Dragonball M, Chapter 3: In Blood, Bone, and Ash! The Way Forward Unlocked!

[Sub-Zero MKA]

The moment Parsley returned to the Lookout, she walked up to Ishtar. "Blizzar and I found this in the shrine. It's written in a language that neither of us could read. I was hoping you could." She handed her the journal.

[Cthulhu_of_R'lyeh]

The moment Parsley returned to the Lookout, she walked up to Ishtar. "Blizzar and I found this in the shrine. It's written in a language that neither of us could read. I was hoping you could." She handed her the journal.

Ishtar quirked an eyebrow at the request, but ever one to go looking for -- and into -- the hidden things, the Oni did as she was requested with a twinkle in her eye.

"A language unknown to either of you ? Let us see what we can find ..."

[grampagen]

Sitting up with a start, Zaofan shielded his face from the bright light that parted through the billowing mist. More out of reflex than anything, it was curious, for the brilliance did not sting his eyes or linger, but it felt as if it gently swept through his very being, as if it shone through him.

He gently inhaled, and found the air itself was as if taking in a silken veil made of the rising dawn itself. As his eyes slowly adjusted, he found himself standing astride a sea of clouds, through which he flew, parting their vapour bodies before him, and he felt himself floating upward. The higher he rose, the lighter his body felt, and a silent bliss overtook any anxieties in his mind. .

It's so warm.

There would be no troubles, everything he left behind was in the past now. All there remained to do was ascend.

Qaztoh's skin turns a deep shade of blue. A worried emotion icon appears in her pendant. " I'm sorry I had no idea that the Vutter would make him ill. Vutter is highly toxic when melted, but I seen other races handle it before," Qaztoh said as she points at the phoenix tattoo on her right shoulder.

" So I thought humans could too. I apologize for my mistake," Qaztoh said.

It was too late. Before she could fully warn them, Zaofan had tasted the food.

"Vutter is highly toxic to humans!" Shōchū exclaimed, her gaze scanning the surroundings for something in particular, "There!" Moving towards the fridge, she opened the door and withdrew a package of... bacon. From there, she approached the pantry and withdrew a container of vegetable oil shortening. Quickly tossing both into a bowl, she used her own energy to heat it up, "You," She said to Erosa, "Please open his mouth. I'll need you to help him swallow this as well." The machine mutant explained as the bacon cooked within the vegetable oil shortening, "Here, this should counteract the vutter."

Crouching down to Zaofan, she began to task of force-feeding him the concoction.

Suddenly, he felt somthing brush against his lips, but when he lift his fingers to his mouth there was nothing there.

"Eh?"

It felt thick...heavy, and had a smokey odour. It did not belong within this uplifting place.

Come home, my son. The clouds parted, and the gated ether revealed a sight indescribable. Sound, sight, scent, texture, and flavour, none of his earthly senses could compose that indescribable feeling, but he knew it well.

It was the essences there, carried within each neatly carved shape; the steaming parting of a perfectly crisp cut pastry; the hearty slap of second portions on the plate; and the silent call carried upon aromas to that golden hour.

The sustenance of a good meal. Move forth through the Gate and enter into my culinary kingdom. It was more than a mere aesthetic experience. It brought everybody together into a shared moment. As the bloom from the kitchen's labours called so many to his table, so did Zaofan experience the Cook's Quintessence just a short distance away to eternity. He had only to reach for it...and yet, he hesitated.

"I understand," he said, "but my work is not finished. I have responsibilities yet to see to."

The lightness left his body and a leaden sensation, racked with pain, anchored in bitterness - and a hint of salt - flood his senses, and he felt himself begin to fall. The golden veil swept away, burning a glowing red, hot, and choking around him.

"I...have to return."

"Bleh.....erosa not care if food is harsh, just need to taste good." Erosa wiped her mouth and pushed herself up. "Frog food taste like bitter stomach bile and butt cheeks...." With another spit for good measure, Erosa turns her attention to follow that of Shōchūs.



"Gao? GAO! Cookman! Cookman!" Erosa pounced over and put her hands on his shoulders, giving him a shake. "Not choke....toad food poison. E...Erosa not know how to.....someone....gaaaaaaaoooo!" The id let out a screech, angry and sad at the same time while she pulled him up and cradled his body.

A thousand thoughts ran through her head....should she try to get the food out? Make him puke it up? Did frog food have a cure? Maybe she could spit in his mouth and...



"Wait!" Erosa inspected his creation, then glanced down at Zaofan. "Mouth is too small, bacon might get stuck. Cookman would choke......"

Thinking quickly, an idea dawned on the Id. Erosa snatched a handful of the hot vegetable oil coated bacon and shoved it in her mouth. After several moments of very intense looking chewing, followed by making sure the payload was thoroughly lubricated with her healing spit, Erosa took ahold of Zaofans head and proceeded to baby bird feed him the mixture.

Back on the kitchen floor, Zaofan's fingers slowly curled and dragged over the ancient tile. As feeling returned to him he felt a tender sensation upon his lips, loaning breath of life and passion, and a pale, meaty ichor that slid straight down his gullet-

BACON AND SHORTENING?!

