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  1. #3721

    Default Fathers and Sons [Abridged]

    It is a very difficult thing to accept the unknowable. In the shifting circumstances of life people strain to find a meaning from composition of unrelated events. More often than not the inventive mind will create some sort of rationalization. Everything must happen for a reason. In viewing particularly auspicious natural phenomena this is often the base of superstition. But sometimes the eye is keener than the inventive mind, able to perceive and accept what simply is.

    Without so much as a sign of a wind. a storm had swiftly arrayed itself around the Island of the Red-Crowned Crane like a dark crown of smoke. The bay stilled as if a large, stagnant pond, as if the world had held its breath, and the sun was blotted out by shadow miles-long.

    Then the sky split.

    The maritime sailors swore that they saw the clouds part for miles over the Senbei Archipelago that day, a fleeting return to daylight until the blue itself seemed to shatter. Hailstones as large as fists fell riotously into the tropical mid-day, like fragments of the now-exposing stars falling to earth between the flickering aurora. The inverted night suspended itself, the ocean lurching and spitting like some wounded beasts, as its energies bathed crested wave and shuddereing masts aglow with banded fire.

    Gulls cried out over the warm flotsam, and staring upward at them, Kuki narrowed his eyes as their broad shadows parted from the sun's second rising. Floating upon his back, blood-warm seawater sloshed around in the shell on his back, and he lazily bobbed adrift upon the waves.

    In a battle between Masters, heaven and hell themselves would quake. He hadn't considered the old adage much until today.

    "S'a sharp young man, that he is. Might've underestimated him. "

    "Gyek." Ishii rubbed his beak over the swelling purple shiner on Kuki's cheek. The Old Turtle winced as salt water got into his wounded brow.

    "Heh-heh. Yeah I know. But y'should see th'other guy."

    Ten years ago, a False Tiger was revealed to be a Crane with broken wings. Five years ago in the snows before the Frozen Fall, Kamesennin Kuki pulled a fellow apostate from the brink of death. They had much in common, and with nowhere to return to, the world they had left behind continued without them.

    Even now, the head of the house stood prominently, for those who have the will to reach for victory are strong indeed. But once all battles have been brought to their final conclusion, what is it that remains at the end of a destroyer's road?

    Where can they grow from there? A conundrum held in kind.

    O to struggle against great odds, to meet enemies
    undaunted!

    To be entirely alone with them, to find how much one can
    stand!

    To look strife, torture, prison, popular odium, face to face!

    To mount the scaffold, to advance to the muzzles of guns
    with perfect nonchalance!

    To be indeed a God!


    Walt Whitman "A Song of Joys"

  2. #3722

    Default Ten Hands, Two Fists

    The sun rose, casting a blue glimmer upon Kuki's shelled back, and after one last look his shoulder behind him at the dawn, the Old Turtle resumed his walk towards a grey horizon. Unmarked by any other, rolling towards him was an uncertain path, and by its sheer indistinction he felt compelled to move towards it.

    Slowly, he became aware of something. A subtle force, ebbing through the Earth itself. This phenomena carried with it a pulse. A living passage. An intent with certainty. The same that left the North all those years ago. He smirked to himself. It seemed like the kid found the message he left behind.

    "Seems like th'time's come for us t'part ways m'friend."

    "...gyek?"

    "S'not much left f'me t'teach ya, Ishii. Half th'time, y'seem t'figure it out on y'own," he chuckled.

    He walked away from from the path of sensei long ago. By the tattered cloth that girdled his aged frame, the airs of a Grand Master were no longer suited for him.

    Though great deeds had rendered large and writ legend, in the shadows of the Master of Masters, there was great deal of blood shed. Within these scarred, black letters, two-thousand years history of division and conflict wrought the duality of human history. Strength, salvation, both reprieve and all the ugliness in this world. The technique that knit itself deep into his very bones had been meant to stoke one thing, and that was potential. However...

    "I c'n only help y'find yer own way. But t'get where y'wanna go, the rest's up t'you."

    Open hand, the plea. Pulled back to a sealed fist at his side. Pressed forward, he raised his thumb and forefinger as a sign of brotherhood. The Terrapin lolled its long, little neck, and with a sad little gurgle, rose to the air and left for parts unknown. The day would come where the Little Turtle would face his destiny, but this Old Turtle in all his accrued years found something that was far outside of his experience. In that respect, they had now become peers.

    History is written in the deeds of great men, their footsteps echoing through the generations. Grand monuments were reared to their merit or infamy, casting long shadows before them. But to Kamesennin Kuki, here there are no heroes here, and a higher purpose remained elusive. Where his meditation field of sense-awareness stretched through the ki of the Earth, it all led to a living presence. An ancient thing beating like a sleeping heart.

    All the answers lay before him. Just over that faded horizon was the unwritten chapter in the story of the world.

    "But it ain't mine anymore. S'a story f'someone else t'tell, that's f'certain."

    Rather than venture another step forward, instead he took a seat on the ground and waited.

    "Still s'a history n'a world we all share. Think I'd like t'stick around n'see what happens next."

    What are the roots that clutch, what branches grow
    Out of this stony rubbish? Son of man,
    You cannot say, or guess, for you know only
    A heap of broken images, where the sun beats,
    And the dead tree gives no shelter, the cricket no relief,
    And the dry stone no sound of water. Only
    There is shadow under this red rock,
    (Come in under the shadow of this red rock),
    And I will show you something different from either
    Your shadow at morning striding behind you
    Or your shadow at evening rising to meet you;
    I will show you fear in a handful of dust.


