GambolMuse

Dragon Ball: Legacy (Mogtaki and Vena Sera)

"Viral, it's as I said. We try to fight this war without killing anyone, and it is actually possible. We've caused very few casualties on the enemy forces up until now. What you did was the largest slaying of enemy troops in some time, so then you must understand why we took to it as poorly as we did." Victory was achievable with minimal bloodshed, Korian was making certain that was possible. It would be much easier to have people support them if they didn't come across as ruthless and bloodthirsty. Sighing to himself Korian shook his head again, looking at Viral regretfully. "I'm not proud of how we handled what you did, regardless of what you had done. I went far over the line and never should have even laid a hand on you, much less try to kill you. I could apologize for it again but I'm certain it would only fall on deaf ears at this point. And we only took the lives of those there was absolutely no hope for. Most people join us after being beaten in battle, it's preferable to facing the punishment back on Kortal. Those who fight until the very end we have no choice but to kill, you can't allow people like that to exist if you're seeking peace. Sometimes it is necessary, and that wasn't the case with you."

Vegeta wanted to know what was in those vials, he could tell already it didn't bode well. It must be serious if Sayomi didn't want to speak in front of the others, and seeing as everyone was busy bickering he saw no issue with slipping away. Back into the hallway he walked a little ways from the door to get out of earshot, waiting for the older woman to join him. Having T'charrl become the topic of conversation was unexpected, though he was aware Sayomi had a certain... Affinity for their friend. Frowning he looked back towards the closed door, crossing his arms over his chest. "Frieza? I'm well aware, yes. He's certainly not the same species though, I can safely say that much. What do you mean though... Not mutations? He's absorbed energy on a constant basis and that's what is causing him to change, I'm certain of it." If Sayomi was right though then they may have a potential problem on their hands. "Even if you're right I haven't an idea what to do about it. Shu and Takeshi are close to him, Yumi seems friendly with him as well. I can't just tell them we have to be rid of him, they won't buy it regardless of what I might say."

As though being told T'charrl wasn't enough Sayomi was finally going to explain what the vials were. Glancing at the display on her computer he began to pour over the data carefully, slowly piecing it together. It seemed very similar, incredibly similar to Viral's. That didn't make any sense, he couldn't have possibly been anywhere but on the ship, or Earth. Confusing as it was the real bombshell was saved for last when the data of both Viral and the mystery beings were compared side by side. There were some differences here and there, but for the most part the genes were strikingly similar. Vegeta felt his heart drop when it dawned on him what this meant, his mouth drying up as he glanced at Sayomi in surprise. "They're manufacturing Beastmen..." he mumbled, looking back at the screen in shock. But how? Even if they had gotten some of Viral's DNA engineering a Beastman was incredibly time intensive, it didn't seem possible that they could mass produce them. Unless... "Yumi! What they did with her, they must have used some of Viral's genes to change her. Do you think they're exposing masses of people to this?"

Takeshi felt beyond conflicted but ultimately had to side with Korian here. Much as he loathed the idea of throwing more people into his and Shu's mess they did need more troops, the rebels just didn't have the numbers. He wasn't sure the others would see it his way or not, but his mind had been changed. Their father had to be stopped, and if that meant asking other people to help in the coming battles then they would have to relent and do so. Getting shouted at by Viral he looked over at the Beastman, frowning and shaking his head. "Do I really think it's going to help that much? I don't know, but they do need more help Viral. You want to get back at my father for what was done to you right? Well if we need more people to do that then we'll have to go along with it." He really didn't feel like arguing right now, but with the Beastman shouting at him his temper was flaring a little. Stepping closer to Viral, Takeshi glared at him as he gave his shoulder a shove. "And what do we have better to do Viral, huh? If this isn't over with soon people are just going to keep dying! And what if the rebels lose because we didn't get help, what then? Are we going to let everyone suffer because we didn't want to recruit a few more soldiers? We'll drop you back on Earth if you don't want to go, but we have to do this!"

All of this back and forth shouting was giving Yumi the mother of all headaches. Damn these new ears of hers, they were way too sensitive sometimes. When Takeshi went ahead and basically attacked Viral she stepped forward, putting a hand on each of their chests and pushing them away from one another. "You two, cut it out! Whatever we're doing here you two fighting isn't going to solve anything!" Feeling a bit angry herself she dropped her hands to her sides, closing her eyes for a moment and taking a deep breath to try and stay calm. Looking to Takeshi she folded her arms across her chest, frowning at him. "You know how strongly Viral feels about this, try to understand his position better, alright? Don't try to make him feel bad over this." Turning then to the Beastman she put on a small smile, reaching out and gently brushing the spot where Takeshi had shoved with her hand. "And Viral... I know you don't like the idea, but please. Think of what could happen if the Saiyans aren't beaten soon. If this can help win the war then we should think about it. If you're so worried then how about you take up being a commander again?" Looking up to meet his gaze she smiled kindly, giving him a pat on the shoulder before looking at Korian. "If Viral wants to, how about you put the new troops under his and my charge? We'll keep them safe no matter what, and that way you don't have to worry about even more."

