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

[Sub-Zero MKA]

Mato searched for her, and found her free-falling out of the sky. Her energy was dangerously low. He was close to victory, but first needed to finish her off to be sure.

He closed on her in a hurry, just as she hoped he would. A little closer. When he was a few feet form colliding with her, she sprung into action. With hands coated with scarlet ki, she struck, hitting him twice in the face, then kicking him in the torso, then again in the back of the head.

He recovered quickly and responded by kneeing her in the torso and batting her to the ground.

She bounced off the hard surface, but wasn't down-and-out enough not to respond. And she responded by firing off another bevy of energy blasts. They seemed to veer wildly out of control, not one of them coming anywhere close to hitting him.

It only took him seconds to figure out what was going on when they stopped and hovered near him. “Oh no.”

“Oh yes.” She summoned the blasts she stored in the clouds earlier, creating a massive network of destruction surrounding Mato in every direction. She then connected these blasts together with energy tethers to ensure that escape was quite impossible.

With a simple gesture, she caused the destruction net to close in on him. The explosion shook the surface of the planet and filled the sky with enough red to mimic the sun set. She lessened the power of the blasts to make sure this maneuver didn't kill him.

He fell out of the sky and landed on the broken, shattered earth with a solid thud. His armor had been destroyed and he looked like he had seen better days.

Sarada knew better than to assume the fight was over or to foolishly close in for the win, so she formed the Agony Matrix and fired it at his prone form. It struck true, infiltrating his body and doing its harrowing work.

Mato roared in pain, writhing and squirming on the ground as his pain receptors exploded into overdrive. He never said he surrendered, but rather passed out when the intense pain finally became too much to bear.

When the referees finished the ten count, Sarada felt numb. She had won, but it didn't seem real. It felt like she was having a dream and any moment, she was going to wake up in her bed with Ishtar beside her.

Even when she was transported back to Vocado and was immediately bombarded by dozens upon dozens of reporters all shoving microphones in her face asking her question after question, she still felt like none of this was really happening.

“Congratulations,” spoke a man, the tournament manager, as he placed a crown on her head and handed her a massive, elaborate bouquet of flowers from every planet in the empire. “Congratulations, Your Highness.”

Then, with those final two words, the reality of what she had done finally set in. Once her brain comprehended that she had won and that she was the Queen, there was only thing to say. In front of 28 million Saiyans across the empire, she gave her thoughts in the form of two words: “Holy ****!”

[Tami]

Stepping back into the cavern, Meagan lead them out and back up into the Temple proper. As they walked, they talked.

"We'll call it a day and pick up the training tomorrow. Cyanna, how are you feeling?"

Cyanna rubbed her head, "It's still hurts, but I'll be okay. That creep caught be by surprise, next time he won't be so lucky."

"Cyanna," Meagan stopped and turned to her, "you were the one who caught him by surprise. That flash of light, did you attack him first?"

"Um, well, kinda, but he startled me and he looked dangerous and ..."

"And nothing, you acted without thinking. That is how innocent people get hurt, that is how you get yourself hurt. If you find yourself alone like that and you have to act, act to avoid not confront. Avoid and asses the situation. Attack only if you have no other choice. Not everyone you encounter, regardless of how they look, is a threat. I'll incorporate that into our training exercises. You need to practice restraint."

Cyanna opened her mouth, then closed it again and looked down before glancing back up at her, "Yeah, I guess I can be impulsive."

Behind them, Dash laughed, "Impulsive! Now that's an understatement. Damn lucky he didn't just kill you right there."

They continued walking down the corridor until they reached the main living area, "I'm going to the library to do some research," Meagan sounded tired as she spoke, "You two take the rest of the day off, just don't get into trouble, again."

"Hey!" Dash replied, "It shore wasn't me...yeah, okay. Miss Meagan, you get some rest, you look kind of beat."

"Later." She smiled at Dash, "Now go, I'll see you in the morning."

With that, the two ran off, and Meagan made her way to the Temple's Library.

Stopping first at the kitchen to get some coffee, she then brought it with her. Placing the cup on a research table, Meagan began searching the collection fro information relating to what she learned during their unexpected trip, then expanding her search to seek out other related information.

Bringing several books and documents to the table, she sat down and took a sip of the now cooled drink. With the caffeine now making her more alert, she began pouring over the materials.

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

As time flew, she somehow found herself standing in the Garden staring at the statue. As she did, she heard the sound of hooves plodding slowly on the stone. Averting her eyes from the statue, she saw a creature that was not native to Chroma.



As she watched, the one horned and winged horse looked up at her, then approached. It stopped several feet away, then waited.

Taking that as a sign, she walked over to the creature and held out her hand. The horse sniffed it, then the mare turned and walked towards the back of the Garden, with Meagan following close behind. The alicorn led her outside the Temple? It made no sense, but then again there was a lot of what was going on that made no sense.



With her hand on the Alicorn's side, Meagan looked out over the water, thinking how calm and peaceful it was.

"Please Forgive me."

Meagan looked around, then realized that it was the voice of Lady Iris. "Lady?" Meagan replied, "Forgive you for what?"

"Please forgive me for the deception, and for the burden I placed upon you."

It took her a few moments, then she removed her hand from the mare's flank and stood up straight, "You could have told us, for years we ddin't know. You could have told the Sisterhood, they were closer to you than anyone. Why? Why did you let us think you might still be alive?"

"Hope, hope and guilt. Hope for my children, so that they could continue forward and not be weighted by the past. Hope that they would remember me, yet find their own way without me."

"Guilt for leaving you unprepared and uninformed. I was taken from you, my children, though it was my own carelessness that allowed it to happen."

"You were tricked, deceived."

"I should never have left the Temple, at least not until I was certain."

"You thought you were doing the right thing, you thought you would be right back, you believed that your power was enough to deal with anything. It wasn't though, was it?"

"No, it wasn't. My mistake in becoming arrogant in my artificial immortality. My mistake in not planning ahead for the worst. Had I not been taken, I would have chosen an Apprentice then. I would have prepared myself to embrace mortality. It took me too long to realize that I could not live forever, by the time I did, it was too late."

"Who took you? Who took your life?"

"I can not say."

"What? Why not? You have to know, right? What if he's still around? Shouldn't I know, you know, just in case?"

"There will always be those who seek out Guardians, to take their power, their position, or seek to do violence out of a misguided sense of vengeance or hate or fear. You must be vigilant against them. There is no sin in survival, not so long as others depend on you. But you know that already, it is one of the reasons why I chose you."

Meagan's mind flashed on the last time she saw Lady Eva, "You really think I have what it takes to be a Guardian?"

"Eventually. You are not yet ready. Until you are, you will continue as my apprentice. It is a deception, but if you tell them the truth you will be bound here. There is much you need to learn. I can not fully prepare you, though it seems you have already had training from a fellow Guardian. "

"What if I decide that I don't want to be Guardian?"

"Then that is your choice, all I ask is that you find another. This power will fade if it is not taken up, if not by you, then by another who has also placed the welfare of my children above their own. the welfare of others above their own."

"There are two i have in mind."

"Bring them to my statue, I will decide if they are worthy."

"I will, Lady Iris. Thank you."

"There is one more thing we must discuss."

Meagan looked out questioningly over the water

"Your reluctance to use the power I gave you."

"I'm not sure how."

"Do not be afraid of it. Look deep within yourself and you will find the knowledge. The power is trans-formative, but change is not to be feared. I can sense that another change is within you already, but that I will also leave for you to discover on your own."

"If you say so."

"A strength like yours is rare, a compassion like yours is rare as well. I have faith in you."

With that, Meagan opened her eyes and soon realized that she had fallen asleep while reading. The book in front of her was one on the history of Chroma.