    TS Eliot "The Waste Land"

  3. #3723
    Lin Kuei Grandmaster Sub-Zero MKA's Avatar
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    Default A Place to Call Home I

    After Maiz's meeting with the Meat Market's representatives concluded and plans for the new city were drawn, revised, and approved, construction on the new city began in earnest.

    Firstly, a month were given to those living in the Meat Market to find new temporary housing for the duration of the construction. It wasn't the epitome of comfort and luxury; only a step or two up from living in tents, the small inflatable huts were the best the government could come up with to accommodate hundreds of thousands of people on such short notice. And given the circumstances – they also had to provide housing for the Turrip Saiyans who were staying on Vocado while the repairs to Turrip were completed. That was ten million extra people who needed a roof over their heads; there wasn't much room for complaints.

    Deconstruction of the old city, tarnished and blackened from hundreds of years of oppression and silent suffering, was the next step. Once the city was vacated completely, a single man landed in the middle of what had long passed for the city square. He grinned and raised two fingers. A massive overflow of energy erupted from under him, rising into the sky then spreading outward. Everything – from houses, to stores, to streets, to trees and everything in between – was swallowed up and erased. Erased from view, but not erased from the minds of those that walked those streets and entered those buildings every day of their lives.

    The destruction was thunderous, echoing into the far distance like a crack of thunder barely muffled by an earthquake. The light produced by the one-man demolition crew was blinding, like a solar eclipse in the far distance. Dust and debris showered the planet for miles around, not causing damage but more than inconveniencing those that happened to be nearby.

    When the thunderous quaking subsided and the light faded, there was nothing left of the Meat Market. Nothing but an empty space several miles across and the memories formed over a lifetime of residence.

    “Goddamn, I love my job,” the man remarked with a satisfied grin before leaving.

    The next day, construction began. The Vocado Construction Force was comprised of engineers who went to university to learn the best construction methods and how to manipulate resources to balance cost with demand. These Saiyans took the lead in the project. Under them were tens of thousands of workers who needed a job. The vast majority were former soldiers who decided to leave the army after conquests were done away with official near the end of Mato's rule. They were good at following orders, and their speed and strength meant that they could do in seconds what a machine could in a few minutes.

    All of that meant that combined with advanced machines designed by Turrip engineers, the construction project wasn't going to take very long at all.

    They started by laying down the pipes for the water system. There was a large lake in the center of the project location they could use to provide water. Miles upon miles of piping and filtration equipment were laid underground. Slightly above the pipes were the energy lines meant to carry power to each structure in the city. Saiyan worlds were powered not by electricity or nuclear power, but by clean energy produced by large devices called Atomic Reaction Core, or ARC reactors as they had come to be known. The reactors were created completely by accident about fifty years ago in an effort to create a new element to power their new experimental missiles for conquests. Once they saw that they produced large amounts of clean energy, they decided to instead create reactors to power their cities.

    Each planet, except for Callion at this point, was powered by several ARC reactors. They lasted about a decade before the core needed to be changed.

    They had a reactor already prepared for the city, but the lines needed to be laid so they could transfer the power throughout.

    About two weeks later – the underground work was the most time-consuming with all the digging – they were ready to lay the foundations. Saiyan construction wasn't much different from human construction. They used many of the same materials in the same ways. Foundations were formed with cement. Before the thousands of gallons of cement were poured in the designated areas, however, they placed hundreds of anti-quake platforms on the ground. These would prevent the buildings from being so much as shaken by a natural disaster or fierce battle happening within the city itself.

    It was another three days before the concrete foundation was dry and level. After that, they began construction on the infrastructure. The workers were split into teams of twenty. Some teams were assigned to suburban areas, while others were assigned downtown. Still others were directed to the business district.

    The workers' speed and strength cut down on build time considerable, but it was still slow going. There was so much involved with building even one structure, let alone dozens upon dozens. Still, they had detailed plans in the form of holographic images that overlaid the area where the structure in question was going to be built. This helped them determine what needed to be placed first and where. It kept everything organized.

    As construction was taking place over the next few months, news media outlets conducted interviews with several of the former Meat Market residences to drum up excitement for the new city. One such person was triple platinum rap artist RAD172. “Mr. RAD172, can we get your thoughts on the new city being built for you and your fellow Meat Marketers?” the reported asked him on a sunny afternoon.

    He smiled and nodded. Then, he opened his mouth and began speaking. “Da Meat Marketz been mah crewz home fo' over forty years. Even though I graduated wit a funky-ass battle juice level of 560, I decided ta stay. My fuckin playaz n' mah crew was still here, n' I didn't feel laid back leavin dem behind so I n' I ridin' solo could live a game of luxury n' freedom. Right back up in yo muthafuckin ass. So much has happened over tha last few muthafuckin years n' we up in tha Meat Market done been up in tha middle of all of it fo' realz. And now,” he voice grew shaky, giving him reason to pause and compose himself, “and now we finally bein treated like we belong. We finally bein treated like we playa hataz of Vocado n' not just trash ta be stepped over n' looked at wit contempt fo' realz. And itz all props ta Biatch Sarada n' Lady Maiz. If you gonna forgive me fo' bein so presumptuous, I believe I can drop a rhyme fo' mah playas when I say dat we all owe dem a thugged-out debt of gratitude.”

