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

[grampagen]

Over the Lookout, the Nevadian Outrunner descended under cloaking and set a silent landing below. Ochazuke stole from the cargo bay with haste as Zaofan ran to greet him and Captain Ulysses.

"Holy geez, when you said you'd be coming back today I didn't think it would be like that."

"There was a matter of some urgency to attend to, Zao," Ochazuke replied curtly, pointing upward as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.

"The readout's coming in," said the Nevadian Captain, "Water, carbon, nitrogen, a whole slew of organic molecules in slush and mineral form. We've seen what this thing can do with machines, but the next step...heh, well let's not get ahead of ourselves."

The one-eyed man wanted to nuke this machine to hell a few days ago, but when they'd seen its potential, perhaps it was more than mere curiosity that fascinated him.

"Sure, look at this guy, just roll up and save the Earth."

"Duty is often enough its own baleful reward."

"...if we weren't guests here at a Kami's house, I'd give you such a thrashing-"

"I'd like to see you try, Cookman."

At this jab, Zaofan twitched.

"You talking down to me? You're talking to a man that can break down a tuna with 0 wastage and get everyone a perfect risotto, standing room only, buddy."

With a strange grin, Ochazuke lift his hand and pulled his fingers in. Bloodied bands streaked down his forearm, coiled into the opening stance of the Dragon Style. Zaofan sprung into action.

"Pressure Kicker! Dragon Sweeps His Tail!"

He'd been on edge ever since Etrina had disappeared. Ochazuke knew this, but it was a little unlike him to be so upset over the Cookman crack. The real reason why he was so nettled though, besides the obvious...that was Erosa's word!

Fast. He's gotten quicker since the time with Kevi.

The defensive stance had been opened for a moment, but the hidden Dragon was perhaps the most dangerous. Move last, act first, that was the maxim of the old order. Though they were renowned for their flame, atop the Nine Dragon Peak they prided themselves as swordsmen with deft footwork that flowed like water, the very same that went behind their fists.

Confound it! Well if you can see through that, then how about I crank it up a notch?!

The fleet-footed chef clashed with the studied hands of the martial artist in a blistering exchange that put the latter on the defensive, a sequence of moves that seemed to carry itself in such a controlled manner. Zaofan's blistering kicks scattered Ochazuke's guard on impact, and through subtle level shifts and realignments in his steps did he offset the angles. The very real shock of the strikes cutting through the air betrayed the fact that this was, indeed, unrehearsed, spontaneous sparring. Even at this level, the slightest misstep could have dire consequences.

"So spill, what is that thing you've found, exactly?"

A sidekick to the knee was checked by a stance shift. Tiger Stance.

"A learning machine. The more data it receives, the more it seeks to understand." Reading the next kick, Ochazuke swayed back an inch, and Zaofan's heel just clipped his chin. Gritting his teeth as his knees froze up, he dodged the next volley through waist movements. "Within minutes it emulated the structures of a Nevadian ship. If it has the materials, some sort of framework to reference from, its emulation would be-"

Throwing up his guard, Ochazuke slipped the next kick, then smashed his wrist downward onto Zaofan's calf as it passed as he switched legs and tricked off of his guarding arm into a backflip.

"Well! What a gift this would be, to turn the weapon of the enemy against them!"

"It's scouring whatever was left in the atmosphere by the GP and whatever other debris might have been left up there. Within seconds the Big Ghetti Star could analyze, assimilate and duplicate sophisticated technology in an instant. What a waste of such potential to turn it towards the designs of war."

Years ago, it had seemed so far away, a thing merely of speculative fancy. There bathed in the twisted nebula the Star Forge of The First Ones had been seized by The Doctor to wage his war against Time itself and the ancient mysteries beyond. He'd never heard the fiend speak, not saw his face, and he would let this memory rot until it was forgotten. The husk of a world that was the Earth he had hailed from, however, made him wary.

"The last thing we need is to turn this into a weapon...but for a time it may be necessary."

Zaofan landed on his bad leg, sprawling back into a guard. Ochazuke sped forward and raised his fist. Sinking down, he'd struck the chef in the abdomen as a hard kick smashed against his ribs. Indecisive to a draw, at last they stopped, Zaofan slapping his back as he wheezed.

"Right now, such a thing is beyond us. But, suppose Jinzi Pantaloon, President of Earth made it official?"

The chef sucked wind and held his breath for a moment to collect his thoughts. True, Capsule Corp had their eye on this marvel for some time, but for the means to reach it. In fact, Ochazuke had mentioned the coordinates was from a Capsule employee, hadn't he?

"...Analysis, Assimilation, and Emulation huh?" Zaofan said ponderously as he recovered, "this may be a bit controversial, but along with our usual panel of experts, there'll be someone else who might be helpful with the analysis. See, I've been getting to know a guy, and he's been coming around to a less judgmental point of view these days.."

Besides, they all knew Jinzi Pantaloon had been searching for any excuse to step outside of the office.

[Sub-Zero MKA]

The next day, Maiz departed for Chroma. She had no frame of reference, but from what she heard, the planet had been occupied only a few years ago. The progress made to restore it not only its previous luster, but beyond that was impressive.

After she sat down and explained her findings thus far with Meagan, which weren’t much, she insisted on helping. Maiz would have preferred to work alone to minimize the chances of mistakes and miscommunications, but she was persistent. In the end, she relented.

It turned out that the Guardians on Meagan’s list were far more spread out than she initially realized, which was saying something. This is going to take a lot longer than I thought. There were dozens upon dozens of names that had been accumulated over time. If anyone got their hands on it, they were all in grave danger. It was then, briefly, that Maiz understood why Meagan thought it best to keep it to herself. It was, of course, foolish, but the understanding was there.

Part of her wondered if the Guardian system was worth all the trouble. They did good work, for their own respective worlds. But only considering herself, she was doing nothing that she couldn’t have done without those powers and abilities. Perhaps they came in handy every now and then, but for the most part, she was just as capable before she ascended. They all had sizable targets on their backs; hers would only get bigger once it got out that she had a set of dragonballs - whenever she was able to learn how to make them.

