Ava's Earth Quest 15 - The Crane Hermit

The Crane Hermit

Easy Quest 1500 + 1500 for Oozaru

Requirements: None

Reward: 1,000 Zeni and +10 Villain Points.

Master Shen, the Crane Hermit hasn't taken a new student in years. You seek him out, but he tells you he will not train you unless you defeat one of Master Roshi's former students in battle. Seek out one of Roshi's former students and defeat them to impress the old master.
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Note to Admin:

I’ve incorporated the Oozaru transformation into this quest, making the word count requirement 3000.
Thank you.
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Ava had reached the end of her training with all three of her masters. Master Roshi, Master Korin and now Master Kami’s training was all behind her, and she had graduated from them all. She had moved back to her house in the middle of the woods, to relax and contemplate her teachings.
She had noticed during her battles that she had become ruthless, and she didn’t know why.

Maybe it was because of this that she had heard Master Roshi and Master Kami talking about her future. They were both very worried about her. She had not transformed fully yet, and she was worried about not being to control herself when the time came.
Full moon was tonight. She would try then to transform and control herself and her Oozaru.

She had also heard of a new master, a Master Shen. Kami had been talking to Popo, asking whether it was wise with Ava’s delicate balance on the sword edge of good and evil, to send her to Master Shen.

“Shen is evil, master, you know this.” Mr. Popo told Kami.

“I do Mr. Popo. That is why it is extremely important that she not find out about him. He would open a Pandora’s box of evil within her. And I’m pretty sure that if that happens, she will fall into darkness like it was an old friend.” Kami explained to Mr. Popo.

“We must prevent this at all costs.” Kami’s voice reverberated in her head as she lay out in the sunlight.

She was staring up at the clouds, looking for shapes when she felt a huge power flying towards her.
She sat up and waited for the familiar energy signature to appear within sight.
Kaval dropped down from the sky and landed in front of her.

“Fancy meeting you here?” he smiled, sitting down next to her.

“It doesn’t count when you come looking for me.” she smiled at him.

He smiled and nodded, lying down next to her, his hands under his head.

After a while he turned and looked at her.

“What are we doing?” he asked her.

“Relaxing.” She smiled, not opening her eyes to look at him.

He sighed out and frustration and she looked over at him. He was so uncomfortable relaxing that it made him angry, the exact opposite feeling she had hoped to induce.

“What are you doing here, Kaval?” she asked him.
“Not that I’m chasing you away.” She smiled at him.

“I came to check on how your training was going?” he said, looking up into the sky.

“I’m done with my training with Kami.” She said to him.
“I need to find a new master now.” she said to him.
“But the only problem is that the only master I know about is evil.” She sighed.

“So?” he asked her, looking over at her face.

“Did you not hear me… evil. I’m good, not evil.” She said, looking at him.

“Saiyans are naturally neutral…” he said to her.
“How do you not know this?” he asked her.

“Namekians. Have you ever met an evil Namekian?” she asked him.

“Um, I’m still not sure about Piccolo…” Kaval smiled at her.

“Touché.” She smiled at him.
“Anyway go on.” She reminded him.

“We do what we need to, to get the job done and to further our own selfish goals. No matter if others consider it to be good or evil.” He said to her.
“I worked for Chiller for many years, just to get a chance to kill him myself. Selfish.” He said to her.

She looked away from him. She had hoped that she wasn’t the typical Saiyan warrior. She hoped that she was more refined and less self-obsessed, but it seemed that she was wrong.
She was selfish. She was considering training with an evil master, just to get stronger.

“I say do it.” he said to her.
“What have you got to lose?” he asked her.

“Everything that I stand for.” She said, sitting up.
“I’m good, and pure… I don’t want to change that.” She said, looking over at him.
“What if giving that up, makes me lose who I am.” she asked him.

“What if giving that up, makes you stronger than you could ever imagine?” he asked her, looking up at her face.

“Power is the key to everything…” Kaval said, sitting up.
“If you’re powerful enough, no one will ever challenge you, knowing they have no chance of beating you.” He said, looking at her.
“You’ll be free.” He said to her.

“Innocence is a steep price to pay for freedom.” She hung her head.

“A price needs to be paid for everything. It’s time you realize that.” He said to her.
“Besides, no Saiyan has clean hands. We all have blood on our hands. From day one.” he said to her.

