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

[Tami]

Meagan lands on the Lookout and calls out to Eva, "Lady Eva, we have an unexpected guest."

[MrSandman]

“Etrina.....Etrina.....Hmm, maybe. She got a middle name?”

"Eh......Perhaps Stoltengarde?" Blue answered. "That would be the family name, more likely you've heard that one. I guess you never had any personal association with her...."

[Monstrous Bird of Qin, Ou Ki]

“Can’t say I have. Nosferatu? That some sort of vampire right?”

Totoma nodded. "Sort of. They're vampire-like, with fangs and... an appreciation for blood, but they're living creatures like you or me. I was asking because she's my... er, very important..." Words seemed to fail him as embarrassment set in.

Totoma took a moment to collect himself. "...she's my girl, so I was just curious how her alternate self ended up."

[KingofPie]

“Well, ain’t no Saiyans on my Earth but I heard of ya. The Just Saiyan. You work somewhere over in the ruins of Dim City and Clover Town. Good work from what I understand. We hunted a few fugitives together, Well us two and Deputy Ogatan. Charco’s a damn fine tracker. Best on Earth.”

He shakes his head.

“No other saiyans though. Ishtar done killed their homeworld must been two, three decades ago. All them Super Elites, and ain’t one can breathe in space. Reckon that’s why she just blew them up.”

"What of the Galaxy Police of your timeline?" Blizzar questioned. "Destroyed, I assume?"

[Monstrous Bird of Qin, Ou Ki]

“I am yours to command, Princess. If they wish words with me then so it shall be. I shall answer as truthfully as I can.”

Nevanlinna nodded at her knight. "Excellent. However, I believe it would be best to wait for the morn, as everyone has dispersed to recover from that invasion. Most curious, this world... it seems to attract trouble far more than it should, would you not agree?"

Was it something innate to the world--something special--the presence of strong fighters drawing attention to Earth or mere happenstance, she wondered? A mixture of all three seemed likely...

[Tami]

Dash touches down on the Lookout, then slowly walks inside looking for Kai. Her injuries were healing, but slowly. She figgerd he'd might be able to help her.

As she seeks out medical help, the mix of pain, frustration, fear, and emotional hurt starts to boil over. Under her breath she begins to grumble, "Dumb jerk. Can't take it, but gives it out like burnt toast. Stupid, egotistical jerk."

[Cyke]

Meagan lands on the Lookout and calls out to Eva, "Lady Eva, we have an unexpected guest."

Zaofan likewise lands shortly after Meagan on the Lookout. "Yeah! And he's an INFERIOR PHONY!"

He walks -- not runs -- with angry steps and closed fists into the Lookout, heading straight to the kitchen.

[Sub-Zero MKA]

Just Outside, Approximately 5 Minutes Later

By the time Ishtar stepped out of the shop, she was sure the others had returned to the Lookout, so with a sigh, the Oni followed suit -- her capsules stuffed full of all sorts of pastries secured tightly -- with a flap of her wings. As she traveled, then, she checked in briefly at Dusk City, looking for signs of Sarada and whether or not she'd recovered from the evening before; and happily enough she had ... or had at the very least drug herself to the shower.

So with a smirk, the Oni reached out and offered her lover some words that were sure to put a smile on her face.

"Bit of news. We have a new ally in the form of an alternate timeline Zaofan. Jinzi is also the Doctor ... more importantly. I got us some snacks. Pastries, mostly ... and something new. A 'donut'. Blizzar was eating one, and it looked quite good. See you at the Lookout, Little Love."

... and with that offer, the Oni picked up the pace.

After all, she didn't want to keep the Saiyan Queen waiting.

Sarada was on her way to the Lookout to meet with the others when Ishtar contacted her mentally. The news she bore varied, ranging from 'what the ****?!' to 'huh. interesting'. It was a lot to unpack, so it was a while before she replied.

First, and most importantly, Jinzi was the Doctor. Not their Jinzi, but one from another timeline. Once she thought about it, it made sense. Who else but him could gather together so many beings from different timelines? Who else could block magic and technological portals with chaff from destroyed ships? Who else would want their Jinzi dead the most?

The first and immediate question was why? Why was Jinzi doing this? What was his endgame? What goal was he driving for, and what his motivation for going to these great lengths to achieve it? Obviously, the only one with the definitive answers were Jinzi, the Doctor, himself. Luckily, they had a means to talk to him face to face.

Next, there was another Zaofan running around. Normally, she would have been ecstatic, since that would surely mean twice as much delicious food; but this was an alternate Zaofan. There was no telling what he was like. He may have been evil; he may have hated aliens; he may have been a terrible cook. There was really no way to know until she met him and got a load of him for herself.

Lastly, Ishtar bought them both an assortment of sweets, including something called donuts. She had never heard of them, but sweets in the morning with her sweet Oni wasn't something she would ever turn down.

'We'll talk about that second thing when I get there. I'll see you soon, love.'

[Sub-Zero MKA]

Dash touches down on the Lookout, then slowly walks inside looking for Kai. Her injuries were healing, but slowly. She figgerd he'd might be able to help her.

As she seeks out medical help, the mix of pain, frustration, fear, and emotional hurt starts to boil over. Under her breath she begins to grumble, "Dumb jerk. Can't take it, but gives it out like burnt toast. Stupid, egotistical jerk."

Zaofan likewise lands shortly after Meagan on the Lookout. "Yeah! And he's an INFERIOR PHONY!"

He walks -- not runs -- with angry steps and closed fists into the Lookout, heading straight to the kitchen.

