Tournament of Destiny: Battle for the Saiyan Empire, Part III
Mato searched for her, and found her free-falling out of the sky. Her energy was dangerously low. He was close to victory, but first needed to finish her off to be sure.
He closed on her in a hurry, just as she hoped he would. [i]A little closer.[/i] When he was a few feet form colliding with her, she sprung into action. With hands coated with scarlet ki, she struck, hitting him twice in the face, then kicking him in the torso, then again in the back of the head.
He recovered quickly and responded by kneeing her in the torso and batting her to the ground.
She bounced off the hard surface, but wasn't down-and-out enough not to respond. And she responded by firing off another bevy of energy blasts. They seemed to veer wildly out of control, not one of them coming anywhere close to hitting him.
It only took him seconds to figure out what was going on when they stopped and hovered near him. “Oh no.”
“Oh yes.” She summoned the blasts she stored in the clouds earlier, creating a massive network of destruction surrounding Mato in every direction. She then connected these blasts together with energy tethers to ensure that escape was quite impossible.
With a simple gesture, she caused the destruction net to close in on him. The explosion shook the surface of the planet and filled the sky with enough red to mimic the sun set. She lessened the power of the blasts to make sure this maneuver didn't kill him.
He fell out of the sky and landed on the broken, shattered earth with a solid thud. His armor had been destroyed and he looked like he had seen better days.
Sarada knew better than to assume the fight was over or to foolishly close in for the win, so she formed the Agony Matrix and fired it at his prone form. It struck true, infiltrating his body and doing its harrowing work.
Mato roared in pain, writhing and squirming on the ground as his pain receptors exploded into overdrive. He never said he surrendered, but rather passed out when the intense pain finally became too much to bear.
When the referees finished the ten count, Sarada felt numb. She had won, but it didn't seem real. It felt like she was having a dream and any moment, she was going to wake up in her bed with Ishtar beside her.
Even when she was transported back to Vocado and was immediately bombarded by dozens upon dozens of reporters all shoving microphones in her face asking her question after question, she still felt like none of this was really happening.
“Congratulations,” spoke a man, the tournament manager, as he placed a crown on her head and handed her a massive, elaborate bouquet of flowers from every planet in the empire. “Congratulations, Your Highness.”
Then, with those final two words, the reality of what she had done finally set in. Once her brain comprehended that she had won and that she was the Queen, there was only thing to say. In front of 28 million Saiyans across the empire, she gave her thoughts in the form of two words: “Holy fuck!”
Time Skip II - Homecoming: Transformations
Stepping back into the cavern, Meagan lead them out and back up into the Temple proper. As they walked, they talked.
"We'll call it a day and pick up the training tomorrow. Cyanna, how are you feeling?"
Cyanna rubbed her head, "It's still hurts, but I'll be okay. That creep caught be by surprise, next time he won't be so lucky."
"Cyanna," Meagan stopped and turned to her, "you were the one who caught him by surprise. That flash of light, did you attack him first?"
"Um, well, kinda, but he startled me and he looked dangerous and ..."
"And nothing, you acted without thinking. That is how innocent people get hurt, that is how you get yourself hurt. If you find yourself alone like that and you have to act, act to avoid not confront. Avoid and asses the situation. Attack only if you have no other choice. Not everyone you encounter, regardless of how they look, is a threat. I'll incorporate that into our training exercises. You need to practice restraint."
Cyanna opened her mouth, then closed it again and looked down before glancing back up at her, "Yeah, I guess I can be impulsive."
Behind them, Dash laughed, "Impulsive! Now that's an understatement. Damn lucky he didn't just kill you right there."
They continued walking down the corridor until they reached the main living area, "I'm going to the library to do some research," Meagan sounded tired as she spoke, "You two take the rest of the day off, just don't get into trouble, again."
"Hey!" Dash replied, "It shore wasn't me...yeah, okay. Miss Meagan, you get some rest, you look kind of beat."
"Later." She smiled at Dash, "Now go, I'll see you in the morning."
With that, the two ran off, and Meagan made her way to the Temple's Library.
Stopping first at the kitchen to get some coffee, she then brought it with her. Placing the cup on a research table, Meagan began searching the collection fro information relating to what she learned during their unexpected trip, then expanding her search to seek out other related information.
Bringing several books and documents to the table, she sat down and took a sip of the now cooled drink. With the caffeine now making her more alert, she began pouring over the materials.
----------------------
As time flew, she somehow found herself standing in the Garden staring at the statue. As she did, she heard the sound of hooves plodding slowly on the stone. Averting her eyes from the statue, she saw a creature that was not native to Chroma.
[img]https://i.pinimg.com/originals/f1/dd/28/f1dd28a89011120c847aa5cfd0802456.jpg[/img]
As she watched, the one horned and winged horse looked up at her, then approached. It stopped several feet away, then waited.
Taking that as a sign, she walked over to the creature and held out her hand. The horse sniffed it, then the mare turned and walked towards the back of the Garden, with Meagan following close behind. The alicorn led her outside the Temple? It made no sense, but then again there was a lot of what was going on that made no sense.
[img]https://i.pinimg.com/736x/ac/40/f7/ac40f727b93355d2a0c22e7a336157f6--lee-james-art-themes.jpg[/img]
With her hand on the Alicorn's side, Meagan looked out over the water, thinking how calm and peaceful it was.
"[I]Please Forgive me.[/I]"
Meagan looked around, then realized that it was the voice of Lady Iris. "Lady?" Meagan replied, "Forgive you for what?"
"[I]Please forgive me for the deception, and for the burden I placed upon you.[/I]"
It took her a few moments, then she removed her hand from the mare's flank and stood up straight, "You could have told us, for years we ddin't know. You could have told the Sisterhood, they were closer to you than anyone. Why? Why did you let us think you might still be alive?"
"[I]Hope, hope and guilt. Hope for my children, so that they could continue forward and not be weighted by the past. Hope that they would remember me, yet find their own way without me.[/I]"
"[I]Guilt for leaving you unprepared and uninformed. I was taken from you, my children, though it was my own carelessness that allowed it to happen.[/I]"
"You were tricked, deceived."
