Dragonball M, Chapter 4: Kidnapping! Invasion! A new Threat Strikes First!

[bruceleegreyhulk]

Passing by the kitchen area, she stops and looks in. She almost expected to see Zaofan inside cooking up something special. Instead it was quiet and empty. Walking inside, Dash couldn't resist opening up cabinets, the fridge, and simply exploring what was inside. Not that she was hungry, well, maybe a little, but mostly out of a nostalgic sense of curiosity.

as Praxat waits for Dash to get back she ponders to herself. ( I wonder when Dash is going to get back, I want to go to a bar with her, I really could use a drink,) Praxat thought.

[Tami]

as Praxat waits for Dash to get back she ponders to herself. ( I wonder when Dash is going to get back, I want to go to a bar with her, I really could use a drink,) Praxat thought.

Waylaid to the kitchen, Dash continued to poke around looking for, she wasn't sure what.

Finding some cheese and crackers, she set them out on a plate, enough to share with Praxat, assuming she ate that kind of stuff. She then added some carrot and celery sticks to the plate as well.

Looking around some more, she found a bottle of something. The label was missing, but it looked like vodka. Unless it was just water dressed up in a fancy bottle.

Grabbing two glasses, she managed to carry that and the plate of food out to where her friend and training partner was waiting.

As she approached, her cloak unwrapped it's self from the ponytail her her was tied back in, then floated to the Plaza like a picnic blanket.

"Hey, Praxy! I found some food in the kitchen." As she spoke, she laid what she found down on the cloth, "There should be enough for both of us."

[bruceleegreyhulk]

Waylaid to the kitchen, Dash continued to poke around looking for, she wasn't sure what.

Finding some cheese and crackers, she set them out on a plate, enough to share with Praxat, assuming she ate that kind of stuff. She then added some carrot and celery sticks to the plate as well.

Looking around some more, she found a bottle of something. The label was missing, but it looked like vodka. Unless it was just water dressed up in a fancy bottle.

Grabbing two glasses, she managed to carry that and the plate of food out to where her friend and training partner was waiting.

As she approached, her cloak unwrapped it's self from the ponytail her her was tied back in, then floated to the Plaza like a picnic blanket.

"Hey, Praxy! I found some food in the kitchen." As she spoke, she laid what she found down on the cloth, "There should be enough for both of us."

" That's great, did you bring any water? So this whole food on cloth that's on the floor thing. Do humans do this often?" Praxat said.

"Doesn't seem like eating food off the floor even if it's on a piece of cloth would be sanitary," Praxat said.

[Tami]

" That's great, did you bring any water? So this whole food on cloth that's on the floor thing. Do humans do this often?" Praxat said.

"Doesn't seem like eating food off the floor even if it's on a piece of cloth would be sanitary," Praxat said.

The cloth started to shake a little, rattling the glasses. Dash kneeled down next to it and placed her hand gently on it, "It's okay." Speaking the the cloak, then looking up at Praxat, "ah think you hurt her feelings. She's always very clean, an a bit sensitive about her appearance. If you apologize, she'll let you sit down here."

[Sub-Zero MKA]

Every moment counted for Sarada and Parsley. Every second of every simulated day that passed in the realm within a realm needed to have every ounce of worth squeezed out of it. When their year was up, the biggest, most important battle of their lives would be upon them. Tundra was waiting for them; they needed to be ready. They needed to be strong. According to a scout Sarada sent to Ruco the moment they arrived, Tundra and his two right hand men left for Vocado. Since there was nothing there except the palace, that meant one of two things. One, he planned on planting his flag on the throne world and making it his; or two, he intended on picking up his ship and going elsewhere.

Elsewhere could have meant anything, but she had a feeling she knew exactly where he was going to be the following day. On his way to Sadala, the Saiyan homeworld. Frost Demons were horribly predictable, to the point that even someone like Sarada could accurately predict just what one of them was going to do with only a minimal amount of information. She also knew that Icer ships weren't as fast as First Race ships, so even in warp speed, it was going to be a few days before they arrived. That was good, very good. That meant that she and Parsley had a little leeway to get their minds right and spend time with their families before embarking on this all important battle.

