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

[Sub-Zero MKA]

Parsley and Avoca had ducked away somewhere private to "talk", and didn't return for nearly an hour. When they eventually returned, they found the others sitting around a screen. It seemed that there was some kind of tournament going on. Oh, right. Zurvan did say the next timeline was holding a tournament. Parsley sat down, Avoca right next to her, and folded her arms.

"Has Sarada fought, yet?" she asked no one in particular.

[Cthulhu_of_R'lyeh]

Parsley and Avoca had ducked away somewhere private to "talk", and didn't return for nearly an hour. When they eventually returned, they found the others sitting around a screen. It seemed that there was some kind of tournament going on. Oh, right. Zurvan did say the next timeline was holding a tournament. Parsley sat down, Avoca right next to her, and folded her arms.

"Has Sarada fought, yet?" she asked no one in particular.

Ishtar turned, and offered Parsley and her ... rather gifted -- as it pertained to her posterior -- companion a nod.

"She fought a Kami ... Guardian, Titanus. It was a good fight, they were fairly evenly matched, though the match ended when Sarada caught him off guard with her Agony Matrix and caused his own attack to detonate in his face."

After a brief pause, the Oni then asked with a knowing smile, "did you enjoy reuniting with your ... friend ?"

[Cleric of Hell’s Brigade]

Hm. He seems... less evil than my Chris.

Less evil, but still grey. Grey was good; it meant that he was less likely to kill her when she turned around to leave.

She knew how sneaky Meagan was more than Chris knew. "Yeah, lucky." Lucky for them all, that was. They were that much closer to completing this mission and being done with this timeline. "I'll keep that in mind. Luckily, if we do meet, it won't be until later on so I'll have her measure."

It occurred to her that she had never really paid much attention to how Meagan fought. They never spared, so the only chance she would have had was when they were fighting an enemy; and at that point, Sarada was too busy kicking ass to take stock in any one else. The next few rounds were going to be a learning experience.

"So, what's your story? Why do you want that prize?"

He raises an eyebrow at her.

“Fame, fortune. I’m a mercenary, so I figured it would do my rep well. It appears the opposite has happened. I suppose Samson was correct in that perhaps my.....ambition got the better of me.”

[Tami]

Parsley and Avoca had ducked away somewhere private to "talk", and didn't return for nearly an hour. When they eventually returned, they found the others sitting around a screen. It seemed that there was some kind of tournament going on. Oh, right. Zurvan did say the next timeline was holding a tournament. Parsley sat down, Avoca right next to her, and folded her arms.

"Has Sarada fought, yet?" she asked no one in particular.

"Uh huh," Dash replied while trying to finish the popcorn she'd been munching. Once it was down, "First round, it was pretty brutal, but she'd did well. Won it, barely."

[Sub-Zero MKA]

He raises an eyebrow at her.

“Fame, fortune. I’m a mercenary, so I figured it would do my rep well. It appears the opposite has happened. I suppose Samson was correct in that perhaps my.....ambition got the better of me.”

He was a mercenary here, and thus his goal was money and fame. A typical and predictable answer; she had been hoping he was here for some more altruistic reason, but she supposed that was far too much to hope for. "I see. So, you know Samson, huh? Real good guy from what I can tell. Damn good fighter, too. The best I've seen yet. He your mentor or something?"

[Cleric of Hell’s Brigade]

He was a mercenary here, and thus his goal was money and fame. A typical and predictable answer; she had been hoping he was here for some more altruistic reason, but she supposed that was far too much to hope for. "I see. So, you know Samson, huh? Real good guy from what I can tell. Damn good fighter, too. The best I've seen yet. He your mentor or something?"

“Kami no, but we are...kind of......team mates I guess? The Sarge, me, Samson and a few others back on Earth are, kind of, protectors. Cheh, I’ve heard us called the M-Fighters once or twice. Ridiculous, really. But we’ve protected Earth from a few bad moments.”

[Sub-Zero MKA]

Ishtar turned, and offered Parsley and her ... rather gifted -- as it pertained to her posterior -- companion a nod.

"She fought a Kami ... Guardian, Titanus. It was a good fight, they were fairly evenly matched, though the match ended when Sarada caught him off guard with her Agony Matrix and caused his own attack to detonate in his face."

"Uh huh," Dash replied while trying to finish the popcorn she'd been munching. Once it was down, "First round, it was pretty brutal, but she'd did well. Won it, barely."

So, Sarada had already fought. And a Kami, no less. That she won was no surprise, nor was it a surprise to hear that it was a closely contested battle. If Avoca hadn't shown up when she did, Parsley may have been upset with herself for neglecting to even consider accompanying them. It would have been a perfect test of her skills and techniques; plus winning this tournament would have been the perfect way to finally remove the memory of her loss in the ToD from her mind.

Alas, she didn't, and thus had to live with this missed opportunity. Oh well.

"I see. Do we know her next opponent?"

After a brief pause, the Oni then asked with a knowing smile, "did you enjoy reuniting with your ... friend ?"

At hearing the question, Parsley allowed a small, but very telling smile appear. "Quite. I enjoyed a very delicious meal at her expense."

"Ugh," Avoca scoffed. "You weren't the only one enjoying fine cuisine, Parsley."

She smirked.

[Tami]

“Kami no, but we are...kind of......team mates I guess? The Sarge, me, Samson and a few others back on Earth are, kind of, protectors. Cheh, I’ve heard us called the M-Fighters once or twice. Ridiculous, really. But we’ve protected Earth from a few bad moments.”

Meagan paused when her hearing picked up on the conversation between Sarada and Chris. It caught her by surprise, enough so that she altered her movements and headed in there direction.

