Dragonball M, Chapter 1: Silent Menace Aproaches!

[Cyke]

Walking over to an area away from the others, Meagan finally opens the capsule and in a puff out comes an outfit, armor actually. She picked it up and looked it over, then a wry smile was quickly followed by a laugh. Speaking outloud, "I thought I recognized it." She shook her head and laughed again, "It was sweet of him to make the effort, but this isn't Chromakai armor."

Thinking for a moment, "Now what was her name... Astra the Star Warrior, that's it!."

After a moment's thought, "Well, knowing Mr. Pantaloon, it might actually work." She then found a private place to change and came out wearing the armor, her cloak on her back.

Walking over the others, she asked, "Well, how do I look?"

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Zaofan spit out a little bit of congee. But then regained his composure. He blushed and took a quick gulp of water. "Huuuwwow."

"It looks... it looks great! Stylish, yet functional! It suits you."

And then he muttered to himself, "...I want a cape..."

[Lord Falcon]

Jinzi was simply doing what he felt was proper, yet to Ishtar, the surrogate arm was nothing more than an attempt to wash away the events that only hours ago; had cost her flesh and blood ... and balance. She could not fault the man for trying. What had happened was not his fault, he merely stood witness to events beyond his control ... as she had, all those years ago. The Oni considered it a moment more, before shaking her head.

"Unlike the others, I am not quick to forget the carelessness that led me to this loss. I would speak with Ninlil first; before I accept your ... pittance."

None had lost more than Ishtar this day, Asha'rah mused. The oni had placed herself in the path of Chou's bomb to protect her teammates, in what should have been a training exercise. Her hand had been blackened and charred, its nerves seared into nothing. Then she had sacrificed what hope she had of restoration to save her cousin, annihilating her hand to knock the latter out. She had given much to accomplish much, but given much nonetheless. Most things were not infinite. One's body was not an exception. One's spirit...generally not an exception either.

The Oni did not slow her pace when the soulful machine hovered into place at her side.

She wished to assist, to join her path for a short time and perhaps be of some assistance. In any other where, or when, Ishtar may have declined. This was a cousin, an Oni. The task was hers right this wrong. Yet she was ... weak, and the others had already launched themselves into the fray, punching and clawing and blasting at the Other in an attempt to prevent catastrophe.

Ishtar's head bobbed ... acceptance.

"Asha'rah. Thank you."



Ishtar felt the trickle of energy enter her ruined arm and there was a .... recognition.

Asha'rah sought to restore the damage to her arm, create new flesh, and tissue, and bone; and yet the energy was stymied by something. In her exhausted state, the Oni's control over her inner balance was lessened somewhat. The light, and energy of creation that attempted to mend the Oni's arm was met by its opposite, and so her boon was rejected. At least for the time being.

Asha'rah had tried to create what was lost during the battle - not the hand, for which she had been conditionally forbidden, and which would have taken too much time anyway - but the relatively minor injuries along the arm. She had hoped to at least allow Ishtar to move better, unhindered by torn muscle tissue. It was not to be. Something strange had blocked Asha'rah's light, something almost familiar. Like looking into a mirror at a funhouse. Asha'rah had not noticed at the time, but she was sure of it now. She felt different, just a little, another part long dormant, now awake. Had she truly ripped that man's balls off by accident? Yes, yes but...she did not regret. In fact, she was surprisingly comfortable with the act, was even tempted to develop a technique for it.

When she had time to meditate, she would confront herself. Perhaps she could make peace herself, or at least accept it. She wouldn't know for sure until she tried.

For now though, it was a time of feasting and social exchange. And a time for Ishtar. She floated over and greeted her with a nod.

"When last we met, Ishtar, I tried to create what was lost upon your arm, if not your hand. I was rejected. Not by you, but by your body. It felt almost like an opposite to my light, almost familiar. Do you know what happened?"

[Cyke]

Karine gave a brief nod to the first part. "I've heard of that style thanks to my father during his travels but I believe you're the first person I met that trained in it I met. It may be hard, but if you keep at I'm sure you'll find your own path and way, it just may take time. My father used to say its not so much where you start but where you end up, just before he passed he had roughly a power level of five thousand where when he first started it was only in the high double digits. I'm a believer in that saying myself."

"My style is called Youkai Fist..but what I have is a incomplete one." She admitted. "It was passed from my father you see, but unfortunately never took it fully to heart until recently so many of the techniques I don't know."

