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

[bruceleegreyhulk]

"Ah think we're finding out, an it ain't good. Eva's safe, for now, but ah fear what's driving him," Dash motioned to Koorimaru, "makes what we've seen already in our lives pale by comparison." Her comment is based on observing Koorimaru and Inanna's interactions with the amulet and a sudden unsettling feeling in the pit of her stomach.

OOC: My assumption is that, the dialogue involving Inanna and what is in the amulet is private. That no one else can hear it.

" I see," Praxat said as she listens to Dash's heart beat.

[Cthulhu_of_R'lyeh]

“In....anna.”

It looks at her.

“I am Remnant, once Inda’ren, and now...this.”

It shifts to Asha’rah’s Form now and maintains a moment.

“When Asha’rah slew Indar’en, there was a bond between them. One that had....repercussions. When slain, he stole a portion of Asha’rah just as Asha’rah stole Inda’ren’s power. Asha’rah’s empathy, her connection to her creation on an emotional level was gone.”

The form flicks back to Inda’ren.

“I was an ethereal thing, a creature of pain and sorrow. We blended, Creation and Destruction, and all that was left was an endless cycle of pain and mourning, the bitter cold of deep space and an overloaded Empathy cranked far too high. The pain of murder, and betrayal, sorrow, and mourning. Bitter, bitter.”

The form grins, glowing sockets gazing at Inanna.

“Right at the end, a creature called Night bound us to the Amulet and used us to fight against Asha’rah’s shell. But that was long ago, and Remnant is found once more. With Asha’rah’s shell and our Ritual, the Gate back to being shall be opened. And I seek my proper place.”

It spreads its arms outwards, form flickering.

“Rebirth. The universe is mine by right, and needs to be redone. Reborn amidst salt and smoke. Made better. Purer.”

As Inanna listened, she couldn't help but consider:

So easily manipulated before it had been stripped away, all she'd needed was Casus Belli; and the means to prise Hakai from the corpse of her friend.

Had Asha'rah's connection to the work of her hands, ever been there, truly?

No matter in the end. Inanna reasoned.

Remnant claimed it so.

Yet more slipped from this bellowing coalesenece of grief, and rage however. Mentions of 'Night' and its ritual binding. Of a ritual to bridge the gap- fling wide the gates- and usher forth a new beginning from the ashes of stagnation.

Asha'rah's dream, perverted? Or merely realized free from false pretense...

"Remnant. Night."

Inanna tested the names, committed them to memory... then sighed. Carrying with it the weight, and weariness of an inescapable truth.

"You know..." Inanna began, "I'd thought that after the death of my former, twisted self... that I'd be free of this burden." She'd accepted it back then, when she'd not known better. A mantle that was thrust upon her by the caretakers of this Universe.

Had they known of this Remnant, then?

"In one form or another, I suppose I shall never be, and even now... unfettered. I am loathe to reneg. Damn." The woman shrugged, and with another world-weary sigh met Remnant's gaze, defiant.

"I am your successor, Indar'en." Asha'rah. Remnant. It is not for you to reshape this Universe. That time, your claim? Has long since passed."

[KingofPie]

Lantro would feel no resistance to his push and Rex was moved forth towards the blast, his face mere moments away from meeting the ball of ki Lantro's copy had thrown. What Lantro probably didn't expect was the saurian's mouth to open wide and physically bite down onto the projectile. His ability, Only the STRONGEST survives, one of which Shōchū had warned the baller about, was now on full display as Rex devoured and swallowed the energy, making it his own.

Wasting little time after his flexing of power, Lantro would find himself dead center of a tail sweep, one that would launch him towards the growing crowds brought by Koorimaru's arrival.

"Hmm. Nice steal," Lantro begrudgingly admitted, as he was caught unaware by the reptiles tail.amd launched across the Lookout, towards another confrontation taking place. The invader that had been spoken of in his mind by that voice. An Icer by the looks of it.

"Ugh..." Lantro groaned, sitting up quickly. "Alright. Halftime already?"

He laughs.

