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

[Cleric of Hell’s Brigade]

As Arthur relaid the cause of the previous silence of this chamber, Ochazuke listened intently. Far from an isolated conflict, these trying times were a result of a conflict that they had inherited from the ages long past.

It took the Herald of the Lord of All Things, this Grand Priest, to banish Sakin. This part of the story he hadn't heard before. Originally it was a matter of betrayals and a stubborn adherance to the choices made and the price paid for it. Now the ancient rebellion of the Creator showed its results in the rot that slowly spread from on high.

All for the greater good.

"You faced Sakin directly, then. Did Asha'rah know?" The result of that combat was evident - the lingering spirit before him and Evangeline was proof enough - but as the Guardian himself had said, as a result the two of them had become linked. Through the energy of the Creator, no doubt.

"What else can you tell us about this Forsworn World?"



The vial of Creation Energy in his palm was all that remained of the Guardians the Doctor had harvested, no doubt having ascertained their usefulness as an instrument for creating a new universe. "I found this in the stores of one who wished to rule. I imagine it was found it insufficient for such ambitions." He turned it over in his hand, idly testing its resonance with the ring. "How many lives snuffed out for the ambitions of another? How many ages lost, remembered for nothing else but such instrumental utility? It is a cruel practice to measure the worth of a life in this manner."

"Yet some would undertake it, as part of a duty to save this world," he repeated, nodding shortly as a small chuckle left him. "No matter the cost."

But to save it from what?

"We all share a connection to the Earth. Some of us, perhaps more directly. The life the planet has to offer is a force that is quite difficult to comprehend for those that dwell here. Some may never find it, there, its hidden strength, for they cannot hear its voice."

His expression darkened and his head lowered. "And yet how desperately we strive, with the knowledge of our mortal frailty. And in our fear how easily do we fall prey to others."

Ochazuke reached for the second capsule then, and as its compressed dust parted, he swiftly dashed an energy-shrouded hand downward.

Held tightly in his grip, its energy neutralized, he lift before him the head of the Golem, Damask.

"I have seen into this creature's soul, if it can be called that. It seems it remembers you fondly," he said. "If not your cause, then at least your face."

“No, she was passed on and imprisoned by the point I fought him. As to the planet....it was the first planet made in this universe. Forgotten to time and history, only Asha’rah may known its actual location. I was drawn there and have no memory accept for it seemed the planet...moved.”

When the head is shown, a sad smile flirts across his face.

“Damask. The Crimson Titan. My oldest friend and ally. He was to protect my family after I took the mantle of Guardian, to be with them after I no longer could be directly. It would seem you defeated him in his second stage. I take it Willa, not Jack, commands him?”

[Cleric of Hell’s Brigade]

"Oh, no, no, I'm good. I can't just call my friends up to pick their brains?" Held replied, clearly somewhat evasive, "I just was thinking about some stuff. Like, you know, Incenio. I mean, who can blame me, right? I've literally built a house dedicated to how hard we kicked his ass..."

There was a pregnant pause.

"And then I got to thinking about, you know, other dimensions--since that's where he was from-- and then I saw something that vaguely reminded me of a Dragonball, and then I got to wondering; Do other dimensions have Dragonballs? Do they work the same way? If you take Dragonballs from one dimension to another, do they still work?"

He cleared his throat yet again.

"I mean, I'm not asking for any reason....Actually, you know what? Nevermind, this was a stupid question."

Nervous laughter filled the intercom.

"Moving on! Anyways, what's up?"

“......Held did you find dragonballs in Incenio’s stash? And you’re just now mentioning it?”

[Cleric of Hell’s Brigade]

"Even still, far more than I even asked for." Ishtar said with a smile. "I do not know what possessed you to be so generous, and yet here I sit again, in your debt."

He smiles.

“It’s what friends are supposed to do, help one another. No debts, I won’t hear of it.”

[Miburo]

Sarada narrowed her eyes a touch. He was being too evasive and skittish to simply be calling to check in. "Held, what did you do?"