With a bloodcurdling scream the chef writhed and kicked ineffectually under Erosa's grasp like a flyweight wrestler pinned to the canvas.

"It's...so...warm..." he hacked as he rolled over on his side, the left side of his face drooping numbly as his tongue lolled out of his face.

[Cleric of Hell’s Brigade]

Ishtar quirked an eyebrow at the request, but ever one to go looking for -- and into -- the hidden things, the Oni did as she was requested with a twinkle in her eye.

"A language unknown to either of you ? Let us see what we can find ..."

It is written in the Darkling language.

Which should be impossible as they have never been remotely close to Earth. In fact, Ishtar is quite certain they don’t even have anything remotely like a Starship to even reach Earth.

It speaks of seven people who challenged a great dragon, who sought to free itself and reek its will upon the worlds. It gathered six of its dragonballs, and each one made it stronger, its power reach further. Strangers, they banded together and sought to defeat this foe. The foe was tricky, unable to confront them directly it cast multitudes and armies before them, seeking to drag them down yet they persisted. Across worlds and wonders, terrors and nightmares they battled, until finally they cast aside its illusions and banished its humanoid form temporarily. While it was banished, weakened, they scattered and sealed its dragonballs, one to each of their worlds, and thus trapped the great serpent from ever gathering them together again.

They lay each behind a shrine of the strongest Darkling spells possible, enchanted by the Lord of Darklings, so that death would come to those who sought them out. They leave behind this testament of this deed, so any that do manage to see it will know to never let the great serpent know the dragonballs have come to see the light of day again. For if he does he will seek them out, and though diminished, he cannot die, and thus will seek them out endlessly.

Signed,

Zxu’ro, Master of the Chimera School
Vocado, Lord of the Saiyans
Caladash Banespell, Lord of the Darklings
Cleos, Guardian and Queen of Amonra
Durga, Oni Captain
Kyuubi, First Kitani of the Forest
Haden, of the First Race

[Sub-Zero MKA]

It is written in the Darkling language.

Which should be impossible as they have never been remotely close to Earth. In fact, Ishtar is quite certain they don’t even have anything remotely like a Starship to even reach Earth.

It speaks of seven people who challenged a great dragon, who sought to free itself and reek its will upon the worlds. It gathered six of its dragonballs, and each one made it stronger, its power reach further. Strangers, they banded together and sought to defeat this foe. The foe was tricky, unable to confront them directly it cast multitudes and armies before them, seeking to drag them down yet they persisted. Across worlds and wonders, terrors and nightmares they battled, until finally they cast aside its illusions and banished its humanoid form temporarily. While it was banished, weakened, they scattered and sealed its dragonballs, one to each of their worlds, and thus trapped the great serpent from ever gathering them together again.

They lay each behind a shrine of the strongest Darkling spells possible, enchanted by the Lord of Darklings, so that death would come to those who sought them out. They leave behind this testament of this deed, so any that do manage to see it will know to never let the great serpent know the dragonballs have come to see the light of day again. For if he does he will seek them out, and though diminished, he cannot die, and thus will seek them out endlessly.

Signed,

Zxu’ro, Master of the Chimera School
Vocado, Lord of the Saiyans
Caladash Banespell, Lord of the Darklings
Cleos, Guardian and Queen of Amonra
Durga, Oni Captain
Kyuubi, First Kitani of the Forest
Haden, of the First Race

Parsley listened carefully as Ishtar translated the journal from its native dialect -- Darkling -- to something more readily understandable.

The Earth's troubles with Alakazah were not just the Earth's troubles. Vocado indeed realized that this great dragon posed a threat to even the Saiyans, and ventured to a faraway planet to team with six others to battle him. They managed to wrest his dragonballs away from him and hid them away, possibly one on each of their worlds where he couldn't reach them. It appeared that he wasn't even aware at this moment that they were even still in play.

Parsley intended on keeping it that way.

Reading this, it was very clear that there was a dragonball on the Saiyan throne-world. Sarada needed to be made aware of this as soon as possible.

But, several things needed to be discussed. "Is Vaikuntha ready to house meetings? There is much to discuss about this and it's too risky to do it out in the open," she said to Ishtar.

[Sub-Zero MKA]

“Wow. Both those things came out of you, huh?” Sarada marveled. She and Parsley were in the pediatric wing of the hospital. Saiyan babies were only carried within the mother for five months, after which they spent another four months in a healing pod to finish developing. It was an evolutionary quirk that developed because women were too anxious and impatient to wait out the full pregnancy.

“That's how it works. The pain was unimaginable.” It had only been two hours since she had went into labor. They were about to leave for training to get Parsley back into shape when they decided to stop by and see Garnish and Mais. They both had her tan complexion and a few of her features. The boy looked more like his father, whoever that was.

A nurse walked in with a hand-held scouter. It was 60% more accurate than the ones worn over the eye, but were also much more expensive, hence why they were only used in hospitals to measure babies. Garnish registered at 550, while Mais was at 400. Most newborns only registered from 20 to 90.

“Holy ****!”

“Yes. Indeed,” she mumbled. Avoca was right; her higher power had resulted in stronger children. She couldn't – and didn't want to – imagine how powerful Sarada's and Ishtar's child would be.

