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

[grampagen]

OOC: TIME SHENANIGANS ENSUE

IC:

His business in the library concluded, Ochazuke moved to the observation deck of the Lookout with the single ancient folio. The recorded history was a boon, in that such a feat had indeed been known by the strength and ingenuity of man, yet the truth of the event as it had occured was a poor substitute for method. Perhaps it was a vain, paltry thing he searched for there, that in the darkest times humanity was yet able to rise and stand fast against so cataclysmic a thing as they strove to live on. Part of him dismissed the chronicle as no more than an insipid length of inspiration, until he found Zaofan in the midst of reading a message written by Samson Balon himself.

Kai approaches Zaofan and Ochazuke with a written message.

“This was dropped off by Master Balon for the two of you.”

Zaofan tilts his head with a smile, exchanging glances with Ochazuke and Kai. "Master Balon, eh? I wonder what he's been up to. It would be good to see him again. Thank you, Kai."

He takes the message and reads it.

It reads as follows:

I have found the first step to uncovering the truth of the Five Schools and Zxu’ro. Please meet me at Hanza Mountain on the North Continent.

-Master Balon.

"The truth of the Five..."

Again this was a matter also long thought lost to time immemorial. Buried as a heresy, it was in that morbid shape they'd found in the Dragon's achipelago, that faded hollow face he'd seen in the Frozen Fall only once he no longer bore witness with his eyes alone that Ochazuke knew the truth. And yet in his conversations with the two masters he'd known, there was little to be revealed but the image of that twisted chimera, and much less the shape or name of their challengers across the span of two-thousand years.

"...it would bring us to the North," he chuckled, bemused. "I would suppose the ice and tundra has a way of preserving dead things."

[Cleric of Hell’s Brigade]

It didn't take much effort to find the Lookout.

In fact, he might have been concerned over just how easy it was, but judging by the battle scars marring its surface, it was safe to say that the Lookout had seen better days. Landing with little fanfare, the robotic visitor surveyed the area, seeking out his objective: the guardian of this world.

Kai waves.

“Welcome, stranger.”

[Cleric of Hell’s Brigade]

Praxat looks at Kai saying " oh so that's what happen at the last tournament and I was so looking forward to entering that one. " " I been on this planet for awhile now so I actually been in more than one tournament." " the first world martial arts tournament I enter was about I think three years ago I was around 22 years old in earth years at the time. " " I enter the tournament because my master told me it would test and sharpen my skills."


" come to think of it the guy I saw at my first tournament and the guy I saw at a later tournament ." " the one before the last Tournament probably isn't the same guy." " I do have crazy theory now that the other person might be my master checking in on my progress." " my master does have similar fashion sense."


" wait but wearing a mask and take part in a Tournament just so he can gauge my progress sounds silly, but I never know what my sensei is thinking." " oh about Simon Battersea I'm sure he was a good person and I would have like to test my skills against his if he was still around. " " funny the only thing I know about my sensei is that his last name is Khan!"

“Battersea was a monster, actually, and a murderer. Regardless, you seek training, yes?”

[bruceleegreyhulk]

“Battersea was a monster, actually, and a murderer. Regardless, you seek training, yes?”

Praxat replies to this saying " yeah I wish to train and oh that Battersea guy sounds the opposite of my master. " my master is a kindhearted man , but he's very secretive ." " when I first came to this Planet it was for gather information on the life forms here." " I was weak and powerless back then. "

"I was encounter many dangerous creatures back than and I was afraid that I was going to die." " then out of the blue Khan show up and protect me from the dangerous creatures." " I was so inspired by the way he fought that begged him to teach me and he accepted with kindness." " I ask him how could he be so brave , and he told me that courage isn't the absence of fear but facing it even if your afraid."

[Sub-Zero MKA]

“The groundbreaking announcement was just made from the front lawn of the palace on Langal just fifteen minutes ago. Vocado and the six colonies will be unifying under a single leader. No longer will there be multiple kings, queens, presidents, and prime ministers. Instead, the Saiyan Empire will have one ruler, to which every Saiyan will answer. This ruler will live on Vocado, while the colonies will be governed by a viceroy, who will answer directly to the king or queen.

