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

[KingofPie]

"You're still doing that Satalite thing?" He contined, smirking somewhat, "That makes me reminisce about the day we met and how I generously decided to donate to various charitable causes..."

Who could forget the day I had to bribe you to get my name cleared, after all....Then again, it's more like you bribed me....The payments are set on Automatic now, but at this rate, I should have an entire space station named after me.....

"Did they ever build the Debon Hall of Justice?" He asked, half-jokingly, "Then again, I suppose it would be poor form, considering my allegiance and occupation..."

"And what was that occupation again?" Blizzar jested, deadpan. "Certainly not piracy..." He tapped his chin. "My defense system, while admittedly not entirely fullproof, is perhaps a neccesary step to save save a universe filled with strife. On this planet especially, but...." the Arcosian sighed. "Perhaps, in the future, there will be a more tactful method of installation than making a hasty deal with the president."

In a way, Blizzar didn't entirely blame the Red Raiders for their retaliatory efforts. An alien organization, securing an alliance with a planet's government isn't too out of the ordinary for most planets. But most planets weren't locked in a vice grip by a weasely lizard. The Raiders distrust was perhaps a little warranted. Perhaps that would be taken into account in the lawsuit to follow should any of them survive.

[Yun Lao]

As Ochazuke studied her pristine refinement, it seemed as if an uncanny perfection settled upon her features as she spoke. Far from being reassuring of the matters she spoke of, this only further raised a visceral rejection her testimony as presented. Falsehood could very well be framed in cordiality. He said nothing at first, parsing the words internally as they came.

Hakai. Fukushuu. The Black Fires of Destruction left the smudge of Grey in its wake. Unable to eradicate on its own, it seizes upon the innate catalysts to fuel the need to destroy.

Certainly it was true, then, that they could be from another world apart from theirs, for their God of Destruction had died. Asha'rah betrayed and murdered Inda'ren. Allegedly it had been at the behest of Sakin, their mutual overseer, but in her own words, for the greater good of the Universe as she saw it, she would kill him again for a cause worth more than the life or friendship.

There on dying Terra they encountered Hammer who said as much about Asha'rah as Islay had recanted. There had been so much that transpired in that clash of universes across the ages that it became muddled. Concealed deeply within memories of such a selective meditation, it was far too easy to forget much of them, the multitudes drawn up in such vainglorious posturing and cast asunder.

"So you were there during the war in heaven," Ochazuke pondered, "Then what does that make you? Another Destroyer's keeper, perhaps?"

At a glance he could not say for certain, only that her ki was of the same issue that lay in the mercurial form that burst from Fife's ashes so long ago. Islay's innate power was far more distilled, however, more direct than that mindless one. Her direct manifestation at this moment showed she would not shrink before what stood before her, but the means she had enacted to get this far roused further suspiscion.

"Your help led the Ogatan to the Old Dragon? You don't mean...That Man...?"

What was there in a beginning seemed to stretch back further to a far more eldritch origin, a heinous blight that spread itself in the very fabric of all things.

"A wish is useless without the will to act upon it. Just as a moment's remembrance was enough for Rex to possess the boy, in his triumph he'd forgotten who tempered the foundations of his vessel. It will be memory in turn that shall serve just as well to pry the scales from his flesh," he smouldered. "Yet you haven't answered me."

"You helped the Ogatan once, but standing before one in need, you idle now. To what end? What is your stake in all this?"

"A destroyer's keeper... I suppose you could call it that. I always preferred to think of it as a knight and squire relationship," Yucatan had been a reckless, pompous fool but he had been dedicated to his position to the point that he would handicap himself in battles against the champion of each planet destined to be destroyed if only to ensure a sense of 'fairness'. Unfortunately, that sense of dramatic honor had led to him being eaten, but there had been a certain cuteness to it, like the tiny growl of an adorable kitten.

"That Man?" Raising a brow at Ochazuke's statement, Islay had little doubt that he was mistaken, or at least there was some context missing, "I am not certain who your old dragon is, but the one I refer to has long since died... physically at least," That would be the last she spoke of this 'old dragon' at this point. She could only imagine Ochazuke's scolding growing worse if she had told him the story in its entirety; that, and the fewer people or entities who knew of her trump card, the better.

"By falling to Rex, Yucatan had disrupted the power balance of Earth in its infancy... a balance that has only begun to right itself. Had Rex been allowed to do he wished, your species as you know it wouldn't exist. Back then, I interfered to provide a counterweight to the scales. As of now, I am merely a witness for Charco, to see if he can put an end to a story that started long ago. After that... well..." She gave a light shrug of her shoulders, "I suppose I'd return to my siblings and Zenos?"

[grampagen]

"Not a bad trip at all, all things considered," Blizzar noted. This method of travel....it was remarkable. Leylines. Why such a thing, if made widely available could supplant many more mundane means of public transportation throughout the galaxy. But...such schemes were best left to the back of the mind at the moment. For now, there was...

"The Kingdom Or Vermillion...such as it were," The Arcosian commented. "We're my systems properly working, I could have a satellite layout the schematics within seconds," he sighed. "Not thay I mind taking the manual route, I just never got the chance to play with my satellite systems as much as I'd like..."

Blizzar looked over the rocky hill towards the ruin below before, turning to Ochazuke. "Following your lead."

"Perhaps given enough time to survey, provided they could indeed glean the information," Ochazuke replied to Blizzar.

Storm clouds tore through the sky and overcast everything around them a muted grey. There was a strange atmosphere, likely to do with the intricacies of the Leyline Passage. Despite the enormity of the hidden energies, what emitted from the crags and sea, it was subtle, as if some otherworldy force were suppressing in its presence despite what they saw and tread before them.

"These are scarcely ordinary grounds. Arthur, the first Guardian of the Earth, could trace his lineage here."

That certainly might explain how only a select few knew the way to return. With coordinates off the grid, and a gated pathway in and out constructed of a strange blending the spiritual ether with physical matter, were it not for their escort constructed entirely of its native soil the path would have long been eroded.

"Yet we know a Guardian would be hard-pressed to neglect their duty. Evangeline's Lookout is proof enough of that. What transpired here in this place and left it in this condition was likely forgotten, or made to be lost by design."

The magnitude of it might seem impossible, but they both knew of one for whom the subject of control had received a very particular and long-running attention.

"Well, that was a new one..." Held replied, speaking more to himself than to his comrades, "It was like...Flying in reverse, or something like that. I'll have to add it to the list."

These Leylines...Are spread all across the planet? I wonder what else this planet holds...For that matter, is this something specific to Earth?...Whatever, I got a decent enough look at them, but everything was so swift, I couldn't entirely make sense of it all....Though, that's a secondary concern, I suppose.