“I can't wait until me and Ishtar have our kid,” Sarada chimed, as if reading her mind. “It'll be so strong!” Hidden beneath her usual bluster was a tinge of anxiety.

“It would have no reason not to be,” she responded. She patted her on the shoulder. “Let's go before someone takes our spo—”

A man barged in, red-faced and completely out of breath. “Your... Your Highness,” he choked out. “News from... from Turrip!”

“Now what?”

He waited until he could compose himself before answering. “The Tuffles. They've somehow escaped from GP custody and returned to Turrip. There was a construction crew there helping with cleanup, along with a dozen Elites for security. They were all killed.”

The air turned tense. “How long ago was this?” Sarada inquired, tone more serious than Parsley had heard from her in a while.

“An hour ago. We received a coded message from one of the two survivors.” There appeared to be something else he wanted to say, but refrained for some reason. He swallowed nervously.

Parsley narrowed her eyes. “Who were the survivors?”

“Your parents.”

Guar and Lettise had both gone to Turrip to help with security and with manual labor. They had been there for two weeks. Never in any of their wildest dreams did they even think that the Tuffles could make a reappearance; not after being handed over into GP custody.

Parsley felt her hand beginning to tremble.

Sarada put her hand through a wall. “I should have fucking killed them!” she snarled. “Gather our strongest fighters. We're doing this my way this time.” With that, she stormed out of the room.

Parsley was frozen to her spot. Breathing was suddenly very difficult. The air felt heavy, like smoke. Every breath scratched at her throat. I'm okay. They can't hurt me here. I'm safe.

Her knees felt like they were made of jelly. It was a herculean task just standing up, much less following her volatile sister to keep her from doing something that would set their people back decades. But, their parents... they...

Parsley knew exactly what was going to happen if Appel got her hands on them. The same humiliation and degradation that she suffered for three weeks. Three long, agonizing weeks; to the point that death was a merciful release form her pain. She and her parents weren't close, but that didn't mean she didn't care for them. I can do this. I have to move!

It was worse than Ishtar's most intense gravity well. It felt like the entire planet was chained to her leg as she tried to lift it to take one single step.

Her foot all but dragged itself forward, then pushed down to guide the next one into repetition. Step after step gradually carried her to where she wanted to go. Before she ducked out of the door, she turned and looked at her children. They deserved to meet their grandparents.

She and Sarada would make sure they did.

Her gait gradually increased over time, until she was able to jog to the point where she felt Sarada's roiling energy. She was close enough to hear what she was telling the Super Elites with her.

“...no mercy. If you see a Tuffle, turn them to ash. And if you see this woman,” she was clearly talking about Appel, “save her for me. She's coming back here for execution.”

“Your Highness, we received a new report that there's a half-breed Saiyan with the Tuffles. It seems he's helping them.”

“Tch. No surprise there. We'll hang the traitor along with that bitch when we get back.”

Parsley entered the portal area just in time to see Sarada and her team stepping on the portal platform designated for Turrip. In a flash of light, Parlsey swapped places with one of the Super Elites just in time.

The sisters and the team vanished from Vocado and instantly reappeared on Turrip on a temporary portal node, twenty miles from the hollowed out husk that remained of the Focal Point.

“Spread out. You,” she pointed to the Super Elites, “find our parents and take them back to Vocado.” She looked at Parsley and frowned. “We'll clear out these roaches together.”

Parsley nodded shakily.

It had been nearly two years since she last stepped foot on this forsaken planet. She had never given any thought about returning, and certainly not returning in this capacity. Her worst nightmares were set in this place, in that damned cage she was kept in. Her heart skipped a beat every time she thought about it.

But, this wasn't about her. It was her parents, their parents. They weren't going to last. Because out of all the powers she was feeling, two were off the charts. Both around five million, which placed them both above herself and Sarada.

“I can feel Mom and Dad,” Sarada said suddenly. “This way!” She took off into the air, followed closely by Parsley.

Distressingly, their signatures were both close to one of the strong ones. It didn't feel right. There was something... inorganic about it. Knowing these damned Tuffles, it likely wasn't a living organism; at least not in the sense that she was.

“There!”

Lettise was on the ground, bleeding badly. Guar was in front of her, left arm hanging by his side. He was in a defensive stance and facing off against... something. It had pale, almost pure white skin and white hair. Its power was massive.

The thing lunged at Guar, its arm shifting and molding into a skewer. Its pointed tip was inches from transpiercing him when Sarada kicked it away at the last second.

“Sarada,” he gasped in pain. “Parsley?”

The creature... thing... stood up. It moved in an inSaiyan way, like a puppet or robot. It cracked its neck and peered at the new arrivals. “Numbers disadvantage increased,” it spoke in a male voice. “Adjusting combat tactics.” It shot into the air and fired a number of pink colored energy blasts down on the Saiyans.

Sarada leaped up and let out a Roar of Defiance to block or deflect them away from them.

Parsley helped her mother to her feet. Her leg was broken and she had a deep, badly bleeding gash in her side. “Can you stand on your own?”

Lettise grunted and tried to push her away. “I can do more than that.” The moment she put pressure on her injured leg, she grunted again and would have fallen had Parsley not caught her. “D-damn freak. When I get my hands on it...”

