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

[MrSandman]

Ow! Hm, tight grip as normal, but... is this a good pain or a bad pain? She should've slapped me by the way I held her...!

"Y-yes, Mistress. I will do as you say," he says, following her in. "But I'm not sure how much I can help in a world like this. What even constitutes as ingredients on this world?"

...parents...?!

Pulling Zaofan into the house, she directs him over to the room across from the kitchen. "Mom...Dad.....Come look, Zaofan came to visit."

Aiden Stoltengarde steps into the room, wiping his hands off on a towel. Despite his surreal visage, and plain clothes, he smiles rather brightly at Zaofan...steps over and offers his hand. "Zaofan was it? I've heard a lot about you young man. I'm Aiden, Etinas Father"

"Aww....is this the one our etrina has fallen for." A woman with blonde hair followed him in. Both had a very similar aura of relaxed happiness. "....I'm Marina. So nice you could join us Zaofan."

[Cthulhu_of_R'lyeh]

"A proper universe...One where is people need not suffer to the whims of blind fate and broken systems. Mine is a noble goal....one that I'm sure you'll find fault in as you seem to be doing a excellent job of spewing blood and bile. A place where families need not be separated, loved one not fear the cruel hand of fate to snatch each other away at any moment. No Death, no suffering.....and no destruction." Fate chuckled. "Though....I'd still make room for my niece once I stripped you of that Hakai. Throw it in a trash bin somewhere, since it won't be needed."

In some sense, Fate was right. Ishtar did protest.

Though she remained silence some moments, to actually give what was offered some thought. So eyeing the Aspect somewhat tiredly as she circled around to the front of the chair, she kept her back to Fate as she considered what had been proposed. And in the end, Ishtar realized it was little more than what Auroc wished for. A place to where she might enforce her own views, own laws; without nary a protest or even awareness. Where she might carve out the life she felt was denied her by either her existence, or her station. And what did she wish to fill this Universe with ? Unknowing puppets. who carried out the lives Fate had set for them, in unknowing, unending torturous bliss. Ultimately, it would be little more than a universe without meaning, purpose ... or balance.

And when that was realized ...

Ishtar turned to face Fate, and cracked a small smile before plopping down onto the crystalline throne.

"How utterly ... selfish, this grand design of yours. How terribly flawed. You wish to be a ruler. A Queen ... A God ... but a God of what ? Puppets ?"

A Katchin crown slowly formed in between Ishtar's horns, then. A subtle jab at the Aspect who stood below.

"Tell me, Puppet Master. How is this utopia you pine for anything more than a child playing with wooden dolls ?" Continuing to play the part, the golden-eyed Oni looked down upon Fate, and turned up her palm. "And this Hakai you seek to strip away ? Handed down from those who stand above you, even now with this ... convergence of stolen might ?"

A small bead of energy coalesced in her open palm, before she allowed it to disappear back into the depths.

"Not yours to take, or strip away."

The hall fell silent a moment then, before Ishtar spoke again.

"So even if you succeed in the moments to come, this farce of yours will never succeed. Even blinded as you are now ... you have to understand this, yes ?"

[grampagen]

Willa steps upon it as well, and suddenly the earth churns up and down, swallowing them whole.

A terrible wrenching sensation follows, and the two are spat out inside the ruins of some ancient stone building. Willa rights herself and smiles.

“Damask, well done.”

The golem looms up, nodding.

“It is good to see you both.”

While Willa looked ahead to the horizon before her design, Kenshiko, gazing backward to the ruin they left in her wake, gathered the reserves of her ki and squared her stance for what was to come. When the earth shifted, she braced for the emergence of some new automaton, another push-button Capsule-Corp drone employed to give pursuit.

"What the fu-!"

The ground gave way, and between the loamy grasp crawling upward and dragging her under she became aware first of a faint stretching and then in the darkness, the hollow sensation of falling.

When the light returned, she found herself curled upon her side, sputtering as she choked on the open air. With a start she sprung to her feet, and only that weathered voice that sprung from the countenance of towering, ancient stone stilled her mind.

"...Major?! What the hell is this, where are we?!"

[Cyke]

Pulling Zaofan into the house, she directs him over to the room across from the kitchen. "Mom...Dad.....Come look, Zaofan came to visit."