“A tournament will be held to determine the first person to hold this prestigious, unprecedented honor. Not only will all former rulers be participating, but anyone who wishes to enter will be allowed to do so. The tournament will take place in one month, so if you plan on taking part, enter your information at the website below as soon as possible.”

www.oneempireoneruler.com

The unification of the Saiyan Empire was the top story on every news channel and website. It was all anyone could talk about. Many people suddenly had starry-eyed fantasies of becoming the first ruler of the entire empire, a position that would surely cause any ego to inflate to epic proportions. In the first few hours since the announcement was made, the website handling tournament entries crashed multiple times due to excessive traffic.

Many others were more tempered in their reactions. Ruling over an empire this size was difficult and time consuming, and would surely take away from training and other pursuits. This was Sarada's reasoning when Avoca asked her if she was going to participate. “I'm not queen material.”

“I'd disagree. I think you'd make a great queen. You're the strongest Saiyan alive right now, I think. Not even your sister is as strong as you.”

“That's not the point. Being strong doesn't make you a good monarch; knowing what the **** you're doing does. I'm only 16.”

“So? You'll have advisers. You can even have Maiz be one of them. And Mato, too, if you want.”

It was obvious that Avoca had some kind of ulterior motive for wanting Sarada to become queen. Otherwise, she would have left it alone when she said no the first time. Maybe she wanted to be her consort, or maybe she just wanted to brag about being best friends with the queen. She didn't know, but it didn't much matter. She gave her answer. There wasn't going to be much, if anything, that could change her mind.

When she didn't reply, she shook her head. “Hmph. Fine. I'll just have to shack up with Her Highness, Queen Parsley.” Avoca folded her arms and turned her back on Sarada, a motion that was surely to hide the smirk playing on her lips.

“...what the hell did you just say?”

“Hm? Oh, you hadn't heard? Parsley was among the first ones to sign up. If you aren't going to participate, then she's all but guaranteed to win.”

Avoca was a damn manipulative bitch when she wanted to be. There was only one reason she even bothered to mention that, and it was because she knew that Sarada would hate more than death itself having to live in a world where Parsley was ruler. It was a fucking nightmare. “I see a bed isn't the only thing you two share.”

“Is that a yes?”

“It's... damn it.” She just couldn't let Parsley be queen. She didn't want the position, but she sure as hell didn't want Parsley to have it. That was non-negotiable. It wasn't up for debate, nor was it optional. If her sister was entering this tournament, she was as well. She pulled up an internet browser on her personal data device and typed in the address for the registration website. She was in luck and manged to get in without any trouble.

The registration form was extensive. Not only did she need to fill in her name, age, homeworld, and other such personal information, but also her power level, list of techniques, year she graduated from the CTC, and so on and so forth.

Interesting, only those who graduated from the CTC could enter. She supposed that was so no one like Pinach could enter and fall ass backwards onto the throne. While not as bad as her sister being queen, that was a nightmare in and of itself.

As Sarada was busying signing herself up, someone landed on her balcony and stepped inside. It was none other than the devil herself.

“Hey.” Avoca walked up and kissed her on the side of the mouth. “How was training?”

“Satisfactory,” Parsley answered. Sarada tried not to pay attention, but she couldn't help but catch some of the... affectionate things those two were doing in her peripheral vision. It was disgusting to know that her best friend wasn't just sleeping with her sister, but seemed to be falling in love with her. What the hell? How did that even happen??

Oh, she knew how it happened. It was her own fault. If she had paid more attention to her friend instead of fawning over someone she had already moved on from, then this wouldn't have happened. Or, perhaps it would have while she was gone. Though, in that case, they wouldn't be to the point of kissing one another.

It was absolutely stomach turning. Yet, there was a small part of her that was happy for Avoca. She put up with a lot of Sarada's ****, especially recently. Knowing that there was someone she really cared about – even if that person was evil incarnate – took a lot of pressure and guilt off Sarada's shoulders. She could live her life with Ishtar knowing that her best friend wasn't stewing in a pot of jealousy. Before she realized what was going on between her and her sister, that was one of her biggest fears in regards bringing Ishtar to Vocado.

With that fear assuaged, there was nothing to come between her and her lovely Oni.

“So, I see you're finally signing up for the tournament,” Parsley commented as she sat at the dinner table across from her. “Intending to win, I trust?”