"[I]I should never have left the Temple, at least not until I was certain.[/I]"
"You thought you were doing the right thing, you thought you would be right back, you believed that your power was enough to deal with anything. It wasn't though, was it?"
"[I]No, it wasn't. My mistake in becoming arrogant in my artificial immortality. My mistake in not planning ahead for the worst. Had I not been taken, I would have chosen an Apprentice then. I would have prepared myself to embrace mortality. It took me too long to realize that I could not live forever, by the time I did, it was too late.[/I]"
"Who took you? Who took your life?"
"[I]I can not say.[/I]"
"What? Why not? You have to know, right? What if he's still around? Shouldn't I know, you know, just in case?"
"[I]There will always be those who seek out Guardians, to take their power, their position, or seek to do violence out of a misguided sense of vengeance or hate or fear. You must be vigilant against them. There is no sin in survival, not so long as others depend on you. But you know that already, it is one of the reasons why I chose you.[/I]"
Meagan's mind flashed on the last time she saw Lady Eva, "You really think I have what it takes to be a Guardian?"
"[I]Eventually. You are not yet ready. Until you are, you will continue as my apprentice. It is a deception, but if you tell them the truth you will be bound here. There is much you need to learn. I can not fully prepare you, though it seems you have already had training from a fellow Guardian. [/I]"
"What if I decide that I don't want to be Guardian?"
"[I]Then that is your choice, all I ask is that you find another. This power will fade if it is not taken up, if not by you, then by another who has also placed the welfare of my children above their own. the welfare of others above their own.[/I]"
"There are two i have in mind."
"[I]Bring them to my statue, I will decide if they are worthy.[/I]"
"I will, Lady Iris. Thank you."
"[I]There is one more thing we must discuss.[/I]"
Meagan looked out questioningly over the water
"[I]Your reluctance to use the power I gave you.[/I]"
"I'm not sure how."
"[I]Do not be afraid of it. Look deep within yourself and you will find the knowledge. The power is trans-formative, but change is not to be feared. I can sense that another change is within you already, but that I will also leave for you to discover on your own.[/I]"
"If you say so."
"[I]A strength like yours is rare, a compassion like yours is rare as well. I have faith in you.[/I]"
With that, Meagan opened her eyes and soon realized that she had fallen asleep while reading. The book in front of her was one on the history of Chroma.
The Young Monarch, Part I
The days following the conclusion of the Tournament of Destiny were abuzz with activity. On Vocado, palace servants busied themselves in preparation for the new Queen's arrival. That meant helping Mato and Toma move their stuff out and ensuring that every square inch of the palace was spic and span. On the colonies, the days were spent deciding on new viceroys who were to govern the planet as Sarada's proxies.
As for Sarada herself, it was spent on Langal with Ishtar. She had to get away from the reporters. They were popping at her door constantly in search of a quote or an interview. Besides, she was exhausted form the constant fighting, both mentally and physically. With it being just her and Ishtar together, she could finally unwind and relax. She tried not to give too much thought to the upcoming monumental responsibilities that were going to be thrust on her shoulders when she was crowned.
Relaxation and spending time with her queen were the main reasons for heading to Langal. The other, slightly less important reason was the amulet they needed to research. The day after they arrived, they traveled to one of the museums to inquire of anything they had on Cyntosia. It turned out they had plenty. Most of it was useless and things she already learned while at Iris' temple. Though, there was one thing. A book; a journal to be precise authored by someone named Gelia Steros.
According to the preface, she was the Matron Mother of a coven of witches known as the Wives of Winter's Chill. According to her, it was she who defeated Nergal and trapped him inside a book, then sealed that book away. She never mentioned where the book was; for the best, undoubtedly. Should someone of nefarious intent stumble across its location, there was no telling what kind of damage a monster like Nergal would cause.
As for the long dead Oni, Gelia recounted that she was contacted by a pair of Kais who informed her ten thousand years ago of an escaped Oni who was going around from galaxy to galaxy and destroying everything in sight. According to Gelia, he was destroying the galaxies in one shot.
That didn't seem possible. Sarada was of the mind that Gelia was exaggerating just to make her accomplishment a little more impressive.
At any rate, she went into detail on how she managed to defeat him – by sealing a large portion of his power inside the Soul Tempest Amulet. The very same amulet of which she carried a piece. Once Gelia seal Nergal away, she broke the amulet into pieces and spread those pieces across the universe.
“So, that's it? That's what this thing is all about.” She looked at the amulet piece in her hand, paying special attention to the characters engraved in it. If anyone got a hold of this and the other pieces – if they still existed – she had a feeling they'd have complete access to Nergal's full power. If what Gelia said was true and he could destroy entire galaxies, that would be the end of a lot of people.
With that in mind, she kept the journal – being Queen had its perks – and gave the curator the amulet piece. “Destroy it if you can. If not, then keep it locked up somewhere safe. If I find out you're keeping it on display, we will have words.”
The curator swallowed and took the amulet. “Yes, my Queen. Of course.”
'My Queen' eh? She could get used to that.
For the rest of the day, she and Ishtar took in the sights on Langal. The Oni would notice that nothing like what happened with Durian on Vocado happened there. For the most part, the Saiyans were accepting of a non-Saiyan walking around. In fact, she found that she wasn't the only non-Saiyan there.
The colony had come a very, very long way in the last three decades. While there weren't many interspecies couples there, there were a lot more than on Vocado. If Langal, which was a carbon copy of Vocado for much of its history, could have a turnaround this drastic, then the same could certain happen to her homeworld. That gave Sarada hope and confidence that Ishtar wouldn't be harassed and would be accepted as her consort, and then her queen when they finally took that next step.
