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

[KingofPie]

Blizzar simply stood still in space, aghast at how near one trillion Beeteor missiles could make contact with a planet and do not so much as a scratch.

Even more worrisome was the fact that he still had no idea how he arrived on this ship and was entirely certain he wasn't drugged.

What was this place...what was this mission? Why did the fabric of time and space seem to have no meaning? Why did reality twist and twine, casting off the whims of nature, the universe. Why was the line between the mortal and the immortal so faint?

What lie before him, a planet or a spherical manifestation of everything that did not belong in this world or the next? What was it that would drive him more mad than those who dared trek to the Mountains of Madness?!

But wait...

How did he know about that arc? Arc....how did he know it was an arc? As in a story arc?! But how could he possibly...

Wait...it wasn't the planet! This isn't the first time he felt this sense of lost befuddled despair. Each occurrence had one common through-line that made the rules thinner with each sentence uttered....and rest assured there were many sentences uttered.

The planet was still not innocent for was it not the epicenter of the current source of this violently sudden journey....The epicenter....the center....

Blizzar turned to Held, who he assumed could survive in the void of space, if not through his own ability than the aura of convenience he could feel emanating around himself. "Held!" Blizzar began, staring directly at the planet below. "How good is your aim, old chap?"

[grampagen]

"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...."

Lifting Morgan up off the ground, Zaofan held a bright smile, despite the cold. But as she coyly part her hair and looked into his eyes, his white teeth strained and he felt his stomach plummet.

O-oh... There'd been a select few moments - mostly when the Mistress wasn't around - that a certain, other familiar (actually, really the only other familiar he'd gotten to know) gave him that look. Still, that was all in good, bawdy fun. But here, he was empty-handed, had no pies, biscuits, or meat-off-the-bone to dissuade this one. What she seemed to be after...

"...up and at 'em, then! We've got a long march ahead of us!" Gladly, she at the very least seemed to be cooperative in spite of everything. Yet it seemed that despite these scenic vistas - unlike any seen on the rest of the Earth - Shochu and his martial brother only had eyes at what rest near the peak.

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.

Though he had initially forged ahead of the others, Ochazuke kept his pace such that he was always within earshot of Zaofan, Shochu, Erosa, the...corrugated creature, and the Familiar. The moon and stars above reflected off the snow, and in the blue light cast in the dark of this night, the world seemed to stand as some frozen inversion of itself, where the dark road wound through fridgid white.

But the further they went along, it seemed as if the slavering shadow swelled beneath, and where his awareness brushed against the living spirit of this place, what Cthylla had told him of the creatures dwelling in the Void was ever near to mind.

And at the mention of hidden denizens waiting above, or some ancient machinations poised to strike from a hidden place, gradually he grew from a silhouette in the distance to a shadow that loomed behind their group, following in-step behind their guide where she walked merrily, hand in hand with Zaofan. Though scrutinizing her claims silently yielded little, he kept his observations through Kyokushin Keikatsu keen at all times.

"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."

It was with a silent awe that Zaofan beheld the origins of the Lords and Ladies of Ampadour, and when Morgan rediscovered a piece of that uncanny, multi-hued magic within herself, he couldn't help but share in her uplifted spirits.

"Well! How appropriate a name Snowwall is!" he remarked. His gaze drift towards the Ten Knights and their Queen. "And such a handsome relief as well!"

Turning toward Erosa for a moment, he whispered. "Would these be Etrina's ancestors, by any chance?" After all, the details of Magi Society were still rather new to him; standing in the midst of Avalon he hardly knew where to begin.

"These Eld Dragons..." Zaofan paused awkwardly as he fumbled the words. The majority of the dragons he knew were rather close to his heart, the President of the World being a glaring exception. "It sounds like they were quite an ordeal."

Still, this was a story worth hearing, and with all they'd seen just in the last week, it brought him a strange sort of comfort that no matter the odds, the people of this world he was proud to call home - even as a vagabond citizen of the world - found a way to endure such grave hardships.

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."

As he examined the site, he looked at the visage of the knights, surveying one to the next, until he beheld the one that appeared uncannily familiar. His broad blade, even in this stone relief, carried a shape that was almost an exact likeness. Closing in, he cast a cursory glance at the warrior's ring finger.

How far back they stretch, the origins of the world, he mused silently to himself. How might the weathered eons be perceived if there are none that remain to behold them?