The Super Elites hadn't arrived yet. They had two injured warriors who didn't know how to quit for their own good, and two extremely powerful and unknown enemies dead set on killing them all.

The creature floated high above them and observed how Sarada deflected his blasts. Nodding, his eyes began to flash. “Enemy technique noted. Adjusting combat tactics.” The air around it rippled and warped moments before a pitch black aura engulfed it. “Power increased substantially. Re-initiating combat maneuvers.” Like a rocket, he burst into motion, heading straight for the four Saiyans.

[grampagen]

The vial glows warmly and Ochazuke sees the room brighten, the walls fix themselves and the entire thing restored once more to ancient glory and splendor. The entire thing now seems...holy. Sanctified and sacred in a way.

Arthur smiles, and bows his head.

Meanwhile, Eva takes the small reduced vial and studies it intently. After a few moments Arthur’s shade frowns and shakes his head.

“Evangeline....” he warns, but the Guardian ignores him.

“No, Arthur. It must be done. Ochazuke is right, we were both too focused on outward enemies we failed to see the serpent at our breast. In fact we have nurtured it. Crime almost nonexistent, poverty, hunger, gone for the sake of humanities silence and soul.”

She shakes her head.

“Choice. We all must have a choice. And I choose to give that back to my people.”


Brilliant energy surges through the room, shadows of previous guardians, dozens and dozens, appear throughout as white light suffuses Evangeline. They stand watch as Earth’s Kami takes upon herself more Creational Energy then ever before. Not the entire reduced amount, but a large fraction. For the first time, Ochazuke sees with his senses and his eyes what a true Goddess of Creation must have been like, a thing of wonderful beauty and light, warmth and love and hope. Eva shines like a Star, her eyes glowing with soft white light and love and she smiles at him.

“You gave me the tool, now I shall wield it to break the chains I failed to keep us from. Thank you, Ochazuke. I am so very proud of you.”

She rises up still within the Guardians Room, and her voice speaks out in a clear and clarion tone. The former Guardians all raise their hands to her, lending themselves to this task, including Arthur.

“Alakazah has long held his power to his name. He has spied, he has used, he has suffused the world with his smoke and eyes and lies. Manipulated and slid within the human hearts and minds for far too long. I am not a Goddess, but I am Earth’s Kami, and I will not stand by any longer.”

A surge of Creational Energy releases from her body, spreading in all directions and through all boundaries and borders until it has spread across the world.

“Grinthorn, I strip the Earth of this influence. I mark it, seal it away, your name just a name once more and no longer your weapon of war. I smite your all seeing gaze from this world. I declare this, by rite of Creation, and set it in the firmament of the heavens, that none may alter or change this. So is my will and the wills of all the previous Kamis’ done.”

Another surge leaves her and encircles the Earth, before fading. Eva drops to her knees, then crumbles to the floor, breathing heavily and shaking. The other guardians all dissipate save Arthur, who shakes his head sadly.

“Foolish girl, no. Your body cannot handle that strain. Did you learn nothing of Fate’s Threads and what that cost you?”

She doesn’t answer, shaking violently as Arthur hovers worried by her.

Channeling the essence of the Creator into this ancient structure, Ochazuke had no need to witness its external manifestation. Wielding the energy ever so briefly he could feel the effects of it coursing through the ring, and through the connection slowly began to ascertain its true nature. The chamber seemed to restore itself, its structure largely unchanged for the most part, but there was an affect that permeated beyond the surface. That tremendous potential to live, once diminished, now restored and able to grow once more.

The revivication of the ancestral seat of the stewards was nothing short of a small miracle, and gathered to the multitude of that sacrosanct line that spanned generations, his effort merely set the stage, a gesture that was quickly humbled when

When he saw Evangeline take the larger share inside herself, their power was collected, and unified to the will of a truly motivated Guardian there was something alien in its use Ochazuke had never seen before. Walking in the wake of gods and the things they left behind him, it was an affect he had only known in passing where diminished beings had passed. Now, as the Earth's Guardian wielded it and lift her hand once more to protect the planet, it did not strike him with the desperation of a year ago drawn from the last embers of woman who long forgot her name; this was a luminous force that permeate all the universe, only he hadn't the view to see it for what it truly was.

From the ethereal matter of the soul, the verdant voice sleeping in the earth, and the revolution of atoms, there it was. Illumination, resplendent. Held fast in the hope that the endless, savage chaotic cycle might change.

But all great gains are made with great sacrifice, and Ochazuke recognized Evangeline's folly was that the size of her heart defied her reach. Swiftly he moved to stop her fall.

"You have provided the spark, the catalyst for Earth to realize a future of its own." If the words he spoke should have been celebratory, it was difficult to tell by the measured way his voice carried them. "Still it would be in a poor way for you to pass in this manner before bearing witness to what course this will take."

As he support her, he converged his focus onto Evangeline's very soul with Banjakuza. What have you done? These matters of Destruction and Creation, beyond their immediate effects, were before this moment a matter far beyond his experience. He knew this could be potentially the start of a path that even Arthur would hardly have counsel for, and Ochazuke bore his trepidation with silence.