This negotiating had deteriorated very quickly, Korian was certain it wouldn't go anywhere now. Surprised by Yumi's intervention he watched as she tried talking both Takeshi and Viral down, managing to settle the former enough to back off. Watching her and the Beastman he was intrigued by the idea Yumi had, not having thought about it. He certainly had no issue with splitting up who commanded troops, he wasn't going to fuss on the number of people he had under his command. "That isn't a bad idea actually... I would gladly support that if you'd be willing to undertake it, Viral. In fact..." Looking back over at Takeshi and around for Vegeta or Sayomi the commander shrugged, not having noticed their departure. "I'm beginning to think breaking our current forces into smaller contingents might be the best way to go about this. Rather than have to make sweeping, general orders we could each operate as independent platoons almost, communicate through one another. We'd have far greater mobility and we'd be better able to react to situations. Assuming we can find enough in the way of leaders I think that might be a plausible approach as well."

Dragon Ball: Legacy (Mogtaki and Vena Sera)

Korian had anticipated backlash, but from Viral, Vegeta and Takeshi? A look at Yumi told him she wasn't overly thrilled either, and Shu was probably too lost to really understand his request. The young warriors took their turns picking apart his request, leaving him having to defend himself. "My intent here doesn't seem to be very clear. Yes I want to bring down the King, but I have no desire to rule myself. I'm a soldier, that's all I'll ever be. This coup isn't to gain power for myself, it's to protect people from continued terror. Don't you see inaction is only going to cause even more trouble? While we've gained so much ground we have to keep pushing, if we slow down now the Saiyans are liable to regain footing. All the effort we have put in for freeing planets, it will mean nothing if we don't ensure they remain free." In the depths of his person Korian firmly believed that the aliens would agree to lend their aid, even if not in the form of soldiers. They had to realize that not doing so was paramount to losing the war, this was the hardest battle coming up after all. Hearing all of this banter from Viral was making it difficult to retain any sense of calm, he didn't appreciate it at all.

"Viral... I want to be on the front lines. I've spent all my life on them and I intend to continue doing so. Do you think I enjoy this?" Korian asked, gesturing around himself. "Sitting at a desk, dictating the actions of men and women who may well not come back? The fact of the matter is that I was chosen by these people to lead them, for whatever reason that may be. I was a commander, yes, but never on a scale like this. If they have their faith in me to lead them then I'll do it, even if it means staying back." Should the opportunity arise however the Saiyan would find himself in the fray in a heartbeat. He wasn't cut out for this kind of work, it was more stressful than any battle. Giving the Beastman a hard stare the rebel leader shook his head, running a hand back through his hair with a sigh. "I'm not expecting those incapable of fighting to do battle, don't be absurd. And blood-thirst..? Don't you realize that's what I'm trying to prevent? I have been all along. Why do you suppose I was so enraged when I found what you had done, hm? It's because I don't want people to die. Battles can be won without taking lives, and I've practiced that throughout this entire conflict. As I said, I'm not thrilled with this myself, but the fact remains we need aid to win."

This back and forth wasn't getting them anywhere, Vegeta wondered if things might deteriorate entirely. While Viral was perhaps attacking Korian a bit much he still didn't agree with the notion of putting civilians in battle. Yes, each of the races they had encountered had warriors, but this was a different kind of fight. This wasn't a territorial dispute, or a fight for a singular power. This was an all out war, and people were going to die. He appreciated Korian's sentiment about straying away from lethal force but at best it was idealistic. The Saiyans wouldn't just be beaten into submission, they were trained not to do that. The fact Korian and Sayomi were able to rebuke those roots was impressive, and unlikely to become the norm. What a mess this all was, this whole war. Spotting Sayomi coming over to approach him Vegeta looked at her curiously, eying the bag on her shoulder. "Samples, hm...? Let's see them then." Glancing into the bag he frowned seeing the vials, not quite sure of what the disc was either. Venom, what did she mean by venom? He had never seen T'charrl use venom before, was that something he was to gain then? "Of course, I certainly wouldn't mind some quiet," Vegeta replied, smiling slightly. Seeing the others still plenty occupied he walked back out of the room and into the hall, waiting for Sayomi to join him.

"Still... Why do you have to pick them? Aren't there other worlds that can help out?" Takeshi interjected, still sounding cross. "We only just freed those people right? How is it fair that we have to involve them in the fighting now?" The Shaharians, the Narbu and the Kaesstrians, they all had their own fair share of troubles. To expect them to abandon their own issues in favor of fighting here was absurd. "I mean... I get we need the help, but there has to be other planets that have troops to offer, yeah?"

