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

[KingofPie]

Unaware of the escapades of his teammates, Sasheem sat alone in the zen garden built by the now deceased Mr. Lofe in his foolish attempt to earn the good graces of any Snake School remnants should he ever cross paths with one. Heh. A lot of good that did him.

His criminal empire now lay in shambles, his allies and moat of his enemies gone with him. Lofe had was a special case among them all in that his line died with him, and ultimately...he'd be forgotten. His organization's drug trafficking and weapons exporting had been 'halted indefinitely' as Sasheem had shifted their focus into scouring the Earth for information on the lost arts of the Snake School.

There was plenty of dissent...which of course quieted down once Sasheem pointed out that his goal was to wipe out every major crime syndicate on the planet and maybe even beyond. If they continued their unlawful ways, he'd have to wipe them out. They quickly complied, completely unaware that their rest of their time in the land of the living depended entirely on their usefulness.

So far, they had managed to uncover a scant few manuscripts, weathered by time, but partially legible, detailing some of Doku's teachings. Honestly, it wasn't much to go on, but it was a start....at least Sasheem supposed so. Much of what he read had to do with spirituality. How that exactly coincided with The Snake School's original methodology of taking one life to save many, the Majin did not know.

Of course he had taken more than one life...much more, but the principal of it remained the same. Presumably, he had also inadvertently saved many and had a lot of fun in the process. Strangely, a few chance encounters stuck with him in his mind. The Undercover cop, he'd killed along with the rest of his gang. That boy he orphaned. That couple who ran Bing Lao's gang in his stead, their last moments.

What did he feel from these scenes as they played over and over in his mind? It wasn't remorse. He regretted none of it. Was it pity? Could one even feel pity without remorse. Sasheem nearly laughed aloud. So, what was it, exactly? Maybe that's what these spirituality lessons were for. Maybe Doku felt the same things himself and that led him to developing the Yamata no Orochi Fist. Or maybe Sasheem was just bullshitting at the moment.

He doubted he and Doku had much in common, after all, but maybe...just maybe. The Majin glared at the manuscripts more intently, reading their contents carefully. "Look within..." he mumbled aloud. "For the thin lines that divide our reality...the layers between life, death, and beyond...what in the blue hell is that even supposed to mean!?" He grumbled as he closed his eyes. The hunt for Bing Lao could wait. His other major target, the big bird-master himself, could wait. The Majin was engaged in a rare moment of contemplation. Perhaps he could utilize what he's learned in the past few days to ensure his future.

[bruceleegreyhulk]

The ship is halted and shortly there after two GP agents come aboard.

“You are the owner of this ship?”

Turk nods and then whistles as he looks around at various name of posters " Of course I'm the owner of this ship , and my name is Bob Voyager Mustard " Turk said Turk palms his face and then sighs . ( Really Turk really Bob Voyager Mustard is that the best name I could come up with at a moments notice really !!! ) Turk thinks to himself.

[bruceleegreyhulk]

Praxat sits down and listens to the conversation . Meanwhile in timeline the group is currently in the far reaches of space on barren planet that has nothing to do with their quest lies a giant well fortified building . There are words on the front of the building that read The Asylum. Inside this asylum there's a woman in a padded room talking to someone one outside of the padded room.


" her Brother can you do me a favor I get the people here to release me, I promise I been good brother ," the woman said. the man outside who is holding leaning next to a wall carrying six swords with him just sighs at the woman's comment . " Like hell I'm going to let you out . I been task to guard your room to make sure you don't escape in guess something happens to the anti magic forcefield that's keeping you from escaping in the first place," the man said.

the woman inside the room acts all innocent and pretends to cry. " Darn it Demjir you're so mean, why won't you let me out I'm your sister Zykona , I promise I'm all better now ," ALT Zykona said . Demjir just rolls his eyes and sighs. " as far as I'm concern my sister dead a long time ago when my home planet was destroyed, the woman talking to me right now I refuse to recognize as my sister!" ALT Demjir said .





ALT Zykona starts crawling at the door to her room like with a maniacal expression on her face . " How could you said that I'm you sister Demjir you supposed to care about me, come on brother I promise if you get me release I won't do anything bad to you . I don't belong in this place brother. so please have them release me , " ALT Zykona says as she laughs manically .