“Why?” she asked.

“We took Planet Vegeta by force. It was inhabited by another race, until my father overthrew that government. I was born into war, and so were you.” He smiled at her.
“Do it.” he said, standing up.
“I have to get back. Jane will be looking for me.” he said, looking at her as she stood up.
“Good luck, with the full moon.” He smiled at her.

“Thank you. Just be ready to kill me if need be.” she laughed half-heartedly.

“I could never kill you. But it won’t be necessary. You’ll be fine.” He said, reaching up and placing his hand over her cheek.
She smiled and reached up and touched his hand.
He smiled at her.

“I have to go.” He whispered to her.

“Yeah… Jane…” she said, as he took off.

She looked down at the ground. Everything in her head was telling to not go in search of Master Shen. But her blood was screaming at her to embrace her true nature.
What was she to listen to and follow, her head, or her heart.
Then she remembered something Agan used to say.

“Follow you heart. It never makes mistakes.” She saw his smiling face in her mind.

She nodded. She would follow her heart. She turned and walked back to her house. She packed up her things and locked up.

She took off, heading towards the Crane School of Marital Arts.

A few hours later, she landed outside the school and looked around. It was in a deserted part of the landscape. She noticed many holes in the ground around the school and scorch marks on the outer walls. Made by ki blasts she assumed as she walked up to the door. She lifted up the huge crane shaped doorknocker and knocked it against the wooden door.

After a few seconds, someone came to the door. It was a little old man who seemed to be the servant of this school. He opened up the door just enough for her to see his nose, eyes and eyebrows.

“Yes, can I help you?” He asked her.

“I’m looking for Master Shen, is he here?” she asked him.
He looked up her up and down, seeing her shell on her back.

“You have studied with Master Roshi?” the man asked her.

She looked back over to her shell and smiled back at him.

“Yes, many months ago.” She smiled.

“Just a second.” The man said, slamming the door in her face.

“Master, one of his students is here.” she heard the man say to another person.

“What does he want?” the other man asked.

“She master, it’s a woman. And she wants to see you.” The man said.

Ava heard someone start walking towards the door. He opened up wide enough and she walked in. She looked around at the training yard in front of her.
Grey gravel ground was strewn all over the ground, with no colour anywhere. There were no trees, or plants anywhere. Even the walls were grey. Only a flag on a flagpole bearing the symbol of the school provided a little colour.

“Come here.” she heard someone say to her harshly.
She followed the voice to inside the dojo, where a man was sitting on a stone pedestal.
“What do you want?” he asked her as she walked up to him.

“I seek a master to train me.” she said to him.

“I’m not taking anymore students, go away.” he said, looking at her with a look of cold indifference.

She assumed he wasn’t the typical master. He would push her to her limits and beyond. She had to convince him to train her.

“Oh, that’s okay. That’s what Master Roshi said too.” she said, turning away from him.
“Thank you for your trouble. Bye.” She said, walking out.

“WAIT!” he shouted to her and she smiled slightly, looking over her shoulder at him as he climbed down from the pedestal and walked up to her.
“You know Roshi?” he asked her.

“I met him briefly. He said that he wasn’t taking on students anymore either, just before he said that if he were, he would never train me. There was too much darkness in my heart, and that I was pulling the wool over his eyes. He was afraid of what I could become.” she said, sighing at the end.
“Now I see that you too, are afraid of my potential.” She said, turning and walking out.

“How did you get his shell?” Shen asked her.

“I stole it, while he slept.” She lied.

“I’ll train you on one condition.” He said to her.

She smiled and turned to face him.

“But I thought you weren’t taking on any more students.” She smiled.

“I lied. Something you need to learn.” He said, walking up to her.

‘You have no idea old man.’ Ava thought to herself.

“So what is my first task master?” she asked him.

“Go find one of Roshi’s old students and fight him.” he smiled.
“I want you to kill him.” he added, the light glinting in his dark glasses.

She smiled. Her evil side was rearing it ugly head again and the thought of killing someone excited her to no end.

“Who is it, master?” she asked him.

“His name is Agan.” He smiled at her.

“A… Agan…” her heart stopped.

