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

[Sub-Zero MKA]

"I]"Were you the same person when you came back? I should think not~" Came the bemused, response. "I]"Ishtar was no more 'Inanna', than you are. A person... a personality, designed by Zurvan to replace Indar'en; perpetuate a broken system. Inanna- who I am now, because of that- is its opposite." Parsley's search would yield results in the form of brief flashes; the woman seemed to be constantly repositioning herself with IT.

"In fairness though, I'm neither as hypocritical as Asha'rah, or inept. Already, I do things with Hakai she couldn't even hope to strive for. Besides..." and then Inanna was right in front of her.

"Who better to test it, than me?"

"Hak-" she began fist glowing purple-black, before stopping just short of discharging annihilation... in favor of throwing a hellacious right. Though it was curious, admittedly, why she might both reveal herself; attempting to hit her through her layered defense, while also opening herself to attack.

Parsley wasn't stupid. She knew more than most that Inanna had no reason to be so inept at fighting that she was attempt such a blatant attack directly in front of Parsley. It was more than obvious that the Inanna in front of her was just a clone and thus a distraction to keep her occupied while the real Inanna attacked her from behind!

Immediately, as "Inanna" was throwing a haymaker that would have surely knocked more than a few teeth out if it connected, Parsley initiated Mirror's Edge. One moment, they were face to face, the next they were back to back with Inanna standing in the spot where Parsley had been just an instant earlier. Quickly, she turned around to face what she assumed would be one Inanna cold-cocking another Inanna.

[bruceleegreyhulk]

OOC: then I have at least one question.

IC: Dash feels the bracelet in her pocket, then looks to the others, "You say this bracelet should protect us. Ah'm sorry if this is a dumb question, but how will we know when to use it? Do we wear it all the time? Or only put it on when needed?"

" I like to know that too," Praxat said as she uses her Bioelectromagnetism to make her phone move around in the air.

[Monstrous Bird of Qin, Ou Ki]

"He's on the Saiyans homeworld," she answered. She turned to face the edge of the Lookout. "We discovered it a month ago. I sent a team to investigate and they discovered that it's inhabited by at least two tribes if primitive Saiyans."

She frowned deeply. From what she determined from Avoca's report, the Saiyans on that world weren't that strong. Tundra was going to take his time picking them apart limb from limb unless she was there to stop him.

"I sent for one of the scientists who went on the expedition, plus a few soldiers to keep whatever army he may have with him off our backs. As soon as they get here, we're leaving."

The Saiyan homeworld? Huh, wasn't that Vocado?

...

...no, it wasn't. Totoma definitely wasn't versed on Saiyan history, but he did remember his mother mentioning a loooong time ago that Saiyans originated on a planet long lost to time. Which means... huh, interesting. After the battle, it might be fun to go explore the planet!

"Neat," he said. Once Sarada went to the edge of the lookout, Totoma began performing Katas, to further get used to this body. He was, of course, very compatible with it, since it was 99.9% identical to his real body, but he needed to get used to just... how forceful it was. To be honest, even without transforming, he felt strong enough to give his normal body's super saiyan form a decent fight... maybe even beat it.

After a few minutes of Kata, he stopped, then assumed a fighting stance. It hadn't taken long at all--no big surprise there--and he was about as well-acclimated to Rousong's body and how it worked as he could be...



Compared to his own, the conditioning of Rousong's body was far greater. Not just physically, but... his ki as well. Not only was it much, much more potent, but it flowed easier, and was more... responsive, he guessed? Like, his own ki was pretty responsive, but Rousong's ki... ahh, how could be put this?

It felt like a partner, rather than just a tool. It worked with him, rather than simply be wielded. And given that he was still getting used to the body, he could only imagine how smooth the transition from thought to action was for his alternate universe self.

...not only had he been slacking in effort, but also also his methods.

Still, even by feeling this, Totoma felt that, even if he couldn't replicate it 100%, it would still improve his ability to control his own ki once he was back in his real body. And with the right type of training, he too might be able to make his power into a partner, rather than a tool.

