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

[bruceleegreyhulk]

Meagan uses Cytokinesis to duplicate herself, then sends her duplicate to back up Praxat as her original contentious to support Dash.

Praxat sees Megan's Duplicate and says " wow that's a cool technique." " hmm I wonder how Qaztoh , Master Khan , Althena and my Vog Aoszer are doing ?" " I know that Qaztoh is having a meeting with Earth's ruler and I should be there since I am after all her personal attendant." " being her personal attendant means I have specific duties I must uphold."

"which include helping her with her appearance , giving advice , keep her room in good order , to accompany her on any diplomatic missions, and etc." "still I busy with this so I hope she is too upset at me if I'm late." "as her personal attendant and as her friend I don't want to disappointed her." " **** there's also my Job as a Mechicnal engineer at Capsule Corp."


" dammit how I'm supposed to be in a bunch of places at once?!?" " one end I have to make sure that Earth is protect , on the other end I don't want upset Qaztoh , yet on another end I don't want to be late for my Job at Capsule Corp, dammit this is frustrating!" Praxat then pulls her leg back and at surprising speed sends it forth to kick the Ice Knight . before the moment of impact her foot suddenly increase in size and when she hit's the Ice Knight she yells " Big Boot!"

she thinks to her self as she is kicks the Ice Knight ( seriously why is this move from the ancient Toadian combat Style Mahtoesa Hetto no Hwe-Atkam called the Big Boot ? why not the Big Kick or something fancy and cool." I mean just Big Boot is kind of a lame name for a technique. Seriously couldn't my ancestors have pick a better name?)

[Cyke]

The first troop lander lands, and out poor dozens upon dozens of pale blue goblinesque looking creatures.

They take to the air and scatter, looking to attack and cause trouble. Not overly strong but more than capable of fighting normal denizens of this planet.


OT:

Creatures NPC’s can fight off if you’ld like. These creatures range between 500 and 15,000 PL wise.

In a park in Capital City:


Red flames consume two blue goblins as Marron Balon uses her Dragon’s Breathe, turning them to ash as she protects people behind her.

To her right the tandem of Brutus Bedlam and action movie star Brock Lee is surprisingly effective. Seven blue goblins lay dead at their feet as they back Marron up.

Not far away, Barlon Bedlam has come to help his brother, the axes in his hands tearing a dozen goblins to pieces.

Further down Marron and Brutus, a charge of Bio-Men are struck down in a line, almost like a flash of light knock them over. But rather than light itself, it is rather none other than Yakimesh Toh Magoh at the attack.



He recognizes Marron Balon and Brutus Bedlam from past televised tournaments, but does not know of their connection to our heroes. Nonetheless, he finds himself back to back against these esteemed figures.

Damn you, Ochazuke! I should be running for my life! But here I am, in defense of this worthless populace!

Frustrated at this turn of events, he notices another Bio-Man charging behind Marron, only to intercept and channel his frustrations properly (for once):



And he hammers Bio-Men left and right, until he faces a more human-looking figure with a tail. More dignified, more refined, but still barbaric in its own right, growling at him. "You! You look like you are a commander of sorts! The key to dispelling an invasion is to aim up, not down! HAVE AT YOU!"



What Toh Magoh doesn't know is that the enemy is a Saiyan,* with a somewhat higher powerlevel than the mooks. Though the Saiyan is shoved back a few meters with his feet dragged against the grass, his body position does not move. The Saiyan laughs deeply, a laugh that rocks the old man to the core. The Saiyan taunts him:

"You're protecting these... simpletons? Hah! YOU'RE the best this planet has to offer? I would call you an honored elder if there was any honor to be had, you sniveling weakling!"

The Saiyan fires a mere Kiai, which sends Toh Magoh flying back and landing hard against a tree. Toh Magoh puts two fingers together, charging them up with yellow energy. He points them dead center at the Saiyan, which engulfs the enemy in red energy, slicing through him but blowing up the body in a fiery explosion well before the body even has a chance to fall apart.

But Toh Magoh was charging a yellow Dodonpa. And he hadn't fired. What gives? He looks up and behind, and sees Zaofan floating in the air, Bojack's red energy fading away, a successful hi-octane, ki-costly finishing move in the form of the Scarlet X. He yells out, "Hello Masters! It is a pleasure to fight by your side!"

Zaofan addresses Brutus and Barlon, the original Bedlam Brothers, but Toh Magoh looks up, thinking it was meant for him. Wait, 'Masters?' Plural?

Before he can ruminate further, he is cold-cocked by a left hook from a Bio-Man. Toh Magoh quickly recovers and rejoins the others in battle. "Feh."

*Saiyan's powerlevel - 50,000

Nunlil, Eva, Kai, Adam, Wilhelm, and Jinzi has been quick to start evacuating the city when they first heard the fleet was inbound. Thanks to his Geofront, the vast majority of Capital City has been evacuated before the dropbshops landed. As the fight goes on, the rest get evacuated so civilian casualties will be almost none as they help Marron, the Bedlam brothers, and Rock Lee save the last stragglers near the park.

"There he is!" says one of the escaping civilians, as he runs to safety.

