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

[grampagen]

"Sasheem could've easily chosen not to tag along and continue his training, but he decided to be here instead," Sasheem shrugged. "Don't get all preachy just because he's focused on the task at hand."

"But....!" Sasheem added. "You are right about one thing. Sasheem really doesn't have anywhere to go, 'sides loafing at the Lookout. That'll all change once the Snake School's revived," he folded his arms and smiled smugly.

"...so you're skimping out on training, despite the gap in your knowledge."

Zaofan wrung the cloth into a rat-tail, then swiped it outward with a snap. In an instant the residual moisture flecked off, and the linen was air-dry.

"And you're already planning to break off on your own, really?" Folding the corners neatly, he tucked the little towel back into a pocket, busying his hands as he shook his head.

"So undisciplined, concerned only with the end goal," he said, "But with your magic, you're probably used to skipping over the work anyway. All your life I doubt you'd had to do so much as fry an egg!"

Kicking his staff up off the ground, he spun it about before settling it at his side. "Without appreciation for the craft, you're hardly the master of anything."

"Heh...those Raiders better hope not for their sake," The Majin laughed. "Sasheem owes 'em some payback. He didn't really get his fill last time," he said, thinking back to his battle at the Red Raider base so long ago.

“I speak of him being alive because he is.” Leon says.

The scroll reveals that Charlie Base is located in a hidden mountain valley far away. It is protected from the outside world by impossible to navigate or climb peaks, with only a few hidden paths in and out.

Samson says that the location, if he’s reading it right, is only a half hour at most from their current location.

Ochazuke read the map, and searched it for familiar details. But when Samson indicated they could head towards the location of the base, he shook his head solemnly.

"If the Red Raiders sat upon the secret of the Master this whole time, they would not have been so swiftly opposed," he said. "Nor would they have reason to seek out the shrines of the Hidden Hand."

Zaofan wrapped his hands around the staff as he considered this. "And judging by Leon's wounds, our competition has been here fairly recently," he added, "er, no offense. But how did they find it, I wonder?"

"Colonel Willa Rautt," Ochazuke said, "Her lineage is the blood of kings. And her father-"

"Simon Battersea," Zaofan followed. "The last student of the Lion School! ...er, again, no offense."

Ochazuke nodded to his martial brother. "Why should he take offense after what you did to him," he replied dryly.

"Eh heh...," The chef lowered his gaze and rubbed the back of his neck. Still Zaofan remained quite perplexed. "So what's the connection?"

Ochazuke moved toward the nearest flat surface, a stone altar on the temple grounds, and laid Leon's map flat upon it. He then turned towards Master Balon.

"The map of the shrines," he said. "Do you still have it?"

[Cleric of Hell’s Brigade]

"...so you're skimping out on training, despite the gap in your knowledge."

Zaofan wrung the cloth into a rat-tail, then swiped it outward with a snap. In an instant the residual moisture flecked off, and the linen was air-dry.

"And you're already planning to break off on your own, really?" Folding the corners neatly, he tucked the little towel back into a pocket, busying his hands as he shook his head.

"So undisciplined, concerned only with the end goal," he said, "But with your magic, you're probably used to skipping over the work anyway. All your life I doubt you'd had to do so much as fry an egg!"

Kicking his staff up off the ground, he spun it about before settling it at his side. "Without appreciation for the craft, you're hardly the master of anything."






Ochazuke read the map, and searched it for familiar details. But when Samson indicated they could head towards the location of the base, he shook his head solemnly.

"If the Red Raiders sat upon the secret of the Master this whole time, they would not have been so swiftly opposed," he said. "Nor would they have reason to seek out the shrines of the Hidden Hand."

Zaofan wrapped his hands around the staff as he considered this. "And judging by Leon's wounds, our competition has been here fairly recently," he added, "er, no offense. But how did they find it, I wonder?"

"Colonel Willa Rautt," Ochazuke said, "Her lineage is the blood of kings. And her father-"

"Simon Battersea," Zaofan followed. "The last student of the Lion School! ...er, again, no offense."