In time, Sarada and Ishtar returned to Vocado to prepare for Sarada's coronation. This included having her new royal armor picked out, deciding what she was going to wear, having that made and making any necessary alterations, picking out her shoes, possibly doing something with her hair, preparing her speech. Fucking shit, there was lot she had to do. A lot of shit she really didn't want to, but had to. According to her etiquette coach – yes, she had to learn about etiquette and how a royal was suppose to carry herself – a queen had to be at the summit of style and grace. She couldn't use course language, she had to be well-mannered at all times, she had to ensure that every point of her appearance – from her hair to her shoes – were all of a satisfactory level.
It was ridiculous, but if this was what being Queen meant, then it was what she had to do.
Picking out the armor was the easy part, so she did that first to get it out of the way. It didn't offer much in the way of protection, but then again, it didn't offer much less protection than her old armor.
After that, they went about picking out the fabrics for her coronation dress. It was a dreadfully boring affair that lasted far longer than she would have liked, but she gritted through it. In the end, she would only have to wear that stupid dress once, then she could shove it into the back of her closet for the rest of her life.
Then, she picked out her shoes. To her absolute horror and irritation, every last one of them had heels. She had never worn heels in her life. Only royals wore heels, which, of course, she was one, so... she only had to walk a short distance, so there was that.
The rest – hair, makeup, and such – would be done in the hours before her coronation. She spent the rest of the time agonizing over what she was going to say to her subjects. She didn't want to get all long-winded, and she would have much rather let her actions speak for her, but she figured she needed to say a little something to ensure her people that she wasn't going to completely fuck this up.
“Relax,” Maiz said soothingly. Sarada had been pacing back and forth with a holographic document and keyboard floating in front of her for the last thirty minutes. “If you keep this up, you'll run yourself into an early grave.”
“That's easy for you to say.”
“Yes, which is why I said it. Here, sit.” Sarada huffed, but did as told. Maiz slid a cup of steaming hot tea in front of her. “Drink.”
“I—”
“Don't talk. Drink.”
She sighed, but took a sip of the tea. It was good. Very good, in fact. Before she knew it, she had drained the entire cup. “Hey, not bad.”
“You were supposed to... never mind. Listen. I know that you already have a lot on your mind, but don't neglect yourself. If you need to step back, do it. There are plenty of well-versed speechwriters who can craft the greatest five minute speech you've ever seen.”
“I know. But, I'd rather this come from me. I want it to come from the heart, you know?”
Maiz smiled and patted her hand. “That's a good sign, yes. Let me see what you have.” When handed the holographic tablet, she scanned over everything Sarada had come up with thus far. “...there's only three sentences. And two of them are reiterating the first sentence.”
“I know!” she wailed. “I suck at this shit, Maiz. Ugh, why is it so hard?”
To that, she had no answer. “Well, work with the speechwriters. They can help you gather your thoughts in a way that will still sound like they're coming from you. And you have a few days to do it, so you have time.”
That made her feel somewhat better, but she was still incredibly nervous. “Thanks.” She grew quiet and uncharacteristically withdrawn. She looked down at the table, her hands, the cup between her hands, anywhere but Maiz.
“What is it?”
She hesitated. If she asked the question that had been on her mind for weeks, then she may have gotten answer she didn't like. “Do you,” she started after several long moments of deliberating within herself, “think I'll make a good ruler?”
“Yes,” she answered with no hesitation. “You know why?” Sarada shook her head. “Because you're willing to listen. You're still young, so you're still learning. You won't have an easy time at first. You'll likely be overwhelmed by the sheer amount that will be on your plate. I watched Mato struggle to juggle everything and he only had one planet to worry about. You have six. And while the colonies will take care of themselves for the most part, they'll still be fed your rulings, your laws, your decrees, your decisions.
“If all that sounds like it will overwhelm you, that's because it will. But, that's where I come in. Whether I'm guardian or not, I'll still be there every step of the way. So will Ishtar. So will Tasure. So will Mato, the Conglomerate, Becbaga, Senerg. We'll all serve as advisers for you to help you come to the right decision for us and the rest of the Saiyans. We won't lead you astray because we care too much about the Saiyan race, just like you do.
“After a while, after years of listening to us and heeding our council, you'll start to make decisions on your own based on advice you've already been given. The right decisions. That's when you'll come into your own, and became the Queen I know you can be.”
Sarada was NOT tearing up, but she did feel a little choked up. Knowing that all these people would be there to help her through the first few years – which were sure to be a rocky learning experience for everyone, not just her – was touching. And reassuring. That many former leaders, she couldn't possibly ask for better advisers than that. “...thanks.”
Maiz smiled and pulled Sarada in for a tight hug. “You're welcome, My Queen.”
The Young Monarch, Part II
The night before her coronation, as had become something a habit as of late, Sarada and Ishtar made passionate love for the last time in her apartment. While she was going to miss her simple abode, she was extremely excited to move into the palace and live the royal life. Being waited on hand and foot by loyal servants, it was going to be great. All she had to do was get through tomorrow morning and everything was going to be a breeze.
Or, she kept telling herself. She knew that her first few years as Queen were going to be difficult. The Saiyan Empire was going to be unified, and the rulers people had become accustomed to had been replaced with essentially puppet rulers serving as her proxies. She had a lot to do, a lot of changes to oversee and usher in, and a lot of responsibilities on her plate. But, she would have Ishtar at her side every step of the way, and for that she was eternally grateful.
After a long night of love-making – gentle this time, as she didn't want a bunch of scratch marks on her when she appeared in front of millions – and falling asleep in her love's arms, the day had finally arrived. She awoke bright and early, as she always did, to meditate to calm her nerves. Then, the went to the palace to get ready.
Getting ready meant washing and straightening the wild mane she had been sporting for years. When she looked at herself in the mirror and saw her hair was actually straight and done up in some kind of fancy bun, she was gobsmacked. She didn't even believe it was her she was looking at. “Man, how wild is this,” she chuckled. “How'd you get my hair so straight?”
“Pepa has the best haircare products in the Empire, Your Highness, “ her stylist answered dutifully. “Mineral oils, I believe.”
“I see.”
