Dragonball M, Chapter 2: Lighthouse! Across the Shores of Shattered Time!

[Sion Reaver]

So she was just about as much in the dark about Umbrus Lord as he was. Not surprising, now that he thought about it--after all, it was all myth and legend, like the Super Saiyan form had been... but if anyone could achieve it, it was Kari! And her old man, too.

Then, Karine asked him an... unexpected thing. He wasn't a stranger to brushing her hair, but it had been a while since he'd done so. And he, of course, had no problem doing it. Though... there was something else he wanted to do with her, but Miss Eva would probably flip out if he and Kari did that here, and since Kari seemed pretty tired... well, he'd restrain himself.

For now.

Accepting the brush, he began, well, brushing... duh. Contrary to his rough appearance, Totoma did so with a certain gentleness. Her long hair was a bit impractical for a warrior, but at the same time, he really loved it. The white-silver color, the silkiness, and how it seemed to naturally curl just at the end... it was great. It also, uh, smelled good.

"It's been a while since we've visited your family. We should take the chance to do that before the next barrage of **** hits the fan," he said as he brushed. "Heck, earlier today, Capital city was attacked, though Parsley, that... toilet monster, a... giant... frog, and I managed to take him down with no casualties. Heh, even managed to deploy that one binding technique I've been working on... worked like a charm."

She had heard a bit about said attack from Totoma earlier and some of the details from Totoma through their link. She had been more then a bit worried the attack was in Capital City but thankfully no one she knew had been harmed in said attack. The next time earth went through something they may not be so lucky even with the safety net of the Dragonballs there was the lingering thought of maybe one day there be a negative to using them so much. Eva never said there was but she couldn't help but wonder if such powerful artifacts had a downside.

"We do. I haven't talked to Tamaki, Kylie and mother as much as I need to as of late. It be nice to see them in person again after so long.."

Karine's eyes were closed as she relaxed, it wouldn't be too long before she fell asleep going by past experience. "You know, Tamaki and Kylie have taken more a interest in your super hero alter ego as of late. It's cute, though I do hope they don't go running off on adventures anytime soon like two other adorable children we know."

E

Certainly more than the twisted demonic shape that was pulled from the empty world as one of the Doctor's champions, until Blizzar had slain it.

There was also another matter he had slowly grown aware of in the midst of this dire situation.

"...a few more have joined our number is seems," he noted with a grumble.

There were a limited number of things to do on the Lookout Aleka had found out but it was to be expected. You could train, sleep, interact and maybe read some books but there overall wasn't much to keep you entertained. She had been to places where there was even less to do such as the times she went out in the wilderness for training so it wasn't as big of a deal in the end. Back then though there had been the general survival against the elements that gave it a different atmosphere then here.

Ultimately she decided to do some reading then maybe meditate, then if she was in the mood some more social interaction. The people she hadn't met before took priority since she wanted to get a rough feel of everyone present which would make things easier transitioning to the group dynamic.

And there one of those very people in her line of sight she had missed from earlier today.

Like most of the people present, they had a certain walk to them one she'd classify as a martial artist. It was a small, subtle thing but it was there for those who knew what to look for. Right now it was telling there was likely a decent skill or experience behind it as it wasn't something that could be faked or intimated more often then not. Their general build more or less co signed with that; not that it was a surprise or big deal with the Lookout being a haven for warriors.

It was still interesting, and as a martial artist her interest as piqued a bit. They were handsome in a rugged sort of way, though anything else was the last thing on her mind in her current state and just an observation.

Aleka decided her detour of reading and meditating could be put on hold so she could introduce herself to the man briefly. "Afternoon. My name is Aleka Cardan and I guess you could say I'm the new kid on the block trying to get a feel of things. It's nice to meet you." She extended her hand, the earth custom gesture was one she had become fond of once she caught of when to use it which didn't take too long.

[MrSandman]

It's just some kid, Avoca thought to herself. She didn't look to be any older than Sarada, if she was even that old. Just a kid in some stupid looking hat. I guess if whoever wanted to send an assassin or whatever, this is the person that'd be least suspected.

