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

[Sub-Zero MKA]

Meanwhile, Alt Asha’rah nods at hearing of the time threat the Doctor is.

“He seeks the ultimate rebellion. To remake the universe as he sees fit. I cannot fathom what drove him to such depths.”

"The ultimate rebellion, hm? Sounds familiar, doesn't it?" Sarada commented plainly. A rebellion was also just in the eyes of the rebel. Asha'rah's just reason was to undo the notion of "Might Makes Right" that was infecting the universe. To do so, she rebelled against Zeno himself and commit scores of crimes - including murdering her own friend and stealing his power. In this, the ends justified the means.

Her ends were just and right, the means were not.

"Could Alt-Jinzi have a good reason for wanting to undo time itself?" she pondered. "I mean, the ends justify the means if the ends were righteous enough. Wanting to undo the established order to eliminate the prevalence of the mighty's domination over the weak is a good cause. What if Jinzi has a good cause too and we're just missing it because we're on the wrong end of his rebellion?"

She shrugged. It was just a thought, her spit-balling to get some kind of alternate thought going. Things were never as black-and-white as anyone would have liked. That won't stop me from punching him in the face, whatever his reason is. I just need to start looking at the full picture before I start punching.

[Cleric of Hell’s Brigade]

"The ultimate rebellion, hm? Sounds familiar, doesn't it?" Sarada commented plainly. A rebellion was also just in the eyes of the rebel. Asha'rah's just reason was to undo the notion of "Might Makes Right" that was infecting the universe. To do so, she rebelled against Zeno himself and commit scores of crimes - including murdering her own friend and stealing his power. In this, the ends justified the means.

Her ends were just and right, the means were not.

"Could Alt-Jinzi have a good reason for wanting to undo time itself?" she pondered. "I mean, the ends justify the means if the ends were righteous enough. Wanting to undo the established order to eliminate the prevalence of the mighty's domination over the weak is a good cause. What if Jinzi has a good cause too and we're just missing it because we're on the wrong end of his rebellion?"

She shrugged. It was just a thought, her spit-balling to get some kind of alternate thought going. Things were never as black-and-white as anyone would have liked. That won't stop me from punching him in the face, whatever his reason is. I just need to start looking at the full picture before I start punching.

“Very few people are the villains of their own story, that is true. But a rebellion against something corrupt cannot be corrupt in turn. Then neither side is correct. My rebellion was done with blinders on. I sought to make Zeno see my conviction and my view, and in doing so never saw the strings pulling me hither and yon until far after. Words whispered in my ear to influence me that I should have realized we’re not in the best interest. And my greatest sin, slaying Inda’ren and taking what was his as my own. In that moment I became the system of might makes right that I meant to stand against. I decided it was worthwhile, that the ends justify the means to the point I slew my friend.”

Alt Asha’rah shakes her head.

“The ends very rarely justify the means. To become a Temporal Divinity and remake it all....no, that scope and grasp would make anyone think their actions justified. After all, time will change so their sins will vanish, yes? That is the epitome of evil. Sin and sin and sin, but it’s alright because no one will be around that remembers.”

[Sub-Zero MKA]

“Very few people are the villains of their own story, that is true. But a rebellion against something corrupt cannot be corrupt in turn. Then neither side is correct. My rebellion was done with blinders on. I sought to make Zeno see my conviction and my view, and in doing so never saw the strings pulling me hither and yon until far after. Words whispered in my ear to influence me that I should have realized we’re not in the best interest. And my greatest sin, slaying Inda’ren and taking what was his as my own. In that moment I became the system of might makes right that I meant to stand against. I decided it was worthwhile, that the ends justify the means to the point I slew my friend.”

Alt Asha’rah shakes her head.

“The ends very rarely justify the means. To become a Temporal Divinity and remake it all....no, that scope and grasp would make anyone think their actions justified. After all, time will change so their sins will vanish, yes? That is the epitome of evil. Sin and sin and sin, but it’s alright because no one will be around that remembers.”

Sarada listened silently to what Asha'rah's alternate had to say. In regards to her explanation of her rebellion, it was more of what she had already heard, except easier to understand. Perhaps this one had learned that less was more and getting to the point was always for the best. The ends never justified the means, regardless of how just they may have seemed at the outset.