Korian shook his head sadly, looking at Takeshi as he was questioned. "None. Most have either already pledged their support and are here with us, or were wiped out by the Saiyans. We have no other potential allies left yet we need more strength if we're to win. All of those who have yet to join us can seriously improve our chances of success, even if they only send a handful of men and women respectively. We don't need an entire world's support, just a few dozen more troops, that's all." Meeting the size of the Saiyan forces wasn't going to happen, they had too many people under their command. If they could get just a few more able warriors though then they should be able to fight through to the King regardless. As it stood there were far too few people who could hold their own in a group fight, they needed more soldiers to support one another. "I don't want to make these people do this, all I'm asking is you put in the request for us. If they say no then so be it, we'll have to carry on as we are. The aid of others could make our chances of succeeding greater though, that's why I'm asking for this."

This was all just... Crap. Korian raised fair points, and so did they. It was far from an ideal situation they were in and it was pretty much down to morality versus reality. Asking only just freed people to join them was basically throwing away the chance of living without oppression, they could very well die and never get to know freedom. On the other hand Takeshi knew what kind of forces his father had, and Korian was right. Winning a battle right now would be very difficult, if not impossible. It would take them a long time to even reach the Elites never mind the King. Once they did find Yamate they would probably be exhausted too, and that was anything but ideal. Gritting his teeth angrily he looked down at the ground, his hands bound tightly into fists. "We need to do it..." he finally said, grumbling as he looked up at Viral. "I don't like it but we have to. If the rebels lose here then my father is just going to send out more soldiers and it'll all be back where it started. Viral, you know we have to stop him now, even if it means asking other people to fight."

Dragon Ball: Legacy (Mogtaki and Vena Sera)

"We're important because we're Princes, I guess. We're supposed to be pretty strong because of who our father is, at least that's the vibe I get from these guys." It was still pretty confusing as to why they were needed still though, considering how strong some of the rebels actually were. Takeshi was reluctant to admit that Korian was probably still stronger than him, that guy always seemed to be ahead of them whenever they met. In a way too he figured Viral was stronger than them as well when he changed, considering he had held his own against the rebel leader for a while. If that was the case than he and Shu were third and fourth strongest here, maybe even lower depending on just how strong Sayomi is. "I don't really get what being a Prince is all about either honestly, I never did figure it out. I mean I got stuff, and we did things for our father, but I don't know if that's what its all about." They did get a bit of respect too, even from Elites. Takeshi had anyways, Shu had been slightly... Indisposed while they were on Kortal. Shrugging his shoulders the older boy smiled slightly, placing his hands in his pockets as he looked over at Shu. "To be honest... I just want to go back to being us when this is all over. I don't care for any of this Prince crap, it's kind of annoying really. And it gets us way too much attention," he added, nodding in the direction of the rebels before them.

Vegeta would like to dispute Viral's cynicism, but he was agreeing with some of it he found. Fact of the matter was he didn't truly know what was going on here, he never did get a good glimpse behind the scenes of everything. In a way he supposed he was just hoping this was the real deal considering they were backing it. If it turned out to be just another dictatorship they could probably topple it, but then what? If the King was out of power and Korian couldn't lead than there would be a huge power gap for quite a while most likely. Being brought into the bridge of the flagship sent Vegeta through a bit of a loop for a moment, seeing all the displays and systems scattered about the room. He had thought their own ship was impressive, but this was downright awe inspiring. Those screens seemed so much more vivid than their own, and he was certain he couldn't move them like that. The crew in here was so much larger than their own as well, it must be such a simple matter running this vessel. He had to admit, he was jealous. Busy with staring at all of the machines he had scarcely noticed Korian coming over, looking up at the rebel leader and nodding politely. It didn't take long for Viral to get snappy, making Vegeta groan inwardly as he smacked his forehead. So much for being polite.

Korian had been skeptical whether or not the Princes and their group would show up, he figured they would have their own agenda. So seeing them here was a genuinely nice surprise, one he wasn't going to squander. Greeting them politely he was made to back off a bit as Viral was as hostile as ever, getting sour yet again. Smiling slightly the Saiyan looked at the Beastman, folding his hands at the small of his back. "Had I known you would be so impatient I'd just have sent my request over communications," he replied, taking a small jab at Viral before looking at the rest of the group. "He does have a fair point though, and we really don't have the time for chatter. The reason I asked you all here is to help us gather more forces. As it stands now we've got a sizable fleet, as I'm sure you noticed, but we're worried it may not be enough. We'll be hitting the main Saiyan forces going into Kortal and could use all of the help we can get. It's for that reason I would like to ask you to revisit worlds that you have previously been to and, if possible, recruit more help. Anyone you can muster would be greatly appreciated."

Ah, so that was the game then. Ask the Princes and their friends to call in favors on planets they had saved. It was kind of a dirty move, Vegeta thought, using their previous ventures like that. As he considered it he had trouble recalling any group of aliens that might even be helpful. The Kaesstrians did not have space travel, and while warriors he wasn't sure they could compete against Saiyans. There was that frozen tundra of a world as well, albeit he'd not even seen the resident aliens there. They might have space travel but their strength was questionable, would they be a factor? They certainly couldn't go back to the world where their ship had been remodeled, those people were much too primitive to be of any assistance. "So you want us to essentially guilt people into helping the war because we've helped them? Don't you think that's a little unfair to be doing? I can't imagine most worlds have recovered enough yet to really mount any kind of offensive."

