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

[Cthulhu_of_R'lyeh]

Sarada's gentle gesture and boastful chatter proved to only be somewhat effective in alleviating Ishtar of her fears. The woman was still very much afraid of the danger Genesis posed, and was deeply troubled over the possibility that their futures may intertwine at some point. Her only response to the Saiyan's braggadocio was that she would need to train. An obvious statement if there ever was one. Sarada knew that, if this woman could instill this kind of primordial fear in the Oni, that she herself stood absolutely no chance against her right now.

From the sound of it, even Jagam would be steamrolled.

"I'd love to train with you again," she answered. She nearly asked if there were any spells she could learn, but the answer was likely one so simple and elementary that she might as well stick with energy blasts. Besides, magic was for nerds, and Ishtar was definitely a nerd. A very beautiful, supple, and kinky nerd, but a nerd nonetheless.

With that settled, Ishtar moved on to the meat of Sarada's concerns: why she felt the need to confront Genesis again. It had to do with their fates being intertwined. Some time ago, Ishtar explained the heirarchy of the universe to Sarada: Zurvan was the God of Time, and that there was a God of Creation -- Asha'rah, she assumed -- and a God of Destruction. That was all the detail she went into, but it was enough to give Sarada a general idea of how small and insignificant she was in the grand scheme of things.

Or, that was the impression she was supposed to have. In reality, it only gave her the drive to train her ass off until she was strong enough to challenge these so-called 'Gods' and 'Angels'. Gods weren't invincible, and they weren't unbeatable. Sarada would prove this to them firsthand, eventually.

Fast-forward to now, and a little bit more of the veil was being pulled back. Ishtar's main cause of distress, she posited, stemmed from the fact that she was too weak to be worthy of the mantle of God of Destruction. That gave Sarada pause. It was blurted out haphazardly, a single admittance in a flood of words vomited out in a moment of weakness and vulnerability.

The ramifications of what she had just heard aside, she couldn't help but feel bad for Isthar. Her entire life, she had been trained by Zurvan, sent to world after world for who knew how many years to watch that civilization grow, flourish, decline, then die off. It was the natural cycle of things, yet one she was numb to. Her suggestion to eradicate the entire Junjo homeworld earlier only proved that.

For thousands of years, she had been molded and groomed to fit the mantle of this God of Destruction, then to only learn time after time that she was inadequately prepared, too weak to be worthy. There were countless people stronger than she, and that had to wear on her after having devoted her entire life and having sacrificed a life of love and happiness.

In the end, Sarada was unsure of what to say. She could have just gone with the same platitudes that most people in her position defaulted to, but this was far beyond that. Again, she found her lack of wisdom and experience biting her in the ass.

"Too weak to take on this new mantle, hm? That means I need to whip your ass into shape." For once, there were no sexual connotations. She meant what she said. When they trained, she was going to push Ishtar as hard as she could for however long it too for her to meet, and surpass her limitations. "When we're done, you'll be more powerful than anyone except me." She gave her a winning grin, hoping against hope that this time, Ishtar let Sarada's boasts do what they were supposed to do and coax even a tiny smile.

For a long time, Ishtar was simply silent.

After an almost-tirade of panicked thoughts had slipped from the Oni's lips, and the revelation of what she was in time supposed to become ... what had been expected of Sarada- a general confusion and perhaps apathy- was there; and yet all the same it wasn't. There was a definite feeling of sorrow, aimed toward the golden-eyed Oni beyond simply the state that she was in, and that itself was ... a strange thing. Added to it, there was a flickering of inadequacy. As if Sarada's inability to offer anything but her comforting touch was somehow not enough ... and that was perhaps as troubling as the fear-summoned doubt that currently plagued Ishtar.

What forced the Oni into total silence however, was not those things. It was the determination that followed, when the Saiyan responded. There was no underlying current of the lust that had colored most of their interactions since reuniting. No concern over how long they would enjoy each other's company, or any of the negative emotions that had trickled across the connection between them since they had woken up from their imprisonment and nigh-enslavement. In the end Sarada was determined to help Ishtar see it through ... and despite herself, and the fear, and doubt, and worry that perhaps what her life had been to this point was nothing more than a farce:

Ishtar smiled.

And after a few moments of simply that, the golden-eyed Oni attempted to put words to the emotions that had spawned in the wake of Sarada's offering of support. "I ... that ..." came the first words, Ishtar trailing off quickly at the realization then of what it was the girl was offering of herself, truly.

That they were bound together by Aka Manah played a small part. The pain Ishtar would suffer in this new crucible would be shared between the two of them ... perhaps offering the Saiyan a push enough to train the both of them even harder. Yet should the time come while they were still linked, there was no telling of the damage it could do to Sarada. If Ishtar were to misstep, if she fell ...

The blue-skinned Oni shifted slightly.

No ... no.

In the end, that was a train of thought set to topple whatever it was being built up now. To overthink what was being offered, simply because she was unsure of herself would be as detrimental to the process as failure at this juncture. So instead she would focus- and force herself if need be- on what was required for the both of them to reach that terrifying level of power that had been felt within Genesis. After all, in the end, that would be the only way to know for sure if what she needed to be, was a thing she could actually be ... and to have help now, after thousands upon thousands of years being slowly brought to that point unawares, and alone ... such was a blessing.