"History is rewritten by the victors," she responded. That, she knew better than most. Her race's entire history had been nearly wiped out when Otatop took over. It was going to be that way over the entire universe if Jinzi got his way. "Even the most psychotic of killers will seem like a conquering hero with enough time for the rest to forget the truth." And when that killer controlled time itself, it would take no time at all for the masses to forget.

[Lord Falcon]

"The ultimate rebellion, hm? Sounds familiar, doesn't it?" Sarada commented plainly. A rebellion was also just in the eyes of the rebel. Asha'rah's just reason was to undo the notion of "Might Makes Right" that was infecting the universe. To do so, she rebelled against Zeno himself and commit scores of crimes - including murdering her own friend and stealing his power. In this, the ends justified the means.

Her ends were just and right, the means were not.

"Could Alt-Jinzi have a good reason for wanting to undo time itself?" she pondered. "I mean, the ends justify the means if the ends were righteous enough. Wanting to undo the established order to eliminate the prevalence of the mighty's domination over the weak is a good cause. What if Jinzi has a good cause too and we're just missing it because we're on the wrong end of his rebellion?"

She shrugged. It was just a thought, her spit-balling to get some kind of alternate thought going. Things were never as black-and-white as anyone would have liked. That won't stop me from punching him in the face, whatever his reason is. I just need to start looking at the full picture before I start punching.

“Very few people are the villains of their own story, that is true. But a rebellion against something corrupt cannot be corrupt in turn. Then neither side is correct. My rebellion was done with blinders on. I sought to make Zeno see my conviction and my view, and in doing so never saw the strings pulling me hither and yon until far after. Words whispered in my ear to influence me that I should have realized we’re not in the best interest. And my greatest sin, slaying Inda’ren and taking what was his as my own. In that moment I became the system of might makes right that I meant to stand against. I decided it was worthwhile, that the ends justify the means to the point I slew my friend.”

Alt Asha’rah shakes her head.

“The ends very rarely justify the means. To become a Temporal Divinity and remake it all....no, that scope and grasp would make anyone think their actions justified. After all, time will change so their sins will vanish, yes? That is the epitome of evil. Sin and sin and sin, but it’s alright because no one will be around that remembers.”

Had the Asha'rah of this timeline not realized the implications of slaying Indar'en and taking his power? No, she knew, Asha'rah realized. She had just come to all those slightly different conclusions, made all those slightly different choices that led her down a more tranquil path upon waking.

"Jinzi almost certainly has a reason he has determined justifies his decision to rebel. Whether you determine it to have merit Sarada, is, as always, a personal decision. Right and wrong are but social constructs, ones that have been tied to countless different values since time immemorial."

She opened one hand, palm up, and clenched the other.

"Underneath it all, there is only culture and will. We shall see something of Jinzi's cause soon enough. For now, he is threatening my old friend and the existence of everyone in the multiverse I fought for. That is enough for me."

It was tempting to probe her counterpart for information. How had she beaten Sakin? What steps had she taken? Where had she found Arthur? But to exploit time travel for her own informational gain would contradict the reasons she abhorred time travel in the first place - respect for the ability of others to choose. She would find her own path, in her time.

[grampagen]

Pyrus pauses, then reaches out to the floor of the temple. After a moment, energy gathered there and pulls into her hand, where stands a spinning smooth orb of beautiful reds and oranges and yellows.

“The Heart of a Goddess, pure Creational Energy. Asha’rah lay her heart into the planet, and with it much of her power. The power to create is not easily stolen. But taken after it was freely given........”

Ochazuke beheld Pyrus' extraction from the temple grounds. Though he had perceived the shape of it at length where it ran through the planet, where it was held before her it made the Fire Elemental's makeup seem a dusky mirage.

The core of the Creator's power.

Its influence pulsed at a distance from its source, the very same that cultivated life's burning bloom within this world.

"The source of life itself," he said. "To create. To rebuild. Could this be what he seeks, roaming from one reality to the next?"

Pyrus shrugs.