[Sub-Zero MKA]

The days following the conclusion of the Tournament of Destiny were abuzz with activity. On Vocado, palace servants busied themselves in preparation for the new Queen's arrival. That meant helping Mato and Toma move their stuff out and ensuring that every square inch of the palace was spic and span. On the colonies, the days were spent deciding on new viceroys who were to govern the planet as Sarada's proxies.

As for Sarada herself, it was spent on Langal with Ishtar. She had to get away from the reporters. They were popping at her door constantly in search of a quote or an interview. Besides, she was exhausted form the constant fighting, both mentally and physically. With it being just her and Ishtar together, she could finally unwind and relax. She tried not to give too much thought to the upcoming monumental responsibilities that were going to be thrust on her shoulders when she was crowned.

Relaxation and spending time with her queen were the main reasons for heading to Langal. The other, slightly less important reason was the amulet they needed to research. The day after they arrived, they traveled to one of the museums to inquire of anything they had on Cyntosia. It turned out they had plenty. Most of it was useless and things she already learned while at Iris' temple. Though, there was one thing. A book; a journal to be precise authored by someone named Gelia Steros.

According to the preface, she was the Matron Mother of a coven of witches known as the Wives of Winter's Chill. According to her, it was she who defeated Nergal and trapped him inside a book, then sealed that book away. She never mentioned where the book was; for the best, undoubtedly. Should someone of nefarious intent stumble across its location, there was no telling what kind of damage a monster like Nergal would cause.

As for the long dead Oni, Gelia recounted that she was contacted by a pair of Kais who informed her ten thousand years ago of an escaped Oni who was going around from galaxy to galaxy and destroying everything in sight. According to Gelia, he was destroying the galaxies in one shot.

That didn't seem possible. Sarada was of the mind that Gelia was exaggerating just to make her accomplishment a little more impressive.

At any rate, she went into detail on how she managed to defeat him – by sealing a large portion of his power inside the Soul Tempest Amulet. The very same amulet of which she carried a piece. Once Gelia seal Nergal away, she broke the amulet into pieces and spread those pieces across the universe.

“So, that's it? That's what this thing is all about.” She looked at the amulet piece in her hand, paying special attention to the characters engraved in it. If anyone got a hold of this and the other pieces – if they still existed – she had a feeling they'd have complete access to Nergal's full power. If what Gelia said was true and he could destroy entire galaxies, that would be the end of a lot of people.

With that in mind, she kept the journal – being Queen had its perks – and gave the curator the amulet piece. “Destroy it if you can. If not, then keep it locked up somewhere safe. If I find out you're keeping it on display, we will have words.”

The curator swallowed and took the amulet. “Yes, my Queen. Of course.”

'My Queen' eh? She could get used to that.

For the rest of the day, she and Ishtar took in the sights on Langal. The Oni would notice that nothing like what happened with Durian on Vocado happened there. For the most part, the Saiyans were accepting of a non-Saiyan walking around. In fact, she found that she wasn't the only non-Saiyan there.

The colony had come a very, very long way in the last three decades. While there weren't many interspecies couples there, there were a lot more than on Vocado. If Langal, which was a carbon copy of Vocado for much of its history, could have a turnaround this drastic, then the same could certain happen to her homeworld. That gave Sarada hope and confidence that Ishtar wouldn't be harassed and would be accepted as her consort, and then her queen when they finally took that next step.

In time, Sarada and Ishtar returned to Vocado to prepare for Sarada's coronation. This included having her new royal armor picked out, deciding what she was going to wear, having that made and making any necessary alterations, picking out her shoes, possibly doing something with her hair, preparing her speech. Fucking ****, there was lot she had to do. A lot of **** she really didn't want to, but had to. According to her etiquette coach – yes, she had to learn about etiquette and how a royal was suppose to carry herself – a queen had to be at the summit of style and grace. She couldn't use course language, she had to be well-mannered at all times, she had to ensure that every point of her appearance – from her hair to her shoes – were all of a satisfactory level.

It was ridiculous, but if this was what being Queen meant, then it was what she had to do.

Picking out the armor was the easy part, so she did that first to get it out of the way. It didn't offer much in the way of protection, but then again, it didn't offer much less protection than her old armor.

After that, they went about picking out the fabrics for her coronation dress. It was a dreadfully boring affair that lasted far longer than she would have liked, but she gritted through it. In the end, she would only have to wear that stupid dress once, then she could shove it into the back of her closet for the rest of her life.

Then, she picked out her shoes. To her absolute horror and irritation, every last one of them had heels. She had never worn heels in her life. Only royals wore heels, which, of course, she was one, so... she only had to walk a short distance, so there was that.

The rest – hair, makeup, and such – would be done in the hours before her coronation. She spent the rest of the time agonizing over what she was going to say to her subjects. She didn't want to get all long-winded, and she would have much rather let her actions speak for her, but she figured she needed to say a little something to ensure her people that she wasn't going to completely **** this up.

“Relax,” Maiz said soothingly. Sarada had been pacing back and forth with a holographic document and keyboard floating in front of her for the last thirty minutes. “If you keep this up, you'll run yourself into an early grave.”

“That's easy for you to say.”

“Yes, which is why I said it. Here, sit.” Sarada huffed, but did as told. Maiz slid a cup of steaming hot tea in front of her. “Drink.”

“I—”

“Don't talk. Drink.”

She sighed, but took a sip of the tea. It was good. Very good, in fact. Before she knew it, she had drained the entire cup. “Hey, not bad.”

“You were supposed to... never mind. Listen. I know that you already have a lot on your mind, but don't neglect yourself. If you need to step back, do it. There are plenty of well-versed speechwriters who can craft the greatest five minute speech you've ever seen.”

“I know. But, I'd rather this come from me. I want it to come from the heart, you know?”

Maiz smiled and patted her hand. “That's a good sign, yes. Let me see what you have.” When handed the holographic tablet, she scanned over everything Sarada had come up with thus far. “...there's only three sentences. And two of them are reiterating the first sentence.”

“I know!” she wailed. “I suck at this ****, Maiz. Ugh, why is it so hard?”

To that, she had no answer. “Well, work with the speechwriters. They can help you gather your thoughts in a way that will still sound like they're coming from you. And you have a few days to do it, so you have time.”

That made her feel somewhat better, but she was still incredibly nervous. “Thanks.” She grew quiet and uncharacteristically withdrawn. She looked down at the table, her hands, the cup between her hands, anywhere but Maiz.

“What is it?”

She hesitated. If she asked the question that had been on her mind for weeks, then she may have gotten answer she didn't like. “Do you,” she started after several long moments of deliberating within herself, “think I'll make a good ruler?”

“Yes,” she answered with no hesitation. “You know why?” Sarada shook her head. “Because you're willing to listen. You're still young, so you're still learning. You won't have an easy time at first. You'll likely be overwhelmed by the sheer amount that will be on your plate. I watched Mato struggle to juggle everything and he only had one planet to worry about. You have six. And while the colonies will take care of themselves for the most part, they'll still be fed your rulings, your laws, your decrees, your decisions.

“If all that sounds like it will overwhelm you, that's because it will. But, that's where I come in. Whether I'm guardian or not, I'll still be there every step of the way. So will Ishtar. So will Tasure. So will Mato, the Conglomerate, Becbaga, Senerg. We'll all serve as advisers for you to help you come to the right decision for us and the rest of the Saiyans. We won't lead you astray because we care too much about the Saiyan race, just like you do.

“After a while, after years of listening to us and heeding our council, you'll start to make decisions on your own based on advice you've already been given. The right decisions. That's when you'll come into your own, and became the Queen I know you can be.”