ALT Demjir scoffs at this. " This is exactly the place you belong, you murder a Guardian , froze their apprentice , pretend to be one , brainwash entire race The Toadians into believe you were a goddess , made Killrog a freaking killing machine to kill anyone who dare went against you, and you turn me into a freaking bird and kept me as your pet. When someone came to put end your insanity , you attempt to cast Ultima to wipe out every living thing on that Planet Qacriea include yourself, lucky you never got to finish the damn spell , because I had struck you down before you could pull it off once I had regain my original form," Alt Demjir said.

[Cleric of Hell’s Brigade]

When his double at last began to talk, at the mention of the Vitalmancer from Dusk City, Ochazuk started and dared half a step forward, a moment's suspicion telegraphed and just as quickly cooled. With the withered Etrina so cradled in his arms, it was plain to see that if any hostile presence remained, his Alternate would have not been so delicate.

What should have been long ago had come to be again. But what had come to pass in these dark days surely could not have been roused from a single instance?

"Start from the beginning, then," he said. "First the Junho. Then the Lyne fell upon the Lookout, and with it the Guardian."

No Guardian, no wishes. No means to change their dread fate. Long ago they had come to know this.

"Even if she had the means to do it, Etrina would not have bound herself to the Vitalmancer. Not unless there was no other option."

“There was confusion at first. The Lyne separated Earth from the stars, silencing our guardian and her apprentice and their nanomachines EMPing our technology while draining and blocking our ki. It took Pantaloon and others some time to fix our tech and learn how to stop the draining. During this those with more ki than others, those capable, fought. Time turns and we kept fighting. Pantaloon learned how to save the population, he encapsulated them in new capsules and with his anti-nanotechnology serum we would no longer be drained. So a select few remained to launch guerilla tactics and strikes at the Lyne Hives. Finding them was difficult. They were enshrouded by tech, so City by City we searched. Zaofan....Zaofan fell during one such search. I was not there to support him, and Etrina...began turning then. Jack, Chuan, Eresh, Nunlil, Erosa, Evangeline, Kai, Meagan, Adam, Midori, all lost. Some fell before and after but after Zaofan died was when Etrina merged with Grav.”

“Ishtar and Sarada were gone off planet, Parsley had not yet crashed here yet with her child, and I believe in her grief she thought the power and knowledge gained from such a merging would be beneficial to all.”

[Cleric of Hell’s Brigade]

Turk nods and then whistles as he looks around at various name of posters " Of course I'm the owner of this ship , and my name is Bob Voyager Mustard " Turk said Turk palms his face and then sighs . ( Really Turk really Bob Voyager Mustard is that the best name I could come up with at a moments notice really !!! ) Turk thinks to himself.

“Then you are being taken into custody as a witness to the attempted invasion of Namek. Your ship will be impounded and searched.”

[Cleric of Hell’s Brigade]

In the wide blast zone facing out towards the sky, after the flames died down, only the hissing, red glowing tiles remained underfoot, buckling over each other, a pile of flat, burning coals, resting in a pit of sunken slag. Drawing in deep breaths from the expenditure, Ochazuke's shoulders sagged briefly as his balance shifted. Falling back into a crouched stance, balanced upon the ball of his left foot, arms raised in the habit of a traditional guard.

Though he pressed to find the differences between the Sheriff and Zaofan, as Ochazuke pressed to find the answers first hand, he'd come to face something within himself he thought he'd left behind. For beneath the lenses that had amplified his Crimson Gaze, framed by that waxed, matted yarn hanging over his upper lip, the familiar face of his martial brother stared right back at him.

He'd incinerated him without hesitation.

Only after the deed was done did the weight of it fall fully onto him, and the Crane's Wings trembled where they spread.

Six other divergences, he thought to himself as he pulled in deep, ragged breaths, Just one of many...and so...

Zurvan had made the course clear, and the Namekian, Pike, spoke through a greater threat that threatened to shatter reality. But should another Zaofan stand before him and their goal, for the sake of righting Time and finding the Doctor, would he be able to do it?

As he drew another breath, he swallowed hard. The lump in his throat would not disappear. It was only with a remembrance that it was an assassin's art he was facing, did the weight of guilt momentarily pass from him.

Your unspoken threats fell greater than that, Zao. I know that can't be all.

Through the acquired skill of Kyokushin Keihatsu, he stilled his mind for that hidden approach and reached out for the strength bequeathed through the dead arts of Wolf*, Spider and Bear*.

Muhen Seikai Keihatsu.

The fire of the Dragon left a tempered resolve to reaffirmed his sense-awareness, slowly spread there in the area around him as he searched for a tell of disturbed movement.