"It was far from foolish, you know this perhaps more than anybody," he replied to Arthur, "And once the world knows, they will be swift to act, and so you must continue to stand vigilant," he said as he supported her.

Yet for a moment he dared to loose his guard as he held Evangeline aloft, and dared to dream of something more than what faced them now. Perhaps soon, they would no longer be tools for the Creator, or fodder for Ancients that fell from heaven proclaiming some dark vision, but simply determine their fate for on their own terms.

Even a world as frail as this one bore upon it a tremendous weight. "Our work is not yet finished. Understand, you are too important to die."

[Cthulhu_of_R'lyeh]

It is written in the Darkling language.

Which should be impossible as they have never been remotely close to Earth. In fact, Ishtar is quite certain they don’t even have anything remotely like a Starship to even reach Earth.

Darkling ? What a peculiar choice, "Ishtar muttered ..."

It speaks of seven people who challenged a great dragon, who sought to free itself and reek its will upon the worlds. It gathered six of its dragonballs, and each one made it stronger, its power reach further. Strangers, they banded together and sought to defeat this foe. The foe was tricky, unable to confront them directly it cast multitudes and armies before them, seeking to drag them down yet they persisted. Across worlds and wonders, terrors and nightmares they battled, until finally they cast aside its illusions and banished its humanoid form temporarily. While it was banished, weakened, they scattered and sealed its dragonballs, one to each of their worlds, and thus trapped the great serpent from ever gathering them together again.

They lay each behind a shrine of the strongest Darkling spells possible, enchanted by the Lord of Darklings, so that death would come to those who sought them out. They leave behind this testament of this deed, so any that do manage to see it will know to never let the great serpent know the dragonballs have come to see the light of day again. For if he does he will seek them out, and though diminished, he cannot die, and thus will seek them out endlessly.

Signed,

Zxu’ro, Master of the Chimera School
Vocado, Lord of the Saiyans
Caladash Banespell, Lord of the Darklings
Cleos, Guardian and Queen of Amonra
Durga, Oni Captain
Kyuubi, First Kitani of the Forest
Haden, of the First Race

Translating the tome in silence (or so she thought), Ishtar's eyes widened at what was detailed within the tome she held. This was not simply some long forgotten journal from some manner of Martial Monk, but the retelling of a series of events that involved the binding -- and defeat -- of Alakazah. Though it was not so much the retelling as it was the names that had been written upon the final page that drew the most interest.

Some names were familiar ... Zxu'ro, Vocado ... some where known to her by their species and home-worlds ... Caladash, Cleos, and Kyuubi ... the remaining two however, Haden, and Durga. One was of the enigmatic first race, xenophobic warmongers from beyond the boundaries of this reality ... and the other had gifted her sweets when she was little more than a 'child', tending her garden all those millennia ago.

Parsley listened carefully as Ishtar translated the journal from its native dialect -- Darkling -- to something more readily understandable.

The Earth's troubles with Alakazah were not just the Earth's troubles. Vocado indeed realized that this great dragon posed a threat to even the Saiyans, and ventured to a faraway planet to team with six others to battle him. They managed to wrest his dragonballs away from him and hid them away, possibly one on each of their worlds where he couldn't reach them. It appeared that he wasn't even aware at this moment that they were even still in play.

Parsley intended on keeping it that way.

Reading this, it was very clear that there was a dragonball on the Saiyan throne-world. Sarada needed to be made aware of this as soon as possible.

But, several things needed to be discussed. "Is Vaikuntha ready to house meetings? There is much to discuss about this and it's too risky to do it out in the open," she said to Ishtar.

"I was reading that ... aloud ?" Ishtar asked, when she finished. "How foolish of me."

This was certainly not the type of thing to be aired out in the open. Especially given the danger ... Alakazah posed in that regard. "As for Vaikuntha, if you have been given a key, all you need do is focus on it to gain access." The Oni said, before closing the book. "Gather the others*, as you said there is much to discuss; not the least of which is my connection to Durga."

So this was where you ran off to ... brother. How ? ... Why ?

"I will be waiting," and with that, the Oni stepped into Vaikuntha.

*THE OTHERS BEING: NEVANLINNA, OCHAZUKE, ETRINA, ZAOFAN, SARADA, BLIZZAR

[Cleric of Hell’s Brigade]

Channeling the essence of the Creator into this ancient structure, Ochazuke had no need to witness its external manifestation. Wielding the energy ever so briefly he could feel the effects of it coursing through the ring, and through the connection slowly began to ascertain its true nature. The chamber seemed to restore itself, its structure largely unchanged for the most part, but there was an affect that permeated beyond the surface. That tremendous potential to live, once diminished, now restored and able to grow once more.

The revivication of the ancestral seat of the stewards was nothing short of a small miracle, and gathered to the multitude of that sacrosanct line that spanned generations, his effort merely set the stage, a gesture that was quickly humbled when

When he saw Evangeline take the larger share inside herself, their power was collected, and unified to the will of a truly motivated Guardian there was something alien in its use Ochazuke had never seen before. Walking in the wake of gods and the things they left behind him, it was an affect he had only known in passing where diminished beings had passed. Now, as the Earth's Guardian wielded it and lift her hand once more to protect the planet, it did not strike him with the desperation of a year ago drawn from the last embers of woman who long forgot her name; this was a luminous force that permeate all the universe, only he hadn't the view to see it for what it truly was.