Sarada was NOT tearing up, but she did feel a little choked up. Knowing that all these people would be there to help her through the first few years – which were sure to be a rocky learning experience for everyone, not just her – was touching. And reassuring. That many former leaders, she couldn't possibly ask for better advisers than that. “...thanks.”

Maiz smiled and pulled Sarada in for a tight hug. “You're welcome, My Queen.”

[Sub-Zero MKA]

The night before her coronation, as had become something a habit as of late, Sarada and Ishtar made passionate love for the last time in her apartment. While she was going to miss her simple abode, she was extremely excited to move into the palace and live the royal life. Being waited on hand and foot by loyal servants, it was going to be great. All she had to do was get through tomorrow morning and everything was going to be a breeze.

Or, she kept telling herself. She knew that her first few years as Queen were going to be difficult. The Saiyan Empire was going to be unified, and the rulers people had become accustomed to had been replaced with essentially puppet rulers serving as her proxies. She had a lot to do, a lot of changes to oversee and usher in, and a lot of responsibilities on her plate. But, she would have Ishtar at her side every step of the way, and for that she was eternally grateful.

After a long night of love-making – gentle this time, as she didn't want a bunch of scratch marks on her when she appeared in front of millions – and falling asleep in her love's arms, the day had finally arrived. She awoke bright and early, as she always did, to meditate to calm her nerves. Then, the went to the palace to get ready.

Getting ready meant washing and straightening the wild mane she had been sporting for years. When she looked at herself in the mirror and saw her hair was actually straight and done up in some kind of fancy bun, she was gobsmacked. She didn't even believe it was her she was looking at. “Man, how wild is this,” she chuckled. “How'd you get my hair so straight?”

“Pepa has the best haircare products in the Empire, Your Highness, “ her stylist answered dutifully. “Mineral oils, I believe.”

“I see.”

Next came the make-up, which... which she had just never worn before. Lipstick, eye liner, mascara – whatever the **** that was – cheek powder ****, **** that made her lips all shiny and full. It was fucking ridiculous how some women wore this **** to make themselves look better. Sarada was beautiful without all this crap. But, she was told she had to wear it, so she did.

Then, came the dress she picked out. There was a lot of extra stuff that took time to put on. Earrings, a gold crown, a single gold pauldron with spikes on it. She wasn't sure if she was drunk, high, or both when she picked it out. Or, maybe she was just tired and just settled for something. Though, looking at herself in the mirror, she didn't look half bad.



The pantyhose she wore were a bit much – fishnet, she believed they were called – but all in all, she felt she looked pretty damn good.

The moment of truth. There was nothing left to do. She was done up like a proper Queen should be. Her speech had been rehearsed to the point of nausea. Everything was ready. She gave the love of her life one final smile, then followed her royal guards to the balcony on which she would receive the Medallion of Monarchy.

On her way, she passed by her family. Her mother and father – both carrying unusually visible smiles – Maiz, and Prince Pinich and Rutaba. She was still pouting because she wouldn't be called Princess. Sarada smiled at them as she walked passed.

As she neared the balcony, she could hear the roar of the millions of Saiyans that were in attendance. It was unreal that this was actually happening. It still felt like a dream. In some ways, she wanted to wake up and still be in her apartment, still just regular Sarada. In many more, she didn't want to wake up if this was a dream.

Alright, you got this, Sarada, she thought in a bid to mentally psych herself up. You fought Battersea, Fife, and Chris the Knife with some kind of magical god gun. This **** is nothing. Go out there, and show them what the **** you're made. With her confidence restored, she breathed in and walked out with her head held high and her shoulders square. When she passed through the curtains leading outside, the roar from the crowd below was deafening.

Mato spoke first, graciously stating that he was happy to have served the planet of Vocado as its king. He went on to say how pleased he was at the progress the Saiyans there had made and how readily they took to the changes he made. He hoped that the planet, and the race in general, could continue to make positive strides until, one day, they were looked at by the rest of the universe in a positive light. Until that day came, he would never stop striving to better his fellows in his own way.

With that, he stepped away from the podium and turned to face Sarada. “Treat them well, Sarada. There's boundless potential in each of them.” With a smile so gracious it actually made her feel guilty to be replacing him, he held up the Medallion of Monarchy.

Usually at this point, the recipient would kneel before the former monarch. Sarada's dress was too tight, so kneeling wasn't possible. Instead, she bowed as lowly as she could as a sign of respect as he placed the Medallion around her neck.

With that gesture as the salute that followed, Sarada was officially the Queen of the Saiyan Empire. The applause and cheers from those below were somehow louder than the ones before. I can't believe this is happening! I'm gonna cry! She took in a breath to calm herself, then stepped to the podium to address her subjects.

“Loyal subjects of the Saiyan Empire, this is indeed a joyous and monumental occasion. It has been hundreds of years since our people have last been united under one ruler. In that time, we have grown accustomed to our own way of doing things. Vocado with its military might; Ruco with its warm, appealing hospitality; Langal and Callion with their strong racial pride, then Langal with its thirst for reform; Turrip with its scientific innovations; and Pepa with its peace and serenity. In that time, the only thing that linked our worlds together were our common racial traits and the pride we Saiyans exhibit even in the worst of times.

“Months ago, it was decided that there needed to be a change. It was decided that our people needed to be united under one banner. So, the Tournament of Destiny was created to not only allow the former rulers to fight it out, but also anyone Saiyan who felt that he or she was strong enough to compete with them.

“I will admit that at first, I did not want to participate. I felt that I was too young, too inexperienced, too... unwilling to take on that kind of responsibility. In many ways, I still feel that way. However, when I found out my sister was joining, I felt that I had no choice but to join as well. Not out of jealousy, but out of extreme concern for the welfare of our race's future. By now, I'm sure everyone has heard of the vile assurances Parsley made during her match with Gangal. By now, everyone knows what she possibly intended to do about half-breed Saiyans and the interspecies pairings that spawned them. Given the loud, concise response offered by you, you have shown that you no longer agree with her way of thinking. That is why I joined; her winning the crown and near absolute authority over the Saiyan race would have not only resulted in us taking several steps back to the ways of Otatop IV, but also would have spelled our doom as a species. That is why I trained so hard, fought so hard to win this tournament, to not only prevent her from winning, but to also deter her from attempting to challenge me for the throne at a later date.

“I won. It still feels like a dream, like I'm going to wake up any moment in my... ahem, in my lover's arms in my apartment and the entire past few weeks will not have happened. That hasn't happened yet, and in many ways, I'm excited about my... our future. No other race is as determined, as stubborn, and as persistent as we are. If we put our minds to something, we don't stop until it's been accomplished. If there is a new plateau to be reached, a new power to be obtained, a new rival to be overcome, we make whatever strides necessary to achieve it. This, I feel, will be no different.

“I won't lie and say that it will be smooth sailing. In all honesty, the first few years are going to be rocky as we all shed our previous roles and habits and grow used to the new way of living. We'll make mistakes, have missteps, and feel like the old life was easier. We'll feel like giving up. Don't. There is a bright future full of countless possibilities and boundless potential wait for us if we persevere through the hardships.

“Jagam is still out there, lurking in the shadows like a monster waiting to strike. I will personally be traveling to face him in combat, and I will not yield until he has been killed. When I return here, it will be with his head on a stake!!” This garnered a raucous applause from the audience and those on the balcony with her. “I will protect my people until my dying breath, that I promise. I swear I will do everything in my power to make this empire the greatest in creation's history. They will sing our praises for eons to come, and all will come to now the might of the Saiyan race as we return to our former glory. This is only the first step in many.

“Until that day comes, let's stay the course and become stronger fighters and people together! Long live the Saiyan Empire!”

She saluted the crowd, who saluted back, then she stepped back inside as the Saiyan anthem played in the background.

[Sub-Zero MKA]

When she was back behind the curtain, she let out a mighty sigh and promptly threw up in the nearest trashcan.

