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

[Sub-Zero MKA]

Lantro was...surprised to say the least. He had heard taken of the Tuffles scientific advancements, but this facility went above and beyond his expectations. All this technological advancement after their world had been annihilated. It must've taken years of research and dedication to get it as up and running as it did.

The Tuffles of the last, he knew were not a violent race. Lantro wondered if deep down they hated what they had come to utilize their technology for. Hated the Saiyans for what they made them become.

But to fight a race of warmongers, peaceful scientific advancement wouldn't cut it. And the results...the fruits of their labor some might say...this Teen creature. Just what was he supposed to be? Looked like a kid, to Lantro, but supposedly he was their ultimate weapon?

Lantro couldn't help but attempt to ascertain the artificial Tuffle's power level before reaching Bananan. If he was a weapon made to combat the Saiyans, he would have to be up to the task.

Lantro would find that Teen's power was around five million.

Appel and the other Tuffles were silent through the trip to Bananan. An ancient Tuffle philosopher once said, "If you allow hate to fester in your heart, you will become the very thing you wish to destroy". She, and they, had become the very thing they hated. The Saiyans went from planet to planet, killing and pillaging and taking what didn't belong to them, all because they were bigger and stronger than everyone else. They were bullies. Many of their surviving victims attempted to get revenge at some point, but they all were swept aside like chaff on the threshing floor. Only the Tuffles managed to score a decisive victory against them, no matter how temporary it was.

To do that, they had to become the thing they hated most. They had become war-mongers, creating weapons of war to wage violent conflicts sure to result in countless casualties. They genocided an entire planet, wiped out every last living soul before inhabiting it themselves. The blood on their hands was dripping on the floor. It all weighed heavily on her at times.

Then, she remembered her husband, and her children. All gone, forever. Once she remember that, the guilt went away. This was necessary. These apes were a menace to the universe and needed to be erased.

She glanced at Teen, still standing stoically in the back of the transport. The instrument of their ultimate victory was right there. There was no way the Saiyans or anyone could stand up to him. The Tuffles would rise again. If the universe didn't want to view them as the heroes they were, so be it.

The planet T̶u̶r̶r̶i̶p̶ Bananan was within view. Another hour or so and their renewed battle could commence.

[grampagen]

"I bear witness no longer." Cthylla voice boomed around the lone human. "But neither can I act directly.....our kind does not oppose each other in the void, down that path lies a folly so unspeakable we have only bore witness to it once in our eternity. When god battles god the worlds trembles, when those beyond battle the sphere quakes. But.....we are all bound in how we may act and interact within your world, and even the most powerful of my kind can be defeated with the cunning of a skilled move."

The monstrous form raises a misshaped claw above, an all consuming void expands outwards and rushes over Ochazuke like a tidal wave....and in a moment he finds himself sitting across from Cthyllas Human form, adored in casual clothes, with a game board sitting between them covered in various human and nonhuman shapes.

"That you could stand my presence for so long is no coincidence....you have untapped potential of the mind. Tempered, your will could allow you access to places beyond the trappings of dream manifested past." The other pieces turn to dust, leaving only a Ochazuke and Ishtar shaped piece on his side. "Only you and those with the will to ascend the dream and survive can hope to challenge my brethren....but I will not force this upon you. You must make the first move yourself. Whatever your choice...I will hold you no ill."

The expanse of void washed over him, and on shaky legs, he pressed forward. Long ago he had tread in the sinking sands to face the seas of Tanchozurujima, but the training that etched in his very bones would not prepare him for the stark coldness of the Void set upon the ephemeral footing of a lucid dream.

And yet the sea of fear passed over and through him, and in turn he'd found his visitor had prepared a different venue for his perusal. Across a field of some ancient game rest a plane of rendered shapes

Himself...and Ishtar? Curious.

"Your proposal is admirable. However, understand that this would not be the first time I had experienced a vision that sought to make me a pawn to some other scheme." Nor would it be for the majority of their company, having fallen prey to a dream of a future of doom yet to pass. "If what you say is true, then it should be simple enough to find proof, once I am able to examine the matter for myself."

Adirft in memories, there had been some respite in his mind, but once the dream had been joined, this could hardly be said to have been restful. Slowly the shapes began to thin, and a darkness stretched around them.

_____

Parting heavy-lidded eyes, Ochazuke stirred where he lay, and as he woke to consciousness from the dream, immediately he bolted upright, only to wince and grumble as the residual pain shocked through his arm and his side.