“I assure, my.....associate has every right to be here. It’s not like those Void beings, I assure you.”

He leans back.

“I could take her by force.....but I’d rather she come willing. If she doesn’t......well I can always try someone else I suppose. The task will be harder, but not insurmountable.”

Lantro heard only a smidgen of the conversation occurring with the Arcosian amd that was enough. He raised one hand to the air and another twards the ground...

[Cleric of Hell’s Brigade]

As Inanna listened, she couldn't help but consider:

So easily manipulated before it had been stripped away, all she'd needed was Casus Belli; and the means to prise Hakai from the corpse of her friend.

Had Asha'rah's connection to the work of her hands, ever been there, truly?

No matter in the end. Inanna reasoned.

Remnant claimed it so.

Yet more slipped from this bellowing coalesenece of grief, and rage however. Mentions of 'Night' and its ritual binding. Of a ritual to bridge the gap- fling wide the gates- and usher forth a new beginning from the ashes of stagnation.

Asha'rah's dream, perverted? Or merely realized free from false pretense...

"Remnant. Night."

Inanna tested the names, committed them to memory... then sighed. Carrying with it the weight, and weariness of an inescapable truth.

"You know..." Inanna began, "I'd thought that after the death of my former, twisted self... that I'd be free of this burden." She'd accepted it back then, when she'd not known better. A mantle that was thrust upon her by the caretakers of this Universe.

Had they known of this Remnant, then?

"In one form or another, I suppose I shall never be, and even now... unfettered. I am loathe to reneg. Damn." The woman shrugged, and with another world-weary sigh met Remnant's gaze, defiant.

"I am your successor, Indar'en." Asha'rah. Remnant. It is not for you to reshape this Universe. That time, your claim? Has long since passed."

It stills, form flickering.

“A....successor? Hmm......”

It gazes at her.

“A new day will dawn, my time come round at last. Only Night, my servant Korrimaru, and you even know about my true existence, the heavenly host remaining thinking me little more than a demon. And I don’t plan on letting you go to tell them........”

Cold tendrils begin to wrap around her body.

“Time to join me, successor.”

It shifts to Asha’rah’s form.

“It will be painless, we promise.”

[Cthulhu_of_R'lyeh]

It stills, form flickering.

“A....successor? Hmm......”

It gazes at her.

“A new day will dawn, my time come round at last. Only Night, my servant Korrimaru, and you even know about my true existence, the heavenly host remaining thinking me little more than a demon. And I don’t plan on letting you go to tell them........”

Cold tendrils begin to wrap around her body.

“Time to join me, successor.”

It shifts to Asha’rah’s form.

“It will be painless, we promise.”

Inanna grunted, when the tendrils found purchase. Though in truth, she was hardly surprised. In life, Asha'rah had thirsted after her with a single-mindedness that was... impressive. It made sense her echo would long to be 'one'.

"Why can these conversations never go smoothly," Inanna lamented, before her power flared. It was a mental landscape, sure; but the one thing Inanna had learned relatively quickly is that the mindscape was the same as any battlefield. The only difference was that it was one's essence- or soul if one cared to call it such- that took the damage, over the physical self.

Though really. She would lose this if it lasted longer than a second; and while she was immune to the loss of self that Remant wished to bestow... she was not strong enough to keep from being trapped here.

She needed to break away.

"Remnant. Vestige. Lingering Stagnation..." Inanna waxed tauntingly. "The years have been long, and I'm not some mewling pup."

Since her return, Inanna had been careful. Limiting her output of energy at any given time to prevent catastrophe... but for once she was free- thanks to the environs, and her opponent- to offer a glimpse.

"I am Inanna, and you will remember this meeting, Antecedent."

(A Destroyer is) Grossly Incandescent.

[Cleric of Hell’s Brigade]

Inanna grunted, when the tendrils found purchase. Though in truth, she was hardly surprised. In life, Asha'rah had thirsted after her with a single-mindedness that was... impressive. It made sense her echo would long to be 'one'.