    The reporter nodded slowly. “Thank you, RAD172. We're looking forward to your new album, Over Nine Racks, due to debut in two months. Back to the desk.”

    It turned out that RAD172 did speak for mostly everyone. After decades of being overlooked and ignored, all many people wanted was for someone in power to listen and help them. That someone finally came and people were eternally grateful. It had only happened twice before that. The first time was when a slave named Nion rallied the denizens of the Meat Market together in the winter of 721, demanding better living conditions and better treatment. For all his efforts, he and those that followed him were roundly mocked. Not only were their demands scoffed at, there were dozens of attempts on Nion's life. By some miracle, he survived them all and continued to raise his voice in hopes someone would listen. Queen Becbaga finally did and initiated a city-wide renovation of the Meat Market. The entire infrastructure was overhauled – new apartment buildings and housing complexes were constructed, and she added in a payment plan so that the slaves could earn living wages. What she didn't do was end slavery itself, claiming it wasn't time yet.

    She was right, but all it meant was that while they had a nicer city, the slaves continued to be trapped. The Meat Market was a white-washed grave, clean and pristine on the outside to mask the absolute abhorrence muck lurking and marinating within. Everyone had a nicer place to stay, but the living wages were so minuscule that there was no hope of creating any kind of future for their families. Add in the fact that there was no hope of them moving up in life to an even better place to live and morale quickly plummeted back down to normal levels, a single notch above complete hopelessness.

    Nion's civil activism had instilled a hope that the Market had never experienced before. Queen Becbaga's solution, while extensive, was ultimately a half-measure. Buildings would erode. The cost of living would continue to rise and the pitiful wages the slaves were earning would quickly fall short of compensating for family size and the price of Saiyan appetites.

    It wasn't until 756, when Mato took the thrown from Queen Becbaga that hope was resurrected. Even then, it was still far on the horizon. Five years later, in 761, King Mato finally fulfilled the singular wish that every person living in the glorified slave camp had been praying would be answer. Slavery was ended, they were finally free. Free to move to whatever city or planet they wanted. Free to finally work for a suitable wage and provide for their family's in a way that would eliminate the knowledge of want and struggle.

    Many left Vocado and moved to another Saiyan world to build a new life for themselves. Those that remained chose to remain in the Meat Market. In a strange twist of irony, that hellish pit of despair had become home to them. To them, abandoning it would be to forget the struggles they endured and the promise they made to themselves to make this place a home worth living in.

    And now, four years after being freed, that home, that fantasy dreamed during endless sleepless nights was finally a reality.
    DBM | Sarada | Parsley

    ROLL TIDE ROLL!

  4. #3724
    Lin Kuei Grandmaster Sub-Zero MKA's Avatar
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    Default A Place to Call Home II



    The day the final touches were made on the brand new city, inspectors inspected every inch of it to make sure everything was up to code. Once they were satisfied, they forwarded their approval to Queen Sarada, who decided on the name. She had already come up with it months ago. Nion, after the man who unified the slave population of Vocado for a common purpose, a purpose that never died no matter the crushing weight of despair that was placed upon it.

    The day after that, people were finally allowed to move into Nion and begin their lives anew; not just those that formally lived in the Meat Market, but also those that were displaced after the destruction of Turrip.

    Once again, RAD172 – ultra superstar and quadruple platinum rapper – became the voice of the people. “Da hood is beyond anythang I or any suckas could have imagined. Y'all KNOW dat ****, muthafucka! I've already staked up a funky-ass buildin fo' mah dirty ass n' mah bidnizz associates so we can have our recordin studio. My fuckin lil playas can finally git all up in school n' git a qualitizzle learnin without bein ridiculed simply cuz of where they live. My fuckin hoe can open her bakery. Everythang is finally lookin up fo' us. Da sky truly is tha limit.”

    "Who keeps letting this ******* on TV?" Sarada blurted.
    DBM | Sarada | Parsley

    ROLL TIDE ROLL!

  5. #3725
    Lin Kuei Grandmaster Sub-Zero MKA's Avatar
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    Default

    Married life was interesting. It had only been a few weeks since she and Inanna were wedded in holy matrimony -- to put it in a human sense -- but Sarada had noticed a shift in their relationship and their interactions. They were no longer girlfriends, they were wives. With that new role came new responsibilities, new sensations, and new stresses. Sarada really wasn't trying to think about that last part. The last thing she needed was more stress in her life, never mind the fact that she had one growing in her s̶t̶o̶m̶a̶c̶h̶ womb this very moment.

    She and Inanna ate the golden apple Tiamat gave to them a few years ago, and Sarada got knocked up on their wedding night. It was the best night of her entire life. Knowing how it was going to end added an extra sense of excitement to what was already a spicy, utterly exhausting experience. The newly weds wore each other out, and kept at it like two bunnies in heat for the following week as they went on their honeymoon.

    When she found out she was pregnant, she decided to take the day off and have a day to herself. While she could have -- and probably should have -- spent that day training for Tundra's pending arrival, she decided to travel to Earth to check up on a few things. Not Eldfen, Capsule Corp, or anything having to do with the protection of the planet. Instead, she decided to travel to the very first place she landed nearly five years ago.

