Dragonball M, Chapter 1: Silent Menace Aproaches!

[Lord Falcon]

OT: Well played.

IC:

And so she does. The mage is too busy deflecting debris from the blast to notice the swap. You now have the urn and the mostly broken sealing talisman.

OOC: Thank you.

"Killing him would seem the more expedient issue." Ishtar replied quickly. "Unless you can devise a way to repair the talisman. Perhaps someone's life energy, perhaps?"

"Hmm....Despite what he's done, killing should be our last resort. I must admit, I'm only slightly familier with typical sealing spell in controlled experimentation. I could possibly touch the seal up a little....but it would only be a temporary fix." Etrina examined the talisman with single minded focus. "Perhaps......No, that would require catalyst agent......maybe.......no, that would risk a total reverse temporal esoteric collapse. Damn it....why didn't I bring my notes. This was suppose to be a pick up, not a field mission. Erosa, fetch me my bag."

Etrina paid no attention for a response, focused entirely on her work. She wouldn't receive one either......Erosa was focused on something else at the time.

The weak were at the whims of the strong. Past a certain threshold, becoming stronger through personal martial might widened one's gap with the weak exponentially. The universe was out of balance, and had always been. How could science and art and great works stand when those who could fight had but to throw a fit of pique to wipe out all progress elsewhere? Living creatures were capable of both great good and harm, but violence for good had its limits - to protect a greater good. Sooner or later, someone like this necromancer would win. And all would be lost to this inevitably fatal flaw. All the children who had yet to grow to their full potential, all the striving of geniuses and idiots alike, all like a tissue in the tide. This necromancer was but one example. Asha'rah knew there had to be answer to this problem, but none came to mind for now. All she knew was that a good temporary solution was to put this exploitative man down for good.

"He sought to drain the life force of an entire city - men, women, children, he spared no one. He must end."

[Sol_M]

"Told him I'd kick hiz azz. Who did he think he waz messing with?"

Spent from his exertion, Kabuto leaned back against the wall, watching the others carefully.

The group seemed to be divided in two by a debate regarding the fate of their incapacitated foe. One side wanted to kill him, the other wanted to restrain him.

While his own reaction would have been to get back at the mage for interfering with him, there was no satisfaction to be gained from beating up an unconscious opponent.

Why was this man sealed up to begin with? If he was so dangerous, shouldn't he have been killed? Or was it...

"Hey, can we even kill thiz guy for good? He waz sealed away for a reason. Maybe if you kill him without sealing him, he just comez back? Think about it."

It shouldn't have been possible for the man to come back from the dead, but then, neither were the feats he performed.

Having said his bit, he was content to let them come to a decision on what to do with the mage, and let his thoughts wander onto deciding his next steps.

"Big city like thiz, might have some machine shopz.", he mumbled thoughfully, "And if those vegetable people over there can be healed, might help me for saving them."

[Cleric of Hell’s Brigade]

Without a word, Midori and Shiro charged in, pulling their left and right hand back respectively, charging all of their strength into their arm. As they got in close, they stopped and swung their fists in sync directly into the man's face with a dual cry of "BAIONIKKU SUMASSHU!"

The man crumples, unconscious, and the sickly ki energy seems to leave the area.

[Cleric of Hell’s Brigade]

It was a better deal than he had hoped for, if truth be told, even if not quite what he would have preferred.

He may have even decided he was better served questioning this Kami further, imploring how she could be so sure her Dragon Balls held more power than the ones he used.

But, stars forbid, he was desperate, and had waited too long for even the faintest chance of hope for his circumstances.

Sighing in defeat, Koorimaru nodded, "Very well. If you are indeed able to do this for me, I will help you and your planet."

"My thanks, Koorimaru."

[Cleric of Hell’s Brigade]

Hm... while Karine had handled herself well in her first real battle, Totoma couldn't recall whether or not she had any proper combat training. That is... did she know how to throw a punch without doing more damage to herself than the enemy?

She had some formidable techniques, and in a group effort, would have no trouble using them at her leisure... but mano-a-mano? Might be a bit difficult when the enemy was focused solely on her. He would have to give her some hand-to-hand training later.

"Should be fun," he said. "More interesting than just wandering around semi-aimlessly, at any rate."

Were she here, his mother definitely would've... encouraged him... to go through with this. Hell, she might've accepted herself and dragged him along with her. Of course, given how powerful she no doubt would've been at this point... well, she might've been able to just overpower whatever this looming threat was.

...

Kind of a boring outcome.



Totoma smiled back. "Heh. No problem, though..."

He paused for a moment, his outward expression becoming quite serious compared to before.

"...out of curiosity, can these... Dragon Balls revive the dead? Heck, what are the limits of its wish granting in the first place?"

