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

[Sub-Zero MKA]

Her expression lightened up considerably, as did her mood, but Dash would not risk jinxing this with a comment. Instead, she simply responded, "Take-out, it means go'in to a restaurant an' orderin food to eat elsewhere. To take the food out of the restaurant and bring it home, or in this case to the lookout."

Parsley had heard of such a thing, but never deemed it necessary to see what it was all about. That was about to change.

"I see. If you don't mind, I'm going to see what this 'take-out' is all about." She sniffed until she beheld a cornucopia of fragrances emanating from within the Lookout. "Ah, that must be it. If you'll excuse me." She hurried inside, her stomach rumbling with renewed vigor and emptiness.

[Cyke]

Zaofan, Divine Secrets Of Cosmos Cooking is riveting. It’s a small book, with maybe 100 pages with recipes or so, but each is exotic. Space meats and vegetables, exotic fruits from far off planets, and even several from Earth that he’s never heard of (all up to his own creation here, Cyke).

However, he finds three in the back that are specially interesting. Two with ingredients he’ll need to get from space, but one that he can make here on Earth. It’s called Sapphire Fire Soup, made with a rare Crimson Sapphire flower extract. It intonates that the Soup has the power, if a full bowl is made, to increase a huaman’s power level greatly.

By candle light and warmth of tea, Zaofan studiously reads through the book.

Hm. I'll have to consult with Jinzi or maybe some of the space travelers of our group to find some of these ingredients. But I can't wait to try, and, judging by this group, I guess it won't be too long until we can actually go, one way or another. Fascinating!

He takes a sip of tea and his heart rate goes up. But THIS recipe can be made locally! I've never heard of Crimson Sapphire before! Nor would I know where to get it! Maybe it's time that I consult the library again.

He takes another sip, but he holds up the cup to his chin. Though, if all ingredients of this Sapphire Fire Soup are from Earth, that means the author or chef of this book has visited here before. If all else fails, maybe I could ask Evangeline or Kai about this, too? Maybe they've met this traveler before. Curious.

Regardless, first thing's first. With the others occupied and with nothing much better to do, Zaofan dons his cape, grabs his book and bottle of tea, and heads to the library, ready to do some more heavy duty research. That is, until he runs into Sasheem.

While everyone was otherwise preoccupied, Sasheem had made a raid on the Lookout Library, figuring Evangeline wouldn't mind if he borrowed them for a while...probably. He put them all in a backpack he'd found while meandering about and had phased up through the lookout's surface to see if anyone was around. before he slinked off.

"YOU AGAIN! What the hell?! Why are you always where I need to be?!" he yells, assuming a fighting stance.

[bruceleegreyhulk]

“Bring her to me. I will see what I can do.”

Praxat fetches Qaztoh and once she finds her she grabs her saying " look there's some one I like you too meet they might help you with your problem." " Qaztoh replies to this saying " I don't have a problem Praxat." Praxat replies back saying " it's obvious you have problem and I'm getting you help." Qaztoh replies to this saying " fine I go with you ,but I don't have a problem."

Qaztoh follows Praxat to Eva with Praxat saying " stop denying it you have a problem." Qaztoh thinks to herself ( hmm I wonder what that meathead Captain Stratovarius and the rest of The Stratovarius Buccaneers are up to? I hope there isn't a Galaxy Police officer here and I hope they didn't see me put out that Juppter Joint and put in bionic lenses to cover up the fact I was smoking it. my 100 kilo stash of Juppter should be safe unless some one figures out her to open my Jobox. )

[Tami]

Parsley had heard of such a thing, but never deemed it necessary to see what it was all about. That was about to change.

"I see. If you don't mind, I'm going to see what this 'take-out' is all about." She sniffed until she beheld a cornucopia of fragrances emanating from within the Lookout. "Ah, that must be it. If you'll excuse me." She hurried inside, her stomach rumbling with renewed vigor and emptiness.

Eyes wide, Dash exclaimed, "Hey! Leave some food for me!" as she rushed after Parsley, heading for the kitchen.

[grampagen]

The golden-eyed Oni offered Anula a glance, before setting her eyes back on Ochazuke. "She now wanders now, a little more free than she was before, free from the direct influence of a false God."

The Oni glanced down then, at the eye upon her arm.