From what little Parsley told her, someone wanted some guy named Pants dead and had been sending assassins to do just that. She assumed that rachet looking freezy pop and the weird-as-**** looking thing that followed her were such assassins. Then again, I doubt anyone with any smarts would send a hitman so weak. This kid is nothing!


"Nah. I'm just visiting," she answered. The kid claimed they weren't there to cause any trouble. A likely story, but she had no real reason not to believe her. If she was there for anything other than to kill Pants, then Parsley would have killed her and her companion by now. "If they haven't bothered killing you yet, I guess you're alright." With that settled, she looked her up and down. With a raised eyebrow, she commented, "What's with the stupid looking outfit? You some kind of garden gnome?" She pointed at her hat for emphasis.

"Oh? Well thats....." Lillet was geared to extend a welcome to the fellow visitor, whom at the very least she non aggressive, until she offered her colorful commentary on her attire. With a sudden look of aggravation she quickly snatched the hat off her head. "....its apprentice mage attire, standard issue when you can't afford...." The girl bit her tongue and calmed herself a little. The woman didn't mean any harm by her comments...at least as far as she knew. The suggestion that they were only alive because people didn't see them as a problem was both a relief and somewhat disturbing.

"*sigh*....My apologies.....I'm Lillet, a Mage Apprentice. We're dropping off materials for a friend of the master.....but we don't really have a lay of the land here and it felt rather rude to wander about..."

Not that it stopped Helena, who was off wandering about. Occasionally her voice could be heard calling out for Etrina.

With a face of embarrassment, the girl continued. "I'm just watching the ship....until we have some proper clearance to unload."

[Tami]

Taking their leave from Jinzi's lab, Dash and Cyanna headed outside. They were looking to get back to the Lookout before Meagan did.

[Sub-Zero MKA]

"Oh? Well thats....." Lillet was geared to extend a welcome to the fellow visitor, whom at the very least she non aggressive, until she offered her colorful commentary on her attire. With a sudden look of aggravation she quickly snatched the hat off her head. "....its apprentice mage attire, standard issue when you can't afford...." The girl bit her tongue and calmed herself a little. The woman didn't mean any harm by her comments...at least as far as she knew. The suggestion that they were only alive because people didn't see them as a problem was both a relief and somewhat disturbing.

"*sigh*....My apologies.....I'm Lillet, a Mage Apprentice. We're dropping off materials for a friend of the master.....but we don't really have a lay of the land here and it felt rather rude to wander about..."

Not that it stopped Helena, who was off wandering about. Occasionally her voice could be heard calling out for Etrina.

With a face of embarrassment, the girl continued. "I'm just watching the ship....until we have some proper clearance to unload."

"Mage?"

Not a word Avoca was familiar with, but given how stupid this kid - Lillet - looked, she could only imagine it had very little to do with fighting. Which meant that it was some kind of academic thing or magic.

Feh. Magic. What a useless waste of time.

"Don't care about magic, so eh. As long as you and that other one don't cause any trouble." She started to walk off, then turned. "Gonna go see what that other one is all about. You can come along or stay here. Whatever."

With that said, she tilted her head to get a listen. She could hear someone calling for "Etrina"; whoever the hell that was supposed to be. "Hey, you!" she called out.

[Sub-Zero MKA]

The tournament was over. Sarada had lost to Charco in a meaningless contest that decided nothing other than whether Parsley's sister was going to be in a good mood or bad mood when she finally returned. She supposed she would be in a good one, considering there was still much fighting left to be done; however, the manner in which she lost was inexcusable. To lose sight of such an obvious trap like that Triassic Bollide Charco launched some time before was absurd.

She had told her time and again. Sarada had no spatial awareness, and she allowed her focus to narrow far too much. She didn't have a grasp of the big picture, only what was right in front of her. The fight was hers to win, and she gave it away.

"What a shame," she lamented to herself. "A good battle marred by a pitiful ending."

She would have to take Sarada under her wing and teach her how to focus on more than just the fight right in front of her. Against Charco in a meaningless exhibition fight, it was fine. But, if it persisted into the future, it was going to get her killed. And that wouldn't do.

