GambolMuse

Far From Home

Suto blinked at the smack on his back, half expecting it to be Luna but instead glad to see Fitch standing there. Grinning at the compliment he rubbed the base of his nose with a finger, chuckling and shrugging his shoulders while looking down the corridor sheepishly.

"Well... Like I said, no use in being somber. If we have to do this then hey, might as well have fun right?"

That's not to say he wasn't nervous during moments like this. Quite the contrary, Suto was perhaps amongst the most unsettled of them all when it came time for a raid. Chief reason being was simply for the combat style he had chosen, something he was gradually coming to regret. When it had just been a game it was cool, being fast and capable of dealing quick and weak but numerous hits. Now that it was "for real" however it made him feel fairly vulnerable during a fight, and awfully jealous of those wearing even light metal armor. Glancing down at his contemporary Gi outfit he let out a faint sight, a tiny smile lingering on his lips. Well, he'd picked it, so he'd learn to deal with it. Simple as that, right?

Working their way back through the dungeon was easy, especially with so many players present. Numbering near fifty in all they easily overwhelmed any opposition, and more than once Suto could have sworn he saw looks of dread on the monster's faces. Not that knew if they could feel anything, or particularly care. It was the only time in the game he dropped his cheerful attitude and became more aggressive, certainly more than willing to hurt the creatures that stood in their way. Sentient or not, they'd kill him and his friends without a second thought, and he'd not hesitate to protect them. Certainly easier said against creatures equivalent to their level, he'd not be quite so bold when it came time for the boss, he was sure. While he was allowed his bit of bravado however he'd bask in it, accompanying every successful hit and kill with a wide grin or a laugh. Being able to so effortlessly battle monsters now was relaxing almost, and for a short while it even felt like they were just playing a game again. That sensation turned out to be short lived, as soon enough they stood before the massive iron doors signaling the boss room. Playtime was over, now they had to get serious.

Everyone was allowed a breather outside the towering doors, much to their elation. Suto took this moment to stretch himself out a bit, hoping to get loose before the fight. His body really wasn't needing it, but when exhaustion was a very real factor anything that helped alleviate it a little could make a huge difference. Seeing as they had some time to themselves he went into his inventory, taking out a small flask of apple cider and taking a swig out of it. It was amazing how well this game simulated all the senses, it actually felt like a cool liquid slid down his throat, and he could taste the sweet, crisp flavor of the drink, even if in reality it was all ones and zeroes. Before he knew it the container was dry, and with a beleaguered sigh he watched as it cracked and shattered into crystals, pouting a bit. He'd have to see if the next floor had some of those too, it was really tasty.

Luna couldn't be bothered to take a reprieve like the others, or rather she wouldn't let herself. Everyone felt nervous without a doubt, and she was taking her nervousness to heart. To her trying to stifle that now was only going to make it worse once the fight started. Besides, senses were heightened when stress was induced right? So in a way this tension was good for her. After taking a brief look over her gear and its durability, as well as her health, she deemed herself ready to fight. Or as ready as she would ever be. It was never as simple as just "readying up" for a boss battle, not in this game. When the costs of failing were as dire as could be it made the tension before the battle palpable, and it was almost like everyone's heartbeats could be heard. Yet as she gazed around the room at the other players most of them seemed to be coping well, better than she was. Some were laughing and telling jokes, others were enjoying a light meal before they went in. Her stomach was far too unsettled to eat, and while her friends were close she couldn't bring herself to talk to them. For now she'd just wait to begin, and then once it was over, and only then, she'd allow herself to be at ease. Finally after what seemed like an hour Heathcliffe signaled the beginning of the battle, and with a loud grinding noise the great doors parted, tearing apart to reveal a cavernous room on the other side, the boss' lair. If it wasn't such a dreadful place one might even describe it as beautiful.

In tandem the entire raid party moved right on in, immediately taking their positions amongst the ranks. Luna herself was positioned fairly close to Suto, as both were DPS characters. They were aligned along the left flank, taking up position near opposite of the rest of their friends. A line of shield users stood before them to act as cover, and in the very center of the crescent shaped formation was Heathcliffe, ever ready to take point. A long silent moment passed and nothing happened, and many players began to wonder if perhaps an event had to be triggered to start the battle. Then, out of the floor rose hordes of skeleton warriors, minions of the boss apparently. There were a great number of them, but comparatively they were weak, being a horde creature. The front lines of shield bearers made deflecting their assaults seem easy, cutting down the larger numbers with minimal effort. That, unfortunately, was going to be the only smooth part of this battle. As the waves of skeletons thinned more spawned, though that was hardly the cause for alarm. In the center of the room there was a sudden burst of flames, and from its depths rose a hulking figure. As the creature materialized it finally appeared as a towering, two headed giant, by far the largest foe they had ever faced. With an ear shattering roar it began its offensive immediately, starting the battle off with a tremendous strike against the ground. The result of said attack was the paralysis of several of the players, nearly half, albeit only for a few seconds. As soon as the effects vanished everyone reorganized, and in a conscious group effort began the battle in earnest.

