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

[Tami]

"I'm not entirely sure." Meagan looked up into the sky, "I do know that Iris had an unnaturally long life span. I also learned that she held off for a very long time in choosing an apprentice, too long. Having lived for so long, she forgot that she was still mortal. She refused to confront her own mortality and it made her careless. She had heard of other Guardians being abducted, killed. So she started preparations. Created her statue, then was going to choose an apprentice when she was lured out of the safety of her temple, captured, and killed. Her spirit was weighed down by so much guilt, and shame, and despair, that it lingered in the Temple. Yet she couldn't bring herself to tell my people that she had been killed. She was convinced that they couldn't handle it, that they would lose hope and devolve into chaos."

She then turned to look at Held, "I have no idea if she was right or wrong about that, but I do empathize with her feelings. There is something to be said about hope." Bring her knees up, then wrapping her arms around them, "As long as my people were doing well, she assumed that maybe they no longer needed a Guardian. The Nagadarr invasion changed that. That's when her spirit finally began to speak again. I assume that, once I assume the position of Guardian, her spirit will finally be free to rest."

"Hi Meagan!" Cyanna called out as she appeared from around he corner of the building, "We did what you asked. Brother Jinzi had a strange look in his eyes when he saw it, but he seemed happy." She then noticed Held, "Oh, hi!" she waved her hand awkwardly, "I'm Cyanna, Meagan's sister."

[Sub-Zero MKA]

Dash finds her way to where the food is and looks around, "Do I hav'ta pay? Or is this buffet free? Cause I don't have much money, spent most of it already."

"Dash. DASH! As if I could ever charge you! I must say, I've missed you!"

Her eyes went wide, and a faint blush was accompanied by a smile, "Zaofan, should'a known you'd be behind this feast." She walked over to him, "I missed you too. An you're looking more buff than ever, but are you any faster?" she playfully poked him in the chest.

Parsley watched Dash and Zaofan with a critical eye. Blushing was indicative of embarrassment, or more pertinent to this particular interchange, attraction. It was how she knew Avoca was more attracted to her than she wanted to let on, after all. That, plus the questioning that followed, indicated that this was the type of man that Dash wanted to mate with.

Given how ignorant Zaofan was, he likely had no idea.

She wondered if Dash approached him with an offer yet. If not, then she had better hurry. Men like this -- ones who could cook any type a dish a woman could ask for -- were among the first ones snatched up by ovulating females. Provided they were strong that was. Then again, strength was beginning to wane as a prerequisite, replaced by other qualities that would have been secondary or even tertiary.

She smiled to herself. "So, this is the kind of man you want to mate with. Buff and fast, I think you said your requirements were?" With men, one needed to be very blunt. Act coyly and they wouldn't get the message. At least with Saiyan men, anyway. Then again, they were very one-track-minded individuals.

[Tami]

Parsley watched Dash and Zaofan with a critical eye. Blushing was indicative of embarrassment, or more pertinent to this particular interchange, attraction. It was how she knew Avoca was more attracted to her than she wanted to let on, after all. That, plus the questioning that followed, indicated that this was the type of man that Dash wanted to mate with.

Given how ignorant Zaofan was, he likely had no idea.

She wondered if Dash approached him with an offer yet. If not, then she had better hurry. Men like this -- ones who could cook any type a dish a woman could ask for -- were among the first ones snatched up by ovulating females. Provided they were strong that was. Then again, strength was beginning to wane as a prerequisite, replaced by other qualities that would have been secondary or even tertiary.

She smiled to herself. "So, this is the kind of man you want to mate with. Buff and fast, I think you said your requirements were?" With men, one needed to be very blunt. Act coyly and they wouldn't get the message. At least with Saiyan men, anyway. Then again, they were very one-track-minded individuals.

Dash's back went straight and stiff at the sound of Parsley's voice. Turning to her quickly, stuttering slightly, "Don'tca talk like that. Zaofan and I are just friends, nothing more. Besides, he's ...." She calms down a little, "he's taken." Turning to Zaofan, looking embarrassed and ashamed, "Maybe we shouldn't be friends anymore." she then moved to the food and quickly grabbed a plate, then found a place to sit away from the others.

