her face is a much more amused than anything
"forget it just do that again" she smirks now, her tone sharpening. "see what fu-"
"Enough!" Kappa finally steps in.
The sparring session came to an abrupt halt as both Karada, but mostly Jetto with her mouth clamped shut.
"You'll make a great mother one day" Karada snarks as Kappa stares at her.
Jetto scowled to the aide and muttered more crass insults.
"The two of you are eager to continue training aren't you," Kappa says with an expression that unnervingly looks like a smile that does not reach his eyes. "Good. Zukki here is dying to start officially"
All eyes were on the girl whose body looked ready to burst with overly excitable energy. Finally she leaped at Karada's face.
"Uncie Karada hehe, you looked cool stopping Antie Jetto's kicks." Zukki says while her arms and legs wrapped around the man's face like a–well a face hugger. "I couldn't even see when she jumped"
"Hmhphh ffhmmm" Karada tried to talk through the suffocating grip Zukki had on his face.
Jetto was covering her mouth, holding back some laughter as she pointed.
"Hahaah, how does it feel to be the victim this time." She teased
"Inspiring, Zukki's already lost interest in your repetitive kicks" he jabs back at the woman while peeling Zukki off his face. "She knows it's all about having a solid form or at least big enough arms"
Karada flexes his free arm, with biceps on the impressive side for the low-class saiyan level.
"What no way" she protests, slapping at her thigh, so thick and toned the bodysuit couldn't hide it.
Skin tight suits did an amazing job flattering her muscular legs and buttocks.
Zukki finally plops down, looking between the two sets of muscle groups being flexed. Really she could not decide on the sight alone and moved over to pat Karada's bicep.
"Hmmm" she thinks, or at least pretends to.
She then walks over and slaps Jetto's thigh.
"Antie Jetto's legs are tough.. I can't choose–" she says, cutting herself off to thrust her fist into the muscular thigh.
Pat
"Hmm?" Jetto raised an eyebrow while watching the child walk over and hit Karada's bicep. She had to climb up his body to get there but when she did, Zukki thrust her fist into it as well.
"Hmm no sound. Guess uncie Karada wins, hehe" she declared like the referee of this competition.
"No way, just wait till I tenderize it..then you'll see" Jetto says with a smirk. It seemed like she wouldn't be taking this loss sitting down, one leg moving forward after the other, as she approached Karada like a predator sizing up her prey.
"Enough.. enough. It's time to start Zukki's training properly." He says definitively before glancing back. "We'll start without Ringu and Hikari today"
Those two weren't restless the moment they returned home. Unlike these two warm skinned workaholics. Kappa didn't take the choice to rest lightly, their duties would come later.
Ringu had his nose in a book he found during one of the missions recently. While Hikari was bathing ritualistically, soothing her bones in water heated by the very flames she was used to conjuring.
_-_-_-_-_--_-_-_-_-
(A/N) I do like the word count range I've decided. Hope it's enjoyable to read..let me know!