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

[Sub-Zero MKA]

The woman turns, eyes ethereal and glowing faintly. She squealed and suddenly, Sarada’s cheeks were being pinched.

“Oh my gosh! Aren’t. You. Just. The. Cutest. Tiny. Saiyan. Ever!”

Every word punctuated by a cheek pull as the woman smiles down at her.

HUH?

Sarada suddenly found her cheeks being pinched while the woman baby-talked her... for some reason. The Saiyan Queen was cute, there was no denying that, but this was a little too far.

"Do you mind?" she asked while backing away from the woman. "Jeez."

[Cthulhu_of_R'lyeh]

With a flash, a clash, and a tumble, the world jerks away. In that space that exists between universes, a great eye turns towards Ishtar briefly before the world rights itself once more.

They find themselves laying flat on the ground in....the Wastes. The sun is brighter, the sky less dark, and a brief check of powerlveles confirms that, yes, this is Earth once more.

They were home.

Wilhelm gets up and checks the cryp-tube, sighing in relief as he sees everything is fine.

Ishtar acknowledged the stare from the creature between worlds, even as the spell completed and flung everyone back to ...

"The Wastes ?" Ishtar grunted, as she pulled herself to her feet. "Close enough."

In any case, they were home, and with a quick check, everything as as it should be, with Wilhelm and his charge teleported along safely. The first thing she did on that front, was quickly speak with Wilhelm, telling the man what she intended to do, before quickly teleporting him, and the woman in stasis to the Lookout, before teleporting herself ... but not before ...

"Whatever the reason for this...and Sasheem will find put..." the Majin frowned. "Better let those jabronis on the lookout know that their world still ain't safe!"

"I bound you to this knife." Ishtar chuckled as the Katchin Blade glinted in the sun.

"Checkmate."

With that, the Oni disappeared as she teleported to the Lookout.

The Lookout is fine, and as they get close, they can see Eva talking quietly with Slak and Kai, whispering together.

Not too far away, Nunlil and Ereshkigal both stand, seemingly in awe, of a seven foot tall women standing before them, smiling warmly at them.



The women from the RoSaT.

She hadn’t seemed that tall at first, but standing, she stood even with Nunlil. A surprisingly amazed expression was on Nunlil’s face as Eresh seemed to be entranced herself.

Ishtar appeared on the Lookout in a burst of blue, and was quick to see that all was as it should be ... save for the tall woman known as,

"Shek'hinah."

The Oni bobbed her head in a nod as she approached. Before she said anything else, however, the glowing-horned Oni attempted to check if this woman's energy was the selfsame energy contained within the ward stones a universe away.

[Cleric of Hell’s Brigade]

Ishtar, her energy is the same.

It was she who bound Hammer.


Sarada, you don’t even see the women move before she is in front of Ishtar, towering over her. A beat passes, and then Ishtar is picked up in a bear hug, the women rubbing her cheek against Ishtar’s.

“Ahh, my beloved daughter. How I’ve longed to hold you in my arms again. I have missed you.”

[Cleric of Hell’s Brigade]

Wilhelm, meanwhile, looks around, perplexed, at the Lookout but says nothing. He was still drinking it all in.

[Sub-Zero MKA]

Ishtar, her energy is the same.

It was she who bound Hammer.


Sarada, you don’t even see the women move before she is in front of Ishtar, towering over her. A beat passes, and then Ishtar is picked up in a bear hug, the women rubbing her cheek against Ishtar’s.

“Ahh, my beloved daughter. How I’ve longed to hold you in my arms again. I have missed you.”

"You can't just pinched people's cheeks that way," Sarada continued. "I'm a Queen, for Kami's..." She turned at hearing the woman speak again, and found her gripping Ishtar in a bear hug. "...sale. What the hell?"

How fast was this woman, Shek'hinah?

That, however, was not important.

She called her love her daughter? "Daughter? That's your mother, Ishtar??"

[Cthulhu_of_R'lyeh]

Ishtar, her energy is the same.

It was she who bound Hammer.

Sarada, you don’t even see the women move before she is in front of Ishtar, towering over her. A beat passes, and then Ishtar is picked up in a bear hug, the women rubbing her cheek against Ishtar’s.

“Ahh, my beloved daughter. How I’ve longed to hold you in my arms again. I have missed you.”

So she had been right in her assumption -- thankfully -- Shek'hinah was the GoD who had bound Hammer, and perhaps even fashioned the Carin Yard. Of course, the Oni didn't have much time to think on such things, before the GoD had disappeared and reappeared in front of her.