Alone.

Not only was Tundra was more powerful than any of them, it was their battle to fight. Their race was in danger, this Sarada and Parsley had to be the ones to face this threat head-on. Even if someone like Inanna could and would end the battle relatively easily and quickly, their race would in no uncertain terms accept any outsider saving them from a force they felt they could handle themselves.

All these allies they could have used to great effect, but their Saiyan pride wouldn't allow them to. Knowing that, they had to realize early on that there was a good chance they were going to die. For Saiyans, dying in battle was the ultimate honor. Most didn't make it to old age for this reason. While dying in a battle for their race's survival was not only undesirable but not ideal, they would die knowing that Tundra's death would quickly follow. It was a cold comfort, but one nonetheless. However, Sarada had no intention of dying before it was her time. She had no plans to die at all, but especially not now. And she knew Parsley felt the same.

With all that in mind, they trained as hard as they could. Sarada was already a month into her pregnancy, and with each day that passed by, it became more evident. It wouldn't be long before they would have to scale their training back to such a degree that wouldn't interfere with the baby. A bothersome thing, but one that Sarada wouldn't mind.

Until then, they trained as hard as they could. With Nevanlinna training with them, they had not only a third party of comparable strength, but one with a power set that neither of them had a firm grasp on. It was tempered in magic, which still gave Sarada fits. Parsley fared far better, and seemed to be learning. It likely wouldn't be long before she was casting her own spells, like a nerd. Still, for Sarada, it was like facing an insurmountable foe, perfect preparation for Tundra. Fighting someone of that caliber meant having to think faster, react faster, move faster. She needed to eliminate the time wasted by thinking and just do.

Thus, she spent a lot of time not only training within the effect of Peerless Instinct, but thinking of ways to improve it. It already improved her reaction greatly, but she could always be faster, always react faster. The more she reflected and meditated, the more obvious it became that she was missing something.

But what?

She only had around eight months to figure out what.

[Monstrous Bird of Qin, Ou Ki]

Oggod frowned as Totoma did him a confusion and seemingly charged directly into the path of his Acid Wash technique. Then, the young Saiyan hero disappeared in a cloud of dust of his own creation. The Acid Wash emerged from the other side, so Oggod -- unable to sense energy -- could only assume he was melted.

"!!!" The azure beam of legendary fame rained down from above, catching the canine warrior completely off-guard. "I've been bamboozled!" he shouted just before being engulfed within the beam's girth. When it dissipated, there was no sign of him, his energy completely gone.

Oggod disappeared, incinerated by his Kamehameha. If the invader had been able to sense energy, then maybe he would've been able to react in time, but... apparently that skill wasn't as common as Totoma had thought. It was probably pretty likely that the number of people in the Tundra force that actually knew how to sense energy was very, very low.

Scanning the battlefield, Totoma took particular notice of a clustered group of higher-than-normal powers in the direction Oggod had come from. Somehow, he'd overlooked them, being as focused on the small fry (and Oggod) as he had been. In fact, he could see them right this very moment. They must be the commanders...

Now, Totoma wasn't a general or commander, but he did know that armies needed someone directing them to function well. Decapitate the leadership and the army would fall apart. Probably. So... best thing to do would be to take down the big guys. Yeah... sounded like a plan.

Clenching his fists, Totoma began to power up. Gold crept into his hair, and blue-green into his eyes until they had fully changed color. Shortly after, a brilliant golden aura exploded from him as he transformed into a mighty Super Saiyan!



This was probably overkill, but he felt that it would help the soldiers' morale to see a super saiyan in their midst.

Locking his gaze on the slain Oggod's group, Totoma's aura flared even more as he tore a path to them through the air... and parts of their army. When he reached them, he stopped, crossing his arms and grinning. "Yo... you must be the guys in charge of this army. Sorry, but I had to put down your dog."

