Dragonball M, Chapter 1: Silent Menace Aproaches!

[Cyke]

"Hmm," he replied, hands set to his sides, offering charitably to the older fighter a slight nod.

"I'd hoped to analyze our obstacle to ascertain the nature and limitation of our host's challenge," he said, "But it seems when faced with limitation, our company prefers simply to push beyond."

The spread of his energy during battle meditation allowed him a particular insight. Form, space, intention, the sight beyond the senses of the body was a skill he'd been training to exceed that barrier to his progress. However, there were some things that possessed a certain quality which could be intuitively identified at the merest glance.

"Your optic beam. Chuan and Chou mentioned it to be a specialty of yours?"

Zaofan's eyebrow rose in earnest, that this blunt and standoffish fellow would ask a genuine question. Perhaps first impressions can be wrong after all?

"In a way, yes. And it was all entirely an accident of training."

Zaofan opened his hand to motion that they should walk and talk. "You see, I knew your fighting style because I, too, am -- or rather, was -- a student of the Crane School; well, one of them, anyway. But I can't say I was a good student. Judging from your stance and your use of the Dodonpa, I'd have to say... you appear to be more than proficient in the Crane School, yes?"

The vagabond placed his arms behind his back while in contemplation. "Unlike me. I jumped the gun, tried to advance my training prematurely by studying one of the forbidden techniques and combining it with the Tenryū Kokyū Hō to reinforce my body to handle the forbidden technique. Alas, instead of fortifying myself to master the kikoho, I nearly destroyed my mind, body, and spirit. Only by channeling my energy through my eyes was I able to save myself; but it also had the unforeseen consequence of granting me my optic blast ability."

"The audacity of youth! To think that I could combine two ends of two disciplines together!"

"And yourself! What has your experience with the Crane School been? Surely yours is different than mine, with yourself being so knowledgeable in the art."

There is also a large cafeteria building on the end there with plenty of food for you.”

"Excuse me," Zaofan said to the group as he heard Mr. Pantaloon's offer. In a split second, the vagabond thief all but vanished from the group, bypassing the already-prepared buffet, running through the double doors, stopping in the middle of the cafeteria's massive kitchen.

He couldn't believe his eyes. So many clean surfaces. So many hanging utensils. So many pots and pans. Tools and devices he'd never seen before. Cavernous ovens and refrigerators. Multiple sinks. A giant stove that lined the entire long wall. Bread makers, wooden spoons, tall spice racks, and the like. He never stayed in one place for long, but he could definitely stay here for a week and then some.

Zaofan quickly donned the nearest apron. He took two dish rags and whipped them around his forearms. He quickly tied a doo rag around his forehead. Sure, he could eat whatever he wanted out in the cafeteria, but twice now he's had what Mr. Pantaloon could offer. Zao was more than interested to see what he could do instead with Mr. Pantaloon's stocks and resources.

He opened up the walk-in refrigerator. BEHOLD! Meats of all sizes! Gelatinous mixtures for soup! Crates and crates of eggs and dairy!

Using his considerable strength and balance, Zaofan carefully walked out of fridge with a giant slab of dinosaur tail (bone-in), about three dozen eggs, and three bricks of soup mixture (marrow and blood). He laid them on one of the kitchen islands. Then, he went to the starches and found dough. Sure, there was a cabinet full of various ramen noodles, but Zaofan couldn't wait to play, to create his own noodles.

And finally, yet tastefully, Zaofan went to the liquor cabinet for the bartender. He carefully chose a white wine vintage from Mount Kiwi, dated 10 years ago. Surely Mr. Pantaloon wouldn't mind. Zaofan poured himself a glass, to make the culinary experience even more relaxing.

Putting the dough to wood, Zaofan started pounding. Lightly because of the energy spent fighting, and also not to ruin his host's kitchen, but still concentrated nonetheless. "AHHHH"-- Zaofan looked around, then in a lower and more calm tone... "at-atatatatatatatata" as he kneaded and kneaded, to soften up before he could pull and string the dough.

[Sub-Zero MKA]

Rather than try to resist her blow, Jack let Sarada's kick knock his feet up. He twisted in the air to catch her head between his legs and use that to throw her to the ground.