Next came the make-up, which... which she had just never worn before. Lipstick, eye liner, mascara – whatever the fuck that was – cheek powder shit, shit that made her lips all shiny and full. It was fucking ridiculous how some women wore this shit to make themselves look better. Sarada was beautiful without all this crap. But, she was told she had to wear it, so she did.
Then, came the dress she picked out. There was a lot of extra stuff that took time to put on. Earrings, a gold crown, a single gold pauldron with spikes on it. She wasn't sure if she was drunk, high, or both when she picked it out. Or, maybe she was just tired and just settled for something. Though, looking at herself in the mirror, she didn't look half bad.
[img]https://i.imgtc.com/MLjmJIs.jpg[/img]
The pantyhose she wore were a bit much – fishnet, she believed they were called – but all in all, she felt she looked pretty damn good.
The moment of truth. There was nothing left to do. She was done up like a proper Queen should be. Her speech had been rehearsed to the point of nausea. Everything was ready. She gave the love of her life one final smile, then followed her [url=https://i.imgtc.com/CSQDBvl.jpg]royal guards[/url] to the balcony on which she would receive the [url=https://i.imgtc.com/Gpgd6SP.jpg]Medallion of Monarchy[/url].
On her way, she passed by her family. Her mother and father – both carrying unusually visible smiles – Maiz, and Prince Pinich and Rutaba. She was still pouting because she wouldn't be called Princess. Sarada smiled at them as she walked passed.
As she neared the balcony, she could hear the roar of the millions of Saiyans that were in attendance. It was unreal that this was actually happening. It still felt like a dream. In some ways, she wanted to wake up and still be in her apartment, still just regular Sarada. In many more, she didn't want to wake up if this was a dream.
[i]Alright, you got this, Sarada,[/i] she thought in a bid to mentally psych herself up. [i]You fought Battersea, Fife, and Chris the Knife with some kind of magical god gun. This shit is nothing. Go out there, and show them what the fuck you're made.[/i] With her confidence restored, she breathed in and walked out with her head held high and her shoulders square. When she passed through the curtains leading outside, the roar from the crowd below was deafening.
Mato spoke first, graciously stating that he was happy to have served the planet of Vocado as its king. He went on to say how pleased he was at the progress the Saiyans there had made and how readily they took to the changes he made. He hoped that the planet, and the race in general, could continue to make positive strides until, one day, they were looked at by the rest of the universe in a positive light. Until that day came, he would never stop striving to better his fellows in his own way.
With that, he stepped away from the podium and turned to face Sarada. “Treat them well, Sarada. There's boundless potential in each of them.” With a smile so gracious it actually made her feel guilty to be replacing him, he held up the Medallion of Monarchy.
Usually at this point, the recipient would kneel before the former monarch. Sarada's dress was too tight, so kneeling wasn't possible. Instead, she bowed as lowly as she could as a sign of respect as he placed the Medallion around her neck.
With that gesture as the salute that followed, Sarada was officially the Queen of the Saiyan Empire. The applause and cheers from those below were somehow louder than the ones before. [i]I can't believe this is happening! I'm gonna cry![/i] She took in a breath to calm herself, then stepped to the podium to address her subjects.
“Loyal subjects of the Saiyan Empire, this is indeed a joyous and monumental occasion. It has been hundreds of years since our people have last been united under one ruler. In that time, we have grown accustomed to our own way of doing things. Vocado with its military might; Ruco with its warm, appealing hospitality; Langal and Callion with their strong racial pride, then Langal with its thirst for reform; Turrip with its scientific innovations; and Pepa with its peace and serenity. In that time, the only thing that linked our worlds together were our common racial traits and the pride we Saiyans exhibit even in the worst of times.
“Months ago, it was decided that there needed to be a change. It was decided that our people needed to be united under one banner. So, the Tournament of Destiny was created to not only allow the former rulers to fight it out, but also anyone Saiyan who felt that he or she was strong enough to compete with them.
“I will admit that at first, I did not want to participate. I felt that I was too young, too inexperienced, too... unwilling to take on that kind of responsibility. In many ways, I still feel that way. However, when I found out my sister was joining, I felt that I had no choice but to join as well. Not out of jealousy, but out of extreme concern for the welfare of our race's future. By now, I'm sure everyone has heard of the vile assurances Parsley made during her match with Gangal. By now, everyone knows what she possibly intended to do about half-breed Saiyans and the interspecies pairings that spawned them. Given the loud, concise response offered by you, you have shown that you no longer agree with her way of thinking. That is why I joined; her winning the crown and near absolute authority over the Saiyan race would have not only resulted in us taking several steps back to the ways of Otatop IV, but also would have spelled our doom as a species. That is why I trained so hard, fought so hard to win this tournament, to not only prevent her from winning, but to also deter her from attempting to challenge me for the throne at a later date.
“I won. It still feels like a dream, like I'm going to wake up any moment in my... ahem, in my lover's arms in my apartment and the entire past few weeks will not have happened. That hasn't happened yet, and in many ways, I'm excited about my... our future. No other race is as determined, as stubborn, and as persistent as we are. If we put our minds to something, we don't stop until it's been accomplished. If there is a new plateau to be reached, a new power to be obtained, a new rival to be overcome, we make whatever strides necessary to achieve it. This, I feel, will be no different.
“I won't lie and say that it will be smooth sailing. In all honesty, the first few years are going to be rocky as we all shed our previous roles and habits and grow used to the new way of living. We'll make mistakes, have missteps, and feel like the old life was easier. We'll feel like giving up. Don't. There is a bright future full of countless possibilities and boundless potential wait for us if we persevere through the hardships.
“Jagam is still out there, lurking in the shadows like a monster waiting to strike. I will personally be traveling to face him in combat, and I will not yield until he has been killed. When I return here, it will be with his head on a stake!!” This garnered a raucous applause from the audience and those on the balcony with her. “I will protect my people until my dying breath, that I promise. I swear I will do everything in my power to make this empire the greatest in creation's history. They will sing our praises for eons to come, and all will come to now the might of the Saiyan race as we return to our former glory. This is only the first step in many.
“Until that day comes, let's stay the course and become stronger fighters and people together! Long live the Saiyan Empire!”