[Sub-Zero MKA]

Dash's back went straight and stiff at the sound of Parsley's voice. Turning to her quickly, stuttering slightly, "Don'tca talk like that. Zaofan and I are just friends, nothing more. Besides, he's ...." She calms down a little, "he's taken." Turning to Zaofan, looking embarrassed and ashamed, "Maybe we shouldn't be friends anymore." she then moved to the food and quickly grabbed a plate, then found a place to sit away from the others.

"I see." Parsley sighed. She didn't know what taken meant, but given the context and embarrassment, she could gather it meant he already had a mate. Lucky woman. Or man, or whichever way this man swung.

Before she could say more, Dash gathered a plate and made a quick exit elsewhere. "Hm." It was clear as day she considered him more than a friend, even if he didn't see her that way. An easy fix. All she had to do was challenge his current mate to a fight, provided they weren't paired. If they weren't, then besting his woman would display her strength and attract him to Dash instead of whoever this other person was. It was the Saiyan way, and that was the best way. If a woman couldn't defeat her rivals and defend her pairing with her man, then she didn't deserve to have him.

Simple as that.

She would allow time to pass before approaching Dash with this good news.

"So, you're paired with someone?" she asked Zaofan.

[KingofPie]

Zaofan ignorantly but genuinely finds the chuckle infectious, oblivious to the officer's horrible fate. "Oh, that must've been a mighty battle!" Zaofan says. "Whoever can spar with someone like you must be formidable, but P-Sta was quite impressive. "I'm glad you came out on top, though."

Likewise, Zaofan lightheartedly pats Sasheem on the back in approval. "Just one? My you HAVE changed! You're so refined!"

Sasheem, having nothing to say in retaliation for once stood speechless, looking around in bewilderment to see if anyone else heard Zaofan. "Well, Sasheem was gonna get another, but," the Majin finally said, turning to face the chef once more.

Chuckling a bit more, Zaofan repeats with a smile, "'Destroy the Earth...' Oh, Sasheem, you are SUCH a character!" He then points at Sasheem, nods his head no, and quietly giggles, "This guy...!"

Sasheem raised an eyebrow in bewilderment once again before laughing along with Zaofan. "Yeah. It's a real knee-slapper, huh?"

[Miburo]

"I'm not entirely sure." Meagan looked up intot he sky, "I do know that Iris had an unnaturally long life span. I also learned that she held off for a very long time in choosing an apprentice, too long. Having lived for so long, she forgot that she was still mortal. She refused to confront her own mortality and it made her careless. She had heard of other Guardians being abducted, killed. So she started preparations. Created her statue, then was going to choose an apprentice when she was lured out of the safety of her temple, captured, and killed. Her spirit was weighed down by so much guilt, and shame, and despair, that it lingered in the Temple. Yet she couldn't bring herself to tell my people that she had been killed. She was convinced that they couldn't handle it, that they would lose hope and devolve into chaos."

She then turned to look at Held, "I have no idea if she was right or wrong about that, but I do empathize with her feelings. There is something to be said about hope." Bring her knees up, then wrapping her arms around them, "As long as my people were doing well, she assumed that maybe they no longer needed a Guardian. The Nagadarr invasion changed that. That's when her spirit finally began to speak again. I assume that, once I assume the position of Guardian, her spirit will finally be free to rest."

Held listened silently to Meagans tale of Lady Isis, and said nothing for several moments.

"That's got to be a tragedy if I've heard one today." Held said ruefully, shaking his head, "To come so close to something, only to lose it all due to a moments carelessness..."

These Guardians don't really get happy endings, do they? Between Isis and Eva, it doesn't sound like a great job, never mind all the guardians that are apparently getting killed all over the galaxy.

Hope? It made sense to the Nevadian, sometimes the truth, as powerful as it was, could bring ruin and despair. The Chroma seemed to be a resilient people, from what the Nevadian could tell, but it had been clear during his short time on their planet, how inspirational the idea of a Guardian was, along with the legend of Isis. And the appointment of Meagan seemed all but inevitable, with the people of that planet almost ecstatic at the idea.

Hope certainly did seem to renew them, going from a shell shocked, war torn people as a result of the Nagadarr, to people who had managed to find some semblance of peace and happiness relatively quickly. There was still more to be done to help the people, true, but their recovery seemed more a matter of when, as opposed to if.

