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

[Tami]

It moves quickly for something near twenty feet tall. It’s clawed hands reach out to grab Dash.

As the hand closed in, Dash leaped and flew up and over the hand, landing on the giant's arm. Racing up the arm at high speed, she reaches the shoulder near the face and unleashes Solar Storm, her aura turning bright and hot like a small star.

[Cleric of Hell’s Brigade]

As the hand closed in, Dash leaped and flew up and over the hand, landing on the giant's arm. Racing up the arm at high speed, she reaches the shoulder near the face and unleashes Solar Storm, her aura turning bright and hot like a small star.

It seems effected, as it staggers back, but the form is so...odd...that damage doesn’t really show up.

It suddenly shifts, body twisting as it attempts to essentially crush her under its weight.

[Tami]

It seems effected, as it staggers back, but the form is so...odd...that damage doesn’t really show up.

It suddenly shifts, body twisting as it attempts to essentially crush her under its weight.

Playing the role of annoying gnat, Dash moved quickly, running and flying around her, trying to avoid the twisting and grasping. As she moved, when she get's in close enough to the giant's face, she once again unleashes an attack, this time Pegasus Summons Lightening , sending it like the sting of a wasp.

[Sub-Zero MKA]

Having gone so far down?

Faintly, yes.

OOC: Alright, let's investigate

IC:

Parsley turned to flew back through the hole when she barely picked up a faint signature from deeper within. She frowned and turned in that direction. "I don't suppose you feel that power." Ishtar was likely too weak. No matter. Parsley was going to find out what it was. If it was an enemy, they needed to be killed. If it was a prisoner, then it behooved her to release them before leaving.

With Ishtar over her shoulder, she floated up and quickly, but steadily, flew toward the faint signature.

[Cthulhu_of_R'lyeh]

Parsley found Ishtar crawling out of a deep crater, bloodied and broken. At least she hadn't lost any limbs, this time, but that wasn't a very high bar to cross. On the whole, their team was completely ill-prepared for another battle.

And the enemy that was incoming?

Ishtar's hoarse, shaky voice provided the answer. "The First Race?"

Here? Now? She recalled researching them while on Terra, within Wilhelm's compound on one of the tablets. They were an ancient race of invaders who nearly conquered Terra. And now, it seemed that they intended on trying their hand in their universe.

Parsley sighed tersely and bent down to hoist the Oni over her shoulder. "It will be dealt with shortly. Our main concern is getting Pants to safety." She knew exactly how. "I'll get you above so you can be healed."

OOC: Cleric, can Parsley sense that power that's hidden down about where they are?

"Un ... surprising. This is ... theirs." Ishtar said, flopping weakly in an attempt to gesture toward the asteroid around them. "Probably mad we ... broke it."

Though it did raise many questions.

As to being healed up, the Oni could only bob her head. "That would be ... good. I have a ... leak." Of course she was referring to the hole Held had drilled into her.

OOC: Alright, let's investigate

IC:

Parsley turned to flew back through the hole when she barely picked up a faint signature from deeper within. She frowned and turned in that direction. "I don't suppose you feel that power." Ishtar was likely too weak. No matter. Parsley was going to find out what it was. If it was an enemy, they needed to be killed. If it was a prisoner, then it behooved her to release them before leaving.

With Ishtar over her shoulder, she floated up and quickly, but steadily, flew toward the faint signature.

"No ..." Ishtar commented, as they made their ascent. "Should investigate ... I still have blood to burn. Would be a waste ... not to."

[Cleric of Hell’s Brigade]

Playing the role of annoying gnat, Dash moved quickly, running and flying around her, trying to avoid the twisting and grasping. As she moved, when she get's in close enough to the giant's face, she once again unleashes an attack, this time Pegasus Summons Lightening , sending it like the sting of a wasp.

It holds a hand up, blocking the attack.

It rears back its other hand and its fingers extend like spears towards Dash.

[grampagen]

Two presences lingered at either end of the Doctor's Star Forge; the first acute, human. The second something he had only seen there in residual memory echoes.

Long before they ever set foot in this place, the essence within those dreadfully volatile machine hearts.

There remained some distance between them yet. But by Sarada's groans, it seemed that whatever the Doctor had said to them - to say nothing of the damage they all suffered - had managed to make even a Saiyan sick of fighting for the moment.

But they wouldn't quit. None of them would. But of that lingering presence, he had a different

Ochazuke, the panel pops open and within is a sack of something, a vial of liquid, and what looks like a green coin.

The larger danger abated for the moment, Ochazuke turned his attention to the environs to ensuring there were no more hidden matters. Dealing with the after-effects of manipulation, to say nothing of this supposed master of shattered time and the mechanical legacy inherited, studying the mind of this enemy so prepared for all eventualities only left him weary, yet no less resolved to bury this legacy of fear.

Of course there would be things hidden within the walls.

Secrets sequestered within secrets.

Clearing debris and ash off of what used to be part of a laboratory bench, Ochazuke lay the items gently before him and inspected each of them.

[Cleric of Hell’s Brigade]

Down and down they go, until a hidden lab with a very secure door stands before them.

[Cleric of Hell’s Brigade]

Two presences lingered at either end of the Doctor's Star Forge; the first acute, human. The second something he had only seen there in residual memory echoes.

Long before they ever set foot in this place, the essence within those dreadfully volatile machine hearts.

There remained some distance between them yet. But by Sarada's groans, it seemed that whatever the Doctor had said to them - to say nothing of the damage they all suffered - had managed to make even a Saiyan sick of fighting for the moment.