She looked up from her screen with narrowed eyes. Parsley's playful smirk didn't waver. “Yes, actually. Why? Did you have delusions of victory?”

“I must confess that I did. Though, I suppose that with you in the field, I can put those dreams to rest.” She sighed superciliously. “You and your little pet Oni are so much stronger than I am, after all.”

Sarada could feel her teeth grinding together. “You're awful cocky for someone who got her ass kicked consistently for three straight months.” When Parsley's smirk dropped, hers appeared brilliantly. “Then again, when your head is shoved all the way up into your large intestines, it'll take more than three months of anal reaming to pull it free.”

Parsley's jaw drew taut, even as Avoca snickered from the sofa. “Hm. Where is your pet, anyway?”

“If you're referring to my husband, then she's out and about the city.”

“By her lonesome?”

“Yes. I know she can fend for herself. If she runs into trouble, I'll know and find her in a heartbeat.” They had spent the entire day together sight-seeing and visiting some of Sarada's favorite places. In fact, they had been pretty much inseparable the last several days. Whether it was intense training at one of the gyms – during which they garnered attention from everyone else that was there – or lounging around Sarada's apartment, they spent as much time together as possible. This was what being in a relationship with someone was all about. It was calming, relaxing, and... nice.

“You really care about Ishtar, don't you? Outside of the bedroom, I mean.”

“You know I do.”

Parsley smiled. “Then, imagine for a moment the shattering disappointment your lover will feel when she witnesses your skull being ground into the dirt under my boot heel. Imagine the devastation she'll feel at seeing her 'Little Love' being humiliated by a superior warrior.”

Sarada couldn't help but chuckle. These mindgames would have set her insides ablaze when she was younger, yet she found them utterly amusing now. Perhaps it was the small nuggets of wisdom Ishtar passed on to her over the months or just being around someone far older than her, but the games Parsley liked to play didn't phase her as much. “It's cute you think your games still work. No, not cute. Sad, actually. While you're busy fantasizing about our eventually match in the tournament, do me a favor and recall back to a few weeks ago when it was your skull being ground into the dirt under my boot heel. A much more realistic outcome for our future encounter, don't you think?”

Any smile or mirth Parsley had been enjoying evaporated like a tear in the desert. There was nothing she could say in response, because they both knew that Sarada was talking from experience. Every time they spared, it always ended with the younger sister standing tall above the older.

“Hm?” Avoca hummed quietly from the sofa. She apparently was completely unaware – or only partially informed – of the gulf in power between the two.

Sarada decided to keep quiet, opting to let her sister's silence tell it all. She spent the next few minutes completing her registration, then hit the apply button after checking to make sure all her information was correct. “There! The future Saiyan Queen is officially in the tournament. All others need not apply.”

[Sub-Zero MKA]

It didn't escape her notice that Parsley was walking toward the balcony. “Goodbye,” she stated before rocketing into the air.

“Ooh, someone's big mad,” she said with a snicker.

“You shouldn't have said that,” Avoca reprimanded with a scowl.

“Huh? Did you miss the part where she started it? I only responded because I felt I had to. Otherwise, the only other option was the wait and embarrass her in front of literally millions.” When Avoca didn't reply, but only persisted in scowling at her, Sarada huffed out a weary sigh. “Bitch has you brainwashed, boo. I know she's not that good in bed for you to just go to bat for her whenever someone says something mean.”

“No, I'm not brainwashed,” she argued. “Yes, she is that good and yes, I will always stick up for her. Imagine if someone said something like that to what's her face. You mean you would come to her defense?”

“I will, because Ishtar isn't an *******. That you refuse or are unable to see that just means you're willfully overlooking your lovergirl's terrible personality quirks.” She crossed her arms and silently dared her friend to argue.

She couldn't. When confronted with undeniable proof that Sarada was right, she did the one thing everyone in her position did when not acting reasonably. She left. “Whatever. I'm outta here.”

“Whatever.” She slumped down on the sofa when Avoca left. When Ishtar returned a little later, she told her she was going to bed early that night. The tournament was in three weeks and she needed to be ready to humiliate everyone across from her.

Elsewhere, Parsley intended on carrying out the same idea. She couldn't believe she allowed herself to walk into that verbal haymaker. The worst part about it was Sarada was right. She had come out on top in every single spar the two sisters had in the last three months. Only once had Parsley made it a close contest, and that was quickly snuffed out once Sarada activated her Hitozaru form.