"Our compact was a simple one. Knowledge of him. Knowledge of his 'chosen'. Knowledge of his magic -- on offer from Anula -- in the hopes that I would learn his 'truth' ... this canon ... and come to love him." There came a chuckle, after the last word offered, before Ishtar saw fit to continue. "Yet he thought himself clever when he wiped the mind of his vessel. In the end however, all he did was reveal himself a fool; and confirm his canon is nothing but lies to cover over cowardice ... to say nothing of the fact that the terms of the compact have been broken; so now, at best, his grip is tenuous. The soul affixed to in possession of the strength to shut out his influence, besides."

"It seems even a lofty one such as Auroc feels subject to that natural, savage law," Ochazuke replied, the words pressing tensely from behind his teeth. "Can any will so surrendered and bound by fear be truly called godly?"

For a moment his gaze drift to the diminished Priestess. Once carrying within her hands the medium to sculpt environs to whatever image she saw fit to lift beheld to her dread Eye, she now idly begged for some small morsel to whet a more basic appetite.

Where were her grand ambitions now? And why had Auroc's manifestation left her so far from the path he set her upon?

"Certainly any god that must proclaim himself in this way, seeks only marvelers and supplicants to validate his existence. Petty ambitions...but for the lives held to them as fodder."

Though rendered from a farther, fallen place, the work of a despot was little changed from the Earth's stars to the shaded place about the Eye. Still he knew well that trying to sway Ishtar was a dangerous game, for there are few blind spots before her expansive, curious view.

The Oni held her arm up, the mark clearly visible for Ochazuke to see.

"... and a soul in possession of a spell to find the hidden, provided I have something from them ... Like his essence."

The memory of the worship-starved diety was still fresh in his mind, and the subtle energy cared into the Oni's flesh causing his eyes to briefly widen as he beheld it. With a small sigh, his eyes narrowed **** as he shook his head and chuckled.

"Well met," he said, "By turning his eye toward the Earth, he declared war upon our world, shrouded even where the Guardian's threads could not reach," he said. "Ishtar, the time will come soon when we will at last bring the fight to him..."

The Lookout sky above cast the light over them all. Though Ochazuke's lowered head shaded his grim features, there remained a vital glint in his eye. The brief silence betrayed the shudder of his limbs. The right hand which struck at Auroc's Eye curled steadfast at his side.

"...all thanks to you, we at last have a chance."

[KingofPie]

By candle light and warmth of tea, Zaofan studiously reads through the book.

Hm. I'll have to consult with Jinzi or maybe some of the space travelers of our group to find some of these ingredients. But I can't wait to try, and, judging by this group, I guess it won't be too long until we can actually go, one way or another. Fascinating!

He takes a sip of tea and his heart rate goes up. But THIS recipe can be made locally! I've never heard of Crimson Sapphire before! Nor would I know where to get it! Maybe it's time that I consult the library again.

He takes another sip, but he holds up the cup to his chin. Though, if all ingredients of this Sapphire Fire Soup are from Earth, that means the author or chef of this book has visited here before. If all else fails, maybe I could ask Evangeline or Kai about this, too? Maybe they've met this traveler before. Curious.

Regardless, first thing's first. With the others occupied and with nothing much better to do, Zaofan dons his cape, grabs his book and bottle of tea, and heads to the library, ready to do some more heavy duty research. That is, until he runs into Sasheem.



"YOU AGAIN! What the hell?! Why are you always where I need to be?!" he yells, assuming a fighting stance.

]

Sasheem sighs heavily, not taking any stance at all. "Sasheem doesn't give a damn where you need to be. Sasheem needs some books for his training and he's not about to let you stop him. Hell, you should be training too, we're not done with the damn Threshlings yet. Not gonna get any stronger with your whining about justice or whatever gibberish you wanna spout next. Now if you excuse Sasheem, he's got something important to do..." the Majin sneered, as he made an attempt to leave to leave.

[Sub-Zero MKA]

Eyes wide, Dash exclaimed, "Hey! Leave some food for me!" as she rushed after Parsley, heading for the kitchen.

Hmph. "Then you'd better hurry."

Parsley was first and found stacks of containers with wonderfully delectable scents emanating from all of them. "Ugh. Where should I start first?" She picked one up at random and found it filled with with chicken with a red sauce and melted cheese. "This." She shoved one of the chicken patties into her mouth and hummed in delight. She ate another. "Who made this? Zaofan? Wait, no. Why would it be in containers?"

[Tami]

Hmph. "Then you'd better hurry."