For the first two health bars everything seemed to be going extremely well. No one had died and they were steadily chipping away at the beasts health, making the fight seem easy. The good fortune was not bound to last, and as abruptly as the fight had begun it then took a turn for the worse. It all happened so suddenly that, for nearly everyone involved, time seemed to crawl to a standstill. Just as the third bar was reduced to nothingness a new phase of the fight began, in that the boss had gained a new weapon. It was an enormous hammer, one that defied all laws of physics with how nimbly the creature wielded it. Emitting another piercing roar it it swung the weapon up and then down at great speed, slamming its heavy head into the tiled floor. A visible shockwave was created, tossing back four of the closest players immediately. Two saw their life flash before their eyes, literally, as their health dropped to the red, while two others were gone within seconds. Just like that two players had been killed, in one fell swoop. And that was only the beginning of the horror. Soon people began to fall left and right as the boss went into a frenzy, swinging his weapons around with unjustifiable ease. This wasn't right, no creature had ever been ever capable of doing this. So why then was this one? People were dying now, first the few initially, then the death toll ran to ten. Amongst the fallen, much to everyone's horror, was none other than Yari.

Suto had his hands full with a few skeletons as the rest of the group fought, opting to handle a bit of crowd controlling this battle. With his speed and quick attacks he could easily take on multiple opponents, and with Luna aiding him they were making light work of nearly ten creatures. With every skill activated his fists would glow a soft red, and his body would assume the motions of the attack automatically. He only had two multiple-target attacks at his disposal, and he made malicious overuse of them. It began with a lower-gut jab to one opponent, enough to stun it for a brief period. The very second strike was caused by a pivot on his right foot, and swinging his body around he'd slam a flat palm into a chest of another beast. Each of these initial strikes caused a very brief stun, but it enabled him to do all sorts of damage. On the second beast he then lifted his right arm, straightening out his hand and bringing it down in an axing motion, connecting right with the collarbone of the skeleton and dealing massive damage. The following attack was a simple jab, but more than enough to sap the last of the beast's health. With an opponent felled he automatically went back to the first, and with his hand still straight he thrust forward, piercing the skeleton's chest. As soon as his limb retracted his left foot glowed, and swinging his leg up he slammed it onto the creature's side, watching as it shattered into dozens of crystals. Unfortunately there was no time to enjoy himself, as a soul shattering cry and sound drew his attention elsewhere. What he saw made his heart stop in his chest and his body freeze. Yari... Yari was dead?

Luna couldn't believe it, there was just no way this was happening. The fight had been going so well, so much in their favor. The introduction of a new weapon had thrown them off and even claimed a few lives, but she figured they'd regroup quickly enough to counter it. Well, they would, but not before her and her friends were dealt a crippling blow. A great many players had been felled, and one person who she'd thought would see it to the end was to join them. She had to be mistaken, there was no way that Yari could really be gone. Yet sure enough she watched the girl disappear under the great hammer, and when it lifted the only thing to emerge was a cluster of blue shards signifying someone's death. Why did this happen, why her? Her body fell numb, and for the longest time all she could do was stare at the ground, where their friend had taken her last breath. At a sudden, violent shout she turned her head, surprised to see Suto going on the offensive. Whereas she couldn't budge a muscle he had quickly taken back to combat, and in an unsettling way. She had never seen him like this, so outright... Furious. It was almost scary the way he was fighting now, like it wasn't even him.

By the time it was over things had reached an unsettling calm. Suto hardly realized it as the final minion was felled, a bitterly cheerful fanfare signaling the end of the battle. He stood towards the side of the room, breathing heavily as he stared at the ground, hands still clenched in anger. How many skeletons had he killed? Five? Ten? More? Not that it mattered, it wouldn't change anything. The fact that Yari was not among them now remained the same, no matter how much any of them willed it otherwise. Casting a silent look about the room he caught sight of his friends, all of which seemed to be tackling this new reality in their own way. None of them were ready to accept it by the looks of it, or they were but at the same time tried desperately to deny it. Whatever the case the fight was done, and with a hollow note they had finished floor 25, finally. What good was this victory though if one of their own was not here to celebrate it? How many had died to get to this point? However many it was the count was too high, that was unquestionable. How had they been so poorly prepared? In an eerie silence everyone began to move forward, not a single word being uttered as the group collectively went for the stairs. Everyone moved somehow, or everyone, save Fitch. In an alarming show his other friend collapsed to the ground, likely exhaustion seeing as his health was still there. Suto was at his side in a moment, arguing with other players to help move the other boy to safety.

An hour passed since the floor was cleared, and the remnants of the raid party had taken up refuge in the first inn immediately available. Unlike so many times before there was no celebration accompanying this victory, only a grim, silent gathering. Drinks were had, but there was no merriment with them, or hardly any conversation for that matter. Near everyone had lost someone they knew in the fight, and as such the collective morale was at an all time low. Fitch, having passed out at the end, had been brought to one of the rooms upstairs to relax. Here, everyone was gathered, settled in a unanimous, somber silence while their friend rested. No one knew what to say, nor did they have to say anything. Everyone knew precisely what the others were feeling, and no one wanted to share it. Instead they'd all remain quiet, standing by for Fitch to finally come to.

