Dragonball M, Chapter 3: In Blood, Bone, and Ash! The Way Forward Unlocked!

[Tami]

He nods and stabs, wobbling as the facility is rocked by a third explosion.

Turning back to Jinzi, "Ah hope they heard me," Dash, still waiting for a response, "we'd better get this ship ready for takeoff. Ah fear that last explosion is gonna take out this whole place soon."

[KingofPie]

The blow lands and punches into the Dreadnaught Heart, which resists for a moment and then explodes, consuming Midori completely and back lashing all through the room, injuring Sarada and blowing another massive hole in the floor.


And the energy barrier that was holding the void of space in check starts fluctuating, then failing, the sucking doom of space starting to pull at them as the barrier slowly fails.

"Looks like we're done here..." Blizzar nodded. "No time to waste..." The Lieutenant began to fly back the way he arrived, back towards the Coldlight. Passing by the room Ken Boshi was in he spotted, Chief Durive on the scene, attempting to drag Ken back towards the ship.

"This place isn't long for this universe...if you couldn't tell already," Blizzar warned quickly. "Follow us back to the ship, if you intend on surviving this endeavor at all!"

Also, heading back to the Coldlight was Sasheem, silently seething to himself. All that buildup, all the powering up and his attack missed?! Only the Saiyan' connected?! What had he done this entire missiom, get beaten up by a rotted horse?!" Steamed burst out of his pores as a vein popped in his head. He didn't prove anything in this mission and it boiled to the core. Surpassed in destruction by the Oni, by the Saiyan, by whoever made that other big boom! Surpassed in his new gimmick of being a 'hero' by them too! They all told him he was worthless, but he knew they were wrong. But what's the point of simply knowing it if he couldn't prove it?!

They'd all see one day...He'd either live in his own infamy...or they'd die by it.

[KingofPie]

The officer became very agitated--and loud--when she mentioned the Doctor's activities. The princess had expected that, in part, but not to this extent. This one had an unerring sense of duty, it would seem--commendable, but also quite annoying. At the very least, he wasn't striking poses like that damned idiot saiyan halfbreed... who... did not seem to be present?

...she cared little about that nitwit, but she couldn't help but wonder why a battle-addict like that was absent.

She was shaken from her thoughts by P-sta's comment. "Oh yes, this group, you'll recall, is nothing but overkill. Considering how persistent the Doctor's creations have been, however, overkill is precisely what is called for. A shame I missed the bulk of the battle."

"Well....you are not...wrong," P-Sta laughed, slightly recalling some of the, er....let's say over the top tendencies of this group. "But, I suppose whatever fight occurred is over with for now-WOWOWOWOW!" he stammered as the ship began to quake. "...But perhaps it's time we made our quick escape with the rest."

[grampagen]

Click. Click.

When the storm of bullets had passed over, when everybody gathered their efforts together and struck in unison, there was a tide of raucous passion. The rebellion against such cruel causality, the fury of those who would not be bound.

And in the aftermath, a lingering numbness returned in the throes of violence.

Click. Click.

Ankle deep in spent casings, grasping the empty guns, Ochazuke continued to pluck at the triggers despite the lack of ammunition. Long after the walls had fallen, the slag bleeding and fallen into hissing pools, he continued to train the weapons on their marks, every pull a stab into that cold, distant hollow of a room and echoing in equal measure the single track of his mind.

The last gasps of the seven alternate worlds sacrificed upon that unholy altar drift away, long past into the swelling and collapsing of cosmic dust. The nebula cradle of star outside, the end and the beginning of life; a flash in the cosmic darkness carrying with it untold potential.

Bondage for quadrillions of plundered souls yearning to be set free. In some small way, they might at last find their rest and drift home.

All, save one. Mounted atop of these shattered spheres of solipsistic injustice was the pinnacle of the matter that gnawed within him.

The yoke of Koryuu-ryu. Even to the very last moment, it was yours to bear, Charco. Once again, he had nothing to turn the tide against a young man's demise.

The blow lands and punches into the Dreadnaught Heart, which resists for a moment and then explodes, consuming Midori completely and back lashing all through the room, injuring Sarada and blowing another massive hole in the floor.

When the final blow was struck, he was ready this time. His body responded by rote, grounding his footing as the place shook in its orbit. Callously he let the spend guns fall from his grasp, his hands hanging loosely at his sides as the pressure from the impact pressed against him.

He never saw the face of the Doctor, nor knew her true name. Nothing more than a virulent essence and an image wreathed in shadow and dark deeds. In the aftermath of the madman's destruction, there would be little more than an ineffectual memory.

