Dragonball M, Chapter 1: Silent Menace Aproaches!

[Sub-Zero MKA]

Jinzi locks it down even as Willa herself wakes up. She looks them all over, a cold fury on her face. She says nothing.

Well, it looked like daddy's little princess decided to wake up. Sarada could have taunted her over Battersea's well earned death, but decided not to. "Hey, make sure you thank Slak for saving your life," she told the Colonel. "If it was up to me, you'd be rotting in the dirt right now." She shrugged.

[Cleric of Hell’s Brigade]

Eva holds her hands out over the seven dragonballs, and her voice echoes across the Lookout. The dragonballs pulse and erupt into light, floating upwards as she summons the Wywrnal Dragon.

“I, Evangeline, do summon you! Hear my words, Eternal Dragon. Arise, Tiamat, and grant my wishes!”


A rumble, the sky darkens to black, and light erupts. When it dies down, a massive figure stands before the Lookout, it’s size so big it’s head was level with the Lookout’s buildings.




A rumbling female voice echoes across the sky.

“I have been summoned. Tell me your wishes, mortals, that I may return to my realm.”

[Monstrous Bird of Qin, Ou Ki]

Eva holds her hands out over the seven dragonballs, and her voice echoes across the Lookout. The dragonballs pulse and erupt into light, floating upwards as she summons the Wywrnal Dragon.

“I, Evangeline, do summon you! Hear my words, Eternal Dragon. Arise, Tiamat, and grant my wishes!”


A rumble, the sky darkens to black, and light erupts. When it dies down, a massive figure stands before the Lookout, it’s size so big it’s head was level with the Lookout’s buildings.


<snip>

A rumbling female voice echoes across the sky.

“I have been summoned. Tell me your wishes, mortals, that I may return to my realm.”

Totoma was about to say something to Sarada when Eva summoned the dragon. He had seen a lot of things as a kid, and very little surprised him. This... was different. His mouth dropped open in sheer awe.

Holy shit...

After a few moments, he regained his composure and waited for Eva to make the two "necessary" wishes, and then it would be his turn, he supposed...

[Sub-Zero MKA]

Eva holds her hands out over the seven dragonballs, and her voice echoes across the Lookout. The dragonballs pulse and erupt into light, floating upwards as she summons the Wywrnal Dragon.

“I, Evangeline, do summon you! Hear my words, Eternal Dragon. Arise, Tiamat, and grant my wishes!”


A rumble, the sky darkens to black, and light erupts. When it dies down, a massive figure stands before the Lookout, it’s size so big it’s head was level with the Lookout’s buildings.


*Snip*

A rumbling female voice echoes across the sky.

“I have been summoned. Tell me your wishes, mortals, that I may return to my realm.”

When this so-called eternal dragon was summonee, Sarada wasn't sure what to expect. What popped out of the balls, a dragon so massive that its head was level with the Lookout's buildings, wasn't one of them. It spoke, its feminine voice shaking the ground like thunder.

This is what we've been fighting to secure? This gigantic lizard. Wow. And thspis thing could grant wishes. Sarada kind of wished she had made a bigger fuss on that regard, but she could wait until next time.

So, she stood in slack-jawed silence and waited for Eva to make her wishes.

[Tami]

Eva holds her hands out over the seven dragonballs, and her voice echoes across the Lookout. The dragonballs pulse and erupt into light, floating upwards as she summons the Wywrnal Dragon.

“I, Evangeline, do summon you! Hear my words, Eternal Dragon. Arise, Tiamat, and grant my wishes!”


A rumble, the sky darkens to black, and light erupts. When it dies down, a massive figure stands before the Lookout, it’s size so big it’s head was level with the Lookout’s buildings.


<snip>

A rumbling female voice echoes across the sky.

“I have been summoned. Tell me your wishes, mortals, that I may return to my realm.”

Staring up at the Dragon, Meagan went wide-eyed and suddenly felt very small. Yet, at the same time she couldn't help but stare, the creature was as magnificent as it was intimidating.

[Ptrvc]

Jack squatted down on the edge of the lookout and smoked a victory cigarette. He clapped his hands, "Alright, cool, we did. Earth's safe, for now, and I'm ready for a long nap."