Some room in the Coldlight, he found Aleka conversing plainly with the girlish shell of-

"-Cthylla." His throat, still parched, was no longer as raw as it was in the midst of the combat. His words were spare, yet he spoke as if he had never left the vision of the dream, "-they've been to the Earth, haven't they?"

Drawing himself upward, he leaned forward, drawing slow, deep breaths as he continued to recover.

"Tell me where they are."

[Cleric of Hell’s Brigade]

"Then Alakazah already knows," Ochazuke replied to Arthur, "and that enchantment that forbids him from enacting direct harm will mean nothing. He would send the entire Earth to bleed itself out for his sake if it meant realizing his ambitions."

The three of them knew that he had done it before. The fallen House of departed Vermilion was now headed by Willa Rautt, its last legitimized heir. The Red Colonel and her Raiders lashed out against the world, assured of their cause, zealously paying any price until their bloodshed brought emancipation. Under Grinthorn's hegemony, Arthur's tarnished legacy existed solely in fearful, ancient fragments, and as far as his World Government was concerned, they had always been at war with a convenient enemy. The excised history reframed the truth, made it all too simple to lose and forget everything.

And when the Dragon stamped out the enduring will of humanity, their people would applaud their own demise, none the wiser.

In this light, Evangeline's words did not escape him. Neither peace, nor time. And little hope that matters would turn. Still, the station of Guardian had endured to the present. Is that why you continue to stand watch?

Studying the fractured structure in the ancient stone, Ochazuke cast the vector of his sense-awareness through the chamber, and where the energy of his meditation field brushed against the diminished frame of this once hallowed place, he sought the foundation where he could rebuild.

"Drowning in a sea of troubles, one finds there is always ample time to spare to draw a breath," he said, "If they can move to find it." Looking down upon his right hand, his eyes briefly crossed the serpentine shape of Zxu'ro's Dragon coiled about his forearm.

Channeling the essence of entire fallen worlds and the lives gathered for their stewardship, Ochazuke coursed a portion of the Creation Energy through Arthur's Ring into the Hall of the Guardians, and affixed the dull chamber once more. After the deed was done, he then turned to Evangeline. In silence, he offered the vial to her freely.

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.

[Yun Lao]

After another 45 minutes of flight, he arrives at his destination.

There is no visible difference in the scenery, but he had reached what was once the city limits. The memory club fresh in his mind despite the ages of time between then and now. Deep beneath the snow was likely the ruins of many a house, building, farm...all of it stretching on for miles and miles. The mages in their hubris had no qualms in the late hours of their kingdom of altering the ambient weather of the area to suit their needs.....they had forgotten the very reasons they had hidden away, intoxicated by the opulence of their own cage.

On the day he came, they were given a grim reminder...of why they once lived in fear of his kind.

The outskirts had been the first to fall, and as he flew over the icy husk of what remained....he could feel unseen eyes looking up upon him. If they existed or were merely the ghosts of the past marking the occasion of his second coming.....that would remain to be...

No, there were signs of something far below.

Humans, a large group of them in a camp below. He sensed there life, and their magic....before the wisps of smoke from their many fires came into view.

These lands were supposed to be devoid of life, a graveyard in dedication to the arrogance of the ancient civilization that dared to overstep the bounds of the natural order. The blight of their sins would only be cleansed by his consumption of the lingering karma and magicks and the proceeding return of nature's control over the lands. Only then would the crimes of those he had slain finally be repaid.

And yet, here they were. Like an open slap to the face, the humans betrayed him once more, skittering into places they didn't belong like the insects they were no better than. A king's word is supposed to be eternal, but it seems they had forgotten who the Strongest was. He would have to remind them of the primal fear, to ensure they would never forget this time.

Were they the descendants of those who had fallen here, or simply too curious for their own good? It mattered not, for he, as the Strongest, would judge them all as one.

"WHAT IS THE MEANING OF THIS?!"

His voice booming like thunder, the Saurian descended to them, disregarding any notion of stealth. Rex had no need of it here, for his purpose was to educate them on the foolishness of their decision. They would learn, either through fear or blood.

Landing in the center of the camp, he glanced around, taking stock of its inhabitants before deciding whether there was any merit to them, or if he should just merely slay them all here and now.

[Yun Lao]

Tied off between the netted muslin cloth, the grains slowly sank to the bottom of the steaming water, and sweet, earthy notes rose as the hot water drew it down, soaking it to the thin string at the edge of the pot.

"It's a touch more than I'd use for a grain mash," Zaofan said to Shochu, "Never been too much for a darker brew, myself. But hey, we'll consider this one a test batch."