Parsley had gotten much stronger during those months of training, but so had her sister. The sizable lead she enjoyed over her just a year ago was gone, a distant memory. In its place was a world in which she was only the second strongest in their family, and was no longer the peerless jewel of the planet Vocado. Instead, everyone used her as a benchmark against which her sister was measured. “Whoa, she's stronger than Parsley now?!” was an extremely common comment to hear these days. And it made her sick to no end.

No one could understand Parsley was so intent on being the strongest. It was simple. She had been told from birth that she was going to be the strongest. Her parents, Maiz, the instructors at the CTC, even Queen Senerg all said the same: that they expected Parsley to be the greatest. They told her that she had the greatest chance of achieving the pinnacle of their race and become a Super Saiyan. To be told that constantly for twenty years, it should have come as no surprise that Parsley was high on herself. So, when she found out that Sarada had the potential to be stronger than her, stronger than King Mato, possibly even stronger than Vocado himself, she didn't know how to handle it.

She got in her sister's head and discreetly discouraged her as much as she could in order to ensure that she didn't live up to her potential. And it worked. Sarada finished her training with only a power level of 50. She would have to live the rest of her life – or only a few weeks, as it turned out – as a slave, but that was a price and consequence Parsley could live with.

All was well until Sarada left, then everything turned upside down. She came back strong, left even stronger, and grew even stronger than that by the time they crossed paths again. She had surpassed her, and from the looks of it, Parsley would never be stronger than her again. Her mindgames weren't working. Nothing was working and she hated it with every fiber of her being!!

What did she have left? Nothing. Nothing but a love-sick 19 year old who was only with her because Sarada decided she wanted to mix her meat with some Earth man and blue devil.

Speaking of love-sick 19 year olds, hers showed up at her door minutes later. The thing about teenagers was that they were desperate to please the person who had captured their attention. The best thing about this one in particular was that she was a sub, meaning Parsley would do whatever she wanted to Avoca and not hear one word of complaint.

One thing quickly led to another and the two spent the rest of the night in the throes of passion. Parsley, naturally, took control from the beginning and didn't let up until her lover was a figurative pile of mush under her. Before she went to bed, her sharp emerald eyes scanned the young woman beside her critically. She was covered in bloody scratches and bite marks on her neck and shoulders. She smelled of sweat, sex, and secretions, a lovely aroma that filled the bedroom like an invisible fog. It was the mark of a job well done, in her opinion.

She swept a stray hair out of the girl's forehead. At least I have you. She can't take you away from me, no matter how hard she tries. Parsley was proud that she managed to steal Avoca away from Sarada. She would try with Ishtar, but the very thought of mating with another species made her physically ill. Thus, she would have to make due with her best friend.

Morning came soon thereafter, and with it, training began in earnest. Sarada trained with Ishtar, while Parsley trained with Avoca and a few others.

For the former, it was more of the same. She meditated with her love in the morning the moment they woke up, then spared under 110 times Earth's normal gravity. They continued until she couldn't stand under her own power. Then, they rested and healed, ate, then trained until her knuckles bled, simply breathing was a laborious trial, and she couldn't see straight. After that, they healed, ate, and fell asleep in each other's arms until the next morning, when they did it all over again.

She cut back on mating with Ishtar so much for two reasons. One, she didn't want it to lose its luster by doing it so much, and two, she didn't want to be distracted from the tournament. If she won, then they could mate in the palace as much as they wanted.

For three weeks straight, they trained more intensely than they did the past three months, which was saying a lot. When it was over, Sarada was about as ready as she was ever going to be. If she wasn't, then she'd have to fake it until she made it.

The tournament was tomorrow.

[Tami]

As Meagan flew in closer to Gin, she could see changes already in the works. Unstable buildings were torn down and debris removed, leaving only empty lots. While many stable, yet damaged buildings were being framed with wood and metal supports as workers repaired the damage both inside and out.

What surprised her the most was that the workers doing the repairs, while predominately Chromakai, also included representatives from many other Universal races. Landing nearby, she noticed one truck hauling away debris and a broad smile crossed her face as she saw the Capsule Corps Logo on the side.