    Cask, in the Northern Continent.

    There was no other reason than wondering how the people there were fairing, especially Rose. Also, she secretly hoped there were more Yetis she could fight.

    So, after telling the important people where she was going and that she'd be back in a few hours, she stepped through a portal and onto the planet Earth. It was peculiar that a planet like this had become a home away from home for her, but sometimes that was the way it was. She wasn't too familiar with the people outside of a select few who in no way possible could be considered nothing more than outliers. Ah, perhaps it was time for her to spend a bit more peaceful time on Earth acquainting herself with the humans. Maybe she'd make it a family vacation.

    Sarada's boots crunched against the cold, snowy ground of the Northern Continent. Years ago, it was cold as ****, to the point that she could barely stand it. Now, she didn't even notice it.

    "Achoo!"

    The... traveling partner she had with her, however, did.

    "I told you to bring your coat."

    Her little nephew shivered and held his arms tightly across his chest. "You didn't say it be so cold!" he whined.

    She sighed and produced the jacket and hat Parsley gave to her because she knew her son would be freezing. "Here. Put this on and keep up." The older Saiyan lifted into the air and led the toddler toward the largest bundle of power levels she could sense. Hopefully, that was Cask.
    DBM | Sarada | Parsley

    ROLL TIDE ROLL!

  6. #3726

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Tami View Post
    As soon as Praxat launched her attack, Cyanna took back to the air. The electrical attack moved quickly through the drones, though, as she suspected, there was a slight delay the further away the drones were. This helped her pinpoint the location of the source.

    It wasn't long before she saw the sphere in the sky. With her trident in hand, she moved in towards it as fast as she could, intending to pierce it and open it like a can of tomatoes.

    Just as Cyanna pierces the sphere. She is a slam to the ground by immense telekinetic pressure that slams her to the ground. Obliterating the surrounding area.



    Araxat appears before Cyanna floating in the sky," Stop putting your nose in places it doesn't belong Chromakai. If you and my granddaughter Praxat insist on crossing me. I will obliterate both of you," Araxat said.

    " I will allow nothing to get in the way of achieving my goal. I will bring about balance!" Araxat said. Cyanna would feel an immense amount of psychic energy coming from Araxat that is terrifying.

    Araxat then teleports away vanish from Cyanna's sight. There's a delay reaction, but the sphere explodes after it's pierced.
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  7. #3727
    Invincible Jersey Ninja Tami's Avatar
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    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by bruceleegreyhulk View Post
    Just as Cyanna pierces the sphere. She is a slam to the ground by immense telekinetic pressure that slams her to the ground. Obliterating the surrounding area.



    Araxat appears before Cyanna floating in the sky," Stop putting your nose in places it doesn't belong Chromakai. If you and my granddaughter Praxat insist on crossing me. I will obliterate both of you," Araxat said.

    " I will allow nothing to get in the way of achieving my goal. I will bring about balance!" Araxat said. Cyanna would feel an immense amount of psychic energy coming from Araxat that is terrifying.

    Araxat then teleports away vanish from Cyanna's sight. There's a delay reaction, but the sphere explodes after it's pierced.
    Managing to throw up her shield just in time, her injuries are minor. Standing up again, puts away her staff and brushes herself off. "Now what did Meagan say about dealing with irrational people?" she spoke softly, under her voice. She knew this could only end in one fo three ways, and only one of them was good.

    "Althena, Praxat" She called to them telepathically, "Looks like I annoyed Grandmama Toadian. She blew up the device controlling the drones and vanished. I'm going after her, catch up with me when you can."

    Cyanna then took to the air, using her senses to try and get a bead on Araxat.
    Last edited by Tami; 11-17-2019 at 05:17 PM.
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  8. #3728
    Voice of the Authorities Cleric of Hell’s Brigade's Avatar
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    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Sub-Zero MKA View Post
    Married life was interesting. It had only been a few weeks since she and Inanna were wedded in holy matrimony -- to put it in a human sense -- but Sarada had noticed a shift in their relationship and their interactions. They were no longer girlfriends, they were wives. With that new role came new responsibilities, new sensations, and new stresses. Sarada really wasn't trying to think about that last part. The last thing she needed was more stress in her life, never mind the fact that she had one growing in her s̶t̶o̶m̶a̶c̶h̶ womb this very moment.

    She and Inanna ate the golden apple Tiamat gave to them a few years ago, and Sarada got knocked up on their wedding night. It was the best night of her entire life. Knowing how it was going to end added an extra sense of excitement to what was already a spicy, utterly exhausting experience. The newly weds wore each other out, and kept at it like two bunnies in heat for the following week as they went on their honeymoon.

    When she found out she was pregnant, she decided to take the day off and have a day to herself. While she could have -- and probably should have -- spent that day training for Tundra's pending arrival, she decided to travel to Earth to check up on a few things. Not Eldfen, Capsule Corp, or anything having to do with the protection of the planet. Instead, she decided to travel to the very first place she landed nearly five years ago.

    Cask, in the Northern Continent.

    There was no other reason than wondering how the people there were fairing, especially Rose. Also, she secretly hoped there were more Yetis she could fight.