From a distance, he heard Morgan continue to dispense with the history, until another, strikingly familiar term pricked up his ears.

The Old Ones.

She said it herself. This was a tempestuous place, and a mountain was no place for Refugees. Something else was wrought here. The source of ki was a product of focused training, a path of perseverence that not all were suited to. Even now, the method remained a gradual path of cultivating the self. But the discipline of magic was something else. Its powers had to be drawn from elsewhere.

Crossing his way towards where Morgan indicated the five symbols, Ochazuke examined them further still; particularly, the fifth seal.

[grampagen]

Sasheem hopped to his feet, appearing agitated. "Oh yeah? Ya wanna know why Sasheem put an end to the Snake School, genius?!" he asked, raising a fist up in the air at Zaofan.

He sat back down.

"'Cause Sasheem sure doesn't..." he grumbled. "Maybe it was fun at the time, he doesn't know..." the Majin continued. "It isn't like you two and the rest of the phlegm-fighters. Sasheem actually liked them."

"Guess it's just what happens when the purposed try and take tame the purposeless...But what happens when the purposeless gains a wild ambition? You'll all find out soon enough...Hopefully only once it's too late."

When Sasheem raised his fist, Zaofan hardly moved an inch as his eyes flared up in an instant, fine points of sharp ruby-quarts casting the rest of his face in a shadowy contour. He'd known sooner or later this charade would slip up.

But then the Majin...backed down? The red-hot glow of his pupils gradually receded, and he risked a long blink.

"Congratulations, Sasheem," he muttered, "it only took you three-hundred years."

But even so, he begrudgingly acknowledged that their path had hardly been one well-travelled, and that included him as well. Master Balon lost everything. Ochazuke would mend the divide. The metal staff in his hands and a load of his techniques, he'd taken in his days as a thief.

Needless to say, he hardly believed a word Sasheem said. He was a heartless killer, a glutton, a braggart, grandstanding as he somehow dodged what was coming for him.

Hardly a word, but maybe, just maybe, some infinitesimally, shred of a quantum mote of him might have sincerely wanted to turn things around. He'd like to believe that, but the day he discovered he'd eaten P-Sta to return in this shape, everything about this fishy, blue snake had been steeped in betrayal.

And yet, if we do not acknowledge our limitations, then how can we grow?

Balon breathes in.

“There is an island. Small, uninhabited. I know it only because my sensei took me there once for a camping trip. Said it was special.”

He traces his fingers over it.

“It’s there. I know it in my soul.”

"'Bout time..." Sasheem stood up again. "We all ready to hit the skies, finally?"

After marking the place on the map, Ochazuke returned the parchment to the Dragon Master. Crossing over to Zaofan, he whispered something in his ear and briefly rest a hand on his shoulder, before unceremoniously turning toward the cliffside overlooking the valley.

"See Balon-Sensei to this place," Ochazuke said, "That includes you as well, Sasheem."

Peering across the shadowed valley, he cast his view further westward.

"I will join you shortly. There is something I must first verify."

So spoken, he flew off towards the horizon.

[MrSandman]

It was with a silent awe that Zaofan beheld the origins of the Lords and Ladies of Ampadour, and when Morgan rediscovered a piece of that uncanny, multi-hued magic within herself, he couldn't help but share in her uplifted spirits.

"Well! How appropriate a name Snowwall is!" he remarked. His gaze drift towards the Ten Knights and their Queen. "And such a handsome relief as well!"

Turning toward Erosa for a moment, he whispered. "Would these be Etrina's ancestors, by any chance?" After all, the details of Magi Society were still rather new to him; standing in the midst of Avalon he hardly knew where to begin.

"Eh..." Erosa inspected the monuments for a moment, then turned back to Zaofan. "If Etrina related to wall...this news to Erosa. Not know people on wall either, but anything possibl~ero"

Erosa looked over at Morgan, in the middle of another explanation, then back to Zaofan.....and the Id neutral mouth grew into a slasher smile. "Ehehehe......Cookman not getting naughty thoughts about new familiar lady right?"

"These Eld Dragons..." Zaofan paused awkwardly as he fumbled the words. The majority of the dragons he knew were rather close to his heart, the President of the World being a glaring exception. "It sounds like they were quite an ordeal."