And the energy barrier that was holding the void of space in check starts fluctuating, then failing, the sucking doom of space starting to pull at them as the barrier slowly fails.

Sarada was blown away by the delayed explosion of Midori's heart. The Doctor was surely dead, but Parsley knew that these vile abominations were as persistent as they were stomach-turning. Their creator was, likely, no different. However, there was a more pressing matter. The energy field that was keeping the integrity of the inner atmosphere intact was failing. If it dropped completely, they would all be sucked into the frigidly cold recess of space. Out of all of them, only a handful would survive. The rest would be killed either instantly or soon thereafter.

Parsley sighed and breathed in slowly.

Perfect Intuition: Xšaθra Vairya

She had witnessed Ishtar manipulating metal on multiple occasions, certainly enough to mimic the ability. Letting her ki drip from her body like water, it flowed and cascaded over The Doctor's workshop, and actually melded into the metal itself. Her hands jerked back and ripped pieces of ultra katchin from the floor, walls, and ceiling where it was safe, enough to cover the energy barrier and keep the void of space at bay once more until they could escape.

"Move. We don't have time to waste."

Slowly stepping into the room, Ochazuke at last joined the others. Ashen streaks of powder char and gun grease crossed his shape, and he stood among them a silent phantom.

Drawing on the residual energy pouring through this place, it was a simple task to draw upon it, and where the rupture pierced the facility's walls and shield alike, reconstruct its fidelity with Ishiki Toei. Parsley pulling the Katchin together provided the solid material, and guiding the energy to stabilize itself from this distance was a simple task from there. With a gesture, he stabilized the integrity of the shield around its frame.

"Cheh."

Surveying the scorched room, Ochazuke reached out with his meditational field as a precaution for any enemy remainder.

[Cleric of Hell’s Brigade]

Click. Click.

When the storm of bullets had passed over, when everybody gathered their efforts together and struck in unison, there was a tide of raucous passion. The rebellion against such cruel causality, the fury of those who would not be bound.

And in the aftermath, a lingering numbness returned in the throes of violence.

Click. Click.

Ankle deep in spent casings, grasping the empty guns, Ochazuke continued to pluck at the triggers despite the lack of ammunition. Long after the walls had fallen, the slag bleeding and fallen into hissing pools, he continued to train the weapons on their marks, every pull a stab into that cold, distant hollow of a room and echoing in equal measure the single track of his mind.

The last gasps of the seven alternate worlds sacrificed upon that unholy altar drift away, long past into the swelling and collapsing of cosmic dust. The nebula cradle of star outside, the end and the beginning of life; a flash in the cosmic darkness carrying with it untold potential.

Bondage for quadrillions of plundered souls yearning to be set free. In some small way, they might at last find their rest and drift home.

All, save one. Mounted atop of these shattered spheres of solipsistic injustice was the pinnacle of the matter that gnawed within him.

The yoke of Koryuu-ryu. Even to the very last moment, it was yours to bear, Charco. Once again, he had nothing to turn the tide against a young man's demise.



When the final blow was struck, he was ready this time. His body responded by rote, grounding his footing as the place shook in its orbit. Callously he let the spend guns fall from his grasp, his hands hanging loosely at his sides as the pressure from the impact pressed against him.

He never saw the face of the Doctor, nor knew her true name. Nothing more than a virulent essence and an image wreathed in shadow and dark deeds. In the aftermath of the madman's destruction, there would be little more than an ineffectual memory.





Slowly stepping into the room, Ochazuke at last joined the others. Ashen streaks of powder char and gun grease crossed his shape, and he stood among them a silent phantom.

Drawing on the residual energy pouring through this place, it was a simple task to draw upon it, and where the rupture pierced the facility's walls and shield alike, reconstruct its fidelity with Ishiki Toei. Parsley pulling the Katchin together provided the solid material, and guiding the energy to stabilize itself from this distance was a simple task from there. With a gesture, he stabilized the integrity of the shield around its frame.

"Cheh."

Surveying the scorched room, Ochazuke reached out with his meditational field as a precaution for any enemy remainder.

Three things:


-Deep within lies something....strange. A human like life form of some sort.

-In this room is a hidden panel with something behind it.

-And barreling towards where Jinzi and Dash are, presumably where the Coldlight was taken, is an enemy signature he’s never sensed before, but the hostile intent is readily there. It’s also on top of them.

[Cleric of Hell’s Brigade]

"A far cry from mine, then," Shōchū concluded, following Eva and Jack back into the parlor, "This place is quite beautiful," The girl mentioned, "I visited this place once, back in my time. There were only ruins..." She trailed off, her human mind reminded of the shadows baked into the surfaces of the walls and floors from when he attacked.