[Yun Lao]

"Shame I won't get any prizes," Charco said to himself as the others went off to find their host and beat the living daylights out of him. Glancing around the now emptied arena, its occupants fleeing upon Incenio's temper tantrum. the boy gave a small sigh. Winning just felt hollow now.

"Well... time for the next bout."

Having basked in his victory for long enough, the teenager followed the others to where Incenio could be found.

[grampagen]

As he awaited Wilhelm's arrival, Ochazuke found little more to do but to survey the unfolding events across the Divergence. Having been rather occupied during the progression of the tournament, it seems it had at last reached its apex. Be it circumstance or error of judgement, it seemed the spectacle's finale had come to a head between the two youngest fighters of the group - and all the vigour and recklessness Sarada and Charco had even been known to bear.

The two beams hurtled toward one another at breakneck speed. The ring shook and trembled as the titanic beams of energy rumbled forward. The collision resulted in a bright flash of light and a near deafening roar as the two beams battled from momentum. They struggled against each other, both giving a little ground and taking it back in sequence.

Sarada felt herself being pushed back just slightly every time Charco gained ground. The ring floor under her feet had been destroyed by her digging her heels in to gain better footing. "I won't loose," she growled through gritted teeth.

As focused as she was on gaining ground, she failed to take note that she was running out of space in the ring.

A whistle from Charco cut through the thunderous roar of energy clashing before he gestured his with head to look up. Once she did, she would see it, the Triassic Bolide. She had dismissed it as a ploy from him, but now the shimmering mass of ki had begun to move towards her.

"I think you forgot something!"

The Sword of Damocles had dropped at last, the technique Charco had stated to be her bane would now fulfill its destiny as it would smash into the preoccupied Sarada.

One critical decision at one pivotal moment decided the outcome. As emerald energies dashed into the newly rendered gold, it was enough to turn the tide, and the falling flash had secured Charco his victory. As the aftermath resolved itself, Ochazuke closed his eyes and bowed his head with a slow shake, the corner of his mouth lifting as a curt sigh left him.

It is not a matter of power alone that decides who is the strongest, but the capacity to adapt. His thoughts would not reach them, nor would they need to; it was a lesson the two had taught each other, etched in blood and grit. Assuredly, neither would forget this, and carry it forward with them.

Still, peering into the portal and kept his view on Charco until the battlefield became obscured in the wake of the violence erupting outside of the stage. You showed it to this world. Can you see that carried in your history, boy? In yourself?

There were a limited number of things to do on the Lookout Aleka had found out but it was to be expected. You could train, sleep, interact and maybe read some books but there overall wasn't much to keep you entertained. She had been to places where there was even less to do such as the times she went out in the wilderness for training so it wasn't as big of a deal in the end. Back then though there had been the general survival against the elements that gave it a different atmosphere then here.

Ultimately she decided to do some reading then maybe meditate, then if she was in the mood some more social interaction. The people she hadn't met before took priority since she wanted to get a rough feel of everyone present which would make things easier transitioning to the group dynamic.

And there one of those very people in her line of sight she had missed from earlier today.

Like most of the people present, they had a certain walk to them one she'd classify as a martial artist. It was a small, subtle thing but it was there for those who knew what to look for. Right now it was telling there was likely a decent skill or experience behind it as it wasn't something that could be faked or intimated more often then not. Their general build more or less co signed with that; not that it was a surprise or big deal with the Lookout being a haven for warriors.

It was still interesting, and as a martial artist her interest as piqued a bit. They were handsome in a rugged sort of way, though anything else was the last thing on her mind in her current state and just an observation.

Aleka decided her detour of reading and meditating could be put on hold so she could introduce herself to the man briefly. "Afternoon. My name is Aleka Cardan and I guess you could say I'm the new kid on the block trying to get a feel of things. It's nice to meet you." She extended her hand, the earth custom gesture was one she had become fond of once she caught of when to use it which didn't take too long.

The outcome of the expedition into the divergence was suspended to his view, and so were his thoughts on the matter for the moment. A great deal of trepidation remained, but they would see their way through it. On this side of the portal they had more local concerns to attend to. It seemed amidst the bluster of the Chaff barrier's destruction and the three-pronged attack of the Doctor's children, some new company arrived on the Lookout unseen.