So with a sigh, the smile that had touched the Oni's lips widened slightly, even lighting her eyes slightly as she looked at Sarada.

"I will not make it easy."

Pausing a moment, to think over just what would be required for the two of them to actually reach the level hinted at, Ishtar then added, "I can replicate the gravity training ... that was afforded us on the GeoFront thanks to magic ... and we will need to learn how to use the Aka Manah more than simply what we use it for now ... do you think that is a place to start ?"

[Cthulhu_of_R'lyeh]

Lungs pulled air into their welcoming sacs. Her nose smelled the faint scents of those around her, of Ishtar and Erishkigal. Her feet felt the cool deck plating beneath them. The corners of her renewed eyes turned upward as she took in Ishtar's stunned reaction with mirth and joy, even as she reveled in her own partial re-ascension. Overflowing with power as she now was, she almost felt like her old self.

A voice below squeaked out, "beautiful." Asha'rah briefly turned her gaze downwards, thanking the child with her eyes for the compliment.

Then Ishtar, having delayed a moment, took her hand. Reddish gold fingers touched blue fingers, the first hand she had held in ages. The sensations too much to handle in silence, Asha'rah gasped softly. She had yearned for this moment so many times over their journey among the stars, wanted to feel Ishtar's skin on her own as they watched the sunrise on a broken moon.

Ishtar knew just what to say in the moment. That she had imagined what the fallen god had originally looked like, and asking how it felt. Asha'rah looked Ishtar in the eye, collecting herself enough to smile with a mischievous twinkle in her eye. She raised Ishtar's hand to her lips and kissed her knuckle, a mixture of greeting and flirtation.

"I feel alive."

As long as it had taken Ishtar to react to the change, it took Asha'rah just as long to simply ... enjoy the process of being alive.

To take in the air around her as she stood- recycled though it was- to see with eyes, long hidden behind an impassive mask of metal. To smell those around her, and feel with flesh and blood that had long since been stripped away in favor of a facsimile ... a prison. And Asha'rah reveled in the joy of this return to form, Ishtar was more than content to simply wait, her hand in Asha'rah's own; until the Goddess found it within herself to speak.

Though before such words were offered, the woman brought the golden-eyed Oni's hand up to her lips, and with a playful glance offered a kiss before stating a thing as wholly obvious as it was willy deserved.

I feel alive.

And at that, Ishtar offered a happy laugh, the emotions of the day for now set aside to simply enjoy the moment. After all ... had not Ishtar wondered at this for months, as they traveled to and from Ilargi together? And it would be remiss, if the Oni did not leap upon the chance to respond to the dark-skinned woman's flirtation with something of her own.

"I would be saddened if it was not so, Asha'rah ... and in seeing the truth of who you are, and were ... I find that the wait was worth it ... You are every bit as beautiful as your soul feels."

[Cthulhu_of_R'lyeh]

"Your right....Well, that's too be expected. If I change, its only natural for her to change." Etrina clasped her hands together thoughtfully. "I'm somewhat pleased with her efforts of late....though, I can't help but notice she's been getting more and more haughty and...morally relaxed with every transformation. Should another transformation be in the works I fear there are some things that just can't get any bigger without causing problems...." Etrina didn't intend it, but a glance downward at her chest told Ishtar all she needed to know.

"Well....the name isn't a great concern at the moment. But when we return to earth...I'd like you to accompany me to meet the Administration on Magic Research. It would do our coven no favors as a unregistered rogue one. Besides....I wish to petition for access to the archives for any remaining texts on the Grey Thorns."

Ishtar considered the words Etrina offered about Erosa carefully, and simply chucked at the sentiment. That Erosa was becoming more casual about her nature- that if a warring state of Lust, and Hunger, and so many other things usually forced beneath the veil of consciousness- was of little surprise. Though it seemed as if the woman before the Oni now was ... jealous of that, if only slightly.

"I imagine that Zaofan cares little for the difference in breast size, Etrina. The boy has tripped and fallen over himself for you. Though if such is really a concern ... I am sure there is a means of managing it. After all ... I am now in possession of a tail."

When mention was made however of speaking with some form of magical oversight committee, Ishtar found herself frowning slightly. While the formation of a Coven was not itself problematic, being subject to the guidelines of another organization, and one prone to the fallibility of other was of ... some concern.

"It might be a ... hindrance to trust in the oversight of others, in this," Ishtar offered with a soft sigh. "Though if you feel such should be done in the interest of what we seek to do. I will accompany you."

[Sub-Zero MKA]

For a long time, Ishtar was simply silent.

After an almost-tirade of panicked thoughts had slipped from the Oni's lips, and the revelation of what she was in time supposed to become ... what had been expected of Sarada- a general confusion and perhaps apathy- was there; and yet all the same it wasn't. There was a definite feeling of sorrow, aimed toward the golden-eyed Oni beyond simply the state that she was in, and that itself was ... a strange thing. Added to it, there was a flickering of inadequacy. As if Sarada's inability to offer anything but her comforting touch was somehow not enough ... and that was perhaps as troubling as the fear-summoned doubt that currently plagued Ishtar.

