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

[Sub-Zero MKA]

Zurvan opens the RoSaT one more time.

“The last one. Sheriff Zaofan will be returned as well. As to the Ishtar from that timeline......I do not know if she is still there. My fear is that the Doctor has recruited her and brought her here.”

This was it. The last timeline mission before they prepared to face The Doctor. Sarada was as ready as she was going to be, but it wasn't herself she was worried about. Ishtar was going to be facing a person who was essentially her worst nightmare come to life. The Saiyan Queen would be there for her mate, but in the end, this was Ishtar's battle to fight.

"Ishtar's alt has hakai," she stated. "There's a big chance some of us may not make it back."

"More reason to.......get this over with then." The response was energetic enough, and one would be mistaken in assuming by her arrival and manner that Etrina was in top form and spirits. Yet her face betrayed a slight pale discoloration, and a darkest haze in her eyes. Had anyone paid attention to her arrival, they may have even caught her in the process of wiping small drop of black liquid at the corner of her mouth.

"It won't be long before he decides to throw everything he has at us, we quite literally cannot waste any....any more...time." The Mage looked like she was about to gag for a moment, but suppressed it. "Bloody hell....does someone have some water.....my mouth tastes like a swamp.."

A water bottle sailed through the air just inside Etrina's peripheral vision. It threatened to hit her in the head if she didn't catch it.

[grampagen]

Neutralizing the energy yielded a much more volatile result. It seemed where the mimetic polyalloy atop the Capsule House was the medium which delivered the charge to the structure. The remains of Adam. Its body must have siphoned ambient energies, until the solar reaction seized the Time Nexus. Their artificial comrade held it for fifteen years or more. Mortar for the shelter. Sustenance for the doctor. But even the perfect machine cannot escape wear, and as he'd seen, it had only delayed the inevitable as it was bled dry.

Reinforcing the cyborg's energy matrix with another pulse of his ki, Ochazuke stabilized the generator, buying it a little more time. But to preserve it further, he had to render it inert.

A familiar snap and a heavy boom sounded out as the Capsule House faded from sight, and he locked it and all the Doctor's dwelling away for safekeeping.*

*AT6 Capsule House [Tech Rot] obtained



Upon returning to the Lookout a step behind the others, Ochazuke intially sought out Jinzi. However it seemed that Parsley had done what she had set out to do, and after having set the Nexus Fragment right, had captured Jinzi's attention with breaking the code. In his fervour how machine-like...

When he got into this mood, he and the others well knew by this point there was nothing to pull him from his fixation. He could be this way for the rest of the day.

Instead he turned his attention to Wilhelm.

"One lifetime of roaming wastelands would be enough, you'd think," he said. Briefly he examined the old Terran's equipment for any traces of the Rot. "Though it does set things in perspective."

[Yun Lao]

None of the tech brought over has been infected from what you can all tell.

Zurvan opens the RoSaT one more time.

“The last one. Sheriff Zaofan will be returned as well. As to the Ishtar from that timeline......I do not know if she is still there. My fear is that the Doctor has recruited her and brought her here.”

Charco found himself on a crossroad, one that could decide his ultimate fate.

On one path, he remained here and attempted to learn mental defenses from Cyanna's source and on the other path, the group would be facing possibly their greatest challenge in the alternate universe Ishtar.

"What to do..."

[Tami]

Charco found himself on a crossroad, one that could decide his ultimate fate.

On one path, he remained here and attempted to learn mental defenses from Cyanna's source and on the other path, the group would be facing possibly their greatest challenge in the alternate universe Ishtar.

"What to do..."

Cyanna touched his arm, "Let's do this. We can always visit Lady Eva's friend afterwards." His indecision made her feel certain that he really wanted to go on this last mission.

[Cleric of Hell’s Brigade]

None of the tech is infected.

“How...so?”

[KingofPie]

Praxat stands there and waits for Blizzar to finish filing his report as she carefully examines the blueprints and issues a command to Mr. Gazaki .

Blizzar returns moments later, cup of tea in hand and glances down at the amphibian. "Well, did you get your bluepr-..." the Arcosian trailed off as he saw a drawing of what could only be described as unintelligible scribbles. His eyes darted towards the screen, where Durive appeared to be cackling, rubbing his arms together despite them appearing to have been lit aflame.

"Nevermind," He sighed after a moment, turning his attention to the Chief once more. "Sir, if you don't mind, we have one last timelone to visit and then we can finally track down the perpetrator behind this gnarly debacle. If you would please forward the information you were going to relay to me?"