Dragon Ball: Legacy (Mogtaki and Vena Sera)

Shu wasn't in pain anymore, that much was good. He couldn't move, but that was probably just due to still being overly sore from the blow to the head. Soon enough he'd be able to bounce around like his regular goofy self. That was the hope anyways, Takeshi couldn't be sure if his brother was really recovering or not. He wasn't hurting, but that could also mean he had lost feeling too. If physically he was improving then perhaps there was some mental recovery as well. While he himself knew what had happened they had to see whether or not Shu could recall it as well. Last time he'd asked it had apparently caused some pain for the boy, and so cautiously he raised the question again, not hoping for a repeat. The younger Saiyan definitely had more knowledge of events this time around, right up until the point where he was struck even. That was honestly the best they could get, as he'd been all but unconscious between then and waking up back here. His memory had come back, he was recovering and for some odd reason he wasn't blaming big brother for doing some fairly bad things. Takeshi smiled gratefully at this, giving a small nod of his head. Now he could go check on Viral, if his sibling was okay with being left alone.

Before Takeshi left the room he and Shu got visitors in the form of the twins. A little surprised to see them here he pushed himself into an upright, standing position, a hand over his stomach as he smiled faintly. Being seen in a sorry state like this was embarrassing, yet he supposed they were bound to see it sooner or later, if they hadn't already. Paying them as much attention as he could he listened to what they had to say, keeping silent until they were through.

"So he's finished? Great, that's awesome news guys." Takeshi paused for a second, glancing down at Shu at his mention before shrugging his shoulders, wincing faintly at doing so. "Ah... If you can call this moving... Neither of us are going anywhere anytime soon unfortunately. Hey..." he trailed off again, looking at the twins curiously. He was about to ask where Kabocha was until said boy walked in behind Kai and Choi, looking a bit on edge. "What's with you?"

"Oh you know... Narrowly avoiding being castrated by the Queen..." Kabocha mumbled, taking a cautionary glance down the hall as he crossed his arms. Like the twins he was glad to see the Princes were okay, perhaps a bit selfishly as they'd need their help to get their families to safety, but glad nonetheless. "These two already spill the beans? We got the General in custody. Though now T'charrl's gone and run off... Uh..." He'd have gone on, but somehow he didn't think it was a good idea. Having said too much already he looked away, whistling softly as he rocked back and forth on his heels innocently.

"T'charrl...? Say something if you can hear me!"

Now this was getting worrisome. Her son was not someone to simply disappear, he knew better than that. If he had indeed become this supposed monster then where had he gone, and why wasn't he answering her calls? It was all very unsettling, Eslaria just wanted to see her son. She didn't think the Saiyans had done anything to him, she believed their story about his running off. Yet she did have to question why they just let him go. If he was panicked or worried than leaving him alone was a bad idea, surely they must have enough brains between the three of them to realize this. Out of the silent forest came a sudden and alarming sound, one that made the Queen instantly draw her weapon. It was a piercing, horrid noise, and nothing like she'd ever heard before. She knew the wildlife of this world very well and that was most certainly not one of those creatures. So then... Was that her son?

Antennae twitching in reply to the shriek the Queen began moving in its direction, her hand securely around the grip of her blade. While she had her weapon in hand there was no intent to use it, at least not if that had been her son. What in the world had happened to him to enable such an unnatural noise though? If this was the General's doing, and she was already determined it was, then his sentencing was going to be much, much harsher. Dismissing the bit of nerves that sprouted from uneasiness she pressed on, slowly moving through the forest and in the direction of the sound.

"T'charrl...? Where are you?"

Dragon Ball: Legacy (Mogtaki and Vena Sera)

"If you want to climb it then sure, we can do that," Takeshi replied, smiling sadly. "How are you feeling Shu? Can you move at all yet?"

As if on cue the young Saiyan tried to lift himself up to no avail. It was sad to see he couldn't get up yet, but the fact alone he was moving was a welcome sight. He wasn't paralyzed then, if anything just sore. Given some proper rest and plenty of nutrition and he'd be back to himself in no time at all. Thank goodness for that, as it was hard enough as it is to stomach the state that his brother was in. Takeshi silently thanked whatever god there might be for their good fortune, breathing a bit easier now. Deciding to 'get over himself' he placed a hand on the edge of the couch, biting his lip as he pushed himself to his feet with a groan. He then stood at the side of the couch, leaning over Shu so they could speak face to face, a hand outstretched against the arm of the sofa to use as support.

"So... Do you remember what happened now? If you don't that's fine, I just thought I'd ask."

Eslaria had her gaze trained on Choi as he spoke, betraying no emotion whatsoever. It was obvious that her son was not with them, the real question was then where was he. She had expected him to have gone off somewhere, and in a way she was right. But what the Saiyan was telling her simply seemed unreal and made very little sense. What precisely did the boy mean by 'huge monster'? Needless to say the Queen wasn't pleased with the news, staring at Choi sternly while hearing him out. By the time he had finished she was rather cross about everything, exhaling softly and lifting a hand to rub at her forehead. So her son had staggered off elsewhere and was now mutated, and the man responsible for that and the war lay at her feet. The tricky part was figuring out where her priorities lie, and what she she should see to first.