“I convinced him she would not give it up so he took me, strongest of my people, and used me. Experimented. Sought to see if each of us elementals held portions of it. When he did not find it right away he decided to use me as a soldier between experiments. So long as I played his game, he would not return for another of my people so long as I lived. The Ice Knight was more receptive of his methods and desires. I believe it served the Doctor willingly.”

Meanwhile, Alt Asha’rah nods at hearing of the time threat the Doctor is.

“He seeks the ultimate rebellion. To remake the universe as he sees fit. I cannot fathom what drove him to such depths.”

"I wager there is one who could," he said.

Ochazuke then turned from Pyrus, driving his gaze from the elemental until it rest between her planet's Guardian and the more familiar Goddess.

"The ultimate rebellion to remake the universe, Asha'rah." he repeated back to them, "the end result of higher vision. What could possibly drive one to strive to such lengths?"

By now, everyone gathered here knew the answer.

"The ultimate rebellion, hm? Sounds familiar, doesn't it?" Sarada commented plainly. A rebellion was also just in the eyes of the rebel. Asha'rah's just reason was to undo the notion of "Might Makes Right" that was infecting the universe. To do so, she rebelled against Zeno himself and commit scores of crimes - including murdering her own friend and stealing his power. In this, the ends justified the means.

Her ends were just and right, the means were not.

"Could Alt-Jinzi have a good reason for wanting to undo time itself?" she pondered. "I mean, the ends justify the means if the ends were righteous enough. Wanting to undo the established order to eliminate the prevalence of the mighty's domination over the weak is a good cause. What if Jinzi has a good cause too and we're just missing it because we're on the wrong end of his rebellion?"

She shrugged. It was just a thought, her spit-balling to get some kind of alternate thought going. Things were never as black-and-white as anyone would have liked. That won't stop me from punching him in the face, whatever his reason is. I just need to start looking at the full picture before I start punching.

When Sarada spoke on the issue, a cold chuckle left Ochazuke in solidarity. It seemed that the Saiyan Queen too saw that there was much more at stake than the next moment of heated battle.

"While he reaches from beyond, worlds are ruined and Time itself will die. That is reason enough," he said " But...suppose the Doctor has a deeper motive to the chaos he sows?"

The energy that composed Zurvan beat about the sheltered Nexus to a rhythm apart from the Heart of Creation so near to it. With a sharp exhale, he cracked the joints of his neck from side to side.

"Whatever that may be, I suppose we'll soon ask him the moment we find him, won't we?"

“Very few people are the villains of their own story, that is true. But a rebellion against something corrupt cannot be corrupt in turn. Then neither side is correct. My rebellion was done with blinders on. I sought to make Zeno see my conviction and my view, and in doing so never saw the strings pulling me hither and yon until far after. Words whispered in my ear to influence me that I should have realized we’re not in the best interest. And my greatest sin, slaying Inda’ren and taking what was his as my own. In that moment I became the system of might makes right that I meant to stand against. I decided it was worthwhile, that the ends justify the means to the point I slew my friend.”

He heard her explain the matter concisely, but as Ochazuke heard her speak he seized upon the smaller details divulged by the Guardian. After all, this was a tale he had heard a few times now.

"Were you truly blinded, Asha'rah, or was this pursuit the only course you were willing to see?" he said, "Moving toward the only outcome you wanted to see?"

The moment the subject of Sakin entered the conversation, the memory of rebellion became less decisive and more a matter of strings and sweet whispers. Though she spoke of conviction, he saw something else within this divine matter which was all too familiar.

"Tell me, were you truly so set on seizing upon it you let nothing shake you from this war," he said. "That all you needed was another voice to affirm the decision, to tell you that you could. Was it just this one feckless Angel, or the multitudes that looked to you for answers? The choice to lead them was yours alone, and from what you've told me, I doubt you hesitated."

Alt Asha’rah shakes her head.

“The ends very rarely justify the means. To become a Temporal Divinity and remake it all....no, that scope and grasp would make anyone think their actions justified. After all, time will change so their sins will vanish, yes? That is the epitome of evil. Sin and sin and sin, but it’s alright because no one will be around that remembers.”