And now what, huh? Jack thought to himself, I guess I can keep training for the next threat, but is everyone gonna wanna stick around and do that, huh? Outside of the toilet, Jack did not want to see any of his new companions go. After half a year of relative solitude being with this crew of...warriors...fighters...what did they call themselves?

Whatever they would call themselves, it had given Jack a sorely needed sense of identity. He was fighting, with all these other fellas, to save the earth. Now that it was saved, what was he gonna do?

....

Where did that dragon come from? Things did not get that big.

Jack pulled out his cigarette and looked at it, then back to the giant dragon, then back to the cigarette.

"So...is everyone else seeing that big giant dragon? Cause I see shit sometimes, and I want to know if that's actually there."

[KingofPie]

Eva holds her hands out over the seven dragonballs, and her voice echoes across the Lookout. The dragonballs pulse and erupt into light, floating upwards as she summons the Wywrnal Dragon.

“I, Evangeline, do summon you! Hear my words, Eternal Dragon. Arise, Tiamat, and grant my wishes!”


A rumble, the sky darkens to black, and light erupts. When it dies down, a massive figure stands before the Lookout, it’s size so big it’s head was level with the Lookout’s buildings.




A rumbling female voice echoes across the sky.

“I have been summoned. Tell me your wishes, mortals, that I may return to my realm.”

"O-oh! Li...lizard!" He announced, pointing upward at the sky at the divine beast summoned before them. The Majin almost wanted to see what would happen if it was attacked, but he was more in awe of it's power to grant wishes at the moment.

[Cleric of Hell’s Brigade]

Eva tells it the first wish, to restore to life those slain by Fife or his minions within the last two weeks. The dragon’s eyes flash.

“It is done. Name your next wish.”

The wish for Koorimaru is next. She wishes away the curses time limit. Again, it’s eyes flash and a dark shadow lifts from Koorimaru’a body, disappearing into thin air.

“Done. One more, mortals.”

She looks at Totomo.

“You’re up.”

[The Dog]

With the threats of Battersea, Fife, and the homonculus monster gone and her anger and rage spent, the hole left behind was quickly replaced by a sense of overwhelming grief. She'd wanted - needed- to protect Sonomaru from harm, but in the end she'd failed. Fife and his Skyfall had destroyed the island, and she doubted he and his teacher had escaped it before it happened.

Her legs gave out from under her, and she fell to her knees as a hartwrenching wail tore itself from her throat, tears streaming down her cheeks.

[Monstrous Bird of Qin, Ou Ki]

Eva tells it the first wish, to restore to life those slain by Fife or his minions within the last two weeks, alongside their slain city. The dragon’s eyes flash.

“It is done. Name your next wish.”

The wish for Koorimaru is next. She wishes away the curses time limit. Again, it’s eyes flash and a dark shadow lifts from Koorimaru’a body, disappearing into thin air.

“Done. One more, mortals.”

She looks at Totomo.

“You’re up.”

Totoma nodded. He looked into Karine's eyes and gave her a genuine, sweet smile. "...happy belated birthday."

He stepped towards the dragon.

"Oh Great Tiamat, I wish for the Nosferatu Warrior, Aiden Cromwell, to be restored to life, so that he may be with his family once again!"

Of course, if he were still alive, this wish wouldn't work, so he'd have to wish for him to be transported back to Earth from... wherever the heck he was.

[Cleric of Hell’s Brigade]

Totoma nodded. He looked into Karine's eyes and gave her a genuine, sweet smile. "...happy belated birthday."

He stepped towards the dragon.

"Oh Great Tiamat, I wish for the Nosferatu Warrior, Aiden Cromwell, to be restored to life, so that he may be with his family once again!"

Of course, if he were still alive, this wish wouldn't work, so he'd have to wish for him to be transported back to Earth from... wherever the heck he was.

“I cannot. The one chosen yet lives.”

[Cleric of Hell’s Brigade]

With the threats of Battersea, Fife, and the homonculus monster gone and her anger and rage spent, the hole left behind was quickly replaced by a sense of overwhelming grief. She'd wanted - needed- to protect Sonomaru from harm, but in the end she'd failed. Fife and his Skyfall had destroyed the island, and she doubted he and his teacher had escaped it before it happened.