Putting that aside for the moment, he turned his attention back to Sarada. "So, I've been wondering... what's it like being Queen?"

[Sub-Zero MKA]

The Saiyan homeworld? Huh, wasn't that Vocado?

...

...no, it wasn't. Totoma definitely wasn't versed on Saiyan history, but he did remember his mother mentioning a loooong time ago that Saiyans originated on a planet long lost to time. Which means... huh, interesting. After the battle, it might be fun to go explore the planet!

"Neat," he said. Once Sarada went to the edge of the lookout, Totoma began performing Katas, to further get used to this body. He was, of course, very compatible with it, since it was 99.9% identical to his real body, but he needed to get used to just... how forceful it was. To be honest, even without transforming, he felt strong enough to give his normal body's super saiyan form a decent fight... maybe even beat it.

After a few minutes of Kata, he stopped, then assumed a fighting stance. It hadn't taken long at all--no big surprise there--and he was about as well-acclimated to Rousong's body and how it worked as he could be...



Compared to his own, the conditioning of Rousong's body was far greater. Not just physically, but... his ki as well. Not only was it much, much more potent, but it flowed easier, and was more... responsive, he guessed? Like, his own ki was pretty responsive, but Rousong's ki... ahh, how could be put this?

It felt like a partner, rather than just a tool. It worked with him, rather than simply be wielded. And given that he was still getting used to the body, he could only imagine how smooth the transition from thought to action was for his alternate universe self.

...not only had he been slacking in effort, but also also his methods.

Still, even by feeling this, Totoma felt that, even if he couldn't replicate it 100%, it would still improve his ability to control his own ki once he was back in his real body. And with the right type of training, he too might be able to make his power into a partner, rather than a tool.

Putting that aside for the moment, he turned his attention back to Sarada. "So, I've been wondering... what's it like being Queen?"

Sarada had been meditating, centering herself for the upcoming battle, when Totoma's question caught her attention. "It's an incredible burden with few upsides," she admitted honestly. The only reason she became queen was so Parsley couldn't. There was no longer a threat of her sister leading their race down a path that would only end in a reversion back to the ways of Otatop. She could have passed on the throne to her sister or someone else equally more qualified. It wasn't like the thought hadn't crossed her mind on some nights. There was nothing she wanted more than to have a normal life again. The constant meetings, the stress of having literally millions of lives depending on her, and the weight of having to be their protector when enemies far stronger than the average warrior came knocking with vaguely justifiable vengeance on the mind weighed heavily on her heart and shoulders.

Things were so much simpler before. Fight, eat, mate, sleep. That was her daily agenda. Now, it was meeting after meeting, having to hold her tongue while trying to be diplomatic with foreign assholes, and not having time for the fun things in life. My burden to bear. That's what I keep telling myself.

"I became queen to keep my sister from taking the throne and returning things to how they were. Had I known your mother would have stepped in to stop her, I would have stayed out of it. I never wanted the crown, but now that I have it, I won't pass it on to anyone. That's tantamount to giving up as far as I'm concerned." She smiled and rose to her feet. "I'm just waiting for this one last fight to be over, then we can finally have peace." That didn't mean there wasn't a ****-ton of work left to do. There was Tundra's empire that need to be liberated, and his allies incinerated. That was where the fun began.

[Tami]

Durive would answer her query himself, but as he could not speak he simply stared blankly at Dash for twenty minutes.

As Durive stared blankly at Dash, Dash stared impatiently at Mourn, wondering if he even heard her question, wondering if she should ask again or give up and leave. There was only so much time left, and she wanted to get some training in while she could.

[Monstrous Bird of Qin, Ou Ki]

Sarada had been meditating, centering herself for the upcoming battle, when Totoma's question caught her attention. "It's an incredible burden with few upsides," she admitted honestly. The only reason she became queen was so Parsley couldn't. There was no longer a threat of her sister leading their race down a path that would only end in a reversion back to the ways of Otatop. She could have passed on the throne to her sister or someone else equally more qualified. It wasn't like the thought hadn't crossed her mind on some nights. There was nothing she wanted more than to have a normal life again. The constant meetings, the stress of having literally millions of lives depending on her, and the weight of having to be their protector when enemies far stronger than the average warrior came knocking with vaguely justifiable vengeance on the mind weighed heavily on her heart and shoulders.