"You let my son mutate into... A monster? Am I understanding this correctly?" A small nod from Kabocha confirmed this, and Eslaria sighed softly. "I see... Garesh? Katas? Restrain the General until I get back, I'm going to find my son!"

The two men did as they were told promptly, each grabbing one of the General's arms and carrying him off towards the house. Garesh kept a hold of him as Katas disappeared inside, returning a moment later with a fair length of rope in hand. Between the two of them they sat Yusef down and secured him to a post of the porch, making certain he wasn't going to go anywhere.

Eslaria meanwhile was making her way into the woods. She had no clue where T'charrl might be aside from the vague "forest" comment that Choi had made earlier, and it didn't help things much. He couldn't have gone too far if they had just shown up moments ago, and if he was indeed deformed in some way she doubted he was moving all that fast. Whatever had happened to him hopefully it could be cured. They'd bring him back home and have Renthal give the Prince a look over, find some kind of solution for it. Though if the royal doctor was at a loss then they might be at their end's with a cure. She supposed worst case scenario the General could be questioned, but somehow she doubted that fanatical moron knew a single thing about the power, or what had happened to her son. First though she had to actually find him.

"T'charrl?" Eslaria shouted, cupping her claws around her mouth. "Young Prince? Where are you? Can you hear me?"

Dragon Ball: Legacy (Mogtaki and Vena Sera)

"How should I know? I barely know what's going on," Kabocha retorted, offering a shrug of his shoulders. "I hope so though, he's our best chance at it."

T'charrl overheard them and made a remark about it, much to their chagrin. It was a relief that he swore to see it through, albeit what he said and what he would do could be two totally different things. They'd have to wait to see what would happen he supposed, not much else they can do. In the unfortunate event this wasn't going to work out then they'd be scrambling for another solution. The longer they were away and remained silent, Kabocha reflected, the more danger their families were in. Be it treason or failure, if the king should suspect any kind of foul play he'd have the parents executed without second thought. Really it wouldn't hinder them at all if their parents were killed, as heartless a thing as that sounded. It was more a matter of what was right, and they couldn't in good conscience just abandon their families, that wasn't fair.

"We only tried to help fight, we didn't do anything like that. Besides, we'll find a solution to... Whatever this is."

Takeshi didn't feel much in the way of talking to Yumi at the moment, or anyone for that matter, sans Shu. His little brother needed him there to console him. Maybe that was a self-subscribed delusion just to feel like he was wanted, but he rolled with it. It was a bit egotistical perhaps too to think that his sibling couldn't hate him no matter what he did, even if he had snapped like before. Was Shu aware of what he had done yet for that matter? Judging by the smile he was given upon coming back inside he doubted it, his brother wouldn't be smiling if he knew. Whereas Yumi stood over the young Saiyan for him to see her Takeshi had to take a seat to ease his wounds, as standing strained himself too much. When asked about what had happened he offered what he had managed to gather, albeit it wasn't much.

"I don't know what happened Shu, I'm sorry..." Takeshi answered, hanging his head as he closed his eyes. "The squad is okay, and it feels like they're coming back. Two powers came and went though... And I can guess who it was. Who knows though..." he paused, shaking his head and opening his eyes to stare at the floor. "I bet T'charrl is fine, he's got to be, the squad was with him."

As the group landed together by the house it was T'charrl who spoke out first, voicing his worry yet again. To the others he seemed okay, yet he sounded genuinely distressed and unsettled. None of them were quite sure why, or what was causing him to act so odd. He'd had the energy in him before, so how was this different to that, when he'd not changed at all. Was it too much power causing him to be like this? Kabocha frowned when the Prince started off towards the forest, not thinking it was a good idea at all for him to slink off alone. He needed some kind of attention, and Vegeta was liable to be the only one here to be able to give it. If it helped the kid settle down though then maybe going off into the woods was for the best. Exhaling softly the Saiyan glanced down at the General under his arm, seeing the man still basically as limp as a noodle from exhaustion. They just had to turn him in then and be done with it, that would be the end of that.

Yumi was still staring at the tree in bewilderment, absolutely beside herself. How did something that large just appear out of nowhere? For all she knew it could be a regular occurrence on this world, but the equally baffled looks on the Queen's face as well as the other men told her otherwise. The only thing that seemed to make sense was somehow either T'charrl or the General had triggered it and created the plant. They might not be able to ask the Prince what had happened, but there was someone else they could question, and he was being dragged up the walkway right now. The Beastman's eyebrows rose in surprise seeing the other Saiyans returning, a rather defeated Kaesstrian under Kabocha's arm, barely making any effort to move as he was carried along. She watched without word as the group stopped before them, and Kabocha idly threw the General at Eslaria's feet. There was the man she was after then, now to see what she planned to do.