"Five thousand?! Your father sounds amazing! Perhaps his example is one I must heed as well." Zaofan smiled in sincere amazement, thankful that he got to learn more about his comrades.

"And the Youkai Fist, eh? Fascinating! I must see more of this in action. However incomplete it may be -- and I know a thing or two about incompleteness -- we must trade notes soon!"

[Tami]

Meagan nearly blushed as well, but then got serious, "Well as long as it functions as Jinzi said it would, I can handle it being a little revealing."

[Sub-Zero MKA]

Walking over to an area away from the others, Meagan finally opens the capsule and in a puff out comes an outfit, armor actually. She picked it up and looked it over, then a wry smile was quickly followed by a laugh. Speaking outloud, "I thought I recognized it." She shook her head and laughed again, "It was sweet of him to make the effort, but this isn't Chromakai armor."

Thinking for a moment, "Now what was her name... Astra the Star Warrior, that's it!."

After a moment's thought, "Well, knowing Mr. Pantaloon, it might actually work." She then found a private place to change and came out wearing the armor, her cloak on her back.

Walking over the others, she asked, "Well, how do I look?"

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Sarada looked her up and down. "On my world, capes are reserved for only the strongest of the strong. Let's hope you earn it."

[Cyke]

Sarada looked her up and down. "On my world, capes are reserved for only the strongest of the strong. Let's hope you earn it."

Zaofan then muttered to himself again, "...I better be strong if I'm going to get a cape..."

[Tami]

Sarada looked her up and down. "On my world, capes are reserved for only the strongest of the strong. Let's hope you earn it."

"I earned this cape while you were still clinging to your mother's leg for protection." Meagan rolled her eyes once, "The cape didn't come with the outfit, this is the same one I've always had. My Mentor made it for me after I proved myself to be strong enough. Besides, "I'm Chromakai, not Saiyan, thanks be to the goddess."

[The Chou Lives]

: Muttering.: “ Strength is not all about power level but application and technique. A mouse with a slashing technique can murder a lion with the right cut.”

: Stops muttering.:

[Sub-Zero MKA]

"I earned this cape while you were still clinging to your mother's leg for protection." Meagan rolled her eyes once, "The cape didn't come with the outfit, this is the same one I've always had. My Mentor made it for me after I proved myself to be strong enough. Besides, "I'm Chromakai, not Saiyan, thanks be to the goddess."

"You can't cling to a leg that's never there," Sarada answered dismissively. "Fine, whatever. Keep it on."

[Tami]

"You can't cling to a leg that's never there," Sarada answered dismissively. "Fine, whatever. Keep it on."

The cape suddenly began altering it's shape until a hood formed that came to rest on Meagan's head, now looking more like a cloak than a cape. Then it flew off her shoulders and settled back on, returning to a cape liek appearance. Nodding to Sarada, "Thank you." She then smiled, "You know, maybe when my Mentor returns for me, I might be willing to ask her if she could make another one like this. That is, you prove yourself to be strong enough, Sarada."

[Miburo]

"Held." It had taken a moment, but the Oni had found his name buried beneath the memories she hadn't the strength of will to suppress anymore. It was a passing strangeness, to. Earlier that day the man had given her a music player, before agreeing to help her fill it with the music she had lost when her first had been destroyed. The Oni was aware- dimly- that the new device had not been on her person for the events that transpired ... and yet it didn't seem to matter anymore.

He asked what had happened to cause this.

"I sacrificed what was left of my arm, to protect Ninlil from ... them." She was of course speaking about Sarada, Jack, Meagan and those who had assaulted her 'cousin'. There was a distance in the way she spoke, though she was not unkind. Simply speaking the truth of what would have transpired. No one else would have bothered, after all.

"It had been damaged beforehand, when I chose to shield others, and not myself. From an ... acquaintance." The word was bitter in her mouth. The carelessness of one, had caused the injury of many. What manner of acquaintance was that ?

Held asked if she was okay, then. A simple question, with a more ... complex answer. Her body would be fine. The loss of her arm was something that could be worked through in time, perhaps. The relearning of balance, learning how to function with a single arm ... teaching one's self to use the opposite hand. She did not doubt it was possible; but what of her mind ? The chain of events leading to the loss had been particular in their relevance. A decision forced upon the Oni by circumstance, the decisions of those made afterwards ... the loss of something.