Ochazuke nodded to his martial brother. "Why should he take offense after what you did to him," he replied dryly.

"Eh heh...," The chef lowered his gaze and rubbed the back of his neck. Still Zaofan remained quite perplexed. "So what's the connection?"

Ochazuke moved toward the nearest flat surface, a stone altar on the temple grounds, and laid Leon's map flat upon it. He then turned towards Master Balon.

"The map of the shrines," he said. "Do you still have it?"

Balon nods and pulls it out, spreading it open for all to see.

[Yun Lao]

"What.....what happened here?" Morgan stepped back as cold fire consumed the interior of the house. "....You keep saying something happened....but your wrong. Nothing happened!"

The flames spread to along the floors, the walls, the ceiling. "Avalon is still here....Nothing happened."

Furniture, until that point solid, began to lose their forms and crumble to scattering dust. Morgan swatted at he form as the fire converged upon her. "Why.....Why are you doing this. You don't understand....your a stranger. This isn't your land! How could you know anything about this!"

Morgan dropped to her knees as the flames consumed her. "This is my land, this is my entire world. *sob* S..Stop saying it isn't real.....Stop it! StopitStopitStopit! This is everything I have! THIS IS EVERYTHING I HAVE!"

As quickly as it had begun, the fire died. In its wake....the cold biting wind slowly blew down upon them. The ruins stood, much as they had when they first arrived.....barren and broken, the dark sky now visible once more.

On the ground, Morgan lay trembling. Her head tucked firmly between her legs, eyes to the floor unable to bring her gaze up.....tears flowing down her exposed cheeks as she sobbed quietly. The fire had done more then expose the environment, the multihue'd aura that had encompassed her form seemed to have burned away with it.

Now all that remained was Morgan the familiar.

".......*sob*......w...why...." The girl brought her hand up to try and recast the conjuration spell, but couldn't spark the magic necessary to do so. ".....monster.....bully......look what you did....Now its all in a mess a...ag...*sobs*....."

Pushing herself slowly up off the ground, she levels a red eyed, tear stained glare at Ochazuke. "You want to go the mountain. Fine....I'll take you to the mountain. Do...w..whatever you like and then le....leave me alone.....I...I don't care..."

The familiar walked towards the now ruined doorway, clutching at her sides as if she was feeling the cold for the first in in a very long time.....she certainly didn't seemed dressed for it now that they all had a good look at her.

Slowly the conjured place thawed, and from the warm hearth of this sheltered dream they were returned to the cold ruin they had been pulled from.

And as the cold winds resumed their hoary howl blowing ice between the ruins, Ochazuke's footsteps fell over the snow where he stood over their diminished hostess.

"Nothing happened? Look around you." As the gales would through the derelict, their passage seemed to carry to his ears a hollow requiem.

"Avalon would continue to stand apart from this mundane world," he said. Snow and dust lay trodden below his boots as he moved past her. "Yet here Avalon rests."

The creeping shadow within the sleeping Earth brushed against the field of his sense-awareness once more, and as he reached his senses to the lonely peak in the distance, there were signs of life gilded in that ravenous aura.

"A lie will not change that this is all that remains."

As Ochazuke forged ahead, Zaofan approached the familiar from behind. Though the chef had only his weathered kitchen garb, he unbuttoned the white jacket and laid it about Morgan's shoulders. His breath still fogged from the warmth of the tea, and his body was sustained by the training of his spirit, and in spite of the ever present winter, where he laid his hands over her, a small bit of warmth spread.

"...for what it's worth I'm sorry," he said, "you've lost a great deal. I can't imagine what that's like...but believe it or not, he does."

For the better part of two years, they'd been finding figments of the Earth's past, a common thread that wound through the ages. What once had brought people together had been used to sow division through the world, but in his salad days as a journeyman chef, Zaofan had seen that there was something fundamental to the peoples of Earth, for all their frailties, that endured through upheaval and hardships.

