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

[Tami]

" Power fusion, huh sounds cool, Okay, I'm up for it," Praxat said as she flares up her Ki.

With that, Dash syncs her power with Praxat's, "Now lets' try an blast that guy, an maybe give the others a little help. Just do as I do."

Dash held out her hands, channeling her ki through them. As she did, Praxat did the same, then they let out a combined blast that multiplied in power as it fused into a single attack.

[Miburo]

For a moment, Inanna fancied she spied the little Cardboard Creature atop one of the Lookout's many buildings... and yet, was it merely a trick of the light? "Ah... no matter." The sword had begun screaming again, something something something 'I can't swing myself' or some such; and hey there's a thought.

Taking a casual stance, Inanna lifted the sword that her thicc ass had been resting against and swung it.

"So I'm swinging you now, using a form that was lost to time 100,000 years before. What makes your form better?"



Inanna, who was at this point putting the blade through its paces as she would've a Moonguard blade, simply glanced at Frogspierre and smirked. "I think he knew I'd break him... little thing. So eager. It would've been cute~" the golden-eyed woman chuckled softly. "Ah well. I've got a wife now; and I love her terribly. No need now for boy-toys who know how to handle a shaft~"

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Nevada:

The Space Station arched back in forth through the cosmos, rocked from the immense power from within it. This had been going on for minutes, each emission more powerful than the last.

"Sir, Please, control yourself!" A terrified young woman shrieked in the direction of a blur rocketing through the halls, attempting to help restore order, "The Prideless Lion can't take much more of this!"

"Achoo!" was the only response given, followed by the station arching violently to the left, forcing the crew to frantically grab onto anything stationary to keep from tumbling to and fro, as an assortment of random stationary and supplies did, tumbling head over heels. Some of the crew found themselves meeting the same fate.

For a moment, nothing happened, and the blur became the Nevadian once more, catching his breath against a reinforced wall, denting it heavily as it broke his fall. He breathed deeply in exhaustion.

Just what the hell is going on to--Oh no.

The Nevadian bent over, attempting to stifle his sneeze, closing his hands over his mouth. It was a pointless effort. Achoo!

The Pridless Lion arched head over heels.

"ENGAGING AFT THRUSTERS! ACTIVATING TURBO BOOST! PREPARING S.O.S!"

[Sub-Zero MKA]

Within the ethereal realm of Vaikuntha, the year had nearly come to an end. In that span, Parsley and Sarada had made massive strides in their training. During one spar in particular, Sarada made a breakthrough that neither of them anticipated.

Parsley and Sarada clashed hectically, zipping to and fro through the newly instituted planet belonging to the Archon, the race of elementals displaced five thousand years ago by the then Oni, Ishtar. Their golden glows lit up the sky every time they clashed, creating gold tinged shockwaves that gave the appearance of angelic halos before fading into nonexistence.

One thing Parsley learned during her training with Inanna and Nevanlinna was that Blood Magic was far different from other forms of magic. It required more preparation, making it somewhat impractical to meld with her particular brand of fighting. For someone who hung back in a more supportive role – such as Inanna, Nevanalinna, and Etrina – this posed no problem. For a warrior who enjoyed infighting more than supporting, it was a bothersome obstacle to overcome.

In order to cast a blood spell, fresh blood was needed, as well as a target and a rune. The former was no issue. She developed a means of drawing freshly spilled blood into an aura of sorts. It kept her from having to constantly cut herself in order to cast even the simplest spell. The aura, of course needed to be replenished to keep the blood fresh, but as battles progressed, there was never a shortage of still warm blood.

A target was simple. The runes, however, required time. She had been getting faster in drawing them for her more complex – relatively speaking – spells. Explosions didn't require them, but things such as opening portals and conjuring simple objects to aid her took time. Too much time with a reckless Saiyan Queen bearing down on her.

As they clashed, her Blood Aura ebbed and flowed like a ball of water. It didn't hinder her movements, nor did it enhance her blows in anyway. It was just there, waiting to be called upon at a moment's notice. Suddenly, that moment happened. It broke away from her and flowed into the air. The next instant, she kicked Sarada away and hastily drew a rune in the air – a circle with three lines crossing through it. The target, Sarada.

The blood elongated, then shattered like glass and turned into a literal cloud of flaming arrows. Sarada tried to tank them, but they pierced through her like bullets through a water balloon.

“Ah, shit!” She took to the air to avoid them, only to curse again when they followed her.

Parsley's acute sense of observation noticed that Sarada had entered Peerless Instinct. She had a feeling that her projectiles were so numerous that not even heightened reflexes would be able to save her. And she was right. Sarada managed to dodge some, but she was quickly becoming a pin cushion regardless. “Heh.”