Still, this was a story worth hearing, and with all they'd seen just in the last week, it brought him a strange sort of comfort that no matter the odds, the people of this world he was proud to call home - even as a vagabond citizen of the world - found a way to endure such grave hardships.

"The Eld.....I, never got to see one beyond the murals, but the stories about them are as horrible as they come. Lizards, both small and giant, razer sharp teeth, hides like iron. They hunted humans relentlessly.....there wasn't even a reason for it, they just singled us out in particular for some reason." Morgan looked up the mural of the knights. "Avalon exists because we had nowhere else to go....Humans came to the north because it was the only place we thought they wouldn't chase us too, and we lived in the worst conditions imaginably for years before our Queen came."

Morgan turned and pointed to the next mural down the line.

This one depicted many of the knights from the prior mural, locked in combat with what appeared to be a massive beast swarming on all sides by smaller lizards.

".........Our Queen prepared us for the eventuality that the Eld would finally come looking for us......and when they did come.....well...." Morgan motioned to the mural. "They came in a horde that shook the earth...Vortigern's Horde."

The word seemed to react with the mural, giving off an overwhelmingly oppressive feeling form the massive dragon that stood as its centerpiece. "Vortigern was known as the Lord of the North. An Eld of sure brutal savagery that his brethren cowered in his wake. When he crashed against the gates of Amdapor.....it was the first trail Avalon had to endure since its birth. But we were armed with weapons and magic now.....and the Lords were able to subdue Vortigern and banish his kin to the remote borders of Avalon."

As he examined the site, he looked at the visage of the knights, surveying one to the next, until he beheld the one that appeared uncannily familiar. His broad blade, even in this stone relief, carried a shape that was almost an exact likeness. Closing in, he cast a cursory glance at the warrior's ring finger.

How far back they stretch, the origins of the world, he mused silently to himself. How might the weathered eons be perceived if there are none that remain to behold them?

From a distance, he heard Morgan continue to dispense with the history, until another, strikingly familiar term pricked up his ears.

The Old Ones.

She said it herself. This was a tempestuous place, and a mountain was no place for Refugees. Something else was wrought here. The source of ki was a product of focused training, a path of perseverence that not all were suited to. Even now, the method remained a gradual path of cultivating the self. But the discipline of magic was something else. Its powers had to be drawn from elsewhere.

Crossing his way towards where Morgan indicated the five symbols, Ochazuke examined them further still; particularly, the fifth seal.

Upon closer examination, Ochazuke can make out the sigil beneath the scratches as well as the others.

No proper meaning can be obtained by each sigil, but perhaps he could glean some information from Cthylla at a later time with them.

It was at this point, the hairs on the back of Ochazukes neck stood up.

Behind him, some distance out into the snowy darkness, a figure turns and vanishes with a stilted, inhuman lurch.

[bruceleegreyhulk]

Earl makes a beeline for his brother's hideout. ( I need to avoid Pyrrhos. Even with him battle damage from fighting the Black Sheep's right-hand man Marasito. He's still too strong for me to take down by myself,) Earl thought.

(Luckily, the rest of the Galaxy Police that arrived here is keeping him busy. So I can sneak past Pyrrhos undetected!) Earl thought.

Once inside his brother's base, Earl fights his way through Soanta's crew. However, when he spots a bunch of pirates who look like they're 14 to 17 years old. Earl puts up his gun. ( **** I'm not going to use lethal force on a bunch of kids,")

"Okay kids just turn yourselves in, I don't want to hurt any of you," Earl said.

The teenage pirates attack Earl. Earl uses his Galaxy police training to dodge the pirates' attacks and knocks them out. He then cuffs them," Don't worry, you kids will be sent back to your parents soon," Earl said.

Earl gets to a metal room and blasts it up with his gun. Inside the room is a horde of treasure and artifacts. ( **** there has to be over 500,000,000,000,000 galactic credits worth of stolen goods and artifacts in here,) Earl thought.

A metal boulder rolls towards Earl and starts chasing him around the room. (What the hell? Since when could a boulder change direction?) Earl thought.

" No one will touch the Captain's treasure as long as I'm here," The boulder said.

(Treasure? Those are stolen goods and artifacts. wait, did that boulder just talk?) Earl thought.

Earl makes a beeline for his brother's hideout. ( I need to avoid Pyrrhos. Even with him battle damage from fighting the Black Sheep's right-hand man Marasito. He's still too strong for me to take down by myself,) Earl thought.