It was at that time he remembered he was touching a ghost, and the chef chuckled. "But you know, the kingdom isn't entirely gone. You've shown us you have quite the keen memory!"

Rolling up his sleeves nervously, he offered Morgan a hand up. "Perhaps if you show us around, we can figure out how to restore what you've lost."

"I understand your pain," Shōchū said to the small girl, fighting the urge to pat the familiar's head, "I too have lost so much, but I've learned that "home" is not a place you go. It is what you hold your heart that truly makes it a home."

To her, it was sleeping in engine rooms to stay warm, mysterious soups given funny names to make them more appealing, hearing stories from Carne and Zaofan about Earth; it was a lot of things, which made it more painful to recall them being taken from her. Her family, her world, her friends, her home, her humanity.

"I'm sorry Hibachi... looks like I won't be able to finish that cake with you."

Her gaze turned to the mountain in question, looming over the horizon like a gravestone for the place Morgan once called Avalon, "No matter what shape your home takes, all that matters is that you protect what you have. Hiding from the truth will only make it more painful when the last thing important to you is ripped from your fingers."

"Crying won't bring him back," Quila stated, bluntly, "Cry if you must but do not cling to phantoms who can no longer help you. Use their memories as your strength, but in the end, you are all that is left."

"We must hurry. If there are others like Morgan here, the Beast will surely prey on them."

[grampagen]

Balon nods and pulls it out, spreading it open for all to see.

Setting Leon's map next to the topography granted to him from his Double from that Alternate Future, Ochazuke began to search for some correlation between the location of each hidden shrine.

"To the North, the Wolf." The ancient lines of the Master's ink were soon accented as Ochazuke marked each point with Ishiki Toei, creating pronounced markers just above the parchment.

"To the South-West, the Spider; North-West, the Bear." As he spoke, vectors of ki traced their journey of two years across the map.

"Now, South-East, the Phoenix; which leads us here, to the Lion."

It soon became clear that the location of each ancient shrine was no accident. Ochazuke's eyes narrowed as he then marked the location of the Master's Legacy.

Relative to the rest, there seemed to be some strange discrepancy.

[Cleric of Hell’s Brigade]

Setting Leon's map next to the topography granted to him from his Double from that Alternate Future, Ochazuke began to search for some correlation between the location of each hidden shrine.

"To the North, the Wolf." The ancient lines of the Master's ink were soon accented as Ochazuke marked each point with Ishiki Toei, creating pronounced markers just above the parchment.

"To the South-West, the Spider; North-West, the Bear." As he spoke, vectors of ki traced their journey of two years across the map.

"Now, South-East, the Phoenix; which leads us here, to the Lion."

It soon became clear that the location of each ancient shrine was no accident. Ochazuke's eyes narrowed as he then marked the location of the Master's Legacy.

Relative to the rest, there seemed to be some strange discrepancy.

Samson looks at it, frowning.

“Ochazuke.......this...can you add the locations of the Turtle, Snake, Crane, Dragon, and Tiger schools?”

[MrSandman]

BGM - Warrior of Light

Slowly the conjured place thawed, and from the warm hearth of this sheltered dream they were returned to the cold ruin they had been pulled from.

And as the cold winds resumed their hoary howl blowing ice between the ruins, Ochazuke's footsteps fell over the snow where he stood over their diminished hostess.

"Nothing happened? Look around you." As the gales would through the derelict, their passage seemed to carry to his ears a hollow requiem.

"Avalon would continue to stand apart from this mundane world," he said. Snow and dust lay trodden below his boots as he moved past her. "Yet here Avalon rests."

The creeping shadow within the sleeping Earth brushed against the field of his sense-awareness once more, and as he reached his senses to the lonely peak in the distance, there were signs of life gilded in that ravenous aura.

"A lie will not change that this is all that remains."