"Why can these conversations never go smoothly," Inanna lamented, before her power flared. It was a mental landscape, sure; but the one thing Inanna had learned relatively quickly is that the mindscape was the same as any battlefield. The only difference was that it was one's essence- or soul if one cared to call it such- that took the damage, over the physical self.

Though really. She would lose this if it lasted longer than a second; and while she was immune to the loss of self that Remant wished to bestow... she was not strong enough to keep from being trapped here.

She needed to break away.

"Remnant. Vestige. Lingering Stagnation..." Inanna waxed tauntingly. "The years have been long, and I'm not some mewling pup."

Since her return, Inanna had been careful. Limiting her output of energy at any given time to prevent catastrophe... but for once she was free- thanks to the environs, and her opponent- to offer a glimpse.

"I am Inanna, and you will remember this meeting, Antecedent."

(A Destroyer is) Grossly Incandescent.

OT: Nice.

IC:

A flare of its eyes is the only response before the being is blown backwards.

The chill increases, then flees and Inanna in the real world is thrown backwards, waking from the conjoined mindscape.

The Amulet disappears and reappears around Korrimaru’s neck. He eyes Inanna.

“Aggressive negotiations then?”

[Tami]

OT: Nice.

IC:

A flare of its eyes is the only response before the being is blown backwards.

The chill increases, then flees and Inanna in the real world is thrown backwards, waking from the conjoined mindscape.

The Amulet disappears and reappears around Korrimaru’s neck. He eyes Inanna.

“Aggressive negotiations then?”

Dash, watching this, reflexively flinches for a moment but reigns herself back, knowing that this is well above her pay grade.

[Cthulhu_of_R'lyeh]

OT: Nice.

IC:

A flare of its eyes is the only response before the being is blown backwards.

The chill increases, then flees and Inanna in the real world is thrown backwards, waking from the conjoined mindscape.

The Amulet disappears and reappears around Korrimaru’s neck. He eyes Inanna.

“Aggressive negotiations then?”

After the connection was severed, and Inanna found herself sprawled on the Lookout's a good few meters from where she'd been standing... the woman stood, and brushed herself off before looking at Koorimaru.

"Negotiations? No, none of those. It tried to subsume me. I refused."

Not much else to add, really. Koorimaru knew who it was... what it was. Would be its host, clearly, should everything go as intended. Which was certainly a thing.

"Not what I expected, in there. Not... who; but I got the information I needed." Inanna stated, calmy. "And... Ritual or not? This ends the same way."

[Sub-Zero MKA]

After the connection was severed, and Inanna found herself sprawled on the Lookout's a good few meters from where she'd been standing... the woman stood, and brushed herself off before looking at Koorimaru.

"Negotiations? No, none of those. It tried to subsume me. I refused."

Not much else to add, really. Koorimaru knew who it was... what it was. Would be its host, clearly, should everything go as intended. Which was certainly a thing.

"Not what I expected, in there. Not... who; but I got the information I needed." Inanna stated, calmy. "And... Ritual or not? This ends the same way."

Pinach was alarmed when Inanna suddenly flung herself to the ground for apparently no reason, but she seemed to be okay. "Who was it?" he asked. "Some evil demon that we need to keep sealed away? An innocent person trapped in there that we should let out?"

[Cthulhu_of_R'lyeh]

Pinach was alarmed when Inanna suddenly flung herself to the ground for apparently no reason, but she seemed to be okay. "Who was it?" he asked. "Some evil demon that we need to keep sealed away? An innocent person trapped in there that we should let out?"

Ah yes, Pinach was here. What the boy knew, Inanna wasn't sure but there was little risk in sharing who it was... or at least no more risk than was already present.

"Demon? No. The first Saiyan, and the former God of Destruction for this Universe. Indar'en." Inanna stated, simply. "Or what was left of him, anyway." Before the boy could ask, or say anything dumb however the woman also added.

"No, we're not setting him free. Unless dying is your plan. In which case, go for it."

[Tami]

Ah yes, Pinach was here. What the boy knew, Inanna wasn't sure but there was little risk in sharing who it was... or at least no more risk than was already present.