(Luckily, the rest of the Galaxy Police that arrived here is keeping him busy. So I can sneak past Pyrrhos undetected!) Earl thought.

Once inside his brother's base, Earl fights his way through Soanta's crew. However, when he spots a bunch of pirates who look like they're 14 to 17 years old. Earl puts up his gun. ( **** I'm not going to use lethal force on a bunch of kids,")

"Okay kids just turn yourselves in, I don't want to hurt any of you," Earl said.

The teenage pirates attack Earl. Earl uses his Galaxy police training to dodge the pirates' attacks and knocks them out. He then cuffs them," Don't worry, you kids will be sent back to your parents soon," Earl said.

Earl gets to a metal room and blasts it up with his gun. Inside the room is a horde of treasure and artifacts. ( **** there has to be over 500,000,000,000,000 galactic credits worth of stolen goods and artifacts in here,) Earl thought.

A metal boulder rolls towards Earl and starts chasing him around the room. (What the hell? Since when could a boulder change direction?) Earl thought.

" No one will touch the Captain's treasure as long as I'm here," The boulder said.

(Treasure? Those are stolen goods and artifacts. wait, did that boulder just talk?) Earl thought.

The boulder then stops and unrolls itself. To reveal that it's actually a teenage Armadillo. ( Dammit, it's another kid and an Armadpoly at that. Armadpolys have the ability to absorb properties from matter even organic,) Earl thought.

( I can't let the kid touch me. He can copy my specter ability and energy by absorbing my organic properties. ) Earl thought.

Clipeum PL: 19,000

Clipeum rolls at Earl at hypersonic speeds. Earl doesn't move out of the way and takes the hit. Clipeum slams into Earl again and again before seemly grabbing him with his left hand.

Clipeum then unrolls himself and gloats." It's over for you officer. I now have your ability and energy. I can summon my own specter.



Earl tilts his hat." Kids these days gloating before they even won!" Earl said.

" What are you babbling about, I won it's over," Clipeum said.

" You haven't won ****, in fact, you haven't even touched me. " Earl said.

" of course I touch you. I grab you with my left hand."

Earl Smirks. " Think again, kid. What you touch wasn't me. It was this," Earl said as he reveals what seems like a piece of some kind of material in his right hand.

Clipeum looks at the material in Earl's hands in shock," wait, how did you get that material when I was watching you the whole time? " Clipeum said.

" Sleight of hand, kid. I let you hit me as part of a distraction. You were to busy slamming into me to notice that I grab one of the artifacts on the ground. An artifact that happen to be made from one of the most fragile materials out there," Earl said.

Earl then punches Clipeum and knocks him out. After that, he takes out a few capsules and parts the stolen goods and artifacts in them. Earl then fights his way through more pirates until he gets to a war room.

Earl spots his brother Sonata." Sonata, this ends now your coming with me," Earl said.

Sonata just stares at his brother. "Like I would ever fucking lose to you," Sonata said coughing.

Earl studies his brother and notices that he is very ill. ( Hmm Sonata's is sick he must have come down with something. This is my lucky break, the odds are in my favor,) Earl thought.

( If my brother was at full health. I wouldn't stand a chance against him. However, now that he's ill I have a chance of taking him in) Earl thought.

Sonata gets in a fighting stance." Don't you dare think you have a fighting chance just because I'm sick?

Meanwhile, on the Lookout, Mr. Gazaki is smacking Praxat in the face who's out cold. Praxat finally wakes up. " Huh, why I'm back on the Lookout?" Praxat said.

" Wasn't I in space with Blizzar, Held, and Althena?" Praxat said.

" Mr. Gazkai is afraid not. You have been in a drugged induce coma. Mr. Gazkai had to smack you many times to wake you," Mr. Gazkai said.

" How long was I out?" Praxat said.

" You have been out for a little more than 4 hours," Mr. Gazaki said.

Praxat gets up and holds her head. She then checks her pockets. " wait, where the hell is my money?" Praxat said.

" The one known as Nadila drugged you and stole your money." Mr. Gazaki said.

( That bitch I'm going to kill her!) Praxat thought.

Sick Sonata PL. 20,000

[MrSandman]

Meanwhile, on the Lookout, Mr. Gazaki is smacking Praxat in the face who's out cold. Praxat finally wakes up. " Huh, why I'm back on the Lookout?" Praxat said.