He mentioned something about building a house dedicated to how badly they kicked Incenio's ass. Which wasn't all that bad, so why not just come right out with it?

"They do have dragonballs in other timelines, and I'm pretty sure they all work the same? Why?"

"Well, I haven't done anything yet, Sarada, I'm a good boy!" He exclaimed, "I'm just curious because--"

“......Held did you find dragonballs in Incenio’s stash? And you’re just now mentioning it?”

His voice went flat.

".....Yes. Yes I did. Well, two of them anyways. " he muttered over the Intercom, "Knowing my luck, he had the rest of them hidden on that third version of him as a suppository or that bastard Blizzar managed to knick the rest when I was distracted...."

He groaned.

"I can't catch a break....Anyways, Jinzi, I don't think you understand just how much stuff I took from Incenio. I don't even know what a decent portion of this stuff is. I mean, you can't see it, but I'm holding this brown bottle in my hand, and I have no idea what it does. It's not booze, I think, and I know it's valuable, but I have no clue what it does."

The Nevadian could be heard uncorking the bottle, before gulping down the contents.

"And now it's gone. I spent a month trying to figure out what the hell it does. I literally have a room full of stuff I have no idea what it does, or where its from. I kind of figured that--"

He laughed.

"I mean, unless we're going to go back to that universe and hunt down the rest of the dragonballs, or someone comes down here to take them from me, it's not really a huge problem is it?"

He paused for a moment.

"Huh. Is it? I didn't actually think of that last thing until now. Damnit, I should have killed Incenio when I had the chance. Jinzi, power up your flux capacitor or something, I have to go finish the job before he manages to get here, and tries to kill me while I'm on the toilet."

[Sub-Zero MKA]

"Well, I haven't done anything yet, Sarada, I'm a good boy!" He exclaimed, "I'm just curious because--"



His voice went flat.

".....Yes. Yes I did. Well, two of them anyways. " he muttered over the Intercom, "Knowing my luck, he had the rest of them hidden on that third version of him as a suppository or that bastard Blizzar managed to knick the rest when I was distracted...."

He groaned.

"I can't catch a break....Anyways, Jinzi, I don't think you understand just how much stuff I took from Incenio. I don't even know what a decent portion of this stuff is. I mean, you can't see it, but I'm holding this brown bottle in my hand, and I have no idea what it does. It's not booze, I think, and I know it's valuable, but I have no clue what it does."

The Nevadian could be heard uncorking the bottle, before gulping down the contents.

"And now it's gone. I spent a month trying to figure out what the hell it does. I literally have a room full of stuff I have no idea what it does, or where its from. I kind of figured that--"

He laughed.

"I mean, unless we're going to go back to that universe and hunt down the rest of the dragonballs, or someone comes down here to take them from me, it's not really a huge problem is it?"

He paused for a moment.

"Huh. Is it? I didn't actually think of that last thing until now. Damnit, I should have killed Incenio when I had the chance. Jinzi, power up your flux capacitor or something, I have to go finish the job before he manages to get here, and tries to kill me while I'm on the toilet."

"**** all that," Sarada barked. "What did the dragonballs look like, Held?" Knowing their luck, they were two more of Alakazah's dragonballs. If so, then they had four. Also, if they were, then that meant they could transcend space and time somehow. Just our luck. Just when I thought this quest could be settled on Earth, this **** comes up.

[Cleric of Hell’s Brigade]

"Well, I haven't done anything yet, Sarada, I'm a good boy!" He exclaimed, "I'm just curious because--"



His voice went flat.

".....Yes. Yes I did. Well, two of them anyways. " he muttered over the Intercom, "Knowing my luck, he had the rest of them hidden on that third version of him as a suppository or that bastard Blizzar managed to knick the rest when I was distracted...."

He groaned.

"I can't catch a break....Anyways, Jinzi, I don't think you understand just how much stuff I took from Incenio. I don't even know what a decent portion of this stuff is. I mean, you can't see it, but I'm holding this brown bottle in my hand, and I have no idea what it does. It's not booze, I think, and I know it's valuable, but I have no clue what it does."