“Gross,” Pinach squeaked.

“Ugh. Shut up, runt.” She happily took the mouthwash she was handed by a servant and washed the bile out of her mouth. “Well, that went better than I thought it would.”

“I'll say,” Maiz agreed. “Especially since you deviated from what you prepared about one sentence in.” She smirked and squeezed her shoulder. “But, it was very nice.”

“Thanks.” She sighed and started for her bedroom. “I need to get the fuc—um, I need to get out of these ridiculous shoes. How can women walk around all day in these things?!”

All hail Queen Sarada.

[KingofPie]

P-Sta sighed, walking hunched over looking almost defeated. "That saloon, this entire town seems insane! I've seen no less than fifteen different things that not only ignored the laws of physics, but ignored them entirely! And what's more concerning than even that is the fact that I've seen hide nor hair of Violi since I first got here! Maybe he's moved on to the next town? I hope he hasn't left the planet!"

As P-Sta was wondering about his current plight, he felt saw a small human child sporting a tiger skin loincloth and a club approach him, scratching his head. "Hello there, child....I don't suppose you can help me!"

"Unga bunga! I'm Fossel!" the boy answered cheerfully. "You mentioned Violi...are you P-Sta?"

"I am yes," P-Sta sighed, quite sure the entire town has heard of him by this point, especially given how much he had been scouring it for the space criminal.

"Okay! Violi says you're the bad guy and I gotta beat you up!" the kid spoke, raising his club and leaping into the air.

"What?! Violi!" P-Sta exclaimed as the child went on to attack him. "Wait, kid, I believe you've got the wrong ide-" P-Sta stopped once he noticed the kid was about to swing. Instinctively, the galactic officer activated his Katchin mode. He doubted he really needed it much as this was the most powerful metal in space versus a simple club.

The club slammed down upon P-Sta's head, shattering the Katchin covering him from the base of his skull to the the rest of his torso into tiny pieces that fell onto the ground as a huge lump appeared on Sasheem's head. "WHAT THE HECK!" Sasheem exclaimed his eyes bulging out of their sockets, rolling on the ground in pain as Fossel glanced at him curiously.

"What kind of weapon is that?! Is it some sort of advanced technology?" P-Sta asked.

"What's technology?" Fossel asked.

"Is...it carved from some sort of powerful magic source?" P-Sta questioned.

"Nope! I carved it from an oak tree, my dad taught me how!" Fossel smiled proudly.

"Then how could you have possibly shattered my Katchin mode...?" P-Sta sighed, picking the pieces of the Katchin that had fallen onto the ground and gathering them into hands and beginning to put them back into place, one by one as if they were pieces to a puzzle.


"Unga bunga! I'm really strong! My mom and dad are even stronger!" Fossel stated excitedly before glancing at the officer, who had finally seemed to repair his broken Katchin defense. "Aren't you gonna fight me back?" he asked.

"Well, no. I don't care how strong you are, you're just a kid after all..." P-Sta sighed, hoping that now that the kid seemed to have calmed down, maybe he can inform him a bit about Violi.

"Y'know, you don't seem that bad mister..." Fossel said after a moment. "Just a bit of a goofball!"

"......GOOFBALL?!" P-Sta exclaimed, indignantly. "I wouldn't exactly call myself a goofball. More like a...defender of the innocent or...Intergalactic peace keeper. Sure I have my comedic pratfalls here and there, but I have my moments. C'mon kid, don't you read Dragon Ball M?"

"Can't! Don't really know how to use a computer yet!" Fossel answered.

"Wait, wait..." P-Sta scratched his chin. "You don't know what technology is, but you have a computer. You don't know how to use a computer, but you know you can read Dragon Ball M on one. Something doesn't add up..."

"Well, I'm not good at math either," Fossel answered, causing P-Sta to fall onto the ground.

"Anyway, never mind that! I believe you've been deceived! I'm no villain and Violi is no saint! He's an intergalactic space criminal and I've been tasked to stop him before he hurts anyone else!"

Fossel blinked for a moment before laughing, "Oh, I get it! He was only tryin' to trick me into thinking he was the good guy!"

P-Sta nodded. "That's right!"

"It is right copper! a sinister voice called fro ma loudspeaker. It was that of Violi. He was hovering above P-Sta and Fossel in a giant blue mech the size of a house. "But unfortunately it's too late for wither of you to do anything about it now!" He guffawed as the mech's arms stretched out, grabbing P-Sta with one claw and Fossel with in the other claw. "This is the end for you two! Before the Galaxy Police put my top scientist behind bars, he made me this mech, the ultimate weapon! Plenty of bots absorb energy! But this one is special...not only does it drain your energy, but it copies your abilities too! And transfers them to....guess who!"

The cockpit of the robot pulled back to reveal a series of tubes connecting from the inner workings of the mech to several cybernetic outlets in the back of Violi's head. "Say hello to the afterlife for me!" Violi screamed as his machine activated, beginning to drain the energy, abilities, and subsequently the life of his two captives with his deadly machine.

"Huh?" Fossel suddenly exclaimed in the midst of this attack. "H wait! Mr. KingofPie!"

...Hmm? What?


"P-Sta's life can't be threatened yet! This is only a flashback remember?" Fossel pointed out...to me.


I hadn't forgotten! I was jsut distracted by all the crazy stuff happening in everyone else's flashbacks. WE've got Sarada becoming Queen of all Saiyans...We've got the revelation that there weren't simply five schools, but ten, and there's-

"Hey! Hey!" P-Sta shouted, irritably! "You're clearly running out of ideas for this flashback here, so I think we'd all appreciate a little deus ex machina here!"

Right, right...Hey, Fossel, I think your mom's nearby!

"Oh, right! She's should be back by now!" Fossel realized with a wide grin. "MAAAAMAAAAAAA!" he yelled loudly enough to shake the entire town.

A purple ponytailed woman wearing a red leather jacket, black pants and sunglasses soon approached the scene, staring at the robot with an emotionless expression.

"Uh...that your mom kid?" P-Sta asked, feeling weaker by the second.

"Yup!" Fossel exclaimed, not seeming any less cheerful than before.

"She doesn't look very concerned...is she really that strong?" P-Sta questioned.

"She always looks like that!" Fossel chuckled. "And don't worry, she's really strong! She's a robot!"

"What," P-Sta stated flatly as the woman below suddenly emitted a duo of laser beams from her eyes, eviscerating his energy and ability absorbing robot in two. P-Sta and Fossel, dropped to the ground, their energies restored, as did Violi who appeared to be extremely upset and more than a little bewildered.

"What...just what the hell is this town?!" He exclaimed.

"I've been asking the same question myself for the past several pages..." P-Sta noted.

Fossel, on the other hand, was more distracted with greeting his mother with a hug,who responded to him with a near emotionless pat on the back. Fossel than turned around and pointed. "Ah! Papa's hear too! Hey dad!" he greeted another human approaching the scene carrying bushels of groceries, who appeared to also only sport a tiger loin cloth and wield a club, only his was made of stone. "That bad guy tried to hurt me and my new buddy, P-Sta!"

"Unga bunga! Wunga bunga!" Fossel's father roared in anger, letting the bushels of produce fall to the ground as he drew out his club. And swung at Violi, who didn't even have time to react before the stone weapon connected and immediately launched him into the sun.

"Well! Looks like that takes care of that!" Fossel noted.

".....I-I suppose it does, doesn't it," P-Sta frowned, finally resigning to the fact that some things, especially things in this town will never make any dang sense. Soon, he quickly filed a report, waved goodbye to his new friends, and left hoping to never have to visit a joke laden town again.

Meanwhile, on the Sun...