"Yeah! The one who stopped that bank robbery!" says another

"The one who fought that mob boss!"

"The one who beat up that mad scientist!"

"That guy on TV that called out Battersea!"

"He stopped an entire army...!"

"...and he rescued my cat!"

Zaofan comes flying in with a smile of reassurance, his cape flapping majestically in the wind. "Hey, folks! Don't worry! I'm here!" He touches down by a large tree, and fires a thin Optic Blast across it, causing it to fall. He grabs the mighty tree, and starts flying around the park, ramming into as many Bio-Men as possible around the evacuating civilians, providing Optic Blast coverage for Marron, the Bedlams, and Rock Lee.

With the stragglers out of immediate danger, he then flies up specifically to Kai, Nunlil, and Adam, fighting off other Bio-Men back-to-back-to-back. "Hey, friends! Just like old times, eh?" Zao disappears in Zanzoken, zipping from one invader to another, taking them out one strike at a time. He then fires a ricochet blast that bounces from Bio-Man to Bio-Man, each bounce likewise knocking another out, all without coming anywhere near close to his allies in the air and on the ground. Expertly, efficiently. Time has passed since the four of them fought together, but Zaofan's progress has grown leaps and bounds since then.

[Cyke]

Ishtar reeled from the blow that slammed her through the crystalline chair, certainly bothered by the fact that Fate seemed slightly -- if only just -- more capable of tampering with the flow of time than Etrina proper.

Though as she pondered, briefly, how she might be able to manage much the same to a finer degree than she had at current ... Ishtar found herself slammed into the energy barrier; and the sensation of it against her back was certainly ... unpleasant.

Yet it was ... not as unpleasant as the pit that continued to form in her stomach. That it felt all at once of everything, and nothing as well; was of far greater concern.

Though for whatever reason; Fate certainly seemed to hope that it was far more than that.



The golden-eyed Oni blinked at this.

Fate surely is delusional.

"Zurvan tends not to intervene in matters I have well in hand." Ishtar commented, choosing to not admit that he tended to only poke his head in when she was dying. Though ... now that was certainly less of an issue; given what she'd managed on Tatenen.

It was however ... somewhat concerning, when Fate started in on a rather sexually charged series of responses. Though with the tone, and the mention of begging and crying ... it was certainly in line with Etrina, at the least. Which was worthy of comment. So Ishtar cracked a smile.

"This is far closer to Etrina, than your first attempt."

Though the veneer faltered when Fate discovered the plot, and disappearing -- leaving Ishtar alone to crackle against the barrier she had been all but embedded in -- the Oni felt the cold pit in her stomach spread ... and a small voice echo in the back of her mind, that gave rise to a headache ...

" ˙˙˙ ɥnl,ɹƃɯ ǝʎɥǝ,ɥɐƃɯ ,Ɔ ˙ʇɟɥƃ,uƃɯ ʇo ƃoƃƃnɥs ᴉnlƃu,ɥԀ ˙ʇɟɥƃ,u ʇo u,ɟoפ"*

It took a moment to process, the headache seeming to ebb as the meaning was gleaned; yet without much time to fully process such, beyond knowing that consuming Parsic's corrupted energy was undoubtedly the source ... the Oni heard another voice, only this time it was far more familiar.

*OT: Translated, "Child of dark, in a world of light. Let us see ..."


Ishtar turned turned toward the source, and found the Id clutching a tome and pulling in the spire's energy up into herself; to the visible strain of her Magicite core.

"Erosa ... what ?"

The Oni started, only for her eyes to widen in realization. An outcome determined before the moves had even been made; there was little to be done now but nod weakly, and smile sadly.

"I promise."



In the end it was over far too quickly.

The power Erosa siphoned into the Magicite Heart overloaded it, and it shattered with force enough to scatter all who stood nearby ... yet it seemed more than energy was scattered when the spire fell; a plethora of souls all scattering to the wind to find their final resting places came too, and the truth of Fate's design along with them.

And Ishtar knew, before the dust even settled, the Id was gone.

She stood a moment then, after picking herself up ... shards of crystal from the spire coating her front, and sticking from her skin -- launched with force enough to bury themselves in flesh -- to process that her friend, and one she had promised to protect; had sacrificed herself. After all, that Familiars only ever suffered a temporary death ... most of the time, the pain of losing someone close was not lessened ... Nor was the anger she felt, at the source.

Whipping around, the Oni's fists crackled with an otherworldly glow.

Yet before she could grab hold of Fate, a peal of anguish caused Ishtar to turn toward the direction of Asha'rah, and disappear. Though at the least, she offered Fate -- who was yet reeling from her massive loss of power -- a gift in the form of a single 'ember' of the otherworldly energy she now seemed to possess.

"I will be back. Try not to die, before then."



Ishtar touched down, just as Asha'rah grabbed hold of Chrona's head, the goddesses anger as tangible as the Hakai that coursed through the orbs wrapped tightly around her step-sister's throat.

And Ishtar understood ...

Had she not after all, reacted similarly when her first love had been stripped from her in a manner so cruelly similar in its ending ? That Asha'rah, wracked with grief, and an outpouring of emotions she had likely never experienced before, truly -- or at the least remembered -- reacted as she did was expected. Acceptable even ...