Even with the burden we must bear, the Guardian still strives to maintain the Earth as a haven.

Among the recent arrivals there was a new stranger to this planet. As he turned his head he met her with an impassive glare. Her fierce frame approached on astonishingly silent steps. If she was lost, it hardly seemed that way. What struck him most was a faint resonance. Something peacefully measured, subdued within her aura, as if there was something that reached outward from the environment.

When she reached her hand out, Ochazuke's arms remained folded.

"A great deal of offworld peoples see it fit to pass through here lately. Usually it's because they're looking for something," he said. In a moment, his hands fell to his sides. "...in the end, I suppose it doesn't matter. One stop of many on a greater journey."

His brusque tone carried with it an unmistakably guarded air.

"So tell me, Aleka Cardan. Why have you come to Earth?"

[Sub-Zero MKA]

"I would suppose that upon a Saiyan world, conflict can never be far. Whether you are the first to arrive or the last to turn the tide, there will always be a battle to be had."

He'd seen it in Totoma, Sarada and Parsley. Surely this was the habit of a born warrior, a condition to anticipate the fight in tandem with a nature to relish it. Often there is little further thought than that moment of engagement; he'd known its allure all too well.

"When violence spills out into the streets you will be there. The villainous will face dread when they find righteousness, and the previous order will be upheld."

Ochazuke lift his hand away from her backl for the moment, the weight fell from her.

"And nothing will change."

Just as swiftly, the sharp point of his boot folded in the back of her left knee, breaking her stance.

"If Justice is nothing more than fear of consequence, then strong as you are, it is little different than a parent scolding a child too hapless to do anything about it without a wit to understand why."

He held his palm out toward her as her stance crumpled. Without any flash or utterance, the iron wind of Kiai struck upon her again, sending her tumbling out a short distance past the edge of the Lookout. With a swift push into flight, Ochazuke pursued as he continued.

"A Man will do what he must to survive, even if the Law should make it a crime to bleed or to starve. What should protect those who need help most of all has left many without a future, nothing more than numbered days before a final judgement, from deeds committed on a path with no way out."

The drag of the air fell cold as it seemed to howl in the wake of their flight. Ochazuke's gaze did not break even at this speed, surveying the Saiyan child for something. She'd been prepared for a fight to pass the time. She'd frozen up when she had no answers.

"Did you see them any more than threats that needed to be quashed? Tell me, Rutaba, is this as much as they deserve, to have their lives and deeds judged in isolation?"

Rapidly approaching, he drew his right fist back.

"You know this will not be enough. If you are ready to serve Justice, then you'll have to be more than this!"

His hand cut through the wind, carrying upon it a heavy, lethal silence as it fell toward her.

Rutaba was blown off the side of the Lookout and started to plummet to the ground below. As she fell to what would certainly have been her death when she eventually hit the ground, Ochazuke's words continued to echo through her head. No matter how hard she tried, she could shake the feeling that he was right and that the people in the Meat Market were actually being hurt by the law and the way Vocado worked.

They were bad people, right? They broke the law, so they were criminals. She and Pinach were heroes because they stopped them from stealing.

But, they were stealing because they were hungry and had no money for food. Then, why not just get a job and make money the legal way? It wouldn't have been that hard, right?

Oh, wait. Slavery only ended last year, so it was still hard for them to integrate into society. Whatever that meant; she heard Sarada say it a few times.

Rutaba slowed to a stop, only to find Ochazuke closing in on her. Through the harsh winds whipping through her ears, she heard his questions as he approached. Though, her focus was on fist closing in on her.

I have to time this just right!

"No!" she shouted as she leapfrogged his fist. She spun around his forearm and kicked him in the face. "They deserve better. Justice Cannon!" With only a brief charge time, a yellow beam exploded from her hands, engulfing nearly Ochazuke's entire form. As weak as she was, however, it caused nearly no damage. "But there's nothing I can do! I'm just a kid!!"