" Wasn't I in space with Blizzar, Held, and Althena?" Praxat said.

" Mr. Gazkai is afraid not. You have been in a drugged induce coma. Mr. Gazkai had to smack you many times to wake you," Mr. Gazkai said.

" How long was I out?" Praxat said.

" You have been out for a little more than 4 hours," Mr. Gazaki said.

Praxat gets up and holds her head. She then checks her pockets. " wait, where the hell is my money?" Praxat said.

" The one known as Nadila drugged you and stole your money." Mr. Gazaki said.

( That bitch I'm going to kill her!) Praxat thought.

Erosa crawls by, then immediately backpedals upon seeing the toadian and the little robot talking.

"Hmm......Ero........something bekons........higher calling Gao" Erosa exclaims.

*moments later*



"This teach frog for making stupid food names and almost poison Erosa!" Erosa shouted as she delivered a multi form beating to both Praxet and the robot.

[Sub-Zero MKA]

Who knew that a crash-landing from orbit could attract such a crowd. He chose this world because their inhabitants were so powerful, some of which more powerful than him. Within moments, there was a crowd of hundreds gathered around the wreckage.

Perfect.

The first to enter the ship found a body on the floor, face up. It wasn't moving. The creature muttered something to itself and bent down to more closely inspect the body.

Now. "Change NOW!" A white beam shot from Letchee's mouth and into the creature's. An instant later, their souls switched bodies.

He stood and flexed his hand. Not the strongest body. That appears to be further to the... east. It wouldn't take him long to make his way through the crowd. Being one of them at the moment, he had precious moments that would allow him to sow chaos and reap mistrust. A body change here, a body swap there, and all it took was one sucker punch to toss the entire collection into pitched madness.

Letchee chuckled quietly as he escaped the insanity just as more people were arriving. As he approached, a swirling white cloud engulfed his hand briefly. It dissipated, revealing a mysterious artifact.



The Gem of the Violet Moon, a priceless artifact found only on his homeworld. When he left, nearly disgraced, he stole it from the King's vault and vanished into the moonlight. He entire race was capable of changing bodies with others at will, but the Gem was the only thing that allowed him to change other people's bodies. It swapped souls, so it was unable to be switched by magic or ki manipulation. The only means to reverse the body swap was the destroy the gem, which was quite impossible. It was nearly as hard as katchin.

The Gem glowed brightly, shooting out white beams, one for each person. At random, their souls were placed in another body. The chaos and confusion created was simply divine. The screams and utters of bemusement... ha! He loved his job.

Hnhnhn. Well, well. That must be the person I'm looking for.



She -- he assumed it was female -- was a strange looking being. He wasn't sure as to the race of this planet, but he had never seen anything like them before. He chose them because of their strength, but also because they had some... very intriguing powers. Certainly uncommon in the universe as far as he was concerned. He had about... oh, eight months before he was supposed to meet Lord Tundra for their attack on Vocado. Eight months to acquaint himself with his new powers.

She appeared to be meditating. Perfect. The Gem of the Violet Moon glowed again, swapping their bodies.

!!!!!!!!!!!

This power... it was incredible! It wasn't just martial strength, but there was something almost... otherworldly about it. He had no idea how to access the powers just yet, but he had become adept at learning the ki channeling methods of other races. Every race was different, even if those difference were minuscule at best. "Hehehe," he chuckled, his voice reverberating throughout the valley. "I have so enjoyed the festivities, but I fear I must bid you all a fond farewell. Thanks for the body, sucker! AHahahah!!" I can't wait to learn this body's immense secrets. They're really something, I just know it!

Eight months until Tundra

[KingofPie]

When Sasheem raised his fist, Zaofan hardly moved an inch as his eyes flared up in an instant, fine points of sharp ruby-quarts casting the rest of his face in a shadowy contour. He'd known sooner or later this charade would slip up.

But then the Majin...backed down? The red-hot glow of his pupils gradually receded, and he risked a long blink.

"Congratulations, Sasheem," he muttered, "it only took you three-hundred years."

But even so, he begrudgingly acknowledged that their path had hardly been one well-travelled, and that included him as well. Master Balon lost everything. Ochazuke would mend the divide. The metal staff in his hands and a load of his techniques, he'd taken in his days as a thief.

Needless to say, he hardly believed a word Sasheem said. He was a heartless killer, a glutton, a braggart, grandstanding as he somehow dodged what was coming for him.