She was home, but a home soon to be transformed. If she had stayed away for six years before returning, she might not even recognize it. Walking down the main street, she watched as stores began to open, Chromakai of various ages and hues slowly came out to go about their business, and the occasional workers riding in trucks and other heavy equipment to and from work sites down the middle of the street.

Soon she came to one skyscraper that had been deemed salvageable. The area around it was walled off to create a safe work zone. Unable to see past the wall, Meagan took the air, hovering just above the wall's height in order to watch what was going on. After an uncounted number of minutes, she heard the sound of metal snapping. Apparently other Chromakai workers heard the same and began calling out and running to safety. As Meagan looked up, she saw a crane swaying in a gust of strong wind and the large metal girder in it's grip was tipping, the whole structure unbalanced and on the verge of collapse.

Splitting herself into seven selves, they quickly sprang into action. One Meagan flew to the girder, holding it up and steadying it. The other six Meagan's each took a side of the crane and stabilized it. The workers below, realizing that it wasn't going to collapse, returned and shored up the big rig, while another returned to the cab and activated the controls to lower the girder back to the ground.

Once it was secured, Meagan dispelled her doppelgangers and landed back on the street just outside the wall. She had not wanted to draw attention to herself, but when lives were at risk she had no choice. Not staying around, she continued to walk, enjoying the chance to move around in her hometown in peace and freedom.

That peace, however, was short lived.

[MrSandman]

With an exasperated sigh Etrina pulled the hood of her mage robe to stretch the material a bit before letting it sit on the back of her neck, then turned her attention to the mirror again. Her meeting with the mage counsel was just a few short hours away, and she was very keen on putting her personal touch on everything from her look to her mannerisms. Setting a good example would be paramount, considering what was up for consideration.

Access to the Mage Archive was not granted lightly in the best of days, it was an honor just to be allowed to study there and a greater on for your writing to be stored there. Mages would drop most of what they own for a few minutes in some of the more off limit areas, the knowledge contained within the lifes work of many an accomplished family dating back generations.

....and those were just the normal bulk of the archive. Tomes Related to the Coven of the Grey Thorns would most likely be housed with the Forbidden Scrollery, a secured wing all to itself. Etrina was essentially asking permission to enter one of the most off limit areas in mage kind.

Naturally she should look at least presentable if she was going to convince a room filled with prideful stubborn old mages.

It also didn't hurt to bring an Oni and a Goddess. Though the goddess was running a bit on the late side. Hopefully it wouldn't be too much longer

In any event, she was satisfied(finally) with the placement of her hood. Having went through a great deal to adjust her look a bit had paid off...and she was rather interested in showing it off to Zaofan, who had hopefully received her invitation. Nonetheless, she still had a small audience to show off her new look too....and only a few short moments later she had stepped into the gathering room of her home and did a quick spin.



"Well.....do I look like someone worthy to carry the darkest secrets of magecraft?" Etrina asked.

"I can't see anything but I'm sure you look pompous like any Stoltengarde." Gaav muttered from inside his urn, just loud enough to elict a scolding glare from his host/prison warden.

"I think you like nice ero!" Erosa chimed in. "But maybe you should show some more skin."

"I'm not whoring myself out just for the sake of getting what I want. It'll be through my merits and those alone."

"Don't forget the oni and the god your bringing!" Erosa added. "...and its not whoring to show some skin....its....ahh....voyeurism?"

Etrinas face turned red even as Gaav broke into laughter. "Quiet both of you! Bah....I'll get a proper opinion from my fiancee and the others."

"Is that before or after you paddle him." Gaav muttered, instantly feeling something aking to a curse as the stoltengarde heiress glared at his urn so hard it was almost triggering a physical effect.

[Sub-Zero MKA]

With an exasperated sigh Etrina pulled the hood of her mage robe to stretch the material a bit before letting it sit on the back of her neck, then turned her attention to the mirror again. Her meeting with the mage counsel was just a few short hours away, and she was very keen on putting her personal touch on everything from her look to her mannerisms. Setting a good example would be paramount, considering what was up for consideration.

Access to the Mage Archive was not granted lightly in the best of days, it was an honor just to be allowed to study there and a greater on for your writing to be stored there. Mages would drop most of what they own for a few minutes in some of the more off limit areas, the knowledge contained within the lifes work of many an accomplished family dating back generations.