The Queen watched the boys coming back towards them with a hint of surprise. So they had actually done it, she noted, eying the General keenly. This was the end of their ridiculous war, finally. Turning herself to face the boys she crossed all four arms as Yusef was thrown at her feet, glaring down at the man silently. He lifted his head at one point to return her glare but rather quickly laid back down, clearly drained from his exchange. So dealing with him as she saw fit would be no issue then, he'd not exactly resist whatever she was trying to impose on him.

"Well done boys... I'm impressed you managed to keep him in one piece," Eslaria mused, smiling faintly. Looking between the three Saiyans she noted the absence of her son, cocking her head to the side questioningly. "Where is my son? Is he not with you?"

Dragon Ball: Legacy (Mogtaki and Vena Sera)

Sure, T'charrl looked odd, but then so did ninety percent of what Kabocha had seen in his lifetime. Not to say that the Prince didn't have him a bit unsettled, but he did his best to be polite and hide it behind a smile. He and the twins all felt like something was wrong, why hadn't T'charrl turned back into himself like the General had? He'd presumably given up all the energy, and yet he remained mutated. If they went back with him like this... Well, there goes saving their parents. A fine mess this had turned out to be then, now what the heck was the point in doing all of this? Glancing down at the General in his grasp Kabocha mulled over the thought of just killing the guy, under the pretense their task was basically forfeit at this point. It wasn't like them to abandon a mission halfway through. Well... They had this time, but normally it wasn't. Certainly not a mission that was actually worthwhile, besides it wasn't their place to hand down judgment on the General. Before they could bring him to justice though the Prince would have to be seen to.

"You haven't done anything wrong dude, don't apologize." Kabocha tried to help out with that, but it didn't seem to really do a whole lot. "Let's just get back, okay? We'll fix this."

He wasn't sure how, and it was a safe bet that no one would know. This wasn't exactly something Saiyans were familiar with, that is, being stuck in a transformation. It didn't appear to be a widespread Kaesstrian ability either so no one around here would know how to help him. The best they could do is show him to Vegeta, maybe the egghead could come up with some kind of solution. Either that or, given enough time their doctors might have some kind of solution. Really whoever came up with a cure for this couldn't come up with it a moment too soon. Already the Prince was freaking out over his new appearance, sounding properly panicked as he looked over himself. He was definitely having a hard time coming to terms with all of this, and his new, unexplained hunger only served to add to that. Sighing exasperatedly Kabocha reached up and rubbed the back of his neck, looking in the direction of the house before back at T'charrl. What he heck could he say to settle the kid down?

"Wait, really? You're good to go, just like that?" Kabocha asked, blinking in surprise. Without an answer T'charrl started to fly off, meaning yes. Shrugging it off the Saiyan started after him, keeping a firm grip on the General's limp form as he followed along.

Yumi smiled sympathetically at Shu as she knelt down, hoping to do her best to console him. He'd always been a bit jumpy, and an earthquake most certainly didn't help someone like that. Aside from being startled he looked alright, thankfully it hadn't agitated his neck in any obvious way.

"Yeah, it was shaking, but we don't know why yet." the Beastman replied, giving the Saiyan's hand a gentle patting. "We're going to find out why it happened, don't worry. You just have to lay here and relax."

Whatever it was it felt like it had come from the direction of the city, meaning that it may have been the Prince and Saiyans fighting. Strange though, she hadn't felt any mass of Ki save for a few short bursts, so that hadn't caused the quake. Really she couldn't think of anything else that might have created it, unless T'charrl's ability was really that strong. Maybe this was why he had been so uncertain about showing it to them, seeing as it had caused a lot of damage and hysteria in the city probably. Busy tending to Shu as she was Yumi noticed someone landing just outside the window, swiveling her head around to see Takeshi standing there, awkwardly trying to climb in through the window. He looked to be having a tough time of it, so with a roll of her eyes she left Shu's side for a moment, going to the window to help. Carefully wrapping her arms under his own she eased the Saiyan inside, frowning as he shirked himself free of her grasp once on his feet.

"What were you doing out there?" Yumi asked concerned, putting her hands on her hips. "You're injured Takeshi, you shouldn't be moving around at all, let alone climbing through windows."

"I was just getting some fresh air, relax..."

Takeshi said dismissively, not bothering to look in Yumi's direction as he spoke. Instead he focused on his younger brother, smiling faintly as he placed a hand over his stomach wound, numbly walking over to the couch. Once at the side he turned himself about, grunting as he eased his body down into a sitting position on the edge, mindful of not moving Shu in the process. What a sorry sight the two of them must be, with Shu being unable to move and himself essentially indisposed. To think they were going to try protecting people from their monster of a father, and yet here they were laid up after a single little scuffle. He couldn't blame Shu, it was a cheap shot that had done him in. But there was no excusing the state he was in, he'd screwed up.

"There's a big tree in the city Shu... Like the one underground," the older boy explained, looking away at nothing in particular. "I think that's what caused the quake we felt... But I have no idea how it got there... And I can't tell anymore what's going on. The squad is still there, but there were two other powers too, and both of those have disappeared. If one was the General, then the other had to have been..." He didn't finish, not feeling the need two. There was only one other person present, and with that energy gone it could only mean one thing.