The Nevadian could be heard uncorking the bottle, before gulping down the contents.

"And now it's gone. I spent a month trying to figure out what the hell it does. I literally have a room full of stuff I have no idea what it does, or where its from. I kind of figured that--"

He laughed.

"I mean, unless we're going to go back to that universe and hunt down the rest of the dragonballs, or someone comes down here to take them from me, it's not really a huge problem is it?"

He paused for a moment.

"Huh. Is it? I didn't actually think of that last thing until now. Damnit, I should have killed Incenio when I had the chance. Jinzi, power up your flux capacitor or something, I have to go finish the job before he manages to get here, and tries to kill me while I'm on the toilet."

“...........that’s not how that works, Held. And don’t drink strange things!”

Jinzi pauses, a suspicious thought in his head.

“Held? What color are those dragonballs you have?”

———

Meanwhile, the liquid goes down smooth and silky. It might very well be the best thing you’ve ever tasted. In fact, you feel more energized then before. Almost like a newfound pool of power gathers within your stomachs and spreads through your chest.

[Miburo]

“...........that’s not how that works, Held. And don’t drink strange things!”

Jinzi pauses, a suspicious thought in his head.

“Held? What color are those dragonballs you have?”

———

Meanwhile, the liquid goes down smooth and silky. It might very well be the best thing you’ve ever tasted. In fact, you feel more energized then before. Almost like a newfound pool of power gathers within your stomachs and spreads through your chest.

"Huh. That was pretty good...Amazing, actually." Held replied, his voice growing more radiant over the phone as he felt his power increase, "Talk about a booster shot...I was actually getting kinda sleepy, but now I feel like I can run from here to Nevada. I should see if Zaofan can make me some---"

"**** all that," Sarada barked. "What did the dragonballs look like, Held?" Knowing their luck, they were two more of Alakazah's dragonballs. If so, then they had four. Also, if they were, then that meant they could transcend space and time somehow. Just our luck. Just when I thought this quest could be settled on Earth, this **** comes up.

"Jeez, okay, okay!" Held replied with a sigh, "I keep forgetting Saiyan royalty have never been one for pleasantries....Give me a second, I gotta check my notes...."

The Nevadian could be heard fidgeting with a clasp, as he turned pages.

"I mean, I probably could just go walk and get them, but it's going to take like five minutes for me to make it over there, let alone figure out where I stashed them....."

More pages turning.

"Inventory.....Ledgers...Blackmail on Blizz--whoops, ignore that.....Okay. Here we go...."

He cleared his throat.

"Dragonball: Two, Dark Blue with Six Green Stars, and Seven Green Stars, respectively."

The book could be heard closing, before being tossed haphazardly into something, making a soft thud.

"Why are you guys so interested in the color scheme? Is there a rule about that sort of thing I didn't get the memo on?"

[Sub-Zero MKA]

Appel and the other remaining Tuffles had lost all hope. Their chance at regaining their planet had been snuffed out by those damned Saiyans and the Galaxy Police. All they had left to look forward to was a lifetime in prison, thanks to the death of the Saiyan princess, Parsley.

Despair and mental anguish was a common theme no matter which of their cells one looked into.

Appel was especially inconsolable. She had lost everything, as had all of them, but she was right there when her family was snatched from her by those accursed apes. Her home was gone, her husband and child gone, and now, her freedom was gone. She had nothing. Nothing but a worthless life that was no good to anyone.

I have one last ace in the hole, she thought to herself within the dark and dank confines of her cell, but I can't even use it. What's the point of living anymore? In her hand was a spoon she smuggled out of the cafeteria. She had spent the better part of a week sharpening it to a fine point. All that was left was to muster up the courage to jam it into her neck. The Tuffles deserved a better leader than her. She wasn't a leader; she was just your average housewife/quantum physicist. She was no good to anyone.

"Goodbye, cruel world," she sobbed as she prepared to end her miserable existence.