What forced the Oni into total silence however, was not those things. It was the determination that followed, when the Saiyan responded. There was no underlying current of the lust that had colored most of their interactions since reuniting. No concern over how long they would enjoy each other's company, or any of the negative emotions that had trickled across the connection between them since they had woken up from their imprisonment and nigh-enslavement. In the end Sarada was determined to help Ishtar see it through ... and despite herself, and the fear, and doubt, and worry that perhaps what her life had been to this point was nothing more than a farce:

Ishtar smiled.

And after a few moments of simply that, the golden-eyed Oni attempted to put words to the emotions that had spawned in the wake of Sarada's offering of support. "I ... that ..." came the first words, Ishtar trailing off quickly at the realization then of what it was the girl was offering of herself, truly.

That they were bound together by Aka Manah played a small part. The pain Ishtar would suffer in this new crucible would be shared between the two of them ... perhaps offering the Saiyan a push enough to train the both of them even harder. Yet should the time come while they were still linked, there was no telling of the damage it could do to Sarada. If Ishtar were to misstep, if she fell ...

The blue-skinned Oni shifted slightly.

No ... no.

In the end, that was a train of thought set to topple whatever it was being built up now. To overthink what was being offered, simply because she was unsure of herself would be as detrimental to the process as failure at this juncture. So instead she would focus- and force herself if need be- on what was required for the both of them to reach that terrifying level of power that had been felt within Genesis. After all, in the end, that would be the only way to know for sure if what she needed to be, was a thing she could actually be ... and to have help now, after thousands upon thousands of years being slowly brought to that point unawares, and alone ... such was a blessing.

So with a sigh, the smile that had touched the Oni's lips widened slightly, even lighting her eyes slightly as she looked at Sarada.

"I will not make it easy."

Pausing a moment, to think over just what would be required for the two of them to actually reach the level hinted at, Ishtar then added, "I can replicate the gravity training ... that was afforded us on the GeoFront thanks to magic ... and we will need to learn how to use the Aka Manah more than simply what we use it for now ... do you think that is a place to start ?"

To Sarada's delight, the beautiful smile that could light up her day no matter what had her feeling sour appeared. She remained silent, simply preferring to wait for a coherent thought after the false start. The realization of what Sarada offered finally resonated with Ishtar, leaving her struggling for words.

In truth, the young Saiyan girl didn't know the full breadth of what she was getting herself into. This was a path to godhood, one far out of her realm of understanding and comprehension. Yet, it was a path that she was more than willing to walk down with the woman she found herself in love. There was no trial too arduous, no task too difficult that Sarada could possibly be confronted with that she wouldn't overcome for this. Even if it meant she had to surpass what it meant to be mortal and ascend to godhood herself, so be it.

Heh. Her, a Saiyan Goddess. That had a nice ring to it. Perhaps a little too presumptuous a goal, but she was a Saiyan. There was nothing too presumptuous when it came to ascending to new heights and reaching new plateaus. This was only the beginning for her.

Eventually, the Oni spoke. I will not make it easy. To that, Sarada smiled. "Nothing worthwhile ever is. Helping you get to where you need to be is a worthwhile challenge." She paused and listened as Ishtar then suggested making use of her ability to manipulate gravity to aid in their training. Yes; she recalled Jinzi doing the same at the Geofront. Back then, it was only twice Earth's gravity, if she wasn't mistaken. Something much higher would be needed.

They were going to need to push their bodies not just to their limits, but past them. Only then would they be forced to achieve the necessary power to survive. If they didn't, they would surely die, crushed to death under the immense weight. Saiyans were made to adapt to any challenge and surpass it; she had seen that Ishtar was much the same. With that in mind, she nodded. "Yes. Gravity training is a great start. How high can you go?"

[Lord Falcon]

As long as it had taken Ishtar to react to the change, it took Asha'rah just as long to simply ... enjoy the process of being alive.

To take in the air around her as she stood- recycled though it was- to see with eyes, long hidden behind an impassive mask of metal. To smell those around her, and feel with flesh and blood that had long since been stripped away in favor of a facsimile ... a prison. And Asha'rah reveled in the joy of this return to form, Ishtar was more than content to simply wait, her hand in Asha'rah's own; until the Goddess found it within herself to speak.

Though before such words were offered, the woman brought the golden-eyed Oni's hand up to her lips, and with a playful glance offered a kiss before stating a thing as wholly obvious as it was willy deserved.

I feel alive.

And at that, Ishtar offered a happy laugh, the emotions of the day for now set aside to simply enjoy the moment. After all ... had not Ishtar wondered at this for months, as they traveled to and from Ilargi together? And it would be remiss, if the Oni did not leap upon the chance to respond to the dark-skinned woman's flirtation with something of her own.

"I would be saddened if it was not so, Asha'rah ... and in seeing the truth of who you are, and were ... I find that the wait was worth it ... You are every bit as beautiful as your soul feels."