Firstly, he was her friend and secondly, he was a Super Saiyan. She had no hope of matching him, let alone killing him.

“Are… you sure about this, master, how do you know Agan?” she asked him.

“Many years ago, at a martial arts championship, he decimated my students. My school has never been regarded in the same light ever again. He banished me to a training yard with no training happening. He did this to me.” he said, angrily.

“But sir, I don’t know if you know, but Agan is a very powerful fighter now. I don’t stand a chance of beating him. Let alone killing him.” she begged him to reconsider.

“I want his head mounted on my wall. You make that happen, or leave this place and never come back.” he said, walking away from her.

She stared at her feet. She had to try. Even if Agan ended up killing her.

“I’ll bring you his head, or die trying. Master.” She said, bowing to him as he left the room.

She stood there, looking at her hands. Knowing this was going to kill her.

She turned and rushed out. She walked out to the place where she had landed and took off, heading towards West City.

She knew exactly where to find Agan. He would be at home, with James and Emily.

She flew out into the forest where this house was and found it a few minutes later. She stopped and hovered overhead. She sighed and dropped down to earth. She stood out there and spiked her energy just a little, so he would know she was there.

A few seconds later, the door opened and Agan’s son, James ran out to her. He ran up to her and she looked down at him.

“Ava, it’s so good to see you again.” the little child laughed.

Agan came walking out and Ava looked at him. He saw immediately that something was up.

“James, go inside please, help you mother with the dinner, it’s almost munchies time.” Agan aid, looking at Ava seriously.
James sighed and stomped off inside. Agan closed the door and looked at Ava. He was already in battle mode.

“The last time I saw a Saiyan with that look is when Kaval landed on Earth.” He said walking closer to her.

“I came to fight you, Agan.” She said to him as he stopped.

“You know you don’t stand a chance Ava, walk away now, before you make me hurt you.” Agan warned her.

She shook her head and looked up at him, biting her lip.
“I need to fight and kill you, to continue my training.” She told him.

“Fight and kill me, you’re really losing it, aren’t you?” he said to her.
“Kami told me that you were slowly slipping into darkness, but I didn’t believe him. I told him, how could someone who was brought up by Namekians be evil.” Agan said, looking at her.
“But now I see, he was right.” He sighed.
“Does Kaval know?” he asked her.

“No.” she said simply.

“I should call him up, I’m sure he’d be proud to see how much you emulate him. You’re acting just like him, back when I first met him.” Agan said to her.

“If you’re going to stand there and tell me what a disappointment I am to my Namekian upbringing then shut it. Let’s get going.” She said, moving her into starting position. She knew she would regret this later on.

“If you’re so eager to fight, then fine. But not here. Emily and James are right inside. And I can see, this is going to get intense.” He smiled taking off.

She took off after him, letting him choose a fighting spot.

He landed in a secluded spot a few minutes later and waited till she landed. She smiled, it was almost dark and it was full moon.

“Before we get into this, who sent you, really?” he asked her.

“Master Shen of the Crane School. Apparently you two had business in the past.” Ava said to him.

“He tried to kill me when I was younger. Luckily someone stopped him. It was the only tournament I didn’t win.” Agan smiled fondly.
“But you know how strong I am, why would you accept this challenge?” he asked her.

“There are no more good masters for me to learn from here on out. So I’m left with having to learn from evil ones. Kaval suggested it. He said, I should do what I need to better myself, even if it means losing my innocence.” She said to him.
“What choice do I have, Agan? She said to him.
“Succeed, or die trying.” She looked at him and got into her starting pose.

“You’re serious, aren’t you?” he asked her.

“Deadly serious.” She smiled.

He sighed and flashed into Super Saiyan.

“Then no half jobs.” He said, moving into his starting position.

She didn’t waste any time and attacked him right off the bat, punching out towards his stomach. He flitted back and kicked out for her head. She ducked under his leg and kicked out herself. He blocked it with his arm and swung out at her stomach with his free fist.

He hit her hard and she gasped for air, but flitted away before he delivered a backwards kick to her head. She stared at him from a little way away.

“Is that all you got?” he asked him.

“You’ve gotten stronger since our last little fight, out at the Cave of Darkness.” He smiled.

“I have. I’ve been nearly beaten to death since then. I believe that what it take for us to get stronger.” She said to him.

