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

[Cleric of Hell’s Brigade]

"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."

She nods.

“Be safe, Sasheem.”

[bruceleegreyhulk]

Haru howls and powers up, before charging at her. Meanwhile, two more had shown up. Koolard and Glacia, two more hybrids, attack the others defenders.

Praxat uses her sense of electroreception to anticipate Haru's charge and dodges it. Then she counters with massive concussive thunderclaps that rain down on Haru from all sides" Thunder! Roar! Echo," Praxat shouted.

( Okay, focus on the electrical impulses of his nerves and muscles. as long as I can anticipate his attacks, and react fast enough, I can dodge them,) Praxat thought.

[Sub-Zero MKA]

After receiving Maiz's warning about the GoD lurking and Parsley's condition, Clone Sarada moved with haste into the palace. It was in broken shambles and smelled horribly of blood. A lot of it. The freshest scent was her first lead. She followed her nose to the source, heart gripped with anxious dread at what she was going to find.

[Cleric of Hell’s Brigade]

After receiving Maiz's warning about the GoD lurking and Parsley's condition, Clone Sarada moved with haste into the palace. It was in broken shambles and smelled horribly of blood. A lot of it. The freshest scent was her first lead. She followed her nose to the source, heart gripped with anxious dread at what she was going to find.

She finds Parsley, unable to move, bleeding and paralyzed as a ball of Hakai hovers directly over her.

[Cleric of Hell’s Brigade]

Praxat uses her sense of electroreception to anticipate Haru's charge and dodges it. Then she counters with massive concussive thunderclaps that rain down on Haru from all sides" Thunder! Roar! Echo," Praxat shouted.

( Okay, focus on the electrical impulses of his nerves and muscles. as long as I can anticipate his attacks, and react fast enough, I can dodge them,) Praxat thought.

The thunderclaps blow him backward, but also ruin a fair amount if one of the CC buildings.

While Praxat is so focused on Haru, Sickle, the Arcosian/Namekian hybrid attacks from behind and strikes her hard enough to send her across the city.

[Sub-Zero MKA]

She finds Parsley, unable to move, bleeding and paralyzed as a ball of Hakai hovers directly over her.

The coppery scent of fresh blood led her directly to Parsley. What Maiz told her completely paled in comparison to the reality of the situation. Sarada swallowed and stopped dead in her tracks. "Oh no," she whispered.

Parsley was on the ground, badly bleeding from her throat. As if that wasn't bad enough, a ball of Hakai was hovering in the air mere inches from her. It was close enough that even the slightest movement threatened contact, which would have been the absolute end of her sister. "Damn it." She looked at Parsley and noticed her staring at her. Her eyes were wide, as if trying to tell her something without actually speaking. "Don't worry. I'll get you out of this."

She wasn't sure of the situation beyond Parsley being paralyzed, but that was all she needed to know. The first thing that needed to be squared away was the Hakai. Obviously, she couldn't and wouldn't risk trying to grab it. Blasting it wouldn't work, so moving Parsley would have to be the move. She approached her and moved to grab her feet; she noticed Parsley's eyes widening frantically. "No?"

Was moving her out of the question?

"Ha...kai... trapped... I move, it drops," Parsley said, voice strained from exhaustion.

"****." That was bad. Sarada swallowed and wiped the beads of sweat that had accumulated on her brow and started to roll down her face. Parsley was in a terrible spot. If she moved, even an inch, the Hakai would drop on her and kill her instantly. If she stayed still, she would bleed to death. Their options were slim, but there was one thing she could try. "I... I think I have an idea."

She transformed into Super Saiyan. She hadn't thought about it, but thinking about godly energies reminded her of something Neva did for her on Darkle while they were fighting Alt Ishtar. She never had a chance to use it; a good thing because the situation in front of her was far more pressing than Ishtar could ever hope to be. She closed her eyes and summoned the boosted Hozon Neva bestowed her with a year ago. Then, she applied a barrier around the ball of Hakai, using the Hozon to preserve the barrier so it wouldn't be destroyed the moment it made contact with the Hakai.

Please work. Please.

[Sub-Zero MKA]

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

Avoca suddenly took a gasp of air like she hadn't ever taken a breath in her life. She swallowed; her tongue and throat felt like sandpaper. "I'm alive," she said. Her voice sounded rough and scratchy.

She was so close to death's door that being pulled back to the realm of the living was a distant dream. The only thing tethering her was her will and Sarada's confidence in her. The woman could inspire an ant to lift a mountain.

Her eyes opened a touch. Her vision was still blurry, but she still saw two dark-skinned women kneeling over her. "Parsley? Sarada?"