Her sister growled and turned on dime and... headed straight for the cloud. (What is she up to?) she wondered.

She quickly found out when Sarada started sending hidden spirit punches to cancel out her arrows.

Narrowing her eyes, Parsley cut her arm open to have more blood to work with. She deftly dodged Sarada's pinpoint roundhouse and quickly drew another rune – three circles that linked together in the center. The next moment, the blood flowed and split into three identical shadow copies of Parsley. With a gesture, she sent them after her.

Sarada was quickly surrounded and assailed. She found out almost immediately that the shadow copies were just as fast and strong as the real deal. The only difference was that they had none of her techniques, so they could only fly and engage in hand-to-hand. That was fine for Parsley's purposes, which was to give her enough time to observe how Sarada handled being severely outnumbered.

As she expected, she couldn't maneuver around all of them. One on one or even two on one would have been easier for her, but the addition of a third clone made gaining a favorable position to mount a counterattack impossible.

Parsley sought to further press her sister's disadvantage by joining in. All four Parsley's unleashed an unrelenting barrage. The real Parsley grimaced. She could feel Sarada crumbling under the weight of the assault. (Evolve or die, sister.)

It was clear that Peerless Instinct was still a very imperfect state that needed more work than either of them previously thought. If she intended on using it to defeat Tundra, she needed to spend the rest of her time here figuring out how to improve it.

A quick jab to the jaw knocked the real Parsley off balance. It happened so quickly that she barely noticed that it happened, were it not for the pulsating pain in her face at the point of impact. She fell back and returned to observing. What she saw was shocking.

(Is she... getting faster?) It was slow, but Sarada was gradually having an easier time dodging and parrying the copy's attacks. Her counters weren't harder, but they were faster and more numerous than before. (I see.) By suddenly gaining a gradual increase in speed over the course of a battle, Sarada had spontaneously improved in the middle of a battle to respond to a need. She smirked and let out a small chuckle. (The brink of defeat brings out the most surprising revelations, doesn't it, sister?)


Peerless Instinct was only part of an evolution Sarada was undergoing. Neither had any idea what was happening, but it was clear that this state was not just some enhanced form like Super Saiyan. It was... something else.

Would it be enough to push her over the top against Tundra? Perhaps. Perhaps not. Only time would tell. Regardless, Parsley would be there to back her up.

“I guess we'll find out eventually,” Sarada said later that night. They only had a little less than two weeks left. Two weeks until the greatest battle of their lives. Little Kumara – or Shala or whatever – was bundled up in her arms, cooing softly and playing with a lock of her hair. She sighed heavily. “I don't know what I'm going to do about this one. I think it'd be best to take her to Maiz, but I think she'd be even safer with Shek'hinah. You think that's a good idea? I figure she's super busy being a death goddess and... doing whatever it is that she does.”

Parsley didn't answer. She was too busy inwardly panicking. She had... neglected to tell Sarada that Maiz had been kidnapped. Not even a day had passed on the outside, so she highly doubted that she had been recovered from this Koorimaru's clutches. She wanted her to be completely focused on their training, and their mother being in danger would have weighed heavily on her mind. Parsley knew this because it weighed heavily on her mind. She was fortunate that she was able to narrow her focus in more ways than observation.

“Hello?”

Parsley broke out of her own thoughts and sighed heavily. “There's something you need to know. During the latter half of Auroc's attack on Vocado, an Arcosian named Koorimaru appeared. He confronted Avoca before she could get you to the Palace and presented an ultimatum: either she hand you over or let him take Maiz.”

Sarada was smart enough to figure it out from there. “What? You mean he took her?”

“...yes.”

“WHY THE—” She immediately calmed down when Shala started getting fussy. “Why didn't you say something sooner?” she ground out through gritted teeth.

“Because you need to focus on the task at hand. Saving Maiz is pointless if we both die fighting Tundra because we aren't strong enough. That's what matters. That's all that matters. She would tell you the same and you know that.”

Sarada snarled and shook with anger. “You.... you...” Gradually, the anger subsided, replaced by a helplessness that wasn't befitting of a warrior queen. “You're right.”

Words she wasn't expecting to hear, evidence by her shocked expression. “Good. Listen. Let Avoca and the others worry about Maiz. We have our own battle to worry about.”

“I want you to help her.”

“...what?”

“I'll handle Tundra. You help find Maiz and take the fight to Auroc.”

“No. Sarada, now is not the time for you to sudden find your ego again.”

“Listen to me. You're next in line for the throne until Kumara is old enough to challenge you for it. One of us needs to survive to take the throne. Worse comes to worse, I can just call in Inanna and have her finish it. She said it herself; she made Auroc her bottom bitch. I doubt Tundra is that much tougher the so-called god.”

