Dragonball M, Chapter 5: Clarion’s Call! The Signal! The Fate of the Universes!

[Cleric of Hell’s Brigade]

"I swear this happens to me far too often..." Blizzar grumbled. "Which is why I've had to develop this...." Blizzar begins to wind up the arm being absorbed, energy gathering in his arm with each rotation. "Have you any sentience, I'd advise backing off a bit.

It warbles at him in contempt.

[Monstrous Bird of Qin, Ou Ki]

OOC: Hm, cleric, did Neva's efforts to heal Avoca in post 174 work?

[Cleric of Hell’s Brigade]

OOC: Hm, cleric, did Neva's efforts to heal Avoca in post 174 work?

Yes, sorry. She is restored.

[Cleric of Hell’s Brigade]

There was something inside Avoca that fought against the Hozon Neva was bathing the saiyan in. She had to put in far more effort than expected to overcome it, but in the end, she emerged victorious and stabilized the Saiyan. She breathed a sigh of relief and refocused her efforts to both stabilize and heal, lacing in a healing effect with the preservative one.

The clone neva made it to Ilargi and entered her little, ah... research facility there. This place, which had started as a mere hut, was now a sizeable facility where she did most of her work and research, or at least the work and research she wanted to get done quickly, given the time dilated nature of the planet. The entire thing was a patchwork combination of threshling magitech and reverse engineered first race hyper-tech.

CloNeva went directly to the medical lab, and gathered up what she needed. Specifically, she had come here for two things...

One, an experimental healing compound refined from those Hell peaches she and Ishtar had planted in Vaikuntha so long ago. There... wasn't a lot--just enough for one dose for one person--and it was hitherto (mostly) untested, but in theory it was the most potent healing agent she had available. Plus, its taste was simply divine.

The second was Avoca's gift that she had been working on alongside the gifts for the others. It appeared to be a simple suit of saiyan-style armor, but she had gotten a bit experimental with it, so to speak. She did not particularly favor Avoca--she'd spoken to her a few times during their training on Ilargi not too long ago, but little more--but had simply decided to see what sorts of wondrous things she could pull off with her new crafting skills. She hadn't consulted the saiyan at all, but she was quite sure she'd find the armor useful.

Gathering the PreserviPeach and armor, CloNeva exited the facility and began making her way back to Vaikuntha proper, jetting up and through Ilargi's atmosphere with great haste. As the direction of gravity changed and she passed through the time distortion field surrounding Ilargi, she was hit with a not-inconsiderable amount of disorientation, but persisted. Aiming herself where her main body was, she covered the distance quickly, landing roughly a few paces away from, er, herself.

Walking over to her main self, CloNeva placed the PreserviPeach and armor set next to her, then dissipated.


Working quickly, Neva first applied a portion of the PreserviPeach directly to Avoca's wounds, then fed the remainder to her so it could work on any internal wounds the Saiyan might have.

Avoca is healed, her life no longer run danger. Her energy is still down a lot though.

[Sub-Zero MKA]

It’s faintly there, but also draining.

She gets more withdrawn before she is suddenly cast aside with enough force to dislocate her left shoulder and crack a few ribs. Looking up, she watches as Avoca suddenly looks exactly like Parskey, down to her energy signature.

“My my, you are quite tasty. Better than your wife, for sure. You taste like gravesite dirt and lemons. How refreshing.”

‘Parsley’ smiles down at her, a bead of Hakai suddenly forming over her upturned hand. She lets it float right above Parsley, waiting.

“Let’s play a game. You’ll be paralyzed for about two more minutes. After your body releases, try and avoid my hakai, hmm? You’ll involuntarily relax into it, so you’ll need to stay as stiff and still as possible. Any movement, any casting, and bam!”

She claps her hands and grins.

“It’ll tear through you.”

She puts a finger to her mouth and smiles wise, fangs glinting.

“I wonder how long you’ll last. I wonder…will you still be alive when I get to Maiz’s Temple? Let’s find out.”

‘Parsley’ suddenly vanished, leaving Parsley paralyzed with a Hakai bomb hovering just over her.