[Monstrous Bird of Qin, Ou Ki]

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

She'd managed to save Avoca from death. What a relief. The saiyan warrior was still significantly weakened, but soon enough she would be up and ready to fight, stronger than ever.

"Something really did a number on her..." said a voice from behind her. Neva recognized it as Tasure. No doubt she had been in here training.

Tasure walked up beside her and looked at Avoca, her brow creasing slightly in worry. Neva found that odd, but then again, she had helped Avoca reach Super Saiyan in that Room of Spirit and Time. For Saiyans, training together was probably one of the best ways to bond, besides... probably just outright fighting each other.

"Indeed. I've managed to heal her, but she was on death's door when I found her..."

"...not good. She's strong--stronger than she realizes--and a tricky fighter. Whoever did this must be incredibly strong... strong enough that even her techniques couldn't close the gap," said Tasure. Unsurprisingly, her voice carried a tinge of excitement--what saiyan didn't find the prospect of a strong opponent exciting?--but at the same time it also carried an uncharacteristic apprehension.

This was perhaps the first time Neva had actually seen Tasure unsettled. They had to get more info.

Gently shaking Avoca to rouse her from her slumber, Nevanlinna addressed her: "Avoca? Can you hear me? You're safe now, don't worry. Can you tell me who or what inflicted this upon you?"

Avoca suddenly took a gasp of air like she hadn't ever taken a breath in her life. She swallowed; her tongue and throat felt like sandpaper. "I'm alive," she said. Her voice sounded rough and scratchy.

She was so close to death's door that being pulled back to the realm of the living was a distant dream. The only thing tethering her was her will and Sarada's confidence in her. The woman could inspire an ant to lift a mountain.

Her eyes opened a touch. Her vision was still blurry, but she still saw two dark-skinned women kneeling over her. "Parsley? Sarada?"

...her response was... confused, which was not surprising in the least. She had just been at the edge of death, after all, and expecting someone coming out of that to be entirely lucid was foolish. However, Nevanlinna had this horrible feeling that time was of the essence, so she pressed.

"No, they're not here, just myself, Nevanlinna, and Tasure," she said, motioning at a nearby brook. A ball of water lifted from it and floated over to Avoca. "Drink, and then please tell us what happened."

[Sub-Zero MKA]

...her response was... confused, which was not surprising in the least. She had just been at the edge of death, after all, and expecting someone coming out of that to be entirely lucid was foolish. However, Nevanlinna had this horrible feeling that time was of the essence, so she pressed.

"No, they're not here, just myself, Nevanlinna, and Tasure," she said, motioning at a nearby brook. A ball of water lifted from it and floated over to Avoca. "Drink, and then please tell us what happened."

The posh, snooty voice sounded appropriate for Parsley, but the added regality didn't sound fitting for either her or Sarada. She blinked a few more times to clear her vision, then rubbed her eyes with her hands. That was when she saw that the two women weren't Sarada and Parsley; they were Tasure and... Never? No, Neva. While she was disappointed, she wasn't about to be ungrateful for the immense save.

"Thanks," she said. She grunted and sat up a little so she could drink the water more carefully. She sucked it down in a heartbeat then cleared her throat. "That's better." She was still weak, which was bad, but that could be cured with time.

Time they absolutely did not have.

****.

"It was a God of Destruction named Cancer, from Universe 18," she responded, recalling the information she read in Parsley's guide. "I caught her trashing Sarada's art and tried to stop her. She bit me and started sucking my blood up. Paralyzed me." She let out a shaky breath and placed a hand on her forehead. "She said she wants to turn my kids. I guess into slaves like those Icers of hers. She had turned herself into me! Parsley and Sarada don't know it's not me!"

She tried to rise to her feet, but with zero strength in her legs, she ended up falling flat on her butt. "Ugh. We don't have much time. They don't stand a chance against her, especially if she can get the drop on them."

Mais and Garnish... she had been so caught up trying to survive that she neglected to even consider the perilous circumstance they were in danger of finding themselves in. She wasn't sure where they were; more than likely with Maiz. That, unsurprisingly, did little to assuage the feelings to dread and terror that gripped her heart. Her little ones were in danger and she had to save them!

[Cleric of Hell’s Brigade]

The coppery scent of fresh blood led her directly to Parsley. What Maiz told her completely paled in comparison to the reality of the situation. Sarada swallowed and stopped dead in her tracks. "Oh no," she whispered.