“It is, but good will always win against evil, you know that right?” Agan said to her.

“Evil will always rise up and test good.” She said, lashing out at him again.

She began punching and kicking furiously, losing track of the fight and everything she had learnt in her previous training, giving Agan the upper hand.

He fought her, pushing her back. She had to come up with something quick, she was losing ground. Then she glanced behind him and saw the full moon shining down on her.

She smiled as her brown eyes glazed over into red.

Agan stopped fighting her and jumped back. He saw her mouth elongate into a snout and he realised she was turning into an Oozaru. He looked behind him and saw that it was full moon tonight.

“Damn…” he said, looking back at Ava.

She had doubled in size and was growing taller and bigger by the second.
She opened her mouth and let out a bloodcurdling roar. He felt his blood run cold a little. It was a good thing she wasn’t a Super Saiyan yet, or he’d really be in trouble.

Her hands wrenched into paws tipped with razor sharp claws. Her creamy skin erupted into brown fur. She was turning for the fight.

She grew and grew and eventually she stopped, breathing heavily. She looked at her paws and smiled, revealing her razor sharp fangs. She looked over at Agan, who just stood at her and watched her.

“Shall we continue?” Ava said to him, flying towards him.

As big as she was, she was slow, and he managed to flit around her easily, avoiding contact till he knew what to do. He didn’t want to kill her; he knew she was still good on some level.

He dropped down to earth suddenly and looked up at her, still looking for him.

“Sorry Ava.” He said, putting both his hands to one side.

“KA…ME…” he said, placing his hands next to each other as a small blue ball of ki formed in his palms.

“Oh no…” Ava said, flying up, trying to get away from his attack.

“HA…ME…” he said, and she looked back, seeing the small ball swell to a bigger ball. He pulled his hands back and then thrust them forward, aiming right at her.

“HA!” he shouted, sending the blast hurtling towards her. She powered up and flew faster. But it wasn’t enough.

She turned quickly and let off her own Kamehameha attack. It wasn’t well thought out or prepared for, so it was barely enough to overtake his. It stopped his a little, but then, it over took hers and rushed up at her. She threw her arms up over her face and let it engulf her totally. She phased back into her normal form in the light of his Kamehameha wave, shredding her clothes. She looked into the beam of light one last time before feeling her ki drop to just within living range.

She knew this was going to be a bad idea.

She fell to the ground, having put all her energy into that last attack. She hit the ground and saw Agan fly down to her.
She turned her head away from him.

“Just kill me…” she whispered to him, knowing he would hear her.

“I told you, you were making a mistake. I’m the most powerful being in the universe, not even Kaval can match me. And you can’t even match Kaval. How the hell did you think you could beat me?” he asked her, kneeling beside her.

“I didn’t…” she whispered.
She looked at him, her eyes bloodshot.
“But I had to try.” She said, looking at him.

He stood up and held out his hand to her face. A little blue ball of ki formed in his palm.
“Agan, can I ask you something…” she asked him.

He lowered his hand and looked at her.
“When I die, will I get to keep my body?” she asked him.

“I don’t know Ava. King Yemma likes me. When he hears you tried to kill me, he might take it away.” He said, to her.

“So, this is the end for me.” she asked him, turning her head away.
“Do it…” she whispered.

“I’m not going to kill you” he said, powering down.

She looked at him.

“You just lay here and think about what you’ve done.” He said, taking off and hovering over her.

“You get home yourself, wherever you call home. And don’t come back here until you’re you again.” he said, flying off home.

She lay there and watched him take off. She didn’t know what to do. She had to get to someone, soon.

She picked herself up slowly and took off, in the direction of the Crane School.

She landed at the door and knocked furiously. The door opened and she walked in, walking up to the room where she had met Shen.
She collapsed on the floor and looked up at him, looking down at her.

“Where’s his head?” he asked her.

“He still has it on his shoulders.” She said to him.

“I failed.” She said, passing out.

Shen looked over at his servant who shrugged it him.

“She is capable of great power, but she needs a lot of work.” Shen said, ordering his servant to take her to a room in the back.
“Her heart is filled with darkness, but it’s masked by light.” Shen smiled.
“Time to expose her true nature.” he said, walking after his servant and his new student.
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END
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WC - 3595