Yet there was cause for concern, here, and a fundamental difference.

So, as Zaofan touched down, the young cook himself wracked with grief, and the pain of loss. Ishtar approached Asha'rah and held out a hand, before offering up a calm voice as she stared at the swirling orbs of purple-black, that brimmed with an energy the Goddess had stolen, one-hundred thousand years prior.

"If you mean to ... use Hakai in this capacity ..." Ishtar offered, softly, but resolute. "It will cross a line I cannot accept."

"......Yes." Chrona answered back, unfazed by Asha'rahs rage. She seemed prepared for it in fact, thought not without a pained melancholy expression...if only from the squeezing. "I told you this was the best possible timeline, I never said it was going to be a pleasant one. Don't grieve, Erosa will live.....but not before she had to die this one time. Now all the events of note have been taken care of now. For what its worth, I'm sorry I had to keep you blind to somethings....but no one person has the power to rewrite fate, not even fate. The whole reason I even existed was because Fate incarnate couldn't manipulate it all by herself....me, parsic....we were tools to be used for that purpose above all others.

"Still, excuses are no longer important........a promise is a promise.........now I believe this is the part where you kill me." Chrona closed her eyes. "...Just....no Hakai please.....for your sake, more then mine...."

As Asha'rah held Chrona's life within her hand, Zaofan and Ishtar arrived, having managed to disengage from their own battles one way or another. Some part deep within Asha'rah was glad to see them alive, even if this simple joy and relief was now overshadowed by the maelstrom raging within her.

"Asha'rah..." Zaofan could but offer up her name in consolation. That was enough. His intent to comfort was received whether he had the words to convey it or not.

"If you mean to ... use Hakai in this capacity ..." Ishtar offered, softly, but resolute. "It will cross a line I cannot accept."

The world stopped. Words that would have glided over Asha'rah at any other point sank their fangs deep into her heart. She turned to Ishtar, her head moving more mechanically than she'd ever done as a robot, eyes wide in astonished hurt.

"Erosa is dead, Ishtar. My love is dead. You might have tried to say something kind. You might have tried to stop me from murdering Chrona. But no, your highest priority is that I not use hakai to do the deed? Truth or not, I thought you had more empathy than that."

As she turned to face Chrona once more, Erosa's pale, grinning face swam before her. For good or ill, she had always been true to herself, from birth to the very end. In that way, she had surpassed a god.

Asha'rah sighed, then let Chrona go. Orbs withdrew from the familiar's neck to settle around Asha'rah's own. She chopped down upon the concrete, breaking it apart enough that Chrona could free herself.

"I have allowed myself to be a slave to the idea of fate for less than an hour, and it was too long from the moment it started. All things strive, and that is enough. That the manner of your striving grates upon me is no reason to kill you. That you strove to save Erosa and failed is no reason to kill you. That you lied to me about what would happen to Erosa...is reason enough to kill you. But your lie only worked because, in my weakness, I gave in to fate and treated your predictions as infallible. You do not exist in a manner that can overcome the choices we make. You are simply a young aspect, striving in your own way. And I am a slave no longer."

Though she did not feel like floating, she sat down upon the ground, crossing her legs in the familiar lotus position. Whether Erosa lived or not, Chrona would not die by her hand.

Zaofan falls to his knees in despair. Unable to think properly with everything that's going on around him, whether these arguments and disputes with Fate and Chrona, or the massive about of personal mayhem around him -- as the least knowledgable person in the room, he is forced to ask, "Ishtar, Asha'rah... there's nothing we can do about Erosa, is there? A ... Hakai -- or whatever it is -- won't bring her back, will it?!"

Breathing becomes heavy. Erratic. Disjointed. Irregular. Still, he manages to pull from his pocket the glowing magicite. "But... but I have here... Etrina. Her soul is in this stone... I need to know what to do with it. I need to save Etrina!"

[Cyke]

As the last of the stragglers run for safety under the protection of Marron Balon and the others, a couple of them momentarily stop in their tracks to find the Vagabond Chef in the distance, but in the thick of the action -- in spirit, just one of the other defenders like movie star Rock Lee, but in actuality, a superhuman that moves in impossible speeds, fighting off attacker after attacker at a rate far faster and stronger than the others in the immediate area.



"He's amazing! Thank goodness he's here!"

Zaofan manages to knock out another 20 simultaneously using the Rakan Geki.

"Look at him move!," says another straggler. "He's defending the city, like he always does!"

They Zaofan surrounded, and then they see him summon Bojack out of thin air. He plants the staff down, grabs hold of it, and starts running in a circle.



"But he looks familar -- who is he?" Another straggler stops to join in.

Once the circular blur stops, Zaofan's face is visible again, but he fires an Optic Sweep across another dozen Bio-Men.

Yet another straggler stops. "Oh, I know who he is! He's from the tournament on Turtle Island! He helped beat back Simon Battersea!"

Just then, Zaofan notices the growing group. He smiles, and waves back.

"He's -- Dixon Gordon-Blue!"