Things were so much simpler before. Fight, eat, mate, sleep. That was her daily agenda. Now, it was meeting after meeting, having to hold her tongue while trying to be diplomatic with foreign assholes, and not having time for the fun things in life. My burden to bear. That's what I keep telling myself.

"I became queen to keep my sister from taking the throne and returning things to how they were. Had I known your mother would have stepped in to stop her, I would have stayed out of it. I never wanted the crown, but now that I have it, I won't pass it on to anyone. That's tantamount to giving up as far as I'm concerned." She smiled and rose to her feet. "I'm just waiting for this one last fight to be over, then we can finally have peace." That didn't mean there wasn't a ****-ton of work left to do. There was Tundra's empire that need to be liberated, and his allies incinerated. That was where the fun began.

It wasn't a burden Totoma could understand, although... regardless, deep down, it somewhat resonated with him? Maybe it was his current body, since, well, his alternate self was the Emperor of Saiyans in his world. "Sounds tough. But I'd say you've done pretty well, and so does mom. Says you have a knack for surrounding yourself with people that shore up your weak points. Plus, you've managed to be Queen and keep up with your training, which is... uh..."

He paused for a moment. "...well, between fighting crime and trying to keep up with two--sometimes three, if you count my little bro--toddlers hasn't really allowed me to do the same. Not that I haven't been getting in some training here and there, but it's... difficult to balance."

There had to be a way to get around his lack of time to get in heavy training, but right now, he wasn't sure how to go about that. Maybe something he could do while just doing his normal thing? That might work, but what?

"...hm... how's about we have a short spar before our ride gets here? Figure that actually fighting in this body'll help me get used to it, and I'm... well, kind of bored, haha."

[Tami]

" I like to know that too," Praxat said as she uses her Bioelectromagnetism to make her phone move around in the air.

As Durive stared blankly at Dash, Dash stared impatiently at Mourn, wondering if he even heard her question, wondering if she should ask again or give up and leave. There was only so much time left, and she wanted to get some training in while she could.

Looking away from Mourn, "Hey, Prax." Dash asked her friend, "Which do you want to do first? Check out the Engine room, or spend a few hours trainin in the Mindscape?"

[Cthulhu_of_R'lyeh]

Parsley wasn't stupid. She knew more than most that Inanna had no reason to be so inept at fighting that she was attempt such a blatant attack directly in front of Parsley. It was more than obvious that the Inanna in front of her was just a clone and thus a distraction to keep her occupied while the real Inanna attacked her from behind!

Immediately, as "Inanna" was throwing a haymaker that would have surely knocked more than a few teeth out if it connected, Parsley initiated Mirror's Edge. One moment, they were face to face, the next they were back to back with Inanna standing in the spot where Parsley had been just an instant earlier. Quickly, she turned around to face what she assumed would be one Inanna cold-cocking another Inanna.

Unfortunately for Parsley there was no such- admittedly glorious- thing.

Inanna's punch simply carried through to swing at the now vacant space, though there was a 'fizzle' as her Hakai'd fist seemed to connect with something; at which point the golden-eyed woman sighed and IT'd out with a word. "Ah well..." Aware that she was at something of a disadvantage at least for the moment, the former Oni was certainly playing to her strengths. Avoiding a direct confrontation with Parsley... save for that momentary indescretion- in favor of fast and probing attacks.

"Tell me, what do you think the limits of Hakai are, Parsley?" Inanna asked playfully, as another 'sightless' beam struck her Aura from below.

[Sub-Zero MKA]

Unfortunately for Parsley there was no such- admittedly glorious- thing.

Inanna's punch simply carried through to swing at the now vacant space, though there was a 'fizzle' as her Hakai'd fist seemed to connect with something; at which point the golden-eyed woman sighed and IT'd out with a word. "Ah well..." Aware that she was at something of a disadvantage at least for the moment, the former Oni was certainly playing to her strengths. Avoiding a direct confrontation with Parsley... save for that momentary indescretion- in favor of fast and probing attacks.