The Nevadian went silent for a moment as he overlooked the fast ruins of a fallen kingdom, more rubble than anything else.

".....This is your home?" Held asked, arching an eyebrow, "It's....Not what I expected..."

Then again, I suppose I didn't think too hard on it.

"Or rather, I suppose that's the difference between knowing, and seeing..."

It shouldn't have been a shock, after all. If there was one tie binding Kenshiko and The Red Raiders, it was the heartrending losses at the hands of war, the hands of That Man in particular. It had been some time, but Held had studied the briefing on her, and the information from Ochazuke--As reluctant as he was to discuss the past--made it obvious enough that his story, was her story, in some parts anyways.

As such, if Kenshiko lost her home to war, it was only natural that Ochazuke did as well. Yet, only now did his mind make the connection.

".....If I didn't know any better, I'd think she chose this place out of nostalgia, more than anything...." He mumbled, casting his gaze deeper downwards beneath the cliff facing.

To Held's query of his return home, Damask's submerged frame suddenly lurched, and an otherworldly voice speaking in some forgotten tongue echoed from the Golem as he pulled himself loose. Having imbibed of the rock of his native land, to the Nevadian's eyes emerged a familiar shape; An adamatine body set upon pillars-legs of granite, his ancient hands of stone now restored from withers commanded a fuller strength.

Now rising to a stature around 20 feet tall, the Stone Sentinel of the Red Raiders towered under the sky, uncannily still as he faced the group. They who were exposed to the Leylines now saw the deeper nature of the artificial creature's full strength. The living spirit, certainly, and composed of the matter of the entire planet around them, his power seemed nigh inexhaustible.

"To return to the task at hand, we'll need to infiltrate the base and find just what they've discovered here," Ochazuke said. "Being mindful of our opponents, if Kenshiko has trained more than one unit in the techniques of Zxu'ro, the odds will not favour the four of us. In other words, we will not get far if we go in as we are. Fortunately, we have in our company an insider. Our way in will be within the Golem."

With the scraping of stone upon stone, Damask's form shifted, and a slab opened from nave to neck into the inner chassis of his torso. Hollowed from within, it would be a close fit, but the four should be able to hitch a ride from within it.

"They shouldn't attack a comrade, much less question a superior officer. Walking within Damask's skin should allow us to pass unseen," Ochazuke continued. "For whatever we find in there, you are the other component in this, Jack. Arthur's word is your bond."

The Gambler, stropping one of his katchin blades against a rawhide sleeve, sighed and shook his head.

"Packed in tight like fish in a tin," he murmured, "This magic stuff don't come quite as natural to me as using the Smoke, but at this range I should be able to conceal our ki from detection. If nothing rocks the boat, we should be able to take them by surprise."

A short grunt and a nod fell from Ochazuke, who, bowing his head and thumbing his chin, mulled over an emergent thought.

"If we can even the odds, then including the Golem, man-for-man we should be able to match the fighting company I encountered in West Continent," he said, "Only, there's another variable, the Red Colonel herself."

[grampagen]

"A destroyer's keeper... I suppose you could call it that. I always preferred to think of it as a knight and squire relationship," Yucatan had been a reckless, pompous fool but he had been dedicated to his position to the point that he would handicap himself in battles against the champion of each planet destined to be destroyed if only to ensure a sense of 'fairness'. Unfortunately, that sense of dramatic honor had led to him being eaten, but there had been a certain cuteness to it, like the tiny growl of an adorable kitten.

"That Man?" Raising a brow at Ochazuke's statement, Islay had little doubt that he was mistaken, or at least there was some context missing, "I am not certain who your old dragon is, but the one I refer to has long since died... physically at least," That would be the last she spoke of this 'old dragon' at this point. She could only imagine Ochazuke's scolding growing worse if she had told him the story in its entirety; that, and the fewer people or entities who knew of her trump card, the better.

"By falling to Rex, Yucatan had disrupted the power balance of Earth in its infancy... a balance that has only begun to right itself. Had Rex been allowed to do he wished, your species as you know it wouldn't exist. Back then, I interfered to provide a counterweight to the scales. As of now, I am merely a witness for Charco, to see if he can put an end to a story that started long ago. After that... well..." She gave a light shrug of her shoulders, "I suppose I'd return to my siblings and Zenos?"

Ochazuke's lips parted slightly. A sharp puff of fogged air escaped the concealed, gritted teeth. His rising distaste compounded with the trials that culminated before them this day had chipped away at his composure. A world apart carries with it a different view, and with it, seemingly, different Dragons. Ours continues to blight us. So much for this.

"Rex has already done far more than he should have been afforded to, yet you continue to stand by to watch the fallout," he said, "You provided the counterweight, did you really now?"

Ripples cast from within ripples. What other wretched things lay waiting deeper within forgotten history?

She would not be party to Grinthorn by her own admission, yet that this Islay creature descended to this world to talk in absolute terms of righting some perceived Balance she had been party to tilting...if she realized what she'd condemned generations of Charco's clan to, the weight of the matter seemed to escape her where she hovered, unmoving against the raging battle that shook his footing.

"Tell me, Islay. How many of the Ogatan ever come close to escaping this cycle? How many succumbed to the isolation of animal fear and hatred?"

He lift his gaze up to her, suspended there where she spoke, then turned his gaze briefly to Shochu, then over to the battle of ancient monstrostities adjacent to them.

"How many of them did you watch fall prey to Rex and die?"

[Yun Lao]

Ochazuke's lips parted slightly. A sharp puff of fogged air escaped the concealed, gritted teeth. His rising distaste compounded with the trials that culminated before them this day had chipped away at his composure. A world apart carries with it a different view, and with it, seemingly, different Dragons. Ours continues to blight us. So much for this.

"Rex has already done far more than he should have been afforded to, yet you continue to stand by to watch the fallout," he said, "You provided the counterweight, did you really now?"

Ripples cast from within ripples. What other wretched things lay waiting deeper within forgotten history?

She would not be party to Grinthorn by her own admission, yet that this Islay creature descended to this world to talk in absolute terms of righting some perceived Balance she had been party to tilting...if she realized what she'd condemned generations of Charco's clan to, the weight of the matter seemed to escape her where she hovered, unmoving against the raging battle that shook his footing.

"Tell me, Islay. How many of the Ogatan ever come close to escaping this cycle? How many succumbed to the isolation of animal fear and hatred?"

He lift his gaze up to her, suspended there where she spoke, then turned his gaze briefly to Shochu, then over to the battle of ancient monstrostities adjacent to them.

"How many of them did you watch fall prey to Rex and die?"

