Dragonball M, Chapter 1: Silent Menace Aproaches!

[Sub-Zero MKA]

"Haha..." Sasheem laughed off her threat. "No eat! Hrabba! No eat! Abibibibi! Heheheh..." Sasheem chuckled, smugly. "Stoo...pid....Monkey!

Hack slammed the seat of the toilet down on Shasheem. He then sat down by on top.

"This is gonna be one of those days... I can feel it."

Sarada laughed when Jack trapped Sasheem in his own toilet. "Seal it shut so we can feed it to Erosa when we get back," she said loudly enough for the Majin to hear her.

Contrary to the passengers on the ship, the transport took off without a hitch. It lifted off vertically just fine, and departed the Lookout. The ship headed for Ivory City and landed just a block away from the all night bar and grill that Mr. Pantaloon suggested.

Sarada spent most of the trip looking out of the window. She didn't take advantage of the opportunity on the way to the lookout, so she took this trip to take in as much of Earth as she could see through the small window.

It was too dark to really appreciate anything, but the bright lights down below were entrancing. She imagined the lights on Vocadan cities looked much the same from this vantage point; not that she ever had the opportunity to appreciate them, given that she couldn't fly back then. Maybe when she went back home, she would fly up into the sky and enjoy her homeworld from this new perspective.

Zaofan landed the transport presumably near where they were supposed to go. She had never been in a proper Earth city before, so this was going to be an exciting experience. She hoped there was more to it than just a bar and grill, as strange as that concept was to consider. She wanted to witness and experience whatever Earth had to offer, and she couldn't do that if she was stuff her face.

I wonder if they have brothels here.

[Lord Falcon]

Panting heavily, Midori found the haze clouding her mind finally beginning to subside, allowing her coherent thought again. As she did so, Midori looked up to see Asha'rah offering her a hand up, believing the spar to be over. And considering everything that happened, Midori was willing to accept that.

Reaching out, Midori took Asha'rah's hand and pulled herself to her feet, stumbling slightly as her weak and shaky legs threatening to give out from under her.

Finding her balance after several moments, Midori shook the hand she was still holding as she said "You too Asha'rah. After our past training sessions, it felt nice to have a one-on-one spar with someone so I don't have to worry about suffering unexpected injuries due to our more... overenthusiastic members and their overpowered attacks."

"Though your finishing move... What exactly was that?" Midori asked, her tone not angry or accusatory, merely confused and curious.

"You are safe from maiming with me." Asha'rah affirmed. It was unfortunate, how many training accidents had occurred thus far. Kami had assembled a spirited bunch of champions on short notice, and there was bound to be friction. But they would need to use this time to forge recklessness into boldness.

Midori asked an open question, leaving it up to Asha'rah to answer it.

"Many monks wear robes that leave part of their chest exposed, and practice their martial arts bare-chested. In my early years at the Luohan Temple, I noted that most people had sensitive protrusions called 'nipples'. I had forgotten so much back then. I realized that nipples could be used as a means to inflict great pain on an opponent without causing permanent damage or attacking one's vitals. Two Thousand Years of Pain was the first innovation I ever made to Luohan Quan. It worked to great effect in practice sessions, though some traditionalists put up stiff resistance at first. You, however, are the first on the receiving end to be so appreciative of its effects."

Asha'rah tilted her head to one side, curious.

"Did it truly feel that good?"

[Cleric of Hell’s Brigade]

The Bedlam Boys Breakfast and Barfood was a large one story building that looked like it had missed being updated a few dozen times. Old brick building with half cracked windows and more than a little graffiti on the side, it screamed dive bar and dirty.

But it was marvelously busy. At least twenty five cars and bikes were parked around it despite the late hour, and a jaunty tune could be heard playing from inside. The sign, aged but still lite up, showcase two big ruffians with cabby hats, armed crosses, grinning down at the incoming patrons.