He was breaking his 'goofy wandering hero' character for a moment, but he was genuinely curious. If they could revive people, then maybe... just maybe...

"Yes, though those who dies of natural causes cannot be brought back. Limits are.....tough to describe. I have only used them once myself, and as I did not create them, I do not know their exact limits. Only the dragon knows. I do know they are more powerful than the ones on planet Namek, however."

[Cleric of Hell’s Brigade]

The words shock him. However, he cannot deny them. At once, everything clicks in his head, the reason why that presence is so familiar. It is because it comes from a Namekian like him. It makes no sense. Namekians are, by large, a peaceful race. Sure, there are some bad eggs, but corrupting a man's Ki like this is something else.

You're the one controlling this man, Slak accuses. Where are you?

As he says this, he focuses on finding the source of the Namekian's Ki.



He's not going to get a better chance to take down the man, but it may mean not being able to locate the Namekian.

Slak clenches his teeth and raises his open palm.

Dragon Shot

The large purple energy orb shoots out from his hand like a cannonball.

Alongside Mirdori and Shiro, your attack knocks the man unconscious.


The other voice doesn't respond, but Slak can sense the now familiar ki pattern inside the bank they left not just minutes ago.

[Cleric of Hell’s Brigade]

"So, you really can change the natural course of things. Free will can only go so far without divine intervention, I guess." Chuan almost repeated the words to himself before blinking. He seemed almost frustrated, if only for trivial reasons. "How could we ever repay your kindness, Kami? It doesn't seem right to solve things without showing proper respect for you and your efforts."

"It is fine. Your assistance is more than enough repayment, Chuan."

[Cleric of Hell’s Brigade]

Hands still folded across his chest, Ochazuke received the Elder's answer, and though his composure remained steady on the outside the explanation cut through him nearly as hard as the biting air outside the walls.

So there it stands, an ever darker shadow loomed in the barrens over Cask. The victory of the day stolen by a deeper truth.

Deeper and stranger truths still, the village elder's words were tempered by something. An aberration in the old woman's ki signature made it all the clearer.





As many others made their questions known he'd remained silent. Under his robes his muscles quaked and tensed, steadfast in the body-mind rhythm that had been integral to his training. It was a meditative reflex, and a dull pulse shocked from his heart to a raised vein pronounced on his neck betraying his expressionless face.

A familiar ache began to spread, two inches from his heart at the edge of his shoulder; The old scar where he'd bled out the devotion to any master he'd received the day he was betrayed.

"I will not be party to the whim of a fickle god," he spoke at last, "and certainly not one who makes diversions out of her charge, even as they sit on the precipice of demise."

There was no denying the bright aura of command that shone from the aged shell before them. Yet no divine faculty would decide his destiny.

"You know the reason why the beasts reemerged. Out with it."

"Very well."

The old women settles herself, then looks at Ochazuke.

"Many centuries ago, the previous Kami went mad. In a desperate battle, myself and my companions resisted his will and fought back. By the end, only I remained. But he did not die. Kami of old was a powerful Namekian sorcerer and fighter, and he used a spell to teleport himself through time to avoid his final retribution. Since then I have been attempting to weave my way through time and fate to see where and when he would arrive. One month ago, he did so. He seeks the dragonballs to restore the world to his evil, vile ways. In that month's time, he has used his magics to begin to awaken old, sealed away enemies to seek out the dragonballs and to further try to block me. He knows I cannot let innocents suffer on such a scale, so while I attempt to aid where I can, he is free to seek them out if his minions cannot."


The old women reaches into a box beside her and pulls out a beautiful orange orb with six red stars floating in it.

"The Yeti would kidnap the people to be drained of their energy to further strengthen the old Kami, and when that happened, knowledge of the location of the ball would also be taken."

She hands the sphere to him.

"Six more remain. One is in the hands of another group I sought aid from. Another is soon to be in a second group's hands, while one resides with the Red Raiders, who also seek out the dragonballs for their own nefarious means. The rest are scattered, but the first group has a device that can locate them. I would like you all to rendezvous with this group, find them all, and stop the Red Raiders, and the old Kami, from using them. I do not care what you wish for, but those two, the Raiders and old Kami, must be stopped."

[Cleric of Hell’s Brigade]

"Well..." Held admitted, somewhat reluctantly, recalling his attempts to do the same, several times over, including today, during his dealings with Jinzi, "I can't argue with that."

So, these things really work, huh? Two wishes.....What would I do with two wishes? I've never had to seriously sit down and think on what it is I really want....

So it's not that she was lacking in the ability to do so, so much as it was a....requirement? Vow?

Held had no idea what the technical term was, he just grasped that intermediaries were the very limit of her interference, it seemed. An odd thing, with the end of this planet at stake, but he made no pretension to fully understand the ways of this world.