She knew Ochazuke would not like the answer, for as stoic and intimidating as he appeared, he was truly a man who cared about others, "If you are hoping that I will say that I watched each Ogatan through their trials and tribulations, then you will loathe me as much as you loathe the rest of the hierarchy of the heavens. I left the guidance of each soul to the old dragon, as per our agreement, and while I have no doubts as to his skills, only Charco has stirred my interest. Charco's path is built upon the backs of his elders, but just know, Ochazuke, that each one that has fallen prey to Rex has not remained silent. The fact that we witness this outburst from him proves that he has taken in those who have fallen as his strength and if he is successful in ending this tale, he will be much more than he was as he will represent the entirety of the Ogatan's will."

A few moments of silence passed as they soaked in the current view of "Charco" fighting against Persephone before Islay spoke again, "As of now, this system of fate is cruel is hypocritical. In a perfect world, Charco would never need to endure such trials, but because he must, he will need the support of those like you... not that you need to be told such things."

[KingofPie]

"Perhaps given enough time to survey, provided they could indeed glean the information," Ochazuke replied to Blizzar.

Storm clouds tore through the sky and overcast everything around them a muted grey. There was a strange atmosphere, likely to do with the intricacies of the Leyline Passage. Despite the enormity of the hidden energies, what emitted from the crags and sea, it was subtle, as if some otherworldy force were suppressing in its presence despite what they saw and tread before them.

"These are scarcely ordinary grounds. Arthur, the first Guardian of the Earth, could trace his lineage here."

That certainly might explain how only a select few knew the way to return. With coordinates off the grid, and a gated pathway in and out constructed of a strange blending the spiritual ether with physical matter, were it not for their escort constructed entirely of its native soil the path would have long been eroded.

"Yet we know a Guardian would be hard-pressed to neglect their duty. Evangeline's Lookout is proof enough of that. What transpired here in this place and left it in this condition was likely forgotten, or made to be lost by design."

The magnitude of it might seem impossible, but they both knew of one for whom the subject of control had received a very particular and long-running attention.



To Held's query of his return home, Damask's submerged frame suddenly lurched, and an otherworldly voice speaking in some forgotten tongue echoed from the Golem as he pulled himself loose. Having imbibed of the rock of his native land, to the Nevadian's eyes emerged a familiar shape; An adamatine body set upon pillars-legs of granite, his ancient hands of stone now restored from withers commanded a fuller strength.

Now rising to a stature around 20 feet tall, the Stone Sentinel of the Red Raiders towered under the sky, uncannily still as he faced the group. They who were exposed to the Leylines now saw the deeper nature of the artificial creature's full strength. The living spirit, certainly, and composed of the matter of the entire planet around them, his power seemed nigh inexhaustible.

"To return to the task at hand, we'll need to infiltrate the base and find just what they've discovered here," Ochazuke said. "Being mindful of our opponents, if Kenshiko has trained more than one unit in the techniques of Zxu'ro, the odds will not favour the four of us. In other words, we will not get far if we go in as we are. Fortunately, we have in our company an insider. Our way in will be within the Golem."

With the scraping of stone upon stone, Damask's form shifted, and a slab opened from nave to neck into the inner chassis of his torso. Hollowed from within, it would be a close fit, but the four should be able to hitch a ride from within it.

"They shouldn't attack a comrade, much less question a superior officer. Walking within Damask's skin should allow us to pass unseen," Ochazuke continued. "For whatever we find in there, you are the other component in this, Jack. Arthur's word is your bond."

The Gambler, stropping one of his katchin blades against a rawhide sleeve, sighed and shook his head.

"Packed in tight like fish in a tin," he murmured, "This magic stuff don't come quite as natural to me as using the Smoke, but at this range I should be able to conceal our ki from detection. If nothing rocks the boat, we should be able to take them by surprise."

A short grunt and a nod fell from Ochazuke, who, bowing his head and thumbing his chin, mulled over an emergent thought.

"If we can even the odds, then including the Golem, man-for-man we should be able to match the fighting company I encountered in West Continent," he said, "Only, there's another variable, the Red Colonel herself."

"Hmm, not a bad ruse," Blizzar nodded approvingly. "They are no fools, but who are they to question their, erm, golem. As for the Colonel..." he thought for a moment. "I suppose there's always the option of finding something to distract her. Any suggestions, Nevadian?" He asked, turning towards Held. "You're fairly well aquainted with her, are you not?"

[Miburo]

"Perhaps given enough time to survey, provided they could indeed glean the information," Ochazuke replied to Blizzar.

Storm clouds tore through the sky and overcast everything around them a muted grey. There was a strange atmosphere, likely to do with the intricacies of the Leyline Passage. Despite the enormity of the hidden energies, what emitted from the crags and sea, it was subtle, as if some otherworldy force were suppressing in its presence despite what they saw and tread before them.

"These are scarcely ordinary grounds. Arthur, the first Guardian of the Earth, could trace his lineage here."

That certainly might explain how only a select few knew the way to return. With coordinates off the grid, and a gated pathway in and out constructed of a strange blending the spiritual ether with physical matter, were it not for their escort constructed entirely of its native soil the path would have long been eroded.

"Yet we know a Guardian would be hard-pressed to neglect their duty. Evangeline's Lookout is proof enough of that. What transpired here in this place and left it in this condition was likely forgotten, or made to be lost by design."

The magnitude of it might seem impossible, but they both knew of one for whom the subject of control had received a very particular and long-running attention.



To Held's query of his return home, Damask's submerged frame suddenly lurched, and an otherworldly voice speaking in some forgotten tongue echoed from the Golem as he pulled himself loose. Having imbibed of the rock of his native land, to the Nevadian's eyes emerged a familiar shape; An adamatine body set upon pillars-legs of granite, his ancient hands of stone now restored from withers commanded a fuller strength.

Now rising to a stature around 20 feet tall, the Stone Sentinel of the Red Raiders towered under the sky, uncannily still as he faced the group. They who were exposed to the Leylines now saw the deeper nature of the artificial creature's full strength. The living spirit, certainly, and composed of the matter of the entire planet around them, his power seemed nigh inexhaustible.

"To return to the task at hand, we'll need to infiltrate the base and find just what they've discovered here," Ochazuke said. "Being mindful of our opponents, if Kenshiko has trained more than one unit in the techniques of Zxu'ro, the odds will not favour the four of us. In other words, we will not get far if we go in as we are. Fortunately, we have in our company an insider. Our way in will be within the Golem."

With the scraping of stone upon stone, Damask's form shifted, and a slab opened from nave to neck into the inner chassis of his torso. Hollowed from within, it would be a close fit, but the four should be able to hitch a ride from within it.

"They shouldn't attack a comrade, much less question a superior officer. Walking within Damask's skin should allow us to pass unseen," Ochazuke continued. "For whatever we find in there, you are the other component in this, Jack. Arthur's word is your bond."

The Gambler, stropping one of his katchin blades against a rawhide sleeve, sighed and shook his head.