Laughter bubbled forth from Ishtar, and Asha'rah closed her eyes, taking in how each note played across her ears. She loved the sound of it, so pure and genuine. Sekhmet's order had been devoted to purity, had it not? Little wonder its high priestess had fallen for the oni's soul, ever plainly devoted to the truth.

Asha'rah straightened, but as she heard Ishtar's reply she found herself momentarily stunned. She had received plenty of compliments over the eons of her existence, of course, adulation from her works of creation. She had been known as the Guiding Star and the White Lady. She had been mistaken for a god of the sun, or even a primordial aspect of truth more than once. But she had never heard words quite as Ishtar had arranged them, or uttered them. Ishtar had known Asha'rah through her robotic appearance alone, yet been receptive to her advances. She had known Asha'rah's soul and found it beautiful. And now she compared that beauty to the god's physical attractiveness. She knew and appreciated Asha'rah for who she was, in soul before body, and found her beautiful.

At last, she managed a smile and gestured to the hallway.

"Thank you. Perhaps you could give me a tour of the ship? I would love to discover how everyone is doing."

[Cthulhu_of_R'lyeh]

To Sarada's delight, the beautiful smile that could light up her day no matter what had her feeling sour appeared. She remained silent, simply preferring to wait for a coherent thought after the false start. The realization of what Sarada offered finally resonated with Ishtar, leaving her struggling for words.

In truth, the young Saiyan girl didn't know the full breadth of what she was getting herself into. This was a path to godhood, one far out of her realm of understanding and comprehension. Yet, it was a path that she was more than willing to walk down with the woman she found herself in love. There was no trial too arduous, no task too difficult that Sarada could possibly be confronted with that she wouldn't overcome for this. Even if it meant she had to surpass what it meant to be mortal and ascend to godhood herself, so be it.

Heh. Her, a Saiyan Goddess. That had a nice ring to it. Perhaps a little too presumptuous a goal, but she was a Saiyan. There was nothing too presumptuous when it came to ascending to new heights and reaching new plateaus. This was only the beginning for her.

Eventually, the Oni spoke. I will not make it easy. To that, Sarada smiled. "Nothing worthwhile ever is. Helping you get to where you need to be is a worthwhile challenge." She paused and listened as Ishtar then suggested making use of her ability to manipulate gravity to aid in their training. Yes; she recalled Jinzi doing the same at the Geofront. Back then, it was only twice Earth's gravity, if she wasn't mistaken. Something much higher would be needed.

They were going to need to push their bodies not just to their limits, but past them. Only then would they be forced to achieve the necessary power to survive. If they didn't, they would surely die, crushed to death under the immense weight. Saiyans were made to adapt to any challenge and surpass it; she had seen that Ishtar was much the same. With that in mind, she nodded. "Yes. Gravity training is a great start. How high can you go?"

Over the course of the six months they had been linked together by Aka Manah, Ishtar had become used to the split between what Sarada said and did; and how she felt. And the two were often- but not always- at odds with each other, after all. Yet as the two stood there, and Sarada offered words that were far more comforting- and colored with wisdom- than the Saiyan would have guessed they would be. There was a feeling that registered for no longer than a few seconds that caught the Oni off guard.

Love.

A thing hard to miss, and even harder to ignore given the almost blatant aversion to even entertaining the idea, Sarada had been; and one that definitely gave Ishtar pause.

In the end after all, it was known between them how the Oni herself felt .. she had admitted to as much a day ago, after all, when they had finally been reunited. To say nothing of how the two were aware that, in at least one future- and likely this one- it would not work. For several reasons; and it was not a thing Ishtar held any serious hope for beyond fleeting moments. Yet standing there, in the wake of that undeniable offering of, there was an understanding, and a cementing of a decision already made in the wake of what had happened after they had found themselves in the midst of the Saiyan Massacre.

Ishtar would offer Sarada all she could, for as long as she could.

In the Oni's heart however, she knew such would not likely last long. Five years at most, if the alternate future's timeline was to be understood ... and yet it had not been a falling out that had heralded their end; but Jagam ... and so along with that cementing of the foundation that would at least carry the two of them to that moment ... there came with it a tangible hope that it would not end the way she knew- and perhaps feared- it would.

As Sarada responded to the mention of gravity magic, and its uses, then; it took Ishtar a few seconds of offering her a blank stare before answering somewhat casually.

"Uh ... when I amplify my blows with both gravity magic, and Ki ... at the point of impact it is ... I believe up to twice of what I am currently. I ... was striking Marduk with the mass of a small moon augmenting my blows for example .. enough to have at least earned what I call it." The golden-eyed Oni offered before shifting over toward what was likely the more relevant given the need for training in augmented gravity. "Given time to perform the spell of the same type that pinned Simon Battersea ... many orders of magnitude beyond that. And though I am not wholly sure, I would be confident enough to say it might be capable of pulling a large object from orbit. Perhaps not a planet .. a moon maybe ?"

Ishtar shrugged.

"There ... is only one way to know for sure."

