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

[Cthulhu_of_R'lyeh]

The man pops a hidden grate and points down.

“Here, quickly, before the Lyne show up.”

Ishtar waits patiently for the others to disappear into the grate, before disappearing down, herself. As Ochazuke passes, with the slumbering Held, however, she offers the stoic a nod.

[MrSandman]

Running back to the heap, Zaofan finds Etrina, dirty and dusty.

"You know, I was beginning to wonder about you...!"

Pulling her up both physically by the arm and personally with a smile, he holds her hand. "But, you know, we're in a LOT of danger right now. We have to get out of here!"

"..t..thank you......" Etrina attempted to wipe away the garbage, to only limited success. "......No sooner does the world go to hell then I find most of you all together.......If I could take a good hard swing at fate right now. Reunions later though....if theirs danger we run." Etrina pressed her hand on Zaofans cheek and smiled before stepped past.

"Here sis!" Erosa jogged over and sweep'd the mage off her feet. "I'll carry my sister! Don't get caught Mister cookman!"

A chase scene was soon to come, with some unexpected assistance at that.

The man pops a hidden grate and points down.

“Here, quickly, before the Lyne show up.”

"Lyne....That's a stupid name ero!" Erosa skidded to a halt next to the grate and lowered her sister in, then slid down after her once there was some room.

[Monstrous Bird of Qin, Ou Ki]

The sound of concrete shattering upon asphalt where a building hit the road was a familiar sight as he'd seen before in Evangeline's manifestations within the Pendulum room on the Lookout. Immediately he recognized Ishtar, Zaofan and Sarada's signatures. Uncharacteristically they fled from the scene of the commotion, pursuing another subdued power as they moved to escape something behind them.



Ochazuke quickened his pace as he felt another energy signature he did not recognize in their midst, flitting from one place to the next in an instant. Was this their pursuer? He moved toward their path, hopefully able to intercept their course at the end of it and find out just what was going on here and assist if he could.

And intercept he does. As she approaches, Nevanlinna gives Ochazuke a quick once-over, gauging him as best she could, considering the circumstances. Male, 20s, perhaps, the way he carried himself spoke of a warrior that sought to take his art and himself to its limit... and beyond. If nothing else, she judged this man's technical skill to be the best of the few Earth warrior she'd met thus far. The others were not deficient, but they lacked the martial will of this one.

The probability of him being yet another companion of the others was high enough that she merely stepped to the side and moved past him, though she did utter a single piece of advice to the man as she did so.

"Run."

The man pops a hidden grate and points down.

“Here, quickly, before the Lyne show up.”

Without hesitation, Nevanlinna jumps into the opening. Whatever awaited down there was certainly better than these 'Lyne', as he had called them.

[Ptrvc]

Between impalement, magic, straightjacketed, and a heavy crushing impact from on top (among other things), the robot is destroyed.

Those just arriving (Slak, Jack) feel their ki suddenly leave. Jack luckily did not lose his ki until after he struck the robot.

Damn it. My stamina must be linked to ki, also. Yes, I remember the instructors saying as much. ****, what a bother. We need to unblock our ki ASAP.[/I]

The only upside was that Jack made such a daring and impressive entrance; and it was one that actually proved useful instead of purely for show with no results or substance.

She smiled and started to make her way over to him.

Jack tore his knife from the mechanical monstrosity. Not quite as satisfying as felling a monstrosity of flesh and blood, but it was what it was.

Jack met Sarada's gaze and started towards her. It took him a few moments to realize he was not floating towards her.

....

"Huh, did I forget to him to...aw hell!"

And more machines were coming.

"Man all that training!"

Jack hurried after the rest of the group.

[KingofPie]

The man pops a hidden grate and points down.

“Here, quickly, before the Lyne show up.”

"The what now ?" P-Sta asked, as he dove down into the grate. "I've never even heard of such creatures..." He hoped some kind of explanation was in order once they all got to safety.

[Cleric of Hell’s Brigade]

Once inside, he puts the grate back after Ishtar enters and starts leading them through a tight network of tunnels and sewers.

[Cthulhu_of_R'lyeh]

Once inside, he puts the grate back after Ishtar enters and starts leading them through a tight network of tunnels and sewers.

While it was true that Ishtar knew little of wartime measures, beyond what she had seen across her long span of years; her kinship with animals of all shapes, sizes, and species offered its insight this day. When herds- particularly herbivores- tended to move, they did so by keeping their young tightly in the center ... It was a thing at least parttway applicable here. Without the use of the Ki many had come to rely on, it would not do to let them lead or play the part of the infirm stragglers ... as they had a tendency to be left behind.

So with such in mind, the golden-eyed Oni made sure to keep herself at the rear, allowing the familiar stranger- and the powerful weapon he carried- to guide them.

"The what now ?" P-Sta asked, as he dove down into the grate. "I've never even heard of such creatures..." He hoped some kind of explanation was in order once they all got to safety.

"The less noise you make, the better." Ishtar offered, when P-Sta asked his question. It was beginning to become something of an annoyance as well; as since they had met, all this ... Officer had done was ask a seemingly endless stream of questions.

To say nothing of unwanted noise attracting attention.

[KingofPie]

Once inside, he puts the grate back after Ishtar enters and starts leading them through a tight network of tunnels and sewers.