He knew the battle was not over yet, and it would fall to the next decisive moment.

Shoshin Hiei.

*Wolf's Prowl and Bear's Strength: Strength and Speed 3x

Above!

Far, far above, ki suppressed after a mighty leap, Alt Zaofan began to fall. Angled downward, the Crimson Gaze suddenly flares up and burns like a star. Ochazuke can feel the ki suddenly spike upward, gathered around that baleful stare as red light fills his eyes.

“Off my Lawn!”

And everything below Alt Zaofan that he could see was bathed in a crimson ki attack, a massive AoE Mega Optic Blast combined with a Crimson Taiyoken. Able to be modulated in intensity, the attack cannot be dodged unless one can get behind the user.

[Cleric of Hell’s Brigade]

There was no doubting that was the truth. Even beyond the material, Zaofan had a way about him that... endeared him to anyone he met. He was easy to get along with and had the qualities that the most inspirational leaders possessed. There were few people Sarada would love to fight alongside than him. "And he'll have a line of people waiting to welcome him back."

“Indeed. That is the hope.”

[Tami]

Before Heading Out Off the Lookout to Save All Time



Cyanna was owed answers to these questions, involved as she was with the struggle. Ochazuke's words regarding the lack of merit for standoffishness in current circumstances continued to reverberate within Asha'rah, and she was confident they would for some time to come.

"Do you need time? Space? Gravity? We give ourselves roles and try our best to nurture the universe, but we exist independent of any need for us, Cyanna. We simply are. We were before the universe was. There was only one above who had the power to judge us, and he...was and is an idiot. We have tried to curtail any damage we do, by and large, by keeping our interference to a minimum. It discourages 'bullying', as you call it, as well as a host of other bad tendencies. However, I'm afraid we lack the luxury of such segregation nowadays, my presence here being but one symptom of our situation."

She smiled softly at the young one, her natural affection for creation building upon itself as she spent time with such innocent sincerity and optimism.

"When our crisis is settled, I hope to see you and those like you inspire us once more, Cyanna. You are, after all, our training. The life you lead will set an example for the gods."

As she looked to the setting sun, she realized she could see it a little more clearly now. Her tears had washed away, at least.

"And what of you, Cyanna? What do you hope to do with your life?"

"You mean other than what I am doing now?" Cyanna puled her knees up to her chin, then stared out into the vast sky, before changing her position so that her legs were crossed in a casual lotus. She then started talking almost stream of thought, "I really don't know. Most of my life was just following Meagan, doing what she did, trying to be like her. Not that she wanted me to, not that she pushed me away either. She did ask me this once and I couldn't answer, so she just said to think on it. And I have been thinking on it."

Her eyes went distant, "I thought learning magic would be fun, and it is. But then Charco had to get his magical immunity thing and I can't show him all the neat skills I learned. He can't even use the amulet anymore which is a bummer. I thought he and I having matching magical objects would make us closer. Though that's kind of silly. Meagan once said that it was best that her and Zaofan never hit it off like he did with Etrina, seeing as how he loves to cook and we Chromakai are a little fussy when it comes to food."

"I don't know what use magic can be for me or for others. I'll never be as good at Etrina, it's not like I can control anything special. Light is fun, but it's just light, not like controlling Time, or Space like Lady Reimi, or anything else. Then again, if I was that powerful, I'd probably make a mess of things. Especially if I'm off my meds, then I get all hyperactive. I'm not as bad as I used to be, Meagan thinks I'll outgrow it eventually. I hope so, not that I want to be like everyone else. Dash says there is nothing wrong with wanting to be special, but I haven't been special. I'm still just chasing Meagan around, but she needs me, so that's not the same. She says that next year, after my next birthday, I'll have to find my own way. Not forever, it's like a coming of age thing, Meagan did it and so did Dash."

"I want to be special, to do something really important. I just, don't know what yet. All these special, important people. It feels like there is no room for me. Like there is nothing left for me. Meagan is right though, I do need to find myself. I wish I knew who I was, who I really was. Who my parents were. We tried to locate them, but nothing. The government is still trying to match Orphans with blood relatives, but they couldn't find any for me. Maybe that makes me special?"

She then looked up at Asha'rah, her cheeks flushed slightly, "Sorry for the rambling. It's just, what I want to do with my life is not the same as what I can do with my life. So, I'm not sure how to answer that yet."

[MrSandman]

Alt Ochazuke pauses.