Hardly a word, but maybe, just maybe, some infinitesimally, shred of a quantum mote of him might have sincerely wanted to turn things around. He'd like to believe that, but the day he discovered he'd eaten P-Sta to return in this shape, everything about this fishy, blue snake had been steeped in betrayal.

And yet, if we do not acknowledge our limitations, then how can we grow?

Sasheem's hands balled into fists, but he said nothing in retort. Highly uncharacteristic, perhaps. Even more so was the fact that he agreed...it DID take him three hundred years. Was that his fault, really? He both blamed and sis not blame himself. In his original state thoughts and emotions were fast and fleeting.

Every now and then he got a stir of remembrance but nothing major until he absorbed P-Sta. He was thankful only to aquire intelligence and power. He knew what guilt was but it remained a foreign concept in some ways. Three hundred years worth was a lot easier to endure when you didn't feel the sting of it all the time, but when it hit, it was heavier than the highest level of gravity. Boy, was he glad that it was relegated to one incident and one alone.

Unless he'd accidentally destroyed sime quality food at some point. That'd sting...dammit, he probably has.

After marking the place on the map, Ochazuke returned the parchment to the Dragon Master. Crossing over to Zaofan, he whispered something in his ear and briefly rest a hand on his shoulder, before unceremoniously turning toward the cliffside overlooking the valley.

"See Balon-Sensei to this place," Ochazuke said, "That includes you as well, Sasheem."

Peering across the shadowed valley, he cast his view further westward.

"I will join you shortly. There is something I must first verify."

So spoken, he flew off towards the horizon.

"Why the hell is he actin' like he's in charge?" Sasheem sneered. "Not like Sasheem wasn't heading that way anyway..." he turned to Balon. "Balon-Sensei...ready to kick some teeth in?"

[Cleric of Hell’s Brigade]

Balon nods and wishes Ochazuke well, then nods to Leon before taking to the air heading towards the island.

[Cleric of Hell’s Brigade]

"Right, and thanks." Dash then followed him inside, looking forward to both the meal and the chance to look through the books and scrolls. As they entered, she thought of something, "Ah did get a chance to speak with one of my clan's ancestors, but only briefly. It's a long story, but I was told by him that they were mated, husband and wife. Guess that's why the Horse Clan is like it is, where nearly everyone is related to some degree."

Barlon nods.

“Bear clan usually kept it in house too. Members would marry other members and that way the Bear clan techniques stayed in house.”

[Tami]

Barlon nods.

“Bear clan usually kept it in house too. Members would marry other members and that way the Bear clan techniques stayed in house.”

After a moment of quiet, "Ah'd been gone from home for a long time. When ah finally returned, ah got the feeling that, as grateful as ah am for the knowledge an training they gave me, it hadn't been enough. Or maybe it was somethin else. When ah came back, ah felt like ah had left them behind. Maybe ah had, but what does that say about my Clan? We were pushed real hard as kids, trainin constantly, as if ....." Dash trailed off, "as if they had lost somethin and were tryin to find it. When you grow up in a insulated environemt, you lose out on so much more, maybe even lose some of yourself. The Village Elders know about the Spirits, but they didn't understand them. They didn't know anythin more than a few legends."

"Ah think one of my ancestors knew about flyin, but that knowledge got lost when the Horse Clan split in two. That's why we have two villages instead of one. My side of the Clan has been reaching fro the sky, but never quite got there til ah learned it an showed them it was possible. The other side of the Clan preferred to remain on the ground. My side was more air and water, the other side, the other village, was more earth and fire. Kinda dumb to fight over somethin like that. Ah think that feud has been long forgotten, and now it doesn't matter so much anymore. Still, so much time and progress was lost over it."

Dash smirked, "My side of the clan was called the Pony Clan, originally as a slur or insult to imply we were lesser in some way. Over the years we took it as a badge of honor. There was nothin we couldn't do, an if that meant occasionally trying something new all the better."

She then went quiet again before speaking, "Ah'm sorry if ah'm rambling. It's been a while since ah had anyone to talk to who understood what to meant to be part of soemthin like this."

[bruceleegreyhulk]

Earl and his brother get into an epic battle." Sonata, this ends now!" Earl said.

Sonata dodges Earl's attack and punches him in the face." over my dead body, brother." Sonata said.