Another straggler yells out: "It's DIXON GORDON-BLUE!" The newly formed crowd then chants. "DIXON! DIXON! DIXON! DIXON!"

Zaofan's face drops to a state of flabbergast. Completely confused, but then resigned to the situation. He then waves back, albeit now half-heartedly. "Sigh. Alright, everybody, get going now. Find shelter. Go. Go."

Just then, Zaofan senses six powerful energy signatures, each one stronger than him but by varying degrees. He motions to the others to look after the crowd. "I think I'm needed elsewhere. Please see to these folks!"

Zaofan envelopes himself in a white aura, and he blasts off to action. The crowd oooh's and ahhh's at his marvelous departure. Deep within the white comet, though, Zaofan's eyebrows are scrunched, his lips tightly shut and shifted to the side, his nose exhaling heavily. "Hmph."

[bruceleegreyhulk]

Althena in Efficiency mode is taking on the blue things saying " I sense Eva and Kai but I better deal with these things before going to them" " they probably already start evacuating this City ." "I need to keep these things at bay !" " I wonder how my pupil , Praxat is doing?"

" I wish I had telepathy like Eva does but I only have Clairvoyance and it's not use unless I'm touching something." " wait maybe I can use my Clairvoyance on one of these creatures?" Althena grabs one of the Blue goblin creatures and uses her Clairvoyance on it saying " now let's see what information I can gather from this thing?"

Althena still using her Clairvoyance to perceive a blue Goblin creature thoughts and memories she's still holding saying " okay now what is it that you're think?" " show me why are these invaders attacker Earth ?" at the same time Althena practices on using her Clairvoyance to link her sight with others include Eva, Kai thinking to her self ( wow I can actually see that everyone is doing all they can to protect this planet from the invaders. also Earth has impressive warriors)

Althena is still fighting off the other Blue Goblin creatures will using her Clairvoyance at the same time saying " the warriors on this planet I managed to link my sight to at the moment have many interesting styles of combat." " like this one with a wonderful fighting style I'm seeing though the eyes of this one warrior." " they got impressive techniques" " such grace and such beauty."

" really love how he made that staff appear out of thin air." " oh and he's departure was quite marvelous. " " truly they're an impressive warrior indeed." " yes these warriors are doing all they can to protect this planet from the invaders."

as Althena is fight off the rest of the blue goblin creatures she's facing. she is doing using only one hand as she holding one of the creatures with her other hand. For her size Althena moves with such agility and speed that should down right be impossible .

[Tami]

Hearing the call, some thirty or so of the strongest members of the Horse Clan arrive in various transports to take on the invading alien goblins. These creatures are about to get stomped as the fighters show off the results of generations of training.

Led by Elder Clydesdale of the Aia'ippos School, Elder Caspian of the Pegasus School, and Elder Morgan of the Hippokampoi School, they engage the enemy in a stamped of speed and power.

The Pegasus School moves in fast, bringing down their enemies in flight by unleashing storms of power winds on them.



Those on the ground or grounded, face the powerful attacks of the Aia'ippos School, sending invaders smashing into the ground, or the ground smashing into them.

The Hippokampoi School took out the invaders in their own way, dodging attacks, while whipping the water up to use as a weapon.

[bruceleegreyhulk]

The Pegasus School moves in fast, bringing down their enemies in flight by unleashing storms of power winds on them.



Those on the ground or grounded, face the powerful attacks of the Aia'ippos School, sending invaders smashing into the ground, or the ground smashing into them.

The Hippokampoi School took out the invaders in their own way, dodging attacks, while whipping the water up to use as a weapon.

else where in Capital City Althena is seeing this with her clairvoyance as she combats the blue alien goblins with one while holding one with the other hand as the attempts to get information on the invasion from it's thoughts and memories saying " hmm they seem to be impressive warriors and they can control the elements ." while fighting the blue aliens Althena spots a dog about the be crush by a multi ton stone column and rushes to it's aid. with one hand and inhuman strength she stops the stone column form crushing the dog with her free hand . Althena looks at the dog saying " go little fella it's not safe for you here."

then with her free hand Althena launches the Stone Column slamming it into a bunch of blue alien goblins with such force that the column shatters on impact. the debris from the shatter stone Column rain down on other blue alien goblins that didn't get hit by the stone Column when it shatter. lucky the dog that Althena save is fine and is making it's way out of the city.

OT: for Praxat's post I'm waiting for Cleric so I'm doing the NPC Althena's post right now.

[Cleric of Hell’s Brigade]

Ishtar, with the backing of Sasheem, the Catchin squadron, and other GP forces you manage to take out two Capital ships, drastically cut down the middle sized ships, and turn the battle far in the GP’s favor.

Charco, the hybrid hisses in pain as you tear a chunk out of its side. Rearing back, it’s tail suddenly lengthens and and sharpens and shoots out, stabbing through Charco’s shoulder like a surgical knife. It slides out as the hybrid launches forward in a blistering assault of punches and kicks.

Dash, the fire elemental disappeared in the midst of the steam let off after your attack struck her. Blinded, only Meagan has time to see the lava mace suddenly swing out towards Dash’s head from above.