As Ochazuke forged ahead, Zaofan approached the familiar from behind. Though the chef had only his weathered kitchen garb, he unbuttoned the white jacket and laid it about Morgan's shoulders. His breath still fogged from the warmth of the tea, and his body was sustained by the training of his spirit, and in spite of the ever present winter, where he laid his hands over her, a small bit of warmth spread.

"...for what it's worth I'm sorry," he said, "you've lost a great deal. I can't imagine what that's like...but believe it or not, he does."

For the better part of two years, they'd been finding figments of the Earth's past, a common thread that wound through the ages. What once had brought people together had been used to sow division through the world, but in his salad days as a journeyman chef, Zaofan had seen that there was something fundamental to the peoples of Earth, for all their frailties, that endured through upheaval and hardships.

It was at that time he remembered he was touching a ghost, and the chef chuckled. "But you know, the kingdom isn't entirely gone. You've shown us you have quite the keen memory!"

Rolling up his sleeves nervously, he offered Morgan a hand up. "Perhaps if you show us around, we can figure out how to restore what you've lost."

"You....Still want to see?" Morgan pulled the white jacket close and turned to look at Zaofan, The resentment in her eyes softened a little. ".....N...No......" She then shook her head. "No....I...I'll show YOU around." The girl pulled back the side of hair, and Zaofan realized....much to his underlying horror, she had a certain telltale blush creeping across her face. "The o..old fart can tag along if...if he wants"

"C..Come.....We'll take the Main Road to the North, through Snowwall proper. We c...Can hunt for signs of that Beast you keep mentioning...."

Her gaze turned to the mountain in question, looming over the horizon like a gravestone for the place Morgan once called Avalon, "No matter what shape your home takes, all that matters is that you protect what you have. Hiding from the truth will only make it more painful when the last thing important to you is ripped from your fingers."

"We must hurry. If there are others like Morgan here, the Beast will surely prey on them."

"Its not the place....but what you hold in your heart that makes the place home?" Morgan put her hand on her chest and thought for a moment, then winced. ".....If your heart broke, can you ever find home again.....I'm sorry, you mean well, but....I can't let go that easily."

Morgan shook her head sadly. "There are those who still depend on me here....one day I hope they awaken to an Avalon, same as it was the day they...." Then went quiet.

Refocusing on what was before her, Morgan took the little image from Durive. Giving it a slow look, she began to chuckle. "....ehe....did you draw this for me? Its good....your better then me at it.....hold on."

Taking the picture, she brings it to the ruined wall by the side of the entryway and wipes away from of the accumulated snow. Then, with a spark of her conjuration...she places it within a frame and lets it rest there. "....There......Next time I come through here, there will be something to commemorate your visit....the good and the bad.....being forgotten is never good."