Yumi found it hard to believe a massive tree had suddenly sprouted up in the city, giving Takeshi a skeptical glance before walking out of the room. This was definitely something she needed to see for herself, even if she couldn't fathom why or how the Saiyan would lie about it. Everyone else was outside when she left the back door, gathered along the street and looking in the direction of the city. She didn't even need to go to them in order to spot what they were staring at. The sight made her jaw drop and eyes widen, as sure enough a massive tree, far bigger than the others around them now towered over the city. It was a beautiful thing, even from this distance she could see the lush vegetation on top, and various spots of soft colors indicating patches of flowers. The bark was a soft amber color, and seemed to twist and turn to form the outside of the plant. It was definitely not there before, so how had it gotten there?

Dragon Ball: Legacy (Mogtaki and Vena Sera)

"Go on T'charrl. All you've got to do is release the energy," Kabocha urged, smiling encouragingly. "Just fire it off or something, anything to get rid of it."

He'd expected a big blast to be fired off, or maybe the energy would just sort of dissipate. When the Prince dug his hands into the ground Kabocha cocked his head to the side, not following in the least what the kid was doing. Was he bracing himself to let it all go? Apparently so, but not in the way he had imagined. Alarmingly T'charrl did in fact release his energy... Right into the ground at their feet. At first nothing happened, and it seemed like the power would just disperse over the area. After a moment's pause though an abrupt and rather powerful tremor started to shake the area, the ground threatening to tear open as a result. Cursing under his breath Kabocha hurriedly grabbed hold of the General, scarcely caring for the guy's comfort as he lifted him up and rose into the air. Just what the heck was T'charrl trying to do?

The tremors only ended up being a prologue to a much larger, more intrusive event. As a crack tore through the street it looked like a chasm was opening, and then something abruptly began to sprout up from the depths. It was nigh impossible to tell exactly what it was at first, the mass came out in a spastic and random manner, reaching out every which way. It became apparent that it was wood not too long after, and said wood was beginning to clump together. As it shot further and further up into the air the base of it began to expand, tearing up the street and even destroying bits of the surrounding buildings in the process. Apparently this bloc was completely abandoned as there wasn't anyone running for cover or panicking. Higher and higher the wood rose, until finally reaching its peak a few dozen meters above the ground. At the top of the protrusion some of the wood began to span out in thin strips, and Kabocha realized precisely what was forming before them. As leaves sprouted and flowers rapidly bloomed his eyes widened in shock; it was a massive tree. Why the heck had it sprouted though? Baffled he looked over to T'charrl for answers, seeing that the Prince was really in no state to be answering. Boy did he slim down from that too, nearly reverting to his former self after it was all said and done.

"Holy crap T'charrl..." Not the most eloquent response, Kabocha could hardly think of much else to say though. All he could do was stare up at the tree, finally getting distracted as the General at his arm groaned in discomfort. "Uh... Guys, we should probably get going. I don't imagine people are going to be thrilled about this."

The lapse in power had Takeshi staring off towards the city, properly confused as to what was going on. The first power had vanished, only to be replaced by a second one. In no time at all even that one had disappeared, dropping off the radar just as suddenly as it had appeared. Frowning worriedly he placed a hand over the wound on his stomach, gritting his teeth as he fought to stand up, hoping to get some idea of just what was developing. With the vanishing of the energy came an unsettling pause, nothing happened for a few moments. Then, seemingly out of left field a tremor shook the city. It was slight at first, and Takeshi almost passed it off as just his legs being weak. As it gained magnitude it became obvious that wasn't the case, and unable to support himself the Saiyan fell onto his backside, wincing as he irritated his wounds in the process. The shaking would go on for a few minutes longer, not making dealing with his injuries any easier by any stretch. When the tremors finally subsided he was near curled up in his spot, groaning at how sore his body was.

"That... What the hell?" Takeshi gasped, lifting his head to look towards the city again. Even from here he could see something alarming, something that hadn't been there before. At first he thought he was seeing things, but after blinking and even looking away it was still there. A massive tree... Just like the one underground. Where had that come from?

Yumi and the others had absolutely no idea what to make of that. Everyone was just as confused as the other as to what was going on, and though she'd never show it Eslaria was deeply troubled. The Beastman meanwhile was worried as well, but moreso for the well being of Shu and Viral, and perhaps to a lesser extent Takeshi. A quick check on Viral gave some relief, seeing that he was still asleep and unharmed, thank goodness. Taking some solace in that fact she hurried right along to the family room to check on the youngest member of their group. Like the rest of them he seemed properly startled, but otherwise unharmed. Smiling gently she walked across the room, taking a knee at the side of the couch and gently snatching up one of Shu's hands to let him know she was there.

"Are you okay...? Nothing hurts does it?" Yumi asked, taking a cursory glance over the Saiyan for any open wounds. "It's over, whatever that was."