"If I thought we had another option I wouldn't be asking for this. Unfortunately it's the only chance we have to bolster our forces, and we really don't have the luxury of time." Korian explained, turning away and looking to the center panel in the room. "Bring up the map please? Show our sector and Kortal." From the desk emerged a large projected screen, and quickly it filled up with a starry map, a few designated planets around the area. The rebel fleet was signified by a series of blue markers, a few good thousand kilometers from Kortal. Red markers littered the area around the Saiyan home world, numbering far more than what the rebels had. "We're outnumbered as things stand now. We may be able to get through their regular troops, but as far as Elites are concerned we've very few in number who can confront them. Of those currently present the only ones who can even hope to beat Elites are all of us, Sayomi included. If we're busy dealing with hordes of soldiers however we can't focus on the larger threats." Sighing softly Korian rubbed at his forehead, closing his eyes before glancing at everyone again. "I hate to say this, but we need more forces just so we can eliminate the more dangerous targets ourselves. We can't go anywhere with our current numbers, I'm worried our troops would get overwhelmed by the enemy's numbers."

So they were being asked to find cannon fodder then, that was how it sounded. Takeshi wasn't near as old or experienced as some people here but even he wasn't naive enough to ignore what this meant. They were going to bring other people here with them, to fight and probably die for the rebellion. It was a do or die situation for the Saiyans so they weren't going to hold back, and that meant the rebels couldn't either. The fact Korian was even suggesting endangering people who had only just been freed was actually pretty disgusting. Frowning deeply Takeshi looked up at the rebel leader, shaking his head angrily. "We can't do that to them, they don't have any part in this war! Besides, we only just freed them. What good is their freedom if they come out here and die? Then everything we did means nothing!"

"As I said Takeshi, I know it's not ideal. But we have to consider the larger picture here, the fate of the universe can rest on who wins this battle. We cannot allow the King and his soldiers to continue on like this, they have to be stopped. If these people truly want to be free then they'll be willing to risk what they have to ensure that freedom. After all... Nothing is gained without sacrifice, and people will die during this battle. That's something that we all have to accept however if we're to free everyone from this tyranny. Believe me when I say I'll be doing my best to ensure we take as few casualties as possible, but ultimately we will suffer some blows." Korian wasn't at all happy with his request himself, but it needed to be made. There was no way they could carry out this fight without at least matching the Saiyan numbers. Since acquiring new technology and troops the rebellion had certainly been bolstered, but even in its weakened state the Saiyan forces were superior. Looking a bit weary all of a sudden the commander glanced back at the map again, his mouth forming a hard line. "I am ready to die to protect everyone here, including all of you. That goes for whoever you can bring to us before the battle. I will gladly give my life if it means we win this war, I give you my word."

Dragon Ball: Legacy (Mogtaki and Vena Sera)

Takeshi was all set on hugs for the day now, being crushed by Leto and subsequently attacked by Shu. Honestly, he didn't understand how his brother was always so cheerful and energetic. It probably didn't help his own case that he was tired from training and poor sleep, the only thing he actually felt like doing at the moment was taking a nap. Having to pry Shu off of himself the older boy smiled slightly, poking his brother's forehead to get him to back off a bit. They had more important business to discuss here anyways aside from hugs. This was probably the last meeting with the rebels before everyone was going to go fight the King, a pretty big deal for obvious reasons. Since they were being asked to help the group was going to be filled in on the battle plan, and probably where they were hoped to fill in. Takeshi still wasn't overly fond of the idea of having everyone in danger, it wasn't their fight. Having them going along with it wasn't making it any easier, not if they were willing to put themselves in harm's way. By now Takeshi was certain that the only ones who could fight their father was himself and Shu, they were the strongest after all. Korian too, and maybe Sayomi. Their friends were strong too, but not strong enough to fight a Super Saiyan, he really doubted that.

Viral certainly had a cynical outlook on the rebels and it wasn't completely unfounded. Korian had been less than gracious back on Narbu, nearly killing the Beastman himself then. Still... That was one man, not an entire organization. Sayomi had even gone as far to help, she was the reason they had gotten away at all. Factoring in his almost worship of the woman for her intellect and technological prowess it made Vegeta a touch resentful, but only just so. "They're not stealing these or taking them by force. A lot of them are Saiyan ships, ones they took from the real enemy. And I'm guessing so many people are here because, just maybe, people might be tired of the Saiyan empire pushing everyone around? Just a theory." Attacking the rebellion in of itself was a bit rash, as far as ideals went it was on the right track. Yes, some of the methods used by Korian and others weren't very thrilling, but one couldn't argue the good that had been done so far for the worlds freed. Vegeta wanted to try and argue Viral's points yet there were truth to them, without a doubt. "Maybe Korian is just another king waiting to happen..." he remarked, shrugging his shoulders. "Even so, the peace people are enjoying now must be nice. And should Korian turn out to be no better, well... Then it looks like we're removing two people from power, doesn't it?"