She wondered what would happen if they redid the entire thing. Maybe not eliminate it entirely, but just... reworked it so it wouldn’t put their lives in danger so much. I don’t know. Something to think about later, I suppose.

It turned out that Meagan’s temple had a portal machine that could travel to anywhere, so long as the coordinates were inputted. Certainly a handy machine. Cumbersome, but until those teleportation devices Sarada had were mass-produced, it would have to do.

She went down the list and traveled to each Guardian’s world alone. After a moment to explain why she was there, she spoke to them and asked them if they had heard or encountered anything like the being she witnessed on Ruco, that Letchee fellow. She showed them a visualization of the vision her Past Sight showed her. One by one, they were just as clueless as she was. As frustrating as it was to have wasted her time traveling to those worlds, it wasn’t a complete loss. After the first trip, she conjured a gift for the Guardian she spoke with. It cost her nothing to give them a token of the gratitude for taking time to speak with her, and it engendered a friendly relationship between the two. It was nothing elaborate, a simple but beautiful potted plant that was found on Pepa. Its vibrant colors made it a favorite amongst homeowners.

She had often found that the simplest gifts were the most appreciated. It cost nothing often times to show gratitude. Something she should have impressed on her children more.

That routine repeated with every trip for the next two weeks. She visited one Guardian a day, spoke to them about Letchee to determine if they knew anything about them, then spent the remainder of the day speaking to them in an effort to get to know them better. She learned a great deal about them as people, but nothing about the task at hand. And as good as it was to acquaint herself with her contemporaries, she was no closer to figuring out what happened than she was when she started.

It nothing else, everyone was aware that there had been a threat targeting them not too long ago. Many were completely unaware, living blissfully in peace. She envied those. She missed the days when her biggest concern was where she was going to take her children for a field trip. Those days, sadly, were long gone. In games of Gods and Heaven, simplicity was a fleeting dream best left to children. Until their work was complete, nothing would ever be simple.

Day by day, she crossed Guardians off her list. She learned little in the way of her investigation, but did learn different tidbits and several new skills. It helped that Saiyans were quick learners in many things. The more experienced of her fellows helped her hone her skills in the short time she was with them. As exciting as it was to learn new things and meet new people/catalogue new places, that wasn’t what she was there for. And as the weeks rolled by, the belief that she was on the wrong path became stronger.

It wasn’t until the final week of her investigation that the fruits of her labor became manifest. Seven planets remained, all of which happened to be situated in the same general area, relatively speaking. When she passed through Meagan’s portal machine to the first of the seven, she did so with another potted planet in hand. She knew nothing of those people, but everyone loved flowers so she felt it was a safe thing to bring with her.

It wasn’t.

What she found when she stepped through the portal and onto the world was nothing short of horrifying, but familiar. Bones. Dusted, rotting bones as far as the eye could see. The ocean of remains stretched from one end of the horizon to the other. Maiz floated upward to avoid stepped on any. “What happened here?” she pondered in a hushed tone. She swallowed nervously. This world must have been one of Letchee’s victims, she realized.

In order to kill a Guardian to harvest their power, she supposed that killing the entire planet would ensure the time to do so. Her senses spread out far and wide, stretching across the planet to confirm.

Yes. Not a soul remained. Every person who had lived on that world was dead. Maiz let out a shaky breath as the realization dawned on her. So many lives lost for the sake of power. It was a tale that was literally as old as time itself. Those with might stepped forward and stepped on those without in a mad scramble for more power. It was a rat race the Saiyans happily indulged in once upon a time. Thankfully, those days were long over, but there were always plenty of would-be conquerors jumping at the chance to step into their oversized shoes and continue where they left off.

Past Sight revealed the truth to her. She witnessed Letchee descending upon the world like a meteor. He landed without a word, simply standing there in the midst of a populated city. People flocked to him, but parted so that an older man could greet him. Clearly that world’s Guardian, the two shook hands under the guise of two contemporaries meeting for the first time. It was then that Letchee struck, killing the man with a single blow to the head. What happened next was indescribable. A familiar pink gem was conjured out of nowhere and held aloft over Letchee’s head. Innumerable white beams shot out of the gem and struck every person. More and more beams stretched across the planet, making sure not to miss a single person.

Their souls were sucked out of their bodies and absorbed into the gem. The bodies, millions in number, dropped to the ground nearly in unison. Without a word spoken, Letchee lifted off the ground and departed as quickly as he arrived.

Maiz shuddered, a cold chill running up her spine at the sight.

The next six worlds suffered the same fate. It was unfathomable. Billions upon billions of people murdered, their souls trapped inside the gem to... do something. Perhaps so they couldn’t be wished back to life or even pass on to Otherworld? If so, he was a merciless bastard, which was right in line with what Sarada and Parsley told her. To think that her daughters could have suffered the exact same fate but hadn’t was a relief. Not much of one, but one nonetheless.

The final world turned out to be ground zero. Maiz already knew that Letchee could swap bodies with other people, so witnessing him swap bodies with the Guardian of that world didn’t come as a shock. She was unsure how he even knew to target her as opposed to literally anyone else. Perhaps it was an accident. Regardless, she knew what had happened.

Every Guardian that was part of the network already knew where every other Guardian within the network was. She wasn’t sure how yet, but Letchee gained access to it when he swapped bodies with that Guardian. With that access, he knew where each and every one of them was. From there, it would have been easy to kill them and steal their power without anyone finding out.

[Sub-Zero MKA]

It took months, but Maiz’s investigation was complete. She returned to Chroma and disclosed her findings to Meagan. Finding out that it was her own network that led to six Guardians’ demises was a blow. Maiz could have further berated her, stating very correctly that she was right to have her doubts about the entire thing and how Meagan had put them all in immense danger, blah blah blah. While she could have, she didn’t. The girl felt horrible enough about it as it was, so Maiz so no need to further add to her guilt with pointless browbeating.

With a promise to look into the matter further and make the necessary changes to ensure more security given to her, Maiz took her leave and returned to Langal. As soon as she returned, she wrote up a very detailed memo on the findings of her investigation and sent them to every Guardian she knew. That included Eva of Earth and Althena of Qaceria.

With that done, she informed Sarada of what happened.