Deputy Chiefs Stragge and Flasshu slid back into fram, each ready to relay whatever supposedly vital information Durive wanted to impart..

Stragge went first looking...sullen as opposed to her usual smugness. "The Chief wanted you to be informed that...that..." Blizzar's interest was peaked. If this was upsetting to her that could only mean...it was of benefit to him. Stragge continued, "If you are successful in this operation, you are in line for a promotion," she finally managed to mumble, exasperation clear in her voice.

Blizzar's eyes widened, briefly. It was all he could do to leap in the air, in triumph. Finally. He'd been eyeing a way to get raise of some sort either way and a promotion was just as good. So long as it didn't tear him from his duties. "Is that so?" He grinned with a salute, directed mostly at Stragge. "I will give it my utmost...as per usual."

Flasshu spoke next, his voice sounding equally dire...but for an entirely different reason. "Also, be warned...there have been sightings of Lantro in your district of space."

"Truly?" Blizzar asked taken aback somewhat. "After all these years. What could be the cause of his sudden resurfacing?"

"We don't know. But please have your officer remain vigilant until we can....." Flasshu continued. His voice beginning to drift off into inaudibility.

Blizzar understood the general gist, however. "Of course. Earth HQ should be back up and running so I'll have our most elite officers be on the lookout. Would that be all, Chief?" Blizzar asked Durive directly, who appeared to have just realized his arms were currently smoldering.

Panicking the Chief violently flung himself around, slamming into immensely expensive equipment, causing the feed to suddenly cut off before any formal dismissal could be heard.

"I...suppose that's it then," Blizzar shrugged, sipping his tea in relief.

[Yun Lao]

Cyanna touched his arm, "Let's do this. We can always visit Lady Eva's friend afterwards." His indecision made her feel certain that he really wanted to go on this last mission.

Charco nodded, "Yeah, we need all hands on deck for this one."

Although he felt better with Cyanna's encouragement, he couldn't help but wonder what result this path would bring.

[Cthulhu_of_R'lyeh]

"Time ... to wake up."

Ishtar's eyes snapped open, and with a start she forced herself upright, and the first thing she did was look down and confirm that the injuries she'd sustained had remained in the facsimile of the past. Once she'd managed that -- a shaky sigh of relief escaping, once she was sure -- her thoughts returned to the events themselves and just how swiftly everything had come crashing down ... and she found herself standing, staring, at her hands.

Was what she ... was that truly, what happened ?

Setting aside the conversation she'd had with herself ... there was no reason to refute it, was there ?

The Pendulum Room was unbiased ... objective, so far as the Oni knew. All it did, all it could do, was show its passengers how things transpired in a given where, and when. It stood to gain nothing -- nor could it, given it was little more than a tool: unthinking, unalive -- from engaging in deception nor where there any who could have engaged in tampering.

So without reasonable doubt: as brief as her trip had been, what fragments she had seen had been what she was meant to see.

How she had given in to suffering, and her grief ... and tapped into a portion of herself that had been sealed away by others in silence. Had used it to carve her way through a group of individuals -- the innocent, and 'guilty' alike with no care or concern which was which -- and at the end of it all when the screaming had become little more than a haunting whisper to accompany an acrid smoke billowing up from the slowly disintegrating skeletal remains of the Jeweled City; she had stripped the Moon of its energy ... life-force and returned it ... shattered Ilargi as it as if it was little more than a pane of glass.

A thing she had acknowledged since its happening, the destruction itself, though now ... now it was obvious now the ease with which she had seemingly done it, despite never once learning the means how. To say nothing of the way sh had seemingly worn it. How well the Hakai had fit ... and how it was identical to the guise her 'subconscious' took during that queer fever-dream conversation she engaged in two years prior; and the state she had found herself in -- briefly, thanks to Ochazuke -- upon ending her five-thousand years of self-suppression.

And like that, the final puzzle piece snapped into place ... and knowing what she did now -- what had been done to her, what she had, and what she was truly -- she realized that in her effort to escape the sins of her past; the damnation she felt was inevitable was as much her own fault as it was the manipulations of others.

How could one conquer after all, a thing they feared but did not understand ?

"... What a fool I am."

Tilting her head toward the Pendulum Room's ceiling then, the Oni closed her eyes and sighed. Allowing herself a moment to regain her bearings before she turned to make her way from the White-Gold Room. And though she felt worse, in a way, than when she'd entered the room; Ishtar at least understood now that her fear -- and to some extent the dread she felt, in the inevitable confrontation with her Ruinous self -- was in part the result of her own well-meant foolishness.

And in knowing that ... there was now at least a chance to rectify things before it was too late.