Shu might not want to eavesdrop, but Takeshi was all over it. He was curious to know what the others thought about the rebels, especially considering they were going to be fighting together. As for himself he rather liked most people here, even if his personal view of Korian was strained at best. Vegeta sounded to share sentiments, if a little bit strained. Viral on the other hand was completely opposed to them, not giving them any reprieve whatsoever. Considering all the Beastman had been through it would be more surprising if he did share their views, this was only normal. Hopefully though he could put aside that negativity while they were on the battlefield. If they couldn't fight together than they were in trouble. Eying Shu amused the corner's of Takeshi's lips pulled into a small smile, rolling his eyes. "I'm silly? Says the one bouncing around and hugging people like a goofball." Nah, Shu was definitely silly, but that was an endearing quality of his. Seeing their escort come to a stop he looked forward again, realizing they had come to a large set of doors with the word 'Bridge' posted in a luminescent sign over it. Well that was fast, unfortunately.

"We've arrived my young friends! Here we are, the bridge of our manly vessel!" Leto beamed as he opened up the doors, stepping inside first as the rebels following him fanned out to the sides to make room. Beyond the large Yulian was a rather busy room, filled with all sorts of aliens hurrying about. Monitors littered the walls and a few stations along the floor, crew members hurried to and fro delivering information to one another and checking on the ship's systems. It was a routine check-up, Leto noted, something they did almost daily. They were being very careful to ensure everything worked just how they wanted it to, not wanting to get to the final battle and have something fail. Spotting the commander hunched over a display with a few personnel Leto smiled, saluting before near-bellowing out; "Commander Korian, I've returned with our guests, sir! I was as prompt as I could be in retrieving them, and everyone you've requested has joined us!"

So intelligence suggested an enemy fleet of at least 8 more ships than they had, not to mention possible opposition on the ground. Even with their growing ranks it was looking like the odds were against them still. The Saiyans simply had too much military power, even after having been beaten back near to their home planet. The current rebel force might be able to win, but a 'might' wasn't something Korian was satisfied with. To ensure the least possible casualties on both sides he had to force the Saiyans to surrender, by show of force most likely. And to do that... "Agh, damn it..." Not having even noticed Leto returning when he was called for the Saiyan jumped slightly, knocking his head against a panel and wincing as he rubbed at the spot. Standing upright he looked across the room at the Major, and the group with him. Ah, so they all had come along after all, that was good. Smiling Korian left the station he was at, coming over to everyone and nodding to them in greeting. "I'm glad to see you all made it out here well, and thank you for agreeing to join us here. I'm sure I don't have to explain too much why I asked you to be here today?"

Legend of Zelda: The Templar Crusade

We're moving right along like a choo-choo train!

CHOO CHOO!

Legend of Zelda: The Templar Crusade

Caelan was kind of lost as to what was going on right now. This was a lot more chaotic than any battle he had ever been in before, he'd never fought with so many people at once. Somehow, probably by sheer luck he was still alive, unscathed even. Boy magic was becoming a bit tiresome to use though, he had expended a lot of energy on creating shields for arrows and taking out the archers as well. Tired as he was the others must be just as exhausted, this battle was taking its toll on all of them. If they faltered here they would die, that much he was certain of. It was so hard to maintain the presence of mind to win though, especially now with Onyx having joined the fray. Compared to the common fodder they had dealt with thus far this man was literally a beast, much larger than Caelan thought possible. They had struck out against the General only for naught to happen, he almost looked to brush off their blows. One arrow did manage to penetrate Onyx's defenses and cause some damage, but the flames were quickly distinguished. Right... So flaming arrows didn't do a whole lot, what the hell was he going to do with water?

Demoko wasn't ready to give up on them yet, even if Caelan was close to throwing in the towel. In one of his speeches the man tried to rally them to battle and instill some sense of courage. More than that though he provided a plan, a way to take this monster of an enemy down. It was hard to think that they even stood a chance here, but if they didn't at least try they were dead anyways. He'd rather go down fighting then just get squashed like a bug. Right... So they all had their part, each as important as the first. No pressure then, if he screwed up it might be the difference between them living and dying, that was all. With his ice shards still hovering about him got rid of his ammunition as well, firing them at various points on Onyx's person in hopes of striking him. The sound of ice shattering like glass signified none had managed to get through, but at the very least they had him on the defensive, for now. Hail of shots aside now they had to get into this plan of theirs, starting with Aadab's sandstorm. It certainly did its job, visibility was reduced fairly well for both sides. Their reduced visibility only lasted for so long however as sight was promptly restored to them, now the fight was really going to begin.

Next up was Sophos and his portals... And then his part. Caelan was certainly feeling pressure already and it wasn't even his move, but he had to get ready. Watching Sophos for his initiation he drew more water from his pouch, readying himself for what he had to do. As soon as Nayrin had vanished into the portal he made his move, amassing a fair lot of water before sending it towards Onyx. Sliding it across the ground he stopped it right at the man's feet, pulling it up slightly to his shins before freezing it instantly. For good measure he threw a bit more water out as well, making a second layer and applying as much pressure as he could to pack the ice solidly. That would have to hold for now, it was the best he could muster. "Link, that's all I've got!" Caelan said, looking over at the boy and nodding. "The rest is up to you!"