"....Meagan, why do you want to be a Guardian, anyways?" Held asked, turning his full attention to the young woman, "Forgive me for prying, but...It seems like a heavy burden. I'm not saying you wouldn't be up to it, you're certainly a skilled warrior, and nothing if not dedicated..."

Isis and Eva seemed to share those same traits at least....Even though that just seemed to lead to more suffering for them, at least in my eyes.

"But, if your own teacher felt so--" He paused, attempting to find the right word for his view on the situation " --Burdened by her station that she's only now even able to consider being able to rest, I don't know if that's something I'd be able to embrace wholeheartedly, in your position."

[Miburo]

"Hi Meagan!" Cyanna called out as she appeared from around he corner of the building, "We did what you asked. Brother Jinzi had a strange look in his eyes when he saw it, but he seemed happy." She then noticed Held, "Oh, hi!" she waved her hand awkwardly, "I'm Cyanna, Meagan's sister."

Held turned his head, arching an eyebrow at the newcomer.

"You have a sister, Meagan?" Held asked, more of a rhetorical question than anything else, before he laughed to himself, "I somehow never even thought to ask."

He turned towards Cyanna, waving as she approached.

"Hey. Nice to meet you, I'm Held."

[Tami]

Held turned his head, arching an eyebrow at the newcomer.

"You have a sister, Meagan?" Held asked, more of a rhetorical question than anything else, before he laughed to himself, "I somehow never even thought to ask."

He turned towards Cyanna, waving as she approached.

"Hey. Nice to meet you, I'm Held."

"Nice to meet you, Held." She then saw the box, "Oh, wow, you got the box? What's in it? You going to use it on the monster? On Jagam?"

Meagan nodded, "Held is the objects' chosen user. I'm sure he'll find a way to use it when the time comes."

[MrSandman]

It was only by the warning heralded by the little avatar there that Ochazuke was made aware. As Erosa clamped around him and pressed a wriggling mass into the middle of his back, under the echoes of that self-same haughtly laughter, it took some effort to maintain his structure as he sunk his stance to absorb the impact.

"Heh," he chuckled, "well struck."

Leaning forward slightly, he made a small gap for his free hand and, gripping the base of his other, shift the force in his frame into an acute pressure on the Id's wrist.

"Your sisters, are they?" How vexing that there are more of them...

The shearing force was just firm enough to return the spirit of demonstration, short of a full-force break as the encirclement and ambush had been. The first little Channel Focus, still perched there on her digital throne, might feel only the slight shift in level there in her seat.

"So Etrina may conjur for herself a small army alike in feeling and skill," he mused, his word apart from the whistle of laughter and lethargic groans even as the twisted smirk strained to retain its complimentary air, "these are ingenious means to keep eyes across the battlefield."

Standing to his full height, he separated himself from Erosa. With a low grumble, he rolled his shoulder and slipped his arm out of his sleeve, and fished out the rogue element in the back of his traveler's robe and set her down next to the other avatar on his palm.

"How many..." he paused to brusquely snatch the one atop his head. "...of you can be assembled at one time?"

"Billions!" The little Etrina yelled, spreading her arms dramatically only to be karate chopped by the one next to her.

"Hundreds!" *chop* "Dozens!" *Chop* "....ten..." *chop* "......f...four..."

With a stern nod, the mini Etrina lowered her hand...much to the relief of the original.

Gathering on his now overburdened hand, the four little etrinas each gave a bow. Though visually similar, there were some tiny distinguishing marks or shades of color that seemed to differentiate them beyond the differences in personality. One of the new arrivals, a mini etrina with a more dark blue theme to her clothes and the most serious looking of the bunch, who ochazuke had been quick to note had been quick to deliver a merciless beating over the head of the original, appraised Ochazuke with a quick up and down glance. "Your tactical assessment is correct but shortsighted. We are more then eyes on the battlefield. A spell cast 4 times from multiple directions is 4 times as potent and 4 times more likely to strike. Such is the stratagem of divide and conquer."

"Wait....that's now right....*yawn*.......does divide and conquer mean the ones divided are conquered or the ones who divide do the conquering?" The sleepy looking one, in a light green robe, stated something well beyond what her half conscious expression might entail. The statement leaves the dark blue etrina unable to come up with an effective response, and she quickly starts flipping through a thumbnail sized grimoire.