"Y'know, it may be really hot out here...but it's a great place to roast some marshmellows!" the criminal noted, taking a few out of his pack and making the best of his imprisonment on the universe's hottest campfire.

[MrSandman]

A fog of gently glowing smoke washed down the hallway. Everywhere it touched, it left behind a gentle carpet of dark soil. Plants and herbs sprang forth, flourishing in the splendor of divine favor. Some grew tall and beautiful, blooming flowers of scents both bold and subtle. Others failed to take root, dying by the wayside to provide nutrients for their fellows. But whether it succeeded or not, life strived. Asha'rah stepped along a path of soft grass that grew before each footfall, her feet bare but shimmering white robes billowing softly from a gentle breeze that had heretofore been absent. Her hair seemed like a cloud of its own, shifting and changing of its own accord around a slight face, framing steady violet eyes that looked ready to capture one's soul.

She cast her gaze upon Etrina. Clever mage, abused child just starting to stretch her own muscles, essential ally in the battles to come, and master of Erosa. Her attention briefly shifted to the Id, wisp of smoke reaching out to caress her chin affectionately, before Asha'rah focused her attention on the woman of the hour.

"Thank you for the invitation Etrina. If you seek my endorsement, you have it. But these are dire times, not just for one world or one system, but for all creation. If you really need the information within this library, I will help you obtain it with or without the approval of the librarians."

"Hopefully it won't come to that...I don't wish my first request to the counsel end with a fight. Besides, the situation is grave...I'm sure we..can...." Etrina tilted her head, letting her gaze shift to the side and take in the hallway behind Asha'rah. After a moment of staring, she shook her head slowly in disbelief. ".........Your ability to track dirt all over my floor is truly on the scale of the divine. I...don't think even Erosa can compete with this.....and I don't even have time to clean. Blast it, this will be bothering me all day now."

The mage let out a loud sigh, but nonetheless she motioned to the others. "Well, no use sitting around anymore. I'm pretty sure this is as varied a group as any for tackle our goal....and preparations should be complete in any event." Etrina shuffled over to the corner of the room, where she did a quick examination of the wall. The mage muttered something about needed to purchase another bucket of paint on her next trip out, then pulled a piece of green chalk from her robe and tracing a door shaped outline on her wall. "Bloody counsel mages...I swear....Can't just put in the means for a teleportation spell, have to make due with the most archaic forms of spacial travel....next to walking I mean."

Pulling an envelope from her robe, she extracted a document and placed it at the center of the drawn doorframe before giving it a push. The wall seemed to slide backwards, disintegrating into nothing and leaving a hole that led....somewhere.

-----------

Etrina ushered the gathered group through the minor gateway, which had temporarily connected her home to somewhere they could only imagine was more then a fair distance away from their original position. The destination was a large, well lit chamber that seemed to double as something of a reception area. Several men and women, mages from the look of them, conversed quietly but fired curious side glances towards the group as each arrived. They made no obvious attempts to gawk, though they seemed interested enough with the less human members.

A rather stoic mage sitting near the doorway motioned the group towards him, he held a quill in his hand and has scratching something on a large tome. "Etrina Stoltengarde and Company, I presume?" The man glanced each other, then returned to scratching something in his tome. "Yes, the counsel has been expecting you. The chamber is still being prepared however....if you would kindly wait a few more minutes they will be ready to take you."

"....Of course." Etrina smiled, but it faded quickly back to her neutral frown once she turned away. "My apologies....it seems we need to wait a bit longer....hopefully the stares of a few mages won't be too uncomfort..."

"Etrina Stoltengarde!" A loud voice boomed, and immediately Etrina cringed as if she had heard nails on a chalkboard. The voice had originated from a blue haired young man who was peeking at them from the chamber door. The figure pushed his way into the room, stomped past the now slightly annoyed receptionist and arrived in time for Etrina to wipe the aggravation from her face and attempt a smile. "Ahh, Tomas, what....to what do I owe for such a timely appearance."

"Heard you were putting in an access request for the archive. Came to watch it crash and burn.....no personal offense of course." Tomas raised his hands in a disarming motion. "You know how it is....might as well be the most entertaining thing that happens around here. That being said I wish you the very best of luck."

"As do I....and I actually mean it." A purple haired girl joined the two, a much more positive aura surrounding her the the blue haired man. "Ugh...Could you hold the obnoxiousness for once in your life Tomas. I think Etrina has more then earned it considered she saved your life."

"What? Feh...Fine Fine! I didn't mean it like that at all." Tomas retorted with a sigh. Nonetheless the new girl stepped in front of him and greeted Etrina with a smile. "Charmed as usual. So.....are these the ones you plan on bringing? I think an introduction is in order?"

"Ahhh yes...right." Etrina turned back to the group. "Tomas Hubbard, Helena Blavatsky. Two mages I've had personal dealings with in the past. One of them is an incredibly talented mage....the other....."

Etrina quietly turns to stare at Tomas, who eyes her look before shrugging. "Now Now.......Helena is standing right there. No need to be snide..."

[Cleric of Hell’s Brigade]

"Chemical? Nah, not to my knowledge. Now, biological; if mah memories serves me right, the Tuffles came up with that damned SaiyAIDs virus that's been infestin' the Meat Market for the last several years," Pea answered. "Our big brains on Turrip are close to findin' a cure, but damned if it ain't gotten a whole lotta us down and out. Not dead, but losin' our power and such." He considered Hilda curiously. "Say, where'd you say you were from again?"

“I didn’t.”

The near invisible lance of ki from her fingers took him in ear, straight to the brain. The ki spread and infected the brain, spreading a contagious sickness inside him.

She withdraws the ki and lets him slump down as she slowly walks away, Pea’s body alive but his brain alight with fever and a sickness the Saiyans has never run across before. He would survive and regain consciousness with a few weeks. It would spread quickly, this sickness, and the Saiyans would soon know what it was like to be weak and vulnerable.

It would eat away their ki and health, making them an easy target for....certain parties.

[Cleric of Hell’s Brigade]

Mara answers Ochazuke with a sad time in her voice.

“Once we were ten schools under Master Zxu’ro. But when the master left, to seek higher purpose, he left the ten Grand Master’s in charge. A few years passed and all was well until the Grand Master’s of Snake and Tiger passed on, their successors less willing to follow the old ways and angered at being lesser in the eyes of the other Grand Masters. They plotted, and in a moment of savage deceit, slew the Grand Master’s of Turtle, Crane, and Dragon, setting others of a like mind up as their new masters. With five then, they waged war against the rest of us. We were not prepared for this and were on the defensive. When the dust settled, they were triumphant and we were not.”

[Sub-Zero MKA]

The last few weeks had been pitiful for Durian. First, he lost his position in the army to someone twenty years younger than him. Then, he lost his money to a Nevadian he encountered on some faraway hovel of a planet. Next, he was utterly and completely humiliated by that horned blue bitch at the buffet. As if all of that wasn't enough, he wasn't selected to participate in the Tournament of Destiny. He had a power level of 5,000, damn it! That should have been more than enough.

The tournament was his ticket to redemption. If he could become King, then he could do away with all the nonsense Mato had been pushing through over the years. It was clear as day that things like tolerating mutts and meat-mixers was turning the younger generation into a bunch of wimps and weaklings.

Instead, the crown went to some kid. Not just any kid, but that meat that ran away when she was supposed to go to the Meat Market. Bah! Once meat, always meat; that was Durian's saying. There was no way in hell he was taking orders from her, especially with the rumors spreading that that blue bitch was the 'lover' she talked about in her coronation speech.

He felt bile rise in his throat at the very thought of it.

Pah! What a load of ****. He left as soon as it was possible. He'd just find a nice-looking Saiyan woman and start a new life elsewhere. He had been heading to Callion – since they weren't brainwashed like the other Saiyans were – to do exactly that when he decided to get something to eat at a buffet on some backwater world.