[MrSandman]

"Oh, geeze!" Zaofan said apologetically. "I didn't mean to do that!"

He zoomed up close to her head, to examine it as quickly but as delicately as possible. One hand on her forehead, the other hand on her shoulder. He checked carefully, but he didn't realize that slight traces of his warm breath were caressing her face.

"Doesn't seem like any lasting harm's been done. Quick, strap in. We gotta leave."

Etrina stiffened under Zaofens close inspection, barely holding onto some modicum of her noble stature even under the harshest of conditions. By the time he turned his attention away and back to preparing to leave she was about ready to collapse from the stress and the beating of her heart. "Ye...Yes. Strap in, of course. Safety first."

Sarada laughed when Jack trapped Sasheem in his own toilet. "Seal it shut so we can feed it to Erosa when we get back," she said loudly enough for the Majin to hear her.

"I'm sorry....." Etrina shook her head, sudden regaining her senses enough to calculate what had been said. ".....but my familiar is not some garbage disposal you can chuck your trash into whenever you feel like it...." She eyed Sasheem a moment. "....No Offense of course.....I'm sure the garbage doesn't need its reputation dragged through the mud by association."

[Sub-Zero MKA]

The Bedlam Boys Breakfast and Barfood was a large one story building that looked like it had missed being updated a few dozen times. Old brick building with half cracked windows and more than a little graffiti on the side, it screamed dive bar and dirty.

But it was marvelously busy. At least twenty five cars and bikes were parked around it despite the late hour, and a jaunty tune could be heard playing from inside. The sign, aged but still lite up, showcase two big ruffians with cabby hats, armed crosses, grinning down at the incoming patrons.

The building in question seemed to have been looked over when the rest of the city was being updated. While there was certain charm in being old-fashioned -- if one was about one hundred years old, that was -- there was no charm to be found in being a piece of shit hole in the wall. Sarada took in everything -- the sign above her head of two tough guys looked down at her and the others and they reached the entrance, the music filtering out from inside, all the vehicles lined up around the perimeter of the building, denoting the traffic to be found inside. She also took note of the colored writing on the side of the building. It didn't match anything else about the building, so she started to wonder how it got there.

Oh, well.

She entered the building and looked around.

[Sion Reaver]

Kami takes the bait and fires a ki blast to counter the “needles”.

The Ki blast did take a few out, the needles had been spread out in such a way that while she was able to get some the rest were aimed to hit their target at multiple angles. It wouldn't do good to rest on just that so she was inspired to take it a slight step further.

Making a hand motion, she made one needle turn back into a ball, though it expanded in attempt to capture her inside.

She might not have been pound for pound the best hand to hand combatant, but she did know how to use her abilities in different ways at least.

Totoma was still bothered by the story she'd told him, but the content feeling soon returned as he and Karine simply enjoyed each other's presence and physical contact. Especially the contact, which was making him kind of...

...hm, well it was a good thing he was wearing his pants over the bodysuit. Yeah. Good decision.

Finally, Karine broke the silence to ask a question he'd been expecting... at some point. Not a question he had been looking forward to, but it was almost inevitable.

His response was slow in coming, mostly because he had to collect his thoughts on the matter.

"I was... apprehensive at first, but I didn't hate or wish her harm. Of course, feeling like that towards someone so young was... irrational, and your father did take me aside and have a heart-to-heart," said Totoma. "He understood why I felt that way, and said Tamaki was a good opportunity for me to learn."

He paused for a moment, then continued. "Now? She's basically a cute little sister to me, and I would gladly lay down my life to protect her. And I'd do that even without the promise I made to your father before he... passed."

Totoma had to admit, it felt a bit weird for him to say that about a Saiyan, but Tamaki didn't act Saiyan-like in most respects. She had her moments, of course, but, mostly, she was just a bundle of joy, happiness, and love.

...a very talkative bundle.