Sarada seemed so sure, and having her wife as an insurance policy gave her more than enough reason for that confidence. She supposed it was Sarada's duty as Queen to deal with this threat, and her desire as a Saiyan to do it alone. If she was in her position, she would do the same. “Fine.” She looked at Sarada, deathly serious. “But promise me that the moment you get in over your head, you'll ask for help.”

There was more she wanted to say, but she felt that it was best left unsaid. Sarada had more to fight for than simple pride and for their race's future. Her family, the small child laying in her arms needed her mother. Parsley hoped that was enough to help Sarada push her pride to the side and do something a Saiyan absolutely detested more than anything.

“I promise,” she said with a sigh. She smiled softly and gently stroked Kumara's cheek. “I have a lot more to fight for now. I can't lose.”

“You won't. You'll kill Tundra, and we'll get Maiz back and kill Auroc. We will because we don't have a choice. It's victory or death.”

“Just like the old days.”

Back in the dreaded days of conquest and genocide, the prospect of defeat carried with it the surety of execution. It was a rarely considered possibility, but it led many to rely on others more than they normally would. “Let's get some sleep. We still have two weeks left.”

Sarada nodded and rose to her feet to put the baby to bed.

[bruceleegreyhulk]

With that, Dash syncs her power with Praxat's, "Now lets' try an blast that guy, an maybe give the others a little help. Just do as I do."

Dash held out her hands, channeling her ki through them. As she did, Praxat did the same, then they let out a combined blast that multiplied in power as it fused into a single attack.

The only difference is that Praxat got into a handstand and held out her feet instead of her hands using her feet for the blast. While being in constant motion, never standing still.

[Cleric of Hell’s Brigade]

"Not the first time..." Inanna said with sly smile.

"Though I'll keep that in mind." Turning toward Shek'hinah, the golden-eyed woman grinned. "Pain aside, this was a wonderful reunion. Should do it more often than when I'm getting powered up by Angels of Questionable Sourcing~" Cracking her back, she smiled at Durga, Ereshkigal, and Nunlil before sighing heavily. "I best get going however; thinks to do and duties to tend to. Among other things. I trust you'll be able to return Durga and the others to where you found them... and for everyone's sake do not go telling anyone where Durga is. Far as I know, he's the only Oni who's ever made it out of Otherworld and not ended up on the wrong end of a gun. Mean to keep it that way."

Durga chuckles as the others nod. They all hug her, Durga even slipping a sweet to her for old times sake, and then Sheki’hinah takes them away.

Lampton nods to Inanna.

“Until next time, little Goddess.”

[Cleric of Hell’s Brigade]

The two beam attacks rush at him, but Koorimaru just opens a Void Lens portal and let’s Pinach’s go through it, another portal opening behind him to let out Pinach’s attack to slam into Praxat and Dash’s combined attacks.

[Sub-Zero MKA]

The two beam attacks rush at him, but Koorimaru just opens a Void Lens portal and let’s Pinach’s go through it, another portal opening behind him to let out Pinach’s attack to slam into Praxat and Dash’s combined attacks.

"Tch!" Pinach's power was running out. He cut off the beam to mitigate the damage done to Dash and Frog, and to also save what he had left. "You're just toying with us!"

[Tami]

The two beam attacks rush at him, but Koorimaru just opens a Void Lens portal and let’s Pinach’s go through it, another portal opening behind him to let out Pinach’s attack to slam into Praxat and Dash’s combined attacks.

"Tch!" Pinach's power was running out. He cut off the beam to mitigate the damage done to Dash and Frog, and to also save what he had left. "You're just toying with us!"

Dash, following Pinach, called to Praxat to stop the attack and dodge. Cutting off their attack, Dash quickly took to the air briefly to evade what was left of it before touching back down.

Once the energy had dissipated, she looked over to the young Saiyan, "Ah think you're right." She then looked at the visitor, "You're cock-sure of yourself, yet you're stuck down here with us. Ah don't suppose you have a partner in crime, now do ya? Ah figure we're waste'n our time with you as well."

[Cleric of Hell’s Brigade]

Korrimaru smiles.

“I suppose I can get serious. I surprisingly don’t want to hurt any of you. I just want Eva.”

He starts to float upwards.

“But if I have to go through you all, I will.”

A strange cold amber energy plays over his form briefly before dissipating.

“Good luck.”

He starts flying up to the lookout.

[bruceleegreyhulk]

Dash, following Pinach, called to Praxat to stop the attack and dodge. Cutting off their attack, Dash quickly took to the air briefly to evade what was left of it before touching back down.

Once the energy had dissipated, she looked over to the young Saiyan, "Ah think you're right." She then looked at the visitor, "You're cock-sure of yourself, yet you're stuck down here with us. Ah don't suppose you have a partner in crime, now do ya? Ah figure we're waste'n our time with you as well."