Resounding Provocation: The Council of Shadows

I really hate to back out of this, but I'm getting swamped by old RP partners and cannot do this many roleplays at once. So thanks for the chance letting me in, but I'll have to duck out of this one Dx

Dragon Ball: Legacy (Mogtaki and Vena Sera)

Kabocha wasn't sure if talking to T'charrl at this point was going to do them any good or not. From what he knew whenever the commander or Shu transformed they were pretty well beyond reasoning. He knew people could retain their self in Oozaru form, but this was definitely not the same thing. Keeping distance just in case the Prince went off the deep end he tried to talk T'charrl down, knowing that their mission required bringing the General back alive. Sure, killing the guy was easy, especially now, but that wasn't what they were here for. Thankfully his words got through to the Kaesstrian, and he cooled down a little bit, at least enough that he wasn't going to murder the guy. T'charrl did eventually release the General, albeit he did so by slamming the poor guy into the ground below. Wincing at the sight he waited until the Prince backed off before going over to apprehend their target.

Yusef was laid flat out on his back in the pavement, staring straight up at the sky unmoving. Wow did his body hurt right now. Aside from feeling like every ounce of energy was sapped from him that slam hadn't helped either. The after effects of the injection were causing some complications as well, namely shortened breath and increased pulse as his organs had to fight to re-regulate themselves. He certainly wasn't going to keel over from it all, but a nice relaxing bath and a feather-soft bed would be nice.Opening his jaw the General managed to lift his head enough to see the Saiyan approaching him. He tried to speak, but all that came out was a pitiful groaning sound.

"Unnnnnnnh...."

Kabocha watched as the General's head laid back onto the ground, smiling at how utterly exhausted the man looked. So much for his bravado, this little fight of theirs was finally over. Thank goodness too, it had been getting awfully close to causing some serious damage to the city otherwise. All that had been damaged was the seedy home that the research had been done in, and now with T'charrl's massive size the road was taking a bit of a beating. Overall not that big of a deal. It was a safe bet that right now moving Yusef was going to be tricky, and it would take at least two people to do it. To that end Kabocha looked back at the twins, gesturing for either of them to come forward and give him a hand. While he waited the Saiyan glanced back up at the Prince, offering a faint smile seeing how upset the kid was.

"Hey, it's not the end of the world. We'll get you back to normal." Kabocha reassured, putting his hands on his hips. "The General changed back when he lost his energy, yeah? So... Try using up yours. Fire something into the air, I don't know. If you run out or don't have enough you should change back. That's how ours works anyways."

The Oozaru form, while powerful did take up an awful lot of Ki. You got more power once transformed, but if you fell below a certain bit you'd lose the form, every Saiyan knew that. Logic told Kabocha then this new Kaesstrian form had to work the same way, it only seemed to be the natural order of things. Hopefully for their sake he changed back before his mother saw him. Somehow he didn't expect that she would take her son becoming a literal monster too well.

Back at the house it had hardly become a secret that a fight was going on. Ki flying was never a good thing, Everyone had been ordered to remain away from the fight by the Queen though, and Vegeta was right with her, both agreeing that whatever was going on was too dangerous for the others to become involved. Where there had been a massive source of energy earlier it had gradually waned, only to be replaced by another. It wasn't Ki that they were sensing, they knew that, but it was close enough to be picked up. As scientifically inclined as he was Vegeta couldn't offer a single explanation for what they were experiencing, drawing the same obvious conclusions that everyone else had. Whatever strange energy resided on this planet was similar to their own, and yet completely alien in its own right.

Takeshi could scarcely move, but he'd managed to drag himself outside and up onto the roof of the house. From there he watched in the direction of the fight, half expecting a light show to start. It was a relief when the conflict seemed to simmer down, though they still couldn't tell what had caused that or who had won. The squad was still there, but that didn't tell anyone how T'charrl was faring unfortunately. He could have easily been beaten by the General, as unlikely as they thought that to be. Until they all returned no one was going to know for certain what was going on, and really that was the worst of it all. Taking a glance down at his wounds he frowned disconcertingly, resisting the temptation to itch at the healing flesh below the bandages. If he hadn't been so utterly useless then it may not have come to this, and he could be out there finishing things as it should have been. Instead he was stuck here, wallowing in self pity as his friends took on the fight for him. Some job he was doing...

Dragon Ball: Legacy (Mogtaki and Vena Sera)

The General was determined to finish this battle here and now. T'charrl could absorb his energy, and what's more his own energy could be used against him. So now not only was using energy attacks no longer a viable option, but even simple contact was dangerous. He'd have to overwhelm the boy in a sudden rush, make it so he couldn't possibly retaliate and beat him once and for all. To that end he sacrificed a little more energy as a brief distraction before flying up and over the boy, descending rapidly again to drive him down into the ground from behind. He was larger, and even a simpleton could figure out that his bigger size meant that any physical impact was going to go very poorly for the Prince. Why then did the boy scarcely budge as he was struck? Confused and frustrated the General swung himself around, again striking the boy to no avail. Clarity washed over Yusef as he backed off, eyes widening in alarm at what he saw. The boy was changing just as he had done, his body beginning to undergo metamorphosis into an entirely new beast.