"We can be eyes too though, in total we got 8 of them Ciao!" One in a light red robe spoke up energetically.

"Stop adding dead languages to the end of your sentences! You don't even know what that means." The original, in white, whined with annoyance.

"Aren't they adorable! I just wanna eat them up!" Erosa patted her claws together.

"Can't tell if joking or seriously considering." The dark blue etrina mumbled.

[Miburo]

"Nice to meet you, Held." She then saw the box, "Oh, wow, you got the box? What's in it? You going to use it on the monster? On Jagam?"

Meagan nodded, "Held is the objects' chosen user. I'm sur he'll find a way to use it when the time comes."

"You're more confident than I am." Held said with a laugh, "At this point, I'll settle for finding a way not to get sent to other world any sooner than I have to."

Answering Cyanna's question, Held removed the small cube from the box, holding it in hand.

"It's not really what I think of when I think 'weapon', but these humans have some saying about judging a cover by its book, or something like that."

[Tami]

"You're more confident than I am." Held said with a laugh, "At this point, I'll settle for finding a way not to get sent to other world any sooner than I have to."

Answering Cyanna's question, Held removed the small cube from the box, holding it in hand.

"It's not really what I think of when I think 'weapon', but these humans have some saying about judging a cover by its book, or something like that."

"Your...not human?" Cyanna aksed, "You look human. What are you? Where are you from? Are you Royalty like the Sayian sisters?"

[Miburo]

"Your...not human?" Cyanna aksed, "You look human. What are you? Where are you from? Are you Royalty like the Sayian sisters?"

"Royalty?" Held snorted at the idea, "No, I'm nothing that special, sadly. I'm just your slightly luckier than average Nevadian."

He had to admit, between his own race, the Saiyans, and the humans of this planet, there were quite a few similarities between all of them. Held certainly couldn't fault the young Chromakai for her confusion.

"To answer your question, the difference is in the eyes." He continued, pointing towards his own blood sclera, with pitch black pupils in the center. "I'm sure there are some other differences, but it's the easiest way to figure it out, I think."

I guess unless I decide to start wearing sunglasses....

Held stopped for a moment, reflecting on something that the younger Chromakai said.

"What was that about Royal Sisters?"

Is there a princess here or something? I didn't really see any new faces here....Actually, come to think about it, I do remember hearing something about a tournament and some new Queen of Saiyans....This kid can't be trying to tell me....

"......You're kidding, right?"

[Tami]

"Royalty?" Held snorted at the idea, "No, I'm nothing that special, sadly. I'm just your slightly luckier than average Nevadian."

He had to admit, between his own race, the Saiyans, and the humans of this planet, there were quite a few similarities between all of them. Held certainly couldn't fault the young Chromakai for her confusion.

"To answer your question, the difference is in the eyes." He continued, pointing towards his own blood sclera, with pitch black pupils in the center. "I'm sure there are some other differences, but it's the easiest way to figure it out, I think."

I guess unless I decide to start wearing sunglasses....

Held stopped for a moment, reflecting on something that the younger Chromakai said.

"What was that about Royal Sisters?"

Is there a princess here or something? I didn't really see any new faces here....Actually, come to think about it, I do remember hearing something about a tournament and some new Queen of Saiyans....This kid can't be trying to tell me....

"......You're kidding, right?"

"Queen Sarada and her sister Princess ...." Cyanna, trying to remember her name, "Parsley, that's it. I was surprised too, I mean, they don't look anything like Queens or Princess, but that's what they are. Um, haven't they always been? Or is this something new?" She shrugged, "Anyway, be careful what you say around them, they are very touchy about not addressing them the right way."

[grampagen]

"Billions!" The little Etrina yelled, spreading her arms dramatically only to be karate chopped by the one next to her.

"Hundreds!" *chop* "Dozens!" *Chop* "....ten..." *chop* "......f...four..."

With a stern nod, the mini Etrina lowered her hand...much to the relief of the original.