Parsley, the vines and spiral bounce off a mystical barrier that appears around the namekian.

Althena, your Clairvoyance on the goblins doesn’t seem to work very well. Too simplistic a creature.

Praxat, you and Meagan’s copy go after the Ice Knight. Gliding around your attacks, the ice blade licks out and cuts both of you on your chests. From that wound ice begins spreading, attentping to freeze you.

Sarada, the cyborg Saiyan is suddenly surrrounded by a sparking electrical field as when you punch him he grabs your hand and a massive amount of electricity passes from him into your system, shocking and taxing you.

Ochazuke, you find that you are able to pin the Ice Knight, Fire elemental, Namekian, and the Demon in place for a moment, or at least slow their movements to help your allies. The two saiyans you couldn’t effect at this time.

Blizzar, the demon lord grunts as Ochazuke’s move keeps it in place, leaving it open as it attempted to move and slash you.

Samson Balon, Jack, and Chuan have also appeared, blasting at the Namekian’s barrier.

[Sub-Zero MKA]

Parsley, the vines and spiral bounce off a mystical barrier that appears around the namekian.

Parsley expected as much when her attacks bounced off a magical barrier the Namekian erected to protect himself. "Not much for words, are you?" she spoke. A few of her allies - some she knew, others were unfamiliar to her - joined her fray, attacking the barrier with simplistic attacks that weren't likely to do any more than hers did. Though, that didn't mean she couldn't use it to her advantage.

Weaving in and around the likes of Jack, Chuan, and Samson, Parsley closed in on the Namekian. A special kind of magic - or as she liked to call it, anti-magic - enveloped her hand. "Fine. I'll just choose to believe your brothers have disgraced you." She slammed her fist into the barrier, seeking to drain it with her anti-magic.

Muda Phase Two

[grampagen]

With Fukuhara's arrival the civilians of Capital City's Lemon District escaped the huddle within the Athletics Centre on an automated course towards the Capsule Corp Geofront. Long ago, many of them wanted to move from the Uptown Slum to the Downtown Core, to be the ones seen on the great big screens in the middle of the Square and become the star attraction in the middle of all that glitz. There was a hope that they'd come in with a bang, announce themselves loudly and they'd do it in style.

The automated Capsule transports closed their bays, and but for the shudder of the craft Jinzi Pantaloon's coordinated evacuation silenced the chaos outside. Huddled in their seats, the many civilians were struck with terror, and the handful of Crane students who were not laid out on splints and makeshift gurneys walked up and down the aisle to try and bring a futile order to the situation, but quickly found themselves short of words as they counted the members of this frightful exodus.

What could they say to them? This old part of town built around the harbours was never synchronized with the major government project; the Geofront Effort, after all, was a proof of concept. To get to safety of shelter underground, they would have to move closer to where the fighting was thickest. As the goblins continued to descend upon them in waves, the Thirteen Cranes led by Aiko flew a makeshift escort between them. Every time a bionic goblin leapt to drag down a wing, two Cranes at a time loaned the crafts theirs and they were swiftly cut down. Aiko moved swiftly between the throngs of enemies, intercepting their their wild swings before striking such a blow that the red fell from their eyes in an instant, on and on before moving on to the next. One fluid step and efficient stroke at a time, thoughtless clawed limbs were a futile defense from the disciplined heir of the Grand Master Chahan, and the bionic goblins fell where they stood as the drag of the air pulled them off the craft.

Watching her back was a rugged man some few years her senior, standing half a head shorter with muscles stretched taught like iron cables on the torso under his bloodied, split gi. The Crane School had drawn its members from across the globe, from bustling metropolis to the islands beyond the straits between contintental coasts. Their heir and new master had invited these renowned practitioners, heads of the various international branches of their art to show them the new path before them, who were little more than reluctant until the fighting broke out to unite their purpose in the moment. Shimabukuro, an island boy and leader of the Takowasa Archipelago branch of the Crane School admired her spirit, but had no time to marvel at the classical hand passed down Sixty-Seven generations. Firing off his punches, he opted for a less fine approach with every step forward punched through the goblin guard directly, shattering their defenses completely with every strike and blasting them off the tail end of the craft.

Their momentary task completed, they flew forward and threw their hands in unison, striking though an approaching line with a series of Dodonpa.

Aiko swiped tangles of hair from her view. “Six transports. Thirteen of us. We've got to hang in there and make it just to the shelter intake at the edge of the city centre!” Her counterpart chuckled and lines crinkled the corners of his dark, sun-and-windburnt face. “What's so funny, Shimabukuro?”

“Nothing, Sensei. I was just thinking of the Founder's first journey to the shores of Tanchozurujima.”

A small smile broke on Aiko's face, but there was no joy to be held in her eyes. As the fires of combat raged all around, she felt the weight of their Grand Master's words upon her.

“Soon, soon, you will come to understand. One day, you shall choose between your passion and the survival of your charge. Only when you know loss in service to duty, then perhaps you might have a hint of what exactly what it means to be Grand Master.”