She saluted the crowd, who saluted back, then she stepped back inside as the [URL="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PkgfX6UaQU8"]Saiyan anthem[/URL] played in the background.
The Young Monarch, Part III
When she was back behind the curtain, she let out a mighty sigh and promptly threw up in the nearest trashcan.
“Gross,” Pinach squeaked.
“Ugh. Shut up, runt.” She happily took the mouthwash she was handed by a servant and washed the bile out of her mouth. “Well, that went better than I thought it would.”
“I'll say,” Maiz agreed. “Especially since you deviated from what you prepared about one sentence in.” She smirked and squeezed her shoulder. “But, it was very nice.”
“Thanks.” She sighed and started for her bedroom. “I need to get the fuc—um, I need to get out of these ridiculous shoes. How can women walk around all day in these things?!”
All hail Queen Sarada.
A Story from the Past: P-Sta's Adventure in Seal Town Part End
P-Sta sighed, walking hunched over looking almost defeated. "That saloon, this entire town seems insane! I've seen no less than fifteen different things that not only ignored the laws of physics, but ignored them entirely! And what's more concerning than even that is the fact that I've seen hide nor hair of Violi since I first got here! Maybe he's moved on to the next town? I hope he hasn't left the planet!"
As P-Sta was wondering about his current plight, he felt saw a small human child sporting a tiger skin loincloth and a club approach him, scratching his head. "Hello there, child....I don't suppose you can help me!"
"Unga bunga! I'm Fossel!" the boy answered cheerfully. "You mentioned Violi...are you P-Sta?"
"I am yes," P-Sta sighed, quite sure the entire town has heard of him by this point, especially given how much he had been scouring it for the space criminal.
"Okay! Violi says you're the bad guy and I gotta beat you up!" the kid spoke, raising his club and leaping into the air.
"What?! Violi!" P-Sta exclaimed as the child went on to attack him. "Wait, kid, I believe you've got the wrong ide-" P-Sta stopped once he noticed the kid was about to swing. Instinctively, the galactic officer activated his Katchin mode. He doubted he really needed it much as this was the most powerful metal in space versus a simple club.
The club slammed down upon P-Sta's head, shattering the Katchin covering him from the base of his skull to the the rest of his torso into tiny pieces that fell onto the ground as a huge lump appeared on Sasheem's head. "WHAT THE HECK!" Sasheem exclaimed his eyes bulging out of their sockets, rolling on the ground in pain as Fossel glanced at him curiously.
"What kind of weapon is that?! Is it some sort of advanced technology?" P-Sta asked.
"What's technology?" Fossel asked.
"Is...it carved from some sort of powerful magic source?" P-Sta questioned.
"Nope! I carved it from an oak tree, my dad taught me how!" Fossel smiled proudly.
"Then how could you have possibly shattered my Katchin mode...?" P-Sta sighed, picking the pieces of the Katchin that had fallen onto the ground and gathering them into hands and beginning to put them back into place, one by one as if they were pieces to a puzzle.
"Unga bunga! I'm really strong! My mom and dad are even stronger!" Fossel stated excitedly before glancing at the officer, who had finally seemed to repair his broken Katchin defense. "Aren't you gonna fight me back?" he asked.
"Well, no. I don't care how strong you are, you're just a kid after all..." P-Sta sighed, hoping that now that the kid seemed to have calmed down, maybe he can inform him a bit about Violi.
"Y'know, you don't seem that bad mister..." Fossel said after a moment. "Just a bit of a goofball!"
"......GOOFBALL?!" P-Sta exclaimed, indignantly. "I wouldn't exactly call myself a goofball. More like a...defender of the innocent or...Intergalactic peace keeper. Sure I have my comedic pratfalls here and there, but I have my moments. C'mon kid, don't you read Dragon Ball M?"
"Can't! Don't really know how to use a computer yet!" Fossel answered.
"Wait, wait..." P-Sta scratched his chin. "You don't know what technology is, but you have a computer. You don't know how to use a computer, but you know you can read Dragon Ball M on one. Something doesn't add up..."
"Well, I'm not good at math either," Fossel answered, causing P-Sta to fall onto the ground.
"Anyway, never mind that! I believe you've been deceived! I'm no villain and Violi is no saint! He's an intergalactic space criminal and I've been tasked to stop him before he hurts anyone else!"
Fossel blinked for a moment before laughing, "Oh, I get it! He was only tryin' to trick me into thinking he was the good guy!"
P-Sta nodded. "That's right!"
"It is right copper! a sinister voice called fro ma loudspeaker. It was that of Violi. He was hovering above P-Sta and Fossel in a giant blue mech the size of a house. "But unfortunately it's too late for wither of you to do anything about it now!" He guffawed as the mech's arms stretched out, grabbing P-Sta with one claw and Fossel with in the other claw. "This is the end for you two! Before the Galaxy Police put my top scientist behind bars, he made me this mech, the ultimate weapon! Plenty of bots absorb energy! But this one is special...not only does it drain your energy, but it copies your abilities too! And transfers them to....guess who!"
The cockpit of the robot pulled back to reveal a series of tubes connecting from the inner workings of the mech to several cybernetic outlets in the back of Violi's head. "Say hello to the afterlife for me!" Violi screamed as his machine activated, beginning to drain the energy, abilities, and subsequently the life of his two captives with his deadly machine.
"Huh?" Fossel suddenly exclaimed in the midst of this attack. "H wait! Mr. KingofPie!"
...Hmm? What?
"P-Sta's life can't be threatened yet! This is only a flashback remember?" Fossel pointed out...to me.
I hadn't forgotten! I was jsut distracted by all the crazy stuff happening in everyone else's flashbacks. WE've got Sarada becoming Queen of all Saiyans...We've got the revelation that there weren't simply five schools, but ten, and there's-
"Hey! Hey!" P-Sta shouted, irritably! "You're clearly running out of ideas for this flashback here, so I think we'd all appreciate a little deus ex machina here!"
Right, right...Hey, Fossel, I think your mom's nearby!