Gathering on his now overburdened hand, the four little etrinas each gave a bow. Though visually similar, there were some tiny distinguishing marks or shades of color that seemed to differentiate them beyond the differences in personality. One of the new arrivals, a mini etrina with a more dark blue theme to her clothes and the most serious looking of the bunch, who ochazuke had been quick to note had been quick to deliver a merciless beating over the head of the original, appraised Ochazuke with a quick up and down glance. "Your tactical assessment is correct but shortsighted. We are more then eyes on the battlefield. A spell cast 4 times from multiple directions is 4 times as potent and 4 times more likely to strike. Such is the stratagem of divide and conquer."

"Wait....that's now right....*yawn*.......does divide and conquer mean the ones divided are conquered or the ones who divide do the conquering?" The sleepy looking one, in a light green robe, stated something well beyond what her half conscious expression might entail. The statement leaves the dark blue etrina unable to come up with an effective response, and she quickly starts flipping through a thumbnail sized grimoire.

By now Ochazuke would have both hands full, cupped together to create a shaky little stage before him as he examined the four. Long lines stretched across his face as he fought the urge to clamp his palms together, though thankfully, the little Blue Etrina steered her counterpart to the point and spoke to it. This one, I like.

"I am no magician," he said. "What means I possess are entirely singular, my efforts solely my own." He turned about to that he would face both this temperamental assembly and Erosa at once. "So while others, your creator among them, will move to soon prepare the battlefield, I haven't the means to contribute to that effort."

The corner of his mouth shortly turned upward in a solidified half-smile. "But I'm certain that is not the case for all of you."

"We can be eyes too though, in total we got 8 of them Ciao!" One in a light red robe spoke up energetically.

"Stop adding dead languages to the end of your sentences! You don't even know what that means." The original, in white, whined with annoyance.

"Aren't they adorable! I just wanna eat them up!" Erosa patted her claws together.

"Can't tell if joking or seriously considering." The dark blue etrina mumbled.

"It would be a shame if the elder sister pampers the younger solely for that purpose," he chuckled, "only, we will soon be visited by those who would presume to make the Hunter their prey, Erosa, and make sport of the Earth."

Ochazuke's expression soon hardened as he addressed the five.

"Your sister's spellcraft has reached a level of sophistication that is nigh undiscernable to the untrained eye. Indeed the five of you are proof that she exceeds her limits day by day. She along with the rest of us will move to confront Jagam and his Threshling priestess, and the spells woven today may be efforts this scrying Sorceress is working even now to discern and unravel. That may be one part of this battle we cannot prepare for."

"However, there is a saying, 'The opportunity to secure ourselves against defeat lies in our own hands, but the opportunity of defeating the enemy is provided by the enemy himself.' We know well by now no plan survives the first moments of combat, and it is those who have the capacity to adapt that will be victorious."

"Etrina's magic is all of yours as well, and if the Threshling Princess is any indication, they'd think your prowess to be nothing more than the work of a simpleton. They are prepared to engage with only what they expect. Yet is very difficult to adapt from a rehearsed routine..."Ochazuke then raised a knowing look at Erosa briefly before turning his attention back to the four on his palms.

"When they raise their heads even as they look down, that is the moment to sever their legs from behind. Eight eyes on the battlefield is invaluable, but if even one of you stays at my side, all the swifter for us to move, to counter the enemy or reweave your spell unimpeded."

[Miburo]

"Queen Sarada and her sister Princess ...." Cyanna, trying to remember her name, "Parsley, that's it. I was surprised too, I mean, they don't look anything like Queens or Princess, but that's what they are. Um, haven't they always been? Or is this something new?" She shrugged, "Anyway, be careful what you say around them, they are very touchy about not addressing them the right way."

"I don't know if I should be pleased or horrified." Held said dryly, barely suppressing a scowl. "I always got the impression Sarada was kind of a bi--"

The eyes of the Nevadian widened as he realized that he would be subjecting the impressionable youth to words that were perhaps a bit too brutish for her years. In an act of verbal dexterity, he nimbly avoided the faux paus.

"Big supporter of inter species cooperation, which is always a good thing, especially when you consider how against it Saiyans were in the past."

He breathed a sigh of relief. Crisis averted.

Jeez, how much has changed while I've been away? Next thing I'll learn is that Ochazuke has become President of Earth, or something....

"Still....Good for her. I didn't realize she was so big on titles, though."

....Now, the real question is.......Am I really going to bother with royal formalities with Sarada of all people? It just seems wrong.