    So, after telling the important people where she was going and that she'd be back in a few hours, she stepped through a portal and onto the planet Earth. It was peculiar that a planet like this had become a home away from home for her, but sometimes that was the way it was. She wasn't too familiar with the people outside of a select few who in no way possible could be considered nothing more than outliers. Ah, perhaps it was time for her to spend a bit more peaceful time on Earth acquainting herself with the humans. Maybe she'd make it a family vacation.

    Sarada's boots crunched against the cold, snowy ground of the Northern Continent. Years ago, it was cold as ****, to the point that she could barely stand it. Now, she didn't even notice it.

    "Achoo!"

    The... traveling partner she had with her, however, did.

    "I told you to bring your coat."

    Her little nephew shivered and held his arms tightly across his chest. "You didn't say it be so cold!" he whined.

    She sighed and produced the jacket and hat Parsley gave to her because she knew her son would be freezing. "Here. Put this on and keep up." The older Saiyan lifted into the air and led the toddler toward the largest bundle of power levels she could sense. Hopefully, that was Cask.
    It was indeed. The small settlement seemed to have doubled in size, the hunters returning and bringing prosperity once more to the village.
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  9. #3729
    Lin Kuei Grandmaster Sub-Zero MKA's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Cleric of Hell’s Brigade View Post
    It was indeed. The small settlement seemed to have doubled in size, the hunters returning and bringing prosperity once more to the village.
    It was a short flight from where Sarada and Mais arrived to the town of Cask. Much had changed in the last five years, as was to be expected. She would have been more surprised if it hadn't changed since the last time she had been there. The population seemed to have doubled, from five hundred to around a thousand. Not bad for a small, out of the way village.

    Sarada landed and walked the rest of the distance into the town. Heh. To think that this was where my rise to greatness first started. Just like I said all those years ago.

    Quote Originally Posted by Sub-Zero MKA View Post
    Days passed and the pod ship Sarada stole was nearing its destination. When she left, she quickly realized that she had very little experience navigating a pod, and resorted to inputting a random set of coordinates in a bid to leave as soon as possible. Those random set of coordinates took her a lot further away than she anticipated.

    "Arrival imminent. Prepare for landing."

    Alright, Sarada. Your journey to absolute, unrivaled greatness if about to begin. Let's see that bitch Parsley laugh when she sees how strong I've become!

    The pod penetrated the planet's atmosphere as it made its descent. Sarada's heart was racing with anticipation. She could hardly wait to land and get started with her training. This planet was sure to have many strong fighters that could possibly help her reach her full potential. Even if it was just fighting her with their full power; if she played her cards right, they may have even shared a few of their techniques. She wasn't so far up Vacado's ass that she refused to acknowledge that the universe was just filled to the brim with powerful people who knew how to channel their ki in ways the saiyans had likely never thought possible.

    It was so exciting!

    The pod landed with a tremendous crash, leaving in its wake a massive crater. However, thanks to the cutting edge collision-absorption technology equipped within the pod's outer shell, Sarada didn't feel so much as a jostle. "Alright! Here we go!" She clipped her scouter to her ear and opened the pod door. A burst of freezing cold air slapped her in the face, but she paid it no mind.

    "Let's see where all the strong people are." She tapped the scouter to scan the area. Almost immediately, a large cluster of blips flashed across the screen, as well as an arrow directing her in their direction. Nodding, she started sprinting in that direction.
    To think, that was only a few days after she failed her graduation test at the CTC and was doomed to a life of slavery in the Meat Market. The confidence she had in herself and her abilities to get stronger away from the environment that led to her downfall was more desperation and empty hope than any real pride in herself. That it worked out in her favor seemed to be a twist of fate. Had Eva not interfered, she would have remained in the Meat Market until Mato freed the slaves some months later. Would she be as strong as she was right that moment had things played out naturally?

    ...

    Probably not.

    Well, there was no point in playing the what-if game. Life played out how it did for a reason. And that reason was made very clear by Midori Pantaloons three years ago.

    She sighed mentally.

    They stepped inside the tavern where she met up with the likes of Jack, Ochazuke, and Meagan. "Now, let's see if we can't get something to eat."
    DBM | Sarada | Parsley

    ROLL TIDE ROLL!

  10. #3730

    Default Dragonball M, The Movie: All Hallows' Cleave

    Quote Originally Posted by Cthulhu_of_R'lyeh View Post
    There was a measure of childlike glee to be found in Gutts' expression, when the rusted meathook found its target ... and when the Unknown Gunman was drawn in towards the Putrid Abomination's grisly maw; the politeness it had first displayed never wavered.

    "No mind if me do, thank you !"

    And when its free hands reached out to clasp and grasp, it seemed the Gunman had fired his last ...

    "Oh my !" Gutts declared, jerking upright as the Putty-Chinned Pugilist furiously fisted his feculent foe. For it was not simply some random hole that had been so lovingly and deeply penetrated from behind, no ... but Gutts' stomach !

    ... and as he hemmed, and hawed, and heaved to prise himself free ... he succeeded; and along with his fist came the contents of Gutts' previous meals.

    The horror.

    ... The horror.

    Yet despite the rank, and the stank ... the Gunman was spared a most putrid demise.
    The Gunman's expression shrank, the only indication he'd lost his cool a bead of sweat that broke upon his brow. Yet as he drew ever closer to those cold, salivating jaws, he held in the urge to gag. The chain at his feet held him fast, but his hands were free; Gutts's whitened eyes somehow remained bigger than his stomach and that would be his undoing.