"The idea of rebellion you say you learned from your creation. But you in turn left your immortal imprint on us," Ochazuke said. "You know it well, a gnawing, narrow-sighted, hunger. What a fickle and greedy thing it is, the ravenous absolution of desire."

He stepped toward the mirrored pair, veering his course to the diminished Guardian.

"So consumed by it, one would see any effect removed from its cause. The end result is all that will remain. What you've done once this Doctor would do a thousand times over without regret or examination. And with all of Time at his fingertips, it is unlikely he will stop until what he desires is his, all others, all else be damned, along with the consequences."

"I've heard enough of the justice of celestial visionaries," he said. "Holding these misdeeds to account in the world we create, that's all that matters."

The Scroll of Zxu'ro was still in the Guardian's grasp. Ochazuke outstretched his hand toward it then.

"And all that will live on."

OOC: 5

[Cleric of Hell’s Brigade]

Alt Asha’rah smiles a touch sadly.

“Perhaps I also didn’t want to see another path at the time, Ochazuke. I will admit that even I do not know for sure if honeyed words in my ear or my own desire pushed me down the path more. Regardless, the end result was still by my hand.”

She hands him the scroll.

“Forge forward, that is all that can be done. Learn from the past and do not repeat the same mistakes.”

She nods towards the ball of Creational energy.

“With that free portion this Doctor character could potentially use it to create anything. Another path towards his goal of temporal domination didn’t pan out.”

Alt Asha’rah gestures and the sphere raise sup and floats to her counterpart.

“A gift, my doppelgänger. To help you and to protect it from this Doctor.”

[bruceleegreyhulk]

“You’ll be a dead man when we plaster your face across the Space News outlets about your involvement here and subsequent agreement to help us.”

" Wait don't do that if he sees my face plaster like that on Space News outlets he's going to kill me for sure! " This guy is ruthless , a real wolf in sheep's clothing ," Turk said nervously .

[bruceleegreyhulk]

" You're good but being Master of Mahtoesa Hetto no Hwe-Atkam I have more than one stance , in fact Mahtoesa Hetto no Hwe-Atkam has a variety of stances all base off the wildlife of my home planet Qacriea!" Althena said Rather than attempt the same move again Althena changes her stance on the fly to a counter stance on instinct as she let's her body and muscle memory do most of the work. So When Meagan throws a attack , Althena's body just snaps into action with minimal movement to preform a counter throw on Meagan that is harder to evaded than her last move .

The counter stance that Althena uses is a stance that relies on quick reactions and timing to parry a opponent's attack with a counter move. It's specifically design to be use by a large body type that has a lot of physical strength , but slow striking speed . It's not like Althena is slow far from it as she's still faster as her striking speed would still be classified as being beyond that of a speed of a normal human's striking speed. " I can continue using my prefer combat stance, or I could show you more Mahtoesa Hetto no Hwe-Atkam stances if you like Meagan," Althena Said.

The stance that Althena is using excels at defense but it has one major weakness . That weakness is that timing is very crucial part of the stance since it relies heavily on parrying. So Althena on instinct also has to make sure that her timing isn't off even by a little.

OOC: Made changes to this.

OT: for Tami in case this was missed.

[Cleric of Hell’s Brigade]

" Wait don't do that if he sees my face plaster like that on Space News outlets he's going to kill me for sure! " This guy is ruthless , a real wolf in sheep's clothing ," Turk said nervously .

“The only option where you live is if you help us and we put you into witness protection.”

[bruceleegreyhulk]

Zaofan chuckled just a bit. "Well, the numbers seem to match up. Maybe once everything has settled down and when we return to Earth, we can trade notes on our respective schools, eh?"



"Humanity ended, but the human Zxu'Ro did not, and he himself excelled. Asha'rah saw to that, but she also didn't keep him; he had a way to travel off-world. Which makes me wonder..."



"...maybe you still can. How did Zxu'Ro leave the Earth? And aside from doing battle with the parasites, would he have any other link to that unreachable place?"

The traveler Zaofan kept his mind to moving from location to location, destination in mind. "A universe with Zxu'ro in it, with a legend referring to the two of us... it is a journey worth undertaking."



