Dragonball M, Chapter 1: Silent Menace Aproaches!

[Yun Lao]

Jinzi nods.

“Invaluable. But you probably wish to speak to Eva. Please, follow me.”

He holds his arm out to her.

She looks at him for some time, as if considering it before accepting it. No doubt she would use this as ammunition against his cousins, Charco imagined.

"Eva... is that what you call her now?" Tyranno-sensei asked, unsure if it was a name they gave her, or some honorific title whose context was missing from her observation.

[Tami]

As she considers speaking with the Guardian once more, a funny thought crossed Meagan's mind as she realized that Lady Evangeline probably hasn't had this much social interaction in decades, if not longer. As she walked in search of her, she wonders if she is the type who prefers privacy or enjoys company? Perhaps she will find out soon.

She looks at him for some time, as if considering it before accepting it. No doubt she would use this as ammunition against his cousins, Charco imagined.

"Eva... is that what you call her now?" Tyranno-sensei asked, unsure if it was a name they gave her, or some honorific title whose context was missing from her observation.

It wasn't long before she notice Jinzi escorting someone new, heading in the same direction. Hesitating for a moment, Meagan decided to follow behind and wait her turn to speak with their host.

[Cleric of Hell’s Brigade]

Jinzi nods.

“It is Kami’s name. She prefers to go by Eva instead of her title.”

Eva smiles at them.

“It has been a while. How do you fare?”, she asks Charco’s grandmother.

Jinzi notices Meagan and gestures her to join them.

[Cleric of Hell’s Brigade]

Brought low, her spent life at the mercy of guilt and little more, Willa Rautt still would stand defiant. For hate, for spite, she seized on any spiteful weapon to maintain what modicum of power she had. A true Battersea despite her protests.

He moved his pointed finger to the comm still in his ear. A short static-switch echo rippled on the edge of the Lookout across its open expanse where he stood before her.

"You hear all that?"

It was all broadacast straight to the damaged, locked-down Capsule transport. Her secrets, the collusion, the illusory heights stripped from her empty vision of pandemonium and violence, to be heard in her own words by the one ally she might have here on the Lookout. She'd tightened her lips too late.

Ochazuke leaned forward slightly, the left corner of his mouth returning Willa's smile in kind.

He turned to Slak and said, "I leave the rest to you."

Willa calls out one last time.

“I know you, Ochazuke. You had better hope they throw me away in the deepest, darkest hole and throw away the key. Because I will find you if they don’t.”

And with that, she turns her attention to Slak. She will not speak to Ochazuke again.

[Cleric of Hell’s Brigade]

Midori and Shiro finds Jinzi with Meagan, while Eva talks to Charco and his grandmother.

[Yun Lao]

Jinzi nods.

“It is Kami’s name. She prefers to go by Eva instead of her title.”

Eva smiles at them.

“It has been a while. How do you fare?”, she asks Charco’s grandmother.

Jinzi notices Meagan and gestures her to join them.

She was visibly taken back from the revelation before eventually responding, "It appears the youngsters aren't the only ones making progress."

Upon seeing Eva, the woman seemed to relax and for a moment, one could see the weight of 60 odds years resting upon her features, "You certainly know how to make someone feel old." She embraced Eva in greeting.

"Forgive me for not visiting. Ever since Phospho's death, I've become something of a hermit."

[Tami]

Jinzi nods.

“It is Kami’s name. She prefers to go by Eva instead of her title.”

Eva smiles at them.

“It has been a while. How do you fare?”, she asks Charco’s grandmother.

Jinzi notices Meagan and gestures her to join them.

She does, but holds off on saying anything out of respect.

[Hazard]

“A relic from a bygone era. Father called it Banefire. None of us knew for sure all it’s powers, just that they were dark and nor of this world.”

A bygone era. On Earther that could mean... pretty much anything. Their species are all rather short lived by Namekian standards.

"Is that all?" He asks. "Did he never mention anything else about it?"

Her eyes narrow, but she says nothing. A smirk plays across her face still, taunting.