"Packed in tight like fish in a tin," he murmured, "This magic stuff don't come quite as natural to me as using the Smoke, but at this range I should be able to conceal our ki from detection. If nothing rocks the boat, we should be able to take them by surprise."

A short grunt and a nod fell from Ochazuke, who, bowing his head and thumbing his chin, mulled over an emergent thought.

"If we can even the odds, then including the Golem, man-for-man we should be able to match the fighting company I encountered in West Continent," he said, "Only, there's another variable, the Red Colonel herself."

"That's a brillant idea if I've ever saw one." Held said with a smirk, observing in awe as Damask displayed his almost unlimited versatility. No wonder the Raiders had recruited--Summoned? Bonded--with it. He absently wondered if Jack would be willing to part with it for the right price.

Still, the mission was at hand.

Willa....That's someone Held had not truly taken into account, the focus of his gaze being set so heavily on Kenshiko.

"Good Grief, talk about a high pressure mission." He murmured to the crew, "All we need is Chris The Knife back and it'll be a full fledged reunion..."

It's a pity I never got to take him on...I was actually kind of curious to see how his blade work stacked up against my own...Oh well.

"In either case, I think at least one of us should try and stay outside the perimeter--Or separate from Damask at a certain point-- if we can help it." He continued, nodding to himself, "Damask is certainly the greatest..." He paused, trying to get the earth term right.

"Trojan Man? Is that what it was?" He shrugged, "Anyways, it's a good way to infiltrate....But with so many of us in one....gollem...man...our strength is concentrated, but we're really investing everything on this....I usually like holding at least a few chips back during a gamble."

"Hmm, not a bad ruse," Blizzar nodded approvingly. "They are no fools, but who are they to question their, erm, golem. As for the Colonel..." he thought for a moment. "I suppose there's always the option of finding something to distract her. Any suggestions, Nevadian?" He asked, turning towards Held. "You're fairly well aquainted with her, are you not?"

''Well...." Held stammered for a moment, slightly uncomfortable, "I don't know if acquainted--"

The encounter, years later, was still fresh in his mind. The Colonel had stormed the Capsule of The World, seeking to capture Jinzi and the Dragon Radar, had Held and the others not interfered.

"Or, that's to say--"

And she likely was somewhat annoyed about how her failure that day set off a very different chain of events from what he had envisioned.

"I imagine she knows my name--"

He had lead the Raid on her headquarters while she was away at the tournament, helping to defeat her army, her Lt, and confiscate her sizable treasure.

"But, I don't think she really cares about me."

Or how Chou had come up with a unique strategy to distract and unnerve her, something that Held had decided to replicate, and had worked splendidly.

The annoyance in her face when the two of them discussed the depths of her physical mediocrity was palpable, as expressed in the strength of her blows.

He shifted uncomfortably.

"Still, she's always struck me as one direct and to the point....If we had something of value, she's unlikely to waste time trying to figure out if it's a trap...." He stroked his chin, "If we can get her somewhere slightly isolated, or even out in the open we could probably take care of that issue silently enough."

He glanced at Jack and Blizzar.

He had worked in concert with the both of them in the past, and had a good understanding of their fighting styles and personalities. They were certainly sneaky bastards after the Nevadians own heart, so he found it unlikely they would have trouble with coming up with some manner of conniving gambit if it came down to it.

He glanced at Ochazuke.

Held certainly held the warrior in great esteem, but he had never worked with the Martial Artist in such close proximity before. He was certainly capable by all standards the Nevadian observed, and his ingenuity was obvious enough, but his preference in operation evaded the Nevadian.

"Although, with that said, this is your game, Ochazuke." Held replied with a slight smile, "I'm just offering helpful hints. If you have a certain way of doing things, I'm more than willing to give it a shot---"

He sighed slightly, "Although, I think the one thing me and those two share in common is that we're not exactly the most direct fighters on the roster, if you catch my drift."

...Then again, anyone who isn't a Saiyan seems all but subtle in comparison.

"Maybe it's better to see what you think so our styles don't clash? You don't strike me as the type to prefer to stalk about in the shadows, or anything like that."

[grampagen]

"That's a brillant idea if I've ever saw one." Held said with a smirk, observing in awe as Damask displayed his almost unlimited versatility. No wonder the Raiders had recruited--Summoned? Bonded--with it. He absently wondered if Jack would be willing to part with it for the right price.

Still, the mission was at hand.

Willa....That's someone Held had not truly taken into account, the focus of his gaze being set so heavily on Kenshiko.

"Good Grief, talk about a high pressure mission." He murmured to the crew, "All we need is Chris The Knife back and it'll be a full fledged reunion..."

It's a pity I never got to take him on...I was actually kind of curious to see how his blade work stacked up against my own...Oh well.

"In either case, I think at least one of us should try and stay outside the perimeter--Or separate from Damask at a certain point-- if we can help it." He continued, nodding to himself, "Damask is certainly the greatest..." He paused, trying to get the earth term right.

"Trojan Man? Is that what it was?" He shrugged, "Anyways, it's a good way to infiltrate....But with so many of us in one....gollem...man...our strength is concentrated, but we're really investing everything on this....I usually like holding at least a few chips back during a gamble."

Ochazuke's ponderous silence was abruptly broken with a sudden, short laugh quaking his shoulders.

"The Knife," He shook his head with a flat chuckle, "I did fight his shade in another world, and found many things lacking outside of his resolve. Were he still alive, we'd probably have a third party to contend with."

The stark reminder of the Colonel's first undoing brought to mind that Alternate Future. The Ten Schools were no less disarray, and with Zaofan's death, his double had lost the will to pursue the Legacy.

Jack cleared his throat. Standing before Damask, the hollow echo redoubled through the Golem's body. "With what we're holding, we don't even have to make a bluff," he said hurriedly, as if to change the subject. "Then again, only thing we can't account for is the other guy's hand, Held. Think you can get a read on 'em?"

"Hmm, not a bad ruse," Blizzar nodded approvingly. "They are no fools, but who are they to question their, erm, golem. As for the Colonel..." he thought for a moment. "I suppose there's always the option of finding something to distract her. Any suggestions, Nevadian?" He asked, turning towards Held. "You're fairly well aquainted with her, are you not?"

''Well...." Held stammered for a moment, slightly uncomfortable, "I don't know if acquainted--"

The encounter, years later, was still fresh in his mind. The Colonel had stormed the Capsule of The World, seeking to capture Jinzi and the Dragon Radar, had Held and the others not interfered.

"Or, that's to say--"

And she likely was somewhat annoyed about how her failure that day set off a very different chain of events from what he had envisioned.

"I imagine she knows my name--"

He had lead the Raid on her headquarters while she was away at the tournament, helping to defeat her army, her Lt, and confiscate her sizable treasure.