Chahan-Sosai had warned her of the direness of this responsibility, but as she moved across the battlefield, there was little time to dwell upon it now. It was a horrid new feeling she'd never wanted to feel again, but when she saw her students laying battered and broken a hollow welled up inside her and thoughts disappeared. Aiko dart her eyes across the chaos they left behind and the field of fire the automated course was flying them towards, and she felt her heartbeat creep up into her throat and temples. She knew she had to act decisively or else...

“Fukuhara-sensei!”

Shimabukuro threw himself forward and cast out his fist at something behind her. She felt the air shift with a bloodcurling shock filling the air as he was struck by a shadow and swiftly pulled away to the air by it.

She had no time to process that she might have lost a comrade as her attentions turned before her. Four new opponents charged up into the air, and though they looked human, the way they ripped through the Biomen without distinction on the way to the Cranes was wholly animalistic. Their gutteral breaths left them, and an eerie, high-pitched cackle left from drooling jaws. Prehensile tails slithered from their waists behind them as they stiffened and started wagging in earnest. Aiko shot her arm out in front of her and fell a Dodonpa on the nearest target, the red beam exploding. The target was blown backward, but its blackened frame only shook with mocking laughter, its tail swirling in a loop behind it.

“We're almost there!” She shouted. “Whatever you do, we have to keep them off the transports!”

In unison, Crane hands fell to arms with a dedicated “OSU!” as the martial band charged forward. A surge of air behind them shook as one of these bestial aliens was launched forward, one of its forearms dangling fractured as Shimabukuro returned to the front of this battle.

“Three Cranes per Monkey, huh? I like those odds,” he smirked, “We'll handle this one, Sensei, you get these people and our kids to safety! We're counting on you”

The battle raged behind her, and it seems their boisterous ploy worked to tear their attention from the transports. The Capsule Transports continued their path and soon began to descend to the nearest Shelter Intake.

Suddenly a bolt of energy shot up from the ground directly towards her, sliding past Aiko and into the front of the transport she flew beside. She gawped in horror as the smoke rolled and another, wider beam shot forward and threatened to finish the job. Dashing her hands forward, she shouting with a great kiai and broke the beam apart, but the spread of teh shattered energy flailed about her and cut into the wings and engine of the craft as it slowly began to make a downturn for the pavement.

Immediately Aiko flew herselft backward, bracing the craft upon her back as she struggled to fly her aura against it, searching frantically for a clearing as the transport careened downward. She grit her teeth, knowing she could stop its hard descent in an instant, but within its hollow chamber were all those she had promised to protect. Among the ruined pavement and crumbling streets she couldn't see any way forward, everywhere she sensed in the empty streets there was nothingness aside from the violence and chaos.

Gritting her teeth, Aiko then knew she would have to assert her own path. Casting her hands forward, she blew a kiai before her. Upturned cars and industrial machinery blew from her path like the rolling of leaves, clearing a laneway on the streets of Capital City. Then she turned her attention to the craft laid on her shoulders as she steered it in for a rough landing. Balancing the force to slow the descent, everything went to plan until her feet hit the shattered asphalt and kicked her upward and sent her smattering across the roof. Desperately she threw her fingers onto the tail-end of the craft and pulled as the sparks dragged into the ground kicking up dirt and twisted metal in its wake. The transport slowly skid to a stop at the corner of 5th and Custard, and the blue collar folks of Lemon District found themselves a rough landing in high fashion.

Breathing heavily, Aiko walked to the emergency exit and tore the door off, immediately filing the people out of the craft, when she became aware of the booming footfalls echoing off the sides of buildings and making their way toward her. Another one of the simian invaders landed before her and twist thin lips over his pronounced muzzle. A tall, lanky creature, his heavy brow shaded wild eyes under shaggy black hair so wild where it spread from his crown across his body in coarse tufts, but for the growl of words he could hardly to be said humanlike at all. In an instant the Crane Heiress found her shooter, and he raised his hands to fire once more. In an instant she crossed the distance and kicked his arm upwards sending his shot into the blackening sky above, then sent a kick straight into his sternum. The force launched him back some and elicit a cough, but what Aiko was unprepared for was the force that threw her back some distance, rather than travelling through the target. She took her stance and waited at the ready.

[grampagen]

“Who are you,” she demanded, “Why have you come to invade?”

Dull exchange for a dull-witted creature, but she was killing time. Sensing through her ki sense as the people filed off into the shelter intake. Fifteen, fourteen...

Suddenly the presence of her opponent disappeared, and she felt bristling black hairs snake about her neck. The putrid musk nearly made her gag.

“Master promised Goya two things.” Instinctively Aiko made a quarter turn and threw her guard up as a green ki-blast launched her down the ruined avenue.

The Savage Saiyan had a power unlike the cohort of four that battled in the sky what by now seemed like miles behind. She felt it first hand as the crook of his elbow seized her neck and belted her into the stone underneath her.

“Enjoyment! EXCITEMENT!”

Sailing down Custard Street, the Crane was on the defensive, evading on her back foot in the loom of the Monkey's shadow. Goya's frenzied strikes lashed out on savage, arrhythmic impulse, but the heedless wild instinct was backed with such force that the office windows buckled and shattered in their frames and Aiko was hard pressed to dodge a rain of glass and concrete. She knew that she couldn't take him head on, but through the motion of his strikes were wild and predictable, they came at such a rate that she was hard pressed to find an opening. However the longer this went on, the more of the city would be destroyed. She couldn't dodge forever, she had to end it!