But they wouldn't quit. None of them would. But of that lingering presence, he had a different



The larger danger abated for the moment, Ochazuke turned his attention to the environs to ensuring there were no more hidden matters. Dealing with the after-effects of manipulation, to say nothing of this supposed master of shattered time and the mechanical legacy inherited, studying the mind of this enemy so prepared for all eventualities only left him weary, yet no less resolved to bury this legacy of fear.

Of course there would be things hidden within the walls.

Secrets sequestered within secrets.

Clearing debris and ash off of what used to be part of a laboratory bench, Ochazuke lay the items gently before him and inspected each of them.

The vial is liquid Creational energy. Drinking it would bestow a not insignificant portion of such energy to a person permanently.

The coin is magical, a summoning device of some sort.

The sack holds a pair of fine worked leather bracers with a dragon insignia on them, and a silver circlet of a howling wolf. The three items seem incredibly well made and seem to have...power within them.

[Sub-Zero MKA]

"Un ... surprising. This is ... theirs." Ishtar said, flopping weakly in an attempt to gesture toward the asteroid around them. "Probably mad we ... broke it."

Though it did raise many questions.

As to being healed up, the Oni could only bob her head. "That would be ... good. I have a ... leak." Of course she was referring to the hole Held had drilled into her.

She could feel warm blood dripping on her shoulder and down her back back. No matter how many times she had felt it, having another person's blood drip onto her person was always a surreal feeling. "Once we're done here, I'll take you to one of our healers."

A member of the First Race just showing up had to be in conjunction with The Doctor's defeat. The timing was too pointed to be a coincidence. Whatever deal or...

Yes, this is there asteroid field. The Doctor was holed up here, but it first belonged to them. Perhaps the battle tripped some sensor or they sensed the damage being done, but regardless, they were aware of their presence.

"No ..." Ishtar commented, as they made their ascent. "Should investigate ... I still have blood to burn. Would be a waste ... not to."

Down and down they go, until a hidden lab with a very secure door stands before them.

"I'd save that blood for when we get topside. I still have Marshub's energy to spare, so we have one shot at it."

She stopped at the door and looked it over. It was secure, and she wasn't feeling too inclined to just blast it open. Instead, she searched for a keypad or some kind of security measure she could manipulate.

[Miburo]

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!"

"Good Grief." Held replied with an annoyed groan. What a clusterfuck they had stumbled into. No sooner than they had managed to break themselves free of the chains set upon them by the Do--By Midori, that it seemed that something or other had managed to worry Ochazuke about Jinzi to the point he found no need for pontification.

Thankfully he was far enough to avoid the considerable brunt of the shockwave from so many powerful attacks, and Midori had been sent off without injury on his part.

Gallop!

The Nevadian vanished between the blinks of an eyelid, warping down the hall at an incredible pace.

"Oh, don't worry Held, I'll be fine, go with the others." He grumbled to himself, mimicking his friends voice, "I won't get myself captured in five minutes, and give you a heart attack, not at all.."

I told him, I should stay with him, but of course, he wanted to play a hero, and---Why did I let a maniac convince me he knows more about this than I do? Jinzi's a genius, but this is my domain...

"Yeah, ah know." Dash replied, sounding a little annoyed, "I tried to call you all. Jinzi an ah are in the docking bay with the Coldlight. Get here quick."

"I was a bit preoccupied at the moment." Held replied nonchalantly, easily picking up Dash and Jinzi's energy signature as he made his way to the docking bay, easily evading all manner of objects lodged loose from the chaos.

"It's a bit off a rough day, to be honest...Jinzi okay?"

[Cleric of Hell’s Brigade]

“Fine, but Dash is fighting...something outside. Ship took a nasty hit and I’m getting it running.” He replies over comms.

[Cleric of Hell’s Brigade]

She could feel warm blood dripping on her shoulder and down her back back. No matter how many times she had felt it, having another person's blood drip onto her person was always a surreal feeling. "Once we're done here, I'll take you to one of our healers."

A member of the First Race just showing up had to be in conjunction with The Doctor's defeat. The timing was too pointed to be a coincidence. Whatever deal or...

Yes, this is there asteroid field. The Doctor was holed up here, but it first belonged to them. Perhaps the battle tripped some sensor or they sensed the damage being done, but regardless, they were aware of their presence.





"I'd save that blood for when we get topside. I still have Marshub's energy to spare, so we have one shot at it."

She stopped at the door and looked it over. It was secure, and she wasn't feeling too inclined to just blast it open. Instead, she searched for a keypad or some kind of security measure she could manipulate.

A simple digital keypad to the side. Human made, not First Race.

[Tami]

It holds a hand up, blocking the attack.

It rears back its other hand and its fingers extend like spears towards Dash.

It rears back its other hand and its fingers extend like spears towards Dash.[/QUOTE]

Dash evades the hand, pushing herself to move faster than the giant. In the back of her mind a surge of doubt rises up, a feeling that all she can do is distract and evade and wait for the others.

As she moves faster, she hears a voice in her mind, no, not a voice, but the sound of a horse snorting. then she hears it speak to her, "Prove yourself worthy, Wild Mare. Prove yourself worthy."

With that, she flies up again, and from above she summons a storm of lightening and wind crashing down on her opponent like a Hurricane.

[Sub-Zero MKA]

A simple digital keypad to the side. Human made, not First Race.

That the keypad appeared to have been created by Midori and not some ancient alien race was a relief. As before in AT2, Parsley used Observational Insight to ascertain the code to unlock the door.