Was she well ?

"No. I am not."

An obvious question deserved an obvious answer. Only after she spoke, did he remember he dimly recall her mentioning something about her inability to lie. Not that there would have been any point. Even for one as stoic and reserved as the Oni, it was plain to see that she had seen better days.

He went silent for a moment, connecting Ishtars words. Her antiquated manner of speaking would have taken a moment for the Nevadian to parse under the best of terms, but with his focus fragmented like this.....

"So, that was you who placed that barrier..." He said, eyes downcast, after a moments realization, "If it wasn't for the ki that I could sense surrounding me, I would have wondered if I had imagined your presence."

So it had all come down to Chou's lack of composure in the heat of battle, then. He did not think the Oni the type for sarcasm, or understatement, but that was likely the very limits of that type of expression for her. She had all but confirmed it with the hollow ring of the word 'acquaintance' that had come from her mouth.

That blazing explosion that threatened to engulf those who surrounded him.

The Nevadian had retreated to a safe distance, and between Ishtar and Karine's protection, he had escaped the brunt of the blast entirely. He had been so focused on Karines safety--and so confident of Ishtars defenses--that he had never actually considered the possibility of her neglecting that defense to save the others.

And himself.

"I'm sorry, Ishtar." He said, shamefully, realizing how his overconfidence in her had led him to neglect his friend much longer than necessary. "My skills would have been of no use to you, but had I known you were injured, I would have been there, at the very least."

Almost belatedly, the Nevadian added, "...But why did you protect....Ninlil?"

It was more of a reflex, than a well-thought question. No sooner did he realize it should have been saved for another time, did he realize the words had already escaped his mouth.

The reasoning was lost on the Nevadian. Was it some bond that members of the same species shared? The Nevadian would not take any pleasure in dispatching his own, to be sure, but he would have little qualm about doing it in the heat of battle, if they so earnestly sought to decimate him. And given there seemed to be some tenuous connection to Chou's manifestation, and herself, there was at least a dark implication looming.

"Actually, that's not really important." He added hastily. She was barely able to put on a shirt, to ask her to explain her decisions in the heat of battle, was the wrong way to handle things. It was not her decision that had brought them to this point, merely saved them from even steeper consequences.

There was a pause, and the Oni noticed the golden shimmer of something familiar.

"You dropped your spear."

For some reason, that seemed more pressing. Though the Oni's eyes flickered with something, then; and she took a hesitant step forward. "Have you seen my sword it is ... the shards of it. Wrapped in the boy, Chuan's, shirt."

"...Huh?"

He was caught offguard, flat-footed.

His spear? The Spear was an object close to his heart, to be sure. A sacred relic of the Yunikon Tribe of Nevada, one had been entrusted with it as a symbol of his prowess as a warrior. It indeed was a great gift, and a greater honor.

But surely, the honor wasn't so great that he would have so easily left the Oni, going to find a place of proper worthiness to place his weapon, only returning when his--and it's--pride has been satiated.

The very idea would have been pathetic. His concern for such things was so minor that he could scarcely bring himself to think it worthy of response, as grateful as he was for her selfless consideration of him.

"...Your sword?"

He thought back to the battle with Miras, Ishtar and her blade shattering the barrier that had house her, as if it has been nothing more than glass. And in return, her blade apparently had met a similar fate, perhaps during Chou's eruption.

Had Held been even slightly further away as they spoke, perhaps he would have missed the hint of concern on her face, as she asked her question. Even where he was, he was not entirely sure he was not reflecting his own emotions into the situation.

"No, I haven't spoken to Chaun since this morning." He explained, "Although, I am sure he is taking great care of what remains. He's certainly proven himself to be reliable."

An expression of concern grew deeper.

"I could get it for you, if that is what you wish, but....."

He stumbled for a moment, still unsure of how to approach the situation. Perhaps her sword occupied a similar position in her heart to that of the Nevadians spear. He could appreciate the sentiment.

And still.

"Perhaps such things can wait? Forgive me, Ishtar, but you should rest. It's been a long day for all of us, you most of all."

[Monstrous Bird of Qin, Ou Ki]

Karine gave a brief nod to the first part. "I've heard of that style thanks to my father during his travels but I believe you're the first person I met that trained in it I met. It may be hard, but if you keep at I'm sure you'll find your own path and way, it just may take time. My father used to say its not so much where you start but where you end up, just before he passed he had roughly a power level of five thousand where when he first started it was only in the high double digits. I'm a believer in that saying myself."