Every time Goya load up a shot, Aiko moved out of the way. Now she started to move forward. Lining up her frame, she found angles in short sidesteps, and flew swift, efficient kicks that hammered into the Saiyan's legs, cutting between the muscles of inner thighs. She felt her shots connect, the nerves seize and the flesh buckle, but what she didn't understand were his crazed eyes that seemed only to widen with his drooling grin, and the foul musk behind his outstretched tail ran rank in the airs about them. Goya's knees buckled before he charged at Aiko, who flit out of the way and smashed her knuckles into his temple. Then her neck jolted as the beast-man seized one of her twintails and yanked her up before him.

“Up close. Goya enjoys!” The Savage Saiyan sneered, his nostrils flaring over his fanged grin.”Promised good fight. Goya fight good!”

With an aggravated shout, Aiko twist at the hip and swung her leg forward, smashing her knee into Goya's other temple. A moronic expression gazed over his dizzy face, before his elongated jaw whipped around and bit into her thigh as she screamed. Raising a finger before her, she fired a Dodonpa straight between his eyes as he threw his maw backward, loosing her with a gout of spit, only to swing the heel of his palm downward upon her like swiping at a gnat as he sent her hurtling away.

Aiko recovered in the air, tearing backwards in her flight before Goya, and the searing pain from her thigh to her neck started to slow her and as his onslaught fell she could only guard. Every she bore the brunt of his long, strikes, it was by sheer technique she was able to keep standing, even as the shock rippled through her body. When his fists fell upon her, she smashed her wrist into the flesh of his forearm and steered it away from landing by force of pain, and yet though she saw he angle, her body would not respond and she could only dodge by a hair breadth. Racing thoughts struck within the ringing in her skull.

I don't want to die. I don't want to die. I don't want to die.

Goya brought two palms down on her guard. She shift upward to oppose it and felt no resistance – at first. A green flash flooded the area before her, and even as she shut her eyes there was nothing but heat, sound, and pain. She felt the bones decouple above her chest. As the Saiyan threw a fist into her midsection, her left arm simply wouldn't respond where it dangled uselessly and her breath left her.

I don't want to die!

Blood-slick nostrils fell that fugue of oily musk above her, as he seized her by the throat, swaying her limb body around with a high idiotic braying laughter.

“ENJOYMENT. EXCITEMENT. HYEH HYAH.” The wide gawping maw heaved meaty breath over her, and she felt it ooze over her blood and sweat. The invader spoke something in his gutteral tongue, but as she shut her eyes tight from the pain she heard little.

Nothing, but Sensei's words.

“You're the heir.”

Her left arm was broken.

“Do you know what that means?”

She still had her right.

“It means you have a duty to live on, Aiko.”

Her fist tightened with her resolve.

I refuse to die!

She lift her hand upward, extending her finger to a burning point. The way Ochazuke had shown her years ago.

Dodonpa!

The searing, red-hot beam blast through Goya's cheeks, and the explosion shook off a row of his teeth as it blew up across his palate. The savage Saiyan loosed an otherworldly howled, and as he exhaled, a spearhand gilded with ki shot into his throat. Aiko felt her fingers slide around the soft, pulsing veins, the fleshy vibrato of a quivering tongue, and clamped an iron hand down upon the ribbed surface of Goya's trachea. Without his breath, the man-animal fell, shaking, unable to do so much as whimper as the Crane sunk her fingers down and pulled.

The colour drained out of the invader's face. Standing over his body, the twitching mass in Aiko's hand jerked as life soon left his body along with the rest of him. Standing weakly, she felt only the heat-haze of the ruined city, and whether it was the sense of ki or a last desperate wish, she felt a certain familiarity in the air about her.

Shimabukuro and the other Twelve Cranes converged upon her. Blood slick and exhausted, they left the battle behind them, victorious, only to find their new leader on her last legs. They picked her up as she sunk her weight forward, with a last dry whisper she spoke before fading to unconsciousness.

"...we did it..." she said, before her head lolled forward. The rest of the Cranes gathered her up and head to the shelter.

___

Elsehwere, Ochazuke, his hand planted to the Earth, grit his teeth bitterly. Sapped of strength and so engaged with binding the heads of this invasion, he cursed himself silently.

He couldn't be for her then. This close, he could not be for her now. But if his kouhai had so valiantly fallen in battle, the path was clear, and to avenge her, he would do his part to route these invaders.

[Sub-Zero MKA]

Sarada, the cyborg Saiyan is suddenly surrrounded by a sparking electrical field as when you punch him he grabs your hand and a massive amount of electricity passes from him into your system, shocking and taxing you.

Sarada tried to scream out, but it felt like her jaw had been wired shut. She had had electricity coursing through her body before, but this time wasn't nearly as pleasurable as all those other times. Though, she did feel that the experience prepared her for this moment. Even though she could feel herself growing weaker, she lifted her leg and moved it forward. Then, moved her other leg forward. Instead of trying to get away from the electrical barrier, she moved toward it, willing entering it in a bid to get within reaching distance.