From the ethereal matter of the soul, the verdant voice sleeping in the earth, and the revolution of atoms, there it was. Illumination, resplendent. Held fast in the hope that the endless, savage chaotic cycle might change.

But all great gains are made with great sacrifice, and Ochazuke recognized Evangeline's folly was that the size of her heart defied her reach. Swiftly he moved to stop her fall.

"You have provided the spark, the catalyst for Earth to realize a future of its own." If the words he spoke should have been celebratory, it was difficult to tell by the measured way his voice carried them. "Still it would be in a poor way for you to pass in this manner before bearing witness to what course this will take."

As he support her, he converged his focus onto Evangeline's very soul with Banjakuza. What have you done? These matters of Destruction and Creation, beyond their immediate effects, were before this moment a matter far beyond his experience. He knew this could be potentially the start of a path that even Arthur would hardly have counsel for, and Ochazuke bore his trepidation with silence.

"It was far from foolish, you know this perhaps more than anybody," he replied to Arthur, "And once the world knows, they will be swift to act, and so you must continue to stand vigilant," he said as he supported her.

Yet for a moment he dared to loose his guard as he held Evangeline aloft, and dared to dream of something more than what faced them now. Perhaps soon, they would no longer be tools for the Creator, or fodder for Ancients that fell from heaven proclaiming some dark vision, but simply determine their fate for on their own terms.

Even a world as frail as this one bore upon it a tremendous weight. "Our work is not yet finished. Understand, you are too important to die."

Her soul’s light sputters, energy waning under his gaze, but his words seem to reach on and steady her as her shaking stops. A smile falls across her still pain laced face.

“I seem....too often in this....state. Poor...Guardian...it seems, but...had to make sure...it worked. But still....I won’t...perish...yet. I can’t...disappoint...you all now......”

She sits up, eyes closed, and nods as Ronin Kai rushes in with a worried face. Her soul’s light is faint in Ochazuke’s gaze, but it is no longer sputtering. Ronin Kai lays his hands on her back and starts muttering words, energy encasing them as he starts trying to stabilize her.

“I want.....to see......this free world.....Ochazuke. And I want.....to see....that smug snakes face....when he loses......”

[Yun Lao]

A dozen or so figures, cloaked against the cold, turned to face him. Their visages were hidden from Rexs eyes, but he did notice them lot of them had a very similar....if not identical body type.

There were several moment of hesitation, several of them holding their hands dangerously close to what rex could only surmise were weapons of a magical nature. Finally, one of them motioned with her hand, the others taking it as a sign to stand down, and stepped forward to meet the saurian figure. With a well trained motion they unclipped their mask and pulled it aside along with their hood, revealing a female face, eyes obscured by thick glasses.

"Who are you, to request so boldly?" The woman looked him up and down, her face an emotionless mask. "You're the first inhabitant who has not attacked us on sight...so I can assume you're intelligent enough to be reasoned with, and you speak our language. We are studying the local ruins for historical purposes......are you a native of this region?"

The air grew tense as the group awaiting the response.

"A native? There are no natives of this land... and it will remain that way."

A glance around told him all he needed to know about this bunch. Their affinity for magic and the fact they were not descendants of the native could only lead to one thing; they were likely here for the same thing he was.

"You demand to know who I am? You, one of many from these callous fools who tread upon the final resting place of so many, dare to demand that I introduce myself?! You believe yourselves to be justified in pointing your weapons and demanding answers from another when you are trespassing on lands you do not belong in?!"

The ground rumbled beneath them as they could begin to hear the faint whispers of the dead as Rex's anger stirred up the residual emotions from the dead.

"I am the ruler of these lands, and I do not recall giving you permission to live, none the less befouling these graves with the stench of your ambitions."

[Yun Lao]

"Bleh.....erosa not care if food is harsh, just need to taste good." Erosa wiped her mouth and pushed herself up. "Frog food taste like bitter stomach bile and butt cheeks...." With another spit for good measure, Erosa turns her attention to follow that of Shōchūs.

"Gao? GAO! Cookman! Cookman!" Erosa pounced over and put her hands on his shoulders, giving him a shake. "Not choke....toad food poison. E...Erosa not know how to.....someone....gaaaaaaaoooo!" The id let out a screech, angry and sad at the same time while she pulled him up and cradled his body.

A thousand thoughts ran through her head....should she try to get the food out? Make him puke it up? Did frog food have a cure? Maybe she could spit in his mouth and...



"Wait!" Erosa inspected his creation, then glanced down at Zaofan. "Mouth is too small, bacon might get stuck. Cookman would choke......"

Thinking quickly, an idea dawned on the Id. Erosa snatched a handful of the hot vegetable oil coated bacon and shoved it in her mouth. After several moments of very intense looking chewing, followed by making sure the payload was thoroughly lubricated with her healing spit, Erosa took ahold of Zaofans head and proceeded to baby bird feed him the mixture.

Sitting up with a start, Zaofan shielded his face from the bright light that parted through the billowing mist. More out of reflex than anything, it was curious, for the brilliance did not sting his eyes or linger, but it felt as if it gently swept through his very being, as if it shone through him.