Can't afford to trade blow for blow gotta do something big if I have any chance.

So, he had more life left in him than she thought. Good. I may get a good fight out of this yet. She grinned as she rolled through her fall and rose to her feet. She turned and charged at him again, this time swinging her leg out to seemingly kick him in his bad arm. At the last second, though, she pulled back and leaped up, whipped her tail out to smack him in the head.

[Ptrvc]

So, he had more life left in him than she thought. Good. I may get a good fight out of this yet. She grinned as she rolled through her fall and rose to her feet. She turned and charged at him again, this time swinging her leg out to seemingly kick him in his bad arm. At the last second, though, she pulled back and leaped up, whipped her tail out to smack him in the head.

Sarada's tail smashed into his head his eyes crossed for a second. Come on, I'm not going down to a tail... He grabbed ahold of the aggressive appendage Jack ran in the opposite direction hoping to pull Sarada off her feet.

[Monstrous Bird of Qin, Ou Ki]

At those last words, Karine knew Totoma would more then enjoy things even if he didn't partlcularly like laying around. "Food, bath and all you can eat? If I didn't know any better I think you did this stunt on purpose." She teased her friend lightly.

"You can recover people that quickly with these? Impressive Jinzi. I'm not a technical person like my mother but I respect things like this due to her job." She didn't think so, but she decided it couldn't hurt. "Does the name Nikki Cromwell ring a bell? She's not as well known as some but is slowly making a name for herself far as combining magic and technology goes."

"I would say I've died and gone to the other word," said Totoma, grinning. "But there's a distinct lack of my mother giving me an earful... or fistful.. about skipping out on my training to play Earthling. I sort of want to use the Dragonballs to revive her, but..."

He paused for a moment, his expression conflicted. "...well, I'm legitimately terrified of how she might react to how I am now."

She wouldn't kill him or anything. She'd just be... disappointed. And the remedial training he'd have to endure for the next however long it took him to get back up to speed would probably almost kill him multiple times.

Which was good, but also scary as hell.

"All true, but I'd like to develop a technique that I don't have to announce before firing. How can I sneak up on people if I yell at them at the last moment?"

Fear had its disadvantages, but he was trying to work on making it more manageable.

"Using up a lot of energy like that without guaranteed results is also bad. Maybe you should consider a more controllable attack when you train for it, so you can hit the target without engaging in friendly fire."



Yeah, surely he knew what he was doing, right? Wait, why was Chuan looking so shifty all of a sudden? The acrobat cleared his throat, then nodded stiffly.

"I won't say no, because I'm fine with sharing my skills. Just don't expect it to be a breeze." Chuan grunted slightly as he adjusted his position, making sure Totoma was more comfortable as he started walking towards the regen tanks. "And you'll need somebody to practice on. I'm not going to say Totoma, because it's easy to make some painful mistakes. Instead, I'll put my skin on the line. If I can't teach you properly, I deserve the consequences."



"Wait, what? Power boost from his wounds?" Chuan quirked an eyebrow as he looked at her quickly. "This is a Saiyan thing, isn't it?"

Oh, biology. How cruel could you be?

"I guess that wear and tear might actually be beneficial for Totoma, as long as we help keep him alive. It's your responsibility as his friend, and my responsibility as a healer."

"Heh, well, every warrior's gotta have a Kikōha like that. It's traditional! I... do plan on trying to come up with some less flashy, more efficient techniques, though. Heck, maybe I could do what I was going to do ten years ago and make it so that my Ito technique has a razor-sharp edge to it, if I want."

He pressed his fingers together, then drew them apart, displaying a single thread of ki. "Ito. A technique I made as a kid. My mother thought it was kind of a childish technique, but it's got its uses. Transport, restraint... makeshift whip. Really efficient, too."

"And yeah, I'll probably get a bit stronger than I would have otherwise thanks to my epic dodging skills," said Totoma, laughing for a moment before wincing. He could... sorta feel what should've been pain. It was more like "unpleasantness" than actual pain, though.

"Can't wait to see the results of this... explosive training."

Well, that was one way of describing it.