Zaofan followed up the line of questioning in support. "Asha'rah, you see, the scientist in question has always been one step ahead of us. He is equipped with more knowledge of the multiverse than we typically have. Pursuit is the name of the game, as cold and distant as it may sound."

" that would be nice, and It's funny I'm not really apart of any Martial arts school since Master Khan left his school to develop his own marital arts style which he base off a frog, and I was pretty much his only student, oh I also think once we get back you may want to trade notes with Althena on Toadian combat style Mahtoesa Hetto no Hwe-Atkam," Praxat said.

[bruceleegreyhulk]

“The only option where you live is if you help us and we put you into witness protection.”

" Well if it's my only option I guess I have no choice." The guy's name is the Black Sheep , and he is a seriously dangerous intergalactic Crime boss. I'm talking drug trafficking , illegal arms dealing , poaching of rare and endanger species , alien trafficking , illegal organ harvesting , multiple counts of genocide , Illegal unethical experiments , illegal organ harvesting , and multiple accounts of murder! He's freaking psychopath, he's cold hearted, calculating, and he always has this black mask on so no one can see his face," Turk said .

[Cthulhu_of_R'lyeh]

"Jahum A-what?" Glacier managed to uttered right before he was punched square in the face. He was swallowed up by the ground giving way and collapsing in on itself. The capacity of the blow delivered unimpeded by Ishtar was immense. The ground trembled, uprooting the buildings fortunate enough to still be standing from their foundations and sending them toppling over like dominoes. The block-wide impromptu demolition kicked up a massive cloud of dust, obscuring Glacier and Ishtar from sight, but not sense.

Glacier's was as steady as ever.

"...It is quite obvious that you are new to my realm," he stated from within the cloud, "for that is the only reason you would share in that ape's insolence." In a flash, he was behind Ishtar. "But worry not," he said before punching her in the back of the head, "I'll beat some respect into you."

Ishtar was suddenly ensnared by an invisible force and slammed into the ground, deepening the crater created by her previous attack. "You will submit to my greatness, or die. It's as simple as that." His hand clapped around her throat and started to squeeze her throat closed. If she did nothing, she would be strangled to death. Assuming she wasn't immune to strangulation, that was.

Meanwhile, Parsley had managed to rise to her hands and knees. That was, without doubt, the hardest punch she had suffered in her entire life. She groaned and wobbly struggled to her feet. She wiped the blood from her mouth and looked behind her. Ishtar was fighting Glacier by herself. The Oni could hold her own for a little while, but whatever power she could conjure would only last for a little while.

Glacier, on the other hand, could endure whatever offense she could muster, then punish her when her power fell away.

From the looks of it, that sucker punch had Vocado down for the count. She cursed to herself. If it wasn't for them being so conspicuous, these two titans would still be fighting. Her legs were still jelly, but she couldn't let Ishtar get beaten to a pulp, even if that beating would have little bearing on the real world once this nightmare was said and done.

She could feel that Glacier's power was still steady, which was a nightmarish scenario. It could only mean that the ultra-powerful Arcosian was now incensed beyond what he already was. And given his mania just moments earlier, that was saying something.

"Tch!" Her Super Saiyan power wasn't coming up like she needed it to; for about as much good as it would have done for her. She still would have been a long ways below Glacier and Ishtar. "Damn it!"

Whatever! I have to do something! Her aura flared, a sterling white in the nighttime sky as her power quadrupled. It wasn't much, but it was something.

She dashed forward into the cloud of dust, using her ki sense to home in on Glacier's power.

"And now the she-ape has rejoined us," he commented before hurling Ishtar into Parsley. The Saiyan's hyper-focus just barely allowed her to dodge the flying Oni.

****! Her only hope was to debuff his power. The problem was that she needed to make contact with him. She hoped he was as arrogant as all the other Arcosians she had the displeasure of encountering in her short life.

Circumstances notwithstanding, Ishtar always felt a certain pleasure when Ahûm-Jaidhi connected.