Sarada arrived shortly after responding to Ishtar. It looked like she hadn't arrived just yet, but Dash and Zaofan had.

???

And give their... ill-tempered demeanor, the meeting with the alternate Zaofan had gone about as poorly as she feared.

Before she could get any answers out of either of them, Parsley arrived. "Good morning, Parsley. What the hell is going on?"

"Ahahahaha...hah..ehehee" Her sister was... laughing? Laughing far harder and more jovially than she had ever heard from her in years. It was nice. What wasn't nice was what she was laughing at. "Zaofan's just angry he got destroyed by his alternate." Sarada was deeply alarmed, prompting a hasty explanation. "They got into a verbal sparring match, which the alternate won decidedly. It wasn't close. It was about as thorough a curbstomping as I've seen in years."

"Seriously?" Sarada looked from Parsley to the hastily retreating Zaofan. "He looks big mad."

"Unsurprising. I'd be mad too if I got ripped apart so completely." She folded her arms over her chest, which revealed the mini Etrina sitting on her shoulder. "At any rate, he's docile, so we won't have any problems. That is unless his... employer decides to do away with him like he tried to with the Namekian."

"Yeah. Ishtar told me that the Doctor was an alternate Jinzi." She shook her head. It was a vain effort to try and make any sense of anything right now. They needed that Jinzi, or to at least do a deep analysis of the real Jinzi to figure out where it could have gone wrong. She bet it had something to do with Meagan. "Also, Ishtar brought donuts. ...whatever those are."

"Donuts?"

She shrugged and ran into the Lookout to find Zaofan. "Hey, Zaofan!"

[Cyke]

Sarada arrived shortly after responding to Ishtar. It looked like she hadn't arrived just yet, but Dash and Zaofan had.

???

And give their... ill-tempered demeanor, the meeting with the alternate Zaofan had gone about as poorly as she feared.

Before she could get any answers out of either of them, Parsley arrived. "Good morning, Parsley. What the hell is going on?"

"Ahahahaha...hah..ehehee" Her sister was... laughing? Laughing far harder and more jovially than she had ever heard from her in years. It was nice. What wasn't nice was what she was laughing at. "Zaofan's just angry he got destroyed by his alternate." Sarada was deeply alarmed, prompting a hasty explanation. "They got into a verbal sparring match, which the alternate won decidedly. It wasn't close. It was about as thorough a curbstomping as I've seen in years."

"Seriously?" Sarada looked from Parsley to the hastily retreating Zaofan. "He looks big mad."

"Unsurprising. I'd be mad too if I got ripped apart so completely." She folded her arms over her chest, which revealed the mini Etrina sitting on her shoulder. "At any rate, he's docile, so we won't have any problems. That is unless his... employer decides to do away with him like he tried to with the Namekian."

"Yeah. Ishtar told me that the Doctor was an alternate Jinzi." She shook her head. It was a vain effort to try and make any sense of anything right now. They needed that Jinzi, or to at least do a deep analysis of the real Jinzi to figure out where it could have gone wrong. She bet it had something to do with Meagan. "Also, Ishtar brought donuts. ...whatever those are."

"Donuts?"

She shrugged and ran into the Lookout to find Zaofan. "Hey, Zaofan!"

Zaofan ceases in his tracks. At least it's not his own voice calling out to him. Plus, he never did like the sound of his voice anyway.

The chef takes a deep breath and slowly closes and reopens his eyes before turning around. "How may I help?"

[Sub-Zero MKA]

Zaofan ceases in his tracks. At least it's not his own voice calling out to him. Plus, he never did like the sound of his voice anyway.

The chef takes a deep breath and slowly closes and reopens his eyes before turning around. "How may I help?"

Just seeing his demeanor meant that Parsley was exaggerating. This guy got his ass destroyed!

Zaofan was her dear friend, with whom she had saved this and other worlds several times in just two short years. They had grown together, both as people and in power. Anyone could expect someone with that kind of relationship with another person to console that person in their time of need, not rub their humiliation in their face.

When Sarada put an arm around Zaofan's shoulders and held him tightly, it appeared that was exactly what she was about to do.

"Zaofan," she started, her tone soft and comforting. "I heard you got the **** roasted outta you, boy!! AHAHAHAHAHAHAH! Do you need a senzu bean to heal those burn wounds? Maybe some aloe? Say, maybe Eva's got some kind of burn medicine laying around somewhere? AHAHAHAHAHAAHHA!!"

[Cleric of Hell’s Brigade]

Meagan lands on the Lookout and calls out to Eva, "Lady Eva, we have an unexpected guest."

Eva nods.

“I see. This will complicate things.”

[Cleric of Hell’s Brigade]

"Eh......Perhaps Stoltengarde?" Blue answered. "That would be the family name, more likely you've heard that one. I guess you never had any personal association with her...."

“Yeah, Yeah, Miss S! She’s a teacher in Tomb City.”

[Cleric of Hell’s Brigade]

Totoma nodded. "Sort of. They're vampire-like, with fangs and... an appreciation for blood, but they're living creatures like you or me. I was asking because she's my... er, very important..." Words seemed to fail him as embarrassment set in.

Totoma took a moment to collect himself. "...she's my girl, so I was just curious how her alternate self ended up."

“Can’t say I have. We got real dead vamps on my world. Nasty things.”

[Cleric of Hell’s Brigade]

"What of the Galaxy Police of your timeline?" Blizzar questioned. "Destroyed, I assume?"

“Pretty new organization. Not much clout yet.”