“Erosa died. Again and again. Etrina brought her back multiple times until one day...she simply did not. I asked, once, and she merely laughed and said she didn’t need her anymore. Shortly after I learned of her bonding with Grav.”

He nods.

“If any other questions are had, I shall answer them. There is much to answer for.”

"That's fucked up," Sarada admitted. She stole a glance at the Id, then turned her attention back to Alt-Ochazuke. "Is there any way to bring her back? Maybe they can wish her back with the dragonballs?"

“Presuming Slak can make new ones. Though if Etrina is truly restored here, and I believe she can and will be, she should still be able to summon her.”

"Oh......" Erosa glanced towards the ground, she seemed to be holding back from saying something. After several moments she managed to lift her head, sporting a pained smile. "Thats....ok. Hopefully you can wish her back. That would be nice...."

The id turned away.

"....I.....can we go home now.........please...."

[MrSandman]

Asha'rah stroked Erosa's hair slowly and evenly.

"There, there. Do you know what makes an Id stronger, Erosa? I suspect a primal want and a clear way to obtain it is a good start. There's a mountain of delicious food waiting for you at the end. Feed on that desire and you'll be speed your way to feeding on food."

She reached down and tickled the Id's pale neck with warm, bronzed fingers.

"Saving time as we know it would be a nice bonus, I suppose."

"Ehhh....." Erosa turned her head towards the scratching in the same way a cat would. "......Actual food is still better.....I hope the next set of time things are easier to find"

[Tami]

"Oh......" Erosa glanced towards the ground, she seemed to be holding back from saying something. After several moments she managed to lift her head, sporting a pained smile. "Thats....ok. Hopefully you can wish her back. That would be nice...."

The id turned away.

"....I.....can we go home now.........please...."

It was heartbreaking to see Erosa's reaction, to learn of her other self's fate. Dash wanted to say something comforting, but she couldn't. She didn't know how. Dash was just glad that Asha'rah was able to offer Erosa the support she needed.

[bruceleegreyhulk]

“Then you are being taken into custody as a witness to the attempted invasion of Namek. Your ship will be impounded and searched.”

( Okay they bought it ) Turk thought to himself. Turk rubs his chin and comes up with a fabricate story with a blend of truth . " Look I know nothing about a Invasion on Namek I promise. I was just on my way to go see ahhhhahh a fashion show yeah that's right a fashion show , Metric is showcasing there latest fashion line there called Atlas it's a clothing line for female Titans," Turk said.

Turk whistles and then looks at the agents. " Yeah I'm as shock as you guys two ships attempt to attack Namek and ending up ramming into each other what are the odds!?!" Turk said in a sly expression.

[bruceleegreyhulk]

It was heartbreaking to see Erosa's reaction, to learn of her other self's fate. Dash wanted to say something comforting, but she couldn't. She didn't know how. Dash was just glad that Asha'rah was able to offer Erosa the support she needed.

Praxat doesn't say anything expect . " Training with Meagan really came in handy during that fight with that creature. Thanks to Megan's training I was able to fine tune my ability to hear infrasound to as as low as 1 hertz, and that came in handy in detect the creature when it was in the ground," Praxat said.

[Sub-Zero MKA]

"Oh......" Erosa glanced towards the ground, she seemed to be holding back from saying something. After several moments she managed to lift her head, sporting a pained smile. "Thats....ok. Hopefully you can wish her back. That would be nice...."

The id turned away.

"....I.....can we go home now.........please...."

Sarada sighed. She was afraid that Erosa would react that way. This entire trip had been a shitshow, but not in the way she expected. I really hope the other missions aren't as taxing as this one.

She wanted to say something, but what? It was bad enough that she herself heard that she had died in the Tuffle invasion; to hear that she died by basically being drained dry over and over again until she couldn't come back to life anymore must have been a mindfuck.

Surely, the Id knew that the real Etrina wouldn't even dream of treating her that way; nor would she even consider merging with that creepy Vitalmancer she kept locked away in that vase.

"What's the hold up? It's time to go," she spoke aloud, but not necessarily to Zaofan.

[Tami]

Praxat doesn't say anything expect . " Training with Meagan really came in handy during that fight with that creature. Thanks to Megan's training I was able to fine tune my ability to hear infrasound to as as low as 1 hertz, and that came in handy in detect the creature when it was in the ground," Praxat said.

"Ah didn't know you could do that." Dash was surprised at the revelation, "It's good that the training worked for you. Meg was worried that you might overthink your fights to the point of getting yourself killed."