Aiden Stoltengarde steps into the room, wiping his hands off on a towel. Despite his surreal visage, and plain clothes, he smiles rather brightly at Zaofan...steps over and offers his hand. "Zaofan was it? I've heard a lot about you young man. I'm Aiden, Etinas Father"

"Aww....is this the one our etrina has fallen for." A woman with blonde hair followed him in. Both had a very similar aura of relaxed happiness. "....I'm Marina. So nice you could join us Zaofan."

Zaofan returns the handshake, but still caught off guard by the man's vigor. "Mr. Stoltengarde! Ms. Stoltengarde! The pleasure is all mine! Etrina is a very remarkable woman. You two must be very proud of your daughter!"

[Sub-Zero MKA]

The young girl beamed at the Saiyan queen. "You betcha! I'm gonna train with Nev-Nev and even stronger so we can have lotsa fun!" With that, Seri meandered off to go investigate the rest of the lookout, her tail wagging excitedly at the prospect of fighting not one, but both of the queens.

Nevanlinna stared after her for a moment. It was... good to see her in such high spirits, after what she went through. Saiyan or not, children should be happy and excited, not... afraid of their own shadow, as Seri was for a short while after she'd been rescued. Honestly, besides the obsession with fighting, she wasn't too much different from a Threshling child. After a moment, she turned her attention back to Sarada.

"Of course. Circumstances willing, I'll do my utmost to make the fight as... fulfilling as possible. And... two more things..." She paused for a moment. "...first, I apologize for my... unkind words during our previous meetings. They were unwarranted. And second... you have my condolences in regards to your sister. I'm sure she will be resurrected with all due haste, but losing a sibling, even one that... has such a sordid history with you, cannot be easy."

Sarada was a bit in shock. She hadn't been expecting an apology, much less a sincere one. As such, she stood there for a very moment, as if unsure of how to even comprehend what she had just heard, never mind actually responding.

The last several months had been long, but Sarada hadn't given thought to exactly how long, in terms of actual length. Enough time, as was just made plainly evident, for one as harshly prejudice as Nevanlinna to not only soften her views on Saiyans, but to gain the humility to actually apologize for those views. It was staggering. As staggering as it was encouraging.

It proved that if someone like her could change her views on Saiyans in a relatively short time, then the same could easily be said of others. Maybe, with hope, even the ones they wronged so egregiously in the past.

"Apology accepted," she responded with a growing smile.

The second thing, however, drained any mirth and warmth from that smile. She supposed, given how high profile the rank of Princess was, that news of Parsley's death would have spread to most worlds fairly quickly. And given her sister's notoriety, that news was met with heartless sentiment and sarcastic condolences. This, however, what Nevanlinna just offered her, was genuine.

She could see the budding friendship between the two Princesses. If Parsley was alive, there would have been several bolded similarities shared between them - being disgraced and treated as an outsider by their respective races, one was effectively exiled while the other was literally exiled. She was sure there were others, but those two stood out like sore thumbs.

At any rate, the offering was appreciated. "Thank you." She sighed heavily. "It's been harder than I thought. I thought there was no longer any love lost between the two of us, but evidently, it was just buried under years of competition." Her brows creased under heavy sorrow and guilt. "When she returns, I'm going to strive to make things right between us. There's a lot we both need to apologize for, so I might as well get that ball rolling."

[MrSandman]

Zaofan returns the handshake, but still caught off guard by the man's vigor. "Mr. Stoltengarde! Ms. Stoltengarde! The pleasure is all mine! Etrina is a very remarkable woman. You two must be very proud of your daughter!"

"Of course we are." Aiden proclaimed proudly. "Almost too proud to let her go....You best be treating her right young man. Now hurry along....Its Etrinas turn to cook and she could due with some help."

"Dad....you make it sound like my cooking is bad...."

Etrina took Zaofan by that hand and pulled him away from the amused faces of her family and to the kitchen in the next room.

"....Here we go........what should we make, oh husband chef of mine." Etrina leaned up and gave him a kiss on the cheek.

[Cyke]

"Of course we are." Aiden proclaimed proudly. "Almost too proud to let her go....You best be treating her right young man. Now hurry along....Its Etrinas turn to cook and she could due with some help."

"Dad....you make it sound like my cooking is bad...."