[Monstrous Bird of Qin, Ou Ki]

As expected, Avoca's brawny figure impressed her partner. Huge muscle with zero give would impress anyone. Still, as nice as it was to be able to just stand there -- eventually -- and shrug off hit after hit by simply flexing, she preferred her normal figure. Being this beefy was far better suited for men than women in her opinion. So, once Tasure seemed satisfied and started bouncing ideas off her, she breathed out and let her body return to its normal size.

There was a bit of strain and soreness, like she had been exercising for a long time with no breaks. A downside to using it for too long, which was why Brocado didn't just walk around in Super Saiyan Brose all the time.

Next was Buffet's technique. She recalled countless embarrassing times when she tried to pull it off, only for the blast to explode in her face; or worse, in her mouth or throat. One of the main reasons she spent so much time training with them was because she needed time to recover from all those stupid mishaps. When she got it, it was the best feeling ever. So far, she only ever tried it on small blasts, but nothing like beams or giant blasts like Death Balls or anything like that. She was wondering what the limits were. No better place to find out than here and now.

When Tasure fired a generic attack, Avoca opened her mouth and vacuumed it in with ease. "Ah. He calls this Unlimited Eat Works. Basically, I ingest literal ki and can either use it to restore my own stamina or can increase my power with it. Hm. I wonder if I can figure out how to, like, hit someone with the full power of the energy I took from them. I mean, if you fired your strongest attack at me, I might be able to absorb it then hit you with the full brunt of that attack." It was worth a shot, at any rate.

Ah, so her first instinct was right. With correct timing and the right manipulation of her ki, Avoca could "eat" the energy, restoring her own stamina or powering up. Another simple, but effective technique. And one that she wanted to test the limits of--a sentiment that Avoca seemed to share.

"Let's see if you can turn that 'might' into a 'can'," said Tasure. Her aura exploded from her and she flew into the air, drawing back her hands into a pose for an attack that Avoca would doubtlessly know--the Galick Gun. Or, as she called it, the Galick Cannon

Violet energy began seeping into her aura, which became ever more wild and violent, until it had entirely changed color. Bolts of energy shot out in every direction, and the energy began to pool in her hands. Her aura compacted to be almost skin-tight. "Galick Cannon..."

And then she thrust her hands forward, her aura exploding into a sphere around her as a purple wave of energy shot forth towards Avoca.

"FIRE!"


She could have charged it much faster, but had opted to go the... cinematic route, to give Avoca ample time to prepare to 'eat' the attack. And really, even if the younger saiyaness failed, this (probably) wouldn't kill her... just almost kill her--an outcome that would certainly be beneficial to Avoca. No pain, no game, as their people said.

[Cleric of Hell’s Brigade]

Inanna impressed herself in the end, with how many blows she managed to block, but there really had been no question as to the outcome in the end. Lampton was simply too much, and as the golden-eyed woman continued to suffer injury- a cut here, and puncture there- her guard began to falter; her ability to regenerate simply being overwhelmed in the moment.

Though such was the gamble one took, when playing Gods, and Devils... and Lampton had no idea who he was dealing with. "Submit?" Inanna asked, managing to laugh through grit teeth. "No. I don't think I will. I have you right where I want you, splattered with my blood."

With a grunt, and a sharp inhale, Inanna was swift.

"Look at the mess you've made..."

Wrenching the blade free, Inanna staggered, and a moment later the spell took hold. Nothing fancy, nothing ornate... the blood that covered Lampton's blade and body simply exploded with as much strength as Inanna herself had in her.

The explosion echoes...oddly. Subdued somehow by this strange private HFIL area.

When the smoke and blood mist dies down, Inanna, wounded and breathing hard, can see an equally breathing hard Sheki’hinah running over to her, glaive gone, as she quickly checks your injuries. The persistent blades she had been blocking no longer active, scattered about the strange clearing.

“Inanna! Daughter, are you ok? What was that?”

Looking around, a low clapping is heard as, once again, Lampton seems to step out from behind the giant sword. However, gone is his Angelic appearance. Instead, his form seems...corrupted. Clearly he had done something to himself long ago to change his nature.



