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

[Cleric of Hell’s Brigade]

OT: Sorry I’ve been busy the last few days. Did I fail to respond to anyone else?

[Cyke]

OT: Snipped and disregard. Story continues below.

[Tami]

Seeing her disappear into the distance, Zaofan crosses his arms, remarking to himself and only himself, "Huh, touche."

And with that, he takes off at best possible speed, a quick streak cutting through the dust cloud, pumping his legs until he catches up, turning his head to make sure his gaze meets the corner of her eye.



Just then, he pushes even further with this thighs, the ball of his foot digging even further into the ground, and he jets forward even more.

Channeling her Ki, she pushed herself even faster, and faster, determined not to be left in the dust.

[Tami]

<snipped to conform to previous snip>

[bruceleegreyhulk]

Praxat looks at Jinzi and replies to this saying " yeah make it midnight blue." " I can help out if you want."

above is my previous post that hasn't been respond to yet.

[Cyke]

Channeling her Ki, she pushed herself even faster, and faster, determined not to be left in the dust.

Glancing behind him, Zaofan sees Dash quickly closing the gap between them. Good Kami, do I owe her money or something?

Seeing the wall dead ahead, he taps it and doubles back even faster.

(OT: best/worst viewed on desktop)

[grampagen]

She looks him in the eye and shakes her head.

“No. Jagam is part of it, but not all. There is another that I felt, one more distant. Beyond that even I could not know.”

Ochazuke lowered his head, averting a gaze from Evangeline which had borne such a subdued burning within it his view might cut through the Lookout, its suspension over the clouds, and fall to the Earth below.

"It has been nearly a year since the Parasite uttered his threat and we are still no closer to any answer," he said. "To protect this world..."

The words welled within, stopping short as they were swallowed with the frustration and loathing.

"The Ronin told us your descent into the afterlife was in pursuit of something. What did you learn there? Will any of it avail us now?"

[MrSandman]

His smile grows that much more. "Let's see if you live up to your name."

With just a small hop, a white energy aura explodes out Zaofan, briefly levitating him before he rockets off into the horizon, a white comet blazing through.

With a flair of Blue Aura energy, Dash takes off after him, looking like a blue comet with a rainbow color tail. With his head start, it took an effort to catch up, but catch up she did, following him to the wastelands.

A few moments after they left, a somewhat distracted looking Etrina wanders by the area glancing in random directions. "Hmm....I could have swore I sensed him here.....Zaofan?" The mage muttered then shouted his name out loud. "Has anyone seen Zaofan? Confound it...where has he run off too." A cross look momentarily soured her expression. It had been several months since they last saw each other, and despite the preparations for Jagem being the foremost concern....she had been hoping for a chance to spend time with him while they prepared. It was one world ending threat after the other, and one merciless training regime after another......it was starting to vex her how little she had to spent with him.

"Has anyone seen Zaofan?" She asked anyone within hearing distance.

[Tami]

Glancing behind him, Zaofan sees Dash quickly closing the gap between them. Good Kami, do I owe her money or something?

Seeing the wall dead ahead, he taps it and doubles back even faster.

(OT: best/worst viewed on desktop)

Tapping the rock-face, Dash quickly turned, not missing a beat as she kept moving. Determined to at least keep up with him, she pours on the speed, creating a dust storm in her wake.

[Sub-Zero MKA]

A few moments after they left, a somewhat distracted looking Etrina wanders by the area glancing in random directions. "Hmm....I could have swore I sensed him here.....Zaofan?" The mage muttered then shouted his name out loud. "Has anyone seen Zaofan? Confound it...where has he run off too." A cross look momentarily soured her expression. It had been several months since they last saw each other, and despite the preparations for Jagem being the foremost concern....she had been hoping for a chance to spend time with him while they prepared. It was one world ending threat after the other, and one merciless training regime after another......it was starting to vex her how little she had to spent with him.

"Has anyone seen Zaofan?" She asked anyone within hearing distance.

Ah, so this was Etrina.

Hm...

Yes, this was the girl who dispelled the mist in that room earlier. That she was the one paired with the chef was intriguing. She looked a fair bit younger than him. Oh, well. She just chalked it up to the ways of this world.

"He left a short time ago with another woman." She probably should have added that they were going to race each other, but... hm. Should she stir the pot, or no?

This Etrina did save Sarada from herself, so Parsley decided to repay the favor by telling the whole truth. "From the sounds of it, they left to race each other." The urge to simply leave it at that was far stronger than she anticipated, though it didn't show. Zaofan had treated her to delicious food and Etrina saved Sarada, so she wouldn't trifle with what they had going with each other.

Now, should she give fair warning that Dash wanted to mate with Zaofan, despite her denials? It would be fair to point that out; she would certainly want the name and location of anyone who had eyes for Avoca, which were more than she liked. Hum.

"That's some man you have there. Very talented chef. He's quickly becoming my favorite of your kind."

[Cyke]

Tapping the rock-face, Dash quickly turned, not missing a beat as she kept moving. Determined to at least keep up with him, she pours on the speed, creating a dust storm in her wake.

Zaofan can see the finish line of his cape and staff in the distance. He looks back to grab a look at Dash.

Geeze, Dash wasn't kidding! Whoever this mentor is of hers... I've got to sign up for classes!

With Dash causing Zaofan to push further, he decides to pull out the ace in the hole...

"So that's how it's gonna be, eh? Well, let's see how you handle this! WOLF'S PROWL!"



Summoning the power of the Wolf as taught to him by Mara, Zaofan taps into a technique that allows him to increase his speed 3-fold, blasting off and creating a small shockwave in his wake.