During back to the door, Morgan motions for them to follow. "Well....come on then, maybe a little walking will help my nerves....."

~~~~~

There was something rather strange in the sight of a girl, an dog in everything but appearance and three complete strangers trudging down an old stone road....majestic ruins set against a snow covered peak in the distance. It was laughable, and upon realizing what the sight must have looked like to herself....Morgan let out a sudden laugh.

She was happy....despite everything that happened at the ruins, this was much MUCH preferable to her usual situation. So much so that the moment anyone even attempted to suggest that....flying would get them there faster, she immediately shot down the notion with a exaggerated story about the air currents above the city being too dangerous....and air targeted weaponry that was still functional at the edges to the city.....and flying invisible defenders dotting all over the skies.

Of course if they asked enough, they'd likely notice the multitude of excuses she had....but for the moment, she was content to have everyone together with her.

Even the old tart who burned the house down.

"Ohh! Stop!" Morgan grabbed Zaofan by the hand before the cook had time to respond, and pulled him over to the side of the road where the ruins of a wall stretched down the road a little ways. What a wall was doing her was anyones guess.....but Morgan herself seemed to have a idea as she turned to the others.

"Snowwall!" She pointed to the ruin. "....Oh...I'm sorry....just a moment."

With a flicker of her magic having returned, the young girl tapped the edge of the monument....and a wave of conjuration magic slowly spread over it. The wall grew and filled its length with engravings.

"This is where Snowwall got its name. Its like a Mural that follows the old road leading to the capital....so refuges going there can learn the story of Avalon. Convenient right?" Morgan boasted. "We'll see a lot of these along the road....maybe they'll help you understand what kind of place Avalon wa...." Morgan paused, glanced over to Ochazuke, and gritted her teeth with a sound like a frustrated child.

Taking Zaofan by the hand to the front, she let him examine the first of these walls. Upon it...was the image of the Speaker Mountain, a strange symbol carved into it, and a vaguely human shaped figure before it...arms outstretched and arcane runes flowing from one hand to the other. Writing lay along the base of the wall, of a dialect too old for most to understand.

"This segment is about the founding of Avalon. The story is.....that our ancestors moved to the north to escape the old dominion of the Eld Dragons, where we lived in conflict with the elements for hundreds of years, hidden away. Until....Queen Persephone descended from the Speaker Mountain at the heart of Avalon." Morgan turned to Souchu. "It was called something else back then...but nobody remembers the old name anymore, we called it speaker mountain because it was where Magi-Queen Persephone first spoke with the old ones. She learned from them the power of..." She snapped her finger, a spark of magic igniting from the tips. "....Magic, which she then brought back to her people. It was with Magic that they were finally able to master the elements around them and bring peace to the north, building a place where humans could live in peace."

Grabbing Zaofans hand again, she ushered him to the next segment.....Ten Knights in armor, standing below the now ascended looking Queen figure, and above her....Several Arcane figures that seemed representative of.....something.

"Avalon was establish with the founding of Amdapor, and the Lords of Amdapor were born when the Queen created special weapons born from the blood of the Mountain. They were charged with the protection of our lands against the incursions of the Eld."

Ochazuke, more attuned to detail, would note something almost immediately. Each knight carried a very detailed weapon of special make....but one stood out. At the center, the knight depicted held a sword...and though the blade was different, the hilt, size and general shape seemed consistent with another sword he had seen fairly recently...

Turning their attention to the top of the mural, the large arcane symbols stood out above everything else. There were five of them....4 of them scrawled with the utmost care while the fifth appeared to have been scratched to the point it was barely visible.

Noting where eyes were slowly being directed, Morgan nodded. "The Symbols at the top right? They represent the Old ones from which Persephone was gifted magic....lets see..." Morgan pointed her hand at the left and slowly move it from symbol to symbol. "We have....Dagon, Hastur, Shub-Niggurath, Cthulhu and...." Morgan frowned when she reached the last one that was scratched out. "...Nyarlathotep."

[bruceleegreyhulk]