[Sub-Zero MKA]

"Huh. That was pretty good...Amazing, actually." Held replied, his voice growing more radiant over the phone as he felt his power increase, "Talk about a booster shot...I was actually getting kinda sleepy, but now I feel like I can run from here to Nevada. I should see if Zaofan can make me some---"



"Jeez, okay, okay!" Held replied with a sigh, "I keep forgetting Saiyan royalty have never been one for pleasantries....Give me a second, I gotta check my notes...."

The Nevadian could be heard fidgeting with a clasp, as he turned pages.

"I mean, I probably could just go walk and get them, but it's going to take like five minutes for me to make it over there, let alone figure out where I stashed them....."

More pages turning.

"Inventory.....Ledgers...Blackmail on Blizz--whoops, ignore that.....Okay. Here we go...."

He cleared his throat.

"Dragonball: Two, Dark Blue with Six Green Stars, and Seven Green Stars, respectively."

The book could be heard closing, before being tossed haphazardly into something, making a soft thud.

"Why are you guys so interested in the color scheme? Is there a rule about that sort of thing I didn't get the memo on?"

She was right; those balls did belong to Alakazah. But, how in the actual hell did they end up in Incenio's greedy hands? "Tch."

The **** was too weird. There were a lot of question marks around these balls and they didn't have any answers, or even any clues as to where to find the answers. "Those balls belong to the President of Earth, Alakazah, Held. It's imperative that he not find out we have them."

[Cthulhu_of_R'lyeh]

"Huh. That was pretty good...Amazing, actually." Held replied, his voice growing more radiant over the phone as he felt his power increase, "Talk about a booster shot...I was actually getting kinda sleepy, but now I feel like I can run from here to Nevada. I should see if Zaofan can make me some---"



"Jeez, okay, okay!" Held replied with a sigh, "I keep forgetting Saiyan royalty have never been one for pleasantries....Give me a second, I gotta check my notes...."

The Nevadian could be heard fidgeting with a clasp, as he turned pages.

"I mean, I probably could just go walk and get them, but it's going to take like five minutes for me to make it over there, let alone figure out where I stashed them....."

More pages turning.

"Inventory.....Ledgers...Blackmail on Blizz--whoops, ignore that.....Okay. Here we go...."

He cleared his throat.

"Dragonball: Two, Dark Blue with Six Green Stars, and Seven Green Stars, respectively."

The book could be heard closing, before being tossed haphazardly into something, making a soft thud.

"Why are you guys so interested in the color scheme? Is there a rule about that sort of thing I didn't get the memo on?"

"Do not for the life of you, say his human name." Ishtar said flatly in addition to Sarada's comments.

[Miburo]

She was right; those balls did belong to Alakazah. But, how in the actual hell did they end up in Incenio's greedy hands? "Tch."

The **** was too weird. There were a lot of question marks around these balls and they didn't have any answers, or even any clues as to where to find the answers. "Those balls belong to the President of Earth, Alakazah, Held. It's imperative that he not find out we have them."

"Do not for the life of you, say his human name." Ishtar said flatly in addition to Sarada's comments.

The line went silent as Sarada and Ishtar said their piece.

"Oh...Yeah, I think I vaguely recall something like that when I raided everyone's journals.." Held mumbled, the wind taken out of his sails as he made sense of what the others were telling him.

"In retrospect, I probably should have brought the file with me....You're sure that these are his...."

That doesn't make sense...How the hell did this happen?

"...But....Incenio's never been to our universe, as far as I can tell, so how did these ones get over there?"

I'm getting a headache. Incenio had the Dragonballs from our world, which...I returned? And here I was thinking I took them from his...

[Sub-Zero MKA]

The line went silent as Sarada and Ishtar said their piece.

"Oh...Yeah, I think I vaguely recall something like that when I raided everyone's journals.." Held mumbled, the wind taken out of his sails as he made sense of what the others were telling him.

"In retrospect, I probably should have brought the file with me....You're sure that these are his...."