Still, I wonder what could devastate this world so badly to have her so worked up....I guess it doesn't really matter if we just get this thing done with...




Held sighed, as he realized the scope of Kami's concern. "This is really an-all hands on deck kind of thing, huh?"

I guess it makes sense...If I thought the world was going to end, I need all the help I can get...



Held winced slightly as she put emphasis on planets.

Held lacked the resources to investigate since his time on earth; His ship was battered beyond what he could do to repair it, and even the black box within had been damaged to the point that attempting to recall information from it had proven to be an effort in futility at that point. But what little he could recover had lead him to believe one thing.

He hadn't made a mistake.

Or at least not one that should have mattered, it seemed. The general area--give or take a couple of thousand miles in the middle of space--was where he intended to go. Yet there was no sign of the planet.

That much he could remember vividly, in the midst of all the chaos and pandemonium, that had led him to originally believe some sort of error on his end.

Which confused the Nevadian, more than it illuminated his mind.

Where in the hell was Agrippa? Planets don't simply vanish, after all.

Held had his theories, but they were all the kind that he would rather not dwell to deeply on. It made it easier to sleep, if nothing else.

"So, this....Task." he asked, his voice a mixture of acceptance and weariness, "Basically we just have to track down these things, before Willa does? And before whatever happens, happens? I guess that isn't the most impossible goal."

Which was true, of that Held was certain. She was a fierce warrior to be sure, as the carnage at the boat, and the Nevadians fractured wrist could attest to. But he would hardly have gone so far as to describe her as invincible. It would be a struggle to be sure....

Especially as long she held the advantage of flight.....In the middle of an ocean....on a sinking ship. Still, they did have the advantage of actually knowing how to find the dragonballs, something that Willa was lacking, currently.

"Alright, I'm in." Held said at last, "I guess if nothing else, this whole thing will be something to do. I feel like I've just been treading water since I've come to this planet."

Even if there is a one percent chance of this being true, I should check it out...Besides, just having Jinzi owe me one is--

"....Shouldn't we go find Jinzi?" Held asked, remembering that Willa knew entirely well who to harass to point her on the right trail to find the Dragonballs, "If he has another close call like this, it's going to much a much rougher race for us."

"The Red Raiders are not the only ones seeking the dragonballs. The previous Kami, returned through foul sorcery, also seeks them out. I have several other groups seeking them, and I would like you all to meet up to gather the last of them together. Willa has one, you have one, another group on North Continent has one, and yet another is almost in the possession of ones in Dusk City. Come together, get all the balls before Willa or old Kami can use them, and the world will be saved. Plus, you'll have two wishes to use among yourselves. As to Jinzi, yes, I do believe protecting him will be a good idea."

[Cleric of Hell’s Brigade]

Mine:

With a mumble, the mage awakens hearing their plans. In desperation not to be killed, his body turns into dark smoke and flees back into the urn, like pouring water in reverse. When the last of it is inside, the talisman glows, no longer being fought, and slowly reseals and repairs itself, sealing the wizard away.

[KamenRaida]

"Very well."

The old women settles herself, then looks at Ochazuke.

"Many centuries ago, the previous Kami went mad. In a desperate battle, myself and my companions resisted his will and fought back. By the end, only I remained. But he did not die. Kami of old was a powerful Namekian sorcerer and fighter, and he used a spell to teleport himself through time to avoid his final retribution. Since then I have been attempting to weave my way through time and fate to see where and when he would arrive. One month ago, he did so. He seeks the dragonballs to restore the world to his evil, vile ways. In that month's time, he has used his magics to begin to awaken old, sealed away enemies to seek out the dragonballs and to further try to block me. He knows I cannot let innocents suffer on such a scale, so while I attempt to aid where I can, he is free to seek them out if his minions cannot."


The old women reaches into a box beside her and pulls out a beautiful orange orb with six red stars floating in it.

"The Yeti would kidnap the people to be drained of their energy to further strengthen the old Kami, and when that happened, knowledge of the location of the ball would also be taken."

She hands the sphere to him.

"Six more remain. One is in the hands of another group I sought aid from. Another is soon to be in a second group's hands, while one resides with the Red Raiders, who also seek out the dragonballs for their own nefarious means. The rest are scattered, but the first group has a device that can locate them. I would like you all to rendezvous with this group, find them all, and stop the Red Raiders, and the old Kami, from using them. I do not care what you wish for, but those two, the Raiders and old Kami, must be stopped."

Koorimaru watched as Kami handed the sphere to the bandana'd Earthling, his eyes flickering between a mix of recognition and revulsion. Kami claimed the dragonballs of her planet exceeded the set of balls he'd used weeks ago, but he wouldn't know the truth of that until the moment all seven were gathered.