Soon she was within visual distance of them, enough to catch Sarada's eye.

[Sub-Zero MKA]

“Kami no, but we are...kind of......team mates I guess? The Sarge, me, Samson and a few others back on Earth are, kind of, protectors. Cheh, I’ve heard us called the M-Fighters once or twice. Ridiculous, really. But we’ve protected Earth from a few bad moments.”

...

That was the second time he made that sound.

For a moment, a brief second, the thought that he was some fusion of Chris and Ochazuke. She dismissed it, because they thought was so stupid. "Defender of your homeworld, huh? That itself is a very honorable thing." Even if he was doing it simply because he lived there and couldn't if it was space rubble. "I'm here to test myself. There's nothing more exciting for a Saiyan than meeting another strong fighter and having them push you to your limits. Looking forward to facing Samson, for sure."

[Cleric of Hell’s Brigade]

So, Sarada had already fought. And a Kami, no less. That she won was no surprise, nor was it a surprise to hear that it was a closely contested battle. If Avoca hadn't shown up when she did, Parsley may have been upset with herself for neglecting to even consider accompanying them. It would have been a perfect test of her skills and techniques; plus winning this tournament would have been the perfect way to finally remove the memory of her loss in the ToD from her mind.

Alas, she didn't, and thus had to live with this missed opportunity. Oh well.

"I see. Do we know her next opponent?"



At hearing the question, Parsley allowed a small, but very telling smile appear. "Quite. I enjoyed a very delicious meal at her expense."

"Ugh," Avoca scoffed. "You weren't the only one enjoying fine cuisine, Parsley."

She smirked.

“Seems she’ll be fighting Samson Balon’s alternate over there.” Jack says.

“He’s one of Zaofan and Ochazuke masters’ in this timeline. From his bout we watched....he’ll dismantle Space Girl if she ain’t careful. About the most skilled fighter I ever saw.”

Nunlil nods her agreement and so do several of the others there.

[Cleric of Hell’s Brigade]

...

That was the second time he made that sound.

For a moment, a brief second, the thought that he was some fusion of Chris and Ochazuke. She dismissed it, because they thought was so stupid. "Defender of your homeworld, huh? That itself is a very honorable thing." Even if he was doing it simply because he lived there and couldn't if it was space rubble. "I'm here to test myself. There's nothing more exciting for a Saiyan than meeting another strong fighter and having them push you to your limits. Looking forward to facing Samson, for sure."

“You’ll lose.” He says bluntly.

“Samson didn’t even use any of his boosts or techniques and he’s a savant. “

[Sub-Zero MKA]

“You’ll lose.” He says bluntly.

“Samson didn’t even use any of his boosts or techniques and he’s a savant. “

She frowned, but didn't respond right away.

Samson was skilled, that much she knew. She hadn't been sure if he had any techniques, but that wasn't the case. It should have been a relief and advantage in her favor, but apparently not. Skill could make up for a lot, if the fighters' powers were comparable. If Sarada chose to, they wouldn't be. She'd be faster and stronger, and with more range. She had a chance, but she needed to fight smart.

Experience was also an issue. Samson was far older and had been fighting for a lot longer than she had.

The more she thought, the less advantages she realized she actually had.

"Like I said, I'm here to test myself. I don't have to win it all to do that, even if I'd like to." Helps that I have four teammates to pick up my slack in case I get beaten.

[Cleric of Hell’s Brigade]

She frowned, but didn't respond right away.

Samson was skilled, that much she knew. She hadn't been sure if he had any techniques, but that wasn't the case. It should have been a relief and advantage in her favor, but apparently not. Skill could make up for a lot, if the fighters' powers were comparable. If Sarada chose to, they wouldn't be. She'd be faster and stronger, and with more range. She had a chance, but she needed to fight smart.

Experience was also an issue. Samson was far older and had been fighting for a lot longer than she had.

The more she thought, the less advantages she realized she actually had.

"Like I said, I'm here to test myself. I don't have to win it all to do that, even if I'd like to." Helps that I have four teammates to pick up my slack in case I get beaten.

Chris nods.

“It also helps that you’ve got some buddies here of your own.”

He smirks.

“My group has a similar idea.”

[Sub-Zero MKA]

“Seems she’ll be fighting Samson Balon’s alternate over there.” Jack says.

“He’s one of Zaofan and Ochazuke masters’ in this timeline. From his bout we watched....he’ll dismantle Space Girl if she ain’t careful. About the most skilled fighter I ever saw.”

Nunlil nods her agreement and so do several of the others there.

"I see. Technical fighting isn't her strong suit," Parsley said bluntly. "If he's as skilled as you make him out to be, then she won't be able to simply overpower him." Still, there were ways she could win, if she thought it through before just bull-rushing ahead like she did sometimes.

Win or lose, she had the others to fall back on.

Not that she'd want that. A Saiyan's competitive spirit wouldn't let them just lose to a weaker fighter, regardless of the gap in skill. It was going to be interesting; and she was going to learn something, regardless of the outcome.

[Yun Lao]

It was so hard to decide a song on the spot. It had to be one that would set the perfect tone for how he fought so picking something randomly just wasn't going to work. A casual glance to the side would show him Sarada speaking to Chris the Knife, and surprisingly, she wasn't cracking his skull open like some pretentious egg. In fact, they seemed to have a normal conversation despite their history. It appeared he wasn't the only one who noticed, as Meagan stopped in her tracks just to make a b-line towards them.

In the end, however, it didn't matter to him. Charco was far too hyped for his match to be anything but apathetic to his surroundings at this point.

"So, who got paired up with me?" The boy asked him, his eyes seeking out an answer from any available display nearby.