    "You heard me," he bristled as he flew towards those rank teeth. "Hot Shot."

    For he had a second pistol, and sheathed in ki, he'd poured concentrated energy into it. When the Putty-Chinned warrior below plucked his arm out, he seized upon the moment. The last round in the chamber glowed red hot down the barrel, and was shot straight down Gutts' overjoyed gob.

    The muzzle flash far wider than a 9mm shot should allow burst forth, blazing an incendiary trail as the Gunman blasted a concentrated ball of fire straight down his neck as he went sailing past on the force of the kickback.

    Down below, the Rubberman was not so lucky. Old blood and rot and feter hit him directly in the face in a steady stream of gut-juice. Though he was fleet of foot, as it poured on he felt the urge to live swiftly leave his limbs. But when his comrade pulled the trigger and loosed it straight down the corpulent gullet in a bid to ignite the gassy giant, he screamed as yet more bile gushed out, boiling hot!

    "FIRE AT HIM, NOT ME~! AHHHHH-!!!"


    A flood of Ruby-Quartz light from a full-power Optic Blast ripped through the graveyard, murderous vision burst from a bloody dam flood wide and it fell onto the putrid abomination, swallowed Gutts' silhouette in a torrent of raw energy.

  11. #3731

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Tami View Post
    Managing to throw up her shield just in time, her injuries are minor. Standing up again, puts away her staff and brushes herself off. "Now what did Meagan say about dealing with irrational people?" she spoke softly, under her voice. She knew this could only end in one fo three ways, and only one of them was good.

    "Althena, Praxat" She called to them telepathically, "Looks like I annoyed Grandmama Toadian. She blew up the device controlling the drones and vanished. I'm going after her, catch up with me when you can."

    Cyanna then took to the air, using her senses to try and get a bead on Araxat.
    Cyanna would sense that Araxat is far south. Later after Althena heals Craxat, Sraxat, Draxat, and Nraxat." Praxat we need to get going now, Cyanna is going to last a second by herself against Araxat. She's no match for her by herself, none of us are," Killrog said.

    " We want to go with you, Praxy," Craxat, Sraxat, Draxat, and Nraxat said in unison.

    " No, you four stay here. it's too dangerous," Praxat said as she flies off along with Althena, and Killrog.

    Uraxat comforts her four daughters. " I know you four want to help out, and we will but in our own way. We will use technology to fight Araxat from a strategic position!" Uraxat said.

    Praxat, Althena, and Killrog catch up to Cyanna." When we come face to face with Araxat. do not call her a Toadian in front of her face. She loathes being called that," Killrog said.

    "She is an Intoadian, to her Toadians are inferior to her kind," Killrog said.

    " Which from my perspective would be a subspecies of my race," Praxat said.

    " Cyanna, tell me how far gone is my old friend Araxat?" Killrog said.
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  12. #3732

    Default The Mountains of Madness

    Quote Originally Posted by MrSandman View Post
    ".....Don't go."

    A timid voice echo'd the chamber, coming from behind. Turning, he'd find Morgan sat quietly...eyes cast down to the floor.

    "I can keep you safe here.....Even if its just you.....it'll be enough." Morgan whispered, drawing her finger on the floor to her side. "...this place is a dream....and these walls will protect as long as I will them to. We can be safe here until the danger passes....and then....."

    Morgan raises her teary eyed gaze to the cook.

    "Take me away from this place......I'll lock all these awful memories away and we can leave them behind forever. Do you need a servant? Or...Or a lover? I can cook and clean, and I can create whatever you need.....We don't have to go any further then this. We can live a happy life in a far away land...but we have to leave this place." She suddenly climbs to her feet and stumbles towards Zaofan, holding him by his shoulders. "There is nothing ahead here.....not for you, not for your friends, not even for the monster your chasing. All he'll find ahead is a tomb.....you...you can't go there....none of you can.....you'll all die and...I'll have failed again.......I can't......I won't go back.....not to the wandering....not to the city......I don't want to go back. Tell them to turn around, tell them there is nothing there....anything....ANYTHING......just please take me with you and never look back. I'll do anything for you. Anything at all....just please....."

    She sobbed into his chest quietly.
    As Morgan fell towards him, Zaofan held her close, and though his embrace was warm, his body was tense as his heart frantically pounded. We have to get back to the others, we have no idea what else could be waiting.

    "You must have been so scared up here, alone for so many long years, " he said softly. Slowly, he pulled back, his hands upon her shoulders as he looked Morgan in her eyes and spoke firmly.

    "What will happen, even if you lock your memories away? That doesn't mean the world around you will disappear. This is something you know better than anyone, Morgan."

    "You're scared. I understand, believe me I do," he said, his voice choking under the anxiety. "But the thing about nightmares is, you can't walk away from them unless you wake up first."

    "We might've been strangers to this land, but now that we know that there's danger here, that means we have to do all we can to stop it. That means we need you to guide us forward."

    The sounds of battle died down, replaced by a bloodcurdling scream he could hear even within this cloister, and the flash of panic carried within the ki signatures outside. "You know what will happen if the darkness escapes and falls upon the rest of the Earth." Yet as sounds of anguish passed, a faint grin spread across Zaofan's face as he nodded to the sorrowful familiar.