[bruceleegreyhulk]

E Bekon shook his head. "Not like I asked for that sort of life. In any case, even with the Zenkai and Super Saiyan abilities, you would never be able to match me. You seek greatness by trying to hoard everything for yourself, yet in the end you'll spread yourself too thin and simply end up even more mediocre than you already are."

With that, he shifted his position into the Boar Style's standard stance and... waited. This was not really his fight--even though he was involved now--so he'd let the others take the lead.

"Your methods are wrong. You are the very embodiment of greed , Incenio ," Althena said.

[MrSandman]

"Mage?"

Not a word Avoca was familiar with, but given how stupid this kid - Lillet - looked, she could only imagine it had very little to do with fighting. Which meant that it was some kind of academic thing or magic.

Feh. Magic. What a useless waste of time.

"Don't care about magic, so eh. As long as you and that other one don't cause any trouble." She started to walk off, then turned. "Gonna go see what that other one is all about. You can come along or stay here. Whatever."

"Eh....." Lillet paused. Sure she was a visitor, but that was definitely an invitation....if there was trouble later because she was there, she could always say she was just following her.

"O...Of course." The girl finally responded and tagged along behind her. Though she didn't express it outright, she was glad to not have to watch the ship anymore...and the place seemed pretty interesting...

.....a quick look around wouldn't hurt...

With that said, she tilted her head to get a listen. She could hear someone calling for "Etrina"; whoever the hell that was supposed to be. "Hey, you!" she called out.

When Avoca and Lillet found Helena, she was rapping on one of the doors with a look of annoyance. "Bloody hell is anyone here....hello......Etrina?"

Perhaps it would have availed her more to try the door rather then knock expecting an answer, she might have discovered she was knocking on the pantry door.

At Avocas call however, the mage jumped back from the door as if she only then realized she was doing something she wasn't suppose to. "Who, me? Huh.....Lillet! I thought you were watching the ship!"

Lillet glanced to the side. ".....Well I was....but you were making a ruckus and I didn't want the residents to think my master was a burglar or hooligan."

"Yes, but what if one of these people are....I mean just look at them." Helena gestured enthusiastically to Avoca, paused, looked her up and down and raised her hands. ".....N..No offence of course."

[bruceleegreyhulk]

Sarada didn't see the floor of gelatin coming, but she was glad it happened. From the smell, if wasn't a very appetizing flavor, so there was no worry of her eating any.

Incenio, on the other had, had no say in the matter, as he slipped inside and becamed trapped.

"Good going," she commented. "My turn."

Her blast from earlier, Agony Matrix, was directed through the gelatin and into Incenio. From there, provided it hit, it would fill him with crippling pain across his entire body.

Praxat watches this event on the Holo-screen , and draws a illustration of it, ( Hmm Let's see what do I know about the attacker so far ? First they're cunning and obviously like to use sneak attacks. Second they probably what to make sure they have the home field advantage. Third so if they are cornered they might get desperate and try something drastic , ) Praxat thought.

Praxat writes down the most likely scenario in handbook of what she thinks will happen next . Which is that the attacker out of desperation will eat his way through the gelatin mold and attack Sandra and that other guy from behind.

[Sion Reaver]

Even with the burden we must bear, the Guardian still strives to maintain the Earth as a haven.

Among the recent arrivals there was a new stranger to this planet. As he turned his head he met her with an impassive glare. Her fierce frame approached on astonishingly silent steps. If she was lost, it hardly seemed that way. What struck him most was a faint resonance. Something peacefully measured, subdued within her aura, as if there was something that reached outward from the environment.

When she reached her hand out, Ochazuke's arms remained folded.

"A great deal of offworld peoples see it fit to pass through here lately. Usually it's because they're looking for something," he said. In a moment, his hands fell to his sides. "...in the end, I suppose it doesn't matter. One stop of many on a greater journey."

His brusque tone carried with it an unmistakably guarded air.

"So tell me, Aleka Cardan. Why have you come to Earth?"

It was notable from their body language and speech they were guarded and untrusting at first which she suppose was to be expected to some degree. Just about everyone else had been more welcoming or indifferent as long as they didn't cause trouble so there was bound to be some who watched her more critically. She was a stranger and more then that an alien from off world with no idea what the stranger personal experience had been. Having all said that, Aleka didn't mind as much because if she did then traveling to other worlds was definitely in the wrong business.