That doesn't make sense...How the hell did this happen?

"...But....Incenio's never been to our universe, as far as I can tell, so how did these ones get over there?"

I'm getting a headache. Incenio had the Dragonballs from our world, which...I returned? And here I was thinking I took them from his...

"I'm positive their his because we have two more just like it."

Incenio hadn't been to their universe, but there had been a Alakazah in another universe. Hm. Sarada's gears were starting to turn. "I remember hearing that there was an Alakazah in another universe. If they're one and the same, then it stands to reason that his dragonballs can cross over into other universes, too." Which, if true, meant that their nightmare time travel adventures weren't over yet.

"I think the answers to a lot of our questions are at that Shrine." She turned and looked at Jinzi. "Did anyone ever check that shrine out? I remember Parsley mentioning something about it last month."

[MrSandman]

~One Week before the time skip~

Cohb sat quietly, twiddling his thumbs while he passed his gaze absentmindedly around the well decorated study. 3 Days after he had been contacted, the man had been picked up via ship and brought out to some reclusive home out in the middle of nowhere. Morgan, he had learned over the trip, was the defacto "head maid" of the household in everything but actual title.....and at the suggestion of it the woman had given him the worlds coldest stare, dropping the temperature in the transport a good several degrees. Cohb spent the next 15 minutes frozen on the spot, nervously eyeing his caretaker as she explained a little about their situation.

The family she associated with lived on the northern coast, in inhospitable and reclusive area far enough from civilization that it was only reached by air or a well prepared land party. The property, a sprawling manor and labyrinthine garden(surprisingly lush compared to the cold barren land around it), was owed by the master....one Engrevain Forebanner, the financier of the coming expedition. The estate was absolutely ancient looking, with only some signs of renovation to keep the place from coming apart. Their transport touched down on a small landing pad just outside the estate....and Cohb was escorted inside where he was giving a hot meal before being shepherded by his Morgan to the room he now waited in.

"Tea, Mister Cohb?" In the middle of staring at what he assumed was a human skull with jeweled eyes in a displace case, Cohb nearly lept out of his skin at the sudden offer....even more surprised that the mai....hostess had managed to enter without attracting his attention. "Ughh....Yeh, Ah could use som tea."

Morgan gave a quick nod, turned and vanished out the nearest door....

"Interesting in what you see?" A old voice, like bones scraping against rocks, gave cohb an involuntary shudder. He tensed up and quickly spun in the direction of the voice, finding....



"Some tribes of the north placed gemstones into the eye sockets of the dead so they could see the way into the realm beyond." The man, a reflection of death made manifest, leaned forward in his wheelchair and folded his hands under his chin. "The smarter ones did it while they were alive...let them see the reaper coming. Didn't do them any good in the end."

The man made a motion with his hand, as suddenly his chair was bring pushed forward by Morgan. "Mister Cornelius Cohb was it. Welcome to my home...I am Engrevain. I trust you have been taken care of thus far?"

"Uhh....yeh....." Cohb eyed Morgan for a moment, noting the distinct lack of tea before passing it off as being on the backburner compared to her masters wishes. "Thank ye for yer hospitality....Mister Forebanner."

"Good, Good....Well, I'll get down to business if you don't mind. Much to do, little time." Engrevain let out a sigh that sounded just shy of a death gasp. "There is a site to the north that my family has invested a great deal of money and effort in...securing. The land is harsh, cold, stalked by wild beasts and other things" The old man put particular emphasis on the last. "I need someone with skills in surviving such harsh places.....I'm sure Morgan has already laid out what I'm offering."

"Yes....reckon its quite ah mission ye got planned." Cohb nods. "An quite an offer....."

"Your tea is ready mister Cohb." Morgan spoke from Cohbs side, holding a cup on a tray for him. Cohb quickly turned, lifted the tea cup with a accepting smile, then turned back to Engrevain, with Morgan behind him.

Cohb sipped his tea, nodded to the two in front of him....turned and gave a nod of approval to the morgan standing by his side.