“Tch. So that’s how the bastard did it,” Sarada grumbled. “How did Meagan take it?”

“Not well, understandably. She told me she’s going to fix it.”

“Hopefully not by herself. I think something like this takes a group effort to bounce ideas off of and all that.”

“Mm. At any rate, I’ve sent a memo to every Guardian I could get a hold of. While it’s no longer an issue, this should keep us alert to any further attempts to abuse the network.” Despite the macabre visions she received on the slaughtered, lifeless worlds, there was a silver lining to it all. Letchee showed beyond the shadow of all doubt that their system of communication was severely flawed. If nothing else, it was going to force them to find something better. What that something was, she could only guess.

“The whole thing should be scrapped,” Sarada said. “It isn’t safe and I don’t want you in danger just so you can barely communicate with each other.”

“I know.” That was all she said in the end. A matter of that much import required far more than simple speculation and idle ideas. There were hundreds, if not thousands of Guardians across the galaxy and beyond. For something as expansive as a communication network between them to function properly, there were countless precautions to be taken and considerations to be made. It was far more than one person could handle. She intended on contacting Meagan again later that day to suggest some kind of group effort, like Sarada said. There were a lot of differing opinions to be considered. It wasn’t something that should have been handled casually. Or alone.

“On the bright side, I learned a new tea making technique,” she said with a small grin. “Wanna see?”

Sarada smiled. “Sure.”

[bruceleegreyhulk]

Praxat is outside of Miras' office reading her sister Craxat's translations of Disdemona Luue's travelogues. ( The only thing interested about my ancestor's travelogues are the places she visited, and maybe her knowledge in chemistry. Even if it's outdated by over 30,000 years,) Praxat thought.

(It might be nice to visit the planets mentioned in my ancestor's travelogues, I should talk to Miras about them,) Praxat thought

Praxat takes out a notebook and writes down planets mention in her ancestor's travelogues. ( Hmm, Elephantine, Xeniri, and Xolmichi might be interesting planets to visit,) Praxat thought.

( Something crossed my mind. I wonder how Qaztoh is doing? I have seen her in a long time. I wonder if she's judging an Intergalactic Shogi tournament or maybe she's promoting one. After all, she did become a board member of the intergalactic Shogi federation,) Praxat thought.

[grampagen]

Tiamat nods.

“He trains with two of Lord Zeno’s Angels. His time is not wasted.”

She bows, than light fills the sky and she disappears as the dragonballs glow a bit more, than fade and rest down by Eva.

“She’ll gather her strength for the third wish when we need it.”

Meanwhile, Jack and Nunlil catch up on what’s happened with Kai quickly and than both nod to Ochazuke.

“We’re a bit ahead of you there. Nunlil and I have already started rooting out Sakin’s influence in Otherworld and HFIL, and we’ve been training up more Hunters. In fact, after we gather ourselves Nunlil will probably head back there and keep that up until we’re needed for this last round of cards. Myself, I’ve got some things to talk to Arthur about. Mainly how to better master my sword, because I think we’ll need it.”

With the dragon dispersing ahead of schedule, Ochazuke exhaled and found the draw of breath had been unusually shallow. Where his hand stood at his side, he finally took notice. His knees carried a tremor up to his trembling limbs, and a cold sweat wicked upon his brow. The second wish had gifted them, at the very least, that the apparent damage rendered by the Ulthan nearly a year ago would be amended. But that would not make up for what had already been taken from them.

Time, time, time. Towards a confrontation of the Universe's ending, their better qualities as warriors had begun to bend into a distortion of themselves.

"Perhaps in a half year, she might recover the power for another series of two," he thought aloud. "

Bend, perhaps; but break? He would not give the Destroyer the satisfaction.

"Parsley and I have captured one of his Soul Meisters in a prison of his own crafting," he replied to Jack, "Alone, he is inert, but his covenant with Sakin has produced a unique energy signature."

At the mention of Arthur's legacy and Excalibur, Ochazuke's expression darkened, coarse lines creasing over his features.

"I'd thought the Coven of the Grey Thorn had fallen with the cultist Agravain when he attempted to resurrect the Magi Queen Persephone in the Northern Ruin of Amdapor. If there were others who had treated with the powers of the Void besides the Kingdom of Old Avalon, their order may be older than even Etrina had realized."

Magic of a form that stood outside of the dichotomy of Creation and Destruction, its influence over Earth had been stemmed when he, Zaofan, Erosa and Charco had banished the unholy palace to that space between worlds and sunk its foundations beneath the ice shelf.

"Sakin himself spoke of a ritual. The fallen one may be crippled, but there are those who carry his words into actions." As it was, apocryphally, in the beginning. "The stroke of a sword would suit this task better than your Dead Man's Hand. it would not do to become intimately familiar with the grave, hmm?"

Even after all this time, the younger man's technique remained unrefined.

"Perhaps we can do something about that. Arthur will temper your blade, Zao and I will refine your fist."

[grampagen]

At that point, Zaofan launched his attack. Totoma had his back turned, focused as he was on Kumara and Sarada.

...okay, mostly Kumara--she was so darned cute! He'd definitely have to introduce her to his kids and little bro.

Before his training with Vocado, he would've been taken completely by surprise and probably unceremoniously pressure kicked right off the hideout. He was still caught a little by surprise--mostly by the fact that his friend had attacked in the first place--but thanks to his training, his battle senses had grown far sharper. Though he actually had Rutaba to thank for that. Eager to test out and improve her super saiyan powers (he presumed,) she had often just launched into impromptu spars with him. Or against him?

...whatever. Point was, he was totally capable of being on-guard while also being relaxed these days. Especially against jump-kicks!

Totoma spun, his aura flaring and flowing--concentrating into his hand. Catching Zaofan's fPressure Kick, he tightened his grip enough for the gathered ki in his palm to disperse the ki around Zao-san's foot... but not enough to do more than that. He didn't want to hurt his friend, of course.

Thrust forth upon a ruby-red rocketing kick, Zaofan executed the maneuver with a practiced ease as he'd done thousands of times, and with every battle he'd only become more efficient at it. The way things were going, he'd been determined to keep up any way he could, and that meant moving decisively without hesitation to the point of going from zero and onto the attack and seize the advantage where he could.