Which was to test it of course. Though such would be far too dangerous anywhere they were concerned about causing unintended damage.

[Sub-Zero MKA]

Over the course of the six months they had been linked together by Aka Manah, Ishtar had become used to the split between what Sarada said and did; and how she felt. And the two were often- but not always- at odds with each other, after all. Yet as the two stood there, and Sarada offered words that were far more comforting- and colored with wisdom- than the Saiyan would have guessed they would be. There was a feeling that registered for no longer than a few seconds that caught the Oni off guard.

Love.

A thing hard to miss, and even harder to ignore given the almost blatant aversion to even entertaining the idea, Sarada had been; and one that definitely gave Ishtar pause.

In the end after all, it was known between them how the Oni herself felt .. she had admitted to as much a day ago, after all, when they had finally been reunited. To say nothing of how the two were aware that, in at least one future- and likely this one- it would not work. For several reasons; and it was not a thing Ishtar held any serious hope for beyond fleeting moments. Yet standing there, in the wake of that undeniable offering of, there was an understanding, and a cementing of a decision already made in the wake of what had happened after they had found themselves in the midst of the Saiyan Massacre.

Ishtar would offer Sarada all she could, for as long as she could.

In the Oni's heart however, she knew such would not likely last long. Five years at most, if the alternate future's timeline was to be understood ... and yet it had not been a falling out that had heralded their end; but Jagam ... and so along with that cementing of the foundation that would at least carry the two of them to that moment ... there came with it a tangible hope that it would not end the way she knew- and perhaps feared- it would.

As Sarada responded to the mention of gravity magic, and its uses, then; it took Ishtar a few seconds of offering her a blank stare before answering somewhat casually.

"Uh ... when I amplify my blows with both gravity magic, and Ki ... at the point of impact it is ... I believe up to twice of what I am currently. I ... was striking Marduk with the mass of a small moon augmenting my blows for example .. enough to have at least earned what I call it." The golden-eyed Oni offered before shifting over toward what was likely the more relevant given the need for training in augmented gravity. "Given time to perform the spell of the same type that pinned Simon Battersea ... many orders of magnitude beyond that. And though I am not wholly sure, I would be confident enough to say it might be capable of pulling a large object from orbit. Perhaps not a planet .. a moon maybe ?"

Ishtar shrugged.

"There ... is only one way to know for sure."

Which was to test it of course. Though such would be far too dangerous anywhere they were concerned about causing unintended damage.

Oh.

Ishtar's stunned, stupefied silence may have seemed out of nowhere to any possible onlookers, but the reason for its sudden materialization was as clear as day to Sarada. It had only last but for a brief moment, a momentary admittance in her heart the true depth of her feelings for the woman before her, yet a brief moment was all that was needed for Aka Manah to make it known to her.

It was a truth that Sarada had withheld from Ishtar out of fear of not being able -- or being unwilling -- to follow through on it. It was a truth that Sarada had withheld from herself because she was a Saiyan, and Saiyans didn't feel romantic love for another person this early in life. At first, she was sure it was lust, but right this moment, she knew better. I'm in love with Ishtar.

Ugh.

Just thinking it made her sick, but at the same time, made her feel all warm and bubbly inside. All that sad, sappy bullshit that Earthwomen were obsessed over -- if Rutaba was to be believe, that was -- were all the things she felt when she was with Ishtar, near Ishtar, thinking about Ishtar.

Goddamn it. Why did Jack have to be such a loner? I don't want to chase after someone who isn't even interested enough to want to talk to me instead of running off to be by himself. UGH!!

She closed her eyes briefly to calm down, knowing full well that Ishtar felt that momentary spike of frustration. She was back to her regular neutral frame of mind by the time it became time to offer a reply.

The Oni stated that she amassed the mass of a small moon in a series of punches during her fight with Marduk. She was stronger, and by the time they began their training, she would be stronger still. All that meant that she would be able to -- if magic operated in a similar manner as ki -- generate more potent gravitational forces. Sarada recalled the spell that kept Battersea pinned for some time, and also how long it took to get the spell started up. She figured that it with her being as much stronger now than she was then, it wouldn't take that long to get it started up.

"I'm thinking five times Earth's gravity," she responded with a moment's hesitation. Too much at the start and they would be crushed flat. She had no plans to die any time soon, much less during training. "If that's not enough, we can bump it up one until we feel the strain." She grinned. "Though, I'm sure how much ever is strong enough to pull a moon down from orbit will be plenty."

[Cthulhu_of_R'lyeh]

Laughter bubbled forth from Ishtar, and Asha'rah closed her eyes, taking in how each note played across her ears. She loved the sound of it, so pure and genuine. Sekhmet's order had been devoted to purity, had it not? Little wonder its high priestess had fallen for the oni's soul, ever plainly devoted to the truth.