Once they let it go, the roasted grainsand nutbrown caramelization began to spread deeply, and the Lookout's kitchen was perfumed with a warm, malty air. A keg of pale ale for the future of stouts was beginning to seem like more than a fair trade. Still, this was an endeavour that required patience, and it had not yet been a day.

While he waited for the grains to settle - one last stir for good measure - he turned his attention to tending the kitchen space, when suddenly he found several containers splayed out on the counter.

"What the- " Even from a distance, Shochu could see his eye twitch, and the efforts he took to mellow his breathing. "-did someone go for a food run and forget we had a fridge?!"

It was a point of personal pride for him that he knew exactly what lay within cool and dry storage in the kitchen space; not only so he could prepare on a short notice, but also because even with the rate this group tended to go through things, there was an exacting flow of old and new ingredients that had to be maintained.

As he had seen from the Eight-Star Eatery to the fishing village off the Paprika Coast, the constant maxim was that absolute worst kind of chef is a wastefulone.

Slowly, he opened a contained and took a small sniff and-

"...what is this stuff?"

Zaofan's eyes darted from the specific instructions, back to the alien ingredients, then back to the instructions again.

...I have no idea which one of these things is which.

A cursory glance to the confusing array of ingredients settled around Zaofan's feet was given. Surprisingly, she didn't need to consult the entirety of her database to find the answers that he sought, "Looks... Toadian... hmm, strange... that can't be right..."

Qaztoh enters the kitchen and sees Zaofan looking at ingredients for Zeef Roast. Qaztoh decides to help by pointing out which ingredient is which. " Okay, the thick blue liquid is Xoysauce. The pink crystal stuff is Zarlic Alhio," Qaztoh said.

" I can tell from the minty aroma. The black powder is Black Vepper. The reddish-brown powder is Dry Zustard powder. The white liquid that has a strong smell to it is white Zinegar," Qaztoh said.

The thick oozy green liquid is Voney. The blue powder is ground Xinger, the purple stuff is Zelery seeds. The orange powder is Xornstarch. The brown liquid is melted Vutter," Qaztoh said.

" Then there's the meat in the middle which is derived from a Xow. That cut of meat is a high-quality grade. I can tell it came from the rump of a healthy and mature Xow," Qaztoh said.

Her eyes widened significantly as a massive toad entered the room only seconds exploding into an unnecessarily detailed explanation of each of the ingredients. The machine mutant could only wordlessly stare as Qaztoh kept rambling on about the quality of the meat that was currently lying on the floor.

"It can't be..." She said to herself.

"ZAOFAN ERO!" Erosa opens the door to the kitchen and marches in. "No time for cook, Found Rex ero....need your time to beat him up......eh..."

The Id eyed the mess of random containers spread all across the kitchen table, then passed her gaze over to the two standing awkwardly next to it, then back to the food.

"Gao, whats this......Why yes I'll have some ero." The Id neither waited not expected nor had any care for approval. With the speed of a lecherous old man grabbing some booty, she swiped the container marked Vutter off the table. "Who wrote label...Butter not spelled with a V." Swiftly ripping the lid off, she threw back a moutful of Vutter and immediately regreted it with every fiber of her magical existence. With the force of a sonic boom she projectile launches her mouthful of Vutter into the Kitchen wall where it sticks like a giant, brown loogie.

"FfFFFFfffgggGHHHHkkKCCCLCKKK *spitspitspit* Gaaao! *spit* *coughcough* What.....Blleeeeggghhhhoorrrggg......taste awfuluuggh....." In a attempt to throw something in to cover the taste, she grabs the bottle of Zinegar from the table and chugs it.

Immediate Eye Bluging, Mouth frosting stomach incinerating vomehameha.

By the time she drops back onto the ground their is a new entryway to the kitchen that cuts through at least 3 other rooms.

"I see...hmmm..."

Ponderously, Zaofan looked from one exotic ingredient to the next. The names were, at least, phonetically familiar, but there was a separation between the sound of the words and the sights and the smells he was expecting.

"...I have an idea. We'll simplify the method, and sort these out into two piles."

Carefully he separated the spice powders and liquids into a series of Dry and Wet ingredients, and kept the browned Vutter as a fat.

"Right then. It might be a bit different than what you're used to, but eh-heh, you have to understand."

Pouring the seeds and powders into a mortar, Zaofan began to work the ingredients into a powder.

"I've never seen a Xow in my life. But that won't stop me from trying!"