He gently inhaled, and found the air itself was as if taking in a silken veil made of the rising dawn itself. As his eyes slowly adjusted, he found himself standing astride a sea of clouds, through which he flew, parting their vapour bodies before him, and he felt himself floating upward. The higher he rose, the lighter his body felt, and a silent bliss overtook any anxieties in his mind. .

It's so warm.

There would be no troubles, everything he left behind was in the past now. All there remained to do was ascend.


Suddenly, he felt somthing brush against his lips, but when he lift his fingers to his mouth there was nothing there.

"Eh?"

It felt thick...heavy, and had a smokey odour. It did not belong within this uplifting place.

Back on the kitchen floor, Zaofan's fingers slowly curled and dragged over the ancient tile. As feeling returned to him he felt a tender sensation upon his lips, loaning breath of life and passion, and a pale, meaty ichor that slid straight down his gullet-

BACON AND SHORTENING?!

With a bloodcurdling scream the chef writhed and kicked ineffectually under Erosa's grasp like a flyweight wrestler pinned to the canvas.

"It's...so...warm..." he hacked as he rolled over on his side, the left side of his face drooping numbly as his tongue lolled out of his face.

"Ah, good. We managed to make it in time, " Visible relief washed over her features as Zaofan sprang back to life, trying desperately, yet futility, to push Erosa off from him.

"This is the second time you've almost died to Toadian vutter..." Recalling whom she was talking to, she corrected herself, "Erm, I mean, you are the second Zaofan I've encounter who has almost died to it."

[Sub-Zero MKA]

Darkling ? What a peculiar choice, "Ishtar muttered ..."



Translating the tome in silence (or so she thought), Ishtar's eyes widened at what was detailed within the tome she held. This was not simply some long forgotten journal from some manner of Martial Monk, but the retelling of a series of events that involved the binding -- and defeat -- of Alakazah. Though it was not so much the retelling as it was the names that had been written upon the final page that drew the most interest.

Some names were familiar ... Zxu'ro, Vocado ... some where known to her by their species and home-worlds ... Caladash, Cleos, and Kyuubi ... the remaining two however, Haden, and Durga. One was of the enigmatic first race, xenophobic warmongers from beyond the boundaries of this reality ... and the other had gifted her sweets when she was little more than a 'child', tending her garden all those millennia ago.



"I was reading that ... aloud ?" Ishtar asked, when she finished. "How foolish of me."

This was certainly not the type of thing to be aired out in the open. Especially given the danger ... Alakazah posed in that regard. "As for Vaikuntha, if you have been given a key, all you need do is focus on it to gain access." The Oni said, before closing the book. "Gather the others*, as you said there is much to discuss; not the least of which is my connection to Durga."

So this was where you ran off to ... brother. How ? ... Why ?

"I will be waiting," and with that, the Oni stepped into Vaikuntha.

*THE OTHERS BEING: NEVANLINNA, OCHAZUKE, ETRINA, ZAOFAN, SARADA, BLIZZAR

Parsley nodded and set about finding the necessary and designated people and very vaguely informing them that their presence in Vaikuntha was required. All they had to do was focus on the "key" given to them by the Threshling princess to enter.

Sarada had already left, so she would have to share this with her when she herself returned home. There's a lot of work to be done when I get home. A shrine and a dragonball hidden by our first King need to be found.

Once everyone – Etrina, Zaofan, Blizzar, Nevanlinna, and Ochazuke – were informed, Parsley disappeared into Vaikuntha.

[grampagen]

2 weeks later
____

The Capsule transport cut through the sky at a swift clip, its yellow paint-job made it stick out among the cloudless blue. It took some doing, but after that expedition to the North Continent with Erosa, Zaofan had bee swift to use one Jinzi's loaners from way back; and while this was hardly a food run where time surely was of the essence, he had become painfully aware of a couple things during that little adventure.

In the back of an oddly empty cargo hold, Black katchin whirled swiftly in was a pattern that served him well time and again. Palm up, first position, shift right, second position, parry. Just shy of two metres, with swift swings the Martial Chef would kept many foes at a distance, but the fancy fluorish of a rehearsed routine sometimes led to bad habits.

He withdrew the staff, and sent it downwards. Ochazuke, a plain wooden dowel in his hands, guard against the opening strike, and with a pulse of Kiai compensated for the difference in material. A series of swift blows followed in sequence. 1-2. Zaofan's hands readily picked up speed as he pressed his advantages in reach to keep his martial brother at bay. 1-2-3-4. Leading from a distal point, the Turtle-Style staff was his shell, a simultaneous offense and defense.

"What's the matter? To reach me you must move to me," the martial chef grinned. Ochazuke said nothing, eyes stilled, possessed as he held his grip low. Set upon a four-foot shaft, he had his work cut out for him. Fleet of foot and longer-ranged, Zaofan had all the advantages, especially in this wide-open corridor. Guarding against his strikes was no small task. Lift from the centre, guide the force. A series of rapid-fire blows at a distance, Ochazuke nonetheless pressed forward, and everything he blocked one of the blows, with a twist, a round motion, he would pull the weapon off-line. If you're playing defense, then I'll simply have to make your efforts more difficult.