“Lampton is impressed. He hasn’t had to transform in millennia.”

He glances down and slowly wipes at a bit of blood on his arm, the oddly purplish-clear liquid rubbed between his fingers as he eyes it.

“And Lampton sees blood. From his lesser form, but his blood it is nonetheless. Lampton is moderately impressed, little Goddess.”

He stands taller then before suddenly, and one clawed hand rests on the hilt of the larger blade.

“Lampton promised. Ask him for his secrets, Death’s Daughter. Ask him what the proto-majin wanted to know.”

[Cthulhu_of_R'lyeh]

The explosion echoes...oddly. Subdued somehow by this strange private HFIL area.

When the smoke and blood mist dies down, Inanna, wounded and breathing hard, can see an equally breathing hard Sheki’hinah running over to her, glaive gone, as she quickly checks your injuries. The persistent blades she had been blocking no longer active, scattered about the strange clearing.

“Inanna! Daughter, are you ok? What was that?”

Looking around, a low clapping is heard as, once again, Lampton seems to step out from behind the giant sword. However, gone is his Angelic appearance. Instead, his form seems...corrupted. Clearly he had done something to himself long ago to change his nature.



“Lampton is impressed. He hasn’t had to transform in millennia.”

He glances down and slowly wipes at a bit of blood on his arm, the oddly purplish-clear liquid rubbed between his fingers as he eyes it.

“And Lampton sees blood. From his lesser form, but his blood it is nonetheless. Lampton is moderately impressed, little Goddess.”

He stands taller then before suddenly, and one clawed hand rests on the hilt of the larger blade.

“Lampton promised. Ask him for his secrets, Death’s Daughter. Ask him what the proto-majin wanted to know.”

"Blood Magic," Inanna responds as her injuries ever so slowly begin mending. "A bit of a... hack job, but no less effective than something more complicated." Statement made however, it seemed that Lampton had been forced to transform- surprise, surprise- to stave off more serious injury.

Inanna had done what she'd meant to, though. Bled an Angel. "So what is it Auroc wants, and more importantly, why?" The golden-eyed woman asked, before picking herself up to stand on shaky legs.

"... and why are you down here, if you're not dead."

[bruceleegreyhulk]

The cloth started to shake a little, rattling the glasses. Dash kneeled down next to it and placed her hand gently on it, "It's okay." Speaking the the cloak, then looking up at Praxat, "ah think you hurt her feelings. She's always very clean, an a bit sensitive about her appearance. If you apologize, she'll let you sit down here."

" I didn't know that. Committed to good hygiene is something I admire. Good hygiene is always important. I apologize for hurting your feelings, cloth," Praxat said.

[Cleric of Hell’s Brigade]

"Blood Magic," Inanna responds as her injuries ever so slowly begin mending. "A bit of a... hack job, but no less effective than something more complicated." Statement made however, it seemed that Lampton had been forced to transform- surprise, surprise- to stave off more serious injury.

Inanna had done what she'd meant to, though. Bled an Angel. "So what is it Auroc wants, and more importantly, why?" The golden-eyed woman asked, before picking herself up to stand on shaky legs.

"... and why are you down here, if you're not dead."

Lampton nods, fingers tapping against the sword as Sheki’hinah takes a slightly protective stance near Inanna, just in case.

“Auroc wants to know how to evolve. Auroc wants to become a true God. Lampton knows how. Lampton knows that Gods of Destruction and Creation are only two types of true gods, ones originally set up by Lord Zeno as a balancing scale. Destroy and Create. Godly Ki can be obtained by others however. Ascending mortal form and truly becoming deific. Not Gods of Destruction or Creation, but pinnacles of a races true capability.”

Lampton grins.

“Auroc is a proto-majin created before that race existed. His potential is not the same as a true majin, nor his capabilities. For him, the normal ritual or training would not work. But, combining enough Creational energy with certain old Magic’s.......he could become one.”