Clicking on a burner, he placed a small pot containing the liquids over the fire, and over gentle heat a pungent glaze began to form.

Her train of thought is derailed as Erosa made her way into the kitchen like a humanoid wrecking ball. Visual analyze gave her only incomplete results as she tried to determine what the id was, although her audio did pick up the word Rex. "Wait! You too also know--"

Before Shōchū could get her question out, Erosa had downed the tub of Vutter and instantaneous projectile vomited it against a nearby wall, "That was the right decision. Toadian cuisine is rather harsh to..." Still unsure of what Erosa was, she chose to tread around the subject, "Humanoid bodies. The poison Toadian's naturally make in their bodies negate the... wait!"

Sprinkling a pinch of salt over the cut of meat, Zaofan cringed as Erosa dipped into the Vutter, but stuck to his task. Then he bent over as he continued to season, until he was practically shielding the entree from the clatter and ruckus of the collapsing kitchen walls.

...maybe I was a little too hard on Kai, he thought to himself, pressing blanched lips together as a vein stuck out on his neck. After all, everything that happened to the Lookout, the Apprentice silently saw to repairing it; and as of late, there had been a great deal of damage done to it. Erosa went on a bit of a tear, but she was after all, styled an Id, and that meant pleasure - and a preternatural skill at sniffing it out.

"Erosa it surely can't be that bad," he said. "Perhaps it's more suited for a Toadian palate?"

Swiping a tasting spoon though the Vutter, he took a small sampling. A small shudder spread through him as a numbness spread across his tongue and he winced.

Shrugging, he started spreading the dry rub across the surface of the remaining meat with his bare hands, massaging and mixing the spices into its natural juices.

"Well, it's a little bitter, maybe but but not like it's-"

Suddenly, Zaofan paused. His eyes widened and his face seized. The colour drained from him as he buckled at the waist and fell forward on the counter, then fell off as he hit the floor like a sack of bricks.

Qaztoh and Erosa could see quite clearly that he wasn't breathing.

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.

[bruceleegreyhulk]

"I see...hmmm..."

Ponderously, Zaofan looked from one exotic ingredient to the next. The names were, at least, phonetically familiar, but there was a separation between the sound of the words and the sights and the smells he was expecting.

"...I have an idea. We'll simplify the method, and sort these out into two piles."

Carefully he separated the spice powders and liquids into a series of Dry and Wet ingredients, and kept the browned Vutter as a fat.

"Right then. It might be a bit different than what you're used to, but eh-heh, you have to understand."

Pouring the seeds and powders into a mortar, Zaofan began to work the ingredients into a powder.

"I've never seen a Xow in my life. But that won't stop me from trying!"

Clicking on a burner, he placed a small pot containing the liquids over the fire, and over gentle heat a pungent glaze began to form.



Sprinkling a pinch of salt over the cut of meat, Zaofan cringed as Erosa dipped into the Vutter, but stuck to his task. Then he bent over as he continued to season, until he was practically shielding the entree from the clatter and ruckus of the collapsing kitchen walls.

...maybe I was a little too hard on Kai, he thought to himself, pressing blanched lips together as a vein stuck out on his neck. After all, everything that happened to the Lookout, the Apprentice silently saw to repairing it; and as of late, there had been a great deal of damage done to it. Erosa went on a bit of a tear, but she was after all, styled an Id, and that meant pleasure - and a preternatural skill at sniffing it out.

"Erosa it surely can't be that bad," he said. "Perhaps it's more suited for a Toadian palate?"

Swiping a tasting spoon though the Vutter, he took a small sampling. A small shudder spread through him as a numbness spread across his tongue and he winced.

Shrugging, he started spreading the dry rub across the surface of the remaining meat with his bare hands, massaging and mixing the spices into its natural juices.

"Well, it's a little bitter, maybe but but not like it's-"

Suddenly, Zaofan paused. His eyes widened and his face seized. The colour drained from him as he buckled at the waist and fell forward on the counter, then fell off as he hit the floor like a sack of bricks.

Qaztoh and Erosa could see quite clearly that he wasn't breathing.

OOC: Like to confirm that Xow meat isn't toxic. The Only thing that is toxic is the Vutter.

[bruceleegreyhulk]

A cursory glance to the confusing array of ingredients settled around Zaofan's feet was given. Surprisingly, she didn't need to consult the entirety of her database to find the answers that he sought, "Looks... Toadian... hmm, strange... that can't be right..."