Sensing he would have to pick up the pace, Zaofan drew a deep inhale and threw a series of straight strikes, turning the single distal end of his weapon into a phalanx with Rakan Geki.

In response, Ochazuke's defense became more compact, tracing the seemingly random thrusts, and dared step forward. As he did. the formation of Zaofan's veritable legion gradually loosened. Sharp as his blows were, each blow that shot forward swung between fully-committed back to a return position, and with each successive parry, Ochazuke slowly widened the gaps between one strike to the next, until he closed the distance, shift his grip, and bound Zaofan's wrist by pressing on the round bone end and sinking downward.

"AGH! I give in!" he stammered, waving his hand around as Ochazuke broke the hold. "That Crane Kobudo system is no joke!"

The Autopilot announced its descent, and as the craft lurched, Zaofan braced himself on Bojack, while Ochazuke threw the splintered dowel into a pile of others. "Cheh."

The two of them returned to their seats at the head of the craft as the island loomed before them.

"...come to think of it, I don't think I've seen you use cold weapons before," Zaofan mused, "certainly put me on notice today."

Ochazuke quietly folded his arms over his chest, slowing his breathing from the expenditure. "These catalogued skills rise necessarily from the circumstances around them," he said, "the Turtle Monks ferried water across their backs in pairs of pails."

"And the Cranes?"

"Farmers made into a militia, crossing swords with trowels and fence-posts," Ochazuke replied. "Given enough resolve, practically anything you get your hands on can become a weapon."

With a grunt, he knead his knuckles beneath his wrapped hands. "But I prefer not to be caught off-guard."

In a moment the Capsule Craft landed and came to a stop. Zaofan led the way, up the wild, beaten road to a familiar house over the horizon, and Ochazuke followed.

Juggling two capsules in one hand, he rapped gently on the front door.

"Master Balon! Sorry we're late!"

[bruceleegreyhulk]

It is written in the Darkling language.

Which should be impossible as they have never been remotely close to Earth. In fact, Ishtar is quite certain they don’t even have anything remotely like a Starship to even reach Earth.

It speaks of seven people who challenged a great dragon, who sought to free itself and reek its will upon the worlds. It gathered six of its dragonballs, and each one made it stronger, its power reach further. Strangers, they banded together and sought to defeat this foe. The foe was tricky, unable to confront them directly it cast multitudes and armies before them, seeking to drag them down yet they persisted. Across worlds and wonders, terrors and nightmares they battled, until finally they cast aside its illusions and banished its humanoid form temporarily. While it was banished, weakened, they scattered and sealed its dragonballs, one to each of their worlds, and thus trapped the great serpent from ever gathering them together again.

They lay each behind a shrine of the strongest Darkling spells possible, enchanted by the Lord of Darklings, so that death would come to those who sought them out. They leave behind this testament of this deed, so any that do manage to see it will know to never let the great serpent know the dragonballs have come to see the light of day again. For if he does he will seek them out, and though diminished, he cannot die, and thus will seek them out endlessly.

Signed,

Zxu’ro, Master of the Chimera School
Vocado, Lord of the Saiyans
Caladash Banespell, Lord of the Darklings
Cleos, Guardian and Queen of Amonra
Durga, Oni Captain
Kyuubi, First Kitani of the Forest
Haden, of the First Race

Qaztoh spots an extra container on the Kitchen table, and goes over to check it out." The label here is in my native language. It reads simply Cookbook. Below that, there's a message from Praxat's sister Sraxat," Qaztoh said.

" Informing Praxat to inform the person she was going to give The Zeef Roast recipe to about Vutter," Qaztoh said. Qaztoh takes out the Cookbook from the container, and looks through it." There's a variety of recipes here. However, the most important thing is this book." Qaztoh said.

"List which recipes use toxic ingredients and which ones use no toxic ingredients," Qaztoh said.

[Yun Lao]

Qaztoh spots an extra container on the Kitchen table, and goes over to check it out." The label here is in my native language. It reads simply Cookbook. Below that, there's a message from Praxat's sister Sraxat," Qaztoh said.

" Informing Praxat to inform the person she was going to give The Zeef Roast recipe to about Vutter," Qaztoh said. Qaztoh takes out the Cookbook from the container, and looks through it." There's a variety of recipes here. However, the most important thing is this book." Qaztoh said.

"List which recipes use toxic ingredients and which ones use no toxic ingredients," Qaztoh said.

"So there was an assigned person who was supposed to give Zaofan these ingredients and warn him over the toxicity of vox dairy," Shōchū began, only to glance around, "Yet this Praxat you mentioned wasn't here when Zaofan discovered the ingredients. Either a case of a misdelivery or irresponsibility," She concluded.

"Even in the flesh, Toadians are always a mystery even though in my time, they are long go--" Realizing it was proper not best to mention what she was about to say to Qaztoh, she trailed off before diverting the conversation, "In my timeline, vox dairy, especially vutter was considered a delicacy popular with risk-takers. Very much like the fugu pufferfish on Earth, humans can... safely ingest it, but only after painstaking preparation by a master chef. Even then, it was still a hazard."