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

[Tami]

"Alright, thanks." Sarada was about to step out into the hall he indicated, but not before she commented on Charco's interaction with the Chromakai girl. "I think you got yourself a new boyfriend there, Charco. AHAHAHAHAH!" She disappeared into the hall before he could reply.

Dash crossed her arms, "Now what's she going on about?" she turned to Cyanna and Charco, "Gonna go with the big headed Saiyan and check out this magic room. You two enjoy your time together while you can." She then went to catch up with Sarada.

Reaching the Magic Lab, they found the door open. Once inside, there was no sign of the book Charco mentioned earlier.

[Sub-Zero MKA]

Reaching the Magic Lab, they found the door open. Once inside, there was no sign of the book Charco mentioned earlier.

The vaguely familiar girl followed Sarada to the room Charco was talking about. That was fine, she supposed.

The room Charco was talking about seemed to have something to do with magic. While she was curious, she didn't want to waste time exploring. She was there for them book.

Which wasn't there.

"Tch. Of course it's not here."

She sighed and started looking around at some of the magical equipment around. Maybe there was something that could tell her something more about the amulet. Like where the other pieces were.

[Tami]

The vaguely familiar girl followed Sarada to the room Charco was talking about. That was fine, she supposed.

The room Charco was talking about seemed to have something to do with magic. While she was curious, she didn't want to waste time exploring. She was there for them book.

Which wasn't there.

"Tch. Of course it's not here."

She sighed and started looking around at some of the magical equipment around. Maybe there was something that could tell her something more about the amulet. Like where the other pieces were.

"Whatca looking for?" Dash asked as she casually looked around the room.

[Sub-Zero MKA]

"Whatca looking for?" Dash asked as she casually looked around the room.

"Something to help me learn something about that amulet I showed you earlier," Sarada replied.

[Tami]

"Something to help me learn something about that amulet I showed you earlier," Sarada replied.

Dash continued to quietly look around the room, carefully moving things slightly to get a look behind or underneath. She was about to give up when she noticed some pieces of paper poking up from within a large vase in the corner of the room. Going over to it, she pulled on one of the contents and removed what looked like a map or a poster or something curled up into the shape of a tube. Opening it up carefully, she noticed that it was an ancient map of Chroma. Returning the item tot eh vase, she then extracted another roll and carefully opened it up.

"Excuse me, Miss Saiyan, but maybe this might help?" Dash showed her a poster-sized diagram of many ancient symbols and their translations, symbols that looked much like those on the amulet. There was additional information on the bottom of the poster.

[Sub-Zero MKA]

Dash continued to quietly look around the room, carefully moving things slightly to get a look behind or underneath. She was about to give up when she noticed some pieces of paper poking up from within a large vase in the corner of the room. Going over to it, she pulled on one of the contents and removed what looked like a map or a poster or something curled up into the shape of a tube. Opening it up carefully, she noticed that it was an ancient map of Chroma. Returning the item tot eh vase, she then extracted another roll and carefully opened it up.

"Excuse me, Miss Saiyan, but maybe this might help?" Dash showed her a poster-sized diagram of many ancient symbols and their translations, symbols that looked much like those on the amulet. There was additional information on the bottom of the poster.

Sarada quietly took the diagram and compared the symbols on it to the ones on the amulet. They were indeed the same; and the translations matched up to what Ishtar told her a few days ago.

"Well, I'll be damned. Thanks… you." She rolled the diagram up and placed it inside a capsule along with the amulet. "Let's get back to the others so we can leave. We have to get back to Earth ASAP."

[Tami]

Sarada quietly took the diagram and compared the symbols on it to the ones on the amulet. They were indeed the same; and the translations matched up to what Ishtar told her a few days ago.

"Well, I'll be damned. Thanks… you." She rolled the diagram up and placed it inside a capsule along with the amulet. "Let's get back to the others so we can leave. We have to get back to Earth ASAP."

"It's that bad, huh?" Dash spoke with concern, feeling torn inside, but she followed Sarada out and back to the others.

[Sub-Zero MKA]

"It's that bad, huh?" Dash spoke with concern, feeling torn inside, but she followed Sarada out and back to the others.

"Yeah," Sarada replied. "Someone in our group got a vision of the future of some kind, and it foretold that people on Earth are going die. We can't let that happen, so we're heading back there as fast as we can."

As they walked, she glanced over at Dash. "I remember you being with Zaofan when we were at the tournament. What's your name?"

[Tami]

"Yeah," Sarada replied. "Someone in our group got a vision of the future of some kind, and it foretold that people on Earth are going die. We can't let that happen, so we're heading back there as fast as we can."

As they walked, she glanced over at Dash. "I remember you being with Zaofan when we were at the tournament. What's your name?"

"Dash, what's yours?" There was more behind her simple response.

[Sub-Zero MKA]

"Dash, what's yours?"

"Sarada." They returned to where Charco and Cyanna were. Sarada hoped the others would show up soon. "The book was gone, somehow, but I did find a diagram for this amulet, so it's no big deal," she told Charco.