Asha'rah straightened, but as she heard Ishtar's reply she found herself momentarily stunned. She had received plenty of compliments over the eons of her existence, of course, adulation from her works of creation. She had been known as the Guiding Star and the White Lady. She had been mistaken for a god of the sun, or even a primordial aspect of truth more than once. But she had never heard words quite as Ishtar had arranged them, or uttered them. Ishtar had known Asha'rah through her robotic appearance alone, yet been receptive to her advances. She had known Asha'rah's soul and found it beautiful. And now she compared that beauty to the god's physical attractiveness. She knew and appreciated Asha'rah for who she was, in soul before body, and found her beautiful.

At last, she managed a smile and gestured to the hallway.

"Thank you. Perhaps you could give me a tour of the ship? I would love to discover how everyone is doing."

For months, it had taken a considerable amount of effort on the Oni's part to learn how to read the words offered through the impassive, faceless mask that had been the of the former Goddess' own. Each word offered in monotone, each amicable gesture, each shift, and variance in Asha'rah's responses, and offered insights had to be carefully parsed, to properly understand the meaning- and occasional innuendo if there was one- as the two had traveled together through the cold of space.

So now, in this moment where offered words left Asha'rah silent, and stunned ... to say that Ishtar was grateful to need to do such a thing- despite learning quickly to not mind- would be ... an understatement.

And in the face of this realization, the golden-eyed Oni had only one thing to offer, another happy laugh. And with a gentle bobbing of her head in a nod, at the Goddess' request to see the ship- and others- with her own eyes, Ishtar saw no reason to deny such a thing so with a gentle tug, the Oni led Asha'rah toward the door.

"That sounds like a well enough idea ... and in the doing I can introduce the others to Eresh."

[Cthulhu_of_R'lyeh]

Oh.

Ishtar's stunned, stupefied silence may have seemed out of nowhere to any possible onlookers, but the reason for its sudden materialization was as clear as day to Sarada. It had only last but for a brief moment, a momentary admittance in her heart the true depth of her feelings for the woman before her, yet a brief moment was all that was needed for Aka Manah to make it known to her.

It was a truth that Sarada had withheld from Ishtar out of fear of not being able -- or being unwilling -- to follow through on it. It was a truth that Sarada had withheld from herself because she was a Saiyan, and Saiyans didn't feel romantic love for another person this early in life. At first, she was sure it was lust, but right this moment, she knew better. I'm in love with Ishtar.

Ugh.

Just thinking it made her sick, but at the same time, made her feel all warm and bubbly inside. All that sad, sappy bullshit that Earthwomen were obsessed over -- if Rutaba was to be believe, that was -- were all the things she felt when she was with Ishtar, near Ishtar, thinking about Ishtar.

Goddamn it. Why did Jack have to be such a loner? I don't want to chase after someone who isn't even interested enough to want to talk to me instead of running off to be by himself. UGH!!

She closed her eyes briefly to calm down, knowing full well that Ishtar felt that momentary spike of frustration. She was back to her regular neutral frame of mind by the time it became time to offer a reply.

The Oni stated that she amassed the mass of a small moon in a series of punches during her fight with Marduk. She was stronger, and by the time they began their training, she would be stronger still. All that meant that she would be able to -- if magic operated in a similar manner as ki -- generate more potent gravitational forces. Sarada recalled the spell that kept Battersea pinned for some time, and also how long it took to get the spell started up. She figured that it with her being as much stronger now than she was then, it wouldn't take that long to get it started up.

"I'm thinking five times Earth's gravity," she responded with a moment's hesitation. Too much at the start and they would be crushed flat. She had no plans to die any time soon, much less during training. "If that's not enough, we can bump it up one until we feel the strain." She grinned. "Though, I'm sure how much ever is strong enough to pull a moon down from orbit will be plenty."

There it is again, that feeling.

And again, Ishtar found herself surprised ... for in that moment, even if the Oni had not known that the first time was not a farce, or some sort of accidental mixing up of emotional offerings; there was absolutely no denying it this second time. What Sarada felt for Ishtar was more than simply lust, or an attempt at offering comfort to the downtrodden woman with whom she shared a connection, no. It was love, of the kind that made most Saiayn's sick, and most other races uncomfortable besides. And that was as wonderful.

And that it was not verbalized, mattered little.

Sarada's actions had ever spoken louder than her words, and that it then took the young Saiyan several moments to simply regain control as she wrestled feelings of nausea and giddiness, and love; was far more telling than even saying those three words- 'I love you'- might have been. So in the moment that passed between them then as both stood shocked at the other's action, and reaction ... it was simply enough for Ishtar; to enjoy it. After all, there was still a chance- and a high probability- Ishtar would lose this ... perhaps not Sarada herself, entirely, but these moments of awe, and happiness that were shared between them silently.

So offering the Saiyan nothing more than a goofy smile, and feelings of understanding and her own happiness alongside the understanding that anything that might be said in light of this could wait until they could speak of it without being surrounded by ... hundreds of people, Ishtar waited patiently for Sarada to regain her calm, so they could discuss plans for the immediate future: training with gravity magic. And the five times of Earth's own gravity was an interesting measure. Six months ago after all, Ishtar had subjected herself to such gravity by locking herself in one of the many chambers ... and the result had been a curious one. To so do again now, with Sarada, would at the absolute minimum be an interesting affair.

So with a nod the Oni stated as much.

