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

[Cyke]

“Romantic or law enforcement partner?”

"Well, now that you mentioned it," Zao Prime says with a lowered guard, "...both of them. If they weren't two different people."

[bruceleegreyhulk]

As Dash and Cyanna touch down within seconds of Paraxt, Meagan looks at the three of them,

"One of the biggest dangers you might face is being depowered and forced to fight. Once you have built up your strength and energy levels, it can be unnerving when you suddenly feel weaker. "

Meagan then looked around them, at the surrounding area, before looking back at the trainees. "This is your training challenge. Using my ability, I will block access to most of your Ki. I will even out your levels so that you will all be sparing at an even playing field. Once I do this, you must spar with each other in a battle Royal style."

Looking at her sister, "Cyanna, no magic. Put your weapon away. We can work on your magic training later."

Meagan then opened her Third Eye, and just like that Praxat, Dash, and Cyanna can feel their power levels drop dramatically. Each now have a Power Level of 500.

"At this level you should still be able to fly, fire off basic energy blasts, create defensive shields, and other basic techniques. If you try anything that normally uses up a lot of Ki, you will drain yourselves. this will leave you weak and vulnerable. Stay within this area, within the mountains and valley. You have 1/2 Hour, any questions before you begin?"

Praxat replies to this saying " I guess that means my power up techniques Hyper Charge , Efficiency Mode , Boost Mode , Power Mode and Max Mode are blocked right now." " quick question I'm not allow to use Poison right, because my race can generate a toxin that causes vertigo and hallucinations." "right now though my poison sacs are empty , because I haven't eating any poison planets or insects. "

[Tami]

Praxat replies to this saying " I guess that means my power up techniques Hyper Charge , Efficiency Mode , Boost Mode , Power Mode and Max Mode are blocked right now." " quick question I'm not allow to use Poison right, because my race can generate a toxin that causes vertigo and hallucinations." "right now though my poison sacs are empty , because I haven't eating any poison planets or insects. "

"This is a friendly spar." Meagan explained, "Nothing that risks serious injury. You will fight mostly using Martial Arts, hand to hand combat, and in flight as much as possible. You will continue to do so until I call time."

[Cthulhu_of_R'lyeh]

He nods.

“Ladies first.”

Ishtar nodded, that'd do.

Blurring into motion, the Oni shot forward and offered a series of punches to probe the Sheriff's defenses, and how he would react. As she did however, Ishtar made a point to ask.

"So this other... self. How do I know she is as you say ?"

[Cleric of Hell’s Brigade]

"Well, now that you mentioned it," Zao Prime says with a lowered guard, "...both of them. If they weren't two different people."

“No romantic partner. My deputy is Charco Ogatan.”

[Cyke]

“No romantic partner. My deputy is Charco Ogatan.”

Charco! Of course he would have a double, but there's no telling what he's like! I must warn him!

Zaofan regains his composure once more, and clears his throat. "You told us you had a family. But you didn't have a romantic partner? It makes me question what you're really fighting for. In all my travels, I've met many lawmen who lie, who pervert any sense of transparency, accountability, and justice for the sake of accumulating more power."

The chef then tilts his body so that his shoulder points at his double, his eyes narrow again towards him as he resumes his interrogative pace. "One more question, if you'll allow me: Ever dance with the devil in the pale moon light?"

[Cleric of Hell’s Brigade]

Ishtar nodded, that'd do.

Blurring into motion, the Oni shot forward and offered a series of punches to probe the Sheriff's defenses, and how he would react. As she did however, Ishtar made a point to ask.

"So this other... self. How do I know she is as you say ?"

Alt Zaofan keeps one hand in his pocket, the other deftly blocking each blow. He gives no ground either.

“Ya don’t. I could show ya a vid I have recorded, but even that could be doctored.”

[Cleric of Hell’s Brigade]

Charco! Of course he would have a double, but there's no telling what he's like! I must warn him!