Sonata strikes at Earl but Earl counters. Knocking Sonata through a wall. " Just turn yourself in, Sonata. " Earl said.

Sonata takes out his blasters and starts firing at Earl." Never!" Sonata said.

Earl takes out his blasters and starts firing back. The brothers dodge each other's shots. " I'm impressed, brother. you been practicing," Sonata said.

With one last shot, they both managed to hit each other in their feet. Causing them to drop their blasters. Enduring the pain. The brothers go at it duke it out.

The fight lasts for nearly an hour. Both the brothers are sweating, and their knuckles are cover in blood. Sonata wipes the blood off his face.

Sonata then takes out his plasma knife," your skills aren't half bad brother, but you will never beat me!" Sonata said.

Sonata slashes at Earl with his plasma knife, and Earl dodges. " Well, there's always a first time for everything Sonata," Earl said.

Sonata manages to cuts Earl with his knife just as Earl grabs his arm. Earl ignores the pain and slams Sonata into the ground. He then kicks the Plasma knife out of his brother's hands and it.

Sonata knocks Earl over him and rushes for his knife. However, before he can grab it, Earl kicks it away. Brawl continues throughout the various rooms in the base.

Eventually, both brothers are nearly exhausted. Still, they duke it out. With one last blow, Earl manages to take down his brother, Sonata.

Sonata looks up at his brother Earl," heh, I can't fucking believe I was beaten by you, of all people," Sonata said.

Earl handcuffs Sonata." Tell me, brother were you on the Black Diamond when the Children of Vumpu were abducted? Was it you who abducted Qaztoh?" Earl said.

" The truth is I haven't been on the Black Diamond for a month now. Last month I came down with a terrible illness. So I had my double Bongo take my place. While I recuperate here in my base," Sonata said.

" I see, well that still, doesn't change anything. You're still responsible for kidnapping children. " Earl said.

" I never really want to kidnaped children but that Bambiluridae Von said it was a good idea. He was the real mastermind behind the kidnappings, not me," Sonata said.

Earl Goes into the control panel and releases the Children that Sonata has held captive form their cells." Children this is Lieutenant Stratovarius speaking. You are free now, so please make your way to the nearest GP cruiser," Earl said.

A day later, Praxat who is aching from Erosa's beat down. She takes out her phone and checks the news. On the news, she hears about how The GP raid Soanta's hideout yesterday and how five hundred children were rescued from his hideout.

The officer credit for taking down Sonata and rescuing the children is Lieutenant Stratovarius. A video feed shows Earl taking his brother Sonata into custody.

[bruceleegreyhulk]

A few weeks after Qaztoh's arrest and the capture of Sonata, Earl is in his office Looking at a profile on one particular member of Soanta's crew Von. ( Dr. Raconimulouzukilzouiialzijouijini Von Blazkisgstein, aka Von. I researched this guy, for the past few weeks,) Earl thought.

( According to his profile, He claimed to have encountered the Black Sheep and was the sole survivor of a horrible massacre that happen at an asylum. He claimed that the Black Sheep was one of his patients. That he was a well renowned and respected surgeon,) Earl thought.

(I did a little digging into his past and found out that his encounter with the Black Sheep was a total fabrication. The bastard never met the Black Sheep, and the Black Sheep was never one of his patients. Using detective work I was able to piece to together, what really happened at that Asylum, Von worked at Eleven years ago. ) Earl said.

( What happen was simply a psychological experiment gone wrong. Von was doing inhumane experiments on his patients. Which resulted in several of his patients killing each other.) Earl thought.

( Afraid that his colleagues would talk, Von decided to silence them. Von murder each and every one of his coworkers. Then he burned his hands and made up a bogus story about the Black Sheep being one of his patients. For good measure, he attempted to cover his tracks, but he didn't cover them good enough,) Earl thought.

(A visit to The Intergalactic Psychological Society, and talk to the head of staff there. I learn Von was kicked out for inhumane experiments, and his license as a psychologist was revoked, Earl thought.

(I also visit a couple of hospitals Von, claimed to have worked at. It turns out none of them have even heard of the bastard. Which means he was never really a surgeon, to begin with despite claiming to be one,) Earl thought.

( Yeah this Von, was a real piece of work, and how he died was karmic. The footage from the Black Diamond's security system shows that he was lobotomized!) Earl thought.