....and those were just the normal bulk of the archive. Tomes Related to the Coven of the Grey Thorns would most likely be housed with the Forbidden Scrollery, a secured wing all to itself. Etrina was essentially asking permission to enter one of the most off limit areas in mage kind.

Naturally she should look at least presentable if she was going to convince a room filled with prideful stubborn old mages.

It also didn't hurt to bring an Oni and a Goddess. Though the goddess was running a bit on the late side. Hopefully it wouldn't be too much longer

In any event, she was satisfied(finally) with the placement of her hood. Having went through a great deal to adjust her look a bit had paid off...and she was rather interested in showing it off to Zaofan, who had hopefully received her invitation. Nonetheless, she still had a small audience to show off her new look too....and only a few short moments later she had stepped into the gathering room of her home and did a quick spin.



"Well.....do I look like someone worthy to carry the darkest secrets of magecraft?" Etrina asked.

"I can't see anything but I'm sure you look pompous like any Stoltengarde." Gaav muttered from inside his urn, just loud enough to elict a scolding glare from his host/prison warden.

"I think you like nice ero!" Erosa chimed in. "But maybe you should show some more skin."

"I'm not whoring myself out just for the sake of getting what I want. It'll be through my merits and those alone."

"Don't forget the oni and the god your bringing!" Erosa added. "...and its not whoring to show some skin....its....ahh....voyeurism?"

Etrinas face turned red even as Gaav broke into laughter. "Quiet both of you! Bah....I'll get a proper opinion from my fiancee and the others."

"Is that before or after you paddle him." Gaav muttered, instantly feeling something aking to a curse as the stoltengarde heiress glared at his urn so hard it was almost triggering a physical effect.

"You look like an *******," Sarada chimed in with her appraisal of Etrina's wardrobe. The wardrobe the young mage had spent an inordinate amount of time preparing and ensuring looked just right for the league of pompous assholes she was going to slobbering over at this so-called mage council. The fact that people actually took themselves so seriously while practicing something like magic made the Saiyan want to bang her head against a katchin wall.

She had absolutely no comment about Erosa's suggestion to show more skin. ...the mage was far too flat-chested for it to register as more than a ping on Sarada's Oni-shaped radar, anyway.

"Though, given what I've heard about these clowns, 'pompous *******' is exactly the kind of thing that should endear to them, so good job."

[Yun Lao]

Kai waves.

“Welcome, stranger.”

Studying Kai, the robot semed to be contemplating a response before he just replied, "Greetings. I am [VOD]Quila of the Last Call. I seek this world's guardian."

[MrSandman]

"You look like an *******," Sarada chimed in with her appraisal of Etrina's wardrobe. The wardrobe the young mage had spent an inordinate amount of time preparing and ensuring looked just right for the league of pompous assholes she was going to slobbering over at this so-called mage council. The fact that people actually took themselves so seriously while practicing something like magic made the Saiyan want to bang her head against a katchin wall.

She had absolutely no comment about Erosa's suggestion to show more skin. ...the mage was far too flat-chested for it to register as more than a ping on Sarada's Oni-shaped radar, anyway.

"Though, given what I've heard about these clowns, 'pompous *******' is exactly the kind of thing that should endear to them, so good job."

Gaav thunderous laughter echoed through to the cottage. "Hahahahaha! When even a monkey can see there can be no doubt."

"Shut up or they'll be no food for a week!" Etrina fumed and turned her attention to Sarada, red in the face. "I'm not trying to look like a pompous *******! This is formal wear....you understand the concept of dressing properly for an occasion correct? More importantly this is my very special robe, it was expensive to make and it does not make me look like an *******!" At this point Etrina was practically wagging her finger and steaming out the ears at Sarada, it was slightly adorable given her usual attitude.

Apparently her own sewing skill was a sore spot.....as one would notice if they directed their attention to the nearby sitting area and found a rather awkwardly place stuffed animal that looked very homemade.

[Sub-Zero MKA]

Gaav thunderous laughter echoed through to the cottage. "Hahahahaha! When even a monkey can see there can be no doubt."