The food was ****, but the other patrons were delicious. A little seasoning and he was right as rain.

As he ate, he reached into his armor and pulled out the broken necklace he took off the Nevadian after beating the hell out the **** for taking his money.

It was broken, so he was of the first mind that it was worthless. However, after listening to the unicorn-jockey beg him not to take it, why, he had no choice but to swipe it. If he was willing to grovel like a bitch, clearly it must have been worth more than he thought!

The words looked like one of those ancient gibberish languages, so he didn't even waste his time trying to decipher what it said. That was a job for whoever paid him to most money for it. He set it down and continued eating.

Meanwhile, a lone woman stepped inside the buffet. Her skin was gray, which melded nicely with the black leather outfit she wore, complete with a mask that covered the upper part of her face. Her red eyes glowed ominously in the shadows. She stood at the entrance and looked from wall to wall, carefully scanning those that were left alive.

Only Durian was left, but that wasn't her concern. Her attention was focused on the broken amulet by his plate. Could it be? ...Yes, it is. 'My Lord, I have found what you are seeking.'

Her message relayed, she approached Durian. “You there, ape. Give me that broken amulet.” If she was concerned with how he might react to her rude request, she didn't bother showing it.

“The hell?” Durian whirled around, only to balk at the woman's appearance. “What the...? **** off. I pilfered it fair and square.” He slipped the amulet back into his armor.

“I believe you have mistaken that for a request.” She grabbed his shoulder and tossed him to the other side of the buffet with ease. “You will give me that amulet one way or the other.” She advanced on him quickly, ignoring completely the two energy blasts he fired to gain some distance between them and booted him through the wall and into the parking lot.

Durian crashed through two hover-cars and a large trailer and rolled to a stop. “Ugh,” he groaned. “What's with these colored bitches?” He wobbly rose to his feet and prepared to fight, only to find her standing directly in front of him. He through a quick punch, only for his fist to be grabbed and crushed into powder. “AAAAAAGGHH!”

“Animal,” the woman spoke derisively. “Do yourself a modicum of favor and hand me the amulet.”

“No. Never!” He fired another blast with his good hand at the ground to kick up dust so he could escape to his pod. Whether or not it worked didn't matter, as long as he escaped. He was halfway there when a gunshot rang out. The next instant, a sharp, burning pain ripped through his leg. Then, there was nothing. Before he could scream, he fell to the ground. “Wha..what the ****?!” He reached for his injured leg, only to realize that it was gone. Completely gone, only a jagged edge where it used to be.

The woman started to advance on him slowly, a deliberate saunter to draw out his demise far longer than it should have lasted.

Durian tried to crawl away, only for another gunshot to hit him in the hand. It was then that he realized what happened to his leg. The moment the bullet struck, the bullet hole turned to dust, which then spread through his hand and halfway up his forearm. Other than the initial pain of being shot, there was no lingering pain.

The woman was nearly on him when she looked forward and stopped suddenly.

His eyes widened when he saw why.

A... man was standing in front of him.

(minus the wings)

Battle Tendency OST -- Ancientry

The man stood between Durian and his pod, looking down at him curiously, as if trying to determine what he was. His head inclined back slightly when realization dawned on him.

“My Lord, this is the creature in possession of the amulet,” the woman spoke.

The man nodded, but said nothing. Seconds passed with nothing but empty silence.

“Understood,” she stated, seemingly out of the blue. She took a step back and holstered her gun.

The mysterious man approached Durian and reached down to pluck him off the ground like a small child. With ease, he ripped his Super Elite Armor off, which should have been strong enough to survive a blast that could level a mountain. The amulet started to fall to the ground, only to suddenly stop in midair and floated into the man's free hand. He slipped it into the folds of his pants, then looked at Durian with those bloodchilling golden eyes.

Then, Durian heard a voice in his head. 'I sense the faint residual energies of one I once knew years ago. Tell me, child; have you encountered an Oni before now?'

No. This wasn't happening. No! He was going crazy. Yes, that was it. Durian was just going crazy. He was hearing a voice in his head, that meant he was losing his mind. He must have been drugged. Damned bug-**** people on this planet must have drugged him. That was the only way any of this was happening.

'Answer me, boy.'

“I... don't... know what an Oni is,” he replied to... the voice in his head.

'Blue skin. Black and white hair. Horns. Golden eyes.'

That sounded like the blue bitch who embarrassed him at the buffet a few weeks ago. But, what did this creep want with her?

On second thought, why did Durian care? As long as it got this ******* off his back and onto hers, he couldn't have cared less. Besides, whatever he did to her was what she deserved for humiliating him in front of all his friends. “Yeah. I saw her on the Planet Vocado a few weeks ago. She should still be there.”

The man nodded, then dropped Durian to the ground. He started to walk away, with the woman trailing close behind.

“Hey! Aren't you going to say thanks?!”

The man stopped, turned slightly, and peered at the Saiyan. His eyes narrowed slightly. ”The End.”

The moment the words were spoken, everything ended. Durian felt his ki plummet to nothingness. His mind stopped working. His life flashed before his eyes at breakneck speed before his mind shattered like a pane of glass. His soul was next to shatter, broken like a priceless antique figurine in the shape of Durian. The remnants of his soul leaked out of his lifeless body in the form of a red gas, then flowed over to and into the man.

He breathed it in and relished in the small boost he received. Moments later, he nodded to the woman, who nodded back and followed him into the air. At speeds far exceeding even the fastest ship, they rocketed off the planet and into outer space. Before he left, however, the man stopped and fired a small energy ball about the size of a pea.

It floated down to the planet's surface at a relatively lacidasical pace before landing on the ground. The next moment, the entire planet exploded. The energy packed into the small blast was so great and so powerful that it actually spread beyond the planet targeted and destroyed the nearest planet revolving near it.

For some reason, the man sighed sadly. 'Curse that wretched sorceress. My power... A blast of that magnitude would have easy destroyed this entire solar system. Instead, I only destroyed two planets. Soon. Soon I will have my full power back to me once I reassemble this amulet. Then, creation itself will howl in despair, for Nergal will have returned.'

Nergal, the Oni who once escaped Otherworld with power untold had been unsealed from the book Gelia locked him away in for ten thousand years. Now free, he sought to pick up where he left off, but first needed to regain his power.

As for the blue Oni, his cousin Ishtar, he longed to see her again. He longed to see how these last ten millennia had treated her, to see if she too managed to ascend beyond their station, as he figured she would. 'I will see you soon, cousin.'

[Cthulhu_of_R'lyeh]

As Ishtar made her way up a familiar pathway that snaked lazily through the pinewood, she couldn't help but be reminded of a day nearly nine months prior.

It had taken the woman several weeks of travel on foot, over the mountains and through the expansive wood that served both to isolate and protect; but as she stepped out of the trees, she had finally reached it ...

And much like before, the Oni found herself wandering- retracing her steps, even- with a particular aim in mind; to find something. After all, she had first found it in herself to walk this path, all those months before in pursuit of something that could be found in only three places on this planet ... a mineral buried deep with the mountains she had in reality, never found. Instead, when she had arrived the town had been deserted, those two thousand souls who lived there under the spell of a Vitalmancer who would be come to be known as Grav. Also, too, she had found a grouping of curious individuals willing to stand with her to right the wrongs committed; and together they had. That they had debated at length over what to do with the source- the Vitalmancer- of the wrongdoing however, caused the golden-eyed Oni to chuckle.

That back and forth had all but set the precedent for the days, and weeks, to come. And what a journey that had been ...

Though as Ishtar continued on her way, the destination growing ever nearer; she could not help but be thankful in her reminiscing at what she had found.