“Lampton can be here because Lampton wants to be here. I am older than HFIL after all. As to why Lampton is down here........”

He looks at the two women, head cocked to the side.

“Lampton knew swift retribution would be upon the trickers of Asha’rah and betrayers of Lord Zeno. When Sakin failed to replace the Grand Priest, Lampton did not want that fight and knew to....beat feet, so to speak. In truth, Lampton is hiding. No one should have been able to find me, and thus Old Sihn’s quest would fail and this universe would forever be sealed away and the Grand Priest especially couldn’t find me. But Lampton did not predict Lady Death coming back to life. Lampton believed Hammer and Stine killed her good. Only she could have gotten here without the use of a Wish spell.”

[Cthulhu_of_R'lyeh]

Lampton nods, fingers tapping against the sword as Sheki’hinah takes a slightly protective stance near Inanna, just in case.

“Auroc wants to know how to evolve. Auroc wants to become a true God. Lampton knows how. Lampton knows that Gods of Destruction and Creation are only two types of true gods, ones originally set up by Lord Zeno as a balancing scale. Destroy and Create. Godly Ki can be obtained by others however. Ascending mortal form and truly becoming deific. Not Gods of Destruction or Creation, but pinnacles of a races true capability.”

Lampton grins.

“Auroc is a proto-majin created before that race existed. His potential is not the same as a true majin, nor his capabilities. For him, the normal ritual or training would not work. But, combining enough Creational energy with certain old Magic’s.......he could become one.”

“Lampton can be here because Lampton wants to be here. I am older than HFIL after all. As to why Lampton is down here........”

He looks at the two women, head cocked to the side.

“Lampton knew swift retribution would be upon the trickers of Asha’rah and betrayers of Lord Zeno. When Sakin failed to replace the Grand Priest, Lampton did not want that fight and knew to....beat feet, so to speak. In truth, Lampton is hiding. No one should have been able to find me, and thus Old Sihn’s quest would fail and this universe would forever be sealed away and the Grand Priest especially couldn’t find me. But Lampton did not predict Lady Death coming back to life. Lampton believed Hammer and Stine killed her good. Only she could have gotten here without the use of a Wish spell.”

Inanna listened, and found herself more than amused at the true nature of the 'Universe'. Her station, and the station of her counterpart little more than stepping stones. Not that the realization bothered her. In many ways it was to be expected. As for God Ki?

She decided to not say.

"While I don't doubt the truth of what you say, I doubt the Proto-Majin came up with all of this on his lonesome." Inanna said, opting to focus on the questions answered. "He's not very smart. Or especially crafty. So where then, did this idea come from. Let alone the information that you were down here. And about that..." the woman said, glancing at the twisted Angel before her.

"It's only a matter of time before Auroc finds you. Nearly captured one Kami; and there's so very many more Kami thanks to the 'Gods'... all containing a delicious little spark of Creation."

Of course this was all secondary to the question that had been laying in wait; and it was now that the matter of God Ki would prove useful.

"I've already figured it out, in part. God Ki, and Hakai in my possession... but what would little old me need to do, to learn how to finish the transformation?"

[Tami]

" I didn't know that. Committed to good hygiene is something I admire. Good hygiene is always important. I apologize for hurting your feelings, cloth," Praxat said.

"Joy," Dash smiled, "You can call her Joy and she accepts your apology. Come and sit, we can eat and talk about what our goals are for training."

[Cleric of Hell’s Brigade]

Inanna listened, and found herself more than amused at the true nature of the 'Universe'. Her station, and the station of her counterpart little more than stepping stones. Not that the realization bothered her. In many ways it was to be expected. As for God Ki?

She decided to not say.

"While I don't doubt the truth of what you say, I doubt the Proto-Majin came up with all of this on his lonesome." Inanna said, opting to focus on the questions answered. "He's not very smart. Or especially crafty. So where then, did this idea come from. Let alone the information that you were down here. And about that..." the woman said, glancing at the twisted Angel before her.