It was after all, the fruits of many centuries worth of study applied toward the purpose of bridging the gap between physical might, and Magic. Beyond the pride of her accomplishment however, there was an almost primal satisfaction in the way the blow rattled her jaw. Though basking in the moment could wait. Simulated or not, her head was throbbing from the blows she'd sustained earlier, Ahûm-Jaidhi connecting had bought her a few moments. and she needed that time to think of a way to survive this encounter. Though as she considered this -- obscured by the debris that had been kicked up as side-effect of the blow -- a steady presence reminded her that there was really not much she could do.

... and when Glacier appeared and said something she didn't quite catch, before blurring out of focus; Ishtar could only swear as the Arcosian's fist connected with the back of her head.

"Damn."

Of course that hardly softened the impact.

Stunned, and brought to her knees from the hit, there was little then she could do but sputter weakly, as Glacier wrapped his hand around her throat and began squeezing ... a thing itself that managed little -- given Ishtar's ability to go without oxygen for twenty-four hours, comfortably -- but certainly helped frame the situation in a way that was understandable. And despite the threat, Ishtar found herself somewhat amused. Especially when she felt, finally, Parsley's presence at her back; the Saiyan Princess having recovered enough to enter the fray. "You will tire out ... long before you choke me to de- kaff." Again her words fell short, this time the result of Glacier coming dangerously close to crushing her windpipe, and more importantly her spine. "Her name is Parsle-" Though it seemed the Arcosian was easily distracted; opting to comment on Parsley before tossing the Oni unceremoniously toward the inbound Parsley.

Taking advantage of this, Ishtar allowed herself to be hurled past Parsley; opting to strike the ground some distance away and skid to a stop.

Better than being ... punched ... again, the glowing-horn Oni considered silently before slow -- and oh so painfully staggering to her feet -- and turning her eyes, and senses back toward Parsley. After all, it was pretty clear for everyone, the girl was trying for something. Though what that was, was ...

"... something."

In any event, after a short moment of struggling, Ishtar realized -- somewhat fuzzily -- that thanks to Glacier's antics, she'd been successfully flung from immediate combat. Realizing too, that there was likely to be a chance now to attempt something she was otherwise unable to; the Oni took advantage of this by means of the favorable option. So after a moment to target Glacier, the Oni set about to weaving more magic to pin the arrogant Arcosian in place ... hopefully.

"Starapateñti, Paņca."

The same technique that had pinned the then much more powerful Battersea, amplified as it was now beyond Ishtar's current strength, there was a chance -- and more importantly a hope -- that it might stymie Glacier long enough to afford Parsley a larger opening.

OT: 3

[Tami]

Back at the Lookout

While waiting for the other's return, Dash managed to get herself something to eat then cleaned herself up. Walking back outside, she looked up into the sky. A feeling of uncertainity and fustration overtook her and she expressed it but lifting off the Plaza and taking to the sky.

Straight like an arrow just launched from it's bow, she flew higher and higher into the sky until she coudl fly no more. Then she stopped, and hovered in place, slowly turning around and surveying the land below, the Earth below.

As she did, she tried to get in touch with what was bothering her. It was a feeling, a sensation that seemed to numb her every nerve while electrifying her every muscle. A feeling of waiting for the sword the fall, and unable to stop it from happening.

After an unknown amount of time, thinking and drifting and observing, Dash finally altered the flow of her Ki in order to send her body into a downward trajectory. Flying at a steady rate, she plummeted gracefully towards the Lookout. At first it appeared to her like a small speck, then it grew larger and larger. Soon she was landing on the Plaza and as she did, she knew what she needed to do.

Jinzi shoots upward, looking excited as he gets up from his meditation position. Nunlil looks at him from where her and Kai are sparring, but says nothing.

Jinzi begins looking through a data pad, searching for something as he mumbles to himself.

Seeking out Eva, Dash comes across the three of them, "Ah'm looking for Eva. Any of you happen to see her around?"

[grampagen]

Alt AshaÂ’rah smiles a touch sadly.

“Perhaps I also didn’t want to see another path at the time, Ochazuke. I will admit that even I do not know for sure if honeyed words in my ear or my own desire pushed me down the path more. Regardless, the end result was still by my hand.”

She hands him the scroll.

“Forge forward, that is all that can be done. Learn from the past and do not repeat the same mistakes.”