Oh sure, Parsley told him Totoma had been training with a legend. That didn't change the fact that he and Ochazuke had to deliver the news to Karine while Tasure was off world.

Then tell Eva and Chazuke they had no idea when Daddy would come back.

That he had to explain this to a pair of three year old twins, smiling as he told them he was off being a hero, that caused something to fester inside him until this very moment and it exploded outward at speeds nearing light as it smashed upon impact.

"Whoa, whoa... I know you're mad, Zao-san, but don't worry. I owe you a big one--several big ones, actually, and I plan to make it up to you," he said, releasing Zaofan's foot. "How does... access to my clan's culinary archives sound? That's like two-thousand years of recipes and other cooking knowledge!"

And yet despite his indiscretion...Totoma the Just Saiyan planted his feet. Just scratching the surface, yes, but he'd shown the time spent had not been in vain.

Responded in an instant...just how did he know...?

Whatever the case, he'd had passed Zaofan's test. Still, as he landed on his opposite foot, with perfect balance, the chef crossed his arms and frowned. Stubbornly he tried to will the tears back into the corners of his eyes.

"Don't apologize to me. I passed on the message, but you have some explaining to do to your wife," he said, voice warbling through as much authority as he could muster, for this far in the year, this in particular had wounded him deeply. "Count your blessings with how lucky you are to have Karine around, don't you think she's been waiting long enough?"

It was uncanny. The mention of cuisine from top chefs, the best of the best, seemed to pass by Zaofan's scowling face as if he'd shot an Optic Blast through it and stared straight into Totoma.

Only for a moment though, as he untied his foot from his friend's grasp.

"...I will strongly consider it some time down the road. Right now, I have my hands full teaching Sarada and Parsley about Fusion."

[Monstrous Bird of Qin, Ou Ki]

Thrust forth upon a ruby-red rocketing kick, Zaofan executed the maneuver with a practiced ease as he'd done thousands of times, and with every battle he'd only become more efficient at it. The way things were going, he'd been determined to keep up any way he could, and that meant moving decisively without hesitation to the point of going from zero and onto the attack and seize the advantage where he could.

Oh sure, Parsley told him Totoma had been training with a legend. That didn't change the fact that he and Ochazuke had to deliver the news to Karine while Tasure was off world.

Then tell Eva and Chazuke they had no idea when Daddy would come back.

That he had to explain this to a pair of three year old twins, smiling as he told them he was off being a hero, that caused something to fester inside him until this very moment and it exploded outward at speeds nearing light as it smashed upon impact.



And yet despite his indiscretion...Totoma the Just Saiyan planted his feet. Just scratching the surface, yes, but he'd shown the time spent had not been in vain.

Responded in an instant...just how did he know...?

Whatever the case, he'd had passed Zaofan's test. Still, as he landed on his opposite foot, with perfect balance, the chef crossed his arms and frowned. Stubbornly he tried to will the tears back into the corners of his eyes.

"Don't apologize to me. I passed on the message, but you have some explaining to do to your wife," he said, voice warbling through as much authority as he could muster, for this far in the year, this in particular had wounded him deeply. "Count your blessings with how lucky you are to have Karine around, don't you think she's been waiting long enough?"

It was uncanny. The mention of cuisine from top chefs, the best of the best, seemed to pass by Zaofan's scowling face as if he'd shot an Optic Blast through it and stared straight into Totoma.

Only for a moment though, as he untied his foot from his friend's grasp.

"...I will strongly consider it some time down the road. Right now, I have my hands full teaching Sarada and Parsley about Fusion."

Totoma's jovial expression faded to a neutral one, and he remained silent for a long time. At last, he sighed, his hair fading to black as he reverted from Super Saiyan entirely. "...you're absolutely right. She's been waiting for almost a year and deserves an explanation. Evangeline and Chazuke deserve to have their father back in their life instead of training with dead guys." Part of his reason for doing that had been to become strong enough to protect them from anything that might possibly pop up, but he felt saying that would just piss off Zaofan more. At this point, it would feel too much like trying to justify himself.

He took a few steps forward and patted Zaofan on the shoulder. "But you're wrong... I do need to apologize to you, for shouldering the responsibility of relaying... what happened to them. Consider my offer an attempt to make up for that. Anyway, I've... got more important things to take care of--no offense--but feel free to visit whenever you like. You'll probably be able to find me in the dog house, if I'm lucky."

That was probably a joke, of course. Karine would... probably not be particularly pleased with what he did, but she would understand why he did what he did... and, well, he wasn't entirely sure that coming back immediately would've even been possible. It took months for that Kizuna thing he did to eventually draw him back into his body, and if that had never happened, he might've had to have been wished back into it.

Though maybe he could've asked that Shekhinah girl?

Didn't really matter at this point.

"I'd be interested in learning more about that fusion, once you're uh, less... ya know, pissed at me, but I've got family stuff to attend to, so... seeya, everyone!"

Blue aura flaming into existence, Totoma rocketed into the skies, aimed towards his home.

[grampagen]

"What do you mean 'secret plot'?" Sarada asked with a raised eyebrow. "Maiz told me she investigated it with Meagan before they determined what the guy had done and how he did it. After that, they told every guardian they could get a hold of. It's not like they kept this to themselves." She shook her head.

He was right about one thing: Maiz had been very irritated about the entire thing. That irritation would have been unspoken fear had Letchee not been killed on Ruco by Avoca. With him gone, the threat of such a feat being replicated were slim. But then, slim chances were still chances all the same. With Sakin lurking out there... from the vision, it looked like he was going to go in a completely different direction than hunting down Guardians. Sarada could only hope; if Maiz was safe from that dilapidated monster, she could safely focus on helping secure the universe's safety.

"Fine. Whatever it is, I'm sure she'll be happy to consider it. Just let me know when you're ready to talk to her and I'll send an escort for you."

Repetition would be a fruitless course for somebody who did not listen, implication lost when a matter had long been settled in her mind. Thus for the sake of the alliance, Ochazuke instead rephrased his meaning.