Her magic was nearly gone. Her one hope of escape, of saving herself from a horrible death, was nearly depleted.

Suddenly, she was hurled into a nearby wall with enough force to shatter her ribs and break her shoulder. She was on her back, motionless and pathetically vulnerable. Her eyes, one of the precious few parts of her still capable of movement, cut toward "Avoca", only to widen when she saw no one but herself. A shapeshifter?! If that wasn't bad enough, a ball of hakai formed in her hand.

Hakai...

...a vampire who wielded Hakai...

Cancer, from U18! Why was she there?! What did she want with them?! Was she in personal league with Sakin like Ishtar and She Who Stalks?

There was no time to ponder. The hakai orb hovered from Cancer's hand and stopped mere inches from her prone form. Any movement, any spell cast would trigger its invisible string and drop it. She had no delusions that she could survive Hakai for even a second. If it touched her, she was dead. Permanently.

Cancer left with harrowing parting words. She's going to Maiz? But why? It didn't matter. Maiz and the children were in serious trouble. Damn it all! 'Maiz, can you hear me??'

-----------

Underground, Maiz and the children had been spared the insanity and chaos taking place top side. However, when she received a telepathic hailing from Parsley, Maiz knew that had come to an end. 'Parsley? Is everything alright up there?'

'NO! A GoD has paralyzed me in the palace, taken my form, and is on her way to you right now! Take the children and get out of here!'

At the end of the brief update, Maiz felt a sense of unmitigated dread overtake her. She knew what a GoD was and how powerful they were purported to be. She wasn't sure exactly how how powerful, but she knew that she stood no chance against them. 'I understand. What about you?'

'Don't worry about me. Just go!'

Maiz swallowed and let out a shaky sigh. "Children, pack your things. We're leaving." She hated to use her powers on children, but there was no time for questions or feeble whining. They stood up without fuss and gathered around her. Before leaving, Maiz contacted Sarada. 'Sarada, listen very carefully. There's a God of Destruction lurking with your sister's appearance. The real Parsley is paralyzed in the palace, so if you see her approach you, it isn't her. I'm taking the children to another world to keep them safe.'

It was a very long and tense moment before Sarada responded. 'Understood.'

'I'm gone. Be careful.' With that, she scooped Kumara in her arm and opened a portal to Ruco. She let Mais and Garnish step through first, then went through herself.

[Sub-Zero MKA]

The touch of it is like slime inside her very essence, but she manages to trap one.

For now.

Prime Sarada managed to capture one. The feeling of her skin crawling at its very existence persisted, but she didn't relented. She closed her fist and squeezed, causing the barrier to close in on the creature like a trash compactor.

[Monstrous Bird of Qin, Ou Ki]

“I cannot control where…we’ll land is the only issue. But yes, we can’t fight this at the same time. Let..let it go.”

Totoma nodded and released his telekinesis. With this, the lookout would begin to descend again, but with Eva boosted by his Kizuna--and being much more experienced at using TK, he figured--it wouldn't be a catastrophic landing. Not like the lookout hadn't been destroyed before, but he figured Eva had had enough of having her home blown to smithereens. Especially when she'd gotten caught up in it the last time.

He noted the arrival of Sasheem, followed by... another Majin, who felt suspiciously like Auroc. And some threshling woman.

Man, today's just getting weirder and weirder. I hope Karine and the kids are safe...

They probably were. Karine wasn't an idiot, nor was she weak. She could handle... most things that might go after her. Still, he couldn't help but worry.

He was worried, but he also had work to do.

Ki flight was out, judging from Sarada, but...

Concentrating, Totoma used his telekinesis to clumsily lift himself into the air. However, inexperienced as he was, he tilted, his momentum sending him spinning wildly in place as he tried desperately to figure out how in the hell to use telekinesis to fly...



"Oh... my... DAMN IT, WORRRRRRRRK--" he yelled.

Thankfully, after a few moments, he managed to right himself... for the most part. Slowly, steadily, he floated over the edge of the lookout to where Sarada was. She'd trapped one of the leeches in a green energy shield.

Should've used a layered one, for extra safety...