Brought low, her spent life at the mercy of guilt and little more, Willa Rautt still would stand defiant. For hate, for spite, she seized on any spiteful weapon to maintain what modicum of power she had. A true Battersea despite her protests.

He moved his pointed finger to the comm still in his ear. A short static-switch echo rippled on the edge of the Lookout across its open expanse where he stood before her.

"You hear all that?"

It was all broadacast straight to the damaged, locked-down Capsule transport. Her secrets, the collusion, the illusory heights stripped from her empty vision of pandemonium and violence, to be heard in her own words by the one ally she might have here on the Lookout. She'd tightened her lips too late.

Ochazuke leaned forward slightly, the left corner of his mouth returning Willa's smile in kind.

He turned to Slak and said, "I leave the rest to you."

Slak nods, having stayed silent as the scene unfolded.

Willa calls out one last time.

“I know you, Ochazuke. You had better hope they throw me away in the deepest, darkest hole and throw away the key. Because I will find you if they don’t.”

And with that, she turns her attention to Slak. She will not speak to Ochazuke again.

"That whole thing was remarkably petty of you," Slak remarks. She had made things difficult for the sake of it.

"Are you not tired? Of anger? Of making enemies? Of revenge?"

Or is that the only thing left to this woman?

[MrSandman]

"Each and every act to influence the river that is time, causes ripples to form. If the ripple is strong enough, it will force the river to eddy, to pool, or even cause the river itself to fork ..." Zurvan stated, only to trail off for a few moments, eyes unfocusing slightly.

"So many forks."

Eventually however, the focus returned and the Aspect cleared its throat.

"In any event, all I am saying, Etrina Stoltengarde, is that if you must tamper with time. Freeze it, reverse it, cause it to flow faster ... do so carefully. Otherwise I will be required to strip you of such strength."

Falling silent then, the entity considered its response to her follow up question carefully, before nodding once.

"I am the 'brother' to Chrona's mother. And while she is herself, a personification of time; she is my niece." Primarily becuase of Chrona's mother requiring such a distinction, but potato, tomato ... anthropomorphic personification of time.

"A niece huh.....I don't know much about her. Won't stop me from kicking her ass one day...." Etrina crossed her arms and nodded assertively.

Zurvan shook his head then at the girl's use of the old adage, and after she calmed down from her giggling fit; the Aspect smiled softly.

"Time cannot heal all wounds, it can only mend physical damage ... but it can give one the strength necessary to carry such burdens, and in time; the pain will disappear leaving behind only the memory of loss."

Perhaps a bit more sad than intended, but there was no sense lying to the girl. She was far too intelligent for it to last.

"Time also knows you are more than simply the type that enjoys flattery ... but Time does not judge the ... preferences of others. Only offenses enacted against the flow of itself. As to the matter of masters, and students ?"

The Aspect stopped speaking, then, the question hanging in the air for several long moments before eventually sighing long and hard.

"I have only ever taken on one 'student'. Ishtar, my daughter ... and while you are a curious thing, full of fire and insight beyond your years. I will not take another."

Thinking on it a few moments more, however, the Aspect sighed again before shaking its head.

"My daughter, and this day, have made me soft ... So ... I suppose, while I will take you and learn you in the manner I have Ishtar, I can offer some few things by means of a Grimoire I left for her. Acceptable?"

"Oh? I suppose I'm not in any position to complain....I'll accept your offer, for the moment." Etrina smiled and offered her hand to the god of time. "and perhaps when I've mastered what you've offered...the next time I see you I'll try my luck again. I'm quite persistent....as should you be, I'm sure the personification of time can find a way to make his daughter smile."

[MrSandman]

NOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!

"Sarada's mixing her meat with an Earther," Pinach answered without even seeing who he was talking to. When he turned and found Erosa sniffing him, he frowned. "Eh? What are you?"

Rutaba cautiously approached Erosa from behind her cousin and poked one of the things on her head with her tail. "She doesn't look like an Earther." She leaned in and looked at her closely. "Oh, well. We're Sarada's family. I'm her cousin, Rutaba."

"And I'm her brother, Pinach. Are you her friend?"

"No," Sarada answered crossly.