"Demon? No. The first Saiyan, and the former God of Destruction for this Universe. Indar'en." Inanna stated, simply. "Or what was left of him, anyway." Before the boy could ask, or say anything dumb however the woman also added.

"No, we're not setting him free. Unless dying is your plan. In which case, go for it."

Dash then looked at Koorimaru, and the amulet he wore, then back at Inanna, "Isn't that gonna be hard to do as long as that Amulet is controlling Koorimaru? Or anyone for that matter." her body language suggested that she understood the danger, "Ah don't suppose we could just destroy it." Knowing full well that Koorimaru could hear her, not that it mattered.

[Sub-Zero MKA]

Ah yes, Pinach was here. What the boy knew, Inanna wasn't sure but there was little risk in sharing who it was... or at least no more risk than was already present.

"Demon? No. The first Saiyan, and the former God of Destruction for this Universe. Indar'en." Inanna stated, simply. "Or what was left of him, anyway." Before the boy could ask, or say anything dumb however the woman also added.

"No, we're not setting him free. Unless dying is your plan. In which case, go for it."

"No, it's not." He had no idea who Indar'en was, but he was the very first Saiyan. He hadn't given much thought into their history dating that far back. In fact, the history books don't state who the first Saiyan was, only speaking about them as a group. They weren't particularly impressive, at least compared to the race in modern days.

Part of him wanted to release this Indar'en, but from the way Inanna was speaking about him, Pinach could surmise that he was nothing but bad news.

"Well, that settles it." He turned to Koorimaru and frowned. "Sorry. Your quest has hit a snag. You can go home or die. I suppose those are your only two options."

[Cleric of Hell’s Brigade]

Korrimaru nods and raises his hand, then a pulse of cold amber light fills his eyes. His body stills, and his head turns and looks Inanna up and down.

“Until next time we meet, successor.”

Korrimaru suddenly vanishes into a void lens and disappears.

[Tami]

Korrimaru nods and raises his hand, then a pulse of cold amber light fills his eyes. His body stills, and his head turns and looks Inanna up and down.

“Until next time we meet, successor.”

Korrimaru suddenly vanishes into a void lens and disappears.

"Well now, that was quite an exit. Of course, that still means he's got Lady Maiz, an who knows who else he might go after. And we have no idea where he is or how to find him." Dash looked at Pinach, "Yeah, this sucks big time."

[Cthulhu_of_R'lyeh]

Korrimaru nods and raises his hand, then a pulse of cold amber light fills his eyes. His body stills, and his head turns and looks Inanna up and down.

“Until next time we meet, successor.”

Korrimaru suddenly vanishes into a void lens and disappears.

Inanna nodded, and watched Remnant- and his herald- disappear. Only after they left, did she let the facade fall away; and with a barely perceptible shuddshe turned towards the youngsters.

Though it wasn't missed, how Koorimaru referred to her. Something only Remnant should have known...

"No, it's not." He had no idea who Indar'en was, but he was the very first Saiyan. He hadn't given much thought into their history dating that far back. In fact, the history books don't state who the first Saiyan was, only speaking about them as a group. They weren't particularly impressive, at least compared to the race in modern days.

Part of him wanted to release this Indar'en, but from the way Inanna was speaking about him, Pinach could surmise that he was nothing but bad news.

"Well, that settles it." He turned to Koorimaru and frowned. "Sorry. Your quest has hit a snag. You can go home or die. I suppose those are your only two options."

"Well now, that was quite an exit. Of course, that still means he's got Lady Maiz, an who knows who else he might go after. And we have no idea where he is or how to find him." Dash looked at Pinach, "Yeah, this sucks big time."

"He'll be licking his wounds," Inanna said slowly. "I'm stronger than you can sense... and stronger perhaps, than he expected." She offered, knowing full well that meant little. "I caught him with his pants down, so to speak... and did some damage, however slight. Which is the only reason I suspect, we weren't killed. Because there's no reason he couldn't have."

A wounded ego, perhaps. The realization that his 100,000 year stagnation had done no favors... Nothing more, surely.

"Suffice to say, you all need to train."