As usual, her train of thought was disrupted as data began feeding into her vision. Connection to this Earth's satellites had been established, granting her access to browse most databases on the planet. Interestingly enough, she also received confirmation that her report she had sent to the Tavern Star had been received. Despite not yet responding to her mission, Shōchū felt a sliver of hope that the Last Call of this time might be able to help her.

--------

Forgotten and neglected with the revelation of the Doctor's true identity seizing the attention of the group, only a chance of luck might have one spy a glance back to the statue-like husk of Ogatan Charco's body in time to see it begin to shake. With each toss and turn of the darkness that dwelled within, spider-web like cracks formed across the surface of the husk and more and more bits of the shell feel off. Suddenly, it lurched upward like the head of a boxer catching an uppercut to the chin and a fist-size chunk broke off, launched off several feet away from the husk. A second blow enlarged the previous hole and emerging from it came two sets of four talon-tipped fingers that pulled at the edges, enlarging the cracks through the strain. Unable to hold back the beast within, the only physical remains of Charco shattered like fine glass, spilling across the floor.

"As enraged as I am, I will commend your efforts, boy..."

With a heavy thud, the figure's tail lashed at the remaining chunks of the husk, more from annoyance than any need to further free himself as the figure rose. Charco's Saishū Zetsumetsu had successfully weakened him considerably by forcing him to use so much energy in repairing his body, but he would recover it time. As for the boy... it was doubtful he would need to worry about any comeback.

"Now... where is my prey? I hunger..."

Eva pours some tea and gestures to sit with Jack and her.

“What brings you here to this time?”

[Cleric of Hell’s Brigade]

The hole is sealed so you all aren’t in danger of being sucked out anymore FYI.

[Cthulhu_of_R'lyeh]

Three things:


-Deep within lies something....strange. A human like life form of some sort.

-In this room is a hidden panel with something behind it.

-And barreling towards where Jinzi and Dash are, presumably where the Coldlight was taken, is an enemy signature he’s never sensed before, but the hostile intent is readily there. It’s also on top of them.

OT: Is Ishtar familiar with this energy signature, Cleric ?

[Cleric of Hell’s Brigade]

OT: Is Ishtar familiar with this energy signature, Cleric ?

Ehh........

Did she ever get a sense of things from the Cairn Yard? The First race stuff Burke ethereal?

[Monstrous Bird of Qin, Ou Ki]

Totoma hadn't even gotten to do anything during the fight against the robot dogs... and then, he made the mistake of leaning against a console and bam he had been teleported somewhere else. Where... he had no idea, other than still on the asteroid. Great, just frickin' great. He could contact his mom and the others, but... it was such an embarrassing mistake, and he knew he could fix it himself.

As he wandered the empty, desolate halls, Totoma eventually happened upon a sealed room deep within the facility. Messing around with the control panel, he eventually discovered that... one, he wasn't very good with computers and 2, this room apparently contained a so-called "Project MB". Unable to crack the code, Totoma instead... cracked the room.

At first, his attempts were unsuccessful, frustrating and then angering him until it happened! He ascended, once again, to become a mighty super saiyan and, with a full boar kamehameha, he finally managed to break into the room. And inside... inside... it was empty, save for a single pedestal in the middle, with a mysterious... device on it. It looked like just a button. That was it? What a let-down.

Approaching carefully... no security measures seemed to activate. Weird. Once he was at the button, he picked it up, examined it for a few seconds, and, not really being able to discern its purpose, shrugged and pushed the freakin' button. And then... a miracle happened.

The air sparked with energy for a moment and then... it appeared. A glorious, delicious, delectable blueberry muffin. This thing... it was the legendary muffin button!

Oh my god, it... it really exists!

Fierce battle against a formidable foe

And thus began the fiercest, most important battle of Totoma's life. Again and again he pushed the button, summoning a literal flood of muffins. Blueberry, chocolate, oatmeal... every sort of muffin his heart could desire. Muffins were summoned/created at such a rate that even his prodigious ability to eat them was overwhelmed!



Unbeknownst to Totoma, as he entered Muffinirvana, the battle against the doctor was heading towards its climax....

[grampagen]

Three things:


-Deep within lies something....strange. A human like life form of some sort.

-In this room is a hidden panel with something behind it.

-And barreling towards where Jinzi and Dash are, presumably where the Coldlight was taken, is an enemy signature he’s never sensed before, but the hostile intent is readily there. It’s also on top of them.

With the space station at the end of Time stabilized, Ochazuke exhaled slowly. Only a week ago they had gathered together. Everything they had known was in flux, threatened first from beyond the stars, then by the threat of being swallowed by Time itself. Let us risk a moment longer in this forsaken place.