The question was a bit more then on the surface at least that's what Aleka felt. She wasn't going to spill her entire life story in front of someone she just met, however sharing a bit considering what was going was a fair question. "A few things, actually. I'm a traveling martial artist from a school known as the Elemental Way; as you can guess its basically specializes in elemental Ki energy. Earth is said to be a place for techniques you can't find anywhere else, and part of me just wanted to see what earth was like. It was something someone close to me wanted to visit but they never got the chance."

Bella probably would of liked it here if she could see it but she banished the thought into the recess of her mind. "There is more to it, but its a touchy subject for me but a abridged version of it is I'm trying to get stronger to defeat a creature that's been my own demon for a few years now. So in exchange I'll be trying to help out, figure the least I could do is help out while I'm here. All said though, I don't expect everyone to believe me off the mat. A person is there deeds, not their words and I haven't exactly had that part tested fully being new."

[Sub-Zero MKA]

"Eh....." Lillet paused. Sure she was a visitor, but that was definitely an invitation....if there was trouble later because she was there, she could always say she was just following her.

"O...Of course." The girl finally responded and tagged along behind her. Though she didn't express it outright, she was glad to not have to watch the ship anymore...and the place seemed pretty interesting...

.....a quick look around wouldn't hurt...



When Avoca and Lillet found Helena, she was rapping on one of the doors with a look of annoyance. "Bloody hell is anyone here....hello......Etrina?"

Perhaps it would have availed her more to try the door rather then knock expecting an answer, she might have discovered she was knocking on the pantry door.

At Avocas call however, the mage jumped back from the door as if she only then realized she was doing something she wasn't suppose to. "Who, me? Huh.....Lillet! I thought you were watching the ship!"

Lillet glanced to the side. ".....Well I was....but you were making a ruckus and I didn't want the residents to think my master was a burglar or hooligan."

"Yes, but what if one of these people are....I mean just look at them." Helena gestured enthusiastically to Avoca, paused, looked her up and down and raised her hands. ".....N..No offence of course."

Avoca raised an eyebrow. This one was knocking on a door and claimed she was looking for someone. Yet, even a casual search on the interior would show that everyone was outside. "She's probably outside, genius," she responded. "Pretty much everyone here is. You might find her if you actually look for her. Unless you prefer to continue knocking on that door like some kind of dumbass."

[grampagen]

Rutaba was blown off the side of the Lookout and started to plummet to the ground below. As she fell to what would certainly have been her death when she eventually hit the ground, Ochazuke's words continued to echo through her head. No matter how hard she tried, she could shake the feeling that he was right and that the people in the Meat Market were actually being hurt by the law and the way Vocado worked.

They were bad people, right? They broke the law, so they were criminals. She and Pinach were heroes because they stopped them from stealing.

But, they were stealing because they were hungry and had no money for food. Then, why not just get a job and make money the legal way? It wouldn't have been that hard, right?

Oh, wait. Slavery only ended last year, so it was still hard for them to integrate into society. Whatever that meant; she heard Sarada say it a few times.

Rutaba slowed to a stop, only to find Ochazuke closing in on her. Through the harsh winds whipping through her ears, she heard his questions as he approached. Though, her focus was on fist closing in on her.

I have to time this just right!

"No!" she shouted as she leapfrogged his fist. She spun around his forearm and kicked him in the face. "They deserve better. Justice Cannon!" With only a brief charge time, a yellow beam exploded from her hands, engulfing nearly Ochazuke's entire form. As weak as she was, however, it caused nearly no damage. "But there's nothing I can do! I'm just a kid!!"

With a deft maneuver, Rutaba's counter struck. Her heel dug in, peeling back the edge of his mouth. Steaming blood spread a fog over gritted teeth, as if a grisly smile spread on Ochazuke's face.

Good.

Suddenly, he twist his neck inward, subtley deflecting the point of impact, continuing to press forward undaunted into the cascade of energy, even as it struck him.