"That should be a respectable starting point ... and with the other magics I can bring to bear, besides ... there are a few ways we can make use of the altered weight and pressure provided. It will be beneficial either way ... and in light of the recent developments with the Cyntosian necklace ... perhaps it would be of worth to teach you the beginnings of magic. Though I seem to recall you averse to such things." Offering a small chuckle then, Ishtar found herself smiling at Sarada again ... though for a different reason.

"To think though ... six months ago, I barely knew the first thing about combat ... and now here I am, or rather we are, actively planning to fight and push limitations for the sake of growing strong enough to fight ... How passing strange."

[MrSandman]

Ishtar considered the words Etrina offered about Erosa carefully, and simply chucked at the sentiment. That Erosa was becoming more casual about her nature- that if a warring state of Lust, and Hunger, and so many other things usually forced beneath the veil of consciousness- was of little surprise. Though it seemed as if the woman before the Oni now was ... jealous of that, if only slightly.

"I imagine that Zaofan cares little for the difference in breast size, Etrina. The boy has tripped and fallen over himself for you. Though if such is really a concern ... I am sure there is a means of managing it. After all ... I am now in possession of a tail."

"Excuse me if I don't start downing random chemicals I find in locked boxes just for the chance of a larger bust size." Etrina chuckled with amusement.

When mention was made however of speaking with some form of magical oversight committee, Ishtar found herself frowning slightly. While the formation of a Coven was not itself problematic, being subject to the guidelines of another organization, and one prone to the fallibility of other was of ... some concern.

"It might be a ... hindrance to trust in the oversight of others, in this," Ishtar offered with a soft sigh. "Though if you feel such should be done in the interest of what we seek to do. I will accompany you."

"I wouldn't consider it oversight as much as simply stating that we exist. Besides...If we want access to the archives at the very least we would need permission. My family still has a lot of pull in the community, but its not enough to simply walk in and take what we want without asking. Honestly......I kind of want to see their reactions to an oni as well." Etrina tried to hide a mischievous grin at the last statement, but wasn't too successful.

[MrSandman]

Adam actually smiles. "Oh, I never said I could not be provoked, just that you were incapable of it. But I'm sure you're used to dealing with..." it glances at her chest. "Inadequacies. But you overcame that one admirably, maybe someday you can overcome this one as well."


"Of course you do. This entire endeavor would fail without me. Midori, I apologize but we must continue later. Sarada, you are acceptably attractive if you wish to participate." Assuming it's usual androgynous form, Adam departs for the engine spaces.

As Adam walked past, Erosa let out a chuckle. ".....you really have no idea......putting a challenge like that in front of an Id. I might make it my new mission to see you provoked....just....once. Even if you ravage me after, it will be worth it."

[Tami]

With the insanity quieted down, though perhaps, thinking to herself, she could understand her team mates need to relieve pent-up energy in one way or another, she headed towards the ship's cockpit ..... She then stopped suddenly, finding herself blushing slightly, then placing her hand over her face and speaking softly, "What genius came up with that word?' Shaking her head slightly as she continued walking towards the front of the ship to talk to the Police Officers.

[Monstrous Bird of Qin, Ou Ki]

As the three young Saiyans flew at speed to the Battle Field -- the large, spacious field scientifically enhanced to rejuvenate after every battle -- Maiz lagged behind just a touch to contemplate what she had heard. Not about Jagam; she had heard and ruminated all she could on that front.

There was food that could actually heal injuries and replenish strength. It was beyond her wildest dreams, yet it didn't surprise her that a human had come up with it. They always had the most bizarre and unique uses for their latent ki, if they bothered to develop it, that was. "Amazing," she muttered, a small smirk touching her lips.

Pinach and Rutaba touched down around twenty yards away from Totoma on the Battle Field. They noticed a few other Saiyans enjoying a nice afternoon fight, but didn't pay too much attention to them. They weren't that impressive to be honest. Likely some of the newly freed slaves getting in some extra training after a session at the CTC. If so, then today was their luck day. It wasn't often they got to see three Super Elite Saiyans fighting full-out!

They started to stretch, then walked in opposite directions to gain some distance and a strategic advantage. When fighting two-on-one, they learned, it was best to attack from two different sides, as well as stagger their attacks. Doing it this way would force the lonesome opponent to focus on the first, thus losing sight of the second.

With this in mind, they powered up in unison. Sarada taught them how to store and build an inner pool of ki by holding themselves back. Before, they were walking around at full power. Nowadays, while they still walked around at the same level, they had a much deeper ki reserve to fall back on. "Now, behold the true power of the Heroes of Justice!! HAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!!!"

Pure white auras exploded around them like flames. Gradually, Pinach's power increased by nearly half, while Rutaba's nearly doubled. They were sitting at 5000 and 4500, respectively. Their smirks told the tale; they were proud of this newfound power they had developed. If they were this strong at such a young age, there was no telling how strong they'd be when they were Just Saiyan's age.

Then, it was Totoma's turn.