Etrina took Zaofan by that hand and pulled him away from the amused faces of her family and to the kitchen in the next room.

"....Here we go........what should we make, oh husband chef of mine." Etrina leaned up and gave him a kiss on the cheek.

"Ah hee, if you'll excuse us," Zaofan says to the Stoltengarde with narrow eyes and a big smile as he is dragged away.

Away from the others, Zaofan whispers with a smile. "Well, wizard wife of mine, I imagine that they have a complex palette that leans on the savory side. What proteins do you have?"

He holds her hand waiting for her answer, but internally...

Husband...?! We were never engaged! And she wouldn't ask me what to cook. She would demand it! Like the good mistress she is!

He goes to the spice rack and examines just what a place like this would have in such a world, trying to play off his concern as mere interest in their stock.

"Well, you've known your parents for your whole life," he states the obvious, painfully. "Is there a favorite base? Beef? Tofu? Salmon?"

[Cyke]

"Ah hee, if you'll excuse us," Zaofan says to the Stoltengarde with narrow eyes and a big smile as he is dragged away.

Away from the others, Zaofan whispers with a smile. "Well, wizard wife of mine, I imagine that they have a complex palette that leans on the savory side. What proteins do you have?"

He holds her hand waiting for her answer, but internally...

Husband...?! We were never engaged! And she wouldn't ask me what to cook. She would demand it! Like the good mistress she is!

He goes to the spice rack and examines just what a place like this would have in such a world, trying to play off his concern as mere interest in their stock.

"Well, you've known your parents for your whole life," he states the obvious, painfully. "Is there a favorite base? Beef? Tofu? Salmon?"

Old habits die hard, it seems. Zaofan remembers that this is no real world, but some kind of soul world. That these are facsimilies to what he's used to, or at least some sort of existence in a different plane. So at home at the kitchen that he lost sight of the original goal. The chef reminds himself that he embarked on a mission to retrieve Etrina and bring her back. Otherwise, he would kill for a kitchen like this, figuratively speaking.

Looking at the spices, he snaps out of it. "No, wait! Etrina! You have to come back with me! Back to the others! Back to Earth!"

[Cleric of Hell’s Brigade]

While Willa looked ahead to the horizon before her design, Kenshiko, gazing backward to the ruin they left in her wake, gathered the reserves of her ki and squared her stance for what was to come. When the earth shifted, she braced for the emergence of some new automaton, another push-button Capsule-Corp drone employed to give pursuit.

"What the fu-!"

The ground gave way, and between the loamy grasp crawling upward and dragging her under she became aware first of a faint stretching and then in the darkness, the hollow sensation of falling.

When the light returned, she found herself curled upon her side, sputtering as she choked on the open air. With a start she sprung to her feet, and only that weathered voice that sprung from the countenance of towering, ancient stone stilled her mind.

"...Major?! What the hell is this, where are we?!"

“My home. Charlie Base.”

Damask nods towards a pile of clean clothes, what looked like a pool of hot water from a spring, and a pile of food.

“Clean yourselves, eat, change. Much to be done.”

Willa runs a hand over Damask’s arm affectionately, then starts stripping her prison garb off to go bath in the spring. She seems unbothered by stripping before either of them.

“Come along, Sergeant.”

[bruceleegreyhulk]

Qaztoh " replies to this saying " I believe there might be truth to story especially since the same name shows up in many other fables across different planets. " " of course it's more likely that story might only be partially true and is mixing things up that really happen." "as yet there is another story I was told by this old knight looking guy on this one planet about ancient King who is granted power and the secret to immortality by ancient being bearing the name Nyarlathotep ." " like in the another story this king was too name Zerxes."


"expect like in the another story this Zerxes actually achieve immortally in this story by sacrifice his entire kingdom that happen to share the same name as the Kingdom in the first story . " " if I were to guess it's that both stories have some truth to them, and that they're most likely connect to each other. "


Praxat replies to this saying " wait I got maybe the story that old man told you actual happen to another kingdom that came after the fall of the Kingdom in the story that you would told by a old knight." Qaztoh replies to this saying " that is very plausible. " " wait there is a name of Kingdom called Omestris is some really ancient documents that were dig up by archaeologists."

" hmm come to think of it." " in many stories similar to the one that old man on one planet told me." " the kingdom in those stories is never name Zerxes." it's always Omestris."