Parsley was on the ground, badly bleeding from her throat. As if that wasn't bad enough, a ball of Hakai was hovering in the air mere inches from her. It was close enough that even the slightest movement threatened contact, which would have been the absolute end of her sister. "Damn it." She looked at Parsley and noticed her staring at her. Her eyes were wide, as if trying to tell her something without actually speaking. "Don't worry. I'll get you out of this."

She wasn't sure of the situation beyond Parsley being paralyzed, but that was all she needed to know. The first thing that needed to be squared away was the Hakai. Obviously, she couldn't and wouldn't risk trying to grab it. Blasting it wouldn't work, so moving Parsley would have to be the move. She approached her and moved to grab her feet; she noticed Parsley's eyes widening frantically. "No?"

Was moving her out of the question?

"Ha...kai... trapped... I move, it drops," Parsley said, voice strained from exhaustion.

"****." That was bad. Sarada swallowed and wiped the beads of sweat that had accumulated on her brow and started to roll down her face. Parsley was in a terrible spot. If she moved, even an inch, the Hakai would drop on her and kill her instantly. If she stayed still, she would bleed to death. Their options were slim, but there was one thing she could try. "I... I think I have an idea."

She transformed into Super Saiyan. She hadn't thought about it, but thinking about godly energies reminded her of something Neva did for her on Darkle while they were fighting Alt Ishtar. She never had a chance to use it; a good thing because the situation in front of her was far more pressing than Ishtar could ever hope to be. She closed her eyes and summoned the boosted Hozon Neva bestowed her with a year ago. Then, she applied a barrier around the ball of Hakai, using the Hozon to preserve the barrier so it wouldn't be destroyed the moment it made contact with the Hakai.

Please work. Please.

The Hakai doesn’t move.

You can try and move Parsley.

[Sub-Zero MKA]

The Hakai doesn’t move.

You can try and move Parsley.

The barrier seemed to work for right then, but Sarada couldn't move it out of the way. Which meant she had to move Parsley. "Sorry," she said in advance while grabbing one of her legs. Then she yanked as hard and fast as she could to get her from under the ball before it could drop.

[Cleric of Hell’s Brigade]

The barrier seemed to work for right then, but Sarada couldn't move it out of the way. Which meant she had to move Parsley. "Sorry," she said in advance while grabbing one of her legs. Then she yanked as hard and fast as she could to get her from under the ball before it could drop.

The ball drops……….


……into the barrier of Hozon. The two meet, flash, and then cancel each other out.

Parsley has been pulled away safely.

[Monstrous Bird of Qin, Ou Ki]

The posh, snooty voice sounded appropriate for Parsley, but the added regality didn't sound fitting for either her or Sarada. She blinked a few more times to clear her vision, then rubbed her eyes with her hands. That was when she saw that the two women weren't Sarada and Parsley; they were Tasure and... Never? No, Neva. While she was disappointed, she wasn't about to be ungrateful for the immense save.

"Thanks," she said. She grunted and sat up a little so she could drink the water more carefully. She sucked it down in a heartbeat then cleared her throat. "That's better." She was still weak, which was bad, but that could be cured with time.

Time they absolutely did not have.

****.

"It was a God of Destruction named Cancer, from Universe 18," she responded, recalling the information she read in Parsley's guide. "I caught her trashing Sarada's art and tried to stop her. She bit me and started sucking my blood up. Paralyzed me." She let out a shaky breath and placed a hand on her forehead. "She said she wants to turn my kids. I guess into slaves like those Icers of hers. She had turned herself into me! Parsley and Sarada don't know it's not me!"

She tried to rise to her feet, but with zero strength in her legs, she ended up falling flat on her butt. "Ugh. We don't have much time. They don't stand a chance against her, especially if she can get the drop on them."

Mais and Garnish... she had been so caught up trying to survive that she neglected to even consider the perilous circumstance they were in danger of finding themselves in. She wasn't sure where they were; more than likely with Maiz. That, unsurprisingly, did little to assuage the feelings to dread and terror that gripped her heart. Her little ones were in danger and she had to save them!

A deep dread settled within Nevanlinna's stomach as Avoca relayed who'd attacked her, and what had happened. She had read the dossier, of course--only a fool wouldn't have--but this was something... deeper, more primal. Some part of her knew what they were dealing with, but for now it was a vague sort of feeling. She pushed it out of her mind and stood up, while Tasure propped Avoca up on her shoulder.

"Tasure, please take Avoca to Ilargi to speed her recovery," she said. It would probably still take a while from their perspective, but it was the quickest way to get Avoca back in fighting shape.

The elder saiyaness nodded. "And what about you?"