....


Cohb blinked, switching his los between the two locations several times. "Umm....Huh......Twin Sister?"

"Homunculus." Engrevain said with a sour tone. "Made from the same template. Pay the matter no mind.....you will be dealing with many more in time"

Cohb shook his head, a feeling of vertigo washed over him. This was Magic.....or mad science, but more then likely magic. The thought tied his stomach into a knot, and memories bubbled up at the edge of his mind....a flash of white, the snap of jawbone, the hungry howl of some misbegotten fiend.

"I....Its fine." Cohb finally blurted out. "How long do ya expect fore the expeditions ready to leave?"

"Tomorrow....." Engrevain smiled. "Tonight...you will brief the expedition team and prepare them for what is to come, you'll leave in the morning...and set up base camp at the landing site in preparation for my arrival."

Again, Cohb was left speechless. "..wait....yer coming too? With all sorts o'respect yer..."

"Mister Cohb, I am well aware of my condition. I'm old, doubtful I'll see the next winter........But I vowed to see this through with my own two eyes....and it is your job to make sure that happens, do you understand?" Engrevain folded his hands, a knowing smile danced across his lips. "I'll keep my expectations high....Cornelius Cohb."

[Sub-Zero MKA]

When Pinach and Rutaba met Azura, they weren't too sure about her. She looked nice, but there was this distant attitude about her that made them think she was one of those snobby types who thought she was better than everyone else. Those predetermined notions were dispelled immediately after she opened her mouth to introduce herself. They saw a new friend in the making! They grabbed her by the hand and dragged her out of Parsley's apartment to show her around town.

The first place they showed her was the Hall of Justice. Located on the outskirts of Kakarot City, the Hall of Justice used to be an abandoned post office before "Sarada" bought it for cheap -- actually, Pinach bought it after taking some money out of her account that she would probably come to owe him at some point in the future, maybe. They and their three friends -- Squas, Tabaga, Sabi, and his sister Proute -- fixed the place and retrofitted it with all kinds of technology that heroes would need to defend the planet from tyranny and evil. Such technology obviously included a police scanner so they could be the first ones to arrive when a crime was in progress, a state-of-the-art training facility so they could be in tip-top shape to fight evil, PlayBox 5 and X-Station 720 to keep themselves occupied during down time and train their cognitive response times, and of course, three refrigerators filled to the brim with food and snacks. No vegetables.

Azura, thankfully, was pretty impressed. She had seen better tech -- Pinach kind of doubted it; there was some pretty cool stuff in their lair -- but she commended them on keeping the streets clean.

"Being a hero isn't just about beating up the bad guys and going home," Rutaba noted sagely. She still remembered her conversation with Ochazuke, though she couldn't remember how it ended. "It's up to us to help these people. A lot of them are just down on their luck, I guess."

"Criminals are put in prison, no?" she asked curiously. "Does that not help them?"

"Nah, not really," he responded. "Most of the time, they just wait until they get out, then start doing the same thing all over again. If you can find out why they commit crimes, then you can better help them. That kind of stuff doesn't happen in the big house."

"I see." She wandered through the lair, taking in what she could see. Her eyes, inevitably, were drawn to the tubes that lined the far wall. In those tubes were their hero uniforms -- complete with capes, boots, gloves, and utility belts. There wasn't anything in those belts, they just looked cool. "What are those?"

"Ah! Every hero needs a uniform. It's what makes us stand out and different from everyone else," Pinach explained. He noticed her smile as she gazed upon Rutaba's. Her focus seemed to be on the cape. "You like the cape?"

"Yes. It looks very regal."

"Hehe. Hey! If you want, we can have one made for you. It won't cost anything and you can keep it when you go back home."

She smiled and nodded. "Yes, I would like that."

Before he could respond, a red warning light above one of their monitors started flash. "Oh! The Trouble Alert!"