Not only was T'charrl now changing as well, but he was transforming into something far more powerful than what the General had. All of the energy from those attacks and from what had been drained eclipsed the minute amount of power that Yusef had injected into himself, and the difference became immediate. Whereas the General gained a meter and some considerable mass he remained mostly the same, just an inflated version of himself. As the Prince began to change though his entire appearance was being altered. His features changed right along with the rest of his physique, the end result being something that most certainly did not resemble the young Kaesstrian. Expanding rapidly the Prince quickly met the General's size before growing beyond, and by the time he'd finished his unnatural growth spurt he dwarfed the senior alien. Whereas Yusef may have become a bit more powerful T'charrl had quite literally become a monster, both in terms of size and strength.

"You... You damned child!" Yusef shouted, glaring up at the Prince in spite of his towering size. "This... This changes nothing!"

Or maybe it changed quite a bit. Contrary to his hulking size T'charrl moved with amazing speed, and quickly the General found himself in a poor predicament. A massive and strong set of claws wrapped around his body, the fingers wrapping around him like iron straps and constricting any and all movement. As much as he tried to struggle against the boy's grip he couldn't break free. If he wasn't mistaken he was also beginning to feel considerably weaker, like his energy was being sapped. Sure enough his body felt like it was growing numb, and slowly but surely his musculature started to return to its normal state. He'd only just gained his power, he couldn't lose it so soon, not like this.

"Let me go! This isn't your power to take!"

Angry as he was the General was perfectly helpless, forced to sit in T'charrl's grasp and watch as his energy was sapped away. Soon enough his body had shrunk back down to its original proportions, and in contrast to the hulking Prince he seemed like a child's plaything. With a sincerely massive gap in strength and sheer size separating them now Yusef finally appreciated the magnitude of his situation, becoming rather alarmed by it as a result. The vice grip on him was strong, but certainly not crushing him. How easily he'd be tossed aside and about like a doll right now if the Prince so chose to. Anger ebbed, giving rise to nervousness and even panic. His struggle became more fitful, and an earnest look of fright washed over his face.

"P-Put me down you freak! Release me this instant!" the General screamed, kicking his legs haplessly. "You weren't going to kill me...! Let me go!"

From his vantage point Kabocha could see everything unfolding, and he was definitely caught off guard by how monstrous T'charrl had become. He had gained the upper hand on the General quickly, even managing to remove from him the power that made the man such a threat. With all that energy for himself now the question remained as to whether or not he could control it, or if he'd be lost to some kind of mania as well. Yusef's panicked shouts told him the fight was over, there was no reason to continue on at this point. With an amused smirk he slowly descended to the ground, landing noiselessly in front of T'charrl and folding his arms over his chest, Oh how the mighty have fallen.

"Okay T'charrl, I think the guy's gone and pissed himself, we won." Kabocha mused, laughing at the General's expense. "Put him down and let's take him back, yeah?"

Dragon Ball: Legacy (Mogtaki and Vena Sera)

"I am the savior of our people, I am the light that will guide us forth!" Yusef shouted, growing angrier by the second. "YOU are nothing!"

Whatever T'charrl might be doing it wasn't going to win him this battle, of that the General was certain. He was the superior being here, this was only a minor set back. He would just create another attack like that, he had the energy for it, he must have. Sooner or later the Prince would tire of exhaustion, and then he could wipe these troublesome children out in one fell swoop. He may have absorbed that attack, but everyone had a limit, he was sure of that. He'd just fill the boy up until he was primed to burst, what a fitting way for him to go. Flying forward at high speeds the General gathered his power in each hand, tossing forward four smaller blasts that circled erratically at their target. Despite having multiple projectiles though each of them was grabbed and absorbed yet again. His energy might be useless now, but he could still definitely use his brute strength.

"Absorb this!"

Reeling a thick arm back Yusef tried to send a hard jab directly at T'charrl's head, easily with enough force to cause considerable damage. The Prince turned out to be faster than his attack, deftly avoiding it and lifting off above him. The General turned his head in time to see the boy reaching for him and then abruptly drop to the ground. Being carried a few meters further by his own momentum the Kaesstrian halted himself in mid-air, turning around and glancing down at the boy. Just what was he playing at going down there now? Well, he may not have directly caused any damage, but T'charrl did seem to be in some degree of discomfort, and that was more than satisfying. Smirking he crossed his arms, easing himself ground ward slowly.

"My mind is fine boy, I assure you. I'm just enjoying my new power is all." His tone quickly went from casual to angry as he was taunted, being on the precipice of snapping mentally. "I know more than you do about it! I've studied the energy, I know how it works far better than you boy!"

Talking was getting rather tiresome, he wanted to end this right now. Growling furiously the General crouched low to the ground, and with a strong gust from his wings sped directly at the Prince. Coming ever closer he suddenly darted into the air, gathering energy and tossing it right down from above, flying over and behind the other Kaesstrian. He would then lower himself back to the ground, trying to ram his large frame into T'charrl to drive him to the ground, and subsequently beat him until he was no more. As soon as he was done here, the Saiyans were next. Then he'd find the remainder of their friends and cleanse this world of those pests. Finally, he'd deal with the Queen. It would be a shame she couldn't watch her son die though.