"Wha-"

Then all at once she was pulled into a powerful bear hug, the woman expressing that she was so glad to see her ...

"You ... I am you Daughter ?"

A beat passed.

"What."

"You can't just pinched people's cheeks that way," Sarada continued. "I'm a Queen, for Kami's..." She turned at hearing the woman speak again, and found her gripping Ishtar in a bear hug. "...sale. What the hell?"

How fast was this woman, Shek'hinah?

That, however, was not important.

She called her love her daughter? "Daughter? That's your mother, Ishtar??"

"If she was the one who made me, yes." Ishtar commented, still in the grip of Shek'hinah.

[Cleric of Hell’s Brigade]

Shek'hinah steps back, still smiling wise, tears in her eyes.

“Of course you are, dear. Nunlil and Ereshkigal are grand children, but you, dear Ishtar, are my daughter. Not created, but born and carried by me. My last, before my...untimely death.”

She shakes her head and wipes away her tears.

“Forgive me for taking so long to get back. Goddess of the Underworld, you think it would have been easier, but Hammer and Stine did a number on me, I’m afraid. Took forever to even reconstitute my mind, much less my body.”

[Sub-Zero MKA]

"More gods," Parsley commented as she floated above the Lookout, arms folded and a critical glint in her eye. "Your kind is just crawling out of the woodwork, it seems."

She descended slowly until she landed next to her sister, who was clearly perplexed by the entire affair.

[Cthulhu_of_R'lyeh]

Shek'hinah steps back, still smiling wise, tears in her eyes.

“Of course you are, dear. Nunlil and Ereshkigal are grand children, but you, dear Ishtar, are my daughter. Not created, but born and carried by me. My last, before my...untimely death.”

She shakes her head and wipes away her tears.

“Forgive me for taking so long to get back. Goddess of the Underworld, you think it would have been easier, but Hammer and Stine did a number on me, I’m afraid. Took forever to even reconstitute my mind, much less my body.”

"Oh."

Ishtar blinked, as Shek'hinah explained what she meant, and it was in many ways ... unexpected. The Goddess of Creation had not simply made Ishtar it seemed ... she had carried her to term, and had given birth. This was ... "I am going to sit down now." The golden-eyed Oni mumbled, before plopping to the Lookout floor. And after a moment of simply staring, her head bobbed again as she found the means to respond.

"Hammer is a name I know ... we killed him not an hour ago, after I revived him unknowingly, with Blood Magic." Ishtar muttered, softly.

"I do not remember this ... you, however. Simply a brief time tending the Gardens, before Zurvan took me ... but, ah ... you said you gave birth." Isthar muttered.

"Is there a Father ?"

[Cleric of Hell’s Brigade]

"Oh."

Ishtar blinked, as Shek'hinah explained what she meant, and it was in many ways ... unexpected. The Goddess of Creation had not simply made Ishtar it seemed ... she had carried her to term, and had given birth. This was ... "I am going to sit down now." The golden-eyed Oni mumbled, before plopping to the Lookout floor. And after a moment of simply staring, her head bobbed again as she found the means to respond.

"Hammer is a name I know ... we killed him not an hour ago, after I revived him unknowingly, with Blood Magic." Ishtar muttered, softly.

"I do not remember this ... you, however. Simply a brief time tending the Gardens, before Zurvan took me ... but, ah ... you said you gave birth." Isthar muttered.

"Is there a Father ?"

“Hammer still managed to recover, the wretch? Still, knowing he is gone is good. I’m afraid he and Stine killed me after giving birth. I was...not at my best, then. I am pleased to know Zurvan kept watch over you. As to a father....., well, no. Your conception was a gift from your aunt, Asha’rah. She and I are sisters true, and so she bent the rules a bit and granted me the ability to have you as mortals do. Zurvan, Sihn, and a few others I would count as uncles of a sort, though. Speaking of which, where is Asha’rah? I should like to see her again properly.”

[Sub-Zero MKA]

This revelation had blown Sarada's mind to bits. Ishtar was the daughter of an actual Goddess and Asha'rah was evidently her actual aunt. That latter fact, when prefaced by the realization that the GoC admitted to having some depth of romantic interest in the Oni, was fucking hilarious. As such, Sarada tossed her head back and let out a hearty, throaty laugh. "BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!! !"