"Oh, right! She's should be back by now!" Fossel realized with a wide grin. "MAAAAMAAAAAAA!" he yelled loudly enough to shake the entire town.
A purple ponytailed woman wearing a red leather jacket, black pants and sunglasses soon approached the scene, staring at the robot with an emotionless expression.
"Uh...that your mom kid?" P-Sta asked, feeling weaker by the second.
"Yup!" Fossel exclaimed, not seeming any less cheerful than before.
"She doesn't look very concerned...is she really that strong?" P-Sta questioned.
"She always looks like that!" Fossel chuckled. "And don't worry, she's really strong! She's a robot!"
"What," P-Sta stated flatly as the woman below suddenly emitted a duo of laser beams from her eyes, eviscerating his energy and ability absorbing robot in two. P-Sta and Fossel, dropped to the ground, their energies restored, as did Violi who appeared to be extremely upset and more than a little bewildered.
"What...just what the hell is this town?!" He exclaimed.
"I've been asking the same question myself for the past several pages..." P-Sta noted.
Fossel, on the other hand, was more distracted with greeting his mother with a hug,who responded to him with a near emotionless pat on the back. Fossel than turned around and pointed. "Ah! Papa's hear too! Hey dad!" he greeted another human approaching the scene carrying bushels of groceries, who appeared to also only sport a tiger loin cloth and wield a club, only his was made of stone. "That bad guy tried to hurt me and my new buddy, P-Sta!"
"Unga bunga! Wunga bunga!" Fossel's father roared in anger, letting the bushels of produce fall to the ground as he drew out his club. And swung at Violi, who didn't even have time to react before the stone weapon connected and immediately launched him into the sun.
"Well! Looks like that takes care of that!" Fossel noted.
".....I-I suppose it does, doesn't it," P-Sta frowned, finally resigning to the fact that some things, especially things in this town will never make any dang sense. Soon, he quickly filed a report, waved goodbye to his new friends, and left hoping to never have to visit a joke laden town again.
[B][I]Meanwhile, on the Sun...[/I][/B]
"Y'know, it may be really hot out here...but it's a great place to roast some marshmellows!" the criminal noted, taking a few out of his pack and making the best of his imprisonment on the universe's hottest campfire.
Return Once More, to Dusk City ! - Pt. 1
As Ishtar made her way up a familiar [url=https://i.imgur.com/Rb6Umcv.jpg]pathway that snaked lazily through the pinewood[/url], she couldn't help but be reminded of a day nearly nine months prior.
[quote]It had taken the woman several weeks of travel on foot, over the mountains and through the expansive wood that served both to isolate and protect; but as she stepped out of the trees, she had finally reached it ... [/quote]
And much like before, the Oni found herself wandering- retracing her steps, even- with a particular aim in mind; to find something. After all, she had first found it in herself to walk this path, all those months before in pursuit of something that could be found in only three places on this planet ... a mineral buried deep with the mountains she had in reality, never found. Instead, when she had arrived the town had been deserted, those two thousand souls who lived there under the spell of a Vitalmancer who would be come to be known as Grav. Also, too, she had found a grouping of curious individuals willing to stand with her to right the wrongs committed; and together they had. That they had debated at length over what to do with the source- the Vitalmancer- of the wrongdoing however, caused the golden-eyed Oni to chuckle.
That back and forth had all but set the precedent for the days, and weeks, to come. And what a journey that had been ...
Though as Ishtar continued on her way, the destination growing ever nearer; she could not help but be thankful in her reminiscing at what she [i]had[/i] found.
The mineral perhaps had answers she needed yet, true, those of the kind that could only answer the Riddle of Stone, the Puzzle of Steel, and the Secrets of Forgotten Histories; and yet after departing with her new 'companions', what she had found was another path.
A path offered only as the result of Evangeline ... Kami, and her deft- and subtle- manipulation of Fate, and the foreknowledge offered by her station. A path that had slowly, but surely given Ishtar a reason to care for things she had long since found herself weary of. A path in which the Oni had decided- and found a reason- to trade away her flesh, and bone, and her very life for the souls others, ephemeral as they are. A path that had seen to the stripping of barriers, and the very footing she had spent long centuries, and thousands of years establishing for herself. And ultimately, a path that allowed her to accept, and move on both from the Death of her first lover ... and from the fear- for in the end that was what it was, truly- of accepting her 'destiny', as the arbiter of a balance long since destabilized. So now here she stood, the better for it, full of emotions she had all but forgotten, and a strength she never would have found in traveling alone.
To say nothing of the love she had found, in so unlikely a place:
Sarada.
A headstrong Saiyan, who reminded Ishtar so strongly of her first love, and was yet so different both from Sekhmet, and that of her own kind; that there was no where- or anyone- else, the golden-eyed Oni saw herself than at her side. A thing that would persist for however long Sarada allowed to be there, and something that on its own, made this new path worth it. Made the tampering with of her 'Fate'- a thing once despised- so agreeable; and had allowed Ishtar to realize new truths predicated on the old foundation that had been lain for her by her Mentor turned Father, Zurvan ... which itself was another thing- the relationship between a Father and his surrogate child- that had been rediscovered, along with everything else that had once been suppressed, or forgotten.
And the more Ishtar considered what she had learned, and had been changed, and rediscovered; she couldn't help but chuckle once more. She had seen more growth in nine months, than she had in over two thousand years. A thing that was comical, in retrospect.
With the sun streaming through the canopy signaling that the early dawn had become a late morning however, the Oni stifled her silent musings and reminisces in favor of picking up the pace. As much as it was nice to simply slow down and wander- as she once had, from world to world- she had in fact picked this particular route with an aim in mind. To return once more to a place where she had been welcomed as a friend, and respected by two of Earth's greatest; so that she might finally accomplish the task she had set out nearly nine months ago to do. And a short time later she finally found herself returned to that small mining town nestled at the base of the Silvergloam Mountains:
[right][size=1]BGM - [url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tGFOvuOxwuU]Pascal - NieR: Automata OST[/url][/size][/right]
[center][b]Dusk City[/b]
[img]https://i.imgur.com/mAXpmWe.png[/img]
-----[/center]
In the end, once Ishtar found herself returned to Dusk City, she did not tarry long.