The mineral perhaps had answers she needed yet, true, those of the kind that could only answer the Riddle of Stone, the Puzzle of Steel, and the Secrets of Forgotten Histories; and yet after departing with her new 'companions', what she had found was another path.

A path offered only as the result of Evangeline ... Kami, and her deft- and subtle- manipulation of Fate, and the foreknowledge offered by her station. A path that had slowly, but surely given Ishtar a reason to care for things she had long since found herself weary of. A path in which the Oni had decided- and found a reason- to trade away her flesh, and bone, and her very life for the souls others, ephemeral as they are. A path that had seen to the stripping of barriers, and the very footing she had spent long centuries, and thousands of years establishing for herself. And ultimately, a path that allowed her to accept, and move on both from the Death of her first lover ... and from the fear- for in the end that was what it was, truly- of accepting her 'destiny', as the arbiter of a balance long since destabilized. So now here she stood, the better for it, full of emotions she had all but forgotten, and a strength she never would have found in traveling alone.

To say nothing of the love she had found, in so unlikely a place:

Sarada.

A headstrong Saiyan, who reminded Ishtar so strongly of her first love, and was yet so different both from Sekhmet, and that of her own kind; that there was no where- or anyone- else, the golden-eyed Oni saw herself than at her side. A thing that would persist for however long Sarada allowed to be there, and something that on its own, made this new path worth it. Made the tampering with of her 'Fate'- a thing once despised- so agreeable; and had allowed Ishtar to realize new truths predicated on the old foundation that had been lain for her by her Mentor turned Father, Zurvan ... which itself was another thing- the relationship between a Father and his surrogate child- that had been rediscovered, along with everything else that had once been suppressed, or forgotten.

And the more Ishtar considered what she had learned, and had been changed, and rediscovered; she couldn't help but chuckle once more. She had seen more growth in nine months, than she had in over two thousand years. A thing that was comical, in retrospect.

With the sun streaming through the canopy signaling that the early dawn had become a late morning however, the Oni stifled her silent musings and reminisces in favor of picking up the pace. As much as it was nice to simply slow down and wander- as she once had, from world to world- she had in fact picked this particular route with an aim in mind. To return once more to a place where she had been welcomed as a friend, and respected by two of Earth's greatest; so that she might finally accomplish the task she had set out nearly nine months ago to do. And a short time later she finally found herself returned to that small mining town nestled at the base of the Silvergloam Mountains:

BGM - Pascal - NieR: Automata OST

Dusk City



-----

In the end, once Ishtar found herself returned to Dusk City, she did not tarry long.

Enough to visit those young children awash with curiosity who had found themselves drawn to her horns, and stop by that Legendary Couple with whom she'd warred the better part of a day against over the 'borrowing' of one of Mrs. Duck's ... ducks. With those affairs finished, the Oni paid a brief visit to the Mayor of Dusk City, Lucian Umbra.

-----

A queer man with a proclivity for tall hats, Lucian was certainly pleased to see Ishtar when she rapped on the door to his office, that early afternoon.

Primarily because he had been thinking about the matter of the spacecraft the Oni had left behind. It had been some months after all since it had been left after all, and he- along with many of the other residents- had been more than curious to know if she'd ever be back for it. Yet there she was, no different than the day she'd left it. Though it seemed that her reasons for returning did not have much to do with the return of her craft.

"... You want to do what, now ?" The young Mayor asked, once Ishtar had stated her intentions.

"Explore the mine, if such is allowable." Repeated the blue-skinned woman, seated in the chair on the other side of his desk. "I wish to finish a thing I had come here seeking all those months ago. To find a mineral that cannot be found anywhere but three places."

Hearing it again, Lucian found himself nodding slowly.

It was a strange request to be sure. When people usually stopped by the secluded town it was either to experience the home cooking at Mab's Tavern (touted as the best on the continent); or partake in the yearly Glimmerdark Faire- a smallish event that celebrated the town's quaint heritage and the importance of the minerals pulled from the Silvergloam Mine ... not to visit the place itself let alone explore it. He was also taken somewhat aback by the fact that she had come to simply ask permission. It wasn't as if they could have stopped her if she wanted to visit the place, especially after what she'd done with Mr. and Mrs. Duck; so for her to actually come and ask ? Well ...

Lucian Umbra offered Ishtar, a small smile.

"I don't see why not."

-----

A short time later, Ishtar found herself in the bowels of the Silvergloam Mine.

The shaft she walked down now, was the exact same she'd followed alongside Asha'rah, Charco Etrina, Erosa, and a young man, Ajna- who had opted to walk away when the option had been on the table, which was undoubtedly his right- all those months before ... and yet now there was no sense of urgency, or haunting tune to guide the way. Simply a lone Oni in an abandoned mine shaft, searching for something that may not be there.

As she descended down the shaft however, down past the chamber where Dusk City's 2,000 had first been found, Ishtar opened herself up to the mountain, the Pṛthivīpatnī allowing her presence to flow into the stone beneath, above, and all around her. What she felt there too, was beautiful. Beneath the Granite and Pegmatite that encased her as she continued her descent, there could be felt whispers of rare metals, minerals, and gems, in which whom's splendor civilizations had warred over since they had first been found. Though it was not these things- lovely though they were- that Ishtar was searching for. Not the rivers of Gold, and Silver, or rivers of Copper, and Iron. Not the trickling streams of Titanium, and Tungsten, or the whispering creeks of Molybdenum and Tin. Not even the gemstones: Garnet, and Tourmaline, and Aquamarine, and Emeralds ... though those pointed her in the right direction. So eventually, as she continued to wander, her Ki filtering into the mountain, the golden-eyed Oni found her way down to its foundation; and at the base of that ore-rich mountain, Ishtar found the rare mineral that served to support Dusk City ... and something else, besides.

A thing that answered the Riddle of Stone, the Puzzle of Steel ... and even the Secrets of Forgotten Histories ... and one more question besides.

(continued below)

[Cthulhu_of_R'lyeh]

When Ishtar returned to Dusk City, coated in fine layer of dirt and sweat, the sun was beginning to set behind the mountains. And in that almost magical twilight, as the Oni slowly made her way back to Town Hall, the Oni carried with her a small container of Gold-Woven Iron; and what transpired when she found her way back to the Town Hall was a mirroring of what she'd done that same morning. A brief visit with the Mayor, Lucian Umbra.

In the end, the conversation was brief.

Nothing more than a quick exchange over Ishtar's discovery and what she wished to do in light of it, which itself was far and away more complicated than her previous request to visit the mine ... and yet again, Mr. Umbra couldn't find a reason why such a request would be a thing to deny ... and when the conversation was finished, everything changed. Not that day no, in the end Ishtar simply parted with the small and ornate container she had fashioned from the mountain's offerings. Yet over the course of the next few days, the golden-eyed Oni used the gap between her sparring with Sarada, and her sparring with Parsley not to meditate and refine, but finalize the deal she had asked Mr. Umbra to begin for her ... so when it was finished ?

By the time Ishtar found herself set to depart with her love, Sarada, to return to Vocado and see the world that had given rise to the love of her life, the Oni found herself the owner of Dusk City, the Silvergloam Mine ... and all that could be found within it.

But what had been in that container ? What was it she had given to Mr. Umbra that saw to securing this newfound wealth ? And just was it she had found at the base of that mountain, that had seen to her becoming one of the richest individuals on the surface of planet Earth ?

A story for another time, perhaps.

[bruceleegreyhulk]

Praxat replies to this saying " actually I'm kind of hungry ." "yeah I could used some relaxation and some food preferably insects, but vegetables are okay to." "My race only eats plants & insects , but mostly insects ." " we don't eat meat."