"You are quite fortunate to have Maiz around," he replied. "Do you think Meagan mentioned a single thing about this network to any one of us, or did she decide the concerns of her station somehow set her apart?"

For over five years they'd known about the Parasites, and since then he'd been hunting Sakin. Moreover with Jinzi off solving Chroma's problems while he evaded the Dragon, if this was indeed meant to be a network, despite its purpose to help the universe, it had apparnetly been meant for a very select few. With no knowledge or the means to contact the Guardians of other worlds, he did what he could to fortify their position on Earth, and with that Evangeline had excised Grinthorn's influence over this planet even as it almost cost her the last vestiges of her life to seize upon a greater portion of Creation.

Earth, as he had known, had essentially stood alone; Had he known what he knew now, it could have been different. Despite the way everyone portaled in and out from Earth as they saw fit, the concern for security had evidently been limited to what suited their own interests or their pleasure. But it was fruitless to dispense blame to anybody in the present, especially as they stood on the cusp of change.

"Do remember I'd already told you that I will find my own way there. The escort won't be necessary, but if you insist upon it, I suppose it can't be helped."

"Tch."

He should have known by now that Sarada was more than capable of backing up her words with action. "You know better than that. Or maybe you don't know me as well as you think you do."

"I know you well enough to notice a very particular habit, that you have determined your words shall be the first and last left in our dialogue, heedless of what I have to say."

It didn't used to be like this. Still, it felt like ages ago when the young Queen's crown had first been placed upon her that he had given her counsel on using her strength wisely. She'd known what it was to be weak, and the power gained had to be used with some respect; now any words he said fell on deaf ears.

It was a matter of course, he did strike her Queen Consort after all. Against his better judgment, as he drove the Ruination out of Inanna's wound, the worst part of him twist his fist spitefully into her flesh and spilled her blood as recompense for the insults of their ability on top of the lives lost incurred on Darkle.

Moreover it proved to him that despite the conventions of Saiyan wisdom, for allies and adjuncts there was no catharsis to be had by fighting it out; this was the result.

"Perhaps you might reserve a greater portion of your judgement for within and listen. After all, you came here and asked me to teach you. " he said. "Understand that I do not serve at your pleasure...but I would help you, as a friend, to do what is necessary."

Totoma's jovial expression faded to a neutral one, and he remained silent for a long time. At last, he sighed, his hair fading to black as he reverted from Super Saiyan entirely. "...you're absolutely right. She's been waiting for almost a year and deserves an explanation. Evangeline and Chazuke deserve to have their father back in their life instead of training with dead guys." Part of his reason for doing that had been to become strong enough to protect them from anything that might possibly pop up, but he felt saying that would just piss off Zaofan more. At this point, it would feel too much like trying to justify himself.

He took a few steps forward and patted Zaofan on the shoulder. "But you're wrong... I do need to apologize to you, for shouldering the responsibility of relaying... what happened to them. Consider my offer an attempt to make up for that. Anyway, I've... got more important things to take care of--no offense--but feel free to visit whenever you like. You'll probably be able to find me in the dog house, if I'm lucky."

That was probably a joke, of course. Karine would... probably not be particularly pleased with what he did, but she would understand why he did what he did... and, well, he wasn't entirely sure that coming back immediately would've even been possible. It took months for that Kizuna thing he did to eventually draw him back into his body, and if that had never happened, he might've had to have been wished back into it.

Though maybe he could've asked that Shekhinah girl?

Didn't really matter at this point.

"I'd be interested in learning more about that fusion, once you're uh, less... ya know, pissed at me, but I've got family stuff to attend to, so... seeya, everyone!"

Blue aura flaming into existence, Totoma rocketed into the skies, aimed towards his home.

Try as he might, the tears began to fall in a watery stream down, and Zaofan's face filled with a blubbering, ugly crying, filled with pangs of frustration, sadness, a dash of guily - so many emotions, ugh. It flood right out of his eyes and nose, despite his efforts, and it was written all over his face and the gross sniffling. He was just glad to have his friend back.

"...I'll give you a week, then maybe we'll stop by for a nice rack of lamb..."

With a burst of aura, Totoma was off to face the music.

"Good luck, buddy, good luck."

The best way to build relationships was through relaxation. With that in mind, she knew exactly what to do. "One of the planets in my empire has several beaches. It's a popular vacation spot. I'm serious about what I said, which is why I'm inviting all of you there to spend a few weeks in paradise, on me. Maybe a few weeks of relaxation will helps us reconnect and shed some stress before things get intense."

That was one of things she learned from Tasure. Not only did relaxing every few days after intense training help the body heal, it helped the mind heal, making for a much more relaxed and stress-free person.

She turned her attention to everyone. "What do you say guys? This sound like a good idea?"

Several mopped tissues filled with sobs and snot later, Zaofan rejoined the others. Face flushed and eyes red, his demeanour had brightened somewhat, but as he heard Sarada make her offer.

"Beaches and oceans...man, I don't think we've had a get together like this since the first time we all met each other at Capsule Corp! This will be just the thing to unwind-"

"No."

Ochazuke scowled at his martial brother and Zaofan furrowed his brow, mouthing some confused words as he slapped his forehead. Come on, man~! Still, the martial artist's words were firm.

"Were the universe compressed in the manner of Vaikuntha or Spirit and Time we could spare an idle moment, but Sakin plots to march the universe to its doom. Every moment that passes, he accrues more power to set Eldfen free."

Even with half a year and all at their disposal remaining, there was much that remained to be done. Zaofan saw Ochazuke's eyes, carrying the fire-forged steel in his heart, and the heavy burdens carried in his mind. He'd try his best to help lift them where he could, but there was a certain quality about him that was probably tempered with being an initiate of the Five Schools that the chef might never understand try as he might.

"...Well, I mean, if we're heading to the Saiyan worlds anyway, we might as well, right?"

"No, we don't have time, and so much ground to cover. While we moved on Auroc, he nearly conquered our planet."

This wasn't a mission. In a manner of speaking, this was hardly a choice for the man. For those who walked upon the path of the warrior, every potential failure was a road to death. In a manner of speaking, there was no choice but constant vigilance. That didn't mean that they should lose faith, however, and so Zaofan cracked his knuckles as he list of the reasons.