Parsley was first and found stacks of containers with wonderfully delectable scents emanating from all of them. "Ugh. Where should I start first?" She picked one up at random and found it filled with with chicken with a red sauce and melted cheese. "This." She shoved one of the chicken patties into her mouth and hummed in delight. She ate another. "Who made this? Zaofan? Wait, no. Why would it be in containers?"

Slowing down as she entered the kitchen, "A diner down below, the owner's a friend of Zaofan." She then browsed through thre containers, relieved to find the ones she had marked out for herself. Inside she found Meatloaf in a thick gravy. Grabbing a plate, she helped herself to some, then opened the container with mashed potatoes, and another with mixed vegetables.

Making a plate of food for herself, "There are two containers ah marked for Meagan and Cyanna, seeing as how they are fussy eaters. Best to leave some food for the others when they return, especially your sister."

[Sub-Zero MKA]

Slowing down as she entered the kitchen, "A diner down below, the owner's a friend of Zaofan." She then browsed through thre containers, relieved to find the ones she had marked out for herself. Inside she found Meatloaf in a thick gravy. Grabbing a plate, she helped herself to some, then opened the container with mashed potatoes, and another with mixed vegetables.

Making a plate of food for herself, "There are two containers ah marked for Meagan and Cyanna, seeing as how they are fussy eaters. Best to leave some food for the others when they return, especially your sister."

A friend a Zaofan's who could also cook. Very nice. Another human that Parsley suddenly had a desire to meet. "Zaofan has a very fine sense of friendship." She was thankful said sense of friendship included her. If she was going to spend much of her time on Earth, she at least needed to find where to find good food.

She sighed and started going through the containers for things that she knew Sarada would like. She placed six of them to the side: two for herself and three for her sister. "There. The rest are for everyone else."

[Tami]

A friend a Zaofan's who could also cook. Very nice. Another human that Parsley suddenly had a desire to meet. "Zaofan has a very fine sense of friendship." She was thankful said sense of friendship included her. If she was going to spend much of her time on Earth, she at least needed to find where to find good food.

She sighed and started going through the containers for things that she knew Sarada would like. She placed six of them to the side: two for herself and three for her sister. "There. The rest are for everyone else."

"Ah figure Sayians must have pumped up metabolisms, seeing as how you can all eat so much while never gaining a lick of extra weight."

[Cyke]

]

Sasheem sighs heavily, not taking any stance at all. "Sasheem doesn't give a damn where you need to be. Sasheem needs some books for his training and he's not about to let you stop him. Hell, you should be training too, we're not done with the damn Threshlings yet. Not gonna get any stronger with your whining about justice or whatever gibberish you wanna spout next. Now if you excuse Sasheem, he's got something important to do..." the Majin sneered, as he made an attempt to leave to leave.

"Tch. YOU? READ? Don't make me laugh. What, you eat any good books lately?"

Zaofan steps aside to let him go.

"Maybe you should read some books on ethics and morality. Maybe then you'll figure out why you should regurgitate P-Sta or whatever it is you do to release people. I can't believe you got yourself bound to a knife! An indestructible one, at that! But you know, keep reading. Youshould stay sharp. Get the point?"

[Sub-Zero MKA]

"Ah figure Sayians must have pumped up metabolisms, seeing as how you can all eat so much while never gaining a lick of extra weight."

"That's right. Our scientists have measured that our metabolisms are about five to ten times faster than most other races. This is because of our enormous strength and intense aura," Parsley explained. She herself could eat every morsel of food on this table and only gain a few pounds, if that. The fact that she was limiting herself to only three containers meant she was starving herself.

"I'm going to need to go hunting later to find something else to eat. What I had to pick out from these small selection isn't enough."

[KingofPie]

"Tch. YOU? READ? Don't make me laugh. What, you eat any good books lately?"

Zaofan steps aside to let him go.

"Maybe you should read some books on ethics and morality. Maybe then you'll figure out why you should regurgitate P-Sta or whatever it is you do to release people. I can't believe you got yourself bound to a knife! An indestructible one, at that! But you know, keep reading. Youshould stay sharp. Get the point?"

"Not really. Sasheem's not even sure YOU know what you're point is anymore," the Majin laughed as he went on his way. "Now if you'll excuse the Greater Annihilator these books ain't gonna read themselves! Sasheem's got four while schools to read up on!"

[Cthulhu_of_R'lyeh]

"It seems even a lofty one such as Auroc feels subject to that natural, savage law," Ochazuke replied, the words pressing tensely from behind his teeth. "Can any will so surrendered and bound by fear be truly called godly?"