Praxat looks at Kai saying " so are there any insects up here , because that's basically the main diet of my race." " especially the Guraizaio on my home planet." " it kind of looks like what earthlings would called a Cockroach expect it's about eight times bigger." " if you don't have any insects than a lettuce Salad would be nice."

[Yun Lao]

“If you have any needs, please ask it if us. We also have an excellent mechanic if you have anything that requires fixing or upgrading.”

Several moments passed without a response, yet that would change as steam was suddenly purged from the robotic stranger's body.

"Environmental synchronization complete. Beginning exit routine of [VOD].exe"

Rising to his feet, several panels across his mid-section began to shift, pushing out more clouds of heat vapor as he underwent his changes. Like the cockpit of an aircraft, the panels opened outward, revealing what appeared to be a cocoon of liquid metal, similar to what comprised Adam. The cocoon opened, revealing a small figure, no larger than a child.

Stepping out, the liquid metal was drawn into the new form and bit by bit, sections of the outer form the visitor had previously taken shifted into the same liquid and was subsequently absorbed. Finally, the figure took a definite shape, resembling a human boy roughly nine or ten years old, although his teal skin and orange hair placed him as anything but human. A few moments, however, and his pigment changed to colors more appropriate for Earth.


"If you're talking about Jinzi, I've already had some assistance from him... although he's probably not going to be too pleased once he gets the bill."

[Miburo]

It had been a week since the Nevadian departed earth, saying farewell to Jinzi and the scant few he could find before his departure. He had paid his respects to Eva and Jack, and--out of respect, more than any true obligation on his part--agreed to return in six months time to help the others in their quest to resurrect the fallen. Still, although he departed on such a somber note, a tinge of excitement, of anticipation, burned within him.

His compatriot, Crazy Horn felt the same way. Held had actually left several days earlier than he had planned, the majestic beasts impatience knowing no bounds.

The same day that Jinzi had unveiled Helds new ship, the Glorious Galloping--Jinzi had some other name in mind, which Held swiftly dismissed--Held was out amongst the stars, his ship flying through the universe at a breakneck pace.

It was boring. Uneventful. Almost a pleasure cruise. Held had entertained himself with all manner of reading, and various videos--some related to the arts of combat, several others as nothing more than pure entertainment. On a rare occasion, the ship's autopilot found itself in a situation requiring the assistance of a true ace, but those scenarios were few and far between, and Held quickly did away with the situation.

The ship, as fast and as sleek as it was, still was roomy enough to even allow him to get some form of training in, less the voyage into deep space drive him stir crazy. Sleep had its place, as did sustenance, but even that had began to become boring after the first day.

This was the life of the Nevadian, day in, and day out. It was here that Held was reminded that travel through deep space was just as much of a test of endurance, as it was a simple travel from X location to Y location.

Eventually, he passed the time with meditation, sitting crossed legged in the back of the ship, his muscles straining under the increased gravity as he cleared his body and mind.

For a moment. On this particular day, something seemed.....different.

It took time for his mind to return from the void, slowly becoming aware of a slow, deep beeping throughout the ship.

"Eh?" Slowly, the Nevadian opened his eyes, the silver interior of the ship painted a pale yellow by the proximity alarms. "What now?"

Wiping the sweat from his face, the Nevadian jumped up from his cross-legged position with a grunt, before pressing a small red button near his side. He relaxed visibly as the heavy gravity subsided from the room.

A yellow, huh? I guess it's close enough to be worth my time, but not enough to piss my pants, then.

Walking from the rear of the ship, he pondered what could have been interfering with his voyage at this stage. There were a few planets, to be sure, but nothing that should have actively slowed his journey, at the point in space there were at now. He had specifically taken a slightly slower, safer route, simply to avoid getting caught in a meteor storm, or any unforeseen space traffic, or whatever else might have surprised him.

Entering the cockpit, the Nevadian glanced at through the window, and his heart skipped a beat.

Several kilometers away, the the familiar crimson and azure lights of the Galaxy Police blared in unison, each of the five ships blockading the Galloping path ahead of the Nevadian.

What the hell? The Galaxy Police? Did I stumble onto a scene or something? I don't see any other ships.....

Plopping into the pilots seat, the Nevadian examined a terminal to his right, magnifying the scene in front of him. Save for the ships, there was nothing interesting about this sector of space.

Is this a routine traffic stop? I don't think they would need five of those just for something like that....

Held sat, his chin resting upon his hand as he pondered the state of events for several moments, deciding that clearly he would have to do something. Once he had some clue as to what that something was.

The Galaxy Police made that question easy enough for him to answer, as a light ringing, along with a glowing yellow light caught his attention. It seemed that he was being hailed.

"...Okay then."

Clearing his throat, the Nevadian flipped a switch, allowing him to receive and transmit to others.

"This is Held Debron of Nevada, pilot of the Great Galloping. Is there anything that I can help you officers with?"

An uncomfortable silence loomed. It caused the Nevadians instincts to flare up, and he felt a deep unease in the pit of his stomach.

"Acknowledged, Galloping." A cold mechanical voice replied, "Please kill your engines and prepare for questioning."

Held blinked slightly, struggling to comprehend the situation.

"....Pardon me, officers." Held replied, attempting to keep his composure, "Did I miss something? Questioning? That would imply that I know something about whatever brings you to this place."

What the hell is going on here?

"....Affirmative." The voice continued, "Debron, Held. Wanted for questioning in regards to the destruction of the planet Agrippa--"

Held's blood ran cold. Agrippa?

So, I was right, it definitely got blown to hell, but what does that have to do with me?

Held was headed to the planet to deliver supplies that he technically, in the legal sense, would not have been allowed to, but that was a far cry from destroying the planet. Even if had had been inclined to, most of what was on board would have been various medical supplies and rations, and he certainly lacked the power to destroy a planet on his own.

At that point in time at least.

He blinked absently, attempting to make sense of what he was hearing. He was just as much a victim of the tragedy as much as anyone else, only managing to avoid becoming stardust because of divine intervention.

"--The result of which resulted in the loss of life of over three billion sentient lifeforms. "

Perhaps less of a victim compared to those who had actually died, but not by enough to where he should be to blame, surely.

The android continued the charges against the Nevadian, but they fell on deaf ears.

The Nevadian stared dumbfounded at the terminal, his mind reeling as he attempted to make sense of it all.

"You are not currently a suspect at this time." The voice clarified, perhaps sensing Held's dismay at the situation, "However, as records put you in the vicinity at the time, and you are one of the few survivors of the event, we would like to get your statements on the event."

The Nevadian exhaled deeply, collecting his thoughts. It wasn't like he had any better options, at this point in time, and he had always wondered exactly what transpired himself, to be sure. If nothing else, it might be an informative conversation.

"....I take it that it's still an unsolved case after all this time then, huh?" Held asked with a sigh.

"Affirmative."

"....How did you guys find me after all this time?"

"Recent reports: Officer Miras, Officer P-Sta, both made mention of a Held Debron on earth. More recent reports made mention of Planet Chroma. Further analysis determined that this Held Debron was the one in question."

"...Oh." Held said, sighing slightly. "I guess that makes sense...."

I guess we were too busy at the time for them to bother questioning me themselves, eh....Still, A heads up would have been nice.

"Also, your flight plan was received and approved approximately ten days prior."

This prompted Held to laugh, despite the situation.

"I brought this on myself then, huh?" He muttered under his breath, "That's just my luck."

"Please repeat that, Debron." The monotone voice replied, "We were unable to hear that."

".....Nothing." Held replied, sighing slightly. "Powering down. I'll need a moment to make a call, though....Nothing personal, but I don't answer questions without a lawyer present as a matter of policy."

I'm sure as hell not going to play games about this.

"Your request has been acknowledged. Please be prompt."

As prompt as I can be, considering he probably thought I was dead...