On a GP ship on her way to Apox, Praxat looks up information on the planet on her cell phone and finds something quite disturbing. " Blizzar, Althena, Held, according to this article I found online. Apox is home to Halcyon Tower Asylum, where a brutal massacre took place eleven years ago." Praxat said.

" According to rumors, it could be haunted," Praxat said. Praxat then looks up the total bounty of the Sonata, and the remaining main members of his crew. She shows the bounty to Blizzar and Held. Which is a total of 999,950,000,000 billion Galatic credits.

[Cthulhu_of_R'lyeh]

On a GP ship on her way to Apox, Praxat looks up information on the planet on her cell phone and finds something quite disturbing. " Blizzar, Althena, Held, according to this article I found online. Apox is home to Halcyon Tower Asylum, where a brutal massacre took place eleven years ago." Praxat said.

" According to rumors, it could be haunted," Praxat said. Praxat then looks up the total bounty of the Sonata, and the remaining main members of his crew. She shows the bounty to Blizzar and Held. Which is a total of 999,950,000,000 billion Galatic credits.

"This place sounds boring," Anubis said as he appeared inside the transport by simply ... walking through the side of it. "Have to ask too, just cuz, y'know: but why'd you force my Favorite Popsicle, and Dicchio Mk.II to come to this boring place ?"

The hellhound seemed to consider something before shrugging. "Ah, guess it doesn't matter. You're here now yea ? Might as well ride it out."

Going to lay at Blizzar's feet, the Demon dog seemed to stare at the Toadian before simply saying, "just lemme know if you want me to eat the frog."

[bruceleegreyhulk]

I'm prepared for that. Just do your best old man. Don't let me down, like you did mom," Nadila said.

" She could have been saved, We could have found a cure for the zombification virus, but you just had to take her life I was eight years old at the time, and I will never forgive you for that," Nadila said.

Later Nadila's father gets contact by Lieutenant Stratovarius." This is Lieutenant Stratovarius of the GP. If you're the lawyer representing the minor Qaztoh Zorak," Earl said over the phone.

"Then I have video evidence. That can help with your defense. However, I have to warn you that the videos are quite disturbing. Earl said over the phone.

OT: For Cleric

[bruceleegreyhulk]

Praxat ignores the demon dog and addresses Blizzar." Blizzar, what's the plan?" Praxat said.

( This Halcyon Tower Asylum has to be Soanta's hideout. A rundown abandoned asylum is the perfect place for scum like him to lay low, Who knows how many children he has captive in there? ) Praxat thought.

In a war room, Sonata is looking at an image on a monitor." a GP ship huh, well, let's see whoever is onboard likes the fucking taste of this," Sonata said.

Sonata presses a button on the control panel next to him. On the planet's surface, a massive energy cannon pops up. It fires a massive beam of energy straight at the GP ship.

[Tami]

After several months of working to setup the Guardian Network, Meagan's doctors ordered her to remain home and rest. Her abdomen was swollen, along with her ankles. Her ki levels had dropped as the growing life within fed off of it.

Laying on a couch at the Temple, she anxiously wondered where Jinzi was. Though she was not alone in the massive building, at that moment there was only one person she wished to see.

It was two days ago that she sent Cyanna to Earth in search of her husband. Not having heard from either ot them, she was growing anxious.

Managing to stand back up, she was about to head towards the stairway leading down to the lower levels when Sister Sienna entered the room carrying a tray of food. Quickly placing the tray down on a table, Sienna walked over to Meagan.

Sienna, a licensed nurse as well as a member of the Sisterhood, had been assigned at Meagan's personal caretaker during the last few months of her pregnancy. It was a job she has done exceedingly well, this timem was no different.

"Lady Meagan," she spoke sternly, "where do you think your going?"

"Oh, Sienna, I was just going for a walk. I need a book from the library."

"Very well. Tell me which book you need and I will get it for you. I brought you some food, you must be hungry."

Meagan was on the verge of continuing to walk away when she realized that she was, indeed, hungry. Hungry, and scared, and anxious, and worried. Turning around, she let Sister Sienna walk her back. Back to a table where her food was waiting, along with her favorite tea.


----------------

Back on Earth, after a delay Cyanna hurried to find Jinzi. Her first stop is Jinzi's lab.

[bruceleegreyhulk]

In another part of Sonata's underground base. There is an armadillo humanoid alien surrounding by a horde of treasure and artifacts( **** look at all this treasure. It has to be worth at least 500,000,000,000,000 galactic credits or more. It's no wonder the Captain told me to guard this treasure," The armadillo thought.