In its very name she invokes justice. Even on the defensive, she had the stubborn resolve of a true believer. However...

Its execution fell short of its intention was filled with doubt. Desperate. Shaky.

Ochazuke threw his fist forward, and a silent rush fell over the air around them. Then the impact spread a sharp boom that snuffed out the Justice Cannon. Whisps of clouds gathered near them were forcefully over the horizon. Hovering quietly there upon a parted path of clearest blue, he'd pulled the punch a precise half-inch before Rutaba's face as the energy disspated.

In an instant the spark was reduced to an idle mote in the air, and something grand disappeared from sight from the both of them.

It was there in her very words.

"Just a kid." he grunted. "If that's all you have accepted you are, then that is the precise limit of what you shall ever be. Cheh!"

Suspended in flight, he gradually drifted away, not for an instant lowering his guard on the follow-through. A remaining alertness in the aftermath of combat, Zanshin.

"Let's get this straight right now. No battles worth fighting have ever been won through sheer force alone, but were been sustained by quality of character." The marked difference showed where Ochazuke brushed his hand on his face. Her strike had landed; her blast had failed. "Retaliation is not enough. For all the crimes you've punished, you, your cousin, you are only two. What about all the ones you don't see? Justice is not a matter of leveraging your might. To punish an evil is not the same as building the good."

When society is built on so rigid a foundation, all things set atop of it will shatter as rot settles through the cracks. Buried in the history of the Earth and stretching across the eons itself, those who simply wished to live were caught up in the loathsome grip of forces that sought to shape a final destiny for all. Endless days of battle. Even now they guided the legacy held in his hands, and stretched an endless distance far into the days ahead.

But this Saiyan child had a different burden to bear. Her technique was elementary, her mettle untested, but where she aspired to be more, that was the essential part of her character on which she could depend.

"If you want things to change for the better, then you have a responsibility to show your people another way. Lead them to it. Something greater than fearing for their own sake, whether from the letter of the law or for the sake of someone else's easy victory." Slowly, his hands returned to a guarded position. "If you want them to see you as a hero, then you have a duty to do right by them. Understand?"

[grampagen]

It was notable from their body language and speech they were guarded and untrusting at first which she suppose was to be expected to some degree. Just about everyone else had been more welcoming or indifferent as long as they didn't cause trouble so there was bound to be some who watched her more critically. She was a stranger and more then that an alien from off world with no idea what the stranger personal experience had been. Having all said that, Aleka didn't mind as much because if she did then traveling to other worlds was definitely in the wrong business.

The question was a bit more then on the surface at least that's what Aleka felt. She wasn't going to spill her entire life story in front of someone she just met, however sharing a bit considering what was going was a fair question. "A few things, actually. I'm a traveling martial artist from a school known as the Elemental Way; as you can guess its basically specializes in elemental Ki energy. Earth is said to be a place for techniques you can't find anywhere else, and part of me just wanted to see what earth was like. It was something someone close to me wanted to visit but they never got the chance."

Bella probably would of liked it here if she could see it but she banished the thought into the recess of her mind. "There is more to it, but its a touchy subject for me but a abridged version of it is I'm trying to get stronger to defeat a creature that's been my own demon for a few years now. So in exchange I'll be trying to help out, figure the least I could do is help out while I'm here. All said though, I don't expect everyone to believe me off the mat. A person is there deeds, not their words and I haven't exactly had that part tested fully being new."

He surveyed Aleka as he spoke. Small nose set upon a cleft lip, there was a certain delicate faculty with the way she spoke with an open tone that carried measured words.

"If that's all, then," he said.

"Many others see Earth as some backwater that will bear their burdens unconditionally for them, a sanctuary of convenience to be shed when their troubles multiply, damn the consequences when they follow," he said. "For those of us that live here, however, it's not quite so simple, least of all when our home seems to have drawn the ire of the universe upon its head."

Of course she did not put forward some grand ambition for the moment, only pursuit of another way. True enough, a person is made from deed, not words.

"Perhaps you'll find yourself tested soon enough," he replied. "In spite of the way things appear right now, you've found the Earth in a difficult stage. We are at war."