=Attention all units. The Kernel Gang has been seen robbing 1st Commerce Bank. Again. Calling all units.=

"Ah, the cursed Kernel Gang!" The Kernel Gang, a group of three brothers -- Corn, Korn, and Khorne -- had been giving police fits for years. No matter how many times they were arrested and sent to jail, they always broke out and started up their crimes again. It was madness. "We'll finish them once and for all."

Pinach and Rutaba, the young Heroes of Justice, quickly changed into their supersuits and started for the door. Once outside, they quickly took off for 1st Commerce Bank. They didn't notice that Azura was following them until they were halfway there. "Oh, you're coming with us."

"Yes. I would see this heroism you talk about up close," she explained succinctly.

He grinned and nodded. "Well, get ready. We're here."

The Kernel Gang wasn't too particularly notable in a crowd. They literally looked like the same run-of-the-mill Saiyan men who could be seen walking to and from any given place. If it wasn't for their uncanny ability to simply not get the message, they wouldn't be worth anyone's time.

"Well sheeeoot, Khorne. The coppers are nearly on us!" said Corn.

Khorne, clearly the brains of the operation, shook his head. "Well, I ain't headin' back to the hoosegow. Corn, Korn, let's amscray."

From above, the three young people watched and listened carefully. "They... they are all named corn," Azura realized with an astonished gaze.

"Yeah..."

"Uh... they aren't really the brightest," Rutaba admitted. "But, we're gonna help them out as best we can!"

The Corn Brothers took their leave hastily, sprinting on foot from the back, each carrying a pair of sacks filled with galactic credits. Police sirens were in the distance, but the criminals would escape long before they got there. It was up to The Heroes of Justice to save the day!

"Stop right there, ne'er-do-wells!!"

Theme: Ginyu Tokusentai

As the music blared from Pinach's imagination come to life, he and Rutaba quickly descended, flipping in midair and landing gracefully between the Kernel Boys and freedom. Posing dramatically, they shouted, "Kernel Boys Gang! You've broken the law again and we're here to bring you to justice!"

"Aw jeez. These brats again!" Corn, the muscle of the group, stepped forward and dropped his bags of money. As he stepped toward them, he smirked and cracked his neck. "This time, I'm gonna enjoy this one."

Pinach and Rutaba got into defensive stances. They were vastly, vastly more powerful than these guys, so they had to be careful not to seriously hurt them. "You'r gonna regret th--"

There was a flash. Azura appeared between the Saiyans and whipped her leg out. Her foot plunged into Corn's midsection, knocking the wind out of him and sending him crashing into a nearby building. Before Korn could react, she was one him, burying her fist in his midsection. Khorne caught a right hook to the jaw, whipping his head around and sending him spiraling to the ground.

"--is. ...wait, what?"

Azura dusted her hands off. "Justice has been served."

"No, seriously. What happened?"

She turned and looked at the curiously. "I defeated them."

"...oh. Whoa! You must be really strong!!"

"I... guess? This was the first time I've tested my combat abilities." She shrugged and bent down to pick up the discarded bags of money. "We should return these to the bank, right?"

"Ah, right." They stuck around to hand over the unconscious Corn Bros. to the proper authorities, then headed back to the Lair. "You did great, Azura. You didn't waste any time. Keep that up, and you'll be a great hero."

She smiled and nodded. "Now what?"

"Now," he pulled out a plastic carton from a pile and held it up. "Now we play." Super Luigi Bros was the game. They each took turns playing, making sure that Azura -- who had no idea how to even hold the controller, let alone play -- got the hang of things before playing for real. They ate snacks and drank root beer into the wee hours of the morning, then ended up falling asleep on the floor.

Was this what Parsley meant when she told Azura that it would help to be around people her own age? Probably not.

[bruceleegreyhulk]

Dr. Wheelo picks up instead of Jinzi.

“Capsule Corp, how can I help you?”

He seems irritated.

" I need to know if Jinzi has any spare Ultra Katchin I can use? I just discovered this new type of radiation, and I need a material that can harness it. Every composite material I have tried so far has failed to harness the radiation," Praxat said.