Actually... she didn't know about the promise, did she? Shortly before his death (?) Aiden had asked him to watch over his family should the unthinkable happen. He'd found it sudden and jarring, but... he admired Aiden, and did try to be there for the Cromwells after the unthinkable did indeed happen. Not being there during the pirate attack was a huge failing on his part, though, but he could either mope and feel sorry for himself or resolve to do better next time.

Of course, once he brought Aiden back using the Dragon Balls...

That was about as Karine expected.

Totoma had a very unpleasant past with pure blood Sayains to put it lightly so even if it wasn't rational it would be expected there would have been some aprehension at first. Karine was just glad it had worked itself out in the end, and perhaps Tamaki's presence in some way made certain things easier in the long run? She wasn't entirely sure.

She didn't respond to what Totoma had said verbally, but judging by her body language she was fine with that answer. Her eyes began to feel a bit heavier as her breathing began to slow and even out as she fell asleep still leaning against the young half Sayain. It was a light but peaceful sleep she had fallen into.

[Cleric of Hell’s Brigade]

The Ki blast did take a few out, the needles had been spread out in such a way that while she was able to get some the rest were aimed to hit their target at multiple angles. It wouldn't do good to rest on just that so she was inspired to take it a slight step further.

Making a hand motion, she made one needle turn back into a ball, though it expanded in attempt to capture her inside.

She might not have been pound for pound the best hand to hand combatant, but she did know how to use her abilities in different ways at least.



That was about as Karine expected.

Totoma had a very unpleasant past with pure blood Sayains to put it lightly so even if it wasn't rational it would be expected there would have been some aprehension at first. Karine was just glad it had worked itself out in the end, and perhaps Tamaki's presence in some way made certain things easier in the long run? She wasn't entirely sure.

She didn't respond to what Totoma had said verbally, but judging by her body language she was fine with that answer. Her eyes began to feel a bit heavier as her breathing began to slow and even out as she fell asleep still leaning against the young half Sayain. It was a light but peaceful sleep she had fallen into.

The ball of shadow goes through an afterimage as Kami appears alongside Karine, attempting to kick her in her side.

[The Dog]

"You are safe from maiming with me." Asha'rah affirmed. It was unfortunate, how many training accidents had occurred thus far. Kami had assembled a spirited bunch of champions on short notice, and there was bound to be friction. But they would need to use this time to forge recklessness into boldness.

Midori asked an open question, leaving it up to Asha'rah to answer it.

"Many monks wear robes that leave part of their chest exposed, and practice their martial arts bare-chested. In my early years at the Luohan Temple, I noted that most people had sensitive protrusions called 'nipples'. I had forgotten so much back then. I realized that nipples could be used as a means to inflict great pain on an opponent without causing permanent damage or attacking one's vitals. Two Thousand Years of Pain was the first innovation I ever made to Luohan Quan. It worked to great effect in practice sessions, though some traditionalists put up stiff resistance at first. You, however, are the first on the receiving end to be so appreciative of its effects."

Asha'rah tilted her head to one side, curious.

"Did it truly feel that good?"

If one didn't know already that Midori wasn't flesh-and-blood, the fact her face managed to darken with a blush would seem normal after being asked that question. Rubbing her right bicep with her left hand nervously, Midori turned her eyes off the other, less human-appearing gynoid as she thought over how to best answer that question.

After several moments Midori answered "We-well, Asha'rah, that is something difficult to explain considering I don't think I've ever felt anything like that before. I mean, yeah, there was more than a bit of pain from your 'secret technique', but it also felt pleasurable. I think something about the pain and pleasure mixing in my sensory receptors made the pleasure even greater. I don't know if the same thing holds for biological beings, though considering I'm the first one to be 'appreciative' of your move I can't help but believe it doesn't. Or maybe there's just something wrong with my sensory receptors that are confusing the two sensations."

Turning back to look at Asha'rah, Midori asked "Do you think there's something wrong with me and my sensory receptors?"