Nevanlinna remained silent for a moment, attempting to sense Parsley and Sarada's keys in real space. Sarada's was on Earth, but there were... two of Parsley's. With a bit of effort, she could sense the condition of those with her keys, and... one of the Parsleys was weakened and quite injured. No doubt that was the real one. She also caught a whiff of hozon being used near the real Parsley, which surprised her.

"I, too, can use the keys I gifted you all as... waypoints to travel to," she said, at last. "I will do what I can to help, although I... do not fancy the idea of facing a God of Destruction. Quite the chilling title." With that, her form faded into the ether as she left vaikuntha for real space.

Tasure stared for a moment, then walked over and capsuled that saiyan armor Nevanlinna had left behind. After all, she recognized it as meant for Avoca. But that could wait until the younger saiyaness was back on her feet.

"Well, hold onto your ass." Her aura burst into existence as she transformed into Super Saiyan 3, taking flight towards Ilargi.

~~~~~

Neva's form shimmered into existence next to Parsley and Sarada just as the Hakai and Hozon impacted and canceled each other out. The situation was much the same as with Avoca--Parsley was gravely injured and weakened, though Sarada, thankfully, seemed to be in... some sort of fighting shape.

...wait, wasn't she on Earth? And why was she only about half as str--

Oh, multi-form.

"Never a dull moment with you lot, is it?" she said. Kneeling next to Parsley, she placed her hand over her neck wound. Hozon flared to life and flowed into her, to preserve her life and beat back anything Cancer had put in her... which she likely had, judging from Avoca.

Ah, that's right.

"...worry not, Parsley. Avoca has been tended to and will recover in due time."

[Sub-Zero MKA]

The ball drops……….


……into the barrier of Hozon. The two meet, flash, and then cancel each other out.

Parsley has been pulled away safely.

It didn't go the way she envisioned, but Sarada's plan worked out in the end. The Hakai and Hozon canceled out and Parsley was safe. Well, from instantly dying; she was still bleeding out and still very much in danger. Okay, trying to take her to one of the hospitals is a no-go. That GoD could still be lurking around. Damn it, and without my ki sense, I can't tell if any fake Parsleys are roaming around.

Then, the idea hit her. "I know. I'll take you to Ilargi. That way, you'll be back on your feet in no time."

Neva's form shimmered into existence next to Parsley and Sarada just as the Hakai and Hozon impacted and canceled each other out. The situation was much the same as with Avoca--Parsley was gravely injured and weakened, though Sarada, thankfully, seemed to be in... some sort of fighting shape.

...wait, wasn't she on Earth? And why was she only about half as str--

Oh, multi-form.

"Never a dull moment with you lot, is it?" she said. Kneeling next to Parsley, she placed her hand over her neck wound. Hozon flared to life and flowed into her, to preserve her life and beat back anything Cancer had put in her... which she likely had, judging from Avoca.

Ah, that's right.

"...worry not, Parsley. Avoca has been tended to and will recover in due time."

Just as Sarada was moving to lift Parsley into her arms, Neva appeared out of nowhere. And immediately began tending to Parsley's extensive wounds. Sarada breathed out a sigh of relief and stepped a few feet back to give her some space. "Tell me about it," she muttered. "Things have been going from bad to worse ever since that **** started spewing his honeyed lies across the universe." It seemed that literally every possible enemy they could have made at any point in time suddenly had it out for them. It was beyond frustrating, especially against the ones where they couldn't use their normal tactics.

"I have no idea where that GoD is, but she needs to be stopped and fast." She didn't want to admit it aloud, but she knew that she didn't stand a chance against one of those. At least not alone. Having Neva was a big help and made her feel a little better, but the odds were still stacked very high against them.

"Cancer... she's... after Maiz," Parsley said, voice still strained from exhaustion. "She had Avoca's form when she attacked me. That's why I didn't see her coming. She told me she was headed to Maiz's temple."

A sudden feeling of pure horror overtook Sarada. "I... I left the kids at Maiz's temple."

"What?"

"I... I thought they'd be safe there..." A noticeable tremble shook her hand before she balled it into a fist. If that Cancer was after Maiz, the kids didn't stand a chance. "But, Maiz left a little while ago. Meaning Cancer is still here." They had to leave the fight contained to Sarada. If Cancer got away to one of the other worlds, no one stood a chance of stopping her.

[KingofPie]

It warbles at him in contempt.

"I see. Let this be a lesson to you in the next life. If you have one..." Blizzar stopped winding his arm, figuring four was enough. "DEATH BOLO!" he shouted, launching his fist forward and punching with enough force to create a large crater in an average-sized planet.