Totoma exhaled softly and closed his eyes. He was a bit tired from all this activity. Before the nap he'd gotten just before the Yeti fight, he'd been up, like a day or something. That and all this fighting and excitement had tired him out.

...or maybe the adrenaline was just running out.

Either way, he intended to sleep his way through his recovery. And then he'd eat and take a relaxing bath... or maybe the other way around. Then he'd go hit up Jack and Sarada--he made a sparring offer and he intended to keep it--and then find out who the hell blasted him.

Because he wanted to fight them too.

[rhyvurg]

Asha'rah joined Ajna, heading to their wounded teammates. Friendly fire was the unfortunate consequence of a new team attacking a single opponent en masse. With sufficient training together, she was certain they could minimize such incidents in the future. As for Ajna himself...

"You appear to be in higher spirits than after our last victory," Asha'rah said, her tone conveying the smile her features could not.

Adam approaches the other android, interrupting. "You are the strongest autonomous artificial being I have encountered. Explain your functions, components and construction." As it speaks, it's face briefly takes on Asha'rah's features. It's voice is deep and highly digitalized, almost shockingly primitive.

[Miburo]

"Traditional duels have fallen by the wayside. I doubt you will find that a common occurrence." Ishtar said, hoping the words would be of some small comfort sarcasm or no.

She listened to his tale then, or rather what bits of it he cared to share. Kami being instrumental in his continued existence, and his arrival here just three short years ago. It seemed to fit, really. An undertaking such as this was not spontaneous. It had been a thoughtful joining, and despite their current stare of dishevelment, that had to count for something.

"I see," she said finally. "I hope, when you find your way back, it is everything you expect it should be." More often than not, that wasn't the case Ishtar knew .. but such things were better left for the traveler to discover.

The conversation turned then, to her. More words of the flattering sort- if one was of the mind- filtered through, and Ishtar nodded silently in acknowledgement, before she finally replied.

"My place of Origin is Otherworld. What you might know as the afterlife. The Haunt of Kai, and lesser deities. Where the flora is tended to by my kind, Oni." How long had that been though? Time was a thing she barely acknowledged anymore, it could have been centuries. She shrugged.

"Yet that was a long time ago. Far longer than I'd care to admit."

Held raised any eyebrow as Ishtar explained her origins.

"The Afterlife, as in....Where I'd go when I'm.....Dead?"

This was certainly a new one for the Nevadian. During his travels on the earth, he had met all sorts of people, from all sorts of walks of life on earth. During his voyages amongst the stars, he had met an wide variety of races, most with at least as many differences as commonalities.

It was a bit of a new one to him, however, to meet someone who claimed to hail from the place where all those people, all those countless varieties of races and species, would go upon meeting their end, timely or untimely.

It was even rarer to meet someone who would live up to such a claim, but Held had no reason to disbelieve the woman. There were all manner of unbelievable claims, unfathomable powers, and mysterious species in the wide universe. And he was willing to risk his life over a theory that seven balls named after a Dragon for some unknown reason would be able to grant whatever ones heart desires.

"...That's certainly not what I thought you'd say." He said, still leaning somewhat heavily on his spear, "Then again, I didn't think that far ahead."

He was willing to entertain this notion, or at least suspend his disbelief. It's not like he had been to the afterlife, after all.

...Although, most tales usually do mention something about Oni, or at least something vaguely resembling the blue woman before him. He vaguely recalled reading something about it in his encyclopedia on earth customs and traditions as well.

He paused for a moment, considering her explanation of the roles her people formerly played in the afterlife.

"So...You've moved away from the afterlife? Is that why you're here? I did sorta wonder how that explains how you got here. But I guess we can just chalk it up to Kami, eh?"

[Sub-Zero MKA]

Sarada's tail smashed into his head his eyes crossed for a second. Come on, I'm not going down to a tail... He grabbed ahold of the aggressive appendage Jack ran in the opposite direction hoping to pull Sarada off her feet.

This was why she kept her tail wrapped around her waist. It was a surprise weapon, but was also a liability that could be exploited. There was nothing she could do about being dragged, so she mentally prepared herself for the inevitable collision with the ground, and her counterattack.