The armadillo touches a metal wall, and his body suddenly absorbs the properties of the wall. ( I will guard it with my life, with my ability no one will get passed me. For I'm Clipeum!" ) Clipeum thought.

Clipeum rolls himself into a ball and starts bouncing off the floor, ceiling, and walls like a pinball. Clipeum then stops and unrolls himself. ( Okay, that's enough practice for a while. I'm getting dizzy,) Clipeum thought.

[KingofPie]

"This place sounds boring," Anubis said as he appeared inside the transport by simply ... walking through the side of it. "Have to ask too, just cuz, y'know: but why'd you force my Favorite Popsicle, and Dicchio Mk.II to come to this boring place ?"

The hellhound seemed to consider something before shrugging. "Ah, guess it doesn't matter. You're here now yea ? Might as well ride it out."

Going to lay at Blizzar's feet, the Demon dog seemed to stare at the Toadian before simply saying, "just lemme know if you want me to eat the frog."

"...hold that thought," Blizzar raised a hand, eyes darting around and wondering if Durive could appear at any moment.

Praxat ignores the demon dog and addresses Blizzar." Blizzar, what's the plan?" Praxat said.

"Praxat..." Blizzar sighed. "To be completely honest, I'm not even entirely certain exactly how I wound up on this ship, let alone in the right state of mind to formulate a plan with minimal information on the enemy...but seeing as the remaining pirate's collective bounties are such a big number, I took the liberty of messaging the closest GP contingent nearby. They should have a response ready soon."

In a war room, Sonata is looking at an image on a monitor." a GP ship huh, well, let's see whoever is onboard likes the fucking taste of this," Sonata said.

Sonata presses a button on the control panel next to him. On the planet's surface, a massive energy cannon pops up. It fires a massive beam of energy straight at the GP ship.

Blizzar slides slightly to the left, avoiding the laser. Being able to breathe in space, he doesn't seem to be stirred much, instead opting to continue the conversation regarding the plan. "In any case, should that fail, I plan to expedite this process immensely."

***
ELSEWHERE.....

A stern figure stepped onto the command deck overlooking eager officers, ready to administer justice throughout the vast sea of stars. Within the Galaxy Police were certain individuals distributed with a special rank. One such officer was Admiral Cuttinboard.

Sabre sheathed at his side he addressed his officers. "A fine evening it is, lads....a fine evening for the harpoon of justice to pierce the fiercest of beasts in the unfathomable depths of space! Never before have we faced such a challenge, but never before have we backed down either! Pirates! Kidnapping children...most unbecoming of our fair galaxy. But fear not, boyos.....this ends today."

Cuttinboard began to pierce in place. "Fiends in mortal flesh they are, but like cowards they hide from the piercing eyes of the just. But from our fair base, we will not rest until they are wiped out. Pierced with VIGILANT SWORD THAT CUTS THE COOL NIGHT WIND!" Cuttinboard began to yell at the top of his lungs, startling everyone below. "THE RIGHTEOUS BLADE PERILOUS THAT WILL ASSAIL THEM UNTIL THE ENDS OF TIME!" Cuttinboard quickly calmed down, explaining firther, "And that sword comes in the form of 999,950,000,000 Beeteor Missiles. A missile for each credit their worthless hides are worth! They make their den on the planet Apox, and it is there thay the arrow of the fighters will shriek a cry so loud as to pierce pierce the heavens with it's valiant fury!"

"Now everyone...to your stations. And always remember..."

Cuttinboard placed a hand on his sword, fixed at his side like a normal savre.

He took a deep breath and began to speak.

"I know some of you may not know all about me, some have low opinions of me, and some may not care what I have to say, but it will be said regardless." He looked over the sea of his officers. He spoke again pacing in front of the portal "I
know that some of you are nervous, maybe even a touch afraid, I can understand this, we face an enemy in Sonata and the Buccaneers the likes of which the world has never seen and might never see again...but consider this." He stopped cocking an eye and looking at them.

"About 24000 years ago their was a battle at a place called Thermopylae. 300 brave Spartans held off a Persian army of over a million men, let me say that again one million men. Untill that time The Persian empire was the greatest ever
streaching as far as the eye could see. They shook the ground with their march drinked whole rivers dry. Then as now they seemed unstoppable, yet their brave King Leonidas boldly stood firm and said he would not lay down. He took his men
to meet the army and they indeed stood their ground."