    "My friends are strong. That's part of the reason we came here, after all. We were lucky to find the Queen's favourite Familiar," he said. "So let's make a deal. You show us the rest of Persephone's kingdom, and when we're done here, you can come home with us."

  13. #3733

    Default The Search for Aiden Cromwell

    Quote Originally Posted by Monstrous Bird of Qin, Ou Ki View Post
    Totoma had been in the training area, doing his stretches again... and, of course, had his head firmly tucked between his legs. By this point, he'd managed to get really damn flexible... though he was really eager to actually try it in a fight! Gods, this trip was taking so l--

    The half-saiyan was shaken from his thoughts--and his ridiculous pose--by Aiden's voice, which seemed... closer than before? He wasn't even sure 'closer' had any meaning when it came to telepathy, but... bah, no, he was getting distracted. But before he could call to Karine, she called to him, asking if he was awake and that they'd seemingly arrived where they'd been headed for... however long they'd been travelling.

    Meandering into the cockpit, he leaned forward, placing his chin on the top of her head, eyes scanning the various instruments and readouts, as well as the inky blackness of outer space outside. "Yep, was just... doing yoga, pretty much, when I heard your dad's voice and then yours--"

    "And then mine," came his mother's voice from behind him.

    "And then y--wai, wha!?" Totoma jumped as the realization that his mother had IT'd in behind him without him even noticing. "Geez, mom, stop doing that."

    Tasure sighed and shook her head. "Just checking up on you two. Happened to overhear you talking about hearing Aiden's voice. Heh, looks like I dropped in at just the right time."

    Regarding his mother for a moment, Totoma turned back to Karine. "So... sensors picking up any planets nearby?"
    Quote Originally Posted by Sion Reaver View Post
    Karine wasn't too surprised about Tasure appearing; she tended to come and go thanks to that technique of hers whenever she pleased. Karine had a techique of her own that allowed her to get to point A to B but it was limited by shadows instead. Since obviously not everywhere had them there were times it wasn't as useful so she'd either have to refine her ability or ask how Intant Transmission work so she could possibly make a magical counter part to it.

    "There is one, actually.." The young woman said after a quick scan. "It seems rather isolated as well, I imagine its possibly a outpost so we best be careful when we reach land fall. If they're any kind of competent they'll pick us by scanners, assuming they are alert. Then again, we don't know the details of everything present but its best to exercise caution."
    The scanners had indeed picked up a presence. Radar indicated some physical register of a great span, and mass spectrometers picked up trace elements, breathable atmosphere and solid rock, teeming with oceans. Any signs of life at this distance seemed still, static, and motionless, but very much alive.

    But outside the canopy, however, the three would only find a long stretch of darkness. Featureless space, no stars by which to check their coordinates, nor so much as a drifting meteorite.

    The psychic whispers swelled, but where once they heard a call from a distance, like the crashing of waves against the shore it was a cacophany of despair laden in the darkness.

    Karine...

    Where it manifest before them, for her in particular, there was something oddly...warm that quieted the whispers to silence, something resonant within the darkness. She could feel it watching them.

    As their craft drift forward, slowly the shadow receded, and gravity seized hold of the ship as they descended to the mist-clad world below.


  14. #3734
    Invincible Jersey Ninja Tami's Avatar
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    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by bruceleegreyhulk View Post
    Cyanna would sense that Araxat is far south. Later after Althena heals Craxat, Sraxat, Draxat, and Nraxat." Praxat we need to get going now, Cyanna is going to last a second by herself against Araxat. She's no match for her by herself, none of us are," Killrog said.

    " We want to go with you, Praxy," Craxat, Sraxat, Draxat, and Nraxat said in unison.

    " No, you four stay here. it's too dangerous," Praxat said as she flies off along with Althena, and Killrog.

    Uraxat comforts her four daughters. " I know you four want to help out, and we will but in our own way. We will use technology to fight Araxat from a strategic position!" Uraxat said.

    Praxat, Althena, and Killrog catch up to Cyanna." When we come face to face with Araxat. do not call her a Toadian in front of her face. She loathes being called that," Killrog said.

    "She is an Intoadian, to her Toadians are inferior to her kind," Killrog said.

    " Which from my perspective would be a subspecies of my race," Praxat said.

    " Cyanna, tell me how far gone is my old friend Araxat?" Killrog said.
    As they started flying after Araxat, Cyanna replied to Killrog's question. "To be honest, she's either the most stubborn, self centered old lady in the galaxy, or she has completely lost her heart, her sense of compassion. I'm no expert of the psychology of Toadians, or what did you call her, and Intodian, to know if she is beyond reach or reason. I hate it when people get so powerful that they think they can dictate who lives and who dies, it's not right, it never is. I also hate it when the only way to deal with these people is to kill them. Not sure if I ever actually killed anyone, at least not directly or intentionally." her face contorted into a wince of discomfit as she spoke, "even during the war on my homeworld, even despite all the horrible things done by them, all I ever wanted was for the invaders to vanish, to go back to where they came from."

    "When someone attacks you, you attack back in self defense. If it keeps happening over and over, the self defense becomes hatred and anger. You want them to stop hurting others, but you also want them to pay for what they did. Araxat is setting herself up for that, for being the one hated enough to have the whole planet go after her. She is cornered, her ego won't let her stop and say 'I'm Sorry', the crimes she committed won't let the others on this world let her off without being punished, harshly. She may think herself so powerful that nothing scares her, but that should. I suspect she could have done so much good if only she realized that there was more than one way to solve problems, and that doing so compassionately could have made her a hero instead of a villain. Villain's don't tend to survive for long when they make enough enemies. though many heroes also die in the process."