"But, I don't think she really cares about me."

Or how Chou had come up with a unique strategy to distract and unnerve her, something that Held had decided to replicate, and had worked splendidly.

The annoyance in her face when the two of them discussed the depths of her physical mediocrity was palpable, as expressed in the strength of her blows.

He shifted uncomfortably.

"Still, she's always struck me as one direct and to the point....If we had something of value, she's unlikely to waste time trying to figure out if it's a trap...." He stroked his chin, "If we can get her somewhere slightly isolated, or even out in the open we could probably take care of that issue silently enough."

Ochazuke let his hands fall to his sides, casting his view to the rocky hill before them. Something in Held's body language betrayed the confidence of his speech. Bemusingly, it would seem all of them had peculiar business concerning particularly dangerous women, perhaps with the exception of Blizzar; but that was only as far as they knew.

"Hmm. It may also be worth nothing she is something of a mindreader," he replied. He'd never so much as made her acquaintance, yet she was able to pin down that he was the one that had inadvertently sent Kenshiko to her side. "Though this ability is far from perfect. If she is still as single-minded in her goal..."

Slowly, he turned his view towards Jack, whose eyes narrowed.

"...if you think I can do anything about Willa just because she might be my blood at some remove, you got another thing coming."

"No, of course not" Ochazuke replied, shaking his head, "But consider that only one of you received Arthur's favour, and she knows that."

The Red Colonel had reached the Lookout once, yet unlike Jack who had been spared by Evangeline's intervention, instead of redemption all there was for here there was a second chance at life behind prison walls.

"You're not the only one dealing with heavy baggage. I didn't ask for this, Ocha, but I've been entrusted to carry this, same as you, and swore an oath to do it."

"And she swore an oath to oppose the World Government. At this point, it's not a question of wills, but possessing the means."

He glanced at Jack and Blizzar.

He had worked in concert with the both of them in the past, and had a good understanding of their fighting styles and personalities. They were certainly sneaky bastards after the Nevadians own heart, so he found it unlikely they would have trouble with coming up with some manner of conniving gambit if it came down to it.

He glanced at Ochazuke.

Held certainly held the warrior in great esteem, but he had never worked with the Martial Artist in such close proximity before. He was certainly capable by all standards the Nevadian observed, and his ingenuity was obvious enough, but his preference in operation evaded the Nevadian.

"Although, with that said, this is your game, Ochazuke." Held replied with a slight smile, "I'm just offering helpful hints. If you have a certain way of doing things, I'm more than willing to give it a shot---"

He sighed slightly, "Although, I think the one thing me and those two share in common is that we're not exactly the most direct fighters on the roster, if you catch my drift."

...Then again, anyone who isn't a Saiyan seems all but subtle in comparison.

"Maybe it's better to see what you think so our styles don't clash? You don't strike me as the type to prefer to stalk about in the shadows, or anything like that."

Ochazuke had quieted himself again for a moment. To Held's examination, there was a slight shift in the ambiance as the former Crane Warrior engaged with the energy of the Leylines. His meditation field became a vector for his senses, and so concentrated, he examined the terrain of battlefield to come.

"The base runs deep into the earth. Essentially, it is as if it is a hollow indented into the layered strata miles below," he said, "However, even at this range, it is quite difficult to ascertain the living presences within the base. There is some...residual, smothering the illumination of ki from this place."

Something outside of their reckoning was suppressing a wide-range sweep of the whole of the base with ki-sense. Though they could sense there was indeed a notion of a living presence in there under the rocky slope, the degree of it was rather indistinct; rising in brief flares, then washing away like remote static.

"All the same, I can feel them where they tread, enough to know that we are quite clearly outnumbered."

To this, he'd found Held's appraisal apt enough. Direct means with this many unknown factors would not favour us.

"Were it as simple as destroying the place, we would have the advantage of a first strike right now, but what they stand to uncover inside there is something that will affect this entire planet. That, I am not willing to lose."

No matter the means.

"Stalking. Is that what you'd call it? Cheh." Ochazuke cracked his knuckles, one hand after the other. "For all their faults, The Red Raiders remain a group that has been preparing to overturn the World Government. At this point, there is a chance that all of them might be as strong as my Kru."

His eyes deepened, a mote of steadfast illumination played within them in equal measure with the darkness.

"Sometimes, with so much at stake, the matter is about doing what is necessary. These are the thing a warrior must burden himself with, such that he will find his opportunity as it arises."

Turning about, he then put his attention to the Golem, who responded with his own opinion on the subject.

"Fully restored, I can take you directly inside Charlie Base," Damask offered, "Through the hidden roads, no portion is off-limits to me."

Jack smirked. "Sounds like a good enough opener," he said, easing himself inside the Golem. "All in?"

[KingofPie]

''Well...." Held stammered for a moment, slightly uncomfortable, "I don't know if acquainted--"

The encounter, years later, was still fresh in his mind. The Colonel had stormed the Capsule of The World, seeking to capture Jinzi and the Dragon Radar, had Held and the others not interfered.

"Or, that's to say--"

And she likely was somewhat annoyed about how her failure that day set off a very different chain of events from what he had envisioned.

"I imagine she knows my name--"

He had lead the Raid on her headquarters while she was away at the tournament, helping to defeat her army, her Lt, and confiscate her sizable treasure.

"But, I don't think she really cares about me."

Or how Chou had come up with a unique strategy to distract and unnerve her, something that Held had decided to replicate, and had worked splendidly.

The annoyance in her face when the two of them discussed the depths of her physical mediocrity was palpable, as expressed in the strength of her blows.

He shifted uncomfortably.

"Still, she's always struck me as one direct and to the point....If we had something of value, she's unlikely to waste time trying to figure out if it's a trap...." He stroked his chin, "If we can get her somewhere slightly isolated, or even out in the open we could probably take care of that issue silently enough."

He glanced at Jack and Blizzar.

He had worked in concert with the both of them in the past, and had a good understanding of their fighting styles and personalities. They were certainly sneaky bastards after the Nevadians own heart, so he found it unlikely they would have trouble with coming up with some manner of conniving gambit if it came down to it.

He glanced at Ochazuke.

Held certainly held the warrior in great esteem, but he had never worked with the Martial Artist in such close proximity before. He was certainly capable by all standards the Nevadian observed, and his ingenuity was obvious enough, but his preference in operation evaded the Nevadian.

"Although, with that said, this is your game, Ochazuke." Held replied with a slight smile, "I'm just offering helpful hints. If you have a certain way of doing things, I'm more than willing to give it a shot---"

He sighed slightly, "Although, I think the one thing me and those two share in common is that we're not exactly the most direct fighters on the roster, if you catch my drift."