Dragon Ball: Legacy (Mogtaki and Vena Sera)

Takeshi and his organs could really have done without the bear hug, though he supposed it was nice they were arriving under good terms. Considering how bad things had gotten between their group and the rebels before this was a positive change of light. Sending Leto to escort them wasn't the best thing, but at least the guy was pleasant, if nothing else. Breaking free of the vice grip of a hug he rubbed at his chest, inhaling to recover from near being squished in the man's grasp. How did someone so weak have so much raw strength? No more hugs for when he was here, that was the only one he wanted. In spite of that Shu was rather quick to follow up with one of his own, grabbing the older boy from behind and giving him a hug. It wasn't remotely painful nor uncomfortable but he was still being a bit of a sourpuss. Having his arms tied at his sides by the hug Takeshi looked down at his brother, smiling slightly as he stopped in his tracks. "So hug Leto then, not me," he said, rolling his eyes as he was only hugged harder. Breaking into an honest smile the Saiyan eased Shu's arms off of himself, chuckling as he poked his brother's forehead before continuing on with the group. "Hug me when we're not busy, alright?"

Vegeta would be lying if he said he was envious of Takeshi, a hug from Leto was not at all appealing. As their friend was squeezed within an inch of his life the rest moved on, save for Shu who wanted to repeat the gesture for whatever reason. Such a strange one, Shu, he still had a bit of trouble getting used to the kid's copious amounts of energy. At the moment Vegeta simply didn't have the desire or drive to be too energetic, feeling much too like they were on a business trip here. They were in essence making a partnership, or formally making one at the very least. The reason as to why the rebels had so vocally called for their assistance was a bit lost on him, certainly considering the size and power of the rebel forces already. They were here though and ready to hear the leaders out. "Demand payment...? I'm not aware of them ever doing such a thing," Vegeta remarked, glancing over at Viral as they walked. "Don't get the wrong idea, I'm not trying to defend them here, I don't know what their policies are. But from what I've witnessed they free a world and stay only to help rebuild, it doesn't seem like planets are trading one rule for another." Granted a lot of worlds did join or support the rebellion, but that seemed pretty obvious considering what was done for them. "Leto? I don't suppose you can just tell us why we're here, can you?"

"Afraid not, my young friends! The commander has made it very clear that he and Sayomi are the ones who are going to speak with all of you, I'm simply a messenger!" Leto replied, nodding his head. "I can, however, tell you that you will play a large part in the final battle, if you all accept. We've finally gotten to the point where we can win this war, but only with one last bit of aid. Being the outstanding men... And women that you are I know you won't deny us!" That probably didn't make the kids feel obligated whatsoever. Being awfully close to one of his infamous, heartfelt ramblings Leto flexed, a single tear dripping down his cheek as he did so. "We are so close to freeing this universe from the tyranny that is the Saiyan war machine! Every fiber of my being is pulsating from excitement! Soon we will see the dawn of a new day where people can travel without fear of those cruel overlords! Oh I want to weep just at the very thought of it!"

"Please don't..." Takeshi mumbled, rolling his eyes. This was exactly why he didn't want Leto as their escort, he was just so weird. It was one thing to be passionate about what you did and another to just be some nutjob. They hadn't even agreed to do whatever it was yet either so why was he getting all worked up? "Hey Shu... I think I found someone who's more silly than you are," he added, smiling as he pointed at Leto. It was weird to think this guy was a major in the rebellion, he just really didn't come across as a military man. Everyone else they had met had some idea of how to act and then this guy was... Well he was a clown. How many people had actually followed this guy willingly while he was still with the Saiyans, he wondered. Probably not a whole lot, his speeches got tiresome really quickly.

Dragon Ball: Legacy (Mogtaki and Vena Sera)

"So... Remind me again why they need our help?"

The rebel fleet was pretty impressive to look at. Having grown quite a bit over the last few months what was a ragtag group of turncoats was now an actual military force, comprised of some dozen and a half ships, not counting the flagship. Inside each were a fair amount of troops, some former Saiyan militants and others having been freed from Saiyan control. Wherever these troops had come from they were all united under a singular goal now; bring down the King, free the remaining worlds and restore peace to the universe. It was no small order, Takeshi would give them that, and they had one heck of an uphill battle before them. Still, why did they need him and his friends? Korian was still stronger than them most likely, Sayomi was no push over either. While a bit goofy Leto was powerful in his own right, and those were only the ones whose names he recalled off hand. The sibling pair Sasha and Ricken were probably stronger now too, they could definitely take on Elites if they had to. So why drag them back into all of this? He knew they had agreed to lend their assistance, but now that they were coming to the point of no return he wasn't so enthusiastic.