Her legs gave out from under her, and she fell to her knees as a hartwrenching wail tore itself from her throat, tears streaming down her cheeks.

Eva’s calming hand rest on her shoulder.

“They are alive, Midori. Do not weep.”

[Monstrous Bird of Qin, Ou Ki]

“I cannot. The one chosen yet lives.”

Aiden... was alive? Haha, that was great news, but... why hadn't he come back? Ah well, no matter, just had to wish for him to be teleported back. He could ask him then

"...oh. Uh... well, I... wish for him to be teleported back to Earth, then!"

[Lord Falcon]

With no hope of escape now, however, the matter of dealing with the parasite creature was ended, and with it the means for its daughter's survival was now made available. and with a grip tightening around the body of the young Oni, Zurvan spoke in no more than the faintest of whispers:

"You cannot die this day, little one. You will not."

Given Ishtar's state however, the words seemed more for the sake of the Father, than the Daughter.



The three words that had lead to this moment ringing in the back of Zurvan's mind, the Aspect waited for the Fallen Eikon to speak after her approach, before wordlessly- and gently- laying Ishtar's battered body before Asha'rah.

As the former God began her labors, then, Zurvan could only wonder at willingness.

After all, what was asked of Asha'rah, was not simply to repair the damage done from yet another conflict of those ambiguous alignments, no. The young Oni had allowed her Wrath to consume her body, deciding that in doing so she might protect those that she had chosen to fight with. And more importantly, guided as she was by the familiar bite of a pain through bonding ... that by setting her insides on fire to burn to ash; she may right perceived wrongs of ages past and protect the one that she cared for.

In this, there had been no time for a middle ground, no room for reason in Ishtar's mind.

Young little fool ... still so much to learn.

After a moment of this silent contemplation however, Zurvan realized it was hovering over the shoulder of Asha'rah, and with another nigh imperceptible sigh, the Aspect took two steps back.

"Forgive me, I do not mean to judge- or doubt- your work. The girl ... Ishtar, I simply worry for her sake."

Time was Zurvan's demense, after all, and even as low as the Eikon had been cast down to; Creation's was that of Asha'rah's.

There was talk of wishes in the background, of what to do with the Dragon Balls. A wish to restore the people of Anvil City. A wish to lift Koorimaru's curse. Wish granting was a miraculous if blunt tool, meant to reward the young species for aspiring to greatness. It was not meant for the Gods. She had no desire to use such a crutch for herself. Asha'rah put it out of her mind for now.

She lay her hands upon Ishtar, allowing her aura to flow into each pore slowly and deliberately. Her fingers traced across charred flesh, probing for damage, probing for the nature of what was damaged. Creating materials was relatively easy, so long as one understood the atomic structure required. But a body was different. Countless tiny variables were at play, each cell a panoply of minerals arranged in a structure and replicated trillionfold, modified in almost imperceptible ways in service of the body as a whole. Creating for simple flesh wounds could be done without too much additional difficulty. But beyond that, the task started to get complicated. As the full extent of the damage became apparent, Asha'rah steeled herself for the task ahead - it would require the dedication of an artist attempting to recapture the magic of another's masterpiece.

The injuries went far beyond mere muscle and bone. As her hands glided over Ishtar's chest, her aura found lungs devastated, their delicate membranes charred black, air-sacs burst open from rapidly expanding air. Her heartbeat was unsteady, thready and fading quickly. It would need immediate attention. Then Asha'rah brought her hand over Ishtar's forehead, and found the intricate network of brain matter also damaged. The discovery sent a chill through Asha'rah's steady demeanor. Brains were the trickiest, and some intangible things they held lay beyond even the powers of creation.

Beyond the damage, however, lay something even more problematic: Ishtar's destructive side. Much as Asha'rah held within her essence the power of a God of Destruction, so too did Ishtar carry darker forces within her. She had evidently called upon them today, and they had raged like an inferno within her, burning her body as fuel so that she might shine bright for a few crucial moments. It was a dangerous approach, one that could easily leap beyond the user's control. Now that so little of Ishtar's life energies remained, the destructive energy had free reign, and would work against any attempt to heal her. Operating on Ishtar under those conditions would be like attempting surgery in the darkest crushing depths of the ocean floor.