...Then again, anyone who isn't a Saiyan seems all but subtle in comparison.

"Maybe it's better to see what you think so our styles don't clash? You don't strike me as the type to prefer to stalk about in the shadows, or anything like that."

Ochazuke let his hands fall to his sides, casting his view to the rocky hill before them. Something in Held's body language betrayed the confidence of his speech. Bemusingly, it would seem all of them had peculiar business concerning particularly dangerous women, perhaps with the exception of Blizzar; but that was only as far as they knew.

"Hmm. It may also be worth nothing she is something of a mindreader," he replied. He'd never so much as made her acquaintance, yet she was able to pin down that he was the one that had inadvertently sent Kenshiko to her side. "Though this ability is far from perfect. If she is still as single-minded in her goal..."

Slowly, he turned his view towards Jack, whose eyes narrowed.

"...if you think I can do anything about Willa just because she might be my blood at some remove, you got another thing coming."

"No, of course not" Ochazuke replied, shaking his head, "But consider that only one of you received Arthur's favour, and she knows that."

The Red Colonel had reached the Lookout once, yet unlike Jack who had been spared by Evangeline's intervention, instead of redemption all there was for here there was a second chance at life behind prison walls.

"You're not the only one dealing with heavy baggage. I didn't ask for this, Ocha, but I've been entrusted to carry this, same as you, and swore an oath to do it."

"And she swore an oath to oppose the World Government. At this point, it's not a question of wills, but possessing the means."

"A psychic, hmm?" Blizzar questioned with a bitter chuckle. Scratching his chin in thought, an almost nostalgic feeling washed over him. Past stings and raids upon the bases of telepathic criminals. Can't deal with them under the table if they can see your hand before you play it.

Ochazuke had quieted himself again for a moment. To Held's examination, there was a slight shift in the ambiance as the former Crane Warrior engaged with the energy of the Leylines. His meditation field became a vector for his senses, and so concentrated, he examined the terrain of battlefield to come.

"The base runs deep into the earth. Essentially, it is as if it is a hollow indented into the layered strata miles below," he said, "However, even at this range, it is quite difficult to ascertain the living presences within the base. There is some...residual, smothering the illumination of ki from this place."

Something outside of their reckoning was suppressing a wide-range sweep of the whole of the base with ki-sense. Though they could sense there was indeed a notion of a living presence in there under the rocky slope, the degree of it was rather indistinct; rising in brief flares, then washing away like remote static.

"All the same, I can feel them where they tread, enough to know that we are quite clearly outnumbered."

To this, he'd found Held's appraisal apt enough. Direct means with this many unknown factors would not favour us.

"Were it as simple as destroying the place, we would have the advantage of a first strike right now, but what they stand to uncover inside there is something that will affect this entire planet. That, I am not willing to lose."

No matter the means.

"Stalking. Is that what you'd call it? Cheh." Ochazuke cracked his knuckles, one hand after the other. "For all their faults, The Red Raiders remain a group that has been preparing to overturn the World Government. At this point, there is a chance that all of them might be as strong as my Kru."

His eyes deepened, a mote of steadfast illumination played within them in equal measure with the darkness.

"Sometimes, with so much at stake, the matter is about doing what is necessary. These are the thing a warrior must burden himself with, such that he will find his opportunity as it arises."

Turning about, he then put his attention to the Golem, who responded with his own opinion on the subject.

"Fully restored, I can take you directly inside Charlie Base," Damask offered, "Through the hidden roads, no portion is off-limits to me."

Jack smirked. "Sounds like a good enough opener," he said, easing himself inside the Golem. "All in?"

" I thought something was off with my ki sensing," The Arcosian sighed. He looked over to the two humans and Nevadian before him. "Well, I cannot say that I don't like a challenge. Something all of us have in common, I'd wager."

He looked to Damask. "Golem, is there somewhere within the base you can transport us that is...highly restricted? Someplace only higher-ranked officers can access, a place with less traffic?" he inquired after a brief moment of thought..

[Cthulhu_of_R'lyeh]

She shakes her head.

“I doubt anything short of Lord Xeno or......a wish on those dragon balls themselves could destroy them. And for the second I would rather not be anywhere near when that happens. Just in case.”

Inanna listened to what the former hero had to say, before nodding slowly. "Makes sense. Eldfen is... well, old. First Dragon. One of the first creations. If he could be stopped that easily; would kind of make for poor sport now wouldn't it?" The golden-eyed woman chuckled at the question, before shrugging.

"Ah well, if it comes to it... I'm sure I can figure something out. Though all of that said it certainly begs the question. Why're you still hiding out?"

[Miburo]

Ochazuke's ponderous silence was abruptly broken with a sudden, short laugh quaking his shoulders.

"The Knife," He shook his head with a flat chuckle, "I did fight his shade in another world, and found many things lacking outside of his resolve. Were he still alive, we'd probably have a third party to contend with."

"Yeah...." Held laughed slightly, recalling just how confusing their lives had become, "Come to think of it, I had to work with another version of him as well. Pretty nice fellow, all things considered. Made me and Blizzars life a little bit easier, if I had to be honest."

I wonder what the main difference between the two was? Was it that Banefire thing? I don't really know all the details, but it seems unlikely..

"It's almost a shame I didn't enter that tournament, could have been interesting." He continued, before shrugging, "Then again, I'd say I won far more than I could in any normal tournament."

To put it mildly. I'm glad Incenio is in another dimension, there's no way he wouldn't want to get back and me and Blizzar for how thoroughly we cleaned him out..

The stark reminder of the Colonel's first undoing brought to mind that Alternate Future. The Ten Schools were no less disarray, and with Zaofan's death, his double had lost the will to pursue the Legacy.

Jack cleared his throat. Standing before Damask, the hollow echo redoubled through the Golem's body. "With what we're holding, we don't even have to make a bluff," he said hurriedly, as if to change the subject. "Then again, only thing we can't account for is the other guy's hand, Held. Think you can get a read on 'em?"

"I've yet to meet the man--" He paused, correcting himself, considering the most prominent of the enemies they faced, "--Or woman, who my Shingan couldn't see through."

He tilted his head slightly, "Although, if these arts are even half as potent as Ochazuke believes them to be, things might be a bit trickier than I expected...Although.."

He slightly tapped at his utility belt, housing around seven different capsules.

".. I've brought a few tricks of my own."

Ochazuke let his hands fall to his sides, casting his view to the rocky hill before them. Something in Held's body language betrayed the confidence of his speech. Bemusingly, it would seem all of them had peculiar business concerning particularly dangerous women, perhaps with the exception of Blizzar; but that was only as far as they knew.

"Hmm. It may also be worth nothing she is something of a mindreader," he replied. He'd never so much as made her acquaintance, yet she was able to pin down that he was the one that had inadvertently sent Kenshiko to her side. "Though this ability is far from perfect. If she is still as single-minded in her goal..."