It wasn't possible. His power just kept going up and up! He was already stronger than Mato -- that in and of itself was unbelievable -- but now, he was nearly twice as strong as the Saiyan king. Rutaba and Pinach watched with unabated awe as his entire frame bulked up and was enveloped with a bright green aura. His eyes disappeared, then reappeared, but all weird looking.

Suddenly, their foolproof plan didn't seem so foolproof. But, they couldn't disappoint their hero. Even if he was stronger than both of them combined, they had to show him they were worthy of being called heroes. That meant giving it their all no matter what.

"Get ready!" Pinach shouted, a confident grin on his face.

"Here I come!" Rutaba charged in first, throwing a barrage of punches and kicks at Totoma. He would notice the rudimentary signs of Sarada's Crimson Fist form in Rutaba's attacks.

-------------------------------

Totoma's power hadn't gone unnoticed. Those nearby, including the Saiyans that were fighting in the Battle Field when the three arrived, all stopped what they were doing. It wasn't every day that a power that immense and primal just appeared out of nowhere, so of course everyone took note.

Among these was King Mato. He, of course, felt Totoma when he touched down. He had been keeping track of him, just in case he was there for malevolent reasons. Once he determined he meant no harm, he let him be. That was until he powered up. It was high enough to give him pause. "Hm. So, this is Tasure's son," he muttered to himself.

Slowly, he rose from his throne and quickly walked to the nearest ledge and took to the sky. This was something he needed to attend to personally.

Totoma had expected them to charge at him with wild abandon. They were, after all, kids, saiyan or not. He was pleasantly surprised when they didn't, instead choosing to stagger their attacks and force him to divide his attention. Likely the result of training from both Sarada and the CTC.

He moved to block the flurry of blows, and did so without much trouble. Contrary to what one would expect, this bulky form of his was just as quick and agile as his normal form, losing only a bit of flexibility from the bulk. Still, he did not use his superior speed to counter-attack, instead focusing on defense. After all, he wanted to gauge their skill levels.

That didn't take long, to be honest. After just a few exchanges, Totoma could tell that Sarada had instructed Rutaba, at least, in the rudiments of her Crimson Fist form. Knowing this, it was possible that Rutaba had been taught some of Sarada's more basic ki moves... or perhaps copied them. The same likely applied to Pinach, but he had entered the CTC by now, so he probably knew how to project his energy into a blast.

Perhaps... even the Galick Gun? It was possible--they little tykes were both talented.

As he defended against Rutaba, Totoma sensed a certain power begin moving. He'd sensed Mato when he'd stepped onto Vacado's soil, and, frankly, Mato had probably sensed him when he'd arrived. And when he'd powered up into this form, Mato, unsurprisingly, had started moving towards him.

That was fine by him, since having Mato in the audience would make, er, getting an audience with him much quicker and easier. It shouldn't be too hard to convince him that he was no threat--either to the Saiyan race or to Mato's rule--and was instead there to pledge his assistance in the matter of Jagam.

Totoma taking notice of Mato's approach made him mis-time a block, and one of Rutaba's punches got through, striking him on his cheek. He... felt it, sort of, but his defense was over four and a half times as potent as her offense right now, so all it did was move him a tiny bit and bring a grin to his face. Her strikes weren't hollow, like his had been at her age, though. She had spirit, and she was putting her all into her strikes. That was something he himself had really only learned recently, thanks to Mister Ochazuke.

"Good eye. You saw that slight opening and seized it." He clenched his fist harder and punched... to the side, sending out a Phantom Fist that was then redirected through a Void Lens right into Rutaba's back, slamming her into the ground in front of him. His leg shot forth and he launched the girl away from him mid-bounce. Seemingly, he had become so focused on Rutaba that he had forgotten Pinach.

In reality, he had intentionally made an opening for the young Saiyan to exploit, as, like with Rutaba, he wanted to see what he had learned in the past six months. Would it be a sneak physical attack, an energy blast, or perhaps some sort of specialized technique?

[Cleric of Hell’s Brigade]

With Adam’s help, the ship engines are fixed after a day or so. With Midori and Shiro’s help, the bridge’s interface is fixed and Tran and Tron are able to access full control of the ship’s systems, including the weapons.

A day or so later, the much faster ship drops from hyperspace and descends towards Chroma. The failsafe now gone, Chroma lay open, it’s self imposed quarantine to trap the Nagadarr there gone.

The ship locates a safer region than others to land at, closer to another GP signal, and they start heading towards the city called Gin.

[Tami]

With Adam’s help, the ship engines are fixed after a day or so. With Midori and Shiro’s help, the bridge’s interface is fixed and Tran and Tron are able to access full control of the ship’s systems, including the weapons.

A day or so later, the much faster ship drops from hyperspace and descends towards Chroma. The failsafe now gone, Chroma lay open, it’s self imposed quarantine to trap the Nagadarr there gone.

The ship locates a safer region than others to land at, closer to another GP signal, and they start heading towards the city called Gin.

The safer location was a open grassy field not far from a forest. To reach it, they traveled over the city of Gin As they did, if they looked out, they would see a once strong and vibrant city now mostly in ruins save for some areas on the outskirts of the city center.