Her eyes widened significantly as a massive toad entered the room only seconds exploding into an unnecessarily detailed explanation of each of the ingredients. The machine mutant could only wordlessly stare as Qaztoh kept rambling on about the quality of the meat that was currently lying on the floor.

"It can't be..." She said to herself.





Her train of thought is derailed as Erosa made her way into the kitchen like a humanoid wrecking ball. Visual analyze gave her only incomplete results as she tried to determine what the id was, although her audio did pick up the word Rex. "Wait! You too also know--"

Before Shōchū could get her question out, Erosa had downed the tub of Vutter and instantaneous projectile vomited it against a nearby wall, "That was the right decision. Toadian cuisine is rather harsh to..." Still unsure of what Erosa was, she chose to tread around the subject, "Humanoid bodies. The poison Toadian's naturally make in their bodies negate the... wait!"



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.

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.

[KingofPie]

A week after the M-Fighter's return to Earth...

Sasheem frowned as he glanced up at the clear blue sky above him. He sat in a large park in the middle of capital city, leaning against a massive fountain. The rest of those morons on the lookout had already set about doing whatever, but he had real business to take care of. Saving this ungrateful city.

He had singlehandedly wiped out a signifigant portion of Earth's crime families already. The only one remaining, Bing Lao had eluded capture for far too long. Sasheem had finally utilized his collective resources he'd pillaged from the still remaining former gangsters that he forced to work under him that Lao was located here....in a public park....full of people who now tested their luck by daring to stare at him.

...He should do himself a favor and wipe them out too. Not the people staring, but the criminals who worked under him...or maybe the people staring too. That would at least be more fun than having to search for a stoopid old man. ...But then Eva would get the other PHLEGM-fighters on his case and that would be troublesome...and besides...some of these people could be chefs...can't waste Earth's most valuable resource.

And right after that was the sun...it's warmth providing the perfect atmosphere for a nap. The Majin yawned. Only think that'd make this better was an ice cold drink...the fountain water was fairly cool, but that wouldn't do. The Majin zapped the water with his antennae, turning it into lemonade. Much better!

Sasheem scooped a handful and sighed, before putting his hands behind his head and leaning back against the fountain to start his nap. ...Or at least he would of he didn't hear the sounds of someone taking a sip from the fountain. Sasheem irritable snapped one of his eyes open to witness some belligerent kid drinking from the fountain.

"Hey, brat!" The Majin snarled. "Didn't your parents go around teaching you not to mess with other people's food?!" he inquired, his rage somewhat mitigated by a smell of cookies permeating through the air. The kid had a trio of of them!

The kid glanced at Sahseem and blinked. Then he looked to the fountain of lemonade..then at the cookies. "Trade!" he said evenrually, handing the cookies over to the Majin. Sasheem snatched them without so much as a second thought.

"Oh you can talk!" he chuckled mockingly. "You must feel accomplished for a two year old!"

"I'm three!" The three year old corrected, as he cheerfully walked back to his mother, who had been busy conversing with a friend.

Sasheem shrugged with a sneer before proceeding to chow down on the cookies. They were pretty good...didn't seem store bought either. Sasheem supposed the kid's mom baked them. The Majin leaned back against the fountain as he ate, his elbow hitting the stone slightly....causing a hollow echo. Huh...

Sasheem quickly set to knocking his elbow against the stone again. And then another stone....something was off. Sasheem phased through the fountain, glancing at just what the hell was up and to his surprise, one brick seemed to have a mechanism attached to it. The Majin figures all he'd have to do is press it the right way and an underground passage of sorts would open up. Looking below there did seem to be some sort of lift...so that was it.

Luckily for sasheem, he could simply cut out the middle man and head through the fountain down into whatever secret base lay below it. Perhaps, Lao was awaiting for him, prepared....Sasheem smirked, knowing full well that the stupid human could not possibly be prepared enough...

[bruceleegreyhulk]

One Month into the Time Skip.

In the back of space Taxi. Nadia is relaxing. ( I have to get to Earth before Sonata does,) Nadila thought.

Three years ago. Nadila is at a bar on a space station with Qaztoh. Something catches her eye, and she pokes at Qaztoh. " Cool a pepper eating contest," Nadila said.

" You should enter Qaztoh. It'll be fun!" Nadila said.

Qaztoh skin turns blue." I'm not sure about this. I never eating pepper before," Qaztoh said.

" Don't be shy, Qaztoh. This is going to be awesome. Hey you. Yes, you ugly fat piece of ****," Nadila said.

" I bet 500 galactic credits that this girl right here can eat more peppers than you!" Nadila said.