"The less noise you make, the better." Ishtar offered, when P-Sta asked his question. It was beginning to become something of an annoyance as well; as since they had met, all this ... Officer had done was ask a seemingly endless stream of questions.

To say nothing of unwanted noise attracting attention.

"Ah, you know what?! You're right!" P-Sta exclaimed, snapping his fingers loudly. "Wouldn't want to draw more of those mechanical beasts to us after all!"

[Cleric of Hell’s Brigade]

He leads them deeper and deeper, until they come to a sealed door. He unlocks it with a wave of his hand (a scanner reading his biometrics), and they walk into a large bunker style room with supplies and the like.


Once everyone is in he locks the door and his hood and cloak open up, revealing an older face.



The grey in his hair, his voice, the wrinkles are all different and new, but the near boyish smile and warmth in his eyes isn’t.

“Well, by Kami it’s good to see you all.” Jinzi Pantaloon says, tears in his eyes.

[Cthulhu_of_R'lyeh]

He leads them deeper and deeper, until they come to a sealed door. He unlocks it with a wave of his hand (a scanner reading his biometrics), and they walk into a large bunker style room with supplies and the like.


Once everyone is in he locks the door and his hood and cloak open up, revealing an older face.



The grey in his hair, his voice, the wrinkles are all different and new, but the near boyish smile and warmth in his eyes isn’t.

“Well, by Kami it’s good to see you all.” Jinzi Pantaloon says, tears in his eyes.

When Ishtar finally found out who their mysterious savior was, she remained silent for a moment to simply take it all in. He was older now, and while it still showed in his eyes, the youthful appearance now gone in favor of the lines and wrinkles, and gray hair of an older man. To say nothing of the fact that they were underground after something had decimated the surface of the Earth the Oni had grown fond of ... and as she stated the golden-eyed Oni found she had many questions.

What had happened. What those creatures were. What had happened to Kami, and Ronin Kai, and the Lookout. Why their energy was being suppressed, and how. Yet there was only one that mattered, as she stared at Jinzi Pantaloon.

"How long ?"

[Cleric of Hell’s Brigade]

When Ishtar finally found out who their mysterious savior was, she remained silent for a moment to simply take it all in. He was older now, and while it still showed in his eyes, the youthful appearance now gone in favor of the lines and wrinkles, and gray hair of an older man. To say nothing of the fact that they were underground after something had decimated the surface of the Earth the Oni had grown fond of ... and as she stated the golden-eyed Oni found she had many questions.

What had happened. What those creatures were. What had happened to Kami, and Ronin Kai, and the Lookout. Why their energy was being suppressed, and how. Yet there was only one that mattered, as she stared at Jinzi Pantaloon.

"How long ?"

“I don’t know. What’s the last foe you remember beating on Earth, Ishtar?”

[Cthulhu_of_R'lyeh]

“I don’t know. What’s the last foe you remember beating on Earth, Ishtar?”

"Six months after we defeated Fife, I punched an Ice Giant to pieces." Ishtar stated, only to repeat again.

'How long?"

[Miburo]

The Nevadian lay down to rest in the dirt. Ochazuke exchanged a glance with the masked stranger, then back to Held where he lay. Bending over his unconscious comrade, he fell two fingers against his throat feeling for breath and a pulse.

He's still alive. Has he been overcome?

He lay his hands over Held, searching for hidden wounds, untended injuries, anything.

...what are you doing?

Ochazuke sighed, shook his head, and pressed a finger to the inside of Held's forearm, the diminished energie sparking with a facsimile of the Dragon Fire like lighting a match to his skin. Lighting a fire under the Nevadian would be sure to shock him awake; they would need his skills going forward.

"On your feet," he said, "there may be rest where there is refuge. Right now we have the luxury of neither."

Helping him up, he moved with him to join the rest of their vagrant group in their escape.

The Nevadian's eyes opened suddenly, the burning sensation on his forearm jolting him awake.

He looked absently at the surroundings, slowly taking them in, before realizing he was being moved--aided really--by a will apart from his own.

"....Oc--" Held yawned slightly, "Ochazuke? What are you doing---"

He trailed off for a moment, taking in the chaos that they all found themselves in the midst of, several familiar faces frantically fleeing through the rubble and ruins of a city. It looked vaguely like a city he had visited before, but so different that he could not place it, despite his best efforts.

"--Here?"

[Cleric of Hell’s Brigade]

"Six months after we defeated Fife, I punched an Ice Giant to pieces." Ishtar stated, only to repeat again.

'How long?"

Jinzi nods.

“Then twenty years. I turned fourty-five a few days ago.”

[Cyke]

He leads them deeper and deeper, until they come to a sealed door. He unlocks it with a wave of his hand (a scanner reading his biometrics), and they walk into a large bunker style room with supplies and the like.


Once everyone is in he locks the door and his hood and cloak open up, revealing an older face.



The grey in his hair, his voice, the wrinkles are all different and new, but the near boyish smile and warmth in his eyes isn’t.

“Well, by Kami it’s good to see you all.” Jinzi Pantaloon says, tears in his eyes.

Jinzi nods.

“Then twenty years. I turned fourty-five a few days ago.”

Like he had with the others, Zaofan goes in for a hug. "MR. PANTALOON!"

For Zaofan, it had only been 6 months, but 6 months was still excruciatingly long. He couldn't fathom 20 years.

"Of course you'd find a way to survive all this. But... What's happened here? How can we be gone for 20 years?"