Like it or not they were here, and they had a promise to keep. After settling up alongside the flagship and docking a small group was gathered, the typical sort that would be heading in. Shu, Takeshi, Yumi, Vegeta, Viral and T'charrl would all go see the rebels while the rest remained behind to relax and wait for the news. Since the former squad was still the enemy as far as the rebels might be concerned it was best they stay inside and wait, same with Haku. Crossing the bridge into the flagship they were greeted by a small contingent of rebels along with Leto who, much to everyone's chagrin was going to be their escort.

"Look at all of you, it's been so long!" Leto said happily, beaming beneath his impressive mustache. Stepping forward he tried to snatch the entire group into a hug at once, only managing to nab Takeshi in the process as Yumi had so graciously pushed him forward as a 'sacrifice'. After near squeezing the life out of the young Saiyan he sniffled a bit, rubbing at his eye before saluting. "Welcome to our ship everyone! Under the Commander's orders I'll be your escort for your time here, and I will be the manliest escort you ever had! How I wish I had the time to show you around, but alas, we've got a schedule to keep! So then..." Leto paused, flexing as he pointed down the hallway, "If you'll all follow me!"

Takeshi had absolutely no want to be hugged but still found himself in Leto's grip-like embrace. For a man who he didn't remember being that strong he could sure squeeze the crap out of someone. Gasping for air right up until the hug ended he stumbled back a bit, groaning as he rubbed at his shoulder. Looking over his shoulder at Yumi he stuck his tongue out at her childishly, turning away as she gave an innocent smile in turn. Man, why did they have to get stuck with the weirdo as an escort? Korian could have sent Sayomi, she was nice and not a weirdo. Not like they were going to be stuck with this guy for a long time anyways, right? "Next time you're the one getting hugged," Takeshi mumbled, looking at Shu, "I don't like hugs anymore, they hurt."

Yumi felt a bit sorry for forcing that on Takeshi, but it was pretty funny to watch. Rebuking his glare with an innocent smile she began to move with the rest of the group, folding her hands behind her back as they walked. So this was what a flagship looked like huh? It was larger than theirs, though designed much the same way as far as she could tell. She wondered how many people were on here alone, not even including the other ships around them. A thousand maybe? More? Last time they had seen the rebels they had maybe half as many ships, it was amazing to see how quickly this force had grown. Maybe because they were winning battles people were more willing to join, that must be it. Turning to Vegeta she raised an eyebrow, nodding towards their escort. "So what's the deal with these people again? I mean I get they're fighting the King but who are they exactly?"

"Well, rebels to put it simply. If I have to elaborate though... Mostly ex-Saiyan military personnel. Some of the people here were from planets that were liberated, and others have just been fighting from the beginning. People like Korian and Sayomi used to be some of the King's top soldiers until they left from what I remember." His stint with the rebellion may have been brief but Vegeta made it a point to retain the information. Everything that was the rebellion was either stolen from the Saiyans, built from Saiyan scraps or given to them by gracious aliens. That could be said for both the technology and troops. Speaking of the former... Vegeta couldn't help but hold this ship with an air of wonder. It was massive, much larger than anything he was on before. They had seen it briefly back on that other world but hadn't had a chance to properly inspect it. Being inside now hardly did it justice, he only saw so much from here. Perhaps with permission he could have Sayomi show the rest of it to him later.

Dragon Ball: Legacy (Mogtaki and Vena Sera)

Hopefully sharing some energy helped, T'charrl looked to wake up a bit at the very least. It didn't help everything as he was in pain, and that was definitely something worth trying to fix. Yumi wasn't quite sure what she could do but she'd try, and they had other people present to lend a hand as well. So the orbs were causing him pain then? Well that was a real pain, literally and figuratively because there was nothing she could do to help that. "Do you think getting into the shower might help? Some nice warm water could help you relax." She really needed to get in herself, her skin felt all flaky because of all the dust on her. Not to mention it was still rather irritating to her nose, she felt like sneezing more than once since getting here. Glancing back at Takeshi, Shu and Kai she got to her feet, dusting herself off a bit before sighing. "We're going to get cleaned up, so unless you three are doing the same mind leaving? I don't want this to be a party in the showers or anything." It was going to be a chore enough just getting T'charrl in and showering with two boys, she didn't need it to be any more awkward than it already was.

Takeshi felt kind of useless not doing anything, but Yumi had it under control, no reason to get involved too. They had no reason to hang around if everything was under control so they could get back to their training, or some semblance of training. They'd be getting cleaned up then, Yumi and the others, and he had every intent on leaving before they got to that. "Relax Yumi, we're on our way out," he said defensively, putting his hands up with a smile. Shooting Shu a look when he mentioned being afraid of T'charrl the older boy put a hand on his brother's head, pushing him down slightly as his smile tightened. For all he knew the others already were aware of his phobia but that didn't mean he wanted anyone hearing it. Shu was having fun teasing him over it, the little punk. "Really-really, now hush up or you're not getting any fruit," he threatened, "I just don't like them sometimes, doesn't mean I'm afraid of them, you know?"