"Even if we're not here, so what? All those guys down there we've trained, the masters we've trained with, aren't they worth something? One, Master Balon's academy has become a hub for martial masters. Two, Aiko's running New Anvil City and the UCGL, I've rolled with those guys and the Bedlam Clan style really left an impression." Zaofan leaned in as he transitioned into his concluding point. "Three, Ajarn Kenshiko. If you're saying she's not up to the task, that's like saying the Ten Hands of Zxu'ro are worthless."

Ochazuke frowned. He just had to use her name...

"Come on, it's the most efficient course!"

And so with a heavy sigh, at Zaofan's insistence he at last relented.

"...so it is, then."

"Hah! Yes! You won't regret it!"

[Miburo]

The Nevadian's training with the Angelic Duo was fruitful. Perhaps the most fruitful training of his life.

Over the past few months, he had began to unlock the intricacies of arcane powers that he was at best vaguely aware of beforehand. In some cases, he was not even so fortunate as to be vaguely aware.

Both his mind, and his sight were able to perceive the truth with a clarity that was breathtaking, mind blowing even.

His strength, his speed, his skill...All had grown by leaps and bounds. His teamwork with Crazy Horse, his spearmanship, his affinity for magical and unarmed arts...It was so that the Held of today would be embarrassed to be in the same room with the Held of old.

Even in the art of negotiation and diplomacy, as well as other battles of wit an intrigue, Whis and Vados were apparently immensely skilled. It essentially came with their role as attendants, and they were quite good at it. It was rare to find the Nevadian argued into a corner, and yet, it now became so commonplace that it barely registered with him.

It was certainly a fruitful, peaceful time. A nice reprieve from the drudgery of command that weighed down his life. The Nevadian was quite aware of his body attempting to summon him back within it. It was fairly difficult to resist the pull at times, even with the means he had devised to keep himself anchored in the afterlife a bit longer.

It had been months since he had passed on. Six? Seven? a year? Two? Held lost track of time. Perhaps in the third month, his body began summoning him. And failing, through no fault of its own.

It was only a matter of time until his methods to avoid life were unsuccessful, and he found himself thrust into the land of the living once more.

And yet, for all the progress the Nevadian had made, all the power at his disposal....

Whis might as well have been facing Held with his eyes closed. Sometimes, he actually did, when he was feeling cheeky. He was usually too polite for that. Vados was less considerate, more often than not.

It was positively infuriating to the Nevadian.

When one was blessed with the insight of the Shingan, very little was left to the imagination. And even that little that remained was being discovered by the Nevadian.

One could imagine Held's frustration when all his Shingan revealed was just how flawless his opponent was. Each new insight discovered simply painted a more elaborate picture of how perfect his opponents were.

They moved almost effortlessly, seemingly without thought, on pure intuition alone. Every clever gambit, every brilliant technique refined, and refined again.....

He might as well have been throwing straw into the wind, for all the effectiveness he had against them.

Even Crazy Horn had been humbled before the two, his own countless ages of combat unable to best either warrior.

He could understand--on some level---what they were doing, if not quite how they were doing it. And that made no difference, for perhaps the first time in a long time.

Laying in a smoldering crater next to the Lord of The Sunlit Planes (Who would never allow himself to lay in a prone position while conscious, stoically standing and his white fur was singed from combat), Held finally reached an unavoidable conclusion.

"You're cheating." Held said finally, coughing violently between breaths, "I don't know how, but I know that you are."

"Oh, come now!" Whis replied, smiling in amusement, "You shouldn't be so down on yourself. You've come quite along way....Besides, it's to be expected that you would struggle against an angelic technique."

"....So it was a technique?" Held asked, still catching his breath, "I was starting to think this is just....how you are."

"It's both." Vados interjected helpfully, "For angels such as ourselves, maintaining Ultra Instinct at all times is a simple matter."

"....Ultra Instinct...?" Held repeated, "That's what you're doing? Why didn't you tell me sooner?"

The pair looked at each other, before looking at the Nevadian.

Vados answered the question, "Honestly, we figured you would ask us what we were doing sooner or later, and didn't want to insult your pride...."

Whis laughed once more, "We didn't expect you to be so...dedicated to your training as to avoid broaching the topic as long as you did! But perhaps that motivation helped you progress as far as you did!"

Crazy Horn snorted. He said nothing, but Held could sense the derision directed at him.

....No wonder I wasn't having any success trying to imitate them. An angelic technique? It's probably out of my pay grade....

"....I suppose we should actually bother to explain to you how the intricacies of such things, although we get the impression you've seen enough that you should be able to figure it out sooner or later. You see---"

The Nevadian's Focus was interrupted by an unseen force pulling him off the ground, and towards the stratosphere.

Gripping his chest, the Nevadian created a spike of energy which rapidly grew in size, the tip plunging hundreds of feet downwards into the earth below. A golden hole of glowing energy manifested behind him, as he desperately tried to keep himself tethered to the afterlife.

"Not now!" Held growled, his body choosing the worst possible time to call him, "This is important!"

The light grew in it's radiance, informing the Nevadian of how little it cared. It was voracious in its desire for it's prey, emitting a suction force that would make a black hole proud.

"Ohhoho! Vados, who do you think will win this time? I thought for sure Held's soul would lose against....err..Held's body, but he's really been giving it his all!"

"I don't know, Whis....He seemed rather demoralized a moment ago. I think we might actually have to say our farewells in earnest this time!"

....This is not helping, guys!

[Sub-Zero MKA]

Repetition would be a fruitless course for somebody who did not listen, implication lost when a matter had long been settled in her mind. Thus for the sake of the alliance, Ochazuke instead rephrased his meaning.

"You are quite fortunate to have Maiz around," he replied. "Do you think Meagan mentioned a single thing about this network to any one of us, or did she decide the concerns of her station somehow set her apart?"

For over five years they'd known about the Parasites, and since then he'd been hunting Sakin. Moreover with Jinzi off solving Chroma's problems while he evaded the Dragon, if this was indeed meant to be a network, despite its purpose to help the universe, it had apparnetly been meant for a very select few. With no knowledge or the means to contact the Guardians of other worlds, he did what he could to fortify their position on Earth, and with that Evangeline had excised Grinthorn's influence over this planet even as it almost cost her the last vestiges of her life to seize upon a greater portion of Creation.