Totoma thrust out his hands and multiple Ki Threads lanced out, seeking to ensnare and restrain a few of these leeches.

[Cleric of Hell’s Brigade]

Her magic was nearly gone. Her one hope of escape, of saving herself from a horrible death, was nearly depleted.

Suddenly, she was hurled into a nearby wall with enough force to shatter her ribs and break her shoulder. She was on her back, motionless and pathetically vulnerable. Her eyes, one of the precious few parts of her still capable of movement, cut toward "Avoca", only to widen when she saw no one but herself. A shapeshifter?! If that wasn't bad enough, a ball of hakai formed in her hand.

Hakai...

...a vampire who wielded Hakai...

Cancer, from U18! Why was she there?! What did she want with them?! Was she in personal league with Sakin like Ishtar and She Who Stalks?

There was no time to ponder. The hakai orb hovered from Cancer's hand and stopped mere inches from her prone form. Any movement, any spell cast would trigger its invisible string and drop it. She had no delusions that she could survive Hakai for even a second. If it touched her, she was dead. Permanently.

Cancer left with harrowing parting words. She's going to Maiz? But why? It didn't matter. Maiz and the children were in serious trouble. Damn it all! 'Maiz, can you hear me??'

-----------

Underground, Maiz and the children had been spared the insanity and chaos taking place top side. However, when she received a telepathic hailing from Parsley, Maiz knew that had come to an end. 'Parsley? Is everything alright up there?'

'NO! A GoD has paralyzed me in the palace, taken my form, and is on her way to you right now! Take the children and get out of here!'

At the end of the brief update, Maiz felt a sense of unmitigated dread overtake her. She knew what a GoD was and how powerful they were purported to be. She wasn't sure exactly how how powerful, but she knew that she stood no chance against them. 'I understand. What about you?'

'Don't worry about me. Just go!'

Maiz swallowed and let out a shaky sigh. "Children, pack your things. We're leaving." She hated to use her powers on children, but there was no time for questions or feeble whining. They stood up without fuss and gathered around her. Before leaving, Maiz contacted Sarada. 'Sarada, listen very carefully. There's a God of Destruction lurking with your sister's appearance. The real Parsley is paralyzed in the palace, so if you see her approach you, it isn't her. I'm taking the children to another world to keep them safe.'

It was a very long and tense moment before Sarada responded. 'Understood.'

'I'm gone. Be careful.' With that, she scooped Kumara in her arm and opened a portal to Ruco. She let Mais and Garnish step through first, then went through herself.

The portal drops them off on Ruco. Once it disappears, a chuckle alerts Maiz.

“Hello Maiz. Children. I missed you.”

‘Parsley’ stands not too far away. Everything, down to her appearance and energy said this was Parsley.

“Thanks for leaving your temple, by the way. I knew you’d….get a message to leave.”

[Cleric of Hell’s Brigade]

Prime Sarada managed to capture one. The feeling of her skin crawling at its very existence persisted, but she didn't relented. She closed her fist and squeezed, causing the barrier to close in on the creature like a trash compactor.

It resists. You manage to crush it down to a basketball size, but not further.

And its eating through the barrier.

[Cleric of Hell’s Brigade]

Totoma nodded and released his telekinesis. With this, the lookout would begin to descend again, but with Eva boosted by his Kizuna--and being much more experienced at using TK, he figured--it wouldn't be a catastrophic landing. Not like the lookout hadn't been destroyed before, but he figured Eva had had enough of having her home blown to smithereens. Especially when she'd gotten caught up in it the last time.

He noted the arrival of Sasheem, followed by... another Majin, who felt suspiciously like Auroc. And some threshling woman.

Man, today's just getting weirder and weirder. I hope Karine and the kids are safe...

They probably were. Karine wasn't an idiot, nor was she weak. She could handle... most things that might go after her. Still, he couldn't help but worry.

He was worried, but he also had work to do.

Ki flight was out, judging from Sarada, but...

Concentrating, Totoma used his telekinesis to clumsily lift himself into the air. He nearly tipped over, his momentum sending him spinning wildly in place as he tried desperately to figure out how in the hell to use telekinesis to fly...



