Destined to meet

Cerulia marched through the streets, bags of groceries swaying from her arms. It was a warm day, bright with just the right temperature, according to the young woman, for training. For her warm-up, she ran to the store as soon as possible and grabbed whatever she needed. Her exercise was to carry all the bags she had without dropping them or taking a break. For her, it was to test her endurance under whatever stress there was upon her. Today, it was eight bags of groceries.

There were many people about, but most of the people she passed were in a bright, happy mood. That is, except one person. An older lady sat on the curb, holding her head in her hands. What caught Cerulia's attention was the menacing aura drifting off her being, giving her the vibe of anger and resentment.

Uhhh... huh. Should I dare to go up to her? I think I have some chocolate or something to cheer her up... though she'll owe me after this. Her voice muttered internally, her feet dragging her over to the woman. "Hey? You okay? Just asking, you kinda are giving off a really pissy vibe right now. Everyone's pretty scared right now." She tried to keep a straight, blank face as she kneeled to her height. Her bags were balanced on her arms as she stuck them straight out, determined to continue her warm-up. But she was worried for the woman, since she was muttering under her breath and looking like she was having a bad day.

Nalik walked down the streets, frustrated with how little luck he had been having to establish himself as a mercinary in Death City. Maybe they were just too used to the security the DWMA gave them to care about him? Whatever, at least it couldn't get any worse.

"some creep and his stupid dog tripped me!"

"What?!" The Inu barked, mostly just hearing the bit at the end. "Who the heck are you calling a 'stupid dog'? I've managed to beat Kishin so insane you couldn't even imagine what they looked like! I'm not taking that crap today."

Cerulia's eyes widened and she jumped up, taking a huge step back from the woman and bumping into someone behind her. "No! These are my groceries! I'm training, I don't need help!" She raised her chin defiantly, but then smiled. "Don't worry about it, this is nothing! I could carry more if I wanted but I didn't want to be a show-off. Plus, I only needed a few groceries for home."

She could feel herself growing tired of taking the bags, her arms drooping a little. But she mustered enough strength to heave them higher on her arms, sighing loudly. "I've got this! But do you want food or something? And hey, you have a bump on your head. I can give you ice?"

When she heard someone yelling back at the woman, Cerulia's eyes darkened. "Hey... is he the guy? Here, let me have a chat." Within that instant, she dropped her bags and cupped her hands around her mouth, yelling straight back at the guy. "Who cares?! Dogs like you tripping nicer, older women have no right to brag about Kishin!"

The woman shouted back something about tripping someone? He didn't do anything like that.... But, no matter if he was involved or not, Nalik wasn't in the mood to let some random girl get the last word. He glared at the two, one carrying serveral... groceries? The situation was so confusing he didn't know where to start, but it didn't matter!

"Like I'm going to take that from a flat-cheasted boy like you!" He shouted back, digging for whatever he could use against her. "What's with the shopping bags, did your mom make you pick them up?!"

Cerulia felt like she was stabbed in the stomach with the insult, the blade getting twisted even more with the words afterward. She even staggered a bit, her face twisted in pure shock. She didn't even know how to react just then, but after a few seconds her face became one of absolute rage.

"How dare a filthy mutt like you say something so crass! So I guess it's true that monsters like you have no poise or manners! I'm not surprised that you would do something so nasty to this woman here!" She gestured to the white haired girl behind her. She began to march up to the man, drawing herself to full height and puffing out her chest (or whatever she had). She poked him vigorously in the chest. "What kind of right do you think you have?! Do you even have any humanity?!"

"Mutt?!?!" Nalik just let loose as he glared at the woman, gritting his teeth. "Just where the heck-" He couldn't even think straight anymore! The meister pushed the woman back to arm's length. What the heck was she even on about? He didn't do anything and she just started trying to insult him! Some people just didn't have common decency. "I don't want to just throw the first punch against a woman, but I don't know what the heck you are!!! I'm pretty sure you're just some wierd, friend-less, teenage boy with a growth spurt trying to push around whoever you want!"

Preparing for whatever came next, Nalik undid his gauntlets in case she wanted to start something. He was more than ready for a fight just to shut her up! It didn't matter who she was, he wasn't dealing with this today!

Adrenaline pumping quite well now, Cerulia glared at the man, quickly scanning him over. Despite the fact her was muscular and well-built, she had a feeling she could take him on. And she surely would, especially after he called her a teenage boy for the second time. "Shut up! Shutupshutupshutup! I'm not a goddamn kid, so don't act like I am one!" Her face flushed bright red, right to her blue roots of her hair. She knew it wasn't good to start a scene in front of crowds of people, but this guy had to learn his lesson.

Before he could react first, she threw a punch at his face, throwing most of her weight into it. It connected right at the cheekbone, so she threw her weight a back again so she could step away from him. She knew he was capable of tossing her somewhere, so she planned to keep her distance and take him on in a few punches here and there while tiring him out.