"It's only a matter of time before Auroc finds you. Nearly captured one Kami; and there's so very many more Kami thanks to the 'Gods'... all containing a delicious little spark of Creation."

Of course this was all secondary to the question that had been laying in wait; and it was now that the matter of God Ki would prove useful.

"I've already figured it out, in part. God Ki, and Hakai in my possession... but what would little old me need to do, to learn how to finish the transformation?"

“Where indeed. Lampton thinks you know who gave him the idea. Only Sakin knew where Lampton was. Seems Auroc and Sakin have had contact then. A shell game, Lampton thinks it is. Sakin uses Auroc to keep you all occupied. Old Sihn is getting awfully close. Only Sakin, the amulet of Bitter Mourning, Hammer, Stine, and myself remain of the traitors. Hammer and Stine are easily dealt with, so that means Sihn will soon be onto Sakin permanently.”

He shrugs.

“Kami barely contain enough for what he wants. He would need dozens, maybe hundreds to get enough Creational energy. Auroc would be better suited finding specifically amped ones, like Earth’s, but those are few and far between. The spark most Kami have is a teaspoon to the lake Auroc needs.”

He cocks his head at Inanna.

“You have already advanced down the path. You already posses a godly nature. What more could you seek? An Oni God combined with a natural God of Destruction?”

[Cthulhu_of_R'lyeh]

“Where indeed. Lampton thinks you know who gave him the idea. Only Sakin knew where Lampton was. Seems Auroc and Sakin have had contact then. A shell game, Lampton thinks it is. Sakin uses Auroc to keep you all occupied. Old Sihn is getting awfully close. Only Sakin, the amulet of Bitter Mourning, Hammer, Stine, and myself remain of the traitors. Hammer and Stine are easily dealt with, so that means Sihn will soon be onto Sakin permanently.”

He shrugs.

“Kami barely contain enough for what he wants. He would need dozens, maybe hundreds to get enough Creational energy. Auroc would be better suited finding specifically amped ones, like Earth’s, but those are few and far between. The spark most Kami have is a teaspoon to the lake Auroc needs.”

He cocks his head at Inanna.

“You have already advanced down the path. You already posses a godly nature. What more could you seek? An Oni God combined with a natural God of Destruction?”

"Earth's Kami was nearly taken, yes." Inanna replied. "Vocado's new Guardian was taken, but by one in possession of the Amulet. Not Auroc. Though Sakin has been taking and draining Kami for quite some time." Inanna explained.

Ah well. It being Sakin pulling on the Proto-Majin's strings was... unexpected, but perhaps not entirely surprising. That rogue Angel had been tugging at the strings for quite some time. As far back as when Inanna had arrived to Earth. That he was perhaps drawing close to his endgame was a tad alarming, but was to be expected. At best they'd been hitting at shadows, and dealing with those errant strands- fallout the God's in their Sandbox. Though in regards to Sihn and his 'hunting', the golden-eyed woman cackled.

"The Universe will have suffered heat death by the time he gets off of his ass. If one needs something done, they best do it themselves. Which might help explain why what I am now, isn't enough..."

She smiled, and it was obvious to even her mother the gesture was bordering on malice.

"The 'True Gods' fucked me. Left this Universe to squalor and rot, as they squabbled over how best to shape their creation's and their aspirations... and by now it's obvious to everyone but themselves, that this mess is not for them to fix; they're corrupt. Absentee. Cowards. Only Shek'hinah, my mother, is free from this... and even as an innocent, she was killed by the indiscretion- manipulated it might've been- of her sister." Inanna stated, before clenching her fist.

"What's more? Another is on the same trajectory as I am. Genesis, she's called; and she's a step ahead. Ripped the arms from Hammer, and stole Creation from Sihn's gun..." there was also the matter of her alternate self. Though with no leads to follow and no time to follow them she was in something of a bind. "To be perfectly frank, the path I'm on is not enough not for what I need to protect; or for the work that needs doing."

Inanna unclenched, her fist and her smile lost most of its malice.

"Work I'm sure you'd enjoy... considering your hand in the last rebellion."