He paced again "For three days the Spartans made the Persians pay so dearly that they lost all taste for battle and were defeated soon after. They were the last great hope and they held firm. If they can hold, if they can give all they had
to protect a world from slavery and darkness then I say we can to. We all came for different reasons, different motives but all that matters now is this."

Cuttinboard turns his head and revels the Kanji for "Honor" still showing brightly.

He turns back "We must stand together to face this foe. we must as the Spartans give all we have. Beyond that portal their is no quarter, if you lay down your arms you will die, your friends will die, your family will die. Just beyond the
evil stirs and it knows what it faced at just a hand full of us, but now they will see the entire dragon dorm!" Cuttinboard pounded his chest "We have always stood together, no retreat no surrender, we will fight."

Cuttinboard held firm to his Sabre "There may come a day in which we break all bounds of fellowship and forsake all that we hold dear, but it is not this day, Cuttinboard draws on of his sabre and holds it high. "THIS DAY WE FIGHT!"

Cuttinboard pounded his chest again. "A new age has begun a age of freedom, of justice, and all will know that all of us Galaxy Policeman gave their last to defend it!"

"Yes fight and you may die, run and you may live, at least awhile. But dying in your beds many years from now, would you be willing to trade all the days from this day to that for on chance just one chance to come to this place step
through this portal and fight along side your friends and proudly say you may take our lives?!" Cuttinboard draws his other sword and crosses them in the air above
his head.

"BUT YOU WILL NEVER TAKE THE GALAXYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY!!!!"

Cuttinboard roared, hoping his fellow officers would follow. He yelled a mighty battle cry and jumped in, followed closely by Valeria.

No one heard it. Everyone left. Cuttinboard looked a tad upset, brushing his cost off in a huff. An engineer stepped forward, a puzzled expression upon his face. "Frankly, I was hoping for a better reaction," the Admiral admitted.

"Frankly, none of us knew what the **** that was," the engineer pointed out. "You want us to fire the uh...'Righteous Blade', your worship?" He mocked.

"Yes, that'd be best..." Cuttinboard nodded quickly.

Soon all 999,950,000,000 launched with gusto, making a beeline for the Buccaneer's hideout.

[Tami]

Previous Post

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Taking her cue from the legends, Dash set out to find the Wild Horses that roamed the plains a few miles past the Great Forest. Once she found them she spent a week trying to learn from them. After seven days she grew impatient. Though it was fun to race them, to watch them, and to try and be like them, there just wasn't much insight comicng from the experience.

It was then that she decided to seek out the Bear Shrine once again.

Taking flight, she surveyed the and below her, then from memory orientated herself and headed to where it was located.

Landing not far away, she walked the rest of the distance through the forest on foot.

Seeing the marking of the Bear shrine, she hesitantly called out, "Um, hello? Anyone here?"

[Cleric of Hell’s Brigade]

After several months of working to setup the Guardian Network, Meagan's doctors ordered her to remain home and rest. Her abdomen was swollen, along with her ankles. Her ki levels had dropped as the growing life within fed off of it.

Laying on a couch at the Temple, she anxiously wondered where Jinzi was. Though she was not alone in the massive building, at that moment there was only one person she wished to see.

It was two days ago that she sent Cyanna to Earth in search of her husband. Not having heard from either ot them, she was growing anxious.

Managing to stand back up, she was about to head towards the stairway leading down to the lower levels when Sister Sienna entered the room carrying a tray of food. Quickly placing the tray down on a table, Sienna walked over to Meagan.

Sienna, a licensed nurse as well as a member of the Sisterhood, had been assigned at Meagan's personal caretaker during the last few months of her pregnancy. It was a job she has done exceedingly well, this timem was no different.

"Lady Meagan," she spoke sternly, "where do you think your going?"

"Oh, Sienna, I was just going for a walk. I need a book from the library."

"Very well. Tell me which book you need and I will get it for you. I brought you some food, you must be hungry."

Meagan was on the verge of continuing to walk away when she realized that she was, indeed, hungry. Hungry, and scared, and anxious, and worried. Turning around, she let Sister Sienna walk her back. Back to a table where her food was waiting, along with her favorite tea.


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Back on Earth, after a delay Cyanna hurried to find Jinzi. Her first stop is Jinzi's lab.

He’s there, busy tinkering with a small round device.