"Then stop acting l-" Nalik took her punch to his face. She was supprisingly quite a bit stronger than she looked. But it didn't matter, if she wanted a fight he'd give her one! He shrugged off her blow, quickly taking a step forward with his left foot. "If you're going to be like that!" The Inu swung his right arm forward in a vicious arc, not really thinking of how much it could hurt her. His right hook would have enough force to at least dislocate her jaw if it connected. Then the other woman tried to get in the way.......

Key stepped in the way just in time to take the Inu's fist right on the head, right on the same spot she had banged earlier! She hit the ground, completely dazed a her head exploded with pain. These people were crazy!

"Oh, sh*t......" He glanced around quickly trying to go back through what happened. Finally, he turned to the woman. He didn't even know her name but she was responsible. "Why did you have to start a fight?!" He snarled at her. "Just LOOK what happens when you start this crap!" The Inu crouched down and extended his arm to try and help the white-haired woman get back on her feet. "I hope you're proud of yourself."

Key stumbled to her feet. " Don't you blame her! You are both responsible for this! Now I have an even bigger lump than before! Both of you need to apologize and make up before I get any more beat up! "

Key stepped back and looked at them both expectantly. "We'll? I'm waiting..."

Just before Cerulia could get another hit on him, the woman she was attempting to help was hurt in the middle of battle. She stopped herself abruptly and looked at the two people before her, blinking fiercely to try and understand what was going on.

"Wait wait wait, but he tripped you! He needs to learn his lesson!" She pointed out, glaring again at the dog-guy. "How the heck can I let him off just like that?! AND he hit you! He deserves a good beating." Even with that, she could tell that the woman was being stern, looking at them both and waiting patiently. Cerulia couldn't help but sigh again.

"Ugh, whatever. Sorry, dog-guy. But don't be rude again or else I will have to beat you up over and over, got that? Just not in this woman's sight." She huffed and grabbed the woman's arm. "Here, let's go to my house and try to treat the bruise, okay? I'm sure it hurts like hell! I have ice and everything, don't worry. I can even make you food! Wouldn't that be great?" She gushed, trying to make up for her apparently-disdainful actions. She shot the guy another look. "Well, you gonna apologize for all those 'teenage boy' insults?"

"We'll, to be fair, he isn't the dog that tripped me. That was a poodle." Key considered the girl's offer and decided to go ahead and go with her. She was pretty hungry and could really use some ice for her head. Mostly though the spunky girl was adorable and Key was a sucker for a cute girl. "Ok let's go to your house. My name is Key by the way. What's your's?"

Nalik just glared back at the woman. She was trying to get an appology? What the heck was wrong with her, she started this crap with her nickname. Although... she did have one heck of a punch.... And she was pretty strong-willed........ He shook the idea out of his head. No, screw her! She went too far.
 
"I'll be ready to take you on anytime, anywhere! We'll just have to wait until we can finish this...." The meister turned away from her for a moment. "Just ask around for Nalik and you'll find me." He thought for a moment, in case she wouldn't be able to find him. "Actually, what IS your name?"

"Wait... what?!" The young woman yelped, staring wide-eyed at Key. "You mean to say he didn't trip you!?" She held her head, a wave of shock passing her countenance. She was the one in the wrong now! Why hadn't the lady told her sooner that the dog-person was not the one to blame? And why did he start yelling too?!

"I... I..." She stammered, going red again. "I-It seems I was mistaken! Oh my goodness, I'm so sorry, that was awful of me to pick a fight like that! But why the HELL did you start yelling!? Anyone would mistake you for the harbinger of this poor woman's injury!" Cerulia pointed vigorously at Nalik, not sure what else to say. In the end, she just grabbed his arm too and began dragging him along with her. "Here! To make up for it I'll make you food too! And I'll give you ice for the punch, okay?! You still need to apologize though; making fun of a woman is sure rude!"

She narrowed her eyes, smiling again at Key. "Ah, yes. Nice to meet the both of you; the name's Cerulia Kiskaddon. I'm sorry we couldn't have met under... b-better circumstances?"

"Well..." The Inu's face slightly blushed as he looked away. "Sometimes I get caught up in the mome-" Suddenly, the woman grabbed his arm and started dragging him away as Nalik quickly grabbed his gauntlets he took off for the fight. "What- Hey! Where the heck are you- I don't even KNOW-" He rambled as she kept going.

"Here! To make up for it I'll make you food too! And I'll give you ice for the punch, okay?! You still need to apologize though; making fun of a woman is sure rude! Ah, yes. Nice to meet the both of you; the name's Cerulia Kiskaddon. I'm sorry we couldn't have met under... b-better circumstances?"

Was she just going to drag him all the way there?! "It wasn't that great of a punch...." Nalik grumbled under his breath, not wanting to admit defeat. He sighed, whatever, there was a woman offering food, might as well just roll with it. "I guess I'm sorry for making fun of your cheast...." It wasn't everyday that anyone managed to get the meister to appologize. But, then again, it also wasn't everyday a woman tried to punch him out, as hard as it might be to believe sometimes.