Enough to visit those young children awash with curiosity who had found themselves drawn to her horns, and stop by that Legendary Couple with whom she'd warred the better part of a day against over the 'borrowing' of one of Mrs. Duck's ... ducks. With those affairs finished, the Oni paid a brief visit to the Mayor of Dusk City, [url=https://i.imgur.com/LoMNpvx.jpg]Lucian Umbra[/url].
-----
A queer man with a proclivity for tall hats, Lucian was certainly pleased to see Ishtar when she rapped on the door to his office, that early afternoon.
Primarily because he had been thinking about the matter of the spacecraft the Oni had left behind. It had been some months after all since it had been left after all, and he- along with many of the other residents- had been more than curious to know if she'd ever be back for it. Yet there she was, no different than the day she'd left it. Though it seemed that her reasons for returning did not have much to do with the return of her craft.
"... You want to do what, now ?" The young Mayor asked, once Ishtar had stated her intentions.
"Explore the mine, if such is allowable." Repeated the blue-skinned woman, seated in the chair on the other side of his desk. "I wish to finish a thing I had come here seeking all those months ago. To find a mineral that cannot be found anywhere but three places."
Hearing it again, Lucian found himself nodding slowly.
It was a strange request to be sure. When people usually stopped by the secluded town it was either to experience the home cooking at Mab's Tavern (touted as the best on the continent); or partake in the yearly Glimmerdark Faire- a smallish event that celebrated the town's quaint heritage and the importance of the minerals pulled from the Silvergloam Mine ... not to visit the place itself let alone explore it. He was also taken somewhat aback by the fact that she had come to simply ask permission. It wasn't as if they could have stopped her if she wanted to visit the place, especially after what she'd done with Mr. and Mrs. Duck; so for her to actually come and ask ? Well ...
Lucian Umbra offered Ishtar, a small smile.
"I don't see why not."
-----
A short time later, Ishtar found herself in the [url=https://i.imgur.com/mtw7usz.jpg]bowels of the Silvergloam Mine.[/url]
The shaft she walked down now, was the exact same she'd followed alongside Asha'rah, Charco Etrina, Erosa, and a young man, Ajna- who had opted to walk away when the option had been on the table, which was undoubtedly his right- all those months before ... and yet now there was no sense of urgency, or haunting tune to guide the way. Simply a lone Oni in an abandoned mine shaft, searching for something that may not be there.
As she descended down the shaft however, down past the chamber where Dusk City's 2,000 had first been found, Ishtar opened herself up to the mountain, the [B][I]Pṛthivīpatnī[/I][/B] allowing her presence to flow into the stone beneath, above, and all around her. What she felt there too, was beautiful. Beneath the Granite and Pegmatite that encased her as she continued her descent, there could be felt whispers of rare metals, minerals, and gems, in which whom's splendor civilizations had warred over since they had first been found. Though it was not these things- lovely though they were- that Ishtar was searching for. Not the rivers of Gold, and Silver, or rivers of Copper, and Iron. Not the trickling streams of Titanium, and Tungsten, or the whispering creeks of Molybdenum and Tin. Not even the gemstones: Garnet, and Tourmaline, and Aquamarine, and Emeralds ... though those pointed her in the right direction. So eventually, as she continued to wander, her Ki filtering into the mountain, the golden-eyed Oni found her way down to its foundation; and at the base of that ore-rich mountain, Ishtar found the rare mineral that served to support Dusk City ... and something else, besides.
A thing that answered the Riddle of Stone, the Puzzle of Steel ... and even the Secrets of Forgotten Histories ... and one more question besides.
(continued below)
Return Once More, to Dusk City ! - Pt. 2
When Ishtar returned to Dusk City, coated in fine layer of dirt and sweat, the sun was beginning to set behind the mountains. And in that almost magical twilight, as the Oni slowly made her way back to Town Hall, the Oni carried with her a small container of Gold-Woven Iron; and what transpired when she found her way back to the Town Hall was a mirroring of what she'd done that same morning. A brief visit with the Mayor, Lucian Umbra.
In the end, the conversation was brief.
Nothing more than a quick exchange over Ishtar's discovery and what she wished to do in light of it, which itself was far and away more complicated than her previous request to visit the mine ... and yet again, Mr. Umbra couldn't find a reason why such a request would be a thing to deny ... and when the conversation was finished, everything changed. Not that day no, in the end Ishtar simply parted with the small and ornate container she had fashioned from the mountain's offerings. Yet over the course of the next few days, the golden-eyed Oni used the gap between her sparring with Sarada, and her sparring with Parsley not to meditate and refine, but finalize the deal she had asked Mr. Umbra to begin for her ... so when it was finished ?
By the time Ishtar found herself set to depart with her love, Sarada, to return to Vocado and see the world that had given rise to the love of her life, the Oni found herself the owner of Dusk City, the Silvergloam Mine ... and all that could be found within it.
But what had been in that container ? What was it she had given to Mr. Umbra that saw to securing this newfound wealth ? And just was it she had found at the base of that mountain, that had seen to her becoming one of the richest individuals on the surface of planet Earth ?
A story for another time, perhaps.
A Triumphant Return---Interupted!
It had been a week since the Nevadian departed earth, saying farewell to Jinzi and the scant few he could find before his departure. He had paid his respects to Eva and Jack, and--out of respect, more than any true obligation on his part--agreed to return in six months time to help the others in their quest to resurrect the fallen. Still, although he departed on such a somber note, a tinge of excitement, of anticipation, burned within him.
His compatriot, Crazy Horn felt the same way. Held had actually left several days earlier than he had planned, the majestic beasts impatience knowing no bounds.
The same day that Jinzi had unveiled Helds new ship, the [I]Glorious Galloping[/I]--Jinzi had some other name in mind, which Held swiftly dismissed--Held was out amongst the stars, his ship flying through the universe at a breakneck pace.