( I called that poetic justice. I fitting end to a bastard who went around fucking with people's minds. In the end, he got his own mind **** with,) Earl thought.

( The mental torment this bastard caused to many children was unforgivable. I'm glad he's dead. The bastard was a complete monster,) Earl thought.

( The evidence I gather on Von and my brother's testimony. should make a solid defense for Qaztoh, and that girl Nadila,) Earl thought.

[KingofPie]

Four Months after Lantro's arrest

Lantro sighed as he sat meditatively on the cold metal bench in his cell. Arguably more comfortable than the bed, he opted to sleep here for the night. Concentrating. Thinking. Contemplating.This was the second time he had found himself incarcerated by his former organization...but this was the first time he had felt so...powerless.

The Tuffles...what would become of them? They were likely dead. And it wasn't entirely the Saiyans fault. Their creation, Teen had become unstable. Full of nothing but hatred he lashed out....almost reminded him of himself years ago in a sense. For nearly the entire fight, the Saiyan Queen insisted that they had changed...that they attempted to make ammends. She sounded...sincere. But how could he believe her.

What would make them all change their tune overnight. It didn't make sense. Mayne it had something to do with how his mother understood things. She never hated the Saiyans.

Lantro....you will make something of yourself. Something great. This, I know. You have a strong sense of spirit and a strong heritage...You'll make me proud one day."

Lantro coughed, remembering his mother's words. How could he make her proud like this...he tried to power up several times alreadt, but he couldn't feel anything...this stupid virus. Highly potent, whatever it was...but was it unbeatable. Time to put that to the test...

Lantro pulled out abother memory of his mother...remembered something she had once told him. He couldn't become stronger...but this was a different aspect of his training. He breathed slowly....and relaxed, his mind focused, honing in on every aspect of his surroundings. He could feel the cold air in the cell bristle past every hair follicle on his skin.

He could feel the oxygen enter his lungs, the blood flowing through his heart, every beat of it. And with this sense of control he slowed things down....until ever best became slower...and the rythm began to stall. With his already weakens state, this was much easier than it normally would be.

Eventually he could feel his last vestiges of ki dissipate and with one last swath of energy the half saiyan cried, "HELP!" before collapsing on the floor, his body displaying no signs of life.

[Sub-Zero MKA]

For most, a declaration of war with a given time-table would compel them to spend much of the interval training and preparing themselves and their troops for battle. Strategies needed to be finalized, tactics ironed out, and wills bolstered. For many, any second wasted was the very second that could have guaranteed not only defeat, but also death.

Tundra was not most people.

He was among the most powerful -- if not the outright most powerful -- Icer alive in the universe. His empire spanned entire galaxies, multiple galaxies. He had several men inside the Galaxy Police -- Lieutenant Blizzar chief among them -- to keep his illicit activities off of the Patrol's radar. He was, for all intents and purposes, untouchable. Being as powerful as he was, life got boring often.

That was why he allowed the Saiyans to live, as opposed to simply wiping them out himself with ease. He had been told the story of Vocado the Super Saiyan as a child. His ancient grandfather, Glacier, was defeated by him and the enslaved Saiyans freed. Vocado survived, but Glacier unjustly fell when the planet was destroyed. For two thousand years, those despicable apes lived in peace, and even attempted to horn in on his business ventures. He secretly reaped the benefits of their conquests, buying up the planets they put on the market through the Junjo and adding them to his catalog. All the while meticulously planning his revenge.

He could have enslaved them again, but he was told one thing by his father: a wise man learned from his own mistakes; a wise man learned from the mistakes of others. Thus, he chose not to follow in his ancestor's footsteps. Instead, he would kill them all outright, to make sure they could no longer remain as a thorn in his side.

The added benefit was that he would succeed where his grandfather failed, and kill a Super Saiyan.

That she was the Saiyan Queen was the icing on this cake.

Only a few months were left before their fated confrontation. Until then, it was business as usual. Another planet had been cleared out and put on the market. The few survivors were placed on the slave market. 65% of the profits received from their sale was to go back to him. It was a good deal, and listening to their desperate mewls was music to his ears.

Some called him a monster. Others the devil.

They were both right, but he preferred the latter. Being likened to the absolute epitome of evil itself was quite the compliment, if he said so himself. He had heard it so much -- 412 times, in fact -- that one would think he would have gotten sick of hearing it.

Nope. It was gold, every time.