[Tami]

Entering the bathhouse, Meagan found towels, soap and other toiletries available for her use. Entering a changing stall, she removed her clothes, placed them in a safe location, and then wrapped herself in a large towel. Leaving her hair clasp behind as well, her two-toned hair now fell loosely over her shoulders.

Walking over the area marked for women, she stepped into the bath while letting the covering drop near the edge where she could easily reach it.

The water was warm and relaxing, enough to make her aching muscles feel less so. Diving down, she came up near the edge of the bath. Taking the washing supplies in hand, she began to clean off the weeks of dirt and grime from her hair and body.

After what seemed like forever, Meagan finally existed the bath, picking up the towel as she did. Drying her hair with it, she then wrapped it aroudn her body and headed back tot eh changing stall where she had left her clothes.

Pausing for a moment to look around, she smiled at how nice it was to have had the whole bath to herself. She also imagined what might happen later on if the others decended on this place all at once. After seeing the chaos of the previosu meal, there was no doubt that this bath might expereince the same level of chaos. Thankfully, the quiet coupled with the warm water was enough to bring her back to closer to normal levels of power.

Back in the changing stall, she dried off, then used a capsule she kept safe to retrieve a spare change of clothes. Once dressed, her cloak again wrapped aroudn her waist liek a shash, she disposed of the wet towel, gathered her belongings and went back out to the living and training area.

[Ptrvc]

This was why she kept her tail wrapped around her waist. It was a surprise weapon, but was also a liability that could be exploited. There was nothing she could do about being dragged, so she mentally prepared herself for the inevitable collision with the ground, and her counterattack.

Great, I got her, now what do I do with her? Injured as he was Jack didn't have much of a chance of beating Sarada in a grapple, which was his strong suit, or mobility, which was his off suit.

Instead he whipped Sarada around and tossed her straight up several meters into the air. Damn, terrible toss, he thought to himself as he knelt down and prepared to hit her on the way down.

[Sub-Zero MKA]

Great, I got her, now what do I do with her? Injured as he was Jack didn't have much of a chance of beating Sarada in a grapple, which was his strong suit, or mobility, which was his off suit.

Instead he whipped Sarada around and tossed her straight up several meters into the air. Damn, terrible toss, he thought to himself as he knelt down and prepared to hit her on the way down.

Of all the things she was expecting him to do, tossing her a few feet into the air was at the bottom of the list. Actually, it wasn't even on the list. It left her in a bad position, as he was undoubtedly waiting for her to land so he could hit her.

As soon as she landed, she dashed to her left, leaving an afterimage behind to throw him off. She closed in and threw a sharp jab for his face.

[Ptrvc]

Of all the things she was expecting him to do, tossing her a few feet into the air was at the bottom of the list. Actually, it wasn't even on the list. It left her in a bad position, as he was undoubtedly waiting for her to land so he could hit her.

As soon as she landed, she dashed to her left, leaving an afterimage behind to throw him off. She closed in and threw a sharp jab for his face.

Jack was knocked back by the punch. He tasted blood again. Why was this girl so intent on knocking out his teeth anyways?

Jack shook his head I can't win this can I? Don't see a way out, he fell back into a defensive stance as he had at the beginning of the fight.

"Alright girl, I know you can hit harder than that."

[Sub-Zero MKA]

Jack was knocked back by the punch. He tasted blood again. Why was this girl so intent on knocking out his teeth anyways?

Jack shook his head I can't win this can I? Don't see a way out, he fell back into a defensive stance as he had at the beginning of the fight.

"Alright girl, I know you can hit harder than that."

Sarada thought for sure that would have knocked him out cold. She supposed he had a harder head than she thought.

She smirked and used another afterimage to appear behind him. She started burying her fist into his side where his kidney should be.

[Ptrvc]

Sarada thought for sure that would have knocked him out cold. She supposed he had a harder head than she thought.

She smirked and used another afterimage to appear behind him. She started burying her fist into his side where his kidney should be.

As Jack was struck over and over by Sarada's fist he was also struck by how similar human and sayain biology must be. Assuming she was trying to smash his kidney into paste.

Jack grabbed ahold of Sarada's hair and wrenched her head up enough to spit blood into her eyes.