Am I forgetting something? Cerulia thought as she tugged the both of them along. After the punch and dragging the people behind her, her arms were really sore. She didn't even know why it was so; they just ached sadly with each step. "I'll give you a better punch later on, jerkwad." She growled, glaring at him again. Even despite them both being in the wrong, she couldn't help but hate him for being stronger than her. She never, ever lost, especially to someone who insulted her so blatantly. "And you guess you're sorry?! That's not at all a good enough apology! So rude!"

Just then, she remembered everything. Her groceries, the entire reason she was out today. "GROCERIES!" Cerulia cried out, dropping both their arms and running back all the way to the curbside where her things sat undisturbed. She picked them all up, despite her aching limbs, and ran back to the others, grabbing their arms again and dragging them slowly toward an apartment complex. "Without these, there would never be any dinner! Hah!" She laughed off her mistake, playing it as coolly as she could. Sadly, her new-found rival had seen it all. He probably thought she was unintelligent and lower than him. There was no way she could ever lose to him!

Was... she serious? She was really going to drag both of them and her groceries all the way home? He felt a little bad about everything. But she was asking for it! He wanted to try and offer to take the groceries to make up for it a little, but... she chose to carry everything by herself so he'd just let her do it.

"Just don't think this is over. I didn't even get a chance to start, you know!" He sighed and swallowed some of his pride. "But if you want me to help out, it's the least I could do.... I havn't had a full meal in a while. And... I admit I was kind-of an a**, Cerulia......."

"Hah! You think that was all of my power?! I wasn't even trying!" She grinned cockily, feeling herself slowing down from exhaustion. In truth, she was exerting herself but she couldn't bring herself to give up on something she was dead set on. Even so, she could feel her knees getting wobbly and sweat beading on her brow. Maybe this wasn't a good idea after all?

Cerulia began to bend her knees more, slowing to the speed of a baby's crawl, keeping the bags balanced on her arms while grabbing the people's arms. "No, no, no, I don't need any help. I will do all of this by myself! I'm an independent woman! I can do anything if I put my mind to it!" At that moment, her arms began to sink lower and lower, nearly scraping against the ground. She huffed and puffed, the numbness creeping into her arms. "Hah. This is just... This is just training! I'll make it, yea!"

They just got into the building when she felt herself getting even closer to the ground. "Just gotta put your mind to it! It's all mental barriers! All of it!" At this point, she had let go of their arms, crawling foot by foot on her knees. She just needed to get up the stairs to the second floor and she'd be in the clear.

Nalik waited as Cerulia crawled off. A smile crossed his face as soon as she let go. "Well, she's definatly determined...." He mentioned. Dispite his tone, he actually liked that she was so stubborn. Slowly, he got up and put his gauntlets back on, just walking behind her as she kept going. If she ever changed her mind, his offer was still open. But he'd let her go as far as she was able to. She... reminded him quite a it of himself, in that sense. Pushing himself just for the sake of seeing how much further he could go in every fight, no matter what the cost. He looked down for a moment, wondering if she even noticed how scarred his arms were from the countless blades he tried to block with his gauntlets....

"Think you could hurry up a bit?" He joked, knowing she was probably going as fast as she could.

"Don't tell me what to do, jerkwad!" She growled yet again, craning her neck to look at him. "I'll fight you! And it won't be pretty! Got that?!" Even with that, she looked up the stairs, her energy drifting away from her. The stairs were impossible on knees, but she couldn't give up, especially with him laughing at her. Well, not outright laughing but she knew he would.

She took the first step with her knee, balancing carefully as she lifted the bags as much as she could. But gravity took over and she finally, after what seemed like centuries, dropped the bags onto the ground. She let out a frustrated groan and glared at the floor. "Ugh! So close! You know, it's all because... I didn't get enough sleep last night! I wasn't prepared for anything today! I am super exhausted and after punching you, my muscles got even more sore so whatever!" Cerulia tilted her chin upwards, her pride not faltering. "But you need to help out because if I don't get these upstairs, there's no dinner! Okay? But this is way too easy for me! Don't forget!"

Despite what she said, she knew that she was just leading herself on. She wasn't very strong, she knew. The muscles she did have were enough to give her good punches, but she couldn't endure for some reason. It made her upset a lot of the time, so she trained to try and get rid of her weak demeanor. She was grateful that he was kind enough to help her out, especially waiting for her to ask so he didn't seem too pushy. It was nice, but she had to shake it out of her head. This was her new rival. Just because he had some good points meant nothing.

Key tagged along behind the other two, content just to watch from a distance for now. She rolled her eyes while they both held onto their pride as much as they could. Clearly they were beginning to hit it off and neither of them wanted to admit it. The girl was so stubborn she was actually crawling on her knees rather than letting anyone help her with her groceries.

It was a little ridiculous but also a little impressive. "Well are are you going to help her or not dog-man?"