The alien gets furious at Nadila's comments." Shut your mouth brat. No one can eat more peppers then me, I'm the reigning champ!" the alien said.

" So you're the reigning champ? Prove it challenge my girl to a match," Nadila said.

"You're on, I'll challenge your frog friend over there. When I win. You better cough up those credits," The Alien said.

" **** Nadila, why did you have to make that guy angry. He looks scary," Qaztoh said.

" Relax Qaztoh, you got this," Nadila said as she gives thumbs up.

The challenge gets underway. Qaztoh and the champ start eating peppers. Seeing that Qaztoh can keep up with him makes the champ furious, ( Dammit, this isn't happening,) the alien thought.

(How can this F@#king frog rivaling me? It's just not possible Dammit, I won't lose to a damn frog,) The Alien thought. The alien gets a dastardly idea.

He pulls out two peppers from his pocket and tosses one at Qaztoh." Hey frog, let's see if you can handle that?" The alien takes a small bite of the pepper.



His eyes get bloodshot red, and he starts gasping for water. Qaztoh eats the pepper whole and shrugs her shoulders." That's it? I don't see what the big deal is," Qaztoh said.

The Alien looks at Qaztoh in shock. ( What the hell, how is that possible. I just gave her the hottest pepper at this bar. How is she not on the floor vomiting? ) The Alien said.

" Hey, what kind of damn trickery are you and that frog pulling?" The Alien said.

Nadila smirks." I assure you there was no trickery, and since my girl won. That means you own 500 galactic credits. So pay up big guy," Nadila said.

The Alien mumbles for a bit and hands Nadila the credits, ( Heh easiest money I ever made," ) Nadila said.

In the Present Nadia smiles. After having reminiscence about her moments with Qaztoh,( **** me and Qaztoh sure had a lot good times together,) Nadila thought.

[Sion Reaver]

He nods.

“That is..admirable. It shows...great strength to keep...pushing forward to do the...right thing. Jinzi....Ochazuke...both share......that quality. You....fit in with them...quite well.”

He smiles and raises his lemonade.

“To...pushing forward.”

"Forward it is."

Aleka smiled lightly before meeting his toast in kind, earth and its customs were really growing on her since she had gotten here. The conversation had been a heavy one, but she had learned a bit about their guest here. There was just one more thing on her mind however. "And the princess? How old is she? Do you have a picture?"

Depending on their age, it may be a bit harder or easier to adapt after the fact. If she was a kid, she'd be of course depressed but she had enough of them that given enough time they could adapt and while the same was true to an extent to all ages, that seemed even more during those times.

[bruceleegreyhulk]

https://community.cbr.com/showthread...=1#post4614467

After doing a session of community service. Including reading to children at an orphanage, helping the homeless at a shelter. Recusing stray pets and taking them to animal recuse center, and generally spreading goodwill.

Althena heads towards the Lookout. Upon heading there. Althena's infrasonic hearing catches the sound of a heartbeat under a block of frozen ice. Althena lands on the frozen lake and sees that there's a small child trap under it.

With her Panoramic vision, Althena could the kid had fallen through a small hole in the ice. Althena quickly breaks the ice dives into the cold water and retrieves the kid. Althena hears that the kid is barely breathing. So she quickly acts and uses her healing ability to save the small kid's life.

The small kid a girl when she opens her eyes is startling by Althena at first but then hugs her for saving her life." Thank you, Rog lady, I thought I was a gonna," the girl said.

" Child, your parents must be worried sick about you," Althena said.

" Well, Mommy and Daddy told me to be careful playing on this lake, but I saw this really nice fish. So I had to catch it. I put my hand in that hole over there. " the small girl said.

"I had almost had the fish but accidentally slip and fall through the hole. Mommy and Daddy are going to be so mad at me for not listen," the small girl said.

"Well, next time you should listen to your parents. I'll escort you home. Now, where do you live? " Althena said.

" I don't live far from here, but Mommy and Daddy said I should trust strangers unless they are good people. You're a good person, so I can trust you." The small girl said.

Althena escorts the small girl back to her home. The girl knocks on the door, and her parents come out and hug her. Overjoyed that their daughter is well. The parents thank Althena and offer her some money as a reward for recusing their daughter.

Althena doesn't take the reward." Thanks, but I'll pass. Seeing your smiling faces is rewarding enough for me." Althena said.

Althena then heads to the Lookout.

[Miburo]

A bubble popped, and in an instant, a torrent of energy was expelled at around it, slamming the Nevadian towards the depths.