Earth, as he had known, had essentially stood alone; Had he known what he knew now, it could have been different. Despite the way everyone portaled in and out from Earth as they saw fit, the concern for security had evidently been limited to what suited their own interests or their pleasure. But it was fruitless to dispense blame to anybody in the present, especially as they stood on the cusp of change.

"Do remember I'd already told you that I will find my own way there. The escort won't be necessary, but if you insist upon it, I suppose it can't be helped."

"Off-worlders just can't show up and see the Guardian. It doesn't work that way," Sarada responded. "If you don't want an escort to whatever planet she'll be on, fine, but you will have one when you see her. Mostly to put everyone else at ease." Someone that powerful showing up to speak to Maiz would put everyone on high alert, especially since no one but three or four people would even know who he was.

"Let me know when you're coming so I can give you coordinates."

"I know you well enough to notice a very particular habit, that you have determined your words shall be the first and last left in our dialogue, heedless of what I have to say."

It didn't used to be like this. Still, it felt like ages ago when the young Queen's crown had first been placed upon her that he had given her counsel on using her strength wisely. She'd known what it was to be weak, and the power gained had to be used with some respect; now any words he said fell on deaf ears.

It was a matter of course, he did strike her Queen Consort after all. Against his better judgment, as he drove the Ruination out of Inanna's wound, the worst part of him twist his fist spitefully into her flesh and spilled her blood as recompense for the insults of their ability on top of the lives lost incurred on Darkle.

Moreover it proved to him that despite the conventions of Saiyan wisdom, for allies and adjuncts there was no catharsis to be had by fighting it out; this was the result.

"Perhaps you might reserve a greater portion of your judgement for within and listen. After all, you came here and asked me to teach you. " he said. "Understand that I do not serve at your pleasure...but I would help you, as a friend, to do what is necessary."

Sarada may not have had the first word all the time, but she did have the last one. She was the Queen. Her word was law. On Saiyan worlds. When on other worlds, she forgot sometimes that others had a say, too.

She sighed. "Sorry. And thank you."

That was all she said. She wasn't one to make excuses and he wasn't one to hear them.

Several mopped tissues filled with sobs and snot later, Zaofan rejoined the others. Face flushed and eyes red, his demeanour had brightened somewhat, but as he heard Sarada make her offer.

"Beaches and oceans...man, I don't think we've had a get together like this since the first time we all met each other at Capsule Corp! This will be just the thing to unwind-"

"No."

Ochazuke scowled at his martial brother and Zaofan furrowed his brow, mouthing some confused words as he slapped his forehead. Come on, man~! Still, the martial artist's words were firm.

"Were the universe compressed in the manner of Vaikuntha or Spirit and Time we could spare an idle moment, but Sakin plots to march the universe to its doom. Every moment that passes, he accrues more power to set Eldfen free."

Even with half a year and all at their disposal remaining, there was much that remained to be done. Zaofan saw Ochazuke's eyes, carrying the fire-forged steel in his heart, and the heavy burdens carried in his mind. He'd try his best to help lift them where he could, but there was a certain quality about him that was probably tempered with being an initiate of the Five Schools that the chef might never understand try as he might.

"...Well, I mean, if we're heading to the Saiyan worlds anyway, we might as well, right?"

"No, we don't have time, and so much ground to cover. While we moved on Auroc, he nearly conquered our planet."

This wasn't a mission. In a manner of speaking, this was hardly a choice for the man. For those who walked upon the path of the warrior, every potential failure was a road to death. In a manner of speaking, there was no choice but constant vigilance. That didn't mean that they should lose faith, however, and so Zaofan cracked his knuckles as he list of the reasons.

"Even if we're not here, so what? All those guys down there we've trained, the masters we've trained with, aren't they worth something? One, Master Balon's academy has become a hub for martial masters. Two, Aiko's running New Anvil City and the UCGL, I've rolled with those guys and the Bedlam Clan style really left an impression." Zaofan leaned in as he transitioned into his concluding point. "Three, Ajarn Kenshiko. If you're saying she's not up to the task, that's like saying the Ten Hands of Zxu'ro are worthless."

Ochazuke frowned. He just had to use her name...

"Come on, it's the most efficient course!"

And so with a heavy sigh, at Zaofan's insistence he at last relented.

"...so it is, then."

"Hah! Yes! You won't regret it!"

She really shouldn't have been surprised that he actually needed to be convinced that taking a week or so off from everything to decompress and get their minds right was actually a good idea. She had known plenty of men like him, who took their duties seriously and gave them precedent above all else; often times, to the detriment of themselves personally. The path of the warrior was constantly vigilance. A warrior could never sleep, never rest because they couldn't be taken advantage of in that time of weakness and vulnerability. The warrior had no time for anything else but their duty, the next battle. Eventually, they stood alone on the battlefield, staring into the distance in expectation of the next rival to approach. They stood alone because they had nothing else waiting for them, not even a home.

Sarada hoped Ochazuke wasn't too far gone.

"He's right, you won't regret this!" she said, giving him a thumbs up. "Ruco leads the empire in tourism for a reason. Everyone who comes there always comes back!" It helped that there wasn't much fighting there, outside of the occasional spar. There wasn't really much in the way of training. Soldiers, of course, trained, but most everyone else was too chill to bother.

"Parsley and I will try to return in two months to finish our training," she said to Zaofan. "Let me know then how many will be coming so I can make arrangements. I'll pay for everything so don't worry about treating yourselves to a good time at my expense, haha!"

[Monstrous Bird of Qin, Ou Ki]

Voyavoda careened through a mountain range, his body piercing through the entire range. Impacting on a wind-and-lightning blasted plain, he skidded to a halt. Taking a deep, laborious, and painful breath, Voyavoda got to his feet just as The Brother descended from the sky, wearing an expression of utter boredom.