"Oh and I like to make announcement after discover that my ancestor Althena wasn't really terrible person and was in fact a kind and caring Queen who put her people before herself. " " I'm change my last name from Zorak to Orpheus!" " reinstated my family's original name!" " as it is not a name to be ashamed of."

meanwhile on the Lookout Althena says to Eva saying " would I be able to control these visions I'm seeing so I don't constantly keep seeing them with training?" " remember Doxal the former Guardian of Qacriea was had this thing called a Awareness of and limited precognition to existing and impending danger. " " he told me it allow him to perceive existing and impending danger to Qacriea. " " if I had a piece of paper and brush I could paint the stuff I been seen in my visions."

" back during the time I was the Toadian Queen ." " I was quite a good painter ?" " you know I would like for my descendent Qaztoh to be here." " so she can tell me what has happen the Toadian Kingdom and why it's in state it is in my visions."

In case this was miss

[Lord Falcon]

Seeing Sarada's response, Meagan nearly laughed but managed to contain it, "I understand. The barrier around the Temple would keep your portal from working. When you are ready to leave, I'll create an opening in it for you. Until then, enjoy your meal, and the quiet." with that, she excused herself and made her way into the kitchen, out of sight of her two guests.

Having had some time to mend by now, Asha'rah had attached her legs back upon her body. They remained...tender? That didn't sound right, given their robotic nature. But Asha'rah's body was not made of normal metal, and recreating broken parts felt...tentative for a time when significant. As if her prison was assessing its freshly creative parts, not ready to trust its prisoner's proffered replacements. After some reading, she had come to understand Lady Iris to be a Kami. The first Kami of Chromakai in fact, and one who had ascended beyond the power of any Kami Asha'rah knew of. Her time as Kami had long since ended, it seemed, but she remained active in the background, her temples persisting and interventions intermittent. A curious if benevolent presence, one who did not see fit to enter the War in the Heavens or its aftermath.

Still, sooner or later, danger would come to her. She deserved a warning, at the very least, of what was to come.

"Meagan, this is a temple to Iris, is it not? Is there a way to speak with her?"

[Tami]

Having had some time to mend by now, Asha'rah had attached her legs back upon her body. They remained...tender? That didn't sound right, given their robotic nature. But Asha'rah's body was not made of normal metal, and recreating broken parts felt...tentative for a time when significant. As if her prison was assessing its freshly creative parts, not ready to trust its prisoner's proffered replacements. After some reading, she had come to understand Lady Iris to be a Kami. The first Kami of Chromakai in fact, and one who had ascended beyond the power of any Kami Asha'rah knew of. Her time as Kami had long since ended, it seemed, but she remained active in the background, her temples persisting and interventions intermittent. A curious if benevolent presence, one who did not see fit to enter the War in the Heavens or its aftermath.

Still, sooner or later, danger would come to her. She deserved a warning, at the very least, of what was to come.

"Meagan, this is a temple to Iris, is it not? Is there a way to speak with her?"

"Asha'rah. I'm glad to see that you are back in one piece." Meagan greeted her, "Since passing the powers of Guardian to me, I hadn't spoken to her. I had assumed her spirit is finally at rest. Still, I can show you where we did speak when she was preparing me for this role. Follow me."

She then lead Asha'rah to the secret Garden, in the heart of the temple. The flowers gave off a perfumed scent that was almost hypnotic, relaxing in way that would make it an ideal place for mediation. The path through the garden was not long, ending in a circular patch of iris' nearly surrounding a pedestaled statue of the Guardian, the stone not doing her beauty justice though it was a good enough likeness of her as she was in life.

Turning to Asha'rah, "I will try to summon her, but I can't guarantee she'll respond." She then placed her hand on the statue and focused, "Lady Iris, I have a friend here who wishes to speak with you." The statue glowed slightly, but no sound was heard.

"Asha'rah, place your hand on the statue. Let her know who you are. if she is able to, she'll respond."

[Lord Falcon]

"Asha'rah. I'm glad to see that you are back in one piece." Meagan greeted her, "Since passing the powers of Guardian to me, I hadn't spoken to her. I had assumed her spirit is finally at rest. Still, I can show you where we did speak when she was preparing me for this role. Follow me."