"Er... You're an outsider too you know. Unless you actually feel you belong in his army, which in that case..." Vegeta shrugged his shoulders at that, not too sure what to think. He knew the Saiyan were brutal just from interactions with them, so hearing they eat other races wasn't too farfetched. For a race that was supposed to be civilized they were remarkably brutish, either that or simply didn't care about how they acted. Counting himself among them, even if he was only half-Saiyan was a touch humiliating. "I think you're missing the point Viral. I don't want you to drink to ease the depression, because you might become dependent on it for that. I'm fine with you drinking if the moment suits it, but I don't want to give you drinks because you feel you need it, understand?" It only took the one drink to lead to another, the easiest way to avoid that was to not even begin. Sure the Beastman was going to be upset over that but they had to be careful. "If anyone else drinks then you can have a drink, but I don't want to find you sneaking them, alright? I know it's a pain but I'm supposed to be taking care of you, and if that means keeping you away from alcohol then I'll do that."

Far From Home

What they had been told to expect within the tower was vague at best, though that didn't stop them from venturing inside. With a group now number 6 in all there was plenty of reason to feel more confident. Each one of those 6 players were among the best in the game, they all knew how to handle themselves and could arguably run solo through some of the riskier areas. So putting them in a group, well, chances of survival were pretty damn good. It wasn't quite as big as your typical clearing group which wasn't a bad thing, it meant less people to keep track of and worry about. As the first battle could attest it seemed as though everyone was fine with fighting by themselves, albeit in a loose group nevertheless. These <<Dark Reflections>>, a humanoid AI monster, they weren't very imposing. Or perhaps they were just too leveled for this area. Whatever the case may be they were making short work of the beasts, cutting them down with minimal effort on the players' part. The monsters outranked the 6 players 2 to 1, but that didn't make them miss a beat for a second.

Having shattered his first foe Suto turned his focus onto another, finding it charging at him with a lance in hand. Another match up that worked very well in his favor, if he got in close then this monster was as good as done. Running ahead to close the gap he was made to swiftly stop himself as a skill was activated, leaning back slightly as the tip of the spear just breezed by his chest by mere inches. Immediately afterwards the martial artist was made to swing a leg back and pivot, stepping to the side to avoid a thrust, and then duck to avoid another swipe. Damn, so this one was a little on the quick side, he'd have to be careful about this. Activating his blocking skill he managed to knock away a second thrust, using the chance to head in and use an open hand palm attack, slamming the flat of his hand into the chest of the monster, knocking it away. As the beast's feet dragged and kicked up trails of dust Suto was quick to try and capitalize on his chance. In racing in he had made a mistake, forgetting that while it had knockback that skill did not stun whatsoever. He was moving far too quickly to dodge, and as such when the monster lunged forward all he could do was lean to the side, taking the spear in the side. Gritting his teeth angrily at his own folly Suto forged ahead regardless, taking another strike as he got close enough. Briefly his feet lit up with a blue glow, sending him up into the air over the dark reflection. As his whole right leg seemed to ignite next he flipped head over heels, slamming his calf and foot into the monster's back, knocking it to the ground. He finished it off by stretching out his fingers and driving his hand straight down, piercing the light armor and the monster in one go, watching as it shattered with a satisfied smirk.

Not too long after his second kill did the rest of the group finish up with their marks as well, they could take a reprieve before continuing on. Exhaling to settle himself down Suto made it a point to take a glimpse at everyone's health, a little upset he had lost the most in that. It was barely a tenth of his health overall, but still, he had been the most careless. Since joining KoB and seeing how capable other players were he had become increasingly hard on himself, pushing himself harder to be on equal terms with even the likes of Kazaro and Heathcliffe. Both of them as it stood were well out of his reach, and admittedly he wasn't even sure if he could touch Nero either. It was pretty frustrating, wanting to do so much and yet being so weak by comparison. If he was still living in their shadow then that just meant he had to train more, which wasn't all too easy considering he was stuck with Kazaro incessantly. Letting out a dismal sigh Suto moved his hand through the air, bringing up his inventory and taking a stock of his items. Two health crystals and one to heal poison, plus his teleportation crystal. He wouldn't use any until absolutely necessary, and missing 1/10th of his health hardly was considered that.

There were still a few floors to conquer before they were at the top and were able to fight the boss. Probably a few more rooms like this and a few different enemies to boot, they would be busy at the very least. Suto did wonder if they were going to break up into groups at some point, considering switching was a heavily used tactic most of the time. Who then would he end up with? Kazaro? He hoped not, he wanted to interact with him as little as possible. They didn't work too badly together, their styles sort of even complemented one another with how fluid their moves were. Just as a person he had trouble dealing with the Vice-Commander, and there was still bitterness between them on his end. Maybe Nero then, albeit he would sooner see Nero and Kazaro teaming up together. That only left Kimi then, as Alphard and Jason were most likely working together as usual. He had never fought with Kimi before, only having seen her in instances like this. She wasn't bad by any stretch, and he couldn't deny she was good. Hm... Any way he looked at it he wasn't thrilled with prospective partners, but they were bound to pair up sooner or later. "Kazaro? When are we splitting into groups...?"