Using what little energy he had left, Jack summoned every last ounce of strength in his body to throw a haymaker at Sarada's chin.

[IGee]

OOC: Haven't forgotten ya Chou, just separating the posts for clarity.
IC:

Asha'rah joined Ajna, heading to their wounded teammates. Friendly fire was the unfortunate consequence of a new team attacking a single opponent en masse. With sufficient training together, she was certain they could minimize such incidents in the future. As for Ajna himself...

"You appear to be in higher spirits than after our last victory," Asha'rah said, her tone conveying the smile her features could not.

Turning his head politely to make eye contact, Ajna smiled as he met the gaze of cold steel. The voice, its tone, said that despite him. . . wait, her? The voice seemed to indicate so. I feel rude suddenly, even though I don't think I've done anything. Chuckling at his own thoughts, he had to agree whole heartedly with what she'd said, and was glad to do so.

"I'd say things went better today. No one got kidnapped. And despite the chaos, there were only minor injuries. In fact, I don't think any one was in any real danger at all." Here he paused, and looked sidelong at Asha'rah. His face didn't change its expression, but he seemed.. sadder.

"Pretty soon that will be a luxury we won't have. But at least we'll all be working side by side when it all goes down." And, hopefully, it means that when some of you get all bloodthirsty again, I don't have you lot down alone.

[grampagen]

Zaofan's eyebrow rose in earnest, that this blunt and standoffish fellow would ask a genuine question. Perhaps first impressions can be wrong after all?

"In a way, yes. And it was all entirely an accident of training."

Zaofan opened his hand to motion that they should walk and talk. "You see, I knew your fighting style because I, too, am -- or rather, was -- a student of the Crane School; well, one of them, anyway. But I can't say I was a good student. Judging from your stance and your use of the Dodonpa, I'd have to say... you appear to be more than proficient in the Crane School, yes?"

The vagabond placed his arms behind his back while in contemplation. "Unlike me. I jumped the gun, tried to advance my training prematurely by studying one of the forbidden techniques and combining it with the Tenryū Kokyū Hō to reinforce my body to handle the forbidden technique. Alas, instead of fortifying myself to master the kikoho, I nearly destroyed my mind, body, and spirit. Only by channeling my energy through my eyes was I able to save myself; but it also had the unforeseen consequence of granting me my optic blast ability."

"The audacity of youth! To think that I could combine two ends of two disciplines together!"

"And yourself! What has your experience with the Crane School been? Surely yours is different than mine, with yourself being so knowledgeable in the art."

"I see..."

Ochazuke followed Zaofan a measured distance as he heard his tale, and while the man's congenial nature thawed his stoicism to a point, the mention of these two specific techniques and the result gave him immediate pause.

"The inner energy workings have many names," he said, "The Tenryu Kokyo Ho you speak of, it may have its origin in the same root. In the Crane school, they call the same practice Kikojutsu."

How bold - and foolish - a practice! To so hungrily pursue the upper echelon, those forbidden techniques...but the good humour in his voice seemed to suggest the imitation was borne of something other than a murderous end.

"Indeed it takes many years of inner cultivation to properly induce the faculties to that level. The demands of the Kikoho are not meant for the novice, no matter how adept an understanding they may have. Still...I commend that you have found a way within the bounds of your own experience to go beyond your limits."

Brusquely thumbing his nose, he cleared his head with a short exhale, "it is a shame. It seems that your teacher humored your talents by playing with your expectations. The Dodonpa is meant to teach Crane Orthodox students the meaning of efficiency."

Concentrating ki into his palm, Ochazuke set it aglow. Then balling his hand into a fist, it converged into a halo. Raising his index finger, a single shining point without wasted radiance.

As Zaofan inquired about his own experience, a flash of the bitter past, the grueling labours under the bloodstained tutelage, boiled his blood and darkened his aura again.*

"You say you survived your energy practice by mastering it in your own way. You'd be considered one of the lucky ones," he said, "Adepts of the Crane School fall into two tiers of consideration. Masters, or fodder."

Dispersing the ki in his finger, he clenched a fist for a moment, then loosened his grip, "which is why I disavowed them long ago."