The Brother's attacks, despite his attempts to counteract them, had gotten quick and heavy enough that every blow, if he made the slightest miscalculation, would perhaps be a deathblow. Without the Shingan to aid him... well, he very well might have perished already! Thank the gods for Nevadian blood and thousands of years of accumulated combat experience.

Still, the Brother's lack of interest, at this point, in the fight would be his undoing, the old warrior hoped. One more solid hit was all he needed to complete the preparations for the Big Bang, and then... well, bang.

"I have humored you long enough" said the Brother. "Your attacks do nothing, you can barely deflect my own attacks with but the barest slivers of my power behind him. I will give you one more attack. I would say to make it count, but we both know it will be nothing but a waste of time."

...ha, fool!

Though his power was awesome--insurmountable, even--his hubris and overconfidence were fatal flaws. Although with a special Hozon like that, it was perhaps warranted...

Raising his fists, Voyavoda shot forward with Ma-Tobashi, and deliver a single solid blow to The Brother, imbuing the last bit of energy needed to be able to activate the Big Bang. He still had to actually activate it and doing so on the planet was... not something he was willing to do unless absolutely necessary, but completing this complex array of spatially-infused ki had another effect--he could control the space in and around whatever it had been applied to.



"...is that it? That is the capstone to your life? Path--"

Motioning upwards, the space within and around the Brother obey, dragging the normally immovable monster along with it. His eye widened in surprise--likely, nothing he had ever encountered had ever been able to make him so much as budge, and yet now...

"What trickery is this!? What have you--"

"Your space is under my control, and with it... your fate," interrupted Voyavoda, holding the Brother aloft. The old warrior smiled.

"Controlling space? That is..." he began to struggle, exerting his ki, and Voyavoda felt that if he dilly-dallied, the Brother would, against all logic, be able to break free. Motioning upwards again, the Brother shot into the sky, and then into orbit, and then into space.

He clenched his fist, then opened it, willing the space in and around the Brother to expand. And expand it did, the space within and around the Brother expanding outwards, attempting to bypass his invincibility by simply dispersing the 'space' containing parts of his body to the far reaches of space.

Big Bang

Against all logic, the Brother's words reverberated down to him as the Big Bang activated.

"Attacks that exploit loopholes... are not true strength!!"

And with that pathetic epithet, the Brother's ki signature disappeared almost entirely.

[Monstrous Bird of Qin, Ou Ki]

He had underestimated this warrior. Those repetetive, seemingly useless strikes had actually been setting up some sort of attack. At first, it just seemed as if he'd just taken control of his 'space', allowing the warrior to launch him into space. But then, a short time after, he felt... a pull in all directions, all over his body. And for the first time in eons, he felt some amount of fear.

No, not fear... but he was unnerved. He, Hiranyakashipu, the Brother of Hiranyaksha the Golden-eyed, would not fall to this attack. His power was unrivaled, his hozon granted him the boon of invincibility--he could not fall to trickery such as this. He could not fall to anyone or anything! His strength was absolute!

"Attacks that exploit loopholes... are not true strength!!" he yelled, as he began exerting his power to counterattack this ability.

Aura flaring, he struggled against the pull of space, his body stretching and bulging as he was very nearly torn apart. Letting out a soundless scream, his power overwhelmed the technique, expelling the ki from his body and even causing it to invert. Or, in other words, rather than the space within and around his body being expelled to the furthest reaches of the universe, the space, collapsed...

...into a black hole.

Though he had managed to move a fair distance away from where he'd expelled the ki by that point, Hiranyakashipu once again felt a 'pull' upon him as the newborn black hole drew him in. Rage filled his mind--another pointless obstacle. He would dive into this phenomena's heart and rip it asunder.



As he crossed the event horizon and forged ever deeper into the singularity, his ki disappeared to all those in the outside world...

[bruceleegreyhulk]

Praxat knocks on the door to Miras' office." Miras, do you have a moment? I want to discuss something with you," Praxat said.

[Cleric of Hell’s Brigade]

With the dragon dispersing ahead of schedule, Ochazuke exhaled and found the draw of breath had been unusually shallow. Where his hand stood at his side, he finally took notice. His knees carried a tremor up to his trembling limbs, and a cold sweat wicked upon his brow. The second wish had gifted them, at the very least, that the apparent damage rendered by the Ulthan nearly a year ago would be amended. But that would not make up for what had already been taken from them.

Time, time, time. Towards a confrontation of the Universe's ending, their better qualities as warriors had begun to bend into a distortion of themselves.

"Perhaps in a half year, she might recover the power for another series of two," he thought aloud. "

Bend, perhaps; but break? He would not give the Destroyer the satisfaction.

"Parsley and I have captured one of his Soul Meisters in a prison of his own crafting," he replied to Jack, "Alone, he is inert, but his covenant with Sakin has produced a unique energy signature."

At the mention of Arthur's legacy and Excalibur, Ochazuke's expression darkened, coarse lines creasing over his features.

"I'd thought the Coven of the Grey Thorn had fallen with the cultist Agravain when he attempted to resurrect the Magi Queen Persephone in the Northern Ruin of Amdapor. If there were others who had treated with the powers of the Void besides the Kingdom of Old Avalon, their order may be older than even Etrina had realized."

Magic of a form that stood outside of the dichotomy of Creation and Destruction, its influence over Earth had been stemmed when he, Zaofan, Erosa and Charco had banished the unholy palace to that space between worlds and sunk its foundations beneath the ice shelf.

"Sakin himself spoke of a ritual. The fallen one may be crippled, but there are those who carry his words into actions." As it was, apocryphally, in the beginning. "The stroke of a sword would suit this task better than your Dead Man's Hand. it would not do to become intimately familiar with the grave, hmm?"

Even after all this time, the younger man's technique remained unrefined.

"Perhaps we can do something about that. Arthur will temper your blade, Zao and I will refine your fist."

Jack nods.

“I’d appreciate that.”

Eva, her aura stronger than ever, approaches then. Kai floats the dragonballs behind her, taking them towards the Lookout main building.

“We’ll store them away for now, keep them ready at a moments notice.”

[Cleric of Hell’s Brigade]

Praxat knocks on the door to Miras' office." Miras, do you have a moment? I want to discuss something with you," Praxat said.

Miras calls her to come in.