She nods towards the ball of Creational energy.

“With that free portion this Doctor character could potentially use it to create anything. Another path towards his goal of temporal domination didn’t pan out.”

Alt AshaÂ’rah gestures and the sphere raise sup and floats to her counterpart.

“A gift, my doppelgänger. To help you and to protect it from this Doctor.”

Though the orb of creation floating toward Asha'rah seemed to dim all else around them, in that moment facing towards that fixed, shining point, Ochazuke was acutely aware of the shadows around them. For the first time, he saw a phantom of what the Creators did countless eons ago.

The spirit of a boundless potential; everything and more, beyond what seemed possible. Sequestering the Scroll of the Ten, with his free hand he shaded his eyes.

"The pursuit of such power has driven many on their course," he said, "the sacrifices made to acquire it lead to as much temperance as much the jealous urge to guard it for themselves."

Beyond strength, before power, the seed of it all was nestled there in the heart of inspiration. The spirit of an idea through diligence would germinate into hope, create meaning. Yet he had seen the burdensome truth of the matter before. That the hands that push you forward can just as easily weigh you down. He had left the North two years ago to find the strength to bear it and saw the many paths forged before him.

"With the means to depart from the consequences on a whim, there is no telling how much one would be willing to sacrifice if it is immaterial to the end."

At the end Zxu'ro had returned. Zaofan had marveled at how he had so flourished on this world, and part of Ochazuke had as well. Yet there was something else he had felt written in the ashen vapours boiling below them, scattered before they reached up to a crystal blue sky and the precipice of a restored universal order that had never been clearer.

Only unshackled to Earth had the Master of Masters found that higher purpose. If he lived beyond the legacy that guided him, what had kept him from saving their living humanity?

The shape of the paper he held in his right hand had the weight of something yet undiscovered. Without a past to inform it, a future no less fractured - and no less real - than the one that raced mercilessly toward them. Along a mortal span, they had choices to make and burdens to bear. Zxu'ro had made his freely.

One man alone among the cosmos; One root of Ten that bled into countless.

The Creator's mercy that bled to fuel the fire of this planet made it adamantly clear. Nothing came without sacrifice. How much was the Doctor willing to depart with to realize his vision? How much did their figment of Zxu'ro loose from himself there on his path to higher purpose?

"If one rises on the shoulders of other, he would be remiss to forget all that came before."

How ironic then, that he found himself so determined to find that course.

OOC: 4

[bruceleegreyhulk]

" You're good but being Master of Mahtoesa Hetto no Hwe-Atkam I have more than one stance , in fact Mahtoesa Hetto no Hwe-Atkam has a variety of stances all base off the wildlife of my home planet Qacriea, Now let's see how you counter this!" Althena said Rather than attempt the same move again Althena changes her stance on the fly to a counter stance on instinct as she let's her body and muscle memory do most of the work. So When Meagan throws a attack , Althena's body just snaps into action with minimal movement to preform a counter throw that is harder to evaded than her last move .

The counter stance that Althena uses is a stance that relies on quick reactions and timing to parry a opponent's attack with a counter move. It's specifically design to be use by a large body type that has a lot of physical strength , but slow striking speed . It's not like Althena is slow far from it as she's still faster as her striking speed would still be classified as being faster than a normal human's striking speed, but still slower than Meagan and Praxat 's striking speed . " I can continue using my prefer combat stance, or I could show you more Mahtoesa Hetto no Hwe-Atkam stances if you like Meagan," Althena Said.

The stance that Althena is using excels at defense but it has one major weakness . That weakness is that timing is very crucial part of the stance since it relies heavily on parrying. So Althena on instinct also has to make sure that her timing isn't off even by a little. since timing is very important to the stance Althena is using if a attack is too fast she won't be able to parry it.

now the counter throw that Althena attempts on Meagan is a Geese Howard type counter throw ( the one where Geese Howard says predictable ). To a novice a throw like this might seem to be might be hard to counter , but this throw can in fact be counter even reverse, and it doesn't required the person doing the reversal or counter to be physically stronger than their opponent.

OOC: made adjustments to this post, Tami.