"Mrrgh." Stirred from his malaise, Ochazuke searched for the panel, callously tearing it from its frame.

But more than that, the two lingering presences spiked against his notice immediately. Immediately Ochazuke hailed Dash over the communicator.

"...incoming," his voice choked, blistering and hoarse. "be on your guard-!"

Turning to the others, he relayed the information of what he had found to everyone still gathered here.

"...Pantaloon," he rasped to the others. "Find him. Go. Now!"

[Sub-Zero MKA]

The hole is sealed so you all aren’t in danger of being sucked out anymore FYI.

Ochazuke came in and further stabilized the katchin pieces Parsley used to secure the hole that threatened them. With that done, they were no longer in danger. Parsley sighed and allowed her golden aura to fade. The weight and strain of constant battle -- in addition to the stress of the entire universe on their shoulders and the threat of failure -- fell from her shoulders. Where before, she was sagging, she felt lighter and could stand tall at last.

It, seemingly, was over.

Combat and strife was a constant. As long as "might makes right" was a belief some took stock in, the battle would never be over. Not until the heat death of the universe.

"Seems our obligation to this place is over," she stated to Ochazuke. "I should retrieve Ishtar." She floated into the air and quickly descended into the hole the Oni created with her hasty and ultimately pointless attack.

With the space station at the end of Time stabilized, Ochazuke exhaled slowly. Only a week ago they had gathered together. Everything they had known was in flux, threatened first from beyond the stars, then by the threat of being swallowed by Time itself. Let us risk a moment longer in this forsaken place.

"Mrrgh." Stirred from his malaise, Ochazuke searched for the panel, callously tearing it from its frame.

But more than that, the two lingering presences spiked against his notice immediately. Immediately Ochazuke hailed Dash over the communicator.

"...incoming," his voice choked, blistering and hoarse. "be on your guard-!"

Turning to the others, he relayed the information of what he had found to everyone still gathered here.

"...Pantaloon," he rasped to the others. "Find him. Go. Now!"

Moments after she departed, however, the man's raspy, hoarse voice croaked into her comm. It carried a portent of further danger. She sighed heavily. Many of their more powerful members were exhausted and injured. They would be hard-pressed to engage in another battle after expending so much of themselves over the last half hour or so. "Damn it," she barked. "It never ends."

She landed hundreds of feet below. The debris indicated that this was where Ishtar landed. "Ishtar!"

[Cthulhu_of_R'lyeh]

Ehh........

Did she ever get a sense of things from the Cairn Yard? The First race stuff Burke ethereal?

OT: Burke ?

But yea, she spent a considerable amount of time there and commented on what she sensed when speaking with Wilhelm. Also fought Hammer there, for what it's worth.

[Tami]

Three things:


-Deep within lies something....strange. A human like life form of some sort.

-In this room is a hidden panel with something behind it.

-And barreling towards where Jinzi and Dash are, presumably where the Coldlight was taken, is an enemy signature he’s never sensed before, but the hostile intent is readily there. It’s also on top of them.

Something in the back of her mind warned her, and Dash flared up her Aura (everyone should be able to sense it). "Jinzi, ah have a bad feeling. Get inside the Coldlight, somethin wicked is comin."

[Sub-Zero MKA]

With the space station at the end of Time stabilized, Ochazuke exhaled slowly. Only a week ago they had gathered together. Everything they had known was in flux, threatened first from beyond the stars, then by the threat of being swallowed by Time itself. Let us risk a moment longer in this forsaken place.

"Mrrgh." Stirred from his malaise, Ochazuke searched for the panel, callously tearing it from its frame.

But more than that, the two lingering presences spiked against his notice immediately. Immediately Ochazuke hailed Dash over the communicator.

"...incoming," his voice choked, blistering and hoarse. "be on your guard-!"

Turning to the others, he relayed the information of what he had found to everyone still gathered here.

"...Pantaloon," he rasped to the others. "Find him. Go. Now!"

"Uuuuuuuuuuugggghhhhhh."

Sarada stumbled and leaned against a wall. She had tried to stagger and shuffle to the ship on her own, but she couldn't do it. She had nothing left. All of her available power had been poured into her final attack. That, plus pouring her own life energy into it left her weak and bordering helpless. She turned around so she could sit down, drawing in haggard breath after haggard breath.

Ochazuke warned them that something else was coming, because of course the fight wasn't over yet. "G-goddamn it," she muttered tiredly. "I n-need a healer." If she was going to fight with on e-arm, she was going to do it at full strength.