As the Nevadian tumbled towards the ocean, attempting to right himself as he spun, he could barely make out the eruption of an emerald figure from the depths.

Frogspierre emerged from the depths, fist reared, as he was set on a collision course with the Nevadian.

They collided, and he looses a mighty haymaker with a roar, slamming into the Nevadians midsection with enough force to stop his ascent, if only for a moment. The sheer strength of the blow sent Frogspierre back into the sea.

It sent the Nevadian back into the heavens above, colliding with yet another bubble, that exploded on impact once more, sending him tumbling yet again, this time being met with a mighty knee to his skull.

Again he flew, and again Frogspierre descended, and their dance continued for some time. A chop here, a kick there, an elbow elsewhere.

Frogspierre was impatient, Justice was not something to be administered at leisure; The souls of the vanquished deserved retribution!

His sword had been misplaced when The Nevadian had countered his previous attack. Not that it mattered in the least. His fist was stronger than any mace, his hands, a crushing force superior to any vice...His tongue....

Stronger than any spear.

His tongue shot out, its point flexed, honed to an edge that would make katchin proud, splitting the air with the force of its ascent. It would not falter, until the Nevadian had been skewered by the tongue of justice.

Justice was so close, he could taste it.

It was cold. Sharp. Vaguely metallic.

It took him a moment to realize that what he tasted was not justice, but the very tip of the Golden spear of the Nevadian, colliding with the top of his spear of flesh. To its credit, it was not shredded like cheap tissue, like so much flesh and bone before the Nevadian.

"You dance pretty well." Held inhaled deeply, getting the first breather from Frogspierres assault in a moment, "But you should try getting a bit more rhythm."

If only that was its intent. Finally, the dance had been disrupted, Held no longer stuck between elbows and explosions, his descent stopped, in only for a moment, by the clashing of weapons.

The Nevadian twisted his torso, and the tongue shot past, barely missing him. He flipped through the air, placing the spear horizontally beneath his feet, the weapon sliding along the tongue like a rail, bringing the Nevadian closer to the source.

The Toadian braced for the assault, closing his eyes despite his training for the briefest of seconds.

No attack came.

Yet.

His eyes opened as quickly as they closed, darting around in search of the Nevadian.

Unicorn Treads Amongst Stars!

The Nevadian stood on a narrow block of ki energy, hovering in the air behind the Toadian.

Batter and bruised all over, such conditions did little to deter the Nevadian, only pushing him further.

"My turn!" He exclaimed with a smile, swinging the body of the spear into the backside of his foe, launching him into the air with great violence.

And so, their dance was reversed, with the Nevadian taking the lead.

The Toadian collided with the bubbles above, and the Nevadian sprinting below him, a path of floating ki block appearing ahead of him as he pursued his opponent.

An explosion of energy consumed the Toadian, the sheer force of the impact slamming him downwards, to the waiting Held Debon, just barely arriving in the nick of time.

Unicorn Knows No Restraint!

The Tip of the spear hit the block of Ki below it, and the Nevadian rose into the air, his ki coated feet meeting the skull of Frogspierre, sending him cartwheeling into the air once more. He crashed into yet another bubble, just as the Nevadian landed.

If Frogspierre had made a shout of pain, it could not be heard through the sheer volume of the explosion as he hurtled towards the sea once more.

But again, Held was there to meet him, if only barely.

"Unicorn's Tail Cuts Mountains in Twain!"

Held reared back his right leg, poised to deliver a devastating roundhouse kick to the Avenger, before setting it back down upon the path.

The Toadian collided with the ki created path below him face first.

"You expected me to do something, didn't you?" Held replied with a laugh, "But I'm the kind of guy who loves a good bluff..."

Unicorns' Tail Cuts Mountains In Twain!

This time, the Nevadian was true to his words, his leg colliding with Frogspierres torso in a viscous soccer kick, launching him into his own attack once more.

"I asked if you wanted to talk!" Held shouted, continuing his chase, "But you refused, huh?"

The Toadian rebounded once more, and Held was there to rebuff him.

"You only have yourself to blame for this!"

Unicorns' Hooves Shake The Sea!

The Nevadians palm rippled with power as he reared back, sliding to a stop on his path.

"Maybe you'll see reason when you manage to regain consciousness...."

He loosed the palm strike into the air, and flesh met flesh, his hand crashing violently into the spine of the Toadian warrior.

The Avenger shook violently, as is gripped by a seizure, frothing at the mouth, his eyes going white.