[Cthulhu_of_R'lyeh]

“Hammer still managed to recover, the wretch? Still, knowing he is gone is good. I’m afraid he and Stine killed me after giving birth. I was...not at my best, then. I am pleased to know Zurvan kept watch over you. As to a father....., well, no. Your conception was a gift from your aunt, Asha’rah. She and I are sisters true, and so she bent the rules a bit and granted me the ability to have you as mortals do. Zurvan, Sihn, and a few others I would count as uncles of a sort, though. Speaking of which, where is Asha’rah? I should like to see her again properly.”

"It was an error on my part ... after we were forcibly sent to that dead Universe, I attempted to reverse the spell atop the Carin Yard itself." Ishtar explained. "In the end I failed that first effort, though after we were forced to flee ... we returned a short time later for answers. His imprisonment drove him mad, and so he sought to take from me Hakai, and from Asha'rah, Creation ... and yet so we offered him a final annihilation."

As to the matter of her conception and the truth about Asha'rah, Zurvan and this ... Sihn, the golden-eyed Oni's eyes widened slightly and what approximated a chuckle slipped from between her lips.

"Zurvan tried to teach me in the manner he knew best ... preparation for the destiny he saw. I should say he did well enough, despite my falling away some five thousand years ago ... though I have never met this Sihn." As to Asha'rah however ..

"My erm ... my aunt, is nearby surely. I am quite sure she will arrive in her own time. Though there is another question I must ask of you ... mother ... why was I given Hakai ?"

This revelation had blown Sarada's mind to bits. Ishtar was the daughter of an actual Goddess and Asha'rah was evidently her actual aunt. That latter fact, when prefaced by the realization that the GoC admitted to having some depth of romantic interest in the Oni, was fucking hilarious. As such, Sarada tossed her head back and let out a hearty, throaty laugh. "BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!! !"

Hearing Sarada burst into laughter then, the glowing-horned Oni turned slightly, before looking back up at her mother. "I believe my ... mate, finds my family arrangement, amusing." And in at least way, Ishtar supposed it was.

"Heh."

[KingofPie]

"I bound you to this knife." Ishtar chuckled as the Katchin Blade glinted in the sun.

"Checkmate."

With that, the Oni disappeared as she teleported to the Lookout.

"You...you damn..." Sasheem uttered, as Ishtar blinked out of sight as she teleported to the lookout.

After Sasheem had arroved and witnessed the...unexpected reaction of the goddess to Sarada. He was still far to angry to even laugh at the Saiyan being treated like some sort of puppy.

Sasheem marched over to the Oni and snarled, "Unbind Sasheem right now! You've got a minute to unbind the Greater Annihilator from that stupid knife or your gonna regret it, he can gurantee that!"

[Sub-Zero MKA]

"You...you damn..." Sasheem uttered, as Ishtar blinked out of sight as she teleported to the lookout.

After Sasheem had arroved and witnessed the...unexpected reaction of the goddess to Sarada. He was still far to angry to even laugh at the Saiyan being treated like some sort of puppy.

Sasheem marched over to the Oni and snarled, "Unbind Sasheem right now! You've got a minute to unbind the Greater Annihilator from that stupid knife or your gonna regret it, he can gurantee that!"

"My ten year old brother makes more convincing threats," Parsley commented dismissively.

[MrSandman]

"You...you damn..." Sasheem uttered, as Ishtar blinked out of sight as she teleported to the lookout.

After Sasheem had arroved and witnessed the...unexpected reaction of the goddess to Sarada. He was still far to angry to even laugh at the Saiyan being treated like some sort of puppy.

Sasheem marched over to the Oni and snarled, "Unbind Sasheem right now! You've got a minute to unbind the Greater Annihilator from that stupid knife or your gonna regret it, he can gurantee that!"

"What are you complaining about....being bound to a knife is infinitely better then the last thing you were bound too." Etrina commented, overhearing the loud Majin as she arrived. "And given the situation, threats are likely going to get you the Grav treatment....except I can only assume Ishtar isn't as generous when it comes to feeding times."

Turning her attention to the awakened Shek'hinah, Etrina gives a slight head bow. "Ahh, your awake then.....and a important family member as well. Thankfully the effort within the chamber turned out well. I'm Etrina by the way."

"And we're the Etrin...dettes?" The Red Etrina fumbled. "Etrinites? Etrinacytes? Little'Es? ....What do we even call ourselves? Mighty Mystic Magicite Focirangers!?!!"