"Shut up or they'll be no food for a week!" Etrina fumed and turned her attention to Sarada, red in the face. "I'm not trying to look like a pompous *******! This is formal wear....you understand the concept of dressing properly for an occasion correct? More importantly this is my very special robe, it was expensive to make and it does not make me look like an *******!" At this point Etrina was practically wagging her finger and steaming out the ears at Sarada, it was slightly adorable given her usual attitude.

Apparently her own sewing skill was a sore spot.....as one would notice if they directed their attention to the nearby sitting area and found a rather awkwardly place stuffed animal that looked very homemade.

Sarada grinned as Etrina chewed her out about her magical robe. "Alright, alright. Don't get your panties in a bunch." She remembered that Earthwomen wore panties under their pants for some stupid reason. She was reasonably certain Etrina was wearing some and that they were, in fact, in a bunch.

She glanced at the man in the urn, who was evidently the very first enemy Etrina, Erosa, Asha'rah, and Ishtar encountered together in Dusk City. Funny how a talking vase was one of the first strings that linked four different people together.

"Remind me again why you're wasting your time going to this council place. What do these old geezers have that you need so badly?"

Hm?

She stepped over and picked up the stuffed horse that was in the sitting area. "Is this yours?"

[Tami]

"Lady Meagan."

Meagan paused and looked around for that voice, at first not seeing anyone. She then saw a young man step out of an expensive looking car parked along the side of the street. "That car is way too fancy."

"Lady Meagan, please come with me."

"Come where?" Meagan asked in confusion, "Who are you?"

The young man smiled, "Ebon Aza'lea, we met after you saved us from the Slavers."

"Oh," Meagan's eyes went wide for a moment, then she smiled, "Ebon, yes, now I remember. You saved me as well. How are you doing?"

"Ebon smiled, "I'm doing okay," he then got serious, "No time, they are waiting for you in Senta. I was sent to pick you up and take you there."

"They? Senta?"

"It's okay, you'l find out when we get there. Come on."

With a shrug, Meagan followed Ebon to the car and got into the back seat. Ebon joined her there, while another acted as driver. The car was very old, yet very luxurious. It looked like it had been carefully preserved over time, it even smelled like something that had been cleaned recently.

Since the highways were still under repair, the driver took a back road route, which she begrudgingly tolerated since she knew she could have flown there faster.

After an hours drive, the car pulled up to what was once a large hotel, once and probably will be again soon enough. In its day, before the invasion, Meagan could easily imagine it being the location of choice for the wealthy, the powerful as well as the leaders of the world. It wasn't the kind fo place she ever imagined herself staying, at least not until she started to date Jinzi.

Looking down at herself, she wasn't dressed for whatever this occasion was, but there wasn't anything she could do about it now.

She was led into a ballroom, wherein a gathering of men and woman, and even some offworlders, appeared to be milling around as if waiting for something to happen.

Stopping near the entrance to this room, she looked over them, uncertain what to do as well as being a little intimated.

One of the man who looked to be in his eighties, dressed in a suit adorned with the trappings of office, the office of the World President. "We still have a World President?"

She then bowed politely to him, "Sir." Not sure what else to say.

He then returned the bow, "Lady Meagan, welcome home. As our new Gaurdian...."

In shock, she held out her hand, "No! no, your mistaken. I'm not the Guardian, Lady Iris is."

There was muttering in the back of the room, then the President spoke again, "Are you saying that Lady Iris is still alive?"

"I..." Meagan hesitated, "I think so, I'm not sure. I'm just her apprentice, I think." after a moment of calming her self down, "She might be, somehow, still alive. As strange as that might sound, as improbable as it might sound, I just know she is. Finding her, is not going to be easy."

The President looked very serious, "If she is, we must all search for her. I will make that an order."

Meagan stopped him, "Sir, I understand how you feel, how we all feel, but there isn't anything you can do. Wherever Iris is being held, it is far away and well hidden. I have already begun looking for her, you just have to trust me that I will find her. There are powerful people who are aiding me in searching for her, but running around the Universe blindly would be a waste of time. Especially when there is so much work to do right her on Chroma."

She then looked around the room, "I came home, not to stay, at least not yet, but to train. To become stronger and to learn how to control the power that Lady Iris gave me. I do this, not just for Chroma but for Earth and for other worlds. The Guardian of Earth, the late Guardian of Earth predicted that a power enemy would be arriving on that planet in five months. Just as they helped me free Chroma from the grip of the Nagadarr, I need to go back and help protect that world."