"My style is called Youkai Fist..but what I have is a incomplete one." She admitted. "It was passed from my father you see, but unfortunately never took it fully to heart until recently so many of the techniques I don't know."



That..was a interesting question. She never really thought too much about it before but it was fairly plausible.

"I'm not sure." Karine finally said. "I think its possible, with Nosferartu being a off branch of humanity so more then likely I'd say yes. I just wouldn't count on it too soon since Sayains don't really breed with other races as much and Nosferartu aren't as common anymore."

Totoma said nothing in response, since that seemed like a good place to end that conversation. He could've made a joke like "...wanna find out of it's possible?" accompanied by a suggestive wink, but he didn't feel like it, for some reason. Maybe... because it felt like it would make things awkward? He didn't know about Kari, but his feelings towards her were... confused now.

Maybe they'd always been confused, and he's just ignored it and pushed it to the back of his mind.

Without thinking, he sighed heavily.

The urge to help Ishstar was strong as she struggled to get the simple task getting a shirt on before she pushed that feeling back. This was her own personal battle with her own desire to see it through, so helping would cause more harm then good besides respecting her wishes. She did seem to give up after the shirt was put on, looking more tired and weary then before. It broke Karine's heart seeing them in this state and being completely inept of doing anything to help.

She adverted her gaze, unable to look at them much longer in their current state. The bickering and banter of the others were mostly background music to her at the given moment.

Held came to ask if she was all right, the question seemed more rthetoical then anything. Karine mentally sighed, deciding to let Held talk.

Maybe he could help in some way she couldn't at the moment.

"...hopefully Held can cheer her up," said Totoma, after following Kari's line of sight to Ishtar. "He's, uh... pretty perceptive, with that Shingan of his. I'd... have done it myself, but I'd just make things worse."

Miss Ishtar had been (fairly) nice to him in their brief interactions, so she was good in his book. Seeing her in such a shape was... painful. Not just the physical injuries, but... something deeper had been injured. Something healing magic or needles or a trip to the healing pod couldn't mend.

Given his own issues, he wasn't in a position to really do anything. And that tore him up, because what good was a Hero that couldn't save someone suffering right in front of him? Some hero he was.

...

That phrase was one he had uttered, internally or externally, far too often lately.

Jack felt a tinge of guilt. Jack had to admit he had a habit of reacting to any perceived attack or threat by biting back. Physical or social, it did not matter. The thing was, not everything he sunk his teeth into ended up being an attack.

"Sorry about that...I can get be bit defensive sometimes. The pizza vomit kind of set me off."

"Listen, if your free later, I'd like to follow up on that sparring match we've never got to have."



"No way! I haven't had any weighted clothing in ages!" When Jack was younger, Manco had trained him with weighted clothing, which where generally just breastplates made of lead and other heavy metals. The problem was that as Jack got stronger, the suits just became to impractical, the amount of weight he needed to make difference being just to bulky to bother with."

Jack tried the jacket on, and nearly lost his balance at first until he managed to stabilize the weight. "This is great! Super heavy, but you can barely tell anything's under here at all just by looking!" Jack said as he excitedly shook his Jinzi's hand, "I mean, gravity chambers are well and good and cutting edge and everything, but there's just something about the classics, you know?"

Besides, for all the use you could get out of gravity chamber, you could never dramatically take the thing off.

Totoma smiled at Jack's excitement at his new jacket. "Heh, lookin' pretty stylish there, Jack. Though I think you may have a bit of trouble fighting with it on. Too many of the ladies mobbing you."

A joke, of course... but it was a very nice jacket. Good for taking off and tossing to the side dramatically. He couldn't do that with his Saiyan armour... well, okay, he could, but he'd just look silly. Armour was useless if it wasn't worn, and taking it off for "dramatic effect" was dumb.

"And yeah, I'm totally still up for that spar. I can also teach you how to sense ki and fly, if you want," he said, patting Jack on the shoulder. "...although I'm going to have to remember how to do the latter, because I, uh, sort of haven't done it in ten years. I figure it should be like riding a bicycle. Never really forget."

...Kari had actually been the one to teach him how to ride a bicycle, a few years after his mother died and he'd gotten so weak that he couldn't fly. Good memories, except for the crashes. The many... many crashes.