"Tell me, what do you think the limits of Hakai are, Parsley?" Inanna asked playfully, as another 'sightless' beam struck her Aura from below.

Was her assumption wrong? Evidence would point to that being the case. Instead of striking herself, Inanna merely struck the air. The former Oni wasn't so much a novice still at fighting, but perhaps knew she was outclassed and thus needed to take risks.

Parsley couldn't allow paranoia to cloud her judgment, nor could she let herself become impatient. Inanna was content to take literal potshots at her reflective aura while skittering to another location before retaliation could even be considered. This time, that potshot came from below, and along with it came a question. "The limits to Hakai?" From what little she saw of it, she could only assume that it had none. Everything it touched, it destroyed. Obliteration without residuum. When struck by this godly force, the combined fusion of Marduk and Tarsheb was completely erased from existence. Not even the dragonballs could bring them back to life.

With that in mind, she answered. "Your imagination, I would imagine. How you've managed to meld it with Ki is impressive, to say the least." She let her senses spread through the battlefield again, letting them sift through the residual ki of Vaikuntha. She knew she couldn't sense Inanna, who had no "visible" ki, but she could notice the blank space this interesting quirk resulted in.

[Cleric of Hell’s Brigade]

Edan shrugs.

“Use them when it looks like you will get black goo on you. Or when the fighting starts.”

[Cthulhu_of_R'lyeh]

Was her assumption wrong? Evidence would point to that being the case. Instead of striking herself, Inanna merely struck the air. The former Oni wasn't so much a novice still at fighting, but perhaps knew she was outclassed and thus needed to take risks.

Parsley couldn't allow paranoia to cloud her judgment, nor could she let herself become impatient. Inanna was content to take literal potshots at her reflective aura while skittering to another location before retaliation could even be considered. This time, that potshot came from below, and along with it came a question. "The limits to Hakai?" From what little she saw of it, she could only assume that it had none. Everything it touched, it destroyed. Obliteration without residuum. When struck by this godly force, the combined fusion of Marduk and Tarsheb was completely erased from existence. Not even the dragonballs could bring them back to life.

With that in mind, she answered. "Your imagination, I would imagine. How you've managed to meld it with Ki is impressive, to say the least." She let her senses spread through the battlefield again, letting them sift through the residual ki of Vaikuntha. She knew she couldn't sense Inanna, who had no "visible" ki, but she could notice the blank space this interesting quirk resulted in.

A chuckle filled her head.

"It is true... lack of imagination is why many of the GoDs are dead, Inanna replied. Yucatan, Indar'en, Hammer. Blunt- ha ha- instruments that had ultimately met their end due to a lack of foresight, ingenuity, and the fundamental flaw of Hakai. "The way I see it though, its use is how easy something can be destroyed by it."

Something Asha'rah had proven time and again, her use of Hakai as a former Creator God merely falling in line with the GoD she pilfered it from; multiple attempts at simply annihilating an object or enemy outright. As blunt and unimaginative as many of her creations. The only truly imaginative thing being the o...

lfactory offense known as 'flatulence'.

Sigh.

Aa Parsley searched however, she'd sense the Ki vacuum that was Inanna rapidly closing in from left flank. "It takes true mastery, to surpass its singular useage. To apply that use to engender different effects..." Inanna appeared in front of Parsley and took another swing.

[Tami]

Edan shrugs.

“Use them when it looks like you will get black goo on you. Or when the fighting starts.”

Looking over to Edan, Dash simply wondered why she wasted her time asking. Still, she acknowledged the response with a "Thank you" and a polite nod, then turned her attention back to Praxat, "Come on, we got a whole lot of things to do"

[Sub-Zero MKA]

A chuckle filled her head.

"It is true... lack of imagination is why many of the GoDs are dead, Inanna replied. Yucatan, Indar'en, Hammer. Blunt- ha ha- instruments that had ultimately met their end due to a lack of foresight, ingenuity, and the fundamental flaw of Hakai. "The way I see it though, its use is how easy something can be destroyed by it."