And that won't even happen until I take part in her little game. To think that the means to regain all that is rightfully mine should only be achievable by taking part in a game of the gods. I only hope I'm choosing the right side here.

"Well then, Kami, if we indeed have allies on other parts of this planet, would it not be wise for us to have some means to directly communicate and coordinate with them? Surely, if you are aware of their doings, there should be some means of providing us similar foresight so that we may plan our actions accordingly."

[Tami]

"Agreed. Ask your question."

Hesitating for a minute, she finally responds, "I am looking for a Guardian, like yourself, who went by the name of Iris. Lady Iris vanished without a trace over a thousand years ago." Meagan sadly shrugged slightly, "The mystery of her dissapearance has been troubleing." she then looked at Kami, "I don't expect a quick answer, but if you could look into it and get back to me later, that will be enough."

[IGee]

Though he had some chatter, none stepped forward to stop Erosa and so Ajna did not move, did not take his eyes off her. Until. . .

Mine:

With a mumble, the mage awakens hearing their plans. In desperation not to be killed, his body turns into dark smoke and flees back into the urn, like pouring water in reverse. When the last of it is inside, the talisman glows, no longer being fought, and slowly reseals and repairs itself, sealing the wizard away.

It was like watching a house burn down in reverse as the mage went up in smoke, the smog sweeping in and smothering the flame, the vessel restructuring itself, and Ajna turned just enough to see that the mage had indeed disappeared. With it so did his will to fight any longer. What little trust he'd developed in these others had gone with it, though. Now, looking at them all, from Etrina to the blue skinned one, to this beast before him, he found himself feeling disappointed in addition. Not in them, just in people in general.


He knew he shouldn't hold it against them, but found it difficult to in the moment and so when he stepped past Erosa his expression was very stiff. The bad thing was Ajna wasn't sure he'd done the right thing. Isn't choosing life always the right thing? I could endure killing him, but he was down. Done. Ajna wondered if under different circumstances, would they do the same to him if they thought themselves justified? His face became even more wooden at that thought, but he pushed it aside as he grew closer to the rest. Another occured to him though.


Did they save these people because they needed help, or is it simply the base desire of reciprocation for the Mage's earlier attack that led them down here?


Feeling disillusioned of any novel ideas of morality Ajna had entertained earlier, he stopped thinking of this as a group of heroes.

[KingofPie]

Alongside Mirdori and Shiro, your attack knocks the man unconscious.


The other voice doesn't respond, but Slak can sense the now familiar ki pattern inside the bank they left not just minutes ago.

The foe was defeated. Excellent! Sasheem wondered who he was...for about half a second, now he just wanted him dead. He glanced at the others wondering if they had the same idea. "Kill?" He suggested. He had no illusions that the green girl would agree with his suggesttion, nor her companion another odd human(?) The green girl had already attempted to stop his fun before...

As for the other green one, a man with antennae. Was he a majin too? No...probably some other form of monster. Sasheem had no opinion on him but hopefully he agreed that this assailant had to die.

And then there was the other man. The one who had put the barrier around the prisoners in the bank...Sasheem hated him as much as the green girl. Why, he did not know...but the hatred was familiar.

[Sol_M]

The group's divisiveness was binary on a linguistic level, but from Kabuto's perspective, the debate had many sides, each flaring with their own set of emotions and desires that fueled their stance on the debate.

He was already bored with this. Nothing particularly exciting was happening anymore.

That was until the mage woke up and, terrified as he must have been, decided to seal himself away in the talisman rather than face his death. Or worse, if the conversation between the members of the group was any indication.

And then, it was back to boredom.

The earthling that had fought alongside him earlier, Ajna, the one that had dealt a fairly vicious blow to the mage stepped closer to the group, radiating something new. Disappointment. Guarded-ness. Some combination of unhappiness, mild anger, and feeling let down. It was as though he was seeing, really seeing their group for the first time.

Kabuto mentally shrugged. He wasn't the least bit surprised that many of the group preferred to kill the wizard, nor was he mystified by those that chose to protect him.

He was surprised to see that Ajna was bothered by the rest of the group's choices. Despite his apparent competence, he still wanted to rely on others.

Social structures were the recourse of those too weak to survive on their own, whether they took the form of empathetically invoked emotions or psychically linked minds. Kabuto had long been disillusioned to the need for participating in such structures.

To him society was just a tool to be used when convenient, and discarded when not. To him, the debate surrounding the fate of the mage was irrelevant.

To be upset at a group that disagreed with his ideals was laughable. He was capable of living his own life, thank you very much. He didn't need anything from any-

He blinked. Oh yeah.

"Ahemm, if you're done arguing, maybe we can see if any of the natives are still alive? I need to find someone to fix my ship."