[Cthulhu_of_R'lyeh]

Zurvan opens the RoSaT one more time.

“The last one. Sheriff Zaofan will be returned as well. As to the Ishtar from that timeline......I do not know if she is still there. My fear is that the Doctor has recruited her and brought her here.”

Ishtar joined those assembled around the Room of Spirit, and Time; and listened silently as Zurvan and the others spoke among themselves, her mind already made up. So when the chatter died down and silence began its reign, the golden-eyed Oni cleared her throat.

"If there is ... nothing else." She said to everyone, softly. "Let us be on our way."

[KingofPie]

Ishtar joined those assembled around the Room of Spirit, and Time; and listened silently as Zurvan and the others spoke among themselves, her mind already made up. So when the chatter died down and silence began its reign, the golden-eyed Oni cleared her throat.

"If there is ... nothing else." She said to everyone, softly. "Let us be on our way."

"Got tired of sittin' on your ass while everyone else did the real work, huh?" Sasheem remarked, folding his arms and leaning against the wall beside the entrance as the oni approached. "Guess it's only fitting you wanna have a taste of what your future's gonna be like," the Majin shrugged, spitting on the lookout floor. "If you want my opinion, it'll be bitter as ****. But you already knew that..."

[bruceleegreyhulk]

None of the tech brought over has been infected from what you can all tell.

Zurvan opens the RoSaT one more time.

“The last one. Sheriff Zaofan will be returned as well. As to the Ishtar from that timeline......I do not know if she is still there. My fear is that the Doctor has recruited her and brought her here.”

——-

Eva shakes her head.

“I’m afraid there isn’t much more to teach you, Althena. At least not from myself.”

" So who can teach me how to improve my clairvoyance?" Althena said.

[bruceleegreyhulk]

Blizzar returns moments later, cup of tea in hand and glances down at the amphibian. "Well, did you get your bluepr-..." the Arcosian trailed off as he saw a drawing of what could only be described as unintelligible scribbles. His eyes darted towards the screen, where Durive appeared to be cackling, rubbing his arms together despite them appearing to have been lit aflame.

"Nevermind," He sighed after a moment, turning his attention to the Chief once more. "Sir, if you don't mind, we have one last timelone to visit and then we can finally track down the perpetrator behind this gnarly debacle. If you would please forward the information you were going to relay to me?"

Deputy Chiefs Stragge and Flasshu slid back into fram, each ready to relay whatever supposedly vital information Durive wanted to impart..

Stragge went first looking...sullen as opposed to her usual smugness. "The Chief wanted you to be informed that...that..." Blizzar's interest was peaked. If this was upsetting to her that could only mean...it was of benefit to him. Stragge continued, "If you are successful in this operation, you are in line for a promotion," she finally managed to mumble, exasperation clear in her voice.

Blizzar's eyes widened, briefly. It was all he could do to leap in the air, in triumph. Finally. He'd been eyeing a way to get raise of some sort either way and a promotion was just as good. So long as it didn't tear him from his duties. "Is that so?" He grinned with a salute, directed mostly at Stragge. "I will give it my utmost...as per usual."

Flasshu spoke next, his voice sounding equally dire...but for an entirely different reason. "Also, be warned...there have been sightings of Lantro in your district of space."

"Truly?" Blizzar asked taken aback somewhat. "After all these years. What could be the cause of his sudden resurfacing?"

"We don't know. But please have your officer remain vigilant until we can....." Flasshu continued. His voice beginning to drift off into inaudibility.

Blizzar understood the general gist, however. "Of course. Earth HQ should be back up and running so I'll have our most elite officers be on the lookout. Would that be all, Chief?" Blizzar asked Durive directly, who appeared to have just realized his arms were currently smoldering.

Panicking the Chief violently flung himself around, slamming into immensely expensive equipment, causing the feed to suddenly cut off before any formal dismissal could be heard.

"I...suppose that's it then," Blizzar shrugged, sipping his tea in relief.

" Yes, I got them, but I quite don't trust the blueprints Your boss gave me. If they turn out to be bogus I'm going to study the ship myself, and make my own blueprints," Praxat said.

" Processing results of analyzation. No infection detected on goggles or the Quantum Ambient Toxin Collector, however Mr. Gazaki detected inefficiency error in Quantum Ambient Toxin Collector involving it's electrical feedback. It's electrical feedback is unbalance," Mr Gazaki said.

" Oh, that's just great not only is the Quantum Ambient Toxin Collector a prototype, but Qaztoh obviously rushed it!" Praxat said.

[grampagen]

None of the tech is infected.

“How...so?”