This is nothing! I've been through worse than this! she thought as she pushed forward. Her hand touched his chest; it was a fight to keep her hands from curling into fists as the intense surges of electricity coursed through them. Take this! A yellow bolt of yellow passed from her to him, worming its way though his body to find any remaining nerve bundles. If there were any to be found, Agony Matrix would do its painful work.

[Tami]

Dash, the fire elemental disappeared in the midst of the steam let off after your attack struck her. Blinded, only Meagan has time to see the lava mace suddenly swing out towards Dash’s head from above.

As it did, Dash suddenly vanished, reappearing a short distance away alongside Cyanna who called out, "Eva said to go join the fight, just in time too."

Meagan looked at her hard, then sighed, "Fine, you take over. Just watch your backs." With that, Meagan left as Dash and Cyanna synced their powers to double Team the Fire Elemental.

*New Power Levels of Dash and Cyanna, synced with Nadine Boost 531,250

As soon as their powers were synced, Dash and Cyanna launch a combo attack of Pegasus Wave and Braided Blast aimed at the invader, creating their own version of the Special Beam Cannon. Line of Sight ensuring that they hit their target.

Praxat, you and Meagan’s copy go after the Ice Knight. Gliding around your attacks, the ice blade licks out and cuts both of you on your chests. From that wound ice begins spreading, attempting to freeze you.

The Meagan Clone vanishes as the Real Meagan appears, firing off a Chroma Blast [X2 Power] at the Ice Knight as she flies in towards Praxat's location.

[Sub-Zero MKA]

Out of the thirty Saiyan savages that were a part of the invasion, only nineteen remained. Meaning eleven of their fellows had been killed. Modern day Saiyans weren't known for their sentimentality, and these were no different. Regardless of their mysterious origins, they exhibited some of the more basic Saiyan traits.

"Meat kill fellows," one of them grunted. If there was any assumption that it would fly into an uncontrollable rage and seek vengeance for its fallen comrades, or even express something resembling sorrow, both were horribly off base. It grinned gleefully. "Good!"

He and the other eighteen, growled and roared in unison. Pinach immediately noticed that their power had been steadily rising, but there was no mistaking it. They had been getting stronger and stronger over the course of the fight. At first, it wasn't much; now, there was no ignoring it.

"Their so strong now!" he cried. They were much stronger now than him and Rutaba, even though they had combined their powers. They were even stronger than Seri! Still, he couldn't give up. That wasn't what being a hero was all about.

Two savages leaped toward them and landed in front of them. They power had to be in the high hundreds of thousands. There was no way they could fight them on their own. "No, I don't understand. How'd they get so strong?!"

"Hehe." One of the savages surged forward and buried his fist in Pinach's torso. The young boy spat up a gob of blood before a punch to the face sent him flying into a building. Before Rutaba could react, the other savage kneed her in the chin, then grabbed her prone form by the throat with her tail. Punch after bone-rattling punch was laid into the young girl, with her being unable to do anything about it.

Rutaba was nothing more than a limb back of pulverized flesh when the Saiyaness grew bored of her. "Feh! Small Saiyan no fun," she grunt before slamming the child into the ground with enough force to leave her in a crater.

It was then that Pinach exploded out of the building, eyes wide with righteous fury. "Justice Flash!!" A beam of tremendous size erupted from the boy's hands, heading directly for the Saiyaness who was standing over Rutaba.

She noticed it just in time and held her hand out. A black beam exploded out and met Pinach's. The beams pushed against each other for a brief second, giving Pinach hope that his fury was what he needed to win the battle.

"Boy weak! Boy die now." The black beam easily pushed Pinach's back into him, engulfing him in a blinding flash of light and heat.

When the dust cleared, Pinach was motionless in the massive crater the Saiyaness beam created.

"Hehe. Meat weak. Me strong! Me go find better fun."

"Me go with you. Meat no fun," the male Saiyan agreed. It was then that they both noticed Totoma and Seri there. "Meat look fun! We fight now!" The savages launched themselves at Totoma and Seri, gleeful grins on their faces.

[KingofPie]

Ochazuke, you find that you are able to pin the Ice Knight, Fire elemental, Namekian, and the Demon in place for a moment, or at least slow their movements to help your allies. The two saiyans you couldn’t effect at this time.

Blizzar, the demon lord grunts as Ochazuke’s move keeps it in place, leaving it open as it attempted to move and slash you.

Blizzar ducks just under the attack, allowing the demon's blade to swing past, mere inches from him before it hit the ground with a loud clank as the Arcosian Lieutenant followed up with an devastating ki coated punch from his right hand at the demon lord's jaw. "Supernova Straight!"



"Tsk, tsk" Blizzar reprimanded, remaining in his fight stance. "Dreadfully slow, old boy. I would hope that isn't you giving it your all..." Blizzar taunted, knowing full well the creature's movements had been halted. He then took a more loose stance, leaving himself open for attack. "Tell you what, I'm feeling a bit sporting. I haven't fought hand to hand like this in a long time. Give me your best shot."