Slowly, he turned his view towards Jack, whose eyes narrowed.

"...if you think I can do anything about Willa just because she might be my blood at some remove, you got another thing coming."

"No, of course not" Ochazuke replied, shaking his head, "But consider that only one of you received Arthur's favour, and she knows that."

The Red Colonel had reached the Lookout once, yet unlike Jack who had been spared by Evangeline's intervention, instead of redemption all there was for here there was a second chance at life behind prison walls.

"You're not the only one dealing with heavy baggage. I didn't ask for this, Ocha, but I've been entrusted to carry this, same as you, and swore an oath to do it."

"And she swore an oath to oppose the World Government. At this point, it's not a question of wills, but possessing the means."

"Oh...So you two are related." Held said belatedly, putting the dots together at last. "So, that's the bit about arthur's blood and why the gollem worked for the both of you....I guess it makes sense now that I think of it."

He frowned slightly, "Just to be clear, you're fine with me maybe having to stab her, right?" He turned to face Jack, "I'm not saying I want to, but I'm just making sure that if I do, you're not going to suddenly have some vendetta against me....I didn't really get the impression we were trying to extract her, you know."

Not to mention, if she's a mind reader, it's going to be tricky enough fighting her to begin with, nevermind if I have to actively try not to harm her and she knows it...

Ochazuke had quieted himself again for a moment. To Held's examination, there was a slight shift in the ambiance as the former Crane Warrior engaged with the energy of the Leylines. His meditation field became a vector for his senses, and so concentrated, he examined the terrain of battlefield to come.

"The base runs deep into the earth. Essentially, it is as if it is a hollow indented into the layered strata miles below," he said, "However, even at this range, it is quite difficult to ascertain the living presences within the base. There is some...residual, smothering the illumination of ki from this place."

Something outside of their reckoning was suppressing a wide-range sweep of the whole of the base with ki-sense. Though they could sense there was indeed a notion of a living presence in there under the rocky slope, the degree of it was rather indistinct; rising in brief flares, then washing away like remote static.

"All the same, I can feel them where they tread, enough to know that we are quite clearly outnumbered."

"That's....Unexpected." Held replied, his demeanor becoming more serious, "But I'll guess we'll make due."

I wonder...Is it the sort of thing we'll see right through when we get in, or is that where the effect is most potent? While I don't think it would pose a huge problem against humans, if I were fighting Androids or a Gollem like this guy, my Shingan would be greatly effected...

To this, he'd found Held's appraisal apt enough. Direct means with this many unknown factors would not favour us.

"Were it as simple as destroying the place, we would have the advantage of a first strike right now, but what they stand to uncover inside there is something that will affect this entire planet. That, I am not willing to lose."

No matter the means.

"Stalking. Is that what you'd call it? Cheh." Ochazuke cracked his knuckles, one hand after the other. "For all their faults, The Red Raiders remain a group that has been preparing to overturn the World Government. At this point, there is a chance that all of them might be as strong as my Kru."

His eyes deepened, a mote of steadfast illumination played within them in equal measure with the darkness.

"Sometimes, with so much at stake, the matter is about doing what is necessary. These are the thing a warrior must burden himself with, such that he will find his opportunity as it arises."

Turning about, he then put his attention to the Golem, who responded with his own opinion on the subject.

"Fully restored, I can take you directly inside Charlie Base," Damask offered, "Through the hidden roads, no portion is off-limits to me."

Jack smirked. "Sounds like a good enough opener," he said, easing himself inside the Golem. "All in?"

"Lead the way." Held replied, extending a hand towards the base.

"A psychic, hmm?" Blizzar questioned with a bitter chuckle. Scratching his chin in thought, an almost nostalgic feeling washed over him. Past stings and raids upon the bases of telepathic criminals. Can't deal with them under the table if they can see your hand before you play it.



" I thought something was off with my ki sensing," The Arcosian sighed. He looked over to the two humans and Nevadian before him. "Well, I cannot say that I don't like a challenge. Something all of us have in common, I'd wager."

He looked to Damask. "Golem, is there somewhere within the base you can transport us that is...highly restricted? Someplace only higher-ranked officers can access, a place with less traffic?" he inquired after a brief moment of thought..

"Ha!" Held laughed, his focus wavering for a moment, "When you're right, you're right. I had half a mind to run the numbers on the odds of success, and if we could capture them both in more or less one piece..."

He cleared his throat, "But as at least half of us have a connection to them, I thought it would be in poor taste, even if they weren't formidable enough to make that all but impossible for you three."

[grampagen]

"A psychic, hmm?" Blizzar questioned with a bitter chuckle. Scratching his chin in thought, an almost nostalgic feeling washed over him. Past stings and raids upon the bases of telepathic criminals. Can't deal with them under the table if they can see your hand before you play it.

" I thought something was off with my ki sensing," The Arcosian sighed. He looked over to the two humans and Nevadian before him. "Well, I cannot say that I don't like a challenge. Something all of us have in common, I'd wager."

A terse grunt left him as Ochazuke stepped within the Golem's stony frame.

"The fight ahead may serve well to meet it," he said, "but be mindful. Appearances and deep-rooted impressions can be quite deceiving, especially for the desperate."

Folding his arms, he leaned back.

"We are moving in on the resistance against That Man. They will not go quietly, but perhaps, as you had proposed, they may be reasoned with."

"Yeah...." Held laughed slightly, recalling just how confusing their lives had become, "Come to think of it, I had to work with another version of him as well. Pretty nice fellow, all things considered. Made me and Blizzars life a little bit easier, if I had to be honest."

I wonder what the main difference between the two was? Was it that Banefire thing? I don't really know all the details, but it seems unlikely..

"It's almost a shame I didn't enter that tournament, could have been interesting." He continued, before shrugging, "Then again, I'd say I won far more than I could in any normal tournament."

To put it mildly. I'm glad Incenio is in another dimension, there's no way he wouldn't want to get back and me and Blizzar for how thoroughly we cleaned him out..


"I've yet to meet the man--" He paused, correcting himself, considering the most prominent of the enemies they faced, "--Or woman, who my Shingan couldn't see through."

He tilted his head slightly, "Although, if these arts are even half as potent as Ochazuke believes them to be, things might be a bit trickier than I expected...Although.."

He slightly tapped at his utility belt, housing around seven different capsules.

".. I've brought a few tricks of my own."

The episodes of the alternate timelines was still fresh in their minds. Entire worlds had been changed, the Earth in particular cast from its familiar course from circumstance. Whether the decisive attention of a repentant Goddess to the minutae of everyday lives, the tides of karma cast their flow in great, sweeping ways. A moment's negligence there, a twist to obsession here, how much would even the most insignificant difference alter the tangle of thousands of intertwined lives that were shaped by circumstance?