After a moment of this, the Nevadian withdrew his hand, and the Toadian was finally freed, splashing into the depths with little fanfare.

"...Well, he's still alive, but I better go fetch him before he drowns." Held mumbled to himself, his sight focused on the Ki Signature below him.

"..Wait, can Toadians drown?"

MAXIMO-DE!

The Violent shaking of the sea beneath him, and indeed, the sky above him, caused him to realize he might have been asking the wrong question. Held gazed downwards once more, eyes widening in shock at what he perceived.

He was incredulous.

"Just who the hell is this guy?!"

[MrSandman]

Her train of thought is derailed as Erosa made her way into the kitchen like a humanoid wrecking ball. Visual analyze gave her only incomplete results as she tried to determine what the id was, although her audio did pick up the word Rex. "Wait! You too also know--"

Before Shōchū could get her question out, Erosa had downed the tub of Vutter and instantaneous projectile vomited it against a nearby wall, "That was the right decision. Toadian cuisine is rather harsh to..." Still unsure of what Erosa was, she chose to tread around the subject, "Humanoid bodies. The poison Toadian's naturally make in their bodies negate the... wait!"

"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.

Suddenly, Zaofan paused. His eyes widened and his face seized. The colour drained from him as he buckled at the waist and fell forward on the counter, then fell off as he hit the floor like a sack of bricks.

Qaztoh and Erosa could see quite clearly that he wasn't breathing.

"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...

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.

"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.

[MrSandman]

These lands were supposed to be devoid of life, a graveyard in dedication to the arrogance of the ancient civilization that dared to overstep the bounds of the natural order. The blight of their sins would only be cleansed by his consumption of the lingering karma and magicks and the proceeding return of nature's control over the lands. Only then would the crimes of those he had slain finally be repaid.

And yet, here they were. Like an open slap to the face, the humans betrayed him once more, skittering into places they didn't belong like the insects they were no better than. A king's word is supposed to be eternal, but it seems they had forgotten who the Strongest was. He would have to remind them of the primal fear, to ensure they would never forget this time.

Were they the descendants of those who had fallen here, or simply too curious for their own good? It mattered not, for he, as the Strongest, would judge them all as one.

"WHAT IS THE MEANING OF THIS?!"

His voice booming like thunder, the Saurian descended to them, disregarding any notion of stealth. Rex had no need of it here, for his purpose was to educate them on the foolishness of their decision. They would learn, either through fear or blood.

Landing in the center of the camp, he glanced around, taking stock of its inhabitants before deciding whether there was any merit to them, or if he should just merely slay them all here and now.

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.

[MrSandman]

The expanse of void washed over him, and on shaky legs, he pressed forward. Long ago he had tread in the sinking sands to face the seas of Tanchozurujima, but the training that etched in his very bones would not prepare him for the stark coldness of the Void set upon the ephemeral footing of a lucid dream.

And yet the sea of fear passed over and through him, and in turn he'd found his visitor had prepared a different venue for his perusal. Across a field of some ancient game rest a plane of rendered shapes

Himself...and Ishtar? Curious.

"Your proposal is admirable. However, understand that this would not be the first time I had experienced a vision that sought to make me a pawn to some other scheme." Nor would it be for the majority of their company, having fallen prey to a dream of a future of doom yet to pass. "If what you say is true, then it should be simple enough to find proof, once I am able to examine the matter for myself."

Adirft in memories, there had been some respite in his mind, but once the dream had been joined, this could hardly be said to have been restful. Slowly the shapes began to thin, and a darkness stretched around them.

_____

Parting heavy-lidded eyes, Ochazuke stirred where he lay, and as he woke to consciousness from the dream, immediately he bolted upright, only to wince and grumble as the residual pain shocked through his arm and his side.

Some room in the Coldlight, he found Aleka conversing plainly with the girlish shell of-

"-Cthylla." His throat, still parched, was no longer as raw as it was in the midst of the combat. His words were spare, yet he spoke as if he had never left the vision of the dream, "-they've been to the Earth, haven't they?"

Drawing himself upward, he leaned forward, drawing slow, deep breaths as he continued to recover.

"Tell me where they are."

Cthylla stepped up to him, bending forward to look into his eyes.

"....When you return to earth, seek out the northern lands. The frozen corpse of a tombed empire rests in its cold heart. If you seek proof of what must be done....look to what has come before." Cthylla stood, and for a moment she looked at him with.....something akin to a smile, even if it didn't translate properly the feeling seems genuine. "Share your path with others, and do no delve too deep.....the dream is muddled there. I cannot see beyond."