[Sion Reaver]

The ball of shadow goes through an afterimage as Kami appears alongside Karine, attempting to kick her in her side.

Karine briefly frowned at the reveal of an after image. Of course it be one..

She already knew the very moment that had happened, they would likely either cross the distance to attack, or launch an assault on another angle. In this case it turned out to be the former, but having thought of it was different from the reality of the attack itself. It still slightly took her off guard, but she did manage to catch the kick, shadows forming around the offending arm to keep them in place more. Her free hand, coated slightly in that same energy went to deliver a body blow towards her stomach.

The idea was to use Kami's speed and momentum against them to throw them off balance and deliver a counter attack. Whether that work or not remained to be seen.

[Cleric of Hell’s Brigade]

Karine briefly frowned at the reveal of an after image. Of course it be one..

She already knew the very moment that had happened, they would likely either cross the distance to attack, or launch an assault on another angle. In this case it turned out to be the former, but having thought of it was different from the reality of the attack itself. It still slightly took her off guard, but she did manage to catch the kick, shadows forming around the offending arm to keep them in place more. Her free hand, coated slightly in that same energy went to deliver a body blow towards her stomach.

The idea was to use Kami's speed and momentum against them to throw them off balance and deliver a counter attack. Whether that work or not remained to be seen.

The blow indeed lands and Kami is caught off guard, doubling over slightly from the impact.

[The Dog]

As Shiro went in search of the craft that brought them here with its lab, she stopped as a thought came to her. She wasn't exactly the most qualified being to investigate this thing alone, and if something went wrong then the information would be lost, and Meagan's teacher felt it important to their current quest.

'I need to find Mr. Pantaloons and seek his aide in this device.' Shiro thought, tucking the memory chip into a pocket as she changed from heading for the lab on the craft to finding Mr. Pantaloons and see if he would be willing to help her unlock the secrets on the chip.

[Lord Falcon]

(No worries)

The message that Ash'rah sent was easy for Karine to follow, expected for the most part. With the current state of things it was a lot easier to remember that given moment and hold onto it, still part of her wondered what it be like to have illusions like this? This would of made a certain amount of things much easier in the long run.

Karine eagerly awaited for further instruction, no doubt Ash'rah would probably be telling her to keep that focus longer-

"Now Dodge!"

Wait. What?

Eyes widened, Karine reacted on instinct to move, or deflect the blows the best she could. They weren't aimed to truly harm her thankfully since it was a obvious test, getting into a hand to hand bout and besting them wasn't something she'd be fool to assume she'd win on a even playing field. Karine wasn't sure exactly what this had to do with the mental aspects though never the less she did her best to stay ahead of the game.

Some blows landed, others did not. It mattered not for the moment. The point was that Karine found herself thrust into a stressful situation, with at least the veneer of danger hanging over her. She had to transition quickly from focusing on internal memories to an external threat, in two instinctively different contexts. Now for the reverse. The rain of light strikes ceased as abruptly as they started, leaving Asha'rah floating over Karine as serenly as a morning cloud.

"Now think of it again. Quickly, deeply, firmly. The enemy will not wait for you. For now, I will wait 15 seconds."

When those fifteen seconds were up, she attacked Karine again.

[Tami]

"I will. Tell Kami it is related to what we talked about earlier." Meagan then walked back to the library table, her hand resting on it as she prepares, as soon as Jinzi leaves, to go back to looking over the materials she had found while keeping an eye on Asha'rah.

After spending some time reading, Meagan glanced over at Asha'rah who was still deep in meditation, or maybe just tired. "Can someone like Asha'rah actually get tired?" she wondered as she realized she was getting a bit tired herself. Needing something to do to keep herself awake, she decided to practice using her Ki. Seeing Asha'rah's position, she levitated above the floor of the Library, then assumed a similar sitting position in an attempt to see how long she could maintain it while hovering before she lost her balance and crashed back to the floor.

