Originally Posted by
Sub-Zero MKA
Standing on the outside of time and space, The Doctor had the advantage of being not just in any place, but any time. The former was bad enough; adding the latter on top of it had them at a constant disadvantage. No matter how many pieces of the puzzle they assembled, they would always remain one step behind. If Ochazuke was right, then The Doctor was pulling allies from as far as the dawn of creation itself. Surely, no mortal person was meant to see that, yet he spat in the face of the preordained order of all things for his own selfish desires, so moral limitations held no consideration in his mind.
Completing their current task was now more important than ever. The time stones allowed him to travel through time itself. Removing them from his inventory removed the biggest advantage he held over their heads. With the time-stream locked from his entry, he would be forced to face them with whatever army he had managed to build and amass to that point.
It was to their fortune that the next two missions promised to be simple. Then again, the tournament ended up being more difficult and time consuming than anyone thought, so the ease of Pike's world and the next one remained to be seen.
"Without the time stones and Zurvan's power at his disposal, he'll be forced to spend the rest of his time in the present, right?" she asked not just Ochazuke, but all who were near and listening. "If his biggest advantage is being able to assault us from any point in time, then removing that ability will force him closer to our level, if not outright so. But I wonder, once we do so, would Zurvan be able to return those plucked from their own times back to where they came from?" She glanced at the time guardian for an answer.
They had faces to go along with The Doctor's. A blue-skinned Oni; perhaps this Marduk that Ishtar spoke of. The golden eyes, however, made her jaw clench. Ishtar's alternate was a looming threat on the immediate horizon. Her power was stated plainly, and even with the power of three Super Saiyans, their chances were incredibly slim. The Doctor would be a fool to ignore the chance to ally himself with someone of her caliber.
But what, if anything, could he possibly have to offer her? Parsley highly doubted that threatening her world would sway her one way or the other. Perhaps something material, or immaterial, such as knowledge or a location.
Or an object of some kind.
"Well done indeed," she spoke in commendation to Aleka. "I have a very strong feeling that the golden-eyed female you saw was Ishtar's alternate. We've learn of her and her immense power at the outset of this mission. As it stands now, I highly doubt we stand much of a chance against her, which makes her an excellent ally for The Doctor. The only question, if my hunch is right, is what has he offered her in exchange for her help."