"No." Erosa responded with a growl.

Turning her attention to the two sayians, Erosa patted her chest. "Name is Erosa! Gao! Mighty Hero of Earth. Erosa made from magic, not human. You monkey lady family?"

Erosa smiled, fangs shining. "Erosa already tell Monkey kids smart....know how funny monkey lady is." She turned to Sarada. "Why family smart but monkey lady dirt stupid?"

[Cthulhu_of_R'lyeh]

"A niece huh.....I don't know much about her. Won't stop me from kicking her ass one day...." Etrina crossed her arms and nodded assertively.

Zurvan flashed a knowing smile, before shaking his head.

"You will learn more of her in time, for now focus on the kicking of her posterior." If asked anymore about the matter of Chrona however, the Aspect would decline to say. The timeline may have been altered, to say nothing of the annoyance Chrona would be should Zurvan disclose any secrets.

"Oh? I suppose I'm not in any position to complain....I'll accept your offer, for the moment." Etrina smiled and offered her hand to the god of time. "and perhaps when I've mastered what you've offered...the next time I see you I'll try my luck again. I'm quite persistent....as should you be, I'm sure the personification of time can find a way to make his daughter smile."

"Careful now, little light. Burn too bright, and you will burn out far too quickly." Zurvan responded with a chuckle.

"Speak with Ishtar tomorrow, I am sure she will not mind sharing." Slipping into another one of his silences after Etrina making Ishtar smile however, he noticed that the Oni in question seemed to be finished conversing for the moment. She was simply sitting there, enjoying what could only be assumed to be the fact that she was alive. Looking down at the young Stoltengarde then, the Aspect sighed.

"I suppose you are right child; and unless there is anything else you would wish of me. I believe I shall attempt to speak with my daughter. It has been ... several centuries at the absolute least."

[The Dog]

Midori and Shiro finds Jinzi with Meagan, while Eva talks to Charco and his grandmother.

Walking over to Jinzi and Meagan, Shiro bowed her head as she asked "I hope we aren't intruding, but may we speak with you Mr. Pantaloons?"

[Tami]

Walking over to Jinzi and Meagan, Shiro bowed her head as she asked "I hope we aren't intruding, but may we speak with you Mr. Pantaloons?"

"Hi Shiro," Meagan greeted her, "I don't mind if you want to talk to Jinzi. Mostly just waiting to talk to Lady Eva."

[KingofPie]

Sasheem hasn't felt much energy to have argued with the horned thing and the monkey over the importance of Ishtar baking him a pie. After all they had gone throuh , he felt more tired than anything and eventually found himself napping away, leaning against a pillar on the lookout.

[Sion Reaver]

Totoma blushed at the kiss, but his tail stood strait up when her lips met his, indicating that he... rather enjoyed it. Heh, good thing Kari only understood some tail-language.

"Hehe, well, I guess even knowing he's alive is good," said Totoma. "Just gotta get to... wherever he is and bring him back home. I'm sure he's dying to see you all again, and... well, I'm sure Kylie and Tamaki will love the chance to get to know their papa, since both were so young when he disappeared."

"Anyway, how does some relaxation sound? We both need a bath, and maybe after we could, I dunno..." He paused, trying to think of something that wouldn't really 'lay it on too thick' as she'd put it the other day. "...snuggle?"

"And hey, to save time, we could totally make the bath a two-for-one deal," said Totoma, winking at Karine. He was teasing her, of course. Though, come to think of it, it would make it faster and more water-efficient... probably?

He gave it a moment for the comment to sink in.

"...hehe, juuust teasing you. Despite that... mix-up back at the geofront, I know you probably wouldn't be comfortable with that," said Totoma. He scratched his cheek. "...but I do hope you'll at least grant me the snuggling. Might help, um, with the discomfort from the Hitozaru transformation. Isn't as bad as the first time, because I... did some really stupid things the first time around, but I still feel like I've been duking it out with mom for an hour."

"..I'll accept a cuddle.." Karine rather liked those type of moments of just hanging out and being close to Totoma. "And that technique of yours, did your mother develop it or did you do it yourself?"