With victory in his grasp, though, Zaofan's mind wanders, given the spirit of competition.

But I have to admit, she looks pretty cute. She's so earnest and driven and...

A few moments after they left, a somewhat distracted looking Etrina wanders by the area glancing in random directions. "Hmm....I could have swore I sensed him here.....Zaofan?" The mage muttered then shouted his name out loud. "Has anyone seen Zaofan? Confound it...where has he run off too." A cross look momentarily soured her expression. It had been several months since they last saw each other, and despite the preparations for Jagem being the foremost concern....she had been hoping for a chance to spend time with him while they prepared. It was one world ending threat after the other, and one merciless training regime after another......it was starting to vex her how little she had to spent with him.

"Has anyone seen Zaofan?" She asked anyone within hearing distance.

Just then, he could feel Etrina's signature, detected by a combination of ki-sense, memory, and a little thing called his conscience. "Oh..."

His burst of speed suddenly dissipates, not through lack of effort but out of self-reflection. His lightning fast feet slow to a gallop, and then a light jog, and then just some heavy steps pushed forward by the last of his momentum, slowing down and coming to a gentle stop to his cape, but not past his bo staff, and thus, not past the finish line. He isn't exhausted but he's uncharacteristically quiet, too. He puts his hands on his hips and looks up in the direction of the Lookout as he catches his breath.

[Tami]

Zaofan can see the finish line of his cape and staff in the distance. He looks back to grab a look at Dash.

Geeze, Dash wasn't kidding! Whoever this mentor is of hers... I've got to sign up for classes!

With Dash causing Zaofan to push further, he decides to pull out the ace in the hole...

"So that's how it's gonna be, eh? Well, let's see how you handle this! WOLF'S PROWL!"



Summoning the power of the Wolf as taught to him by Mara, Zaofan taps into a technique that allows him to increase his speed 3-fold, blasting off and creating a small shockwave in his wake.



With victory in his grasp, though, Zaofan's mind wanders, given the spirit of competition.

But I have to admit, she looks pretty cute. She's so earnest and driven and...



Just then, he could feel Etrina's signature, detected by a combination of ki-sense, memory, and a little thing called his conscience. "Oh..."

His burst of speed suddenly dissipates, not through lack of effort but out of self-reflection. His lightning fast feet slow to a gallop, and then a light jog, and then just some heavy steps pushed forward by the last of his momentum, slowing down and coming to a gentle stop to his cape, but not past his bo staff, and thus, not past the finish line. He isn't exhausted but he's uncharacteristically quiet, too. He puts his hands on his hips and looks up in the direction of the Lookout as he catches his breath.

Dash can see him slow down up ahead. As she gets close enough, she also slows down, finally stopping just behind him. In her mind there was no doubt he was faster than she was, a thought that both excited her and made her sad. It was clear he was receiving training that far exceed her own, a thought that made her realize she might never reach her goal.

One thing that did concern her was the look on his face, his quietness that was unexpected. Something was on his mind, so she had to ask, "Is something wrong? You beat me, I figured you'd be happy."

[MrSandman]

"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."

The dark blue Etrina crossed her arms with a look of contemplation. "I see....so this is the famed Ochazuke insight. Words as deep as the ocean and as filling as a high calorie eclair. Truly a dangerous weapon to those with not the capacity to hold it."

"....wait......I.....hold on.....so.....we're the key to defeating us....and they're the key to defeating them.......and....can you really lift your head and look down at the same time?" The sleepy light green Etrina started what appeared to be incredibly apathetic head banging which Ochazuke could only assume was her attempt at "raising her head while looking down".

"More importantly! Are you saying they're ALREADY making fun of my size!" The white etrina roared furiously. "Bastards! I'll drive my boot heel into their head til they cry and beg like dogs!"

"Cases in point..." Blue Etrina exclaimed. "So, you wish to bring one of us along with you as a sort of proxy to assist you in both combat and threat counteraction. Correct? Hmm.....it bares merit. Though you should speak with Etrina herself, I can assure you as a construct of her mental subspace she'll more then likely agree with your assessment."

"Yay! We're planning Desu!" The excited red etrina yelled.

"Sooo.....*yawn*......who you wanna pick.....not me I hope...." The green one yawned. "Sounds hard."

[Cyke]

Dash can see him slow down up ahead. As she gets close enough, she also slows down, finally stopping just behind him. In her mind there was no doubt he was faster than she was, a thought that both excited her and made her sad. It was clear he was receiving training that far exceed her won, a thought that made her realize she might never reach her goal.

One thing that did concern her was the look on his face, his quietness that was unexpected. Something was on his mind, so she had to ask, "Is something wrong? You beat me, I figured you'd be happy."

Snapping back from facing the Lookout, he takes hold of Dash by both of her upper arms, and gently pushes her past the staff, while smiling with assurance. "Actually, no. YOU won. And you just keep training, you hear?"

With that, he ties his cape back on puts away his Bojack.

"I think it's time we head back. There's a certain someone I haven't seen in forever and a day, and I... I owe her my time."

With that, and without the rush of before, Zaofan calmly takes off, without the white aura.

[Tami]

Snapping back from facing the Lookout, he takes hold of Dash by both of her upper arms, and gently pushes her past the staff, while smiling with assurance. "Actually, no. YOU won. And you just keep training, you hear?"

With that, he ties his cape back on puts away his Bojack.

"I think it's time we head back. There's a certain someone I haven't seen in forever and a day, and I... I owe her my time."

With that, and without the rush of before, Zaofan calmly takes off, without the white aura.

With a nod, Dash took off, flying close and following behind him. She didn't have to be a mind reader to understand what he meant, and who he was thinking of.