It was boring. Uneventful. Almost a pleasure cruise. Held had entertained himself with all manner of reading, and various videos--some related to the arts of combat, several others as nothing more than pure entertainment. On a rare occasion, the ship's autopilot found itself in a situation requiring the assistance of a true ace, but those scenarios were few and far between, and Held quickly did away with the situation.
The ship, as fast and as sleek as it was, still was roomy enough to even allow him to get some form of training in, less the voyage into deep space drive him stir crazy. Sleep had its place, as did sustenance, but even that had began to become boring after the first day.
This was the life of the Nevadian, day in, and day out. It was here that Held was reminded that travel through deep space was just as much of a test of endurance, as it was a simple travel from X location to Y location.
Eventually, he passed the time with meditation, sitting crossed legged in the back of the ship, his muscles straining under the increased gravity as he cleared his body and mind.
For a moment. On this particular day, something seemed.....different.
It took time for his mind to return from the void, slowly becoming aware of a slow, deep beeping throughout the ship.
"Eh?" Slowly, the Nevadian opened his eyes, the silver interior of the ship painted a pale yellow by the proximity alarms. "What now?"
Wiping the sweat from his face, the Nevadian jumped up from his cross-legged position with a grunt, before pressing a small red button near his side. He relaxed visibly as the heavy gravity subsided from the room.
[I]A yellow, huh? I guess it's close enough to be worth my time, but not enough to piss my pants, then.[/I]
Walking from the rear of the ship, he pondered what could have been interfering with his voyage at this stage. There were a few planets, to be sure, but nothing that should have actively slowed his journey, at the point in space there were at now. He had specifically taken a slightly slower, safer route, simply to avoid getting caught in a meteor storm, or any unforeseen space traffic, or whatever else might have surprised him.
Entering the cockpit, the Nevadian glanced at through the window, and his heart skipped a beat.
Several kilometers away, the the familiar crimson and azure lights of the Galaxy Police blared in unison, each of the five ships blockading the [I]Galloping[/I] path ahead of the Nevadian.
[I]What the hell? The Galaxy Police? Did I stumble onto a scene or something? I don't see any other ships.....[/I]
Plopping into the pilots seat, the Nevadian examined a terminal to his right, magnifying the scene in front of him. Save for the ships, there was nothing interesting about this sector of space.
[I]Is this a routine traffic stop? I don't think they would need five of those just for something like that....[/I]
Held sat, his chin resting upon his hand as he pondered the state of events for several moments, deciding that clearly he would have to do something. Once he had some clue as to what that something was.
The Galaxy Police made that question easy enough for him to answer, as a light ringing, along with a glowing yellow light caught his attention. It seemed that he was being hailed.
"...Okay then."
Clearing his throat, the Nevadian flipped a switch, allowing him to receive and transmit to others.
"This is Held Debron of Nevada, pilot of the [I]Great Galloping.[/I] Is there anything that I can help you officers with?"
An uncomfortable silence loomed. It caused the Nevadians instincts to flare up, and he felt a deep unease in the pit of his stomach.
"Acknowledged, Galloping." A cold mechanical voice replied, "Please kill your engines and prepare for questioning."
Held blinked slightly, struggling to comprehend the situation.
"....Pardon me, officers." Held replied, attempting to keep his composure, "Did I miss something? Questioning? That would imply that I know something about whatever brings you to this place."
[I]What the hell is going on here?[/I]
"....Affirmative." The voice continued, "Debron, Held. Wanted for questioning in regards to the destruction of the planet Agrippa--"
Held's blood ran cold. Agrippa?
[I]So, I was right, it definitely got blown to hell, but what does that have to do with me? [/I]
Held was headed to the planet to deliver supplies that he technically, in the legal sense, would not have been allowed to, but that was a far cry from destroying the planet. Even if had had been inclined to, most of what was on board would have been various medical supplies and rations, and he certainly lacked the power to destroy a planet on his own.
At that point in time at least.
He blinked absently, attempting to make sense of what he was hearing. He was just as much a victim of the tragedy as much as anyone else, only managing to avoid becoming stardust because of divine intervention.
"--The result of which resulted in the loss of life of over three billion sentient lifeforms. "
Perhaps less of a victim compared to those who had actually died, but not by enough to where he should be to blame, surely.
The android continued the charges against the Nevadian, but they fell on deaf ears.
The Nevadian stared dumbfounded at the terminal, his mind reeling as he attempted to make sense of it all.
"You are not currently a suspect at this time." The voice clarified, perhaps sensing Held's dismay at the situation, "However, as records put you in the vicinity at the time, and you are one of the few survivors of the event, we would like to get your statements on the event."
The Nevadian exhaled deeply, collecting his thoughts. It wasn't like he had any better options, at this point in time, and he had always wondered exactly what transpired himself, to be sure. If nothing else, it might be an informative conversation.
"....I take it that it's still an unsolved case after all this time then, huh?" Held asked with a sigh.
"Affirmative."
"....How did you guys find me after all this time?"
"Recent reports: Officer Miras, Officer P-Sta, both made mention of a Held Debron on earth. More recent reports made mention of Planet Chroma. Further analysis determined that this Held Debron was the one in question."
"...Oh." Held said, sighing slightly. "I guess that makes sense...."
[I]I guess we were too busy at the time for them to bother questioning me themselves, eh....Still, A heads up would have been nice.[/I]
"Also, your flight plan was received and approved approximately ten days prior."
This prompted Held to laugh, despite the situation.
"I brought this on myself then, huh?" He muttered under his breath, "That's just my luck."
"Please repeat that, Debron." The monotone voice replied, "We were unable to hear that."
".....Nothing." Held replied, sighing slightly. "Powering down. I'll need a moment to make a call, though....Nothing personal, but I don't answer questions without a lawyer present as a matter of policy."
[I]I'm sure as hell not going to play games about this.[/I]
"Your request has been acknowledged. Please be prompt."
[I]As prompt as I can be, considering he probably thought I was dead...[/I]