[grampagen]

Totoma had been so focused on Karine's fight that he hadn't noticed Mister Ochazuke, so the man speaking up surprised him a bit. The only indication was a timely flick of his tail and, to the particularly observant, the fur on said tail standing up.

"Just here for moral support, Mister Ochazuke," said Totoma, giving the man a side glance. "I'm not gonna bark out suggestions or... start doing some cheesy cheer, just watch. Though I admit, even though I know she's in no real danger, my first instinct, to charge in and help her, is... hard to restrain."

Judging by his reaction, Ochazuke had surmised that perhaps he'd spoken a little abruptly. He was more invested in the interplay between Karine and Kami than he'd first ascertained. So engaged that he saw little else.

"Good."

How direct, at last, for preference. But oddly unbecoming of that proud warrior race to be startled so easily.

No, not without precedent. In the heat of Pantaloon's trial, the girl had put the shadow to hold Totoma and others in darkness, safely protected. When it shattered, so did his composure to an unrestrained tide of emotion.

He was silent for a moment, then spoke, cutting past his usual niceties and buttering up. Mister Ochazuke, he'd realized, had no use for those sorts of things. He cut straight to the truth of the matter (as he perceived it) and Totoma would respond in kind... as best as he could, anyway.

"This may seem sudden, but I want ," said Totoma, holding up a clenched fist. "I need to... learn to assert myself with all that I am. Jagam, my mother's killed, stands between me and my future, and I need to sharpen myself enough to pierce through him and grasp that future."

"What that future is, I... don't know right now, though I'm starting to get some ideas." His eyes focused on Karine and softened slightly. "I... guess if I learn to assert myself, it could be anything I want."

Totoma looked at the man. "So, what do you say?"

Without taking his eyes off of the spar in front of them, Ochazuke for a long moment seemed to have let the words pass through him. A mere day ago, Totoma had shrunken to the length of empty banter to avoid a hint of conflict, even a moment of disagreement. One day older, with all Kami had told him, seemed to steel something within the young man. Now he no longer wanted to attack blindly, to retreat from thought to a froth of mindless action.

That much was clear already.

"Your goal is clear," he said, "to that end, there is little I can do to help you realize it."

The Ki blast did take a few out, the needles had been spread out in such a way that while she was able to get some the rest were aimed to hit their target at multiple angles. It wouldn't do good to rest on just that so she was inspired to take it a slight step further.

Making a hand motion, she made one needle turn back into a ball, though it expanded in attempt to capture her inside.

She might not have been pound for pound the best hand to hand combatant, but she did know how to use her abilities in different ways at least.

As much as Kami's trials were an exhibition of each warrior's abilities, so she was ascertaining each according to their own quality.

But watching something unfold is not the same as understanding. If Totoma were to assert himself, then he would have to perceive what was before him.

"Be mindful. In a duel like this, there is only the relationship of wills joined in a series of fixed moments," he spoke to Totoma, "Watch them now. What do you see?"

[Ptrvc]

The Bedlam Boys Breakfast and Barfood was a large one story building that looked like it had missed being updated a few dozen times. Old brick building with half cracked windows and more than a little graffiti on the side, it screamed dive bar and dirty.

But it was marvelously busy. At least twenty five cars and bikes were parked around it despite the late hour, and a jaunty tune could be heard playing from inside. The sign, aged but still lite up, showcase two big ruffians with cabby hats, armed crosses, grinning down at the incoming patrons.

"Wow...this must be a fancy place," Jack commented, "They have an actual painted sign and everything."

Up north they never had anything as good as this. They usually had 'the tavern' as in the only one in town, at least in the parts he had been to at any rate. This was amazing! "It smells funny, but that's probably normal in this balmy climate, mildew and bugs and stuff."

Jack tossed his cigarette on the ground and stomped on it, before lighting another. "Well guess we should see the inside."

He walked in after Sarada.