She then raised her hands outward and upward, "Chroma will have her Guardian again, but first.." She then pointed to them, "you must prepare the planet for her arrival."

The President stepped back to talk to others as the murmuring continued behind them. He then came forward to stand once again in front of Meagan, "We will do as you say, for now. While you are here, you will be treated by all with respect and given the freedom to do as you must. However, the Council will reconvene in one year. If at that time you either have not found Lady Iris or you, yourself fail to show up, we will take matters into our own hands."

"Understood."

The President them smiled and placed his hand on her shoulder, "Join us, everyone here wishes to meet you. There is food and drink on the tables, help yourself. Afterwards, if you need a place to stay for the night, we can arrange that."

Though this was not part of her plan, Meagan decided to go along with it. Perhaps the next day she would visit the Temple again.

[MrSandman]

Sarada grinned as Etrina chewed her out about her magical robe. "Alright, alright. Don't get your panties in a bunch." She remembered that Earthwomen wore panties under their pants for some stupid reason. She was reasonably certain Etrina was wearing some and that they were, in fact, in a bunch.

She glanced at the man in the urn, who was evidently the very first enemy Etrina, Erosa, Asha'rah, and Ishtar encountered together in Dusk City. Funny how a talking vase was one of the first strings that linked four different people together.

"Remind me again why you're wasting your time going to this council place. What do these old geezers have that you need so badly?"

"The Archive. It is the repository of arcane knowledge privy only to a select few on our world. The knowledge contained within its walls could be just as useful as any martial training in the right hands." Etrina crossed her arms and nodded as if everything she was saying was fact. "....and I'll respectfully ask you not refer to them as old geezers....especially not in the same room...especially while we're asking them for a favor."

Hm?

She stepped over and picked up the stuffed horse that was in the sitting area. "Is this yours?"

Upon closer inspection, the stuffed animal appeared to be rather ragged. It had been obviously resewn multiple times and had taken a rather hilarious amount of punishment to arrive in this state. Either it was the chew toy to some unknown pet, or Sarada was holding in her hands the precursor to Zaofan.

Upon realizing what Sarada was holding, the young mage stifled an alarmed gasp and nearly tripped over her own feet attempting to clear the distance between them and snatch the doll from her hands....thought without much luck given the difference in physical attributes between the two. "Unhand fuzzles this instan....err....I mean....that's a mystic effigy that I've been working on....it must be handled with care....which in your case means not at all. Now hand it over."

[Sub-Zero MKA]

"The Archive. It is the repository of arcane knowledge privy only to a select few on our world. The knowledge contained within its walls could be just as useful as any martial training in the right hands." Etrina crossed her arms and nodded as if everything she was saying was fact. "....and I'll respectfully ask you not refer to them as old geezers....especially not in the same room...especially while we're asking them for a favor."

Sarada still wasn't exactly sure why this 'arcane' knowledge was so important, but if Etrina and Ishtar thought it so, then far be it for her to disagree. Besides, they may have known something about the amulet she had been given weeks ago. Well, she doubted it, since it was likely older than they were, but maybe they could have done one of those scrying spells to find the other pieces.

That'd be helpful.

"Sure. I'll refrain from hurting their old person feelings."

Upon closer inspection, the stuffed animal appeared to be rather ragged. It had been obviously resewn multiple times and had taken a rather hilarious amount of punishment to arrive in this state. Either it was the chew toy to some unknown pet, or Sarada was holding in her hands the precursor to Zaofan.

Upon realizing what Sarada was holding, the young mage stifled an alarmed gasp and nearly tripped over her own feet attempting to clear the distance between them and snatch the doll from her hands....thought without much luck given the difference in physical attributes between the two. "Unhand fuzzles this instan....err....I mean....that's a mystic effigy that I've been working on....it must be handled with care....which in your case means not at all. Now hand it over."

She had been inspecting the crudely made doll when Etrina suddenly scrambled over to her. The horse had certainly seen better days, though it was obviously the play-thing of a possibly overactive little girl once upon a time. And given how adamant the young mage was at Sarada not touching it, it obviously meant a lot to her. "Hehe. Fine, here," she tossed her the doll. "Never pegged you for one to play with stuffed toys. I just assumed you always had your nose buried in a book."