Zurvan spoke, drawing Asha'rah's attention for a moment. The words were an apology for standing over Asha'rah's shoulder, a show of respect, and a confession of emotion. In truth, she had been so absorbed in her task that even Zurvan had faded from her notice.

"It gladdens me that you do, Zurvan. Living every now and then will do you good. Even the Gods are more than their roles."

She turned back to Ishtar, planning the delicate work ahead.

"Ishtar has used her time among us valiantly, and left us gladder and better for her presence. I shall endeavor to create more time for her, in a way."

Literally creating time was somewhat beyond her current capacity.

First came the heart. The heart is, in a sense, simply a more advanced muscle. But no defect can be permitted here. The heart works harder and longer than any other bodypart, continuing to pump life essence no matter whether the situation. It was the engine that drove Ishtar's body, and it was a powerful engine indeed. Asha'rah created the tissues outside of Ishtar's body, a few cells at a time, working at a lightning pace to create something ever so slowly and gently. She allowed her aura to carry the microscopic tissues into Ishtar to replace what was damaged. In this way, she only needed to work against Ishtar's inherent destructive energies when creating the connective tissues, without making the forging process difficult. Eventually satisfied that the heart was healthy again, she created oxygen within for it to pump through Ishtar's bloodstream, giving much needed life to the rest of her body. With life came life energy to counter the destructive forces within, and Ishtar's body began to approach, if not reach, balance. Balance in turn made Asha'rah's task easier - Not needing to devote as much attention and energy to fight through Ishtar's own energies, she could focus on the underlying damage rather than its symptoms.

She maintained this as she moved onto the lungs next, repairing each ruptured sac one at a time. With a stable system to supply her body with air, Asha'rah was also able to stop creating oxygen. This came as a welcome relief, for multi-tasking so many delicate issues at once had drained Asha'rah both physically and mentally, beyond any exertion she had endured since her reawakening. Every fiber of her soul wanted to rest. But she could not stop now.

Next came the brain, the most delicate work of all. In truth, it had suffered greater damage than the lungs, but Asha'rah knew she would need all the fine control she could muster for Ishtar's brain. Fine control she could only muster when not wading through destructive energy to get anything done. Now the pressure was still present, but had at least receded to manageable levels. She took a few moments to sense once again the proper place of neurons, the proper mix of chemicals that allowed Ishtar to be Ishtar. Then she went to work, one cell at a time, creating the physical structure of what was lost. An endlessly complex latticework of cells took shape, eventually forming a whole. She did not know if Ishtar would lose some muscle memory, or even actual memory. Such things needed to be experienced. If anything was lost, Asha'rah could only hope Ishtar's greatest experiences had been ingrained upon the Oni's soul as well as her mind.

From there on came the liver, the kidneys. The list of injuries needing tending to seemed endless. Time and again the golden glow flickered, threatening to fade altogether as Asha'rah scraped every last reserve of energy and focus she could muster. Her aura shrank to her wrists, then her palms, till at last there was but the faint glow of a single fingertip. At long last, her work came to an end. Ishtar would live. She would be tender and tired, as anyone would upon a brush with death. But she was whole, she would recover. She would live.

Asha'rah raised her head to Zurvan and managed a single, shaky nod. Then she collapsed beside Ishtar, and let sweet oblivion take her.

[Sub-Zero MKA]

Totoma nodded. He looked into Karine's eyes and gave her a genuine, sweet smile. "...happy belated birthday."

He stepped towards the dragon.

"Oh Great Tiamat, I wish for the Nosferatu Warrior, Aiden Cromwell, to be restored to life, so that he may be with his family once again!"

Of course, if he were still alive, this wish wouldn't work, so he'd have to wish for him to be transported back to Earth from... wherever the heck he was.

“I cannot. The one chosen yet lives.”

Cromwell? Wasn't Karine's surname Cromwell? Was this Aiden person a relative of hers?

Interesting.

Even more interesting was that he was still alive; apparently Totoma and Karine thought he was dead.

Huh.