Something Asha'rah had proven time and again, her use of Hakai as a former Creator God merely falling in line with the GoD she pilfered it from; multiple attempts at simply annihilating an object or enemy outright. As blunt and unimaginative as many of her creations. The only truly imaginative thing being the o...

lfactory offense known as 'flatulence'.

Sigh.

Aa Parsley searched however, she'd sense the Ki vacuum that was Inanna rapidly closing in from left flank. "It takes true mastery, to surpass its singular useage. To apply that use to engender different effects..." Inanna appeared in front of Parsley and took another swing.

Just like Parsley hoped, she sensed the void in the residual ki that was shaped like the former Oni. And she was making her move again... by doing the same thing she did the last time. Unwilling to even entertain the thought of what Hakai would do to her even if she managed to block, she took action. Predictably, Inanna teleported into striking range much like she did the last time. I only have one chance to get this right.

Perfect Intuition: Void Lens

When the former Oni made her move, swinging to strike Parsley, she used one of that imbecile hybrid's techniques and opened a tunnel directly in the path of the fist, redirecting it to instead strike herself.

"I imagine GoDs were so far above those they came across that imagination was cast aside in favor of simplicity. After all, why get fancy when the most direct approach wins the day more often than not?"

[Cthulhu_of_R'lyeh]

Just like Parsley hoped, she sensed the void in the residual ki that was shaped like the former Oni. And she was making her move again... by doing the same thing she did the last time. Unwilling to even entertain the thought of what Hakai would do to her even if she managed to block, she took action. Predictably, Inanna teleported into striking range much like she did the last time. I only have one chance to get this right.

Perfect Intuition: Void Lens

When the former Oni made her move, swinging to strike Parsley, she used one of that imbecile hybrid's techniques and opened a tunnel directly in the path of the fist, redirecting it to instead strike herself.

"I imagine GoDs were so far above those they came across that imagination was cast aside in favor of simplicity. After all, why get fancy when the most direct approach wins the day more often than not?"

"Because Hakai is fundamentally broken," Inanna commented as Parsley triggered a technique from... Totoma? How interesting. If the Saiyan was engaged in technique pilfering however, there was no reason for her to rest on her laurels; and with a smirk the Hakai she'd put to purpose a moment before would see itself put to use. As her attack passed through the Void Lens; Parsley would still find herself on the receiving end- for what little it would do- as the previously sampled switcheroo was forced upon her this time.

Aper's Riposte: Mirror's Edge

"What good is pure, unbridled annihilation; if its 'temporary master' can be overpowered, overcome... robbed?" Inanna asked, before disappearing again. "Though perhaps it's a wasted thought exercise, from a woman who's about to lose~"

[Sub-Zero MKA]

"Because Hakai is fundamentally broken," Inanna commented as Parsley triggered a technique from... Totoma? How interesting. If the Saiyan was engaged in technique pilfering however, there was no reason for her to rest on her laurels; and with a smirk the Hakai she'd put to purpose a moment before would see itself put to use. As her attack passed through the Void Lens; Parsley would still find herself on the receiving end- for what little it would do- as the previously sampled switcheroo was forced upon her this time.

Aper's Riposte: Mirror's Edge

"What good is pure, unbridled annihilation; if its 'temporary master' can be overpowered, overcome... robbed?" Inanna asked, before disappearing again. "Though perhaps it's a wasted thought exercise, from a woman who's about to lose~"

Despite her keen timing and precision actions, Parsley still found herself on the receiving end of the punch. How? It took a brief moment to realize, but she had become a victim of her own prodigal talent. Inanna had stolen one of her techniques and used it against her. So, that's what it feels like, she groused silently when Inanna disappeared again. If she were still incapable of locating her, she would have been in a worse mood. Instead, she simply let her senses sift through the residual ki again.

"An treasure is only as secure as its weakest guard," she said as she closed in on the inevitable void. "You can't hide from me." For the second time, she stored away the ki she had been charging in favor of using it later. Translucent baubles formed at the edge of her fingertips. "Why not come out into the open so we can finish this?"