Walking over to an area away from the others, Meagan finally opens the capsule and in a puff out comes an outfit, armor actually. She picked it up and looked it over, then a wry smile was quickly followed by a laugh. Speaking outloud, "I thought I recognized it." She shook her head and laughed again, "It was sweet of him to make the effort, but this isn't Chromakai armor."

Thinking for a moment, "Now what was her name... Astra the Star Warrior, that's it!."

After a moment's thought, "Well, knowing Mr. Pantaloon, it might actually work." She then found a private place to change and came out wearing the armor, her cloak on her back.

Walking over the others, she asked, "Well, how do I look?"

Attachment 62000

Totoma gave Meagan a quick once-over. "You look super-cute... and ready for an adventure."

Her armour seemed to offer less protection than his, but more mobility. He didn't really know how Meagan fought (yet) but her people didn't strike him as the type to just take blows, like Saiyans. Of course, it helped (didn't help?) that Saiyans got stronger after serious injuries, so... perhaps the instinctive drive to get stronger also drove them to tank hits, in the hope of getting a zenkai.

"Be careful with the cape, though. One good grab and your mobility will be cut down a lot," he said. "On the flipside, it could totally be used for misdirection... so, yeah."

"Five thousand?! Your father sounds amazing! Perhaps his example is one I must heed as well." Zaofan smiled in sincere amazement, thankful that he got to learn more about his comrades.

"And the Youkai Fist, eh? Fascinating! I must see more of this in action. However incomplete it may be -- and I know a thing or two about incompleteness -- we must trade notes soon!"

"Kari's Old Man was pretty amazing, yeah. Her people can get really strong if they put their minds to it," said Totoma "My mother was even stronger than Kari's dad, if you can believe it."

He paused, then added. "...and you wouldn't be able to tell from how I am now, but so was I."

His mother at just over 7,000 and him at just shy of that. And yet, back then, no matter how many purebreds he humbled and humiliated--and how thoroughly he did so--he had always 'just' been a mutt. Looking back, his frustration and rage towards that fact had really started to twist him. On Earth, and especially around Kari, he'd been a normal kid, pretty much, but on Vacado... his guiding maxim was that if the purebreds wouldn't respect him, then they wouldfear him.

"Not that it mattered. To those fucking purebreds, I'll always be a worthless mutt."

He blinked. Ah, he was letting old grudges get the better of him. "Oh, heh, sorry. So, you said you know Hokuto Shinken? Isn't that the style that makes people explode from the inside? I'd love to spar with you, sometime... as long as I don't get exploded."

[Tami]

.


Totoma gave Meagan a quick once-over. "You look super-cute... and ready for an adventure."

Her armour seemed to offer less protection than his, but more mobility. He didn't really know how Meagan fought (yet) but her people didn't strike him as the type to just take blows, like Saiyans. Of course, it helped (didn't help?) that Saiyans got stronger after serious injuries, so... perhaps the instinctive drive to get stronger also drove them to tank hits, in the hope of getting a zenkai.

"Be careful with the cape, though. One good grab and your mobility will be cut down a lot," he said. "On the flipside, it could totally be used for misdirection... so, yeah."

"Don't worry, the cape can take care of its' self. If you want proof, just try and grab me." Meagan smiled mishceviously, then turned her back on Totoma.

[Cleric of Hell’s Brigade]

Koorimaru’s countenance locked into a stern grimace, “I suspected that was the case if you came here under her guise.” Koorimaru sighed, “Still, I hardly see how this puts him in a better position than before. Even as inconvenient as Kami’s capture is, he can’t very well threaten us with her life. Not when we know he wishes to use the Dragon Balls. So the question is, what has Fife told you about his plans with his successor.”

Ninlil shrugs.

“He does not speak of them. Only that once he awoke another sealed away, she would deal with Kami. I never met this other one, but once Kami was entranced, I saw her and took her form and read where her last location was. This I was able to arrive here.”

[Cleric of Hell’s Brigade]

Zaofan spit out a little bit of congee. But then regained his composure. He blushed and took a quick gulp of water. "Huuuwwow."

"It looks... it looks great! Stylish, yet functional! It suits you."

And then he muttered to himself, "...I want a cape..."

A weighted cape bearing Zaofan’s signature and school appears from within a Capsule Jinzi hands him.

“I figured.”