    As she stopped speaking, her mind wandered to thoughts of Charco and to her own reaction to news about what happened to him. It made her realize that she was speaking from experience, that she was not only grieving, but far more angry then she ever remembers being. That her lashing out back at Morgana's home was her own deep seated desire to lash out at Rex. A part of her wanted to destroy him, to rip him apart. Another part of her didn't so much as she just wanted Charco back, she wanted to talk to him, to be with him. Both parts are still there, fighting within herself even as she struggles to stay focused on waht is happening here and now.

    With a shake of her heard and brief sigh, she forcibly shoved those thoughts back for now. After she finished helping Praxat and her people deal with Araxat, then she can go back to Earth to face up to what had happened.
    Last edited by Tami; 11-18-2019 at 02:38 PM.
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  15. #3735
    She/Her Cthulhu_of_R'lyeh's Avatar
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    Default A Waylaid Wedding Post

    Quote Originally Posted by Sub-Zero MKA View Post
    And then, the other half of this little occasion showed herself, cloaked in a white dress that left very little to the imagination. Sarada's eyes roamed Inanna's body up and down, taking in every inch of her divine curvature. It was a lengthy road her gaze had traveled well in the last year or so, but every time she beheld it, she could hardly believe that a being this beautiful could exist.

    Inanna was the most beautiful person Sarada had ever seen.

    "You look so beautiful," she answered dreamily.

    Maiz cleared her throat. "Now we can get started. We're gathered here today to witness the bonding of Queen Sarada and Consort Inanna. If there are any Objectors, please wait until after bonding for post-ceremony entertainment." She turned briefly to the table behind them and picked up the ceremonial dagger and bowl. Before handing it to Sarada, she said, "Is there anything either of you would like to say before we commence?"

    Sarada nodded. "Yes." She smiled and took one of Inanna's hands. "I'm not much for this mushy crap, so I'll just say that I wouldn't be where I am without having you by my side. You've been my rock and my pillar since we've met. I'm so thankful to have you by my side. Um..." There was so much more she wanted to say, but couldn't. She hated her aversion to revealing what she was really thinking and feeling when around other people. That stupid Saiyan hatred of the softer emotions was a real pain in the ass sometimes.

    Ah, **** it.

    "I've never loved someone as much as I love you, and I'm honored to finally call you my wife." Her tail reached around and dropped something in her free hand. It was a perfectly cut diamond ring she purchased on Earth at some point. It cost her a significant fortune, but it was worth. Sarada slipped it onto Inanna's finger, then kissed her hand.

    Maiz smiled brightly. "Very nice. Inanna?"
    Inanna hummed softly. "Good good, wouldn't want the Saiyan Queen's spouse to not look the part on her wedding day~" the whole Empire was watching after all, not simply those who had assembled in this room. Though in looking around it seemed that not simply mortals were in attendance.

    Oh my.

    When Maiz began the ceremony though, something quite strange took place, and for a moment Inanna was visibly caught off guard when Sarada began to wax poetic -- or as much as was possible for the Saiyan -- and express to everyone, everyone just how much she loved. A thing that was by any measure, worth far more than the ring that was not a moment after, slipped carefully onto her finger. Which was among other things, endearing, and very, VERY arousing.

    "I might breed you in view of the guests, if you keep that up ..." the golden-eyed woman whispered, softly.

    With a gesture from Maiz however, what she might've said next was cut short.

    "Oh ... hm ?" Inanna said, before realizing it was her turn to speak. "Oh ... well~" she paused, and exhaled softly. "I doubt I can compete with what my Little Love's just offered ... an expression of true love offered by a Saiyan worth far more than Katchin ... but as I've watched you change and grow from when we first met, I can say with absolute certainty that in all the years of my life I've not met a soul as brilliant as yours; and I love you, Sarada. From the tip of your tail, to the tallest spike of your Super Saiyan hair, I love everything about you. The way you fight with nothing held back, and how you express your emotions so subtly. How you never shy away from the truth, and how you'd never abandon those you care for even at their worst, or fail to cheer them up with that infectious charisma of yours." And Inanna herself had certainly experienced some terrible 'worsts', but that stalwart and damnable charisma of Sarada's had always managed to keep her sane a little while longer, until she could figure out what she needed to do. To the point where Inanna was sure Sarada could make a rock work a little harder at being a better rock, if she put her mind to it.

    "I love you, Sarada; I always will. And I'll never refrain from saying it ... and showing it."

    Realizing with surprise that she hadn't brought a gift with her, her eyes widened after she finished speaking and chuckled nervously, as a band of interwoven alloys and a rough cut diamond manifested and was quickly slipped over Sarada's finger. "I can't uh ... I wasn't really aware we needed to trade uh ..." Inanna stammered, obviously embarrassed before whispering, "my intended gift ... it's a multiform."
    Yeah, but if you... man, we're getting into weird analogy territory, like if you disintegrated Superman's arms he wouldn't be able to go "fool! Little did you know that my arms and I are one and can be remade from me!" and will his arms back into being from pure nothingness. - Pendaran

    Arx Inosaan

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