"His skills were honed keen as his edged weaponry, good enough for Rautt's confidence to whet his mercenary appetites," Ochazuke chuckled bitterly. "Had he something greater to fight for than himself, Chris the Knife, perhaps he would be more than a stain upon the winds right now?"

He'd heard some tell about The Doctor's schemes, a grand design rendered to reshape the universe, the countless lives discarded to serve as the mortar to the one, ideal form. To attain perfection in so fleeting a thing. Who ought to decide what it is that endures forever?

The ion storm bristling within the black clouds above served as a grim reminder of those harrowing forces that stood beyond common reckoning, descending from the stars or twisting between the planes seeking to prey on a moment's weakness. The price of knowing is perpetual vigilance.

"Always prepared," Ochazuke mused as Held indicated his payload of capsules.

"Oh...So you two are related." Held said belatedly, putting the dots together at last. "So, that's the bit about arthur's blood and why the gollem worked for the both of you....I guess it makes sense now that I think of it."

He frowned slightly, "Just to be clear, you're fine with me maybe having to stab her, right?" He turned to face Jack, "I'm not saying I want to, but I'm just making sure that if I do, you're not going to suddenly have some vendetta against me....I didn't really get the impression we were trying to extract her, you know."

Not to mention, if she's a mind reader, it's going to be tricky enough fighting her to begin with, nevermind if I have to actively try not to harm her and she knows it...


"That's....Unexpected." Held replied, his demeanor becoming more serious, "But I'll guess we'll make due."

I wonder...Is it the sort of thing we'll see right through when we get in, or is that where the effect is most potent? While I don't think it would pose a huge problem against humans, if I were fighting Androids or a Gollem like this guy, my Shingan would be greatly effected...


"Lead the way." Held replied, extending a hand towards the base.

Jack, who had quietly settled near Damask, blinked hard, then set his narrowed eyes sharply on Held. He'd seen this once before as the nicotine withdrawal had set in, thanks to the resort security at Space Vegas. And when the chips were down, the moment he found out the dealers had been cheating them under the table...

"If it comes down to it, then what you have to do," he muttered darkly. "If she won't go peaceably, if she's still spoiling for a fight...all I'm saying is, she ain't exactly family to me, understand."

"I'd rather not engage until we know what we're dealing with," Ochazuke said, "I know Kenshiko may stay her hand, given sufficient impetus. There is still something I may yet use to bargain with her. But the Colonel might not be swayed. For years now, she's fought to take down the World Government. Whatever they've found here, there's a chance she'd rather attempt on our lives than part with it."

Jack grumbled under his breath, and stepped inside the Golem. Even as he tried to put it behind him, right now his thoughts were thick in his past thievery.

"I know that I would."

He looked to Damask. "Golem, is there somewhere within the base you can transport us that is...highly restricted? Someplace only higher-ranked officers can access, a place with less traffic?" he inquired after a brief moment of thought..

"Ha!" Held laughed, his focus wavering for a moment, "When you're right, you're right. I had half a mind to run the numbers on the odds of success, and if we could capture them both in more or less one piece..."

He cleared his throat, "But as at least half of us have a connection to them, I thought it would be in poor taste, even if they weren't formidable enough to make that all but impossible for you three."

Damask pondered Blizzar's question. and placed his hand on the stone below them. The ground split and raised, and from crumbling earth was raised a crude facsimile of the hollow hill before them.

"We are not a conventional standing army. They who would shed his blood for their comrades would be a brother in arms. Our intelligence is one in our common cause." Damask struggled with his words, until Jack pressed him.

"There are two locations:"

"The King's Grove in the Inner Sanctum. It was once my Creator's sanctuary, and the Leylines are most concentrated in this area."

"The other is the Excavation Archive. The remains of Old Vermilion were forcibly pressed into the bedrock below this place, sunken into the black sea. For the sake of preserving what remains of my liege's memory, I cannot enter it directly. But if Colonel Rautt has found anything, the extracted artifacts may be there."

[Cleric of Hell’s Brigade]

Inanna listened to what the former hero had to say, before nodding slowly. "Makes sense. Eldfen is... well, old. First Dragon. One of the first creations. If he could be stopped that easily; would kind of make for poor sport now wouldn't it?" The golden-eyed woman chuckled at the question, before shrugging.

"Ah well, if it comes to it... I'm sure I can figure something out. Though all of that said it certainly begs the question. Why're you still hiding out?"

She smiles slightly.

“Because I have little desire to be used in politics. If they truly knew I existed, I would have no rest. They would lobby to make me leader due to my tails: I have no interest.”

She pats her daughter on her head.

“When the time comes, if Kitsuna truly needs my help, I’ll be around. And if the times comes for it, my daughter will take my place.”

[Cthulhu_of_R'lyeh]

She smiles slightly.

“Because I have little desire to be used in politics. If they truly knew I existed, I would have no rest. They would lobby to make me leader due to my tails: I have no interest.”

She pats her daughter on her head.

“When the time comes, if Kitsuna truly needs my help, I’ll be around. And if the times comes for it, my daughter will take my place.”

Inanna chuckled. "As good a reason as possible, really."

It was the only downside really, being Consort to a Queen... the swamp that was politics. Though with Saiyans at least it was a straightforward affair; thanks to a fair bit of guidance.

"That said, if you ever get... bored. I've started building a safe haven, of sorts in a space that sits between. Home to all sorts, and no politics to speak of. Just ask." Invitation to Vaikuntha given, Inanna sighed and tilted her head up toward the ceiling.

"Figure it's best to leave the ball here, considering the trouble to track it down... but I've a few more stops to make." Bringing her gaze back down to Kitsuna, Inanna smiled.

"The Darkling... Banespell. Care to show me the way?"

[Cleric of Hell’s Brigade]

Inanna chuckled. "As good a reason as possible, really."

It was the only downside really, being Consort to a Queen... the swamp that was politics. Though with Saiyans at least it was a straightforward affair; thanks to a fair bit of guidance.

"That said, if you ever get... bored. I've started building a safe haven, of sorts in a space that sits between. Home to all sorts, and no politics to speak of. Just ask." Invitation to Vaikuntha given, Inanna sighed and tilted her head up toward the ceiling.

"Figure it's best to leave the ball here, considering the trouble to track it down... but I've a few more stops to make." Bringing her gaze back down to Kitsuna, Inanna smiled.

"The Darkling... Banespell. Care to show me the way?"

She chuckles.

“Oh my, going to visit that old grumpkin? Good luck.”

She passes the knowledge into Inanna’s mind.

“And thank you for the invitation. I’ll take you up on it, sometime. Take care, and travel well, Inanna.”