"Oh... my... DAMN IT, WORRRRRRRRK--" he yelled.

Thankfully, after a few moments, he managed to right himself... for the most part. Slowly, steadily, he floated over the edge of the lookout to where Sarada was. She'd trapped one of the leeches in a green energy shield.

Should've used a layered one, for extra safety...

Totoma thrust out his hands and multiple Ki Threads lanced out, seeking to ensnare and restrain a few of these leeches.

They descend, and Auroc shakes his head.

“Why are they not attacking? What just stay at the bottom….”

Meanwhile, your Ki threads bind a few, but they slowly start eating through the bindings.

[KingofPie]

Eva nods.

“Wise indeed.”

She telepathically broadcasts, boosted as she is with Totoma, this revaluation so that all the defenses of Earth (M-Fighter or EDF or GP or other) knows what Auroc has told Sasheem.

"Sasheem thought so," The Majin nodded smugly. "Anyway, too much **** is goin' down so we can't all stay holed up in the same place. Soon as Sasheem gets his ki back, he's gonna leave y'all to head for Cask and once that's done, he'll try and help with that jumbo-size jabroni up there...Or head back here in case you idiots bit the dust."

[Sub-Zero MKA]

The portal drops them off on Ruco. Once it disappears, a chuckle alerts Maiz.

“Hello Maiz. Children. I missed you.”

‘Parsley’ stands not too far away. Everything, down to her appearance and energy said this was Parsley.

“Thanks for leaving your temple, by the way. I knew you’d….get a message to leave.”

Maiz's heart stopped when she heard Parsley's voice. If nothing else, that confirmed that what Parsley told her was true.

"Her" children, however, were completely oblivious. "Mom!" Mais cheered happily. Garnish tried to run to her, but Maiz stopped her and held her close. "Huh?"

"Begone, demon. You have no business here."

"But that's Mom," Garnish said from behind her.

[Monstrous Bird of Qin, Ou Ki]

They descend, and Auroc shakes his head.

“Why are they not attacking? What just stay at the bottom….”

Meanwhile, your Ki threads bind a few, but they slowly start eating through the bindings.

His ki threads were being eaten through, as was Sarada's shield. Okay, what the heck were these things.

Not something he could mess around with, that was for sure.

Aura flaring green as he activated Full Boar, he reinforced his threads and tightened them. Focusing his will, he then enhanced his Threads... or Ito as they were also called. Translated to 'thread', so it was all the same.

Full Boar: Ito Shura!

The threads, reinforced and glowing brightly, tightened even more as they took on a sharp, cutting property. These Killing Threads would hopefully fricassee these leeches to pieces.

[Cleric of Hell’s Brigade]

Maiz's heart stopped when she heard Parsley's voice. If nothing else, that confirmed that what Parsley told her was true.

"Her" children, however, were completely oblivious. "Mom!" Mais cheered happily. Garnish tried to run to her, but Maiz stopped her and held her close. "Huh?"

"Begone, demon. You have no business here."

"But that's Mom," Garnish said from behind her.

‘Parsley’ smiles.

“No need to fear, Maiz. I just need to take the children for a bit.”

She gestures and Ruco’s sun suddenly goes red.

“I’ll make it clear. I take the children here, I spare this planet and every Saiyan on it. Refuse me, Maiz, and I and my children will butcher every, last, one of them.”

And there, standing behind her, are twelve Arcosians. Each has darkened patterns across their bodies, each with the same eerie glowing eyes as this women before her.

“These three, or an entire planet. You decide.”

[Cleric of Hell’s Brigade]

His ki threads were being eaten through, as was Sarada's shield. Okay, what the heck were these things.

Not something he could mess around with, that was for sure.

Aura flaring green as he activated Full Boar, he reinforced his threads and tightened them. Focusing his will, he then enhanced his Threads... or Ito as they were also called. Translated to 'thread', so it was all the same.

Full Boar: Ito Shura!

The threads, reinforced and glowing brightly, tightened even more as they took on a sharp, cutting property. These Killing Threads would hopefully fricassee these leeches to pieces.

You manage to cut a bunch apart, their writhing forms still alive though.

And still the Lookout descends.