Zaofan regains his composure once more, and clears his throat. "You told us you had a family. But you didn't have a romantic partner? It makes me question what you're really fighting for. In all my travels, I've met many lawmen who lie, who pervert any sense of transparency, accountability, and justice for the sake of accumulating more power."

The chef then tilts his body so that his shoulder points at his double, his eyes narrow again towards him as he resumes his interrogative pace. "One more question, if you'll allow me: Ever dance with the devil in the pale moon light?"

“My family are my adopted kids. Orphans I took in some time back when I first become Sheriff.”

He quirks a brow at the last comment.

“Every day.”

[Cyke]

“My family are my adopted kids. Orphans I took in some time back when I first become Sheriff.”

He quirks a brow at the last comment.

“Every day.”

Without warning, Zaofan fires a near-point blank Optic Blast right at Alt-Z.

"Like the day you all beat back your Ishtar? How'd you do that? I imagine you'd have to... keep an eye out for danger."

[Cleric of Hell’s Brigade]

Without warning, Zaofan fires a near-point blank Optic Blast right at Alt-Z.

"Like the day you all beat back your Ishtar? How'd you do that? I imagine you'd have to... keep an eye out for danger."

The blast passes through an after image. The real one spin kicks Zaofan’s head from on high, sending him straight into the ground.

“Which time? She’s attacked Earth three times.”

[Cyke]

The blast passes through an after image. The real one spin kicks Zaofan’s head from on high, sending him straight into the ground.

“Which time? She’s attacked Earth three times.”

Before he faceplants, Zao Prime fires a steady Optic Blast straight down, with enough force to launch him back up, pivoting his upside-down body skyward and perpendicular to the ground. His leg swings upward, his foot rocketing towards his copy's head, as he himself shoots up like a missile, the optic blast as the thrust.

A keen observer would see the beam wobble slightly, the blow to the head making Zao Prime a little woozy.

"Enlighten me. I got time to go all 12 rounds! What worked on her? What failed?"

[Cthulhu_of_R'lyeh]

Alt Zaofan keeps one hand in his pocket, the other deftly blocking each blow. He gives no ground either.

“Ya don’t. I could show ya a vid I have recorded, but even that could be doctored.”

Ishtar grunted, and switched tactics, firing off several quick jabs before planting her feet firmly.

"That is true. Even still," the Oni continued quickly, "I would hear what you have to say. So, what is she like ?"

Horns glowing brighter than usual, the Oni shot forward horns angled for a charged headbutt.

[Cleric of Hell’s Brigade]

Before he faceplants, Zao Prime fires a steady Optic Blast straight down, with enough force to launch him back up, pivoting his upside-down body skyward and perpendicular to the ground. His leg swings upward, his foot rocketing towards his copy's head, as he himself shoots up like a missile, the optic blast as the thrust.

A keen observer would see the beam wobble slightly, the blow to the head making Zao Prime a little woozy.

"Enlighten me. I got time to go all 12 rounds! What worked on her? What failed?"

The kick is caught one handed. Alt Z spins P Z around and throws him towards the ground again.

“First time she underestimated me. Came down from on high like some avenging goddess. Declared Earth was hers. She wasn’t quite as powerful then, neither was I, but the gap was closer. We fought, and she didn’t expect to be blinded and Ki binders thrown on her. Took her right out of the fight for a time. Bought me enough to prepare my big blast. When she hakai’ed out the binders, well, I was ready. We beam dueled and my amplified optic blast won out easy enough. Blew her out into space and kept blasting her all the way past Mars and Jupiter. Figured she was dead but, no. One of her ships found her barely alive and nursed her back to health.”

[Sub-Zero MKA]

Ever since the ceremony ended and Sarada went off to fight Erosa, she had been feeling Ishtar's irritation and disappointment consistently. On this day of joy, the Oni was on edge, and had been ever since it was revealed that Zurvan was dying a slow death. That they had the opportunity to not only reverse that, but to save his life outright did only a little to improve her mood. And rightfully so; if Maiz was in his position, she would be more than on edge, but rather would be ready to tear someone's head off and praying someone gave her the excuse to do exactly that.