Despite standing within the Capsule House as it slowly crumbled to dust around them, Wilhelm's various instruments remained as hardly as they ever had. Having felt the true nature of that passive decay as it fell upon the last figments of Adam's matrix, the lack of corruption in that matter they brought with them had - by its absence - further informed its true nature. The Doctor, he had caught the view of her blue-green eyes...

The world of ash was to be the start of her New Genesis; the Doctor's response, to seize and erase Time.

To arrest the start of a Genesis, he allied with Ruination. In his efforts to stem the Rot that seeped from his world, he resolved to excise part the universe. This scheme was revealed in his own words, and in his eyes a view he knew all too well.

How familiar it was, that pursuit of a master stroke. There was a sort of obsession in the inventor that had drawn Ochazuke to Jinzi, for in a way it was something they had held in kind. Reaching into that place one dared not look, delving into that undiscovered place to seek the truth. Set upon such a course, there lay a danger in conflating the vision with substance, for too often in merely searching one might have already found their resolve.

The desire in itself becomes an answer. To come that far, it can't have been for nothing. The artificial star that preserved the Guardian Evangeline augmented the specimen of Adam, and both became the Doctor's lifeblood. Too often he had heard the heartless machine say it, 'I am perfection.'

"With every journey into the Divergence, it's become clear how much we stand to lose."

Reflected before him were heavy, grey eyes which knew this burden most of all.

"Unable to die, fixated on lingering. In this way he crushed the memory of everyone with the same hands that would have protected them in another life," Ochazuke said. There was a brief quaver in his speech, his hand loosening upon the Capsule in his pocket. "And yet, without...Time...perhaps this cycle of suffering he's inflicted would never come to an end."

He let the words linger for a moment. Briefly, he wiped the crest of his palm across his eyes. Even the Dragon Tiamat's light seemed to pale in comparison to the sun over the Lookout at this very moment.

"Perhaps it is precisely because nothing will last that we long to recreate the moment."

[Tami]

" So who can teach me how to improve my clairvoyance?" Althena said.

Having had a hand in reconfiguring the RoSaT, Lady Reimi returned to see the end results of her work. Though it was intended to be a brief, and unobtrusive visit, she overheard Althena's question and decided to step forward.

"Althena, I understand that you are looking for someone skilled in clairvoyance to aid you in your quest for self improvement? I know of someone who would be willing to take you on, for a small price. He is one who I have consulted with often and found him to be skilled as well as accurate in his abilities."

[Cleric of Hell’s Brigade]

Despite standing within the Capsule House as it slowly crumbled to dust around them, Wilhelm's various instruments remained as hardly as they ever had. Having felt the true nature of that passive decay as it fell upon the last figments of Adam's matrix, the lack of corruption in that matter they brought with them had - by its absence - further informed its true nature. The Doctor, he had caught the view of her blue-green eyes...

The world of ash was to be the start of her New Genesis; the Doctor's response, to seize and erase Time.

To arrest the start of a Genesis, he allied with Ruination. In his efforts to stem the Rot that seeped from his world, he resolved to excise part the universe. This scheme was revealed in his own words, and in his eyes a view he knew all too well.

How familiar it was, that pursuit of a master stroke. There was a sort of obsession in the inventor that had drawn Ochazuke to Jinzi, for in a way it was something they had held in kind. Reaching into that place one dared not look, delving into that undiscovered place to seek the truth. Set upon such a course, there lay a danger in conflating the vision with substance, for too often in merely searching one might have already found their resolve.

The desire in itself becomes an answer. To come that far, it can't have been for nothing. The artificial star that preserved the Guardian Evangeline augmented the specimen of Adam, and both became the Doctor's lifeblood. Too often he had heard the heartless machine say it, 'I am perfection.'

"With every journey into the Divergence, it's become clear how much we stand to lose."

Reflected before him were heavy, grey eyes which knew this burden most of all.

"Unable to die, fixated on lingering. In this way he crushed the memory of everyone with the same hands that would have protected them in another life," Ochazuke said. There was a brief quaver in his speech, his hand loosening upon the Capsule in his pocket. "And yet, without...Time...perhaps this cycle of suffering he's inflicted would never come to an end."

He let the words linger for a moment. Briefly, he wiped the crest of his palm across his eyes. Even the Dragon Tiamat's light seemed to pale in comparison to the sun over the Lookout at this very moment.

"Perhaps it is precisely because nothing will last that we long to recreate the moment."

“Entirely possible. It seems.....The Doctor is his own...worse enemy.”

He pauses and looks at Ochazuke.

“What will...you do with him?”