She then lead Asha'rah to the secret Garden, in the heart of the temple. The flowers gave off a perfumed scent that was almost hypnotic, relaxing in way that would make it an ideal place for mediation. The path through the garden was not long, ending in a circular patch of iris' nearly surrounding a pedestaled statue of the Guardian, the stone not doing her beauty justice though it was a good enough likeness of her as she was in life.

Turning to Asha'rah, "I will try to summon her, but I can't guarantee she'll respond." She then placed her hand on the statue and focused, "Lady Iris, I have a friend here who wishes to speak with you." The statue glowed slightly, but no sound was heard.

"Asha'rah, place your hand on the statue. Let her know who you are. if she is able to, she'll respond."

Asha'rah nodded her thanks. Throughout her stay here, no words had been needed to make clear how important this place was to Meagan. Lady Iris had been the first Guardian of Chromakai, and seemed to be part idol, part benefactor to Meagan and her culture. Not every Kami had been handpicked by Asha'rah even agt the first generation (a necessary compromise in heavenly politics), and Iris had been one such example. The Temple of Iris where they now resided was beyond the grandeur of a typical lookout, and hidden by enchantments beyond anything the typical Kami would have been able to summon. Evangeline would probably have benefited from a few of the tricks used to keep this temple hidden from prying eyes. The Kami system was never meant to expand its influence to this extent, yet it did not feel overpowering. The Chromakians had overcome the invasion of their home planet of their own accord, with minimal outside help until the waning days of the war. Iris was both considerably more powerful than the typical Kami, and had managed to remain active to some extent long after leaving her mortal shell.

Iris' status had allowed her to guide Meagan unto her current path. And it made Iris a potentially ripe target.

With deference and deliberate slowness, Asha'rah placed her hand on the statue of Iris.

"Lady Iris, I am Asha'rah. I would speak with you, if you would but lend me your time.:

[Tami]

Asha'rah nodded her thanks. Throughout her stay here, no words had been needed to make clear how important this place was to Meagan. Lady Iris had been the first Guardian of Chromakai, and seemed to be part idol, part benefactor to Meagan and her culture. Not every Kami had been handpicked by Asha'rah even agt the first generation (a necessary compromise in heavenly politics), and Iris had been one such example. The Temple of Iris where they now resided was beyond the grandeur of a typical lookout, and hidden by enchantments beyond anything the typical Kami would have been able to summon. Evangeline would probably have benefited from a few of the tricks used to keep this temple hidden from prying eyes. The Kami system was never meant to expand its influence to this extent, yet it did not feel overpowering. The Chromakians had overcome the invasion of their home planet of their own accord, with minimal outside help until the waning days of the war. Iris was both considerably more powerful than the typical Kami, and had managed to remain active to some extent long after leaving her mortal shell.

Iris' status had allowed her to guide Meagan unto her current path. And it made Iris a potentially ripe target.

With deference and deliberate slowness, Asha'rah placed her hand on the statue of Iris.

"Lady Iris, I am Asha'rah. I would speak with you, if you would but lend me your time."

The light glowed slightly brighter, as if awakening. The slight yawn that came in response to the summons indicated that, perhaps the analogy was closer to truth.

A voice, beautiful and gentle, wise yet young sounding, seemed to come from no one source in the garden. Floating like the air, or riding on the scents of the flowers.

"Lady Asha'rah, it is an honor. Welcome to Chroma, to our home."

[MrSandman]

Old habits die hard, it seems. Zaofan remembers that this is no real world, but some kind of soul world. That these are facsimilies to what he's used to, or at least some sort of existence in a different plane. So at home at the kitchen that he lost sight of the original goal. The chef reminds himself that he embarked on a mission to retrieve Etrina and bring her back. Otherwise, he would kill for a kitchen like this, figuratively speaking.

Looking at the spices, he snaps out of it. "No, wait! Etrina! You have to come back with me! Back to the others! Back to Earth!"

"Huh?" Etrina turned to him with a curious expression. ".....Why? I thought you came to stay with me....We don't have to leave. Its much better here." Etrina smiled, peaceful yet hollow, a face completely remained from ambition. "We don't have to struggle now....we'll be protected. We can finally get properly engaged, and then married.....all the things that kept getting in the way are gone now."

Etrina walked up to him and took his hands. "....We'll stay here forever, together......that would be nice, wouldn't it?"