[Tami]

"Sarada." They returned to where Charco and Cyanna were. Sarada hoped the others would show up soon. "The book was gone, somehow, but I did find a diagram for this amulet, so it's no big deal," she told Charco.

Coming down the hallway, Meagan approaches them, "We have to leave. Where are the others?"

[Sub-Zero MKA]

Coming down the hallway, Meagan approaches them, "We have to leave. Where are the others?"

"Scattered all through the temple," Sarada answered. She activated her comm and said, "Meagan says it's time to go. Meet us where we all started, or you're getting left behind."

[Yun Lao]

Cyanna smiled, then took his hand, "The view of the valley below from the porch is pretty amazing. Lets' walk around out there while we wait for the others."

"Sounds good to me." He replied, ready to head out when Sarada and Dash returned from their search.

"Sarada." They returned to where Charco and Cyanna were. Sarada hoped the others would show up soon. "The book was gone, somehow, but I did find a diagram for this amulet, so it's no big deal," she told Charco.

"The book is.. what?" Charco certainly didn't recall sensing anyone else approach the room when he was in the hallway but-- in the end, it didn't matter. "So does this diagram have any new information for us?"

[Sub-Zero MKA]

"The book is.. what?" Charco certainly didn't recall sensing anyone else approach the room when he was in the hallway but-- in the end, it didn't matter. "So does this diagram have any new information for us?"

She shrugged lazily. "I'm sure someone else grabbed it when you walked out. If not, it won't be our problem for much longer."

It was a little odd. Inanimate objects didn't just grow legs suddenly and walk away. Someone had to grab it. Who that someone was was a different debate; one she didn't really want to get into at the moment.

As for the diagram, she took it out of the capsule and showed it to him. "Maybe not for us, but it will help me figure out what the hell this amulet was made for. I'm thinking, anyway." If nothing else, it would help her figure out what the rest of the amulet said on the off-chance Ishtar wasn't around when she eventually pieced it together. If she managed to piece it together. The most daunting part of this entire mystery was finding the rest of the pieces. There was no telling where they were, or if they even still existed and hadn't been obliterated when the amulet was broken apart.

Damn it. That meant she may have been wasting her time with this whole thing.

What a bother.

[Cthulhu_of_R'lyeh]

"Indeed it is," said Nevanlinna, nodding at Ishtar. "I have mostly used it as a convenient shelter during my travels, but the healing effect it bestows upon those who enter it, if I so desire, proved to be quite useful last night. Never mind that resting there always instills a... sense of peace and cheer into me. As I've had to make myself readily available--and sequestering myself in a hidden pocket dimension is anything but--my mood had taken quite the dive until last night."

She paused for a moment, then continued. "The name Vaikuntha is from a long-dead language, it turns out. It... came to me when I first entered the realm. Its meaning is something like 'the place of non-hindrance'. However, the names Paramam padam--the Supreme Abode--and Nitya Vibhuti--the Everlasting Realm--can also be used to refer to it. Vaikuntha is simpler to say, however, so that is my preference."

Ah, she had promised to, perhaps, show her the realm eventually. They would be busy for at least part of today, but perhaps she could make good on that promise after this trip? "You will witness it with your own eyes, eventually, I imagine. Mmm, now, I trust you had a pleasant night, yourself?"

Ishtar considered what Nevanlinna said carefully, when the nature of this Vaikuntha, was explained; and that it was another realm than this- or even the Otherworld and its various demesnes- was the most curious tidbit. There were many such places, in the Afterlife. Spaces where Gods, and those powerful enough to stand as their peers had carved slices of space for themselves (or created such). Whether or not this was one though was ... less clear. It sounded the type, and seemed to have been a place that existed before Nevanlinna's founding of it ... though that did not say much.

If Ishtar was one to guess however, it had been that it had fallen into disrepair after the departure of its Shaper, and through force of will- or perhaps simply being chosen- this realm had reached out; and allowed the Space Elf entry.

"The language is ... familiar in some sense," Ishtar finally said after her considerations.

"Though that is like to do with the parity to my own, spoken language. Those near as old as time itself, were more derivative than not, I have found. How curious however that I do not know it."

That Nevanlinna wished to show her this realm was becoming far more than simply a curiosity besides. There was certainly something to be said of the golden-eyed Oni's desire to learn of the hidden things; and a realm that belonged to one referred to in a dead language was certainly a 'hidden thing'. Despite her desire however, Ishtar remained silent for a time after the offer was made once more- to simply avoid looking over-eager- before nodding and offering the Space Elf a smile; Though the almost twinkling in her eye, perhaps gave it away.

"I would enjoy seeing Vaikuntha, yes."

There was also, after the offer, a question towards the state of Ishtar's evening; to which there was little need for thought to answer.

"I must confess, after countless centuries in self-suppression ... It went rather well." Came the quickly formed response. "I enjoyed the labor of cooking food for the first time in a long while- even going so far as to enjoy the fruits of such labor- and spent the evening with Sarada."