Yet, she was in better spirits during Meagan's and Jinzi's pairing, so for her mood to have soured that quickly meant something more than Zurvan was wrong. As she quickly rounded the corner, she saw the reason. Ishtar, Parsley, Ochazuke, and Zurvan stood congregated together around Asha'rah, in the waning moments of what was surely a heated, if not civil, discussion. Sarada knew the subject matter well already. She was standing right there in expectation of this very thing occurring when the word hypocrite first slipped out of the Oni's beautiful lips.

The details of the argument were lost to her - a fact that could be rectified by a simply recounting of events later - but the aftermath was not. She could feel it as plan as day, and could see it just as easily. The affection Ishtar once held for her aunt was gone, as was the respect. Whatever defense the fallen goddess mustered forth was clearly not to Ishtar's liking, and knowing her love, she said as much.

Sarada could not possibly pick a side in this debate, as she was absent for Asha'rah's response. She knew better than to blindly side with Ishtar; even though the Oni could not lie, she could be wrong, and had admitted as much just yesterday to Parsley. So, while it would have been easier to just pick whichever side her love fell on and hitch her wagon to it, she knew there were three sides to every argument: one side, the opposing side, and the truth. She had neither side.

She reached the miniature assembly just as Ishtar was wrapping up what seemed to be her final statement on the matter.

Yet that had never been the Oni's way. To give ground where she would stand, unmoved, without sufficient reason; and given the lack of such provided in this dead-end conversation ... the Oni's path was set. Though there was at least a final offering. "... I have said my peace, and I do not intend to waste more of what little time we have to prepare on continuing this exchange. It has long since fallen into stagnation. Though at the least, know this. There will come a time in which you will be held accountable for the theft of Hakai, and your careless use of it, Asha'rah. One hopes that what you offer then, is better than what you offered now."

Finished then, the golden-eyed Oni allowed herself to fall silent ... and whether or not Asha'rah cared to listen, or simply dismissed her as she had twice before now, it truly mattered little.

The threat of Judgment for Asha'rah's past actions - the murder of her close friend, Indar'en, and the theft of his Hakai - was a hefty one, one that all listening knew she intended to carry out. That the goddess was her aunt was of no consequence.

However, that wasn't what had Sarada frowning. She was surprised this hadn't come to blows. In fact, she was disappointed. As emotionally charged as this day had been, tension was high and thick, thick enough to cut with a dull blade. Add in the harshness that this back and forth between fallen goddess and goddess apparent and that was a sure-fire recipe for punches being thrown.

Yet, as far as she could see, there had been none.

She shook her head and sighed loudly, announcing her presence to the others. "I can't believe you people wasted all this time talking. The tension is high, as are the emotions. There's a clear fracture in your relationship, at least on one side. Words will only escalate and exacerbate that tension. If you let it alone now, it will fester and turn into something far worse. Work it out now before this becomes a problem in the future." She doubted either would come to an agreement, if Ishtar's parting comments were anything to go by. Fighting until neither could stand was the only way to make sure this disagreement didn't blow up into something far more fracturing.

"Fight. Leave the plan- Oh, wait, you can't." She grinned and wrapped an arm around Ishtar's shoulders to pull her into an embrace. "Guess that means you'll have to fight on planet. Make sure you tell me when so I can be there to watch!"

[bruceleegreyhulk]

"This is a friendly spar." Meagan explained, "Nothing that risks serious injury. You will fight mostly using Martial Arts, hand to hand combat, and in flight as much as possible. You will continue to do so until I call time."

Praxat replies to this saying" okay then I'll stick to basic attacks and I wonder if It's alright to use my tongue during this sparring match? " using my tongue for offensive and defensive purposes really doesn't require me to use Ki expect for certain techniques and it technically is use as a part of my martial arts."