Praxat quickly stops her attack and like poetry in motion. Praxat swiftly uses her hands to launch herself in the air to dodge what is left and lands on her feet. She does this in one fluid motion.

Even when she touches the ground, she stays in constant motion.

OT: I think I'm doing a good job showing a Capoeira based Martial arts style. Capoeira is a style that has no fixed stances and emphasizes flowing movements. It is style where the user is constantly in motion. I want Praxat's Aoem Vion style to have similar feel to Capoeira.

[Sub-Zero MKA]

Korrimaru smiles.

“I suppose I can get serious. I surprisingly don’t want to hurt any of you. I just want Eva.”

He starts to float upwards.

“But if I have to go through you all, I will.”

A strange cold amber energy plays over his form briefly before dissipating.

“Good luck.”

He starts flying up to the lookout.

Things quickly threatened to get serious. While he was worried that they hadn't even gotten a taste of Koorimaru's actual power, a part of Pinach was impatiently waiting to see what he could do. He stood there like they were nothing, yet he hadn't shown how. He was getting excited to fight him seriously, even if he lost badly -- and he probably was going to.

"Stop him!" Pinach shouted as he took off at full speed for the Lookout. He fired a string of adhering ki at Koorimaru's legs to try and corral him. "Arrest Warrant!"

[Tami]

Korrimaru smiles.

“I suppose I can get serious. I surprisingly don’t want to hurt any of you. I just want Eva.”

He starts to float upwards.

“But if I have to go through you all, I will.”

A strange cold amber energy plays over his form briefly before dissipating.

“Good luck.”

He starts flying up to the lookout.

Dash takes to the air, moving fast as usual. Fast enough to get close to him. Calling to him, "Now why in dang nation do you want Eva for? You gotta know there are people up there stronger than all of us combined. They ain't gonna take it lightly you just waltzing up there like you own the place."

OOC: Subject to Cleric's approval. If not, I'll edit or remove. Dash is trying to buy Eva some more time.

[bruceleegreyhulk]

Praxat takes flight and flies towards Korrimaru.

[MrSandman]

*Meanwhile, back up on the lookout*

In response to Eva warning of Koorimarus return, several of the remaining fighters had descended to earth for a direct confrontation...included a very pissed off pinach. A direct attack would serve to halt the threat in the best case, and distract momentarily in the worse. Therefore...

"Eva, We need to find a place for you to hide." Etrina sheathed Atropos for the present(literally) and turned her attention to who remained on the lookout. "Erosa, Take Eva and cloak her as best you can...and get her moving somewhere safe."

"Gao! I got it! Operation Eva Keepoffsies has started." The Id hopped up and did a quick couple of loops around Eva legs before taking up position at her side and tugging expectantly at her arm.

"Ish....anna....Inanna." Etrina quickly corrected herself. "....If you can, pass along a message back to Neva that we might need a safe place to move Eva....if you can't, do whatever you usually do." Etrina took a quick scan of the environment. "....I think we have a moment or two.....should be enough to prepare a welcome party, minus the kava water this time...."

Over the next couple minutes, Etrina devoted her efforts to setting up as many temporal jump points as she could maintain, temporally trapping the environment and fanning her foci out to cover as much of the lookout as possible. Once she was all set, she simply dragged a chair over to the side closest to koorimarus approach, sat her magic butt down and assumed her smug "I've been expecting you" pose(clearly the lynchpin of her entire plan).

OOC: Erosa is gonna try and hide Eva with her Hunter/Killer Cloak, and move her somewhere safe in the lookout assuming she isn't resistant to the idea.

[Cleric of Hell’s Brigade]

Moving rather lazily for someone of his power, Korrimaru smirks as Pinach’s attempts to tether him fail, the threads sliding off his body. He looks down and shakes his head at the boy.

“You’ll have to try harder, boy.”

Distracted, he lets Dash and Praxat get ahead of him. Looking up, he quirks a brow ridge and waves a hand at their direction as if dismissing them.

“What I want is my own business, human. But, if you insist on being in my way......”

He zooms to between the two, and gently caresses each with his tail tip through their auras.

“I’ll take that.”

Both Praxat and Dash suddenly feel something....shift in their auras. As they turn to see Korrimaru zoom back towards the lookout, Dash suddenly feels....wonky. A joint in her back that had been sore earlier suddenly spasms and she throws a disc out of alignment.

At the same time, Praxat feels a full body cramp come over her body, halting her movement for a moment. Somehow he had induced these effects upon their persons.

Koorimaru gently lands atop the lookout, eyeing Etrina. Eva at the moment has gone with Erosa and is being hidden.

“Mage girl. Long time no see.”