For a moment his gaze drift to the diminished Priestess. Once carrying within her hands the medium to sculpt environs to whatever image she saw fit to lift beheld to her dread Eye, she now idly begged for some small morsel to whet a more basic appetite.

Where were her grand ambitions now? And why had Auroc's manifestation left her so far from the path he set her upon?

"Certainly any god that must proclaim himself in this way, seeks only marvelers and supplicants to validate his existence. Petty ambitions...but for the lives held to them as fodder."

Though rendered from a farther, fallen place, the work of a despot was little changed from the Earth's stars to the shaded place about the Eye. Still he knew well that trying to sway Ishtar was a dangerous game, for there are few blind spots before her expansive, curious view.

Despite the shortness of his years Ochazuke's appraisal was apt, and in hearing it Ishtar cracked a small smile.

"In the end it is all he has, this ... artificial validation; and like so many self-proclaimed 'Gods' before in this he is no different." The Oni replied, her mind briefly flitting through old memories of older civilizations. "Though unlike then," she continued, "I am not required to merely witness, and this twisted charade of 'godly love' will not end with the one dominating the weak growing bored; allowing their supplicants to wither and die."

There was an undercurrent of ... anger, as she spoke now; distaste at some aspects of her previous life shining through in this moment of public openness ... and some inkling, at least, that the polite indifference of a year ago had now truly fallen by the wayside.

The memory of the worship-starved diety was still fresh in his mind, and the subtle energy cared into the Oni's flesh causing his eyes to briefly widen as he beheld it. With a small sigh, his eyes narrowed **** as he shook his head and chuckled.

"Well met," he said, "By turning his eye toward the Earth, he declared war upon our world, shrouded even where the Guardian's threads could not reach," he said. "Ishtar, the time will come soon when we will at last bring the fight to him..."

The Lookout sky above cast the light over them all. Though Ochazuke's lowered head shaded his grim features, there remained a vital glint in his eye. The brief silence betrayed the shudder of his limbs. The right hand which struck at Auroc's Eye curled steadfast at his side.

"...all thanks to you, we at last have a chance."

With her gambit revealed now in full, Ochazuke understood, and much like Sarada -- and perhaps the optimistic Chef, Zaofan -- the warrior wished to hunt Auroc to ground ... and again Ishtar could not help but smile.

This was good.

"Thanks to you as well, and Held, and Zaofan ... as while I positioned myself and made my gambit ... you three proved this God could bleed; and ..."

As she speaks, a faint whisper only she can hear seems to trickle through her mind.

‘Are you so sure?’

A voice trickled through the back of the glowing-horned Oni's mind then, of the same cloying quality as Auroc's own but softer still so that only she could hear it. Then with a flickering, the mark at her arm shifted and seemed to grow ever-so-slightly larger. Her smile widened to a fang filled grin.

"... and you proved him a liar in more ways than one."

There was a moment then, when silence reigned, before Ishtar took a single step toward Ochazuke before offering softer than before.

"I must confess that despite my success ... it is a gamble, yet. Despite his words, too, it seems he seeks to force my ... subjugation. A battle I can win, given the means and the time ... though perhaps not the war itself ..." the golden-eyed Oni trailed off then, before glancing over toward the others. "I suspect I will depart with Sarada a short while as well, now that the matter with Jagam is settled. Yet you alone know best of all of them, perhaps, what is coming."

A War with God -- a God -- and perhaps the Threshling themselves.

"Still." The Oni pulled back, if ever so slightly.

"We must move ... slowly. To fight a 'God' even false as Auroc is, in their demense ... is to give them an advantage."

Offering a sigh to the space between them then, the glowing-horn Oni glanced down at the mark upon her arm once more, and with a subtle nod as if to confirm that the game was now, as she had established, returned her attention to Ochazuke.

"So we must use the time before us now, to prepare ... and perhaps teach the others, that martial might is not always enough."

[Cyke]

"Not really. Sasheem's not even sure YOU know what you're point is anymore," the Majin laughed as he went on his way. "Now if you'll excuse the Greater Annihilator these books ain't gonna read themselves! Sasheem's got four while schools to read up on!"

"Can you even hear yourself anymore? That knife is made of the densest material in the universe. Like your head, apparently."

Four schools? He's a novice if he's trying to get all that done in a night. Steady your hand, Zaofan. He's getting under your skin. Students of Zxu'Ro should be better than that.

Zaofan tries to shrug off his anger. It's been a long time since he's read while angry, after all. He takes a sip of his tea thermos, and enters the library, finally.